#I went to a protest but it rained a lot so I only stayed for half

[kowabungadoodles]

dumping some thoughts in the tags

[dyns33]

Sentimental weather

A little Morpheus x female reader

I'm less and less good with titles

It was raining.

No, the word was not strong enough.

It was a real torrent, a storm, a hurricane outside, and no one around Y/N seemed to care.

It must have been that, and the fact that she had found herself in this weird and unfamiliar place when she opened her eyes, that she hadn't been worried for more than a minute, before running under a tree to take shelter.

A raven seemed to have had the same idea, even though he thought it stupid, as he let her know.

"It's dangerous to stay under a tree during a thunderstorm."

"Oh, really ?" replied Y/N, who had the feeling that it was not normal for a raven to be able to speak.

"Yeah. Lightning could kill you. But you can't die here. Well, I don't think so. People can die while sleeping, but I don't know if it kills you for real to die in dreams. The boss says that we're real, but when someone is injured while sleeping, they're fine when they wake up, so I'm a bit lost. I have to say, he doesn't explain very well."

"Ravens have bosses ?"

"Not ravens. Me. I'm the raven, thank you. I'm here to assist the boss. Although I'm not much use at the moment. It's kind of his fault too, he doesn't listen. He's stubborn and sensitive. I've been told this isn't the first time this has happened. I really wish the rain would stop, it's been weeks now."

If his boss didn't explain well, the raven wasn't really any better. He continued to complain about the weather, until Y/N woke up. It seemed perfectly logical that this was all a dream, and she didn't think about it for the rest of the day.

But next night, when she opened her eyes again after falling asleep, she was still near the castle, in the pouring rain.

She was a little surprised, but as if it were normal, she went back under the tree, where she found the talking bird.

"Well, you're back." he noted. "And you don't listen to my advice. Just like him. I've been trying to talk to him all day, but no ! It's still raining."

"I don't understand the connection between your boss and the rain."

"It's because he's sad that it's raining. I mean, I can try to understand. He was in love, I think, even though it had only been a month and she wasn't great. I didn't like her at all personally. He struggles with feelings. Words, people… He struggles. He's had a lot of problems. But it's been weeks now, he has to pull himself together and listen to his good mate Matthew ! I can't fly in his conditions !"

As the raven, Matthew, continued to speak, Y/N looked up at the balcony of the castle and saw a man staring at the horizon, standing in the rain and looking terribly sad.

He must have been the famous boss.

Remembering that it was only a dream, and therefore not caring about the consequences of her actions, Y/N ventured towards the castle despite the raven's protests. Still without thinking, she went to the balcony, finding herself next to the man who was causing this storm.

"Hello." she said simply. "Matthew says you're sad and that's why it's raining."

"Matthew seems to say a lot of things except what relates to his job. He has to report when a dreamer gets lost so far."

"I'm not lost, you can't get lost in a dream. I know perfectly well where I am."

"Really ?" asked the man, without turning to her. "And where do you find yourself, little dreamer ?"

"In my bed. Unless I'm sleepwalking, but I don't think so."

"You think, you're not sure. You are wrong, we can get lost in a dream, and get stuck. Better check where you are."

Y/N then opened her eyes, in her bed, as she had said. The rest of the day passed without her thinking about this dream.

When she found herself again in front of the castle, under the storm, she did not go to join the little raven, who sighed when he saw her pass in front of his tree.

Still in the rain, still staring sadly at the hoziron, the boss made no comment as she came to stand next to him.

"Hello again. I was right, I was in my bed if you're interested. Anyway, Matthew talked about heartbreak. Look, I don't pretend to understand how you feel, and maybe it's not my business, but still, you have to move on. It's difficult, okay, but as the poet said, it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved. That's life, you have to live."

This time, the man looked at Y/N, and seeing his eyes, she understood that he was not human. There was something powerful and ancient in his starry eyes. There was also something else she couldn't decipher.

"… I said something similar once, to someone very dear to me." he whispered in a strange voice.

"Well, you have to know how to follow your own advice. Of course it may take time and you can ask for help, but I promise you that everything will be better soon. You deserve it. I don't know you, but you make it rain for love and a raven is worried about you, so you must be nice deep down."

The boss continued to stare at her with a strange look, impossible to read, between admiration, surprise, vexation at having been partially insulted and what looked a bit like love. But that was probably not it. Anyway, Y/N didn't ask, too busy waking up. Again, the events of the night didn't really affect her day.

Except maybe when a raven came tapping her window while she was preparing dinner. She looked at it for a long time, wondering if it was a trained raventhat had gotten lost and was asking for food, but without opening.

"Impolite !" he shouted when she didn't open, concentrating on her saucepan.

"… What ?"

"Crude ! Mean ! Reckless !"

"You can talk ? Are you… Matthew ?" she asked as she let him in, unable to remember when she had gone to bed. Because it had to be a dream.

"Yes, it's me. Sorry, I shouldn't have gotten upset, I forget it's weird to see a talking raven. Thanks for opening up, and remembering my name. The other never remembered it, she was mean."

"The other ? Who?"

"The previous one. Look, I guess you didn't do it on purpose, and I'm quite glad the sun came out, but… You could have been careful, really. We didn't need that."

"I understand absolutely nothing."

"Lord Morpheus isn't sad anymore, thanks to you. Hooray. Except not totally, because… He's in love again."

"Really ? That's a good thing. With who ?"

"Who do you think, Sherlock ?" sighed the raven, staring at her.

"… Oh."

"Yeah, oh. So be nice, you've seen what happens when he's down, please don't break his heart."

"But he doesn't exist. You either, I'm dreaming."

"… Shit. I did well to come. So I'll say it quickly, I'm real, Lord Morpheus is real, what happens in dreams is real, you're not crazy, and my boss is madly in love with you now. Digest the information quickly, please."

Just because the raven said it didn't mean it was true, Y/N could be dreaming or losing her mind. But all the same, dreaming of the same thing four days in a row was not completely normal.

If she decided to believe Matthew, it involved a lot of things and questions she would ask him later. Because there was more urgent.

"… He loves me ? Me ? Why ?"

"You are a beautiful soul, noble and pure, wise, who will perhaps appreciate his company despite all his faults. End of quote."

"That's a bit quick, isn't it ? I don't know him at all, you just told me his name."

"Well, that's not bad enough. Some people get married without even knowing that. If he asks you, say yes !"

"Matthew. Stop it immediately."

The raven jumped with her, moved in front of Y/N as if to protect her, before looking genuinely frightened when he saw his boss, Lord Morpheus, standing in the middle of the living room, the arm crossed and looking displeased.

Obviously the little emissary had not asked permission to come here.

"Hi, boss ! I'm… I was…"

"Again saying things you shouldn't. Leave her alone, go back to the Dreaming and help Lucienne in the library."

"Yes, boss !"

Not wasting a moment, the raven immediately flew out the window. Lord Morpheus watched him disappear into the clouds, before slowly turning towards Y/N. Again, it was hard to know what he was thinking.

"My apologies for the intrusion, and the pressure. Matthew shouldn't have acted like that, but he's impulsive and protective, he thought he was doing the right thing."

"… Is it true that you are real and that you love me ?"

"I heard that these two facts were not very clear." he sighed, looking suddenly embarrassed. "I want to do things right, so I intended to woo you, so as not to rush you, and so that you can know who I am. But if my advances are not welcome, a word from you and I will leave."

It was a way out. It was touching of him, because as he said, Matthew talked a lot, and Matthew said a lot of things that might have made Y/N think it wasn't a good idea to hang out with Lord Morpheus.

He was a complicated being, who had trouble with feelings, people, who was dramatic, stubborn, sensitive, with a difficult past, both in general and in his romantic relationships.

But so were many other people.

"Matthew couldn't tell me if we died in real life after dying in a dream." was Y/N's response. "You said we can get lost, so…"

Lord Morpheus considered what she had just said, understanding that it was an invitation to stay, chat with her, and possibly start his court if he wished to. He smiled slightly as he began to explain to her, and Y/N then realized two things :

It wouldn't be difficult to fall in love with this man, as dangerous as it could be.

Matthew was right, he didn't explain very well.

[littlebluentebook]

Blitzo x Reader

Blitzo was drunk as a skunk.

You and him went out together to celebrate his fastest assassination attempt yet. You only had one drink knowing Blitzo would have more than yourself and someone still needed to drive.

"Blitzo," you said gently, "we've gotta get going. We still need to make it to the office in the morning."

"I knew you were going to make me leave the party you buzzkill bitch!" Blitzo was slurring his words and pointing over your right shoulder. The party consisted of you two, the last in the bar and and the cat man bartender who was glaring at your friend waiting for you both to leave, clearly impatient. "Plus Y/N, I knew you were going to make me leave early so I didn't even bring my house keys." At this point, he had a smirk on his face thinking he got out of having to go home early.

"Ugh you motherfucker," you sighed. This meant that Blitzo would be staying with you and you wouldn't be getting your bed to yourself tonight. You dragged a protesting Blitzo out of the bar and into the I.M.P van. 'Wow we really need a daytime car' you thought.

"AHHHHH Y/N NOOOOO!!!!" Bliss was yelling as you started the drive home. "YOURE KIDNAPPING ME LET ME OUT!" He was pulling on the car door handle but you were blasting down the highway and wouldn't let him out.

"Is it kidnapping if its my apartment that you have your own room at?" You and Blitzo had been best friends for a long time and he was over at your home constantly. He didn't actually have his own room in your studio apartment, but lots of his stuff was in your home as was yours in his.

Blitzo mulled the question over. "Hmmm I guess not. Can I have the horsie blanket?"

"Of course you can," you told him glancing at the right mirror before changing lanes and turning.

The horse blanket was a gift you got Blitzo for one of his birthdays. It was a particularly bad one for him. It was pouring rain, there was no one to kill, and nobody gave him a birthday wish. Not even Millie. You had knocked on the door drenched from the walk over in the rain. In your hands was a melted home made happy birthday cake, a horse stuffed animal and a matching blanket. The horse was at his house because he slept with it whenever he was there. But with you, he got the large comfortable blanket.

"Yay!" He cheered gently fighting sleep.

As soon as his eyes closed and breathing slowed you arrived at your apartment complex. You and Blitzo made your way up the building. He stumbled against you, it took time but you both eventually made it. As soon as you unlocked the front door Blitzo made a beeline for your bed.

"Horsie" he said making a grabbing motion with his hands. You moved to one of the drawers under the bed that held the blanket and his comfortable clothes to sleep in. You went to the bathroom to change and then to the kitchen to get water, medicine and the designated Blitzo Bowl for when he was hungover.

As soon as you placed all the items you laid in bed next ti Blitzo.

"Took you long enough"

"Yeah yeah whatever, you don't need me to fall asleep"

"yes I do" he murmured getting closer. "I love you." Your heart rate picked up and all you heard was blood pumping in your ears. You didn't notice Blitzo lean over and kiss you until his lips were on yours.

"Oh Blitzo," he looked so hurt you moved him off, you felt bad. "How about you tell me that in the morning and we try again?"

"mmmm okay" he sighed curling up into your side and laying his head onto you.

"I love you too." At that he flicked his tail and sighed contently into you.

Hopefully he would remember this in the morning.

[thebroccolination]

Win had a rough week. He tried to arrange a family meal that went sour, got a frantic call from the man he loves that convinced him to drive two hours by motorcycle in the rain to a completely different province, found that man almost delirious in a cemetery before an unknown child’s grave, heard that man sob into his shoulder that life would be better if he were dead, met that man’s parents for the first time early the next morning, drove two hours back to Bangkok with a fever, and then had an emotionally turbulent build-up with Team that left them both in tears.

He had a rough week.

They both have.

And because of that, I think it makes sense that Win had no idea how to answer Team’s question of what they are to each other. Their relationship status has always been nebulous, but as @nejineeee and I were just discussing, Win also kind of had his confidence torn down piece by piece throughout this episode.

First when Team told Win to leave his room. As far as Win knows, he hasn’t done anything to be kicked out for. He doesn’t know Team just had an emotionally raw conversation with his friends that’s put him on his back foot. He just knows he had a fever the night before, he was allowed to stay then, and now Team’s telling him to go to his own room seemingly for no reason.

Win looks genuinely confused and hurt, and it probably wouldn’t occur to him to think so, but there’s an imbalance here. Win’s allowed Team to use his room as if it were his: he sleeps there, showers there, even borrows Win’s clothes freely. But Team’s room is still only Team’s. And that’s Team’s right, of course, but it gives us an idea of how Win could be interpreting Team’s side of things.

We know Team loves Win, and so does the alphabet gang and now the traffic light gang, but he can’t say it to Win himself. Team is terrified of losing the most important person in his life—someone he didn’t even know a year ago!—who’s become so significant to Team that he introduced him to his parents and wants to be significant to him, too. He can’t imagine life without him anymore.

But when Win makes up an excuse to stay in Team’s room for the night, that his fever is still lingering, Team argues back. Maybe because he wants some degree of control back, to keep for himself some small part of his life that Win hasn’t totally absorbed yet.

Win doesn’t know that’s what’s going on, though.

He just looks genuinely vulnerable and almost nervous that Team really does want him gone. When he’s done nothing wrong—in fact, when he’s only done things right. All he did was rely on Team while sick, so is that where his mind goes? This is what happens when you’re a burden to others? They get bored of you and kick you out?

And in terms of character growth, I was so proud of Win here. This scene is the first and only time so far that he’s genuinely gone against what Team claims to want. Every time before, Win’s ultimately backed off and respected Team’s space (King of Consent TM), but now, he finally pushes back, and purely because he wants to be near Team.

He’s worried about Team. He’s saved this kid from nearly drowning, and then only the night before he was sobbing into Win’s shoulder that life would be better if he were dead.

What Team said to Manaow and Pharm about Win is also true of Win: he can’t imagine himself without Team anymore. And given Win’s fear of being alone, being left, could there be anything scarier for him than realizing Team is that important to him?

And yet, despite pushing back and ignoring Team’s protests, when Team does join him in bed, Win gives Team this searching look below. I interpreted it as Win checking whether Team is actually uncomfortable. If Team really does want Win to leave. Because I think he would have, if Team had said just one more annoyed hia here.

Yet, when Team says nothing more…

Win loves him so much, and honestly, what he’s been doing for Team would probably work for a lot of people. Team just needs more stability and a level of bluntness than Win can offer him at this stage.

Then they arrive at the resort, and Team claims that he doesn’t want to room with Win. To the point where he’s literally screaming “HELP ME” to his best friend.

And sure, that’s How Team Is, and he doesn’t mean it really, but that’s also the second time in less than twelve hours that Team has expressed displeasure at the suggestion of sharing a bed with someone he’s spent months actively seeking out for exactly that purpose.

Incremental damage to your defenses is still damage.

Then, there’s the bottle game where Team (correctly) tells Dean he isn’t dating anyone. And he isn’t, and there are ways to change that, but oh, how that must sting for Win to hear aloud after everything they’ve been through in the past week.

It’s entirely possible that Win just doesn’t understand what Team needs from him. He’s waiting for Team, but that’s not what Team needs.

After that, Team ends their kiss on the dock without explanation and leaves Win alone there.

I think it’s easy to see Team’s side throughout the series because we’ve seen him seek help from his friends and heard what he’s thinking and feeling.

Win’s less forthcoming, and I think that’s why he’s so broken by this whole episode. He’s always faster to care for others than he is to seek counsel for himself. But during the scene where he’s sick, Win doesn’t object to Team taking care of him. On the contrary, he seems quietly undone by it.

Win is just so young himself. He’s only two years older than Team, and this whole situation is just as new to him. He doesn’t know what he’s doing or what he should say. He just wants to feel wanted by the person he loves to a degree that scares him, and he’s trying to communicate in the ways that feel safe to him.

In the next episode, he’ll make it right. They’ll finally talk, and there’ll be tears and catharsis.

But I think this episode did a strong job of showing why Win hesitated when Team asked him what they are to each other. For all we know, Win might’ve hesitated because he’s stuck between two answers: what they are and what Win wishes they were.

[mandos-mind-trick]

Carry Me Home

Summary: You live a quiet life, away from stress and danger. So of course Fate had to drop you right in the middle of an active battle to meet your soulmate.

Pairing: Commander Cody x reader Soulmate AU

Warnings: NSFW, smut, unprotected sex, no foreplay, Soulmate AU, brief violence and description of a battle, as usual reader has a bit of a backstory just so the story flows better.

A/N: This one I think is my least favorite so far. I've fought with it all week and just decided to go with it. I love Cody, but goddamn is he hard for me to write.

MASTERLIST

Getting dropped right in the middle of a battlefield was not how you planned to spend your weekend. 

