#I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE TANG WITH HIS FLUFFY HAIR

[freakadr0id]

In honor of the recent LMK set leaks, I finally finished this screenshot redraw I’ve been working on the last few days. I was hoping to do more with it but now I want to draw Tang with his fluffy hair, so I kind of rushed to get this in a semi-completed state. I wanted to try some new brushes and techniques with this one. I’m not sure how I feel about it since it took SO FUCKING LONG, but I kind of liked how it turned out regardless.

[gojosatoruwifey]

ㅡdreaming torrents

✑ the what ifs random snippets postwar rotmhs that no one asked for (◕∇◕✿)

✿ warning/s: fluff , g/n! reader , swearing, tell me if i missed something!

✿ character/s: pbss! chung myung , junior! reader (feat. small baek cheon)

part of the senior reader agenda (tba)

thumb ring

sleepiness seems to overlap either day or night. the issue used to not bother him but now that being groggy is catching up to his body, chung myung finds it hard to stifle a yawn. bed hair of ink black falls to his shoulders, white robes thrown in haphazardly as if he’s not bothered by the incoming scolding from his tidied junior later in the dining hall he will be meeting for breakfast, drowse clung to his eyes, hand busy itself to close the door of the room.

“sahyung,” a voice called out from the side.

chung myung glanced to see a cultivator disciple in black, a carefully embroidered tassel hanging on their sword as it sways from side to side with each step they made, a thin sheet of sweat cling to their forehead making people who see them want to applaud at the sight of an outstanding figure doing work once the sun is up, there is a tender smile on their face as their hand waved at him from afar. “your hair isn’t tied up. want me to do it for you?”

like sent into a trance, chung myung wordlessly gives to your awaiting hands his green ribbon, it was brief but he catches a band around your thumb. “were you wielding a bow? you have a thumb ring.”

“i went out hunting,” you stood up behind his sitting figure as your fingers card through his fluffy hair. on the side of the doorway of chung myung’s room, there’s a wooden side table with two chairs you can pull under. it’s a highly convenient furniture that chung myung bought on a whim. who said impulse buying is always a bad thing? they clearly haven’t seen the side table. the craftsman was so happy that his ‘unusual’ invention was bought and seeing that it was the highly regarded plum blossom sword saint, his spirit reached the heavens.

chung myung perks up, “does my dear junior willing to give me their catch?”

he may have his back facing you but you well know that he was wearing a teasing expression, a grin on his lips as he closes his eyes while you tighten up the ribbon. “sure. i wonder if senior can eat all of them up, though. as they say 'time is of the essence'. tang bo is waiting. hurry up, or face the consequences of being beaten."

“damn, that guy is already here?”

you patted his shoulders, laughing. you step to the side as chung myung stands up to his full height. you leave first but not when a callous warm hand lifts your hand with the thumb ring closer for chung myung to look at. his eyes glimmer with an unknown light you can’t name. so you just let him hold it like that — his own thumb stroke it a few times before he let it go — matching your pace as the both of you walk to the stoned pavements, 

later that day, before you turn around to go back to your room, chung myung tosses a shiny material to you which you catch with a heart in your throat. who wouldn’t be surprised, anyway? you were about to mind your business and sleep after a whole day of labour then your sahyung passed something to you without any words. opening your fist, a beautiful jade thumb ring sits on your palm as your wide eyes flicker to chung myung’s self-satisfied figure.

a huge batch of char siu is due.

fuzhou fish ball

you can’t believe the day will come that a certain senior who hasn't taken a single disciple in that long life of his finally arrives. it’s strange to see a small figure beside his imposing height, much more strange that it was a kid once they got nearer and a clear view of a refine-looking boy, with straight hair and a pair of big, strong eyes that remind you of a stone with a similar colour on them, they bring you a sense of refreshing waft of salt in the air accompanied by a low crashing of waves.

there was one question you badly want to voice out.

annoyed by your staring, chung myung huffed. “What?”

“...you didn’t kidnap this child for a ransom, did you?”

chung myung looks scandalized, “what the fuck are you sayi–”

“sahyung! the kid can hear you!”

“so what? he will soon learn that.”

you cleared your throat and knelt to level your gaze at the kid. the last thing you want is to frighten him. with the bickering that just happened right now, you give him a timid smile and the boy’s shoulder drops a little as he hides behind chung myung’s legs. it’s a small change, nevertheless, still change and you’re happy to see that his guard is down and not up. “hello.”

he shyly returned a small ‘hello’. if you’re not a cultivator trained to have good hearing, you’ll not catch it, his greeting might get lost in the wind.

“don’t hesitate to tell me if this bad guy is threatening you, okay?” a giggle slips out from the kid.

“yah!”

“you should eat something.” you ignored the glare in your way as you offered a cheery smile to the kid whose name you haven’t known yet. “this one is called y/n, third grade disciple of mount hua. can i have the pleasure to know the young one before me?”

the kid blinked at the figure in front of him. an air of dignified pillar surrounding you making you appear trusty. having a good intuition, he opened his mouth to say his name but he was beaten to it by the older man.

“the kid wants to change his name.” chung myung said.

“oh,” a click of understanding registered on your face as you nodded and stood up. “after eating, do you want to meet the sect leader? he will bless you with a given name if that’s what you want. feel free to say to this elder here, hm?”

as expected, once the three of you stepped foot inside the courtyard, everyone bombarded questions as they gathered you to the center. the sect has always maintained a family ambience yet it feels the bond is deeper now that the war is over and a child especially the one that is picked up by the plum blossom sword saint is seen as a blessing. the excitement never dies down even when the sun is starting to set as the women with their daughters prepare an impromptu banquet. long line of tables decorated with vibrant red and gold, a group of baek disciples tying the plum blossom flags in the ceilings, another group carrying boxes of drinks and the others keeping the places tidy.

an auspicious occasion is what the old people say.

“just where did they get the money to get those expensive things?”

“sahyung, you didn’t know? the government may keep away from the events of the martial sects but the emperor owes the mount hua sect big time.” you explained. “i handled that matter a few weeks after the war ended as per the sect leader’s permission. the bank notes and everything else is in my care, the treasure chests are with the financial hall. you see those wines?” chung myung glanced at the spot you are focused on where the two older baek disciples are carrying a box with care, then followed by another set of disciples. “gift from the emperor. the ones that reached early were only one-third. the second deal of the agreement…do you remember those men fixed the damages to our sect? that’s the second deal and the last, ownership rights documents of land properties. it wasn’t long ago that these hidden precious gifts were placed underground.”

“hundred years ago is not long ago!”

chung myung side-eyed your relaxed figure, completely baffled at the way you casually bring you’re a walking dungeon. “you hoarder…are you sure you’re not a descendant of dragons? you seem to stick your nose in places with mountains of rewards.”

it’s your turn to glare at him. “i don’t want to hear that from you, of all people. now, where is that cute fuzhou fish ball?”

“what???”

“your first disciple.” you clarified. “he is like a fuzhou fish ball.”

“he is with the sect leader and why are you calling him fuzhou fish ball? are you hungry? you can go eat first, you poor thing.”

awaiting for the last dance

whimsical as the shower rain, you spent a sleepless night opting for a productive path — train. the music of sword cutting the air with the intent of precise point, feet steady to the ground yet agile as a feline, it’s a footwork to allow yourself an escape in a bind, unsettled water that was agitated and quelled. the blade flared cold light, striking a purpose, a sword dance following an illusionary image of an empty plane as the void of life suddenly comes alive with the arrival of plum blossoms.

nights at mount hua are cold and unforgiving. they take advantage of the light clothes worn, crackled frost nipping on the skin turning to a hungry bite, the scenery of plum blossom trees deep red under the chilly moonlight and mocking the pitiful soul to catch a glimpse of it as the first fall of snow buried them. your graceful form in the wintry night comes to mind. chung myung leaned his back on one of the trees as he watched quietly and listened to the light tappings of your boots, sounds heavy landing a blow, wind urging the leaves to dance and chung myung tip of his head to the sight as the vicious swift blade tore the trunk.

it’s hard to discern the difference between the petals drifting slowly in the air from the plum blossom tree sprouting in the ground and the petals unfolded by two elders of the sect. the musings of the night giggled, the series of fists either blocked single-handedly or avoided in a way his body is angled to the side. second slower, you will come to scathe the vital points of this hailed saint. chung myung leapt back, putting distance as you come emerge in the shadows, swinging your leg to kick the side of his face and like your other attempts, it also failed. chung myung seized the opening — suddenly dropping as he pivoted a leg to lose your footing. unprepared, you immediately tumbled, closing your eyes to embrace the impact that never happened, a deep chuckle reverberated above.

chung myung had his arm wrapped around your torso, carrying you like you weighed nothing as he had you hoisted, the feeling of floating strange as he walked back to the newly established dormitories. he passed by the same tree that your sword had pierced in its spot, he applied a spell as it hovered in the back. “that’s enough training for the night, dear junior. i’ll never hear the end of sect leader sahyung’s nagging to find out you sneak out.”

“looks who is calling the kettle black. put me down.”

“no.” still childish at his age, he stuck out his tongue to make fun of your worm-wriggling figure.

[sashi-ya]

Living with the Pirates of Heart ~ Day 1: Mornings

So, I've been thinking about doing this little series for a long long time. It is based on the multiple hcs I have for my favorite crew, the Hearts! It is mainly written in a comic style, short stories just to laugh but also cute, fluffy and even romantic ones. Please, enjoy some bullying to our beloved captain 🤣 ♥ ~

A/N: Reader is Law's girlfriend, and part of the crew.

HC: Law takes a long time in the bathroom, while everyone else want to use it and he doesn't come out

WC: 500.

Day 1; Day 2; Day 3; Day 4; Day 5; Day 6; Day 7; Day 8; Day 9; Day 10

Day 1: Mornings

You open your eyes, fix them on the metallic ceiling of Law and your room. Bepo and Jean Bart running through the halls makes you jump on bed. Of course, Law is not on your side. He always wakes up first -if he has any sleep at all-.

“Captain, come on!!” “Open the fucking door, let us enter the bathroom!!”.

Ah… damn Law. He has once again monopolized the bathroom. See, he takes his time to bathe, to do physical stuff and of course to fix his perfect goatee and sideburns. Everyone on the Polar Tang begs, demands to enter the bathroom. But the captain takes his time. ALL of his time.

You open the door, peaking your head out just to confirm the usual. Bepo runs from side to side, so you get your head back inside. The poor bear’s bladder is about to explode. “(Name), tell Captain to hurry up!” begs the navigator.

“Law, open the door” you tell him from the corridor. “I’m shaving” he says, all so calm and like nothing happened. “HURRY THE FUCK UP, THE GUYS WANT TO USE THE BATHROOM TOO” you shout, fists to the metallic gate. “For fucks sake, (Name)-ya. I’m about to f….” he shouts, but suddenly stops talking. All of you wait for him to continue, but he does not. “Is everything alright, babe?” you ask, worried.

The door opens, Law is holding the razor in his hand. “NO” he says, frowning. You cover your mouth, the rest of the crew too. You bite your lip, your cheeks, your hand even trying to suppress the laughter. You can’t keep looking at him, because if you do… oh boy you won’t stop laughing.

“If anyone dares to say shit about this, I’m gonna take all of your organs out and cut them into pieces until I’m satisfied” Law sentences all of you and walks toward the room. Annoyed, so fucking annoyed, walking like he usually does when he is over with everything. (And that happens pretty often).

Once he closes the door, you and all of the crew burst into laughter. “The fucking goatee is gone?”, “well, half gone”. “And why did he have the towel on his head?”. “Bahahaha”. Shachi rolls on the floor grabbing his belly from how hard he is laughing. Bepo laughed from inside the bathroom. You only hope Law isn’t coming to take your organs for sure this morning.

The poor captain had shaved half of his goatee, not on purpose but accidentally. All of your shouting apparently distracted him. And his wet hair was still wrapped in a towel just so it remained fluffy enough like he likes it… Poor captain...

[sugxrslushy]

aww can you do "your hands are really warm with law please !! thank you so much !!

Your hands are really warm

➪ a/n: I had too much fun with this one!! I'm always happy to write for law, especially since one of my friends loves him you know who you are lol love you. thanks a lot for your request!! I hope that you like this, have a nice day/night dear <33

➪ includes: Law (w/ a gn!reader)

➪ warnings: none!

The little dots in the sky arranged themselves in a beautiful constellation. It spanned far across the inky darkness that the stars made their homes in. You’d almost forgotten how much you loved looking at the pretty sky late at night. It was always filled with vast wonders late at night that you missed.

You liked to joke with your captain that it was a celebratory moment when the Polar Tang would finally breach the water's surface. It got pretty boring being stuck in the dark waters for days on end, you wondered if it was any better on board a ship. At least you’d always get a breath of fresh air.

“If you’d like to deal with all the marines that'd be on our ass then be my guest, go get a ship then.” Law would normally reply with a roll of his eyes. Of course, the Polar Tang was a much safer option on Marine infested waters, but you were allowed to dream!

Although it made moments like this all the more precious, feeling the cool night ocean breeze against your skin and ruffling your hair. It was like seeing a long awaited friend, filling you with a sweet happiness.

“You’re going to get a cold if you stay out there. It’s too cold to be outside at this time of night.” Your captain grumbled behind you. You cast a glance over your shoulder to see Law leaning against the doorway of the sub, looking out at the night sky too. You swore you could see a bit of amazement in his eyes too.

He holds a fluffy jacket in his arms and walks across the deck to hand it to you. He makes no argument to make you go inside, just leans against the cool metal of the railing and stares out ahead at the black sea. You slide your arms through the sleeves of the jacket and shrug it on, instantly feeling a bit warmer.

“It’s not my fault you can’t handle the cold. I’ll be fine!” You smile at him and he gives no reaction, just staring at you for a second then slowly looking away. You snort at his muttered words about not wanting to deal with a sick crewmate.

You both stand in comfortable silence, just listening to the soft sounds of the ocean waves brushing against the metal hull of the Polar Tang. A breeze rolls through and Law shudders slightly, almost barely noticeable if you hadn’t been standing right next to him. You raise an eyebrow at him and he acts like it didn’t even happen.

“Law, you can’t tell me off about getting a cold and act like you aren’t practically cold blooded. Here, give me your hands. I’ll warm you up.” He begrudgingly lets you hold his cold hands in yours and you carefully rub them, trying to warm them up the ebay that you can.

“Your hands are really warm.” he softly says under his breath and you chuckle lightly. You squeeze his hands tightly and hold them closer to you, waiting a few minutes before letting them go. They thankfully no longer feel like ice cubes and you’re confident in how well you’ve done.

“Yeah I know, that’s why I can handle the cold.” You laugh and lean back against the railing. He seems like he wants to say something, but quickly shuts his mouth.

“Thank you.” He murmurs and turns to head back into the sub, you swear that there was a hint of a blush on his face before he turned around. You smile and wave him good night. He hesitates, then waves back.

tag list: @tsunderedoctor @cjm-cookiethief @acesmarigold @doublebird

[whaleofatjme1920]

In a Mirror Image (Eyeless Jack X F!Reader)

🌸 In a Mirror Image

[Eyeless Jack X F!Reader]

[Warnings: blood, language, cheating (both physical but it's not like, in your face, and emotional)]

Part 1

The flowers that grow like weeds in your lungs bloom thicker and thicker every day. Your vision clouds with blue more often than not, and you can’t think about anything but the blossoms and blood that paint the bathroom with a hue you’re already much too used to. It’s a painful existence, and it’s getting worse. One of the most wretched parts? You’re deteriorating so fast that your vision no longer services you. You are blind, unrendered to see. You still choose to live in a delusion, and you are amongst the only who choose not to acknowledge it.

By now, everyone knows but only one other than you refuses to acknowledge it.

You hear Hoodie arguing with Jack more often than not. It seems the blond haired proxy is angry over what Jack has done to you and because he knows what Hanahaki does to those it takes root in.

“You’ll fucking kill her,” Hoodie seethes as he gets in Jack’s face for the fourth time this weekend. “Look at her-”

“I am!” Jack shot back, his arms crossing defensively over his chest. “Who are you to come in here and speculate on something that you’re not a part of?” He growls. Normally, Jack likes talking to Hoodie, but not when Hoodie’s on a mission to prove Jack a sinner.

“I wasn’t even aware you still had one,” Hoodie retorts through grit teeth. “I can’t believe you. Look at the flowers Ja-” and before he can continue tearing into Jack, he hears your bedroom door open.

While you still share the room with Jack, neither of you are in it at the same time. You’ve taken residence up on the living room couch with Kate and Jack more often than not stays with Leia. The room you share is usually empty, much like your heart.

“Hey there, buttercup,” Hoodie suddenly greets you as you tiredly walk into the kitchen where the two men had previously been in a standoff. “Did you sleep okay?” He asks, voice so much softer and gentler with you than what he had just been using.

You shake your head as you take a seat at the table. “I can’t sleep,” you say.

Hoodie’s brows furrow in sympathy before they knit in frustration when Jack sits next to you. He watches as Jack snakes his arm around you before he presses an empty kiss to the side of your head.

“No?” Jack says in a sickly saccharine tone. “I’ll see what I can do about that. Does that sound good to you?”

You nod slightly, the ghost of a smile on your lips. “That sounds good,” you murmur back.

“Anything for you,” he hums as he pulls you in closer to his side.

“You disgust me,” Hoodie hisses to Jack as he gets up and pushes in his chair roughly, making the table bounce. He doesn’t take his eyes off of Jack for a second as he leaves, roughly slamming the front door behind him.

“What was that about?” You ask, feigning innocence. You refuse to open your eyes to the situation you are in.

“He’s having a bad day,” Jack answers. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it,” he hums as he presses another kiss to the side of your head.

The butterflies in your stomach are dead, but the flowers blood evermore.

“You’re still sleeping out here?” Kate hums as she takes a seat next to you on the couch. She looks exhausted and she’s covered in blood. Her mask is cracked too.

“I guess,” you yawn as you shift slightly from your not so comfortable position. “How has your day been?” You ask as you reach for a glass of water only to see it’s not there.

“Let me,” Kate says as she gets up once more. She knows you’re getting worse. After getting you a bottle of water from the fridge, she comes back to your side. “I’ve had a busy day. Met with an independent named Nyein. They remind me of a big cat,” she finally answers as she opens the water bottle for you.

You take it and begin to slowly sip from it - it stops the flowers from blooming ever so slightly. Your airway opens just a little bit. “Do they now?”

Kate nods as she flips mindlessly through the channels. “They said they’re falling in love with a human. Bad business,” Kate winces, her dark eyes watching you carefully. “I hope they don’t…”

“It’s bad business,” you suddenly say as you feel petals fill your mouth. You cough slightly and the small little forget-me-nots fall into your lap, thankfully free of blood this time. You take one of the flowers into your fingertips and observe it gently. “I hope they’re okay.”

Kate puts her hand on your thigh, lightly squeezing before finally settling on the early evening news. “You wanna burn these blue fuckers?” She asks as the flowers in your lap remain stagnant save for the buds that unfurl at an alarmingly fast pace.

You feel the corners of your lips curl into a smile. “Yes.”

Morbid, your flowers have been springing up everywhere. They’ve infested the temporary house. So, you and Kate went around the place, plucking every single one before starting a bonfire in the backyard.

Toby, who considers himself a bit of a pyromaniac, was immediately summoned by the fire the two of you had cast in the backyard. He’d been out on a grocery run, and honestly, he had wanted to get out of the house.

The dynamics of the house had become uncomfortable to him. What with Leia and Jack sneaking off together and you coughing up a full greenhouse, he has been stressed. Toby can’t stand Jack and Hoodie arguing all the time as it reminds him of the life he tried to escape, and Masky can offer so much but ever since he renounced his love for Jay by force… It’s been hard. Toby knows it’s been hard for everyone involved.

He crosses through the house, sneers at Leia’s room, and then exits through the back to the scent of fire. He sees Kate’s arm around you as the fire blazes slightly blue.

“W-What are you g-gals up to?” He asks, coming to your other side so you remain in the middle.

“Burning stuff,” Kate nonchalantly replies. “You care to chuck anything in?”

Toby glances at you as you struggle to keep air in your lungs. “If I d-d-did, I’d be u-under c-charge for killing a-a-another under the O-Operator’s care,” he muses. He’s referring to Jack, of course. He takes in the scent of burning plant matter and blood and frowns when he remembers it’s yours. His hand reaches yours and squeezes gently.

You squeeze back.

Your experiences with Leia are lukewarm at best, and cold at worst. She’s something, she really is something. There’s moments when no one is in the temp house with you except for her alongside you, and those moments are tense, sharp, like a knife and burn colder than the depths of the sea.

The most memorable conversation you’ve ever had was the one that triggered a domino effect that would lead to a black hole in your chest.

“You’re still up?” Leia’s honeyed voice questions softly as she takes a seat across from you on the back porch at the glass table.

You find it more stifling inside so you choose to spend your time out. The weather is warm, afterall. The sun shines and fluffy clouds the size of whales swim overhead. You have a glass of pink lemonade made from a pouch Hoodie and Kate had picked up earlier. You find that the tang is enough to keep the flowers down.

“Of course I am, why wouldn’t I be?” You say in passing before you sip from the glass. You enjoy watching the rabbits in the backyard. They hop around without a care in the world.

She begins to thread her fingers through her long silver hair, braiding it. “I just think you should be resting,” she says. “You look so tired these days-”

“That’s none of your concern.”

“Touched a nerve,” she sighs. “You know you’re getting worse, right?”

You shoot her a glare, but you know she’s right. You’ve actually been holding out surprisingly longer than most people with Hanahaki Disease. Most people succumb to it within a few weeks of coughing, but you’ve managed to hold out for damn near an entire year. That’s almost unheard of. You’ve been hacking up flowers, their stems, roots and blood ever since Leia came into your life.

Everyone tells you that you’re getting worse, but you should have been dead months ago.

“Stop it,” you growl.

“You’re killing yourself,” she continues. “You could just… Let it all go, y’know?” She hums as she continues to fishtail her silver strands. “Renounce your feelings for him and save yourself.”

You grip your glass and set it back down roughly on the table. “That is literally none of your concern,” you repeat, eyes narrowing at the blue eyed beauty across from you. “Acting like you care-”

“I do, though,” she cuts you off. “I know that the Slender Man has big plans for you, but with you wasting away like this… You’ll never live long enough to see them through.” She flashes you a look of concern, but you can tell it’s fake. It shines like pyrite.

“What, so you can take my place just like that?” You bite back. “You can’t even wait until I’m fucking dead?”

Leia giggles and you hate to admit that it sounds pretty. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Daddy always did say I got what I wanted.” Her eyes drift off and you’re able to see she’s no longer thinking about you, but someone who once loved her. She finishes the braid. “Happy six years to you and Jack. Give him all my regards, won’t you?” She stands up, eyes the rabbits feasting on the clover in the grass, before she plucks your half empty glass from in front of you.

“Leia-!”

“It’s not like you need it,” she chuckles.

“It’s a special day,” you said to Masky, a small smile on your face. “It’s our six year anniversary.” Your posture changes to attention as he closes the door softly behind him. He still smells like cigarettes, but it’s a pleasant scent you’ve found comfort in where others find it a nuisance.

Masky put a smile on his face but it didn't reach his eyes. “You need me to draw a portal or something for you?” He holds his arms open to you as you fall into them, part because you’re so weak and secondly because he knows you need the affection - even if he can’t feel it.

You feel light come to your eyes as you nod after leaving a note for Jack in your shared room on his nightstand.

‘Dear Jack, happy six years! I’d wait for you to get back, but I have a surprise for you at the field you gifted to me for our first anniversary. I await you with happiness. Love, R.’

Masky drew the portal in the living room, a mess of swirling cloud-like silvers and blacks before he laid eyes upon the place you once shared only with Jack. “It’s super pretty,” he says, dark eyes scanning over all the wildflowers. There’s weeds on the path, like no one has cared for it in a while. ‘How poetic,’ he thinks. ‘It’s an allegory for your decayed relationship with Jack.’

“No it’s not,” you giggle as you bring Masky down one of the weed and chicory covered paths to the gazebo. “But it’s special to me,” you hum as you take a seat.

Masky follows beside you. He doesn’t take a seat, mostly feeling it wrong to impose on a space that is Jack’s despite his respect for him falling so far from what it used to be, but takes in the scent of dying flowers all the same. It’s summer, and instead of the sun warming the soft petals, it’s burning them. When you cough up more flowers while waiting for the man who still holds your heart (and refuses to return it) you’re less than pleased to see that they blend in with the untamed mosaic.

“Are you still tired?” Masky asks softly as he lights up a cigarette. “You can rest, I’m sure he won’t mind.”

You glance over to Masky before you rest your head in your hands, wondering where your lover is. You listen to the wind as it blows through the leaves. You listen to Masky’s hum, and eventually, you fall asleep.

You wake back up sometime during the night in your bed and not in a position you normally sleep in. It looks like whoever delivered you back here was extra careful with handling you. You only wake up because Jack has accidentally turned on the light.

“Shit, my bad,” he apologizes, quickly plunging the room back into darkness. “Did I wake you?” He knows he did.

“No,” you lie. “I couldn’t sleep anyways.” That was the most rest you’ve had in months. “Where have you been?” You ask quietly, still choosing to remain buried in the sheets.

Jack slides into bed next to you and gets comfortable. He smells like perfume you don’t wear. Through the faint light of the hallway that peeks under your door, you can see he’s got dark marks on his neck and jaw. “Leia wanted to show me her childhood home. Place isn’t run by Zalgo anymore, so we took a trip out there.”

“Did you now?” You hum as you feel tears prick your eyes.

