#I would’ve added so much steam T ^ T

[furubaycrossing]

onsen days ♨️

[magicshopaholic]

Next Time (Namjoon x OC)

Summary: It's a quiet night in, and neither of you are in the mood for talking.

Pairing: Namjoon x OC

Genre: Some fluff, some angst, a lot of smut

Word count: 4.3 K

Rating: 18+

Warnings: implications of long-distance, making out, dirty talk, blowjobs, nipple play, fingering, oral sex, face-sitting, sex

A/N: Set a few days after About You, but can be read standalone.

Tagging: @bbl32, @quarter-life-crisis2, @chimknj, @ggukkieland, @kflixnet, @k-radio (if you want to be added to the taglist, lmk)

Listen to: All Night by BTS, Juice WRLD

namjoon masterlist | main masterlist

The door opens just as she takes the last sip of wine. For a moment, she freezes, realising all of a sudden that she’s sitting at the dining table with no pants on but the first few trundling steps, the quiet scuffle of something being knocked into, and a familiar voice swearing under his breath confirms that it isn't a random intruder that's breached the walls of one of the most expensive apartments in downtown Seoul.

"Hey," she says, hearing the lightness in her own voice when Namjoon enters the dining room. He smiles, too, albeit tiredly, still in the blue t-shirt and cargos in which he left the house this afternoon. "I wasn't expecting you back until much later," she adds as he presses a kiss to her forehead before taking a seat next to her.

"Decided to come back early," he replies but offers no explanation, taking the beanie off his head and shaking his bleached hair before running his fingers through it. "How was lunch?"

"It was fine," answers Kaya, putting her book down. "Jae-lin is freaking out about exams and Jieun needed a break. Which I guess sounds mean but -" She sighs, shrugging. "It can't be easy living with an overachieving teenager."

Namjoon raises his eyebrows. "Speaking as a former overachieving teenager?"

"I was never overachieving. Just… dedicated."

"The shelf in your mom's house overflowing with debate and science trophies speaks for itself."

Kaya smiles, embarrassed, and playfully nudges his knee with her foot. "It's just one shelf, though. How was dance practice?"

He gives her an amused look, letting her know he isn't fooled by her change of subject. "Tiring. I'd rather not talk about it," he adds.

Kaya hesitates. "Are you sure?"

She notices his eyes flicker but he eventually shakes his head. "It's nothing. What are you doing for dinner?"

She bites her lip but doesn't push. "I thought you would be late, so I - I kind of already ate," she says sheepishly, wincing. "Sorry."

"No, no, it's okay. I already ate, too." He smiles again, still looking exhausted, but his dimple popping lightly anyway. "Wanted to get back home."

“Mhm.” She chuckles. “If I’d known I would’ve waited. Would’ve been nice to have dinner together tonight,” she adds, resting her chin on her knee.

Namjoon’s eyes soften for a moment. “Next time,” he says lightly, touching the tips of his fingers to hers. Her toes curl automatically and she nods.

“Yeah. Next time.”

There’s a pause, just like there always is. They don’t look at each other but their fingers tighten against each other’s for a moment. Then Namjoon takes a deep breath and stands up, running a hand through his hair again. She likes it like this; slightly long but not shabby, the short bangs falling on his forehead with ease. While she prefers his natural black, something she’s seen only sparingly during video calls and in pictures, she can’t deny that the blond suits him immensely.

“I’m going to take a shower, alright?” he says softly, kissing her on the cheek. Her eyes flutter shut for a moment and she nods, watching him disappear into his bedroom. He looks genuinely tired, she notes, but she can also tell that that’s not all it is. Heart full of affection and concern, though, she lets him go.

Fifteen minutes later, he emerges from the en suite in a cloud of steam, wearing a pair of boxers and wiping his hair with a towel. He spots her next to the closet. “Almost done?”

“Yeah, just needed to fit the French press in somehow.” Kaya zips the suitcase and sits back against the door. "All done," she says, her voice slightly smaller.

Namjoon slips on a white t-shirt and meets her gaze, not missing the tone. "We never did get to try it out," he says after a moment, sounding a bit rueful.

"Yeah." She nods. "Next time."

He drapes his towel over the back of his chair and leans against it, his blond hair wet and clean. "Next time," he repeats, his voice a murmur.

Kaya holds his gaze for a second before breaking away. "Do you want a drink?" she offers.

He shakes his head. "Too tired," he says, sounding a bit apologetic. He drags his feet over to the bed and sinks into the covers onto his front. "Practice wasn't all that great," he admits after a moment, his voice muffled.

She's not surprised, but she lets him open up at his own pace. His frame looks long and broad on his bed, and she tilts her head at him when he turns his to meet her gaze, eyes loving yet forlorn.

“I love you,” he says out of nowhere.

Kaya’s throat almost catches for a moment, but she reins it in. “I know,” she replies, before picking herself up off the floor and approaching him. “Take this off,” she says softly, tugging at the bottom of his t-shirt. 

For a moment she thinks he’s about to decline but then he slips it off, lifting as less of his body off the bed as possible. He tosses the t-shirt to the side and is about to turn over but she stops him, instead placing one knee on the bed and swinging her other leg over his back to straddle him.

“What are you -"

But he's cut off when she presses her thumbs into the dents of his shoulder blades and he emits a low, drawn-out groan.

Kaya continues, applying pressure to the muscles along his shoulders and his upper back, leaning over him to reach wherever she can. She tries to note his soft groans and hisses and comes back to the same spots, switching between her fingers and her knuckles.

"Is it helping?" she asks softly, bending to press a kiss to the back of his neck. He mumbles something unintelligible and she takes that as confirmation, moving lower down his back when he reaches with his hand and taps his shoulder.

"Oh. Okay," she murmurs, moving back up to his shoulders, only for him to hold her left hand with his, momentarily stopping her. "What is it?"

Namjoon visibly hesitates. "You're good at a lot of things, baby," is all he says, shifting his face out of the pillow and looking up at her as best as he can.

It takes her a moment to catch on. "Oh, my God. Is it not good?"

"You're good at a lot of things,” he repeats earnestly. “Just… other things."

"Oh, God," she mumbles in mortification, moving to get off him but stopping when he snickers and tightens his hold on her hand. "Was I hurting you?" she asks, mildly horrified.

"It's alright," he assures her, kissing her knuckles. "I appreciate the effort."

She pouts, one hand still flat on his warm skin, before sliding forward and resting her body on his. His content sigh tells her that this, at least, isn’t hurting.

"This is helping," he murmurs, linking his fingers with hers on the bed. Kaya, her head resting sideways just like his on the back of his neck, squeezes his hand in response.

"We should do a couple's massage sometime," she suggests absently.

He half-chuckles. "Sounds sexy. Next time?"

She nods into his shoulder, her lips at his skin. "Next time."

Namjoon doesn't reply, but his fingers tighten around her own again. He knows it and she knows it, and it warms her heart in a sweet and sad way that they're both aligned on how to deal with this every time.

Next time. No tears, no drama, no misdirected anger; only the promise of next time. They’d never talked about it explicitly, but somehow these words had made it into conversation once and nothing more needed to be said after that. Just the smallest gestures that accompanied it were enough: a hug that lingered a bit longer than usual, a throwaway reminder that betrayed something more affectionate, or even returning earlier from dance practice on the pretext of being tired.

Although staying apart got marginally easier to handle over time, these nights never did. But neither Kaya nor Namjoon had the heart to make it worse, so they remained normal nights for the most part, only a bit more quiet.

She watches their fingers, interlinked next to them on the white sheets. The light from the lamp is dim; she notes vaguely to remind Namjoon later to change the bulb before it goes out altogether… although there’s no telling if he’ll manage it too well himself. She decides to drop Yoongi a text, too, just in case.

Namjoon’s thumb strokes her index finger tenderly. She doesn’t know if she’s imagining the sudden stiffness in his back, but she hugs him a bit tighter with her free arm, trying to memorise the feel of his broad shoulders and the scent of his skin.

“Was it my imagination,” he asks after a moment, his deep voice reverberating through his back, “or are you wearing black panties and nothing else?”

Kaya stays unmoving. “Nothing you can’t take off pretty easily,” she murmurs. Namjoon simply nods but she can see the dimple forming on his left cheek and that alone makes her face heat up. Lifting her torso off his back, she taps him softly. “Turn over.” 

He complies almost immediately, struggling a bit underneath her even after she raises her hips to help him. Finally, when he’s flat on his back, blond hair messy on his forehead and looking up at her with such lust and fondness that it almost breaks her heart, she shifts slightly so his gaze drops to her lower half. 

“So I wasn’t imagining it,” he confirms, his smile widening. His hands rest comfortably on her hips, his thumbs on the edge of the elastic.

“No, you weren’t,” she murmurs, lowering herself to kiss him. He responds immediately, his mouth opening against hers and their lips moving in tandem against each other. He tastes of toothpaste; it’s the most innocuous thing but it stirs something in her and she presses her body firmly against his. His hands tighten on her hips before moving up her torso, and she can feel her tank top riding up as well.

Namjoon’s body is the most incredible feeling; every muscle, every tendon, every single touch is so big that it makes her feel completely consumed by him. His hands slip underneath her top and move up her sternum, entire palms feeling warm against her ribcage and making a shiver run down her spine. She sighs into his mouth and buries her fingers in his hair, running them through the platinum strands and gently pulling at them until he softly groans.

Breaking away, Kaya presses a kiss to his jaw and continues making her way down his body, kissing every inch of his torso, running her fingers along his skin as he lets out a low sigh from the back of his throat. She stops briefly to flick her tongue against his nipple, feeling her heart race and her core ache when he suddenly groans and his hands tighten in her hair.

When her lips are at his abdomen, she feels his bulge pulse against her chest and out of nowhere, she feels her mouth water. Startled yet pleased by this new reaction, she moves lower and tugs his boxers down, biting her lip when his cock is freed from its confines, almost completely erect. Wrapping her fingers around him, she strokes his shaft.

Fuck, you’re so big. Kaya realises only a moment later that she’s said it out loud, when he exhales sharply and his cock twitches. Keeping her hand firmly around him, she strokes him again, beginning a gentle rhythm while she kisses his inner thigh, wanting to feel and remember every inch of him. Sitting back up, she feels him rock hard and moves her other hand up to his balls to palm him, loving his guttural groan at the feel of her fingers.

“That feels so good,” he sighs, one hand finding its way to her head and his fingers gently tangling in her hair. Kaya presses a kiss to them, her heart skipping a beat at his groan, louder this time, before running her tongue slowly up his shaft and taking him into her mouth. He’s big, and she feels the beginning of a familiar ache in her jaw as she takes him in as much as she can before moving back up.

It’s the sweetest pain, though, second only to feeling him inside her as he stretches her out. She takes him in again, this time feeling him touch the back of her throat before pulling away slightly, sucking him slowly now. Namjoon groans above her before she feels his hands on her shoulders and she lets his cock slip out of his mouth, looking up at him.

“Come here,” he whispers, voice deep and raspy. His eyes drop from his face to her chest, where her tank top has ridden down to reveal almost all of her breasts. “I want to taste you.”

Pausing only for a fraction of a second, Kaya sits up and tugs down her underwear, slipping the black material down her thighs and climbing out of them. The cool air of the AC makes her shiver slightly but she crawls forward anyway, straddling him again. He beckons her forward, eyes on her bare cunt, until she’s at his shoulders and he slips his arms underneath her, before grabbing hold of her thighs with a sudden force.

Kaya gasps, feeling his lips on her folds without warning, kissing them softly before applying more pressure gradually. She grabs the frame of the bed for balance, her eyes fluttering shut when she feels him eat her out more fully, pulling her tightly to his mouth as his lips find her clit.

“Oh, God, yes,” she moans, biting her lip as he tugs at her thighs to give himself a better angle. Already swollen, her nub feels more sensitive than ever against his mouth, making her toes curl and making her whimper every time he sucks on it. 

Hesitating, she drops her gaze, only to be met by a pair of dark, narrowed eyes looking up at her unapologetically from between her legs. His slender fingers are firm around her thighs as he keeps them spread, and just as she’s about to reach down and touch his hair, he presses his tongue to her clit and she feels the ripples all the way into her lower abdomen.

“Fuck,” she whispers, rolling her hips over his waiting mouth. He grunts in pleasure, his hands tightening around her thighs as his tongue finds her opening and finally enters her. Kaya lets go of the bed frame momentarily to swiftly take off her tank top, followed by her bra, before she reaches for her breast with one hand, squeezing it before twisting her nipple.

She holds onto the frame with the other hand as she continues pleasuring herself while Namjoon eats her out, his tongue moving faster now and her hips keeping pace with him. Her eyes open when his grip loosens slightly and he taps her thigh. When she looks down and shifts slightly, he brings his arms back from under her and holds her waist, carefully turning them over so she doesn’t hit her head on the frame.

Now with her back against the sheets, the sight of Namjoon crawling in between her spread legs is another thing altogether. Keeping her hips firmly on the bed, he dives for her soaked cunt again, finding her clit with ease and instantly sucking on it. Kaya moans again, louder this time, just as he snakes a hand up her body to squeeze her breast. Taking her cue, he thumbs the nipple before pinching it between his index and middle fingers, making her moan his name out loud.

“Yes, yes…" she murmurs softly, feeling the beginning of her orgasm deep in her core. Her back arches and her sighs grow louder, each sound spurring Namjoon to move his mouth faster. 

His lips move through her folds like butter, his eyes darting up to see her sternum, stretched and naked, one hand clutching the pillow and the other snaking down to his hair as she raises her hips into his face. He grunts and pulls her closer just as he feels her shudder, her wetness exploding in his mouth and she moans loudly, a carnal sound that makes his cock throb painfully.

Kaya tries to catch her breath, her heart racing and her core still wanting more as Namjoon pulls away, kissing her inner thigh and slowly, patiently making his way up her leg as she recovers from her orgasm. His mouth brushes up her abdomen, pressing open-mouthed kisses on her skin, her warm, wheatish skin that's her and only her.

Namjoon sucks a mark under her breast, hearing her soft moans of pleasure and feeling her fingers in his hair again, nails against his scalp. His heart clenches and he buries his face in her chest as he moves upwards, savouring her soft skin and the feel of her curves against him.

"I love you," he whispers again, too quiet for her to catch but he wants more than anything to show her rather than tell her. When he's at her cleavage, he pulls away slightly to look down at her and the sight of her coming down from her high, panting and with glassy eyes makes his heart stutter.

"Promise me you'll keep your door locked," he says abruptly.

Kaya frowns before letting out a breathless chuckle. "What?"

"Your front door," he repeats, swallowing and moving his hand up to brush a loose strand of hair off her face. "You always forget. Promise me you'll remember to lock it."

He sees the realisation dawn on her face before a smile takes its place, a very specific, knowing sort of smile. "I promise," she murmurs, nodding and bringing his face to hers and kissing him passionately.

Namjoon responds with all the love he has in him, desperate all of a sudden to keep her as close to him as he can, for however long he can. He can sense his thoughts going down a road that he wants to avoid, though, so he focuses on every physical sensation he's feeling at the moment: her fingers in his hair; her breasts pressed against his chest; her core, warm and sensitive, brushing against his erection; her lips soft and swollen against his own.

Reaching down between them, he gently presses his fingers into her folds again, hearing her moan in surprise before pulling away.

"Do you think you can, baby?" Namjoon's voice is a murmur, deep and calm, his lips brushing her earlobe. "Think your pretty little pussy can take my cock in it?"

Kaya lets out another moan at his words and he feels a warm wetness against his fingers. Kissing her neck softly, he moves his fingers lower to her opening, lubricating her as her hips begin to move against him.

"God, Joon…" She punctuates his name with another sigh, her fingernails scraping down his back. "Baby, if you keep going… I'm going to cum again."

"So cum," he murmurs calmly, his mouth at her collarbone, even as he feels himself harden further. He curls his fingers inside her, making her gasp.

"No, I… I want to cum with you," she whines. She reaches down his body, feeling the length of his torso and the ample warmth of his body, big and protective, enveloping her so fully that she just wants to feel him inside her walls now. "I want to cum with you… inside me."

Namjoon's fingers disappear from inside her momentarily and she feels then replaced by his cock at her entrance. His tip brushes her core and she bites her lip, stifling a moan as he pulls away slightly to adjust himself.

"Come on, Joon…"

Slowly and steadily, he starts sliding into her, his size making her walls stretch like always. Namjoon groans into her neck, low and deep, as he enters her, holding her leg up with one hand to give him a better angle until he bottoms out.

"Fuck, you're so big, baby," she whimpers, moving her hips slowly against his and hearing him growl softly into her neck at her words. "You fill me up so well…"

Namjoon rolls his hips into hers before pulling out halfway, feeling her warm and wet walls clench around him as he pushes into her again, grunting in pleasure as he feels how soaked she is for him. He squeezes her breast and thumbs her nipple as he continues moving, knowing he's close.

Kaya catches on almost immediately and pulls him in for a kiss, moaning into his mouth as he picks up his rhythm. Their lips break apart, still brushing against each other as they each start moaning in time with his thrusts, his grunts low compared to her high-pitched whimpers as he begins going faster.

“So - so tight," he mutters, watching her bite her lip and knowing she's getting close, too. "Cum with me, babygirl… Kaya, I'm gonna cum…"

She throws her head back on the pillow as she orgasms for the second time tonight, her moan loud and tight, moments before he explodes inside her. "Fuck, Joon…"

He drops his head into her neck as he finishes, and Kaya can feel his warm seed coating her walls. She blinks a couple of times, seeing nothing but stars and capable of feeling nothing but his hot breath on her neck, his naked chest against hers, and his cock inside her, making her feel complete in a way that only he can.

"I love you," she whispers into the skin of his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him and closing her eyes. She tries not to think about how much she wants this every single day of her life but before she can begin to dwell on it,  Namjoon kisses her neck in response and comes up to face her.

"I love you, too," he says quietly, meeting her lips in a tired yet passionate kiss. It's soft and loving, and Namjoon hopes it says everything he's feeling. He holds her closer, his arm going underneath her body to hold her to him as he softens inside her, hoping the feeling of her against him will last until the next time.

When they finally break apart, noses still brushing, it takes him a moment longer to pull out of her, his heart skipping a beat at the sigh she lets out, somewhere between relief and protest. He hands her the tissue box from his bedside table as they clean up in silence.

"You okay?" Namjoon turns to her from his spot beside her. Her naked figure next to him, her olive skin against his white sheets and black hair strewn across the pillow is an image he wants burned into his mind. He brushes his knuckles against her bare thigh as she turns to him with a small smile.

“Never better.” Kaya rolls over halfway to kiss him again before straddling him, her long hair dishevelled and falling down her shoulders as she smiles down at him. She looks unbelievably beautiful; Namjoon takes her hand and kisses it, not trusting himself to speak right now.

“So.” She places her hands on his chest, loving how it feels under her palms. “You were tired, huh?”

Namjoon grins, his dimples popping. “Not that tired.”

“Clearly. By the way - can I borrow your grey hoodie? The one you were wearing this morning?” She pauses, biting her lip. “It gets cold on the flight.”

“Uh-huh.” His smile widens and he places his hands on her hips. “What about the black one? It’s new. The grey one’s pretty faded.”

“But it’s the warmest,” she insists. “But… only if you’re okay with it.”

He snickers at her nonchalant shrug and tugs slightly. “Of course you can borrow it.” Her bright smile makes losing his favourite hoodie completely worth it and he welcomes her when she lowers herself to kiss him. “Can’t have my girl getting cold on her flight,” he mutters against her lips, running his hands up her sides and up to her face. Kaya giggles and after a short and sweet snog session, she climbs off of him and disappears into the bathroom. 

When she returns a few minutes later, Namjoon is under the covers and on his phone, frowning slightly at the screen. His forehead clears the moment she climbs back onto the bed and pulls the covers over her naked body, the cool air of the AC feeling chilly against her slightly sweaty, post-coital skin.

“Come here,” he says softly, gently pulling her by the waist into another kiss. Kaya responds without hesitation, not surprised at how tactile he’s being tonight. The underlying desperation she’d sensed in his kiss when he’d still been inside her wasn’t accidental; he may not be aware of it and she may not want to start thinking about why, but she can’t ignore it. Moaning softly into his mouth at how his arms and chest envelope her, she frowns when she feels a twitch against her thigh.

Pulling away slightly, she bites her lip as Namjoon continues without pause, his mouth trailing light kisses down her jaw. “Already ready for round two?” she murmurs.

“You know I am, babygirl,” he purrs against her neck, one hand snaking down to her arse and gently squeezing it. “All fucking night… as long as you are.” When she doesn’t reply immediately, he stops and props himself up slightly to look at her, tossing his platinum blond hair out of his eyes. “Are you?”

She hesitates, observing him a bit suspiciously. “I am,” she says slowly, frowning slightly. “But… baby, I have an eleven hour flight tomorrow to catch up on my sleep. You have a meeting at eight am.”

Predictably, he shakes his head. “I’ll manage. Don’t worry,” he says, shifting so that he’s hovering above her, his adoring, dimpled smile making her heart skip a beat. “Like I said: we have all night,” he promises, bending down to kiss her again.

~

Thank you for reading. Don't forget to drop a review :)

[bkglove]

In Bloom chp 2

Chp 1

Fluff, angst, friends to lovers, mutual pining, secrets, SLOW BURN, strangers to friends to lovers(?) (I may add more tags but you get the gist)

*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･*･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*

You were surprised when Aizawa didn’t make you demonstrate your quirk at the start of class. You were not surprised when a certain angry blond stalked toward you with murder in his eyes the second Aizawa announced the class would be sparring with quirks allowed.

“Give it your best Flower Girl.” He taunted, bumping against your shoulder as he walked past to a clear spot for your fight.

You glared after him, spinning on your heel. If your quirk had been fire-related there would’ve been steam coming from your ears. It wasn’t exactly an offensive nickname but something about the way he said it made you want to punch him in the face. He must get that a lot.

You looked around, not missing the way your new classmates not so subtly watched the two of you as they half-heartedly sparred against their own partners. Honestly, you were at a major disadvantage here. The training ground was entirely made of concrete, you couldn’t even feel any remnants of dirt down below all the layers that must have been added and rebuilt over the years. Sure, you had your trusty pack of seeds tucked into your costume but your quirk was stronger when you had access to nature. Plus, you didn’t actually know anything about this guy’s quirk or fighting style. Of course, he didn’t know much about yours either but still.

You knew you were good, but you tended to work more at a range or undercover. You could throw a punch but couldn’t really take many. You scanned the area again, trying to come up with a plan that at least didn’t make you look like a total fool even if you lost. 

“Whenever you’re ready.” A gruff voice broke through your thoughts. You looked up to find an impatient Bakugou glaring at you from a few paces away.

Okay , you took a deep breath, let’s go .

As fast as you could, which was pretty damn fast if you do say so yourself, you threw a handful of seeds toward him and then made a line in front of yourself. You threw up your hand, causing the seeds in front of you to grow into thick beanstalk vines immediately. Sure this maneuver would restrict your visibility a little but it would also keep you protected so you could fight with some cover in the otherwise barren training ground.

The second your wall of plants was up, Bakuguo was moving and damn was he fast.

You flicked your wrist and watched from between the vines as your seeds burst, creating thick thorned vines, a few bloomed roses decorating them. You sent two shooting after him from behind. One managed to wrap around his leg, but he was able to keep his arms free.

He created a mini-explosion in his hand blasting away the vine wrapped around his leg without any hesitation. Your move hadn’t even slowed him down.

Shit . So he makes things explode. Add that to your list of disadvantages. I t does fit his personality though . 

Then he was in the air, flying around like he god damned owned the space. That had to change, or he was going to have no trouble getting over your barricade. Your hands moved like you were conducting an orchestra as you sent vine after vine for him not stopping or slowing even when you started to feel yourself giving over a little bit more energy than you would’ve liked to have had to.

His reflexes were incredibly impressive as well. You had to commend him as he successfully avoided your grabbing vines over and over. When one finally made contact, you could have whooped in excitement if you weren’t focusing so intently on making the grab count.

You couldn’t help but wince for the poor guy as your thorny rose vine wrapped tight around his forearm, yanking him toward the ground, slowing him down enough that you were able to get two more vines wrapped around his legs.

It didn’t really surprise you when he maneuvered his free hand away so you couldn’t grab it as well and take the win. With a few well-timed blasts, he was racing back toward you. I have to keep him away .

“That all you got, Flower Girl?!” He yelled.

You were running low on unharmed seeds and plants near him. You puppeted a few stalks from your wall straight toward him and you were honestly surprised when one landed a hit straight on his chest sending him hurtling back and toward the ground giving you enough time to shoot some more of the thorny vines at him scratching him more than a little. You were satisfied that you at least had done the minimum of what you’d promised.

He was racing toward you again, the guy didn’t even look like he was out of breath. Unfair . You weren’t even moving and could feel the effects of your power making you tired. He lunged for you, you were able to block him with the beanstalks.

“Ap shot.” He yelled, blasting right through them like it was nothing. It probably was for him, but still.

There was one more trick you had up your sleeve, it wouldn’t really help you much but you’d probably look cool. You sprung back into a back handspring, creating a little more distance between the two of you. O kay, now I can lose with my pride intact . 

You held up your best attempt at a strong hand-to-hand fighting pose. You made some of the rose vines wrap themselves around you, it might slow you down a little but it meant that if he was going to throw a punch he’d have to take damage himself too.

He shot himself forward at the last second instead of throwing a punch as you expected, he blasted you, easily tearing apart the delicate armor you’d made for yourself and throwing you down to the ground.

The shot sent you sliding a few paces away. You threw up your arm as Bakugou slowly moved toward you, knowing you’d been bested. But there was one more thing you could do. You narrowed your eyes and took a deep breath then stopped yourself, hand shaking. No , that’s what had gotten you into this mess in the first place. 

The one small moment of hesitation was all he needed before he was on you, his knee digging into the back of your leg as he tugged at your arm enough that you knew he could dislocate it if he really wanted to.

“I told you I’d kill you.” He breathed heavy in your ear.

You didn’t really want to give him the satisfaction of tapping out but you weren’t a sore loser. You knew when you’d been beat. You only struggled for a second more just to really make sure there was no way out. When he pulled on your arm a little more, making you bite back a yelp, you finally admitted defeat.

“Easily pummel me huh.” He scoffed as he climbed off of you.

“Yeah whatever,” you grumbled sitting up and rubbing your shoulder. You had to admit this guy was good .

He narrowed his eyes at you, “at the end. You hesitated,” He leaned in close. “Don’t fuckin’ do that again newbie.” And with that, he stomped away.

You chose to ignore the not very discrete looks of your classmates as they pretended to have not been checking out the new kid’s quirk as you went around collecting your plants and turning back the ones you could to seeds.

After class, once you started heading to find the dorms, you were hoping to run into someone you recognized. You were pretty sure you could find the way yourself, but it would be easier if someone showed you around. You were saved from having to look around and hope for the best when a boy with wild green hair and a girl with short brown hair and round pink cheeks approached you. You kinda recognized them from class.

“Hey y/n,” the two greeted you.

“Ah hi-” you stuttered not knowing their names. You were pretty sure they hadn’t introduced themselves to you earlier, so it wasn’t like you were forgetting.

“I’m Izuku Midoraya,” the green-haired boy filled in one of the blanks for you with a kind smile, and then the brunette continued, “I’m Ochaco Uraraka,” she waved excitedly, “It’s so nice to meet you! And to have another girl joining the class!”

“It’s nice to meet you as well,” you smiled in response. “Are you two heading back to the dorms? I’m not 100% sure the way.”

“Yup!” Uraraka nodded. “We’d love to walk you back.”

“And we can show you around if you want.” Midoraya offered.

“Thanks so much! Honestly, I kinda just want to collapse right now but I’ll have to take you up on that tour some other time.”

“For sure!” Midoraya nodded with a smile. 

“That was really impressive sparring,” he continued after a few moments of walking in silence. “I haven’t seen anyone else get a hit on Kacchan in a while, well, I guess besides Todaroki, but still great job.”

You raised an eyebrow, “I barely scratched him. Is he really that good?” You’d been able to tell he was good, but dang, he was good enough that you were getting praised even after being pummeled. That piqued your interest, if you were going to make the most of your time here, he might be a good person to speak to more. Plus, you’d be able to unabashedly yell and call him names. A weird bonus but a bonus nonetheless you mused. 

The pair nodded, unaware of your thoughts. 

“What exactly is your quirk?” Midoraya asked.

“Oh, uh, basically, I control plants,” you responded with your go-to answer.

“That’s so cool!” Uraraka cooed, “you must love gardening.”

“So what were you doing at the end? You can make them go back to being seeds? To what extent do you control them? Does it only work with seeds? Is there a limit to the plants you can control?”

You could practically see the gears turning in the boy’s head, Uraraka shot you an apologetic glance but you just smiled at her in response. It was honestly nice that someone wanted to know more. People didn’t usually get this in-depth with you.

“Woah, slow down,” you waved your hands. “So I take it you just want the more complicated explanation?” 

The two nodded excitedly at you.

You took a deep breath, “basically I share energy with plants. So, I can make them grow by giving them energy, or shrink by taking it away. If I’m not careful, though, the plant will just wither and die. That can happen whether I’m giving or taking energy. How much energy I can give or take also depends on the plant itself. Things like how old it is or how connected it is to the networks around it. And with that energy, I can control them.

“What I did today was easier because I’ve been using the same seeds for fighting for a while so we’ve kinda bonded. I’ve only made plants appear with no seeds a few times. It takes a lot of concentration and I have to study the plant meticulously to be able to do it but it is handy.” You finished, hoping you hadn’t said too much as you toyed with the hems of your sleeves. 

“Woah,” the pair exclaimed. Uraraka looked hyped at your long-winded explanation, and Midorya looked like he was filled to the brim with more questions. He quickly started thinking out loud.

“He gets like that when he’s excited about quirks and hero stuff,” Uraraka explained with a laugh after you looked at him confused.

