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#I didn’t draw for like 2 weeks and I feel like I’ve forgotten how head in hands
circusfable · 7 months
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My Vash ❤️
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maiji · 1 year
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fight / flight part 3 thumbnails and page sketches
This is the behind the scenes work-in-progress overview for fight / flight part 3!
I feel like I’ve exhausted my current level of ability to compose and draw fight sequences. It was a struggle, to say the least! But it was also a lot of fun and deeply satisfying when I figured out how to get (something close to) the effect I wanted to achieve. I started the thumbnails and page sketches in early August and worked on it intermittently, with a chunk of about a week or two where I got most of the pages inked (on the computer). Then it was more intermittent progress until this past weekend when I finally powered through the rest!
All sketches of the pages are below the cut, spoilers for Part 3 progress.
With regards to the thumbnails versus the final pages:
I learned from last time and did my thumbnails bigger (2x2 instead of 3x3 a page) so that I can better compose the sequences and tell what the heck is going on.
You can see I actually started the first page as Hokushin stretching his arms out to grab for both swords. At some point I decided to then squeeze another page in before that one, giving a bit of a pause for Hokushin to collect himself before he charges at Otake. The goal was to build up that scene a bit more. The text on page 16’s thumbnail reads “slowly getting up first?” and I think we lost the sense of that in the page by itself, but the reader can (hopefully) make that connection in their brain when actually reading from Part 2 to Part 3 without a break). The important thing is that still maintains the pause, so. 
Page 18, the head-on charging page. I was already thinking about this moment back in 2021 - it’s the test panel here of Hokushin crying with rage/despair as he attacks Otake. It seems like a no brainer now that this section is done, but when I first started scripting/thumbnailing, I actually wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to work in the scene. But I did it! It’s just drawn from a slightly different angle and with more details only possible now that I’ve gone through this part of the story, which I think works better to convey the forward momentum.
Page 19 is pretty much exactly as I thumbnailed. I was very happy with this page and the dialogue! Also it was lots of facial closeups so that is always a joy/relief to draw, hahaha.
Page 20 also pretty much as I thumbnailed
Pages 21-23 were the most difficult and last pages I finished. This is mainly because I didn’t figure out the panelling on page 21 till the very end. That page was very tight, trying to pack in an eventful but short sequence of Otake getting more injured, dropping his sword, and doing some sort of attack that would land Hokushin on the ground. At the last second, when I was pretty much done inking everything else, I came up with the idea of basically smacking Hokushin across the head hard enough to flip him over - and snap his neck, if he weren’t a rokurokubi. (I always like to take advantage of opportunities in the story that highlight Hokushin's stretchy nature.) Then I had to redraw a batch of panels on the following page to make it better follow the motion. I still think it could use more work, but short of reworking a lot more - it is what it is, which is done!
Pages 24, 25 also pretty much the same. 
Other thoughts:
Continuity was a challenge. I kept forgetting what damage Hokushin and Otake had already sustained and had to keep going back to retouch pages. In fact, after I reposted to tumblr (which I usually do last, after waiting a day or so in case I catch more errors I want to fix before sharing it there), I then realized I had forgotten to draw all of Hokushin's upper arm injuries from Part 2, sighed and reopened the files to blob some more blood on him. I also realized some of his facial injuries/cuts are not technically rendered the same but at this point it really is a "probably only I would notice if I didn't say anything about it" so eh. May the record of this inconsistency serve to educate lol.
Had a bit of a hard time trying to get Tomoe Gozen to look on-model from how I drew her in Survive.
I am very grateful for splatter brushes. Splatter splatter wheee. There’s a fine balance of… finding the balance though, as I found sometimes the blood splatters got in the way of actually seeing and conveying the impact of the action. But between blood splatters and speed lines that helped a lot with creating a sense of action and FIGHT without having to draw every single blow.
I’m still not entirely happy with the finished pages. Currently the thing that’s still bothering me is Hokushin’s position on page 23, in terms of the angle he’s lying at and how far he is from Otake. At one point I debated even repositoning them so that Tomoe was stepping over Hokushin to block Otake, instead of standing in front of Hokushin. But I don’t want to redraw the rest of that page because getting Tomoe Gozen’s pose looking decently believable took me a lot of wrangling, haha.
Here are all of the page sketches - without the text.
[Image set follows, showing the rough sketch stage for all 10 pages in part 3 of fight / flight.] 
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A few more things to note:
On the opening page, you can see that there is a panel of Hokushin taking a step towards Otake that I dropped. It seemed to interrupt/disrupt down the pace between this and the next page in a way I didn’t feel was effective.
On page 22, the angle of Hokushin crashing into Otake is a lot more extreme/exaggerated, but when I started inking it ended up looking a bit ridiculous, so I rotated them to a more conventional angle.
Here are the two panels for page 22 top left that I had finished and then decided to completely re draw after figuring out the progress of page 21. You can see Hokushin has landed on his back instead and dramatically coughs up some blood. (Then I was like, "Oh I made him do that in Part 2 already. Seems redundant.") His landing also didn't make sense anymore with the action/impact coming from the side in the previous page.
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Phew! Part 4 will have a lot less people whacking each other with swords and a lot less Hokushin being flung around. Thankfully!
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independentaussie · 2 years
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Drawing From My Infinite Dark Well
When I was hungry for success, I used to rise at 5.00 am and write for 2 hours straight before getting ready for my paid job. There was no shortage of material. I had a bottomless dark well from which I could draw. The stories flowed. Some contained barely restrained anger; others reflected my deep cynicism about how the world worked. A few seemingly came out of nowhere. An exception to the rule was an award-winning story called Rosa's Place, which drew on some song lyrics, a chance experience and fairly well-worn tropes. Every morning without fail. I used to subscribe to this paperback monthly called Scavenger's Newsletter. It would list all the small press magazines accepting submissions. I'd pick out the most likely and submit my work. Everything was done by snail mail. The process from submission to rejection or occasional acceptance was treacle-like. Getting published was such a buzz, but the remuneration was barely enough to pay for stamps and paper. The competition was intense. Many well-known writers were ploughing the same fields. The business model was not sustainable, but I loved writing and hated my job. There are a lot of ways to earn a crust writing, but your head and heart have to be in them. You can't bluff your way through. One of the worst decisions I have made in my writing career was to stop drawing from the dark well and focus on "more profitable" writing channels. I covered the dark well and relied upon my conscious skills to fulfil whatever I thought I was looking for. The last piece I wrote was what felt like the opening chapter of a sci-fi/dark fantasy novel. But I didn't know what to do with it. It felt like I'd written myself into a dark corner without planning a way out. Other more lucrative writing projects beckoned, and the story was allowed to sit forgotten. My life took a severe turn for the worse for a while. That usually happens when we forget who we are and try to be someone else. I'm not going to retread that old ground. Been there, done that, moved on. Part of my recovery involved extensively writing about elements of my life that I had suppressed and ignored. The process was cathartic not only because it allowed me to confront my demons but more importantly, it allowed me to tap into that subconscious part of me where the good stuff comes from. Ultimately, that process resulted in my book Postcards From Hell, which I think put a final full stop to what had been a traumatic but necessary period. One of the things that learned over that period is that we can't run from who we are. I uncovered the dark well and peered into the depths. Was there anything still there? I didn't know for sure, but I had to find out. My old material was dusted off and reread. Some of it seemed better than I remembered. Bits needed to be polished, but there were good stories there -stories that deserve to see the light of day. I got excited. That piece that felt like the beginning of a novel has been reprised, and I'm now eight chapters in and drawing from the dark well daily. So the plan for the coming year is simple - 1/Release the best of my stories in collections of short stories, Dark Weird Stuff due out on January 6, 2023, and - Dark Byways of Possibility which will be released as an eBook only two weeks later. 2/ Finish this novel that has a working title of Elsewhere 3/ Find whatever else is waiting to be drawn from my dark well. It feels like I've come home.
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cheekygreenty · 3 years
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Hi, I just saw your prompt list for Shadow&Bone!! could you possibly do No. 2 from Angst, but like with a happy ending? Like reader n Kirigan are togeather but then Alina's comes along.. just, please let be happy at the end. I like angst, but my heart can't handle sad endings 😢😢 thank you!!! ❤❤
Future- The Darkling x Reader
(Very very angsty with a happy (?) ending. It made me cry a lil bit writing it ngl)
You trusted him, wholeheartedly. At least that's what you told yourself every day since she came to the Little Palace; the place you had always called home, where you felt safe from the prying eyes of the public.
Yet now, the place was fueled by harsh rumors of him and her. Everywhere you went you could hear a whisper, nobody tried to hide it anymore, the words were always entirely devoted to your crumbling union;
'I thought they were happy'
We were.
'How can he and Alina not be together, it's destiny.'
I'm starting to think so too.
You didn't acknowledge it. Just put on a sweet smile and a brave face. Don't let them see you're hurting. Even in your own home, you had to pretend and lie, which at the end of the day, when you laid in an empty bed, made you exhausted.
He told you she meant nothing more to him than a mere weapon. But that was when she first came and when he still managed to make it to your shared chambers and would whisper sweet nothings as you fell asleep.
It was different now, on more than one occasion you caught a glimpse of them together, him looking at her the way he always looked at you. However much he claimed to be a good actor and manipulator, there was something there and he couldn't deny it either.
You hadn't confronted him about it yet fearing that if you did, the truth would hurt and sting and make all those rumors true. In addition, you haven't seen him in days and the last time you did, he told you to stay away from the wonderful Sun-Summoner.
The truth was you knew deep down in your heart that she wasn't at fault. That she was not the root of the problem. You constantly fought with yourself to stop any hatred you felt towards her. She was lovely, kind compassionate, and innocent. She didn't deserve to feel your wrath.
But with that came the confusion of who to blame. You or Him. It made you tired and weak. The smallest of tasks made you drained and tears would well in your eyes at the thought of having to live another day like this, a day full of questioning yourself and the man you loved more than anything in the world.
No matter how much of a strong person you swore you were, this was taking a substantial toll on you. He had become your support network and he knew it, he loved it. He always said he finally felt appreciated when you came around, that he wasn't alone anymore. He had conditioned you to be this way. When times got tough, he was always your shoulder to cry on.
No doubt that shoulder was now next to Alina. Perhaps they went on a horse ride, visited the Black Heretic fountain, or were enjoying a rendezvous next to the lake.
You didn't want to know, all that mattered was that he wasn't there with you when you were falling apart. Maybe you relied on him too much.
You wondered if he noticed the whispers too, or the way you'd been missing crucial meetings, or even if he noticed you wearing your red kefta more often, ditching the black once you'd heard Genya speak of making a golden-black kefta for Alina, per the Darkling's request.
That was a punch in the gut. It hurt more than him avoiding conversation with you or even his deterrence of touching you. He had bestowed his colors to her when not even three months ago he didn't know she existed. It had taken you a long time to gain his trust and don his signature black yet all she had to do was waltz in and show up. And it hurt.
And now here you were, training the next generation of heartrenderers, as you did almost every day. You had given your life to the Little Palace and its Grisha and this is how you were being repaid. Not even Ivan, who you had shaped into an excellent soldier, had looked your way lately.
'Excuse me Ms. Y/L/N I have an urgent request from the General' You whipped your head around to the young Grisha boy with an obviously hurt look on your face which he couldn't understand.
'Of course' you choked out and took the piece of paper from his hands and watched him in sorrow as he left.
Ms.Y/L/N? what happened to moya sovereignny? You were never one to uphold the formality, but this was just another blow to your confidence. You were no longer referred to as his other half which only meant your position in the palace was quickly dwindling.
You opened the wax-sealed envelope and took out the thick sheet of paper. There was a time when he himself would deliver the news to you himself and use it as an excuse to spend extra time with you.
'I cannot make it to the meeting with the King this evening, attend and report back to me anything relevant, no horse business'
You scoffed loudly, drawing attention from the young Corporalki around you and leaned on the table in front of you. Not even a please or thank you. With the note clutched in your hand and tears of frustration in your eyes, you stormed out of the Corporalki room and towards his war room.
You peeked through the open door and seen him. He didn't look at all busy as he chatted with Zoya, Ivan, Fedyor, and some other Squaller you didn't recognize. Zoya threw her head back in laughter at something Fedyor said but Aleksander kept his stony expression. You threw the door open dramatically and everyone froze.
'Leave us' you cautioned as Aleksander's onyx eyes looked right into your own.
Nobody moved but Zoya was the first to speak ' Y/N, we're actually in a meeting if you couldn't tell' while everyone nodded along, except him.
You never had anything against anyone in that room, but in that moment you couldn't help yourself and used your small science to bring everyone to their knees in front of you, except him.
'Leave us' His voice rang out in the midst of their sharp breaths and chest-clutching. They scrambled to their feet and left one by one, Fedyor quietly muttering 'moya sovereignny' as he passed you which filled you with some courage. The door shut and the sound echoed over the walls.
You threw the note across the room and let it hit his arm. 'Did you forget your manners General? Or does it only apply to the people you claim to love?'
'Funny you should say that Y/N, you haven't attended any meetings in weeks without providing a reason. You're making me look like a fool'
'I'M MAKING YOU LOOK LIKE A FOOL?!' Your tears were now streaming down your face, falling quicker than you could wipe them away.
He stayed silent and that broke your heart even more, he could've said something, anything.
'Aleksander, I'm trying to keep myself together for everyone, I'm trying so very hard to appear normal and happy but I don't think I can do this any longer. The whispers and the rumors, watching you and her-' You slid down the door and sat on the floor, head resting on your knees. '-It's getting to me.... and it's killing me.'
You thanked the Saints you didn't see his face, for the silence spoke for itself. He didn't deny anything or reach out to comfort you. I've lost him.
'All I wanted was a happy ending.' You laughed a sad laugh that pulled at his heartstrings. With your eyes still facing away from him, you didn't see his hand go up to wipe the lone tear that fell down his face or the slight shake in his hands as he did so. He had no words that would comfort you. He knew what he'd done. He'd been avoiding you ever since he realized it. He didn't want to see you cry or see how his actions affected you.
Telling you that it means nothing to him was of no use. You had it in your mind now, forever engrained around his name, the rumors wouldn't stop and Alina was still around. He truly felt nothing of importance for her. All she meant for him was a key to a better future with you.
He approached you slowly, getting down on his knees next to you. He took your hand in his and held it up to his lips. He never prayed, but right now he silently muttered words to all the Saints. Don't let her leave.
'I'm so sorry Darling. Y/N I love you so much.'
'But you love her more' You yanked your hands away.
'NO. no. Y/N. I swear it. You are everything to me' He had grown serious now, he wanted you to look at him. He missed you.
'Then explain why you're parading her around like a Queen, letting her wear your colors, probably sleeping in her bed'
'I have never toucher her in that way. I'm yours Y/N.' Please look at me.
You lifted your head and looked at his beautiful face. He too looked tired, exhausted. His eyes were red and puffy. Saints, I've never seen him cry.
'You will have a happy ending. I promise Darling' He took your face into his hands and connected your foreheads together. 'I promise. I'm doing everything I can to make sure you will, and even if I can't, I swear you will you and our children-'
Children. Aleksander never spoke of them to the point where you had settled with the idea you'll never have them. Something about the desperation in his voice made you believe him, Aleksander was strong, he never gave up but he also never sacrificed himself for anybody. Up until now, you didn't think yourself worthy enough to be saved in exchange for him.
'-I would give up everything to see you and them safe, away from harm's way. Right now, the world doesn't deserve them, but once I do what I have to do, I'll give you children. However many you want, Just stay. Please'
You were borderline hysterical as you melted into his embrace. Weeks of frustration and hurt disappeared into thin air. Aleksander held you so tight you were having trouble breathing but you didn't care. He held you all day and all night. All meetings and tasks forgotten.
He explained everything in detail, from the stag and firebird to what happens if things don't go to plan. He kept nothing from you, not even the stress and pressure he felt. You comforted him as he always does to you. You fell asleep together and dreamed of a life with a happy ending, one where you never had to doubt his motives, you dreamed of your future.
Taglist (if you want to be added, plz tell me!)
@theonelittleone @searching-for-gallifrey @lostysworld
@0-artemis
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sporticus1234 · 3 years
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Catch Me if You Can-Laws of Attraction (Part 1)
Summary: After weeks of flirting, teasing, and close calls, Tessa is ready to take the plunge, but can Gabe overcome his own worse fears and join her?
Pairing: Gabe Ricci x Main Character (Tessa Michaels)
Link to my Master-List and Other works will be added once they have been re-edited and re-uploaded.
Perma-Tags and LOA Tags: @choices-addict @choiceskatie @lady-calypso @chemist-ana @kat-tia801 @chrissythadon @nishas-paradise  @blainehellyes @mm2305 @suitfer​ @thegreentwin @pixelnutrookie​ 
I hope you all enjoy it and see you soon for some...adventures...in part 2.
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Rather than clumsy words, it’s your action that I believe. Don’t stop. Go past the limit. Go faster. I’m going to find my heart. So catch me if you can.
-Girls Generation, Catch Me if You Can (Korean Ver.)
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The once glittering ballroom filled with stimulating conversation, flowing bubbles of champagne, and decadent hor-dourves was now deserted and quiet, signaling the end of the extravagant weekend legal conference. As the last person Tessa was speaking to excused herself for the evening, she looked around the empty space littered with discarded champagne flutes and linen napkins, her spirits deflating at the sight. The conference ended as quickly as it began, and come Monday morning, she would be back in the office, the competition still at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
It may have been a short weekend, but Tessa was grateful for the time away from the office. The past few weeks were filled with nothing else but case after case coming one after another and nonstop talk about the competition, particularly from Martin. But for a tiny period of time, all of that vanished out of sight and out of mind. She laughed and joked with her colleagues and bosses like they were all good friends. She camped and ate smores in a beautiful forest, and she finally got her first full night of sleep since she started working at McGraw Byrne. She truly felt like she had been transported to a completely different world, one she found hesitant to leave behind for an entire year.
Stifling the yawn sneaking up on her, she left the ballroom behind, her spirits still thrumming with excitement from the evening, but her body yearning for a soak in a hot bath and some sleep in the oversized hotel bed. She was halfway across the empty lobby, gilded elevator doors in sight, when her feet came to a stop outside of the hotel’s bar. She didn’t even have to look to know exactly who was sitting in that dimly lit bar. He had a larger-than-life presence, no matter what room he was in, that was like a magnet, drawing everyone’s attention, even if he was just randomly passing by on the sidewalk.
Her tiredness completely forgotten, she hovers near the entryway and discretely watches him. He’s sitting by himself at the bar, nursing what Tessa knows is a glass of scotch on the rocks along with a basket of half-eaten chips and dip, his eyes occasionally flicking up to the large screen TV showing a basketball game taking place on the other side of the country. His jacket is discarded on the back of his chair, his tie loosened slightly and the buttons of his shirt rakishly undone at the top. Despite his disheveled, executive blowing off steam look, he is still just as handsome and attractive as he was just a short time ago when he was polished and buttoned up. Maybe even more.
A small smile tugs at the corners of her lips as she watches him. Gabe was such a surprise when she first came to New York, and she never expected to become so charmed by him. The man has such a lavish and lively personality on the outside, but on the inside is a man driven to be the best and passionate about using his vast knowledge to help everyone. His heart is as big as his office, a welcoming, refreshing contrast to the selfishness Tessa sees too often in this line of work. They have only known each other for a short time, but every time he came around, he put a smile on her face and made her stomach flip-flop. She couldn’t explain why he has such a pleasant effect on her. Perhaps it’s the way that when she flirts with him, he flirts right back with the same energy she gives him, maybe even more. Maybe it’s the way the two of them click when they’re together. Or maybe it’s the way he continues to keep her on her toes and excite her yet still make her feel a sense of comfort and familiarity at the same time. Regardless of the reasons, the one thing she was certain of was that she didn’t want this fluttering feeling to stop. Ever.
“Of course, you would be alone at a bar,” Tessa teases as she steps towards him.
Gabe swivels his head around at the sound of her voice, his eyes immediately catching hers as she approaches him. His lips twist into a grin, his spirits lifting like they always do whenever she is around. “Am I really that predictable?”
Tessa shrugs. “Maybe a little. But you wouldn’t be the Gabe Ricci we all know and love if you weren’t.”
Gabe chuckles. “Most people wouldn’t agree with you on that statement.”
“I’m not most people,” she fires back with a wink.
No, you are most definitely not Gabe thought. “What exactly are you doing still wandering around?” He glances down towards his watch, mildly surprised to find it still somewhat early. “The cocktail party ended almost an hour ago. I figured you would be in bed like everyone else.”
“I planned on it, but then I saw this guy sitting all by himself in this empty hotel bar and thought he could use some company.”
Gabe’s eyes twinkle with delightful mischief as he takes another sip of his scotch. He was hoping the two of them could spend some more time together before the madness hit them Monday morning. “I think I know who you’re talking about. And I, for one, know that he would love to have some company, especially if the company happens to be you.”
Tessa gives him a shy smile as she slips into the bar stool next to him. An electrical, buzzing warmth fills up the space around them as butterflies flutter in her stomach at the near closeness to him, the scent of his cologne invading her senses and tempting her to come even closer. As she peruses the small menu, the lone bartender comes over and places a napkin down in front of her.