You were sitting down to enjoy your favorite book when you had the sudden uncomfortable sensation of being pulled through a thin tube and instead of your comfortable chair, your butt hits dirt. 

It takes a second for you to fully comprehend what’s happening. Your apartment has disappeared, and instead you’re outside. It’s very loud where you are as the ringing in your ears begins to fade. Your vision aso clears, and you find yourself staring up at...a helmet? 

There’s a figure directly in front of you, just inches from your feet. He’s kneeling behind a rock, blaster in hand. He’s dressed in armor, armor that’s familiar to you. You’d seen it countless times in the news, and a few times on your own home planet. 

This is not good. 

It’s only a matter of seconds, but it feels like a lifetime that you stare at him in shock. You don’t have much time to think it over as he reaches for you, tugging you behind the rock far too easily. He covers your body with his just moments before an explosion rains debris right on you. 

“Stay down!” He orders, pressing a hand into the back of your head. 

You’re compacted into a rather uncomfortable crouched position, but you’re not about to move as he goes back to firing. Your hands cover your ears as explosions rain from both sides. Your heart is pounding, feeling like it might beat right out of your chest. You close your eyes, praying this is some cruel dream your brain has thought up. You’re panicking, but you have every right to. 

This is not what you had pictured when you had thought up your weekend plans. 

You’ve always preferred a quiet life. You weren’t adventurous or impulsive. If you were going to do something, lots of planning went into it first. You were perfectly happy spending your weekends relaxing at home with a holonovel or a film. 

Not in the middle of a major battle. 

How did you come to be here? 

Or better yet, why were you here? 

You’re stuck far too long in that position, tucked into a ball behind the rock as blaster and cannon fire flies over your head. You’re stressed beyond belief, adrenaline pumping through your body. Your home planet, Alderaan, was involved in the war heading the relief effort and taking in refugees. You had heard countless stories about what it was like, but none of them could compare to actually being in it. 

How the clones do this time and time again is beyond you. 

You’re shaking, joints protesting as you’re helped to your feet. The blaster fire has stopped, the world seeming far too quiet after that absolute nightmare. His grip around your arm is tight. He’s not holding you to keep you steady. 

He practically drags you through the battlefield, past dead and injured troopers. He doesn’t seem affected at all, your weak legs trying to keep pace with his determined stride. You try not to look, your stomach churning at the thought of all of those people dead, and for what? 

It doesn’t take you long to figure out where he’s leading you as you approach who you assume is the Jedi General in charge, judging by the look of him. 

“Who is this?” He asks as you come to stand in front of him. 

“Unsure, sir. She appeared in the middle of the battle.” The clone says. 

“Appeared?” He asks in disbelief. 

“Out of thin air.” The clone answers. “Right in front of me.” 

“Strange.” The Jedi mumbles, stroking his chin as he stares at you for a moment. He turns to another clone. “Escort her back to the ship. Keep her in a holding cell until we return.” 

The clone holding you releases your arm, the other taking his place. You’re led to a gunship, your eyes drifting back to where the first clone and the Jedi are standing for just a moment. 

“What are you thinking, sir?” Cody asks, looking at Obi-Wan. 

“I don’t think she’s dangerous. Nor is she a spy.” Obi-Wan answers. 

“Then why do you think she appeared here?” 

Obi-Wan smiles at Cody, a familiar glint in his eye. “The Force works in mysterious ways. Perhaps she was sent here to help.” 

***

You sit in the holding cell, fingers tapping on the table anxiously. You’re still shaking a bit from the adrenaline rush, your body very unused to such high levels of stress. You tried to avoid it for that very reason. The trooper that had brought you to the cruiser is standing in the corner behind you, watching you carefully. His unwavering stare is also making you nervous, even though you haven’t done anything wrong. 

You grab the cup that’s sitting on the table, taking a sip of the cool water. He had at least been decent enough to get you some water. You’re terribly thirsty after sitting in the middle of a battle for what was probably close to an hour. You’re also starting to get hungry, or perhaps that’s just the nerves twisting away in your stomach. 

You’re not sure how long it’s been, not that having a window would have told you much. The eternal darkness of space wasn’t a good indicator of time. 

“Apologies for the wait,” The Jedi says. “There was still much to be done after the battle.” 

“No apologies necessary.” You say. “I would expect as such after a battle like that. Not that I’ve been in many battles.” 

“I am Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’ve already met Marshall Commander Cody.” He introduces them. 

You tell him your name as he takes the seat across from you. 

“Cody’s already told me his side of the story. I’m interested to hear yours.” 

So you tell him. “I had just gotten home from my job at an art museum on Alderaan, and I was getting ready to settle down and read some of the new holonovel I’d picked up when all of a sudden I felt like I was being pulled through a tube and then I’m sitting in the middle of a battlefield.” 

Master Kenobi stares at her for a few moments, stroking his beard. “That is very odd indeed. I do believe you. Though, unfortunately, with no way to verify your identity, we have to remain suspicious of you and your motivations.” 

You understand, you really do. No doubt Separatist spies constantly tried to infiltrate the Republic. You were very far from a spy, however there was no way to prove that. Unless...

“Senator Organa.” You blurt out before he can stand. “Senator Organa knows me. He and his wife often attend charity galas at the museum. He can vouch for my identity.” 

A small smile tugs at Master Kenobi’s lips. “Of course. I will get in contact with the Senator as soon as possible. Until then, I am afraid you will have to remain here.” 

You nod. “I understand.” 

He nods to the clone in the corner. “Nova will remain with you. If you need anything, he can get it for you.” 

***

Obi-Wan and Cody make their way up to the bridge, Cody replaying the conversation in his mind. It’s very odd, this situation. He’d never heard of anyone teleporting before, much less straight into the middle of a battle from halfway across the galaxy. 

“What do you think, sir?” Cody asks. “Do you believe her?” 

“I do.” Obi-Wan says. “I cannot sense any danger in her presence here, though we cannot be too certain.” 

“What do you think it means, her arrival? I’ve never heard of anything like this.” 

Obi-Wan smiles. “I believe congratulations are in order, Commander. I think you’ve just met your soulmate.” 

Cody stops walking, blinking in shock. His soulmate? She can’t really be...can she? He hadn’t put much thought into his soulmate, like most of his brothers. There were far bigger things to worry about, and considering they were forbidden from initiating their bonds, most of them tried to ignore the existence of soulmates. 

Of course, he knows most refuse to follow the rules regarding their soulmates. Many clones have met and keep contact with their mates. Many, not just clones, view the rule as being just another way to dehumanize them. 

So many don’t listen. 

Cody hadn’t put much thought into what he’d do. It’s easy to pretend you can follow the rules when you’re not facing it yourself. He figured he’d deal with it when the time came. He’d hoped perhaps that time wouldn’t come, or the war would be over before it came. He didn’t think it would happen right in the middle of a battle. 

He doesn’t think his General is wrong, either. 

He can feel it, the stirring in his chest that he’d overheard his brothers whispering about. The tugging, begging him to go back and just be in the presence of this mysterious teleporting girl once more. 

“Sorry, sir?” Cody asks, quickening his steps to catch up to the General once more. 

“It’s a rare soulmate link, though I’ve heard of it happening twice now since the start of the war. One soulmate teleporting to the other’s location.” 

Cody’s heart clenches in his chest. If the girl is telling the truth, if Senator Organa does verify her identity, then this must be the answer for her strange appearance. But why now? Why did she have to show up now? 

Why couldn’t fate have waited for the war to be over?

***

You look up as the energy shield of your cell drops. The time feels like it’s gone by faster this time, possibly because it hasn’t been as long. It’s impossible to tell, without knowing the time. 

Commander Cody enters your cell, his helmet tucked under his arm. He’s handsome, well, all the clones are handsome, you think. You take a better look at him now that you’re not so nervous. He wears his hair in regulation cut, and his face is clean shaven. He has a scar on the left side of his face, what looks like a crescent moon at his temple and a line trailing down his temple and across his cheekbone. You wonder how he got it, what had caused such a cruel looking injury. 

“The General spoke with Senator Organa. He verified your identity and backed up your story.” Cody says. 

You breathe a sigh of relief. You knew you had nothing to worry about, but yet you had still been nervous. What if they hadn’t been able to reach Senator Organa? What would have happened to her then? 

“If you’ll follow me, we’ll get you somewhere more comfortable.” 

You push yourself up from the table, your legs wobbling a bit. You feel unsteady from sitting for so long so soon after your extreme adrenaline rush. You grip onto the table, keeping yourself steady while your legs wake up. 

“Are you alright?” Commander Cody asks. 

“Yeah.” You laugh. “Just not used to teleporting, being on a battlefield mid battle, being interrogated, you know. Like everything that’s happened today.” 

A smile tugs at the side of Cody’s mouth. “I guess that would be rather jarring. Well, where you’re going there’s a real bed.” 

You nod. “Okay. I think I can manage to get there.” You let go of the table, forcing your legs to be steady. You turn to Nova, still dutifully standing in the corner. “Thank you for watching over me, Nova.” 

He shifts slightly, almost like he wasn’t expecting it. “Y-You’re welcome, ma’am.” 

You turn back to Cody, taking a couple test steps to make sure your legs will hold you. He’s got a smile on his face, a small one, but still a smile. You follow him from your cell, glad you’ll never have to see it again. You hadn’t been treated badly, but sitting at that table in the blank, windowless room for hours hadn’t exactly been the best experience of your life. 

“We’re heading to a GAR resupply station. There will be a ship there that will drop you off back on Alderaan.” Cody says as you walk beside him, his pace slower than you really need. 

“It will be nice to be back home again.” You say. “Not that you’ve been unwelcoming. It’s just...this life isn’t really for me. I prefer something slow and low-stress.” 

“I don’t blame you.” He says. “This life is easy for us because we were designed to handle constant, high levels of stress. It’s...not for everyone though.” 

“That’s for sure.” It falls silent for a few moments as you walk through the huge cruiser. “Did your Jedi General figure out why I teleported right to you?” You ask out of curiosity. You’d thought through every explanation you could think of and none of them made sense. 

“He had an idea why.” Cody says, clearing his throat. “It’s...it’s complicated.” 

“I mean, I did teleport halfway across the galaxy. If that has a simple answer, I’ll be floored.” 

Cody glances around, slowing his pace even more. He speaks quietly, like he doesn’t want anyone to overhear. “He thinks it may be our soulmate link.” 

Your steps slow to a stop, Cody pausing as well. You stare ahead of you in shock. You hadn’t thought of that possibility. You’d never heard of that being a link, but then again, you’d never looked much into soulmates. Like many, you simply knew you’d find them eventually. You had no distinguishing marks or any of the more common links that were obvious. You’d considered perhaps you didn’t have a soulmate at all, and though that thought made you a bit sad, you’d accepted it. If it was meant to happen, it would. 

And apparently, it had. 

“I...didn’t even know that was a possibility.” You say. 

“Neither did I.” Cody says. “Apparently this is the third time it’s happened since the war started.” 

“Well, that’s reassuring.” You say. “We’re not the only ones.” You stare at him for a moment, an unreadable expression on his face. “Why do I feel like there’s more?” 

“Well, there is.” He says, and you begin walking once more. “Us clones, we’re not allowed to initiate our bonds. If we find our soulmate, we’re supposed to reject them like the Jedi.” 

“Oh.” Your shoulders fall a bit. Of course it makes sense. They’re supposed to be loyal, unshakeable soldiers free of distractions. There’s nothing quite as distracting as a soulmate bond. 

You feel a bit disappointed. You’ve just found your soulmate and now he’s telling you he has to reject you. You know how painful it is, how debilitating it can be to go through it. Most don’t come out the other side the same. How can you when you’ve just lost half your soul? Half of your very being? 

“That’s...” You swallow the lump forming in your throat. “I-I understand...why...” 

A gloved hand touches your face, sliding along your skin. You look up, that hand cupping your chin. You look up into those dark eyes, getting lost in the deep brown of them. They’re so soft as they stare at you, wide with emotion. You’d read once that eyes are the window to the soul. You can tell a lot about someone by their eyes. 

“Luckily, most of us don’t agree with that rule.” He says quietly, like he’s afraid someone might walk by and hear. From what he’s saying, it could be dangerous if the wrong person walked by and heard. “It’s not fair to us or to our mates. Most of you have waited long enough.” 

“Too long.” You whisper, swallowing the lump in your throat. 

“I can’t promise a life, or a future. Any of us could die at any moment. But when the war ends, I will do everything I can to find you.” 

***

Your time with the 212th is short. You spend a suspicious amount of time with Cody. For being a Marshall Commander, he certainly has a lot of free time. You meet many, many clones, and do your best to memorize each and every one of their names. 

All too soon you’re landing at the GAR station, your time with them at its end. Cody escorts you off the cruiser, leading you through the bustling station to where the shuttle is waiting to take you back to Alderaan. 

“I hope the war doesn’t bring us to Alderaan.” Cody says. “As much as I’d like to see you again.” 

You smile. “I do hope to see you again soon, but preferably not on a battlefield again.”

Cody smiles down at you. “I’ll keep in contact as much as I can.” 

“I’ll be waiting.” You say, looking up at him. Oh how you want to kiss him, but you know you can’t. “You know where to find me.” 

Cody lets his fingers brush yours just for a moment. “I’ll never forget.” 

You look back as you board the shuttle, your chest already aching. The thought of being apart at all is nearly unbearable, and you can’t even say how long it will be until you see him again. 

If you see him again. 

No. You refuse to think that way. 

You will see him again. 

***

The war is over. 

It ended rather abruptly, and came with the restructuring of the Republic into the Galactic Empire. Nothing about it feels right to you, mostly because you haven’t heard from Cody since the war ended. 

He had sent you a quick message before he left on a mission, and then the war had ended. 

That had been a year ago. 

You haven’t heard from him since. 

You refuse to believe he’s dead. You would have known. Even without initiating your bond, you would have felt it. The pain of half of your soul fading away to nothing. The discomfort, the never-ceasing chill of half of you being gone. You haven’t felt that, which means Cody is alive somewhere. 

It’s been a long year. 

You’ve been going through the motions, checking every chance you can for a message, some sign from him, but you’ve heard nothing. It hurts, but you know he wouldn’t do that. Not without reason. You hope he’s safe, wherever he is. You hope he’s safe and healthy and whole. 

You don’t want to lose him. You barely know him, but the thought of losing him is driving you insane. Your thoughts have slowly been taken over by Cody. You know it’s the bond, the deep yearning to see him and be close to him again. You’re meant to be together, not a galaxy apart with no contact. 

You worry you may go insane if you have to keep on without him. 

Luckily for you, that doesn’t happen. 

It’s your day off and you had planned to spend it sitting on your couch relaxing. Your comm is sitting on the table, waiting for any sign from Cody that he’s alright. You’d give anything just to hear his voice again. You’d sell an organ to see him again. 

A knock on your door pulls you away from your thoughts. You’re not expecting anyone, but random visitors aren’t that unheard of. A neighbor or a coworker stopping by. You’re not really in the mood for company, but maybe that’s just what you need. 

Except you’re not expecting who’s behind the door. 

Your stomach twists painfully, your heart thudding in your chest. Your mouth drops open, the air in your lungs whooshing out in a gasp. 

He looks good. Or, at least, he looks uninjured. You know it’s him. Even without the scar, you would have known. He’s not in his armor, dressed down into civilian clothes instead. You want to yell at him, you want to slap him. How dare he leave you for a year without so much as a message. But as you look into his eyes, that idea melts from your mind. There’s dark circles under his eyes. He looks tired. His eyes are shining in the lights of your hallway and there’s a sadness to them, no, a guilty look to them. 

“Mesh’la.” He breathes, and you’re moving before you even realize it, practically throwing yourself into his arms. 

He wraps his arms around you tightly, almost painfully. You don’t care, relief flooding through you. All the horrible thoughts that had plagued you, all the anger and the fear and the anxiety melting away simply by being in his presence once more. 

He backs you into your apartment, the door sliding closed. He doesn’t loosen his hold on you, keeping you close to his chest. “I’m sorry.” He breathes, his breath fanning your ear. “I’m so kriffing sorry.” 

“Why?” You ask, your voice thick with tears. You’re not sure when they started, but they’re slowly soaking his shirt. “It’s been a year, Cody. A year since I’ve heard from you. The war ended and then...nothing.” 

“I know.” He pulls back slightly, looking down at your face. “I’ll tell you everything, just let me hold you for a moment.” 

And so you do. You stand there for the better part of an hour, just holding each other. Time and time again your hands run along his back, cheek pressing into his shoulder just to make sure he’s really here. 

