#It's like someone reached into my ribcage and tore out my heart

[toubledrouble]

I miss playing violin so much but I'm so broke that I just have to suffer

[prxmxka]

I regret loving you because the years it took to love myself and calm the hurricane inside me, you tore down in a few months. Your love is like eating thorns off dead roses and I hate that I swallowed them smoothly.

But now theres a thorn bush inside me and I can't rip it out. Its made a home in each vein.

Im afraid if someone tried to stop the bleeding will prick themselves instead.

Some days I feel like ripping out my throat and reaching in my ribcage and pull my heart out

[sageinacage]

lee!charlie and ler!quackity, that is all,, since charlie doesnt know much, quackity teaches him what tickling is and charlie is just enjoying it sm

Discovery (creative title ik /s) summary: charlie doesn't know what tickling is, and quackity is more than happy to teach his friend about it. a/n: lee charlie slimecicle my beloved. *holds him gently* warnings: i think like one swear word LOL w/c: 1.6k DSMP, Platonic

~

“Quahackity s- stoHOHOP IHIT!” Purpled wailed, kicking his legs out behind Quackity who was on top of him, his fingers relentlessly scribbling into a sweet spot right beneath Purpled’s ribs. “But I’m having so much fun, Purpled! We’re just getting started.” Quackity sneered, cooing as his ‘victim’s’ laughter grew an octave as his nails skittered against the sides of his stomach.

“Noho we ahaharen’t- NONOHOHO Q- QUACKIHIHITHIHIHIY!” The boy screeched when a long raspberry was placed over his waist, small raspberries then peppering across his belly to reach his other side.

“You’re more ticklish than I remembered! Huh, this is good news- well, for me at least.” Quackity snickered as he watched his friend trash under him and smiled to himself as high-pitched cackles tore through the room.

In the room next door, a fellow named Charlie was deep in thought studying the new machine Sam built in the Casino. It would be a lot easier to think if he didn’t hear bloody murder in the room next door, though. “What is all of that about? Is someone in trouble?” He spoke to himself, peeking out in the hallway to make sure the coast was clear.

The worried boy glanced inside the room he heard all the yelling from, only to see his two friends... wrestling? “Are you okay?” He called out, Purpled about to yell for help before Quackity drilled his fingers into the sides of his belly. “Yeah, all good in here, bud!” The one clad in a dark beanie grinned widely. The slime hybrid nodded; as curious as he was to what they were both doing, he went back to trying out the new machines Sam had worked hard on.

Eventually, the laughter and yelling died down and Las Nevadas went back to calm (well, as calm as it gets). Charlie was still curious and seeking answers to what Quackity was doing to Purpled, as it looked quite fun as he learned quickly that laughter is a positive thing friends do together.

He walked around, peeking in each room he came across until he stepped in front of the door of Quackity’s office. Charlie knocked on the door, smiling as he heard his best friend inside. “Can I come in, Quackity?” He asked sweetly, excited to see his friend. “Of course, come in!” Quackity smiled fondly, permitting him.

The door flung open, the boy running to Quackity to pull him into a hug. “Alright, alright.” Quackity laughed, unfolding Charlie’s arms that were tight around him. “Okay, I’ve been thinking. Very hard, in fact. What were you and Purpled doing earlier?” Charlie asked straight to the point, pushing his glasses up that was a bit tilted from the tight hug.

“I was giving him a piece of my mind for trying to cheat against me in a game of cards.” Quackity chuckled softly, organizing more papers on his desk. “Cheat?! That’s no good!” Charlie put his hands on his hips, tilting his head down to look at his friend. “And that’s exactly why I tickled him.” He smiled up at Charlie.

“Tickled?” He asked, putting a finger to his chin. “You don’t know what tickling is? Ohoho…” Quackity devilishly giggled, then cleared his throat. “I mean- I can show you, but at your own risk.” He offered, the slime hybrid immediately shaking his head excitedly. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you though! Alright, can you lay down over there for me? It’ll make it easier.” Quackity motioned towards the couch in his office.

Charlie obliged, practically skipping towards the soft couch and laying down. “This should be fun.” Quackity thought out loud, before going over to Charlie. In all honesty, Quackity is expecting Charlie to either not be ticklish because hell, can a slime even be ticklish? Or just dip out immediately, because that’s what most people do when tickled.

“Reeeady?” Quackity drew out, wiggling his fingers over Charlie’s sides. The confused boy nodded, moving his hands out of the way. Right as his fingers made contact with Charlie’s sides, he immediately squealed and laughed out. Though, as he squirmed out of instinct, he never tried to squirm away.

“Ah, so you are ticklish!” He exclaimed, his fingers drumming against Charlie’s upper ribs. “Ihit- *hic* feheheels fuhuhunny!” Light-hearted laughter poured out of the hybrid, the sensation new but it honestly felt nice.

“Yeah? I bet it does. How does this feel, though?” The casino owner sniggered evilly as he fluttered his nails down his ribs, then tracing into his waist. “Feheheels nihihice…” Charlie’s sugar-sweet giggles filled up the room. Quackity paused, sitting up with an eyebrow raised.

Charlie stumbled on his words, stuttering nervously. “I- Is thahat a bahad thing?” He panicked, still feeling the sensation of a few fingers continuously wiggling around his side. “No- no. It’s not, definitely not. It’s endearing if you ask me.” Quackity smiled down at his friend, putting his other hand to use and gently squeezing his hip. Happy laughs emitted from Charlie again, untensing his body as he enjoyed himself.

“Charlie- I do have one question, though.”

“Whahahat is ihihit?”

“How many ribs do you have? Y’know, as a good friend I need to make sure that you have all of them.”

“I dohohon’t k- knohohow?” Charlie giggled as Quackity playfully clicked his tongue and shook his head, properly straddling him. “I’m gonna count them then, alright? If you dare push me away then I’ll have to start alllll over, got it?” For emphasis, Quackity dragged his nails down all of his ribs and wiggled them along Charlie’s lower ribs.

Charlie nodded, his laughter growing as excitement overtook him. Quackity internally ‘awwed’ at the sight, but not letting himself get all soft as he massaged his fingers into Charlie’s lowest ribs. “QuahAHACKITY!” The hybrid’s laughter grew as his friend’s hands slowly rose to his ribcage, starting to feel more and more sensitive.

“Charlie!” Quackity playfully retorted, looking up at Charlie’s face then cooing at the sight. Charlie’s cheeks were bright green, and his hair was messy and disheveled, while his glasses were crooked on his face and tipping off his nose. He was adorable, to say the least.

“N’awww, is somebody having fun?” Quackity teased, a smirk growing on his face. “Does somebody love the tickles? This is so much fun!” Charlie swore he felt something flutter in his stomach. Is that what butterflies were that everyone talks about? The name matches, that’s for sure.

Wanting to be honest to his best friend, Charlie nodded as his face grew an even brighter hue. “I’m so glad, I could honestly listen to your laugh forever, y’know.” Quackity chuckled as his fingers finally reached near the top of Charlie’s ribs. His laughter grew hiccupy and squeaky, a sweet spot being hit.

“It’s sohoho… hahahAHAPPY!” Charlie squealed as fingers continued to vibrate into his top ribs. “Happy?” Quackity asked, tilting his head. This boy was going to be the death of him, Quackity decided. “YEHEHAH! HAHAP- *snort* HAHAPPY!” Charlie nodded, smiling with content.

This went on for a bit until Quackity thought that Charlie deserved some sort of ‘Grand Finale’. “I think I know someone that wants to meet you, Charlie.” Quackity tittered, his smile growing. “A nehehew friehend?” He smiled excitedly when Quackity nodded. “Yep! It is I, the tickle monster!” Quackity said in a booming voice, wiggling claw hands at Charlie.

“Wh- where’s Quahackity?!” Charlie’s eyes widened, staring at who is now apparently the ‘tickle monster’. “Whahat did you doho to my friend?!” He panicked, Quackity unable to keep up the act as he burst out laughing. “Don’t worry Charlie, it’s me! I was Quackity the whole time!” He giggled, smiling at the relaxed sigh from Charlie. “You scared me, friend!” He exclaimed.

“I’m so sorry, let me make it up to you.” Quackity smiled, sneaking his hands up Charlie’s t-shirt to dance his fingers along his belly. Charlie couldn’t stay grumpy for long as his adorable giggles started up again, filling the room with the feeling of fondness and happiness.

“Hey Charlie, out of curiosity- do you know what a raspberry is by any chance?” Quackity asked, pausing his fingers. “N- Nohoho? I dohon’t think soho!” He tilted his head like a curious puppy, making the other chuckle to himself. “Alright, prepare yourself then.” Quackity laughed before leaning his head down, earning a confused look from Charlie.

Before Charlie knew it, a raspberry was blown right in the center of his belly, the vibrations from it shooting through every nerve in his body. “QUAHAHAHACKITY!” Charlie convulsed, his back involuntarily arching in surprise. He felt Quackity smile into his stomach before blowing yet another raspberry. Another shriek escaped the hybrid, gently pushing at the tickler’s head.

“Quackity are yo- oh. Alright.” Purpled paused in the doorway, his antennae drooping down a bit in surprise at the sight, and sound in that fact. “Oh, came back for round two, bud?” Quackity raised an eyebrow at the boy in the purple hoodie, his antennae immediately flicking up. “No, I am not doing a stupid round two, you ass. I came for revenge, obviously!” He sassed, crossing his arms.

“Alright Charlie, how about I teach you how to tickle someone, yeah? Seems like fun?” Quackity urged, smiling at the slime hybrid. “I get to make my other friend laugh? Yes! Teach me, Quackity!” He excitedly sat up and approached the alien, who decided to bolt.

“Alright! Step one: the chase. Pretty straightforward. Let’s catch him!”

[not-me-simping-for-blasty]

Wrong Number, Asshole - A Bakugou Katsuki Soulmate AU

All Parts

Part 19:

You stared helplessly at your phone.

He still hadn’t answered you or even read the texts you’d sent him- it had been over a week since you sent the last two.

Bakugou told you that he’d be away. That he wouldn’t be at his phone, but that was almost two entire weeks ago, and nobody would be without a phone for that long. You knew something was wrong. Could feel the incorrectness and hollowness in your soul- in that same part of your heart that had suddenly been filled since you met him. 

You sent him another text, fueled by nothing but desperation. 

Another few days went by. Nothing. Radio silence, and unread texts, and a heart that felt heavier with each passing moment.

That wrongness that you felt seemed to multiply by the minute, your skin seeming to itch and feel too tight and too lose all at once. You felt helpless. There was nothing you could do, no where you could look, nobody you could tell. 

All you knew was a last name- a last name that was common. A last name that was shared by 1000s of people all across Japan, and a last name that was shrouded entirely by a pro-hero who was everywhere you looked. 

You’d already tried searching, desperately typing in that last name, but the only thing you could ever pull up was articles about Bakugou Katsuki. Dynamite. Pro-hero highlights and various smear pieces were all you could find under that last name. It was just picture after picture of a blonde head of hair and a scowling face that wasn’t your soulmate’s. Explosions and ash and burning debris and villains and heroes and- you resented Dynamite. He was the reason you couldn’t reach your Bakugou. 

There was nothing you could do. Absolutely nothing, and it nearly killed you.

You threw your phone away in frustration, crushed by another search that yielded nothing but Dynamite. 

You wanted to cry, wanted to yell, wanted to scream until your throat tore for all the things being stolen from you. If he wasn’t okay, if he wasn’t still able to be there for you, all of your childhood dreams were over. There would be no happy ending for you, no fairy-tale love, no perfect puzzle pieces finally slotting together. There would just be you. You and your one-half of a soul and one-half of a name and a potential funeral you couldn’t even go to because you didn’t know who he was or where he lived or how to reach him past a phone. All you had was his voice, all you got to have was his voice and his jokes and a siew of nicknames and texts and it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough because it was bits of him; little, tiny, miniscule pieces of someone that was supposed to be yours but apparently wasn’t. Instead of him, it was just you- alone and waiting and etched with a ugly tattoo you should’ve never expected to guarantee forever. 

You didn’t want to think about it- didn’t even want to entertain the idea of him not being okay- but at this point it felt like you had no other choice. Bakugou didn’t seem like the type to just disappear- had proven time after time to you that he wasn’t. Something was wrong. Horribly, terribly, catastrophically wrong and you just knew it. Could feel it settling in your bones like a poison.

You fell onto your bed, peeling back the covers and collapsing onto your pillow. You couldn’t remember falling asleep. Couldn’t even be sure when you stopped crying. 

--/--

You suddenly jolted awake- fingers scrambling to find your ringing phone.

Bakugou :)) - Incoming Call 1:07 AM

You felt like you couldn’t breathe- like there wasn’t enough air in the world to make your lungs work. With shaking fingers, you accepted the call. 

“Hey, idiot.” Bakugou’s voice was hoarser than you remember, barely there and weak through the phone. He coughed. “Been a fuckin’ while, huh?”

Your heart jumped, seeming to nearly seize at the sound of his voice- at the sound of his croaking breath, at the sound of him present and okay on the other end of the phone. You pressed your palms into your eyes, trying to will yourself not to cry, but you couldn’t help it. He was there, and fine, and talking and it didn’t feel like your heart was breaking anymore.

“You motherfucker,” You choked out, trying to clear the tears from you throat. You were sure Bakugou could hear them anyway. “Fuck you- you asshole.”

Bakugou just seemed to laugh- a thin, withering sound that got stuck in his throat. He coughed again, the sound of his chest rattling audible and frightening through the phone. 

“Yeah.” He croaked. “Fuckin’ deserved that one, huh?”

“Where were you?” You held your phone with both your shaking hands, clutching at it desperately. “Y-you didn’t- fuck- you didn’t answer! And I texted you and texted you and you didn’t fucking answer and I was so worried, you absolute fucker, and scared and I-I-”

Your shuddered, gasping to catch your breath. It felt like every bit of anxiety you’d had from the past two weeks was crawling up your throat all at once. It was torrent of worry and desperation and anguish tearing apart your ribcage and bursting out your mouth. You were tired and your chest hurt and you couldn’t seem to stop crying. 

“It-it’s okay. I’m okay. Stop crying, sunshine.” He soothes, but his voice is too thin and too ragged and all it does it make you worry. “I’m right fuckin’ here- not goin’ anywhere, okay?”

“Y-you’re not! You’re not okay! I can fuckin’ hear you. Y-you’re coughing and your voice doesn’t sound right and-” You take a deep breath, wiping at your eyes. “What happened to you?”

A pause. Another cough. Another round of chest-rattling coughs.

“I, uh, jus’ got a little fuckin’ hurt s’all.” He grits out. “It’s-I’m fine. It’s alright. I’ll be just fuckin’ fine.”

“For two weeks? You were hurt for two weeks?”

“No- I, uh, got held up for a bit. And then hurt.”

“What?” You gasp, incredulous. “Bakugou- t-that doesn’t- it doesn’t make any fucking sense! Held up? What the hell does that even mean?”

There’s silence from his end, but you can hear his ragged breaths and a steady, mechanical beeping through the phone.

“W-what’s that beeping sound?” You ask.

“It’s nothing- it’s uh-”

“Bakugou. Cut the bullshit, please-” You beg voice high and desolate. “Just tell me what’s going on. I-I don’t get it! How could you just be gone for two weeks and then be hurt a-and that noise- it’s a monitor isn’t it?”

More silence. 

“Isn’t it?”

“Yes.” He bites out. “It is.”

“Oh my god,” You want to scream, panic once again overtaking you. “Are you in a hospital, right now?”

“Yes.”

Something in you breaks. Something lodged deep in your chest, and all you can think about is seeing him. Making sure that he really is alive in a hospital bed and not some fucked-up figure of your imagination right now.

“Where?” You demand. “Where?”

“W-what?”

“I said fucking where, Bakugou.” You caught your breath, willing your voice to be solid. “Tell me. Right now.”

“I- No!”

“Oh my god, why won’t you just tell me- anything! Ever! You don’t tell me fucking anything and all I know about you is fuck-all nothing and-” Your voice rises, higher and higher and louder as you rant. “Do you even know what I’ve been doing these past two weeks? Worrying! About you! And fucking looking your name up and finding nothing because I don’t know who you are or how to reach you or where you live or even what you look like- a-all I have is your voice and your last name and that’s not even fucking helpful because all I can find is some goddamn hero, Dynamite, who isn’t you and I couldn’t- I couldn’t-”

You’re gasping for air now, nearly shattering your phone in your vice grip. You chest aches, burns, and all he’s doing is sitting on the other end of the phone. Silent. Breathing. Saying nothing like always.

“That’s me.” He finally says, quiet and subdued. 

“Excuse me?”

Bakugou coughs again. It sounds painful.

“Dynamite.” He finally whispers out. “It’s me.”

You drop your phone. Watch it slip out of your hands and onto the ground. 

Dynamite. It’s me.

Bakugou Katsuki. Scowling, blonde, angry, Bakugou Katsuki. Ash-ridden pro-hero covered in gunpowder and searing burns and surrounded by fire Bakugou Katsuki. 

He was your soulmate. The man who seemed to infect your life for the past two weeks. The man you couldn’t find was exactly the same man who was everywhere you looked no matter what you did- on TV, on the internet, in every article you read, every bit of research you ever conducted for your project- and apparently on your phone. This entire time. 

You’re angry, shaking and seething and fuming as you pick your phone back up.

“Fuck you, Bakugou,” You spit venomously, tears once again falling. “Y- you just- you disappeared, for weeks, to go be a fucking hero and didn’t even tell me? You put yourself in danger, fucking knowing- w-what if you- what if you- I wouldn’t have known! I wouldn’t have ever fucking known what happened to you and I wouldn’t ever get to know- and you’d just be- you’d just be-”

“Gone.” 

“Gone.” You repeat.

“T-this is why I didn’t wanna fuckin’ tell ya.” He wheezes. “Because it fuckin’ changes things when you say you’re a hero.”

“A-a hero?” You’re nearly yelling into the phone. “You think I’m upset over you being a fucking hero?”