“Anything to eat or drink?”
“A Manhattan please.”
The bartender nods before turning to Gabe. “Another refill for you, sir?”
“Please,” Gabe replies. “And put her Manhattan on my tab as well.”
The bartender grabs Gabe’s empty glass and heads down to the other end of the bar. Once he’s fully out of hearing range, Tessa turns to face Gabe. “You didn’t have to do that,” she says. “I am more than capable of paying for my own drinks.”
“I know you could pay for it,” Gabe responds before his lips curl into his trademark sly smirk, “or you could let Sadie pay for it.”
“Wait, what?”
Gabe nods, his smirk growing bigger. “Consider it another partner-only secret. This conference is one of the few events Sadie lets us have more…leeway…with the company credit card. Any food or drinks we buy at this conference gets covered by the firm.”
“And something tells me you’re taking full advantage of that offer,” Tessa says.
Gabe gives her a wink. “What can I say? A good attorney knows a good offer when they see it.”
“In that case,” Tessa flags down the bartender again. “I’ll do an order of the spicy fried pickle chips with that Manhattan.” The bartender nods and disappears into a back room. Tessa turns her head, seeing Gabe looking at her with an amused expression on his face. “What’s that look for?”
Gabe chuckles, shaking his head. “Just wondering if I’m going to regret sharing that secret with you.”
“Don’t worry,” Tessa grins at him. “Your secret is safe with me. But if Sadie cuts us off or starts questioning anything on the credit card bills, I’m placing the full blame on you.”
The two of them continue to make small talk until the bartender comes back a few minutes later. He places their drinks and her basket of food down before excusing himself and shuffling into the back room once again. Tessa grabs her glass and holds it up in a toast, prompting Gabe to do the same.
“To drinks on someone else’s dime,” she states.
The two of them share a laugh as they clink their glasses together. Tessa takes a sip of her drink, the whiskey a sharp contrast to the bubbly champagne of the reception. The liquid pools like fire in her stomach and flows throughout her body, warming her up and loosening her muscles. “Best Manhattan I’ve ever had.”
Gabe cocks his eyebrow. “Is it really the best?”
“Oh, not by a long shot. But since I didn’t have to pay for it, I consider it the best in my book.”
“You really are a woman after my own heart,” Gabe replies. Tessa tucks her gaze away from him, feeling her face grow hot at the combination of the whiskey and his spell-binding charm. She takes another sip of her drink before sliding the basket of pickle chips towards him. He throws her an appreciative “thanks”, taking a chip and popping it into his mouth before continuing their conversation. “How did you enjoy the conference?”
“I really liked it,” Tessa answers. “I never got the chance to do things like this with my old law firm.”
“What? Have free food and drinks on someone else’s dime with a devastatingly handsome senior partner?”
Tessa shoves him with a laugh. “No, you complete smart ass. I meant going out to events and connecting with other people.” She absentmindedly picks the coating off a pickle chip, her mind reminiscing. “Don’t get me wrong. I love my hometown, but there was no excitement in my life. It was the same boring routine every single day.”
“Sounds like you and McGraw Byrne are a perfect match.”
Tessa nods. “Honestly, I really have you to thank. If you didn’t recommend hiring me to Sadie, I still would be stuck in the same boring routine. It sounds really sappy, but you really did change my life for the better…in more ways than one.”
The raw honesty in her voice tugs at his heartstrings, his lips twitching into another smile. He’s used to hearing those words come from his clients, but hearing those words come from her just felt…different, and it made him feel something he couldn’t quite place his finger on.
“You’re very welcome,” Gabe earnestly tells her. “I wouldn’t have recommended you if I didn’t think you were a stellar attorney. You deserve to be here just as much as everyone else, and I truly mean that. McGraw Byrne needed someone like you. Hell, the legal world needs more attorneys like you.”
“What? Sappy and sentimental ones?”
“No,” Gabe says, stifling his chuckle. “I meant attorneys who are passionate about their job and passionate about connecting with people. So many attorneys don’t take the time to really understand or listen to their clients. Having someone like you, someone who actually connects with clients and goes above and beyond to help them, really does make a world of difference.” Gabe takes a pickle chip and pops it into his mouth. “But I really am happy you decided to take Sadie up on her offer to join us, even if the past few days have given you plenty of good reasons to quit.”
Tessa blows out a harsh breath, knowing exactly what Gabe was referring to. “Yeah, they have been quite…challenging.”
“I meant to ask you earlier, but how’re you holding up?”
Tessa sighs, dragging her fingertip over the rim of her glass. “Honestly, I’m still pissed that Beau stole the credit from me in front of everyone, but I should’ve expected someone to pull that stunt sooner or later.” She blinks back a tear trying to escape. “It just sucks to be the one it happens to.”
“I know, and I truly am sorry Beau pulled such a dick move on you.” He sympathetically lays a gentle hand on her bare shoulder, the touch sending comfort through her veins. “If I could’ve done something to make it better, I would’ve done it in a heartbeat.”
“I know you would’ve, but I do appreciate you not saying anything to Sadie.”
He shrugs. “Wasn’t my place to tell her. Besides,” he takes his hand off her shoulder, already missing the feel of her smooth, soft skin, “the only thing it would’ve done was make you and me look bad in front of Sadie.”
“Sounds like someone has personal experience.”
Gabe runs a hand through his hair. “Happened to me once back in my early legal days, but instead of getting the credit and respect that I rightfully deserved, I got told off for being a bad ‘team player’ and trying to take someone else’s credit.”
“That’s so unfair,” she practically spits.
Gabe lets out a bitter, humorless guffaw. “Preaching to the choir on that one. You’ll find that every group will have one person who will do none of the work or the one person that will take credit for anything and everything. Fortunately for us, Beau happens to be both of those assholes wrapped up in one, so we save a lot on payroll.”
Tessa laughs weakly at his joke, the sting of Beau’s betrayal still fresh in her mind. “Thanks for trying to make me feel better. It just sucks knowing that Sadie is always going to believe that Beau solved the case.”
“If it’s any consolation, I’m still incredibly proud of you, even if Sadie never knows the truth.”
“You…are?” she asks, surprise etched on her face as she turns her body towards him.
“Absolutely,” Gabe says, no hesitation in his voice. “Without you, we possibly would’ve never solved it to begin with, nor would Lydia have thought to make Joey sign a prenup. But what really impressed me was how you were the only one to step up and take initiative when needed. Not many of the senior partners would go to such lengths for a teenager like Lydia, but you did.”
“I guess,” Tessa mutters. “I just hope it will be enough come Monday.”
“It will be,” Gabe assures her as he steals another pickle chip.
“Really? I figured Sadie would shove Beau to the top of the rankings after he basically saved the firm.”
“Everyone in that room knows who really saved the firm, and it wasn’t Beau,” Gabe points out. “Even if Sadie believes he did, she’s also smart enough to know that one win, no matter how big it is, isn’t enough to judge how good an attorney is or will become. Beau may have stolen one win, but you’re still the one to beat.”
“I guess that’s true…”
“Plus, you showed her tonight how well you bounce back after taking a loss.”
“What do you mean?”
“Between moot court, the pro bono cases, the vaccine trial, and everything else we’ve observed, you had a major winning streak that Beau decided to snap. Most people would sulk in their losses, but you didn’t. You showed up tonight, looking incredible might I add, and managed to put everything behind you to impress the right group of people.”
“If you say so.”
“I know so,” Gabe confidently replies. He reaches out and covers her hand with his, trying to ignore the tingling buzzes on his skin. “You’re a wickedly smart attorney, Tessa. Don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.”
“Thanks Gabe,” she says, the goofy smile plastering on her face at his heartfelt compliment. “That…that really means a lot to me.”
“It should,” Gabe tells her, reluctantly pulling his hand away again. “I wouldn’t have said it if it wasn’t the absolute truth. Just forget about Vegas and the Rothswells and continue onto the next case.”
Tessa nods and takes another sip of her drink as the conversation between them dies down. She may have already forgotten the Rothswells and was slowly getting over from Beau’s stolen win, but Vegas was still on her mind. It wasn’t just the city that occupied her thoughts, but rather, it was the small wedding chapel and the night she played fiancée to the man sitting next to her. That night was an intense roller coaster of emotions, desires, and confusion; it was a night where lines became blurred and questions began to arise at the nature of her and Gabe’s relationship. It was one specific little interaction that made Tessa not only sense a shift in their relationship, but triggered her to start over analyzing and over thinking every little action from their first meeting up until now.
“Nothing but the best for the most stunning woman on the Strip.”
“Alvin’s gone, you know. You don’t have to—”
He raises a finger to her lips, laying it softly against them as he gives her a smoldering look that makes her throat dry up. “What if I want to, Tessa?”
Tessa truly felt at that moment they were no longer pretending. The things he said to her that night with such conviction in his eyes and voice. The way he softly caressed and touched her with such adoration and tenderness. The way his breath tickled her lips and sent shivers throughout her body at their near-kisses. They were not things done by someone just “pretending”; no one was that good of an actor. However, despite his actions in the wedding chapel, there was one moment that made her second guess herself completely. Just as she was about to admit her feelings for him, he brusquely cut her off and completely changed the direction of the conversation. What punctuated that gut-wrenching action was him dropping her hand quickly, as if he had been burned by her touch. The cocktail of mixed signals made her head pound in dizzying confusion, and it was becoming difficult to ignore for much longer.
She glances over at Gabe, worrying her lip between her teeth and mentally debating whether or not to step into that territory of complete openness. She has a nice, working relationship with him, and she doesn’t want to risk making it awkward to be around him if he truly doesn’t feel anything towards her. On the other hand, she wants to know for her own sake of mind; she has to know if Gabe’s confusing behavior and mixed signals mean anything. They’re off the clock, away from the office, with no interruptions coming between them. It’s the perfect opportunity to air everything out, and hopefully come Monday, there would be no more confusion or misunderstandings.
“Speaking of Vegas…” Tessa mumbles, carefully avoiding his eyes. “I think we should talk.”
Gabe’s spine stiffens in alert at the sudden shift in her demeanor. “About…what, exactly?”
She takes a deep breath, knowing it was too late to steer this conversation in another direction. “About what happened at the wedding chapel.”
“Ah,” Gabe interjects, “that was some brilliant thinking on your part, with the rat and all.”
“That wasn’t the part I wanted to talk about.” She turns her head to look at him. “I wanted to talk about the whole ‘pretend’ couple in love situation.”
“What was wrong with it?” he asks her, his nerves starting to creep up on him.
“Nothing,” she quickly replies. “I was just thinking…what you said…” She takes another deep breath, preparing herself to blurt it out before she lost her nerve. “Did you ever have a moment where…you didn’t think it was pretend?”
Depends on what your answer is going to be. “What do you mean?”
“I know the whole situation was supposed to be pretend in order to get a copy of Lydia’s marriage license, but…some of the things you said…and did…” her ears grow hot as a shiver races down her spine at the memory of Gabe’s gentle caress on her wrist, the pure intimacy behind it.
“Didn’t seem like pretend?” he finishes.
“Yeah.”
“And what do you think?”
Tessa sits there silently contemplating her answer. Up until this point, Tessa never had any reason to doubt Gabe. He is a man who never makes anyone second guess his true intentions or meanings. Every word he speaks is nothing short of the truth. But his reaction on the Strip was the first time she questioned his true intentions. If Gabe did mean what he said, then why did he quickly divert the conversation and act like he couldn’t stand to be around her? Her inner conscience was waving a massive red flag in front of her, but when Gabe gripped her chin and turned her head to focus on him, she caught herself slipping back into the warm pools of his chocolate-colored orbs.
“I really hope you weren’t pretending,” she softly says, voice barely above a whisper.
Gabe feels his stomach lurch at her confession, and the corners of his mouth tug up into a small smile at her answer. Gabe wasn’t going to lie. From the minute she stepped into the office, he became fascinated with her. She was beautiful, but what caught his attention was the way she introduced herself to the others. She was the only one who stood up and spoke with such confidence and conviction about winning the partnership that he would’ve given the spot to her immediately if his name was on the building.
“That’s because I wasn’t.”
Her eyes widen. “Wh…what?”
His thumb skates over her bottom lip, gently tugging it downwards, her breath hitching at the intense, smoldering look in his eyes. “I wasn’t pretending in the wedding chapel. I truly wanted to tell you that you were the most stunning woman on the Strip because you were, and I will always think you’re the most stunning woman I will ever come across.”
“And last night?”
“I still mean it,” he tells her, taking his hand away. “I really do enjoy spending time with you, and I want to spend whatever time I have with you and only you.”
“Good.” Tessa covers his hand with hers, the electric current running between them turning into tingling shivers chasing each other up and down her spine. “Because I really, really like spending time with you too.”
The smile on his face grows bigger, turning into the most genuine one he’s ever had with someone else. Their fingers tentatively move and twist together, the air buzzing with energy just waiting to be released. A sigh of relief floods through him once he sees their hands joined together. He feared he overstepped that night in Vegas, especially since he was sharply reminded of how Tessa flirted with the fireman a few weeks ago for her eviction case. But sitting here now, their confessions out in the open, their hands joined together, made all of it real.
“So where do we go from here?”
Gabe furrows his brow. “What do you mean?”
“We just admitted we like each other, Gabe,” Tessa states like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “The question is, what comes next? Are we together? Do we see where this goes?”
Gabe bit the inside of his cheek at her question, the bliss from earlier now getting replaced with dread and guilt. He knows exactly what he wants to do next. He wants to invite her to his hotel room tonight, spend hours tangled in the silk sheets together, then wake up and do it all again tomorrow morning. He wants to take her out to dinner tomorrow night and treat her to the most decadent food in the city while he teases and touches her until she can no longer bear it. He wants to be openly affectionate with her in the office…and maybe do a few more things behind the closed doors of his office. But he can’t, and he knew the exact reasons why.
The first reason was the more obvious one. She is currently in the competition for a junior partnership, and he is the one overseeing it and potentially making the final decision on who takes his former position. They are co-workers, and while Sadie has no real binding rule that co-workers cannot date or see each other outside of work, Gabe knows there will always be a cloud of doubt and speculation hovering over Tessa if the office discovers they are seeing each other and she wins the junior partnership. Gabe was already beating himself up for what happened between her and Beau; he would never be able to forgive himself if he was the cause of ruining her reputation and the potential she has at becoming the next great attorney. How could he look himself in the mirror every morning if this blows back up in their faces?
But the less obvious reason was a hidden secret, one that he hasn’t shared with anyone else. It was the one reason that stopped him from taking her up to his penthouse in Vegas and doing all the things he fantasizes about doing with her. It was the one reason for the walls Gabe built up over the years that no one else has been able to break down. It was the one reason that prevented Gabe from crossing the lines he wanted to cross. As easy as it would be to cross them tonight with nothing stopping them, he knows he has to make the tough decision, not only to protect her, but also to protect himself. He just hopes it doesn’t change anything between them.
“As much as I would love for us to be together,” he runs his thumb soothingly over her knuckles, already feeling guilty for what he was about to say to her, “I don’t think it would be wise to pursue it.”
“O…oh,” the smile on her face falters at his stinging rejection.
“It’s not that I don’t want you,” Gabe quickly assures her.
“Sure feels that way,” she blurts out with a bitter laugh.
Gabe sighs and scrubs a hand down his face. “You’re stunning Tessa, and whatever would happen between us would be so goddamn mind-blowing, because I know exactly what I’d do with a girl like you.”
As much as his rejection stings, the dark tendrils of desire twist and twirl together inside at the sound of that highly promising and exciting invitation, the rush of desire making her shift in her seat at the tingling sensation. However, his tone tells her he was about to say one little three-letter word that was going to take the invitation back and make the rejection even worse.
"But...?"
Gabe shakes his head and averts his eyes from the pain blooming in hers. “We can’t act on it. I can’t act on it.”
“You can’t or you won’t?”
“I…can’t,” he relents. He untangles their fingers and pulls his hand back to his side of the bar, no matter how painful it is for him to do so. “You already saw how low Sadie’s own blood would go to push himself ahead. Just imagine how low the others would go if they suspected—”
“You and I were seeing each other?”
Gabe nods, a small twinge of relief pricking his heart at her understanding. “Opportunities like this bring the worst out in people.”
“Considering I just had firsthand experience on how shitty people can be, I do understand it.” She takes another drink of her Manhattan, the sting now turning into simmering annoyance. “What I don’t understand is why us being together is now such a big deal for you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m just saying, you didn’t seem too concerned with people seeing us together or what they thought when we went to Hoi On and that business dinner you specifically invited me to,” Tessa shrugs. “I’m just curious about the change of heart all of a sudden.”
“I didn’t have a change of heart. Those situations were entirely different.”
“Different how?”
Gabe pauses for a second to gather his thoughts. He had to tread lightly going forward, or else any chance the two of them had with each other in the future was going to be destroyed. “When I invited you to Hoi On, the other associates weren’t in the office. I knew Aislinn wasn’t going to say anything to Sadie, so no one was going to question why I brought you there.”
“And the business dinner?”
“It truly was supposed to be a business dinner and an opportunity for you to network yourself,” Gabe admits. “I didn’t know beforehand that he was going to cancel on me, and as far as the office is concerned, no one knows that he canceled on me, so everyone still suspects the three of us had that business dinner.”
“But then…oh…” Tessa trails off, another wave of disappointment crashing into her chest. “I get it.”
“You do?”
She nods. “You’re embarrassed to be seen with me. I get it. The senior associate and the top senior partner being seen together would hurt your image with the other partners.”
A tinge of frustration punches his gut. “That’s not what I mean. I’m not embarrassed to be seen with you. If I was, I wouldn’t have invited you to join me at the lake.”
“Good point,” Tessa tells him. “You certainly didn’t mind taking me out to the lake last night with Sadie and the other associates sitting around.”
“That was different too,” Gabe bluntly responds. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Then help me to understand,” she sighs, exasperated.
“There’s no point in tell you,” Gabe shoots back. “You’re intelligent and observant, Tessa. You know exactly why we can’t pursue…whatever there is between us.”
“The only thing standing in the way of pursuing whatever is between us is you,” Tessa points out.
He runs his hands through his disheveled hair again. “It’s not that I want to stand in the way of us. There’s so many reasons on why we shouldn’t pursue this.”
“Well, so far, you haven’t given me one that we can’t find a way to work around. So please enlighten me, Mr. Ricci,” she crosses her arms over her chest and gives him a hard stare. “Is your reasoning really about the partnership and my reputation, or is it about something more?”
As Gabe sits there in silence, Tessa’s mind flashes back to their previous interactions. Last night was the most unguarded she has seen Gabe since she started working at McGraw Byrne. The business dinner was the first time the two of them ever got physically close to each other. Vegas was the first time the two of them were fixing to jump across those boundaries and become one. But each time, Gabe pulled back, and his action spoke volumes. And with the way Gabe was currently avoiding meeting her gaze head on and how his fingers are tightly gripping his empty scotch glass makes the light bulb go off in her head. There was another reason Gabe was hiding, one that has to do entirely with himself. She just has to hope that she is important enough for him to be honest with her.
“Well?”
Gabe sighs. “It really is about the partnership,” he lies, firmly keeping his gaze locked on the bar top. “The partnership is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and you shouldn’t waste it or throw it away.”
The air turns icy and frigid at his words. Tessa grabs her clutch off the bar top, knowing there was no more reason for her to still be around. “You may be able to bullshit other people, Gabe, but you’re not going to bullshit me. You and I both know this is more than just the partnership, and out of respect for your privacy, I’m not going to pry. Only you can make the decision to share it with me, but until you do, I think it’s best to forget whatever we feel for each other.”
Tessa gives his hand a soft pat before downing the rest of her drink and sliding off the bar stool. Before she could go far, Gabe’s hand reaches out and wraps around her wrist.
“Tessa…”
“Don’t worry about it, Gabe,” she says, gently prying his fingers off her wrist. “I’m honestly a little hurt and disappointed that you can’t be honest with me, but I’m not mad at you.” She places a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I really do like you, Gabe, but I also like and respect myself too much to go after someone who isn’t as crazy about me as I am about them, nor will I go after someone who keeps pulling back when I want to get closer.”
“That’s not—"
She ignores his plea, digging into her clutch and pulling out a platinum-looking card. “You know where to find me when you make up your mind and have an answer for me, but don’t expect me to be waiting around forever for it.”
She places the card down on the bar top; with a sad smile, she brushes past him and heads out of the hotel bar, the tears stinging the corners of her eyes. Gabe watches her figure retreat until she disappears behind the gilded elevator doors.
“Dammit!” he slams a fist against the bar top. The empty glasses jump a little at the impact, but what catches his attention was the quick flash of light reflected on the platinum card as it jumped into the air. Gabe reaches out and slides it towards him, his spirits deflating even more when he sees what she left.
The spare key to her room.
To anyone else, it may be just a room key, but Gabe knows that it is so much more meaningful than that. It symbolizes the key to her heart and the key to their future together, a key that would only work for a short amount of time until Tessa closes both of those doors on him. The decision to walk through those open doors was entirely in his hands, but before he could do that, he has to make one other decision. The time had come for him to do the one thing he has avoided doing for years, the one decision he found easy to avoid until tonight.