“So, does sharing energy mean healing?” He asked after a few moments of mumbling to himself. 

“Oh no, it’s more like a shot of coffee for me. Healing would be neat though.” You mused, “it can help save a plant, so I guess that’s healing.” You shrugged.

“Oh wow, then I’m extra impressed. You went against Bakugou and barely have a scratch on you!” Uraraka exclaimed.

“Oh,” you waved off her praise. “That’s just ‘cause I suck at close combat. He didn’t really need to hit me once he got close.”

“I can show you some moves I learned from my internship last year! They got me super hyped to train more!” Uraraka could have been using her quirk for all you knew with the way she bounced in excitement.

“I’d, uh, like that.” You smiled. 

—--------------

“Have you finished setting up your room y/n? We’d love to help if you haven’t!” Mina suggested when the three of you walked through the dorm building’s door, a few of the other girls stood around her. 

You blinked in surprise - in the past, you would have said no in a heartbeat but coming here was about new beginnings, and they honestly all looked so eager to help you wouldn’t be able to fight the slow nod you gave in response even if you’d wanted to. “Yeah, that would be great, thank you.”

“Woahhhhh, so many plants,” Mina exclaimed as you opened the door for the girls revealing your bare room filled with closed boxes and lots of potted plants littering the floor. 

With all of you working together it didn’t take long to get the place set up just as you’d like it. You still needed to get all the UV lamps in order but decided to deal with that later in favor of crashing, along with the other girls, on your floor.

“Okay, sooooo, anyone caught your eye?” Mina waggled her eyebrows, leaning toward you. “Ooh! Ooh! Or is there anyone you were forced to leave behind? The drama I gotta know it!” She mimed over-exaggerated swooning, falling onto Jirou, who just chuckled, and pat her friend affectionately before the pink girl sat up straight looking at you expectantly.

“No, no. Nothing interesting here.” You laughed, hugging your knees close, “but what’s the tea with you guys? Anyone, I need to steer clear of?” You hoped you were doing this whole girl talk thing right. You were more than a little rusty, if basically never could count as rusty. It’d been so long since you’d had a group of friends to just casually talk with, much less a large group of girls. 

You tried not to let the last group of friends you tried to make cloud your judgment but it seemed like these girls wouldn’t judge you no matter how awkward you were being. At least you hoped you were reading them right.

“Wellllll,” Mina grinned mischievously around at her friends, “Uraraka’s got the biggest, fattest, crush on Midoraya!”

“I do not!” The poor girl in question was so flustered she started floating, completely negating any argument from her and making you all laugh. 

You might not have been the most socially aware, but you had eyes, that one, even you could have guessed. 

“Well, I…” Jirou spoke, drawing the attention away from Uraraka. Mina bounced in anticipation as the other girl toyed with her ear jacks, “I might have a teeny tiny crush on Kaminari.” She finished so quietly it was ironic her quirk revolved around sound. 

“I knew it!” Mina and Uraraka cried out in unison at the same time as Yaoyorozu and Hagakure cooed, “So cute!”

Her other friends hadn’t known ? She was sharing a new secret with you there ? They trust me ? You hoped the wetness in your eyes didn’t show as the girls around you continued chatting amicably into the night.

When you finally went to sleep that night, you felt more warm than you had in a long, long time. Maybe your time here would actually end up being a good thing.

—----------

“Newbie spar with me.” A gruff voice interrupted your conversation with Kirishima as you made your way to the training grounds.

“Why? You already won.” You rolled your eyes before remembering the praise you had received yesterday. “Your ego so small you need to do it again?”

“Because you fucking hesitated.” He huffed. “Why? Spar with me for real.”

Your blood ran cold at the reminder of what you had almost done the day before. The happy little bubble you had made for yourself over your first day was so quickly punctured and you felt the weight of all the lies and the fear of what would happen if these people, these heroes, found out who you truly were. 

“I didn’t fucking hesitate. You won fair and square.” You scoffed back, hoping your face wasn’t as pale as you felt it might be and that he took the shaking of your fists as anger, not fear.

“Don’t fucking lie to me.” He leaned toward you, making you want to turn your head from the proximity.

 Instead, you glared right back. You had to hold your own on this. He could not know .

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Spikey Hair.” You crossed your arms. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to change.” You bumped his shoulder as you walked past him, not missing the glare he sent after you.

You steadied yourself in the bathroom stall, taking a few deep breaths as you ran the conversation over and over in your head. You stared at your palm, opening and closing it into a fist. He didn’t seem like the type to let things go, and that scared you more than anything.

No, you thought, he is not going to ruin this for me . You resolved yourself to what you knew you had to do. If you asked him to train you surely he wouldn’t stay so hung up on your hesitation. And then there was the added benefit of actually getting stronger. It was going to be fine, you were going to be fine . You made your way back out to the training area sticking a bandaid over the hole in your bubble, doing your best to ignore the feeling that it was still leaking air.

[j0kers-light]

His Lighthouse: High Risk, Low Reward (LedgerJoker x f!reader)

High Risk, Low Reward 

series summary:

Y/n is an aspiring writer living in Gotham City and struggling to find her next muse. Her recent novel is getting all the buzz, earning her far more attention than she signed up for. But when a chance encounter results in her nursing The Joker back to health, will she find the time to write another best seller or will her own story become front page of the Gotham Gazette?

chapter summary:

If someone told you a week ago that you would be taking a shower with Joker, would you laugh in their face or plan the day it happens? You’re back on speaking terms with Joker but anything goes with the Clown Prince of Crime. The plan is simple; predicting Joker’s next move is not.

Author’s note:

FORGIVE ME! This is the longest I’ve went without updating!! So much has happened I kid you not! Carpal tunnel, work in general, writer’s block, you name it, it happened. But enough excuses! I’m happy to drop this chapter and share the news that chapter eight is already 3K words in progress. Don’t judge me it’s how I operate. Anyhoo!! I wrote/edited half of this chapter at a wedding reception so if there’s any errors hehe. Cheers.

No beta, we die like real men. Without further ado I hope you enjoy the story! 

Taglist! 

@blackreaderatrisk​

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If someone told you a week ago that you would be taking a shower with Joker, for starters, you would've laughed in their face, called them crazy, and then ran for dear life.

But as you stood in the shower, soaked completely through with Joker cornering you into the wall, well, you felt like the crazy one for not believing it was possible.

"J-Joker... wait."

"Shhhh." He brushed the back of his hand down your face before cupping your neck and tipping it back.

He was breathing heavily and with the hot steam from the shower adding to the already stifling air, your breath was labored as well.

Joker's eyes roamed your face, memorizing every blemish and lingering a tad bit too long on your parted lips before settling on your e/c eyes.

Your eyes. The power they had over him was unnerving.

"Just let things happen, Y/n. You'll find life is a lot more enjoyable that way."

With every word he whispered, Joker loomed closer and closer and this time, you didn't run away.

"You sure you wanna do this, Y/n? Cuz it seems someone is a lit-tle nervous."

Joker stressed his T's again and you grumbled under your breath knowing the reason behind it. His speech pattern was designed to intimidate and stir up people's emotions and boy was it doing its job.

You were indeed nervous but he didn't have to call you out on it. It was too late to take back your original offer so you did the next best thing and denied everything.

"Me? Pfft no. I'm not nervous! Stop putting words in my mouth Joker. Now c'mon. Let's get you in the shower yeah?"

You were a stuttering mess but hopefully Joker bought your act. He didn't.

He knew firsthand how quickly your mood could change and since he was really looking forward to taking a shower, he kept his mouth shut.

Joker decided to be on his best behavior until he got what he wanted. It went against his morals but he found the strength not to tease you and shifted towards the edge of the bed, pushing up to his feet.

He hadn't been on his feet that much today. His little stretch felt good despite the multiple pops and groans his body made in protest.

Your worried glance was cute but then again– every expression you made was cute to him.

You avoided eye contact as you offered him your arms and he didn't comment on it as the two of you shuffled the few steps into your en-suite bathroom.

There was a wooden bench behind the bathtub, mostly used to hold your candles and things during a soak, that caught Joker's eye. He parted from your hold to drag it out. He then plopped down on it with a huff. Maybe laying around all day was making him feel out of shape.

Which left you standing near the doorway a little put off from being dismissed so casually. Though you didn't mind his cold shoulder.

A withdrawn Joker was godsend right now with your current jitters. You were too busy trying to mentally prepare yourself for this shower to be worried about his abrupt and closed off demeanor.

You planned on being his human crutch while he showered but knowing Joker, anything could happen. The possibility of this going south had your hands shaking like a leaf. You needed a distraction.

You stumbled over to the built-in linen closet and smiled when your second favorite set greeted you on the shelf.

You pulled out the two fluffy towels and the matching washcloth before placing them on the edge of the sink. Towels down, next to grab was aromatics.

"Alright I got you some towels but.." Joker watched you dig around further, making quite the ruckus with your nerves fueling your erratic hand coordination.

"Do you like bergamot or almond and vanilla?" You turned around holding up two minimalist bottles for him to choose from.

"Are you asking me what scent of soap I wanna use? Does it look like I care?" Joker scratched his neck and fixed you with a dull stare. He could care less.

His long eyelashes hypnotized you with each slow blink but you shook your head to focus back on the matter at hand.

"Yes. Yes I am. The right fragrance can turn a boring shower into a luxurious experience! I personally use bergamot when I'm tense but it's also good for balancing out my complexion during the summer. Vanilla on the other hand is calming and paired with almonds..."

'What have I done to deserve this form of torture?' Joker thought.

He saw inmates stabbed over common bar soap before. As long as it cleaned him up, what was the big deal on how it smelled? And how come yours was in a bottle?

"Soap is soap, just pick one." Joker groaned out loud. Why did everything have to be so difficult with you?

"But it's so much more than that!" You marched up to him and waved the two bottles in his face so he could see the label printed on the back. "Every fragrance is different and has different properties! Duh, any soap can clean, but I want this shower to be perfect for you after going so long without one! You'll thank me once you get in there."

He took a glance at his choices before grabbing your wrist to tug you close, thus earning a high pitched yelp from you in the process.

"How about this, Y/n." Joker licked his lips pretending to think. "Why don't I use your soap?"

You jerked back in shock. It was an odd suggestion but you didn't see any harm in indulging him. Just where did he get the idea from? "You.. you want to use mine? Why?"

Joker shrugged, "I already know what it smells like. It saves me time trying to guess whatever the hel–"

You narrowed your eyes at Joker for almost swearing and he rolled his eyes, quickly remembering your house rules.

He took a deep breath before replying. "I almost forgot! No potty mouths in front of the innocent whittle bunny. What's worse? Your prudish rules or picking out which fanc-y soap you want me to use?"

"Ha. Ha. You really do live up to your name huh?" You mocked.

Joker wisely chose to ignore your jab.

"You always smell good so I know your soap will be 'perfect' and allow for whatever.. uh experience.. you keep babbling about to happen. There. I picked out a soap. Can we move on now?"

Joker turned his head and you swore the strip of skin between his face paint and the collar of his shirt turned red. Was he blushing? He did admit you smelled good, but it was a rather tame compliment.

What made him so flustered then?

"Y-Yeah sure. I guess you can use mine. I'll just go grab it out of my shower. I'll be right back." Your eyes lingered on Joker before you walked out the bathroom and ventured down the hall into your room.

He was acting odd but what could you do about it? Joker was rather unpredictable.

One minute he was compliant to your wishes, the next threatening you with common household objects. You knew no matter how long Joker stayed hidden in your apartment, he wouldn't change.

The door to your bedroom remained closed but with a gentle twist of the doorknob it opened. You didn't spare a glance at your room but made a beeline for the other bathroom in the apartment— separate from the rest.

Of course your main bathroom in the hall was grand but it was paltry compared to the one attached to your master bedroom. Per norm it was off limits and undoubtedly yours.

Following the theme in your bedroom, the walls were dark and the celestial décor continued on.

The ceiling here was also painted with the moon and stars with spotlights installed as the only source of light. The walls were darker than black holes with a faint shimmer of opal. As a whole, the room wasn't gothic in appearance.

Other elements a few shades lighter created contrast and kept the space balanced.

A slab of poured concrete sat atop a massive cabinet of natural cedar wood supplying you with ample amounts of storage space. The dual sinks were carved into the counter like an infinity pool, giving off a futuristic look and saving counter space.

The faucets however were replaced with a statue of a deity allowing the water to pour out from her outstretched hands into the respective sink dents.

A floor to ceiling mirror took up the wall behind the sink, letting the window to its immediate left flood the bathroom with moonlight and subsequently the luminescent view of the Fashion district at night.

The penthouse was high enough for the average peeping Tom to not be an issue but as a precaution, there was an archway that separated the sink area from the shower and toilet area as well as frosted glass in place.

The archway was painted with the phases of the moon that led to the focal point of the bathroom. A sunken bathtub.

You fought with the landlord when you submitted your remodeling blueprints to him.

After you waved a wad of cash in his face and signed a non-negotiable lease for the next ten years, your contractor dug a literal hole in your bathroom right into the maintenance floor below yours to build the tub.

Since it was all custom, the depth exceeded the average twenty inches and once again the standard faucet was replaced with another statue, this one similar to the one on the sink but bigger.

This deity had water spewing out from her mouth with two chibi sprites flanking her, holding pots decorated with Greek mythology motifs that also filled the tub from the sides. At full power, the statues could fill the basin in roughly twenty minutes.

But you walked straight past all the grandeur over a cedar wood plank to your waterfall shower just two steps above the sunken tub.

There was a plethora of shower gels present, each with different scents and in different textures, stashed inside a built- in alcove, but you honed on your favorite, separate from the rest.

You snagged the bottle before darting over to your bathroom cabinet and grabbing a spare loofah for Joker. Ironically it was green. Go figure.

You wasted too much time here and doubled back to the main bathroom where Joker was in the same place you left him, although he now looked rather impatient.

"And where did you disappear to, hmm?" He eyed the new bottle in your hand with intrigue. Unlike the others, it was half empty showing it was used regularly.

"Sorry. I had to grab a few more things." You waved the loofah before setting it down.

"Okay so I got the towels, shower gel, plus a loofah. That's everything needed for a shower. Are you ready?"

"For the third time, yesss, Y/n I am ready. I should be asking you that question." Joker rolled his eyes at your methods of stalling.

If you didn't want to help him it was okay. He wasn't forcing you. You were the one putting yourself into an awkward situation here. Although a part of him wanted you to join him.

You were down to your last excuse. "Hey.. aren't you going to wash your face?" You gestured to your own while leaning on the console sink.

Joker huffed, as if his answer was obvious. "Uh no. NoT in front of you."

Oh. Oh. You weren't exactly on good terms with him so that made sense.

You forgot he was a wanted criminal with an unknown past. Plus you were an inconvenience to Joker at the end of the day. Who were you to see him so exposed?

"Righttt. What I meant to say was– do you usually take off your makeup? I mean, it's looking a little worse for wear. No offense!" You quickly added.

So you finally noticed. Good, you weren't an airhead after all.

"It's still concealing my identity Y/n. But to answer your question, yes. I usually reapply by now. This is the longest I went without fixing it." He made a face and smacked his lips a few times.

Day-old lipstick must taste horrible. How did he bear it? There was a stretch of silence inside the bathroom while you let that thought sink in.

You could only imagine what his pores looked like after years of neglect. You really wanted to see what was underneath the paint.

To see his skin, despite the scars in its natural beauty. Common sense told you Joker would never let that happen... but it didn't hurt to dream. Thank goodness you planned ahead.

You shifted on your feet drawing Joker's attention back to you.

"If you want, you can use some of my makeup to reapply. I know you're not comfortable going around bare faced. Even if it's just you and I inside the apartment, you have a right to feel comfortable, so I stopped by the makeup store on Monday and bought some for you to freshen up with."

That was very considerate of you. Joker didn't know how to process your act of kindness. You went out of your way to help him again and he still didn't have an answer as to why.

If you were smart, you should've exposed his identity and got that information over to the authorities, even better to Batman. That would've been the main objective if he were in your shoes.

Not like he'd risk compromising his identity around you, but you did have many opportunities to out him.

And you chose to protect his privacy. Hiding him here and jeopardizing your freedom if someone found out. You were harboring a fugitive, all with a smile on your face.

Nothing you did made any sense to him.

"Uh thanks?" Joker blinked.

You excused yourself and returned with a cosmetic store bag filled with foundation, powders, etc.

You didn't know what all Joker needed and you got quite a few suspicious glares when you raided the beauty store. You bought all of their pale whites and full coverage products and paid in cash to destroy a digital trail.

If it was closer to Halloween average costume makeup would have sufficed but you made due with the daily makeup products a few online beauty gurus recommended for fairer skinned beauties.

"I hope this helps." You carried the brand name bag over to Joker.

He peered into the bag expecting the worst. Imagine his surprise when he spotted the exact lipstick shade he normally used inside. How did you know?

Joker tried not to look too pleased and gave you a faint nod but it was enough for you. He didn't throw the bag at you so apparently you did well!

"Alright! No more dicking around. It's shower time!"

You crossed the room and opened the glass enclosure that was your shower and tampered with the controls to power it.

Keeping in mind this shower was to help flush out his wound and clean off all the dirt and grime from his body, you set the temperature between hot and molten lava. You didn't want to burn him and get yelled at, but you still wanted to fight off any lingering bacteria. If he couldn't handle a little hot water then he was a pussy.

Once the water was to your liking, you lifted your baggy sweatshirt up and off, revealing the thin tank top and lounge shorts you wore underneath to Joker's gaze.

He was expecting a swimsuit but this was so much better. He couldn't wait to see it wet. He coughed discreetly into his fist and looked away.

This was it then. You were seriously going to join him in the shower.

He thought you'd flake last minute but as you dug out a silk bonnet from your pocket, something else you snagged from your private bathroom and secured it over your hair, Joker understood there was no turning back.

But was he ready? After seeing you strip down he lost all of his initial confidence. Joker was forced out of his inner thoughts by you approaching him with your hands on your hips.

"Well?" You waved towards the shower. "I'm not gonna ask you again."

Even your nervous grin was cute. This was gonna be hard– amongst other things..

"Sure. Let's get naked." Joker exhaled with a grin of his own.

He couldn't pass up an opportunity to tease you. It was just too easy. You sighed and urged him towards the shower with a few gentle nudges. He made it to the door and felt the accumulated steam seeping out to greet him.

"Okay! I'm turning around so you can undress but let me know when you're done so I can keep your balance in the shower. Can't have my patient slipping and falling on my watch am I right?"

Joker was already removing his shirt before you finished your first sentence. You only had seconds to turn before receiving an eyeful.

Look away Y/n, LOOK AWAY!

His zipper echoed sharply in the bathroom sounding way too provocative given the situation. Your mind was racing as blood rushed in your ears. Suddenly the picture frames on the wall were very interesting.....

"Done." Joker mumbled and took the liberty of stepping into the spacious shower only to hiss and spew a string of curses from the scalding temperature.

"I told you the water would irritate your open wound! Give it a minute and you'll adapt." You scampered in behind him, chuckling lightly to quell your nerves.

You stepped over the small pile of clothes he left outside the shower. Just looking at them made you red in the face.

You cut holes in his pants to access his wounds but now that they were completely off his person, oh boy. You weren't prepared for this at all.

Pull yourself together Y/n! You are [insert age] years old, not some horny teenager facing her crush for the first time!

So what if Joker was butt naked in your shower and letting out some very suggestive groans as the hot water worked its magic on his weary muscles.

This was by far the worst idea you ever had.

The steam quickly fogged up the glass and thankfully covered Joker's body from the hips down but from what you could still see... the man was all types of fine.

Joker's signature three piece suit concealed his frame and any media coverage failed narrow down exactly what lie underneath his clothes. For years he had been a mystery. Now you got to see the truth.

Various police reports described him as tall and lanky. Well that was a lie.

Joker was tall.. and surprisingly muscular with gorgeous tan skin, riddled with old scars and dusted with faint freckles, just begging to be touched. And how could you forget to mention? He was drop dead gorgeous.

He wasn't ripped like a bodybuilder but in no way lanky as everyone originally assumed. He had the right amount of muscle that any male model would die for while maintaining his ominous appearance.

Water dripped down Joker's back in sinful patterns and you followed a bead down his spine until it disappeared past the danger zone. It had to be illegal to be this hot.

Each flex of his arms was like a moving piece of art for your eyes only. You were beyond speechless.

If his back was this stunning could you handle seeing the front? You were fighting the urge to turn him around yourself. Unfortunately your body was frozen in awe.

Joker craned his head back and found you motionless by the shower entrance. His green eyes somehow glowed and easily cut through the steam.

He knew that look from anywhere.

"See somethin' ya like, Y/n?" That smirk of his was pure sin. You nodded mutely and instantly regretted it.

"Oh you do? Didn't take ya for a perv Y/n, but never judge an author by their uh.. covers." Joker chuckled to himself and returned back to his shower.

You on the other hand wanted the floor to open up and swallow you whole. You?! A pervert? Your current thoughts were befitting the name but he didn't have to know that!

"I am not a pervert! And I won't let your jokes get to me! I think you're wet enough-"

"You think I'm wet enough, Y/n?" Joker shot over his shoulder, smirking.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT!" You whined in your hands. "As I was saying... you're wet enough to start lathering up. Here." You handed him the bottle of soap and his sage green loofah.

At this, Joker turned and faced you. "'How do I.."

Oh my God.

Did he not know how to use shower gel?

Maybe that's why he was so agitated by selecting one earlier. He was used to generic bar soap from prison. That made your face turn sour.

You shook your head forgetting for just a moment that Joker was naked and boldly retrieved the loofah from him to demonstrate. "This is liquid soap. You drizzle it onto this exfoliating puff and then.."

You let your actions do the talking.

Joker watched as your hand came up to rub soothing circles on his chest with the loofah. Immediately he saw a lather form followed by an explosion of scent that filled his nostrils.

The hot water amplified the exotic fragrance and the shower enclosure was quickly flooded with the smell of you.

This is what he wanted; to be wrapped up in your alluring scent with nothing standing in the way.

There were no words to describe this feeling so he simply let it take hold. His mind didn't register that you were literally bathing him and you were so out of it, it didn't click in your mind either.

Using the loofah, you worked the soap into his skin while your left hand roamed wistfully across his body, working like a phantom puff. You coated his chest and arms with suds and were working on scrubbing his sternum when he hummed and dropped his forehead on the crown of your head.

And then the moment was shattered.

Your eyes blinked a mile a minute and both of your hands froze mid scrub.

What. Were. You. Doing?

Your brain caught up to your actions and you and Joker locked eyes at the same time.

"Andthatshowyouuseshowergel!" You spun around and wished for a swift death.

Maybe he would be generous and snap your neck quickly. No fuss no muss or perhaps since you two were still in the shower he could find something to slit your throat with. That way he could clean himself and the crime scene like a two for one deal.

Writing a hit thriller series educated your mind on the many ways to kill a person.

It was all bad for your health. You could add this to the list of things to discuss with your therapist if you ever made it out of this shower alive. You were about to bang your head against the subway tiles when you heard Joker speak up behind you.

"Mmm, thanks for the demonstration Y/n, but can you uh.. get my back while you're at it?"

You must've shook your head because Joker bent down and rested his chin in the crook of your neck, humming again. Just what on Earth was he doing?!

"Pretty please? You did such a good job already.."

He didn't mean to tease you this time, he was just stating the obvious but your praise kink took his words and created a new narrative with them.

You were doing your best impression of a tomato despite your dark complexion. You didn't know you could visibly blush until you met Joker!

Your cheeks were constantly on fire whenever you were around him and your levels of embarrassment were constantly through the roof. You thought over every possible scenario of showering with Joker but not whatever this was! How could you not plan for this to happen??

It was even worse when you felt Joker lean more of his weight on you. You forgot he was supposed to be keeping weight off his leg.

Was he getting tired already? Or was he just messing with you? So far he kept his hands to himself so maybe it was the former?

You turned your head a bit to see Joker's head of seaweed waterlogged and dripping with water. You didn't grab any shampoo. Yeah. You really didn't think any of this through.

Maybe your mind was too preoccupied with the physical action of showering with Joker that it didn't plan out what all was required to complete said task. This was a huge failure and you had no other choice but to commit to it.

Joker was far too quiet for your liking. "Hey Joker, you okay?" All you received was a content little hum. It was raw and soft on the ears. Comforting.

It spelled trouble for your heart.

"Okay... then can you get off my shoulder?"

"Why?" He cooed.

"Be-because I can't wash your back if you're leaning on me, that's why! Geez you're acting like a big baby." You heard, more like, felt him sigh before he stepped back and turned around.

He balanced his weight on the tiles in front of him giving you the full expanse of his back to admire and wash.

The steam still curled around his frame so you decided to use that as the stopping point. You refused to go past his hips. For both his sanity and yours.

You took a deep breath and started scrubbing lazy circles into his shoulders blades, working down.

Your water bill this month would be insane but you didn't have to worry about the actual hot water running out. With the amount of money you paid for rent, the (expensive) penthouse water heater had an unlimited reservoir for your floor.

Now that you were aware of your actions, scrubbing Joker's back was rather awkward.

This whole situation of harboring him inside your apartment was awkward yet you suffered through it. You couldn't escape this far in the game.

Some time passed and Joker's back was completely clean. You nodded at your work and tapped his shoulder twice. "I'm done, you can turn around now."

You were wringing out the loofah, lost in your own world and didn't see the looming shadow coming closer.

By the time you caught onto his schemes it was too late.

Joker wasn't kidding when he said a group of people could be comfortable in here with no issues but the fact that he managed to walk up on you without you noticing him was concerning. You were standing near the opposite end of the shower, quite a distance away from him.

You were convinced that Joker wasn't as injured as you originally thought. He sure wasn't acting like someone with a gunshot wound.

You dropped the shower puff the second Joker began invading your personal space.

His height, the heat from the shower, his imposing aura, it all got to your head. You were backpedaling until your back hit the wall with nowhere else to go. The predator had finally stalked its prey.

Joker didn't speak, he just gazed into your eyes with that unreadable stare you couldn't put into words. Just what was he thinking? Nothing gave him away.

He didn't blink, you didn't move, and tiny beads of black from his eyeshadow dripped down his face like tears that didn't help ease the tense situation you found yourself in.

So many nefarious thoughts could be forming inside his brain. Your cause of death, a not-so funny joke, for all you knew he could pass out from the heat— so you waited for his next move with bated breath.

It came in the form of his arms caging your body further into the lukewarm subway tiles. His palms came to a rest beside your head and just like that; you were at his mercy.

Since he was so close you could smell your shower gel and it smelled heavenly on him. Letting him use it was a great idea. It coaxed you into a druglike state, making your head empty and your worries obsolete.

Joker let his eyes roam freely over your body since he could see better in the steam than you.

Your clothes clung to you like a second skin and he was very thankful you opted out on wearing a bra.

Were you trying to seduce him here? The way you opened your eyes and sent him an alluring glance, he had no doubt that you were. You really were a naïve little minx.

There was no need for underhanded tactics when you were a sight for sore eyes. A droplet of water was caught on your lower lip and it became a beacon to his gaze.

Perhaps he could find out what your lips tasted like..

You saw his intentions, it was clear as day on his face. You wanted to avoid this ever since you met Joker but apparently it was inevitable. In the short time you've known him, common sense was forgotten and you gave up your attempts to stay away from Joker.

In some demented way, you craved Joker's attention and his touch. The thought of 'what would kissing him feel like?' flashed across your mind.

'I want to know.' The confession echoed loudly inside your head. It both empowered and terrified you. It was time to stop denying it. You were screwed, but you needed to know.

However, the situation you found yourself in was still scary.

"J-Joker. Wait." You couldn't remember the last time you let a man this close both physically and emotionally. You needed a moment.

He didn't like you being bashful around him. Your eyes dropped low and you turned away from him. It hit a nerve and he just couldn't have that. He needed your attention on him, always.

Joker said your name softly and it echoed over the running water to your ears. It was too gentle, bordering on being manipulative, and you shied away from him even more.

Why did you suddenly fear him? You hadn't before despite all the threats and hurtful comments he threw at you.

He never met a person that didn't fear him. A person who actually enjoyed his presence. He came too far to lose this feeling. There was something about you that he needed to understand and your sudden fear of him was something he couldn't handle.

Your closed off demeanor wasn't an issue but he didn't want to scare you off. For some odd reason he cared about your feelings. He... never cared about another person before.

Joker thought about what a normal person would do in this situation and in a blink of an eye, he acted.

You were startled by the sudden contact.

"Shhhh." Joker cooed and brushed the back of his hand from your temple down your cheek.

He then seized the back of your neck. You winced at his grip; he paid it no mind.

There. Those big, expressive e/c eyes of yours were back on him. As they should be.

He was breathing heavily and with the hot steam from the shower adding to the already stifling air in the room, your breath was labored as well. You'd be lying if you said this version of Joker scared you. You blamed this unhealthy attraction to him on the dark fanfics you read in your downtime.

Joker's eyes roamed the entirety of your face, memorizing every blemish, the faint flush across the bridge of your nose, down to the swirling colors within your eyes he was beginning to love..

But the most important feature of yours captured his eye the longest. Your parted lips were still moist from the shower's humidity and the (sinful) action of you licking them with your tongue, drew him insane.

It was a toss up. Your eyes did something to him but so did your lips. He should be stronger than this. Having a soft spot for a woman was a huge no no in his profession.

How did you have this much power over him in such a short amount of time? It was embarrassing yet he chose to accept it. You were a temptation that he would gladly allow to ruin him from the inside out.

"Just let things happen, Y/n."

Let me do this, was what he truly wanted to say. "You'll find life is a lot more enjoyable that way."

Please don't run away.

The last wall of your subconscious fell in order to let Joker in. With every word he whispered, with each gentle caress on your skin, Joker sweet talked his way in and won you over. And this time, you didn't run away from him.

