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blueskylinesx · 3 months

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Tomato Red Chapter 3

Parings: Jesse Cash x Female Reader

Warnings/Triggers: Language, anxiety/nervousness, sexual tension, fluff, masturbation, smut, self doubt, friends to lovers.

Summary: The local cafe/bookstore down the street was Jesse's usual hang out spot where he spent hours reading books and working on music. Until one day when he meets a new barista working the bookstore cafe. Suddenly, Jesse's reasons for visiting the bookstore down the road were no longer just for reading and work... but were suddenly meant for much more.

Author’s Note: I intended on having this chapter posted way sooner. I greatly apologize for the delay! This chapter took me a bit longer to write since life kept getting in the way. But, it’s a long one so I hope that makes up for it. 🩵 I used this little clip of Jesse from the ERRA Cure album videos because this is the EXACT look I was going for in this chapter. Enjoy loves!

Tag List: @thefallennightmare @xxkittenkissesxx @collidewiththesav @thatchickwiththecamera @cncohshit @lma1986 @arkiliastuff @lonelydragonlady

If you would like to be added to the tags list let me know! I would be happy to do so!😊

Thank you all SO fucking much for all the support on Tomato Red. It means the absolute world to me. Writing this story has been so fun and helps keep my mind occupied. I love you all so so so much!☕️🍅

JESSE

Holy shit. What was in those orange scones? I thought to myself.

I sat in the backseat of Michael’s car. Holding the paper cup from the cafe in between my hands that rested in my lap. Replaying all of what just happened in my mind while looking out of the window as the familiar buildings and cars passed by.

Never getting her smile or her beautiful greenish-blue tinted eyes out of my mind. I glanced back down at the cup in my lap and traced my thumb over the black letters that Y/N wrote on the back. A smile spreading across my face every time I read it.

“This is my sister's favorite drink and she’s the only one I make this special for. But, you seem pretty special yourself so this only seemed fitting. I hope you like it.

P.S that hat looks cute on you.”

Followed by her number that was written out directly underneath it. With a small black flower that she drew next to it.

I usually am never blunt enough to ask a girl for her number. Especially right to her face. Maybe it was the added pressure from the guys or whatever magic Y/N put into those scones. But, whatever it was, I was grateful for the confidence boost it gave me.

I now have Y/N’s phone number.

“Soooo, you two seemed to be getting pretty cozy over there.” Michaels voice from the driver's seat caused me to look up to meet his gaze in the rearview mirror.

“Did they kiss? I couldn’t tell if they kissed or not.” Jolly asked from the seat next to me.

Oh boy, we just left the cafe only ten minutes ago and they're already starting.

“Nah, I don't think they kissed. I was sitting right in front of Jesse and I definitely would have seen it.” Noah said from the front passenger seat.

“Hey! Do you think maybe you could slide your chair up a few inches man? You’re practically sitting in the backseat with me and Jesse. My legs are starting to cramp.” Jolly interrupted while pushing on the back of Noah’s chair.

Noah reached down to pull the lever from under the seat and used his legs to push the seat further back, slamming into Jolly’s legs.

“Oh, is this better?” Noah asked with a sly smirk on his face.

Jolly responded with a long frustrated sigh, “You’re such a dick.” Then wrapped his legs around the seat, resting his feet onto Noah’s chest, and then swinging both of his arms around the back of his head to rest his head onto them. “Ahhh, this is much better.”

“Dude! You’ve got your fucking shoes on and this is one of my favorite shirts! You’re gonna get Jesus all dirty! Have some respect man!” Noah exclaimed while throwing Jolly’s feet off of him.

“Then move your seat up!”

“Yo! You guys are gonna break my car!” Michael shouted while pulling into the driveway of our house.

“It’s like living with toddlers, I swear. I said as Michael put the car in park. I then turned to grab the door handle and stepped out onto the pavement.

Jolly and Noah were still bickering behind me as I made my way up to the front door. Then inserted my house key into the lock and stepped inside.

“Oh yuck, it’s way too hot in here. Who the fuck touched the AC?” Noah proclaimed while stepping into the house after me and walking over to the thermostat that sat on the wall.

Michael who was now standing next to me threw his hands up, “It was me! I woke up this morning and could see my fucking breath dude. That’s not normal! I’m going to get a cold.”

“Oh quit being a fucking pussy.” Noah responded while clicking the AC back down. “My session with Ash is in thirty minutes and I swear if this thing is touched by the time I get back I’m fucking shit up.”

I headed towards the staircase to make my way up to my bedroom. Leaving the voices of my bickering roommates to fade into the background. I then made my way down the hall and towards the first door on the right. Grabbing the silver handle of my bedroom door and then stepping inside.

Once in my room I kicked off my black boots and slid them to the side of the door with my foot. I then set the white paper cup from earlier on the nightstand next to my bed and then plopped down on the mattress before me.

Once situated in bed I turned over to grab my phone out of my back pocket then looked over at the cup sitting next to me on the nightstand.

Opening up the contacts tab of my phone, I clicked the create new contact button. Entering in Y/N’s number and then saving the contact as, "The most beautiful girl in the world.”

READER

The moment I stepped back behind the counter after speaking with Jesse, Kate was immediately on me. Dying to hear all about mine and Jesse’s conversation and all of the details.

It was Sunday so the cafe and bookstore closed early. It was the only day of the week we closed at 6pm.

Since Sunday’s typically were the slowest day of the week for us Kate always scheduled me and her to close together.

While we spent the rest of our shifts cleaning up and closing down the cafe, I told Kate all about mine and Jesse’s conversation and how he had asked me for my number. To which I’m sure my face was bright red the entire time.

I then told her about me writing my number on the cup but left out the details about the other note I had written above it. That was for Jesse only.

“Soooo, do you think he’s going to text you tonight?” Kate asked with anticipation while she was counting down the register drawer.

“I don’t know, but I sure hope so. He seemed really happy after I wrote my number down for him.”

“Well of course he did, Y’N. You’re gorgeous and you’re one of the kindest people I know. He would be dumb to pass up any opportunity with you.”

“That’s very sweet of you but, you’re my sister and you’re supposed to say those things.” I responded back with a chuckle.

“I don’t have to say anything. It's true. You’re not like the other typical girls here in LA. No shade to them, but you have more interests than shopping, Cesar salads, and Starbucks.”

I let out another chuckle at her response while finishing wiping down the espresso machines.

“Jesse lucked out by crossing paths with you, Y/N. Like I said before, he would be stupid to pass up something like this. But my gut tells me that Jesse also isn’t like the other typical guys in LA. You know my gut feeling is usually never wrong.”

I hated to admit it but it was true. Kate always had a way of knowing things. I’ve always joked with her about how she chose the wrong degree to pursue and instead of going to school to become an art teacher, she should have gone to school to become a detective.

I also joked with her that if the art teacher thing didn’t pan out, at least she would have a back up plan. She also never found that one very funny either.

My phone suddenly vibrated in my front hoodie pocket and I eagerly pulled it out, almost dropping it onto the floor.

“Nice catch.” Kate said while she turned to look back over at me after putting the cash from the drawer in the safe envelope.

“Thank you”, I replied back while clicking open my phone to quickly scroll past my Lock Screen and over to my notifications.

Medication Log

This is your reminder to take your 7pm “Birth Control”.

With a disappointing sigh I clicked the button on the side of my phone to turn off the screen and slid it back into my front hoodie pocket.

“I take it that it wasn't a text from Jesse?” Kate asked while taking off her apron.

“No, just my birth control reminder.”

“I’m sorry sis, maybe by the time we get back home he’ll send a text? He might not want to come off desperate or anything. He’s a guy, they’re usually always overthinking those kinds of things.”