It was time for him to confront himself and his fears.
__________________________________
This was going to go up a lot sooner, but because my job decided to go through some technology changes recently, it meant something that previously worked is now broken and no longer works. Unfortunately, that was me this time around, so my usual break times where I work on stories was used to help fix what someone else broke. 
Sorry about the delay, but I really do anticipate part 2 being uploaded soon, much sooner than LOA coming back from its hiatus.
For all of you who have read this story and made it this far, thank you so much for your support! It means more to me than you could ever imagine!
I love you all so much!
Second Chance Tagging in case Tumblr becomes Tumbroke again:  @choices-addict @choiceskatie @lady-calypso @chemist-ana @kat-tia801 @chrissythadon @nishas-paradise  @blainehellyes @mm2305 @suitfer​ @thegreentwin @pixelnutrookie​
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Part 1 here! / Part 2 Here! / Part 3 here!
A/N: I already know some of y’all are going to be mad, it’s 2020 and twilight needs some diversity, don’t @ me.
* You’re not really sure how you got here
* “This ones done”
* Edward holds out the blood bag to you, carefully pulling out the needles from you beloved Deer, Hayden.
* “Ah, thank you.” You place it carefully along with the others, before lavishing Hayden with affection
* “You were so good today! You’re going to get extra carrots, yes you are!”
* You’re aware of Edwards gaze on you as he disinfects the injection point.
* “You know it’s illegal to have Deer as pets in Alaska don’t you?” The corner of his mouth is quirked in the smallest smirk you have ever seen, and you roll your eyes
* “Tanya got a permit, the official stance is they’re her deer, I just take care of them for some extra pocket money”
* Not that anyone would venture into the “siren house” to ask questions
* You knew people were probably wary of coming up to the estate, even the mail man looked dead scared when he left Irina’s Lululemon packages in the mailbox
* But you didn’t think the locals legit called the manse “The Siren House”
* Edward told you they used to call it “The Witch House” but then, upon seeing the Denali sisters, changed it to Siren
* Edward doesn’t say anything, just moves to take the filled blood bags up to the house
* Ever the gentleman
* You really thought Edward would show up once, figure out he couldn’t read your mind, and retreat into his own moody silence.
* You figured you would mostly be dealing with Carlisle, who would teach you how to draw blood from your heard of deers, and then you would be on your own.
* But instead it was Edward who volunteered to do it for you, Carlisle was busy with his day job after all.
* He shows up once a week, usually after school, and carefully extracts the blood
* Then he puts them inside the fridge and leaves
* You really don’t get what’s going on, if he hates you so much why even bother coming over in the first place
* You’re about to fall into your usual rhythm of handing him the blood bags, which he then puts in the fridge when he breaks your routine
* “Why-“ your head pops up from the small pile of blood bags and to him. He’s looking away, but then his gaze meets yours. “Why go through all this trouble for a few deer.”
* You grin and hand him a blood bag
* “Another vampire might say the same thing to you, why go through all the trouble for a few humans?”
* He flinches, and you laugh. He’s so unaware of himself it’s actually funny
* “For the record, I do it because they remind me of my (Dog/Cat/Pet).” He quirks an eyebrow at that.
* “Your pet?”
* You nod. You’re number one concern on arrival here had been whether your dog was okay, but sifting through your memories of this life, you realized your dog had passed away in the middle of high school.
* “When I look into their face, all I can think about is my dog” you shrug, it’s the same with bears and other animals too.
* “Also, it’s kinda disgusting to drink that blood straight out of the animal.”
* Draining the blood must have deducted something from the taste, you can’t imagine what that skunky revolting flavor would have been like if you were drinking straight from the animal.
* Edward laughs. It’s the first time he’s laughed around you, pearly white canines in full view, the skin at the corner of his eyes folds
* It’s cute, very boyish. You get what Bella was talking about now
* “You get used to it after a while” he shrugs
* You shake your head, no one should ever have to drink that crap
* “Here, try some of my blood” you say it like you’re offering him some cookies you made. You pick up one of the bags, still warm, and he quirks an eyebrow
* This isn’t the first time you’ve offered, usually he declines and rushes to leave
* One time it looked like he might say yes, but then he noticed Tanya and excused himself.
* He accepts the bag, holding it up with one hand
* “Do you pour it in a mug?”
* And so you and Edward sip your blood-Capri-suns in the kitchen that’s only now started to be used
* You sit in the counter cross legged, while he leans against the adjacent counter. Both of you silently sipping your meals.
* “This is really good” he finally says, his blood bag almost empty.
* “Who’d you have? I’ve been trying to add different veggies to their meal to see if it brings out a different flavour profile.”
* He had Henrietta, who you had been giving more citrus too. Partially for flavour, and partially because she’s your favourite
* “It kind of tastes like...fruit punch” Edward recalls after a prolonged minute.
* He seems so nostalgic, you wonder how long it’s been since he’s had human food
* “I think genetics have something to do with the flavour too, the breed from this region all seem to have a fruity aftertaste”
* “I’m partial to deer since they don’t have a strong game taste aftertaste.”
* “Yes! That part is the worst, it’s like eating a skunk” You scowl and he laughs again.
* You know he doesn’t belong to you, he’s Bella’s, in a few years she’ll be all he thinks or cares about.
* But maybe the two of you can be friends until then.
* All at once the moments broken, Edward stands a bit straighter, the smile on his face gone.
* You turn to look behind you to see Carmen.
* Her head is tilted to the side, a smile tugging on her lips
* “You both look like you’re having fun.”
* After that the conversation is pleasant, but it definitely stutters until Edward eventually leaves.
* “I think he likes you” You’re reading a book by the fire, the gentle heat is nice and it sets the mood.
* “What?”
* Carmen’s grinning
* “The Cullen boy is interested in you.”
* You just shake your head. You doubt it, Edwards only got a one track mind for one person. And it’s not you
* “It would be nice if we could be friends though, I don’t really know many other people my physical age.”
* Carmen stops mid-stitch on her embroidery hoop
* “Is that something you want? Because the Cullen’s have other’s your a-“
* “I don’t need you to set up play dates for me Carmen”
* “Understood”
* Edward comes by regularly, to help you with your animals. You’re both always under the (discrete) supervision of one of your guardians (excluding Tanya of course.)
* And with each visit you learn a little more about him
* You find out that right now he’s masquerading as a senior in high school, he’s considering going to college for veterinary sciences
* “Why veterinary sciences?” You wonder if he’s about to poach your best deer and start his own blood business when he shrugs
* “It’s one of the few degrees I don’t have”
* You’re drinking blood-Capri-suns out on the porch, he’s still in his school clothes, including a very puffy jacket
* “What were you going to do?” Your raise an eyebrow and he elaborates “before you turned, what were you plans for the future.”
* “I was on my graduation trip, I was going to college in the fall”
* You got accepted into your safety school with a generous scholarship.
* Edward doesn’t press any further. But you can tell that he wants too.
* Many nights go by, you experiment with you animals diets, have supervised hang-outs with Edward, you meet Carlisle every so often who basically gives you therapy and helps you control your emotions
* Life is good
* But your growing complacency with the situation is starting to bother you
* You haven’t forgotten about Alec and Jane who are still fighting so hard to survive, or the countless others who would prefer this way of life if they only knew
* You know the minute you start being content is the minute the world wins
* So every night -or really every so often, you’ve lost all perception of time, the nights in Alaska are totally fucked and these heathens don’t even have a damn clock. Your only really sign of time is the mail man dropping off amazon packages- you sit and dream
* You think about giving back to the community, about saving your friends, and about dethroning fucking Aro
* You’re only at the beginning now, there’s still so much work to do, but it’s a start
* You hear a noise and your eyes open
* If you had a beating heart it would stutter when it saw Edward standing beside your bed, your hand moves on it’s own through reflex, clutching your heart
* Under the circumstances you would expect someone else to laugh, but Edward just looks confused
* “Are you...sleeping?”
* “I like to pretend, it’s a nice way to end the day” he raises an eyebrow at that
* “It’s 4 in the afternoon”
* “Well damn Edward, we don’t have any clocks in this house, how am I supposed to know what time it is.”
* He does laugh at that
* “Is it...nice?”
* “Yeah, it’s pretty relaxing, kills some time too.” Noticing the curious look on his face, you ask:
* “Do you want to try?” You pat the space on the bed beside you.
* You’re fully expecting for Edward with his old fashioned virtues to deny your suggestion. So you’re surprised that after several long seconds of silence, and a rather pained look, he adheres to your request and lies next to you on your bed.
* It’s a king size bed, so he’s at least three Great Danes away from you, but the closeness still surprises you.
* “What do I do now?” He says, eyes closed.
* “Daydream, or fantasise I guess, about things that happened in your day, or things you wish happened, places you want to go and memories you wish you could relive”
* “What do you usually dream about?” He asks, eyes open now
* “I think about Jane,” the answer is automatic, and you regret it as soon as the words come out. But Edward’s expression doesn’t change so you continue. “I think about my deers and my family too.” Most of the time you’re just thinking about what animal you want to excitement with next tbh
* “And sometimes I think about you.”
* And how glad you are to have a friend
* Edward doesn’t say anything for a long time, and for a second you hope he hasn’t misunderstood your words, you know he’ll never feel that way about you. All of those romantic feelings are saved for Bella
* “Would you like to come to my house sometime?” The questions throws you off, and your expression illicit’s a laugh from him. “Emmett and Esme are dying to meet the newborn from the Denali coven”
* That’s probably true for Esme, you’re pretty sure Emmett just wants to have some physical match with the “Volturi-reject”
* “That sounds fun, sure.”
* Maybe they have a clock in their house you can steal
* Edward shows up the next day in his shiny white Volvo to pick you up.
* On either side of you on the front porch are Carmen and Kate with their most fierce expressions (and behind them is Eleazer who just looks like he’s along for the ride)
* “Where are you going?” Kate asks
* “Our home on the other side of the mountain, you’ve been there before” Edwards got a small smile curling in his lips, and an eyebrow raised.
* “What will you do?” Carmen asks
* “My family’s having a board game night, I think we’re playing monopoly”
* “What time will you bring them home?” Kate intervenes, man they’re not even pretending to be polite
* “Well it’s not a school night-“ Seeing his joke isn’t going to land, he rethinks his words midway
* “Whenever they tell me to.”
* You’re half expecting to get a curfew, even though this household seems to operate without the concept of time, when Eleazer interjects
* “Well be safe, and have a good time.” He slides a backpack up your shoulders. “I packed you some blood bags in case you get hungry, Henrietta’s since I know that’s your favourite.”
* He’s the only one waving as you get into Edward’s car
* The view as you drive is breath taking, the snow covered mountains, abs crisp green trees
* Edward laughs beside you, at your awestruck expression no doubt
* “You don’t get out much do you?”
* You have your nose practically pressed to the glass
* “Not at all.”
* The Cullen’s home is reminiscent of the one from the movies. All light, with glass everywhere. It’s like a aurora, all wavy with no true shape
* “Welcome to our home (Y/N)” Carlisle greats you first, and behind him is... Esme
* She’s not at all like the books or the movie
* She’s definitely not white, you can’t tell exactly what race, but she’s definitely a POC.
* Her caramel cheekbones seem even more prominent when she offers you a smile.
* “It’s so nice to finally meet you, I’m Esme.”
* For some reason her being a POC, makes you feel more comfortable around her.
* Maybe you will ask her to draw up those plans for a proper barn.
* Edward stifles a laugh behind you, and you raise an eyebrow.
* “Emmett is dying to meet you upstairs.”
* You follow Edward up the stairs, finally meeting the family that spawned four books and a movie franchise.
* None of them look like they’re actor counterparts
* For one Emmett is black. And also really handsome, he’s got this Chadwick Boseman look alike thing going on and you’re down for it (RIP)
* Rosalie looks basically the way she was described in the books, all blonde hair and angel faced, but she’s the only one
* Alice is definitely Asian, she kinda looks like Lana Condor
* Jasper.... is ambiguously brown, but it still makes you let out a sigh of relief when you remember he was a Major in the CONFEDERATE army.
* More to the story than someone who was blatantly racist and supported slavery.
* They’re all beautiful, and they terrify you. You’re not exactly sure why, but something primal in you tells you to run away as fast as you can.
* But Edward lightly brushed the small of your back, pushing you forward. Right into the lions den.
* “Hello, I’m Rosalie”
* Looks like they picked her to be their spokesperson, all glittering smiles and flawless cheekbones. She extends her hand, and you lightly grasp it.
* “It’s nice to meet you.”
* It’s surreal to think how you know almost everything about this girl, while you two are virtually strangers
* Jasper introduces himself next, all smiles and quiet gentlemanly behavior.
* You’re not really sure what to expect with Alice, from what you know this girl has seen every future you could possibly have.
* Who knows what she saw
* But when she stands she hugs you
* “It’s good to see you!”
* “Alice, you haven’t introduced yourself”
* “Oh, right. I’m Alice”
* Emmett claps you on the back like you’re an old friend.
* “So, I heard you used to hang out with the sadist twins in the Volturi”
* You can practically feel the tension in the air, even Edward winces
* “They’re not so bad” really, what did anyone expect when they were in that environment
* Emmett grins
* “That’s bad ass”
* The rest of the night passes in a blur. The cullen’s game of monopoly includes some monstrous version where they put 8 different themed boards together and play in teams (You’re obviously on Edward and Alice’s team)
* They also have some sort of structure where they put four hotels together and called it a mega-hotel
* The whole thing blows up when Emmett accused Alice and Edward of using their powers to cheat
* “What do you want me to do, I can’t turn it off when I want Emmett, trust me I would especially when you and-“
* “Oh shut up Emmett, like we haven’t noticed Rosalie has an awful lot of $500 bills” Jasper interjects
* “It’s because you always pay me rent in small change!” She screams
* “Now-“ Carlisle tried to interject but Alice stands up
* “That’s a lie! I saw you steal from the bank several times when Esme wasn’t looking” Alice screams
* It goes on like this until Carlisle Declares the game over, and shoos everyone away.
* “Sorry, I would say it’s usually not like this, but I would be lying” Edward grins and you shrug
* “It was pretty fun and... entertaining in its own way” Edward beams at you, and once again, you definitely feel the dazzling effect Bella described in the movies
* “Should I... take you home now?” You can tell he doesn’t want to take you back yet, and if you’re being honest you don’t want to go back either
* The Cullen’s house has so much light, and you can see the stars so clearly here
* And if you’re being honest things seem to be way more entertaining here
* Edward takes you to a nook which houses a grand piano
* You’re fingers instinctively roam over the keys.
* “Do you play?”
* “Just a bit”
* You’re not the one who knew how to play, not really. But now this body is yours. You’ve thought about asking Carmen for a Piano, you’re sure they would love something that adds to the gothic feel of the mansion, but always cast it aside.
* You’re busy enough with your research.
* “Play me something” Edward grins.
* Alec had said the same thing to you when you were first taken by the Volturi, at the time your mind had raced wondering which piece would impress him the most. Which would aide in your survival.
* But looking at Edward now, you know that it’s not the same situation.
* He really does want you to play whatever your heart desires
* So you play “Love like you”, accompanied by your quiet voice reciting the lyrics
* At some point Edward sits beside you, playing in a deeper key, adding another layer of depth to your performance
* Wordlessly, afterwards he plays a piece of his own, Claire de Lune. Which you know is a remarkably hard piece.
* Still halfway you chime in, your super human fingers keeping up with him with ease
* And so it goes on like this, you play a modern song, waiting for him to catch up and he does the same with a classic
* Like a never ending game of cat and mouse
* It stops abruptly when Edward is in the middle of “moonlight sonata” when Alice clears her throat from behind you.
* “I hate to disturb,” there’s a teasing grin arched on her face. “But if you don’t drop them off, Carmen and Tanya are going to come over personally to retrieve them-“
* You see Edward wince, no doubt reviving Alice’s vision through his ability
* “And I don’t think anyone wants that.”
* You nod, moving to grab your backpack when you overhear Alice say-
* “You never let me play like that with you”
* Edward let’s out some sort of noise akin to a scoff
* “Where did you learn those songs?” He asks when you’re on the road
* Well you can’t tell him they’re from artists who aren’t known yet
* “Personal compositions” you murmur, and Edward grins his dazzling grin
* You talk about nothing but music until you pull into the familiar circle driveway of the manse
* Right when you’re about to thank him for a fun time, he gently stops you with a fleeting touch to your shoulder.
* “I’m graduating next month,” he hands you an envelope which you assume has his graduation card. “I was wondering if you would like to come to the ceremony.”
* You hold the card with both hands stunned, he’s already graduating high school?
* That means only 4 more years until he moves to Forks, and another two until he meets Bella
* And you realize that while time is frozen for both of you until the end of the universe, you’re the only one who isn’t moving forward
* “Yeah, I’d love that!”
* You try your best to smile, but your sure it comes off looking strange
* You don’t talk to anyone, heading straight for your bedroom
* What’s next for you?
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chibsytelford · 3 years
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Requested by anon - Hear me out. What about a fic where the reader is related to one of the sons (maybe chibs or tig?) And they broke up with her long-term boyfriend and had to move into a clubhouse dorm but since hapoy recently patched over , they spend alot of time together and things happen between them(if you get what i mean😏) and eventually she sleeps in his dorm almost evey night but they keep is secret from the others because they dont know how to approach the situation then one day one of the sons burst into his dorm and are like "hap something happend we need you to- OH COME ON REALLY?". Then they have to explain to the sons shes related to how long its been going on? You can choose how it ends.
A/N - I tweaked the story a little bit, I felt like I would have to write 10k words just to include everything. I hope you still like it nonetheless!
If you want added / removed from my taglist let me know 😊
The thought of having to explain again that you and your ex had broken up had your stomach churning. This was the only one of your boyfriends that Chibs had liked, and you thought it'd be the relationship that you'd have for the rest of your life. Oh how naive you were. 3 years you wasted, thinking that he loved you, that he wanted you, but it turned out that he was doing a pretty good job of faking it all.
As you pulled up to Teller Morrow you gave yourself a quick once over in the rear view mirror. You ran out of tears 4 weeks ago, but you hadn't slept much since the break up 2 months ago, and your eyes were proving that. Your boss was also your best friend, so when you told her you needed time off, she told you to take as long as you needed, and she even suggested you come to Charming for some 'healing' is what she called it. She told you that visiting Chibs - who you called 'Uncle Chibsy' ever since he rescued you and your car 6 or so years ago - would be good for you, and that night you had headed off to Charming and here you were.
Grabbing your suitcase, you locked your car and headed for the doors of the clubhouse. Before you could even reach them you were stopped by a Scottish accent you were oh so familiar with. "Y/N?" Chibs shouted from across the yard. "Is that you?" You turned around and he smiled, holding his arms out for you. You dropped the suitcase -not caring if anything in it broke- and sprinted towards him, jumping into his arms and nearly making him fall backwards.
"Surprise!" You smiled back kissing his cheek as he spun you around. "I've missed you Uncle" you admitted as he finally put you down again, lazily draping an arm around your shoulder.
"What's brought ye here?" He asked, picking your case up for you and holding the door open, as he always did. Chibs led you to a table, grabbed you a beer and plopped himself down beside you.
You had no intention of hiding the breakup from him, you just didn't want to keep talking about it. You had told most people back home over the course of the last few weeks and having to repeat it just made you tired. But you knew better than to keep anything from Chibs. "Dale and I broke up" you shrugged, picking at the label on the bottle. "It is what it is" 
Chibs looked at you, raising his eyebrow and giving you the look. The look that had your walls crumbling, leaving your insecurities on show for him. He was always good at that, knowing when you were hiding something, knowing when you wanted to say something but couldn't. "He told me he didn't love me, that he never did, and never will" you sighed wiping some stray tears away. "3 years" you laughed bitterly, "I'm an idiot". 
"Hey love, you're not an idiot" Chibs said, pulling you so you were now flush against his side. He placed his arm on your shoulder, using his thumb to draw circles on it - a gesture he knew calmed you down. "He's the idiot, and he will be a headless idiot when we are done with him" he said causing you to laugh out loud. The sound made Chibs smile. 
Just then some of the other men came bouncing through the door. You recognized them all from when you had visited Chibs over the years. Juice came through first, followed by Tig and Jax, and then your eyes landed on Happy's. "Hey guys" you said greeting them with a small smile and wave. The men nodded at you and smiled back, but they were too busy grabbing beers and lighting cigarettes to come and speak to you, except Happy who was hovering halfway between you and Chibs and the bar. You pointed to the empty seat at the other side of the table and Happy silently padded over, accepting your invitation. You pushed your beer over to him, inviting him to take a drink, which he did so, before wiping the rim and giving it back to you with a small smile.
"How you been?" Happy asked, genuinely curious. "How's Dale?" The name fell from his lips like venom from a snake. 
"She was just telling me about that asshole" Chibs piped up. "The twat broke up with her" you could have sworn you saw a slight smile grace Happy's face, but you couldn't be sure. "I was just telling Y/N about how we were going to find him and cho-" 
"Chop his balls off?" Happy finished, glancing at you briefly before looking at the Scotsman. 
