#*sighs wearily and hides in a blanket*

[farmr-arma]

Guys. Buddies. Lads.

You don't need to deerkult me. I'm already here.

[amica-aenigmata-naboo]

Unfinished

Astarion x Y/N - drabble - 1.1K WC

Masterlist

Warnings: none - this is fluff

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Today was anything but easy. Everything, absolutely everything, had gone from bad to worse. Arriving back at camp was the only reprieve you had gotten all day. You walked straight through camp, on a mission into the woods. Astarion watched you, everyone could feel the waves of frustration sloughing off you and decided it was wise to leave you be. Everyone except Astarion. 

He followed you deep into the night. He found you panting and sweating as you hacked your sword about wildly, slashing and chopping every tree you possibly could. You threw your sword down and launched your helmet at a tree before sinking down to your knees. You slowly took your armor off, Astarion watched you from the shadows of the tree line. You look utterly exhausted. Your skin was dull, the bags under your eyes were heavy and dark, you looked frail despite your strong abilities as a paladin. 

You sighed, setting down the last hunk of metal. You rubbed your aching muscles, desperate for relief. Sighing, you watched the stars as they glittered and danced about in the sky. Oh to be a star, beautiful and without limitations. You laid on your side, not wanting to even hold yourself up anymore. You breathed in the dirt and moss beneath you, letting your body go completely limp. You faded quickly, sleep finally conquering your overworked form. 

---------------------------

Your body shivered with the cool night breeze. Astarion draped a blanket over you, sitting next to you with a book and a knife. He didn’t want to leave you alone, but he didn’t want to wake you either. He saw you struggle lately and today seemed to be the worst of it. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, he thought. You were a good leader for the little band of misfits but even leaders need reprieve. He watched you sleep for a bit. He had never seen someone so peaceful, completely vulnerable to the world. He memorized the soft curves of your face, he longed to touch them. Just a touch wouldn’t hurt. He brushed a bit of hair away from your eyes. Wrong move. Your eyes remained closed as you clamped your hand around his wrist while your free hand pointed his own dagger at his throat. Only then did your eyes wearily open. 

“Astarion?” you questioned, loosening your grip and pulling the blade back before setting it down. 

“Do you make a habit out of almost killing your companions? Or is that just reserved for me?” he said, his usual smirk and sultry tone ever present. 

You noticed the blanket over you, “Thank you…” you said and you snuggled in deeper. 

He nodded, you watched each other in comfortable silence for a few moments. 

“How is it that you have followed me for 200 years and yet your heart still speeds up when I am near?” he whispered, thinking you were asleep. 

You sat up immediately, eyes flicking to him. He looked surprised for a moment, neither of you sure who should talk first.

“You’ve known this whole time?” you asked.

He nodded, “I just haven’t figured out why or what you are.”

“I’ll tell you.” you sighed, scooting over to him. “I am… death.”

His eyes widened, “Beg your pardon?” 

“Well - kinda… I was death's apprentice… I got fired…” you chuckled at the end, trying to hide your reddening face.

“How do you get fired from being death?” he asked with shock in his voice.

“I refused to kill someone who’s time was up.” you shrugged, shying away from specifics.

“So why follow me for 200 years? I thought you were a ghost… a figment of my imagination. You never looked completely real…” he whispered the last bit.

“I retained my powers as a servant of death. Whenever you saw me, you saw my obscure form. I was basically a shadow.” you explained.

“Why didn’t you help me?!” he shouted, making you jolt.

“I wanted to… believe me, I did.” you whispered.

“Then why didn’t you?! You had every opportunity, all the power in the world - and yet you let me suffer! Why!” he was yelling now, pacing in front of you.

“Because I had no choice!” you shouted, making Astarion stop and look at you.

“When the Gur attacked you… It… it was you I refused to kill. Death may have relinquished me from my apprenticeship but death is a fickle mistress. She kept me from you, I couldn’t get near you unless I was a shadow.” you spoke as calmly as you could but your voice wavered as tears began to fill your waterline.

“How are you here now then?” he glared at you.

You forced your tadpole to connect with Astarion’s, making it wriggle uncomfortably in his skull. “The same reason you can walk in the sun.” you tapped your head a few times.

He sighed, settling down next to you again. 

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry… truly.” you mumbled, quickly wiping your tears away. 

“Why did you refuse to kill me?” he asked. 

“I… I just couldn’t. Something about your soul felt… unfinished. You did technically die, but not in the way death wanted. Dying is only valuable if a soul is gained, you kept your soul.” 

“And you paid the price for it… were you forced to watch me?” he asked.

You shook your head, “No, I stayed because… I wanted to make sure death didn’t come for you. I wanted to keep you safe. I did a rotten job.” 

“Two unlucky peas in a pod. In another life, we could have been friends.” he said, bumping his shoulder into yours, giving you a soft smile.

“And in this life?” you asked quietly, afraid of his answer.

“Truth be told - I always found comfort in your shadow. The ghostly figure who sang to me, prayed over me, whispered to me. Perhaps our luck is looking up now. Perhaps we could be something… more?” he finally turned his head to meet your eyes. 

You scanned his face, not sure what you were looking for. You acted on impulse, rushing your lips to his. He pulled you in by your waist, kissing you back. 

“The vampire spawn and the apprentice of death - quite the combination, little love.” he spoke as he kissed your neck a few times.

“We both have masters to kill, maybe we are fated to love after all.” you joked.

“200 years together and now you think were fated?” He laughed a bit. He had always been amazed by you, this strange enigma. His small bit of solace in horrendous times. And here he finds you, real, touchable, and best of all - you love him back.

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Naboo's Note:

Hello! I hope this is to everyones liking, life is just really stressful (tis the season) so ideas are lacking but I will try to be consistent and at least post one new fic per week. Love all the support and appreciate every bit of it <3 Thank you all for the likes, comments, reblogs, and requests. XOXOXOXOXO!!!

[mengy007]

The Aftermath of today’s episode:

(The sun and Moon show episode: Eclipse is a sad nobody)

Eclipse stumbled wearily through the pizzaplex as a soft sobbing noise was heard.

Sun’s outburst plus the pain he was experiencing from the Star’s backlash had caused him to cry, he had never actually cried before so this was new and alarming to him, gosh what if someone found him like this?!

“Why can’t I stop…” He mumbled through whimpers and cries, “this is so pathetic…”

He ended up collapsing after his legs gave out on him and he fell in the place he wanted to be in the least…

Gator Golf.

‘I’m going to die here…’ he thought, Sun and Moon’s words rang in his head…

He clamped his hands over the sides of his faceplate, trying to block out the noise, then reached out for something, anything. Some source of comfort thought he knew he didn’t deserve it…

To his surprise, a gentle blue and green hand held his, and without thinking he took hold of it, his artificial lungs were breathing rapidly as he struggled to say something, a reassuring hand pat his head and an angelic voice hushed him, “Hey, it’s okay Eclipse. Im here” The voice spoke Eclipse recognized it now…it was Earth.

Eclipse was choking on his words, sobbing uncontrollably

“It hurts, it hurts…” He whimpered, “I can’t breathe…”

“Just relax, it’s okay” Earth said, continuing to pat his head “it’s alright, you’re not alone anymore”

Earth helped him to sit upright and put her hands on his shoulders.

Eclipse was covering his face with his hands and was still sobbing softly, “Eclipse, you need to breathe okay?” Earth said, “follow me, just relax. It’s okay”

She slowly breathed in and out, making sure Eclipse followed her breathing, and eventually he calmed down.

“…but why?” Eclipse asked, “Why what?” Earth replied, tilting her head a bit “why did you help me…? I hurt Sun and Moon, I killed Lunar…” Eclipse said, Earth frowned and reached up to put a hand on his cheek…

Eclipse gasped lightly and flinched as if she was going to hit him.

This saddened Earth even more, and she gently rested her hand on Eclipse’s cheek, Eclipse looked at her, seemingly amazed. He had never had any form of physical attention or comfort before, this was his first.

“I help you because no one deserves to suffer like this, even someone as bad as you are…” She said “and technically, I’m your sister. This is just what siblings do for eachother” she gave a friendly smile.

Eclipse listened to her words and gently held the wrist of her hand that was on his cheek

When she attempted to pull it away Eclipse just whimpered and pulled it back, he didn’t understand why but he didn’t want the comfort to leave…

Earth sighed and gently hugged Eclipse

The hug from Earth was warm, gentle, and Eclipse felt safe…

All these emotions were new to him, some were scary to experience and even scarier because he didn’t understand them, but Earth made all those bad feelings seemingly melt away…

Eclipse just went limp, letting Earth hug him.

He closed his eyes and let out a content sigh, he was so tired…

Maybe for once he could sleep and not have to worry about anything…

Just this once.

And before he knew it, he had drifted off.

Earth noticed how still Eclipse was, and when she glanced at him she saw he was asleep, She smiled a bit and picked him up which was an easy task because she was much taller than him, she went into the vents and being Earth, naturally she was curious and had often explored the vents, she had found a little secret storage room she could hide him in so he could sleep, in her eyes he was a child, he didn’t fully grasp what he wanted and had no idea how to process emotions. So naturally, she took care of him like one.

She set up a small little makeshift bed with an old mattress and a blanket she found as well as a pillow, and she gently laid Eclipse there, tucking him in.

Her work was done here, so she left him a note on how to exit the place just in case and left the vents…

[mellyssageverse]

Eclipsed Chapter 1

Prologue can be found here.

Chapter 2 can be found here.

This is Chapter 1 of the ZoLu(Nika) fic I’m working on. I’m posting here until I complete the story for my AO3 account, so this is subject to some change.

Summary: Sun God Nika is accused of a crime he did not commit. Nika goes into hiding to avoid being hunted by other Gods who wish to have him replaced. This inadvertently plunges the world into darkness, triggering an ice age. Only one human has faith that Nika will return the Sun.

It was cold.

Snow swirled and danced menacingly through the air, stabbing at anyone daring enough to trudge through the storm. Zoro turned up his coat collar to fight against the wind that bit at his neck. How long had it been since the sun disappeared? Months?

The once vibrant world, now cloaked in a desolate winter landscape, had become a haunting echo of its former self. Ice-laden branches groaned under the weight, and the once lively flora lay dormant beneath a thick blanket of snow. The encroaching ice age, triggered by Nika's mysterious disappearance, cast its relentless grip on the earth.

Zoro trudged wearily through the icy terrain until he found what he was looking for. A weathered tavern nestled at the edge of the frozen forest. After hours of wandering lost, courtesy of one villager’s terrible directions, Zoro found comfort in the flickering lanterns that seemed to offer a feeble warmth that beckoned him inside. As he pushed open the creaking door, the tavern welcomed him with a blast of heated air that momentarily thawed his frozen bones.

Zoro found solace in the dimly lit interior of the tavern. The atmosphere was heavy with the collective weight of uncertainty and fear that lingered in the air. Patrons huddled around tables, their faces etched with worry.

As Zoro settled into a seat at the bar and paid for a room for the night. The woman behind the bar silently slipped a key in front of him, he couldn't shake the sense of loss that permeated the air. Nika’s disappearance had thrown the world into chaos, leading Zoro to a life of bounty hunting just to get enough money for shelter and food, which was growing scarcer the longer they lived in a sunless existence. With a heavy sigh, Zoro ordered a drink and food to momentarily drown the chill in his soul, hoping that somewhere beyond the frost, a flicker of warmth still existed.

"I was there when it happened," proclaimed a loud, older gentleman from across the bar. Zoro's eyebrow twitched in irritation. He couldn't fathom why some people felt the need to broadcast their conversations so boisterously. Downing his drink in a deep gulp, Zoro hoped to drown out the man's voice. "I was there when Nika destroyed Ohara."

A couple of listeners erupted in laughter at the old man's words. Zoro's jaw clenched, his irritation now palpable as he continued to sip his drink, attempting to distance himself from the disruptive tale unfolding across the bar.

“How could you have been there? That place was desecrated beyond recognition. Nika’s wrath left no survivors.” One of the listeners pointed out.

“I was on a fishing vessel not too far from the island when the attack took place,” claimed the older gentleman. Zoro glanced at the man from the corner of his eye. The man seemed to have captivated others as well. With little information about what happened to Ohara, claiming any details was sure to draw a crowd. Undeterred, the man continued to speak, “I had just started to reel in my netting when I noticed a change in the sky. Clouds began to swirl overhead, as if a storm was coming. I feared becoming caught in the unexpected storm and rushed to prepare to make my way towards land.”

Zoro maintained a stoic expression, his focus shifting back to his drink. The old man's tale stirred a storm within him, and while his curiosity was piqued, he chose to keep his silence. The entire bar had fallen silent, devoid of the usual clinking of silverware or the greedy gulps of alcohol. The only discernible sound for Zoro was the shifting of one patron in the corner, fidgeting uneasily in his seat.

