#I carved this awhile back but I never took the time to do anything with it or celebrate it so here we are

[disappointeddyke]

dyke bod

[maehemthemisfit]

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚ SLEEPY HEADCANONS

FEATURING 彡 Scaramouche and Tighnari

WORD COUNT 彡3k word vomit

FLUFFVEMBER CALENDAR

SCARAMOUCHE - STARES AT YOU WHILE YOU SLEEP

It really depends on which version of scaramouche you're with

There's the pre three betrayals KUNIKUZUSHI, who would look at you in complete awe, his eyes swirling with childlike curiosity as he watched the rise and fall of your chest

Kunikuzushi who silently takes in your relaxed features, marveling at the slightest sounds or movements you made in your sleep

Kunikuzushi who despite being a divine creation himself, watches you as if you were crafted from the high lands above, carved and cut from an ethereal cloth and sowed together by miracles and dreams.

How curious, he was. And by no means did he harbor any malicious thoughts or ill intentions. Some may have found it creepy, but he was only a fledgling thrown out of the nest, desperate to survive yet also wanting to spread their wings to explore the vast world, his world being you.

If you had hair, he would find himself parting strands of them away from your face and in the act would rub his thumb across your cheek, melting when you cuddled into his touch, sighs of content and soft murmurs escaping you.

If you concealed your hair, he would tuck or readjust whatever you used to cover it.

I feel like any version of him would play with your hair though, and there's the chance of you waking up to find a piece of your hair styled or braided if it could be .

PLEASE keep it like that for awhile, he'll literally melt seeing it.

Sometimes, he copied your breathing to try and feel more human, and would grow concern if you took too long to inhale.

Probably shook you awake one time out of panic, thinking you were dead in your sleep. You were not amused and too tired to complain of the rude awakening so you just nodded off that you were fine, told him to go to bed, and instantly fell back unconscious. He was relieved, confused, and shocked within the span of two minutes.

Humans are strange he concluded...

The slow breaths he mimicked would make him feel at ease and soon he would be in dreamland right beside you.

And on rare occasions, you would wake up to his sleeping figure and admire his peaceful expression.

Then there's the way SCARAMOUCHE/WANDERER looks at you while you're sleeping.

Actually, he glares at you while you sleep, sometimes with a scowl on his face.

He's not mad, he's just deep in thought and it's driving him insane.

What he's thinking about? It's you and how your cute— uh, annoying face makes him feel all weird inside. It's so aggravating, even if he wanted to, he couldn't sleep.

Why would you even let your guard down around him? Are you stupid or just have a death wish?

Even when he raises a hand to you, he doesn't harm you. He thinks about how soft you must be, how warm you would feel beneath his finger tips and he wants to run his hand against your cheek— but he quickly retracts his hand the moment you stir in your sleep.

He's horrified at the thought of almost touching you so tenderly that he's left gazing at his hand in pure shock.

He wholeheartedly believes you've cursed him or could this be one of Buer's tricks? To hell with these meaningless feelings! He thought he eradicated all of them but ... you just had to make him feel... things, it was unfair!

But he could never bring himself to do anything that endangered you. If anything, he wanted to protect you as if you were the gnosis he's been chasing all his life.

When he's thought long enough, he's hit with an epiphany that threatens to push him off the bed, nearly waking you up in the process because the next thought that hits him is

Fuck, he's screwed.

Because how could he fall for a mortal??? Anyone for that matter. He thought it wasn't possible, all he knows is pain and betrayal. But… this foreign feeling that's invading his every thought and holding him captive all stems from you.

In some way shape or form, he blames Nahida, even if he knows she had nothing to do with it.

He crosses his arms, an inaudible huff leaving him as he contemplates what he should do. You could practically feel his glare burning holes into your dreams.

Eventually, he comes to terms with it and his eyes soften as he watches you now out of fear that you'll disappear, just like everything else he cherished.

He'll go from whispering light hearted obscenities to sometimes sweet nothings.

His favorite thing to do is listen to the thrumming of your heart, odd enough that's the only thing that lulls him to sleep.

No matter what version you're stuck with, Scaramouche's gaze would always hold some sort of admiration for the peaceful look of you resting.

"Mnhm..." You mumbled in your slumber, adjusting the arm you were laying on to a more comfortable position.

The sudden movement caused the puppet to retract his hand to his chest, his other, caressing the skin that was inches away from brushing your face.

He bit his lip in anticipation, body stiff, and eyes wide, waiting for yours to open but the sight never came. The tune of your gentle breathing filled his senses, the sound easing the tension he once had as he relaxed against your bed.

Scaramouche mumbled to himself, brows knitted in disappointment, "You're existence is really distracting,"

"Would you prefer if I stopped existing then?" You hummed in your supposed sleep, eyes still close and face still relaxed that had the divine creation wondering if his ears chose to deceive him.

Your smile gave it away however, and the startled puppet could only gulp with a meek "...No."

"Then get used to it," A promise? Perhaps, but Scaramouche couldn't ponder on about your words, not when you reached out and took his hand in yours, bringing it back to the position it once was and pressing it against your cheek.

His face bloomed a pretty red, cloaked by the blanket of midnight, but the sudden warmth of his hands were evidence enough of the state he was in.

Enamored by the way your fingers grazed his own, he finally nestled into your space, his leg thrown over your calf as a means to be closer, a pout still evident on his lips.

The rest of the night was spent listening to the ambience the darkness brought, crickets and nightcrawlers bustling with life, the gentle breeze and rustle of leaves, the soft snores that he was sure indicated you were finally at rest.

His hand still laid on your cheek, thumb swaying from time to time. With a moment of hesitation, his lips found your forehead as it's destination, leaving a soft yet long kiss in it's wake. And when you didn't stir, the wandering puppet opened his heart yet another time, welcoming your name to live within the fractured yet healing bits of his being, two words whispered gently, only for him and the calming breeze to hear.

"I will."

TIGHNARI - YOU'RE ALWAYS APART OF HIS MORNING ROUTINE

Despite the enthusiasm he harbors for new discoveries, TIGHNARI is a creature of habit when it comes to his lifestyle as a Forest Watcher.

He likes to be prepared, organized, and is pretty routine for the most part along with his duties.

The fennec fox has always been an early bird since he carries a lot of responsibilities, but that all changed when you crash landed into his life

More specifically, when you moved in with him.

It's apparent that there's not many chances to spend some quality time with Tighnari, (unless you're working along side him, and even then, it's mainly work and your attention to one another is fractured) he's always on the move and there's new things calling for his presence everyday.

But they'll always be at least two times you'll have his complete and utter attention; when you wake up, and when you fall asleep.

It's known that these moments alone are the most precious so the both of you savior it as much as you can. So there's a special routine to always make the most of each other's company and Tighnari won't let anyone get in the way of it.

It's kinda an unspoken rule for the other rangers/watchers to not disturb the two of you until one of you comes out. The entire forest better be in flames before anyone dares knock on your door unless they wanna face a sassy and grumpy fox. cue the "You woke me up for THIS?" lecture.

On a normal morning, waking up together consists of soft touches and cuddles.

Tighnari usually wakes up first but on rare occasions do your eyes get blessed with the view of him waking up, and it's truly a sight to see.

The first thing you wake up to is Tighnari's arms wrapping securely around you, ungloved hands running up and down the small of your back, another feeling of his lips tracing up your shoulder and to your chin until you give him a pleasant reaction.

There's times you'll pretend to still be deep in slumber just to hear him whine and nuzzle his face into your cheek. He might tickle you if you keep up the act long enough.

The way your fingers run against the edges of his ears, soothing circles coaxing out the sweetest of purs that reverberates along the crook of your neck where his face rests. It's an absolute must do before anyone decides to leave the comfort of your shared bed.

The rest of the morning is filled with the two of you getting ready. It doesn't matter what you're doing really, one of you would always be near the other.

If you had hair and allowed him to see it, he'd sneak in the bathroom while you're doing your hair to hug you again, giggles erupting from the both of you as he kissed your nape and moved to work on his own strands of bed hair.

You're always in sync no matter how tired the both of you are, you always know what the other needs before being asked, already handing it to each other if it's close by.

It's so domestic catching glimpses of Tighnari staring at you through the mirror, a warm smile on his face that you return tenfold. Please tease him a little, just to see his face heat up and his ears slightly dip because he's flustered.

If you're having trouble with your hair or don't feel like doing it, he'll chime in and offer to help. He's also very gentle and knowledgeable about what products works well with your hair type.

He likes when you fret over his tail and offer to brush and oil it. He also smacks or brush your side with his tail whenever you pass by, he swears it's not intentional but his smirk says otherwise. It's a passive way of scenting you.

There are times where one of you doesn't feel like getting out of bed just yet. You have to use a few tricks to get Tighnari to cuddle you again.

Softly pull his tail, cling to him a little, run your hands against his back and tell him you miss how warm and soft he was.

Beware if you cling to him though, he will pick you up and start his morning routine with you hanging from his back.

The only way you're 100% staying in bed is if you're feeling under the weather.

He'll cater to any and everything you need and will stay with you longer before he has to leave. Expect soft rubs to whatever hurts and he'll let you snuggle his tail if you wish.

There are times though, when the sly fox just wants to sleep in for the day, regardless if the two of you had plans or not. The forest could wait, plus, how could you pass up an entire morning spent with your lover?

Conversations consist of asking what the other plans for the day, silently conspiring to sneak in moments to have the other to themselves in a way it doesn't inconvenience them.

Tighnari would usually cook and if you have that under your skillset, he'll cook with you and would always offer his help with whatever recipe you're craving.

If you're forgetful, he would always have/know where things are and will always remind you of something before you leave the house.

Tighnari's favorite part of the day is right before he leaves.

Your hands fiddle with the seams of his clothing, smoothing out wrinkles and adjusting here and there. He loves how concentrated you look, so focused and doting only on him.

His hands rest comfortably on your waist, your eyes peering up as your fingers run effortlessly through his hair, separating green from black.

You'll peck his nose as he's caught in his trance, only to see his face scrunch up in a adorable way and his ears twitch to the sound of your laugh.

He falls in love with you even more, if that's even possible.

The cherry on top is the kiss he gives you before his departure.

He'll never give you a rushed kiss, he'll feel off the rest of the day if he ever did. So expect passionate kisses.

He always pours all of his love into them, pulling you closer with a hand cupping your face, thumbing your skin.

When you do pull away, there's another silent conversation that happens all with eye contact, green and brown hues lighting up as if it witnessed the universe itself in all its beauty. He'll voice a paraphrased version of it though, words of being safe and one last "I love you." before he goes.

Like I said, every moment with you is precious and he'll never take your time for granted.

Your eyes fluttered open as the sun peeked over the horizon, emitting a soft glow of orange and red that creeped through the translucent pang of glass. The call of birds- you could normally put a name too if it weren't for your drowsy state- sung a sweet melody, broadcasting to the residential wildlife that the sun has come to rise and shine over the vast foliage you've come to know.

Sadly, you didn't wake up to the feeling of Tighnari cuddled against you, feeling the chill of the morning instead in his absence. A shiver crawled up your skin as you pulled the covers tighter around you, eyes searching for your lover to steal his body heat and capture a few more minutes of rest. But as soon as you turned around, you were met with a sight you could fawn over for centuries.

Dark and green strands framed messily over his cheek, his mouth slight agape accompanied by the slow breaths he took that made his chest rise and fall. Tighnari laid curled into himself, hugging his tail as drool dribbled down the crevice of his mouth. How adorable, you couldn't help but be captivated by his angelic look, urging closer to admire the puppy like and blissful state he slept in.

He bathed in the candescence of the unrivaled lightning Sumeru held, coating him in a golden hue that made him look otherworldly.

The fennec fox's ears twitched upon your shuffling, tail spurring into a calm motion as he stretched the exhaustion from his limbs. He really did resemble a small kitten, uncurling from his ball and yawning as his ears fell flat against his head, giving you a glimpse of his pointed canines and reminding you how animalistic his features were.

"... Morning," He greeted sluggishly, voice carrying a rasp that made your heart do jumping jacks. "How'd you sleep?"

He was already in motion before you could answer, finding his place with you snaked between his arms, tail draped around you in some way with his chest pressing against your front as he laid on top of you.

"It was alright," you answered honestly, hands idly tracing unmethodical patterns on the small of his back. "But seeing you wake up was the highlight of it."

"Mmnh..." Tighnari hummed, face buried in the cavern between your neck, waiting for something it seemed. But when you started to move away, his grasp quickly tightened, restricting you completely.

You blinked, "Is something wrong?" you asked to which he responded with a huff. Yes. Okay so what could it be? You racked your mind for answers as the forest watcher grew more impatient.

Did he feel ill? Was he upset? You mumbled aloud to yourself, voice laced with puzzlement as you played coy.

Of course you knew what he wanted, you just loved to tease him. Tighnari was no fool to your theatrics however, not that it was an elaborate scheme, he'd fallen into your traps too many times to know when you were messing with him.

But if you wanted to play that way...

"Hmm, I wonder what it could—" You yelped before you could continue, his fangs grazing your skin as he nibbled on your collar bone. He specifically made it so that his ears were obscuring your vision, flicking every so often in anticipation. "Fine, fine, I concede," You giggled, finally giving his fluffy appendages their much needed attention.

"Yeah, I thought so," You could feel him smirk against you, giving a kiss to the mark he recently made. "Haven't anyone told you to never poke a bear with a stick, you big lummox."

"Yeah, but they never said the bear would be this adorable, how could I resist?" You cooed gently, leaving a small peck on his ear as a purr escaped from your lover. "They never said they could purr either,"

"Oh shut up."

"I love you too," You smiled, falling deeper in love with his adorable drowsy voice.

A sigh of content came from his end as he held you closer. He nuzzled against your hand and his eyes softened before coming to a close. "Unfortunately, the feeling is mutual."

You stifled a laugh, hitting his shoulder lightly in feigned offense. "Tighnari!"

To be in your arms like this every morning and every coming night? Oh he wouldn't have it any other way.

TAGLIST — @yesntforno @serramii @shadowmist0706 @jmgrule @imeanwatever @c00kie-cat @xtodorokismistressx @ieathairs @endlessmari @strawberryclumsy @serenity-ren-bliss @scarasbaby @1eaf-me-alone @sonder-paradise @96jnie @komiyaa @scaramouchenumber1fan @linn-a-a @wisteriaflowersss @ineriris

[fun-k-board]

Hello how are you? I would like to know if you still receive orders. If yes, fantastic. First I apologize for my horrible English, I'm still learning.

Could it be about Hort from School of Good and Evil? Where the reader or y/n has a similar relationship with Gomez and Morticia Addams. Thank you for your attention, kisses from Brazil.(⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡

-

Yes of course! And don't worry, your English is really good! <3 apologies for taking so long! Also, this is Hort from the movie, which I haven't watched in awhile so it may be very inaccurate, I know he's a lot different in the book but I haven't read it yet.

Hort X Gn!Reader with a relationship like Morticia and Gomez Addams

If you're an ever, I imagine your darker taste in clothing got him interested in your straight away, especially if you're the beauty standard, if not, the fact you're an ever not as 'beautiful' as the rest with a dislike of what being an ever essentially is got him curious about you.

I imagine him approaching you, if you don't notice him / he doesn't notice you, then I imagine you and Agatha being friends, and so meeting Sophie which ends in meeting Hort.

Your first impression was shaking his hand, which he begrudgingly done given you're an ever, but he jumped when your hand fell off, no, it was thing! He jumped back onto your shoulder while you hid your mouth with your hand and laughed. Hort felt a grin spread across his face while Sophie gagged, he done that with her when they first met.

You complimented him, genuinely, with a menacing smile and flirting of how he's disgusting and filthy, but you like that. It made him blush and fall harder. All thoughts of Sophie are completely gone whenever your wide and unblinking eyes stare into him.

Hort and you 'insult' each other in public, yet still gently kiss eachother and even with your mouth not wide and bright, a gentle smile held a thousand emotions as you nuzzled into one another's chest in happiness.

You, obviously, only say things because you know he likes them, especially when you're dating and vice versa. Although, it would take him a LONG time to say something about your appearance that wasn't a conventional compliment. To him, you're hot no matter if you have warts, deformaties, etc, etc. Anything 'ugly' to regular society is not only useful but essentially the standard for what he's grown up on, you're familiar, and he loves you for it.

If you're a never, you met when everybody was being thrown into the ocean upon first arriving, he somehow saw you perfectly dry by the guards. It caught his eye, so did your appearance. Elegenatly dressed with a teasing smile thrown his way. You noticed him and he immediately swam out, complimenting you and probably coming off a bit too strong.

It's sweet though, he gets pretty dirty a lot and although you may be strange, it's clear you do appreciate a form of hygiene and will wipe his face if it gets too gross.

You gave him a sword on your first week of dating, which he greatly appreciated, especially how you took the time to carve his name and yours. Hort asked how you managed to get it, to which you cut the petals off the roses in your dorm and told him you wouldn't reveal your secrets.

It took him a while to fully realise, simply believing it to be a trick of the light, but your eyes were always illuminated. No matter what a strip of light accompanied you with everything else shrouded in darkness. He even put a hand over your eyes and it was still somehow light.

You were somehow extremely rich, gifting him mass amounts of things and assisting him in class with your devious charm and schemes to get him good grades. Refusing to allow a fail for him.

He's a very insecure guy, and so your constant array of compliments and physical affection had him remembering it late at night blushing and hiding his face in a pillow.

[sandinthemachine]

ahh omg if your requests are open then please 🙏 getting fucked by könig in his ghillie suit, he'd be sweet too, making sure your face is shielded from the ground while he fucks into you

Here she is. I know you asked for sweet but he took over my brain and became a cocky bastard, I hope that sweetness is still under there somewhere

I did actual sniper research for this for some reason and the more I know the more I am sure babygirl would have been a terrible sniper

anyways here goes, come get your sweaty sweaty smut

Words: uhh like 1900

-

“How long do these things take?” König groans beside you, shifting so his shoulder bumps yours for the fourth time in the past five minutes.

“Eh, a few days, give or take.”

“A few…no, you’re fucking with me.”

You huff. “I’m convinced you didn’t even slightly research what being a sniper meant before you applied for it.”

“If I had known it would be this boring I never would have wanted it in the first place.” He groans, elbowing you in the gut as he wriggles in the tiny space below the bush. Well, not that tiny. It just felt tiny with a giant man who couldn’t sit still to save his life trapped in there with you.

A bone-deep sigh escapes you as you try to let it go. It’s not his fault your normal partner is out on medical leave right now. And it’s you who should have known better than to volunteer him as replacement. It feels stupid now, but you remembered thinking he would like getting to be a sniper for once. That’s what he wanted, wasn’t it?

He twitches again, managing to perfectly kick the bone in your ankle.

Thank god this isn’t his normal job.

“Hey, König?”

“Hmm?”

“I can watch the scope on my own. It’s probably going to be awhile. Do you have anything to do with your hands?”

He groans. “I left my whittling knife at base.”

“Here, use mine. It’s on my belt, can you reach?”

He nods, the fabric of his ghillie suit shuffling over yours as he reaches across you, fingers running over your waist as he reaches under the fabric to withdraw the tool.

You gulp at the unexpected contact. Hoping he didn’t notice, you turn your attention back to the field below. You don’t catch the swift glance he gives you, nor the way he shifts to bring his hips off the ground.

-

It takes König less than twenty minutes to demolish the piece of wood he brought. He doesn’t even carve anything, he just shaves it to shreds, narrowly missing his fingers countless times as you try not to watch.

He tucks the blade away, brushing the shavings aside.

You stifle another sigh, counting down in your head. Wait for it.

He wriggles, trying to scoot into a comfier position and banging the bones of his hip right into your side. You growl, pushing your gun forward and twisting to face him.

“How the hell do you get anything done?”

He scoffs. “Because I know how to do things quickly.”

“Yeah, because I’m sure ramming into things solves every problem.”

