#Anyways walls seem to be your friend in that fight we had a lot of walls up

[a2zillustration]

Viconia got stuck in my ice wall during the latter half of the fight and that suited us just fine

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[[ All Croissant Adventures (chronological, desktop) ]]

[[ All Croissant Adventures (app) ]]

[kyeomofhearts]

Back For More | J.WW

+ summary: while adjusting to your new life in college, you couldn't help but attract the attention of wonwoo, someone you happened to share a history with.

+ pairing: badboy!wonwoo x fem!reader

+ word count: 4.5k

+ content: badboy!wonwoo, college au, mature language, jealousy, angst, suggestive, possessive wonwoo (yum), teasing, a lot of dialogue for sure, fluff?, please lmk if i missed anything tyyyy!

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV

[ᝰ.ᐟ] glad you guys enjoyed part one!!! 🥹 i really appreciate the lovely comments you all left <333 i know this took forever for me to post but i swear i didn't mean to. currently writing part three as we speak so it will definitely come out within these following months or so... anyways, this wasn't proofread so please excuse any mistakes i may have made! as always, don't be scared to comment because i quite literally thrive on your guys' comments and reblogs! :)

Two weeks. Two full weeks of your torture.

Wonwoo was pretty shocked, to say the least. He wasn’t aware of the lengths you would take to ignore him. Sure, it was his fault for going off on you but he was sorry. He knew what he had said to you that day upset you, but he didn't know it was going to end up like this. And now he was at a loss, he wasn’t sure on how to navigate this 'predicament' between the two of you.

Wonwoo obviously knew that he had to apologize to you but he also knew that you needed space. Which is exactly what he did for those first few days after the ‘fight’ had occurred. He gave you space for a day or two but then, those two days turned into five... and before he knew it, two weeks had passed.

Of course, it’s not like Wonwoo didn’t try to talk to you but it was kind of difficult when you would run away at the mere sight of him. It also didn't help that any of his attempts for forgiveness were typically greeted with your indifference, it was as if you had walled yourself off completely.

To make matters worse, anytime that Wonwoo was able to see you, Hyunwoo was right by your side. It was troubling, to say the least. He couldn't quite put his finger on why the sight of you with Hyunwoo stirred such unease within him but it did and he hated it.

Out of everyone on this campus, you were giving Hyunwoo your time and attention? It just didn't make sense to Wonwoo. You barely knew the guy!

Not that he was jealous or anything but… there was something about Hyunwoo that he didn't trust. His easy 'charm' and 'magnetic' personality seemed almost too good to be true, and Wonwoo couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to him than met the eye. He was definitely hiding something.

And so, Wonwoo found himself in limbo, caught between the regret of his past actions and the uncertainty of what would happen between him and you. He hoped for the chance to set things right, to close the gap that had formed between the two of you, but he couldn't help but wonder if it was already too late.

Until then, all he could do was wait for another opportunity.

[...]

To say that you were bored was an understatement. Ignoring Wonwoo for two weeks was beginning to take its toll on you. Life had suddenly become only about your job and classes which was... exhausting.

Granted, you did make it your life mission to ignore him any chance you were given but there was no point in dwelling on that. It was quite easy going no-contact with him considering that you didn't share any socials with him. A small part of you did occasionally miss when you would get randomly bothered by Wonwoo, it was a nice distraction from whatever you were thinking about at that moment.

Other than that...

Life was pretty uneventful if you were being honest with yourself. Your days were usually filled with school assignments and work so there wasn't anything that could help you keep your mind away from Wonwoo. And it didn't help that your friends had gone radio silent on you either.

Some might say that you were taking your pettiness too far but you couldn't help yourself! Sure, you and Wonwoo were not at the level where you could practically share everything with each other but how else were you supposed to react to his obvious injuries? Like... did he want you to just ignore his bruised face and act like everything was fine and dandy? You despised how much this whole situation still bothered you even after a few weeks had passed since it occurred.

Maybe it wouldn't hurt to hear Wonwoo out-

"Hellooo? Yn!"

Your head snapped towards the direction where you heard your name come from. Of course, it was Hyunwoo.

"I've been calling your name like crazy! Are you deaf or something?" His voice was laced with annoyance but you could tell that he was trying to play it cool.

You don't know if it was because you were always sleep-deprived but recently, Hyunwoo had been getting on your nerves. Hyunwoo was just too clingy for your liking, always feeling the need to be around you any chance he could. It was bothersome if anything.

“Sorry I was distracted, what did you need?” You tried to sound nice but couldn't help the irritation from slipping into your tone.

Hyunwoo scoffed. "Well, I just wanted to invite you to this party on Friday." He stepped closer to you, there was a mischievous glint in his eyes.

He continued, "I know parties aren't really your thing but... please think about it at least?"

You hesitated, your mind automatically going through your schedule. You were definitely open on Friday, but the thought of going to a party wasn't exactly appealing to you. Especially not with the current state of your social life.

You mulled over his proposition for a few seconds.

"Uh, thanks for the invite, but I think I'll pass," you replied, trying to sound casual.

Hyunwoo raised an eyebrow, his playful demeanor turning into one of disbelief. "Pass? Come on, yn, when was the last time you actually went out and had some fun?"

Ugh. His words hit a little too close to home. You knew he was right, but the idea of going out without knowing anyone felt daunting. You knew that there was surely something better you could do on a Friday night but a small part of you was curious about the party. Maybe you should at least check it out, that wouldn't hurt, right?

You looked at Hyunwoo and exhaled.

"Okay fine, I'll go with you," you playfully nudged his arm before continuing, "under the condition that I can leave whenever I want."

Hyunwoo couldn't help but roll his eyes and scoff at your 'terms and conditions', but he accepted it either way.

"Sure, oh and trust me, you won't want to leave, I'll make sure of that," Hyunwoo said as he looked at the time on his phone noting that he had a few minutes left. He patted your back before bidding you goodbye to attend his next class.

You weren't sure if it was you but there was something off about his reply. But before you could dwell on it further, your phone suddenly buzzed with a notification, forcing you back to reality.

[www.onwoo requested to follow you.]

Oh.

Okay, now you have a lot of questions. How did he even find you? Was it through one of your friends? Why now? God you knew this was going to eat you up for the next few hours or maybe even days.

Nevertheless, you accepted his friend request and even went as far as to add him as a friend. That should be okay, right?

You slipped your phone back into your pocket as you got closer to your class. Surely your lecture would at least help you take him off your mind.

Wrong.

When you entered the classroom you noticed that the seating arrangement had been changed. There were a few students still standing at the front who looked just as confused as you. After a few more students came to the class the professor eventually got up to address the situation.

"For those that are coming in, I have changed your assigned seats for the rest of the semester! If you look at the board you will also see that I have grouped you into pairs, and to make it convenient I have sat you with your partner so you do not have to struggle with finding them. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask me!"

Okay, this was different but not necessarily bad. You looked towards the board to see who you had been paired with and you felt your stomach drop down to the pits of Hell.

[yn | wonwoo]

If you were going to be honest you completely forgot Wonwoo was even in this class in the first place.

If there was a God out there, then they for sure failed you today. This was very unfortunate for you, but there wasn't anything that could be done about it. So you begrudgingly made your way to your assigned seat, right next to Wonwoo.

You took a quick glance over his figure noting his dark attire. There wasn't anything special about it but just seeing him in a simple black shirt and sweats was doing a lot of things to you. Why was the room hot all of a sudden?

After getting yourself situated in your seat, you felt his eyes surveying your figure. Part of you wanted to turn to see if he was actually looking at you but that would just be another win for him so you decided to keep your gaze on the board. Just focus on the lecture.

"yn." Wonwoo said in a somewhat muted tone, tapping a finger on your arm.

Well, that didn't last long.

You hated how much of an effect his voice still had on you, that deep tone always giving you goosebumps. Surprisingly, you still managed to keep your eyes on the lecture, you wanted to see how far he would go to get your attention.

Though your silence didn't amuse Wonwoo, in fact, it annoyed him. He hated not being able to annoy you, maybe even going as far as to say that he missed talking to you. Of course, he wouldn't have been in this situation had he not snapped at you that day but he was really trying to earn your forgiveness. He was willing to do anything at this point. So he leaned towards you, his cologne invading your senses. God, why did he have to smell so good?

"Can you stop ignoring me? I gave you enough space already," he said in a hushed, irritated tone.

You looked at him, trying your best to not laugh at how desperate he was beginning to sound. His usually calm and collected persona was beginning to crumble down into a hopeless mess. Feeling playful, you decided to torture him just a little bit.

"I don't think I want to, it's been kind of fun not having you around," You whispered back, turning your gaze at the board so you wouldn't have to see his reaction. Just for the fun of it, you decided to egg him on a little further, "Maybe try again later."

As you focused on the board, you could practically feel the tension radiating from Wonwoo beside you. His irritation was palpable, his patience wearing thin as he struggled to contain his frustration.

But despite your playful defiance, a small part of you couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. Maybe you were being too harsh on him, too stubborn to admit that you missed whatever you had going on with him. Deep down, you knew that ignoring Wonwoo wasn't going to solve anything, that it was only prolonging the inevitable confrontation you both needed to have.

As the lecture droned on in the background, the weight of Wonwoo's presence beside you grew heavier with each passing minute. You could sense him fidgeting in his seat, his frustration simmering beneath the surface as he grappled with your stubborn silence.

Maybe it was time that you stopped pushing him away.

Finally unable to bear the tension any longer, you cleared your throat.

"Okay fine, I'll stop ignoring you but don't think that I have forgiven you yet." Your eyes lingered on his face, his cuts and bruises had noticeably healed but they were still evident.

Wonwoo's tense figure visibly relaxed at your words. Even though it was only a small step, Wonwoo felt as if he had already won the lottery.

After another hour had passed, the lecture had finally come to an end. You didn't have any plans after this so you were excited to just spend the day doing whatever. But just as you were about to slip out of your seat, Wonwoo's voice stopped you in your tracks.

"Wait for me," he said, his voice softer than before.

Seeing Wonwoo like this was quite... weird. His demeanor towards you was a complete contrast to his usual confident self. It was kind of unnerving.

After that, Wonwoo began to gather his belongings, even going as far as gently taking your bag from your hand. He slid the bag onto his shoulder, not caring about the fact that he looked ridiculous wearing his regular backpack with your tote.

"I can carry my bag," you said as you tried reaching for it.

Wonwoo quickly moved away before you could even land a finger on your tote. "Let me carry it for you, please." His tone was sincere this time, almost pleading if anything.

With a reluctant sigh, you began to make your way out of the classroom, allowing Wonwoo to fall into step beside you as you made your way out of the lecture hall. The hallway was relatively quiet, the sounds of footsteps echoing against the tiled floor as you passed by other students.

As you walked side by side with Wonwoo, you couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that gnawed at the edges of your thoughts.

For a moment, neither of you spoke, the silence stretching between you like a physical barrier. As you rounded the corner, you stole a glance at Wonwoo, taking in the uncertainty etched into his features. It was strange to see him like this, vulnerable and unsure, but there was also something oddly endearing about it.

"What's going on? You're acting really weird right now," you finally blurted out, unable to contain your curiosity any longer.

Wonwoo's steps faltered slightly at your question, his gaze flickering away before returning to meet yours. "Can't I do something nice for my friend?" he replied, his voice tinged with a tiny hint of defensiveness.

You blinked, taken aback by Wonwoo's response. "Friend?" you echoed, the word feeling foreign on your tongue. It had been weeks since you and Wonwoo had exchanged more than a few words with each other, but even before that, you weren't necessarily sure you could call him a friend. Sure you've known him for the majority of your life but that was really it, growing up your friend groups rarely interacted so it's not like you actually knew anything about him. He just always happened to be there.

Did he seriously consider you as a friend?

Wonwoo's steps came to an abrupt stop, he shifted uncomfortably beside you, his gaze flickering away for a moment before returning to meet yours. "Well, yeah. I mean, aren't we?" he asked, his voice laced with uncertainty.

The question hung in the air between you, heavy with unspoken implications and unresolved tension. You chewed on the inside of your cheek, searching for the right words to express the swirling thoughts and emotions that churned within you.

"I don't know, Wonwoo," you finally admitted, your voice quiet but resolute. "I get that we've known each other for a long time but... I wouldn't exactly call us friends."

His face flashed a hint of hurt before he looked away from you. The silence following between the two of you was almost suffocating.

"That's fair I guess." His voice returned to that stoic tone that you had grown accustomed to.

Wonwoo's response hung in the air for a second, thick with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. You could feel the weight of his disappointment pressing down on you, mingling with your own sense of unease.

"I didn't mean it like that," you interjected hastily, the words tumbling out in a rush. "It's just... weird you know? We've been around each other for so long but I don't know anything about you and you don't know anything about me."

His gaze remained fixed on the ground, his expression unreadable. "I know," he murmured, his voice barely audible above the footsteps of the people passing by. "But we can always change that." Wonwoo was now completely looking at you, his gaze filled with something you couldn't quite pinpoint.

He continued, "Look, I'm sorry I spoke to you that way. I was really irritated by what had happened but I figured that being with you would put me in a better mood," he paused for a second, "I know that it was unfair of me to do that to you and I'll make sure that it won't happen again." Wonwoo's eyes were soft and sincere as he spoke to you.

It was shocking in a way, seeing how vulnerable he was being with you. For someone who usually displayed himself on the 'cooler' side, he really did know how to be genuine with you.

It was also overwhelming. Everything about this felt too intimate for you. From the way Wonwoo was looking at you to the way he voiced out his apology; it was just too much for you.

You had to do something.

Taking a deep breath, you decide to accept his apology, it was about time anyway.

"Okay, fine. I get it, we all have our off days," turning to face his side, you made a playful jab into his ribs, "but if you ever do anything like that again I will kill you." You tried your best to maintain a somewhat serious face but couldn't help but let out a giggle as soon as you saw Wonwoo squirm from your touch.

And just like that, the tension that had once felt suffocating was now gone, as if it had never been there in the first place; or at least so you thought.

What you didn't know was that Wonwoo was completely aware of your little diversion tactic. He noticed the subtle shift in your eyes while he was apologizing to you, he just chose not to say anything. But he'll play along at least for now.

“So…are we officially back to being besties?” Wonwoo decided to say teasingly, his eyes looking at you expectantly.

You stare at him momentarily with an unimpressed look before breaking into a smile. Although you've known Wonwoo for a while, you would have never thought he could joke around like this, especially with you.

And well... it wouldn't hurt if you played with him a little more.

“I’ll say yes if you buy me a smoothie from the stand over there.” You pointed toward the barely visible smoothie stand that was parked a bit farther from the window where you and Wonwoo stood.

It was the same smoothie spot from a few weeks ago only this time they were in a small cart. Although they did have their own shop near the area, the owners would occasionally bring a little cart around the campus to help bring more people in.

Wonwoo let out a low chuckle before asking you, "Do you want the same thing from last time?”

Last time? There was absolutely no way that he was talking about your order from two weeks ago.

You quirked your eyebrow up at him, "…And just how sure are you that you remember my order?"

Okay, to be fair, it's not like you had a complicated order, but it would be surprising if Wonwoo was able to remember it considering that he only heard you order that smoothie once.

Wonwoo looked over to you once again, a small smirk taking over his features. "I'll have you know that it also happens to be my favorite so don't get too excited now," he said in a provocative tone.

Ugh, he was so annoying.

Before you could give his response any more thought Wonwoo had wordlessly started walking toward the smoothie stand, effectively leaving you behind. But rather than following him all the way to the stand you decided to find seating, preferably under the shade. It's been getting hot, you noticed it's especially true when Wonwoo is around.

After finding a spot under the shade you begin to mindlessly scroll on your phone. It wasn't too long after you sat down that a notification got a hold of your attention.

[www.onwoo wants to send you a message.]

Oh god. What did he possibly want now?

[www.onwoo] why didn't you come with me? :(

Before accepting his message request you glanced over to the smoothie stand, the line was pretty long now but Wonwoo had made it just in time to get his order in before the rush. As you were looking at him, he turned his gaze toward you making you immediately look back down on your phone.

[you] it's only a one-man job. also you look ridiculous with my bag.

Wonwoo softly scoffed at your message and looked in your direction. You weren't looking at him anymore but he was still able to see a small smile on your face.

[www.onwoo] i'll have you know that i already had 3 girls compliment me on the bag 😼

You rolled your eyes before shooting back a reply.

[you] i have immaculate taste that's why.

A few chat bubbles popped in and out before they eventually disappeared altogether. It wasn't long after that you heard footsteps quickly making their way toward you.

Just as you lifted your head upwards you heard Wonwoo's confident voice announce his arrival.

“One large smoothie for my little birdy.” He smiled as he spoke, knowing that you absolutely despised that nickname.

You squinted at him in disapproval, “And here I thought that nickname was officially gone for good.”

Wonwoo chuckled at that. He then proceeded to take a sip of your smoothie before officially handing it off to you.

You stayed frozen for a second before grabbing the smoothie and wiping the straw with your shirt.

Absolutely no indirect kisses will be occurring today.

Getting up from your spot, you begin to mindlessly walk toward the closest pathway near you, the weather is pretty nice today. After a few steps, you turned around to see a rather puzzled Wonwoo looking back at you but he still followed nonetheless.

“You’re a little too chirpy today… what happened to the oh-so-serious biker? Hmm?” You playfully poked at him as you said it, enjoying the sweet flavor of the smoothie he had gotten for you.

Wonwoo scoffed softly, holding back his laugh, “He’s still here, he just happens to be in a good mood now that his little birdy is talking to him again.”

But before you can even think of a snarky response Wonwoo continued.

“But if that’s what you’re into then I can always play the part for you,” he said with a smirk, his words smothered in arrogance.

You scoffed, amused by the implication he made. “Ew it’s definitely not like that.”

“Oh, but it can be.” Wonwoo moved closer to you, effectively closing the space between you both. His cologne invaded your senses once again; this time, it was proving much more difficult for you to escape from his grasp. His gaze was unwavering as he looked at your face or to be more exact, your lips.

After what felt like an eternity, Wonwoo finally pulled himself away from you. He smirked at the very flustered state that he had just left you in. It was clear that there was a mutual attraction between the two of you, an attraction you were trying to reject.

It was a challenge that Wonwoo was more than ready to handle.

You cleared your throat, "As fun as it was hanging out after class... I think that it's about time for me to head back home," you said as you recomposed yourself.

Technically speaking, there wasn't anything waiting for you back at your place but you felt that if you stayed a second longer things would definitely escalate between the two of you.

And again, your little stunt didn't go unnoticed by Wonwoo but he also wasn't surprised, if anything, he expected you to pull away like this. That was one of the first things he had noticed when he initially started talking to you, always leaving before things could really develop. It was cute in a way, but he was eventually going to get you out of your shell, it was only a matter of when.

