#< ??? eh to be safe w the tags at least

[enderspawn]

also i must add that it is CRITICAL to my enjoyment of rolan that he fucking hates the idea of going to therapy and calls them all ‘shrinks’. it makes him a fun extra flavor of fucked up you cant remove it

[trashland-llamas]

Fork in the Road

x gn reader

Plot bunny/ramble based off the one Cells! At Work episode where the rbc tries to navigate the circulatory system & wbc follows her, making sure it goes well. Instead it’s the batfam w/ their vigilante identities and Reader.

Reader who tends to be easily taken advantage of by Gotham locals, what with being a transplant to the area. But one day they decide they want to learn how to navigate the city, as in go through all the train and subways lines. And then at the end, figure their way back home. It starts with Dick in Bludhaven, riding on top of the train in his Nightwing attire with a clear view of Reader sitting in an aisle seat. Showing their ticket to the conductor, smooth sailing ahead. He’s noticed by a few Gothamites who just hope that his presence doesn’t make them late to work.

‘You’re being a creep. I don’t know how Reader hasn’t spotted you.’ Jason tells him, coming to take the next shift as they had started to encroach on Jason’s patrol territory. ‘I just want to keep them safe.’ Once again, everything goes well as the ghost that was the Red Hood lurking close by. No one dared bother Reader with their scary guard dog privilege equipped. They get spun around a few times and Jason has to stop himself from helping or comforting him. Dick strictly said they only could if it was life or death. So he instead watches from the shadows as Reader pulls out their phone and successfully corrects course. ‘Tag, you’re it.’ Is all he says to Damian after exiting the subway.

Damian helps them get to the edges of the city so Tim can then do the dutiful job of supervising them on their way back to the center. Damian isn't nearly as watchful as Jason or Dick. Oddly defending their choice. Getting into an argument over the phone with the others, 'You all told them to be more self-sufficient. That's why we taught them self defense. For fucks sake, have a little more faith in them.' Hanging up, he places a tracker on their backpack. A last ditch effort in case they did end up lost and unable to find their way back. At the very least to keep his brothers from breathing down his neck.

Tim has the easiest job as Reader's able to apply everything they've learned up to that point. He's not even dressed in his usual Robin attire when he walks straight up to them. The weekly family dinner taking place at the manor and Bruce told them to invite Reader. An invitation that they had agreed to, dressing casual. It wasn't a gala, they reasoned. The duo is two stops away from their destination. Making light conversation, 'heading to the manor?'

'Oh, hey Tim.' While it wasn't out of the norm for him to take public transport, he was a known figure. Wouldn't it be better to travel via Bruce's private car? 'Having a good day so far?' Reader lets out a long 'eh' sound, exhausted by their travels. But ends up yapping all about their adventure into the city. Tim perfectly acts as if he hadn't been following them for the past few hours. By the time they finish, they're at the manor's door with Alfred to greet them. They happily sigh at the thought of a nice, hot meal surrounded by familiar company.

[thecapricunt1616]

Pink Pony Club (Richie Jerimovich one-shot)

♡ One-Shot Inspo: Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan "I'm up, and jaws are on the floor. Lovers in the bathroom and a line outside the door. Blacklights, and a mirrored disco ball Every night's another reason why I left it all" ♡ Summary: You're an Exotic Dancer / part time house mom at The Pink Pony, and end up falling for a man that is probably old enough to be your father. ♡ W/C: 2.9k ♡ Poste Date: 06/10/2024 ♡ A/N: Hello all! again, for the asks that are atp starting to mold in my inbox - imma get to you. This specific dirty old man in a suit has been making me feel things lately, so naturally I had to write some porn about it. Asks are still open even though I cant promise it'll be done snappy. Hope everyones week is off to a great start so far!! Tagged those who commented on the post saying this would be a good idea just so you could see how it came out, hope you like :) ♡ Warnings for BTC: Age gap relationships (R is in her mid-to-late 20's, mentions of sex work, Club environments, swearing, smut, rough sex (Richie likes to be slapped around sometimes, kay?) lowkey simp!Richie, no use of Y/N - pet names only, readers stage name is Pixie Polestar , unprotected sex, not edited, we die like men!

♡ 𝐌𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 ♡ ➵ 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 ♡ ➵ 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 ♡ ➵ 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 / 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵 ♡ ➵ 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 ♡

You had met Richie just about 2 months ago. It was safe to say, life had chewed him up and spit him out lately. 

If he was being honest with himself, the dating pool wasn’t exactly rich at 46 years old. He could count on almost two hands how long it had been since he got his dick up for more than just the binightly pornhub browser. 

That led him into the Pink Pony Club one fateful August night. You were working your usual shift, Pixie Polestar. You - unlike some of the other girls - really enjoyed your job. At least, the aspect of having fun on stage, doing cute, sexy little acrobat-like tricks on the pole while horny men paid you to take more of your clothes off?

Yes please. 

You weren’t a back room kind of girl, usually. That was because the amount of money you made from tricks on the pole was more than a lot of the girls you worked with made in a whole shift while you just worked the 45 minute trick-filled stage set then would give a few $400 lap dances depending on your mood, before skipping on home, taking a hot shower, and slipping in your silk sheets with your air conditioner turning your bedroom something akin to an ice box. 

That was how that night was supposed to go. 

How the night really went, was some loud borderline obnoxious man at least 15 years your senior, had found his way into the Pink Pony. He was wearing a pressed navy blue suit, that complimented his pretty blue eyes. That was the second thing you noticed about him while he loudly whistled for Krystal who was currently doing her set. 

You weren’t really supposed to be here anymore - well- you didn’t have to be here. You had found yourself a solution, a real career path if you will. But you enjoyed your time on the pole because it was art, and dancing was a confidence booster for you. In any regard, you were going to get older, you were going to pass your prime as the house mom was always telling you girls, so you needed another stream of income. 

Of course, being a … *eh-hem* - exotic dancer was the word you preferred, stripper just sounded trashy to you, did come with its negative stereotypes, one of which being no where will rent to you - because you had terrible credit. So, naturally, being the resourceful woman you are - you walked your happy ass to the open house of a for sale by owner showing, and told the nice realtor you’d take it. 

Boom. Done, you had a place to live in 3 weeks, when you closed on it. Then, it dawned on you. The other girls you worked with had the same issue you did. So, you found another house, saved another 25k for the amount to put down, and rented it to your coworkers. 

It was the perfect system, because you knew you’d get your rent. You knew exactly how much money each girl made because you watched them make it, you knew where they lived, and they had to look you in the eye every night. So it’s easy to say no one ever tried you. The only real reason you hung around The Pink Pony anymore was because you wanted to keep an eye on your girls and dancing was fun too. 

When he first laid eyes on you, it was something akin to a cartoon character when their pupils turn into hearts. It wasn’t too abnormal, you were one of the more bombshell-esc dancers at the club, and that isn’t to say that you outdid anyone it was all based on preference. Some men loved plain Jane’s, and the plain Jane’s were just as beautiful as any of the other girls, but the reaction of men basically tripping over their feet to try and come talk to you was more likely going to happen to you then anyone else.  

But he…didn’t come over, that was interesting to you. So, you being the master of customer service you were, took your drink and kept your eyes locked on his as you made your way across the room, and plopped right in his lap. “Never seen you here before sweetheart” your manicured hand found the back of his neck, gently caressing over his skin. 

He tried to play it cool, but your tits we’re basically in his face, he could smell your perfume perfectly, fuck he genuinely can’t believe that a girl so beautiful just sauntered over and sat in his fucking lap. Was he dreaming? He found his mind racing, and for once in his 46 years he was dumbfounded and couldn’t find anything to say. 

“Cat got your tongue honey?” You smirked a bit, gently cupping his stubbly cheek and rubbing your thumb over his bottom lip, pulling it gently before letting it snap back into place. He swallowed thickly, his hand resting on your bare thigh, just below the white glittery mesh coverup you were wearing. 

“I’m Richie.” He blurted out, his cheeks felt like they were on fucking fire, any blood that wasn’t rushing there was rushing to his cock and he found himself wondering when the last time he’d gotten hard so easy was. 

“Well hello Richie. I’m Pixie, what brings a handsome man like you in on a Friday night mm, no big plans?” You absentmindedly played with his chain, pretending to pay no mind to the long length that was hardening in the curve of your ass. All you would have to do is shuffle just a tiny bit and his cock would be nestled between your cheeks and the itty bitty powder pink g string that you wore beneath the tiny mesh piece of fabric that was basically for show and no use to cover anything. 

“I guess I was lookin’ f’some entertainment. Think I found it” he spread his legs more, causing you to sink further into his lap and his hand found the curve of your waist, his thumb rubbing little up and down strokes over the smooth skin. He never believed that the sheer triple x rated porn movie he was creating in his mind would become a reality that night but man did it. 

It was also his first night taking the dreaded viagra prescription his doctor had given him when he got real about his … shortcomings as of late. The man isn’t what he used to be stamina wise, okay? Nonetheless - he still rocked your shit - well, more like you rocked his. 

Who knew this foul mouthed, old school, borderline toxic masculinity-entrenched motherfucker would get so much pleasure from your palm coming across his cheek just hard enough it left a yummy sting and telling him “My eyes are up here you old pervert” as you bounced on his cock with a rhythm he couldn’t bring to the table himself anymore, and that in turn causing your tits to bounce like a fucking hentai film less then a foot from his face. 

Something about a younger girl calling him old and smacking him around all while using his cock to get herself off, babbling about how good he makes her feel made him more confident then he had been in years.

He often would find himself feeling a little pang of sadness after you started seeing eachother, in moments where you two were laughing a way he only ever did with Mikey before you came around, and making him feel like he was in fuckin’ High school again with how giddy he was to see you after every shift. All of it would just remind him how bad he wishes you could have met Mikey, and how bad he wishes he could tell Mikey. 

Richie knows, he would be so jealous, but in a brotherly way - that such a young hot piece of ass, a young smart, hot, funny, piece of ass was calling him daddy, told him he was ‘her mans’ whatever the fuck that meant. He assumed girls today call their boyfriends that, there were a lot of little phrases and lingo you had to explain to him and would always make fun of him for being old after doing so. 

He would tease you too, having some late 80s early 90’s radio station on (because the old head didn’t understand what streaming was) while he drove you around of course since he had learned from you that you were his ‘passenger princess’ and saying something like ‘oh babygirl this is before your time, this is from my day” before cranking up the radio and serenading you with Bad Girl by Madonna, belting it in such a silly, dramatic way between drags of his cigarette you couldn’t help but burst into giggles and kiss him at the next red. 

You had told him that when you used to do private dances that Like a Virgin was one of your favorite to dance to for the ‘older’ gentleman, he spanked you playfully when you said his crowd was older as he usually did, and of course later that night he had you perform for him and you ended up getting your back blown out to material girl since you had been streaming the song from your phone and didn’t care to find it and turn it off. 

When Tina had played it jokingly at family dinner one night, he couldn’t help the smirk that came to his lips at the memory. Funnily enough, she was the first person to find out about you. Of course, he didn’t divulge anything other than he was finally seeing someone consistently, nothing about your age or profession. Based on the way Tina had reacted with clapping and kissing his cheeks, gushing “I’m so proud of you papa! That’s so good, this is so good for you! You need to get out there more” he was reevaluating his social life or lack there of and telling himself he needed to get out more, which lucky for him you were young and bubbly so you could get him out of the house. 

The next person he told, he really told, was Carmy. Well- technically Syd too, but she just happened to overhear. 

“W-wait wait” Carmy pinched the bridge of his nose how he did when he was baffled and confused, brows knitting together as he shook his head. “Lemme- lemme just get this straight - y’datin a…..” 

“Ex-o-tic dancer, cousin. It’s 2024, fuckin hell. Women dance and get paid for it - no big deal.” He repeated, emphasizing each sound as if what he was explaining was the most casual thing in the world, which - you had explained to him it should be so he took that and ran with it. 

“You’re fucking…a stripper- a stripper that’s what they’re called when they dance naked -  and how old did you say she was?” Syd questions. 

“Hey- she leaves her panties on she’s only naked top up, and plus she doesn’t even have to anymore she does it for the art.” He points the spoon he was wiping down at Carmy “this new NOMA bullshit we’re doin’ here isn’t the only art, Cousin. Shes an artist” he dropped the spoon in the bucket with the rest of the pristine ones he’d worked on. 

“Sure- and she’s fuckin younger then me” Carmy replied. “She could be y’fuckin-“

“Yeah, yeah - whatever she could be my fuckin daughter where’s your girlfriend huh? I don’t see anyone linin’ up to fuck you. She’s nice, and into me - and - and she’s funny and smart. So see already 2 qualities named that I don’t see much of around here so excuse fuckin me f’wantin to be happy when I’m not in this shithole” he teased 

“So- this not even 30 year old, she is gonna be y’date to the thanksgiving friends and family night - the one your daughter and ex wife are attending - and you think that will be a good idea considering tiff’s track record with girls you bring around” Syd questioned. 

“Yup” was all he said before taking the now finished bin of spoons to be put away, glad for the conversation to have finally been over. 

He rehashed the whole conversation with you later that night as you slowly rolled your hips into his, your skin sticking to his, both of you covered with a thin layer of sweat. You had his hands pinned next to his head, fingers interlaced with yours, practically speaking into your mouth as you kissed him sloppy and open mouthed, obsessed with eachothers taste. You always tasted of bubblegum, a habit you’d carried with you since childhood, he always tasted of cigarettes, a habit he had carried since high school. 

“Baby with my job I’m used to people not understanding me - I didn’t expect your friends to like me. My job - it can make people uncomfortable. But fuck them. You know how we feel huh?” You picked up the speed of your hips, using the curly deep brown patch of hair at the base of his cock to cause the most delicious friction with each thrust on his cock as you chased your orgasm. 

“Ye’ fuck em baby- shit- so fuckin tight- all mine right?” He breathed, mouthing over the bruises he’d left on your breasts a few nights ago. That was one thing about your job he had a bit of difficulty getting past, but you assured him you had no feelings for any clients and that you weren’t doing lap dances anymore only your stage set and otherwise you were just there to be more of a second house mom. But still, he was a man after all. He was possessive, a little jealous sometimes. So he loved to hear that you were only his during moments like this. 

“Yes daddy- all yours. You own this- you own me” you kissed his hand before bringing it to your breast and then using his shoulders as leverage to bounce further up and down, the action causing his head to fall back and jaw to fall slack. 

“Just like that - god- fuck - holy shit baby- shit-shit- y’fuckin close? How fuckin long has it been?” He pinched your nipple lightly, causing your pussy to clench around him and a pornstar like whine to leave your lips 

“It’s been 15 minutes- Christ you’re like a teenager. Can’t even last 30 minutes?” You teased, leaning in and kissing his neck, biting and nibbling the skin as you circle your hips, essentially jutting the tip of his cock into your g spot and that floaty feeling sneaking up on you as you feel him shoot rope after rope of arousal, painting your pretty, gummy walls a milky white and his stomach muscles clenching at the overstimulation. 

The grunts and moans that left his lips when you got him here were some of the hottest noises you’d ever heard a man make before, you were always sure to file them away in a special little folder in your brain for a rainy day he wasn’t able to get you off himself. “Feel good daddy?” You asked sweetly, sitting up and resting your hands on his hips so you could look down and watch as your mixed arousals gush out of you and around him, thick strings breaking with each slow, purposeful roll of your hips 

“So fuckin good baby- Jesus gonna finish soon? Dunno how much more I can do” he said, voice breathy, blissed out, nearly whiny. 

“Mmhmm few more minutes daddy- god we’re so pretty, I bet we taste so good mm?” You swipe the pad your forefinger over your clit, gathering the sweet and bitter white, making a show of rubbing it over the hardened bud of your nipple “feels good, too, wanna tell me how it tastes?” You leaned in and he nearly groaned as he took your breast in his mouth, crystal like eyes seeding into your own gaze as he flicked his tongue gratefully around the sensitive nub. 

You whined hotly, the sight of your tit in his mouth mixed with the feeling of his pants huffing through his nose and fanning over the swollen flesh as his tongue swirled and licked and flicked and drove you over the edge. You cried out, hips stuttering as you rode out your orgasm. His hand found your heat, rubbing with scissored fingers over your clit and meeting around his cock before dragging his fingers back up to repeat the assault. 

The action had you gushing around him, the contractions of your heat getting stronger causing him to groan into your skin and that vibration just added more stimulation. “Fuck yes- god daddy- always make me feel so good, no one understands how good we make eachother feel hm? Nothing else matters, baby, as long as you feel good, right?” 

You pulled him in for a sloppy, hot, passionate kiss. A kiss that made his heart do flips, and his stomach flutter, and made him feel way lighter.

Richie thought to himself in that moment he may be falling in love again, and he was equal parts fucking terrified, and excited to see where things with you went. 

He just had to get over ripping off the very last bandaid, and then you could really be together -

And that bandaid was Tiff.

@aestheticaltcow - @myszie - @wtfsteveharrington

[hana-no-seiiki]

REJECTION

YANDERE! IDOL! OC! (EVE) x IDOL! READER BLURB (ft. new ocs!)

Before we start, I’m excited to announce that I’m finally starting an HNSVerse webtoon/comic series w/ our starting story ( being the one Eve/Jisoo is featured in ) Love ♡ Multiplied ! Invasion of Your Heart this fall. Hope to see you guys during its release ehe.

If you’re new to my blog, go ahead and check the tag hns.eve for more works of him, or check out my master list.

Without further ado, here’s Eve’s first ‘solo’ fic! Enjoy!

warnings: yandere themes (obsessive love, violence, unreliable narrator). mentions of alcohol abuse/alcoholism. incel/nice guy jisoo. profanity.

status: unedited

©️ both the art and story belong to me, please do not redistribute, repost, translate or share without credit/permission.

this particular fic is safe for minors (16+) so no mdni on this folks. feel free to enjoy.

[previous fic / prequel to this fic]

“I’m sorry, but I don’t like you that way.”

Jisoo never truly knew the power of words til he heard you after his confession.

He prepared months in advance, with a dedication that was unusual to him at the time.

He picked the perfect venue, the one convenience store you two always ate onigiri at. He picked the perfect time, sunset — to really set the mood — and a week after monthly examinations so that emotions were not running too high. He spent hours, days, maybe even weeks just agonizing over the words to choose when he finally poured his feelings out. He even prepared for times after the

Throughout his whole time as a trainee, nothing felt as bad as the dejection your words gave him.

“W-what do you mean?”

“You’re more of a dad to me . . .” He saw your eyes flick left and right, clearly uncomfortable with the arrangement despite the plan he meticulously concocted.

Still he could not control the poison from injecting itself within the crevices of his inflection, his delivery coming out as awfully sour — maybe even petty, “A dad? You’re older than me.”

“Yeah, a dad friend. You’re the more mature one between us and . . . I just — I just can’t see you romantically.” If the damage wasn’t enough, you ended your explanation with an emphasis. “Ever.”

You then grabbed your belongings and left. Though, being the polite and kind person you were, you made sure to at least give him a farewell.

Jisoo sighed, looking up towards the convenience store ceiling lights. The sting from the bright luminance distracted him only a little bit before his mind went back to you. Consumed by his thoughts, his heart suddenly began beating a million times a second. A sudden adrenaline rush overcame him.

If you didn’t like him because of his personality, he’ll just go ahead and change that up a bit.

The day right after, Jisoo found himself doing something he would have never even thought of. It was amazing how much you made him realize and change. It was actually why completely fell in the first place.

Though, the changes before were natural and a bit too slow. Jisoo needed to have you as his as soon as he possibly could. And so, change had to happen now and under his jurisdiction.

You weren’t present that day, so it wasn’t too out of the ordinary to follow a couple of trainees out when lessons concluded. Usually he was completely stuck to your side and your side alone. Conversation didn’t come naturally to him, as such friends don’t either.

It took him a few minutes to man up and a long, deep breath to finally attempt getting one of the trainee’s attention.

Daehyun was his name, Jisoo thinks. When getting the former’s attention he opted to tug the guy’s sleeve just to be safe.

“What’s up? Oh, it’s you. ” Daehyun turned around. His silver eyes sparkled underneath the late afternoon’s sunlight. He was one of if not the best dancer in Celestial Entertainment. In addition to that, he was known for charming personality and magnetic stage presence.

Frankly, Jisoo only saw him as annoyingly bright and cheery. They were exact opposites. They fought on a daily basis.

But that was exactly why Jisoo needed him in particular.

“You’re childish.” Jisoo began.

Daehyun’s jaw goes slack at this cool, raven haired giant’s audacity. Most of the time he’d come back with a retort but he was utterly drained from practice. “Ah. . .Okay then. . . Well I gotta go — “

Daehyun jerked his arm away, but that only prompted Jisoo to fully grab him by the bicep, “Teach me.”

“Sorry, I think I’m misunderstandiny you. You want me to teach you how to be childish?“

Jisoo nodded vigorously, “I want to be a better idol. And . . . a better fellow trainee. Listen. I’ve been a terrible person to everyone here. I just want to be better.”

Daehyun doesn’t answer for a long time. Maybe even minutes pass before he did. At least, enough time for the trainee walking alongside him to realize his partner wasn’t near him anymore.

His jaw was still wide open.

“Wow, points for self-awareness yo. Finally.”

“Bold words for someone in punching range.” Jisoo lets go of the shorter man’s arm and crosses his. An eyebrow raised.

“Fine, fine. Guess your short temper hasn’t gone anywhere. Time for Being Chill 101, yeah?” Daehyun then shouted to his companion, an even shorter guy that Jisoo dreaded asking help from. But he was desperate. Beggars can never be choosers. “Hayate! C’mere! Jisoo needs a lil help!”

“Eeehhhhh—?! Jisoo? Asking for help? The gods have answered our prayers!”

Jisoo soon realized that he asked help from a bunch of hooligans.

If he faces rejection again after all this trouble, he might just murder a man.

“Hey.” You walked towards Jisoo with your usual smile.

“Heyyy!” He greeted back. Earning a confused look from you as you sat beside him.

You chuckled at his strange demeanor. Well, maybe it wasn’t so strange. You knew Jisoo could be quite awkward at times. Considering you haven’t seen each-other for months by now, he must feel weird talking to you all of a sudden. Especially after what you did last time. “What has gotten into you?” You asked. It was either your earlier theory or the effect of him hanging out with other people. You heard he started spending some more time with other trainees. Even going on drinking sprees with large groups. You didn’t approve of such activities but were too busy to scold him on the topic lately.