“Aren’t you?”

“No!” You scream, enraged. “I’m not- I don’t. I don’t care about you being a fucking hero! I care about you, you fucking asshole! I’ve been sitting here for weeks worrying about you, and searching for you, because you fucking vanished and I didn’t know how to look for you and I couldn’t find anything and I just wanted to find you because I like you- I like you, you fucking idiot!”  

He’s silent, the only sounds are your raging breaths and the beeping of a machine.

“You like me?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” You’re screeching now. “That’s what you fucking got from that? Are you fucking stupid? That’s the stupidest fucking thing you’ve ever said to me! Are you even fucking listening to me right n-”

Bakugou laughs. He laughs, loud and unrestrained and slightly rattling, interrupting your train of thought completely. You’re clutching your phone, pressing it to your ear and seeing red.

“A-are you fucking laughing? Stop fucking laughing- this isn’t- I’m fucking mad at you! Stop laughing, you’re being fucking immature and stupid and a fucking asshole right now! Did you hear a fucking thing I sai-”

“You fuckin’ like me.” He repeats. “I like you too, idiot.”

The wind is knocked out of you- every bit of oxygen is a struggle and your heart is beating fast, faster, so very fast like it’s racing around your ribcage and ripping through the skin of your chest and everything hurts but it doesn’t at the same time and all you can think and see is Bakugou. Bakugou Katsuki.

“I like you, too.” You respond, suddenly dazed.

A pause, another rattling laugh.

“You said that already, idiot.”

Just kidding. Back to thinking and seeing red and only bleeding red.

“Actually, you know what,” Your voice is tight and overwhelmingly loud. “Fuck you! I hate you, you fucking asshole! Made me worry for fucking weeks just to sit there and make fun of me! I’m fucking mad at you- so fucking mad! You know what? I’m hanging u-”

“Don’t.” He says suddenly. “Please.”

His voice stops you in your tracks. Bakug- Katsuki sounds soft and tender and quiet and he didn’t swear once. He’s hurt and he’s probably still hurting and you decide then that you couldn’t do that to him- hang up on him. It was an empty threat. You figured it probably always would be from now on, no matter how angry he made you. 

“Y-yeah. Okay.” You start. “But only because you’re fuckin’ hurt or whatever and even I couldn’t fuckin’ do that to-”

“You sound like me.” He interrupts, and there’s something so fond in his voice that it makes you shiver. “Swearing like a fuckin’ sailor, sunshine, what the hell happened to you, huh?”

“Y-you!” You sputter, trying to recover from the way the nickname wounded you. “You fucking happened to me, you absolute prick! You never telling me anything happened to me! The last two fuckin’ weeks happened to me!” 

He just laughs again, and you think you could kill him. Are suddenly really contemplating just finishing the job off- until he coughs. Until he coughs and rattles and shakes and doesn’t stop coughing for almost an entire minute.

“You- you’re okay? Right?” You ask, voice quiet.

“Mhm.” Bakugou hums, voice deep and raspy. “Everythin’s just fuckin’ peachy.”

“No. I’m serious. Be serious. Are you okay?” 

There’s silence on his end, but you think maybe you can hear the shuffling of blankets.

“N-no.” He grits out, almost like admitting it is painful. “It’s- I’m not. I will be, though.”

“Okay.” You nod. “How long are you in the hospital for?”

“Not sure. Jus’ fuckin’ woke up.”

“And you called me,” You were yelling again. “Call a fucking nurse! Call one right now! You probably need like fucking meds or treatment or like your vitals taken or something! Hang up! Hang up right now and call a nurs-”

“No thanks.”

“Excuse me? Bakugou, are you even listening to me? You’re hurt! You need to fucking call somebody- a nurs-”

“I wanted to talk to you.” Bakugou interrupts, voice hardly there. “Wouldn’ta if I knew you were gonna yell so much, though. Who the fuck yells that much?”

You pause. Taken aback by his words, by his admission. Only for a moment though. 

“You! You fucking yell so much, you asshole! I learned it from you!” 

Bakugou coughs again, and you lower your voice. You sober up.

“I’m serious. Hang up. Get a nurse.” You suggest gently. “Call me again later, yeah?”

“Yeah.” He agrees. “Okay.”

Bakugou hangs up and you finally feel your heart begin to calm. He wastes no time, sending a text only seconds later. 

--/---

eat up, bitches!! it’s an identify reveal, near death experience AND confession scene- welcum to the sweet sweet world of my favorite tropes ~ it only goes up frum hear 

[wasabito]

thank you to @sparkexplosive and @vs-redemption for beta reading it for me! merry christmas & happy holidays everyone ♥️

➽ synopsis: being a member of the royal guard is a grueling and thankless job, so you decide to remind katsuki a little of what it’s like to be young again—what better way to do that than with some healthy competition.

➽ word count: 1.7k

➽ tags: fluff, budding romance, royalty au, childhood friends

➽ author’s note: i had a ton of fun participating in my first ever secret santa!! this is my gift-fic to the lovely @katsushimaa​ hope you enjoy, yssa!

"So, this is where the hell you've been hiding?"

His voice tore through the midday stillness like a blade, equal parts raspy and gruff. He sounded irritated and mildly fatigued. Not that Katsuki Bakugou would ever admit to being anything less than a hundred and ten percent. He climbed off his steed, heavy boots crunching under the weight of his feet, and secured his horse against the stump you were leaning on.

You flipped the page of your book, not sparing the man even a cursory glance. You would prefer to keep your attention occupied by fictitious worlds, warriors, and battles fought in the name of love and justice.

It was much easier to allow yourself to become the bearer of fictional hardships, because at least they could be solved through a well-constructed plot with each turn of a page, as opposed to the realities of your actual life, a slow spiraling disaster in comparison.

Bakugou stood in front of you, vein ticking on his throat with every clench of his jaw. His arms were crossed tight over his chest, red gaze pinned on your hunched form. He wasn't at all the kind of person anyone could easily ignore. His very presence demanded attention and drew eyes like a magnet.

Case in point, no matter how much you tried to ignore him, you simply couldn’t.

"Please tell me you aren't going to stand there the entire time. Take a hint will you." You went to turn another page, but Bakugou reached over and snatched the book from your hands with deft fingers and speed you couldn't hope to match.

"Give. It. Back."

"Nah, I don't think I will just yet." He sneered, thumbing through the pages. "I was told to bring your dumbass back to the estate, so that's exactly what the hell I'm 'bout to do."

You blew a puff of air from your lips, eyes blazing with a kind of defiance that only burned harder the more you glared at him. "Then I guess you'll just have to drag me back kicking and screaming."

Bakugou only smirked, teeth spread in a feral grin that sent a chill down your spine.

That had always been his intention.

Almost an hour later, you stood before your parents, clothes dusty, creased, and smudged from having been manhandled like a sack of flour before promptly dumped in front of your waiting audience.

A frown marred your delicate features as they began their lecture.

Your mind drifted elsewhere the more they reminded you of your lineage and that you were royalty and how it was imperative you behave as such. You’d heard it all before, known this for as long as you could remember. As the King and Queen of your home country, your parents never failed to emphasize the importance of keeping your every move in check because of the reputation you had to uphold.

Katsuki stood somewhere behind you, and although he stayed mostly silent, you could almost hear him grinding away at his molars. The King and Queen were taking turns subtly digging into him as well, implying that his incompetence was a stain upon the royal guard perfect record of achievements. If he couldn't keep you in line, what was the point of holding rank?

They annoyed him way more than they did you, but he dare not voice it, not if he wanted to keep his head attached to his shoulders. Far be it from him to send himself to the guillotine

You both were in for a long night.

“Honestly, this kind of behavior is unbecoming of someone of your status. What will our countrymen think if they see you roaming about unattended like a vagabond?” Your father stroked his beard as if waiting for a response. But everyone in the room knew he really just liked to hear himself talk.

He was no better than a machiavellian swindler in expensive robes. A puppet if you would.

The real leader of the land was your mother. After all, she had only married into the family, having been the daughter of a mere advisor with no royal blood. She spoke little, but her glare was more than enough to convey just what she was thinking.

By the end of the lecture, you felt like all of your energy had been sapped from you, but thankfully your parents left you to retreat into your bedroom for the remainder of the day. Bakugou escorted you, following close behind.

“You’re gonna do it again, aren’t ya?”

You paused, foot nearly catching against the carpeted floors of your bedroom. Fiddling with a piece of your hair, you shrugged. “...maybe.”

“You’re a huge idiot.” Bakugou shook his head with a low laugh.

A tiny smidgen of a grin danced on your lips as you considered him. He was your childhood friend. No one knew you better than he did. And he was also the guard most assigned to watch over you and keep you safe from harm.

Despite that, you’d come to notice how much he’d changed. He wasn’t the same Katsuki you grew up knowing and you missed him dearly. Occasions like this, where a part of his guard was let down, were becoming few and far between. There had to be something you could do.

“Let’s make a wager. If you can manage to find me, I’ll do one thing at your command.”

“Challenge accepted.” He reached into the folds of his uniform, pulled out your little novel, and slapped it right into your open palm. "No matter where you run off to, I'll find ya. Trust me on that, princess."

His eyes were like candles in the night, ignited by a spark of passion. Not a single lie could be detected.

"I won't make it easy on you, Katsuki, just so you know."

"Heh, you better not." He sniffed, tucking his hands into his uniform pockets. And with a final half-wave, he was gone.

In and around the capital city, winter had completely lost it's bite. The weather was tepid, swinging a mild breeze that coasted through the countryside. It was the sort of winter where one felt as if woolen clothing were worn more for comfort than necessity. In what should have been the chilliest part of the year, Bakugou found himself traversing one of the many beaches that hedged the southern peninsula.

After a full week following the challenge issued in your bedroom, Bakugou realized you were entirely too good at evading him or any of the other guards at the kingdom’s disposal, for that matter.

Day in and day out, he spent his shifts searching tirelessly for you, just to stumble upon you in the most random of places and only when you had wanted him to find you. The running score was six to five in your favor, but he was determined not to lose to you again.

And there you were, standing at the very edge of the shore, as if a mere thought had manifested you right before his very eyes. Your loose billowing dress of soft satin waved to him like a white flag of surrender in the air. He'd finally found you.

"Not gonna run off this time?"

"Nope! You won this round." Your cheeks creased in a smile.

Given the boots he'd worn, it was no surprise that his feet kept sinking into the sand. You said nothing as he toed off his shoes and socks, bare feet settling into the depths of warm, grainy sand.

He couldn’t help but feel more relaxed. Over the past few months, he’d found himself losing sight of his goals, caught in the dredges of the mundane and routine.

The cool waters lapped at both his and your feet, fizzing and bubbling, leaving behind traces of salt. You went further into the water’s touch, your back to him as the tides licked at the your calves. Even he had to admit, the view was a beautiful one, possibly even more so with you against the backdrop.

“I’m glad you found me,” you called over the cry of seagulls. “For a second, I was worried you’d lose this round.”

Bakugou rolled his eyes. “Tch, as if I’d ever lose to you, princess.”

“Naturally.” You laughed.

“What the hell are we doing out here anyway?”

He knelt to roll up his pants, a mere moment away from following after you like always.

“I... really just wanted to show you the view. Do you remember when we used to come down here as kids? Remember how we used to dare each other to see who could go the farthest into the ocean?”

Of course he remembered. Those were some of his most cherished memories of his time spent with you before duty to the kingdom took precedent.

You reached a hand out to him, an open invitation. “I just thought you needed a little reminder of what that was like.”

For some reason, Katsuki was determined not to meet your gaze, scowling at some point on the horizon, until you came over and nudged him with your elbow. “It wouldn’t kill you to admit that I’m right.”

With a sigh, he reached over and tugged you into a hug. You snuggled close to his chest, gripping the back on his uniform. It may have been your imagination but you could’ve sworn you felt the soft press of lips against your temple.

“Thanks... you know... for everything.”

Beaming, you leaned back to get the full view of his heated cheeks.

“Of course, of course.”

There was something earnest in his eyes that told you no matter how far you went, or however far you traveled, he’d always be a step behind you. It sent your heart hammering in your ribcage. You were suddenly all too aware of the way he held you secure against him like he would never let go.

“What are you thinking, princess?”

You blinked owlishly, taken over by your feelings and mumbling a hushed. “Oh, nothing.” The two of you were just a royal and a guard, bound to one another by duty.

If there could be anything more than that...well, only time would tell.

[chroniclackofselfpreservation]

Awake

⚠️This piece is a LAOFT AU, inspired by Mother by @tulipscomeinallsortsofcolors, check out the original fic on AO3 here! ⚠️

(also, I am not nearly the fae-expert that Violet is, so I've taken quite the creative liberty with Virgil's mother. Please don't come for me.)

Awake takes place a year or so after the events of Mother.

Word count: 3513

AO3 link

Summary: Virgil has a long overdue conversation with his mother.

TW: spiders, brief/mild (non-sexual) nudity (fae-stuff, you know), mild blood/pain, mentions of parental neglect, sensory overload

… gil…

Virgil…

Virgil’s eye shot open. He tensed, listening. Even before the casket, he’d never been a heavy sleeper, and he was sure he’d heard his name. The four of them were sleeping in his room in fairyland, Roman asleep against his chest, Patton curled against Virgil’s back with Logan cuddling him from behind. Suddenly needing to be touching them all, Virgil reached back and rested a light hand on Logan’s knee.

Logan stirred, but didn’t wake.

Roman, on the other hand, shifted and cracked an eye. “Babe?”

“Go back to slee—”

Virgil.

He shot up to a seat, dislodging Roman and waking the other two. Virgil searched the room. He couldn’t pinpoint the direction the voice was coming from.

“V?” Patton yawned, sitting up with Logan. “What’s wrong?”

Virgil! it called again, more insistent. The seeds of panic began rooting in his chest. Something was speaking to him—that, or he was going crazy. He couldn’t sense any being even remotely close enough to call out to him, and if he couldn’t sense them, they could sneak up on him. On his partners.

“You don’t hear that?” he whispered.

“I hear nothing, Virgil,” Logan said, placing a grounding hand on his shoulder.

Imperceptible movement in the corner. A frantic, miniscule scrabbling. Virgil grasped the one knife he kept on him while he slept, strapped against his stomach, and flung it into the shadows. It sunk into the wall with a solid thunk.

Careful, brother!

We did not want to wake you.

Did you hear?

She is here!

She is awake! his sisters clamored, the shifting from the dark corner taking a frantic edge. Squinting, he realized they were writhing in a giant, excited nest in the upper corner of the room. They must have snuck in while he slept. Thankfully, he hadn’t impaled any of them. Strange, though. The room was dark, even for him. He couldn’t quite make out the far edges of the bedroom.

“That can’t be good for the wall,” Roman chuckled.

Patton let out a loving sigh. “V, we talked about the knives…”

“Sleeping with blades is incredibly unsafe,” Logan said, “especially with the three of us so close together.”

Virgil cast a careful glance Patton’s way, praying he didn’t notice the wriggling mass of arachnids that he was sure would terrify him. Though, if it was dark enough to give him trouble seeing things, he doubted any of his partners would notice. Relaxing a few notches, Virgil ran a tired hand down his face.

“My sisters are excited about something,” he said. “I’m sorry for waking you all.”

Patton stiffened imperceptibly, casting a wary glance across the bedsheets. Logan cupped a comforting hand on the side of his neck.

“There is no need for an apology,” Logan said, still soft with sleep. Roman relaxed back into the bed, stretching in a way that made Virgil think twice about going to investigate the voice.

Get up, the voice said, more amused than snappish. Excited, even. Virgil startled, reaching instinctively for knives he didn’t have on him. Something tickled at the back of his mind. He knew that voice… but from where?

“Virgil?” Roman asked softly, brow furrowing.

“Stay here,” he muttered, extracting himself from the bed with inhuman grace.

The second his feet touched the floor, a buzzing power flooded his body. He flinched, gasping.

Hello, Virgil, that subsonic voice reverberated through his skull. Looking down, he saw a sea of familiar shadows carpeting the floor.

Mother. You’re speaking, he said lamely, too shocked for eloquence.

Indeed, she rumbled. The shadows were thicker and more corporeal than before, lapping at the feet of the bed like smoky waves. It would explain why his sisters were up on the wall instead of the floor. Yes, Mother had created them, but they didn’t quite have the constitutions to interact with her as directly as he did.

He’d noticed the steadily returning strength of the forest in general since his brother’s demise, but after the encounter they’d had in Roman’s living room, his mother hadn’t reached out… almost as if she’d wanted her return to be a surprise.

I haven’t harmed your loves again, have I? she asked, sensing his apprehension. She sounded more exasperated than apologetic.

No. They’re fine. Thank you for keeping your distance.

“Virgil?” Patton asked again, and Roman made like he was going to hop off the bed.

Virgil held out a hand, eyes going wide. “No, wait!” he hissed.

Roman froze. “Virgil, I’m serious. What’s going on? Are you okay?”

Logan’s eyes narrowed, and he peered off the edge of the bed. A second of confusion before he muttered, “Ah.”

“My mother is in the room,” Virgil said, rapidly trying to think his way through the situation. He wasn’t keen on leaving his partners alone in fairyland, even if it was in his own quarters. However, if his mother was talking already, that meant she could probably hold a physical form as well, and there was no way Patton or Roman could stand her presence without permanent damage to their psyche. Logan, he wasn’t too sure about. Maybe.

His mother wasn’t simply fae. She was the mother of fear itself. The only thing his partners had encountered even remotely close to his mother’s physical form was the eldritch horror Greta had become—and they’d all seen the havoc it had wrought on mortal minds. They weren’t built for it.

Roman swallowed, leaning away from the edge of the bed. He hid his fear well, Virgil would give him that. Not that he particularly blamed him.

Patton, on the other hand, visibly paled. “Really?” he squeaked, pressing back against Logan. “Where? I don’t see anything.”

“I imagine that is the point,” Logan said, wrapping Patton protectively in his arms. He cast a glance at Virgil. “Your mother manifests primarily as shadow, yes?”

