#I wish I could go tell teenaged me that I wouldn’t have to hide everything one day! wow

[bimboviolence]

I’ve always been so afraid to be super into a character/selfship while in an actual relationship and it’s so nice that my partner is absolutely chill with it and pulls up AMVs to make me laugh and will sit here with me going UH UH UH WHAT TOOK YA SO LONG IDIOT back and forth and laughing for several minutes like yeah. Pretty good.

[insidemyrottenbrain]

Years later - TSH

Henry Marchbanks Winter x GN!Reader

Word count: 1666

TW: religious imagery

Out of guilt and dread you end up leaving Vermont and building a new life. Just as you thought you escaped your past, you once again find yourself in its grasp.

The past haunts me. It has been years—so many I cannot begin to count, and if I’m being completely honest, I was not counting to begin with. Everything I have done was to escape that wretched part of my life in which my naivety and perhaps self-consuming passion, managed to control me. I wanted—want—to forget it all. 

The first time I stepped foot into what would soon come to be one of the few select places in my nightmares was very awe-inducing. The university was large, larger than I’d imagined. The stone walls had arched indents that made it look as if it belonged in one of the novels I read as a teenager and that my family wholeheartedly despised. The hallways were a contorted maze of watchful ancient statues following every movement with their eyes, priceless antiques donated by rich parents and students with more money in their pockets than I could ever dream of having. A multitude of departments found their home in that twisted place, such as theater, arts, modern literature, architecture, history, music, philosophy, and more. I believe you can imagine my excitement when faced with the exact kind of university I dreamed of studying at, especially when I had little to no hope of ever getting anywhere close to it, much less belonging.

One thing, as you know, led to another, and I ended up as one of the infamous Greek pupils. I’m quite sure everyone thought we were some kind of cult, which, if you think about it, isn’t entirely wrong.

The first few years were everything I had ever hoped for. I felt that I had found my place and, most certainly, my kind. We used to do everything together. Being with them was the only time I truly felt alive. It doesn’t matter whether we went to the comforting country house engulfed in trees safely from the outside world, had delicious dinners debating the most obscure topics, or simply studied in the library, sleep-deprived and on immense amounts of caffeine, I always felt as if I was doing something more than just existing.

Where did it all go wrong? I wouldn’t be able to tell you. I do not want to categorize Richard’s arrival as the initiator factor, for it was not his fault. Nor is it correct to say that the Bacchanal was the beginning of it all. It wouldn’t be Henry’s doing either, at least not the start of it. I have speculated on this over the years, and I have come to only one conclusion that seems right. My theory as to what the answer is and my attempt to pinpoint the exact place on the timeline are not as precise as I hoped they would be. It was not a single event that gave birth to our ruin, but rather multiple little moments, that are rather large in the big scheme. I also like to believe that Julian had as much of a role in all of this as the rest of us. Perhaps, even a considerably more sizeable one.

Everything that happened—I wish to leave behind. However, I recently came to realise, that, to my misery, it incorporated and formed my very being. My views, my ideas, my tastes, and my activities are all, to a certain extent, if not fully influenced and ruled over by it. I am my past.

My great, futile attempts to escape the life I once had, led me to London, a perfect setting for someone who wished to hide. A bustling place, where I had the chance to not be me, but a mere shadow lurking throughout the crowded streets, observing every passerby, while trying to guess their life stories, deepest desires, and strongest fears. I was no one, and I adored it. However, my presence became known among museum guides and librarians for its consistency. I have also earned a reputation among university students for being one of the few odd professors. This is probably due to the fact that I am very selective with my pupils, and I teach a couple that are quite brilliant in my office. I often have open discussions with them, for I consider it helps them engage with the topic better and understand the meaning and philosophy behind it in such a way that encourages them to analyze, observe, and critique. One such day, we were talking about the loss of self, Plato’s four divine madnesses:

‘Death is the mother of beauty,’ said Felix, one of my students.

I nodded in approval as I propped myself up on the desk.

‘And what is beauty?’ 

‘Terror,’ a voice answered from my office’s door.

My life up until this moment, along with all my darkest memories and the series of events that led me to where I am today, flash before my eyes, and it feels as if the universe has stopped specifically to play along with his sadistic trick. My jaw clenches involuntarily, my eyes threaten to betray my emotions, and I have to remind myself I’m not the same brainless kid chasing empty promises and impossible dreams, fully convinced that every existing land, no matter how vast it may be, is my playground and that fate will bend according to my petulant will. I have to get out of my head, the silence is stretching. My students, probably confused, are expecting some kind of sign from my disordered self. He is waiting for a reaction. The past has finally caught up to me. After all my futile attempts, it still managed to intrude on my present’s doorway. 

I take a deep breath. I look at my students, curiosity mixed with confusion clear in their expressions. I don’t need to look at him to know who he is.

‘I apologize,’ I start hoping that they cannot hear the tremble in my voice as accentuated as I seem to do, ‘class is dismissed.’

I need not say more before my students start gathering their belongings in complete silence so as to not further disturb the room completely filled with palpable animosity and perhaps something more vivid, cursed to lurk in the depths of our minds. I reach blindly toward my pack of cigarettes, lying somewhere on my desk between books and coffee-stained papers. Lucky Strikes, yet another sign of his hold on me. I light my cigarette, breathing in the curls of smoke spiraling down my throat. The sound of his leather shoes clicking against the wooden floorboards reverberates through my beating heart. I am well aware that even now, after years of attempting to escape from the rosary He entangled around my neck, I am still His most loyal devotee, respecting vigilantly every silent command. Deep and numbing smoke inside my lungs, like a relaxant, washes me with warm Indian summer waves of calmness.

He is fixating me with his cold blue eyes, watching for any sign of defiance. Over the years I’ve spent in his presence, I’ve learned to recognize his transitive facial expressions, his secretive ways, and his small habits, whether it is the way he holds a page between his fingers before turning it or his tendency to dive into long monologues about whatever interests him at that moment. It is a distinct ability that has grown its roots along my blood vessels, twisted and intertwined beyond differentiation. Understanding each other used to be our way of showing our affection. It is something so sacred that I cannot bring myself to weaponize against him and betray the bond we once had. You’d think that after so much time I’d be able to break free from the shackles His divinity holds me in and convert to a different faith. But He is nestled so deeply in me, that I cannot help but like the burns and the imprints upon my skin.

Henry Marchbanks Winter looks the same. But he now has a new pair of glasses and slight crow’s feet, along with faint smile lines framing his lips. He’s wearing one of his dark English suits, which have always fit him incredibly well. And if the wrinkles weren’t enough, the few grey hairs peeking from underneath the familiar dark colour of his hair are a brutal reminder of how much of him I missed. A cruel admonitum of the years that have passed and of all the times I wasn’t next to him, not by chance but by choice. It takes all I have in me to not fall to my knees, confess my sin, and beg for forgiveness. As if all the years I’ve been away from him turned into mere days I find myself falling back to my old habits and once again bowing down to his silent command.

Amor dominus terribilis est.

The cigarette burns, forgotten between my fingers, as I get wasted on his scent, for once, unbothered by the consequences.

‘I’ve finally found you, dilectus.’ Beloved.

‘I suppose you have.’ I cannot help but stare at him, hypnotized by the storm in his eyes.

‘I have been searching for you since the day you left.’ He reaches a gentle, steady hand to brush my cheek ‘London of all places-’

As much as I wish to let him hold me again I find myself interrupting him. ‘You have no business here.’ I walk to the open window and take my second drag from the almost fully burned cigarette.

He sighs, frustration slipping through the cracks of his perfection.

‘Like it or not,’ he emanates divine turmoil as he emphasizes every word  ‘you are my business.’

‘After so long we can’t be anything but strangers.’

‘You are wrong.’ He states immediately as I finish the sentence. ‘You cannot act as if you have forgotten everything we’ve been through.’ His hand once again finds its way to my face and caresses it with smooth, slow motions. This time I let him. ‘One more chance is all I ask for.’ He whispered.

‘One more chance.’ I agree, defeated.

[deathofpeaceofmiiind]

illicit affairs | twenty five

“You look beautiful.”

Noah walked up behind me as I looked myself over in the mirror for the hundredth time. I gave my hair a blow out and even brought out my bright red lipstick for the first time in months. Since we were just going to be home I didn’t bother dressing up but I still wanted to look cute so I wore a black tube top with a pair of Levi 501’s. I turned around and looked up into Noah’s midnight eyes, completely losing my breath. He wore a pair of black shorts with a black button up short sleeved shirt, leaving a few buttons undone. My eyes were focused on his exposed chest tattoos…I don’t think I’ll get over how gorgeous he really was.

“Thank you.” I replied, gently wrapping my hand behind his neck to motion him to kiss me. His lips met mine softly. We broke apart quickly because we knew if we didn’t, we wouldn’t stop. I suddenly wished we were home alone.

“Wait before we go…” Noah moved my hair from my neck and sprayed his cologne on my skin, catching me off guard. The smell was so damn intoxicating, I wasn’t sure how he expected me to keep my composure all night knowing I smelt like him. 

“What was that for?” I questioned as I looked at him through the mirror, knowing he had some back handed comment ready.

“Just want everyone to smell me on you.” He replied, putting his cologne back down on the dresser. He kept his eyes on me the entire time, causing my stomach to fill with butterflies. 

“You mean Matt?”

He smirked, almost proud of himself, “does that bother you?” 

I pouted as I began to play with the buttons on his shirt, “no it turns me on and we have a party to throw.” 

“Well…” he whispered as he ran his hand up my neck, “you give me the signal and we’ll sneak off, okay?” I just nodded as we headed downstairs, intertwining my hand with Noah’s. Everyone was in the kitchen or out by the grill talking and having a good time when we came down. Jesse and Folio insisted on working the grill for dinner so I let them have it, the less I had to do tonight the better. Davis made some sides for us as well and everything smelt so damn delicious. I caught myself staring at my surroundings, feeling extremely thankful to know these group of boys.

“Wow Ellie you look good.” Jesse commented, I could tell he was already a few drinks in so I let it go.

“Thanks bud.”

My eyes wondered around and caught Matt’s instantaneously. I tried to look in another direction, but my eyes kept going back to him as if he had some magnetic force over me.

“Bro, I’m right here.” Noah commented as he brought me my first white claw of the night. Jesse gave him the finger before turning his attention back to the grill with Folio. 

“Ellie…” Jolly whispered, leaning down towards my ear, “you look really pretty.”

“Thank you, Jolly.” I smirked as he kissed the top of my head and ran away from Noah.

“Jolly!” I looked up at Noah and he was about 50 shades of pink from embarrassment. “Sorry that I’m friends with a bunch of teenagers.” 

“I’m used to it.” I replied before taking a sip of my drink, “besides I’m yours.” “Mine?” “Always.”

Dinner was a complete success and I was actually quite impressed with how well the boys could cook. Everyone was really enjoying themselves, which was what I envisioned when we first looked at this place. I always dreamt of having the home everyone could come to for bbq’s, birthdays and holidays, and now I had it. I was so distracted that I forgot Matt was even at the table. He sat far away from me but I caught him hiding back a smirk any time someone made me laugh…I knew his guard he had up was fake.

The boys shared so many tour stories with me, making me laugh until my sides hurt. I think they were trying to compete to see who could make me laugh the most, Jesse was definitely winning by a long shot.

“Fuck, I can’t breathe.” I said as another laugh left me, I grabbed a napkin from the table to wipe my eyes. Folio just told me a joke everyone expected me to get offended at but it did the polar opposite. 

“I was expecting that joke to go south.” Folio commented, almost looking at me surprised I took his joke well. “Ellie, I swear you’re the coolest girl I’ve ever met.” “Guys, you’re talking to a girl who’s comfort show is Family Guy.” Noah chimed in. “You got yourself a winner, Noah.” I felt Noah’s hand run up the back of my neck, giving it a small squeeze. His eyes locked in on me, causing me to flush pink, “I know.” The rest of the night was such a blur, but it was so much fun. We ended up staying at the table and just talking for a few more hours, sharing more laughs and just enjoying each others company.

Noah never stopped touching me the entire time, his hand was either wrapped around my leg or my hand. We kept stealing glances too, which was stirring something up inside of me. Even in a crowded room, he still made me feel like I was the only one there with him. 

“I’m gonna go show the guys the recording space, are you okay here?” “Yes.” I breathed, I was a few drinks in at this point and was quite happy where I was sitting. “I’ll come find you if I need you.” Noah kissed my forehead gently as he got up, “I love you.” 

I blushed a little, watching him walk away from me. As he walked over to the boys, he turned and flashed me his million dollar smile again. I blew him a kiss he pretended to catch and put in his back pocket before he walked into his future studio space. I felt like my heart was going to burst with how much I loved him.

“Just checking in, you good?” I snapped out of my thoughts and noticed Davis sat down beside me, “Yeah, everything’s good.” “Good.” He beamed, “do you want a drink?” “I’ll go get it, I haven’t stood up in hours. Thank you though.”

Davis just nods at me as I get up, feeling my head grow more fuzzy. One of the worst things about drinking is you don’t realize how drunk you are until you stand up. I went into the kitchen, my body stumbling into every corner as I went to grab another drink that I didn’t need. I fished through the thousand beers that were on the shelf before finding my last strawberry white claw. There was a shadow behind me as I closed the door and it caused me to almost jump out of my skin. Once my vision decided to focus, I realized the shadow was Matt leaning against the wall. I felt my body instantly sober up the second our eyes locked.

“Why haven’t you talked to me all day?” I asked, my voice trembling the longer he kept his eyes on me. “I just don’t have anything to say to you.” “No, you’d rather just scare me in my own kitchen. Twice.” I scoffed, getting ready to leave when he grabbed my arm and stopped me. “I would’ve never left you if it was my choice.” He muttered, looking down at his grip he had on me. “I left because I thought that’s what you wanted.” “But you did leave…” He let go of my arm and sighed deeply, “I know, that was stupid of me.” “I hope you know I am sorry I ruined our friendship.” I paused as I felt tears welling up in my eyes, “you didn’t deserve that but I deserved a better goodbye.” Matt finally looked over at me, his own eyes were glistening with tears which caught me off guard, “I deserved to be happy with you.”

Ouch. 

[theerrorofmylife]

Witch Queen Ch. 1

Thorin x Witch!Reader

hahaha no one asked for this but here’s my baby, my most precious, my favorite Thorin x reader. This will be a multi-part series with several chapters and I LOVE IT. Please enjoy :) -Error 

Warning: Death, destruction, general upheaval, a dragon, family death, etc., I’m sure I missed something but it’s fiiiiiiine I guess *sigh*

For as long as I could remember, the fire inside me was green. Like the eyes of the dead, I burned with knowledge and silence, glaring lovingly into the darkness, knowing it could do nothing against my light, not that it ever would. Magic is a precious thing, rare and wild and reaching out into the world. 

When I was born, my mother cradled me to her chest, weeping silvery tears from reddening eyes, and laughing heartily with joy. She made to hide me from my father, because I was like her, a witch. The light in her was orange, and strong, burning warm as summer winds and bright as the sun. Gold in the firelight could not compare to the magic of my mother and it was wonderful. But those born with magic are never safe, and while it is precious, it is coveted by those who would wish for things that should not be. She left him when I was still so small, hiding us in the greenwood, far away from man, and I grew up with her and the elves. King Thranduil welcomed my mother and I, and we lived close to the elves with many friends and a comfortable life. She aided them in trade and made a life for us. We were happy. Until I was sent to Dale, and for some reason fate decided a dragon would attack and kill everyone. Almost myself included. On that day, my life changed. Because I did survive, and so did the king under the mountain. 

~~

“Dale? Wouldn’t one of the elves be better suited for the trip?” I couldn’t believe it. In all my years, I’d never been sent farther than the Elven kingdom, but now not only a new city, a new kingdom entirely?! 

“You are old enough now, and it’s a dwarven city, filled with men and dwarves, and none of them like elves very much. It’s smarter for you to go.” While I couldn’t argue about the dwarves, I could argue my age. Or at least, the appearance of it. I was 23 now and still looked the grand age of 13, maybe with more assets if I truly wanted to display them but that was never smart in this day and age. I never grew past the 5-foot mark, so I really did look like an early blooming teenager.  

“But-”

“No. Now, put this on,” she placed her grey travel cloak on the dining chair as she walked past it, “and go. The list is in your basket as well as the money for everything. Go on, you’ll be fine!” She ushered me out the door and for the first time I remembered that I was in fact 23. Don’t normal people do these things by now, going out on their own and being adults? Huffing, I set the tall basket on the ground and flung the cloak around my shoulders, slipping my arms through the shoulder cut outs. I picked the list out of the basket before flinging it over my shoulders, the back straps digging into my arms as the large woven box covered the whole of my back. Looking ahead, the trees rustled their leaves as if telling me to get a move on. I sighed with my shoulders heaving and walked away from my front door to the east, where I would find the elves. 

The Greenwood was a beautiful place, full of grace and magic in this time of autumn. The morning mist had not yet lifted and would not for a while. The trees were just beginning to turn yellow and very few danced across my path as I made my way down the well-worn Witches Road. It’s not an official road to those outside of the Greenwood, however, since I travel it so often, along with my mother, the elves have deemed it as such, and I’ve grown quite fond of it. We shrouded it with enchantments and charms, little sigils carved into the trees to ward off those with malicious intent, and the forest grew in wild, untamed love.  

The elves, however pretentious at first, were learners at heart with a great love for all things ancient and elegant. Their halls were tall and spectacular in their designs, the summers coloring the white stone gold, the vines and green growing wild and happy in the kingdom. As I entered the kingdom, a blond man stood there to greet me happily. 

“Legolas! Nin mellon! Cin tiri- i doors hi?” I teased. There was never a time when I wasn’t close to the Elven prince, and there was never a time the gates were not open to my mother and me.

“I do as I please, Witch,” He smiled with a sweet familiarity I had known all my life. Something about today felt different however, and it wasn’t in his smile or the way he held his hand out for me to enter the kingdom with him, but it was in the air, the way it rushed over the trees; Today was different, and I couldn’t see why. “Where are you going? It is still so early in the day.”

Looking up at him, I remembered my real reason for passing through the city. “I am to cross the lake into Dale, Mother is in need of special supplies.” All at once I watched Legolas have a thousand thoughts. Elves are private creatures, and do not often emote so openly, however Legolas could never hide what he thought from me. 

“I shall go with you.” I smiled; I knew he would say that. My closest and oldest friend, of course he would not let me go alone. He began walking away with purpose and it nearly winded me to keep up.

“No, no, you stay here,” this stopped him. He turned to look at me with the greatest confusion. “You are royalty, Legolas, and the Dwarves do not take kindly to Elves. You would be at risk, and over something so little it hardly seems fair. I will only be gone for a few hours, wait for me on the edge of the river when the sun begins to set, and I will be there.” I wrapped my arms around his middle, my head resting against his side. My brother, whose blood was not like mine, conceded. He led me into the great halls, winding stairs rising high into the kingdom. After several flights of stairs that proved to be a greater pain than I remember, we reached the throne, where the King sat, discussing matters of the realm with several other people. Legolas pulled me aside and let me catch my breath. 

“Please reconsider, I would rather I go with you, and you be safe than you go alone, and something go wrong.” I sighed and smiled.

“Friend, brother, greatest kindness the gods could have given me, you must stay, and I must go. I only ask you look for my return and return I shall.” People began filing out of the throne room, passing us with little to no acknowledgment, and I got a proper look at his eyes. His bright blue eyes were filled with anxious upset, and I knew all he wanted was to keep me safe.

“My son, you lurk in the doorway. Come in.” Shaking his head, he led me through the archway, and My King spied me from behind. “You bring someone with you?” I stepped out from behind Legolas.  

“My King.” I smiled widely, my eyes squinting as my cheeks rose. He stood, stepping down the winding stairs carved from the tree which made the throne. I walked closer to the throne and met him halfway, his hand resting on the crown of my head in a loving gesture before coming to rest on my shoulder.  

“Daughter,” Thranduil was not my father, but he always treated me as if he were, and I could not be happier with any other father. He adores me as a parent would and has always taken care of me and guided me. “Why have you come to visit, carrying your pack and wearing your cloak?”

“I wish to cross the lake into Dale, my mother is in need of supplies and says I am old enough to go on my own.” He frowned but nodded, nonetheless.

“I see. And you shall be back before nightfall, yes?” He was concerned but was much better at hiding it than Legolas was. I nodded.

“Yes, I do not intend to spend a night.” He nodded once and a young red-headed elf stepped closer.

“Then you shall go, but you must be careful. We shall keep a steady eye out for your return this evening.” I nodded in thanks and chased after Tauriel, waving frantically at Legolas and I rushed down to the stables. After several sets of stairs, I finally caught up with her, and smiled brightly.  

“Tauriel!” I wrapped my arms around her waist.

“Mellon, if I trip, I’m taking you down with me.” This made me laugh loudly.

