#'you must complete the survey first'

[saltytyrus]

I'm 99.9% sure that my teacher doesn't read emails before responding... I'm getting sass for shit I didn't even say or forget to do 😭

[vixstarria]

Missionary with the lights off

We're back in Act 1 again! I swear I'll start moving forward now that I'm playing the game again, after this.

Astarion x Tav, Astarion x F!Reader

18+, blood drinking, fluff to smut, porn with plot, PIV

Pst, don't let the title mislead you too much

Approx. 1,800 words

You woke up in Astarion's tent.  

Last night had been… unusual. Something you said had soured the mood for anything sexual. Instead you stayed up talking late into the night. You hadn't even taken your clothes off.  

You'd never spent the whole night together before, always opting to make your way back to your respective tents eventually, after your nocturnal activities, but then again you’d spent those previous nights opening your legs more so than your heart. Something had now shifted a little.  

The last thing you remembered was drifting off with your face nuzzled into his neck as he draped an arm over you, having hugged him on a whim and finding yourself not wanting to let go. What you saw now was completely contrary to that memory, as you found yourself lying on your side, with Astarion's head pressed against your chest, right over your heart, both arms holding you close. He must have moved himself while you were asleep. 

He looked perfectly at peace. It was actually adorable, seeing the prickly rogue like this.  

You reached out to softly run your hand over his disarrayed curls, when he also stirred. 

“Hello, darling,” you purred, copying his habitual greeting for you. 

Astarion was startled, suddenly jolting up. He seemed momentarily disoriented, taking in you and his surroundings for a few moments before comprehension returned to his eyes.  

“Are you alright..?” you asked. “I know it's first thing in the morning, but surely I don't look that disturbing.” 

“Yes, sorry… I just… I can’t remember the last time I woke up next to someone,” he said finally. 

“The night at the clearing..?” you offered. 

“I didn’t sleep that night,” he admitted. “And now there's a woman in my tent and I don't know what to do. ...Ahah..! Refresh my memory, what is the protocol? Do I need to make you breakfast?” he joked. 

“I’m sure Gale’s already working on that,” you grinned. 

Astarion laid back down next to you, propped up on an elbow. He gave you an odd half-smile with a slight frown, his eyes narrowed. Not unkindly, but rather a bit… awkwardly. You wondered what he was thinking. 

You ignored the odd look, and instead your eyes wandered up to survey his bedhead. No trace of pomade was left in his hair, instead some of it was standing on end, while other, longer strands started to fall over his eyes as he leaned on his hand, watching you.  

“What is going on here..?” you laughed, reaching out to brush his hair out of his eyes. He leaned into your hand as you ran your fingers through his hair, shutting his eyes, his lips widening into a genuine smile. He reminded you of a cat that was enjoying a head scratch.  

“I don't have the slightest idea, darling,” he drawled. “But I guess you have to die after all, now that you've seen it.” 

“You are a horrible flirt, you know, and I don't mean that in a good way." 

“It works on you, doesn't it?” he shrugged, grinning and leaning in for a kiss.  

“Hmm, but returning to breakfast,” you said, breaking the kiss as his lips slowly made their way down to your neck. “What about you? Fancy a nibble?” 

“If it's on offer…” Astarion purred, continuing his way down. He knew your body entirely too well at this point. His lips lingered on the exact spot that made your breath shudder, sending a wave of shivers all through you. “Where..?” 

“Right there,” you breathed.  

“Oh? You want me to leave my mark on you, right where everyone can see..?” he murmured, continuing to kiss your neck. You usually offered him your wrist.  

“It’s not like they don’t already know what we’ve been doing, so sure, mark me...” you replied. “Mark me as yours,” you added in a hoarse whisper.  

Once the words were out you wondered if it was too much, but Astarion clearly liked the idea. He liked it a lot, judging by the soft growl he let out, as he continued to trail his lips along your neck, searching for just the right spot. You knew he'd found it, you remembered where he's bitten you before, but instead of going in for a bite he toyed with you, leaving slow, deliberate licks, until you released a small moan, and only then sank his fangs in you, lightly grinding his hips into yours as he did.  

Something about a vampire's bite made it quite unlike anything else. It started off as a sharp, icy chill, gradually spreading and melting into something that stung the way an itch strings right before you scratch it, multiplied tenfold. The only way to relieve that stinging sensation was to give into it, more and more. The area bitten remained tender and sensitive in the most erogenous way for a long time after the bite itself. The whole experience was inherently erotic, no matter where the bite was. 

You understood why this was fetishised. You also understood how people happily allowed themselves to be bled dry.  

Astarion continued to grind against you, slowly, his erection evident. This was nothing new and didn't necessarily mean anything - you’ve joked before that any blood he drank went straight to his dick before going anywhere else – which is why you usually did this privately, even when he drank from your wrist.  

However, this time, you really didn't want it to just be casual. You didn't think he did either, the way he was breathing. One of your hands was caught in his hair at the back of his head, the other trailed down to his hips, squeezing, as he grinded into you harder, making you crave more.  

And then it was over and you felt a profound sense of disappointment and loss, as Astarion gave your neck a few final licks and broke away from you, lifting his body from yours. The only contact that remained between you two was your eyes, as he gave you an unwavering look of barely contained lust.  

The aching need between your legs had become unbearable.  

One heartbeat... Two... Three... 

Astarion’s lips crashed into yours.  

Suddenly, without a single word, you found yourselves tearing at each other’s pants in an urgent rush to remove them.  

Curse them, you thought. You would start sleeping in a nightgown, if you managed to find one. Or naked. Or steal Astarion’s shirt. 

You thought you recognised some elvish curses as Astarion snarled, struggling to pull your pants off without lifting his body from you, biting your lip as you managed to twist and free one leg, the other pant leg left danging at your knee. 

All the while, you’d been tearing at the lacing on Astarion’s pants, managing to undo it just enough to slide them low enough to release his pulsing cock. 

You didn’t even bother with your shirts. You had a burning, ravenous hunger, and it had to be sated. Immediately.  

You tugged on Astarion’s cock, impatiently guiding it towards your throbbing pussy. You had no time or eagerness or wish for any teasing or foreplay, only a carnal, animalistic need. You’d barely aligned Astarion’s dick with your entrance when he plunged himself into you, fully, with another swear through gritted teeth.  

Finally, you felt complete.  

There was no rhythm, decency or finesse to what followed, the only way you could describe it was mindless, feral rutting. You dug your fingers into his hips, trying to bring him closer, deeper, moaning as his tongue writhed against yours. He couldn’t be close enough - even had you melded into one you would still want more of him. 

You spread your legs wide, angling your hips so his body hit your exposed clit with every thrust, and bucked into him, desperately. He changed his thrusts to a more rolling motion, rubbing into you.  

“Yes... Like that...” you barely managed. 

There was a commotion, a loud clanking, crashing sound and some yelling outside. 

“Astarion!” you heard Wyll’s voice just outside the tent, shortly after.  

"Fuck,” Astarion growled under his breath. “Three minutes!” he shouted. 

Three minutes? Then again, you didn’t think you were going to last even another minute. 

Astarion covered your mouth with his hand as his hips continued to relentlessly grind you into the floor of his tent. Your whimpers grew more drawn out until your body stilled before breaking into tremors emanating from your hips, as he continued to fuck you. You were holding on to his back for dear life, bringing your legs up to wrap tightly around his hips, moaning into his hand as you came. 

Immediately, he changed his rolling thrusts to something frantic, grabbing your hand and bringing it over your head, and catching your knee at his elbow and bringing it up with his other arm. He buried his face in your neck, moaning, his thrusts becoming harder, faster, until he slammed his hips into you with a final groan, his cock twitching as he spilled inside you. 

“Astarion! This is urgent!” you heard Wyll again.  

“He’s coming!” you yelled, exasperated, before you realised what you’d said.  

Your words were greeted with a momentary silence, then the sound of Karlach laughing somewhat off in the distance.  

Astarion was also laughing into your neck, his shoulders shaking even as he delivered his final thrusts. 

“That was-” he panted between laughter, “the sloppiest... most unimaginative... objectively worst sex I've ever had.” 

“And subjectively..?” you asked, also starting to laugh as you came off the sudden high that had overtaken you.  

“I wouldn’t mind waking up to something like that every day for the rest of my life,” he said, lifting his head and looking at you. 

“That can be arranged,” you purred. 

There was that little frown again, as he cocked an eyebrow at you.  

“We could always die today,” you shrugged. 

“Funny...” he said. “Anyway... Good luck with this giant mess I left between your legs. I better go see what is so godsdamn important.” 

Bonus scene: 

“What do you mean, I’m the only adult here that knows how to manage a needle and thread?! And how do you even rip a bag of holding..?!” 

“Astarion, our fate is in your hands.” 

“No, you can carry your own shit from here on. I’m fine with just my weapons and the clothes on my back.” 

“We need you, Astarion!” 

“At least get rid of all the junk, what do we need a dozen goblin scimitars for, they’re not even worth anything!” 

“Save us, Astarion!” 

“Rotten carrots, rusty tongs... Is that literally just a rock?” 

“Save us, 239-year-old vampire that can sew!”  

Sigh... Astarion observed the torn bag with a resigned look.  

“...Would you mind mending Clive as well, while you’ve got the kit out..? He’s been through hell and back. And looks it.” 