“The swirling clouds settled over Ohara, an intense bright light emanated from the eye of the storm, bathing Ohara in a radiant glow that seemed to ignite the sea itself.” The old man paused to take a drink. His expression was pained, as if reliving the moment caused him great distress, and the only comfort for his nerves was found in his drink. He set the cup down with a trembling hand, foam from the beer still clinging to his mustache. “Then fire rained down. Nika’s solar flares snapped upon Ohara like flaming whips, scorching everything they touched. Another bright light burst from the clouds, Nika’s sunlight caused a massive wave to hit my boat and capsized it, plunging me into the rough waters. By the time I had climbed onto what was left of my ship, all of Ohara was already gone.” The man placed his head in his hands, the stress of reliving the situation seemingly overwhelming him. “I was on that damn debris for two days before help came. I know the Gods can be cruel, but nothing has ever been done to this extent before. Why would Nika do such a thing.”

The uneasiness in the corner persisted, the shifting patron seemingly absorbed in the tale.

“That wasn’t Nika…” Zoro huffed irritably into his food. Unbeknownst to him, the attention of the patrons had shifted towards him, but he remained focused on his meal, oblivious to the eyes now fixed on him.

“I beg your pardon?” An offended patron next to the old man confronted Zoro, drawing his attention. The sudden focus sent a shiver down Zoro's spine, the hairs on his back standing on end. “How can you sit there and say that the tragedy that befell Ohara wasn’t Nika’s doing? Only the Sun God can use the sun’s powers to rain down fire in such a way.”

Zoro glared up from his meal, his gaze steady and unwavering.

“Nika was becoming well known for his generous blessings towards mankind before the Ohara tragedy. Why would he change his kind nature so abruptly?” Zoro countered, addressing the fuming patron.

“Probably for the same reason why he disappeared!” The young man snapped back. “You didn’t find it odd that Nika plunged the entire world into darkness right after he destroyed Ohara?!”

Zoro's jaw clenched in response to the challenging tone.

"Disappearances and darkness doesn’t make someone guilty. Rushing to conclusions won't bring the truth to light." The intense exchange drew disapproving glares from other patrons now fixated on Zoro. Only the patron in the far corner looked at Zoro differently, his brown eyes wide with awe. “Nika will bring back the sun. He wouldn’t leave us like this.”

The younger patron stood so quickly that his chair was knocked over from the force.

“He never should’ve taken away the sun to begin with! Every day gets colder! Crops are dying! Food is becoming scarce! My sick wife couldn’t even survive one month in these freezing temperatures.” Angry tears welled in the man’s eyes as he stared Zoro down. “Nika was supposed to bring light into my world, not snuff it out!”

Zoro sensed the growing animosity from other patrons towards him, a common occurrence when he defended Nika.

"The sun will return. We just need to endure this darkness a bit longer." Zoro asserted, unyielding despite the hostile glares around him.

The woman behind the bar reclaimed the key she had placed on the table, returning his money with a cold demeanor.

“I don’t think it would be wise to accept your business,” she said sharply. “I suggest you find other lodgings for the night.”

Zoro gritted his teeth, his frustration evident to those around him. He would have to brave the cold again. At least this time, he wouldn’t be doing it on an empty stomach. Pushing away his finished plate, Zoro stood to leave. He sensed the intense hatred aimed his way. Without another word, he trudged out into the snow, oblivious to the fact that the fidgeting patron in the corner’s eyes followed his every move with great curiosity.

After seeking refuge in the warm tavern, stepping back into the freezing cold felt harsher. The winds were forceful, the snow sharper, and the cold seeped into him. Zoro walked forward. If he learned to keep his mouth shut about his opinions on Nika, he wouldn’t constantly find himself in this situation. Yet, it felt wrong to silence his thoughts on Nika. Others might have been quick to turn their back on the God, but Zoro never forgot how the God’s blessing on Isshen Dojo impacted so many lives or how Kuina held the God in such high regard.

To denounce Nika would be equivalent to dishonoring his friend’s memory, and Zoro couldn't betray the unwavering faith Kuina had in Nika. Wado seemed to weigh heavily on his hip as Zoro remembered Kuina. She passed long before this whole mess started, never knowing a world without Nika’s light. Despite the circumstances, Zoro believed that Kuina would’ve still loved Nika. Kuina had a way of seeing the good in others, and Zoro, honoring her memory, held onto that faith, believing there was still good in Nika too.

Amidst the relentless snowfall, Zoro walked through the small village and into the forest. His arms trembled, attempting in vain to shield him from the biting snow. Even the shirt on his back couldn’t keep out the chill. With no place to rest, Zoro wondered if he would have to walk all night to ward off the cold. Teeth involuntarily chattered at the thought. Pressing on, the moonlight became his guiding companion.

With no particular destination, Zoro resorted to his familiar tactic: letting the wind guide him to the next shelter. He wouldn’t admit it, but he wasn’t always the best at figuring out directions. However, allowing the wind to blow him from place to place felt like a more straightforward option. Besides, the wind at his back was preferable to biting at his face. Suddenly, Zoro stumbled upon a glimmer of hope… footprints etched in the snow like a magical trail. The swordsman followed them in desperate pursuit, yearning for any sign of shelter.

Weary and numb, Zoro pressed on, his limbs burdened by an icy weight. Despite his determination, Zoro found himself face planting into the unforgiving snow, the cold ice piercing through his skin like daggers. Darkness crept into the corners of his vision. The end seemed imminent. The forest began closing in, threatening to claim him. Yet, a sudden radiance descended from above, thawing the ice that seemed to seep into his very bones. In a feeble attempt to understand this newfound warmth, Zoro followed the luminous glow, tracing it back to its source.

To his astonishment, the footprints had led him to an individual daring enough to wear sandals in this freezing abyss. Zoro’s gaze ascended, widening in disbelief, when he beheld an otherworldly figure. A man with hair that danced like flames against the biting cold and a smile that emanated a warmth matching the radiant light that surrounded him.

It was the last thing Zoro saw before his vision went dark.

(Next Chapter)

[arcade-chaos]

Promptober 1: Sugar

Decided to do one of these for the first time!

Sun x Reader x Moon, 1448 words, they/them/Y/N for reader, forehead kiss is the most romantic it gets :3 enjoy!

“Yo Y/N!” One of the teens barked from across the employee lounge, despite the smallness of the space. 

“What are you hooligans up to?” They hummed, eyeing the cup they were all gathered around wearily. They didn’t know how they ended up being so popular with the young crowd- though it was probably because they were the least likely to yell at them for mistakes, and offer them rides home, and comp their food if they forgot their wallets- okay ya maybe they did know. 

“Wanna try some battery acid?” 

“What.” Kyle looked up with a wide grin, gesturing to the acidic green ooze in the cup.

“Battery acid!” 

“That clarifies nothing.” 

“Okay so-” ohhh boy “you get a monster-”

“Green apple-” 

“And a bunch of sour candy-”

“And some nerds!”

“And some nerds, and you mix it all together!” 

“... Is the point to throw up or something?” He shrugged, slipping one of the extra sour worms into his mouth.

“I dunno, I saw it on tiktok. Wanna try?”

“Are you making me the guinea pig? Who else has tried it?” None of them raised their hands. 

“... I’ll give you 20 bucks if you slam at least half of it.” Rachael piped up suddenly. The promise of a free lunch made the cup look no less rancid.

“40.” They bickered for a moment, each digging through their wallets until a pile of bills was on the table. With a sigh they poured half of it into a new cup grimacing at the chunks of gummy worms and undissolved nerds that splashed into the bottom. “Chunks too?” They all nodded. 

Swallowing their pride, and the sour pang in the back of their throat, they slammed it back. They got a few gulps before coughing, pulling away to cringe at the taste coating their mouth.

“Fucking hell-” 

“Language-” One of them teased, pointing to the daycare badge that hung around their neck.

Y/N stuck their tongue out and swallowed the rest, crunching the last few bits with a disgusted grimace. They grabbed the bills and quickly stuffed them in their pockets before running over to the sink to stick their head under. 

“That was the worst thing I’ve ever done. And I went to college.” The teens snickered, now shoving the other cup amongst themselves to goad the others into a sip. “I gotta go work now. Don’t let Gwen sniff that or she might actually keel over from a sugar rush.” They waved goodbye and half heartedly hummed affirmations, now more interested in Lilly’s cautious sniffing of the cup. 

The walk to the daycare was uneventful, though their stomach swam with quiet threats. 

“Hh…” The daycare was loud, kids running amok as the daycare attendant and the morning shift struggled to keep them contained. 

“Oh thank god-” Stacy wheezed, buckling over the desk as three kids screamed by.

“That bad huh?” 

“Tiny terrors.” She hissed, putting on a false smile as Sun squinted at her. “Todd got into the slime and started hitting kids with it, Rene is missing her blanket, and for the life of me I cannot find Freddy’s toy dog anywhere!” They nodded and glanced up towards the structures, noting a little brown paw poking out near the top of the structure.

“Ya Paula likes to chuck it up there. I’ll get it for you, you can go if you want.”

“Really?” She tried to hide the excitement in her eyes. “I mean it's a mess-”

“Eh, I can deal.” Their blood was rushing fast, glancing around at all the kids. They could keep up, it would be fine. 

“Thanks!” They hardly noticed as she grabbed her coat and high tailed it, instead focusing on Sun who was comforting one of the kids. He glanced at them with a nod as they ran up the structure, grabbing the foot of the toy before jumping back. 

“Mr. Sun!! L/N climbed on the playplace!!” Kennedy cried, nearly getting knocked over by some kids who they hoped were just playing tag. 

“Thank you Kennedy! I told them it was okay, just this once!” Sun sung, sighing in relief as they handed the dog over to the sobbing boy. 

“There there friend! See, he’s okay!” Freddy’s sobs quieted down as he held his toy tight, glaring at Paula who sat in timeout with a few other kids. 

“Why don’t you see if Roger wants to play house?” They suggested softly, pushing him towards the quieter area of the daycare. Sun huffed as soon as he was out of sight, glancing over his domain nervously. 

“You okay Sunny?” He whined and nodded, tapping his foot against the ground. 

“Naughty kids, too many little hands today. So so happy you’re here though Starshine! Sorry I didn’t get to say hello!” They shrugged, bouncing on their toes as he glanced at them with a hum.

“What?”

“You’re… bouncier than normal.” He commented, following them as they headed towards the open area in front of the desk. 

“I feel pretty good today, that’s all.” Sun nodded slowly, cut off by another scream from across the daycare. 

“Be right back!” He barked, taking off through the maze of kids and toys. Instead of settling by the desk they walked, darting around kids and checking over the areas where Sunny couldn’t be. Most of the kids were calmer as the day went on, leaving them restless and bouncy. By the time they crossed paths with Sun again all the kids were either drawing or playing with some of the calmer toys, though a few were looping around the slide.

“Sunshine?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re shaking.” They paused, glancing at their hands. They were stuffed with craft supplies, and notably trembling. 

“Oh.” 

“Are you sure you’re okay? What did you have for breakfast?”

“Just a leftover sandwich… I slept well too before Moon butts in.” Sun snorted, pulling the bucket away from them gently.

“Maybe you should go sit until nap time hmm? I’ll call if I need you.” It was clear from his body language there was no argument to be had, so they trudged back to the desk. While they were there they could at least do some paperwork. 

None of it held their attention for long enough, soon there were half filled out forms and scratched up lists littering the desk. They snapped up as the lights dimmed, startled Sun hadn’t called them to help the kids.

“Shh…” Someone pushed them back down into the chair, Moon’s hands rubbing little circles into their shoulders. “Relax.”

“Don’t you want help with the kids?”

“I want you to rest, starlight.” He hummed, placing a water bottle from god knows where on the desk. “I’ll be back in a few.” The lack of light soothed their pulsing temples, aided by some pain meds someone had stashed in the locked cabinet. They could hear Moon’s voice across the way, soothing the kids to sleep with one of the many princess story books. Their stomach growled as they glanced at the clock- almost time for lunch. The door creaked open as Rachael snuck in, eyeing the scene as they made it to the desk. 

“Hey, here to relieve you. I’m sure you’re probably feeling sick by now.” She whispered, squinting into the darkness to find a familiar set of red eyes. 

“Thanks.” 

“Now why,” Moon started, snorting as she yelped away from where he had snuck up “would starlight be feeling sick hmmm?”

“Uhh-”

“Moon, play nice.” Most of the staff was weary of him, but the teens were usually the least jumpy. They were more likely to tease him in all honesty.

“Hmm.” He mulled over the idea, tapping his faceplate as he squinted at her.

“I um, I may have made them drink battery acid?”

“You didn’t make me-” they ignored the way Moon jerked, waving his concerns away. “It’s just some energy drink thing they were making-”

“I did bribe you into it though-”

“Well I said yes-”

“Still, I’m sorry Y/N. I’m sorry Moon.” Moon squinted as she shuffled, eyes down. Y/N not to subtly gestured to her, raising their eyebrows as the night attendant shifted.