“If you trip nothing will happen because elves don’t trip.” She rolled her eyes with a smile, and led me farther into the kingdom, down father, until we reached the stables. Morning still hasn’t broken, and a fog drifted over the woods. For a moment, time stood still within the Greenwood, and the world, my little world, was at peace.

~~~

Riding on horseback when you’re built like a child is the most uncomfortable thing known to man. When I arrived in Dale the shops were only just beginning to open, so I stopped by the tavern near the east side of the city for breakfast. The tavern was mostly empty, so I sat at the bar and spoke with the barman at length about the city. He was quite chatty, and it was more than welcome given I had never been in the city, and he even gave my directions to the apothecary. The city was bustling by the time I left, and navigating became a mess of jabbing elbows, shuffling, and desperately trying not to get lost in the sea of people.

Tall buildings of beautifully carved stone rose above me, and archways looped overhead, strung with ribbons and flags. Morning sunlight danced across the cobbled pathways, shining into stained glass windows. Dwarves and man mingled like friends in the city streets, and it seemed almost surreal. Growing up so close, yet so secluded, I had never realized I had been so… sheltered. I was envious now, because minus the facial hair, I could have passed as an aesthetically ugly dwarf. I did not have a large nose or large ears befitting a proper dwarrowdam, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel amazing to be around people the same height as me.

Rounding a corner, I realized I saw no sign of the apothecary, just more endless streets with more and more people. I was completely lost, despite the very clear directions that the tavern barkeeper had given me. Slowly shuffling through the streets had gotten me disoriented. Finding no other option, I ducked into an alleyway, much less crowded, and tried to clear my head. I looked up from my thoughts and saw him staring at me from the alleyway across the street. A young dwarven man, taller than me, with dark hair. He wore a blue tunic with a dark belt, silver beads glinting in the light from his hair. He was the most handsome man I had ever seen, and all I could do was stare back. For some reason, unlike any other time someone had stared at me, I felt horribly exposed and embarrassed, as if my chest were caving in and death with him in my sights would be the happiest of deaths. The streets began to steadily clear, and he took this opportunity to survey the street before making a mad dash into the alleyway I inhabited. Now that he was closer, I got to look into his eyes and my chest collapsed all over again. His eyes were the most magnificent shade of blue, and the way they crease in the corners as he smiles. If the gods had given us soulmates, this must be what it feels like to meet yours.

“Hello.” His voice is deep, rumbling in my head and the way it overwhelms me nearly makes me forget to respond.

“Hello… Why are you in an alleyway?” I sound like a mouse compared to this god of a dwarf. He smiles again, and I’m blinded by the summer sun.

“I’m hiding. Why are you in an alleyway?”

“I got lost, I needed to clear my head. Why are you hiding?”

 “Because of whom I am. May I help you find your way?”

“You may. If you tell me your name.”

“I am Thorin. Where would you like to go? Name it and I will lead you anywhere.” The way he said ‘anywhere’ nearly made me lose my breath.

“The apothecary.” My heart wouldn’t stop drumming in my chest.

“Follow me.” He took my hand and very gently kissed my knuckles before leading me back into the streets with his head hung low to avoid people looking at him too much. We walked through the sea of people, my chest close to his back and I lost myself in nauseating wonder. He was strong, so very strong. We arrived at the apothecary, and he said he would wait for me outside. Only 20 minutes later I was walking back out again, my woven backpack full and my money nearly spent. Glancing around for my handsome new friend, I found him in the alley beside the store.

“Name where I can accompany you next, my lady.” His words made me blush. I had been called Lady before by the elves, but only because of my familial relation to Thranduil. This man could not know my imaginary title, so he was not addressing me by status. And he called me ‘his’ lady… this was flirtatious in nature.

“The tailor and the blacksmith, but you need not guide me anymore if it is not your wish.” He grinned at this, his eyes lighting in amusement.

“My Lady, if I did not want to continue in your company, I would have left after bringing you here.” He took my hand again, kissed my knuckles, and led me away with my hand still in his. We walked like that all day, and it was midafternoon when my list was complete. I had never been so unhappy to leave someone. He was charming, and so very sweet, and the way he spoke about the city and the mountain, he truly loved this place. I learned his name, Thorin, but he would not tell me his father’s name or the name of his lineage. He was walking me back to the tavern when things truly started going wrong.

“Will you be returning to the My Lady?” I had taken a liking to the name, and completely forgot to tell him my real one.

“I don’t know. I am only here today.” A sadness settled in my chest and my heart dropped when I realized I may never see him again.

“Then I shall be happy only today and I shall mourn all of eternity without you.” This brought another flush of heat to my face. He always said such sweet things, I truly began to think he just did it to make me embarrassed. I turned to face him, stopping in the street that was barely crowded. Facing him, I realized that I stopped very close to him, and my chest was close to pressing against his. His eyes, those beautiful grey-blue eyes, dart across my face from my eyes to my lips to my eyes again.

“Thorin I-”

“Prince!” A man with a shaved head and tattoos appeared, followed by several guards. They were all staring at Thorin, and I couldn’t mask the hilarious bout of shock I was feeling.

“Prince…?” His eyes had closed, and he looked so incredibly guilty.

 “Yes,” He turned to the man behind him, “Dwalin, what do you need?” 

“Your father is asking for you in the mountain.” Thorin sighed and I watched his shoulders drop. He had spoken about his family in little detail, but he loved them very much. If he didn’t want to go back, maybe it was more to do with being a prince than being a son. He turned to me, and he looked so sad. 

“I must go, My Lady.” My heart sped up and I felt sick at the thought. 

“I will come back tomorrow. Be here, please, My Prince?” His eyes lit up and he grabbed my hands, holding them together and kissing them before letting go reluctantly, walking back to where his friend Dwalin was. I stood still, watching him leave, and I caught his eye as he looked back just before Dwalin punched his shoulder. I felt lightheaded now that he was gone. I spent all day with a stranger, with the prince. If this is love, it’s addictive. I slowly made my way through the city, too busy in my thoughts of Thorin to realize that the unease I had felt this morning was worse. I was close to the western gate when I heard it. A horn, deep in the summer winds, and people began screaming. A shadow passed over the city with terrifying speed and suddenly there was a shriek, like the sharp whistling of wind, and there was fire. Blazing red and orange, it swept through the city. The very stone caught on fire and no one in its wake was left alive. As a bout of flames descended, I ducked into an archway, turning away as the force nearly knocked me down. Smoke piled into the streets, and it became so hard to breathe. The buildings were collapsing, and I was barely able to wade through the rubble and fire. I think I blocked out a lot of what I saw that day, because when I stumbled out of the city, I wasn’t alone. I was on my hands and knees, choking on the smoke, eyes watering as I tried to process everything that was happening. 

“Nethel! Breathe!” Legolas was at my side, wrapping his arms around me. As my breathing regulated sobs wracked my body. The mountain was destroyed. A great hole where the main gate once stood had people pouring out.

“Where is father? Please, we must help them. His people-” coughs wracked my body and I felt sharp pain in my muscles. Before I could say anything else he lifted me off the ground, running me over to a horse and saddling us both in. He sat behind me, holding me steady as he guided us back into the forest. The last thing I saw, as I looked over my brother’s shoulder, was my father pulling back his troops, leaving Thorin alone. 

~~~ 

In the morning, I was alone, and for the first time since I stepped foot in Dale everything registered at once. Thorin, prince of Erebor, had spent the day with me without telling me who he was. I may or may not have fallen in love with him. The whole city caught on fire. The whole city…. On fire… I began yelling at the guards, screaming for Legolas, for my mother, for Tauriel even. Just not Thranduil. Legolas was the only one who entered my room. 

“Nethel, please stop, you need rest-” He sat beside me on the bed. 

“Tell me what happened, hanar, what happened to the city!” Tears welled in my eyes as pictures of the fire came back. The mountain, Thorin, his people. Legolas sighed, turning away from me. 

“Smaug, the fire Drake. He went to Erebor to claim the gold inside. Dale was…. The city is gone, nethel.” I didn’t know what to say. A fire Drake, a dragon, had come in search of gold and killed thousands of people… 

“What about the royal family, the king, the prince?” He shook his head. 

“Nothing yet, but I’ll let you know what I hear if that would put you at ease.” I nodded and sat back quietly. I spent the next 3 days in bed before I was allowed to go home. I didn’t talk to Thranduil once. I don’t know what I would have said if I had, but I know it wouldn’t have been nice. 

4 years later, news came about the royal family. There was a battle at Moria, and the king and prince were lost. It broke my heart, and I spent a whole year alone in my house. My mother passed away shortly after, she got sick with something even our magic couldn't stop, and I refused to see any of the elves, save for my brother. Legolas visited me every day, but soon even that stopped. It became every week, then maybe every month, then only when necessary. 

60 years passed, and in my sorrow, I let the years go without care. I was still young, in my prime as a witch, and would continue to be young for a thousand years more if I so wanted. But, after 60 years, I can still be surprised. 

__

[praublem-child]

I imagine that is a great explanation of US healthcare system as it pertains to minors, but this letter is about the UK.

As a British mother of a British teenager here in Britain, my son could totally make a medical appointment, attend it, get treatment if appropriate, without me knowing. It would not come up on a bill / health insurance, because we don't have those here.

The comment you made about phone tracking etc is at least partly valid though, as controlling parents sometimes forcibly install spyware etc. Itemized phone bills aren't common here and I haven't seen one in more than 20 years, but I imagine they might still exist for some people. So such a kid would have to go there in person to make the appointment.

Anyway, all power to kids having the autonomy I wish I had at that age!

I didn’t take into account the different healthcare systems in other countries. Sometimes I really forget how isolated our school systems are and how little I know about the other places in the world/how little they come up in my head when I’m interacting with things online, so thank you for pointing this out. I also hadn’t even noticed that it was for another country, but I probably should have looked at the original post a little closer.

I suppose in other places transportation also wouldn’t be as much of an issue as in my area either. I can’t get anywhere without a car, but I know a lot of other countries have significantly better public transport systems and such and even in other cities you can walk to appointments so that’s probably just a my area/rural area barrier for minors getting healthcare.

Sorry if this sounds ignorant, but I promise it’s out of curiosity. Do you really not get anything home from doctors offices in the mail? Even when we don’t get bills in the mail (paperless delivery, no recent procedures needing billed, etc) often my doctors offices send follow up with instructions in the mail. I get what’s called after visit summaries mailed to me semi-often that just explains what the appointment was for, any medications I was put on, and what next steps needed to be followed. Whenever they ask I always request they don’t send it because I have an app that lets me access it whenever and the papers just get lost or piled up collecting dust, but they don’t always ask.

I grew up with one parent that was chill with me having these rights and another that was appalled, and the latter was one who went through my phone and mail constantly so I wouldn’t have been able to pass through this even if everything was addressed to me and the bill was covered by me personally. I didn’t have an itemized phone bill either, my father just demanded I hand over my phone at random for him to search through, and he always listened in and kept logs of when I was on the phone so he could tell if I deleted things and tell at me.

I think the overlap between the parents who don’t want their kids having these rights and the ones that would go through their kids devices and mail to call them out on things is probably a circle, and as much as I know kids can be sneaky, there’s only so much one can do to hide things at times which is why it was such a big point I brought up.

I’m really glad to hear that other countries have better rights for healthcare when it comes to teenagers. Here’s to hoping the rest of the world follows the example.

[love2write2626]

I Wouldn’t Be Complete Without You

Summary: Tom and Reader have known each other since high school. Best friends... never anything more... even though in secret he always wished something happened between them. As Tom became more and more famous he was in need of an Assistant so who better than his best friend? 20 years later Tom is married... but separated from his wife Katie Holmes, Trying to fix his marriage, raise a child, and work is becoming a lot.

 Reader has known Tom since high school. Best friends never anything else... which is very hard for her, she’s been in love with him forever. Now, still best friends, hiding her love for him has become harder and harder over the years. She’s not an actress after all. Now, Tom needs her more than ever with everything going on in his life.

Read Chapter 2 HERE

Read Chapter 3 HERE

I Wouldn’t Be Complete Without You One-Shot Masterlist HERE

Here is chapter 1: Hope you Enjoy!!!

Chapter 1

Y/N’s P.O.V

“No! No. No. No” I said into the phone walking down the stairs, juggling folders, and my shoes which I still hadn’t had a chance to put on yet. “Jackson. No. You have been telling me for two weeks now, that the article is almost done.” I sighed “Jackson, listen” I groaned this man is being a pain in the ass and it’s much too early for this shit. I walked into the kitchen and saw Tom getting breakfast ready for him, and Suri. When he saw me, he gave me a bright smile.

“Morning” He said

“No. No. I’m tired of this, Jackson I need to have a rough draft of that article by noon today, or you will lose the right to print it at all.” I listened as he tried to babble some threat back to me “Jackson, the article was supposed to be printed a week after the interview, which was 2 months ago”

“Coffee?” Tom asked, I gave him a kiss on the cheek as a thank you, and grabbed the cup walking around the kitchen

“Jackson, I’m done with your excuses noon today, or I will have the whole interview retracted and we will take it to literally any other magazine” I said and hung up the phone. I threw my phone on the counter and let out a groan

“Wow, He must of made you really mad Y/N” Suri said in an adorable voice and I giggled

“Don’t worry I’m not mad Suri”

“Nope, I’ve known Y/N for over 20 years… she’s not mad, you’ll know when she’s mad” Tom said with a chuckle, I threw a towel at him which he easily dodged and went back to making breakfast

“Ready for school?” I asked her, as I took another sip of my coffee

“Yup, I got to take lots, and lots of notes today there’s a math test on Friday and today is the test review”

“You’ll do great sweetheart” Tom said, he placed some eggs on her plate, and kissed the top of her head.

“Y/N?” she asked

“Yes?” I asked with a smile

“Will, you help me study for my test tonight” she said with a pouty face, that was very difficult to say no to.

“Sweetheart I would love to, but I have something to do tonight…” I looked at Tom and I didn’t miss the confusion that crossed his face before he went back to making breakfast for himself.

“Please, please… just a few minutes… you always help me study”

“Ok, fine… but only for a little while” she gave me a hug

“Thank you, thank you” she jumped up and started to run for the door

“Sweetie sit down, you haven’t finished breakfast”

“Dad I’m going to miss the bus” she said

“I was hoping I could take you to school today” he said

“Dad” she gave him a look, and I couldn’t help but giggle. She is only 8 years old, but she is a sassy girl… can’t even imagine what’s she’s going to be like as a teenager.

“Ok, I surrender go on” he said, she ran over and gave him a hug before running out the door. He turned back to the stove grabbed the pan and put some eggs on his plate. “I would offer you some, but I know how you hate eating breakfast” I rolled my eyes

“Someone is grumpy this morning” I said

“I just don’t like the idea of her riding the bus” he said

“Tom…”

“She’s only 8”

“Tom, she’s going to be ok. I know you have security following that bus”

“What?” he asked

“Tom, when are you going to learn I know all” I said with a smirk “I have access to your email, texts, phone calls, bank accounts… I see who you call, email, text, and pay… hell I know your social security number… could have stolen your identity years ago, and be living alone on an island” he rolled his eyes

“Very funny, you would miss me” he said

“No, you would miss me, you might be the extraordinary, bad ass actor/stunt man… but you wouldn’t be able to function day to day without me”

“Please” he said with a scoff

“Ok, what’s your social security number?” I asked with a smirk, he glared at me “I’ll try one easier what’s your phone number?” I continued to smirk as I took a sip of my coffee

“Ok, fine you win… jeez you are on a rampage this morning”

“Ok, save the dramatics for the screen Mr. Reacher” I said with a smile.

“That’s Jack Reacher” he said

“Ok, Jack Reacher get ready to go to work”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I am sitting in Tom’s chair staring at my lap top going through email after email, making appointments, and working my way through Tom’s schedule when my phone dinged

Can’t wait to see you tonight.

I smiled when I read the message from David. I’ve been seeing David in secret for a few months now… and when I say secret I mean secret to Tom. I know if I told him I was seeing someone he will go into all protective mode. It always annoys the shit out of me.

“What’s got you smiling?” he asked, I looked up I didn’t even realize they cut

“Oh, this pathetic excuse of an article Jackson sent me” I said giggling

“So what are we doing tonight?”

“Huh?” I asked

“You said you couldn’t help Suri tonight because we had plans, I didn’t realize we did”

“No… I said I had plans”

“You have plans?” he asked

“Yeah, isn’t that strange? I have a life outside of you”

“So what are Your plans?” he asked

“My plans are none of your business” I said, he smirked

“I’ll figure out your plans”

“What?”

“By refusing to tell me, you have given me a challenge… I’ll figure it out”

“You’re an idiot, go back to set” he kissed my cheek

“I’ll figure it out” he said walking off, I bit my lip and gently touched where he kissed me… even though we kissed each other on the cheek very often it always made me want to blush whenever he kissed mine. I walked closer to the set, and watched Tom. He is an incredible actor, and no matter how hard I try I can’t help but fall in love with him over and over again. It might sound strange but I have loved him since I was 17, the moment I locked eyes with him… I was done for

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

20 years ago

I am sitting reading my book for English class, as always I am drawn in by the beautiful literature before me. Shakespeare is my favorite author… so far, I know as I get older I will be exposed to more and more authors that are equally as good… maybe even better.

I am currently sitting outside on the bleachers away from everyone, not one you would call popular. I keep to myself that’s how I like it, since I live in a time where liking to read is known as a loser thing to do, I just accepted that fate and stay away from everyone.

“Excuse me” I looked up and locked eyes with Tom Cruise… he’s one of the popular boys in school. I looked around trying to figure out who he was talking to. This gorgeous man can’t be talking to the weirdo who likes to read, and wears glasses.

“Me?” I asked, and he chuckled

“Yeah, I mean there’s no one else here” he said, and I blushed “Y/N, right?” he asked

“Yeah… um that’s my name” I said hesitantly

“Well, we’re in the same English class, and I forgot to write down the assignment I was hoping you could tell me what it is”

“Oh, sure. One second” I put the book down, and reached for my bag to pull out my binder

“Romeo and Juliet?” he asked “Didn’t we read this one already?” he asked

“Um yeah… but the assignment is to pick one of the Shakespeare plays and write about it, and as clique as it is, this is my favorite… I think I’ve read it 10 times” I said, I blushed and reached for my binder again and he chuckled. Great now he’s going to start making fun of me.

“But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon Who is already sick and pale with grief That thou her maid  art far more fair than she.” I looked at him expecting him to be looking at the book but to my surprise we was looking at me

“You know Romeo and Juliet?” I asked

“Yeah, we already read it” he said with a chuckle

“But you know it by memory” I said, he just smirked

“I may have read it a few times myself”

“You like to read?” I asked

“Why do you seem so shocked?” he asked confused

“Well… I mean… um… I’m just going to let you copy the assignment and not say anything else” I said

“Is it because I’m popular?” I shrugged my shoulders

“Well, yeah”

“Eh, it’s not all its cracked up to be… I’m not really sure how I got wrapped up with them. We really don’t have much in common”

“Well, you dating the cheer captain probably has something to do with it… and the fact you are ridiculously good looking”

“Really?” he said smirking

“Did I say that out loud?” I said, and he just kept smirking “Well, now that I just made a complete fool out of myself, I’m going to leave…” I ripped out the paper in my notebook with the assignment. “Take it, I don’t need it”

“Hey, hey… you don’t have to leave… I’m sorry for embarrassing you. It’s ok, many people tell me I’m good looking”

“Now you’re just being arrogant” I said

“Well, I think you’re very beautiful” he said, and I’m sure my heart stopped “I think your glasses are adorable, and your hair is really pretty” suddenly I got angry, this is got to be a joke. One of the popular guys coming over here to complement me?

“You’re just here to make fun of me aren’t you?” I stood up, to walk away but he grabbed my hand

“I’m not making fun of you” he said, but I couldn’t ignore the feeling running through my body as he held onto my hand “I’m not lying, I’m not an asshole”

“Why?” he laughed

“Why, do I think you’re pretty?”

“Why, are you here talking to me? I’m a nobody”

“Everybody is somebody… social status means nothing… and I like you, you seem really nice. You never give me the chance to talk to you, you always run out of class before I can reach you”

“I don’t understand why you want to get to know me”

“Because you don’t care about me”

“What?”

“You are the only person in the school who doesn’t run to my side and want to talk to me”

“So you’re making it your mission to talk to me?”

“Not a mission… I just want to talk to someone who likes things other than popularity” I looked at him confused “I like school, I love reading, history, and drama. I love it all. I want to talk to someone who also like learning things, my favorite thing to do it learn new things” I opened my mouth to speak, when Jessica appeared

“Tom” she said in her annoying voice “Tom, why are you here, you’re supposed to walk me to practice” she said

“I was just talking to Y/N… we were talking about Romeo and Juliet” she looked at me with disgust

“You sit with my boyfriend for 2 minutes, and you already infected him with your nerdiness” she said with disgust “Tom, let’s go before she turns you into a complete nerd” she said giggling

“Hey, don’t talk to her like that”

“What?” she asked him

“You can’t talk to her like that”

“Why not? She’s a loser”

“No, she’s a person like everyone else… and no one deserves to be spoken to like that”

“Tom, let’s go”

“No, I’m going to stay here and talk to my friend, you can take yourself to cheer practice”

“Tom, if you don’t walk me to cheer practice then we are done” she said

“Ok, fine” he said standing up, I sighed he was doing so well then she threatened him with a break up and he followed her. I watched as she leaned in to kiss him, but he stepped back. “Ok, fine I’m breaking up with you.”

“You’re breaking up with me, because of this loser?” she asked

“No, I’m breaking up with you, because I’m tired of you being so controlling, being a bitch to everyone… oh, you having sex with the quarter back in the locker room”

“That only happened one time” she said, wow she wasn’t even going to deny it

“I know for a fact it happened 4 times” she looked shocked “So, goodbye” he said

“You’re going to regret this Tom, no one breaks up with me” she stormed off, and he walked back over to me and sat down.

“Are you ok?” I asked

“Yeah, I honestly feel free” he said with a smile

“So, what do you say… you wanna be my friend? I know for a fact she’s going to turn the whole school against me… I need someone on my side” he said with a chuckle. I smiled

“Sure”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I looked at myself in the mirror, putting the finishing touches on my makeup getting ready for my date.

“So I guess you going to the spa is not your plans for the night” I jumped

“Tom, you can’t just walk in here” I said

“It’s my house” he said

“Yeah, but this is my room. Which I pay you rent for” he rolled his eyes

“Please, that money you give me every month goes into your next paycheck… I would never let you pay me to live here” I groaned

“What, do you want?”

“Where are you going?” he asked, I pushed past him and went downstairs to get my purse

“Tom, you don’t need to know everything I do” I said as he followed behind me

“I don’t need to know, but as your best friend I want to know” I sighed he is never going to give this up

“I’m going on a date” he gave me a blank stare, after a few seconds he finally said “anyone I know?”

“No.”

“How, did you meet?”

“Through a friend” I said

“What’s his name?”

“David”

“David…”

“You don’t get his last name, because I know you’re going to do a back ground check and tell me all the reasons I can’t date him” he looked shocked

“No, I…”

“Tom, you’ve done that for every guy I have ever dated. Trust me, we’ve been seeing each other for a few months… he’s a nice guy” I said with a smile

“I just worry about you, You and Suri are the most important people in my life. If anything happened to you…”

“Tom, I’m going to be fine… now go help Suri study. I’ll see you later” I said walking out the door.

“Wait” I turned around

“He’s um… he’s a lucky guy, you look beautiful” he said. I walked over and kissed his cheek

“Thank you for not being over bearing about this” I said

“Go have fun” he said with a fake smile.  as I reached the door, I heard “Just be careful, and be sure he treats you with the respect you deserve”

“I will” I turned around to look at him, but he was already headed up the stairs. David a really nice guy, and I really like him… but why am I so heart broken? When will I stop loving Tom?

So what did you think? 

Next Chapter will talk more about Tom’s upcoming divorce.