But apparently both of your guesses were ‘wrong’ as he had answered, “Huh? Me? Pffft. Nothing. Justa — think I drank too much coffee.”

You could smell the stench of soju and beer in his breath now that you were closer. “Right. I just wanted to say that we can still hang out you know. Doesn’t mean that I rejected you that we can’t talk anymore.”

“Oh, sorry! Sorry. Did it feel like I was avoiding you? I was just busy with Idol Image training.”

“Idol Image training? I thought you hated those lessons.”

“Ya know me. Indecisive and impulsive as always.”

Jisoo grinned at you. But all you could do was cringe out of pity and guilt.

Apparently the guilt you felt wasn’t enough however as you decided that it was now or never to rub some salt into gaping hole of a wound.

“Almost forgot. I have to tell you something. I got a deal to be a solo artist.”

“Solo what now? I thought we were debuting together.”

“Looking at how you’re dealing with my rejection. I think it’s safe to say that us working and living together won’t go too well. I don’t want to lead you on. We’re friends. Nothing else. Sorry if I did so before.”

You didn’t even let him show you how much he’d improve. How much he worked on his way with words and conversation. Before he even had the chance to show his work you had not only rejected him once again but extinguished any hope from forming.

For once in these past few months when Jisoo had been the most talkative he had ever been in his life, he found himself speechless again.

“Soo?”

“I’m . . . proud of you. Really.”

The awkward air was too much for your to bare, so you left right after. Not a goodbye or even a wave.

Instead he watched as you swiftly made your exit. A frown laced your exquisite features.

He then spotted a man. He looked quite a bit older than you. Elegant and refined, he wore a classic black suit with a long coat draped on his back. Short leather gloves that no doubt hid hands as attractive as his own face. His hair was somehow darker than the one Jisoo was born with.

But what struck the young trainee the most was the man’s pine green eyes. It was like a forest one could easily get lost in. A cliche description he knew. But it was the best he could think of.

Jisoo doesn’t realize the trance he was in until the man suddenly turned straight at him —

— and smirked.

People often saw Jisoo leave early during drinking parties. They chalked it up to his shy nature and he didn’t really have a good tolerance.

In reality it was mostly because he found a perfect victim to vent out his frustrations on that night.

It was usually a person too drunk to even understand or realize what was going on.

“Useless.” He muttered, kicking the random man’s stomach before the latter curled up in the floor in pain.

“Stop! Please stop!”

Jisoo scoffed at his protest. His red eye held no light as he continued his ministrations. This time stomping on the stranger’s cheek. “Utter piece of shit.”

The man stops protesting. All that could be heard in the cold chill of the night, was sounds of harsh impacts and Jisoo’s complaints and self deprecating words.

“Too mature? Bah. Bet that was all a fucking lie. They just couldn’t fuck a pathetic piece of shit like me.” Jisoo gave one last stomp, aiming specifically towards the man’s hazel eyes that reminded him of the person that took you.

Wait.

Eyes. Green Eyes.

That man was the CEO of Celestial Entertainment. A man known to be cut-throat and ruthless. A man who’s infamous for his apathetic nature regarding business. He probably saw your potential and thought that putting you in a group would dim it down.

Ace.

That’s it! You didn’t want to actually go solo. Jisoo understood now. Why was he so stupid?

You were just forced by that smug-faced bastard.

He leaned down, happily whispering in a sing-songy voice to his victim. “Thanks man. You really helped.”

“Woah.” A familiar cheerful voice resonated from behind him.

Jisoo froze.

He was done for. He was going to jail. This was it.

No, he had to calm down. Think rationally. He studied for this goddamn it.

Jisoo slowly spun his head. The happy expression on his face was instantly replaced with a horrified one. A look of confusion, fear and sadness. “Daehyun - 형 . . . he . . he came unto me— “

“Shit bro. No worries I got you covered.”

With rejection came realization. With charm came blind support. And with the right words and proper delivery, any person could be swayed.

“Wanna go drink after this?”

“You paying?”

Jisoo wished, for the good of everyone else and himself, that this green-eyed monster would not freely give rejection as you did.

[ TRANSLATIONS ]

형 - hyeong - older brother (not literal). honorific used by men towards those who are older (also men).

©️ hana.no.seiiki - yun | 2023

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers LOST EDEN ー Yuma Dark [Prologue]

ー The scene starts in the living room of the Mukami manor

Kou: Hey, hey, Ruki-kun? Can I bring this with me?

Ruki: Kou...Just how many bags are you packing? We’re not going there on holiday. 

Kou: Ehー? But what if it gets stolen while we’re away?

Azusa: Don’t worry, we’ll make sure the place is locked up...

Ruki: Azusa’s right. Perhaps you should go and check whether all doors are properly locked before you get to packing.

Yui: ( ...We’re actually going to the Demon World. )

( I wonder if it’s okay for a human such as myself to tag along...? I’d lie if I said I wasn’t at least a little worried, but my decision was clear from the start. )

( I’ve long decided that I won’t leave Yuma-kun’s side after all. )

Yuma: ...Oi, Yui. Lend me yer ear for a sec.

Yui: What’s wrong?

ー They move closer

On certain CGs, little black roses will appear on the screen. If you click on them, you get an extra line of dialogue.

“When ya say that...It kind of makes me look lame. Like usually the guys says it first, no?”

“Ya really are unbelievable...But well, I guess I don’t dislike that side of yers.”

Yuma: You’ve been keepin’ quiet but...Are ya sure?

Yui: Eh? 

Yuma: You’re actin’ like it’s the most normal thing in the world, but I wanna know if you’re serious ‘bout going to the Demon World.

Sure, Eden might be important to us four but...It’s different for ya.

Yui: ...No, that’s not true. If it’s important to you guys, then it is to me as well. 

Besides, I’ll follow along anywhere. I want to be with you after all. 

Yuma: ...I mean, I figured you’d say somethin’ like that.

But I want ya to properly think this true. The Demon World has never been the safest place ‘round and now shit has really hit the fan.

I honestly have no idea what dangers might be lurkin’ ahead either. To take ya to such a place... 

Yui: You’re worried?

Yuma: ...Ya bet I am. I wouldn’t want anythin’ to happen to ya.

Yui: Thanks, Yuma-kun. But I’ll be okay.

I’ve made up my resolve...And besides, I think that you’ll keep me safe no matter what.

Yuma: ...

Yui: Am I wrong...?

Yuma: ...You’re not.

You’re not but it kind of pisses me off regardless!

*Rustle* 

Yui: Eeh!? W-Why?

Yuma: Ya sound so damn confident. Makes it look like I’m the only shy one.

Yui: ...You’re shy?

Yuma: ...See! Don’t ask me straight to my face like that!

Besides, why ‘you think’? I’ll protect ya for sure!

Yui: ...Fufu, right.

Yuma: Hmph. ...Good.

I’ll keep ya safe. Don’t forget that, no matter what happens.

Yui: Yeah!

( Yuma-kun is always there to protect me. He always has been...and I’m sure he always will be. )

( I can blindly follow him, because I have faith in him. )

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the entrance hall of the Mukami manor

Ruki: Everyone’s ready?

Kou: All goodー

Azusa: I’ve got everything...

Yuma: How ‘bout ya?

Yui: Yeah, I’m good.

Ruki: Let’s go then. ーー To Eden.

ー The scene shifts to the underground waterway

Yui: Hey, can I ask something? What was it like to live at Eden?

Yuma: What is was like? ...Ya know?

Kou: It wasn’t all that unusual. A normal human could comfortably live there as well. 

Ruki: Karlheinz-sama set it up that way.

Yui: Karlheinz-san did...

Ruki: Even though we were not his real sons, he always took us into consideration...

His home...that was Eden. 

Yuma: I mean, obviously it’s gonna be important to us.

Yui: ( Both Yuma-kun and the others truly respect Karlheinz-san. )

( He was a Father figure to them, someone very important. ...But they’ve lost him. )

Ruki: Oi, don’t look so sad just from listening to us. Then you better prepare yourself for what’s to come when you actually come face-to-face with Eden. 

Yui: It’s that bad...? 

Ruki: ...You’ll see when we get there. 

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the outside of Eden

Yui: ...This is...Eden...?

Ruki: ...Exactly.

Kou: It’s completely worn-down. It wasn’t like this at all in the past...

Azusa: The water has become stagnant and the air feels stale as well...

Yuma: The grass and flowers have all withered too. ...Damnit!

Ruki: This Castle shares its soul with its owner. When abandoned by said owner, it is only natural it would fall into ruin like this.

Yuma: ...So it’s that bastard’s fault?

Yui: ( He’s talking about Shuu-san...right? )

( After Karlheinz-san’s passing, Shuu-san was chosen as his successor. So naturally this Castle’s current owner is... )

Yuma: ...He won’t get away with this!

ー Yuma runs off

Yui: Yuma-kun!? Where are you going!? 

Yuma: Isn’t that obvious!? I’m gonna go give him a taste of my fists!

We gotta make sure he gets his shit together or this place will stay like this, right!?

Ruki: Calm down, Yuma. Try to think about it logically. Do you really think things would have gotten this bad if all he needed to motivate him was a hit on the head?

Yuma: ...I mean, ya might not be wrong but...! Ya want to just ignore it then!? 

ー Yuma walks away

Yui: Yuma-kun!

Azusa: Yuma...lost his temper...

Yui: I’ll go after him, okay?

Kou: Hmー.... I think it might be best to leave him alone for now?

Yui: Maybe but...I can’t help but be worried. I’ll go take a quick look.

ー Yui goes after him

Ruki: ...I’d rather she wouldn’t spoil him too much though.

Azusa: Eve is so kind...

ー The scene shifts to the inner courtyard

Yui: ( I’m pretty sure he went this way...Ah, there he is. ...He’s looking after the flowers? )

ー Yui walks up to Yuma

Yui: Yuma-kun.

Yuma: ...What? Did ya come here ‘cause Ruki told ya to? 

Yui: No, I wanted to come, that’s all. Hey, can I help you?

Yuma: ...Do as ya please. 

*Rustle rustle* 

Yui: I didn’t know there was a garden here as well. It really isn’t all that different from the world I know.

Yuma: Guess so. What did ya think it looked like anyway? 

There’s trees and grass in the Demon World as well and we’ve got flowers growin’ here too.

Yuma: ...But look. The soil’s dead over here.

Yui: It was different in the past, right...?

Yuma: Yeah. When we were livin’ here, seeds sprouted overnight and flowers or fruits would grow in no time.

I was shocked at how amazin’ the soil over here is. ...Yet.

Yui: ( I’m sure this garden holds many memories for him. )

( He must be sad to see it completely withered like this...Still. )

Yuma: That fuckin’ NEET...Does he not realize the position he’s in right now!?

Yui: ( I’m also a little sad...that Yuma-kun and Shuu-san are on bad terms. )

( I know the two of them have a long history together. But that’s exactly why I want them to get along. )

Hey, Yuma-kun...Perhaps you should have a proper heart-to-heart with Shuu-san?

Yuma: Aah? 

Yui: It might be Shuu-san’s fault that this place has become like this, but he hasn’t been the heir to the throne for very long.

He might have a lot of things he’s still uncertain about...So maybe we shouldn’t assume he’s been knowingly neglecting his responsibilities. 

Yuma: ...You’re takin’ his side?

Yui: I-I’m not! I just think that maybe Shuu-san has a reasoning of his own...

Yuma: To me that’s basically takin’ his side! Even ya, seriously...!? 

???: What’s this? Fighting all the way over here?

ー A random stranger shows up

Yui: ( A person!? Where did he come from...!? )

*Caw caw caw* 

Yui: ( Also look at all these crows...I’ve never seen this guy before, but could he be an acquaintance of Yuma-kun...? )

Yuma: ...Yui. Hide behind me.

Yui: Eh? Yuma-kun, you don’t know this guy...?

Yuma: I don’t. I can tell that he’s probably a Vampire but...I’ve never seen this guy before. 

Kino: Fufu. Oh come on, no need to be so alert. I’m Kino. Nice to meet you.

Yuma: I don’t give a damn ‘bout yer name! Why are you here at Eden? Do ya have any idea what this place is?

Kino: Of course I do. But I have all the right to be here, don’t you think? I’m also Karlheinz’ son after all.

Yuma: Haah!?

Yui: ( Karlheinz-san’s son!? So he’s the Sakamaki brothers’ sibling then...? )

Yuma: Cut the crap! I’ve never heard a thing ‘bout ya! Stop spoutin’ bullshit lies!

Kino: How rude. It’s not a lie. ...I mean, I guess I can’t blame you for not knowing me. I was never made public after all.

Yuma: Aah? What do ya mean?

Kino: I may be his son, but I am what you’d call an illegitimate child.

Yui: An illegitimate child!?

Kino: Yup. In other words, I’m Prince Zero.

That being said, I don’t recall my Father ever being involved in my upbringing and I have yet to meet my other brothers in person.

I’ve been living in Rotigenberg my whole life. That’s where I was raised amidst the Ghouls.

Yuma: Ghouls, ya say...?

Yui: Yuma-kun, what are Ghouls?

Yuma: That’s what we call creatures who are neither Demon nor human.

Apparently they live at an area up in the North known as Rotigenberg. 

Kino: Fufu, you’re surprisingly nice for a Vampire. Why not just tell her straight up?

To put it simply, Ghouls are not who aren’t qualified to be considered Demons.

They are Demons born without any kind of magic...In other words, faulty goods. That’s what Ghouls are.

Yui: ( Demons without any magic...I had no idea those existed. )

Kino: Well, there’s cases of humans turning into Ghouls after being exposed to the polluted air of the Demon World.

Yuma: Fuck that shit!

If you’re seriously Karlheinz-sama’s son...Then what are ya here for?

Ya came here all the way from Rotigenberg, right? So ya must have had a damn good reason.

Kino: Oh come on, don’t glare at me. I feel like I’ll get hit if I keep on beating around the bush, so I’ll get straight to the point. 

Mukami Yuma. You have a problem with the current Vampire King. Correct?

Yuma: ...So what?

Kino: I’ll fix your problem. So let’s work together?

Yuma: ...Hah?

Kino: I wouldn’t be a bad alley to have, if I may say so myself? After all, I’m pretty strong being a purebred Vampire unlike yourself.

As his son, I’ve also inherited my Father’s ーー Karlheinz’ powers. I don’t see how having me on your side could be a disadvantage. 

Yuma: Hah, ridiculous. I don’t gain anythin’ from it either, do I?

Kino: You think so? But if I were to steal those powers from Shuu and become the successor to the throne, Eden would return to normal?

Yuma: ...!

Yui: ( Steal his powers, don’t tell me he wants to...!? )

Kino: I wouldn’t simply turn a blind eye to it. I’d take my full responsibilities as a King.

You still think my deal doesn’t have any merits? 

Yuma: ...

...I get what you’re tryin’ to say. But listen, ya smell way too fishy, mate. 

Ya really think I’m gonna believe ya just pop out of nowhere as Karlheinz-sama’s hidden love child to form an alliance? 

Kino: Hmm. You’re surprisingly cautious, huh? 

Yuma: Sorry to break it to ya bud, but I only believe the things I see with my very own eyes or what I’m told by my pals whom I can trust.

Kino: ...I see.

Ruki: Yuma!

ー The other Mukamis run up to them

Kino: Oh, this isn’t good.

Azusa: ...? Who’s that...?

Kino: I’ll get going now. See you later, Yuma...Yui.

*Flap flap flap* 

Yuma: ...Che. Creepy fucker. I’m not gonna change my mind no matter how many times he shows up.

Yui: ...?

Crow: ...

Yui: ( There’s a single crow left...It’s staring intently at Yuma? )

Yuma: Whatcha lookin’ at!? Scram already!

*Flap flap flap* 

Yui: Yuma-kun! You’re going to scare it away with your shouting!

Yuma: It’s fine. That wasn’t just a regular old crow.

Yui: Eh? 

Yuma: Ghouls can change into crows. So that one just now was a Ghoul as well. 

Yui: Ghouls...

Ruki: Oi, Yuma. What happened?

Kou: Who was that guy just now? He didn’t struck me as familiar.

Yuma: ...He’sーー

ー Yuma explains to them

Azusa: Karlheinz-sama’s son...?

Kou: A hidden love child, on top of that. You don’t actually believe him, do you, Yuma-kun?

Yuma: Hell nah! I’m not that stupid! ...It’s just.

Ruki: He gave off bad vibes.

Yuma: Yeah. Seems like he’s got connections with the Ghouls as well. ...We’ve got a weird fella on our hands. 

Ruki: ...By the way, how do you feel now?

Yuma: Ah? 

Kou: You stomped off in a fury, remember? Do you feel a bit better now after M-neko-chan comforted you? 

Yuma: Haah!? She didn’t comfort me or anythin’!

Azusa: ...Is that true, Eve?

Yui: I-I’m not sure. I don’t think I did anything special...

Kou: In other words, she doesn’t need to do anything special because just being together is enough to lift your spirits. You’re so simple-minded, Yuma-kun~!

Yuma: Fuck off! Leave me alone!!

ー Yuma walks away

Yui: Ah, again...!

Azusa: This time it’s fine. He’s just trying to hide his embarrassment...

Ruki: We should head back to the Castle as well. With Eden in this state, it’s possible that some weird people like that guy from before could get inside.

Even while here at Eden, it’s dangerous to wander around unprepared. 

Kou: Rogerー Let’s go, M-neko-chan.

Yui: Yeah...

( In the end...What did that Kino guy even want? )

ー She recalls his words

Kino: I wouldn’t simply turn a blind eye to it. I’d take my full responsibilities as a King.

You still think my deal doesn’t have any merits?

Yuma: ...

ー The flashback ends

Yui: ( ...Yuma-kun seemed to hesitate just a bit back then. )

( Of course, I want this place which is important to everyone to go back to normal as well. )

( But I can’t choose that path...if it means Shuu-san needs to die and have his powers taken away from him... )

( Yuma-kun should feel the same way, right? He isn’t the type of guy who’d wish death upon someone else, regardless of how he personally feels about this person. )

( Yeah, I’m sure Yuma-kun will be fine. I believe Shuu-san will eventually get it together as well, even if he’s struggling right now. )

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

[in-ky]

Hi! I’d love a story about Negan being a serial killer who only kills “bad people” (like in Dexter) and maybe he saves the reader from her ex who’s about to kill her and Negan can save her and takes her in because she’s a mess but she’s actually a killer herself (who kills rapists etc/ only the bad ones) and Negan and the reader start fighting and then get caught up in steamy hot sex 🥵 thank you!

Savior - Negan Killer AU

Warnings: Warnings: GORE + violence, smut, domestic abuse, swearing, dirty talk ig? idk how to tag this lol

A/N: hey! i struggled over this one for a while lol. ive only seen like. 3? episodes of dexter so. i really hope this meets your expectations! also forgive any mistakes its late, im tired, and i wanna get this up lol. also, is negan batman? maybe. 3.7k words

"Will, stop you're hurting me!" I hissed, grabbing at his wrist. He tugged me out of the bustling restaurant and into the dark street.

"I don't really give a shit," He snarled, throwing me into a secluded alleyway a few buildings down from the restaurant. Will had taken me out to a business dinner with his boss in hopes of showing me off and making a good impression. But things didn't quite go according to plan. "You embarrassed me in front of everyone!" He pushed me against the brick wall of the closed department store.

"What was I supposed to do?" I sneered, trying to wiggle away from him "He kept commenting on my body, saying how he wished he could take me home at the end of the night and do all kinds of 'unspeakable things to me'."

"You were just supposed to shut up and take it!" Will said, voice filled with rage "But no, you and your untamable fucking complex just couldn't handle a compliment. You threw your drink in his face! You're lucky he didn't fire me right then and there. You made me look like some pussy who can't control his whore."

"You're an asshole." I shouted, tears welling at the edges of my eyes. Will's face contorted further into a look of pure, unadulterated hatred.

"What the fuck did you just call me?" He seethed, clasping his hand tightly around my throat and constricting his fingers around my airway.

"I said you're an asshole who cares more about his dead-end career than his fucking girlfriend." I croaked. I hated him. I hated him so much. My vision clouded with the combination of disgust, loathing, and lack of oxygen, so I hit him where I knew it hurt. "There's a reason you needed me for arm candy tonight. It's 'cause you're a boring, piece-of-shit, lowlife who has no skill whatsoever. How does it feel knowing you need me to make something of yourself?" With that, he threw me to the ground by my throat. He wasted no time and pinned me to the cold concrete. His knees dug into my shoulders and his hand flew to his back pocket, whipping out the switchblade he carried as a precaution against mugging. My eyes widened as they caught a glint of the moonlight off the sharp knife. He brought the blade up to my throat and slapped me over the cheek harshly with his free hand.

"You better take back those words, bitch," He hissed, pressing the blade into the soft skin of my jugular "or they might just be your last." A dribble of blood ran down my neck with the pressure. Realization flashed through my mind. I could die right then. That could have been my last moment. Was I scared? No. Why wasn't I scared? Maybe it had to do with the shadowy figure that was slowly approaching us from the ally entrance.

There was plenty of time for me to warn Will that someone was coming. But I didn't. Instead, I stayed quiet and watched as the shadow figure pulled Will from my body with ease and tossed him to the side. Everything was kind of a blur. I was still oxygen starved and filled with a whirl-wind of emotion. I heard Will cry out in surprise and indignance. The shadow figure said nothing. It saw the switchblade with a steady line of my blood. It kicked Will in the chest, knocking him to the ground. Then it lifted up a baseball bat over its head and cracked it down over Will's skull. He continued to beat Will until he stopped squirming. The shadow figure paused and swung the bat over his shoulder. I had regained my breath and pushed myself to my elbows. The shadow noticed me moving and took a few heavy steps in my direction. I squirmed away slightly, instincts telling me to get away from the thing that had just pulverized my boyfriend. The shadow entered a stream of moonlight. It was a man. He had peppered hair and a blood-speckled face. He had dark brown eyes and a small smile perched on his lips.