Once you manage to separate yourselves, you move to the couch. He tells you everything, about the war ending, Order 66, the inhibitor chips, losing control of his mind, waking up after Kashyyk, the horrible things they’d been forced to do, deserting the Empire. He had wanted to contact you as soon as he left, but he knew it was too risky. He’d found Captain Rex who’d helped him, hiding him and once it was safe, getting him here to you. 

“Oh, Cody.” You say, tracing your fingers along his scar. It’s the first time you’ve touched him, really touched him. He’s so warm, the press of your skin against his sending little sparks through your body. “I’m so sorry.” You draw him in, his face pressing against your neck as you hold him. 

“Why did it have to happen this way?” He asks, wrapping his arms around your waist. 

“We can’t change the past.” You say, running your fingers through his short curls. “We can only keep moving forward from here.” 

He breaths a long sigh out, relaxing completely into you. He’s heavy, your body slowly falling back onto the couch. He follows, his lips brushing against the skin of your neck. 

“I’m ready to live your boring life.” He murmurs. 

You can’t help but laugh at that. He had once remarked that your life was boring when you’d told him you intended to spend your time off at home reading. You knew he had meant it lightly, and he wasn’t wrong. Compared to his life at the time, yours was very boring. 

“Don’t let me go.” He says quietly, pressing a kiss to the side of your neck. 

A smile tugs at your lips as your back hits the cushions, Cody shifting slightly so he’s not crushing you under his weight. “You have a year to make up for, Cody. And I have some vacation time I’ve been meaning to use.” 

“Good.” He says, dragging his lips up your throat. “I don’t intend on letting you leave this couch for a while.” 

You pout a bit as he kisses the corner of your mouth. “The bed is more comfortable.” 

“We’ll get there eventually.” He murmurs before pressing his lips to yours. 

You sigh against his lips, wrapping your arms around his neck. The swirling chaos that had been driving you crazy for the last year is beginning to settle now that he’s here, in your arms, pressed against you. Most soulmates don’t last more than a few days once they meet. It’s been over a year since you met him and you hadn’t so much as touched him. 

“Cody,” You sigh against his lips, his body pressing closer to yours. You can feel him, hard against your thigh. “I need you.” 

“I’m right here.” He says, pulling away from your lips. He cups your face, calloused thumbs stroking your cheeks. 

You smile, reaching up to cup his cheeks. He really is real. He’s really right here. “You are.” 

He makes quick work of your clothes, dragging his fingers along your exposed skin. Every touch is like lightning, your body thrumming with energy. It reminds you of when you’d met, appearing on that battlefield, the adrenaline pumping through you. He had to have known, deep down. He’d saved your life without thought, keeping you safe until the battle was over. 

He’d saved you, stayed with you until he couldn’t. Now it’s your turn. 

Your fingers trail along his back, feeling every ridge of muscle, every raised scar. You want to kiss them all, but that’s for a later time. His teeth sink gently into the side of your breast, making you gasp. You’re already wet, probably leaving a wet spot on your couch. 

You’ll have it cleaned later. 

“Please, Cody.” You breathe, pressing your hips up against his. “It’s been too long.” 

“I know, mesh’la.” He says, kissing your sternum. “I’m so sorry.” 

You sink your fingers into his hair, drawing his lips to yours. “Don’t apologize with your words.” 

He smirks against your lips, shifting his hips slightly. “Yes, ma’am.” 

A shiver runs down your spine. You have the former Marshal Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic naked on your couch, and he had just called you ma’am. You feel a bit powerful, so unlike how you normally feel. 

You’ll have to explore that later. 

You slip a hand between your bodies, lining him up. He presses into you slowly, taking his time. The stretch burns, and you regret not prepping a little, but he’s slow, easing your tension with gentle kisses and the touch of his hands. 

He pauses once he’s seated inside you, giving you a moment. You’re overwhelmed with feeling, the bond between you two strengthening. You can practically feel the link, the cords tying you together multiplying and strengthening into something unbreakable. 

His lips press against yours, his hands taking yours, lacing your fingers together. You’re connected in every possible way. 

He begins to move, dragging his hips slowly against yours. You moan against his lips, squeezing his hands. He feels so good, you feel so good pressed up against him. It’s been a long year waiting for him, and this very moment has made up for most of it. 

You moan his name as he thrusts into you, fingers gripping his. He moans in your ear, whispering to you, speaking near nonsense as you lose yourselves in each other. 

You cum, clinging to him so tightly you’re worried you might bruise him. He offers no complaints, his body going lax over yours as he cums, emptying into you. You both stay there, uncaring of your sweaty skin or the fluids leaking between your legs. You’re both breathing heavily, holding onto each other like you might disappear if you let go. 

He goes to pull away after a few moments, but you wrap your arms around him tighter, keeping him still. 

“Stay?” You whisper, just needing to feel him. 

He smiles, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips. “I’m not going anywhere.” 

(P.S. Don’t worry, they do eventually move from Alderaan to some small farming planet where they live happily ever after.) 

Taglist:

@stressed-cherry

[madphantom]

The entire way my boyfriend and I got together is INSANE in hindsight because like:

Last year I went to a camp with some friends and on the first evening, a pretty young and nervous guy had a panic attack / existential crisis because it suddenly clicked for him that he was away from all parental control for the first time. I was trying to calm him down when this random punky guy with massive earrings showed up to see if he could help. Upon hearing my friend ask "is anything even real?" he fucking. Pushes his dentures out of his mouth with his tongue like some kind of unexpected eldritch horror and as we are properly freaked out, says "These definitely aren't real. Hi, I'm [REDACTED] by the way, and you?"

What followed was an about four hour long conversation during which he mentioned that he talks a lot in his sleep and that his favourite animals are hyaenas and at this point I had a total crush on him but was kind of too shy to say anything because he seemed entirely too cool for me, so instead of behaving like a normal person I spent the next several days playing table tennis for hours because he basically lived at the tennis table.

Then came the last day and I kind of awkwardly hovered around him trying to ask him for his number, but then my phone battery swelled up and almost exploded and then it started pouring raining and finally I was sitting in my friend's car and cursing myself because I had absolutely no way to contact him and nothing to go by except for a first name.

So I. Did some detective work. Went through the entire follower list of the camp's Instagram page. And as it turns out, only one person with that name followed them, and that person just happened to wear huge silver earrings in their profile picture, anddd he accepted my follow request so wahoo! I found him!

Then we didn't talk to each other for two months.

Two months later, I went to another camp which had been advertised in the first one. I was there a day earlier than the official start but kind of forgot that it hadn't officially started yet, so when he didn't show up that day I just assumed he wasn't coming and gave up. Cut to me on day two, the entire camp is gathered and the shifts are being distributed, and the girl distributing asks who wants to take the awareness shift for the next day, someone behind me raises their hand, she asks "what's your name?" and I get a mini heart attack when I hear a familiar voice say "I'm [REDACTED]".

Turns out he did show up. We pretty much immediately started telling each other how the last two months were and then we ended up talking until like two in the morning, and that's pretty much how it went every day, we were just yapping basically 24/7 until he had to practically beg me to go to sleep.

On the second to last day one of my friends mentioned that the weather at home would be great for a barbecue, so I got an idea. In an honestly fucking ridiculous move, I decided to have a barbecue among my friends and invite him so it's not too awkward. I threw a whole ass party because I could not bear to awkwardly invite my crush, and amazingly, despite initial hesitation, he agreed to come.

After the second camp we started texting on Instagram. A month later he did indeed show up at the barbecue and we had a lot of fun. He brought me a couple cans of his favourite mate brand. After that we didn't see each other for four months.

In January he wanted to come to my hometown for a protest, but the trains were on strike. In February we tried again, this time successful. Had some fun times exchanging gossip. I invited him to my birthday.

He showed up at my birthday. Some of my friends had a fight and he spent a lot of time outside with my best friend smoking. At some point she, apparently, told him "well, I know for a fact you're very important to Maddie" which tbh is the most bizarre way to tell someone I have a huge crush on them. Long story short, he couldn't stay long that evening, so he asked if he could make up for it by stopping by the next weekend.

The next weekend was the first time we actually spent a significant amount of time together alone. We hiked up to this hilltop where you can see the entire city and basically told each other our entire life story and then we hung out a bit with some of my friends in the university film studio to warm up because it was kind of chilly and it was nice and we agreed that we should repeat that.

Easter came around. The week before he asked if he could come around for two days in a row and I was like of fucking course, so he did. Brought an entire palette of our now mutual favourite mate brand because I mentioned the nearby supermarket stopped selling it. We spent the day together and at some point in the afternoon he turned to me and asked "are we just hanging out or is this a date?" and all I could say was "uh" and the conversation just kind of died there because I'm dumb as rocks.

Later that evening I took him to one of my favourite spots in the city, a plateau right under a motorway bridge where you can see the entire city, and we drank mate and watched the city lights and then he turns to me and goes "I wasn't gonna make any stupid decisions anymore, but I think this might not be one of them - I think I'm in love with you"

And I was grinning like a maniac, but it was dark, and he couldn't see my face and was like "SAY SOMETHING PLEASE" so dumb as I am I replied "DITTO" and then he talked about how important consent is to him and asked if we could kiss. And then we kissed, and then he gifted me a steel ring with a heart on it and I gifted him a kandi bracelet with ACAB spelled out on it, and then I got to tell him I'd been pining for him like a stupid lovesick moron for eight months while he was completely sure he was going to die alone and then we walked home holding hands and counting bats and ever since we've been a dream team.

And to think it all started because Dennis had a fucking panic attack.

[sweeter-innocence-fics]

Learn To Love Again - Chapter Seventeen: Watching Porn Together

Pairing: Pietro Maximoff x Reader

Work Summary: You have a hard time letting go. Pietro helps you out. An exploration of kink with Pietro Maximoff. Each chapter from chapter 2 onwards will be a different kink.

Chapter Summary: Pietro gets sick and you watch porn together.

Series Masterlist

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 2436

Read on AO3.

Masterlists.

Taglist: @ifilwtmfc @mcximffs @xlucyintheskywithdiamondsx @lanemarvels @maddieisbored @marrigold-2002 @kathrinchek @mrs-kai-anderson @ang3l1te @missryerye @strawberrysoldat @tayswozle @noz4a2 @rottenstyx

Taglist info.

Previous Chapter

Notes:

this chapter is kind of a sickfic, hints of bisexual reader, bit of anal fingering, Pietro and reader get the rest and relaxation they deserve

---

Pietro was snoring. He didn’t usually snore, but tonight, he was sprawled across more than his half of the bed, breathing loudly enough to keep you awake. Careful so as not to wake him, you gathered up his excess limbs and rolled him over onto his side. It helped a little, but every breath was still accompanied by a growl. You pressed a pillow over your head and went back to sleep.

*

When you next awoke, it was to the sound of rain falling on the cabin roof. You stretched and rolled over.

Pietro was holding his pillow tight against his chest. His eyes opened a crack when you moved.

“Morning,” you murmured, reaching for his hand. You found his palm unusually sweaty.

“Morning.” His voice was hoarse and throaty.

You frowned. “Are you feeling alright?”

“I’m-” He coughed, clearing his throat. “I’m fine.”

You pressed the back of your hand to his forehead. He felt warm, but then again, he always felt warm.

“Do you feel sick?” you asked.

“I don’t-” He interrupted himself with a loud, hacking cough. You rubbed his chest soothingly. “I don’t get sick. Because of my powers.”

“I love you, Piet, but that’s clearly bullshit.” You rolled over and got to your feet. He moved to get up too, but you put your hand on his chest, pushing him back down. He pouted at you in a comically childish way. “You hungry?”

“Not really.”

“You should try to eat something. I’ll bring you breakfast.”

He groaned, but it didn’t argue. You made him up a little tray with tea and toast and honey. When you returned to the bedroom, he was sitting up against the headboard. His expression brightened when he saw you.

“Breakfast,” you said, laying the tray across his lap.

He caught your hand and raised it to his lips. “Dragă, you spoil me,” he murmured, kissing your knuckles.

“I think you deserve to be spoiled.”

In spite of his protestations that he wasn’t sick, he only managed half a piece of toast. That was unusual for him too. Normally his insane metabolism required a lot of food to maintain.

“Don’t want anymore,” he said when you pressed him, sounding more and more like a child. You took the tray away, and when you came back, you found him curled up again, his face in his pillow.

You let him go back to sleep. You were well aware of this phenomenon. Sometimes when you work so hard for so long, you collapse when it’s finally time to take a break. His body had evidently been fending off this illness for quite a while, and now that he had the time to recuperate, it had given up fighting.

While he slept, you did the dishes from the previous night. It was strangely soothing, this domestic feeling. You rarely ever did your own dishes at home. For a moment, you weren’t a superhero. You and Pietro were just a normal couple who did normal couple things.

Once the place was clean, you raided the cupboards for medicine. You found a clear plastic box of medical supplies in the bathroom cabinet, and began to root through it.

Given the type of person who would usually be staying in this cabin, it wasn’t a typical first aid kit. There were painkillers (you were pleased to discover that they weren’t out of date) and band-aids but there were also more heavy-duty supplies. Strong painkillers and gauze and industrial-sized tweezers. You grabbed a packet of regular painkillers and a bottle of cough syrup, and put the rest away.

Pietro was still sleeping. He was starting to sound very congested, so you put a box of tissues on his bedside table, along with a glass of water. You debated leaving the medicines there too, but you weren’t sure you trusted Piet to read the labels and dose correctly in his current state, so you left those in the kitchen.

The rain was still pounding on the roof, and there was a distant crackle of thunder. You made yourself another cup of tea and curled up on the sofa with a book.

*

You awoke several hours later to the feeling of the book being gently pulled from your hands. You looked up at Pietro blearily as he put the bookmark in it and set it down on the coffee table.

“How are you feeling?” you asked.

“Missed you,” he mumbled, insinuating himself into your personal space. You opened your arms to him and he lay down on top of you, his legs between yours and his face on your chest.

“I’m right here,” you murmured, stroking his hair.

“I think I’m sick,” he complained.

“I told you!”

*

The rest of the day was spent lazily curled up on the sofa together. You periodically fed Pietro cough syrup and tea in the hopes of making him feel better, but the thing that actually seemed to help was burying his face between your boobs and clinging onto you like a koala.

He tried to kiss you on the mouth a few times, but you pushed him away.

“You’re going to make me sick,” you mumbled, and he groaned.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” You wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.

*

The next morning, Pietro woke earlier than you did. The sounds of the shower running mingled with the rain outside. Under the sound of running water, you could hear him singing. You lay there, listening until he turned the water off.

He emerged looking a little better. The colour was back in his cheeks. His hair was damp and pushed back out of his face, and he was wearing clean pyjamas.

“Morning,” you said, arching your spine as you stretched out like a cat.

“Good morning.” He was smiling down at you fondly. “Can I have a kiss this morning?”

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling like I’ll feel much better when I’ve had a kiss.”

You sat up and beckoned him towards you. “One kiss,” you said, holding up one finger.

Pietro knelt on the bed and cupped your jaw, tilting your face towards his as he pressed his lips to yours. You could smell toothpaste and aftershave.

After a moment, you pulled back. His blue eyes were glinting with mischief. Before you could say anything else, he kissed you again and then backed away, smirking.

You wiped your mouth, trying and failing to look annoyed. “I said one kiss.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, not looking very sorry. “You just looked so delicious I had to steal one more.”

“You’re an excellent thief.”

His lips curled upwards. “I’m glad you think so. I’ve spent the past year trying to steal something very precious.”

You pulled back the bedcovers and swung your feet over the edge. Pietro’s eyes were on you as you got to your feet. You didn’t miss the way they darted downwards to the strip of skin on your lower stomach that revealed itself when you stretched.  

“Oh yeah? And what’s that?”

He crossed the distance to you instantly, placing his hand right over your heart. “This.”

“It’s already yours, Piet.” A smile was spreading across your face, and no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t fight it. He was looking at you like you were a sunrise, and your heart almost couldn’t take it.

His hands went to your waist, bunching up the fabric of your t-shirt. He pressed himself against you. You could feel that he was half-hard through his pyjama trousers.

“Nuh-uh,” you said, pulling out of his grip. His face fell. “You’re still sick!”

“I’m feeling better!” If you hadn’t been paying attention, you might’ve missed the way he swayed slightly on his feet.

“Not better enough,” you said, pushing him backwards into the living room. “Sit down. I’m making breakfast.”

“Fine. I guess I’ll deal with this,” he gestured at his crotch, “myself.”

“Okay, babe.” Slightly bemused, you went into the kitchen and began gathering the ingredients for bacon and eggs. You jumped slightly at the sound of a loud, exaggerated moan. A woman’s moan.

Curious, you abandoned breakfast and walked around the counter to where Pietro was sprawled out on the sofa. He had his cock in one hand, and he was slowly fucking into his fist. His eyes were closed.