“... Apology accepted.” He grumbled, clearly not too into it. She smiled anyways, taking over their chair as Moon walked them to the door. 

“I’ll come back and eat with you if you’d like.” They offered, noting the way he hovered close.

“... Please.” He mumbled, knocking his faceplate into their shoulder. “And then you rest. You’re gonna crash.” They hummed and toyed with the end of his hat, swaying as he looped his arms around their waist. 

“Okay.” They pressed their lips to his forehead before backing away, glancing at the desk where Rachael was clearly trying not to oogle. “Be nice for me, nightlight.” His face rotated as he clung to the door, covering his face with his hat.

“Only for you.”

[mellyssageversee]

Eclipsed - Chapter 1

ZoLu/LuZo AU (Sun God Nika)

Repost from my other blog.

Summary: Sun God Nika is accused of a crime he did not commit. Nika goes into hiding to avoid being hunted by other Gods who wish to have him replaced. This inadvertently plunges the world into darkness, triggering an ice age. Only one human has faith that Nika will return the Sun.

Prologue

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

It was cold.

Snow swirled and danced menacingly through the air, stabbing at anyone daring enough to trudge through the storm. Zoro turned up his coat collar to fight against the wind that bit at his neck. How long had it been since the sun disappeared? Months?

The once vibrant world, now cloaked in a desolate winter landscape, had become a haunting echo of its former self. Ice-laden branches groaned under the weight, and the once lively flora lay dormant beneath a thick blanket of snow. The encroaching ice age, triggered by Nika's mysterious disappearance, cast its relentless grip on the earth.

Zoro trudged wearily through the icy terrain until he found what he was looking for. A weathered tavern nestled at the edge of the frozen forest. After hours of wandering lost, courtesy of one villager’s terrible directions, Zoro found comfort in the flickering lanterns that seemed to offer a feeble warmth that beckoned him inside. As he pushed open the creaking door, the tavern welcomed him with a blast of heated air that momentarily thawed his frozen bones.

Zoro found solace in the dimly lit interior of the tavern. The atmosphere was heavy with the collective weight of uncertainty and fear that lingered in the air. Patrons huddled around tables, their faces etched with worry.

As Zoro settled into a seat at the bar and paid for a room for the night. The woman behind the bar silently slipped a key in front of him, he couldn't shake the sense of loss that permeated the air. Nika’s disappearance had thrown the world into chaos, leading Zoro to a life of bounty hunting just to get enough money for shelter and food, which was growing scarcer the longer they lived in a sunless existence. With a heavy sigh, Zoro ordered a drink and food to momentarily drown the chill in his soul, hoping that somewhere beyond the frost, a flicker of warmth still existed.

"I was there when it happened," proclaimed a loud, older gentleman from across the bar. Zoro's eyebrow twitched in irritation. He couldn't fathom why some people felt the need to broadcast their conversations so boisterously. Downing his drink in a deep gulp, Zoro hoped to drown out the man's voice. "I was there when Nika destroyed Ohara."

A couple of listeners erupted in laughter at the old man's words. Zoro's jaw clenched, his irritation now palpable as he continued to sip his drink, attempting to distance himself from the disruptive tale unfolding across the bar.

“How could you have been there? That place was desecrated beyond recognition. Nika’s wrath left no survivors.” One of the listeners pointed out.

“I was on a fishing vessel not too far from the island when the attack took place,” claimed the older gentleman. Zoro glanced at the man from the corner of his eye. The man seemed to have captivated others as well. With little information about what happened to Ohara, claiming any details was sure to draw a crowd. Undeterred, the man continued to speak, “I had just started to reel in my netting when I noticed a change in the sky. Clouds began to swirl overhead, as if a storm was coming. I feared becoming caught in the unexpected storm and rushed to prepare to make my way towards land.”

Zoro maintained a stoic expression, his focus shifting back to his drink. The old man's tale stirred a storm within him, and while his curiosity was piqued, he chose to keep his silence. The entire bar had fallen silent, devoid of the usual clinking of silverware or the greedy gulps of alcohol. The only discernible sound for Zoro was the shifting of one patron in the corner, fidgeting uneasily in his seat.

“The swirling clouds settled over Ohara, an intense bright light emanated from the eye of the storm, bathing Ohara in a radiant glow that seemed to ignite the sea itself.” The old man paused to take a drink. His expression was pained, as if reliving the moment caused him great distress, and the only comfort for his nerves was found in his drink. He set the cup down with a trembling hand, foam from the beer still clinging to his mustache. “Then fire rained down. Nika’s solar flares snapped upon Ohara like flaming whips, scorching everything they touched. Another bright light burst from the clouds, Nika’s sunlight caused a massive wave to hit my boat and capsized it, plunging me into the rough waters. By the time I had climbed onto what was left of my ship, all of Ohara was already gone.” The man placed his head in his hands, the stress of reliving the situation seemingly overwhelming him. “I was on that damn debris for two days before help came. I know the Gods can be cruel, but nothing has ever been done to this extent before. Why would Nika do such a thing.”

The uneasiness in the corner persisted, the shifting patron seemingly absorbed in the tale.

“That wasn’t Nika…” Zoro huffed irritably into his food. Unbeknownst to him, the attention of the patrons had shifted towards him, but he remained focused on his meal, oblivious to the eyes now fixed on him.

“I beg your pardon?” An offended patron next to the old man confronted Zoro, drawing his attention. The sudden focus sent a shiver down Zoro's spine, the hairs on his back standing on end. “How can you sit there and say that the tragedy that befell Ohara wasn’t Nika’s doing? Only the Sun God can use the sun’s powers to rain down fire in such a way.”

Zoro glared up from his meal, his gaze steady and unwavering.

“Nika was becoming well known for his generous blessings towards mankind before the Ohara tragedy. Why would he change his kind nature so abruptly?” Zoro countered, addressing the fuming patron.

“Probably for the same reason why he disappeared!” The young man snapped back. “You didn’t find it odd that Nika plunged the entire world into darkness right after he destroyed Ohara?!”

Zoro's jaw clenched in response to the challenging tone.

"Disappearances and darkness doesn’t make someone guilty. Rushing to conclusions won't bring the truth to light." The intense exchange drew disapproving glares from other patrons now fixated on Zoro. Only the patron in the far corner looked at Zoro differently, his brown eyes wide with awe. “Nika will bring back the sun. He wouldn’t leave us like this.”

The younger patron stood so quickly that his chair was knocked over from the force.

“He never should’ve taken away the sun to begin with! Every day gets colder! Crops are dying! Food is becoming scarce! My sick wife couldn’t even survive one month in these freezing temperatures.” Angry tears welled in the man’s eyes as he stared Zoro down. “Nika was supposed to bring light into my world, not snuff it out!”

Zoro sensed the growing animosity from other patrons towards him, a common occurrence when he defended Nika.

"The sun will return. We just need to endure this darkness a bit longer." Zoro asserted, unyielding despite the hostile glares around him.

The woman behind the bar reclaimed the key she had placed on the table, returning his money with a cold demeanor.

“I don’t think it would be wise to accept your business,” she said sharply. “I suggest you find other lodgings for the night.”

Zoro gritted his teeth, his frustration evident to those around him. He would have to brave the cold again. At least this time, he wouldn’t be doing it on an empty stomach. Pushing away his finished plate, Zoro stood to leave. He sensed the intense hatred aimed his way. Without another word, he trudged out into the snow, oblivious to the fact that the fidgeting patron in the corner’s eyes followed his every move with great curiosity.

After seeking refuge in the warm tavern, stepping back into the freezing cold felt harsher. The winds were forceful, the snow sharper, and the cold seeped into him. Zoro walked forward. If he learned to keep his mouth shut about his opinions on Nika, he wouldn’t constantly find himself in this situation. Yet, it felt wrong to silence his thoughts on Nika. Others might have been quick to turn their back on the God, but Zoro never forgot how the God’s blessing on Isshen Dojo impacted so many lives or how Kuina held the God in such high regard.

To denounce Nika would be equivalent to dishonoring his friend’s memory, and Zoro couldn't betray the unwavering faith Kuina had in Nika. Wado seemed to weigh heavily on his hip as Zoro remembered Kuina. She passed long before this whole mess started, never knowing a world without Nika’s light. Despite the circumstances, Zoro believed that Kuina would’ve still loved Nika. Kuina had a way of seeing the good in others, and Zoro, honoring her memory, held onto that faith, believing there was still good in Nika too.

Amidst the relentless snowfall, Zoro walked through the small village and into the forest. His arms trembled, attempting in vain to shield him from the biting snow. Even the shirt on his back couldn’t keep out the chill. With no place to rest, Zoro wondered if he would have to walk all night to ward off the cold. Teeth involuntarily chattered at the thought. Pressing on, the moonlight became his guiding companion.

With no particular destination, Zoro resorted to his familiar tactic: letting the wind guide him to the next shelter. He wouldn’t admit it, but he wasn’t always the best at figuring out directions. However, allowing the wind to blow him from place to place felt like a more straightforward option. Besides, the wind at his back was preferable to biting at his face. Suddenly, Zoro stumbled upon a glimmer of hope… footprints etched in the snow like a magical trail. The swordsman followed them in desperate pursuit, yearning for any sign of shelter.

Weary and numb, Zoro pressed on, his limbs burdened by an icy weight. Despite his determination, Zoro found himself face planting into the unforgiving snow, the cold ice piercing through his skin like daggers. Darkness crept into the corners of his vision. The end seemed imminent. The forest began closing in, threatening to claim him. Yet, a sudden radiance descended from above, thawing the ice that seemed to seep into his very bones. In a feeble attempt to understand this newfound warmth, Zoro followed the luminous glow, tracing it back to its source.

To his astonishment, the footprints had led him to an individual daring enough to wear sandals in this freezing abyss. Zoro’s gaze ascended, widening in disbelief, when he beheld an otherworldly figure. A man with hair that danced like flames against the biting cold and a smile that emanated a warmth matching the radiant light that surrounded him.

It was the last thing Zoro saw before his vision went dark.

(Next Chapter)

[kalgalen]

It's dark. 

This is the first thing Arthur notices when he opens his eyes: utter darkness, thick as molasses and twice as black. The candles have been blown out. He had carefully closed the blinds before starting the ritual, which explains that neither the moon rays or city lights glow reach the inside of his apartment - effectively hiding him and his business from prying eyes.

Arthur breathes in, breathes out. His teeth clench; his mouth is impossibly dry, tasting of the ash of the branches he burned to invoke the demon.

The entity never showed up, he thinks bitterly as he sits up. All of that time spent on research, all of that money wasted on rare incense and precious herbs - and what does he have to show for it? Blown out candles, the deep cut in his left hand and a pit the size of an elephant inside his chest.

He wearily rubs his face with his uninjured hand. He would cry, but he doesn't think he has it in him anymore; instead he sighs.

"Faroe," he says, voice breaking.

The answering sound makes him jump. It's the sound of a young child, a noise of curiosity and acknowledgement. It's a voice he knows, too, that he would recognize in a crowd. It's his daughter.

On his hands and knees, Arthur crawls toward the origin of the noise; he struggles to believe it, and his hands hover a long moment in the air - before descending slowly. His fingers come into contact with fabric first, a blanket he would recognize among thousands - the one Faroe has been buried with. A tiny hand catches his index, and - oh. He can still cry, apparently.

Arthur scoops up the bundle of blankets in his arms, sobbing with relief as he hugs his daughter to his chest. Faroe makes a soft cooing noise, one that he imagines means: I'm here.

"Thank God," Arthur says. "Thank God."

God has nothing to do with this, a voice answers.

Arthur jumps again - though this time the feeling associated with it is much, much different.

"Who's - who's here?" he asks, searching the room with eyes wide open to attempt to pierce through the darkness.

A deep, unpleasant laugh. I'm the answer to your prayers, Arthur.

The demon, then. Arthur tries to steal himself, fails miserably. It was much easier to promise himself and his soul to an unknown entity when he didn't have a reason to live. Nevertheless - a promise is a promise. 

"I suppose that makes me your debtor, then," he says, and is pleased when his voice barely wavers. 

I suppose it does. Although you'll forgive me - I already helped myself to your eyes.

Arthur swallows around the fear constricting his throat. "What do you mean?"

Your eyes, Arthur - keep up. I have them. I see through them. And you. Do. Not.

The realization downs on Arthur. "You can see? Right now? Is it day outside? How long was I out?"

A beat. The entity sounds slightly taken back when it answers: It's dark, but the sunlight seeps through the cracks in the blinds. Its rays catch on the items in the room - and in the child's eyes.

At the mention of his daughter, Arthur pulls her away from his chest to look at her more easily. "Describe her to me. Please." 