Virgil nodded. “I need to speak with her elsewhere. My sisters will… keep an eye out.”

Logan gripped the charm at his neck and nodded. “We will be fine, Virgil.”

Virgil managed a weak smile, then turned his attention to the ceiling where his sisters were spreading out, covering nearly every square inch. He so rarely saw all of them in one place—several groups often doing small reconnaissance missions around fairyland for him. It was the only way he was able to keep up with the ever-shifting moods of the court. Virgil sometimes forgot just how many of them there were.

“Stay off the bed,” he warned, pointing a finger.

Of course, brother!

We would not scare your dear ones!

Patton!

We love Patton!

We will keep them safe! they chorused.

Virgil cocked a dubious eyebrow, then turned, throwing the balcony doors open and hopping up onto the ledge.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Patton gave a nod and a smile.

The shadows in the room swirled with a sound like someone ripping away a tablecloth and converged on Virgil. Something in his mind clicked. The darkness hung about him like a cape, filling him with power, and he couldn’t help the echoing, inhuman laughter bubbling up his throat.

He caught a glimpse of Roman’s paling face. Logan’s mouth pulled down into the beginnings of concern, but it didn’t register.

Virgil tipped back off the balcony and disappeared with a flutter of fabric, the night itself enveloping him in a cool embrace.

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

Come on, Virgil. Faster. Faster!

They dashed through the deepest parts of the forest, the boundaries between their minds blurring and shifting. Trees the size of buildings towered above them. The air was alive with magic—or maybe that was simply his mother, expressing herself fully for the first time in centuries. He could practically taste it on his tongue, jaw-tingling and electrifying. The forest hummed with it.

Laughter, free and wild, pounded through his chest and Virgil wasn’t sure which of them it was. His heart hammered in his ribcage, fast enough to kill any mortal human. Electricity so hot it was cold crackled across his skin.

Mother, he managed through the frenzy, breathless. Mother, where are we going? He’d never seen her this excited. It was almost too much, even for him.

Home! she cried triumphantly.

For a split second, Virgil thought she meant the witch hazel, but they weren’t anywhere near it. At least, he was pretty sure they weren’t. If he recognized where they were, the power coursing through him kept his mind too out-of-focus to do so. Magic tore through him—too much for so small a vessel. If it went on much longer, Virgil thought he’d tear apart at the seams.

At last, they slowed to a stop just outside of a grassy clearing. Virgil’s breath caught at the sight. In the middle of the clearing, dwarfing even the monstrous trees of the surrounding forest, stood a glossy black tree—easily ten times taller than Wickhills’ quaint, steepled chapel. It looked like blown glass, with silver and gold veins twisting through its trunk and branches. The leaves, distant though they were, looked razor sharp. Like teeth, almost. Virgil felt small in a way he rarely did. In his mother’s absence, he’d grown used to being the scariest thing around. She, it seemed, was about to upend that notion.

The darkness slipped from Virgil’s shoulders and stole the air from his lungs. He stumbled against a tree, ears ringing. The darkness coalesced into an enormous, roiling mass of black that coiled around the base of the tree.

Watch, Mother said, and he could practically hear her smile.

Virgil coughed, tasting blood on his lips. Bringing up a trembling hand, he found his nose bleeding.

You’ve gone soft, his brother’s voice echoed in his ears and Virgil spit, wiping his face. True, the relative peace he’d established in the court meant he didn’t use his full power on any kind of regular basis, but his mother was undeniably stronger. That, or she’d simply been holding back all this time.

Virgil sank to a seat, sweat slicking his face and arms, watching with weary amazement as the sea of shadow shifted and folded in on itself. He was ready for the display to trigger thoughts of Greta, of the beast she’d become… but Mother was different. Terrifying, yes, but different. More in control.

I’m glad you’re back.

Me too, little one.

A lump formed in Virgil’s throat. It had been so long since anyone had called him that.

Eventually, the darkness took shape. Her head was the size of Logan’s house, impossibly black with galaxies for eyes and hair that undulated as if underwater. A sinuous neck led first to shoulders, then arms, hands, and fingers that had no definite tips and bled shadow. Her dark chest was bare, her stomach curved and soft like folds of black velvet. The of bottom half her body looked like those insects Logan had shown him—millipedes. Dozens of legs lined a plated, serpentine body, but the legs arched up at sharp angles like a spider’s. Shadows licked up off of her entire body like dark ribbons of flame, distorting any solid edges.

“Hmmm,” she hummed, lifting a hand to feel the vibrations of her throat. Virgil felt it through his entire body. “Interesting. It's been a while since I’ve had a mouth.” She laughed, and the clearing rumbled.

You were born here? Virgil asked, sure if he spoke aloud she wouldn’t be able to hear him.

“In a sense. This is where I began. I do not have a mother in the same way that I am yours. Something before me must have left—or died—and I simply filled the emptiness,” she explained. “The world likes balance.” She moved to lie on her stomach, resting her head on her hands. If Virgil stood, his head would only just pass the crest of her upper lip.

Her massive eyes widened. “You are bleeding, little one.”

“Yes,” he croaked, now that she was close enough to hear.

Mother was silent for a moment, before asking, “Did I do that?”

“You didn’t know,” he said. Her eyes narrowed at the indirect answer.

“I am sorry,” she murmured, her cool breath washing over him like a pleasant breeze. “My excitement got the better of me. Come,” she said, rising up to a sort of seat with her insectoid body coiled beneath her. Virgil grunted and rose to his feet. He felt sore all over, like he’d fought an entire army single-handed. His nose still hadn’t stopped bleeding. Patton would have a fit when he saw the crimson stains littering the front of his sleep shirt.

Mother cupped her two hands together and deftly scooped him up off the ground. That same buzz of power filled him, but slower this time, seeping into him like the warmth of a bath. The pain melted away. She couldn’t heal like he and Logan could—again, she wasn’t fae, at least in the sense that Virgil was. The lack of a permanent physical body meant she had no need for healing powers. When they parted, he’d likely feel like he’d been run over, but for now, Mother did what she could.

She lifted him to her shoulder, hands perfectly steady beneath him. Virgil sat, feet resting just above her collarbone.

He laughed.

“What is it, little one?” Mother asked, gazing up at the stars.

“I wonder if this is what my sisters feel like around me.”

A chuckle rumbled through his mother, deep and sonorous. “Indeed.”

“What will you do, now that you are back to your full strength?”

“The same things I’ve always done, I suppose,” she said, a smile splitting across her face. “Watch over the forest. Over you and those loves of yours.” Then she paused, as if considering something. “Dorothy Marie Galloway Sanders.”

Virgil stiffened at the full name. She hadn’t called her Dot, so he was fairly certain it wasn’t her true name, but still. It sounded awfully close.

“She is mother to one of your darlings, yes?”

“Why do you ask?” Virgil said carefully.

“Have you ever wished for a mother like that?”

Virgil’s throat went dry. “That answer is quite complicated.”

“I thought so,” she said, her smile fading into resignation.

Virgil remembered the first time he saw Dot gather an upset Logan in her arms, rocking him gently. The sudden, gut-punching longing had taken Virgil by surprise. When May ruffled his hair or patted his shoulder, it took everything in him not to hold on, to ask for… for what? More love? He had love. Inordinate amounts of it. His wonderful partners loved him. Greta had loved him, and Trudi. His sisters loved him. He shouldn’t need any more. It would be… greedy.

“You told me you were lonely,” she said, “back when you were so very young. I didn’t understand that I could have filled that role much better than your brother did. I figured you two would be fine, especially after I’d made your sisters, so I left you to run things and by the time I realized how wrong I’d been, my power was waning and you were…”

“You did not put me in that casket,” he croaked.

“My negligence might as well have.”

Virgil’s vision blurred with tears that he tried to swallow back. “I don’t blame you, Mother.”

She glanced down at him. “You cannot lie, yet fear fills your words, little one.”

He let out a shaky exhale. “I simply fear losing you, as I fear losing everything as I once had,” he admitted, then, in a voice so quiet and small he felt like a child again, he said, “Please don’t leave me.”

Mother scooped him up in her hands once more, bringing him level with her eyes. She rested her thumb against his chest, the weight comforting and probably the closest he’d get to an actual hug.

“Never again, little one.”

His breath hitched, and the tears finally spilled over.

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

Mother delivered Virgil back to the fairy hill just before dawn. Alighting on the balcony’s edge without a sound, the shapeless mass of shadow retreated from around him.

Goodnight, little one.

Goodnight, mother, he replied, face still tacky from crying. The moment she departed, pain and heaviness slammed back into him. Fresh blood trickled from his nose and his vision swam. Thankfully, he stumbled forward, instead of pitching backward off the edge of the balcony.

Virgil stumbled like a drunk through the balcony doors. Logan, who sat perfectly still against the headboard reading a book, looked up and all the blood drained from his face. He shook Patton and Roman awake. They all shot to their feet, Patton getting a little tangled in the blankets on the way.

“Virgil?!”

“V, oh my goodness—”

“—what happened? I thought you said—”

Brother!

Brother is hurt!

What happened, brother?

We will avenge you! his sisters shrieked. Exhaustion, and pain, and the overall emotional rawness from his exchange with his mother riddled Virgil’s mind, turning everything into a muddled soup of noise. He staggered forward, catching himself on the rim of the sink-like basin of water against the wall—enchanted to stay clean and filled no matter what.

They just kept talking. So much was happening at once. A hand rested against his back, and he flinched so violently his grip cracked the rim of the basin. “Don’t—” he snapped before he could bite his tongue, and the hand retracted instantly. Even his sisters went silent. Virgil took a breath, running his hands through his sweat-matted hair. “Sorry,” he muttered, unsure if he’d be sick or not. “It’s that… overload thing.”

“What do you need, Virgil?” Logan asked, voice carefully calm despite the blood drying on Virgil’s face and hands.

“Quiet,” he sighed. “Just for a minute.”

They must have nodded. Virgil heard them retreating to the bed. After a few more steadying breaths, he began to wash his hands, the water turning pink for only a second before the enchantment purified it again. He cleaned his face and pulled the stained shirt up over his head, tossing it to the floor. He was too tired to care.

Stumbling to the bed, he caught himself on the bedpost, Roman instantly beneath his other arm, supporting his weight. Virgil collapsed onto the bed, groaning both in relief and pain. It was as if he’d pulled every muscle in his body. Eventually, his own magic would heal him, but that would take hours. He rolled to his back, cracking open one eye and shooting a weary but genuine smile at his three partners.

“Get in here,” he chuckled. They all collectively relaxed, Patton even letting out a relieved sigh. Logan rounded the bed to claim Virgil’s other side.

“Gently, gently,” he cautioned as they maneuvered closer to him. Patton curled up at his side, sandwiched between him and Roman. Virgil rested his arm across Patton’s shoulder and ran his fingers through Roman’s hair. Logan pressed firmly against Virgil’s opposite side, fidgeting gently with the ends of Virgil’s hair.

“What happened?” Patton asked, looking up at Virgil with those beautiful golden eyes so full of worry. “I thought you were with your mother.”

“I was,” Virgil said.

Roman went impossibly still. “Did she do this?” he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

“She did not hurt me intentionally,” he said, resting his hand on Roman’s cheek, “simply got over-excited.”

Roman gripped his hand back tight, looking anything but comforted. Virgil forced himself not to wince.

“Roman, look at me,” he said, rising up on an elbow despite the protest of his ribs and shoulders. “My mother has never intentionally hurt me, has never made the same mistake twice, and always apologizes. She’s just… complicated and doesn’t understand the fragility of smaller beings very well.”

“I remember,” Logan muttered into Virgil’s shoulder.

“She sounds a bit like me,” Patton whispered, hand splayed across Virgil’s stomach, dipping up and down with his every breath. “You know, back before I could control my voice.”

Virgil pressed a kiss to Patton’s temple. “Yeah, it’s a bit like that.”

“All right,” Roman said, though he didn’t release Virgil’s hand completely.

He relaxed onto his back once more, closing his eyes. The pain was fading to the back of his mind—still there, but muted.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Roman said, turning Virgil’s hand over and tracing the lines of his palm.

Logan’s thumb brushed his face. “Have you been crying, dear?”

Virgil swallowed, opening his eyes again. “My mother and I had a long overdue conversation.”

“Good or bad?” Patton asked hesitantly.

Virgil considered for a moment. “Good, I think?”

“You think?” Roman asked.

He took a breath. “It… hurt, talking about things I’d never voiced before, but I’m glad I did. Things between us are better because of it.”

“In that case, I am very proud of you,” Logan mumbled into his shoulder, and Virgil relaxed. He was comfortable, and so very tired.

Virgil pulled all three of them closer, and, at last, drifted off into sleep.

[milliedazzledust]

How you fall in love (Kol Mikaelson imagine)

Request from @jazziwritesthings : Could you write an imagine for Kol, where he wants to ask the reader to marry him?

Words: 2603

A/N: It kinda took a different turn from what I had originally planned, and I definitely had teary eyes writing this. Maybe I’ll do a 2nd part, I dunno yet -  Enjoy

The day had stated beautifully. Kol had decided to take Y/N on a date to one of her favorite place; the bayou. He never understood her attraction for that place but had put his judgement aside to make this day perfect. He had been planning this for the last two months, with the help of his siblings. He was excited, ecstatic even just to think about what would be happening, but also a little stressed if he dared to admit it. Mikaelson’s proposal mission, as Elijah had put it, was on.

« Are you sure this is what you want to do today ? » Y/N asked Kol as she slammed the car door. « We could’ve just stayed at the compound and enjoy a lazy afternoon »

They had just reach the border to enter the bayou.

« Love, for the last time, we are hiking »

« You don’t like to hike, Kol »

« But you do »

She smirked.

« So after all this time I’ve spent trying to convince you to come with me you chose today »

« Yes. »

« Why ? »

« What do you mean why ? »

He was trying his best not to look at her. She could read him like an open book and he was sure she didn’t need magic powers to know what he was thinking about.

« You are up to no good, Mr.Mikaelson »

« I don’t know what you are talking about, love »

« Sure you don’t » She rolled her eyes.

He laughed and took her hand in his, dragging her into the woods. It was a short road to a clearing Hayley had mentioned to him. Earlier that day, the woman had come to set a picnic basket for them. Her, Hope and Freya had had fun decorating the place with lights, balloons, flowers and candles. They had outdone themselves, it look like a scene from a fairytale.

Kol was walking a little bit too fast for Y/N’s liking. He seemed animated by an exhilaration she couldn’t understand. Usually, he would let her hike on her own, or with her werewolves friends, but would never come. He had told her on multiples occasions he didn’t like the atmosphere around that place, nor the company of a species he couldn’t stand. She had respected his boundaries and had never asked again, until two days ago when he came with an idea that both confused and surprised her; a hike in the bayou.

« We’re almost there » Kol told her.

« Where is there ? »

« I can’t tell you »

« See, I knew you were hiding something! » She proclaimed.

He laughed, shaking his head. He turned around, a snarky remark on the tip of his lips, when he noticed Y/N had stopped moving. She stood still, her back as straight as a rod. He could almost feel the tension emanating out of her.

« What is it ? » He instantly worried.

« We’re not alone » She whispered.

That’s when he heard footsteps, very close from where they were. The sound of crushing leafs on the ground was loud enough to be discernible by his vampire ears. He glanced at Y/N, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. As soon as he saw a silhouette standing at the edge of the wood, he instinctively pushed Y/N behind him, straightening up in a defensive stance.

« Who’s there ? » He yelled.

The stranger took a couple of steps toward them, revealing an impressive form. There was no doubt this man was very much in shape. Y/N took a double take at the size of his biceps and decided she did not want to piss off this werewolf, whomever he may have been.

« That’s a question I should be asking you » The man answered. « You’re on my territory »

« We’re just hiking! » Y/N quickly responded, hoping to appease the tension forming.

She knew about Kol’s temper, especially when it came to wolves. This could go terribly wrong if she did not diffuse it from the start.

« On whose authorization ? » He continued, his chest puffing with pride.

Kol rolled his eyes.

« Look, mate, this land belongs to the Crescent wolf pack, who happens to be ruled by Hayley Marshall, and you’re not one of them »

The man visibly tightened his jaw, starting to get angry. He seemed to sniff the air for a moment and Y/N glanced at his hands balled into fists.

« A Mikaelson » He spitted, recognizing Kol’s sent.

« And you’re not a werewolf » The vampire stated.

Y/N looked at him, surprised, then back at the man who was smirking. The old vampire, fed up with his attitude, had folded his arms.

« I’m a little more than that » He viciously grinned.

Kol raised an eyebrow then suddenly huffed and throw his hands in the air.

« Of course we had to run into one of Niklaus experiment »

His nonchalant behavior surprised Y/N who did not dare to talk anymore, scared she might say something that would throw off the stranger. Kol seemed to fulfill that task without her help beautifully.

« What experiment ? » She whispered to him.

« He’s a hybrid » He told her.

« A hybrid with a message for your brother »

«  Of course … » Kol grumped in annoyance.

With a movement of the hand, he pushed Y/N out of the way, anticipating the hybrid’s attack who launched himself at the vampire. His fist soon connected with Kol’s face, who landed on the ground in a matter of seconds. Bringing a hand to wipe the blood on his jaw, he looked at the molten-red color, before deciding he was definitely infuriated. The characteristics dark veins started to appear on his flawless skin and his sharp fangs stretched out of his teeth.

Y/N watched him lunged at the man at a fast speed, smashing him in the guts then dismantled his shoulder before shoving him on the ground. The hybrid let out a grunt of pain and got back up, putting his joint into place like it was nothing. He looked positively pissed off.

Instead of assaulting the Mikaelson, this time around he decided to go for Y/N. None of the lovers were fast enough to predict the action as Kol watched in utter terror the man’s hand plug inside her chest. There was no hesitation in his move, no doubt in what he was about to do.

« No, don’t! » Kol shouted.

This was his worst nightmare. After everything he had been through, all the centuries of torture, quarrels in his family and betrayals, this couldn’t be the end of the short happiness he had lived since he’d known her. With a wicked smirk, the man tightened his hold on the woman’s heart, ready to rip it out. Kol clenched his jaw, letting his anger consume him, turning into the psychotic manic anyone knew him to be not so long ago.