In his other hand was the TV remote, and on the screen was a video of a woman being fucked doggystyle. The man was pulling her hair and she was whimpering and moaning. In spite of yourself, a hot burst of arousal erupted in your lower stomach.

“How did you find porn that quickly?” you asked.

Pietro opened one eye to look at you, smirking. “It’s a gift.” Your eyes followed the movement of his hand as he touched himself. “Is there a problem?” he teased.

Heat rushed to your cheeks. “No problem. I think it’s healthy for people to take care of themselves sometimes.”  

“Is that right?” He let go of the remote and slid his other hand into his boxers, presumably to fondle his balls. He tipped back, a serene smile on his face. On the TV, the man flipped the woman over and pressed his hands into the backs of her thighs so that her knees were almost to her ears.

Pietro looked good right now, with his damp hair and his biceps moving under the sleeves of his pyjama shirt. So you made a choice. You moved over so that you were standing between his legs and sank to your knees.

His eyes snapped open. You rested your hands on his thighs and looked up at him through your lashes, giving him a coy smile.

“Do you think she’s prettier than me?” you asked sweetly, nodding towards the woman on the TV.

“No one is prettier than you,” said Pietro, cupping your face.

“Right answer.” You tugged his pyjama trousers and boxers down so that you had more room to manoeuvre.

His pubes were freshly trimmed. He normally liked to keep himself pretty neat down there, but that had fallen by the wayside a bit recently. Personally, you didn’t mind either way. You wrapped your hand around the base of his cock and licked a stripe all the way up to the tip.

“Fuck,” he murmured, stroking your hair behind your ear. You teased him with your mouth, doing little kitten licks before dipping your head to suck on his balls. “You’re so good at that. Did you go to blowjob school to learn how to do that?”

You pulled back to look at him, trying not to laugh. “Blowjob school? Is that your idea of dirty talk?”

He huffed. “Maybe I’m a little delirious. Probably from the cold medicine.”

“I forgive you.” You giggled, and then angled his cock towards you again, wrapping your lips around the head.

As you sank down, taking him all the way into your mouth, he said, “Wait.” You pulled off him again, a trail of spit connecting your lips to his cock. “I don’t think I have it in me to go multiple rounds right now and I really want you to come watch this with me.”

“Watch porn with you?”

“Whatever porn you like. I want to see what you like.”

You stood and he passed the remote to you. His eyes were on you as you typed a couple of words into the searchbar and found a video that looked appealing. The lights were low and a beautiful man with messy, sandy curls was tongue fucking a woman with big tits. Her thighs were wrapped tight around his head, and her head was thrown back in pleasure.

“Come here,” murmured Pietro, although you were already half in his lap. You knew what he meant. Wordlessly you pulled your t-shirt off over your head and shimmied out of your panties. He removed his pyjama shirt and kicked off his bottoms. Still facing the TV, you straddled his lap in reverse, your legs bracketing his thighs.

With his hands on your hips, he guided you down onto his cock. Watching Pietro jerk off had left you embarrassingly wet. As his cock pressed against your entrance, you let out a deep groan. Sinking down onto him, you tipped your head back, pressing your back against his chest.

“Good girl,” he whispered, his lips right against your ear.

On-screen, the couple had moved on. He was fucking her now, with rough, messy thrusts, and she was rubbing her own clit. The room was filled with the wet slapping sounds of skin meeting skin and her deep moans.

“She’s hot,” said Pietro. “Do you want to be her, or fuck her?”

You shivered. “Maybe a little of both.”

“Mm.” He kissed the back of your neck. You were rocking steadily against him now, his hips coming up to meet every thrust. His hand slid over your hip and down your stomach, smoothing over your mound until it found you, wet and spread wide for him. Insistent, steady circles on your clit had you gasping.

The couple on the TV had transitioned to doggystyle now. He was pulling her hair hard, pumping one finger in and out of her asshole. You felt Pietro slide his free hand between your cheeks and press a tentative thumb to your puckered hole. Your pussy fluttered at the sensation.

“Can I?” he murmured.

“Yes.” Your voice sounded strained, desperate. He hadn’t made it past the first knuckle before you were cumming. Your hips stuttered, rutting back down against him. He kept thumbing over your clit and probing at your asshole until you began to whimper, at which point he brought both hands back to your hips.

He fucked up into you for a few more thrusts, and then you felt the familiar warmth of him releasing inside you. His forehead came to rest between your shoulder blades.

Carefully, he slipped out of you. You were practically boneless, limp against him. He pulled you backwards, trying to lie down with you, but you shook your head. You could already feel his cum dripping out of you.

“We’re going to make a mess of the sofa,” you said, and without another word, you found yourself in the bedroom. Pietro pulled you firmly against his chest and kissed the top of your head. It was your turn to be clingy.

*

You awoke a little while later with a scratchiness in your throat. You hit Pietro with your pillow, jolting him out of a doze.

“What?”

“You made me sick, you asshole!”

Next Chapter: Consensual Non-Consent

[happilychaengs]

Hi! I really love your writing style! If possible, could you please do Twice's reaction on their s/o getting scared in their sleep during a storm?

(Also, I want you to know you're not alone. Honestly I relate with your vents so much 😭 I feel like everything is going downhill and it feels impossible to stop. Sending you lots of support and hugs <33)

-🩹

Twice's reaction on their s/o getting scared in their sleep during a storm

it is sooo hard for me to write 9 reactions that don't sound the same and to find good images but seriously thank you for that last part, it means a lot more than you think -r-

nayeon

nayeon was at her house just snacking on the couch watching whatever was playing on the television at the time. when she saw rain start trickling outside, she started to get worried. you hated storms. you hated how loud it got, almost to point where you start crying. but when she heard lightning strike in the near vicinity, she quickly sprung up into action.

she threw on whatever coat she had and made her way to your house. thankfully it wasn't far as she got the spare key from under the house plant and opened your front door. she shouted your name in concern as she ran around your house.

not long after, she spotted you and normally when she saw you huddled up on the couch in a blanket, she'd think it be the most adorable thing ever but right now she knew it was terrifying for you. she quickly made her way over to you and kneeled in front of you, ready to do whatever it took to comfort you.

jeongyeon

honestly, she had planned a lot of things when she had watched the daily forecast. as she caught wind that there would be a storm, she took the day off even with the protests of her manager and the company and basically soundproofed your entire bedroom.

when the storm had come rolling around, she invited you to her expertly made pillow fort which barely allowed any sound to come in from the outside in addition to the soundproofing she did to your room. she laid her laptop in front of her as she pulled you closer, ready to wait the entire thing out with you.

momo

sweat dripped off her forehead as she laid back down on the floor. momo really wanted to get this new choreo down early so she was spending her late hours in the dance studio but when she got a call from you, she got worried. you shouldn't have been up so late in the night.

she sat up as she answered the call, not expecting you to be whimpering and practically crying as she did.

"y/n?" she worriedly called out, "what's wrong?"

you were mumbling something in response but the only word that she could hear come out of your mouth was 'storm.' her eyes widened as she told you that she'd quickly be there and hung up. she knew she was a terrible girlfriend to leave you at home alone when she heard that the weather was terrible. all that she knew was that she'd make it up to you and help you in any way she could once she got back home.

sana

as she heard the lightning, her entire body jumped along with yours. the weather forecast said nothing about a storm tonight. you obviously woke up from how fast you covered your ears before sana quickly went into one of her drawers and pulled out two pairs of earmuffs. she had prepared them for any occasion like this because the both of you were scared of storms, you more than her.

she moved your quivering hands away as she slid a pair onto your head. she slipped on her own pair as she started signaling to the window and making weird signs, probably trying to ask if you could hear the storm outside.

you quickly caught on and shook your head as she gave you a quick thumbs up and pulled you closer, ready to stay like this for the rest of the night.

jihyo

she had went down to the kitchen just to make a cup of tea but when she heard the first lightning strike, her heart dropped. she wasn't one to forget anything like this. you were absolutely terrified of storms. she practically dropped everything she was doing and frantically ran straight back to the bedroom where you were sleeping.

when she got there, her heart sank at the sight. she saw you shaking as you had your hands over your ears, the blanket almost completely covering you. she quickly made her way under the covers with you and pulled you close to her chest. she began whispering sweet little nothings praying you'd somehow hear her over the lightning and that the storm would soon end.

"its okay y/n... you'll get through this."

mina

when your whimpers awoke her, she couldnt have been more worried. but as she looked out the window and heard the thunder crash, making you whimper again, she felt so disappointed in herself. storms usually were calming for her but it was terrifying for you and she felt like such a terrible girlfriend for letting you go through it alone.

she slowly wrapped her arms around you, making you freeze at the sudden contact.

"it's okay y/n... it's just me." she whispered into your ear. " just focus on me and my voice okay?"

your body slightly relaxed as you heard her begin humming in your ear, almost drowning out the loud crashes and booms outside your window. mina was prepared to do this for the rest of her night if that's what it meant to help you through this.

dahyun

she frowned as she put the tv remote down and looked back down at you. she tried putting on some show pretty loudly to take your mind off things but as the rain was getting only heavier and heavier and the lightning became more frequent, she knew she couldn't continue just doing the same thing.

she laid back down next to you, cupping your ears with her hands as she let you try and get some sleep. with how you were laying on her arm, it was definitely not going to feel great tomorrow but if it was for you, she'd do pretty much anything.

chaeyoung

her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as she felt someone frantically shaking her shoulder. her senses still disoriented from waking up so unexpectedly

"y/n?" she mumbled as she tried to make out the shadowy figure in her sight, "is that you?"

she got worried with how you mumbled a response. your voice was shaky, unclear, and weak. what she couldn't understand was why until she saw your figure jump as lightning crashed outside. she quickly turned on her bedside lamp and looked back to you, trying to get your mind off of it.

she got out a pair of earbuds and stuck one in her ear and yours, ready to spoil every song they've ever made if need be. she started rambling on about the process about each songs she's participated in and playing them, knowing you were always interested in how she worked. you were present enough to listen to her every word and luckily she had enough stories to tell about each song to last the night.

tzuyu

it was her first night staying over because of the predicted storm, but she was really confused and worried when she heard you almost crying as the storm settled in. as she thought about it though, it wasn't hard to figure out why you had felt like that.

luckily she had her pair of headphones on hand as she got them out of her bag and stuck it on top of your head. she quickly scrolled through some of the songs she had on her phone and played one which she thought would help. she upped the volume to a safe level as she looked over your shoulder and let out a sigh when she saw you slightly calm down from the storm.

[homeofhousechickens]

Sometimes a chicken isnt a good fit for being a house chicken! It really depends on the bird. This is about a Polish named Karen who i rehomed quite quickly after acquiring her. Rehoming is sometimes a taboo subject in some places but really that decision is almost always made with the animals best interest at heart and that also goes for this bird below. So if your someone who may need to rehome breeding birds (or perhaps a pet when circumstances change) maybe this positive story can ease some anxiety and give you a good template for how it should go.

Karen came to me in 2019 to retire here as a house chicken since she had slowed down laying for her breeder and he no longer wanted Polish. She was a good hen to him and he wanted her to go somewhere where she would be pampered and taken care of so she went to me especially since at the time my silkie (also from the same breeder) wasnt integrating with my other birds. I wanted to get him a familiar friend so Karen was the best option. Despite being raised as a confined bird who was raised in a building Karen was very stressed living in the house. She would stay very still in one place or she would constantly make very upset noises that were very loud and sounded like a kookaburra. The other birds accepted her gladly but she was uncomfortable around them and did not adjust well to a house chicken lifestyle. I knew she wasnt enjoying what was supposed to be her peaceful retirement so i reached out to a friend who has a very well taken care of flock and arranged for him to take her in. This person had bought birds from me before and was very kind and gentle. They were known for taking in special needs birds and didnt mind older laying hens so when he saw her he was very happy about taking her in. I really like this family as they spoil their birds and have a lot of outdoor space for their free ranging flock At her new place Karen was very nervous at first since not only had she been moved twice but i also gave her a "haircut" so she could see better which could be quite different then her typical obscured vision. Eventually though she warmed up to her new place and now she is high in the pecking order and going on 8-9 years now which is an old age for a Polish. She likes to boss everyone around and loves to complain when the weather doesnt suit her which delights and amuses her owners. To this day Karen is a happy girl who is enjoying her perfect retirement and is a great example on how rehoming can be the best decision for a bird. Below you can see her upset protests that were much louder in person and very grating on the ears

When she got to her new home she followed their dog around for a bit and even came inside

She even got to learn the "joys" of being rained on (she did not enjoy it and as you can see she went indoors lol)

Eventually she established herself and is a very happy

And when i rehomed Nebby and Baby bird i knew who would be the perfect home for them and Karen welcomed them gladly <3 I am so thankful Karen welcomed them so kindly as chickens can be quite mean to new flock members.

[sass-squat]

I love your wing au so much!!! I like to imagine Wind, Four and the other smaller members of the chain like to huddle under the wings of the bigger boys for warmth and comfort.

Do you have any other headcanons of the boys in your wing au to share?

AHHHH!!! Thank you!!! I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far!!! But oh my god yes!!! They for sure cuddle and huddle under the bigger boys wings all the time! Some more willingly than others tho lol  😂

But of course! I ALWAYS have more headcanons to share I'm so glad that you asked!

Linked Universe Winged Au Headcanons:

Time - I briefly went over this in the Preening post I made a little while back, but Time is oftentimes kind of the "safety net" for the other boys. Whether it's helping them hide from the wrath of the other members of the group or simply staying awake through the night to make sure they rest, Time is always there to support and catch his boys whenever and however they need him. However, he very rarely is the one to initiate physical contact and prefers to simply wait for the others to come to him. This is because he can have a tendency to be a bit overbearing and overprotective, and after the incident with Wind, he's had to learn to step back a little and trust that his boys will come to him when they need him. Because of this, he only initiates contact when he deems it absolutely necessary. He's also got the biggest wings in the group by far which makes him perfect for cuddles and an excellent shield from the rest of the world for those hidden beneath them.

I also headcanon that he secretly really hates the rain. He may have the Song of Storms at his beck and call, but it turns out that giant, soggy wings combined with heavy armor isn't very pleasant to try to travel, fly, or fight with. However, despite his own general dislike of the rain, he does not hesitate to sacrifice himself and his wings to be an umbrella of sorts for others in the group, especially the younger ones.

He's also VERY good at climbing trees. The guy grew up in a magic forest with a giant tree for a dad of COURSE he's good at climbing trees. The first time he beat Wild in a race left the rest of the group in complete and utter awe. He may be the oldest of the Links, but he's still got plenty of tricks up his sleeves.

Twilight - Twilight is the ultimate big brother and no you cannot change my mind. However, this means that he does have the big brother tendency to give noogies whenever he hugs people and overall just abuses his larger size to flop all over the others. Basically imagine that scene with Nani in Lilo & Stitch where she falls on top of Lilo claiming that gravity was increasing on her. That scene combined with the energy from large dogs who are convinced that they are actually lap dogs. That's Twilight. He's got a lot of love to give and often makes great efforts to ensure that everyone gets it regardless of their protests or if they actually want it at the moment. However, even though he does tend to show his affection in sometimes sillier ways, he can be very serious and will not hesitate to either push the others out of harms way or literally pull them closer under his wings when needed. In other words, while he's a bit of an overgrown puppy at times, he's also got a powerful bite to match his bark.

As for random headcanons, I headcanon that whenever Twilight gets wet he has a subconscious tendency to shake out his hair and/or wings like a dog. Gone for a swim? Shake. Coming inside to get out of the rain? Shake. Someone threw a bucket of water at him? Shake. While overall a harmless quirk, it has resulted in a lot of laughing (Wild) and cursing (Legend) from the others. He always tries to claim that he does it because he's just trying to get an early start on preening and drying off (no one believes him).

Sky - Sky is an absolute MASTER when it comes to cuddling. No one can resist his charm and those that try often find themselves gently persuaded under his wings regardless. He's got very large, fluffy wings that make cuddling ideal and has a tendency to "scoop" the others under his wings. He also has a habit of treating everyone who comes to him as his, "baby birds" regardless of their age or size. While it is very cute to see younger members like Wind or Hyrule tucked under his wings, it does make for a very funny sight when he does it to Time or Warriors. On top of that, Sky is also well known for his "magic wings" that can make anyone fall asleep when huddled beneath them.

A silly little headcanon I have about Sky is that he oftentimes "fluffs up" whenever he wakes up or falls asleep. It usually makes his hair, wings, and overall appearance appear very disheveled and the others like to tease him for it, especially since he's one of the main Links who insists on preening the others.