You simply let things happen.

You closed your eyes, missing his smug grin, and let him take the lead. He pulled you in closer and you could feel the heat of his breath brush against your lower lip, your own slightly parting open, preparing for what was to come.

However a ringtone rang out inside the bathroom like a sitcom record scratch. Your eyes flew open and began locating your phone inside the bathroom.

Without glancing back at a fuming Joker, you darted out of the shower to go answer it.

This had to be some kind of joke. Maybe you were a tease after all. Joker stood in the shower trying to collect his thoughts because there was no way you left him hanging right as he was about to kiss you.

He pulled some cruel jokes in his career but this topped the cake. No matter how many times he blinked, you weren't there in his arms and this was seriously happening.

He punched the wall, cracking a few tiles here and there, but his anger remained. He was so close! It seemed like every chance he got to try and kiss you, fate had to intervene.

Sharp green eyes cut over to your figure standing by the sink, completely unaware of the ticking time bomb you left behind. What phone call was so important that you had to dash out of the shower to answer it?

Was it him? Joker saw red at the mere thought of Gotham's playboy calling you at a time like this.

If it ended up being Wayne on the line, Joker had far too many ways to end the millionaire's life. Joker was breathing like a bull ready to charge when he happened to hear your voice float across the room.

You knew that ringtone by heart. No matter the time or however busy you were, come hell or high water, you always answered the phone for your manager. Period.

You ignored how your clothes dripped on the floor as you stepped out of the shower.

The tank top clung to you like a second skin and once out the spray of water it felt uncomfortable, but your focus was on your phone resting on the edge of the sink. How it kept its balance was beyond you with the constant vibrations sounding off from the device.

A candid selfie of Cindy was on the screen until you accepted the call with an airy hello.

"Woah, you sound out of breath. Did I catch you at a bad time?" She asked.

Of course she would notice. The woman was very perceptive, both on the job and as a friend. "No no.. it's fine. I was in the middle of something. It's alright, I know you're a busy woman."

It was silent on her end so you carried on, "Soooo.. what's up? I get the feeling this isn't a friendly check in." You panted.

"Ding ding ding! You know me so well. I'm afraid this is a business call. It shouldn't take long, I only have two things I need to address. Number one: this Friday night. I already scheduled you to attend a gala at The Prosperity for another networking opportunity."

She was halfway into another sentence when your brain reacted to her first announcement.

"What!? What do you mean this Friday? Cindy.. that's in less than two days! Can you give a girl a little more breathing room to charge her social bar before you make plans that huge?!"

You were already freaking out, pacing the length of the bathroom.

"Oh calm down, Y/n. You're a natural at communicating with others." She paused for a second to snort. "I can see your unamused face through the phone. Two days is plenty of time to 'charge your introverted social battery'. Geez, I didn't have to remind you at all, you know. Remember what happened last time?"

How could you forget? You rolled your eyes at the memory. "I won't raincheck last minute. I promise. I'll go."

"You better! I already took the liberty of ordering a dress to your place so no excuses about you not having anything to wear. I also have transportation planned so don't even think about it. I'm covering my bases this time."

Cindy really wasn't playing around this time. Maybe you should stop being such a difficult client and work with her. After all, she was doing this to help you and your career.

"Figures you would." You heard her hum of agreement followed by a flurry of keyboard clicks in the background.

"With you involved, I have to. The package should arrive by," a series of clicks rang out. She must've gotten a longer set of acrylics than normal.

"...tomorrow morning if it moves out of the New Jersey terminal overnight."

"To confirm. You can track a delivery in real time but you can't remind me of a party a week in advance? And I thought we were friends, Cindy." You looked at your reflection in the mirror and snuck a peek at the figure bent over in the shower.

Was he pissed that you took this phone call? You weren't ready to face him afterwards to find out. You hoped Joker understood it was important.

"I'm doing this because we are friends. The official invitations were sent out three months in advance. I knew you would've flaked if you knew that far ahead. This gala is really important Y/n! I ordered the best dress for you to schmooze and minge in so work those assets of yours! I got high people in high places attending. Try to make a deal or even better, start a fling with a screenwriter. At this point, trashy press is still press and you need all the attention you can get."

You held back your laughter. Assets? Trashy press? Was she serious?

"You're getting desperate now Cindy."

"No, you are getting desperate, Y/n. Which reminds me. The second reason why I called you. Y/n.. your deadline is fast approaching. Four weeks to be exact. I don't want to lose you.. but—"

Great. Now you had her worrying. You knew your contract was expiring soon.

The calendar on your phone reminded you each passing week. Your fingers itched to get new material out to the public but these things required patience. You couldn't rush perfection but you knew she had a job to do.

"I'm working on something." You mumbled over the phone.

From the awkward silence stretching afterwards, Cindy wasn't buying it.

She drummed her nails on her desk. "Are you writing something down in your notepad or are you actually typing something out working working? I need clarification here."

"I-I have over five thousand words typed out. In our normal place."

"What? Why haven't you shared the document with me?! Do you like stressing me out, Y/n?" She did sound stressed, but that could just be Cindy's normal voice.

Either way, you felt guilty even though it wasn't entirely your fault you forgot to share the document. Joker just had a way of distracting you. Not like she would believe that excuse. He was a secret after all.

Speaking of secrets, you jumped at the sound of the shower turning off. Joker must have realized you weren't returning and decided to get out.

"Well.. um. You see uh.. I've been.." You looked behind you as Joker was wrapping a towel around his waist.

Your brain shut down right then and there. The view from the front was definitely better than the back.

"Y/n? Y/n! I know you hear me! I can hear your creepy fangirl breathing!" Cindy screamed over the phone.

You couldn't tear your eyes from Joker but it was common courtesy to respond. Your eyes didn't waver from him as you answered.

"I've been busy." You didn't lie.

"Y/n, you can't fool me, I heard your shower turn off. Got some company over huh? OHHHH! That's why you answered the phone out of breath! Well well well! Someone doesn't need trashy press like I thought! Unfortunately if he isn't a movie producer you're gonna have to be a slut for the weekend and fool around. Hopefully your guy will understand."

Cindy spoke to someone else, most likely her assistant, and sighed before returning to your phone conversation.

"Something's come up. Just look nice on Friday okay? I won't be attending but I'll have eyes at the event to keep tabs on you so no rain checks! Socialize, make connections, possibly with someone we can work with. Oh and Y/n? I really don't want your deadline to sneak up on you. Please email me an invite to the word document so it can count as submitted work."

"It won't Cindy, I promise." She really knew how to pull the strict editor role on you.

"...before your deadline Y/n. We both know you get distracted easily. I gotta go."

Cindy ended the call before you could say a proper goodbye. You were left dripping wet and fully clothed in your bathroom, wondering how your life could get any more stressful.

"Hmm, sounds like someone's weekend is already planned ouT for them."

You screamed as Joker's fingers danced across your exposed shoulders. For a second you forgot he was in the room. Your heart was beating fast but you turned around to face the music.

To your shock he wasn't angry or at least he didn't look like it.

He looked calm as he used another towel to soak up the water from his hair. You noticed during your phone call he found some kind of shampoo to wash it with for it looked healthier and less like oily seaweed and more like something you wanted to rake your hands through.

Where did that thought come from? You didn't lie, but the thought worried you a bit.

'A few minutes ago you were about to kiss him in the shower Y/n. Did you think playing with his hair is somehow worse?'

It was official, your own mind was against you. You cleared your throat getting Joker's attention. He was still standing in front of you in just a towel creating a puddle of water on the floor.

You raised an eyebrow, "Did you not towel dry yourself?"

"I barely turned off the shower correctly. Your floors can stand a lit-tle water, Y/n." Joker scoffed and ruffled his head with the towel.

The end result gave his hair a fluffy, wild mop of curls. You were a little jealous.

There was too much of him to focus on at once, although you pointedly avoided looking at his exposed chest and below.

"Yeah sure. Did you finish washing up? I mean, I got your front and back but I didn't.." You trailed off, scratching your neck and looking away.

He really hated when you did that. "Hmm, I had no choice since you left to take a phone call."

So he was angry. He just didn't show it. You sighed and gave Joker your best apologetic smile.

You walked over and gestured for him to bend down to your height. "Sorry about that. That was my manager and we kinda have an agreement. I always answer the phone when she calls. No exceptions."

You took over drying him off. It was definitely not an excuse to touch him but you knew that was a lie.

You were working on his arms and shoulders. "I forgot to share my current WIP with her and now she's upset with me even though I–"

Joker cut you off, "I'm well aware, Y/n. I heard every word." You looked up into his green eyes, shocked.

There was nothing there to help decipher his actual mood.

His clown makeup had all but melted in the shower with only the remainder left surrounding his eyelids and mouth. The rest was wisps of white and red, smudged and faint.

You didn't think before you reached up and used your thumb to wipe a trace of red from the corner of his mouth. The area there was raised and bumpy from his scars but surprisingly smooth to the touch.

Joker parted his mouth and the motion moved your finger onto his lip. You lurched back like you touched burning coals. "I'm sorry!"

He smacked his lips while rolling his eyes. You acted more like a mouse than a bunny, jumping at every ounce of contact. Were you always this guarded or was it only around him? Joker could tell there was a wall between you and him but for a brief moment, it was down.

How long would it take to earn your trust again and knock it back down? He only had another week left. Could he manage such a feat?

One glance at your timid hands patting his right arm immediately told him no, but Joker was a man of challenges.

If it was deemed impossible he would still try it. He needed to understand why you were so brave yet stupid, smart yet ditzy; Beautiful and untouchable.

He shouldn't be this attracted to you. He had plans to execute, a city to burn.

There was no time to play house with a weak civilian, yet here he was doing just that. Staying at your place, eating your meals and enjoying your company– as brief as it was these past few days.

Today was different. You came to him and initiated conversation.

You offered to help him shower and graced him with a smile. Was this a nudge in the right direction with you?

Excluding the phone call that ruined his advances, Joker had you right where he wanted you; cornered and at his mercy.

The scene couldn't be more perfect and Joker knew there wouldn't be another chance (at least for a while) to get what he wanted. Maybe he would have to use force.

Unfortunately he knew that would only push you away and possibly get him kicked out of your apartment. No, he would have to play this like a game of chess, slowly and with a level head in order to win.

He had all the time in the world to corner you again. He just couldn't screw up again.

"Joker?" He heard your voice call out to him. How long was he stuck in his head?

"Hey, where did your mind go?" You blessed him with a laugh and stepped into his line of sight.

"Well.. wherever you went.. I dried you off the best I could. I'll leave you to redo your makeup while I go fetch you some clean clothes to wear. I think leaving your wound open to breathe is also a good idea. Everything else is on the table by the window but if you need me or something else, just shout. I'll be in the next room changing the bed."

Joker nodded mutely and limped over to the table you mentioned.

It was more like a mini vanity with various makeup products and brushes already in neat cupholders and bins. He never saw you wear makeup around the apartment and he decided to ask you about it later.

You smiled as he sat down on the bench and closed the door, leaving Joker alone to his thoughts.

Ever since he met you a week ago the main focus of said thoughts were always you. What he wouldn't do to get you out of his head. Dealing with you physically was more than enough.

He spent too much time dwelling on you today. Joker searched for a makeup cleanser and stumbled upon your phone still on the sink, unlocked for the time being.

Fate was tempting him this day.

He could snoop around your phone, check your web history for blackmail, ruin your chances with Wayne with a single text, the possibilities were endless!

The screen began to dim preparing to lock and he only had a few precious seconds before his window of opportunity closed. The chaos he could invoke with your phone was too much for him to pass up.

Then he thought about your phone call with your manager. She made plans for you this Friday at The Prosperity.

It was a ritzy hall where even richer members of Gotham gathered to talk about nothing and flaunt their money and prestige to each other. But the event itself sparked a memory in his mind. This Friday. What was so special about this particular Friday?

Then it hit him.

Before your phone could lock, Joker picked it up and dialed a number.

After you closed the bathroom door, you sighed loudly. You almost kissed Joker. Again. This was the second time, third strike, and you were out.

You slapped your cheeks groaning to yourself, 'No there won't be a third time!'

Right now you couldn't afford to think about that. Your focus was set on preparing Joker's bed and getting started on tonight's dinner. One task at a time was your game plan. Processing what happened in the shower could wait until bedtime. Or never.

You walked over to the bed and peeled the top cover back to inspect the sheets underneath. You found they were still fresh enough for Joker to use. The pillowcases however had to go.

With a task at hand, the time ticked by without your knowledge. It didn't dawn on you to check on Joker in the bathroom.

You knew it would take some time to apply his makeup but you were so focused on changing his bed and laying out an outfit for him you didn't realize that you drifted into the laundry room to wash the bedding and somehow ended up in the kitchen all in the span of an hour.

You were chopping up ingredients for Pad Thai when you had the idea to play some music.

"[insert phone carrier AI], shuffle my music please."

Nothing happened.

You stopped julienning a carrot and looked around the room for your phone.

You changed out of your wet clothes and it wasn't in the pockets, leaving your phone in no other place but where you left an hour prior. Still in the bathroom with Joker.

One exhale later, you left your meal prep in the kitchen to go retrieve your phone. If you were cooking you would do so with music blasting.

You opted out of wearing socks and your favorite color nail polish adorned your toes as you made your way back to the guest bedroom. The spare bedding you chose still matched the décor and you noticed the clothes you laid out on the foot of the bed were gone.

It was an indicator that Joker had left the bathroom in the past hour.

You knocked on the door, calling out for him. At first you didn't hear anything until you pressed your ear to the wood and picked up on a one way conversation. Was he talking to himself? At this point that wasn't concerning, Joker was indeed touched in the head.

"I don't care what you have to do. Don't blow your cover.. duh.. but keep an eye on the... Yes. I told you this'll be easyyy. The target."

You located your phone but why was Joker using it? You wouldn't dare ask how he got past your passcode.

Apparently the person on the other end had a lot to say since it was quiet for a few minutes until Joker responded.

He made that nondescript hum of his– the one that wasn't a sigh nor a grunt, just a noise that only he made, though this one sounded frustrated.

"I haven't decided yet. You'll know more once you geT there." There was a loud thud through the door that made you jump.

"Do your job.. but have fun doing it, mmkay? Track and then destroy. You know what to do from here."

Track and destroy? Have fun? Targets? You knew Joker was a man of pure evil but his calm demeanor about it sent a chill down your spine. Who did he just put a hit on? What was going on? This was beyond what you agreed upon.

You backed away from the door in fear. Until now, you only saw a domestic side of Joker.

Sure he threatened you a few times, but he didn't display any of his more violent tendencies during his stay with you. He was nothing but mannerable despite being a madman.

How could you forget that crucial detail? He wasn't a normal houseguest. Joker was a murderer– the most dangerous one in all of Gotham and actively wanted by the GCPD for escaping and killing nineteen people.

Just because you served him daily meals in bed and asked him if he liked ginseng tea or Earl Grey, didn't mean you were safe around him. You couldn't trust the devil personified and you definitely shouldn't make friends with him either.

His secret phone call was your wake up call. You had to remember to send Cindy a bouquet of flowers for calling you when she did. If Joker had kissed you in the shower, where would you be right now?

You didn't need that toxic thinking in your life. You needed to protect yourself and put up a permanent wall between you and Joker. There couldn't be any more room for errors. Whatever chemistry that was brewing between you and the jokester had to stop now.

With your mind made up, you waited a few more minutes before knocking on the door again.

Another vague hum from Joker granted you entry.

Of course you didn't know what to expect when you walked in but seeing Joker seated at the vanity with a fresh coat of clown makeup on while wearing a light grey shirt with black sweatpants (thankfully you had sense to not buy grey) was not at the top of your list.

After that phone call you didn't know anything about him anymore. Like you knew anything to begin with..

He turned to face you with a pensive glare. Did he suspect you overheard his conversation? You waited long enough not to be suspicious– your book research taught you about that reoccurring troupe in various media.

Apparently he did. "How much did ya hear?"

If you remembered correctly, experts said to deflect the accusation. You blurted out of the first thing that came to mind.

"I see the clothes fit, that's good." You pointed at his clothes making him look down.

He looked good in casual attire although you wouldn't admit that aloud. The shirt was snug but offered him breathing room whereas the sweats you dug out of storage (an ex of yours left them ages ago) fit him a little too well. You had to go clothes shopping for him before you jumped his bones.

"What did you hear?" Joker asked again.

Don't look away, it's a sign of guilt. You thought.

"Why were you using my phone?" You walked over to the vanity and snatched it off. It was locked and your phone screen glowed, prompting you to enter your passcode.

"Pause. How did you unlock my phone Joker?" He narrowed his eyes at your attempt to interrogate him.

The fact you were trying to change the subject confirmed you heard something and given the topic of his conversation, that wasn't good.

He didn't make contact with his crew in days and used your phone as a burner of sorts to keep his operations up and running to execute an off the table mission. The phone call was long and nothing said was for the faint of heart.

Joker wanted to protect you from this, he just wasn't consciously aware of that yet.

You crossed your arms using the height difference to look down at Joker seated. He didn't look intimidated in the slightest. He propped his arm on the vanity and began a staring contest with you.

He was used to being tortured by seasoned cops, wardens, the criminally insane, even Batman himself. What were you gonna do?

You pouted your lip and batted your lashes, throwing in an adorable huff in for better results. No matter how tough Joker thought he was, no one could resist your puppy dog face.

Joker blinked, shifted, and resisted the urge to look away but your eyes were hypnotic– using unnatural powers against him. He folded faster than he'd like to admit.

You smirked and leaned in close (Joker thought for a second you were going to kiss him) and bopped his freshly painted nose. "Ha! I win! Now, who did you call? You're acting like I can't go to my call history and see the number."

You did just that but ran into a problem. It was gone.

"Judging by your face.. they already destroyed the call trace. It's none of your business, Bunny." Joker stood up to stretch and the helm of his shirt rose up, letting you see a row of muscles.

You cleared your throat, looking away.

"You really shouldn't leave your phone unlocked around strangers Y/n." He made a move towards you, "It's.. not.. safe." By the end of his warning, he towered over you, looking down at you with a dangerous gleam in his eye.

You definitely heard him order someone's murder. It was the only explanation as to why he needed to erase the phone call.

This was a murderer standing before you. If he wasn't in your apartment, he would be out on the streets of Gotham wreaking havoc. You had to remember that fact and never forget it.

Your mouth flopped like a fish as the words became stuck in your throat. What could you say after overhearing his phone call? Nothing. So you decided to distance yourself and feign ignorance.

You closed your eyes. "Well, I ahem. I'm glad you got to shower and freshen up. I-I changed the bed for you and I'm working on dinner."

You were still ignoring him. Two could play this game then. "Oh? What're we having?" Joker asked.

How could he be so casual about this? Tears threatened to fall from your eyes and you didn't understand why you were so bent out of shape about it.

You invited him into your home to save your own hide. You didn't sign up to be an accomplice. You were technically a hostage. Your generosity and kindness was done purely out of survival.

So why did your heart squeeze at the thought of Joker going behind your back?

You had no ties to him despite your feelings trying to make something out of nothing.

"Um. Pad Thai with fresh spring rolls and bok choy. I should um g-get back to cooking. Yeah. Cooking..." You turned to leave but Joker's hand reached out and grabbed yours.

It wasn't clammy like when he was bleeding out on your couch. Now it was warm with pronounced calluses on the palms.

You didn't want to know what weapon he frequently used in order to form them. It was hard to ignore the way his hand fit perfectly in yours like a puzzle piece snapping into place.

Somehow Joker read your thoughts and squeezed your hand, not letting go.

He could sense the brick wall forming that separated you from him. He didn't want to be iced out, not again.

He didn't like the emptiness your absence left behind. This was all new and confusing to him and you weren't helping him understand any of it!

"Y/n. Whatever you heard, it's not what you think."

He mourned the loss of your hand when you fled towards the door.

"I'll call you when dinner is ready." You mumbled over your shoulder.

And just like that Joker knew. He was back to square one. Perhaps even further from earning your trust.

[wandaromanova]

Enough

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Warnings: cussing, failing marriage

A/N: hello! happy reading! <3

anon requested: Wanda x reader where they give her divorce paper because Wanda is always gone and distant

Summary: Even the most unbreakable bonds fall victim to the struggles of marriage.

Word Count: 5.1K | navigation

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When you first met Wanda Maximoff, it was under unusual circumstances. You were browsing through a farmer’s market a couple of streets over from your apartment, glancing at various booths as you passed them by. It was a quiet day, the sun was shining down brightly, the heat stifling. You liked to get your groceries from these marketplaces, the fruit and vegetables were fresh and fewer people touched them in comparison to a wholesaler franchise. 

You had been stood at one of your favorite fruit stands, warmly greeting the elderly woman who ran the booth and observing some strawberries. Then suddenly, your purse had been snatched from your person. You were startled and caught sight of a man running down, your purse in hand. You intended to run after the thief, but he didn’t get far. 

A red glow encased the man, stopping him in his place a couple of feet away from you. Your eyes widened, as did everyone else’s, at the sight. You turned your head over your shoulder and were mesmerized by a brunette woman, eyes red, and her head tilted slightly to the side. 

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

Considering you didn’t live under a rock, you knew exactly who she was; Wanda Maximoff. 

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

You had seen her on the news quite often. She was an Avenger who had unique abilities that surpassed the rest of the group. Your eyes followed Wanda as she walked past you and toward the man who was still trapped by a glow of red. You moved without thinking, following behind her. After all, it was your purse that had been stolen. 

“Stealing purses from women? How desperate could you be?” Her Sokovian accent met your ears as you stood back slightly. Wanda tore your purse out of the man’s grip and released him. He looked terrified as he took one glance at the brunette before running in the direction he was originally going in. 

Everyone in the marketplace went back to what they were doing while you stood in the middle of the walkway, frozen in place as the Sokovian turned her body around to face you. Television and photos didn’t do her beauty justice; she was captivating. 

There was a glow that surrounded her, a silhouette of gold colliding with her brunette locks. Her eyes were emerald with the smallest specks of blue. Her skin was remarkably flawless. You couldn’t help but wonder what her skincare routine was. 

Wanda smiled lightly at you, amusement present in her eyes. “I don’t have a skincare routine. I just wash my face with a bar of soap and call it a day.” You blushed profusely at Wanda’s words. 

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

Right… she could infiltrate people’s minds too. How could you forget something like that?

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

“T-thank you for helping me. I don’t know what I would’ve done if that dude actually got away with my purse.”

You mentally berated yourself for stuttering. The woman smiled at you and handed you the object, which you hung on your shoulder. 

“Don’t mention it.” Wanda spoke dismissively with a wave of her hand. “Is there anything I can do to repay you? Maybe buy you a cup of coffee? There’s a really good cafe a couple of blocks down from here.”

You looked at Wanda hopefully, wanting to thank her for what she had done for you.

The brunette took a pause, contemplating her answer before nodding her head. “I could go for some coffee.”

You smiled brightly and pointed behind you with your thumb. “Well, it’s back that way.” You turned back and began walking, Wanda right beside you. 

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎‎────────────────❅•

You sat in a booth with Wanda sat across from you. The cafe was fairly empty, which you were grateful for. Two cups of coffee were resting on the table, steam rising from the hot liquids.

“What’s an Avenger like yourself doing in a little farmer’s market?” You asked, taking a sip of your coffee as your eyes peered at the brunette over the rim of the mug. 

“I always loved farmer’s markets. In Sokovia, my country, they were everywhere. So, I really love coming out to these sorts of places. It reminds me of home.”

You tensed at her words. Everyone knew about the rubble that Sokovia had become, and you felt kind of like an asshole for asking. 

“I’m very sorry for what happened to your home.” You spoke sympathetically as you put your mug down gently. Wanda sent you a small smile. “Thank you. It wasn’t the greatest country. We were plagued by poverty, but it was still home.”

The Sokovian looked down to the mug in front of her in thought. You cleared your throat before speaking.

“Well, I know a ton of farmer’s markets in this area. I tend to alternate between them, depending on what I need at home.” Wanda’s eyes moved from her mug and to your own. 

“If you want some recommendations, I’m your woman. Not to brag, but I’m kind of a farmer’s market pro.” You brushed off imaginary dust from your shoulders and Wanda let out small giggles at your faux cockiness.

“I would love some recommendations if it means you’ll take me on your shopping trips.” 

You raised your eyebrow at her with a smirk. “If you wanted to spend more time with me, you should’ve just said so, Wanda. No need to be so coy.”

Wanda threw her head back, laughing wholeheartedly at your words. You couldn’t help but feel proud of yourself for making her laugh.

“Nah, I don’t want to spend time with you, I just want your street knowledge.”  Wanda managed to let out, slowly coming down from her laughing fit.

“Oh! So you want to use me? I mean, let’s be honest... I wouldn’t mind if you did.” You spoke dramatically and Wanda laughed once more. 

You smiled as you observed her. Her head was thrown back, cheeks red, and eyes closed as the cutest giggles you’ve ever heard met your ears.

It was then you decided that her laugh was your favorite sound, especially when you were the one to evoke them from the Sokovian.

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎‎────────────────❅•

Since that day, you guys had exchanged numbers and Wanda had accompanied you shopping once a week. You’d drag the Sokovian by the hand through various markets and give her pointers on which stands sell the best produce. You even introduced her to the vendors, even if they already knew who she was. 

It was a wonderful time and afterward, the two of you would grab lunch in random restaurants, conversating over anything and everything. You had to admit, you looked forward to the one day a week you got to spend with Wanda. So, it kinda sucked whenever she couldn’t make it, away on some sort of mission. 

However, her absence made her presence all the more special. She took time out of her hectic schedule to hang out with you and roam around carelessly.

Truthfully, you were kind of a nobody, just another number to the extensive population of New York. You were the head chef of a fine-dining restaurant, hence your preference for fresh ingredients at home.

It baffled you that someone of Wanda’s caliber would want to spend time with you, but you definitely weren’t complaining. 

As weeks turned into months, you had grown exceptionally close to the Sokovian. You had gone from seeing her once a week to every other day, well, when she wasn’t away for work. 

Wanda would come over to your apartment, sipping on some wine as she watched you cook dinner. You figured she was intrigued by your gracefulness in the kitchen, but really, she was just checking you out.

She thought you looked amazing in your little chef apron, your hair pulled back into a ponytail to keep your hair out of your face. However, a few loose strands fell and framed your face perfectly. 

“Your hair looks sexy pushed back.” Wanda spoke, pulling you out of your concentration. Your eyes moved upward, staring at the woman who sat on a stool on the opposite side of your kitchen island.

“Did you just quote Mean Girls?” You asked amusedly and the brunette shrugged, a small smile on her face.

“Yes, I did. And what about it?” You rolled your eyes at Wanda’s sassiness. You would continue your task, disregarding her comment as best as you could, trying to ignore how flustered the woman made you. 

Once dinner was prepared, the two of you would sit on the couch and choose a random movie on Netflix. Those nights were always filled with commentary and laughter. It was so easy to relax around the Sokovian. Everything seemed to fall into place whenever she was near. 

So, it was no surprise when you realized you had feelings for Wanda that surpassed friendship. You had been nervous about revealing how you felt to the woman, but when you finally did, you felt like an idiot for being scared.

“I have feelings for you. Like, I like you a lot.” You anxiously played with your fingers, scared of Wanda’s reaction. She had been sat on your couch right beside you and you couldn’t meet her eyes.

“Hey.” Wanda spoke, gently gripping your chin and forcing you to look at her. “I like you, too.” Wanda giggled when your eyes widened in surprise.

“What? Don’t look so surprised. We’re practically dating already.” You rolled your eyes at the brunette with a smile on your face. The two of you sat there, smiling at each other like idiots, but neither of you seemed to care.

Your feelings weren’t one-sided and a weight had been lifted off of your shoulders. After that day of confessions, you and Wanda became official.

Truthfully, not much changed between you two. You guys acted the same way you always did, but now kissing was added to the list of activities you would participate in. 

ㅤ Wanda Maximoff is the love of your life; ㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤ and you would never let her go. 

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎‎────────────────❅•

3 Years Later

You had been dating Wanda for three years and things were going wonderfully. She had moved into your apartment with you. It was amazing, knowing that she would end her days in your bed and you’d wake up with her in your arms the next morning. 

However, one morning, you definitely weren’t particularly happy with your girlfriend. She had dragged you out of bed at 5AM and rushed you to get ready. Wanda didn’t tell you where the hell she was taking you at the ass crack of dawn. Each time you asked, she just shushed you. 

Thirty minutes later, you walked with Wanda hand-in-hand. You knew the route she was taking and your eyebrows furrowed in confusion. You remained silent until you made it to your destination, and your suspicions had been confirmed; she had taken you to the farmer’s market closest to your apartment.

The area was completely empty, there were fairy lights strung about and a basket full of strawberries sitting on your favorite fruit stand. The sun was rising and the sky looked immaculate, the sun radiating a blood-orange color, complemented by golden yellow undertones. It was beautiful. 

Wanda let go of your hand and moved forward, turning around to face you. It was then that you noticed how anxious she looked. Seriously, it looked like she was about to puke. “What are we doing here? Is everything okay?” Your concern for the Sokovian was evident in your tone. 

Wanda gave you the best smile she could muster in her nervous state and nodded her head. “Everything is okay. Wait, scratch that. Everything is more than okay now that I have you in my life.” You smiled at your girlfriend as she took a deep breath.

“Y/N. Do you remember this spot?” Wanda asked you curiously and you nodded your head, a laugh escaping your lips. “Well, of course. We come here like once a month, duh.” The Sokovian shook her head at your words, rolling her eyes playfully.

“No shit, Sherlock. I meant, do you remember the significance of this specific spot?” You instantly nodded your head.

“This is where a random ass dude stole my purse and you scared him with your powers.” You smiled triumphantly while Wanda giggled. 

“Well, you’re not wrong, but yeah. This is where we first met.” Wanda let out a shaky breath and you stared at her curiously.

