#I blame boredom sitting in the waiting room

[filet-o-feelings]

I usually hate getting my oil changed because there's too many noises at the dealership, but it’s quiet today and I got an iced coffee for the first time in weeks AND I got to pet a dog! It's shaping up to be a pretty good day.

[writershapeholeonthedoor]

Tattooed heart

Pairing: Elizabeth Olsen x Fem!Reader

Summary: You have tattoos everywhere and your girlfriend suffers from severe anxiety. You learned to walk around with Sharpies to help her out.

Disclaimer: English is not my first language. TW for anxiety attacks.

MASTERLIST

The room was crowded to the point where you couldn’t even see the exit doors in the back.

That always made you a bit nervous, of course, but mostly because it usually meant your interview would go on forever until people were satisfied by it. Those types of venues were always endless, but it was even worse when there were so many people attending the panels. Don’t get it wrong, you love attending the coms and meeting the fans to debate the characters and movies, and just the entire MCU universe as a whole, but you were only human and, after spending so long being a part of this, you got a bit tired.

Although the interview was going on forever, you weren’t surprised by the amount of people reunited to see you guys talking. It was hard to have most of the Marvel actors in one single interview, after all, so you were already expecting people to crowd the room and want to ask everyone a million questions. The new Avengers movie was coming up, the trailer had dropped just the day prior, and people were excited to know more. You couldn’t blame them.

You had been listening to Evans give out an overly complex reply to a question someone made him for a while now when you noticed Elizabeth squirming in her chair beside you. She was sitting to your right at the large table where you all were and she had answered a few questions as well, although that was the first time you noticed that she wasn’t moving out of boredom or to adjust in her chair again. She was restless, you noticed by the way she looked down at her legs and by the way her fingers pulled at her dress as if she was trying to get rid of a crinkle that didn’t exist.

Over the years, you learned to read her.

When you first met, three years ago, you were immediately drawn to Elizabeth. At the time, she had red hair thanks to her Marvel character, she was wearing black clothes and she had a fake scar above her eyebrow since you met between takes of the new movie you were both going to be a part of. That wasn’t your first Marvel movie, neither was hers, but that was the first time you were going to share the screen. You had heard about her before, obviously, but nothing had prepared you for how it would feel to meet Elizabeth Olsen in person.

You felt attracted to her since the first day, but you weren’t brave enough to make a move, so you spent the next two months of shooting crushing on her in silence - at least to her because you sang like a canary to all of your castmates to the point where they had to make an intervention because no one could take more of your daydreaming about Elizabeth without doing anything about it. That worked, though, and you found yourself sweating like crazy just a week before the movie wrapped while you waited for Elizabeth to finish her scenes for the day.

You had been nervous for no reason, as your castmates predicted, because Elizabeth said ‘yes’ after you managed to spit out your question and you both went for your first date two days later. That night, Elizabeth admitted she wanted to ask you out since the first day too, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

“I’m glad you’re more brave than I am,” she whispered shyly when you were holding hands on top of the table. “I’m too anxious to have managed to actually ask you out.”

But that had been it.

You have been inseparable ever since.

Well, besides when you were both working, of course. You hadn’t made any more movies together since your characters took different turns, but you and Elizabeth were able to move heaven and Earth to make your relationship work no matter what.

As the years went by, you learned to read Elizabeth as easily as an open book. You knew when she was stressed and needed to spend some time in her garden to relax. You knew when Elizabeth was cooking because she wanted to, when she was doing it because she had to eat and when she was stress-cooking. You knew when she liked the movie you were watching by the way she bit her lip and when she couldn’t care less about what was on the TV by the way she kept sighing. There were many little things about Elizabeth that you took notice of over the years, things that you carefully stocked in your memories because they were all details that made you love her more and more every day.

However, there was one thing you made a bigger effort to keep track of.

Her anxiety.

Elizabeth has been suffering from severe anxiety for many years now. She had talked about it in interviews and other things, but no one could understand the magnitude of her anxiety attacks unless they experienced it in person. You had been there to a fair share of them since you met, from the smaller ones where she would complain about feeling like a small weight in her chest to the bigger ones where you had to rush her to the hospital because you honestly thought she was about to have a heart attack. Since that day, you had vowed to always be attuned to the signals of her crisis so you could help Elizabeth get out of them before things got too hard for her to handle.

Elizabeth used to apologize every single time about it, about how she sometimes wouldn’t want to leave the house, how sometimes she would ask you to leave the restaurant that took you both so long to get a table at, how sometimes she needed to sit in complete silence to get herself together, but you always made sure to tell her it wasn’t her fault. Elizabeth had struggled with anxiety, panic attacks and social anxiety for many years now not because she wanted to, but because the media had chased her since she was young and she had grown in fear. That was something she struggled with and something you could help her with.

Or try your best, at the very least.

Since you knew about all of this, you easily realized Elizabeth’s anxiety was making an appearance, slipping through her very strong grip. You could see by the way her green eyes started moving around without focusing on anything, how her jaw clenched, how her breath became heavier and how her fingers kept picking at her dress. Evans was still talking and there was a microphone in front of you, not to mention how there were literally hundreds of eyes and cameras staring at you at that moment, so you couldn’t take her hands and ask her to breathe with you like you usually did.

You had to think fast, however, because Elizabeth’s anxiety escalates quickly and you wouldn’t want that to happen in a room filled with strangers since that was probably the reason why it was happening anyway. Elizabeth had gotten better at dealing with attending those events, giving interviews and talking with fans, but that didn’t mean she didn’t struggle every once in a while. It was still something that wasn’t easy for her, something that made her natural instincts ask her to run away as fast as she could.

Those long interviews made you tired, but they absolutely terrified Elizabeth. She hated the crowded room because she couldn’t spot the exit and her brain would play little tricks at her saying that, if something bad happened, there weren’t enough emergency doors to take everyone out safely. The cameras pointed at her made her overly conscious of every move she made, afraid of what people might capture to spread around. The screams and yells that the fans let go every once in a while made her ears hurt and her insides churn. It was awful.

Averting your eyes so people wouldn’t notice you had been watching her, you placed a gentle hand on her thigh under the table to offer her some comfort. That made Elizabeth jump in surprise, though, since she hadn’t been expecting it, so you quickly removed your hand and offered her a small smile in apology when she glanced at you. You felt bad about it, especially when you noticed the fear in her eyes, but you still tried to calm her down by offering her a smile.

Some of her tension washed away and her shoulders relaxed enough for you to feel safe to touch her again. When your hand touched her thigh this time around, Elizabeth was expecting it and she allowed the touch with a sigh. She threw you a thankful look before turning her head to the side to pay attention to what was being said in case anyone decided to pull her into the conversation, something you also tried to do.

Luckily - so damn luck, indeed - the interview ended just a few minutes after that. You played your part waving at the fans and offering them smiles, but you still held Elizabeth’s hand to pull her away from there as fast as you could without actually running. You were both sitting in the middle of the large table so it wasn’t an easy task. However, your eyes met Zendaya’s eyes for a moment and the girl wasted no time trying to discreetly move everyone out of the way so you could walk past with Elizabeth.

You took your girlfriend backstage and avoided everyone who tried to talk with you on the way until you found a quiet corner to sit down with her. You sat her down on top of a large technical equipment box and you jumped up to sit beside her, already shoving your hand inside your pocket to remove the three Sharpies you had taken with you that day. Green, blue and lilac were the colors you took from the case before leaving the hotel room that afternoon, and you didn’t think twice before handing them to her.

“Come on, I’m your canvas,” you told her lightly while reaching out your arm to her.

Your right arm was filled with tattoos from your shoulders to your wrist. That was something that made many casting directors frown to, but you loved it. That’s the way you find to express yourself and something you cherish. The tattoos were all blackwork, which means they didn’t have any colors added to them, and they were all different drawings that entwined between them thanks to the amazing work of your tattoo artist.

The first time Elizabeth ever drew on your skin was when you took her to the hospital that fateful day. You had seen your girlfriend looking so sad and scared lying down in a hospital bed after the doctor left saying it had been an anxiety attack that you just had to do something. You knew Elizabeth liked to use her hands to help herself calm down because she would run to her garden and spend hours there tending to the plants, putting her hands in the dirt and delicately touching every leaf. That’s why you took the pen that the doctor left behind without noticing and started to look for something she could write on, but there was nothing.

So, you just handed her the pen and told her to write something on your arm.

Elizabeth had looked at you like you were insane for even suggesting it and it took you a while to convince her to give it a try, however, it played out perfectly in the end. Elizabeth spent hours using the blue pen to color your tattoos and it did wonderful things to her anxiety. When the doctor returned, he was happy to say she was good to go and you were just glad that Elizabeth was back to her usual self asking you if you could stop somewhere to eat.

It wasn’t a perfect solution. It was temporary since it usually just calmed her down enough to keep going for a few more hours, but Elizabeth still needed to fully relax in silence, go to her garden or take a warm bath to avoid any real crisis. But that didn’t stop you from buying several Sharpies from different colors to have them around anytime she might need them. You made a habit out of walking around with them inside your pockets and Elizabeth stopped resisting using them to draw on you.

Sure, Elizabeth suggested she buy a notepad to carry with her, but you told her you didn’t mind being her personal canvas. You liked how she touched your skin gently with one hand while she used the other one to color your tattoos. You found it mesmerizing how she managed to make different details every time she drew on you. And you were just glad to be able to help her. Of course, you told Elizabeth it was okay if she preferred to have some paper to draw on, but luckily she didn’t argue against painting your arm instead.

It worked.

And that would have to do because you couldn’t take her to the hotel room you were sharing yet and it was clear that Elizabeth wasn’t feeling great.

“No,” your girlfriend said without taking the Sharpies from you. “We still have more interviews today.”

“Exactly,” you argued. “That’s fine. You know I don’t mind it.”

“People will make questions,” Elizabeth insisted, but it held no real resistance behind her words anymore. She was already taking the pens from you and you smiled happily at that.

“Let them,” was your reply.

A second later, Elizabeth took the green Sharpie to start painting one of the tattoos on the back of your arm.

When your castmates found you both, your skin was a mix of green, blue and lilac already, and Elizabeth's full attention was on the task in her hands. She didn’t look about to lose her mind anymore, her breathing was normal again, her hands weren’t shaking and her frown was purely because she was trying to keep the colors inside the line and not because she was in panic. Your friends gave you space because they didn’t want her to feel crowded again, but Holland lent you his jacket while you were all walking to the next interview to avoid questions and Elizabeth kissed your lips just before going on stage.

“You’re the best girlfriend in the world,” Elizabeth whispered against your skin.

You shrugged it off and leaned to kiss her forehead. “I love you,” you reminded her gently aware that you would climb every mountain and swim every ocean to make her happy.

[queenimmadolla]

Hey, me again! Sorry to bother you but I wondering if I can send a request about my favourite family (but of course remember to take the time you need to write this or completely ignore this request if you don't like it)? I was thinking about the reader coming back home from an afternoon with the other girls and once she comes back, she sees the most adorable scenario she has ever seen. Eddie and the other boys sitting on the tiniest chairs ever, wearing tiaras, make up, fake earrings, playing having tea with Penny and her stuffed animals. Idk, I thought it was cute😅

But Again, feel free to ignore this request if you don't want to write it. Thank you and I hope you have a nice day❤️

this was such a cute request for them and i enjoyed every single second of writing it. i hope i did it justice and i hope you enjoy!

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

(girl dad!eddie munson x mom!reader/pregnant!reader)

warnings: imagery of men in terrible makeup and mentions of pregnancy (reader is pregnant) more penny, eddie and reader (and baby wayne) adventures here :)

If someone were to have told younger you, you’d be a mom before you were the age of 21, you probably would have punched them in the face, strictly because of the implication and the jinxing. While having a baby was something you entertained after seeing a particularly cute one out in the world or something, you weren’t overly fond of the idea of raising a tiny human with someone or even on your own. You considered yourself much too selfish for that. 

  …However, if someone were to have told you you’d have Eddie Munson’s–one of three local freaks and town urban legend in the making—babies, you probably would have given them the keys to your car and maybe the deed to your parents’ home.

  Your crush on the metal head had a lasting effect on you. When you’d actually begun dating him, falling head over ass in love, being with him was all that mattered to you and it didn’t feel pathetic because it was all he wanted, too. 

  Immediately after graduation came marriage and then Penny, your cute little Oopsie as Eddie referred to her when she was in your tummy. You preferred it over his original nickname for her, which was Creampie, seeing as how he was sure that was how she’d been conceived. You forced him to change it.

  Of course, since you had said baby with another on the way, you had to provide for them. Eddie had already been employed at an autoshop—his skill with the mechanics of a car was probably what led to Penny’s conception, you just couldn’t help yourself when faced with Grease Monkey Eddie—and Eden got you a job with her at her father’s firm as his partner’s receptionist.

  It worked out pretty well, Eden didn’t have a car so you’d pick her up before work since she’d rather jump off her roof than drive with her dad, who was also her boss, then afterwards you’d drive back to the trailer where Eddie and Argyle would be waiting for the two of you (if Argyle wasn’t off, she’d chill with your little family until he came to get her because she didn’t want to go home and you couldn’t blame her).

  Normally, your job wasn’t super stressful, you’d just been exhausted lately, though you didn’t exert yourself (Eddie would never allow it). 

  Today you had felt every agonizing second of the work day, it had been so slow. You’d done all the filing, made all the copies, called all the people, there just hadn’t been as much going on as usual and after you’d managed to make it to lunch time, the last half of your shift was spent staring across the room at Eden, both of you blinking owlishly at each other, staring contests, trying to get paper airplanes to reach the other, anything to stave off the boredom. Suddenly, you couldn’t wait til you could take maternity leave. 

  After work, you’d both practically sprinted to your car, the ride was spent bitching about the work day. The closer you got to your home, the more life you felt began to fill you; energy the work day had sucked away returning to you at the notion of seeing Eddie and Penny.

  If you had known exactly what you’d be walking into, you may have transcended into a higher level of joy.

  You and Eden were still chatting as you shut your car doors, still shedding the weight of the work day. She’d been talking about moving in with Argyle, something she was desperate to do but her parents were still hesitant about when you unlocked the front door, pushing it open for her.

  Eden had walked through the doorway and stopped, causing you to run into her back. 

  “What’s the hold up?” You asked, peering around her shorter frame. The sight made you gasp.

  “Hi, honey!” Eddie greeted you, grin so wide it almost looked like it hurt.

  Eddie, Argyle and Jonathan—always dragged around with Argyle—were crouched in tiny pink plastic chairs (much too small for them to actually allow their weight to rest in, lest they break them) around the small table in the living room, which was cluttered with various kitchen utensils and Penny’s pink tea set. 

  Not an unusual sight, since they always indulge your three year old. What was new was the bright colors adorning their faces.

  Eddie had on bright purple eyeshadow (complete with poorly replicated wings of eyeliner), cheeks powdered with an even brighter pink and lips coated in a deep shade of red lipstick, meticulously applied judging by the precision. Pink clip-on earrings dangled from his lobes and around his waist was one of Penny's pink tutus—stretched to its limit.

  Argyle’s long dark locks were in two high, messy ponytails. His eyes were decorated with a blue eyeshadow (ruined with various marks and stains of mascara), cheeks powdered bright red and lips a coral orange. His tutu was purple and his earrings were red.

  But Jonathan…oh, Jonathan. His eyeshadow was pink, cheeks pink, and lipstick a bright red. Penny was always more gentle with Jonathan, for some reason. His makeup didn’t look as messily applied as the majority of Argyle’s and Eddie’s. Unlike with them, Penny had attempted to draw on eyelashes for him, and he had smatterings of glitter sporadically around his face. Not only did he have one of her pink tutus and green earrings, he also got the privilege of wearing her favorite pair of fairy wings.

  He refused to make eye contact with you, staring into the tiny, plastic tea cup clenched in his hand.

  “Hi, babe. What happened here?” You asked, hand moving to hide your smile, though you were pretty sure it was obvious. Penny—dressed in her pink princess dress and a purple feather boa, pretty little face also covered in makeup with a plastic crown carefully placed on her head to make sure her curls didn’t get tangled in the combs of it (Eddie had to have put it on her)—returned from the hallway closet where her toy box was located, arms full of her stuffed animals, all of which she dropped the moment she saw you.

  “Mommy!” She squealed and you squatted down to allow her to run into your arms as Eden stepped out of the way and disappeared into your room. “LOOK, MOMMY! I made daddy and unca Ahgle and unca Johnny puddy!”

  “Uh huh,” was all you could say without laughing. 

  “We awe having a tea pa’ty.” Penny informed you after she’d unwound her arms from around you, giving your baby bump a gentle pat before she ran back over to scoop up her stuffies. They were placed in the other empty plastic chairs surrounding the table and actually looked like they fit in the tiny seats, unlike the grown men.

  “Do you think I’m pretty, mama?” Eddie asked, batting his eyelashes at you with his red lips pulled into a mischievous smirk. Eddie was no stranger to makeup, you’d done his eyeliner for gigs plenty of times and he could now do it on his own, but that only involved lining his waterline and tightlining, not wings. 

  He and Jonathan had silently stared at themselves in the bedroom mirror, self reflecting on how they got themselves in this position, for longer than either of them would care to admit. But Eddie would do anything for Penny and he knew you would get a crack out of seeing him like this.

  Argyle was too high (it was a perpetual thing at this point, he’d been stuck in a high since back in high school) to care, although he’d wanted his ponytails braided and Penny wouldn’t allow it.

  “I think you’re something,” You offered through your giggles and Eddie chuckled along with you, stopping only when a flash of bright light momentarily lit up the room and blinded him. 

  Eden lowered the Polaroid camera she’d retrieved from your room, plucking the picture that whirled out. 

  She shook it briefly and examined the developing photo with a careful eye before she smirked. 

  “Oh, this is a good one. I gotta make a copy of this for Nance.” 

  Jonathan stood up then, kind of. His butt was still stuck in the tiny chair so it went with him. “Eden, give me the photo.”

  Eden took that as her cue to take another one, cackling as she grabbed the film. 

  Jonathan began to advance. 

  “Eden—I mean it, give me the pictures—EDEN!” He shouted as she bolted out of the front door. He ran (as best as he could with a tiny chair attached to his ass) after her with Argyle following him to play instigator. 

  “Run, baby, run!” Then when he realized he’d be in both pictures as well, “GET HER, JONATHAN!”

  Eddie was howling with laughter, causing Penny to join in even though she hadn’t been paying attention to what was going on. Once he calmed down, he stood up from his chair, pulling the thing off of his hips, he moved it to the side and sat on the carpet, patting the spot between his legs to beckon you over. 

  You set your bag on the counter and went over to join them, settling between his legs as you leaned back into his chest with his encouragement for cuddles. Eddie pressed a kiss to your forehead, no doubt leaving a kiss stain as Penny set a little tea cup on a plastic plate down in front of you.

  “He’we you go, mama.” 

  “Oh, thank you, Penny!” You lifted the teacup by its tiny handle and pretended to take a sip. “That’s very good!”

  “Yes,” she stated, pleased and already distracted with arranging her stuffed animals in their seats.

  “Long day?” Eddie asked, mumbling against the side of your head as he continued to press kisses wherever his lips could reach. He’d clocked the lingering bits of tension and stress on you the moment you’d walked into the trailer, he also swore he had a sixth sense tied to you somehow, because he could always tell when something was wrong. He’d get bouts of anxiety at work and come home to find out you’d had a terrible day, so he’d taken to just calling you when the feeling popped up. 

  He hadn’t been wrong yet.

  “Yeah,” You sighed, turning onto your side as you burrowed further into Eddie and the soft shirt he wore. “It’s better now, though.”

  He hummed as you lifted your head, lips puckered.  With a grin, he closed the small distance, giving you your ‘welcome home’ kiss.

  “Awww!”

  You broke away, the two of you smiling as your attention was drawn to your daughter, who looked shy and had a small smile of her own as she wrung her little hands together.

  “You kissed.” 

  Eddie chuckled, chest shaking against you. 

  “We’ve kissed before, baby.” He pointed out. She’d witnessed you exchange thousands of (appropriate) kisses in front of her but lately she’d been cooing every time Eddie showed you affection. You thought she may like seeing you two love each other like the couples in the cartoons she watched.

  “Yes.” She giggled into her little palms, shoulders rising as she became even more bashful.

  You shook your head in amusement, raising a hand to rest your chin in, thumb absentmindedly stroking over your lower lip. You were surprised to see a shade of red over the skin of your thumb, considering you’d worn a nude shade of lipstick.

  Oh. Eddie’s lipstick. Right.

  Then you got to thinking about it, the gears in your head turning as your eyebrows furrowed. 

  “Eddie?”

  “Yes?” 

  “Where’d you get this makeup?”

  Eddie and Penny exchanged nervous glances and there was a long pause in between your question and his answer, deciding to try to get out of this like his daughter often tried to.

  “Yes.”

  “Eddie, is this my makeup?!”

  “Baby, I have to go pee, can you move real quick?”

  “You’re not getting away, answer the question!”

  Yes. It was your makeup.

[dr3amlab]

5. wicked games, dm.

SUMMARY — Y/N Gorgon and Draco Malfoy have a long history of mutual hatred. You see, the two of them have been pulling pranks on each other since their 1st year at Hogwarts, to the dismay of their close friends and supervisors. However, after a prank left Y/N completely out of her mind, she decides that she'll pull her cruelest prank yet on Draco by pretending to be his secret admirer.

PAIRING — Draco Malfoy x reader

GENRE — series, enemies to lovers, rival, comedy (?)

WORD COUNT — 1894 words.