He snorts.

“What is it now?”

König leans over, mask nearly pressing against yours. “It’s solved your problems plenty of times.”

“You’re full of yourself, you know that?”

He chuckles, the soft sounds nearly disguising the way you know he’s smirking under that hood. “Yeah?” His voice drops to a whispering snarl. “Tell me you don’t like it.”

“I…ugh, I’m trying to focus here.”

He snickers, the sound spreading up your spine as he hooks a leg over your hips, pressing against your side. “How long did you say these things usually take?”

Your eyes widen. “They’re giving us…72 hours this time.”

“Well, I’d say that gives us…” he shuffles, checking his watch. “71 hours. I think we might…juust barely have time.”

“Psht. You couldn’t last that long if you tried.”

“Careful, little one,” he croons. “I thought you were trying to focus here.”

You grab a fistful of the fabric around his chest, yanking him impossibly closer. “Are you just gonna talk this entire time?”

“Now who’s impatient?”

You huff, opening your mouth to retort, but a calloused index finger presses on your lips through the suit.

“Shh,” he commands breathily, mouth hovering next to your ear. “Watch the scopes. And tell me…” he lifts himself up, maneuvering so he can press his entire body against your back, the hard length of him rubbing into your tailbone. “Which do you want first? My fingers…or my tongue?”

“Both,” you retort smugly.

He snorts. “Greedy little thing. Guess I’ll have to choose then.”

His hand slides down your side, fingers feeling through the leaves of the suit to find the seam. He pulls up your shirt, his hand dancing across your bare hip, the combination of skin and fabric sending a shiver over you before his fingers hook under your pants and underwear, yanking them down to expose you for him.

You inhale, covering your mouth with a palm as the cool air brushes over your bare skin.

He squeezes your flesh, a muffled squeal escaping your mouth. Your skin heats up at his self-satisfied hum, his warm hand sliding in between your thighs as his thumb just barely brushes over your slit.

You buck into him, needy and impatient, but he humors you this time, sliding his hand up so the length of his thumb presses against you, the rough tip rubbing into your clit. You gulp, squirming at the sudden pressure, only for him to push his thumb against you harder just as he drops more of his weight onto you.

You gasp as your shoulders give out, his forearm sliding under your head as he pins your torso to the ground. You bury your face in the fabric, swallowing a moan as he slides a finger into you.

“Are you watching?”

You bite your tongue, shakily raising your head to bring an eye to your scope. He adds another finger, lazily pumping them in and out, and your vision blurs as you focus on holding back a whimper.

Your willpower, however, is crumbling faster than you care to admit as his fingers work into you. The crisp stalks of grass waving in the sights slide into each other, morphing into subtly flowing waves, perfectly mimicking the pattern of tremors you feel tracing the edges of your bones, lapping up your spine and pulling your muscles into their undertow.

“K-König, I’m-”

“I know.” His head tucks into your neck as your face falls to his arm again, teeth tangling in the rough fabric of your own mask. Gunpowder and smoke and metal-sharp tangs explode across your tongue as your own body halts and stutters, trapped beneath him.

A wave of magma flows up your back, caged by the suit and his body above you so that it continues to crash against your skin, sending another tremulous whimper past your lips.

Finally you lift your head again, struggling to reach once again for the scope as your neck shakes. His arm shifts, a palm pressing into your jaw and lifting upwards as long fingers grasp easily along either side of your face. You relax, eyes half-closing as you let him take the weight of your head.

You breathe his name again as his fingers leave you, his entire suit rustling as he lifts himself up.

Searing heat licks at every corner of your being and still you tremble, back arching into the weight of him as he finally frees himself. He sighs, pulling back just enough, and then his velvety head is catching at your entrance, the shadowy edges of your vision closing in as he thrusts himself into you, stretching you until you feel you might burst at the seams, that perhaps the suit wrapped around you is the only tape holding you together.

Scraps of fabric brush against your bare skin as he sinks in deeper, tickling as they slide up you. Your fingers tighten into his arm, and it’s his turn to quiver as his own soft skin meets yours, his chest pressing into your back once again.

He’s buried in your neck now, hand tight against the crook between your jaw and throat, and you wonder if he can even breathe there, you’re barely breathing yourself, but he answers you with a great heaving inhale, as if he can pull you into his lungs and hold you there.

And then he lifts his head again, hips rolling against you. Once. Twice. Again. And with each motion a moan filters through his mask.

You want to hear him. You want him to be louder, to scream for you, to tell you how good you feel. Yes, that’s exactly what you want.

But not here. No, you can’t do that here.

“König, you have to be quiet.”

“I know, I know,” he pants. “It’s just…” he presses his face into your shoulder, burying another whimper in the shaggy fabric. “Stop clenching, stop or I’m never…I’m never gonna last.”

“And I…I thought you said…we’d be going for days.”

He hisses, hand clamping over your mouth as his hips ruck against you harder, your pitiful whine absorbed by his palm. He chuckles, a subtle shaking of his body you feel directly in your core. “And here you are telling me to be quiet.”

You make an angry sound, biting at his palm until he pulls back.

“I’m sorry, what was that?”

As soon as you open your mouth he drives into you again, dragging roughly along every sensitive spot inside you. All that comes out of you is a choked gasp, hands scrabbling on the ground in front of you.

“Yeah,” he breathes, a huff of amusement bursting from his lips. “That’s what I thought.”

Then his hand is on the column of your throat once more, still holding you up, nearly taunting the way your gaze still hovers over your scope, all tendrils of clarity gone.

You screw your eyes shut, watching the sparks throw themselves against your eyelids until even they are blurred and everything draws itself up tight within you, impossibly tense and white-hot.

His hand is over your mouth now, just in time to halt the scream that reverberates along the thick sludge of your mind as flares of new heat overtake you.

He drags his other arm under you, gluing you to him as he settles as deep as he can go, a mess of staggered syllables shaking his jaw and curling over your ears as his warmth spreads within your own, burning and soothing all at once.

He settles against you, the pleasant heaviness of his form grounding you through the last aftershocks, holding you up as your own muscles remember how to do it themselves.

-

Your vision is focused now, eyes once again glued to your scope even though König still drapes himself over you. He’s long gone soft inside of you, his entire body languid and motionless.

He’s finally still. Maybe he’s asleep.

You giggle at that, and a muffled groan rattles his throat.

“What was that?”

He raises his head, leaning his face into your temple. “Whadiddi miss?”

You giggle again, reaching back to hold his head, but catch movement in your sight. An outline familiar from a dozen mission reports ignites every instinct within you, and your hands are already tilting your gun, eyes watching the way the grass waves. Left. Just slightly. You move your scope slightly to the right, raising it up to account for the distance.

The man turns, exposing his torso.

“König.”

“Yeah?”

“Stop breathing.”

“What-?”

“Hold your breath. Now.”

He inhales as you do, your crosshairs stilling as you feel your heartbeats, timing the pauses between them.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Bang.

Red sprays onto the ground below. The target stumbles backwards, glancing down, and with devastating realization, falls.

And inside of you, König hardens again.

-

-

-

I have decided to try a taglist, and will be sorting that out later today. Deadly Nightshade will be getting its own masterlist and a separate taglist, so if you want to be on that one you can comment there (if you already have, you're good).

If you want to be on the general taglist, message me or comment on this post. I cannot always sort through all the reblogs, but comments and messages I can sort through more easily.

Have a lovely day/night :)

[bluejay-writes]

Stark Affection - Chapter 3

Chapter 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 || AO3 Link

Rating: T for Teens (this is a kissing book) Pairing: Vanderwood x MC

Here we are with Chapter 3 as scheduled. 💜 We'll finish up tomorrow!

“Vandy, what the hell.” The blonde said after MC had stalked off.

“Shut it, Lucille.” Vanderwood said, irritated. “You’re the one that got me dragged into this job while I’m supposed to be on vacation. I’m just trying to keep her safe.”

Seven sighed, fidgeting with his wig. “Safe my ass, she’s going to leave you for this.”

“We’re not dating.”

“Seriously? You…” Seven sighed. “You’ve never been happy like this, Vandy. Never ever. Don’t lose her because you’re too stubborn to talk to her.”

“I can’t drag her into this.”

“She was dragged into this the second the paparazzi got her photo, and you know it.”

Vanderwood sighed. “I’m bad for her. I’m just going to hurt her.”

“Well, obviously, with an attitude like that.”

“This job…”

“…is going to be over soon. We’re almost done tracking them all down and then you can be whoever you want to be, no strings attached. Don’t be an idiot.”

“I’m not being an idiot, I’m being careful.”

“Both of you stop bickering, we have a situation.” Saeran’s voice rang over their earpieces.

“What is it?” Seven said, immediately back in work mode.

“The target has Cinnamon.” Saeran said, and it sounded especially ominous in his perpetually soft tone.

Vanderwood froze, and Seven blinked at the fear carved onto his partner’s face. This was exactly what Vanderwood had been afraid of, and now it was happening. Would she have been safer if she’d known to watch her back? If she’d known what he was wrapped up in? Or was Vanderwood right and this whole world was too dangerous for her?

Seven would never forgive himself if anything happened to Cinnamon, and by extension her relationship with Vanderwood, whatever mess it was.

“Don’t worry. We’ll have her back in no time.” He said, already pulling a laptop out of his beach bag, crouched against the wall and typing like a madman.

----------

The first thought that MC had when she regained consciousness was that she was cold. Don’t recommend getting kidnapped in a bikini. She thought, uncharitably. Her wrists and ankles were bound with something. Softer than zip ties. Maybe nylon rope? There was a soft cloth over her eyes, and something similar used to gag her. Sound started to filter over MC’s consciousness, and she kept still, trying to hear their conversation.

“They’ll never find us man, calm down.”

“You don’t know these guys. They’re relentless. And you took one of their women.”

“Yeah, see, I still think she’s just a cover for why they’re here.”

“Well, if they abandon her we’ve at least gained a hot new toy, so I don’t see the issue.”

MC couldn’t hold back the shudder at the implication of the last speaker’s words, and her movement drew the attention of the men around her.

“Bitch is awake.” He said, kicking at her with his foot until she compulsively tried to move away and found that she could do no such thing, given the bindings. Her squeak of pain was muffled by the gag they’d used, and MC felt her tears welling up.

“We need to knock her out again. If she’s really his, she’ll be more trouble than she’s worth awake.” The first voice said, and she could hear someone standing up.

The next thing she heard was a loud thud, and then four soft pops, like a robot was coughing at her, and then she felt strong arms around her. But again, this was definitely not him, and she struggled.

“Calm down.” A familiar voice said and despite her best intentions, for the first time in awhile, she listened. I’m pretty sure that’s the quiet twin. Saeran. What the hell is he doing here? “Do you still have that bunny I gave you?” Yeah, that could only be Saeran. She nodded. She did still have the bunny from the carnival, it lived on her nightstand with its little mouse buddy.

MC could almost only tell they were moving from the air blowing past her face, Saeran’s gait was so smooth. After a few moments, she was handed to another similar set of arms, and then heard the distinct sound of a sliding van door close.

“Hey Cinnamon.” Oh. Lucille.. How the heck was Lucille here?! She would have asked, but she was still bound and gagged. “Relax, you’re safe now. Stay still, I’m going to cut these ropes off and I don’t want to accidentally cut you, okay?”

Unable to speak past the gag, MC just nodded, and then she felt the cold steel of a knife against her ankle, and held back a shudder from sheer power of will. With quick but safe motions, Seven cut her bonds, and started rubbing her feet and hands to get feeling back into them properly.  Only once he’d done that did he realize she was still blinded and gagged.

“Shit, I should have taken these off first, MC. I’m so sorry, I was just so worried about your circulation.” He made quick work of the gag and blindfold, and MC squinted at the reintroduction of light to her universe, moving her jaw around now that she was allowed.

“Lucille?” she asked quietly, eyeing the man in front of her skeptically.

“Haha. Yeah, it’s me.  I didn’t have time to take the makeup off. I’m sorry for misleading you earlier.”

Misleading me? Earlier? MC was confused for a few seconds until she really paid attention to the makeup. She knew she’d recognize that ridiculous cat-eye anywhere.

“You’re the blonde.” She said, accusingly.

“Guilty as charged.”

MC looked down at her hands in her lap, not really sure how to feel about anything that had gone on, when she noticed the blindfold laying on the floor nearby, looking for all the world like a face chart, and burst out laughing.

Seven followed her gaze and joined her laughter. “Oh my god MC has no one taught you about setting spray?”

MC’s laughter seemed to free something in her, and she went from laughing to hiccups to sobbing in moments. Seven pulled her close, and she cried into his shoulder until they started to hear voices outside the van again.

“Yes sir, Mr. Choi. We’ll handle it. Mr. Han would like a status call on Miss Cinnamon once you’ve confirmed everything.”

“I assumed as much. And the local media?”

“They’ll want a statement, we’re burying it on page five.”

“Give them the usual boilerplate about tracking down extremists.”

“They already have the CCTV footage of MC’s kidnapping.”

“Shit. Alright. We’ll put our heads together. When do you need it by, and does she need to be further involved?”

“Best if she’s involved in the statement so they don’t accuse us of a coverup. We’ve got 6 hours.”

“Does the CCTV show her face?” Vanderwood’s voice.

“Yes, but they’ve agreed to mosaic it for her privacy.”

“See that they do. We’ll do what we can. We need to head out.”

“Understood. Please remember to update Mr. Han.”

“Will do.” Saeran said, and slid into the passenger seat, while moments later Vanderwood opened the driver’s door.

“How’s she doing?” Vanderwood asked, and then met her eye in the rearview mirror, and startled. “You’re awake?”

“I’m resilient.” MC muttered, wiping the tears off her cheek. “I’m fine, I think. R-really cold.” She hadn’t meant to stutter, but a sudden shiver took her by surprise.

“Oh, that would be the shock.” Seven said, and she soon found herself wrapped in a big fluffy blanket before being settled into a seat, and belted in.

“We’re heading back to the hotel.” Vanderwood said as he pulled out into traffic. “I know it’s not your favorite place right now, MC, but it’s the safest place we’ve got given the circumstances.

MC nodded, and between the warm blanket and the adrenaline clearing from her system, she was asleep in seconds.

----------

The next time MC woke up, she was wrapped in the right arms, sitting on the chaise end of the sofa. A conversation was going on around her, but she couldn’t bring herself to focus on it. She just nuzzled closer to Vanderwood, until she heard him chuckle.

“Sleeping Beauty is awake.”

“Mn.” She said elegantly. “Morning, Stark.”

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, and she smiled, until she heard Seven’s voice.

“Well, looks like she doesn’t hate you.”

Suddenly, everything came back to her. The argument. The kidnapping. The fact that she was jealous because of Lucille of all people.

“Oh.” She said and opened her eyes.

“There. Now she’s awake.” Saeran said, and stood, returning a moment later with a glass of water for her.

“So.” Vanderwood said, slipping out from behind her so he could see her face. “You wanted to talk.”

MC was embarrassed, thinking back to her outburst this afternoon. At least she thought that was still just this afternoon… 

“I’m sorry.” Vanderwood said, before she could get any words out. “I should have told you right away when our vacation turned into work for me. But, as you can see, work isn’t something I really want you getting tangled in, for your safety.”

MC nodded. “I should have figured something like that, honestly. It was just easier to jump to the conclusion that you were only pretending to be interested in me.”

Vanderwood sighed, and Seven laughed. “I told you so, Vandy.”

“Don’t call me that.” Vanderwood said sharply, but then turned to MC.  “So instead of making you ask question after question, here’s what’s been going on…”

The talk lasted an hour or so, in which MC got to learn that the crack team that worked with the C&R intelligence team to take down the prime minister was led by Vanderwood, and that the twins in front of her were in fact the Prime Minister’s sons of media note. In hindsight, MC felt silly that she didn’t connect that, but she was admittedly pretty focused on finishing her Master’s Degree. And since then they’d been working with the C&R’s Intelligence Department and the National Intelligence Service to find and take down any remaining members of the secret agency that Seven and Vanderwood worked with prior to these events.

“Okay, so you mean to tell me that when I get home from this vacation I have my callback interview to be your coworker?”

“What?!” The twins chimed, and Vanderwood chuckled. “You knew?!” They turned on him instantly.

“What, you two didn’t even think to look at your interview schedule for next week?” He said in his defense.

“Well… no.” Saeran said. “I was a bit too distracted with this sudden case to look ahead.”

“And my brain is for hacking and games. Work is… if not one of those two, I’m unlikely to do it.” Seven said.

MC laughed. “Okay, well… um… I still have one more question that you haven’t answered. About this whole kidnapping mess.”

“It was because you’re with me.” Vanderwood said, attempting to answer her question before she asked it. “And I understand if that means you don’t want to be with me anymore. I promise not to—“

“No. No. Not that. Vanderwood. I know you think cutting yourself off from love will somehow save the day and you’re just wrong about that. I love you, you idiot. Just deal with it.” MC blushed, the word love even passing her lips seemed a bit much. “I wanted to ask how you found me so fast.”

While Vanderwood was floundering from her reaction, Seven cleared his throat, a light blush coloring his cheeks. “That… was me.” MC speared him with a look, and he shook his head. “I don’t mean to be cocky. It wasn’t like I miraculously knew where they’d take you in a resort city I only kindof know. The bangle bracelet you’re still wearing.  It’s got a tracker in it.”

MC looked at the bracelet in shock. “That’s why I couldn’t figure out how to take it off. God, I’m so glad it was waterproof.”

“Haha. Yeah.” Seven said, and moved so he was crouching in front of her with a hand held out. “Here, let me show you how it comes off.” When she held out her hand, he showed her the motions to take it off, and then set the removed bracelet in her hand,  open. It really did take three hands or some weird spider-finger action. There was no accidentally taking the thing off.

“It’s only on if the latch is closed, so you don’t need to worry about me stalking you if you just leave it in your jewelry box.” He said, retreating to his chair.  MC looked at the bracelet, at the twins, and then Vanderwood (who seemed to have regained his composure), and slipped the bracelet back around her wrist before latching it again.

“I trust you.” She said, a soft smile playing at the edges of her lips. “Besides, I feel naked without it. And besides that, it’s already saved my life once, so it’s worth it.”

“I mean you are practically naked as it is.” Saeran said, and MC realized he’d been slightly flushed for this entire conversation. She realized that his reaction wasn’t an overreaction when she glanced down at herself and realized that despite being haphazardly wrapped in a fluffy blanket, she was still just in her bikini. She wondered then what had happened to her coverup.

Vanderwood cleared his throat. “We still need to get word to Jumin, as well as prepare a statement for the press.” MC blinked. Jumin was Chat Blanc at the Institution Gala. Director at C&R… oh, I bet he’s in charge of the Intelligence Unit. Above Jaehee Kang, that is. “Can I be of any help for either of those things?”

“Well…” Saeran said, and paused.

“What do you want us to say about your kidnapping?”

“Uh. Whatever you want as long as I don’t come across badly and you don’t use my photo? Since, you know, mostly naked bikini girl over here.”

“They have CCTV footage, but you’re mostly obscured by your abductors, and they’re going to blur your face.” Saeran said. 

“I’d like to refer to her simply as ‘a member of the team’. I know you’re not officially working for us, but you were bait, even unwittingly. And you honestly did so well, MC.” Seven said.

Vanderwood sighed. “It’s probably safer than admitting she’s involved with any of us. Others will think twice before trying the same tactic if they think she’s trained. And unless she really screws up… we could use a brain like hers on the team.”

“Her creds are killer.” Seven agreed.

“She’s also sitting right here?” MC said, chuckling. “Okay, do what you want, I’m going to go shower and change into something more comfortable.”

“Doesn’t that usually mean fewer clothes?” Vanderwood said, grinning.

MC raised an eyebrow at him. “Well, sure, but you never were one for an easy option, were you?”

Color sprang to Vanderwood’s cheeks as she disappeared into the bathroom, and the twins immediately started teasing him.