“Yes, Karlach, I’ll fix up your teddy bear too...” 

~~~~~ 

Mark me as yours - fic re the following day

I have a whole series with these two, check it out

AO3

[psychhound]

ttrpg research study survey!!

howdy yall!!

so a lot of yall know me for my games, but by day i'm a grad student studying game studies and researching therapeutic applications for gaming (if you've seen my posts about using ttrpgs in my classroom, you may be familiar already!)

i'm doing a research study through my university looking into long term tabletop roleplay and emotional resilience. essentially, i'm asking the question: does playing tabletop games over a long period of time affect your ability to weather social and emotional challenges? the study is additionally interested if marginalized people have a different experience with roleplay and resilience than non-marginalized folks do

the study will take place in a few stages. the first stage is a survey. there are screening questions to make sure all participants qualify, and then open, short-answer questions asking about both your experiences with roleplay and making characters, and also questions about emotional resilience. you're able to answer questions with little or more depth, depending on what youre comfortable with, or skip questions if you need to. this survey should take about 30 minutes, but depends on how in depth you go with your answers

the next stage is an optional follow-up interview. three participants will be selected after the survey is completed to take place in an opt-in interview, which will last about thirty minutes to an hour. there, we'll talk more in depth about your answers and also talk about the character(s) you've played

the survey will be open from 3/27/24 to 4/12/24

to qualify, you must be a tabletop roleplayer who has played at least 3 roleplay sessions of a multiplayer ttrpg during a span of 6 months or longer. you must be 18 or over and an american citizen

spreading the word or participating is greatly appreciated!!!

you can find the survey here!!

thanks so so much yall!!!

[heartsandhischier]

In the past

nico hischier x reader

summary - 2k words. attending a new years party you encounter something you thought to be of the past

author's note - first time trying to write angst i guess. daydreaming about meeting nico whilst hiking in the alps

warnings - mentions of alcohol

You delicately adjusted the shimmering black fabric of your dress, the soft material clinging to your form in a flattering embrace. This new year’s eve held a special significance – it marked your first celebration in New Jersey since your recent relocation for work. Malia, your colleague who quickly became your best friend, had extended a heartfelt invitation to join her at a New Year’s party. From the moment you stepped foot into the office, her welcoming embrace had dissolved any apprehension you felt about starting anew. 

Tonight’s festivities were hosted by Malia’s boyfriend, John, and his teammates. You were excited. Anticipation bubbled within you at the opportunity to meet new people and make friends in your new state.

As you assessed the final touches to your outfit in the mirror, a gentle knock on the door interrupted your thoughts. Malia’s voice filtered through the room, “Hey you ready soon?” Her eyes lit up as they landed on your outfit, a wide smile spreading across her face. “Oh my, you look gorgeous Y/N!” she exclaimed. Blushing at her compliment, you gave her a playful twirl showcasing your outfit. 

The streetlights flickered past in a blur as you drove down the streets of New Jersey. Your mind was completely distracted, you weren’t sure why, maybe nerves? After all, the idea of meeting an entire hockey team, not to mention the state’s hockey team the New Jersey Devils, would be enough to make anyone’s palms sweat. You didn’t follow the sport, and you sure as hell didn’t know anything about the players for that matter. 

Lost in your own thoughts, you were jolted back to reality by John’s voice echoing from the front seat. “Wha-what?” you stammered, momentarily disoriented by the interruption.

His tone tinged with amusement, John repeated his question, “Are you nervous?”

A nervous chuckle escaped your lips as you attempted to compose yourself. “Um, maybe a little,” you admitted, a sheepish grin tugging at the corners of your mouth.

Malia couldn’t help but chuckle at your response, turning in her seat to meet your gaze, mischief dancing in her eyes. “You know,” she teased, “there’s going to be a lot of cute guys there.” John giving her a light, playful punch at her comment. 

Rolling her eyes, Malia playfully retorted, “For her! Not for me. You know I think you’re the cutest,” her words dripping with a teasing tone as se affectionaly stroked his arm. You couldn’t resist and playfully mock barfed at their affectionate banter.

John chuckled at your reaction, his laughter reflected in the rearview mirror as he glanced back at you. “What if you hit it off with one of John’s teammates?!” Malia suggested excitedly, “We could go on double dates!”

Despite your initial nerves, the idea of meeting someone new held a glimmer of excitement. Maybe just maybe, this New year’s eve held unexpected encounters.

-

“Johnny!” a boy with curly hair, his face alive with excitement, swung open the door to greet you. He must have been a few years younger, though he was charming, no doubt. Stepping aside, he ushered you into the bustling penthouse, where the party was already in full swing. Laughter filled the air, mingling with the upbeat rhythm of music. As you crossed the threshold, you were greeted by a breathtaking panoramic view of the sparkling cityscape.

The spacious penthouse was adorned in elegant, sparkling decor. From every corner, the room buzzed with energy as guests mingled and chatted animatedly. A group of women, likely the wives and girlfriends of the players, greeted you warmly, their arms open wide in welcome.

Malia appeared at your side, a grin spreading across her face as she surveyed the scene. “Isn’t this place incredible?” she remarked, her voice filled with awe. “The Devils really knows how to throw a party.”

The party unfolded in a whirlwind of excitement, you found yourself immersed in the lively atmosphere, mingling with new friends. The energy of the gathering filled you with a sense of belonging. 

As the clock ticked closer to midnight, a subtle shift in the air caught your attention. You could feel a pair of eyes lingering on you, their gaze weighing heavy on your skin. With a sense of curiosity, you scanned the room, searching for the source of the gaze. 

Amidst the swirling sea of people, 

You could feel a pair of eyes lingering on you. You perched up, scanning the room in search of the source of the gaze. Amidst the throng of people, a pair of big brown eyes locked onto yours, their gaze held a hint of sadness. He looked familiar, but through your drunken haze you couldn’t place where you had encountered him before. 

The suggestion of shots from one of the girls snapped you out of your thoughts, prompting you to join the lively atmosphere by taking a shot with them. Despite the momentary distraction, you couldn’t shake off the curiosity surrounding the stranger whose gaze lingered on you. As you laughed and engaged in conversation with the group, the stranger remained a constant presence in your thoughts.

Those familiar eyes, the flowing brown hair, and the beard. It couldn’t be.

-

“Do you need any help with that?” a voice thick with an accent greeted you as you struggled to close the back of the car, your hands weighed down by the heavy bags. Turning, you met the gaze of a stranger with beautiful brown eyes, his brown locks hidden beneath a snapback. A warm smile graced his lips as he reached out to relieve some of the weight from your shoulders. 

Together, you and the stranger made your way to the rented little cabin, a cozy retreat overlooking the breathtaking views of the Swiss Apls. With a soft thud, you droppe the bags onto the floor, turning to face him. “Actually, do you know any good hikes, preferably one where i can take a swim as well?” you asked.

The stranger’s smile widened, his brown eyes twinkling with excitement. “Actually, I was thinking of doing a hike like that tomorrow. You want to join?”

One hike turned into days in each others company. Amidst the backdrop of the swiss alps, you found yourselves seated next to each other at a cozy outdoor restaurant, the crisp mountain air filling your embracing you.

“Y’know,” he bagan, his voice soft and laced with that comforting, beautiful accent, “I never imagined I’d meet someone like you while backpacking through my own country.”

You chuckled at his words, tracing the rim of your wine glass with your fingertips. “And I never expected to find myself falling for a local,” you teased, a playful glint in your eyes.

He paused, his expression softening as he reached for your hand. “I think I’m in love with you,” he confessed, his gaze locking with yours. Cupping your face in his hands, he leaned forward, pressing a loving kiss to your lips.

-

As the chaos of the party faded into the background, your breath caught in your chest, overwhelmed by a flood of emotions. Your mind was clouded, your heartbeat rising, you navigated through the crowded room. Finally reaching the terrace, you swung the door open, greeted by the cool night air, soothing your troubled mind.

Nico. The mere mention of his name brought back bittersweet memories of your time together during your solo backpacking trip to Switzerland. He was everything you had ever dreamed of – affectionate, loving, and endlessly funny. In his presence, you felt comfortable, loved and at peace. You were in love with him. However, your romance was cut short as you had to leave to go back to the states. The pain lingered like a shadow, buried deep within the recesses of your heart, too raw to confront, too profound to forget. 

“Y/N?” there is was, that accent, the voice that made you weak in the knees. You hastily wiped away the tears that threatened to spill from your eyes with the sleeve of your dress. Turning around, there he was. He was right there, in front of you, dressed in a sleek black suit, his soft brown eyes filled with sadness that mirrored your own. “What are you doing here,” you managed to choke out, your voice barely above a whisper.

He scratched the back of his neck, struggling to find the right words. “I… this is… my teams new years party… and…” He stammered, his voice faltering.

“I meant here. In the states.” you interrupted, your voice tinged with a mixture of pain and longing.

When you had boarded that plane, you were certain it marked the end of your story together, convinced that you had to bury it in the depths of your heart to move on. Yet here he stood before you, a living, breathing reminder of a past you tried so hard to leave behind. The question echoed in your mind like a relentless drumbeat: why didn’t he tell you?

“I…” his voice wavered as he began, his fingers fiddling nervously. “I am the captain for the New Jersey Devils,” he confessed, his words hanging heavily in the air. 

Shock coursed through you at the revelation. He had been in the States all this time, and yet he never once mentioned it to you. He never told you, never even mentioned it as you stepped into the airport. Anger and hurt welled up inside you as you struggled to comprehend why he had kept this from you.

“Why did you lie?” the accusation laced with pain.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

He stood before you, speechless, his gaze filled with a mixture of regret and remorse, unable to find the words to explain his silence.

“I,” he sighed, his voice heavy with remorse. “You were so excited about your job in Seattle, I didn’t want to distract you, making you fly back and forth to meet me all the time.”

You huffed in frustration at his explanation, crossing you arms over your chest. While you understood his reasoning, you couldn’t help but feel disappointed. For him, for the two of you. You believed that together, you could have figured it out, if he only told you. He said he loved you for crying out loud.

10

“We could have figured it out, Nico. If only you told me,” you said, sadness lacing your voice. 

9

“I… I know. I regretted it the moment you left,” he said.

8

He stepped closer, his presence now towering over you, the distance between you filled with a sense of regret, heartbreak, and unspoken words. Despite the tension that hung heavy in the air, you found yourself gazing up at him, the same familiar comfort of his brown eyes enveloping you in a bittersweet embrace.

7

“You look different,” you finally broke the suffocating silence.

6

“You look the same, Y/N. Beautiful,” he replied softly, his hands gently tucked into the pockets of his dress pants.

The weight of unspoken words hung heavy in the air, neither of you able to find the right words to break the tension.

5

“I was in love with you,” you confessed, your voice barely above a whisper, the weight of your admission hanging heavily in the air.

4

He let out a sad sigh, his hand rising to gently stroke your cheek. Your face instinctively melting into his touch. So familiar, so comfortable. So, safe. 

3 

“I am still in love with you, Y/N.”

2

In the stillness of the moment, his words hung in the air, the weight of them sinking into your heart. You searched his eyes for any sign of hesitation, finding only sincerity and a familiar longing mirrored in his gaze. 

1

As the clock struck midnight, the world seemed to hold its breath, the anticipation thick in the air. And then, as if drawn by an invisible force, you leaned in, your lips meeting in a tender kiss that spoke volumes of unspoken promises and second chances.

Pulling back ever so slightly, Nico looked at you with a depth of emotion that took your breath away. "Y/N," he whispered, his voice barely above a murmur, "Will you give us another chance?"

[tamayula-hl]

Plagiarism allegations currently levelled against me and evidence of my innocence

I'm sorry for posting so many times on this hard topic. But yesterday @freewld (https://www.tumblr.com/freewld) asked me, "You reversed, traced and plagiarised my drawing, didn't you?" I received a DM saying. After discussion, I was given permission to publish a verified image of me and her drawing by overlapping them. Below is her art, all of which I have permission to publish.

The picture on the left is my illustration that is allegedly being used in this case. And the picture on the right is the one she claims was plagiarised by me.

She says: " When my drawing is inverted, angled and overlapped, there are a number of places where the lines overlap. I believe you must have traced my drawing because there are too many places where the lines match for it to be a coincidence".

See the verified image she created by overlapping our drawings on her Twitter feed. (another)

To be fair, I also made a verification image and video.

When two pictures are overlapped with respect to the line of Seb's right eyelash.

When two pictures are superimposed on the basis of the lines on both cheeks of Seb.

I draw every time using the screenshots I have taken of Sebastian as a reference, and probably she does too. I would argue that if I draw a picture with reference to a 3D model of the same 'Sebastian Sallow' character, it is only natural that the two pictures should be similar. If one tries to express his individuality - the distance between his eyes and eyebrows, the length of his nose and philtrum - in a drawing, it is natural that some of the lines will overlap.

In the first place, to claim 'plagiarism by tracing', most of the lines need to match, but there are not many places where the lines of the two pictures overlap completely. It is my contention that this cannot be evidence of 'plagiarism by tracing'.

I believe I have proven my innocence to the world with these two superimposed verified images and videos.

However, @freewld is using Twitter's survey feature to solicit third-party impartial opinions on the allegations.

This is the current voting result.

Incredibly, the majority of votes went to 'I think Tamayula plagiarised'.

I think this voting system might not be fair because as you know, X(Twitter) allows a single user have multiple accounts and actually I currently have eight accounts on X(Twitter). Therefore, I wonder if it can work properly as the third-party impartial opinions because some users might vote this multiple times by using their own multiple accounts.

And I've only been back on Twitter for about a week and have only about 200 followers. In contrast, @freewld has been running her account for 10 months since March 2023 and has more than three times as many followers as me. It is a voting system that overwhelmingly favours her.

With such a voting system, there is no way she can prove that I have plagiarised. It remains to be seen what the outcome of this poll will be, but even if the result is more votes for 'I think Tamayula plagiarised', I will continue to maintain my innocence and I will not apologise to her.

Finally. I have tried to be as honest as possible over the past few days and have continued to assert my legitimacy in Japanese HL fandom, but it is no longer possible for me to deal with this matter any more. I feel ridiculous about everything now. I hope everyone can understand my disappointment a little.

Thank you so much for reading this long sentence so far. I am taking a short break for just a few moments.

[sykosugu]

on the run | prologue

♤ summary: she's an infamous bank robber, and he's the only detective that's been able to get close to her. he was never apart of her plans. but he's got his clutches in her and she can't let go. a geto suguru au

♢ warnings: this story will contain descriptions of violence, destructive behavior, toxic behavior, illegal activities, sexual content, death. use of weapons. forbidden romance

♧ currently: completed

♡ taglist: closed

♤ wc: 1.4 k (they will get longer I promise)

♢ carlile speaks: hi everyone! welcome! I was working on chapter one, and the mood boards (yes boards, there are two more bc I'll do anything to avoid writing even though I love doing it) and this idea popped in to kind of give you a beginning thought as to how they officially met. But chapter one is coming! enjoy this little insight, and I know it definitely is little right now!

you are here | next part

Seventy seconds. That’s all you had until the silent alarm blared at the local police station. But lucky for you, you only need thirty of those seconds to get what you needed. A simple in and out procedure was always how you operated. 

In through the front door, dressed to impress. A Bag under your arm and an umbrella in your hand. The umbrella is the key. Literally.

Bank managers always approach you from first entry, wanting to impress someone who looks so lavish; we must keep our high end customers happy. You’re led to the safety deposit room, with the intent of placing your precious jewels into a box. 

Until the handle of the umbrella is twisted and a knife is drawn. 

The knife held to the manager's throat while he opened every single box he could in the 30 second time span. But you know exactly which boxes to open. You've been surveying this area for weeks now. Camera hacking. One of your specialties. Every customer who entered this room in the last month, you’d seen and known what to take. Totally under wraps; never to be seen until the job needed done. 

When the managers think they can overpower a girl like yourself, the gun stashed in your waistband makes its appearance, deftly putting the men in their places. 

This was always how you operated. Never the cash; always the safety deposit boxes. Sometimes the items placed inside were of monetary value, but some were of unmatched value; precious family heirlooms that could get ransomed for way more than any cash vault would hold. That’s always what you were after. Sometimes, jewels were involved and that was a plus. A girl can never have too many diamonds. They are your best friends after all. But the ransomed heirlooms, some of kings and queens of the corporate world: that was your MO. You were the Red Queen.

Were.

Suguru was not something you’d anticipated. Suguru was your biggest flaw. He was now your weakness. But he was also the enemy.

He’d been tracking you for months; been minutes from you so many times. You were his biggest project that he’d never been able to get his hands on. You were a myth at this point. Never actually seen, except by the bank managers who were never able to give a good enough description.

“She had big sunglasses, bright red lipstick and a killer smile.”

He knew that much. That was it.

Until now. 

He had you. 

You walked out five seconds too late. 

He had you.

A hand harshly grips the back of your upper arm, spinning you around. Your fist instinctively reaches up, elbow colliding with the person in question; a cracking sound fills the air as your arm connects with their face. You’d successfully knocked their head back. Killing was never your objective when it came to defending yourself, a body leads to problems. You don’t have time for problems. Suguru’s used to combat though, with gritted teeth he takes the blow. Cracking his neck, his other hand reaches to grasp your other arm, flinging you down onto his car's hood as pedestrians continue on their day. Most stop for the show, but others see the badge hanging from his neck and don’t question anything. Your back comes in contact with the car, your head bouncing off the surface; ears ringing from the loud bang. Your arms are braced in front of you as you feel the handcuffs being placed around your hands.

He had you. 

Nobody could ever get you. You were like a ghost in the nighttime; but he found you out. Who was this guy? Why does it kind of turn you on? But it also definitely terrifies you.

“We finally meet,” he grins down at you. “I’m Detective Geto, and you’ve been my biggest foe for almost a year,” You just stare back at him. “But you can call me Suguru.”

You were in the back of his car in minutes. Hands cuffed in front of you while he stared at you in the rearview mirror. Unbeknownst to you until now, he’d lied about catching you. He said you’d gotten away again. 

He watched you walk into the bank this time. He was the one who was ahead. He finally had the upper hand. 

And he liked it.

“No, sir. She got away again.” you heard him say flatly in the front seat. “Yes, sir, I get that but if–” he stops, pressing his thumb and pointer finger into his eyes. “Sir, if i can just speak for a minute,” you can hear yelling through the speaker, but no words can be made out.

Why isn't he telling him you’re right here? What is going on?

“Sir, I had her. She got away. I’ll get her again.,” he pauses again, “Yes sir, I understand. Thank you, Chief. I got it. I’ll handle it. Thank you.”

He’ll handle what? What is happening?

Suguru’s eyes catch yours in the mirror. “You’ve been eluding me for the longest time, Y/N. Or should I say The Red Queen.”

“Call me Ruby. I don’t use that name anymore,” you mutter. Unsure why you’re even responding. What does he want with you? He lied about you to his boss. 

“Ruby,” he swirls the name around his tongue, “Pretty,” and he’s starting the car.

“Where are you taking me?” you question, fingers reaching down to pull one of the bobby pins from your boot. You’re always prepared.