Wonwoo faintly smiled to himself, “Okay but before I let you go, we should come up with a day to start our project together.”

Fuck. You forgot about that.

He continued, “How about this Friday? I have nothing going on that day.” Wonwoo's eyes landed on your figure as you went on your phone to check your work schedule for the upcoming week.

“Ugh, I have to go out with Hyunwoo that day,” you said just as your eyes landed on Sunday, it was completely open.

“…but how about this Sunday? I don’t work that day.” You looked up toward Wonwoo's eyes, hopeful that it could work out.

A million thoughts raced through Wonwoo's head. You're going out with Hyunwoo? Like as in a date or...? No, he has to stay composed.

“That works for me,” he mumbled, his gaze went toward the ground, kicking a few pebbles before looking at you once again, “but what’s going on with you and Hyunwoo?”

You couldn't help but laugh at Wonwoo's question which earned you a scowl from him. God, you were going to have so much fun with this.

“Why do you ask?” This was the perfect opportunity to get back at Wonwoo for teasing you earlier so like the tease that you are, you decided to play dumb with him. “Are you perhaps… jealous?” You said with a loud gasp as a way to rile him up, your hands flying to your mouth for dramatic effect.

You continued, "Don't worry Hyunwoo is just a boy who also happens to be my friend." Wonwoo's face physically hardened at the idea of Hyunwoo being your boyfriend. He knew that you saw him on a regular basis but he had yet to see any real signs that you were actually dating him.

Patting his back in a comforting manner you then explained, "Relax, don't get your panties in a twist. If you have to know, Hyunwoo is just a friend." While it was fun teasing him you most certainly did not want him to get the wrong idea about you and Hyunwoo.

"But if I'm being honest it was kind of fun bullying you, I should do that more often." It couldn't be helped! You just had to add that last part.

Wonwoo rolled his eyes. “Oh wow, who knew you were a sadist.” His tone was playful, an evil grin tugging at the corner of his lips as he played along with your banter.

Your jaw dropped at his comment, huffing out a loud, “Wonwoo!”

He raised his hands up in a surrender, “I'm kidding! I'm kidding… or maybe not.” Which then earned him a slap on his bicep.

“You truly are shameless,” you muttered out loud for him to hear.

By this point, Wonwoo had taken the lead as the two of you walked away from the courtyard. It was only until you were at the school's parking lot that you realized that he had purposely taken you here.

There was a beat of silence before Wonwoo let out a soft sigh. "Would you look at that... my bike happens to be over there..." He nudged you in the direction of where he had parked his bike a few hours prior.

Wonwoo let out another pathetic sigh, "It would be rude of me to just let you walk back home you know?" This time he grabbed a hold of your hand as he led you directly in front of his bike.

Your eyes almost bulged out of your head at the implication that he just made. There's absolutely no way that you are getting on his bike.

"Uh... I'm not so sure this is a good idea Won-"

Wonwoo shushes you and hands you a spare helmet, a shit-eating grin plastered over his stupidly handsome face.

"Just trust me," he says as he slides your tote inside his backpack, "that should hold everything in place." Wonwoo then handed the backpack to you, waiting for you to put it on, his eyes landing on your terrified figure.

This was going to be fun.

Part Three: Coming Soon…

[moonyasnow]

Sleeping Beauty's Tentative Prince.

PROMPT : They kiss you in your sleep

CHARACTERS : Ace, Jack, Malleus, Sebek

CONTENT : fluff and angst, pre-relationship, they are PI-NING, the fae have…strange priorities. or maybe it's just Lilia in particular(Malleus' part), internalized racism (Sebek's part)

—

I do NOT condone doing this in real life to someone who hasn't consented. But this is fiction so fuck it we ball

While you were awake, he could not show the affection to you that he wished he could, caught up in his own fears it might not be reciprocated and could strain your current relationship.

But in sleep, you would never know. In sleep, he could more easily deliberate upon his fondness for you, as much confusion, anxiety, fear, hope and longing as they brought him.

Ace

Ace Trappola portrayed himself as a 'coaster extraordinaire', gliding only where turf is smooth, dancing through life without a care in the world for anything besides goofing off with his friends. Stuff like 'love' and 'romance' wasn't on his radar, deciding he'd rather steer clear of it after an experience dating in middle school that left him feeling so utterly...bored, not really there, as having to live up to some ideal decided by his partner. Was that what all those books and songs and movies was hyping up? He felt lied to! It wasn't fun, and he couldn't understand how his now ex-girlfriend, or anyone else for that matter, really thought of any of that stuff as desirable!

The 'ghost bride', Eliza, was really just a personification of everything that made him want to steer clear of it. After she finally decided to shuffle off this mortal coil for good, along with her equally ghost— to Idia's utter relief— husband, too tired from all that fighting to really feel like it was worth it, he decided he'd rather crash at Ramshackle than walk all the way back to Heartlsabyul.

You declared you'd make it a sleepover, which was why he was laying in a sleeping bag on the musty living room floor of the ancient, decrepit house, creaking and groaning from the wind and its own whims. You laid next to him, on a mattress(unfair of you not to bring a second, by the way), sound asleep. He was kinda envious of you in that moment, you know?

Despite how dead tired he was after not only all the battle stuff but cleaning up the cafeteria on top of it, sleep just wouldn't bless him with its embrace. And desptire how much he didn't want to, especially not after all the other first-years— including Deuce, the bastard— made fun of him for the thought he'd already put into it...he found the topic of 'love' spinning around his head again.

He sure as hell didn't want the kind that Eliza'd idealized it to be. The others claimed that he, out of all the other suitors, did at least seem to know what he wanted. "...someone you can laugh with, and cry with...someone who'll stick with you through all the hard times..." He felt flustered and like an idiot recalling he'd said that for the entire room to hear, even more so due to the fact they'd caught on he was actually being genuine.

Then for some inexplicable reason he got an urge to turn his head to look at you. You looked about as tired as he felt. By that meaning you looked terrible. Or so he'd say if you were asking him why he was staring. Why was he staring? Probably because he was concerned. Just a little bit. Crowley already threw enough shit your way on the regular anyway, now you have to deal with this, too. And he never understood why you still tried so hard.

You, while not even having magic, had still given it your all during those battles, throwing rocks and twigs and even a goddamn wall-mounted candlestick— or well, that used to be wall-mounted, though apparently not as well as anyone thought they were if you could just pull it off the wall— at the ghosts. It phased right through them, obviously, but it'd annoyed and distracted them enough to make his and the others' job a whole lot easier. It was long past time for him to take back everything he said about you the first day you met by the school's Main Street.

You really had become an all-in-one janitor, photographer, therapist, and law-enforcer in one in the time you'd been here. It really wasn't fair. But you'd once told him it was easier since you had him and the rest of the braincell squad around. And he had to admit, it was the same for him. When it came to you in particular. Sure, he liked Deuce, and maybe Grim too just a little bit, but having you there was...special. He's not sure how he would've dealt with the incident at that one absolutely horrible unbirthday party and his Housewarden's total freak-out if you weren't there...or if, before it, he'd have had to spend the night in Ramshackle all alone with just the ghosts for company.

His eyes widened. Wait... He started to feel warm from top to bottom. He didn't mean it like— you weren't— y-you were just buds! You know? Friends. Just friends. And then he wanted to strangle someone when he realized those words tasted bitter in his mouth. Getting up on his elbow and looking at your sleeping face he couldn't place every thought whirring through his head. He thought you were kinda pretty or whatever, sure, but it's not weird to think your friend is pretty! And maybe...

No. Try as he might, every new excuse he came up with for why that couldn't be the case was just that; an excuse. He liked you. As more than just a friend. Maybe he kept trying to deny it because of how different this felt to his middle-school girlfriend. He thought she was cute and all, but he felt so alone when he was with her. Like she was seeing some boyfriend-shaped cut-out in place of him. He never felt alone when he was with you. And he sure as hell would never take a whole day's worth of public transport to school on a break for anyone else.

But it's not like he was planning for this. It felt strange, the way you went from 'best friend' to 'best friend I wanna be with' in his mind. Because, those categories weren't supposed to intersect, were they? Or could they? It just felt weird.

…But when he got past his initial shock, he realized that, thinking of you that way felt…natural. It was strange. Strange that it wasn't something he had to psyche himself up for. Maybe he was more like Eliza than he initially realized, in that way. Not noticing that kind of love when it was right in front of him. Maybe he'd also gotten caught up in that idealization of love, never realizing before that love actually could be with someone like that…someone he cherished like a best friend.

Laying down again and turning his whole body to face you properly, he stared at you. You really were pretty. Not in that way where you see someone and can just tell whether they're pretty or not. Not in the attraction kinda way either. Well, there might have been a little bit of that too. But mostly, there was just something...special, about you.

About your face, and your eyes, hair, shoulders, nose, chin, neck, hands and just— everything. Just looking at you made him feel warm. It usually did. But especially in that moment. It was weird, how just thinking those things seemed to jump-start his heart like some old motor, because now it was racing in the night. He found himself leaning closer, until his breath fanned at your lips. Looking at you from such a close proximity was weird. Sure, he might wrap an arm around or lean it on your shoulder pretty often, and do things like flick your forehead or your nose to see you pouting at him, but you'd never really been this close before. The tips of your noses were touching.

He was planning on moving away. He really was. But then you shifted in your sleep and your lips brushed softly against his.

As quickly as he could, he almost leapt backwards and turned his back to you and hoped to the Seven you didn't realize. Not then, not the next morning— not ever.

He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep, and calm his racing heartbeat.

Sadly for him, he laid awake all night thinking about it and didn't get a lick of sleep.

He kinda hoped he could do it again one day. With you awake this time, of course. Yeah...with you, it might not be so bad. The Underworld would freeze over before he ever told you that though. Well, that was hyperbole. He just wanted to make sure you wouldn't like…laugh at him for it, or something.

…Maybe accidents weren't so bad sometimes.

Jack

Having grown up knowing that his parents, his grandparents, and most likely their parents and grandparents too, were mated for life— that they found each other and that was it— Jack Howl had always been sure that's how it would go for him too. That when he found 'the one' everything would be easy, and make sense instantly. And when he started to feel a strange new pressure in his chest around you, a desire to protect you more than even his other friends, he was sure that this was it. Yet something happened which he hadn't considered.

The person he fell for wasn't another wolf beastperson, nor any other kind of beastperson or mer who mated for life. You were human. And humans very much did not mate for life, as much as some might claim they would like to. For the first time he started to feel a bit of doubt about his future life plan. He was sure you were 'the one' for him… But now he had to start to contest with the fact that, he might not be 'the one' in your eyes.

So, he thought…he would try to court you in some way. Make it clear he could be a good partner for you.

During the second night at Vargas' training camp, when Grim hadn't returned from going to get blankets with the others, you had become so worried that you tried to run off to go looking for him. And Jack felt like he had no choice but to go with you; he would never risk you running into the shadow while alone. It definitely wasn't the smartest decision, and he had tried to stop you. But you had argued against him, insisting you wouldn't just leave Grim behind, no matter how much danger it put you in. That was something he had always respected about you; you always looked out for those in you pack. And he agreed to go with; he'd do the same for you— and then some— if you went missing, after all. But an hour of walking later, and you both realized that…you were lost. Now, not only was Grim gone, but those who remained at camp would think you both were gone, too.

You two had been walking for hours searching for the way back to no avail, when you had given up, swaying on your feet, saying you couldn't take another step. His eyes shot up in surprise, having been too caught up in getting you both back to camp to consider you didn't have anywhere near his levels of stamina, his ears flattening against his head with both guilt and a bit of embarrassment— guilt at not having realized you couldn't keep up, and embarrassment at not remembering the way back well enough. More like shame, really. He felt sure camp was the safest place for both of you right now, yet in his haste to follow you to make sure nothing jumped out at you, he'd neglected to keep good enough track of the scents around you both to be able to lead the way back. That wasn't how a good partner was supposed to behave! He was supposed to be able to make sure you were safe.

You were the one to suggest, with the night being so cold, that you sleep close to one another. He balked at the suggestion once it left your mouth, trying to hide the furious blush he knew would overtake his face if he let it— letting you see him like that would be way too embarrassing to consider; he was supposed to be cool! So you'd know he could protect you! Not act like some lovesi— o-overly affectionate— puppy! But when you reasoned that it was to conserve heat, to make sure neither of you ever became cold enough for it to be truly dangerous, he had no argument against it, and so was forced to go along with it. He didn't want you to freeze, after all. And no, don't misunderstand him! His tail did NOT just start wagging! And if it did, i-it was just nerves! N-not at being close to you— the shadow! NOT TO SAY HE COULDN'T TAKE ON THE SHADOW IF IT APPEARED—

He had to force himself to keep quiet, lest he put his foot in his mouth again.

He'd assumed you would just be sleeping next to each other. So when you slotted yourself right in his arms, your head on his chest, he froze in place, begging for dear life that you weren't hearing the way his heart was now racing. No matter if you did or not, you soon fell asleep. But Jack, like a protective guard dog (a comparison he didn't like but couldn't exactly deny at this moment) stayed awake for a while longer to make sure the area was truly safe, leading to him becoming lost in his thoughts.

He was confused why you were here at all. You weren't even part of a sports club! Or any club at all, for that matter; running errands for Crowley ate up too much of your time for you to be able to join one. But you were still here. You had claimed it was better than spending that time in school figuring out a way for a magicless student to succeed in magic assignments, Grim not often being fond of cooperating if there was no tuna involved, much to your frequent frustration. But it still really didn't sit right with him that you got caught up in all this when you were only meant to be there to take pictures. He thought Crowley should definitely compensate you for this, since you got caught in danger due to him making you go along with them. But by now he'd wised up enough to realize that was never going to happen. The thought began to really get on his nerves.

It was insane, how Crowley treated you like some slave with no mind or will of your own. Even worse, a disposable one he kept throwing at problems— dangerous problems...he still wasn't over how close you'd come to being seriously injured in the fight at the Mostro Lounge— that should have been CROWLEY'S job to handle. He almost began to growl just thinking about it. The mere thought of you, his m— friend...his good...friend...being hurt in the slightest scared him. Enough that his arms unconsciously tightened around you. The scent of your hair, a reminder you were currently not in danger, put him at ease. He exhaled in silent relief.

…If…

After you both graduate, if he asked you to come with him back to his home in the Shaftlands, what would you say? He'd be able to keep you safe. Make sure you never had to live like this again. What with your status as not being from this world and thus having no legal identifying paperwork, getting a job would probably be hard for you. So he'd get a job and support both you and him. And Grim, of course— if Grim was your pack, he was Jack's, too. He was already sure his family would love you, and welcome you with open arms. And then one day down the line he'd—

He couldn't bring himself to finish his thought, face having grown far too red. But his tail wouldn't stop wagging. He might have thought of it before, but that was when you weren't literally sleeping in his arms. You being so close just...made everything feel too real.

He took a deep breath to clear his mind. What mattered right now was that he would keep you safe. Take care of you. Now…and hopefully, you'd allow him to do the same in the future.

But the fuzzy, excited feelings brought on by the thought he didn't finish didn't leave him, them and your scent lulling him further into a comfortable sleepiness. So close to sleep and overflowing with affection, he didn't even notice, let alone have the sense to stop himself, from placing a kiss to your forehead, snuggling up closer to you to make sure you kept warm, unconsciously smiling against the top of your head as he, too, was claimed by sleep.

It just felt so...right, to hold you.

…The next morning you were confused by why he refused to look you in the eye.

Malleus

Malleus Draconia, crown prince and heir to the fae Kingdom of Briar Valley, was used to spending his time alone. Used to having only his guards and mentor for company. Used to spending hours wandering through empty stone hallways and rigorously up-kept gardens where none but he, his beloved gargoyles, and the occasional critter dared wander.

Perhaps that was because of him.

Though he came to Night Raven College to 'broaden his horizons', after the first few months or so of classes in which he was left to work alone even on group projects, smelling the fear of his peers in the air, he had all but given up on finding an actual friend. Someone who would stay by his side not out of duty or necessity, but purely out of desire to.

The way you haphazardly seemed to stumble into his life and make a home for yourself in his hollow ruin of solitude had still not caught up with him, even months later.

It was late in the evening, the old decrepit clock in Ramshackle had just struck 12. You were on the couch, leaning against him, asleep on his shoulder as he read a book. Or at least, he had been trying to. For all of five minutes. The soft pressure of your body leaning against his arm had made him lose all focus for anything not related to you. So here he was, staring like a fool at your sleeping figure.

That you, so small and fragile compared to him, were not afraid of the dragon by your side— the horned beast with power enough to destroy most of the school with less than a snap of his fingers— never ceased to amaze him. Yet it was on nights like these, when you were too tired to go for your usual evening walk with him yet still wanted him near, that left him most awestruck. Not only did you say, with your own words, that you wished to be by his side despite your lack of energy…you trusted him enough to fall asleep in his presence. Leaning against his shoulder, no less. It intoxicated his heart with pride, peace and longing in equal measure.

Yet, it only occurred to him the first time it happened that he had never seen another's sleeping face before. At least, not with their knowledge. He had seen you resting through your window on his late-night strolls before. Yet this was different. You allowed him this. If he did not already think you were the most beautiful thing his eyes had ever bore witness to, he did once he saw the gentle, peaceful expression on your face so close. He couldn't help but liken you to the sleeping princess in the old story of the Thorn Witch from his homeland. Sleeping so peacefully…all whilst leaning against a dragon.

His heart ached with feelings he had no words for as he stared at your face, streaked with moonlight, book long since forgotten. Cupping your cheek, he cursed the leather gloves keeping him from truly feeling your skin. In the back of his mind he harbored a fear he dare not put into words: that were he to feel your skin against his, it would be a point of no return, and he would never be able to go without it again. A curse to one such as him, who— his logic was much too aware for his liking— would be forced to grow accustomed to losing the touch of all things in time.

Yet his emotions, not bound by logic of any kind, wondered if you would like that. If him discarding his inhibitions and letting his gloveless hands roam every inch of your body would delight you the same way the mere thought did him. One part of him told him that 'yes, you would'; he was the fae prince, one of the most talented mages alive. He could keep you safe, give you anything you could ever desire. Yet another part of him said 'perhaps not' with barely any hesitation. He was a dragon, feared by man and fae alike for his power which could wipe out whole nations, should he desire to. The conflicting answers left him with a confusing sense of whiplash, not knowing which to trust. Yet, since you were not, unlike many, afraid of him, he found himself hoping your answer would fall more in line with the former…

Heart filled with trepidation and yearning in conflict with one another, he searched his mind for that always comforting anchor of knowledge that was Lilia's words. All that came to mind regarding the matter of kisses was that 'it was not to be done once the sun had set', which to him was good enough reason to force himself to abstain. Or at least, so he'd hoped. He wished to listen to his mentor's words, clung to them when his own young mind felt overcome with what he wished to do instead of what he ought to do…yet found he could not. At least, not fully.