Jack can see you in the dark. His vision at night far surpasses a human’s. He just chooses not to acknowledge it. Jack knows that his relationship with you is gone, and that you’ve been coughing up flowers for the past year. He knows, and it hurts him. Hurts him deeply that he’s the one causing you such pain, but at the same time, he’s a coward. He chooses not to let you go cleanly because his relationship with Leia is so finite.

He knows she only wants him because at the time he was unattainable. Now that she has him, it is only a matter of time until she does to him what he’s done to you. He understands that fully, but he refuses to leave the safety net that is you because he is selfish. His feelings for you aren’t nonexistent, but it’s that kind of fondness one has after the deed has been done, a love based on past memory and sentiment rather than what will and can be. It has reached his threshold, and you both are too caught up in security rather than what is healthy.

“I did,” he says as his mind rushes a mile a minute. “What did you do today?”

You wonder if you should answer that honestly or not. Would he even care? “I stayed here today, nothing special.” You feel the flowers unfurling in your lungs.

Jack hums once more, his back now facing you as he slowly succumbs to sleep.

You met Masky in the bathroom again, hacking your lungs and more of those fucking flowers up into the bathrub and the sink. Hell, you even got some in the toilet. Your body is growing weaker and weaker by the day. The fact you’ve held out for a year is astronomical, but you know you’ll be being taken from it eventually. No one survives Hanahaki when their lover’s feelings aren’t returned. It either gets returned, or you lose them all entirely.

He almost lost you. You broke the mirror when your body went limp as the vines and flowers crawled out from your lungs, through your esophagus and out of your mouth. If it was an art installation piece, Masky might’ve thought it beautiful, but the fact you went cold and limp and the flowers were blooming at a rapid pace - one he thought he couldn’t keep up with.

Masky, despite not being able to really feel anything, panicked as he took you into his arms. Did he genuinely care for you? No, but he cared to whatever extent the surgery left him with. He fretted because you are under his direct care. He cared so deeply because he too had seen many good proxies and independents lost to it. He cared because a part of him remembered what it was like to have daisies and rhododendrons fill his lungs. Normally, you only have one type of flower to clutter your lungs. Science says “just because.” An old wives’ tale says “love truly lost.” In his case? Jay’s death. Nothing was the same after that.

Masky took no hesitation in scooping you up into his arms and running out of the house to the forest to be closer to his boss’s energy. The Operator could fix this should he will it. He didn’t care that the lights in the house went on from his concerned proxies - the ones who had been sick over what befell you since you came into their care. He didn’t dare let you go as he trampled through the brush in the dead of night, using only the moon.

“Sir!” He calls out frantically. “Sir! I need your help!” He can hear your heart get slower and slower.

And just like that, the devoted father came to his child’s cry.

“My child,” he greets, instantly swooping down to look at your pained, flowery visage. “Did I not tell you to handle this?” He chides softly as he takes you into his arms. The sound of static only grows louder and louder.

“I thought she could,” he says, his tone clearly apologetic. “Please, just… Just fix this for me.” He watches the Operator closely as the tall man holds you in his arms.

While you are not exactly his child directly, you are also still under his care. Leia did not lie that the Operator sees good things for you. Without any other words, the tall man is gone, giving you to gods know who to perform a surgery that should be considered the only humane way out.

He returns to the house where Hoodie, Kate and Toby eagerly awaited him, clamoring around him and pecking like hens wondering where you are. He says that you’re in the hands of a god.

You floated in the ether, your body a galaxy. You watched as your chest was torn open - looked like by the hands of an independent that had talons to rival an eagle.

‘There’s so much,’ she says, her mouth turning into a frown as she worked on carefully removing the clusters of flowers. ‘How is she not dead?’

The Slender Man continues to observe, not offering the doctor any words.

The spirals and swirls inside of you continue to swirl before the flowers get torn out, one by one. The roots that cling to your lungs are stubborn, but with every single one removed, the lights of a different universe go out. Snuffed. Lost. The cavity in your chest grows wider until it births a black hole.

‘How much longer?’ The Slender Man asks, watching as the independent calls in another to help her rid your body of weeds.

She shakes her head as she continues to root them out. They bloom under her touch. ‘I have no idea - she must’ve felt so strongly-’

‘They just keep coming up, Sir,’ the other interjects, her four eyes scanning you rapidly.

The black hole begins to suck up the stars and nebulas that comprise your system. It feasts on you, making every part of what made you you, disappear in its depths. It grows larger as it consumes you. It grows heavier. It grows more powerful.

‘We’re almost there,’ the taloned independent says, her wings fluttering softly to emphasize her point. ‘I’ve never seen it this bad before.’

‘Fix this,’ the Slender Man seethes, his patience wearing thin. He knows your body will not be able to handle this much longer.

The black hole reaches its mass, and slowly, it begins to consume you. It overtakes you, bathes you, and leaves nothing left when it has taken all that it can. Your body is empty. You are a shell. Glimpses of blue, grey and reddish brown flash in your mind’s eye and through the eye of the black hole, but you cannot place the feelings you used to associate with them. You remember, but you do not feel.

The last of the flowers are pulled. The taloned independent is exhausted, and her partner is just as tired. ‘Good fucking lord,’ she breathes out, exhausted from the late night gardening session. ‘In all my years I have never seen that awful disease take hold of an individual that bad,’ she notes. Her bird-like eyes watch over your open chest to make sure they’ve fully cleared it out.

A single forget-me-not sprouts, and the Slender Man is the one who plucks it. Just like that, the flowers, their roots, all evidence you’d ever had life inside of you, is gone. Withered and wilted away.

The black hole takes all that you have to offer, and you are back to consciousness, no longer floating, no longer a home to the vibrancy of the universe.

What came after was a bit of a blur. The Slender Man had brought you back to the safe house you had called your home for the past year surprised to see that some of his favored children were still away, waiting for you as the light of the sun rose over the grass. It was a new dawn.

“How is she?” Hoodie asked, immediately springing up.

“Fixed,” was all the Slender Man said, his gaze shifting from you to your group’s leader. “Masky, I’m entrusting you to watch over her as you have been through something similar.”

“Of course,” the dark eyed man says as he takes you gingerly into his arms. “I wouldn’t trust her with anyone else.”

“One last thing,” the tall man in a suit hums. “I am taking Eyeless Jack from this house. Leia will stay with him.”

“It’s probably for the best. We trust your judgment,” Masky replies.

The Slender Man’s head gently cups Masky’s cheek before he leaves them with the sound of static that dissipates as fast as it appeared.

You spent the first few days after your surgery under bed rest. The Slender Man had healed you but he still worried for the state of your lungs. You needed the rest, and you were pleased to have it. Other than that, you felt… nothing. You were numb. Fleeting feelings of happiness or thankfulness, maybe something melancholic would slip through but ultimately, you were nowhere near your old self.

Jack was not allowed anywhere near you. That was one of the first instructions given to him when the Slender Man had popped into his head. While he did not have an opinion on Jack’s unfaithful behavior, he was more displeased with the fact he’d kickstarted the disease in you. The Slender Man thought that if he started it in Leia, then perhaps everything would turn out alright.

So, he sent the two out with a different group - which mostly meant Jeff, someone the Slender Man knew detested behavior that Jack had committed.

It was not easy for Jack to share the same space with Jeff after word had gotten out about you.

“You’re my best friend,” Jeff had sighed one late afternoon, refusing to even acknowledge Leia in the room. “But that? That was fucked up.”

Jack hummed and kept his gaze on Leia, who looked at him with nothing short of adoration. “Sure.”

Jeff sighed once more and stood up. “You don’t feel an inch bad, do you?”

“No.”

“You’re a shitty guy but you’re an even shittier liar.” Jeff broke the door with how hard he’d slammed it on his way out.

Jack really wasn’t the same, that much was apparent. He’d slowly been becoming more withdrawn and quicker to agitation. Of course, he’d take it out on whoever was around to deal with it. Leia included - it just came in a different form. One in which she’d never complained. But when things were rough between them, things were rough.

Jeff could hardly stand the two most days, so when he’d sneak out, it was with his dog to come pay a visit with you. And he hated how dull you had become.

“Masky used to be a lot more personable,” Jeff would say. “Life of the party when we could get him out of his pseudo-philosophical bullshit. Then he hurled flowers and we knew something was wrong.” Jeff’s hand rubs your back gently as a sign of friendship.

“And then?”

“Then he got that stupid surgery and now he’s just existing. No further purpose, just existing because some pale guy says so for his benefit.” Jeff huffed and looked up at the setting sun.

You found your gaze following his.

“What you’re doing right now,” he began. “It’s no way to live.”

“Would you have rather I’d succumbed to it?” You asked, not adding any inflection to whether you’re happy or sad, hurt or even offended.

“In all honesty?” Jeff tore his eyes from the pink and blue sky. “Yeah. This,” he gestured to you. “This isn’t you.”

Everything you’re supposed to feel feels dampened. Instead, you nodded. “Note taken.”

Jeff frowned.

The first time Jack was able to see you after your surgery was nearing halfway to what would have been seven months. It’d been a rough time without him seeing you, mostly because the guilt had been devouring every humanity he had left. Nothing could fill the void.

Like the first time you had met him, it was an accident when you crossed paths once again. You had been clearing out a house one fine winter’s evening, doing what had been asked of you before you got the faintest scent of something familiar and something you once recognized as comforting. You furrow your brows, weapon at your hip as you slowly and quietly come down the stairs.

Your lips are pressed into a thin line as you peer into the living room. Snow falls outside the window.

“Reader?” A male voice asks, turning around from the hallway. “Is that you?”

You tilt your head slightly as you register the mask you’re looking at. Eyeless Jack, mostly just known as ‘EJ’ or ‘Jack’. You’ve never really spent any time with him though outside of little jobs, so you have no idea who this is or why he sounds so happy to see you.

“Uh, hi, EJ?” You say as you walk at a leisurely pace down the stairs.

Jack freezes momentarily as he comes to greet you in the living room. He’d almost forgotten that when the flowers are removed, so too are the memories alongside feelings.”It’s… It’s good to see you,” he says as he looks down at you, wondering if he should touch you or not.

“I guess it’s nice to see you too,” you say. “What are you doing in this area?” You inquire. You vaguely remember the Slender Man not wanting you two to be in the same area.

“Just out and about,” he answers as he scratches at the back of his neck. “Leia wanted to uh, hunt down some of her sisters - I - it doesn’t matter,” he suddenly finishes, feeling much too awkward to even look at you. He knows you don’t remember, but he certainly does. Looking at you… He has a fresh slate.

“That’s nice,” you say in a tone that’s clearly disinterested. You walk towards the living room windows and look into what is now a cold winter’s night. You can see the snow still falling. If you want to make it back to Masky before he gets worried, you’ll need to head out almost immediately. “Pretty, isn’t it?”

Jack slowly comes to your side and puts his attention on you, watching as the snow continues to fall. “Yeah, the prettiest,” he says softly, desperately trying in vain to hold back on scooping you into his arms. There’s something scratching at the back of his throat.

You nod once again and zip up your coat. “They’re expecting me,” you say, gearing up to brave the snow.

“Do you need any-”

“No,” you cut him off. You’re not sure why it comes out so harshly, but you figure it must be a remnant of a memory you no longer have access to. “I can manage on my own.” You brush past him and open the front door, eyes momentarily clamping shut at how cold it is before you step onto the porch. The sound of the crunching snow is satisfying.

“Stay safe out there,” Jack says softly, not moving from his place as he continues to gaze out the window at the falling snow.

You turn your head briefly over your shoulder, “and you as well.”

Jack hears the door close and you walk off into the night, back to a group he was barred from. That tickling in the back of his throat grows more and more prevalent until he clears his throat. Feels like there’s something on his tongue. He coughs a few more times before holding his hands in front of his mouth, displeased to see the small blue petals he knows will bloom to full flowers in a time frame that is too long to be considered fair.

[mrs-dr-reid]

Found

(A Criminal Minds Fic)

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Summary: The team often misplaces Spencer in a crowd, and the Reader usually has to resort to “drastic measures” to find him so they can get back to work.

Genre: Sooooo fluffy, my guy.

Warnings: A few swears. One F-Bomb.

A/N: Okay, so, I love those tumblr posts where a fictional character can’t find their friend/sidekick/partner in a crowd, and they yell something to make the other person respond, then go, “Found him/her”, so that’s why I wrote this. Enjoy!

Word Count: 1,630

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Spencer Reid is notorious for getting lost and/or distracted when the team has to enter a large crowd on a case. And funnily enough, Y/N L/N is most known for always being able to find him again so the team can keep working. Albeit through unorthodox means. Here are the top four best instances of how Y/N found Spencer, and one of how Spencer found Y/N.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One.

The team was canvassing the Santa Monica Pier in regards to a series of drownings in the area. Only problem was it was the busiest day of the week, and it was teeming with people. Hotch, Rossi, and JJ were back at the local police station setting up the investigation board, which left Emily, Derek, Spencer, and Y/N on canvas duty.

They spilt into pairs, and Derek and Emily took the left side of the pier while Spencer and Y/N took the right. After about 20 minutes, Derek called Y/N and said, “You’re on speaker, L/N. We’ve got nothing so far, Little Mama. How’s it going for you and Pretty Boy?”, so she replied, “We managed to get a few things that could be helpful. We’ll have to compare them against the case info, but that shouldn’t be too hard once we get back to the sta...tion,” but trailed off when she noticed Spencer was out of her eyeline.

She said, “Hey, Derek? You or Emily got eyes on Spencer?”, so he responded, “Can’t say we do. Why?”, and Y/N said, “I seem to have misplaced him,” while craning her neck to look around.

Emily said, “Should we try his cell?”, so Y/N said, “No. I’ve got this,” hung up, then cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, “GEE, I SURE DO WISH SOMEONE COULD TELL ME HOW MANY KERNELS THERE ARE ON THE AVERAGE EAR OF CORN!!!”

A few seconds went by, then she heard Spencer yell from a churro stand, “STATISTICALLY, THERE ARE OVER 800 KERNELS ARRANGED IN 16 SEPARATE ROWS!”, which made Y/N smile and say, “Found him,” before working her way through the crowd to get to Spencer.

He offered her a churro with a smile, so she accepted it and said, “Thank you. Alright, back to the station with you, Churro Boy,” before grabbing his arm and pulling him along with her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two.

JJ, Hotch, Spencer, and Y/N were checking out the dumpsite for the latest victim in a series of strangulations in Shipshewana, Indiana. The body was found in an alley by a flea market, and while Hotch was talking to the local police on the scene and JJ was questioning the garbage truck driver who discovered the body, Y/N looked up from examining the body and realized that Spencer had wandered off when she wasn’t paying attention, making her whisper, “Goddamnit, not again,” and try to locate Spencer in the sea of heads flowing through the flea market.

Hotch walked over to her and said, “We’re heading back to the station. You know where Reid is?”, so she said, “Not yet, but we both will momentarily,” which made him shoot her a confused look. JJ came over to them, noticed Hotch’s confusion, then said, “You’ll see,” just before Y/N yelled, “I WONDER IF SHERLOCK HOLMES WAS BASED ON A REAL PERSON!!!”

Just before Hotch could ask what that meant, Spencer yelled back, “HE IS!!! SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE MODELED HIM AFTER ONE OF HIS MEDICAL SCHOOL PROFESSORS, DR. JOSEPH BELL!”, which made Y/N smile, say, “There he is,” and pat Hotch’s arm before going to get Spencer. JJ said, “Told you,” and went to get in the SUV.

Y/N found Spencer at a second-hand book stall, and he held up a slightly worn copy of Gone With the Wind and said, “Nearly mint condition for six bucks! Can you believe it?”, so she responded, “Crazy. Let’s get moving, Bookworm,” and grabbed his hand to bring him back over to the SUV.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three.

Rossi, Spencer, and Y/N were retracing an unsub’s footsteps through a farmer’s market in Nashville, Tennesse because Emily had made the connection that all four previous victims and the latest victim in a series of abduction-homicides had made purchases there before they vanished.

Rossi took the north end of the market while Spencer and Y/N took the south. After the two of them had interviewed five stall owners, Y/N noticed the absence of a 6’1” shadow looming over her. She took a quick look around her, let out an annoyed sigh when she couldn’t spot Spencer, then said to the owner of the strawberry stall, “Thank you for the information. Now if you’ll excuse me, I seem to have lost track of my colleague,” before venturing into the crowd.

Y/N called Rossi and said, “Did Spencer make his way over to you?”, which prompted his response of, “He did not. Why? Did he wander off on you again?”, so she said, “Yup. I swear, that man has the attention span of a golden retriever. I’ll find him, one sec,” then hung up and put her phone in her pocket. She yelled, “HOW COOL WOULD IT BE TO KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER OF RIVETS THERE ARE IN THE EIFFEL TOWER?!!”, and waited, apologizing to the patrons in her near vicinity for her volume.

Spencer’s voice came from a handful of stalls down with the reply of, “THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 2,500,000!!!”, which made her mutter, “Bingo,” before heading in the direction of his voice. She found him at a homemade donut stand, and he held up a brown paper bag while saying, “She had my favorite! Chocolate frosted with sprinkles! And she had yours too! Homemade bear claws!”, which made her say, “Excellent. Remind me to put a bell on you when we get back to the precinct,” before taking his arm in hers and dragging him off to find Rossi.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four.

Emily, Spencer, and Y/N were tasked with scoping out the latest crime scene in a series of stabbings in Duluth, Minnesota. This particular crime scene happened to be right near a pop-up carnival, and while Emily was talking to the local police, Y/N was interviewing the witnesses, and Spencer was surveying the scene, Y/N turned her head to see that Spencer was no longer by the crime scene.

She whispered, “Son of a bitch,” just as Emily came over to her, which prompted Emily to say, “Reid go AWOL, again?”, and Y/N to respond, “And the man swears he doesn’t have ADHD,” making Emily laugh slightly before saying, “Do your thing, Girlfriend,” and going back to talk to the lead detective.

Y/N yelled, “IF ONLY SOMEONE KNEW HOW LONG PLAYING CARDS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR!!!”, and a few seconds later, Spencer yelled back, “PLAYING CARDS WERE FOUND IN CHINA THAT DATED BACK TO AT LEAST THE TANG DYNASTY, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN FROM AROUND 618 TO 907 A.D.!!!”, which made her mumble, “Yep. Boy Genius located,” before trotting off to look for him.

She found him at the cotton candy vendor with a bag full of the sugary pink stuff, and when she shot him an exasperated look, he said, “What? I was done looking over the crime scene!”, so she grabbed his hand and said, “One of these days, I’m buying you a backpack leash,” before dragging him back to where Emily was, but not before she snatched a handful of cotton candy from the bag he was holding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Five.

The whole team was out on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana looking to catch an unsub in the act of hunting for their next victim when Y/N got separated from Spencer and Derek. When Spencer noticed, he said, “Hey, Morgan. Did you see where Y/N went?”, which made Derek say, “Nah, man. I thought you two were joined at the hip. Y’all are coming up on three months now,” and wink at Spencer.

He scoffed and said, “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean she won’t wander off,” before the two men tried looking around in an attempt to spot her. Derek said, “Huh. Normally she’s the one that has to track you down, Pretty Boy. This must be one hell of a role reversal,” and ruffled Spencer’s hair.

Spencer shrugged him off, then said, “Hang on, I want to try something,” and Derek said, “Alright. Get your girl, Lover Boy,” so Spencer rolled his eyes, then cupped his mouth with his hands and yelled, “SPENCER REID IS THE WORST PROFILER IN THE BAU!!!”, and it took less than three seconds for Y/N to yell back, “WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?!?!”, from a few yards away.

Derek burst out laughing, and Spencer smiled fondly before saying, “Found her,” and going to look for Y/N. He found her near some street musicians playing a variety of jazz songs, and when they started playing “La Vie en Rose” by Louis Armstrong, Spencer said, “It’s our song, Y/N/N,” which made her jump before saying, “Yeah, it is,” with a wistful smile on her face.

Spencer wrapped an arm around her waist, then led her back to where Derek was waiting while saying, “You’re never going to live that down. You know that, right?”, so she smacked his chest and said, “Yeah, I know. And here I was always teasing you for wandering away from the group,” before smiling and kissing his cheek.

Spencer smiled, then pressed a quick kiss to her lips before they rejoined Derek to keep an eye out for the unsub, but both Spencer and Y/N had a bit more pep in their step.

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Tag List: @homoose, @hurricanejjareau , @xgoldentigerlilyx, @therestisconfettis, @less-intelligent-spencerreid, @aryaarathornson, @thomasgibsonfan01

Let me know in the comments if you want to be added

[fairytsuk1]

i was all over her (a)

part of the autumn experiences collection.

pairing: yandere!tomura shigaraki x reader

genre: angst

words: 2.5k

summary: you never learn.

prompt: visitor

warnings: noncon mentions/intentions, stalking, pervertedness, this is a yandere fic

    The rain was quickly soaking through his cotton shirt, chilling Tomura to the bone with a grumble threatening to work it’s way up his throat. He hadn’t brought an umbrella in protest of Kurogiri’s suggestion, he was sure it wouldn’t rain as he walked his normal path. But, he was wrong, it was fucking downpouring and his chuck-taylors were hardly holding up.

    Your frog umbrella flashed in and out of the streetlights, the rhythmic step of rain boots clicking and splashing in the puddles that littered the sidewalk. Brown, muddy water rushed in the crook of the street so fast he was briefly reminded of the times he and his family used to look at fish in the nearby rivers. That was a long time ago, no need to make room for old broken memories that would soon cease to exist as he aged further in life.

    What he wanted, was you. Your cute little feet stuffed into rainboots far too big for you, they were a gift from your father. That man was too flippant of your desires and needs that he didn’t even know his own child’s shoe size, a sorry excuse for a man if he were to be honest. The umbrella was a gift from your sister, adamant on you having something to keep you sheltered in this shitty ass neighborhood. You didn’t deserve to live here, he could imagine you in a perfectly manicured house with polished nails and frilly sundresses. The sun would sparkle on your skin and you’d smell flowery with a twinge of cinnamon, leaving men desperate and eager to flip up your skirt with the intent to breed you. You’d look so good, he mused. Cum filling your cunt as you squealed underneath him, pleading for more from your dearest, Tomura.

“Mmph!”

    Your shoe caught onto a crack in the sidewalk, nearly sending you face first into the mess that was the gravelly street. He imagined you’d make such lovely whimpers and moans as he rammed his cock into you, greedily taking you from behind...or maybe the front? He’d like to cum inside you to mark you and maybe, if he was really desperate, your mouth.

    He was working himself up, your apartment was near and the excitement was practically eating him alive with the thought that he’d be able to have you if he was just patient. It would be far too easy for you to get away and cause a scene if he grabbed you by the hair and tugged you into his arms, though, would anyone come for you? Your sister was right, this rough place that you called home was no home at all, they didn’t care about your wellbeing. They didn’t even care about basic necessities, like moving the trash bins so it would be easier for you to keep clean. They were selfish and it made him sick to think of them hurting you, taking you, and doing whatever these fucking creeps could think of. They didn’t care about you like he did.

    “Hey! You live in this apartment?”

    Shigaraki ducks into a nearby alleyway, back crashing against the wall as he shakes water out of his face like a wet dog. Soft pants fall from his chapped lips as water dribbles down his ears and neck. There’s a tightness in his pants and his heart is racing, a usual occurrence when he followed you home.

“Hm? Oh...yes, I do! It’s nice to meet you!” You tell him your name, why would you even think that would be a good idea? “Is there something wrong? I’m new to the area!”

     The man chuckles and your stalkers red eyes peer out from behind the wall, noting your neighbors large frame practically swallowing you up. He almost couldn’t see you considering this man was huddling you into the corner and looking down at you like a piece of meat.

    “You’re new? No shit, I’ve never seen a pretty thing like you before.”

    You can’t even help yourself, cheeks lifting as you pull your keys out of your pocket. Must be the neglect from your parents, you’ll let just anyone in between your legs huh?

     No.

    He can’t think like that, you’re different. You wouldn’t, you can hardly touch yourself correctly. He’d form you into the perfect girl, perfect housewife who made him meals and let him bend you over any countertop.

“Ah, well thank you sir.”

    You’ve got manners too, he likes that. He wants to hear his name-not Shigaraki-but Tomura as it rolls off your tongue, it’d be syrupy and sweet just like you.

    Clunky boots step into your apartment and a creaky door is locked closed, bet that makes you feel safe huh? Like no one’s gonna hurt you? Well, under his eye they won’t. But the only thing it won’t stop is Shigaraki; climbing the white rickety stairs to follow and a copy of your key to match.

    Waiting takes a long time, but it’s worth it to keep this little habit up. The water drips from his hair to his chin and neck, leaving a trail that would no doubt make him smell as disgusting as he felt. His hand reaches up to insert the key before the bulbous man from before is grunting out words that he couldn’t care to listen to. Though, the dude is utterly unrelenting and questions him, “what the hell are you doing?”

“What?”

    “Are you...who the fuck are you? I thought she was single.”

    Shigaraki scans him, unimpressed with the way he’d come to confront him when the two of them had the same goal in mind.

“It’s none of your business.”

     The man reaches for his wrist, looking small in the meat of his palm as Shigaraki lets him play hero for the time being.

     “I’m calling a hero! I have a cousin who works with Endeavor, you know! Stay here!”

“Let go of me.”

     The grip is starting to hurt but the man keeps squeezing, even adding a bit more strength when the wiry man expresses resistance. Doesn’t matter, he’ll just get rid of him while he can. Can’t go around harassing women if you’re just a pile of dust, right?