“When I first came to America and joined the Avengers, I was petrified. They say this place is the land of opportunity, but it didn’t feel like that to me.”

The Sokovian began to ramble on, her eyes locked onto yours as you listened intently. 

“Coming to America wasn’t a choice that I made, but it was the only option I had. I used to think that I could never find a home in this city, but I was wrong. I found a home. Not with the Avengers or in the Compound where I lived, but in this little market.”

Wanda moved forward, taking a step closer to you and holding both of your hands in her own. “I found you.” Your heart fluttered at her words, heat rising to your cheeks despite the cold morning air. 

“I’m so happy that I decided to come here that morning because if I didn’t, I would’ve missed my opportunity to find love.”

Wanda let go of your hands and you instantly missed the warmth. However, your eyes went wide when your girlfriend got down on one knee. 

“Y/N, you brought hope and love into my life when I ran out of it. I never thought I would entertain the idea of marriage, but now… it’s all I can think about.”

A loud gasp surpassed your lips, your hands flying up to cover your mouth as Wanda pulled out a tiny red velvet box. She opened it slowly and inside sat a stunning engagement ring with a huge diamond sat on top of it.

“Will you marry me?” Wanda looked up at you hopefully as you stared down at her with tears springing to your eyes.

You instantly nodded your head as a few tears fell down your face. “Yes!” You managed to breathe out and the Sokovian was beaming. 

She took your left hand in hers and steadily slid the ring onto your finger before kissing the back of your hand. Wanda stood up hastily and pulled your body into hers by the waist, passionately moving her lips against your own. 

It was euphoric. The sunrise encased your figures in a golden hue, the cold atmosphere turning warm from each other’s body heat. You were two women who loved each other dearly, kissing in the middle of a vacant farmer’s market without a care in the world. 

ㅤ The promise of forever hung in the air that ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤsurrounded you both; and you were free. 

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎‎────────────────❅•

1 Year Later

A year after your engagement, you and Wanda had gotten married. The ceremony was absolutely gorgeous as you were surrounded by your family and friends. You would never forget the way Wanda teared up as you walked down the aisle, your father by your side. 

You recall the small giggles you’d share with Wanda as the two of you stood at the altar. Neither of you could take it seriously, whispering quiet flirtatious remarks to each other. However, your laughs died down when you reached your vows. 

“Wanda, you are my hero. Sure, you may save the world from threats for a living, but you do so much more than that. You save me from purse thieves and kill the spiders in my apartment because I’m too scared to go near them.” 

Wanda and the audience seated in front of you had laughed at your words. You let out a shaky breath, Wanda sending you a reassuring smile before you continued.

“Whenever I order a burger, you always eat the tomato because you know how much I dislike them. You take care of the tiny cuts I get from work, sometimes being a little too dramatic about my injury.

You looked down at your hands nervously before returning your gaze to the brunette who stood in front of you. The white dress she had on was absolutely gorgeous, complementing her emerald eyes perfectly.

“But you’re always so gentle, you’re always there for me. I promise to do the same for you. I won’t kill the spiders for you, but I’ll be there whenever you need me, even when you don’t. I’ll be on standby anyway.”

You were entranced by the woman who stood in front of you. You weren’t too fond of public speaking, but it was easy when Wanda was with you; everything was easier with Wanda around.

“I’m so grateful for you, Wanda Maximoff. You are the other half of my heart and soul that I didn’t realize was missing, but now that I’ve found you; I never intend on letting you go. Sorry, but you’re stuck with me.”

You ended your vows with a small chuckle. Wanda’s eyes were focused on your own, shining brightly as a smile crossed her features. When her turn came around, you were practically a melted puddle by the end of it. 

“Y/N, you are my love. I don’t think you realize just how deeply I love you. I would do anything for you. From fighting off an entire army to letting you eat some of my food even if you said you weren’t hungry.” 

The room filled with laughter once more, a blush coming to your cheeks from being called out. Food just tasted better when it wasn’t your own. 

“I’ll let you fight your own battles, but I’ll always be there for backup. I promise to you that I will do everything in my power to keep you happy and safe because you are my main priority.. I’ll be anything you need me to be; a best friend, a shoulder to cry on, a protector, a wife. You name it and I’ll be it for you.”

You were a crying mess when Wanda finished her vows. You felt an overwhelming feeling of love consume you. Her words struck a chord within you and just… god damn it, you loved her so much. 

After the ‘I do’s,’ you and Wanda kissed as if you were the only people in the room. Honestly, it felt like it at that moment. You had just declared your devotion and unwavering love to one another.

It was the beginning of forever and you couldn’t wait to see what the future had in store for you both. 

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎‎────────────────❅•

2 Years Later

Two years of marriage had been interesting. The first year went flawlessly, it was as if you and Wanda were on a high. It was the most intense and passionate year that the two of you had ever shared. The two of you had purchased a condo together, moving out of your former apartment.  

Long nights of love-making that spilled over to the morning, working out together, and spending practically every single minute together possible. Of course, the two of you still had your respective jobs, but that never affected your relationship.

The married life seemed like smooth sailing, but little did you know, there was a thunderstorm not too far ahead. Treacherous waves and destructive lightning were in the near future, you just didn’t know it yet.

Things had started going south at a relatively slow pace. Wanda was progressively assigned to more missions, spending less time at home and an increased amount of time at work. You didn’t let it get to you at the time, it was the way life worked. Wanda was literally a superhero and the world always seemed to need saving. 

This went on for several months. Waking up to an empty bed and going to bed the same way. You rarely saw your wife and you’d be lying if you said it didn’t upset you. It was a drastic change from what you were used to. You only saw the Sokovian for an hour or two, every other day.

And when you did see her, your time was filled with arguing over things that neither of you could really remember. There was a sudden halt to all forms of affection, animosity taking its place. 

It was particularly bad the night you brought up the topic of Wanda’s presence and the lack thereof.

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎‎────────────────❅•

You had been lying in bed, your head resting against the headboard as you scrolled through your phone. The sound of the front door opening had caught your attention and you quickly tossed your phone aside and stood up, making your way out of the bedroom.

You were met with Wanda taking off her shoes in front of the door. Her eyes darted up to you, the annoyance that crossed her face had hurt you, not that you would tell her that.

“Hey, you’re back early.” You stated, maintaining a happier tone to avoid an argument. Wanda walked past you and toward the kitchen, opening up the fridge and grabbing a bottle of water.

She shut the fridge and turned around to look at you. “Why? Did you not want me here? Because I can leave if it’s such a problem.” 

You were taken aback by Wanda’s attitude. You spoke one sentence and somehow managed to upset her. It was absurd.

Despite your growing irritation, you remained calm. You hated fighting with your wife and you knew that someone had to be the bigger person.

“No, it’s not a problem at all. I’m glad you’re here. You’ve been gone a lot and I miss you.” You smiled, walking over to your wife who still stood in the kitchen, wrapping your arms around her waist.

However, the brunette grabbed your arms and tore them off her body, whipping around to face you. 

She was clearly angry and you didn’t understand how any of what you said could’ve pissed her off. “Yeah, I’m gone a lot because people need me. I can’t drop everything to be with you just because you’re needy as fuck.” Wanda spoke bitterly as she glared at you. 

Your chest tightened at her words, flashbacks of your wedding day hitting you. You took a deep breath, gulping to prevent a sob from coming out.

“I thought I was your main priority or did you just make that up for show? To have everyone at our wedding believe that I’m of any importance to you?” 

You were getting angry, your voice rose slightly. You felt your blood pressure rising, your body getting hot from your frustration.

“Wanda, I just want to see you more because you’re my wife. It has nothing to do with being needy, seeing you more than an hour or two every few days is a fucking standard in a marriage!”

You took a step back from Wanda as you screamed. You were fed up with being made out to be some clingy person when you were simply being a wife to the Sokovian. She rolled her eyes at you, crossing her arms over her chest as she gazed at you. 

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

“Well, then maybe our marriage was a mistake.”

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

Wanda spoke without thinking, not caring about anything other than going for the killshot and winning the argument. Her words seemed to have worked as you visibly deflated.

Your anger was replaced with sadness. You let out a dark chuckle at her words, shaking your head before walking into the bedroom slamming the door behind you, and locking it. 

Wanda didn’t expect that reaction, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was that she had won the argument. She figured she would be sleeping on the couch tonight and she was satisfied with that. You didn’t want to see her and she didn’t want to see you. 

So, the Sokovian brought her bottle of water over to the living room, placing it on the coffee table before crashing onto the couch. She got comfortable, closing her eyes as slumber took over her.

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎‎────────────────❅•

3 Weeks Later

Since the argument, things were the same, but different all at once. Wanda still went on mission after mission, but you had taken up more shifts at the restaurant. You didn’t want to be alone in the condo any longer than you had to be. You needed the extra money anyway. 

When you were home, you were silent, no longer bothering to speak to your wife. You were two strangers that occupied a living space together. Wanda’s words played in your head like a broken record. It was all you could think about whenever you’d see her. 

The promise of forever hung in the air that surrounded you both; and you were trapped. Your life had become a vicious cycle of tension and avoidance.

Your engagement and wedding felt like an absolute lie now. They always say the first years of marriage are the hardest, but you didn’t think it would be this difficult.

You and Wanda had petty arguments over the six years you two had been together, but they were rare and were usually resolved quickly.

But not this, no, this entire situation was different. You were in a never-ending loop of anger and resentment, and you couldn’t take it anymore. 

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎‎────────────────❅•

Wanda pulled out her keys and unlocked the door to the condo. She had just gotten back from an emergency meeting with the team. The Sokovian stopped in her tracks as soon as she opened the door. 

There you were, sat at the kitchen table. You were leaning back, your arm resting on the table as your hand enclosed around a glass of whiskey. Your bloodshot, red eyes, and the dried streaks of tears that adorned your cheeks were evidence of your crying. Wanda had never seen you so down. 

The brunette slowly shut the door behind her, surprised when you spoke. She didn’t think you’d noticed her presence, your eyes trained on the glass in your hand. “We need to talk.”

Wanda nodded her head at your words and slowly approached the table. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion when she saw a stack of papers on the table. 

Wanda sat down across from you and finally, you looked at her. The Sokovian’s heart clenched as you stared at her emotionlessly. You downed the entire glass of alcohol, not even wincing at the burn, but welcoming it. You put the glass down and cleared your throat before speaking. 

“Wanda, I love you so much, but we can’t keep living like this.” Your voice was hoarse, a result of your earlier crying and the beverage you had just ingested. Wanda stared at you in confusion.

“What are you talking about?” The Sokovian felt fear slowly creeping in. She didn’t have a good feeling about this. 

“Oh, come on. You know what I’m talking about. We act like we don’t even know each other anymore. We aren’t even wives anymore, we’re just two people who live together.” You didn’t have the energy to yell anymore, your voice was soft and calm.

Wanda still didn’t understand the direction this conversation was going in. Nothing could’ve prepared her for your next words. 

“I visited a lawyer and hired him. He was going to give you these, but I decided to do it myself.” You sat up and pushed the papers across the table. “I’m officially serving you with divorce papers.”

Wanda’s heart stopped as she comprehended your words. She couldn’t believe this was happening. 

“Wha- what? A divorce? Please tell me you’re joking.” Wanda looked down at the papers and back up to you in utter disbelief.

“I wish I was joking, but I’m not. I want a divorce.” You were eerily calm, maintaining your composure while Wanda felt like she was going to crumble to pieces at any given moment. 

“Is this about my missions? If it is, I’ll ask Steve to relax my workload. I’ll be around more often and I’ll stop being an asshole. Just, please don’t do this. I’ll make it right, I promise.” Wanda leaned forward and reached out for your hand pleadingly, but you didn’t let her.

You pulled your arm off of the table and shook your head. “Wanda, you shouldn’t have to make it up to me in the first place. It shouldn’t take a divorce for you to finally act like a proper wife. I’m not changing my mind.” You spoke firmly, but Wanda refused to accept your words.

The Sokovian abruptly stood up, the loud sound of her chair scraping against the floor filled the room.

“So, that’s it? You’re just gonna give up on everything we have? You’re gonna throw in the towel because things are a little rough right now? You’re a fucking coward, Y/N!” 

Wanda was enraged as you stared at her unimpressed. Her chest was heaving as she glared at you. “This is exactly why this needs to happen. We can’t have one conversation without someone yelling.” You stood up slowly, rounding the table and making your way to the front door. 

Wanda watched your every move like a hawk. You reached for your purse that hung beside the door and flung it over your shoulder before turning around to face the Sokovian. “I suggest you get a lawyer as well.” You spoke simply and turned back around, your hand on the doorknob. 

Something in Wanda went off, seeing you about to walk out had raised alarms in her mind. You were really leaving her. The brunette moved without a single thought, rushing over to you as you pulled the door open. She gripped your wrist tightly, causing your head to turn back to her, a sad expression on your face.

“Please don’t leave me. I love you and you love me. Does that not mean anything to you anymore?” Wanda’s anger dissipated to desperation. She stared at you right in the eyes, begging you to stay. Pleading you not to put an end to your marriage.

“Our love means the absolute world to me, Wanda. But sometimes… love just isn’t enough.”

You smiled sadly at the Sokovian before gently pulling her hand off of your wrist. It was kinda difficult considering how firm her grip had been, but you managed. 

You walked out and all Wanda could do was sit there and watch as you walked down the hall and away from all of the memories you had made together. You never thought that your marriage with the brunette would come to an end, let alone an ugly one.

But your marriage had become toxic, slowly feeding away at any sort of happiness you had left. It was a painful decision to come to; a divorce, but it felt like the right one. The Sokovian was right, you did love her; which is why you needed to put an end to the torture.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

ㅤㅤ Wanda Maximoff is the love of your life; ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ but you had to let her go.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

───────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──────────

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[helliontherapscallion]

sibling hybrid!creeper reader headcannons/one-shot for SBI ( + ranboo? 🧍‍♀️ ) hurt/comfort. like maybe the reader struggles with emotions and doesn't know how to deal w/ them healthily, so they end up bottling them up and kinda explode at times.

sorry if this is too specific, i just really like your writing :) congrats on 1k!! <3

and one last thing,.. can i be 🫂 anon?

(A/N): I had a lot of fun with this one, and thank you : ) I hope you don’t mind that I added Tubbo. Also one more thing, I imagine the explosion is kinda like a Bakugou situation but uncontrollable

Warnings: anti-hybrid rhetoric/slurs (speciesism???), swearing, blood (not much, just mentions of a nose bleed)

It was completely an accident this time, it all just came so fast. You were standing in front of a store window when you felt something rub against your leg. When you looked down, panic engulfed your entire being when you saw an orange cat rubbing and nuzzling against your leg, letting out deep purrs. You had no clue why this cat wasn’t chasing you like all other cats usually did, but you didn’t want to ponder. You felt the familiar pressure building up inside of you as a startled hiss left your mouth and you jumped away from the creature. Your skin was sparking and popping as your freckles lit up in a glowing green light. 

Finally, explosions left your skin as the glass shattered next to you and gravel was turned up and thrown about. You fell to your knees and rubbed at your burning eyes and wiped the blood from your nose. Exploding like that had always taken a lot out of you and made your nose bleed. You suspected that it was because of the sudden build up and release of pressure and energy. 

The back of your shirt was grabbed and you were yanked off from the ground. There staring at you was the owner of the shop that you accidentally blew up. His green eyes were ablaze as he gritted his teeth and looked into your eyes.

“Do you have any idea what you just did?! You blew up my window!”

Small hisses left your mouth, “I-I’m sorry sir I swear I didn’t mean t-”

“Like hell you didn’t! Your kind always destroys everything!”

You stopped struggling and narrowed your eyes at him, “my kind?”

“Yes, hybrids! Filthy mutts, all you do is destroy! You’re a bunch of freaks.”

You could feel another explosion coming about and this time you did not even attempt to hold this one back. You stared him dead in the eyes with the harshest glare you could muster. As soon as the hisses started to leave your mouth and the freckles once again glowed green, the man’s eyes widened before he threw you into the street away from the building. Another explosion left you and disassembled the neat cobblestone of the road. A single stone flew and shattered what was left of the store window. Another flew and hit the store owner in the head knocking him out. 

And here you were now; hisses left your mouth as you ran down the beaten path of the village towards the exit. The iron golem following you was hot on your tail, it’s booming footsteps picking up dust clouds from the gravel. Villagers around you scattered and started to whisper fearfully amongst themselves. You could feel their fearful and angry stares burning holes through you. After you got out of the village and the iron golem was still chasing you, you ducked into the forest where you knew it wouldn’t follow you. You climbed up a tree and watched as the golem angrily smacked the foliage out of the way before it gave up and hobbled back into the village. 

You dragged your feet tiredly back home, wanting nothing more than to collapse in your bed. Your senses were on overdrive as you were hyper aware of everything around you. You’ve never exploded twice within the span of ten minutes before, and it wore you out. Small exhausted hisses left your mouth as you trudged along the path. 

After getting home you walked past a confused and concerned Wilbur, dodging his hands that were trying to grab you so he could get a better look at you. You walked up the stairs ignoring his questions and walked past Tommy.

“Hey sparky, what’s got you lookin like shit?” He asked you before he started to laugh to himself at the nickname he knew you hated. You winced at the volume of his voice before you hissed angrily and stomped off into your room before you passed out immediately in your bed the second you threw yourself onto it. 

You didn’t wake up until a hand shook you awake firmly. You peeled open your eyes to see Tommy hovering over you looking slightly scared. When you fully opened your eyes, he sighed in relief.

“Oh my fucking Ender, I thought you died for a second.”

You only groaned and covered your head with the covers trying to block out the morning light streaming into your room and Tommy’s voice. He shook you more, your entire bed shaking with it. “Get up. Dad wants you downstairs for breakfast cuz you skipped lunch and dinner.”

You said nothing as he ripped the covers off from you eventually and pulled you out of your bed. You landed on the floor with a thump and hissed a little in frustration. You stood up and pushed him out of your room and slammed the door behind him. The locked door handle jimmied before it stopped and everything was silent. You prayed that he went away, but alas he didn’t. You rubbed your forehead when he started to knock at your door in multiples of two.

Knock knock, “(y/n)?” Knock knock, “(y/n)?” Knock knock, “(y/n)?” Knock kno-

“I’ll be down in a minute fuckface. I’m gonna get dressed.”

“If you aren’t down in five minutes I’m getting Techno. He’ll carry your ass down.”

Downstairs, you shambled into the kitchen past the table and poured yourself a cup of coffee. Your family silently watched you before the conversation started back up again. You plopped down next to Wilbur and sipped at your coffee deliriously. He eyed you in concern, “you okay?” You hummed and poked at your eggs. You didn’t feel hungry at all. “You su-”

“Yes, I’m sure Wilbur.” You glanced at him from the corner of your eye and returned to your coffee. After your fourth cup of coffee you were cut off by a concerned Philza. Even after four cups of coffee, you still felt slightly physically drained and it showed in your sluggish movements. Your day went by with you holding in your frustration and anger from everybody constantly asking if you were okay. Days of holding in explosions passed with them finally leaving you alone. However, that did nothing to alleviate your bottled up frustrations.

Techno was sitting on the couch reading a book while Wilbur was sitting in the chair across the room trying to find the lyrics of his next song. Philza was in the kitchen doing who knows what. You were currently walking up to Tommy’s room to say hi to your old friends Tubbo and Ranboo after getting home from a trip to another village. 

That trip was rough for you but not as rough as the one a few days prior; you could only stand so much fear filled and hateful staring after all. Your creeper features consisting of pitch black irises and dark gray sclera, a mop of dark green hair, and green freckles sprayed randomly across your skin was definitely an attention grabber for anyone. A few of the kids even threw rotten tomatoes and stones at you, it was so hard holding in explosions by the time you left that you just felt very overwhelmed. Hanging out around the self proclaimed ‘bench trio’ always enough to calm you down from a rough day. Mellohi’s muffled relaxed beat makes the corners of your lips twitch into a small smile. 

However just as you opened the door to Tommy’s room, you could hear their conversation end. “Hey guys, how’re-”

A yelp left your throat as something very cold drenched your body. An iron bucket came tumbling down and hit your head before falling to the floor with a clank. The pressure that has been building up in your chest increased tenfold, but you closed your eyes, took a deep breath, and turned to walk to your room for a change of clothes. Behind you, you heard Tommy laughing hysterically while Tubbo tried to apologize between his own laughter. You didn’t even have to look at Ranboo to know that he was guiltily fiddling with his sleeves as his tail flicked back and forth sharply. 

After you went into your room, you grabbed your pillow and screamed as loud as you could into it to blow off some steam. After that didn’t work, you tried punching the pillow relentlessly but that didn’t work. You could still feel pressure and energy inside your chest lingering and threatening to burst. 

You sighed and made your way downstairs walking past Tommy’s door. You could now hear Ranboo laughing with them, and that just made you even more angry than you were before. 

Everything around you was pissing you off. Philza’s wings fluttering behind him subconsciously, Technoblade’s little ‘heh’’s as he read something that caught him off guard in his book, Wilbur’s humming and mumbling to himself as he composed his next song, Tommy’s, Ranboo’s, and Tubbo’s loud laughter echoing from Tommy’s room. Every little sound was enough to send you over the edge. Just as you were about to leave the house to calm down again, a knock sounded at the door.

Philza gently pushed you behind him with furrowed brows and a hand on the sword hung around his hip. Techno’s book snapped shut as he stood up to grab his axe while Wilbur walked over to you and put a protective hand on your shoulder. You understood why they were cautious; you didn’t normally get visitors and the last time the house did, it was someone that decided to try and attack Technoblade on sight when he opened the door screaming about how hybrids aren’t natural. Keyword: tried. Techno absolutely would’ve killed him if it wasn’t for Philza holding him back. 

You felt anxiety creep up inside you as you fought against the small hisses trying to escape your mouth. The door opened slowly to reveal the store owner from a few days ago. His eyes hardened when he saw the wings sprouting from Philza’s back before his eyes flicked to you. He did not look happy to see you behind your dad’s massive wings. Without another word, you turned and ran up to your room when you felt the pressure become almost unbearable. 

You ran past Tommy, Tubbo, and Ranboo who were leaving Tommy’s room with hesitance. You didn’t respond when they tried to stop you. Slamming your door closed, you sat on your bed with your head clutched in your hands desperately trying to fight against the pressure building up. Small pops sounded on your skin as you grit your teeth in concentration. You could hear knocking at your door, thank god you locked it behind you. You had no idea how long you were sitting there trying to hold it back.

When the pressure became too much and you felt yourself losing grip on your control, you knew you needed to get out of the house as soon as possible. This was going to be a huge explosion, probably the biggest one you were going to do. The loud continuous hiss that left your throat was something you weren’t actively doing, another telltale sign that you were about to explode. You ripped open the door, pulled yourself from Tommy’s grasp, and ran as fast as you could downstairs. Philza followed you with a furious expression when he saw you, the store owner seemingly having left. 

“(Y/n), what in the hell did you do?” He grabbed your arm and pulled you to the living room. You tried your hardest to pull out of his grasp, but he was holding on too tight. The hissing had gotten slightly louder, but you moved a hand up to your mouth to try and muffle it. He sat you down on the couch and started pacing in front of you, his feathers puffed up angrily. Wilbur and Techno were eyeing you warily from across the room. 

“What were you thinking, blowing up his store like that? Were you even thinking? Cuz that was stupid (y/n). Hybrids get enough bad rap, and you go and pull this?!”

“Dad-”

“Not now Wilbur. As I was saying, you could’ve killed someone! What would you do then-”

“Dad,” Techno’s assertive tone stopped Philza in his tracks as he ran a hand down his face. “What could you possibly want right now, boys?”

“(Y/n)’s gonna explode soon.” Wilbur hurried over to you and helped you up. You could hear the three younger boys’ steps thundering down the stairs. By now, you were visibly shaking and sweating with the effort of holding explosions back. You could see the glowing of your freckles through the reflection of Wilbur’s glasses. 

“Shit,” Philza sounded panicked in that moment as Wilbur ushered you out of the house and into the forest. You pushed him away and stumbled your way deeper into the forest. You heard them attempting to follow you, but you gestured for them to get back. You had no idea how big this one was going to be, but it was definitely going to be large. 

You ran deeper into the forest until you couldn’t hold it back anymore. Leaning against a tree, you finally let yourself explode. This one was painful; your skin burned with every pop that emanated from your freckles, the burning making your free nerve endings scream at you. The last thing you saw was a wave of dirt splashing up before you blacked out. 

You were in and out of consciousness for the next week or so. Whenever you would wake up slightly, it would only be for a couple moments before you would pass out again. It was in those moments that the pain and the lack of energy hit you at full force. You supposed being unconscious was better than the mental and physical fog and the pain. 

By the time you fully woke up, your senses were slightly hyperactive, but nowhere near how you felt when you blew up that store. You reached up with a heavy hand to wipe at your crusty eyes before you heard rustling next to you. You looked over to see Philza standing at the door with a glass of water in his hand. When he saw that you were awake, he rushed to your side and helped you sit up. You took the water gratefully and drank it, the liquid refreshed your dry throat. 

“How’re you feeling?” 

“Tired and a little sore. How long was I out for?”

“About a week, you really worried us. That was a really big one. Do you know why it was so big?”

You nodded and looked down at the water in your hands, swirling it around the glass. You didn’t want to tell him about feeling angry and overwhelmed at every little thing around you the past few days. You felt guilty at that, they were just trying to live their lives while you were cursing them for merely existing. A finger under your chin made you look up at Philza. His eyes were full of gentleness and empathy, “c’mon, you can tell me. I want to help you.”

“I don’t know where to start.”

“Start wherever you feel comfortable. Take as much time as you need.” He sat on the edge of your bed and looked around your room while he waited. You took a second to gather your thoughts before you took a deep breath. Philza perked up and diverted his full attention to you. 

“It started when I first blew up that guy’s store. I swear it was an accident that time, a cat snuck up on me and rubbed on me,” you shuddered, small hisses leaving your mouth. “The guy came out and picked me up by my shirt. He called us some names so I kinda got mad and blew up on purpose.”

“‘Us’?”

You nodded, “hybrids. He said that ‘our kind’ destroys everything.” You glared at the glass in your hands, hissing in contempt and watching the freckles dully glow green. “He called us ‘filthy mutts’ and freaks, Dad.” Philza looked slightly peeved at the name calling, “still, you shouldn’t’ve blown up on him. You could’ve killed him, (y/n).”

“So you’re saying that it’s okay for him to call us slurs? Should we just let people slander us?” You narrowed your eyes at him. He shook his head, his medium length blond hair swaying with the movement. “Hell no, I’m not saying that at all. You should never let someone call you things, but violence is never the answer.”

You huffed, crossing your arms, “frankly, he deserved what was coming to him. I just wish he didn’t throw me before I could blow up.” 

“Hold on, he fucking threw you?” You nodded and watched his eyes darken and anger flash across his face, “violence is sometimes the answer then. Did he hurt you?” 

“No, but I just felt so… so drained. But so overwhelmed at the same time. I’ve never exploded twice in the same day before.”

He hummed in realization, “so that’s why you slept through most of the day. Sorry, go on.”

“After Tommy woke me up everything just felt worse. It was like everything around me was amplified. It was hell, the last few days I was just hyper aware of everything and it was pissing me off. Every little thing drove me crazy, I could feel myself getting closer and closer to exploding but I held it back until I couldn’t anymore.” 

“(Y/n), you know that’s not healthy… I talked to Sam, you remember right?” You shook your head, “well, he was an old friend of Wilbur’s. He used to come here all the time before he had to move away. He’s a creeper hybrid like you,” he chuckled when you perked up, “he gave me some advice on your anatomy when you were growing up. Anyways, he told me that sensory overload is common when you explode. He said that it’s normal to feel drained afterwards and to definitely get plenty of sleep. The sensory issues apparently get worse if your rest is interrupted, so that was probably why you felt overwhelmed in the past few days… He also told me that it really isn’t healthy to explode more than once a day or to hold it in for longer than necessary. Please just come to me if you’re feeling overwhelmed again or if you need to rest after exploding. I can even build you an obsidian building where you could go and not blow up anything.”

“...I’d like that. What- what else did he tell you?” Philza chuckled and started to tell you more about what Sam told him about his anatomy. He even gave you Sam’s comms contact so you could contact him if you had any questions or wanted some advice. He was a nice man when you talked to him, always having an answer for your questions. You even found old pictures of you as a baby following him around. Apparently you could tell that he was part creeper; wherever he was in the house, you were bound to be near him.

The rest of the day, you hung out with the rest of your family and the bench trio. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Techno wasn’t one for open affection, being the type to give you little trinkets and giving you suggestions on what to read next. Every time you woke up, you would find small objects ranging from gold to emeralds and books on your nightstand. He would vehemently deny being the one that gave you the items, but you and the rest of the family knew better. Sometimes, he would drop into your room to ask you what you thought of the book and have a thorough discussion about it with you while you were recovering. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You leaned against Wilbur’s side with his arm wrapped around you. The hand that was around you was rubbing circles into your shoulder. After he scolded you for bottling up your emotions, he climbed into your bed and pulled you to his side. Small hums left his throat. 

“(Y/n)?” You hummed, your eyes half lidded and almost about to fall asleep. “Would you mind if I wrote a song about you? It would fit with the next album’s theme.” 

“Knock yourself out.” Your words were slightly slurred as you nuzzled closer to him. He laughed a bit, the sound being muffled and reverberating his chest. “Get some sleep. I’ll brainstorm some ideas to run by you before you wake up.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hanging out with the self proclaimed ‘bench trio’ was always fun, even if you were on strict orders to stay in bed by Dadza. Nobody argues with a concerned Dadza, but they found other ways to hang out with you. Tommy had moved his jukebox into your room and was playing cat, the music soothing you immensely and putting an end to your worries. However, what didn’t soothe you was the card game in front of you. 

