#I think this is originally from hunger games but I don’t remember | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

zepskies · 1 year

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Love Actually - Part 3

Paring: Soldier Boy/Ben x Reader

Summary: You and Ben steel yourselves in order to meet your crazy family for Christmas dinner.

AN: And here’s Part 3, lovelies. Stick around after the end for a special announcement (new BMD fic dropping next weekend)!

Remember, this is set in the same world as “Break Me Down,” and set before “Checkerboard.” There will be a few references to the original story in this. But on the whole, this can be read as a stand-alone!

Word Count: 5,300 Warnings: 18+ only! Smutty smut ahead. Lots of fluff and a potential overload of feels.~

Part 3: “Auld Lang Syne”

You leaned down, subtly grabbing his thigh.

“I need you,” you whispered in his ear. The tone of your voice set his blood alight with new interest.

Ben’s resulting smirk was subtle, but edged. “A tour it is.”

Ben got up from the couch, giving you a thinly veiled look of smugness. He knew you’d come around.

You nearly rolled your eyes.

But when you told your grandfather your plans to show your boyfriend the rest of the house, he just waved the two of you off. He was too invested in the baseball game to give it much thought.

Which left Ben to follow you up the stairs, where he admired the curve of your ass in this little dress. He couldn’t help himself. He reached out and grabbed a delectable handful.

You gasped and clung to the guardrail. You shot him a warning look over your shoulder, despite your smile.

Not yet, your gaze told him. But you took his hand and guided him the rest of the way up. His grip tightened on yours.

All right. He could wait.

When they got to the second floor though, Ben started to get curious about the large two-story house.

“I thought you said your mom had debts,” he said. “Supposedly, that’s why you took on the job of hunting me down.”

You chuckled humorlessly. “Don’t let that Betty Crocker apron fool you. She’s a degenerate gambler.”

Behind you, Ben’s brows rose a bit.

You paused a step. “Or, well, she used to be. As you know, my family has issues.”

He snorted in response. Something else occurred to him though.

“Is this the house you grew up in?” he asked. You full on stopped walking then.

“Oh, no,” you said, with a firm shake of your head. “She sold that house after the divorce. She bought this one with the settlement money.”

Ben ruminated over that as you led him into the guest bathroom. He closed the door behind him with a soft click, and by the time he turned around, you were there with your warm hands on his chest, shoving back his jacket.

He smirked and shrugged it off the rest of the way, then draped it on the doorknob behind him. He started with unbuttoning and rolling up the sleeves of his black dress shirt.

You watched him with hunger in your eyes, running your hands down his firm chest and solid abs.

You heaved a breath of relief when he pulled you in. He wrapped his arms around your waist and started kissing down your neck. You clung to his arms and tried to stop yourself from digging your nails into his nice shirt.

“What changed your mind?” Ben asked.

“Are you complaining?” you quipped.

“Always a fucking smartass,” he rejoined. And his lips left you, with him giving you raised brow. His thigh slipped between your legs, a slow and torturous friction. “Maybe I’ll just leave that pretty pussy on fire.”

Ugh, you thought. He could be so annoying. You leveled your stern eyes up at him.

“I need you to fuck me. Right now,” you said. “Or I’m gonna rip my aunt’s face off.”

You reached down to cup his length firmly through his slacks, earning a grunt from him. It ended on a groan when you grazed him with your nails. He chuckled deeply.

“That’s kinda hot,” he replied. An understatement. The hairs on his arms were standing up, along with his cock.

You smiled in amusement. “You would think so.”

He grabbed your arms and meant to kiss you, but you stopped him with your fingers against his lips.

“Two rules: this lipstick doesn’t come off. And no. Ripping. The dress.”

By no means did you want to get caught doing this. You already felt guilty, and you two hadn’t even done anything yet. But you needed this, or else you weren’t sure you could get through dinner without any violent incidents.

But you could tell that Ben was annoyed at being given restrictions as he stared down at you.

“You’re making a lot of fucking demands tonight,” he said, squeezing your arms a bit.

You smirked and tilted your face up to him. You leaned up, nearly brushing your lips with his.

“Isn’t it more satisfying when you have to work for it?” you asked.

Ben huffed, and almost rolled his eyes. If there was one thing you enjoyed doing, it was testing his fucking patience.

But then he smirked. “Fine.”

He gripped your arms tighter and turned you around, pressing you against the pristine granite countertop. You met his darkened gaze in the mirror.

You knew then that he was going to do one of his favorite things: taking you from behind while he made you watch. It wasn’t the first time, and you knew it wouldn’t be the last. But you parted your legs, your lower belly quivering with anticipation as his thigh encouraged you.

His hands soothed down your arms, dragging across your body, squeezing your breasts over your dress while his lips burned down your neck once more. His teeth grazed your skin, making you shudder.

You then remembered to turn the faucet on in the sink. It would create some more background noise, and hopefully disguise your moans as his hands traveled down your body.

You helped him slide the skirt of your dress up, tug your pantyhose down to your ankles without ripping them.

“Hmm, I like the black lace,” he murmured behind you. His fingers dragged down your skin along with your panties.

“I know,” you replied on a shaky breath, as his fingers teased the slit of your pussy from behind, brushing between the folds. “You bought ‘em last week.”

“Did I?” he mused, as his fingers found your clit. He rubbed a bit roughly, drawing a pleased sound from your lips. “I’ve got good taste.”

A smile broke out across your face. “See? I never need to pay you any compliments. You can stroke your own ego just fine.”

Ben tilted his head at you. He peered around your shoulder to catch your eye. You gave him a sly look over your shoulder, though it was edged with desire.

“Oh yeah?” His words were a challenge. His fingers entered you then, earning an even deeper moan from you, though you tried to taper it down. “Maybe I should let you stroke your own too, huh?”

You shook your head, biting your lip. Your inner walls were already clenching on his fingers, and you had to grab his arm and the counter for balance.

“Ben, please,” you whispered more raggedly. His smirk took on a wicked edge.

“Oh, now it’s please?” he said, his voice drawing deeper, more gruff. “Please what?”

You couldn’t speak. His fingers were working overtime pulsing inside you, while his other hand joined, parting your folds to press on your clit like a button. You were so fucking close, you could taste it…

But as soon as that coil began to truly tighten, Ben withdrew his fingers. You panted for breath, and your gaze snapped up to his in the mirror. You glared at him.

“What the f—”

“Answer me,” he demanded. “Or I really will walk the fuck out right now.”

Big talk, you thought, from the man with a rock-hard dick. But you blew out a breath and conceded to his demands.

“Please,” you said, reaching back to stroke his cheek, running your fingers through his hair, bringing him closer. Your hand clenched in his hair. And with the other, you took his hand, still wet from where it had been inside you, and brushed it against your slippery folds.

“This is all because of you,” you said. “Only ever for you. Fuck me until I break an ankle in these heels. ‘Til I can’t fucking breathe.”

Ben’s chest warmed. And it wasn’t just about his pride.

Somehow, you gave him everything he wanted to hear and more. Maybe that was part of what he loved about you. Even when you demanded from him, you gave him more of yourself.

So he gave you what you wanted. He guided you down onto the counter and rucked up your dress. Per rule #2, he did it gently enough so he wouldn’t rip the fabric.

You heard his pants unzipping, felt the weeping head of his cock against your folds, teasing you for a moment. You gripped the counter and made a sound of pleading frustration.

“I gotcha, baby,” Ben said, lowly in your ear. He gripped your hip and guided his cock inside you, nice and slow. You both breathed hard, trying to keep your voices down. He then bottomed out, and it made your inner walls flutter and tighten. He made a gutteral sound, low and pleased. “Such a good girl.”

His darkened green eyes fixed on yours in the mirror. It was heat and desire, but it was also deeper. It always had been, ever since he met you.

And for you, his gaze alone was a molten caress. If you had it your way, you could very well spend the rest of the night in the guest bathroom. In this very moment…

But it had already been a while in here. You didn’t know how much time you had left before someone came to find you two, so you squeezed his hand on your hip.

“Get going, cowboy,” you teased, but it was really a command. Ben saw it in your heated gaze in the mirror, meeting his. He slid out of you slow at first, but snapped back in harder. It made you jolt, but also shudder and squeeze him from the inside out. He wished he had the time to do this how he wanted, taking his time, but that was one thing they didn’t have.

He made up for it by taking you hard and deep, putting you through your paces. You held on for dear life while trying not to let your voice raise higher. It was a challenge for you, and you knew Ben liked hearing your voice. But when he hit a particularly good angle, you couldn’t help but cry out a bit.

He brushed your hair away from your neck and pressed his lips there. He had to bite down to stifle his own grunts. It had you gasping at pain mixed with pleasure.

He was getting close too; you could feel it in his wilder thrusts, in the tightening of his hand on your hip. You needed just a bit more.

“Ben,” you whispered. He heard the ragged need in your voice. He saw it in your eyes when he met them in the mirror, desperate for release.

“Tell me,” he ground out.

You took his hand guided it again down to part your folds. He took the hint and once again circled the pads of his fingers against your clit—this time with purpose. Your breath hitched as the coil in your belly finally snapped and released its warmth.

He gave you a few more hard thrusts before his hips stuttered as he groaned, and he spilled inside you.

Oh shit. You still hadn’t gotten your IUD replaced…

Oh fucking well, you thought, as your core still quivered with pleasure. This was worth playing a bit fast and loose with your birth control.

For a while, the sounds of your mingled breaths were almost drowned out by the water running. You turned off the faucet. Then your eyes met Ben’s in the mirror, and you smiled.

The corner of his mouth raised. He slid out of you, but you kept him close with a hand around the back of his neck, tangling your fingers in his hair. Part of you couldn’t believe you just fucked your boyfriend in your mother’s house, in the guest bathroom of all places. But you felt all the better for it.

Or at least, you no longer had a desire for blood. You stroked the arm that still held you upright, more bracing now than restrictive. You felt his seed spilling down your inner thighs, but you couldn’t yet force yourself to move. Your legs were still shaky.

However, you knew you could rely on the strong pillar of his arms holding you. Ben rested his cheek against your hair, pressing a kiss there.

“You’re beautiful tonight,” he said.

Your eyes widened with soft shock. When it slowly faded, you bit your lip. Your body shook with quiet laughter as your brows rose high.

“Right now?” you asked. With your dress rucked up and your pantyhose rolled down to your ankles.

“Yeah. Right now,” Ben said. “A fucking sight.”

And he meant it.

You could tell, and that warmed you down to your toes. Your smile softened as you rested against him and closed your eyes for a moment.

“You don’t know how glad I am that you’re here with me,” you said. “Thank you.”

“I’ve got some idea,” he murmured, smirking as you once again trembled with a giggle.

You reluctantly detangled yourself from him to reach down under the sink for a washcloth. Ben let go of your waist, only so he could take the small towel from your hand. You looked up at him in confusion, but he leaned around you to run the cloth under a bit of warm water from the sink.

He then got down on one knee in front of you, and proceeded to clean you up himself. Your eyes widened as you stared down at him. Your breath caught in your throat.

He’d never done this before. Something about it made you blush. The sheer intimacy of it, probably, of his hand running the warm cloth up your bare inner thighs. His free hand held one of your calves, his thumb resting just under your knee.

You had to reach for his shoulder to stabilize yourself when the cloth swiped between your thighs, against your sensitive core. It made your lower belly tingle again with a spark of arousal. You breathed in slow and deep before you spoke.

“Not that I’m complaining, but…” you trailed. You weren’t even able to finish your question.

Ben met your gaze with a raised brow. “What, can’t take care of my girl?”

It took you a moment, but eventually you smiled. The kind of smile that made your insides warm and buoyant, and your stomach clench.

You had a feeling he’d overheard you and your sister talking earlier. It wouldn’t have been the first time he’d eavesdropped with his superior hearing.

Your expression faded a bit when something occurred to you. You tilted your head at him.

“You heard everything my aunt said, didn’t you?” you asked.

Ben paused a moment, holding the towel against your inner thigh. His lips drew downward as he remembered what he’d heard while trying to concentrate on the baseball game with George.

“I’m just sayin’!” Trina said. “He might have forever, but you certainly don’t.”