AUTHOR’S NOTE — sorry for the wait, uni is killing my ass 😭 I CAN'T FIGURE OUT TUMBLR FOR MY LIFE IM SORRY GUYS

PARTS. 1 2 3 4 5 6 finale

TAGLIST — @hopefulfuturenovelauthor​ @charlenasaxen​ @johnmurphys-sass​  @alittlebitofinsanitea​ @islayedyourmom @dramatic-long-coats @slashermadness @marplest @whosyourgnomie4 @makhaia @louieblue2 @born2222die @nikki-89 @jamlessgucciswegsunshineot7

V. WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?

Quiet. Everything was oddly quiet. Nothing or no one was bothering you, and everything seemed to go your way for the past week. Peaceful and quiet. Just how you like it. You knew you should be enjoying these peaceful moments as long as they lasted, but why do you feel so unfulfilled?

It was saturday and most of the students, including Athena, were enjoying their afternoon in Hogsmeade. with company of their friends. As for you, you decided to stay in your dorm for, even if Athena begged you relentlessly, you didn’t really feel like going out as last week’s events drained you mentally. But, no panick! You were not completely alone : Boredom and the heavy feeling of emptiness were so nice that they decided to grace you with their presence. 

To anyone who would set eyes on you right now, you looked like you carried the entire world’s burdens on your shoulders : you were sitting lazily on one of the couches of the common room, arm resting on the couch and your cheek resting on your hand all while looking at the floor with empty eyes.

Though, who could blame you? You were bored out of your mind : for the past weeks, sending anonymous letters to Draco Malfoy was your only source of entertainment and now that you had to stop, for your own sake, you felt like time refused to pass by.

In the best of worlds, you would still be having the time of your life by taunting Draco and you wouldn’t be having romantic feelings for anyone. 

However, this was not the case. Without you even realizing, you were beaten at your own game. You fell for draco during the process of writing him letters and you fell hard. 

Still, something was tormenting your mind : Why was Draco being so lowkey? It’s been a week since you had stopped giving him the letters and he didn’t do anything. You thought that it was weird ; His secret admirer bid him farewell and he didn’t even react. If this ever happened to you, you would travel the world and the seven seas to find them but Draco didn’t manifest any interest in looking for them. Zero interest. Nada. 

His strangely discreet demeanor was confusing you : Was he mourning the loss of his secret admirer? Did your prank scar his heart? Or, did he somehow find out that you wrote the later? If so how did he find out ? What has he been up to? Those questions kept repeating over and over again in your mind and, honestly, you felt like you were about to go insane. You were almost about to tear your hair out of your scalp. Literally.

Something was going to happen, you felt it. And it was not a good omen. Something was about to happen and it was not going to be to your advantage. In a way, the ball was in Draco’s court. You have no control of his next move and that was making you sick. But did Draco even receive the said ball?  Did he even get the ball you passed to him? Did he even know about the ba— "Snap out of it, Y/N!" you mumbled to yourself.

You’re looked away from the ground to take conscience of your current state : You were biting your nails while slightly shaking your leg. In other words, you looked like a complete maniac.

"Y/N." A hand softly touched your right shoulder and you snapped your head towards the said direction, "Are you okay? Is something bothering you?" You let out a sigh of relief when you saw Fides, your fellow Slytherin. "Oh—hey Fides!" you exclaimed,  "you scared me!" you said as you put your hand on your heart to feel your racing heartbeat. Fides’ lips curled into an apologetic smile, "my bad, I didn’t mean to!" She sat next to you, "are you okay? you don’t look so good."

For a moment, your mind wandered to Draco and the worries he drowned your mind with. You slightly opened your mouth ready to tell her what was really bothering you without omitting any detail but after a second of reflexion, you gave her a closed lip smile, "no, Fides, nothing is bothering me," you said softly, "thank you for your concern." Fides smiled at you, "If you ever need to talk to someone, I'm here," she beamed. You squeezed her hand, "thank you." 

"So, what's the latest news?" You asked to change the subject. Fides was always aware of every single thing that was going around in Hogwarts. She knew everyone's business from the teachers to the first years. Fides probably even knows your family's deepest darkest secrets and you'll never know how she had found out. It was pretty entertaining to hear her gossip unless she knew your secrets.

Fides' face lit up as soon as the question left your lips. It seemed as if she had been waiting impatiently for you to ask her, "okay, so you'll never guess this. I promise you'll have the time of your life with this information!" Fides got comfortable on the couch, "There has been rumors than Draco was receiving letters from a secret admirer right. I'm talking about actual love letters," she began explaining, "it has been going on for like⏤ I don't know, months and he never found out their identity," fides said, "shit, I've been trying to find out who the hell they were and I didn't even find out." 

Discreetly, you let out a sigh of relief, if Fides ever finds out first that you were the 'secret admirer', you were done for.  First of all, the entire universe would be aware that you wrote letters to draco. And, even though Fides was a nice girl, she had tendencies to run her mouth ; She would not hesitate twice to spread rumors about anyone, even her closest friends. 

 "Oh. My. Merlin! Draco has a secret admirer? please tell me it's a joke!" You pretended to be shocked, "Girl, even I was flabbergasted! like⏤ Who in their right mind would genuinely like Malfoy?" Fides laughed, "pff! yeah, right⎯ for real." You let out a forced laugh, "so what happens next?" you stopped laughing immediately and coughed. 

"You're going to need to brace yourself for this part." She came closer to you, "Apparently, Draco found out who it is and is about to confront them soon," she whispered, " I heard he got the info from a first year. Somebody saw Draco extorting the information out of the poor boy," she pursed her lips, "this is exclusive news, you're the first one to know this." Your heart dropped and your mouth hung slightly open, "I know right! I had the same reaction!" she slapped your shoulder, "I wonder who it is ! do you think they'll end up together? »

Draco had found out. Draco had found out and knowing him, he probably found a way to bring the gossip to Fides’ ears for he knew damn well that she would tell you and therefore, inform you that he knew. One thing is for sure, Malfoy's revenge was going to be violent and you only have to shelter yourself from the storm that was coming. 

You were probably thinking so much about him that you manifested his presence accidentally : you felt like you've summoned a demon for, suddenly, you saw his dark silhouette come through the door of the common room and his eyes immediately found yours as if the first thing he had planned to do when he would step foot into the common room was to find your eyes. 

Draco didn't walk further into the room. Instead, he stood tall not so far from the door with both of his hands in the pockets of his black pants. Malfoy did not break eye contact with you as he slightly tilted his head to the right while giving you a smirk.

As you maintained eye contact with him, you felt like your entire world was burning, but you didn't seem to mind because you were only thinking about one thing : did you always notice how handsome Draco is?

Draco saw how your face decomposed at the sight of him. He saw how you didn't even care about any of the nonsense that was probably coming out of Fides' mouth and how your focus was solely on him.

Draco's smirk only grew bigger when he saw you get up off the couch and he almost laughed out loud at the sight of Fides' confused face. Malfoy stood on his ground with his head held high as he watched you lope towards him with a rather angry expression on your face.

'How cute,' he found himself thinking as he stared at your face. You were probably as angry as ever, but how did you manage to still look so cute. Did Draco always notice how cute you were? Perhaps he always did or perhaps he never did but that's something he'll sort out later for right now, he needed to be focused on taunting you.

"So, you found out." You crossed your arms. "Yeah, I did." Draco mimicked your body language, "I honestly didn't know that you would stoop this low Y/N, really. Playing with one's feelings? Even I didn't think about pranking you like that," he fake pouted, "Oh come on Draco," you scoffed, "you're talking about morals? Don't act like for the past six years, you didn't do something equally as bad," you retorted, "You're just mad that you didn't come up with this idea before me. Admit it." Draco shrugged his shoulders while displaying a stupid smirk on his face, "Maybe I am," he said nonchalantly.

"What now? Are you going to get back at me or did I win the game?" you asked, "I'm not going to get back you Y/N, don't be silly," he said as if it was the most obvious fact in the world, "I gotta admit that you won," he started, "but at what cost?" Draco bended slightly so his face would be closer to yours which startled you and made you take a step back, "what do you mean?" you asked again confusedly. 

Draco smirked, "you fell in love with me Y/N," he said in a singsong "Why would I get back at you? isn't that enough torment for you?" he asked, "Me? In love with you? Plea⏤" Before you could even finish your sentence, Draco cut you off, "Y/N, I know that you smelt my scent in that potion," he laughed, "Books, expensive cologne, green apples?" he emphasized on the last words, "That's what you smelt and, oh⏤ What a coincidence! that's also what you wrote in that letter." You frowned your eyebrows, "Do you seriously believe in that stupid shit Draco? What are you, five years old?" Draco quirked an eyebrow, "Are you implying that Slughorn is a conman and amortentia is bullshit? Or, wait⎯ that magic doesn't exist?" Draco's face came even closer to yours.

"Darling, you fell in love with me. You can't deny it," he said slowly in a suave voice, "so, who's the real loser now?" he whispered to your ear. Your eyes widened, you tried to say something or anything to deny his statement but you couldn't because it was true : you are utterly and irrevocably in love with Malfoy.

Draco adjusted his posture so he could look at your face clearly. A victorious smile graced his lips as he watched you open and close your mouth to talk but words wouldn't come out your mouth. Without saying any other word, Draco left to go to his dorm and he left you freezed like a statue.

Draco should be celebrating his victory: you didn't deny any of your feelings for him, so that makes him the true winner, right? Though, Malfoy felt a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach and he felt completely confused. Why was the scent of vanilla, violet and strawberry cake lingering in his nose? 

It took a long time to Malfoy, but he finally put two and two together. Vanilla, violet and strawberry cake: that was the same fragrance he smelt in the envelopes, the amortentia and on you when he came close to your neck as he whispered to your ear. Draco stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes widened as he realized what it meant, "Fuck, I'm in love with her."

It's funny isn't it? Malfoy was too engrossed on taunting you for having feelings for him that he didn't realize that he reciprocated your feelings.

So, who was the real loser?

[smartycvnt]

The Right One

Title: The Right One Pairing: Jennifer Jareau x Reader Prompt: 11. "Holy shit, I'm in love with you." "About damn time." R WC: 986

Y/n didn't think that she had ever run so fast in her entire life before. All it had taken was one call from Tara that something had happened at the office and JJ was in the hospital. Y/n had raced from her office to the hospital. She didn't care that her relationship with most of her former co-workers was rocky since she had left the BAU. All that mattered to Y/n was that she got there in time to see JJ and make sure the woman was okay. There were a lot of things that had gone wrong whenever she had worked there, but luckily none of it had really happened to JJ. They hadn't exactly made up since Y/n decided to leave the BAU, but she was hopeful that JJ's anger towards her had simmered down a bit.

"Where is she?" Y/n was panting as she entered the waiting area. Luke and Rossi looked up at her, conflicted looks on both of their faces. Tara was the only one who got up to greet Y/n, but she was the only one who knew what JJ really meant to Y/n. "Tara, where is she?"

"She's in surgery. It should be done soon, just sit down and try to relax," Tara said. Y/n nodded and took a seat a little ways away from her former coworkers. Tara felt them all staring as she took a seat next to Y/n. The two of them hadn't seemed very close whenever Y/n left, but maybe that was why it was so easy for Tara to forgive Y/n for leaving. "Have you thought about telling her?"

"There's nothing to tell her Tara, and even if there was, she wouldn't want to hear it," Y/n muttered angrily. Tara could tell that it would take a long to convince Y/n to let JJ know how she felt. Tara didn't blame Y/n for her apprehensiveness when it came to talking about her feelings, especially with the group who had rejected her the moment the stress of the job became too much. "Bad things happen to people I love."

"Only when you had this job. What happened today with JJ, it's not life threatening. It was an accident, she'll wake up in a few hours and you can go in and tell her that you love her before she goes home. The team, they can't keep you from her," Tara promised. Y/n sighed as she mulled over what Tara was telling her. It would have been easy enough to go in there and tell JJ that she loved her, but at the same time, it would be the hardest thing she had ever done. JJ could have rejected her, just like she'd rejected every single one of Y/n's calls for the past few months. Y/n didn't know if she could handle that sort of rejection anymore, it was getting to be too much. She was ready to settle for what she could have rather than what she wanted. Love could be learned, and Y/n was willing to learn to love someone new.

The hours ticked by in the waiting room as everybody waited for the doctor to come and tell them JJ could have visitors. Nobody else from the BAU tried to talk to her or get any closer to her as they all waited. Y/n respected their obvious wishes for distance and stayed in her corner waiting for any sort of news. There was nothing really going on, and as boredom washed over Y/n, she tried to think of ways to curb it. She had noticed quite a few things as she waited, but the one that stuck out the most to her was that Will and the boys weren't there. Y/n knew that Will and JJ had been having some troubles with their marriage, but it had never really been enough for Y/n to feel like she could ask JJ out or anything.

"Is there a Y/n Y/l/n here?" Y/n stood up as the doctor called her name. "Ms. Jareau would like to see you. Right this way."

"Of course." Y/n was trying to hide her nervousness, but the moment she got into the room, JJ would be able to see right through it. Still, JJ greeted her with a tired smile, even as her arm was wrapped up and in a sling. "Hey, I'm glad you're okay. What happened?"

"Just a little accident chasing an unsub. Didn't they tell you?" JJ asked. Y/n shook her head as she sat down in the chair across from JJ's hospital bed.

"Nobody's been talking to me other than Tara, they're all still upset. Honestly, I thought you were too," Y/n said. JJ moved her hand over Y/n's to hold it, a small gesture that had Y/n's heart pounding in her chest.

"What were you doing out there while you were waiting then?" Y/n knew she shouldn't have been surprised by all the questions, but everything about tonight had been catching her off guard.

"Thinking. I came to a pretty big realization out there. It was kind of a 'holy shit, I'm in love with you' type thing."

"About damn time," JJ said as she caressed Y/n's cheek. "Since you love me and all, do you think it'd be okay if I kissed you?"

"Absolutely," Y/n nodded. JJ smiled into the kiss, which was short and sweet. There wouldn't have been enough time in the world for either woman to explain things to the rest of the team if they walked in and JJ had Y/n's lipstick smeared all over her lips. "When you get out of here, we should do something. Just the two of us."

"I'd really like that."

[chloe-skywalker]

Dog Sledding & Sleigh Rides - Sirius Black

Sirius x fem!reader

Marauders Era

Warnings: none Its funny!

Word count: 409

Summary: Prompts- “We should go dog sledding. We already have one, right Padfoot?” (Author of prompt Me) & “We could do a sleigh ride we do have a deer, right Prongs?” (Author of prompt Me )

Authors Note: I thought this was a funny lighthearted write. Hope you enjoy and laugh.

Harry Potter Masterlist

Masterlist

Holiday Masterlist

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“I’m bored.” James grumbled bored out of his mind.

“We all are.” Sirius pointed out rolling his head to the side, annoyed at their lack of activities to do.

“We need to do something.” James added, frustrated with his boredom.

“Like what?” Y/n questions, wondering what he might have in mind.

“I don’t know. . .” He sighs leaning back into the common room couch.

“Our activities are limited due to the snow.” Remus says pointing out their restriction on activities they could do.

“Well then what can we do in the snow?” James asked, sitting up and leaning his elbows on his knees thinking.

Y/n smirked as she came up with an idea. Turning her attention to her big black dog of a friend next to her on the couch. “We could go dog sledding. We already have one. Right, Padfoot?”

They all started laughing at Y/n’s words. Sirius playfully glared at her.

“Oh sweetheart you're gonna get it for that. Just you wait.” He told her, narrowing his eyes at her playfully, for the comment.

“Looking forward to it.” Y/n winked with a smile.

“I actually think Y/n’s idea would be fun.” James spoke up with amusement on his face.

“Really?” Sirius just deadpanned looking towards his friend, clearly not amused like everyone else from Y/n’s comment. But then he thought of one of his own. “You know we could do a sleigh ride. We do have a deer. Right Prongs?”

Y/n and Remus could not hold in their laughter.

“Bugger off mate.” James said while throwing a couch pillow at his black haired friend.

“Y/n started it.” Sirius screechted blaming the y/h/c-ed girl next to him as he tried to use her as a shield.

“Hey!” Y/n yelled as the pillow came at them, and for Sirius trying to blame her for his comment. 

“Come up with one for Mooney Sweetheart?” James asked once they calmed down some, hoping for another amusing comment.

“That's for Halloween.” She smirked at the boys while Remus just shook his head fondly, having heard her words for him before and actually found it funny.

“Huh?” James and Sirius said at the same time looking at her confused.

Y/n and Remus looked at each other before saying at the sametime. “Ahhh Ooo werewolves of London!”

All four of them laughed at that, enjoying their time together and the jokes they said.

Taglist:

@gruffle1 @padawancat97

[jebewonmorelike]

I Hate You, (I Want You), Seok Matthew

wc: 1.6k warnings: angst with a happy/fluff ending; swearing; mentions of hook-up culture; drinking (reader is 21, 3rd year of college); frat/party setting pronouns: none used; reader has a femme best friend summary: fratboy!matthew au oops ~masterlist~ ♡ ~kofi (no pressure at all)~ matthew is that sweet, introspective fratboy that respects his partners that we all wish existed, but literally never will. so enjoy pretending that boys are nice through this little fic. love u. <3

Matthew Seok made your blood boil.

And none of your friends could understand why.

You'd spent many a night in your dorm, tipsily listing all of his infuriating tendencies and desperately trying to rally support for your Anti-Matt campaign.

But no matter how many times you explained it to them, they just shrugged you off. And if you were being honest with yourself, you couldn't really blame them. There was a time not so long ago when you only saw his good traits, too.

But that was before.

And now all you wanted to do was take the girls that waited for him in the hallway by the shoulders and shake them until their rose-colored glasses fell off.

Your distaste for Matthew Seok was so strong that you'd started avoiding places you liked to go, since every time you left your dorm you somehow had the misfortune of bumping into him. And you just couldn't stomach it: turning the corner, meeting his eyes, walking away before he could say anything...

The feeling of your heart dropping to your stomach.

You hated it.

You hated him.

"Get dressed, we're going out," your friend Megan announces as she walks through the door, startling you out of your boredom-induced daze.

"What? Why?" You ask quickly, not liking the determined look on her face.

"Because you've done nothing but go to class and sit here at your desk pretending to do homework for a month straight. You're an undeclared Liberal Arts major... How much homework could you possibly have?"

You pouted. "What are you trying to say?"

She smiles, walking over to you and placing a hand on your shoulder. "It's time for some fun."

You groan.

"Oh, come on! You used to love fun. Every day you were off on some little adventure and every night you were dancing in the living room of one godforsaken frat house or another," Megan says, giving you a pitiful look. "I can't let you sit here any longer, lovey. I just can't."

A long sigh escapes you as you look up at your friend. You remember when you first met her at freshman orientation, standing there shy and meek with a mint green sweater on. When everyone broke off into groups to eat lunch, you'd both been left in the courtyard alone to fend for yourselves. You'd eaten lunch with her every day since then for the last two and a half years. And you’d both changed a considerable amount in that time.

"Fine," you finally grumble, watching her pleading look turn to a satisfied grin.

"Good. Let's make you hot again," she says, running to the closet and flinging the door open.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN AGAIN!?"

~

Staring up at the familiar old house, you feel your heart speed up. You didn't realize how quickly you'd fallen out of practice. Every weekend you used to make a stop here, claiming the reason for your frequent visiting was that you liked the star projector they’d set up in the living room.

And you did like it.

It made him look even prettier.

You shake your head rapidly in an attempt to silence the thought. It’s useless now that you know what kind of a person Matthew Seok really is.

"Hey. Don't be nervous," Megan says, taking your hand in hers and squeezing it. "He's not here, babe. He went home this weekend. I still don’t really know what you’re deal with him is, but I checked for you anyway.”

Already you feel your shoulders relax. Of course he's not here. Megan wouldn't bring you here if he was.

You look hot for nothing.

Your hands fly to your head in exasperation at the sound of the intrusive thought.

"You've got this, (y/n). You're still the reigning star here, you know. All anybody ever asks me is when you're coming out again," Megan says with a convincing grin.

You bite your lip and smile. "I guess I can give the people what they want."

"That's the spirit babe!" She exclaims, dragging you up the front steps and to the door. A tall guy opens it and walks out at the same time you and Megan approach.

"OH SHIT! Tiny Dancer is back!" Johnny shouts, his hand flying out to take yours. "Fucking missed you, dude."

You smile, shaking his hand. "I've just been really busy the past few weeks."

"Well, it's a special night then. Drink up!" Johnny says, pulling a beer from his pocket and handing it to you.

"Thanks," you say, popping the top and taking a sip as you and Megan walk through the door and into the frat house. The lights are all off, the house only illuminated by LED light strips, a disco ball, and your favorite star projector.

"YOOOOO! Tiny Fucking Dancer!" You hear someone shout from across the room and feel the blush creep onto your cheeks. You're too sober for this attention after being away from it for over a month. Megan pulls you into the living room as a bunch of intoxicated partygoers rush over to greet you.

"Where've you been!?" Brian asks, patting you on the back. “There’s been a distinct lack of uninhibited dancing in our house this month.”

"I've just had a lot going on recently," you reply as nonchalantly as possible, trying your best to keep up with all the hugs and the questions. You were starting to feel overwhelmed, looking around the room for a place to sit so you could breathe for a second.

That's when you spot him.

Wide eyes meeting yours, lips slightly parted in the way they always were when you used to catch him staring.

Your breath hitches in your throat as you're frozen in place. He doesn't look away. But someone has to.

"Can someone please pour me a ton of shots!?" You shout the request, the crowd around you bubbling with excitement as you migrate with them into the kitchen.

As Brian lines up five shots for you (one for every weekend you've missed), Megan grabs your hand and squeezes it.

"I swear Johnny said he'd be gone. I'm so sorry," she apologizes and you know she means it from the look on her face.

You do your best to shrug it off. "Just do some shots with me."

She squeezes your hand again. "Are you sure?"

You nod, picking up the first glass and knocking it back. Vodka. The liquid stings your throat and you wish you had something other than Johnny's gross warm beer as a chaser. "By the time you start, I'll already be done!"