"You okay, sweetheart?" He said. His voice was deep. I was partially surprised. He wasn't a bulky man. He was tall and had a broad frame, but his limbs were long and his body was lithe. He wore a leather jacket and his boots were slick with what I could only assume were Will's brains. I didn't want to look at his bat.

"W-Why did you do that?" I whispered. It was all I could muster.

"He was going to kill you." The man sounded confused, like I was supposed to know who he was and why he saved me.

"You don't know that." My voice was quiet. My eyes were glued to a spot behind the man, unblinking. He let out a throaty chuckle and dropped to a squat, leveling with me.

"Doll, he had a knife pressed to your throat," His words were gentle "Looked like he was gonna fuckin' kill you." He hesitantly reached out two fingers in the direction of my face. I didn't move. He was wearing leather gloves. The ridged fabric ran along my injuries. "Seems like he did some damage before I could step in. Damn. Sorry about that. Listen, I live a few streets down. If you want, I can get you cleaned up."

"Okay," I said softly. I let him help me up to my feet. He guided me along with one arm while holding his bat with the other. As we walked out of the alley I couldn't help but look down at Will, or what remained of him at least. His forehead was split in half, a pool of chunky blood bubbling on the ground. I clenched my jaw and forced myself to swallow the bile that had risen in my throat. And yet, I didn't feel sad. I didn't mourn him. Maybe it was shock, maybe it wasn't. "Thank you?" I murmured, though it was more of a question. The man and I stepped out onto the street and I was grateful there was no one around to see us leaving the scene of a very heinous-looking crime.

"No problem, doll," The man hummed, setting a brisk pace down the sidewalk. "The name's Negan, by the way." Cool. Negan: my Savior.

~~~

"So you're like Batman?" I asked Negan as he dabbed the blood away from my neck. He gave a short chuckle and tore away the sticky part of the band-aid.

"I guess you can say that," he mused, splaying the bandage over the cut the knife had left "but I specifically go for people that I know have hurt others. The baddies, if you will."

"Is that legal?" I tilted my head, crossing my ankles as they dangled over the bathroom counter. My palms were flat on the surface of Negan's marble sink top, fiddling with the wrappers of the medical supplies he had used to clean and bandage my small cuts and bruises.

"I haven't been caught," Negan shrugged "besides, it's less work for the police. They don't have to do any interrogation bullshit or anything. I usually catch people in the act, like tonight. Then I do my thing."

"Do you kill everyone?"

"Only the bad people," He reminded, tossing away a bloody tissue "only people who have hurt others. But, yes, usually the offender ends up on the business end of Lucille over there." He pointed out the door into the living room, where the still-bloody bat rested against a chair. I furrowed my brow.

"Well, doesn't that make you a bad guy?" I pressed. He tapped my knee and I dropped down to the tile floor, tucking my hair behind my ear and gathering some of the scraps.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you still kill people, right? Even if they're bad? So doesn't that still make you a killer?" Negan was quiet for a minute. "Let's put it this way," I continued "What would you do if you came across someone who was like you; someone who hurt the bad people. Would you still kill them. They're hurting people." Negan took a deep breath and let it out with a contemplative sigh, itching his bearded chin.

"I'm not sure," He mused "I've never really thought about it before. See, I don't consider myself a bad person per say. Yea, what I'm doing might be considered fucked up. But I'm doing it for the right reason. I'm protecting people by attacking their attackers. In the end, someone's saved." He brushed off his hands and led me out of the bathroom, flicking the light off. "Would you rather me not have saved you tonight?"

"No," I said immediately "thank you. Really, thank you. You saved my life. Will is...was...always a dick, but I never thought he'd actually hurt me. I guess that proves people can have a whole bunch of layers." Negan nodded and moved to the kitchen. He raised a bottle of whiskey as an offering. I shook my head but he poured himself a glass.

"I was just doing my job," Negan grinned sympathetically "I'm sorry your boyfriend was an asshole who tried to murder you." I shrugged, amusement in my eyes.

"Eh, it happens to everyone." I smiled as he let out another laugh. I felt as if I shouldn't be laughing, but at the same time, everyone has their own responses to almost getting stabbed to death in an alley. So I let myself have this moment. Besides, Negan was a good guy to be around. He made me feel safe, comfortable, secure. Everything I needed right now. "So, Negan, what do you do? Surely vigilante-ing can't pay well, and this apartment is really nice."

"I'm a retired baseball player," Negan said, sipping his whiskey and settling into one of the armchairs in the living room "Hence the bat."

"Were you any good?" I asked. He let out a loud scoff.

"Was I any good?" He mocked "Sweetheart, I have a whole damn trophy room. I was fucking amazing. I just got old."

"So you're rich with no real job, you kill bad guys, and you have a massive ego," I listed "You really are like Batman, aren't you?"

~~~

Negan let me stay on his couch that night. It was leather, like everything else that man seemed to own, but it was comfortable. I woke up to the smell of bacon filling the air. I groaned and rubbed my fists against my eyes, clearing them of sleep. I stretched my arms above my head in a yawn and rolled off the couch, stumbling into the kitchen. Negan was hunched over the bubbling pan, dodging pellets of grease as they shot up at him.

"Smells good!" I purred, closing my eyes and taking a deep inhale.

"Good," He grumbled "You better fucking enjoy it because I've gotten burned at least three times." I laughed and walked up to him examining the small red patches that dotted his arms.

"You didn't have to make me breakfast you know."

"Yea, but I wanted to make sure you were comfortable," He sighed, turning off the stove and scooping the cooked bacon onto a paper towel. "Besides, I was craving some bacon when I woke up. I haven't had someone to share a meal with in a while."

"Well, if you want, you can come by my house for dinner." I offered, crunching down on a piece of bacon "I've been meaning to whip out the family alfredo recipe for a while, maybe a hot date would give me that incentive." I gave him a playful wink and he chuckled.

"Sure thing, doll," He hummed, putting the pan in the sink "I love me some fucking spaghetti. I'll see you around seven?"