A longer pause, then, reluctantly: She has curly blonde hair and is staring at you with eyes that are very blue. Her cheeks are pink. She looks healthy and - happy.

The entity sounds almost embarrassed, for a reason Arthur can't even begin to take a guess at.

"Will she be alright?" he blurts out instead. "Faroe, she - you brought her back from the dead, will she be okay?"

The voice all but purrs. Of course. A deal is a deal. Your life for hers. She's as good as new, and you - you're mine.

There's an alarm bell ringing in Arthur's head, but he quickly dismisses it, far too relieved by his daughter's well-being to care about what will become of him. "Okay. Good. Good. What… what happens now?"

You have a year, the voice explains luxuriously. Then you're coming with me. Better make the best of it, hm?

"Yes," Arthur echoes, rocking pensively Faroe in his arms. "Better make the best of it."

***

Attempts at bringing people back to the realm of the living have been made before. Arthur knows it from his extensive research and investigations. The results, however, have skewed toward failure, and if anyone has succeeded before, they certainly haven't made it public - which is the reason Arthur can't seem to relax, even once Faroe is safely tucked into his bed, peaceful and already snoring softly.

He sits down on the floor next to her, staring with blind eyes toward his open hands. The cut in his palm still stings; he'll have to clean it up soon and bandage it if he doesn't want to put blood on everything he owns.

"So," he asks conversationally, voice low enough that it won't disturb Faroe's slumber. "What's the catch?"

A noise of amusement answers him. The catch?

Arthur makes a face. "You know. Did she come back wrong? Is she going to die again along with me a year from now? Is she cursed?" 

The entity hums. There's no catch. We have an agreement; in twelve months I'm taking you to the Dark World, where every dead thing belong. And that's the end of it. 

Arthur scratches his chin. "Every dead thing, you say. Are you dead too?"

A silence, long enough that he believes he won't get an answer. Then: Maybe. 

"Maybe?"

The annoyance is clear when the demon answers: Stop asking questions. This isn't that kind of relationship, Arthur. It is a contract - one that I fulfilled my part of, one you are bound to. Nothing else matters.

"You don't know," Arthur guesses. "What's your name?" 

Another silence, this one sullen.

"Alright," Arthur sighs. "What do you know?"

I know that your eyes belong to me, the entity growls. I know that in time, everything you are will.

Arthur thinks for a moment, listening to the lullaby that is Faroe breathing. It appears the creature he has invoked isn't as powerful as he had imagined; it has brought Faroe back, but doesn't seem to know much past its ultimate goal.

"What should I call you, then?" he asks in the end.

The smirk, audibly cruel, is back in the voice. How about "friend"?

"Friend?"

I've brought your daughter back. Aren't I the best friend you could ask for?

Arthur considers the question for a moment, then shrugs. "I suppose that's true. Well then - friend. Looking forward to working with you."

***

It doesn't take long for things to go sour.

It only makes sense, Arthur thinks, to give Faroe a bath after her return - wash her from the grime of the horrid place she'd been in for too long - but as soon as he has her in his arms, as soon as the water starts running and he has to put her into the tub - he freezes.

Well, are you waiting for the water to overflow? the voice in his head - the friend - says impatiently.

"I - I -" Arthur stumbles on his words, takes a deep breath - another. It feels like his blood has turned to ice, that he will shatter if he moves. In his arms, Faroe emits a questioning noise, tugs on his lapel.

"It's okay, it's okay," he says - more to himself than to Faroe, if he's being honest.

The entity makes a noise that clearly betrays its doubts. Are you sure? You're shaking.

"I'm fine. Shut up," Arthur snaps. Faroe whines and squirms in his arms, and he tries to soothe her. "No, baby, not you."

The water is still running. It can't be more than halfway up the tub, and yet Arthur can perfectly imagine it having reached the lip of it, steadily escaping its containment to soak the rest of the room, rising, rising - and in the middle of it, limp body craddled by shallow waves, Faroe…

Arthur's knees hit the ground. He hugs his daughter closer to his chest, breathing labored, erratic. There's someone calling out to him, saying his name, and he can almost feel a hand on his shoulder, attempting to drag him out of his waking nightmare -

Arthur! For God's sake, snap out of it!

Arthur takes a large gulp of air, heart thumping hard. He blinks, and the image - the memory - dissipate. Faroe is crying. The voice only he can hear is swearing. There are tears on his own face, a pain in his throat as if someone had had a go at strangling him.

"I'm fine," he whispers. "I'm fine."

The voice quiets. Faroe does too, with a hiccup.

You're not, the entity growls. What just happened?

Slightly rocking back and forth, holding Faroe close, Arthur sighs.

"Memories. I - when Faroe died, it was - I did it." 

A silence - one of disgust and horror, Arthur imagines.

You…killed her?

"Not on purpose," Arthur clarifies, sniffling. "I - forgot. I forgot she was in the tub, the nanny went away, and I - I forgot, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

His body curves around Faroe as he babbles apologies. The silence drags on, accusatory. Then the entity exhales, gruff and impatient.

You forgot, it says. Before Arthur can say anything, it continues, voice softening almost reluctantly: To err is human. This was… a regrettable accident. You obviously feel bad about it. Isn't this repentance enough?

Arthur is speechless for a moment. "I can't - are you suggesting I just get over it? Killing my only daughter?"

She's here, isn't she? She's alive. You exchanged your life for hers. What more can you do?

Arthur opens his mouth to argue, closes it. Then he scowls. "It sounds simple when you put it like that."

The voice sounds smug when it answers: There you go. Good man.

It's an empty praise, and yet Arthur feels better from hearing it. He hasn't considered himself "good" in a long time - possibly since Faroe passed. Receiving it from a demon probably shouldn't make him feel as warm as it does, but, well. He'll take what he can get. 

Faroe squirms in his arms, and Arthur shakes off the last of the memories. She's probably cold; Arthur gets back on his feet, holding his daughter with one arm as the other grasps at the edge of the tub. He steadily turns the faucet off, checks the water temperature (and its depth), then takes a shaky breath.

"Here we go," he says, lowering Faroe into the bath. She produces a delighted babbling, and Arthur hesitantly says: "Does she… does she look okay?"

The voice inside his head is gentle when it answers: She looks fine, Arthur. She looks happy. I think she's enjoying the water.

Arthur exhales. "Good. Good."

[aalissy]

Sleepover

Here's chapter 10 :). I hope ya'll are having a great weekend <3. I'll be back in just a sec to post chapter 11 so please stay tuned! Lemme know what you think!

AO3

Marinette yawned as she closed her laptop, finally finishing her homework for the night. She stretched her arms above her head, feeling the fatigue of a long day of school and akuma fighting settling in. She glanced over at Tikki, who was already curled up in her bed. Her kwami was curled up on her pillow and she smiled wearily at her.

"I think it's time for bed, Tikki," Marinette whispered softly. She climbed up her ladder, content to flop down underneath her warm covers.

Just as she settled under her blanket, a familiar tapping sound echoed from the trapdoor above her. She creaked an eye open and stared up at it. It was late. Could it really be Chat Noir? 

With her heart skipping a beat, Marinette blinked down at Tikki. She didn’t want to wake her poor kwami. But, it seemed she didn’t have to worry too much because Tikki had already woken up, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She gave her kwami an apologetic grin but Tikki simply shrugged back, darting away to hide somewhere and find a new place to sleep. 

With a quiet sigh, Marinette stood up on her tip-topes, careful not to make too much noise. Opening her trapdoor just a crack, she peered outside and found Chat perched on her railing, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Hey there, purrincess," he whispered, his green eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

"Chat! What are you doing here?" Marinette asked in a hushed tone, trying to suppress her excitement at seeing him. It was time for her to go to bed! She really should be scolding him for disturbing her. “It’s late! And I was about to go to sleep!”

"Well, I thought we could have a little sleepover," he replied, holding up a bag of snacks and a couple of DVDs.

Marinette couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. "You want to have a sleepover... on my balcony?"

"Well, I was hoping to come in, but this works too," Chat shrugged playfully.

Marinette hesitated for just a moment but then opened the trapdoor even wider, allowing Chat to hop inside with the bag of goodies he had brought along. He quickly slid down her ladder and settled on her floor, spreading out a blanket he had brought along.

"I come prepared," he said proudly, gesturing to the makeshift sleepover setup.

She simply rolled her eyes and giggled playfully before joining him on the blanket. "I can see that. So, what movies did you bring?"

Chat rummaged through his bag and pulled out a couple of classic comedies. "I figured we could use some laughs before bed."

As they snuggled up together, munching on popcorn and watching the movies on Marinette's laptop, the tension of the day melted away. They laughed at the jokes, shared comments about their favorite scenes, and just enjoyed each other's company in the cozy confines of her bedroom.

After the second movie ended and the clock had ticked past midnight, Marinette tried to stifle another yawn, feeling sleep tugging at her eyelids. She was positively exhausted. And yet, she didn’t want to go to bed. She wanted to stay up and watch more movies with her partner! But, it was too late. Chat had noticed how tired she was and closed the lid of her laptop, placing it aside.

"Looks like someone's ready for bed," he teased her gently.

“Mmm,” she hummed, shaking her head. “No! I’m fine! I can watch another movie! Really!”

Chat quietly chuckled, tugging her even closer into his arms as he rested his head gently on hers. He was warm. And soft. And, unwittingly, Marinette felt her eyes slowly begin to drift closed. 

“Sleep well, purrincess,” he murmured, the rumbling of his voice leaving her even drowsier than before. “It’s alright. It’s been a long day.”

She snuggled deeper into his chest, whispering softly up at him, “Will you stay?”

He laughed, his breath brushing against her ear which sent a shiver up her spine. “Of course, I will, purrincess. That’s what sleepovers are for.”

Finally, Marinette let her eyes flutter completely closed. Sleep sounded... sleep sounded really good right now. As a smile spread across her lips, she slowly began to drift off to sleep with Chat populating her dreams just like he did in her waking life.

[sjsmith56]

Still Not There, Chapter 16 - Eyes of the Father

Summary: After reuniting Bucky experiences a PTSD moment and pulls away from Lacey.

Length: 4.7 K

Characters: Bucky, Lacey, Terry, Steve, Clint, Shuri.

Warnings: PTSD rears its head, Bucky (anxiety, decision making, etc.)

Author notes: Yeah, I’m making life difficult for them. Have to have some conflict. This chapter goes to the final of Avengers: Endgame.

<<Chapter 15

🦾 🙍🏼‍♀️

That evening there was a major rearrangement of the sleeping arrangements.  Terry, Bucky, and Steve were put in Nathaniel's room, while Tommy, Nathaniel and Cooper shared the latter's room.   Originally Clint said Bucky could stay with Lacey but he demurred, saying it wasn't fair to put that burden on her when it was the first time they had seen each other in person since the one night they spent together almost nine years previous.  Terry wasn't happy about sharing a room with the man who made his sister cry so Bucky volunteered to sleep on the couch in the living room.  As he settled on the couch with a pillow and blanket, wearing a borrowed pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt he heard someone coming down the stairs.  With a sigh he turned, looked at the stairs and was surprised to see Terry.

"Really, I don't mind sleeping on the couch Terry," said Bucky wearily.  "I promise to stay here and not go to Lacey's room."

"That's not why I came down," said Terry as he sat on an armchair across from Bucky.  "I couldn't sleep.  I'm the last person to be angry at you for making Lacey cry.  I avoided her for years and when I did see her I treated her like shit.  I looked down on my own sister for so many years because I wasn't a good man when I was playing pro football."

Bucky sat up and looked at the man.  "Why is that?" he asked.

"Too busy living the high life," said Terry.  "Literally.  I was an imposter.  Terrified of being found out by my teammates, my fans, my coaches ....  I acted like I was in control of my career and really I felt that if anyone knew the truth about me my career would be over.  My family were a reminder of who I used to be, the guy who just wanted to fit in."

"So what changed?" asked Bucky.

"She met you, got pregnant, had to go on the run from the Russian mob, go into hiding from the CIA and HYDRA...," he paused.  "When our mom died and Lacey told me all that she had been facing, alone, I felt ashamed that I had given my entourage more attention than her.  So when she called to say Clint left because of losing his family it became my chance to step up and be the man I should have been all along.  The fact that for five years I've been her protector made me possessive of her.  I'm sorry."

"I wanted to marry her as soon as I found out about Tommy," admitted Bucky.  "But I got my arm shot off, I still had activation words implanted in my brain that would turn me into the Winter Soldier, and I was a mess.  She told me to go to Wakanda and get fixed first.  Then Thanos happened, and the Snap took five years of my life from me.  Five years away from her and Tommy.  I should have come here with Clint as soon as I could but Steve had something that couldn't wait and I owed him my life.  He saved me, Terry."