With that, Megan takes the empty shot glass from your hand and pours it full as she joins you for the next one.

~

You're dancing now.

On a usual night, you were the only one dancing in the middle of the living room floor as people made out, played stupid games, or watched you and giggled.

But when you were drunk, you just didn't care. All you wanted to do was move. A tipsy mind meant a fluid body and you could never turn down the opportunity to completely lose yourself in the shitty music with the base cranked up and the tacky LED light strips on the walls.

But tonight, everyone was dancing. Maybe it was a special night, after all.

Only now does the crowd die out, people gathering in the kitchen for beer pong or going upstairs to hook up (ahem, Megan and Brian). But you couldn't stop even if you wanted to.

"The dance floor missed you."

You freeze. You were so happy you'd almost forgotten he was here.

Almost.

"Can I talk to you?"

You turn around slowly to face him. He's wearing a jean jacket over a white university hoodie and his hair flops boyishly in his eyes. It's like a knife to the heart.

You hate him.

You hate him for making you feel this way.

"I'm busy," you say, biting your lip as you look away.

"I know. I didn't ask you to stop," Matthew replies, the smallest smile tugging at his lips.

You swallow hard at the sight. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Yeah, I've kind of pieced that together," he says, a hand reaching to the back of his neck. "And I understand why."

"Do you?" You ask now, finally meeting his gaze as another wave of liquid courage hits you. "Well that's good news, Matt! I'm so glad that you've come to understand how going out with someone else after you told me you liked me might be upsetting to me. Now, maybe, you can leave me alone forever."

"I didn't.”

You blink back at him in silence. Eventually, you laugh. "Sure you didn't."

"I didn't," he says, sincere eyes locked on yours. "I know Johnny said that I was going out with someone else. But I only told the guys that to get them off my back. They kept hounding me about why I wasn't hooking up with anyone anymore."

Your heart beats so hard that you swear it melded with the base.

"I just really didn't want to tell them how I felt about you. You saw how fast that stupid lie I told spread across campus. They would've ruined everything before it even started."

You nod slowly. "So you ruined it instead."

He sighs despondently and then nods. "I did. I never meant for this to happen. And I'm really sorry."

You just look at him for a few moments. The perfect curve of his annoying lips, the refined angle of his infuriating jawline, the entirely cliche sparkle of his stupid eyes...

And the little star-shaped lights making constellations across his face.

The truth was you hated Matthew Seok.

"Dance with me," you say, stepping back and reveling in the grin on his face as he follows. Wrapping his arms around your waist and moving with you to the rhythm of the music, your lips find their way to his in the glow of the lameass LED lights.

You hated Matthew Seok because he made you want him.

[comicarc]

𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

Part 1

wc: 1833

365 Days After That Night

Jason Todd was the Red Hood. Jason Todd was a criminal. Most of all, Jason Todd was a murderer, for he murdered the only remnant of love I had left in my soul. He was my breaking point. 

It’s been a year since the night he left and though I tried my hardest to bury his memory in my mind, his recent headlines made for incessantly annoying reminders. Though the ghost of Jason’s lacking presence haunted me every day, I was able to suppress those thoughts. Luckily, my job at the Gotham Gazette came with a considerably generous salary, often encouraging me to forget all the undesirable aspects of the job, including him. 

Tonight, I was staying late at the police station, waiting for my interviewee, Dick Grayson, to arrive from Bludhaven. He had been working a case on a notorious serial killer who had recently broadened his horizons and began to kill in Gotham. He was the only one overseeing it, thus, taking note of his busy schedule, I had set up an appointment weeks prior. Though he was already an hour late, I decided to wait, for an opportunity like this may not come as easily again.

I sat at his desk, resting my head in the palm of my hand and darting my eyes across the room to cure myself of my boredom. One particular photo caught my eye as my gaze trailed to the framed pictures on the desk. Dick was with a younger, lively boy, posing for their photo in front of Wayne Manor. Curious, I inspected the photo closer to notice that the other boy had azure eyes and curly black hair, just like–

“–Ah, I see you’ve taken an interest in my brother, eh? It’s my favorite photo from when I was still living in Gotham.” Dick had finally made his entrance.

“Detective Grayson,” I said, surprised by his voice. 

Sitting down he asked, “You must be y/n? I’m sorry for arriving so late, the route from Bludhaven to Gotham is always littered with traffic.”

“Yes, I’ve heard.” With that, I began my questioning. It eased into a conversation the deeper we dove into the topic until eventually a few hours had passed and Dick had to head off to another crime scene.

“Before you leave, may I ask…which of your brothers is that? I’ve only heard of two others and they seem to be too young to have been in that photo when it was taken.”

“Jason Todd. He kinda of fell off the face of the Earth on his enlightening retreat, so almost everyone forgot about him. Now that he’s back, he's done well to stay out of the spotlight.” 

To ask more questions would be to intrude on his personal life, and so, tempering my desires, I quickly left.

Jason Todd was Red Hood, a criminal, a murderer. And a liar. 

4 Days Later

Days passed, giving me barely enough time to digest the information that Dick had given me. After some of my own research, I found that Jason was alive and well. The night he left me was the night he reunited with his family. The very family he claimed to hate…he left me for them. 

Now sitting in my cubicle at the Gazette, my thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion, for my feelings for Jason had begun to resurface. I longed to see him, to hear him to be with him. But I couldn’t blame him anymore, for my fantasies led me to break my own heart. I wanted something that was never there, and I had to accept that. I shook my stupid ideas away as I looked at the whiteboard across the room to see my next assignment. My stoic expression turned into one of horror as I read: “Y/n → Wayne Gala”.

I rushed to the chief editor’s office and begged to be reassigned, but all my pleas were in vain because no one else was available to cover for me. Begrudgingly, I went back to my desk and looked down at the invitation that was put on it. The bold letters embedded at the top of the card were as searing as a blade, for they sliced my heart into a million pieces. I went home immediately, for I had very little time and a lot to do to prepare. 

Jason would be there as well and I wanted to catch his eye to make him feel jealous and regretful for leaving me, but for that, I needed a statement dress. Thus, I decided to head to a nearby shopping plaza, to spend as much money as I could on a dress that I would never wear again, all for a man that may not even remember me. 

After a successful trip, I roamed around the plaza in search of a light snack before getting ready for the night's festivities. Wandering my eyes, I caught sight of a familiar man on the other side of the nearly empty area. Walking closer to clear my suspicions, I recognized him to be the one and only Jason Todd. 

He was with another woman who seemed to be a thousand times prettier than her. Her gorgeous red hair was tied in a high ponytail and fell down to her hips, her lean figure resembled that of a model, and her face seemed too proportional to be true. She was perfect. And she was kissing him on the cheek. The sight made me want to cry out right then and there. He had moved on. 

Later that Day, in the Evening

As I made my way through the entrance doors entranced by the beauty of the domain, I was welcomed by a breathtaking display of opulence and extravagance, transforming the Manor into a realm of sheer elegance. Crystal chandeliers dangled from the high ceilings, casting a cascade of shimmering light across the grand ballroom. The walls were adorned with rich tapestries depicting scenes of Gotham's history, each thread telling a story of wealth and power. Exquisite floral arrangements of velvety red roses and ivory lilies graced every corner, their intoxicating fragrance mingling with the soft strains of a string quartet that filled the air.

Guests, dressed in their finest attire, moved gracefully through the lavishly decorated rooms, their laughter and whispered conversations creating an enchanting symphony that resonated through the space. A grand staircase, adorned with a crimson carpet, beckoned guests to ascend toward the upper levels, adding an air of regal grandeur to the soirée.

In the heart of the ballroom, stood Jason Todd. He was a magnetic presence, a striking figure that effortlessly drew the eye. Dressed in a tailored black suit that accentuated his lean and muscular frame, he appeared both rugged and refined. The dimmed lighting highlighted the chiseled lines of his jaw, the shadow of stubble giving him an air of mysterious allure. His dark, tousled hair framed his face, adding to his rugged charm. His piercing blue eyes were like sapphires in the night. He moved with a confident grace, his every step commanding attention and admiration from those around him.

He was so captivating that I continued to stare until his gaze locked onto mine. For an instant, the world around us seemed to fade into obscurity. It was as if time itself had stopped. There was a flicker of surprise in his eyes, a hint of regret, and a trace of something deeper, something that mirrored the tumultuous history we shared. It was a gaze that carried the weight of our past, and in that moment, I knew that the night held more secrets and emotions than I had ever imagined.

Stop. I’m imagining things.

I focused my mind on the task at hand, to distract myself from him. My every move was meticulous, like a well-rehearsed dance. My professional demeanor was unwavering as I discreetly took notes on the evening's proceedings, capturing every detail and nuance of the event. I engaged in discussions about Gotham's elite, current events, and the philanthropic endeavors the gala aimed to support. All the while, my smile remained fixed and my words carefully chosen, masking the emotional turmoil that raged beneath the surface.

Suddenly, in the midst of conversation, Jason's warm and inviting hand gently wrapped around my wrist, guiding me away from the bustling gala and into a secluded garden nestled within the sprawling grounds of Wayne Manor. 

The garden seemed to come alive under the moon's tender caress. The moon was like a radiant pearl in the inky sky, spilling its ethereal light through the dense canopy of trees, creating an enchanting interplay of shadows and soft, silvery beams. As we stood, the night's gentle breeze carried the fragrance of blooming flowers, adding a layer of sensuousness to the charged atmosphere. 

Before Jason could utter a single word, my pent-up emotions, like a dam bursting, spilled forth with a hiss of anger and hurt. “What the hell? Who the hell do you think you are?” The words tumbled from my lips, carrying the weight of a year's worth of unanswered questions and unresolved feelings. 

Jason stood before me, his expression a complex interplay of emotions. His eyes, once piercing and intense, now held a hint of regret and remorse. In the stillness of that moonlit garden, the unspoken words hung heavy in the air, waiting for the right moment to find their voice and bridge the chasm that had grown between us.

“It’s Jason…remember.”

“No.” All I do is remember.

“You’re my best friend.” 

“I’m sorry, but you’ve got the wrong girl. I don’t know anyone named Jason.” 

“What the hell is going on with you? Why can’t you remember me?”

“You’re the one that needs to remember.”

“What?”

“Remember that night? It’s been a year and you’ve clearly moved on. I’m glad you got your happy ending with a girl even prettier than me. That begs the question…why even talk to me with the intention of leaving again?”

“Y/n, I–”

“–Save it. I can’t do this anymore.”

My rapid footsteps echoed on the cobblestone path, and the sound of my heels clicking with every step rang in my ears. I paid no heed to the gasps and whispers that trailed behind me like a ghostly chorus of judgment. 

In my haste, I collided with a solid figure, and the impact sent a shiver through my frame. I looked up, and it was none other than Dick Grayson, his eyes a curious blend of mockery and amusement. In my agitated state, I only heard his attempt at humor as a blade deepening the wound that had been freshly reopened.

This gala was a set-up, a trap and I fell face-first into it. But, it did allow me to realize something. 

Jason Todd was Red Hood, a criminal, a murderer, a liar. And a fool for thinking that I may ever love him again.

[d1xonss]

Desert Rose

Chapter 14 ~ Thank you

✧ Pairing : Daryl Dixon x Rose

✧ Era : Season 2

✧ Word Count : 3.7k

In this chapter ~ Rose's boredom grows to be unbearable as she is advised to lay in bed and rest by the older man Hershel. However, it doesn't last as long as she assumes when she receives quite the unexpected present, and from the quiet archer no less.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ROSE POV *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I woke up the next morning with a lingering sting still present near my stomach, sore to the touch. But I quickly reminded myself that I had dealt with much worse in the past. This surely wasn't the first time I've been shot; being a cop clearly had its ups and downs. But all I wanted was to finally get up and out of this bed to help look for Sophia, however the pain in my side was surely preventing that much to my dismay.

Rick kept the promise he made and came in early this morning to check on me, and after reassuring him about fifty times that I was okay, he left to plan another search for Sophia. I knew in the back of my mind that he probably felt that he was to blame for what happened to me, so now he was trying to make up for it in every possible way. But in all honesty, it was just my dumbass standing too close to the animal. Still, I would much rather be in here rather than Carl who only stood inches away from the whole scene.

A sudden knock came from the other side of the door, snapping me out of my thoughts once it reached my ears.

"Come in." I called out softly.

The door opened, seeing Hershel pop his head in with a small smile, "Good morning. I just wanted to check a few things and give you these." he said holding up what looked like painkillers.

I smiled gratefully and took them, "Thank you."

He nodded before moving around to the other side of the bed, checking everything under the sun. My middle that was still bandaged up, my pulse to see if it was getting stronger, my head to see if I had a fever, and about five other things I didn't understand. He worked thoroughly and quietly, making sure everything was feeling okay by me before nodding silently to himself.

"Well, it seems like you are doing a lot better. I can go ahead and take this IV out of you now." he said as he carefully moved towards my arm.

"Thank God. Can I finally get out of this bed?" I asked him.

He chuckled a little to himself, "You act as if you've been in this bed for weeks."

I scoffed a little, "Yeah, well that's what it feels like. I am not the type of person to sit still." I replied.

"Well, let's just wait until the painkillers kick in. Your body went through a lot the past few days and you need time to heal. But later in the day if you're feeling up to it you can go outside, but don't do anything too active." he advised, removing the small needle from my arm.

I tried not to uncomfortably squirm as I looked away from the area, "I'm telling you right now, being in this bed all day hurts worse than the actual shot."

I felt him place a small bandage over the spot where it started to bleed, looking back up at him in time to see a thin lipped smile cross his face, "Rick mentioned you were stubborn."

My mouth dropped slightly. What an asshole. But the older man didn't say anything else as he quietly left the room. So, Rick was talking some shit about me behind my back to people that I hardly knew. Awesome.

I sighed and leaned my head back to stare at the ceiling, counting the small specks of paint that made little patterns in different places. This felt like torture. I hated feeling trapped and I was itching to go outside and feel the sun on my skin. Getting some fresh air would be nice and it would also be nice to know actually where the hell I was instead of being briefly told that I was on some farm.

But I found myself just sitting alone in the silence with nothing to do because I forgot to ask Glenn to grab my stuff when he was here last night. The last thing I needed right now was more sleep, and all I really wished for was something to keep myself busy if I wasn't allowed to leave for a while. What I would give right now for my notebook.

I was then pulled out of my small trance once more when another knock came, revealing Daryl as he slowly entered the room. Though I couldn't help but notice he obviously had something hidden behind his back.

"Hey, yer up." he stated while lingering near the door.

"Wow, thanks Captain Obvious." I replied, smiling sarcastically.

He gave me a small glare in return, still just standing by the door shifting uncomfortably like the thing in his hands was weighing him down heavily.

"I don't bite," I said jokingly, "Come over here."

His eyes met with mine again as he nodded small, hesitantly making his way over to me once he knew it was okay, sitting down on the edge of the chair with his hands still behind his back. He looked nervous, so I immediately assumed something was wrong.

"You okay? What are you hiding from me?" I asked to try and lighten the mood.

He cleared his throat, "Well, I uh...I brought ya some stuff." he admitted quietly.

My eyebrows raised in amusement, "More flowers?" I asked.

His cheeks instantly flushed red while he avoided my eyes yet again. I hadn't forgotten the conversation we had before Carl came into the room yesterday, but I didn't want to bring it up again. He seemed to not be completely comfortable talking about it, so I just let it be.

"Nah, some other stuff." he said while pulling something out from behind him. I instantly recognized this as two of the books I took from the CDC, feeling myself smile warmly at the sight.

"I noticed ya didn't have anything in here to keep ya busy while you rest so...yeah." he spoke.

I took them from his hands, "Thank you, that's very sweet of you." I said before putting the books down on the nightstand, right next to the Cherokee rose that now stood tall in a glass of water.

Turning back to face him again, his hands were still behind his back, "You have something else?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Uh yeah...it was something I found when we were lookin through them cars on the highway. I didn't know when to give it to ya, but I figured you'd be bored in here so..." he trailed off.

I waited patiently for him to reveal whatever he had to show me with a smile on my face. I couldn't bring myself to understand why he was so nervous. I thought it was about the sweetest thing in the work he thought to bring me things while I was stuck in here.

He then slowly brought his hands out from behind his back to reveal a real sketchbook. My smile disappeared from my face as I stared at it with wide eyes trying to figure out how he managed to find one. I had been looking for one since the beginning and couldn't seem to find one anywhere because apparently, they're scarce in the apocalypse or something.

I slowly took it from his hands as I examined the cover of it thoroughly, running my hand over the smooth surface. It looked almost brand new.

"I also found these," he said as he handed me a fresh watercolor palette, "I found em in the same car, they must have liked to draw and shit too." he finished while I slowly took the paints from him as well.

I almost couldn't believe the things he sought out just for me, truly at a loss for words. But I could easily tell that my silence was starting to worry him, because he then began to ramble.

"I just uh...thought...you would like em. If ya don't like it, it's okay, I can take it back. Glenn said somethin bout how ya said you were lookin for a new sketchbook or somethin and when I saw it, I just grabbed it in case ya wanted it but-"

I then quickly cut him off and discarded the new things, wrapping my arms around his neck and bringing him into a hug. He was clearly shocked at my actions because he stopped talking completely and his muscles tensed like he had just been burned. But then he soon started to relax after a few long seconds and began to hug me back, placing his hands hesitantly around my waist.

Not letting go of him, I whispered, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." however many times I could. Wanting him to know how much I truly loved it.

Eventually I let go of him after giving him one final squeeze, pulling away to see his face. He was smiling shyly, with his ears turning a bright red as he huffed out an awkward laugh.

I looked back down at the supplies once more to admire them, "I love them Daryl, thank you so much." I spoke gratefully. 

He smiled even wider, "No problem." he muttered.

I paused as an idea suddenly came to me, "Well now, since you got this for me you have to tell me the first thing I paint in here."

He sat there for a minute thinking before shrugging as if it was too hard to decide, "I dunno, yer the artist." he smirked.

"Just whatever comes to mind." I replied.

He thought about it again as he rubbed his hands together nervously before an idea came to him, "How bout the house?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I could do that later when Hershel actually lets me leave this room." I joked.

He chuckled before nodding his head, "Alright, well...I gotta head out and look for Sophia some more, but I wanted to see ya before I left."

"Oh yeah, yeah of course, just be careful out there okay?"

He gave a small smile, "Always am."

Nodding my head, I watched him get up and begin to head towards the door, stopping once I called his name just one last time. "Thank you again, it really means a lot to me." I told him.

He winked back at me before turning to head out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. I let out a breath of air I didn't realize I was holding in, flopping back on the bed as my heart raced in my chest. I lifted my left arm up to check and see if I was having a heart attack. I wasn't. It might've just been a certain man making me feel all giddy inside like a goddamn teenager.

But I merely scoffed to myself at the thought, knowing there was absolutely no way he felt the same.

My eyes flew through chapters and chapters of books but nothing was curing the utter boredom that I was feeling inside this stuffy room. I placed the book down with a slam on the bedside table before swinging my legs over the side of the bed at an attempt to stand. Hershel didn't give me the okay, but hours had passed and the painkillers were working, leaving me feeling much better for the most part so fuck it.

Slowly and hesitantly walking outside past the screen door, I tilted my head up and let the sunshine hit my face, it felt nice, refreshing after not being able to get out. My eyes then opened and gazed upon my surroundings, the acres of land, noticing this place was really beautiful. I would have a lot of fun painting this. The ideas only flowing the longer I stood on the porch.

But my attention was quickly drawn to my left after a moment or two, noticing Maggie and Glenn having a quiet conversation together. Their hushed whispers seemed almost harsh, but I couldn't make out what they were saying from where I stood. Though it didn't last long before Maggie started to walk away towards me, with Glenn looking defeated from behind her.

Her expression seemed to brighten when she caught sight of me out and about, a smile forming on her face as she approached. "Hey, you're up! How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Painkillers really work wonders." I replied.

She laughed at that and nodded her head, "Oh I bet. But actually I'm glad I got a chance to see you. I gotta run and finish these chores, but when I'm done do you want to maybe...hangout?" she asked me.

I smiled at her and nodded, "Yeah, yeah I would like that."

She smiled back, "Great, I'll see ya later." she said before walking off towards the barn.

Turning back to look at Glenn, he had a confused and upset look on his face as he followed Maggie's retreating figure with his eyes. His eyebrows were furrowed in concern as he was clearly replaying the conversation over and over again in his mind.

I found myself walking over and taking a seat next to him, nudging his shoulder with mine. "What's wrong?" I asked.

He looked over at me and gave me a small smile before shaking his head, "Nothing."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Don't lie to me."

He sighed, "Okay...okay. This is what I was going to tell you last night but everyone was there so I couldn't... so you know how Maggie and I went out on that run?"

"No, I think I was still unconscious for that part." I deadpanned.

"Oh right, sorry." he muttered before continuing, "Well, Maggie said that they needed more medical supplies because they were running low, and so she asked me to come into town because Rick recommended I go with her. Anyway, we get there, and everything is going fine, and I pick up something that I needed but she came around the corner and I panicked. So I dropped the thing I actually needed and picked up condoms on accident." he rambled.

I was silent for a few seconds as I stared at him, "Okay, I'm really confused as to where this is going."

"Oh, I'm getting to the weird part don't worry. So, I'm holding the condoms and then she asked me if she was sure, you and I weren't together since I was getting the condoms-"

"Woah, what?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, she asked if we were together because I came to see you when you were still passed out. Anyway I said no, that we were just friends and then all of a sudden, she offered to have sex with me."

I waited for him to say more as he gestured wildly with his hands, but I got nothing in return. "So...did you have sex with her?" I asked him.

"...Yeah," he responded.

"Okay, you got laid. I'm failing to see the problem here." I said.

He sighed, "The problem is, she doesn't actually like me. We just finished talking about it when you came outside."