“Even if you free yourself, the doors are locked,” he smirks at you in the mirror. You catch his gaze, offering him a glare. “I’m not a threat to you. Not right now.”

What the hell does that mean?

“You’re literally a cop, and you’re not telling me where you’re taking me.”

“I just want to talk to you before I decide what to do next,” his eyes fixed on the road again. You notice the white in his knuckles from gripping the steering wheel so hard. He’s nervous. You could use that to your advantage. Wherever he was taking you, you were going to use your biggest asset: yourself; to get what you needed. 

Your freedom. Your biggest job was coming up soon, and you needed to be prepared.

This cop obviously had an attraction towards you. If only he wasn’t a cop, you could entertain the thought of a relationship if he hadn’t been. But honestly, it would probably hold you back.

“Where are we going? Why did you lie? What’s going on?”

“So many questions, Ruby. Live a little,” he chuckles at you. Was this guy insane? A cop isnt taking the opportunity to turn you in? He’d be decorated for the rest of his life.

“Live a little? Do you hear yourself? You said I’d been eluding you for nearly a year, why arent you taking me in? Don’t you want the accolades? Detective Geto takes down the Red Queen,”

“Thought you didn’t go by that name anymore?” He questions, a smirk on his lips.

“I don’t,” you grumble. “But word obviously hasn’t spread yet,” your eyes roll.

“Besides, I'd rather get to know you first,” he says nonchalantly.

“Are you insane?”

“Maybe. But you are too,” he eyes you, making your face redden like your lipstick.

“You don't know anything about me,” you bite out at him. Who does this guy think he is?

“I do,” he states matter of factly. He states your full name. Your fake secured social security number. The list of aliases you use to book hotels, rental cars whatever you needed. He knew what he needed to know. But after seeing you in person, he needed to know more.

He put two and two together based off your appearance. A long black Chanel coat. Big black sunglasses. Dark red lips. The umbrella.

He just knew it was you. He watched you walk into the bank. 

“Count to thirty,” he thinks to himself. He’d studied your tactics. He knew them like the back of his hand. 

And waited. You were late. One. Two. Three. This might actually happen for him. Four. He’s sweating. Five. You’re here. You’re right here. If he just reaches out—

And now here he was, you in the back of his car driving you to his safe house.

Where he’d get to know what he wanted—needed—to know.

He would figure out a way to know everything.

♧ tags: @celestie0 @lostfracturess @carlacujo @alwaysfreakingout @shervinss @jaelahh @gojolvrr34 @shesplendl

(pls make sure your settings are right to get tagged!)

[vampireimiko]

Embrace of The Evening

warnings, none !! just sweet fluff teehee

note, OKAY SOO this was requested, but I COMBINED two different ones cause they seemed so similar to me 🫶🏾 (and speaking of requests, mine are open🙈)

In the cozy shared space with Neuvillette, you were busy spreading garlic butter on sliced bread to accompany the soup you had prepared. Mid-task, you felt a pair of hands sneakily wrap around your waist, gently trapping you between the counter and their warm embrace. As a delightful shiver ran down your spine, you recognized the familiar voice of the culprit.

"Hello, beloved," Neuvillette whispered into your ear, planting tender kisses along the curve of your neck. Unable to contain your giggles, you surrendered to his affectionate touch, your neck proving to be a particularly sensitive spot. Every time Neuvillette came home, his first instinct was always to come find you, his lovely wife, and love all on her.

"Why hello there," You playfully responded, feeling his presence and attention heightening your senses. "I'm just putting the finishing touches on dinner."

As Neuvillette continued to lavish your neck with affectionate kisses, a contented sigh escaped your lips. The tantalizing scent of the garlic butter mixed with the aromatic notes of the simmering soup created an ambiance of warmth and intimacy. His hands, now tracing gentle circles on your waist, conveyed a sense of familiarity and love that made your heart flutter.

With a playful glint in your eyes, you turned slightly within his embrace, allowing your fingers to dance along the edge of his collar. "You know," you teased, a mischievous grin forming, "I might need a little assistance here. Could you pass me that bowl of grated Parmesan, darling?" Your request was accompanied by a soft chuckle, a playful reminder that even in these stolen moments, there were still tasks to complete.

Neuvillette obliged with a warm smile, retrieving the bowl and placing it within your reach. "Of course, my dear," he replied, his voice carrying a hint of playful obedience. You couldn't help but admire the way his eyes sparkled with a mixture of affection and adoration.

As you carefully sprinkled the Parmesan over the soup, you stole a brief moment to steal a quick kiss from Neuvillette. The taste of garlic butter lingered on both your lips, a delightful reminder of the shared moments you cherished. "There we go," you declared, surveying your culinary creation with satisfaction. "Dinner is ready to be enjoyed."

Neuvillette's fingers entwined with yours, his touch a reassuring anchor amidst the whirlwind of emotions that his presence always brought. "Shall we dine, my love?" he suggested, his voice a soft melody that resonated deep within you.

With a nod and a warm smile, you both moved towards the dining table, hand in hand, ready to savor not only the delicious meal but also the tender moments that made your shared space truly special.

"How was work today?" you asked, your tone filled with genuine concern as you picked up your spoon and blew on it, cooling down the soup. You were well aware that Neuvillette's role as Chief Justice often brought along exhausting and demanding days. The weariness etched on his face told you that today had likely been one of those particularly taxing days.

Neuvillette settled into his seat across from you, his expression softening as he met your gaze. He let out a sigh, a mixture of fatigue and relief evident in his eyes. "It was quite the day," he admitted, his voice carrying the weight of his responsibilities. "We had a particularly challenging case that required hours of deliberation, and the decisions we make in the courtroom weigh heavily on my mind."

You offered a sympathetic smile, empathizing with the weight he carried. "I can only imagine how demanding it must be," you replied, your voice soothing. "But I want you to know that I'm here for you, always. Whether you need a listening ear, a warm meal, or just a moment of respite."

Neuvillette's gratitude was palpable as he reached out and gently squeezed your hand. "Thank you, my love," he said softly. "Your unwavering support means the world to me. It's moments like these, shared with you, that give me the strength to carry on."

As you both began to enjoy the comforting warmth of the soup, the atmosphere shifted from the busyness of the day to the serenity of the present moment. The clinking of utensils against the bowls created a soothing rhythm, punctuated by the occasional exchange of glances that spoke volumes without the need for words.

"I'm truly lucky to have you by my side," Neuvillette murmured, his gaze never leaving yours. "Your presence is a balm for my weary soul."

A tender smile graced your lips as you replied, "And I'm lucky to share my life with you. We'll weather these storms together, and brighter days will come."

With a shared understanding and a reaffirming touch, you continued your meal, each bite a testament to the unwavering bond that anchored you both amidst the challenges of life. In your shared space, surrounded by love and support, you found solace and strength, ready to face whatever tomorrow may bring.

𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞; 𝐑𝐀𝐀𝐇𝐀𝐇𝐇𝐇𝐇𝐇 𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐔𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄 𝐒𝐎 𝐌𝐔𝐂𝐇, 𝐇𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐀 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐖𝐀𝐘 !! 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐦 (𝐢𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥) 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 !!

𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

[tacticaldiary]

I just recently found your blog and am in love with everything about it You are a very talented writer and I look forward to your post so I was wondering what you think it would be like sharing a bed with ghost

I Swear I Asked For Two

Pairing: Simon 'Ghost' Riley x Reader

Genre: Fluff; The Classic 'One-Bed' Trope

She freezes when he turns with her, a strong arm banding around her middle, holding her in place. "You gonna make me hold you in place?"

Bless whoever's up there for the dark because her face is burning.

"Would love that, actually." She mutters to herself before she can reign the impulsiveness in.

Masterlist

"Don't hurt me." Raises her hands in surrender, taking an exaggerated step away from him as the door to their room clicks shut behind them. "I swear I asked for two."

Ghost, bloody and dirty and exhausted, runs a hand down his balaclava-covered face, dropping his bag somewhere near the wall behind him. "Better than the floor." Is all he manages.

Once she's sure she's not in any mortal danger, she shoves back her bag next to him and kneels down, rifling through it. "Wash up first, L.T. I'll go after." There's no response but he must agree because he goes off wordlessly, a testament to how he must be just as exhausted as she was.

12 days. 12 days they had been trekking through this rural town trying to track down a target. The man had infiltrated their chain of command and had been feeding crucial information to the enemy for over a month, information that had led to quite a few of their operations being compromised. Needless to say, once he was found out he had ran in the middle of the night.

A slippery bastard.

Long stretches of land, a lot of camping out and surveying the area. Days and days of hunting this man until he was finally caught. Secured with the unit that had been traveling with them, they'd relinquished their target and been ordered to wait for exfil the next day.

Until then...well, this shady motel would have to do for the night.

They're lucky they were near a town and not in one of the long stretches between them, that much she's grateful for. Even if she didn't completely trust the room's ceiling to cave in while they were sleeping.

Stains on the walls she doesn't want to think about, cracks in the ceiling, and of course, the one queen sized bed pushed back to the far wall.

The bed.

Truthfully she doesn't know how she managed to keep her voice steady before. Her stomach was rolling at the thought of having to share a bed with him. With Ghost. With Simon.

He was...well, she thought he was extraordinary. Capable, brave, and funny in his own way. It hadn't taken long for her to develop some sort of a crush on him.

And now she was supposed to bunk down for a night with him? On that bed? Alone?

She shakes her head, focusing on rifling through her pack to find a spare set of clothes. They'd slept in worse conditions before, this was no big deal.

No big deal at all.

She curses as she finds her other pair of clothes filthy, mud staining the fabric. She'd forgotten about how she had to use them already after an unsavoury encounter with one of the locals.

"Something wrong?" She jumps at the deep voice, head snapping up to see him.

His hands are stripped of his gloves, his tactical vest off and away. A soft t-shirt takes its place, along with sweatpants that she has to make a conscious effort to tear her gaze away from.

This simply wasn't fair. It's like he's making this whole situation ten times harder for her on purpose.

"Negative." She says instead, standing up. "I'll have to make do with these clothes, forgot my spares were filthy." He studies her in that silent way for a beat, before he leans down and rummages through his pack.

Leaving him to do whatever, she pushes open the bathroom door while wondering how quickly her clothes would dry if she ran them under the tap-

"Here."

Ghost holds out a spare shirt to her. Plain black.

His.

"What?" It takes a second for her mind to catch up.

He cocks an eyebrow. "You're filthy. I'd rather not sleep next to someone who smells like shit."

The insult draws an indignant bark of a laugh from her, "I don't stink." She exclaims, snatching the shirt from his grip. "Not as bad as you do."

"Tell yourself that." He deadpans, but she swears she can see a hint of an amused smirk beneath his mask when she slams the door in his face.

Muttering to herself, she cleans up before slipping the shirt on. It's obviously large on her, just skimming the bottom of her thighs. It smells like him, something so distinct and familiar it makes her relax on instinct.

It's a wonder what good a hot shower can do for you.

Ghost is already stretched out on the mattress when she emerges from the room. He spares her a glance, and she visibly sees something like muted interest snap into his eyes even despite his lack of words.

She'd be lying if something in her doesn't preen at the way his eyes subtly follow her across the room.

Neither of them exchange a word as she slips into the covers next to him. Both of them barely fit on the mattress, but neither having the energy to complain. They don't brush against each other but if she shifted they'd definitely touch.

The room was secure, they'd done a thorough sweep and checked the doors and window, all the locks and for cameras. Nothing of interest, so they allowed themselves to let their guard down.

"Sharp 05:00 tomorrow, Sergeant." He says into the dark.

"Copy." She stifles a yawn and they fall into silence.

His heat is unbearable. She can't push the thought out of his mind, the knowledge that he's right there, a fingertip's distance away. She can hear his steady, quiet breath, almost taunting her.

Despite her exhaustion, she stays awake, turning onto her side away from him hoping that the movement would dislodge the thought from her mind. She needed sleep, needed to relax but isn't that impossible with how all she needs to do is lean back a little to touch him-

She huffs silently, turns onto her back again, rustling the sheets.

No, this was bad. Her body's tired but her mind and heart are racing. Traitors.

She shifts onto her side again-

"Fucking hell, will you stay still?" He rumbles, startling her. The gravelly, tired voice shoots straight to her head and if she were standing she's sure she'd have to grab onto something to stay upright.

She mumbles out an apology. "Can't sleep. Little chilly, isn't it?" She bluffs.

When he stays silent, she thinks he may have just accepted the answer. Letting out a shaky exhale, she turns again-

She freezes when he turns with her, a strong arm banding around her middle, holding her in place. "You gonna make me hold you in place?"

Bless whoever's up there for the dark because her face is burning.

"Would love that, actually." She mutters to herself before she can reign the impulsiveness in. Her body stiffens when she hears her own voice, and she's ready to spring up and apologise, tell him she didn't mean to make him uncomfortable, ready to banish herself to sleep on the floor.

But then Ghost hums.

His hand starts to drift. She swallows as he traces a slow path down to where his shirt's hem is, toying with the fabric between his fingers.

Dream, this must be a dream-

He tugs her backward into him, into his warmth and his soothing scent and something about it has her going completely boneless. It felt...comforting. Felt nice to be held. Ghost takes to tracing small circles into her skin, soothing and repetitive. "Relax." He orders, albeit with less of a push.

A shiver runs down her spine as she feels his breath fan over the back of his neck. The bastard notices too, if for the way his chest rumbles with a chuckle.

There's no way Ghost doesn't feel her heart pounding against him.

Maybe it was the comfort of the dark that makes the both of them so bold, but she takes in a shaky breath and reaches for his hand, stilling it in place with her own. They stay like that for a moment, and suddenly the silence isn't as unbearable.

Eventually, her breathing evens out, her eyes become heavy and she finds the tension draining out of her. Nothing would happen to her here, she didn't have to worry about anything right now. Just sleep. Just sleep and the warmth that enveloped her, and why the hell was he so warm and why does she want more of it?

Right before she lets the lull of sleep pull her under, she mumbles a whisper of thanks to him.

She doesn't think she imagines the content sound he lets out in response.

Reblog, Like and Comment!

(2/09/2023)

[rottenpumpkin13]

I like to make myself depressed by imagining "what if" scenarios, like what if Genesis's degradation was impossibly delayed. Maybe they never decided to break into the training room that day, and the start of the downhill spiral wouldn't start for months—maybe years—to come.

And what if Angeal started to bring Zack around more, not as a student but as a friend. He fits right in with them. He's bright and a breath of fresh air. Sephiroth immediately likes him. They get along great. Genesis is a bit more difficult to crack in the beginning, but once they hit it off, there's no stopping them. Genesis likes Zack because he's interesting, he always listens to everything he has to say and is completely interested in it.

Fate weaves inevitable paths, which is how Cloud and Zack ended up friends. They meet each other on a completely different mission that brings them together either way. Neither of them had ever had a true best friend before each other, which makes their bond all the more unbreakable.

Over time, Zack introduces his friends to Cloud.

Cloud is terribly nervous at first. After all, these are the most famous men in Midgar—on the planet, even. And Sephiroth, his hero who he's looked up to his whole life, is amongst them. And now Cloud is standing in front of his apartment door, critically adjusting his infantry uniform over and over while Zack knocks on the door.

He flashes a bright smile at Cloud, his blue eyes crinkling as he winks at him as if to say, "they'll love you, don't worry."

Cloud has the oxygen pumped out of his lungs once the door opens, and standing there is Sephiroth himself. 'He's even bigger up close,' Cloud thinks to himself as Sephiroth surveys him, taking in the sight of his unruly blond hair and wrinkled uniform.

Cloud fights the urge to squeeze his eyes shut as he braces for a rejection. But instead, Sephiroth smiles—he actually smiles. Warm and welcoming.

"You must be Cloud," his smooth voice brings Cloud down from his high of self scrutiny. Opening the door wider, Sephiroth beckons them both inside. "Zack has told us so much about you. Come in."

Cloud nearly trips over himself. He feels like he's floating as Zack pushes him inside. Immediately the scent of roasted meat and potatoes reaches him. He looks around, unsure of what he expected from Sephiroth's living quarters. Nonetheless, it wasn't this. He definitely would not have expected the strewn boots by the door, a familiar red leather thrown on the coat rack, and the sight of Genesis Rhapsodos stumbling around with a wine glass in hand.

He grins as soon as he sees Zack.

"Hey, Zack" His face breaks into a surprised pout once he notices Cloud behind him. "Oh? Is this your mysterious Infantry friend who we finally get to meet?"

Cloud gulps, feeling his face flush. "Cloud Strife, sir."

Another person stumbles out of the kitchen, laughing. "You can relax. We're off duty and all friends here, so there's no need for that." Angeal wipes his hand on a dish towel before throwing it over his shoulder and extending a hand toward Cloud.

"Angeal." He smiles, shaking Cloud's hand eagerly.

Cloud, in turn, blushes even more. "Uh—I know, sir. I mean," he winces, "Angeal."

Angeal laughs, then ushers him into the kitchen. The rest of them shuffle behind them. Cloud feels simultaneously out of place and comforted at the same time. There's something about sitting at the counter while he watches Angeal slap Zack with a dish towel for sticking his finger in the sauce and Sephiroth and Genesis arguing over which plate set to use as they set the table. The chaos and imperfection brings him comfort.

They have dinner later that night. The boys bombard him with questions about Nibelheim, life in the barracks, and question him about his life goals. Zack eagerly tells them that Cloud wants to become a SOLDIER one day, like them. Their reactions overwhelm him. Sephiroth freely asserts his opinion; he thinks Cloud should go to university after his enlistment and forget about Shinra. Genesis wants to start giving him materia lessons already, prodding him about training regiments and how great the SOLDIER life is. Angeal thinks his dream is very noble, and encourages Cloud to work hard for whatever he wants.

Afterwards, Zack walks him back to the barracks. The cold air whips through the hallways and tinges Zack's cheeks a rosy hue. He's chewing a strawberry lollipop and is wearing one of Angeal's hoodies, an attestment to the bond they've cultivated.

"Do you think they liked me?" Cloud asks nervously, a ridiculous question to Zack, who laughs and slaps his friend's shoulder in response.

"Are you kidding me? You're practically one of us already."

One of us.

That us didn't make sense to Cloud in that moment, and wouldn't until a few weeks later, when he found himself on the rooftop of the building. The last afternoon sun tinged Sephiroth's hair golden. Zack could be heard grumbling about his rapidly melting popsicle beside him. He was wedged between the two, who in turn were in between Genesis and Angeal. Cloud swing his feet over the edge, looking at the drop into the skyline below. He hadn't been aware people could access this part of the rooftop. But he figured if you were Sephiroth, and had spent your entire life trying to find places where you could be alone, loopholes like these became saved in the back of your mind.

Cloud understood. He told Sephiroth about the water tower back home. Sephiroth had ruffled his hair and promised to visit someday. Angeal's laugh as Zack accidentally let his popsicle fall over the edge reached his ears, blending with Genesis's soft voice as he read Loveless for them.

Cloud felt at peace in that moment. He had never had a best friend before Zack, much less a group of them.

He understands the us perfectly well now, finding solace in being part of the we, entrapped in the "guys, look at this" and "what are we doing this weekend?"

But the thing about delays is that you can only outrun them so long. By finding a home earlier than fate had planned for him, Cloud sooner learns that the happier you are, the more you have to lose, and the harder it hurts when the people you love betray you.

He ends up on that road to Nibelheim either way.

Laughing at Zack's snoring as he sleeps on Cloud's shoulder is enough to quell his motion sickness, if only for a moment. Sephiroth sits on Clouds other side, talking more than he had ever heard him talk. Cloud suspects he's living vicariously through him, holding his excitement for him while he collects his thoughts.