[keefwho]

October 21 - 2023 Saturday

10:45am

My life doesn't have to be a tragedy.

12:27pm

I find myself doing a lot of talking here and not enough doing. Thats always been the problem. Thats what I'm doing right now, I'm basically just here to complain about the same old feelings and problems again. Not that they are especially acute right now. It just gets agonizing living in the same self made minor hell. It's like I'm never truly happy or I never truly feel secure. There's always something eating away at me, a feeling of dread and failure. Maybe I base my self opinion too much on what I'm doing and not enough on how hard I'm trying. And maybe I'm also not trying hard enough, not enough to make me proud of myself. Really all I can do it my best but I'm not even doing that right now. I'm wallowing, I wallow a lot. I want to be sad and helpless because deep down it's how I've learned to get the human connection I crave. But it doesn't even give me that, it gives me sympathy that I can't even appreciate because I'm literally not trying to get out of it. Even when I'm brutally honest with myself about this fact, I keep doing it. Thats what makes me feel like I'm broken. I know the problem but I haven't been able to make it go away. It's like I can't change. But I know if I keep trying, something will click.

I just took a hit and I'm going to do Inktober while it kicks in. Then I planned to play Legendary Tales until I sober up. This is something I wanted to do yesterday, I want to get immersed in this game for awhile. I think it'll be fun. I want this.

Also I admit this time I'm getting high because I'm trying to avoid my feelings right now. I shouldn't do that and don't intend to make a habit out of it. I'm just trying not to do the same thing I do every weekend.

12:01am

This morning I woke up with Daisy in call. It didn't last long though, she had to do some chores on her own. Right after, I showered and made sausage with rice, an oatmeal cookie, and a pear cup for breakfast. After that mom took me to Seeley to pick up a pumpkin at the store. I also got a meat stick and some gummy worms. And chips. I fumbled at the checkout multiple times but I didn't feel too awkward about it, they were honest mistakes and I was just trying to figure out what I did wrong. That cashier wasn't having it though, I'm upset I had to be "that" customer.

When I got home I took a small hit and did Inktober which it hit in the middle of. I had planned to dungeon crawl and I did but I spent a good half hour watching a youtube video about exploring dead games. When I did dungeoning I hung out in David's server and listened to them talk about drama that happened last night were someone had snapped at everyone and it was apparently a very big deal. I didn't really say anything, I was just there. I got off to make homemade soup for lunch which turned out good, 6/10 at least. Daisy was free towards the end of that so we hung out until I was done eating and carved pumpkins together. We watched Over the Garden Wall while carving. I attempted nightmare moon's moon and Daisy did a generic celestial design. Her's turned out great, mine was very rough. Mom was even questioning what it was supposed to be. Maybe tomorrow I can tidy it up with this machine mom has that's like a drill so I can smooth out the inner edges. When we were done she went to pick up her mom at the airport. I opened a drink and watched twitch/played TOTK untill she got back. I switched over to dungeoning and we hung out until bedtime.

Today I felt very depressed and was worried it would affect others, thats why I didn't speak in the group VC earlier. I also didn't want to affect Daisy's night so I didn't say anything about it. All day though I just wanted to talk about it because I feel insecure. I want to make sure I'm accepted even when I'm depressed about dumb things even though I know the answer already. Maybe I'm just farming sympathy though. I try not to bring anything up unless it's prompted. I'm just so out of touch with myself lately. I don't understand myself so I fail to understand others. I lowkey hate myself so I lowkey hate others. I feel alone because I am, I'm locked in my own mind behind my own defense mechanisms. I always feel like talking about it will make it better, especially with the person it directly effects. But I'm not sure it does, at least for very long. I'm always afraid I'm only doing damage to the relationship like I subconsciously try to do constantly. Is this just another way to intentionally destroy everything?

[whileiamdying]

Emily Brontë’s WUTHERING HEIGHTS; Chapter XXXI

Yesterday was bright, calm, and frosty. I went to the Heights as I proposed: my housekeeper entreated me to bear a little note from her to her young lady, and I did not refuse, for the worthy woman was not conscious of anything odd in her request. The front door stood open, but the jealous gate was fastened, as at my last visit; I knocked and invoked Earnshaw from among the garden-beds; he unchained it, and I entered. The fellow is as handsome a rustic as need be seen. I took particular notice of him this time; but then he does his best apparently to make the least of his advantages.

I asked if Mr. Heathcliff were at home? He answered, No; but he would be in at dinner-time. It was eleven o’clock, and I announced my intention of going in and waiting for him; at which he immediately flung down his tools and accompanied me, in the office of watchdog, not as a substitute for the host.

We entered together; Catherine was there, making herself useful in preparing some vegetables for the approaching meal; she looked more sulky and less spirited than when I had seen her first. She hardly raised her eyes to notice me, and continued her employment with the same disregard to common forms of politeness as before; never returning my bow and good-morning by the slightest acknowledgment.

“She does not seem so amiable,” I thought, “as Mrs. Dean would persuade me to believe. She’s a beauty, it is true; but not an angel.”

Earnshaw surlily bid her remove her things to the kitchen. “Remove them yourself,” she said, pushing them from her as soon as she had done; and retiring to a stool by the window, where she began to carve figures of birds and beasts out of the turnip-parings in her lap. I approached her, pretending to desire a view of the garden; and, as I fancied, adroitly dropped Mrs. Dean’s note on to her knee, unnoticed by Hareton—but she asked aloud, “What is that?” And chucked it off.

“A letter from your old acquaintance, the housekeeper at the Grange,” I answered; annoyed at her exposing my kind deed, and fearful lest it should be imagined a missive of my own. She would gladly have gathered it up at this information, but Hareton beat her; he seized and put it in his waistcoat, saying Mr. Heathcliff should look at it first. Thereat, Catherine silently turned her face from us, and, very stealthily, drew out her pocket-handkerchief and applied it to her eyes; and her cousin, after struggling awhile to keep down his softer feelings, pulled out the letter and flung it on the floor beside her, as ungraciously as he could. Catherine caught and perused it eagerly; then she put a few questions to me concerning the inmates, rational and irrational, of her former home; and gazing towards the hills, murmured in soliloquy:

“I should like to be riding Minny down there! I should like to be climbing up there! Oh! I’m tired—I’m stalled, Hareton!” And she leant her pretty head back against the sill, with half a yawn and half a sigh, and lapsed into an aspect of abstracted sadness: neither caring nor knowing whether we remarked her.

“Mrs. Heathcliff,” I said, after sitting some time mute, “you are not aware that I am an acquaintance of yours? so intimate that I think it strange you won’t come and speak to me. My housekeeper never wearies of talking about and praising you; and she’ll be greatly disappointed if I return with no news of or from you, except that you received her letter and said nothing!”

She appeared to wonder at this speech, and asked,—

“Does Ellen like you?”

“Yes, very well,” I replied, hesitatingly.

“You must tell her,” she continued, “that I would answer her letter, but I have no materials for writing: not even a book from which I might tear a leaf.”

“No books!” I exclaimed. “How do you contrive to live here without them? if I may take the liberty to inquire. Though provided with a large library, I’m frequently very dull at the Grange; take my books away, and I should be desperate!”

“I was always reading, when I had them,” said Catherine; “and Mr. Heathcliff never reads; so he took it into his head to destroy my books. I have not had a glimpse of one for weeks. Only once, I searched through Joseph’s store of theology, to his great irritation; and once, Hareton, I came upon a secret stock in your room—some Latin and Greek, and some tales and poetry: all old friends. I brought the last here—and you gathered them, as a magpie gathers silver spoons, for the mere love of stealing! They are of no use to you; or else you concealed them in the bad spirit that, as you cannot enjoy them, nobody else shall. Perhaps your envy counselled Mr. Heathcliff to rob me of my treasures? But I’ve most of them written on my brain and printed in my heart, and you cannot deprive me of those!”

Earnshaw blushed crimson when his cousin made this revelation of his private literary accumulations, and stammered an indignant denial of her accusations.

“Mr. Hareton is desirous of increasing his amount of knowledge,” I said, coming to his rescue. “He is not envious, but emulous of your attainments. He’ll be a clever scholar in a few years.”

“And he wants me to sink into a dunce, meantime,” answered Catherine. “Yes, I hear him trying to spell and read to himself, and pretty blunders he makes! I wish you would repeat Chevy Chase as you did yesterday: it was extremely funny. I heard you; and I heard you turning over the dictionary to seek out the hard words, and then cursing because you couldn’t read their explanations!”

The young man evidently thought it too bad that he should be laughed at for his ignorance, and then laughed at for trying to remove it. I had a similar notion; and, remembering Mrs. Dean’s anecdote of his first attempt at enlightening the darkness in which he had been reared, I observed,—“But, Mrs. Heathcliff, we have each had a commencement, and each stumbled and tottered on the threshold; had our teachers scorned instead of aiding us, we should stumble and totter yet.”

“Oh!” she replied, “I don’t wish to limit his acquirements: still, he has no right to appropriate what is mine, and make it ridiculous to me with his vile mistakes and mispronunciations! Those books, both prose and verse, are consecrated to me by other associations; and I hate to have them debased and profaned in his mouth! Besides, of all, he has selected my favourite pieces that I love the most to repeat, as if out of deliberate malice.”

Hareton’s chest heaved in silence a minute: he laboured under a severe sense of mortification and wrath, which it was no easy task to suppress. I rose, and, from a gentlemanly idea of relieving his embarrassment, took up my station in the doorway, surveying the external prospect as I stood. He followed my example, and left the room; but presently reappeared, bearing half a dozen volumes in his hands, which he threw into Catherine’s lap, exclaiming,—“Take them! I never want to hear, or read, or think of them again!”

“I won’t have them now,” she answered. “I shall connect them with you, and hate them.”

She opened one that had obviously been often turned over, and read a portion in the drawling tone of a beginner; then laughed, and threw it from her. “And listen,” she continued, provokingly, commencing a verse of an old ballad in the same fashion.

But his self-love would endure no further torment: I heard, and not altogether disapprovingly, a manual check given to her saucy tongue. The little wretch had done her utmost to hurt her cousin’s sensitive though uncultivated feelings, and a physical argument was the only mode he had of balancing the account, and repaying its effects on the inflictor. He afterwards gathered the books and hurled them on the fire. I read in his countenance what anguish it was to offer that sacrifice to spleen. I fancied that as they consumed, he recalled the pleasure they had already imparted, and the triumph and ever-increasing pleasure he had anticipated from them; and I fancied I guessed the incitement to his secret studies also. He had been content with daily labour and rough animal enjoyments, till Catherine crossed his path. Shame at her scorn, and hope of her approval, were his first prompters to higher pursuits; and instead of guarding him from one and winning him to the other, his endeavours to raise himself had produced just the contrary result.

“Yes, that’s all the good that such a brute as you can get from them!” cried Catherine, sucking her damaged lip, and watching the conflagration with indignant eyes.

“You’d better hold your tongue, now,” he answered fiercely.

And his agitation precluded further speech; he advanced hastily to the entrance, where I made way for him to pass. But ere he had crossed the door-stones, Mr. Heathcliff, coming up the causeway, encountered him, and laying hold of his shoulder asked,—“What’s to do now, my lad?”

“Naught, naught,” he said, and broke away to enjoy his grief and anger in solitude.

Heathcliff gazed after him, and sighed.

“It will be odd if I thwart myself,” he muttered, unconscious that I was behind him. “But when I look for his father in his face, I find her every day more! How the devil is he so like? I can hardly bear to see him.”

He bent his eyes to the ground, and walked moodily in. There was a restless, anxious expression in his countenance, I had never remarked there before; and he looked sparer in person. His daughter-in-law, on perceiving him through the window, immediately escaped to the kitchen, so that I remained alone.

“I’m glad to see you out of doors again, Mr. Lockwood,” he said, in reply to my greeting; “from selfish motives partly: I don’t think I could readily supply your loss in this desolation. I’ve wondered more than once what brought you here.”

“An idle whim, I fear, sir,” was my answer; “or else an idle whim is going to spirit me away. I shall set out for London next week; and I must give you warning that I feel no disposition to retain Thrushcross Grange beyond the twelve months I agreed to rent it. I believe I shall not live there any more.”

“Oh, indeed; you’re tired of being banished from the world, are you?” he said. “But if you be coming to plead off paying for a place you won’t occupy, your journey is useless: I never relent in exacting my due from any one.”

“I’m coming to plead off nothing about it,” I exclaimed, considerably irritated. “Should you wish it, I’ll settle with you now,” and I drew my note-book from my pocket.

“No, no,” he replied, coolly; “you’ll leave sufficient behind to cover your debts, if you fail to return: I’m not in such a hurry. Sit down and take your dinner with us; a guest that is safe from repeating his visit can generally be made welcome. Catherine! bring the things in: where are you?”

Catherine reappeared, bearing a tray of knives and forks.

“You may get your dinner with Joseph,” muttered Heathcliff, aside, “and remain in the kitchen till he is gone.”

She obeyed his directions very punctually: perhaps she had no temptation to transgress. Living among clowns and misanthropists, she probably cannot appreciate a better class of people when she meets them.

With Mr. Heathcliff, grim and saturnine, on the one hand, and Hareton, absolutely dumb, on the other, I made a somewhat cheerless meal, and bade adieu early. I would have departed by the back way, to get a last glimpse of Catherine and annoy old Joseph; but Hareton received orders to lead up my horse, and my host himself escorted me to the door, so I could not fulfil my wish.

“How dreary life gets over in that house!” I reflected, while riding down the road. “What a realisation of something more romantic than a fairy tale it would have been for Mrs. Linton Heathcliff, had she and I struck up an attachment, as her good nurse desired, and migrated together into the stirring atmosphere of the town!”

[justaself-shipper]

Golden Guard x Reader- True Colours

A/N: I wanted to get back into the swing of things before redoing the requests. There may or may not be a few Amphibia references in here…since i watched it quite recently... Spoilers for Hunting Palisman. Also anyone get the reference of the title?

Being in the Emperor’s Coven wasn’t easy. From battling monsters and demons to rogue witches and a certain human, I was surprised I was still alive. A regular guard was just a pawn for the Emperor. Yet, I had no choice, since my parents had already planned my future while I was still young. I wanted to make them proud, and I really did try. But it seems like being a normal guard in the Emperor’s Coven wasn’t enough. I needed to go bigger, eliminate anyone in my way if I had to. I was going to do it for them, and for my lost Palisman, Froggit. (IT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT CAME TO MIND-) Standing at attention, I watched all the servants and guards walk by. I was assigned outside the Throne room today. Kikimori happened to be walking by as the door opened. She gasped. “Golden Guard?! You’re alive! I heard about the crash-“ The “Golden Guard” came into view. He greeted Kiki, and I had the time to observe him. He was about my age, with blonde hair, red eyes, and a scar on his right cheek. As he walked away from Kikimori, he looked my way. I hadn’t realised I had turned to face them. Quickly standing to attention, I stiffened as he stopped in front of me. “Sir.” I saluted. He raised an eye-brow, looking at my badge. (Ima just pretend the badges have names engraved into them in small lettering or something). “Haven’t seen you around here much. When did you join the Emperor’s Coven?” He asked casually. I glared through my mask. “Two weeks ago, sir.” I replied, trying my best to keep my voice calm. He smiled. “Well, miss ‘Y/N’, it’s nice to meet you. The names Hunter.” I didn’t reply back. After a few minutes of silence, he sighs. “Welp, I better be going. See you around.” As he walked away, I let my shoulders relax a bit. Glaring after him, I watched him disappear. So, a higher rank, right? Well, we’ll see about that. Don’t try to chit-chat me, Hunter. You’re nothing but a rival. Later that evening… I let out a yawn. It was late, and I was the only guard patrolling this side of the castle. Lifting my mask to rub my tired eyes, I heard a loud bang, followed by yelp of pain. “Palisman!” Someone hissed. Pulling my mask back down, I held my staff out. “COME OUT! I KNOW YOU’RE THERE!” I yelled out. There was nothing but silence. Turning a corner, I caught someone running away, carrying something. “Hey!” I gave chase, following the intruder down the corridors. As I ran, I realised they seemed to know exactly where they were going. Running by halls that lead to dead ends, and avoiding doors that entered into closed off rooms. Using my staff, I sped up, running in front of the witch. He came to a stop, almost tripping. Holding out my staff, I was about to zap him, when I realised it was Hunter. A small, red bird Palisman sat on his shoulder. I smirked under my mask. Hiding a Palisman? One that has wild magic? This was treason. Oh, Emperor Belos is going to love this. “You stay here.” I stated, using a spell to keep him in place. As he struggled, I began to walk off. If he’d been keeping a wild Palisman, who knew what he could do with it. Best to retrieve back-up, and quickly. As I turned my back, he yelled out to me. “Wait! Don’t tell Belos!” Ignoring him, I continued. “I know what he does to them! He kills them!” Stopping, I turned back to the Golden Guard. “What do you mean by that?” I questioned cautiously. Hunter closed his eyes, letting out a sigh. “Emperor Belos isn’t a witch. I don’t know what he is, or what happened to him. All I know is that he uses the magic in the Palismans to keep himself powerful and in a stable condition.” My mind went to Froggit, my Palisman before I joined the Coven. He went missing as soon as I joined…he couldn’t have… “Y-you’re lying, aren’t you?” I growled. The Palisman sitting on his shoulder chirped. After a moment of silence, I released the Golden guard. Turnng my back to him once again, I growled under my breath. “Get out of here before I change my mind.” Hunter didn’t need to be asked twice. Making sure the Palisman wasn’t hurt, he left, returning to his dorm. About an hour later, another guard took over my shift. Rushing back to my dorm, I leaned against the door. It couldn’t be true. Emperor Belos would never hurt my Palisman, would he? I let out a shaky breath. He couldn’t have…right? Finishing up my carving, I stared lovingly at the Frog as I held it up to the sunlight. “And done! Welcome to the world little buddy!” I whispered, blowing the flakes away. Smiling widely, I placed the wooden frog on my bedside table. All I had to do now was wait. He should wake up in a few minutes. Leaning back on my bed, I picked up my book, looking at all the human creatures inside. I loved looking at all the pictures, and even chose one as my Palisman. There were so many amazing creatures, for awhile I couldn’t pick. I had finally settled for a “frog”, since they sounded so amazing. Hearing a croak, I looked up from my book. My new Palisman had woken up, and was crawling around and curiously peering at the objects on my bed stand. “Hey there little guy.” I cooed, picking him up. He let out another croak. “Welcome to the Boiling Isles! You’re so cute!” He tilted his head curiously in my direction, letting out another excited croak. Giggling, I gently pet him. “I’ll keep you safe Froggit. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” I jolted awake, rubbing my teary eyes as I sat up. Silent sobs threatened to erupt from my throat. Taking a few minutes to calm myself, I inhaled slowly. This wasn’t a coincidence, wasn’t it? Froggit was gone, and I had failed to protect him. He had probably died a horrible death, scared and all alone. Checking the window, I noticed the sun was rising. I had to get ready for today. As I stood up, I felt my stomach squirm in guilt. Looking around my room, i grabbed a satchel, collecting things and preparing. I had to get out of here. I was NOT going to work with a Coven that murdered my Palisman, no matter what my parents say. I would have failed them, but nothing was worse than knowing I had failed my Palisman, my only friend. A loud knock came from the door. Looking up, I stared hard at the door. Who could that be? I’m not late for something, am I? The knocking came again. Walking over, I opened the door to find Kikimori there. She seemed to be glaring daggers into my soul, even though she was way shorter than me. “The Emperor wants to speak with you immediately.” She stated, walking away. Why does the Emperor want to see me? I took off my mask as I stood in front of the throne room. My knees shook thinking over the things the Golden Guard had said the night previously. The Emperor wasn’t who I thought he was, and that thought alone terrified me. Clutching my mask, I opened the doors. Mutterings were coming from the other side of the room as I entered. Walking along the corridor, I took note that a few guards, as well as the Golden Guard and Emperor Belos were in the room. Belos was talking to the Golden Guard, but stopped when I entered. I bowed down to the Emperor, as I felt his eyes bare into my soul. “You must be Y/N L/N, right? Hunter has told me so much about you.” He stated. I bowed my head, keeping an eye on Hunter. He seemed to be distracted, since he didn’t seem to be paying attention to us. “He’s told me of all your hard work so far, and that you’re trust worthy. So, I have made up my mind.” He stood up, grabbing onto his staff. What was he doing? “You’ve been moved up to Captain of the guards, since ours has…retired. How does that sound?” Shocked, I glanced up to Hunter. His eyes were averted, refusing to look at me. “I-it’s an honour, my lord…” I stuttered. “B-but, I-i’m just a humble guard, there’s no need to put me as Captain so soon-“ I was cut off as something headed my way, barely missing me by a hair. I stiffened, following the pointed object toward the Emperor. It was….his…arm…. He took the object away. “I'm afraid you don’t have a choice in this matter. Your first mission starts tonight. You’ll be accompanied by Hunter. You’ll be given your badge in the morning.” He waves his hand, signifying I could leave. I nodded. “Y-yes, my Lord.” With that, I placed my helmet back on, walking briskly out of the room. Opening the door, I jumped a little when Kikimori was waiting on the other side. She said nothing, just simply glared at me then left. After watching her disappear around the corner, I let out an angry sigh. What was I gonna do? Later that night…. The Golden Guard was standing beside me, steering the ship we flew in. There was an awkward silence for the first 10 minutes of the flight, with both of us avoiding eye contact. Apparently, we were meant to be looking for Palismans. “So…everything you said the other night was true.” I mumbled. The Golden guard hummed in response. “Unfortunately, yes.” Another silence ensured. “I wasn’t expecting him to make you Captain. I just wanted to help you out a bit, since you helped me. I’m sorry if it wasn’t what you wanted…” I let out a sigh. “It’s fine." That’s when he turned to me. His eyes were filled with sympathy. “I’m also sorry about your Palisman…” I whipped around to face him. “How-“ “It’s not hard. Everyone has a Palisman when they first arrive. They disappear after the first week, and given a “new and improved” staff. It’s becoming more common. Only a few are allowed to keep their Palismans.” He stated, his brows furrowing as his gaze returned to the horizon. “You seem to know a fair bit.” I said. He shrugged. “One of the few perks of being the Emperor’s right-hand man.” I nodded understandingly. Being right-hand man couldn’t have been easy. There would’ve been many people trying to back-stab him. I WAS one of them.