    Isn’t that what you do, Tomura? Stalk and harass future fucktoys? Or rather...as you like to call them, potential housewives?

    Sometimes, he might blanch when those thoughts resurface, bothering him and making him feel ashamed of who he is. How could someone like him, a successor to fucking All for One feel shame? That frustration or perhaps disturbance due to the intrusive thoughts lets his anger unleash, cracking like whips in the form of crumbling the man to dust. His wife beater, something he was sure he was (though he doubted anyone would want to marry this fuck), crumbled on top of the ashes and grew soaked under the downpour.

“I told you to let go of me. Now look at you.”

    What once used to be a living, breathing person, is now kicked to the drain below. Fingers itching the delicate skin near his jaw, he enters the apartment. He feels hungry, but not for food. He just wants to eat you right up. Yeah, that sounds right. Take you all for himself.

    You’d discarded the boots in the alcove near your door, the frogs smiling with pink cheeks as Shigaraki’s childish shoes squash them in his path of destruction. You lie drowsily in bed, pink fluffy pajamas comforting your soft skin and a duvet pulled up to your nose. You’d normally be asleep if it weren’t for the constant nagging in your gut. It felt as though something had gone horribly wrong. The anxiety causes you to lay still in your bed as if something was watching your every breath.

    It was eerily similar to the way you’d cower from your closet at night with the idea planted in your head that monsters were coming to eat you. This was only different in the way that you didn’t know what monster was coming. Not only that, you had no idea what he would do to you.

    You’d call yourself crazy during times like these, but you’d been right when the door to your bedroom opens.

    “I know you’re awake. You always sleep on your back, not your side.”

    It’s quiet and still. There’s tension thickening in the air like gravy on the stove and you briefly wonder if this was another bout of sleep paralysis. You thought you’d been in this position before, someone or something watching you. It had never felt like this, you’d never felt so terrified in your life.

    “Not up for talking, huh? A bit ungrateful considering I helped rid your little ‘home’ of that greasy pig next door.”

    The footsteps grow closer and against all instincts to play dead or even just move away, you sit up and face the man. His red eyes stare down at you, face bony and cracked...he looked like something straight out of a nightmare. Most people you knew were delicate and kind; they looked like regular people. Shigaraki though...you thought that Shigaraki might eat you alive and tear you apart limb by limp. A whimper exits your mouth as you sit paralyzed whilst he simply gets closer and closer.

    His eyes trace the neckline of your sleeping shirt, a scoop neck that showed the smattering of beauty marks adorning your skin. You were so beautiful, he grinned and planted his bottom at the edge of your bed. You shook, the water logged clothes easily soaking through to you and making your heart sink deeper in your chest. You held a confused look, like a deer in headlights or maybe a puppy with twitching ears.

“I’m...I’m sorry…”

    “Why are you apologizing? Aren’t I the one who broke in?”

    Cry for me. You’d look so good and I’d commit it to memory, you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

    “You’re such a pushover, how’d you let this happen? Hm?”

     The tears build at your lash line until finally falling in fat droplets down your cheeks. Your hands turn to fists like a child as you rub your eyes, no defenses in place other than to cry like a submissive brat. Your breaths were uneven as you attempted to wipe away tears until a quick hand caught your wrist, pinky lifted.

    “Look at me, when you cry. Gets me off,” he giggles before leaning so close your lips could almost touch, “did you know that? Everytime you sobbed in your pillow, I had a hard time choosing whether or not I should cuddle you or jerk off.”

    A broken wail escapes you as your body finally makes the move to get away, your feet kick in the tangled sheets and you attempt to wrangle your wrist away from him, thrashing and beating on his chest desperately. He almost felt a bit sad, sure, he was a bit mean with the teasing. But...you had to have known that someday someone was going to come for you like this, right?

     It’s easy to intercept your punches, holding both wrists at your head as he leaned over you. His hair framed the two of you, leaving you completely caged in this man. His lithe body scooched up yours, hips resting at yours for a moment.

     “I’m gonna make you mine, well, more like you already are mine. Tomura Shigaraki's little wife. Okay? So you’re gonna come with me to the base without complaints, yeah?”

     A brave scream tore through your mouth as you arched your back, trying for a second escape attempt. His left hand detached from your arm to grab your throat, cries quickly dying out as you thrashed wildly.

     “If my pinky touches this vein right here, you’ll turn into a pile of dirt. If that happens, I’ll move onto someone else. So come on; do you really want to be the cause of someone’s future suffering? Give up, daddy taught you better than to fight.”

“How…?”

     He laughed heartily, your throat clenching under his grip before he loosened to let you get a whoosh of air.

     “Seriously? It’s so obvious you’re a daddy’s girl, take the stupid little gifts, listen to his every command, and wait for the day he decides to acknowledge you. It’s practically...practically predictable! You’re predictable and sad.”

     His words feel like venom as you cry, the lack of oxygen making fuzzy black spots dot your vision. He might kill you in this moment, your lungs squeezed and he finally let go. You sputtered, body confused with it’s sudden freedom as you looked up at him with glassy eyes and snot dripping down past your lips to your chin.

     “You look tired, I’ll take you home okay?”

     You’re dazed, you almost don’t recognize the way he peels back the covers and grazes his hands up your thighs, exposing every inch of skin as if you were a present meant to be savoured.

“I’m a virgin! Please don’t…”

     A look flashes in his eyes as he peers at you from his lashes.

     “Perfect, just makes you even sweeter.”

     You hadn’t thought you could cry more, but every word that came out of his predatory lips made a new wave of heartache resurface, was this really who you were? A weak girl who could let herself be lifted into the arms of a man she didn’t know, fingers digging into the plump flesh of her bottom as she weakly clung on?

      A memory flashes in your mind as you let yourself be taken care of...well no, be kidnapped from your bedroom. It was the one with the high school boys, the way they’d flipped up your skirt and prodded at your weakest, most sensitive places. You’d cried for them to stop, told your father what the sickening boys had done to you. They’d practically defiled you, maybe would have gone so far to take you in that empty classroom had you not kicked one of them square in the shin.

     Your father’s words ring in your ears.

     “Well, you must have done something for that to happen. Don’t wear such short skirts next time.”

     A hand comes to caress the top of your head. Tomura’s, he had you right where he wanted you. Vulnerable and weak to his advances, you were tired too. This was just going to make things easier.

     The rain has slowed to a drizzle, you shivered in his arms and prayed to God for forgiveness as you buried yourself closer to him, the warmth comforting and soothing for your soul. Your bare feet swung limply as he kept you pressed to his front, walking on a seemingly practiced path. He was all over you.

      If he could apologize, Tomura didn’t think he would. He had to be all over you. Consume your soul like the evillest of demons.

      “Cheer up, maybe if you’d been a bit more vigilant, this would have never happened.”

     Your bottom lip trembled, maybe love was not destined for you. After all, you must have been asking for this.

     “And by the way...you know I love you right?”

     You’d heard it a million times before.

[dancingthesambaa]

The Smell of Plum Blossom Tea Ch 3

Summary: Just like a butterfly wing, a single act of kindness can change the course of the future, it certainly did for MK as a black-furred monkey put out a hand towards him.

Rating: Teen and up

Chapter 3: Shadows of the Past

“Mhmmmmm,” Mei's eyes sparkled as she munched on the moon cake on the outdoor patio. “This is the most amazing thing I have ever eaten, I don’t even think the chefs can top this.”

“I seriously have to ask your parents what they do one day,” Macaque said as he ruffled her hair and picked up the empty plates with his hands and used his tail to set down the plate of mooncakes right beside an assortment of origami made by both Macaque and the kids. They were in the shapes of people, a vulture, monkey, jellyfish, rabbit, lion, and other varieties of animals and objects. They had a little too much fun making them all. After he put the dishes in the soap-filled sink he took off his apron and sat down next to MK, who was stuffing his face, “cause there is no way they can have normal jobs to have a chef.”

“I think they dig stuff up,” Mei shrugged her shoulders.

“Archaeologist,” he mused as he snatched up a sugar ring from MK plate, receiving an outraged ‘Hey’ from MK, “Didn’t think they were the down and dirty people, though...” The first time he met them was when Mei wanted to go visit MK at their house for his tenth birthday. Nice people, a bit cutthroat and sharp tongue, but nice people, especially when it comes to the safety of their daughter. “I have been wrong before.”

“It’s nice to hear you admit that,” a deep voice chuckled as both the kids jumped up in fright at the unexpected voice.

“Yeah yeah yeah, can it kitty cat,” Mac grumbled as he took a bite of the sugar ring, then wrinkled his nose at the sweet taste. “Can’t afford Raki to hear that.”

A figure softly leaped down from out of nowhere and by the lanterns' soft glow, they saw that the figure was dressed in an extravagant red robe that had rings of gold displayed all across, but the kids were more focused on the figure being a giant lion demon than anything else.

“I brought Eight Treasure Rice Pudding,” he tempted him as he held up the dessert in one hand and a floating lantern in the other.

“Well then you're more than welcome to join,” the monkey jokes, “Happy New Year kitty.”

“Happy New Year,” he said as he put the tray down and gave a smile as he noticed that Macaque was not alone, “and a Happy New Year to the both of you as well, I’m Ahmed.”

“MK!” The boy greeted him as his eyes went from the figure to the pudding.

“Mei the name and let me say that the pudding smells really good,” she drooled a bit.

“Well I hope it is, here,” he cut a slice for the two of them and sat down on the other side of Mac once the two began to dig in.

“Delicious!” They both said in glee.

“Bottomless pit I swear,” the monkey demon muttered.

“Your food is just that delicious,” Ahmed teased and gave a small nudge to his shoulder.

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” Mac then took notice of his mane and gave a small eye twitch, “oi when’s the last time you took care of that mane of yours?”

The lion stiffens as he avoided eye contact, “oh not too long ago.”

“How long?”

“I don’t quite remember it could have been-,”

“How. Long.”

“....a few months ago.”

“I swear-what is with you guys and not taking care of your goddamn fur,” Mac grumbled as he forced the lion head to lay down on his lap as he began to fix his fur, “only can count on Bohai to take proper care.”

“But he doesn’t even have any fur,” the demon tried to refute, only to be met with a stink eye.

“And he can still take better care than the rest of you lot.”

“Does this happen a lot?” Mei pointed out the scene and MK nodded.

“Tons, usually it’s with Daiyu since she tends to get blood in her wings, the monkeys, or even me.” He can’t remember the first time he had his hair played with, but once it began it just never stopped. “He said that monkeys tend to the other fur when they care for the other.”

“Ohhh,” then Mei's eyes widened, and had to hold back a large smile as she realized that Macaque had been messing with her hair for the past month. He may be gruff, but he is just one big softy on the inside. Though she couldn’t help but take a longer look at the pair and noticed that the lion's eyes were closed in pure content...like a cat, she couldn’t hold back a giggle.

Ahmed's ears perked up and looked towards her, Mac's eyes didn’t even move from his grooming as he was used to both children's strange outburst, and he saw the young child just eerily smile at him. He decided that it would be better if he just ignored all of that.

Almost an hour later, Mei noticed that a soft glow of light was slowly flying above the forest. “Hey what’s that?”

They all looked in the direction of her pointed finger and it was MK who reacted first.

“Someone released their lantern! Can we do it now!” He eagerly said as he watched many more lights begin to emerge from the treetops.

Mac laughed as he pushed the purring cat off his lap, who didn’t take any offense as he stretched, and grabbed the lanterns, “yeah we can.”

“Yes!” He grabbed his lantern and waited by the edge of the patio with Mei.

“Don’t forget yours as well rocky,” he handed a lantern to the surprised Mei.

She blinked, a bit taken aback by the sudden action, but smiled brightly, “thanks fluffy!”

“Not fluffy,” he muttered as he slapped his tail at the back of the laughing lion's head. The two joined them with their lanterns and at once they all released it in the air as they all joined the small trove of floating lanterns in the air as the light almost illuminated the pink forest in its entirety.

They watched the scene until they could no longer see it anymore and when they thought it was all done they diverted their attention to the first crackle of fireworks and the kids cheered loudly as much more came.

“If I was a snake, where would I be?” MK hummed as he looked through the trees, hoping he didn't run into any creepy crawly spiders, as he tried to find his slithery friend.

The Qilin merely snorted as he laid down against the Yao grass, MK met him one day when he was visiting Whatever. He tried so many times to call him Shui Gui or Kappa, but the webbed spirit would just ignore him, and the horse-like creature trotted from across the lake and up to him, and after a moment of staring, just decided to take a nap next to him. Ever, MK managed to haggle that nickname out of him, once again busted out laughing and left a confused eleven year old.

“They have to be around here somewhere,” he grumbled as he searched further through the woods only to stumble upon an open clearing with an old house in the middle. “Huh, didn’t know anyone lived here.”

He walked closer to the home and he gave a cheerful yell “Hello! Anyone home?!”

No response.

“Doesn’t seem like they're here right now...let’s take a closer look,” he mischievously scurried over to the open window and peeked inside to see that it almost looked like he traveled back to the Tang Dynasty, see he has been paying attention to history, take that Dad.

“I wonder who could live here?” He pondered as he looked through the clean wooden and sun dried brick structure. “It actually looks clean, but everything is just so...well old?”

“What are you doing here kit?” He jumped up at the melodic voice.

“You scared me Ní!” He yelled at the Huli Jing, the brown nine-tailed fox.

“Well everyone needs a good scare every once in a while,” they said with a grin as they walked forward.

“Course I did,” he grumbled as he turned to face the shack, “so do you know whose house this is?”

Sadly, the fox smiled, “just one filled with fond memories kit, now come,” they nudged him away from the old home. “I heard that you were looking for our lost slithery friend of ours.”

“Yeah, they took my fidget spinner after learning that they could spin it on their tail,” he huffed as he once again.

“I presume you mean our Xian,” she hummed as they walked back to the trees.

“Who else?”

“Well there are our many reptilian friends amongst the trees, for all I know you could mean our biggest companion,” they teased.

MK looked at the fox as if they were crazy, “I don’t think that there even is a fidget spinner big enough for her.”

“You never know,” they swished their tails as they made it back to where the Qilin was and they took on a grin, “oh, it seems that we have found them.”

MK's eyes twitched as he saw that the snake was just chilling next to the horned horse beast as they played with the spinner, “Hey!”

All nine snakeheads lift at the voice and with a unison hiss, they promptly slither away with fidget spinner in hand, or rather tail in their case.

“Don’t you dare run! Get back here with that! I need it for class!”The boy yelled as he ran after the Xiangliu with much fervor.

“-but how?!” MK threw his hands in the air, “Monkey King has all these amazing powers, it doesn’t make sense that he can’t use them underwater.

“He is a stone monkey!” Mei pointed out to a section of the book as she leaned against MK’s bed, “stone sink, not float!”

“But he can still transform into all these different animals, can’t he just make himself a fish or something?”

“He is still stone!”

“But he can fly!”

“I don’t know magic,” she was half tempted to throw her book at her friend, she doesn’t have all the answers either.

“Then why can’t he use it underwater then?!” He was then hit by a thrown book as he fell off the bed, “you didn’t have to throw it at me.”

“Well maybe I did,” she crossed her arms and just laid down on top of him, “this is so confusing...maybe we can ask Mac, he knows a thing or two about magic.”

“He does,” the thirteen year old shot straight up, knocking Mei off, but then he slumped down when a thought occurred to him, “but he’s currently helping Ning right now.”

“Ning?” She asked as she sat back up.

“She’s a client,” he added.

“Oohh...I wonder what she’s in for?”

“When she sneezes or burps, she breathes fire,” MK easily answered. He already saw this happen when she first crawled in, she gave a wave to him, but quickly turned away when she sneezed. He is glad that the wood in the house has been enchanted to be fireproof, cause he doubted that there would have been a house standing after that fireball.

“She’s a dragon!” Mei got in his face, if there was one creature she loved it would hand down be the dragons.

“No, just a lizard demon.”

“Well technically dragons are reptiles,” she slumped down, her dreams of seeing the magnificent beast being thoroughly crushed. She then picked up the Journey to the West book and she gave an amused huff as she saw what page it landed on. “I still find it funny that your dad shares the same name as Monkey King rival.”

MK shared her grin, “it is pretty funny, like can you imagine him going toe to toe with the Monkey King.”

Mei’s grin widened, “the same monkey who let me put braids in his fur with ribbons!”

“The one who has a heart attack each time I get a bruise out in the forest,” he joined in.

“Who wears aprons when cooking food!”

“Let the baby monkey cling onto him!”

“He makes medicine for any demon or human that stops by!”

“He uses scented shampoo cause he likes the smell and it makes his fur soft,” the two couldn’t help but roll on the floor laughing.

“Do you want to hear something even more hilarious,” MK grinned.

“What?!” Mei asked after her laughter died down.

“There are some customers who even call him the Six-eared Macaque,” he snorted even louder.

Mei's face completely froze, “Huh?”

“Yeah,” he vigorously nodded, not taking any notice of his friend's change of mood, “I heard them call him with full respect and everything!”

“...what?”

“And what’s even better, he has six ears!”

“What?!” MK jumped up at Mei’s outburst.

“What was that for?!”

“You just told me that he has six ears?!” She began to shake him. “Do you not realize what you just implied?!”

“NoOoOo,” he shakily answered.

Mei then dropped him as she reached back towards the book and flipped through the pages until she found another, “oh my god, how could I have not realized it before!”

“What?” He asked as he managed to sit back up.

“Shadow manipulation, clones, stealthy,” she read out some of the powers, “they both share almost the same abilities! Hell, he even is a black-haired monkey!”

“Fur, but yeah and?” He still didn’t get what she was implying.

“And doesn’t he have super hearing?” She pressed further hoping that her dense friend would get it.

“Yes andddd?” He didn’t.

She pushed the book to his face, “Your Dad is the Six-Eared Macaque from the book!”

“What?! No he isn’t,” he snatched the book from her hands, “I mean it doesn’t make any sense, he may be grumpy, but he is not anything like the one from the story! He is downright mean and cruel!”

“Well, maybe he changed?!” She threw her hands in the air, “it won’t be that big of a stretch, I mean 500 years is a long time.”

“But I have never seen him fight before, not even when Daiyu would plead to him for a spar, he would just roll his eyes.”

“Maybe he just doesn’t fight when you're around,” she threw in her answer.

“But, but, but it just can’t,” MK threw the book away from him, “it just can’t.”

“MK,” Mei worriedly put a hand on his shoulder, “are you okay?”

“Yes-no-I don’t know,” he leaned on the ground with a groan. “He just can’t be the same one from the book okay.”

“Well, why not?”

“He can’t, he can’t because if he is then he has purposefully kept this a secret from me,” he whispered out.

“Then that’s more reason to ask him,” Mei insisted.

“No!” He shot up and grabbed her shoulders, “we can’t!”

“Well why not!”

“It might not even be him!”

“But what if it is?!” She countered back.

“But what if it's not,” he firmly stood his ground.

“And if it is?”

“It’s not!”

“It is!”

“It’s not!”

“It is!”

“It’s not!”

“MK, we have to ask him.”

“Ask me what?” They both scooted back in shock when the said monkey demon walked into the room. “I’m hoping by those reactions that you were just startled and not guilty of doing something you weren’t supposed to.” He decided to check out their yells after he had finished with his patient.

The two shot a look at one another.

“Right?”

“Yeah, nothing bad, nothing and at all,” MK nervously said as he scratched the back of his neck and avoided his golden eyes.

“You know that right there isn’t helping your case,” Mac deadpanned.

“It's just that we have a question,” Mei butted in as she grabbed the tossed book.

“Mei no,” MK tried to stop her, but she was determined to get her answers.

“Are you the same Six-Eared Macaque from the book?!” The pigtailed girl showed him the Journey to the West book up to him.

Macaque stilled at the question for a moment before easing down as he took a look at the book, “Huh, haven’t read this book in a while,” he said noncommittally.

“Well? Are you?!” Mei pushed him for the answer, she was not leaving until she got one.

Even MK was silently watching this whole interaction but didn’t move an inch, because deep down, even he wanted to know.

The monkey demon let out a sigh as he nodded, “yeah, I am.”

It was silent as the two kids took in that information.

MK's mind was racing, he didn’t know what to even think. The cruel demon in the story, the one who constantly attacked innocent people, killed so many, clashed fiercely against the Monkey King, is the same one who found him all those years ago and took care of him. It just doesn’t make any sense!

“Want to talk here or in the living room?” Macaque’s voice pierced through the silence.

It took a moment before MK finally responded, “living room.”

“Alright, I’ll go make some tea. This won’t be an easy talk,” he said as he began to reach out to ruffle his hair only to stop at his child's nervous stare. He puts his hands down and promptly walks out of the room and turns away to the kitchen, while he ignores the tight squeeze in his chest.

“So,” Mac sat down on the opposing chair from the couch that had the two kids on it as the pot of tea and a bowl of peeled mangos sat in the middle of the table, “where do you want me to start?”

“Were you ever gonna tell me?” MK blurred out first as he clenched his fist. “Or was this gonna be kept in the dark.”

“When you turned 18, I was gonna sit down with you and talk about this,” he firmly told his son. “I had no intention in hiding this from you forever.”

MK didn’t reply as he lowered his head.

“The beginning is usually a good place,” Mei tried to joke, but only the demon gave a small smirk as MK stayed silent.

“That’s as good a place as any, well before that book ever took place, before even the thought of the Journey took place, me and Sun Wukong were friends.”

“You were friends?!” This time MK didn’t stay silent as both kids shouted.

“Surprising right,” he mirthlessly chuckled.

“It never said anything like that in the books!” Mei exclaimed as she held up her book.

“Well first that’s a kid-friendly book of the story,” he pointed out the childish cartoon design on the front cover. “Don’t think they want kids reading books about graphic violence, especially with the disembowelment and all types of gore,” he muttered the last part quietly to himself. “And second, not everything you read or hear is correct.”

“Huh?”

“History is told by the victors and survivors, not by those who lie dead,” he softly said.

“Oh,” Mei shuffled at the uncomfortable thought.

“So how did you two meet?” MK prompted.

“When we first met, he looted some food from a shrine and got caught like an idiot, which pissed off the mountain god.”

“He did?!”

“Yeah, this was way before he met Subodhi, the one who taught Wukong about how to take on immortality.” He reminisces back to the scene where he met his first friend.

‘Shit! Shit! Shit!’ Sun Wukong leaped from rock to rock as he tried to get as much distance as he could from him and the deity. He spotted a cluster of rocks that looked like it had some amount of cover as he leaped behind it and waited. “All I wanted was some damn food! How was I supposed to know that it was supposed to go to a God?! It makes no damn sense to just leave food lying out!” He whispered angrily.

“So you're the one who pissed him off,” Wukong managed to suppress a yelp as he noticed that he wasn’t alone in his hiding spot. It was a bit surprising to see that it was a Monkey demon like him, only with black fur and a red scarf hiding the bottom of his face. “One would think that you shouldn’t piss off a deity, but that is just my opinion,” he snarked.

“Well one shouldn’t leave food lying out like an idiot,” he shot back.

“So you decided to steal from a mountain God? Yeah, real smart,” Macaque drawled out. “Usually I steal from fields, but you took the idiot crown today.”

“How was I supposed to know that it was for someone!” He retorted.

“Just by looking at it dumbass, have you never seen a shrine before?”

“What’s a shrine?” He questioned.

“I’ll take that as a no,” he deadpanned. “How can you not know? Were you living under some kind of rock before?”

“No, I was born from one!” He cheekily grinned.

“...I don’t know if you're insane or if that’s just the weirdest thing I heard,” he then froze as he dragged Wukong closer to the rocks.

“Wha-,” he was about to break free but was hushed by his fellow hider.

“Shhh,” he silently pointed to the right of them and after a moment noticed that a shadow was getting larger. Wukong smartly decided, for the first time, to keep his mouth shut.

It was only after the shadow left did the two relax.

“So I guess we’re stuck here for awhile,” the brown-furred monkey sprawled against the rocks and made himself comfortable, “I’m Sun Wukong, but people call me the Monkey King.”

The other monkey let out a burst of laughter at his ridiculous name, “Ha! Yeah, no I’m not calling you that. I’m Liu Er Mihou.”

“Pfft, boring,” he grumbled back as he then got curious, “so why are you hiding behind this rock anyways? You certainly were here long before I was.”

“Well unlike you, I was taking a nice nap before this happened,” he smirked as he leaned back.

“Just napping you say,” his eyes happen to spot a bag filled with different goods and food.

“Well napping after I nicked off some things from the fields and market and unlike you, I didn’t get caught.”

“Would have been helpful, but-,” they were cut off when a huge explosion erupted from underneath them.

“You thought you could run from me you little ape!” The mountain God’s echoey voice boomed out. “I am one with all upon this mountain! Every pebble is my ears! Every rock is my voice! You can-,” he was cut off by a voice angrily yelling at him.

“I’m not an ape!” Wukong screeched as the two of them started to run.

“That’s what you're concerned about?!” Liu Er confusedly asked though it was laced with a twinge of amusement and fear.

“I have a tail!” He emphasized the tail carrying the bag of food. “Obviously not an ape!”

“You can’t run forever little ape,” the voice snarled out with every crushed rock booming behind them.

“You got one more time to call me an ape!” He yelled out as his eye twitched.

“And what are you gonna do about it little. Ape.” The voice mockingly said with a toothy grin.

“That’s it!” The angered monkey stopped in his tracks as he flung the bag over to Macaque, “hold this!” And with that, his eyes started to glow bright yellow as he flung himself at the God.

“What are you doi-,” he cut himself off as he noticed that the impulsive monkey that he was hiding with had suddenly begun to shoot lasers from his eyes. “Huh, maybe there was something about him being born from the stone that was true.”