He grabbed a log of wood, tearing it apart and twisted it in his hand in just a fraction of second, ready to use his newfound weapon. Enraged, he impaled the man, perforating his lungs, making him shout in pain and lose his grip on Y/N. His eyes focused on his prey, with the sole determination of killing him, he took the weapon out, turned the man around in a swift movement, then plugged it back in his chest. Before his opponent even had the chance to react, he sank his fangs in his throat, making him scream in agony. With an animalistic growl he threw his fist inside the hybrid’s ribcage then tore off his heart. The dead man falling at his feet, he looked at the useless organ in his hand, satisfied, before letting it fall on the ground with a thud next to the body.

« Kol … » He heard a voice call behind him.

His back stiffened, realizing she was still here and had seen that part of him, the coldhearted ripper. What was supposed to be the best day of their life had taken a dark turn, reinforcing his convicting that the Mikealson’s were indeed cursed and incapable of happiness.

« Kol! » She called again.

Again, he did not answer. He heard her take a step toward him and turned his bloodied face to look at her.

« Are you alright ? » He whispered.

« Yes » She answered, looking him up and down. « Are you ? »

He pursed his lips.

« Let’s go » He simply said in a cold tone she was sure she didn’t like.

Before she could even answer, he started walking ahead of her, furious. She did her best to keep up with him but the man was taller and stronger. She rolled her eyes at him, annoyed by his behavior. Why was he mad at her after she was almost torn apart by a wolf ?

« Kol, wait up ! » She shouted, almost running to catch up to him.

He huffed but didn’t slow down. Fed up by his attitude she stopped on the track, refusing to take one more step before he explained himself.

« What the hell is wrong with you ?! »

« Nothing! » He yelled.

« Obviously » She answered back with irony.

Angry for a reason she couldn’t understand, he turned back and walked to her.

« Why can’t we just have one day, ONE day, without being chased by Niklaus fucking enemies! »

She folded her arms, raising an eyebrow at his tantrum.

« It that was this is about ? Klaus ? »

« What ? No! Of course not! »

« Kol, you’re not making any sense right now »

He sighed and brushed a hand through his hair in frustration.

« Why are you so mad ? » She asked softly, hoping to appease him a little.

« Because of this! » He vehemently shouted, pointing at the werewolf not far from where they were. « This wasn’t suppose to be a near death experience! »

« Then what was it supposed to be ?! »

« A proposal! »

« … what ? »

He pursed his lips.

« I had everything planned, down to the last detail » He revealed. « I wanted it to be perfect. We were supposed to come here and take a walk through the woods just because you like them so fucking much. There was a picnic ready for us on that hill and the girls put so much effort to decorate it for you »

He went on and on sounding extremely disappointed, not even noticing Y/N was startled by the information he didn’t realize he had let out.

«  …and that werewolf wasn’t part of my plan, because who in their right mind would ask someone to marry them in the middle of a bloody fight ? But you know what, maybe Elijah was right, maybe this family is not meant to be happy»

« You were going to propose ? » She whispered, astonished.

He looked back at her, finally realizing what he had just said. Cursing himself, he closed his eyes, not wanting her to see how affected he was by all this.

« I wasn’t supposed to say that » He muttered.  

They stared at each other, one of them dumbfounded, the other heartbroken by a fate he thought he family chose for him when they were cursed centuries ago. He wanted to say something, anything, but didn’t know where to start. And before one of them could speak one word, it started to rain. They did not move, still facing one another, still trying to read invisible words, understand imperceptible feelings, as the water started to soak them up. He knew he didn’t need to say anything when he saw a tear roll down her cheek.

« What changed ? » She simply asked, her hair and clothes wet.

« Everything »

« But you love me »

« I do »

« Doesn’t that count for anything ? »

« Not when you’re a Mikaelson »

His heart broke at the sight of her tears.

« Kol, please … »

« There will be others. There’s always others »

« We’ll fight them »

He shook his head.

« Have you seen what I did back there ? »

She didn’t answer, remembering the violence of that man’s death.

« I don’t want you to witness any of that » He confessed, his voice shaking with emotion. « I don’t want you to know that man because that’s not who I am anymore »

« What are you saying ? » She asked in a whisper, almost afraid to know the answer.

« I’m saying there are … things in this life I don’t want to give up, things I wish I could keep with me for the rest of my life, but I can’t »

The realization of what he was implying almost knocked her out. Before this sudden confession, rain used to bring her peace. There was a serenity, a sense of peace with each droplets that she could no longer feel in that moment.

« I’m saying I love you, Y/N » He whispered, his hand gently stroking her cheek. « and I’ll love you until I die, and if there’s life after that, I’ll love you then. »

She slapped his hand away, the tears now running freely on her face.

« You can’t do that, Kol, I won’t allow you to destroy what we have because of some made up curse you think the world has brought upon your family »

He didn’t seem to listen to her and instead took her head between his hands, forcing her to look back at him

« You have to know I did my best to keep you away from this madness » He confessed, his eyes watering. « But this life, this … violence is not what I want for you »

« You don’t get to decide for me »

« Y/N… »

« No! You think I don’t know what this is Kol ! I know that look ! I’ve seen it before ! I know what you’re trying to do and I won’t let you! »

« I have no other choice »

« You’re a coward, Kol Mikaelson! » She yelled, pushing him back with all the force she could muster, making him fall.

She could barely breathe and her body had started to shake. From the cold or the emotions, she didn’t know.

« This » She said, crying out and pointing at Kol and herself. « This is worth fighting for and you know it but you’re taking the easy way out, you’re giving up! »

« I’m giving you a chance to live, Y/N ! » He shouted back, throwing up his hands in frustration. « Can’t you see that ?! »

« All I see is you, breaking my heart »

This time the tears ran down his eyes.

« Why ? » Was all she had the strength to say anymore.

« In our worlds, with our enemies, a bond as strong as what we have will be considered a threat and be used against us, love » He started to explain.

Taking her hands in his, he kissed them before kissing her forehead.

« You are an echo, Y/N, my anchor in a brutal world, with the power to tear down walls I have built so high and deep. So though i need you, want you, love you … I most likely have to walk away »

A sob escaped her mouth, instantly making him regret everything he was saying and doing and he cursed himself a thousand deaths for the pain he was causing.

« I hate you » She murmured.

« No, you don’t. And I hope one day you’ll forgive me »

Suddenly, the wind seemed too cold and standing in the rain, Y/N never felt so vulnerable and powerless. This was selfish and beneath anything he had ever done. The growing pain was already unbearable as she stared back at him. She was sure his last words would play over and over again in her head. She knew she’d never be able to stop loving him, even with a broken heart. Every single part he was stealing of her, he was making it impossible for her to put it back together. She would remain empty without him, an unfinished puzzle with forever missing pieces.

[vannahfanfics]

Ocean Melody

Category: Mild Romantic Fluff

Fandom: Kingdom Hearts

Characters: Sora, Kairi

Additional Tags: Soulmate AU

Hey, everyone! Here’s today’s SoKai story for @sokaiweek​, this time based on the AU prompt— and since soulmate AUs are my favorite, of course, that’s what I decided to do! <3

A song— Kairi had heard it in her soul ever since she was old enough to recognize it as song. Everyone was born with a song in their hearts, and that song linked them to their soulmate; every pair was unique, possessing their own melody that linked them in love and eternity. Every morning, Kairi would stand upon the beach below her house with her feet in the surf, humming the tune of her melody in the hopes that the wind would carry it across the ocean to the person she was meant to love— and every day, that melody went unanswered. So she waited, all alone in her house near the sea, for the day her solo would finally become a duet. 

Many days, she found herself staring out her window down at the beach like this. She wasn’t sure why, but the sea called to her like another melody, the gentle ebb and flow of the waves a song that tried to entice her to its endless blue. A cup of tea long since cold rested in her hand as she gazed unblinkingly through the glass, watching the sand dunes ruffle in the salty breeze and the sea foam spray with each crash of the waves. 

“Kairi?” 

Kairi jumped as Selphie suddenly spoke. The cup rattled against the saucer in her hand, spilling cold tea all over the counter, her hands, and her front. Kairi cursed under her breath and hurriedly set the dishes in the sink, then grabbed a dish towel to mop up the brown liquid. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much she could do about the brown spots dotting the front of her pink-and-white sundress. She would just have to attempt to wash them out later. 

“Sorry,” she apologized, dabbing at the wet spots on her front while she turned to her friend, who was sitting at her kitchen table with an amused look. “I got lost in thought… What were you saying?” 

“I was talking about Tidus!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. “How lucky can he get? I mean, how many people’s soulmates are pop stars? He heard his soulmate song on the radio, and whadaya know, his soulmate is that up-and-coming popstar, Yuna. I would kill for it to be that easy for me!” Selphie complained, pushing her fist into her cheek once she finished venting. Kairi chuckled, walking over to join her friend in the wooden chair. She picked up one of the petit fours sitting in the middle of the table and brought it to her mouth to take a small bite of the rich, sweet cake before answering. 

“I’m sure you’ll find your soulmate soon, Selphie. It happens every day.” 

“Yeah, well, I wish it would happen to-day,” her friend sniffed disdainfully, and Kairi chuckled again. She certainly shared Selphie’s sentiments, but it was amusing how enthusiastically her friend was willing to complain about it. She continued to munch on the petit fours while her friend lamented her loveless woes, but all the while, her heart yearned to gaze upon the ocean. She knew not why it called her so; sometimes, she wondered if the ocean was her soulmate, with how much she stared at it. 

Of course, that would be silly. Nonetheless, she was drawn to it, day after day after day. 

It was the next morning when Kairi found out why. 

She just stood there gaping, still holding the long hem of her sundress bunched up in one hand in preparation to step into the swirling surf. The wind ruffled her hair, the fabric of her dress, her short auburn hair— and the few spikes of dry brown hair of the man who lay face-up on the beach, half-in and half-out of the water with seaweed still clinging to the drenched fabric of his sailor’s uniform. It took Kairi a few precious seconds to realize that it was in fact a person lying there, and when she did, she scrambled across the sand with a startled gasp. She fell on her knees beside him, hands fluttering over his chest, and she was relieved to find both a steady heartbeat and a pattern of breathing. 

“Oh, I am so glad you’re not drowned,” Kairi sighed with a smile, though he was totally unconscious and couldn’t hear her. She reached up to place her hand on his clammy cheek, and though it was pale and cold and wet with seawater, she still fancied the softness of his skin. He just continued to sleep on, serene aside from the way his hair and clothes clung to his body. “Where did you come from?” she murmured. 

And why did the sea bring you to me?

Kairi managed to haul him up to her house, though she dragged in half the beach with her. She brushed as much of the sand from his back as she could before she lowered him onto the couch, then tore across the house gathering every blanket she could. Once she had cocooned him up nice and warm, she called the nearby doctor. While she waited, she swept all the sand back out of the house, though she was certain she would find grains of it for years to come. That was okay; each one would be a strange little reminder of the strange man on the beach, the strange call of destiny. 

The doctor assured him that he only had a mild fever, and with proper care, it should break by the morning. Kairi dutifully remained by his side through the highs and lows, whispering to him through his shaking and sweating fits and dozing in the sparse hours he slept peacefully. By the time the dawn broke, her eyes were droopy and laced with exhaustion and her hair a bit frazzled, but he’d been fever-free for four hours. 

Just a quick nap, she told herself while her eyes drifted shut. She descended into the gray-black haze of sleep. In the void, she heard the tune of her soulmate song, the gentle chiming of piano keys that always lulled her into a sense of peace. 

“Where… Where am I?” 

She jolted awake to see him staring tiredly up at the ceiling, blue eyes hazy with post-fever confusion. The sun was spilling brightly into the room now; her quick nap had actually been a few hours. She hurriedly leaned forward to pat the blankets over his chest, pulling his muddled gaze to her. She couldn’t help but blush at the way his eyes brightened just a little. 

“You’re all right. You’re on Destiny Islands. You washed up on the beach and have been very sick for the past day,” she explained, laying the back of her hand on his forehead to check his temperature. He blinked blearily at her, taking a few minutes to process what she’d just told him. 

“You… You saved me?” he rasped. Kairi nodded, then got up to grab a cold glass of water for him from the kitchen. She coaxed him to drink, and he greedily sucked down a total of three glasses before he finally collapsed back against the throw pillow with a sigh. “Thank you… My name is Sora.” 

“I’m Kairi. Do you need anything, Sora? Would you like more water, or…?” Her voice faltered as he smiled sweetly at her, and her heart thumped against her ribcage. 

“No… If you’d sit and talk with me a while, that would be good enough.” 

So they sat and talked for a while. Sora told her that he was a sailor traveling the world to explore different sights and cultures with his friends. They had run afoul of a thunderstorm, and in trying to save the ship from floundering, he’d been thrown overboard. He managed to cling to a barrel, but he’d lost consciousness within the shallows— thankfully, the sea had been merciful and brought him ashore. 

As his strength returned, he told her so many things about what he’d seen in his travels— snowy mountain peaks that pierced the sky, deserts that stretched to the horizon, jungles with a thousand creatures and torrential rains— and the people. He loved talking about all the amazing people he’d come across. He spoke of a shaman who’d performed ritual dances, of a princess who hunted with hawks, of a circus performer who did death-defying stunts with fire, of a world-renowned artist who painted the most gorgeous landscapes. Kairi hung onto his every word, drinking in all the things he’d experienced like it could make up for the fact that all she’d ever been was this sleepy house on the sea.

“Your life sounds so amazing, Sora,” she sighed, relaxing into the coffee table once he’d finished telling his latest story. He was sitting up now, the blankets loosely wrapped around him and a warm mug of tea in his hands. 

“Yeah, I’d consider myself pretty lucky,” he nodded and then sipped at his tea. “But to be honest, I think it’s just to make up for the one thing I’m missing.” 

“Missing?” she echoed, and he gave her a sheepish look. 

“My soulmate, you know? I’m sure you’ve felt it too… Like there’s a void in your soul that you can never fill.” Oh, Kairi had felt it. She felt it every day when she sang to the sea, begging the winds to carry her melody across the oceans to her special someone. She nodded sagely, but she didn’t realize she’d started crying until the tears dripped down onto her face. “Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Sora chuckled apologetically and reached out to gently thumb them away. She found herself leaning a little into the caresses, savoring the calloused pad of his finger. 

“It’s all right…” she murmured once he sat back. “I guess it’s just because I don’t have something to fill the void.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah… I just sit here waiting. It’s kind of depressing, now that I realize it,” she said with an embarrassed look. How pathetic could she be? Just waiting day after day instead of doing something amazing like Sora. 

Frowning, Sora set the mug down and took her hands. He rubbed gentle circles over her palms as he looked into her eyes. 

“I don’t think it’s depressing at all. Everybody deals with it differently. I think that makes you a really strong person, to have faith day after day that your soulmate will come to you.” He said it with such a serious and passionate look that it was so easy to believe him, or maybe it was just that Kairi didn’t want to face the reality that it was just a sad way to live. She leaned in, too distraught to consider how close their faces were, to whimper, “Yeah?” 

“Yeah,” he smiled sweetly, and he discarded one of her hands to reach up and pet her cheek. Her heart thumped in her chest again. Oh, this wasn’t good. This was getting dangerous, having feelings for a man she just met and who probably wasn’t her soulmate— but why did it feel so right? 

“In fact…” he said, his smile suddenly taking on a hint of cheekiness, “I think that day will come sooner than you think.” Kairi’s eyes widened, having the strange feeling that his words were more than just reassurance. She blushed as he leaned a little closer, close enough for their noses to brush. “You sing in your sleep, you know,” he revealed, and Kairi’s nerves sang as his breath ghosted over her face. 

And then he started humming, and Kairi felt like the world stopped around her, because that was her song, the song she’d sung to the waves every day of her life, and Sora was caressing her cheek, and it was her song.

She started crying again, and Sora laughed quietly, tilting his head to nose at the junction of her jaw and face. She couldn’t help but laugh, too, laugh at the silliness of crying with joy but she couldn’t help it. 

“I’m a pretty bad soulmate,” he joked, “because all I seem to be able to do is make you cry.” 

“Yeah,” she giggled while she tried to wipe her tears away but more dripped down from her eyes to replace them. “What’s up with that?” 

“Sorry,” he laughed and leaned in to press his forehead against hers. Surely it was the sea that brought him, she thought, as she gazed into the oceanic blues of his eyes. That was why the sea had called her so. And he tasted like the sea, too, when he leaned in to kiss her, like salt and ocean breeze and endless possibilities. He held her like the most precious treasure as he kissed her once, twice, three times, and then he pulled away to smile, and then he was kissing her again because he couldn’t get enough. Kairi couldn’t get enough of him either, savoring the feeling of his slightly chapped lips moving over her own. It was perfect, everything she’d dreamed of, and for the first time in her life she finally felt whole. 

After that, she and Sora went down to the sea together, hand-in-hand. Kairi didn’t sing to the waves that day. She didn’t have to now; her heart sung to Sora’s, and Sora’s to hers, and it was a harmony that only they could hear and know.

Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to peruse my Table of Contents!

[howtosingit]

11. For His Eyes Only and 17. The Morning After please 🧡

Combining two asks, thanks Anons!

11. For His Eyes Only

I call this one my "Thirst Trap!Carlos" fic, and I'm sure you can guess which menace of a beautiful man inspired it 😅 The summary: Carlos sends TK a photo while he’s at work that causes quite a stir. I even started writing it awhile ago, so here, have a sneak peek (and feel free to pick your favorite Rafa thirst trap to imagine, they're all applicable):

“Oh, fuck me!”

TK never thought he’d yell those words while standing in the middle of the station kitchen, the team milling around him as they near the end of their 24-hour shift together. He certainly never planned to yell, then follow the outburst by slamming his phone face down on the countertop, and look up to make direct eye contact with his father over his morning cappuccino.