If Louisa hadn’t stepped in when she had, Ben might’ve had to ruin his new suit, if not the evening.

“Seems like having a big fucking mouth runs in your family,” he muttered.

You snorted. “Yeah, but mine’s endearing. She’s just a bitch, still bitter from her divorce.”

Ben didn’t answer. Though after he finished cleaning you up, he rested and elbow on his bent knee. His free hand dragged up your thigh and over your hip, squeezing soft flesh.

“Yeah well, put her in her place next time, or I will,” he said. His tone was edged, and you gave him a wry look.

“I’ll try not to give you the chance,” you said.

“I mean it,” Ben said. His gaze bore into yours, unyielding, even from where he knelt at your feet. He stood to his full height, tucking in his shirt and zipping his pants back up as he went.

“No one’s got the fucking right to talk about our business,” he said. “And you better not listen to a goddamn word. About me, and sure as shit, not about you.”

A small, sharp breath got stuck in your throat. Just then, you found you had to swallow past a swell of emotion lodging in your throat.

His hands found their way back to your hips and squeezed gently, but with purpose. You read it in his eyes.

“You hearing me?” he asked.

You nodded. “Yeah.”

Your aunt was someone who always “meant well.” You had gotten far too used to swallowing your tongue for your mother’s sake. And at the end of the day, you usually knew how to let Trina’s words roll off. You’d certainly had plenty of practice.

But regardless, your heart grew for this man.

You took his face between your hands, and you kissed him deeply, breaking rule #1.

You took a few more minutes to fix your clothes, your hair, and yes, your lipstick.

When you two eventually went back downstairs, the table was nearly set. The appetizers and wine remained, along with the plates and silverware. All that was missing was dinner itself.

“Okay, looks like dinner’s about ready. I’m gonna go and help,” you said. You gave Ben a parting smile and let your fingers run down the back of his arm. He shot you a wink, and one last pat on the ass.

You had to stifle your squeal, sending him a playfully warning look on your way to the kitchen. You stepped back in to see your mom pouring the cranberry sauce into a serving pitcher.

“Oh, glad Miss Congeniality could grace us again with her presence,” Trina remarked at the sight of you.

You gave her a flat smile. “What do you need?”

“We’re serving. Help your mom,” she said, nodding behind her. You wordlessly agreed and went over to Marie, who gave you a curious look.

“Where were you all that time?” she asked. Louisa looked over with the same question in her eyes.

“Well, I said hi to Grandpa,” you said. It wasn’t a lie, and technically, nor were your next words. “And then I gave Ben a tour of the house.”

When the fuck is dinner already? Ben thought as he approached the dining table filled with mini quiche, pigs-in-a-blanket, and other appetizers. His stomach was starting to growl something fierce. He was craving real food, but he still grabbed one of the small plates.

While he surveyed the layout of finger food, Great Aunt Silvia sidled up next to him with her cane in hand. Ben noticed her out of the corner of his eye. According to George, she’d had a hip replacement last month.

“Hey, there,” he greeted somewhat politely, if distracted by adding food to his small plate.

“Oh, my days. You’re Soldier Boy,” she said in surprise. Her eyes twinkled with delight.

Where’ve you been, lady? Ben thought in annoyance. Oh, that’s right. Passed out in a damn oxy coma.

Before he could respond with something half gracious, he felt a bony hand get a meaty handful of his ass.

He actually flinched, more at the suddenness than anything else. A pig-in-a-blanket flew from his plate and rolled off the table.

Ben gave the old woman an incredulous look. What the fuck?

“Excuse me?” he uttered.

But of course, she played dumb. And she ducked quick when you came over with the mashed potatoes in large bowl. You set it down on the table, but you noted the grouchy look on his face as he looked past you into the living room. Great Aunt Sylvia waddled away with the help of her cane, back to her nice recliner.

“What’s the matter?” you asked, earning his attention.

“Silvia’s a wily old broad,” he muttered. At the look on your face, however, he felt the need to clarify. “Apparently she got my ass confused with the quiche.”

You bit your lip, and your eyes widened. You had to stifle a shocked giggle as you glanced past him to your great aunt, who’d taken her usual seat by her brother. You slid Ben a knowing smirk.

“I thought you liked older women,” you teased.

He scoffed. “Gotta draw the line somewhere. I think ‘hip replacement’ is that line.”

“Not running for the Astroglide, huh?” you whispered in his ear.

He grimaced, even though he also wanted to laugh. He just shook his head.

“Jesus Christ, enough.”

You stifled a laugh through your nose and soothed his arm.

“Here, help us with getting the ham on the table. Maybe we can avoid another member of my family playing grab ass.”

Once Christmas dinner was all set on the dining table, you were practically salivating. You had a hard time deciding on what to try first: the ham, the sweet potato casserole, the cranberry sauce, or stick as much of all three on your fork as you could.

You went with the latter, and Louisa eyed you with a laugh.

“What?” you asked with your mouth full. It got Ben’s attention as well.

“You do this every year,” Louisa remarked. “It’s like you forgot how long it takes to get dinner on the table in this house.”

“I’m freakin’ starving,” you admitted.

“Yeah? Worked up an appetite, did you?” Ben asked, a bit pointedly, despite the way he sipped at his wine. (And paying you back for that Astroglide quip).

You shot him a warning look at his audacity.

Louisa seemed to be the only one who caught the exchange, with a suspicious brow raise.

“So Ben,” Trina began, around a mouthful of ham. Already her voice set you on edge. “What was it like in the ‘40s? You know, with the Nazis and everything.”

You and Ben shared a subtle glance. His jaw clenched.

Fuuuucking hell, you thought.

From the head of the table, Grandpa George looked over at his eldest daughter with an annoyed glint in his eye.

“Katrina, do us all a favor,” he said wryly. “Keep stuffin’ your face.”

You bit your lip against a grin. Louisa shared your same problem, snorting into her Diet Coke.

Trina looked adequately indignant, but to everyone’s relief, she just pursed her lips and speared at her plate.

The rest of dinner was interesting, to say the least, with many questions thrown to Ben about his celebrity days. He ate up the attention, just as you thought he would. It seemed your little escapade upstairs loosened him up too. He told his favorite stories, editing the more graphic anecdotes out of some of them, you noticed gratefully.

The atmosphere only got tense when Ben bit into some kind of casserole Marie made. The texture was soft and stringy with green beans, but there was something unpleasantly sweet, and even crunchy in the middle. Uncooked noodles, maybe? Frankly, he wasn’t sure what he was eating.

“You all right, hun?” Marie asked him.

“What is this?” Ben asked, pointing down at his plate with a fork.

“Ah.” Trina peered at his plate, and then the suspect casserole. “It’s probably not quite right. God love her, but my sister’s no Gordon Ramsay.”

You frowned as your mom’s gaze fell. Her lips drew downwards in disappointment.

Before you could speak up, Ben’s voice stopped you.

“You know what,” Ben said. His voice was tight, in a way that told you he might just snap. Your aunt’s questions had gotten more intrusive and annoying over the past hour, too much even for him to let roll down his back. He was used to dealing with shitty press, but Trina was fucking relentless.

Someone better fucking muzzle this bitch before I do it for her.

The words were about to fly out of his mouth, in a very real threat. Ben only took his belt off in public for two reasons: a good fuck and a good old-fashioned hog tie. Your aunt was about to get the latter.

However, he could tell by the way you were gripping the edge of the table, you were bracing yourself for whatever he was going to say next. All eyes were on him.

Ben drew in a breath. With every cell of effort left in him, he turned to Marie with a smile. As pleasant as he could manage.

“I was just trying to figure out what you put in this, because it’s delicious,” he said.

Marie blinked with a bit of surprise, but then, she brightened.

“Oh…well, it’s just green bean casserole. A bit of butter, some Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup. That classic recipe,” she said.

But she paused, in a way that told Ben that the other shoe was about to drop.

“…And I just added a few raisins and walnuts this time. For some texture,” she said with a shrug. “You know, something different.”

She smiled at Ben, while he and the rest of the table tried not to grimace. Who the fuck puts raisins in cream of mushroom? That’s just wrong.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” she said.

Ben offered her a nod, but he had to take a long sip of wine to wash the unpleasant mix of overbearing salt and sweetness down.

He felt your soft hand squeeze his under the table. When he looked over, he found your subtle, thankful smile. The corner of his mouth raised, however slightly.

The night ticked on, and Ben subtly checked his watch while he chilled out on the couch. He was at the edge of the festivities now, as your family was exchanging gifts by the modest Christmas tree in the living room.

He surveyed them all—warm and comfortable with one other as they joked and hugged and talked and laughed. Even Trina looked less irritating.

Ben felt a bit like an intruder.

Hell, he didn’t think he’d ever had this. A quiet, family Christmas.

Though he was a bit surprised when Marie was the first one to walk over to him. She sat down on the couch and offered him two gift bags. One was larger than the other.

“You didn’t have to,” he told her, but she waved him off.

“Nonsense. When I saw this, I couldn’t help thinking of you,” she said. Ben began opening the larger one first. It was a simple, dark blue bag.

“You might think it’s silly,” she said, folding her hands in her lap in a slightly nervous gesture. “Feel free to return it if you don’t like it.”

Ben pulled out a nice bottle of whiskey. He actually appreciated this one.

“Oh! That’s from Louisa,” said Marie.

“Really?” He glanced over and found Louisa sitting on the floor beside you.

You were busy trying to cut through a present Grandpa George had wrapped with duct tape, just to be an asshole. (He did this to you every year, precisely because it frustrated you so much.)

But Louisa looked up and met Ben’s gaze, giving him a wry smile and a lazy soldier’s salute. His lips quirked, and he inclined his head in wordless thanks.

“This one next,” Marie prompted him. She tapped on the second gift bag, which was bright green and shiny.

There he found a leatherbound journal and a set of silver ballpoint pens. They looked expensive. They also reminded him of a set his father used to keep in his desk, in his study. Even the smell of the leather brought him back to that room, filled with books, crisp ink-filled pages, and tumblers of whiskey.

“I’ve worked in a hospital for over ten years, in the psychology wing,” Marie said. “I see a lot of veterans. Lisa, my friend who’s a nurse? She told me that writing things down can help with memories you want to keep, and sort through the ones you’d rather not.”

Ben held her gaze for a moment, but it soon fell to the journal. He didn’t really know what to say. For once, he was at a loss for words.

Mostly because he was irritated. He didn’t need what she was offering, and implying…

Still, it was hard to get mad at someone like Marie. It would be like all those times he’d snapped at his own mother, leaving him feeling hollow inside afterwards. He’d always apologized to her later…in his own way.

But that was a long time ago.

“Sorry,” Marie said eventually. “I know, you’re too busy for all that. But at least you’ve got the whiskey.”

“Thank you,” Ben said. But the reserved smile he offered her was more genuine than even he expected. The journal and the pens still laid in his lap.

Marie smiled warmly, and in it, Ben saw your inner softness. The way you cared about your family and your friends, and him…he knew then that it began here.

Marie gave his cheek a motherly pat. Ben allowed it, begrudgingly.

“We’re so glad you’re here, honey,” she said. “I hope you had a good time.”

He was a bit relieved when she finally moved on. She headed over to Louisa, who was opening one of her gifts. You got up off the floor returned to your boyfriend with a wrapped box in your hand. First, you admired his small haul.

“Look who’s popular,” you noted with a grin. Ben gave you a bemused look and put the gifts back in their respective bags.

“I’ve got one more for you,” you said, with a teasing smile that made him suspicious. You handed him the box, which was about the size of a large book. The sticker said it was from you, to him.

His brows furrowed. “What’s this?”

You already got him the watch. But at your gesturing, he ripped the green wrapping paper off to find…a photo album.

“Really, what is this?” he asked.

“You can’t tell?”

“I know what it is—”

“Well, then open it,” you prodded. You sat down next to him as he started flipping through the album.

The very first picture wiped the curious expression from his face. It was his mother, crisp in black and white. She was young and beautiful and smiling almost shyly for the camera on a windy day.

Right beside it, there was one of his parents’ wedding pictures, old and yellowed around the corners. The third was a faded picture of the club where his parents met. His mother had been a singer there.