My lips pulled together in a sympathetic smile as he just hung his head, "Glenn, I'm sorry." I said while wrapping one of my arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a side hug.

He hugged me back tight, squeezing me slightly before I hissed out in pain the minute I felt an excruciating pain in my side. He let go of me immediately and looked at me in shock, "Sorry, shit I'm sorry." he apologized quickly.

I waved him off, "No, you're good." I breathed while gently smoothing my hand over the bandage.

He sighed again and let a few moments of silence pass us before shrugging, "I just don't know what to do."

My eyes glanced back towards his face, seeing how much this was truly affecting him. "...Just give it time hon, I'm sure she'll come around." I assured.

He gave me a small smile and nodded before the conversation ventured off to talk about some other things to get his mind off of Maggie. I hoped they could work it out because I could see how this was slightly hurting him. Even though he didn't know her very well, he still had some feelings for her while she claimed to have none whatsoever.

Although the longer we spoke, the more I could tell he had something else on his mind, something else that was bothering him. I didn't ask though, if he wanted to tell me, he would when he was ready. That is one thing I didn't like to do to anyone. I absolutely hated to pry. If the person truly wanted to tell you, they would when the time was right. All I could do right now for him was listen, seeming to be the one thing he needed from me the most.

Though after a little while we split off as I eventually ventured further away from the house to start working on the painting that Daryl suggested. I walked a little further out towards the tents where everyone was staying at the moment to get a better full view of everything, briefly seeing Lori standing there hanging up some laundry to dry. I smiled at her as I passed, but then stopped myself and backtracked, wanting to properly do something I should've done last night.

"Hey Lori?" I said as I walked back over towards her.

"Yeah?" she responded as she hung up another shirt, clipping it in place.

"I never got a chance to say thank you."

Her brows furrowed, "Thank me? For what?"

"For giving me that blood transfusion," I said simply, "I know it was really important, and...I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."

She stopped there for a second as her expression softened, before walking over to me and giving me a hug. I almost didn't expect her sudden actions, but smiled a little to myself as I wrapped my arms around her.

"You're welcome honey. I'm so glad I could help you." she said while pulling away. "It's good to see you up and moving already." she pointed out.

"I was going stir crazy in that small ass room." I joked, "But hey, if you see Hershel, you didn't see me out here at all." I finished with a wink.

She nodded as she raised her hand up to zip her lips shut without saying another word. I smiled at her again gratefully before heading back to the perfect spot to start on my painting.

This seemed to be the exact moment I realized how truly beautiful this house was, the way the sun was hitting it was making it even prettier. I started with a sketch of the structure to get the basic idea and started painting the plants around the exterior first, adding different shades of green to the grass below. The light purple flowers popping up around the area gave the whole thing an even more perfect effect as I added those in as well.

I even made sure to add the line of fences in the background, not wanting to miss a single detail as my eyes glanced back and forth between the page and the surroundings. Feeling myself get lost in focus only made me remember how much I loved to do this. It was a good distraction and something I would surely love for the rest of my life, calming me in a certain way I wasn't able to explain.

I was working for a good long while before I felt someone walking up to me, looking back up to see it was Maggie coming at me with a smile on her face.

"Hey," she greeted while taking a seat next to me, "What are you painting? The house?" she asked, looking over my shoulder.

"Yeah, Daryl gave me the suggestion and I thought it was a pretty good idea." I said as I turned the paper so she could get a better look.

She smirked and nodded her head without saying anything, though I quickly noticed the look on her face, "What?" I asked.

"Nothing," she shrugged, "He's just so soft with you."

My eyes narrowed, "Huh?" I asked as if I couldn't understand.

She laughed at my blank expression, "I said he's soft with you. Just today he was snapping at people and telling them off, but when he's with you he smiles, he actually laughs, and gives you presents..." she trailed off.

My eyes glanced down at the sketchbook before turning back to her, "So you were eavesdropping?" I asked.

"No, not eavesdropping." she quickly defended, "I just happened to be passing by." she said, smiling innocently.

"Uh huh." I muttered, going back to painting as I attempted to ignore her suggestive eyes.

"I'm just saying, when you hadn't woken up yet, he was real worried about you. We all saw it." she said.

"You're preaching to the choir, believe me," I stated, "But everyone was kind of worried, I don't plan on reading too much into that."

"Okay that's fair...but I personally think it was something a little more than that." she told me.

"Whatever you say."

I then seemed to quickly change the subject, getting to know her more while I continued to paint the house. Although, I was a little surprised when she told me herself about what happened with Glenn, but I pretended I didn't know a thing as I listened to a different perspective. She then told me that the whole experience was eleven minutes of her life she was never going to get back, and that made me laugh louder than it probably should.

I knew this was hard for Glenn but for some reason I had a feeling it was all going to work out okay. She was actually very sweet, and I knew she would come around and love Glenn just like the rest of us did.

But after a while she then had to go off with her sister to do some more stuff around the house, and told me we would talk more later which I was looking forward to. I liked her, and we already got along much better than I ever expected.

Though after she left, my mind seemingly wandered back to Daryl. I couldn't help but think about how nice it was of him to get me these things just because he figured out how badly I had been wanting them. And if that wasn't bad enough, Maggie's words also seemed to replay a bit in my mind no matter how much I didn't want them to.

I had to agree, he was a little different around me then he was with anyone else, but I always assumed it was because I actually knew how to talk to him and when to give him his space. But I liked the kind of relationship we had; he was just a great person to have around I've come to find out. I just really hoped he was being safe out there.

~ Thanks for reading!

[yanderedollhouse]

Part 3

Visitor

Demon!Yandere OC x Suicidal!Reader Summary: An unexpected visitor comes to your room with alarming news. Will you believe them?   Warnings: Yandere, Suicide mentions (ideation, failed attempt, urges), Obsessive behavior, needles, religious concepts (angels, demons, heaven, hell), delusions, fantasy horror/ gore, harm and recovery, hospitals, psychiatric ward, manipulation, medical malpractice, murder, harassment, medication malcompliance, noncon, kidnapping Resources: Connect with a trained crisis counselor. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Line is confidential, free, and available 24/7/365. Word Count: 2.3k

Think I forgot how to be happy

Somethin' I'm not, but somethin' I can be

Somethin' I wait for

Somethin' I'm made for

For the next week, you see many people file past your door, going this way and that. A doctor comes in and sits with you and Andreas to write you a few prescriptions first thing Monday morning, but he doesn’t even look your way during the five-minute visit. 

Every day starts with meds and vitals. Andreas is extremely gentle with you and explains everything he does before he does it and why it’s important. After a while, you learn that you can extend his visits by asking how things work around the hospital or personal questions about him. You don’t love the fact that you rely on him to be a source of entertainment, but you’re under increased security due to your initial escape attempt. 

He told you that the staff wanted to place you under a suicide watch, but he got it waived by offering to take you on as his only charge. As grateful as you are to be able to use the bathroom without someone watching you, you feel guilty to have taken his attention away from people who really needed whatever healing powers he possessed. It was starting to get under your skin. The guilt. The boredom. The ominous feeling that you are wasting space and racking up even more debt. 

You had insurance, but you were worried about the deductible, and you couldn’t figure out your financial situation. Andreas told you not to worry about it, but you knew that time was only making things worse. He kept offering to vaguely make things ‘better’ for you. But you couldn’t tell him what to fix. You really felt like the only problem in your life was you! However, you were very tempted to take his offer for a better life just to get yourself out of here. 

In addition to the odd nature of your nurse’s healing powers, you begin to get paranoid that Andreas could read minds. Everything he seemed to do was right. He always brought in the food you were craving and seemed to be able to make you comfortable despite the smallness of your room. He brought in as many books as you asked for, claiming that there was an excellent library adjacent to the hospital, and he’d even hinted that you could get more privileges through ‘good behavior’ whatever that meant. 

Still, he was very kind and gentle with you. You felt like he had good intentions even if they were wasted on you. He was becoming your friend in a way that scared you. Not because you were afraid of him, no, but because you were afraid of what you might do to him when you are finally free of this place. When you die, will he blame himself for it? For failing? You don’t want that on your conscience. 

You were looking out the window, watching the children’s ward play in the very courtyard that you had tried to escape from and thinking about what in your life needed to change when everything did change. 

Your door opens very quietly and then shuts with a crack, startling you. Andreas always announces himself when he comes into your room, but when you turn to see him, a striking, very out-of-breath girl is leaning against your door instead. A thousand questions form on your lips, but before you can think to ask any of them, she approaches you with an outstretched hand. 

You instinctively shrink back against the window, and she stops. 

“Sorry, y/n!” She says. “I didn’t mean to scare you. My name is Cordyline. I was hoping we could talk for a few minutes?” 

“How do you know my name?” You ask, not wanting to move away from your safe spot. 

“I do all the records and tech work for this ward.” She answers quickly and calmly. Not moving as to not scare you any further. She gestures towards the chair behind her, “Mind if I sit here?”

“Go ahead.” 

She sits down and you stare at her from your safety corner. She is really beautiful, with long, silky black hair and visible lashes. She doesn’t even seem to be wearing much makeup. You suppose she’s one of those lucky girls who look great no matter what. She gives you a little pitying smile and you decide you don’t like that. 

She sits calmly, resting one hand on a cane and one hand on the ponytail that spills over her shoulder. 

“I should explain myself.” She says suddenly, “I don’t have much time. I’m worried about your safety here and I just want you to be able to make a good–no–an informed decision about your future.” 

“I don’t understand. You want to help me kill myself?” You ask. 

“Uh, no.” She begins to nervously stoke her hair and glances at the door before continuing. “It’s about Andreas, your nurse. He- he’s not the kind of person you want to be tied down to, you know? He is nice enough, but everything he does is a transaction. Nothing good comes without a price.” 

“Are you his girlfriend or something?” You can’t imagine why else she would come to tell you these things. “Look- don’t worry. I’m not interested in him or anything like that.” 

“No, that’s the problem. I heard you had rejected his offer and,” She sighs, “I’ve honestly never seen him this obsessed with er- helping someone. And there’s something you need to know.” She leans in. “I know you know he has a certain power to heal people, but he can control other things too. And it’s worse when you know where that power comes from. Look, I know this is going to sound completely insane, but Andreas is a demon.”

“A demon? Literally? Like a literal devil?” You look for any hint of humor in her eyes but find nothing. She’s dead serious. Your mouth hangs open in questioning confusion, but you fail to put anything into words. 

“I know it sounds crazy and I know you’re probably so confused, but please, he can’t know I was here, okay?”

She seems so scared and sincere. You nod. She smiles at you genuinely now, full of relief. 

“I should leave you be now but remember there are people on your side here. Things will get better. As long as you don’t make a deal with him.” She stands and takes her cane. From here, you can see that she’s wearing a medical boot on one foot. 

“Um. .” You start.

“Yes?” She looks back at you. 

“Did he do that?” You point at her boot. 

She looks down as if remembering that it exists. “Oh, no! He didn’t.” She reassures you but doesn't tell you what happened. Before she can turn again to leave, there’s a soft knock on your door. It’s Andreas and you both know it. 

Before you know what you’re doing, you hurry her into the corner behind the bed and answer the door. You know that he’ll come in anyway if you don’t answer. 

“Hi, can you come back in a little bit?” You ask him after cracking open the door. “I uh got really into writing in that journal you gave me, and I don’t want to lose my train of thought.” You pray that was convincing and he looks like he winces a little bit. Must be a trick of the light. 

“Sorry, this will only take a minute. It’s midday vitals.” He says and pushes the door open. He directs you to sit down on your bed and you do, but you make sure to rest as close to the edge as you can. He wraps the sleeve around your arm, and you just know you’ll be caught by the intensity of your heart hammering in your chest. 

“You’re usually more talkative than this.” He remarks. “Is something wrong?” 

“Oh, I’m just trying to keep all the ideas in my head to write down.” You say and to put him at ease, you add: “I thought of some things I might want to change about my life.” 

His eyes seem to light up with something. Happiness? Or is it mischief? You can’t be sure.

“That’s good. You’re all done here.” He removes the sleeve and wires from your arm. “Now, do you need anything from me?”

“Nope!”

“Y/n.” He crouches down at your eye level. “What are you hiding?” His eyes flicker behind you briefly but you can’t make yourself look. “Or should I say, who are you hiding?” 

Your mouth opens and closes but no words come out. 

“You can tell me; you’re not going to be hurt. Is someone here with you? Another patient?” He stands back up, waiting for your response, but none comes. 

Instead, Cordyline pokes her head up from behind the bed with her hands up in surrender. 

“Don’t hurt them.” She says. “It was my choice to come here.” 

“It was your choice to disobey direct instructions?” Andreas asks harshly, in a tone you’ve never heard him use before. “I left loopholes in your contract because you work best when you can use your own creativity. Not so that you could betray me.” 

Ah, you think. These are his true colors. The niceness, that gentle nature of his seems to have disappeared with a snap. 

“Wait.” You say, “She didn’t do anything wrong. She just came here to talk because I was bored and sat on the buzzer.” You hate to lie, but you like this girl. A lot actually. And you don’t want to see her in trouble. 

You see Cordyline stumble around the bed now, as if making toward the door, but Andreas is faster and shuts it quietly. Cutting her escape route off. 

“And what did you talk about then?” 

Cordyline hesitates, then seems to resolve something within her before she says: “She needed to know. She needed to make an informed decision.” 

“Oh.” Andreas seems a bit surprised at her candor. He looks down at her for a long minute, then starts to laugh quietly. ���Is that so?” He asks rhetorically. 

He grabs the front of Cordyline’s scrubs in one hand and slams her with unexpected strength against the wall. She gasps and claws that the hand holding her in place, but he doesn’t budge. With his free hand, he traces a line abound her abdomen. 

“And did you tell her that I can decide to take my payment at any time I decide fit?” He asks, but Cordyline is too out of breath to respond. She shakes her head. “I wouldn’t mind a demonstration.” He continues. “You’re useful but not irreplaceable.” 

“No.” You say quietly, realizing she was right. She was telling the truth and trying to save you from this monster. Through your blurry, tearful vision, you see Andreas’ form start to warp into His.  This can’t be happening. It can’t be happening again. 

“Look what you’ve done.” Andreas hisses at Cordyline. “You made her cry. Now, before I consume your soul in front of you, do you want me to cut the fetus from your body? I’m not unfair. I’ll let him grow up with my guidance. And who knows! In eighteen years, maybe he’ll want a deal himself.” 

“Wait!” You say more clearly this time, sick to your stomach at his words. “I’ll do it. I’ll make a deal. But you have to leave her alone. And give Cordyline her soul back. That’s the only condition.” 

Andreas turns to you and your stomach drops. The whites of his eyes have gone completely black. The typically familiar look on your friend’s face has been replaced by this hungry, demonic one. His mouth opens into a wide grin, revealing sharp canines that you don’t remember noticing before.  

“My darling is kind enough to want to spare you.” He says to Cordyline, who has gone several shades paler. “But the rules don’t work like that, do they?” Andreas releases Cordyline and she crumples to the floor. “Let's make a deal. I’ll spare her life today and you will be bound to me for eternity. That’s fair, right? A life for a life.” 

He takes a step towards you, but you shrink back, unable to catch your breath. Cordyline starts to move a little on the floor. It’s happening again. Again! And you’re just as helpless this time, if not more than ever before. You start to hyperventilate and feel the world shifting. Growing larger around you. Not now! Not again! You bury your head in your hands. Hoping the world will disappear. And this time, it does.

“Y/n? Y/n!” You hear a soft voice. A familiar voice. You open your eyes to see Andreas kneeling near your bed. His eyes are. . . normal? You look behind him and Cordyline has disappeared. 

“Where is she?” 

“Who? Did you have a nightmare?” His eyes are full of worry. He stands up and pulls you into a close hug. You struggle a bit, but eventually end up clinging to him. You can hear the steady beat of his heart and try to match his breathing with your own like he taught you. That’s right. He’s human. Just a regular person who lives and breathes. 

“I’m sorry, I think I did have a nightmare.” You say, internally kicking yourself. How could you have dreamt that he was a demon? 

After all, he’s the only person here on your side. 

[theplumsoldier]

aftermath 6

summary: a supply run, a dinosaur exhibit, and an old friend

pairing: joel miller x reader

word count: 4,2k

warnings: vulgar language, companion feelz (horsie), mutual pining, slow burn, horny thoughts. pls let me know if i missed any <3<3

series: aftermath [5] + series masterlist

Ellie had finished her comic book and was bored out of her mind. Joel was cleaning guns in the kitchen, sat on the side of the kitchen table that allowed him to keep an eye on you and Ellie.

She was mindlessly throwing pieces of her granola bar at you as a release of her boredom, but it ended up a competition instead, practicing her aim by shooting for your half-open mouth.

With a nut hitting hard down on your eyelid, you stirred awake, ruining her little game.

"Ellie—what'd I tell you?" Joel barked harshly, the chair legs screeching against the floor as he stood up abruptly.

Ellie paid him no mind, instead waiting for you to rub the sleep out of your eyes.

"You been throwing granola at me?" you asked, puzzled to find traces of nutrition in your hair, mouth, and cleavage.

"Yeah," she grinned cheekily, snorting as she noticed you began chewing the ones she had managed to get in your mouth.

She helped you clean up the crumbs from the couch and blanket, and you said: "It's good to see you, Ellie."

You felt a bit lightheaded from the morphine, but coming to your senses you remembered falling fast asleep on the couch. You hadn't done anything to get comfortable, yet there was a blanket keeping your body warm and a pillow on the armrest.

Looking up, you noticed Joel. Warmth spread up from your chest to your neck.

He smiled down at you and chuckled, "ya dozed right off there, didn't you?"

It was clear he was merely teasing, but you looked down sheepishly, feeling your heartbeat intensify at his voice. You hated the effect he had on you but loved the feeling of it spreading in your body. It made you feel warm and safe.

"Ellie, why don't you show her the guestroom?"

She stands up and waits for you to do the same, nodding you in the direction of the room. You are still weary and have to find your balance as you follow her, wiping the sleep from your eyes. You thought of smiling at Joel as you walked away from his sight but decided against it, your cheeks heating up at the mere thought of looking at him.

Ellie's hands clasped against her sides, watching you as you looked around from the doorway.

The room was the size of your childhood bedroom, with walls painted a dark blue. There was a bed in the corner, a small side table, and a chair in flower-adorned fabric, but the room's current use was clearly for storage purposes.

"So... y'know how long you're gonna be staying?"

You could hear the springs squeak as you sat down on the bed, feeling the plushy comforter on the palms of your hands.

Ellie stood slumped against the wall, hands shoved halfway down her pockets. Her mouth formed a thin line, she looked to be chewing on the inside of her cheek, and you realized your muteness made her feel uncomfortable.

"I don't know," you finally answered, your voice barely above a whisper. You cleared your throat and looked away from her. "My house burned down."

"Oh shit!" Ellie reacted. If you had looked up at her you would have seen the traces of guilt, as if she had been responsible for your situation. "How'd that happen?"

The question sparked something from your memory and you winced from your recollection. The days after the incident, the days hiking through the woodland to reach Jackson had been worse on you than the fight with the Infected, though that pain had been nothing compared to the intense despair you felt over losing your home.

As much as you would like to, you couldn't blame the curious teenager.

You moved to make room for Ellie to sit beside you. She took the hint but sat on the furthest reach of the bouncy mattress, and you wondered if she was aware of your general discomfort with close proximity, or if she was, in fact, hesitant to get too close to you. When she looked at you with those deerlike brown eyes, you decided she had made a conscious choice to respect your personal space. You found yourself liking her a bit more for that.

"On the same day you left, an infected found me. Stumbled right into the fireplace, caught a curtain on fire and before I knew it there were too many flames to put out."

Ellie made a low whistling sound.

"Shit," she murmured.

You cleared your throat once more. "Shit indeed. So I don't really know how long I'll be here, but if there's room for me here in Jackson, I should probably make it a home for myself," you said despondently.

But you didn't want Jackson to be your new home. You wanted your burnt-down house in the woods back. You wondered if there was anything salvageable left, something to hike back for.

Shaking your head at your thoughts, you decided it best left alone. For now, at least, there was not much to do about it. You were in no condition to travel anywhere, you knew that, but you couldn't help but wonder whether anything was left or if all was reduced to ashes.

You would have liked to have brought some weed, perhaps some to plant, but despite your addiction, it had not been your priority then.

Now, it felt like a rookie mistake.

You sighed and stood up with a hearty breath. You ought to be grateful, you thought. If Joel hadn't left that map for you, you wouldn't have made it far, traveling on infection and faltering hope.

Ellie tried to comfort you. "They were eager to have us here, I'm sure they'll be fine making room for a plus-one."

You could only hope so.

Two weeks went by like a passing breeze. Besides eating and sleeping, you hadn't done much of anything, and as you slowly recuperated, you became restless—a result of feeling all the pain at once and then nothing at all.

The painkillers were addicting and you decided to stop taking them before rebranding a bad habit, leaving you to feel every ounce of physical pain.

Everything felt weird; not odd or mysterious, just plain old weird.

You came to learn that Ellie was much more timid than you had initially thought. She was prone to mood swings, which you supposed was normal for her age, but sometimes she would lash out at Joel, give him the cold shoulder as if she suddenly remembered she was mad at him.

However, Ellie's behavior was not the weirdest thing. No, what was weird was the way you got along with them so well. You couldn't find a single thing to complain about. It seemed as if the mere warmth in the home helped you thaw out of your cold exterior. It even made you believe you were not so bad in social settings after all, but when you suppressed your anxiety and finally worked up the courage to speak to someone, make a witty comment as had become part of your banter with Joel and Ellie, it wasn't well received. Perhaps it was a bad joke, wrong crowd, really—it could be any number of reasons, you rationalized. Regardless of the failed interaction, you wouldn't shy away from one blow. After all, you never managed to hone the ability to back down from a fight.