“…what was it like? Your Palisman?” He asked curiously. I smiled under my mask. “He was my best friend. A lot of people questioned why I chose a monster from the human realm, but it didn’t matter. I loved him almost like my own child…” I felt the tears threatening to overflow once again. Hunter smiled. “He sounded nice.” I looked over to him curiously. “You say that as if you’ve never had a Palisman.” His eyes widened, before he turned his face away from me. “…this Palisman is actually my first. I didn’t do well in school, so I never achieved my staff.” Was all he replied. Great. Now I felt bad. “I’m sorry…" He chuckled. “It’s alright. There wasn’t a chance you could’ve known.” Letting out a sigh, I took my mask off. What was the point of hiding my face while meeting a new friend? Letting my hair fall down, I hear Hunter let out a small gasp. I raise an eyebrow, turning my gaze to him. His eyes were wide open, staring at me. “What are you looking at?” “You…you’re beautiful…” My own eyes widened, and I felt my cheeks heat up. Hunter realised that he said it out loud, and his own face lit up. “I-i’m so sorry! I-“ “Just be quiet.” I growled, turning away so then Hunter wouldn’t see me. The ship shook, and I felt it begin to fall rapidly toward the ground. I watched in terror as the ground came closer, and I blacked out as we hit the ground. “Hey! Y/n, wake up!” Someone hissed quietly.

I let out a groan as I opened my tired eyes. Hunter was gently shaking me, looking around frantically at his surroundings. “W-what happened?” I grumbled, sitting up. Hunter clasped a hand over my mouth. I was about to object, when he pointed to a certain short monster on the other side of the rocks. It was Kikimori, and she did not look happy. She seemed to be carrying a stone. I recognised it from history books. They made the possessor stronger. “I KNOW YOU’RE HERE GOLDEN GUARD! AND I KNOW WHAT YOU DID THE OTHER NIGHT!” She shrieked. My brows furrowed, looking toward Hunter. “What is she talking about?” I hissed. He reached for his broken staff. I hadn’t noticed that before. “I’ll explain later. Right now, we need to get out of here.” He whispered back. Without warning, he grabbed my hand, leading me away from the angry monster. Once we were far enough away, I pulled my hand free from his. “What the hex was that about?!” I yelled. Hunter let out a sigh. “Look, the other night I was assigned to collect Palismans. I told my Uncle that I had failed, but the real reason was that I let them go. Kiki and the human Luz was involved and…things just got out of hand.” He was looking down at his feet. “If I told him what had really happened, then he would kill both of us…” I listened carefully. When he was finished, I smiled softly. ‘Hey…you did the right thing.” I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Surprised for a moment, Hunter smiled. “So, what are we gonna do? We can’t tell your Uncle we failed to retrieve them again. He’d find out for sure.” I said. Hunter thought for a moment, before a smirk crossed his features. “Not unless we disappeared.” I stared blankly at him for a moment. What did he mean by that? “What do you mean?” “Alright, this is the plan.” Waiting outside the castle, I tapped my foot impatiently. Hunter had gone into the castle to retrieve his Palisman, leaving me outside to wait. It had been 10 minutes already. Shouldn’t he be back by now? Something must’ve happened. Letting out a growl, I clutched my staff, heading inside. Once inside, I passed a few of the guards. None tried stopping me, just giving a nod as I passed by. They took note of my badge it seemed. As I walked pass the throne room, I halted when I heard a cry of pain come from within. “NO, PLEASE! DON’T HURT HIM!” That was Hunter. Rushing over, I swung the doors open. There was Hunter, being held by two guards. Kikimori held his Palisman, about to hand it over to Emperor Belos. Everyone stopped what they were doing when I entered, turning to face me. Emperor Belos was the only one to recognise me. “Ah, Y/n! A nice surprise! No need for any assistance. You see, Hunter here has been keeping secrets from us.” He stated gesturing to Hunter. “But Kikimori has saved us by warning us of his treason. He’ll be thrown into the dungeon shortly, and this…Palisman will be dealt with.” At that, Kikimori was about to hand the Palisman to the Emperor. Rage filled me, and before I realised what I was doing, I had sent a spell their way. The Palisman was thrown from Kikimori’s hands, falling to the ground out of reach. Everyone let out a gasp. Tears overflowed from my eyes as rage coursed through me. “No one else’s Palisman’s are getting hurt under my watch.” I growled. Belos straightened his posture. “I see. You’re a traitor to our kind. Guards, get her!” He yelled. The guards holding Hunter let him go, charging toward me. Using my staff, I quickly defeated them, swinging my staff against their skulls. Both fell unconscious. Without thinking, I charged Belos. He killed my Palisman. Before my staff made contact with him, he used his own magic to throw me against the wall. Yelping in pain, I stumbled to my feet. My vision was still blurry from the impact, hence why I didn’t see Belos walking towards me. I was pushed back against the wall. Something was piercing into my neck, and I realised it was the Emperor’s staff. “You’ll have the same fate as your Palisman.” He hissed. Choking for air, my vision was getting darker and darker as I stared murderously into Belos’ eyes. I finally felt myself drop to the ground, the Emperor letting out a groan of pain as he was attacked from the side. Strong hands lifted me up, helping me limp away from the scene. Hunter got his Palisman ready, ordering me to get on. Doing so, I left my staff lying on the ground, clutching his waist tightly as we escaped the castle. I buried my face in Hunters shoulder as we flew over the Boiling Isles. Neither of us had spoken for a while, and honestly I was too shocked. Finally, Hunter spoke up. “Thank you for that. That was very courageous of you to stand up to him. Are you ok?” “Y-yeah, I’m ok…where are we going? Do you have a place in mind?” I asked, looking down at our surroundings. We were near Bones Marrow (was that what it was called?), and I curious if he had a destination. Hunter smiles at my question. “I have a friend nearby. We’ll seek shelter there if she’ll allow it.” With that, he neared the forest floor, landing quietly in the bushes. I looked up at the building in front of us. I knew this place, although I’d never been to it myself. This was the Owl House, home of one of the most powerful witches on the Isle, Eda the Owl lady. Well, WAS the most powerful. Hunter walked up the doorstep, and was about to knock when a large owl tube on the door spoke up, startling both of us. “OOH VISITORS! FROM THE EMPEROR COVEN TOO! HAVE YOU COME HERE TO BE MY FRIEND?!” The door opened, revealing Luz the human. Her smile lit up when she realised it was Hunter. “Hunter! Hi! What are you doing here? And who’s your friend? You aren’t…here to arrest me, are you?” She asked suspiciously, closing the door ajar as she squinted her eyes. I almost laughed at how childish she was. “No, sorry to disappoint. Me and my friend were going to ask if we could stay for awhile? We…kinda left the coven.” Hunter said, gesturing to himself and I. I gave a little wave. Luz’s eyes widened in surprise, her smile returning. “Of course! Come in! We have…room for two more!” Opening the door, she let us inside. Hunter stepped in first, but was stopped by an ice wall. He let out a yelp of surprise, and Luz was yelling at someone. “Lillith! Be nice!” Lillith? Where have I heard that name? It clicked when I caught sight of her. There, in what I assumed to be human clothes, stood Lillith, my role model ever since I was a small witchling. I almost jumped up and down in excitement, if it wasn’t for the shock of the ice bars between us. “Human! This is the Golden Guard! We can’t let him in here! What if it’s a trick?!” Lillith shrieked. Luz tried to calm her down, explaining that he’d changed. Another woman stepped into the room, followed by a small demon with a skull on his head. “Alright, what’s going on here?” She muttered. Luz sighed in relief. “Oh thank god you’re here, Eda. My friends need a place to stay, and-“ Eda? Lillith cut her off. “HE’S THE GOLDEN GUARD! It could be a trap!” She screamed, gesturing to the two of us. Hunter didn’t say anything, just let out a nervous chuckle. Eda only stared at us tiredly. “…..if it’s a trap we won’t hesitate to knock em’ out cold. Just let em in.” She grumbled, sitting on the couch as she drank something from out of a cup. Lillith stuttered indignantly, while Luz used what I assumed a random piece of paper to create fire. Melting the bars, she let the two of us inside.

A few minutes later, Hunter and I were sitting beside each other on two chairs, while Lillith, Luz, and Eda were sitting on the couch. He had just finished explaining what had happened with Emperor Belos mere hours before. Lillith had her arms crossed, staring at us suspiciously, while Eda was peacefully sipping at her apple-blood. Luz was holding the little demon, who I found out was named King. Luz spoke up first. “So…now you’re wanted criminals?” She asked, concerned. Hunter pat his Palisman. “It would appear so.” He muttered. Lillith didn’t say anything, but it was obvious from her body language she didn’t trust us. Eda the owl lady smiled comfortingly. “Well, I guess an enemy to Belos is a friend of mine. Welcome to the Owl House kids.” She chuckled. “Thank you.” I replied. Luz pointed accusingly at me. “AHA! YOU DO SPEAK!” She yelled. I chuckled. “So what’s your name, kid?” Eda asked. “I’m Y/n. Nice to meet you all. Especially you Lillith!” She turned to me, raising a brow. “Why’s that, witchling?” “You’ve always been a role-model for me! I feel so honoured meeting you in person!” I said, my smile brightening to finally have an opportunity to speak to my hero. Lillith smiled. “Thank you, witchling.” A few weeks later… Hunter and I had officially moved into the Owl House. It was a bit crowded but it became our home. Eda was teaching Hunter how to take care of his Palisman, plus how to use and treat it. I on the other hand, began to classes with Lillith and Luz, learning how to master glyphs. Sure, I still had my powers, but in case of emergencies I wanted to learn about these strange little symbols. We had become wanted criminals that day, and our wanted posters were stuck up all over the Boiling Isles. I felt a light tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I realised it was Hunter. “Hey Y/n, I have a surprise for you.” He said, grabbing my hand and leading me away from the Owl house. Dragging me through town, we snuck by many wanted posters of us. He finally stopped outside of Hexside, a school I had once attended before joining the Emperor’s Coven. Knocking on the door, Principal Bump opened. “Ah, good you’re here! Just in time too!” He whispered, taking down another poster that was stuck to his door. He smiled down at the two of us. “Good to see you again Y/n. Come this way!” Leading us onto the Grudgby field, I noticed Eda was standing beside a large, wooden stump. She walked over to us excitedly. “Y/n! Hunter had told us what had happened to your Palisman, so Bumpy, Hunter and I decided to give you a little surprise. I introduce to you…” The Bat Queen flew down, landing on the stump and opening the door. Many Palismans with cracks ran out, looking around curiously. “To the Palismans! These little guys need a good home again, and one lucky one may pick you.” My eyes widened in awe, as I clasped my hands over my mouth. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I hugged Hunter, who was standing beside me. “THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!” I cried. Realising what I was doing, my face heated up, and I immediately let go, looking away in embarrassment. He did the same, scratching his neck as a pink flush covered his cheeks. Eda chuckled at our interaction. “Alright. All you gotta do is kneel down, say a goal you want to achieve and one should choose you.” She stated. I grinned as I knelt down, looking at all the cute Palismans scuttling about. “I want a powerful Palisman to help protect those I care about.” I said. One Palisman began to glow. It looked like a lizard from the human realm, but with a scorpion tail and sharp claws. I held out my hands as it turned into a staff, landing gently in my hands as the Palisman happily growled. My grin widened as I looked excitedly back at Hunter, hugging the Palisman close. Everything was going to be ok now.

A/N: HOLY CRAP FINISHING THIS I REALISED IT PRETTY MUCH TURNED INTO A FULL BLOWN NOVEL-

[aquanova99]

alistair with a vampire mate that is equally if not more shy than him. and i hear you're moving? goodluck!

Ahhh alistair my beloved shy boy,

thank you anon we had to push back closing because the builders did not really do that great of a job in some aspects but all is well now.

So what you’re telling is it took both of you literal years before you would talk to eachother correct?

Because bb if you’re as shy as him, oof it’s going to take some help to get you to together

So I’m going to say Alistair met with Carlisle at one point and caught him up on how he’s seen someone that he’s interested in, I.e. you but he’s too scared to do anything about because it looks like you are avoiding him

Carlisle asks if he’s been avoiding you as well and he starts stammering because he never thought anyone could be as shy as him.

Carlisle doesn’t know you as well though and he’s very busy doctoring so he asks Garrett and Kate to help you. Which Garrett is too excited to do because he’s a sap at heart

So the two of them get in hearing distance from you and start talking about how great it is that alistair seems to be dating someone, he isn’t. You know of him and it makes you sad but your curiosity gets the best of you. They do the same with him and the two of you bump into eachother both having to admit you were looking for eachother

Aside from meeting the rest of the relationship goes smoothly but slowly, you guys can’t really stay away from eachother but the first couple of dates are just some walks through the woods

But if you’re into cottage core babes this is the relationship for you. Not only that but Alistair is very handy in my world so the two of you build your dream cottage in the woods. Literally Bella’s cottage could never, and it’s very secluded so no one bothers either of you.

There’s plenty of night where he will carving or whittling something whilst you’re reading a book by the fireplace

I can’t explain the mood more than the relationship is comfortable, you two are eachothers best friends and now he really doesn’t have a reason to go and mingle, you’re all he needs

Lots of time is spent trying things to do or learn, you two once got into a pretty intense paint fight after trying your hand on the canvas but he enjoyed washing your hair and you washing his

Very loving to you, there’s no one to hide from anyways so he isn’t shy around you after awhile but this does take quite a bit because he would never push you unless you were ready to

In fact the first time he kissed you he started profusely apologizing in case you weren’t ready but you couldn’t stop smiling at him

It becomes so easy to be with Alistair you two might as well be one person

[candychronicles]

carve // k. bakugou

A/N: hello and welcome to my take on the all about bakugou bnharem collab! this is a potential intense read so please heed all warnings! 

this is a continuation of quarantine that i wrote last year for a harem collab. it’s not required to read in order to read this story but feel free to read if you’re interested!

i am so sorry that i solely write for collabs now lol 

CHARACTER PAIRING: bakugou katsuki x f!reader

WORD COUNT: 3,050

WARNINGS: heavy knife play (mentions of blood, wounds, weapons), super intense emotions, oral (f!receiving), good ol fashioned penetration, implications of a lighter skin tone if you squint

SYNOPSIS: your boyfriend suggested to try a new kink over quarantine yet life was beginning to resume some semblance of normalcy with no excitement in sight. what was going on? 

want to enjoy more bakugou? i mean, c’mon, who wouldn’t? 

head on over the the masterlist!

you did not, in fact, try anything risker. bakugou balked at the thought of hurting you once he got over the high he was in, lusting over the fact that you were able to put him in his place so easily, though he would never admit that. he wouldn’t admit a lot of things, in fact, like how he was afraid he was going to slip and cut too deep, how he thought you secretly didn’t trust him, how he wasn’t and never would be good enough. all these thoughts kept running through his head as time went on, as quarantine sunk deeper and deeper into chaos, as he got called back into action much sooner than expected and never really got a chance to spend time with you like he really wanted to.

over a year had passed since the last first and last time he had ever brought the knife up. you had asked him plenty, showing him different blades, trying to get him wound up, but he always pushed the thought away, fucked you into submission, or if you were being particularly relentless, let you fuck him. it kept you at bay for awhile but you both knew that things wouldn’t stay quiet forever.

it was on a normal tuesday evening that you sat him down for a serious chat. he had been gone for awhile, quarantines lifting up left and right, people getting vaccines and life returning to as normal as it could be after what everyone had went through. he was distant, stressed, unsure of life and frustrated with how he was feeling and you could tell. he didn’t, however, know that you were that observant and he was sure that you were going to kick him to the curb. honestly, how could he blame you with the way he was treating you, acting like you were some fragile doll that needed to be kept at arm's length wrapped in bubble wrap your whole life? fearing he would break some sort of trust between you two or worse, snap you in half. it wasn’t until he felt your gentle hand on his own that he realized he’d been consumed in his own thoughts.

“Katsuki, what’s wrong?” you finally asked, not one to beat around the bush.

“nothing’s wrong babe, just tired, you know i’ve been working a lot,” he brushed off, going to stand up.

you didn’t give him the chance though, yanking his hand so that he was pulled forward, slamming into the table.

“don’t. lie. to. me,” you commanded, anger evident on your face, brows furrowed and eyes challenging straight ahead.

he sat down with a sigh, not sure of where to begin or even if he had the strength to say anything to you, but before he could, he heard your voice, unusually meek, ask “was it something i did?”

his hand tightened around your own before he realized he was squeezing harshly, quickly letting go and rubbing his fingers as if he had burned you, which he might as well have with the way you recoiled at his actions.

“Katsuki, please, if there’s something i did, at least tell me. i’m going crazy watching you run away from me without me even knowing what’s going on.”

fists clenching under the table, he huffed, attempting to collect his thoughts once more. he knew now that there was no running from this, no more hiding his feelings or wallowing in his own despair and pity.

“i’m afraid of hurting you. during sex, especially. with the knife kink, ya know?”

you cocked your head at his, eyes squinting as you tried to analyze what he had just said.

“i’m not made of porcelain. i think that, as adults, you and i can have a conversation about boundaries, safety, how to keep in communication and what to properly do during aftercare. it’s really not any different from the conversations we’ve had before in any part of our life, really.”

“but what if i go too far?”