"Yeah," he replied with understanding.  "He told me.  Whatever you need to do to finish your obligations just do it.  I'll stay with her and Tommy.  Then when you're ready I'll step aside and start living my own life."

"You don't have to do that," said Bucky.  "Tommy loves you.  He told me how you've been helping him train.  You can live with us as long as you want.  I don't want to come between Lacey and you."

"What about what Lacey wants?" said a woman's voice and they both turned to see Lacey on the stairs.  "You two are already deciding what to do with me but haven't asked me what I want."

"Well, what do you want?" asked Bucky.  "You're right, you should be part of this conversation."

"I want a normal life," replied Lacey, coming fully into the living room and facing the two men.  "One that includes you, and my brother and sister.  I want Tommy to go to school and I want to be able to go for a drive without looking behind me all the time to see if I'm being followed.  But, you know what?  It doesn't matter what I want because until you're completely free none of that can happen.  So, I'm still going to be in a holding pattern ... here if they'll have me.  If not, then I have to find somewhere else to hide out."

She went to the window, looking outside at the dark.  By the position of her shoulders it was obvious she was crying but barely any sound escaped her lips.  Bucky stood up and went to her, placing his hand on her back.  She turned and buried her face in his chest.  He stroked her hair and whispered to her.  Terry watched the body language between them and knew both of them felt they had little control over their lives at the moment.  They had a couple of days while at the farm but as soon as Bucky turned himself in he would be subject to the legal system.   Terry joined them at the window.

"Go to bed," he said quietly.  "Hold each other, make love if you want, just be together.  The only control you have right now over what's going to happen is between you while you're both here.  So take the opportunity to be physically part of each other's life, even if it is just for a couple of days."

He kissed Lacey on the head and patted Bucky on the shoulder then went back upstairs.  The couple looked at each other in the dark then Lacey took Bucky's hand and led him up to her room.  They stood inside the door for a minute, unsure of themselves, before Lacey put her hand on Bucky's cheek and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him gently.  He kissed her in return and held her in his arms.  She stepped back and took his prosthetic hand in hers, examining it. 

"The arm, is it better than the other one?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's amazing," said Bucky.  "I lost almost 40 lbs just by removing the other arm.  This feels everything; heat, cold, touch ...."

"Show me," she whispered.

He pulled his T-shirt off and she could see even in the dark that his skin looked almost normal next to the shoulder portion.  She ran her fingers over the skin and although it was warm like the rest of him it wasn't unnaturally hot and there was no new scar tissue. 

"Does it still hurt?" she asked.

"No, it doesn't hurt any more," he replied.  "Neither does my back.  They fixed it all."

Hesitantly he placed his hands around her waist and leaned over to kiss her.  Her cool hands were on his chest as he ran his right hand under her shirt and up her back.  She responded to him by encircling his neck and shoulders with her arms.   His hand moved to her breast, making her whimper slightly as he caressed it. 

He pulled away slightly.  "Are you sure you want to do this?  I don't have any protection."

"I do," she said.  "I got a 10 year implant late in 2017.  At the time I expected you to be here soon.  There are also condoms in the drawer, for backup."

He lifted her shirt off then picked her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist.  Kissing each other fiercely he walked to the bed and laid her on it.  As she backed up to the pillows he followed and laid between her legs, putting his full weight on her.  With his left hand he gently fondled her breast and although it was cool in temperature it's smooth surface moved effortlessly over her skin.  She ran her hand through his hair while gazing at him and he smiled softly in response.

"We don't have to go any further than this," he suggested.  "I want you but this, touching you and being close to you is awfully nice."

"It is, isn't it?" She looked away for a moment before looking back at him.  "I'm going to take the rest of my clothes off.  I do want you but if you want to wait it's okay." 

He raised himself to a kneeling position and watched as she got out of bed to disrobe completely.  His breath rate increased as she got back on the bed and faced him kneeling.  She had changed in the years since they were last together.  Her body was heavier and curvier but also more muscular from farm work.  Taking note of the changes he reached out again and touched her shoulder then her breasts.  Her skin was still soft and by her own breathing he could tell she was aroused.  He stepped off the bed and removed his clothing.  A soft smile crossed Lacey's face when she saw him nude and she put her hand out to him.  With a smile he got back on the bed kneeling, and pulled her into his arms, kissing her fiercely. She responded in kind and pulled him down so he was lying partially on her.  Unlike before when he used his artificial arm only to prop up his body while he laid on Lacey, this time he used it fully as he touched and caressed her body with both hands.  They kissed deeply between moments of mouthing the sensitive parts of each other's necks and throats.  Finally Bucky raised his head and reached for the drawer of the nightstand.  He put his hand in and felt around bringing out a vibrator.

"What's this?" he asked, smiling.

"Your replacement," she said, defiantly.  "There's been no one since you, Bucky.  Just that."

"There's been no one since you either," he admitted, then he put his hand back into the drawer and came out with a condom packet.  "While I'm sure your implant works I just want to be sure."

He rolled the condom on and with their eyes gazing into each other he guided himself slowly into her.  Like the first time she held her breath a little as he eased himself into her.  Then she gasped when he came out before thrusting in again. 

"You feel amazing," he whispered softly into her ear before kissing her deeply.

She gave a satisfied moan when he thrust into her again and lifted her hips up into Bucky's.  "So do you," she whispered back, as she ran her hands down his back.  "You can go harder you know."

"I don't want to hurt you," he said softly.  "To be honest I'm afraid to let go.  Except for when we were together I was basically celibate.   When the Soldier was ordered to breed he wasn't gentle because it wasn't in his nature."

"Do you think that it's still in you?" she asked, as they stopped.  "Bucky, he wasn't you.  Do you know that Natasha was in the Red Room when you were there?  She never spent time with you but she knew about you and how you were as the Soldier.  She also knew how you were when you weren't the soldier.  You didn't cooperate."

"I don't know if I can stop if I let myself go," he said worriedly.  "If I hurt you ...."

"My sweet man," replied Lacey gently.  "When we did this before you didn't hesitate.  Parts of you are still messed up, aren't they?"

He exhaled suddenly as if he remembered something disturbing, then pulled out and rolled off to the side, sitting quietly for a moment.  Pulling the condom off he got up and put it in the garbage.  Then he pulled his underwear on and looked at her.

"Yeah, I'm still messed up in places," he said bitterly.  "I have more of my memories now and not all of them are good.  Maybe this was a mistake.  Maybe we were a mistake that should never have happened.  I'm sorry."

He pulled his sweatpants on, picked up his T-shirt and left her.  Sitting up, she was stunned at what had just happened.  Quickly, she got dressed and went down the stairs but he wasn't in the living room as the blanket and pillow were gone.  She looked out the windows but saw no sign of him outside, realizing he had gone somewhere to be alone.  A feeling of anxiety came over her that somehow she had hurt him, enough that he was reconsidering their future.  Slowly she went back up the stairs to her room.  She looked out the window at the moonlit yard then started to cry and turned away, dropping into the bed and crying into the pillow.  From his spot in the shadows at the trunk of a nearby tree Bucky watched as Lacey looked out over the landscape.  He watched her start to cry and could hear her continue crying as she got back into bed.  He turned away, filled with self loathing at hurting her like that but the sudden memory of something he did as the Winter Soldier had frightened him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.  "Maybe you're better off without me."

He turned and went into the barn, finding an old truck inside.  Climbing into the front seat he put the pillow down then covered himself up with the blanket.  Sleep didn't come easily but when it did it came with a nightmare of the time he shot Natasha Romanoff through her body to kill the scientist she was trying to save.  Natasha's face changed into Tommy's and the scientist's face changed into Lacey's.  He woke up shouting and then wept at his cowardly decision to leave Lacey again, perhaps never to come back.  Unable to stop the argument in his head he sat up and waited for dawn to wake up Steve and tell him they had to leave.  He must have fallen asleep sitting up because Steve's voice beside the truck woke him up, as the other super soldier was standing beside the open window.

"What are you doing in here?" asked Steve.  "Lacey said you left suddenly during the night.  What happened between you?"

"I'm no good for her," replied Bucky.  "We were in bed and somehow the conversation turned to the Winter Soldier and I realized I can't be with her.  I'll hurt her at some point so I ended it."

"Are you for real?" demanded Steve.  "She has waited for you for so long and you decided within hours that you can't be with her because of the Soldier?  Bucky, what the hell.  She's devastated.  So is Tommy.  What were you thinking?"

"I'm no good for her," repeated Bucky.  "What I did proves it.  Until I know for sure that he's gone for good I can't be with her or Tommy.  Better I hurt them now than when they become invested in me."

"They're already invested in you," said Steve, pleading.  "Shit, Bucky.  Whatever happened to making it right?"

"It's the 21st century," he replied brusquely.  "They don't need me.  Can we go?"

Steve stood there, his mouth open, not believing what he was hearing.  It was the most ungentlemanly thing Bucky had ever done and it shook Steve to the core.  Bucky continued to look straight ahead and Steve shook his head.

"I'll get your bag and meet you at the quinjet," he said.  "I assume you don't want to see anyone or say goodbye."

Bucky didn't answer and Steve turned around, returning to the house.  Bucky got out of the truck, leaving the pillow and blanket where he thought someone would find it.  Then he walked to the quinjet and opened the ramp.  He heard someone running towards him and turned in time to be bowled over by Tommy, who began hitting him.  Bucky didn't defend himself from the boys hits or cries.

"Why did you come back?" he cried, his tears mixed with his anger as he rained blow after blow on Bucky.  "Why?  You made her cry again, on purpose.  You hurt her.  You hurt me.  You're not my dad.  I don't have a dad.  I hate you."

As the boy tired out and his blows lessened Bucky took control of his son's hands and sat up, holding Tommy away from him.

"I'm sorry," he said sadly.  "I'm no good for either of you.  You're better off without me."

Tommy spat at him and it landed on Bucky's cheek.  He gently pushed Tommy away and stood up then stepped onto the ramp.  Holding his emotions in check as best he could he looked once more at Tommy.

"Take care of your mother," he said, then he turned away and went up the ramp, wiping his cheek with his hand as he struggled not to cry.

When Steve entered the quinjet a few minutes later carrying both his and Bucky's bags he dropped them off at Bucky's feet and looked at him again, shaking his head.  Then he closed the ramp and started up the aircraft, lifting it away from the farmyard and into the air.  He programmed the course back to the compound and set the autopilot then looked at Bucky again.  This time when his friend looked back at him the tears were freely falling down his cheeks.  Steve kneeled down and looked Bucky in the eyes.

"Why?" he asked.  "The truth now, no bullshit."

Bucky's face was tortured.  "We were having sex and the conversation got around to the Winter Soldier and the breeding program.  She brought up Natasha's observations about the Soldier and how I was uncooperative when I wasn't the Soldier."

Steve look aghast.  "Bucky, you didn't...," he said slowly.

"No, I didn't," he replied quickly.  "But what if they didn't get that part of him out of me?" he asked.  "What if he's still there?  I had a vision of me tying her up and doing unspeakable things to her.  What if that's what's left in me?  I'm too dangerous to be around her or Tommy."

"Did you tell her this?" asked Steve, desperately.  "Did you talk about it?"

"How could I?" said Bucky.  "She would think I was some sort of freak.  Better she forgets me.  She'll get over it.  So will Tommy."

"Jesus," said Steve.  "That's messed up, Bucky."

"I figured I can talk to my therapist about it once I've been assigned to one," said Bucky.  "It's part of my plea deal that I go into therapy for my PTSD.  I think this qualifies."

"But I won't be there for you," replied Steve.  "You know that.  Who else can you confide in?  She would have listened if you told her this.  You know that too."

Bucky ran his hands through his hair.  "Yeah, you're right.  There really isn't anyone else I could talk to about this.  Maybe Shuri but talking to her about sex isn't something I'm comfortable with.  She's just a kid."

He put his face into his hands realizing the extent of his blunder.  Not only had he hurt Lacey, Tommy, and himself he had burnt the bridge to the only person who could help him through this.  For him it reinforced that he was more of a mess than he originally thought.

Three days later the memorial service for Tony Stark was held.  Bucky hoped Lacey would come so he could try to make amends but she didn't show.  Clint and his family came but wouldn't even look at Bucky or stand near him.  He tried to give Clint a letter to give to her but he ripped it up in front of Bucky, dropping the pieces on the ground.  All Bucky could do was stand out of the way and avoid conversation.  Shuri approached him when she noticed him standing by himself.

"Sergeant Barnes, why the long face?" she asked kindly.

He fixed a sad gaze on her.  "I made a terrible decision," he said.  "I told Lacey we were a mistake and she would be better off without me.  I left her bed, Shuri.  I was afraid the Soldier would hurt her while we were intimate."

She pulled him by the arm so they were away from the others.  "What made you do that?"

"A memory of something the Soldier did," he said hesitantly.  "I panicked and told her we should never have happened.  Then I left."