Untying my apron and wrapping it over my arm, I turned to click off the cafe lights and then opened the silver door for me and Kate to walk through.

We then made our way to the back office where we kept our belongings and I grabbed my purse out from under the desk and pulled my car keys out of the front pocket.

Looping them around my finger and then motioning towards the back cafe door and out into the parking lot.

With Kate behind me she turned to insert her cafe key into the lock, double checking and twisting the knob a few times to make sure the door was securely locked before we both headed towards our cars.

Before opening her car door Kate hollered over at me, “Hey don’t let it get to you too much. He could just be busy or something. When we get home I’ll order us a pizza and we can watch those cheesy paranormal investigation shows you love so much.”

“Yeah”, I sighed into my car door. “You’re right, he’s probably just busy or something. But pizza sounds good. I follow you tonight on the way home?” I asked before finally opening my car door to sit inside.

“Sounds like a plan!” Kate yelled out from her window before starting her car and backing out of the parking space.

I inserted and turned the keys into the ignition and then backed out of the parking space to follow behind Kate towards our apartment.

READER

Once me and Kate got back home I immediately headed towards my bedroom. Thankfully my bathroom was attached to my room so once I was inside I stripped myself out of my coffee scented work clothes.

Tossing them into the hamper inside my closet and then making my way to the bathroom to turn the shower on, twisting the handle all the way to the hot side.

Before getting undressed I had set my phone on my nightstand and plugged it into the charger. Hopeful that I would receive a text from a certain someone. So I wanted to make sure my battery was fully charged. Just in case.

I pulled the shower curtain back once the bathroom was filled up with enough steam letting me know the water was hot. I then stepped inside and let the water run over my back and my face.

When my eyes shut I immediately envisioned Jesse’s face in my mind.

I began to wonder what it would be like if he was here, in the shower with me right now. How he would look standing in front of me, completely naked, while the hot water dripped down the tattoos that covered his skin.

My hands began to lower from my face and slowly down my neck making way to my chest. The thoughts kept coming, each time growing louder and louder, all filled with Jesse.

How if he were here he’d have his arms wrapped around me, leaving kisses all over my shoulders and back. Holding me tightly against him while our bodies molded perfectly to each other.

Then how he’d have me pinned up against the tiled wall, holding me up with both of his hands on my ass, fucking ruthlessly into me. The both of us moaning into each other's mouths while the hot water continues to fall on both our bodies.

My hands now past my breasts sliding further down my core and making their way to my pussy. I slipped two fingers between my folds and I was soaked. These thoughts of Jesse alone set both my heart and my pussy on fire.

I inserted both fingers inside of me and began to pump them in and out while continuing to picture Jesse having his way with me. How he’d slap my ass and bite my neck, and how I would lightly scratch my nails into his back and tug on his curls while his cock stretched me open.

My fingers moved faster and faster and I could feel my core tightening. I bit my bottom lip and desperately wished that it was Jesse’s fingers inside of me right now rather than my own.

Feeling my release building up I let out a moan while my orgasm shook through me. My legs almost buckling out from under me.

It had been a long time since I last masturbated. With all the hours I was working at the cafe I was always too tired to even think about pleasuring myself these last few weeks.

“This man is going to be a problem.” I said out loud to myself while pulling the shower head down from the holder.

I began to run the water over the rest of my body so I could finally begin washing my hair and my body.

JESSE

Noah came back from his session with Ash about two hours ago. While he was gone Michael, Jolly, and I played Grand Theft Auto out on the living room TV.

All of us seated on the couch laughing together, spending way too long putting in cheat codes to fall out of the sky and trying to land into the swimming pools.

Michael had mentioned ordering Chinese food earlier so I sent Noah a text asking if wanted anything.

Which ended up working out since the martial arts academy where Noah trains is in the same complex as the Chinese restaurant we always order from. So he was able to walk next door and grab the food before coming back home.

All of us were seated in the kitchen. Noah was sitting on top of the counter still in his kickboxing shorts and black tee shirt from his session earlier. Michael sat on the island countertop across from Noah in just a pair of blue and white plaid pajama pants.

Jolly and I sat at the kitchen table together. Jolly was also wearing a pair of solid black pajama pants and a white tank top. I had changed into a pair of blue sweatpants and a gray tee shirt earlier before coming down to play GTA with the boys.

“So Jesse, have you texted Y\N yet?” Noah asked while taking a bite out of his lo-mein.

I’ve been thinking about texting her since the second I got into the backseat of Michael’s car.

“No not yet, I know she was busy at work and I didn’t want to be a bother. I think the cafe closes around nine or ten? So I was waiting until around then to shoot her a text.”

“My guy!” Jolly shouted with his mouth full from the egg roll he just bit into. “Smart to text her when she isn’t distracted. That way you can get a better conversation going.”

“For once Jolly is making sense.” Michael started with a laugh. “I’m proud of you Jesse. She seems really into you man and you both seemed real into each other back at the cafe. I can’t remember a time when you weren’t out in public somewhere shaking with nerves.”

“I’m not always shaking with nerves when I’m out in public.”

“Being on stage with ERRA doesn’t count man.” Jolly chimed in.

“Hey that’s different Jolly you know that.” Noah stated while going to take another bite of his fried rice.

I brushed a hand over my face before going back in to take a bite of my wonton soup. “Gee guys, thanks for the pep talk.”

“We’re just giving you a hard time Jess. Seriously we’re super stoked for you man. She seems like a cool girl and you two really hit it off.” Michael said while hopping down off the counter and placing the lid back on top of his chicken chow mein.

“Thanks man, she is a super cool girl and I can’t wait to talk to her and learn more about her.”

“Just take it slow, I know you know what you’re doing. But take it from me dude, don’t jump into something super fast without really analyzing the situation from all points.” Noah added.

“I appreciate all the words of advice and encouragement guys. Seriously. Even though you all get on my goddamn nerves I love you and it’s nice to share a space with you all sometimes.”

“Sometimes?!?!l" Jolly blurted out with his mouth still full of food. “Don’t act like I’m not your favorite roommate Jess. Who else would jump off the roof with you and into the pool at 3am?”

“That’s very true. Noah was too busy getting his beauty sleep and Michael was too much of a pussy to step out onto the roof.”

“Hey! It had rained earlier that day and the roof was wet. I was not about to put myself in a dangerous situation where I could have slipped and potentially died.” Michael responded while throwing his hands up.

“Such a drama queen.” I said with a laugh.

I clicked the lid back onto the wonton soup that was left over in the container. Then I made my way towards the fridge to set the container of soup inside on the top shelf next to the other items of food that were mine.

“Well, it’s time for this old man to get to bed.”

“You mean to go text Y/N?” Noah responded.

With a smile on my face and a roll of my eyes I turned from my three roommates and made my way out of the kitchen and back into the front room to ascend up the stairs and towards my bedroom.

“Have fun!!” The three of them all called out from the kitchen.

Making my way back into my room, I pulled my phone out from my pocket and pulled up Y/N’s contact. Clicking on the message bubble underneath her contact photo, working my fingers against the screen to type out a message.

I then sat down in my black office chair and set my phone screen side up on the desk before me. Then I rolled the chair over to grab my red Ibanez guitar off the stand to play a few notes to keep my anxious mind occupied while I awaited a response back.

READER

Finishing with washing my body I turned to shut the shower off. Wringing the water out from my hair before stepping onto the black bath mat.

I reached over to the towel rack and grabbed my lavender colored hair towel bending over to wrap my hair up first. Once my hair was securely wrapped I then grabbed the larger green towel to wrap around my body.