"Sounds good."

~~~

I ran down the sidewalk, chest heaving. There was enough darkness to cover me, but I still kept my head down to prevent recognition. I held my hands close to my stomach, praying that the blood on my fingers wouldn't drip on the pavement and leave a trail. I had been on my way home from the store when I heard some commotion coming from an alley. My first instinct was to run, but then I heard the girl crying for help. Negan came to mind, what he did, how he helped people. I couldn't turn away. I marched down the alley and saw a greasy man pinning a woman to the wall of a building. Flashbacks of the night before hit me like a train. I looked on top of the alley dumpster  and saw a crowbar perched on one of the lids. I grabbed it and stormed up to the man, whacking him upside the head with the weapon. I kicked him to the side and brought the crowbar over my head before swinging it down. It connected with his face in a sickening 'thwack.' I thought of Will. I thought of what might of happened if Negan had never stopped him. I thought of all the times that bastard had gotten drunk and told me I was nothing. I let the rage bubble up and fuel my beating. By the time I was pulled back into the moment, my muscles were screaming, the woman was gone, and the man's face was unrecognizable. I tossed the crowbar into the dumpster and ran back home.

Dried blood is extremely hard to wash off. It sticks to your skin in flakes, creating a pattern of red veins crawling over your hands. Fuck. I scrubbed as hard as I could under the rushing water of the sink, pumping more and more soap into my hand. It was under my fingernails. It was stuck in my palm prints. Shit, did I leave fingerprints at the scene? Would they be coming for me? With a hiss, I rubbed even harder at my skin, small flecks of blood turning the sink water red.

Suddenly, my door opened.

"I'm ready for my s'getties!" Negan boomed with a wide smile. My head whipped around, looking at him with wide eyes. His grin faded and he crossed the room in record time, grabbing my wrists and turning the sink off. "Is this fucking blood?" He snarled, bringing my hands up to my face. I clenched my jaw and dropped my eyes to my feet. "Jesus, who's is it? Answer me!"

"I-I heard someone screaming on the way home," I said quietly, eyes still downcast "I thought I would help..." His jaw went slack and he let go of my hands, running his fingers through his hair.

"Jesus fuck, you can't just go around killing people!"

"Why not?" I snapped, eyes meeting his "You do it all the time? What's the difference? Why can't I help people?"

"Because it...Because you just can't!" Negan growled, shaking his head.

"Why are you so special?" I hissed back, drying my hands off on a towel before tossing it at him "It's not like you can get a permit for fucking murder. Why do you do it, anyways? Is it some perverted thing? Do you get off on saving people from attackers?"

"Watch yourself." Negan warned, eyes darkening.

"Pfft, or what?" I laughed, tossing my head back "What are you gonna do, kill me? I'm not afraid of you, Negan." As soon as the words left my mouth, he charged me. His hand flew to my throat, squeezing my airway lightly. His hips pressed me against the counter. I let out a small gasp when he shoved his face next to mine.

"Oh, but doll, you really fucking should be." He spat, curling his lip "I could snap your neck right here, right now." He gave a small squeeze to emphasize his words. I let out a strangled moan. We both froze. "Are you turned on right now?" He muttered, furrowing his brow. I licked my lips and squirmed in his grip, pressing my thighs together slightly in an effort to alleviate the warm pressure growing in my belly.

"No," I lied, voice weak. A sinister grin curled over the bottom half of his face and he licked his tongue over his teeth.

"And I'm the perv, huh?" He sucked on my earlobe and peppered kisses down my jawline "Sweetheart, tell me, do you want me to fuck that pretty little pussy of yours? Do you want me to make you cum harder than you ever have?" I whimpered at his dirty mouth. "Use your words, doll, or I'll leave right fucking now."

"Y-Yes!" I breathed as Negan's lips sucked on the sweet spot right beneath my ear.

"Yes, what, princess?"

"Yes, I want you to fuck me, please!" I groaned, clawing at his shirt. He let out a short chuckle, muttering something about how needy I was, but I didn't care. Right now, the only thought running through my head was that I needed Negan. I needed all of him. And damn me if I wasn't going to get it.

We clawed at each other's clothes like rabid animals. Once we were completely bare, Negan moved his kisses down my body. His large, calloused hands kneaded my breasts, twisting my nipples between his thumbs. My arms flew around his neck and I dragged my fingernails up his back. He shivered against my touch and slid his hands further down my body. They settled firmly on my hips as he captured my lips in a fervent kiss.

"Fuck, sweetheart," he grunted, pulling back for air. I looked at him. His tawny eyes were now black, pupils far beyond dilated with lust. Both of our lips were swollen and red from the intensity of our kisses. Negan's chest inflated and deflated quickly as his eyes roamed over my body. "You're so damn perfect." I smiled sheepishly and pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, looking up at him through lidded eyes.

"You're not so bad yourself," I reached out my hand and used my pointer finger to draw a line from his collar bone down the center of his chest and through his navel, finally ending right over his pulsing cock. He sucked in a breath as my fingers closed around him. My thumb swept over the hot tip, gathering precum on the pad of my finger and rubbing it around.

"Shit," He hissed as I slowly pumped him "I'm not gonna fucking last if you keep doing that." He gently pried my hand away and took a step closer to me. I could feel his hardened length resting against the inside of my thigh. The thought of him being so close made a burst of heat rush down between my thighs. Negan took a long finger and ran it through my folds, collecting my wetness. I moaned as he teasingly dipped the first knuckle into me. He pulled back and let out a low whistle. "Damn, girl," he chuckled, raising his finger to my face "You're fucking dripping. Who's that for?" His slick-coated fingers glistened in the light of my apartment. I let out a deep groan as he slid them between his lips and sucked.

"You, Negan!" I whimpered, wrapping my legs around his waist "It's all for you." A wolfish grin spread over his features as he tugged me off him and pulled me down off the counter. He spun me around and pressed gently between my shoulder blades until my chest was flat against the cold surface.

"Then if you don't mind," Negan cooed, lining himself up with my entrance "I'm going to take what belongs to me." With that, he slowly pushed into me. I gasped at the stretch, balling my hands into fists as he continued to split me open.

"Fucking shit," he groaned once he bottomed out "you're tight as hell. I bet you've never had a dick as big as mine." He pulled out slightly and I let out a moan at the growing emptiness inside. The moan soon turned to a yelp when he brought down his hand against my ass. The smack was loud and he rubbed the red spot tenderly. "Have you?"

"N-No!" I gasped when he thrusted into me for the first time "Never. Fuck, you feel so good." Negan's thrusts sped up, his hips snapping against my ass in an obscene rhythm. Grunts and moans of pleasure slipped from both of our lips as he plowed unapologetically into me. I could feel every inch of him. He was hitting every spot, dragging against my walls in a sinfully perfect way.

"You're doing so good," He purred, kissing and biting my shoulder "So good for me. You're so perfect." I tossed my head back and he grabbed my chin, tilting my face towards him so he could give me another bruising kiss. I could only keep up for so long, though, and the white bliss of pleasure he was giving me soon became overwhelming. My jaw went slack and my head dropped against the cool tile of the counter in an attempt to ground myself in the moment. "I want you to cum, doll, cum around me. Wanna feel those walls squeeze me." His thrusts were starting to become sloppy and I could tell he was getting to his end. One of his fingers danced down my spine and found its way to my clit. He circled it with just enough pressure to get me to the edge that I was so willing to jump off. "Now." Negan growled. I obeyed, feeling the band in my lower abdomen snapping violently. We reached our releases simultaneously. My walls clenched around him, milking him of every drop. I screwed my eyes shut and screamed his name, holding in a large breath as the world around me spun. Negan eventually pulled himself out and collapsed on top of me. We both were breathing heavily, sweaty bodies entangled as well as we could over a counter. I swallowed, my throat dry from panting through my orgasm. When my eyes fluttered open, I could see Negan's thumb tracing circles over the love bites that were starting to darken on my shoulders.

"Are you going to kill me?" I rasped, running a hand through my wild hair "I guess I'm a bad person now." Negan chuckled, still out of breath.

"I think I'll make an exception," He mused, pressing a sweet kiss to the shell of my ear "I don't think I'm ready to let you go just yet."

[fulcrumstardust]

writing tag game

thanks @andorerso <3

20 questions, writer’s edition:

How many works do you have on AO3?

Currently 17, which are solely SW fandom

What’s your total AO3 word count?

592 056 words

How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Listen, I’m not gonna list all my fandoms because a girl needs a bit of mystery but here are some:

Harry Potter

Star Wars / Rogue One

Fullmetal Alchemist

Vampire Academy

Black Sails

(most of it is not online anymore, but it existed at some point.)

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

war dogs

1653 days without luck

the girl with the stardust eyes

transient stars

bring me home

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

Yes! Or at least I try hard to, sometimes it takes me an embarrassing amount of time and sometimes I simply don't because /mental health issues/ but then I try to make it up on the next update. I think it’s nice to reply to people to let them know that I appreciate their support and without them I would stop updating, but also understand that sometimes I put all my energy into writing the update and there’s nothing left of me. It’s about mutual respect!

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

It’s actually unpublished, it’s a rebelcaptain fic that involves major character death when a rescue mission goes wrong and one of them sacrifices themselves to save the other. Very angsty indeed. Sometimes I just need to ugly cry, ok. I don’t know if I have the guts to put it out there.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

basically everything else, I guess ? I don’t know, 1653 days is pretty happy considering they’re married with a child and seeing the end of the war together, but is it proportional to the angst during the way ?

Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve written?

No, I don’t think I ever will (unless it’s a crossover with my own OCs lol)

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

I remember getting some mean comments on a HP fic saying it was just badly written but I was 16, what did you expect my dude

I also get some nasty comments on a reylo fic from time to time that I just delete because I don’t have time for dipshits. It’s very rare though so /dabs/ (special mention when it starts with “I would love it BUT”, it’s ok babe, I love you too <3)

Do you write smut? If so what kind?

When am I not writing smut is the better question. I love erotica, I love good one if you catch my drift. That’s actually what got me into fanfics because there’s no porn with a female gaze outside of fandom spaces. I love to write the kind of smut I think should be more out there, I’m on a personal vendetta against bad sex dynamics in mainstream media (and YA specifically but that's for another day). Killing patriarchy one orgasm at a time. It’s all about empowerment and a safe place to explore oneself.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I didn’t make it to that level of stardom lol

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes, a couple with @halflingmerry and @briamarie38, it was awesome! It reminded me of my old days on RPG plateforms, I love the cooperation aspect. Lots of fun! I’m a slow writer so it takes the right kind of partner to work w/ me but I was lucky each time to have great co-authors to pull me through it. I’m looking forward to doing it again when I have some time.

What’s your all time favorite ship?

Eh… Rebelcaptain, probably. They really have that thing I love.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

This one fic, Seelonce Mayday. Quick recap: Jyn is an Imperial hostage and convinces Cassian to get her out after they had a one-night stand while he was undercover. Once she’s free, Cassian goes on about his rebel spy life and they part ways. They stay in contact through all his missions and form a strong bond (comlink chatter only, hey see the title?) but she doesn’t tell him she’s pregnant until months later and it all kinda blows up in their face with bad timing. I talked about it before, it’s all about forming an attachment backward and developing a love that’s primarily familial… sort of “that’s my pack”, “I would die for you now even if we’re still strangers at the core” kind of shit. Anyway, first chapters still unpublished because I don’t know if I can write the whole thing but… it’s there. *sigh*

What are your writing strengths?

Dialogues and action scenes, I'd say.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Descriptions! Vocabulary, in-between scenes, sometimes I also struggle with balancing what I know and what the reader needs to know. I hate to spell things out but I can underexplain things, I think. I don’t know, you tell me if you’re a reader of mine! I always accept concrit.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I love it, I’ve always done it one way or another. Being multilingual is a part of me that I tend to write into all my characters. I love coming across another language in fics but it has to feel organic and that’s a tricky thing to pull off. I prefer when there’s no translation, so either I look it up myself or I don’t (always assume the reader won’t), but if another character is going to translate then just don’t use another language, what’s the point. I think it works best if the reply lets you guess what was said, or if it’s something meaningful that comes back later.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

It has to be Harry Potter, I think? Or maybe….. DBZ (hey, I said I won’t disclose my full legacy lol)

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

Noooooooo, that’s so hard! *sad noises*

At the moment, probably stardust eyes because I really love to feel my heart being ripped off my chest by all that angst (knowing full well how I will resolve everything in a big clash of emotions). And bc I love to write military settings in general, in case you're new here haha

Well, that was fun! Tossing the ball to @briamarie38 @halflingmerry @incognitajones @imsfire2 💌

[werenotacoupleyesyouare]

So I was meaning to post updates for my Farseer Trilogy liveblogging because y’all seemed to really like the last one but one thing lead to another and I finished the book before I could even pick up my phone. SO- here are my thoughts at the end of book 1! (Contains spoilers)

- I’ll try to go chronologically so bear w me

- Look I love chade okay? He’s funny and mysterious but how on EARTH does the whole court think it a good idea to have a child deal with their political issues eye-

- like “oh, boggers! We have found a breach in our enemy’s defence after a war of interests that has lasted decades! Now we only need to gruesomely murder this well known politician, but whoever could be up to the task? Ah yes, this eleven year old warrior cats enthusiast will do”

- Yes I will refer to the Wit only as being a warrior cats stannie bc y’all know that if he was in the real world Fitz would have absolutely lost his mind over that saga. No I will not be accepting criticism.

- I LOVED CHADE’S RICHSONA lady time was funky

- every chapter I read I grow more worried about Fitz’s self preservation skills. He wakes up for the second time during the night, he is told to immediately go check on the royal he is serving because she’s sick, only to find out she’s just Chade in a ballgown, who tells him “there’s no time to explain, now follow me to check out this very dangerous hostage situation 2 days of travel from here” and he’s just like “ok sure” BABY!! NO??

- Forging is gonna throwin a nice angst trope eventually, I’m here for it

- my wlw heart is torn between Molly and Lady Patience... good thing I have two hands!

- Fitz please,,,,, Chade asks him “wait, does the Fool talk to you??” And Fitz is like “oh yeah :) I like when he hangs with me! He barges in, insults me and then tells me my clothes are ugly :)” BABY THAT’S CALLED BULLYING

- okay I know y’all have been waiting for this one so here it comes: FOOL RANT! I don’t know who this funky mean child is but I would do ANYTHING to keep him safe and happy. (And this time I’m not worried he’s gonna die bc there are like another 3 trilogies w his name on the title, so at least I don’t have to worry for a while) he speaks in riddles!!! I love that!! Also he tries to keep Fitz safe so we like him (more to come abt the fool, I ain’t done yet)

- MOLLY AND FITZ ARE SO FUCKING FUNNY SOMEHOW THEY BOTH MANAGED TO BE THE USELESS LESBIAN STEREOTYPE WHEN IT COMES TO FLIRTING I WAS LOOSING MY MIND LAUGHING

- like “Molly!! You deserve to be with someone who wouldn’t treat you like a piece of jewelry! You’re smart, brave and talented, not to mention beautiful, you need someone who could understand you!!” “Oh really?? Like who?” “Oh idk lol” KIDS I-

- also idk who this Jade is but I have a feeling he’s like a relative of Molly and Fitz is just being dramatic

- as you may know I’m listening to the audiobook, and I misheard Pocked Man as Pot Man, which lead to this very funny exchange:

Fitz: are you really... the Pot Man? 🥺

Chade 420-blaze-it Fallstar: not the one you’re thinking of

- I love how almost all of the characters are stoners, I feel like it’s something all fantasy sagas should consider implementing lol

- GUYS! are Lady Patience and Lacey,,, you know,,, 👀

- Lacey 🤝 Burrich: in love with one part of the royal couple while being their man/woman

- OKAY NOW BURRICH. I LOVE THIS MAN GUYS. HE IS A DECENT DAD AND HE CARES SO MUCH ABOUT FITZ IT MAKES MY HEART SWELL. But MAN what bitch with the Wit hurt him like damn

- aside point, Burrich has the Wit right? He was made to feel ashamed about it but he’s another warrior cats enthusiast

- also probs not intended but the Wit especially now feels like a metaphor and my queer ass was PROJECTING I was HURT when Burrich didn’t accept Fitz bc of it

- GALEN FARSEER? STUPID IDIOT MOTHERFUCKING GALEN FARSEER GODDAMN FOOL SKILL TEACHING CHILD ABUSING RAT OLD BASTARD SHITHEAD IDIOT BASTARD SON OF SHREWD. BIGGEST CLOWN IN THE CIRCUS LAUGHED OUT OF TOWN COWBOY MOTHERFUCKING GALEN FARSEER-

- okay no really this man is an absolute asshole how can he abuse those kids like that? Fitz almost killed himself damn like imagine being 60-smth and feeling threatened by a fucking 11 year old like get a life bastard boy

- also about that part I loved the Fitz Protection Squad™️

Fitz, at his worst, contemplating s*icide, convinced he isn’t worth shit:

Smithy, The Fool and Burrich: okay! It’s time for murder.

And they did! Well almost but verity finished the job anyway

- how sweet is the fool actually tho?? On the outside he is a bit mean, but then his room is covered in flowers, handmade dolls and swirls of colors. He avoids everyone, lives in the most remote part of the castle but as soon as he makes one friend he absolutely melts and tries his best to protect him. He acts so smug and uncaring but then gets scared when his friend avoids him, and starts going on about how he Doesn’t Actually Care About Him, The Court Just Needs Him, like sure baby. All I’m saying is please protect this kid he deserves the world.

- Verity is my only king, his wife is a kickass cool lady and I can already tell they’re gonna Fuck Shit Up together and I love it.

- yes that whole arc??? Incredible. I kept yelling at Fitz because GODDAMNIT but he did his best, he is only 14 after all (HOW DO THEY THINK IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO GIVE HIM SUCH RESPONSIBILITIES AAAAA)

- lol tho I loved how the Fool was like “yeah so Fitz maybe don’t eat everything they give you ‘cause I’m pretty sure they want to poison you” and then Kettricken is like “hey do you want to try these weird leaves I got from my sketchy garden?” and Fitz is like “oh boy would I”

- earring! Chivalry’s earring! We like that

- Yay so Nosy was alive! Cool again I don’t usually get emotional over dogs jfhdhufjdj I’m sorry I’m a disgrace (I’m confident this will change but for now eh)

- something that will positively destroy me is when Burrich will die eventually (and I know it happens cuz my dad SPOILED it for me) I don’t think I’ll be able to stand that

-okay so yes in general this book has completely made me fall in love and I’m definetly in for the whole saga lol. I was thinking of reading the three Fitz trilogies first and then go back and read the dragons and the other one

- I’ll probably make 2+ posts like this every book, so you can find them on the “#greta reads” in my acc :) anyways tagging a few people who enjoyed the last one @wellamarke @violetiris-ak @wolfofmars thank youuu

[capricornus-rex]

Hi hi, I have an idea for a request idk if you'd be up for it, but Cal being drawn to the reader when they first meet because she's strong with the force but it turns out she's related to a sith and has been hiding from Palpatine because she doesn't want to give in to the dark side and hurt innocent people, mayhaps? But if you're not feeling it then no worries love!❤❤

Hi Anon! Sorry if it took me a while to answer, I had to finish the other requests, but I was already making the draft when I got this request so obviously I was up for it~! ^w^ So sorry again that you had to wait, but I hope you’d enjoy this fic, Anon! ❤❤

“Stronger Than Blood” | Chapter 1: Another Happy Landing | Cal Kestis x Reader

Summary: Meeting another Force-sensitive was one thing, but having them related to one of the most formidable known duelers was a whole other story to tell. While being stranded in another planet after barely escaping the Haxion Brood, Cal crosses paths with someone who’s at a crossroads with their own identity and lineage.

A/N: This was fun for me to write on, because obviously this prompt is new to me. Rarely do I make the Reader a Dark Side character—one way or another. Also, I wonder if the devs are ever gonna put a currency system in the future SWJFO games—you know, like actual money to buy stuff? That’d be so great. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the fic!

Also posted in AO3

Tags: Force-User! Reader, Force-Sensitive! Reader, Sith-Related! Reader

Next: Part 2 | Masterlist

1 of ?

Four consecutive blasts from an unseen enemy quakes the Mantis. The screens in the cockpit—both big and small—flash red as an alarm blares from an unknown source. All three crew members were on high alert.

“Captain, what’s going on with the ship?!”

“We’re being pursued by a freighter ship!” the young Jedi reported with a frantic voice, he had to hold his monitor with both hands to keep it from shaking.

“Haxion!” the captain hissed. He then threw his arms all over his dashboard while keeping himself glued to his seat.

Apparently, the flailing of four arms altogether was a bit distracting in Cal’s peripheral vision. When Greez met the boy’s expression that obviously screamed “What are you doing now?” the captain got cocky and began to prep the ship for hyperspace in the middle of a burnout.

“GREEZ, THAT’S TOO DANGEROUS!!” Cere objected.

“I DON’T PLAN ON FLOATING IN THE DEEP VACUUM OF SPACE IN FRONT OF THE BROOD!”

The two adults bickered, having Cal stuck in the middle of it all—with nothing else to do but to watch the monitors, turn some knobs to stabilize the overheating and keep it that way.

“Guys, if you’re done arguing!!” Cal finally snapped. “The ship can make a jump to the next planet that’s seven parsecs away.”

“Well then, let’s get to that seven-parsecs-away planet!!”

The Lateron continued his handiwork with all of the controls in front of him, the finishing touch being the pull of the lever to activate the jump to lightspeed. He cranked the silver handle hard—so hard to the point that the sound of the shaft was a loud clank of gears and cogs—and the next thing they know, they were looming through that bright blue tunnel of light into the next side of the galaxy.

The crew finally got a breather after evading cannon fire from the Haxion Brood’s ships, but the Mantis is barely holding herself together. The screens continue to flash red at the crew, Cal caught a glimpse of their destination in one of his dashboard’s monitors.

“Nalima,” he reads out loud to everyone.

“I’ve heard of this planet—the capital city isn’t too far in our trajectory,” Cere spoke while keeping her eyes glued to her communications monitor.

“Yeah, I’m picking up a lot of signatures in my screens here,”

“Well, I hope we find a nice spot just right in front of the Imps’ noses, eh?”

Greez’s sarcastic remark was received with an unimpressed glare from Cere, adding up Cal’s awkward side-eyed glance just to see both persons’ reactions.

Things returned to their regular flow seconds later—save for the constant red alert that the Mantis keeps reminding the crew—and they’re about to exit hyperspace in less than a parsec. Greez expressed perhaps the greatest concern he’s ever openly said to his crew—and it was something not to be taken lightly of, the other two knew caught wind of it and actually had similar thoughts.

Cal, who always seem to be optimistic about things even in the most dire of predicaments, suggested landing someplace where there’s a docking bay and a workshop where they can have the Mantis checked.

“Let’s hope it’s not gonna cost me as much as a new ship!” Greez jabbed.

The Mantis throttles its way through the atmosphere, the turbulence was much stronger considering that the suspension is nearly asunder—along with the other parts of the ship that the Brood has taken a hit on. The captain warns everyone to buckle up and hold on tight, as he himself does the same while keeping a grip on the steering wheel with all four arms.

Greez struggled to keep the Mantis from swerving, there wasn’t much he could do with the exhaust that caught fire when they tore through the thin sheet of the atmosphere. Cal managed to find a spot where they can safely land, away from the eyes of prospective enemies—since they’re not even sure if the Empire has planted its feet on the planet’s soil, but it’s not much of a stretch for that to be a fact.

The captain landed the Mantis in what ought to be an abandoned shipyard. Perfect. Literally away from all the eyes who would take interest of ransacking the thing—except, of course, thieves.

“Well now…” Cal ran his fingers through his hair, combing back the locks that drooped over his forehead. “Another happy landing.”

Promptly, the entire crew checked on the vital areas of the Mantis. Cal sped back the engine room—which was also his bedroom—and hot air fumed within the narrow space, beads of sweat instantaneously dotted his neck and temples the moment he stepped inside.

“Okay, I think we got a cooked hyperdrive compressor here!” he coughed, fanning the pungent smoke that wafted around his bedroom.

When he was received with no reaction, he assumed the other two had gone out of the ship to check the exterior damage. He repeated what he found inside while Greez gawks at the horridly bent hydraulic tendon of the landing gear.

“Well, that’s just great! Where are we gonna get spare parts!? It’s gonna take forever for us to patch her up again!”

“Look on the bright side, at least we’re in civilization—there’s bound to be one,”

“Kid, I wish I could see that bright side in this dark place I’m in,” Greez whined.

Cere consoled the Lateron captain, assuring him that things will come through. In the meantime, Cal volunteered to go around the city, hopefully to find a kind soul who could hook them up with some spare parts for cheap and an extra set of hands—if they’re extra lucky.

“We’ll stay in the ship, see if the Imperial presence is dense here. We’ll lay low while you go around,” Cere’s tone immediately changed from cool to stern, that meant that she’s about to repeat herself in warning Cal to be careful.

“I know, I know. I mean, hey, what could go wrong past this?”

“I wouldn’t count on it, Cal!” Greez added, anxious of whatever outcome will walk into the picture in the next moment.

Cal mumbled “Come on” to BD-1 perched onto his shoulder before heading into the city proper. The little droid replied with a tiny beep in agreement. The Lateron’s overly-anxious grumbling over the Mantis is gradually drowned out by the busy noises of the city as Cal approaches.

[badatusernames]

CHOJI, SHIKAMARU, LEE, GAARA & HINATA!! ITS A LOT IM SORRY