"You have to apologize," insisted Shuri. "You must go see her."

Bucky looked towards the Bartons.  "I don't think Clint will let me come within a mile of his farm."

Shuri followed his gaze and saw the harsh looks he was being given.  Sighing, she touched his arm, noticing that he flinched when she did so.  It was definitely a sign of regressing and she looked at him with concern.

"Come back to Wakanda," she said.  "I will help you get through this."

He shook his head.  "I've already made arrangements to turn myself in.  If I go back with you it would look like I'm on the run again.  Thank you but I have to stay and work this out on my own."

"Then talk with your friend, Steve," she advised.  "Don't keep it inside where it will fester and magnify itself.  Promise me you will do that much."

He nodded and looked away, signalling his reluctance to talk any further about it.  She returned to her brother and when she looked towards Barnes again he was gone.  There was one other person she could talk to about it and she made the decision to call Lacey when she had the chance.

Hours later Bucky, Sam, Bruce, and Steve were at the rebuilt time machine, set up outside the destroyed Avengers compound.  In the distance they could see the cranes and clean up crews trying to salvage what they could from the debris.  Steve was changed into his Captain America uniform and wore the hand control which would transform it into a time travel suit in the quantum realm.  As they looked at each other Bucky realized that this was it.  The two friends had only just reconnected and now Steve was going, fulfilling what he had shared with Bucky just after they defeated Thanos.

As Steve disappeared from view Bucky bowed his head in acceptance when his best friend didn't return in the time Bruce had estimated.  Sam questioned what was wrong as Bruce tried to figure out what happened but Bucky knew Steve wasn't coming back.  He turned towards the lake and saw the man, sitting with his back to them.  As Sam and Bruce were frantically talking behind him Bucky took several steps towards the stranger.

Bucky called out Sam's name, loud enough to get his attention.  The other two men stopped their efforts and looked towards Bucky then noticed the strange man.  Sam walked towards Bucky and stood next to him.  They both walked towards the man who was seated on a bench overlooking the lake, a round package beside him.  Patting Sam on the back Bucky encouraged him to go see the strange man alone.  Sam gave him a questioning look which Bucky answered with an encouraging smile.  He watched as Sam approached the man and smiled as recognition filled Sam's face when he realized this was Steve, aged many years.  When Steve gave Sam the shield, passing on the legacy to him he smiled again, knowing that this was the right thing to do. 

As he watched the pair, Bucky recalled the hours after the battle against Thanos, when everyone was still processing the death of Tony Stark, he and Steve sat away from everyone, wanting to talk alone.  Clint had already left, after Bucky told him to go back to the farm without him.  Steve, his best friend since childhood, told him then that he wanted to return back to the 1940s, seek out Peggy Carter and marry her.  Bucky couldn't blame him, knowing how much he had loved her.   By his own admission Steve told him how out of touch he felt in these modern times.  Steve did ask if he wanted to return with him but Bucky just looked at his prosthetic arm.

"I could never explain this," he replied, lifting his arm up.  "How could I face my parents and tell them what I became, what I did?  All the psychological damage that was done is better treated in this time as they understand it better.  I just don't belong there anymore.  It's better that I remain dead to them."

"Then take the shield," said Steve.  "Take my place here as Captain America.  You have the strength to do it, Buck."

"Maybe," replied Bucky, "but no one would trust a man who was a killer for HYDRA to carry the shield.  You know that.  I know that.  You need to pass it on to someone else, someone that people will trust and look up to."

"Sam Wilson," said Steve, firmly, without hesitation.  "Right from the moment I met him I trusted him.  He's loyal and he believes in what the shield stands for."

"I don't get along with him, really," joked Bucky, "but you're right.  He didn't even know me but he helped because he believed in doing what was right.  He's the man for the job."

"What about you, Buck?" asked Steve, concerned.  "What will you do?"

"I'll call that lawyer that took my case," he replied.  "Tell him I'm ready to turn myself in.  I have to stop running, Steve.  I have a son that I've never met in person and I want a relationship with him and his mom, whatever that ends up being.  After that, I'll find something to do.  I'll fit in, somehow."

Immediately after that Bucky called the lawyer and arranged to meet with the FBI after Tony Stark's funeral.  In fact, as he looked at his watch while Sam spoke with aged Steve he realized he was due to meet him within the hour.  He looked once more at Steve then turned around and headed towards where the clean up crew was salvaging what was left of the Avengers compound.  As he waited for the vehicle with the FBI agent who would take him into custody he looked up at the sky, wondering if he would still get to see it if the pardon fell through.  The dark SUV approached and Bucky stood taller, determined to have some dignity.  It stopped and the single agent got out of the driver's side.

"James Buchanan Barnes?" he asked.  "I'm Agent Dan Jones of the FBI.  I am here to take you into custody.  Your lawyer is already waiting at our offices for you."

"You were the agent who was looking for Lacey Williams' brother," said Bucky.  "I recognize your voice."

"You were there at her house, weren't you?" asked Jones.  "She told me you didn't show up until after I left.  Not that it matters now.  If you can give me your word you won't try to escape I won't cuff you.  You've been through so much and I learned what HYDRA did to make you compliant."

"You have my word," replied Bucky.

Jones opened the front passenger seat and Bucky got inside.  As the agent started the car he looked at Bucky carefully.  "It's uncanny how much the boy looks like you," he said.  "At least he did before the Blip.  I was dust so I couldn't be there to watch over Lacey and your son.  My replacement on her file says they came through it okay, in case you were wondering."

Bucky nodded and thanked him.  He put the seatbelt on and looked straight ahead.  The next part of his life was about to begin.  Until he got his legal status settled he couldn't deal with the mess he made of his relationship with Lacey and Tommy.  But he would fix it, somehow.

Chapter 17>>

Series Masterlist

[stuckinuniformdevelopment]

@albertbutyoucancallmebert

(Previous) Once Teddy finally managed to sit down, Bert couldn’t bear to watch him any more. He set Sherri Jr down, who was fascinatedly looking up at the blanket above, and left the fort. He came back just a moment later, though. “Is that so.” Bert held back from saying something snarky like ‘did you know summoning demons is the leading cause of being squished by one’ or something incendiary like describing how much he stands on his chair. Instead he wordlessly set a water bottle and a pill bottle, containing pain relievers, on the metal tray between their seats. Bert then tapped the spacebar to resume Gelatinous Bob’s Big Adventure before plopping back into his own seat and heaved a long, heavy sigh. “Well, thanks, and sorry.” Bert said as he gestured up to the roof.

It was good that Bert held back on bringing up the demon summoning and taunting him. Otherwise he would have either broken down while fervently apologizing for being an overbearing hypocrite or flipped out, respectively.

Teddy wearily smiled when Bert offered pain medication and immediately said, “Thank you.” He wished he had done a better job of hiding his pain. Yet he was selfishly glad that Bert cared about him too much to miss it.

He waited for the show to start before carefully reaching for his medicine. This time he didn't bother to hide how much it stung. Or at least, not beyond what had become a finely engrained habit with him hissing between his teeth.

Teddy met Bert's apology with another as he sheepishly averted his eye. “Sorry...” Why did he have to turn this into such a big deal? He relaxed at the sight of his little curious rat friend and took a deep breath before saying,

“The blanket fort isn't the problem. I just thought..,” Teddy started fiddling with the object under his shirt again.

“A bit of temporary pain is better than risking a serious injury...” He paused to nervously smile at Bert. “...isn't it?”

[hearvex]

Hiiii, I was bored hope you enJOY i did my best sorr y for silly mistakes :O There are slivers of light coming in from the sun that hides behind the blinds. It bothers Dream both in the way they hit right on his face, making the task of sleeping with a headache even harder and in the way the light of day keeps mocking him, every minute he stays in this bed without being able to do anything taunts his stupid luck and his weak immune system with ease. He would stand up and fully close the blinds if his bones didn’t feel brittle and if every fiber of his muscles wasn’t burning. It hurts to breathe. 

He almost misses the soft vibration his phone produces hidden somewhere beneath the blankets. Ignoring it is easy at first, but the idea that George could be on the other side waiting for a reply gives him enough energy to make an attempt. His vision is a little blurry, but he manages to read: Imagine drinking from my water bottle and missing this. What an L, and a video attachment. He taps it, and his phone fails to recognize his face, perhaps failing to see past the semi-permanent grimace he’s had since he woke up two days ago with a sore throat and the repeated thoughts of fuck, not again. 

After a minute of racking his lightheaded mind to remember the password, though, he’s finally met with a video of George’s face, his eyes close to the camera, big and brown and shiny along the sunlight that settles on his face. If Dream had any power to focus, he’d look for his freckles, and connect them like constellations in his mind. But then the camera flips, and everyone else is there, walking nearby and chatting and laughing and having fun on the streets of a city he’s hoped to visit ever since he learned George’s name. His heart feels heavier, with sickness and helplessness. 

He snaps a quick picture of his face, half covered with his blanket, his eyes downturned and impossibly tired. I'm SICK, dont tslk tome lke that :(, he sends, before promptly giving into the exhaustion and falling asleep. 

—

A soft touch welcomes him back to consciousness. In place of an angry ray of sunshine attacking his face, a darker room receives him with more kindness than he has felt in hours. George’s hand is on his forehead, cool and calming. His headache persists, but he’s known worse and so he’s able to work past it and blink wearily, his hand finding its home on top of George’s thigh. 

“Thanks for closing the blinds,” is the first thing he tells him. 

“How are you feeling?” George asks instead, his voice light and whispery. His hand travels up to his hair, his fingers immediately tangling themselves with his unruly curls. He twists his lips before adding, “not good, I suppose.”

“You’re a genius,” Dream mutters, a rasp accompanying his sarcasm. He closes his eyes, and revels in the cold touch on his scalp. The bliss of having George by his side tumbles after a few seconds, though, and then, he feels bad. Guilty. He taps a finger on George’s leg, anxious. “What are you doing back here? You were having so much fun.” 

“You send me a picture of you being pathetically sick in bed, and expect me to have fun?” George sighs. “I couldn’t  leave you alone for too long, anyway. Didn’t want to.”

“Pity?” Dream breathes. “Or feel responsible for getting me sick?” 

“The only person I feel pity for is whoever’s going to have to clean up these sweaty, disgusting bed sheets,”  George deadpans, and laughs a little extra hard when Dream dramatically rolls his eyes and tries to lift his hand to cover himself completely under the blanket. “No! I’m kidding, I’m sorry, I’m sorry—fine, sorry. I admit, I shouldn’t have kissed you while I was sick.” 

“I actually do not like that last sentence.” He finds George’s hand without really looking, wondering  if there’s some sort of magical medicinal effect to the way their fingers interlock. His life with George flashes through his mind in an instant, he thinks of the words waiting and expecting and eternity. He looks up at George’s eyes. “I’m sorry I suck at not getting sick. I should’ve—” He swallows, there’s something in his throat, so surprisingly dense and full of guilt and disappointment. He’s too tired to care about keeping up a front. “We were supposed to be together during this trip. It meant a lot. To me, and to you—” 

“Dream…”

His lip quivers. “—but now you’re here stupidly worrying about me when you could be doing so many things out there, and I’m ruining everything, and I’m sure you’ve missed—”

“Dream.” George snaps, his free hand now lightly covering Dream’s mouth. “I haven’t missed anything. I’ve seen my family already, I don’t care about anything else here. Okay?” he whispers the last word, and continues, “It’s gonna be okay. The only thing that matters to me right now is that I get to be back here, with you. I can call this place home and feel like it’s right because you’re here. I really wish you weren’t sick, but this”—he lifts their hands—“is enough for me. I have you with me. That is more than enough.” He exhales quickly, maybe exasperated, like he’s been meaning to tell him this. “It’s more than what we were able to have for so long, you know?” he adds then, voice small. 

“It is,” Dream agrees after the silence settles for a second and he’s able to process the words. “Thank you.” He lets himself hold his breath, and although it hurts just a little, he can feel his heart beating, everywhere, slowly and strongly, in every inch of his blood vessels reaching his hand, right at where it’s locked in contact with George’s, and he feels, feels, and feels. And he’s right, it’s more than enough. “I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” George pushes his hair back, and he comes down to kiss his forehead. Dream can feel his mouth move against his skin when he whispers, “love you too.” 

anon come back here i want to kiss you

EVERYONE READ THIS NOW IT'S A HURT/COMFORT DNF SICK IN LONDON FIC

[farmr-arma]

Odin, you whiny, god-blocking bastard.

Context - was attempting a tarot reading about/directed to someone completely unrelated. Pull The Magician and the King of Wands (Linestrider).

Just the biggest case of "Hey girl. It's me, ya boi, Odin. You don't need no other god, girl. I got you."

Sooooo, that's a thing I guess.