“GHA stop that!” The Mountain God wheezed out as he was hit by another bludgeoning punch from the mortal monkey.

“Not so tough now are you!” He mocked as he sent a flying kick towards the immortal being, only for him to slink down into the mountain. “Oh now who's the coward! Come out and fight me!”

“This dumbass,” Macaque grumbled as he was half-tempted to just take the bag and run, but even he doubted that he would hold up against the enraged monkey like this. His ears twitched as he heard the lingering God about to move so he yelled to Sun, “you might want to duck, he’s about to strike from the left.”

Sun Wukong heard him and managed to leap high enough to avoid the Mountain God claws, “got you now fucker!” And with a couple of spins, he struck down upon the God and landed a killing blow upon his head. “That’s what you get.”

“Remind me never to piss you off,” Macaque said as he casually walked up next to him, tossed his stolen bag of food, and examined the dead God.

“Thanks!” He cheerfully reverted from his enraged form once he got his food and happily began to chew on an apple as he sat down against the fallen God. “So how did you know that the God was there?” He curiously asked as he took another bite.

Liu Er blinked at the odd scene and let loose a snort as he sat down a little ways away from him. “Well seeing that you managed to kill a God with your bare hands, mine is definitely not weirder than yours,” he said as he pulled down his scarf to reveal his two extra pairs of ears.

“Cool!” Wukong's eyes glisten as he immediately began to touch his ears.

Macaque only flinched for a moment at the unexpected touch, but became a little more at ease when he didn’t feel any sharp pulling or twisting the longer he touched them, but he batted his hand away, “Heard of personal space?”

It was after the two had eaten that Mac decided to speak again, “alright let’s make a deal.”

“What kind of deal?” Wukong hesitantly asked.

“You are shit when it comes down to stealing,” he bluntly told him.

“Rude, fair, but rude.”

“But I can.”

“Where are you going with this?”

“How about we team up for a bit, with your strength and my stealth, I think the two of us make out with a lot more goods than this,” he tossed up their near empty bags.

“Hmmm, I don’t know. How do I know that you can actually steal,” Wukong pointed out, but the six eared monkey smirked.

“Well you haven’t noticed this,” he tossed up the half eaten apple in his other hand.

“Wha-,” his eyes widened as he now noticed that the apple in hand had disappeared in a poof of violet energy. “How did you do that?”

“Misdirection,” he tossed his apple back to him.

Wukong blinked as he caught the apple then a large grin took up his face as he wrapped an arm around his shoulder, “I think that this is the start of a beautiful relationship.”

“And the start of so many headaches,” Mac couldn’t help but grumble out.

“Well you can only blame yourself.”

“I already am.”

“So you two had stuck together from that moment,” MK said as he stayed in his seat with his knees covering his face.

“For all of nine years, until he left to learn under Subodhi, then I was free roaming once more. Though I did learn a few things from Wukong as it made my travels a bit easier,” Mac said as he took a sip from his lukewarm tea.

“And he probably learned a few things from you...like how to steal so many things from the celestial realm,” Mei's eyes widened as the realization hit her. “Now that’s how he managed to do that! You taught him how to steal!”

The simian paused as that hadn’t occurred to him in the slightest, “...to be fair I didn’t teach him shit, he simply watched what I was doing and used it in practice. All the havoc he managed to cause in the celestial realm and below was his reckless ideas, I had nothing to do with that...for the most part.”

“But the Monkey King is an immortal being,” MK interjected, “and you're not...unless.”

“Yeahhh, I’m immortal too,” he sipped his tea at their dumbfounded stares.

“How?!”

“Once again, blame Sun Wukong for that.”

“I’m sorry, run that by me again,” Mac let the book hang freely from his hands as he listened to Wukong.

“You're immortal! You can thank me with words of praise and/or delicious food,” he cheekily grinned at him as he hung upside down from the tree branch above.

The monkey demon had to blink for a moment and take a deep breath before closing his book and putting full attention to his friend, “I’m almost scared to ask how the fuck you managed to pull that off, but also dying to know.”

“Well,” the simian jumped down to the same branch as Macaque, “I was kidnapped by Yama lackeys, which was uncool you know, I earned my immortality fair and square,” he huffed out.

“You got kidnapped by the emissaries of the God of Death...okay that’s kinda funny,” he cracked a grin.

“Well it wasn’t for me,” he crossed his arms, “so I kicked all of their asses and spoke with some old folks, who call themselves the ten kings which is a stupid title itself, to get things straight you know and they tried to do? They tried to pull a fast one on me and say that they meant to take another Sun Wukong, which I call bullshit on. I mean who else is a stone monkey that’s name is Sun Wukong?”

“No one,” Mac snorted as his partner threw his hands in the air.

“Exactly! So they take me to the place where they keep track of the ones dying and we all look around to find where those names happen to be and lo and behold, I found my name and you want to know what I did?”

“You erased your name,” he was getting more and more amused by this, he can only imagine the chaos that must have happened due to Wukong antics.

“I erased my name! And I also decided that I wasn’t gonna be alone in this so I decided to erase some of the other monkeys back at Flower Fruit Mountain and I found your name and I erased that too,” he proudly grinned. “You can’t believe the sheer amount of panic that was on all of their faces when they realized what I did.”

“I really can’t,” he chuckled as he then scooted over and wrapped his arm around his neck in affection, “thanks for immortality I guess, never thought I would ever get anything close to that.”

“Well a little more praise than that would be nice,” he teased as he felt the back of his head get slapped.

“Oh, I’m sorry your royal highness, did that harm your oh so precious fur of yours?” Mac took on a haughty tone, “let me be the first to go to my knees and bow for your kind gesture that you have bestowed upon me.”

“Shut up,” Wukong snorted as he nudged his friend's shoulder.

“You asked for it,” the black furred monkey tone returned to normal as he grabbed his book and began to read it once more. Though he was interrupted by Sun sprawling over his lap all of a sudden, “can I help you?”

“Read to me!” He demanded.

“Don’t you get bored with stuff like this? Actually, I’m surprised you haven’t already left to cause some sort of chaos at this point Sunny?”

“Meh, don’t feel like moving now, so read to me!”

Mac knew that when he got like this there was little to change his mind, so with a mockingly reluctant sigh he said, “As his highness wishes,” and began to continue where he left off. It was during that, when Macaque was lost in the book and Wukong was lost in the soft words, did two tails slowly curl up and intertwine with one another.

“You know, it’s a bit surreal to hear that the Gods are real,” Mei hummed out. “I mean reading about it is one thing, but knowing someone who actually met with a God is another.”

“If you think that’s surreal then that’s nothing compared to actually meeting one,” Mac pointed to her.

“Trueeee.”

“So what happened next?” MK spoke up as he managed to get out of his curled up position halfway through the story and was instead leaning in close.

“Well you know what happens next, he gets a position in the heavens, his infamous havoc in heaven, left the heavens, fought some gods, got tricked by Buddha and he had the mountain pin him down for 500 years or so,” he casually said.

“Only you would manage to screw it up big time huh peaches,” Liu Er said as he jumped off the top of the mountain and back down next to his friend. “I mean, what were you thinking?”

“Heyyy mango,” Wukong nervously chuckled, “I might have pissed off all the gods in the heavens, you know how it goes.”

“Yeah I heard, but how did they do this,” he gestured to the entire mountain.

“Well, that was maybe...Buddha,” he softly said the last part, but Macaque didn’t have six ears for nothing.

“You managed to piss off Buddha themself,” he said incredulously. “How in the fuck?!”

“I didn’t piss him off!” He said in defense, “I just maybe lost a bet with him.”

“You lost a bet with Buddha.”

“Look, it's complicated!” He huffed as he tried to wiggle under the mountain, “look there’s a seal on the top of this mountain, if you can just rip it off I can easily-,”

“Already tried that,” he showed him his blackened fingers, “didn’t quite work for me.”

“Well shit there goes that idea,” he muttered as a horrible thought occurred to him, “Flower Fruit mountain! The tribe-you have to-,” he was cut off once again.

“Already have a few clones stationed there since you got that position in heaven dumbass,” he whacked his head, “you don’t have to worry about them, now let’s think of a way to free you.”

Wukong let out a breath of relief as he lay his head against the ground. “It ain’t gonna be easy you know.”

Macaque grinned cheekily at him as he sat down next to him and his dark purple daxiushan flared out underneath him, “who said it ever was,” he joked as he began to groom his friend's fur.

“Might have to go against the Gods,” he said as he relaxed to the grooming.

“You can’t have all the fun,” he retorted back.

The Monkey King merely hummed as the grooming went, they can discuss more later, but he sorely needed this.

“But you didn’t free him,” Mei quietly pointed out.

“No, I didn’t,” he shook his head as his tail silently swooshed behind him.

“But you did something,” MK noticed that something was amiss by his relaxed position as he ate a peeled mango.

“Welll, let’s just say that there was a reason why Guanyin happened to find Wukong.”

“You tricked Guanyin,” Mei deadpanned.

“I wouldn’t say trick, more like a gust of wind in the right direction,” he knew that he teetered along the line when he subtly diverted the God's attention to his friend. He heard through some of his contacts that they were looking for immortals for the Journey, so he managed to arrange some coincidental happenings that maybe got the Goddess of mercy to float in Wukong’s direction.

“You tricked Guanyin,” Mei still bluntly told him.

“Anyways,” Macaque ignored Mei as he picked up his empty cup, “then you all know the rest, Wukong infamous Journey to the West and all that.”

“But that doesn’t explain how you went from friends to enemies in the book,” MK pressed and watched as his father's shoulder slightly slumped.

“I-,” he looked down to his empty cup and sighed, “I was an idiot, I-I thought he was being tortu-something cruel was being done to him. When Tripitaka used that sutra, I thought they had managed to enslave my friend and harm him,” he gripped his cup before setting it down, he refused to dive further in that memory. “Clearly I was wrong and you know how that went down.”

The two once again became silent as they took in the information.

“Okay, okay,” Mei nodded as she crossed her legs, “but here’s what’s confusing me. In the Journey to the West, it told you were ruthless, but I know that in some other books it is said that you are a minor deity of trickery and medicine and that you would help wandering travelers by giving them medicine and give them protection by tricking the bandits and Gods. So what is that about?”

“Okay that minor deity thing is just not true,” Mac pinched his nose, “I still don’t know who even put that down in the first place.”

“How did you change?” MK added as well.

“Well,” he let out a soft smile, “I met someone.”

“Ooooo,” the two couldn’t help themselves.

“No,” he firmly told them, “No. No-fuck no. Hell no. Hell to the no. By all the Gods-no just no,” he shuddered. “It’s not anything like that at all.”

“Who was it?” MK asked.

“It was a weird man named Ping who found me on the side of the road somehow and decided to just drag my body to his house,” he snorted at their confused faces. “Yeah, that was me when I first awoke.”

Macaque groggily came to as he heard the faint sound of clinking metals coming a little ways away from him, but as he got up a sharp pain emerged from his entire body as he fell back to the bed.

“Shit, what the hell knocked me ou-...oh,” his memories came back to him in a rush as he remembered just who exactly did this to him. “Fuck, but why? Why, why why!” He gripped his fur and then his right eye as he noticed that there was a distinct lack of sight from that one, “it doesn’t make sense! Why the fuck would he, just why?!”

“So you're finally awake,” he had to freeze as for the first time in a long while, he was snuck up on, “you were knocked out for quite some time.” The monkey turned to see a graying middle aged man wipe his hands on the cloth.

“Who are you,” he went on the immediate defense. He doesn’t sense any celestial or demonic aura coming from him, but he knows it better wary than dead.

“People call me Ping,” he gave a small bow to him, “it’s nice to see you awake.”

“...Are you blind by any chance,” Macaque couldn’t help but blurt out. “Cause there's no way in hell would someone be happy on seeing a demon alive unless they were a goddamn monk…” he couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.

“Ohoho, believe me, I am no Monk,” the man chuckled as he began to pick up some materials from the side, “I have very little patience for just sitting around and meditating all day.”

“Can’t front ya there,” he grumbled as he tried to get back up only for him to wheeze in pain and cough viciously.

“Here, this will help your throat,” Ping handed him a steaming cup of tea that was next to a brown rabbit, which was a bit strange as he didn’t even notice it before.

The monkey hesitantly accepts it, he was unsure if the tea had poison in it, but decided that the human literally could have left him on the side of the road to die and spare him the troubles of killing him himself, so he took a sip of the tea and his nose scrunched up, “why is it sweet?”

“Not to your liking,” he chuckled as he sipped on his own cup.

“You know people-humans are usually terrified when encountering a demon,” he deadpanned as he realized that not only was he half clothed, but his six ears were out in the open. “Just saying.”

“And usually, most demons would have tried to take a bite out of me,” he retorted

“And that is usually enough to not even get close to one of us, let alone bring one to your home,” he emphasized.

“Well we're all a little bit crazy in this world,” Ping chortled as he ambled off to the other room. “You can leave when you want to!”

Macaque could only watch dumbfounded at what just took place as he loosely cradled the teacup in his hand. Though he could do without the rabbit gaze boring into him.

“So what happened next,” MK asked.

“I left,” he shrugged his shoulders.

“You just left?!” Mei shouted as she squished the fruit in her hand.

“Yep.”

“Why?!”

“I had no reason to stay with a man who just up and saved me for no reason, especially one who was so confident in his capabilities that I wasn’t going to attack him,” he pointed out.

“So where did you go?” MK asked next.

“A little bit of everywhere,” he lied a little, he may be spilling his secrets, but even he has a hard stop on some of his more personal ones. He was not about to tell them that he essentially stalked Wukong and his friends for a good portion of the Journey. “But, for some damn reason, I went back to Ping.”

“You went back?” Mei said as MK asked, “Why?”

“Curiosity? Boredom? I honestly still don’t know,” he sighed and leaned back in his chair. “But I just kept going back every few months and the strangest thing is, he would just give a slight wave and give me some tea. Each and every time, until eventually I stayed a bit longer.”

Macaque watched in interest as Ping began to crush some herbs together and mix them. He knows some of those plants and they tasted downright horrible. “What’s the point of making that? It doesn’t taste any good with food, old man.”

Ping simply chuckled as his rabbit laid silently to the side, “I'm not that old, unlike you. It helps with backaches, I know many of the elderly will need it in the coming winter, so it’s always good to prepare ahead.”

“Oohhh, that’s medicine,” Mac hummed. He hasn't seen much of it since he was able to heal fairly fast and also that usually medicine is one of the hardest items to steal due to it usually being hidden or secured.

“Would you like a closer look?” The graying man asked as he stepped a little to the side.

“Sure, why not,” he shrugged his shoulders as he watched with rapt attention to how the medicine was being made.

“He must have a lot of patience to be able to teach you,” Mei grinned.

The monkey huffed in amusement, “I honestly thought the same thing.”

“But how was he different?” MK hesitantly asked as all he heard was of Ping doing completely normal things. “How did he get you to...well change?”

“Does it matter that he was supposed to be some amazing being with special abilities,” he gave a small smirk.

“Well no,” he deflated a bit.

“Cause let me tell you that Ping was one of the farthest things to have anything godly about him. The only thing special about him was his strange ability to practically befriend anyone that passed him and that was it. He never went on any magical adventure, wasn’t appointed a great duty by a God, hell the man has never taken a single martial art or learned under any great sage before,” he couldn’t hold back laugh at their confused looks. “He never tried to force me to change into what he believed to be good.”

“Then why did you keep going back?” Mei jumped off the couch and leaned over the table. “If he didn’t have anything mystical about him, why did you keep going back?”

“Have you ever heard the age-old question on if you can teach a monster how to love?” He suddenly asks, throwing them all off guard.

“No?”

“Cause the answer is no, but rather you have to show them,” he smiled fondly.

“...what does that have to do with this?” MK whispered out.

“He may not have any special abilities, but there was something about him, something- I can’t say good because it’s not strictly subjective in that, but just something comforting about him. About the way he wouldn’t bat an eye at my appearance, the way he would simply give me a cup of tea, the way he would let me stay when I had my bad days, just the way he was just was comforting,” he breathed in as he unhooked his fingers that he unconsciously grabbed together. “He was just Ping and that was enough for a monster to change.”

“You're not-/Don’t believe-,” he cut off both kids.

“I know I did...horrible things in the past, things can’t be redeemable no matter how many times I may help those, I couldn’t forgive myself, but he showed me that I could.

“How?”

“I planted a seed.”

“What?”

“Oh yeah, I was just as confused as you guys were too,” he smiled as he leaned back. “He straight up told me to plant a seed each time my anger or frustration overwhelmed me.” He threw his hands in the air, “I didn’t know what he meant, by the Gods know how many of those things I planted even long after he passed.”

“So he did pass away,” Mei said underneath her breath.

“Humans tend to do that, especially with one as old as him,” he said with a small smile.

“You still kept planting,” MK huddled together as he wrapped his arms around his knees.

“...Yeah,” he wrapped his tail around his waist in comfort, “I didn’t know what else to do and I know I raged and cried, but I couldn’t just go down to Yama and demand his soul back or up to the heavens and just steal a peach. Not even the drunk old man could change fate,” he whispered that last part quietly. “I’m not that strong, so I did the only thing I could and just planted the seeds and plant and plant until one day I was interrupted.

“I’m terribly sorry to bother you, but did you happen to grow these yourself?” The woman asked as she carried her child upon her back.

“Yeah, and?” He didn’t feel in the mood to even attempt to snark back against a human as he tended to some of the flowers.

“Well let me tell you that they're simply beautiful,” she smiled at him.

“Huh?” Mac froze at the sudden compliment.

“Yeah!” He looked down to see a young girl with a wide smile, “they are super pretty.”

“Very pretty,” another child shyly piped up as he peeled from behind his mother's skirt.

The monkey demon could faintly remember their goodbyes as they proceeded to walk away from him. “What beauty is there in a bunch of seeds?” He turned to look at his plants and for the first time, he realized that they haven’t been seeds in a very long time as they sprouted into a giant, pink, flourishing Plum Blossom trees-no not trees a blossoming forest.

“Oh.” He then decided to slowly walk through it all as he plunked a plum from one of the branches. “Damn, I must have been really out of it for so many years that I didn’t even realize that it...that it grew…during all these years it grew and grew into something beautiful.” He paused as he now realized what Ping was trying to show him for all these years, that even when he got angry and made so many mistakes, they can turn into something beautiful. He let out a full body laugh as he just screeched and screeched.

“Only you, you fucking coot! Only you would think of such a weird ass idea and actually be of help, I swear if you weren’t already dead I would be yelling at you for this!” He screeches as tears or amusement and anguish filled his eyes, “you made me plant a forest of mistakes and did a fuck you and made it something worthwhile, something beautiful!”

He eventually laid down with plum in hand, ears out as he listened to the chirps of the bird and rustles of the leaves and his heart didn’t feel as empty as before. “Couldn’t have told me straight out his thoughts,” he huffed with a watery smile as he took a bite out of the plum.

“You made this forest-the Plum Blossom forest?!” MK asks shockingly despite listening to the story.

“A good portion of it, yes, the rest done simply by Hòutû herself.”

“So what happened next?” Mei said as she kneeled and put her elbows on the table.

“Life happened and time slowly crawled forward and I slowly began to change and probably still will,” he shrugged his shoulders.

MK fidgeted in his seat before finally speaking up again, “so...what happens now.”

“That’s for you two to decide,” he stood up and stretched, “You're the only ones who can decide for yourself.” He picked up the empty plates and cup, “Take as much time as you need kiddos,” he began to walk away with a heavy heart.

He knew that he couldn’t force their minds into completely accepting him, but he prays, one of the very few times he does, that he didn’t fuck two of the few good things he had. He can accept that they may not forgive him, but he damn hopes that there is still a sliver of affection-he stiffen as he felt two pairs of arms hug tightly around his waist. “Wha-?”

“You can’t get rid of us that easily Goldilocks,” Mei smiled as she cuddled her face in his soft fur, “No amount of scares can force us away from you.”

“Mei-,”

“At first I was angry,” he heard his son's voice even when it was muffled against his fur. “You kept secrets and I didn’t like that, but you told me and I was so confused, still am, but you aren’t the same mean monkey in the past, I don’t think you would have saved me if you were the same as your past self and I am happy about that. I am happy that I know you now, because I may have not liked you and if I didn’t like you then I would have never stayed with you and I really don’t like that,” MK looked up at him with tears in his eyes as he hugged him tighter. “I really don't like the idea of never being here, being with you Dad, so thank you for being you, thank you and I love you so much.”

Liu Er barely had the forethought to place the dishes down before wrapping his arms around them both with a tight grip. “Well I guess you're stuck with me.”

“Like old gum stuck in your fur,” MK squeezed out through the fur.

“I swear you spend way too much time with Minsheng…love you too Starlight,” he huffed as he ruffled his child's hair.

“And besides,” Mei started, “you may be a grump but you're our grumpy monkey demon now. And if anyone tries to say otherwise then I would need to have a few words with them,” she ended with a wide creepy smile on her face as her eyes promised vengeance.

“I’ll direct them towards you little newt,” he chuckled as he also messed with her hair as well and gave them both a gentle kiss on the forehead.

“Fuzz butt,” she shot back then got a gleam in her eyes, “a fuzz butt who can teach us how to fight.”

“No.”

“I’ll wear you down eventually,” she grinned, “sooo can we see what you really look like?” MK’s head shot up at that and shared the same gleam as well.

“Nosy, all of you,” he said as he gently pried them off of him, and in barely a flicker, he had transformed and he looked more...dangerous. His nails and teeth have become sharper, a few scars were more visible upon his hands and feet, the scar on his right eye was very prominent as it displayed a dull yellow pupil, even his ears seemed to add to his threatening appearance as the middle violet ear on the right was missing a portion of the upper cartilage.

“You look badass/So Cool!” Though he didn’t have to worry about scaring those two off as their eyes sparkled at his appearance and rushed to touch his fur as MK happily exclaimed as he put his face on his fluffy chest, “why does your fur feel even softer than before?!”

Macaque snorted loudly as he sat down on the floor and let them have a better reach, “shouldn’t even be surprised that was what you took away from this.”

“Seriously, now it looks like you actually know how to fight,” Mei ‘ooed’ as she felt some of his scars underneath his fur. “How’d this one happen,” she felt a faint scar right above the left shoulder.

“Well let me tell you that it all began by a river and I just found out that a certain monkey can’t fight underwater,” the two teenagers leaned in close as he began to tell the tale of the blood demon beast that rested underneath the river.

[thesightstoshowyou]

Okok Pennywise fluff? If you can. Just a cute little thing with pennywise. If you need an idea maybe Pennywise seeing s/o dancing in their room on a rainy night then he decides to join in? And then cuddles after ?( ^ω^ ) hope you are doing well and this isn’t too much to ask.

I am doing very well! Thank you so much for the ask. You are very sweet, anon. I gotta be honest with you, though. I struggled with this ask! With the way I write him, I have difficulty seeing Pennywise in fluffy situations. But, I’m always up for a challenge. I’ve come up with a compromise that I hope suits us both. I’m calling it “creepy cute.” Enjoy :)

For familiarity, I’m sticking with the same reader from my other Pennywise fics on my Masterlist.

Warnings: Horror elements, nothing too crazy

             A movie plays on the television, one whose title you cannot recall. A heartfelt scene between generic man and woman characters reflects off your glassy eyes. Absently, you scratch the scabbed over bite marks on your shoulder.

             Your eyelids droop. You hover on the precipice of sleep, the movie’s soundtrack now a distant drone in the back of your mind. The muted colors on the screen begin to morph, growing bright and loud. A clown wearing red and white face paint dances around a neon stage, giggling and kicking red balloons that fall from an unseen ceiling.

             Your eyelids flutter. Pennywise points to the side of the screen and grins wide with too many teeth.

             Wakey, wakey. There’s someone at the door.

             BANG BANG BANG

             You jerk awake, sitting bolt upright. Disoriented, you look wildly around the room. The television is off—hadn’t it just been on—and the living room is quiet and mostly dark, only illuminated by the light from the kitchen. Rain pummels the windows and wind howls through the trees outside, lightning and thunder cracking overhead.

             You take a shuddering breath and realize you must have been dreaming of the clown again. They happen so often anymore, the dreams. You think you should be used to them by now.

             Dragging a hand down your face, you stand and head to the kitchen. You peek in the fridge and open cupboards, your body anxious to move and relieve your jitters. You decide to make a snack. Maybe food will calm you down.

             You choose a playlist on your phone, hoping some music will fill the uncomfortable silence broken only by the pitter patter of rain on the roof and the rumble of thunder. You push the tab on the toaster, mindlessly swaying to the music crooning quietly from the speaker.

             You sing along, tapping your fingers on the counter in time with the beat. You pause, falling still. Unease settles heavy in your gut.

             Your skin crawls. You tense. There’s something behind you, right behind you, breathing down your neck, hot, metallic breath that reeks of death—

             You whirl around, eyes wide and heart hammering. The kitchen is empty, save for yourself. You draw in a shuddering breath, gripping the counter in an effort to steady yourself.

             He’s here, somewhere, toying with you. You’ve long since abandoned the hope that these little occurrences are all in your head. The reality is far more frightening. Something hunts you.

             You shriek when the toast pops out of the toaster. Gripping your chest, you smile sardonically and shake your head. Fuck, you’re gonna have a heart attack—

             Suddenly, the lights go out with a click. You’re plunged into darkness. Your music slows unnaturally, tone deepening, a low growl replacing the lyrics and rising to a deafening roar.  