At one point, Ellie observed yet another interaction with your designated victims, a couple of women in the fruit stall. She ditched her friend to rescue you from the sorry situation and decided to help you out.

Looking back, that was probably the catalyst for the rapid bonding process that ensued. 

“Start small,” was her first piece of advice. That day, the two of you went to have lunch at the dining hall. You stood in line with your trays, waiting to be served. Ellie beamed up at the cook who splashed soup into her bowl, and said: “hi!” She proceeded to nudge your arm, and you mimicked her reaction as if on command. The cook replied with a curious gaze and a smile and the interaction ended as quickly as it had begun.

It was small, next to nothing, just greeting a person but you felt an immediate flutter in your stomach, like the butterflies applauded your courage with their tickling wings.

It was a win.

Ellie would sometimes come into your room throw herself on your bed and chat you up, before perching her head atop her knuckles to direct her attention to you. After some time you caught on to her pattern, realizing that she made an effort to make you feel comfortable with her, each time as if she had yet to gain your trust, before beginning what might as well be called “lessons”.

Joel sat quietly on the sidelines but he absolutely adored seeing you and Ellie form this sweet bond. He could tell you took Ellie seriously and viewed her as a teacher as she helped you polish your social skills. One night, when Joel got back from patrol, he walked in on you taking notes as Ellie named people she thought might be a good match for you to take your newfound skillset to the next level. Coming back from a rough shift, whatever strain he may have experienced outside of Jackson's walls smoldered, his brow decreasing and his shoulders tensed no longer. Joel thought it was one of the most pure things he had ever witnessed.

Joel and Ellie offered you food and a bed to sleep in; you acted like a family, you looked like a family. It had been a long time since anybody had given you anything without expecting something in return. You had almost forgotten it was possible to live with people without some kind of transaction taking place.

It was weird.

Or perhaps it was nostalgia. The dining room setting with food on the table and a group of people you cared about in one way or another; the evenings spent in the living room, playing cards or a board game. Revisiting these scenarios in your mind in the quiet of the night, you thought you looked like a family.

…

Joel was typically out on patrol around 8 am, so you were surprised to see him sitting at the kitchen table when you finally woke the next morning.

“Mornin’,” he chipped, a sleepy smile tugging the corners of his lips upward.

You returned the smile. “Good morning, Joel. No patrol today?”

He couldn't decide whether he hated or loved it when you would speak his name, something he hadn't felt in so many years it felt unfamiliar.

Joel shook his head, wiping his hand on a dirty cloth, and drank from his mug. “No. I'm supposed to go on a supply run today. If you want you can come with me?"

Alone time with Joel. The proposition ignited something that had become a little too familiar to you lately. Fantasies of laying in a luxurious king-size with Joel brewed in your mind as you poured black coffee into your own mug.

"I thought you were assigned partners for that kind of thing. Refill?"

Joel held out his cup and you poured him some more.

He chuckled. "Yeah, Tommy's been tryna set me up with a couple, but he says I chase 'em away." He sips his coffee. "So f'ya want, I'm free for the takin'. Besides—I'd rather go with someone I know." Someone I'm comfortable with, was implied.

You put back the kettle and leaned against the counter, hugging your arm around yourself.

Perhaps you could use it as an opportunity to tell him why you actually came to Jackson. Although it didn't specifically affect him, it felt wrong to keep him in the dark.

You began wondering how to explain yourself, began wondering why you hadn't simply told him from the get-go. Your home burning down wouldn't change a thing for him.

It hardly mattered now.

“Okay,” you agreed. It would be fun. Just like when you went hunting together. “I'll come with you.”

…

Joel gave you an hour to shower and get ready. You felt yourself getting both nervous and excited to spend some time with him, giddy by all means, and you hated how you caught yourself looking in the mirror one too many times before stepping out. You had never been so vain as you had become over the last month and you suspected it was due to Joel's presence.

It was only a matter of time before you had to admit you had come to develop the fattest crush on him. You supposed it wasn't that odd. He was good-looking and kind and funny and not that much older than you—either way, age difference didn't appear to be the people in Jackson's biggest concern.

Regardless, you decided to suppress whatever feelings you may or may not have for Joel.

Really, it was inevitable. You hadn't seen a man in so long that you barely remembered what they looked like, what they sounded like. Joel's voice was deep and alluring, something you imagined the women in Jackson went crazy over. You couldn't be the only one, that was for certain. 

When you had washed up and pulled into enough clothes to keep you warm for the weather, you met Joel in the kitchen where he was scribbling a note, presumably for Ellie, and then headed off to the stalls.

It was around 10 o'clock and the street was bustling. People worked on just about every corner, whether it was chopping wood, selling vegetables, loading horses, or painting their house exterior—they were all busy.

“So where're we going?”

“West o’ here, a camp that's been abandoned recently. They must've left in a hurry 'cause it's stocked with all kinds of goods.”

An abandoned camp. You had read enough horror stories to doubt anything was ever truly abandoned. It made you nervous.

“You've been there before?”

“No,” Joel responded and when he looked at you he understood immediately. “Tommy has, though. Says they've been lootin’ there a couple o’ times now with no trouble. No sign of anyone.” His words did little to make you less ill at ease. But then he added: “I wouldn't take you there if I thought it might be dangerous.”

The warmth that crawled from your chest and up to your neck and cheeks overpowered your worries and you forgot they had ever been there in the first place. 

By the time you stepped into the stables, the heavy odor of manure and hay punched the air out of your lungs, the stench so unbearable you didn't care to inhale just yet.

Joel didn't seem fazed. “We need two horses!” he called out.

You looked to where his eyes were fixed and noticed a man hunched over a workbench, his dirty beige overalls providing convincing camouflage.

The man looked up from where he was standing. His face was as dirty as his clothes, hiding freckles and sealing the smiling wrinkles by his eyes.

He started walking closer and you instinctively stepped back, your hand unclenching by the holster at your side. You had opted for guns today, as the weight of your sword would be too much of a strain on your injury.

The man wiped his hand with an equally dirty cloth and held it out with a big smile. “I'm Danny. You must be the newcomer.”

You didn't shake his hand but replied with your name, curtly, undoubtedly coming off rude. You didn't care.

His smile faltered but he quickly put on a new one to mask his discomfort. “It's good to meet you. Y'all going on a supply run?”

“Yeah,” Joel replied, and as you looked at him again, you thought he didn't like the man either.

While the man went to retrieve the horses, you became distracted by one. A chocolate brown mare, with a white stripe drizzling down its muzzle. You didn't have to stare at it for much longer before you realized it.

It was your old horse, Wilma.

When you approached her stall, she nodded her head and you imagined she greeted you after all those years. You had once heard horses had an incredible memory and were able to recognize their owners. There was no doubt in your mind she remembered you as she enthusiastically bobbed her head up and down, her feet getting restless.

“Ma'am!” Danny called out, trudging up to where you stood by her enclosure. “I wouldn't get too close. She ain't too fond of strangers.”

You ran your hand down the white stripe on Wilma's head and she leaned into your touch. You had never been much fond of horses until you met her. Once a little speck of sweet life in a barren land. You felt a pang of guilt as you recalled leaving her behind to fend for herself.

Danny sounded his curious disbelief. “Huh. She won't even let me handle her like that.”

“She probably ain't very fond of you then,” you chirped.

Danny looked defeated, puzzled, and intrigued at the same time.

You looked at Joel who had been observing the interaction. “Joel, this is Wilma. She was my horse once.”

“I ‘spose she still is then. Ain't that right, Danny?”

Danny seemed to stiffen up as Joel addressed him, something resembling respect with a hint of fear in his attitude.

He shook his head. “No, yeah—yes, of course she is.” With that, he hurried off to fetch Joel a horse.

You eagerly let Wilma out and took a good look at her. She looked well-fed and clean, her hide beautiful as you remembered. She trusted you to inspect her hooves and they looked fairly new but filthy and you suspected she wasn't let out often.

You cleaned her hooves and saddled up and by then Joel was ready and waiting for you. You then left Jackson and headed west.

…

Clusters of rubble from the demolished town hall diverted the river, and it was beautiful. What you imagined had once been the bustling center of a small city was now thriving with wildlife and nature dripping out of the gaping windows. The river appeared to be the result of the destroyed levee further east, making water fill the underground tunnel and drainage system completely. Vegetation dressed the sign of the apocalypse, the bombing, romanticizing the world of destruction heavily.

"So how are you chasing your partners away?” you quizzed.

"Ellie says it's 'cause I'm a grump. I guess it can seem that way," Joel shrugged, watching his step for branches. "I just don't care talking to people I have nothin' in common with. Guess the lack of chitchat makes me seem grumpy and send 'em runnin'."

You silently nodded along as you led the way back to your horses. So far Joel had been right: There had been nothing to worry about. It was deserted and there were only ruins where a city had once stood, remains of the people who had lived in it.

"I don't think you're grumpy."

Joel didn't know how to respond. He hadn't per se avoided getting along with people, but he hadn't done much to integrate himself into the community, either.

Suddenly you stopped dead in your tracks, a gasp leaving your lips and Joel had pulled out his rifle on instinct in a split-second.

He couldn't make out where to aim though.

Although you would have reacted the same way, you laughed when you noticed and put your hand over the barrel of his gun. Joel shuddered as if it were him you touched.

“Relax, Joel. They're already extinct.”

The smile on your face was impossible to wipe off as you stepped over boulders and rubble to reach the rugged-looking building.

The giant monster with a broken neck gave away the source of your excitement, and Joel read aloud the sign as you got closer: “Walter W. Granger Center of Paleontology.”

He huffed.

“C'mon Joel! You never had a dinosaur obsession as a kid?”

“I don't remember ever bein’ a kid.”

You waited by the entrance, holding open the door with a shattered glass frame as if it would stop anyone from entering, but he nodded thankfully at the gesture as he caught up to you.

“We can't be long. It's gonna get dark soon.”

Ditching your loot at the entrance, you wandered mindlessly into the museum. You had stocked up on all that was needed. Medicine, canned food, batteries, and more. You had secretly been looking for anything to keep yourself entertained in your new home, books or games or anything that might make Jackson more comfortable to you, but with no luck. You supposed there might be a gift shop in here, but you didn't dare hope everything had not already been taken.

Skeletons of prehistoric wonders stole away your focus and you were glad to be here with Joel as he was always wary of his surroundings.

You felt comfortable with Joel and for more reasons than one.

Joel nudged your arm and pointed to a banner hanging from the ceiling, torn but readable.

“Look at that. We just missed the stegosaurus exhibit,” Joel sighed and when you looked back at him, he was already watching you, waiting for your reaction to his joke.

You rolled your eyes and walked on but Joel didn't miss the way your lips curled upward.

The supposed stegosaurus skeleton towered over you as you crept up onto the platform. You were amazed both by the fact that it was still intact after all these years of abandon and its sheer size. Walking under its frame, through its chest cavity, your fingers grazed its bones when Joel spoke your name and you directed your attention to him.

Your grin lingered only in wrinkles from your smiling when you saw his expression.

“Something wrong?”

Joel took a deep breath, stumbling over his words as he tried to find the right ones.

“Joel?” you pressed as you were getting nervous.

"Lookit, uh... Ellie told me—about your house.”

Oh.

On more than one occasion on this outing, you had been wanting to tell him. You certainly wanted to, but it had been difficult bringing it up, difficult to break the silence and whenever you were engaged in conversation, it slipped your mind.

Joel watched you closely and he convinced himself he had come to know you. He thought you looked sad. He wasn't sure whether it was because of your home burning down or because you hadn't told him and him bringing it up made you feel as if you had been lying to him. He certainly wasn't mad and he proved it by resting his hand on yours, his coarse thumb caressing your skin in comfort. Joel had lived long enough to know the difference between lying and not telling the truth.

“Why didn't you tell me?"

If only you had been truthful about it to begin with, you wouldn't have to stand there so awkwardly now, not knowing the answer to a simple question.

Your eyes flickered from the sandy patch beneath you to your hand—to his hand. It was much larger than yours, more rough but comforting in a way. As his thumb pressed on your skin, Joel's hand clutching yours—it felt like a hug; ensuring your safety with him. You felt safe.

“I don't know,” you finally sighed. “I don't know, Joel.”

Perhaps there was a part of you that wanted him to know you came to Jackson because of him—that you wanted to follow him and at the time you convinced yourself it was because you had no other choice. It was a lie, you knew that now. You had survived for so long on your own, found a house, and made it your own—there was no reason not to do it again, to start over.

Except for the reason in front of you, of course. This man, his charisma, something a natural-born leader possessed that made people inclined to follow them, Joel possessed that.

You weren't sure why a choked laugh escaped you but then you realized your vision had become blurry and a teardrop trickled down your cheek.

Joel whispered your name and you sniffled, inhaling shakily.

“M'sorry, Joel… I—I really don't know why I wasn't honest with you—maybe I was embarrassed. I've survived this long and I spend a couple of days with you guys around and suddenly I've lost all ability to take care of myself. Shit.” You laughed again, shaking your head, and walked out from under the skeletal reconstruction.

“There's nothing to be embarrassed about,” Joel did his best to assure you, stepping down as well. You already missed the warmth of his hand. “I'm sorry ‘bout your house, okay? But I hope you'll wanna stay in Jackson. I can tell Ellie likes havin’ you ‘ere. I know I do.”

That warmth returned to you, this time in your cheeks. You didn't do much to hide the blush. “Thank you, Joel.”

He nodded, the furrows still lingering on his forehead as he offered you a smile.

“C'mon. Let's go home.”

[mattsdae]

help wanted part 4

read part 1, part 2, and part 3

tags: joe young x masc reader , leather/latex , frotting , making out , nipple play (?) , reader likes joe’s tits but can we really blame him , gambling ig , honestly not a lot happens , mostly fluff and plot shit

synopsis: joe looks good in his new costume, but reader feels like he’s being… watched.

word count: ~5.4k

a/n: sorry for the long wait! hopefully this is at least a little worth the 3 weeks with zero updates lol also i’m using readers forgetfulness to my advantage cuz idk any of the side characters names so i just wrote that reader doesn’t know anyones names.

joe was asleep by the time the lion king ended. turns out, crying your eyes out for the entire morning was tiring, so he took a little nap. the only issue was that he fell asleep on your shoulder. he was worried about you, so he got nice and close, cuddling up and falling asleep.

you had to sit through his nap, which sucked since the remote was out of reach and you couldn’t put another movie on. you sat still, listening to his little snores as he clung onto your arm. you let boredom (and comfort) take over, falling asleep with him on the couch.

you woke up a few hours later, curled up with a blanket over you. at first, you didn’t question it, rolling over and pulling the sheet up to your chin. it took a second, but you suddenly remembered joe. you popped up, looking over the living and dining room. you looked at the coffee table, finding a handwritten note.

Y/N,

you fell asleep, so i decided to go. i rewinded the tape for you! i had a lot of fun. we should do this more often!

:)

joseph young

you didn’t realize, but you smiled as you read the note. he had nice handwriting, simple but neat cursive that was still easily legible. he put a proper signature at the bottom as if it were a legal document, which only made you smile more. it was endearing to say the least. you kept the note, putting it in your bedside table drawer.

as you tidied up the tapes, you started to make up excuses in your head for what happened. it wasn’t like it was a date or anything. all you did was watch movies, it wasn’t a big deal. even though it ended with his head on your shoulder, so what? you could excuse all of it. you decided to ignore the dry humping and the fact that you came to the thought of loving him.

later that day, you got a call from dave talking about another orgazmo film you were going to do lighting for. you agreed a little too quick before catching the date and time. now, it was that date and time. you were talking to one of the prop designers, leaned up against the wall outside as you smoked a cigarette.

“honestly, i don’t get it, but maxxx asked for it so here i am.” he took a drag from his own cigarette. like most people on set, you didn’t know his name. people come and go pretty often, so you learned to tune out any names. it’s gotten to the point now that you can’t remember who anyone is, even if they’ve stayed around for months. usually, it gets to the point where it’s too awkward to ask.

“so is it supposed to be sexy? the whole orgasm-inator thing or whatever it’s called?” he shrugged with a smile.

“maxxx is into some weird shit, dude. i wouldn’t put it past him.” you nodded, smiling as you remembered multiple examples of his weird fetishes.

“y/n! need you in here!” dave called out. you answered before putting your cigarette out and going inside.

“what do you need-“

you cut yourself off, staring at joe as he spoke to the costume designer. he was wearing a new outfit, one made of latex or possibly leather. either way, it was tight fitting and shiny, hugging every inch of him perfectly. his shoulders and arms were exposed, which weirdly turned you on more than anything. you’d seen his dick, yeah, but never his bare arms.

he was muscular, much stronger than his loose button ups and long sleeves showed. his chest hair poked over the material, bringing attention to his expose collarbones. you felt insane, getting worked up over something like arms and collarbones. like an early englishman calling women harlot’s for exposing their ankle.

“you good?” you blinked, brought back to reality as dave snapped his fingers in front of you. your face heated, quickly adjusting yourself for no particular reason. “i just need you to set another umbrella by the couch.”

you nod, quickly getting to work to avoid any more suspicious. just as you tightened the knob, locking the angle in place, joe walked up.

“hey!” he grinned. you smile subconsciously.

“hey..” you hummed. you blushed, realizing you deepened your voice like a middle schooler trying to impress his crush. he giggled.

“why does your voice sound like that?” his eyes twinkled, a large grin on his face as he asked. you almost smiled just looking at him, but you stopped yourself.

“uhh, i’m a little sick.” you committed, keeping your voice weirdly raspy and deep. you felt your face warm up as you heard someone nearby huff out a small laugh.

“oh, really? are you okay?” his eyes widened, concerned. you shook your head, turning away to mess with the already set up light.

“yeah, i’m fine.” you turned away, squatting down in attempt to end the conversation. he put his hand on your shoulder.

“are you sure? you need to get some rest if you don’t feel well.” you shook your head, avoiding looking at him in case you spaced out again.

“i’m fine, joe. i promise.” your voice faultered. finally, you looked up at him. he always had a pout, a small downturn of his lips that only got more exaggerated with strong emotions like worry. you kept eye contact, refusing to look anywhere else.

“okay..” he leaned back. you went back to your job of acting busy, only for him to stay put. “did you see my new costume? it’s a little weird, right?”

“yeah, i saw it.” of coarse you saw it, it was the first thing you witnessed when you opened the door and yeah, it was weird. that’s why you were so freaked out about being turned on by it. “it looks good.”

“really? it’s a little.. tight.” you didn’t look, but you heard his hand run over the costume, likely trying to point out where it was tight. you refused to look, knowing what would happen if you did.

“i think it looks fine, man.” you keep your gaze away. he says a small hmph before walking away. you kept doing your work, finishing whatever dave asked you to do. eventually, you had a break and went outside for another smoke.

you heard the backdoor open slowly and shut just the same. you knew who it was, you didn’t even have to look. you felt joe walk closer, stopping a few feet away. you glance, catching a look at his costume in broad daylight. it looked just as hot as it did inside.

“are you okay?” joe asked. you nod.

“yeah. why?”

“you just.. you’re acting weird. ever since we kissed, you’ve been avoiding me and you didn’t even look at me when i was talking to you earlier..” you kept your head down, unable to say what was so clearly on your mind. “are you mad at me?”

“no! of coarse not! i just.. i dunno. i’m just not my normal self right now, you know?” he nods. he crossed his arms, subconsciously covering himself. “i think the costume looks great. sorry for not saying it earlier.”

“you think so?” he lit up, now smiling.

“yeah. you look really nice. can i say something? and promise you won’t laugh.” he agreed. “i wasn’t looking at you ‘cause i was worried i’d get hard.” you heard shuffling above you, but you decided to ignore it.

“really?” he beamed, clearly excited by the fact that you found him sexy. you nod. “i didn’t know people were into this stuff.. so you like this?”

the truth was, it wasn’t the outfit that turned you on; it was his body. the way it hugged every little curve perfectly and showed off parts of his body you never thought to notice. it showed how strong and sturdy his body is, contrasting his sweet gaze. it was whiplash, switching between eye contact to checking his body, going from an innocent little mormon boy to a strong man.

“yeah, i guess i do.” that was an easier answer. he nods, looking away. you flick your cigarette, glancing over his body again. “can i touch you?”

“hm?” you didn’t even mean for the question to come out, but with it now floating in the air, you committed.

“can i touch you? i think you look really nice and i.. i want to feel it.” you chewed on your lip as you waited for an answer. you glanced up above you, noticing the suspicious open window directly above the two of you. he looked around before taking your hand and leading you inside. as you two walked through the door, everyone looked before quickly averting their gaze. you blushed, narrowing your eyes as the entire crew acted busy while joe dragged you up the stairs and into a makeshift dressing room, which was just a bedroom with only a futon and different clothes hung up.

“where do you want to touch?” he asked, shutting the door behind you and locking. you glanced down his body, struggling to choose. deciding against answering, you instead responded by kissing him, pulling him close by the back of his neck and leading him to the futon.

as joe sat, you straddled him, legs planting on either side and holding him still. his hands moved to your waist, holding you as well. while his thumb rubbed circles onto your hip, you explored. your palms, sweaty from anxiety, squeaked over the material. he hummed.

“you look so good, baby..” he huffed as you felt over his chest, brushing over his nipples. “just can’t get enough of you, can i?”

he nods in agreement, unaware of the subtext. a subtle confession. you circle your hips, slowly grinding against him as he did before. he whined, fingers digging into your sides. you pull back from the kiss, glancing over him. his face was pink, rosy cheeks matching his flushed chest. his forearms tensed as he moved your hips himself, frustrated by your recess.

“you’re just too much.” another quick confession that could be covered up. you tried to stay professional, avoiding any hint of your true feelings, but you weren’t sure joe would notice if you were being obvious.

one of your hands wandered to his face, holding his jaw and cheek before returning to the kiss. it felt just as intimate and experimental as the first time. joe gripped your hips, still pushing and pulling. your brushed his nipple again, making him whimper. you pull away, looking at him.