@luckyladycreator2 @ahopelessromanticwritersworld @blue-aconite @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @peaches-1999 @callsign-blue @dempy @roostersforevergirl @allivingstone01 @harper1666 

[mercy-burning]

Good Little Helper

Pairing: Season 5! Spencer Reid x fem!Reader Summary: Reader gets assigned to be Spencer’s personal assistant of sorts after he gets shot in the knee. Category: SMUT(18+) Content Warnings: fingering (female receiving), blowjob, praise kink, dirty talk, blink and you’ll miss it cumplay Word Count: 4.7k

MASTERLIST

NOTE: So, remember yesterday when I posted about how I wished new ideas would stop distracting me from everything I’m currently working on? Yeah. This wouldn’t leave me alone, and I couldn’t work on anything until I got it out of my head, so here! Have a fic! (It was supposed to be a blurb, but I got a little long-winded so now it’s too long to be a blurb oops 😙✌) Also, I apologize for any editing mistakes, I just wrote this out in one go, so hopefully it’s alright!

***

Being assigned to assist Dr. Reid with practically his every need after he was shot in the knee wasn't exactly how I expected to spend the past few months.

And that's, like... a huge understatement.

In fact, when Agent Hotchner came up to me in the break room and said he'd like me to do the job, I dropped my coffee and shattered a mug. I could tell he was a little impatient with me, even through his kind reassurances that it was quite all right as he helped me clean it up and waited for an answer.

In the end I'd said yes to the job, though the more I thought about it the more I wondered how much lust and naivete had clouded my judgement when I did.

Because there was absolutely no way I was going to be able to survive weeks, possibly months, as Spencer Reid's assistant. Not only because he was intimidatingly intelligent and there was almost nothing I could offer him in decent conversation, but also—and more prominently—the fact that I was pretty sure I was in love with him.

Maybe that was a stretch. I definitely had a stupid major crush on him that felt more like we were in middle school, but I could barely look at him without going warm all over. In fact, I think we had only ever made eye contact once and I averted my gaze immediately, afraid I'd give myself away. If I'd have held it any longer, I was positive I'd have burst into flames.

He'd tried talking to me once, a few months after I started working at the Bureau, and it was only to ask if I'd send some files over to their tech analyst, Penelope Garcia, but when I tried answering, I stumbled over my words and ended up only getting out a squeaked, "Uh huh," before taking the files from him and scurrying off.

I almost cried that day.

Basically every time I was in his presence, I was a total wreck. Even more so than I was on any other given day.

Being his assistant did get fairly easy pretty early on, though. I mostly just stayed out of his way while he worked, and if he need anything that he could've gotten himself if not for the injury, it was my job to get it for him. I worked on my own paperwork most of the time, and he was always busy working on geographical profiles and whatever else, we only ever really had to talk when he asked for something. And that only required a, "Sure," on my end, so I could just get up, get what he needed, and then go back to work.

Still, it didn't help that sometimes I'd get distracted.

He was very distracting.

I usually waited until I was sure he was so busy in work that I wouldn't get caught. And that's when I'd peek over my computer or hide behind a book and stare at him. I know that sounds creepier than it is, but if you had to spend almost every hour of the day with him, you'd have done the same. Even though for months he was put on rest from the field, he always showed up looking more like a college professor than an FBI agent. Which, I suppose suited him more anyway. Regardless, it was a damn fine look. His hair was decently long and extremely pretty, and when he got the cane?

I was a goner.

It was at that point, though, when I started to realize that he probably wouldn't need my help anymore. He'd been allowed back into the filed by then, and even when I went with them on cases it still felt like I was more out of place than usual. Sure, I'd picked up on some minor skills that aided in profiling and otherwise, but at the end of the day I was still only a desk clerk. Sooner or later, I knew there would be a time where Agent Hotchner would inevitably tell me that I'd done a good job and could return to my menial day job.

So, even though Dr. Reid and I had gotten into a pretty regular, non-awkward rhythm, I was being a little more squirrely than usual.

And of course, he noticed.

"Y/N, are you doing alright?" he asked, looking up from his stack of paperwork. That was another thing we'd ended up doing— late into the night after everyone had gone home, we stayed late in the conference room and quietly filled out paperwork.

I barely looked him in the eye when I answered. "O—Oh, mhm. I'm fine."

"Oh... You just seem... a little different today."

On any other day I would have freaked out on the inside like a teenager, excited that he'd noticed me at all enough to notice a difference in my behavior. But that was his job after all.

"Actually, you seem rather... sad."

I did look up at him this time, and the soft glow of the table lamp lit up his features— features that looked me over with concern. I could feel my face grow warmer with every second I looked at him, until I quickly looked back down at my paper and shook my head.

"N—No, I'm okay. Promise. Just a little tired, that's all."

Usually he would have left it at that, given we didn't ever really have longer conversations than that that didn't pertain to whatever case the BAU was working on. But he pushed further, and I swallowed.

"Are you sure? Because... You can tell me if there's something wrong. I'm a good listener..."

Did I dare tell him what was really plaguing me? That I was scared I wasn't going to be able to spend time with him every day, thus most likely giving away my crush? That is, if he hadn't already figured it out by this point... Truthfully it wouldn't have surprised me.

The thought made me go warm again, and still, I kept my head down.

"I'm sure..."

And then I did something I probably shouldn't have. I looked back up at him, just a quick glance, but under his intense gaze I crumbled, flitting my eyes back down and playing with my hands.

"Is it... because of me?"

Afraid suddenly that I'd made him feel bad, I straightened a little. "No! No, not at all I... Um... I—I guess I'm just... A little sad that I'm probably... not going to be of any help to you anymore. You know, now that you're healing up."

A small smile flashed over his face, and I inwardly melted.

"Oh... In that case I... I guess I'm sad, too."

"Really?" I asked softly, my heart jumping.

"Mhm," he answered back in earnest. His features were softer than they'd ever been, eyes wide and kind, smile inviting... "You've been a great help. And you're fun to be around."

I couldn't help but smile shyly at his confession, completely bewildered that he'd think of me as someone he'd enjoyed being around, though I'd offered just about nothing interesting to any conversation we'd had. "Y—You don't mean that..."

"I do."

"C'mon, really? I... I—mean... coming from you that's... that's too generous."

He laughed a little. "How do you mean?"

"I... Well, y—you're you... I mean, you're... smart, and nice, and cu— uh,... n—nice..." I stumbled hard on that last one, squeezing my eyes shut at the thought of almost calling him cute to his face... And then I realized I'd called him nice two times... in a row.

I hadn't even realized he'd gotten up and walked over to me until I felt his cane gently tap my leg. I jumped, looking up at him and almost crumbled again right then and there. He stood over me, tall and clearly amused, and I wanted to just curl up and hide where no one would ever find me.

I also didn't want to be craning my neck so far up to see him, so I stood up, sending my chair rolling back a foot or two. The added height was better, but he was still fiarly taller than me, and with the way were standing so close to each other?

Maybe I'd made a mistake...

"I—I'm sorry," I stammered.

Still amused, Spencer tilted his head a small amount. "What for?"

"I... I don't know, m—making this awkward?"

"It's not awkward."

"It... It's not?"

He shook his head, quiet for a few beats before he nearly whispered. "What were you going to say?"

I paused. "I... What?"

"Before... You said I was smart. And nice... And... What else?"

It sounded like he was trying to get me to confess something, and quite honestly I couldn't tell if it was for humiliation or amusement or clarification purposes. I mean, it was probably safe to assume he wouldn't go out of his way to humiliate me, but... it still made me nervous.

"I—I didn't... I..."

"Y/N... Tell me?"

I'd been cornered. Quite literally, too, as my lower back hit the edge of the table. My hands shook anxiously at my sides as I contemplated what to say. The truth? Embarrassing for me. A lie? I was no good at telling lies, and I'd still end up embarrassed, because he'd be able to tell.

So, after a very long silence in which he waited on me to answer, I blurted out, as quietly as possible, "Cute."

The word sounded juvenile coming from my mouth. Right now, standing under Dr. Reid's intense scrutiny, it didn't even feel like the right word to describe him. Not that it wasn't true... But it just wasn't an elegant enough descriptor for him.

And that alone probably proved just how different we were. How out of my league he was...

"That's what I thought you were going to say," he mused, slightly breaking me out of my self-deprecation.

I would have asked him something then, anything to keep myself from looking like even more of a fool with a childish schoolgirl crush, but all words escaped me entirely. All I could do was look up at him, slowly growing warm under the intensity of his eyes and praying he wouldn't think of me as silly.

Though, it wouldn't have mattered, because he kept talking anyway, his body taking up even more space around me as his arms came around to well and truly trap me against the table.

"You're right, you know... I'm almost completely healed, and pretty soon I think I won't need an assistant anymore."

I was scared that maybe I was wrong before, and he'd actually humiliate me now, though the look in his eyes suggested otherwise. I wasn't sure what to make of all of it. SO I just stood there, trying to breath steadily as Spencer studied my face.

"And I meant it... That makes me sad. You know why?"

I shook my head, afraid to make a sound.

His head dipped lower, close enough that I could feel his breath on my mouth as he spoke. "I probably won't get to see you every day."

"Y—you want to see me?" I couldn't help but ask.

He scanned my eyes, amusement and something else lingering there as he did. "Yes."

And then he kissed me.

It was a short distance, but it felt like we went far. And I hadn't even registered that I whimpered into his mouth until he returned it with a low groan that boiled my insides and absolutely melted me. I was helpless against him as he pressed himself further against me and used his hands to keep my back steady.

The whole time my mind was swimming with dizziness. It felt like my body was covered in butterflies from head to toe, particularly strong where his hands pressed into me and his cane rested firmly along the inside of my thigh.

I leaned forward when he pulled away, because I was afraid that he was saying goodbye. But one of his hands came up to my face and my eyes fluttered open, immediately taking notice of how messy his hair was now that I'd had my fingers in it.

I must have looked scared, because suddenly his eyes changed, and he removed his hands away from me altogether, putting distance in between us. "I—I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you without asking..."

The relief that rushed through my body must have gotten to my head, because I breathed out a demand I'd never have had the courage to get out before.

"Do it again."

One second I was staring at him, admittedly afraid that he'd regretted all of it, and the next I was seeing stars as he came forward and kissed me again. His hands cradled my face as he did so, coming on to me with gentle care while still maintaining that hunger that surprised and excited me.

I hadn't realized how much I missed his touch until he'd given it back to me, my body once again melting into him and allowing him to do whatever it is that pleased him.

Apparently that was lifting my leg off the ground and making me sit on the table.

My body went along with it easily, and I was glad for it because my brain was nothing but mush, unable to process fully how he'd decided that I was worth kissing. All I really knew was that I wanted him. Anything he wanted from me, I was willing to give. And that must have come across very clearly, because when he pulled away and spoke to me, I whimpered at his words.

"Y/N... You've been such a good girl, helping me with whatever I needed these past few months..." Meanwhile his hand danced along the hem of my skirt, the tiny brushes of his skin against mine sending me into a mess of shivers.

"I think it's about time I've thanked you for all your help, don't you think?"

The implications in his tone made me whine again, and I pressed my forehead into his, our noses brushing as I answered. "Please."

I was so taken by the way he groaned as his lips connected with mine once more that I almost didn't realize that his hand was now fully up my skirt, his fingers drawing gentle lines over my panties and practically making me melt again. His hungry kisses contradicted the softness he took to my clothed cunt, a fact that warmed me to my core and made me want him more than ever.

When he slipped the fabric aside and ran the pad of his finger through me, I whined hard against his mouth, something that must have excited him— He nipped at my bottom lip and took a deep breath.

"How long have you wanted this, Princess?"

If not for the kissing and the finger slowly sliding up through my arousal, the nickname would have done me in. By now I was an utter wreck, but I somehow still managed to answer, even through a little stammering. "F—Forever."

It was the best I could come up with.

He breathed a laugh as his finger circled my clit. "That's a long time..."

"Uh huh," was all I could manage in response. My body and my brain were too focused on the things his finger was doing to my body, involuntarily rolling my hips forward for more. I needed more.

Thankfully he picked up on my urgency and reciprocated with slipping his middle finger inside me, one knuckle, then two...

I cried out as my head lurched forward, connecting our mouths once again. My hands clutched around his neck and my fingers tugged at his hair to keep myself from falling, because the slow, searing pace at which he fingered me made me wonder how I'd still been able to breathe.

He added another finger soon enough, picking up the pace and rendering me practically useless in his embrace. Meanwhile I registered the sound of his own little whines, still deeper than mine but little enough to tip me off that he was enjoying this just as much as I was, and that alone helped get me further along in pleasure.

I pulled my mouth from his reluctantly, squeezing my eyes shut as I allowed my forehead to rest against his. "D—Doctor, I'm c... I'm so close."

"His honorific falling breathlessly from my mouth seemed to do something sinister to him, because his fingers sped up and his breathing got heavier.

"Yeah? You gonna come for me, Princess?"

My stomach tightened and I nodded as best as I could, relishing in the sounds coming from below us, wet and downright filthy.

"Go ahead...Be a good girl and come for me... You deserve it..."

Each little sentence was punctuated with a slightly faster pace, each one bringing me closer and closer until I squeaked into his mouth and shook violently around his fingers, my vision going white. My legs had been open wide since he'd started teasing under my skirt, but now they threatened to clamp shut from the intensity. But I wanted nothing more than to be good for him, to make this as easy as possible, so I held out and kept them open as wide as I could stand as my orgasm rocked through me.

Spencer whispered praises into my skin as his hand slowed and his mouth trailed down to my neck. And even though it was more than nice feeling him lick and bite over my skin, I felt rather sad when he removed his fingers from me.

That sadness didn't last long though, not when he pulled back and studied me for a moment, eyes lust-blown and purely ravenous before he brought his glistening fingers up to my mouth.

I didn't even have to think. I brought my tongue out and let him slip his fingers over it, closing my mouth around them and sighing as I sucked them clean. This only seemed to excite him more, his features displaying all sorts of desperation until he couldn't take it anymore.

He kissed me again, bringing both his hands to rest at my waist. And with his hands so low I wondered if maybe he'd take to ridding himself of his own pants, but it never happened. Rather, he pulled away after minutes of more kissing, and sighed quite sadly as his upper body pressed firmly into mine.

Something else pressed firmly against me as well—right along the inside of my thigh—and I gasped, mind running wild through all the possible outcomes of the night.

But Spencer only stood there, occasionally nudging his nose against mine while his hands gently kneaded my sides.

"D—Do you want to stop?" I asked softly, afraid he'd regret what we did.

He proved me wrong. "God, no... It's... It's just that I'm still not cleared enough for any... strenuous activity on my leg, and I don't..."

I didn't want to push him, obviously, but I thought I could make the mood a little lighter. "O—Oh, well on the bright side... I could stay your assistant for a while longer."

The laugh that rumbled in his throat made me smile, though from the way he stood there, I knew he wouldn't risk it.

"Um... Raincheck?" he whispered.

On the one hand, that meant he definitely wanted to see me again, and I was more than happy with that. But also, that meant our fun for the night was done...

Yet... Maybe not...

"Sure," I answered, pecking his lips once more. Then I brought my hand to his chest and slid it down until I reached his belt, and I leaned back to look him in the eye, a boldness I never imagined coming from me in a million years.

"But I can still help you..."

I watched the desperation and disappointment in his features slowly dissolve into a newfound hunger—and an amusement—that grew my confidence tenfold.

"Oh?" Spencer mused. "How do you suppose you can help me this time?"

He wanted me to say it. So, without second guessing myself anymore, I grazed my finger over his erection. "I'm very good with my mouth, Dr. Reid."

He grabbed me by the hand then, dragging me along to the chair I'd kicked back before and sat himself down, one of his hands still gripping the cane. Matched with the desire in his eyes and the swollenness of his lips and the tousled strands of his hair, the sight was truly something to behold. It was something that only ever existed in my dreams, nd now it was real.

Not wanting to waste any time, I sunk to my knees and nestled myself in between his legs. He reached out and caressed my cheek before lifting my chin with his middle finger.

"You like being my good little helper?" he drawled.

I tried to nod, but he clicked his tongue and held my chin in place. "Words, Princess."

"Yes. I—I'd do anything you asked. Anything you want, it's yours..."

He hummed then, removing his hand from my face and moving to undo his belt swiftly with only one hand. The action, the sound, everything... it was enough to make me wet again, and I subtly ground down onto the heel of my foot as I watched him pull himself free from the confines of his pants.

I didn't have time to marvel at him before I was drawn forward like a magnet, my hands crawling up his legs and my eyes batting up at him, ready and eager to please him however he wanted.

"Eager, are we?" he mused once more, gently stroking himself with his hand.

"Yes, Doctor," I breathed, inching closer and kissing the outside of his hand.

His movement stopped then, and it didn't take longer than a second for him to decide to let me work on my own.

"Then have at it, Princess..."

I started by kissing my way up the length of him, taking my time to gauge his reactions as I did so, occasionally darting my tongue out to taste him. Once I reached the tip, I sucked on it gently, using my tongue to swirl around it until I could taste the saltiness of his precum.

And then I started taking him slowly into my mouth, watching above me as Spencer's eyes started to shut, obviously debating whether or not to lay back and enjoy this or watch me intently.

Either way, I was more than happy to keep it up, finally getting him to the back of my throat. I flexed my tongue and held him there as long as I could, promptly gagging over him and blinking tears from my eyes as he let out a loudest sound I'd heard from him yet. His head flew back and his tongue quivered along his bottom lip as he cursed my name.

The act made me proud, so I retreated for air, sucked at his tip again for a few seconds, and then repeated it, taking him down my throat again and watching through teary eyes as he visibly swallowed and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Fuck, Y/N, you're so... Such a good fucking girl..."

The praise caused my insides to burn hot, and I ground down onto my heel again, lifting my mouth to start bobbing up and down.

His eyes opened then, and he looked down at me, using his hand to brush stray hair from my face and the other to grip onto his cane for dear life. I looked up at him the whole time, making sure to convey through not only my actions but also my eyes that I loved this. I thrived off of his praise, I enjoyed the feel of his dick gliding over my tongue and hitting the back of my throat, and I longed to feel him coat the inside of my mouth with his release.

I was so entirely into him in every capacity, it wasn't even funny.

I was so glad he could tell, a smile grazing his features as his hand gently gripped some of my hair. "So eager to please, Princess... And so fucking good at delivering..."

I whined onto his dick as he held me down, rendering me immobile. The only thing I could do was look up at him and choke, and of course, I was more than happy to do it. In turn, I was met with a deep groan and a tug of the hair.

"Hold it, hold it... Atta girl..."

My cunt throbbed at his words, and my throat continued to burn, tears falling down my face at ten-speed until finally, he let up and pulled me off of him.

I coughed a little and blinked away tears as I caught my breath, Spencer's fingers combing hair from my face as he smiled proudly.

He didn't even need to say anything then. I wanted to give him more. So I leaned down again and took him in my mouth, quickly making work of his tip while my hand came up and stroked the rest of him.

"Fuck, Princess, just like that... Make me come just like that..."

Rather than just continuing, I offered him a high whine and a wide gaze, hoping to exceed expectations.

I guess it worked, because he came right then, his dick pulsing over my tongue and in my hand as his warm release shot down my throat and over my tongue. I hummed around him, fluttering my eyes closed at the taste and the feeling, probably enjoying the fact that I'd done this to him more than I should have.

It was worth it to see the look on his face, though, after he'd given me all he had and I purposely spit some of it out onto the tip of his dick so I could lick it up and give him just a little more stimulation after the fact. His mouth hung open, eyes heavy and unwilling to leave me, even as I finished and sat back to wipe the tears and saliva from my face with a satisfied smile.

Though, the longer he looked at me, the more shy I became. Funny when I'd just had his dick down my throat, but I'd never been good with people staring at me for long periods of time.

"Was that... Was that okay?" I asked, suddenly worried I hadn't done something to his standards. "I know I don't do this a lot, so I'm sorry if it wasn't that g—"

"Y/N..."

I blinked up at him, still on my knees and unwilling to move. Not that I wanted to, but I couldn't even if I had.

"That was fucking perfect... I meant it, you're... so good."

I knew he was capable of better words, but after having the life sucked out of you, I could imagine 'better words' were hard to come by. Still, I laughed a little, playing with the hem of my skirt. "Good. I'm... glad I could help."

He smiled at me, readjusting his pants and then moving to help me off the ground.

"Hey, uh... Even when you go back to your regular job after I get better, I... I hope you know you're always welcome to come visit me if we're not busy."

The words warmed me in a different way, my heart swelling as well. "You... You mean that?"

Spencer nodded, grabbing my hand and dragging his thumb over my wrist. "Of course. I mean, you're more than just a good helper, you know. You're also kind, and smart, and cute..."

I laughed at his emphasis on cute, heat warming my face. "Ha-ha..."

"I really mean it, though," he said softly, removing his hand from mind and bringing it up to lift my chin, so I'd meet his eyes. They were swimming with sincerity, the epitome of warmth and comfort and kindness— the kind that always drew me to him in the first place. "And... If you'd want to maybe ditch the paperwork one day and grab a coffee or something, maybe—"

"Yes," I interrupted without thinking. My heartbeat picked up upon seeing the look in his eyes when I agreed, a mixture of amusement and relief. "Y—Yes, I'd love to."

"Good. Then it's a date?"

"Definitely."

PERMANENT TAGLIST:  @elldell1204 @muffin-cup @calm-and-doctor @slutforthegubes @rainsong01 @yourmisosoup @liveloudwriteloud @reidsconverse @la-vie-en-amour1 @edgycowboy666 @averyhotchner @centiaaa @lizziechaseee @coffeeandendlesswords @usuck @spenxerslut @g0lden-cth @emilyprentisslittlewhore @takeyourleap-of-faith @reidyoulikeabook @spencerreid9 @b-a-utiful @jareauswifey @big-galaxy-chaos

If you would like to be added to or removed from the taglist, please let me know in a message or comment, and I’ll be sure to get to it! Thank you!

[maximons]

Tricks And Treats

Summary: Pietro tries to get Wanda and Y/n to finally admit their feelings for each other and takes them to a haunted house. Too bad Wanda is a full on scaredy cat...or is that exactly what is needed?

Word Count: 2,915

Genre: Fluff

Requested?: Yes

A/N: Finally back with the Fluff! Here’s that one shot I promised like a week ago lmao Happy Reading!

Halloween was for sure your favorite holiday.