Holding your warm hand in his which was cold beneath his gloves, the heat still slowly seeping from yours to his, yours appeared so small. As Malleus resisted the urge to rub his nose against yours, he felt his pulse beat in his throat. A metaphorical fire lit in the candle of his heart, flaring higher as he slowly neared your lips.

At the last second he managed to force himself to place his gloved hand gently over your mouth, placing a light, chaste kiss to the back of it.

He yearned to traverse further, to not have this self-imposed barrier in his way, to truly know if your lips were as soft as he imagined them to be, if they tasted as sweet. It was difficult to draw a line for himself. But, despite pouting through it, he still did. Once more recalling Lilia's words of wisdom: it would be impolite to steal your first kiss— or at least, so Malleus assumed it was— without your knowledge, after all.

After that he made up his mind to keep himself in check. That was enough for tonight, he thought and tried to return to his book. But his thoughts never stopped drifting to you.

It equally unsettled and enthralled him.

Sebek

The son of a human father and a fae mother— a fae mother who went entirely against the norms and expectations of her people and culture to marry a human man, a man whose people had hurt hers, and whose union with her had barely been accepted, much less understood— to say that Sebek Ziegvolt feels many conflicting emotions interacting with humans would be an understatement.

He, having seen the scorn his parents' union brought his mother, had vowed as a young child that he would 'never be stupid enough to choose to marry a human'. For he, at his young age, fully believed it was something he had control over. And he still did well into his teens, Lilia's explanation that love cared not for what people had decided, while he admired, revered and respected the older fae greatly, was still not quite enough to persuade him that there could ever be a possibility of him, Sebek Ziegvolt, proud knight of the Lord Malleus Draconia, deigning to fall for a mere human. He couldn’t understand the appeal in any way, shape or form. Human were weak. Fae— he— were strong.

What use had the strong for the weak?

But when you saw him freezing in the cold winter air, you wrapped your scarf around him. He, predictably, began to chastise you, claiming through a runny nose that as a human you were weaker than he and that he could handle this cold, and would not lose to mere weather— which was evidently not the case, as his own words were cut off by a big sneeze, to which you simply laughed. What nerve you had, he thought, for you, a mere human, to laugh at him, Sebek Ziegvolt. To laugh at his weakness! But his thoughts stopped dead in their tracks when you removed the hand covering your mouth and he saw your smile. It was...dazzling. A depiction of beauty which he had only heard described before.

In his daze he almost missed you taking a napkin out of your pocket and wiping away the mess under his nose, still smiling at him the same way.

Though he chided you, claiming to not need it, he was powerless to stop the stutter in his heart at your gesture. The tip of your finger grazed his jaw for a fraction of a second as you withdrew your hands, and it haunted his dreams for weeks. And the gentle smile on your face, showing, as far as he knew, nothing but sincere care for him, was enough to make him feel as though he didn't need the scarf at all.

It was...dizzying.

He saw his displays of weakness as just that: weakness, not vulnerability. In his eyes he must not have either to be able to be a good, no, even passable knight to his Young Master! Deep down he knew his Lord Malleus was already strong enough to not really need a knight. But he could never shake the worry it was on him, that he didn't need a knight because Sebek wasn't knightly enough. That was why he worked so hard. His position, with Lord Malleus, in life, had to mean something. Make him mean something.

But you never seemed to care for how he thought of it, showing him small gestures of kindness over and over again. In time he found he had begun to expect those small gestures, despite how he might still had insisted they were unnecessary. That you continued them despite his insistence...warmed him, just like when you lent him your scarf— which he always returned to you each day, knowing you would wrap it around him again the next.

At first he was sure you must have bewitched him, cast some manner of curse upon him— forgetting the fact that you, as magicless, would not be capable of such a feat— for he could find no other logical explanation for what the feeling of full-body lightness and heart-stuttering you brought upon him could be. At least...none he wanted to listen to; none that made sense to him.

You were human.

What he could never let himself be.

And he, the knight of Malleus Draconia, couldn't make the same strange choice as his mother, no matter how highly he respected her.

Yet whether he wished to or not, they'd taken hold of him, struck his heart like lightning, leaving a permanent mark of you on his very being.

It was shortly after that incident that he had, one evening, come to Ramshackle in search of Lord Malleus, and instead found you on one of the Dorm's benches, looking moments away from sleep. For a moment, thoughts of his search for his liege left his mind. When he asked what you were doing out alone this late at night, interrogating you like you'd broken some kind of curfew Ramshackle didn't have, you smiled and said you were waiting for Malleus to go on your usual evening stroll with him. Something about that gave him a sour feeling in his chest. For you or for Lord Malleus, he couldn't say.

Huffing, he said he might as well wait with you. You said nothing at that, just smiled and patted the spot next to you. Reluctantly, he did.

You sat in silence for a while, him trying to ignore the way so many feelings he couldn't figure out the meanings of stung at his chest. He was so caught up in his mind that it was only once he'd finally figured out something to say to you and took a deep breath that he realized his shoulder felt heavier, and he looked over to see you leaning against it, sound asleep. He was about to begin to scold you for falling asleep while waiting for his Young Master! It was bad enough his Lord Malleus had to endure the tardiness of Silver on acount of the latter's propensity for falling into slumber at any given moment! But when he looked at your face again, the words, for once, froze in his throat and fizzled away.

The way your mouth was left slightly agape, leaving a small trail of drool running down your chin, really should have appalled him, been seen as something pathetic, left him feeling distaste of some kind. But when you'd still smiled at him when he had snot running from his nose, how could he?

Maybe it was fine to…let you sleep. You didn't fall asleep like this often anyway…

As gently as he could, so as not to wake you, he lifted your body up and sat you in his lap, shifting and angling himself to allow your legs to still hang over the edge of the bench, now exchanged for his legs. He looked up at your sleeping expression in reverence, bringing his thumb to wipe away your drool. In his other hand he took yours, which had been hanging limply at your side. With his other arm around your waist to keep you from tipping over, he leaned his head, cheeks burning, against your shoulder, yours falling atop his as he did.

Closing his eyes, he pressed a tender kiss to the back of your hand.

His heart fluttered with a novel tenderness...yet not one he found he minded. He would guard you as you slept. Care for you in your 'weakness', just as you had him in his.

To love a human might not be something he was yet capable of. But, if you would extend to him the same, not a half-fae, but him...

...he might be able to love you.

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

First of all I just want to say: Thank you thank you thank you SO MUCH to everyone who engaged at all with my last (and first) writing post! > <

Knowing people like my writing was such a massive motivation-boost to me! I tend to struggle with perfectionism and feeling like my writing isn't good enough by my own standards, so all that stuff is very, very appreciated!

I also wanna say sorry if any of them seemed OOC— aside from Malleus, I don't feel as confident in writing these characters as I do for the characters in my first post, since I don't know them as well yet. A big thank you to @yuurei20 for their TWST character fact sheets (found here) for the help! And also to the people who contribute to the the English TWST wiki!

Lastly: A reminder if you didn't already know, that I do, in fact, take requests! Coming up with WHAT to write is usually the hardest part for me; when I get past that I have a blast! ^^

...Also I think doing the research for this has skyrocketed Sebek up my 'favorite TWST characters' list because damn. That's rough, buddy. And honestly same in a way. His part was definitely my favorite to write.

[daddyslilchickenfingers2]

Slutmas Day 1

Only You (Matt)

Request: you're secretly fw and both have real feelings for one another but won't act on it. you guys go to a party where this girl keeps tryna get at matt, being super flirtatious and tryna b all touchy feely. matt turns her down but she keeps being persistent and it's making you jealous so you avoid him for the rest of the night. but he finds you and shows you that it's only you? idk idk @lustfulslxt

Warnings: Slight angst, sorta public sex, friends to lovers, fluffy ending, jealous reader, confessing their love for one another, slight mention of beer/alcohol and marijuana

“I don’t want anyone else. No one can make me feel like you do baby”

Y/n’s pov

I was over at the triplets house, everyone was getting ready to go to some influencer party but Chris and Nick were taking forever. I was in Matt’s room with him while we waited on his brothers. “You know, you look really hot tonight princess” he said which caused me to roll my eyes. “Yeah, okay Matthew” I replied with attitude. You see, the thing is, Matt and I are friends with benefits but we’ve both developed some feelings for each other. Lately he’s been hanging around this one other girl quite a lot and to be honest it’s starting to piss me off. I’m jealous and I’ll admit it, so I’ve been kind of dismissive towards him lately, not wanting to get my heart broken.

Anyways, back to me and Matt talking. “Don’t be so harsh princess, I’m just complimenting what’s mine” Matt dumbly smirked at me. “Oh shut the fuck up Matthew, I’m not yours and you’re not mine, you’ve made that very clear!” I replied. As I was opening his door he yelled “What the fuck is that supposed to mean!?” but I had already made my way down to Chris room. “Can you please hurry up, I want to go” “Yeah, yeah, pick out shoes and a shirt for me and I’ll be ready” he mumbled. Finally everyone was ready and we got into the van, we’ll probably take an Uber home just to be safe since Matt was probably going to get wasted.

•••Time Skip•••

We had been at this party for about two hours and I was already pretty high, only having one drink. Matt has been talking to some new bitch, I glared over at him as he smiled at me. He was seemingly unaware of anything being wrong so I decided to just continue avoiding him. “Hey pretty lady, watcha smoking there?” Matt asked me as I look another hit off my pen. I rolled my eyes and walked away from him with a scoff but was quickly pulled into a different direction. “Hey let me fucking go!” I yelled at whoever was dragging me but they turned around and of course it was Matt.

“Matthew! What the fuck!” I yelled at him but he just kept walking. After a minute or two, we made it to an unoccupied bathroom, Matt quickly pushed me inside and locked the door before pushing me up against it. “What’s your deal tonight? You’re acting—“ he started before I cut him off by pushing him off of me. “What’s wrong Matt? That chick you’ve been flirting with all night turn you down?” I rolled my eyes. “Other way around, I turned her down sweetheart. Stop being so fucking jealous!” Matt said between gritted teeth as his hand came up to wrap around my throat.

“Stop fucking every girl you see!” I yelled back but that just seemed to piss Matt off more considering he pushed me up against the wall. “You’re the only girl I’m fucking, you’re the only girl I’m talking to, you’re the only girl that I fucking care about!” he once again yelled before smashing our lips together. The kiss was hot and sloppy, our tongues fighting for dominance as our teeth clashed together. It was so needy, we only pulled away long enough for Matt to say “Jump” and catch me. I was set on the bathroom counter and Matt finally pulled away from me, both of us out of breath.

“Let me prove it to you” Matt said as he started kissing my neck. “Okay” with that he pulled off my panties and shoved them in his pocket before undoing his belt and pants, letting those and his boxers pool around his ankles. “You ready baby?” “Yes please” Matt lined himself up with me before thrusting in and out slowly. “Matt babe, faster please” I whined and he obliged, pounding into me like no tomorrow. “Fuck this pussy was made for ME! You’re mine, you got that Y/n? MINE!” he grunted out as he somehow started going faster.

I was pulling on his hair and loudly moaning, if anybody walked by the door they’d definitely hear me. “I don’t want anyone else. No one can make me feel like you do baby!” Matt said pulling back and slowing down a little bit, “Bad timing but please be my girlfriend!” he added. I was shocked to say the least but I agreed, “Yes! Yes I’m yours Matt! All yours!” I whimpered. As soon as I agreed to be his girlfriend, he went back to railing me like no tomorrow.

“Fuck Matt, I’m so close!” “Me too baby just hold on” he started to rub my clit and smashed his lips against mine again. His movements were all so fast and overwhelming in the best way possible and it was getting harder to hold my orgasm in. Luckily for me, Matt pulled back from the kiss just enough to mumble, “Cum for me baby, cum so I can fill you up” against my lips. With that, I let go, cumming hard and clenching around his cock.

I threw my head back as I moaned, causing my head to hit the mirror “Careful baby— Oh god fuck! Yeah that’s right- You’re pussy’s so fucking tight for me, shit!” Matt moaned as he came inside of me. Both of our legs were a little bit shaky and our breathing was erratic but even as Matt pulled out, everything in this moment felt right. “Let me clean you up sweetheart” Matt said as he grabbed a washcloth from under the sink, getting it wet before gently wiping me down. “Hey Matt, I think I’m in love you” I spoke quietly as Matt cleaned himself off and put his pants back on.

“I know I’m fucking in love with you. I love you and I have for so long, I just didn’t want you to leave me so I never told you” he admitted to me, standing in between my legs and fixing my hair. “Can I take you out on a date tomorrow Matty?” “No but I’ll take you out on a date” he winked. “By the way you’re not getting your panties back tonight” he smirked as I hopped off the counter. “Maaatttt no, I need them” I protested but he just opened my he bathroom door and grabbed my hand.

“No you don’t, me and you are going home. I’ll tell Nick and Chris to catch an Uber” I just rolled my eyes with a cheesy smile on my face. “You better massage my legs when we get home” I teased as Matt opened the car door for me. “Oh trust me, I’m gonna run you a nice warm bath and take off your makeup and dry your hair and just take care of you for the rest of the night my love” Matt smiled before placing a quick peck to my lips and driving us home.

All work is subject to copyright

©️ Daddyslilchickenfingers2 2023

Do not steal my work

[bob-artist]

Just found you via your funny dream comic. Good stuff 😆. Definitely gonna read the rest, and I was surprised you had your own website. Looks good on mobile too. I’ve got a comic that some friends keep trying to build me a site for but I’ve been telling them no because it seems like between webtoon and social media nobody is interested in personal sites anymore.

Have you noticed an uptick in engagement from your site? Would you recommend going that route? I’d like to hear your thoughts.

I’m also interested in how you decided to build/host it, if that question isn’t too lame.

Anyway, glad I found your comics!

Ah thank you for checking out Into the Smoke's website!!

Oh, I have SO many thoughts about independent webcomic sites and why people should have them. I have so many thoughts, and I'm so so sorry.

Why did I decide to have my own webcomic site?

First of all, this is not a lame question and I wish we could all have this conversation more often, so I could maybe write just a paragraph instead of this whole dissertation!

1. Because I lived through webcomics history.

I launched my first webcomic in 2011. I watched the webcomics scene shift over the years from self-hosted sites to third party sites, and I saw what it meant for independent creators. We lost vital infrastructure, relationships, habits, and control over our own work. I think self-hosted sites are an important backbone for creators, even if/when their largest *numbers* come from a third party site.

We’re all supposed to be helping each other, not fighting each other to satisfy the algorithm. Our early tools (webrings, link trades, comic databases, sharing each other’s posts) were small but meaningful, and they also helped us maintain a community mindset in a long and sometimes lonely line of work. When we started leaning on hosting sites, we let a lot of those tools and relationships decay. And now a lot of people are locked into imbalanced relationships with hosting sites that leave them with very little agency and control over their work and how it’s shared (or isn’t shared).

Hosting sites are great for removing barriers to entry (cost/time to build a site). And a lot of them have large built-in audiences. But the big ones aren’t run by people who care about creators. They’re designed to extract the maximum value from your work while giving you the least they can get away with. Use them if you want (I do), but don't be dependent on them.

2. Comics are the main thing I do for a living, and a website gives me the tools to promote my work and build relationships with my readers.

Most apps and third party sites actively prevent or suppress these things. On your own site, you can share all the info you want about your upcoming Kickstarter, your tradpub book release, your merch, etc. You can collect email addresses for your newsletter. You can literally just talk about your weekend, and you’re not gonna have a 150-character limit.

Yeah, not everyone wants to read a wall of text (ha ha...), but acting like a person reminds readers to treat you like a person. This is one of my main gripes with the apps and social media - they suppress human connection and present you like a cog in their machine that only exists to churn out free content.

3. I have a consistent home base and full control over how my work is displayed.

I don’t have to fight against an app that’s trying to direct my readers toward whichever content is most profitable for them. On an app, the readers “belong” to them, not you. (Who has their email addresses?) So if I'm putting effort into promoting my comic, I'm promoting my own site. (oh look, I just did it.)

Hosting sites/apps aren't designed to showcase your work. They showcase the app’s collection, and they're designed to keep readers on the app, jumping from creator to creator. This can help readers find you, but it also devalues your work and dilutes its impact.

And the app might not show your work to anyone anyway. Tapas is a great example; they recently redesigned their site to prioritize their Originals, and independent creators are hidden away in a “community” tab with barely any discoverability anymore. This is always the struggle on a third party site.

4. I hate censorship.

Into the Smoke is Teen 16/17+ and Demon of the Underground is R/18+. My comics aren’t even explicit, but I still can’t post my true, uncensored vision for either story on third party apps governed by Apple’s App Store and Visa/Mastercard’s tight content restrictions.

If webcomics exist exclusively on apps with heavy censorship, we’ll never have the diversity of storytelling and freedom of expression that’s necessary for groundbreaking or subversive art to happen. And that’s bad for everyone.

Adult brains need to engage with adult concepts. Difficult and triggering topics need to be explored in creative spaces. Artists need freedom to stretch their creative muscles without falling into the damaging patterns of self-censorship that come from having to tiptoe around arbitrary platform rules.

We can’t let the rules of like 3 American companies dictate what every webcomic reader around the world is allowed to read.

5. An independent website can’t easily be taken away from you.

Just make regular backups! You can always move to a new web host and redirect URLs if needed, and you won't lose your readers. On the other hand, you can easily lose the bulk of your audience on a third party site based on circumstances outside your control.

Let’s talk about Smack Jeeves, a formerly popular webcomic hosting site that was bought out and then shut down, leaving lots of cartoonists homeless. Or we can talk about the Tumblr NSFW purge of 2018, where I lost a huge chunk of my first webcomic’s following and most of my webcomic mutuals, even though my own account stayed within the rules. Or Musk buying Twitter, the platform where I once found my literary agent through a publishing event but now get no traction at all.

Have I noticed an uptick in engagement from my site?

I don’t have analytics on my site yet. But, up until a few days ago, that's where people were reading, thanks to my own efforts and the support of my comics friends and all of y’all who shared my ITS posts. (THANK YOU ALL!) I didn't have any discoverability on Webtoon or Tapas yet.

I got 10-15 new patrons between May 25 and June 5. Up until a few days ago, I even had more ITS newsletter subscribers than Webtoon subscribers.

What happened a few days ago is my Webtoon mirror suddenly blew up with 100+ new subs a day. I don’t know where I’m being featured, but I know I’m only getting those readers because Webtoon suddenly chose to grant me visibility. That can end just as instantly with an algorithm tweak or them deciding not to show my comic anymore. (When my first webcomic was in one of their pay programs in 2018, I went from $300 or $400/month to $0 overnight due to a policy change.) So I’ll enjoy it while it lasts, but I won't de-prioritize my website.