He also really likes fish. No other explanation for it other than he never had the chance to try it before leaving Skyloft and is equally fascinated and horrified by all the different varieties.

Warriors - I headcanon that he's not actually a huge cuddler the majority of the time! However, he does secretly love it whenever Time silently pulls him under his wings. This is because I believe Warriors generally has a hard time asking for help due to his history as a military leader where any sign of weakness can risk causing doubt or disloyalty within troops. On top of that, he also has the, "I'm the hero" complex which means that he generally prefers to help and comfort others rather than ask for help or comfort in return. Because of this, he loves it when the others (especially Wind) come to him and tuck themselves into his side because he gets to feel needed while still secretly finding and receiving comfort in return. The rest of the group know this, so they often purposefully position themselves near him to subtly help him whenever they can tell he's especially stressed or upset.

I headcanon that Warriors is actually an excellent musician, especially when it comes to the violin. Everyone always talks about how Legend is an excellent musician, but I feel like no one considers the possibility of other members of the group also having musical talents. Also he's a momma's boy. You take one look at that man and tell me you DON'T think he was a momma's boy. In this essay I will-

Legend - Legend is a prickly little shit when it comes to cuddling. He generally pretends that he doesn't like it when in reality his inner child is SCREAMING for someone to look after him for a change. However, instead of confronting those emotions like a mature individual he usually chooses to project them onto the younger members of the group instead. He's been nicknamed the "broody hen" of the group for this behavior as it often results in him being especially prickly and almost possessive of the others, especially Hyrule and Wind. However, when he IS forcibly pulled under wing he has a tendency to essentially "burrow" like a rabbit into the other persons side. He does in fact, hate that he does this as it reminds him of his "cowardly bunny heart" but the others all secretly find it adorable.

Legend's handwriting is HORRIBLE. He may be able to SPEAK several languages, but writing them is a whole other story. I also headcanon that this is due in part to him developing some sort of hand tremor that started when he and his ship got blasted with lightning in Links Awakening. He's trained himself to not let it affect his fighting skills, but writing is ROUGH.

Hyrule - Hyrule absolutely soaks up physical affection like a sponge. He's basically been alone his entire life and has had countless monsters chasing him for his blood for the majority of his life let him have his rest and hugs. Because of this, he absolutely adores cuddling and being cuddled in return! However, even though he loves it when others comfort and preen him, he finds it a bit frustrating that the others don't often come to him for comfort in return. He knows that they (usually) won't hesitate to come to him whenever they need his magic for physical healing, but it does hurt his feelings a bit that they don't often come to him for emotional healing. He's a bit like Wind in that regard where he wishes that they would trust him more.

As for silly headcanons, I'm a firm believer that Hyrule would eat sidewalk chalk if given the opportunity. I can't exactly explain why, but I feel like he would because he believes that sidewalk chalk and Smarties taste the same.

Wild - Wild is a bit of a complicated case in the way that he will gratefully accept any and all hugs and cuddles, but rarely asks for them. Listen, the guy may be able to speak after losing all his memories but some more personal things like asking for help are still a work in progress. Because of this, he loves it when other people are able to read him and determine his needs simply from what they see. However, because he loves this so much he will sometimes purposefully act out or behave in such a way that he knows will get the others to fuss over him rather than simply ask for cuddles. This is usually expressed in his preening habits or his general rough housing and teasing with the other members of the group.

I headcanon that he occasionally dreams of his past life before the Calamity. He very rarely actually remembers what it is his brain was trying to show him, so it often leaves him more upset than before he went to sleep because he feels like a failure for, "forgetting them twice."

On a less angstier note, I also headcanon that he would be stupidly good at Legos. Like, you know those kids that would build everything EXCEPT what they were "supposed" to build with the sets they received? That's exactly how Wild would be.

Four - Four is NOT a big fan of physical affection despite the others many attempts. He's a very independent person and often feels overwhelmed or claustrophobic when the others try to pull him in too close. The rest of the group have found that the best way to show physical affection towards him is through pats on the back/shoulders and hair ruffles rather than the usual flurry of feathers and hands. However, Four does love cuddling when he's split into well...Four individuals. He's much more comfortable cuddling with his other counterparts (and shadow) so it's a big adjustment getting used to the rest of the group all also trying to get close. He is getting better though! Right now his favorites are Time and Warriors because they keep to themselves and don't ask any hard questions.

I headcanon that Four is just perpetually cold. This guy does NOT handle the cold well and always has frozen toes and hands. The others complain about this often because he likes to touch them with his frozen limbs. Time is the most frequent victim of this.

Wind - This guy LOVES any and all kinds of physical affection EXCEPT for preening. He finds a lot of comfort in others tucking him under their wings and looking out for him, but hates it when others underestimate or try to coddle him because of it. He also finds a lot of joy in being a source of comfort for the others because he loves feeling needed and getting opportunities to be a "big" brother makes him feel like a real hero. As a warning though, he does have a tendency to tackle his victims he wants to cuddle with and even occasionally succeeds in full on knocking them over. He also kicks in his sleep. Sky discovered this the hard way.

As for other headcanons, I saw someone who reblogged one of my polls said that he puffs his feathers up a lot to appear bigger or more intimidating because he's seen it work with Time and Twilight. So yes, he does do this it's canon now but it's not very effective.

I also headcanon that Wind tends to flap his wings repeatedly whenever he gets really excited! It is very cute but there have also been many causalities as a result of this.

Bonus:

Ravio - He LOVES physical affection and has quite literally broken down Legend's house and emotional walls. He also frequently mimics sounds and voices and yes he does use this to bother Legend. Legend no longer trusts the sound of knocking because he assumes it's just Ravio messing with him. The tax collectors trying to contact him were not amused.

[smartycvnt]

Tantrum

Pairing: Samoa Joe x Reader

Summary: Joe gets mad at you when you try comforting him after his title loss to Darby.

WC: 765

"Hey, wait up!" you called out as you chased Joe. He walked ahead of you to his dressing room. It would become Darby's, but you doubted that was what Joe was angry about. He put a lot of work into every title win and reign. Losing the TNT title to Darby was something that Joe had expected to happen. He was used to not being the top guy at a company, but he had hoped that Tony respected him a little more than to make him drop the title to Darby Allin of all people. "Joe, please open the door."

"What do you want?" Joe's voice was harsher than you had expected it to be. He sounded angrier than normal to you, but you tried not to back down at all. Joe could throw his tantrums all he wanted, but you had been through the worst of it before. You remembered the hell he had promised to rain down on everybody when he lost the NXT title.

"I wanted to see how you were doing. It's hard losing matches, I can't imagine what you're feeling after losing the title," you said. You hadn't meant anything by your words, but obviously Joe took offense to them. He growled a little as he stood up straighter to stare down at you. You cowered back a little as he briefly leaned towards you.

"Of course you don't know how it feels because you've never won a title." With that, Joe slammed the door shut in your face. You had been fine with not having won any titles in your career, but it still hurt to hear that from Joe. His approval had become the only one that mattered, and from the sound of it, none of your hard work had been paying off. Joe still thought you were a poser, someone who was just trying this out because they had nothing else to do. You had blown your chances in any other industry by wasting your prime years chasing this pipe dream.

You sulked away from Joe's dressing room and back to catering. A few people had given you concerned glances, but you waved them off. It was no way to deal with the feelings of doubt you had, but you decided to distract yourself with some coffee and chocolate. The plan for your night had been to go back to Joe's room with him and enjoy the city for a few days until you had to travel again. Now, you didn't want to stay in Joe's room with him. Your plan to distract yourself wasn't working because you only found yourself getting angrier and angrier with Joe. He had a tendency of being so dismissive of your feelings and hard work sometimes. You just wanted to hear him say that you were good enough, but he never did. Whenever you went to him seeking praise, he just had critiques on what you could be doing better.

"Y/n, can I talk to you?" You didn't have to look up from your cup of coffee to know that it was Joe.

"Looks like you already are," you muttered into your cup. Joe pulled a chair out and sat down next to you. He reached his hands out to hold yours, but you didn't let him touch you. "If you're gonna talk, then talk."

"I am sorry for what I said, it was uncalled for. I know how hard you've been working to prove yourself, and I should be your biggest fan and supporter. Every single match I go to, that's what you do for me. Do you think that you can find it in yourself to forgive me?" Joe asked you. You bit your lip as you contemplated it. Joe had really hurt your feelings earlier, but he had also just set aside his own pride to apologize to you. Not only that, but he had also asked for your forgiveness, something that Joe rarely ever did.

"Yes, I can forgive you. Just keep the tantrums to a minimum please," you said. Joe nodded in agreement as he stole your coffee cup. You opened your mouth to protest, but one glare from him shut you right up. Since there was no reason for you to drive yourself all the way home now, you didn't need to stay up for half the night anymore. You'd want to sleep, especially since Joe had promised to take you sightseeing the next day. At least one of you had to be well rested and not cranky for the experience to be fun.

[ineffable-piracy]

I posted a headcanon here that Ed would call Stede treasure so I went and wrote a short fic about it. 

Treasure - 2,407 words - AO3 Link or read below:

The first time that it happened, Stede didn’t even notice.

It had been a turbulent night as, despite the crews best efforts, they had been unable to out-sail the storm chasing them. As night creeped in, so did the rain, followed by vicious thunder and crashing waves against the ships hull. It had knocked them from side to side as towering waves pummelled down on them from above.

Ed had stayed out on the deck with a small team of their most experienced sailors whilst Stede had bunkered down below with the rest of the crew. They were all clearly terrified and worried about their friends battling the storm outside, but Stede had to put on a brave face for them despite his own rising anxieties. Every time the ship groaned loudly in protest as she was knocked about, a stab of fear struck Stede through the heart. All he could do was keep his faith in Edward and know that his co-captain and friend would do whatever it would take to keep everyone safe and sound.

Come morning, the clouds finally parted and the sun shone down on them once more. The waves were calm, gently lapping their apologies against the ship, as the crew reunited on the deck. There was substantial damage and a lot of repairs to do, but everyone was alive and miraculously uninjured.  

Stede crossed the deck with two cups of tea in his hands, one loaded with seven sugars, just as he knew his co-captain preferred. Ed was clearly haggard, body hunched over the railing as he stared with a blank expression into the horizon. There were dark bags under his eyes and a tension held in his muscles. Stede hoped a strong cuppa would help relax his friend.

“Here.” He said softly, sliding the saucer along the railing. “You look like you need it.”

Ed blinked out of wherever his mind had wandered to look down at the offering. He smiled softly. Of course the delicate china had managed to survive the worse storm The Revenge had ever faced. He picked up his tea and took a sip, eyes slipping shut in bliss.

“Perfect as always, thanks mate.” He took another sip and glanced at Stede out of the corner of his eye, looking at the man in his long golden gown. “What would I do without you, eh treasure?”

Stede had just smiled back at him. “Oh, it’s nothing. You’re the one who got us through that rather nasty storm! A cup of tea is the very least I could do.”

The second time that it happened took Stede by surprise.

Everyone was gathered in the mess hall to loudly celebrate another successful raid. Drinks were being passed around, people were singing, and everyone was feeling the merriment. Roach had even prepared an assortment of sweets and cakes with the ingredients they had also pillaged from the merchant ship they had robbed.

Stede was standing behind Wee John and Frenchie at the time, leaning slightly over their shoulders as he watched the pair engage in what they called ‘thumb wrestling’. It was a rather unusual game but enjoyable to watch. Stede much preferred this sport to the actual wrestling the crew liked to compete in from time to time. This was far less violent and nowhere near as likely to cause any serious injuries.

He was so engrossed in the display before him that he jumped at the sudden sensation of a warm hand pressed to his lower back. However, at the smell of leather and smoke that immediately followed, he relaxed. It was only Ed. The man in question lent in close, front pressed to Stede’s back, as his lips hovered next to Stede’s ear.

“Sorry treasure, just trying to squeeze by.” Came his warm voice.

As quickly as he came, he was gone again, heading across the room to refill his drink. Stede shuddered, partially from the proximity but mostly from the way Ed’s voice had dripped like honey down his spine. There was the word again. Treasure. Surely it was a mistake?  

A triumphant cheer as Wee John won the thumb wrestling pulled Stede out of his spiralling thoughts and he promptly forgot all about what was absolutely not a petname.

Stede had been drunk the third time it happened.

Well, Stede wasn’t the only one who was drunk. Everybody was very drunk, including Ed. They had decided to make another attempt at a vacation. Compared to the first time this one was far more successful. The crew were all in the ocean, swimming around and splashing at each other and just generally having a good time. The sandy beach was decorated with a half-eaten picnic and empty bottles of rum.

The only two people not in the water was Ed and Stede. The two were sat under a palm tree together, shoulders pressed snugly as they shared a bottle of wine. They had started on the rum with everybody else, but then Ed had produced a bottle of red and the two had quickly snuck away to partake in their little secret.

“I know you have a more sophisticated palate.” Ed had whispered conspiratorially as he pulled the bottle out from inside his jacket.

Right now the wine was almost gone and Stede was pleasantly buzzed. He was warm and satiated with Ed chatting nonsense next to him. There was nowhere else he’d rather be than right here in this moment.

“So what do you say, should we join the others for a dip?” Ed asked with a lazy stretch.  

Stede frowned. “But I don’t have my bathing suit. I left it onboard.”

“No-one else is in their bathing suits.” Ed chuckled, nudging his shoulder against Stede’s. “Come on treasure, it’ll be fun.”

As it turns out, Ed was right. It was a lot of fun.

The fourth time it happened wasn’t even directed at Stede.

He was up in the crows nest simply enjoying the view. It was a beautifully clear day and the water sparkled around them. There was a light breeze keeping the humidity at bay and Stede was having a small moment of peace to himself. Below him, he was a aware of chatter amongst the crew, but wasn’t really paying any attention to it.

Instead he was thinking about where they should head to next. Everyone had chucked out various ideas of where they wanted to go and which ports they wanted to visit. The crew had each passionately argued as to why their suggestion was the best, leaving Stede feeling more than a little overwhelmed and flustered. A bit of quiet was all he needed to sort out his muddled thoughts.

Heavy boots crossing the deck caught his ears. There was no doubt that was Ed. He must have finished with the inventory he had disappeared below deck to work through with Lucius. Glancing down, he watched the two join the small group, Lucius immediately sitting down next to Pete.

“So have we decided on where we’re going yet?” Ed asked the crew, hands resting casually on his hips.

“Captain hasn’t decided yet.” Came Jim’s reply, always quick and to the point.

Ed hummed thoughtfully and looked around. What he said next caused a blush to explode over Stede’s cheeks.  

“And where is my treasure?” He spoke affectionally.

There was no way he was talking about Stede, right? Maybe he had misplaced some coins or a jewel or…

“Captain’s up in the crows nest.” Olu answered, helpfully pointing upwards.

Stede scrambled away from the edge and planted his back firmly against the mast as he tried to control his rapid breathing. Ed really had meant him…and apparently the rest of the crew were aware of this little term of endearment as well! What did it all mean?

Ed’s head suddenly popped into view. “Ah, there you are! Hey, are you alright? You’re looking a little flushed there mate.”

“I’m fine!” Stede squawked.

The fifth time that it happened, Stede had just been shot.

A Spanish Navy ship had spotted them and set chase. The Revenge was fast, but the Spanish had the wind on their side and caught up to them in no time. Backs against the wall, the crew had no choice but to fight back. They were boarded by the officers and their men and a great battle began.

The sound of metal clanging against metal was almost deafening as the horribly copper scent of blood filled the air. Ed had been teaching Stede how to sword fight and those lessons were coming in very handy right now. However, it didn’t matter how skilled Stede was, as a sword was no use against a gun.

A loud bang echoed through the air and everything seemed to fall silent and move in slow motion. Stede looked around in confusion for the source of the noise, only seeing the head officer with a raised gun. Had he fired it? Stede wasn’t sure. Around him were faces of panic from his crew but he couldn’t see the reason as to why.

His vision was suddenly taken up completely by Ed. He was teary eyed and speaking fast, but Stede couldn’t hear a sound against the roaring in his ears and a stabbing pain in his shoulder. He looked down, wondering what the cause of his discomfort was.

Oh. Oh dear.

His shoulder was soaked red with blood. His blood. Time suddenly came back to life and everything was so fast all of a sudden. People moved around him in a blur, the crew fighting and pushing the Spanish back in their anger. There was a clang as Stede’s sword slipped from his grasp as he tried to reach out instead.

“Ed.” He gasped, the pain pulsing in time with his racing heart.

“I’ve got you mate, I’ve got you.” Ed replied, moving Stede to lean against his side, strong arms around his waist.