Once covered I made my way to the sink and did my nighttime face routine. Finishing it off brushing my teeth and with a garggle of mouth wash.

I then opened the bathroom door fully and stepped out into the chilly air of my bedroom. The goosebumps casting over my body being a definite sign Kate had already set the thermostat down to the usual temperature of Alaska for the night.

I walked over to my dresser to open the smallest drawer on the top that was filled with all my panties. Grabbing the first pair on top which was a sheer black thong. I then bent down to the third drawer which was filled with all my t-shirts and pulled out an old oversized rainbow tie dye shirt I got forever ago back in Florida.

Then finished my nighttime pajama set with a pair of fluffy pink socks to help keep my toes from going numb in the middle of the light.

Before making my way into bed I grabbed my phone off the nightstand that was sitting face down. I took a deep breath before turning it over to click the screen on. A text notification suddenly showing up across the top of the screen from a number I didn’t recognize.

Was this him?

With my heart beat picking up pace I scrolled up on my Home Screen and clicked the text notification to pull up the text thread.

From Unknown Number: Hey you, I was going to text you earlier but I figured you were busy with work. Hopefully it’s not too late and I didn’t wake you. I just couldn’t stop thinking about you and those delicious orange scones. Hope to hear back from you soon. - Jesse😊

A giant smile spread across my face as I quickly saved Jesse’s number to my phone. Then eagerly typed back my response.

Y/N: Hey, I’m sorry for responding back late. I was in the shower and just now got out and saw your text. Work thankfully wasn’t too busy after you guys left. Sundays are usually pretty easy since we close at 6 and it’s always me & Kate closing. But, I’m definitely going to have to make a mental note to make an extra plate of orange scones, just for you.😉

JESSE🌺: You don’t ever have to apologize for responding late. Admittedly, I’m a bad texter myself so I totally get it. But, I’ll try to make a habit out of becoming better, especially now that I’m texting you. Also will definitely be looking forward to my own special plate of Y’N scones.

Y/N: You know how to make a girl blush, Jesse. I’m glad you liked the scones. Did the matcha latte come to meet the same standards? You can be honest…

JESSE🌺: I’ve never had a matcha latte before today and I honestly didn’t even know what that was. But, I will never order any other drink again. Hands down the best latte I’ve ever had. Thank you for helping me get outside the box and trying something new.

God, this man was making my heart flutter. I swear it could have beaten right out of my chest.

Y/N: Are you sure? Or are you just saying that to try to get on my good side?🤔

JESSE🌺: Wait. Was I not on your good side before?🥺

Y/N: Hmm…Well, as long as you keep coming to see me then yes, I’d say that you’re on my good side, Jesse.

JESSE🌺: Are you working tomorrow? I’m craving an orange scone and a matcha latte… and another face to face conversation with the beautiful girl that made them for me.

My cheeks instantly flushed pink and I could feel the warmth building from within them. My stomach was doing flips and every time a new message from Jesse came through I would let out a little squeal. I forgot what it felt like to feel like this for someone. Jesse made me giddy with excitement and every time I talked to him, I just couldn’t help but smile the entire time.

I took a deep breath in an attempt to help calm my nerves before texting Jesse back.

Y/N: I’m actually off tomorrow, which is a miracle. I worked the last three weekends straight to help Kate out with the morning bakes so she promised to give me this weekend off.

I bit my bottom lip and let my fingers dance over the keyboard of my phone. Feeling braver than normal, I typed out another text and quickly hit send before allowing myself to overthink the situation and backing out.

Y/N: But, I don’t have any plans or anything. If you wanted to maybe catch up for a bit, if you’re free?

Oh god. Was that too forward? Is he going to think that I’m weird? Already asking to hang out outside of the cafe only after our two short conversations. I shouldn’t have sent the second text. I got too confident and now I probably blew it.

My phone suddenly buzzed against my chest and I eagerly flipped it over to open the incoming text message.

JESSE🌺: Did you read my mind? I was just going to ask you if you wanted to go grab lunch together since you aren’t working. Do you like sushi?

My giant smile instantly returned.

Y/N: Great minds think alike I guess! But yes, I love sushi!😊

JESSE🌺: There’s this really great sushi place that’s a few minutes from my place. Me and my roommates eat there all the time and it’s one of my favorite spots in all of LA. If you’d like I can pick you up and we could ride over together? If you’re comfortable of course.

Another squeal left my mouth and I excitedly tapped away my response.

Y/N: That’s very kind of you, Jesse. I would love to ride over together! What time should I be ready?

JESSE🌺: I can pick you up at 11:30? Then we’d make it there right on time at noon for lunch. If that works for you.😊

Y/N: 11:30 is perfect! I’m looking forward to it!

JESSE🌺: Me too, and I was already having a hard time keeping you off my mind… Now I’ll be up all night counting down the hours until I’m seeing you again.

Y/N: You really are a charmer, Jesse. I’ll be counting down the hours until I see you again too, handsome. Thank you again for inviting me out.🥰

JESSE🌺: Anytime, gorgeous. I hope you have sweet dreams. I’m going to attempt to force myself to go to sleep so that the time goes by quicker. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.

Y/N: Sweet dreams to you too, Jesse. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow as well. Good night.❤️

I rolled over on my side to face my nightstand once again. Grabbing my charger off the top and inserting it into the bottom of my phone to charge.

I opened up my alarm app and set an alarm for 9am to ensure I had plenty of time to wake up and get ready for tomorrow.

With my alarm set, I rolled back over in bed, kicking my feet under the covers with excitement. The cold air that filled my room suddenly forced itself under the covers once I kicked my feet and I immediately tucked the blankets back underneath me in a makeshift cocoon.

With one arm lazily laying on the pillow above my head I closed my eyes, with a big smile still spread across my face, and attempted to fall asleep so I could be greeted with the sight of Jesse once again.

JESSE

Holy fuck. I did it, I’m taking Y/N out for lunch tomorrow.

Throughout texting with Y/N I had made my way back over and into my bed. I was tucked under my dark green comforter and my room was casted in a cozy glow from the red lava lamp that sat atop my dresser.

Me and Y/N had spent the last few hours texting back and forth. Her last message came through at almost 1am.

I laid here in bed in an attempt to drift off to sleep once I shut my eyes. But, my mind kept wandering back to that first text message I had received from her.

“Hey, I’m sorry for responding back late. I was in the shower and just now got out and saw your text. Work thankfully wasn’t too busy after you guys left. Sundays are usually pretty easy since we close at 6 and it’s always me & Kate closing. But, I’m definitely going to have to make a mental note to make an extra plate of orange scones, just for you.😉”

One specific part replaying in my mind.

“I was in the shower.”

Fuck. It’s not right to be thinking those thoughts about her. What would she think if she knew that the last few hours while talking with me, I couldn’t help myself from picturing what she looked like standing there, with the warm water running down her naked form.

I shook my head in an attempt to keep the thoughts out.

But it was unsuccessful. They immediately came crawling right back the second I closed my eyes again. I could feel my cock twitching underneath the covers from within my briefs.

What was this hold she had over me? No other girl has ever consumed me like she does. She’s intoxicating and my soul longs to get its fix, never fully satisfied, always desperately longing for more.

More time with her, more conversations with her, more of her in general.

Images of Y/N standing bare in the shower kept flashing in my mind. Water running down her slender form, the steam casting a warm glow all over her body.

I licked my lips at the thought alone. Wishing so desperately this vision was real. That I was standing there in that shower with her.

My eyes tracing over every single curve. Dragging my hands over her entire form and leaving sweet kisses all over her body.

My cock was hard and I could feel it pressing even harder against my briefs. Begging for release.