The new Webtoon readers are awesome and supportive, and I’m 100% thrilled to have them. But the Webtoon influx isn't resulting in a Patreon influx like my website launch did. I wouldn't expect it to, this early in the story. But it's consistent with my past experience polling my patrons: even when 50% of my readers came from the apps, 90% of patrons read on my website. (Your audience may vary.) And since I depend on crowdfunding for my comic, that's important to me.

Would I recommend going the route of having your own site?

For anyone who’s just testing the waters with webcomics, it might be overkill.

But for anyone who’s committed to their webcomic, I recommend having your own site AND mirroring on every third party site you can, provided you’re cool with their terms of service. It's important to meet readers where they are. Let those hosting sites lend you their readers. Some readers will even want to visit your home site where they can read ahead, read the uncensored version of your comic, get more info, or sign up for your newsletter.

Just remember, no one will discover your independent website all on their own. They’ll only find it through the work you put into promotion. But the reader that cares enough to come to your home site is a special type of reader.

So how do you get readers to visit an independent webcomic site?

Find your allies

These are people who work in similar areas as you who want to help you succeed, and whom you want to help succeed. Chat with each other, help each other, promote each other, boost each other, link to each other (psst, my links page just went live!), be there for each other - behind the scenes and in public.

God, I am SO bad at approaching people, but this is important, and not just for comics.

Be part of a community

Really, this is an extension of the above point. It's easier to find your allies if you're part of a community.

I’m a member of the Cartoonist Cooperative, and they’re a GREAT group of talented people all across the comics industry. The mission of @cartoonistcoop is to help create better conditions for comic workers through cooperation and collective action, and I’ve found so much help from them with Into the Smoke and comics as a whole. (JOIN! They're great!!)

The goal of the co-op isn't to drive traffic to your website. But being part of it has helped me at every level of crafting my comic, including promoting it and making it good enough that I can take pride in promoting it. And it's helped me ground myself as part of a community after I lost so much of mine in past years of burnout and platform enshittification.

Another option: @spiderforestcomics is a great webcomic collective full of supportive creators, and I believe they’re open to submissions till the end of June! They also have an awesome collaborative community mindset, and I've known some of their members for years.

Direct readers to your RSS feed and newsletter

Getting readers to your website is great, but they need to keep coming back for future updates, and it’s hard to remind them without an app notification. You may need to teach younger readers what RSS feeds are. Inoreader is a great RSS reader for the 2024 era.

The dreaded SEO

That’s Search Engine Optimization - optimizing your website so that people can easily find your comic via search engines. That’s a topic for another day, but feel free to research it!

Paid promo

This can be tricky, and I really only recommend spending promo money if you’re making a comic on a professional basis, because then it’s an investment you'll make back.

That said, Comicad.net is a great independent site where you can buy banner slots on other creators’ sites. I just ran small campaign myself. (And no, I won’t ever be offended if you outbid me!)

I haven’t bought any Tumblr Blaze slots, but I got BOPPed (blaze other people’s posts; apparently that’s what it’s called, lol) once on this account and once on a side blog, and both were highly impactful. (Thanks, friend!!) So I consider it a solid option, and it looks really cheap compared to other social media sites. (Never trust Meta.)

And where can you learn more about building a webcomic site?

I know you didn't ask, but if I'm gonna share all this, I might as well give folks a starting place to actually do the thing.

Now, I’m *bad* at offering cheap and easy web solutions. My specialty is hard and expensive. But my one piece of advice: PLEASE make your webcomic site mobile friendly for the current generation of readers! When we talk about barriers to entry, remember that more people have phones than computers, and many can't afford computers.

Anyway, here's some webcomic website resources from OTHER people!

The Cartoonist Co-op has LOTS of great resources on building webcomic sites! Several of them! Check them all out!

@screentonescast has a podcast episode on webcomic web design and one on RSS feeds!

@jeypawlik also has a great comic about how RSS feeds work.

So, congrats if you made it this far. Go make a website, y'all! And if you read any indie comics, go visit the creator's website!

[iznyangwoni]

EASY TO LOVE | chapter seventeen !

You’re in the bathroom fixing up your makeup when suddenly lots of giggling girls come in. You know a few of them, mostly because of parties, but its not like you’re their friend. You can barely remember their names.

You’re minding your own business but then you hear Jungwon’s name. And it’s not like you want to eavesdrop, but you’re there, and it seems like they’re speaking loud enough for you to hear. So… you try to pay a little bit more attention to them.

“He’s totally into you.” “Actually, i think he might like me more, i look more like his type anyway.” You chuckle at their conversation. God, do they really think they have a chance with Jungwon? He might be mad at you, but its not like he’s going to forget you any time soon… right?

“And what would his type be?” The bathroom falls silent at that question, and out of curiosity you raise your eyes to look at them through the mirror and yes, they’re looking at you. “Tch.” You sigh, finishing putting on your lip oil.

“Oh… hi Y/n.” You glance at the girl in the center, the one who was saying so proudly how Jungwon might like her more. “You and… You and Jungwon aren’t together, right?” “We never dated in the first place.” They were all so brave behind your back, but now that you’re looking at them they’re acting so awkward.

The girls nod at your answer, and honestly you should leave it at this and just go back to class, but you want to act like a little bitch just a little more. “So.. you think you’re as pretty as me, Jiwon?” You smile at the younger girl, taking a step towards her. “No! No I meant like… we’re the same height, i guess.”

You laugh at that, she’s definitely shorter than you, but that’s not the point. “I’m just kidding.” You say, but you’re a hundred percent serious. You put your lip products back into your bag, getting ready to leave. “I’m done playing with him, you know? You can have him now.”

You walk towards the door, but before you can actually leave you turn around to say one last thing. “I don’t usually love secondhand stuff, but you do you, right?” And with that you finally leave. You sigh, you had imagined Jungwon would be popular once you guys stopped hanging out, but you didnt think it would take so little time, nor that it would’ve affected you this way.

You start walking towards the hallway when you suddenly hear more steps. “Secondhand stuff?” Fuck. You forgot that the boys and girls bathroom were connected. You turn around, Jungwon is standing there with his arms crossed. You dont want to fight again, the last few days’ crying was enough.

You run a hand through your hair, a tired expression on your face, but then you notice the smirk on his. “Do you want to be left alone yes or no?” He chuckles, shaking his head. He’s not too far from you, and you hate how pretty you find him, he still has that annoyed expression, but its not as bad as last time.

“I won’t thank you.” You shrug, its not like you need his thanks. You keep silent, thinking that it will make him go away, but instead he stays there, his eyes on you. Oh you hate this, can’t he just leave you alone? Does he really have to look at you with those eyes, his lips pursed and his brows furrowed.

“Don’t look at me like that.” You almost whisper those words, the desperation in your voice clear. “Like what?” “Like you hate me.” He sighs and you rest your head and shoulder on the wall, he does the same right in front of you. “I don’t hate you.” Jungwon is trying his best to not reach out to you, he wishes he could just put his hand on your waist and kiss you again, but things arent so good right now.

“I’m just disappointed.” Again, you don’t say a word. You know he is, you can see it in his face, in his tone of voice. He doesn’t hate you but maybe you’d feel better if he did. “I’m surprised Minji even lets you talk to me.” “Oh, she doesn’t, in fact, she’d be mad if she were to find out.” He chuckles lightly before you both go quiet again. Your chest is going up and down slowly, you’re still looking at him tiredly, or maybe its sadness. You’re about to say that you have to go, but he speaks first.

“She’d be madder if she knew how much I like you, even after all you did.”

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[dragonotaku-justineverything]

Happy single Awareness day

Maybe a double date with Ruby and Penny plus Jaune and Pyrrha with Blake and Hera spying?

Happy (very late) single awareness day!

Inside a rather nice restaurant up in Atlas, four people just sat down at a table together. The group consisted of three redheads and one blonde, and after they got their drink orders in, they all started conversing amongst themselves.

"Thanks for inviting us out to dinner you guys!"

"Indeed! This is going to be very excellent!"

"No problem. It's our pleasure, Crater Face." Jaune had to dodge a roll being thrown at him after using his nickname for Ruby, and he did! Just not the second one that bounced off his forehead back into the basket on the table.

"Indeed~! We were trying to find somewhere that we could bring Hera as well, but not many places are open to pets here. We honestly could only find reservations for this place anyways, and only if we had a certain number of people.”

"Wait, is that why you asked us to tag along?"

"Well kinda, but it isn't the only reason!”

"We did think to ask you for that reason at first, but then we also thought that it would be much more fun to spend time with friends rather than just be alone all night again. Besides, we haven't really had a chance to see each other for almost three weeks. Catching up with you will be much more enjoyable than just us being by ourselves at such a fancy place."

"Yeah Pyrrha's right, this isn't exactly our usual outing location. I don't normally like to put on a suit."

"No, but I still think you clean up very well, Jaune."

Jaune's cheeks turned the slightest bit pink with her saying that. "Thanks Pyr. You look great in your dress too! S-so Penny! How is Team Ruby's training going up at the Academy?"

Ruby slapped her hands down on the table, but not rattling anything on it. "Hey! Why are you asking her and not me?"

"Because you would try to sugarcoat it."

Ruby sat back and crossed her arms in defiance. "No I wouldn't."

"You did it when you told Yang about our journey to Mistral."

"So you're telling me you wanted me to tell my short temper, over protective big sister Yang about all the things we ran into? All the Grimm, the Nuckelavee, that psycho scorpion guy, uncle Qrow being hurt most of the trip. You think I should have told her about all of that after seeing her for the first time in almost a year?"

...

"She does have a point, Jaune."

"Yeah, I guess she does."

Penny didn't seem to get what they were referring to, but wasn't bothered by it. "Well I think that team RWBY is doing wonderfully in their training! It has been so exciting to see them all fight again after so long!"

"See! That's what I would have said!"

"And Ruby has gotten much better with evolving her semblance! She is no longer accidentally running into walls or dropping people when she tries to carry them with her!"

"Peeenny, you didn't need to tell them that!"

"But they asked."

... ... ...

Blake, the ninja cat faunus that she was, was perfectly hidden in a bush outside the restaurant's window and peering inside, going completely unnoticed. "You know, this is honestly a lot more wholesome than I was expecting."

Hera, who was trying her best to copy her auntie Blake, was also peering into the window to get a look at her mama and papa. However, she unfortunately had her floofy butt sticking out of the back of the bush they were hiding in. Somehow, it didn't give them away. Hera let out a super sneaky growl to agree with her Auntie. "Rrrrrrr."

"Yeah. As long as they're having fun, I suppose that's all that matters. They all deserve to unwind for a bit."

"Rrrorf."

[agustd-png]

Day 6: Jungkook + Namjoon 🎄 Double Penetration (one hole)

Kinkmas 2023

"I think she can take it," Namjoon said to Jungkook, though his full attention was on you. "Two is a lot, but she's been doing good. Haven't you, babygirl?"

He was referring to your "training"; slowly you worked up to using bigger and bigger toys on yourself, with his help, and you'd gotten used to some rather large ones by this point. But even the largest toy Namjoon had stretched your pussy with was not the same as having two cocks in it. You were unsure, but the thought was so intriguing to you (especially if the other would be his friend Jungkook), that you were up for it.

"I'll try my best," you said with a nod and a sensual smile.

"I know you will," Namjoon praised.

You all took your time; you knew you would need it if you had a prayer in reaching this new goal. But getting to explore Jungkook's toned body for the first time was a treat that you wanted to draw out anyway, and he seemed just as eager to do the same with you.

You'd already taken each of them separately and felt your wetness and lube dripping down onto the sheets below. Namjoon cradled your face as you straddled him, ready to sit back onto his cock. "Look at me." You saw the way his pupils were blown out in lust. "Tell me if it's too much and we'll stop. Okay?"

You nodded, knowing with all your heart that to be true, but loving to hear it all the same.

You easily pushed back onto him, sliding right down the length. He shifted his pelvis, rolling it in circles in an attempt to stretch you open a bit more. You leaned forward and pressed your sweaty chest to his, giving Jungkook as much room as possible. He got up to kneel behind you and you felt his dick prod at the already filled hole. "Gonna be a tight fit," he said, but in a delighted tone rather than an unsure one. He seemed to think you could do this too.

Namjoon kissed your neck over and over, between encouraging praises whispered in your ear. You knew relaxing would be the most important part and tried extra hard to do so, letting your weight rest on Namjoon fully, his strong hands holding your ass securely.

Jungkook slowly pushed in, over the course of several minutes, and though there were a few moments it stung, a few times you jumped and started back at square one, and a few times you really thought you'd be unable to take them both that day, soon enough you felt a change and realized you'd done it. "Holy shit..." Jungkook groaned loudly when he felt just how wonderfully tight and warm this was, breaking into your thoughts.

Your eyes closed and you got lost in the feeling. "Feels so fucking full..."

"I'm sure," Namjoon chuckled. "Just wait till we move. Can we?"

You nodded enthusiastically, leaning in to kiss him. An unhinged moan broke through you when they did, pulling back then rubbing past each other on their way back in, as if fighting for who got to be the deepest. The way they dragged against your tight walls was blissful, hitting every spot inside you. And on top of that, two sets of hands feeling you up, and two mouths kissing all over your body. What more could you ask for?

Please consider liking, reblogging, commenting, and/or sending a message!

[curtis-corner]

STAND BY ME (Darry Curtis) PART 7

Fic masterlist here

Fun fact: the end of this chapter was one of the first ideas I had when coming up with this story. Enjoy and I promise an update next week because I think y'all are going to want one!

Taglist: @lovelylegolas2123 @amnestyliketaz

PART 7

You never used to mind working the later shift on Friday nights, but ever since you had starting dating Darry, you dread the time spent away. Knowing he was at his house and you could be there too made you antsy and you looked at the clock more than usual.

The door jingles and you look up from organizing receipts when you hear someone say your name.

“Sally?!” You exclaim, coming out from around the register to greet your old high school friend. It had been over a year since you last saw her, she got married right out of high school to an army man and moved up to Kentucky.

“I meant to write, I’m back for a week to visit with my folks. Needed to pick up a few things,” she gestures to the aisles. You catch up for a few minutes and help her find what she needs.

You are ringing her up when the door chimes again and you glance up to see Darry walking in. Sally gives you a not so subtle look as he approaches the register, she knew about your old crush on Darry and you know she’s going to go wild when she finds out you are dating.

“Hey baby,” he says when he approaches, leaning against the side of the counter and smiling. He glances over at Sally, whose mouth is wide open as she looks between the two of you.

“Sally, you remember Darry Curtis,” You awkwardly wave between the two of them.

“Hi Sally,” Darry voice is smooth, a clear contrast to yours. Sally closes her mouth, but her wide eyes turn to you.

“Seems I ain’t the only one forgetting to write with important news!” You groan. “Oh don’t you groan at me, missy, I was there when your Curtis crush started-“

“Curtis crush?” Darry raises one eyebrow and now your face is really heating up.

“And it was like pullin’ a tooth to get you to talk about it, but you’d blush even harder than you are now-“

“Alright, here’s your change.” You shove a few coins into her hand. “I’ll ring your parents tomorrow, we’ll catch up this week, I swear it.”

She leaves and you turn to Darry, who is smiling like a cat with a canary, but he opens his arms and you go right into his embrace.

--

It had become a little tradition on Fridays to have a date night in, and you felt spoiled by the effort Darry always put into it. He poured you a glass of wine and went about heating up your portion of baked chicken, potatoes and green beans. Darry always ate with his brothers, but made sure to save enough for you, and you made sure to always share some of your plate with him.

You had been dating Darry a few months now, but you still hadn’t gotten fully used to the feeling of being taken care of.

After dinner, you snuggle into his side on the old couch and lace your fingers through his. Steve and Soda had gone out and Pony was working on his story in his room.

“I think I need to repaint the kitchen.” Darry says, his thumb tracing circles on the spot where it met your hand.

“A nice light blue would be pretty.” You offer and he presses a kiss to the side of your head. You fight the urge to turn and capture his lips – you had already been caught making out once tonight by Ponyboy, you didn’t need to make him blush any harder.

“You wanna help me pick out the color?” Darry murmurs and you nod, snuggling closer.

“I’ve always wanted to paint a room.” You tell him. “My house is all white, nothing pretty going on. When I was little I would ask my parents if we could paint them, but they always said no. Once,” You giggle a little. “Once I took crayons to my bedroom wall and started coloring it.

“How much trouble did you get in?” Darry asks, chuckling.

“None, actually. I moved the vanity so it covered it. It’s still there.” Darry looks down at you and smiles.

“Smart girl.”

“They didn’t come check on me a lot anyway,” You say and Darry presses another kiss to the side of your head. “When I was little, sometimes my mom would have to take me on her jobs. She cleaned houses for some Soc families. I always knew I wouldn’t have a big old mansion on the West Side. But there’s these neighborhoods you pass on the way – like near the high school?” Darry nods.

“More middle-class kind of ones. We do jobs there.”

“I always thought those are nice. Nicer than what’s on the East Side, at least. I would look at them from the bus window and the yards were all kept up and it just seemed…safe.”

“I like those houses too.” Darry says and you sit for another minute, just holding hands. A door creaks open and footsteps come down the short hallway.

“I’m coming in the living room. I better not be scarred for life again.” He announces and Darry rolls his eyes.

“Smartass.” He answers and Pony rounds the corner with a knowing grin.

“Can we watch a tv show? My hand is cramping up,” he lifts his right hand and gives it a shake.

“Sure.” Darry slides over and Pony sits on his other side, leaning in close and Darry tucks his other arm around him.

You knew Darry still worried sometimes about not being able to take you out as often as he would like, or the fact that your time together often included at least one of his brothers, but the truth was you loved it.

You loved how Soda would turn up the radio when he was doing dishes and dance around so much it would take twice as long for him to finish them.  You loved that Ponyboy would sometimes ask you to check over your history homework since he knew it was your favorite subject. Even with everything the Curtis family had gone through, the house was still warm and bursting with love and you considered yourself lucky to be a part of it.

Pony fell asleep not twenty minutes after he sat down, and Soda and Steve came home tracking in so much snow that you though Darry was going to make them sleep outside. You talked with them for a few minutes while Darry walked a half-asleep Ponyboy to bed, and then Darry begrudgingly took you home.

It was freezing, but that never stopped Darry from walking you right up to the door. While you both pushed the line in private, at his core Darry was still a gentleman.

But not too much of a gentleman to give up pushing you against the front of the house and kissing you senseless.

“I hate sayin’ goodnight to you.” He murmurs into your neck and you sigh.

“I know the feeling.” He wraps his strong arms around you one more time before walking you to the door. His brows furrow.

“Doesn’t your dad usually leave a light or two on?”

“Only because he doesn’t remember to turn them off.” You reach into your pocketbook for your house key.

“He’ll be home in what, an hour or two?” Darry is still looking around. He had made it clear many times he does not like dropping you off at an empty house.