THANK U FOR THIS...admittedly some answers may be a lil short just so i can like. Get to them all.

EDIT: IDK WHY IT LOOKS LIKE THIS. IM SO TIRED. IM SORRY ITS JUST A LONGASS NARUTO POST ON YOUR DASH I TRIED MY FUCKIN BEST YALL

SEND ME A CHARACTER AND I’LL DO THIS;

Chouji (man i’ve seen it spelled both ways and i’m just used to typing Chouji at this point sorry)

Sexuality Headcanon: Pansexual!!  Gender Headcanon: Cis male A ship I have with said character: SHIKAMARU. SHIKAMARU. SHIKAMARU. SHIKAMARUUUU, my god...just, everything about their dynamic makes my heart melt, the way they’re both people who are easily dismissed by others and how they have such UNFALTERING FAITH in each other. chouji knows how much of a genius shikamaru is, knows very well the fact that despite his laziness, once he commits to something he’s in it for the LONG HAUL, the way shikamaru just believes so steadfastly in chouji, considering him stronger than NEJI FOR FUCKS SAKE...they like. get one another, the kind of relationship where you can be yakking away one minute and then just sitting in contented silence the next. they can just laze around. maybe play video games and snack. and sometimes...kiss. and it’s so chill even with that latent tenderness their later relationship develops and they both just feel so safe and KNOWN and familiar like. love your best friend. anyway everyone slept on shikacho and y’all should be ashamed the naruto fandom is enormous and finding pretty much ANY content for it is almost impossible aside from the small (if lovely and amazing) tag and i’m pretty hyperfixated on it if you couldn’t tell holy SHIT.  A BROTP I have with said character: i’m really not a fan of ino taking potshots at him for his weight and outright shaming him, but once she grows out of that i absolutely love their friendship. listen, you know that post thats like--hold on

thats just them, thanks. A NOTP I have with said character: i have nothing against karui but canon is fucking dead to me and my opinions on p much all the “endgame” ships range from utterly neutral to absolute loathing. their relationship is on neither end of the spectrum, but. eh. definitely not into it. A random headcanon: he keeps nursing injured animals back to health because he’s just that fucking sweet and bringing them back to his house to keep them warm and safe while they recover and his team knows vaguely about this and ino and shikamaru like to poke fun at him for it but since they don’t tend to encounter said animals, it’s not really a huge deal.

of course they stop by his house one day bc he hadn’t shown up for training which is annoying and frankly a little concerning and finding the house mostly empty ino just bursts on into chouji’s room only to immediately have the opossum he’s been caring for latch its little paws on her face and cling.

it’s a bad morning. General Opinion over said character: literally one of my absolute favorites of all time and it really breaks my heart how overlooked he is in the fandom (seriously y’all...). i think kishimoto is kind of a stupid hack and the Fat Jokes are really grating and it sucks to see that so intrinsically tied to his character (like. just let him be fat. jesus christ) but his kindness and overall relaxed, loyal and lovable nature has me just melting. i adore him. 

Shikamaru

Sexuality Headcanon: He’s gay, scoob. (I could also talk a lot about how his earlier misogyny is both a product of being a whiny tween and also some internalized frustration of like WHATS SO GREAT ABOUT GIRLS. UGH. I DONT. STOP TELLING ME IM GONNA FALL IN LOVE WITH ONE ONE DAY DAD JESUS. and let’s be real, thats frustrating, even if it aint an excuse)  Gender Headcanon: he uses he/him pronouns because it’s just what he’s used to and comfortable with but man gender is such a drag... A ship I have with said character: SEE ABOVE SHIKACHO RANT A BROTP I have with said character: naruto! he and naruto have a really adorable friendship and i love love LOVE that he and chouji were shown to be kind and accepting of him even when most people were shunning him. also he’s so fucking dumb i love seeing shikamaru meticulously plan out something only to have naruto shriek into battle and ruin all of it. love those guys. stupid bros.  A NOTP I have with said character: ok. im sorry i just. loathe sh*katema i really do. i haaaate the way kishimoto writes this whole “ew a GIRL” “ew a MAN” vibe with the like OOOH BUT THEYRE GONNA LIKE EACH OTHER vibe like. 

don’t get me wrong i adore them as friends, i think they’re fantastic scathing and witty pals who bitch about anything and everything including each other

but they’re also both gay and kishimoto can suck my nuts byeeee A random headcanon: sometimes pakkun just fucking Shows up and chills with him. shikamaru wants absolutely no part of this but is way too lazy to like. do anything about it so it’s just this guy and a dog sitting in a field chillin and occasionally him piping up like ‘hey kid. remember when i bit your hand? yeah? haha, man time sure does fly.” while shikamaru is just. go aWAY.   General Opinion over said character: if you told 9 year old me watching naruto for the first time my favs were gonna be a three way tie of lee, shikamaru and chouji i never would have fucking believed you but here we are. i love him. i absolutely love him. he’s such a whiny bastard and a really good depiction of burnout genius who doesnt want to do ANYTHING, but his intellect is an absolute DELIGHT to watch. i love him very much. 

Lee

Sexuality Headcanon: he’s pan!! this is a boy that crushes easily and crushes hard on just about anyone!!!! Gender Headcanon: cis male A ship I have with said character: ok i ship him a lot with neji actually? what with how neji grows during the course of the series to regard lee with the respect he deserves is really sweet and there’s just something so infinitely adorable about him going around being the hammiest, most ridiculously earnest, kind and enthusiastic person and neji, now that he isn’t constantly bitter and angry at the world can finally really see that? lee is always happily dropkicking his way into his life, like he wouldn’t have it any other way, and i think that’s just...so sweet A BROTP I have with said character: SAKURAAAAA. oh my GOD do i adore their relationship. ever since lee saved her and basically just gave her a glimpse of his...lee-ness, the fact her negative opinion of him IMMEDIATELY flipped and gave her such a strong admiration and fondness for him kills me DEAD. she always treats him with so much respect and the fact she’s quick to rag on anyone making fun of him melts my HEART!! and on lee’s side, his little crush on her is adorable of course, but the sheer strength of the friendship that comes from it is more than infatuation could ever offer him. i want them to hang out together and talk about their troubles...i want them to make each other laugh and be so very kind to each other...i want sakura to storm over and throw him over her shoulder to TAKE A BREAK ALREADY when he’s been training too hard for too long. god. A NOTP I have with said character: honestly i’m pretty happy with a lot of lee ships! the only ones i view with obvious disdain are the ones with creepy age gaps honestly. A random headcanon: out of everyone in the leaf genin, he’s probably the closest anyone’s ever come to someone who EVERYONE is at least distantly friendly towards. like god have you SEEN how warm and inviting and concerned he is the SECOND he sees that naruto is feeling down? i get the sense he’s immediately inclined to provide that kind of support to any of his comrades, even the ones that Resist it.

you think sasuke is the most popular among the leaf genin? puh-LEASE. everyone looks on rock lee with at least a LITTLE bit of warmth. thats just fact. General Opinion over said character: since my first viewing of naruto he has been my Absolute fav, and while chouji and shikamaru are veeery close to stealing that spot, one look at him and i feel he’s gonna be on top forever. probably the best written character kishimoto’s ever produced that’s remained in  the main cast (tho i dont speak for shipudden onwards who fucking knows, but the truth of it is is i adore rock lee)

Gaara

Sexuality Headcanon: Panromantic Asexual Gender Headcanon: kind of like shikamaru, i feel like he uses he/him pronouns but also doesn’t particularly....Care? A ship I have with said character: ok so it wasnt until my naruto rewatch that i really started falling into this but i think him and naruto are super cute? while i loathe kishimoto for ruining so much abt this show he really is good at creating good foils to naruto, and gaara is no exception--and the way naruto changes his life by just kicking his ass (and proving he’s not just a Simp or smth) and then just, extending genuine empathy and a REAL sense of truly relating to where he’s coming from re:his upbringing? the EFFECT it has on him, bro!!!! my god!!! i feel like they’re that opposites attract ship that don’t clash constantly but instead fall into this adorable synergy and understanding? and i think thats so sweet A BROTP I have with said character: ...is it cheating to just put temari and kankuro here? bc they are literally his siblings but my GOD do i love their relationship. there’s something so deeply sad about their initial situation??? like having siblings that either are deeply fucking afraid of you or clearly don’t care for your well being whatsoever, it’s such a tragic scenario, and the times where they really do show legitimate care for gaara just breaks my heart...but the GROWTH. THE DEVELOPMENT. THE HEALING. i love the sand siblings so much, i am a STRONG advocate of seeing the development from estranged family to loving, occasionally bickering siblings who absolutely Love Each Other A NOTP I have with said character: uhhhh same with lee in that i don’t really mind most of the ships i’ve seen him in? while i don’t particularly ship gaalee i think its also Very Cute, and really it all just seems pretty valid as long as people aren’t being creepy? A random headcanon: i’ve been wracking my brain for one for a good 20 minutes and i just don’t have one he’s such a mystery to me/????? i love him but he is an enigma?? General Opinion over said character: oh my god he’s such an edgelord in the beginning. i’ve been doing a lot of this naruto rewatch with my friend @drashseed (a simply phenomenal fella 10/10 follow him) and every single time he talked the only valid response just became “ok gaara”

but his backstory? utterly HEARTWRENCHING. and his growth is just. absolutely divine, i adore him. thank you mister sandman for doing so much for us all.

Hinata

Sexuality Headcanon: Bisexual Gender Headcanon: cis woman A ship I have with said character: listen. i think kibahina is........Really Really cute. he cares about her so MUCH??? and there’s a certain tenderness to his interactions with her that’s just really evident whenever you see em together? i really love that you get the sense hinata is COMFORTABLE around him!!! like! i feel like hinata really deserves to have a partner who sees her when she ISN’T blushing and stammering? when she’s like? legitimately comfortable and being HERSELF? (dgmw the blushing is adorable i fucking love her but its one of the gripes i have with naruhina that so much of it is just naruto being oblivious and her having a small panic attack) the comfort she and kiba have make for a chill, adorable relationship i just cry over constantly A BROTP I have with said character: so i was GONNA put naruto here, but technically i already put him there for shikamaru’s so i’m gonna say neji!!! uhhh OBVIOUSLY they got off to a. very rough start but the way their dynamic changed (or perhaps in a way reverted back to the times they interacted before neji’s father died and temporarily killed his Human Decency) into this respect and fondness that’s just...such a delight to watch? i’m a SUCKER for slow and mutual reconciliation and there are just so many sweet moments between them. they are FAMILY, BRO!!! THEY CARE FOR EACH OTHER, BRO!!!!!!!!!! A NOTP I have with said character: ...at the risk of sounding like a broken record, i think a lot of hinata ships are quite cute? i guess i’m gonna have to say sasuke. because like.

has. he ever even looked at her. please. jesus christ. she deserves so much better. A random headcanon: she is a LOT physically stronger than she looks!! a lot of her combat techniques rely on taijustu after all so it’d make sense that she puts a lot of effort into physical training alongside chakra control.

i’m trying to say she’s strong. not as strong as sakura but. she can lift her bf up over her head (he’s dying hes dying he’s dYING he lOVES HER SO MUCH). it’s pretty fuckign badass

General Opinion over said character: i LOVE her??? honest to god i really really do--honestly while i dislike the direction they went in canon with her, i really loved seeing her be motivated to grow and change the parts of herself she hated to become a stronger person.

that and she’s so fucking cute and sweet and i just??????? bless her honestly.

[fanficimagery]

Mimic.

Relationship: Peter/Reader Words: 5, 287 Warnings: none. just a cuss word or two. Tags: Fluff and humor.

Imagine working alongside the Avengers and finding out your schoolmate is SpiderMan. The friendship quickly blossoms and you even wrangle Peter and Ned into matching costumes for Halloween.

Sitting in your last class of the day, you work easily as you piece together a video for an upcoming project Mr. Berman had assigned the class. He had preferred that his students piece together clips of their personal lives, but you weren't keen to let any of your fellow peers get that close of a look at your private life. So after a brief, yet tense, conversation with the teacher after class one day, he agreed to let you piece together whatever video you could come up with.

Immediately you knew what you wanted to do, downloading certain clips of your favorite movies and TV shows, and setting them to a song that you knew would hit people in the feels. The teacher had been skeptical at first, but when you showed him what you had so far one day, he was surprised to see the emotional aspect that even left his chest aching and wanting to see more.

It's while you're working on the video that your phone vibrates against your thigh, you glancing around to see where the teacher is at before pulling your phone out. And seeing that he's engrossed in his own computer at the front of the class, you slip your phone out to check the text.

From Nat to Y/N: Meet me out front 15 min after the final bell. To Nat from Y/N: Copy that.

Wondering why Nat is picking you up, your mind starts going off in different directions. So knowing you're not going to get any more work done, you download your project to your portable USB drive to work on over the weekend at home or wherever it is Nat and the others decide to take you.

The final bell soon rings to signify the end of the school day and you take your precious time getting to your locker. You refuse to make eye contact with anyone other than your locker neighbor, Ned smiling at you and nodding in greeting.

"Hi, Ned."

"Hey, Y/N. Excited for the weekend?"

You shrug as you put in your combination. "Eh. I'll probably watch Disney films and order in Chinese food."

He smiles. "That sounds like a good time."

"The best." Ned's friend walks up to him and you subtly straighten, friendly smile in place. "Hey, Parker."

"Y/N," Peter grins. "Excited for the weekend?" You and Ned both laugh as Peter frowns. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing, man. Anyways, lets go. I got that new Lego set we need to start putting together."

Peter's eyes widen as he glances between Ned and you. "W-What? Lego set? Pfft."

You chuckle as you put your backpack inside your locker and make sure your USB drive is safely in your front jean's pocket. "Calm down, Petey. I'm not Flash. I won't think you're a loser if you and your best friend still play with Legos."

Peter looks as if he's going to say something, but his phone pinging stalls him. He reads something on the screen, his smile falling, and Ned sighs. "Postponed until tomorrow?"

Peter smiles sheepishly. "Sorry, Ned."

"No, it's cool." He then turns to you. "Well I guess I'll see you Monday, Y/N."

"Mhm. Laters, Leeds."

Peter scampers off just as you shut your locker, you smiling one last time at Ned as you make your way towards the bathroom. You waste what's left of your time in the bathroom, fixing yourself to look like school hadn't mussed you up. And then when your phone pings yet again with a message from Nat to tell you she's waiting out front, you exit the bathroom.

There are still a handful of students lingering outside and they're all staring at the shiny black car parked by the curb. The windows are tinted too dark to see through, but the car screams money so everyone is interested to see who gets in or out of it.

Groaning quietly, you duck your head and quickly climb inside the car. Then exhaling dramatically once hidden behind the dark tint, you look over to the grinning blonde. "I hate you."

"No you don't."

"Whatever. What's up?"

"Mission came up. James suggested you."

You sigh. "Fine." You settle back into your seat, frowning when Natasha drives in the opposite direction of the Tower. "Umm, where are we going?"

Switching lanes and then picking up speed, the blonde grins. "Airport. We need a private jet, not a quinjet. We need to be as inconspicuous as possible."

"Ahh. Okay."

The ride isn't terribly long and by the time they pull into the airport, you and Nat are giggling about the boy you currently have a crush on.

"I don't see why you don't just make a move," she says, handing off her keys to some individual who's going to park her car. "You're cute and this kid sounds adorable. Go for it!"

"It's not- I can't," you grin, chuckling softly. "I might hang out with superheroes, but I am not confident whatsoever when it comes to boys my age."

"Mhm. Sure."

You nudge her as you walk towards the jet, Nat walking up the stairs before you. Then plopping down on the seat closest to the door, you ask, "Can someone please explain to me, in small words, why I'm being assigned to this mission?"

"...Y/N?"

Your heads whips in the direction of the all too familiar voice, eyes widening. "Petey?!"

"Petey?"

"Shut up, Tony," you're quick to grumble, cheeks tinting red as you nervously cross your arms over your chest. The dawning, smug realization on Tony's face is enough to make you gulp. Then looking back at a completely flabbergasted Peter, you ask, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

You and Peter continue to stare at one another, Tony, Natasha, Steve, and Bucky glancing between the two of you with amused expressions.

"Are they blushing?" Bucky quietly muses.

Natasha grins. "Totally blushing."

"Quiet, Natalia," you snap, narrowing your eyes at the blonde.

"As hilarious as I'm suddenly finding you two, lets get down to business," Tony says. "Peter is Spiderman and Y/N is Mimic."

"What?!"

"Mimic?"

You glance at Peter's confused expression, briefly concentrating and willing your appearance to shift right before his eyes. Feeling the rippling complete, you grin at your friend. "Mimic." Your voice is now deeper, yet still very much feminine as you take on the appearance of Natasha.

Peter's eyes are wide. "O-oh."

"Yeah." Exhaling softly, you change back to your normal appearance and glance at the other adults on the jet. "So what's up? Who's gonna debrief me?"

"It's fairly easy," Steve says. "We need a fresh face, someone our enemies have no knowledge of, to blend in. We've landed you an invitation to a party, so we need you to slip into the main office and download some programming onto the computer in there."

"Okay. Is there a possibility of combat?"

Bucky shrugs. "Only if you get caught, but you've got this, kid. You've trained with the best in both hand-to-hand combat and weapons."

"Yeah. I know." You plop down on one of the benches along the wall of the jet. "What else should I know?" You can't help but glance at Peter, smiling softly when you realize he's still staring at you. He hesitantly smiles back.

"Just in case things go sideways, Natasha, Peter, Bucky, and I will be on standby," Steve says.

Glancing at Tony then, he winks. "I'm just going along for the ride since it is one of my jets they're using. I'm too recognizable to be out there with you all. That and because it was my idea to bring in the other kid."

"Okay, well what about Nat, Steve, and Bucky? They're all recognizable too."

"We'll have photostatic veils." Natasha shrugs. "But us with the veils can't be seen acting suspiciously. You and Peter are the only ones with fresh faces."

"Whoa, wait, what? I can't show my face!"

"Sure you can," Tony says. "Don't worry about it. It'll be fine."

Peter looks like he wants to argue some more, but you speak up and cut him off. "Where's my folder? I need to read what's expected me while we fly."

"Sure." Steve walks over and hands you one of the files detailing the mission. "Don't read too fast. We're flying overseas. You have a long night ahead of you."

"Awesome," you deadpan.

          - X - X - X - X - X -

Having read over the file front to back and speaking to Steve about what you're to do in case things go sideways, you end up towards the back of the jet with one of Tony's spare laptops sitting on the table in front of you as you work on your class video project.

So engrossed on the screen in front of you, you don't realize someone's taken a seat next to you until your arm is nudged. Turning to your right, you grin softly at a clearly tired Peter and take out the left cordless earbud. "What's up?" You mumble quietly.

"What are you working on?"

"Class project. We were originally supposed to piece together home videos," you say, gesturing to the screen, "but I didn't want people to have that close of a look at what goes on in my life outside of school."

He smirks. "Like the fact that you hang out with Avengers? Or about Mimic?"

"Exactly. So instead I took clips from my favorite movies and TV shows, and placed a song to the scenes."

"Ooh. What song?"

You hand him the earbud you'd taken out with a grin and restart your half finished video for him to watch. "It's called Find You by Ruelle."

Peter settles in and watches what you currently have, and when it's done he glances at you in surprise. "That song is kind of.. hauntingly beautiful?"

"Right?"

"Are you trying to make your classmates cry?"

"Eh. It wasn't my attention, but if they cry at least I know I did a good job."

"Don't worry. You've done an awesome job so far."

Smiling at Peter, you can't help but nudge him in retaliation when his words of praise bring a heat to your cheeks. He knows the effect his words have had you if his twinkling eyes are anything to go by. "Knock it off, Spiderboy."

"Man. SpiderMan."

"Whatever. Wanna watch a movie?"

Peter chuckles and nods. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well since Halloween is just about a week away.." you trail off, saving the progress on your project before closing it out and bringing up your all time favorite Halloween movie.

"Hocus Pocus?" Peter muses. "Aunt May loves this movie."

"Yeah? Well settle in, Petey. We're watching it."

As the opening credits start, you arrange the screen so the both of you can see it perfectly as you lean back in your seat. Then seated back you realize just how close Peter is to you as your biceps are pressed together. He smiles as you lean against each other, earbud in place to hear the movie.

Fifteen minutes in and Peter's gone completely relaxed, his head on your shoulder. You continue to mumble along to the movie- word for word- and lightly smack Peter when he pokes fun at you for knowing the words by heart.

Forty minutes in and your head falls against the top of Peter's. He snuggles in and you smile at the adorableness of it all, and the two of you continue to watch the movie in peace.

You don't know when your eyes slip shut, but they do, and you're only woken back up when a blanket is being tucked around your left shoulder. Sleepily blinking open your eyes, you frown at Natasha. "What-"

"Shh," she quiets you. "We're still en-route. Go back to sleep."

"Okay." You glance to your right and are surprised to find Peter sleeping against you.

Smiling, you let your eyes slip shut once more. "It's him, isn't it?" Your eyes blink back open at Natasha's words. "The boy you like?"

"I-" She grins knowingly and you exhale softly. "It doesn't matter. He's.. Petey. And now that I know he's Spiderman? He's even more out of my league."

"Don't sell yourself short, Y/N." Smiling sadly, you shrug off Nat's words and try not to hurt your own feelings too much by realizing again that you don't have a chance with the cute boy asleep on your shoulder. "And for what it's worth, we're pretty sure he likes you back."

"Why do you say that?"

"Boys with crushes talk. And apparently Peter's talked to Tony. A lot."

"Whatever you say, Nat. Wake me up when we get there."

The next time Cap tells you a mission is going to be easy as pie, you're going to remind him of this particular mission. Everything that could have gone wrong, did go wrong, and you're the one who walked away with the most damage. You're grateful your identity will forever remain a secret, but it sucks that you don't have any nifty powers that allow you to heal faster. Instead, you're stuck with your average human healing abilities.

"I hate you guys," you mumble as Bucky carefully lowers you onto the jet bench. "I think my shoulder is dislocated."

"I'll take a look." As Bucky carefully cuts the strap to your dress to leave your left shoulder bare, he tuts at what he sees. "Want me to fix it?"

"If you can. Just give me a moment." Bucky hums, but just as you attempt to calm your breathing he's shoving your arm back into its socket. "SON OF A MOTHERFUCKER!" Tony and Peter enter the jet just as the words leave your mouth, Tony smirking and Peter gaping. "You're such an asshole, Barnes!"

"Language."

"Fuck you, Rogers. I'm a measly human. I heal slowly. I'm allowed all the curse words in the world."

Natasha enters behind Steve, smirking. "Cheer up, buttercup. You held your own perfectly."

"Yeah? Tell that to my shoulder, my stomach, and my face."

Steve hands you an ice pack for your face and you take it with a tight smile. "I'm just gonna head back into the bedroom and change. Do you guys need anything else from me?"

"No. You're good," Steve says. "Good job out there, Mimic."

"Thanks, Cap."

Limping back towards the bedroom, you toss the ice pack down while opening up one of the fancy closets built into the wall. You pull out a sports bra, a racerback tank top, and some cotton shorts. Then quickly changing, hissing through the pain, you settle onto the bed and lay down while icing down the side of your face.

Some time later, after you've managed to sit up and settle against the mountain of pillows, there's a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Peter pokes his head in. "Want some company? The adults are a bore."

Smiling tiredly, you beckon him in. "Sure. Come on in, Petey."

As he enters the room, you perk up when you see he's brought the laptop with him. "Mind if I sit? Mr. Barnes also said to give you these. Said that they're your favorite," he says as he reaches behind him into his pocket.

"Not at all." Peter pulls a package from the back pocket of his jeans and your eyes light up at the Strawberry Sour Punch straws he has. "Oh my god. Bucky might have given you the idea, but since you brought me the candy you're officially my favorite, Parker."

He crawls onto the bed with you, settling at your side with the laptop in his lap and hands you the candy. His fingers drum against the closed lid as he asks, "How are you holding up?"

"I've been better. I can't wait to get home and soak in an ice bath."

"I bet," he chuckles quietly. Silence briefly settles between the two of you before he's talking again. "So.. Mimic, huh?"

"Mhm. And Spiderman. How did that happen?"

"Believe it or not, it was a radioactive spider." You laugh in disbelief, but he assures you it's true. "What about you? Is it only people you can change into or animals too?"

"Just people," you tell him. "I can shift into another person to match them identically or, as you saw for the mission, change my features to whatever is needed and make up a completely new person."

"That's an awesome super power."

You shrug, blushing lightly. "It has its perks."

Peter grins at you and then clears his throat, opening the laptop up in his lap. "So since we saw your Halloween movie, it's only fair we watch mine."

"That's fair." You open the candy, pulling free a sugar coated gummy straw and bite into it. "Want some?"

"In a moment." Peter searches through the movies on the laptop and you're excited to see what he's going to choose. "Okay. Here we go."

He settles back and gets comfortable, reaching to grab a candy from the little plastic tray they came in. "Casper?" You muse. "Nice choice, Petey."

The two of you fall quiet as the movie starts, you immediately leaning against one another. The candy is quickly eaten and brief laughter is heard throughout the room. The part where Kat is on the verge of sleep when Casper is hovering over her, asking quietly can I keep you? comes to pass and you awe out loud.

Hooking your arm through Peter's, you lay your head on his shoulder. "I don't care if he's a ghost. That's so goddamn adorable."

"You're adorable."

Your heart beats triple, but you keep your cheek pressed to Peter's shoulder to avoid looking at him. "Shush, you."