You knew you were in the minority with that thought, seeing most people picked Christmas as their favorite, but you didn’t care. You always loved the time of year that came with Halloween, your birthday fell pretty close to it, you get to dress up and pretend to be someone else for a day, and it’s full on spooky season! What wasn’t there to love?

Well apparently a lot, at least according to your best friend Wanda.

For someone who’s a witch, you find it very funny that she doesn’t like the holiday.

You first met Wanda during the whole Ultron situation, back then she took on a more ‘emo’ appearance. Don’t tell anyone you said this, but you wouldn’t mind if she adopted the look again cause damn, so you just assumed Halloween and all things spooky would be for her, right?

Wrong.

You quickly learned that Wanda was not a fan of scary. You remember asking her to go see this new horror movie with you, it was your first time hanging out alone together and you just figured it’d be something she was into.

By the end of the movie, her face was buried in her knees, and she didn’t believe you when you told her the movie was over. The poor teenager working the theater was pretty annoyed with you both.

Needless to say, you didn’t bother her about anything spooky related again.

So when Pietro came to you two asking if you wanted to go to the new haunted house in town, you were beyond shocked that she agreed without a second thought.

“Uh, Wanda are you sure?” You asked, very hesitant. “I don’t know if you’ve ever been to a haunted house before, but-”

“I know what they are, Y/n.” Wanda cut you off before you finished, seeming very enthused, which confused you more. “I think it’ll be really cool!”

“Yeah...Wands, I know this group. This isn’t your typical ‘few scary decorations with the occasional light jump scare’ thing. These guys are intense.” You tried again. You didn’t know what had gotten into the witch, but you were sure she was making a mistake here.

“Y/n/n, relax. I’m not a child, I can handle myself. Trust me, okay? It’ll be great!” The bright smile on Wanda’s face was always a sight you welcomed, but it confused you in the moment. Still, you knew once her mind was set on something...let’s just say it’d be easier to find all the infinity stones than to talk her out of it.

“Alright, if you say so.” You shrugged, deciding it was best to drop the topic. Besides, she was right, Wanda’s a grown woman who can make her own choices. You just get to wait to be able to tell her that her choice was a stupid one. “So Friday night?” You asked Pietro, who nodded excitedly.

“Friday night!” He confirmed.

“Okay, cool.” You took another quick sip of your morning coffee before setting your mug down. “I gotta get ready for training. So happy to be working with Steve today instead of Nat, he’s always a walk in the park.” You said sarcastically with a roll of your eyes. “Wish me luck.” 

The twins wished you luck as you left the room to go get ready. After they were sure you were out of earshot, the witch turned to her brother. “This is your plan? Are you crazy?”

“I know, I know, but trust me, okay?” He reassured, walking to the fridge to grab himself a drink. “Y/n loves this stuff, and as she is the love of your life-”

“Whoa, whoa, I-I never said-”

“-You should experience the things that she loves to do.” Pietro finished, ignoring his sister’s intervention. “I’ll do my best to stay out of your guys’ way, and you have the whole evening to yourselves. Sounds perfect to me.”

“Yeah, until I act like a complete, how do they say, ‘spaz’ around her again.” Wanda sighed, leaning on the kitchen counter in defeat.

“You won’t. You know what kind of things to expect now. And if you do freak out, all the more reason to be by her side. She will protect you.”

Wanda looked at her brother in confusion. “I can protect my self.”

Pietro rolled his eyes playfully. “Not what I meant. You will see, sestra.”

Friday night came before you know it, and you, Wanda and Pietro were waiting in the line to buy your tickets to enter.

“Holy shit, this is a long line.” Pietro complained, causing you to chuckle.

“Not surprising. It’s the week before Halloween, weather’s nice, and this group doesn’t come to New York a whole lot. More surprised it isn’t longer actually.” You shrugged.

“Why don’t they come to New York? I thought this was one of America’s more popular states?” Wanda asked.

“It is, but ever since Loki invaded and our merry band of misfits formed, tourism and things like this have been down a whole lot.” You leaned down to get closer to Wanda’s ear. “I guess we’ve been the scary ones all along.” You joked, but Wanda was more focused on trying to calm down and forget the feeling of your breath against her ear.

“Everything alright there, Wanda?” Pietro asked after a moment, teasing smirk on his face. Before Wanda could even fire back, a voice from in front of you spoke up.

“No way! You guys are Avengers!” The group in front of you turned around, one of the guys recognized you instantly.

“Uh, yes...we are.” Wanda awkwardly stated. You knew Wanda hated fan interactions, and to be honest you weren’t a fan of these situations either. They were unpredictable. The Avengers were either beloved or despised, and you’ve been on both ends of the reaction spectrum. Wanda and Pietro, unfortunately, have seen a lot more animosity than you and the others.

Honestly, you couldn’t even fault the ones that didn’t love you guys. You weren’t ignorant and knew your battles have caused a lot of problems for a lot of people. You could sympathize, but that didn’t mean you wanted to be on the receiving end of that anger. Especially not when you were trying to just have a fun night out with your friends. “Look guys, we’re really just here to have a good time. We don’t wanna cause a scene.” You said.

“Nah, nah, it’s cool. I think you guys are awesome!” The guy said, and it was clear to you then that the dude was baked out of his mind. “Especially you, with the red wiggly woos!” He pointed to Wanda as he gave a terrible impression of her hand movements. You smiled, happy to see a fan interaction go well for Wanda.

The joy you felt didn’t last long though, as another guy in the group turned to you, blunt in his hand. “Hey, you’re the fire one right? Can you do me a solid?” He gestured to you, asking you to give him a light. You sighed, the twins chuckling at the situation.

“Yeah, but don’t ask again.” You ignited the tip of your finger, gently placing it on the end of the blunt. The group turned around in line and continued to go about their own conversation. You felt Wanda elbow your side, and you turned to see a smirk on her face. When you heard Pietro’s snicker, you groaned.

“Shut up.”

“Look at you, helping delinquents. Aren’t you supposed to be a superhero? Bringer of justice and all of that?” Wanda teased and you rolled your eyes playfully.

“Yeah, but I’m the fun one. It’s just weed.” You said confidently, but the witch saw through it and you dropped the act. “And the last time that happened and I said no, the dude burst into tears.” You said under your breath.

“There it is.” She smiled, and you couldn’t help but smile back despite you being the subject of mockery. You loved seeing her smile, you didn’t care about the reason why.

Before you knew it, Pietro announced that you guys were next in line to buy tickets. He bought his and stepped aside so you can go next. “Hi, two please.” Wanda turned to you with her eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

“Wha- Y/n, I can afford it.” She chuckled nervously, flattered by the action.

“I know, but when I have to drag you out of here cause you’re paralyzed in fear, at least you won’t regret dropping forty bucks on it.” You shrugged as you handed the cashier your credit card.

Wanda’s face reddened, something she quickly tried to hide from her brother who was enjoying this way too much. Her flustered state faded quickly when she processed what you said. “Hey!” You chuckled before thanking the cashier as she returned your card.

“Please go to the table to sign your waivers, entrance is down that hill. Enjoy your night.” The monotone voice told you that the poor woman’s been working all night. You didn’t have time to dwell on that though as you felt a panicked tapping on your arm.

“What’s wrong? We haven’t even entered yet.” You teased.

“W-what did she mean by waivers?” You chuckled at the panicked tone in the witch’s voice.

“Just means if you have a heart attack or something, you can’t sue.” You shrugged nonchalantly, but Wanda took it very seriously and turned to you with even wider eyes.

“That can happen!?”

“Well, it happened at least once if the thought of doing a waiver.” You answered, once again, nonchalantly. You looked at Wanda and could swear you saw her blood run cold. You laughed, which resulted in you receiving a glare. “Relax, Wan, you’ll be fine. You’re an Avenger, you’ve faced off against killer robots, stared death in the face time and time again!” You exclaimed dramatically as you waved your arms. You noticed Wanda start to smile and relax her shoulders. 

“Thanks, Y/n.” She gave you a sweet smile, and you couldn’t help but melt.

“Yeah, anytime.” Your eyes locked with Wanda, you were about to look away but couldn’t. ‘Wow, were her eyes always this green? They’re beautiful.’ You thought.

A blush appeared on the witch’s face as she tore her gaze from you. You were about to ask what happened, but were interrupted. “Let’s go slow pokes!” Pietro’s voice shouted, effectively breaking the moment.

“Yeah, yeah Sonic, we’re coming!” You rolled your eyes as you shouted back. Wanda giggled at the banter between you and her brother, she loved that you two were close. With that, you and her headed down the hill towards the entrance.

After about a half hour, it seemed Wanda was holding up well. The three of you walked out of the corn maze, and she had a triumphant smile on her face. “I thought you said this place was scary.” She teased causing you to roll your eyes playfully.

“Congratulations you survived the corn maze, you get to join the hall of fame with the other twelve year-olds.” As if to emphasize your point, three twelve year-olds ran out of the maze in giggles, clearly unaffected. Wanda pouted. “Aw, don’t worry. I thought you were very brave.” You teased yet again, which resulted in an elbow to the side.

“You’re a jerk.” Wanda held back a smile as she strutted forward. You laughed as you jogged forward to catch up.

“Alright, are you guys ready for the big one?” Pietro asked and your eyes widened.

“Oh, Piet, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” You said as you nudged your head towards Wanda, hinting that you didn’t think she could handle that. Unfortunately, she caught on.

“Aw come on, Y/n. I’m not a baby.” 

“I know, but you can’t go from the corn maze to...that.” You gestured towards the haunted maze entrance, a giant purple demon with smoke blowing out of it’s ears looming over. You guys turned at the sound of screams, and saw a group run out of the maze in fear, which then dissolved into laughter.

“They seem to be having fun.” Wanda gestured towards the group.

“Yeah, after the screams of terror.” You shot back. “You can’t go from walking around the block to running a marathon.”

“Oh yeah? Watch me.” Wanda strutted forward towards the entrance, determined to prove you wrong.

You groaned as you looked over to Pietro, who watched the whole ordeal with a cheeky smile. “Your sister’s insane.”

“Yeah, but you love it.” Pietro said under his breath, but you still heard it.

“What?”

“Nothing!” With that, the man sped forward, catching up to his sister at the entrance. You stared after him for a moment in shock before joining them.

The three of you walked the path, and everything seemed to be going well...for all of five seconds. The first jump scare happened behind Wanda. The loud screech startled her, and she jumped with a scream. She stumbled into your arms, and you wrapped them around her in order to keep her from falling. You chuckled, and Wanda looked up at you with the intention to glare. However, when your eyes locked again, Wanda couldn’t help but stare.

You, of course, had to ruin the moment. “Not too late to turn back, y’know. This is just the beginning.” Wanda groaned and pulled away from you, continuing forward. You laughed. “You can hold my hand if you want!” You don’t know what compelled you to say that, but you knew you weren’t entirely joking.

And you didn’t regret it when Wanda reached out and held your hand without another word. You smiled, squeezing her hand.

What you didn’t see was Pietro giving Wanda a thumbs up as you both walked past.

At some point, you guys lost Pietro in the dark maze. Wanda wasn’t even worried as she still held your hand tightly, and you knew the man would be fine and he’ll meet up with you at the exit. 

Wanda had been holding up better than you thought. You wouldn’t say she was good per say, seeing as she screamed and practically jumped into your arms at the slightest sound, but she hadn’t collapsed on the ground in tears yet, so you’d count that as a win.

“Gotta say, Maximoff. I’m impressed.” You said as you two walked down the maze hand in hand.

“I’m just being that super brave Avenger like you said.” Wanda giggled, and you couldn’t help but melt at the noise.

“Well you’re doing an awesome job. Even if the last three guys almost made you pee your pants.” You laughed loudly as you took in the shocked reaction the woman gave you.

“Y/n!” She scolded, but before you could even respond, the worst jump scare yet occurred. 

A large animatronic growled and lowered from the ceiling right behind Wanda. The witch turned to look briefly as she screamed loudly and jumped to you again. This time, however she literally jumped into your arms. You quickly braced your hands under her thighs, catching her, as she wrapped her legs around your waist. The force from the jump caused you to stumble back into a darker corner of the maze. Your back hit a hay wall, and you and Wanda laughed at the moment. Your laughter continued for a moment, and Wanda lifted her head from your shoulder to look into your eyes. Both of you got quiet as you continued to stare, sensing the moment shift.

“You okay?” You whispered, almost as if talking to loudly would shatter the moment. Wanda nodded, eyes still locked onto yours. After a moment of silence, she spoke up.

“Y’know...I think a distraction would help.” Your eyebrows shot up at the insinuation. You doubted you heard her correctly, but when you saw her eyes shift down to your lips, you knew what she wanted. And you wouldn’t lie and say you didn’t want it too.

“I...Yeah, I think I could help with that.” You barely got your sentence out when Wanda smashed her lips to yours roughly. You tightened your hold on her thighs as she wrapped her arms around your neck. You stood there, making out roughly against the wall of the maze. As wild and sudden as this was, you wouldn’t trade this moment for anything.

Pietro noticed you two were gone for a really long time. He was beginning to get concerned, and pulled out his phone ready to call one of you. Turns out he didn’t need to. 

You two came out of the maze, only you weren’t alone. You and Wanda each had a security guard holding your arm. After you two were out of the maze completely, they let you go and walked off. It was then that Pietro noticed both of your disheveled states. And he could swear he saw two or three hickeys forming on your neck.

“No you didn’t-” He started, but you cut him off.

“Not a word.” Your hand found it’s way to Wanda’s as you guys walked towards the exit of the park, figuring it’d be bad Avengers press if you guys stayed any longer at this point. You had an awesome night anyway, and didn’t care if it ended a little early. Besides, you had a feeling you’d get to have some more...fun when you got back to the compound.

You didn’t notice Pietro high five Wanda’s free hand.

[reki-of-the-valley]

More Renga brainrot because that's all I do! - Pet names edition!

Langa calls Reki his Sunshine, but he says it in English to Reki doesn't get it. And Langa starts calling him Sunshine before they start dating so Reki doesn't click that it's a pet name

At first, Langa only uses Sunshine to refer to Reki when he's just talking to himself, mostly when he's tired or his head and heart are just fluttering with Reki Reki Reki

The first time Langa slips up, he's with his mom. They're out shopping, one of the rare occasions when they spend time together.

Nanako is going on about how she wishes she made more traditional Japanese dishes and meals, but she's so used to making western food that she never has any ideas of what to make or how they never taste the way she really wants them to when she does makes dishes from her childhood. Langa is nodding along - Nanako is used to her son being silent - but then he's talking so her full attention is on her son, especially when he's saying things like "I could always ask Sunshine's mom how she makes [insert whatever dish]"

There's a silence, then Langa feels the panic build up in him. "Wait! No! I mean Reki's mom! Not-!" Langa's biting the inside of his cheeks, so embarrassed. Nanako is grinning and she will be asking more about this whole "Sunshine" situation, to Langa's disenchantment

Langa is pretty good with concealing the whole thing, especially when he's only speaking Japanese. But it happens, he does slip up around Reki. It's after an especially thrilling yet exhausting night at S. Both as sweaty and tired, ready to crash, but Langa is hungry because he just burned so much energy. His mind is a blissful haze, somewhere between Japanese and English. That's how he ends up casually asking something along the lines of "Wanna go get burgers, Sunshine?"

He nearly doesn't catch his own words, and he wouldn't have thought twice if it wasn't for Reki looking at him in confusion. Panic once again. Because this time it's not his mom, it's not a stranger, it isn't in his head and heart. He called Reki Sunshine to his face. Reki was sunshine, yes, but saying it, it makes things real. It's putting his feelings out there for everyone to see. It's admitting to Reki that he thinks about him a little too much, a little too intensely, a little more than just platonically

But Reki is oblivious, because it's Reki. Reki who doesn't understand English. Reki who has a thousand nicknames for Langa. So for Reki, Sunshine is just Langa's equivalent of dude but in English, so he doesn't mind at all. And Langa is both extremely relieved and extremely frustrated

After that, Langa only uses Sunshine when he's praising Reki. It's unconscious, really, but it's fitting. And in a way, it's telling Reki he loves him, it's telling Reki that he loves him so much, enough to be giving him pet names. Reki is his summer sunshine, his morning sun, his light, but only in English. Langa can't quite say it in Japanese, in a language Reki understands. That's too much. Langa isn't ready to admit his feelings. Langa isn't ready to confess, not yet. Maybe never, but he is ready to call Reki his Sunshine in a language he's truly comfortable in

And this goes on for a while. Months of a secret pet name. Until Reki is getting ready for a race against Miya. No high stakes, probably something dumb like loser has to do the other's homework of choice (obvs it has to be reasonable, not like a whole essay or asking a middle schooler to do something he doesn't know like advanced math or whatever). Reki and Miya are bickering and teasing each other, friendly trash talk as they're used to at S. At least until Langa is coming along, wishing his Sunshine good luck. Reki grins because Langa is good luck to him. Miya is gapping.

"Sunshine? That's so gross, you slime! Of all the pet names you could choose, you go with Sunshine? And you didn't bother telling me you two are dating? How long have you been hiding it?"

Langa feels his whole insides twist. His heart stops. He feels sick. Miya is staring between the two. Reki is staring at him, frozen. Everything is wrong. This is not how Langa wanted this to go. This isn't how he wanted Reki to learn about-!

"Langa?" Reki's hand is squeezing Langa's arm. "Langa, you good man?" Reki is crouched down next to Langa. Reki - Langa can see the panic in his eyes, the uncertainty, the anxiety - is pushing all his own feelings aside, acting brave for Langa. Langa who never felt this overwhelmed until now.

Obviously, at this point, the race is postponed, Joe, Cherry, even Shadow, having gathered around to see what was happening. Miya is apologizing, but mostly unsure of what he did wrong. At least, he doesn't know until Reki is snapping back, big amber eyes staring the boy down and telling him that he isn't dating Langa. And Langa's heart tightens in his chest.

Joe is the one to clear the crowd, pushing everyone away to give Langa and Reki space. Cherry stays behind, but as soon as the two are calm enough, he gives them a curt nod before walking off.

The silence is thick and awkward, and Langa wants to die on the spot. He can't face Reki. Reki wasn't supposed to know about the pet name in the first place!

But then Reki's hand is on his, his smile soft, his eyes... Deep amber and looking at him in a way Reki's never looked at him. There's something in Reki's expression that makes Langa's stomach flip, his heart doing cartwheels in his chest.

"Hey, man, you good?" "I'm sorry." "What? Why?" "I shouldn't have..." "Is this about the whole Sunshine thing?" Langa nods. "Don't worry 'bout it, dude. And I mean, it's not mean. You're allowed."

That's when Langa notices it, the way Reki's thumb is rubbing his knuckles, the way Reki's looking at him, a light blush making his face glow, every freckle like a star against a sunset. That's why Reki is Langa's sunshine. Because he's beautiful, he's calming, he's the end of the day, the time to wind down and relax. Reki is a continual golden hour, with his grin and shiny eyes

It's now or never, Langa knows that. It's now or he'll have to die with that knowledge. It's now or Langa will never have another shot to see this beautiful view ever again

"I like you. I like you so much, Reki."

Langa feels Reki tense up, his fingers going rigid against Langa's. Langa sees how Reki's eyes widen, his shoulders freezing midbreath. But then he's grinning. And laughing. And nodding.

"Yeah, man? You mean it?" Langa nods hesitantly. "Man, aw, dude! That's- Yeah, yeah, okay, man. I mean- Aw, dude, this is so much harder than I thought... Of course you make it sound so easy to say, but like, man! Langa, dude, I like you too!"

Reki is grinning, wider than Langa's ever seen. So bright, like the Sunshine that he is. And at that moment, Langa almost blurts out that he loves him. (He has more self-control than that. One step at a time)

Reki refuses to let go of Langa's hand after that. They don't talk about what that means quite yet, what they are now, since they're still at S and it's noisy and this is a conversation they should probably have on their own, but Reki doesn't let go of Langa's hand and Langa takes that as a win in his book. Especially when Reki is pulling him up, dragging him back to their friends

Miya's got his hands stuffed in his pockets, not quite wanting to talk to the two, probably embarrassed about all the commotion he caused (he also probably got scolded by Cherry and Joe). He's only pulled out of his teenage pouting when Reki is ruffling his hair, reminding him that they had a beef

Both get ready for the race, everyone's spirits lifted once more. And Reki is especially pumped now. He's just missing one thing: his good luck charm

"C'mon! Say it! Please?" "But I said it before." "Say it again, please Langa?" "Fine, fine. Good luck, Sunshine. I believe in you."

And with the rush of adrenaline that hangs in the air at S, Langa finds the confidence to press a kiss to Reki's cheek, whispering "good luck, Reki" into the warm skin. There's an explosion of cheers and screams but Reki doesn't have time to linger onto the sensation of Langa's lips pressed to his cheek because the lights are already going, the race about to start

Edit: just a reminder that there is a fic version of this that can be found here!

[ijustwant2write]

Reconnect-Finn Shelby x Reader

(GIF credit to @peakystitches​)

Masterlist

Tags: @captivatedbycillianmurphy​ @jenepleurepasbaby​ @amirahiddleston​ @bloodorangemoonlight @haphazardhufflepuff​ @mzcrazy2​

Requested by anonymous: ‘Hello! May i request an either tommy or finn shelby x reader? (Whicheverr one u think suits best) for this prompt i found: character A and B have been in a longterm relationship and nothing can get in between, until one day something does and they drift away. But then they reconnect emotionally and everything feels like the first time again (first kiss, first meal together etc) 🙏🏼💜 i love ur writing thank u’

Characters: Finn Shelby x Reader, Polly Gray x Reader (platonic)

Meanings: (Y/N)=Your name

Warnings: Swearing, arguing, finance issues, drinking, fluff

                                    *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Finn, is that you?" I called out from our bedroom as I heard the front door open. I tensed up when I didn't hear a reply, only to let out a sigh when I heard him giggling.

He was drunk again, it happened almost every week now. Tommy would have given him something important to do for the gang, and whether or not Finn succeeded with that task, he would go out and celebrate with his mates. I would sometimes tag along if I wasn't tired from the week of working, but after seeing our finances, I realised we needed to stop acting like teenagers and start saving wisely.

"Hello my gorgeous girl." he slurred out as he entered the room.

"Hello Finn." I replied as I received a sloppy kiss to my forehead.

He flopped down beside me in bed, taking the book out of my hands and throwing it to the floor. Finn wrapped his arms around me, snuggling into my lap. I took off his hat, stroking back his hair. He was cold from the brisk walk home, causing me to shiver.