I ran my hand under the covers, pulling my cock out, and firmly grasped it, beginning to slowly stroke up and down.

Grunts creeped out of my mouth as I continued to stroke my cock up and down. Taking my thumb to brush along the top, gathering the precum that was oozing out of the slit.

I pictured myself behind Y/N, having her bent over with both of her hands placed on both sides of the tub, bare ass up in the air for me as the warm water fell over both of our bodies.

My hands gripping the sides of her hips and as I dig my fingertips into her to keep my grip.

Her breasts motioning back and forth from me fucking her from behind, droplets of water falling from her nipples and onto the tub below us.

Y/N’s soft moans echoing off of the bathroom walls, sounding like pure bliss to my ears. With the sounds of our skin smacking against each other.

“Oh god Jesse. Your cock feels so fucking good inside of me.”

I smack her ass, leaving a light pink hand print on the side of her left ass cheek.

My strokes getting faster now and my breathing becoming erratic. My heart was pumping with adrenaline and I knew it wouldn’t be much longer before my release spilled into my hands.

My stomach began to tighten and my orgasm seconds away from completely overtaking me.

“YO JESSE!” Three loud bangs to the front of my bedroom door.

I sprang up in my bed, knocking the sheets off of me and onto the floor, my heart almost falling right out of my ass.

“We know your ass isn’t asleep! Whenever you’re done in there texting your little crush get your ass downstairs! Noah wants to rewatch Game Of Thrones!” Michael shouted from the opposite side of my door.

“Uhh, uh, yeah, just give me a minute and I’ll be down there.”

“Why do you sound so out of breath? Oh no, don’t tell me… GUYS I THINK JESSE IS BEATING HIS MEAT!!”

Just like that, my dignity was gone along with my orgasm.

“Fuck off! I was just tidying up my room and the sheets were giving me a hard time. The top right corner kept coming off.” I replied while still trying to catch my breath.

“Riiiiiiight. Well we’ll be on the couch waiting while you get your dick back in your pants.”

“My dick is in my pants idiot.” I replied while pulling my sweatpants back up my legs and over my briefs.

With a long sigh I quickly patted down my messy bed ridden hair and adjusted my shirt. With everything back in order and my breathing back to normal I headed over towards my bedroom door and opened it. Being greeted by Michael who was leaning against the wall with a sly smirk on his face.

Ignoring him, I immediately turned towards the staircase and made my way down to the front room where my two other roommates were laying on the couch with the Game Of Thrones opening playing on the TV.

READER

My alarm abruptly woke me from my deep sleep. I turned over to silence it and to look at the time. The clock read back 9am.

I set my phone back down on the nightstand before me and stretched out my arms above my head and let out a long yawn.

Mine and Jesse’s text messages replaying in my mind from last night.

I finally rolled out of bed, the excitement of mine and Jesse’s lunch date giving me all the energy I needed to not snooze my alarm another four times like usual.

I sprang over to my closet and clicked on the light switch. Rummaging through all my clothes on the hangers before me. I wanted to make sure my outfit was perfect for today.

Something that would be cute and show effort, but nothing too crazy that made me look like I was trying too hard.

I finally came across one of my short black dresses and I pulled it out to take a full look at it. Not remembering the last time I had worn it. Which was a real shame because I had forgotten how much I loved this dress.

I turned to the opposite side of the closet where I kept my long sleeves and sweaters hung. I reached for a white turtleneck long sleeve. I wanted to pair it with the dress to look a little more formal for a lunch date.

With the dress and shirt both in my hands I made my way back out to my bedroom and tossed them on the bed. I then made my way over to my dresser along the wall and reached into my sock drawer to pull out a pair of black sheer tights.

Walking back over to my bed, I quickly undressed out of my oversized shirt and socks from last night and began dressing in the clothes before me.

With everything on I walked over to my black sticker covered mirror that hung on the wall beside my closet.

Taking a good once over at my outfit. I was happy with how everything looked. I then made my way back into my closet to pull out my black platform doc marten boots.

Grabbing a pair of high black socks out of my dresser and putting them on before slipping into my doc’s.

My outfit now finally complete. I made my way into my bathroom and brushed my teeth and settled on putting my hair into a braid. It was a warmer day in LA today and with the longsleeve and tights I knew it would be too hot to wear it down.

Once back into my bedroom I decided to throw on some jewelry. I opened the small jewelry box that sat on top of my dresser and grabbed out a few silver rings and a simple silver chain necklace. I then grabbed out a pair of my black dangle flower earrings and did one last look over in the mirror.

Adjusting my hair to sit on my right shoulder, I smoothed down my dress and then grabbed my black bag off the hook from the back of my bedroom door. Then sprayed myself all over with my coconut vanilla body mist.

Before grabbing the door handle I quickly checked my phone. The time now showing 10:15am. I let out a small nervous breath and shook out the nerves before finally opening my door and stepping out into the hallway.

I ended up falling asleep after texting Jesse so I never made it back out to watch Ghost Adventures with Kate last night.

Thankfully she worked this morning so I was able to avoid her wrath until later tonight when I got back home.

I walked over to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water out from the fridge. Taking a few sips to help with the nervous knots that were forming in my stomach.

My text tone suddenly went off from my phone in the front pocket of my purse. I reached in to grab it and pulled it out to be greeted with a text message from Jesse showing across the screen.

Those giddy butterflies suddenly forming again.

JESSE🌺: Good morning, gorgeous. I just wanted to let you know that I’m walking out my front door and heading to my car now. Could you text me your address?

The excited squeals also came back as I typed out my address and hit send.

JESSE🌺: GPS says I should be there in 15! Looking forward to lunch with you. See you soon.😊

Y/N: Looking forward to lunch with you too, handsome. Thank you again for coming to pick me up. See you soon!🩵

JESSE

Letting out a deep breath I inserted my keys into the ignition and turned on the car. The AC immediately blasting me in the face.

I reached over to the center console below the touch screen radio and twisted the AC knob down a few clicks.

With Y/N’s address loaded up on my phone, I reached for my phone chord and plugged it in to showcase the GPS on the center screen before me.

Before clicking go, I did a quick look over in the rear view mirror and adjusted my hair. Making sure my curls were in order.

I patted down the gray corduroy botton up that I layered over one of my white t-shirts and dusted off a few pieces of lint from the top of my jeans.

Finally hitting go on the maps app on my phone the directions loaded up onto the screen and I put my car in reverse to back out of the driveway and onto the street.

Y/N’s place was only a fifteen minute drive from my house.

I pulled into her apartment complex, driving through the street slowly to make sure I didn’t pass up her building. The nerves now starting to set in.

What if she decides not to come out? Is my outfit okay? Should I have worn something else? Is my cologne strong enough? I hope I smell okay…

Shaking the thoughts out in an attempt to clear my head I appeared in front of Y/N’s apartment building. Parking in one of the guest spots out front.

I reached over for my phone and pulled up her contact to send her a quick text message letting her know that I was outside.

Y/N: Coming down now!😊

Oh shit. She’s coming. This is actually happening.

Letting out another deep breath I clicked the unlock botton for the doors and anxiously waited for her to make her way into the parking lot while nervously tapping my hands on my knees.

When all of a sudden she appeared out from the staircase in the center of the building. The sunlight bouncing off of her hair that she put into a braid, resting on her shoulder.

Her pale skin glistened with every step she took and the black dress she wore hugged her body perfectly. The black sheer tights wrapped around her toned legs and I licked my lips at the sight of her. She was fucking beautiful.

As she neared closer I quickly reached for my door handle and stepped out of my car. Making my way over to the passenger side to open the door for her.