“can i touch you here? is it okay?” you gave a little pinch to make the message a little clearer. he whines, nodding. you closed the gap, hand moving away from his jaw and to the straps of his costume. you slowly undressed him, studying how every touch felt. his arm lifted, letting you take it off. his skin was smooth, gentle and soft in contrast with the muscles underneath.

you removed the other strap, moving it low enough to expose his chest. you nearly drooled at the sight. the shock made you realize how little you’ve seen of him. even though you’ve seen his most private area, you still didn’t get the privilege to see the rest of him. his shoulders tensed, shy under your gaze.

“you look so pretty,” you hum. he nods, reassured. considering you were ‘straight’ only a month ago, you were shocked by how infatuated you were. his chest flushed, rising and falling slowly as he looked over you at the same time. his hands moved under your shirt, exploring your skin. you buried your face in his neck, moaning into his flesh as he massaged. you kissed, licking over the muscle and causing him to squirm.

“off..” he mumbled, pulling at your shirt. you pull back and he lets go of the material. you chuckle, leading his hands back to the hem.

“if you want it off, you gotta take it off.” he makes eye contact, expression nervous and seeking approval. you nod. he lifts the shirt over your head and looks at your abdomen. he stares.

“you’re skinny.” you start to laugh, which makes him shy. “no, i didn’t- you’re shirt..”

“it’s fine, baby.” he’d never seen you with a shirt or pants that actually fit, usually 2 or 3 sizes too big. he was confused by it, you could tell by the fact that he offered to give you extra shirts he had that would fit better when you first met him. his hands found their way to your waist. he squeezed, making you squirm and giggle.

“you’re ticklish?” he grinned. you shook your head, straightening your expression and pushing his hands off.

“nah, man. i’m not-“ he grabbed at your sides again. you whined, trying to wiggle away as one of his arms wrapped around your hip and held you still. you pushed against his chest as he smiled up at you. he let go after a few seconds.

“you’re such a liar!” he giggled as you complained. you felt a twinge in your chest, guilt burning for just a moment before he kissed you again, cutting off your rambling. a small smile formed, melting into his touch as he started to unbutton your jeans. your hands hovered over his, waiting for him to go for your sides again, but he was far too focused on what was in your pants.

you reached for his chest again, making him whine as he touched your cock over your boxers. he was gentle, almost scared to hurt you or make you uncomfortable. you grind into his hand with a moan, confirmation to keep going. you stayed attached to his chest, circling his areola. he shivered, bringing a smile to your face.

“you sensitive there?” you teased. he nodded, head kept low as he moaned. he touched you the same way you did him, trying to mimick each move in the same order. his thumb rubbed just under the tip, you moaning in response. “come on, baby. touch me. please?”

he obeys, sliding your boxers low enough to expose you to him. he stared for a few seconds, watching as you twitched in his palm. you whined, pinching his nipple to make him move. he moaned, his cock now twitching from within his suit.

“why don’t you touch yourself, too?” you suggested. he glanced up as you took a hold of his hand, tracing over each indent on his palm. “you got big hands, i’m sure you can hold both at the same time.”

he nods, also pulling his pants just low enough to expose himself. you bit your lip at the sight, watching him pull your hips closer. he hooked his thumb onto his cock before taking a hold of yours, pressing them together. you moan as he moves his hand slowly. he nodded, taking your moan as verbal encouragement and quickly jerking both of you off.

your hips bucked, thrusting into his fist every so often as you fondled his chest. you buried your face in his neck, licking the skin before attaching your lips. he moaned, his free hand grabbing onto your bicep. you pinched again.

“there.. just like that.” you moan into his mouth, mumbling praises as he sped up, desperation taking over sensuality. you whined as he moved away from your lips, pressing his face into your shoulder. he moaned rythmically, just as you did. you lifted his chin, pushing his head back before dipping down.

he gasped when you licked over his nipple, teeth grazing over it as he grabbed onto your hair. he twitched, the jump made evident by your touching cocks. you moaned as well, the brief friction taking you by suprise. you suckled on his breast, just like you did to girls. he whined as you did so, unable to decide between watching and throwing his head back in pleasure.

“i’m.. i think i’m close-“ joe whined, gripping harder as he did the same to your cocks, desperately moving up and down. you moan at the admission.

“you think you can wait for me?” he nearly wailed, making you smile against his chest.

“pleaseee..”

“kiss me. i’ll cum faster if you kiss me.” he quickly grabbed onto your hair, pulling you up and pressing his lips to yours. you melted, openly moaning into his mouth as you throbbed within his grip. he kept pulling, remembering how much you loved it before. he took advantage of it, yanking at your locks passionately.

before you knew it, you were cumming all over your own bare chest and his latex costume. he moaned as you did, rushing to catch up and cum at the same time. he succeeded, pulling your hair one last time as his hips stuttered against his own fist. it was overwhelming. his hand in your hair, fist squeezing your cocks together as it moved, his lips against yours. it was all too much.

you whined, softening in his grip as he slowly lets go. he whimpered, too. your cocks lazily pressed together, just barely overstimulating both of you. you finally pull away, ending the kiss. he looked up at you, pupils blown and eyes wide.

“what?” you ask, wondering why he looked at you that way. his expression didn’t change as his eyes flicked between each of your features.

“i know you’re a boy but..” he trails off. his hand reached up to your face, his thumb running over each of his favorite features. he parted your lips, noting their reddish hue after kissing, before caressing your cheeks while looking into your eyes. it was intimate, letting someone caress your face while pointing out their favorite features with each touch. you flushed under his gaze. “you’re pretty.”

“you think so?” you didn’t mean to ask the question, it slipping out before you could catch it. you voice was soft, barely above a whisper. he nods. you felt hot, heat suddenly overwhelming you as he looked away from your eyes and studied your features ahain. there’s a moment where both of you watch eachother, you being too scared to even think about what he meant. eventually, you pulled apart and cleaned up.

filming felt awkward now. for some reason, it felt like everyone was watching you. filming ended and while joe usually left soon after wrapping, he stayed behind, waiting for you to leave. at first, you didn’t understand why he’d stay, but he quickly made it clear as he made conversation.

“i’m hungry. do you want to get something after you’re done? my treat!” he smiled at you. you agree absentmindedly. “can we get mcdonalds? i heard the big mac’s good!”

“you heard?” you chuckle as he confirms. “so you’ve never been to mcdonalds?”

“no. my mom always cooked for us ‘cause that’s what a woman is supposed to do.” you grimace.

“you know, women can do other things, right?”

“yeah, but that’s what my mom and dad always said.” you decide to leave it there, too tired to explain feminism to him. you were frustrated anyway, considering you were left alone to clean up all by yourself. you assumed most of the actors left, but the film crew should be helping disassemble everything. you knew the lazy assholes maxxx hired as help usually fucked off and waited for you to finish, but at least dave would help. even he was nowhere to be seen.

joe stayed behind as you did a final sweep to make sure everything was reset. you found one of the doors shut and a distant rumble of voices behind it, a suspicious sight considering you assumed everyone was gone. you opened, slowly poking your head in and finding the entire crew, actors included, standing around yelling at eachother.

“no, dude! did you see the way they were looking at eachother? they’re totally fucking!” a voice called back, continuing a conversation you missed the first half of.

“man’s looks in love! they’re totally dating!” a girl spoke up.

“why not both? you’re acting like it’s one or the other!” you stepped in, shutting the door behind you as you entered.

“i swear! they were flirting outside and y/n was complimenting him!” you furrowed your brow, just barely recognizing your name in the sea of words.

“i just don’t see him as the type.. i mean he doesn’t even look gay. also, didn’t he fuck ava?”

“he probably likes both, dude. dave likes guys and girls, too.”

“he’ll fuck anything as long as it has a pulse. either way, joe’s the queer one of the two.” joe? why were they talking about him? you glared at the man who said it, who quickly realized you were listening in and stopped talking.

“what’s going on?” you asked slowly, watching as a few people held their hands behing their back. you stepped forward, looking at the producer, who turned with you to avoid showing his backside. “what are you holding?”

“uhhh…” you grabbed for his wrist, making a 100 dollar bill fall to the ground. you paused, staring at the cash as some people snuck out of the room. “why are you holding that?”

“y/n, it’s fine.” dave spoke up, directing your attention towards him. he was sat at a fold up table, a shoebox next to him along with a clipboard with multiple columns and rows. “it’s just a friendly little bet. gotta keep morale up, right?”

“what’s the bet?” at this point, the room was almost fully empty as everyone escaped. you and dave stared at eachother, him smiling innocently. he looked away for a second, fiddling with the corner of the paper.

“i just want to preface by saying, i didn’t tell anyone anything.” you furrowed your brow, only getting more confused. he slid over the clipboard. on the paper, you four columns, each labeled.

not gay | fucking | dating | both.

the worst part was, fucking was the most betted. you stared, mouth agape. “everyone saw you eyeing up joe the last couple of times you worked together, so when people started talking, i told them to put their money where their mouth is. most people thought you just had a fat crush on joe, but lily said she saw you guys flirting outside, which kinda skewed the vote.. everyone wanted to change their votes, but rules are rules. they know they can’t-“

“you’re fucking with me, right?” he paused before shaking his head. “how long has this been going on?!”

“yeah, well, people noticed how you changed your shirt in the middle of filming and how you stared at him. not to mention the fact that he’s waiting for you to finish putting everything away so you could go out. there’s actually a lot of proof. he keeps dragging you off into his dressing room, you spaced out when you first saw him in that costume..”

you stared in disbelief, unable to even find an excuse. everyone was watching. everyone knew you liked him and everyone assumed he liked you. you felt sick. the idea of the entire crew and a legion of pornstars betting on yours and joe’s queerness made you ill.

“obviously, i’m the bookie because it’d be cheating for me to vote since.. you know.” you cringed. “but it’s all for fun! i promise there isn’t any malicious intent.”

“you’re making a bet off of me and joe being gay, that sounds pretty malicious.” dave shrugged.

“it’s not out of ill-will. it’s just a fun bet-“

“about me and joe being gay?”

“yes!” you scoff, grabbing onto your hair and groaning.

“you have to call it off, dude. if joe finds out-“

“he’s not gonna find out-“

“if joe finds out,” you emphasize. “he’s gonna freak out.”

“how do you know? he seems pretty into you. he probably thinks you guys are already dating.” you rolled your eyes at the assumption.

“joe just got ex-communicated. if he finds out that what we’re doing is gay..” dave laughed, a large grin spreading as he held onto his chest.

“what? he really believes that bullshit you spew about just being friends?!” you glared, ready to argue back before he interrupted. “i know you think you know joe well, but be honest with yourself. you barely know the dude outside of sex, how would you know how he feels about being gay. did he ever mention the idea of being gay as a bad thing?”

you stayed quiet, realizing that no, he hadn’t said being gay is a bad thing. even when he questioned it, he never said it was wrong. he called it a sin once, but he easily could have meant masturbation. you looked away.

“maybe try talking to him. you know, not about how hot he looks in latex.” you flushed. “ava said you two were gonna go out to get something to eat, so you got the perfect opportunity. bring him to mcdonalds, get him some shitty nuggets and a big mac, large fry too, and ask him about himself. spend some time together. actually do something that doesn’t involve sex.”

you glared, genuinely angry at dave for assuming what you knew about joe. you hands trembled a bit before you huffed and walked off. you stormed down the stairs and found joe, sat cross-legged on the ground, poking around at some of the cameras. he jumped back when he saw you, quickly putting it back into place.

“oh, hey! did you see everyone? i thought they all left and they came down the steps, but they were acting all weird. did you talk to th-“

“let’s go.” you grabbed his hand, practically dragging him towards your car. “what do you want from mcdonalds? you said a big mac, right?”

“oh, uhhh.. i heard the nuggets are good-“

“whatever you want. you can get nuggets, a burger, a fuckin’ mcrib, i don’t care. it’s on me.” joe nods, following quickly as you opened the car door for him. he thanks you and you quickly get in on the other side, rushing to the nearest mcdonalds.

there was a few minutes of silence, you too angry to start speaking and him feeling the rage radiating off of you. you tried to think of an ice breaker. it was awkward, realizing that dave was right. you didn’t know anything about joe. you knew what he looked like and where he liked to be touched, but nothing personal. you cleared your throat.

“so.. tell me about yourself.”

he did. he talked about his childhood, being a middle child with 5 siblings. he talked about his mom, how she loved cooking and he always wanted to help, but she’d shoo him off and say it was a womans job. he talked about being mormon, what growing up was like within the mormon faith, he even mentioned a girl he was supposed to marry before they broke up. he also talked about what he liked and what he wanted to do. turns out, he always thought video games were cool, which started a conversation about your playstation and the games you had.

you got several things from mcdonalds, creating a buffet for the two of you when you got back to your place. you showed him the games you talked about and taught him how to play tony hawk’s pro skater 2. he loved it and you did too. both of you fell asleep on the couch, him laying on your chest while you played, mumbling to him about techniques, even though he was clearly unconscious. the next day, you hung out some more. you made breakfast together, went out to the mall together, got lunch together. it was amazing and by the end of the day, joe stood awkwardly outside your car door, fingers twiddling.

“so.. i’ll see you again, right?” you nod. he looks down. you took what dave said to heart, refusing to have sex with him during your time spent. you were sure that’s what he was thinking about. he had fun, but the one thing you two were comfortable doing was excluded.

“if you want to come by, just let me know. i had fun.” joe nods. there’s a moment of silence, only the crickets chirping making noise. he circles your car, going to the driver side. you roll down the window. “what are you-“

he kissed you. a quick peck like a couple would do before parting. he pulled away, taking in your features for a split second before rushing to his car and leaving. you flushed. maybe he did like you.

[scarlett-vixen]

This is the second request in @ari-shipping-stuff request. I know I did E already but it’s my event I make the rules this was too cute to not do another one💖 I’m sorry this took so long 🥺 I thought about it every day though!!

Prompt: E - Excited

Pairing: Beelzebub x gn!reader

Genre: Fluff!

“Four hours, twenty-six minutes and twelve seconds…”

Though you were living rent free with the brothers you still needed a source of income to afford all the cool things you saw in stores…even if Asmo and Mammon were constantly trying to pay for you.

“Four hours, twenty-two minutes and three seconds…”

Days like this you regretted getting a job down here and not just living a spoiled life at the hands of seven demon lords.

Business had been slow and the store was practically empty yet your boss wasn’t willing to let you leave early. You stared at the clock counting the minutes until your shift ended, thinking of all the things you wanted to do once you got home.

Take a quick nap, check in with Levi and play a round or two of the current game you guys were tackling, seek help from Satan with that unfinished essay sitting on your desk, but more than anything you just wanted something to eat!

Mammon had offered to bring you lunch two hours ago and you turned him down, not wanting to owe him more than you already did, that was now on the long list of regrets plaguing your mind.

Solomon had stopped by earlier to do nothing more than harass you for being stuck behind a counter. You had shooed him out but now wished he was here again to entertain you.

You checked your phone.

“House of Lamentation (New): 75 unread messages”

“Nnnnnnnope! Not opening that right now.” Even with the boredom digging deeper into you, you were not about to skim through all those messages about who knows what.

You reached the point where you actually wished you had that essay here so you could finish it…this had to end soon.

***

After an agonizing four hours finally passed, you headed back to the house, stomach rumbling on the way. You considered just grabbing something from the kitchen but told yourself you deserved a reward for surviving total boredom all day.

You swung open your bedroom door and tossed your jacket on a nearby chair, quickly finding the sixth born sitting on the couch in your room. A massive grin on his face, a sweet sparkle in his eyes, you swore if he had a tail it would be wagging right now from excitement.

“Beel? What are you doing bud?” You chuckled as you asked. You didn’t really care, the sixth born was always welcome in your room since he always cleaned up after himself and respected your space.

“I was lonely so I came looking for you, but you were gone…I got worried so I decided to wait for you!”

“You— how long have you been here?” Noticing a small pile of empty chip bags next to him; neatly stacked as to not make a mess.

“About six hours now I guess, are you okay? You were gone for a long time!” His beaming face quickly turning to a look of concern.

“Six hou— Beel I was at work! It’s Thursday!” You were both stunned and impressed at his ability to sit here that long by himself. It comforted you to know that he was worried about your absence though.

“Oooooooh that makes sense…I guess I forgot, sorry” a small blush appeared on his cheeks.

“What do you normally do while I’m at work?” You questioned.

“Wait for you to come home…” The blush on his cheeks growing rapidly. He was so damn cute it would kill you eventually, before you could comfort him though you felt your stomach rumble.

“Well, since we both had to sit alone for a stupid long time why don’t we spend some time together and go get food?”

“OH! That reminds me!” Beel dug into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper. “I had a coupon to Hell’s Kitchen and originally came looking for you to ask you to go with me…do you want to?”

You watched the excitement come rushing back to his body, eyes lighting up once more as he waited for your answer. You couldn’t blame him, after a day like this you were more than excited to spend time with him as well as fill your empty belly.

“Absolutely!”

[jeskoholic]

A Little Piece of You: Chapter 1 A New Friendship Circle (+Intro)

Authornim: I've been pondering for weeks what else i should post in this blog of mine. Stories haven't been going around that much, especially my one shots because I figured I want to finish the two ongoing ones first before posting them here. I decided to finally post this ongoing series of mine, despite doubts of the nature of its content to be fitting for the site.

I caved in in the end because I want to expand the audience reach for it. That said, this would be a mature, heavily plot-driven story with idols serving as actors and actresses, not limited to one particular girl and even boy group. If you like a long series to read on your spare time, then I hope that you would enjoy this story too.

I would update this regularly and it would take time for it to catch up on my updates on Wattpad. You can check it there if you like. Book cover art done by: @usedpidemo

Masterlist here. Enjoy!

Yoon Jae-In has always been the type of person who was fascinated among a lot of things, yet there was nothing better than when two of those things come together in utmost harmony. Sitting along in rooftops were already one thing that separates him from the real world while embracing the silence and the peace of the stillness he has with himself. The other one was arguably the cold, twilight-lid atmosphere of the approaching evening; for him, the skies that are lined with the lazy hue of the transitioning orange and indigo incited calmness inside him. Now, as he sat at the rooftop of the newly renovated Penthouse of Seoul’s own City Skylight Hotel, having the privilege to experience both of the phenomena at the same time felt too good to be true.

It has been a long time since he had the chance to do it again.

Jae-In could not even recall how long he has been staying there as the humble company of his hand phone was more than enough to keep him occupied. A couple of scribbles here and there was perhaps the sole thing to blame for the absence of boredom, and above all the soothing company as well as nostalgia of the place getting the best of him as he sat on the leather-bound seats of the said Penthouse.

For a while now, he has been alone; merely seated at the ledge of the establishment admiring the beauty of the late-afternoon sky. It was until the unexpected appearance of his two college friends, Doh Kyungsoo and Kim Hyojong, prompted himself to rid his lonely, waiting demeanour and welcome the company of his two friends.

“It’s been a while Jae-In,” Kim Hyojong remarked as he moved to provide space for Kyungsoo. “I certainly was not expecting to see you in a place like this. You’re honestly the least likely person among us that would actually show up here.”

Jae-In smiled at him. “Don’t worry, Dawn, believe me; I really was not expecting myself to show up here as well.”

“Hey,” interrupted Kyungsoo. “Don’t tell me that you’ve gotten around us having to convince you just to head here on the weekend. You used to be the number one person who took a lot of convincing just to go here. Oh and by the way, this fellow beside me is now actually called Hyojong now. It took him a while to rid of his ‘Dawn’ name until his boss mistook him for a lady.”

“Is that so, Hyojong-ah? You’re dropping the ‘Dawn’ thing after all these years?”

“Well, as long as I’m not in suits and ties, I can still use it. Who cares what they know about it? I’ll still be ‘Dawn’ no matter what happens, Jae-In,” Hyojong quipped and it earned an earnest laugh amongst the three of them.

“Of course you’d say that… anyway, you two know that I’ll have to address the elephant in the room. As much as I’m really impressed with the coincidence of our meeting, I’d like to know what actually caused the two of you to show up here on the penthouse. Was this something that you two planned?”

“It actually wasn’t,” replied Kyungsoo. “Well, you know how it is these days. It’s just me and Hyojong here that’s getting in touch after we all graduated. You’re busy with your own thing, Jae-In; Shinwon’s off to the Philippines for a vacation with his girlfriend, Yeri and Hongseok… of course they’re busy. I really can’t invite anyone else for a weekend drink aside from Hyojong here. Even Soyeon’s surprisingly out of reach.”

“That’s unfortunate, if you think about it. Even Shinwon and Kino are having something to do with their lives and yet here I am stuck with Kyungsoo drinking weekend beers here and there,” Hyojong teased.

“Hey, it’s not like I chose to get stuck with you too, man! I’m just happy to be with even just a fraction of our friendship circle. At least you have me to call around whenever you’re lonely.”

“Fine, fine; it’s just a joke after all. Hey, how about you Jae-In? You still haven’t told us why you’re Skylight-ing under our noses, you know. Care to give us a well-earned explanation?”

“Oh yeah that’s right; is there something going on? Are we holding you, perhaps, on a potential date?”

A period of silence ensued amidst the three young men with Kyungsoo and Hyojong merely earning a sly grin from Jae-In. Had he not broken the silence a couple of seconds later, the two would have continued to wait in anticipation or perhaps tease him until he manages to speak himself out.

“Yeah… that… Am I still allowed to not speak about it?”

“Ah yes, there he goes again,” teased Hyojong. “Apparently, not even working life could loosen up his tongue about his relationship. Nothing has changed.”

“No, Dawn-ah; I just… I figured it might be too complicated to explain given I’m not really sure how much time we have left.”

“You better stop stalling then,” Kyungsoo added amidst his talking. “Even I am surprised to see you here so out of the blue and I’m definitely curious as to how you ended up in a place like this. You sure are not planning to drink here alone now, are you?”