They pair walked through the chaos, dodging fists and daggers as Ed manoeuvred them below deck. Stede felt his vision start to swim and it took everything in him to keep ahold of his co-captain.

“That’s it, down you go.” Ed soothed.

Stede found himself laid down as he stared up at the ceiling of his shared quarters. A darkness was steadily creeping in around the edges, threatening to consume him.  

“Stay with me, alright mate? Can you do that for me?” Ed was panicking now.

He kept twisting to bark orders over his shoulders, shouting for Roach to hurry up. The loud sounds hurt Stede’s ears and he winced in agony. A hand blindly reached out to take a weak hold of Ed’s own sweaty palm.

“I’m sorry darling.” Stede rasped. “I’m just so very tired.”

“Stede? Stede, no, no! I need you to stay awake. Come on treasure, don’t do this to me. Don’t you dare do this!” Ed yelled.

Stede closed his eyes and smiled softly. How lovely to be considered a treasure.

The first time they spoke about it, Stede was lucky to be alive.  

He had woken up in his bed and was reminded of a similar situation from not that long ago. However this time Ed was not sitting next to him, but rather he was curled up with Stede in the small bed. He was propped up slightly against the pillows with Ed’s head resting against his chest, right over his heart. A hand was laid protectively over his waist and he noticed the dagger in Ed’s tight grip.

“Edward?” His voice was dry and hoarse.

The man stirred and immediately bolted upright, eyes wide and bloodshot as he frantically took in Stede’s appearance.

“Holy shit.” He whispered. “You’re awake?”

Stede grimaced as he shifted, reminded of the pain in his shoulder and tight bandages wrapped securely around the wound.

“Yes, it would appear so.” He grunted with much effort.

Ed moved to help Stede get comfortable, adjusting the pillows and blankets as needed. Once satisfied he just sort of…stopped. He was frozen still as he looked at Stede, expression soft yet heartbroken all at the same time.  

“Is there something wrong?” Stede asked, worrying about all of the possibilities that Ed could say.

Ed let out a shuddering breath. “I thought I’d lost you for a moment there. I…I think I did. Roach won’t say, but I swear you stopped breathing for a moment.”

That was a lot to take in. Stede quickly processed it all before answering. “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. But hey, look at me, I’m right here. I’m fine. I’m alive.”

Ed nodded, tears springing to the corner of his eyes. A shaky hand reached out to cup Stede’s cheek softly.

“My greatest treasure…and I…I almost lost you.” Ed whispered reverently.

Stede lent into the touch. “Treasure.” He tested out the word for himself. “Why do you keep calling me that?”

Edward chucked and shook his head slightly. “I don’t know. Maybe because it’s true?” He licked his lips, glancing down at Stede’s own. “You’re prettier than any piece of jewellery. Worth more than any gold coin. Rarer than any diamond. You’re easily the most exquisite thing I’ve ever seen and the most important thing in the world to me. I think that makes you something worth treasuring, wouldn’t you agree?”

Stede didn’t realise that he’d started crying until he heard the way his voice shook. “Edward I…I don’t know what to say.”

Ed smiled back at him. “You don’t have to say anything, but I’d quite like to kiss you, if that’s alright?”

Stede nodded eagerly and Ed closed the gap. The kiss was perfect, a warm affection blossoming in Stede’s chest and spreading to the very tips of his fingers and toes. The gentle slide of their lips was his own personal taste of heaven. As they parted, Stede smiled lovingly up at Ed.

“I think I understand now. I’d trade in all of my wealth if it meant one more kiss from you.” Stede confessed.

A grin broke across Ed’s face. “Lucky for you, I don’t charge.”

Playful laughter filled the room as Ed dived back in to capture Stede’s lips with his own again. It was from that moment on they knew that they’d always be the richest pirates on the seven seas, as no-one else had something as priceless as what they shared.

[angelique-of-the-volturi-guard]

Y'all my thoughts got dark so damn quick it's scary. Twilight being backed into a corner with the choice of whether to reveal himself or save Anya. The people who have taken her, thanks to Edgar's positive ID of her, have surrounded Anya completely. The police on scene can't get a straight shot that might not hurt her. Yor knows she can't get to Anya in time when they have a gun right to her head, and she can't risk Anya's life that way. No sniper sent by WISE can get a clear shot on them without Anya potentially being hit, and since Application season with Eden is over, she's the only one who can complete Operation STRIX, and they aren't going to risk her life that way. But the thing is, neither can Loid. She's been missing for days and he went through every civilian route, plus everything WISE has, and (unknowingly) the help of the shopkeeper to find her. But when you have a group of thugs being paid off by the government to ensure Twilight's capture, they're gonna stay hidden until everything is ready. And they did.

So, he kisses Yor's cheek, and starts going inside, to her screams of protest for him to stop, because he'll get himself killed. But no, that isn't his plan. He's making himself into bait in order to get Anya out. He looks at them and tells them to let his daughter go. Meanwhile, Anya is screaming and crying for him not to do it. Since she's eclipsing, she has no way to know it's one of his plans. He looks at the man pointing a gun at her and says "Me for her.". And they ask if he's Agent Twilight, to which he nods. "Let her go, and I'll go quietly." They get him a chair, tie him up with ropes, and put a gun to him, before they release Anya. She's hysterically sobbing as Loid gives her instructions. "Go to the nice policeman and he'll take you to Mama, okay?" He's trying to keep calm for her but between her hysterics and the likelihood of his life with them being over, he's surprisingly emotional and trying not to tear up in front of her. And she grabs his legs in a hug and says she loves him. He kisses her head in what is perhaps the only fond goodbye he can muster, as a policeman scoops her up, to her shrieking protests of "No, Papa!" As he keeps telling her it's okay, with a smile on his face so he doesn't scare her. Only when she's gone does he yell for the police to shoot them, and ducks his head down as a hail of bullets starts raining down.

Anya and Yor hear the shots, and they're crying. When it stops, though, they go in. Only to find, in a sea of bodies, that Loid is alive because he had a bulletproof vest on the whole time. Anya yells for him, and hops into his lap as Yor unties him. He hugs Anya, hugs Yor, and knows there will be consequences for his actions. He hopes he can convince them that he was simply playing the part in order to save Anya. If not... He'll have a lot of explaining to do with WISE. But for now, it doesn't matter. So long as he can be with his family. And in case any of you are wondering: Yes, I will be writing this.

[hassedah]

hello!! i was wondering how the LIs would react to a MC who was their childhood sweetheart being a vampire and stumbling in the mansion :) i think it would be a shock all things considered but also really sweet! i love ho you write the vamps so i really hope you like this idea!

The boys meet their childhood sweetheart at the manor :

Hi! How are you? I hope you are well! ^^

I'm glad you like what I write ^^!

This is an idea I like very much and I really enjoyed writing it. I hope you like it! ^^

Have a nice day and take care of yourself! ^^

Vladimir :

You arrived shortly before sunrise. Reassured to finally find a house to spend the day. It had been raining all night, your umbrella broke because of the wind and you had nothing more than your cardigan to use as a hood. You walked in without even knocking on the door, far too frozen to wait for someone to open it.

It didn't take long for Aaron to come and meet you. He was a tall man. You didn't give him time to say anything before you spoke, after all, you didn't feel capable of spending a whole day outside having to watch out for the sun and unable to sleep despite being tired.

You quickly explained that you had been walking since sunset, that you were freezing and tired from your walk and that you had nowhere to spend the day. Aaron didn't protest to your relief and even went upstairs to get you a towel to dry your hair after pointing out where the small living room and its fireplace were.

You sat down as close to the fireplace as possible to warm your hands. You were glad to finally get some rest and only turned back to the door when you heard it open.

You were speechless with surprise. You had no trouble recognising Vladimir. You must admit that he had hardly changed since the day he disappeared. His skin was very pale, his hair was long and almost white, his body was thin, even his clothes were the same as the last time you saw him. It took him a little longer to recognise you though, you had adapted to the 21st century fashion so as not to be noticed by the vampire hunters. You were completely silent for several seconds before Vladimir asked softly.

"MC?

-Yes…, you answered before moving towards him. Aren't you… well… aren't you supposed to be dead?

-Well… it is complicated… I could… ask you the same question…," Vladimir muttered.

-I was transformed a few weeks after you disappeared," you quickly explained, and you? What happened? Your parents told us that you ran away in the middle of the night. Did you? We were all worried sick.

Vladimir stepped back a little at your question before glancing at the ground beside him. A reflex he had obviously kept, as it was the thing he did every time he didn't want to answer a question.

-I… a lot has happened since then, I don't really remember what I did that night.

-Okay, that's fine, you say, trying not to push it. We don't have to talk about this. You seem to have settled in well here. It's very nice.

With your answer, he immediately relaxes and looks up at you with a shy smile.

-It is… I do a lot of decorating. The others think it is far too old-fashioned. But I am glad you think it is nice."

You settle down on the sofa to continue chatting after taking off your soaked coat. When Aaron returns, he finds it rather amusing that Vladimir has made no comment on the puddles you left behind, but he makes no comment and after giving you the towel he had gone to get, he leaves you to continue your discussion alone.

Vladimir remembers you well. You were the daughter of a friend of his parents. At that time, Vladimir was a shy boy, very shy indeed, and the first time he met you he stayed hidden behind his parents' legs without ever daring to speak to you. It took several meetings before he dared to play with you.

He started to fall in love with you as a teenager. You were so much more popular than him, more interesting, funnier. Other teenage boys and girls would come up to you for advice or just because you were good company. He didn't even dare to approach you, although you had been a very good friend as a child, but you had become so popular with the others. Why would you want to put up with his presence? And what could he offer you if you ever got married, he wasn't going to inherit anything, not even a bit of money, his parents kept telling his brothers and sisters that they were going to have to take care of him once they were dead. Later, at dances, he would not dare to ask you to dance, a refusal from others was bad enough, but from you it would have been much harder to bear.

In addition, you eventually moved to the countryside with your family. You only went back to your home town to visit old friends and Vladimir had become so taciturn and withdrawn that you hardly saw him anymore. So you only learned of his disappearance through a letter from his parents to yours. You had come back to the city with your family to help them in their search and it was at this time that you were transformed.

In the end, you stayed at the manor a little longer than expected. You spent several nights talking together. Vladimir is very happy to see you again. What everyone at the manor can see is that the vampire is smiling and looking forward to spending time with you.

He always feels a little embarrassed when you remind him or tell him old childhood stories, especially when you tell them to Raphael or Aaron. But at the same time, he is happy that you remember him. He didn't think you would, after all, if he only had you, you had other friends.

He is even happier when he realises that you remember his mother's garden and the games of hide-and-seek you used to play there as a child after the sun went down. Or the books you used to exchange.

Béliath :

Because of the bad weather, one of your wings had torn. It wasn't really painful, but you were unable to fly and really needed a rest, so you headed for the first supernatural creature's lair you could sense, hoping that one might be able to help you. You were soaked to the skin by the time you entered the small manor and had rarely been so cold.

Aaron was the first one to meet you and he immediately understood that you were a succubus. He felt a bit wary, Beliath is very calm for an incubus, probably due to the fact that he is only half an incubus, but Leandra is quite unbearable, especially with her inability to understand a no.

But you didn't give him time to say anything before you spoke. You explained to him that you had been injured flying in the rain and that you absolutely needed to rest for a few days at least until your wing healed enough to get back on the road. Despite his distrust of you, Aaron agreed to let you stay and showed you the way to the lounge before going to get you a towel to dry off and a first aid kit for your wing.

You immediately settled down in front of the fire, taking care to fold your wings, especially so as not to drop anything in the small lounge. The warmth felt good, enough to make you feel sleepy. So it took you a moment to hear that someone had entered the room.

It took you a few seconds to make the connection between the young man who had left your world and the man who had stopped in the doorway. Beliath had not changed much physically since you had last seen him. His hair was probably a little longer and his clothes much more covering, though he still seemed to have this love for the colour white, a colour not normally worn by succubi but which he had always loved. Beliath also recognised you very easily, you had to admit that you didn't hide your appearance and that you hadn't changed much either.

"MC! What are you doing here?

It took you another moment of silence to answer.

-I… I was looking for a place to sleep.

Beliath frowned, trying to figure out why you weren't going home to sleep when Aaron came to drop off the towel and first aid kit. He left quickly afterwards leaving you alone with Beliath.

-Why the first aid kit?" finally asked Beliath after a moment of silence. For all answer you unfolded your wing.

-Ah...," the vampire grinned as he understood better why you couldn't go home. What happened to your wing?

-A fall, you replied. I had the choice between getting hit by lightning and a tree… and I chose the tree. It's less painful.

-Ah… this happens to Leandra a lot. Do you want some help?

-Oh..., yes. It's a bit complicated to disinfect alone."

Beliath sat down next to you and you started talking. At first about general topics, his sister, your family, what's going on with the succubi at the moment, then you started to tell each other memories of your childhood.

You were the same age. He was just a little boy, not really appreciated by the other succubus children because of his lack of wings and horns, the other children loved to come and tease him when his sister wasn't there to protect him and he didn't dare complain to his sister for fear that she would laugh at him. But it was so hard to defend yourself against other children who can fly and are physically much stronger than you. He started to play with you when you started to stand up for him against the other children.

He fell in love with you without even understanding it. And as love is not a normal feeling in an incubus, he never dared to admit it to you. He was already considered strange by everyone, he didn't want to make his situation even worse. Besides, you spent a lot of time together, talking with him, telling him about your days and the new encounters you had made. Of course, he couldn't be in a relationship with you, but being your friend was enough to make him happy.

He left when the gap between him and the succubi became increasingly difficult to bear centuries ago. You never thought you would see him again. Especially since his sister had simply told you that he had gone to discover the world and that he wanted the succubi to leave him alone.

Finally, you stayed a little longer to talk with Beliath. He seems much happier here with the vampires than with the succubi. He introduced you to his friends and as soon as you felt a bit better he took you with him to the Moondance.

He is quite happy to see that you remember him well and to be able to recall childhood anecdotes with you.

Ivan :

The rain was chilling you. You had come out of your usual hiding place shortly after sunset to go for a walk in your home town. You could normally have made the round trip in one night but unfortunately due to the bad weather the trains were all cancelled and you couldn't make the trip on foot as the sun would have risen long before you arrived home. Luckily you knew the area well enough to know that there was an old abandoned manor house in the forest about half an hour's walk from the town. As you approached, you sensed a few presences inside, but as a vampire, you weren't too worried, if they were humans you could always hypnotize them into leaving and if they were other supernatural creatures… well apart from a few annoying ghosts you'd never met a creature that wanted to harm you. You entered the manor without knocking, mostly to escape the rain that was falling harder and harder.

Aaron quickly came to meet you and without a doubt, he was the tallest man you had ever met. He was huge, far exceeding you, but you were not impressed.

You quickly apologised for your entrance before explaining that you had nowhere to spend the day and needed to rest after a night of walking. You were relieved when the big vampire stopped looking at you suspiciously and told you to go and warm up in front of the fireplace while he went to get you some towels so you could dry off.

You left your shoes in the hallway so as not to get water all over the manor and sat as close to the fireplace as possible, rubbing your hands together to try and warm them. It wasn't working very well, either because your clothes were soaked or the water in your hair was slowly dripping down your neck. So you didn't hear him come in, you were far too preoccupied with trying to keep warm for that, and you only saw him when you turned around and heard a small hiccup of surprise.

You were silent for several seconds, too surprised to make a sound. Ivan was standing in the doorway, looking almost exactly the same as the last day you saw him. He didn't have much trouble recognizing you either, you hadn't really changed much since you last saw him, as you were much more concerned with not hurting any humans and managing to hide yourself.

"Ivan! What the hell! What the hell are you doing here?! Your parents told me you ran away!

The young man immediately looked down at his hands. He didn't really know what to say. He had to admit that he hardly remembered the day of his transformation and all he knew was what Aaron had told him.

-I… Aaron turned me. I don't know what happened, but he found me dying… I couldn't go home to my parents afterwards. I'm so sorry.

-Ah… very happy… really, you replied before you fully realized what he had just told you. Wait… what do you mean you don't know what happened? Where did he find you?!

-In the forest…

-Why were you in the forest?

-I… I have no idea. I think I was supposed to go and spend an evening with Loïc… but I can't remember if I was mugged before I joined him or on my way home. It's… really unclear… you explained Ivan before changing the subject. But what about you? What happened to you?

-Oh…, you sighed. I took a trip to Germany for my studies and I was transformed there after a car accident. It wasn't planned, since then I live in an old house not far from here, the basement is haunted, but I have a nice view on the mountain."

You sat down on the sofa to continue the discussion. Aaron was a little surprised to see you talking together, but he didn't ask why and simply passed you the towels to dry off and remembered to ask Ivan some questions later. You chatted for a long time together happy to be back together and especially to find someone who had grown up at the same time as you.