The bouquet of pink flowers I had purchased earlier this morning rested on the passenger seat.

“Hey you!” Y/N said with a smile on her face as she came up next to me. “You didn’t have to get the door for me Jesse, I feel bad that you had to get out of the cool AC.”

I returned a smile back to her. “I would never make a girl as gorgeous as you open the door while I just sat inside the car.”

Y/N bent down, her face lighting up as soon as she saw the flowers sitting in the seat. “Oh my gosh Jesse, are these for me?”

“Yeah, I hope it’s not too much. I saw them today when I was out doing some grocery shopping with my roommates. That shade of pink is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen and it reminded me of you.”

I swallowed hard, hoping that what I just said didn’t sound weird. But it was true, I meant every word.

With Y/N now sitting in the seat with the flowers resting in her lap I closed the door behind her and made my way back over to the driver's side. Climbing in and pulling my seatbelt down over me.

“Jesse, thank you so much. These are beautiful!” Y/N brought the flowers up to her nose to take a small whiff. “And they smell incredible.”

“You don’t have to thank me. If anything I should be thanking you for giving me the pleasure of taking you out to lunch today.” I pulled up the address of the sushi place on my phone and put it on the center console screen.

As I put the car in reverse I glanced back over at Y/N who was sitting with her legs crossed. Her legs looked so sexy in those tights and thoughts of rubbing my hands over her thighs quickly rushed into my brain.

This was the first time I had seen her outside of the cafe and the first time her legs weren’t hidden behind her usual work attire. It was driving me crazy.

“I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but you look absolutely beautiful Y/N.”

She looked over at me and I could feel her gaze casting against the side of my cheek as I stared at the road before me. Both hands nervously gripping the steering wheel.

“That’s very sweet Jesse. I hope you don’t mind me saying this either, but you look very handsome. I really like that shirt on you.”

I wasn’t sure if her licking her lips after saying that was real or if I had imagined it. However, it didn’t help the thoughts that kept creeping into the back of my mind. Or the temptation of stealing glances at her crossed legs.

I could feel my cock starting to get hard from under my jeans and I adjusted in my seat in an attempt to hide it.

The AC caused a few of her stray hairs to blow around and as she tucked them behind her ears I began to pick up on the smell of her vanilla coconut perfume. The same scent that hit me like a ton of bricks the first time she walked past me that first day I saw her.

“Is the AC okay? I asked while clearing my throat. “If it’s too hot or too cold I can adjust it.”

“Oh no, it’s perfect actually.”

She was perfect.

“I seriously can not thank you enough Jesse, for all of this. This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

I made a left turn to pull into the parking lot and pulled into one of the spots directly out front of the sushi restaurant.

“You don’t have to thank me, Y/N. Seriously, it’s the least that I could do. I can’t thank you enough for coming to get sushi with me. I’ve been looking forward to this since you agreed last night.

I put the car in park and clicked off my seatbelt. After turning the car off I reached for the door handle and stepped outside onto the pavement. Then I made my way around the car and back at the passenger side to open Y/N’s door.

“Do you think the flowers will be ok in the car while we eat?” She asked while stepping out and flattening down her dress.

“We shouldn't be in there for too long so they should be fine.”

“Okay, they’re just so beautiful I don’t want anything to happen to them.” She said with a light giggle and then placed the flowers gently back down in the seat. Then reached for the seatbelt and clicked it over the bouquet.

“There. That way they’re extra secure.”

She was the cutest damn thing.

I closed the door behind her and motioned towards the door of the restaurant before us.

“Have you ever been here before?”

Y/N walked right next to me, our arms gently brushing against each other as we inched closer to the front door of the restaurant.

“No, never. This will be my first time so I’m super excited.”

A warm feeling crept over me knowing that this will be Y/N’s first time eating here and that it was with me. This was one of my usual go-to places and I was happy to be the first one she was going to experience it with.

I reached for the door handle and pulled the door open with my hand hovering over Y/N’s back as she stepped inside. The cool breeze from the AC once again blew her scent into me. My mouth always watering from the smell of vanilla coconut.

“Table for two?” The young lady from behind the counter asked as we approached the hostess stand.

“Yes please.” I replied.

She grabbed two menus out from the menu holder beside her and motioned for us to follow behind her.

Me and Y/N yet again walking side by side as our arms gently grazed up against one another.

The lady set the menus down on the table before us. “Your server will be over shortly.”

“Thank you.” I let Y/N climb into the booth first, picking which side she preferred. Once she was seated, I scooted into the booth opposite of her. I thought about sitting on the same side as her, but worried that may be too much for our first time hanging out together.

I didn’t want to do anything to make her uncomfortable or to overstep any boundaries.

Y/N picked the menu off of the table, “Oh my gosh, everything here looks delicious.” She then flipped the menu over to the back, “They even have gyoza! I can already tell I’m going to love this place.”

“Yeah, their gyoza is really good! I used to get it all the time but I could never finish it by myself so I always ended up giving the rest to one of my roommates.”

“Would you wanna share an order with me?” She asked while peering up from the menu.

I looked up to meet her gaze, “Yeah, I’d love to.”

Our server suddenly appeared at our table and laid out a stack of napkins before us, “Sorry for the wait guys, I just got double sat so I’m trying to get caught up. Thank you for being so patient. My name is Amanda and I’ll be your server this afternoon. What can I get you two to drink?”

“Oh, no worries at all! Could I have a sweet tea please?” Y/N asked.

“Ok one sweet tea and would you like lemon?”

“No thank you.”

“What can I get for you, sir?” Amanda turned her gaze away from Y/N to now look at me.

“Can I have a Coke please?”

“Alrighty one Coke. Did you guys want to start with any appetizers?”

“Yes please, we wanted to do an order of the gyoza.” I replied back.

“Would you guys like them steamed or fried?”

I glanced over at Y/N, “ladies choice.”

Y/N smiled and a slight pink hue flushed to her cheeks, “Hm, I think I’m feeling rebellious today, let’s go with fried.”

“Ok so I’ve got one sweet tea with no lemon, a Coca Cola, and an order of fried gyoza. That sound right?”

“Perfect.” I answered.

“Alright I’ll go put the gyoza in and I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

Amanda stuffed her server book into the front pocket of her apron before heading back over to the kitchen.

“It’s so cute in here, I can’t believe I’ve never checked this place out before! Especially since it’s right down the road from mine and Kate’s apartment.”

I looked around at all the Japanese themed decor and the large bonsai tree that sat in the center of the restaurant.

“Yeah it is huh? I typically order take out whenever I eat here so I sort of forgot how this place looks from the inside. Kinda feels like this is my first time here too.” I joked.

Amanda appeared back at the table with our drinks and set them down before us with two straws. “Your gyoza will be out in just a few. Have we decided on what we are having for lunch?”

“Ladies first.” I motioned over towards Y/N.

“Can I please do one of the California rolls and then one of the spicy tuna rolls?”

“Good choice.” Amanda said while writing Y/N’s order down. “How about you, sir?”

“I’ll also do one of the California rolls and one of the spicy salmon rolls please.”

“Also another good choice. Anything else or will that be it?” Amanda asked with a click of her pen.

“I think that will do it for us.” I answered back.

Amanda grabbed our menus off the table. “Alright we will have that right out for you. Your gyoza should be about ready now I’m gonna go check on it.”

Amanda reappeared a few moments later and set the plate of gyoza down in front of us. “Here you go, enjoy!”

“Thank you so much.” Me and Y/N both said at the same time.

Me and Y/N both reached for one of the gyoza’s and our hands brushed against one another. The warmth of her skin sent a shiver down my spine.