He chuckles quietly, but does as he's told.

Casper gets turned into a real boy for the final dance of the Halloween party inside Kat's home and Peter smiles as you quietly squeal. The infamous words, can I keep you?, are spoken yet again and Peter can't help but laugh out loud at your reaction.

"Don't shame me. It's so freakin' cute!"

"If you say so."

You and Peter keep the movies Halloween themed up until the fourth movie, you switching it up and putting on UP.

"I love this movie so much."

By now you're laying down, practically draped over Peter's chest. You had originally thought it'd be weird, but Peter went with the flow and tucked one arm behind his head while the other traced random patterns on your back.

"It's great, but the beginning is just so sad for an animated movie."

You sigh softly. "Agreed." You watch Carl and Ellie through the years, your heart aching for the animated couple. "I need more friends," you mumble. "Someone I can strong-arm into dressing up as Mr. Fredricksen to my Ellie. Maybe even get a Russell."

"And Mr. Fredricksen can walk around with a bouquet of balloons." You gasp as you pause the movie, pushing up onto the palms of your hands and hovering over Peter as you stare at him in realization. His smile slowly falls and he quickly shakes his head. "No."

"Please?"

"No, Y/N."

"Come on," you pout. "It's perfect. We can even wrangle Ned into being Russell."

Against his better judgement, Peter laughs. "No. Besides, it's too close to Halloween. We won't find costumes."

"Uh, hello." You swat at him. "We have Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff on our side. And I'm sure your aunt May would just love to help out after we pitch the costume idea."

"Y/N.."

"Peter, please?"

He continues to stare at you until his gaze softens. "Fine."

"Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you." You beam, quickly falling back down on him before you can do something stupid (like kiss his cheek), and press play on the movie again.

With one arm draped across his abdomen and your ear resting over his heart, you can't wipe the smile from your face as you hear his rapidly beating heart thump away.

          - X - X - X - X - X -

"Rise and shine, kiddos. It's time to get up." Nothing. You hear the feminine voice, but you choose to ignore it. The arm around you tightens and you turn your face into Peter's chest. "Seriously, guys, get up. As adorable as this is, we've landed."

"Nat," you whine. "Get out."

"Like I said- adorable. You guys have ten minutes."

The door is shut and you sigh, pinching Peter's side when you feel him laughing. "M'sorry I fell asleep on you."

"I'm not. That was the best sleep I've had in awhile." As Peter starts to stretch, you roll over onto your back and do the same. "You always this grumpy?"

"Only when I'm still tired." You whimper and wince at the pain still lingering in your shoulder, and sigh and you sit up. "How's my face?"

Facing Peter, you close your eyes and let him inspect you. "I honestly thought it was going to be a lot worse than what it is. Your split lip is the worst of it."

"Awesome," you deadpan as he scoots out of bed. Then yawning, you gesture for him to go on. "I'll catch up with you later. We'll discuss costumes Monday at school."

"Alright." He lingers by the door and you smile softly at him as he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. His face seems flushed, but you've no idea why. "Yeah. I'll just- I'll see you later."

Peter exits the room and you allow yourself a brief laugh. Then making sure your hair isn't a mess, you exit the room where everyone but Peter is lingering around still, smirks on every face there. "I don't want to hear it."

"Adorable," Natasha muses.

"We had to keep Stevie from marching in there and separating you two," Bucky then says.

You wrinkle your nose. "We slept. Well we watched movies and then slept. Nothing scandalous went on."

Tony waffles his eyebrows. "So you gonna ask him out?"

"Ugh. Don't make it weird. We're hanging out on Halloween and I rather not be a stuttering, flustered mess."

"Aw. No horror movie marathon this year?" Steve frowns.

"Sorry, bub." Then looking between Nat and Tony, you ask, "Do either of you know someone in the makeup department who can make latex wrinkles for the face? I need to age up Peter for his costume. And probably a seamstress who can tailor our outfits once we find them."

Natasha immediately shrugs. "Sure. What are you going as?"

Smiling, you tell them. "Mr. Fredricksen and Ellie from that animated movie UP. I'm going to try and rope our friend Ned into being Russell, so we'll also need someone who can make an adult Boy Scout outfit for him."

"That.. is the most adorable thing I've ever heard." Tony says. "Don't worry about a thing. You and your friends stop by the tower after you convince your Russell to join you and we'll get everything squared away. The only payment I'll require is pictures. Pepper loves that movie."

"Done and done. Thanks, Tony."

As it turns out, Ned didn't need any convincing at all after hearing the costume idea. He was immediately game for it all, much to Peter's amusement. And then to make the deal even sweeter, the boys were relieved to learn that Tony Stark himself was taking care of everything they needed under the supervision of the Black Widow. Ned, of course, knew all about Peter's identity, so he didn't really bat an eye about the Avengers doing this stuff for them, but he was curious as to how you fit in. So after a couple days of dealing with Ned's suspicious behavior, you thought it only fair you come clean to him about Mimic.

Needless to say, Ned was super stoked to have two enhanced individuals that he could call friends.

Then in the days leading up to Halloween, Ned and Peter would not leave you be. You were friends to begin with, though you mostly spoke between classes, but now they purposely sought you out- Ned to make sure you guys wanted him to be Russell and Peter because.. well you weren't really sure. He was always smiling, flushed, and kept sheepishly ducking his head when you laughed at something he said.

Halloween was then here and the three of you rushed to Tony's tower to change. Peter was the only one who needed a professional makeup artist to age him up, and then later had a white substance sprayed into his hair and eyebrows for the elderly man look. You easily shifted your features and hair color, aging yourself up and then adding some glasses to match the age you made Peter portray as Mr. Fredricksen.

When Peter steps out in black framed glasses, a white button up, suspenders, and brown corduroy pants, your heart melts. "Oh my god," you gush. "Petey!"

He chuckles. "Looking good, Ellie."

You're wearing a green pant suit and flats, your blazer cinched at the waist with a brown belt, and a purple flower pinned to the right side of your chest. "Right back at 'ya, Carl."

"Alright, Alright. I will admit this is cute," Sam says as he leans against the wall. Mostly everyone had come to the tower to hand out candy down in the main lobby. "You did good, kids."

"Wait for it," Tony smirks. "It gets better."

Another door opens and Natasha walks out, chuckling. "This was seriously the cutest idea ever."

Ned walks out then, a book in hand with a miniaturized version of the movie poster for UP plastered on the front. He fixes his sash- which bears badges for every Avenger, Spiderman, Mimic, Stark Industries, and the logo for their high school- across his chest, beaming. Then walking up to Tony, he opens the book and pretends to read from it. "Good afternoon! My name is Russell and I am a Wilderness Explorer. Are you in need of any assistance today, sir?"

"No."

The group gathered around all laugh and Tony claps Ned in the shoulder. "When Pepper walks in, please say that to her. She's going to love it, kid."

"Goddammit," Sam then grumbles. "You kids gather around. My momma needs to see this," he says while taking his phone out.

"Not yet!" You're quick to say. "Our costumes aren't complete yet."

"No? What the hell else is there? If you got someone to dress up as a bird and squawk at random people, I'm done."

Peter and Ned snicker, shaking their heads. The elevator then dings, and out walk Steve and Bucky with an insane amount of helium filled balloons of every color.

"There. Now you can take our picture."

The balloons get handed to Peter as you and Ned flank him. Bucky also hands over a cane, chuckling while muttering about Peter being the old man now, and the trio have to endure picture after picture.

The elevator dings yet again, this time Pepper being let off. "Tony? What was so important that you made me come down as soon as possible?"

Tony coughs and nudges Ned. "You're on."

Stumbling forward, Ned fumbles with the book. He stops in front of Pepper and nervously clears his throat. "Good afternoon! My name is Russell and I am a Wilderness Explorer. Are you in need of any assistance today, ma'am?"

Pepper's eyes actually tear up as her laugh resonates around the room. "You guys! You're so adorable!"

"Thank you, Miss Potts," Peter says.

"Yes, thank you, Pepper," you smile, waving at her.

Her eyes widen. "Y/N?"

"In the flesh."

"Oh, Tony. Please tell me you got pictures."

"We did. Lots of them."

"While we'd love to stay and chat, we really should go," Peter then says. "We'll walk around for about an hour before coming back here to greet the kids with you guys."

"Sounds good. Have fun, you three," Steve says.

          - X - X - X - X - X -

Trick-or-Treating for your own candy is a bit hard when everyone really loves your costume. You have no idea how many times you've been stopped and asked to have a picture taken- either just you, Peter, and Ned, or you three with a child who'd been a fan of the movie- but it's still a fun night nonetheless.

When you return to the tower, it's a full blown mad house. Everyone seems to want to take advantage and enter the tower to meet the Avengers, but Tony and the others had made it clear the candy was for children and those with special needs when it became too much. The overzealous, adult fans had to be turned away and in the end the line outside was cut down a significant amount.

"Has it been like this the entire time?" You ask, sidling up next to Bucky. He nods. "Damn."

"Excuse me, miss? Do you think my kids can get a picture with you and the others in costume from the movie UP?"

Bucky grins. "Looks like you're up, kid."

You turn to the mother who'd asked the question and smile. "Sure thing. Let me just go get them."

So as the Avengers pass out candy to overeager children, you, Peter, and Ned pose for pictures with even more children. Halfway through, however, a familiar tune starts to play throughout the lobby. It's the Married Life tune from UP, the song that plays while the movie flash forwards from Carl and Ellie's wedding up until her death. You giggle, swaying back and forth in place, as the music gets louder. Everyone starts to take notice, oohhing and awwing.

"Would you- would you like to dance?" Peter nervously asks.

You glance at him, eyebrows raising in surprise. "What?"

"Dance. With me," Peter says, gulping. "I'm not the best, but we can keep it simple."

Slowly smiling, you laugh with a nod. "Sure. Lets do this."

Peter takes your hand and leads you out into the middle of the crowd, and you nervously laugh. "Oh my god. Is it weird that I'm nervous?"

"No. I am too."

Meeting his gaze, you furrow your brow as you seem just how nervous he actually is. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah! Yeah. I'm just- excited."

You chuckle. "Okay. If you say so."

With your right hand encased in Peter's left and raised out, near shoulder level, your left hand lays on his shoulder while his free hand goes to your waist. The steps are rather simple, Peter leading you in a box step before turning and then doing it all over again. Every now and then he twirls you, much to everyone's ooh's and aww's, and you always come back to him with a laugh.

"Natasha was right, you know?" He suddenly blurts. "That day on the plane."

"What?"

W-We fell asleep watching movies. Or at least you thought I fell asleep, but I was awake. Natasha figured out it was me who you liked."

Your smile falls. "Peter.."

"I like you too." His eyes subtly widen at his quick admission and you can't help it. You snort and that seems to put him at ease once more. "If anyone is out of anyone's league, it's you. You are so far out of my league. Even Ned makes jokes-"

"Peter?" You cut him off.

"Yeah?"

"Just kiss me already."

He smiles wide before hesitantly leaning in to press his lips to yours, but the moment is ruined when Tony's voice resonates around the room. "Mr. and Mrs. Fredricksen, keep it PG. There are children still here."

You and Peter jerk back from one another, blushing, and you narrow your eyes when you see Sam reluctantly handing over money to a smirking Bucky.

Of course they'd make a bet on you and Peter.

[psycheswritings]

Nothing’s Fair in Love and War - Eleven

Title: Nothing’s Fair in Love and War

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Pairing: Thomas Shelby x Daphne Scott (OFC)

Warnings: Swearing, angst and mentions of death and war.

Word Count: 6018 (I know and I am sorry)

Author’s Note: Here we go again with another update. Hope you are all well and safe with this whole pandemic thing. Take care of yourselves and the people around you.

Not much to say about this chapter, so I am just going to show my gratitude towards @internalmess3​ for being so kind and sweet and supporting me through the process of writing this chapter - you're incredible and I am so grateful to you! Thanks for everyone, EVERY SINGLE SOUL, who has been reading this fic and commenting/leaving likes. Seriously, that's what makes me keep writing and I LOVE to read your thougths about the plot and the characthers. Don't feel shy in coming talk to me.

You know the drill, if you find any mistakes feel free to report it back to me. Tags are at the end of the post and if you want to be added, let me know. Your feedback is highly appreciated. Happy reading.

WARNING: this fic (as most part of my works) is also been posted on FF and AO3.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

Masterlist

Chapter Summary: Tommy meets Campbell to talk about the plans to kill the Field Marshall while Daphne is trying to adpat herself to living alone. She and William take a walk down memory lane, rememoring how they met and Tommy pays her a visit. The Brummie gangster negotiates with Alfie and they both end up discussing their feelings for Daphne.

Eleven

Tommy had told Lizzie to let Campbell into his office at the pretense that he was parking his car. It was the first time they would meet after his plan to make the Field Marshall leave his house got into work and he wanted to take the Irishman out of guard - and so he did.

“I keep everything locked up, Mr. Campbell. Everything of value.” Campbell looked up at him as he closed the door, a little more forcibly than necessary, on purpose. The man was rummaging through his desk and by the look on his face he certainly wasn’t expecting being caught. Tommy hang his coat, clearing his throat before walking towards the desk. “Take a seat.”

“How is your company treasurer, Polly?” The Irishman asked as he bypasses the desk to stand in the opposite side from Tommy.

“Why do you ask?”

“Oh. Just give her my regards.” Tommy finds the questioning odd but decides to brush it off as he searches for his cigar case, taking one and lightening it. “Ah! You like to play with fire, don't you, Mr. Shelby? Yesterday, in Belgravia, Field Marshall Russell's house was burnt out. An incendiary device was put through his letter box. Which means that he will have to find somewhere else to live for at least the next three months.”

“Which also means that your plan for me to break in and shoot him in his bed is no longer an operational possibility.” Tommy states what they both already know, calmly, a hint of a smirk on his face.

“Indeed, but if you think a wee burn frees you from your obligations, think again…”

“I will keep my side of the bargain.”

“Oh, by God, you will.”

“I will shoot your Field Marshal. But I will do it in a way that serves my purpose.” Campbell is still standing in front of him, both hands holding the cane, clearly riled up by the change of plans.

“The only purpose is my purpose.”

“I will carry out the assassination at a place of my choosing.” The Irishman takes a step towards the desk as he speaks.

“Listen to me. All operational detail must be mutually agreed…”

“I am a soldier of experience and I will determine where and when…”

“Now, that man has twenty-four-hour armed police protection…”

“Your plan was full of holes, Mr. Campbell.”

“My plan was mutually agreed!”

“And now your plan is up in smoke! And I have formulated the only viable alternative.”

“For God's sake. What do you mean? How would you get to him?” Tommy takes a drag from his cigarette, taking his time to answer.

“I won't. He'll come to me.”

“Now listen to me, Mr. Shelby. When this meeting is concluded I must report directly to Mr. Winston Churchill.”

“Your relationship with Mr. Churchill is not my concern.” The Brummie answers nonchalantly.

“And Mr. Winston Churchill will need to hear details.”

“Well, you tell him he'll have to trust me.” They glare at each other for a second, then Tommy speaks again. “Look, Mr. Campbell, I will carry out my mission.”

“Good.”

“Good. But I will do it in a place where it will be impossible for you or your men to have me shot afterwards.” Campbell shifts in his place. “Because that was your plan, eh? Coopers front and back. No way out. Me shot dead, dumped in the Thames. I will do the killing, but in a place where that will not be an option.”

“Where and when?”

“Epsom. Derby day.”

#* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #

After one week of living in the hotel Daphne decides to rent a flat. It’s the logical thing to do, she thinks to herself, so she can have more privacy and start doing things her way. Her relationship with Alfie was still strained and they were sticking to talk just about business because every time the topic changed they ended up fighting and it seemed that the both of them were tired of it. William and Harriet helped her accommodate in the new place.

She had been avoiding to talk about certain topics with Harriet because she knew how the woman was caught in the crossfire and a part of her, the one who still cared for Alfie, wanted him to have some sort of support system because if she knew him well enough, he was most certainly trying to pretend that everything was fine. Ada was out of town - they have talked over the phone and the Shelby sister assured Daphne that everything was alright between them - so she was relaying on the last person she had left - William.

Since their conversation at the hotel, their first one after she had left Alfie’s house, Daphne had been thinking about the things he said to her. She had been able to avoid the specific topic of her relationship with Tommy on the occasion but she was sure that it was just a matter of time until it come up again. Truth be told, she wasn’t even sure if they had a relationship of any sort because they never really talked about it. Actually, the last time they had seen each other the last thing they did was talk about anything.

“How’s Jane?” She was facing away from him, making tea for the both of them as he adjusted himself on the spare armchair by the fireplace. The flat was not big, everything was in the same room basically - her bed near the window, a little bedside table, a modest wardrobe and a dresser near the fireplace, two armchairs and a center table. There was a nice bathroom and a small kitchen just beside.

“Fine. They are getting used to things there but are happy together. She send you lots of love.” Daphne gave him the teacup and goes back to take her own before getting comfortable on her own armchair.

“Send my love to her when you write to her again.” They fell into a comfortable silence until he asked her.

“Have you talked to Thomas?” She averted his gaze, sinking into the chair.

“Will…”

“You've been avoiding the topic since the night we talked in the hotel.” Daphne was really hoping that her acting had been on point for him not to notice, but she was just so tired that it wasn’t all that surprising that she slipped onto her act. “He likes you.” Her hazel eyes searched for his blue ones and he laughed at her expression. “What? Did you really think I wouldn't notice?”

“I really hoped I wouldn’t have to talk to you about it.” She exhaled loudly, taking a sip of her tea and William takes a moment to observe her: she is looking to the fire, he knows it is because she doesn't want to look at him, her cheeks are still rosy from the cold, her fingers playing mindlessly with the hem of her dress, her legs tucked under her. It was easy to fall in love with her, he knew that more than anyone.

“Well, unfortunately for you, I am your better option right now.” Daphne looks at him again, sees his playful smile and sighs.

“We could always not talk about it.” William raises an eyebrow at her.

“Not an option.” He waits, patiently, as he always does, for her to get comfortable enough to talk. Sometimes, William wonders why she always seemed more willing to share things with him than with Harriet, for example, or even with his sister. Most women didn’t like to confide in a man like that. He should know better though, because Daphne was nothing but unusual in a lot of things.

“Do you remember the first time we met?”

“You're redirecting.” He scolded her and she laughed, sitting up straighter to face him better.

“I am not, I promise.” Daphne had already accepted her defeat because she knew he wasn’t going to give up, but she wanted to make him understand somethings that had been on her mind lately. Somethings that were very important for their relationship. William drank the rest of his tea, putting the teacup into the table and getting comfortable on his chair as he took a deep breath.

“I remember that you gave me quite a scold.” He smiled looking at her to see that she was doing the same. “We fought over what was the best way to treat a patient and you were so damn stubborn, standing there, hands on your hips, holding your ground and defending your opinion so fiercely.”

“I was right.” There was a smug look on her face and he just shook his head in annoyance.

“You were and even so Dr. Lewis choose to believe in me.” Daphne rolled her eyes and William smiled. He knew that she never really liked the old doctor.

“Of course he did. The man worshiped the ground you walked on just because you are a man.” She rolled her eyes before continuing. “And you were a prick just alright.”

“I was. Smug little thing, fresh out of college, I thought I knew better about everything and I certainly wasn’t looking for being proven wrong by a young nurse on my first day.” She remembered that, he was the talk of the hospital that morning and for the following days - the young hot doctor who had just arrived to help Dr. Lewis. Daphne had been there for almost a month, things had been going as smoothly as they could be but her mood was sour due to being away from her brother for so long.

At first, she had been excited about the new addition to the personnel, after all, all help was welcome - that is until she actually met William. She was treating a soldier with a severe injury and Dr. Lewis brought him to give his opinion on it. The first thing she noticed was how handsome he was and how young he looked but the niceties stopped there, because next thing they were arguing about the right treatment to apply and things just went down after that.

“You actually searched for me to try and convince me that your plan was better than mine.”

“And you snapped at me right away. I don’t think I had ever fought with a nurse before but you were having none of my shit.”

“You were used to just bat those eyelashes at them and have your way out of the discussion, weren’t you?” She smirked at him and William put his hand in front of his face, sighing. “Oh, sweetheart, you don’t have to tell me that. I am pretty sure that all the nurses thought I was crazy for fighting you that day. I certainly received lots of death glares on the corridors for weeks.”

“Matron certainly didn’t agreed with that because she gave me a hard time until we made amends.” William still remembers how much the older woman made his life difficult on the weeks right after his arrival.

“Harriet wouldn’t shut up about you and how I should give you a chance because you were ‘oh, so nice and gentle’.” She feigned an affected voice, then paused for a second looking directly at him. “And how I was going to fall for you if I did open up. I think I did, for a while.”

“Daph…”

“No, I have to say it for both our sakes.” They looked at each other for a long moment before she continued. “We never really talked about why I couldn’t stay with you and sometimes I feel selfish for keeping you around.”

“Then we both are being selfish because I didn’t wanted to lose you either.” She takes a deep breath, gets up from her seat collecting the teacups and walks to the kitchen, gets the bottle of whiskey from the counter along with two glasses and goes back to where he is, pouring them both a dose, offering one of the glasses to him and then getting comfortable on the armchair again. Daphne took a sip of the amber liquid, relishing on the way it burned her throat as she observed the fire crackling.

“I really fell for you at the time, you know.” Her voice was firm, as if she was trying to reassure herself and him at the same time.

“I know. You are good at pretending but not that much.” They smiled at each other and stayed in silence for a moment.

“And I really wish that things could have been different, that we could have gotten a better chance but you were right when you said that I didn’t wanted to live after Benjamin died. I just never let myself acknowledge that.”

“Nobody can blame you for that. I don’t blame you for that. After we came back, every time I saw Jane I thanked God for her being safe and remembered how you must feel everyday because of him.”

“I’m sorry for shutting you out and not giving us a chance. Most part of the time I am sorry for not letting you go.”

“It wasn’t your choice. Not entirely at least. I stayed because I love you and between being in your life as a friend or nothing at all I would always choose to stay. We already talked about that.” They did, in fact, when Daphne told him they couldn’t be together anymore, not as a couple, he had asked her if she wanted him to leave her life completely even if it would’ve been impossible at the time because they were serving at the same place. But she haven’t wanted him gone back then and she still didn’t want him gone now.

“I just don’t understand how I couldn’t love you the way you loved me back then but I can fall in love with another person now. It just doesn’t make sense and…”

“Hey, hey, hey. Stop that!” He kneeled in front of her, taking the glass of whiskey half drank from her hands and resting it on the table, holding both her hands in his, forcing her to look at him. “Love is not rational, Daph. I know we try to find some explanation, a reason for it but it doesn’t exist. We don’t choose who we love or in what moment we love them.”

“We could have been good together.”

“We are good together.” He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. “Just because we are not together as a couple it doesn't mean we don’t have a good relationship. We’ve been supporting each other all these years, you can’t say to me that this is not a good thing.”

“It is. You’re one of my best friends, always will be.” She smiled at him, remembering all the times he had been there for her. There was no denying how important he was in her life. William would always be a huge part of her history.

“Then talk to me. Don’t push me out because you think you’ll hurt me. I will say to you if something is too much but let me help you.”

“I don’t know what to say. Really.” Daphne sighed as she sank into the chair and William adjusted himself on the ground right in front of her. “The way I feel about Tommy is… different. He makes me feel things that I had never felt before. Things I didn’t wanted to know about.”

“Well, you’ve been avoiding it for years now, I really wouldn’t expect nothing less.”

“He’s everything I didn’t wanted for my life.” Problem, that’s what he was. A big, huge problem. William laughed and Daphne gave him a not so playful slap on the arm.

“Maybe he is exactly what you need him to be even if you haven’t realized it yet.” She looked at him, half closed eyes, a smirk on her lips.

“When did you got this wise?”

“You’ve been rubbing off on me.” William smiled at her and Daphne felt the urge to hug him, so she did, sliping from the armchair to sit on the ground with him.

“Why couldn’t I have stayed in love with you? Life would be a lot simpler.”

“That’s the thing, life is never simple.” The moment is interrupted by a knock on the door, so Daphne gets up to answer it and she has a hard time coming into terms with the person standing in front of her.

“Thomas?” William looks at the door after hearing the name, his eyes meting Tommy’s for a moment before he got up from the ground.

“Hope I am not interrupting anything.” His voice was devoid of emotion but Daphne notices the hint of displeasure on his face. William was faster than her to answer.

“No. I was heading out, already.” He was putting his coat on and heading to the door. “Mr. Shelby.” They shook hands briefly and the doctor turned to face her. “You’ll gonna be alright?”