He asks about Claudia Strife, the mountains, the culture, and everything Cloud had mentioned since they had become friends. Sephiroth asks Cloud wether he thinks his mother will be proud of him, referring to the Third Class uniform Cloud now wears. His voice shakes when he talks about Angeal and how he always wanted to visit Mt. Nibel. He never mentions Genesis.

The change of the gravel on the road tells Cloud they've reached the outskirts of the village.

Things will never be the same again. Maybe that's the way they were always meant to be.

[rosyjn]

human!jake x reader OVERSTIM

MDNI. for @pandoraslxna's ktober prompt 26.

"Didn't tell me about this one, huh?" he teases, holding up the small purple vibrator from your bedside drawer. You roll your eyes, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. You had been messing around in bed with him, not expecting him to open your drawer.

"That's- that's just- I use it sometimes when-" you stutter and trip over your words.

"Shhh," he torments, looking down at the sweet little object, then back up at you. "What do you think about? When you use it," he asks, his gaze rapidly becoming more intense. "Is it me, do you think about me?" his hand slides down your torso until his fingers are interrupted by the band of your panties. "About what we do together?" his other hand holds the vibrator firmly as he slides the skimpy fabric down your legs, you accompany him by kicking your underwear off.

“Yeah,” you mindlessly agree, starting to grow aroused as you watch his features. He chuckles, clicking the power button of your toy a couple times to play with the settings, inhaling, and pushing the vibrator down in between your legs. Your eyes flinch, growing shiny and watery. But your hips stay in place, letting the gadget do its thing. It feels so fucking good. It feels like a special secret that only you know about. Full and happy, and tingly all at the same time.

“Y’like that?” he asks, surveying the noises you make and the way your face twists. Your eyes squeeze themselves shut as you hum and nod, trying to relay your message. Nothing else in the world matters right now, it’s only the way Jake holds the vibrator onto your clit, feeling a deep sense of self-pride and cockiness as he watches you melt.

“Fuck!” you cum quickly, embarrassingly quickly. Your cheeks still remain flushed from the pleasure. But, he doesn’t want to stop. He wants to see you react to the toy, wants to see you slowly become overwhelmed from the stimulation, wants to wait for your clit to become sore and puffy. He tells you that, not all of that. He tells you he wants to keep using the vibrator on you. You don’t question it.

He never turns the toy off, only changing the settings to tease or overstimulate you. His biggest fear in this moment is the vibrator dying. It’s a completely rational fear, who would want to have an end to this view? He plays with you. Every time he tweaks the angle of the toy, or presses a button, he knows exactly how it contributes to you squirting all over the bed.

Even with all the heat that surrounds your body, you get goosebumps all over from Jake’s dirty talk. He’ll say these words to you in a low, husky voice. He knows how much it turns you on.

“I want you thinking of me, I want your eyes on me, I want your hands on me, I want all of you.” he whispers. It’s more of a demand than a whisper. In a way, it’s not just dirty talk, it’s an order. He knows you always listen to him. He knows you’ll take it like a good girl, even when you’re squirming and struggling to deal with all the sensations that the vibrator brings you. Tears well up in your eyes.

“Jake, Jake-“ you beg, now weakly pushing at his arm to move the toy and give your sensitive nub a break. It’s now raw and sore, like he wanted it. He must be an idiot if he thinks you don’t know what he was doing.

“One more, you’re gonna give me one more,” he says, staring down at your heat. You have every reason to be tired. You don’t know how many times you’ve came yet. Maybe one or two? You lazily nod, trying to catch your breath for this last orgasm. He presses some buttons, making the toy purr louder and vibrate faster. Your back arches, surprisingly for the first time tonight. Your toes begin to tingle. Jake smugly grins, watching what he’s made out of you.

[railingsofsorrow]

summary: you're being neglected by your-so-called-friends and james is there like he always is. 

warnings: self-deprecation; self-isolating; descriptions of being left aside; talk about not feeling enough.

A/N: just words I needed to hear + poor writing (have you caught on that I'm in my james potter phase?) I also wanted to say that if any of you feel like that, you're amazing and you make a difference. don't let people diminish your value. you're loved and you matter. 

w.c: 1.3K

pairing: james potter x gn!reader

navi

masterpost

✧༺༻∞

“you're quiet today,” james plots down on the couch by your side, the leather screeches as he leans closer to you just enough to respect your personal space. 

“I am quiet,” you answer, still with your attention stuck to the parchment. you were finishing an assignment due next week. it's not like you had anything else better to do. 

with a tilt of his head, he tries to peak over your shoulder, smiling softly as he caught a glimpse of your neat handwriting. he loved watching you do anything at all. it was therapeutic.

“you're more quiet than usual then,” james gives you a gentle smile. you had finally offered him your attention. “I didn't see you at lunch or at dinner.”

“I wasn't hungry.”

“I saw you in the kitchens, eating with the elves.”

your glare didn't refrain him from pushing.

“you're isolating yourself,” james says carefully. “why? did something happen?”

you survey his face, from the mole on the middle of his neck to his dirty glasses’ lenses. letting out a sigh, you pull them away from his face, minding the temples on his eyes. 

james doesn't even flinch.

“I'm frustrated, that's all.” you said lowly, muttering a spell to clean off the blurred frames. 

you place them back on his face, aware you were under his awed gaze. 

“d'you want to talk about it?” he whispered after a while, slightly blushing that he'd been staring.

you shrug, going back to your homework. 

james sighs, frustrated himself that he didn't have your full attention. that parchment was snatching all of it.

“did someone upset you? who do I need to hex?” 

you let a giggle escape and his eyes soften. there you are.

“at least six people. are you up for it?” james raises an eyebrow and nods. you rest your quill down, pursuing your lips. “have you ever felt left out?”

james blinks at the sudden question. but taking a deeper look on your eyes and their red rimmed outline he was starting to figure you out a little. the issue must be the group you called friends.

“I have,” he admits, crossing his legs, knees bumping with yours. “when I was little. before coming to hogwarts.”

“what was it like?” you ask quietly but curious. you couldn't imagine james potter of all people feeling left out. he was the boy people looked at and thought I want to be with him or I want to be him. there was no in-between. 

he fiddled with a ripped fabric in a spot on the couch, “it was hard for me to... make friends. my parents kept saying that I should just be myself but that didn't help me at all,” he let out a half-hearted laugh at the memory. “I was lonely, most of the time. before pete moved in next to me. then I felt for the first time that I didn't have to try to be someone I wasn't.”

“do they make you feel heard?” you refer to his real friends, now.

james casts you a look of understanding, “yes, they do. and they care. do you feel like that?” he knew you didn't. it hasn't been your first time with this kind of sadness on your features.

did you feel heard? seen? did your friends at least spared you their attention during conversations?

you pause.

“no.” you admit, ashamed. because now you could see. this wasn't how friends were supposed to treat you. talking over you, skipping your input as if it was nothing. forgetting you completely. just appearing when they need something. like the assignment you were finishing. one of them asked to take a look at it afterwards. let me know when you're done. 

that's all you're remembered for.

“I think people just put up with me. at first, everything is perfect and they even pretend to listen to what I say but then... I don't know what happens, or what I do — if I knew I'd change it, believe me — but they either leave or just stop noticing I'm there, you know?”

you only realize you had spoken it out loud when james is taking your hand and bringing to his cheek. he does it whenever he feels you slipping away or when he wants you to look directly at him. you do. and he has conflicting emotions dancing in his amber orbs. a fire-like anger grazed with a lot of concern. 

you feel like you could tell james anything. any time. he made you feel important. special, even. but sometimes, you think, maybe you should just stay quiet. 

you speak too much. you overshare. you're annoying. everyone thinks you're boring and that's why you shouldn't speak up. you interrupt the smooth flow in a conversation. 

just stay quiet.

“I don't see how someone would just stop noticing you. how is it even possible? you're amazing.” james intertwines your fingers and rests your joined hands against his cheek. “there's absolutely nothing you say that is insignificant. the opposite, really,” he adds, scooting closer as if he was about to tell you his darkest secret. “listen to me now, alright?” he waits for your response and you nod confused. “I don't put up with you. your company is what I look for every day, I love hearing the sound of your voice, I love the way you change your tone when you're speaking about something you cherish. but most of all, I love that you're you. nothing to alter, nothing to leave out.” 

you blinked fast.

hearing the boy in front of you mend up a piece of your heart with those words was... not surprising at all. james had that kind of magic. he didn't need to say anything to make you feel better, just be there. but when he did use his words, it was like your favourite poetry penetrating your chest, brightening your cloudy day with a peak of sunlight. 

james potter really is the sun. 

“you mean it?” you prompt, still pathetically insecure. james, in all his patient-self, kisses your hand and then your cheek to prove a point. 

a smile cracks your sad façade. 

“you don't need people who don't realize your worth, they don't deserve you,” he says, frowning slightly. “besides, they treat you badly, I've seen it.”

“I just don't want to be alone.” you confess, looking down when you felt your throat close. “it's- it's stupid. but now I'm realizing being alone is better than being around them.” 

james shook his head, “you're not alone. never. am I wearing my invisibility cloak now? you can't see me?” he says playfully, pretending to check if his body was visible. you push him slightly and he grins up at you. 

“I'm here,” he says, squeezing your hand. “always.”

letting out a breath, you rest your forehead on his shoulder, “i know, james.” 

his lips waver at the top of your head, fingers working their way up your arm. “come to the match tomorrow.” he requests. 

you look up at him with crossed eyes because of your proximity, “gryffindor plays tomorrow?”

he flashes you a lopsided smile, bopping your nose, “yes. and when I fly through the stands I want to see you there. will I?”

you pretend to think it over and his grin drops. then you smile, kissing his cheek, “of course. I'll be there.” 

sames rolls his eyes, “okay. I hope you mean that.”

“what don't I do for you, james potter?” 

james threw all of his body weight on you, pulling you both towards the mattress with a huff. you squirmed, slapping his back, he didn't move, only laughed into your shoulder. 

his triumph over putting a smile on your face couldn't be masked. making you happy was all that james cared about, and he'd make sure to keep doing that for as long as he was around.

A/N: I wish I had a james potter to cheer me up :(((

[kurogxrix]

All Of My Love ( V. )

(Series Masterlist)

Neteyam x Avatar!reader

IN WHICH Neteyam’s mother and clan disapproves of your relationship, because you’re a dreamwalker. When you both advance in your relationship, the clan cannot help but attempt to ruin things for the both of you.

WC: 14k (wow)

Based on All My Love by Led Zeppelin

Warnings: mommy issues, finally awaited FLUFF, kissing and making up, slightly suggestive. this is rushed, the ending is rushed THE EDITING IS RUSHED.

The blinding lights of the lab reflected off the shiny protective glass that shielded your avatar from the human air. You brought a hand up to hide your eyes from the sudden gleam of light that blinded you, before moving yourself to resume your staring. You couldn’t really tell how long it had been since you had been full on just fixated on your avatar, but you had failed to hear the sound of someone entering the room. 

“Looks like you’ve finally decided to drop that fake body of yours,” you heard a feminine voice say from behind you. You dreaded the moment when you’d have to turn around, because you knew exactly who this voice belonged to. You didn’t even want to look at the glassy material anymore, because you knew that you’d eventually spot her in the reflection. 

Her stiletto heels clicked against the floor at every step and you could hear them getting closer and closer at every click. You didn’t even flinch when she reached a hand upon your shoulder, only turning around to meet the woman that stood at your height. The room was already loud from the outside noises of people loudly talking. 

She had to agree that you had grown greatly, no longer being the troublesome little girl that used to hold Norm’s tail at every opportunity given. You were a young adult now and she knew that. “Thought I made it clear that you must knock before entering?” your question went waltzing into the tense air as you looked down at your shoes, your mother completely ignoring you. 

Your eyes couldn’t help but survey her work outfit, one that seemed a little out of place, or even inappropriate for a workplace. She wore a tight pencil skirt that seemed okay just on its behalf, but she had ridden up to rest just above her round thighs. Her blouse was just as skin-tight as her skirt, and you were sure that many eyes of the lone soldiers must’ve been attracted to her charm. 

“That alien family of yours left you?” she chuckled slightly, not wanting to seem too hostile because you were still her kid. Even if somewhat back then she had managed to get rid of you while you were still developing in her womb, or when she had abandoned you with the other scientist after your birth to drown in her own sorrows, you would always be her daughter whether she liked it or not. 

You rolled your eyes involuntarily at her comment, but somewhere in your heart did it truly hurt. “That alien family was more present in my life then you ever were,” you mumbled, moving your focus to the stash of paperwork on the office that was next to you. It was not your work to do, but you’d rather complete some rando’s work then talk to your mother. 

“Don’t think that i’m an incompetent person now,” she replied, little to no worries for your sorrows. Everything about this conversation somewhat made you angry. For one, you could never understand her feelings, because she was always so closed off towards you. 

Your mother sighed as you refused to look at her once more. She brought a hand up to undo the first two buttons of her blouse, the tight material suffocating her more than the tension in the room. She contemplated putting a hand down on your forearm, but she knew that you’d only repulse from her touch. 

“Don’t resent me because I haven’t been there for every step that you took, I couldn’t always be there at your side,” 

“You were never even there!” you snapped at her, hands firmly holding you up on the metallic table. Your rings clashed against the table at your outburst, causing a loud ringing to chime throughout the lab. You brought a hand up to soothe your temples in frustration because of the woman that stood besides you. She was as silent as a grave and the only noise that came from the both of you was the sound of you shuffling with the nearby files. 

Your mother watched you with woe as you tried not to snap at her again just for being in the same room as her. 

“Why were you never there?” you grumbled, 

“I-“ you cut her off from whatever she was about to tell you. “When you could’ve been.” you turn your head towards her, a desperate glimpse in your eyes. There was something more than want in your eyes, there was need. You needed to know why she had never been around to watch you grow, maybe to soothe your inner child that awaited for those answers every single day. 

“You’ve never really…,” she paused, hesitating at what she was going to tell you. You looked expectantly at her, anticipating the words that she was failing to express. “You’ve never really had a father.” her eyebrows creased together, and her eyes just couldn’t help but peer at anything but at your upset form. 

You deadpanned at her, that was her reasoning? Because of her failed hookups, you had to be the victim of her neglect? The look that you gave her made her bones shudder in discomfort and she felt intimidated under your unruly eyes. She felt as though you judged her from every aspect of her life, but she knew that you were somewhat right if you did.

“It’s not that I’ve never had any company, lord, kind of the opposite actually,” she boasted, and you internally gagged at her over sharing of personal information. Matter of fact, you didn’t need to know how your mother used to get regularly pounded on this early Monday morning. Her mere presence had already ruined your day, now she was tripling that with her odd storytelling. 

“And I was always safe every time, so there was no way that it was any of them!” she said, now frustrated as she failed to understand the story that she herself was revealing to you. 

“You’ve never had a father, Y/N” she called out for your name, trying to make you understand what she couldn’t voice out audibly. The irritating feeling had completely faltered by now, and you couldn’t really understand where you mentally stood now. The feeling of disbelief was all you could feel for now, because her story made little to no sense. 

You were not that oblivious to the stories that came from your mother’s land. The story of their saviour and the same god that was preached amongst something that they called religions. Unlike the na’vi, the humans praised a man that harboured 3 forms of which were physical and spiritual. They believed that their god had formed the earth, and everything that lay upon. You had heard of the story of the Virgin Mary, and your mother’s tale was getting a little too similar to this. 

“I had to carry the burden of bearing an unwanted child, so you have no right to resent me for not being in the life of a daughter that I've never wanted!” your mother quavered, her lips trembling as she spoke to you. You couldn’t find it in yourself to retort, to disprove the tears that trickled past her waterline. Despite not understanding your own birth story still, you couldn’t find it in yourself to resent the woman no more. 

For, it was because of you that your mother would never be the same ever again, no matter how much you would pray to the Great Mother. She had changed drastically after your birth, ignoring the presence of both Norm and Max as they grew closer to you. Matter of fact you had been practically raised by both men, and the other avatars that worked in the program. 

Was it so wrong for you to wish that she was present at the moment? You were so confused with everything, with Neteyam, with Neytiri, with the omaticaya, with yourself. You pushed those feelings away though, because there was no one else that you could blame but yourself for her detachment. You had seen pictures of when she was happy, when she was younger and free. 

You were the reason as to why she was so distant nowadays but you were also the lost kid that needed a mother’s reconfort at the moment. 

You watched quietly as the older woman recomposed herself, passing a hand over her already-straightened blouse in an attempt to appear less awkward. Her stiletto heels clicked against the floor once more, though this time the sound was getting further away from your hearing at each step. Soon enough, the obnoxious sound had completely dissipated from your hearing range, leaving you to bask in the deserted silence of the lab room. 

-

Neteyam was the only thing that your mind would present to you on replay. He was everything that your heart wanted and at times you only wished to rip the organ out yourself to cease this feeling. He was in everything, like the feather that dangled from your chest piece. The same one that swayed with the wind each time that the cool breeze would brush over you. 

Sometimes you wondered if you should just fall out of love with the na’vi boy, but you wondered if you’d even be able to. You would most likely end up falling in love with him again, and you couldn’t afford more heartbreaks than you had already acquired. Your admiration for Neteyam was like a thread of an endless yarn ball, on which only a blade can cut through. 

So here you found yourself again, in the midst of the forest. That was the only place you seemed to find inner peace at within the past few weeks. You felt a strong connection to the nature around you. You felt oftentimes as though the animals spoke specifically to you, but you failed to understand because of the language barrier. You felt like the trees were your true home, not the ton of metal that was called a lab. 

Perhaps it was not the best of ideas to be jumping from tree to tree in your short human body. The forest na’vi body was built for those long and dangerous leaps unlike your small and frail current body. The thrill was what motivated you to keep moving, and exceptionally that one berry that hung from the complete top of the tree. It shone through the rays of sun that poked through the heavy leaves and it attracted you to no end. Like some shiny jewel to a robber, you couldn’t help but make it your personal mission to retrieve it.

You had to admit that the first few minutes of climbing were literal hell. Through the scratches and numerous times that you had nearly fallen, it seemed like Eywa herself was telling your stupid ass to just give up and go home. Thought you were no loser, so you would get that berry one way or the other. You ignored the way your arms ached as you encircled them around the thick bark of the tall tree, your feet digging into whatever spot they could find in the log. 

To your misfortune, Eywa had really seemed to want you to descend from that tree. You had trusted your instincts a little too much, like a natural predator trusted his own instincts. Though you were just a human woman and no palulukan. You brought your foot up, trying to lodge it into the next hole or branch that presented itself before you. Though before you knew it, your right foot had met with the solid and moist grassy feeling of moss, and you had slipped before your brain could even register it.