Y/N glanced up at me with those beautiful eyes and I swallowed hard. I couldn’t believe someone as beautiful as her was sitting before me right now. She made it hard to breathe.

I still don’t know what I did in this life to get so lucky to have Y/N cross my path. But whatever it was, I will spend eternity giving all my thanks.

Y/N was easily the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid my eyes on. The fact that I was sitting across from her and eating lunch with her right now still never fully set in.

She was way out of my league and I knew that I couldn’t do anything to fuck up whatever this could potentially be.

“Holy shit, this is the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.”

I looked up from the plate of gyoza to see Y/N chewing with the biggest smile across her face. “I’m glad you like them.”

“Jesse, this is hands down the best gyoza I’ve ever eaten. Thank you so much for bringing me here.”

I laughed at her comment and the cuteness of her cheeks puffing out from the gyoza she had shoved in them. “Anytime, especially if it’s with you.”

READER

My cheeks burned from how much blushing I’ve been doing the last few hours I’ve spent with Jesse.

Our sushi orders came out earlier and we both were just about finished with our meal. “Ugh, I’m absolutely stuffed.” I said while holding a hand over my stomach.

“Agreed I ate way too much, but it’s just so good I couldn’t stop.” Jesse replied back.

Our server Amanda went to go grab us boxes so we could take home the leftovers.

Jesse had his hand up on the table and I had spent the entire time stealing glances down at his hands. The way his fingers would tap against the table made my pussy clench. He had the sexiest hands I’ve ever seen and I desperately wanted them all over me.

My phone started ringing from inside my purse, causing me to break sight from Jesse’s fingertips. I reached in and pulled it out. Kate’s contact photo appearing on the screen.

“I’m so sorry, Kate is calling me. Do you mind if I take it?”

“Of course. You don’t ever have to ask permission Y/N.”

I clicked on the green answer button bringing the phone up to my ear.

“Hello?”

“So Jasmine called out tonight, of course, but before you have a heart attack, don’t worry. I’m not calling you to ask you to come in. I’m just gonna stay and close with Kristina and get my overtime pay. But I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be home until later tonight.”

“Oh shit, are you sure you’re okay with staying and closing Kate? You’ve been there since four this morning. There’s no one else you can call to come in?”

“Unfortunately no, the only person I could call in would be Tyler but he already worked this morning and I know he won’t come back and work a double.” Kate then let out a frustrated sigh. “But whatever, it’s fine. The overtime pay will get me through it.”

I glanced over at Jesse who was now putting both of our left over food into the to go boxes.

“I’m so sorry sis. If you need anything at all just text or call me.”

“I will Y/N, but I’ll be fine. It’s nothing I haven’t done before. Just one of the awesome perks that comes with being a manager. But I gotta go, Kristina is out on the floor by herself so I better go make sure she isn’t burning the place down. I’ll see you later tonight. Love you.”

“Love you too.” I replied back before pulling the phone from my ear to disconnect the call.

“Everything okay?” Jesse asked.

“Yeah, Kate got stuck having to close the cafe tonight. She’s been there since four this morning so she’s not too happy about it.”

“Oh shit, that sucks. If you need to go and help her out I totally understand. I can drop you off at the cafe if you need me to.”

“You’re so sweet to offer, Jesse. Thank you. But I couldn’t work tonight even if I wanted to. If I did it would put me in overtime and since I’m not a manager I’m not allowed to work any hours over my usual forty.”

Our server Amanda came back to the table and laid the bill upside down. “Take your time no rush! I’ll come back whenever you guys are ready.”

Jesse grabbed the bill and pulled his wallet out from his back pocket. He grabbed his card and handed it along with the receipt back to Amanda.

“Jesse what are you doing?” I asked with an eyebrow raised. “Why did you pay the bill?”

“I already told you, it’s the least I can do for you giving me the pleasure to take such a beautiful girl out to lunch with me.”

“I hope you know I’m paying you back.” I said while reaching into my purse to pull out my wallet.

“Well, what are you doing after this?”

I glanced back up at him, “Well, Kate is going to be gone all night so I’ll just be sitting at home by myself. It does get kind of creepy there at night though…”

A thought popped into my head and I wanted to take advantage of being able to spend more time with him.

“If you wanted, you could come back to the apartment with me. It would make me feel a lot safer with someone else being there. We could hang out on the couch, maybe watch a movie? Only if you’re comfortable! No pressure of course.”

Jesse stared straight into my eyes now. My heart began to pick up pace and my fingertips tingled with anticipation.

“If it gets me more time with you, I’d love nothing more. As long as you’re okay with it.”

Amanda came back to the table and handed Jesse’s card to him. “Thank you guys so much. You both have a great day and come back soon.”

Jesse wrote his signature down on the receipt and I went to stop him before he wrote down an amount on the tip line.

“You paid for lunch, at least let me get the tip.”

“Not a chance.” Jesse responded while going back to finish writing out the tip amount on the receipt.

“You’re a stubborn one, Jesse.” I said with a smirk on my face.

“You know, that’s not the first time someone has told me that. You can make it up to me with a promise of more orange scones to come.” He responded back with a wink.

Jesse then pushed up off the table with both hands standing up out of the booth and took a step to stand directly in front of where I was sitting.

He then put his hand out, “You ready to get outta here?”

I reached for his hand and he helped me up out of the booth. “Thank you, Jesse.” His hand was softer this time but as warm as ever.

My hand fit perfectly inside of his, like it was meant to be there. When he closed his hand to wrap around the front of mine I let out a shaky breath. The only thing I could think about was how bad I didn’t want to let go.

We walked through the restaurant hand in hand and towards the front door. Making our way back out into the parking lot.

Jesse kept his hand in mine all the way back to his car before making sure to open the passenger side door once again for me.

I climbed inside of the car and Jesse made his way back over into the driver's side seat. “So, back to your place?” He asked before putting my address back into the GPS and clicking go.

#jesse cash #ghost atlas #jesse cash fic #jesse cash fanfiction #jesse cash x reader #tomato red

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millersdjarin · 2 years

Text

Some Invisible String

Chapter IV: When You're Young, You Just Run

Pairing: Joel Miller x F!Reader (afab)

Rating: E (eventually)

Summary: Ten years after Reader left Joel for reasons he still doesn't know, they find themselves together again in a town called Jackson. Joel has questions he's too afraid to ask; and Reader dreads having to give the answers.

Chapter length: 4.2k

Warnings/Tags: injury recovery, light angst

Chapter III

Series Masterlist

notes: second to last chapter ahhh! thank u for reading and enjoying this fic with me, you're all just great humans!

Joel takes me up a nearby hill outside of the town’s walls, through old trails, over fallen trees and across the crunchy snow. I wrap my arms around him, pressing the side of my face into the back of his jacket, and I tell myself that it’s to shelter my face from the oncoming icy wind.

The view up here is incredible, stretching across the entire town and all the way to the hydro-plant beyond. Mountains surround us, covered in white, with light grey clouds hanging low over them and blue skies higher up. I can see birds of prey soaring up above us; could probably hear them if I listened closely enough. Despite the wind and the gentle crunch of Felix’s hooves on the snow, it’s so silent out here.

These days, silence isn’t necessarily the same thing as safe, but Joel tells me that this is one of his regular patrol routes, and he knows it well. If anything’s hiding somewhere, he knows where they’ll be.

So I just enjoy it.

Eventually we find our way to a building that looks half-snowed under. It’s not entirely covered, though; it’s a lookout post, probably used for fire watch way back when. A decent size, but only a square, the windows are mostly boarded up, except for one on each wall. Joel unlocks the door and the five padlocks that hold it shut. Before leading Felix inside, he helps me down, holding my weight until I’m stable.