“You should have come out tonight." he said.

"I got off work late."

"He kept you again?"

"No, I decided to stay."

"Why? You always say you're tired."

"I'm tired because I'm picking up extra shifts and hours so that we can start saving up for a house."

"I've told you, we don't need to worry about that. Business is good."

"Finn, we're not going to be given the money. We have to earn it."

"Tommy will help us."

"He might help but he won't give us a lot. And even if he did hand us a house, we've got to have enough money for the bills, furniture-"

"It will be fine."

"Finn, we've not even had our wedding yet!"

We had been engaged for half a year. We were wanting to be married sooner, but problems arose with the Peaky Blinders it distracted us both from it, especially since our lives were in danger. I desperately wanted to have enough money for the wedding and house, though it looked like it was going to be one or the other at this point.

"What's wrong with the flat?" Finn now sat up.

"Did you seriously ask me that question? There's only so much I can do to this dump to make it look somewhat liveable. It just doesn't feel like home."

"We'll get the money. Don't worry. Look, look," he took my hands in his,"we will get a house. I promise. And believe me, I want to marry you as soon as I can, there needs to be another ring on that finger. And I need to see my name at the end of yours."

I stupidly believed him. Those adoring eyes I once trusted had lied to me. Finn kept his promise for a week at max, soon breaking it. I didn't mind him going out with friends, we both needed to socialise, I just disagreed with the amount of times he was out and the amount of drinks he was buying each night. He would always offer to get the next round, and although he was a Shelby, the discounts didn't make much difference at the end of the night. I decided I had to go with him to ensure that our money wasn't being poured away, struggling to stay awake for those long nights, and making work even harder every day. It was impossible to keep an eye on him like that.

Usually Finn would tell me if he was going out that night so I wouldn't worry. That stopped too. My mind was never at ease. How did I know he wasn't lying in a ditch somewhere after a job gone wrong? Or what if he was trapped somewhere by a rival gang? I could only rest when he returned, which he always luckily did. I pretended to be asleep, trying to not push him away as he slipped his arms around me, cuddling me for the rest of the night. My patience began to grow thin. I was too scared to speak up about it, worried that we would just end up having an argument. However, I knew we would have to bring it up soon, because our money was only disappearing instead of increasing.

One morning when I was leaving for work, I noticed that the drawer we locked our savings away in was slightly ajar, meaning someone had unlocked it and stupidly left it open. Of course it had to be Finn, no one had broken in during the night. My eyes widened when I saw how much he had taken, enraged that he would think me so foolish. Why would he take the money without asking? What was he using it for?

As I stormed towards the shop, I heard whooping from men in a car further up the street. My face turned into a deep frown when I recognised the car, managing to catch a glimpse of the people in it. They hadn't seen me, and I had to make sure my eyes were deceiving me.

I didn't care about the looks on me as I burst through into the shop, making a beeline for Polly's office. I harshly knocked on the door, entering when she called me.

"(Y/N)? What's wrong?" she asked, a lit cigarette in hand.

"Where's Finn?"

"Off out with his brothers, why?"

"Where are they going?"

"To the races."

I scoffed, placing a hand on my head in defeat.

"Why? What's wrong with that?"

"He told me he would be in the office all day today."

"So? Things change."

"No, he specifically told me that. I never even asked about it. He made a point meaning he didn't want to risk me waltzing in. That means he's hiding something."

"(Y/N), they're only going to bet on horses today. They're mingling."

"They're betting today?!"

She stood, putting a hand on her hip."What am I missing here?"

"Pol, he's using money that we don't have! I need a car, I need to get to him."

"Look, even if my nephew is being the biggest idiot, it's a bad idea to go there."

"Why?"

Her eyes widened."Don't snap at me young lady."

"I'm sorry, I just, I just know he's going to be stupid with what little money we have at the minute."

Polly was silent for a few seconds, and I didn't know if she was just staring me out, trying to make me leave. Perhaps she didn't think it was anything to worry over. But it was to me. She surprised me when she went into one of her drawers, pulling out a set of keys.

"Come on. I'll get one of the girls to call your work, say you're sick."

I tightly clasped my hands together as Polly drove. I was furious, trying to think of what to say to Finn when I got there. He stole our money. He went behind my back, gambling away the money we worked hard to earn. I had never said it, but Finn had it much easier than I did. For one, he worked with family, and although I liked my job, the boss could sometimes be an arsehole; second, he earned a lot more than me, so he was the bigger breadwinner between us, but I worked longer hours. Yes, he was in a gang meaning he had more days where his life was under threat, but he seemed to be having a jolly good time anyway. Really, it wouldn't have mattered who worked longer or harder, or who earned more, it was still our money to spend on our house.

As soon as Polly parked up, I was straight out of the car. She quickly followed grabbing my arm and warning me to not get lost in the crowds. I couldn't make a scene, especially since there could be potential business partners or enemies about. I refrained from rolling my eyes, knowing she was right but also knowing that I would find it extremely hard to not scream at Finn.

Polly guided me to where the men would be, ignoring the shoving and shouting. I wished for her to walk quicker. We swiftly entered the posher boxes, almost stopped by a doorman until his accomplice shut him up. I even heard him whisper 'That's Polly Gray you idiot.', the one time I was glad we had a reputation. She only paused to scan the room for the boys but I spotted them first. Quickly moving past her, I couldn't stop my fists from clenching, seeing Finn joyfully drinking and laughing with his brothers only added fire to my fury.

"Finn!" I snapped, quickly catching his attention.

"(Y/N)?" he exclaimed, struggling to stand and clattering the plates and glasses on the table."W-what are you doing here?"

"Stopping you from spending our money like a fucking idiot! Where is it?"

"Oh, Finn boy is in the doghouse." John chuckled.

"Shut up!" I fiercely pointed at him.

"Where's what?" Finn brought me back.

"Our money!"

"I told you, you do this outside." Polly warned, shoving Finn in that direction, and I knew I had to follow him.

Luckily, we were left alone. Finn continued on, finding someplace we would be alone. Once we were in the clear, the distant roar of the crowds covering our conversation, I saw him sigh quietly, running a hand down his face when he realised what was coming.

"Where's the money Finn?" I asked, calmer but with a mean tone.

"Let me explain first.”

"Explain how you took our money without asking? How you just waltzed out this morning without consulting me?"

"Tommy said that there was a good chance, a very good chance that this horse would win, and I thought it would help us if we put our money on it. Imagine how much we'll have if it wins!"

"If it wins Finn, if! You're gambling our money, why would you do something like that?"

"Because you went on about not having enough money! And here I am trying to help!"

My mouth dropped open in shock."You really don’t see the problem here."

"No, actually, I don't." he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Finn, you stole money from the drawer! You then go behind my back and bet it away. Have you thought about what we'll do if that horse loses?"

"But it won't, Tommy said."

"And what if Tommy is wrong this time? Also, don't pin this on your brother, I know he hasn't even suggested this idea."

"I'm not-urgh!" Finn groaned."Why don't you trust me?"

"I can't trust a gamble Finn. I don't think you realise how many nights I've spent lying awake, worried that we'll never have enough for our own home, and thinking that you don't even care anymore."

"Of course I care. This is why I've bet the money."

"How is this not getting in your head?"

"(Y/N)," he took my hands in his, but I couldn't even look at him,"in a few minutes we will hear them announce the winner, and we will start jumping for joy when we realise how much money we're going to get back, and we're going to be so much closer to getting our home."

"Finn, I desperately want to believe that. But even if we do win, you're in deep trouble." I took my hands away from him, turning around. I couldn't even look at my own fiance.

On queue, we heard a man come over the intercom, it was muffled to me but I knew Finn was listening intensely. Glancing over my shoulder, I watched for his reaction, turning around fully when I saw his expression. We had lost. We lost all that money.

"How could you be so fucking stupid?!" I screamed at him, throwing slaps onto his chest."Why couldn't you just listen to me? I don't understand why you had to lie to me Finn!"

I broke down crying, shoving him away from me. My sobs were loud but I didn't care. Finn could watch, see how much he upset me. My heart sank at the thought of it all gone, Finn had left scarcely any money in the drawer back at the flat.

"I'm sorry (Y/N)." Finn pathetically said.

"You know how you always go on about your family never trusting you enough for the big jobs? That you never get to go out with them and help? This is why. Because you do things like this, you fuck everything up Finn. Fuck!" I wiped away my tears, even though more spilled out."You know I've always stuck beside you, but this is the last straw Finn. I can't be with someone who doesn't want to put effort into their future."

"What are you saying? (Y/N), I can fix this. I promise I'll get the money back, I'll-"

"How? That took us so long to build that up. And you were spending our money almost every night on useless drinking. I can't Finn, I can't live like that anymore."

He ducked his head, and I almost wanted him to say something. When he didn't, I knew what I had to do.

I took a deep breath before speaking."I'm going home. I suggest you stay at Polly's tonight."

"Let me take you home-"

"No!"

"What's going on?" Tommy suddenly appeared, he, his brothers and Polly approaching.

"Your nephew, your brother, just gave away almost all of our money betting on a horse. Not only that, but he took the money without telling me. That was money for a house." I angrily explained.

"Is that true Finn?"

Finn shamefully nodded.

"We can get you your money back (Y/N)."

"It's not about that Tom. He's lied to me. He promised me he wouldn't spend our money every week, yet he did. And then he takes our money without asking me about it first."

"I'll fix it (Y/N), I promise I will." Finn was begging at this point.

"Another promise that you're bound to break. I've had enough today."

"Let's get you home love." Polly said, putting a stop to this argument as she stepped forward, taking me under her arm.

Finn didn't come home that night. I didn't sleep. I was sat at the tiny dining table, staring at the ring on my finger, wondering what to do. It broke my heart to think about leaving him, but it also broke my heart thinking about how reckless he had been. Did I really want to be marrying someone who acted like this? Would he mature? My heart wanted to believe he would, but my mind kept telling me that today confirmed he wouldn't. That was one of the worst nights of my life.

                                     *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I couldn't stand this job any longer. But it was the only thing keeping me alive. It was crappy work, the pay was just above minimum, enough for me to buy food, pay my rent and have the tiniest amount left over. Saving up money was hard when it was just you. Even after two years, I didn't have enough to consider looking at places of my own, or with less roommates. It was exhausting keeping up with these girls I lived with, there were 6 of us altogether. It was a big change when I moved away from Small Heath.

"You ready (Y/N)?" one of my roommates called out to me as I finished applying my lipstick.

"Just a second!" I replied, checking myself in the mirror.

It was the rare occasion that I was going out with them, the one time we could all go out together at all. I was looking forward to a few drinks, and although that sounded hypocritical, I realised that I had to have a night or two in at least a month to relieve myself of the stress I put upon myself.

We arrived at the small club we always went to, it had the cheapest drinks this side of town. We all shivered in the cold weather, walking as fast as we could to make it to the club. The warmth was very welcome, as well as the loud music that drew us further in. It was the usual routine, a few of us grab a table, the others get the drinks in, then we would all make our way to the dance floor. Hours passed, and I had to get away from the heat coming from the dancing, stepping back towards our table to get a drink. I saw my roommate stumbling in the direction of the bar, rolling my eyes as I went to help her, perhaps getting a drink whilst I was there. However, once I got closer, I stared at the man she was starting to flirt with.

"Isaiah?" I said as I got closer.

"(Y/N)!" he smiled, bringing me in for a hug.

"You two know each other?" my roommate asked, looking disappointed.

"He's an old friend. Just that, nothing else."

Isaiah let me go."How long has it been? Two years?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, two years. What are you doing here?"

"Business. Nothing dangerous though, you girls are still in for a good night. Especially you if you're good." he winked to my roommate.

"Is he...is he here?" my voice suddenly went shaky, and I felt almost completely sober.

Isaiah's playful nature dropped."Uh, he is. He's really misses you (Y/N). Hasn't even looked at another girl since you left. He's just not been the same." I wasn't sure how to reply.

"I can't not tell him I saw you. Imagine if he found out, he would be so upset with me."

"I know. I wouldn't want to hurt your friendship."

"Maybe you should see him. It might do you both some good."

"Or the opposite."

"He still loves you. Even if you don't feel the same, it could bring closure. But I know you (Y/N), I can tell what you're thinking."

"You were always annoying like that."

"He's out front, in the corridor. That's all I'm going to say."

I looked at him for a few seconds, trying to make my mind up."Well, this one is a handful, just so you know."

"I think I can handle her." Isaiah smirked.

"I was warning her about you."

I giggled at his reaction, walking away and leaving him in his natural habitat of flirting. But as soon as I turned around, my stomach dropped, nerves filling up my entire body. He was here. I hadn't seen him for two years, though I thought about him everyday. Would he look different? Did I look different? What was he going to say? What was I going to say? My brain didn't want to think of any words, maybe I was about to babble absolute nonsense to him.

Upon seeing him, my throat tightened, the cool air slapping me in the face; oh, now I was sober. He hadn't noticed yet, leaning up against a wall, hands in his pockets. Wow, he had changed. His boyish charm was still there, yet he had matured into a handsome young man. It was like I was seeing him for the first time all over again. I was just happy that he would be seeing me in my finer clothes rather than catching me after work.

Urging my feet to move, I almost sighed at how small my steps were. I really was scared. Isaiah had said reassuring things, yet I couldn't even walk up to him. It was too late to back out now, especially when he finally looked up at me. I froze on the spot, not knowing what to do. Finn seemed the same way.

"(Y/N)." he said, I only just heard it.

"Hello."

Hello? Really, that's all I could come up with?

He pushed himself off the wall, coming to stand in front of me, though not too close."I...I can't believe you're here."

"I could say the same about you."

"This is where you've been living then."

I nodded."It's not too bad. I mean, I'm on a night out."

"Who are you with?"

I knew he was wondering if I was with a man."My roommates, I live with five other girls."

"Oh, that's a lot."

"Yeah, it's the only place I could afford."

"I hope it's nice."

"I shouldn't complain. A lot better than other places."

We both knew we were making an awful attempt at small talk. I was sure he had so much to say like I did, we just didn't want to dump it on each other in case the other ran away. It was like we were teenagers again, awkwardly trying to think of something to fill the dreaded silence.

"I really want to talk about us (Y/N)." Finn said.

"You do?"

"I...I just have so much to say to you. I can't do it now, but what about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? Tomorrow, um, yes, yes tomorrow works for me. It's the weekend, so I'm not working."

He smiled slightly."OK, good. I'll come get you. Um, I need your address."

"Oh, here." I dug around in my purse, thankful there was a folded up tissue and a pen, it was good to be prepared. I wrote down my address, handing it to him.

"I'll pick you up at one. I would want it to be earlier, you just never know what time you'll be back with this sort of thing."

"I understand Finn, I did live this with you once."

I barely slept, even when we stumbled in at three in the morning. Luckily I hadn't seen Finn, Isaiah or any other Peaky Blinder that evening, no doubt settling business behind the scenes. Despite the lack of sleep, I was wide awake the next morning, up before everyone else who were nursing their hangovers, trying on multiple outfits in a desperate attempt to look nice, but not as if I put too much effort in. The clock was rolling onto one o'clock, and my heart was beating much faster than usual. I was about to make my way downstairs when something glistened on my small vanity. Should I take it? Yes, I would.

Finn knocked on the door, and I waited a few seconds before opening it. We smiled as we greeted each other, not going in for a hug or kiss on the cheek, something I was worried about. That was the first hurdle jumped over.

"How was your evening?" Finn struck up a conversation as we walked further into town.

"Much better than yours I presume?" I smirked. He chuckled."Yeah, didn't exactly get to enjoy the music. Small fight, nothing we couldn't handle."

It was strange hearing about Blinder business again."Well I'm glad you're all safe."

"I thought we could go out for lunch, saw a nice place round here."

"Oh, that would be lovely."

"We don't have to, if you don't feel comfortable."

"No, no, no, it's not that. It's just a lovely thing for you to do."

We both bashfully smiled, luckily the restaurant was just around the corner. I had expected nothing less when we walked into the fancy place, not because I thought I deserved it, but because Finn wouldn't be seen anywhere else. His clothes were even more tailored now than they had been the last I saw him, indicating that the gang had been doing well, more money was coming in. We both immediately picked up our menus as we sat, hoping someone would speak first. Our eyes glanced over the top of them, it was as if we were on our first date again, only this time in a better establishment.

"You look beautiful." he said, still hiding part of his face.

"Thank you." I blushed.

"I'll never forget what you wore when I picked you up for our first date. That blue dress you just bought, with a matching purse, and those heels that you hadn't practiced walking in. Well, you used that as an excuse to latch into my arm all night."

I smiled, placing down my menu."It was a good plan, wasn't it? And I did struggle in those heels, I just didn't want to embarrass myself."

He copied me."I liked holding your hand all night."

"What a sweet sentiment."

"I mean it. And I mean this date. That didn't sound right, but...what I'm trying to say is that I want to make it all up to you."

"You do?"

"Yes! I really didn't expect you to leave. I mean I did, but I didn't want to believe that. I didn't want to believe that I had been so selfish that I couldn't even see how much I had hurt you." 

“That was the hardest decision I ever made. Most days I battle with myself whether I made the right choice. All night I kept making deals with myself. If you came back, I would hear you out, and if it was good enough for me I would stay. But then you didn’t, so I said to myself ‘Give him another hour.’. An hour went by, and I said the same thing to myself. That went on for the whole evening until I found myself angrily packing my things. Even then, I sat by door on top of my suitcase for another hour or so.”

“I thought you just got up and left. I didn’t realise how long you waited for me.” he sighed into his hands.“I’m such a fucking idiot.”

I could tell he was full of regret. Although it sounded sadistic, I was glad that he was upset when reflecting on our past relationship, it meant he realised his mistake. On the other hand, I hated seeing him sad. I took his hands away from his face, hesitantly reaching into my handbag to pull out the engagement ring I kept.

His eyes widened.“You still have that? I looked everywhere for it when you left, guessed you took it to sell.”

“I won’t lie, that was my intention at first. But it meant too much to me. It was like selling a piece of my soul. I kept it hidden, I didn’t want to risk any of the girls seeing it, they would just ask too many questions.”

I kept my eye on the beautiful ring as I spoke, slowly twirling it around to catch it twinkling in the light.

"I had such a hard time picking that out. I knew what you wanted, but I had to get it right for you. I'm so glad you kept it."

"I did try to sell it. I was stood outside of a shop for ten minutes debating with myself. It would have helped a lot for the deposit on the room, but I couldn't do it."

We were silent, both staring at the ring. We used to do that a lot actually. Finn would take my hand and hold it up as we laid in bed together, both giggling as we watched it glisten like it was in present times, before squealing at the thought of us being married to each other. I constantly fiddled with it when he was off on business, a habit which never wore off, even now; whenever I was nervous or worried, I would automatically do the same action, just without the ring.

A waiter awkwardly interrupted us, and I hurriedly put the ring back in my bag, sharing an embarrassed smile with Finn as we ordered. Once he was gone, I quietly sighed, looking out of the window. We were in such a nice part of town, so many ladies in beautiful dresses and men in smart suits strolling around.

"Are you...are you OK for money?" Finn boldly asked.

I was a little shocked by that.

"I don't mean anything by it. I just want to make sure you're OK, I would hate for you to be struggling, if you were."

"Uh, no, no I'm fine actually. It's not as generous as my old wage but it keeps me alive, I can live with the bare necessities."

I could see him itching to say something else, to keep the conversation going. I wasn't sure if we could go back to the serious topic we had before. However, I also wanted to bring it back up, it felt like we needed to talk about us.

"How's the family?" That's all I could come up with.

"They're fine. Everyone is the same. Well, they're not, they're a bit more serious nowadays."

"They weren't in the first place?"

He smiled."I suppose they were. Tension is the right word, tensions have been rising. Tommy's taking on a lot more, Polly knows all these secrets that no one else does, Ada is rebelling against anything Tommy says, Linda is still annoying, Esme and John have been popping kids out left, right and centre. Arthur is still crazy."

"Sounds like business as usual to me."

"They miss you too."

"Do they?"

"Yeah. Almost as much as me."

I cast my eyes down as butterflies rose in my stomach.

"I heard nothing else for the next few weeks after you left. They all told me what an idiot I was, that I was an extremely reckless, stupid and immature boy, and that I had let the best thing in my life get away from me. And they were right. I knew all of that already."

"I...I don't really know what to say right now."

"You don't have to say anything, let's just enjoy this meal, no more of that talk."

The nerves making my stomach flip built at that. What if we had nothing else to talk about? What if it was too weird to dive into our separate lives? I didn't want to sit across my ex-fiance, painfully and politely smiling through forced conversation.

The spark was still there.

When the waiter had returned with our drinks, we were already deep in talk about what had been happening in our personal everyday life. We were non stop, even as we ate through dinner. The waiters had trouble catching our attention each time they checked on us. I was deep in those eyes again, the ones I always dreamed of seeing. We were laughing hysterically, not at all acting how we should have in that establishment (there were a few eye rolls from other patrons). As if time had gone by in a second, the bill was slipped towards Finn, though I still reached into my purse.

"Are you mad? No, put your money away, I'm not taking it." Finn stated as he carelessly threw down some notes, surprisingly taking my hand in his and guiding me out of the restaurant.

I was tense as we walked, and I saw a flash of realisation in Finn's eyes as we made it outside. Both looking down at our interlocked fingers, Finn broke away, clearing his throat.

"Sorry, force of habit."

Hesitating, I smiled up at him, lacing our hands together again."These are new heels I'm breaking in. Need help walking in them."

He chuckled, pulling me closer as we walked down the street. We were silent, feeling like kids in love again. I couldn't deny that my feelings were still strong for Finn, I missed him dearly. At first, part of me had been wary of all this, wondering if he really had good intentions, or just thought he could get a quick shag in from an ex before he left; but the effort he went through, the things we spoke about, trying to heal old wounds, Finn had matured and he was wanting to fix this. I wanted to fix this, my heart was aching for my old life with him. 

“We’re not done yet, are we?” I timidly asked.

“Not unless you want it to be.”

I instantly shook my head.“No, I’d like to stay out for longer.”

“Even though you’re struggling in your heels?”

I smirked.“I know a nice place we can sit down.”

I took him to the local park, it had a huge lake with benches dotted around, luckily it wasn’t busy, there was somehow a hint of privacy here. We sat down close to each other, hands still entwined. 

“You still hungry?” I asked.

“Hm?”

I dug into my purse, producing a bag of sweets I had bought the previous day. I laughed as his eyes lit up, taking one without even asking. I took one too, reminiscing on how we used to do the same thing as kids. It seemed he was thinking about it too.