“then i’ll just embarrass you by going to the hospital and telling them that my boyfriend’s monster cock split me in half. m’sure they’ve heard worse,” you teased, reaching out to poke at his forehead that was set in a permanent wrinkle, face scowling at how nonchalantly you were talking about this.

“i’m serious, what if i fuck up and cut too deep or nick an artery or accidentally slip and stab you or you sneeze and stab yourself or-”

“hey, ‘Suki,” relax. it’s why we’ll educate ourselves and take it slow. you’re not putting a knife to my neck after all. we’ll learn and talk together so that we’re both feeling safe and if you still don’t want to do it after then that’s fine! we have a great sex life as is. i don’t need every one of my kinks fulfilled to be happy and satisfied with you.”

despite the insecurities and confusion that settled in his brain like a thick fog, he nodded his head, agreeing to learning and trying this new experience with you. secretly, he was ecstatic, his cock twitching as he thought about carving his name into your body, but the logical part of his brain still wasn’t convinced. 

you two spent the night educating yourself, figuring out what blade you wanted to purchase, how to keep it clean, how to safely take care of wounds, both minor and major, safety do’s and dont’s and going over boundaries and safe words. it was hours later that you both collapsed into bed, thoroughly tired yet satisfied after the conversation and education that had just taken place.

three days later, a nondescript package arrived at your door, simply labeled with the postage and address. you quickly grabbed it and rushed inside, careful to close the door quietly. Bakugou had the day off and spent most of the morning doing paperwork, only now choosing to workout in order to get rid of the boredom that was already seeping into his brain. 

you tore the package open as quietly as possible and shimmied the box tucked inside the package out, careful not to damage anything, popping it open and smiling at the sight inside. a shiny blade stared back at you, hilt a forest green, deep and inviting. you pulled the object out, running your finger along the cool metal, admiring the way it glinted in the harsh kitchen light. 

quickly, you scrambled into the bedroom, eager to see what Bakugou would think but when you peeked your head inside the room, it was dark. you frowned before realizing he had already sat down at his desk, tolling away at the mounds of papers he had to go through. sighing, you gently placed the blade down on the dresser, forgetting about it as the day went on.

it was only when you were in the shower later that evening, ready for bed, that you remembered you didn’t put it away. you hurried to finish, barely throwing a towel on yourself before whipping the door open only to see he had already spotted the object. 

Bakugou was twirling it in his hands, testing the weight, prodding at the tip with his fingers, letting out a sharp hiss when the blade nicked his finger.

without thinking, you stepped forward, taking his hand into your own before slowly lifting it up to your lips, sucking on the wound, the taste of iron and his own sweet flavor hitting the roof of your mouth. you watched him with hooded lids as your towel dropped haphazardly to the floor, body still dripping from the shower.

“princess, you’re playing a dangerous game tonight.”

you only hummed around his finger, stepping closer to him, pressing your wet body to his, shivering at the warmth he radiated. he pulled his hand away from your mouth, choosing instead to cup your chin and bring it closer to him.

“are you sure you want to do this? do you remember everything we learned?”

“i’m sure, Katsuki, i promise. we have our safety words if things get out of hand, yeah? but i’m sure it won’t,” you reassured, blinking up at him with such sincerity it nearly took his breath away.

with the knife tucked firmly in one hand, Bakugou led you to the bed, laying you down gently, propping your head up and settling into your thighs, kissing, biting, sucking.

he took one deep breath, hands trembling, before the coolness of the blade just barely grazed your skin. you took a sharp inhale of breath but before he could ask what was wrong, he heard you beg for him to do it again.

his tongue came out to press flat against your clit and you jolted, his one hand coming down to hold you still and the other using the knife to trace lazy shapes along your thighs, up your pelvis and around your stomach. 

you struggled to maintain your breath, the sharp scratch of the knife as it tickled your skin contrasted with the soft and soothing tongue of Bakugou as he leisurely lapped at your sensitive nub. you begged and pleaded for more friction, white knuckling the sheets as you tried to keep your composure but all he did was sadistically smile and hum, the vibrations driving you crazy. 

he kept up that pace for a while, the blade leaving behind bright pink swirls on your skin, tickling and pinching you at the same time. it was all so exhilarating, knowing that something bad could happen and yet being at the complete mercy of your boyfriend. 

Bakugou, on the other hand, was stalling for time. he wanted so badly to claim you as his own and yet he was still convinced this wasn’t what you wanted. he thought you were faking it or doing it for his own pleasure and yet in this moment, all he wanted to do was please you, make you feel good, make you know that nobody would ever lay a hand on you besides him, that you were and would be his forever. he felt so strongly about you and about you being his that he didn’t even notice he was applying more pressure to the blade until you let out a gasp.

immediately he sat up, blade dropping clumsily to the bed as he examined your hips, realizing he had nicked the thin skin on your pelvic bone. he stared blankly at the red welt, a pinprick of blood seeping out of the cut. numbly, he looked up at you, ashamed he had hurt you. before he had a chance to open his mouth and apologize, however, you surged forward, crashing your lips against his own, teeth gnashing. he was sure he tasted blood but the way you were kissing him, he didn’t think he could stop even if he wanted to.

“Katsuki, i need more, please. i need you, all of you, need your name carved into my body, need to know that i’m the only one for you.”

he paused, hands coming to gently push you away, looking into your eyes to see what kind of game you were playing but all he saw was that same sincerity and desire as always.

“i just hurt you know. what if i go too far?”

you grabbed his face fervently, squishing his cheeks with your hands. 

“I trust you with my life. I always have and I always will. I am yours as you are mine. I want, no I need, this from you. Please.”

his heart practically squeezed in his chest, an unusual lump forming in his throat as he stared at you, at the way the tears pooled at your lashes, how you looked at him like he was the sun, how your warm breath caressed his face and your soft hands held him so tenderly. it was in that moment that he finally realized how much you loved him, trusted him, needed him as much as he needed you.

no words were spoken as he wiped away the tears from your cheeks, laying you back down gently on the mattress, knife picked up firmly in his hand as he splayed his other across your stomach, stretching and pulling at the skin to make it taut. he didn’t even think before he put the blade to your skin and began carving the first line in the K.

the first cut stung, a slow, agonizing pain as he sliced straight up and down, pinpricks of blood following in the wake of his actions. he looked up at you, making sure you were okay, but you were already placing your hand on the blade, urging him to continue.

the next few lines continued to sting but with it came an utmost sense of security and pride. he was carving you, embellishing his name into your body, carving you, marking you, molding you to become a piece of his own flesh. you were his canvas, his artwork, the beauty that was brighter than the stars. he was the sun, hot, fiery, full of temper and you were his moon, patient, calm, full of emotion. together, you two worked in tandem, balancing each other out, keeping each other in line, never able to fully connect but never being able to stay away from one another. but today, on this glorious evening, the sun and the moon meet, an eclipse in the night, destined to become one, and as the blade finished slicing you, the final stroke, the “I” to end it all, your souls merged.

Bakugou stared back at his own name, his first name, carved along your skin, rivulets of red pooling along your skin, eager to be released from their confines. his hand came to gently wipe away your skin, wincing as you hissed.

“let me get you cleaned up.”

he tried to get up, he really did, but when you reached for him, your voice wanton, begging him to fuck you, pleading, saying that you needed him now more than ever, he sunk back down onto the bed, his shirt flinging over his head, clothes kicked off to the side. gingerly, he climbed on top of you, not even getting a chance to adjust or make sure you were okay before you were trapping him in your legs, pulling your bodies practically flush, his cock sitting heavily against your aching cunt.

“baby, please, i want you too, so fucking bad, but i need you to tell me you’re okay first, need you to talk to me before we go any further,” he begged, eyes searching your own frantically to make sure you didn’t get lost in the emotions.

“m’okay ‘Suki, promise. just need y’so bad, please.” 

he breathed deeply through his nose, cock twitching painfully, before he situated himself properly between your legs, gently thrusting into you, nearly gasping out as you sucked him in, soaking wet and eager for his touch.

“fuck baby, you’re so wet. been waiting for me to fuck you senseless, hm?”

you only whined out in response, hands curling around his neck to pull him closer to you, sealing him in a kiss and wriggling your hips.

he obliged without question, too consumed in the feeling of you, your scent, the stickiness of the blood, your hands in his hair, everything about you was driving him crazy. you were everything to him and he could feel in the way your body reacted to his touch, the way you cried as he kissed you, how you whispered over and over again how much you loved him, how you wanted to spend the rest of your life with him, how you needed him at your happiest and darkest moments in life, how you two would meet in every life and love each other no matter what, he felt it all. so much so that his own tears began falling, soaked in your soft skin, slipping between each kiss, sealing your fate with one another.

his thrust were slow and deliberate, taking his time, savoring every breath that he stole from you, every gasp and moan and cry and prayer as you worshipped him over and over again. your body was on fire, adrenaline making your toes curl and fingers tingle, head dizzy from lack of air but you couldn’t stop, meeting his thrust with your own, legs locked tightly around his torso, hands pulling him impossibly closer, loving the way his body set you on fire. you were drowning in the flames and yet only wanted to sink deeper into heat, consumed by the tranquility it gave you. you were at peace, body alight with pleasure as your chest met his, back curling off the bed as he rocked you through the most intense orgasm you had ever had.

it only took a few moments of your cunt clenching around his cock before he came, thrusts becoming sloppy as he rode you both through your high. breaths were caught, bodies untangling from one another as you came to your senses. after a few minutes, Bakugou gently began stroking your cheek, bringing you back to reality, going through his checklist as he made sure you were okay after what had happened.

after he had gotten you some water and began tending to your wounds, you looked at him, hand coming to gently grip his, stroking the calloused palms of your lover. 

“thank you, Katsuki.”

he looked at you like you had two heads before scoffing, claiming that he only did what you two wanted to do before finishing cleaning you up, going to the bathroom to take his own shower and wash the blood off of himself. you laid there, donned in one of his shirts, taking in your emotions, when the door opened up, Bakugou stepping out dressed in sweatpants, flashing you a rare soft smile as he took in the name carved on your stomach.

“y’know, that’s just the beginning,” he started, coming over to lay down next to you, gently pulling you into his side, kissing the top of your head and watching the way you looked at him, expectant and full of love.

“you’re not going to just have my name carved on you, princess. soon, i’ll give you my last name too.” 

[unprofessional-bard]

Don't Push It, Pt. 1

Unprofessional Bard's Masterlist

Part 2 (1/2)

Based on this request.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female!Reader

Warnings: Age gap (the reader is 26 and Joel is 53), a lot of teasing/sexual tension, implied romantic feelings.

Summary: It's been going on for years. They both know better than to act on their feelings, but patience starts running thin when a few boundaries are crossed.

Word Count: 5.280

Author's Note: Okay y'all so I am a whore for Joel with long hair and I unintentionally made this into a fix-it au where Joel is alive. Also, the reader is going to have some OC characteristics to fit the scenario better. Finally, this fic changes POV's a lot, so I'm gonna clear that up:

• ----R and below: The reader's POV.

• ----J and below: Joel's POV.

• ----B and below: Both POV's.

The fic starts off with Joel's POV.

Enjoy!

gif credits: nikolai-stavrogin

"Hey, Joel," Dina called over to the man sipping coffee on his porch.

"Mornin' Dina," He replied as his daughter's girlfriend walked over to him. Her baby bump had grown a little more and it never failed to put a smile on Joel's face.

"There's a little trouble with the patrol today," She said. "Jesse won't be able to make it to patrol with (Y/N)."

Shit.

"And they're askin' me to fill in?" He sat up a little.

"Yup, Maria told me to ask you if-"

"No problem, sure, I'll do it." He spoke nonchalantly, then asked if Jesse was alright. Dina told him she wasn't sure, that it must be something important for him to miss patrol, which made Joel nod: "You told (Y/N) too, or...?"

"No, but she's gonna be there regardless. I doubt that she knows."

"Alright, thanks Dina," Joel got up and she smiled in return before walking over to Ellie's place.

It was wrong. By the lord it was wrong, but he couldn't help it. You were fierce, confident, determined and disciplined; qualities he came to appreciate in time, but a bit differently only when it came to you. He shouldn't want you, an unknown source in his mind kept telling himself, but he did. He didn't know why, he never found himself being attracted to a woman your age, yet you had him under your spell. Oh the things you did to him...

Worst part was, he couldn't have you, whether he liked it or not. Nevermind the fact that you were too young for him, you probably didn't want him anyways- despite the crystal clear signals he got from you. It was just how you were, though: A little physical and perhaps a little flirty, but he could just be confusing that with your confidence.

Or he could be overthinking everything.

Joel readied his backpack, but realised there was still a little more than an hour before the rendez-vous, so he decided to head over to your place to tell you about the news to kill some time. After he made it there and knocked on your door while calling your name a couple of times, which were left unanswered, your neighbour curiously looked over the fences and called over to Joel: "She left a while ago... For the gym, I think."

"Thank you," Joel smiled politely and earned a wave from the lady in return. He took his time as he walked over to the gym. After he arrived, he looked around for awhile to spot where you were, but when he found it, the sight almost made him choke.

There you were, ankles crossed as you pulled yourself up and chin over the barfix with closed eyes, a frown and a clenched jaw. Sweat laced the sides of your face and Joel's eyes wandered lower: You were wearing a sports bra and matching shorts which hugged your frame tightly and the sun was shining directly onto your muscles, which the lord himself carved out and were also sweaty, but Joel didn't care - it made you look more attractive, if anything. You let out a huff and lowered yourself down, while he tried to collect himself. He didn't want to disturb you so he decided to wait until you finished...

...but you didn't seem to be finishing any time soon. He didn't want to look like a creep as he stood there and waited, so after you did another pull up and let yourself down, he cleared his throat.

----R

"(Y/N), here you are."

Had you not been already hanging, you definitely would've fell when you heard Joel's voice reach your ears. You opened your eyes to see him slowly approach you, his stupid thumb stuck in behind his stupid belt.

You hated it: You hated finding this man attractive and you hated your guts for occasionally flirting with him - him, who probably would never look at you the way you looked at him. He liked you, of course, he enjoyed your company but not the way you wanted him to. You hated that you had a crush on this man, who became even more gorgeous as he let his hair grow over the last few years, you also hated how he neatly parted it to the left.

Patrol with him was both a treat and a curse at the same time. You got to spend time with him, which made it a treat, but when you watched him- saw him in action, how aggressive he was, heat started to pool between your thighs. He was so rough and precise as he was smart; he always knew what to do under any circumstance, so you almost never worried when you went out with him. He made you feel safe, praised you and played with your heart when he responded to your flirting and nothing came out of it.

You hated it because your little "crush" on him was pathetic, for someone as confident as you. Sure, you teased and flirted with him, but one praise as simple as you did well today and you'd be melting on spot. You even tried to get with other people to distract yourself, to no avail. They weren't Joel.

None of them could ever be Joel.

"Good morning!" You said with a high pitched voice, reflecting your struggle to keep yourself up.

"To you too," He chuckled at your state and watched as you pulled yourself up slowly. "Hey, listen. Jesse ain't gonna make it to patrol today so I'm fillin' in for him."

----B

The way you faltered a little didn't escape him: "Why? Is he okay?"

"I dunno, but I'm sure he is. Something important must've come up," Joel informed you, not wanting to worry you as you seemed to care about him. A lot. Ugh.

"Tsk," You breathed out and closed your eyes to focus on keeping your head above the metal bar.

Joel then spoke again: "Yeah, I was just here to let ya know."

"Okay, well-" You exhaled audibly and suddenly let yourself go. The force of the action sent you flying a little and it almost made you bump into him: "Woah, oh, sorry-"

"Woah there," You both chuckled at the same time. Joel held you by your elbows to help you balance yourself and your heart rate picked up pace when you realised how close your face was to his chest a moment ago - the chest you wanted to get your hands on: How muscular was he? How many scars did he have there? How would it feel to run your fingers through the hair as you ro-

"Uhm, yeah, as I was saying," You snapped yourself back to reality and took a small step back, disappointed by the way his fingers let go of your arms: "I'm done here, just need to do a couple of stretches, then head back and take shower."

"Right. Well, I'll see you at the gate, then?"

"Uh, sure, yeah."

You didn't know what else to say other than stay. You wanted him near you and around you, you wanted to show off to him and you wanted his attention, so you had to think quick.

Joel didn't want to leave either, even though you were going to spend the whole day together. He still nodded and turned around to leave. It was then, when a brilliant idea crossed your mind: "Actually, Joel?" He turned around, gave you a soft look that made you want to run up to him and kiss all over his face. "Could you help me with my stretches?"

If he'd been drinking or eating anything, he most definitely would've choked: "Help you?"

"Yeah," You flashed a smile at him. "It's simple, you just gotta press me down and keep me in place." The widening of his eyes, puzzled face and his tense posture made you shy. "Eh- Normally, Jesse helped me with them."

True. Some stretches required someone to push your body to its limits - when you worked out alone, you stuck to simpler stretches, but right now, you needed a reason to have him by your side.

Joel was torn between leaving, like a responsible person who knew when to walk away would. He was responsible, yes, but his moral compass was thrown out of the window whenever you joined the picture. So far, he wanted to think he was handling his emotions well- by not acting on them and not talking about them.

Now, however, it was as if he was facing the last straw. He had a few boundaries left to cross, and this was one of them.

"Plus, I'm a bit tired to do them. Will you help me?"

Lies. All lies.

You'd been doing these stretches for long enough, even though you'd worked hard, you weren't tired at all. Joel thought this to be the case, so he tried to go around it: "You sure? I mean, how're you tired?"

"I've been training like hell this morning," You settled on the mat. "I don't wanna do these stretches, but I have to. I'm not in the mood to pull a muscle today."

That was good enough for him really: "'Kay," He sighed. "What do you need me to do?"

Your eyes glowed in excitement before you faced forward and explained: "Im gonna lean forward, like this-" You extended your legs forward and lowered yourself down. "All you gotta do is press on my back and stop me from moving away for a few seconds."

A few seconds which felt like five minutes, truth be told.

As soon as he touched your bare back, you sighed, then forced it into a hiss. He immediately retreated his hands, thinking he hurt you, pushing the ludicrous idea that you might have moaned away immediately.

His hands were big and a little cold comparing to your skin which was on fire after the workout, but you'd be lying if you said you didn't do that on purpose. You straightened up and looked at him with an innocent smile: "Your hands are cold."

Not cold enough to make you react like that, obviously.

Joel offered an awkward chuckle from the back of his throat: "You're gonna have to deal with it, missy."

And deal with it you did- barely. Christ, that was a bad idea, your worst one yet. To have his hands on your bare skin, pressing you down made your cheeks burn and mouth hang open as he kept you in place. You almost didn't hear him when he spoke, too busy trying to comprehend the size of his hands and how they'd feel around your throa-

"How many of these do you gotta do?"

"Uh, dunno," You blurted out. "Not too many."

Joel was partly glad, it felt so wrong yet it was just a simple act of help you could've asked from anyone. After 20 seconds of staying like that, you straightened. You went into a head-to-knee position and gave him an okay to press you down again.

You switched to the other leg after half a minute, but you were running out of ideas. There weren't any positions left that you could use his help with, so you played one last card to ruin him: "More."

"W-What?"

Good riddance.

"Press a little harder," You pretended to focus and tried your best not to smirk, knowing you had him where you wanted.

"Oh- hm," He cleared his throat and pressed a little more down on your back. If your plan hadn't backfired and made you almost moan through your teeth, everything was going accordingly.

Joel went to pull back, but stopped when you added: "It's been a while since I did these..."

Christ.

"That enough?" He slowly retreated his hands and stood up, watching you lean up where you sat.

"Yup, that'll be it," You smiled and blinked a couple of times. If Joel had known better, he would've thought you were making him do that, then being all cute on purpose-

It was going to be a long day.

----R

Patrol with the older Miller went as normally as it always was. Part one usually went like this: Meet up at the gate, get your rifles and horses, ride out, reach checkpoint one and sign your names. The road to checkpoint one didn't have any trouble, it usually never did. It was more quiet between you two than usual though. Had you gone too far?