             You slap the screen and pause the song, your breath coming in rapid gasps. You sprint to the light switch, flicking it off and on to no effect. Trembling from head to toe, you wait for the laugh, the bite, the long, gloved fingers closing around your throat, the next trick.

             Nothing. The rain and wind still rattle the windows. Lightening briefly illuminates the kitchen and thunder booms. Nothing.

             Then—

             BANG BANG BANG BANG

             You yelp, clapping a hand over your mouth. Someone is pounding on the door, just like in your dream. Maybe it hadn’t been a dream after all….

             Slowly, timidly, you make your way down the hall toward the front door. You stifle a whimper as you round the corner to the entryway.

             BANG BANG BANG

             The door rattles with the force of the blows, the frame splintering, wood chips skittering across the floor. A scream tears from your throat and you jump back, tensing and wanting nothing more than to flee.

             Do you run? No, you’ve done that before. You can’t escape him. Then, do you open the door?

             You wait. And wait. Silence. Lightening flashes, thunder rumbles. Silence.

             Where did he go?

             You turn and run straight into a solid chest. Bells jingle. A white glove wraps around your throat, cutting off your next panicked shriek.

             “Rude, rude, girl to leave poor Pennywise out in the rain.” You meet his glowing yellow gaze, drool dripping from his full, bloody lips to splatter onto the floor between you.

           You don’t fight. There’s no point anymore, no escaping him. There was only ever one outcome. This doesn’t mean you are any less afraid, however. You’re shaking so badly your teeth are nearly chattering in your mouth. You wonder what fresh horror he has in store for you tonight.

             Pennywise tips his head to the side, leaning over you, observing you. He hums thoughtfully. The hand around your throat moves to your jaw and he gives your head a playful little shake.

             “Little thing.” Odd. It almost sounds affectionate, the way he says it, instead of condescending as it does normally. He leans low, burying his nose in your hair and inhaling deeply, “Want to know how your fear tastes? Sweet, honeyed, sticky, sticky girl. Addictive.” The last word is purred against your cheek.

             With a giggle he takes your hand, spinning you in a circle before pulling you back against his chest. His other hand wraps around your waist and he sways back and forth, just as you had in the kitchen. He takes a huge step, long, gangly leg reaching into the hallway, towing you with him as he goes. He’s swaying still, waltzing down the hall toward your bedroom. Frantically, you think this is, without a doubt, the most bizarre thing that has ever happened to you.

             As he swings you around, he hums a tune that sounds vaguely familiar but, at the same time, impossible to place. You struggle to keep up with his long strides, stumbling along awkwardly as he half drags, half swings you down the hall. He pauses at the doorway to your room to kick it open, laughing when it bounces off the wall.

             Once inside your room, Pennywise scoops you up and tosses you onto your bed as though you weigh nothing. You bounce, nearly rolling off the other side completely. Before you have a chance to right yourself, he’s gripping your calves, pulling you toward him.

             You expect him to tear off your clothes, but he surprises you once again by bundling you up in his arms and curling up on the bed. The way he holds you, tucked neatly under his chin, drowns your face in the ruffles of his costume and you must crane your neck to avoid suffocation. This close you can smell everything, the rotting carrion scent of his breath, the musty smell of his costume, the metallic tang of blood still lingering on his lips from who knows what.

            You can’t see his face from where you’re smashed against his chest so there’s no way to tell what he’s thinking; if he’s leering at you with all those teeth on display. What is he planning? The suspense is going to make your heart burst.

            “Wiggly thing. Hold. Still,” he commands, crushing you harder against his chest and burying his face into the top of your head. Immediately, you still, your panicked breaths making the dingy ruffles billow. What is happening?

             Is he…is he cuddling you?

             You were wrong before. This is the most bizarre thing that has ever happened to you.

            “Poor pet. Too many thoughts. Human minds are always so frenzied, a thousand wretched insects fluttering, buzzing….” As he muses, he pets your hair, twisting the strands between his spidery fingers. He playfully tugs a strand before resting his hand on the back of your neck.

             Minutes pass where you stare, wide eyed, at the ceiling. Pennywise hasn’t moved, aside from the steady rise and fall of his chest. You’re so confused, anxious thoughts reaching, reaching for an explanation.

             You jerk when a low rumble starts up in his chest. At first you think it’s a growl, but when it continues, an incessant, deep, rolling sound that vibrates in your own chest, you realize it’s something else. You gape.

             He’s…purring. Purring, like a cat!

             You give up. The more you try to understand this unusual situation, the more curious it gets. There’s nothing you can do about it anyway. You’re trapped here in his arms until Pennywise decides he’s had enough.

             The clown titters quietly above you. He must realize he’s won. You sigh and will your tense body to relax.

             Eventually you do relax. Your frantic heart rate slows, your gasping breaths even out. The gentle drone emanating from his chest is oddly soothing and soon your eyes droop. The heat from his body lulls you into a cozy, semi-conscious state. Slowly, hesitantly, you slip into slumber.

             In the morning, he’s gone, the mussed bedsheets the only hint he was ever there at all. 

[purble-turble]

I was reareading the Battle Nexus stuff and i cant help but wonder what our poor time travelling sadboi should have via visual distinctions. Since atm he doesnt have much beyond 'visible trauma' there should probably be something to ake his distinctive universe more....distinctive. like... sleeves rolled up and jacket unbuttoned perhaps? Maybe does away with it entirely? Is this timeline where we get the fabled ShortHair!Red? Inquiring minds want to know from a design persepective, what would you go with?

Oh my goddddd a short haired Time Travel Red Son!! This is galaxy brain, Anon, I can’t believe I never thought of this!!!! You’re so right, time travel Red should definitely have some differentiation from all the others besides that dead look in his eye lol.. also when he does finally return to his own time, if he’s got some visual indicators that he went through Some Shit™ that’s even more dramatic for his being reunited with his own MK which I love!

How about this- Red Son has joined forces with Prisoner MK and his team in a tentative alliance in order to take down Demon King Red, partly because King Red has taken the time traveling artifact that can get him back to is own friends and also these versions of his friends are suffering and he feels responsible for that... so he’s gotta stay and help them take his future self down. That’s all already established, and also the fact that Prisoner MK, while willing to work with him a bit because he’s been helpful against King Red, is still really uneasy around him and is never left alone with him. What probably happens to cause Red’s haircut is one morning, after waking up and getting ready for the day, y’know, showering, brushing his teeth, going over the latest tech blueprints he’s working on to sabotage his evil doppelgänger.. he goes to put his hair up in his usual ponytail but his hair tie snaps. Anyone who’s had long hair knows this shit.. it’s annoying as hell and it hurts your fingers when it snaps back on em. So now he’s in a bad mood and it puts a scowl on his face. And Red happens to be staying over at Tang and Pigsy’s house that day (he’s been on a rotation of who he stays with, much like MK is except opposite) and neither of those guys has a spare for him.

Well, there’s nothing to be done about it, so Red Son just makes a mental note to ask Mei for a spare when he sees her later and goes on about his day. He walks into the noodle shop that morning with Pigsy.. Pigsy goes back into the kitchen like he always does and Tang hasn’t quite arrived yet. So when MK comes barreling into the shop apologizing for being late, like he usually does, it’s only Red Son standing there, his hair loose and fluffy, and when MK locks eyes with him he just fucking screams and scrambles back out through the door. Red just stands there shocked for a moment as Pigsy comes back out through the kitchen and runs after him.

Red Son realizes from his experience in this time that he’ll be more of a hinderance than anything when MK gets like this, so he hides away in the kitchen and lets Pigsy handle this. After MK is brought back in and given some water as he calms down from a panic attack, he overhears what the problem was- Red Son with his hair down looks exactly like King Red who also wears his hair loose and MK thought that the king was alone, waiting to ambush him in the noodle shop. ...Red always worries about setting him off by getting too close or saying something that reminds him too much of the other Red, but this time all he did was have his hair down.. and it makes him absolutely sick that he’s hurting him just by the way he looks. Of course, since he’s been working very hard to modify his behavior in this new time, he figures this is just one other thing he’s going to have to modify... he grabs one of Pigsy’s knives out of its holder and he does the thing.

....Pigsy comes back into the kitchen and freaks out on him at all the hair strewn across the floor. It does manage a small smile out of MK when he sees what he’s done, though, so Red Son decides Pigsy’s wrath was worth it.

[miyalove]

coffee crows | y. tadashi

—pairing: yamaguchi x gn!reader

—warnings: coffee shop au, fluffy fluffy fluff!!

—synopsis: 762 | “i came here because you’re the only shop that gets my complicated coffee mix right every time but you’ve said that you’ve memorized my order already and wow do i really come here that often??”

—a/n: yamaguchi needs more love in this fandom :,((

being a young adult that has to juggle a social life, school, and family; coffee is the one thing that remains consistent. the first sip of the bittersweet tang of your complicated mix allows your body a few jolts of energy.

and since your usual order is a bit on the intricate side, there’s only one place you’ve ever ordered from that has your order down to a complete t. a small cafe a few blocks away from your campus; coffee crows. just thinking about the rustically styled beanery has your heart skipping.

the hanging blubs of yellow lights that create a calming atmosphere paired with wooden stools that accompanied every slivery table. odd color coaches for lounging around and then there’s your seat.

a bar seat placed directly across the worker’s area. to most, watching people silently move around a nooked area washing dishes and blending mixes would seem stressful but for some odd reason, your mind finds comfort in observing the busy bodies.

a bell chimes above your head, the overwhelming aroma of ground beans waffle the air. and behind the counter, you’re greeted by a young boy with a million watt smile and deep brown eyes that match the color of his hair.

“welcome to coffee crows!” a small smile graces your lips at the mundane greeting. your heart skips a beat, you can make out that cheery voice anywhere.

yamaguchi tadashi, a classmate of yours that in more ways than one has caught your heart with his freckled face and ethereal grin. from his gentle nature to his friendly and observant ways, he is the epitome of kind-hearted and courageous… everything you look for in a potential lover.

“good morning, yams,” three words and the boy’s attention is drawn away from his previous acts. brown eyes clash with yours, a faint blush tinging his cheeks pink. you can see him visibly tense once he notices your presence, “oh– oh. hi, (y/n)…”

you smile trying to put him at ease. but it seems to do the exact opposite because when you look at him once again, his shoulders are stiff and his eyes are downcast not even daring to look your way.

you sigh, he’s so cute when he’s shy. you’re walking up to the counter mentally preparing your order when a melodious voice pulls you out from your thoughts, “actually, (y/n). i– i think i have your order down already. do you mind if i just..?”

glancing down at the taller figure, your eyes widen at his words. he’s already memorized my order? … well, isn’t that a first. your lack of response puts the boy into an even bigger panic. you can see his fingers twitching and his eyes widen with every second of silence.

you decide to put him out of his misery, “by all means, yams. go ahead.” he nods, brows furrowed in concentration. you can hear him muttering but it’s too soft-spoken to clearly make out what he’s saying.

you expect him to smile or even tell you to wait for a second but he simply turns around, calmly rushing towards the back of the kitchen. taking one more glance at your adorable classmate, you smile. thus, that was the end of your conversation.

making your way to your self-proclaimed bar stool, you take a seat and now all that’s left to do is wait. you try to busy your mind, staring at the clock in the corner that ticks away or the other workers doing their jobs but it’s no use.

your mind always, always trails back to the brunette nerd that’s currently making your mix. you can see his lips moving, murmuring the directions you’ve been spewing out every time you’ve visited. he’s frantically moving around pulling out powders and boxes and even cartons from cabinets.

at one point, yamaguchi’s lean figure stretches to grab something at the top of a shelf. you can’t help but giggle at the way he tiptoes to reach, grabbing at the box and barely making the hold.

he tries for a good minute, before eventually calling over another worker to help him out. he’s blonde and not that much taller than yamaguchi but there is a noticeable difference. your cheeks hurt from all the smiling you’ve been doing just watching him. a warmth spreads through your chest. there’s just something so domestic about tadashi making your usual coffee order.

you sigh to yourself, okay, so maybe it’s not seeing just anyone moving around a cranny that calms me. maybe– maybe it’s seeing him that does it.

[writtenonreceipts]

Look who is back and writing. It’s a miracle.  I’m having a bad day and wanted to post this earlier then planned…A one-shot (maybe?) based on characters from ACOTAR books.  Nessian.

Angst.  Angst.  More angst.  Slight side of fluff?  Maybe.  I tried, but fluff is not my strong point…soooorry.

Trigger Warnings: depression, miscarriage, brief mentions of abuse.

#

Enough for Now

There could have been a thousand other ways for Nesta to handle her grief. She of course knew none of them so Nesta did the one thing she did know.

Lock herself away and do nothing.

Nothing but let her stereo wash over her. Nothing but eat spoonful after spoonful of cookie dough. Nothing but stare out the window of her apartment and watch how the rain races down the glass panels and the gray clouds of dusk rolled over the city.

And it was fine.

Almost.

While Feyre had tried to reach out, Nesta knew she wouldn’t be able to handle her youngest sister right now.  Not when Feyre had managed to gain some sort of control over her life.  While it had come at a heavy price–Feyre was doing good.  Better than good.  She’d found the man she loved.

Elain, being Elain, would drop flowers off on Nesta’s doorstep.  She never pried for information, never insisted on coming in.  Nesta can’t help but wonder sometimes if it’s because Elain has better things to do than worry about her older sister.  Elain was on a self-discovery kick lately anyways.

Nesta pushes thoughts of her sisters away and takes another bite of cookie dough.  She hasn’t spoken to either of them in over a week now.  And that’s okay.  She prefers solitude.

Still she can’t help but stare at her phone, sitting silent at the edge of the table. Has been all night. All day. All week. There is no one to call. No one that would answer or come.

Well. There is one. One person who she would always be willing to seek out. To find. She just doesn’t know if he would ever want to hear from her again

Nesta snorts to herself and scrapes a large chunk of cookie dough from her spoon.

This is fine. She’s always done better on her own. Hasn’t she?

So when there’s a knock at her door she’s too shocked to do anything more than stare at the door and frown.

Who the hell would be seeking her out?

The knock comes again. A bit more forcefully.

Setting the spoon aside, Nesta crosses to the door, her fluffy socks barely finding purchase on the hardwood floor.

The peephole tells her nothing of who is out there so she slowly clicks and slips aside the three door locks she has, leaving the chain in place.

He is waiting on the other side of the door. Utterly drenched. His usually curly hair is plastered to his forehead, the defined planes of his cheeks glistening with rain. But his hazel eyes are hot enough to sear Nesta straight through.

“Hey sweetheart,” he says.

His voice is a deep rumble. A glorious timber that hits her soul and settles in her heart.

Nesta’s fingers tighten on the door.

“Cassian.” She can’t bring herself to speak louder than a whisper. Can’t bear to hear his name even if he is standing right there. So close she can smell his cologne.

As she stares at him, she realizes that there are new tracks racing down his cheeks. Tears. He is crying. The sight, the mere thought of him crying weakens her knees. She bends forward and presses her forehead to the door unable to look at him. Unable to bear the thought that this is her fault.

“Let me in?”

His request is soft, hesitant. Barely there as though he can’t stand the answer. She can only nod once as she shuts the door, removes the chain and allows him access to the apartment.

He takes care to shut the door and relock it, not even commenting on the extra locks she installed herself.

Nesta moves to the cookie dough and makes sure to store it away. She doesn’t care if he knows about it, he already knows all her other vices.

“Do you want a towel?” She asks him, staring at the puddle forming at his feet. “Or are you planning on melting all over my floor.”

He’s not facing her, but she can see his shoulders give a small shake like he’s laughing at her. Just a little bit.

And it is enough.

It is enough to break down that carefully crafted wall. Damn Cassian and his relentless nitpicking. He would never abandon her. Even now.

“You never told me,” he says. And then he turns to her with those soft eyes and broken smile.

Her chest heaves in a silent sob. One that racks her body and makes her feel like she is ready to collapse in on herself. But she remains quiet. Nothing escapes the remnants of her wall. Her carefully constructed protection.

“You never told me Nesta,” he says a little stronger now.

He looks so confused. So lost. Like he doesn’t understand what is happening. What is actually coming out of his mouth.

Nesta feels her heart cleave in two. Her fault. She did this. She broke the man she loves.

“I wanted to,” she says. Her voice is hoarse with the effort of holding back her sobs. “Hell, Cassian, you have no idea how badly I wanted to.”

“So why didn’t you?” He asks. He is anything but broken now. Not with that fire in his eyes. Not with the hard tilt of his chin. “You had three months to.”

The laugh that leaves her throat is strangled and high. And it doesn’t stop. It doesn’t stop even when she snatches a hand out for the nearest wall to support herself. Nesta’s back hits the wall and she almost slides down, but she’s strong enough to keep her feet. Even as she’s staring at Cassian out of her peripheral vision.

“Tell you?” She whispers. “Do you have any idea how badly I wanted to tell you Cassian? I could have on so many occasions. And maybe I should have. But with everything going on. With your brothers and my sister. You had too much. You were doing too much. And I did what I had to do. To find answers. I didn’t tell you because what would you have done? What would have changed?”

There was so much she wanted to say to him. Too much. There were far too many things she couldn’t say. Didn’t want to. Because…because…why?

“Would it have changed anything?” She continues. “I’ve never been anything to you. To any of them.”

Truly, all she has been up to this point is an extra body.  A place holder.  After everything that happened between Feyre and Tamlin–the lies, the restraining order, the abuse–Nesta’s problems didn’t seem that important.  Besides, Nesta had grown used to being the silent sister.

He crosses the room until he’s standing right before her and she can feel his body heat rolling off of him.  She can smell the tang of fresh rain on his clothes.  She can almost taste it.

Nesta looks away from him, eyes cast down.  

“Nes,” he says.  He reaches out a hand for her face but Nesta pulls away.  

“You’re soaked.  You need to get in some dry clothes,” she says. There’s only so much she can handle in such a short amount of time.

She tries to pull away. She wants to put as much distance between the two of them as possible. Because there is only so much she can handle.

But Cassian being Cassian won’t let her go that easily. He surges forward and takes her face in his hands, keeping her close. There is still plenty of opportunity for her to pull away. Plenty of space that she can still just manage to avoid looking him in the eye.

They stand like that for far too long. Long enough that Nesta can hear the storm continue to rage outside. The rain washes against the windows in heavy patters and the wind even rattles the hanging flower pots she keeps on her balcony.

She can’t focus on any of that. Not with Cassian’s fingers running gently over her cheeks. She could melt into his touch. It’s all she’s wanted to do over the past few months. Ever since she found out she was pregnant. Ever since she found out she’d lost the baby.

“I wanted to tell you,” she whispers. “I wanted you to know. I-I.”

She can’t continue. She doesn’t really know how. So she presses her eyes shut as tears slip between her lids and roll down her cheeks.

His arms run down her shoulders to her waist and he pulls her closer still, until they’re flush together And she can feel her own clothes getting damp from his own clothes.

Trembling against him, Nesta bites back a sob and she can’t help but lean in closer to him.

She doesn’t know what he could possibly be thinking. Why he would ever believe her or trust her after this. She doesn’t even trust herself.

“I’m sorry Cassian,” she says. Her voice breaks on his name. “I wanted…I wanted…”

“Hey, hey,” he says, fingers tightening on her waist. “Look at me. Look at me sweetheart.”

Choking on her tears, Nesta shakes her head and presses her forehead into his chest. When she doesn’t move to the soft inflections of his voice, he pulls back and brings one hand to her chin to pull in up.

“I never would have wanted you to go through this alone,” he whispers.

Too much. Too much that Nesta didn’t know how to handle. And all she knew was that she is so tired. So, so tired.

She wants to say something. Anything. Anything to this beautiful man before her.

“I wanted you to know,” she says again. “I’m sorry.”

“No,” he says, his voice painstakingly gentle. Gentle enough that Nesta feels her heart breaking just a little bit more. “No, sweetheart. You’ve got nothing to apologize for.”

She somehow finds the way to look him in the eye as he carefully wipes her tears away. All of her energy seeps from her bones and Nesta nearly collapses against Cassian, but he’s quick to gather her into his arms and carry her down the hallway to her bedroom.

He lays her down on the bed–unmade from that morning because honestly who has time for that? –he lays her down and pulls the blankets up over her. Nesta tries to reach for him, but he has already pulled away. She hears him move to the closet pulling something down from one of the shelves. He’s found where she keeps a pair of his old sweatpants that he left here months ago.

Nesta listens as he changes and then he crawls into the bed with her. Before she can object to anything he wraps his arms around her once more. Nesta tucks her head into the curve of his shoulder and takes a shaky breath. She doesn’t trust herself to speak. Doesn’t trust herself to do anything more than snuggle in deeper to him.

The bare skin of his chest is hot against her and she lets herself relax. Just enough for her to realize that this might not be the best idea. Because whenever she’s around him, Nesta loses control. She lets herself become something else.

It might be a terrible idea, but Nesta has been trying to hold herself together for so long that she allows herself this. This opportunity for respite and contentment. 

Sighing, Nesta let’s her eyes droop shut as Cassian’s fingers run circles over her back.

#

Thanks for reading, not sure how I feel about it–I feel like Nesta especially is a hard character to capture so I was really nervous about this piece.  My ask box is always open whether for prompts or just to talk! Love you guys, your support means so, so much.

[zeldasayer]

Loving Din IX - The Sun Rises

Pairing: Mandalorian/Din Djarin x Reader

Summary: Din finally returns from securing your family’s safety.

Warnings: Smut, language, blood, EMOTION, so much AFFECTION

It has been weeks since you told Din not to come back until he burnt everything to the ground. To take out those who wanted to hurt Baby, and him, and finish this once and for all, securing your safety as a family. You thought it was hard not knowing why he left, but it was hell knowing and being certain he was in danger. Your despair shifted to rage then to terror so quickly it gave you whiplash. You pace the halls of your mothers residence all hours of the night, longing for his return. Begging the stars for some kind of sign that your love and Baby were safe, but nothing ever came. It was always so deafeningly quiet and it was driving you insane but you refused to let your hope die. You had never been so sure you met someone for a reason until you and Din Djarin stumbled across each other so long ago and your life changed forever. And that’s something you just couldn’t give up on.

Then, one evening, as you pace the same halls, humming the same songs, thinking of the same man, you see a ship pass through the windows. The Razor Crest.

Your heart hammers in your chest instantly and you wonder if maybe you’re dreaming. I must have finally just passed out at the top of the stairs, you think. Because there is no way he’s back. You’ve been standing for so long in just your big t-shirt you’re starting to get mad that you can’t make yourself move. You’re full of shock and wondering if you should throw yourself down the stairs just to make sure this isn’t a dream. Could he really be back?

You shuffle down the grand staircase as swiftly and quietly as you can, your bare feet slapping against the marble.

You pull open the door and there he is.

“Din.” You say with a heavy breath and your heart stops. He’s sweaty and bloody. Hair matted and splattered down his face, eyes heavy, his lips are parted and head tilted to the side. He wears only the armour.

You step forward, reaching out for him and he drops to his knees. Wrapping his arms around your waist, he nuzzles your stomach.

“I came straight here.” His voice is harsh, but quiet. “We’re safe now.”

You nod, running your fingers through his dirty hair and you feel his grip around you tighten.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N.” Din says into your stomach. “I am so sorry.”

“Din, get up.” You say but he just, somehow, holds you closer.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. My sweet girl. I’ll never do this to you again.” He says, shoulders shaking softly.

Din looks up at you, with the face that seemed so familiar even the first time you saw it, like you had dreamt of him every night before you even knew of his existence and he asks with glassy eyes, “Do you still love me?”

“Din, get up.” You choke, biting your lip to silence your inevitable sobs as your eyes begin to fill with tears and you turn your gaze away.

You’ve never seen him this way before, so desperate and full of fear. On his knees begging. It’s completely overwhelming to see him so controlled by his emotions, a man usually so demure. It rips your chest apart that he needs you to say it.

“Do you?” He asks again, his voice caught in this throat.

You clasp your hand over your eyes as your chest starts heave, but you keep your other hand running through his hair. “Of course I do.”

You feel him stand as your hand drops to his shoulder and drags down his chest. Din nudges your other hand away from your face, but you keep your eyes closed and he takes your face in his hands.

“Look at me, my moon. Please.”

You open your ocean-filled eyes, “I love you, so much.”

Clutching your face in the most delicate manner that he ever has, Din brings his lips to yours and he kisses you. You taste the tang of blood and the salt of his sweat and you are so full of joy because you know that he is here and he is alive.

You break away in a sudden realization. “Baby. Where is Baby?”

“He’s at the safe house. In perfect health, not a scratch on his precious head.”

You nod.

“However, he is... much more powerful than we could have ever imagined, Y/N.”

“What?” You whisper.

“He can control elements. It was terrifying and magnificent and he did it to protect me. He saved me.”

“Saved you?”

“It got close, my moon. But I’m here.”

“Oh, Din.” You cry and kiss him again.

“I’ll take you to him right now, and we’ll all be together again. Safe and warm in the sun.”

You nod. “Yes! Din, of course. But you should rest first. And bathe.”

You rub your thumb over the dried blood on his cheek, then drag your pointer finger down the bridge of his nose.

He closes his eyes, “I missed that.”

“I only have fruity shampoo.” You say softly as Din sits submerged in the bath.

“That’s fine, I can smell like you.” He sighs.

You smile and kneel at the end of the tub, “Lean forward a little, darling.”

Din obliges and you start pouring cups of the bath water over his head to wet his hair.

“Peach, or strawberry?” You hum.

“Peach.” He hums back and you squeeze the shampoo into your hand.

You rake the product through his hair and you have a fleeting flashback to sitting in his position just a few weeks ago, half alive. Heartbrokenly believing you may never see the man who you’re bathing in the middle of the night by the pale moonlight again.