“Everything okay there, TK?” he asks, his eyebrow raised in question.

TK feels a heat rise on the back of his neck and the tips of his ears as seven pairs of eyes fall on him. He stutters out a laugh, the image on his phone flashing before his eyes as he tries to come up with a reason for breaking the calm, slow morning energy of the crew.

“Yeah, sorry, just a number spamming me,” he tries, his voice thin as his heart continues to thump loudly in his chest. He’s going to murder Carlos. “I thought I had blocked it, but it looks like it’s back.”

17. The Morning After

This one is just a giant ball of fluff, immediately following 1x10, where TK stays over at Carlos's house for the very first time, the night of the solar flares. The original title was The (Last) First Morning After because it's their first morning together, but the last first morning that TK will ever have with someone because these idiots are soulmates, even if they don't know it yet.

I've also written a little bit of this one (though it's by no means final), so I'll share that under the cut:

TK wakes up with a smile on his face.

It’s ridiculous, really. Truly stupid. It’s crazy that he’s smiling. Like, in looking at the bigger picture, the past 24 hours have kind of been total shit.

He broke up with his boyfriend -- well, that’s probably not the right word, but it seemed like a breakup with a man who seemed to be falling more and more into the “boyfriend” category -- he nearly passed out trying to save a woman in a burning bus, he tore his stitches, he admitted to his team that he’s in recovery.

Honestly, his life is basically one giant, ridiculous soap opera.

But, he’s still smiling.

In fact, as he reaches up to rub the sleep from his eyes, careful to use his right arm to do so, he can feel his smile growing even wider, even more ridiculous, even more untamed. And not only that, but he can feel his heart practically jumping in his chest. Not the way that it does when he goes into a panic; it’s not squeezing or trying to suffocate him. It doesn’t hurt. It’s leaping, bounding, dancing around beneath his ribcage.

He realizes, without any warning, that he’s happy.

He hasn’t been this happy in a really long time.

TK doesn’t mean to, but he lets out a laugh, filled with complete and utter disbelief. He throws his hand over his mouth to try to keep it contained, squeezing his eyes shut, but that doesn’t stop him from hearing a rustling of bedsheets to his right, or feeling the way the mattress moves underneath him as the body at his side shifts slightly.

-

Ask me about my WIPs!

[gumnut-logic]

It started off as a mild annoyance.

Scott had fallen asleep at his father’s desk. Too much paperwork, most of which he was learning on the fly. Board members doubting his ability to take over from his father and juggle International Rescue. Virgil would kick his ass if he found out. John probably already knew.

Both elder brothers were doing their best to help. Virgil was taking on as much International Rescue as was humanly possible. John was juggling Tracy Industries almost as much as Scott while handling day-to-day IR.

His father’s shoes were massive to fill.

And he left a gaping hole in Scott’s heart.

Waking up with an imprint of his own knuckles on the side of his face and a massive crick in his neck wasn’t the best. Staring at the glow of the twelve reports still awaiting review did nothing to improve his mood.

Briefly wondering how he had managed to sleep what appeared to be at least an hour with no disturbance, he remembered that Virgil was still on the other side of the planet, John was likely busy with that same situation and the two youngest were in bed. Grandma had returned to Kansas to finalise some of Dad’s personal matters.

Scott groaned and let his head fall onto his arms again.

He was so tired.

Something tickled his neck.

Absently, he swiped at it and ended up hitting himself in the head.

A few things between his ears rattled loose.

The tickle climbed down his spine and found his ribcage.

Scott’s eyes widened and he jumped out of the chair, sending it spinning across the floor.

What the-?

It was under his shirt.

There followed a most undignified, full-bodied dance across the comms room as he attempted to get whatever it was out of his shirt.

It didn’t hurt, but it tickled like crazy. He was caught between screaming and uncontrolled giggling.

In the end, he resorted to ripping his shirt off and flinging it across the room.

The tickling stopped.

And was replaced with goose pimples as the pre-dawn breeze wafted across his skin. Scott found himself bare chested and breathing heavily.

He wasn’t afraid of bugs, but that was…strange. He eyed his shirt as if it was going to jump up and bite him.

Of course, that was the moment Gordon wandered through on his way to his morning training. The fish stood at the top of the stairs for a full ten seconds staring at his topless eldest brother standing in the middle of the room, lit only by the blue light of holo-projector on the desk.

“Interesting look there, Scott.”

Scott spared him a glare before grabbing the shirt off the floor. “Lights.”

The comms room lit up. Scott drew some satisfaction as Gordon cringed from the sudden brightness. Fortunately, the little fish scuttled off to his pool and left Scott alone without another annoying word.

There was no bug in or on his shirt. After examining it, he had no choice but to throw it back on, or continue to invite comments from the waking peanut gallery.

The sudden appearance of John on the central projector and the distant roar of the return of Thunderbird Two flicked all thoughts of bugs from his mind as the new day started even before the sun made an appearance.

-o-o-o-

Virgil was exhausted but he didn’t have time to sleep. He did give himself a few moments to sit in the kitchen, worship his bucket of coffee and stare out at Mateo as the sun rose over it. It was only blinding if he focussed on it and he didn’t have the energy to do that.

Two needed repair and she needed it now.

His last rescue had involved a volcano and she had far too many particulates in her filters. They would all need replacing before he felt comfortable taking her out again.

After that he needed to see to Alan and help him set up for the morning’s classes. He quite enjoyed helping his littlest brother, but he enjoyed it much more when he hadn’t been up all night.

But first coffee.

So warm. So inviting.

He closed his eyes as sipped the blessed liquid that was going to give him the energy to get through the rest of the day.

He nearly dropped the mug as something tickled him under his upraised arm.

He saved the mug, but didn’t manage to stifle the high-pitched squawk.

The coffee was deposited carefully, but Virgil was out of his seat and grabbing at his clothing in an energetic frenzy.

There may have been one or two more high pitched squeaks as red flannel was rubbed and scrubbed at frantically.

Out of desperation, Virgil tore off both his shirt and his grey undershirt and threw them on the floor. He resisted the urge to stamp on them.

It was his favourite shirt.

“Virg?”

He looked up to find Gordon, fresh from the pool, standing in the doorway staring at him.

“You okay?”

If Virgil flushed red, he wasn’t going to acknowledge it. “Bug in my shirt.”

“Really.”

“Really.” Frowning his grabbed his shirt from off the floor, eyeing it suspiciously. Screw it, he sat down shirtless in front of his coffee and resumed staring out the window.

Gordon walked past him to the stairs, frowning and shooting him the oddest looks.

Virgil ignored him.

-o-o-o-

Scott made it through to lunch and finally dug up the answers the factory manager in Oklahoma had been begging him for. He had also managed to answer the lawyers, read and sign a pile of holographic documents and have a long-delayed meeting with the Japanese CEO. At least John had been able to help with translation. To be honest, it had just been a relief to have a brother to talk to.

Surrounded by family.

Too damned busy.

The last task for the morning was a parent-teacher conversation with Gordon’s curriculum manager. Scott had suspicions that there was a little too much Olympic training happening versus school work. It was a fine balance that had to be maintained. Gordon was a good student, if a little out of the ordinary…but then what Tracy wasn’t? At least two were diagnosed geniuses, and the other three focussed on their goals to the point of blindness, himself included.

His short Air Force career flickered through his mind and he shunted it away.

He was where he needed to be. Fate saw to that.

Scott stepped into the sunken lounge and briefly wondered if he was going to be allowed to leave this room today at any point.

A resigned sigh and he his comms. “Gordon, time for the meeting.”

“FAB. Be there in two.”

Gordon was true to his word and appeared almost immediately, loud shirt and shorts as eye blasting as usual.

Scott reached out dropped a hand on his little brother’s shoulder. At sixteen, already Gordon’s accomplishments required a cabinet to hold all the trophies. With the loss of their father, Gordon had stumbled with the rest of them, but he was regaining his feet fast. He had to. This was his chance. The 2056 Olympics waited for no excuses.

This time it started on his wrist.

The faintest of tickles.

It was a tickle, not an itch. It played with nerve endings just like someone had their finger gently brushing across the surface of his skin.

It travelled up his arm as he snatched his hand away from his brother.

It was in his shirt again.

There were words as he once again found himself grabbing at his shirt.

“Scott, what?”

He was vaguely aware of the concerned expression on his brother’s face, but he was too busy trying not to giggle or scream.

His shirt ended up on the floor again.

Gordon stared at him a full five seconds, his face caught between incredulity, worry and hysterical laughter. Being Gordon, the laughter won out.

Scott ignored him and poked his shirt with his foot.

Of course, that was the moment John flickered in to advise that the curriculum manager was ready for the meeting. Scott had to admit that somewhere in the back of his wasted brain, there was something quite funny about the expression on the space monitor’s face.

Gordon, of course, had tears running down his face and was useless.

Scott had a lot of experience keeping his composure. He needed it all at the moment. “John, could you please ask Ms Smithson to hold for a moment, I need to grab a shirt.”

John bit his lip, obviously holding something back. But, ever the professional, he didn’t say anything but, “FAB,” before blinking out.

Scott picked up his shirt with two fingers and made a beeline for his bedroom.

At least he got a moment outside of the comms room.

-o-o-o-

A new shirt found, Scott made it through the interview. Turned out Gordon had been really working hard and with a small adjustment to his curriculum, he should be able to manage both his training and his graduation with only a small delay. Scott was satisfied that it would be the best for the athlete at this time.

The grin on Gordon’s face made it extra worthwhile.

Scott turned back to the desk after the meeting, but the list of messages awaiting his attention just hurt to look at.

Screw it. He deserved food, another room and maybe even some brotherly conversation. A quick check on Virgil’s location placed him, as expected, in the hangars. The engineer had not been happy that his ‘bird had suffered during last night’s rescue. Virgil was as bad as he was. His brother hadn’t slept, International Rescue his highest priority.

Scott sighed. How could they be expected to go ahead like this?

Lunch. Food. He struggled to focus his mind. Had he had breakfast? He couldn’t remember.

An elevator ride and he walked out into the cool underground caverns that housed the great green behemoth that was the love of his brother’s life.

It wasn’t hard to locate that brother. The profanity was extreme for Virgil and it had Scott quickening his step around the great plane. He found him harnessed and hanging in front of Two’s starboard intake. The swearing was moving into European languages, never a good sign.

Scott shouted up at the dangling engineer. “Virgil?!”

“What?!” A spanner fell and hit the concrete two metres in front of Scott. Despite himself, he jumped.

Virgil stared down at him owlishly for a whole handful of seconds. “Sorry.” It was muttered, honest, but grudging.

“Can you come down?”

“Why?”

“It’s lunch time.”

“I’m not hungry. I’ve got to get this done. I’ve got to replace part of the filter housing.”

“Well, I am hungry and you haven’t slept. Come down.”

“I’m fine! This can’t wait!”

“Damnit, Virgil, get down here now!”

The glare that hit him from above was dark and fuelled from the bottom of a desperate coffee pot. Scott had no doubt of that.

But one more muttered expletive and his brother rappelled down to the concrete floor. Dressed in flannel with his maintenance harness secured over ratty jeans, Virgil was covered in dust and grime.

Didn’t dull his fury though.

The fact he was so angry, so out of character for the generally calm and quiet engineer was more than enough proof that his brother needed rest.

“What do you want, Scott. I have to fix my ‘bird otherwise she can’t fly and we can’t answer the next call.”

“I’m having some serious doubts we can answer the next call anyway. Look at yourself, Virgil. You’re exhausted.”

“Kettle, pot, Scott.”

“Exactly! Eat lunch with me.”

Those dark brows wrinkled even further, brown eyes making that subtle switch between engineer and concerned brother.

Scott supposed he should have expected this. Maybe he was asking for it, hiding from a decision he knew he was going have to make.

Offering himself up as a sacrifice in order for Virgil to make the decision for him.

He was so goddamned tired.

This time the tickle started on his calf, just above his right sock.

He wriggled, frowning, shifting his feet.

It climbed up his leg and he let out a squawk somewhere between a giggle and a profane word that would have had Grandma washing his mouth out with soap.

“Scott?”

It was running around and around his thigh. Scott cracked and grabbed at his leg, spinning on the spot as Virgil reached for him.

Whatever it was, it was fast. Up and down his leg as if anticipated his attempts to grab it through his jeans.

“Scott, what is…oh, shit!”

The eldest Tracy spun to find Virgil hanging upside down in his harness grabbing at his shirt.

The tickle in Scott’s leg took the opportunity to breach his waist band and play with his navel.

Buttons flew across the hangar as Scott tore the shirt from his body.

There was nothing on his belly.

Virgil squawked and writhed, still upside down.

The tickle appeared back in Scott’s pants, this time behind his left knee. He didn’t hesitate, shedding his shoes, he shucked his pants and tossed them aside.

Finally, finally the ticklish feeling stopped. But Scott was left in his black short briefs and socks.

And damn it was cold in the hangars.

Virgil was still writhing upside down, unable to shed clothing due to his harness. “Goddamnit, Scott, help.” There was the sound of ripping flannel as heavy lifting muscles resorted to force.

Scott grabbed at his brother’s harness and wrapping an arm around those broad shoulders, released the safety line. Virgil weight was considerable, but Scott stabilised him enough for the engineer to get his feet beneath him. A fumble with the harness buckles and the support fell to the concrete with a clink of its metal links.

Torn flannel followed.

Two layers of shirt stripped, Virgil suddenly took a deep breath and dropped his hands to his knees, letting his head drop. “It’s stopped.”

Both brothers heaved in air for a moment.

“What the hell was that?” Virgil looked up at Scott.

“I have no idea. Third time this morning.”

“Second.” Virgil’s voice was all breath.

“Happened before?”

Virgil nodded. “Over coffee.” A frown. “Gordon came in afterwards. This isn’t a new prank is it?”

Scott stared at his brother for a moment. “Gordon was there both times this morning.”

Virgil’s shoulders dropped. “I’m going to kill him.”

“He’s not here now.” Scott looked around before hesitantly poking his shirt enough to activate his comms. “Thunderbird Five, could you give me a location on Gordon?”

“Scott? You okay?”

“I will be once I find Gordon.”

“He’s on the pool deck, apparently studying. The meeting went well?”

Scott frowned. “Yes, a few small changes will make room for his training. Gordon was very happy with the plan.” Could explain the studying.

“That’s great news.”

“Yes, it is.” He wondered how happy John would be if he could see him standing in his underwear next to a shirtless Virgil.

“Are you sure you are okay?”

Perhaps his brother didn’t need to see. “I’ll let you know after I’ve spoken to Gordon.”

“Okay. Remember fratricide is not an option.”

“Don’t spoil it for me.”

-o-o-o-

A clean pair of pants and two shirts later they found Gordon exactly where John said he would be. The sixteen-year-old was camped out on a pool lounger with a portable holoprojector, his tablet and even a print book open beside him.

“Gordon?” The strawberry blond head remained focussed on the tablet.

“Gordon!”

Scott jumped. Hell, Virgil could yell when he needed to.

Gordon looked up calmly. “Virg? Something wrong?” Scott watched his little brother take in their state of undress. Neither of them had shoes on or had done up their shirts, just in case. “What are you guys doing?”

“What do you think?” He stepped down onto the pool deck, gesturing to his open shirt. “This is on you, and you know it.”

A blink. “Know what?”

Beside Scott, Virgil lost it. God, a tired Virgil was a cranky Virgil. “What did you put in our clothes?”

“Er, nothing?” Gordon appeared to realise he was tackling the family bear in a fury, a rare, but never good thing. He put down his tablet and stood up, backing away a little. “Now, Virg, I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“You’re kidding me.”

Another step back. “Uh, no. I really have no idea what you are talking about.” Pleading eyes darted to Scott.

If Scott wasn’t so tired, he might have found the whole reversal of roles between himself and Virgil somewhat ironic. As things were, he reached out and gently wrapped his hand around Virgil’s arm.

His hand only made it part way around one bulging bicep. When the hell had that happened? He tugged gently. “Virg…”

That resulted in a pair of furious brown targeting him. “What?! He could have caused a serious accident. What if it happened while I was up in the intakes? Whatever the hell he did, it was dangerous.”

Okay, so Virgil had a point.

Gordon held up his hands. “Honest, guys, I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“So, you know nothing about an…irritant in our clothing?” Scott stared him down.

“Uh, no?”

He held his little brother’s expression a moment longer. It would likely have been even longer, but Gordon suddenly frowned.

And grabbed at his pants. “What the hell?”

Both Scott and Virgil stared as Gordon started dancing around the pool deck tearing at his clothes. His squawk turned into a giggle as he squirmed. “Omigod, stop!” The giggle became a laugh and Scott found himself holding back from joining in. Beside him Virgil snorted before running in to help their struggling little brother.

He needn’t have bothered. Gordon gave out an exaggerated laugh before throwing himself in the pool.

The sudden silence was almost shocking.

“Gordon!” Virgil stood on the side of the pool staring down at his brother under the water. Two strides and Scott was beside him as Gordon resurfaced, hair in his face, gasping and shirtless.

“Oh my god, that was hilarious!” He coughed out another laugh and threw his shirt onto the deck. “I want to know how you did that.” Gordon grinned up at them.

“We didn’t do it.” Virgil’s voice was sharp.

“Wha-? You’re kidding?”

Scott shook his head as Gordon levered himself out of the pool.

“Then who? And how?” The swimmer shook the water out of his hair and coated his brothers in the process. At Virgil’s snarl, Gordon’s grin was unrepentant.

Well, when he looked at it that way, there were only two possible choices and this was not a Brains concept in the slightest.

It was Gordon who said it first. “Alan? Where are you? That was so cool! You gotta show me how you did it!”

Scott didn’t expect an answer. He expected to have to hunt his little brother down like he had Gordon, oh, so many times. So, he was surprised when Alan slunk out of the kitchen with some kind of remote in his hands.

“Alan?” Virgil’s voice spoke of the shock Scott was attempting to process in his head. Alan was a good student. Precocious and bright, but far from the prankster his brother was.

Gordon bounced over to his little brother. “That was so cool! How did you do it?”