You leaned over with a hand on his shoulder. Ben looked over at you.

“What the hell did you do?” Ben he asked. His face was hard to read, but he didn’t look upset. His tone was more resigned.

“I found your stash of pictures under the bed, so I thought I’d put them together for you,” you said. You bit your lip in worry, hoping he would like it. You weren’t sure of his reaction yet.

After a moment, he kept flipping. Next were a few pictures of himself, incredibly young and already with a familiar cocky grin. There was even a rare picture of him and his parents together. He remembered when and where it was taken—at his father’s birthday, right after Ben got kicked out of boarding school.

He hadn’t looked at these pictures in…hell. It’d been decades. He'd retrieved them from an old storage locker last month, but hadn't gotten around to actually opening up the box. Now, he supposed, he didn't have to.

But the album then skipped ahead, by a lot, because the next row of pictures was unfamiliar to him—ones you must’ve added.

They were of the Supe Affairs team. One was a group picture Hughie managed to grab with all of you in it.

There was another right beside it, of Hughie trying to lift Ben’s shield.

“When the fuck did that little shit get ahold of my shield?” Ben groused.

“No idea,” you said with a smile, and you flipped the page. There was an old school polaroid of you with Frenchie and Kimiko, sharing milkshakes. Then you and Annie, clinking cocktails together. Followed by you and M.M. trying to beat Butcher at backgammon.

And then one of you, your friend Yvette, and her son Devon in Central Park. Another beside it, on that same day, where Ben had an arm raised high and parallel to the ground, and Devon clung onto his arm with a wide smile.

Ben lingered on that picture for a moment. He was too engrossed in it to see you glance at him, smiling.

He flipped to the next page, where there was a picture of just you and Ben, sleeping in the jet on the way back from a rare field mission you were a part of. He was still in his supe suit, with an arm thrown around your waist. You were resting on his chest, and both of you were completely knocked out. Ben quirked a smile at that one.

On that page and the next was a series of pictures from the past few months. He didn’t know this, but you’d been collecting them from your phone and had gotten them developed.

There was the first time Ben got you to ride a motorcycle with him. You were apprehensive, clinging to him for dear life while he grinned. It had taken him a while to convince you to hop on, but the only thing that worked was finally telling you the truth.

“You really think for one damn second that I’m gonna let you fall?”

The next picture was one he got of you, fresh out of the shower with a towel barely wrapped around you. You were clearly annoyed, but also amused that he’d surprised you with the camera. Ben now pointed to it.

“That one’s my favorite,” he grinned.

“Shocker,” you said with a chuckle. “Keep flipping.”

He then got to one you took of him. He was sitting out on the balcony, half-dressed with a cigar puffing away. The sun was setting beyond him. You caught his profile as he turned to look at you over his shoulder.

It was a good memory for you, and some damn good photography skills, if you did say so yourself.

But there was another picture that drew Ben’s eye. It was one that Annie sneakily took of you and him on a night out with her, Hughie, Kimiko, and Frenchie. After a bit of alcohol and cajoling, you’d managed to get Ben out on the dance floor. You were both dewy with sweat from dancing. The lighting was off because of the darkness of the club.

But the way he was holding you, looking at you with fire thinly veiled behind his eyes, and the way you were looking up at him, like you’d never been more satisfied than to be right where you were…

It was a damn perfect moment captured in four corners. And as Ben’s finger traced the edge of them, he couldn’t stop staring at what it held.

Until you leaned in and kissed his cheek.

“Merry Christmas,” you said. And you hoped it was officially a good one.

When Ben once again turned his head to look at you, he couldn’t help but reach out and frame your face with his hand. He then leaned in and kissed you, unhurried, but with an underlying passion.

Delightful heat crawled down your spine. You grasped his collar to keep him where you wanted him.

Meanwhile, the two of you didn’t realize that the rest of your family was surreptitiously watching the little scene. Trina and Marie shared amused smiles. George was glad to see that you finally seemed happy. Sylvia was, once again, passed out in the recliner.

Louisa’s expression was more reserved…but her eyes softened. Maybe she didn’t have to worry about you so much after all.

And when Ben finally parted from you, he thumbed gently at your chin.

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” he said.

You and Ben left your mother’s house with plenty of leftover food and a haul of presents, which you both brought upstairs into your apartment.

“So, I know there were some snafus, but it was nice, right?” you asked him as you made your way into the bedroom.

Ben was already there at his dresser, taking off his new watch and placing it back in its black suede box for safe keeping. He considered your words with a nod, and a smile you couldn’t see.

“It wasn’t bad,” he said.

You nodded in satisfaction. That was practically a glowing review, coming from him.

His gaze found yours in the mirror, those perfectly red painted lips forming a smile as you approach from behind. Your hands travelled through the bows of his arms to unbuckle his belt for him.

“I know you did me a lot of favors today, but I’m gonna need one more,” you said, with a coy smile curving your lips. “I need your help taking off this lipstick.”

Smirking, Ben turned in your arms and leaned back casually against the dresser. Using his unfastened belt as leverage, you leaned up in your heels and met his lips in a slow, but fiery kiss.

His eyes unconsciously closed as the scent of your perfume once again invaded his nose. It was less powerful by now, but it still clung to your skin like a soft imprint. He liked it.

After your lips drew away from his, Ben watched you make a show of undoing the small latch on his pants, and then his zipper. He sunk his fingers into the soft waves of your hair, and he gave you a charming grin that once got him starlets and movie deals.

“Well, I’m nothing if not a gentleman,” he said.

You smirked at that. You didn’t know if fucking you in your mom’s house constituted as gentlemanly behavior, but you’d let that slide.

And you did some sliding yourself, down his strong thighs and onto your knees. He could take care of you all right, but you prided yourself on taking care of him too.

AN: And there you have it, folks. 😜 What did you think? From bathroom shenanigans and Christmas dinner to some good old-fashioned gift giving. I think we covered it all! lol

Keep Reading in the BMD-verse:

Coming up next, we have a more angsty mini series:

Summary: A few weeks after you and Ben celebrate your first Christmas together, Ben is returning from another mission with the Supe Affairs team. When he discovers that you’ve been taken, he’ll do whatever it takes to find you. And then, to help you heal.

▶️ Next Story: Wake Me Up

Soldier Boy Masterlist

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Tag List:

@deans-spinster-witch @this-is-me19 @waynes-multiverse @mrsjenniferwinchester @samanddeaninatrenchcoat @spalady26

@spnwoman @syrma-sensei @wirdbeimaufhebengebunden @muhahaha303 @123passwort

@xoxovienna @katherineann814 @lollag0w0 @globetrotter28 @nancymcl @ashbatz @secretdreamlandmentality @kristophalis @wonderland2022 @emily-winchester @shelh93 @sl33pylilbunny @spoonmynoodle @chernayawidow

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@spnfamily-j2 @im-a-slut-for-fluff @lacilou @venicesem @mimaria420 @vanillawhiskeyflavoredkisses @tearsfortheyouth @agalliasi @chriszgirl92

#Love Actually #Part 3 #soldier boy #soldier boy/ben x reader #soldier boy x reader #soldier boy x female reader #the boys #soldier boy/ben #soldier boy x you #soldier boy smut #smut #Christmas fic #fluff #BMD verse #Break me down verse #zepskies writes

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orangepeetals · 10 months

Text

ACURRUCAR ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა (pt1)

(playlist for a star series)

PEETA MELLARK X F. READER.

pt2

summary: You n’ Peeta have been best friends since you were kids, you win the Hunger games once n’ you’re a mentor now.

a/n: i speak Spanish so the story was originally written in Spanish and then I translated it into English, plz don’t be rude if there is a mistake

You and Peeta were inseparable, they knew each other for as long as you remembered. When they were at school and they were little, you never talked to him until you defended him from some children who were bothering him because of the marks of the blows he received from his mother, you didn’t know what caused that feeling in you but you just couldn’t stand how they were intimidating him, you took a couple of blows too but they never bothered the bread boy again, since then, he followed you as if he were a puppy.

They grew up together, they suffered together, Peeta did not exist without you, nor you without him, they were for each other in every possible way, they were simply soulmates.

When you were 15 years old, ur name was selected as a tribute to the hunger games, every day you thought about it, Peeta clung to you while he drowned in tears, you remember how he apologized to you for not being able to do anything and how he begged you to stay alive, you were going to do it, you could not die, not seeing Peeta suffer in this way, you knew that he would not stand it and he deserved to live a beautiful life with you.

It took you a while to realize it but you knew it that time they were by a lake in district 12, it had been a couple of months since you had survived the hunger games with only strategy. The sky began to look like a soft orange, the breeze hit his blond curls while his cheeks were pink, you could see his eyes shine and his hands tremble as he approached your face, you felt the warm touch of his lips against yours and you thought that you would melt at that moment, Their hearts became one and sealed their love with the sunset, he loves you with every part of his being and you could give your life in exchange for his without thinking about it.

You would really give up your life in exchange for his, you would live for Peeta and you would kill for Peeta if you had to.

You would really do it.

You were on the train together with your mentor Haymitch watching the reapin, you hated the games as much as Abernathy did but you had to know who would be the poor children who would have to train this year, it was the second year that you had to be a mentor since you won the hunger games, both times without any success, it was difficult for someone from district 12 to win, in the whole history of the hunger games there were only three of them and only Haymitch and you were alive, you were looking out the window until you saw how a girl volunteered as a tribute for who seemed to be her sister, tears slid down your cheeks when you saw the scene, that girl had the courage they needed, that feat made you believe that this year they could achieve it, you stood in front of the tv while Haymitch was still living something strange sitting on the couch, now it was the turn of the male tribute.

“Peeta Mellark”

Fear and despair consumed your body, your legs trembled so much that you fell to the ground while you cried inconsolably, you put your trembling hand in your mouth to drown a cry of anguish, this was not happening, it was not happening again, you knew that sometimes they tricked the draws to get people close to other winners to make the things more interesting but you always made an effort to hide Peeta from the public eye and that no one knew that they were a couple, you did not want to expose him to anything but it was happening, they could not take the love of your life, they could not take your Life partner, to your soulmate, to the arms that protected you every time something distressed you. You hated everything, fucking capitol, it didn’t matter anymore, now you and your mentor were going to have to send two boys to death again and this time one of them was the person you loved the most on the planet.

“Oh, shit... this is fucked up” Haymitch’s voice was rough, you could feel the pity in her. His hands lifted you off the floor and put you on the couch while he knelt at your height, hugging you.

“N-no i don’t understand... why him?! No one in the capitol knows about him, I don’t think he’s just so unlucky... Haymitch please, I need you to help me!” Your voice broke more, you hugged Haymitch tightly as he tried to calm you down. “We’ll see what we can do, remember that it’s not just him” The man was right but nothing mattered, nothing could matter to you more than Peeta.

“Haymitch, I’m sorry for that girl but it’s not about just anyone, he’s not just another boy who will die, it’s Peeta Mellark! I could sell my soul for never hearing that name come out of Effie Trinket’s mouth, you know Peeta, you know it’s everything to me” Your body trembled with every word you gave, you felt dizzy, you wanted break everything, Haymitch nodded to your words and you broke into tears again, suddenly everything went black.

You woke up looking at the ceiling of the train room, you were still dizzy, possibly you had fainted from stress, you were still somewhat bewildered until you heard a familiar voice from the dining room car, you got up so fast that you fell to your knees again, your body was weakened, you were going to cry again until you saw him almost run to your room, his hair was disheveled now and his eyes lacked shine, you gave him a look and you just exploded in tears again, you couldn’t believe that he was on that fucking train, that he was now involved in this.

“I’m so sorry, Peeta, I’m so sorry, it shouldn’t have been you, this is possibly my fault, they must have discovered it somehow” The words came out choppy and weak, they denoted your suffering. Peeta knelt with you as he took your hands, you saw how his tears fell, it broke your heart to know that he was holding back.

“Hey, it’s just the odds wasn’t on my favor this time, it’s not your fault, I’ll get out of this anyway and we’ll get married, did you hear me?” Your heart beat for the blond’s words, you hugged him tightly and your lips looked for his with desperation, you wanted to feel him close to you, you didn’t want him to leave, you were afraid.