“Just like the old days.” Finn said.

“We spent way too much money on sweets back then. It’s a wonder we still have our teeth.”

 “Wish I got out of that spending habit. We could be married and in our new house by now.”

“So you never wanted to move on? You didn’t give in to those girls wanting to be with a Peaky Blinder?”

“Never. I couldn’t. I couldn’t even fathom being with anyone else, it was always you (Y/N). Did you date?”

“No, I felt exactly the same. Which is why I was angry at myself for a long time. I was supposed to be upset with you, not still in love.”

His head whipped round to face me.“You still love me?”

My mouth was still open, unsure how to answer. It seemed I didn’t have to as Finn leaned in, placing on hand on my cheek as we kissed. Instinctively I kissed back, placing my hands on him where I could, hearing the bag of sweets fall to the ground and spill its contents. This kiss was needy, the type of kiss you gave your partner when you had missed them, when they had been away for a long time; and although we had our hands on each other, our touch was still gentle.

“Get the ring.” Finn breathed out, our lips still almost touching.

I carelessly got it for him, heart beating extremely fast. He took it from me, pecking me on the lips one last time before standing up. He straightened out his suit, took a deep breath and got down on one knee. I was just as emotional the first time he did it.

“(Y/N), I know I messed up everything in the past, I was careless when I should have been supportive and helped to build our future. I learnt from those mistakes, and I really, really want to go back to how we were. I need you (Y/N), I love you so much. There aren’t enough words to express how much love I have for you. Will you marry me?”

I didn’t need to think about my answer. I blurted out a yes, waiting for him to slide the ring back on my finger before throwing myself onto him. We stumbled back onto the ground, our arms around each other as we laughed and cried. I believed him this time, I truly believed him. He put in the effort to show me his changes, he wanted to fix everything. I wanted things back to the way they were with my man, and we were back to building our future and living the rest of our lives together.

[insidemyrottenbrain]

Years - TSH

The past haunts me. It has been years—so many I cannot begin to count, and if I’m being completely honest, I was not counting to begin with. Everything I have done was to escape that wretched part of my life in which my naivety and perhaps self-consuming passion, managed to control me. I wanted—want—to forget it all. 

The first time I stepped foot into what would soon come to be one of the few select places in my nightmares was very awe-inducing. The university was large, larger than I’d imagined. The stone walls had arched indents that made it look as if it belonged in one of the novels I read as a teenager and that my family wholeheartedly despised. The hallways were a contorted maze of watchful ancient statues following every movement with their eyes, priceless antiques donated by rich parents and students with more money in their pockets than I could ever dream of having. A multitude of departments found their home in that twisted place, such as theater, arts, modern literature, architecture, history, music, philosophy, and many more. I believe you can imagine my excitement when faced with the exact kind of university I dreamed of studying at, especially when I had little to no hope of ever getting anywhere close to it, much less belonging. 

One thing, as you know, led to another, and I ended up as one of the infamous Greek pupils. I’m quite sure everyone thought we were some kind of cult, which, if you think about it, isn’t entirely wrong.

The first few years were everything I had ever hoped for. I felt that I had found my place and, most certainly, my kind. We used to do everything together. Being with them was the only time I truly felt alive. Doesn’t matter whether we went to the comforting country house engulfed in trees safely from the outside world, had delicious dinners debating the most obscure topics, or simply studied in the library, sleep-deprived and on immense amounts of caffeine and nicotine, I always felt as if I was doing something more than just existing.

Where did it all go wrong? I wouldn’t be able to tell you. I do not want to categorize Richard’s arrival as the initiator factor, for it was not his fault. Nor is it correct to say that the Bacchanal was the beginning of it all. It wouldn’t be Henry’s doing either, at least not the start of it. I have speculated on this over the years, and I have come to only one conclusion that seems right. My theory as to what the answer is and my attempt to pinpoint the exact place on the timeline are not as precise as I hoped they would be. It was not a single event that gave birth to our ruin, but rather multiple little moments, that are rather large in the big scheme. I also like to believe that Julian had as much of a role in all of this as the rest of us. Even a considerably more sizeable one, perhaps.

Everything that happened—I wish to leave behind. However, I recently came to realise, that, to my misery, it incorporated and formed my very being. My views, my ideas, my taste, and my activities are all, to a certain extent, if not fully influenced and ruled over by it. I am my past.

My great, futile attempts to escape the life I once had, led me to London, a perfect setting for someone who wished to hide. A bustling place, where I had the chance to not be me, but a mere shadow lurking throughout the crowded streets, observing every passerby, while trying to guess their life stories, deepest desires, and strongest fears. I was no one, and I adored it. However, I had earned a peculiar reputation among museum guides and librarians for my constant presence and among university students for being a great classics professor. Or at least I’d like to believe so.

I am very selective with my pupils, and I teach a couple that are quite brilliant in my office. I often have open discussions with them, for I consider it helps them engage with the topic better and understand the meaning and philosophy behind it in such a way that encourages them to analyze, observe, and critique. One such day, we were talking about the loss of self, Plato’s four divine madnesses:

‘Death is the mother of beauty,’ said Felix, one of my students.

I nodded in approval as I propped myself up on the desk.

‘And what is beauty?’ 

‘Terror,’ a voice answered from my office’s door.

[smilesmayvary]

the way things go | p.p.

pairing: tom!peter parker x stark!reader

summary: as an avenger, you should’ve just been focused on fighting and protecting the universe. instead, you’ve found yourself pregnant because of the one and only peter parker. so much for being responsible kids.

notes: this took way too long to write and the ending is rushed but i needed to put something out haha. i left the ending open on this one because i didn’t feel like pushing a full pregnancy on anyone, so you can interpret what you do after the end of this fic as you will!

word count: 2.8k

WARNINGS: teen pregnancy, a tiny bit of angst but not a lot

“What would happen if an Avenger got pregnant?”

Your hands visibly shook as you blurted out the question to Steve. His eyes trained themselves on you quickly, where his brows furrowed as he focused on your eyes darting around the dining room where you both sat eating breakfast and the restlessness you exuded.

“You’re pregnant,” he stated bluntly.

While you were aware that he would figure it out- and that everyone would find out eventually- you didn’t expect him to do it so quickly. Immediately you began to backtrack on your own actions, forcing your eyes to not move from his and for your leg to stop bouncing around. You did not, however, stop scratching your hands as if you were trying to get rid of an itch that was meant to stay forever.

“No, I never said that,” you replied quietly. “I was just curious. For one day, if.. if one of us decides to start a family. What would happen?”

He didn’t believe your lie, you could tell by the way his stare bored into you and his fist clenched on the table. It was almost like there were waves of pity radiating off of him. But that’s not what you needed, what you needed was an answer.

“You’re still a kid, how did this happen?” he said slowly.

You felt your facade start to thin once again as you said “Nothing happened, I just want to know.” The desperate tone that laced through your voice was the final indication that there was no way you’d be able to hide it from him. From any of the Avengers really. Especially not your father, Tony. Tears began to roll down your face and you had zero control over them. You wished they would stop so you wouldn’t give yourself away any more than you already had. “I’m sorry, sir, it was an accident,” you cried, finally admitting

His eyes closed when he shook his head, conveying a disappointment you had hoped he would never direct towards you. When he looked back up at you his expression softened but only slightly. “Who have you told?”

You let your eyes wander once again, staring down at the tabletop while tears continued to blur your vision. “You’re the only one. Please don’t say anything, sir. I don’t want anyone to know.”

“They’re going to find out eventually.” Your eyes met his once more. The stern look he wore was somehow even worse than the one of dismay.

“Sir, please just answer my question. I’ll tell everyone soon, I promise. I just need to know.”

Steve’s eyes scrunched shut before he scrubbed his face with his hands roughly. “I haven’t really thought about it before. I assumed we would all be responsible enough to make sure things like this wouldn’t happen.” With every word he said, your heart sank more and more. The words were harsh but they were all true.

You couldn’t look at him anymore. Your head tilted forward as you hid your pained expression from him, though he knew it was there. His sigh rang through your ears next.

“I’m sorry, that was harsh,” he said quietly. “What I mean to say is that we’re going to have to figure things out as we go. It all boils down to your plans and everything else going on. It’s dangerous out there for a teenager like you, imagine how much worse it would get if you had another life at stake. There’s a lot to consider. What I am going to promise you though, is that I’ll be here anytime you need me. It’s not going to be easy, but if you need someone to help you through things you can always come to me.”

The continuous stream of tears thickened at his sweet words. “Thank you,” you murmured. “Thank you so much.” At this, you hopped up out of your seat and threw your arms around him. This reaction startled him at first, you could tell by the hesitation to return the hug. It didn’t take long for him to reciprocate though, embracing you tightly as if he planned to protect you from the world himself.

“Can I just ask one more question though?” You pulled away and sat back down in your own chair, going back to eating your near-forgotten breakfast as you nodded your head. “Whose is it?”

The question caused you to stop chewing for a second, and you just stared at him with wide eyes until you started forcing the food down. You barely blinked, waiting until Steve made another gesture to tell you he was waiting for the reply. Finally you were able to breathe once more, accepting your fate once again. “It’s… it’s Peter’s.”

He shook his head like he did earlier, but this time with a humorous smile on his face. “You really like them young, huh?” Your brows furrowed.

“He’s the same age as me,” you stated, confused.

“Oh yeah, sometimes I forget. You just act so much more mature than he does,” he laughed.

You laughed along with him, silently disagreeing in your head. Just because Peter had moments where would ramble or make pop culture references didn’t mean it made him less mature.

You stopped laughing, remembering one final thing. “Please don’t tell my dad. About any of this. He doesn’t know me and Peter are together yet, and I don’t know if I want him to find out because I’m having his baby, if that makes sense. He’s not going to be happy about it either way, but still.”

“I won’t tell your dad. But you do know that he has to know eventually, right? He’s going to find out.”

“Find out what?” Tony Stark said as he walked into the dining room, with Peter trailing shortly behind him. Speak of the devils, you thought.

You brushed it off with a laugh. “Oh, nothing. Steve said he would give me some extra training and I wanted to surprise you with it. Guess the cat’s out of the bag now though.” Lying came easily when it came to your dad. You had no idea why, since when you did it to anyone else you were the worst liar ever.

Apparently he saw right through it, as he came and put his hand on your shoulder. Peter went to the other side of the table, catching a glance of you out of the corner of his eye. You saw the smile that appeared across his face and you smiled right back. “Yeah, I don’t believe that for a second. We’ll talk about it later. Anyways, Cap, we need to go over some logistical stuff. Like, pronto. Think we could do that now?” Steve had barely opened his mouth before Tony continued. “Great, let’s go to the meeting room.” He gave you a quick peck on the cheek before heading out the door.

And that’s how it led to you being alone with Peter for the first time since you found out you were pregnant. The smile you were wearing towards him quickly vanished with a flood of anxiety about what happens next. Peter deserved to know but you weren’t quite sure if you were ready to tell him.

Peter’s smile had already gone away, you noticed. He looked toward you as he sat down. “Were you crying? Your face is red.” You didn’t meet his eye.

“Uhhh, no,” you lied, focusing your gaze back on the table. You couldn’t think of anything else to say to his question.

He definitely didn’t believe your lie, furrowing his brows and looking down at the same spot on the table you were relentlessly staring at. He opened his mouth to speak once more but you interrupted him.

“Hey, do you wanna go to my room?” You knew by now that he needed to know as soon as possible. Steve shouldn’t even know before him, so you had decided that before anyone else found out, Peter would know the truth.

His face shifted into confusion. “Sure?” he questioned, but was already standing up to meet you. You smiled at him again, more nervous this time.

It was time. You just weren’t ready for it.

--- As you plopped down onto your bed, Peter sat gingerly next to you. His movements were gentle, as if he was afraid of messing something up. His eyes were anxious, darting around the room as yours had been in the dining room, but he would look at you every few seconds. You held onto his gaze, a different type of anxiety displayed on your face.

Better do it now, you thought. But as soon as you went to speak, Peter’s voice broke the silence.

“Did I do something wrong? Because I’m really sorry, whatever it is I can fix it. I promise. I’m so sorry-” He cut off when you rested your hand over his.

“Pete, you didn’t do anything, why would you think that?” You raised your hand to stroke his cheek, and watched as he melted into your palm as he always does.

“I-I don’t know,” he stuttered. “It’s just- you were crying earlier, I can tell, and you were talking to Steve but you never talk to Steve about anything so it was probably about me because your dad doesn’t know about us yet.” While he started talking fast, his words came out slower as you moved your thumb along his cheekbone. You felt the tears from earlier once again pricking the backs of your eyes. Your brows moved together in an effort to keep them from spilling but it was already a lost cause. The anxiety in Peter’s face heightened when he saw a tear run across your face.

“Hey, hey hey, I’m sorry. Please don’t cry.” His voice was quiet but strong as he pulled you into his arms, leaving you to wrap your arms around him. Somehow his words made your emotions worse causing a sob to shudder through your body. His hand began to stroke your head, smoothing down any out of place hairs.

“Peter, you didn’t do anything wrong,” you finally managed to whisper. “I’m just scared. I don’t want you to be mad at me.”

Pulling back to look at you, he used one hand to wipe the tears off of your face. “Why would I be mad at you?”

Meeting his eyes, you saw the worry embedded in his face. You couldn’t let him go on like that much longer. That was when you blurted out the words you had been dreading since the day you took the test.

“Peter, I’m pregnant.”

The muscles in his face automatically fell slack. “You’re… What?” As he let go of you, you felt your heart crumble. The tears running down your face suddenly felt like they were being multiplied, while your chest felt like a cement block had been dropped on it.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” you said reflexively with a sob. Peter wrapped his arms back around you in a hurry, alleviating some of the emotional turmoil crashing through your mind.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. We’re gonna be okay, I think. Have you told your dad?”

“He doesn’t even know about us being together yet, I can’t tell him because I’m pregnant.” Peter pulled back to look at you again.

“Y/N… you need to tell him. He’s gonna find out either way and it’ll be better if you do it now.”

You cringed back into his chest, pulling him as close to you as possible. He felt like a shield in that moment, protecting you from your worst nightmares.

“Do you want me to be there when you tell him?” he asked nervously.

You shook your head. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

Peter let out a shaky breath. “Oh thank you, as much as I love you I don’t feel like dying today.” You laughed for the first time in a while.

“I love you Peter.”

“I love you too. We’re going to get through this, I promise.” He placed a kiss on the top of your head, and somehow you felt safer than you ever had.

---

Hours later, after Peter had left, you found yourself in your dad’s office. He looked up at you from what he was working on, which was apparently the same thing he had been working on with Steve. “What’s going on, kid? I know something’s up. You’re scared to death of Cap and you were talking to him this morning. You never talk to him, you’re always with Parker.”

“I am not scared of Steve. Just because I was nervous around him for a little bit doesn’t mean I’m still scared, I mean, we’re on the same team.” Your father stood up and walked around his desk to sit on the front of it. He met your eyes.

“Why were you crying this morning?” he asked, cutting directly to the chase. You let your eyes wander again, trying to stall as long as possible, but he interrupted you. “Look at me, Y/N.”

Your eyes jumped back to his with a shock. He almost never had that stern tone in his voice, but here he was, using it on you like you had done something wrong.

You have done something wrong, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. You shook that thought from your head.

You took a shaky breath in as he looked at you expectantly. “Dad, Peter and I are dating.”

A smile broke out across his face. Well that’s not what you were expecting, you thought.

“That’s what that was about?” he laughed. Not a smile then, just a laugh. Got it. “I know you, kid, and I know Parker too. You two couldn’t hide that shit even if you tried.”

“We… did try.”

“Well, obviously you didn’t try hard enough. I knew from the day he stepped into the building that he was going to cause trouble with you.”

“Dad, he didn’t cause trouble, I did,” you stated. Your eyes still hadn’t moved away from his, but you strangely didn’t feel the same urge to cry as you did before. That was bound to change soon though.

“Why would you take that to Steve, though?” His brows furrowed, but not in a confused way. Almost like he was mocking you.

“That’s not what I was talking to Steve about.”

“Then enlighten me. What was it actually?”

“I’m pregnant.”

And that was when he froze. Whatever he had been expecting, it surely hadn’t been that.

The expression on his face was something you had never wished to see directed at you. That look of just utter disappointment and anger. That was when your eyes began to water once more.

“Y/N. I thought you knew better.”

You had flashbacks to your conversation with Steve this morning. I assumed we would all be responsible enough to make sure things like this wouldn’t happen. You flinched at the memory.

“It’s not like I meant for it to happen, Dad. I mean, the same thing happened to you! Look at me! I never would’ve been here if you hadn’t made the same mistake I did.” You weren’t quite sure where the burst of sudden anger had come from. But you were not about to take shit over a dumb mistake when he had made the same one. “I thought you said I was the best thing that ever happened to you. That’s not really what you think is it?”

“That’s different. I wasn’t a kid, and I didn’t have the same responsibilities you do.”

“Were you lying, Dad?” you asked, still stuck on the question that had burst out of you earlier.

“Of course I wasn’t lying.”

“Then are you going to change that because of this?”

“No.”

You wiped the tears from your face in an angry swipe. “I haven’t even decided what I’m going to do. I need your help. Please. You can’t shut me out because of a mistake.”

He hopped up from his desk, immediately pulling you into his arms. “I was never going to shut you out. I just wanted you to not take the same path I did. I love you, and you didn’t derail my life at all, but a baby would definitely derail yours. You’re still young, and you have so many battles left to fight. Literally, we still have so many fights we have to win and we can’t lose our strongest fighter.”

A small laugh escaped you as you buried your face into your dad’s shoulder. “Thank you. I need you.”

“I’ll always be here for you, kid. No matter what you decide to do, I’m gonna be here by your side.” He pulled your head away from him to wipe the tears off of your face. “There, no more crying. I hope you know that I am going to kick Parker’s ass for this though.”

“Why do you think he left in such a hurry today?” you laughed.

“Good, then he’ll be prepared when I see him again.”

[zukuist]

in the moment [hcs]

“they are desperate for help when admirers swarm them, and they choose to seek for your assistance”

fandom/s : 僕のヘロアカデミア // boku no hero academia (bnha)

includes: h. shinsō, k. bakugō, i. midoriya

your name is shortened to y/n, last name is shortened to l/n gender neutral, use of the pretend lover trope, they’re actually pining.

further note: yes i’ve been gone for more than a week, and yes it’s because of school. i promise i’ll be posting more!!

REQUESTS ;; OPEN !!

© IZUKULIE 2021, HORIKOSHI KOHEI OWNS BNHA, DO NOT STEAL ❕

—

shinsō hitoshi

finds it super annoying

and this is coming from him, someone that’s not easy to irritate

he’s conscious and aware that people find him attractive (which for some reason, he still questions why)

eventually, admirers are bound to appear like it or not, but they’re not this insistent as this girl, nope.

shinsō has never experienced something like this, in his entire life.

noriko was a familiar face, but not in the best way for shinsō hitoshi.

she used to be one of those girls that’d band wagon with her opinions. whenever people were hostile towards him

she would be hostile too

but as soon as everyone started finding him attractive, she’d change too.

and it’s.. a mess. what more when he himself is pining on someone that’s not noriko

let alone, a student from class 1-A?

and it’s not like he could brainwash her into leaving him alone

as soon as she would be released by his quirk, she’d tell everyone what he did. therefore, leaving that out of the many solutions

and now he’s backed up into a corner, with her chasing him all across the hallways.

he can only hope for a solution.

— scene —

“this is ridiculous..” taking another turn in the hallway, shinsō mutters to himself quietly, the sleep deprived student can still hear her shrill voice

and by ‘her’, he’s referring to the admirer that has been tailing him down ever since the day had started.

“there are times like this where i wished i didn’t care about looking villainous” is what he’s really thinking. damn quirk stereotypes, and curse him for not having a quirk like iida tenya

“what.. are you doing?” was he lucky, or unlucky? it just so happened to be that he bumped into y/n l/n, out of all people

“i’m in a bit of a situation,” his palm rests against his nape, and he has to hope that you get the message, when noriko’s nearly deafening voice cuts through the air

“you’re quite popular with the ladies, huh?” you joke, and shinsō would’ve laughed if he wasn’t being trailed down.

“as much as i—”

“there you are !” noriko exclaims, slightly out of breath from the insistent chase, “you still haven’t answered !”

“i have, and i said no.” he makes his intentions concrete, compared to earlier (which was a mistake) when he rejected her in the nicest way he could’ve done so, but it wasn’t enough to make her quit.

“well earlier, you’ve said you appreciated it !” the whine pains both of your ears, and you contemplate if you should just grab his hand, and make a run for it.

but, she’d just chase you down again. so maybe not.

“yes, but i also said i can’t accept your feelings.” in instinct, he backs up so he could stand next to you, and he looks at you with his own style of desperation, which was obviously different than noriko’s desperation.

“i happen to be taken.” shinsō claims, hooking his hand along yours. which might’ve been done because he’s desperate, but could’ve been done because he wanted to

getting the motive, you lock away your shock, and play along, accepting his touch.

“i don’t believe you.” noriko blurts, “you two look like best friends more than anything. i’m not stupid !”

you didn’t think it would have to resort to this.

with not much of a thought, you grabbed shinsō by the collar, and smashed your lips together. his lips are warmer than you’ve anticipated, the distinct taste of coffee makes you lean into him further. while at first taken aback, shinsō decides to accept the act by pushing you even closer to him

you let go, deciding it was enough, and when you stare back at noriko, tears dotting at her waterline, and she sputters in humiliation and rejection.

“i never liked you anyway !” she uses as a defense, before storming off. the both of you feel a sense of relief when her figure turns at the end of the hallway

“sorry for kissing you like that. it was kind of in the moment,”

shinsō chuckles, “didn’t expect our first kiss to be like that.”

“well, there are more opportunities to come for you, you’re quite popular.” you tease, and shinsō flicks your forehead in retaliation. in return, you hiss at the sudden sting of pain.