"So, uh," You said once the two of you mounted your horses again. "You coming to the dance tonight?"

"What?" He snapped his head in your direction, looking clueless. "What dance?"

"Well, not a dance exactly but- you know what I mean?" You started riding. "The adults only event?"

He looked really distracted, a bit tense even: "Oh, right. You know those ain't my thing."

"I know," You nodded with a soft smile. "But I haven't seen you in any event ever since you decked Seth."

"Decked?" Joel chuckled bitterly at the memory.

"He deserved it, and more, that prick," You rolled your eyes, making him chortle.

"And nobody managed to shut up about it for the whole month," He sighed with a gorgeous yet tired smile on his face which you managed to see just in time. "So, no thanks. I'll pass."

"Aw, come on," You whined. "You can't avoid coming to these events forever. Please?"

He gave you a confused look, his smile slowly disappearing but not in a bad way: "Why?"

A good question. Oh, no reason, just wanna try and make a move on you, quite possibly jump your bones if it all goes well.

"I wanna make sure you haven't lost your ability to socialise." You offered.

"Really? Why, you're my momma now?"

"Ew, no," You both laughed. "Can't I be sure my friend is alive and well occasionally?"

----J

Friend.

A word that made Joel stop and think.

You saw him as a friend, huh? Two people, with clear sexual tension and an obvious age gap between them- Friends was an awkward description for him, but it was better than nothing.

He opened his mouth to reply, to insist that he was indeed alive and well, but you stopped him: "You know what I mean."

The conversation was making him a little distracted, he noticed, so he decided to keep his mouth shut until you reached checkpoint two. You didn't press him on, which was also a delight. That's another thing he liked about you: You knew your bounds- in patrol anyways. Or maybe it was because you got to know him well over the time, knew what he liked or not.

Part two went quieter too- infected and conversation wise. Not even a single runner was on sight as you swept through the small cabins and houses. Except for the occasional clear's and nothing here's, you didn't say anything else. Joel itched to talk to you, about anything to break the silence, but he was too lost in thought.

When you finally made it back to Jackson, you finally spoke up: "So? You coming?" He chuckled, mostly out of relief, then you added: "I found a new outfit, I wanna know what you think."

That caught Joel's attention. With a curious smile, after handing over your horses, he asked: "What outfit?"

"You'll see... If you come." You smirked, your close proximity making Joel's heart race.

"Don't get your hopes up," He sighed with a small grin and tucked his thumb behind his belt, the other one gripping the strap of his rifle.

"You're the worst," You punched his shoulder with mock upset, making him chortle and stumble a little to the right. "Anyways, I'll see you tomorrow then."

Joel remained quiet, then you walked away with a soft smile gracing your lips. The words sunk deeper than he would've liked, a sudden wave of guilt soaking his guts with regret, even though you didn't sound disappointed or upset. Lips pursed, he watched you hand your rifle to Peter and sign off, then leave; his steps coming to a halt as you did.

He just might check out what was up at the dance tonight, if he could successfully move himself out of his comfort zone in the following few hours.

----R

"Well well, look who it is," Tommy grinned when you approached the doors of the pub. The night had settled across the sky by the time you stepped outside your place. The sound of music and chatter of the people from inside filled your ears.

"Yours truly," You smirked. "It's crowded in there huh?"

"It sure is," Tommy said as he turned around to lead you inside. "Adults only events tend to attract more people, as y'can guess. Don't you look pretty today."

"Why thank you." You smiled playfully: "For no one, but myself, at that."

You lied through your teeth. You had dressed up in the silly hope that Joel would actually show up. You had been planning on it ever since you came across the item wrapped around your hips in an abandoned clothes shop a few weeks ago, and this event was the perfect excuse for you to wear it. For him.

"I ain't sayin' nothing!" Tommy raised his hands up in defense. "Figured that much, haven't seen anyone catch your interest in a long time."

Ha. Nice.

The atmosphere was lively and the air was warm, full of energy. Chatter and dancing went about the packs of people scattered across the space, but you couldn't see Joel, much to your disappointment - you weren't surprised though. What surprised you was Jesse suddenly showing up.

"Where's Ellie and Dina?" You asked after a while of teasing him about missing patrol.

"They decided to stay behind, I guess." He shrugged.

"What can I get y'all?" Tommy smiled, suddenly appearing behind the counter. Without waiting for an answer, he filled two glasses and pushed them towards you. You and Jesse looked at each other for a brief moment, before knocking it back at one go. "Woah there..."

A round of laughter later, you felt someone's presence behind you, then they tapped you on the shoulder: "Hey, (Y/N)!"

Much to your disappointment, once more, it was a boy named Mark. He was a year older than you, had no features whatsoever matching Joel's prettier ones and he took an obvious liking to you, which in truth you didn't appreciate, even though he wasn't weird about it or anything. You faked a smile and turned to him a little: "Hi."

"Good to see you," Sure. "How, uh, how are you?"

"Busy, actually," You pointed at the glass Tommy was refilling for you.

"Mind if I join?" He made himself comfortable on the stool next to you.

"Yeah. I do." Your smile never faded but your words were laced with poison.

He looked between you, Tommy and Jesse, mortified at your answer: "W- Heh, well, would you wanna dance later, then-?"

"No, I don't." You spoke calmly and turned to face Jesse again, only for him to move to tap you on the shoulder, which Tommy stopped from happening.

"Why don't you go home, huh?" He grabbed his wrist firmly, but not hard enough to leave a bruise of course. "The lack of oxygen in your brain's clearly stoppin' you from understandin' a word as simple as no."

You looked over at the younger Miller, a stern look on his face which seemed to make Mark piss himself. Suddenly, an even deeper voice was heard behind the boy: "I advise you to listen to him, son."

You turned completely in your seat to see Joel grabbing Mark by the shoulders, making him jump, then remove him from the seat carefully. Mark's legs were quick to oblige, making him walk towards the exit, but Joel held him in place: "A-ah, what do you say to the lady?"

"I'm s-sorry, (Y/N)," He nodded quickly. "I'll never disturb you again, I promise."

"Good boy," Joel patted him on the back, which sent him running to the door. Your cheeks were suddenly burning and you couldn't help but smile shyly.

"Tsk, what a jackass," Tommy nodded disapprovingly as Joel took the now empty space next to you.

"You decided to show then, huh?" You smirked at Joel.

"Yeah, figured you'd break someone's wrists and make 'em eat it," He chuckled, tipping his head at his brother in a greeting -God he looked so handsome, was that a new shirt?- before he continued: "Decided it'd be a shame to miss it."

You giggled and lightly pushed at his arm, almost immediately feeling the muscles underneath the rolled up sleeve of his blue shirt: "I'll take that as a I came because you asked and I listened for once." The exchange, obviously, didn't go unnoticed by his brother and Jesse, which made you sit upright suddenly: "Tommy was the one who was gonna break his wrist anyways..."

"Nobody gets to disturb anyone here, especially right in front of me," He said and slid a glass to his brother.

Jesse joined in: "I doubt it, but should he ever-"

"Aw, you guys are spoiling me," You grinned and waved your hand down, pressing the other onto your chest.

----J

You looked beautiful. You were wearing a plain, dark green, mid-thigh, flare skirt; which could pass as a miniskirt, but Joel was no fashion expert. You always did come up with the rarest clothing items (like your sports set that morning), so he wasn't surprised that you happened across the skirt. You also had a simple, white, v-neck t-shirt on- which all in all was the reason you left Joel speechless: You could be wearing something as simple as these, but you'd still look so damn pretty.

A few minutes later, after Jesse and Tommy disappeared in different directions and you were finally left alone, Joel spoke up: "Is this the-"

"What made you-" You gave each other a brief look before chuckling: "You go first."

"Ah, I was gonna ask if this was the outfit you wanted me to see," He said, briefly looking down to point at your skirt.

He watched you run a hand through your hair and bite your bottom lip before answering: "Yeah..." You got up and stuffed your hands in your pockets, which made Joel's heart sizzle. "What do you think?"

He gave you a genuine smile: "I think you look beautiful."

The shock on your face made Joel panick a little, but when you offered a shy little smile, he relaxed: "You- Really?"

He gave you a single, slow nod in acknowledgement, his smile grew bigger when you beamed at him and offered him a quiet thank you, then sat back. You were staring hard at your glass, clearly avoiding his gaze and he found it rather cute, but didn't comment on it.

He was looking forward to chat with you, after all, you were the reason why he showed up, but you were unfortunately dragged away by a couple of friends, Jesse included...

To dance.

An upbeat song he didn't recognise started playing, putting you and another boy, Mick, to action. Everyone backed away to give you two space, then started off with what seemed to be something you'd been practicing for a while. You mirrored each other's moves, it was similar to some folk dance he'd watched way before the outbreak, but it most definitely wasn't a folk dance. Your arms linked occasionally, hands on your hips as you crossed each other's legs with fast movements and other types of moves Joel couldn't name if he tried, but it was organised and fun to watch. It wasn't intimate, too, just a silly little dance as you called it minutes later when you finished and walked to the bar for a drink. You didn't stay long, though, just downed your drink, winked at him and went back to the stage where you and Mick (but mostly you) stole the show.

It went on for two more rounds, to the point your t-shirts were absolutely soaked and your legs couldn't take it anymore. Joel had a particularly hard time in his seat, watching your skirt float around your thighs made him feel embarrassed with himself. Tommy even went as far as to tease him about his constant squirming, but a glare from his older brother was enough to shut him up.

The last dance finished off with you in Mick's arms, leaning back in his hold and closing your eyes with laughter. Everyone clapped you both, which earned you a kiss on the cheek from Mick- which you returned. Joel's jaw clenched unintentionally, even though you and him didn't appear to be more than friends.

Stop. Stop it, you idiot.

He couldn't care less about these types of things, drama about who's dating who and whatnot, but when it came to you he naturally grew curious.

He watched you, eyelids struggling to keep themselves open as Jesse led you and helped you onto the stool, next to Joel once more. You huffed and giggled, eyes closed with sweat droplets on your forehead. He couldn't help it when his smile grew wider at your tipsy state.

What he didn't see coming was the sudden hand on his thigh and your back against his arm, letting your head drop onto his shoulder as you let out a brief laugh: "Never let me dance and drink at the same time again."

Joel didn't know what to say, he quickly looked around for Jesse only to find him already gone and a couple of people staring at the both of you. With a rush of panic, he responded: "I don't think I'm the one you should say that to, darlin'."

Your hand and the rest of your body immediately retreated when you jumped at his voice: "Joel?!" You looked a little embarrassed and he couldn't help but smirk. "Uh, where's Jesse?"

The question almost made him scrunch up his face, but he patiently waited until the end of the conversation, which was after you've walked away to find the boy in question and he was alone with his own thoughts... Jealousies...

"He dropped you off and went over there, I think." Joel nodded to the direction he thought Jesse went off to - he didn't see though, he was too busy focusing on you when your fingertips had brushed somewhere dangerously near his crotch.

"Huh," You stared around to find him, but Joel figured you were too intoxicated to actually see that far. "You need to stop wearing the same clothes."

He raised a brow at that: "You tell him that."

"Oh I will," You grinned mischievously and suddenly grabbed Joel's glass of whiskey from his hand, then downed it at one go before he could intervene.

"Hey!" He tried to grab the glass from you but you leaned back. "I think you've had enough for the night."

"Says who-?" You pouted and at the very same time, lost your balance, realising that you leaned a little too back. However, Joel caught you; one hand on your arm, the other on your waist and he pulled you back - he didn't know if you did it purposefully, but you practically fell into his body: "Oh! I'm sorry-" You laughed, not looking sorry at all. "Thanks, Joel," You purred, extending the 's' and the 'l' at the end of each word as you grabbed onto his biceps. "You saved me."

"Pfft," Joel couldn't help but let his hand linger on your waist as he made sure you stood in place. Your eyes met when you lifted your head from his chest - the meaning behind his hazel gaze and your own was similar and it lasted for what felt like a whole minute, while in reality it was no longer than a few seconds.

You finally let his arms go and he took it as his cue to remove his hand from your waist (which, for a moment, felt like it had been glued there): "So... You enjoying yourself, old man?"

Joel sighed through his nose, amused at how the alcohol in your system was slowing your speech, then went back to how he had been sitting before you came. Just when you asked, the smooth, familiar tune of Ain't No Sunshine started playing. After all the excitement, a slower music felt nice: "Sure. You?"

"Oh I sure am," You nodded and leaned back against the counter with something of a triumphant smile.

"I can tell," Joel replied, then without turning his head, side eyed you. His stare later on moved down to your skirt. "Why'd you get all dressed up for, really?"

"Huh?" You blinked, not processing if he was asking what you thought he was.

"I, uh- just never took you for the skirt type."

"Is that so?" You asked, eyes widening. "Well, just trying on a new outfit..." You looked down and bit your lower lip, making Joel's heart skip a beat. He mentally kicked himself for not leaving right then and there and continuing to talk to you: "There's actually another reason."

"Hm?"

"There's this guy," You turned towards him, placed your arm paralleled across his on the counter and leaned forward a little, pretending to look around. His fingertips scratched against the wooden surface of the counter at the mention of this guy in question. "I don't know his name, but maybe you do?"

He just raised a brow when you looked at him innocently: "He's a bit old, around this tall," Your hand went back and forth in the air as you tried to size the man's height in your mind. "Has pretty, long, graying hair with an also graying beard... A little scar on his nose," You looked at him and leaned in a little more, invading his personal space but not touching him, then pointed at the exact spot on your nose and it was then, Joel realised, that you were indeed describing himself. "He's wearing this blue shirt and, honestly, it would look better on him if he opened another button or two."

I know, I know

Hey I oughta leave young thing alone

But ain't no sunshine when she's gone

He wanted to counter, tease you back, lean down and taste your lips, then place a kiss or two on your neck and bite it softly just to hear you moan quietly into his ear- he also needed to get his shit together, as much as he wanted to do all of that.

He couldn't quite believe his self control when he leaned away from you, especially since the tip of your noses almost touched and he felt your hot breath on his lips. He cleared his throat and quickly looked around to see if anyone was looking- no one had seen the rather intimate interaction so he spoke: "I don't know who that is."

The disappointment on your features was like a knife twisting up in his guts. You blinked a couple of times, but didn't lean back: "S- Sure you do..."

"I don't," Joel insisted, his voice stern. "Maybe you should look for someone else."

Your disappointment turned into embarrassment and anger, making you frown and lean back: "Excuse me."

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone

And this house just ain't no home

Anytime she goes away

And with that, you got up and stormed away, leaving Joel wanting, aching and ashamed.

Anytime she goes away

Anytime she goes away

Anytime she goes away

[shokobuns]

something sweet

maybe having someone to help you out in the stockroom wasn't so bad after all.

PAIRING: itadori yuuji x reader

GENRE: fluff, strangers to lovers

WORD COUNT: 2.5k

WARNINGS: almost stabbed, mentions of sharp things (boxcutters and broken glass), making out

it’s not like you had a problem with the same menial tasks everyday.

in fact, you would even say that it was a fun way to spend your free period. it was better than doing some complicated assignment or even having to talk to people with your lack of sleep and patience. coffee never allowed for a proper nap no matter how exhausted you were and your teacher wouldn’t allow that anyways.

it was an easy job that you could do with minimal help. all you had to do was put the beakers away, clean up the floor once in awhile, maybe pop some bubble wrap when new packages arrived. being alone in the stockroom was nice because you were able to turn on some music on your headphones, do whatever dances you felt like doing as long as you were still doing your job. no help was needed or wanted.

“where should i put this?”

you jump, nearly stabbing the blonde haired boy behind you with a boxcutter. luckily, he was quick, jumping backwards with a yelp as you took a deep breath in to process the situation. you didn’t accidentally hurt the boy in front of you, did you? your face falls and the initial rush of fear turns into guilt. “i’m sorry! i didn’t know you were there!”

“it’s okay,’ he responds with a smile, unphased by the fact his shirt had almost been slashed, ‘i understand. you’re probably here alone most of the time, right?”

“yeah, i wasn’t expecting for anyone else to be here,” you sigh before realizing what he had probably walked in on before the whole ordeal, “wait.. did you see me doing anything?”

“you’re a pretty good dancer if that’s what you’re asking.”

embarrassment. your cheeks feel unbelievably hot and your stomach turns while embarrassment settles in your body. this period was your alone time, your chance to flail about and having someone else witness it? definitely not preferable. although, he does seem nice and he hasn’t made fun of you. not yet, at least.

his voice brings you out of your train of thought. “so, where should i put that thing?”

he carries on as if nothing happened. thank god. “the flask goes in that cabinet, bottom shelf. you’ll see more just like it.” you reply, pointing to the space.

he mumbles a quick thank you before doing unloading more of the new flasks onto the cabinet. you work on your own, choosing to count the new magnets on the other side of the room, doing your best to avoid him considering you just embarrassed yourself in front of the stranger by nearly injuring him for asking a simple question. though, he looks slightly familiar, he’ll probably be gone tomorrow and that’s all that matters.

behind you, yuji takes small glances while he puts away the flasks, waiting for you to turn around and ask for his name. hell, he’s waiting for any type of question. after all, who sees a random boy in their work space and doesn’t question it at all?

when the next day comes, you’re proven wrong because he sits in the chair, awaiting another order from you. you curse under your breath before putting on a faux smile. “do you need help with anything?”

“do you need help with anything?”

“no, thanks. i’m good on my own. you can go back to whatever you do in this period.”

he scratches his head, eyebrows furrowing together. “i thought you needed help. that’s what my math teacher told me when he sent me here.”

“not really? i can usually get a lot done on my own. who told you i needed help?”

“gojo. i’m his teacher assistant, but i don’t know how to do the math he’s teaching, so i can’t really help anyone.” he explains

“oh, yeah! i had him for calculus last semester,” your eyes light up at the mention of your favorite white haired mentor, “weird guy. good teacher.”

wait. gojo’s teacher assistant?

you’ve heard your friends talk about him, given that they were in that exact class the blonde haired boy was supposed to be in right now. the one guy that pe teachers fawn over and coaches try to recruit? why did they put him in the math department instead of pe? what’s his name again? yuki? yugi?

“you’re yuji itadori?”

“yuji itadori.” he confirms and you’re relieved. good thing you didn’t mess up his name.

no wonder he looked familiar. miwa was fascinated by his physical ability, you distinctly remember her pointing him out during lunch and telling you about how he was ‘scarily fast’ and could probably ‘lift ten of her at a time.’ although, it was from far away and he was partially blocked by a girl with short brown hair and megumi, the intimidating spikey haired quiet boy in some of your classes.

but yuji didn’t look like someone who could lift ten miwas up close. maybe he was hiding behind the oversized hoodie he wore, but he was a kind looking boy with wide eyes and messy tufts of strawberry blonde hair. throughout the short time you’ve seen him up close, he always had a slight smile on his resting face. in short, he looked approachable and was seemingly friendly.

“so, do you need help with anything?” he asks again and you decide that maybe he can be of use to you. especially if he has the strength that miwa had described.

“actually, yeah. can you lift those boxes over there and bring them to the other side of the room? they’re kind of heavy-”

she was correct because he lifts the box, which is supposedly about thirty kilograms according to your teacher, with ease. now, you don’t have to constantly go back and forth around the room just to put the packaged metal away in a farther cabinet and he can probably just put them away himself, too. it goes that way for the next hour and a half, both of you staying in your respective sides of the room, putting away your own respective items.

“thanks, itadori.”

“call me yuji.”

“will do.”

over the next two weeks, you two don’t talk as much as yuji had hoped.

he still remembers gojo’s words of encouragement, his push to get his favorite student to talk to the person who drops off notes to the teacher across the hallway from time to time. he’s never talked to you and he doubts you would even know that he existed in the first place. in fact, he was perfectly content with just stapling the papers that gojo would give him, maybe getting his own homework done in the period, but he was insistent.