The plan was this, Peeta would be madly in love with Katniss Everdeen, the girl who had volunteered, she wasn’t exactly a very nice girl and you knew that she was likely to hate you, she knew that you were going to prioritize Peeta’s success over anything and you didn’t blame her for hating you for that but you didn’t care either, at this moment you wanted her dead no matter how sad as that was.

Peeta confessing his love for Katniss in the interview, somehow you felt jealousy in your stomach even if everything was a lie, you wanted all this to end soon, you wanted to go home with Peeta, with the interviews you knew that they were at the gates of the arena, since the day of the reapin you had not eaten or slept well, the only thing you had eaten in those days had been by Peeta’s plea, now you understood his pain the day you had to enter that damn arena and for the same reason, you knew the terrors involved putting a foot in that arena, there was no turning back, Peeta had to live.

———————————————

💭pt2 here!!!

#peeta mellark fluff #peeta mellark x reader #tbosas #the hunger games #peeta mellark #katniss everdeen #Spotify

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ghostofskywalker · 10 months

Note

hiii Lucy Gray anon, since our lovely Peeta took that prompt maybe "I don't really know how to dance..." || "It's never too late to learn" ?

of course, i love this prompt for her!! and since you were next on my list, here it is :) it went a little angstier than i had originally planned, i hope that's okay!

Moving Forward, Together

words: 888

summary: when your girlfriend wakes up in the middle of the night, you two have a conversation about her past, and she attempts to teach you a skill for the future.

flower and meaning: poppy || remembering the fallen of wars and armed conflicts - this is also going to fill my november prompt for the @yearofcreation2023

lucy gray baird masterlist || year of flowers masterlist

It took a while for Lucy Gray to open up about her experience in the Hunger Games, and you never pushed her to talk about things she didn’t want to. You couldn’t even imagine what experiencing that must have been like for her, but you could clearly see it continuing to affect her life, even as far away from Panem as you were right now, having taken the chance to run away together the first moment it came.

On particularly rough days for her, you tried to help in any way you could, but you often felt powerless, especially when she woke up screaming in the middle of the night. You wept along with her most of the time, offering your comforting touch to her in any way she might want it. Sometimes she would even ask you to sing for her, though your voice was in no way as beautiful as hers.

When Lucy Gray woke up crying this time, you immediately wrapped your arms around her and pulled her closer to you, placing soft kisses on her forehead and she shivered slightly from the sobs. “Do you want to talk about it?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. Usually, she would shake her head and that would be the end of the conversation, but you always wanted to make sure you gave her the chance if she wanted to continue.

And it seemed that this time, she did want to talk. “I can’t stop seeing their faces,” she said, her voice shaking almost as much as her body was. “Jessup, Reaper, Lamina, Dill, Coral, Mizzen,” she said, rattling off the names of her fellow victims, those who were taken from their homes and their families and forced to publicly fight to their deaths in order to satiate the Capitol’s sadistic power fantasy.

Unsure of what to say, you only hugged her tighter, and she sucked in shaky breaths before continuing. “I don’t want to forget them, because that’s what the Capitol wants. But I can’t stop seeing them as if they were attacking me.”

Tears began to slip down your face at her words, and even though you had never lived this particular trauma, you could understand her struggle. “It’s perfectly okay to want to forget the version of them you met in the arena,” you said gently. “No one blames you for that.”

“I know, I just-”

“Lucy Gray,” you said, cutting her off. “You are the strongest and bravest person I’ve ever met, and just the fact that you want to remember those who tried to kill you shows how compassionate and kind you are. You and I both know that their attitudes were a result of the brutal treatment and sick game the Capitol was playing, and I think that they would much rather us remember them as people who loved more than they hated.”

She nodding, pulling away from you to get out of bed. “Can we talk about something else right now?”

You could only imagine the toll this conversation must have taken on her, so you immediately nodded and reached out to take her hand. “Of course.”

“Can you dance with me?”

The new topic of conversation was not exactly unpleasant or unwelcome for you, but it also forced you to contend with something that you had never admitted before. “Oh,” you said softly, and she looked at you with a confused expression. “I don’t really know how to dance.”

And it was true. You had met Lucy Gray in the middle of the woods, and although you knew that she and her family often performed at some of the dance halls in District 12, you had never been to one. All the time you spent with (before running away together) had been with the rest of the Coveys in the cabin or the lake, and in the middle of the woods as you rested on the soft patches of earth.

She looked shocked at your admission, but it wasn’t long before a smile began to spread across her face. “Well, it’s never too late to learn, if you’d like to,” she said, holding out a hand for you to take.

When you took her hand and let you lead you through a (rather clumsy) waltz, it didn’t even matter that you felt completely out of your element. You could see some of the tension and worry evaporate from Lucy Gray’s face, and it was soon replaced with a look of concentration as she tried to explain to you both the steps of the waltz and then a simple line dance, which you were equally terrible at. Soon, the heavy atmosphere that had filled the room was gone, and the sound of bright laughter took its place.

“You really are a terrible dancer!” she said, after you stepped on her foot for about the twelfth time.

You laughed. “Am I the worst you’ve ever seen?”

“Absolutely!” she shouted, leaning in to steal a kiss before bursting out into laughter. “But that’s okay, I still love you.”

“I love you too.”

The frightening memories and persistent troubles that Lucy Gray felt would never truly go away, you knew that. But you hoped that with moments like these, you would be able to help make them a little less haunting.

- the end -

i no longer have a taglist! if you're interested in being notified when i post, you can follow my library blog @ghostofskywalker-library and turn on notifications!

#winterficlets23 #lucy gray baird #lucy gray baird x reader #lucy gray baird x gender neutral reader #lucy gray baird x you #the hunger games x reader #this one gets an image for consistency with the rest of my yotc works!!

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ask-hutcherverse · 5 months

Note

i have some questions about this house you guys are in.

did you guys get to bring items from before you got there (derek’s vape and clothing, clapton’s skateboard i think, etc.?)

is the house big? i’m just curious haha

is there a signal to a TV or something? are there books or games of literally anything to do at all?

also can i be 🌈?

clapton has the camera, he’s outside in some kind of yard of the house. its about midday judging by the color of the sky.

“okay so all of these questions are totally valid! we had a lot of the same questions when we got here,” he starts, sitting down of the front steps of the house.

“it’s a pretty big house since it needs to fit all five of us.. 5 bedrooms, and 3 bathrooms because derek hogs one all for himself.” he rolls his eyes. he rubs a bandaid that’s on his temple.

“we all kinda just.. appeared here. no memory of how we got here, but all the memories from our original.. places.” clapton waves his hands around as he tries to find the right words, then uses them to adjust his bangs.

“most of our stuff was here. i have a collection of skateboards and some plug-n-play video games, and that was all here. derek has his vape, futturman has his pc.. the thing is, our house and rooms were completely set up and decorated when we got here!” he says, his eyes wide like he’s talking about a conspiracy.

“it’s crazy, man.”

the front door opens, and peeta peeks out to pass clapton a bag of skittles. “thanks, dude!” peeta nods as he leaves.

“but—“ clapton rips his new bag of skittles. “it’s honestly kinda nice. we don’t gotta pay taxes or anything like that.” he shoves a handful of candy in his mouth. “and our tv has cable! it kinda confused mike and i seeing all the new shows, since where i’m from, it’s still 2011, and for mike it was 2000. peeta was kinda scared since he’d only seen tvs in the context of the hunger games.” he laughs as he remembers.

“but yeah, overall—“ clapton pours the rest of the skittles into his mouth. “ifz phretty goodfh!” he says through muffled speech. he gives the camera a thumbs up and turns it off.

(the video ends)

(and yes you can be 🌈!!)

#josh hutcherson #jhutch #josh futturman #josh futturman x reader #mike schmidt #clapton #clapton davis #derek danforth #clapton x reader #future man #peeta mellark #peeta x reader

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3d-wifey · 9 months

Note

What are those WIPs looking like? c'mon pleaseeee 😩😩😩😩give us a list. ur my favorite writer and I read everything I write, I wanna know what I have to look forward to (if you don't want to that's totally okay)

December Wip List

This took me a fucking minute 😭😭 please tell me if any of you wanna be tagged for any of the following.

In-progress series (original)

And They’d Find Us a Week (Hunger Games) - Finnick x implied black!Reader

↳ You run cold, you always have, it’s just another thing to love as far as Finnick is concerned. He himself emits heat like a furnace on the best of days. He remembers cold hands touching his heated skin, cold toes shocking the skin of his legs whenever you lay together. But now, now Finnick feels nothing but a hissing heat as your mouths press together. Heat like a hot knife cutting into a block of ice, like a blazing star consuming him in a ball of fire, only to sizzle into a warm embrace. He melts into you, trusting that you’ll sculpt him back together with your glacial grip.

After everything you and Finnick have gone through together, it only makes sense that you’ve grown a little attached.

↳Status: Ongoing; posted

The Female of the species (The Boys) - Various/Homelander x black!supe!Reader

↳ “So what? I was grown in a lab like a, like a—fucking Chia Pet?” You can feel the air around you become charged, molecules flying by your ears at top speed. Ashley rushes to catch her papers that she stupidly left loose. “Calm yourself.” Edgar drones and his lack of reaction to you turning the room into a small cyclone only aggravates you further.

Both a woman who’s used to getting whatever she wants and a man who’s never heard no, created in a lab. What a horrible pair you two will make. (basically ‘I can’t fix him. I can fuck him though, maybe that’ll help.’ Says woman that is worse.)

↳ Status: Ongoing; not posted

All On His Mouth Like Liquor (Succession) - black!Reader x Various [Shiv, Tom, Greg?, Kendall, Roman?, Menkin, Matsston, Stewy]

↳ "Mmm. You know, I've got a pretty cushy job in the White House lined up. I might be able to get you on my team." Jeryd places a hand on the counter next to your hip, leaning into your space, but you ignore him in favor of fixing your smeared lipstick. "I'm not looking to be anyone's Monica Lewinski." “You think pretty highly of yourself." You pause and glance down at yourself. At the way your blouse is just on the right side of too tight. The way leaving the top two buttons undone gives anyone interested a glimpse of your necklace dipping between your cleavage. You turn to the side and look in the mirror at the way your skirt clings onto your ass and thighs, curves modestly on display. You look back at him with an eyebrow raised. "Point." He concedes, eyes still looking you over.

As her assistant, it’s quite literally your job to be a Shiv defender.

↳ Status: Ongoing; not posted

Please Don’t Go (I’ll Eat You Whole) (Scream) - Yandere!Billy x Reader x Yandere!Stu

↳"Do you…find me…attractive?" He drawls, words drawn out like you're an exceptionally stupid child. And, honestly, you're starting to wonder if you're suffering from brain damage. This is insane. Seriously, how many unhinged things can happen to one person in 48 hours? "I, uh, I mean,” you shrug, staring over his shoulder at your wall, "yeah. But, Billy, a lot of people do, which is what I was trying to say—" "There's a difference between people and you." He sits up, leaning towards you. "Why didn't you tell me?" "Billy, it's really not that big of a deal." You sigh, moving to get up—unwilling to let yourself be embarrassed. But he stops you, grabbing your hand, and you realize in a panic that he isn't going to let this go. "It is to me." He pulls you back on the bed closer than you were before, thighs brushing together. "What would have happened if I did?" You roll your eyes. Why are you humoring this? "Well, I might have had a girlfriend who didn't find me disgusting." “I don’t…I…” You shake your head in disbelief, breath catching in your chest before rushing out a weary sigh. “How the hell am I supposed to respond to that, Billy? Wh–what am I supposed to do with that?”

When you love someone the way Billy and Stu love you, well, what’s a little manipulation between friends?

↳ Status: Ongoing; not posted

Once More to See You (Bridgerton) - Anthony Bridgerton x Reader

↳ Anthony is not one for flowery musings. He isn’t a poet, nor does he spend his time admiring the arts or waxing poetics about beauty and such. No, he leaves that sort of thing to his brother. But as you peer up at him with expectant eyes, the lights of the chandeliers painting you in a soft yellow, he can understand why a war was waged over Helen of Troy.