"I was gonna say head, but balls work too brother" Chibs answered giving Happy a high five, making you laugh and shake your head at the action. 
Dale was soon forgotten as Chibs, Happy and you spent the night laughing, drinking and telling each other stories, which ended up being more embarrassing for you than the other two. 
"I'm going to bed now I think guys" You announced. You had no idea what time it was but a quick glance at your phone told you it was 230am. Time goes fast when you're having fun, and that saying was true for tonight. It was the most fun you had in ages. Chibs stood up to let you out and you bent down to give him a kiss on the cheek, doing the same to Happy too. He already had his cheek waiting for you, you noticed. 
Grabbing your case you headed for Chibs' dorm. The room you always crashed in when you came to visit. Chibs didn't mind sleeping on one of the benches in the clubhouse, or sometimes he even crashed in Tig or Juice's room. You quickly changed the sheets, brushed your teeth and then put one of Chibs t-shirts on. You slipped under the covers and sleep welcomed you quickly, which was the first time in 2 months that had happened.
You had now been in Charming for 2 weeks, and every day was a different day. You started helping out Gemma a bit in the office and you helped to tend the bar. It was the least you could do since they were letting you stay there. You and Happy had developed a strong bond over the last few weeks. After your first night, every night after that was spent with Happy. You guys played pool, drank beer, listened to music and one night Happy even had a go on the karaoke after you begging him constantly. You found yourself intrigued by the man nicknamed The Tacoma Killer by his brothers. 
You hadn't thought or spoken about Dale since the first night you got here. Your thoughts were slowly being taken over by Happy, and you were surprised by how quickly feelings had developed for him. You didn't expect to have feelings for someone so quickly after your last relationship, but you welcomed the feeling. And you knew that Happy felt something for you too. You noticed how he always went out of his way to bump into you, he always asked how you were, he made sure you had everything you needed and he also made you a cup of tea every morning and left it outside Chibs' door. In the 3 years you were with Dale, not once did he make you a cup of tea. 
"Need anything love?" Chibs asked you as you dried the glasses and placed them on the rack behind the bar. You looked up and noticed he had a crow eater on his arm, and you knew his intentions. 
You shook your head. "No, I'm fine thanks" you smiled. "Take your room tonight, give me 2 minutes and I'll change the sheets". Before Chibs could protest you had already left and changed the sheets, returning in a few minutes with your bag. 
"Where will you sleep?" He asked. 
"She'll sleep in my room" Happy said, suddenly appearing behind you, making you jump. "I'll sleep on the floor" he added before Chibs could shut the idea down.
Chibs looked at you and you nodded shyly, agreeing to the proposition. "Night love" he said leading his companion for the night to his dorm.
"Thanks Hap" you turned around and noticed how close Happy was to you. "You didn't have to do that" you smiled.
"Well I did" he said matter of factly. "You ready for bed now?" You nodded, placing the tea towel on the bar and wiping your sweaty hands on your jeans. 
"Lead the way" you murmured, getting slightly nervous. You followed Happy and he showed you where everything was. He pulled out a t-shirt and handed it to you, pointing to his bathroom so you could get changed. The t-shirt covered your thighs and ended at your shins, so you decided not to wear any trousers underneath. As you excited the bathroom, Happy was just finishing up making the bed. He pointed for you, telling you to get in and you did what you were told. 
He was mesmerising. A man who hardly said anything, yet the way he moved had you in awe. He took his kutte off and placed it over the end of the bed, leaving him in his vest and jeans. He took the jeans off too, not caring that you were clearly staring at him. 
Happy grabbed a sleeping bag out of the wardrobe and went to make his bed on the floor but you stopped him. 
"This is silly" you admitted "the bed is big enough for both of us, don't you think?" You had no idea where the sudden confidence came from, and you even caught Happy off guard with it too.
He blinked a few times, looking at you like you had suddenly grown three heads. "Yeah?" was all he could muster, and you nodded encouragingly, patting the space beside you for good measure. 
Happy's movements were slow. He maintained eye contact with you, looking for a trace if regret or hesitation but you didn't give him any. Instead, you curled up under the covers and waited for his warmth. A few seconds later he joined you in bed, switching the lamp off and you were both engulfed in darkness. Neither of you said anything, scared of breaking the silence.
"Goodnight Y/N" Happy whispered eventually. 
"Goodnight Hap" you replied contentedly. 
You were woken by some banging on the door that didn't seem to stop, even after you put a pillow over your head. 
"Happy? Happy? HAAAAAAAPY!" you recognized the voice as Chibs and he sounded like he was in a hurry or needed something urgently. 
You turned around and saw Happy was dead to the world. He looked peaceful but you knew if you didn't wake him up that Chibs was about to burst the door down. You poked him once on the chest but he didn't move. You poked him on the chest again, a bit harder this time but again it was no use. You then turned your poking into nudging and soon you had managed to wake him up. "If you don't let Chibs in he is about to break your door down" you laughed pointing to the door.
Happy huffed and clambered out of the bed. He unlocked the door and yanked it open, coming face to face with Chibs. 
"Finally!" He threw his hands up in the air exasperatedly. "What took ye so long?" 
Happy shrugged. "Y/N had to wake me up".
"Ye don't look like a man who slept on a hard floor all night" Chibs pointed out. 
"That's because he didn't" you said. Chibs poked his head around the corner and raised his eyebrows. "What?" You innocently shrugged "the bed is big enough for 2 of us". 
Chibs held his hands up, not saying anything else. "We can continue this discussion later" he said aiming that comment at you. "Jax needs us" he said to Happy. 
Happy nodded and shut the door, grabbing some clothes from his drawers and putting them on quickly. "Sorry" he mumbled "duty calls".
"Don't worry about it. I'll be waiting for you to get back" this time Happy kissed your cheek and you welcomed the feeling of his lips against your skin. 
"I'll look forward to it" he smiled, and walked out, but not before giving you one last smile. 
@rebelwrites @everyhowlmarksthedead @mayans-sauce @yourwonkywriter @pancakeisreading @mrsmarvelous1995 @encounterthepast @starrynite7114 @trulysuccubus @shelliechen @frightfulnite @scuzmunkie @blessedboo @jadesamhart @fangirlingaesthetics @i-love-scott-mccall @deeandbobbymcgee @gemini0410 @thisishowdynastiesareborn @meteora-fc @withmyteeth @est1887 @justjuiceyboy @destynelseclipsa @rocketqueen @lovebishoplosamiguelgalindo @queenbeered @lauraashley93 @talicat713 @jasminee97 @multiyfandomgirl40 @sadeyesgf @anangelwhodidntfall
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justkending · 4 years
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The Number One Rule. Chapter 16.
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Series Summary: Y/N has always been seen as “Steve’s rambunctious sister.” However, she grew up, graduated, and moved to London to study abroad for 4 years and get her bachelor's degree. The girl that returns looks nothing like the teenager that left, but don’t worry the attitude is still there and stronger than ever. What’s to come of the two grown adults that used to push each other's buttons, but now have a lot more in common than they’ve ever realized.
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Y/N Rogers (Steve’s little sister)
Word Count: 5700+
A/N: This chapter is going to give us quite a bit of background information and some throwback memories. I really enjoyed writing this one and creating a past for these characters. All of them. Let me know what you think! I’m so excited to share this one with you all:)
Chapter Sixteen:
“You know, I thought that we were close enough that you could come to me with this kind of thing. That you wouldn’t feel like you had to hide it from me. Y/N and you both,” he said with pursed lips. “Guess I was wrong.” 
With that he turned back and walked to his car. Bucky watched as he started the engine, pulled out, and disappeared. 
What the hell kind of mess just happened?
Bucky stood there for a second. He couldn’t wrap his head around what just went down in the slightest. Steve was no longer angry at him, he caught onto that. Or at least he thought that was the case. 
No, Steve was disappointed. That was far worse than hatred coming from your best friend. Coming from anyone really, but the person you’ve been joined at the hip to, for 26 years? Yeah. That punches you in the gut and knocks all the wind out of you.
Eventually, remembering Y/N was upstairs probably pacing the ground and biting her nails not knowing what was happening, he started moving to the back porch steps. 
He wasn’t even three steps into the kitchen before Y/N was around the corner rushing to him.
“What happened?” she said looking up at him and instantly putting her hands around his upper arm. “Is that blood? Did he hit you?” she said gently, but urgently as she grazed over the split lip. “Oh, I’m going to murder him,” she said through her teeth, immediately moving to the back door. 
Bucky caught her by the waist and pulled her back into him. 
“Don’t. Don’t. He’s not out there. He left,” he explained as he tugged her back into the kitchen.
“He left? He just punched you and left?” she questioned. A fire in her eyes swirling just as much as the storm Steve had in his earlier. The types of rage are completely opposite, but at the same time just as furious.
“We talked after he punched me, but can’t say I didn’t deserve it.” Disappointment dripped from his own words.
“You didn’t deserve it, B. No one deserves getting punched about something like this.” The fire started to dim as she focused her energy back on the brunette that still had her wrapped in his arms by her waist. His eyes downcast, looking as if in another world. “Hey, talk to me. What happened?” Gently she brought her hand to his cheek and convinced him to look at her. “Talk to me, please.”
They moved to the living room and sat on the couch facing each other. Bucky had almost seemed distant, as though touching or being close to her now was a crime. No doubt Steve’s words had an effect on him in the moment.
He explained pieces of what happened. Mainly just how Steve was upset thinking they were sleeping together, and when he cleared that up, he had just expressed his disappointment of the two. He was upset and deeply hurt that they felt like they had to hide this from him.
“Could he blame us though? He literally split your lip after finding out,” she motioned to him, scooting closer to place the ice covered by a washcloth they got earlier, to his lip. 
“I’ve taken harder hits, doll. And even if he got me pretty good, I could tell he was holding back at least some.” He placed his hand over hers and sent a sad smile before taking the homemade ice pack for himself. 
“This is going to be hard to come back from with him, isn’t it?” she asked, saddened by the pain she caused her brother. Bucky could see multiple thoughts running through her head as her eyes moved back and forth while looking down. “We aren’t going to end this though, are we?” 
Her tone broke Bucky’s heart hearing her say that. The pain, worry, and complete devastation of the idea was playing like a movie in her eyes. 
“What? No!” he said, quickly shutting that idea down as he dropped the rag and grabbed both her hands. “I love Steve and I would do anything for him, but I have to draw a line- Well, I have to draw a line when it affects my happiness.” She looked at him hopeful. “In the end, I know he’ll come around. I’m not going to lose you just because of this hiccup. Sure, I don’t really know how long Steve’s going to hate me, but we’ll work it through. Nothing can hurt us that bad. You know that.”
“I do, but it still worries me.”
“Don’t worry, Y/N/N. Really, he’ll come around. It’ll just take time.”
___________________
And boy was it taking its sweet ass time…
Two weeks had passed. Bucky and Y/N still went about their love life the same way. Not wanting to rub it in Steve’s face, they steered clear of Bucky’s shared home with him. Bekah had been talking to a guy herself, and spent a lot of nights over there, so they took advantage of her empty apartment when they could. 
Luckily they wouldn’t have to worry about that too long as Y/N was looking into renting a flat herself to get some of her independence back from coming home. Of course, she worried about her mom, but Sarah was sweet and said she understood and was excited for her. She was taking more shifts at the hospital anyway, so they rarely saw each other with their opposite schedules. Sarah did make her promise Sunday dinners to continue, as it was tradition. 
Speaking of, Steve had conveniently had a work thing come up each time, so he had missed the past two weeks. 
“This is so unlike him. He usually moves his work schedule around Sunday dinners, not the other way around,” Sarah sighed as she handed a bowl of a roast over to her daughter. 
“He’s not too happy with me, Ma. I think he’s avoiding me,” she mumbled. She was all happy to be over before her mom mentioned him.  
“Why would he do that? You just got home a little over 2 months ago. That’s barely anytime I would hope for you two to start a fight up. Let alone one that I’m realizing is going on two weeks,” she said with a knowing look as she sat across from Y/N.
“It’s hard to explain. He has a good reason, but he’s also being childish about it,” she said poking at the potatoes and beef on her plate. An old irish recipe. 
“Hmmm, I see.” Causally, Sarah went back to eating as if her understanding wasn’t questionable. 
“You see? What exactly do you see?” she asked tilting her head and raising an eyebrow at her mom. She knew that look. It was the, ‘mom knows everything, even if you think she doesn’t,’ look.
“It’s quite obvious to anyone who has eyes, but I’m not going to put my comments where they don’t belong.” Again, so casual as she took a drink of water and went back to eating. 
“Sarah Rogers, you little spy. What do you know?” Y/N chuckled. Her tone was joking, but deep down intrigued. 
“Why don’t you say it dear? I don’t want to have my foot in my mouth if I’m wrong,” she gestured. “Not that I’ll be wrong, but I’ll give you a chance,” she winked. 
She eyed her mom for a second. The two sending the same stares and telepathically talking.
Then it hit her. 
“Oh my GOD! You know?!” Y/N jumped almost out of her seat, but considering the table was in the way, she sat up straight and hit her knee. “Ow, shit.”
“Language,” her mom chided. 
“Sorry,” she mumbled. “But you knew?” her disbelief coming back. “How long have you-?”
“Lord, as soon as Bucky set his eyes on you coming home. I mean of course I wasn’t there when you saw each other for the first time after all these years, but when we had dinner that night? He was practically fawning over you,” Sarah shrugged, going back to her meal.
“He was?”
“Plain as day, Mini. Though, I wouldn’t put it past you to not notice, considering he acted almost the same when you two were in highschool.”
“What?!” Y/N jumped again. Her food was long forgotten. 
“Actually at that point, I think you both were blind to it. Bucky may not even known back then,” she tilted her head.
“Okay mom, you’re throwing a lot of things at me at once. I can’t keep up, can you elaborate some?” Y/N threw her hands up as if to stop her from moving forward anymore.
“Where to start?” Sarah put her silverware down and brought her elbows up on the table before interlocking her fingers and looking off as if watching the scenes replay in front of her. 
“Freshman year, you were part of the crew that was in charge of the cancer carnival to raise all the money for that charity. You had come home and were going on and on and on about all the different ways you had come up to raise that money. Photobooths, dunk tanks, crazy games, snowcones, and all that fun stuff. Bucky and Steve had just come in from playing basketball in the driveway and were getting something to drink. Steve laughed as you went on and teased you about how you should be put in the dunk tank, and Bucky just had this look in his eye. Pure admiration for your excitement for that specific cause. That and you told your brother off showing even more how dedicated you were.”
“That was oddly specific…” 
“Oh, I’m just getting started…” Sarah had a devilish amused look on her face. “But I guess I’ll just stick with one for each year.” She waved off. “Sophomore year, you were invited to prom from an upperclassman. Who was it?”
“Peter Quill. Ugh, I remember that. He ended up ditching me that night halfway through the prom.”
“Hmm mm, Steve had called saying they were leaving early to bring you home. You were upset and bored not knowing really anyone else there.”
“I honestly had only said yes because I wanted to go to the dance with another upperclassman and rub it in Brock’s face at the time. Bucky and Steve were seniors, so they were there too…” She thought back. Her chin in her hand as she listened to the stories. 
“Well, Steve brought you home and Bucky was with him. I guess Bucky’s girlfriend at the time had the flu or something and couldn’t go, so they went with a group of guys.” Sarah got a little sidetracked, but quickly reeled in it. “Anyway, when the night was over, they had already planned on going to Bucky’s for the night. However, I came around the corner after they dropped you off and were about to head back out, and I saw Bucky was convincing Stevie to stay here that night.”
“What? That’s why they were here? I remember that actually... There was an after party at another seniors house.” Sarah raised an eyebrow knowing what happened after parties, but not knowing that was where her son had originally planned to go. “Sorry, but you know how high schoolers are. Don’t act shocked,” she chuckled. “I remember them going, but they came home pretty early.”
“Wonder why…” Sarah sighed to herself taking another bite of food before it got cold. 
Not hearing her, Y/N went on. 
“Bucky and I talked that night at like 1 in the morning to like 4. We ran into each other in the kitchen getting a late night snack, and it turned into a whole deep talk,” she thought back. “One of the few times we had a conversation like adults instead of pushing each other's buttons.”
“Yes, and you were so stunned and surprised by it, you gushed about it to me later,” Sarah nodded. “Little did you know, you had woken me up at the time and when I came to see what all the noise was in the kitchen, you and Bucky were laughing about something on the kitchen floor with your backs propped up on the cabinets. A stash of junk food sitting between you two as you talked.”
“But what does that have to do with-?”
“I came in when you were going on and on about a new history topic that you had dived into that month. You didn’t even notice him with wide eyes and absolute fondness for how smart and passionate you were on the subject. You were too busy talking to notice, I’m sure,” she laughed. 
Y/N had to think back a little further for that memory, but it popped up. “Oh God, I was going on about the progression of execution styles in the Roman times,” she threw her head in her hands of embarrassment. 
“Yeah, crazy thing to be looking at a girl like that in that kind of conversation. Talking about chopping people’s heads off wouldn’t be something I see a boy fawning over, and he looked at you like it was the most amazing story to be told. But then again, there he was. Completely blind himself.”
“Wow… I forgot about that moment. I remember the night, but some details are a little fuzzy. Not that one…” she whispered. 
“And the way you talked about it the next day? You had the same look. Subtle and hidden, but deep down I could see the wonder in your eyes.”
Y/N smiled as she leaned forward like a child at story time. “What about Junior year?”
“Let’s see. By then Bucky and Steve had gone overseas. We didn’t see much of them…”  Sarah was slightly saddened. She was proud of her son in those moments, but the fear and worry that comes with sending a child into war isn’t that fond of a feeling. 
Y/N reached across grabbing her moms hand and giving her an encouraging soft smile. Clearing her throat she started again.
 “In saying that, there may have been a moment in person, but they only came back for a month that whole year. I didn’t like that year,” she shook her head. “Who sent you all those letters though?” She asked looking back with that same knowing look. 
“Steve… and Bucky. I wrote to them both, and I was surprised when Bucky asked me to write to him as well.”
“Didn’t expect that one, hmm?” Sarah smiled. “I don’t know what was written in them, for all I know he was just sending you jokes and teasing you from over the sea like your brother did here and there... But I have a feeling there were some personal things said too.” 
“I actually kept all of those. They are in a box in my room. I have Steves in there too,” she smiled fondly as if she had completely forgotten them. Though she could never actually do that. She remembers very well all the excitement of running and checking the mail in hopes of another one being delivered. From both of them. 
Her mom was right, there were a few teasing and goofy ones, but the longer he was over there, the more serious they got. There were some crazy terrifying stories and confessions to fear in those. He had mentioned he was only writing to his family and her, but she always wondered why he sent her things like that and not his family. 
She had asked Becca once about a letter they had received, and they were sweet, but they disguised the sense of fear and longing to be home. He didn’t want his family to worry. 
That’s when Y/N started taking their writing more seriously. She would practically let him vent and write out all his struggles and frustrations while over there, and Y/N would send back distractions of random history facts (which by the way, he asked for personally even if he jested her at home for them). Then she would tell him about her week, something else he asked for, and try to send words of wisdom and reassurance for his time. 
He appreciated those and Y/N appreciated him trusting her with those thoughts. It’s not like he could send them to Steve when Steve was going through his own war over there with him.
How did she not pick up on the rise of finding respect for the other during then? The start of full-on admiration. 
“Those letters stopped coming in the next year,” Y/N deflated in her spot. The next wave of memories contained her senior year. “Well, they came, but I never could get around to writing back with everything happening.”
“You’re graduate year… Steve came back home after we got the news. It took him a while to get approved, but they dismissed him from duty out of how much he had already served in his short time there. Brave man, your brother,” she says chuckling to cover the tears that were already forming in her eyes. Her daughter's eyes matched. She grabbed her hand again, this time giving it a loving squeeze. “That was a very hard year for all of us.”
“Steve came back, but Bucky had to stay. But he somehow got time off for a few weeks to come visit…”
“Remember his first visit?” Sarah said with a sad smile.
Thinking back to that time of grief and sadness, she really had to dig. She didn’t really dust off those memories often. It wasn’t really a time you would want to look back on.
“The hospital,” Y/N eventually said in a hushed airless whisper. “How did I forget that?”
“Those were moments one doesn’t really want to recall often,” Sarah said with a new tear falling. She had a smile on her face, but it was sad and soft. Nothing stemming from joy. 
“We had just got the word,” she gasped faintly, trying to suck back the air that had left her body thinking of the horrible night. “After the surgery, one of too many, the doctors told us…” Taking a second, she hadn’t said this in a while as the family was hush hush when talking about the last days. “We only had a few months with him.”
________________________
5 years ago: 
“He… He wha-?” Steve stammered out. “But he was in remission, not too long ago. He was fine!”
He was furious with the new information. He knew there was a chance of these specific results as his father had a new surgery every month for the cancer. Trying to locate it, trying to cut it out, trying to shrink it, trying to get rid of it with all their might. Every surgery you go in, you’re about to learn if it’s worse or better. And this? This was the worse they had gotten yet. 