“Yeah.” She nodded and he got closer, giving her a kiss on the check before heading out.

“See you tomorrow then.” Tommy takes a step to the side, giving space for him to get out of the flat. “Mr. Shelby.” The two men nod at each other and the gangster observes as William walks down the stairs before looking up at Daphne, who was observing him. After a moment of silence he asked.

“May I come in?” She stepped out of his way, opening the door more for him to enter. Tommy looked around, analysing the small space, noticing how it looked cozy, much like her. Daphne closed the door and walked towards the little table near the fireplace, taking both glasses laying there and walking to the small kitchen.

“Do you want tea? Or whiskey?” She turned to look at him and he just shook his head, denying her offer, stuffing his cap on one of his pockets.

“No, I am fine.” Neither of them said nothing for a long while. “Did you knew?” They both knew the answer to that and Tommy didn’t fail to notice the offended look on her face.

“Of course not.”

“Then that night, at Charles’s wedding, it wasn't just a way to distract me.” The look she gave him hit him harder than any slap he ever received and, for a moment, he almost regrets asking it, but after Grace he just had to be sure that what he was feeling for her wasn’t just one more thing that Solomons’s could use against him and his family.

“If you thought even for a moment that I would sell myself for something as simple as a decoy you’re clearly underestimating me.” Tommy isn’t accustomed to being held accountable by the things he says and when he does, he usually doesn’t care about what people feel about it. So it actually gets him by surprise how he always seems to find enticing the way Daphne always gets back at him for the things he says.

“You can’t really blame me, can you?” He walks to her, slow and deliberate, leaving her time to back off, which she doesn’t. When they are a breath apart, his cold fingers trace the skin below her neck and then lower, getting hold of the ever present pendant hanging on her neck. He pulls the locket out of the chancel of her dress, feeling the metal against his fingers and this time, different from the night of her birthday, he opens it. As he expected, there are two photographs there - a girl and a boy. “You’ve been hiding a lot of secrets, Senior Sister Scott.”

“Am not the only one, Sergeant Major Shelby.” All he wants to do is to close the distance between them and kiss her, like he had done at the library of the Weston’s house. Give in to desire and press her against the wall, have her right there, but there is something that holds him back. “My past is none of your concern.”

“Your past, your present, your future… I want them all to be of my concern.” The way she looks at him with half closed eyelids should be illegal and Tommy has to take a moment to put his thoughts on check again. “He is the reason why you said I couldn’t make you want things you can’t have?”

“Thomas…” Daphne closes her eyes, feeling trapped in his presence, she doesn’t think that she can talk about Benjamim with him, not yet.

“Because you don’t want to live without him.”

“Tom…”

“You think you don’t deserve to have a life without your twin.” Her hazel eyes focus on his blue ones, hands searching for support on his chest as Tommy holds her to him with his free hand.

“You know nothing about that.”

“I know enough.” She tries to walk away from him, but he is faster than her, releasing the open locket and holding her by the arms, keeping her close, forcing her to face him. “‘Can’t imagine the pain you feel.” Daphne’s resolution falters for a moment, her breath coming fast as if she had runned a mile, she feels her chest tightens as she tries to remembers the last time that she had let herself really feel the grieve.

“He was more than my brother, he was everything.” Her eyes close for a moment and the memories cloud her mind and she relieves all the times they skipped the music classes so they could run through the gardens, searching for a good spot to hide between the trees. How they always sneaked into each others rooms at night so they didn’t had to sleep alone. The way he always seemed to know what she was thinking before herself. Daphne searches for the locket, closing it and holding it between her fingers as she rests her forehead into Tommy’s shoulder, his hands travelling to her waist as they sway from side to side for a long moment.

“Why did you stayed with Alfie?” Daphne thinks for a moment but she already knows the answer, she has knew it for a long time.

“Because it was comfortable.”

“And I am not, so that’s why you’re fighting this.” She doesn’t answer, it’s not needed, they both know it’s the truth. The woman raises her head, looking at him again.

“Why are you fighting this?” There is a long pause where the only thing they hear is the crackling of the fire and the noises of the city outside.

“Because you deserve better than me.” Daphne sees nothing but truth in his ice cold blues.

“I think that is for me to decide.” And decide she does, standing on her tiptoes and closing the gap between them in a gentle kiss. As their lips move together all that Tommy can think about is how much he doesn’t deserve the woman in his arms. In that moment he too makes a decision, a decision that could change everything.

#* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #* #

“Did you one anyway, you ignorant git.” He doesn’t notice that Ada had entered the room until she places the cup of tea almost in front of him, turning to leave. That is the moment that Tommy raises his eyes from the paper in front of him.

“Ada, sit down here for a minute.” She does as he asks while he folds the letter and puts it on the envelope, linking it to seal. “Ada, if anything happens to me today, I need you to post this letter. The stamps already on. Don't ask any questions. It's…” He pauses for a moment as he takes the cigarette from the ashtray. “...to do with insurance.” Ada looks at him, a little disturbed by the information, picking the envelope from the table.

“Look, Tommy? Whatever it is you're involved in, just tell us. God, you never let anybody in. We love you, Tom.” His eyes search for hers in the moment and Ada seems to be in an internal battle to choose her next words so he picks the other envelope and holds it between them.

“This one you can hand over yourself.” Tommy sees the curiosity in her eyes turn into worry when she sees the name outside the envelope.

“What are you going to do, Tommy?” James enters the room and Tommy gets up, walking to the couch to pick his coat. “What are you doing up at six o'clock in the morning?”

“Ready?” He asks the young writer that nods at him.

“What the bloody hell's going on?” Ada asks, voice an octave higher.

“Little errand.” James answers her.

“What errand?”

“He just has to stand there, Ada.” Tommy adds as he picks his things..

“Stand where?”

“Let's go. Come on.” The older Shelby calls and James follows him out of the room, Ada a little behind them, talking exasperatedly.

“James, what's going on? Don't listen to him, James, he'll get you killed! What errand?”

“For the cause, Ada. The good old cause.” The young writer tells her as he and Tommy walk out the door. The two men walk the streets towards Camden Town and when they are approaching Alfie’s bakery Tommy says. 

“For the next ten minutes, you don't do or say anything I haven't told you. All right?” Met with silence he asks again. “All right?” James confirms it just before they reach the doors.

“Hello, Ollie.” Tommy greets the young man as he heads to the door.

“Hang on. Just you, yeah? He stays out here.” Ollie admonishes and Tommy turns to James, pointing at him with his index finger and then at the ground, throwing his cigarette away as he does.

“You stay here.” The young writer stands there, looking around a little apprehensive, as Tommy follows Ollie inside. He stops, pretending to tie his shoe much to the annoyance of the young man, before they continue to Alfie’s office. The Jew barely acknowledges him as they enter the room - feet propped up on the desk, leaning back on his chair reading the paper - and Tommy takes a seat in front of him. He just talks when the phone starts ringing.

“That'll probably be for you, won't it?” Tommy gets up to answer the call.

“Hello? Arthur. You're out?” When the call is finished and Tommy sits back on the chair, Alfie straightens himself to look at the Brummie.

“Right, so that'll be your side of the street swept up, won't it? Where's mine? What you got for me?” Tommy takes the license from his suitcase and hands 

“Signed by the Minister of the Empire himself.”

“Yeah?”

“Which means that you can put your rum in our shipments and no-one at Poplar Docks will lift a canvas.”

“You know what? I'm not even going to have my lawyer look at that.”

“No, no, it is all legal.”

“You know what, mate? I trust you. That is that. Done.” He straightens his hat and then turns to pick a bottle of whiskey. “So, whisky. There is one thing, though, however, that we do need to discuss.”

“What would that be?” Tommy asks, taking a drag of his cigarette as Alfie places the bottle on the desk, holding his glasses to his eyes and analysing the contract.

“It says here twenty percent paid to me of your export business.”

“As we agreed on the telephone.”

“No, no, no, no. See, I had my lawyer draw this up for us, just in case.” He places the new contract, that he just got from the drawer, right in front of Tommy, leaning on the desk to show it to the other man. “It says that here, that a hundred percent of your business goes to me.” 

“I see.”

“Just there Don't worry about it, right. Cos it is totally legal, binding. All you have to do is sign the document and transfer the whole lot over to me.” Alfie reclines himself back on his chair, waiting for Tommy to sign the contract.

“Sign just here, is it?” The Brummie asks, calmly.

“Yeah.”

“I see. That's funny, that is.” Tommy says, taking a drag from his cigarette and pointing at the paper in front of him.

“What?” The Jew asks, confused.

“No, that's funny. I'll give you a hundred percent of my business?” 

“Yeah!”

“Why?” Ollie, who had been standing there, fidgeting more than usual, points a gun towards Tommy, who looks at him unamused.

“Ollie, no. No. No. Ollie, no. Put that down.” Alfie takes the gun from Ollie’s hands and places it on the desk, as the younger man retreats to the background. “He understands. He understands. He's a big boy, he knows the road. Now, look, it's just non-fucking-negotiable. That is all you need to know, so all you have to do is sign the fucking contract. Right there.” The Jewish gangster taps with his finger where Tommy is supposed to sign.

“Just sign here.” Tommy says, before stubbing the cigarette on the ashtray.

“With your pen.”

“I understand.”

“Good. Get on with it.” Alfie encourages when the other gangster does nothing.

“I have an associate waiting for me at the door. I know, he looks like a choirboy but he is actually an anarchist from Kentish Town.”

“Tommy, I am going to fucking shoot you.”

“Right? Now, when I came in here, Mr. Solomons, I stopped to tie my shoelace Isn't that a fact, Ollie?” He looks at the younger man and then at Alfie again. “I stopped to tie my shoelace. And while I was doing it, I laid a hand grenade under one of your barrels. A mark fifteen with wire trip. My friend upstairs is like one of those anarchists that blew up Wall Street, you know? He's a professional. And he's in charge of the wire. If I don't walk out of that door by the stroke of seven, he's going to trigger the grenade and your very combustible rum will blow us all to hell. And I don't care ‘cos I am already dead.” Alfie scratches his beard, holding his glasses and analysing Tommy for a moment.

“He tied his lace, Alfie. And there is a kid at the door.” Ollie confirms.

“From a good family, too. Ollie, it is shocking what they become.” The Brummie remarks.

“What were you doing when this happened?” Alfie turns to face Ollie.

“He tied his lace. Nothing else.”

“Yeah. But what were you doing?”

“Marking the runners in the paper.” The young man seems embarrassed. There is a little noise of metal and Alfie turns to see Tommy with his pocket watch in hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Just checking the time. Carry on.” The Brummie show a hint of a smirk on his face. The Jew gangster takes the gun from the desk and hands it to his associate.

“Ollie, I want you to go outside and shoot that boy in the face from the good family.”

“Anyone walks through that door except me, he blows the grenade.” Tommy explains.

“He tied his fucking lace, Alfie.” Ollie becomes nervous by the second.

“I did tie my lace.”

“I bet hundred to one that you're fucking lying, mate. That's my money.” Alfie plays with the gun that he took away from Ollie’s hand.

“Well, you see, you have failed to consider the form. I did blow up my own pub for the insurance.”

“OK, right, well, considering the form, I would say, sixty five to one. Very good odds. And I would be more than happy and agree for you to sign over sixty five percent of your business to me. Thank you.”

“Sixty five? No deal.” Tommy looks at the younger man. “Ollie, what do you say?”

“Jesus Christ, Alfie. He tied his fucking lace. I saw him. Look, he planted a grenade. I know he did. Alfie, it is Tommy fucking Shelby.” Alfie gets up and hits Ollie in the face, holding him by the collar of his shirt.

“You are behaving like a fucking child. This is a man's world. Now, get that apron off and sit in the corner like a little boy. Fuck off. Now!” As Ollie does what he is told, Alfie checks his pocket watch and sits again.

“Four minutes.” Tommy says

“Right, four minutes. Talk to me about hand grenades.”

“The chalk mark on the barrel at knee height said, "Hamilton Christmas". I took out the pin and put it on the wire.” Tommy spins the pin between his fingers before putting it on the empty glass sitting on the desk. Alfie takes it to inspect.

“Based on this…” The Jew shows the pin to Tommy. “...forty five percent.”

“Thirty.”

“Aw, fuck off, Tommy. That's far too little.” He throws the pin at Tommy, who picks it up and starts to play with it.

“In France, Mr Solomons, when I was a tunneller. A clay kicker. A 1-7-9. I blew up Schwaben Hohe. Same kit I'm using today.”

“Funny that. I do know the 1-7-9 and I heard they all got buried.”

“Three of us dug ourselves out.”

“Like you're digging yourself out now.”

“Like I'm digging now.”

“Fuck me!” Alfie whispers, leaning into his chair. “Listen, I'll give you thirty five. That's your lot.” Tommy thinks for a moment.

“Thirty five.” Alfie spits on his hand, gettin up and offering it to Tommy, who does the same.

“Now you go out there, send the good boy from the good family home, and come back here, because we have other business to discuss.” Tommy nods, goes outside and sends James back home, when he comes back Alfie is alone in the office. He closes the door behind him, sitting down on the same chair he was some minutes ago. The both men contemplate the silence for a few minutes, the Jew is looking out to the window. “You probably already know about Benjamin, don’t you? ‘Know you’ve been doing your research on us for a while.”

“I do.”

“Do you know what he meant to her?” Alfie turns to face Tommy, elbows resting on the desk as he intertwined his fingers in front of him.

“I know he was her twin, yes.”

“He was more than that. They were everything for each other. I knew him. The boy served under my command til the day he died. Wouldn’t fucking shut up about her any chance he got. When I finally met Daphne it was as if I already knew her.” He remembers, clear as day, her hazel eyes looking back at him, fighting to hold back the tears, blood all over her nurse uniform. “I fucking promised him I would protect her. Now, we both know that neither of us are men of keeping their promises but this one, this one I intend to keep, because everytime I look into her eyes I believe, even for just a moment, that there is something good in this world. She suffered enough, deserves some happiness and I am not letting you ruin her chances at it. I am not letting you ruin her, Thomas.”

“I don’t plan on it.” Alfie scoffs at him.

“As you didn’t planned to fuck the beautiful blonde who came all the way from New York with her posh husband.” Tommy doesn’t show any signs of emotion but the Jew knows better. “Yeah, I know about her. The woman who betrayed you and then fucked off to America. Beautiful thing she is.”

“She is in the past.”

“Is she? Really?” Alfie restes his arms on the desk, leaning closer to the other man. “Because you’re sitting there telling me that you don’t plan on ruining Daphne but you are lying to her, ‘cause you were with the posh blonde some weeks ago.”

“It’s done. What I had with her is done now.” He pauses for a moment and Alfie just observes him without saying anything. “I know how much you care about Daphne and you have my word that I don’t intend to hurt her.”

“That’s the thing, mate, sometimes the things we don’t intend to find a way of happening.”

Tags: @stressedandbandobessed7771​

[harrypupperandhisownerdraco]

💧∗ˈ‧₊°∗ˈ‧₊°∗ˈ‧₊°∗ˈ‧₊°basically i just had a shitty christmas and after that just started screaming n fighting w my mom and i just want to cry so much, this life is shit i just want sum comforting otp, tag urself im draco 

(also this is a muggle!au)

 Story

Silver, blue, on then off… The hanging lights were flickering all over, illuminating the dirty streets with artificial illumination, blinding the moonlight and hibernal constellations. It wasn't snowing anymore, and all of its reminiscent beauty washed away with dirt and stomped away by happy bystander. The air could have been colder, but what made Draco shiver was the contrast between the eerie feeling lingering in the street and the stinging feeling over his cheek. Twisting butterbeer candy in his mouth, its sweet aroma melted along with the bitter taste of blood. It stung a little, but the endearing feeling of alcohol started to take over. Wandering aimlessly, he was focusing his thoughts hard on the christmas song's lyrics resonating all over the town. Otherwise, the dark thoughts he was trying to shut in would start to yell again.

He inhaled -breath shaky- once again, trying to regain consciousness of his surrounding. He couldn't just cry in the street like that, he was pathetic yes but ain't nobody gonna see it. He sighed as a sad grin slightly made its way on his face, finding a place to cry safely was a middle school thing to do but here he was at 20. He let his gaze wander on all the dolled up shop front, displaying all kinds of present ideas. He hadn't even had time to open half of his presents before running away. They might all have been shitty anyway. Except his mother's… Not to be cheesy, but she was the one who really knew him in that big house, no matter how many people inhabited it.

 Since when the family house became so full yet so cold and empty ? Maybe at the blurred line where childhood disappeared …

 Draco rubbed his humid noise, he was definitely not going to cry in public, for god sake. Leaving the nice display for romantic couples, he walked off. There was only one place where a forsaken college kid could cry his pitiful life and that was college itself. And if luck was on his side, he had the shittiest family life and everybody else went back home.

 Luck showed to not be on his side, Draco discovered with bitter annoyance as he was trying to sneak some snacks from the cafeteria. And it seemed Potter (the worst one Draco could fall into) had the same thoughts. His nemesis since middle school, the one person he personally made sure to say « happy christmas loser» before leaving because he knew christmas was Potter’s least favorite holiday.

Homeboy must have had the whole day to make a sweet stock but no, midnight snacking was better, of course. How original Potter.

"Come on Potter, don’t tell me you don’t hide food in that mess of a room you have", Draco put his arms around the amount of baked good and drinks he had stocked. " 'Cause I wont let you have any of these, you had the whole day, too bad."

"What are you doing here ? I thought you went back." Potter raised an eyebrow.

"Well you know, ehe, maybe I'm Santa and haven't given you your gift yet ?", he gave him droopy smile, trying to suppress wiggles alcohol induced. "Maybe, you’re Santa. 

"A- Are you drunk ?"

"That would be insulting my alcohol tolerance considering I only had candy, but I guess a man can get drunk over his spleen. Oh, and like, a few bottle, aha.."

"You're definitely drunk.", Potter sighed. "Get some water and go to sleep Malfoy."

"But I'm hungryy."

"You're only going to regret it afterwards, now come on, give it-" Potter got awfully closer, and Draco felt an itching feeling under his skin.

"Let a man drink and get shitfaced Potter, jeez, I don't remember stopping you having fun at your last scoot boys party." Draco groaned.

"You're not having fun, " Potter sighed and he came so close Draco could feel his breath over.

"Why you caring about that."  Draco tried to defy Potter's deep glare, but booze only confused him into the lulling gaze of green eyes.

As Potter groaned for answer, he grabbed his plate. Draco didn't put up any resistance as he didn't trust his body so close to Potter's. He might accidentally hit his face, and he didn't feel confident over a 1v1 against Potter right now.

"You don't smell like alcohol, you smell… good.", Draco muttered, as his eyes were half shutting over Potter’s collarbones. "What have you been up to Potty, you really don't know how to party, you only grunt and sigh."

 Draco didn't know whether it was willingly or without realizing, but he leaned against Potter's strong frame more than necessary. The sweet feeling of being supported, not having to fight… If only Potter could close his arms around him.

 "Malfoy I swear you should go now.", Potter's arms tried to shift him, but Draco felt his own arms envelope Potter's nice smelling neck on their own accord.

"Oh come on, I had a shitty christmas and a shitty evening, let me have that.", he whined slightly, tugging closer.

He could feel Potter’s breath stopped for an instant, and Draco didn’t know what to make of it. Maybe Potter would kick him for good now, pathetic or no they never indulged in anything soft or warm ; they challenged each other and threw word with deep rooted meaning, but never anything so clear and explicit.

But when Draco went to unlace himself from this awkward situation, he felt Potter’s strong arms not letting him.

"I don’t even know why i’m doing this, you’re heavy. " Potter complained as he was carrying Draco on his back.

"I’m not, not with those fit arms of yours ", Draco rumbled against Potter’s nice smelling jumper.

"... I should record you," Harry muttered, the back of his neck feeling hotter.

" I’d deny everything, the things you can do with technology these day.."

Draco could feel Potter’s muscles moving slightly over a soft chuckle. He pushed his face further into the nice perfume.

"... Hey take me to your room."

"W-what ?!", they nearly fell as Potter lost his balance.

"Calm your tits Potter, jee-"

"Why’d you want to go into my room anyway ??"

Because it might smell as nice as you..., Because it’s your room..., Because, there, it’d just be full of you and nothing would remind me of anything at home..., Because I don’t want to think about home right now...

"Because I know you have a hidden stack of snacks in there..."

"Malfoy."

Draco couldn’t feel Potter’s gaze on him but his tone conveyed enough to make Draco’s throat clench.

"I won’t steal anything, it’s just... there’s nothing that’ll remind me of home there... Just... I... "

Draco never finished his phrase and soft silence fell upon them for the rest of the way. He tried to no think too deep about tonight’s evolution, but even cloudy thoughts weren’t enough.

"We’re here", and as soon as he opened the door, Potter let Draco fall hardly on the floor. Not bothering to listen to his insulting fuss, he went to throw a cushion his way. "There’s a futon over there, the floor is yours."

"You’re the worst host ever, even dogs are treated better." Draco pouted.

"And you’re a handful guest and drunk", Potter said as he let a blanket fall over Draco’s head.

The ground was cold, he could feel it over the futon and the fall had made his heart sad. Draco remembered the comfy over-stuffed bed he left at home and how he should’ve been sleeping there comfily instead of making a fool of himself in front of the only boy that mattered.

"Well if I could have avoided drinking to drown my sorrow trust me i would.", he sniffed, already sobering up. "I’m so going to throw up all over your carpet."

All sound of moving and shifting stopped for a while. Then Potter peeked his face under the blanket, facing Draco’s.

"... Are you crying ?"

"... Next I’m gonna pee and then you’ll have all my body fluids over your carpet." Draco said with a small voice and he wanted to punch himself. Embarrassed him really had the worst retorts.

"You’re disgusting." Potter said, but he brought his nice smelling sleeve over Draco’s nose and whipped the dampness. Draco sniffed again.

"I’m not crying."

"You’ll deny it for the record I know."

For some reason, Potter lingered his touch over Draco’s face, wandering his hands over his cheeks, lightly wiping tears traces. Draco couldn’t see Potter’s face clearly due to the lack of lamps turned on. The room only escaping darkness for dim moonlight and Draco hoped Potter couldn’t see his face clearly either.

"Why did you come back ?"

"Because I’m the family disappointment and I have no weird cousin to dim that off."

Trying to use depreciative humor didn’t seem to get to Potter, maybe because he couldn’t see Draco’s face laughing it off. He had gotten quite good over the years.

"How could you be the family disappointment. You got the best grade and remarks, you’re basically every rich parents dream kid."

"Yeah that’s what I thought too, right ?... I thought that I would go back home and be congratulated or something, I mean I did get some of the best rank right ? But what are best rank when your friends are not ‘good company’ huh ? And when your clothes doesn’t reflect your seriousness enough, I mean who would hire me in these right ? Not like I came home to have dinner not an interview. Oh and sit straight will you, I taught you better, don’t embarrass me. We have guests Draco, is that really how you want to represent the Malfoy name ? And-"

"Breath a bit."

Potter’s voice was calm and strangely soothing. Draco hadn’t felt his blood pumping so hard until Potter made his heart stretch.

"The thing is... I do everything right but it’s never right enough. My father keeps talking about me like I’m just a display for the family name. I cant even think of doing other things that my whole life is already being pushed down my throat ! I don’t even know if I really want to do what I do ? Maybe I just convinced myself that’s what I want to do ? What if I understand I’m ruining my life when they’re already old and senile and I can’t make them pay for it huh ? Is it my fault they only fucked once and now they only have one shot for their brand of whatever ? Is it so hard to let me live as just ... someone ? Am I not enough just being my own ? "

Potter´s hand was still on his cheek and as everything fell into silence again, Draco felt overly conscious of their proximity. Heart clenching, he tried to not dwell on the words he just said, looking for some other depreciative humor ; he hadn’t plan to open to Potter. They never did this.

"Did you tell them that ?"

"I-", Draco let his lips hang open, slightly taken aback by Potter’s empathy and what felt like concern in his tone. "I did but... I feel like they never listen to what I say, I’ve been saying the same things for years. They say they’re scared for my future and just wants what’s best, but the truth is that they just don’t trust me and now I don’t trust myself either when I shouldn’t. " he bit his mouth over the bitter feeling.

"... I think you’re doing good."

"What do you know..." Draco sniffed, he could feel uneasiness coming from Potter and honestly he felt already bad enough from spilling his gut here he didn’t want some colored sappy moral or whatever. "If you’re going to tell me some sappy shit-"

"No I mean," Potter put his hands over Draco’s wrist so that he wouldn’t go away. And even in the darkness, Draco could feel his gaze’s intensity on him. "You look like, you’re... you just seem like you’ve got everything figured it out, like everything’s gonna work out for you in the end and... even if you feel like you want to change when you’re old, you’re the kind of person that’ll find something else and be great at it."

Draco could feel Potter’s pulse stirring over his touch and he didn’t know what to make of it.

"...You suck at sappy-inspirational speech, let me tell you."

"I mean... fuck if your parent don’t see it, you’re always doing your best and trying hard and giving it your all and... Whatever you decide to do with it you’re gonna be great at it... Even if you don’t really know what you want to do now, it’s ok, I mean... nobody does... know what they’re doing really. You don’t really need to know right away, you can... just keep doing for now until you know better..."

Although Potter seemed very thoughtful about what he said, Draco couldn’t help the awkward chuckle that escaped his lips.

"Hey, I’m serious you know !", even over his voice, Draco could hear Potter blush over embarrassment.