“Usually about that.” You hold off on opening the door and instead sneak one last kiss from your boyfriend. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” You two had plans to go to dinner and for a drive after you freshen up from your day shift.

“I love you,” Darry says, as earnestly as he did the first time. And just like the first time, it still nearly knocks you off your feet.

“I love you too. Drive home safe.”

The wind whips through the house when you open the door and you hear a few papers rustling on the table. You hope your neatly piled bills aren’t scattered all over the floor.

You do your usual bedtime routine – change into pajamas, brush your teeth, use a cold cream and washcloth to take off your makeup. It’s quiet but peaceful, and you are nearly snuggled into bed when you remember you forgot to get a glass of water.

You walk to the kitchen and catch the corner of a paper from under the table. When you pick it up, you see it’s not a bill but a note from your father:

In some trouble. Out of town. Lock the doors.

You read it again before an icy feeling starts to crawl down the back of your neck. You never locked the doors when your dad was out, he usually came home so loaded he couldn’t open them with a key. With the note clutched in your hand, you hurry to the front door and lock it.

You can feel your heart beating a little faster and you go back to your bedroom and try to take deep breaths.

You glance at the clock – nearly one in the morning. You’re having an internal debate on whether to call Darry when you hear glass smashing from the front of the house.

You hear a thunk, and then two male voices arguing, one sounding further than the other. Another smash of glass and the voices are slightly louder.

“You think he skipped town?”

“Better not have, boss will have a cow.  Now find that money.”

There’s movement and shuffling and the terror that has gripped you since the first sound of breaking glass suddenly propels you into action. You grab your pocketbook from the nightstand and shove your feet into slippers before opening your bedroom window as quietly as you can.

You hear more banging, and it’s getting closer. You hoist your leg over the windowsill and climb out. Your back leg hitches on the windowsill and you fall the short distance to the ground, landing on patch of ice and gravel.

You ignore the throbbing in your right arm and without another look back, you run like hell.

[jongbross]

lotto. (mafia!kim junmyeon x f!reader)

pairing: mafia!kim junmyeon x f!reader

word count: i have no idea

genre: smut

warnings: description of sexual activities, thigh riding, swearing, mentions of crime, lust, junmyeon has such a soft spot for reader

a/n: i wrote this some time ago as a birthday gift to my friend with another idol but i think it suits junmyeon so muchhh 🥺 anyway, this is not part of kinktober but it's definitely a good way to kick it off! 🤗

the loud music wasn’t actually enough to overlap the sound of cheering, talking, and laughing coming from the whole place. hundreds of people were smiling, although you didn’t believe any of them were truly happy. you could see money, alcohol, drugs, and lust everywhere you looked, but never truly happiness.

well, fuck it. they were all grown up adults afterall, they knew what they were doing. it’s not like someone forced them into that warehouse, into that world. you knew way too well how inviting and exciting the whole thing was, so you couldn’t blame them - although your addiction wasn’t gambling, drinking or doing drugs; although you had actually found love within those walls.

a man screaming after winning what seemed like a lot of money caught your attention. the blonde man threw herself on any guy next to him, suddenly kissing him. it didn’t go unnoticed to you the ring shining on his left hand’s finger though.

“enjoying the show?”, a very well-known voice spoke behind you, making you instantly smile.

“just seeing by myself what hell must look like.”

“wow, hell…”, he said, holding your waist and placing himself beside you now. “that’s a new nickname.”

you laughed, eyes trying to find again the couple of dudes you just saw kissing, but couldn’t find them anywhere. well, that only meant one thing…

“why do you keep coming if you don’t like it here?”

you looked at him, seeing his perfect side profile as he admired what he had built mostly by himself. the loudness, the lust, the illegal actions taking place inside that warehouse didn’t bother him - if anything, he liked it.

“because i like you and i wanna be a supportive girlfriend”, you said like it was obvious.

“okay, two things: first, you were already supportive from the moment you didn’t leave me when you found out about this. secondly, you keep calling yourself my girlfriend, but, baby, i thought we were past that a long time ago.”

if god truly existed, you prayed she didn't let junmyeon see how you blushed at that.

“yeah, well…”, you tried to come up with a reply, but after a few seconds when your brain still didn’t process anything good to say, you just trailed off and let the conversation die.

junmyeon laughed beside you, pulling you close and caressing your body. from the moment he got involved in “bad things”, he accepted that he would never find someone who he could love. he accepted the fact that, to make his name big in those kind of business, he needed to let go of any normal shit people do - like going out on dates, maybe getting married, maybe having children. he was okay with that. he knew what he got himself into when he was around 15 years old.

but that was until he met you.

that was until he saw you fighting back one of his guards at the door of one of his clubs - well, it wasn’t actually a club but you didn’t know that, he found out later. the girl in a burgundy top, pointing a finger at a huge guard caught his attention that night, and he just couldn’t ever let you go after that.

junmyeon didn’t know exactly how you turned into friends, and then into a couple, and then into whatever you two were right now. he just knew how he fell in love with you and, to be honest, how couldn’t he? what was there not to love about you?

“i like when you get shy”, he said only for you to hear, chin resting on top of your shoulder.

“i don’t”, you replied, still looking straight ahead. junmyeon didn’t miss the tiny grin on your lips though.

he kissed your shoulder, lost in a moment with you but in a lifetime of thoughts inside his head - all the thoughts about you. he closed his eyes for a bit, turning down all of his senses and just focusing on your smell and the way his lips felt against your skin. he couldn’t feel any other thing, couldn’t see any other thing, he couldn’t listen to any other thing…

or that was what he thought.

“sir?”, someone called behind you, making you both turn around. you looked curious at one of junmyeon's many guys, dressed in a suit, while junmyeon himself couldn’t look more annoyed. actually, scratch that, he couldn’t look more pissed. “there is a-”

“is someone dying?”, junmyeon asked, cutting the guy off.

“n-no, sir.”

“then why are you interrupting me and my girl?”

the dude went silent. he looked from junmyeon to you and then back to junmyeon, completely lost.

“i’m… i’m sorry, sir. i-i just thought you would like to know that-”

“well, i wouldn’t. so turn around and go fix it yourselves whatever happened. i don’t wanna know, and don’t fucking interrupt me again.”

“yes, sir”, the guy immediately said, bowing to junmyeon before going back to wherever he came.

you looked at junmyeon, staring down at him and noticing so closely how his expression changed the moment he looked at you and you two locked eyes. he went soft, all of a sudden.

“that was hot”, you joked, smirking when you felt his arm wrapping around your hips and pulling you close.

“yeah?”, he raised an eyebrow at you, what you knew was one of his ways to try to be sexy. little did he know… “i can show you hotter if you let me.”

“such a gentleman-”

the way he grabbed your wrist and pulled you away with him made you shut up though.

(...)

you watched as junmyeon closed the door of his big ass office behind him, locking it and checking it twice just to be sure. he knew no one would be crazy enough to walk in without knocking, but he liked his privacy secured.

when he turned around to watch you - his girl - he smirked. you looked breath taken, as always. his feet worked on their own and started to walk towards you without a warning. they only stopped when you were at junmyeon's reach, watching every move he made, every expression. you watched as he rested his hands on your hips again, one of his favorite parts of your body. you watched as he pulled you close, close enough to feel your breathing against his face. you watched as he closed the gap between you two, kissing you with everything he got, like he always did.

and then, you stopped taking track of his every move and started to focus on what you were feeling. you felt his tongue slipping into your mouth, you felt his hands traveling up your body to hold your neck as he kissed you, and you felt, overall, that familiar sensation between your legs.

“come here”, he whispered, leading you to the chair behind his desk.

he sat down first, unbuttoning your jeans and taking them down. you groaned when he kissed your stomach, hands resting on your thighs as you finished the job of taking off those goddamn jeans. junmyeon's looked up at you, watching your face as his kisses became openmouthed, his tongue feeling warm against your skin.

“will you take it off for me, baby?”, he asked, one of his hands tugging on your panties.

you obeyed, taking it off and letting him pull you onto his lap. junmyeon placed you on his left thigh, flexing his muscles the moment your bare skin hit his trousers.

“you’re going to ride my thigh here in my office like the good girl you are, okay?”

“you can’t tell me what to do”, you smirked at him, but the smirk was quickly wiped off your face the moment he flexed his thigh again.

“i’m sorry, you were saying…?”

you cursed a “fucker” under your breathe as you started doing what he said. your movements were lighty at first, enjoying the feeling little by little. you could both feel each other to the extent you loved the most, grabbing at each other whenever something felt too good. his hands on your waist, your hands on his shoulders now.

you moaned out loud for the first time, and that’s how junmyeon knew you were on the right track. he held your waist a little bit harder, helping the way you moved your hips down onto his thigh. he could feel his trousers getting wetter with your every move, and no words in this world could explain how he loved that.

fuck, no words in this world could explain how he loved you.

when you moaned again, junmyeon couldn’t help but moan too. he took a moment to look at you, at your expression, at the way your body was moving on top of his before going in for a kiss. he took your lips on his own, savoring you and swallowing your noises, his trousers feeling so tight now all of a sudden - but he couldn’t care less, he just wanted to make you feel good, as good as you always made him feel.

“fuck, myeon”, you groaned when he broke the kiss. your fingers were tightly tangled on his shirt, holding for dear life as if he could disappear if you let him go.

your hips started to move faster, harder, that familiar sensation building up inside you. you lost your goddamn mind when junmyeon decided to lick at your jaw, whispering sweet nothings to you in between the kisses, the sucks he’d leave on you; he poured his heart into those words though, promising himself at that very moment that he would do anything he could to always remember you how much you meant for him.

another loud moan echoed through the office, and he knew what that meant.

“come on, baby”, he whispered to you.

he didn’t have to say it twice. you finished with a call of his name, coming all over his thigh, his hands guiding your hips to help you ride through your high. junmyeon happily sighed when, at the peak of your intimacy - the moment right after the sex -, you let yourself collapse on top of him. you rested your forehead on his shoulder, trying to catch your breath as his hands traveled down to your thighs, caressing them.

seconds went by, minutes went by. nothing could touch the two of you, nothing could make him leave you, and nothing could make you walk away from him.

junmyeon smiled at the thought of always having you like that, of always being with you. but, at the same time that thought warmed his heart, it also made it ache. what if you ever got tired of him? what if you decided you no longer loved him? what if you realized he’s no good for you because of what he does for a living?

what if he had to go away someday and you didn’t wait for him?

“marry me”, he said, realizing that the words had truly left his mouth only after they did.

“what?”, you groaned.

“marry me. be with me forever. i want you forever.”

you smiled, looking up at him and holding his face in both your hands. you had the great junmyeon, the guy who built his own gang and his own way into the crime, wrapped around your finger.

“i’m with you. i always will be, a ring won’t change that”, you said, kissing his lips. “i promise i’m yours. isn’t that enough?”

junmyeon immediately nodded. anything you decided to give him was enough.

“it is for now. i love you."

“i love you too.”

[imaginefan]

Never To Plan

Klaus Mikaelson!Father X Son!Reader Damon Salvatore X Male!Reader

Word Count: 1069

Requested: @emaz-0225

Request: Hello I love your work but can you do a imagine where your the son of Katherine and Klaus and your just like them and your best friend is Kai Parker and your trying to get him out of the Prison World. You come into Mystic Falls and you See your old friend Stefan Dating your moms look alike and you fall for Damon and you guys start dating. Klaus comes into town and your thrown into WWW 3 so you go to Europe and then called back to the drama when Hayley is pregnant and you get along with Josh and Hayley and Davina but when Hope is born you sacrifice yourself to The crazy Aunt but you find out Damon is with Elena now and you turn off your emotions

You had come to Mystic Falls in search of a way to get your friend out of the Prison World but you ended up getting a little side tracked with Damon Salvatore catching your attention your plan stopped dead in it’s tracks, well kind of, you were still looking for ways to get him out but you were hitting more roadblocks then you wanted. That being said the real problem was your father, you were thrown into a fight you wanted no part in and so with no way to save both sides you take a step back and instead go to Europe in hopes of getting your search for Kai back on track and finding what you had really travelled all this time for.

That was how you found yourself in a small cafe in the east of London on the phone to your father who was in New Orleans “well what a surprise, I didn’t expect to hear from you.” You said as you answered the call. “I need your help.” He said. “Is that so?” You asked, taking a sip of the hot drink in front of you as you winked at the waitress who brought it over. “You have a sister.” He said. “You know that doesn’t surprise me.” You mumbled, you could feel his glare from across the sea. “What does that mean?” He asked. “We both know what that means.” You shuffled in your seat “what does your daughter have to do with me? What do you suddenly need your estranged son for?” “I need to show someone what a true king looks like and what his prince is capable of.” Klaus answered. “This king is you?” You downed the last of the drink before nodding in thanks to the girl who had served you before standing up. “And you, the prince.” Klaus confirmed. “No need to flatter me your highness, I know I’m only a prince in name.” You said as you walked back to the hotel that you were staying in. “Then prove to them that you are not.” He hung up the phone after that.

When you got to New Orleans a lot had already happened but the only thing that you did know was that it was that your father offered you a chance to make a mess and you had been bored for a few months now. “So you’re Marcellus, correct?” You asked as you looked at the man standing in the middle of the courtyard. “Who are you?” He asked. “(Y/N).” Rebekah said from her place next to Marcel. “Auntie Bekah, don’t tell me you’d abandon your family for a man?” You teased as you stepped closer. “He thinks that you would be enough to beat every vampire in this city?” Marcel asked, drawing your attention back to him. “Sunshine, I was born better than any vampire, werewolf or witch that you can throw at me but please do try.” You smirked “where are your forces anyway I’m itching to snap a neck and if it’s not them it will be you.” Someone grabbed you from behind, throwing you back into the wall “here we go.” You easily ripped apart the first few men next attacking together and getting a few hits in before you took them down, your hand in the chest of the last to attack you before you heard. “Hold on a moment.” Klaus said as he walked into the room “Marcel it seems that your men aren’t up to the challenge.” “Klaus.” Marcel glared. “Here I have a coin!” Klaus put it down on the floor “whoever picks up this coin will be spared his game!” “Game?” You squeezed the heart that resided in the chest you had punched through “I don’t think they are having much fun.” “But you are.” Klaus smirked, your eyes drawn to Rebekah as she whispered something to Marcel, you watched carefully as he stepped forward and bent, picking up the coin, you smirked as you pulled your hand from the man's chest and let him fall. “Nicely done your highness, I’ll be leaving then?” You asked and Klaus smirked. “Why would the prince leave his kingdom?”

It was years before real trouble found your family, you don’t know why it took so long but as your aunt claimed right to you or your sister, you decided that it would be you that she took, you had no intention of giving someone else in your place and so you left with her before anyone could stop you.

You honestly expected it to take longer, for her to break you but it only took her a few weeks to find out what you had left for your family what you hoped to one day go back to and took you to Mystic Falls told you to go and see the man that you had left, you walked into the boat house happier than you had in years and it was torn from you in seconds “(Y/N)?” Damon asked, you swallowed as you looked between the two, Damon and Elena more friendly then they were when you had left. “How long?” You asked. “(Y/N)-” “How long?” You asked again, fists curled so tight that you thought you might break your own hand. “You know what it doesn’t matter because I was told by so many people that you would break me-” “Break you!?” Damon asked. “You were the one that left!” “To protect every one of you because if my father had made me fight with him, you would have likely been the only one I would have convinced him to leave alive.” You answered. “Nice to know that you can think the worst of me.” “I-” “You had everything that I had left to give so if you’ll excuse me I have a prison to get back to.” You muttered. “(Y/N) wait!” Elena was the one that called out this time but when you turned back they all saw it, the dead look behind your eyes. “If you ever come near me again, either one of you, I will take the part of you that you love the most and twist it into your worst nightmare.” You threatened. “Come (Y/N), we have work to do.” Dahlia said as she gestured for you to follow her, you turned leaving the two alone in the house.

*Part 2*

Requests and general question!

[mvltisstuff]

labyrinth - r.a

summary: five months after y/n breaks up with her boyfriend, she leans on ryan for help and as a comfort zone. when she has to face her ex again for the first time since at a party, ryan and y/n realize that their connection is stronger than their friendship can handle.

ryan atwood x reader

“summer, do you have that black top i can wear?” marissa asked her friend while preparing for a summer party with the teens in newport. getting ready for their senior year, the group was elated. they were ready to start thinking about their future and it seemed like everyone was happy with their current situation. summer had seth, and it seemed like the drama had dialed down.

y/n was spending a lot of time with ryan. her boyfriend, anthony, was brutally dumped by y/n. ryan was her main support after the fact. everyday, ryan saw her and helped her get back up on her own two feet, being her crutch. ryan knew she needed a shoulder when she didn’t have anyone else’s.

anthony and y/n were the cookie cutter couple. they had the whole town on their back, praying their relationship could be as perfect. the walking hand in hand, the meeting at each others lockers completely concealed the emotion of the real people. none the social part their relationship showed could fix the personal part. toward the end, she was checked out. the fighting and words had become too much, so one night, when the words were stronger than the love, y/n decided it was over.

it’s been five months since that stormy night. she knew he was going to be there, and they haven’t spoken since the end of school. she doesn’t want him to ruin another fun memory for her, so she made the choice to go. if marissa and summer were there, she could be too.

“yeah, its in my closet, grab it.” summer replied as marissa went into the closet. “hey you.” summer came over and sat next to y/n on the bed while she was painting mascara on her eyelashes.

“hey.” she mumbles.

“you ready to go soon?” she said understandingly.

“yeah, i’m just nervous. he’s gonna want to talk to me.”

“i know, he’ll try. but ryans coming too.” summer nudges her arm, a thin smirk on her face. even after knowing ryan and being close for years, she still got nervous hearing his name. “your knight in shining armor will come and protect you!”

————————————

the scent of hard liquor and joints were surrounding the mansion that the party took place at. people taking shots and sparking up outside the fence. people were thrown into the pool and the music from the speaker boomed through the whole neighborhood.

summer and seth arrived, arms twisted together. marissa met up with her own individual friends, and y/n was off to the side, taking small sips of a hard seltzer she took from the outdoor freezer. she observed the group of people in front of her while she leaned against the wall of the house. she felt a hand on her shoulder and she whipped to the side.

“sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” ryan said, softly with his own beer. “what’s a pretty girl like you doing hanging out all by yourself?”

“what’s a pretty guy like you doing coming over here?” she retorted. they laughed together and stood for a few minutes, making sly comments back to each other. “i have a question.”

“i have one too.” ryan replied back. “say it at the same time.” y/n nodded back at him.

“wanna get out of here?”