“No, I don’t think I will. I’ve had way too much of experience of that in this place. Having a cup of tea is a good change of pace. God, it’s so nostalgic; how long has it been since we’ve been here, two years?”

Hyojong smiled as he leaned and rested his back on the leather backrest. “Oh you have no idea, Jae-In; it’s been three years since we’ve last been together. I think it’s two that we’ve last seen each other complete. Even I lost track of time already.”

“Exactly,” continued Kyungsoo. “You still haven’t told us the complete story, Jae-In. Something that was left on our imagination all these years and we’ve brought back here in this place with you… I guess that’s a sign that we deserve to know what really happened, right? You’re back here already, and I take that you’ve done it because the memories of the place already subsided in your mind.”

“I guess so. It’s been a long time already. I don’t think that there’s any real point to not move on.”

“So, I’ll ask this boldly now; how are you and Ningning? Are you two happy?”

Jae-In fell silent amidst Kyungsoo’s question, as it alone surged a ton of questions he never really thought of thinking until that moment.

Of course, he’s going to ask that… it’s been a while since I ever got asked that question…

Ning Yizhuo…

Has it really been that long?

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---THREE YEARS EARLIER---

The deep orange remnants of the twilight sun-lit sky spiralled amidst the purple-indigo-clad skies as it overlooked a humble university.  North Line International University, located not far from the main urban jungle of South Korea that was Seoul, was this multi-establishment complex placed on a rather elevated terrain, and inside one if its rooms, clearly lost interest in his Social Sciences class, sat a young engineering student named Yoon Jae-In.

Yoon Jae-In was not always the person who would skimp in any kind of class as he personally disliked the idea of not attending; even if the class would bring out his absolute disinterest in. Social Sciences was one of those subjects that he would not really mind sitting throughout but if it was not for the over-all monotonous tone of his teacher, he would definitely not have his mind placed somewhere else.

Slowly, using the small volume of his pencil case as his cover, Jae-In carefully raised the screen of his smart phone just as his professor began to write on the board. Then, with one flick of his hand, he immediately opened the messaging app and in turn the group chat he recently got added in. There was still that aura of caution he had from within considering it was his first new set of friends ever since entering university two years prior, and of course he definitely did not want to screw it up no matter how kind they seemed to him.

His high school friend, Doh Kyungsoo, served as the de facto carry of the conversation as it was his idea to introduce everyone to each other in the first place.

Doh Kyungsoo: @everyone hey, what’s up? Are you all still in your classes? Please message here in case you’re done so that we could just head off together. I’m sure some of you don’t even know where Skylight is so it’s better if we’re to head together.

Of course, as perhaps a tradition to ever new friendship circle Kyungsoo has been in, it was inevitable for the first meet to happen regardless of when they’d do it. Jae-In never really got the chance to get out of his academic shell as he is often pigeonholed on his practices when he was still in high school, which is why the new friendship circle was a mixed bag even for him.

It was easy to not go and excuse himself for the better, yet a part of him also wanted to figure out what these people were. After all, they seemed to be nice people and it would be such a huge disservice to Kyungsoo who unintentionally created everything with the best intentions for everyone. He had met a couple of them when they had a small lunch together, but of course there was more to know than just a mere lunch out with people.

This is exactly why he also wanted to go to Skylight despite him not really having enough experiences on such places.

Jae-In had finally gotten his act together and was about to reply to Kyungsoo when his message was interrupted with a message from one of the new people he met, a very vocal and free-spirited woman who was known as Jeon Soyeon.

Soyeon: I’ll be there shortly! I’m just doing a couple of last-minute errands but I’ll be there I promise!

Jeon Soyeon, from what Jae-In could make up from the brief lunch out he had with her previously, was a very loud, charismatic woman who was not really that hard to be close with. To him, she seemed to be the type of person who would engage on a conversation first before anyone else and true enough, with what he had experience being in the same messaging group as she did, was really happy-go-lucky. Soyeon was actually the first person, at least among his new friends that went off of his way and talk to Jae-In first; an act he viewed as something he could not do himself. It was just a short interaction but thanks to it, he felt most comfortable with such a strong presence such as her.

Then, following Soyeon’s announcement, was one of Jae-In’s familiar friends from High School who’s presence were once again announced by the person he’d say would be his closest friend thus far, Kim Hyojong, or as he would like to call himself, Dawn.

Dawn: Sorry, but I don’t think that I’d be able to join you tonight. I have some stuff I got to sort out tonight.

Kyungsoo: That’s unfortunate. You can’t postpone it any time soon?

Dawn: I can’t, man; I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to catch you all on the next one.

Kyungsoo: No worries; how about the others? Where are all of you?

With that, Jae-In elected to reply.

Jae-In: Give me five minutes. This class is about over.

It would seem to Jae-In that his brief update about his whereabouts would be drowned by the subsequent messages of his two other high school friends, Ko Shin Won and Kang Hyung-gu; the dynamic duo often regarded by Kyungsoo as ‘Dumb and Dumber’, finally told the group where they were. Hyung-gu, who was often called by his friends as ‘Kino’, messaged in behalf of them both for the time-being.

Kino: We’re heading at the Uni’s gate and of course I’m with Shinwon. We’re meeting you in about five minutes depending on how fast this dude walks.

Kino: Oh and also, he wants me to say that he’s invited someone. He did not quite clarify if this person’s a ‘she’ but we’ll see.

Kyungsoo: I’ll be waiting for the rest of you. Hongseok told me that he’d be here in a minute, too, so I guess it’ll just be a matter of time.

Hongseok, on the other hand, was this person of whom Jae-In would think he would require extra effort understanding. Not only that their personalities and interests being absolute opposites, but also he was a very loud and proud person; someone who has a strong personality. At first impressions, it was easy to contrast him to be the male version of Soyeon, if only he was a bit timid on certain times compared to her who was pretty much happy-go-lucky all the time.

But of course, despite the ensuing chaos of the rest of the group’s bickering about Dumb and Dumber, Jae-In’s head was occupied somewhere else. While it was true that he had to exercise extra caution considering his professor had started to walk around as the lecture began to near its conclusion, he could still sneak a couple of glances towards his phone here and there. The messaging group continued to thrive for what felt like minutes, but there was one small detail that Jae-In could simply not ignore amidst all that…

 There was one portrait of a chat member that was able to see the messages yet elected to not reply.

She has seen every single one of it since the very beginning.

Even with the lunch out, she was absent from showing up which only made Jae-In’s impression of her to still be remained in mystery.

He knows her full name was Ning Yizhou and her friends call her Ningning, but outside of that…

How is she like when she’s not in the messaging group and is in person?

---

I’ll have to thank whoever decided to put NLIU right smack in the middle of South Korea’s central business district that I no longer have to worry about travelling longer distances whenever I need to head off someplace. While it is true that the extreme privilege would instantly equate to a more expensive cost of living, for the most part it’s really not that noticeable.

That was pretty much the reason why almost every college student applying for university end up here. That’s also the reason why it’s such a chore to weave through mobs of students every after class. This one in particular, was perhaps the most engaging one yet. Having to walk almost an entire campus-length of people before getting to the main gate was really tiring, especially when everything else is mixed with students heading off of their classes as well as students waiting to enter their next respective classes.

After a couple of minutes, I managed to wade through an entire campus worth of people and successfully made my way towards the main gate of the university. As expected, the figures of Kyungsoo, Shinwon, Kino, and Hongseok were there with Hongseok clearly occupied on a phone call. The three other figures were absorbed in a deep and interesting conversation, and I could say that much considering no one really noticed that I was approaching them from the gate’s exit.

The university’s main gate was this wide, roofed section extending downwards a long and extended flight of stairs stretching towards the main façade where students and bystanders spend their time overlooking the street ahead. Of course, at this time of the day with the afternoon being the most common point of dismissal for majority of the students, it was self-explanatory why it would be flooded with a flock of students to and fro.

“…and I thought that I was ready to ping on the enemy but when I switched my weapon out, I realized I haven’t even reloaded it yet,” I heard Kino’s voice as I approached the three of them. “I was panicking so hard that I switched to knifing and attempted to melee him instead. I guess we can all know what happened afterwards.”

“Jae-In-ssi, hey,” greeted Shinwon.

“Yo; you guys played before you got here?”

“Yeah, it’s a shame you weren’t there. A lot of crazy stuff happened back there,” said Kino towards me, earning a nod of agreement from Shinwon.

“I’ll get there next time. What’s up with him?” I asked, gesturing towards Hongseok who was nodding on the phone.

“He says it’s his mother,” informed Kyungsoo. “We all know that it’s not convincing, but he really sounds so sincere so I guess it’s really his mother.”

As if it was perfectly timed, Hongseok nodded towards the phone and proceeded to hang the call up. Then, with a smile, he approached the four of us flipping his hand on his phone with a clear expression of pride on his face.

“How did it go? Did they say ‘yes’ to you?” inquired Shinwon. “Did your… mother… approve of this night out?”

“As a matter of fact, she did,” he replied nonchalant. “I managed to take her into me spending the night with you, granted it was a Saturday anyway so it’s not really that hard to get myself around on.”

“Really now… if it’s that easy, how come you seem so occupied since we arrived here then…? Is it really your mother?” teased Kino.

“Why are you so fucking nosy? Of course it is my mother, who else would it be?”

“I don’t know… maybe someone who’s probably our age and would actually pique our interest for this evening… I’m just saying… it’s an option.”

“What?”

“Hey, hey” interrupted Kyungsoo as we both raised heads from reading messages on the group. “Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves here, now, okay? Ning and Soyeon are still not here. Neither of them is replying to me and Ning’s especially nowhere to be found.”

“Didn’t she see the messages that we’ve been sending to the messaging group?” asked Kino. “I’m sure even if we’re merely talking to each other and she’s seeing the messages, then there’s a good chance she’ll know what we’re up to. She always shows up without a word, and this does not make it any different.”

“I know that, but there’s no definite plan if she’s agreeing to go or not. She could easily leave the chat tab on and not be aware of what’s going on. I’ve known her to do those kinds of stuff as well.”

So, she’s a bit cluttered then. She must be rushing on a couple of different axes on this day. Even if she’s late, however, I doubt that Kyungsoo and the others would leave her behind. I was told that she was really looking forward to head to Skylight this evening. It would be a huge disservice to her if she won’t come.

“What’s the matter with Ning anyway?” asked Kino amidst the brief silence. “I thought that she’s finished with her classes already, how come she’s still not here?”

“I think she’s rushing on some requirements. Otherwise, I can’t think of any other reason for her to be late, especially in this circumstance,” Kyungsoo responded.

“Well, whatever the reason is, you can ask her yourself; and maybe greet Soyeon, too as she’s literally there with her,” gestured Shinwon towards the far end of the university gate where two figures emerged from the street beyond.

---

True enough; the two remaining ladies approached the small group of guys with a clear rush on their faces. Soyeon walked beside Ningning, waving her arms wide as she treaded closer to the group. For what was about to happen that evening, she was wearing a white, loose, sleeveless top with a black band bra underneath, coupled with tattered jeans, red sneakers as well as a loose drawstring bag behind her. Ningning, on the other hand, had a darker palette that complimented the rest of her dark-auburn hair. Sporting a black shirt and jeans combo finished with similarly-styled white sneakers with her backpack draped behind her, Ning Yizhou had strands of her hair caught up on her forehead with sweat.

“What happened to you? Did you run here?” Kyungsoo asked as soon as the two ladies joined the group waiting for them. “Why does Ningning look… like that?”

“Don’t even ask. I’ll tell you what happened later,” the woman called Ningning answered, clearly holding her chest as she caught her breathing. “I’m so stressed and I just want to head to Skylight right now and relax.”

“Actually, I saw Ning when I got out of my dorm and elected to join her on going here. Apparently, she’s tired because of something but even she did not explain it to me,” Soyeon said, supplying lost information towards the group while Shinwon scoffed.

“Is that a good enough reason to not even reply to the messaging group? It would have been a lot easier if you just told us what you’re doing then at least we’d know and we won’t be assuming that you’re not interested on going.”

“Shinwon, don’t start with me. I’m really tired right now and I just want to relax.”

“How are you supposed to--?”

“Is everyone else here already?” interrupted Jae-In for the benefit of Ningning and Shinwon not engaging on another possibly uncontrollable argument. “Are we still waiting for anyone else?”

“Yep, everyone’s pretty much here. I think we’re set to go. Do you guys want to board a cab? We can all fit if we choose a larger one, right?” asked Kyungsoo.

“In that regard, I’ll call a cab for all of us. You all wait for me here,” Soyeon volunteered as she left for the side street, out of earshot, to call for a cab.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group’s gentlemen were once again engaged on a heated debate. Everything seemed to have boiled down to Kino asking Shinwon about his guest, which pretty much drove everyone else curious including Kyungsoo and Hongseok. And so, the only person left to talk to the still-tired Ningning was none other than Yoon Jae-In. The young man had no real intention to engage on a conversation with her, but given how verbal Ningning is, she went out of her way and actually spoke to Jae-In out of sheer curiosity.

“You’re Jae-In right…; the one who’s recently added to the messaging group?”

“Yep, that would be me.”

“It’s my first time meeting let alone drinking with you. I’m Ningning. We could have met at the lunch out not that long ago but I had to do some other stuff. I do look forward to being friends with you, though.”

With that, Ningning held her hand out for Jae-In to shake. Even though he precisely knew what to do with the humble offer, his head felt really dumbstruck that it was Ningning that first engaged a conversation on his rather timid persona, for the time being at least. Regardless, he still took her hand and shook it with utmost warmth; a gesture of which she returned with utmost enthusiasm.

“I’m Jae-In. I hope we get along well.”

“That’s good to hear. Don’t go all drunk on me on our first get-together, okay?”

Jae-In had no time to even respond to her as Soyeon’s voice came talking from nearby, apparently accomplishing her mission of hailing a cab fit for them all. Ningning already let go of his hand as she joined the rest of the group, and Jae-In followed shortly with one clear thought in his mind:

This night is going to be really crazy and I can already feel it.

[shadow-says-hello]

Not back yet but I said I was posting earlier fanfic and I just wrote this one at night recently bc I write good at night and out of boredom sooo my friend requested me to write this

Find the spot

Summary: Ryan Gosling and Y/N are co-stars on the set of Fall Guy. The movie just came out and you two are backstage waiting to go to a meet and greet

Mostly Ryan tickling the reader. SFW also slight spoilers for this movie sooo ⚠️

I tried getting his personality accurate

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Ryan Gosling was known for his huge sense of humor and skilled performances. And you really got to notice this while you developed a special bond for a new movie, Fall Guy.

The movie was about a stuntman who must find the missing star of his ex-girlfriend's blockbuster film. Filled with drama, action and comedy. You were lucky enough to play a close producer friend of Ryan Goslings character Colt.

You two had been sitting on the couch of the backstage lounge before going on. You had time to get ready before presenting yourselves to the fans.

Previously Ryan had been making jokes and getting you to laugh, because that’s just who he was. It was almost impossible to not laugh, especially when he went on SNL and laughed every single skit.

“You’re an A-list actor, were you even trying not to laugh?” You ask, Ryan shrugging.

“Because I couldn’t, besides I was doing the best I can. I was holding on for dear life.”

“I can see that.” You laugh.

Ryan chuckles. “You’re cute.”

“So are you.”

“Now that’s my kind of comeback.” Ryan smirks. In response, you smirk back and get an idea to ask him.

“Ryan, are you ticklish?” You ask.

His head cocks slightly to the side. His eyebrow raises in curiosity. “Me? Ticklish? Pffft. Never. I am invincible to such feeble attempts.”

“Really?” You ask.

He nods with certainty. “Truly.” You inch a little closer to him, getting hip-to-hip by his side. You begin to tickle his belly.

He laughs but maintains his composure. “Oooh so we’re reversing the roles, are we? You need to put some effort into it though.”

You roll your eyes and knead deeper into his stomach and sides. “Your abs are rock hard, no wonder why this is hard, you’re built like a freaking tank.” You grumble.

He laughs.

“You’re right. I am. And trust me, I use all this muscle to my advantage.”

“Can you lift your arms up?” You ask him. He does as you demand and lifts up his arms. You begin trying to tickle under his armpits, a real bad tickle spot on most people.

His face shows more enjoyment than he’d like to display. “Is that the best you got? I have to say I’m a little disappointed, Y/N. I figured you would bring some true effort if I offered myself up like this.”

You are stunned. How can someone not be so ticklish? “How..? You really feel nothing?”

“Nothing.” He replies smugly. “Stop playing around and get down to business, Y/N. If you’re gonna tickle me you got to do it right. Here, lemme show you.”

He tackles you down to the couch so you lay on your back, he pins your wrists down on either side of you easily, causing you to squirm a tiny bit.

He is now tickling your sides. You laugh loudly as he attacks your abdomen with a flurry of tickles.

“Hahaha I have you now! This means war, Y/N! You should have never attempted to tickle me without realizing how much it would backfire!” He chuckles.

“AH! BUHUT IT WAS AN EXPERIMENT-!” You laugh.

“An experiment?! Well, look at this, you've created a tickle monster!!“ He teases, feeling no shame or not even cringing the slightest as he speaks.

“YOU’RE EHEMBARRASSING!!!” You shriek, feeling your cheeks turn a little red as your loud laughter echoes throughout the room.

He shakes his head. “You set off the sequence, Y/N. I'm just following the programming.”

“AHH…STOHOP!!” You squeal.

He laughs. “You're the one who started this war. You only have yourself to blame.”

He suddenly moves his hands to up your belly and your ribs. You shriek with laughter at how much more intensely ticklish this area is.

“I can go on forever, you know. I trained myself for this moment.” He grins wickedly.

He then dug his hands straight into your sensitive armpits. “Admit defeat, you fiend!”

He chuckles, getting you to playfully submit to him. He enjoyed this as much as you did, you just wouldn’t admit it. Ever.

“NO WAY! S-SHUHUT UP!”

“This is what you get for messing with a tickling-time-bomb! And shutting up would indicate that I’m yielding this moment to you, which we both know will never happen.”

You were blushing more intensely than you ever had before, and he wouldn’t stop with the teases.

“You’re so red in the face. I can’t tell if it’s from how fun this is or the lack of air. Maybe both.” Ryan laughs.

You were squirming and thrashing beneath him, entering a deep cackle.

“DO YOU EVER SHUT UP!!!?” You snap, cackling and giggling a whole lot all while trying to push him away. Your voice was also becoming squeaky.

“Nope! Now I’m just curious as to where else you’re ticklish. Tell me, Y/N!” Ryan continues to be arrogant and smug.

“NEVER!” You hiss through laughter, impossible to be taken seriously during all of…this.

He only laughs at your conviction. “Oh, that’s what you think. You just hold on there, I’ll get to a spot that will break you eventually.“

His hands travel toward your hips while his other hand continues ravaging your stomach.

“YOHOU’RE NEHEVER GOHONNA FIND IT RYHYAN!!!!” You squeal incoherently, knowing it only motivates him to search more.

“Never say never, Y/N.” Ryan gives an amused smile.

You were practically screaming out begging while laughing. “SHUHUT UP!”

“I’ll shut up when you admit I win.” Ryan grabs the hem of your shirt an gently pulls it up to expose your belly, and blows a big raspberry on it. His stubble adds extra sensations to the already torturous tickling.

“AHHHAH- NOHOHONONO!!! I SURRENDER JUST PLEASE NOT THE RAHASPBERRIES!!!!”

“Yesss!!! There it is!” Ryan cheers, blowing a few more for the fun of it and because he loved your reactions. “Awww, look at you all broken…I think you secretly enjoyed this.” He stops blowing for a bit and looks up at you.

You took a few huffs before answering, catching your breath. “Absolutely not.”

“Oh sure sure. You love getting tickled. Admit it! You can’t wait for me to hold you down and tickle you again.” He laughs and lightly pats your back while you catch your breath.

“Never again.” You say, knowing it wasn’t true. You wanted him to.

“Now how ticklish would you say you are out of 10?” Ryan asks, catching you off guard.

“Me? I’m not answering that.” You roll your eyes again.

“What if I tickled you some more until you answered? Or is that no longer a threat since I got you to surrender already?” He grins at your defiance.

“Ohhh nonono! Ok! I’ll answer!” Your eyes widen. “An 8 or a 9?”

“An 8 or a 9?! Hot damn, I didn’t realized I was dealing with that much tickle power. But it did make it a lot more fun, that’s for sure.“ Ryan grins at you.

“What are you trying to get at?” You give him a playful-confused look.

He then tickles you again. Moving your arms out of the way with one hand and pinning them to your body while tickling your ribs with the other.

“YOU DIRTY-“ You giggle. “YOU DON’T PLAY FAIR…”

“Oh, you know you love it, miss 9/10.” Ryan chuckles. “I’m playing the game of “tickling-you-because-you-like-it-but-are-lying.” Fairness isn’t supposed to be in play here, honey.” He circles one finger on your tummy and laughs as you squirm.

“I’m not gonna shut up, darling. I am loving hearing your voice like this!”

He moves his fingers faster and faster, running them up and down your sides as you squirm beneath him. He’s enjoying this even more than you realize. But never as much as you do.

After going on the meet and greet, you were tickled a lot more…and soon eventually opened up about how you really love it.

The enddddd

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Why is my writing so good at night bro Ryan gosling is such a stud : P

[nalgenewhore]

be still, my foolish heart

elide x lorcan, canon era, arranged marriage/confession, word count: 4479

The castle of Perranth had been a storm of activity for the past week, readying for the newlywed’s first ball. It would be the largest gathering since their nuptials, royals and important figures from across the globe travelling to revel in the merriment. 

Of course, the event would not be so merry for the couple themselves. For them both, it was another night of putting on a show and holding themselves to the promises neither had ever wanted to make. The choice wasn’t theirs, but there was far too much at stake. They were resigned to their roles as figurines, to be pawns in another’s game. 