You’ve finally come home from France and you’re a woman grown—far too old to entertain the silly musings you had as a girl. You’ve been presented to higher society and your search for a suitable husband has just begun, but Anthony isn’t willing to be so easily forgotten.

↳ Status: Ongoing; posted

You Set My Soul Alight (House of the Dragon) - Yandere!Daemon Targaryen x Reader

↳ He presents the wreath to you and you have no choice but to take it. There is a pause before hesitant cheers erupt around you, building in confidence until the entire stadium is roaring. Prince Daemon is the champion and has crowned you the Queen of Love and Beauty, dedicating his victory to you—just like he said he wouldn’t. He smirks up at you, his plan unfolding before your eyes. It is the beginning of the end.

Perhaps it would have been easier on everyone if you had just told Daemon you were being betrothed before your father publically announced it.

↳ Status: Ongoing; not posted

She’s My Collar (JJK) - Geto x Reader x Gojo

↳ Oh, you don’t hate them. Hate would require a level of acknowledgment that you don’t bestow upon the two boys. You’d have to notice them to hate them, you’d have to care and you’re indifferent at most. No, it’s much more simple than that. Gojo and Geto just aren’t on your radar.

Being the first of your clan in centuries to join the world of Jujutsu sorcerers, specifically Tokyo Jujutsu Acadamy, is sure to make waves. And with a cursed technique like yours, it’s no wonder the Strongest have taken an interest in you. If only it was mutual.

↳ Status: Ongoing; not posted

Imagine Being Loved By Me (Star Wars) - Anakin x Reader x Obi-Wan

↳"I can train her." All eyes look to Master Skywalker's hologram. He sits reclined in his chair—or what you presume is a chair—as if he's discussing the weather and not taking you on as an apprentice. "No." Windu turns him down immediately and you frown, just as against the idea as he is. You're sure many other Padawans would jump at the notion of being trained by Anakin Skywalker, but it's completely unnecessary. "In fact, you are the last person that should train her."

As a Senior Padawan, nothing can keep you from doing your part in the war, not even the untimely death of your Master. Yoda asking Obi-Wan to take you under his tutelage is surprising. Almost as surprising as Anakin volunteering to do it himself.

↳ Status: Ongoing; not posted

Limerence (The Sandman) - Morpheus x major arcana nightmare!Reader x Corinthian

↳ You watch as Adam and Eve run hand in hand, far from the Garden Of Eden. Steps hurried, frantic as if worried God would change his mind and bring them back—lock them away in that pretty cage again. But they are smiling. There's not an ounce of regret within either of them. You search and find that their only desire is to be free, together. Love is such a strange thing, you think from your spot between Dream and the Corinthian.

If you and Corinthian are two stars orbiting each other, then Dream is the black hole that birthed you—drawing you both closer and closer while tearing you apart. One day, he will swallow you both whole, and you will say thank you.

↳ Status: Ongoing; not posted

In progress sequels

Show em Who I Belong to pt.2 - Dom!Johnny Cage

Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You, Baby pt.2 - Manipulative/toxic!Erwin Smith

One-shots

Damon, Klaus, Elijah x reincarnated!Reader (TVD/TO) - 1989 is the worst year of your life simply because it's the year you met Damon and, consequently, the year you were reborn for the last time. (might be a series)

Nick x Reader x Jacob (The Quarry) - A game of truth or dare has led to the last night of Summer going to complete and total shit. Having been bitten by some kind of beast and feeling like you're going to literally burst out of your skin, the only upside is being stuck between two hot guys who are desperately in love with you. It could be worse. At least you weren’t the only one bitten.

Remus Lupin (Harry Potter) x Reader - You and Remus are quite competitive, always going head-to-head in your classes. It’s commonplace to compete for the highest marks. What isn’t commonplace, is the sabotage in the form of Remus’s wandering hands.

Sirius Black (Harry Potter) x Hufflepuff!Reader - Sirius can’t help but feel like he’s the only person in the entire school that you hate. Probably because he is.

James Potter (Harry Potter) x Hufflepuff Quidditch captain!Reader - James Potter has been your sworn nemesis since your first year and now that you’re both captains of your respective teams, that rivalry has only grown. Now, if only Potter would get the memo.

Poly!Marauders x Reader (Harry Potter) - Honestly, in retrospect, you don’t know how you thought this would end without incredible irritation on your part. You thought the four of you had outgrown such childishness, that being the only reason you even invited them to the fundraising event. Had you known it would end like this, you would have declined the offer to volunteer altogether.

Johnny Cage x Reader (MK1) - Johnny is too needy for you to wait until the awards show is over. Besides, he’s been so good for you, hasn’t he? Doesn’t that deserve positive reinforcement? You wouldn’t want him to act out, would you?

Himbo!Steve Harrington x bimbo!Reader (Stranger Things) - Steve was smarter than you, but only slightly. Not smart enough that he would ever hold it over you, but smart enough to know that the two of you shouldn't have been doing this in such a public place.

College loser!Mike x mean popular!Reader (FNAF) - “I promise I’ll be good, just…” “Use my thigh.” “What if I just leave you here, wet and needy.” “Clean my fingers, this is your mess.”

Manipulative proffessor!Erwin Smith x TA!Reader (AOT) - Erwin has a soft spot for you, his new TA.

Arthur Morgan x Photographer!Reader (RDR2) - "Sure." He takes a cursory look around at the towering trees before focusing his gaze back on you. His wide-brim hat shades eyes so blue that you’re certain the sky itself is teeming with envy.

Johnny Silverhand x Musician!Reader (Cyberpunk 2077) - It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to collaborate with Johnny Silverhand. If only he knew how to keep his mouth in check.

Luke, Han, Leia x Zeltron!Reader (Star Wars) - You’re not a Jedi. You don't know the Jedi code and you’re probably as Force sensitive as a particularly dedicated brick. Despite that, you’re pretty sure the Force isn’t supposed to be used like this.

Sebastian X Demon!Reader x Claude (Black Butler) - Your mistress is interested in doing business with Ciel Phantomhive. Who would have thought he had a demon on his payroll? (might be a series)

NSFW Alphabets

Star (The Lost Boys) - Adding on to that poly Lost Boys Alphabet

Anakin

Obi-Wan

Negan

Damon Salvatore

Headcanons/drabbles

Earthrealm MK1 boys compete for Goddess!Reader’s attention

Paul (lost boys) eating you out while you’re both high

Dark/yandere Luke Skywalker NSFW headcanons

Yandere Targaryen men (Aegon i, Maegor, Aegon ii, Aemond, Daemon) x Reader - Being the pregnant wife of a close friend

Yandere Targaryen men x Reader - Finding out you’re being married off

More flirty intros (MK1 and MK11)

Dead By Daylight Killers x Obsession!Reader

Eren Jaeger with a breeding kink

Yandere/dark president Loki x Ironman variant!Reader

Possible ideas (I’ll take prompts on these/discuss these)

➔Astarion (BG3) x Reader :

Smut for sure

Eat Your Young - Astarion did try to stick to the plan, truly, he did. Some seduction here, a few implications there. It should have been enough to get him into your bedroll alongside your heart. It would have worked on quite literally anyone else, but you’re just so Gods damned oblivious! (might become a series)

➔John Snow (GOT) x Reader

➔Michael Myers x nurse!Reader (Halloween)

➔Veronica x Reader x JD (Heathers)

➔Sajanus Plinth x Capitol!Reader (Hunger Games)

➔Poly!Lost Boys x Reader (The Lost Boys) - How you start dating

➔Bigby Wolf x fable!Reader (The Wolf Among Us)

➔Jerry Dandridge x black vampire!Reader (Fright Night) - You and Jerry have more in common than any of your other neighbors could possibly imagine. (might become a series)

➔Mischa x Reader (Ride the Cyclone) - You like to think you and Mischa are pretty close, you’d go as far as to call him your best friend. So why is it that you haven’t so much as seen a picture of this ‘Talia’?

➔Dennis Reynolds x Reader (IASIP) - Dennis is used to doing the chasing, so much so that he doesn’t even realize when he’s on the receiving end of his own system.

➔Will Graham x killer!Reader x Hannibal (Hannibal)

➔Rick Grimes x Reader (TWD)

➔Derek Hale x Reader (Teen Wolf)

➔Isaac Lahey x Reader (Teen Wolf)

➔Demon!Dean Winchester x Reader (Supernatural)

➔Castiel x angel!Reader (Supernatural)

➔Abed Nadir x Reader (Community)

➔Carlisle Cullen x Reader (Twilight)

➔Spike x Vampire!Reader (Buffy)

➔Kakashi x ex ambu!Reader x Tenzo (Naruto)

➔Sangwoo? X Horrible!Reader (Killing Stalking)

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thesecondplacename · 2 years

Text

Title: The boy with the bread.

Summary: Peeta’s picked for the games.

Warings: Ang —--------------------------------------- Living in District 12 is the dream, no, really constantly being malnourished and worrying about being picked for the Hunger Games, it's a dream come true.

For all the sarcasm I spit out there is one thing that makes everything bearable, Peeta he’s the kindest man I know. Both of us have had a secret relationship for about a year, but it started long before I took the leap of faith and confessed my feelings to him. I make paints, not well but well enough that he trades a loaf of bread for half a dozen every 2 weeks. This exchange brought us close, and we got to know each other.

We both had a vision planned for our life. To get married when we aged out of the reaping, I was becoming more successful in District 12 making a steady income that helped feed my family and still have leftovers, scraps really but leftovers non the less. I was on good terms with his father and could hold a conversation with his mother, but Peeta, he was adored by my family. They absolutely loved him. We had a plan and only had to luck out a few more times and we were safe, or at least that's what we hoped would happen.

It doesn't matter how much you want something, how much you pray for something, sometimes you don't get what you want. I remember how my heart stopped when Peeta’s name was called, how I wanted to take his place but that look in his eyes stopped me, my entire life was overturned with just a single word. I was barely able to recognize that someone had volunteered, but when the district raised their hands in defiance I followed.

I was after his mother, she gave me a pitying look, and I knew that we hadn’t kept our relationship as good a secret as we originally thought. I walked into the room where he was standing, and almost burst into tears.

“Peeta,” I couldn’t think of anything to say, how could I give him reassurance that he would live when so many from our home didn't. “I love you, I love you so much. Please try to live, try to come home to me, please I can't do this without you.” I was crying.

He threw his arms around me and held me in a tight embrace. “You can, you can do anything you put your mind to, close your eyes when they show my death, you don't deserve to see me like that.” His voice was thick, he was trying so hard to say everything without breaking. “I love (Y/N). I love you, I’ll try, I promise.” We held each other trying to say everything before we were separated.

“Peeta, when you come home let’s get married, ok?” his blue eyes were staring at me so intensely. “Ok, let's get married after-” The peacekeepers came in before he finished.

We were separated.

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

Note: This was originally only going to be a two-part story, but there is only a certain number of words a post can have so apologies in advance for the people who don’t like that, I’ll be sure to link all the Fics together so it's more seamless to read. To restate this story will have multiple parts.

#hunger fic #the hunger games #peeta mellark #the hunger games peeta #Peeta mallark x male reader #male reader #x male reader #angst #katniss everdeen #peeta x male reader #peace keepers #part 1 of idk how many

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prismaticpichu · 8 months

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Asks about your very first introduction to FF7 🌟

(I don't know if you've ever mentioned or if I'm too silly to remember but hey xD)

I think I may have actually told the story before! But no sweat at all! ❤️ I love relaying it 😂

In short, it all started for me with Smash Bros Ultimate. It was the Game Awards 2020—and boy was I HYPED as a happy clam to see which character was going to be revealed (as so many people had speculated a new one would be). I had snacks laid out, YouTube projected on the TV, and a wishlist open on my phone xD For realsies, nothing was more exciting to me than a new character added to my favorite game amid the sluggish times that was Covid. Nothing.

And who would think, but the Smash character was revealed no more than 30 seconds into the show.

And who was it?

Was it someone on my wishlist? Someone I cared about? Someone I dreamt about?

No.

It wasn’t.

It was goddamn SEPHIROTH.