[primofate]

The Ruthless Prince (Part 10) Scaramouche x fem!reader [Genshin Royal AU]

Summary: When Prince Scaramouche picks you out of a random group of commoners to marry, your life is turned upside down. He’s mean, snarky, condescending and he doesn’t act like a proper husband or prince at all. However, when Prince Tartaglia from the neighbouring kingdom takes an interest in you, Prince Scaramouche finds himself even more annoyed than usual. This is the story of him and you navigating this roller coaster of a relationship.

Warnings: Just lots of dialogue and retelling in this chapter, not much actual Scaramouche in this story. Little Scaramouche makes an appearance for like, 20 cute seconds, haha. We’re going to the main action plot, so it’s not really sunshine and daisies, tw: death, does not follow the actual genshin lore but takes ideas from it, this is kinda looking more like a royal+fantasyAU hahaha sorry.

Word Count: 2.1k words

Summary and a recap on the Royal AU plots are here.

Read other parts: (Ruthless Prince Masterlist)

“...and that’s what he said!”

You were clutching the blanket resting on your lap, looking towards Kuni who had a shocked look on his face.

“The prince…he told you this on his own accord?”

“Yes!”

Kuni fell silent. 

There was no one else in the room aside from him and you. 

Yet again, Scaramouche had done a disappearing act. 

It seemed to be his only way of solving things: avoiding them.

Scaramouche saw the horror in your face when he told you, and instantly thought that he had made a mistake. He shouldn’t have told you. He shouldn’t have said anything. He was supposed to be the one to tell you the story, but the look in your eyes reminded him of the ghosts in past. “Just… ask Kuni about it,” then he left. 

You ended up not having an appetite. Confused and rattled at the same time.

“Apologies, princess,” Kuni started with a sigh “...It’s not what it seems, perhaps when you’re all better I can explain the story to you–”

“Kuni,” you looked at the older man, stubborn persistence in your eyes. “I have to know. Right now,” 

Kuni observed you for a moment, then glanced around the room, looking for a chair. He drags one over, closer to your bed, a solemn look on his face. “If at any time you feel unwell, do say so,” he clears his throat. “The prince doesn’t know how to express himself. So I believe he was…not threatening you, but instead he was merely trying to share an incident of long past…”

I never thought I’d talk about this again.

You were getting perturbed. It was like you couldn’t trust anyone around you. Being rude is one thing, but being a murderer was a completely different problem. 

“It’s not what he makes it to be,” Kuni closes his eyes, memory traveling far back into the depths, snatching at tiny snippets to retell. “Simply said, it was an accident. We...have not talked about it in a long time,”

Kuni opens his eyes, wearily smiling, eyes faraway and as if in a realm different from yours.

“The prince was, just as any child was: Jovial, curious and energetic. He ran around like other kids did, and played outside in the sun just the same. I suppose he did have more of a temper than the others did, but it wasn’t anything noteworthy. Just the usual tempers a child would go through,”

“Tartaglia! That’s not fair! You said I could be the seeker next!” A younger Scaramouche stomps his foot on the ground. The surrounding garden is peaceful, and the kids playing amongst themselves are roughly the same age. Tartaglia laughs apologetically. “Ah, yeah! I forgot! It’s okay, you can be next, okay? I promise!” 

Little Scaramouche puffs his cheeks out, but relents and looks for a hiding place while Tartaglia’s sister starts counting.

“Tartaglia’s father and Scaramouche’s father were good friends. The alliance between our two kingdoms were strong, we flourished with trade agreements, shared resources that the other didn’t have…I suppose that’s where the story starts. Snezhnaya ran across a discovery that was all too powerful,”

“...A fake vision?” Scaramouche’s father inspects the trinket. It looked just like the real thing.

“I wouldn’t call it a fake,” Tartaglia’s father hummed. “It works just like the real thing, potentially even more powerful…A delusion, as I call it,”

“...And what are you planning to use it for?”

“Military force, of course! Without visions, our knights are mediocre at best.”

“You mean to say that you’ve given your knights delusions?” Scaramouche’s father asks with an air of worry.

“Hydro delusions. Made from my own hydro vision. You should see them! They’re stronger than they ever were, fueled by a power they never had! My friend, imagine if we could make delusions out of your electro vision,”

“Can I interrupt you for a second there?” Your voice cuts through Kuni’s retelling. “This…vision thing. Only the nobles have them, right?” 

Kuni doesn’t answer immediately. “Back then, we believed so, yes. That only the nobles were presented with such a power. However, times have changed, and we’re more open to the possibility that a vision can be granted to anyone who longed for it,”

“So…Scaramouche, the king and the queen, Tartaglia and his parents, they all have one?”

“Indeed they do. They saw it as a blessing granted to them,”

You tried not to show any apprehension or doubt in your face, but there must’ve been a hint of it appearing. A blessing, huh? You supposed it entirely depended on how people looked at it, because from where you sat and listened, it just sounded like a lot of responsibilities.

You signaled for Kuni to continue.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to decline, my friend,” Scaramouche’s father hands back the hydro delusion.

“Ah, well if you change your mind, the offer is always here,”

“It turns out that in order to make a delusion, they had to extract the element from a real vision, and so Tartaglia’s father was persistent in asking our king to lend the power of his electro vision…Our king, of course, declined. He was not the type of person to interrupt the natural flow of things…He felt that if humans interfered too much into powers that they didn’t understand, it might cause great disaster…”

You tried to follow where the story was going. From the way Kuni was telling it, it wasn’t difficult to figure out that something had gone wrong along the way. “...But the king was forced to use it, at some point?”

“Yes,” Kuni sighed. In his mind, the story is still fresh as it was yesterday. The happenings as if it just transpired. “Our peace continued, up until the neighbouring kingdom threatened to overtake us. See, we were but a small kingdom back then, milady. There was no possible way for us to fight back, not with our small military power…The King realized this…and took up the offer,”

“He agreed to make electro delusions out of his own vision?” you concluded wrongly for Kuni, who shook his head slowly.

“There was not enough time to produce electro delusions. So Prince Tartaglia’s father lent our king the hydro delusions that he already had on hand. There was no doubt about it, once our knights donned the hydro delusions, the war was over before it even started. The enemies had no chance at all. But…the king discovered a greater tragedy.”

“Accelerated aging…They’re losing their life force far too fast while using the delusions,” the royal doctor broke the news to the king, eyes filled with confusion and worry all at the same time. It was beyond the realm of what he had seen, never had he observed a human deteriorate in such a short time. 

“All of them?” the king asked in horror. Watching as three of his knights remained bed-ridden for days, their hair slowly turning grey. 

“It seems not. Particular people are weaker against the effects. Your captain, for instance, has yet to feel the effects of the delusions, but these three young men have been the hardest hit,” 

“...Take the delusions away. All of it. Return it back to Snezhnaya,” 

……….

Your head tilts up at the silence, eyes questioning Kuni when you realize that he had stopped. He seemed to be struggling with something, the same expression of contemplation appearing on his face just as it did yesterday on Scaramouche’s.

You give him time, and he breathes out a heavy sigh.

“I’m afraid…I still cannot fully explain in words what I experienced and saw that day...but the disaster happened before we could even return the delusions…Prince Scaramouche…managed to get his hands on one of the hydro delusions and…”

There’s a pregnant pause once again, and you finally feel like the story is reaching its peak. Suddenly, Kuni stands up. You sit up from your relaxed position as well, thinking that he was about to walk away and abandon the story, but he lifts his shirt up halfway.

There, on his left abdomen, right at the edge of his waist, was a large puncture wound. New, pink and rubbery skin had tried to cover up the hole that was once there. The scar looked soft to the touch, and it was clear that the deformity would never be the same again. 

Your eyes were tacked on to it, the little pieces that Kuni told you melding together and forming a bigger picture. “That’s–”

“I was the captain of the knights back then,” Kuni suddenly continued, dropping his hold on the fabric. “...but I was called in far too late. When I arrived, the prince…had already taken two lives,” 

You didn’t gasp, nor did you sigh. You didn’t notice that you were holding your breath.

“He was just a child, yet the delusion took to him. He was a completely different being, wrapped in an aura that wasn’t his...I was the only one who managed to wrestle the delusion away from him. When he awoke, he recalled no such events… However, with blood on his hands and the wound on my side, he quickly realized what he had done...”

Fear, or sorrow? The two were battling within you and you hadn’t a clue which one was winning. 

“The prince changed after those events. And the king... took me out of knight’s duty and placed me as the prince’s guardian.”

Never had you heard silence with such an intensity. 

“The incident was covered up easily…Aside from the prince, the king and the queen…Only I knew what truly transpired that day…I suppose it’s one of our kingdom’s biggest sins…to not properly honour those who fell in that tragedy…”

You couldn’t help but place a hand on your mouth and sink back to lean on the bed’s headboard, trying to picture the scene in your mind. Trying to process the entirety of the situation. How to feel about it. What to make of it. What it meant for you and for others.

I can’t pretend that I’m okay with this…

You see a flash of Scaramouche’s glare in your mind.

I can’t pretend that I’m not scared… but…does everything that happened really justify the way he treats people in the present? Shouldn’t he be more…understanding?

“...So he’s got issues to work on,” you manage to mumble out your first thoughts, and to your surprise, Kuni chuckles. 

“I’m glad you think so, milady,” he starts to move the chair back to where it was supposed to be. “But do not be mistaken…it isn’t your job alone to remedy his problem.” Kuni doesn’t give any more explanation other than that. There was still much to say, but he gathered that the conversation had to be between you and the pince.

“I know you have a lot to think about, princess, so I’ll take my leave. The questions and thoughts you have right now, and the one’s you come up with can wait... I suppose the prince may have more answers and insights into it, now that he’s grown up,” 

“Hardly grown up…” you mutter, and melt back down on your bed, closing your eyes to really internalize the story. “Thank you, Kuni,”

He gives a small sound of understanding before you hear him excuse himself, the sound of the door opening and closing indicating to you that he’d left. 

The silence helped.

For a moment you laid in bed. Draped your arm over your eyes and merely let yourself…exist. 

You asked yourself why Scaramouche always had the worst of timings. 

Just when you think everything was going to be okay, he had the uncanny talent of making everything unravel again. 

Why does he have to tell me…Does it have anything to do with the attempted assassination? And why now? Does he think I’m about to die or something, and this is the last chance he gets to confess? 

You huffed to yourself. Thanking the Gods that your body and wound didn’t burn as much as it did anymore, but it still took a lot out of you. Though, you couldn’t completely blame him. It was you, after all, who had a moment of sheer panic in front of him, thinking you were about to take your last breath through that coughing fit. He didn’t offer any kind words, but you remember the feeling of his hand behind your head.

That really happened, I wasn’t imagining it.

That moment of vulnerability you showed. Was that what caused him to reach out? The possibilities and theories of whys and how comes were not decreasing. The more you thought about it, the more questions popped up. 

In some senses, your relationship with Scaramouche was exactly the same.

You learned more about him, yet nothing about him all at the same time.

He was an infuriating mystery. 

And your final thoughts before you decided to leave it for now and focus on your recovery:

That’s what I get for marrying a stranger, I guess.

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[adeliniel]

an alphabet with Eomer would be amazing! I also love the idea of him walking in on reader changing and becoming a blushing flustered mess. and I know it's cliche but maybe a fluffy "there was only one bed" trope where reader is riding along with the rohirrim and they stop for the night only to find they're short a tent so she'll have to stay with him. truly anything for Eomer would be great, I have slightly fallen in love with him🥺 feel free to take only what inspires you out of these ideas and leave the rest. I'm sure anything you write will be wonderful. thank you!!!!!!

Dear Anon, I'm so sorry it took me so much time to write your request. Actually, I finished the story about two weeks ago, just didn't have time to publish it.

Hope you (and others as well) will anjoy it!

One bed story | Eomer

- Oh, c’mon, mister “I’m the bravest Rohirrim”, it’s just a bed!

- Yeah, it’s just the bed, – he said quietly to himself, turning around his face.

Oh no, it wasn’t “just a bed” for him, it was a full night with the woman he loves with all his heart, with the woman he desires most of all in this fucking one narrow bed.

- I’ll go get some air, - he said, so incomprehensible you could barely figure out, - so when you’d be ready, just go to sleep.

You skeptically raised an eyebrow, but he left sooner that you could say a word.

/

Eomer was frustrated, to put it mildly. First you ignored his command to stay in town and mind your own business. Yet he knew you so well, that when he found out you joined the raid, it didn’t surprise or anger him. He just sighed wearily.  

Your curiosity and desire to know everything in the world has impressed him since the days when you were children. Eomer remembered how you always stuck your nose in the wrong place, and then you got reprimanded from Theoden. And even the punishment, which was usually the cleaning of stables, never stopped you from looking for new adventures. Needless to say, his words and requests did not make you stay at home. Like any of your most inappropriate and strange actions could not make him give up loving you.

The man rubbed his face with his palm again, as if it might help remove or hide such an inappropriate blush.