“wanna leave?”

ryan and y/n smiled and shook hands, agreeing to leave. marissa, summer, and seth were all aware we were leaving. they probably figured they’d leave anyway.

y/n threw out her seltzer can and ran to catch up to ryan. her sandals slapped on the cement surface of the deck as she skipped next to ryan. they smiled at each other, looking at ease and peace had graced both of their feelings. feeling another hand on her arm, she slowly turned around. because it was not ryan, and she knew all too well who it was.

she turned around to see the outgrown buzz cut on the boys head and looked into his deep green eyes. his height towered over her and all the words came crashing back into her mind like a wave. the aggressive aroma of marijuana and whiskey came running into y/n’s nose. his taunting smile peeled up on his face. “y/n! nice to see you.”

“im leaving, anthony, let go.” she assertively said.

“why you leaving, babe the party’s just starting!” his words slurred together and she found it slightly impressive how he managed to drink this much in such little time. she grimaced at the old name he gave her.

“shes leaving with me.” ryan came out of the side and stepped between us, ripping anthony’s hand off y/n’s wrist.

“oh! i see it really took you no time to get a move on.” anthony looks her dead in the eyes, stepping closer as she steps further. all the fears of coming to this party were displayed on the table. “and of course with this kid. ryan atwood everyone!” he shouted, making some heads turn and spilling some of his glass onto the ground.

“y/n lets just go, we can go back to the cohens.”

“nuh-uh, buddy, we’re not done here, y/n and i.” anthony spat out.

“oh, i’m sorry, my memory might be a little foggy, but,” ryan turned toward y/n. “she called it quits here.”

“exactly, y/n said it’s over.” he nodde his head and perked his head up a little. he adjusted himself toward y/n a little. “sweetheart, I never said it was over.”

“well you didn’t have the balls to call the shots.” y/n spoke up for herself.

“fuck, you still got that mouth on you. lucky Chino over here.” he winked at ryan. ryan started to laugh at anthony, rubbing his hand on his jaw.

y/n grabbed onto ryan’s side and pulled him in. “ryan, don’t. do not get involved and do what i think you’re about to do.”

“…fucking idiot… taking out the chino trash..” anthony’s voice from the corner while talking to one of his friends escaped their bubble and made it’s way into ryan and y/n’s. ryan smoothly turned around and laughed audibly, again.

“god, i love these damn parties.”

his fight response clicked into play. ryan landed a clean punch to anthony’s jaw, drawing it back and shaking it. anthony stumbled back, barely being able to stand straight in the first place. his friends caught him and all eyes were on the three. anthony was strong, and y/n knew it.

before anthony could pull himself together to throw back another punch at ryan, ryan and y/n were running to the car in the street. ryan’s hand had turned a faint purple on his knuckles and a red in the middle of the joints. the second his hand collided with anthony, y/n’s heart skipped a beat. she never wanted to start something new with anthony, and she just wanted it to end. she thought it was over, and the relationship was, but they wouldn’t be separated for a while.

y/n drove the two home in the cohens range rover in silence. ryan didn’t want to talk about it, because he knew she wasn’t mad. she was scared. scared of what a punch would do to them and what would happen to their relationship.

everyone around them knows that when ryan was there for her, neither of them would’ve been able to let go. ryan knew she wasn’t ready to move on, and he wasn’t ready to start something new after his life changed dramatically in a couple years. y/n didn’t want to change things, as he was the only stable thing in her life and she didn’t want it to end up being different.

summer always teased her, and seth always teased ryan, but the pairs fears and history prevented them from changing anything.

once back home, ryan and y/n went to his bathroom and she grabbed a few bandaids and alcohol. she started dabbing on the liquid and ryan hisses at the sting as she apologizes.

“i’m sorry, ryan. i never would’ve gone if i knew this was how it was gonna pan out.” she breathes out.

“don’t apologize. maybe he shouldn’t run his fucking mouth.” ryan looks up at her defeated eyes and sighs. “don’t be pissed off, y/n.”

“i’m not pissed, i just don’t know why you had to punch him.” y/n admits.

“what else did you want me to do? stand there and let him say shit about you?” his voice starts to get more fierce. he straightens his back and stretches his fingers.

“oh, i don’t know ryan, maybe we could’ve just walked away!” she tries matching his tone, but it’s no use. she decides not to fight back and layers on the bandage. “i’m just sick of seeing you get hurt over stupid stuff like this.”

“it’s not stupid considering the shit he’s done to you!”

her eyes well up with tears at the situation she’s in. her best friend, her soldier, is angry at her and her ex is on her back again. the scene’s running in her brain like a broken record. “i’m just worried about you, ryan, jesus christ!”

“why? you always get so worked up over shit like this when it’s not a big deal!”

“it’s a big deal to me because i fucking love you, ryan!” she spits out her secret. both of their faces drop in realization. his is relief and surprise, and hers in humiliation and regret. “shit, just… forget it, ryan. i have to go home.”

she turns around to leave with the thoughts spilling out of her head. she thinks, “he’s disgusted now, i just ruined the best thing going for me, he’ll never look at me the same…” she figured she broke her crutch. her soldier broke his weapons. her king put down his crown.

the tears are openly flowing at this point. the tightness of the bathroom and the bright lights making her more vulnerable than ever in their relationship. the pessimism of the situation over weighing the optimism. y/n goes to throw open the door when he grips her hip. he jumps down from the top of the counter and spins her around.

the fire is ignited between them and he pulls their lips together. ryan was scared, too. maybe she changed her mind about him now and didn’t want him anymore. at least not in the way he wanted her. his muscles relax when she leans in and places her hands on the sides of his face. their heartbeats were fluttering against their chests. his hands roamed her body and he tried to built the strength to pull away. he backs away, breaking the kiss between them.

“i’ve been falling in love with you this whole time.” he whispers.

[silencedvoices]

June of Doom Day 8

“This is your last chance.” | Drowning | Chair | Prisoner Trade |

Content: drowning, intimate whumper, restraints, defiant whumpee, torture

"This is your last chance Whumpee."

Whumpee struggled against Whumper who was holding them above a tub of water by their wet hair. Water dripped down Whumpee's face as they gasped for breath.

"You can give me the information I need right now or we can keep going at this. I have all the time in the world."

"I'll n-never tell you anythi-"

Whumper pushed their head back under so fast that Whumpee didn't even have time to hold their breath. They coughed and sputtered while uselessly fighting against Whumper's grip. Their efforts were useless, immobilized by the tight handcuffs keeping their hands behind them.

Just when they thought they weren't going to make it, that Whumper was actually going to kill them, they were yanked out of the water. They took in all the air they could get before they were pulled under again. This time they didn't have as much fight left and quickly felt the world go black.

Whumpee awoke lying on the cell floor coughing. They turned over and slowly sat themselves against the wall. They tried to steady their breathing, hair and clothes still damp from earlier that day. Just as they started to relax, the door unlocked.

"Finally up, eh? You passed out on me. Had to end the fun early."

Whumpee scoffed. It definitely wasn't their idea of fun.

Whumper leaned against the wall with their arms crossed, "I have a little present for you." Oh gosh. That could never be good. "I feel like I haven't been going hard enough on you. You're still a little more comfortable here than I'd like."

Whumpee glared, "What do you mean not hard enough? You literally just drowned me until I passed out!"

"Ah, that's exactly what I mean. You're still talking back. You'd think with all that I've done, you wouldn't even think to, but that's just not the case for you, is it? You're so overcomplicated."

"Well, you can't expect me to just take you torturing me without talking back. It's your fault I'm like this anyways."

"I know. That's why I'm going to give you to my friend."

"What?"

"It's just for a few days. They are really good at what they do, even better than me. They'll hopefully straighten you out."

Just a few days. Whumpee could handle that. They should be glad to be away from their torturer, but Whumpee knew Whumper's friends were even more ruthless than Whumper which almost seemed impossible. They could handle it though. They had all this time. They wouldn't break now.

Whumpee was taken by surprise as Whumper pulled out wrist and ankle cuffs.

"What's that for?"

"To make sure you don't escape during transportation. Wouldn't want you to run away before we start. That'd really dampen my reputation."

Whumpee usually wasn't kept cuffed unless on rare occasion like when Whumper drowned them. They stumbled along as Whumper led them through parts of the base they'd never been before. Eventually, they found themselves outside. The sun hit them and they almost melted at it's warmth. They hadn't felt the sun in so, so long. Maybe this wouldn't be that bad. At least they finally got some fresh air even if Whumper's friend was apparently going to break them in or something.

Whumper waved to a friendly looking guy standing just outside of the base.

"Whumpee, this is my friend. Friend, this is Whumpee."

Whumpee almost laughed. There was no way this guy could hurt them, let alone a fly. Whumper was really making a mistake here.

"Nice to meet you Whumpee. I've heard a lot about you. I can't wait for our time together."

Whumpee simply nodded. They stayed strong as they were led into a car and driven away by Whumper's friend. This was going to be a nice break they thought. Boy, were they wrong.

Just a few days later they were begging to go back to Whumper. When the time came, they were dumped unceremoniously at Whumper's door. They nearly cried as Whumper picked them up and carried them to the medbay.

Everything hurt so bad. They were covered in blood and bruises. All they wanted was just a tiny break from the pain.

"Oh, you poor thing. I told you they were harsh. If you would've just listened in the first place this wouldn't have had to happen."

Whumpee cried as Whumper tended to their wounds.

"Shh, I know it hurts but we can't have you getting an infection." Whumper cupped their hand to Whumpee's face. "I know this was hard on you, but it needed to be done. Now you can be nice and good for me."

Whumpee continued to cry as Whumper comforted them. It felt so wrong. They shouldn't let the one who hurt them so much even be near them, but here they were. They were so desperate for even a second of relief that they pushed those thoughts aside. It was okay to need a break. They would take Whumper's comfort for a little bit then everything would go back to normal, right?

[all-eyes-lead-to-the-truth]

All Eyes Lead to the Truth | Fight the Future

OPEN LOT

BLACKWOOD COUNTY, NORTH TEXAS

(@gaycrouton)

Stevie had been looking forward to the summer for the entire school year. No more homework, no more tests. Summer was the reward for all those hours wasted at school. 

But now he was bored.

So bored, that when Cody Newton suggested they go digging in the open lot next to the cul-de-sac. It sounded like a good idea. And it was fun for a little while, but now he was bored. Again.

“It’s hotter than balls out here,” he sighed, pulling the neck of his shirt up so he could wipe the sweat off his face.

“Have yours even dropped yet?” Blake teased.

Stevie scooped up a pile of dirt into the blade of his shovel and tossed it at the older boy. “Shut up.”

“I feel like those kids in that book we read this year. Ya know, the ones where they have to keep digging all those holes to become better people or whatever?” Cody whined as he tried to catch his breath. 

“You mean Holes ?” Chris deadpanned.

Cody nodded as he took a hit from his inhaler. “Yeah, only our treasure’s gonna be so much better.”

Stevie squinted his eyes against the sun as he looked at Blake, who was rolling his eyes. Cody dragged them all out here because his brother claimed to have heard something weird here a few nights ago. He even said the ground vibrated under his feet. While they all knew Cody’s brother was probably stoned when he said that, Cody took him for his word and believed there was something beneath the dirt.

Stevie didn’t have much to do, so even though he thought this was bull, it wasn’t like there were any good movies playing on TV anyway.

He dragged the toe of his shoe against the ground and made a circle against the gritty dirt. “My hole’s the biggest,” he gloated, taking note of the other boys’ shallow attempts.

“I didn’t know you swung that way,” Blake ribbed, throwing a pile of dirt back into Stevie’s area.

“Dumbass,” Stevie grunted. Irritated, he raised the shovel and dug it into the ground with as much force as possible. Only this time, the ground didn’t seem to have as much resistance. “What the—,” he murmured.

When he withdrew the blade, he saw a dark slit in the ground. Using the side of his shoe, he pushed some loose dirt near the indentation and watched as the dirt fell into darkness. “Guys, come look at this!” he yelled, repeating the action so they could see.

Chris made a sound at the back of his throat before taking his own shovel and prodding the edge of the slit, backing up quickly as it widened slightly. 

“What if it’s haunted? Like Goatman’s Bridge in Denton?” Cody asked, suddenly nervous.

Stevie raised his hand to his mouth and started chewing the dead skin around his nails. This didn’t feel fun anymore. He wanted to run and grab his dad to get an adult’s opinion, but he wouldn’t be back until six. None of their parents would. 

As the others bickered, something in the darkness caught Stevie’s eye. A glimpse of something? He leaned forward to try and—

His stomach dropped straight into his ass as he felt the dirt give out underneath his feet. His hands swung wildly, trying to grab onto something, but all he found was loose debris that fell alongside him.

Stevie felt like the ground sucker punched him when he made impact. A gasp ripped through his chest and he choked against the air filling his empty lungs. Suddenly, he’d gone from looking at the darkness to the blinding light as he took in the other side of the, now gaping, hole in the ground, framed by the faces of his concerned friends.

“Hey, Stevie. You okay?” Blake called out.

Trying to appear unshaken, he stood up and tried not to inhale any of the disrupted dirt. “I got— I got the wind knocked outta me.”

“Looks like a cave or somethin’!” Cody yelled down.

He was illuminated enough to see around him, but he couldn’t see much of anything. When he walked around to try and see if there was a wall anywhere, he felt a crunch under his shoe, and when he looked, he saw a crushed bone. But it wasn’t the only one. In the dim lighting, the stark white bones seemed to shine.

He picked up the biggest one and realized it was a skull. His daddy had a bunch of critter skulls around the house, but nothing like this. 

With a smile, he stepped back into the light and held his findings up for them to see. “It’s a human skull!”

“Toss it up here, dude!” Cody exclaimed.

“No way butt-wipe, this is mine. Anyway, there's bones all over the place, man,” he replied with a smirk. There were so many bones down here, that they could all probably take home an entire human’s worth each.

Looking down to examine the skull’s strange translucence, he realized he was stepping in a puddle of oil. His smile faltered as he tried to think of where the nearest oil derrick even was around these parts. But before he could give it any more thought, the puddle expanded around his shoe. It was like the earth was bleeding. 

“What the…”

The skull fell from his hands as pain shot through his spine, causing him to bend over and grab his stomach. His blood felt heavy, almost like he could feel the strain of it moving through his body. The puddle kept expanding and Stevie watched in confusion as it began to fill up the base of the skull through the broken part.

He could hear his friends calling out to him, and using as much energy as he could muster, he looked up towards them. He could see they were there, but only because he could see how their bodies contrasted the blindingly bright light. 

And then—

FEDERAL BUILDING

DALLAS, TEXAS

(@admiralty-xfd)

Four minutes.

The moment he sees the digital readout on the bomb, Darius Michaud knows he has only four minutes to live. It’s a humbling thought. 

“Can you defuse it?” Agent Mulder asks.

Yes, I can , Michaud thinks. “Yes, I can.”

But I won’t.

Agent Mulder appears undeterred, as if he’s actually going to stick around like a fucking hero, when Michaud knows that isn’t going to happen. He’s wasting everyone’s time, including his own, so he gives the younger agent an unearned glare. Unearned because the man hasn’t done anything wrong; in fact, he’s done his job exactly right. He’s done what should have been impossible, what had to be impossible. And now Michaud is going to die because of it.

Agent Scully urges her partner out of the vending room with a look Michaud assumes is the only thing that could have managed it. Then, all too quickly, he is completely alone.

He sits on his useless kit and faces off with the bomb: this inanimate, unknowable antagonist that will end his life in three minutes and thirty-seven seconds. Hello, friend. He can see exactly what to do from here, which wires to cut. This could be over a lot sooner if he wants it to be. But Michaud isn’t here to save lives, unfortunately. He’s here for a greater purpose.

The mission , they call it. It’s always been about the mission. Whenever he hears that phrase from a superior, he knows what it means: to follow orders no matter what. And Michaud is good at that. 

Three minutes.

He pictures the chaos happening just outside this room, how everyone around him had sprung into action, and for a brief moment he’s reminded of what it was like back in the war, when everyone had each other’s backs and were all working towards a common goal. 

He’s surrounded by people who all want to stop this bomb from exploding. To save lives. And here he is, under strict orders to keep that from happening.

Two minutes.

He clasps his hands in front of him, partly because he doesn’t know what else to do with them but mostly because, if he doesn’t, he worries he might just start defusing this thing. The survival instinct is strong, and he knows that as much as anyone.  

One minute.

He hasn’t thought about ‘Nam in a while, but he is now. Viscerally. He smells the rain, hears the explosions, and feels the squelch of mud that crept all the way up his calves. He thinks of his battle buddies, Mike and John, and how neither of them had accepted the deal he’d taken in order to get out. How neither of them had jumped at the opportunity to taste freedom once again, only to pay for that opportunity in sacrifice and loyalty; by subjection to experimentation and tests and uncertainties.

He’s never felt like a coward before. The responsibilities he’s been given and the knowledge that he’s been helping the mission succeed have been enough to avoid feeling regret. 

But he feels it now.

Forty seconds.

He’d known when he accepted this assignment that a lot of innocent people would die. He’d been prepared for the inevitable eventuality. Never in a million years had he expected he’d die not knowing the reason why.

Now, at least, a lot of them will be saved , he thinks.

I’m taking their place , he thinks.

Fourteen seconds.

He wonders what happened to Mike. Did John ever get out of the jungle? He’ll never know.

What will his son think of him after he’s gone?

He leans forward, his head in his hands. He thinks of the kids he’d passed in the hallway minutes prior, how he’d been party to their death sentence, and now he’s going to save them.

Michaud closes his eyes. He doesn’t want to watch this happen. 

He is the fucking hero. Even if he’s the only one who knows it.

BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL

BETHESDA, MARYLAND

(@fridaysat9)

Kyle was from a military family. His father was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marines. His mother was Military Police. He’d spent his childhood on bases all across the country, playing with his siblings and the other military brats whose lives were just as transient as his. 

Medical school was expensive. Money had always been tight, and Kyle had two older sisters who went to college and put the family in debt without a second thought. He couldn’t do that to his parents, so he enlisted. Uncle Sam would make him a doctor; all he had to do was report and serve… even if that meant spending his nights on an empty hospital floor guarding halls in the middle of the night. 

He’d traveled across the country from California to stand here. It had been six months, and he’d done nothing more than go to classes and basic training, and check identification. Admitting clerk was a very long way from doctor in the field , helping soldiers on the front line. 

Kyle was trying to keep himself alert by running through the log book in front of him when he saw a man and a small woman walking down the hall. He didn’t recognize them, but lots of different people came through this section of the hospital. At least it was something to do. 

“ID and floor you're visiting, please.”

The man flashed his FBI badge and told him they were going to the morgue while his partner revealed her own badge. There weren’t typically a lot of special orders for the night shift, but there was one tonight– and it was about exactly the location that these two agents planned to visit. 

“That area is currently off limits to anyone other than authorized medical personnel,” Kyle said, repeating the official message they’d all been given. 

“On whose orders?” the agent asked as he reached for the logbook. 