You were watching in horror as everybody put down a plus two card stacking the amount the victim would have to draw. So far, the plus two streak had already gone around the circle once and is now going around once more. It was nearing your turn and it was with great horror that you realized you didn’t have a color changing card or a plus two card. The two cards in your hand felt heavy as you watched Ranboo pull out another card.

“Please Ranboo, I’ll do anything. Don’t put that card down.” You watched as his ears twitched before he smiled innocently at you, putting the card down and laughing at you when you started the long process of drawing fourteen cards and sorting them. 

“Sorry, my hand slipped.”

“Get fucked (y/n)!” Tommy cackled at you. You flipped him off before you went back to sorting the cards. Tubbo put down a plus four color changing card and smiled at Tommy. 

“Sorry Tommy, but uno and the color is now red!”

“Goddamnit Tubbo! That’s the one color I don’t have,” he grumbled and drew four cards. Ranboo smiled triumphantly and put down his last card before showing you his empty hands. “What?! You didn’t even say uno!” You eyed his smug smile with disbelief. 

“You guys didn’t call me on it though.”

“That’s not the rules, Ranboo! You have to say uno!” Tommy argued. Long story short, the rules had to be looked up and the family had to be consulted before your group came to the conclusion that you in fact do not have to call out uno and the other players could call them out on it. Eventually after a few tense games, the three were sitting on your bed. Ranboo had some difficulty with it due to his height, but he managed with his legs crossed. 

“(Y/n) do you reckon you could become charged if you were hit by lightning?”

“Tubbo, you’re a genius,” Tommy breathed out, “let’s go see!” 

“No, you will not go see. Sit back down.” Wilbur called out as he passed your room. The group slumped slightly. “We’ll see when I get better. Mark my words, the next thunderstorm that happens I will see if I can be charged.” You whispered to them, your eyes glinting with mischief. 

“I don’t really think that’s a good idea.”

“Of course it is, Ranboo. It probably won’t kill them.”

“Probably?” Ranboo raised an eyebrow at Tommy’s nonchalant answer. “Yes, probably.”

“I still have three lives left. If I die, I die.” You wove a hand in the air as you spoke and watched as Tubbo nodded in agreement. “Do it for science, (y/n).”

“Oh I will. For science!” You raised your water glass in the air and Tommy and Tubbo followed suit with wide smiles. “For science!”

You three turned to stare at a deadpanning Ranboo. He sighed before he raised his glass of milk and let out a monotone “for science.” You, Tommy, and Tubbo cheered as you clanked your glasses together. You could see a hint of a fond smile on Ranboo’s face as he watched you three chug your waters before he downed his milk in one swallow. 

You smirked at them and leaned close, talking lowly so that anyone passing by wouldn’t overhear you. “So, what’s our plan?”

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[despressolattes]

TEMPERATURE MODERATOR » shoto todoroki

unrequested, but just a little scenario that’s been running through my mind

CHARACTERS: Shoto Todoroki x reader

SUMMARY: in which your ‘good pal ‘todoroki once let you hold onto his left side to warm up after he accidentally freezes you during the USJ attack, and you then consistently proceed to use him as a human temperature moderator.

WARNINGS: fluff

IMAGINE REQUESTS IS OPEN, JUST SLOW TO GET TO THEM—send all to my INBOX

MHA MASTERLIST

"Um... hey... Todo... roki...”

You spoke between shivers, standing behind him.

You watched as his shoulders rose in surprise after he finished unfreezing the villains, asking them what their plans for All Might were. Everything had happened so fast from the villains breeching the USJ, to one of them warping the students to different locations, to Todoroki completely freezing the area. You knew he was impressive, but his power was on a whole different level.

“L/N?” his heterochromatic eyes widened when he saw you there, smiling sheepishly as your limbs felt cold. “Why didn’t you get my attention sooner?”

“Oh, y’know, you seemed busy getting information out of those villains,” you replied awkwardly. If you were able to move your arms, you would’ve been scratching your head at this point.

He huffed at your response, but a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he walked over, placing a hand over the ice entrapping your body. Steam began to flow into the air as he melted the ice away from you.

You fell forward a bit after he was done, and he reached out to help steady you.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

You stood up straight, moving your arms out of his grasp as you nodded vigorously. Your palms went to your bare arms, trying to warm yourself back up.

A guilty look flashed on his face, and he held out his left arm.

“Here, hold onto me,” he said, looking away from you as a slight tint formed on his face, but his poker face remained.

“Pardon?”

“I can keep you warm with my left side,” he mumbled. “Just grab on until you feel better.”

Awkwardly, you let yourself wrap your arms around his torso, and his left arm snaked around your shoulders. You felt yourself slowly warming back up, but was it from embarrassment or from his quirk?

“Let’s go find the teachers and our classmates,” he said.

•─────────°❋❀°─────────•

To say your friends had a lot to ask about Todoroki’s protective arm around you during the USJ attack was an understatement. He had ran into battle to help All Might, practically carrying you as his arm around your shoulder moved to your waist. His grip had tightened as he ran onto the scene, sure to bring you with him without you toppling over.

Afterwards, the girls all wanted to know what was going on. Toru had told them all about how Todoroki had accidentally frozen you alongside the villains, gushing about how afterwards he was a total prince charming offering to hold you until you were warm. You and Todoroki looked at each other in surprise when she had revealed she had been there. Neither of you had any clue, which meant he could’ve also accidentally froze her.

But as for your friends questions? You didn’t have much to say. It wasn’t like it was anything other than a polite gesture and an apology for freezing you.

•─────────°❋❀°─────────•

You hadn’t talked to Todoroki much outside of a group setting since the attack on the USJ. 

You forget which of the girls had planned it, or how you got dragged outside of your house, but there you were. You were walking in a small crowd of class 1A students into an ice-skating rink, one of them suggesting to hang out after class got out.

Looking around, you saw Todoroki standing a bit further back from the group, observing the event around them. You wondered how he wasn’t cold, clad in a black turtleneck and a pair of jeans. Then, you remembered: he could probably regulate his body temperature using his left side.

Your classmates tugged on your arm and dragged you to put on ice skates and then onto the rink. You giggled as Ochako and Mina pulled you along with them, and laughed out when you’d fall backwards and land on your butt.

Eventually, you had broken off from the girls, and you saw Todoroki skating around. Of course the boy with an ice quirk was great at ice skating.

To the best of your ability, you skated over to him. The idea of being warm sounded nice, so you found yourself seeing only one logical solution to your problem.

“Todoroki!” you said enthusiastically, going to grab onto his left arm.

He looked startled as you latched yourself to his side.

“Um... what are you doing?” he asked as you wrapped your arms around his left one, using him for warmth and balance.

“It’s cold in here, and your left side is warm,” you responded with an innocent smile.

Todoroki’s cheeks heated up from the close proximity you had to him.

“Should’ve worn a bigger jacket then,” he said.

“You let me get warmed up by you before!”

“I was also the reason you were cold before.”

“Well, why should I be cold when there’s a perfectly hot boy standing right here,” you jokingly muttered.

Your eyes widened as you realized what you had just said, and how it could sound by anyone other than the two of you. He seemed to realize it, too, a hint blush forming on his face.

“T-that’s not what I meant,” you stuttered out, looking down in embarrassment and reflexively tightened your grip on Todoroki’s arm.

He looked away from you, but also didn’t shrug you off. He moved out of the way as Bakugo came racing past, detaching him arm from you to dodge a possible clash. You swear all you saw was a light blond flash as you fell backwards onto your but, grated ice flying into your face.

“Watch it, damn extras!” Bakugo yelled over his shoulders.

Todoroki’s looked down at your with wide eyes, a slight upturn of his lips.

“Here,” he offered you a hand, and you took it. After a moment of silent, he added, “I suppose you can hold onto me since you don’t look like you know how to skate.”

•─────────°❋❀°─────────•

Todoroki turned into Shoto, and Shoto turned into Sho at the same rate that UA high school turned into UA boarding school, your classmates became your roomates—erm, building mates?—and your paths to being heroes took an abrupt jump off of its steady progression straight into the deep end.

How did you guys even find time to go to the beach? you wondered, sitting underneath an umbrella on a hot day, hearing the sounds of people talking and waves crashing.

“Sho!”

You got up from your spot to run up towards the boadwalk strip of shops, where Todoroki was walking. He was in a pair of jeans, a white shirt, and a blue button up—one of his nicest casual outfits in your opinion.

“Oh, hey, Y/N,” he greeted, and you fell into pace next to him.

You kept on glancing over at him every few seconds, but not saying anything.

The boy eyed you, his grey eye turning to the side of his head to look at you.

“I’m not a human air conditioner, Y/N,” he muttered as he stuck his right hand out for you.

“Hm?” you asked innocently.

“You’re hot, right? That’s why you’re standing so cold to my right side?” he questioned, but it was more of a statement. “Just grab on already.”

You smiled sweetly as wrapped your arms around him, a content smile on your face while he looked away with a tint on his cheeks.

•─────────°❋❀°─────────•

Of course, there was no way you could just so casually hold onto the Shoto Todoroki without your classmates wondering what was going on between the two of you. 

If you were honest, it had all just been a spur of the moment decision. After the USJ incident, deciding to go to him for warmth was nothing but an impulsive decision. You had half expected him to think you were weird and shrug you off, but he had let you hold onto him at the ice skating rink. And then again at the beach.

So, when the girls had an ‘intervention’ in your bedroom to ask what was going on between you and the Half-n-Half boy, you were positive the answer was nothing, whether they believed it or not.

And now, there was a dormitory movie night. A relaxation day planned by Iida and Momo, and you sat on the couch next to Todoroki. He sat in the middle of the couch with Midoriya and Ochako sitting on the other side of him while you squeezed in between hm and the arm of the couch. You were on his right side, which was nice with the warm tea Momo had made for everyone and the fuzzy blanket you had thrown over yourself and the youngest Todoroki.

As the movie continued, you learned your head against his shoulder.

“Mm,” he grunted softly, shuffling around in his seat to get comfortable.

Eventually. his arm just wrapped around your shoulder, letting your head lay on his chest instead of his boney shoulder. Your cheeks warmed up, but he kept his gaze on the TV.

Ochako and Midoriya were looking between each other and the two of you with smirks on their faces, giddily laughing together.

As you got too cold in his arms, you moved so that your upper body was practically in his lap, attempting to get closer to his left side.

“Jesus,” he muttered. “Stop moving.”

“It’s too cold now,” you mumbled.

He sighed, placing his left hand on top of your head.

•─────────°❋❀°─────────•

Yet another movie night, and this time, before you could sit down, a hand grabbed your wrist.

“Yeah, not this again,” Todoroki said, and he pulled you down towards him before you could sit next to him.

You landed in his lap, and your cheeks heated up.

“U-uh,” you mumbled as he pulled the blanket around the both of you and let his arms wrap about your waist.

“You move too much during movies,” he stated as if it made sense why you were in his lap. “This way, you don’t need to because you’re against both my hot and cold side.”

“Um... okay...” you said softly.

You leaned against him softly and his chest rested on your shoulder to watch the movie. 

How it was that Shoto Todoroki became your human temperature moderator, you had no idea.

•─────────°❋❀°─────────•

add yourself to my GENERAL WORKS TAGLIST

TAGLIST❋❀ bolded usernames are one that it wouldn’t let me tag

@yaskna @mariishat @misssugarless @drarrylov3r

[ddarker-dreams]

Division. Yan Scaramouche x Reader [Implied x Yan Childe]

Warnings: Kidnapping, unwanted physical contact and implied suggestive themes. Word count: 1.3k.

While your body might be sore, it’s your arms that feel the worst.

They’re hoisted above your head with a rope secured tight around your wrists, longing for an opportunity to rest. You’ve been standing in this awkward position for many miserable hours. No windows in this dreary cobblestone prison make it difficult to tell the time or to find anything interesting to look at. There’s still no clear indication as to why you’ve ended up in this nightmare, much less when it will end. The person you’re assuming to be in charge has been subjecting you to malicious verbal jabs for the entire duration of your confinement.

“Truth be told,” he circles you like a hawk, his tone deceitfully sweet as honey, stopping only to admire your immobilized form. “I wasn’t sure what the appeal to you was at first.” 

Scaramouche leans forward, soft strands of indigo hair brushing against your face as he closes the distance. He runs a finger over your exposed collarbone, mirth dancing in his eyes at the goosebumps following in its wake. “But now… I think I’m starting to get it.” 

Mustering up your strength and courage, you narrow your eyes, glaring daggers at your captor. He’s thrilled at the sight, unable to hold back his laughter. The finger tails up, to the crux of your neck, which he then wraps his hand around. Your pulse accelerates at the unwelcome sensation, an element he doesn’t miss.

“You’re… you’re Fatui, right?” You inquire, refusing to take this torment in silence. Curious, he nods his head, the pad of his thumb rubbing up and down your neck slowly. 

“If this is about the Northland bank loan, then you’re making a mistake. I’ve already cleared things up with your boss.” As soon as the words fell from your lips, you regret them. Scaramouche’s mischievous attitude dissipates, his eyes piercing through you and a scowl on his face. The tension in the room rises to new heights, thick and palpable. 

“‘My boss’, you say,” he repeats with an irate click of his tongue as if it were the highest insult. “Tartaglia is no such thing, I can assure you.” 

What can this be about then? Your final line of defense is crumbling, now aware that using Childe’s favor on you won’t be viable. It felt reprehensible to use it in the first place, but lowering yourself to such a level would’ve been inconsequential if it earned your freedom. Instead, it’s done the opposite, adding kindling to the flame. Never have you regretted anything in your life as much as your involvement with the Fatui bank. 

Scaramouche removes his hands from you, a minor victory. What you said must’ve struck a nerve. Swallowing thickly, your mind searches desperately for any plausible escape. While you deliberate a plan, he crosses his arms against his chest, mouth set in a straight line.

“Tell me. Do you enjoy his company?” Scaramouche asks with a tilt of his head.

Licking your dry lips, you consider the question. Denial is the obvious answer, but speaking ill of a Harbinger feels like a death wish. Though he did seem rather displeased by mentioning Childe. Just when you thought you were beginning to understand the situation, that self-assuredness has been stolen, leaving more questions in its wake.

Testing your luck, you reveal the truth with a strained rebuttal. “No, I don’t.” 

More laughter. He doubles over, clutching his stomach as if your serious confession is the funniest joke he’s heard his entire life. This unabashed cruelty is a far cry from Childe’s code of conduct. Childe prefers to openly flirt with you, acting coquettish, whispering dirty promises into your ear. Scaramouche’s methodology is entirely different. He revels in your discomfort, actively saying anything to gain a reaction, positive or negative. With a preference for the latter.

“Ah, what a shame he didn’t get to hear you say that,” Scaramouche wipes the corners of his dark eyes, laughter finally settling down. “I’d give anything to see what his reaction would’ve been.”

“Are you two… enemies, or something…?” 

“He certainly thinks so now. I’m interested to see what Tartaglia plans to do, due to the fact Harbingers are forbidden to fight one another,” he hums, wrapping his fingers around a strand of your hair and playing with it. “Just how far would he go? I’m not sure myself, but I can’t wait to see.” 

The word Harbingers rings in your head like a funeral toll. Does that mean Scaramouche is one as well? It would explain his lack of concern for Childe’s combat prowess if he has similar capabilities. When he first approached you, there was no doubting the power he possessed, even with a smaller stature. Why is it these terrible individuals are drawn to you like a moth to a flame? Why are the Archons subjecting you to such torment?

“Another question. Just how far has Tartaglia gone with--” 

“My lord!” A booming voice interrupts, capturing the attention of you both. A person dressed in what you’ve come to recognize as Fatui’s uniform appears, bowing before a less than pleased Scaramouche. 

“Lord Childe is demanding to speak with you,” The agent relays. “I know you said not to interrupt, but, this seems rather urgent.” 

Scaramouche sighs, releasing your hair with a frown. “That was faster than I anticipated.” 

So he was expecting this from the start. Is it relief that you feel? Your emotions are a mess, due to a lack of eating and bodily fatigue. While Childe is unpleasant company, Scaramouche is equally awful, even going so far as to restrain you. You curse yourself for almost preferring being subjected to Childe’s self-serving antics over this. At least Childe gives an illusion of freedom, even if you know it’s only that, an unobtainable reality. When he doesn’t make any movement to leave, the agent speaks up again. “My lord? What should I do?” 

“Did you tell him to leave?” “As you commanded to, yes. I’m afraid he... insisted.” 

“Of course the lovesick puppy did,” Scaramouche shakes his head. “No matter. I’ll deal with this myself. Head back and tell him to await my arrival.” 

The term ‘lovesick puppy’ brings questions anew, as you’re solid in the belief what Childe feels for you isn’t love. Voicing this sentiment won’t get you anywhere, so you resolve to hold your tongue, silently steaming in your indignation. 

The agent’s body stiffens and they clear their throat. “T-that’s the other issue, my lord. I’m afraid he’s… coming as we speak.” 

Scaramouche doesn’t seem visibly bothered by the revelation, treating it as a mild thorn in his side than an urgent dilemma. You’re left speechless by the unfolding events, looking past the kneeling agent expectantly. Would you finally be able to leave this awful prison? You’d be going into the hands of one madman to the other’s, but the option is sounding oddly appealing at the moment. 

Scaramouche returns his attention to you, appearing pleased with himself. “Be sure to tell him what you said to me earlier.” 

Shifting uncomfortably where you stand, you look to the side, preferring not to be subject to his scrutinizing gaze. Objecting to Childe has never ended well for you. Then there’s the problem of Scaramouche -- how would he react to blatant disobedience -- is it possible his response would be worse for you? While you consider these things, Scaramouche starts to work on loosening your bonds. 

He presses his lips against your ear and the ropes hit the ground.

“Or I might just say it myself. Your choice.” 

[snelbz]

Life As We Know It {Chapter 26}

Summary: After the sudden deaths of Nesta’s sister and Cassian’s best friend, they gain guardianship of their nephew, Nyx.

Based on Life As We Know It (2010) and a prompt sent in by anonymous for our Nessian fanfic contest. This is a modern au.

Instead of doing a tag list for this story, we have decided to have a set posting schedule. Chapters will be posted weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Occasional surprise chapters could be posted at miscellaneous times. Chapters will be posted on both my and Tara’s blogs! >> @tacmc.​

Life As We Know It Masterlist

Shelby’s Masterlist

Tara’s Masterlist

Nesta awoke with a pounding headache and the need to vomit, even though she was fully aware her stomach was completely emptied out. She began to shift on the mattress, but froze when she realized that a heavy arm was draped across her waist.

Behind her, Cassian was sleeping soundly, spooned up against her.

Stay.

She remembered asking that of him the night before, remembered everything from the night before.

She had been drunk, horribly drunk.

They had fought.

She had tried to sleep with him.

She had vomited all over the kitchen.

He had cleaned it up.

He had cleaned her up.

He had carried her to bed.

He had stayed.

She hadn’t deserved for him to stay.

Carefully and slowly, Nesta took Cassian’s hand and removed it from her body before dragging herself quietly out of the bed and sneaking out of the room.

She had been so fucking irresponsible the night before, shouldn’t have ever tried to drive here, yet here she was. No wonder Cassian had been so pissed.

She planned on getting a quick cup of coffee to settle her stomach and sneaking out, but as she found Elain in the kitchen, she knew that was no longer possible.

Her sister, never one for anger, raised an eyebrow. “You owe me for my landscaping.”

Nesta cringed and dropped into a seat at the end of the table. Her head fell into her hands with a smack. “I know, I’m sorry.”

A cup of coffee appeared in front of her and Nesta did nothing but breathe in the life-changing scent for a minute, her forehead still pressed into her hand.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Elain said, leaning against the counter. “I love having you here. But as far as I knew, Cassian was staying here because you were at the house. Imagine my surprise when I find both of your vehicles in my driveway this morning.”

Nesta cringed, yet again.

“And the bush by my mailbox flattened,” Elain added, sipping from her steaming mug.

Nesta groaned, her head falling against the tabletop. “I fucked up, I get it.” There was no malice in her voice, only exhaustion.

The chair across from her was pulled out and Elain sat down with a sigh. “You know I’m not letting you leave until we talk about this, right?”

Nesta huffed. “Talk about what?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Elain sighed. “The fact that you showed up at my house at midnight, drunker than you’ve been since college, to fight with Cassian?”

Nesta looked up at her.

“At least, that’s my husband’s version,” Elain said, watching her sister. “Correct me if I’m wrong.”

Nesta leaned back in her chair and shook her head, slowly. She fiddled with the fabric around her thighs, only now realizing that she was in Cassian’s shirt.

He had taken her dirty dress off and replaced it with something clean, something of his.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” Nesta said, simply.

“How about promising me you’ll never be stupid enough to get behind the wheel while drunk again?” Elain asked, a slight edge to her voice. “The last thing I need is you getting in an-.”

Her words dropped off and she shook her head, sipping from her mug to avoid the word that Nesta knew was meant to come next.

Accident.

A newfound guilt flooded Nesta’s stomach. She felt like she was going to puke all over again. How could she do that, after all that had happened? After what had happened to Feyre and Rhysand?

“I fucked up,” she said, again, and leaned across the table to take Elain’s hand. “I was drunk, I made a poor decision in the heat of the moment because I was pissed, and I was irresponsible. I know that, and trust me, I am full of regret and feel like a fucking idiot this morning. I promise, Lainy, that I’ll never make that mistake again.”

Elain looked at her for a moment before her eyes softened and she nodded. “Good. I believe you. Now, care to tell me why you made such a dumbass decision to begin with?”

Dumbass. Elain rarely swore.

“Cassian and I had sex in the store room last night,” she sighed, not looking at Elain.

“You what?” Her voice raised an octave.

“Shh,” she said, glancing around her to the living room beyond. “I don’t know how exactly it happened, but it did. I went in there for some air, he followed me, and we got into it. Next thing I know, my back is against the far wall, he’s buried inside of me, and I’m halfway to an earth shattering orgasm.”

Elain had stilled, her mug midway to her lips as she stared at her sister. She repeated, “You what?”

“I don’t need a lecture if that’s what you’re building up to,” Nesta snapped.

Elain sighed, setting her mug down on the table. “It’s either a lecture or silence.”

Nesta just shook her head.

“Nesta, that man is madly in love with you,” Elain said, lecturing, anyway. Nesta stared at the table. “And you love him, too. This…unhealthy need to push everything and everyone away that makes you happy is going to make you nothing but miserable in the end and, I’m sorry, but I’m not going to let you be miserable.”

Nesta shook her head. “Feyre wouldn’t want—.”

“No,” Elain interrupted, her voice going harder than Nesta typically heard it. “Feyre would want you to be happy. She’s gone, Nesta.” Her eyes lined with tears as she reached across the table and took Nesta’s hands. “She’s gone, and yes, maybe that’s the only reason that you and Cassian ended up together, but you know what? Maybe it’s not. Maybe you and Cass would’ve ended up together at another time, another place, but you didn’t. This is how it happened. And Feyre, wherever she is, is so damn happy that you two are happy. She wanted you two to be together five years ago, and she wants you to be together now, if he’s who makes you happy. You can’t feel guilty, Nesta. Your happiness does not deserve guilt.”

Nesta said nothing, didn’t bother wiping the tear that fell down her cheek.

“You love him,” Elain said, and it wasn’t a question.

Which meant that Nesta didn’t answer.

“He cleaned up your puke and carried you to bed after you treated him like garbage,” Elain said, her voice lightening. “Men like that don’t just come around, Nes.”

A door opened and closed from the back of the house and Elain picked up her coffee, standing.

“Where are you going?” Nesta whispered, her eyes going wide.

“You need to talk to him,” Elain said, heading for the living room. She didn’t say another word to her sister, but she heard her start up the stairs. “Good morning, Cass. And good morning to you, sweet boy.”

She didn’t hear a response from either of them, so she assumed Nyx was still dozing on Cassian’s shoulder, but Elain’s soft footsteps retreated up the stairs.

“Morning.”

She turned to find Cassian leaning against the doorway. Nyx, indeed, was still near sleeping where he had his head resting against Cassian, holding onto his shirt.

Clutching her coffee cup, Nesta breathed, “Good morning.”

“How are you feeling?” he asked, walking to the fridge and opening the door, pulling out a jug of orange juice.

“Honestly?” she muttered. “Shitty.”

Cassian snorted. “I’d say so.”

Silence ensued, and Cassian kissed Nyx’s forehead as he handed him to Nesta. “I’ll get him some breakfast.”

Nesta nodded, taking the sleepy baby and letting his head fall against her chest.

Cassian got oatmeal out of the pantry and mixed it with some milk before cutting strawberries into small squares. The entire time, Nesta watched him. The entire time, Cassian didn’t say a thing.

She could see the way his back muscles flexed through his old, white t-shirt.

It made her weak in the knees.

“Dada,” Nyx said, arm outstretched to Cassian.

“Almost ready, buddy,” he promised.

As Cassian walked toward the table, Nesta put Nyx in the highchair. She’d move him once Seph was awake and ready to eat. She had a feeling Nyx would be finished long before that, though, because the second Cassian sat the bowl on the tray, Nyx’s hands were covered in oatmeal.

Cassian chuckled and retreated back away from the table.

Nesta cleared her throat. “Cass?”

“Hmmm?”

“I-,” she hesitated, and sighed. “Thank you. For last night. I’m… I’m sorry, I was completely out of line-.”

“It’s fine,” he interrupted, pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

“It’s not fine.” He still hadn’t turned back to look at her. “It’s not, at all. What I did last night was stupid and irresponsible and selfish. And you took care of me and I didn’t deserve it. So… Thank you and I’m sorry.”

He was quiet for another minute, pouring a cup of coffee alongside his juice. “You’re welcome. Like I said, it’s fine. It happened, you recognize it was a dumbass decision to make. Just don’t make it again.”

She nodded, though he still couldn’t see her, since he still had his back to her.

Nesta asked, “Can we… Can we talk about last night?”

“I don’t know what there is to talk about, Nes,” he sighed, finally turning to look at her. He leaned back against the counter. “Before or after you showed up drunk?”

“Both,” she stood up and crossed the kitchen toward him. She suddenly remembered she was wearing nothing but his t-shirt. “Like I said, I was way out of line.”

Cassian watched her for a moment before letting out a breath, his shoulders sagging. “Yeah, well… The store room was just as much me as it was you, so don’t apologize for that one.”

Nesta nodded, and looked over at Nyx, stuffing his face. “Do you regret it?”

A beat passed. “The store room?”

She nodded.

Cassian drank from his glass. “Do you?”

I asked you first, she wanted to say, but didn’t. Instead, she said, “It was unprofessional.”

“That’s not an answer,” he said.

“Neither is refusing to answer the question at all,” Nesta pointed out.

Cassian snorted. “Fair.”

They fell into silence, yet again, the only sounds coming from Nyx and his excitement about food.

“Is that all you have to say this morning?” Cassian asked, and she knew he was looking at her, so her eyes remained on the floor.

“I apologized,” she said. “I thanked you. What else is there to say?”

Cassian nodded, apparently that was answer enough for him. “Alright, well, Viv is planning on meeting you and Nyx back at the house at noon. I’ll see you at work.”

He turned his back to her and started walking out of the kitchen.

“Wait,” Nesta breathed, making her way toward him. “There is one more thing I’d like to say, like to ask.”

Cassian stopped and slowly turned to face her.

It was all too familiar. Him, in his sweatpants and old tee. Her, in his shirt, after a night spent cuddled up together.

Even if the night before had been under completely different circumstances.

She cleared her throat. “I think you should come back home, Cass.”

He searched her eyes, searched for the underlying meaning. “Why?”

“Because Nyx misses you,” Nesta said, without missing a beat. “He misses seeing you everyday.”

“Is he the only one?” Cassian asked, taking a step toward her.

“Cassian,” she breathed, shaking her head.

He nodded, slowly, taking a deep breath. “That’s what I thought.”

He turned around, but Nesta reached out for him. “Cassian, please, just come back-.”

“I can’t,” he said, quietly. “I can’t be there, every day, seeing you, and not being able to do something as simple as give you a hug, Nes. I can’t be there and pretend like things are fine, and that I’m not completely miserable. I can’t. I can’t do that. I’m not ready for that.”

The brush of her fingers against his arm felt like a brand and it took everything in him not to rip it from her grasp.

“I’m going to get ready,” he said, as calmly as he could. “I’ll see you at work. Viv will be there at noon to watch him.”

Her fingers fell away as he stepped out of reach and walked back through the living room and down the hall. As always, he never slammed the door. He never let his anger get the best of him. She heard it shut with a soft click.

“Mama?”

Nesta whirled, her eyes falling on Nyx. He was a sticky mess, oatmeal and smashed strawberries all over his hands and cheeks, but he was looking right at her. “Mama,” he repeated, holding out the empty bowl for her. As if he was saying, all done.

She gave him the best smile she could muster, before crossing the room and taking the bowl from him. “Thank you, sweet boy.”

A few minutes later, she’d left the bowl soaking in the sink, had wiped him down as best she could and had nabbed a pair of leggings from Elain’s clean laundry. She didn’t want to have to interrupt Cassian to ask about her dirty dress.

Without another word to anyone, she packed Nyx up in the car and was gone, heading for home. A few minutes later, she pulled in the driveway, but she couldn’t ignore the fact that something was missing.

Without that stupid truck parked next to her car, it didn’t feel quite like home. Going inside and not finding a game on the TV, or the smell of bacon cooking this early, it didn’t feel like home.

Without Cassian there, nothing did.

And she knew she was the only one to blame.

[invisibleanonymousmonsters]

All Men Have Limits - X

Character: Dick Grayson x Reader x Bruce Wayne

Summary: A certain bat believes that Y/N is in way over her head, that she’s too naive to act in her best interest. So, whether she wants it or not, the vigilante family is going to help and protect her before she gets herself killed.

Word Count: 4,100+

Previously on…

The next three days were one of the darkest periods of Dick Grayson’s life. 