You kiss behind his ear and then his jaw and Din turns back to catch your lips with his, reaching across to secure his hand in your hair. You pull away with an extra quick peck and continue massaging your lover’s scalp, Din groaning softly at the rhythmic light scratching of your nails.

You pour more water over him to rinse out the shampoo and come around to his side to sponge the sweat and blood from his face.

The blood makes your lip quiver and Din traces his fingers along your wrist when he notices. When he’s clean, you stand for him holding a big fluffy black towel and when he steps out of the tub, you wrap it around his waist. You’re so close you can smell his skin and it’s overwhelming. You put your palm flat against his chest, like you’re making sure he’s really here and he covers your hand with his.

Your eyes shoot up to his and you throw your arms around him.

“You’re going to get wet.” He warns quietly.

“I don’t care.”

Din sits at the edge of your bed, drying his hair with another towel and you stare at him. All you want to do is drink in every bit of him. His simplistic beauty and soft ruggedness. He is lush and delicate like a forest, and as passionate as a forest fire and you have missed him so.

You pull your damp t-shirt over your head, so you are only on your underwear and you lean against the dresser, arms crossed over your abdomen. You look down in a moment of discomfort, realizing he hasn’t seen you nude in weeks but through your peripheral you see his movements slow. He’s watching you.

You wonder if he’s having the same conflicting emotions as you. Should your first moments together again, clean and safe be only about closeness? The synchronization of your breathing, intertwining of fingers. Delicate lips ghosting and voices humming lowly. Inhaling each other as a reminder you are both here and alive and existing in the same space. Or do you succumb to the desire stirring deep as you are overcome by his presence. The ache of sadness has been replaced with the ache of want, to feel wet finger tips tracing, to hear your name drip out of his mouth and into yours. To be completely consumed by him and his relentless thick love.

You lift your head and float over to him, taking the towel out of his hand and dropping it on the floor, you climb into his lap.

You waste no time, pressing your mouth to his, grazing your fingers over the fine hairs on his chest. Din slips his hand under your hair to the base of your neck to anchor you against him. Your hardening nipples brush against his chest and he moans into your mouth, you use the opportunity to pull his lip with your teeth, letting go to kiss his chin and up his jaw.

You find the part of his neck that drives even him wild and both of his hands plunge down the back of your underwear, squeezing your ass at once. Digging his fingers into the soft flesh, like he can’t get enough in his hands and it almost hurts, but you love it.

You wrap your arms around his neck and shower him with your adoration. Kissing and licking and humming his name like a prayer and you feel dizzy already. Getting high on how tiny you feel against him and the warmth pooling at your core.

One of his hands releases your behind and comes around to the front. Pulling your panties to the side, Din lazily drags a finger up your slit, and you inhale sharply.

His big dark eyes look up at you with love and desire. He swallows thickly, “You’re already so wet.” His mouth stays open after he speaks as he searches your face and you shrug.

“I missed you.” You coo and Din smiles, “it’s been so long.”

You kiss his smile and he groans your words back against your mouth, “It’s been so long.”

Din wraps his other arm around your waist to keep you still as he begins to circle your clit with an agonizing pace and pressure. You sigh, letting your forehead knock gently against his. Not before long, he has you breathing heavy though your nose.

“Come on, let me hear how good it feels.” Din whispers, his mouth gaping like yours, as he looks you in the eyes. He dips his two thick fingers inside you and you yelp. He’s stretching you with just his fingers and you feel hypersensitive from your recent lack of touch. You rest your finger tips on the sides of his jaw and you whimper from the exquisite feeling of quite literally being putty in his palm, and he knows it.

“Your little pussy is so hot and wet in my hand, angel.” Din grunts.”You needed this.”

You nod your head slowly and you can feel him hard beneath you and the thought alone makes you thighs involuntarily clamp around your love’s hand, it makes his lip snarl. You’re too sensitive, but you want all of him.

“Wait,” you whimper, slipping off of Din’s lap and he leans back with his hands propping him up, feet planted firmly on the ground, legs spread. He watches you intently as you shimmy out of the panties he’s ruined, and you start on the towel tied around his waist.

You pull the towel away and Din’s incredible cock throbs under your stare, he looks up at you.

“Din..” You sing softly, straddling his thigh, taking his length in your hand.

“Yeah, baby?” Din asks, tilting his head back with a sigh. You lean over slightly to let your spit you’ve kept pooling in your mouth drip off your tonigue and onto his head so you can stroke him with fluidity.

“I just want to fuck, okay? Is that okay?” You ask sweetly, stroking with a stronger hand.

“We can do whatever you want.” He says, rolling his head from side to side.

“I want to make you feel good,” you whisper, pulling your other leg up to straddle his lap again. “My hero..” You lift your hips up. “You keep me safe and protected.” You sink down on to him slowly until he fills you completely and you keep him there as he sits up, pushing your hair out of your face and cupping it in his large hands.

You melt against him as the pressure of being filled by his hardness starts to be too much. Din grips the base of your neck with one hand, and your ass with the other and buries his face in your shoulder.

“I love you,” he chokes.

“I love you, too.” You sigh as you start to move in his lap.

You wake to he sunshine warming your skin. It’s a harsh bright winter light, which in any other case would make you groan and roll over, pulling the blankets over your head. But not this morning. You’re weighed down by Din laying between your legs, asleep with his face on your stomach. Arms up at your sides. It’s been so long since you’ve woken up with him like this, you don’t know how you survived without it.

You run your hands through his soft hair and you can smell the peach shampoo. You giggle quietly and Din stirs before blinking his eyes open.

He smiles into your stomach, and the familiar tickle of his moustache makes you sink deeper into the mattress. You want to squeal with glee.

Din rests his chin on this folded hands on your stomach. “You ready to go see the little one?”

“Yes!” You cry, “Oh I’m so excited.”

Suddenly a dark thought creeps in and you sit up on your elbows. “Din, What if he doesn’t remember me?”

“Why wouldn’t he remember you?” Din looks puzzled. “Did you not notice?”

“Notice what?”

“When we... went on our trip...” Din nods, tiptoeing around the the painful subject, and you nod back, “I took your portrait of us.”

“You did?” You gasp.

“Yeah.” He breathes. The portrait he speaks of is your stress relief piece. The painting you return to in between projects or when you need a break. It’s started off simple, just the three of you. But as your sweet little life together went on, you added to it. Painting in Baby’s favourite places, and the covers of your favourite books. Pomegranates and bowls of bone broth soup. Capturing Baby’s different expressions and your eccentric clothes. The sunsets that made you feel the most alive and Din’s magnificent side profile.

“He, uh..” Din clears his throat. “He points to you on it every day.”

“Oh,” you say as your heart swells averting your eyes from his as you feel like you may cry all over again, “Well isn’t that just wonderful.”

There’s a sudden knock at the door and Din’s head turns. Your mother’s voice hisses from the other side. “Y/N, the Razor Crest is outside!”

Din looks back to you.

“Oh, shit.” You sigh.

Your mother did not take well to Din’s return, even trying to hit him upside the head, but you intervened. The tiny woman so full of rage juxtaposed by her floor length pink silk robe with fur hems on the sleeve and collar was enough to almost make you laugh, but you beg your mother to trust you. Reminding her that some things are best kept secret. That, like your father, Din has his own truths.

Your mother straightened up with wide eyes and stared until you realized what you said.

“Oh, no. Din isn’t gay,” you say, shaking your head and taking his hands. He snorts but looks down quickly when Wilhemina shoots him a glare, “But he has a past, and when he’s ready to talk about it, he’ll talk about it.”

“Wilhemina,” Din says, squeezing your hand. “I love your daughter more than anything in the galaxy. All she’s ever done is support me and inspire me.. and love me with all of her heart. And I betrayed her by handling a situation inexcusably because I thought it was the right thing to do. Her patience, intelligence and beauty knows no bounds and I am going to work every day to be worthy of it. Just know that what happened, had to be done. I promise.”

The ship ride to the safe house is quiet but full of anticipation as Din tells you about the tropical planet you’ll be living on. He speaks lovingly about the bungalow and how he’s already brought all of your books and art supplies over along with Baby’s toys. He reaches back for your hand as he confesses to being over the moon about being together again. The family he’s always dreamt of, and how he can’t wait to keep trying for more, but that he understood you would all need time to adjust.

When you land, Din takes your hand and helps you out of the ship and to your bungalow on the beach. The air is thick with humidity and you can hear rustling of palm trees in the breeze all around you. You look up at Din, his face reflecting the glow of golden hour and the sight makes your breath hitch.

“Is Baby happy here?” You whisper.

“He loves it.”

“Are you happy here?”

“I will be now that you’re here.” Din says.

“Then this is the way.”

Din wraps his arms around you so you’re pressed against him, “I think you finally said that right.”

You laugh, swatting his chest and you walk through the front door.

Din shows you around your new home. It reminds you of the cottage back in the village, except sprawling hills of grass and forest are replaced with white sand and sapphire blue water. You can hear the waves crashing into the shore from yours and Din’s bedroom and it excites you. Everything is bright and gauzy, and the whole place is lit with a pink and orange glow as afternoon seeps into evening.

Din leads you to the back of the bungalow to two big French doors and he pushes them open to a small deck and a few steps that disappear right into the sand.

You clutch Din’s arm when you see him. Baby, playing near the shore. He’s with a woman you don’t recognize, but he looks happy; cackling and picking up sand just to let it fall between his fingers and you dismiss the mother bear instincts that came creeping in for a moment.

“Baby!” Din calls, and his little green head turns. He smiles sweetly to his father and when he notices you standing next to him, his small mouth drops open. Baby stands straight up with his arms above his head and squeals, then reaches forward with his grabby hands as he tries to move in the sand.

You lose your breath as you release Din from your grip and you run through the sand to your precious boy.

Tags: @otherthingsinhead @aeryntheofficial @maryan028 @readsalot73 @osric-the-l3m0n-l0v3-demon @capsironunderoos @antclottz @intense-sneezing @igotmadskills @applesislife @marrvelle-fics @killtherandomness @holyground1996 @taoiichii @kyoko-yuuki @bookwormmarvel @xplrreylo @the-resident-demon @sad-anxious-girl @jaegers-and-kaijus @drinkfantasy @forbidden-darkness @hyveee @fangirlfreakingout @petalduck @fahhhhq @thatonebishsstuff @midnightsinger @jenniferdaniels12 @hiscyarika @tryn25

A/N: I hope you enjoyed! I kept writing Dyn!! Sh*t hits different now that there’s been a “face reveal” even though we knew full well what Pedro looks like huh? Anyway. Sorry the pacing on this one is trash. Love, Zelda

[chocolatequeennk]

Forever Timeless, 2/23

Summary: Two months after the Dalek Crucible, the Doctor and Rose are getting used to having the biggest family on Earth. As they visit Leadworth in 1996, Victorian England, a mysterious desert planet, and Elizabethan England, those family and friends often help in unexpected ways. But no matter where they go or who they’re with, it’s always the Doctor in the TARDIS with RoseTyler–just as it should be.

Ten x Rose, Donna x Lee

Betaed by @saecookie, @rudennotgingr, @pellaaearien, and @jabber-who-key

Tagging @doctorroseprompts for Doctor/Rose content

Part 7 of Being to Timelessness

AO3 | FF.NET | TSP 

Ch 1

Chapter Two: Another Year, Another Adventure

Rose glanced at the familiar faces standing around the console as she worked quickly to set the coordinates. She tugged at the bond to get the Doctor’s attention. He checked the destination and immediately nodded.

“Barcelona!” he enthused.

Rose smiled and sent them into motion while he started rambling about the planet.

“Gorgeous tropical resort. We’ve been twice. Beautiful beaches, gorgeous waterfalls to hike, and—”

“Dogs with no noses,” Rose said along with him.

Donna raised an eyebrow. “You’re both nutters,” she said, shaking her head. “Dogs with no noses? How do they smell?”

The Doctor giggled. “Exactly!”

Rose planted her feet and everyone quickly grabbed onto something before the TARDIS landed on Barcelona with a teeth-jarring thud. “Barcelona,” Rose said, waving at the door.

Donna and Jenny exchanged a grin, then ran up the ramp and pushed the door open. Brilliant sunlight streamed into the console room, and Rose could smell the salt tang of the ocean in the air.

“Oh, I have missed this!” Donna said.

“Missed travelling the galaxy, or not spending hours on a plane getting someplace?” the Doctor asked.

“Both!”

Jenny and Donna stepped back inside and picked up the bags they’d left by the door. Before they left, Donna turned around and pointed at Rose, then at the Doctor. “All right, we’re going to leave you to celebrate your anniversary on your own. But you’d better come for us on time.”

“Or you’ll do what?” the Doctor retorted.

Rose groaned and pressed her fist to her forehead. She could hear the scowl on Donna’s face when their friend answered the Doctor.

“Or I’ll tie you down and bleach your hair blond,” she snapped.

Rose’s hand dropped to her mouth to hold back a laugh at the horrified expression on the Doctor’s face.

Donna nodded once, sharply. “Excellent. We’ll see you in a week, then.” She left the TARDIS and swung the door shut behind her.

“But… That’s…” The Doctor ran his hands through his hair.

Rose walked over to him and pulled his hands down, then smoothed over the most sticky-up pieces. “Don’t worry, Doctor. I like your hair too much to let her do that to you.”

He straightened his tie and preened. “It is pretty great, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I love your hair.”  Rose waited a beat, then said, “So I’ll make sure I’m driving when we go pick them up.”

“Oi!”

The Doctor grabbed for her, but Rose laughed and twisted away from him, adjusting the navigation settings as she went. She felt him following her movements and knew the moment he had remembered they were actually on their way to their own holiday destination.

“So do I finally get to find out what your secret holiday plans are?”

“Well…” she said, stretching it out the way he did. “I’m not sure if it’s check-in time yet.”

The Doctor narrowed his eyes. “This is a time machine,” he reminded her. “Which I’m fairly certain you are aware of.”

“Yeah, you might have mentioned it.”

He raised his eyebrows and gestured at the console. Rose laughed, but she finally obliged him. “Prepare yourself for the holiday of a lifetime,” she said dramatically as she threw the dematerialisation lever.

The ship spun into the Vortex, and Rose twirled the opposite direction, dancing around the console until she was next to the Doctor.

“Do you know what?” she asked.

He grinned and pressed a quick kiss to her lips before finishing the familiar line. “Travelling with you—I love it.”

The TARDIS landed, and the lights in the console room flashed. He looked up at the time rotor. “It seems I’m not the only one excited for this trip.”

Rose slung her deceptively small bag over her shoulder. “We’ve been working on this together. She says you’ve never been anywhere like this before.”

“Welllll, I’m not sure about that. Not this exact place, maybe, but—” The Doctor pulled the door open and stopped talking immediately.

Rose stepped up beside him and took his hand. “Welcome to Critias.”

The idea that had come to her while reading to Tony had taken a firm hold of her mind. As soon as they’d gotten home that night, she’d asked the TARDIS if it was even possible.

Is there a planet like Atlantis? Once they found the answer, they’d jumped at the chance.

The Doctor walked down the narrow alley as if in a trance and pressed his hand to the glass, fingers splayed out. A curious puffer fish swam forward to sniff at his fingers, but when he realised he couldn’t actually reach them, he swam away.

“This is…” The Doctor paused, then shook his head. “This is incredible, love. Thank you.”

“We explore the stars, but we never really touch this frontier,” Rose said.

“Another adventure with you.”

“Another year with you,” Rose corrected. “Happy anniversary, Doctor.”

Really, the Doctor reasoned, there was only one proper response when your bond mate wished you a happy anniversary. And so he wrapped an arm around Rose’s waist and pulled her close for a kiss.

“Thank you,” he murmured against her lips. “I love it.”

Rose pulled back and looked up at him, her nose wrinkled up a little. “Enough that it makes up for not getting a present? I didn’t get a chance to get you anything.”

The Doctor rested his hands on her hips and smiled down at her. “Absolutely. Although…” He pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth. “I don’t have a gift for you, either.”

Rose laughed. “You helped my mum and Pete set up their furniture last weekend, and you didn’t start one fight with Mum. That covers you for at least our anniversary.”

The Doctor chuckled. “All right. Now, where is this hotel?”

Rose pointed over his shoulder and he turned around to look at the building. It was positioned against the outer wall of the city, and he could easily imagine the kind of views the rooms would have.

He took a few steps down the alley, but Rose grabbed his hand and pulled him back. “I know I was joking when I said it wasn’t check-in time yet, but it really isn’t. I didn’t want to waste half the day by not getting here until mid afternoon.”

The Doctor nodded quickly. “Excellent decision. So, what should we do first?”

“Walk?” Rose suggested. “I can’t get enough of the view from the edge of the city.”

They moved from the alleyway to the path that snaked around the edge of the dome. “No, neither can I,” the Doctor agreed.

A giant piece of brilliant red seaweed floated by, the current picking up little tendrils and tugging them in different directions. A few more metres down the path, they watched a family of seahorses swim by.

“Why did they build a city under the ocean?” the Doctor wondered as they walked.

“I looked into that actually,” Rose said. “The planet was really struggling with overpopulation.”

He snorted. “So they decided to spread into the ocean? They’d squeezed out everyone on the surface and now they’d move into the fishes’ place too?”

Rose pinched him in the side. “Thought you were enjoying the trip,” she said pointedly.

“Oh, I am!” he said quickly. “Just… You know what, never mind. You’re right. So, there were too many humans on the surface—they are humans, it seems?”

Rose shook her head. “Nope. Critians are humanoid—I suppose you could say they look Time Lord—but they aren’t human. I dunno how they’re different exactly, but they are.”

The Doctor bit his tongue before he could launch into a rant on Rassilon spreading the Gallifreyan body type around the galaxy. There was a time and a place, and this was not it.

oOoOo

Their suite was an incredible underwater oasis. The hotel was situated against the main exterior bubble of the city, and each room actually bulged out into the open sea.

The Doctor watched the fish swim by while Rose slept on their first night there. He finally fell asleep as a jellyfish lazily drifted past.

The view when he woke up was not so tranquil. Several long tentacles were wrapped around their domed ceiling, and a giant eye peered in through the glass.

His quick indrawn breath and suddenly tense muscles were enough to wake Rose up. “Wha’s wrong?” she asked groggily.

The Doctor had processed what he was looking at, and he was a little embarrassed to have been so easily startled. “Just found a Peeping Tom,” he said, trying to deflect from his own reaction.

Rose rolled slightly and looked up at the ceiling. The Doctor could feel her trying to grasp what she was seeing, and then finally she giggled. “Look, he’s stuck on you, Doctor.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes and huffed. “Really, Rose?”

Rose shifted closer to him, sliding her leg over his and wrapping an arm over his chest. “I dunno,” she whispered against his neck. “Stuck on you’s not so bad.”

The Doctor hissed and tilted his head back when she kissed the sensitive spot on his jaw, just below his ear. Rose smiled and scraped her teeth over the spot before sucking gently.

“Yeah, I like being stuck on you.”

The Doctor’s eyes blinked open, his gaze still met by the steady curiosity of the squid. He arched an eyebrow, then rolled over so he was looking down at Rose. “I’d rather watch you than our friendly cephalopod,” he murmured.

Rose laughed again, just as he pressed his lips to hers.

oOoOo

The squid was long gone by the time the Doctor and Rose were enjoying breakfast in bed. “What do you want to do today?” the Doctor asked in between bites of a fluffy pastry.

She shrugged. “Whatever you want. It’s a new planet to both of us—it might be fun to just hit all the main tourist spots.”

She bit into a pinkish fruit, and her eyes widened. “Try this,” she insisted, holding a bite out for him.

The Doctor wrapped his fingers around her wrist to hold her hand steady, then he bent to pull the fruit off her fork with his teeth. As soon as the flavour hit his tongue, he knew why Rose had been so insistent.

“Mmmm, banana.” He smacked his lips and immediately selected another slice from the tray. “A sea banana,” he added gleefully.

“Did you know there were other fruits in the galaxy that tasted like banana?”

He scoffed. “If I knew there were other perfect foods in the world, we would have them at home.”

Rose shook her head and laughed. “Of course, why did I even ask? I guess finding some sea bananas to take home is going on the list of must-see attractions.”

“Oh yes!”

They shared bites back and forth, enjoying all the unique flavours of Critian food. Once the platter was mostly picked clean, Rose kissed him on the cheek and slid out of bed. “Why don’t you look up things to do while I take a shower? I bet you can find out what that fruit is and where we can get some.”

The Doctor took the tour guide tablet from the nightstand and made quick work of his research. He learned that kaju, the sea banana, was a favourite food of the Critians. There were several speciality food shops selling it, but only one farm you could tour. He’d just booked two tickets for the morning tour when Rose exited the en suite, wrapped in a fluffy white robe.

“Your turn.”

He handed her the tablet. “Why don’t you find something for us to do this afternoon?” he suggested.

Rose waited until she heard the shower running, then she pulled out the outfit she’d hidden at the bottom of their suitcase. The soft denim of her favourite dark jeans fit her perfectly, moulded by countless wears.

But her top… She sighed when the soft wool jumper brushed against her cheek as she pulled it over her head. The TARDIS had put it in her closet yesterday when she’d been packing, and Rose hadn’t needed help connecting the dots.

She’d just laced up her black boots when someone knocked on the door. “Concierge service!”

Rose walked to the door, leaving her leather jacket draped over the chair. A uniformed employee stood on the other side of the door, a tray in hand.

“Hi!”

The concierge held out the tray and Rose took the envelope. “Your tickets to the underwater garden just arrived,” they said.

Rose blinked, then she shook her head. “I don’t suppose that’s where those delicious sea bananas are grown.”

As she asked, she heard the shower turn off. She started a mental countdown to when the Doctor would appear.

The Critian tilted their head, a hint of confusion crossing their face. “If by sea bananas, you mean kaju… then yes, this the one public farm where it is grown. After the tour, you will be able to buy some of the fruit to take home.”

Rose laughed. “I bet we will. Thank you,” she told the alien. The employee bowed and exited the room.

“Who was that?” the Doctor called from their bedroom.

“Concierge services with our tour tickets,” Rose replied.

“Oooh, excellent! I hope they have a little shop. A little shop to buy all the kaju we want! Can you imagine, Rose?”

“I’m pretty sure I won’t need to use my imagination by the end of the day,” Rose said under her breath.

“I heard that!” The Doctor’s voice was coming closer, and Rose rubbed her palms on her jeans. “I’ll have you know…”

His mouth fell open when he saw what she was wearing. From a man as verbose as him, his silence was extremely gratifying. “Doctor?”

The Doctor slowly lowered his hands from his tie and walked towards her. His eyes were dark, and anticipation buzzed through Rose as she waited for his response. “That jumper is mine,” he said, his voice raspy.

Rose bit back a smirk. “The TARDIS put it in my closet,” she told him. “Think that means it’s mine now—possession is nine-tenths of the law, after all.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed.

The sleeves hung past her wrists, and Rose pressed her wool-covered hand to her cheek. “‘Sides, I like it. It’s soft.”

His fingers twitched, and Rose waited just a second longer before smiling brightly at him. “Come on, we need to get going if we’re going to make our tour.”

The Doctor gaped at her—at Rose, standing just six feet away from him, wearing clothes that used to be his. Rose, who was now giving him a cheeky smile as she waved the tickets in front of his face.

“Don’t you want to go see the kaju farm?” she asked, almost managing to sound innocent.

He growled and moved quickly to pull Rose into his arms. He could hear her heartbeat speed up and his two hearts held tempo with hers.

“Rose Tyler…”

Her pulse was racing now. “Yes Doctor?” She smiled, teasing him with the tip of her tongue.

The Doctor dipped his head down and pressed his lips to hers, following her tongue back into her mouth. Rose slid her hands over his shoulders and a moment later, he felt them in his hair.

He shivered, and before he could lose himself in the kiss, he slowly pulled back. Rose’s eyes fluttered open, and her passion-glazed expression tempted him again.

Instead, he slowly removed his hands from her waist, tugging on the hem of the jumper as he pulled away. “We’ll come back to this later,” he promised.

She blinked a few times, then smiled up at him. “Oh, yes,” she agreed.

The Doctor took her hand. “But for now, kaju!” Rose laughed as he pulled her out of their suite, and he giggled along with her.

Rose hip checked the Doctor as they left the hotel. He glanced down at her, his eyebrow raised in question. She smiled and shifted closer to him, putting her free hand on his arm.

Nothing. Just love you, that’s all.

Yeah? I love you too.

The Critias streets were busier than they had been the day before, and they arrived at the garden entrance just as the tour was starting. “Wait wait!” The Doctor waved their tickets over his head. “Two more!”

A teenager waved at them from behind the counter. “I can take your tickets!” she said, her high ponytail bobbing with each word. She smiled brightly when the Doctor handed them over. “Have fun! Corin will show you all around the farm.”

They joined the queue, and a young man with a shock of black hair draped over one eye scowled at them. “We all ready then?” he asked.

“Oh yes!” The Doctor bounced on his toes. “This is going to be the highlight of our trip.”

The guide rolled his eyes and turned around. “Come on. The entrance to the tunnels is this way.”

“Tunnels?” Rose asked as he led them along a boring hallway.

He shot her a look over his shoulder. “Well yeah. Kaju grows under the sea. How did you think we were going to get there?”

Rose had half a mind to call him out for his surly attitude, but the Doctor started talking before she could. “I bet you love your job,” he enthused. “You probably get all the kaju you want, for free.”

The kid huffed. “Why would I want any of that nasty stuff?”