“we’ll have more opportunities when i take you out for lunch on saturday.” he pats you on the shoulder, before he presses a quick real kiss on your cheekbone.

bakugō katsuki

also finds it super annoying. actually, he might as well just fight them and move on.

bakugō knows it well that he’s.. well-known, for all the right and wrong reasons

but what he doesn’t know is that he’s also known for his good looks, rough and boyish in nature.

so eventually, there’ll be that one brave and fearless soul that’ll take one for the team. or even two, or three.

he hates it. doesn’t his aura and demeanor alone scare off all of the suitors?

since when were they super persistent, smh.

it didn’t help that he was trying to drown and suffocate his feelings down the pipeline.

because curse bakugō katsuki for having normal, teenage feelings. he had other important things in life, right?

but he couldn’t help but wonder if you’d ever confess to him like that

(not that it would happen any time soon. you were too busy being a tough training partner)

but everything aside, he wishes that people would just take the hint already.

because ignoring doesn’t help all the time.

the girl named fumiko would be a dreadful sight he’d be constantly reminded of.

from his shoe locker being flooded with love letters that speak nothing to him, and to the obnoxious commentary on his looks

he’d think that they were just harassing him to get a reaction, but bakugō katsuki will remain unbothered!

but he spoke too soon, because he was approached directly right after his late training session.

—scene—

bakugō hates it

he hates extras, he hates being outshined, and he hates distractions. what more was there to dislike in the world? everything clearly.

he can handle things properly, and with that tough demeanor of his, and he definitely doesn’t need a quick and easy solution, from the girl that’s glued to his side.

he told himself that a persistent extra is nothing, he can just simply ignore them and look at them, like how he always looks at useless pebbles, and they’d go away. but clearly not this girl

“get off, you fucking extra” he pushes her off, grabbing his water bottle and immediately storming off, but it doesn’t convince fumiko (he learned her name unfortuantely) to finally lay off.

“c’mon katsuki! this would’ve all been over if you just went out with me!”

bakugō can’t hide the cringe on his face, hearing his first name, ugh. he doesn’t know how she found out about his late training sessions, considering that she wasn’t in his class or class 1-b

he doubts that he’d run into anyone at this hour, they’d be all in the common room, and he did say that he wanted all of them to ‘fuck off’. but luck does work in mysterious ways.

“..what’re you doing here?” he questions, clearly surprised by your presence, and his frustration would’ve disappeared at that exact mom“dinner’s almost ready. actually, why do you look so.. alarmed? is there a villain?—”

his palms are starting to sweat, and it’s not because of his training, or because of the girl that won’t leave him alone. “no! fuck no. okay, there’s just some shitty extra that’s been following me around like some obsessed freak.”

you decide to be smug, “i knew there was going to be a brave soul out there, ready to sacrifice themselves.” you rest your hand on your left side, like it was heart warming, but the blond is not amused with your gesture.

“right, right!” you hold your hands up, surrendering. “okay, what do you want me to do?”

“just don’t say a fucking thing.” you can hear foot steps get closer and closer to the both of you, and in a hurry, he pushes you closer to him, the smell of caramel evading your senses.

before you could even say a word, he kisses you. it’s rough, and it makes you feel warm, and it’s definitely not because of his quirk, or because of the large, warm palms that rest against your sides.

you get a grip on him, holding onto his shoulder when you feel your knees buck because of the butterflies in your stomach, and it seems to get worse when bakugō holds you even tighter

“okay geez, i get it. you’re taken!” you can hear the girl exclaim in humiliation and disgust, “ugh, a guy like you wouldn’t be able to handle me anyway.”

and when she finally scurries away, the both of you break the kisses, the wind out of you being knocked out cold from his sudden act of ‘romance’

“i sorta understand the hype now.” you grin, your lips still tingle from the kiss, and you’re convinced that you want more, despite the kiss being out of spite, and for fumiko to back off.

“shut up.” you would’ve laughed at him if it was any other day, but for now, you’re left silent. your heart flutters once more, when his lips press against your cheekbone briefly.

“c’mon, idiot. we’re gonna miss dinner.”

midoriya izuku

he’s so alarmed, and honestly very scared

he wasn’t popular, or well known to begin with, and people only started treating him like he was a real person in highschool

he’s just so used to being looked at like a background character, or a npc in a video game.

so the sudden swarm of suitors, and people that want to date him shocked him to the core.

he was never treated like this in middle school, or elementary!

it flatters him, and he’s glad that people actually like him. but.. he’d never actually think about being with either of them

because they’re not you, obviously. but wait, what’s so different about you exactly?

well.. you’ve treated him with kindness, even when he looked like this.. really awkward kid that sat at the back of the classroom.

so yeah, he’d never think about accepting anyone else’s confessions, as long as they’re not you

but still, midoriya has treated all of his admirers with kindness, despite not wanting to be with any of them

knowing how it feels to be humiliated, he wouldn’t want to do that on any of them

but.. this one particular girl was one he’d never truly be comfortable with, as much as he’d like to fake it.

rieko was.. something. probably the most persistent one out of all of them.

he would’ve appreciated it, if it weren’t for the fact that she was super obnoxious to other people.

and most importantly, he didn’t understand what she’d get out of it, and it wrecked his nerves!

— scene —

standing next to you, all lined up for lunch, midoriya shifts uncomfortably as he tries his best to ignore the loud and obvious commentary that’s being directed to him.

at first, it was flattering. but now? he just wishes things would go back to the times where people had no interest in him, whatsoever.

he knows what rieko really like him for, and it’s honestly disheartening. the girl would compliment him on things like his looks, and even his new moves!

but as soon as he elaborated on how he did it, the interest would fade away from her eyes

not that it did matter though. midoriya didn’t really have any feelings for any of the people that’ve approached him, wanting to date him. he’s been kind, and they’ve been kind in return, getting the hint and backing off.

the freckled boy was flattered but, not interested

but clearly, rieko didn’t get the message, despite the way midoriya would back away uncomfortably. how he’d immediately excuse himself whenever he’d see the girl.

just.. all signs of disinterest

“go! just ask him already!” he can hear her friends encourage her, but he’s not very enthusiastic to know what they’re cheering her on for

“he won’t be able to resist! just walk right in and do it, you guys will be an attractive couple anyway!”

midoriya’s palms are shaky, and he tries his best to calm his nerves down by clenching his fists. this doesn’t go un-noticed by you.

“you okay, midoriya?” you ask, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, and the green haired boy hopes that his cheeks aren’t turning red.

the both of you guys are awfully close! not that he’s complaining, it’s just that—

“is it about them?” you ask in a nearly quiet tone, and midoriya’s aware that you’re talking about them.

“uhm..” midoriya tries to formulate a proper answer, not wanting to sound as bothered as he actually is. how would he be able to explain this? “don’t worry about it,” midoriya reassures, “it’s just—”

“do you think that he’s dating that person? you know, the one beside them?” he hears that the topic of the conversation has shifted, and the group of girls are referring to you.

midoriya wasn’t planning on telling anyone about the dilemma. let alone his crush. it was something he was going to ignore, until the mess calmed down.

but now? you’re roped into it, and his nerves didn’t calm down at all.

“izuku dating them? no, it can’t be. he’s too good for them!”

“that’s the spirit, rieko. you should just go like.. now!”

to him, it’s the other way around. you’re too good for him, and you’re out of his league. so, this comment upsets him to all ends.

he’s pondering on what he should do, and before he could take you out of the line to get food at some other place, he feels something warm enlace his hand.

he slightly shivers when he realizes that it’s your hand he’s holding, cheeks flushed with crimson.

your eyes are ahead, a lot more composed than he is clearly, but if he looked hard enough, he could sense the nervousness in your hold.

“you wanna leave the line, izu?” his first name sounds different when you say it, and he thinks to himself that he prefers it a lot more when it comes from you

“y-yes.” and you smile, pressing your lips against his cheek quickly, before tugging his hand and pulling him out of the line, walking away from the group.

it’s a miracle that he didn’t drop onto the cafeteria’s floors.

you can feel his anxiety subsiding. despite his flushed cheeks remaining, he looks better than he did a few seconds ago, and you’re glad.

deciding the both of you were at a safe distance, you peek over your shoulder. you can see the absolute defeat on rieko’s face, and the scowl on her friends’ faces as they attempted to comfort their heartbroken friend.

“thank you, y/n.”

“no, it’s nothing, really. anyhow, what do you plan on eating for lunch?”

[jstarswrites]

Upside Down

Chapter 8 is right here for you my lovelies. I am particularly fond of this one. Also, this is slightly longer because I got carried away... Anyway, enjoy!

The Outcasts Masterlist

Walking through the woods was creepy as all hell. It didn’t help that the Demobats were still in the sky, screeching and generally just scaring the shit out of you. The upside down was devoid of life, and that alone was enough to creep you out. Add in the vines that were everywhere and could grab you in a heartbeat, the strange roaring of a creature somewhere out in the distance, and the dead as fuck trees in the woods, and your creepy meter was so high it was screaming at you.

Eddie held your hand tightly as you walked, keeping you grounded and reminding you that he was there, that he was okay. Robin was on your other side, holding your hand too, because she was as scared as you were and you needed all the comfort you could get right now. Plus, it made walking easier, as the three of you were on alert looking for any creature, vines, or other creepy upside down denizen. You were safe from accidental stabbings, vine attacks, or anything else. 

When Nancy asked if you recognised anything, you let go and jogged to her as you, Nancy and Steve tried to figure out where the hell you were. Getting lost in the woods in Hawkins was bad enough, but you could usually figure out where you where you were by the way the trees looked. Having spent your childhood in those woods, and then most of your teenage years for one reason or another, you were familiar with the area. But here in the upside down… Well, everything was weird as fuck and yet a creepy sense of déjà vu was ever present, too. 

Eddie watched you like a hawk as he and Robin picked their way through forest and vines to catch up to you. Robin suddenly appeared right next to him and scared the shit out of him in the process. ‘Jesus fuck! Don’t do that!’ He told her, heart pounding as he checked on you to make sure you were okay.

Robin giggled. ‘Sorry. I just wanted to tell you something.’

‘Okay?’

‘You’re good for her, you know.’

‘Huh?’ Eddie asked, turning back to your friend. He was confused.

‘Yeah, you’ve got her out of her shell. Not that she was ever afraid of being herself, but she could be real quiet. She gets stuck in that head of hers, and she finds it hard to get out sometimes,’ Robin explained.

‘Yeah, I, uh, noticed she had, uh, more quiet days,’ he said softly, eyes trained on your form as you spoke to Nancy.

‘Yeah, some of it’s because of her mom,’ Robin said. ‘They don’t get on. But some of it is just, like, anxiety, you know? The fear creeps in and she hides.’

Eddie stared at her. ‘Seriously? She’s the bravest person I know.’

Robin smiled. ‘I know, but she doesn’t think that. But when she’s with you? There’s none of that fear. She’s just… happy.’

‘You’re saying I make her happy?’

Robin nodded. ‘Yeah. So, thanks for making my best friend happy.’

‘She makes me happy too,’ Eddie admitted. ‘I mean, I’ve liked her for ages. I just didn’t have the courage to talk to her, and now I kinda wish I had, but I also know she probably wouldn’t have said yes. Because of the whole not knowing about this stuff.’ 

‘Yeah, she kinda avoided guys for a while. I didn’t understand it until last summer. But it’s kinda hard to explain to someone why you spend the majority of your time around a bunch of kids at least four years younger than you,’ Robin said. ‘Well, unless you’re in a club or something.’

Eddie grinned. ‘Yeah, Hellfire works because of the different people. But we all know the same things.’

Robin nodded. ‘And y/n just didn’t seem to be interested in anyone, either. Well, except for you.’

‘Me?’

‘Yeah, you didn’t notice her watching you? Or the way she’d come up to you in class and stuff?’

‘No,’ Eddie shook his head. ‘I mean, she told me she noticed me but hadn’t approached me because of all this.’ He waved his hands around airily, almost hitting Robin in the face, who only just managed to duck in time. ‘But I didn’t realise it was because she was interested and just didn’t want to drag me into this.’

‘Yeah, she’s kinda awesome like that. She’s always thinking about others,’ Robin said. ‘So I need you to think about her. Put her first for once, because no one does that.’

Eddie nodded, looking at you as they caught up to you and smiling. ‘I can do that. She’s the most important person in my life.’

Robin smiled and nudged him with her shoulder. ‘See? Good for her.’

You turned around, looking for Eddie and Robin. Eddie was already looking at you, a bright smile on his face. You danced over to him, humming a song absentmindedly. Robin joined in, and then you were doing silly dance moves. Then Eddie joined and Steve once he’d spotted what you were doing. 

Nancy turned around and stared at you. ‘What… are you doing?’

‘Thirty second dance party,’ you said, shrugging and holding out a hand for her to join. ‘Come on, Nance, let’s shake off the lethargy and weird creepy feeling and get ready to shoot some bats!’ 

Nancy laughed but joined you. 

It didn’t take you long to get to Nancy’s house. It was covered in vines, inside and out, and as you stepped inside, that strange sense of déjà vu came over you. It was the same, but different. The whole vibe was off. Normally, the wheeler house was very welcoming. But the not-wheeler house made you feel like an intruder. And in a way, you were. The upside down was not your place. You didn’t belong here. The sooner you could get out of here, the better. 

You were following the others up the stairs when you heard it. Dustin’s voice, coming from somewhere. He couldn’t be here, could he? You turned to find Steve beside you. You exchanged a look. He’d heard it too. Well, that was reassuring. You hadn’t suddenly gone insane and started hearing voices or something. The upside down would turn anyone insane, after all. You went back downstairs, trying to locate the source of Dustin’s voice. You weren’t sure how you were hearing him, just that you were. You knew Will had communicated with his mom when he was stuck here.

Maybe Dustin was trying something similar? 

It didn’t hit you until the others had joined you in your weird search. Lights. Joyce had used lights. Christmas lights. You turned to Nancy to tell her about your idea, only to find that she’d had the same one and was trying to turn the lights on. It was then that you noticed a strange orange glow around the main light. You reached out to touch it and the light turned on. Delighted, you called the others to come and see. Now you had a way to tell Dustin you were here. You just had to figure out a better way of communicating, because there were like six bulbs on this thing. 

You could use ASCII, since you and Dustin had just memorised the most recent set, but you needed at least sixteen bulbs for that to work properly, and no one else would understand. And then you realised what you did know. Morse code. Eddie also knew some, only the SOS configuration, but that helped. He tapped out the dots and dashes on the bulb, watching as it lit up each time he touched it. He kept repeating it until Dustin realised you were trying to communicate and let out a shout of acknowledgement. 

From there, it was just a matter of figuring out what was happening and sharing information. Pretty soon you’d learned there were more gates out there, at each murder site. That confused you for a bit, considering they were all pretty far away, and the more time you spent in the upside down, the more at risk you were. Eventually, Robin, your genius best friend, remembered that there were bikes, and you had a mode of transport. After arranging to meet at Eddie’s trailer, you signed off. 

‘C’mon, let’s go,’ Nancy said, and you all followed her down the stairs.

Eddie took your hand as you stepped into the kitchen. ‘You doing okay, sweetheart?’

You nodded, smiling at him. ‘We have a plan. Dustin and the others are okay. And you’re here beside me. How could I not be?’

Eddie leaned in and kissed you. ‘You say the sweetest things.’

‘I can be less sweet, if you’d like,’ you said, grinning at him.

‘Depends on whether you’re leaning towards mean, or something else,’ he replied, his hand moving to your waist and sliding under your shirt. 

You laughed softly. ‘Oh, definitely something else.’

‘Yeah? That’s okay then,’ Eddie said, kissing you again. This kiss was hot and heavy, and you melted into Eddie’s warm embrace. You probably shouldn’t be making out in the upside down, considering the danger, but you also weren’t going to miss out on kissing Eddie. 

‘Hey, lovebirds!’ Steve called. ‘Make out on your own time! We gotta move.’

Eddie laughed and pressed a soft kiss to your lips before pulling away properly. ‘Gotta get, sweetheart.’ 

‘Mmhmm, let’s go,’ you said, taking his outstretched hand.

Thankfully, the garage wasn’t too covered in vines. Everyone grabbed a bike but you. There were only four. Thankfully, Eddie solved that problem and had you stand on the bike pegs, holding onto him as he rode. The streets were dark and eerie as you rode to Eddie’s trailer, the silence the most off-putting thing about the upside down. In the forest, there were constant noises. Now it was utterly silent. You knew that could only mean something bad was coming, and you really didn’t want to be here when it came.

You reached Eddie’s trailer, and all of you piled in. Eddie looked around, looking for the thing that was different. You looked up and nudged him. The gate was in the ceiling, slightly complicating matters. There was a sudden noise and a disgusting belch from the ceiling, and then you could see Dustin’s face. You let out a shocked laugh, grinning up at him as he smiled at you. 

‘You have no idea how good it is to see you, Squish,’ you said. 

‘It’s good to see you, too. Though I don’t understand why you went to the upside down with no weapons, no plan, and you left us behind,’ Dustin pouted.

‘Yes, Dustin. We totally did that just because we felt like it,’ you said, voice dripping with sarcasm. ‘It couldn’t have been a total accident, could it?’

‘Well, Steve got dragged in,’ Robin put in. ‘And we all kinda… just… followed?’

‘We did do that,’ Eddie nodded. ‘We totally followed Steve.’

‘No, Nancy followed Steve,’ you said. ‘We followed Nancy. The smart one.’

‘I’m the smart one?’ Nancy asked, looking pleased.

‘Duh,’ Steve said. 

Dustin nodded in agreement. ‘Yeah, they’re right. Nancy is the smart one. Give us a second, and we’ll figure out a way to get you back here.’

You all relaxed a little, confident that Dustin could figure it out. He really was too smart for his own good sometimes. It didn’t take long. He and the others found the sheets after asking where Eddie kept them. They tied them together and then threw them through the gate. The sheets stayed in the real world as the kids hung onto them; the ends dropping through and appearing in the upside down. Dustin slowly had the others release them, and the sheets stayed in place, giving you a way through the gate. 

Robin stepped up first. She grabbed hold of the sheets and climbed out, dropping down on the other side. Eddie nudged you forward.

‘You next, sweetheart,’ he said in a tone that told you not to argue with him. 

It was as you stepped forward that you heard it. A clock chiming somewhere. You turned around to find the others had vanished, and you stood facing a grandfather clock. Shit. This must be Vecna. Which meant he’d found out you were here, and he was either on his way, or he had the others in his grip, too. Panic seized you as you thought about Eddie, terrified he had hold of him and was hurting him as you stood here in front of this damn clock. 

And then a powerful anger rose within you.

You kicked the clock. 

‘Y/N.’

‘Oh, what the fuck do you want, asshole?’ You muttered, kicking the clock again. 

‘Y/N. What are you doing here, y/n?’

‘Oh, like you own this place? Go fuck yourself!’ 

You turned and stomped towards the door, yanking it open. Instead of the trailer park, you found yourself standing in the parking lot of the high school. You were alone, as the other kids milled around you. All of them ignoring you as they streamed into school. Your freshman year. The other members of your D and D party had moved away, or moved on to other things. You had no one that entire year. All alone, no one to talk to, no one who saw you. And that pattern continued at home. Your mother lavished attention on Dustin and ignored you.

The thing was, though, that you’d grown strong from that. Oh, it hurt like hell to be ignored and made to feel as though you were invisible. And you should never have had to go through such a thing. But you’d hardened your skin so the bully’s insults never landed properly, and stopped caring about what people thought of you. If they were going to ignore you anyway, then you might as well be yourself and do what made you happy. And you’d learned who you were in the process.

Why bother worrying about other people when no one thought of you? You’d learned to be self sufficient, only relying on yourself. You’d strengthened your relationship with your little brother. You had grown so much in that first year of high school, and come out the other side stronger. Taking a deep breath, you stepped forward and yanked the double doors to the school open. 

Only to find yourself now in the tunnels. The tunnels the Mindflayer had made beneath Hawkins for the Demodogs. It was pitch black and you could hear growling in the dark. And then you heard Dustin scream. 

‘Dustin?’ You yelled, panic piercing you. 

‘I warned you, y/n.’ 

‘Oh, go to hell!’

‘But you are already in hell, y/n. I know all your thoughts. How you really feel about your brother. Your resentment, your jealousy, your hatred.’

‘Well, now I know you’re making shit up.’

‘I see everything, y/n.’

‘Then you’re fucking hallucinating, asshole!’ You kicked the wall, testing to see how solid it was. ‘Dustin! Where are you? Call for me and I’ll find you!’ You screamed, frantically running through the tunnels, searching for him. 

‘You will never find him here. You are wasting your time. And I will take everything from you.’

‘I’ll kill you,’ you seethed. ‘If you’ve hurt a hair on my brother’s head, you’re dead, you hear me? Dead!’

And then Eddie screamed.

Meanwhile, Eddie was in his own hell. You’d gone into the same trance Chrissy had entered only a few feet away. He was panicking, terrified he was going to lose you. He was shaking you, getting more and more scared as each moment passed and you didn’t come back to him. He couldn’t get you to snap out of it. He was going to lose you. He was going to lose you, and it would destroy him. 

‘Y/N? Come back to me, sweetheart,’ he pleaded, his voice cracking. ‘Please, y/n, come back to me.’ 

‘Eddie!’ 

He looked up to find Dustin staring at him. 

‘Lift her up so we can help her,’ Dustin said. 

Eddie nodded and turned to Steve for help. Together, they got your unresponsive body into the air. Dustin and Lucas grabbed your arms and hauled you out of the gate. Once you were safely in the real world, they repeated the process with Nancy. Eddie and Steve soon joined them. 

‘We need music, now!’ Robin cried, and Eddie took off for his room.

He found what he was looking for almost immediately. He hurried back as Robin complained about his music selection. Max tried to hand over her Walkman, but Eddie knew if something happened to Max because he’d used it, you would never forgive yourself or him. Instead, he lunged towards the stereo and shoved the tape inside, turning the volume as far as it would go.

Motley Crue’s shout at the devil blasted out at top volume.

Back in the hell Vecna had crafted for you, you took a step back as a dark shape came through the wall. Eddie’s screams were ringing in your ears. You could barely think as Vecna approached you. 

‘You will suffer, y/n. I will make sure of it. You will lose everyone you care about. Dustin. Eddie. Robin. Max. Lucas. Nancy. Steve. Everyone.’

‘Go to hell, asshole!’

And then you heard it. Eddie’s voice. Pleading and begging you to come back. You could hear strains of Motley Crue in the background. You turned to find an opening in the wall behind you, showing you Eddie and Dustin. 

‘Please, sweetheart. Don’t leave me. Not now. I only just got you,’ Eddie begged. ‘Please, come back to me.’

You turned back to Vecna. ‘Stay out of my head, and stay away from my friends,’ you ordered, and then punched him right in the face. He reeled backwards, letting out a roar, and you darted into the hole. 