“I’m sorry, Steve. You know I don’t want to tell you this news, but cancer is a horrible horrible demon we have to face in this world unfortunately,” the doctor said. He had been with them the whole journey so the family had grown rather close with Bruce Banner. Someone their father actually worked alongside with. “Just when you’re doing better, it changes things up. I will say with all the past surgeries, we probably got you a few more months then expected. We believe a few months ago, without the treatment he's undergone so far, he would no longer be here with us today.”
“So we bought him a few months. What does that matter for, if it didn’t fix it all?” Steve shouted. The anger wasn’t toward the doctor. He knew that and they knew that. But he needed someone to blame for the shit he was being handed. He couldn’t just yell at the universe. 
“Steven,” Sarah had said softly. Speaking for the first time since Steve had started his rant. “Calm down honey. Shouting and screaming isn’t going to get us anywhere.”
“Nothing’s going to get us anywhere apparently,” he hissed. His hand coming up on his head as he looked up. After a second, he harshly ran his hand down his face and looked at his mom again. He could see her guard start to fall and Steve couldn’t handle having to be strong for them right now. He was too hurt. It was too painful. He was going to break and he couldn’t let them see him do that. “Ugh, I need air. I need to get some air. I-I can’t-.” With that, he walked in long strides to the elevator and the exit. 
Sarah shook her head at the tears escaping without her consent. Turning to Y/N, she saw her youngest looking slightly downwards, frozen. Her nails were already being bitten from her nervous tick, and her eyes showing she was no longer on this earth mentally.
“Y/N,” Sarah said, taking a deep breath and standing taller. “Why don’t you go wait in the waiting room? Sit down, ok. I’m just going to talk to Dr. Banner real fast, hmm?” 
No answer. She patted her shoulder making him jump slightly as if she had never consciously been there to start. She gave her a nod and Y/N nodded back and started mindlessly heading to the waiting room with her arms folded tight across her body for comfort. Any comfort…
“Y/N?” 
She had been mindlessly looking at the ground in the chair she sat in. She couldn’t tell if it had been 5 minutes or an hour later from leaving the room with her mom.
“Y/N/N?”
That finally got her attention and she turned to see Bucky standing with his helmet in hand and jean jacket half-hazardly shifting off his shoulder from racing in from his bike. 
“B-Buck?” she said softly sitting straighter. 
Bucky sent her a sad smile as he walked to her, but he made it about 4 steps before she was running into his arms and clinging to him like he was air itself. 
“They can’t help him, Buck,” she finally said after crying for a few minutes while he ran a hand down her back softly and let her get it all out. “They said they can’t do anything further,” she pulled back enough to look up. Her arms around his middle and his around her shoulders. “We have a few months…”
“Oh, sweetheart,” Bucky sighed, finally getting the news he was waiting to hear, but this wasn’t what he was ready for. He could feel her heartbeat get faster, and at first, he just thought it was the hint to another crying session about to erupt. 
In which case, bring it on. He wanted to help her like she had helped him with all those letters of support. But then he noticed her start to slightly hyperventilate. He knew what those two combos usually come out to and he wished he didn’t.  
He brought her to a chair he was planning on sitting her in, but instead she plopped herself on the ground. Bucky instantly moved down there with her and looked her over. 
“Hey, hey, sweetheart. You’re ok. I got you. Take a deep breath,” he said, bringing her to sit in his lap and hugged her as tight as he could. The feeling of pressure was a calming mechanism for anxiety attacks. 
“I-I c-c-an’t,” she stuttered out with hiccups that were forming from her lungs needing air. 
“Yes, you can. Focus, doll.” He started doing the breathing exercises himself as a way to guide her since their bodies were intertwined. She needs to sync to his breathing. 
She stuttered a little, but her breathing was slowly calming down. 
“That’s it… You’ve got it. In and out,” he coached, feeling with each sentence she relaxed more and more. “You’re ok. I got ya. You’re doing great Y/N.”
Eventually she was back to normal. Well, not really. An anxiety attack like that is the kind that leaves you winded afterwards. Completely draining you from energy. 
He sat there and rocked her gently in their spot. Her back backed up to his chest and Bucky’s legs spread out with hers inside them as he kept his arms wrapped around her torso. The pressure helps, it really does. 
He whispered reassuring words while he played with her hair and then she leaned back and was reaching peak calmness. She turned her head on his shoulder and he looked down at her with his crystal eyes. Their faces inches apart, but nothing other than sorrow in their body.
“They said to be glad we had that long with him as every minute counts. Make all the memories you can in that time...” She closed her eyes for a second taking another deep breath before looking back at him. “How can you make memories you would want to have not so sad knowing the exact day your father could die? What good memories come from that?”
Bucky physically felt her heart in her chest break as if they shared the same one. The emotion he was reading in her eyes this time was one of the few that Bucky could never pinpoint. It was fear, sadness, depression, and longing all rolled into a scared Y/E/C eye colored girl’s orbs.
“You’re allowed to be upset Y/N. You don’t have to fake happiness during this time. Your emotions are there to be felt... But at the end of the day, would you want to look back at more fake happy memories or true and real happiness?” Bucky said. 
She wanted to make the next days her unhappy ones and leave it at that. He was right, she should and could feel sad and mad now. This situation called for it. But she didn’t want them to take up the majority of her last memories with her dad.
“Hey, you got Stevie and I,” he whispered in her ear as she turned forward again. 
“Steve just yelled at our doctors for almost 15 minutes straight from deniel and then ran out the door like a sissy,” her voice monotone, but he could hear the upset nature behind her words. “Steve’s just as messed up as me.”
“One, you’re not messed up in the least. Two, you are human. Shitty things happen and we have to go through it in each our own way. Three, no grieving process is the same. You’re allowed to scream in your pillow cause you're mad. Or cry for hours on end because you can’t comprehend it. You’re allowed to go eat a whole pint of ice cream by yourself because you're sad. Hell, I’ll join ya,” he squeezed her hand that he had interlocked together on their right side. A light start of a chuckle came out and she squeezed it back. 
“As long as you don’t insist on Rocky Road.”
“Really? I’m coming to your cry session and you’re banning me from my favorite ice cream? Some cry party,” he faked hurt. 
She let out an actual laugh and turned back to him. “I may have a cry party or two…” He nodded, showing he was proud of her for feeling that was ok and agreed with it. Her eyes showed the actual sadness behind the temporary humor, it was still there swimming around. Her smile wasn’t masking anything. “I guess you can pick your flavor you want to binge on. I get to judge you though if it sucks,” she joked.
She was distracting herself and he was ok with that. He would keep in that direction as long as she needed. And right now, she didn’t want to think about the inevitable. Remember, more happy than sad at the end. 
“What brand are we going for?” she asked. He wrapped his arms over her shoulders as she laid back on his chest in their sitting position. Her arms holding onto them in the front like the anchor that he was acting like. 
“Um, is that even a question?” he gasped. “I have good taste, Miss. Rogers. What brand do you think I go for?” 
“I’m going to say with that pretentiousness, that it’s Ben and Jerry’s,” she grinned, raising an eyebrow. 
“Nothing beats Ben and Jerry’s,” he nodded proud in his choice.
“Ok, but hear me out… Halo.” He looked at her like she was crazy. “It's like low calorie ones that are really good and kinda healthier than regular ice cream.”
“Darling, if I’m bingeing on some ice cream, you bet your ass I’m going to go all out. No low cal, shit. I want all the brownie batter.”
“Geez, you really are an ice cream snob,” she laughed more. “Guess you’ll have to try mine though because I promise you’ll join the dark side.”
“Dark side?” he asked. 
“Yeah, cause you’re eating healthy while eating ice cream, one of the most sugared things to exist. Actually, get this, In the 1880’s they invented the sundae, and after that, the amount of sugar we started adding to our toppings every decade, just kept going up in sugar.” When she finished her little fact splurge, Bucky was looking down at like she was crazy, but still smiling. 
“You’re strange, you know that? What normal person memorizes random facts like the year the ice cream sundae was invented? Or, what was it the other day?” he thought back.
“Oh, how the entire earth’s population can fit inside Los Angeles,” she remembered. “Then that led to talking about global warming, and then-…”She began listing off all the random things that followed after another. 
Her mom had peaked out the curtain 5 minutes ago to check on Y/N, and found her wrapped up in his arms comforted and then eventually laughing. They needed a little joy that night. So she took in every laugh Y/n let out followed by Bucky laughing or joking. Every single one is what got her through that night…
________________
“That’s when you saw it?” Y/N asked awestruck. She did remember that. That was one of her core memories with Bucky. She always glimpsed back to it when she was sad. It was advice she took seriously. You choose how many bad days you have. Choose wisely. 
“That’s when I knew it,” Sarah corrected. 
“Knew it? I thought you were talking about how he looked at me differently. What do you mean, knew it?” she asked, confused. 
“I had seen it all the time, but that’s when I knew he was head over heels for you. Seeing these things warmed my heart, but knowing it, gave me a whole new hope. As long as Bucky was there, you would be ok. He would make sure of that.”
“I thought that was so much longer ago…” Y/N said. “I guess I repressed it.”
“Bucky was your rock from day one, sweetheart. As soon as the world got dangerous for you, he became a huge protector over you. He checked in on you when he came over, he made you laugh, he knows how to push your buttons, but you love it. He’s a good kid Y/N.”
“I know. Which brings me to Steve being an ass and throwing a hissy fit about it.”
“Your brother is in shock right now. It was something he clearly did not see a mile away. Learning about it made him a little upset. I’ll talk to him.”
“Ma, I don’t need you to talk to him. You do that and he’ll be even more mad and think I tattle taled on him. Child,” she huffed. 
“Fine, then you better tell him. Because like it or not, I’m going to have my family dinners on Sunday, and I want BOTH of my children there. Not just one every once and awhile. Plus, you’re moving out in just a few weeks so I need you to get this done cause I’ll miss you,” she smirked. 
“Ok…” Y/N groaned basically being told to apologize and make amends to her big brother by her mom. She wouldn’t put it past her mom to ban Y/n from late night reading for punishment of not fixing it. She’d done it in highschool. She’ll do it again. “I’ll talk to him as soon as I can corner him. He’s been avoiding Bucky and I like the plague.”
“Well, then let’s set a trap.”
“Mom!”
“What? You need to fix it sooner rather than later and I want my kids to not hate each other. So, I’ll invite him over tomorrow for a makeup dinner and say you’re going out and won’t be here,” she started planning. “He won’t say no because I won’t let him. So he’ll come and you stay in your room until we’re settled, and then ta-da! He’s trapped.”
“Did you have this already typed up or something?” Y/N pulled back curiously shocked. Shaking her head out at her crazy organized mom. “Who’s to say he doesn’t stand up and walk out? I could about 99% see it going that way,” she nodded. 
“Honey, I’ll be home. He’s not leaving. Not while I’m here at least,” she winked. 
“You should become a serial killer as a side hobby. They would never catch you with how well planned out you are,” she teased her mom. 
“I thought about it once, but didn’t go my way,” Sarah stood up walking to the sink, winking.
“Mom! You’re on a roll tonight,” Y/N laughed loudly, throwing a little pea at her. 
“Hey, you make my kitchen floor a mess, and I may reconsider that side hobby,” she said pointing to the pea rolling away. 
“Ma’am, yes ma’am,” Y/N chuckled.
(Tags for this series will be closing soon as it is getting pretty full, please send an ask if you want to be added:)
I’ll post on whatever chapter I decided to close it down here.
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288 notes · View notes
lvnatiq · 3 years
Text
Modern!au Felix Escellun x tattoo artist!gn!reader | Headcanons
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a/n: Hey!!! I’m back at it again with my beautifully fucked up request fill. I’m still working on three other things, while I make you wait I took it upon myself to not starve this fandom. So here you have it. Please reblog or comment so that I have a crumb of motivation to keep up.
Should I do a smutty pt. 2 ? Who knows lmao.
Your hand slipped through the pile of designs that your colleague (and your close friend) had sent you to choose and pick apart from.
Unfortunately you were spending the night at the beautiful library of your uni, trying to balance off your school work with your actual work.
You didn’t mind spending your time under the faint scent of books and the mere sound of wood beneath you feet, but what you ‘do’ mind is the fact that the library is way colder than you thought it would be after the midnight.
Good thing that the yearning for finishing your work and leaving as soon as possible made it easier to concentrate on the task at hand.
It also made it easier for you to not notice the presence of an unexpected company.
That was until you felt the warm floral yet musky scent invade your senses as you felt the weight of cotton drape around your shoulders.
You slowly turn your head towards the owner of the coat who’s already making their way out. Desperately trying to find a way to make them stop but failing to raise your voice because of the circumstances.
The last picture of the person buried in your head was their hair caressed by the wind and their quick steps.
Fast forward to a week later, going completely out of luck with finding a place to stay you decide to ask help from your friend whom interestingly has a lot to offer.
With things going a lot smoother than you expected you stopped by the tattoo shop to finish your appointments with couple of customers before you left to meet up with your possible candidate.
“Don’t bother I’ll just call him here so you could talk comfortably.”
Your work seemed to take a lot longer than usual. So you kindly accepted your friends offer as you wrapped up the leftover stuff, finishing up the last customer.
“Hey, oh-“
The sight of your guest tickled your memories as you kept glaring at the glorious figure in front of you.
Felix, completely avoiding eye contact, placed the fallen hair strand behind his ear as he kept his eyes on the table of the tattoo equipments.
You quickly got up as you grabbed his coat from the hanger and walked back where you left him.
“Thank you for the coat, you really saved me back there.”
“Oh- no problem.”
That day you two chatted and melted the ice in between. Deciding to rent the close by apartment and start your roommate era.
Your friend smiled to themselves knowing all too well that felix was completely crazy about you.
Your encounter at the library wasn’t a coincidence either, well don’t think of him as a stalker now, he just dumped a couple of coins in the fountain wishing that you would be there that night. That’s all.
As you two moved in together you realized that there were a lot of things to be ‘caught off guard’ about him but you were most baffled by the tremendous amount of books felix owned.
“Hey Lover boy ! Would you mind recommending me some of them ?”
Felix blushes terribly and you love it so much that you constantly bother him in order to catch a glimpse of his flustered state.
Unbeknownst to you, the pile that felix left on the doorstep of your room was consisted of the books that he thought of you as he read.
Felix, abandoning his night owl habit, decided to fix his sleeping schedule for the better. Definitely not because he wanted to see you at morning before you got off to the work.
Insisting on offering you a ride on your way back home with his nice car.
Nearly every single day.
He knows that it may annoy you but he knows how much you are devoted to your responsibilities so he at least wants for you to save a bit of energy before you dive into the work.
Speaking of his nice car, it tickled your curiosity so you decided to check the price tag on the web and... well...
“Felix... you don’t so some sketchy illegal shit for a living right ?”
“It’s nearly impossible for me to work at the moment because of my studies. Why did you ask ?”
“Your car costs more than the apartment we are living in right now.”
With that, you discover that Felix’s father owns one of the most prominent chains of pharmaceutical companies and that he basically flee from his fathers mansion because he was pressuring Felix to take over his position in the future.
Being his puppet was not a thing to be tolerated in Felix’s book.
That being said, your domestic life with felix was pretty soft to say the least.
Cleaning together, cooking while talking about how your day went or getting to enjoy his expressions while he spilled his frustration against authors that didn’t affect him well.
Occasionally noticing the new cooking books appearing out of nowhere
and the delicious smell of food welcoming you after work, quite often than you expect.
Finally, more skinship.
One day whilst you two got through the gates of your apartment block you noticed the open doors of the elevator so instinctively you held Felix by the hand and ran into the mirrored box.
What you didn’t notice was the fact that you didn’t let go of his hand as you two went up.
From that day on Felix used every single opportunity to sneak his hand into yours.
Don’t blame him, it’s just that your hands are warm and the feeling of security that radiates from your fingertips is his medicine.
You absolutely avoided to tease or point it out to him because you knew that he would never do it again so you went with the flow.
You really enjoyed it though.
Snaking your arms around his waist while he is organizing the bookshelf. Feeling him shutter into your arms.
Nights became more and more enjoyable once he started to accompany you.
Everytime you caught him slacking on the sofa, you used his lap as a pillow.
Felix is extremely easy to figure out, mainly because he can’t hide anything.
Also, well
He is ticklish and you use his weakness against him, a lot.
Diving your fingers down to the sides of his tummy you started to tickle every possible sensitive spot you could catch on.
“Spit it out.”
“I-I wan’t you to- give me my first tattoo.”
Telling his words apart from his adorable giggles, needless to say you were ecstatic.
“Alright. What do I get in return ?”
“Name your price.”
You thoughtfully stared at the ceiling, humming as you blurted out your very obviously well thought out response.
“I want you to show me what keeps you up all night.”
You can’t be serious.
If you asked for an organ, he would’ve been more compliant.
You didn’t know what you got yourself into.
You basically asked for him to show you his ‘masterpieces’ that he showcases on AO3. Something that you were already well aware of.
“Deal ?”
“No !”
“Good ! Let’s see what you got.”
Felix anonymously contributed to the community by writing some of the most famous slow-burn stories on the web.
Just so you know, his author persona blew up thanks to the mind blowing, earth shattering smuts he wrote.
Yeah you heard that right
Smuts
Well he is fucking panicking now.
Nonetheless days kept on going as felix prayed each night to every single deity that you forgot your ‘deal’.
The days go on even if his worries don’t.
Did I say that Felix is a whimpering, whiny mess ? he struggles to stay in one position as the needle drags upon his skin.
“If you plan to keep on moving, I might as well strap you down felix. 5 more minutes and then we are done. Please behave.”
When you put it like that how can he refuse I mean you made things worse he is internally screaming at what you just said but he is not going to refuse a command when it’s given by you.
In exchange for giving him a tattoo you decide to let him give you one even though he’s inexperienced.
He’s terrified because he thinks that something would go wrong, his hand would slip or something and he would scratch that pretty skin of yours with a horrendous tattoo.
But you assured him nevertheless and offered him to draw something very minimal and easy. He accepted eventually.
As it turns out Felix is a natural. His hand is extremely steady and the tattoo turns out great.
Throughout the process he’s constantly asking if you’re hurt because he thinks that he’s doing something wrong but in fact he’s very delicate and gentle with the strokes and his touch.
You decide to be evil and use it against him. After you touch up your tattoo you lean in very closely and turn your cheek towards him.
“What are you doing ?” He stutters.
“I can’t possibly ask you to kiss my freshly made tattoo, so won’t you give me a kiss so that it heals faster.”
If his hands were steady before they weren’t now.
As soon as his lips left your cheek you held him by his wrist and pull him back close again so that you can lean in onto his ear.
“Don’t think that I’ve forgotten our deal. I am excited to see what you have in store for me tonight.” You winked.
Then the worst thing happened
The “tonight” came.
Felix was running in circles around the living room with one hand on his forehead wondering what could get worse after this.
Maybe you’ll be disgusted or scared hell if he knows.
He wanted to do nothing to harm your relationship in anyway because you and what you two have is all he ever wanted.
...and he believes that he has a tendency to ruin things.
But what happened was beyond his expectations.
Your eyes followed every single sentence throughout the screen, the white light traced your expressions as your eyebrows raised up and down and the corners of your lips inched closer to your ears. Your lower lip became a victim of your teeth’s assault.
He was so confused. Still waiting for you to lash out or make fun of him, at least.
“I used to think ‘what am I gonna do with you’ when it comes to you. Mostly out of frustration.”
Yet here you were with the laptop closed shut and your arms behind your head as you closed your eyes and groaned.
Slowly the smile plastered on your face grew.
”Now I know what to with you.”
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notyetneedcoffee · 4 years
Text
Stiches, Part 2
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A/N: Yep, I’ve ventured off the Marvel path and penned a few tales for The Witcher! 
Pairing: Geralt of Rivia x Reader
Warnings: NSFW, 18+, Smut
Stiches Part 1 
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Consciousness came slowly, like sunlight filtering through a thick fog. Warmth surrounded your heavy limbs and when you tried to move, a delightful pang registered in the muscles of your inner thighs. A low moan slipped passed your lips as the ache between your legs caused a flood of images from the night before to crash across your mind.
You told the traveling Witcher you wanted to feel him for days after he left. The man took you at your word. Playing your body with the mastery of a hundred years of practice, Geralt assured your cunt stayed swollen and wet as he fucked you thoroughly, roughly, and repeatedly.
“Stay put,” a deep gravely voice rumbled against your ear. A strong arm pulled you tighter to his bulk. “I am not ready to awaken yet.”
You turned in his arms to bury your face in the hair of his chest. Your knee easily slipped between his thighs as his legs tangled with your own. His large hand settled at the back of your neck, and you felt his deep sigh. His weighty and lax body wrapped around yours. His half hard cock pressed into you belly. Despite fatigue, your hand moved between you to wrap around his length.
“Hmm.” Geralt pumped into your palm once before pulling your hand away and pressing your palm to his lips. “Sleep now, my dove.” He chuckled lightly. “Later I shall plow you like the fields of wheat in Novigrad.”
A smile tugged at your lips as you nuzzled into his chest and succumbed to the warmth, drifting off to sleep again.