The embarrassing truth is that I had NO IDEA who this silver-haired devil (woman I initially thought) was. No idea. Knew zip about him. I was pretty crushed, in all honesty. Why did it have to be THIS clown?? Why couldn’t it be someone COOL? Someone I KNOW?? Someone I—

HOLY SH*T HE STABBED MARIO.

Yeah…. the transition from anger to awe was faster than a freaking bullet 😂 In seconds I was utterly captivated by this man. I loved everything about him: design, aura, voice. There was something genuinely magical about this character in particular to me—and that’s not a hyperbole. Tons of characters had epic reveals for Smash in the past. Tons. And not a single one of them had grabbed my attention like Sephiroth did. No other character, out of all the ones revealed, actively made me want to learn more about them.

A Wikipedia search later, and it became history.

Something I discovered in my research was that Sephiroth—this villain, I was learning—was originally… originally a good guy??? WHAT? Excuse me?? I don’t know why I was so intrigued by this particular fact—tons of characters had “fallen hero” backstories. But once again, there was something plucking at my chest, and I was CURIOUS. I looked up footage of I learned was dubbed the “Nibelheim incident” (looking up footage from the og game, then watching Last Order). And goddamn, when I saw how truly destructive and rawly evil this guy was, I was even more motivated to know about this man when he was good. Who the heck he was before he burned a perfectly good village to the ground.

Enter Crisis Core.

And enter my 15 hour cutscene binging-spree.

As mentioned, it was Covid time. I had NOTHING to do lmao, and a whole lot of time on my hands. So one day, morning to night, I binged CC. Watched every single cutscene and swallowed the story whole. And when I was done, I wanted MORE lol. This led to me to binging the ENTIRETY of Remake over the span on the next few days. Was my brain fried? Yes. Was I getting distracted from schoolwork? Yes. Was I converted into an FF7 fangirl?

Yes.

Once my binging spree was done, I turned to fanfic in my hunger for more FF7 content. And what was the first fic I stumbled across…? Well, it was none other than a Zack & Seph-centric fic on FF.Net.

And, once again, it was all history from there 😂

#sephiroth #ffvii #ff7 #final fantasy vii #ff7 remake #crisis core #life of pi #chu #asks #ty!!

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angrycommiedyke · 7 months

Text

Thoughts on music in the Hunger Games (trilogy + prequel)

After finishing the trilogy, and especially after Katniss sings again in MJ, I remember thinking of the Hunger Games’ story each time I was listening to folk, country and gospel songs. The lyrics sometimes reminded me of the story and I pictured Katniss singing these songs with her dad. Songs condemning war, songs about working class people, songs about wildflowers and birds. And when I read the prequel, I was so happy to see that music was a big part of it. So here are some things I’ve noticed and wanted to share, sorry if it’s a bit messy :))

1/ Everdeen’s family // The Carter family

In Tbosas, Maude Ivory sings “Keep on the sunny side”, a song written by The Carter Family who come from the Appalachian mountains, where District 12 is located. Its original members, A.P, Sara and Maybelle Carter mostly sang ballads and mountain songs. Recently, I watched a documentary about the history and origins of country music, and learned that A.P. fell in love with Sara Dougherty when he heard her sing. He was from what was called Poor Valley while she lived in Rich Valley. I automatically thought of Katniss’ parents, her dad from the Seam, her mom, a Townie falling in love with his voice when he sang. Katniss was taught how to sing by her father, and if we consider Maude Ivory to be her grandmother, then the tradition sure has been there for many generations.

2/ Unity through music

We don’t have much information about other districts, but I have this headcanon that District 11 and 12 share some of the same songs. We know music is what Rue loved the most, and people there sing at work and at home. Considering that both districts are southern and quite geographically close to each other, I believe they kept alive some old songs from bluegrass, blues, folk, gospel and country music. (I also hc District 10 as having country music).

Also in MJ during Finnick and Annie’s wedding, District 12 refugees start to dance to their traditional music, “teach the steps to District 13 guests” and “insist on a special number for the bride and groom” (MJ, p.217). So Finnick and Annie from District 4 and the guests from 13 all “join hands and make a giant, spinning circle where people show off their footwork” (MJ, p.217). I’d like to add that I think they are clogging. Clogging originates from Irish step dancing and developed with Native Americans influences, especially Cherokee, and “was also shaped by African ‘buck dancing’, which originated during slavery.” Therefore this dance is already a mix between Europeans, African and Native Americans cultures. And in this scene, it shows unity between the districts, everyone gathers to dance together and Katniss states “Dancing transforms us” (MJ, p.217). The same way in Tbosas (p.28), Snow’s thoughts when seeing Lucy Gray on stage during her reaping were that “Singing transformed her”, and that he “no longer found her so disconcerting.”

3/ Snow’s dislike for old songs

Now in the prequel, we get to see that Snow doesn’t like the old songs, and prefers the recent ones :

“Some of the numbers bordered on unintelligible, with un-familiar words that Coriolanus struggled to get the gist of, and he remembered Lucy Gray saying that they were from another time. During these in particular, the five Covey seemed to turn in on themselves, swaying and building complicated harmonies with their voices. Coriolanus didn’t care for it; the sound unsettled him. He sat through at least three songs of this kind before he realized it reminded him of the mockingjays. Fortunately, most of the songs were newer and more to his liking, and they finished up with the one he recognized from the reaping…” (Tbosas, p.286)

Old songs, like “Clementine” or “The ballad of Barbara Allen” are older than Panem. They existed centuries before what caused the almost extinction of human beings in the story. Despite the loss of billions and the destruction of technologies, cities…and freedom, poetry and songs are passed down generation from generation. With them, a part of history.

Bluegrass “was born from the creativity of working class and impoverished Southerners, Appalachians, and immigrants”, and how can I not think of District 12 when I hear Hazel Dickens sing about coal miners, and how can I not think of Katniss when I listen to country song “Coal miner’s daughter” now ? These old tunes (from bluegrass, blues, folk or country music) sometimes talk about slavery, poverty, workers’ life, hard times, but also hope and resilience. They show survival. And they also set an example of worlds existing before Panem. And in my opinion, this is why Snow doesn’t like them.

Just imagine if thanks to the songs and lyrics, people knew some parts of what happened before Panem, if they knew the atrocities committed, the wars, revolutions, and struggles. They may not know a thing about the civil rights movement but still have songs about it, like “We shall overcome”. Even songs which have ancient names are rebellious to the Capitol, think of “Country roads”, “My native home”, “West Virginia, my home”, “Sunny Tennessee” or “You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive”. Think of all the songs and ballads telling the stories of people long dead like Joe Hill or Ira Hayes that may have survived. Cause as Rachel Baiman sings, “old songs never die, they just cry and cry out for you to sing them once again”

And it’s neither in the books nor in the movies, so it’s not canon, but in the fan movie where Katniss is a child and goes to the woods with her dad, there are these lines :

Her dad (D) : “Because what’s in the woods ?” K : “Weapons, and food and mockingjays, and…” D : “All of it exists without the Capitol.” K : “Freedom.” D : “Freedom.”

And I believe that’s the reason for Snow's specific hatred for old songs. Also, the fact that when the Covey sung these, it made him think of mockingjays is telling. I keep thinking there must be an explanation for that, perhaps it's because the mockingjays are creatures who escaped the Capitol’s control just like traditional American music did ; because mockingjays represent a way out of the Capitol’s dictatorship later becoming a symbol of hope and revolt, and old songs can hold the same power.

#the hunger games #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #thg meta #tbosas meta #thg thoughts #there are so many more things to say about music in the hunger games please feel free to share !!#mockingjay #katniss everdeen #the hunger games made me fall in love with bluegrass music #now I want to learn the clog dancing #Did SC intented for the Everdeen's family to be a parallel to the Carter Family or is it just a coincidence ?#anyway #OLD SONGS NEVER DIE <3

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hellcatalex1 · 28 days

Text

Part 3- Together (Unbinding the Curse)

Astarion x Female Elf Durge

Post game, One year after the fall of the nether-brain, Spawn Astarion.

Triggers: blood, adult language, adult themes, nightmare, trauma.

Gale nods and steps aside, allowing you and Astarion to approach the pedestal. The box seems to pulse with a quiet energy, as if it were alive and aware of your presence. Astarion’s hand hovers above it, his fingers trembling slightly, betraying the emotions he’s trying to keep in check.

You place your hand on his, grounding him. “Whatever happens, we face it together, remember?”

He looks at you, his eyes searching yours for reassurance. Finally, he nods, and together, you lift the lid of the box. Inside, nestled in a bed of velvet, is a small, crystalline vial. The liquid within shimmers with an ethereal light, shifting between shades of silver and violet. It’s beautiful, but there’s something about it that makes your skin prickle with unease.

Gale leans in, his eyes wide with awe. “This is it. A phylactery of ancient Netherese origin. It’s said to contain the essence of a long-dead archmage, one who sought to transcend mortality itself.”

Astarion’s breath hitches. “And you think… it could do the opposite for me?”

Gale hesitates, choosing his words carefully. “The Netherese were obsessed with bending immortality and mortality. Their magic was unparalleled. If this phylactery holds even a fraction of that power… then yes, it could cure your vampirism, or at the very least, alter it.”

You feel a surge of hope, but it’s tempered by caution. “What are the risks?” You ask.

Gale’s expression darkens. “The magic within is volatile. The phylactery was designed to bind a soul to it, preserving the owner’s essence. If Astarion uses it, it could merge with him in unpredictable ways. There’s no guarantee of what he’ll become… or if he’ll survive the process.”

Astarion’s gaze locks onto the vial, the conflict evident in his eyes. The chance for a life free from the curse of vampirism that has haunted him for centuries, but at what cost? He could be free… or he could lose everything, including himself.

You tighten your grip on his hand. “Astarion, you don’t have to do this. We can find another way.”

He shakes his head, a sad smile on his lips. “How long have I waited for this moment? The chance to be free, to walk in the sun again, to live without the constant hunger gnawing at my soul? I can’t just walk away from it now. But…” He pauses, his voice softening. “I promise I won’t rush into this decision."

The room is thick with tension as Astarion weighs his options. Finally, he looks to you, his expression resolute. “What do you think? Should we take this chance?”

Your heart pounds in your chest as you consider his question. You think back to everything you’ve been through together, the battles, the close calls, the quiet moments of tenderness..... and then Cazador. You’ve always been stronger together, but this… this is different. This is a risk that could change everything.

“I think…” you begin, choosing your words carefully. “I think this is a decision that can’t be rushed. We need to understand exactly what we’re dealing with. If there’s even a chance this could help you without destroying who you are, then we should explore it. But we do it cautiously, step by step, with all the knowledge we can gather.”

Astarion nods, relief washing over his features. “You’re right. We’ve faced too much to throw it all away on a whim.”

Gale looks between the two of you, then gestures toward the phylactery. “There may be a way to learn more before we decide. The phylactery is linked to the spirit within. I could attempt to communicate with it, to see if it’s willing to share any knowledge. It’s a delicate process, though, and there’s no telling how the spirit will react.”

“Then let’s do it,” Astarion says, his voice firm. “We’ll gather every piece of information we can before making a decision.”

Gale nods and begins to prepare for the ritual, drawing intricate runes around the pedestal and muttering incantations under his breath. As he works, you and Astarion step back, watching him with a mix of anticipation and anxiety.

Shadowheart, who has been silent until now, finally speaks up. “This is dangerous, but I understand why you’re doing it. Just know that whatever happens, you have my support.”

Astarion glances at her, surprised by her words. “Thank you, Shadowheart. That means… more than you know.”

She gives him a small, genuine smile before returning to her usual stoic expression. “Just don’t do anything reckless, alright?”

“No promises,” Astarion replies with a wink, though there’s a seriousness in his tone that you don’t miss.

Gale finishes his preparations and takes a deep breath, turning to face the three of you. “I’m ready. This will take all of my concentration, so I’ll need complete silence. If anything goes wrong… well, let’s just hope it doesn’t.”

You and Astarion exchange a glance, then step back to give Gale space. The air in the room grows thick with tension as Gale begins the ritual, his voice rising and falling in a strange, melodic chant. The runes around the pedestal glow with a soft, golden light, and the phylactery begins to pulse in time with Gale’s words.