When you opened your eyes, you were laying in Eddie’s arms. He gasped in relief, and you saw the tears in those brown eyes you loved so much. He pulled you to him, holding on so tight he crushed the air from your body. You didn’t care. You wrapped your arms around him, holding on for dear life. 

‘You came back,’ he murmured, letting you go a little so he could see your face. His thumb caressed your cheek as he laid his hand over it.

‘I heard your voice,’ you told him, smiling up at him.

‘And the Motley Crue, right?’ Dustin asked. Beside him, Steve had hold of Nancy, who was shaking. She gave you a weak smile when you looked at her.

‘I heard that too,’ you assured your little brother before turning back to Eddie.

‘I heard you tell me to come back,’ you said. ‘You saved me.’

Eddie shook his head, and you reached up and kissed him. Eddie kissed you like you were oxygen and he’d been holding his breath his whole life. The kiss was desperate and full of passion as you clung to one another. 

‘I promise I’ll always come back to you,’ you swore when you broke apart for air. 

Eddie kissed you again. ‘And I will always find you.’ 

Taglist: @efvyqrs @gnnnne @smc777 @okilover02 @itsjenna2u

[whatifyoulivelikethat]

snake | myg

pairing(s): yoongi x reader

summary: Your parents have no qualms on doing whatever they can to climb the social ladder. That includes assigning you a betrothed you've never met, an offering to the crown prince. You, the one the gossipers whisper under their breath... the Snake Princess.

warnings: implied parental emotional and physical abuse; language; non-idol!AU - prince!Yoongi x aristocrat!reader, ft overprotective (but secretly soft), tattooed, little brother!JK; based on this

–

“I don’t care what our father said, you’re not marrying him!”

You scratched your ear, partly shielding it from the loud voice of your brother.

“He’s an asshole!”

“You don’t know him?” you offered, affixing your earring, somewhat annoyed. The yellow gold wasn’t quite your style. Your parents liked such gaudy, ugly things.

Both in fashion and tradition, unfortunately.

“Do you?” your brother shot back, throwing himself up from your bed where he was yelling at the ceiling about nothing he could change. It was a favorite past time of his, along with following you around like a talkative shadow.

“No, that’s why I’m meeting him today,” you replied dryly. You switched to the other ear, adding the dragon-shaped ear cuff above the gold earring. Your parents hated it when you added such aggressive accessories – they’re not womanly, they would say – but if you were going to be betrothed to some guy on the sole basis that they had ambitions and he was the man who so happened to be the next-in-line for the throne, you weren’t going to lie about what kind of woman you were.

“Aren’t you pissed?”

You shrugged. “Is it so bad?”

“Yes!”

You sighed and flickered your eyes to the mirror, seeing Jeon Jungkook’s furious expression, long black hair tied back with lingering strands framing his high cheekbones, his black and gold robes wild, poorly tied and revealing half of his tanned, toned chest. His dark brown eyes flashed, pressing his cherry-painted lips together, jawline sharp and defiant. That’s how Jungkook always looked, messy, undone, borderline furious.

Everyone called him the Reckless Prince.

You just called him little brother.

“Noona…”

“Hmm?”

You saw him frown and you looked away, running a hand through your hair, browsing your hair accessories. You used to have an aide to help you at one point, but you told your parents to get rid of them, preferring to get ready by yourself. And besides, Jungkook liked to burst in and interrupt you with his relentless tirades about how unfair your arranged marriage was. There was no point in having hired help when you could coerce your brother into doing things as you put up with him.

“Can I brush your hair?”

“You have arms and hands, so you’re physically capable, yes.”

You heard him click his tongue in annoyance and smirked, shifting your eyes to the mirror. He was behind you now, face no longer visible. It didn’t matter. You already knew his cross expression quite well. He snatched the ornate comb from your vanity, the black snake head clearly visible on the side of his right wrist, inked near his thumb. Your parents scolded and beat him for getting it, but Jungkook could care less, breaking the wooden paddle with ease, right out of your mother’s hand.

You hadn’t said anything.

The rumors called you the Snake Princess.

Quick-witted, sharp, vicious. Not to your face though, because that was just foolishness. It wouldn’t be only your wrath they would be evoking.

Jungkook ran the comb through your hair, gently separating the strands, careful not to pull too hard. He was better than any aide anyway. They merely yanked and pulled you into their standard of beauty, ignoring your opinions or input, always citing that it was important to not look like a peasant, important to always look above your status, using your beauty to save face.

Saving face.

You hated those words.

“What if he’s a horrible person?” your brother asked quietly, tucking the strands away from your eyes only for them to slip back stubbornly.

“Then he’s a horrible person,” you replied, applying your makeup. “And you’ll probably do something about it.”

Jungkook made a noise between an aggravated bear and an injured tiger.

“If he so much as puts one fingertip on you, I’ll kill him.”

You snorted. “I’d hate to tell you what marriage entails, Jungkook.”

The comb in your hair paused.

His anger subsided, just like that.

“You’re really going to do it?” he asked softly. “Really, really?”

You heard the pain in Jungkook’s voice.

You recalled when you received the news many years ago, silent fury as your parents gave you away, turning you into a transaction to raise their own reputation and status. Your reaction was nothing to your little brother’s, him running to your room and crying in your arms, distraught and upset that you were leaving him, declaring he hated your parents, everyone, and everything.

“You’re supposed to protect me,” Jungkook had sobbed, already too big for you to hold like this but you did anyway, patting his head and wiping his tears with your sleeve. “You’re supposed to be here, with me, forever and always.”

He had taken your hand, tucking his fingers in yours, pressing your pinkies together.

“You promised me.”

And you had, from the very beginning, the shy kid always following after you and making you speak for him, your parents yelling and scolding him to be a man, but you defending him, taking the slaps meant for him, sneaking him sweets when he was hiding his tears, telling him it was okay to cry and that noona would stay here and listen to his worries, no matter if it was as stupid as a butterfly flying away or the teacher once again reprimanding him for his poor scores.

The amount of pressure they put on him just because he was the son was immense.

“I wanna play,” he had cried softly. “I don’t have to study anymore.”

“You want to be stupid?” you had teased, patting his head. “What if I had my lessons with you? I can make that happen.”

“R-Really?”

So, you made it happen, telling your parents and tutors that it would be better for him to be exposed to more complex concepts earlier rather than later and watching someone learn would improve his own scores. You made yourself a better student for his benefit and he, in turn, followed obediently, doing what you did, always overjoyed to hear your praise.

You and your snake tongue could made anything happen for him.

“This servant is bothering me.”

You found some questionable information on that servant and they resigned rather quickly.

“I don’t like the girl our father introduced me to.”

Suddenly said girl was no longer interested in Jungkook. For… reasons.

“I wish I could go on vacation, even for a couple days.”

That one got you both beaten for your three-day adventure to the sea, mostly because you had to run away from your duties to do it. But it was worth it to see the smile on Jungkook’s face.

Then Jungkook became a teenager.

You might have taught him that rules were for old people, for the generation too uptight.

He wanted to do a whole lot of things and you made it happen. Getting him out of those sticky situations was a bit tough, but nothing unmanageable. And now Jungkook was a young adult who did not care about anyone’s opinion other than yours, getting tattooed and spending all of his time with his friends, lackadaisical and free, your parents giving up and calling him a disgrace, relying on your marriage to restore the reputation they valued so much, the face they themselves ruined with their own poor decisions, taking out their frustrations on you and Jungkook, sometimes without warning.

You stayed home, playing good daughter so Jungkook could be the bad son.

Ah, maybe it was your fault he was the Reckless Prince.

You turned, looking up at him now from the corner of your eye, up his loose robes and exposed collarbone, up the line of his jaw that was similar to yours, his lips not quite as full, his round brown orbs that were actually much more innocent and purer than he liked to admit, similar to your eye shape.

But not the same.

Because your eyes were sharper, cold-blooded, predatory.

Even with Jungkook, there was no mistaking the power behind your gaze.

“Do you think just because I’m married to some man that he can control my life?” you said with a sly smile, your lips painted lush red. “I’ll come visit you whenever I want. You can come whenever you want. You can live with me if you want.”

You turned back, sweeping your hair and twisting it in place, deftly and quickly pinning it back, leaving some strands loose and messy that your parents would highly disapprove of, but why did that matter? If this man was to be your husband, then he would see you completely undone at one point, so he should get used to it.

Your parents wouldn’t approve of the black and dark green combination you had chosen either, but that’s why you learned how to sew to dress yourself as you liked. You have to be a lady. You were a lady. Just your version of a lady and not theirs. They tried to gatekeep you by saying that the pink and yellow fabrics were all they could afford. They had a tendency to underestimate your craftiness.

No obstacle was too high for the Snake Princess to slither over.

“Really?” Jungkook asked as you stood up, smoothly adjusting the tie at your waist.

You chuckled at him as he began to follow you out of your bedroom.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll do it for you.”

-

“You brought your brother.”

“I don’t bring him anywhere. He comes and goes as he pleases.”

Jungkook was sitting behind you, arms crossed, glaring at the dark-haired man sitting in front of you. You had mildly fixed his appearance before entering only from him to push up his sleeves so he could reveal the entire snake tattoo wrapped around his arm, a black snake surrounded by thorned vines.

“Hmm.”

This man had requested to meet you first, alone, without the parents. Untraditional, but as long as his father agreed to the request, it was done. Your father had no say in the matter, although he did protest rather loudly and uncouthly.

You had poured the tea for your future husband and you.

Neither of you were drinking it.

The man before you had a piercing gaze, cloud-white skin, shapely lips. Somehow, he surprised you by being dressed in black and gold as well, although he was much neater than Jungkook, black hair tied back in a the usual, curated traditional style.

“I intend in marrying you, you know.”

He had a deep, rough voice, reminding you of dead leaves and winter.

“Is that not the point of this meeting?” was your dry response.

A dark eyebrow lifted.

Jungkook clicked his tongue dismissively.

Those shapely lips curved into a slow smirk.

“I thought I wouldn’t like you,” the dark-haired man mused, reaching over to the teacup and pulling it to him. “I was fully prepared to refuse this proposal and put your family more in the dirt than your brother has already put them into.”

“You bas–” Jungkook hissed, but you held up a hand, cutting him off.

You kept your eyes on those dark brown orbs, cat-like and predatory. He took a deep inhale of the aroma of the tea, letting out a satisfied, smokey sigh.

“I thought you would be like the others. Prim, proper, begging for me to take your hand.”

You raised an eyebrow. “What do I need to beg for? You either will or you won’t. It has nothing to do with me.”

A dark chuckle. “Indeed.”

He took a long sip of the tea, savoring it. You watched him swallow, his Adam’s apple bobbing, tongue flickering out to lick his lips. Slowly lowering his head, scrutinizing gaze on you. He made you wait for his words.

“And besides, snakes can’t kneel, can they, Snake Princess?” he purred.

“Don’t you dare call her that!”

“No, they cannot,” you replied calmly, ignoring Jungkook’s outburst, staring into the eyes of the man who was going to decide whether or not you were going to be his wife.

“They can’t pray either.”

The dark-haired man tilted his head, intrigued.

“I have no need for gods to be able to live the life I want, Min Yoongi,” you said quietly, venomous edge to your voice. “The ties you put on me cannot restrain me from living as frivolously or ambitiously as I like.”

Min Yoongi, the man who would decide whether you would live an honorable or disgraceful life, the man who was next-in-line, the crown prince. You were meant to be his, but, unlike you, he was free to refuse. Unlike you, he had nothing to lose. Unlike you, he could destroy your life in a heartbeat with a simple no.

“You believe that?” Yoongi questioned, daring you.

You didn’t back down, small serpentine smile on your lips.

“I do not need to believe when I know.”

Silence.

Then Yoongi’s shoulders shook, raspy laughing bubbling from his throat, smirk on his lips.

“You want me to refuse. You want to ruin your parents’ lives.”

You didn’t say anything, your smile fading.

“Ah, but the problem is, I really do like you, Snake Princess,” Yoongi hummed. “You sharp tongue and you even sharper mind. A simpler man would have been tricked by you.” He tapped his long fingers against the table, keeping his feline poise directed at you. “I did not want some placid, useless little thing but a real woman, someone who isn’t afraid to say what she thinks. Why have a trophy when you can have a weapon?”

He placed his chin on the back of his other hand, clicking his tongue thoughtfully.

“What shall we do then? You absolutely must be my wife.”

“You–” Jungkook hissed, rising up behind you, glaring at Yoongi over your shoulder. “You know she doesn’t want to marry you and yet you’re going to do it anyway?”

The dark-haired man raised an eyebrow. “She doesn’t want to marry me because she wants her parents to pay for using her so carelessly to further their status. However,” he added with a sweep of his hand on the table, palm upward towards you. “Has she actually said she has no interest in me as a person? During this entire meeting, has she declared that I, the crown prince, am not to her liking?”

Yoongi gave Jungkook a sharp look.

“Do you think she would hide her disdain for me if she had some?”

Silence.

“N… Noona?”

“Yes, Jungkook?”

“You don’t like him at all… right?”

Silence.

You let out a deep breath, slow and controlled.

“Hmm, you are very intuitive.”

Yoongi grinned. “You know we would be a good match, you and I. Here,” he murmured, pointing to the table. “On the throne.” Pointing outside, indicating the land. His cat-like eyes locked with your snake-like gaze, lips forming his next words slowly and deliberately.

“In bed.”

Your eyes trailed from those glittering dark eyes to his pleased smirk. Not a malicious expression somehow. An exciting one. You fully expected to be walking into this room to tear down an arrogant, gaudy man with grandiose self-centeredness.

Instead, it was Min Yoongi.

He ticked his chin to Jungkook, now right next you instead of behind you, clutching your arm tightly.

“Do you want him to be with you? That could be arranged. I can make that happen.”

You really thought you would hate Min Yoongi and yet it seemed as if you were being drawn closer and closer to him. You pursed your lips, not ready to give up yet. He continued.

“And, of course, there’s no reason for your parents to enjoy luxuries that they didn’t earn, is there?”

You narrowed your eyes at him. Yoongi smiled, calm with an underlying slyness.

“That would reflect on you if you treated your in-laws poorly,” you responded coolly.

Yoongi shrugged. “And so? I still have you.” He tilted his head. “Why take a wife if you’re not prepared to do anything for her?” He nodded to himself, tapping his fingertips on the table once more. “Whatever you want, I can make it happen. Be it your brother tagging along, your parents’ lives in ruins…”

Yoongi’s eyes found yours and there was a kindness, already knowing your and him were meant to be.

You weren’t so sure.

And yet.

His next words made you fall in love.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll do it for you.”

--

masterpost

[ashintheairlikesnow]

hmmm can vampires get sick? maybe sick vampire chris thinking Jake is gonna pull out or file down his fangs? or just thinking Jake’s gonna hurt him?

CW: Sick whumpee, vampire whumpee, blood drinking, vague implications of past sadistic/creepy whumper, dehumanization, vague tooth/mouth whump (nothing direct, but aftermath)

Sort of a sequel to this piece, part of the Vampire Chris AU

"What hurts?" He keeps his voice low, and carefully doesn't hesitate before he lays a hand over the vampire's forehead. Of course it feels lukewarm, room temperature, but he still goes through the motions of feeling for a fever. It's muscle-memory, instinct, and he keeps forgetting Chris is dead.

He has been dead for a long time, if his occasional comments on what sounds like Prohibition are true.

"Bones," Chris whimpers, twisting where he lays in Jake's bed. There's a bright flush in his cheeks from the blood he'd drained from the two men who broke into the house. Those odd eyes glitter, overbright. "My... m'bones hurt, Jake."

His mouth opens, pulling air in over his tongue and down his throat in soft pants, and Jake is reminded that vampires don't sweat. Not the same way, anyway, although with enough blood they can, in thin sheens of pink-tinged liquid that are even more alarming than their tears.

His fangs are visible this way, razor-sharp canines that come down further than the rest of his teeth, a brighter white than all the others from being pulled and regrowing so many times.

Jake swallows against his nervousness, brushing hair away from the vampire's forehead. His slit pupils are dilated, taking up too much of the iris, and he tells himself that Chris is as scared as he is of the instincts that drive him, barely understands them.

Vampires aren't animals - but when they don't understand themselves, they act like it sometimes.

"Do you think maybe those guys were on something? Like, a drug maybe?" He pets through Chris's hair, fingercombing his hair, and watches Chris's eyes flutter closed.

It's hard not to feel more than a little reassured not having to look at them any longer. Which makes him feel guilty, considering this not-a-kid kid just beat up people for hurting him.

Killed them, his brain whispers. Killed them like he could kill you.

"May, maybe," Chris mumbles, and pants again.

His gums seem oddly dark, where normally they're pale, and Jake frowns. He wishes now he knew more about vampire physiology, that he'd paid more attention in class when they took the safety courses on how to avoid them.

There's not exactly a class on caring for one - not unless you can afford to purchase them outright.

"Well, when you were-... uh, before you found us... did you ever feel like this?"

Chris's eyes blink slowly back open and he nods. "Sometimes. My, my, my, my-... someone would, um, take something before, before the party, and I'd..." He groans and shudders. Jake can see the pain move through his body as he trembles nearly violently. "I'd feel like, like, like this after... for hours..."

"Okay. So... probably you just have to let this get worked out of your system, right? Or... is there a medicine?"

"No... just... just drink more." Chris looks up at him, eyes so wide and sad and scared and hurting, and grabs onto his wrist with one hand. Those cool fingers are never not a little startling, colder than the air around them, than the rest of his body.

Vampires have poor circulation, Jake knows, even when they're filled up on a fresh meal. He's seen Chris heal his own wounds before with his tongue, had him explain that they don't heal on their own with time if they're on hands or feet.

"Chris-"

"You, you, you, you-... can, um, you can take my teeth after. You can. I'll hold still. I'll, I'll be good." Chris's plea is barely a whisper.

His nails, which must have been a little too long when he was killed and turned, dig painfully into Jake's wrist in his desperation.

"I'll be so, so, so so so so good, Jake. So good for you, and then, you can, you you you can take my teeth-... Sir always liked it, it makes me me me cry, we we cry blood, Sir liked to take photos of it-"

"Sssshhhh. Hush, Chris." Jake's mind races. There are others in the house, but-... he can't ask them to give up blood to Chris. They've already taken over cleaning the blood up from the hardwood floor. Nat's already dealt with talking to the cops and the EMTs and the coroner before the bodies were taken away. They already handled hiding Chris in a false-backed closet while Jake was interviewed by police officers who looked interested and excited,, not disturbed.

It's not every day you see a vampire attack, after all.

Mostly they're under control, kept on leashes and muzzled like dangerous dogs, the property of rich celebrities looking for novelty in a world where they already have everything. The few ferals are killed pretty fast.

Or so everyone says.

Jake is starting to wonder if there are more vampires out there than he knows about.

The cops had even insisted on checking the attic, as if Chris was a bat they might find hanging upside down. That had been ridiculous, but it's not like Jake could say he knew better without being asked how he knew so much about them in the first place.

Oh, because we keep one like a stray fucking puppy. That wouldn't go over well.

He feels a little woozy from the adrenaline crash, and still aches from the bruised ribs where he was kicked around. His mouth aches from the duct tape they'd put over it, and he'd got a hell of a rash starting around his wrists. He's so exhausted he might collapse.

But... Chris really did show up right on time, and maybe saved his life.

Chris pulls Jake's wrist to his face, nuzzles into the inside of it against the pale blue veins that show through the thin skin. Jake shudders at the feeling, swallowing back a low-level disgust.

He wonders how old the teenager really is - he wonders that all the time.

"You c-can have my teeth, after," Chris whispers, lips moving against Jake's skin. "You can keep them. Sir used to, to, to keep them in a box and show m-me. Just, please, please help me feel better, Jake, please... It won't hurt."

Jake closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "If it'll help... fine. But I'm not taking your teeth. They're yours."

"Thank you," Chris breathes out. "That's, that's, that's okay. I can still fix it for you. Thank you, Jake." His fangs slip back into Jake's skin as easily as a heated knife through warm butter.

The venom hits his bloodstream before the pain hits his nerves, and Jake feels himself slump over, head falling onto Chris's shoulder as all his limbs go dead.

It almost feels good, as his ribs stop aching, and the bruises stop throbbing on his skin. He can see why rich people love it as a party drug. You could drift in this place of perfect no-pain for a long, long time.

He feels only the wet movement of Chris's tongue, the shift of his fangs, the soft pressure of the other teeth pushing down. Chris purrs softly, drinking his blood like a kitten lapping milk.

It goes on and on, and for one terrifying second Jake thinks he's not going to stop until he's dead.

"Ch-... Chris-"

Those fangs slip suddenly out of his skin, the wet cool tongue licks rough over his wounds - closing them instantly.

The venom slowly fades, the aches and pains settling back into his body. Jake groans, feeling weak and exhausted.

Chris has to push him up off his shoulder, with unnatural strength moving him to lay on his side on the bed. Jake can barely keep his eyes open.

Chris, leaning over him, could rip his throat out and he couldn't even raise a hand to try and defend himself right now. Jake sees the body of the first dead robber behind his eyelids, the expression of horror written in eternal rictus in his expression, the blood down his shirt and puddled beneath him on the floor. The other man, fighting until he stopped, slumping until Chris had drained him to death.

"I feel better," Chris whispers, kneading at Jake's shirt briefly. "I, I, I feel so much better. Go to, um, go to sleep, Jake. I'll fix it so you're safe."

Jake can't even begin to understand what that means before he's already slid into something more like unconsciousness than actual sleep. The world around him simply goes black, and the last thing he feels is Chris pulling a blanket up to his chin.

The last thing he hears is those soft padding footsteps leaving the room.

When he wakes, he finds two fangs, pristine white with bloodied roots, sitting in a washcloth next to where his head lays on the pillow. he finds a pair of small pliers on the bathroom sink, with droplets of red around them.

The sun is shining outside the window, a bird singing loud enough to drive a drillbit into his head, and Chris is curled up asleep in the dark at the back of a closet, mouth slightly open.

Jake stares down at the empty spots where his fangs should be, and wonders if he's grateful, or horrified.

-

@burtlederp @finder-of-rings @endless-whump @astrobly @newandfiguringitout @doveotions @pretty-face-breaker @gonna-feel-that-tomorrow @boxboysandotherwhump @oops-its-whump @cubeswhump @whump-tr0pes @downriver914 @whumptywhumpdump @whumpiary @orchidscript @nonsensical-whump @outofangband