“Nanobots.”

“Nanobots.” The word fell from Virgil’s mouth. “You used medical technology for a prank?”

Scott reached out and grabbed Virgil’s arm again. “Alan, explain yourself.”

The boy’s shoulders dropped. “Failed experiment for school.”

Scott blinked. “What?” None of this was making sense.

And suddenly he was shot with a pair of anguished eyes. “I only wanted to make you laugh!”

Scott stared.

The bicep under his hand wilted.

“Allie?” Gordon’s voice was curious, but soft.

Those blue eyes shifted to the fish. “They don’t smile anymore, much less laugh. So, I thought a little medical intervention might help.” And those hurting eyes flickered to Virgil.

The sound that issued from the engineer was heartbreaking.

While Scott’s brain was uncharacteristically caught in freefall, Gordon presented a parachute. “You made ticklebots?!” His amber eyes were wide with amazement.

As always, Gordon’s joy was infectious and Alan relaxed just a little, a small smile curving his lips. “Yeah, kinda.”

Gordon bounded over and grabbed his brother in a massive hug. “I am so proud!”

Scott let go of Virgil and took several of the steps between himself and his little eleven-year-old brother.

Gordon continued to gush, asking a range of technical questions with such enthusiasm that the small corner of Scott’s mind that was still functioning alerted him that this could be a bad thing for his future sanity.

But right now, he was fixated by those blue eyes, so reflective of his own that were staring up at him.

“Alan?”

Gordon stopped his babbling, but took up a defensive position beside his little brother. Something inside Scott bent and broke just a little.

But his focus was on Alan.

Those blue eyes looked down, breaking contact. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to see you laugh.”

“So, you tried to tickle us?”

Defiance shot those eyes back up. “Well, I wasn’t going to drug you, was I? Nothing else was working! You and Virgil are just so sad and busy and John is never here anymore and…and…no one laughs anymore!” A frown. Those eyes flickered past Scott and crumpled. “And you’re crying again.”

Scott turned and found Virgil struggling with his emotions, a tear running down his face. Aw, shit.

Alan turned away and took a retreating step, but a blur of red flannel and the youngest was swept up in desperate hug. “I’m sorry, Allie.”

A muffled “’s’not your fault.” But Alan was clinging to his brother like a life raft.

Scott blinked several times. The thought that his genius little brother had to resort to technology out of desperation to see a smile hurt somewhere deep down where he had buried his own tears.

An amber gaze saved him from drowning. Gordon stood on the other side of Virgil and Alan, his shoulders straightening. “So, Allie, can I borrow your bots?”

With that single sentence, the moment snapped with a chorused “No!” from the both eldest. Virgil tumbled backwards in his haste to stand up.

Gordon feigned innocence. “Why not? I have my own experiment to perform. You know, for mental health reasons.”

“No, Gordon.” Scott’s tone was full commander, but the fish just grinned up at him. Hell, he was caught wondering if Gordon would ever obey him.

“Gordon.” Virgil’s voice had that deep grumble of warning.

The fish shrugged and relented. “Eh, your loss. It was going to be brilliant.”

“Sure.” Scott’s tone dripped sarcasm.

“But!” Gordon grinned. “Allie wins the trophy for the concept and invention!” He wrapped an arm around his little brother’s shoulders. “I am so proud.”

Alan smiled up at the fish with appreciation.

Scott held out his hand and those shoulders dropped, the smile disappearing.

“Alan.”

More the reluctant and pouting tween he was, his little brother handed over the remote. Scott glanced at it before handing it off immediately to Virgil. The engineer would be able to make more sense of it than he ever would.

Scott held out an arm and blue eyes stared up at him for just a split second before dashing into the hug the eldest was desperate to give him. Both arms wrapped around Alan and he buried his face in blond hair. “I’m sorry, Allie.”

“’S not your fault.”

“Doesn’t matter. I will try to do better.”

“’S not your fault.”

A glance in Virgil’s direction only to find the big man fighting back tears again. Even Gordon’s expression was a little broken…until he realised Scott was looking at him, then the goofiest of grins split his face and he crossed his eyes.

The laugh that fell from Scott’s lips was almost strangled by a sob.

The devilry that suddenly appeared on that face overrode every other thought with mild fear.

Gordon didn’t disappoint. Sliding up behind a teary Virgil, he darted in and tickled their bear of a brother.

Virgil squawked and wriggle danced out of reach.

Scott couldn’t help it.

He laughed again.

“C’mere, Virgie, I wanna ticklebot you!” Gordon exaggerated tickling fingers at his brother before jumping into what became a hilarious chase around the pool.

Scott couldn’t help but grin even more.

Alan outright laughed.

And something lifted just a little from Scott’s chest.

“Thank you, Allie.”

Surprised blue shot up at him.

“You’re right. We need to laugh more.”

Virgil ended up in the pool.

Gordon jumped in after him.

And Scott hugged his littlest brother so much closer.

-o-o-o-

The afternoon relaxed into together time. Phones rang but were ignored. John was dragged down from orbit. The barbecue was lugged out, food found and cooked for dinner and a comfortable feeling that had been absent since their father had been lost, found its way onto the Island.

Gordon cherished it.

Virgil continued to be a touch emotional during the entire time, grabbing random brothers and attempting to smother them with his arms. Scott was quieter, but even Gordon noticed he was far from Alan at any point that entire afternoon and evening. John was quietly puzzled about the whole thing until he suddenly grabbed at his shirt and jumped and jiggled about.

“Oh, so that’s how it works.” Virgil was staring down at the remote control in his hand, poking at it.

John let out a squawk and fell onto the couch writhing.

His shirt was thrown off moments later.

“Hey, Alan, how do you turn them off?”

Therein followed some discussion on Alan and Virgil’s part, followed by Scott and his two cents when he felt it appropriate.

John started yelling at them after a very short period of time, still writhing on the sofa.

Gordon thought it was absolutely hilarious and had trouble keeping his feet while laughing.

All in all, it was a fantastic afternoon and evening.

Scott fell asleep on the couch with his arm wrapped around a snoozing Alan five minutes into the movie Gordon had chosen. Virgil lasted another five minutes before caving into a faceplant on one of the cushions. His snores made it difficult to hear the movie, but the remaining three brothers cared not a whit. By the time John joined them in the land of the exhausted, the movie was little more than soundscape.

But Gordon wouldn’t have it any other way.

This was something that they had been missing for so long. Gordon sat there fake watching the movie and honestly holding back a few tears at the thought. Alan was right. They needed more laughter. His big brothers, John included, were shouldering so much now their father was no longer with them, and yes, his thoughts stumbled on that acknowledgement. God, he missed his dad. But they all had to do their part.

If there was something Gordon wanted to do, it was bring back the laughter. If it took itching powder and dye, if it took silly hats and fake tattoos, if it took everything he had, he would see his brothers happy.

They all had to do their part.

And he would make this his.

-o-o-o-

FIN.

[dadsbongos]

shallow

Insert Coin - Chapter 2.b / Series Masterlist

His hair is sprawled out below him and his lips are pulled into a fragile smile when she enters, the smile only widens once he notices her, “(Y/n), what a pleasant surprise!”

Taking in the boy’s predicament, she fully studied how Nagito was tied up - chains tightly binding his arms and legs and attaching him to a heating pole in the back of the room.

“And you’ve brought food - you really are the best, just as expected from an Ultimate,” he noted as (Y/n) sat beside him, “My sincerest apologies for burdening you with this task, if you wish, you could let me starve.”

“No, you need food, Nagito,” the peacekeeper refuted, setting down the plate and bringing a hand to the boy’s face, lifting his head and resting it upon her lap so he wouldn’t choke when he tried to swallow, “Besides, I volunteered to be here.”

“How lucky for me,” Nagito grinned, eyes closed and tone light, as if he didn’t know why he was tied up in the first place, “I get to be with the Ultimate Peacekeeper. I’m not sure how trash like me could ever be of assistance in that, but I’ll do anything I can.”

“Just eat, for now,” she mumbled, gathering some eggs on toast and folding it in half before holding the bread to Nagito’s lips, “I’m sorry for how awkward this is, but please bear with me. You get that I can’t undo your restraints at the moment, right?”

“Of course, anything you Ultimates need, I’m of service,” he didn’t resist any bites and was oddly cooperative for a man held down against his will. Even doing his best to keep his lips from accidentally brushing (Y/n)’s hand as they reached their final bits of food.

It was once they were down to his bottle of milk that Nagito spoke up again,

“I just hope you don’t catch anything from having to feed me.”

(Y/n)’s brows shot up as she opened the bottle, “Do you have any bugs or diseases?”

Suddenly, the expression on Nagito’s face soured, brows furrowing and lips tugging down into a soft frown before he shook it off, “Nothing contagious.”

“Then we’re good, yeah?” she waited for his nod of agreement before carefully, carefully, carefully lifting the lip of the bottle to his mouth, “Keep your head still, okay? I’ll go slowly.”

He nodded, but the easy-going, calmed look was gone once again. Instead, he seemed as though he were a caged animal. A kenneled dog, sad eyes and pouting lips. Even as he drank, he looked so dismal. And after he was done, the look didn’t wash away.

“I’m sorry we acted so quickly, really I am, but in the panic there must’ve been the feeling this is all that could be done,” (Y/n) ran her fingers through Nagito’s hair, hoping to relax the poor boy, “Do you want to move?”

“No,” he sighed, “besides, I understand. If everyone desires to feel safe, who am I to get in their way? I’m barely even worthy of being their stepping stone let alone part of their discussions.”

“Of course, you’re worthy, you’re a breathing, thinking, living human being - you always have a say in what happens to you.”

Despite her words, she still couldn't forget. He was the reason Byakuya was dead. He was the reason Teruteru would never escape.

(Y/n) looked down at the boy, who’d shifted to lay on his side with his head still in her lap, “I’ll be around a lot, so I hope you don’t mind my presence.”

“I never could,” Nagito weakly responded, eyes locked on the wall across from them, “You shouldn’t have to stay with me. You can leave now and I’ll tell the others you were here.”

“No,” she wanted him to know how badly what he’d done hurt her - hurt all of them, but she was sure there was something behind it. Nagito didn’t wake up that day and decide he’d be the reason two people died, there has to be something else, “I want to stay here. With you.”

“You’re too sweet, much too sweet. I don’t deserve this.”

“You deserve at least the minimum, and I’m sorry that’s all I can provide right now.”

There was a knock at the door, Hajime peeking in a few seconds later, his eyes immediately landed on the position between Nagito and (Y/n). He rose a brow in question but didn’t bother vocalizing it, instead, he entered further, “Can I speak with you,” other than a fleeting glance, he didn’t bother acknowledging Nagito, “alone?”

(Y/n) nodded, gently maneuvering Nagito off her thighs and back onto the ground, she gave the boy a smile, “I’ll be back, okay?” at his nod, she left to the hall with Hajime.

“You okay? He hasn’t… tried anything, has he?” Hajime whispered the last part. Worry etched into each of the lines drawn within his face.

(Y/n) shook her head, placing her hands on each of the boy’s shoulders and enforcing eye contact between them, “I’m fine, Hajime, I can handle things.”

“If you’re sure,” he relented before going back to his original thought - the reason he was there, “Anyway, a new island opened up,” leaning in, he murmured, presumably so Monokuma didn’t hear, “Monomi destroyed the Monobeast blocking one off - apparently. I investigated it a bit already, it doesn’t appear particularly dangerous but I’m still wary. You should check it out too, maybe take a break from… him.”

“No, I’ll stay here,” (Y/n) denied, feeling her heart drag despair against her ribcage with every new pump, “I have to watch Nagito.”

Nobody else would.

Nobody else wanted to.

“It’s sort of my responsibility anyway, you know?” it’s her fault she couldn’t keep the peace, her one talent. The one thing she’s good at, “I need to make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone. And that nobody tries anything with him. Besides, you’re all doing fine now, right? You don’t need me.”

Who needed a worm who couldn’t perform in their own niche properly?

“It’d be nice to have you, to know you’re safe,” Hajime looked down at his shoes, pursing his lips, “If you really want to stay, I won’t stop you. But if anything, anything at all, happens, I’m here.”

It’s what she’d said to him that fateful day.

She smiled and nodded - empty and hollow - before reaching for the door handle to the room, “I will, Hajime. Don’t worry about me.”

As the boy turned to leave, (Y/n) watched his figure grow smaller against the walls before calling out once again,

“Keep them safe, please?”

He paused mid-stride, turning to the Ultimate Peacekeeper. His heart tore at her expression. Deep sorrow. Deep pain. Deep despair. He wasn’t stupid - she must’ve been blaming herself at least somewhat. All Hajime could do was nod and smile - empty and hollow - before continuing down the hall and out of the old building.

Returning to the room, (Y/n) was quiet, watching as Nagito hummed to himself, facing away from the door.

A particularly off-key hum brought her from her trance, the boy sighing to himself and shaking his head, “Of course…” before starting again.

(Y/n) swallowed down the lump in her throat before walking over to Nagito, gently settling him over her lap once again. It brought him minor comfort to know someone cared - even if he was unworthy.

“How do you feel about exploring the island tonight?”

“Hm? I thought you couldn’t untie me.”

“I can’t, not now, but at night - everyone’ll be asleep anyway, they won’t even know... but I’ll have to tie you back up.”

“Okay,” Nagito smiled slightly at the woman as she brushed hair out of his face, “I’ll be quiet.”

“Good,” she returned the gesture, “Then once we’re sure they’re all asleep, we’ll go.”

[justcourttee]

I love your sibling Jasonette, so may I please have some more? *Raises gruel bowl*

A little angsty, a little sweet. I hope you love this one too :)

The Birthday Gift

Jason was having a shitty day.

Marinette was supposed to call him when her plane touched down at Gotham Airport, but that was hours ago and she had yet to return a single message. On top of that, stupid Bruce blindsided with yet another intervention with Batman Incorporated and how yes there are terrible villains out there, but we are not the judge, jury, and executioner. A load of hypocrites if you asked him. Finally, Roy stood him up for a drink at their favorite bar due to a meeting with Oliver.

So he could honestly say he was not surprised when a handful of Joker’s thugs dropped in on him on his self-pitying walk home.

“Look, guys, today is not my day. I’ll let you off easy if you leave now.”

The men’s painted smiles sent shivers down his back, reminding him just a little too much of the original. They said nothing as they circled him, waiting for him to make the first move, a mistake he had made many times with them.

“C’mon dudes, can’t you give a guy a break. It’s my birthday today and even my own sister stood me up.”

One of the men began to snicker as if he found the idea of Jason’s loneliness funny. Maybe it was, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to laugh with them. The sound of footsteps approaching caught his attention. He felt his whole body stiffen as the maniacal laughter reached his ears. No one else sounded so deranged, so crazy, but it couldn’t be. The world didn’t hate him this much right?

Wrong.

“Well, well, well, little Jason Todd. Oh my, it’s been so long, you’ve grown so much.”

Joker himself in all of his clown prince glory. His smile sickened Jason’s stomach to the core.

“What do you want, Joker?”

The clown’s face frowned in mock hurt as he placed a dramatic hand over his heart.

“Is that any way to talk to your favorite agent of chaos? Now now little bird, I’m not here as a threat, I’m here to offer you some birthday fun! After all, you always were my favorite little Robin. It’s why I treated you so much more tenderly than the rest.”

Joker reached up to wipe a fake tear from his face before allowing the grin to stretch it’s way back slowly. Jason’s mind was racing with possibilities, the number one being an exit strategy. Four men, all deranged, plus the Joker himself. It wasn’t looking great, but there was no way this clown was going to kill him twice in this lifetime.

“What’s this gift you mentioned? So kind of you to think of me on this day.” It took everything he had to hold back the sarcasm from dripping off his tongue. His hand moved in the slightest, trying to reach the gun he had tucked in his waistband.

“I’m glad you asked-”

Before he could finish his sentence, a figure dropped from the rooftops, landing on the nearest goon. The three remaining men all reached for their weapons, but could never touch them. Something shot out, gripping their guns and pulling them into the abyss of darkness. For a brief second, Jason allowed himself to feel hopeful.

Maybe the old man finally remembered his birthday, maybe he was here to help him. But as the figure stood, taking a step into the light, he felt his heart drop. A small girl stood in front of him dressed in a skintight black suit, small red dots lining her sides. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun on top of her head, her mask solid red matching the side of her suit.

“I’ll give you one chance Joker, let go of the boy and I’ll let you go.”

There was a tense silence for a moment before Joker laughter tore through the air.

“A child! Are you Batman's new birdy my girl?”

The small figure stiffened as Joker’s men began recovering their wits, some drawing pocket knives, others closing in with their bare hands.

“Do I look like a bird to you?”

Jason had to hand it to her. The kid had guts to stand before the Joker and insult his jokes, but he knew the clown’s patience was running thin. Sooner or later, he was going to give the order and the thugs would tear into her. He was so close to his gun, but any sudden movement could put her in danger now.

“Now now, it sounds like you need an attitude adjustment. Why don’t you ask Jason here how it feels?”

His smirk was sinister and with the flick of his hand, the thugs all jumped. They were fast, but she was faster. One by one she knocked them out, flipping and twirling with grace as she dodged each attempt on her life. Jason’s fingers finally wrapped around his gun, a sense of relief flooding through his body.

This was what he needed to shift the fight, but something stopped him. Numbness spread through his limbs as he lost his grip on the gun, the weapon clattering against the concrete. He vaguely recognized the hand on his back giving him a shove forward, but he couldn’t put his arms out to save himself.

“No!” The girl tried to rush forward, but she was distracted as one of the thugs landed a punch, knocking her off her balance. They managed to subdue her, holding her still as Joker moved forward to examine the new curiosity.

“Quite interesting. How do you know my Jason?”

The girl’s eyes clouded over as she mustered as much strength as she could, trying to pull her arms free. Joker raised his hand, a sickening smack coming from the girl’s face as a red mark began to form. Jason tried to move, he needed to protect her like she tried to do for him, but it was impossible.