Still, Lorcan silently mused, there was some good to look forward to. It would be the first time he’d have the freedom to see his closest friends, males that had grown to be his most cherished companions. He had the decency to not lie to himself—he would enjoy spending time with Elide as well.

He stepped out of his dressing room, looking at the door across the carpeted hall. A few months ago, the very sight of it would’ve made him scowl. Now, something like sullen resignation flickered briefly in his chest, mild irritation for the event that had disrupted their lives. Lorcan didn’t hold onto the feeling like he might have once. She was as powerless as he. They had found themselves in this arranged situation through no fault of their own, and it was useless to blame one another for their circumstances. 

During the earlier months, neither had been introspective enough to realise that, and it had led to some… tense moments between them, to say the least. Lorcan couldn’t pinpoint a moment when it had all changed. Somewhere along the way, it just had. They were pleasant to each other. Friends, he supposed. No, not friends. He wasn’t sure. Their lives were far easier when they didn’t have hundreds of onlookers, and everything had become simpler when they both realised that. Away from everything else, something different had blossomed between them, even though Lorcan couldn’t put his finger on it.

The way he thought about Elie certainly wasn’t how he thought about his other friends.

One of her attendants opened the door, interrupting his train of thought. For a moment, Lorcan gained an unobscured view into the dressing room. Her back was to him as she sat at her vanity, and their eyes met in the mirror. 

He blinked, intrigued by the dramatic kohl accentuating the angular shape of her eyes. 

Elide gazed back at him, her lashes batting, satisfaction curling her lips into a small smirk. 

The very next second, though, the door was shut and her attendant scolded him, “Lord Lochan, you’re not to see the lady until she’s ready.” 

Lorcan regarded the mortal woman with slight boredom. “She’s my wife,” he argued, just because he could. 

Charlotte was Elide’s favourite handmaiden, simply because she was never affected by Lorcan’s intimidating persona. Neither Elide nor Charlotte ever let him get away with anything. She clicked her tongue and herded him away and down the hall. “Do you really think you can fool me with something like that?”

He chuckled, strolling beside her. “I had to try, didn’t I?” They reached a bend in the path and before they turned the corner, Lorcan glanced back reflexively. He knew exactly what, or who, he was looking for. Charlotte knew as well, if her own little smirk wasn’t enough to go by. He rolled his eyes at her, muttering something about how many busybodies there were in the castle.

She escorted him to the front hall of the lady and lord’s chambers, where he was to wait until Elide was finished. “Sit and keep yourself out of trouble.” Charlotte sniffed tolerantly, “Lady Lochan should be finished shortly. I do hope you manage to contain yourself.”

With that, Charlotte was gone, back to aid Elide. 

Lorcan sighed to himself and decided to stand until Elide had arrived. Sitting would no doubt crease his new tunic, and he thought of how foolish it would be to accompany her looking a mess. He studied the portraits on the walls, painted faces of Elide’s family. His too, one could argue. 

The largest portrait was a painting of Marion, her mother. He stared up at it, perusing every inch of the painting. 

She had an oval-shaped face, like Elide’s. Her skin was pale, and Lorcan was sure that it was marked with the same freckles as her daughter, though the artist hadn’t captured that level of detail. She was regal. It was shown in the slope of her cheekbones, the tilt of her eyes… the way she stared at him, through the canvas. 

Marion’s portrait had witnessed much over the past half-year. Some of their worst behaviours, horrific insults and accusations thrown at each other like they meant nothing. They’d torn each other to shreds, to scraps of nothing, without a second’s thought nor moment’s regret. Looking up at Marion now, his guilt was like a brick in his stomach. Lorcan shifted his weight side to side, cracking his knuckles. He didn’t do it much anymore, on account of Elide’s adverse reaction to the sound of bones popping. She hated the sound, so his habit had gone to bed. 

He half-smiled to himself, knowing exactly what the male he’d used to be would say if he could see himself. What a lonely person he’d once been.

“You should smile more.”

Lorcan half-turned, not in the least startled by Elide’s silent approach. She was a sneak, at times, and he’d grown used to it. He let his grin stretch a little wider over his lips, “Should I?”

She nodded, her eyes glittering. “Yes.” They stepped towards each other, meeting in the middle of the room. 

“Any reason why?”

“Does your wife need a reason when she tells you to do something?”

He chuckled, his heart fluttering with her casual use of the title. His wife. Elide was his wife. “No, I don’t suppose she does.”

Elide raised her hands to fiddle with his tunic. Lorcan watched her, biting the tip of his tongue as to quell the joy he felt. She popped open a few buttons and fussed over the collar of his white dress shirt until it satisfied her. Once she had finished, Elide smoothed one hand down his chest, her touch lingering. “If I liked you, I might say you look handsome tonight.”

“Oh, you would?”

She looked up at him through her lashes, nodding shyly. “Yes. Incredibly so.” One finger traced the subtle stitching on his jacket, which matched the beaded pattern on her gown. “If you liked me, what would you say?”

Lorcan took a step back so he could properly survey the woman before him. He gestured with one finger, and Elide rolled her eyes before she spun around. The beads on her skirts sparkled in the candles and faelights. He smiled as she came to a stop, the edge of her dress brushing against his shins. 

She laughed nervously, her cheeks pinking. “Don’t just stand there and stare at me.”

“Mmm, so impatient,” he told her. “Give me a moment, wife.” Elide huffed but let him be. At first glance, her dress seemed black. Upon closer, more careful inspection, Lorcan realised that it was of the deepest purple, his favourite colour on her. 

The dress cinched at her waist before flowing into voluminous skirts, dotted with small gems. Her straps were made of the same fabric that was gathered so delicately, and they loosely circled her upper arms before connected to the bodice in the back. They offered no support, Lorcan could tell.

“Turn around for me,” Lorcan murmured, “one more time, darling?” The affectionate utterance slipped from his lips without thought. 

Elide gaped a bit, her eyes widening. Great big butterflies flapped around her stomach, and she did as he’d asked. Her throat lodged itself in her throat when she faced him again, and Lorcan didn’t say a word. His dark gaze didn’t lift to hers, either.

After too many agonising moments of silence, Elide couldn’t help herself anymore and prompted, impatiently, “Well?” 

He lifted his eyes to hers. “You’re beautiful, Elide.” Lorcan stepped closer, his hand finding hers so he could bestow a kiss against her knuckles. “Incredibly so.”

“Oh,” she gasped delicately.

Lorcan gave her a wink and a lazy grin while he stood up straight. “You always are.” He cupped her hand, his thumb brushing over her wedding band. “Shall we?”

Elide nodded, her free hand picking up her skirts. “We shall. Wouldn’t want to keep our adoring public waiting, would we?”

He chuckled as he escorted them out of their chambers, the couple oblivious to the staff watching them. Elide slipped her hand out of his in favour of resting it into his elbow. The action brought her closer to him, and he enjoyed having her tucked next to him, her footsteps following his by a half-beat.

They spoke quietly as they made their way through the long corridors, up and down the winding staircases. As they got closer to the great room, the sounds of the invited guests and the performers grew louder. 

Elide was happy that they’d invited a group of Fae musicians to play. The music they knew was far more whimsical, made for revelling and gaiety. She would dance tonight, with her friends. With her husband, too, or at least she hoped they would dance. 

They arrived by the large doors and stopped, far enough away from the staff that no one would be able to listen in on their conversation. 

Elide smoothed out his collar once more, and Lorcan inspected the pins holding some of her hair back, ensuring that they wouldn’t loosen over the evening. “Do you need a moment?” he asked her quietly, wrapping one hand around her forearm. He pressed his thumb against the inside of her wrist, levelling a serious gaze at her. 

She shook her head, “I’m just fine.” Elide tapped his chest with her finger, once and twice. “You know very well that I’ll come and find you if something happens.” 

He nodded, though there was still a furrow between his brows.

Elide mirthfully rolled her eyes before she spun towards the doors, tugging him along with her. “Come on, already. I want to drink and eat desserts,” she declared. 

The male watched her with a grin. “Very well, darling.” 

✵✵✵✵✵

It had been an hour, or so since the ball had begun, and the couple had been announced to the guests. Shortly after their arrival, the music had commenced and dancing had soon ensued. 

So far, Elide had danced with several men of the nobility and with her friends as well. Aelin, the future queen of Terrasen, had been married shortly after Elide’s wedding, though hers was more happily anticipated than Elide’s. It wasn’t just luck that the king consort happened to have a personal relationship with the lord consort of Perranth—had there not been an established political connection to Terrasen, the queen of Doranelle would have refused to bless Aelin and Rowan’s nuptials.

She took a sip from her sparkling wine and glanced around the room, looking for Lorcan. It wasn’t hard to find him, standing with his friends. Elide had never seen him so at ease, at least not so publicly. Though, it seemed like he wasn’t even aware. 

With the distance between them, Elide was safe to properly stare like she hadn’t had the chance to earlier. Though all their outfits for public events had always been coordinated, they’d never looked as similar as they did tonight. As usual, her husband’s suit was black, but the threading and beading matched her gown. 

She let her eyes wander a bit, appreciating the way it was cut to his body. Yet again, a blush was brought to her cheeks. Elide hurriedly turned away, stealing subtle glances at him from afar. She traced her eyes over his grave features, those same features dramatised by the way his hair had all been pulled back. 

Some of the dark strands were plaited into small braids, letting the rest fall down his back unbidden. He had in all those golden hoops piercing his ears. They followed the curve of cartilage, and larger ones hung from his earlobes. A thin chain of gold was visible around his neck. 

Elide had noticed that Lorcan preferred gold jewellery. He used to wear rings, but now the only piece of finery on his fingers was his wedding band. It was expected of any husband to showcase their wedding band, certainly, but it meant something more to her. He never took it off, not even when he was alone.

“And what is it that has captured my dear friend’s attention?” Aelin said loudly, interrupting Elide’s gazing. 

She startled and reddened, holding her glass up to her face. “Nothing that would interest you. Just the decoration.”

“Is that what we’re calling Lord Lochan now? ‘Decoration’? Seems a bit unnecessary and objectifying,” the queen teased, bumping her hip into Elide.

“Stop it,” Elide hissed, glaring at her friend. Though she was well and grown now, the demi-Fae hadn’t lost her mischievousness. “I’m not looking at him. Why would I do that?”

Aelin grinned wickedly, “Oh, probably because you think he’s oh-so dreamy and all you want to do is kiss him all the time.”

Elide smacked Aelin’s arm, tutting her tongue, “You are a child, my love. Nothing is happening between us.”

“Yet.”

“Ever!”

“Whatever you say, Elide,” Aelin laughed. 

The gentle, delicate music began to pick up into an upbeat, folksy tune. Aelin’s eyes widened with delight, and she hurriedly took Elide’s glass to put it down. “Aelin, I was drinking that!” 

Aelin grabbed Elide’s hand and began to pull her towards the middle of the ballroom, “There’s no time for that, we must dance!” Elide tilted her face up and laughed, picking up her skirts so she could position herself opposite Aelin. 

Around them, other young women and females were doing the same, all wearing bright smiles. 

Dramatically, Aelin bowed to Elide and held her hand, palm up, out to the dark haired lady. “My lady, I humbly, humbly ask thee for this dance.” Her eyes were sparkling with glee. “Do you accept?”

Elide placed her hand in Aelin’s and declared, “I do!”

✵✵✵✵✵

From across the room, a pair of depthless eyes tracked the woman wearing a purple dress. He hadn’t been able to tear his gaze away for more than a minute or two at a time. Only when she’d begun staring at him had Lorcan pretended to not notice her existence. 

It was comical, and somewhat adorable, that his wife thought she could get away with ogling him like that. Not that Lorcan minded her ogling. She could ogle him to her heart’s content. 

Bizarrely, his cheeks and the rounded curves of his ears heated. He bent his face, praying none of his stupid brethren would notice and mention it. Lorcan worked his jaw, somewhat irritated that someone had him so transparent. The feeling of it settled uneasily in his stomach, but as he dared to lift his head and his eyes found Elide once again…

The musicians were playing a Fae folk song, and the accompanying dance was always done so in pairs. During Beltane, young faelings would skip down the streets and through various displays, singing along the way. 

In Perranth, it was far more prestigious. The gentry, of course, did not frolick. Elide was dancing with the queen of Terrasen. They appeared to be in constant laughter as they spun and jumped, clearly outshining their peers with sheer joy as they disregarded any notions of propriety. At some point, both Aelin and Elide dropped a hand to their skirts so they could lift them up, seemingly challenging each other to more and more complex footwork. 

Unknowingly, Lorcan turned to fully face Elide, his depthless eyes glinting. Without taking his eyes off of her, he lifted his glass to his lips and took a sip. The amber liquor warmed his stomach and eased his nerves. Gods above and below, this little half-witch had him nervous. And for no good reason, too. 

“Lorcan,” said a deep voice, accompanied by a hand grasping his elbow. “Where’ve you gone?” Rowan gently tugged on Lorcan to get his attention.

Lorcan reluctantly turned away from Elide, though not before one last lingering look. He faced his friends, schooling his expression into one of cool neutrality. “What are you saying? I’ve been here the whole time, Rowan.”

Fenrys guffawed gleefully. “Oh, please.” He jerked his chin towards the dancers. “You’ve been staring at her all night.”

“No, I haven’t,” Lorcan immediately protested. “I don’t stare at her.”

Vaughan piped up then, tapping his chin with his finger in a façade of curiosity. “Rowan, have you found that marriage makes for horrible liars?”

“Why, no, I haven’t,” Rowan answered, playing along with their game. He elbowed Fenrys, “Just watch, next he’ll say he doesn’t even like her.”

“Tell us, brother, how long have you been falling in love with her?”

They all erupted into hearty laughter as Lorcan glowered at them, his hand tightening around his glass. His heart beat uncertainly. Of course he wasn’t in love with Elide Lochan; the very idea was ludicrous and to suggest anything of the sort was ridiculous. “That’s absurd. I don’t love her.”

“Not yet,” Vaughan said, his head tilted to the side in mock thoughtfulness. “You won’t be able to deny it much longer, you know.”

Lorcan ran the tip of his tongue over the undersides of his teeth with narrowed eyes. He drained the rest of his drink at once and put his empty glass down. “Fuck off, I’m not falling in love with Elide. Now or ever.” 

They just laughed again, and Lorcan couldn’t stand it anymore, so he turned away from them. His only objective was to leave; it wasn’t like he was trying to find Elide even as his gaze skipped across the great hall.

As he stalked across the ballroom, the lilting and jaunty song came to its end. For a few moments, the room was silent save for the excited chattering before a new tune began. Romantic music built slowly, and Lorcan observed young maidens running from the dance to find their suitors. 

Among them was the queen, though she did not run for Rowan. Aelin appeared to be floating, a courtly smile resting on her face. Once her electric eyes set on Lorcan, that gentle smile curved into a wicked smirk, “Lord Lorcan Lochan, how lovely it is to see your smiling face.”

“Your Majesty,” he replied, dipping his head slightly and ignoring how delighted she was to say his full title. “Are you enjoying the festivities?”

“Oh, yes, they’ve been most delightful.”

“I’m glad.”

Aelin laughed at the outright lie. There was no lost love between the two, and she knew Lorcan didn’t care one way or another if she was enjoying herself. “At least our Lady is enjoying them, hmm?” 

His gaze lifted over Aelin’s head to see Elide. She was standing by an older couple, some lord and lady whose names Lorcan hadn’t bothered remembering. “Indeed.” Like she felt his eyes trained on her, Elide looked back at him with a shy smile and rouging cheeks. 

“Well,” Aelin stated, breaking Lorcan’s focus, “I shall let you go, Lorcan, and I shall hope you don’t step on Elide’s feet.” 

“How gracious of you,” he deadpanned. 

The queen laughed as she stepped past him, telling him to enjoy the remainder of the night. 

When Lorcan returned to his mission of finding his wife, he saw Elide’s retreating form. As covertly as she could manage, Elide was headed towards the large glass-paned doors and the balconies beyond them. 

Lorcan cut across the marbled floor to another door, and he slipped out, ignorant of his ever-watchful friends. 

Elide stood leaning on a railing that overlooked the grounds. 

For a moment, he didn’t say a word. The moonlight as well as the torches and faelight bathed her in an angelic light. Her gown and all its intricate embellishments scintillated with every subtle move she made. 

Lorcan cleared his throat, and Elide spun with a loud gasp, her hand clutched to her chest. “Anneith below, Lorcan,” she exclaimed, a bright smile settling on her face. “Don’t scare me like that!”

He chuckled lowly whilst he approached her. “My apologies, darling.”

They stood facing each other, a short distance between them. 

Even outside, they could still hear the music perfectly well. Elide said idly, “Oh, I adore this song. It was the only song my dance tutor could play to make me dance.”

He smiled at the small anecdote, imagining his wife as a petulant child. Lorcan held out a hand and bent from the waist, a brow raised in question. “May I have this dance, then?”

Her round painted lips quirked up at the corners. Elide laid her hand in his, “You may.”

With a grin of his own, Lorcan placed his other hand on her waist and swept her away. At first, her hand rested on his shoulder, but as they waltzed for longer and the distance between them shortened, it slid down to his chest. 

Almost effortlessly, they fell into a serene rhythm and were able to talk pleasantly. 

“And how are your dear friends?”

“They’re assholes, the lot of them.”

Elide’s songlike laughter rang out clearly, echoing throughout the twilight. “Tell me, husband, what were they doing?”

Lorcan faked a pout, “They were mocking me.”

Her eyes twinkled. “Oh, no. Poor you. Should I have come to your rescue?”

“Yes, you should’ve.” His lips twisted into a secret smile just for her as he mockingly shook his head. “Heartless, you are.” Then, Lorcan took a small step backwards and lifted their joined hands above Elide’s head to spin her. Her skirts flared; beneath the few torches and faelights, countless crystal beads glittered like stars. 

Once she returned to his arms, Elide laughed merrily. “Well, whatever did they mock you for?”

Lorcan could have, or maybe should have done a number of other things. Instead, he ignored every nay-saying lick of common sense he had and said, “You.”

Elide’s mouth popped open as she gasped a bit and her steps faltered. Lorcan saved her, ensuring no one saw her misstep.  “W-what?” She forced a breathy, incredulous laugh, swallowing uncertainly. “Why would I be something to mock you over?”

“They think I’m falling in love with you,” he told her, his voice low now. Elide blinked up at him with wide eyes, searching his face for any hint of insincerity. Still, Lorcan led them in a small round, his gaze unfaltering. 

“And-” Elide paused, her voice hesitant, “are they right?” 

Her eyes have never seemed richer than they did then, and her lips have never looked so pillowy. Lorcan’s gaze caught on them, and Elide noticed when he didn’t answer. She moved her hand to his chin, forcing him to meet her line of sight. “Are they right,” she asked, pushing him for an answer. If he was joking, if it was some cruel attempt to tease her, Elide would never forgive him. 

Lorcan nodded slowly, his answer a rasp between his teeth. “Yes.”

At first, she gaped at him in shock, and that shock quickly transformed into something shy and elated. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t know,” he admitted. “Believe me, falling in love with you is not something I wish to keep secret.”

They still danced, but it was as much as a dance as it was the two of them circling each other, Lorcan laying everything out for her to know. 

Elide swallowed and spoke in a faint voice. “We’ve kept secrets from each other before.”

He stopped, inadvertently forcing her to stop too. “But this? You would keep something like this from me?” For a moment, fear curdled in his gut, making him nauseous thinking that he’d acted foolishly, brainlessly. Maybe he didn’t know her like he thought he did, maybe anything of significance that had occurred was only in his head. 

She moved a hand to his face, and he couldn’t help leaning into her touch. “Never,” Elide whispered. “I didn’t know either.” 

Cruel thing, he thought as her thumb shifted, rubbing his full bottom lip. “Tell me,” he insisted. “What didn’t you know?”

Her smile was beautiful—more so than he’d ever seen before. “I’m falling in love with you too.” 

The words had hardly left her mouth before he was leaning forward, his teeth catching her lower lip. Elide moaned as her eyes slid shut, and she wound her hands through his silky hair, small plaits twisted between her fingers. 

Lorcan curled his arm around her waist, pulling her closer against him. His mouthed slanted over hers; he stole her ability to breath and think clearly. It was hunger and a wildfire, both at once—untamed, but that gave way for decadence and devotion. His tongue stroked her bottom lip in askance; Elide sighed as she parted her lips. One hand moved to her jaw, his thumb resting on her chin.

Eventually, they parted with chests heaving, lungs greedy for oxygen. Lorcan’s pupils were blown, overtaking his eyes so she couldn’t discern between pupil and iris. He blinked slowly, his lids at half-mast. With a soft utterance, he bade her to kiss him again, soft and loving. He laid a series of soft pecks against her lips, then trailed them across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose until Elide was smiling broadly. 

“I think,” she started in a voice so quiet it was as though Elide feared shattering their newfound peace, “that you should thank your friends for their mockery.”

Lorcan hummed, then the tip of his nose bumped hers as he kissed her once more. “I don’t think that.”

Elide laughed against his lips while her fingers found purchase in his hair again. “Are you always this contrary?”

“Yes,” he answered, no hesitation. “I thought you knew that already.”

She hummed, the sound noncommittal and neutral. “There’s lots about you that I don’t know.”

She said it so casually, too casually, like she thought he was keeping more from her. Lorcan forced himself to pull away and searched her face. “No more secrets, Elide. I will tell you whatever you want to know. No secrets.” Not anymore, he almost begged. Not between us.

For a moment, a moment too silent and too long, Elide watched him with her cat-like eyes. She dipped her chin, “No more secrets.”

It was the kind of promise they sealed with a kiss under a blanket of twilight and sleepy, blinking stars as their witnesses.

✵✵✵✵✵

an: in one word theyre slaytastic 💋 hope u enjoyed !