“i’ve seen you staring outside the window whenever they pass by, yuji. just talk to them.”

“it’s okay.’

“no it’s not. get to know her. what if they’re nice? hmmmmm?”

“i’ll talk to her myself at some point.”

that was all it took for gojo to leave him alone, not that he didn’t like gojo or anything, especially with gojo being his second favorite teacher in the first place, but he’s content with his little crush. and again, he doubted that you would remember him in your history class and from the looks of it, he was right.

he just didn’t expect to be sent at the very stockroom that you would be in. for the rest of the semester. gojo had definitely set him up for something.

yuji was in that conflicting position in which he didn’t know whether to start a conversation or not because he didn’t want to bother you. but he also wanted to get to know you up close. of course he can sense your exhaustion himself through droopy eyelids that threaten to close and your dependence on caffeine, something he had learned about you so far in these few weeks. the only thing, it seems like.

as for you, a short talk with your science teacher confirmed that he wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon and though you will miss dancing around the stockroom by yourself, he wasn’t bad company. he mostly kept to himself, often being more rigid when you barely spared him a glance. at the times you would speak to him, he seemed more excitable and easygoing, listening to every word you say.

“yuji?”

“hmm?”

“come help me by unboxing these beakers, alright?” you patted the spot next to you before sliding the blade down the tape, “don’t worry. i’m not gonna stab you.”

“i guess i’ll help,” he snorts, “don’t you usually do these by yourself?”

“yeah, but since you’re spending the semester with me in here, we might as well get to know each other right?”

the whirring of the fan, the sound of your voice — it all seemed to fade into the background as his heart thumped hard in his chest. a million thoughts, both good and bad, race through his head as he formulated different questions, answers, and scenarios in his mind, all of them being a jumble of fantasy and panic.

you wave a hand in front of his face in an attempt to catch his attention. he seemed completely frozen, staring at you with dead eyes and it’s now that you realize you haven’t seen him up this close. honey brown eyes, the soft curve of his nose, and were those crinkles under his eyes, too? up until now, you only knew him as the ‘athletic man who was bad at math’, but he was also undeniably beautiful with his carved face and strawberry blonde hair.

“yuuuuuuuji?”

“oh! i’m sorry! did you say you wanted to get to know me?”

“yeah, we’re kind of stuck in this room everyday for an hour and a half together. i might as well find out what your favorite color is or something.”

“red! my turn! what were you listening to when you almost stabbed me?”

“hey! it was an accident!” he giggles, slicing the tape seal down the middle and opening up the package and pointing right at it. “you see that? that could have been me. i should at least know what i’m being stabbed to.”

“meg thee stallion..”

“nevermind. she’s beautiful and i wouldn’t mind dying to her music.”

you snort, thinking up another question. maybe you should ask him about why that megumi guy was so gloomy? nope, might get too personal. what about the reason he’s here? nope, you already know.

“why don’t you do any sports even though you’re literally physically gifted?” you ask curiously. there’s still a smile on his face, but his expression becomes more wistful. you didn’t accidentally hit a spot, did you?

“my grandpa is in the hospital,” oh shit, you think, “i visit him everyday and if i was on a team, i would have to go to practice at the same time.”

“i’m sorry. i didn’t mean to hit a sensitive topic, but that’s sweet of you.’

“i don’t mind. and i’m sorry if i made you uncomfortable.”

“no, it’s alright. let’s just keep asking questions then, okay?”

he nods.

in one hour, you learn that yuji itadori also likes karaoke, rice bowls, and that he’s just as bad at science than math. ironic. and yuji enjoys getting to know more about you, falling into easy conversation, becoming less of a nervous wreck. the more you speak, the deeper he falls into the trance and he silently thanks gojo for letting him get a closer look because you’re even better than what he could have imagined.

but the period is coming to an end and it’s time for him to carry off the last box of beakers to his side of the room. at least there’s time for another question and it’s his turn to ask.

“what’s your type?”

you place your fingers on your chin as you think for a moment, finding a common trait in every crush for a proper answer.

“i guess my type would be sweet boys. with pretty faces, like you, i guess.”

the response is nonchalant and you don’t think twice about it. maybe you were a little too tired to process how he’d interpret it or maybe a little too tired to filter yourself, but it slips out of your mouth like butter and you’re completely unphased. shameless, even.

meanwhile, the box drops to the ground and like before, every other noise besides his own heartbeat fades into the background, even the sound of shattering glass. heat creeps of his neck into his cheeks until his face is burning, his feet stuck in their place and his palms becoming uncomfortably sweaty. his mouth is wide open, but no words come out.

“yuji! we need to clean this, hurry up!”

your voice brings him out of his thoughts as he realizes what’s been done and immediately snaps back to carefully, but quickly, picking up the shards of glass and placing them in this box. “i-i’m sorry!”

“don’t worry. just leave the box on the counter and we’ll deal with it tomorrow.”

maybe you didn’t quite realize what you had said or what effect you had on him during that time in the stockroom because you continue everyday as if nothing happened.

it’s been, what? a little over a three weeks? and sitting next to you still causes his mind to go to odd places, ones with you. he starts to notice little things about you, too. how your tongue peaks out of your mouth when you’re peeling another sheet of bubble wrap off of some glassware, how you only count in even numbers when you take inventory of the containers.

god, you were adorable.

“yuji?”

“yeah?”

“did gojo ever tell you that there’s no cameras in here?”

“no? i thought they had security cameras everywhere.”

“that’s only hallways and classrooms. there’s none of them here. do you know what that means?”

“what?”

his head is already turned in your direction, the perfect opportunity to lean in and catch his lips. it’s small and he’s hesitant at first, but before you know it, your hands tangle in his hair, bringing him closer to you. he tastes like something sweet, like cherries, and his lips are warm. one hand rests on your cheek, his thumb brushing against it endearingly. when he pulls away, both of you are panting for air, the packages long forgotten.

“this sounds bad, but i’m glad that you’re terrible at math.”

“thanks.” he laughs and admires the look of your heated cheeks and swollen lips before pulling you back in for another searing kiss.

sure. being in that room by yourself could be fun, a perfect break with menial tasks lacking human interaction. you were far too tired to be patient with other people. but there was an exception.

© this is a work of @crybabygumi, all rights reserved. do not plagiarize, copy, or repost.

[smokahuntis]

Partners

Paring: Javier peña x dea reader

Request: @bii-aan-ckaa

Warnings : SMUT, Creampie, arguing, degrading, choking.

Summery: Javier peña and (y/n) could never get along, not for a second. They always fought, during work, after work, everywhere. They had something to argue about. Until today

“I just don’t think this is a good idea” (y/n) said crossing her arms looking at Javier and Steve.

“Well if we are careful-“ Steve started

“He’s never careful...” she said and shook her head “this isn’t going to go over well”

“I’ve got this, now have some faith in me for once” Javier protested

“How can I have faith in a man who almost got me killed?” She looked at him

“Enough both of you... we’ll pick back up tomorrow, I’m going home” Steve said grabbing his stuff and heading out.

“I’ve got work to do” (y/n) said sitting at her desk. Javier just shook his head and watched her as he sat down as well.

Javier could never understand the way she worked, how she ticked. She’s like hot and cold, but she never understood him either, their ideas and planning was always different, and on the occasion one of them did agree to the others it went poorly and ended up in an argument.

“I’m going to head out with search block tomorrow to find the spotters” (y/n) said quietly, not looking up from her papers.

“No you’re not” Javier said flatly, looking up at her as he set his pen down.

“And why not?” She looked up at him and leaned back in her chair.

“Because it’s dangerous, you’ll need to be here to relay details.” He said standing up.

“I didn’t come here to be a fucking pen pusher Javier” she said standing up to be level with him.

“I don’t care, it isn’t safe- and I- we can’t loose you, (y/n)” he said sternly, she looked him over and took in his words before she stepped closer to him.

“You can’t loose me huh?” She smirked feeling like she’d won before he groaned and grabbed her by the throat and backed her up to her desk

“No- I can’t loose you” he kissed her fiercely, fed up with meaningless fights to get each other’s attention he finally just snapped.

They both kissed each other with so much heat and passion that it could make a sauna in the room. Luckily for them they were the only ones at the office this late. His hand never left her throat as he choked her, letting up every few seconds so she could breathe even tho the only air she was getting was coming from his mouth.

“Javier” she moaned and tangled her fingers in his hair as her other one started on his belt. He chuckled against her mouth and ran his thumb over her bottom lip as he looked into her eyes.

“You really are a slut huh?” He smirked before she brought her hand up and slapped his cheek, making a low growl leave his mouth before he grabbed her jaw and made her looked at him. “Do you want this?”

“Of course I want this” she whispered and looked at him “I haven’t been pissing you off for months to not want this” she said, he smirked and kissed her again as he grabbed the middle of her shirt and ripped it open, sending buttons flying everywhere as she gasped into his mouth.

She was quick to pull his belt off him, as she went to toss it away he grabbed it and took her hands above her head and quickly tied them together with the rough Colombian leathers. “Javi-“ she whined wanting to touch him before he shook his head and made them tighter.

“No, you don’t get to be a brat for months on end and expect to touch me darling, that’s now how this works” he whispered in her ear as he forced her skirt up and got down on his knees as he pulled her panties down and stuffed them into his pants pocket. Moving her legs to his shoulders her smirked and blew cold air on her core.

“Oh god- Javier just fucking touch me please!” She moaned and moved her hips to gain anything before he took in her pleads and let her have what she wanted. Soon her was holding her hips down as he lapped at her clit, using his tongue to carve into it, writing his name over and over on her like she was paperwork. He had her reeling on her own desk, begging for more, begging to be touched and fucked.

“Javier- oh my god-“ she whined and felt tears in her eyes of hot white pleasure but he didn’t do anything but play with her clit, teasing her how she deserved. “Please! I’ll do anything!” She whined before he pulled away.

“Anything?” He pulled her off the desk and onto her knees quickly.

“Yes- anything” she looked up at him, already a fucking disaster at his feet.

“I think you know what I want, whore” he said roughly before she moved her cuffed hands up to pull his big cock out. Her eyes almost popped out of her head at the sheer sight of him, her mouth watered and all she could do for a moment was stare. Before he grabbed the back of her head and looked at her.

“Open that bratty mouth of yours, (y/n)” he said before she opened up slowly and he slipped his cock into her mouth without a second thought. She moaned against him and start sucking on him, back and forth, getting gutty moans in return from him.

This went on for awhile before he took complete control and grabbed the back of her head and started thrusting in and out of her throat, making her take him. Tears ran down her face, not from fear but from pleasure. Her mascara was ruined as she gagged around him and made laud noises for him. Before he finally pulled out and grabbed her by the bottoms of her arms and bent her over the desk quickly.

“You’re like fucking putty in my hands, princess” he chuckled darkly and slapped her ass as he helped her head down against the desk. “I wish I could tell you the amount of times I’ve wanted to slam you against a wall and fuck the attitude out of you” he whispered and rubbed his cock uo and down her soaked folds.

“I can’t count that high” he slapped her ass again before grabbing her hips “you ready?” He asked as she nodded. “Beg...” he growled in her ear before nipping at the skin.

“Please- Javier...” she whimpered and tried to move back onto him “please! Just fuck me! “ she whined before he slammed himself into her aching core, letting out a deep moan as he felt her wrap around him tightly, she was perfect.

He held her hips in his hands tightly as he started fucking her quickly, Using her to take out his frustrations, filling the office with slapping noises and the smell of sex. “Oh fuck- just like that baby- you’re taking me se well” he praised her for a moment, getting loud moans in return before he reached up and grabbed her throat again, pulling her back against his chest. “What was that?” He asked wanting to hear her.

“I- oh- thank you- thank you Javier” she whined and laid her head back in his shoulder as her hands began to slip from the restraints and quickly she wrapped them around the back of his head and pulled him closer. “I’m-im gonna cum- fuck- let me cum! Please!” She moaned.

He smirked and kissed her shoulder softly and reached down, rubbing her clit

“go ahead- cum for me- cum for your partner, (y/n)” he purred in her ear before he started getting bitey, leaving marks on the back of her neck before her legs start to shake under him and he had to hold her up as she came around him, forcing his own orgasm to trigger deep inside her ruined pussy as she moaned out his name.

He held onto her tightly and rode out their high before he let out a sigh of relief into her skin. They just stood there for a moment, still connected before he started peppering her skin with light kisses.

“If we don’t get off my desk there’s going to be cum all over my paper work, that Murphy has to sign later” she whispered and he moved back a bit and chuckled.

“Maybe he deserves to sign cummie paperwork” Javier said kissing over her neck gently. He made her giggle, actually giggle for the first time since he’d known her. Why was it so beautiful.

“Teach him not to leave us alone huh?” She looked back at javjer with soft tired eyes. He smiled at her and kissed her gently.

“Something like that” he said pulling out slowly and grabbing paper towels to clean her up. She watched him and held onto her desk for some support as he cleaned her up and helped her dress again, his touches were much softer then earlier as he wrapped his jacket around her and helped her up.

“I’ll take you home okay?” He asked softly.

“That would be really sweet if we didn’t live across the hall from each other. “ she teased him before he slapped her butt “hey!” She whined and he helped her into the car.

“Behave” he said and got in. “Or this won’t happen again” she looked over at him and bit her lip before she responded.

“Yes daddy”

Tag list: @everythinggeeky @thinemineours @morgannope @thisis-theway @onabouteverything @blxwjobsforclones @a-dorin

[sullustangin]

The Expendables

A brief ditty about three kill options (and I kept it under 1500 words!). 

Post-KotET

“All right. You go get your stuff, and I’ll keep an eye on the ship.”

Arcann nodded, silently, as he opened the shuttle door and jumped out onto the landing pad on top of the palace at the heart of Zakuul.

Annnnd that left Koth, with Senya, waiting.  “You aren’t going with him?”

Senya looked out of the viewport at the traffic that moved below them.  “I took my possessions with me when I left his father.  There’s nothing for me here.”

“Ok.”  Koth drummed his fingers on the dashboard.  It wasn’t out of nerves -- not anymore.  He was impatient.  He didn’t want to be here.  He loved Zakuul.. but his home wasn’t on this planet.  Wasn’t anywhere yet, to be honest.  He was only here because Lana asked him to do her a favor. 

Both Koth and Senya knew what that favor really was. 

“Maybe you can help hurry him along? Grab a bag, make a suggestion...?”  Koth gestured toward the door.

Senya shook her head.  “He needs his privacy.  The Alliance has watched him very closely since he arrived -- which I understand!” Senya said a bit quicker and louder than necessary.  “I just want to give him a few moments alone with his thoughts.”  She cast a look at the door that led down into the residence.  “You know, they’re turning this place into a museum.  And a mall.”

Koth leaned back in his seat.  “Well, finally gives people a chance to see what their taxes paid for over the last few centuries.”

Senya sat on the edge of her seat, constantly looking over at where her son had disappeared.  

Koth sighed, loudly.

“Could you --?”

“You just don’t want to catch him getting his girlie holo collection.”

Senya huffed, then withdrew slightly.  “I-I-I don’t know if he has girlie holos... or boy-ie holos.  I left before he ... went through those changes.”  Senya’s shame was laced through the sentence.  She was never going to forgive herself for leaving, was she.

“Well, he clearly likes girls, at least, since that’s why I’m here.”  Koth looked over at Senya.  “You let Arcann try to ask the Captain out or something, and now I’m here because Lana doesn’t want Spy Guy letting Arcann accidentally, mysteriously fall off a building.”

Senya pressed her lips together before replying.  “War -- conflict makes and breaks relationships.  I didn’t know how permanent --”

“Woman, your son threw his kinda sorta girlfriend into a freezer for five years.  He didn’t get over it. And now you let Arcann make a move?  You’re lucky Theron kept that to himself instead of telling the Wookiee.  You wanna see paternal panic?  Lord.”  Bowdaar was awesome, and Koth would have him serving on the Gravestone if he didn’t know the big guy wouldn’t stand being parted from Eva, his captain. 

Senya closed her eyes, and for a split second, Koth thought he’d made her cry and that was soooo NOT HIS INTENT.  Koth’s internal panic was quelled when she spoke, more tired and frustrated than tearful.  “It was the first time he expressed any positive interest in anyone that wasn’t me or his siblings.  So many years since he... Since he wasn’t trying to get revenge or best a rival in combat or play politics.  Maybe he was too awkward and came on too strong -- but I didn’t want to discourage that the first positive impulse he’d had in over ten years.”  

Koth tipped his forehead forward to rest on the piloting controls of the shuttle. He’d spent years blaming Arcann for the downfall of Zakuul. Knowing that it was the old emperor playing everyone made him hate Arcann less, but... it was honestly mindblowing to watch the guy hit ‘reply all’ to a Odessen holonet announcement to ask about how to do laundry. It proved how disconnected Arcann had been from reality all these years. 

(Lana made Koth help, once she knew via securiy holo that he’d literally been sitting next to Arcann as he’d done it.)

Arcann needed a friend to clean out his old apartment.  Well, the Force, Providence, the Galaxy, Lana -- they all moved in mysterious ways that had led Koth here. 

He unbuckled his seatbelt.

**

Koth found Arcann standing in the remains of a bedroom.  It had been blasted to shreds, the contents of every chest, every drawer scattered everywhere.  A fire had kindled on the bed for awhile before dying out.  Koth let out a low whistle, which caught Arcann’s attention.  “Vaylin redecorated in my absence.”

Koth stifled a laugh.  Arcann had a dry wit that came out when he wasn’t brooding or being clueless about normal people life. “She leave you anything?”

“A few things.”  Arcann held up an old carved box.

Koth recognized it as one of those multi-dimensional chess sets that only the richest people could afford.  “Anything I can do to help?”  Koth offered.

Arcann motioned around the room.  “If you find something not broken, let me know.”  The former ruler turned his scarred side in Koth’s direction.  “That might only be yourself.” 

A dry wit with a heavy dose of self-hate. 

The two men sifted through the remains of the room.  Koth managed to find one or two datapads that escaped Vaylin’s wrath.  Arcann pulled some clothes out of his closet -- all whites and blacks.  Maybe they could get the smoke damage out back at base. 

As Koth straightened up and cracked his back, he heard Arcann say, “She let me live because it infuriated my father.”

“Huh?”

“He told her to kill me.  So many times.  Even as she took the throne -- you know what she said to him?”

Koth hadn’t asked anyone what happened at the time.  He just sat in the ship, gazing down at Zakuul as all the lights blinked back on as people emerged from hiding and the darkness.

“She told him she’d give the throne back to me, just to spite him, if he didn’t shut his mouth.”

Koth smiled openly now.  “That sounds like Eva, all right.”  His grin waned slightly as he saw Arcann standing there, torn between laughing and ... not laughing at all.  “Well, at least you know she hates you less than your old man.”

“I’m alive because of her spite.  It... it hadn’t occurred to me that wasn’t the best basis for... companionship.. until after...” 

Koth read Arcann like a damn holonovel -- captains knew how to do that for the safety of their ship, getting a quick assessment in just a few glances.  “You went back after she gave you the brush off.  And she got meaner about it.  Told you--”

“Agent Shan’s presence in her ship after hours also bolstered the fact she hadn’t spared me out of any affection.” 

Koth cringed. “Arcann, you gotta give up on her or else she will kill you.  Or he will. Or Bowdaar.  Or the rest of her crew, now that they’re back with her.  She’s got a lot of people who aren’t afraid of going to jail for her.” 

And Koth was one of them, if he was honest.  Technically, he’d go to jail for Lana after Lana killed someone for her. 

Arcann exhaled through his nose.  “She didn’t kill me at the ball, so I assumed she --”  His throat bobbed as he stared around his old room one last time, balling up the smoke-infested garments and tucking them under his arm.  “I only knew love and hate.  There was no mercy.  There was never an in-between.  Nobody was permitted to live unless they were a stalwart ...Nothing was neutral or grey.  There was just white and black.”  He looked down at his clothes.  “I have much to learn.”