It would be a funny scene for any na’vi passing, the fresh view of a sky person falling from leaf to leaf while cascading down the top of a tree. You let out the most ground breaking yell as you broke through the branches, body hitting with what felt like every single branch in this damned forest. You groaned as your foot set caught in the last branch of the tree, saving you from what could have been a fatal fall. You would’ve loved to laugh at yourself in any other situation if it hadn’t been for your near death.

You could practically hear your own heart beating as you came down from your fright, and you were sure that creatures from miles away could hear it pulsating way faster than it should as well. Cold sweat ran down your neck onto your hair because of your upside down position, and your exopack was irritating you ten times more than usual.

Your uncomfortable positions made your growing bruises throb as the branch applied pressure everywhere it shouldn’t. You felt dizzy from the blood flowing down to your head, but you knew that you couldn’t let your guard down, because the forest was like a huge death trap for a human of your size. Your ears picked up on the sound of footsteps, eyes darting all over the place as a hurried way of searching for its owner. 

Much to your fortune, the intruder seemed to be a na’vi. You called out for them, waving your hands in the air like a maniac as you tried to make a call for the blue alien. 

She ignored you and your desperate cries for help and you felt as though you were being more and more suffocated as time passed by. You could see that she heard you from the way her ears twitched irritably at each of your yells and soon enough, she had turned to you with a stern gaze.

Neytiri’s judgemental eyes stared right through you as you could not even do much to hide yourself from her gaze. Great, now you were both upside down and extremely humiliated as you stood stupidly before your ex-lover’s mother. You brought both of your hands to your face in a goofy attempt to rescue your decency from this pure humiliation and the woman only rolled her eyes at your antics. 

She kept on eyeing you from the side, clearly hesitant about something that you could not know what for now. Neytiri tried to distract herself by picking her herbs in the sheer silence, but her nerves only aggravated things, making her accidently rip the fresh stem of the flower that she was picking. 

“As much as I don't like you, my son refuses to speak to me because of you.” Neytiri spoke sternly as she kept her back turned away from your prying eyes. Her slim fingers pulled at herbs from the ground, unrooting them from the fresh soil as she stored them in her basket. “So we must come to even terms,” 

Your heart did backflips at her words, multiple backflips at that. Neytiri, THE Neytiri, was finally accepting you? In some way. 

You couldn’t believe it, visually because you beamed at her comment, bringing your body forward as you seemed shocked at her confession. Your body swayed at your actions, unwillingly unlatching your legs from the branch. Your body hit the floor with a loud thud and the groan that left your mouth indicated that it was no light fall. 

Neytiri wasn’t looking at you when it had happened, and you prayed your thanks to the Great-Mother. She turned around suddenly at your loud noise, shaking her head in disappointment when she found you face to face with the moist soil. Well not really face to face because of the mask that was binded to your face. She felt a tiny bit of worry at first, worried that your mask had injured you during your fall. Though you praised the Great-Mother once more for blessing you with the quick ability to have been able to move your arms in order to protect your masked face from the fall. 

Was this really who her son was so in love with? You reminded her so much of Jake’s old self at the moment, and she could only be happy for Neteyam acquiring her patience. 

She continued to look at you through unimpressed eyes as you put your hand up in the air, flashing her a thumbs up that you were sure she must’ve understood with Jake being around. Neytiri moved towards you, rolling you over on your back since you were still pretty much making out with the dirt beneath you. Dirt specks covered your mask but you were too dazed to even care at the moment. 

You groaned once more at the new position, feeling every single rock digging into the flesh of your back. Neytiri raised an eyebrow bone at your suffering, clearly amused by your human body’s fragile state. Her ears rose up in the air at her obvious hilarity and you swallowed back the raging need of rolling your eyes at her. 

“I’m not saying that i’m accepting you in my family,” and there it was, the huge rock that came and crushed all of your hopes that you had built up for yourself. 

“For now…” 

You raised your hand for them to rest besides your face, body being sprawled out like a starfish as you grunted satisfyingly at the soothing position. You wanted so badly to sit up and crack the tense muscles in your neck, but this would do for now. 

You thought about what Neytiri had told you, how she was willing to make an effort for the sake of her eldest son. But things don’t always go the way we intend to and she was about to learn it the hard way. “It will never work out,” 

she looked at you curiously now, abandoning her previous activity of staring at the nature that surrounded you. She tilted her head to the side in confusion as she looked at you expectedly, awaiting an answer from you. 

“We are not together anymore, I'm pretty sure that Eywa herself is separating us at this point!” you laughed dryly, and the downturned smile that graced your face could tell Neytiri everything that she needed to know. Her ears piqued down as she now knew why Neteyam had been so upset with her. She had thought that maybe it was simply because she was trying to keep them from being together, but now she knew that it was more than that. Her own son’s heart had been wounded because of her selfishness, her first child that she had vowed to protect from any wrong of this cruel world.

She moved to sit next to your sprawled out form, crossing her legs gracefully besides you. Your neck hurt too much to even bother looking at her, so the tall trees were what you’d be observing as she spoke to you. “If Eywa has a plan for the both of you, then nothing is really over.” she looked up to the trees as you did, leaving you to contemplate what she had just told you.

“You are resilient, hardheaded and always going back to my son even after I threaten you!” Neytiri snarled, though it was more playful than the usual venomous tone she held when she used to speak to you. You allowed yourself to snicker at her teasing, before she started again. “So what’s different now? Why did you give up on my son so early?” 

Neytiri always had this hardness in her tone when she spoke to people that she wasn’t necessarily fond of, but you knew not to take it at heart. She sighed at the silence that you granted her, standing up on her feet as she brushed off the dirt that stuck to the back of her legs. You had so many things that you wanted to say to her, like how it was all different now. Though her words had you thinking deeply, so deep that you fell deaf upon her retreating footsteps. 

You were left with your own questioning self and the racking thoughts that ran throughout your head. Your body still stuck to the depths of the forest floors as the pain resurfaced once more. You forced yourself to stand up, your body urging you to tend all of your tense muscles as you walked yourself back to the lab. 

-

You peeled the sweaty top from your drenched body, sweat from your previous fall still rolling off of your skin. Drops of sweat ran from your neck and drenched the delicate fabric of your clothes. It was complicated to do with your mask still on, but you pushed through either way. Your top was also wet due to your impulsive decision of jumping in the lake still fully clothed. 

Courtesy of the scorching sun affecting your brain capacity, or so you said. The detour that you had made at a nearby pond seemed almost crucial, because you cringed at the thought of going back to the lab all covered up in dirt and dust. The scenery around you was beautiful, as much as it should’ve scared you. The fish that swan around in the natural pond were humongous compared to the pond fish on earth. Though you wouldn’t know of them, it made obvious sense that they were bigger than the earth ones when a fish as big as your upper thigh brushed past you.

You thanked Eywa for their gentle minds as you twisted your top to remove the excess water. You had just managed to strain the water out but it seemed as though something was coming for you. Lord may it not be a man, because you were clad in nothing but your bra and underwear. You brought your hands back under water as the sounds got closer and closer, drenching the clothes that you were once trying to wring.

Out of nowhere, a tall and blue na’vi jumped out from behind the bushes, startling you. Well, jumping out wasn't really the term that you could use to describe it, more like ‘they peacefully walked out from behind of the bushes but it scared me and I nearly pissed myself.’ 

What was with people running up on you while you were trying to have some alone time today?

You panicked for a minute, scared that it was a male na’vi that was going for a little swim and that was about to walk in on you half naked. So by reflex, you threw whatever you had in hand and onto them. Though you only had your wet clothes, and the wet sound of your clothes sploshing against their face resonated throughout the whole area.

You winced audibly at the force that you had sent your wet clothes, feeling a little bad for whoever was behind the wet stack of woollen clothes. Your guilt only tripled when you looked down at the na’vi, the obvious pair of breasts behind the feathers that hid them indicated to you that it was no man. You stayed in your spot for a second as the victim of your accidental assault brought a hand up to their face, sliding the mess off of their face. 

Your eyes widened like saucers when you were met with the sight of your old best friend. The voice box that resided in your throat failed you for what seems like the 6th time today as you opened your mouth to tell her something, remaining voiceless like a fish out of water. Zeppi seemed obviously shocked as well, her ears raised and her pupils dilated as she stared at you. 

She couldn’t help the loud resonating of her laughter as she replayed the scene in her head. The sight of your terrified face as you first spotted you, before her vision got engulfed by an uncomfortable darkness. You wanted to laugh too, but the feeling of embarrassment and discomfort was too overwhelming. There was no need to say that the scene was truly funny, but you also couldn’t deny that the person that stood besides you had lied to you, despite being the only person you could rely on back then. 

Zeppi noticed the obvious switch in your mood as she stood on the dry grass. She quickly fiddled with her own clothes, leaving them dry unlike yours on the shore. You knew that you couldn’t just keep on staring into her yellow eyes until someone decided to make a move, so you decided to be the bigger person and apologize first. 

“I’m sorry for,” you brought your hands up as they splash water slightly around, turning your hands in front of your own face to mimic what you wanted to say. “Whatever just happened…” your voice faltered, dying of embarrassment. Zeppi only laughed at your antics, showing you that she didn’t take it to heart. 

“You don’t have to apologize for anything, matter of fact you could’ve thought that I was a big bad predator!” she brought her hands towards her mouth, making some weird sound as she mimicked fangs that she already did have. You groaned at her attempt to tease you, snickering slightly after. 

“If anyone should be apologizing, then it should be me,” she trailed off, shame written all over her face. She knew that you turning your face away from her should've discouraged her, but she was too resilient to even think of giving up. “I should’ve never kept that from you, it should’ve never even been a secret in the first place!” 

You sighed, looking at the way that the water rippled as the both of your bodies moved in the pond. “But you still lied to me, Zeppi, and no amount of apology will take that away,” you muttered and her ears visibly deflated at your words. She was such a nice girl, the first ever person that had learned to accept you. Despite the Sully kids taking you in their little group, she was always someone out of that little circle that had been nice to you. Zeppi had taught you countless things, and you just couldn’t keep on resenting her for something that you had already gotten a clear explanation on. 

“I guess that I can learn to forgive you, because I know that you’re sincere,” Zeppi snapped her eyes towards you, her tail swaying wildly behind her. An upside down smile graced her face, looking at you for confirmation before she threw herself into your arms. The sheer force of her embrace sent the both of you staggering, and her arms wrapped themselves from the top of your shoulders as her hands rested on the small of your back. Your size difference was insane, your head ending up on her stomach as you hugged her back. 

She pulled back slightly, her larger palms resting on your bare shoulders as she beamed at you. Her smile was just as contagious as in the rumours, and soon enough you had found yourself laughing along with her. 

“If it makes you feel any better, I've never loved Neteyam! Never even looked at him in such a way, and I'm sure that his eyes were too busy trailing over a little someone else to even notice me.” she rambled and you held back a chuckle as you watched the taller girl get lost in her nonsense. Your heart fluttered at her subtle mention of Neteyam being hooked on you. “My own heart beats for someone else,” she says shyly and you turnt your head to the side in puzzlement. 

Who could be the lucky person that the omaticaya’s golden girl had finally chosen? It was no secret that she was well sought amongst the forest na’vi, but she had never shown any interest in anyone until now? 

“You’ll tell me when I come back tomorrow, I'm afraid of getting sliced and diced by a viperwolf if I stay until it’s dark!” you laughed, moving from your spot and you picked up your damp clothes from the shore. There was residue of dirt stuck onto it, but you didn’t want to enter a laboratory full of men with nothing but underwear on. So dirty cloth it shall be. It sort of contradicted the reason as to why you even came to the pond, but oh well.

“I better see you as a tall, blue na’vi the next time my eyes lay onto you! I’m counting on you.” Zeppi yelled once more as your figure diminished from her field of view. The girl sighed contentedly, sinking deeper into the cool waters of the pond one last time. 

-

Zeppi ran back home with the biggest grin on her delicate features. Her smile was so big that her own mother feared she would rip her face in her half if she continued for any longer. She hopped her way to her tent, spreading joy amongst the gloomy na’vi by her own joyous presence itself. 

How could she not be happy? She had just reunited with her long-lost best friend. Her heart throbbed with many emotions, those that she could not even confine to her own family because she feared their reactions. She was over the clouds because of your forgiveness, even though reluctant. She felt for you however, because she knew that you were still hurting because of what had happened with your past lover.

She knew that deep down, even with the blessing of your forgiveness, there would always be a part of you that would pain because of their lies. No matter how much you understood why they did it, no matter how much you tried to rid yourself of these unwanted thoughts. Zeppi shook her head, trying to shake the bad thoughts away. She smiled again as her sharp canines poked through the space between her opened lips. 

She walked back to the high camp confidently, her hips swaying in beat with her tail as she sauntered. Her glimpse of joy had gotten rudely interrupted as someone had grabbed onto her arm, making her yelp loudly. She turned around abruptly to face whoever it was, her tail stuck in between her legs in a hostile way. Her eyebrow bones furrowed in perplexity as she was met with the sight of the eldest Sully girl. Sure they were not necessarily the bestest of friends, probably ones to have a conversation only when needed. 

The sight of Kiri holding onto her confused her to no end. “You may want to come see what’s happening,” Kiri said, adding no further explanation whatsoever as she dragged the other girl towards a big crowd. Similar to the one of the time where you had been intercepted by her father, and Zeppi cringed at the painful memory of watching you get dragged around by the elders in front of everyone. 

Her plans of informing Neteyam about her conversation were now completely thrown out of the window, mainly because when she arrived on sight, the same exact boy was standing before the whole clan. Kiri could only pray to the All-Mother that her brother would not do anything stupid, for he was never known for anything of such. 

His hand was raised before his people, as though one raising his cup full of confessions as he made a toast. His ears were upright as he showed no signs of anguish standing here before so many na’vi. Or so he liked to make himself believe. Neteyam made a call for the omaticaya clan, his voice loud and clear above the din. The crowd of people eventually calmed down, turning their impatient eyes towards the Sully that stood before them. 

His nerves racked painfully as he feared their reactions, rightfully so, but he wouldn’t allow himself to show them. He’d show them the brave and outgoing Neteyam that they had always known and loved. 

“I….” he started, but his confidence seemed to have vanished along the way. Eywa, he cursed himself for getting discouraged so early, what happened to his previous devotion? He had gassed himself up for 20 whole minutes in his head, and he was cowering now? His sharp eyes scanned the crowd, pupils dilating in delight as he spotted Zeppi and Kiri amongst the crowd. Lo’ak stood not too far away from them, and he just knew that his brother would be so proud of him for standing up for himself at once. 

“I’m here to make things clear, that I will not keep this alliance between Tarsem’s daughter and I going.” he finally said in a clear tone, and the said family’s ears raised in bewilderment. On one hand, Zeppi couldn’t help but be both thankful and proud of Neteyam for being the one to do the first step. For they both lived in a loveless arrangement, their hearts lying in other people’s hands. Tarsem however, was not as understanding as Neteyam had wished for him to be.

What was Neteyam implying by this, that his daughter wasn’t good enough for him? Then it clicked inside of his head, his braids waving around as he visibly shook from anger. Neteyam was breaking things off publicly with his daughter for that demon. 

It was borderline insulting to him at how Neteyam could just break this betrothal off so easily before everyone. And when his nerves took the better of him, his wife was quick to calm him down. Tarsem’s ears flickered backwards as she restrained him, a steady hand placed upon his chest as she prevented him from approaching the young man. She was Zeppi’s mother after all, and a mother knows all. Just like she knows that Zeppi would not have been happy if she had truly ended up mating with Neteyam, so she believed that this was for the best.

Neytiri’s tail flickered wildly behind her at her eldest son’s statement. Had Neteyam really lost his mind? Was he really about to give up everything that was built for him for the past 18 years just for a foreign girl? Though when she thought about it deeper, your relationship truly reminded her of her very own.

She had risked everything that was thrown upon her after the death of her sister. She had abandoned her betrothed for the one that her heart had frankly beaten for. She couldn’t blame Neteyam for breaking away from a loveless arrangement, but it didn’t mean that Neytiri wasn’t upset nevertheless. She was happy that Neteyam was standing up for his love, but did he really have to cause a whole scene before the entire clan? 

Eywa, the whole of Pandora seemed to have been against Neteyam as of recently. At first, his clan and mother failed to accept his lover, then came their separation, and now no one was taking his words seriously. He was out and tired of living under other people’s rules, may it be his father or mother’s too. Neteyam thirsted to rebel for the first time in his life, ever since he had been born and deemed the perfect son. He was tired of having his whole life planned out for him, he wanted to be the one that held the marking stone in his life plan for once. 

Though as of now, there was nothing that he could do to calm the crowd. Not as the future Olo’eyktan, and certainly not as the young teen that everyone still saw him as. 

Zeppi turned around to meet the gaze of the Sully sister, but to her misfortune, she was no more by her side. Instead, one of her closest friend was; Lo’ak. The both of them suddenly turned to each other in their alarmed states. Everything was going to absolute shit. The people were up-roaring and neither the Neytiri or Tarsem seemed particularly pleased by Neteyam’s sudden outburst. Lo’ak watched as his brother stood lost between the crowd, his tail moving in circular motions as he tried to calm the people. 

This was not what he had expected when he had decided to express the afiliation he still felt for you out in the open. It’s not like he had expected joyful cheering of encouragement, but he had sure as hell had not expected this. Zeppi looked back at Lo’ak and her heart did backflips as she spotted that familiar smirk plastered upon his face. She tried so hard to retain the eye roll that had inconveniently slipped by her.

That smirk of his resembled his father’s when he had been younger, and although none of them had been even born to witness it, they all knew that it sparked no good sense. “You know what we must do to obtain the attention from the all-so golden son?” the sully boy snickered as he raised his eyebrows tentatively at the girl before him. 

Zeppi rolled her eyes once more at the boy as she understood what he meant at the first try, but a single look at the poor, distressed Neteyam was enough to change her mind. She turned back to Lo’ak before muttering a quick ‘‘make sure it works before i skin you.’’ 

Lo’ak’s eyebrows raised in bewilderment as she actually accepted his stupid idea, in order to save his own brother from the unwanted attention. Plus some heed from the clan wouldn’t do any bad to the youngest Sully son. He brought two of his fingers together, pressing them in an ‘O’ shape as he placed them carefully beneath his tongue.

The shrill tune of his whistle was enough to distract the people from their bickering, and redirect their attention to the two teens. Zeppi felt her blood running cold as her father observed her with narrowed eyes, but she told herself that it was for a good cause. Jake shot him a knowing look, tilting his head in a hostile way as he silently demanded for his son to retain himself from whatever foolish action he was about to commit in front of the whole omaticaya clan. 