“Now, I asked you a question. Show some respect for your elders!”  His laughter only enraged the girl.

“Don’t you dare touch him.”

“Oh, you mean, like this?” Joker raised his leg, landing a kick right into Jason’s ribcage sending the clown into a fit of laughter. “Or this?”

“Stop it! No! Jason!”

He knew the voice sounded so familiar, but he couldn’t focus on it, not with the endless pain rolling in.

“All you have to do is answer the question! You have the power to stop this dear.”

Jason tried his best to raise his head to look at her properly, but the best he could do was land one eye on the girl. The face, mask or not, he knew that face. Joker raised his foot once more, stopping only a millimeter from Jason’s face.

“He’s my brother! I swear if you hurt him again I’ll kill you. I’ll kill all of you.”

Jason felt the realization flood through him as his heart dropped. She didn’t abandon him. She was right here. Marinette.

“I see, I didn’t know my dear Jason had a sister. Honestly, I wouldn’t expect him to be related to someone so weak.”

He reared back his foot again, delivering yet another blow. Jason heard Marinette yell in rage, but he couldn’t do anything to stop it.

“What the-”

Jason couldn’t see anything, he could barely move from the paralysis and the bruised rib cage. He heard the sounds of commotion sending panic through his body. These weren’t like the villains Marinette faced in Paris, these were rougher around the edge, their only goal to kill. Parsian villains killed, but almost always on accident, collateral damage. These men did it for fun.

He tested his fingers, a sense of urgency flooding through him as they twitched under his strained effort. Jason just about had his full hand in motion again when five shots rang through the air sucking the breath from his lungs.

“Bug? Bug are you alright?”

Jason couldn’t help the tears that fell down his face and trickled into his voice. She was the only family that mattered to him, the only one that ever cared for him. Using his good hand, he attempted to flip himself, only succeeding in straining his wrist.

“Bug!”

Two hands wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him into their lap, his head lolled backward before a soft touch helped him prop upwards. Two shining blue eyes stared down into his, a splatter of blood staining her mask.

“Bug what did you do? You don’t kill.”

She shook her head, dropping down to hug his numb body.

“I only wounded them. They crawled away carrying their stupid clown leader. Jason, I was so scared they were going to kill you.”

He felt a hot tear hit his face and then another. Soon her tears mixed with his own as the shock faded away. He almost let that asshole kill him again and in front of Marinette.

“Hey, hey, no tears on your birthday.”

Marinette wiped away his before she took care of her own, a shaky giggle escaping her lips.

“Mari, why didn’t you call back? I was so worried.”

The feeling had returned in both his arms as he tried his best to move his legs next.

“I was trying to finish your birthday gift, you know how I get when I’m sewing.”

It was Jason’s turn to laugh, still shaky as well as he tried to push what had happened out of his mind.

“What did you get me?”

“A new jacket. I know leather is your favorite and you always seem to ruin the ones I make you.”

They both shared a laugh as Marinette shook her head.

“Let me see if we’re lucky tonight.”

Marinette gently set him back on the ground as she called upon her lucky charm, only to throw it directly into the air with her signature phrase. Hundreds of small ladybugs circled his body, a warmth spreading throughout where they touched.

As they disappeared into the night sky, Jason tested his legs, a small smile tugging at his lips when they moved at his command.

“You know how much I love that thing right?”

Marinette shook her head as she called off her transformation catching a small, exhausted Tikki.

“You know how lucky you are that I transformed before they laid a hand on you right?”

Jason gently shoved her shoulder as she stuck her tongue out at him. As she finished caring for Tikki, she turned her full attention to him, slipping off the oversized jacket she was wearing.

“Here, this was your gift. It was the only way I could think to protect it without leaving it up on the rooftop.”

He slipped off his older jacket, a gift from his last day in Paris, and slipped on his new one, relishing in the perfect fit.

“You know, you’re a miracle worker Marinette. And since you’re in town, I think we can now use that phone of yours to contact Damian.”

“Don’t even think about it, after all, you don’t want to end up like those thugs.” Her tone was playful as she handed him back his fallen gun.

“I think I could take my chances.” He threw his arm over her shoulders as he guided her out of the alleyway. “Now, how about you  buy me a birthday drink?”

“How about not? This is the States, my friend, I’m technically not legal here.”

Jason cursed under his breath earning a laugh from the smaller girl as they headed down the avenue. Jason felt his phone buzzing from his back pocket, most likely Bruce calling him about his Joker encounter (which he had no doubt he already found out about), but he didn’t have the energy for yet another lecture on his birthday. Not from him.

“Are you going to get that? It could be your family?”

Jason looked down to meet her concerned eyes, a sight that melted his heart. He shook his head, planting a small kiss on the top of her head.

“I’ve got the only family that matters right here and that’s the best birthday gift anyone could ask for.”

Permanent Tag List:

@damianette-is-life @rebecarojas07 @ash-amg

[sugarandspice-games]

Flirty Cosplayer MC makes Levi Jealous

Leviathan should really be used to this feeling.

This burning, clawing, twisting in his chest that shortens his breath and makes his muscles jump with the urge to run, and hide, and never look back.

Even if he wanted to not look back, he couldn’t look away. 

How could he?

This happened every single time you went to a convention together. It should have been fun: conventions were typically the place to share your interests with like minded people, and he had been eager to see you in the costume he made for you, showing off his hard work…

But there you stood, in the middle of a sea of flashing cameras, side by side with a handsome cosplayer dressed as the Lord of Shadows… and to add insult to injury, his arm was draped around your shoulder!

He knew it was only for the purpose of the photo, because the characters were close... But still!

Still…

Seeing you so close with someone who was practically better than him in every way, while you were so far away tore at his heart-- and you were smiling so brightly…

“Levi!” 

Of course. Of course, Asmo would pop in at a time like this… It was his friend after all!

His handsome, talkative friend holding you…

“What, Asmo?” He couldn’t help the slight whine in his voice or how the consonants seem to drag. “What do you want?”

“Ooo! Someone is grumpy!” Asmo’s chipper voice was grinding on his last nerve and Levi huffed, crossing his arms. Asmo only held up his hands with a patient smile. “You should be happy! Isn’t this the kind of thing you live for and our cute MC is modeling for you!”

Asmo wasn’t wrong, but everything else was wrong! There shouldn’t be someone else with his arms around his Henry and you shouldn’t be smiling like that!

“I guess... “

“Levi… What’s wrong?” Asmo’s tone was suddenly serious. “Really, you aren’t this gloomy unless…”

“Levi!”

Your call interrupted Asmo’s statement and Levi’s stomach loosened a bit to clench once more as you approached-- fingers wrapped around the (amazing, better) man’s wrist. 

“I wanted to show you his costume! I thought you might like it--”

“This isn’t the best time, MC. I’m busy,”

Levi blurted out the first thing that came to mind, clutching the oversized Azuki-tan he had in his arms. He had forgotten about her, honestly, but now, he squeezed her and squeezed her tighter when your smile faltered. 

“Oh, I’m sorry…” You kept your tone light but your eyes were disappointed. “Zaelix was here today and I figured you might like to have lunch with him since he loves the Lord of Shadows, too…”

Levi couldn’t help but think that it was as if you didn’t realize it. 

The way that demon was looking at you, his eyes entranced with your every move, his hands somehow finding a way to brush your shoulders or pick spare strings off of your costume-- the costume Levi had spent countless hours agonizing over so it would be perfect for you-- as if looking for any excuse to touch you. 

But who could blame him? Levi didn’t, because who wouldn’t fall for someone as radiant and wonderful as you? 

No, if anything it was his own fault. It was his fault for not being more like the man in front of him… and if anything, the way you giggled at his words and scanned him up and down implied you shared his attraction.

You just kept touching him and biting your lip.

 He couldn’t blame you either, for wanting someone more in your league than some washed up has-been of a general who had lost his purpose. For someone better that could go out, go to school and whose entire identity wasn’t being a yucky otaku…

You deserved so much better.

No, you deserved the best.

But… This wasn’t the first, second, or even twentieth time something like this had happened, either… you were just so charming that people flocked to your side, practically begging for your attention like starving puppies begged for food. 

Each and every time, it left Levi confused, hopeless, and…

It sent a fire burning through his veins. 

A fire that wanted to protect you, to keep you for himself. Because he wished he could keep you safe from every pair of eyes that longed to have you for themselves.

That longed to take you away from him, because how could he win?

“Levi? Are you okay?”

Your concerned, slightly hurt gaze snapped him from his reverie and he took a breath. Even if he couldn’t compare to this guy, he couldn’t let you look like that. 

Not his Henry.

“I-I’m great! Sorry about that, I didn’t mean it,” He laughed shakily, fluffing up Azuki-tan harshly. “Azuki-tan is just really soft!”

“She does look soft,” Zaelix responded but his eyes were not on Azuki-tan but you.

Bile started to climb Levi’s throat, but it settled as you let go of Zaelix’s wrist to caress Azuki-tan adoringly. 

“She is very soft... “ You murmured, before reaching to pinch his cheek gently. “But you’re softer Leviachan!”

You ruffled his hair fondly. His cheeks reddened as his heart thunders behind his ribcage.

Zaelix cleared his throat, clearly upset that he’s being ignored at the moment, and Levi’s chest tightened in response.

“So, uh… I wanted to compliment you on your costume, actually,” he said as he turned to you, “Did you buy it somewhere, or did you make it yourself?”

Levi expected your hand to fall and it hurt just as much as he expected… but you didn’t turn to stand beside Zaelix. Instead, you planted yourself beside him, giggling.

“Awww! Thank you so much! Actually…” You grinned and reached over to steal Azuki-tan from him to press your face against her. “My boyfriend made it!”

Your… boyfriend…

Levi.exe has experienced a fatal error. 

Levi.exe has stopped working and will shortly shut down.

He thought his face couldn’t get any redder, but it was roughly the color of a freshly washed hell radish, burning brighter than the sun and dripping with enough sweat to drown a small houseplant. Just like one of those scenes in shoujo anime where the pretty boy does something that nearly causes the protagonist to die of heart failure…!

“Your... boyfriend?” Zaelix questioned, looking around before his eyes finally settled on Levi, who blinked back at him owlishly. “Oh.” 

Zaelix started looking a little flushed himself; it seemed that it was his turn to be embarrassed!

Levi smiled just a bit.

“Yep!” You chirped, pressing yourself close to Levi’s side and wrapping one arm around him, “My boyfriend, the master tailor! He’s an absolute wizard when it comes to fabrics, and he cosplays himself sometimes! If you follow my Devilgram, he made every cosplay you’ve seen there!”

A… wizard? A master tailor?!

He was going to literally die, but you were beaming at him so he just nodded mechanically. 

“Yeah… I did. Anything for my Henry…”

“Oh… “ Zaelix said with an awkward smile, “Man, you’re a pretty talented guy! I knew you were a part of the student council, but I didn’t know you were so handy with a sewing machine. If you take commissions, I might have to get you to make one for me sometime.”

“Of course!” You jumped right in and fluttered your eyelashes at Zaelix. “We look forward to your commission. Right, honey?”

You just called him honey...

You kissed Levi’s cheek and he had no idea what just happened but you were smiling at him! And holding Azuki-tan! And looking so dashing as Henry!

It was a good day!

You winked at Asmo discreetly as Zaelix joined him finally before tugging Levi towards the small, makeshift Ruri-chan Cafe you had spotted earlier. 

Anything for your grumpy Lord of Shadows.

[abarbaricyalp]

Vampire/vampire hunter au? Sam/bucky or sam/steve/Bucky <333

Omgggggg I know you've been waiting for, like, six hundred years for this. And I know it was supposed to be a drabble.

But.

I like monsters.

I'm putting the first section here, on account of it's 16,000+ words total. The link to AO3 will be in the reblog

Put Your Teeth Into My Beating Heart

“Man, what the hell are these things?” Sam asked as he wrenched another stake out of a decaying ribcage. Moonlight streamed down the stake until it hit the dark blood on the end. Not as gory as a fight between a handful of vampires and two hunters could be. Still unpleasant.

“Ancient,” Steve said while he wiped down the shield with holy water, ground garlic, and silver flakes. “They’re not pure bloods, they were turned. But it looks like they were turned closer to Varnae than Morbius. Much closer.”

Sam pulled another stake free and then started collecting the much smaller silver spear-heads. “So why are they emerging now? Clearly they have no preservation skills. They ran right at us with no attack plan.”

“Could be anything. A decoy. A mind-controlled army. Something that’s been slumbering and has only just been awakened.”

Sam’s lips curled up in distaste and he finished sheathing the stakes. No sense in cleaning them yet. There was always more to do before the sun rose. “Why is it only the ancient ones that slumber? Why can’t they all decide to take a really long nap right now?”

Steve laughed, though it was not as light as Sam had heard it before, and clapped a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Next time we find ourselves in front of the Council, you can suggest that to them.”

Sam kneeled down to break off bone fragments and teeth to take back with them. There were usually answers in vampire bodies, if someone knew how to read the text. Luckily, Sam knew vampire bodies very well.

He and Steve had been hunting vampires for years now. Sam had to admit, a walking World War II icon was not who he expected as an ally in vampire hunting. To be fair, though, he hadn’t ever really thought about vampire hunting in the first place. He’d only been looking for one. He found Steve instead.

Steve seemed to be looking for all of them with a wild sort of vengeance driving him. At first, Sam thought Steve had been bitten, between the strength and the regeneration and the fact he still looked twenty five after almost a century on ice. But that was just the super soldier serum, which was a good thing because Steve hated vampires and Sam was pretty sure Steve wouldn’t still be around if he’d been turned.

The extent of Sam’s knowledge about Steve’s history with vampires was that Dracula had something to do with the battlefields of World War II. They had teamed up to keep armies off of the grounds of Transylvania. Then Dracula and some mad scientist named Ravencroft began experiments on soldiers and that was around the time Steve vowed to stop all vampires. Sam assumed the three gouges that ran down the length of Steve’s face contributed to his hatred as well.

Sam was a soldier. He knew the look of a person who had lost someone important to them. He just couldn’t get Steve to say who it was or what had happened.

Then again, Sam had his own secrets, so he didn’t push too hard.

“Hey, Steve, come look at these hearts,” Sam called and wrenched a punctured one free.

“What about them?” Steve asked from across the room, coming over slowly so he could examine each body between him and Sam, as if he could see hearts through skin and ribcages.

“They’re full of blood. But there’s none in the rest of the bodies. I thought they just hadn’t fed when I first saw them but…” Sam dragged a silver knife down the arm of the vampire in front of him and found only skin and bone and dry muscle. “This just makes them easier to kill. No chance of reanimation when the stake is removed.”

Steve hummed and scratched his neck absently. He did it all the time. Sam thought he was checking for puncture wounds. “I’d say husks, but you don’t have to feed husks.”

“What about mules?” Sam asked suddenly.

“What are mules?”

“I mean, what if they’re just being used to move blood from one place to another.”

“That’s a lot of work in a world where blood banks and the technology for them exists freely,” Steve pointed out.

“Yeah, but think of how often we’ve staked out blood banks to catch a dozen vampires in the act at a time. All hunters know to do that. Ambulances have stakes in them now. The world is evolving. Maybe vampires need to too.”

“If they’re mules, where are their shepherds?” Steve asked gravely. The thought sent a chill down Sam’s spine. “And why use ancient vampires?”

“If they’re reanimated, maybe someone found a mass grave. Besides, the longer something’s dead, the easier it is to control it. Or, like you said, they came up on a sleeping nest and overtook them all at once.”

Steve grunted and kicked a body. It dissolved into ash.

Something flashed behind Steve and by the time Sam really understood what he was seeing, he didn’t even have a chance to cry out. He leapt forward, putting his body between Steve and the vampire melting out of the shadows.

“Sam! No!” Steve shouted as the vampire tackled Sam down onto the ground. He didn’t have time to worry about his head hitting the tile because the next second, the vampire’s teeth were in his neck. It hurt like a bitch every time.

It hurt more when Steve tackled the vampire off of Sam and the vampire took a not insubstantial chunk of Sam’s skin with it. Sam was just about to throw himself into the fight, to protect Steve again, when he realized the vampire was spitting out his blood, staring at Sam wide eyed. The hands on Steve’s shoulders were only pushing him away, disregarded.

Steve also wasn't fighting. His wide eyes were focused on the vampire. It was a beautiful creature. Eyes so blue, Sam felt like he was getting frostbite just looking at them. Long hair that curled against his neck. Pale skin with blue veins snaking down strong features and long, elegant fingers. Lips so red-- Oh, right. That would be blood.

“Bucky?” Steve breathed.

The vampire looked away from Sam long enough to scan Steve’s features. “Who the hell is Bucky?” he asked and finished shoving his way out of Steve’s hold. “And what the fuck are you?” he asked Sam. “You’re not the Daywalker, but you’re not all vampire either. Why does your heart beat?”

“What? Buck-- Your name is James Buchanan Barnes. Don’t you remember who you are?”

Again, the vampire--Bucky, apparently, he was much sexier before Sam knew that--tore his eyes from Sam like it was the last thing he wanted to be bothered to do. “I don’t remember anything,” he said, like he’d said it a million times. “I don’t remember anything from before I was born.”

“Turned,” Steve said and held onto Bucky’s shoulders tightly. “You were turned. You were born a human, in 1917. Your parents’ names were George and Winnifried.”

“This information isn’t important to me,” Bucky said and wrenched Steve’s hands off of him.

“You have a metal arm,” Sam said and Steve jumped like it was the first time he was seeing it too. Sam kept a wary eye on him, trying to remember the stories Steve had told him on long night stakeouts and over painful breakfasts the mornings after brutal hunts. Bucky tickled something at the back of his head, but he couldn’t bring it forward. Mostly he was thinking about the blood seeping between his fingers on his neck.

“Observant. A vampire hybrid and you’ve got eyes. Wonders never cease,” Bucky said drily. “I assume you weren’t moving these things,” he said, and kicked a vampire body the same way Steve had. Again, it collapsed into ash.

“No,” Sam said evenly. “Which I assume means you weren’t either.”