Once we’re all in, and Felix is munching happily on the net of hay that’s already strung up in here, I take a moment to look around. There’s a hunting rifle propped up in the corner, along with some ammunition, and a bow sitting next to it with a few arrows strewn across the floor. A wicker bench, like something from a garden furniture set, is in front of one of the windows, complete with a pillow and a blanket. In the other corner there’s a fold-up chair beside a locked case, presumably full of more supplies.

“We keep it stocked for an emergency,” Joel explains, leading me over to the bench. I can manage without my crutches now, but the cold makes it harder, so he supports me around my waist until I’m sitting down. “People’ve got stuck here in blizzards before.”

“Thought you said this place was safe?” I joke.

He chuckles and grabs the blanket, wrapping it carefully around my shoulders. “It is. I promise. Here, put your leg up.” He gestures for me to turn in my place, taking a gentle hold of my ankle. Following his guidance, I lift up my leg and grimace at the discomfort. It feels better for having it up, though.

“Warm enough?” Joel asks.

“For now,” I say. “Depends how long you keep me here.”

“You make it sound like I’m holding you prisoner,” he pulls across the fold-out chair, takes off his backpack before sitting down opposite me.

“I mean, I can’t exactly leave on my own right now,” I smirk, gesturing to my leg.

He reaches into his backpack and pulls out his canteen. “How’s it feeling?”

“Better. A lot better.”

“Amazing what a little rest can do, huh?”

“Yeah. You’d know.”

He looks up at me and raises an eyebrow. “Really, with the sarcasm?”

“We all know you don’t know how to just stop and rest,” I say. “Don’t think I’ve seen you chill out since…well, ever.”

He holds up his flask like it’s proving a point, and gestures to the room around him. “What does it look like I’m doin’ now?”

The light from the windows surrounds us, casting shadows over his face. His cheeks are flushed pink from the cold, his lips just a little blue. It takes me a moment to gather my thoughts enough to respond, but before I can, he reaches into his pack and pulls out two…whisky glasses?

When he opens his flask and pours it, I expect to see water. But, nope. A golden amber liquid flows out into the glasses, and the smell hits me in an instant.

Yup, that’s whisky alright.

“Joel,” I gasp teasingly, “are you usually such a rebel on patrol?”

Grinning lopsidedly, he hands me one of the glasses. “This ain’t a patrol,” he says. I take it from him, and our fingers brush together for a second. “And it’s good for warmth.”

“Ah. And here I thought you were finally going to chill out.”

“Alright, alright,” he shakes his head and uses his own glass to gesture to mine. “Drink.”

“What are we drinking to?”

He doesn’t answer. He looks up and takes a good sip, smacking his lips after he’s swallowed. I watch the movement in his throat; his Adam’s apple bobbing down then up again. His eyes follow the glass as he lowers it again.

I wait for him to speak. Nervous, I lift my own glass to my lips and take a sip. It’s good. The best I’ve had in years, actually. The warmth goes all the way down my throat and to my insides, spreading through me in an instant. It makes me shiver in the best way. “Damn,” I say into the quiet. “That’s good shit. Strong, though.”

Joel nods in agreement. “Best in my collection.”

“Collection, huh? You’re living it up here in Jackson.”

“Sure am,” he smiles, wry. Tips his glass at me, then takes another sip. A small moment of quiet passes. “What brought you to Wyoming?” He asks then, surprising me. “Were you comin’ to Jackson?”

“No,” I almost laugh. “How would I have known about it? And besides, if I’d known there were so many people here I’d have stayed well away.”

“People find us in all sorts of ways. You’d be surprised how fast news travels.”

I shrug a shoulder and take another drink.

“So where’d you go?” He asks. Then, as if he wanted to word it differently, “I mean—where’ve you been? Since you…since we parted ways?”

“Here and there. I wanted to go South for the winter, but my plans went South instead, I guess.”

“You were alone when we found you,” he says, glancing up at me. “Have there been…any other groups since the old days? Friends…partners?”

I shake my head. For a moment, my thoughts are too bleak to say anything. I think of what it was like to be a hunter. It was hell. Carnage every day and night. Tommy and I used to talk of leaving; Joel was always reluctant, saying that we were safer staying put. He was probably right—that is, if my feelings hadn’t gotten in the way.

After that, it seemed better to be alone.

“No,” I answer eventually, staring solemnly down at my nearly-empty drink. It’s giving my head a nice buzz. A little burn in the back of my throat. If I really let myself, I could believe that we're in a cabin in the mountains during normal life, on vacation, sitting and enjoying a drink on the stoop before heading to bed.

“You…you’ve been alone this whole time?”

“Yeah,” I sigh.

He’s surprised into silence, it seems.

I glance up at him and catch him staring. He looks away straight away, but I see something on his face. Something sad. A slight crease in his brow, his mouth open a little like he can’t quite believe what he’s hearing; like what he’s hearing devastates him.

“Jesus Christ,” he curses eventually, just a breath. Staring at nothing, he shakes his head. “You survived on your own all this time.…”

“Yeah. I mean, I wouldn’t have survived this,” I motion to my leg, “if I’d been alone last week. But other than that…yeah. Just me. Sometimes it’s easier like that. Easier to slip past people unnoticed.”

He still looks upset. He opens his mouth like he wants to say something, then closes it again. I want him to look at me so badly that it hurts. I want him to turn to me and let the morning sunlight shine on his face and make all the coldness around me fade away.

I never thought I’d see him again. I thought I was dying, I thought I was hearing things when his voice came to me.

“Joel…” I start, finding a lump in my throat I hadn’t noticed before.

“You didn’t have to leave,” he says before I can say any more. Finally, he looks at me, and there is so much sadness and regret in his eyes that it actually hurts. “You hear me?” He asks. “You never had to leave. Back then. You could’ve stayed.”

“Joel…I already told you, I couldn’t let myself…”

He sighs. Looks away again, down at his glass, shaking his head over and over so much that he must be getting dizzy.

“Joel,” I say again. It feels like the only thing I can say that makes sense. “You don’t…we don’t have to talk about this…”

“Yes, we do.”

“…Okay. Yeah. You’re right.”

“I need you to hear me,” he says. Then his eyes meet mine, and it’s different. More intense, purposeful. I couldn’t look away even if I tried—even if I wanted to. “You didn’t have to leave. You told me why you left, and I’m telling you, it wasn’t…you didn’t need to.”

I shake my head. “I did,” my voice comes out as nothing but a whisper. “I did, Joel. I couldn’t—I couldn’t keep how I felt to myself, I couldn’t keep it in check…”

“Goddamit, you’re not—you didn’t have to keep it in check!” He raises his voice just slightly. “I’m trying to tell you that I…I had those feelings, too. Okay? It—it wasn’t just you.”

Oh.

I freeze.

Oh.

“…Oh,” because suddenly the racing chaos of my mind is silenced to just that one syllable.

He holds my eyes for another long, piercing moment, then looks away. Briefly he seems to consider something, his jaw working away as he thinks, and then he puts his glass on the floor and runs a hand over his hair. Jesus. The silver flecks in it are shining in the sunlight.

“I get why you thought you had to leave,” he says, quiet again. “I do. And honestly, I’m not sure I could say I wouldn’t’ve done the same thing if I were you. But I…if you’d just told me back then, if I’d known…”

Somehow, I manage to swallow the emotion in my throat enough to say, “Would it have made a difference?”

“It would have made every difference.” He says, with a tone that says Are you kidding me?