He looked straight into Tarsem’s eyes as his wrath turned its aim towards the young man. He watched carefully as Lo’ak’s hands wrapped around his own daughter's waist, pulling her flushed onto his body as he caught her midway into a searing kiss. Tarsem’s and Neytiri both gasped audibly at their children’s actions and Kiri and Jake could only shake their heads from the sidelines. There was just as much platonic love between those two as there was between Zeppi and Neteyam, but they just had to suck it up for the sake of the future Olo’eyktan. For, it was just a simple little innocent kiss.

It didn’t last more than two seconds, but it was enough to startle the crowd from their previous bickering. He unlatched himself from the girl, his hand still resting in the crevice of her waist as he taunted the older man that stared daggers at him and his own daughter. His blood ran cold as Neteyam just stared dumbly at the both of them, standing still in his spot like a tree firmly rooted to the soil. 

Lo’ak shot a subtle annoyed look at his oblivious older brother, signalling him to leave as he distracted their people. Neteyam’s ears raised in astonishment at his brother’s sacrifice (for, he was about to get his ass whooped once they all got back home) and discreetly made a run for it. 

Though he failed to escape the keen eyes of his grandmother, The all great Tsahik. She saw everything, and she knew everything through Eywa’s will. 

Mo’at knew that there was no reason to keep her grand-son away from the sky person that he had fallen so deeply for. Not like she even could if she wanted to, because she knew her grandson like the back of her hand, and she had heard of Eywa’s plans for them anyways. She watched through her piercing yellow eyes as he slipped through the crowd, making a call for his mountain banshee, Seze. 

Mo’at rubbed a hand deeply over her face as she tried to soothe her own frown, because she knew that after this, there was a way bigger crowd of frowns that required her help to soothe. She feared that the father of Zeppi would most likely kill Lo’ak himself if Neytiri hadn’t already. Though when she turned around, she was met with the sight of an empty ground and the sight of some very disappointed parents ahead. 

-

Once you got back to the lab, you shivered from the sudden gust of cold air that blew past your back. The air conditioner did not mix well with the damp clothes that stuck uncomfortably to your body and you were sure that if you didn’t jump in a warm shower right now, you’d die of sickness. The weird looks that you received while entering with your dirtied clothes did not make you feel welcomed in any type of way.

Your injuries burnt as your shirt pressed down against your cuts and growing bruises. Lord knows what kind of infection you’ll receive from those if you don't get them treated anytime soon. The lab was getting noisier and noisier as dinner time approached, and you could spot Norm and Max from afar. Though you didn’t catch on to the communication device that norm had around the throat, his fingers pressing along the buttons as he ended a conversation. 

Strangely, he was in his avatar. You shrugged it off as he probably went out to get some samples, and going out as a human was very dangerous. You and your numerous injuries would know that as of now. Max had been the first to spot you, getting up from his chair in the dinner hall as he waved at you. 

“Ey’ little one, I've gotta job for you,” Norm started, placing his hands upon your shoulder as he pushed you the other way around. You grunted as he pushed his fingers into the flesh of your shoulders and you shrugged his hands off of you. 

“After I've had a shower,” you started walking away towards your cabin. “And a good shoulder massage too.” 

Norm quite literally rushed after you, blocking your passage as you rolled your eyes at him. Dear lord, give yourself some strength before you beat the scientist up right now. You clearly remember not having written 'Please disturb me!’ in bold on your forehead, so why was everybody doing so?

“Just give me a second to explain myself, then I'll let you go!” Norm promised, giving you that sincere look of his. You guessed that a couple more minutes of your time really wouldn’t cost you your life, so why not. You tilted your head to the side, now becoming your signature move for saying; carry on. 

He reestablished his shoulder pushing, directing you towards the avatar program lab. Your suspicions were risen to the top but you’d allow him to explain himself before going off for nothing. Norm had made a promise to the very fed up Jake earlier through his throat mic and he would make you leave in that avatar vessel on this night even if it meant getting his hands bloody. Well he wouldn’t go that far. Maybe. 

Jake was a close friend of his, even if they hadn’t necessarily started on a good foot. It’s been 15 years ever since the great massacre of the home tree and Norm had watched Jake and his little family grow, watching as Neteyam was presented to the clan as well as his first steps on this vicious planet. 

“I need you to go out and fetch some samples for me, and you’re not leaving like this at night.” he said, sounding like a father scolding his daughter for wearing a slutty dress on a night out. You raised an eyebrow at his oddly fatherly tone before it clicked in your brain. Norm was asking you to go out in your avatar. 

“You know what I vowed to myself,” Norm shook his head at your stubbornness and he sighed unimpressed as you began walking away from him again. Though he wouldn’t allow you to, he could only owe Jake and his family so much after everything that they had lived through together. If you did not know of the reasons why he would ask you such a demand for now, you’d sure as hell find out later. 

“And you broke that exact vow like what, twice?!” Norm beamed, and you shot him a distasteful look. Really? Norm was really asking you all of this while he was in his avatar? Why couldn’t he do it himself? So many questions ran wild in your mind, but you kept them from the scientist. Max would always reprimand you when you would speak back to Norm, telling you that he knew what he was doing and that you always had to listen to him. 

“Third time’s the charm!” you chirped humorlessly. 

“Please,” he pleaded “I’ll do anything in return for you!” you cursed yourself for actually considering his demand. After all, how could you deny one of the men that had raised you when your own paternals had not? You sighed from all of the day’s exhaustion, it seemed like you could not catch a rest at all as long as you stood on the lands of Pandora. After securing your message and 3 months free of chores from the older man, you were ready to embark on the adventure that Norm had in reserve for you. 

It was painfully humiliating to re-enter your avatar’s consciousness after pledging so many times that it was the last. Though there was no one around to poke fun at you for it right now, you’d just hurry and get it over with. You grabbed your satchel before leaving, repeating over and over again the name of whichever plant it was that Norm had told you to get. The photo that he had shown you from his iPad was engraved in your brain from how many times he had shown it. 

Watching you leave the lab doors brought foreign feelings up into Norm’s chest, like watching your daughter leave for good as she moves on to her own life. He knew damn well that after tonight, you would be changed, a part of you would not be the same as it once was. Though he knew it would be positive changes, he dwells on the fact that you’re soon to start a seperate part of your own life. 

He tries not to feel too bad about it, instead laughing it off with Max about the fake image of the flower that he had shown you. Maybe if you had taken the proper time to actually observe the picture well, you would’ve noticed the obvious photoshop. Norm grinned to himself, only wishing for Jake’s plan to be successful.

-

Stupid, idiotic Norm. Couldn’t he have gone to fetch his own sample in his own damned na’vi body. Here you were now, in plain sight in the middle of  eclipse as you scavenged for a singular plant for what seemed to be ages. The image that Norm had shown you was starting to get blurry in your brain as time went by, and you were really considering going back to the lab and calling quits for today. 

Though the further you walked into the forest, the closer you seemed to be getting to an open land area. You couldn’t really see it clearly due to the bushes that blocked its entrance, but you knew better than to be noisy while approaching an unknown territory.

The endless adventures that you had lived within the trees in the vast forest had taught you loads, and you knew better than anyone else that predators were hiding from every inch of the woodland. A na’vi’s hearing is known to be just about 4 times better than a human’s hearing, so the obvious wing flapping that could be heard by just about anyone didn't fail to go noticed by you. 

it was useless to try and fight whoever had ambushed you, because you were just about weaponless. Thought your physical strength had grown ever since you had started training, and muscles had even started rippling upon your body. You could only wish that whoever was there was not some taekwondo master of some sorts, because then your muscles would have been rendered useless.

Seze, Neteyam’s ikran was who you had first recognized as you had turned around. It was very obvious to you as to who was the rider, because ikran’s are loyal to only their tamer during their whole life period. His ikran swooshed up dust particles as it settled down on the floor, and now you could properly see the na’vi. 

“How did you find me, here specifically out of anywhere else?” Neteyam pointed towards your beloved ikran, staying silent as he dismounted his own. Shit, you cursed yourself, his ikran must’ve followed the scent of your own all the way until here. 

Though Neteyam’s quiet presence was not what you had desired at the moment, there was really no way of forcing him to go back home. This was the forest, not some private property that you could banish him of. 

Apart from that, that weird clearing that you had spotted earlier was still itching a spot deep into your brain, and if you didn’t explore how, then when would you? You grabbed Neteyam’s hand into yours as you grabbed him towards the area, since he was here, he might as well be of use in case you get attacked by some creature of any sorts. 

Silence is all that lingers between the both of you as you usher him towards the weird scene. Between the longing stare that he subtly sends you, there’s no words exchanged between the both of you. An acrid smell fills both of your nostrils as you pass through the leaves that were used as what it seems like restraints to the zone. 

The burnt grass felt weird and ashy under your feet, leaving a residue of sticky ashes on your skin the more you walked through the area. Neteyam followed shortly after you, dark ashes tainting his dark blue skin. 

He knelt down to ground, bringing his middle and index down to rub against the dried up residue. The ashes spread along his fingers as he brought them up to his nose, sniffing deeply the powdered substance. Neteyam scrunched up his features at the odd smell, researching the power through his developed odora. He could tell that the place had been devastated from weeks before, but by who? And why had nothing regrown or advanced yet? 

There’s an odd patch of lively green grass and moss in the middle of the area, and everything just gets more confusing as the both of you advance towards the centre. The sight was sort of eerie at first, but you soon grew to enjoy the peaceful silence. 

“This is the most romantic place that you found to pour your heart out to me?” you placed your hand hovering your heart, allowing yourself to joke around with the na’vi boy. Neteyam gave you a toothy grin, chucking at your teasing. He turned his face away from you, allowing himself to really bask in the views of this place. He stood up from his kneeling stance, moving on stable legs towards you. 

The both of you stood in what seemed to be a circle of chaos. There was no vegetation that surrounded the both of you, only dried and burnt up grass that blew off with every brush of the breeze. The trees were black from being burnt by whoever had decided to assault this beautiful part of the forest. 

Neteyam tried to move forward towards you, before his foot got stabbed by something on the ground. He threw his hands up in the air rather ungratefully, jumping on one leg as the other sent painful spiky receptions throughout his whole body. You brought a hand to your mouth in an attempt to stiffen your laughter, crouching down before his assaulter as he kept on overdramatizing his injury. 

At your eyesight stood a little growing plant, and you were about to bash him for overreacting his pain. You brought a finger to touch the baby plant, and to your surprise, the growing tree was not soft like you had expected it to be. It pricked your finger softly as you touched it, and you immediately retracted your whole arm back towards you.

Just what exactly was this place? Last thing you remember, there was no warning of a raid or any news about the aftermath of it. So why did you seem to have arrived on a dead man’s land, and why had the Great-Mother guided the both of you to it?

“Listen,” Neteyam’s back is turnt to you now, the only sight that you received was the one of his toned back. You’d love to complain about it, but why even would you when he looked this good? Even during this moment of vulnerability that he has, he’s still just as attractive as he is when he’s fully confident about himself. “I’m sorry, and again I know that a simple apology won’t fix everything that has been happening over the past few weeks.” 

He paused as he looked at you for confirmation. He had expected you to lash at him or to cut him off like you had done numerous of times before, but your focused silence was something that he had not expected and somehow that had grounded him. It gave him the courage to advance, stepping closer and closer towards you. 

“I’m sorry for everything that has happened, I'm sorry for not believing in you when I know that I should've. I trust you with my whole life Y/N, and I’m sorry that I haven't been showing that to you recently.” he apologised for what seemed like the 100th time and now your silence was starting to become unsettling for him. He sighed, probably making a fool out of himself as he spoke for nothing. For, you had no reasons to forgive him, but he was hanging onto a thin thread of hope that you would. 

“I want to stay mad at you forever, for as long as your lungs continue to pump air even!” you yelled, throwing your hands up in the air like a lunatic woman. Neteyam’s eyes widened comically at your historical state, but he was scared to approach you because even with his incredible nocturnal vision, he couldn’t properly see the spiky tree of earlier times. 

You were standing at your full height now, no more crouching before the little plant that had pricked the both of you. His silly fear of the prickly plant had now dissipated as he got lost in your words. They swivelled around his brain and filled his heart with even more ambition. 

“But I know that my heart will always continue to beat for you and no one else, and it hurts just a little when you’re not around,” you teased him, making a ‘little bit’ hand sign to him. It felt like a mountain of worries had just been lifted off Neteyam's shoulders from your playful sentence and relief was written all over his face. 

Neteyam made you feel like you were living, and not just existing. 

“So you forgive me?” he mumbled, full of hope. 

You pretended to think about it for a second, bringing a hand to your chin as you mocked him playfully. There’s another wave of silence that enveloped the both of you and you thought that Neteyam looked a little too serious at the moment. Poor boy just doesn’t know when to let go. 

His intentions were clearer than the pond water that you had bathed in earlier as he approached you with big steps. He seemed almost impatient as he now stood nose to nose with you, one of his hands brushing the hairs behind your head. His touch sent goosebumps to your arms, and you were sure that the little hairs on your arms were standing straight from his touch. 

“I cannot wait for us to do tsaheylu, because then i know that you will not run away from me again.” you flushed because he was already thinking that far ahead. Though usually you would’ve responded with some sort of self deprecating cooment, this time you had simply accepted it. You accepted that Neteyam found you worthy of being his mate instead of arguing with him about how you were some 5 fingered freak that didn’t even have a stable body. 

He was unrelenting, and if he truly did find you unworthy then he wouldn’t have chased you all the way here into this clearing. If indulging in the boy you loved so much despite your differences meant being selfish, then you would gladly take the abhorring title. 

“You sound like you’re trying to baby trap me,” you snickered, using an expression that you had seen on the web that was traditionally used upon the humans on earth. 

“I’m what?” he shook his head, unfamiliar with those strange human tones. God, even his accent was enough to send shivers down your spine. 

“I'm not trying to actually trap you,” he frowned and you only looked at him with a funny look on your face. 

You couldn’t quite pinpoint how much time it had been since you had been staring into his warm amber eyes, but there was a new kind of look that graced his eyes, and you couldn’t even decipher it even if you truly wanted to. There was a mixture of yearning with an accompaniment of want. 

His eyes captured the entirety of your face, from the way that your eyes were doing the exact same thing to him, or the way that your lips looked so inviting. The sudden feeling of his lips against yours was grounding and you had not even had the time to even properly even close your eyes before he had moved. 

The feeling felt rewarding, considering that you both had been waiting for reconciliation after so long. You melted into the kiss, tilting your head to the sides as you allowed yourself to indulge in him. His hands travelled from places to places on your body, starting from the crevice of your neck as they trailed downwards to hold you tightly by the waist. 

Yours were too busy keeping your stable upon his chest. Your knees felt weak from the pure impact that this boy had on you and you were glad that his grip was keeping you standing. The both of you pulled away when air became a necessity, or else you were sure that you could’ve kept going until sunrise and back at it again until sunset. 

Neteyam panted lightly as he recollected himself, laughing softly against your mouth at the both of your tiredness. The feeling of fullness invaded your mind from being so close to your lover after so long, and tight now close just wasn’t close enough. 

“R-right here? I thought you said that it wasn’t romantic enou-“ he panicked, scared that your desires were overpowering your judgement. He didn’t want you to wake up the next morning and be disappointed at what had happened, or even worse, at him. 

You only laughed at his distressed state, Your hand was resting on his heart as you could feel its fast paced pulse. “I’d let you take me at the old shack if it meant being able to be with you, Neteyam” 

“Closer, with you.” you pulled out your queue from the back of your head, the bundle of nerves firmly protected by your long braided hair. He could see your fangs sneaking past your lips as you smiled at him, and who was he to refuse that adoring smile of yours? 

He pulled out his own braid, not hesitant but leisurely. There was no sign of a want for doubling back as you lowered your tendrils towards his, the pink nerves desperately wavering around for something to latch onto. Once they found his, the both of you were hit with a wave of euphoria.

Nothing could compare to the feeling of tsaheylu, and you now understood why it was spoken so highly of. No amount of highs could make you feel as connected or full as you felt while connected to your mate, and you could feel every single part of him. You could feel his ragged breathing, or the way his stomach recoiled with nerves as he stared at you. 

There was something so deep about queue bonding, and it was not  just the fact that Neteyam and you were actual mates now. No it was the intense feeling of love and lust that you could not conceal, and soon his lips had found you again in a passionate bruising. The yearning and want that Neteyam felt earlier was 10 times stronger now, and you could feel it too. 

Wandering hands and starving mouths fed themselves amongst the other, basking in the feeling of the other for as long as the sun was away. May it be true that this place was not as beautiful as the normal na’vi mating grounds, but your love required no astonishing background for the both of you to function. All you needed was the two of you and your wavering hearts and that was just about enough. 

-

Warm sun rays enveloped your vision, despite your eyes being shut close. The bright light passed through your closed eyelids, forcing you to painfully pry them open as you awoke from your slumber. There was not a single sound around you in the forest, from where you laid on a bed of moss. 

The moss felt so comfortable, so inviting as you felt yourself drifting back to unconsciousness. The feeling of euphoria was still running thick through your veins and a new smile graced itself on your soft features. You felt someone shifting besides you, a pair of arms caging you protectively in their embrace. 

Wait, moss? The last thing you remembered was falling asleep on a tiny patch of barely grown grass, next to the tiniest growing tree. Your eyes swaggered over the whole area as you face was still smushed against Neteyam’s torso. 

The chest that served as your pillow was firm and warm and you couldn’t help yourself but to dig your face further into it. Your personal warmer grunted as you applied force to his torso, going silent once more as he fell back into slumber. It had been so long since the both of you had gotten sleep this good, and you blessed tsaheylu for allowing this sense of comfort from one body to another.  

Warmth spread all over your body, from your face that was still busy basking in the sun, to the odd feeling of heat that laid over your back. Confusion and concern overtook your senses as Neteyam could feel it through the bond, his amber eyes peeling open reluctantly. There was a solid moment that passed by before any of you made a move, before you decided to sit up. A weird feeling of coarse hair and a warm body sliding off of you made chills raise up your spine, sitting up further in an alarmed way.

Neteyam followed shortly after you as he shoved an arm protectively around your waist, urging you closer to him. You couldn’t tell if your heart was fluttering from his romantic action or if it fluttered from fear of the viperwolf family that had been sleeping back to back with you. You watched with fright as the mother woke up from her slumber, stretching her paws out towards her cubs as she failed to notice you both at first. 