Darkness enveloped the world. The warmth surrounding you turned your limbs numb, preventing you from moving away from the wailing in your ears. Harsh and painful, the sound clawed at your mind brought you to panic. You needed to run, needed to flee, but you couldn’t move. Not even a sound came forth as you tried to scream. The source of the wail pulled at you, ripping into your chest, tearing the life from your breast.
Light flared. Fire seared your flesh. Breath rushed through your lungs and you screamed.
Hard rough hands shook you. A deep voice called your name. Your eyes popped open to see Geralt on his knees over you, gripping your shoulder hard. Shock left your heart beating like a galloping horse. Cold steel brushed against your hand and you realize his sword lay beside you.
With another shake he said your name, scowling. “Are you with me? Why do you have a Hym attached to you?”
“What?” You looked up at him. “I, um, I have nightmares.”
“Nightmares?” Geralt’s jaw clenched. He let you go, sitting back to lean on the headboard and place his sword beside the bed. “No,” he huffed. “A hym has attached itself to you. What have you done?”
You sat up, pulling the blanket up with you. “What? I have not-“
“Don’t lie to me.” Geralt large hand grasped your jaw. You never saw him move. He was just suddenly holding you down, growling in your face. “Hyms only feed upon the guilty. What have you done?”
A tightness gripped your throat, but it wasn’t Geralt’s hand. Tears burned your eyes. “I don’t know.”
He released your jaw, but didn’t let you go. He pulled you upon his lap.  “Tell me of the creature in your nightmares. Is it just in your dreams, or does it whisper to you while awake?”
“Just nightmares.” You twisted your fingers in the blanket. “They come once, maybe twice, a week.”
“I suspect,” he tilted his head to look at your downcast face. “That is the only time you allow yourself to sleep soundly.” You nodded. He took a deep breath, running his fingertips down your spine. “Hyms attach to persons holding onto guilt, great guilt. They feed on it, create a darkness in the person, so they can feed even more.”
Silent tears slipped down your cheeks.
“I can help you, little dove. I can defeat this thing, but you have to tell me.” The warmth of his large hands slipped up to rest upon the base of your neck. His voice rumbled low and deep, but it made you want you curl against him and weep.
“The spring after my husband was killed,” You sniffed and leaned into Geralt’s chest. “One of the smiths, Wallen, attempted to gain my favor. I turned him away, but he persisted. He became obsessive and abusive. I feared him and took great pains to never be alone with him.”
He remained silent, but his fingers began their journey over your back again.
“One day three men came to town. They were part of the raiders who attacked when my husband died. I knew they were dangerous, knew they would kill without remorse.” Your voice dropped to a whisper. Never before had you uttered the words, “I knew they were listening when I lied about a large commission Wallen had taken.”
Geralt nodded. “They killed him for riches he did not have.”
“I told myself, I just lied. I didn’t kill him. It was a little lie, that’s all.” You wept. “He was vile and mean. I could not push him away anymore. He attempt to...he nearly...I knew he would do worse than force me if he caught me alone. I was afraid.”
A single rueful huff erupted from his chest. Geralt pressed his lips to your hair. “Such feelings for nothing but a cunning solution to a problem.”
“But…”
“If this man came after you, and you held a blade, what would you do?”
“Use it.” You huffed.
“If he came after you, and you own attack hounds, what would you do?”
“I’d release them.” Your tears ceasing.
“So all you did, my dove, is release the dogs you had at your disposal.” Geralt pressed his mouth to the sensitive skin below your ear. His tongue slipped along the edge of your ear before he nipped at it lightly. “Now that you have spoken of it, the hym can be fought.”
“How?” You turned your face into his neck.
“Tonight you will take me to where the Smithy was killed.” He felt you stiffen, but he shifted you in his hold to tuck you closer to his chest. “You can. You will. The hym will come to you. Then I will kill it.”
“How do you kill a nightmare?” You asked in a small voice.
“I’m a Witcher.” He chuckled. “Or had you forgotten?”
“No,” you quietly laughed. “How could I?”
“Then tonight I shall slay your monster.” His hand tipped your head up. His breath washed over your lips.
“But I have no coin to give you.” You fought not to smile.
“Then we shall have to barter.” Geralt’s mouth possessed yours, drawing a delicious moan from you. He tossed away the offending blanket, and moved you to straddle his lap. Your fingers tangled in his white hair. As your tongues battled, his hands encircled your waist and he rocked you against him. Your breasts raked over his chest.  
Still sensitive from the night’s amorous activities, you grew wet against his hardening cock. You nipped and kissed along his neck. “Gods, you feel so good.”  
He only grunted, as his rough hand squeezed your breast, thumb rubbing over your taunt nipple. With a fluid movement, he flipped you both. You landed on your back. Geralt hooked your knees over his arms. Leaning forward he trailed love bites down your chest.
“So sweet.” He hummed against the soft skin of your inner thigh. The scruff of his chin grazed your sensitive clit and you gasped. Geralt laid the flat of his tongue over you, soothing you, teasing you. “Do you need rest, my dove?”
“No.” You panted, fingers twisting in his hair.
“What is it you want?” His voice vibrated through your body.
“Fuck me.” You breathed.
He chuckled, crawling up your body, painting a trail with his mouth. When his cock pressed against your slick core, he kissed you hard, burying himself deep. His groan mixed with your moan. Unlike the night before, he moved slow and deliberate. The length of him moving in and out at such a pace that your breath became one, the tension coiled, and heat spread.
“Yes,” you clung to his shoulders, legs wrapping tightly around his hips. His fingers dug deep into the meat of your ass, holding you tight. His weight pressing into you and the scent of his sweat filling your head, you lost yourself in him.
His pace quickened. Your body tightened. You curled your hips up. His hips snapped, cock hitting you perfectly. Your thighs shook. His grunts mingled with your cries. Geralt pounded into you with force. You dug your nails into his back, coming hard. He growled, following you.
You held on with weak limbs, relishing in the feel of him. He rolled and pulled you along with him. Your fingers trailed down his side, feeling the stitched you placed there just the day before. Lifting up, you checked his wound. It was pink, but looked a week old.
“Told you I heal quickly.” Geralt sighed.
“Good thing,” you settled into the crook of his arm. “I’d hate to aggravate an injury before you go monster slaying again.”
He huffed. “It would be worse if you sent me off hungry.”
You laughed, sitting up. His eyes were closed and a relaxed smile was on his face. “I think I can manage to satisfy your appetite.”
Geralt’s golden eyes met yours, glinting with mirth. “You’re definitely doing that, but what about food?”
Soon the two of you were dressed and seated at your favorite table in front of the fire. The inn owner, Rulla, thankfully did not comment as you immerged from the Witcher’s room. She just gestured to your table and followed with a pitcher of ale and cups.
“About time. I suppose you’re hungry.” Her reproachful words did not match the teasing smile on her lips. When Geralt grunted an agreement, she wondered off to quickly return with a large platter. Unloading bowls of stew, loaves of bread, and a large plate of cured meat and dried fruit.
Your stomach grumbled, realizing for the first time how famished he’d made you. Geralt tore off a piece of bread and began to eat with purpose. He did everything with purpose; eating, fucking, monster killing.
By the time this Witcher moved on, he would not only leave you well bedded, but free of your nightmares. You smiled, feeling better than you had in ages.    
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rainingpouringetc · 3 years
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so hug all your friends and let them know you’re not letting go
ch 4 - sing me a song, tell me your thoughts / i could listen to you all night long (pt 2)
read on ao3
The next morning was quite pleasant for Ariadne. She woke to find Grace already in the dining room—unusual for the girl who usually preferred to flit about like a ghost. They had stayed up until midnight the previous night exchanging stories of their childhoods. Ariadne had missed thinking of India. She had told Alastair about it at his request, and at hers he’d spoken of Persia. This had been different from that, though. This had been less about the place itself and more the family she’d left behind. Grace had left family, too—or had family leave her. The feeling was familiar; it pooled in Ariadne’s gut when she was left alone with the thoughts. Having someone to pick them apart with helped.
The girls ate breakfast together, chatting aimlessly about the weather and the food and anything else they could think of. Mr. and Mrs. Bridgestock were, graciously, away for the week. There was some business they were tending to somewhere else in the country. Ariadne had long since stopped trying to make sense of her father’s trips.
They stumbled awkwardly into a brief discussion of the day’s plans, finding that neither of them had any designs beyond breakfast.
“Well,” Ariadne said carefully, “would you perhaps like to train with me today, then? I could use a partner.”
Grace seemed taken aback. “Oh! Well, sure, I suppose. I must admit,” she said sheepishly, looking down at her plate, “I have very little in the way of training. I’m not sure I could be of much help to you.”
Ariadne brightened immediately. “Of course you can! I could teach you, if you like. I always thought the best way to practice something you already know is by teaching it to somebody else.”
“I agree,” Grace said with a smile.
They agreed to meet in the drawing room after changing into gear. Grace was surprisingly quick to go up the stairs, though she never lost that elegant smoothness in her stride. Ariadne lingered a moment in the dining room, her heart thumping painfully.
There were many thoughts going through her head, bumping into each other and leaving little space for much else. She barely knew Grace, and here she was offering to train her. Their friendship—if it could be called that—was moving awfully fast. Though, things had moved rather fast with Alastair as well. Perhaps they were all so starved for friendship that they were wiling to try to bond with anyone who showed the barest speck of interest.
That wasn’t a bad thing, necessarily. Beggars couldn’t be choosers, after all.
Ariadne sighed and wished Alastair was there. He was better at this than she was, though one may not think it. If Alastair liked someone, or thought he did at least, he could keep a conversation going well enough. Ariadne had always struggled with small talk—it seemed so frivolous and unnecessary. She hoped Grace would feel the same.
When she and Alastair had first started testing their friendship, Ariadne had relied heavily on him to guide the conversation. He’d wanted to know about Anna, and she’d told him—then he’d told her about Charles before she could figure out if she was supposed to ask. He’d also mentioned Thomas vaguely, though how exactly he felt for the man hadn’t come out until much later.
Ariadne smiled fondly at the memories as she ascended the stairs and looked for her gear. Alastair was, surprisingly, a bit of a mess when it came to Thomas Lightwood. Usually so calm and collected, he stumbled over his words when he tried to explain what it was like falling for someone who hated him so thoroughly. It’s not as though it could ever work, anyway, Alastair had said with false casualness. I doubt Thomas is even interested in men.
Only one way to find out, she’d teased. It had earned her a pillow in the face, but it had certainly been worth it.
As she carefully slipped into her gear, she wondered, not for the first time, if perhaps this was what having a sibling was like. She and Alastair got on so well, it was almost a shock whenever she remembered they hadn’t really known each other all that well until a month ago.
A knock startled the memories from her grasp. She finished buckling all that need buckling and opened the door to find a sheepish Grace still in her morning dress. “I’m sorry to bother,” she said before Ariadne could so much as draw breath, “it’s just I’ve realized I don’t actually have any gear.”
Ariadne frowned. It had been quite a few minutes since Grace had disappeared upstairs—what had she been doing all this time?
Seeming to read the question on her face, Grace glanced at her hands and said, “I’d have said something sooner, it’s just… I’m sorry. I didn’t not want you to think less of me as a Shadowhunter.”
Most people did, Ariadne was coming to realize. 
She smiled as gently as she could and held open her door, gesturing for Grace to follow as she strode to the closet. “I’m sure I have some old gear that will fit you.” Grace was a few inches shorter than her, but sure enough, there was some gear she’d outgrown when she was fourteen at the very back. Ariadne pulled it out and handed it to Grace. “Do you need any help with it?” she asked.
Grace shook her head quickly. “No. Thank you for offering. I have worn it before, I simply have none of my own.”
“Well, now you do,” Ariadne said, indicating the gear in Grace’s hands.
Grace smiled, and it made her look much prettier, Ariadne thought. This was quite a feat, seeing as how she was already quite gorgeous. It was as though it thawed something in Grace’s features, making her seem warm and kind. Ariadne decided to make it a priority to make Grace smile more.
After Grace changed, they headed outside. Ariadne was increasingly excited about the prospect of training Grace.
She figured they could start with fighting stances, then move on to hand-to-hand, then staffs. 
Grace was surprisingly competent about stances and hand-to-hand for what little experience she’d claimed to have. They were able to move on from instruction quickly enough and begin sparring. Neither of them could quite get the advantage, Ariadne because she was holding back to spare Grace’s feelings, and Grace because she simply had no real experience. 
Eventually, Ariadne managed to hook her foot behind Grace’s knee and pull, causing her to fall flat on her back. Unfortunately, this put Grace in the prime position to grab Ariadne’s legs and bring her down as well. They collapsed on top of each other in a fit of giggles. 
“Truce?” Grace gasped, struggling to keep her composure as she struggled to a sitting position. She extended her hand.
Ariadne eyed it from where she was propped up on her elbows, then grasped it and shook solidly. “Truce.”
They giggled again, helped each other stand, and began brushing themselves off. There was a fair amount of dirt and grass stains on Grace’s gear; Ariadne made a mental note to help her clean it off later. 
“Pardon me, Miss Bridgestock,” came a soft, motherly voice from the house door. Ariadne turned to find their maid, Mrs. Webster, watching them with a smile. Her dark hair was streaked with gray—Ariadne wondered when that had happened. She could’ve sworn it hadn’t been that way earlier this year. “I don’t mean to interrupt, miss, but there’s a young man by the name Mr. Carstairs here to see you. He’s waiting in the drawing room whenever you finish.”
“Oh.” It was all she could say. She turned to find Grace’s face had gone cold again. “Do you mind wrapping up for the day?”
Grace looked at her with steely eyes. “That’s fine. I’ll be upstairs.”
“Oh. All right. Er—let me know if you need anything, then.” Before she had even finished speaking, Grace was turning on her heel and pushing past Mrs. Webster.
Confused and greatly disheartened by the sudden loss of all the progress she’d made with Grace, Ariadne followed the maid inside and began walking toward the drawing room. She was stopped by a hand gripping her shoulder and spun around sharply to find Mrs. Webster staring at her with what could only be described as horror. “Miss Bridgestock, you are not truly going to entertain company in your fighting gear, are you?”
Ariadne blinked at her and let out a laugh. “It’s just Alastair, Mrs. Webster.”
“Ohhh, just Alastair, is it?” Mrs. Webster’s next look was far too knowing for Ariadne’s liking.
“Oh, don’t be like that,” she said lightly. “He’s a friend. He probably just wants to talk for a bit, he won’t mind if I’m not dressed properly.”
“Your parents would mind,” Mrs. Webster replies meaningfully. “Especially after that whole ordeal with Mr. Fairchild and Miss Blackthorn—please, dear.” She gripped Ariadne’s arm. “For my peace of mind.”
It was a fair argument. Ariadne still had some semblance of a reputation to maintain. Figuring she might as well humor the old woman, Ariadne let out a sigh and headed toward the stairs. It took her several annoyingly long minutes to change out of her gear and find a suitable dress, and by the time she finished, she’d almost forgotten about Grace.
That was, until she stepped out of her room and found Grace glaring at her by the staircase, dressed in a dazzling display of lilac and silver. “I wish to speak to Alastair with you,” she said simply, then turned so fast her hair splayed out behind her and descended the stairs soundlessly as ever.
Ariadne followed, swallowing heavily and wondering what she was getting herself into. 
Alastair was standing already when they entered the room, examining the various paintings they had hanging on the walls. There was a jacket on the couch, which was odd—it wasn’t one that looked like it belonged to Alastair. He turned and, upon seeing Ariadne, did that thing where he very nearly smiled—his face relaxed and the corners of his mouth, rather than pointing down at an alarming angle, evened out into a straight line.
Then he caught sight of Grace, and his jaw tensed again. “Good morning Ariadne, Miss Blackthorn,” he nodded politely. His eyes lingered on Grace for a moment before he shot a displeased look at Ariadne. She shrugged, eyes wide, and gestured to the settee.
Alastair sat on the end farthest from the armchair Grace was occupying, gathering the strange jacket into his arms, leaving Ariadne to sigh irritatedly and sit in the middle of them to mediate. 
“How are you this morning, Alastair?” Ariadne asked blandly.
“Fine. Thank you.”
There was silence for a long moment.
Ariadne was about to comment on the weather—really, she should not have been allowed to ever attempt anything resembling small talk—when Alastair glanced and Grace, then back at her, and said, “Pardon me if this is out of line, but I had been hoping to discuss something privately with you, Ariadne. If this is a bad time, I can come by in the afternoon.”
He made to stand, but before he could, Grace interrupted, “Are you doing anything today, Mr. Carstairs?”
He looked stunned, the lowered himself back onto the couch. “Well, that’s actually what I wished to discuss with Ariadne. I did not want to be rude in excluding anyone from the conversation.”
Ariadne nearly winced at his tone. It was clear he had not wanted to include Grace in whatever he had planned.
“Just tell me,” she whispered. When Alastair glanced over her shoulder at Grace, she said, “It’s fine.”
Alastair sighed through nose and held up the jacket. “I ran into Christopher Lightwood last night.” A dozen questions raced through Ariadne’s head—where? when? why?—but before she could voice any of them, he was saying, “It’s a long story for another time, but I ended up with this—” he shook the jacket “—and I don’t know what to do.”
“The jacket is Christopher’s?” Ariadne questioned first.
“Thomas’s,” he corrected quietly.
Ariadne sucked in a breath and nodded in understanding. That would explain it, then.
“You should return it, then,” Grace said slowly. Alastair’s eyes slid over to hers blankly. “I could help, if you wish,” she continued, sitting up straighter. “Be a distraction. The Merry Thieves are far more cross with me than they are with you, I suspect.”
Ariadne looked between the two, waiting. After a few seconds, Alastair’s face softened again, and the corner of his mouth twitched up. “I would appreciate that. Thank you, Miss Blackthorn.”
“Please, Mr. Carstairs, call me Grace.”
Alastair narrowed his eyes even as he smiled. “Well. Then you must call me Alastair.”
Grace smiled fully, then, the warm smile from early that morning. Ariadne understood suddenly why the coldness had crept back when Mrs. Webster had announced Alastair’s arrival. She hadn’t wanted to be shut out by their friendship. The best solution, clearly, was to bring her into it, then.
“When do we leave?” Ariadne asked with an air of adventure, standing with her hands on her hips and looking between the two.
Alastair shrugged. “Now?”
They looked at Grace, who nodded, grinning. “Now.”
*hides* i’m sorry this took so long lol. pls tell me ur thoughts on mrs webster :) (more christopher to come i promise)
tagging @ohcoolnice @stxr-thxif @foxglove-airmid @littlx-songbxrd @eugeniaslongsword @clockworknights @writeforjordelia @axoloteca @ninacarstairss @lifewouldbebetteronmars lmk if i forgot you or if you’d like to be added or if you want to be removed, i’m so disorganized at this point lol
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chilly-me-softly · 3 years
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Part 2 for DCL miss you where he's doing his all to get your attention and your really not giving it to him.
Part 1
Dominic has really gone out of his way to show you that this is not just a whim for him, that when his day included you it was a better life. Good morning or good night messages, calls to find out what you were doing or how your day had gone. It was like being back in the early days of your relationship where he flirted with you in every possible way, and you couldn't hide that you enjoyed it but there was always that part of you that was super aware of what had happened over the years. It would have been so easy to let you go but the thought of feeling like his second choice again blocked you.
Many times he had invited you to dinner, the two of you alone at his house or to enjoy the sunset sitting somewhere. Everything seemed to be going fine, as if nothing had happened, then suddenly you'd be reminded of everything and your bubble would burst making the atmosphere around you change in an instant.
Dom had done literally everything, but there was one thing you had never talked about during that time and maybe that was what was keeping you from having a fresh start. You knew that he was still training, still playing at least once a week, it was obvious that he hadn't stopped overnight; yet whenever you asked him how his day had gone he used to shrug 'the usual' or 'I've done things'. It was as if he was afraid to say anything related to that world, the one that had pushed you away from each other. But it certainly wasn't helping the cause.
That sunday was the derby, you hadn't missed one since you were together and he would have loved to invite you to that too. He was also due to leave for the national team training camp the next day and would have loved to spend some time with you first. But he seemed to have forgotten the existence of any english words as he played with the food on his plate.
"Dom?" he looks up from his plate as if he had only just remembered your presence and can't decipher your gaze as you place your fork down and simply look at him.
"Sorry" he whispers shifting his gaze from yours for a moment and taking a sip of water.
"What is it? You know I'm always here for you if you wanna talk"
"It's just that-" he clears his throat running a hand over his chest, "I'd like to... Sunday is the derby and I'd like you know -that you'd come and cheer me on"
"Oh Dom, why were you so nervous about asking me that?"
"Because well I don't know how far to go with football yet" he admits truthfully and you smile slightly.
"I'll always be backing you, no matter what"
And on that sunday you'd found yourself immersed in that all-too-familiar atmosphere, the jersey with Dom's name on the back ready to cheer for one particular person and pretend for those ninety minutes when he certainly wouldn't have seen you that nothing had happened in the last few months. The fact that practice and everything else had contributed to your distancing didn't change the fact that you enjoyed watching him play and loved seeing him do what he loved.