As the ritual continues, the light from the phylactery intensifies, filling the room with an otherworldly glow. You can feel the magic crackling in the air, and a sense of dread creeps into your chest. This is no ordinary magic, this is power beyond comprehension, and it’s dangerous.

Suddenly, the light from the phylactery flares, and a ghostly figure begins to materialize above it. The figure is translucent, its features shifting and indistinct, but you can make out the shape of a humanoid man, tall and regal, with eyes that burn like twin stars.

Gale’s voice falters for a moment, but he quickly regains his composure. “Great spirit,” he intones, his voice steady. “We seek your knowledge. Tell us, what is the purpose of this phylactery? What power does it hold?”

The spirit’s eyes flicker, and when it speaks, its voice is like the whisper of a thousand souls. “This vessel holds the essence of my life, the culmination of all my power. It was crafted to preserve my soul, to grant me eternity beyond death. But in the hands of another… it can do more. It can transform, it can enhance, it can elevate… or it can destroy.”

Astarion steps forward, his gaze locked on the spirit. “And if I were to use it? What would happen to me?”

The spirit’s eyes narrow, its form shifting ominously. “You seek to escape your curse, to walk in the light once more. The phylactery can grant you that, but it comes at a cost. The power within is too great for any mortal to wield without consequence. You would be changed… perhaps beyond recognition. Or you may be consumed entirely.”

The room falls silent as the weight of the spirit’s words sinks in. The choice before you and Astarion is clearer now, but no less daunting. The power to be free from the curse is within reach, but it could come at the ultimate price.

Gale finally breaks the silence, his voice subdued. “We have our answer. The risk is great, but so is the potential reward. Astarion… the decision is yours.”

Astarion looks down at the phylactery, his expression unreadable. Finally, he turns to you, his eyes searching yours for guidance. “What do you think, love? Do we take the chance, or do we walk away?”

Your heart aches with the enormity of the decision. You think of the life you’ve built together, the love you share, and the future that could be waiting for you. But you also think of the risk, the possibility of losing Astarion, of him losing himself.

After a long, agonizing moment, you take a deep breath and speak the words that have been weighing on your heart. “I can’t make this choice for you, Astarion. But whatever you decide, know that I’m with you. Always.”

Astarion’s eyes soften, and he pulls you into a tight embrace. “Thank you,” he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m grateful every day that you’re by my side.”

Astarion holds you for a long moment, his breath warm against your ear, before finally stepping back. He gazes at the phylactery with a mixture of longing and trepidation, as if the weight of centuries is pressing down on him all at once.

“This could be the end of everything,” he murmurs, almost to himself. “Or the beginning of something new.”

You reach out, gently touching his arm. “Whatever happens, you won’t face it alone.”

Astarion nods, his resolve hardening. He turns back to Gale, who is watching with a mixture of curiosity and concern. “I’ve made my decision,” Astarion says, his voice steady. “But I need to know more. How do we use the phylactery safely? How do we ensure it doesn’t destroy me?”

Gale frowns, clearly thinking through the possibilities. “The ritual would be complex. We’d need to draw on the phylactery’s power carefully, channeling it into you in a controlled manner. If we’re not careful, the energy could overwhelm you, or even shatter your soul.”

“Then we need to be careful,” Astarion replies, his eyes glinting with determination. “We’ve faced worse, haven’t we?”

Shadowheart steps forward, her gaze serious. “If you’re going to do this, we’ll need to make preparations. We can’t just rush into it without knowing the risks. We should seek out more knowledge, find someone who understands the Netherese magic better than we do.”

Gale nods in agreement. “There is a sage in Waterdeep who specialize in ancient magic. We could consult them, gather all the information we can before we attempt anything. It’s not a decision to take lightly.”

You look at Astarion, feeling a pang of relief that he’s willing to approach this with caution. The thought of losing him to this ancient magic is too much to bear.

“What do you think?” you ask, searching his eyes. “Should we find these sages and learn more?”

Astarion considers this for a moment before nodding. “Yes, it’s the wise thing to do. We’ve come this far, we can afford to wait a little longer. If there’s any chance of doing this safely, we need to take it.”

Gale claps his hands together, clearly relieved. “Excellent! I’ll make inquiries right away. We should have some answers within a day or two. In the meantime, we can rest and prepare ourselves for what’s to come, you are all welcome to stay here in my tower."

Shadowheart crosses her arms, her gaze lingering on the phylactery. “This is a dangerous path we’re walking. But if it means giving Astarion a chance at a better life, it’s worth the risk.”

The four of you agree to set out the next day to seek the counsel of the sage. For now, there’s nothing more to be done but wait. You retreat to your shared quarters in Gale’s tower, the weight of the decision still heavy on your mind.

Inside the room, the atmosphere is different, more charged with the unknown. Astarion seems restless, pacing the length of the small space. You watch him for a moment before standing and placing a hand on his shoulder.

“We’ll find the answers we need,” you say softly.

Astarion stops pacing and looks at you, his eyes reflecting a thousand unspoken thoughts. “You’re right,” he says finally, his voice tinged with both hope and fear. “I just, this is the closest I’ve ever been to truly being free. And yet, it’s terrifying. What if we can’t control it? What if I become something monstrous?”

You step closer, cupping his face in your hands. “You won’t,” you say firmly. “You’re stronger than you know, Astarion. We’ll take every precaution. We’ll make sure you come out of this whole.”

He leans into your touch, closing his eyes as if drawing strength from your presence. “I trust you,” he whispers, his voice almost breaking. “I trust you more than anyone.”

You pull him into a tender kiss, letting the connection between you speak the words that neither of you can fully express. When you finally pull back, Astarion seems calmer, more grounded.

“Let’s get some rest,” you suggest, guiding him toward the bed. “Tomorrow will be a long day.”

He nods, allowing you to lead him. As you lie down together, he wraps his arms around you, spooning you from behind. The chill of his body against yours is comforting, a coldness you have gotten used to, something that was unique to him.

But sleep doesn’t come easily. The weight of the decision hangs over you like a storm cloud, the potential for both great reward and terrible loss swirling in your mind. Every time you close your eyes, you see the phylactery, glowing with that strange, ethereal light, and Astarion, standing on the precipice of a future that could be either wondrous or disastrous.

Eventually, exhaustion takes over, and you drift into a fitful sleep, your dreams filled with visions of ancient magic, swirling shadows, and Astarion’s face, torn between hope and fear.

Click here for part 4

#bg3 dark urge #astarion ancunin #astarion #astarion fanfic #astarion x durge #astarion x reader #baulders gate 3 #bg3 bhaalspawn #bg3 #bg3 fanfiction #shadowheart #gale dekarios #the wizard of waterdeep #netherese orb #dungeons and dragons

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alwaysahiccupandastrid · 10 months

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I watched TBOSAS today (Sunday) and I’m sadly not very well (bad cold or flu), but I wanted to try and make a little post to appreciate the film/give my thoughts.

I saw the first three Hunger Games movies on opening weekend during my teens - the only one I didn’t watch at the cinema was Mockingjay Part 2, because it coincided with my GCSE mocks and some other stuff I had going on. I saw the first one twice at the cinema, once on opening weekend with one friend and then a second time with my then-best friend a few weeks later; I saw CF and MJP1 with my younger sister on opening weekend because it’s one of the few series we both love and so it’s one of the few things we can both enjoy together. My point is that I’m a huge THG fan, have been since I read the first book in late 2011 when I was 13 - I even still have my Mockingjay pin that I bought in March 2012 from Waterstones that I still wear!

Anyway, I read TBOSAS during lockdown, my sister bought the book and let me read it after she did, so this has been one of my most anticipated movies of the year!

!Spoilers below!

I was ill when I watched it and I’m even iller now but I’ll try to remember as much as I can

I LOVED IT

I’m glad they made Coriolanus Snow hot because I felt so conflicted watching him and that’s EXACTLY what was needed for the character, he’s got this beautiful exterior but he is POISON inside

Rachel Zegler was AMAZING by the way, I’m not her biggest fan by any means but I say fuck the haters

Hunter Schafer as Tigris was AMAZING casting, she really needs to shine away from Euphoria because damn she was so good in this film

Just in general casting ATE in this movie; Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman etc

Tigris was spot on: “I wouldn’t sing a note for you” and pointing out that Coryo needed to get Lucy Gray’s trust in order to help her win

Arachne Crane deserved death, idc 🤷‍♀️

NO ARACHNE FUNERAL LIKE THE BOOK?!?

The fact that the tributes were just dumped in a zoo and put on display like animals?!? Compared to six and a half decades later where the tributes are glammed up and treated like royalty, even allowed to train before entering the arena??? I love how starkly different it is

I won’t lie, Lucky Flickerman stole the film whenever he was in the scene 😭😅 absolute scene stealer?!?

Lucky trying to cancel his dinner reservations on night 1 of the games because “this is taking longer than I expected” 💀

Also telling one of the mentors not to puke on the floor after their tribute was killed?!?! Iconic really

“Those drones really are not very good” - PLEASE 😭

You can definitely tell Lucky is an ancestor of Caesar lol

The bow and arrow when Coryo enters the arena?!?! 👀🏹

Coryo killing Bobbin was BRUTAL. He could have stopped after the first hit, that was self defence - but he carried on and kept hitting him. It was definitely a huge moment

I obviously knew Wovey wasn’t going to survive, but god DAMN it 😭 DID THEY HAVE TO MAKE HER SO SWEET AND LIKEABLE?!? She just wanted to go home, and those were her last words before she was killed by the snakes 😭

Coryo really cheated just so Lucy Gray could survive, and it still has me questioning whether he cares for her or if it is just to do with the Plinth prize? 🤔

“What are the Hunger Games for, Mister Snow?” And all I can think about was him explaining in the original HG movie why there’s a Victor, why they don’t just kill 24 kids at random:

THE SNAKE SCENE IN THE ARENA WHERE LUCY GRAY SINGS?!? ASDFGHJKL THIS IS CINEMA

The Games felt so much more primal and sad, like you could tell all of them were just trying to survive, even Coral who seemed to target Lucy Gray ruthlessly but then before her death made the comment that it can’t have all been for nothing…

The fact that Gaul didn’t want to call an end to the games even though Lucy Gray was the final survivor, and it was only when the other mentors were chanting to let her out, to call it, that she finally did it…

I nearly lost my shit during the first hanging scene because I suddenly remembered that THIS was what the Hanging Tree song was based on; “they strung up a man they say who murdered three” “dead man called out for his love to flee” etc. And that is EXACTLY what happened, right to a tee: the man protesting his innocence, calling for his love to go…

Listen I may be REALLY off, but the meadow where Coryo and Lucy Gray met up again… is it the same meadow from the final scene in Mockingjay P2 with Everlark and their kids?!?

It probably isn’t but it reminded me of it idk

THE KATNISS PLANT - FORESHADOWING 😭 “it’s not ready yet” “things change fast” ASDFGHJKL

SEJANUS PLINTH YOU HAVE ALWAYS DESERVED BETTER 😭 knew it was coming but I was so sad

The scene where they hang Sejanus was so chilling, because the birds (i think they were Jabberjays and not Mockingjays but I could be wrong?) repeated his blood curdling calls for help as he was hung, like I was so haunted by it afterwards

No wonder Coriolanus Snow hates the fucking birds, Jesus Christ

THE CABIN AND WOODS SCENES?!?

The absolute tonal shift when he finds the guns, when Lucy Gray remarks that she’s the only loose end as if it’s a taunt, a challenge etc.

Coriolanus running through the woods, screaming “AFTER EVERYTHING I HAVE DONE FOR YOU?!?” - it just SCREAMS toxic relationship quite frankly, like whether you believe there was any genuine love at all or not, it just screams how toxic the relationship was between them. It was doomed from the start frankly

I was so concerned that the film would make it clear whether or not he killed Lucy Gray, but thankfully they left it ambiguous just like the book. Did one of his bullets hit her? Did she fly free?