Neteyam felt your fear, a primal feeling in him awakening the need to protect you above all. The both of you had no weapons other than your bare fists, but he was a strong warrior after all. His shuffled movements sent awareness towards the mom and her cubs, waking them all up in one go. The light blue creature stared at you first, eyes voided of any fear as she softly grunted at you, then its eyes moved towards Neteyam. 

It happened faster than the both of you could even acknowledge it, and soon enough the whole family were left running away from the sight of the warrior. Baffled, the both of you could only stare at the way in which the viperwolves ran away, before the both of you burst into laughter. You turned your head to throw him a ‘what in the hell just happened’ kind of look, but he was already staring at you. 

Your smile faltered as his eyes made way across your features, but it didn’t mean that you were no longer happy. The complete opposite of that. You watched as his eyes scanned your nose, then back to staring straight into your eyes. Neteyam held eye contact with you for a couple of seconds before his eyes dipped towards your lips. Your mouth was slightly agape as you stared back at him, and he leaned down to seal your mouths in a soaring kiss. 

Eyes closed and ears laid back, you both enjoyed each other for a while before pulling away. His heart was beating so much faster than yours, and you could feel it through your bond. You could feel everything just as you had yesterday, you could feel his heart that still pulsated swiftly for you as it had done the previous night. 

“I told you that you had a connection with the Great-Mother.” he referred to the strange encounter with the viperwolves, and you shrugged knowingly. It had made sense to you from the minute your mother had told you of the absence of a biological father, but you wished not to jump to conclusions back then. One of his hands moved up to tuck the a stray braid that framed your face. 

“Look around you, ma Neteyam.” he flushed at the loving name, but executed your demand right after. His eyes widened at the scenery besides the both of you. How was this even possible? Just about last night, Neteyam had been rubbing his fingers over the ashes that engulfed this dead land. Now upon your awakening, the place looked as though a wonderland from any human fairy tail movie. 

The freshly grown grass ran along the whole area, and short trees were still growing to their full potential. Neteyam looked back at you finally, not quite believing what had happened around the both of you while you were sleeping. Surely it must’ve been a sign of some sorts from the All-Mother, because there was no natural explanation for this. 

Your braids laid between the both of you, tendrils still intertwined strongly together. You brought a hand up to pull amongst yours, disconnecting them against your own will and the dissatisfied grunt of Neteyam. “We must go back, your family will start to worry for you,” you stated, acknowledging the fact that the both of you had awakened later than any other na’vi usually did. 

The both of you were too busy in your peaceful slumbers to even bother waking up, if it hadn’t been for the blinding sunlight and the viperwolf jumpscare that you had both received. You looked up to a clearing within the thick leaves of the trees that surrounded you as you noticed a flock of ikrans flying above the both of you. The forest was just waking up, and so had the both of you before any of you manage to get busted by a wandering thanator.

“For us,” Neteyam corrected you, and you tilted your head in confusion. “They will be worried for us.” he said, making your fangs stick out as you grinned at him. He leaned in to give you one last peck, before standing up and dusting himself. Like the gentleman that he had been raised to be, he helped you up with little to no effort.  

The way back home was endearing. Since the both of you had missed so much time together due to everything that was going on priorly, you made it your task to catch up while going back home. The forest welcomed you back into its embrace, and oh how amazing it felt to be back home. To be back in the body that you loved so much. 

Entering the village meant receiving the numerous prying stares, but Neteyam had vowed to you that he didn’t not mind yesterday. He had promised you that it was something that he would go through if it meant being with you. So he took it with pride, clasping your hand in his tightly for everyone to see. His back was straight, head up high as he walked besides you. 

You felt more confident then you had ever done in your years of walking on the lands of this clan. You were mated now, and if they wanted to kick you out, then they’d have to kick Neteyam out too. No one dared to mess with Neteyam, because he was their future Olo’eyktan but most importantly the current Olo’eyktan’s son. It was immoral to do so and only a fool could oppose Neteyam. 

It felt as though you were reborn as one of them, walking through their lands like you were one of them. But you were, and Neteyam had made it his duty to remind you of it every second yesterday. 

You didn’t quite understand why they called it ‘the walk of shame’ until you had to walk to Neteyam’s family tent. Where inside you knew that his entire family was waiting for the both of you, and it was obvious that two young adults left alone in the forest at night would do a little more than just discussing. 

lo’ak had been the first to spot you, much to your misfortune. A knowing smirk was plastered on his face as he looked between the two of you. He just couldn’t wait two more minutes to tease his older brother and he had no shame in doing it before his family. Tuk was quick to follow behind him, simply happy to see her family coming back. 

Lo’ak threw a hand over Neteyam’s shoulder, glancing at him from the with that taunting smile. 

“You are a man now, brother! Keep the babies for later, Tuk is already too much.” his older brother ignored him, only rolling his eyes as Tuk yelled at Lo’ak for his remark. He flinched pathetically as the little girl yelled at him, afraid of her wrath because she resembled their mother a little too much. And damn had he received a punishment from Neytiri after that stunt that he had pulled just the previous night. 

“He has been a man for a long time now.” Kiri stepped in and Neteyam’s cheeks flared at her remark. She referred to the one time that she had caught him sneaking out at night, a little after your relationship had been made public. You brought a hand up to your mouth to stifle your laughter.

Jake and Neytiri didn’t bother getting up from their spots, instead they awaited you from inside the tent. The scent of fresh fruits was almost overwhelming and you felt yourself begin to crave for the sweet delicacy. You scrunched up your nose as the sugary smell invaded your senses. There was a curt moment where Neteyam had laughed at your antics, before grabbing your hand to pull you inside. 

Neytiri had a knife in hand, and for a second you feared that she would cut you in the throat if she knew that you had mated with her son. Though she noticed the way you were dying the food with so much want, she invited the both of you to sit besides her and Jake. 

The air was not stiff like it usually was and their home was clear of any tension for the first time while you sat in it. It felt so gratifying to be able to have a normal meal with Neteyam’s family without Neytiri trying to pull the both of you apart. You were quick to dive into the platter full of a variety of fruits, holding yourself back from completely assaulting that platter because you still did have manners. 

Neteyam sat beside you, his stomach rumbling but he failed to do anything about it. He just couldn’t take his eyes off of you. You mesmerised him in a way that he couldn’t explain, and all you were doing was eating a bowl full of fruits. he felt like he was in one of those corny romantic movies that Norm used to show his little siblings, where the main character was so enamoured by their love interest that the world around them just goes deaf to their ears.

Though Jake just had to ruin that.

Neteyam’s ears flicker at the sound of his father’s voice calling out for him, and he reluctantly snapped out of his in-love stance. His eyes move towards his mother first, who is quiet but she’s smiling nevertheless at what his father must've said during his daydream. 

“I said you must eat, regain your forced from all that 

energy you’ve spent!” Jake teased his son in all the most fashionable Sully ways, and Neytiri hit him across the back of his head with the bottom of her palm. Dear lord, could anyone in this tent other than Tuk please just stop embarrassing the both of you. 

Neytiri rose from her silent state, as she got serious despite her former laughing form. “The future Tsahik cannot keep on detaching herself from her body to tend to another, she has to always be present.” your eyes widened and you nearly turnt your whole body towards your mate at his mothers words. She was considering you as their future Tsahik, Neytiri was acknowledging you in front of her whole family, 

Though she had no other choice now, because you had bonded with her son. You had so much more to learn about the roads on how to become a good Tsahik, but your strong connection with Eywa was already a good start. Neteyam however, looked like he had seen a ghost. His face was a little paler than usual, and he didn’t seem to be responding either.  

“You’re implying that…” he trailed off, looking for any sort of reconfort in his dad’s eyes. You quickly brought a hand over to squeeze his own, despite not knowing what he was so afraid of, your mate was clearly distressed and you couldn’t just stand there and watch him be. His ears flattened at your contact, his features softening slightly as he looked back on you. 

The sound of Lo’ak fake gagging from behind of you threw everyone out of whatever state Neytiri’s words had casted over you all, and he thanked his brother in some way. 

“She doesn’t have to, we'll discuss it later on.” Jake tried to soothe his son’s nerves, casting a warning look towards Neytiri so she does not open her mouth and frighten their eldest son once more. He knew that things were already stressful upon Neteyam’s shoulder, as they had always been, and he did not wish to stress his son furthermore on a day that he’s supposed to be enjoying. 

Nevertheless, breakfast was spent basking in the warmth of your now in-law family’s tent in the arms of your husband. You didn’t know what Neteyam was fearing so bad but you told yourself that you didn’t need to know for now, it could be discussed later on, as Jake had let it be known. 

For now, all you could be focused on was the piping hot meal that was served to you and Neteyam. He was clad in one of his best outfits, one that covered his torso fully, but he didn’t need to be half-bare to still be outstanding. You grabbed one of the teylu from your own plate, bringing it towards Neteyam as he looked at you in suspicion. 

“Cmon it’s going to fall!” you urged your mate, wiggling the worm before his face as though he was a puppy looking for a reward. Neteyam rolled his eyes playfully at your antics, opening his mouth as you shoved the teylu straight into his mouth. He gagged from surprise at first, his eyes widening at the dirty trick that you had played on him. Oh that’s how you were deciding to play? Then he could play that game too. 

Your ears flattened as you noticed him placing his wooden platter down, urging his body towards yours as he stood up. Eywa, you didn’t even have the time to put your own plate down as he ran after you, chasing you throughout the whole camp. Both of your laughter resonated around the camp and Mo’at watched from afar with pride at how far the both of you had reached. 

It didn’t take you both a lot of running and jumping to dodge a bunch of sitting logs before you had ran across a certain silent girl that you had learnt to be fond of. You stopped abruptly in your tracks, sending Neteyam nearly running into you. His arms caged your waist as he was sent to a sudden stop, holding your platter quickly in his hands before you could drop it. 

The incredulous look that he had on his face was like a reward and you leant forward to give him a quick peck on his cheeks as if asking for forgiveness. 

“I was looking for the both of you, I see you have finally found each other,” Zeppi said, a deep meaning in the simple words that she had spoken to the both of you. Her voice cut both of you off from whatever sappy romantic gesture that was going on. You eyed your best friend besides her, and you noticed how her eyes kept on flickering back and forth towards the taller girl besides her. 

Zuko, and how could you forget her. The girl that had taught you how to see without words. The same girl that had helped you when you were in desperate need and now the same exact girl that you had made your own personal mission in helping.

Helping her because Eywa were both oblivious. Standing in front of them was like standing before two awkward teens that had just confessed to each other, but that didn’t know what else was to ensure. 

God and it was painful to watch too, you couldn’t even imagine what it felt like to be any of them at that moment. Zuko was practically beaming purple as she looked at Zeppi, and you nudged your mate slightly in the stomach for him to look. 

The mute girl smiled at you, hesisting to hug you as you made the first step. It had been so, so long since you had last seen your best friend, and she had missed you loads. She had been spending more time with the daughter of Tarsem as of recently, Zeppi. It helped her to come clear with her own feelings, and her heart no longer ached as she saw you happily bonded forever now with Neteyam. 

Her heart sought someone else, stronger than it had for you. Because maybe she deemed that the both of you were soulmates, platonic soulmates. You were someone who had seen her when no one else did, and she had taught you to see in areas that you couldn’t. Though her feelings now fluttered for someone else, and she was sure of it. 

“And I see that so have you,” Neteyam added, making the both women flustered at their oblivious states. You snickered slightly, happy that everyone rejoiced all at once. You had promised the both of them that once you were done and over with your new duties, that all of you would go ikran racing together once more. Neteyam was the cockiest, affirming that he’d win again, and they all laughed at the memory of Neteyam winning a race that he wasn’t even part of.

-

“What are you thinking about?” Neteyam’s voice startled you, nearly making you drop your songcord. The new bead that had been added marked the new life that was offered to you and Neteyam, and it made you sentimental just to think about it. You couldn’t give him a verbal answer just yet, because you were afraid that you would burst into tears in that overwhelmed state of yours.

It was getting late at night, and the both of you had already moved all of your belongings into your new hut. Well all of Neteyam’s belongings, given that you had yet to go and fetch your things from the lab yet. The soft sounds of the crickets filled the void of noise between the both of you, filling in the comfortable silence. The only lights surrounding you both came from the soft moonlight, and your luminous freckles shone beautifully across your faces. 

You patted the grassy spot next to you, and Neteyam wasted no time getting seated besides you. His arm wrapped itself around your shoulders, bringing your head to lay comfortably against him. His nose scrunched up at the sweet smell of your perfume, one that you had made from crushing some sun lilies together into a liquid that you’d apply to your skin with your fingers. He felt so relaxed in your presence, like he was allowed to lay his guard down at anytime that you were near. 

He found comfort in you, being the person that he goes to everytime he feels like being vulnerable. And it worked in both ways, because that’s what being mated is like. 

You both had the life that you dreamed of and now your shared hut was awaiting your presence for the first night. It felt like a dream because you had never imagined that one day you’d finally be able to be freely happy with Neteyam. For as long as you remember, there always had to be some na’vi up your ass or trying to mess with your relationship and now that those times were over, you just felt so content. 

Content that Neteyam and you were getting the happy ending that you both deserved and content for the people that had helped you earn this life. You wouldn’t forget to go check up on Norm and Max tomorrow morning to let them catch up on everything, because they were family to you. 

You felt Neteyam’s calloused hands grip onto your chin, bringing you out of your daze. His eyes were full of love as he stared down at you, and just a year ago his stare would’ve been filled with annoyance or even distaste. The broken promises that he had once made to you were now granted but he had yet to make the biggest one yet. Though as you sit before each other, hearts full of adoration and futures empty for the both of you to write, he just can’t help but say it to you. 

“I promise to always give you all of my love.” Neteyam said, before crashing the both of your lips together in a passionate kiss. Your hands slivered over the back of his neck as you held him close to you, like he would disappear if you let go. There were little things that you both knew on this gigantic planet and you were still both so young, but the night was just as young and you couldn’t wait to spend the rest of your life with the man that had changed your life. For the better. 

-

Tags: @uwu-i-purple-you @love13tter @melsunshine @bratsuki @jyoungmom @ihonestlydontknowwhattonamethis @fanboyluvr @ashlatano7567 @laylasbunbunny @gabithefanwriter @alwaysandforever22 @jjkclub @koalalafications @doggyteam2028 @navs-bhat @miawastakens @innersuitcasehairdoscissors @peachinsomniac @hlhl99 @loakloverr @chucklefuvk @hellok1ttycake @tsuteysyawntu @im-in-a-pansexual-panik @idktbhloley @saltedcoffeescotch @kikookii @anxietydrogz @inluvwithneteyam @avatarmasterlistblog @doulcha @dreamergirljen @parrotpeggy @liasstarlight @ikaeryn @jdbxws @wheeeelys @lovedbychoi @neteyamsmate4life @liyahsocorro @simp4ff @ptsmplekaramele @myheartfollower @pinkpantheris @naynay2808 @szchaql @zoetrope1997

[heavenlyraindrops]

Change With the Seasons| Stardew Valley| Sebastian x Reader

♡♡♡♡♡♡ Chapter One: Moving In

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A/N: This is just gonna be a cute romance between Seb and the Farmer, aka Reader. If It’s also available on AO3 and Quotev. I’d visit the masterlist if I were you, since it contains trigger warnings + the story blurb (summary/ synopsis)

♡♡♡♡♡♡

Chapter Summary: After moving in and getting accustomed to life at the farm, you happen to meet a certain someone on a rainy day by the docks.

♡♡♡♡♡♡

The wind whistled through the trees, snaking its way through your hair and causing the leaves to skitter. Immediately the breeze died down as soon as it picked up. 

You had just finished speaking to Major Lewis. Robin, the carpenter, however, had decided to stick around for some more conversation, an idea you weren’t completely against yet weren’t completely welcoming towards either. 

“You should definitely get to meeting all the townsfolk,” Robin said, eyes surveying the wooded, overgrown land. They flicked back to yours, and she smiled. “It’s not everyday we get a new person here in Pelican Town. So they’re all very eager to meet you.”

You smiled and nodded, as she continued:

“And you should meet my kids too. They live with me in the Mountains, oh, the mountains…”

As Robin went off on a long rant on how wonderful and fresh the crisp air of the mountains were, you looked out at the farm stretched before you. It was covered in rocks, wood, overgrown grass and trees. You winced at the thought of having to clean it all up. 

“Anyways, I won’t keep you any further!” Robin smiled, and left. 

You proceeded to dump your luggage on the bed, which creaked under the weight, and rolled your sleeves up. The first thing on your list today, you decided, was to go into town and see how it was. You had, after all, dropped your safe, stable life in Zuzu for this. 

The walk to the village wasn’t too long. You picked up a daffodil along the way, with no other reason than finding it pretty. Immediately you arrived at what seemed to be a clinic. You peered in, but it was closed. The building next to it had a large sign. Pierre’s General Store. A calendar nailed to the wall caught your attention- it was listing all the events and birthdays in town. A specific day seemed to jump out at you: Flower Dance. 

You’d have to ask Mayor Lewis about that. 

You put your hand on the door handle to Pierre’s store and pushed, but the doors refused to budge. It must have been locked, too. You checked your watch. It was only seven. That explained it. 

You wandered down a little, taking in the buildings and houses. You squinted at a small figure in the distance, loitering near a couple of flowers. Seemingly very interesting in them. 

As you moved closer, you realized that it was a little old woman, tending to the flowers. She smiled at you, and you smiled back. “You must be the new farmer. Welcome to the community, dear. I’m Evelyn. You can call me ‘Granny’ if you like.”

You flushed at her kindness. “Alright, Granny.”

She smiled and nodded, before heading inside a small blue house, claiming to go bake some cookies. 

You exhaled slowly, staring at the flowers. The spring sun seemed to glow off of everything, yet the breeze was cool. You felt a faint smile growing on your face. You’d like it here, in Pelican Town. You knew it. 

-

A week had passed. So had your doubts. 

Everyone in the town had been kind to you so far- so far, being the keyword as you hadn’t met many people yet. You’d woken up that morning with rain lashing down, pattering on the roof, echoing through the small cottage. With watering your rather small number of crops being taken care of, you’d decided to devote the day to fishing at the docks, ever grateful for the rather flimsy bamboo rod Willy had gifted you. 

The rain was pouring down harder than when you had left as you arrived at the docks. Your hair stuck to your forehead, slick with water, droplets of it rolling down your cheeks. You carefully picked your way across the docks, which had grown slippery. The sea was choppy, and occasionally hit against the supports of the docks but they were fortunately high enough from the water level. Yet still a few salty drops sprayed onto your face now and then. 

Being as drenched as you were all ready, you just decided to sit down on the edge of the dock, before casting out your rod. You didn’t even notice the man already sitting next to you amidst the whirling wind and drops of rain and seawater. You shivered, cold, before glancing to the side and-

“Oh!” You jumped in surprised, almost toppling off the dock and into the angry sea. “H-hello.”

The man stared at you in silence, the black strands of hair obscuring his face, making it unable to be seen properly, before turning back to the sea. “Hey.”

You’d never felt awkward with the people in Pelican Town until now. You forced a nervous smile, tilting your head. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there. You don’t mind if I sit here, right?”

He dug his hands into the pockets of his black sweatshirt, the moody look on his face deepening. “Whatever,” he muttered, then said under his breath, “The ocean’s better enjoyed alone, though.”