Pickers had made a sensational save at the very last moment to secure a draw and the mood of the team was just as high as if they had won. That plus your presence and the fact that you were wearing his jersey had given Dominic that extra push to ask you to spend some time with him before he left.
You were at his house, his eyes sparkling at the memory of some particular action of the evening and you listened captivated. Without realising it you get closer and closer, you laugh resting your forehead on his shoulder and when you raise your head the atmosphere changes imperceptibly. Your gazes fall on each other's lips, but as Dom steps slightly forward you suddenly stand up. A muttered sorry as you quickly pick up your bag and coat and walk away bursting that bubble.
Part 3
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dustofbrokenheart · 3 years
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The Covenant: Sweet Dreams Part 2
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Part One | Part Two
Chase Collins x Female Reader
Word Count: 1,968
Warning: contains physical intimacy and mature language
Summary: Now that you’re back from your trip, nothing is going to interrupt Chase’s plans for you.  A continuation of part one requested by the very sweet @thickemadame​​ 
After hours spent laid over in airports, you were finally home. Your body was a little stiff and you could really use a shower but life was good otherwise.
You adjusted the straps of your carry-on made your way to the bag claim carousel. Some fellow passengers were lucky and only had to worry about their carry-ons but that wasn’t possible for you. The research trip had lasted several weeks and a luggage set was entirely necessary to survive time you’d been out of town.  
The escalator took you downstairs to the ground floor and in the masses of unknown faces, a familiar one stood out.
Chase.
He spotted you ad waved the homemade sign in his hands around like crazy. The sign was colorful, complete with large bubble letters spelling your name and tons of stickers.
All in all, a very sweet gesture.
And almost the complete opposite of who your boyfriend really was.
Really, he did love you but Chase was a regular asshole most of the time, difficult and driven. He wasn’t naturally sweet; his idea of a romantic time was getting some beers and ending the night naked and covered in sweat.
He was also very concerned with how others saw him which is why it was unsurprising that he did this. It was all for the approval.
“Over here beautiful!” he yelled.
People around him cooed, whispering praises about him being a perfect boyfriend and he ate it right up. As soon as you were within reach he tucked away the sign so he could pick you up and give you a small twirl.
“Welcome back.” He leaned forward for a kiss and a few people even clapped.
Unimpressed, you pushed him away, brow raised. Really?
“Did you miss me, my dearest?” His arm draped possessively across your shoulders and he whispered hotly into your ear. “Cause I know I did.”
A shiver danced up the back of your neck as he herded you toward the baggage claim. It seemed that he hadn’t forgotten what had, or rather what hadn’t, happened the other night. And with him touching you, actually touching you instead of being in a dream, those memories were coming back for you too.
How your hands strained against the binds… every touch magnified with the blindfold on… the sharp sting of his hand spanking your flesh.
And most of all, the thrilling combination of hunger and pissed-off-ness on his face as he was about to wreck you only to be interrupted by the spell being broken.
“Of course I missed you.” You leaned to covertly nip at his neck. “I’ll show you just how much when we get home.”
He groaned lowly and tightened his grip, his fingers clamping down. 
In retaliation, you snuck your own hand around his waist and scratched his lower abdomen. If his shirt wasn’t in the way, your nails would’ve teased the trail of hair that led down underneath his pants.
The last thing you saw was your suitcases all successfully pulled off the conveyor line. Then you blinked and you were in your bedroom, the airport miles away with bags propped up  against the wall. Being with Chase for so long, you figured out what happened quickly.
“Using magic like that in front of everyone? Jesus, Chase.”
He barely lifted his mouth from where it was attached to you, sucking damp imprints into the back of your neck. “Calm down, baby. I made sure no one would see.”
“Even if that’s true, I’ve told you not to be so reckless Using. You’re going look like a fossil in ten years tops if you keep this shit up.”
Your head was pulled back and he tutted disappointedly. “Language, baby, language. Besides, even if I turn into an old man, I’ll still be enough to satisfy you.”
The carry-on dropped to the floor as Chase pulled you into a sloppy kiss that was all teeth and tongue and spit.
He made quick work of your clothes and soon you were completely topless, nipples hardening when they came into the exposed air. But you gave as good as you got and you frantically ripped his shirt off as well, his belt buckle your next target when he abruptly retreated.  
A delicate thread of saliva still connected the two of you as you panted. Spinning you around, he threw you onto the bed, the force making you bounce when your back hit the mattress.
One might mistake Chase’s body as weak but you knew that he packed serious strength under his clothes, the evidence undeniable as his muscles flexed in the yellow light from the bedside lamp. He may not swim competitively anymore but he was still an avid gym goer.
Couple that with his supernatural advantage and he had no problem tossing you even though it shocked you every single time.
The mattress further dipped as Chase crawled up after you, starting at the foot of the bed and working his way up to your lips. Now that he finally had you where he’d wanted you for weeks, pliant and under him, the kiss softened from animalistic desire to soft seduction.
Tongues licked at one another languidly, sending thrills down your stomach and straight into the heat between your legs. Your hips canted upwards, seeking more friction against your most sensitive part and he indulged you by grinding against you, his hard-on obvious.
Soon you were moving in tandem, hips rolling together, his hand ghosting over your sides and leaving goosebumps in his wake. He hovered over the hem of your pants, rubbing the pads of his fingers briefly under the waistband before slithering away to the skin that was already bared.
You moaned and he did the same thing again.
And again.
And again.
Feed up with the teasing, your nails dug into his muscled shoulders. “Touch me already. Please.”
Please was the magic word and it flipped a switch.
The pants were thrown across the room and landed on the floor with a muted thump, your panties placed in his pocket. For a second you regretted the loss of his lips until he descended onto your breasts, the same purposeful attention he gave your mouth.
His breath was hot and contrasted with coolness of his licks which ensured your both nipples stayed nice and tight. One particularly hard draw had you clutching him to your chest, fingers weaving through his soft hair to ensure he stayed where you wanted him.
Not that he would leave you hanging, even if your minor display of dominance irked him a little. He’d allow it for the moment.
He always had been a breast man and yours were especially perfect to him, soft, mailable, and oh so sensitive to his ministrations.
To prove it, he wound his tongue around the pointed nipple and sucked hard and firm.
The cry that left you was all too satisfying and he smirked as he nuzzled against your breast. Case in point. Still, he knew all of your sounds by heart and that wasn’t the best you could do, not by far. He needed to step up his efforts.
You were so into what he was already doing that your eyelids slammed shut when you felt something circling your clit. You didn’t stop to think how that was possible given that both of his hands were locked on your breasts along with his mouth.  
The circling started slowly and built up in speed until it was moving close to the speed of a vibrator. Your inner walls clenched around nothing and you felt yourself growing increasingly wet.
Quivering moans were constant as you couldn’t find the strength or will to keep your mouth closed.
“God, that’s hot,” he growled. “That right, baby, let me hear you.”
Words were difficult to form but you managed a whiney, “More,” before you were back to making unintelligible noises.
Continuing on his journey south, all the while licking and caressing, he stopped when he got to your opening. Iron strong hands gripped your thighs hard enough to bruise and he spread your legs as wide as they would go.
Chase made a mental note to drag you to the gym more often so he could work on your flexibility: it would allow him to explore more positions with you.
His own mouth replaced the invisible force that had giving it to you so good just a second ago, working you at a much lower speed, however, no less enthusiastic.
He didn’t give a damn about messy about and his lips sucked your glistening folds as if he were devouring a ripe peach. His saliva added to the wetness and the mixture dribbled all over his chin, and his nose which was also buried in between your legs.  
After all, you were his and he took your arousal as a badge of pride. Anything to get you off.
He shamelessly spelled out his name on you repeatedly with his tongue. It worked for both parties. You couldn’t help but respond to the attention and the fact that it was his name that did this to you placated his possessive urges.  
While he was doing that, the invisible force returned, this time massaging inside of your slick walls with wet squelches.
Had you been paying more attention, you would’ve noticed the black expanding to take over his eyes. As it was, the only thing you comprehended was the added pleasure. 
Your whole world narrowed to the heat emanating from your most intimate place.
The magic ramped up it’s pace like it had done when it was humming against your clit except now it was thrusting into you. Your hips were positively bucking trying, and failing, to keep up.
“Look at you, fucking yourself. Trying to cum,” Chase panted into your inner thigh. He pressed a kiss there. “Come on then. Do it.”
What had been fire running through your veins turned to lava in an instant and you cried out as your limbs liquefied, heavy with molten euphoria. Instinctively, you tried to grab his hair again but he didn’t take kindly to it the second time around.
Another invisible weight pinned your hands to the bed, the sheets beneath you long since having been wrinkled. You desperately pulled against the restraint but to no avail. The only way you were getting out of those damn invisible, magical bonds was by Chase’s will and he wasn’t feeling merciful at the moment.
“Tsk. You know the rules, no touching unless I say so. Now be a good girl and cum for me.”
The dominant tone along with the tight bonds and the relentless pounding inside of you, had your back arching sharply. One last sloppy kiss to your clit was all it took. 
You erupted completely with breathy screams and quivering muscles, bursts of light flashing in your vision as your eyes peeled wide open.
The wave ended far too soon and left you shivering when it ended. Everything was blurred.
His light eyes were lidded as you lazily stroked his face. You couldn’t help but to turn to kiss him as he held himself up on his elbows over your body.
“I—I think need a shower.���
“Later,” he retorted with finality.
Confusion showed on your face and he pressed his still hard cock against your stomach.
Oh. You’d been so caught up chasing your orgasm, that you’d forgotten about his.
He popped open the brass button at the top of his jeans and kneeled before you. “After all, you’ve been gone long time. We’re just getting started and nothing is going to interrupt us this time.”
_______________
Sorry for the long wait! April was a crazy month and I’ve been trying to tell myself I don’t need to write for Mortal Kombat 2021 (even though I want to.) I still don’t know if I have the rhythm for smut down but I hope everyone enjoyed it. 
Thanks for reading! 
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beigehearts · 4 years
Text
The Price of Self Respect
this is part one of a series of yandere chrollo x fem!reader. this story will contain explicit content. Warnings at the beginning of the chapter. Please send me requests if you wish to for hxh characters and scenarios! ❤
PART I Read part two here!  CW: mentions of death, murder, and gore 1,730 words
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It had been many days since you had received an assignment as a hunter. At this point you would have taken a request to open a pickle jar. You had an agent who sourced your jobs through to you that way no one could know your identity. Your agent barely knows your identity outside of your phone number. While you are no where near as infamous as the Zoldyck Family- you definitely are not unknown. “The Creator” is what most people would refer to you as- quite fitting for your ability. Specialists are not as scarce as people make them out to be; a specialist who utilizes their ability as best as they can is scarce. You conjure a pencil, and you can draw anything into existence. Your nen concentrates in your hand and you can create life (or at least a husk of life). Drawing animals or weapons, even humans (who aren’t quite sentient) earned you your high respect as a hunter.
You gaze out of the window at the quiet streets of a city you’ve never travelled to. While the hotel is large and towers over the town, it is probably the biggest building for miles. Bzzzz. You turn towards your bed and see your phone screen is lit up. Picking up the phone you see a single message from the only saved number on your phone.  York New. 14:00. 1278 Pearl Street. G Watanabe- Room 207.  You scroll down to see the status of the person. Alive. Wanted Dead. 7 Days. Employer ---
A smile graced your lips knowing that you finally have a job. While town hopping and sight seeing for the past few weeks was a nice rst, you can’t just halt your income. You enjoy your job anyway so the money is a bonus. Ill pack in the morning you think to yourself, once you land in York New you may have some extra time to research your target. 
The plane ride was smooth and quite comforting- you paid for first class. While you could use your hunter card to be priority seating, it leaves a trace of where you’ve been. Plus, you’ll be getting paid soon enough and the 12 hour plane ride in first class would be nothing compared to the fat check that would be wired to your account. Murder is expensive you know. 
Stepping out of the taxi, the driver gets out and opens the trunk for you. You grab your one small backpack filled with nothing but snacks- drawn snacks are not particularly tasty. Just because you can create it doesn’t mean it’s true to the real deal. You jog towards the doors, fat rain drops assaulting you meanwhile. You get your room key under for the room you reserved under an alias and make your way to the elevator. You press the button to go up and when the elevator reaches your floor it sounds a satisfying ‘ding’ and the doors open almost soundlessly. You stepped into the confined space and to your surprise a man steps in with you. You hadn’t even sensed him nearby, it seemed as if he just popped into reality. 
He’s tall, is the first thing you think when you look at him. Not necessarily tall as in feet wise (though he definitely had quite a few inches on you) but his aura and the way he carried himself made it seem as if he towered you. The corner of his lips turn upwards and suddenly he doesn’t seem so intimidating. It’s as if he was dragged back down to earth. 
“Good morning, awful weather it seems.” The man says with a chuckle. You take a moment to drink in all of him. His black hair is somewhat messy, a middle part with water dripping down a few strands. A bandage is wrapped around his forehead and you wonder if it’s an injury or a fashion statement. A large fur coat cover most of his body, you’re only able to capture a glimpse of a white button up shirt at his neck. 
“Terrible. My flight almost had an emergency landing.” You groan, recalling your annoyance when the captain announced this over the speakers.
“Ah so you just got in today? I got into York New about a week ago. What are you here for?” 
Your eyes travel to his and you notice that they’re unusually large while seeming to only make him more attractive. “I’m on a work trip, though I shouldn’t be here long.”  His lips stretch a little further into something of a grin, “What a coincidence, I’m here on business as well.” 
The elevator dings and you give a quick goodbye, not necessarily because you didn’t like talking to him but because you wanted to take a nice warm shower. You sashay out of the elevator, and the back of your neck tingles, you can tell that his eyes are boring into your back.
You drop your bag onto your bed and wander over to the mirror. Looking at you in the mirror is yourself. Though you never seem to recognize this person as you. You pose in different angles but can’t find one that makes you like yourself. You grab the chub of your stomach and groan hopelessly. A world renown hunter who has killed the unkillable is staring at herself in the mirror and grimacing. You remind yourself that you’re one of the strongest specialists out there and you shouldn’t be critiquing yourself. 
A day passed and your deadline is growing nearer. You draw your outfit for the day, and put on the jeans, hoodie, and heels that were super comfortable thanks to your nen. An assassin has to look good as well as kill. Your rented car waits for you in the hotel garage and when you finally make your way down there, you do a onceover of the car. There are no signs of foul play, tracking, or marking so you hop into the drivers seat comfortably. Once the car is started your phone buzzes. 
+ $2000 to your account message attached: get his pass for the auction and send it to client
You nod to yourself, you had completely forgotten about the auction. Of course you were supposed to kill a member of the mafia during the auction. How could you not have made that connection. While you are intelligent, you wouldn’t say you’re smart. Once you arrive at the hotel your target is staying at, you book a room despite the fact you will not be using it for long. In the hotel room you draw a dress that makes you look like a model, all you need is to look good and your nen for this mission, this goes for most missions.
Each minute on the clock seems to last hours, you need to leave at 01:30, in order to complete your mission at 2. This is the part you hate the most, laying on the hotel bed listening to the clock tick and tick and tick. It feels almost like the clock is mocking you, and sometimes you want to just break it. Though despite this you lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, counting down every minute until the clock strikes 1:30. 
The last mocking tick sound rings and you get up quickly. Walking confidently out of the room and down the large and foolishly elegant hall. You make your way to the elevators where you had a run in with that man and go down to the second floor seeing as you were residing on the fourteenth. The second floor was reserved for the mafia only, many families used this hotel to be near the auction. 
The elevator opens up and you examine the hall. It is much different than the one where your room is. Lights are dimmer and the color pallet of the hall was that of red and black where as yours was blue and white. You step out onto the marble floors and your heels click against the cold surface. Something’s not right. Something is very wrong, very out of place. You can smell it. The smell of blood. 
207 is closer to the end of the hallway than it is to the elevators. The lights are completely off at the end of the hallway as well. With each step towards the room of your target the lights get dimmer until there is no light. You halt and look at the room with gold numbers on it stating ‘207′. The door is cracked and you approach it cautiously. You push the door open and see your target laying on the ground in hundreds of pieces, it’s a bloody mess.
A man stands in front of the window that is the entire wall, his form dark. Now the only sound present is that of the rain pounding against the glass of the window. He turns towards you, and you quickly recognize the large fur jacket. It’s the man from the elevator, his coat is open and he’s shirtless, but covered in blood. His forehead is uncovered by the bandage that was on him previously, revealing a purple cross. His demeanor is still friendly and inviting but something is different about his eyes. 
He smiles and for some reason you feel drawn to him, so you take a step forward. “I’ve been waiting y/n.” 
You swallow any sense of fear you have and nod, “Oh you have?” 
“Of course, I thought I would make your job easier for you.” He chuckles just like he did in the elevator, as if he didn’t just commit an atrocity. But who are you to judge? “Don’t worry, I’ll still be paying you every jenny of what was promised.” 
Your head cocks to the side “So you’re my client?” He nods in response. 
“And I got his pass to the auction so I would say you did a pretty good job of completing your mission.” He waves the pass at you as proof. 
“Can I have the pleasure of knowing your name since you know mine?” You question.
He nods again, “Chrollo is my name. You were commissioned by the spiders.” 
The spiders... It quickly clicks in your head. The phantom troupe. Which means, in front of you stands the leader of the Phantom Troupe.
“It’s nice to meet you Chrollo.” 
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Text
Mr. Sandman (Ms Venable x reader)
i guess its kinda bad and i actually wanted to delete it, but here we are haha...
this fanfic is inspired by “Mr Sandman” (syml)..
google translate mwuah
summary: i dont want to spoil.. uhm.. Y/N thinks, her life with Mina is perfect and then a letter changes everything? something like that–
pt. 2: https://littlejeaniehugsbumblebees.tumblr.com/post/643509412185751552/mr-sandman-pt-2-miss-venable-x-reader
Whoohoo 
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"I never felt love .." Ms. Mead said.
"Neither have I ..", Ms. Venable answered.
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
Make her the cutest that I've ever seen
Give her two lips like roses and clover
And tell her that her lonely nights are over
Mina loved you more than anything else in this world. You were her good girl, her princess and you would do anything to make her happy. You looked after the house, you cleaned, you went to the supermarket. You would always ask how she is doing and put her needs above your own.
And at night you lay close to her, your head rested on her chest and she whisperes sweet things in your ear, every evening until you would fall asleep.
And you were so in love with your Ms. Venable. She was so damn smart and proud and her scoliosis had never been a problem for you. You helped her where you could and you loved to see her happy. You were a very emotional person, but Mina was always there to hold you tight.
And while you were taking care of the house, she was the one managing your finances. You found the strict, powerful Ms. Venable, who she was at work, incredibly attractive, but the Mina, who she was at home, was your heaven on earth.
Even though it was almost 4 years ago, you still remembered like it was yesterday when she came into the bookstore, you worked at, to ask for a book. She looked so beautiful when she leaned against the cashier's counter to discuss about Stephen Hawking with you. Many people would describe her as cold-blooded, but you loved her rational way of dealing with things.
Your life seemed perfect and then a little letter should change everything.
----
"I forgot to tell you, that you got a letter  .." you said and leaned in the doorway to watch your girlfriend,who was at her desk working on a document.
"Give it to me .." she muttered absently, still staring at the paper. She held out her hand in your direction and you jumped into the room to put the letter in her hand.
"I've already opened it .." you said nervously.
She raised her eyes in your direction and raised an eyebrow.
"Since when are you reading my letters, Y / N?"
"I'm sorry..I thought it looked kind of important..you know, he's from your college .."
Her gaze froze at your words and you became even more nervous.
"The graduates from your year will meet next saturday and you have also been invited .." you continued slowly.
"I was wondering if we might- .."
"No." she said firmly, still staring at you.
"But Mina .." you moaned.
"I know you hate people, but I think you'd have fun .. something like that is cool .."
"I said no, Y / N ..." she repeated, with a hint of anger in her voice, before taking the letter and tearing it up.
"You are stupid ..".
You stomped out of her study angrily.
---------------------
"You know, my college days weren't that great either .." you said, poking around at your food.
"But I would still go to this meeting .."
Mina sighed.
"You have no idea .. my college days were like hell to me ..".
Her mind wandered back in time to the lost girl she was in college. Everything was actually perfect, Mina was smart and loved to challenge her professors. But then she fell in love with the Meangirl and everything was upside down. She had never been in love and this girl was just as gay as her homophobic mother. And she was the darling of all professors and students. Mina had never even been in her field of vision, no matter how loud she shouted. And, of course, the Meangirl was dating Jonathan Cray, the blond handsome guy everyone adored. But as beautiful as he was, Mina had always seen how he had broken her heart. And every time she had wanted to kill him. She would have looked after her so well, not treated her the way he did.
"You don't have to tell me about it, if you don't want to .." you said when you realized how thoughtful she was and put a hand on hers.
"Thank you, princess .." she said softly and smiled sadly at you.
When you lay in bed in the evening, your head was on her chest, as always, while you read from the book what you just had in common. One of your favorite habits in your relationship.
Unfortunately, Mina couldn't concentrate on that.
The floral scent of your hair made her think of her again.
You smelled like her.
Absent-mindedly, she ran her hand over your bare back.
Your skin was as soft as hers.