Arcann dropped the white and black clothes.  As he started to let the chess set slip from his hands, Koth darted over, easily intercepting the small chest before it hit the floor.  “Hey, the wardrobe needs an update.  But... you’ll find someone good to play with on Odessen, someday.”  Koth grasped the chest one-handed and braced it against his chest to make sure he didn’t drop it.  “For now, you’ll have to settle for teaching my impatient self.”

Arcann smiled, slightly. 

[cellard0ors]

Fic: Movement (2/?)

Still dedicated to the wonderful @peachworthy. you read part one than you know - GMM Rhink AU - College Student Link/Pornstar Rhett AU

“Got it right again, man! You’re going to ace this test!” Rhett crows as he tosses down another notecard and Link pumps his arms in triumph. The two of them are settled in the kitchen, piles of books and notecards spread around as well as few bottles of beers and some bowls of chips.

Link picks up one chip and pops it into his mouth, grinning at his roommate fondly, “Well, couldn’t’ve done it without you, pal. You are, without a doubt, the best study buddy I’ve ever had.”

“Aw shucks, gonna make me blush,” Rhett laughs even though it’s Link who feels his cheeks actually grow warm, his friend’s laughter a common cause of the occurrence.

They’ve been living together for over a month now and it’s been beyond amazing. Link would’ve never guessed a guy like Rhett and a guy like him would work so well together.

It’s like they’re the world’s weirdest, most convoluted puzzle yet all the pieces click together to form a full picture that is nothing short of a masterpiece. True, there’s a lot about Rhett Link doesn’t know yet (and gosh is there a lot he wants to know) but their friendship is running smoothly.

Well, smoothly save for the massive crush Link has on the guy, albeit he’s doing his damned best to squash it. Yes, Rhett’s attractive and yes, he’s the first guy Link’s ever met that he’s felt a real zing for, but the fact of the matter is – Link would much rather have him as a friend and roommate than lose him as a…well, Link’s not sure if he’d lose him, but the mere possibility keeps Link’s lips sealed.

Besides, it’s okay to crush on someone and never act on it. People do it all the time. Not to mention that it’s a bit…odd to crush on someone in Rhett’s line of work. Isn’t it?

Link can’t think of too many people who will admit to crushing on an adult film star. Regular, mainstream film stars, sure – but adult film stars?

Yeah…

Although, to be frank, Link’s sure there are some that do. And, hopefully, some of them are not the creepy internet troll-y kind of people, but genuine salt of the earth folks like himself. Because, okay, he is crushing on one so…

Rhett is toying with the cards, maybe looking for the next question to quiz Link on when he asks idly, “Y’know, Link – I gotta say, I admire your stamina.”

That remarks makes Link choke on the drink he’s just been consuming, a cough clearing it up some as he croaks, “I’m-I’m sorry?”

Rhett hums noncommittally, as if not noticing the gaffe, “You’ve had yet to grill me about my job. Normally, once folks hear about it, that’s all they want to talk about.”

“Oh,” Link breathes out loosely, “Well, ah-? It-? It just…seemed rude to-to ask…”

“Been over a month living with me now. You telling me you ain’t interested?”

“I didn’t say that!” Link quips back much quicker than he would like, but Rhett just gives him the most perfect smile. All sincere and warm beneath his beard and remember, Link, you’re doing you’re best not to crush on him!

Rhett is still toying with the cards, eyelashes downcast, the very visual definition of shy as he murmurs, “Just sayin’…I don’t mind if you wanna ask some stuff.”

Link’s eyebrows rise in such a way as to damn near bump his glasses off, “Y-You sure?”

Rhett draws in a deep inhale and then sits the cards down. He crosses his arms and leans back in his seat, looking quite serious even despite the casual red flannel and jeans, as if this was more of an interview (or perhaps an interrogation?) than anything else, “Shoot.”

The a million and one questions that Link has kept at bay about Rhett’s job and more personal life threaten to cave his skull in as they crash about in his mind. However, he has to go with the obvious, “Know this’ll be predictable, but…why?”

Rhett just bobs his head in an understanding nod even as Link pushes on, “Why and how?”

Rhett sucks on his teeth before picking up his own beer and taking a fortifying sip before continuing, “The two are kinda interconnected to be honest. Had a fallin’ out with my family. Think I mentioned it in passin’ to you once. But, to clarify; they weren’t too happy with my chosen living destination nor with the fact that I’d come to terms with the notion that I’m attracted to both the ladies and the gents.”

Link’s mind immediately (and joyously) clings to ‘the gents’ remark, bookmarking it for future reference, even as Rhett continues his tale, “You grew up where we did. So you get it.”

Link does. And then, to nail the point home, Rhett adds, “Probably get it a lot more than others. If my…instincts are to be believed.”

Shit.

SHIT.

Link’s whole body immediately bursts into flame, the tips of his ears so hot he’s sure they’re glowing bright red.

Rhett knows I’m gay. He knows. I thought having a radar for that kind of thing was bullhonkey, but he knows and oh, lord, oh lord – do I give off some sorta vibe? I know that girl in my screenwriting class, Stevie, she teased me about being an A-Level twink or something, but I didn’t think-!

Rhett’s laughter carves right through Link’s insecurities, “Take a breath, brother! Look like you’re about to pop!”

Link does and Rhett just shakes his head, still grinning, “Point being – I was pretty much a babe in the woods when I came to LA. Not two nickels to my name, so I took whatever gigs I could get. Managed to snag a few commercials and things of that nature, but you know the drill. Jobs are hard to come by. And a guy of my height?”

He blows out a big breath and tosses all of those luxurious curls about with a rueful head shake, “Yeah, most people fingered me for a baller, so – again – jobs were hard to come by. But then, wouldn’t you know it? A friend of a friend of a contact told me about this part they thought I’d be perfect for.”

Another deep barrel chested chuckle emerges as he reminiscences, “Mighta been nice of ‘em to let me know it was actually a part of me they thought would be perfect.”

Do not zero in on his crotch! Do NOT zero in on his crotch! Charles Lincoln Neal the Third DO NOT-!

Link keeps his eyes so steadfastly forward he probably looks like some bug eyed zombie. If Rhett notices, he doesn't comment, “Anyway, when I found out what the role was, I had planned to politely decline but, y’know, the money they offered…”

There’s an easy shrug and this Link can look at. He looks at Rhett, who looks a bit sheepish as he scratches at one side of his beard, “I mean, again, you grew up where I did. So, you know how the whole ‘wait until marriage’ thing was drilled into your head, but I figured it wasn’t like anybody would know. My family’d cut me off, my friends were few and far in between, and the people on set…”

Now he looks a bit happier and Link can’t help but smile along with him, “The people on set were all right. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard the kind of stories people tend to spin – the exploitation, the drug abuse, other questionable stuff…place I was at wasn’t like that. I mean, maybe I just lucked out or something, but it was…”

Another shrug and he goes for his beer again. Link figures this is as good a time as any to get in another question, “So, you did that and then you…? Just kept going?”

Rhett nods as he drinks, the bottle leaving his mouth with an obscene pop that Link is going to do his best to forget all about right now and certainly not recall at any point in the future (and most certainly NOT when he’s jacking off later), “Yeah, I did the one and the director really liked me. He pull me aside and told me about this company he was trying to set up with a couple of buddies of his. They wanted to go in a classier direction – know how funny that sounds, but he was serious.”

“So, what? No, like, blockbuster porno knock offs? Like ‘Sex in The City and ON the City’ or ‘Arma-get-it-on’?”

“Think you stole that last one from an episode of CSI.”

“I did, doesn’t change the question.”

They’re both smiling like a couple of fools, but the mood is good and the atmosphere light as Rhett sighs, “Yeah, nothing like that. I’ve actually worked with a few female directors, shot some things with great budgets, nice lighting, good costumes…”

“Oooo, costumes,” Link teases in the silliest voice and Rhett swats out at him. Link avoids the hit even as Rhett rolls his eyes, “I’m serious, dude. Some of the things that department pumps out looks better than anything you’d see in Hollywood.”

“Hmm, some kinda wood,” Link snickers and this time Rhett’s swat makes impact, brushing Link’s shoulder and Link would be embarrassed by the giggle he lets out, if it weren’t for the way Rhett’s nose is all scrunched up, making him look beyond adorable, “You’re sucha brat!”

Link sticks out his tongue and Rhett just laughs. They turn their attention to the drinks and chips for awhile before Link circles around to another question, “You like it then?”

“It’s a living,” Rhett confirms, not really answering one way or another, “Like I said – make great money, work with some really nice people.”

“Uh,” Link scratches behind one ear, “Hate to ask, but, um…clean people?”

Rhett doesn’t seem offended, “You bet. Have to be. Another reason I’ve done this as long as I have. Money's great, but the safety is even better. I’m currently under contract with that same company I told you about – the one that director brought me under. On top of wanting to,” he air quotes his next words, “be classier’-”

He drops the quotes, “They wanted to provide an excellent work environment. Heck, me and the other actors and actresses probably have a cleaner bill of health than the entire state. Can’t shoot scene one until you’ve got the A-Okay.”

“Huh,” Link absorbs that with some surprise, but then, he supposes it really shouldn’t be. The adult film industry is a big lumbering beast right alongside it’s more recognized counterpart. No reason one shouldn’t be as cautious as the other. If anything, one has more right to be cautious.

Thinking on this, Link suddenly feels an odd pang. It’s a shame in one way that’s one viewed as more reckless than the other, more questionable. But, when viewed through a mostly puritan lens…

Not wanting to get too philosophical, Link switches gears, “You been in a lot of films?”

“My fair share.”

Another dodge, but Link will let him have it. However, he can practically feel devil horns rise as he asks with a naughty gleam to his eye, “Win any awards?”

Rhett’s practically preening, “Several.”

“Really?” Link asks with some surprise, but Rhett suddenly looks quite naughty himself. Naughty and…a bit too hot for Link’s liking as the heat that always seems to surround him when he’s near Rhett rises and woo boy, he’s really failing at this squashing-the-crush thing.

“If you’re a good boy, maybe I’ll show you one of my trophies some time…”

Everything in Link melts into a puddle and he’s not sure what expression he’s wearing, but it’s one that makes Rhett’s whole face light up, “…or maybe, just maybe, I’ll show you a little somethin’ else…”

If it’s possible for a melted puddle to also explode, then Link’s just done it. Rhett bursts into guffaws as he reaches forward and, very smoothly, pushes Link’s jaw up because Link’s jaw? It dropped. He didn’t even feel it drop.

And then, to just add more fuel to the fire, Rhett rubs the pad of his thumb along the bottom of Link’s chin, right below his lip, “Damn, son…you’re just too much for words.”

“I…”

That’s it.

That’s all that Link can offer.

Just one sound, one vowel.

Silent and stunned and Rhett draws back, looking like the cat that ate the canary as he lets him go and rises up from his seat, “Think you need a moment. I’ll be back in a bit.”

And – just like that – Rhett saunters out of the room.

[vegalocity]

How about fluff 30 and 31 for the end of White Bone Amnesia, when Red Son and Qi Xiaotian have regained their memories

Dialogue Starters

30. “I’ve been in-love with you since we were kids.”

31. “I’m never going to leave you. I promise.”

all y'all asking about spicynoodles and i'm here like 'i wanna talk about this subplot actually' so then i do both

--

He was due for a talk with Red Son. That much was obvious.

They’d taken a break from their ‘something or another’ after the battle with the Lady Bone Demon, memories so flooded and overcrowding in Red Son’s and his own mind that it was just easier to go their separate ways while they respectively healed from the battle.

Besides, he had other things to worry about. He had a father clinging to him and Pigsy (Baije, Dadsy was Zhu Baije, he was ‘Uncle’ Baije for so long, that the idea that he’d latched onto someone he didn’t ACTUALLY REMEMBER having a hand in raising him but still felt distantly familiar, was absolutely bananas) and Tang (‘Uncle’ Sanzang! Tang was The Golden Cicada this whole time!.... He was a WAY better actor than Xiaotian would have ever thought) Equally emotional Though a bit less clingy meant that he’d been spending the last couple of days at the bottom of a 2/3rds fuzzy cuddle pile. Xiaojiao and Sandy (Uncle Wujing! He’d visited so rarely when Xiaotian was growing up, always so afraid of hurting him when he was still little) were there for the first few days during injury recovery, and any possible virulent reactions that could arise in the influx of returning memories, but at the end of the second day Xiaojiao had hugged him tight, reminded him if he was a year younger than her or centuries older they were still best friends, and left saying she needed to check in on her own parents and assure them she hadn’t died or anything.

And… It felt like coming home when on that third day he stared at himself in the mirror for awhile, blinked, and felt his fur return. Sprouting from his skin and his hair going a few shades lighter, a tail springing forth and-

He looked like himself. Like how he should be. How he was meant to be.

It almost felt ridiculous he’d spent as long as he had in the human form, it probably would never look quite right again in comparison, like he was just human-passing but not really being himself. No wonder he always felt so self conscious about his appearance when he didn’t remember.

And then his father had seen him like that and clutched onto him again, purrs rumbling so loud in his chest Xiaotian was practically vibrating against him.

It was on day five that he was able to finally slip out while His father was distracted with doting over Pigsy (whom was starting to get rather annoyed with the whole setup himself, Baije or not, memories or no, he was thinking of nothing but getting the shop back in order and was starting to get a bit stir crazy over it) and Tang helped him get away. A look that was far too knowing and a smirk that proved he’d been among mortals for way too long. He’d reached into a pocket and took out a small box. He’d been keeping hold of it ever since He and Red Boy had broken up all those years ago. Somehow he’d had a feeling they’d get back together eventually (and even after LBD had removed Red Boy’s history from everyone, He’d still kept hold of it, he just hadn’t quite known why anymore)

And as Xiaotian ran his hand over the old box (not old, he was only an adolescent when he’d carved it himself from one of the trees Father had felled to make the smaller cabin for the two of them) he remembered what was inside and what he’d made it for. Tang winked at him and promised to cover for him.

He was gonna sneak SO Many noodle bowls for Uncle Sanzang for being the cool uncle. (‘Uncle’ still wasn’t the best term for either of them granted they were both kinda-sorta-’with’ his father, but monks can’t get married so calling either of them dads too felt wrong, UGH this was a conundrum for child-him and yet here he was again!)

He didn’t have his father’s cloud, some things couldn’t be passed down from mentor to successor OR father to son so he wound up pole vaulting across the way to the fiery mountains.

And ironically he’d seen Red Son right out, standing at a near hidden balcony carved into the mountainside he remembered vividly from their shared youth.

And… they needed to talk.

So they did.

“-And suddenly mother couldn’t remember that I was capable of anything at all! And- And being under the mountain had spared father the same effect! He DID remember!” It hadn't taken long before Red Son had started pacing before Xiaotian, waving his arms and whisps of smoke rising from the tip of his ponytail. “I confronted the both of them and Mother was embarrassed but she said it was my own fault for being unremarkable once i myself forgot my own history, but father didn’t know what we were talking about! He always remembered me as Red Boy! Everything that happened! It was- It was why he’d expected so highly of me when he was freed, and-” Red Son paused, the smoke stopping. “Why he was disappointed and surprised, whenever I would fail to meet the standards of the demon he alone remembered me being.”

“And my father couldn’t even talk to me” He agreed. “-Until your father was freed and he had an excuse to be in my life again. He said directly, he hated being so hands-off with the training. He said it hurt to look at me and know i was only seeing ‘the Monkey King’” Red Son looked over at him and sat back down. A silent invite to go on. “I never once called my own father by his name because all i was seeing was the title and reputation.” something about that was finally starting to sink in. his eyes stung a bit. “I spent all that time he was away thinking that he regretted choosing me, Then when he came back that he was barely in contact because he didn't trust me to handle the Lady Bone Demon, that he thought i was weak or stupid or he couldn’t trust me, but he just-! He just couldn’t stand that his own kid didn’t remember who he was! I would have ditched a lot SOONER if the situation was reversed!” it felt so childish now, the idea that after raising him from hatching from that stone egg that his father would think like that about him! He’d ALWAYS made Xiaotian know he was proud of him and how much he’d been improving that first time around while training him! And sure he WAS always intimidated over living up to such a huge legacy, but he’d known that ‘successor’ or not he was his father’s SON first and foremost.

But he’d ran out of words. So he just sat there in his own feeling like a fool and having no one to blame but the Lady Bone Demon, and Red Son in a similar muck, When he’d remembered the box still resting in his jacket pocket.

“We were courting for most of our childhoods.” he found himself saying. Red Son stiffened beside him and then huffed out a laugh.

“No wonder we’d developed our little ‘game’ while on the ship.”

“And we said some pretty nasty stuff to each other after my dad kicked yours’ ass and dropped a mountain on his head.” He made sure the teasing lit was in his voice and Red Son groaned, throwing a hand over his eyes as he slumped backward a bit.

“Don’t remind me! Couldn’t the Lady Bone Demon have kept that repressed?”

“Remember your first courting gift to me?” He watched Red Son’s cheeks turn a gentle pink against the mid-morning light.

“Perhaps.”

He pulled the little box from his pocket and handed it to him. “I was gonna give you this back then, but we called the whole thing off before I could.”

Red Son turned to face him fully, but Xiaotian didn’t return the motion, keeping his eyes on the horizon, the faint outline of the city just visible. He watched from his periphery as Red Son opened the box and pulled back the cloth keeping it covered.

“It’s been awhile since that sort of hair tie was in style, but I figured it might be a nice place to start.” He closed his eyes, he didn’t want to see the reaction until he knew what it would be. “So uh- Red Son, Son of the Demon Bull King, We Did this whole courting thing before, and- I’d… I’ve been in love with you since we were kids so I'd like to try it again.”

There was a silence and he was worried when he’d open his eyes, Red Son would be gone, taken off in a silent panic and he’d have his heart incinerated by the same person twice.

“Look I know it’s cheesy and old fashioned, but this is a pretty big leap of faith and I’m really gonna need you to say something here.” he finally took a leap of faith and creaked open an eye.

His heart sank. Red Son looked furious. Stiff, with his shoulders nearly brushing his ears from how tightly he held himself, jaw clenched, his hair letting out sparks and embers as he barely contained his fury.

“This- Is NOT. FAIR.” he jolted to his feet and Xiaotian flinched back. Well, he tried. He tried and it’s not Uncle Sanzang’s fault it didn’t pan out. “I didn’t prepare anything! You can’t just go and do something this sentimental with a proposition I've been hoping for ever since maybe a MONTH after we called things off without forewarning me! I needed time to prepare something myself! I could have prepared a meal in reference to your gift to me! Or made you something to show off my new prowess in machinery! You can’t just DO this to me while I'm empty handed!”

Wait what

“I, Red Son, refuse to be taken as some simpering maiden with no agency in being courted! So prepare yourself for the wooing of a lifetime Noodle Boy!” He ripped his hair tie from his head in one swift motion, reaching down into the box and taking the purple ribbon out, trying his hair up with the offered gift instead.

“I demand you stay for dinner so I might prepare a feast as my own official start of this new courtship!”

Xiaotian blinked, still a bit reeling from the roller coaster Red Son’s shouting had put him through, before finally settling on- “Is that a yes?” though his voice came out far more vulnerable than he expected it to. Red Son’s expression softened, and when he offered his hand, Xiaotian took it, being helped up onto his feet though he didn’t need to be helped. It was nice to hold his hand again.

“Of course it’s a yes.” Red Son face was bright red and he gave a weak sort of half-chuckle, suddenly he was he one who couldn't look at him.

“And this time, I’m never going to leave you.”

They weren’t children anymore, and they didn’t have to be lead by the nostalgia they only now knew they had. This time when they tried to shoot for ‘forever’ they could do it with intent.

“I promisce.”

--

Send me stuff!