Your own frown hardened into a scowl. “What’s that supposed to mean?” It hadn’t even been ten seconds since you’d met this guy and you were already starting to feel a growing dislike for him.

“Nothing,” he said. You noticed the eyeliner around his eyes getting slightly messed up from the rain, and stared hard back out at sea. So much for everyone in the twon being nice. You must have jinxed it, or something. 

“What’s your name, anyways?” You asked, taking another stab at being friendly. 

“Sebastian,” came the blunt reply.

You stared at him again, for a moment. He caught you staring, and raised an eyebrow, an action which for some reason made your heart pound. “What?”

“Nothing.” You turned your attention back to the fishing rod. The weather was becoming harsher now, your clothes completely drenched through with droplets rolling down your face and arms. Thunder rolled and lightning flashed, making you jump and let out a small noise. Sebastian smirked and you glared at him. “What?”

“Nothing,” he said, clearly mocking you in such a subtle way you wouldn’t expect. You scowled, feeling something tug at the rod. It was a soggy newspaper. Feeling your face burn with embarrassment, you picked it up and scrunched it up in your hand before getting up and stomping down the dock, back towards your farm. 

“Nothing,” You muttered, mockingly. That day, you decided. 

You do not like Sebastian. 

[jagibee]

Call Me Luna

(Stray Kids x Reader)

Chapter 4

2,078 Words

A/N: hihihihi, you guys ready for some quality Chan time? As always, likes, reblogs, and comments are very appreciated and lmk what you think!!!

…

What the fuck.

Why was Bang Christopher Chan at your hotel room?

And dear god why did you have to be wearing your old sweatpants with a hole on the inner thigh in front of an internationally famous kpop band leader with a crazy hot accent and perfect abs?

Regretting that you had taken off your scent blocker and not reapplied one, you cleared your thoughts as best you could.

“H-hello, Chan. What are you doing here?”

He smiled sheepishly. “Is it all right if I come in?”

“Oh! Yes, of course, come in. Do you want a water or soda or something from the fridge?” You led Chan over to sit at the tiny desk while you sat on the bed across from him.

“No, that’s alright.” He looked up at you. “I wanted to talk about everything with you.”

Tilting your head, you responded. “I thought you said we were meeting tomorrow. Is there an emergency or something?”

“Ah, no, no, nothing like that.” He pressed his lips together and looked down at the desk. “I wanted to talk… without the company listening in.”

You hummed in understanding. “Alright. Anything specific?”

Just then, a knock sounded at your door.

You jumped up off the bed. “Sorry, excuse me, I totally forgot that I ordered room service.”

He smiled at you as you rushed to answer the door. As soon as you got your tray, completely littered with bowls and plates, you set it down on the tiny coffee table and sat down on the floor in front of it.

Looking up at Chan, you asked. “Do you want anything?”

He had been staring at the tray but his eyes flicked back up to you. “Hmm? Oh, no that’s alright. Sorry to interrupt you.”

You rolled your eyes and patted the floor next to you. “Come on, I ordered a bunch because I didn’t know what I would like. I can’t actually eat all of this. Honestly, it’s good that you came by so that there’s not a lot that’s wasted.”

He hesitated. “Are you sure? I don’t want to be rude.”

You patted the floor next to you even harder. “Sit down. It’s all getting billed back to the company anyway.”

He huffed out a laugh before finally settling down beside you.

By then you had taken off all the lids and were surveying everything. “Hmm. Any recommendations?”

His eyes widened. “Ooh, try this first,” he said, handing you a bowl.

You took a bite and promptly groaned. “Oh my god, this is so good. Is all hotel food here good?”

Chan chuckled at you. “No, I don’t think so. The company must have really wanted to impress you.”

You snorted. “Honestly, they could have set me up with a zero-star hotel and I would have been perfectly happy as long as they still gave me the job.”

He grinned back at that and took a bite from your bowl when you offered it. “Oh, shit, that is good.”

You gasped mockingly at him. “Bang Chan! You’re swearing? I’m telling your fans.”

He sighed fake exasperatedly. “I can already tell that you are going to gang up with my members against me, aren’t you?”

You smirked. “For sure, old man.”

You both smiled at each other and continued to eat, sharing bowls and making teasing comments. You were surprised how quickly you had become comfortable with him, but that was probably the Bang Chan Effect. Plus, you knew someone in a different type of way when you shared ramen while wearing old sweatpants at who-the-fuck-knows-o’clock.

Taking one last bite, you groaned and leaned back until your back hit the ground.

Chan copied you so you were lying next to each other with your legs splayed out under the coffee table.

You each turned your head to look at each other. God, he’s pretty.

You cleared your throat. “So what was it you wanted to talk about?”

He gazed off in thought before refocusing on you. “Well, we could start with any questions you might have? Ha-joon said you ran out of time today so I mostly wanted to see if you wanted to get any answers without the… company filter.”

You nodded in understanding and stood up to get the file from earlier. When you handed it to him, he sat up to read it and you laid back down in your previous spot.

You noticed Chan itching at his scent blocker. “Do you want to take it off?”

He tilted his head at you. “Sorry?”

You gestured at your own neck. “Do you want to take your scent blocker off?” At his widened eyes, you felt the need to clarify. “I’m not trying to make a move on you or anything, it’s just, you’ve had it on for a while and I know they get annoying, and hey, we might as well get used to each other’s scent already, right?”

He smiled warmly at you. “Right. Do you have a new one I could put on before I leave?”

Nodding, you went and got the box of heavy duty blockers that the company had delivered to your room when you got back. After you handed him one and he put it in his pocket, you laid back in your previous spot next to him.

Chan gazed at you while he peeled his off and threw it away. Settling back down, he turned to the file. Thank goodness he was too busy to notice how you were almost going dizzy with the strong scent of eucalyptus.

After looking over the file, he turned back to face you. “This is both less and more than I expected them to tell you.”

You let out a sharp laugh at that and sat up. “So, is there anything not in there that I need to know?”

Chan considered it for a second. “Well, Felix’s heat is the next one coming up, so we should probably focus on him first. The company wanted you to meet everyone tomorrow, but I didn’t want to overwhelm you or my members, so I thought it would be best if you just met the omegas? What do you think?”

You smiled up at him. “That’s perfect! I can’t wait. Anything I need to know before I meet them?”

Before he could respond, his phone started ringing. He checked it and looked back to you. “Sorry, is it alright if I take this?”

“Oh, sure,” you responded, “Do you want me to go out into the hall to give you some privacy?”

He shook his head. “It’s just Lino. I doubt he’s just going to expose all my deepest, darkest secrets on one random phone call.” Then, he looked off into the distance dramatically. “But really, who can tell with him?”

After he accepted, you could hear the voice without it even being on speakerphone. “Yah, hyung, what took you so long?”

You had to suppress a giggle at the way Chan sighed and rolled his eyes. “I’m busy, what’s up? Is everything alright?”

“I just wanted to tell you that you’re buying coffee for the kids when they’re like zombies tomorrow.”

Chan leaned back and closed his eyes. “Mhmm. Why?”

“You’re the one who told them about meeting the caretaker soon and now they won’t sleep.”

“Tell them that only Hyunjin and Lix are meeting her tomorrow.”

There was a short pause before the other voice replied. “Yah, I’m not meeting her?”

Chan groaned and laid back onto the floor. “You can meet her later! Just the omegas tomorrow!”

“Tomorrow she can meet me, Yongbok, Hyunjin, and you. Then she can meet the others. That way it’s half tomorrow and half later.”

Chan cleared his throat. “Yeah, it didn’t exactly work out that way.”

“What do you mean, hyung?”

Chan glanced at you guiltily before he sighed and answered. “I kind of… met her already?”

“What?!”

At the even louder shout, Chan winced and held the phone further from his ear. “Yeah, I uh. I met her today. Walked in on a meeting accidentally.”

“What’s she like?”

You snorted at that. ‘What am I like?’ You mouthed at Chan.

He smiled back at you. “She’s cool. Gave me food. She smells good.” At that, you could feel heat rising in your cheeks.

“Wait, she gave you food in the middle of her meeting?”

Chan sucked air between his teeth. “Uh… not exactly.”

“Hyung. Where are you.”

Chan sighed. “I’m already buying you coffee tomorrow, can’t you just leave me alone?”

“Are you with her right now?”

“Maybe?”

“And you’re eating food with her?”

Chan laughed. “Well, not anymore.”

You could hear a joking growl over the line. “We’re getting a divorce. I’m taking the kids.”

Chan giggled. “Ah, no, you can’t take all of them!”

“Fine. You can have Seungmin. And Hyunjin.”

“Then Seungmin and Hyunjin can meet Y/N! And you can’t!”

At that, Chan got hung up on. All he did was laugh harder. You couldn’t help but join in until you were both spread out on the ground, limbs slightly overlapping, slightly exhausted from all the laughing.

I could live in this moment forever, you thought.

Then Chan’s phone buzzed. Pulling it out again, he checked it before he started laughing again. He showed you the screen as well.

My Evil Devil Rabbit🐇❤️

So if you met the caretaker today, then four people - me, Yongbok, Hyunjin, and In-ah - could meet her tomorrow and then the others can meet her after. 143.

You giggled at the text. “Wow, he really wants to meet me.”

Chan hummed. “They all do.”

“Great, no pressure,” you grumbled.

Chan blinked at you slowly. “They’re going to love you.”

Before you could respond, he picked up the file again, then turned his gaze back to you. “I know we said just the omegas tomorrow, but would it be alright if he met you? Otherwise, I’ll have to listen to him complain.”

You laughed at that. “It’s fine! I’m just glad I don’t have to meet all eight of you at the same time. Plus, I know he’s trying to play it off but he’s definitely just being protective of his omegas.”

Chan smiled softly at you. “You are good. So tomorrow you meet Danceracha?”

You hummed. “Well, I could also meet someone else. Gotta keep it 143, right?”

Chan released some ‘affectionate’ pheromones. His eyes widened and he slapped his hands over his neck. “Shit, sorry. That was an accident.”

You waved your hand dismissively. “You’re fine, I get it.” You released your own ‘soothing’ pheromones and continued talking once he relaxed. “So which of the other members am I meeting?”

He hummed thoughtfully. “Well, Lino probably had a good idea with meeting I.N tomorrow. He’s extra sensitive because he’s still getting used to his ruts, so I think it would be good to meet him with the first group instead of making him wait.”

You nodded. “Sounds good to me. Oh! Before I forget…” Chan’s eyes turned to you. “Mini fridges.”

He recoiled. “Mini fridges?”

“Mini fridges,” you confirmed.

He huffed out a laugh. “What about them?”

“Do you have them?”

“No?”

You shrugged. “You should definitely get a couple. At least one for each dorm. That way, if someone is in their heat, or their slip, or their rut, and they don’t want to leave their room, they can still eat.”

Chan blinked slowly. “That’s a good idea. Anything else?”

You scrunched up your face. “Not anything I can think of now.”

“Alright.” He smiled and stood up. “I should be leaving soon. Otherwise, someone might try to hunt me down at my studio, only I won’t be there.”

You laughed at that and stood up to walk him to the door. You waited for him to take the scent blocker out of his pocket and apply it before he opened the door.

“Well,” he turned to you, “I’ll see you tomorrow then, Y/N.”

You smiled up at him. “See you tomorrow.”

You watched him walk a couple feet away before he shouted “Wait!” And ran back to you. He pushed past you, grabbed the pen and file off the desk and wrote something down. He straightened up and handed it to you. “My number,” he told you, “text me if you have any questions!”

After the two of you exchanged goodbyes, he left and you slumped against your door.

What the fuck?

…

Taglist:

(Bold means I can’t tag you, sorry for the inconvenience!)

@eastleighsblog

@detectivedoodle

@niaalove

@scarletrosesposts

@royal-shinigami

@peachbokkie

@yuhjoeyuh

@im-sinking-in-mud

[shleepyissleepy]

When Sweet Meets Savory

Alastor/GN!Reader

Prolouge

Content warnings: Vague depictions of violence and death.

Notes: Descriptions, name, and gender of the reader is left alone.

___________________________________________

Dropping ass first into hell wasn't exactly on today's to-do list. The last thing you remember upon waking up in the middle of a bustling, critter ridden city was that you had just gone out for your morning stroll. It was quiet out. The fog had just begun to settle in, and it seemed that the day was due for a little rain. You had plans to go shopping, tidy up your quaint little apartment, and get some chores done. Perhaps read a book or two while your record player sang sweet melodies. Yes, a peaceful, productive day was in the works, well that was, until you decided to take a detour through the trail just short of less than a mile it'd take otherwise to get to the convenience store.

Something felt incredibly off. Entering the forest opening were the trail began, and stepping past the overgrowth of weeds and roots, it was clear this area of the neighborhood didn't get many guests. Normally, it's a smooth sailing walk, besides tripping over a couple of rocks and roots, that takes less than 10 minutes to walk through fully. However, today, it seemed you had a plus one. Someone had followed you into the trail, judging by the crackling footsteps behind you. Part of you assumed they just happened to be going the same way you were, but it just felt... wrong.

Anxiety started bubbling up in the pit of your stomach. Of course, you must be overreacting, but it couldn't hurt to pick up the pace a bit. Bad move. Immediately, the steps behind you move faster, and out of reflex, you do as well, sending you to full-on sprint. Slapping branches out of your way and jumping over protruding mounds of dirt at the speed you were going, mixed with the ever-growing fear as agitated grunting and heavy steps close in behind you causes you to hyperventilate. You didn't even make it halfway through the trail when the perpetrator caught up to you, tackling and pinning you down. You wondered if anyone heard your screams, or if anyone found your mutilated body.

Well anywho, that's how you found yourself here, admist the chaos of a crimson city. Honestly, you expected more fire and pitchforks. Adapting to your new environment took some time, well okay, a lot of time. Eventually, when you stumbled upon your reflection for the first time, you had audibly yelled in shock and fell on your ass. If you had a nickle for everytime that's happened since you got here you'd have two, which is not a lot but it's funny that it happened twice. Finding somewhere to settle proved extremely difficult given the fact that it was hell and everything came with a price, whether it be in the form of an "act of service", to giving up your mortal soul... and an absurd amount of money, of course. Which was why you eventually found yourself standing at the ominous front entrance of the comically infamous in completely bombing, Hazbin Hotel.

A place meant to house and redeem sinners. To be completely honest, you knew exactly why you were here in hell, however you were not very keen on sharing that information. But maybe if you could waltz in, and give a good enough introduction to apply for a job here, you may also get to have a decent roof over your head. Now the only issue with this little plan, was that there was literally no job openings that you knew of listed here, so you had to come up with... well something. Maybe coming here on a whim was a terrible idea, or it might just be the best decision you'll ever make in your undead life. You'll never know until you open those doors.

With a sigh and somewhat confidant stance, you push open the double doors, reveling in the crimson golden glow of the hotel. Immediately you find yourself in the lobby with pointedly no check in desk. Clasping your hands behind your back, you survey the interior and notice a bar to the left of you. A cat like demon with wings is behind the bar cleaning a glass, and actively avoiding to look in your general direction, but he definitely knows you're there. Just before you can finish examining your surroundings, a cheery voice booms infront of you.

"Hellooo!" You stumble back, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. A young woman in a red suit stands before you and practically touching noses with you seconds prior.

"Oh my gosh I'm sososo sorry I didn't mean to spook you, I'm just so excited to see a new guest!" Her voice trails off in a giddy nature, her heels rocking lightly. Finally you begin to process that the princess of hell, Charlie Morningstar, is in front of you. Which of course you expected, but not quite imagining it like this. Releasing the tension in you posture you hold out a hand to shake, introducing yourself. She practically shakes your arm off.

"It's so nice to meet you, I'm Charlie Morningstar- ah, but you can just call me Charlie..." backing away with a spin, her arms reaching out beside her in a grand display.

"Welcome to the Hazbin Hotel~!" She ends of with a sing song tune to her voice.

"Ah, it's nice to meet you as well...uhm but I'm here looking to be a guest, per say." Shit. You really didn't think this through. Also "per say"? Who says that??? Charlie laughs faintly, closing the distance once again to hold one of yoy hands in hers in a polite sort of fashion.

"Ah nonsense. Everyone is a guest here!" She tugs your hand gently but with purpose, guiding you towards the bar.

"C'mon lemme show you around, this is the baarr and the bar tenderrr.~" The demon behind the bar finally shoots you a non-committal glance before going back to scrubbing a... completely clean glass... yeeahhh. You give him a polite wave regardless and move on.

Over the course of the next thirty minutes, Charlie gives you a tour around the hotel. You couldn't help but feel charmed by her excited nature. She gushed on and on about the hotel and its goals, she seemed really committed to this place, you could practically see the sparkle in her eyes. Eventually, she got to asking you about what brings you to the hotel, your goals and such. Welp, time to bullshit something!

"Well you see, I'm here on business. I see your vision of redeeming souls, and I have an offer for you, if you're interested." Please almighty Lucifer be interested. She urges you to continue.

"I have a wonderful idea that could add some frosting to the cake, if you will. To your lessons and exercises. How do you feel about opening a library?" An awkward pause floats in the air. Charlie cocks her head slightly as she feigned a smile.

"Ah... a library?" You pat the air with your hands to wave away the tension. Internally screaming at the single braincell in your head to come up with something.

"Let me elaborate." Clearing your throat, you straighten your posture. A shiver runs down your back, and there's a dry spot in your throat. Time to make the pitch.

"With a library, guests can find themselves a quiet escape, something healthy and stimulating. Not only that, but you could utilize a library for writing and reading exercises. What's a better way to connect with people and to express yourself? I can offer poetry and calligraphy lessons, teach others to write about their experiences and through this medium, perhaps there would be a better chance to really help sinners along the way to redemption!" Slightly out of breath, you finish off with your best award winning smile. Most of that was just complete bullshitting out of your ass, but there was some truth to it. You always found comfort in setting like a library, or a cozy cafe in the hidden nook of a shopping center. Reading and writing has been proven to be therapeutic and a good medium for expressing yourself. Letting the mind wander and letting your imagination take hold of a pen- you're losing focus.

Your eyes snap back to Charlie from where they had trailed off, she stares back wide eyed. Worried you may have offended her for even pitching this ridiculous idea, you began to apologize. However you were interrupted by her grabbing your shoulders. She stood on the very tips of her toes and gleamed.

"That. is. a. WONDERFUL IDEA!" She spins you around for a moment before gushing further about all the new ideas she has for lesson plans and exercises.

After a while of banter back and forth, you were surprised and relieved to hear that you got the job. Not only that, but you were extatic to hear that you would be receiving your own room. Score! This is exactly what you needed. Now the only issue was the fact that the hotel... did not have anywhere to put a library, but that can be arranged! Charlie said she knew the perfect person for the job...

...and that was when you immediately regretted your decisions.

[ldajches]

Hi All,

I am a media psychologist with the Pennsylvania State University and a Heartstopper fan! Currently, I am conducting research on Heartstopper, the LGBTQ+ community, and identity processing. I have a cool opportunity for fans to participate in a survey!

The purpose of this study is to understand fans’ experiences with the Netflix television show, Heartstopper. In particular, we’d like to know how Heartstopper is related to fans’ mental health, identity processing, experiences of adversity, and their viewer affinity with the show and characters. The questionnaire will take about 30 minutes to complete. Participants must be at least 13 years old, identify as a Heartstopper fan, and identify with the LGBTQ+ community to participate. All genders and races/ethnicities are invited to participate.

Do NOT take this survey more than once. Please take the survey in one sitting and we kindly ask that you to devote your entire attention to the survey material.

The survey can be found at: https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bOwWdYa9c31fp0G

The consent form with more specific details will be on the first page of the questionnaire.

An Institutional Review Board responsible for human subjects research at The Pennsylvania State University reviewed this research project and found it to be acceptable, according to applicable state and federal regulations and University policies designed to protect the rights and welfare of participants in research.

If you have any questions, please contact the lead research investigator, Leah Dajches at lud310@psu.edu

Thank you so much for your time.