They reached a glass door in the exterior bubble of the city, and he turned around and held his hand up. “All right, listen up everyone!” he called out, raising his voice to be heard over the hum of machinery coming from the next room over. “We have built glass tunnels in a path around the kaju beds. Along the tour, you will see kaju in various stages of growth. At the end, you will have a chance to taste fresh kaju, and to buy any of the products we make in the factory you hear behind you.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows. “Please stay with the group at all times. If you do not, you will be escorted out of the tunnels and asked to leave the premises.”

The whole group murmured their assent, and he grunted and opened the doors.

The light in the tunnel was dim. Rose squinted, trying to get a glimpse of the garden before stepping out under the sea. She and the Doctor were at the back of the line, and she gasped when she finally realised why the light was so eerie.

The glass tunnel had formed an arbor for a network of tangled vines. The artificial lights used by the farm filtered through the greenery, like sunlight through the leaves of a thick forest. Rose pressed her hand to the glass and watched the way the leaves drifted in the current.

“Why don’t you like kaju?”

Rose blinked; that was the Doctor’s voice, but it was coming from the other side of the tour group. She looked around and spotted him standing next to their guide, his eyebrow arched in surprise.

Corin was a good six inches shorter than the Doctor, and he scowled up at him. “Because it’s a disgusting fruit and I don’t know why anyone would eat it.”

Determination pulsed over the bond, and Rose groaned. “Excuse me,” she said as she made her way through the tour group to join the Doctor.

“Have you ever had kaju pancakes?” the Doctor asked. “Or kaju toffee pie?”

The kid sneered. “No, thank you.”

He spun on his heel and addressed the whole group. “What you see above you is an arbor of fully grown kaju. As you can see, the plant is a vine that needs some sort of support to grow on. If you’ll follow me, our next stop is a bed of kaju seedlings.”

The group moved slowly through the tunnel. The light changed as the vines overhead thinned. Finally they entered a large, round room, big enough for everyone to look out at the ocean floor.

“Like most vines, kaju can be grown from starts. However, one of the things we sell as a commercial garden are seedlings. Ambitious gardeners buy kaju plants from us to start their own garden.”

“Oh!”

Corin levelled a glare at the Doctor. “They do have to be grown under the ocean, so unless you have a proper growing environment, don’t even bother.”

The Doctor pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth. “Right. Yeah,” he said slowly.

Rose narrowed her eyes. We’ve got regular bananas, remember? She wasn’t sure the TARDIS could make an underwater room, and even if she could, Rose had no desire to start a kaju farm.

The Doctor pouted, but she shook her head firmly. Bananas are perfectly good.

Bananas are brilliant! he corrected. Rose raised an eyebrow and the Doctor rolled his eyes. All right, you win.

They were given five minutes to watch the gardeners carefully tend to the young plants, then Corin led them down another tunnel into a different open room.

Row after row of vines draped over arbors spread out around them. “These kaju plants are at the height of their production cycle. Much of the kaju you eat comes from plants just like these.”

The group murmured and spread out to watch the workers carefully trimming the vines and harvesting ripe fruit. Rose blinked when she realised the whole fruit was small and round. It looked much more like an orange than a banana.

“What about fried kaju? Or kaju served with ice cream and chocolate?”

Rose debated pulling the Doctor back, but Corin really deserved to be pestered. He had been rude from the moment the tour started. So instead, she rocked back on her heels and watched.

“I can’t stand the smell, or the taste, or the texture,” the kid spat out. “The seeds get stuck in your teeth and if you eat too much, it stains your tongue bright pink.”

The Doctor backed away half a step and blinked several times. Corin nodded sharply and spun around to walk away.

Rose joined the Doctor then and tugged on his sleeve before he could chase after the kid. You can suggest other preparations later, she told him, feeling slightly mischievous. Maybe he should try kaju bread, or chocolate dipped kaju.

The Doctor nodded, then stuck his tongue out for her to examine. “Ish ma tongue bwight pink?” he asked.

Rose laughed. “Nope, just regular pink. Apparently you haven’t had enough kaju yet.”

It was mesmerising to look at the evenly laid out rows of kaju and the careful way the attendants cared for the vines. But after ten minutes, they were directed down another tunnel, back to a door.

“The garden part of our tour is over,” Corin declared dramatically. “Behind this door, you’ll find the factory where we produce kaju jam and other items for sale. Please take a pair of noise cancelling headphones when you step inside. The machines are incredibly loud.”

Rose winced when he opened the door. The entire group pressed their hands to their ears until they passed through the door and could take a pair of the headphones.

How are we supposed to hear the dulcet tones of our tour guide like this?

She needn’t have worried. His grumpy voice came through the headphones, and when she looked at him, she realised his headset had a microphone as well.

“Today we’re manufacturing kaju pie filling,” he said, gesturing at the conveyor belt where empty glass jars were filled with a creamy, kaju coloured filling. “The filling is produced in that large vat over there.” He pointed up at a vat near the top of the production line. “Raw kaju is cooked down and blended, then sugar and spices are added.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Rose saw the Doctor nodding. She shook her head; she had a feeling there was a kaju pie in their future.

They watched the assembly line for a few minutes longer. After the jars were filled with pie filling, lids were tightly sealed on and labels wrapped on the jar. Then they shot down to the end of the line where they were packed in boxes by workers.

“If you’ll follow me.”

The tour group slowly filtered out of the factory back into the blessedly quiet hallway. Two employees were waiting, one ready to take the headphones from them and another with a tray of sliced kaju.

Corin opened the door to the sales room and gestured through it. “That concludes our tour. You are now free to buy as much kaju merchandise as you would like.”

The Doctor sidled up to him. “Have you ever tried kaju bread?” he asked.

The young man’s face turned red, but the Doctor ignored it.

“What about chocolate dipped kaju? Dip slices in chocolate and then freeze them. Fantastic treat for a hot day.” He paused and scratched his sideburn. “Er, is it ever hot here?”

“Listen,” Corin growled. “I do not like kaju. I will never like kaju. It doesn’t matter how it’s prepared, it’s a vile fruit and I refuse to eat it.” He smirked suddenly. “But if you like it so much…”

He ran off quickly before the Doctor could say anything. A moment later he was back with a jar in his hand. “Kaju jam.” He ran off again and returned with two large tubs. “Kaju butter and kaju yogurt.” He left and came back with bags in hand. “Kaju fruit leather, chocolate covered kaju, and dried kaju.”

The Doctor’s arms were full. He stared down at the bounty then up at the guide. “Thank you!”

The uncharacteristic smile melted away into the familiar scowl. “You are an absolute nutter,” the kid growled. Then he spun around and stalked off.

The Doctor heard something rolling on the floor and turned around to see Rose with a trolley. She took a few items out of his hands and they filled the cart with everything the guide had brought.

“What was that about?” the Doctor asked, still wondering what had gotten into the guide.

Rose laughed. “I think he thought that if he brought you enough kaju products, you would realise it was disgusting. Then you’d have to find a way to put it all back.”

“Huh.” The Doctor scratched at his sideburn. “Well, let’s see what other kaju products we can find.”

Thirty minutes later, they left the farm with several bags full of kaju products. By mutual agreement, they detoured to the TARDIS to put it all away.

The ship sang to Rose as they walked through the door, and she started laughing. “Someone’s glad I talked you out of growing our own kaju,” she told the Doctor.

oOoOo

The street lights had shifted from their bright daytime mode to a nighttime setting when the Doctor and Rose finally made their way back to the hotel. Street musicians played beneath the street lights, and stray cats darted into the shadowy corners to hide.

The Doctor swiped their keycard over the pad and the door slid open. It closed silently behind them after they entered the room. Rose tapped the lamp and soft light filled the room.

“So was that a good way to spend our fourth anniversary?”she asked him.

He chuckled. “It was a brilliant way to spend our anniversary,” he agreed as he shrugged out of his coat.

He had just tossed it onto the coat rack when someone knocked sharply on the door. Rose raised an eyebrow, and he grinned at her. “Just a little late night snack I ordered for us,” he told her. “Why don’t you go get settled in the living room and I’ll bring it in.” He waited for her to move into the living room, then tapped the door control.

“Your dessert, sir,” the server said, presenting a covered tray with a flourish.

The Doctor lifted the silver cover just enough to make sure everything was as ordered. Chocolate, kaju, mellora berries, and a decanted bottle of Rigellian wine. Perfect.

“Thank you.” He took the tray and the server nodded once, then walked away.

Rose was curled up on the sofa under a blanket when the Doctor entered the living room. He set the tray down on the coffee table and crossed the room to the fireplace controls. “This will warm things up pretty quickly,” he said once the cheery gaslit flames started.

He stuck his tongue out at Rose as he walked back to her. “I suppose it’s a good thing you filched that jumper from me,” he teased. “They don’t exactly keep the ambient temperature of Critias very warm.”

He started to pour two glasses of the wine, while still watching Rose from the corner of his eye. She rubbed her cheek against the jumper again and shook her head.

“That’s not why I wore it,” she said quietly.

The Doctor set the decanter down and turned to face Rose. Her playful attitude had faded into something softer and warmer. “Then why did you wear it?” he asked, genuinely curious. “To turn me on?”

Her eyes twinkled. “A little. But mostly…” She reached for his hand. “This jumper is something from who you were when I met you. Today’s our anniversary and…” She brushed her thumb over his pulse points. “And I married that Doctor, too.”

The Doctor opened his mouth, but he couldn’t push words past the lump in his throat. Instead, he slid closer to Rose on the sofa and reached for her over the bond at the same time.

I love you. He brushed his fingers over her cheek, and when Rose tipped her face upwards, he took the invitation and pressed a kiss to her lips. I love you now and I loved you then. You are my forever, both past and future.

Rose sighed and scraped her fingernails over his scalp. I loved that you, with your leather jacket and jumpers. I love this you, with your suits and Chucks. You have always been my Doctor.

The Doctor moved his hand down to Rose’s waist so he could pull her closer. As she shifted into his lap, the feeling of soft skin under his hand pulled him out of the kiss. He looked down at the bare leg slung over his own and swallowed.

“Are you…” His voice squeaked and he cleared his throat. “Are you wearing anything under that jumper?”

Rose slid her hands over his shoulders and played with the hair at the nape of his neck. “Why don’t you find out?” she suggested.

The Doctor closed his eyes and took several shallow breaths. Then he shifted his weight and pushed himself to his feet, holding Rose close as he stood up. “I think it’s time for a change in venue.”

oOoOo

A visit to Critias was almost like a beach holiday, except in all the ways it wasn’t. Their ocean view room gave them a view into the underwater life instead of the surface. They didn’t see their squid friend again, but several other forms of sea life floated by to say hello.

They rented diving equipment and went out into the water, but they couldn’t feel the sun on their faces. The marine animals around the resort were so accustomed to visitors that they didn’t move as the Doctor and Rose slowly swam past.

But the strangest difference, and the one that helped Rose when it came time to leave, was that there were no sunsets. She loved watching the sun set over the ocean, but they couldn’t even see the sun from who knew how many leagues under the sea.

There were no stars, either, and after a week beneath the surface of the ocean, both she and the Doctor were ready to be out in the open air.

They packed up their belongings and paid their bill, then walked back to the TARDIS.

The Doctor slung his coat over a strut and circled the console, adjusting the navigation controls as he went. “Be careful,” Rose warned as he spun a dial wildly before stopping it and twisting it into place. “Remember what Donna threatened to do if we don’t pick them up on time.”

He clapped his hands to his head, protecting his hair. “That is not happening,” he declared adamantly. “Not in this lifetime. This body would not look good with platinum blond hair.”

Rose nodded. “Then watch what you’re doing while you’re setting the coordinates.”

The Doctor huffed, but he slowed down, being careful to notch each dial in exactly the right spot. Rose watched, and she nodded when he set the last one in place.

“All right, let’s go.” Being closer to the dematerialisation lever, she grabbed it and shoved it into place.

The TARDIS made a grinding sound as she moved into the Vortex, and Rose stroked the console. “Come on, old girl,” she muttered. “I know you’ll take us where we need to go.” The grinding didn’t stop, but a soft hum joined it. Both Rose and the Doctor let out a breath.

The landing rocked them a little, but they straightened up and walked to the door. The Doctor reached it first and reached for the handle. “Come on, Rose. Let’s enjoy the look on Donna’s face when she realises we’ve made a perfect landing.”

The first thing he registered when he opened the door was that it was night. Well, a few hours off, he reasoned, even as his hearts sank into his plimsolls. Maybe we’re early, even.

But not only was it not morning, they were nowhere near a city. He stared at the large house in front of them, trying to make sense of where they were.

Rose patted him on the arm. “I think you’ll look gorgeous as a blond.”

[thesoftdumbass]

you’re a fine girl

Steve Rogers x reader

word count: about 5K

warnings: cursing I think, cheesy, fluffy, not much else

summary: Steve Rogers visited Y/N’s harbor town once, but he made it clear that he couldn’t stay...when he comes back suddenly for a visit, he just might turn her world upside down.

author’s note: So there’s no time setting for this one, so Steve and his sailors could belong in pretty much any era. Is he a pirate? A merchant trader? The captain of a cargo ship? Who knows, I’ll let you decide! This fic is loosely based on the song Brandy by Looking Glass (yes, it’s that one song from GOTG vol. 2) and it gave me a lot of inspiration to write! I hope y’all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

> masterlist

Y/N makes her way across the room, salt in the air as she inhales the essence of the sea making its way into the bar. She grabs the requested drinks, a round of beers for the market vendors at table three, red wine for her regulars at table seven, and a bottle of whiskey for the sailors in the booth in the corner. She gathers empty glasses and plates, cleaning up after her guests, and making sure to collect any tips. Luckily her customers have been pretty satisfied tonight. 

Taking a tray of dirty dishes to the sink to soak, Y/N is surprised to see a familiar figure sitting at the bar, having walked in and sat down while she was preoccupied. Wiping her hands off on a towel, she walks over to the man, already grabbing a glass and pouring two fingers of whiskey neat with a peel. When she sits the prepared drink on the bar in front of him, blue eyes look up to meet hers. The look on his face is unreadable, but Y/N gave up trying to understand this man a while ago.

“Welcome back to port, Captain Rogers.”

Her name is a whisper on his breath and she can’t help the way her heart skips a beat hearing it. Steve’s eyes dip to spot the silver chain she wears around her neck, but he catches himself, clearing his throat and glancing around the bar that they’re in. “It’s good to be back.”

“That’s not the way it felt when you left, Steve.” The slight bitter tang in Y/N’s voice surprises her, but it’s been too long for him to come back and act like nothing happened. 

He came in the summertime, when the bar was full of sailors docked in the nearby harbor. Sailors are Y/N’s best customers, leaving tips and making conversation as they pass their time. Steve’s ship, The Howling Commando, was docked in the harbor, undergoing repairs after it took on some damage in a rough storm. That’s how Y/N found herself in the company of the Howlies, the ship’s crew. 

It was one of these quieter nights when most of the customers have gone, after laying down drinks all day, Y/N got to listen to the group of sailors talk about their adventures on the seas. Exaggerations about their skill and compliments to the barmaid were thrown in for good measure, but Y/N laughed it off, chalking the good mood up to the alcohol. 

“Can I get another brandy there, Y/N?” She hummed in affirmative and grabbed the requested bottle, refilling the man’s drink. He tips his hat, a smile on his face. “Thank you, darlin’. You’d make a fine wife.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, used to these comments, but this time, there was a smile on her lips. “And you’re full of it, Dugan. You’d better pay down your tab before you drink me out of a job!” 

“Aw, one-eyed Nick’d never fire you. He’s soft on you, you’re practically like a daughter to that old grump,” Morita exclaimed and Y/N shook her head, not confirming or denying their suspicions.

The crew settled a little before a newcomer arrived, the doors barely shutting behind him before cheers raised up from the group of men sitting by the bar. “Hey Cap! Nice of you to finally join us. Come have a drink,” Bucky offered his chair before grabbing another from a nearby table, sitting down next to who was obviously the captain of their crew.

Y/N hadn’t seen the man before, because if she had, she would remember. The man’s sandy blond hair looked as if it had been mussed by his own hand or someone else’s, and his jawline looked sharp enough to cut, but his eyes. His eyes were what really drew her in.

The soft blue color of his irises radiated power and understanding, making Y/N want to know the man they belonged to. She shook her head mentally, this wasn’t a townsman or a regular, he was a sailor that would be leaving as soon as his ship was ready. Still, she had a job to do, so she smiled and asked if he’d like anything to drink.

“Whiskey, with a peel of lemon.”

“Ice?”

“No, thank you.”

She went about making his drink, bringing it back to the table and sitting in her previous seat, which just so happened to be next to the newcomer. “Here you are, Captain.”

“Please, call me Steve,” he smiled at Y/N and she felt something in her chest lighten at the expression. 

Y/N spent the rest of the night until closing time at a table with the Howlies and their captain, listening to their stories and wishing she could be part of that, to get away from her quiet life and have an adventure for once. 

After the Howlies paid their tabs and ambled their way out of the bar, Y/N took a few minutes to put away bottles and wipe down the bar. Expecting to be alone, she startled when she looked up and found Steve still in the room, quietly flipping chairs onto the tables.

“You don’t have to do that, Steve,” she rushed out, but he waved her off gently.

“It’s the least I could do after my men destroyed this place.”

She laughed, “it’s not destroyed, just a little messy. I’ve seen this bar in much worse condition. Besides, at least they’re kind and they tip well.” Steve nodded his head in agreement.

Steve waited outside while Y/N secured the till and closed and locked the doors behind her, a shy smile making its way onto his face when she turned around. “Would you let me walk you home? It’s just that it’s dark out, and these streets aren’t always the safest.”

Feeling safe in his presence after only knowing him for a few hours, Y/N nodded her head, leading the way to her home as Steve kept pace beside her and filled the silence by asking questions about herself. He enjoyed getting to know someone new, someone who he could tell was a kind soul, but could also keep up with his crewmates and serve them snark right back. 

Y/N slowed when they reached her home, wanting to draw out her time with Steve as much as she could. Still, the day weighed on her and she felt the need to go inside and sleep, so she came to a stop in front of the door. “Well, this is me.”

Steve stopped walking, disappointment filling him at their time together ending for now. Still, he smiled, glad to have gotten the chance. “Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight, Steve,” before Y/N could stop herself she leaned forward, brushing her lips softly across his stubbled cheek. “Thank you for walking me home.”

Steve’s muttered “anytime” was almost lost to her ears, but Y/N smiled when she heard it. She sent one last look over her shoulder before unlocking the front door and walking inside, closing it behind her. 

That night Steve made his way through the streets back to his lodgings, happiness spilling across his face so freely that he couldn’t stop if he wanted.

“I love you, Y/N.”

“Don’t say that, Steve, please, just-” a sob broke out of her chest, interrupting her words.

Steve closed his eyes to try and hide the pain there, hands reaching out to hold her for as long as he could. After spending weeks together and forming a deep bond, repairs on the Howling Commando were finished and it was time for Steve to set sail again. He tried to put it off as long as he could, but he and his men had jobs to do and couldn’t resist any longer. 

Icy ocean air whipped onto the dock where the two lovers were hidden, chilling Y/N to her bones. She held tighter onto Steve, not wanting to let go, but it was inevitable.

“I wish you could stay,” she murmured into his neck, the skin contact giving him some warmth in the cool morning wind. 

“I know,” Steve replied, placing a kiss on her temple and rubbing a hand in circles on her back in comfort, “but a harbor isn’t my home.”

Y/N nodded. She understood. That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt, though, the constricting feeling in her chest not going away, and she figured it would last until long after Steve left.

A ship’s horn blew in the distance, and Y/N knew it was time. Y/N leaned forward, capturing his lips with hers. She kissed him, trying to convey all of the emotions she felt but didn’t have the time to express with words. Pulling away, she took a few deep breaths to still herself. “I love you too, Steve,” she echoed his earlier words. “Be safe out there, okay?”

“Wouldn’t dream of doing anything else.”

“Not according to some of the stories that Bucky’s told,” she retorted softly. They both laughed, but the sound grew hollow in the air. Y/N’s eyes met Steve’s, and this time, she didn’t see soft blue looking back at her. For once, Y/N could see the ocean falling and rising in his irises, the color like a stormy sea reflecting the sadness within. A soft hand caressed Steve’s jaw, and he knew that this would be the end.

As Y/N began to withdraw her hand, Steve wrapped his fingers around her wrist to stop her from going too far. “Wait.” Steve reached into his shirt, pulling out a silver chain that sparkled in the dim morning sunlight. “I want you to keep this.”

“What is it?”

“It was my mother’s necklace. It belongs close to my heart, and since you carry that with you now as well, it’s only fitting that you wear it.” Steve removed the necklace from himself before clasping it behind Y/N’s throat, the locket falling to rest on her sternum. 

She grasped the locket with trembling fingers, warming the metal with her touch. “You say that like you’re never coming back here.”

“I might,” Steve started, but was cut off by her.

“But you don’t know for certain.”

Steve pursed his lips, his eyebrows drawn low as he closed his eyes. Even with her thoughts and emotions a wreck, Y/N couldn’t ignore how beautiful he was, his eyes fluttering as his lashes brushed against his cheekbones. Still, his silence was the most clear answer she was going to get from him. Accepting that fact, Y/N let her hands fall from where they rested on his chest and took a step back. “Goodbye, Steve.”

In the cold, foggy morning, Steve watched as she walked away, not turning around once as she made her way out of his life.

“Steve,” Bucky called out to his friend and captain as he passed by on the ship deck. Steve nodded in acknowledgement, continuing the walk to his quarters. Bucky took that as his cue to follow along and keep talking. “I just got back from doing inventory, and if we wanna make it to Thailand, it looks like we’re gonna have to stop and replenish our supplies. You know, food, fuel, that sort of thing.”

“Okay,” was the simple reply that earned him.

“Unless you wanna run out of rations in the middle of the Pacific.”

Steve turned an incredulous look on his friend as he stopped in front of the door to his quarters, wondering if his first mate had suffered a mental break. “No, I definitely don’t want that.”

Bucky followed Steve into his quarters as he shrugged his shoulders in a casual show. “It’s just that, the best place to stop on the way to Thailand is that town we stayed in while the ship was gettin’ fixed.”

A sigh left Steve in a huff, the man nodding his head reluctantly in agreement. “Okay, I trust you to get everything lined out while we’re there.”

“Will do, Cap.”

Steve sat down at the desk in his room and opened a ledger before noting that Bucky was still present, and making himself comfortable on the edge of Steve’s bed. “Anything else, or is that all you needed to talk about?”

“Man, Morita was right, you do need to lighten up.” A flex of Steve’s eyebrows had Bucky raising his hands in surrender. “I’m just saying, you’ve been different since we left, and I think I can deduce the reason why.”

“Deduce?”

“I read stuff!” Smiles lifted both men’s faces just the slightest. “I know this; you’re acting even more sullen than usual, you don’t talk as much or hang out with the guys for very long when you get some free time. It seems like you left a piece of yourself in that town.”

“I think I did. Leave part of me, I mean.”

“Then let’s go get it. Steve,” Bucky took a long, hard look at his friend and decided to ask the question that has been on his mind. “Isn’t she worth it?”

Steve looked down at his hands, his face lifting as he let himself think of their memories together and how much he truly missed her. Her presence, her laugh, her intellect...everything. “She really is.”

“Don’t screw it up this time.” Bucky stood from the bed, walking over to his friend and clapping him firmly on the shoulder before walking from the room.

Y/N is brought out of her thoughts and memories when she feels a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she finds her boss looking at her with a concerned expression on his face. “Oh, hey, Nick.”

“Hey, kid. Are you doin’ alright?”

“Yeah,” she laughs off his question. “Why would you ask that?”

“You seem a little distant tonight.” Nick looks over his shoulder to the other side of the bar where Steve still sits. “Or maybe just a little too close to your own thoughts.”

Y/N brushes off his observation, shaking her head with a smile that she hopes is reassuring. “I’m fine, I promise.”

“Why don’t you take the rest of the night off? You never seem to get a break from this place, maybe you should take a few hours to yourself. Maria and I’ll take it from here.”

A genuine smile, then “I would be crazy to turn down a night off work, wouldn’t I?” 

Y/N gathers her things and says goodbye, and she can’t help the pang of disappointment in her chest when she looks toward the end of the bar and finds it empty. Steve must have slipped out while she was distracted, and she’s stuck somewhere between thankful and unhappy.

Making her way outside, Y/N feels a breeze on her face, the setting sun bringing a peaceful warmth with it. When the breeze brings to her a once-familiar smell, the content smile on her face falls, and she opens her eyes to find Steve before her, an apologetic look on his face. He clears his throat almost nervously, his voice low as he asks, “would you let me walk you home?”

Y/N nods and simply begins walking the familiar path to her home while Steve follows. The journey is silent for a few minutes as both adjust to being near each other again, the way they left off last time hangs in the air with every step they take, until Y/N can’t handle the silence anymore. “So you’re back.”

“I am,” Steve is quick to reply, thankful for conversation, though he knows it’s painful for both of them. “We stopped to refuel and grab some supplies before continuing our journey to Thailand.” Y/N hums at that, not sure how to respond. When she doesn’t, Steve takes the opportunity to really look at her. “I missed you, Y/N.”

A soft sigh leaves her, his name carrying on her breath. “I’ve missed you too.”

It’s silent again, until Steve finds the courage to say what he’s been wanting to since setting course for her little harbor town. “When I used to tell you stories from sailing, travelling around the world, and you would say that you wished you could experience that...did you mean it?”

Y/N’s eyebrows dip lower on her forehead, contemplation and confusion filling her. Why would he bring that up now, after so long? “Yes, I meant it. I still do.”