“General McAddie.” Kyle had been told of the General's order not once, not twice, but three times at the start of his shift. 

“General McAddie is who requested our coming down here,” the agent said as he scribbled something illegible on the pad. “We were awakened at 3am and told to get down here immediately.”

Shit. Kyle felt his composure slip as he tried to remember if there had been any mention of the FBI. 

He didn’t. “I don't know anything about that.”

“Well, call General McAddie,” the agent said, already starting to walk past, his partner falling into step at his side. 

Shit, shit, shit. 

“I don't have the number,” Kyle admitted. 

“Well, then call the switchboard,” the agent said, turning to face him. “They'll patch you through.”

Kyle studied the man in front of him, trying to assess the situation, but all that did was make him feel more like an idiot. Did he have a switchboard number? He’d never called it before. He rummaged through the papers in front of him, wondering if it was here somewhere and no one had told him. 

“Jesus, you don't know the switchboard number?” the agent asked, and Kyle decided he needed to get help before he got into more trouble. 

“I'm calling my C.O.” He picked the phone up off its base, but the agent stopped him from making the call.

“Listen, son, we don't have time to dick around while you demonstrate your ignorance of the chain of command.” Kyle was frozen, holding the phone a few inches from his ear. He glanced at the female agent who offered him nothing as her partner continued his tirade. “The order came directly from General McAddie, you call him. We'll conduct our business while you confirm authorization.”

The agents started down the hall. Kyle didn’t know who these people were, but the last thing he wanted was to prevent them from doing whatever General McAddie had asked them to do in the morgue. 

“Why don't you head on down,” Kyle called out as he hung up the phone, “and I'll confirm authorization.”

“Thank you.”

Kyle watched until they reached the end of the hall before picking up the receiver. He looked at the phone list in front of him. He felt inadequate, like he couldn’t do even the simplest task without waking someone up in the middle of the night to ask a question. He decided to start by calling the clerk on the floor above him, but no one there had heard of any FBI involvement on the premises. He called the morgue next, but the phone went unanswered. He was starting to get a sinking feeling in his gut. Something didn’t feel right, and as he made more calls, saving his C.O., he knew he had fucked up. 

It was nearly 4:30am when Kyle ran out of options and finally dialed his C.O.’s home number. 

“This had better be good,” the senior medical officer said as he answered. 

“Sir, it’s Lieutenant Murray,” he said, keeping his tone firm even though his body was filling with dread. “I am calling to get authorization for two FBI agents visiting the morgue.” 

“That area is off limits, Lieutenant.” His C.O. said it like a reprimand and all at once, Kyle knew he had been played. 

“They said,” he started, feeling like a child. He cleared his throat and tried again. “They said they were here under General McAddie’s orders.” 

Kyle heard rustling and an angry grumble across the phone line. “Jesus Christ. Call the MPs and get them down there immediately, and Lieutenant? Do not leave your post until I get there. Is that clear?”

Yep, Kyle had fucked up royally. At this point, all he could hope was that it wouldn’t cost him his M.D. 

“Yes, sir.” 

NORTH TEXAS 

(BLACKWOOD)

(@monikafilefan)

He stares wide-eyed at the gaping hole in the fireman’s abdomen.

No… no, no, no!

“It's left the body!” Bronschweig yells as he sprints back to the ladder leading up to the open hatch in the ceiling. This is bad. This is really fucking bad. “I think it's gestated!”

He freezes as a figure darts through the shadows. 

“What's the matter?” his assistant Micah asks. 

“Wait... I can see it.” And it is huge. Its long limbs and bulbous head glistens as it inhales the warm Texan air. The freezing temperature it’s been carefully confined in is now meaningless. It has evolved. “Oh Jesus… Lord…”

The black void of its oil-slicked eyes is endless. Evil lives there.

”Ya see it?”

“Yeah, so much for little green men,” Bronschweig mutters, awed. His hands shake as he pulls out a vial and syringe from his bio-hazard suit. If he weren’t shitting his pants right now he’d laugh at the naïvety that a thin plastic suit could protect him from this monster. “I need you down here!”

While he waits for Micah to get off his ass and help, he fills the syringe with the vaccine’s dark liquid. Sheer dread washes over him when he realizes the bone and tissue that the creature has been ingesting during development is exactly what it intends to consume again. This newborn is hungry.

A noise echoing around the chamber douses Bronschweig’s veins with an icy dose of adrenaline. He twists his head from side to side, trying to spot the creature who’s simply vanished.

Goosebumps prickle his skin. As a scientist, he knows what this is: a predator stalking its prey.

Behind him, a loud, animalistic screech pierces the air. Bronschweig startles, shouting in fear when a massive body slams into his chest, brutally knocking him to his back as needle-like nails swipe across his face.

Bronschweig gasps under the searing pain of scalpel-sharp claws slicing ribbons of his flesh from sternum to stomach. This thing will rip him to shreds. Fighting for his life, he clutches the syringe in his fist and stabs it through the slick, olive-colored torso of the entity pinning him down. A battle cry rips through Bronschweig’s lips as he empties the vaccine into the creature’s veins. It shrieks, lurching away.

Pain. Blood. Shock.

“Oh, God…”

Rolling to his knees, Bronschweig looks down at a gnarled wound on his abdomen weeping dark blood into a crimson pool within his palms. Evisceration. Flayed wide open; like being autopsied alive.

Fuck!

His body throbs to the bone as he lunges for the ladder.

“Help!” His chest is so tight he can barely breathe. “I need help!”

He blinks away tears and catches a glimpse of his colleagues closing the airtight lid attached to his only way out. Piles of dirt cover the bulletproof glass, ominously turning day to night. 

Panicking, Bronschweig starts climbing the metal rungs. 

“What are you doing?” he cries. The deep cut across his face pulls his mouth into a sneer.

Bastards! All of them, selfish fucking bastards. 

He gags as metallic-tasting foam bubbles up his throat and slowly seeps into his mouth and nose. A punctured lung. Christ, suffocating on your own bodily fluids is almost as horrific as being torn apart. 

He stares up in darkness at the dirt-covered ceiling, resigned. The project’s motto runs through his head: progress requires sacrifice. He’d just never imagined it was his life he’d be sacrificing. 

A clawed hand juts out from behind, covering Bronschweig’s entire face in a visceral death grip, yanking him backwards with incredible force and smashing his skull onto the metal floor. 

Bronschweig screams. The creature strikes.

And this is the beginning of the end…

LONDON, ENGLAND

(@gaycrouton)

“Then you must take away what he holds most valuable. That with which he can’t live without,” he stated. This group had been dancing around the inevitable for long enough.

“I presume you mean to say whom ,” the British Bastard countered with a weary sigh.

“Dana Scully,” Spender supplemented, punctuating the name with an exhalation of smoke.

“I know you have a fondness for the girl, but we never intended her involvement to last this long,” Strughold replied. “She should have died in that train car. That cancer should’ve killed her, as intended. Yet, somehow , none of our plans have come to fruition.”

A few of the men in the room averted their gaze. Too feeble to look him in the eye and acknowledge they had become weak. 

However, Spender, the worst offender of them all, stood tall.

“It wasn’t the time,” the Fat Man replied.

Gesturing towards the monitor, now displaying black and white footage of Dana Scully conspiring with Fox Mulder. “When do you think the right time is? When she finally succeeds in helping Mulder destroy a plan that’s been decades in the making?”

“Killing her would be worse than eliminating Mulder,” the British Bastard seethed. “Never mind a crusade, he would become relentless. Who knows how many of their allies would crawl out of the woodwork to avenge her alongside him.”

“She was a disposable little girl and your cowardice has allowed her to become Mulder’s very own Mary Magdalene,” Strughold seethed to the room.

When Conrad Strughold started this organization, he chose these men because they were ruthless. These were the men who kissed their children on the foreheads before sending them to their deaths and would shake each other’s hands to celebrate a job well done afterward. 

Back then, they would sacrifice anything when they had everything to lose, and now, in their old age, they couldn’t handle the responsibilities that came with playing God.

It was pathetic.

Quickly trying to compensate for their inadequacies, the men in the room all began offering lame contributions while Strughold sat back and listened with contempt.

“The man nearly put a bullet in his brain when he found out we gave her cancer because of him, maybe he’d be too far gone for revenge.”

“But I thought we only mentioned the idea of killing Agent Scully to avoid killing Mulder? What’s the point if the result remains the same?”

“Two birds with one stone.”

“Killing them both will raise the concern of that pesky assistant director.”

“He’s far more susceptible to threats than those two. Let me take care of him when the time comes,” Spender shrugged.

“What if, instead of killing her, we merely… put her out of reach, so to speak,” Strughold suggested.

The British one had the audacity to look disgusted. “You can’t mean—”

“He’d want to believe she was alive so badly that his focus would shift to trying to find her.”

“It would be Samantha all over again.”

“Worse.”

Strughold nodded thoughtfully. “That’s good.”

“I’m sure Marita Covarrubias would appreciate having someone else take the brunt of the vaccination experimentations.” The reminder of the blonde’s plight elicited a few chuckles throughout the room.

“No, it’s too close for comfort,” Strughold dissented. “Besides, don’t many scientists dream of going to Antarctica? Let’s allow her to partake in our exciting research experiments there.”

“Are you so naïve as to think Fox Mulder wouldn’t go to the ends of the earth for that woman? He’s besotted with her, for God’s sake,” the Brit proclaimed.

“On the contrary, his fervent loyalty and affection for Miss Scully is what I’m counting on. Pretty euphemisms aside, it would surely take him a long time to find her. Besides, looking at his track record with his sister, we can assume he will dedicate the second half of his life to yet another fruitless endeavor.”

“What does Einstein say about insanity?”

Through a plume of smoke trailing from his lips, Spender spoke up. “Plus, with Scully out of the way, maybe you could ask your colleague to come back and give Mulder some comfort in his time of need.”

Strughold nodded appreciatively, “I believe Diana would be amenable to that. She’s proven valuable to me with our work in Tunisia. It would be useful to have her keep an eye on him.”

“This is ludicrous!” the Brit declared. “I will dispose of Kurtzweil, but I can not stand by and condone this half-cocked plan.” 

The room was silent as he stormed out, slamming the door behind him. It wasn’t until they heard the sound of an engine starting that Strughold spoke up. “I presume everyone in this room understands that he only offered to exterminate Kurtzweil to make warning Mulder less conspicuous.”

“Yes, we know,” Spender agreed.

“He’s been working against the interests of the group for a while now.”

“He had to have known we had eyes on Bill Mulder’s funeral, yet he flippantly disparaged the group to earn Dana Scully’s favor.”

“Well, if he wants to be a friend of the family so badly, then I suppose he can follow in Bill Mulder’s footsteps,” Strughold shrugged.

A finality settled over the room as the absent man’s fate was decided. It served as a reminder that length of tenure meant nothing without loyalty.

“We can allow him to be useful one final time,” Strughold mused, staring out the window at the departing vehicle. “Then let his good intentions blow up in his face.”

2630 HEGAL PLACE 

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA

(@monikafilefan)

“Oh, Trish. It’s my fault,” Theo cries. “I should’ve worked harder to get you the best treatment sooner.”

“Theo,” Trish tsks weakly against his cheek. Tears burn twisted lines down his face that soak the bleachy hospice-grade sheets of her pillow. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for one damn thing. Promise me, my love.” 

“I promise.”

Something soft as feathers tickles Theo’s face, waking him from his dream. 

“Cuddles…” As much as his late wife Trish loved this damn cat when she was still by his side, that’s how much Cuddles is attached to Theo now. Shoving down lingering sadness, Theo scratches the cat’s back. “Whaddya want, furball?”

Cuddles bats the TV remote with his orange paw and the theme song to Theo’s favorite show pops on. 

“Bad boys, bad boys

Whatcha gonna do?

Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?” 

“ COPS ! Good boy.” The cat nuzzles his head against Theo’s hand. “Well Cuddles, who do ya think they’re gonna bust tonight?”

“…But you saved me! As difficult and as frustrating as it's been sometimes, your goddamned strict rationalism and science have saved me a thousand times over!” a man yells, his strained voice echoing off the hollow walls of the hallway. Cuddles jumps. Theo rolls his eyes. Nothing new ‘round here. “You've kept me honest! You've made me a whole person…”

Theo ignores the noise until he hears someone running down the hall a few minutes later. 

“Damn neighbors causin’ a ruckus.” Theo slowly rises from his recliner as the cops on screen sprint down an alleyway after a perp. “Makin’ me miss the best part.”

Theo looks through the peephole — it’s Fox Mulder from number 42. Of course it is. He’s the only neighbor with a revolving door of domestic disturbances. When Theo flings open his door to remind Mulder that Hegal Place isn’t a gymnasium, he sees the FBI agent’s petite partner, Dana, laying still on the floor, her eyes closed. 

Shocked, Theo stumbles over to her, instinctively pressing two fingers to her neck to check her pulse. The act reminds him too much of Trish in her final days. But the contrast of Theo’s dark-skinned hand against Dana’s bone-white throat tells him this is not about Trish right now. 

“Then hurry, Goddammit!” Mulder screams before sprinting back into the hall. “Theo?”

“You call 911?” Theo asks.

“Yeah,” Mulder nods. “My partner… she’s hurt.”

“What happened? I heard shouting…”

Mulder gapes. “I’d never hurt her. A bee stung her. I—” He runs his hands through his hair. “ Fuck! ”

“Okay, all right, she’s breathing. Pulse is good.” Theo stares as the stunned agent paces back and forth like a caged lion. Pure panic, Theo recognizes. Suddenly he feels a sympathetic wave of fear so painfully familiar it nearly knocks him out of his house shoes. “Look—”

Dana’s breath hitches and Mulder instantly falls to his knees, carefully lifting her upper body over his thighs, wrapping a protective arm around her.

Mulder’s usual tan face is white as snow while his unblinking eyes refuse to leave the woman laying limply across his lap. He’s silent as his trembling fingers gently sweep red strands of hair behind Dana’s ear. 

“Scully…” Mulder’s voice cracks, and Theo fears his heart might just do the same.

He approaches slowly, reaching out to place a calming hand to Mulder’s rigid back. “Help’s comin’. I can hear the sirens already.” 

Which is weird , Theo thinks. Never in his 68 years has he counted on an ambulance showing up so fast. Not that he’s complaining. Theo only first met Dana face-to-face two years ago and he’d instantly liked her. Pretty little thing. They’d ridden the elevator together, introduced themselves, and she was sweet enough to offer to hold Cuddles’ heavy bag of litter. Theo pretended to fiddle with his keys to watch Mulder welcome Dana into his place with a dopey-lookin’ grin and a hand to her lower back. 

Trish would’ve loved to see Mulder cherish Dana the way Theo cherished her. 

“My fault, Scully... shouldn’t have dragged you out there… so sorry…” 

Mulder’s pleas pull Theo back to the present. 

“No, no. Now don’t do that. Placin’ blame isn’t helpin’ anybody. It’ll be okay.” Saying that to someone cradling their sick loved one is a big risk, but Theo knows from experience that simple words of ease can keep the world spinning a little longer. “Ya think Dana would want you blamin’ yourself for one damn thing?”

Mulder tosses him a sad look. “No, Theo. She’d probably shoot me first.”

Then the elevator dings open and a team of paramedics rush through its doors. The medics transfer Dana from Mulder’s lap and onto the gurney in one swoop. 

“Help her!” Mulder orders. “Please…”

Theo feels his back hit the wall as he moves to the corner, his gut churning.

“Can you hear me? Can you say your name?” one medic asks Dana.

Another straps an oxygen mask over her face. “She's got constriction in the throat and larynx.”

“Passages are open! Let's get her in the van right away,” the tall medic shouts when Mulder reaches for Dana’s hand. “Coming through! Watch your back!” 

“You’ve never held me back,” Mulder whispers to an unconscious Dana. “Never been in my way, Scully. You’ve helped me find it.”

Mulder stands frozen as the elevator doors close. Theo slaps a hand to the young man’s back and swallows down his own heartbreak to offer Mulder support he wished he’d received years ago. “Now go show her that.”

Mulder returns an appreciative slap to Theo’s arm before racing down the stairs to meet the ambulance. 

“ Meooow! ”

“Nosy cat, get back in the house.” Theo grabs Cuddles, holds the furball over his heart as he sends up a silent prayer that Dana will be back in Mulder’s arms soon enough. “C’mon Cuddles, let’s go finish COPS .” 

WILKES ISLAND

ANTARCTICA

(@admiralty-xfd)

The weeks drag by at the bottom of the earth. 

They’ve been on the ice for nine weeks now, nine weeks away from home. Delilah knew it would be tough but the perpetual sunlight has been messing with her circadian rhythms for so long she doesn’t know which way is up.

The penguins, predictable as ever, do their thing. Emperors remain inland in tight family groups, struggling to keep warm against the unforgiving chill in the air. Her crew is only here to observe and document their activities, although around week three she began to realize it was just as tedious for them as it is for the birds. They’ve been stationed at this particular rookery since the beginning of mating season, and she’s ready to get the fuck out of here. Why couldn’t I have gotten the gig in Galapagos? she wonders. It’s warmer there and those penguins mate for life.

Delilah decides to call it a day. She turns to her camera operator. “Shut it down, Will.”

Will, confused, raises a brow. “We still have thirty minutes out here.”

“I’m putting on my producer hat,” Delilah replies. “We’re done. Let’s go get some coffee, preferably with some booze in it.”

With a You don’t have to ask me twice shrug, Will slaps the lens cap onto the camera and stands, wiping the snow from his pants.

And that’s when everything happens at once.

First, the penguins begin to scatter. They haven’t done anything like this before, and like any good camera operator would, Will heaves the machine back onto his shoulder and points it at the birds. But Delilah senses something else is up… is it an earthquake? Some kind of tectonic activity? 

There’s an enormous thrumming sound coming from behind her, and when she whips around, she sees something she will never forget for the rest of her life. 

It's a spaceship. An honest-to-god fucking spaceship, straight out of Star Trek or something, gliding over the tundra as smoothly as a hawk.

Delilah’s throat goes dry. She can’t even speak, much less turn her eyes away to see if Will has seen it, too. 

“W… Will ,” she croaks. What the fuck are words?

“Are you seeing this?” Will says, still riveted by the frenzy of birds.

“Do you see that ?” Delilah spits. It’s the only time in her documentary career that she’s known without a doubt she is looking at the more interesting subject. But before Will even has the chance to spin around, the craft —or whatever it was— is gone.

“See what?”

Delilah doesn’t know what else to do. She tears off towards where the retreating shape went, running as hard and fast as her legs can carry her. “Come on! ” she shouts at Will, and her partner follows. “Bring the camera!” She appreciates his obedience in a time when explanations are less than convenient.

They run, as far as they’re able. Will lags behind, struggling with the heavy camera, and it feels like miles but can certainly only have been a few hundred meters when Delilah spots something ahead, what appears to be a dark figure, a clear contrast to the stark white of the snow. Is it some of the Emperors, separated from the huddle?