"Mina?" You asked, lifting your eyes to look at her when you noticed that she wasn't focused.
Your eyes had the same shine as hers, Mina realized as she stared into your eyes.
"I love you so much, princess .." she muttered, pressing her lips against yours.
And you tasted like her too, at least as Mina had imagined.
You were perfect
Sandman, I'm so alone
Don't have nobody to call my own
Please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
-------------------------
Mina herself had made sure that you didn't have to work next Saturday, she didn't want you to leave the house that day.
You'd been confused, but her explanation was too sweet and you took the day off.
"You know, I have the feeling we haven't had much time for each other in the last few weeks and I would love to spend Saturday with you, princess ..", she said and you were happy.
Now she was only working for a few hours this morning and then you'd have her back.
You got up from the bed and opened the door to Mina's closet, which was separate from yours.
A few years ago Mina had already given you a hoodie of her own and as cute as it was, you unfortunately had to discover that time had borrowed it quite a bit and the purple was almost washed out. You reached out your hand to her turtleneck and pulled it over your head. Minas lavender perfume got into your nose and gave you a feeling of security
Just as you were about to close the closet, you noticed a box, that was on the floor of the closet, labeled with your name. You knew you shouldn't be getting hold of her things, but your name was on it, so it was your business somewhere.
You bent down to pick up the box, a shoebox. Before you opened it, you sat down on the bed edge. You carefully removed the lid and stared into the box, confused.
There were drawings in it.
Very direct drawings,..drawings of you.
You took the leaves, which had become wavy over time, and looked at them. Mina had drawn that, you were sure of that. Nobody would pay more attention to the details than Mina. These drawings were good, you couldn't imagine why Mina should hide them in her closet. Which is why you decided to hang them up. You jumped happily into her workspace and your good mood fell when you looked at Mina's desk. She had forgotten her bag. She never actually forgot anything. Confused, you grabbed the bag, determined to bring it to your girlfriend.
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
Make her the cutest that I've ever seen
Give her the word that I'm not a rover
And tell her that her lonely nights are over
-----------------
As you walked through the large building of kineros robotics, you couldn't help but wonder again about this strange work.
You walked past Jeff and Mutt's office and watched in disgust as the two of them were taking drugs as usual.
"Look! The prodigal son has found home .." Mutt exclaimed when he saw you and grinned.
The prodigal son?
Slowly you stepped into these idiots' office.
"Did Venny send you to update your system?" Laughed Jeff.
Just as you were about to open your mouth to answer, someone interrupted you.
"What are you doing here Y / N ?!", Minas voice barked behind you and made you flinch.
You turned around and stared into her wrinkled face.
"You forgot your bag .." you said quietly and held up her bag.
She inhaled sharply.
"Give it to me and go home, you shouldn't be here ..".
Without a word, you handed her the bag before you ran past her outside.
That was embarrassing and you couldn't explain why Mina was so angry. You just wanted to help her.
Annoyed, you got into your car and were about to start when something caught your eye. A young couple crossing the parking lot. He was holding a child, but your attention was on her.
Maybe you got crazy, but this woman looked like you.
Or did you look like that woman?
You could only stare and watch the couple go into the building. When the two of them disappeared behind the door, you blinked in confusion. That couldn't be possible.
Probably she just looked like you and besides, she was about 30 meters away from you.
You shook your head at yourself before you started the car to drive home.
-------------
Mina sat in her office and thought hard, should she be alarmed about what Jeff and Mutt had said to you?
A knock on her door made her jump and she let out a little scream as she saw who it was.
There she was, the love of her life, her hand still tied to Jonathan Crays. She balanced a toddler on her arm.
"Y / N ..", Mina uttered surprised when Y / N and Jonathan entered the room.
"Didn't you expect us?", asked Y / N and grinned.
God that smile.
"Not really .." Mina muttered as she turned red.
"We saw that you didn't register for tonight and now we've come to pick you up.."
Mina stared at couple. Jonathan looked totally bored and didn't look at all like he was enjoying being here.
"Come on .." Y / N pleaded.
"This is going to be fun ... do it for me .."
Do it for me.
These words ached in Mina's heart. She would have done so much for Y / N.
"I can't .." she began.
"I promised my girlfriend to spend the night with her .."
"Your girlfriend?" Y / N repeated with big eyes.
"Of course she can come along if she wants .."
"I really can't Y / N .."
Mina averted her gaze from the woman in front of her, who was now staring at her in disappointment
"We should go now ..", Jonathan suddenly muttered to Y / N.
"It was nice to see you, Mina .." she said quietly.
Mina
Only Y / N was allowed to call her that.
Mina smiled in pain.
"Have fun tonight .."
Jonathan nodded briefly and pulled Y / N out of the room.
---------------
Mina couldn't stop tears from running down her face as she drove home. This meeting today had shown her, what reality actually looked like.
She hated Jonathan so much, when he put his arm around Y / N when they left the building, it hurt so much to see and now she needed you. You were like her drug, she was addicted to the feeling of holding you in her arms.
"Y / N ??" she called for you when she got home.
"I'm in the living room ..", came your voice and Mina was glad that you no longer sounded angry. She took off her jacket and came walking into the living room, always leaning on her cane, of course.
She smiled gently at you when she saw you, but her smile fell as soon as she saw what you were doing.
"Where did you get this from?" She asked sharply, staring at the drawings.
"They were in your closet and I thought they were beautiful, so I thought I would hang them .." you replied, still seeming to be convinced that it was a good idea.
"I think they look so ... aggressive."
"Aggressive ..", Mina repeated slowly, still staring at you angrily.
She remembered the night she had made these sketches. Aggressive was a good word to describe how she felt back then. She had sat at the desk in the candlelight at night. She couldn't take it any longer. Y / N in Jonathan's arms..
With gritted teeth she had scratched the paper with a pencil. Tears dripped from her eyes onto the drawing in front of her, making the pencil blur. No matter how much it would cost, she was determined to take these sketches to her office the next morning to hand over to these two idiots Jeff & Mutt. You should be perfect.
Oh, Sandman, I'm so alone
Don't have nobody to call my own
So please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
"Hang it up .." Mina hissed at you.
"But Mina-".
"You gotta fucking hang it up .."
You rolled your eyes
"Hang it up yourself if it bothers you .. I try to do everything right the whole day and you're just mad at me .." you said and ran out of the room.
She looked after you and then began to unhook the drawings and toss them into the burning fireplace at the end. She hadn't imagined Saturday like that.
She ran through your house looking for you and finally found you lying on the bed in the bedroom.
"Princess?" She whispered softly as she entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed. Your back was turned to her
and you didn't move an inch
"Please talk to me .." she continued and reached out her hand to run through your hair.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" You let out.
"You've been totally weird since this letter arrived here ..."
You frowned at her.
Mina swallowed.
"I'm really sorry that I was so unfair .. I've only think back to my college days so often over the past few days .."
She looked at you sadly.
"Then talk to me .." you answered and sat up.
"I don't want to talk about it .." she said, grabbing your hands.
"The only thing that matters, is that you know I love you .."
You nodded slowly and were about to say something when she grabbed your face and angrily pressed her lips against yours.
"Mina what-"
"You are mine .." she growled against your mouth and pulled you into her lap.
"Do you understand me? You belong to me .."
--------------------------
The rest of the weekend was perfect, you gave her everything she needed. Mina had always been a bit possessive and you liked that, but the last two days had been different, she was scared. While she held you in her arms, all she could see was Jonathan putting his arm around Y / N, he didn't deserve her.
Monday morning everything seemed to be back to normal, you went to work just like her and in the evening she drove home and was looking forward to finally seeing you.
But as soon as she unlocked the door, she noticed that something was wrong. Normally you would greet her with a beam of joy, but you didn't.
When she called your name several times and you didn't answer, she panicked to search your house. Finally she heard sobs coming from the bathroom. She ran there immediately, if her stick allowed it.
"What's going on, princess?" She asked worried when she saw you standing by the sink.
"Something is wrong with me .." you whimpered and turned to her.
"What are you talking about?", She frowned and got scared when she saw that your right hand was wrapped in a bandage.
"Please don't be angry .." you began, trembling.
"I wanted to cook and cut myself .."
Mina's eyes widened.
Damn.
She grabbed your hand and unwrapped the bandage.
"I don't know what that is .." you said and more tears ran down your face as Mina looked at the cut on your palm. Instead of blood, cables came out of the interface.
She wrapped the bandage around your hand again.
"Jeff and Mutt will be able to fix this .." she muttered.
"To fix ??" you stared at her in fear.
"We have to go to the hospital, there are fucking cables in my hand .. I need help .."
"You are perfect ..", she growled and pulled you into your living room by your healthy hand.
"What the hell is going on here Mina ??" you asked and yanked yourself out of her grasp.
She slipped past you and sat on the armchair by the window.
"Have you never wondered why you are always healthy? Or why you have no friends or we never visit your family?" She asked challengingly.
You paused.
"What are you talking about? I hate my parents, they kicked me out when I came out to them, but you know that .. And don't say I have no friends .. I don't want friends, that's it. The only person I need is you .. "
She let out an amused snort and rubbed her temples.
"Because I programmed you that way .." she said finally.
"Programmed .." you repeated and you felt sick as you slowly realized what she was getting at.
"Y / N you are my creation .. look at yourself, you are flawless .. I have invested so much time in making yourself as perfect as you are now .."
You stared at her. Is that supposed to be a joke?
"I'm one of your robots?" You asked quietly and stumbled backwards.
That's what Mutt meant by "the prodigal son". But that made no sense, your memories, your family ... They all seemed so real ?!
You let yourself fall into the chair behind you.
"You are not just any robot .. you are my robot .." Mina said and came over to you to kneel in front of you.
Those were the strangest words she'd ever said to you.
You felt like you were about to throw up.
"You're perfect, you look like her ...", Mina said and reached out her hand to smooth your cheek with her thumb.
"Like her?" You gasp. Tears welled up in your eyes. Immediately you thought back to yesterday's woman ... So you weren't unique. A cheap copy from a stranger.
"Look at me and tell me that you are not happy with me ..", Mina looked at you sadly.
All you could do was stare at her. You had been together for 4 years and she had lied all the time. Who knows, maybe it wasn't even 4 years and just a few months.
"I didn't tell you, because I love you.", Mina said, as if she could read your mind.
"Because you love me? I thought honesty was the most important thing in a relationship .." you took her hand from your cheek and stood up.b
"Y / N, I created you .. Without me you wouldn't even exist ..", Mina said and leaned on her stick to get up as well.
"You're crazy .." you muttered and ran into the hallway. Mina hobbled after you.
"What is that supposed to be, Y / N?" She asked when she saw you put your jacket on.
"I'm leaving .. you scare me ..".
You grabbed your car key before heading to the door. Your hand wrapped around the cold doorknob, but something prevented you from opening.
You just couldn't. She had given you everything you ever wanted and even though you just found out that most of it was a lie, you just couldn't leave. Where should you go?Your whole life revolved around this woman and you loved it, she made you feel special.
Tears dripped quitetly on your hand, which was still tightly gripping the iron doorknob.
"You can't .." you heard Mina say softly behind you.
"You can't leave me because I programmed you that way .."
Programmed ..
You let out a sob at her words.
You slowly turned to her, she was standing a meter away from you and smiled sadly at you.
"Come here, princess .." she said and opened her arms.
You didn't hesitate for a moment and jumped into her arms to hold on to her while you cried.
"Shh everything will be fine .." she whispered in your ear.
"You are mine and that's the only thing that matters .."
Oh, Sandman bring us a dream
Make her the cutest that I've ever seen
Give her two lips like roses and clover
And tell her that her lonely nights are over
Oh, Sandman, I'm so alone
Don't have nobody to call my own
So please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
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portsidewonderland · 3 years
Text
Okay, I’ve been wanting to write this for the last three weeks, but I’m finally - finally - sitting down to do just that.
First, I’m a Rogan shipper. I’ve been a Rogan shipper for the last 20 years, but in that time, I’ve grown, I’ve experienced my own sense of love, and I’m a writer so I’d like to think I’m familiar with structure, characterization, and the like.
Second, I’m focused on the film franchise, strictly speaking. Just wanted to make sure that is clear.
Having said that, when I discuss how utterly wrong the X-Men franchise is, I’m talking about from a story standpoint. When I speak of Logan and Rogue, if that ship isn’t your jam, fine, but the points I make still stand.
Finally, spoiler alert for all of the movies.
Okay, I think we’re ready to jump in.
1. After the first movie, everyone forgot the heart of what made the first movie so special: Wolverine & Rogue
I don’t necessarily mean together. I mean, the movie focused primarily on Logan’s story and Rogue’s story. It was told through THEIR POV. This is important because, essentially, we’re asked to connect with these two characters AND WE DO.
The dialogue, the acting, and their stories (which reflect each other’s as well as stand on their own) draw us in and we are hooked.
Even the critics thought some of the best scenes are the ones Logan and Marie share together. Multiple critics discuss chemistry, how they add to the scene, etc.
Regardless of whether you ship them or not, there’s a compelling story between the two. This vulnerable, slip of a girl is the most powerful X-men out there (or one of) and this growly, fierce angry, broken man who’s been alone for so long that out of everyone he’s met and seen, THIS girl brings him to his knees.
And it’s because she isn’t scared of him.
Even after watching him beat the shit out of his opponent, even after seeing the claws threaten humans and slice through a barrel of a gun, she still thinks, I can trust him.
And when he catches her in his trailer, she STILL isn’t afraid of him. She gives him lip. She calls him out on his shit.
That’s how she manages to slide through the cracks.
And that is BEAUTIFUL.
I’m not here to talk about the performances, but Jesus Christ, I love this scene so damn much. The chemistry RADIATES. The glances, the confusion, the curiosity, and the attraction. (Sorry not sorry, it’s there on both parts, I’ll die on this hill.)
Anyway, the first movie is about how this girl brings the savage, feral Wolverine to his knees. How she gets him to STAY. How she gets him to open up.
Yes, Logan wants info on his past, but he’s staying for Marie. We all know it.
When he threatens Jean after first waking up, Jean is scared. And for good reason, obviously.
But Logan STABS Marie with his claws, and guess what? She’s still not scared of him. She’s worried about him.
This is THEIR story.
Do you really think Wolverine is going to go running around in leather for anyone but Marie? Yeah, I don’t think so. I mean, he literally STABS HIMSELF IN THE CHEST to free himself and get to her.
He PROMISES her that he’d take care of her. Do you think Wolverine bullshits? Hell no, he doesn’t.
And that’s why....
2. The whole Jean thing was just not great.
Okay, can I tell you something?
I don’t see Jean as a sympathetic character. She’s engaged to Scott and suddenly, Wolverine comes strolling in and she can’t get her shit together?
I mean, okay, I get it, let’s be real.
But Scott isn’t a bad guy. He nay be a dick, but he treats Jean well. Because we’re not in Cyclops’ or Jean’s head, we as the audience don’t see any marital/romantic issues between them. Hence, when Jean gets flustered by Wolverine to the point where she lets him goad her into reading his mind, she knows what she’s doing. She likes it. She likes Logan’s attention.
Not because she likes Logan.
(I read this fic where basically Jean tells Logan he could have been anybody, and I thought that was so perfect)
But because he’s giving her attention. He makes her feel desired.
And she leads him on.
Right there, I don’t like her, and I think that’s why a lot of Rogan shippers don’t like her is that she has no problem toying not only with Logan’s feelings, but with Scott’s.
But that’s not even the worst part of this.
At the end, when Logan asks for Marie and Jean makes her comment, she adds, “I think she’s taken with you.”
Like - why would Jean say that? Why mention it?
That’s petty ass shit right there.
To me, what she’s trying to do is align herself with Logan as adults and belittle Marie for having a little crush on him. Like it’s so juvenile.
And the worst line of this whole movie is when he says, “Tell her my heart belongs to another.”
Want to know why?
Because the writers/director haven’t SHOWN this. This line is forced here to TELL the audience that we should be shipping Jean and Wolverine. It’s sloppy writing. It tells me they think the audience are idiots.
Really, Logan?
Jean has your heart even though you completely go against Tall Dark and Feral to pick up a girl, then stay at the school with her, leave a fucking mansion to bring her back, make a promise to her, go after her after she’s kidnapped, stab yourself in the chest, fling yourself on the Statue of Liberty AND RISK YOUR FUCKING LIFE TO SAVE ROGUE’S JUST BY TOUCHING HER and you want me to believe your heart belongs to Jean????
Please, tell me, why the FUCK should I buy that?
Oh, because they’re the same age?
LOL no.
Anyway, I didn’t like Jean’s characterization because of that. Because she’s leading people on, because she needs to put down Marie’s feelings after her ordeal because of her insecurity, because of it all.
Which is why I’ll never ship them together.
Logan is at his worst when he’s around Jean.
Anyway.
And Jean is just the worst.
3. They took something meaningful and they fucked it
Logan promises to take care of Rogue. Do you know important that is for both of them as individuals and their relationship?
Rogue only goes back because of Logan. Not for anyone else. Not even Bobby. She comes back, she stays, for Logan.
Where do we see that after the second movie?
He’s so goddamned focused on Jean, on everything about her, that he barely notices that Rogue is ready to get the cure.
I’m GLAD they got a scene together. Because of their looks.
I am.
But shit.
It’s like Logan has completely forgotten all about Rogue, and I’m sorry, but after that first movie, I just can’t buy that.
I can buy that he leaves to check out his past. The dog tag scene is one of my absolute favorites. That’s perfect. Makes sense.
(Also, side note: Fic is so beautiful about this but he isn’t afraid to touch her. Like, he doesn’t HAVE to play with her hair but he does. It’s playful and flirty. It IS. He could have just said he liked her hair BUT HE HAD TO TOUCH IT. And this is HUGE for Rogue because honestly SHE’S afraid to touch and of herself but if Logan isn’t afraid, she stops being afraid - if that makes sense.)
But seriously? He’s not calling the mansion, not writing to Rogue?
I don’t believe that for one second.
This is why I will never watch The Wolverine after that first time (I refuse especially after the director said he was contemplating adding Rogue at the end and didn’t and FUCK EVERYTHING.) because he just leaves because he’s upset about fucking JEAN
I’m sorry but the Wolverine isn’t ABOUT Jean.
If that was the case, we should have had point of views between Logan and Jean in the first movie, not Rogue.
We should have SEEN their development, but we didn’t.
We’re TOLD it.
I’m sorry, but how do you want me to believe that the big bad Wolverine runs off to Japan because he’s sad about Jean? Like, so he’s just going to leave Rogue alone with all of those threats? Are you fucking kidding me?
Show them keeping in touch or SOMETHING. You can’t expect me to see such a huge transformation arc in Logan in the first movie that just gets shit on in every other movie (besides the second). Because that makes Wolverine look like a big, gigantic ASSHOLE and I get that he’s supposed to be that way, but NOT with Rogue.
Which is why Days of Future Past pisses me off as much of the rest them (I’m only discussing the Rogue Cut because I refuse to acknowledge that Bryan Singer - who gave us the first movies - regulated Rogue to such a fucking small cameo.) because Rogue was treated as garbage.
Now, I’m going to assume Logan doesn’t know about what really happened to Rogue because no one told him. But honestly? If he cares about Rogue the way I know he does, he should be asking about her every single time he and Xavier talk.
I love that Logan can sense Rogue when she steps in to help. I love that Rogue refuses to let go of Logan’s mind even in the heart of danger (@bigfrogbestfrogs has an awesome breakdown of these scenes). But I’m appalled at how Kitty is chosen before Rogue? Like, even when coming up with the idea for this movie, why not involve Rogue more?
I refuse to discuss Bobby and her together at the end.
Fuck that.
4. The timelines
Look, I’m not even going to go into the shit that is the timelines.
But honestly?
Fuck everything about that.
I get Singer wanted to retcon X3, but I don’t care.
Based on Apocalypse, the future still sucks so everything failed and then the movie LOGAN takes that shit and amplifies it.
5. LOGAN (the movie)
I’m sorry, but this movie is amazing in some ways and sucks in others.
Want to know why?
Because it takes everything about what made the first movie great and emphasized it.
Laura is too young to be a love interest, so clearly, it’s paternal, and I’m here for it.
But there are so many parallels between logan and Laura and Logan and Rogue that for Logan not to say anything or feel anything in a way tgat tells the audience he’s feeling something just boggles my mind.
Even if he carried HER picture or played with the dog tags and thought of her, something that shows the audience he remembers her, dammit, and she MEANT something to him.
But FUCK how could he NOT?
And that’s why the scene where he’s reading that comic book and he sees himself saving Rogue is so poignant.
Because his gaze lingers.
I mean, obviously I’m assuming she’s dead (which is bullshit but whatever). But still.
And then when he’s dying and Laura is holding his hands and you get that prophecy of him dying with his heart in his hand and I loved how they paired it with the Logan and Rogue song. I loved that callback.
And if the films in between them weren’t such shit, it would be enough.
But it’s not enough for me.
There was so much potential and everything got shit on and it angers me soooo much.
Anyway.
That’s me venting.
Luckily we have so many talented Rogan fic writers and that our ship has survived 20 years.
But still.
What could have been...
Shit.
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