You spent a lot of time together as children. You went to the same school and often spent afternoons at each other's houses, whether it was for snacks or birthdays. You were so close that many other children even accused you of being in love. What you both always strongly denied, you were not in love, you were just friends.

Ivan doesn't really know how he fell in love with you. It was at school in early adolescence, in any case. You were better than he was at school, he spending a lot of time having fun and almost always forgetting about the tests he had to do, yet you were always helping him, whether it was to revise a lesson or to discreetly pass him an answer during an important test.

However, you drifted apart when your parents moved away because of their work. You started to see each other less often and only on birthdays. So, you heard about his disappearance on TV and of course you immediately came back with your family to help in the search without any result.

Ivan suggested that you stay longer and continue talking together the next day. You accepted. He introduced you to his friends and apart from Ethan who seems to hate you for no other reason than the fact that you are an old friend of Ivan's, you get on quite well with them.

You talk a lot with Ivan and you have a lot of fun joking with each other, especially with jokes that the other vampires don't understand at all, as they don't have your cultural references.

Aaron :

Normally you rarely get caught in the rain, but it wasn't your night tonight. It really wasn't. Your car broke down and despite all your fiddling you could never get it to start again, which is when the rain decided to hit you. At first you took refuge in the car and even started to read a book saying to yourself that you could always walk back once the rain stopped, but it didn't stop and after several hours and the end of your book, you realised that you couldn't stay in the car any longer without risking burning in the sun. So you got out and headed into the forest, if not to find a house, then at least to find a cave where you could shelter during the day. So you were very relieved when you saw this little manor house lost in the middle of the woods and even though you could feel presences inside you didn't hesitate for a second before going inside to take shelter.

Quickly someone came to meet you. What surprised you was not the speed with which this person arrived but rather the person himself. Aaron stopped as soon as he saw you in the doorway as if he had seen a ghost and you didn't say a word in shock as you recognised the vampire. He had changed a lot over the years of course, but you would have known his eyes and his build anywhere. Aaron really was huge for a man of your time, so impressive in size that no one would dare to come and fight him.

"A… Aaron? Is that you? Is that really you?!

-I... yeah... what are you doing here? I... I thought you were dead.

-You're telling me that! I'm not the one who ran away from the village to play mercenary on the other side of the planet!

-Hey! I wasn't on the other side of the planet! It was the neighbouring country," Aaron protested immediately.

-Well, yes! Of course! And for that time it was the next door! you reply

Then you looked at each other in silence for a moment before smiling. Aaron came forward to give you a hug as you did the same.

-I never thought I'd see you again.

-And so am I! With all the epidemics and wars, I thought you were dead and buried centuries ago. You must have a lot to tell me. you responded

-You too, we can talk in the living room if you want, go and warm up," Aaron replied, waving his hand at you. I'll get you a towel so you can dry off. Otherwise, Vladimir will complain about my hospitality again.

You took his advice and sat down in front of the fireplace to wait for him to return. Aaron returned with a towel only a few minutes later and you finally sat down together on the sofa to continue your discussion.

-But what about you? What happened to you?" Aaron asked.

-I got hit by a plague and… I think a guy who didn't know how to control his power turned me into a vampire without meaning to, and then I got caught up in an elder war. It was a bit of a complicated time."

You continued to talk for a long time, most of the rest of the night, and even the beginning of the day.

Aaron remembered you very well. You lived in the village with your parents. They were farmers and when you weren't helping your parents in the fields or at home you always came to play with him. He was much more reckless than you were and you often tended to fix any mischief he might make or at best help him hide it.

He doesn't really know how he ended up falling in love with you. But it was probably because the villagers trusted you. You were able to make quick, thoughtful decisions and you were not impressed by anyone else. Moreover, you always took a lot of time to try to reason with him when he wanted to do things on the spur of the moment. People seemed to naturally come to you for advice and you were always among the first to help when there were problems in the village.

You supported him after his mother died, until he decided to become a mercenary to earn money. You tried to dissuade him, saying that it would be much safer to do any other job, but he didn't listen to you and left, promising to come back rich. Of course, he never came back, you assumed he was dead and continued to live in your home village until you were turned into a vampire, at which point you left the village.

It takes a long time for you to tell each other everything that has happened in the centuries you have not seen each other. Because of this, you stay at the manor.

Aaron is also very happy to introduce you to his friends. Even when you tell silly stories from your childhood to make others laugh. He is not ashamed of that time after all, even if it was not easy every day, his childhood was one of the most carefree periods of his life.

After several days, he offers you to stay with them. Your presence helps him to remember the good times of his childhood, and now that he knows you're alive he'll do everything he can to keep in touch with you.

Raphaël :

You anticipated the rain when you went out at the beginning of the night. You armed yourself with an umbrella and a k-way as well as a pair of gloves and a hat. But you forgot your hat and gloves in the cafe where you stopped for a hot chocolate, then your umbrella broke in a gust of wind and your k-way quickly got soaked by the puddle of water that splashed onto you when a car drove through it at speed. To tell the truth, you almost wanted to cry, this day had to be one of the worst, well, maybe not the worst, but you weren't in the mood to put it into perspective. You were cold, you were soaked and you would have given anything for a hot tea, dry clothes and a good fire.

Aaron came to meet you within seconds of your entrance. You didn't have to talk much to convince him to let you stay the night. Your unhappy expression would have convinced anyone to let you sleep here. He showed you the way to the living room before fetching a towel for you to dry off.

After abandoning your soaked k-way and shoes in the hallway, you quickly made your way to the small living room. It was much warmer there and you began to relax, finally relieved to be able to rest after such a bad night. You were lost in thought and it took you a moment to realise that someone was in the room with you. You jumped back.

It took you a moment to recognise him, not least because of the blindfold that hid of his eyes, but when you did you exclaimed.

"Raphael! Are you alive?!"

He jumped when he heard your voice and it took him a moment to recognize it in turn.

-M…MC…? It's… it's you," he stammered.

Raphael had not changed much physically. His demeanour, however, was quite different. He stood quietly and the confidence that used to characterise him seemed to have largely disappeared, you could tell by the way he played with his hands or bit his lips or the fact that he had repeatedly dusted his clothes. These were signs of stress that you would never have expected to see in him.

-Yes, it's me. I thought you were dead, you continued. We buried you.

-Oh… it's quite complicated…, sighed Raphael. It was Margarita's idea…

You sighed as the vampire ran a hand over his neck in embarrassment.

-She told me it was the best thing to do given our situation…

Raphael didn't have time to answer you when Aaron entered the room, he gave you a towel before taking an interest in what you were saying and left once Raphael had explained the situation to him. You immediately resumed the discussion after he left and sat down on the sofa.

-I looked for a vampire in the wrong neighborhood to transform me, Raphael explained. I thought it was a romantic idea.

-Sorry?!

-I… you don't seem to agree with me…

-You just told me you went to the most dangerous parts of town to get turned into a vampire by people who were killing humans at every turn, Raphael. I'm not gonna jump for joy. It was irresponsible!

-That is exactly what they told me…

-Who told you? Alessio and Margarita? They were right! I don't even understand how Alessio could let you do such a stupid thing! He knew very well that he should never let you out of his sight!

-He was too busy doing something else that night, muttered Raphael.

-What do you mean?

-It is not important."

You continued chatting for the rest of the night and of course you couldn't miss Vladimir's "discreet" glance through the doorway to see what you were doing as soon as Aaron had told him about you.

Raphael remembered you very well, of course. Your father was a painter like his father and they were rivals. However, this didn't really bother you, after all you were only children and the quarrels of adults went largely over your heads. Raphael was a far from shy little boy, the kind to talk to every adult he met when you went out to have fun and to want to add every child he met to your playgroup.

He remembers when he fell in love with you. It was a few weeks before his father died. There was a party in the streets of the city, you all went out to have fun. There was music, singing and dancing. You were glowing among the others and he could not take his eyes off you. It took him a little while to realise that the butterflies he felt in his tummy were love and he began to want to spend much more time with you. While imagining romantic scenarios in his head where he would come and rescue you from a dragon or a witch, in the best of his scenarios he would arrive on a beautiful white horse and fight another knight to rescue you before declaring his love for you with a wonderful poem he would have written himself.

Unfortunately, you moved away soon after the party, your father changed patrons, a much richer man than the previous one, and you followed him to a new town with your family. You were still in touch with Raphael but more difficult and he mostly sent you letters complaining about the lack of attention Alessio gave him or the fact that nobody really understood his art except you and Alessio.

He introduced you to his friends the next day. You were able to officially meet Vladimir. Raphaël seemed quite happy with them and that's the most important thing. Moreover, his friends gave you a very warm welcome.

Ethan :

The rain surprised you during the night, although you had observed the weather forecast which had not predicted any rain for the evening. But it was raining, and not a little. It took you only a few minutes to be soaked to the skin. You were looking for a place to shelter, the city was still far away and even a cave would suit you, anything as long as you didn't stay under the rain. So it was a relief when you saw the lights of the manor house coming down in the distance. You hurried to him and immediately went inside the mansion to protect yourself from the rain.

It didn't take long for Aaron to come and meet you and you quickly explained that you were looking for a place to stay until the rain finally stopped. Since he had no reason to refuse you hospitality Aaron showed you the way to the living room before he went to get you a towel so you could dry off.

Once in the living room, you dropped onto the couch and sighed in annoyance. If you had known before you left that it would rain this much, you would have no doubt stayed in your previous hiding place waiting for better weather to travel. You were so busy brooding over your bad luck that you didn't hear him come in and only looked up when you heard your name.

"MC?! It's you ?!

-Ethan! Goddamn it! You exclaimed when you saw him in the doorway. I can't believe it! Is that you?

-Of course it's me! What are you doing here?! When did you arrive?

-I just got here five minutes ago, you replied before continuing. Damn it, Ethan! I thought you were dead! We all thought you were dead! What happened to you… and your hair?!

You got up and walked over to him and hugged him. It took him a few seconds to react, at first too surprised to make any move, then he hugged you back.

-All this would take a long time to explain, he replied without letting go of you. I'd rather not talk about it.

-Of course. It's ok. You replied immediately. I'm not forcing you to do anything. You stepped back a little to look at him before continuing. I thought I would never see you again.

-If I had known you were alive I would have joined you. But there was no one left when I got home.

-I had moved to Sweden with my family, you said.

Aaron arrived interrupting your discussion. He was a little surprised by your proximity but after a quick explanation from Ethan, Aaron passed you the towel he had gone to get and left you alone.

You finally sat down on the sofa to continue talking.

Ethan has certainly not forgotten you. Your parents were friends, so you often played together, whether it was at meals or when one of you went to spend the afternoon at the other's house. You were the first friend he ever had.

He doesn't really know when he started to fall in love with you. You have always been there. From his childhood, to his teenage years, to his early adult life. Even when his medical studies prevented him from going out to spend time with your group of friends, you were always there. You were the one who visited him, often to help him revise before his exams or just to make sure he didn't forget to eat while he was revising or to tell him what the rest of your friends were up to. You were also there to support him when his mother and then his father died. In the end, it was probably after you were separated that he realised that he considered you more than a friend and that he regretted never having been able to tell you about his feelings.

You were separated because of the war. You followed your parents to Sweden and it was also in Sweden that you were turned into a vampire by a complete stranger whose name or appearance you don't even remember. You didn't complain though, it saved you from certain death. You searched for Ethan for some time after the war before giving up after several unsuccessful leads.

You talked together for most of the night. The topics of discussion were light and you mostly talked about the games you played or the many silly things you had done together.

In the end, you stayed longer than expected. Ethan's good mood in your presence surprised many people in the mansion, but in the end everyone was quite happy to see the doctor smiling so much. He even argued less with Ivan since you were there.

Ethan was very happy to introduce you to Beliath and to take you to the Moondance with him. And you were happy to see that he had managed to make some trusted friends.

[koolkat9]

Pride and Joy

Rating: T

Relationship: Canada + Scotland + England + Dylan

Word Count: 1651

He had messed up big this time. He was always causing trouble between his uncles and father, but that evening, Matthew had known it went too far when he heard Uncle Dylan raise his voice. Uncle Dylan never raised his voice.

He hadn’t heard what had started the fight, he had only heard shouting, and--with curiosity getting the best of him--he peered into the kitchen where Uncle Alastair, Uncle Dylan, and Father were arguing. He had heard enough that it was about him. When Uncle Dylan raised his voice, roaring like an old dragon deep in its cave, Matthew rushed upstairs.

Gathering a few important keepsakes and warm clothes, Matthew had taken off into the woods, not daring to look back. He ran as far as his feet would carry him, eventually arriving at a river. It still wasn’t far enough for him, but his legs ached. A little break wouldn’t hurt. He took a seat on the bank, knees collected up to his chest. In the quiet of the woods, he finally let himself cry. He was always ruining his family’s happiness it seemed. Father was always angry at him or leaving him, Uncle Allie was always mad at Father because of him, and now even Uncle Dylan was angry. Maybe that's why Papa hadn't come back or even sent him a letter for decades.

But he had tried to remain on his best behaviour, stay quiet and out of the way, and listened to Father and Uncle Allie’s every word. It was never enough though. So, perhaps he needed to leave so they could all be happy.

Two squirrels cautiously approached Matthew as if checking if he was okay. Normally, he’d smile as he waved at them, but now he barely spared them a glance before burying his face in his knees.

An hour or so later, clouds rolled in, and rain began to fall. But Matthew didn’t move, he didn’t even flinch, letting the rain pound against him, meeting with his tears.

In the distance, someone called his name, but Matthew couldn’t be bothered to care.

“Jesus lad,” Alastair called from behind, “How did you get all the way out here?”

Matthew froze. He had been found. “Leave me alone,” he cried, scurrying away, only to land in a mud puddle. He froze up again before more hot tears poured down his already blotchy cheeks.

“Oh, Mattie. Please don’t be like this. We need to get you home before you catch a terrible cold.”

“No, no, no, no, no!” Matthew screamed.

Alastair crouched down to be at Matthew’s level. “What’s gotten into you?”

“I don’t want you and Dad and Uncle Dylan to fight anymore. You’ll all be happier if I just left.”

Alastair’s face turned grave. He scooped Matthew into his arms, ignoring Matthew’s squirming and protests. He grimaced. The poor boy was like a trapped animal. “Shhh, Mattie…It’s going to be alright.”

“Stop, stop, stop,” Matthew screamed, pounding at Alastair’s shoulder despite his tiny fists not making much impact.

Alastair rocked him slowly back and forth. The gentle motion was enough to finally get Matthew to relax into his uncle’s hold, crying, becoming too tiring to continue.

“Do you have any idea how worried we have been?” Alastair asked, perhaps a little too harshly given the way Matthew flinched. “Sorry. It’s just…Dad, Uncle Dylan, and I have been looking for you for hours. And we would be heartbroken if you disappeared.”

. “Dad has Alfred. He’d be fine.”

A lump formed in Alastair’s throat. He squeezed the boy tighter against him. “What about me?”

“You wouldn’t be mad at dad anymore…And I’m sure Alfred would be a better replacement.”

Nothing would stop him from being mad at Arthur, but Alastair knew it would take a lot of convincing to get him to realize that his anger towards Arthur was not Matthew’s fault. So he didn’t waste his breath. “Alfred could never replace you,” Alastair said instead, “He doesn’t have the same kind and gentle soul as you do. He wouldn’t show me the newest beaver dams, help me bake cookies for the maids, or show me all the things twigs can build.”

Matthew knew that deep down Alastair could do most of those things with Alfred. But each of those activities was tied to a memory of just him and Uncle Allie. He buried his face in Alastair’s shoulder, continuing to silently sob.

“I’m selfish,” Matthew mumbled after a moment, “I can’t even run away right. I can’t make you happy.”

“Matthew…Oh, Matthew. You aren’t selfish. You’re the least selfish little boy I know. And I’m glad you couldn’t run away.” He combed a hand through Matthew’s rain-drenched hair. “You are the only thing that makes me truly happy lad.”

Matthew burst into tears again, arms wrapping tightly around his uncle’s neck. The poor thing was shaking like a leaf. Alastair couldn’t tell if it was from his sobs or the cool air blowing against his dripping body. He wrapped his nephew in the blanket he had brought just for this occasion.

Matthew settled against him, occasionally sniffling and letting out a weak cry, but he was calming down. “Now, let’s go home,” Alastair proposed.

Matthew nodded.

When they arrived at the house, Dylan was already rushing into the foyer with towels. “Thank goodness you’re okay,” he exclaimed, taking Matthew from Alastair’s arms. “Let me look at you.” Matthew turned back to Alastair. The Scotsman was comforting and warm, but he knew his Uncle Dylan had been just as worried.