It’s so interesting that Lucy Gray and her games were completely and utterly wiped, there was no trace of them - but her songs, her art, survived even after she disappeared. Songs like the Meadow song and the Hanging Tree survived and were passed on through District 12, becoming part of their culture - Snow couldn’t destroy that, no matter how hard he might have tried

Someone on Twitter made this comment and I agree:

Also YES, I noticed that Tigris called him “Coryo” until their last scene together, and then it was “Coriolanus” 😭 and also the fact that she warned him not to turn into his father, his father had hate in his eyes… and then at the end, she sadly tells him “you look like your father, Coriolanus” 😭

The small little hints of the man Coriolanus Snow is in the original series though??? The roses, the Katniss plant Easter egg, etc. And then there’s the fact we see glimpses of what later became his preferred method of killing his enemies - poison. He put poison in the compact and gave it to Lucy Gray, and then he poisoned Casca Highbottom… it’s just so fascinating to think of who this young 18 year old becomes later on, the way he changed over the course of the next 64 years and how those changes came directly from what happened in this story.

Ending the film with Donald Sutherland’s delivery of “It’s the things we love the most that destroy us” from the original movies?!?! FUCK YEAH I WAS THIS CLOSE TO SCREAMING

Honestly it’s got to be VERY hard to play a younger version of a Donald Sutherland character, but especially this one because that man KILLED the part in the films, but I think Tom Blyth did a really good job and I could definitely see hints of the older Snow being included in his performance, like I could genuinely believe it was the same character?

The fact that 64 years later a dark haired girl from District 12 wearing a mockingjay pin and singing songs once sung by a girl he thought dead absolutely fucked his life up?!? We love to see it. It’s like Lucy Gray gave him a middle finger lol

I’ll be honest, as soon as we left the cinema I said to my sister “the only thing is now I want to watch the original four Hunger Games movies” 😭

That’s all I can think of right now because I’m very feverish, I’ve got work in the morning and it was also a long film so there was a LOT going on, but I absolutely LOVED IT. The Hunger Games has truly been the only franchise that has a prequel that has been nearly universally loved and accepted by the fans, Suzanne Collins is truly amazing.

#the hunger games #thg #tbosas #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #the hunger games: the ballad of songbirds and snakes #coriolanus snow #lucy gray baird #tom blyth #rachel zegler #hunter schafer

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cirilla-fiona-riannon · 10 months

Text

Francis Drake Main Story

This is simply a fan translation of the game. Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors.

Chief Hunter: "Lass, are you a vampire?"

I involuntarily shrank back under his intense gaze.

However, if I hesitate here, it will only deepen his suspicions.

Mitsuki: “No, it’s not like that.”

Chief Hunter: “Then why do you have this blood?”

Mitsuki: “It’s for medical purposes.”

Chief Hunter: “Oh, so you’re a medical practitioner?”

The lie I blurted out on impulse was embarrassingly clumsy.

(I have no choice but to stick with the lie.)

Chief Hunter: “Your voice is shaking. Even if you lie, the truth will be exposed eventually.”

Mitsuki: “Anyone would be confused if they were suddenly questioned about something weird.”

Mitsuki: “Besides, do vampires really exist in this world?”

I feigned ignorance and expressed the kind of doubt a ‘normal person’ might have.

Without changing his expression, the man looked at me as if he were trying to assess me.

Chief Hunter: “You may act like you don’t know, but let me enlighten you.”

Chief Hunter: “Vampires do exist. That’s why we, the hunters, have been chasing them throughout history.”

Chief Hunter: “We protect humans from these monsters that feed on human blood. It is our mission and pride.”

(Monsters...)

The sound of disdainful words made my chest tighten painfully.

(The vampires I know are not monsters.)

(Some vampires never harm humans.)

Chief Hunter: “Remember this. As long as there are vampires, we will exist.”

Chief Hunter: "We will exterminate every single monster in this world."

With that declaration, the chief hunter turned his back on the cell.

Mitsuki: "Wait! If you suspect me, then please release Karen and the others!"

Chief Hunter: "No. There's no evidence that the child and you are not accomplices."

Chief Hunter: "Your vague testimony might have been an attempt to help you escape."

Chief Hunter: "Besides, vampires have blood relatives. At this point, I will thoroughly investigate the foreigners as well."

Mitsuki: "What do you plan to do with us?"

Chief Hunter: "It's simple. If you're human, I'll set you free. If you're a vampire, I'll pierce your heart in the name of God."

Mitsuki: ".........."

Chief Hunter: "But even then, if you cannot end your eternal life, I will seal you away forever."

Chief Hunter: "You will suffer from eternal hunger at the bottom of the earth or in the depths of the dark sea."

Without showing any mercy or hesitation, the chief and the hunters left.

He left us with words that conveyed such a strong sense of justice, determined not to forgive the absolute evil known as vampires.

(I'm glad it was me who got caught.)

(But it can't go on like this.)

If they investigated my background, suspicion would inevitably fall on the mansion.

Even Drake could be in danger.

(I absolutely can't let everyone be suspected of being vampires.)

(Also...)

I heard anxious voices and faint sobbing from the other prison cells.

These people were captured for the sole reason of being foreigners, just like me.

(They’re suffering because of me.)

Karen: "It's my fault."

The words I whispered in my heart echoed as I turned around.

Karen tightly clenched her hands and looked down.

Karen: “After I stole your stuff that day, those guys caught me.”

Karen: “I never thought that one theft would lead to something like this. You, and many others, got dragged into this.”

Mitsuki: “Karen.”

Karen: “Will they kill us because they suspect us of being vampires?”

Feeling Karen’s fear and regret, I gently wrapped my hands around hers.

Mitsuki: “Calm down. This isn’t your fault.”

Mitsuki: “Besides, putting us in cells like this means they’re not planning to do something right away.”

(The leader seemed to take pride in being a hunter.)

(If their mission is to protect humans, they wouldn’t kill us unless they were certain we were vampires.)

Hoping this wasn’t just wishful thinking, I smiled to ease her fear.

Mitsuki: “It must have been scary to get caught in a place like this.”

Mitsuki: “This is probably why you didn’t show up on the day of our meeting on the Seine River.”

Karen: “That's...”

Mitsuki: “Yet, despite that, I started having doubts. I’m sorry.”

She made a face that seemed like she was about to cry, and her lips trembled.

Karen: "Why are you apologizing? Why do you stupidly try to believe in me?"

Karen: "I don't even have a sick parent, and I never intended to keep that promise from the start."

Mitsuki: "Karen..."

Karen: "Even though you protected me and were kind to me when I shoplifted, I still laughed at you for being gullible."

Tears rolled down her eyes as she poured her heart out.

It was as if her facade of strength was crumbling away.

(Has she been living alone all this time?)

The thought of it made me feel overwhelmed, and I held Karen's thin body in my arms.

Mitsuki: "Thank you. I'm glad I believed in you."

Karen: "Why?"

Mitsuki: "Because you honestly told me the truth. That sincerity makes me happy."

I think it was because she felt guilty that she promised to see me again, even though she had no intention of keeping it.

Regretting dragging me and the others into this and crying was evidence that she still had kindness in her heart.

(I'm glad her heart hasn't frozen over.)

Karen: "Sorry, I'm so sorry."

The hand wrapped around my back tightly felt dear, and strong emotions welled inside me.

(I have to help her and the others.)

(But what should I do?)

(In times like this, what would Drake do?)

While thinking about it, a sudden idea crossed my mind.

------------Flashback-----------

Drake: “Next time, it’s my turn. If something happens to you, I will definitely help. I promise.”

---------Flashback Ends--------

(Drake…)

If Drake were to come and help, he might end up in a fight with the hunters.

Moreover, there was a risk that they would find out who he really was.

Considering all this, I couldn't bring myself to wish for his help.

(I want to believe in Drake.)

Regardless of whether he would actually come, just believing in him seemed to support my faltering spirit.

(Anyway, I can't give up.)

With renewed determination, I continued embracing Karen.

Meanwhile, deep within the mansion in the woods that night—

Comte: "No one has seen Mitsuki, right?"

Comte asked them, and the residents nodded with serious expressions.

They had all gathered in the living room, concerned that Mitsuki hadn't returned home even after nightfall.

Comte: "Today, I heard some concerning rumors from acquaintances in the social circle."

Mozart: "Rumors?"

Comte: "Apparently, foreign women have been disappearing in Paris."

Comte: "Tourists who came to visit the World's Fair, as well as those who came to work from other countries."

Comte: "Many of them, regardless of their age or status, have disappeared."

Leonardo: "I was just about to warn Cara Mia when she went missing."

Comte: "I'll go to the police to report. Still, we need to find clues about Mitsuki."

As the discussion progressed, footsteps approached from the hallway.

Appearing before them was一

Shakespeare: "Greetings. I apologize for not being the person you're looking for."

Shakespeare: "Considering Mitsuki's absence and the stern expressions on everyone's faces, it seems the situation has taken a turn for the worst."

Shakespeare understood the situation instantly.

Vincent: "Will, have you heard by any chance about the rumor regarding the disappearance of foreign women?"

Shakespeare: "Yes. I came here to inform you that Mitsuki could also become a target."

Shakespeare: "I'm not sure how much you all know, but there is some concerning information about this incident."

Dazai: "Any clues are welcome. Tell us, Shakespeare."

Shakespeare: "According to the testimony of the last person who saw the missing individual, she was accompanied by a mercenary-like man."

Vincent: "Mercenary?"

Shakespeare: "Aye. He was wearing a cloak and carrying a sword."

Comte: "Could it be a vampire hunter?"

Shakespeare nodded.

Shakespeare: "The reason is unclear, but there seems to be a possibility that the hunters are abducting foreigners."

Vincent: "Could it be that Mitsuki was taken because someone leaked our identities?"

Arthur: "That seems unlikely. For now, Mitsuki is more likely an individual who got caught up in this."

Theo: "If our identities were exposed, they would likely make direct contact with us."

Comte: "Yeah. Hunters have the duty to protect humans. They target vampires."

Comte: "If that's the case, I'm worried about the way they're acting. It seems as though they're convinced there's a vampire among the foreign women."

At that moment, Sebastian, who had been silently listening, raised his hand.

Sebastian: "May I interject for a moment?"

Sebastian: "This is just my speculation, but..."

The usually composed Sebastian continued speaking, his expression more serious than usual.

Sebastian: "Until recently, Mitsuki was delivering meals to Isaac's university."

Isaac: "I did ask her to. But since I heard about the hunters showing up, I asked her to bring me Blanc instead to ensure it wouldn't be suspicious if someone saw her."

Sebastian: "Yes. However, there was a day when we were out of Blanc, and she had to carry Rouge instead."

Sebastian: "If, unfortunately, someone saw her carrying it and the information reached the ears of the hunters..."

Sebastian lowered his gaze, as if blaming himself.

Leonardo: "It's not just your responsibility, Sebastian."

Leonardo: "But I see. In that case, it wouldn't be strange for Cara mia herself to be suspected as a vampire."

Leonardo: "The hunters were searching for Mitsuki based on the information of a foreign woman."

The possibility that emerged made everyone's faces more stern.

Jean: "What happens if she gets caught by the hunters?"

Drake: "Execution, undoubtedly."

Drake, sitting with his legs crossed on the sofa, uttered the words that cut through the tension.

It was the worst outcome that everyone had in the back of their minds.

Comte: "That's true. In the past, there were times when vampires would be executed on the spot once they were identified."

Comte: "But that was centuries ago. Even if they are hunters, I want to believe they won't do anything barbaric in this civilized society."

Drake: "You can't be sure about that."

Drake: "There are plenty of people who go against our expectations and do outrageous things."

Napoleon: "Drake has a point. In any case, we need to figure out a plan to help her."

Napoleon: "First, we need to find the hunters' whereabouts."

Drake: "If that's the case, he might be able to tell us."

Drake stood up from the sofa and opened the window in the living room.

With the flapping sound of wings, a red parrot(Draco) flew in.

Draco: "Fawn! Over there! Fawn! Over there!"

Drake: "Hm. There, there. Thanks, Draco."

Drake placed Draco on his arm and squinted his eyes at the parrot.

Then he muttered in a voice only he could hear.

Drake: "I'll repay the debt. I promised that to you, little fawn."

Drake: "Sorry, hunters. This time, I'm on the other side."

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#ikemen vampire #ikevamp #ikevamp jp #ikevamp drake #ikevamp francis #ikevamp translations #cybird #ikevamp arthur

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