He was thrown back into the past to the moments after his parents were murdered. This felt the same but somehow worse. Because he was convinced he had the power to stop it, to keep Y/N safe.

Why did everyone he love have to die?

Was he cursed?

Was he responsible for their deaths?

He hadn’t even been able to tell Y/N how he really felt. He’d been holding back all this time, terrified that his truth would just push her away and make her decide to close off from him.

Now Dick wished he could go back in time and confess everything to her. If she had pushed him away, he would found his way back to her somehow. He sees that now – now that it’s too late.

He looked at Y/N sleeping peacefully in her bed at the manor.

Is it a miracle if conjuring was used to fight back at fate?

Dick doesn’t even remember what he said when he contacted Zatanna. He must’ve sounded hysterical and utterly desperate. His vision had been blurred from the tears he couldn’t control. 

He already blacked the whole thing out.

Zatanna told them that Y/N would sleep for a few days. Even if her magic saved her life and Y/N wouldn’t even have a scar to prove she had died, her body was still exhausted from the trauma of it all.

But even with Zatanna’s reassurance, Dick hadn’t left Y/N’s side, absolutely terrified that she was still in danger, that she could still leave them forever.

When Y/N started to shift, Dick sat up straighter in the chair that he’d pulled close to her bed.

Y/N winced before her eyes fluttered open.

Dick didn’t want to overwhelm her, so he just waited for her to fully wake up.

Y/N seemed confused when she realized that she was back in her room at the manor.

Then her gaze moved to Dick.

“Bruce, is he–”

“He’s fine,” Dick cut her off before she could get herself into a panic.

Her entire body relaxed and she let out the breath she was holding in without realizing it.

“He has a concussion and he’s a little beat up. But he’s had worse,” Dick elaborated.

She raised a brow. “You tend to say that a lot.”

Dick shrugged.

But it was true: Bruce had been in much worse condition.

“You saved his life, Y/N.”

She seemed uncomfortable hearing that and didn’t meet his gaze.

“I did what anyone would’ve done,” Y/N mumbled.

“Not everyone would be that brave.”

A silence settled between them for a few moments.

“How am I here?” Y/N finally asked Dick quietly.

But they both knew she was really asking, ‘How am I alive?’

“I’m not sure you really want to know all the details…” Dick had been dreading this conversation.

“I’m assuming you called in another favor with your magic friend,” Y/N thought aloud.

“Zatanna,” Dick confirmed. “And, yes. Something like that.”

Y/N gave him a look that told him she wasn’t going to let it go so easily.

“She used a spell that reversed your injuries. She…” Dick had to pause and clear his throat and get rid of his emotions that were threatening to spill. “She used your blood to write a spell, making it far stronger than most she’s cast. It saved your life.”

Y/N watched him for a moment.

“That must’ve been scary,” she whispered, truly understanding what she had put him through.

She simply could not imagine had it been the other way around. The idea of watching Dick die was something she hoped to never live through.

“He hadn’t left your side until Alfred basically secretly drugged him and scared him to get his own bedroom.”

Y/N moved to get out of bed.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Dick panicked as she stood up to stop her.

“I feel…” she thought about it for a moment.

“Like you were stabbed to death?” Dick offered darkly.

“No. I feel…I feel fine.”

He could tell she was telling the truth.

“Perks of magically being healed?” She offered innocently.

“Guess so.”

She moved out of the bed and realized she was wearing cotton shorts and a baggy t-shirt that she most definitely didn’t die in.

What had happened while she was asleep? How long was she dead?

Y/N went to the window and looked out at the grounds of Wayne Manor.

“What happened when the cops showed up?” She asked quietly, almost in a daze.

“You’d have to ask Tim for details. I was preoccupied with…” Dick’s words died out.

Y/N turned away from the window to look at him.

She may have survived, but that was never going to make talking about that night any easier for him.

Luckily, she understood what Dick couldn’t put into words.

Dick took in a deep breath and crossed his arms, “We got them, Y/N.”

It almost seemed to good to be true. They’d been at this for months. It took them weeks just to plan their final blow.

Y/N didn’t realize how hard it would be to believe that it was truly over.

It didn’t help that there was no returning to her old life. Too much had changed.

“With the evidence you gave the FBI, there’s not a lawyer in the world that can save them. Even if a member’s hands aren’t dirty, the public shame will be enough to neutralize them for good,” Dick added with a bit of optimism.

But he could tell by Y/N’s face that she was having trouble accepting the truth.

He took a step toward her. 

“If there’s members of The Court that slipped out from underneath us, if any of them try to come after you, it’ll just prove to the world that The Court of Owls is still operating. And exposing that will be the last thing they’ll want.”

She tried to force a small smile and nod, but it was unconvincing.

Dick closed the space between them and grabbed her hands.

“Y/N, you did it.”

“It’s really over,” she whispered, staring into his deep blue eyes.

He gave her a reassuring smile and nodded.

Then Dick’s focus shifted. He looked her up and down. “Y/N, you should really get some rest. You’ve been through a lot.”

Y/N sighed. “I think I’m gonna take a shower.” She smirked, “Get all that death off me.”

Dick frowned. “Not funny.”

“Jason would think it’s funny,” Y/N teased as she walked to the bathroom.

He playfully glared at her. “I’ll give you some space. But I’ll be down in the cave if you need me.”

Dick only got a few steps before Y/N called his name as if she’d forgotten something and rushed to him.

He looked at her expectantly.

Y/N stepped forward and locked her arms around Dick and buried her face into his shoulder. She closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing.

“Thank you,” she mumbled as his hands rubbed her back soothingly and he pulled her closer.

Dick wanted to tell Y/N that she didn’t have to thank him. He saved her life and he would do it again and again and again, and he would never expect gratitude for it. Because Dick knew that it was just as much for him as it was for her.

So instead he just held her in silence and felt the warmth from her body – the same body that had been ice cold and lifeless just days before.

When they finally pulled away, Dick was studying her face to make sure she was alright to be left alone.

He gave her one last look before leaving her.

Y/N took her time in the shower, making the water as hot as her skin would allow without giving it burns. There wasn’t a single bruise or cut on her. Her fingers traced over the place on her abdomen where the katana had been shoved through. 

There was nothing.

She wondered if there was a price to pay for such magic. Would she be held accountable? Or would it be Dick’s friend who faced the consequences?

Y/N didn’t know how long she’d been showering, but when she finally walked out, the bathroom was filled with too much steam.

She quickly put on sweatpants and a t-shirt when her stomach started growling. She couldn’t even remember when her last meal had been.

Y/N moved to her door after deciding that going straight to the kitchen was quite necessary.

But she stopped as she heard footsteps walking past her room in the hall.

She froze, thinking it was Bruce.

What would she say to him? Would he be angry with her? Would he not react at all to her resurrection? What would hurt her more between the two?

But it wasn’t Bruce. 

Tim and Damian were walking down the hallway.

“How much longer do you think he’ll stay?” She heard Damian ask.

“I don’t know. I heard the Titans have been bugging him to come back,” Tim answered. “I’m sure Kori misses him and has been texting.”

Damian just hummed in acknowledgment.

Y/N realized her hand was suspended over the doorknob.

And she had a realization: she was safe to leave.

But more importantly, she wasn’t the only one that could return to their “normal” life: so could Dick, so could everyone else in the family.

Soon, Tim would go back to his condo in the city. Jason would stop working so closely with the family he tried to disown and he’d probably stop coming around manor so often – if ever. And Bruce…Bruce would move on to new cases and return to the usual patrolling.  

Y/N turned and looked at the bedroom that had become her new home in the past few months. Her personality was nowhere to be found inside. It wasn't actually hers. She was just one of its many visitors. 

Y/N grabbed her duffle bag from underneath the queen-sized bed and started throwing her belongings into it.

Ten minutes later, Y/N had her jacket and shows on, and all of her belongings were packed in her bag. 

She still had to deal with all her equipment that was sitting in the cave. But that was a problem for another day. Right now, she didn’t have the bandwidth to deal with it. She needed to leave – before she changed her mind.

-

Y/N was just yards from the front door when she heard his voice.

“Y/N?” Dick asked just loud enough to catch her.

She froze in place.

While her back was still to him, she closed her eyes in grievance from the failure of being spotted.

She slowly turned around.

“You trying to sneak out of here?” Dick asked.

It was meant to sound teasing, but she heard his disappointment loud and clear.

“It’s about time I get out of your hair.” 

“We’re not exactly kicking you out…” Dick tried to joke.

“You said so yourself: it’s safe for me now.” She sighed and walked closer to him. “Look, I just…I need some time alone.”

Dick took it a bit too personally. Were they really that exhausting to be around? He thought she had started to see them as her own family. He thought things were OK.

“At least let me drive you,” he offered quietly.

“I called a cab. It’s waiting for me outside.”

Before Dick could say anything else, she quickly turned and made her escape.

Y/N knew what she was scared of. She was scared he’d tell her he was leaving Gotham now that the case had been solved. But she was even more scared that he’d tell her he was staying. 

She wasn’t ready to deal with either scenario.

So, Y/N did what she did best: she ran.

————————

Y/N stared at the wall of her safe house.

The silence that she had once grown used to long ago was now irritating.

Y/N hadn’t realized how accustomed she had become to the chaos of Wayne Manor until she had torn herself away from it. Even when it was quiet there, she could feel the presence of everyone.

Now she was left only to her thoughts.

And just she was about to escape the silence and go grab food at a nearby diner, there was a knock on the door.

Y/N knew for a fact that this safe-house hadn’t be blown yet – and that included with the Wayne family. It was exactly why she chose to come here instead of the one where Bruce first found her and dragged her to Wayne Manor for her own safety.

Which was why Y/N grabbed one of her guns and checked to make sure it was loaded and the safety was off before she tiptoed to the door.

She looked through the peep hole and her stomach twisted when she saw Bruce Wayne was on the other side.

She knew he could sense her presence on the other side, and there was no hiding. So she opened the door quickly.

Bruce eyed the gun in her hand. “This has become a habit of yours.”

Y/N ignored his comment, uncocked the gun, and carefully placed it on a table near the door.

When she was finally able to take Bruce in, she noted that his face was covered in bruises and small cuts. To be honest, Y/N expected more damage after being a witness to his near-death beating. 

“May I come in?” Bruce asked softly.

She blinked rapidly, realizing she had yet to invite him inside.

This was all reminiscent of that night.

And Y/N didn’t appreciate the memories and feelings Bruce was stirring up.

An awkward silence settled between them. The silence of her apartment was doing nothing to help.

“Are you okay?”

Y/N knew the question was sincere, but Bruce still managed to ask it without showing any ounce of emotion – as if he wasn’t personally invested in the matter. 

“I’m fine,” she answered quickly. Her eyes softened. “Are you okay?”

He simply nodded.

Silence again.

“You can never do that again,” Bruce declared.

“Do what?”

“You risked your life to save mine. The boys refused to tell me what happened, but I saw the footage. You threw yourself in front of me.”

Y/N remained calm as she said, “You did the same for me.”

Bruce shook his head. Because they both knew it wasn’t the same thing.

The truth was that Bruce woke up to find Dick crying over Y/N’s dead body. And then a few minutes he had watched as Dick begged Zatanna to help him.

And Bruce? Bruce had been unconscious when Y/N had needed him the most.

He had protected her all these months – with his own family and his own home – just to be useless in her final moment of need.

When Bruce finally woke up recovered to find out that Y/N had fled the manor, he knew he needed to go to her. He needed to make sure she never did something so stupid as risking her life to save him.

But now Bruce stood before her and he knew he needed to tell her so much more than just that.

“What are you doing here, Bruce? Did you just plan on lecturing me again?”

But Bruce wasn’t realized he couldn’t use any words tonight.

Ever so slowly, he stepped into her space, putting less and less space between their bodies. Y/N could feel the heat coming from him. And she sucked in a gasp from his proximity. She breathed in his cologne that she’d grown to love so much that it instantly relaxed her.

Her heart beat faster and faster as his eyes shifted down to her lips, hesitating in a way that was excruciating to Y/N. But it gave her time to resist, to allow her to shut this down before it could continue.

But Y/N didn’t want to do that.

Bruce brushed her hair away from her face, then his hands shifted slightly to cup her face. His touch wasn’t soft, but insistent.

He pressed his lips to Y/Ns. Brisk and determined. 

The tension finally snapped and pushed them to a passionate kiss that was long overdo.

Was this only going to cause them both more pain in the future?

Or was this what they should’ve done long ago?

Bruce pushed Y/N against a wall.

And then everything became a blur.

Bruce picked Y/N up and wrapped her legs around his waist for her, silently instructing her. 

Clothes were unzipped and unbuttoned, and thrown around the apartment without thought.

Their breathing was heavy and reactive to the way their hands raced across each other’s now naked skin. 

For never being at this particular safe house, Bruce found his way to the bed with ease.

From the movement of their bodies and obvious desire for one another, one thing became clear: they were never meant to only share one night together.

————

Y/N had tried with all her might to stay awake – even if that meant pulling an all-nighter.

She was trying to break the pattern. And even though Bruce had exhausted her body to no end, she didn’t want to wake up to find his side of the bed empty.

But she was shocked to open her eyes and find not only that Bruce was still in her bed, but that she had been sleeping on his bare chest with his arms wrapped tightly around her.

Y/N could feel that he was awake. Apparently he was much more disciplined than her.

Little did she know Bruce hadn’t slept at all, not wanting to miss the feeling of her against him. 

Y/N slowly lifted her head, “Hi.”

He smirked at the sleepiness in her voice.

“Hi."

“Didn’t expect you to be here still,” she admitted quietly.

“I can leave if you want.” And he meant it, even though it would hurt.

“No,” she scolded him in a breathy gasp.

The tension in his body released. 

Y/N shifted off of his chest

“And where do you think you’re going?” Bruce questioned.

She shifted so she was no longer resting on his chest, but laying on her side beside him so she could see his face.

“I just wanted to look at you,” she whispered innocently.

Bruce smirked at her answer.

Y/N made sure the bed sheet was successfully covering her nudity.

Bruce seemed amused with her sudden modesty, but said nothing of it.

“How did you find me here?” Y/N asked him.

It had been the first thing she’d wanted to ask when he showed up to her door last night. But Bruce hadn’t exactly given her a lot of space to speak last night.

Bruce’s jaw tightened, which was a message in its own. 

“Bruceeeee,” Y/N pushed back with irritation.

“You aren’t going to like the answer.”

She glared at him. “Did you put a fucking tracker on me, Bruce Wayne?”

“Your phone.”

“When?” She asked.

“After you tried to turn yourself in to the Talons.”

Y/N sighed, clearly annoyed by the answer.

They both knew she could easily disable it now that she knew about it. Even if he hadn’t confessed it, she would’ve figured it out on her own eventually.

“You’re upset,” Bruce observed.  

“How would you feel if I did the same to you? But it’s…you. And I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Need I remind you that we only met because you blackmailed me and threatened to expose my identity to the world?”

“You know that wasn’t the same,” she shot back as she rolled her eyes. 

“You’re right.” Bruce sighed. “I promise I will deactivate it.”

“No,” Y/N surprised him by saying. “But I will make you a deal…you can always know where I am if I can know the same for you.”

Bruce knew this was a test. Because Y/N expected him to immediately shoot down such an offer. Couldn’t such information be used against Batman?

“Deal,” he agreed.

Y/N was so shocked by his compliance that her overwhelming emotions forced her to lean into him and capture his lips in a kiss.

“Should I make us breakfast?” She whispered to him after barely pulling away from his lips. 

She lightly bumped her nose against his. 

Bruce nodded with a grin.

But before Y/N could ask what he wanted, a knock at the door interrupted them.

Her heart raced at the thought of another intrusion – and a less welcomed one.  

Bruce frowned, but remained calm.

“Stay here,” he warned before placing a light kiss on her bare shoulder.

Before she could argue, he slipped out of bed.

He put his boxer briefs on, but didn’t bother with a shirt or pants.

Even though Bruce told Y/N to stay put, she still figured a mysterious knock on the door was a sign to put clothes on.

She practically threw on her underwear, but couldn’t find a single piece of clothing she had on yesterday. Yet somehow she found Bruce’s white button down and quickly buttoned on to give herself some semblance of decency.

Bruce looked through the peephole. 

He held his breath.

Bruce would’ve rather it been an attempted attack on Y/N than…this.

“Y/N, I know you’re there,” Dick called from the other side of the door.

Bruce knew she couldn’t hear him. But he knew there was no other choice than to open the door.

Bruce looked apathetic as he faced his first protégé.

But Dick knew Bruce well enough to see that there was guilt hidden underneath.

He took in Bruce’s attire – or really, the lack there of.

Dick huffed out a laugh, “Of course. I should’ve known better.”

He shook his head and turned to leave.

Bruce slammed the door shut and rubbed his face in distress.

Before he could even think of something to say to Y/N, she rushed past him and threw the door open again.

“Dick! Wait!” Y/N called to him and caught him in the hallway.

By some miracle, Dick stopped and turned to her.

He looked her up and down, lingering far too long on the white button down she was wearing that so clearly belonged to Bruce.

“Needed some time alone, huh?” 

Throwing Y/N’s own words back at her was meant to come out harsh and cold. But it ended up sounding heartbroken and betrayed.

And, honestly, that was worse to Y/N.

She have any idea what to say to him.

What would even make him feel better?

So, Y/N just watched Dick slowly walk away.

She stepped back into the safe house with tears in her eyes.

Bruce immediately moved to her. 

“Y/N–”

But Y/N shook her head, stopping him from saying anything more.

“I should go,” Bruce told her. 

He couldn’t help himself as he reached to wipe her tears away.

“I should probably give you your shirt back,” she said between sniffles.

Had the situation been different, it would’ve sounded funny. 

But there was no humor here. 

Bruce’s innocent touch of wiping her tears away made it hard for Y/N to concentrate.

So she escaped into the bedroom and quickly changed into her own clothes.

When she walked back out, she had all of Bruce’s stuff in her arms.

Once Bruce was in his clothes again, he didn’t know what to do or say next.

It was hard for Bruce to leave Y/N when she was so visibly upset. Dick wasn’t here to make Y/N feel better this time...and that was all Bruce’s fault.

“I’m not used to saying bye to you,” Y/N finally broke the tension.

Bruce’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

A sad look flashed across her face as she processed her thoughts. “Usually I wake up…and you’re gone. You don’t even give me a chance to.”

Bruce bowed his head in shame. “I shouldn’t have done that to you,” he finally admitted to her.

Y/N nodded slowly, agreeing with him.

“But you did,” she whispered. 

Her voice sounded congested from all the tears she just shed. 

“And all this time, I let myself think it was OK or even that I was the one who had messed it all up.”

Bruce quickly shook his head. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Y/N.”

Her eyes darkened. “Why did you have to make it so hard to stay away from you, Bruce?”

An he knew he deserved that. “I’ve been selfish,” he confessed.

Bruce hesitated before giving her a slow kiss on the cheek.

It was the first time Y/N had ever seen him unsure of himself.

Without saying anything more, he turned and left.

“Goodbye, Bruce.” Y/N whispered long after he could still hear her.

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

Part XI

Did I ruin your life? Let me know 😂

[wannabe-fic-writer]

WandaNat x Reader : Safe

Summary: What is it that they say about a woman in uniform?

Warning: Violence

Word Count: 2,481

* * * * * *

“Lieutenant Colonel Y/ln.”

Hearing your name, you stand up straight, the brown paper grocery bag in your hand clutched a little tighter as you do an about-face. 

The mystery man himself, Nick Fury, steps from the shadows of your apartment buildings hallway. Right off you can tell he wants something from you, if not for him just showing up, it’s written in the smirk on his lips.

“It’s been a while Lieutenant Colonel.”

Steam billows from the mug as it fills with coffee, and after dropping a spoonful of sugar in it, you carry the mug over to Fury. Then move to lean against the wall opposite his spot on the couch.

“I don’t think I’m the fit for your special team Nicholas.” 

After you had invited the man in, he’d informed you that he wants you to join the Avengers. His reasons somewhere along the lines of you having special skills and being able to relate to a number of the people on the team. 

You’d given it a little thought as you fixed him some coffee. 

Having just left active duty, you assumed you would have some down time until your next deployment. Not that you were going to be “relaxing” anyway, but still.

“That’s where you’re wrong.” He sips from the mug and sets it on the table,“ you are more than fit. And I’m certain you’d appreciate the distraction.”

You lift your head, taking in his words. They hold deeper meaning and you know what he knows. He knows you go to group therapy with other Marine Corps members, both active and retired. He knows you struggle with dealing with what you’d seen out there. 

“I have an obligation to serve my country Nicholas. That would come before your special team.” You inform him while also avoiding that topic.

He nods,“ an obligation you won’t have to neglect. The second you’re assigned for deployment you can go, until then, you’re an Avenger.”

Just like that, one meeting with the man, and you were walking up the graveled path to the Avengers compound. Fury waiting for you beside the door.

The man smiles at you,“ everyone’s inside waiting to meet you. Follow me.”

Walking into the usual meeting room, Natasha pulls a chair out for her girlfriend. Wanda smiling up at her softly.

The woman takes a seat as well, looking to Steve,“ what’re we meeting for again?” 

Steve shrugs,“ Fury didn’t go into detail.” 

Everyone in the room waits patiently for the arrival of Fury, filling the time with light chatter until the door is pulled open and the man walks in.

Eyes widen at the form that enters behind him.

Natasha’s gaze subconsciously wanders down the uniformed woman. She takes in the way the pristine navy blue and red striped pants fit her legs and the form fitting coat adorned with medals. 

Trailing up her body only to be a little shocked when she meets the woman’s striking e/c eyes. 

The two hold eye contact until Fury speaks.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Lieutenant Colonel Y/n Y/ln. Lieutenant these are the Avengers.” Fury gestures from the uniformed woman to the group surrounding the table.

All eyes follow you as you go around formally introducing yourself. Starting by shaking Steve Rogers hand as well as Bucky’s. Then saluting Rhodey and mentioning that it’s an honor to meet him.

When you reach her girlfriend, Natasha notices the seemingly nervous pause Wanda has, before rising and shaking your hand. She holds it a little longer, held titling to the side and Natasha knows her girlfriend is reading you.

Based off your expression, you know as well. And you let it happen. She let’s go before it becomes obvious to everyone else and with a nod you move to Natasha.

Up close the woman can’t help but appreciate how good the uniform looks on you. How the coat fits but still leaves much to imagine. 

“Natasha.” She introduces personally, shaking your hand.

Again you nod,“ it’s a pleasure.”

From there you shake Tony’s hand and Peter’s, who does so over excitedly. You then reassume your spot beside Fury.

“Lieutenant Y/ln will be joining your ranks until her next deployment. Simply lending a helping hand on missions.” Fury explains your presence.

Hands linked behind your back, you look at them all, adding,“ but only when need be. I’m not here to take anyone’s position, nor will I be overstepping.” 

Wanda’s little smile at your words isn’t missed by Natasha and she makes a mental note to ask about it later.

“In that case, let me give you the grand tour.” Tony cuts through the silence, walking over to you.

“Lead the way.” You gesture for him to walk first and follow after.

Fury leaves shortly after. In the silence, everyone non-verbally agrees to make you feel welcome unless you prove you should be treated otherwise. 

And it’s a decision that everyone is glad they make. Especially Natasha and Wanda. 

There had been an instant physical attraction toward you from the moment you walked in. That attraction grew the more they saw you and learned about you.

In the beginning the physical part led it. They would see you in the gym at the early hours in the morning, adorned in your uniform camouflage pants and a perfectly fit green t-shirt. Or in that same outfit as you ran with Steve around the compound.

It was clear that the team was growing fonder of you by the day. 

Rhodey had begun speaking with you about your served time and his only to find other common interests with you along the way. Both Steve and Bucky found your loyalty and dedication inspiration and took to that. 

Tony had grown closer to you over a conversation about his company’s departure from weapons manufacturing. You’d simply found it admirable and later became interested in what he was currently doing.

Obviously, impressionable Peter Parker was taken with everything you did. He worked out with you, asked about your service, and took a genuine interest in what you do daily in and out of the Marines. 

But Wanda and Natasha.

The two women learned about you at a slower rate than the rest of the team. For a number of reasons.

Wanda didn’t want to learn about you. Having had been so physically attracted to you the second she saw you, she made it a point to avoid you. She loves Natasha and didn’t want her seeming crush on you to get in the way of that.

Natasha mainly wasn’t sure if she should trust you. You’d come off to her as too perfect.

Personally, you thought the women didn’t take a liking to you. Which kind of sucked. Not only had they seemed like great women based off what you saw from their interactions with the team, but they were incredibly beautiful.

You knew they were together but that didn’t stop you from doing your best to be friendly toward them: speaking in passing or starting conversation when together. In the end you assumed they just didn’t want anything to do with you.

That all changed in the span of two nights.

Both being particularly hard nights for you. Where your PTSD had become too much. 

The first night, due to nightmares, you found yourself awake in the common room with a glass of straight vodka. And Natasha had found you. The far off look in your eyes was one she was familiar with and the pure human side of her carried her to you.

She’d simply sat with you. Her surprise set in when she felt your head resting on her shoulder. A conversation had barely begun between you two, one simply about nature as you both looked out the window, and you’d fallen asleep.

The second night you spent in another country.

Both yourself and Natasha, as well as Wanda, were sent on a mission in Egypt. You all settled in, ate, and went over the mission before heading to bed. 

Wanda couldn’t bring herself to sleep though. Since you couldn’t bring yourself to sleep. 

Your thoughts were loud and she wasn’t trying to listen but she couldn’t ignore it. You’d sounded so scared and anxious. Both emotions she never would’ve associated with your strong and confident persona.

So there was no way she would leave you in that state by yourself. After knocking on your door, she’d offered to make you tea and the two of you sat together. When Wanda noticed that your thoughts hadn’t changed. She used your powers to calm your mind. 

As you fell asleep that night, head resting on her shoulder like you had Natasha the night before, you had no idea how hard your actions had made her fall for you.

People had always been scared of her powers and you just trusted her to use them to help you. Not a single hesitation in your eyes. 

What they didn’t know was how safe they’d made you feel in such a short time.

On your own, there was no way to get the nightmares to stop. You had always just distracted yourself when woken up by them. You’d read, watch nature, workout, and occasionally drink. But going back to sleep wasn’t a thing.

The fact that their presences were so comforting spoke to you.

It all came to a head the next day on the mission.

First having seen how good you looked in your desert camouflage uniform made their hearts flutter, something Natasha would only admit to Wanda. And then on the mission. 

Your group had been clearing the enemies base and were under heavy fire when you saw Wanda using her powers. It was clear the young woman was concentrated and so she hadn’t seen the people aiming their guns at her. 

Natasha had watched in slow motion as you ran to protect her girlfriend. Effectively taking a bullet for her as you ducked for cover and then throwing back a grenade they had thrown in the first place.

Shielding Wanda’s body from the blast sent you both crashing into the wall behind you. But you took the brunt force of it and had fallen unconscious.

Both women were beyond worried for you but had to focus on clearing the building. The second they did, they gave you their undivided attention. 

Working together, they got you back to the safe house and set out to clean your wounds. 

“Wan, remove her jacket and shirt I need to get a better look at the entry point.” Natasha instructed before going to grab a first aid kit.

It was a bit of a struggle to shred your unconscious body of your uniform but the second she did she froze.

Taking in the sight of your mostly bare torso. On both you sides sat tattoos. Tribal tattoos. Your sports bra covered the top of the tattoos that seem to start under your breasts, and stretch down below the hem of your pants.

“Staring isn’t po-” Natasha’s teasing falls short as she sees the cause of her girlfriend’s staring.

But she manages to pull herself together faster than the younger woman. Telling her to stare later because they have to help you.

After having successfully cleaned your wound, Natasha removed the bullet and thanked whatever higher power that no internal damage seemed to be done, and stitched you up.

The two showered and sat in the living room. It was clear they had a lot on their minds.

“I have feelings for her.” 

Natasha almost misses the whispered words from her girlfriend. Almost.

Sighing, she leans back into the couch.“ Me too.”

Wanda scoots closer and snuggles into Natasha’s side,“ so what do we do?”

“Tell her.” 

“Is that-”

“Tell me what?” Your groggy, slightly pained voice meets their ears and they look behind them to see you walking from your room, hand clutching your side.

You hadn’t put a shirt back on which served as a momentary distraction.

Smirking, you ease into the arm chair beside the couch,“ staring is rude.” You joke, effectively pulling them from their daze.

They see the question still in your eyes and look to each other. Should they tell you? How would you react?

“If you aren’t comfortable telling me it’s fine.” You assure, laying back with a a groan.

Wanda takes a deep breath and sits up,“ Y/n, Natasha and I know that this isn’t the most normal situation. And we know that things could always come up, especially with the chance of you being deployed-”

Natasha, seeing the confusion in your eyes, stops Wanda with a hand to her thigh,“ we have developed feelings for you.”

“We?” You’re quick to ask.

Both women couldn’t be saying they like you? Both? 

They nod.

You hum,“ what does that mean? How would it even-” you cut yourself off.

It’s silent as you all think. One solution seeming to circle all of your minds. It’s not unheard of, just unorthodox. 

“You become our partner.” Natasha finally speaks, looking at Wanda then you.

A hand raises to run through your disheveled hair,“ you mean, the three of us in a relationship.”

The smallest of smiles tugs at Wanda’s lips at the idea. Is it scary? Yes because nothing is written in stone and as she said anything could come up. But she’d still like to see where this goes.

You’re special and neither of them could deny that.

A number of thoughts run through the women’s minds when you stand and move to sit on the coffee table in front of them.

They watch cautiously as you hold your hands towards them and just as cautiously, they accept them. Instant warmth. Instant safety. All in a single touch.

“We all know this could end badly, correct?” You ask, knowing full well that it would most likely end badly for you before them.

Scooting to the edge of the couch, Wanda’s thumb strokes the back of your hand.“ We know.” She nods, confirming it with Natasha through a look.