“I was trying to track them down,” Bucky answered. “To kill them,” he added, as if that wasn’t clear.

“A vampire vampire hunter,” Sam said.

“We’re a fine pair.”

“What are you talking about, Buck? Sam’s human. Even more than me.”

Bucky barked out a laugh and Sam saw his fangs retract in the split second. When Bucky stepped towards him, Sam stepped back, which only made him pull an unimpressed face before he reached for Sam’s hand at his neck and pulled it away.

“It doesn’t work that fast,” Sam said, though he knew his skin had stitched together at least a little bit. His neck itched like crazy.

Bucky produced a cloth from one of the half dozen pockets in his jacket and wiped away the blood from Sam’s neck. It did not start bleeding again. Of course it didn’t, why would anything ever go his way?

“Sam, what the hell?” Steve asked and stepped over too, running his fingers over the fine skin where the wound had started to heal.

“Your friend is a hybrid,” Bucky said and shoved the cloth back into a pocket before the blood had finished dripping off of it. “But not one that I’ve ever seen.”

“Sam…” Steve said, looking to his friend for answers that Sam didn’t have. Unlike Bucky, he knew who he was before he was turned. It was the turning he didn’t remember.

“I just know it was the Claws that found me,” he said. “Or, at least, a handful of them. My partner got shot down, I went after him. Landed hard, got disoriented, got picked up by these weird things with total body wraps and orange eyes.”

“On account of the sun,” Bucky pointed out.

“Shut up, vampire. I was delirious by then and I don't remember anything else until I woke up in a pop-up military hospital by myself. Everyone else was dead and there was an icebox of blood bags next to me. That’s all the introduction into this life that I got.”

“What the fuck?” Steve said. “How did you fail to mention that?”

“Well, Steven, if you recall the first time I saw you, you were stabbing a vial of holy water into a vampire’s eye. Forgive me if I didn’t want to come clean immediately.”

“Badass,” Bucky said.

“I’m not done with you yet,” Steve snapped at him and then looked back at Sam. “What are you then? Why--How did you know you weren’t a full vampire?”

Sam shifted from foot to foot. “My heart still beats. And I can drink the blood of other vampires.”

Bucky’s head snapped up and it was his turn to take a step back. “Stay the fuck away from me,” he said.

“You already tried to eat me, asshole,” Sam snapped.

“No, I was trying to kill you. I had no desire to drink from you.”

“ I can touch silver. The sun doesn’t affect me as much,” Sam continued, ignoring the sexy but ultimately very irritating vampire next to him.

“A lot of hybrids take and leave the original characteristics. But I’ve only ever seen a beating heart in the Living Vampire and his creations. And he’s not actually a vampire,” Bucky said. Those light eyes landed on Sam again, thoughtful, studying.

“I’m not like Morbius,” Sam said tightly.

All three of them snapped their gazes to the door and the shadow pacing outside it. “We can continue this conversation later,” Steve said, face hardening for the encroaching battle. Sam turned to hand Bucky a wooden stake, a wordless truce, but the vampire was gone by the time the door burst inwards.

Again, there's more to this story. Much more. Link in the reblog.

[fanfictionwritingoddity]

𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧 𝙏𝙬𝙤

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: .𝟖 𝐤 𝐭𝐰: 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠: 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 - 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡

 ( 𝚈𝚘𝚘𝚜𝚞𝚗𝚐 𝙺𝚒𝚖 𝚡 𝙶𝙽!𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝙵𝚕𝚞𝚏𝚏 )

A small huff escaped your lips as you poured over the open math workbook, brows furrowing in thought. The problem you were reading made absolutely no sense, no matter how many times you re-read it or underlined important information. Frustration began to cloud your mind, causing you to let out a resigned sigh. You tore your eyes away from the paper in front of you to trail them up the boy sitting a few feet away.

Yoosung was sitting on a black bean bag below the bed. His back was facing you, and for a moment you stifled a laugh at his hunched over posture. The clicking of controller buttons filled the silence of his bedroom, and the blue light shining from the large screen made your friends golden hair glow. You felt a pang in your heart. Choosing to go to the same college as Yoosung had definitely been one of the best decisions you had ever made. Even if he didn’t feel the same as you did, at least he seemed to enjoy the time you spent together.

Once you felt you had spent enough time admiring the boy’s blue back, you breathed out another quiet groan before dropping your forehead to the mattress below you. Everything went quiet. Yoosung had stopped playing his video game, hastily pausing at the sound of your third sigh. A quiet shuffling sound tickled your ears, and suddenly you felt a small prodding against your head. Lifting your face, your cheeks heated at the closeness of your friend face, which was about five inches away.

His purple orbs were dancing with excitement and another emotion you couldn’t quite define. For a moment, it felt like everything in the world had faded away and it was just you and Yoosung. The way he looked at you always made your breath catch in your throat. Sheepishly, and albeit reluctantly, you flickered your gaze off to the side, the skipping of your heart making you short of breath. Much like a dog, the boy tilted his head in confusion, before lifting his arm to produce a second controller.

“Be my player two?”

When you didn’t answer for a few seconds, Yoosung’s cheeks tinted pink as he understood the implications of his words. Adorably retracting his hand slightly, it was his turn to divert his gaze elsewhere.

“You just seemed stressed, and.. I thought- maybe playing with me for a little bit would help.”

Your chest felt warm at your friend’s obvious care for you. Smiling brightly, you gently pulled the remote out of his hand, sliding off of the mattress. After a few moments of shifting around, you opted to lean your back against the bed, hoping it would keep you from slouching while playing. Yoosung grinned, relief flooding his expression as he crawled over and sat beside you. The proximity made your heart’s pace speed again, mind struggling to focus on the game instead of the person you adored sitting next to you. His rosy cheeks lifted in a tender smile as he peered at the bright screen.

“So, what do you want to play?”

Three hours had never gone by so quickly. It was almost four in the morning now, the drowsiness you felt beginning to fully set in. Your eyelids seemed keen in fighting against your desires, slowing your blinks significantly. Yoosung quickly noticed your sleepy state. He turned to you, gently plucking the controller from your grasp. You were so tired that five seconds had passed before your mind processed the fact that you were no longer holding anything. Turning a questioning gaze to your friend, he tilted his head with another one of his heart puncturing beams.

“I can do this next level on my own. Rest your eyes for a little bit.”

You sluggishly opened your mouth to protest, startling as the boy pressed a single finger against your lips before you could speak. The action made your heart leap for joy, and you relented, sending a playful glare to Yoosung before closing your eyes and leaning your head back. Sleep found you almost instantly.

Yoosung waited until your breaths softened to steal a gaze at your form. A small sigh escaped his mouth, lips tilting into a smile. The tips of his ears warmed at your peaceful expression. Each moment you spent with him felt like a piece of heaven delivered onto Earth. The gamer wanted nothing more than to tell you how he felt, but fear of rejection kept him from doing so. What would you see in someone like him when you were surrounded by people like Zen and Jumin? Heck, even 707 probably had a better chance at being the one by your side.

Before he could stop himself, the golden haired boy reached forward, slender fingers gently tracing your cheek. His heart was racing against his ribcage, entire body pulsating with immeasurable warmth. You were so, so beautiful. In his eyes, you were the most gorgeous thing he had ever seen. Your smiles lit up rooms better than the sun itself, and the stars paled in comparison to the sparkling of your eyes. A forlorn, longing expression twisted into Yoosung’s face. 

Oh, how he wished you could be his.

𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 : @raes-ramblings​ 

[ilovefandoms102]

Love me Harder-Part 4

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x Pogue!Reader

Summary: Falling in love with your sisters sworn enemy probably wasn’t the best idea…

Note: Tik Tok challenge requests are still open for whoever wants to submit one! I will be doing them throughout the day! I hope you guys enjoy this! Let me know what you think!

Part 3 Part 5

=========================================

Rafe and I became exclusive after that night on the beach…

It was weird at first being so open despite the odd looks from people. I tried not to think about it too much despite the comments and stares. I was going to enjoy my time with Rafe. 

This led to one of my rare days off, my legs perched on the dash of Rafe’s golf cart. My eyes trained on his muscles working as he played on the Figure Eight golf course. I squirmed in my seat a little from the way his muscles flexed, his hat perched on his head backwards adding to the desire pooling in my belly. We hadn’t moved past the heavy make outs with occasional groping, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t ready for more. 

My experience with men wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t great. I’ve had my few shares of casual hook ups, boyfriends that didn’t last longer than a few months before the feelings died out, but Rafe was different. Maybe it was the fact that we had both wanted each other for so long, the tension bursting between us now that we could freely be seen with the other. 

“What are you thinking about so hard over there beautiful?” Rafe asked, startling me from my thoughts. 

“How good your ass looks in those shorts.” I smirked, earning a deep blush from my boyfriend. 

He sauntered over to me, swinging his club around to hold it behind his neck. Rafe leaned his head down to touch his nose to mine, sweetly pecking my lips before he pulled away. I moved my hands to feel the slight stubble forming on his cheeks, he let go of the golf club, and let it fall to the ground. In the next instance, he had my legs around his waist. Rafe leaned in to crush his lips to mine, leaning me back at an angle. I forgot where we were, and that people were literally all around us. My only focus was how good his soft lips felt against mine. I bit his bottom lip, gently tugging it back. He groaned, his fingers digging into my hips. 

“Come on guys, this is a family golf course.” Someone called, my head snapping to see Topper making his way over. Rafe flipped him off as my cheeks burned with embarrassment. 

=========================================

I very quickly became uninterested in being at Figure Eight now that Topper decided to interrupt mine and Rafe’s hot make out. He stayed with Rafe to play a round between them which annoyed me even more. I didn’t get a lot of days off, so my mood was pretty much ruined. I saw Pope walking by, carrying some groceries for someone. I was going to jump up and help when Topper decided to make his way to him. 

“Well, well look who we have here.” Topper hollered, my feet instantly taking off towards Pope. Rafe had yet to notice either of us were gone. 

“Can we please give it a rest today, unless you want to deliver your own groceries.” Pope spat, dodging Topper’s reaches for the beer he was carrying. 

“Knock it off Topper, your tea time isn’t up yet.” I growled, stepping in front of Pope. 

“Leave this to the men y/n,” Topper hissed, shoving me to the side as he attacked Pope. 

I went into flight or fight mode, jumping on Topper’s back as he railed his fists down on Pope. I punched Topper’s nose, giving Pope enough time to wiggle his way out from under Topper. He reached back and pulled my hair, a scream leaving my lips from the burn. I tumbled down, scraping my arms and legs against the gravel. Topper grabbed his club, and swung at Pope. I was horrified as blood spewed from Pope’s lips. 

“RAFE!” I screeched, hoping to grab his attention. 

I didn’t look to see if he had heard me, jumping to my feet to run towards Pope and Topper. In a split second decision, I jumped in front of Pope, and took Topper’s swing. Agonizing pain tore through my body, a sickening crack heard as the head of the club connected to my ribs. Topper’s eyes widened, dropping his club immediately. I whimpered on the ground, keeping my eyes closed as I sobbed in pain. 

“Y/n!” Pope shouted, crouching down to me. 

“Go, run.” I whispered, giving him a reassuring nod as he took off. 

“What the fuck just happened?!” Rafe boomed, but I couldn’t focus on his words. White noise rang in my ears, my heart still thudding in my chest from the adrenaline. I snapped out of it when I felt a hand, Rafe’s hand, pushing some hair from my face. 

“Sweetheart, can you hear me?” he asked.

“Hurts,” was all I was able to gurgle out. 

“Tell me where baby,” Rafe spoke softly. 

“Ribs,” I choked.

“She just jumped in front of me man!” Topper exclaimed.

“Because you were beating a fucking kid Topper!” I snapped, flinching in pain.

“Can I lift you up, get you to the ER?” Rafe asked gently, his hands shaking as they stayed near my face.

“I think I can get up,” I huffed, having help from Rafe to stand. My ribs were aching, the pain feeling like a stabbing sensation. 

“I’ll deal with you later.” Rafe hissed as Topper, following behind me as I walked back towards the golf cart.

=========================================

A cracked rib that would take a while to heal, the doctor was surprised that it wasn’t crushed with the severity of the bruise forming on my ribcage. I was told to not go back to work for at least a week, yeah, we’ll see how that goes over with my dad...

“So, you want me to cancel dinner tonight?” Rafe asked, holding my hand tight in his as we exited the ER. 

“No, I still want to go.” I insisted, nerves creeping in as I remembered I was having dinner with Rafe and his family tonight.

This would be the first time I would be there as Rafe’s girlfriend, and I was scared shitless. I knew my parents, or I should say my mother and my biological father, grew up with Ward and Rose. The tension was there at the Kook gatherings they made me attend since my mother had me when she was still in High School. 

“I don’t want you to go if you feel like you have to...you don’t need to suffer in pain all night.” Rafe sighed, assisting me while I climbed into the passenger seat of his truck.

“Rafe this is important, I want to make a good impression, and how is it going to look if I bail.” I scoffed. He had one arm leaning on the open door while the other was by my head, his blue eyes filled with worry.

“They aren’t going to give a shit if you’re hurt. Baby, please just think about this.” he murmured.

“I have thought about it, I’m going, and that’s final.” I growled, swinging my legs in the door. 

=========================================

I spent the next three hours making sure every detail about my outfit, hair, and makeup were perfect. Rafe laid on my bed, scrolling through his phone while he waited for me to get ready. His constant complaints about how long I was taking was really starting to irritate me however…

“Babe, this isn’t a fancy ass dinner. It’s just my dad and Rose, and I think my sisters might be there.” Rafe mumbled, throwing his phone down beside him.

“I swear to god Rafe, if you complain one more fucking time…” I laughed humorlessly.

Rafe got up from his spot, leaning down behind me. His eyes met mine in the mirror, staying connected as he leaned down towards my neck. He placed gentle, wet kisses down the side, my eyes widening when I felt his teeth nick a spot just below my ear.

“Rafe!” I gasped, pulling away from him immediately. His shit eating grin earned a playful shove from me, his laughter booming through my room.

“I’m gonna kill you,” I gritted through my teeth, trying to cover up the bite to the best of my abilities. Once I was fully dressed, Rafe’s eyes surely would have popped out of his head if they had gotten any wider. 

“Oh Jesus,” he muttered, taking his eyes away from you.

“What?” I panicked.

“How am I supposed to sit through a family dinner with you lookin’ like that.” he blurted, a giggle slipping through my lips.

“Sorry baby,” I smiled, leaning up on my toes to kiss him.

“You look stunning, and I’m so happy you’re all mine.” Rafe whispered, butterflies racing in my stomach at his compliment. 

“Thank you Rafe, I’m happy too.” I spoke softly, giving him another sweet kiss.

=========================================

I wanted to puke from how nervous I was, wishing I had taken Rafe’s idea to cancel. I was about to high tail it back to the truck, but before I knew it, we were entering the Cameron household. Rose smiled wickedly sweet at Rafe and I, Ward didn’t even glance towards us, and Sarah and Wheezie were the only ones to actually greet us. I felt awkward around Sarah with the beef she still had with Kie, and I knew she was also talking to John B. Rafe didn’t seem to notice my discomfort, dragging me to the dining room. 

“So Rafe, how long is this one gonna last?” Ward rumbled from his seat.

“Seriously dad?” Rafe questioned, his grip on my hand almost hurting. 

“I’m just saying...none of your other, um, exploits, really had staying power. You think this is gonna last more than a week?” Ward chuckled, ice flowing through my veins as my gaze went back and forth between the two men. 

“We’ve been together almost three months, I really care about her dad. Can we please have just a normal dinner?” Rafe exasperated, running a hand through his hair. 

“I mean Rafe...you know about her parents.” Rose spoke up, my head snapping in her direction.

“What are you talking about?” Rafe asked, irritation clear in his voice.

“Her mother’s track record isn’t exactly...well let’s just say she sure knows how to pick ‘em.” Rose chuckled, my shoulders straightening.

“I’d thank you kindly to keep my mother’s business out of your mouth Mrs. Cameron.” I spoke harshly.

“Honey...your real dad didn’t want your mother, he didn’t want you, so what makes you think our Rafe will have anything to do with you? Your mother was a slut, and you know what they say...like mother like daughter.” she pointed out, my blood boiling at this point. 

“That’s enough!” Rafe shouted, standing up so fast his chair raked against the tile. 

I shot out of my seat, tears pricking my eyes as I made my way out the front door. I could hear them all arguing, but I didn’t care to listen. My ribs protested as I let out a sob, my hand holding on to them as a rush of pain surged through me. I was prepared to walk home at this point, my feet carrying me on instinct. 

“Y/n, wait baby please!” I heard Rafe call.

“Can you please just take me home Rafe, I want to go.” I sniffled, backing away when he tried to reach out for me. 

=========================================

“I’m so sorry,” Rafe whispered when he parked his truck in front of my house.

“Not your fault, I just...I definitely was not expecting that.” I mumbled, wringing my hands out anxiously. I looked from my house and back to Rafe, biting down gently on my lip.

“Do you...do you want to stay with me?” I asked quietly, looking down at my hands.

“Only if you want me to,” he smiled, my head nodding immediately. 

I did my nightly routine, checking the locks on everything before heading back to my room. I put a scrunchie on the door which signaled the kids that I didn’t want to be bothered. I left my fairy lights on, sliding in next to Rafe who was already cozied up under my covers. I buried my face into his neck, completely entangling myself with him. His hand traveled up my thigh that was laying across him, stopping at my hip to rub the skin that was showing from my shirt riding up. The rings on his fingers left goosebumps behind, the cold metal contrasting with the warmth that had spread from him to me. 

“For the record, I plan on keeping you.” Rafe smirked, pinching my skin playfully.

“Lucky me then, I get to put up with your dumbassery for a little while longer.” I teased, the both of us sent into a fit of laughter. Once that died down, Rafe tilted my chin up, kissing me tenderly.

“Sweet dreams beautiful,” he whispered.

“Sleep tight slick,” I yawned, snuggling up closer as I let my eyes close.

=========================================

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