“Damn you, (…)”.

/

- I'm not sleeping, so no need to sneak, - you said, barely holding back a smile, watching Eomer's shadow freeze. You didn't look at him, but you felt how tense he was.

Clearing his throat, the man straightened up, but could not dare to take even a few steps to bed. Different thoughts filled his head, from how he could go to bed with a woman who didn't belong to him, to whether he could look you in the eye tomorrow if something… unexpected happens tonight.

- I'll probably stand guard today, - he said awkwardly, never daring to look at you, and he was about to turn around and leave when you dropped the blanket and jumped out of bed indignantly.

- Eomer, what’s up?! Why are you avoiding me? – you stood before him in a nightgown, and Eomer did not know where to turn his eyes. – You know, we're not kids anymore, and if you suddenly don't like me, you can tell me about it directly, instead of playing hide and seek.

- No, no, it's not like that, (…) - for the first time in the whole trip he looked at you and for a second you even lost confidence, so miserable and exhausted he seemed to you in the light of several candles in the wind.

- Then what makes you constantly look away? - you were going to get answers to all your questions today and now. - Why don't you talk to me? What...

- I love you, (…), - Eomer interrupted you, and it seemed to you that his voice broke, as if he was about to cry. - I have loved you for a long time. And I do love you very much.

- Eomer, - you whispered his name, covering your mouth with your palms and shaking your head in denying.

He smiled bitterly as he looked at the shock you were in.

- You didn't even think about it, did you? When you flirted with my soldiers or when you danced with foreign ambassadors…

His words brought you back to reality and you suddenly laughed.

- No, I had no idea it made you jealous, - you took a step in his direction, smiling sincerely. - Because usually men in love do not look at their chosen ones so sullenly and do not order them in a commanding tone "do not even dare to think about going beyond Edoras."

You copied his manner of speaking, and blush appeared on Eomer's cheeks.

- I'm incredibly worried about you, - he said, not falling into your playful tone and speaking seriously, though the atmosphere in the tent became less tense. - I'm very afraid of losing you.

You took a few more steps toward him, and now Eomer had a chance to take your palms in his.

- I know, - you said softly, looking him in the eye and gently stroking the rough skin of his palm with the thumbs of your hands. - And you know that you can not lock me in the castle and make me sit and wait until all the fun is happening outside.

- Yes, I do, - he agreed, and you could feel him gradually calming down and starting to feel comfortable around you.

- Do you have anything to say to my confession? - he asked almost in a whisper, not sure if he wanted to know your answer.

-  I’ll better show you, - you grinned mischievously before kissing him passionately, while undoing his armor. 

/

Thank you very much for reading it.

You can find more of my stories right here

[imaginativeamateur]

Hello! Congrats on reaching 500 followers! For the Ramen Special, can I please have table number 🥕 1 with Kakashi, for the broth 🍜 shoyu, for the meat 🐷 chashu, for the toppings 🌽 corn, and for the side dish 🍵 green tea. Thank you so much, dear!

[Kakashi Hatake X Reader] Happily Stuck Together

|500 Followers Event|

Order: Table 1: Shoyu Ramen with Chashu and Corn, Green tea

Pairing: Kakashi Hatake x fem!Reader

Note: Thanks for the request! Okay, honestly I've been so inactive lately. And this is me writing a Kakashi imagine with an exam coming tomorrow :DD But it's very weird because I feel more inspired than ever LOL. And I have 3 consecutive days of exams muhahahah :DD Also, please help me suggest a better title for this piece, thank you :')) Without further ado, please enjoy!

You tiredly stared at the clock on the wall and sighed. It was another night you would not see your dear husband—another night to share your bed with emptiness.

Turning off the desk lamp, you forced yourself out of your study and into your bedroom. Ever since Kakashi became the Rokudaime, you had less time to spend with the silver-haired. Even though you knew he was shouldering great responsibilities, your mind could not help but drown itself in a sea of sadness every time he apologetically turned away from you. You peered at yourself in the mirror—the Hatake emblem on the light kimono jacket that you wore as Konoha began its transition to winter, to the ring that he put on your finger with heartfelt vows the two of you made lingering in your memory, to the smile that your lips curled into to conceal your solitude. Everything seemed perfect from the eyes of others, but only the two of you knew how desperate it was to have someone there but could not hold them dear.

You were preparing to close the curtain after gazing outside the window for a long while, hoping that you would spot the fluttering white cloak making its way home, but only the deepness of the night returned your longing. Pulling the blanket, snuggling the artificial warmth that you have grown exhausted of, you forcefully closed your eyes, preventing a tear from sliding down your cheek. And it was another night without Kakashi.

You woke up from the sounds of the door creaking and someone’s muffled coughs. Your eyes widened, sensing his familiar chakra in your home, calling out to the darkness, “Kakashi?”

The noises stopped and you bit your inner cheek nervously, getting out of bed to see the commotion. Through the brittle moonlight, you could see his figure standing in the hallway, frozen when his eyes met yours. The usual eye-smile returned to his face as Kakashi scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Good evening, no, good morning, Y/N.”

You quickly glanced at the clock again, blinking at the time it showed—three o’clock in the morning. You gently smiled—a smile that could not hide your forlornness. “Good morning, Kakashi.”

The silver-haired cursorily took off his cloak and hat. “I’m sorry for waking you up. You look tired, Y/N. Go back to sleep, love, I’ll—achoo—”

Kakashi touched his nose wearily and sneezed for another round, his face growing red. You chuckled, passing the hallway to stand next to your husband, pulling his shoulders down to side his temple against yours. After a moment of feeling his temperature, you frowned unapprovingly. “Our Rokudaime caught himself a cold. How uncool is that?”

“It’s fine,” he waved his hand and laughed, “just a common cold.”

With that, he urgently pushed you back to bed and joined you after changing into his casual wear. With his build, the Hatake easily swept you into his strong arms, spooning your body into his warmth. He ducked his head into the crook of your neck, inhaling your sweet scent, tickling your sensitive patch of skin until it was prickling with goosebumps and you were unable to remain still. You turned around, ready to give him an earful about the fact that his action was doing the exact opposite of what he wanted you to do—to sleep. But the moment your eyes met, your face turned flushed with a reddish tint at the realization of how close your faces were to one another. You swiftly turned back, trying to calm your labored breathing—lying skin to skin, next to Kakashi never failed to make you feel like a schoolgirl again, despite being married for years.

Unfortunately for you, the silver-haired caught right onto it, “What is it?”

“Nothing,” you blurted, shaking your head to appear more convincing.

“Come on,” he ushed, “I know there’s something.”

Not seeing his face at the moment made his voice hoarse from the cold sound even more distinctive in your quiet room. You squinted your eyes shut, “There’s nothing, let’s sleep. You need some rest, Kakashi.”

Though reluctant, he resigned, snorting, “All right—achoo—”

This time, you turned around without hesitating, worry written all over your face, “Are you sure that you’re okay? Do you need me to get you some water?”

And the silver-haired just smiled harmlessly, “Now you’re willing to face me.”

You pursed your lips, forcing your way back but his arms clasped around your waist like steel, making flipping back impossible. An angry frown sat on your lips as you stared at him, trying to wiggle your way out.

“Tell me what’s bothering you.”

“Your breath tickled me, that’s it.” You mumbled, looking away from him.

“That’s it?” He asked incredulously. His voice then dropped an octave. “I thought you were upset because we couldn’t spend time together lately.”

You opened your mouth but said nothing, letting his words sink into the endless silence. He nudged your forehead with his nose. “I love you.”

You paused and drew circles on his firm chest, “Kakashi?”

“I’m listening.”

“You’re busy, but make sure to look after yourself, too. That’s what I’m most worried about right now.”

“I know,” he stiffened, “I promise this will be the last time you see me catching a cold.”

“If not?”

“Then I’ll be stuck with you forever so you can look after me when I’m sick, deal?” He held his pinkie forward.

“That sounds very fair.” You pulled a long face but wrapped yours around his nonetheless, diving your head into his chest, “But you don’t have to make it a deal because… you’re already stuck with me forever!”

------------------

Taglist: @dai-tsukki-desu @darling-imobsessed @animepickle7 @simping-master-69 @tirzamisu @rinnegankakashi @theacevampire @the-tiniest-one @greenshirtimagines @adeards @chloe-secret @rory-cakes @byyalady @icedemon1314

[a-reader-and-a-writer-for-all]

In the Dark of the Night

Fandom: DC, Batman, Bruce Wayne

Word Count: 1000

Notes: Fluff, Parent!Reader, Mother!Reader

Thank you so much to @loverhymeswith who requested this title as a make-up title ask game. When I thought of this, I couldn’t pass up actually writing it 😅

“Mama, can you please tell me a story?” Your youngest looks up at you with her wide, pleading eyes.

You wearily place your hands on your hips. “A story? But it is already way past your bedtime.”

“We don’t care. We want a story.” Your son chimes in as he peeks his head into his sister’s room.

“You too?” Sighing softly, you relent. “Fine. But just one.” Both kids cheer as your son runs in and jumps onto the bed. As they both settle beneath the covers, you ask, “What do you want to hear tonight?”

Without hesitation, they both happily reply, “In the Dark of the Night!”

You chuckle as you shake your head. “I should have guessed. But as soon as it’s over, you both go straight to sleep. Okay?”

They both nod, so you sit down on the end of the bed and you clear your throat. With them staring eagerly up at you, you begin the story:

In the dark of the night, bad things come out to play. A clown with a cruelly formed smile, a creature that was once a good man but is now only half alive, a trickster will trap you in a puzzle, a monster whose smoke cloud brings fear to all, and a nymph who commands nature itself. You may have heard stories of them on the news or at school. Tales of their wicked deeds and terrible acts. And you may be afraid.

However, you don’t have to be scared of such things. Because, in the dark of the night, lives something else. Something brave and strong and true. Something that will keep us safe from all those other things that try to hide in the shadows. Because he is the darkness, he is the night, he is-

“Batman!” Both of your children squeal at once.

You give them a playfully stern look as you ask, “I thought I was the one telling this story?”

“Sorry, mama.” They look down apologetically and you smile as you continue:

He is Batman. The Dark Knight who has sworn to protect his kingdom and its people from those who wish to harm them. As long as you see his light in the sky, you know he’s watching over you. As long as you hear the flapping of a cape or the woosh as he soars through the sky, you know he is there. And as long as this city needs him, he will fight to keep it safe.

So, whenever you get scared at night or hear about the monsters who live in the dark, know that there is nothing to fear. Because Batman will do everything in his power to keep you safe. Even on the darkest of nights.

As you finish the story, you see that both of your children are now fast asleep. Smiling softly, you carefully cover them with a blanket, place a light kiss on each of their heads, and turn towards the door. You are momentarily startled to see your husband leaning casually against the door frame, a sly smile on his lips. Shooing him out as you leave the room, you close the door gently behind you.

Turning to face him, you ask. “How long were you standing there?”

“Long enough. You should have told me what story you were telling tonight. You know that’s my favorite.”

You roll your eyes as you scoff, “Of course it is.”

He grabs your hand and pulls you into him, so your back is resting on his chest. Then he wraps his arms around you and leans down to whisper in your ear. “So, when are we going to tell them?”

Chuckling softly, you say, “Five and seven are still a little young, Bruce. Maybe wait until they are at least 10 or so. For now, just let them believe the myth of Batman and all his monsters. That he is just a thing of fairy tales and stories, not their flesh and blood father. Let them keep that fantasy as long as they can. We both know how it feels to be forced to grow up too quickly. And I don’t want that for them.”

Bruce kisses your jaw. “You’re right. You’re always right. I guess I’m just being selfish. They both just look up to Batman so much, I just want them to know the truth.”

You untangle yourself from his embrace and turn to face him. “They do look up to Batman. But not as much as they look up to their father. And one day, when they’re old enough, they’ll find out how much more amazing he is than they ever could have imagined. But until then, you are still their favorite hero.” You place your hand on his chest. “This hero. Bruce Wayne. The best dad two kiddos could ever ask for.”

He pulls you into him once more, this time with your chest against his. His chin gently rests on top of your head as he mutters, “I think we both know neither side of me is their hero. That title belongs to their mom.”

You smile into his chest. “Ok, true. But you’re their second favorite.” You snuggle deeper into him as you say, “And you will always be my number one.”

He holds you like this for a long time until you eventually feel him shift slightly, probably glancing at the clock in the wall just behind you. “You have to go, don’t you?” You feel him nod and you softly sigh. “Go. Go remind the rest of the city what a hero you are. I’ll be right here waiting for you when you come home.”

Releasing you from his grasp, he kisses you gently on the lips before turning and heading down the hall. You watch him disappear down the stairs leading into the cave, pride shining in your eyes.

In the dark of the night, evil lurks. But so does something else. Your husband, your hero, your Batman.