“But we want to try.” Natasha adds, scooting closer as well.

A moment of nervous hesitation sets in. And shockingly to everyone, Wanda breaks it by moving forward to kiss you.

It’s simple, her lips pressing to yours as her free hand cups your cheek. But it’s still an incredible feeling. One you hadn’t felt in seemingly forever and one she finds similar to her first kiss with Natasha.

Said woman joking about missing all the fun and then kissing you as well. 

From there, the three of you spend an extended amount of time(after reporting back to the team) talking about what this relationship truly means. New fears linger, as to be expected, but it’s nothing compared to the anticipation and genuine trust you all have in this. 

* * * * * *

[gb-patch]

Ask Answers (February 22nd, 2021)

Hello! Here’s another collection of anon ask answers all put together in one big post.

This might be strange considering how upbeat yall are about the fandoms for your games in general, but is there any particular trope or ship you WOULDN'T want us writing/drawing/etc. in relation to your stuff? (IE, any canon you don't want us 'overwriting' or something like that?)

Of course we would want the fan content people make to not be racist, sexist, homophobic, bigoted, harmful, etc. But in terms of generally doing non-canon pairings or adding in headcanons or stuff, we really don’t mind that. People are welcome to have fun and explore their own ideas.

for the 1.2 Android update was it meant to download as a  separate app? I really want to keep my previous save files but they don't show up (also thank u for the updates I'm really excited to get back into the game!!)

We had to change the name of the file and unfortunately for some phones that meant it’s treated as a brand new game. I’m sorry your saves didn’t transfer over to the new version. You can try to look up your specific phone and see if there’s a way to access save files for games on your device and then transfer those saves over to the new build manually. It may or may not be possible.

I'm having some trouble figuring out how to get the update from Itichio without losing my save files? Is it the same game or a folder I can put in the properties? Sorry if this question is not worded well or if this isn't the avenue you'd want to take technical questions on

Are you using Android? If so, the above answer may apply to you. If you’re on PC or Mac, the save files will automatically still be included.

Hey. I really loved playing our life. It was a fun experience and I never thought I would like it this much. I do have a question, I am currently replaying the game and I am choosing choices I never chose at first. In step 2 during the road trip arc, I decided to ask Cove about what he liked to see on people. One of his response was anklets and black eyes. My MC have just happens to have black eyes. Do Cove say black eyes cuz my mc have it or it was just a coincidently programmed into the game?

He uses your eye color intentionally! If you changed your eye color he’d change what he said.

Will step 4 have 10 moments like steps 1-3? 

Step 4 is only an epilogue. It plays like the openings/endings of the earlier Steps where it’s a bunch of scenes all in a row, there aren’t any individual Moments.

hi! who was/were the artist(s) for our life? 

&

who is the artist for Our Life: Beginning and Always?

Main Sprite and CG Artist: Addrossi

Main Background Artist: Vui Huynh

Main Interface Artist: Winter Slice

Other artists who helped out can be seen in the credits of the game.

In the new ol, there are two main love interests... Would it be possible to pair them together or is that weird? 

You can’t stay single and pair them together. If we are going to add all the extra content to have a route where the two LIs get together, it’d be a full poly route where them and the MC were all dating. And that’s not a for sure option yet because it’d add a lot of extra complications. But either way, in OL the relationships all gotta be about the MC, haha.

In OL2, there will be extra LIs in form of DLCs? Like Dexter and Baxter. 

Maybe! We’ll see how it goes.

Since Cove will have 2 diff body types in s4, will the storyline and dialogs reflect this? Or all of it will be the same? Btw love the game and sorry for bad english. Hope this doesn't sound rude 😅 

Some descriptions and pieces of dialog will change, but it won’t impact the story really. And you don’t need to apologize! It’s all good.

Will you ever release the transparent sprites of the Our Life characters? 

Probably not, I’m afraid. They’ve got a lot of pieces and it’d just be kind of hard to deal with, aha.

Something I was curious about, what was your inspiration for making a game with so much customization?

Initially, the idea was just about having a romance where you actually grew up with the LI. But it was pretty stressful to try deciding how fast the relationship would progress with it taking place over such a long period of time and with no real storyline carrying it. People might not wanna play a game where the characters don’t get along as kids, but other people might not bother with a game where kids immediately liked each other. So the obvious answer came, just let the player pick themselves how it goes. From there we simply continued to add more flexibly with the MC due to the same thought process of wanting to make sure people were onboard with how their life was going.

What made you decide to change the artstyle for ol 2 so much? I of course respect all your decisions and will buy the shit out of everything related to ol 2, but i love the original style and i m honestly not a fan of the styles shown on patreon, despite me liking the painterly style in general. (I don t mind the style being changed, just that the examples shown so far all feel like there s something wrong with them.) 

We’ve always used different art styles for each of our projects. They all have distinct looks from each other. It’s just nice to do something new. I’m glad you really like how the first game looks, though. And those samples were only general concepts, rather than the exact options being decided between. We wanted to see reactions to different options. The art style we’re going with won’t be exactly like those, though I personally like all of them. I think players are gonna enjoy the style Our Life: Now & Forever when it’s revealed.

Hey! Is it ok to ask what gender ourlife2 protagonist will be and if we'll be given the same opportunity to customize an MC? Totally understand if you're keeping this under wraps for now if u don't wanna say! 

OL2 will have the same type of MC customization as OL1, but even more refined! So their gender will be up to you.

Hi! I happened upon Our Life on Steam by pure chance. It is such a great game, I am super excited about the DLC, and I just want you all to know that you are awesome! :D I have a question, and I'm sorry if it's been asked before. Do you have plans of making more games similar to Our Life, with customizable player character? The customizable player character was probably the one thing I personally have been desperate for in romance VNs. So glad there finally is one and would love to see more.

Thank you! And yep, we do have plans for more games like Our Life, most notably is another game in the franchise- Our Life: Now & Forever. We’ll also likely have other, non-OL, games with customizable MCs, though we may still have some games with set MCs in the future as well.

On the patreon dlc just curious but is it possible to play it without actually sleeping together/getting the nsfw content? I just want to spend more time with Cove 

Yeah, you can still choose not to go that far. Though the event is shorter if you pass on the 18+ stuff.

At the beginning of Step 2, did Cove end up accidentally falling asleep in your bed? Or did he fall asleep on the floor? 

He fell asleep sitting on the floor with his body/head leaning against the side of the bed.

This may seem like a weird question, but what exactly is the difference between "direct" and "relaxed" on the comfort scale?

Direct is blunter and more teasing, relaxed is lighthearted and goes with the flow.

can the MC have tattoos in step 3? 

Not in Step 3, but you can in Step 4.

how would Cove react if he visited somewhere like North Carolina in winter where it can get in the 20s(F) at night sometimes? 

He would be shocked and unprepared for what serious coldness is really like, haha. The poor beach baby would wanna go home.

Hello! I just joined the PATREON!! It’s amazing! I love your games! I have a question, approximately how much after will the nsfw be out? After or before the dlc 3 and step four? Sorry my English isn’t the best!❤️❤️❤️ 

Thanks so much! The NSFW DLC will be out after the Step 3 DLC but before Step 4. And you don’t need to apologize for that ^^.

This might be obvious but, will step 4 have dlcs? Also, where will the nsfw dlc happen? Won't bother me at all if it s in in our or his house but i do think it d be moderately funny 

Step 4 will have the Cove Wedding DLC and the Derek and Baxter romance DLCs each add a lot of new content to Step 4, though they’re also partially set in Step 2 and Step 3 respectively. The NSFW DLC happens in Cove’s room.

I keep wondering what would've happened if Mr. Holden met Lizzie first instead of the MC. I can't see that turning out well somehow lol. 

It wouldn’t have made a difference. He met the MC’s parents first and they told him about their two kids. He wanted the MC specifically to be Cove’s friend because the two were the same age.

Even though we have a way to go I'm really excited for OL 2! I was curious though, is the next main character going to be adopted again? I thought it was really clever to make the first main character adopted so when players are customizing,  they can make them look how ever they like without worrying about pesky genetics. Just wondering! 

The OL2 MC is not adopted. We wanted to go for a new dynamic. Instead their parents are their biological single mother who is partially customizable and an off-screen sperm donor father. So the mom will look generally like the MC and any other traits not from her can be assumed to come from whoever the father was.

—– —– —–

Thank you so much for all the asks ^^

FAQ   If you prefer to just see the main posts without all the asks/reblogs, feel free to follow our side account instead: GB Patch Updates Blog

[willowandfog]

Taking Flight

Summary: Kagome has been struggling with her disability most of her life but she's never felt anything but normal with Inuyasha always steadily by her side. But when her neurologist approaches her with the chance to recover full use of her leg, she takes it.

A childhood friends to lovers, soulmates AU

Read on AO3 or Below the Cut

Sorry this is a day late, work got in the way and I literally fell asleep at my desk yesterday trying to write this chapter ^.^

See you soon for chapter six, first date!

Kagome would never let Inuyasha find out about the fact that she had brought work with her. It really needed to get done, and even though she was technically already on vacation she felt responsible for it. Besides, she knew that she would need the distraction it would bring. She was staying with her mother, Inuyasha and herself had reluctantly agreed to sleep apart for the night. 

Stupid tradition. She thought. It’ll be good for you guys, they said. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, they said. 

Kagome rolled her eyes and sighed. Leaning back she tried to loosen her shoulders and relax a little further into the tub. She would admit that it had been nice to just sit and have some girl time over a lovely dinner with her mother and Izayoi, and her grandfather adding in cheeky commentary every now and then. Steam rose from amongst the lavender scented bubbles as Kagome closed her eyes and shifted her head, trying to get her neck into a more comfortable position, the loose tendrils that framed her face growing damp from the brief dip into the tub. 

The tension in her body began to melt away and she hummed in appreciation. 

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Inuyasha was in a daze as he sat on their comfortable tan couch. He was in Kagome’s normal spot because it held her scent more than anywhere else, other than the bed; but he decided he wasn’t going to be that guy, laying in bed missing her, yet. The television was on but he wasn’t paying attention, he was missing her; he’d been away from her before, obviously. But never like this, not in a long time, not since they had both turned eighteen and moved into the apartment together. They spent their work days apart but they always, always were together while they slept. It helped soothe them both, him more so with his youkai instincts screaming at him to bond with her. When she was safe and content in his arms he was settled, he was at peace with himself, mostly. He found that the youkai was most quiet when he was being intimate with Kagome and they had been abstaining from that for the past week. 

He sighed, throwing his head back. He felt like there were bugs crawling under his skin, like his youkai was going to claw out of his body and rip the door off its hinges and go find its mate. He knew where she was staying, of course; she was spending the night at her mother’s, but knowing he wouldn’t see her till tomorrow afternoon, and the thought of sleeping without her was driving him crazy. A knock on his door snapped him out of his stupor. 

Kagome! No, stupid, Kagome wouldn’t need to knock. 

With a sigh, he rose to answer the door. When the door swung open he let out an audible groan.

“What do you guys want?”

“Greetings, my liege. Thy fair maiden has bestowed upon us a quest.” Miroku grinned at him as he presented his arm full of liquor bottles. 

“What the hell are you talking about and why are you talking like that?”

“Because he already started drinking in the car and you pick the weirdest friends.” Kouga stated from his position behind Miroku, arms folded across his chest.

Inuyasha sighed. “So why are you guys here?” He stepped to the side to allow them inside.

“Thy maiden-”

“No.” Inuyasha said as he closed the door. “You, speak.” He pointed to Kouga before crossing his arms and continuing. “Why are you here? I’m not great company right now.”

Kouga raised a brow as he ventured over to the couch, just as he was about to sit Inuyasha let out a fierce growl.

“I don’t think so, wolf.” Inuyasha spoke through gritted teeth. “You will sit over there.” He pointed to the armchair. “Don’t think I don’t know why you zeroed in on that spot.” Inuyasha went over and sat in the spot Kouga had tried to claim. 

Kouga rolled his eyes before moving to the chair. “Kagome sent us over as the idiot said. She thought it would be best if you had friends over to help you make it through the night. Well technically she said ‘could you guys go over and have a guys night, Inuyasha might have a tough time by himself.’”

Inuyasha’s heart ached and he found himself rubbing a hand across his chest. Of course she would make sure he wasn’t alone without her. She was the most amazing, thoughtful person in the world. She was so sweet, kind, and never selfish. She should never have to do anything for herself, she should be taken care of, always. 

Inuyasha suddenly stood, he had to go to Kagome, she might need him. He had almost reached the door when Kouga was blocking the way, holding a hand up as if that would stop him. 

“Move. I’m going to Kagome, screw this sleeping apart shit.” 

Kouga didn’t move. “Come on, Inuyasha. It’s just one night, Kagome is safe at her mother’s and you’ll see her tomorrow. You’re getting married tomorrow, the next time you see her she will be walking down the aisle to pledge herself to you. You’re a man, not a wild animal, pull yourself together.” 

Kouga rested his hands on Inuyasha’s shoulders and turned him around, giving him a nudge back towards the couch. “Now go sit, let Miroku pour you a drink and we can hang out and be bros or whatever.”

Miroku handed Inuyasha one of the bottles of bourbon he had set on the coffee table before sitting on the opposite end of the couch.

“Really?” Inuyasha questioned him, sitting. “You think trying to get me drunk will help with my decision making and that I might feel less like shit about the fact that she’s not here?”

Miroku shrugged. “Nah. Just thought a little might help you relax. Try not to be so aggressive, your mate is fine, you’ll see her tomorrow, and for now you sit and relax and hang out with your friends.”

Inuyasha sighed as he twisted open the bottle and took a swig. “So why are you here? We aren’t friends, acquaintances at best.” 

Kouga let out a chuckle. “‘Cause Kagome and I are friends, and she asked me to come over. She wanted someone that would be able to help in case you went all crazy youkai on Miroku trying to leave the apartment.”

“Ok, ok. Fine. I know that this is something that Kagome agreed to, and she obviously wants to stick with it, so I’ll try my best to reign in the urge to bolt out of here. Pick up a bottle Kouga, let’s get drunk.”

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

Kagome sat on the guest bed, back propped up against the headboard, her comfortable Slytherin pajama bottoms on paired with one of Inuyasha’s shirts that was far too large on her small frame. Her damp hair was thrown into a messy bun on top of her head and she had her work laptop in her lap. As she typed furiously away on her computer her mind kept trying to wander. She wondered if Inuyasha was holding up ok, knowing that this separation would be harder on him with his need to bond. 

Checking the time, she knew that Miroku and Kouga must be there by now, she hoped they were distracting him. She contemplated texting one of them to make sure they were over there and that things were going alright, but decided against it since she knew that Inuyasha would have a harder time if he knew she was worrying over him. She was briefly curious to know what they were doing to occupy their time but decided against that line of thoughts so she tried to focus back on her work. 

When she found her thoughts straying again sometime later, she closed her laptop on a huff. Climbing from the bed, she placed her laptop back into her bag before making her way to the bathroom to finish getting ready for bed. As she was brushing her teeth she thought about Inuyasha, and how he had always placed her needs first. Hell, he had built his life around her, his career was even chosen for her benefit. Wanting to be able to take care of her the best that he could, he had gone into physical therapy, spending years in school and gaining his doctorate. 

The surgery she had undergone had worked as well as could have been expected, she could mostly walk correctly, she had a noticeable limp at times but never required her crutch, and when her leg would get sore or start cramping up, she would just wear her leg brace and everything would be fine. Now that she didn’t need constant therapy, she wondered if Inuyasha would think or want to change specialties. She hadn’t had the opportunity to speak with him about it yet, with her healing and rehabilitation after the surgery and with the upcoming wedding, but she made a note to do so soon. 

She would be forever grateful that he had chosen a physical therapy career, but it also caused her some guilt every now and then. He had picked his path because of her; if she hadn’t had her stupid injury, would he still have gone down that road? She didn’t think he would have, and she would make sure that he knew how much she loved him for his decision but that he didn’t have to stay in a career that he didn’t enjoy, especially if there was something else he would rather be doing. 

She snuggled under the covers, tugging the extra pillow over to cuddle with, wishing once again that she was back home with Inuyasha. 

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“I still can’t believe you tried to kiss her!” Miroku burst into another round of hysterical laughter, almost toppling off his seat. “You’re so lucky,” he sucked in a breath between his laughs, “that Kagome is so soft-hearted. Inuyasha,” more laughter escaped him, “Inuyasha would’ve killed you!”

Kouga tried to resist Miroku’s contagious laughter but couldn’t, finding himself chuckling even as he glared at him. “Well, i-s was worth it; I was a hair's breaths away from being Kagome’s fir-rsst kiss. If I would ‘ave kissed her and died as a result, it would have been worth it.” 

Inuyasha growled. “Watch it.”

“What?” Kouga gasped in feigned disbelief. “You should take that as a compl-lment. Your mate is highly dessirable and she wants only you. If the roles were r-reversed here, and gods do I wish they were, I’d be rubbing it in your face. If I got to touch that perfects body, and kiss those lus-...luscious lips and smell her delicious c-”

Inuyasha pounced, tackling Kouga from his spot on the edge of the chair and rolling with him to the ground. They rolled over one another over and over, both trying to get the upper hand, both too drunk and uncoordinated to function well. 

“Here’s an idea,” Kouga said between the rolls, “we should hav-a rematch, winner getsss to marryy ‘Gome tomorrow.”

Inuyasha jumped to his feet, swaying, and put his fists in the air. “You got it. Y-your’s so going dow..n” He tilted his head as if confused by his own words. “Kick yooour ass again.”

Kouga slowly rose, using the back of the chair for balance. “Dream on, doggie...dog boooy.” 

When Kouga took a wavery step towards Inuyasha, raising his own fists, a loud snore snapped both of their attention to the couch. Miroku lay sprawled out on the couch face down, arm dangling off the side, empty bottle dangling from his fingers. 

Inuyasha dropped his arms and straightened. “Better idea. I go lay on ‘Gome’s sside of the bed, and dream ‘bout how ‘morrow she’ll be my wife and my soul bond-ded mate.”

“Nooo.” Kouga whined as Inuyasha stumbled towards the bedroom. “Come back, fight. I wanna marry ‘Gome.”

“Dream on, wolf.” 

As Inuyasha dropped face first into the bed, he pulled Kagome’s pillow close, snuggling his face in deep as he held it tight to his chest. He breathed in a deep breath of her scent, missing the chirp from his pocket, as he quickly succumbed to his drunken sleep. 

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

Kagome laid there, staring into the darkness, realizing that she couldn’t sleep without the sound of Inuyasha’s soft snoring and his warmth surrounding her. She groaned at herself as she felt the beginnings of tears start to form, swiping at her cheeks when they escaped. Giving in, she rolled over and grabbed her cell phone from the night stand. Rolling back into her spot, she sent a text to Inuyasha, telling him that she couldn’t sleep and that she thought hearing his voice might help.

She lay staring at her phone, waiting for almost an hour before she decided that he must have gone to sleep already. Putting Friends on the television, she laid on her side and hoped that sleep would come soon. 

@ruddcatha @superpixie42 @dawnrider @smmahamazing @bluejay785 @lavendertwilight89 @mamabearcat @fawn-eyed-girl @clearwillow @i-dream-of-soup @liz8080 @zelink-inukag @malditamigs

[prfctethereal]

My Everything - Tom Riddle x Reader

pairing: tom riddle x reader

word count: 3,175

a/n: uhh this is my first one shot imagine thing so i hope it doesnt stink. I’ve already posted this on ao3 but i thought i might give tumblr a try. -kennedy

***

A cold winter’s day was nothing as the potions classroom steamed up in the heat. Stressed students in their last year of school fumbled with their cauldrons, scribbling notes onto their parchment, trying to remember everything they would need for their NEWTs coming up in June. Smokey fog misted the room, suffocating the students. If only someone could crack open a window - too bad they were in the dungeons.

On today’s agenda, Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. It was only revision but since I had done so poorly on it last year, I was determined to get a higher score this year. Luckily, we could choose our potions partners in our seventh year, so I partnered up with my best friend, and exceedingly talented potions maker, Tom Riddle.

I’ve known Tom ever since year one. My nervous self lost on a train in a sea of strangers, unsure of where to go, unsure of where to step. Everyone seemed so intimidating and daunting; I struggled to even speak up and talk to anyone. Alone I sat, in an empty compartment, scanning my new textbooks so I wouldn’t seem so daft.

It was hard being muggleborn. I thought I would’ve been behind everyone academically, only just learning about the wizarding world last May when I turned eleven and got my Hogwarts letter. Of course, I was ecstatic - who wouldn’t be? The idea of magic had always fascinated me, growing up on fairytales and myths. But then, I traded in Snow White for Standard Book of Spells: Volume One.

Yet, as I saw the compartment door open and I locked eyes with a reserved, charming boy, I sat my book down and gave a small smile. He returned the smile with a wave, before turning his attention to the spell book in my lap, cocking an eyebrow up.

“Getting a head start?” The strange boy had asked. At that moment, I had to decide what to say. I could tell the truth and reveal that I was a nervous muggleborn who was afraid of knowing nothing in my classes, but I had already heard about the prejudice around muggleborns. Many people believed they were inferior to pureblood wizards and I wasn’t sure if this boy was one of those people. I was in no position to pass up a friendship. So I lied.

“I was just so happy to be going to Hogwarts that I just wanted to get right into the learning. I mean, I've been waiting to go for my entire life.” I stuttered out, praying that I had said the right thing. The strange boy’s face relaxed as he heard that and held his hand out in front of him, waiting for me to shake it. Hesitantly, I leaned over, taking his hand in mine. His fingers were cold and slender, curling around mine in a menacing manner. All my thoughts told me to get out of there, to run away before anything bad could happen, but I was so alone. I wanted a friend more than anything.

“My name is Tom Riddle.” His voice was smooth like melted silver, enchanting me. I could feel a pink tint rise on my cheeks, encapsulating my face in a blush. Looking down to avoid his piercing blue eyes, I smiled softly. I shook his hand as he wanted, pulling away. His hands were foreign and they felt strange wrapped around mine. Yet, so alluring.

“I’m [Y/N L/N].” I blurted, placing my hands in my lap nervously. Regret flushed into my veins as I watched his mind process what I had told him. Was my name too muggle-like? Had I given away my secret already? Yet, he smirked. A good sign, I had decided.

We talked casually for the rest of the train ride. Avoiding as many questions about my family as possible, I noticed Tom doing the exact same thing. So I never brought it up and he didn’t either. He seemed interesting though. Like his last name entailed, he was a riddle and I was curious to solve him. I was never going to get anywhere though with just small talk. I wanted to be closer to him.

At the sorting ceremony, I watched as he went up to the sorting hat. Immediately after the hat was placed upon his head, it exclaimed “Slytherin!” I had at least read up on the different houses at Hogwarts. I knew what Slytherins were about; their pureblood propaganda was almost impossible to avoid when reading Hogwarts: A History. As I saw the glint of passion in Tom’s eyes when he heard the house, I realised I had made the right choice to lie about my blood on the bus. He was ever so pleased to be a Slytherin.

When my name was called, I begged not to be in Slytherin. Tom would find out my secret if I was around him too much, so I asked the sorting hat not to place me in the house of serpents. The most I remember from that sorting ceremony was hearing “Ravenclaw” come out of the sorting hat’s mouth and fainting onto the cool ground.

Waking up in the hospital wing, my eyes fluttered open to see none other than Tom Riddle sitting in the chair next to me. He was looking out for me and at the moment, he became my best friend for the next seven years.

But now, we were seventeen years old, sleeves rolled up, sweat beading at our foreheads. I wiped it away panting heavily. I couldn’t mess up Amortentia for a second time; I would never hear the end of it from Tom. We were both top students in all our classes but in potions, he was definitely on top. As I shrugged my cardigan off, I heard him snigger under his breath, shaking his head while chuckling. I gave him dagger eyes before turning back to my potion. I knew he was mocking me for being stressed. Not everyone could be so calm while potion making.

“Do you need some help?” I heard Tom’s voice from behind me, as I flicked my head around, revealing his cocky grin, watching me from over my shoulder. My lips were pursed tight as I gave him a small smile, trying not to reveal that I was struggling. Yet, as I was about to add bat wings to the cauldron, Tom put his hands on mine, pulling it away from the bubbling mixture. “I think you do if you’re going to add uncut bat wings into the potion.”

Frantically, I looked over at my potions book, seeing that Tom was correct - they needed to be roughly chopped. Taking a deep breath, I listened to his laughs as I grabbed my knife out, chopping them up into big chunks before adding them into the deep, velvety mixture, and stirred it three times anti-clockwise. All I needed now was to wait for it to simmer, so I sat back in my chair, tying my hair up to get it off my face.

Joining me peacefully, Tom sat beside me, a smug look on his face. His potion was simmering now too. We were both very quick at making potions, even if his potions were of a better quality than mine. I closed my eyes, taking a whiff of the aromas in the room. Nothing distinct could be smelt by me, except for the boy sitting next to me. All I wished to do was fall asleep right now, but I knew that I couldn't do that, so I sat up to take the potion off the heat. It should be finished by now.

Tom followed me up and I looked into my cauldron, unsure if it was any good. Questionably, I turned my head over to Tom, hoping he could smell it and test if it was working right. Tom trusted me with the information that he was born out of a love potion and couldn’t love anyone, so if he couldn’t smell anything, it should be perfect. As I gestured to my finished potion, I offered him to smell it and he leaned in. When the fumes raised up to his nose, his eyes widened in shock, his pupils dilating.

“Well, I can smell something in there.” He laughed, but I just sighed, on the verge of tears. I really needed to make it correctly but I had messed up again. Tom noticed that I was about to break down and placed his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into a small hug. His soft hands came to my cheeks, taking his thumb and rubbing my flushed cheekbone. “Hey, hey, hey, it's okay. Maybe we can restart it before Professor Slughorn comes to check on it?”

But, it was too late. Professor Slughorn had noticed the lack of us doing anything and had wandered over to us, excitedly. I tried to hide my scarlet cheeks from the old man, burying myself in Tom’s torso, yet Slughorn had arrived, eagerly wanting to smell my potion. Reluctantly, I took the lid off my cauldron and moved out of the way to let Professor Slughorn smell my Amortentia.

Surprisingly, Professor Slughorn smiled as he smelt my potion. Confused, I tried to study his face and find out what he was smiling about. My question was answered soon after. “It’s perfect, Miss [L/N], it’s absolutely perfect. I can smell my late wife perfectly. Outstanding work! A big improvement from last year, aye?”

I was so shocked by what Slughorn had just said that I just nodded and gulped, looking over to Tom next to me. He looked even more nervous than me, avoiding eye contact with me as Professor Slughorn walked off. “You said you could smell something,” I asked Tom, “so why did you lie?”

“I didn’t.” Tom said quietly, leaning over his own cauldron. He took his bottom lip between his teeth, chewing nervously. I wasn’t paying much attention though, as I bent down over my own cauldron, taking in the aroma of the Amortentia. Old parchment, fire, and -

Tom caught my eye. His face looked pale, as if all the colour had been drained. Shyly, I looked away, turning my attention away from Tom and towards our teacher, folding my hands awkwardly in my lap.

“So, that’s the last lesson of the term. Over the holidays, I would like two rolls of parchment on the effects of Amortentia on a person. You may go now.” Slughorn said, before dismissing us. I grabbed my book bag before heading swiftly out of the potion classroom. As I left, I was met with a great gust of wind, sending shivers down my spine, cooling me down immediately, to a point where the sweat felt like icicles. Opening my bag, I searched for my cardigan, realising I had left it in the classroom.

Clumsily, I reentered the classroom, to see that the only one left in the room was Tom. He turned to me as I walked in, so I flashed him a calm smile. Strolling back to my seat, I took my cardigan in my hands, wrapping it around my cold body. Leaving the class, Tom followed after me, catching up to me and engaging me in conversation.

“So, everyone leaves tomorrow for the holidays.” Tom started, “What do you want to do first?” A dangerous smirk raised on his face, waiting for my answer. As a tradition, every year we stayed at school together, two of the only people who stayed, and caused mayhem to all the teachers and remaining students. It was the most exciting time of year. It always ended with us falling asleep on Christmas Eve in the Astronomy Tower, watching all the stars into the night. Unfortunately, this year was different.

“I have to go home this year.” Tom’s face fell as I said these words, his eyes filling with sadness. Before he could ask why, I answered his question. “I’m going to be eighteen soon and that means I’m going to get married. My parents want me to go home and meet my new fiancé that I’m going to have to marry. I’m sorry Tom.”

“Y-you’re getting married?” Tom stuttered, and he never stuttered. I looked away from him ashamed. He looked at me like I was some foreign person, someone who he didn’t know. I couldn’t even look at me.

“I’m sorry.” I spluttered out, as I turned the corner towards the Ravenclaw tower, leaving Tom down in the dungeons. I turned back towards him before quietly saying, “goodbye Tom.”

***

Morning broke and I woke up early to pack my suitcase up. Of course, I didn't want to go home. I didn’t want to be a victim to some muggle arranged marriage. In all honesty, my parents were ashamed of me being a witch. That’s why I never returned home each winter holiday, only going back to them in the summer holidays, when I needed to. Hoping that it would squash out the magic in my blood, my parents were forcing me to marry the blandest, most normal man they could find.

I decided to skip breakfast this morning, being unable to even look at Tom. Last night at dinner had been sufficiently awkward enough, even while ignoring him as much as possible. Yet, I could feel his eyes burning the back of my head the entire time. I couldn’t handle that again so I decided I could just get something to eat on the train.

It was currently nine o’clock in the morning. The train was scheduled to leave at ten so I had to hurry up, shoving as many as my muggle clothes in my bag as possible. If this day couldn’t get any worse, outside my window I could see the clouds closing in, small raindrops falling onto my window pane. Sighing, I pulled out an old sweater that I had given to Tom to borrow earlier this term. It still smelt like him - the smell was alluring.