Will sees them too, and they both slow. Delilah’s insides are burning and she doubles over.

“We ran all this way for a couple rogue penguins?” Will gripes. 

“No,” Delilah pants. He’s never going to believe me. “It was… did you see…”

“Wait,” Will suddenly says. “Those aren’t penguins.”

And as Delilah squints to see, her partner is right. It’s a person, a human person… no, it’s two people huddled together. “Who are they? How the hell did they get here?” And no sooner do the words escape her mouth does Delilah think… what if …?

No. That would be ridiculous.

They creep closer to the pair, their shoes crunching across the snow. It’s a woman clinging to a man, keeping him warm. 

“H-hello?” Delilah calls. “Do you need help?”

The woman turns her head, catches Delilah’s eye. Her face appears frostbitten, her auburn hair wet and windswept. “He needs to get warm,” she says, her teeth chattering. “Please.”

“Scully,” comes a second voice. The man, whom Delilah had presumed was passed out, is actually awake. “Don’t be a hero. You’re the one who needs to get warm.”

Will sets the camera down and pulls out one of the trusty emergency blankets he keeps on him at all times, rushing over to the duo and covering the woman, its metallic crinkly surface reflecting the sun. He goes for a second blanket, but the woman declines.

“No,” she says. “I’ve got him.” She wraps herself together with him, not letting him go. “I’ve got you, Mulder,” she whispers.

“How the hell did the two of you get all the way out here?” Delilah asks the woman incredulously, her inquisitive nature failing to waver.

But the redhead doesn’t answer. She doesn’t seem to care that there are others here, that rescue is imminent. She doesn’t seem to care about anything other than the immediate warmth of her companion.

Delilah can tell it’s taking everything inside Will not to pick the camera and point it at these two, at this demonstration of human resilience and connection far more interesting than a flock of birds. It’s not like they would even notice, much less care. But he doesn’t. So they watch instead, what they’ve come here to do. 

It’s even better than Galapagos. 

OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL REVIEW

WASHINGTON, DC

(@fridaysat9)

“... the other events you’ve laid down here are too incredible on their own, and quite frankly implausible in their connections.”

Agent Scully sat in front of the table of senior staff, looking worse for the wear after her recent escapades. Jana took in her appearance– the dry skin, chapped lips, little to no makeup– and noticed that the agent’s poise hadn’t faltered in the slightest since their last meeting. Even though, since that time, she had gone back to Texas (and apparently taken a trip to Antarctica). She and her partner, the ever-discussed Agent Mulder, had spent thousands of dollars at the FBI’s expense. Jana had no doubt all of this could have been prevented had it not been for the incredibly rash and irresponsible choices she and her partner had made. 

“What is it you find incredible?” Agent Scully asked, as if it weren’t obvious. 

There was a disregard for the authority of OPR in the agent’s voice, which would have given Jana pause, had Agent Scully’s reputation not preceded her. Jana was aware that she was tough, calculated, and professional nearly to a fault, and while she had been assigned to the X-Files to disprove the validity of the department, she had become a staunch defender of her partner’s work. Loyalty and dedication were things that were usually respected at the bureau. So long as that loyalty wasn’t their downfall. 

They all had their roles at the FBI. Agent Scully’s, though she seemed incapable of accomplishing it, was to provide a scientific eye in her department and stop the hemorrhaging of funds that was coming from the pursuit of cases of an “unexplained” nature. Jana’s job, which was one she took very seriously, was to evaluate the agents in her division, corralling any lost sheep. Her job was to reign in those who had taken advantage of their badge, traveling around the world in the pursuit of answers to questions that went beyond the bureau’s scope or interest. 

“Well, where would you like me to start?” Jana asked, matching Agent Scully’s nonplussed tone that barely covered the disdain she felt for this meeting. “So many of the events described in your report defy belief. Antarctica is a long way from Dallas, Agent Scully. I can't very well submit a report to the Attorney General that alleges the links you've made here. Bees and corn crops do not quite fall under the rubric of domestic terrorism.”

“No, they don't.”

“Most of what I find in here is lacking a coherent picture of any organization with an attributable motive,” Jana continued. She’d waded through Agent Scully’s report– the first person account, the “findings,” and frankly, lack of reputable proof. It read more like a science fiction novel than a government-sanctioned operation. “I realize the ordeal you've endured has clearly affected you. But the holes in your account leave this panel with little choice but to delete these references to our final report to the Justice Department, until which time hard evidence becomes available that would give us cause to pursue such an investigation.”

There was a moment of silence before Agent Scully stood from her seat and walked around the table. She was slight, but walked with purpose, approaching the bench as if she were the one who had called this meeting to order. 

At first, Jana was unsure of her purpose, until she removed a small vial from her pocket and presented it to her. 

A bee. 

Agent Scully stood before her, unyielding and unaffected by what had been said about her report. Jana tilted the vial, wondering if the insect between her fingers could really be proof of the things she’d read or if it was in fact, nothing more than a garden variety honey bee, plucked from the flower beds out front of the Hoover building. 

Agent Scully spoke, then, with conviction that matched her demeanor. “I don't believe the FBI currently has an investigative unit qualified to pursue the evidence in hand.”

All at once, Jana realized that she had lost. As Agent Scully left the room, leaving the men at the table talking amongst themselves while Jana held the bee in her hand, she could see the outcome as clear as day. This bee would have to be investigated. Agent Scully’s claims would have to be investigated. 

And Agent Scully was correct: there was only one department capable of doing so.

She adjourned, and tucking the bee into her pocket. She had other meetings today, more important meetings, and she had spent enough time on this already. Jana gathered her things, slipping out of the room without further discussion. 

A bee. Thousands of dollars and a plethora of outlandish claims came down to a single bee. As she waited for the elevator, Jana removed the vial from her pocket and held it up for a closer look. She hadn’t heard any footsteps, but the strong smell of cigarette smoke caught her attention as a man came to stand at her side. 

“Miss Cassidy,” he said with a sense of authority she wasn’t sure he deserved. Jana didn’t know what his role was in the bureau, but she did know he had tight connections with her bosses. “What do you have there?”

A prickly feeling crawled across her skin as she realized he would get the answer whether it came from her or from someone higher up. What she didn’t know is what he would do with the information. 

“It’s from Agent Scully,” she said calmly. “A bee. From Texas.” 

The man whose name she had never gotten pursed his lips and held out his palm in front of her. “Allow me to take that off your hands.”

He didn’t say why, or what he would do with the small insect, but Jana was aware there was no room for discussion. She placed it in his hand as the elevator arrived. She stepped inside, but he remained still, watching her as the doors slid shut. 

Read the rest of All Eyes Lead to the Truth on Archive of Our Own!

[luimagines]

Four found himself separated from the group. They’d gone into some kind of annoying dungeon that seemed to split off everybody. He had no idea where you were, where he was, if you were okay, or where the rest of the group was.

To make matters worse, he got caught in some kind of weird trap. He’s literally stuck to the floor and the wall at the ankles and the wrists. At least he had a lot of time to himself to think. That was usually a good thing, but not lately.

He had always prided himself on his powers of observation. He reads people extremely well. Well… he usually prided himself on that, anyway. Lately there was one person who made him wish his EQ wasn’t nearly so high. You. Four’s got a massive crush on you, to the point where he’s barely even able to reasonably call it a crush anymore. He’s entirely enamored. He loves your face, your hair, your eyes, your intelligence, the kinds of jokes you make… he could go on for days. He’s got it bad.

But for all his powers of observation, he can’t seem to find even the smallest hint that you might see him as more than a friend. All the playful touches and other displays of affection are never outside of the caliber that you show to literally anyone else in the group. If anything, he thinks you might have feelings for the Traveller because of how much time the pair of you spend running off and getting into trouble.

Four tries really hard not to be upset every time you offer the freckled boy a smile when he’s nervous or when the pair of you run off somewhere while holding hands. You’re a sentient being with your own thoughts, feelings, opinions, and — most importantly — free will. You’re not his to be possessive or jealous over. It’s wrong of him to want to cry as he watches you fall asleep on Hyrule’s shoulder after a particularly long day. But he can’t deny the ache in his heart or the way he clenched his fist, digging his fingers into his palms, in order to try and lessen some of the hurt.

He’ll have to content himself with being your friend.

“Oh there you are! I’ve been trying to find somebody for ages!… can I talk to you about something, as long as we’re alone? If you don’t mind indulging my silly worries, again, that is.” He looks up, mentally kicking himself for the boyish smile that instantly spreads across his face at the sound of his favorite voice. Of course he has patience for you, are you kidding? He would gladly fight Vaati again, or that Ganon guy everyone else keeps talking about, if it meant you’d spend an extra couple minutes with him. The world could literally be on fire and he’d still find a spare minute to talk to— he’s startled out of his thoughts when he hears someone else speak up.

“Yeah, what’s up?” It’s the traveler. Four chokes on his sob as he realizes that you probably can’t even see him from where you are. Curse his stupid height. Although, that does explain why you didnt seem worried about him being glued to a wall. He knows he shouldn’t listen in, but he’s consumed with the same errant desire as whenever he sees a clay pot. He knows it’s wrong, but he just can’t resist.

“I know you keep telling me that I should just tell Four I’ve got a crush on him, but I just can’t. I’m too scared to lose him as a friend or make this journey awkward since we can’t exactly avoid each other.”

Four freezes, he’s too shocked even to gasp. He can’t believe his ears. He doesn’t believe his ears. He must’ve heard wrong. There’s- there’s just no way.

“Do you really think he’s that kind of person?” The traveler asks you.

“No,” you sigh, “he’s probably not.”

“And besides,” Hyrule continues in a tone of voice that tells Four he’s got one eyebrow raised at you and is getting ready to tease you as the boy lowers his voice slightly, “there’s absolutely no way he could bring himself to reject you.”

Four’s blood runs cold. If — and he doesn’t entirely believe it’s possible — you do in fact return his feelings, then he wants to tell you properly. He doesn’t want you to hear it secondhand. You deserve so much more than that. And this is absolutely just his pride talking, but the last person he wants it to come from is the guy he’d been thinking you were in love with the whole time. He doesn’t blame the traveler, but the other young man had already prevented him from realizing he had a chance. He doesn’t want to lose the ability to make a romantic confession to you to him as well.

But try as he might, he can’t move a muscle. He can’t react. His brain is moving at a million miles a minute — it always does that — he has a plan, a vague idea of what he’d say, some ideas about how to make this impromptu confession special. Okay he doesn’t have a plan, he has a wishlist. But he can turn a wishlist into a plan! He’ll just… improvise a bit. But he can’t move.

“Huh? What do you mean?” You ask the traveler. Four can see you tilting your head and furrowing your brow in confusion and, oh Hylia, you’re adorable. He wants to run up to you and hug you and kiss you and tell you over and over again that everything’s okay. That there’s nothing to worry about. That he loves you too. That he’s got you now and he’ll never let you go. That you’ll never lose him because he won’t let that happen. But he can’t seem to make his body move.

Hyrule chuckles and, unwittingly, does the last thing Four wants him to, “because he’s been pining hopelessly for months now? C’mon, is it not obvious?”

You shake your head, entirely in disbelief. “No, there’s no way. I’m pretty sure he’s got a thing for his Zelda. I mean, we all saw the way they were looking at eachother when we were in his era.”

Four almost didn’t notice the tears streaming down his face. You look so sad and resigned. He can’t decide if he’s more upset that Hyrule is dashing all of his fantasies about confessing or that he’s been hurting you somehow through a miscommunication. Desperate, now — hoping to save some of his dreams (the look of delighted surprise on your face as he gives you a confession grand enough to suit your beauty. He wants nothing more than to make you as happy as you possibly can be) — he tries to call out to you. His mouth opens, but no sound comes out. Whatever magic that has him stuck seems to be keeping him from communicating. There’s nothing he can do but watch.

Hyrule was just about to reply when the two of you were attacked. Four couldn’t do anything. He just had to watch it. Watch Hyrule try to protect you but be quickly outnumbered as the monster’s blood came back black. There was red blood, too. Yours. Lots of it. Four would have given anything, anything at all to rush in and save you. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t do anything but watch as they killed you. He was sobbing uncontrollably.

The monsters came for him next. Suddenly he could move again. He ran through the clearing and into the woods. He kept running until the pain in his side caused him to collapse to his knees. He thought it was a side stitch, but his hand came away bloodied and he noticed there were blood-soaked bandages around his torso. Huh. They must’ve got him. Maybe now he could join you.

“-our! FOUR! Goddessdamnit Link WAKE UP!!” His eyes shot open and there you were, sitting right in front of him. Alive. Mercifully alive, unscathed, and gorgeous. His eyes were wet and fresh tears started streaming down his face. He didn’t care. He let himself fall forward and hugged you both as if he were afraid you might disappear if he let go and as if you might shatter if he held you too tightly. He hugged you like you were the most precious thing in the universe.

“Oh thank the Three.” He whispered as he cradled your head closer with one of his hands. Confused, you hugged him back.

“What… was that? Link? I need you to talk to me.” You spoke softly, gently stroking his hair to comfort him as he trembles a little in your arms.

“You died.” Is all he cares to say about it. You, however, are still confused. “Is that the last thing you remember? Why did you start running?” You sound worried. He doesn’t like that.

“The monsters followed me out of the dungeon. Or… I thought they did. I guess it was a nightmare.”

“Oh, Link.” You speak sympathetically as you realize what happened, “that sounds more like a night terror to me. That’s when your brain doesn’t register that the dream is over when you wake up. Sometimes people will still see the dream happening around them in the waking world. In the moment it can seem so real.”

You take one of his hands and move it to your neck so that he can feel your pulse, “here. Proof that I’m not another hallucination. I’m alive and safe, see?”

His breathing starts to even out as his brain begins to sort out what was a dream and what wasn’t. He realizes he woke up as soon as he was in the clearing. The dungeon wasn’t real. Right? “Where’d the bandages come from?” He asks cautiously.

“You took an arrow when our camp got attacked late last night. It was followed by a club to the back of the head and you passed out.” You sigh guiltily, “you wouldn’t’ve gotten hurt if you hadn’t been protecting me. Speaking of that injury, though,” you scoop him up into your arms with surprising strength (that might have something to do with how small he is), but Four isn’t inclined to complain in the slightest.

“Oh.” Four says lamely, blushing, “well it was worth it. I’m glad you’re okay.” He leans in closer to you, deciding he can blame it on the blood loss if you ask too many questions. He just wants to be close to you. He’s wanted that for so long.

- glitter ✨

Oh poor Four-! Hyrule sold him out, they were attacked and he had to watch it all from a distance.

He would have no doubt lost his mind.

But yes, blame the blood loss. You can blame a whole lot on the blood lost and get away with it. XD

[bitchyfoxymama]

Angel - Pietro Maximoff x F!Powered!Reader

Warnings: fix it fic where Pietro doesn't die at the end of Age of Ultron! Medical jargon is probably incorrect.

A/n: Anyway this is for a friend of mine who asked where Wanda's brother's fics were and why I haven't written any. Heres to you 🫡

All grammatical errors are my own bc I don't have beta readers.

...

“Male, Caucasian, approximately 22-24 years of age, multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, abdomen and arms. His breathing is labored and blood pressure low.” One of my nurses says as we wheel this unknown man into the O.R.

“Alright! We need gauze, bowls and scalpels and blood! GO! GO! GO!” I yell at my team trying to save this young man’s life. I may be only 20 and one of the youngest surgeons in the world but my team knows I care about them and only yell when it’s something crucial.

“Here ma’am, everything you need.” Maria, my head nurse tells me while I walk into the room gloved and masked.

“Alright ladies and gentlemen, we are going to save this man’s life.” I say looking around the sterile room.

*6 hours later*

“Alright we did it, great job guys. Move him over to an empty recovery room and let them know their friend is fine.” I say walking out. I go and stand near the coffee machine and buy myself a cup.

“So Doc, how's the kid?” I look up and see an old friend.

“Well, Stark, how many times have I told you not to call me Doc? Reminds me of Bugs Bunny, and he’s doing fine. We managed to save him, just barely. He lost a lot of blood, had multiple breaks, what the hell were you guys fighting?!”

“Uh robots, and besides if you had come along with us like I keep suggesting and using those wonderful powers you have-“ I cut him off before he can even finish his thought.

“Stark I’ve told you before, I’m not properly trained for combat, I’m just a doctor, and I’ll tell you what I’ll go and heal all his wounds right now, that way you’ll have him back.” I say sipping the black hot liquid.

“And I told you (y/n) there’s more out there than just shitty coffee and white walls. Listen I'll pitch the idea to Fury to have you move to the compound and become an avenger, you could help a whole lot more people if you agreed” He says as he walks back down the hallway and out the door.

I threw the cup of coffee away and walked into Pietro’s room. I learned of his name after the operation. He honestly looks very peaceful just lying there sleeping. I go and close the blinds and shut and lock the door. I don't need anyone not authorized to know about my powers to come stumbling in the room.

I take off my glove and remove his blanket from his chest; I take a deep breath and lay my hands on his chest. A white light filling up the room along with the slight hum of the machines connected to him.

When I finish he begins to slowly open his eyes. “Is that an Angel I see? A beautiful angel?”

I blush slightly “No Mr. Maximoff, I can assure you that I am no Angel. I am your Doctor; my name is (y/n) (l/n).”

“So I do have an angel in front of me because only an angel would have such a beautiful name as that.” He said smiling.

“Well it’s good to see you are getting back to normal brother” a female voice came from the door.

“Well that is my que to go, I’ll be checking back on you tomorrow and if everything looks good, you should be free to go within the next few days” I say sliding out of the door.

“She seems nice” I hear his sister say as I walk back to my office. Wait, how’d she unlock the door? Did she see me use my powers? All these questions went on swimming through my head.

******

“Good morning Mr. Maximoff, how are you feeling?” I asked while walking into his hospital room, looking at his medical charts “are you eating alright?”

“Good, I've gotten my strength back and maybe that means my speed came back?” he says, getting up in his bed. 

“Wow there mr maximoff you've only just started healing and you only recently had surgery. It might take some time for your speed to get back.” I say while gently lying him back down on the bed.

“Alright but promise me once we're out of here and I'm no longer your patient we will hang out and be friends yes?” he says while smiling the dorkiest of smiles I've ever seen.

“Yes, we are already friends but when you get released we can hang out” I say while grabbing my clipboard and walking back out of the room and closing the door. I lean against the wall outside and take a deep breath, wow i can't be falling for my patient but he wont be my patient next week, no next week he’ll be my teammate. 

Just before walking into his room this morning I had gotten a call from Stark informing me I would become an official member of the team, healing them whenever necessary as well as healing those injured during missions. 

This will surely be a fun experience especially when I have a handsome man like Pietro on my team.