Dylan looked him over, twisting and turning Matthew’s head, arms, and legs ensuring there was not even a bruise anywhere on him. He tossed Alastair a towel before getting to work drying off Matthew.

When Alastair was as dry as he was going to get, he took Matthew back from Dylan. The boy immediately clung to him.

“I drew him a bath to warm him up,” Dylan explained, “I can wash him up for you while you get into some dry clothes.”

Matthew’s grip tightened on Alastair’s shirt.

“I’ll wash him,” Alastair stated.

Dylan smiled softly. “Okay. I’ll get you all some clothes though.”

Alastair brought Matthew into the bathroom, helped him undress, and put him in the bath. Thankfully it was still warm. It was a quiet affair save for a few sniffles that emitted from Matthew.

“Okay lad, what’s on your mind?” Alastair finally questioned.

“N-Nothing.”

Alastair quirked a brow, grinning. “Come on…”

“J-Just…” Matthew stammered, “I’d miss you if I ran. You, Dad, Uncle Dylan, Alfred. Even Auntie Niamh, though she’s scary…” He shifted his eyes towards Alastair. “But I think I’d miss you most.

“And we’d miss you. I'd miss you.”

“I’m sorry.”

Alastair shook his head, ruffling the boy’s now clean hair. “Don’t apologize. Let’s just forget the whole thing. But I’m sorry for upsetting you.”

“I-It’s okay.”

“See, problem solved.”

A ghost of a smile drifted across Matthew’s face.

Once Matthew was clean and warmed up, Alastair lifted him out and dried him off. They were just about to set off to Matthew’s room when Arthur appeared in the doorway. His hair was wet--not dripping like Alastair’s, but still wet. His clothes were fresh and dry, however.

“Go get dressed,” Arthur snapped, “What kind of example are you setting for Matthew in those wet clothes?”

“But–” Alastair went to protest only to be cut off.

“I’ll take it from here.”

Matthew looked up at Alastair with wide eyes, face falling.

The Scotsman crouched down to be at the boy’s level. “Dad is right. I should get dressed.”

“Come tuck me in later?” Matthew asked in a small voice.

“Of course lad.”

Alastair pressed a kiss on top of Matthew’s head, ruffled his hair, and headed off to his room.

Matthew slowly turned towards his dad, head hanging low as he braced himself for a lecture.

“Don’t you ever do that again,” Father growled.

Matthew could already feel his eyes burning. He pulled the towel tightly around himself, trying to swallow the sob at the back of his throat. Just as he was about to break, Father did the unexpected. He knelt down and pulled Matthew tightly against him.

Matthew was shocked at first, but he gripped onto his father’s shirt, sniffling slightly.

“None of that now lad,” Arthur rasped, rubbing up and down his son's back, “Everything is alright now. Uncle Dylan has already set out some pajamas.”

Matthew nodded. He was about to ask for Father to pick him up, but he didn’t even have to when Arthur scooped him up in his arms. He was brought to his bedroom where Arthur helped him slip into his nightgown. Then, Arthur placed Matthew in bed.

“C-Can I have a story?” Matthew asked.

“Of course my dear.”

“One of yours.”

Arthur smiled. “Absolutely.”

Arthur tucked Matthew in and sat on the edge of the bed. Just when he was about to start, there was a knock at the door.

Alastair was leaning against the door frame, as dry as he could be and in fresh pajamas. “Can I join you?” he asked.

Arthur glared at him, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught the way Matthew’s eyes lit up. “Fine,” the Brit sighed.

Alastair joined Matthew under the covers, dramatically wiggling around to get comfortable. Matthew giggled as he was jostled by his uncle’s movement. “Okay, ready!” Alastair declared.

There would be plenty of time for Alastair and Arthur to attempt to settle their disputes. But the next time, they would ensure that Matthew was far from them. They could be civil, for Matthew’s sake.

And as Arthur’s story drew to a close he looked over to find his brother and son fast asleep. He smiled fondly, making sure both were tucked in snuggly. He placed a kiss on Matthew’s brow and quietly made his way out of the room.

[flynndesdelca]

For Day 11 (Crossover) of @chelltastic’s Portal Drawtober 2023 Challenge. As I’m not really an artist, I chose to write short pieces for the prompts.

What will become of us now, at the end of time?

We'll be fine, you and I.

Cold concrete.  A coppery taste in her mouth.  Dry, crusty eyes.  Slowly, Chell regained consciousness, only distantly aware of what had just happened.  She'd... defeated... the machine? That's what it had seemed like.  The computer and all of the components attached had been sucked upward, along with her.  She turned her head slightly, the uneven surface of the asphalt scratching her cheek as she did.  There were rather impressive-looking pieces of machinery scattered around the... parking lot? She was in the parking lot.  She'd... gotten out.  She'd escaped.

That thought was enough to force her to get to her feet.  Her body protested, muscles aching and seizing from the effort.  She wasn't sure how long she had been out, but the fatigue from her trials and then the struggle against... well, the large piece of technological rubble had the word GLaDOS stamped on it, so that was likely the acronym for whatever the machine was.  The strange computer that had wanted her dead for whatever reasons it may have had.  She stretched her arms and legs, trying to work out the soreness and the kinks in her body.  The parking lot was deadly quiet, but that made sense. There was now a large gaping hole in it, and random bits of computer had been blasted everywhere.  If there had been any animals nearby, they'd likely fled.

That sounded like a plan, actually.  Staying put seemed like a very bad idea.  She glanced around just in case, but there was no one else there.  No people had come to see what the noise had been.  No other machines, no robots.  Nothing.  Outside of the task of actually making her way out of the place, there didn't seem to be any obstacles.  Once she felt as though her body was cooperating she began to weave and jump her way through the wreck and the debris.    With a sense of finality she ducked under the lowered gate of the parking lot.  The facility was behind her.  She really was free.

For a moment joy burst forth from her and she took off running, not caring about anything.  It felt so good to have the wind on her skin and the ground beneath her feet.  She ran as far and as fast as she could before collapsing to catch her breath.  The grass was prickly, poking up at her from where she laid, but she didn't care.  It was only after she caught her breath and sat up to look around that she started to realize that something might not have been quite right about the world around her.

While the parking lot itself hadn't seemed too badly decayed, what might have passed for a road at one point was practically nonexistent.  In fact, whatever signs of human existence might have been out there no longer seemed to exist either.  Signs, both road signs and directory signs were all gone.  The whole area seemed to be overgrown, as though left to its own devices for a long while.  Apparently no one had been out that way for a very long time.  She glanced up at the sky, hoping to get a sense of how late in the day.  It was overcast, she noticed, the clouds thick and heavy on the horizon.  Or had it just rained? That was a rainbow, but... it wasn't, she realized.  A rainbow arched up across the sky, but this one went the opposite way, arching downwards as though diving towards the ground but pulling up at the last moment.  Distant, hazy, dark thread-like projections seemed to be stretching down from the clouds to the ground.  She wasn't sure what she was looking at, she wasn't even sure she had the right vocabulary for it.  It looked like rain, off in the distance, but somehow she felt that it was wrong somehow, just like the upside-down rainbow and the thin black threads that stained the horizon did.

Hesitantly she decided to continue walking, to see if she could find a city or town or anything.  There had to be something between Aperture and Detroit, after all.  She had set off with high hopes, but after an indeterminate amount of walking she mostly found herself tired.  There didn't seem to be anything as far as she had seen, not even the remains of civilization.  She wasn't even sure if she was walking in the right direction, as there was absolutely no signage or anything.  Just rolling hills and endless fields.  Mossy rocks.  A river that she had decided to follow alongside due to a lack of anything else to guide her.  There was something deceptively relaxing about the whole experience, and she wasn’t sure if she should be completely on edge or totally chill.  She stopped after a while to rest her aching feet in the cold river water.  A nearby bush of weeds looked strong and sturdy, the leaves like long flat paddles, and she plucked a few of the leaves, holding them against the soles of her feet and wrapping the stalks around them to hold them in place in order to create makeshift shoes.  They might not last long but they would be better than nothing.  The water was clear and seemed clean, and she took up a handful to drink.  It tasted delicious, and she cupped both her hands in order to get a bigger drink.  She felt much better for the water, and briefly wished that she had a way to take some with her.  No matter.  As long as she followed the river she'd have something to drink whenever she wanted.

Back to walking.  Cresting a hill she got a glance down into a valley, and stared in disbelief.  There may have been something there once, but now all that remained was a jumble of concrete structures, and a lot of cars.    Staring at the place she felt an odd shudder roll through her, though she couldn't explain it.  There was that rainbow again, hanging low and heavy in the sky, and it definitely did look like it was raining.  Those wispy, stringy black lines were there, stretching down into the ruins, like the dark strings of a marionette controlled by a distant, twisted god.  The green seemed to stop some distance ahead of her, fading into an odd boundary that seemed to flash brown and green in rapid succession.  Curiously she started to edge closer, but stopped when she could actually make out what was happening.  Where the rain wall was, the grass and other plants on the ground were spontaneously dying and sprouting over and over again, as though she was watching a time-lapse video of the life cycle of a plant on repeat.  It was hypnotic but terrifying, and it took a moment for Chell to realize that the rain was slowly drawing closer.  She took a few steps back, but the rain wall was still following.  She turned and started to run, going wide towards the west in the hope of maybe running around the whole downfall.  Was it some kind of acid rain on steroids? The computer - GLaDOS, she corrected - had mentioned that something had happened outside of the facility, something that was apparently beyond even her ability to fathom.  Was... was whatever this was a part of that? Messed-up rain and the seeming removal of the signs of humanity outside of some sort of extant ruin? She slowed to a walk once she had put a bit of distance between her and the rain, keeping an eye on it and adjusting as it moved.

It was still overcast, but it didn't seem like it was getting any darker.  Maybe she had gotten out early enough in the day that it was still afternoon? Somehow that didn't sit right with her.  Maybe it just felt like time was moving more slowly due to the natural air and light.  Whatever adrenaline she was running on now was her own.  It had felt like a great deal of time had already passed, and the ache in her legs and her feet agreed with her.  She'd done a lot more work than simply walking for a long time over the course of her testing, it didn't make sense that only an hour of walking would leave her that sore.  She'd been forced to leave the river behind in her attempt to escape from the rain, so she didn't even have that as an option to relieve the pain temporarily.  She was certain that she was near one of the Great Lakes - Lake Michigan, most likely - which meant that if she continued on this way for a few hours she'd run into Chicago.  Or whatever was left of Chicago, she decided.  She'd been more than certain that there should have been many small towns and cities along the way, but outside of that one ruin she hadn't seen anything else.

After more than a few rests and a lot more walking than she felt comfortable trying to quantify she was very certain that nothing was happening in the sky.  It was cloudy, but the amount of light had not changed in hours.  She'd found the edge of the rain, watching it sweep past her off towards Lake Eerie or Huron and whatever else was over there.  Despite that the clouds above her had not broken.  It didn't even look like the clouds themselves were moving.  Everything was washed in that perpetual,  almost dingy light, as though the sky was filled by something that filtered the light through it, keeping the clouds in the air long past their natural point of existence.

Another large hill, or so she had thought.  The land itself seemed a lot different than she had expected.  She'd have thought that there would be more fields and cultivated areas.  There were so many hills, so many craggy and rocky spots.  She'd thought testing was a good workout, but this was definitely putting her through her paces.  It was a bit of a slog, working her way up the rather steep incline. It was only after she'd crested the hill that she got a scope of just how wrong the world had become in her absence.

She was at the top of a cliff of sorts.  Somehow a chunk of the land had broken away and sunken down, leaving a long and craggy cliff in that area.  From the vantage point she could see quite far away, how far was difficult to say.  Her eyes were drawn immediately to something that should not be.  Cutting across the land, as though it had been gashed open somehow, was a long dark body of what looked like very dark water.  An inland sea? How had such a thing come to be? It stretched out as far as she could see in all directions, northward and southward and westward off to the horizon.  From her vantage point she could pick out bits of what she assumed were the remains of humanity, areas of grey and brown that stood out starkly against the natural colours.  Even further south, farther than she felt she might be able to walk, she could just make out the tops  of what looked like a series of very large spinning wind turbines.  Something intact? Or was it another ruin? There was no way to tell, and she wasn't certain she wanted to take the chance.  She could attempt to keep going and see if anything was left of Chicago, or turn east again and try to find Detroit.  The idea of encountering the rain again made her wary.  After all, if that was what happened to plants, what would it do to living flesh?

It seemed almost surreal that scant hours ago she had been celebrating her escape.  Now, she realized, she should really have listened.  Whatever had happened here, GLaDOS had been keeping the facility safe from it.  Had she been a fool? No, of course not.  The computer had wanted her dead and would not have stopped until she had been gassed.  It had been a matter of survival.  Maybe there had been more information that she could have dug up, or supplies or... anything.  She'd been so hasty to escape that she hadn't considered that some catastrophic event had happened that would have changed the outside world completely.

She sat on the edge of the cliff, staring out at the strange sea, wondering just what to make of what the world had become and what she should do.  Finally she rose to her feet, turning towards the turbines.  While the large cities might exist in some fashion, somehow she felt better about what might be an operation wind farm.  She scanned around hoping to find the river again then started along the edge of the cliff, carefully picking her way along.  Something caught her attention a ways up and she made her way over to it curiously.  It looked like a flat collection of fungi, almost like a mycelium coral.  Above it was floating a variety of small pink insectoids.  Floating, she realized, but not flying, as they didn't have wings.  The whole structure gave her the same feeling that looking at the ruin and distant rainfall had, a cold shudder that made her hands shake.  She reached out, trying to catch one of the insects.  They fled at her swing, but she could feel something squirming in her palm.  When she opened it to inspect her prize, she saw something that reminded her of a very large water bear.  It stared up at her before floating off of her hand and down to the fungal coral to hide.  That must have been some kind of hive.  It hadn't stung her and it had been afraid of her, so clearly they weren't any kind of threat.  Outside of that, though, she hadn't seen or heard any sign of life.  No birds, no insects, no other animals.  Even in the water she hadn't seen any fish or other aquatic creatures.  The world seemed so very empty, even if it was so full of lush and vibrant vegetation.

Having caught her breath she pressed onward.  The ground was sloping downward, and with her eastward leaning she eventually caught sight of the river again.  A more than welcome friend, she splashed her face and took another long drink and sat down on the bank to let her legs dangle in the water.  The soles of her feet were getting roughed up badly from walking, the leaves she'd bound up on her feet having worn out some time ago.  She wasn't sure if she'd be able to get that far like this.  She thought briefly about walking through the riverbank, but it was rather rocky on the bottom so even with the chill of the water to help numb the pain she'd still be hurting her feet.

She reached down to splash her face again.  Once more her thoughts turned to the warning she had taken as an empty threat.  She was hungry but yet she hadn't seen anything that she could eat outside of the occasional nest of those water bear bugs - and while she was hungry she wasn't sure if eating unknown insects would be a good thing or a bad thing.  There was no sense of day or night in the world anymore, just an omnipresent overcast sky with dim lighting at all times.  She hadn't encountered any other ruins yet but she also wasn't sure she wanted to.  Finding out what the rainbows and the dark thread-like lines were was not high on her list of things she particularly wanted to do at the moment.  The edges of the turbines were closer, but still far enough away that she felt a stab of despair.  There was also another cliff, if her view of the turbines was any indication, and one that she'd have to climb down to get to where she was going.  This had been the best choice, she reassured herself.  It was an actual sign of life, rather than the potential promise of life of the cities.  Given that nothing of humanity remained anywhere else, active and functional wind turbines surely meant something.

There was nothing to do but to keep on and carry on.  With a sigh she slowly withdrew her legs from the water once more.  The prospect of what was between her and there was terrifying in a way that what she had faced at Aperture hadn't been.  There had been unknowns and deadly hazards there, but those had all been contained.  She'd found ways to escape, to hide, to avoid here and there.  The tests had been self-contained and easy enough to figure out despite the work involved in their completion.  She'd found signs of life often, guiding directions here and there, and warnings.  Here there was nothing but open wilderness and unknowns that seemed unnaturally harmful, a test that she was not at all interested in engaging.  She began to plod along the river bank, staring ahead of her, focusing on the road - or lack thereof - ahead.

Maybe you were right, she thought to the destroyed computer littering the parking lot that she felt that no one would ever see.  What did Aperture even look like? She hadn't even thought to look.  Had it been a ruin, too? It was too late to go back, now.  Not after she'd covered so much ground.  She could only keep moving forward, and hope that if there was anyone out there, that they'd have some answers for just what had gone on out there.