The plan was to get out of the castle and onto the platform as soon as possible. I could talk to Tom one on one again once I had gotten back from my trip, but I was still terrified of what would happen. He was my best friend, surely he would understand?

Taking a carriage out of Hogwarts, I arrived in Hogsmeade, ready to take the train. With my suitcase in hand, I reached up to grab onto the train, yet I was pulled back onto the platform. 9:50am. The train would leave in ten minutes and I needed to get on. Also, it was raining harder now, and I wasn’t happy about getting soaked.

I knew it was Tom who pulled me away and I couldn’t disagree with his feelings. I had left him with nothing. I had ignored him for the past sixteen hours. I was being a bad friend, I know, but I couldn’t stand to see him sad and miserable. It hurt me. It hurt him. I hated seeing him hurt

9:52am. We had finally reached our destination. A small secluded area away from the platform. It may have been quiet but I was still being pummeled by the rain, shivering in my thin sweater. I looked up through my dew-covered eyelashes up to Tom, who stood much taller than me. His normally perfect curls were damp and limp, clinging tightly to his pale face. His eyes had a look of disappointment and confusion in them. His hands were resting on the sides of my arms, not letting me go. For a few moments, we just stood there, staring at each other, breathing heavily, until Tom finally spoke.

“Don’t go.” Tom finally said. 9:54am. I couldn’t find the words to say, the only thing coming out of my mouth was incomprehensible sounds.

“I have to go. My parents-”

“I don’t care about them. Stay here. With me.”

“What about my marri-?”

Tom looked away and I stopped talking. Out of instinct, I took my rain-sodden hand up to his cheek, turning him towards me. I leaned in closer to him, trying to get him to see where I was coming from. Yet, my heart fluttered at our closeness. He no longer felt cold, like when I first met him. His hands were warm. His eyes were kind. He was different.

“You will regret it if you go.” Tom muttered. “I know you will. I know you. And no man will ever know you like I do.”

9:56am. I really had to go, but I couldn’t leave Tom here. Slowly, I released him from my grasp and went back in, wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him into a warm hug. His arms fell perfectly around my waist, pulling me in tighter. I never wanted to move, but I felt his hand leave my waist. My heart fell for a moment until he reattached his hand to my chin, tilting my head upwards. That’s when his lips connected with mine.

His lips were soft, something I didn’t expect. Truthfully, I didn’t expect a kiss at all. It was innocent as small as first, slowly releasing me, but it wasn’t enough. My heart wanted more, so I cupped his cheeks with my hands and pulled him in for another kiss, more passionate than the first. Our lips were synchronised perfectly, our touch igniting each other. It was as if I had never been happy before and Tom filled me with all the joy I needed. Then, he pulled away, placing a piece of my wet hair behind my ear. “Don’t go.”

9:58am. “I have to go. I can’t stay here. I’m not enough.” I looked down but Tom’s hand pulled me upwards again so I could feel his breath on my ear.

“I love-”

I pulled away before he could finish. He was making a mistake. He had no idea who I really was and it seemed like time to finally tell him.

“Tom, I am not who you think I am.” I started, feeling Tom’s eyes watching me intently. “I’m nothing more than a muggle born witch. I’m a mudblood. I’m nothing compared to you.”

9:59am. He didn't hesitate. He didn’t say anything. I was waiting for him to say something, to end this awkward silence, but instead, he just pulled me into another kiss.

“[Y/N] [L/N], I do not care that you are muggle born. You aren’t nothing. You are my everything and I love you. I love you so much.”

For one last time, he pulled me into a tight kiss and none of us let go. The rain poured down, keeping us in a tight bubble of our own heat. I could never let go.

10:00am.

I heard the train’s horn go but I didn’t care.

I pulled away, much to Tom’s despair, but whispered something, almost inaudibly.

“I love you too.”

[svnflowervol666]

Fried Rice and... Kiwi? (Harry Styles x fem!Reader)

Word Count: 2.5k

Author’s Note: Happy third birthday to HS1! Here’s something short and sweet in it’s honor. I came across this gif earlier today and all I could think about was lying on Harry’s tummy and listening to him talk about the album. Hence, this fic was born. Obviously, I had to turn it into dad!Harry, because that’s all I can manage to do ever. Like, literally ever. But, regardless! Enjoy, take care, and TPWK. gif by @stylesinthewild​!!!

Three sequential knocks on the weighted, wooden door broke up the playful banter occurring in the studio. It wasn’t a request to enter, more so a signal of arrival and a warning - she was coming in whether they liked it or not. 

“Delivery!”

Smells of grease and soy sauce filled the nostrils of everyone inside as she cautiously maneuvered her way around discarded instruments and cords and towards the coffee table with a both arms full of enough take out to feed a small army.

“God, thank you! You’re the best! Been starvin’ all day,” Jeff piped up from the armchair he’d been sitting in.

“Genuinely! You didn’t have to come all the way across town to bring us dinner,” Sarah added, hair aloof and sticking up around her head as if she’d been running her fingers through it incessantly over the past few hours.

“Well, someone,” Y/N sneered, cutting her eyes back to Jeff, “keeps stealing my man away from me and I’m tired of waiting for him at home, so I figured I’d just pay him a visit here instead.”

“A simple, ‘You’re welcome, Jeff,’ would’ve done ya just fine!” he sarcastically fired back as the rest of the room doubled over in laughter.

Harry was up and out of the cushion he’d been slumped back in to grab the paper bags that were balanced on top of his girlfriend’s arms so he could take her hands in his and guide her towards him.

“Tip your driver?” she cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips down at him when he sat back down.

“Hmmm,” Harry toyed with her comment, pretending to pat down his pockets in search for change, “‘Ve only got my undying love and affection and an endless amount of kisses. Will that do?”

“I suppose,” Y/N huffed, leaning in to press her lips chastely against his.

“Okay, let’s see if I got this right,” she directed her attention back to the group as she fished around the bags of food.

“Beef and broccoli for Mitch?” The long-haired, almost-resembling-jesus brunette smirked and nodded as he leaned over to take the white carton from her hands.

“Kung Po chicken with extra sauce for Sarah,” Y/N stated confidently. She knew that one for certain.

Sarah bowed graciously as she swiped a handful of duck sauce from the bag after taking her order from Y/N.

“Hot and Sour soup for Adam and Jeff.” 

She handed Adam the plastic tub of hot liquid as if she was presenting him a sacred piece of treasure and cast Jeff’s soup away dramatically as if to say she was still fake-mad at him for keeping Harry holed up in the studio for long hours and couldn’t care less if he spilled the damn thing in his lap or not.

“You’re too kind,” Jeff scoffed, earning a pointed middle finger in his direction from Y/N.

“And last but certainly not least,” she grabbed the two remaining cartons by the thin metal handles and presented one to Harry, “Veggies for the boy.”

“Thank you, lovie,” Harry responded earnestly as he grabbed utensils for the both of them, chopsticks for him and a fork for her (he’d tried to teach her more times than he could count to use chopsticks properly but she could never quite get the technique down successfully) and dug into the steaming heap of vegetables packed to the brim of the container.

It was peacefully quiet as everyone chowed down on the takeout Y/N had brought in, everyone coming to the realization of how hungry they’d gotten after spending the entire day writing, composing, and recording an album. Harry and Y/N sat on opposite ends of the couch, her feet resting comfortably in his lap.

“Wha’ did you get?” Harry asked through a mouthful of food.

“Rice.”

Harry frowned.

“Just rice?”

“Wasn’t that hungry,” Y/N shrugged, “Plus, I might have eaten the leftover pizza from the other day right before I came.”

“Still. ‘S not good f’ you. Need t’ be eating better than tha’,” the newly short-haired brunette (Y/N may have shed a tear when he told her he was cutting it) gathered an assortment of sauteed vegetables with his chopsticks before leaning over the couch and dangling it above her lips, waiting for her to open her mouth and accept the bite.

She managed to catch it all, sans a thin strip of onion that she quickly slurped up before it fell and wiped the remaining sauce from the corner of her mouth with her knuckle.

“You two disgust me,” Jeff called out from across the room, a scowl adorning his features.

Harry smiled that obnoxiously cheesy shit-eating grin that he had become infamous for having in his manager’s direction, being sure to push the chewed up broccoli to the front of his teeth to only add to Jeff’s so-called repulsion.

“I think you’re just jealous that the attention’s not on you,” Y/N stated matter-of-factly, “I’m carrying precious cargo. It’s part of the job description now.”

She gave a snide and over-dramatised rub over her swollen belly where hers and Harry’s unborn child was nestled conveniently on top of her organs, making it harder and harder to move around and have any kind of energy as of late.

“If I recall correctly, I’m carrying his career. ‘S pretty precious if you ask me.”

With a roll of her eyes, Y/N plopped her half-eaten side of fried rice onto the table in front of her and shifted her body so that she was lying in Harry’s lap, her head resting perfectly where his thighs met his toned, yet somehow still soft tummy. Harry acclimated to her new position with ease, freeing one his hands so he could pet her hair gently.

“What did you guys work on today?” she asked, her fingers slipping under the hem of Harry’s shirt to absent-mindedly rub the sparse strip of hair that trailed down from his navel and disappeared into the waistband of his boxers that were just barely peaking through the top of his jeans - similar to how he stroked her bump when they cuddle in bed at night.

“Finished up the master for Two Ghosts and added the keys to Woman, but tha’s about it. Started playin’ with another one, but I’m not sure that it’s gonna go anywhere.”

“Yeah? Was it the one you were playing for me the other night?”

Harry shook his head through another bite of his food and swallowed.

“Think we’re gonna do tha’ one next week. We were just messin’ ‘round w’ this one. Doubt I’ll ever go back to it after today.”

“Well, can I at least hear it before you scrap it?”

Harry bit the inside of his cheek and peered around the room, trying to locate the hard drive that held all of their practice runs and demos.

“Did they take the laptop when they left?” he asked.

“Nah, it’s still here. Let me go get it,” Jeff promptly shimmied out of his seat, stuffed to the brim with tofu and bamboo shoots that were mixed into his soup, making him move a bit slower than he had earlier.

Whilst Jeff was digging around in the back room in search of the song Harry was almost certain would get lost deep down in the numerous files of unfinished songs and melodies, Y/N tapped Harry’s stomach with her pointer finger to get his attention and opened her mouth, signaling she wanted another bite of his food. He dropped the veggies into her mouth gingerly, making sure to avoid staining his shirt or accidentally dropping a carrot on Y/N’s nose.

“Thank you for comin’. Missed ye’ all day,” Harry spoke in a whisper so that only Y/N could hear him.

“Missed you too,” she mumbled through her chewing, “She doesn’t move much when you’re gone. Think she misses you more.”

In that moment, he was thankful she wasn’t lying on his chest, because she most certainly would have heard his heart combust and scatter like confetti into his gut at the mention of his sweet baby girl that was set to arrive in a few months time.

“’S she kickin’ right now?”

A wide grin appeared on Y/N’s face and she nodded, taking the chopsticks out of Harry’s hand so she could move it down her waist and press it against the underside of her belly where their daughter was seemingly doing summersaults in the presence of her father. 

It always amazed him, each and every time. How there was a human being growing inside of her and he had a hand in creating her. Although he hadn’t met her just yet, he was postive she was the most precious and sweetest creature he’s ever known.

Bursting the sugary sweet bubble they’d trapped themselves in, Jeff arrived promptly with the laptop tucked under his arm. He brought it to life, skimming the dozens of folders within the drive until he found the one he was looking for. 

“Found it!” he announced to the room.

“Alright, let’s hear it.”

As if it would allow her to hear the song more clearly, Y/N lifted her head from Harry’s lap and sat up beside him instead. She leaned against his shoulder, letting her fingers intertwine with the ones attached to his arm that was pressed against hers.

The beginnings of an electric guitar and Harry’s voice filled her ears, Y/N immediately clocking the sound as something unlike anything he had previewed for her thus far. It was heavier, more akin to the style of an actual rockstar that graced stages across the country in tight pants and ooze sex appeal from every pore in their body (not that Harry didn’t already do that). 

Next, she heard the heavy pounding of drums, to which she gave Sarah a raise of her brow and look of approval for her skill. She had absolutely no explanation for the way this song Harry had been so pertinent about tossing in the trash was making her press her thighs together to mediate the heat rising within, but it was there. The dull, persistent throb that made her wish her and Harry were the only ones in the room so that she could straddle him right there on the couch and have her way with him.

Pregnancy hormones. Yeah, that’s what it was. Well, at least that’s what she was telling herself.

And then she heard the chorus.

I’m having your baby. It’s none of your business.

She cut her eyes to Harry, who was undeniably blushing and had his face buried in his free hand as if he was scared to see her reaction. He was smirking underhead his palm, knowing good and well that she was staring at him as the lyrics repeated themselves over and over and over again. When he finally decided to peak through his fingers, he was met with her wide-eyed and stunned expression, to which he burst into a fit of giggles that shook his belly and made his sides ache. Y/N couldn’t help but join in on the laughter, shaking her head at his bluntness, for lack of a better word. 

The song wasn’t long at all as it was clearly choppy and unfinished and a product of Harry, as he’d said in his own words, messing around with his friends. Sure, it needed some cleaning up and could use a bit more substinance, but it was by no means bad or anything worth chucking in her opinion. It was very much a song written about her, so she felt like she could stand confidently by that opinion.

“Well, shit,” Y/N huffed as the instruments came to an abrupt hault and all that was left of the recording were dwindling laughter and shuffles in the background while whoever was in charge of the sound board moved to cut the microphones, “That gets right to the point. Doesn’t it?”

“That’s what we said,” Sarah managed to get out in between wiping the mascara from under her eyes that ran when she was laughing at her dear friend’s reaction.

“I mean, I don’t think it’s bad at all. Needs some cleaning up, but I think you should keep working on it,” Y/N said honestly, prying Harry’s hand from his face so she could kiss him on the cheek.

“Oh, gee. Thanks. Didn’t know you were on payroll as a producer too,” Jeff called out contemptuously.

“Umm, without me, you wouldn’t have half of this album. Think I can say whatever I want about the matter. Thank you very much.”

Harry pressed his lips together and pointed at her with his fingers shaped like a handgun as if to corroborate what Y/N had just said.

“Yeh actually liked it though?” there was a hint of surprise in his voice.

He hadn’t expected that. He’d expected a smack on the chest or a scold, not praise.

Y/N smiled at the bashful boy beside her, picking a piece of fuzz from the collar of his shirt and flicking it off to the wayside.

“’S gonna have everyone’s panties in a bunch, that’s for sure.”

She picked up Harry’s arm and draped it around her shoulder so she could properly snuggle into his side.

“That damn kiwi,” she said with a playful sigh.

“Pardon?” Harry looked down, bewildered, to see Y/N busying herself by gently poking the taut skin of her tummy in attempt to get their baby to poke her back with her tiny hand or foot, there was really no way of telling which was which.

“That’s when I said that to you,” Y/N yawned, “I was craving kiwi and fuming mad because you ate the last one and when you asked why I was so worked up about it, I told you it’s because I was having your baby, but it wasn’t any of your business.”

The recollection immediately dawned on Harry, making him smack his forehead with a closed fist.

“That’s where that came from! I couldn’t remember what happened, but I’ve always thought that was the funniest thing you’ve ever said t’ me.”

“Ehhh, it’s top ten for sure. Wouldn’t say the funniest, but it’s up there.”

Harry rolled his eyes at her indifference, but he won’t lie and say that it wasn’t one of the things he loved about her the most. How even though she can be the biggest pain in his ass, she always finds a way to bring light into his life and make him smile even it seems next to impossible.

“So yeh think it should stay in the running?”

“Definitely. If I wasn’t already pregnant, I’d beg you to put one in me right here in this studio after hearing it,” she said nonchalantly.

Jeff mocked a gagging noise, “I think I’m genuinely going to hurl.” 

“Oh, be an adult for once in your life, Azoff!” Y/N quipped.

Harry stiffled his laughter into her neck, tickling the tiny hairs that rose to goosebumps with each breath he exhaled onto her skin. 

“I don’t think you understand, Y/N. I hear about you two every damn day in this studio. ‘S just like you said, the whole bloody album is about you two not being able to keep your hands off of each other for five seconds. ‘M surprised it’s taken you this long t’ get knocked up.”

Harry remained tight-lipped, having reduced his giggle fit to a minimum as he watched two of the most important people in his life bicker back and forth like children fighting over a toy. He supposes, in this case, he is the toy in question, but it was entertaining nonetheless.

“Gonna make a damn good album, though. Isn’t it?” Y/N’s haughty smirk answered that question all on its own.

[drabbles-mc]

Try Again

Kozik x OFC (Tawnie Trager) (ft. Dad!Tig Trager)

Request by Anon: Kozik x female reader, where reader is Tig's first daughter (bit older than the twins, called Tawnie for lols) and no-one knows they're together, until Kozik overhears Gemma question Tawnie about the hickeys - who is like "I'm not sure whether to be mad that they're there, or mad that they're not that good" and then Kozik is pretty much like, 'challenge accepted', and Tig catches them when Kozik tries to leave better ones...?

Prequel can be found Here

Warnings: language, alcohol, slight steam

Word Count: 2.7k

A/N: I changed it to an OFC because the prompt felt almost a little too specific to keep it as a reader-insert lol. Hope you don’t mind! Also, y’all really like seeing Kozik come within an inch of his life with Dad!Tig lmaoooo love it

Join my group-chat here: (X) ​

SOA Taglist: @garbinge​ @masterlistforimagines​ @adela-topaz-caelon​ @mijop​ @chibsytelford​ @xladymacbethx​ @i-just-read-stuff​ @kkim120​ @multiyfandomgirl40​ @toni9​ @unicornucopia-fuckers​ @mayans-sauce​ @shadow-of-wonder​ (If you want to be added to the taglist, just let me know!)

She walked into the office with a box of files in her hands. Setting it down on Gemma’s desk, she let out a sigh. Rolling and cracking her neck, she pulled her hair back for a moment to help cool down. Normally she wouldn’t be caught dead with her hair down in the middle of summer, but things had gotten a little heated the night before and Kozik had left a scattering of hickeys on the side of her neck. The rule was always to keep it below the collar but they both got a little wrapped up in things. It wasn’t a huge deal when it happened for him—he could blame it on any of the women who hung around the clubhouse. But for her it was a bit of a tougher situation.

Her father had made it clear from the get-go that she and both of her sisters were off-limits to every man in the club. Even men who were friends of the club. No one was to do so much as toss a wink or a potentially flirtatious comment their way. And for as much as she tried to tell her father that he was being ridiculous, that she was a grown woman who could and would make her own decisions, he never budged. After all, Tig had never been known for being a man to compromise.

So it was bad enough that she was sneaking behind her father’s back with someone in the club. What made it even worse was the fact that it was the one person in the MC that he couldn’t stand. She didn’t even remember how her and Kozik fell into the situation that they were in. He was always friendly with her, but he was one of the most cautious around her because he knew that Tig wouldn’t hesitate to put a bullet in him if he so much as thought Kozik was hitting on his daughter. And yet, somehow that flipped completely around and the two of them were sneaking off whenever the situation allowed for it.

The last few months were playing at hyper-speed in her mind as she let herself breathe for a moment in the privacy of Gemma’s office. She was staring blankly down at the box that she had just brought in, too zoned out to notice the fact that Gemma had walked in behind her.

“Well, well, well,” Gemma chuckled as she walked up behind her, “What’d you get yourself into last night, T?”

Fear shot down her spine and she instantly let her hair go, “What?”

Gemma shook her head, “Too late to hide it now, sweetheart,” she brushed her hair out of the way to get a better look at her neck, “Since you’re busted, you gotta tell me,” she leaned back against the desk, “Who done it, Tawnie?”

She rolled her eyes, “You cannot tell my dad.”

Gemma chuckled, “What Tig doesn’t know won’t hurt him. So,” she nudged Tawnie’s shoulder, “spill the beans, sweetheart.”

Kozik was about to walk in to ask Gemma about something when he heard the two of them talking. He stopped himself, lurking right outside the door. He was curious to see how the conversation was going to go—he wanted to know if Tawnie would actually confide in someone about the two of them. He’d been good, he hadn’t told a single soul about the two of them being together. It was too small of a town and word traveled way too fast. His days were numbered as it was and he didn’t want to shorten his lifespan any more than necessary by having Tig find out that he was hooking up with his daughter.

Tawnie sighed, running her hands down her face, “Kozik.”

Gemma’s eyes went wide, “Honey, why do you want him to get the shit kicked out of him?”

She laughed, “I don’t! I don’t. Please, please don’t tell my dad.”

“I won’t,” Gemma shook her head slightly, “How’d that happen, anyway?”

She shrugged, feeling the heat rise slightly in her cheeks, “I don’t really know. It all sorta just…fell together.”

“How long?”

She paused, not wanting to admit how long they’d been hiding it, “Couple months.”

“A couple months?” Gemma chuckled and shook her head, “You’ve been sneaking around for a couple months and the man still can’t leave a proper hickey?”

She laughed, giving her a playful shove, “Gemma!”

“What? I’m just saying,” she glanced at her neck, “I could leave a better one than that. And your father would be much less pissed off about it.”

“You gonna give him a how-to manual, Gemma?”

She shook her head, “That’s something he’s gotta learn on his own, sweetheart.”

She laughed, “Is that something you’d like updates on?”

Gemma smiled as she fixed Tawnie’s hair, covering back up the marks on her neck, “You won’t need to tell me—I’ll see it for myself.”

There were a few beats of silence before she spoke up again, “Thank you for, y’know, not ratting me out to my dad.”

She smiled, “The girls gotta stick together.”

Taking that as her cue to leave, Tawnie made her way towards the office door. Kozik heard the sound of her footsteps and tried to back off enough so that it wouldn’t seem obvious that he was waiting right outside the door for her. Despite the distance, though, his face gave him away. She could tell from his expression that he was trying to cover for himself, which meant that he had most definitely heard her conversation with Gemma. She felt a little bad, but she also wanted to see what he was going to say.

“Oh, hey,” she smiled, tilting her head slightly, “You good?”

He nodded, “Yea, I’m…I’m good. Is, uh, is Gemma in there?”

So he was going to play it off for the time being. Two could play at that game. She nodded, “Yea, just got in.”

“Alright, cool. Thanks. I’ll see you later?”

She nodded, “Yea of course. You gonna be around tonight for the party?”

“Are you?”

She smiled, “I think so.”

A smirk passed over his face for a moment, “Then I think so too.”

The day went by quickly. She kept herself busy with random things around the garage and the clubhouse. Normally she’d be getting her hands dirty working on whatever needed repairs, but if she couldn’t tie her hair back out of the way, she wasn’t even going to bother. It would’ve been more trouble than it was worth.

She was helping bring in a few cases of beer as people started showing up for the party. It was dark out by that point, music and loud conversations already starting to flow out through the walls of the clubhouse. She smiled and shook her head to herself as she bumped the door open with her hip.

“T,” Jax appeared on the other side of the bar from her and gave his most charming smile, “grab me a beer, please?”

She rolled her eyes but did as he asked. She popped the top off of it before handing it to him, “I’m not a bartender, Teller.”

“If you’re on that side of the bar, you’re a bartender. Those are the rules.”

She laughed and shook her head before grabbing a beer for herself, “Guess you can carry your own shit in next time.”

Making her way back to the side of the bar that wouldn’t land her with more responsibilities, she looked around the clubhouse. Everyone was hanging out having a good time. A few of the guys were playing pool, and some of them already had women draped over their laps. She chuckled as she sat herself down on a stool at the bar. Pressing the beer bottle to her lips, she silently looked for Kozik in the midst of the chaos.

They locked eyes from across the room. He was sitting on the sofa, one of the women from Cara Cara tucked underneath his arm. She almost felt herself getting jealous, but when he smiled at her all of those feelings faded away. They both knew that the price of keeping their relationship a secret was having to allow a certain amount of flirtation from the people around them. He never got too close with any of the women who hung around the clubhouse, but he couldn’t be too cold and dismissive without at least one of the guys giving him shit about it.

Tawnie refused to break eye contact as she took a long drink from her beer bottle. She could see it in his eyes that even though the party had barely started, he already wanted to leave with her. She would’ve been up for that, too, if he asked. But she knew that he wouldn’t. She contented herself with keeping an eye on everyone around her.

Tig walked up, throwing a loving arm around his daughter’s shoulders, “How you doin’, doll?”

She chuckled and leaned against him for a moment, giving him a side-hug, “I’m good, Dad. Enjoying the party?”

“Always,” he laughed, “But are you?”

She chuckled, nodding, “You know me—I’m more than happy to just sit back and watch everyone else get into trouble.”

“Good way to stay out of it.”

“Exactly,” she gave him a playful nudge, “Go keep the boys in line, alright?”

He smiled, pressing a brief kiss to the top of her head, “Love you, T.”

“Love you too,” she laughed as he took off into the fray of things.

Once the party had really gotten underway, Kozik made his way over to her. It felt safer to be closer when there was so much else going on around them—they weren’t on anyone’s radar. He leaned in close so that only she could hear him. At first it was just jokes, off-hand comments about what was going on around them. She’d laugh and shake her head, and Kozik could swear that he’d never heard a better sound.

“Think we could sneak out for a bit?” he asked.

She looked at him, eyebrows raised, “Oh?”

He nodded, “Yea,” he pushed her hair back behind her shoulder, “because apparently I have some work to make up for.”

Heat rushed to her face and she wanted to hide behind her hands. Even though she knew that he had heard the conversation with Gemma, talking about it was an entirely different thing. She looked up at him, a nervous smile on her face.

“I didn’t say—”

“Don’t even,” he laughed and shook his head.

She laughed as well, knowing that there was no trying to soften the blow to his ego. He seemed to be handling it just fine, though. They both looked around to see if anyone was paying attention to them before sneaking back towards the dorms.

Once they were in the hall, out of the main cluster of the clubhouse, Kozik instantly had his hands all over her. He walked up behind her, sliding his hands up her sides beneath her top. Without thinking about it, she melted back into him, reaching back with one hand to trail her fingers down the side of his face. His fingers gripped onto her side as he kissed along her shoulder. He spun her around so that her chest was pressed against his, pushing her back against the wall.

He crashed his lips into hers as he pinned her to the wall. She gripped the edges of his kutte and attempted to pull him as close as she possibly could. They knew it was reckless to not even bother waiting to get to his dorm, but she wasn’t in the mood to be telling him to stop. Any and all responsible thoughts left her brain the second he bit down on her bottom lip.

He pulled his lips off of hers, trailing them down along her jaw and peppering her with kisses all along the way. She couldn’t help but to smile as he placed a kiss on her neck, “Gonna give it another shot?”

His laughter vibrated against her skin, “I feel like I have to. Can’t let Gemma disrespect me like that.”

She laughed and was about to make a smart remark when she felt his teeth against the sensitive skin of her neck. Her fingers wound their way into his hair, eyes fluttering shut as his hand slipped up the front of her shirt as he continued to suck a dark mark into the side of her throat. His name was about to fall from her lips in a quiet moan when their moment was interrupted.

“What the fuck is this?” Tig snapped, eyes darting back and forth between the two of them.

Kozik immediately backpedaled, nearly plastering himself against the opposite wall from Tig’s daughter. Tawnie’s face was flushed, hair and shirt a mess as she tried to look anywhere but into the eyes of her dad. She knew it was their own doing, but she still didn’t want to have to have this conversation with him.

“You’re a dead motherfucker,” within a split second Tig was charging at Kozik,

“Dad!” Tawnie jumped in, barely being able to wedge herself between the two men before serious damage was done, “Dad, stop!” she shoved him backwards with all the strength she could muster.

Tig’s chest was heaving as he looked down at his daughter, “What the fuck, T?”

“You don’t get to tell me who I can and can’t see,” she sounded much more confident than she really felt.

“This,” he pointed at Kozik, “is not a good choice, Tawnie.”

“You don’t get to decide that for me!”

Kozik’s eyes were bouncing back and forth between the two Tragers. It wasn’t often that he saw Tawnie get heated and defensive about things. He’d certainly never pictured her speaking like that to her own father. He wanted to step in and say something but he had the feeling that that was only going to make it worse.

“And you,” Tig’s eyes bored into his, “what the fuck are you thinking?!”

It was hard to try and sound tough when Tawnie was the only thing standing between him and getting his ass beat. He still tried, though. He rested his hands protectively on her shoulders and looked directly into Tig’s eyes.

“I’m think that she’s right. That you don’t get to make that decision for us.”

“For us?” Tig stepped in closer, his blood boiling.

“I’m an adult, Dad,” Tawnie was shaking her head, “And for what it’s worth, I don’t think you get to criticize who I’m seeing when you were about to bring some random woman back to your dorm,” she cocked one eyebrow.

That got Tig to recoil a bit. He hooked his thumbs onto his belt-loops, trying to figure out what he wanted his next move to be. After a few moments of incredibly tense silence, he looked back at his daughter, “We aren’t done talking about this.”

Before she could try to give any kind of sass in return, Tig turned around and headed back towards the main part of the clubhouse, the woman he was about to whisk away following suit. Tawnie let out a deep sigh of relief as she leaned back against Kozik, taking comfort in the feeling of his arms draped over her shoulders as he kissed the top of her forehead.

“Did you think you were gonna die?” she laughed.

He chuckled, loosely wrapping his arms around her neck as he pulled her back against him, “For a second, yea.”

“My last resort would’ve been telling him that Gemma told you to do it,” she tilted her head back so she could look up at him.

He smiled down at her, “I kinda wish that you did, just so we could see his reaction.”

“He still might’ve killed you.”

“Maybe,” he sighed as he rested his forehead lightly against the back of her head.

“Does this mean you’re going to bail on your redemption plans?”

He slid his hands down so that they were resting on her hips again. Without a word he turned her and began pushing her down the hall in the direction of his dorm. She laughed as she let herself be guided down the row of doors.

“I don’t give up that easy,” he laughed quietly as he pressed a kiss to her temple.