"I know this is why it’s weird !" Draco tried to untie his wrist from Potter’s grasp.

"Would you have wanted me to mock you or something !"

"N-no but now I’m confused ! If you’d mocked me I would have punched you and it would have been fine but now I don’t know what to do !"

"Then don’t reject me for once !"

Over their bickering, the blanket felt from over them but Potter didn’t let go of Draco’s wrist.

"You think I’m great ?"

"I’ll deny it for the record." he muttered and Draco could see him averting his beautiful eyes.

"Say it again."

When Potter’s eyes moved on Draco’s again, they held a burning purpose, and he couldn’t avoid his gaze if he wanted to. Potter’s beautiful eyes had him holding his breath but not wavering, even when he felt Potter’s breath over his lips.

He didn’t wonder who got over the last cm as their lips touched each other very softly, barely even, feeling unreal.

"Can I ?" Potter’s murmur ghosted over Draco’s lips.

On impulse, Draco wrapped his arms over Potter and squeezed very tightly. He had been so close all evening and all his life, and he couldn’t contain his feelings any more second. All the places in contact with Potter felt like they were burning the sensation into his skin, so that he would never forget what he’d been longing for so long. And as the kiss deepened, hands caressing softly through hair and clothes, Draco finally finally felt belonging.

As a ray of pale sun made its way on his face, Draco awoke feeling bundled in an infinite source of warmth and safety. He could barely move but he didn’t want to. Ever.

He might have fallen asleep again a few times before he felt some shifting around him.

The moment he turned around, he came nose bopping with Potter’s ; who opened beautiful green eyes and gave soft and embarrassed smile that Draco returned. He felt on cloud nine and the soft embrace he was in, not disappearing as they woke up, was the best part.

"Happy Christmas," Potter whispers against his lips.

“It’s happy now...”, Draco kisses him softly and they might just spend the rest of the day that way.

[flight-of-the-sacred-eagle]

Snow Day

It’s a snow day and literally everyone is stuck where they are. This is really just a bunch of drabbles with a single plot rip

“Miiiiiiiiiilllleeeeees, it’s coooooooold,” Phoenix whined as he flopped down onto the couch, resting his head on his lap.

“It’s not that cold, Phoenix,” Miles said, barely bothering to look up from his book. Phoenix huffed.

“It’s freezing,” he mumbled. “Have you been outside?!” He asked. Miles rolled his eyes.

“No,” he said. “Because I can tell that it would be a bad idea,” he said.

“I wanted to try to see if I could get to Trucy,” Phoenix grumbled. “I didn’t realize that it was that cold,” he said. “It never gets that cold!” He whined.

“Trucy is fine, Phoenix,” Miles said before he sighed and put his book down. “You’re an idiot, you know that?” He muttered as he looked down at his boyfriend. Phoenix snorted.

“I’ve still beat you multiple times,” he said. “So I can’t be that bad,” he said. Miles rolled his eyes.

“You win because your clients are innocent,” he said. “And your tactics tend to be... interesting to say the least,” he said as he smiled down at his boyfriend.

“Hey. They work,” Phoenix said as he sat up. Then, he wrapped his arms around Miles and laid back down, pulling him onto his chest.

“W-Wright!” Miles exclaimed as he tried to wiggle his way out of his boyfriend’s grip. “What are you doing?!” He asked. Phoenix grinned.

“I’m going to take a nap,” he said. “And so are you,” he said. Miles huffed.

“We just got up,” he grumbled. “Let me go,” he said.

“Nope,” Phoenix said. “You’re staying here,” he said as reached up and grabbed a blanket, draping it over the pair.

“Phoenix... I hate you,” Miles grumbled as he gave up.

“Love you too, Miles.”

———

“Clay?”

“Yes, Em?”

“Are we seriously stuck here?” Ema asked as she stared out of the window and at the snow.

“Looks like it,” Clay said as he looked out of the window himself. Ema groaned.

“Of course- the one day I actually needed to get stuff done, and we’re snowed in,” she grumbled. She was never a fan of snow to begin with, but to be snowed in? Well, there was a reason she lived in California in the first place. Clay just shrugged.

“Eh. Could be worse,” he said. “We could have ‘pollo and Klavier with us,” he said.

“Oh god,” Ema said with a laugh. “That would end up with someone dead,” she said. “I can barely stand being by the fop on a good day, but to be stuck with him?” She asked. “That would be torture. Especially with him loving on Apollo like he does,” she said.

“No, that’s not what I’d be worried about,” Clay said with a smirk. “They tend to have a hard time keeping their hands off each other when they’re bored,” he said. Ema gagged.

“Ew, I do not need to think about the fop fucking Apollo,” she said. “That’s just gross,” she said. Clay laughed.

“Hey, at least you didn’t learn about their relationship by walking in on them,” he said. “I will never get that image out of my mind,” he said.

“No, I just found out by hearing Apollo fucking moan in Klavier’s office,” Ema said with a laugh. “And that office is soundproof!” She exclaimed as she made her way to the chair and sat down.

“Okay, but Klavier on top of Apollo,” Clay said. “And they were on the couch!” He exclaimed. “Sure, they had their clothes on still, but like. Damn, couldn’t you two wait like, half a minute longer?!” He asked, earning a snort from Ema. Ema shook her head.

“I will never understand why anyone could enjoy that,” she said. Clay snorted.

“You and me both,” he said before humming.

“Want to marathon the original Star Trek and get drunk?”

“Fuck yeah!”

———

“Really?!” Athena exclaimed as she stared out of the window and glared. “I actually had stuff I wanted to get done today!” She exclaimed.

“Did you now?” Simon asked. “I thought you planned to just sit and watch TV all day,” he said with a smirk. Athena huffed.

“Yeah, but I still wanted to have to option to leave!” She exclaimed as she stalked away from the window, not really looking at her boyfriend, who had a smirk on his face. “I could’ve wanted to shop or something later!” She exclaimed. Simon just chuckled.

“No you wouldn’t have,” he said as he pushed himself to his feet. “Come here, blackbird,” he said. “There’s no use getting mad over this,” he said as Athena felt him wrap his arms around her.

“Yeah, but...” Athena trailed off as she felt Simon rest his chin on the top of her head. “Fine,” she grumbled. “I’m still not happy about this,” she said as she allowed Simon to lead her back to the couch.

“Mm, I can tell,” Simon said as they sat down. Athena just sighed as she snuggled into Simon’s side.

“I forgot how much I hated snow,” she grumbled. “It’s so annoying when it gets like this,” she said. Simon just hummed as he started running his fingers through her hair.

“Weren’t you saying that snow was romantic a few days ago?” He asked with a smirk, earning a huff.

“Yeah, but not like this,” Athena said. “When it’s like this, it’s just annoying,” she said. “Snow is only great when you can actually move around and walk in it,” she said. “And when you can skate on it,” she added.

“Dragging me skating was the worst decision you’ve ever made,” Simon grumbled. “What the bloody hell did you think it was going to accomplish?” He asked. Athena shrugged.

“I don’t know, something romantic?” She said. “It was pretty funny though,” she admitted with a chuckle. Simon huffed.

“To you maybe,” he grumbled before he pulled Athena closer and kissed the top of her head.

“Was that a kiss?” Athena asked as she turned to look up at her boyfriend, a playful smirk on her face. “I didn’t realize the Twisted Samurai showed affection,” she said.

“Who the hell have I been dating then, blackbird?” Simon asked with a smirk. “I didn’t realize you had a copy,” he said. Athena snorted.

“I do, her name is Anetha,” she said with a laugh. Simon just laughed before he gently grabbed her chin and pulled her into a kiss.

“I love you, blackbird.”

“Love you too, Simon.”

———

“Daddy is going to absolutely freak out,” Trucy said as she stared at the snow outside the house. “He’s going to be so worried that I can’t get home,” she said. “And Papa is going to reassure him that I’m safe,” she said.

“Oh?” Pearl said as Trucy turned to look at her friend. “Has this happened enough for you to know this?” She asked. Trucy snorted.

“Oh trust me. This has happened so many times,” she said. “There was that time Daddy and Papa’s flight got grounded in Germany because of a huge snowstorm and Uncle Larry ran out of vacation days so he had to go back to work,” she explained.

“So Daddy was freaking out, but Uncle Larry just let me tag along with him to the police station,” she said. “Told me that ‘Nick took that other girl along on murder trials so it shouldn’t be that bad for you to go’,” she said, changing her voice so that she sounded like the detective. Pearl giggled.

“Mr. Larry is really funny,” she said. “You know when he first met me, he and Mr. Gumshoe tried showing off their guns to calm me down?” She asked.

“That sounds like something they’d do,” Trucy said with a giggle. “Oh! And there was that one time where Polly and I were investigating a case on the other side of town when a big storm came and Klavier offered to take us to his place to wait out the storm,” she said. “Daddy called Polly about every five minutes,” she said.

“But you were with Mr. Polly!” Pearl exclaimed. “He’s super nice!” She exclaimed. Trucy snorted.

“I know!” She exclaimed. “Daddy gets really worried about me,” she said. “It’s both nice and annoying at the same time,” she said. Pearl nodded.

“I can imagine,” she said. “Though he had lost people before,” she said with a frown. “Maybe he just is worried he’d lose you like he lost Mystic Maya?” She asked.

“Maybe...” Trucy said. “But he knows I can take care of myself!” She exclaimed. “I know how to throw knives really accurately! And Auntie Frannie got me a whip too!” She exclaimed.

“And Mr. Larry taught us both how to use a gun if we needed to,” Pearl added. Trucy nodded.

“And ‘thena taught me how to flip people on their backs,” she said. “And Simon taught me how to use a sword,” she said. Pearl chuckled.

“I feel bad for anyone who wants to try to mess with you,” she said before smiling. “Want to watch more Christmas movies?” She asked.

“Sure!”

———

“I don’t think the train’s running today,” Maya said as she looked out her window.

“I don’t think anyone is foolish enough to try to go out in this,” Franziska said as she continued to type away. Maya snorted.

“Oh no, Nick probably tried to get to the train station,” she said. Franziska chuckled.

“Of course he would,” she said. “He’s almost as foolish as my little brother,” she said.

“He doesn’t exactly have the best ideas outside of court, does he?” Maya asked.

“My brother found the fool on top of the house the other day,” Franziska said. Maya snorted.

“Seriously?” She asked. Franziska just nodded. “Nick is terrified of heights!” She exclaimed. “What on earth was he doing on the roof?!” She asked. Franziska rolled her eyes.

“The fool wanted to hang Christmas lights on the roof,” she said simply. “My little brother had to rescue him,” she said. “Apparently the fool refused to let Trucy do it,” she said.

“Of course,” Maya said with an eye roll. “You know, I sometimes wonder how the hell he lived this long,” she said. “Running over a burning bridge, telling people that he has evidence that you put them in jail, eating a necklace that could have been laced with poison...” she trailed off with a snort.

“Don’t forget he purposely chose to be represented by a murder who had a vendetta against him,” Franziska said. “And then almost threw his apprentice under the bus by making him present false evidence,” she said. Maya rolled her eyes.

“And don’t forget that he seemingly taught Polly to do the same shit he does,” she said. “I mean, you know what happened during the whole HAT-2 case,” she said. Franziska sighed.

“I’m surprised that entire agency is standing still,” she said.

“You and me both.”

———

“Ugh. I don’t spend winters in Khura’in so I can avoid this shit!” Apollo exclaimed as he peered out of the window and glared at the snow on the ground.

“It’s not that bad, schatzi,” Klavier said as he put his arm around his boyfriend. Apollo just looked up at Klavier.

“Klav. Clay invited Ema over to help wrap last night,” he said. Klavier winced.

“Ah. That... may be interesting,” he said before he kissed the top of Apollo’s head. “But look on the bright side,” he said. “You’re here with me,” he said.

“Ah yes,” Apollo said with a snort. “Trapped with the most egotistical man I know,” he said with an eye roll. “How lucky!” He exclaimed.

“You wound me, Herr Forehead!” Klavier exclaimed with a laugh. “I’m not that bad,” he said. Apollo snorted.

“Yes, you are,” he said as he poked Klavier’s cheek. “You are the absolute worst,” he said. “In multiple ways,” he said. Klavier smirked.

“Oh? What ways?” He asked.

“Well, the way that you’re obviously trying to get something out of me right now is one way,” Apollo said.

“Is it working?” Klavier asked. Apollo hummed.

“Hmm... not yet,” he said. “You’re going to have to try a little harder,” he said as he maneuvered his way onto Klavier’s lap. Klavier smirked.

“Do I now?” He asked.

“Mmhmm,” Apollo said. “You’re going to have to try a lot harder...” he mumbled as he leaned up.

“Oh really?” Klavier said before he captured Apollo in a deep kiss.

“Then let’s see how good I can get...”

[crampdown]

Spacial Distancing Tag

I got tagged by @thespiritofvexation and @dabirdbowie (thaaaanks >w<)

Are you staying home from work/school?

Art School’s been closed since March 15th so yes. We’ve switched -more or less successfully- to online classes. Our final’s deadline has been delayed as well so at least I’ll have more time to work on it (art block’s still a bitch but eh...I’ll manage somehow)

If you’re staying home, who’s with you?

I’m with my family right now. My parents urged me to come home so I wouldn’t have to spend quarantine in my cramped little student’s flat. I literally took the last train home before they closed the borders (an experience I hope I’ll never have to endure again because being stuck for three hours in a nearly empty station in the dead of the night with no conductor or other train crew members in sight only a few other equally confused and frigtened passengers and not knowing wether the train would even leave or get canceled last minute due an earlier closed border has way too much “midnight ghost train” horror film vibes for my taste. Man what a sentence, pardon my rambling ...it’s just I’ve realized how much I needed to talk about it )

Who would be your ideal quarantine mate?

While I do miss my fellow art buddies, my partner in crime and my old friends (who I can’t even meet even though I’m back in me hometown) I think staying at my parent’s is for the best. We’re just used to each other’s habits and stuff...

Are you a homebody?

Normally I’d have little problem staying inside and stuff but now the weather is getting better and there are so many things I wish I’d be able to do. At least I can still go for little walks in the fields (probs to countryside village home...you win this round you lame ass Kaff)

Any event you were looking forward that got cancelled?

Well I...I had tickets for A Saucerful Of Secrets and Patti Smith, also a Comic Convention. I am of course a responsible adult and a serious student so I only cried for like five days.

What movies have you watched recently?

No movies but I’ve always been a sucker for documentaries (especially history, mystery, crime and so on...). Due to research for my comic project I watched lots and lots of videos and shows about diseases for at least half a year now (yeah the irony of the situation is punching me in the face quite nicely...that wasn’t the plan...is this karma? F).

What shows are you watching?

Cowboy Bebop, Carole And Tuesday, JJBA, Monster, Eizouken...haven’t watched that many shows in years...

What are you reading?

Oh no here we go again cause my current lectures looks like some deranged pandemic paranoid’s book list. Please believe me when I tell you I’ve purchased them all long before this whole mess started for my cOmiC boOk rEseArCh: “The Plague” by Albert Camus, “The Plague Dogs” by Richard Adams, “Pale Rider” by Laura Spinney and a nonfiction work on diseases in general. Also Pete Townsend’s autobiography “Who I Am” inbetween to cool down. I am however sad that I had to leave the majority of my novels and comic book collection back in my student flat. Well at least I’ve managed to take a volume of “Eno And Plum” and “Milk And Cheese” with me (I..I love these 90s indie comics ;w;)

What music are you listening to?

Nothing better than some good ol’ Blues in these daring times full of self pity and regret. Nah, but seriously I’m listening to a Robert Johnson sampler because I bought it on one of the last vinyl flea markets last month before every event had to get canceled. Also Supertramp because reasons.

What are you doing for selfcare?

Discord with my friends (we’re living on Cards Against Humanity, Hungergames Simulator and Ask Games :D), I’ve also been doing my workout routine again (dancing to my favourite songs included cause it really helps). And then I also draw everyone’s favourite virus as the annoying punk ass jerk they are...because I’m petty like that (it helps ._.)

Oh and of course this site here...

I’m gonna tag @raptorcat1960 @catfacedcryptid (If you’re up to) and anyone else who wants to :)

(stay safe everybody! <3)

[keelywolfe]

FIC: Skeletons in the Closet (baon)

Summary: This is Red's punishment for dealing with amateurs.

Tags: Spicyhoney, Established Relationship, Domestic, Humor

Note: I'm so busy with work this week, but I got the idea for this and had to go with it.  I don’t have the focus for actual plot lines, and sometimes I just amuse myself. Heads up for upcoming kustard next to our normal spicyhoney.

Again, this is set before 'Any Other Tuesday'.

'Part of the ‘by any other name’ series.

Read it on AO3

or

Read it here!

~~*~~

“this is a stupid fucking idea, you know,” were the first words out of Sans’s mouth as they stepped out of the shortcut. The living room was still, the lamps off, but there was enough light coming through the shades to make it easy to see. The room was neat as a pin, even the remotes were lined up on the coffee table and Red wondered, not for the first time, how the hell a neatnik like his bro and a slob like Stretch were compatible.

Years of living with him had probably given Edge a complex or a fetish or something, poor kid. It could have been worse, he guessed; at least he didn’t come down with a freaky thing for dirty socks.

“what’s stupid is that you can’t come up with a better battery for these things,” Red retorted, but there was no heat to it. The amount of fucks Red had to give today was sitting on empty and that was a fact. “changing ‘em out all the time is a bitch and a half.”

Red crawled underneath the end table, using the flashlight on the phone to guide him as he poked at the joints. One of them held a tiny audio device and he couldn’t remember which one.

“you wanted ‘em tiny and portable," Sans said lazily. "can’t have everything, sweet cheeks. what i don’t get is why you needed two different types.”

“gotta have ones for stretch to find and ditch, so he doesn’t keep looking for the other ones.” Ah, there it was. Very carefully, he pulled out the device. It was the size and shape of carpenter nail, unobtrusive. Just as carefully, he replaced it with the new one and scooted back out. “you didn’t need to come.”

Sans snorted at that, shuffling after him as he replaced one in a picture frame. “yeah, kinda did, or i would have to come up with a spy device to spy on you installing spy devices. i like to keep my inception to one level.”

“don’t trust me?”

“you’d never respect me if i did.”

“who says i respect you now?” Red asked idly, swapping out one on Edge’s toy shelf. It seemed a little wobbly but Red shrugged mentally and moved on.

Sans scratched at his cheekbone with an upraised middle finger. “you have a pretty healthy respect for my blowjob skills.”

“i’ll give you that.”

“besides, if i tag along, i can make sure you leave ‘em in the living room and kitchen only. i know you’re a paranoid motherfucker, but that’s the furthest line i’m willing to cross. that and sound only.”

“video would be useful as fuck, you know.”

“a video feed would make them too large and a fuckton easier to track. plus, you don’t need it, j. edgar hoover.”

That was true. He didn’t, not really. If he were honest, he didn’t even use the audio devices that much. It wasn’t like he was tuning in to his daily podcast of the ‘Life and Times of the Honey Bun and the Bro’. Just every once in a while, a quick little check in to hear their voices, confirm everything was on the up and up.

Of course, if Sans would stop being a little bitch and let him put one in the bedroom, he’d be able to check nightly on their snoring but eh, he’d take what he could get.

Red opened the closet door, pushing aside coats and what looked like a raccoon costume, nope, he didn’t want to know about that. This one needed careful positioning or there was too much interference for him to hear clearly. Right on the edge of the door molding was best, and Red carefully exchanged the little device with nimble fingertips.

The sound of a key in front door made him freeze, but having Sans barrel into his back was worse. His weight pushed them both down into the shoes even as Sans scrambled for the door handle. It was barely closed when the front door opened, and he could hear Edge and Stretch’s voices, muffled through the wood.

The closet was pretty full; shoes and coats and fucking raccoon suits, and the addition of two skeletons, even short ones, made it pretty cramped. There was no good way to move and get where Sans wasn’t touching him enough to teleport out, and certainly not a way to do it quietly. Not that it mattered; they weren’t going anywhere fast. Teleporting had a very distinctive sound and since only three of them could do it, only one of whom had a legit reason to be in this house, it wasn’t like anyone would need to use a lifeline to figure out who was escaping the closet. Red was pretty good at silent shortcuts but Sans never had a reason to develop the knack. And it wasn’t like Red was going to ditch out and leave Sans here on his own, anyway.

Although the temptation was there. This is why he worked alone, fucking amateurs.

“why the fuck did you do that?” Red whispered furiously. “i could’ve come up with a reason to be in the house! the closet, not so much!”

“i panicked!” Sans retorted, “and would edge really have believed whatever bullshit excuse you gave him?”

“course not, i taught him better than that! but he would have pretended to and that’s all that matters!” As carefully as he could, Red turned over, both of them sitting atop an uncomfortable pile of shoes and boots. He considered their options.

They could just walk out. Hand over some bullshit excuse even though they were way over the line of pretending to suspend disbelief. Problem was, the odds that Edge would think it was hilarious was pretty even steven with him being pissed off beyond the point of rational thought, and Red wasn’t really feeling the whole ‘verge of fratricide’ today. Plus, it might get Edge and Stretch thinking too hard about what they were really doing here, and Red wanted to avoid that, if he could.

There was nothing for it, they’d have to wait it out.

Probably wouldn’t take too long. They were home early, sure, but his bro had a routine. He’d go upstairs and get changed out of his fancy work duds and then it was off to the kitchen where he’d start whipping up something tasty for dinner. Hell, if he and Sans timed it right, they could stop back and invite themselves over for some grub. His bro always made extra and he’d invited them over for breakfast, not that it meant anything, fuck, no, and—

Oh.

Well, shit.

From the sound that just filtered through the door, it seemed like Edge and Stretch were doing some improv off the written script.

“oh! ooh, oooh, babe, yeah..that's good...ah...”

Their eye lights were the only thing illuminating the closet. It was enough for Red to see Sans stuffing his sleeve into his mouth, stifling laughter.

“knock it off!” Red hissed. The chance of Edge being pissed off if he caught them just got much better odds, and there was that added kicker of Stretch being pissed, too. Stretch was a soft touch, saw too much of himself in Red where it didn’t really exist and sometimes that meant he’d let things slip that he probably shouldn’t. It was a good flaw for him to have and Red didn’t want to risk it by pissing him off too much.

Sans only shook his head, his entire body shaking as he tried to hold in laughter. Luckily, the faint rattle of his bones was muffled into his hoodie.

Not that anyone would hear that over Stretch. Damn but he was a loud fucker, in the literalist of terms.

Red slouched down, tugging up his jacket over his auditory canals, but it didn’t help much. All he could do was listen while those two committed horrible, raunchy crimes against nature and probably various furniture. Keerist, the next time Red came over, he was bringing a folding chair; he didn’t care how good Edge was at deep cleaning.

He forced his mind to skip over any puns on how Stretch was getting deep cleaned, his brother was giving him the whole white glove test…stop it!

Across from him, Sans shifted uncomfortably, not that there was any comfort to be found with his bro’s shoe hoarding tendencies. Red glanced over to find him trying unsuccessfully to hide the soft blue glow at his crotch.

What the fuck…? Red gestured furiously at him and Sans shrugged, unrepentant, and whispered, “hey, neither of them are my brother.” His grin widened wickedly. “got stamina, doesn’t he. shame it ain’t a family trait.”

His grin didn’t lessen one bit as Red drew a threatening finger across his throat; honestly, this was what happened when you let someone sleep over after the fucking, all your threats turned from blades to jello and jiggled their way to fail.

Besides, if he dusted Sans now, it would wreck all these nice shoes. Probably wasn’t enough polish in the world to fix ‘em. Yeah.

It was an effort not to jerk away when bony fingers found his ankles, drifting up underneath his shorts to his femurs. Uh, no, several mentally loud, possibly shrill, levels of no. Red tried to squirm away as much as he could, but there wasn’t far to go and the shoes were piled around them precariously, like a booty trap.

To his horror, his magic was settling in his own pelvis. His mind knew it was his brother out there trying to set a world record on Stretch’s ass, but to his boner, he was getting felt up by someone he was fucking on the regular while someone else in the near vicinity was having a very loud, very vigorously good time.

“don’t,” Red gritted out. immediately Sans stopped, pulling his hands away. Red tried to ignore the ongoing argument between his various body parts over whether or not that was a good thing.

Sans waggled his fingers in the air, “no prob. i’m all about consent, babe. but you could use a better safe word.”

Before he could give his assessment of that, which mostly consisted of a lot of middle fingers, the noise outside rose into a energetic climax.

Whatever bullshit they were whispering soppily to each other didn’t last long. They stirred way before Red was expecting it, he was figuring on a decent amount of yabbing about being their sun, moon, sky, and French fry bullshit. Stretch must not be one for the afterglow and Red hated his mind for accepting that as a possibly useful data point.

“I should go make dinner.” Red would have given an HP point to never have heard that slurred, sated quality in his bro’s voice.

“how about a shower before you touch anything we might eat?”

“That’s unusually fussy of you, considering where you like to put your mouth.” Ugh, the emergence of his brother’s sense of humor was always deeply disturbing.

“think so? if you come upstairs, i’d be willing to put it to the test.”

Red waited, listening to footsteps and the creak of stairs until a door closed upstairs. Then he grabbed hold of Sans’s arm and dragged them both the fuck out of dodge.

Out on the sidewalk, far out of view of the house, Sans stretched in the sunlight, groaning as his spine popped. “that’s better. good to be out of the closet with you.”

It was said so lightly, it shouldn’t have sent alarm bells tripping up Red’s nonexistent nerves. “you—“

“dunno about you, but i could use a nap. something to do with your bed, anyway. meet me there, if you’re interested.” Sans smirked and vanished.

Before Red could follow him, and it was a toss up whether it was for a beating or to fuck him stupider, his phone chimed. Distracted, he looked down and his soul tightened when he saw it was from ‘Idiot #2’.

His fingers didn’t shake at all as he unlocked his phone.

enjoy the show? :D

fuck you. Red sent back, not bothering with anything better. His phone vibrated again.

nah, already had my daily dose in my preferred flavor. i like it sweet and you’re pretty salty. wanted to say i’ll give until tomorrow to come get any of your shitty spy gadgets out of my house. if i find even one, i’m telling him.

Red sighed internally. deal.

That meant Sans had until tomorrow to build him something new. Eh, well. Sans appreciated a challenge.

But first, it turned out that Red had at least one fuck to give and Sans was waiting for it.

-finis-