Relief shows itself briefly on Steve’s face before he shifts back to neutral. They reach Y/N’s home and sit down on the front step, neither wanting their reunion to end so soon. “The Howling Commando will leave this port two days from now.” Steve pauses to take a deep breath, licking his dry lips. “I’d like you to be on it when it does.”

Speechless, Y/N takes a minute to try and process what he’s just said. When she remains silent, Steve continues. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. And I realized that when I left, I told you that the harbor wasn’t my home...but I never asked you if it was yours.”

The words reach Y/N’s ears, and she’s hit with so many feelings that it’s hard to think straight. She runs her hands through her hair, and when that doesn’t help to calm her she stands, pacing a few feet away from the porch before rounding on the man still sitting on the steps. “You can’t be serious,” she says almost desperately.

Steve, who has been silent while she tries to process this, raises his eyebrows as if challenging her statement. “And why can’t I be serious?”

“Because, Steve! So much time has passed, and suddenly you’re back, and saying that, what, you want me to come with you?”

Steve’s reply is simple. “Yes.”

Y/N deflates, argument leaving her for a moment. “You know that I can’t just agree to this on the spot, right?”

“I know,” he nods.

“Because this is a lot to process, Steve, I mean...I would be dropping the only life I’ve ever known to sail off into the distance. I’ve never even left the harbor, and then there’s us…”

When she trails off, Steve stands from his spot on the steps and approaches her slowly, hands coming to rest on her biceps in a calming gesture. “This was a lot to dump onto you, and I’m sorry that it was so short-notice. I don’t want you to do something that you’ll regret later, but you have a few days before we leave that you can decide.” 

When Y/N nods, Steve puts a goofy grin on his face to try and make her laugh, succeeding in drawing an amused huff from the woman. “Besides, if you come with me and then decide you don’t wanna stay, we can bring you back here or drop you off at a location of your choosing. There won’t be any leaving you on a deserted island to fend off pirates.” This time, Steve’s remark brings a grin to her face, and she can’t help the short laugh that follows.

“Thank you,” she says, looking into his eyes for the second time this evening, and is pleased at the warmth she finds there, that she’s always found in Steve. Taking a step back, she can’t help but be disappointed at the loss of his touch. “I guess I have a lot to think about.” 

Steve nods, taking a step back for himself, resisting the temptation to take her back into his arms. “I’ll leave you to it, then.” At the last second he moves toward her, leaving a kiss on her lips that seems all too brief to both parties. “Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight, Steve.”

Y/N walks up the front steps into her home, resisting the urge to look back, only turning when she shuts the door behind herself. She lets out a sigh, taking a moment to gather herself. It’s time for a strong drink, a hot bath, and a lot of consideration about her future. 

It’s been nearly two days of consideration, and Y/N hasn’t yet decided what to do. Between worry over her decision and bouts of anger at Steve for dropping this on her so suddenly, she can barely focus at work, forgetting simple tasks and practically zoning out for minutes at a time. It didn’t take long for Nick to notice, the bar’s owner an observant man that also cares for his employees, and as her odd behavior has persisted, he found himself stepping in. 

“Y/N!” When she heard her name called from the office, her head popped up from where she was wiping down the bartop, a question in her eyes.

“Yeah, boss?”

“Why don’t you take a break from that? Come in my office for a few minutes.”

Her brows dip on her forehead in confusion but she does as asked, putting away the rag she used for cleaning and making sure someone was watching the bar before making her way into Nick’s office. The man is already sitting at his desk when she walks in, so she closes the door behind her and takes the chair opposite him.

She’s nervous, but puts on a neutral face as she looks her boss in the eye. “What’s up, Nick?”

He shakes his head before looking back at her. “I was gonna ask you the same thing, kid. You’ve been out of it for a few days-” He’s cut off when she starts apologizing, but he just holds up a hand to stop her. “You’re not in trouble. I just wanted to check in on you, make sure everything’s okay with you.”

Y/N smiles, glad to have someone in her life that cares about her. “I’m alright, Nick, just thinking through some stuff.”

“Would this “stuff” have anything to do with the Captain being back in town?” 

She takes in a deep breath, releasing it with her next words. “It has more to do with the fact that he’s leaving again...and he asked me to go with him.”

Nick’s eyebrows raise at hearing this, mouth falling slack before he catches himself, employing his usual trained angry expression. He clears his throat, shifting in his seat so he’s facing her more directly. “And are you? Going with him, I mean.”

A dejected sigh leaves her as she shrugs her shoulders, looking across the desk at the man who had become a father figure to her. “I don’t know.”

Nick takes a long moment to really look at her before coming to a conclusion. “I think you do.”

“Wha-” Her eyebrows dip down her face, mouth opening to question him when he continues his train of thoughts. 

“I think that you want to go. I also know you, you’re scared.”

Nick’s simple verdict stops her in place and Y/N closes her eyes, admitting to herself what he already knows about her. “I’ve been in this town my whole life. I’ve always wanted to travel, but I don’t really know what waits for me out in the world.” She pauses and bites her lip, thinking through her next words. “I love Steve, and I want to be with him. I’m just afraid of what our relationship will be like when we’re trapped on a boat together on the open sea.” With a chuckle, she looks down at her lap, fidgeting with her fingers. “We might get sick of each other after two weeks.”

“Or you might not.” She looks up in surprise at Nick’s words and he raises his hands in acknowledgement. “I know, I’ve never been the type to say to drop everything and go after a romantic interest. But, I’ve seen you together, and I’ve also seen you without him. You got just a little taste of adventure when he visited here the first time, and that opened your taste buds up for more. I don’t think you’d be able to forgive yourself if you let this opportunity pass you by.”

It’s quiet as Y/N processes Nick’s words, and she knows deep down that he’s right. 

She looks up, resolution shining in her eyes as she finally admits to herself just how much she really wants this. Nick takes in the look on her face, leaning back in his chair wearing a satisfied smile. “You better head home early tonight, looks like you’ve got some packing to do.”

She laughs, a fond smile breaking over her face. “It looks like it.”

Y/N stays in his office a little while longer, as Nick agrees to pack up what belongings she doesn’t take with her to put in storage and assuring her that while she could never be replaced, it wouldn’t be hard to fill her job at the bar. As he practically shoos her out of his establishment to begin packing, Nick walks Y/N to the door and gifts her with a bright smile by his standards.

“I’m gonna miss you, kid, be safe out on the water. And make sure you tell the captain that if anything happens to you, his head is mine.”

Y/N laughs, shaking her head at the older man. “I’ll be sure to do that.” It’s silent for a moment as she tries not to tear up. “Thank you for everything, Nick. You’ve always been good to me.”

Nick nods silently, pulling her in for a tight hug. He clears his throat, stepping away after a moment. “Now get out of here. I need a break from you, kid.”

“Oh you’ll be hearing from me, old man. You can’t get rid of me that easily,” she laughs, leaving the bar behind with a spring in her step. 

As the sun starts to creep above the horizon, coloring the skyline with oranges and pinks, Steve checks his watch one more time. Between watching the time and checking his surroundings, on the outside he looks like a man obsessed, and inside he’s starting to feel it. 

A hand lands on his shoulder and he looks up to find his first mate by his side, eyes clouded with something that Steve doesn’t want to admit looks like pity. “The cargo’s all loaded. We’re ready to set sail whenever you are, Captain.”

A solemn nod is his answer as Steve acknowledges what he’s been denying to himself for the past three days. Maybe she’s not coming. Releasing a dejected sigh, he turns around, walking beside Bucky as they make their way beside the ship is docked. Steve wasn’t expecting that when they came to the gangway, Y/N would be standing in front of it, holding a large suitcase and duffel bag, breathing heavily as though she’d just run here. 

Relief fills Steve and he couldn’t contain his smile if he tried, her name leaving his lips on a whisper to join them in the cool morning air. She returns his smile, her lips lifting peacefully before she opens them to speak. “You weren’t going to leave without me, were you?”

Steve’s eyes widen as he tries to think of something to say to reassure her that that is most definitely /not/ what he wanted, before her smile widens and she giggles at his expression. Beside him, Bucky chuckles, leaning down to leave a friendly kiss on her cheek. “Glad to have you with us, doll.” He grabs her bags, making his way onto the ship and giving her and Steve a few moments alone. 

She looks up at him, eyes soft in the morning light, and Steve’s heart decides to do back-flips in his chest because she’s here. Her voice reaches him, almost shy under his gaze as nervous fingers fidget with the locket around her neck. “Sorry I’m late.”

He immediately shakes his head, waving away her apology before reaching down to hold both of her hands in his own. “That’s okay. I’m happy you came.” He can’t express how happy he is.

She hums, stepping an inch closer to him. “I would’ve been here sooner, but the guy who asked me to meet him here wasn’t very specific on where…” She trails off, squinting her eyes up at Steve and he laughs, falling harder for her at the mischievous twinkle he finds there. “I hope you aren’t as vague when giving orders on your ship, Captain, or we might end up lost on the open sea.”

Steve pulls her closer, his hands moving from their hold on hers to resting loosely around her waist. “I would like to apologize for my unclear request. I promise it won’t happen again.” Steve’s voice is filled with mirth, but his words are genuine. No way was he going to risk losing her after just getting her back in his life.

“It better not,” she mutters, her nose bumping his gently when she goes to turn her head. Steve takes this opportunity to lean forward that last little bit, his lips finding hers like they were never parted. 

She sighs into the kiss and she leans into him, contentment and warmth filling her. The kiss isn’t intense, but it’s filled with passion, as both of them relish in being back together again. 

The blow of a horn sounds from the ship, and this time instead of making Y/N’s heart sink in her chest, she smiles, pulling away from Steve reluctantly. “I think that’s our cue to leave, Captain.”

He smiles, bumping his nose against her cheek affectionately. “I think you might be right.” He reaches down, intertwining their hands once more as they begin to walk up the gangway side by side. This harbor wasn’t her home either but now it seems she’s found one on board the Howling Commando, so she happily ascends the ship, ready to leave this small town behind.

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[crushedbyhyperbole]

Promises - Chapter Nine

Chapter Summary: Round two of their second tumble in the sack and Bucky's resolve swings like a weather vane in a storm. When the sex is amazing but you're terrified you'll lose it all, what's a guy to do?

A/N:  This is the last chapter of the Belated prologue section, and also of the smutfest… for now.  Next chapter will be back to present day, following on from chapter 1.

Warnings:  Sex, smut, oral sex, angst, more than likely some bad language - it’.   me were talking about here.  18+ only please!

PROMISES MASTERLIST  |  MAIN MASTERLIST  |  MOBILE MASTERLIST

Belated Prologue Part Eight - Satisfaction

The still air was cool and refreshing against the damp skin at his nape, and the smoke from the cigarette warmed his lungs in perfect contrast.  The sun had already started to lighten the sky to the east, turning black into Prussian blue.

There was no traffic, no people, no signs of life other than the early chorus of birds anticipating the oncoming day.  It was peaceful there, outside her apartment building with his foot jammed in the door to keep it open.  He imagined briefly that he was the only person left on earth, like maybe they’d all been snatched away to the rapture or something, or that he’d been transported into a parallel dimension where he was the only inhabitant.  The world certainly felt that empty.

He drew another lungful of smoke deep, feeling the light spread of warmth and rush of chemicals in his blood.  Smoking was something he’d picked up in the army but now he smoked as little as he could; just a few a day, and during stressful situations or if he was drinking.

It was safe to say that he was stressed.  The whole sex thing with Izzy had him walking a high-wire of jubilant completion versus the stress of failure and loss.  If this thing between them collapsed, no promises of ‘friendship first’ would save them.

You can’t think like that.  You’d do anything to keep your friendship alive.

So would she.

Would she though?

Of course she would.

 Pulling one last draw from his cigarette, he pitched the butt into the gutter.  He held the smoke in for a few seconds before blowing it out into the night and heading back inside.

Thankful for the gum, Bucky packed a few of the minty pieces into his mouth and waited for the elevator. He wondered if Izzy had fallen asleep yet.  He honestly wouldn’t mind if she had.  Bucky had already shared more intimate moments with her than he ever thought he would. Not more than he hoped, because he’d lived with these feelings for years, but he never thought he’d be able to have this, or anything close.

 Knocking on her door lightly before turning the handle, his heart quickened in his chest.  Nervous again and feeling a little on edge, he stepped in to see in her fluffy robe behind the counter in the kitchenette, making a sandwich.

“You hungry?”  She asked, looking up and doing a double-take.

Something about him or the way he was looking at her made her stop.

Bucky could see a small piece of the black lace he knew she wore and his mind was right back to the moment she’d uncovered herself for him.

He was hungry alright.

“Not for sandwiches.” He strode to her, taking the butter knife from her hand and leading her towards the bedroom.

There was something else he’d had a taste of that he wanted.  ‘Next time’, she had promised him.  Well, this was next time.  Bucky descended into that mental space where he’d found his alter ego, James. James was the kind of man who took what he wanted and, although Bucky knew he couldn’t completely be that man, he filled as much of that role as he could.  That separation from himself that was just enough to make this ok.

“Bucky, is it not too soon? Are you-?”

“James.”  He corrected her with a raised eyebrow, chastising. By way of an answer he took the hand he still held in his grip and stroked it across the front of his jeans.

Her eyes widened in surprise.  “That quick?” She was both shocked and pleased.

“That quick.”  He was almost smug about it.  “Ditch the robe.”  He instructed firmly.

 As soon as she was stood in front of him, in that lingerie, all he wanted to do was strip her. Bucky’s dreams of savouring each and every touch were overridden by James’ animal desire to have her naked and at his mercy.

Bucky freed himself of all his clothes and stood before her, hard and eager.  He fingered the thin strap of her thong, tugging it out only to let it snap back viciously against her hip.  She seemed to enjoy the sting so he did it again, causing her to bite down on her lip in a stifled but nonetheless audible moan.

“Bra off.”  He said, sliding his fingers into the cup to retrieve the blue packet he stashed there earlier.

She obeyed, watching his face as he watched her free her breasts, sliding the straps down and dropping the garment at her feet.  Her breasts were perfect.  Firm yet soft, ample but not too large, perky nipples inviting the kind of teasing she seemed to enjoy so much.

Bucky shoved her back onto the bed where she made a surprised squeak and flailed until she bounced on the mattress.  He tugged her thong down and dropped it to the floor with her bra.  He hovered over her, dragging his hands down her body, giving those soft pink nipples just enough attention to make them erect before kneeling on the floor at the foot of the bed.

She resisted when he began to part her knees.

“Relax.”  He half whispered to her as he stroked the tops of her thighs.

“I should shower.” She didn’t look at him, or couldn’t.

“I know you’re nervous.” He said, and there was no shame in that. She’d never had anyone go down on her before, she was bound to be unsure.  “But there’s no need.”

Her hands went to her face as she blushed.  It was really quite lovely how this woman he’d known almost all of his life could show him a vulnerability other than any he’d seen from her before.

“Just let me start okay?” He slid his fingers between her clenched knees.  “Count to thirty and if you don’t want me to carry on then I’ll stop, okay?”

All Bucky wanted was the chance to show her how things could be if she was with him, how he’d make her feel amazing.

“Do we need a safe word?” She said, still hiding behind her hands.

“I dunno, do we?” Bucky teased her, chuckling.  The prospect that maybe they would need one in the future gave him a little jolt of excitement.  “You can always just tap out.”  He tapped the top if her thigh three times.

“Okay.”  She heaved a deep sign, exhaling slowly to compose herself.

Bucky slid his hands between her slightly more relaxed thighs, separating them gently.  He shuffled forwards into the space he created as he hooked her right leg over his left shoulder and flattened his left palm against the soft plane of her stomach, just above her pubic bone.

“Focus on the feeling.” He placed kisses up the inside of her thigh, closer and closer to where he wanted to bury his tongue.  “Stay out of your head, okay?  I’ll be good to you, I promise.”

He winked at her and she laughed.  A nervous but light giggle.  It was short-lived.  

Bucky braced his hand on the inside of her left thigh, to keep her from clamping down on his head, as he delicately drew his tongue up over her smooth labia, tasting the sweet yet salty fluid that had already started to collect there.  The subtle musky scent of her added to the experience, and the sharp tang of rubber from the condom earlier went unnoticed after the first few passes of his tongue.

They moaned together, him losing himself in the sweet heat and subtle spasm of her core, and her trapped in the pleasure he was supplying with nothing but his tongue.

Mentally he counted to 30, half expecting her to be overcome with embarrassment and tap out early but she didn’t.  At around the 25 second mark he kissed her clit, sucking gently and circling his tongue loosely, catching the sensitive bud there a few times.  She gasped and thrust her hand into his hair, gripping tight she bore down on her own emptiness.

40 seconds and she hadn’t stopped him.  Grinning, he continued until she was practically grinding against his mouth, all wet and needy.  Her smooth and hairless cunt pulsed in appreciation of his attention.

Christ, she was sexy as hell.  How could he ever go back to just being friends after this.  He wanted her so badly, needed her almost as bad as he needed air to breathe.

She came apart, crying out some incoherent prayer in a gasping moan that sent a spasm right down to his cock.

“Ohmygod!”  Her words ran together in a slur as she came back to herself.  “I never thought…”  She giggled.

Smug, Bucky leant down one last time to suck a kiss against her swollen clitoris, earning himself a secondary cry as she bucked to get away.

“I know you don’t have anything to compare it to but I hope that wasn’t too bad.”  He was being falsely humble.  He knew he’d renewed her faith in men giving her oral.

She laughed, spluttering into a cough.

“Slight understatement.” She choked out when she stopped coughing.  “I’m not all that good at sucking a dick but I’ll do my best.”

As Izzy repositioned herself so she could sit on the bed and have his cock at face-level if he stood, Bucky reached to stop her.

“Next time.”  There was a promise there.  “This time was for you, to make up for no one ever taking care of business for you.”

“Right.”  She blushed.  “That’s awfully generous of you.”

Bucky knew she intended no sarcasm there, but her tone… was she annoyed?

“Giving the poor neglected damsel all of the pleasure and taking none for yourself?”  She flirted.  “Selfless.”  She mothed the last word almost silently as she smirked.

“I wouldn’t say I got nothing out of it.”  Bucky stood up, confidently, lifting her hand to his throbbing cock.

He was solid and unyielding in her hand, skin stretched taught, a deep blush shading the weeping tip.

He sighed heavily as she stroked him gently.  Too gently. He wanted friction, needed to feel her tight around him.

She licked her lips and leant forward, pressing a delicate kiss to his swollen head.

She kissed the tip!

He chewed his lower lip, a dilemma churning behind his adoring eyes.  Let her continue? Or keep to his promise of ‘next time’?

Izzy parted her lips, kissing him less chastely, if laying her lips on his cock could be classed as chaste in the first place.  A gentle lick of her hot tongue and his eyes fluttered closed.  Her tongue trailed lazily around the ridge, slowly teasing him until pre-come beaded at his slit and she dipped the tip of her tongue into the opening to taste him.

She moaned, opening up and letting him slide over her tongue and into her mouth where she sealed her mouth and sucked him deeper.  Her lips stretched around him and she drew pleasure from him in a torturously slow tease.

“Jesus, Bella…”  Her requested title gave her more power over him, he thought.  There was something supernatural about them together, like this.  Something in the way her big green eyes met his that had his balls tightening.

She played her tongue over his most sensitive areas, using her hand now to stroke where the absence of her lips left him neglected.  He ran his fingers into her hair as he watched her, so sexy and confident.

Then she did something different.  He didn’t know what exactly but it had him seeing stars.

Nope!  Not gonna last long like this.

“Ahhhh… ‘m gonna have to stop you there or this’ll be over too soon to be good for you.”  Bucky wasn’t embarrassed, it was merely a fact. She should know what she did to him, not many women had affected him like her, no other women, in fact.

Gently he extracted himself from her mouth and then her grip.  The cool air in contrast to her warm mouth was enough to cause an ache.

“It’s already been good for me.”  She wiped the corners of her mouth with the delicate swipe of her index finger.  Even that was sexy for fuck sake.  “Great, I mean.”

“I can’t have you thinking that I’ve got no staying power, not so soon into this thing.  It’s a matter of male pride.”  He explained with a teasing tone.  It was unnerving how easy it was to talk to her like this, as if their friendship had already grown to adapt to this new addition.

Bucky thought then that this would be what a relationship with her would be like; open and trusting, completely honest and full of respect for one another, while still being playful and full of fun.

“What about how it makes me feel, knowing that I can affect you like that?”  She flirted.

You do!  Jesus Christ knows you do!  If you could only see into my head you’d know exactly how you make me feel, because god knows the words can’t come out of my mouth. Promises I made to you and to myself, they’re like chains I chose for myself just to keep you with me.  If only…

Bucky knew she was teasing him, playing a role in this thing they were doing together, just as he was playing the role of James, she was Bella, her own alter ego so to speak.

“Trust me, I’m already weak at the knees.”  He gave her his most charming smile as she got up to use the bathroom.

 Bucky had started to go soft by the time he reached for the condom.

“Can I help you with that?” She had this cheeky smirk that made him want to fill her mouth with his cock just to wipe it off face.

He ran his hand into her hair, smoothing it back from her face as he silently guided her forward. She eagerly took him in hand and licked a long broad line all the way up the underside of his waning erection, swirling her tongue around the tip before flickering it firmly over him creating an intense sensation that had the blood rushing back with an almost painful speed.

Bucky allowed her to continue for a few more moments.  “I think you might have told me some fibs.”  He drew her off him and tore open the blue packet.

“Oh?”  She stood, turned and knelt on the edge of the bed, telling him what she wanted from him with her actions alone.  “What did I lie about?”

“You said you weren’t good at giving head.”  He rolled the condom down and smoothed out the kinks before stepping up behind her and stroking his hands across her perfectly presented ass cheeks.

“I’m not.”  Izzy looked at him over her shoulder.  “Maybe you’re just easily pleased.”

The tip of his sheathed cock rested at her entrance as he pondered her statement.  That wasn’t it at all.  He could come quickly if he needed to but no one had ever driven him to the edge when he’d been trying to hold back.

“We’ll see.”  Was all he said before he thrust forward firmly with an even pace.

She was tight in a different way like this, bent over with her hips and ass up in the air.  The angle of her passage was different and it felt amazing in its otherness, pulling on his cock, bending it down slightly.  

Soon Izzy was clenching down on him, making him feel like he was pushing through treacle, the force of her muscles against him created such intense pressure that he felt his orgasm building far sooner than he wanted.

She gasped as he thrust faster, disrupting the steady grip and relax of her walls as he brushed against her pleasure centre.  His hands firm on her hips, pulling her pack against him harder and faster.  The slap of his hips against her ass and the backs of her thighs was verging on obscene.

Bucky wasn’t going to last like this either, but luckily neither was she.  With on hand gripping her shoulder and the other splayed on her spine between her hips, he fucked her ruthlessly.  The louder she cried out the harder he pounded her until she uttered a low moan that sounded almost animal in nature.  She pulsed and spasmed around him as he threw one final thrust into her, feeling the burst of bright ecstasy behind his eyes and in his cock as he came brutally hard.

Their joint grunts and moans subsided as they slowed, riding the last dregs of pleasure, feeling it seep away leaving lethargy and heavy limbs behind.

Izzy collapsed forward with her arms tucked under her and her ass still arched up, she just lay there panting.  Bucky had to admit that was a sight he would never forget.  Her core looked red and swollen and still twitched from the occasional aftershock of her orgasm, he’d fucked her good and proper.

He grinned, elated.

 The silence was a little awkward as he picked up his things and disappeared into the bathroom to clean up. The buzz of his post sex glow tingled all over his body.  He’d had great sex before and was pretty competent when it came to finding his way around a woman’s body but sex with Izzy was mind blowing.  There was an extra level of connection there, his feelings towards her definitely contributing.  He had no idea how he was going to keep the sex and love separate. It wasn’t her problem though, he’d promised himself never to burden her with his baggage, never to tell her how he felt and ruin everything.

Bucky and Izzy fell back into their friendzone interactions easily enough once they were both dressed.  It felt comfortable now, the level of detachment clearly working for Her.

I can do this. He told himself.  Be with her like this.  I can do anything for her.

  It wasn’t difficult for Bucky and Izzy to continue their friendship as it had been and also maintain their dirty secret.  After the first few sex-filled weeks they found a routine where a few times a month they’d arrange something more clandestine than the usual nights out or dinner dates with Steve and their mutual group of friends.  They were careful and no one was any the wiser.

 Izzy was the first to pick up a boyfriend and so she and Bucky stopped their friends with benefits arrangement.  It only lasted a few weeks before Izzy was calling it off, stating that the new guy just didn’t ‘do it’ for her.  Bucky couldn’t lie to himself, he was jealous of the new guy but kept it to himself. He was secretly very pleased to hear that the now ‘ex new guy’ hadn’t survived the 2 month mark.  There were others but Izzy’s longest relationship since she’d first slept with Bucky was only 3 months.

Bucky tried seeing other women but he found that non of them compared to Izzy.  He mainly used the opportunity to make sure she didn’t think he was catching feelings, and also to take a step back when he was feeling overwhelmed with his unrequited love for her.  His longest relationship was 9 weeks.

Bucky knew how fucked up it all was, the hollow relationships and leading women on when he couldn’t love them, but it was working for him, working for Izzy.  He worried that if she thought he was falling for her that it would scare her off, so for over three years they maintained their status quo and he hid his feelings as he had done all of his teen and adult life.

Nothing ever stays the same, however.  It’s the very nature of the universe to drive change.  Entropy – chaos from order. It was only a matter of time before things came crashing down around him.