“Oh,” again. Dumbly. “But…it’s not like we could’ve…we could never have been…” I know what I’m trying to say, but it won’t come out. How do I express that I just never saw a way for a relationship to work? That I never saw how we could possibly fall in love and be together and act like everything was normal, like there wasn’t enough blood on our hands to fill a bathtub?

I close my mouth and regroup for a second. Or, try to.

“I just,” I say, my voice coming out smaller than I’d expected, “I thought I was protecting you.”

Resting his elbow on his knee, he runs his hand over his mouth, rubs it across his beard. He does it a few times as he stares ahead at nothing again, deep in thought.

I watch him, silent. Waiting.

Then, he takes a breath. “Do you still feel that way now?” He drags his eyes to me, and holds them.

I swallow heavily. Wide-eyed, I stare at him. “I…” yes. Of fucking course I do, Joel. I loved you then, and I love you now. I will always fucking love you. “Yeah,” I admit. I can’t lie to him, and really, there’s no point now, anyway. “I do. I never stopped.”

For so long, he just stares at me. Nervous, I fiddle with the fabric of my gloves, pulling at loose threads, unsure how much damage I’m causing to them because I can’t fucking tear my eyes away from Joel’s, despite the fact his gaze is making me lose my mind. I decide to take the gloves off, suddenly feeling closed-in by them.

I keep trying to speak, to fill the silence somehow, to try and mend a wound that I’m not sure is even still open anymore. It feels like it’s closed: the chasm of questions and pain between us is different now. Lighter. Like how Joel looks lighter these days, without the weight of the world on his shoulders, that’s how it feels in the air between us.

When he speaks again, I’m not expecting it, despite the fact I’ve been waiting with bated breath. “I missed you,” he says.

Oh, God.

“I missed you so goddam much, you know that?” His eyes flick to the space on the bench beside me. Without thinking I shift my leg, moving it off so there’s space for him if he wants.

“I missed you,” I say, my voice cracking a little from the truth of it. The gut wrenching, undeniable truth in just those three words. “Joel, I…” As I’m shaking my head, lost for words that better convey what I’m trying to say, Joel gets up and comes to sit beside me. I turn to face him, finding the backs of my eyes stinging with tears.

(I swallow them down so hard that it hurts. I’ve cried enough. I’ve cried enough over him.)

“Hey…” he says, dipping his head to catch my eyes that have somehow fallen from his. He puts his finger under my chin, holding it up and propping his thumb on the point. He took his gloves off when he came inside, so his bare skin is against mine, his fingertips cold and calloused but fuck, so perfect. Catching my gaze again, he looks so deeply into my eyes that it’s like he’s searching my fucking soul. “Don’t look away,” he says.

I shake my head. My hands are trembling in my lap. Heat is blooming from my stomach to my chest, threatening to burst out of me at any moment because fucking fuck, I never thought Joel would touch me like this. Holding me tenderly, not because he’s patching a wound or inspecting one, not to get me to look in his eyes to stop me from passing out from pain; no, holding me because he wants to, because he wants to be close to me, wants to feel me like I want to feel him.

At least, I hope that’s what he wants.

The way his eyes flick down to my lips gives me a little more confidence.

“Joel…” I whisper into the inches of empty space between us. I can feel his hot breath brushing against my face. “Joel, you don’t have to…you don’t have to forgive me, you know that, right?”

Surprising me, he laughs. Shakes his head a little, smiling at me with crow’s feet around his eyes, the sunlight glinting into the flecks of grey in his beard. Could I reach out and do what I’ve always wanted to? Touch him there, run my hands through the coarse hairs, maybe even feel them on my face?

“I know I don’t have to,” he says, still chuckling. “But I do. Even though I wish you’d have made a different call, or at least told me you were leavin’…”

“Joel…”

“—I’d say we got pretty lucky, findin’ ourselves here again.”

He’s so close to me now that I have to look between each of his eyes in turn. I could do it forever. He’s so close. I’ve wanted this for so long.

I never thought I’d see him again.

Let alone have this.

“Yeah,” I manage to whisper. “Yeah, I’d say so.”

“Now, if you don’t mind,” he shifts his hand from under my chin to my cheek, pressing his palm against my jaw and smoothing his thumb over my skin, “I’d like to do what I’ve wanted to do for a damn long time.”

I nod before he even clarifies. I’d let him do anything. Fucking anything.

He sighs before closing the distance between us, like he’s relieved. Like he’s saying, Finally.

My agreement doesn’t make it out of my lips because he’s pressing his to mine, capturing my top one between both of his, and—

Holy shit.

It’s the softest kiss I’ve ever had.

So tender. Like he’s just testing the waters. Asking me a question. He barely even lingers for a few seconds.

But, Jesus Christ.

I find myself letting out an embarrassing whine when he pulls away and tries to meet my eyes, his eyebrows raising, checking it’s okay; but I can’t wait, I can’t fucking wait or hold back any longer—

I pull him in by the lapels of his coat and push my lips back into his, barely even having time to open my mouth. He groans against me and I feel the vibrations of his voice in my fucking mouth.

It’s crazed at first, finding a rhythm; messy and uncoordinated but all I can hear is his lips sucking at mine and him trying to find his breath amongst the mess of our mouths. It doesn’t take long for it to flow, to work, to understand the push and pull of each other and I lean into it with everything I have. He’s breathing into my mouth, his breath hot and sweet, and his lips have gone from cold to hot in the blink of an eye.

He’s got two hands on me now, grasping at the back of my neck with his fingers pushing up into my hair from the roots. My hat slips from my head. He uses the extra space in an instant, gasping happily against my mouth when he can get his fingers up the entirety of the back of my head, threading them into my hair. Goosebumps spread across my skin, and not from the cold.

At last, my hands are where they’ve always dreamed of being. On either side of his face, fingers running through his beard. I can hear it; the hairs brushing across my skin and under my nails. Lightly, I curl my fingers so my nails scratch his jaw. He likes it; moaning softly as he tilts his head to the other side, barely pulling off of me before our mouths are together again.

Alas, though, as much as my hands have found their home, there is so much more of him to discover. One of them slides back into his hair and I swear to God he fucking whispers my name against my tongue as I take a handful and tug.

Soon I’m shrugging him out of his jacket after pulling on the zip, and he’s doing the same, undoing each of the buttons on my coat while I suck kisses to his cheek, his beard, wherever I can get to him.

As soon as our coats are on the floor, he unwinds my scarf and throws it on the floor, and makes the most of having new access to my neck. Hungry, he dives in, his mouth already open as he mouths at the expanse of my neck in long—but not long enough—kisses.

“Joel, oh, my God,” I gasp when he sucks particularly hard on the spot where my neck meets my shoulder. My hands are in his hair again, anchoring him to me. A bolt of pleasure comes from my neck to my brain, goes straight between my legs.

It’s as he kisses me again and I start to fumble with the buttons on his flannel that he makes a different noise in the back of his throat. A soft protest, I think.

“Hey,” he pants, breaking off from my lips and taking a gentle hold of my wrists, stopping them in their work.

I’m completely out of breath. I’ve not been this out of breath from something good in fuck knows how long. My lips are swollen, I’m sure they’re bright red, and I can feel wet patches on my neck. “You okay?” I ask with my hands settling on his chest.

He laughs, breathy, “Never better. I just…want to make sure that we…” he has to swallow and catch his breath for a moment. As he does so, he lowers his head and kisses up my forearm, all the way to my elbow. His hands caress the underside of my arm like it’s something he treasures. “God, I want this to go further, but I said we’d be back in an hour and I know Ellie’ll come lookin’ if we’re not…”

Still panting, I laugh a little. All I can do is press my forehead against his.

He lifts up my hand and puts it over his heart. Even through the flannel of his shirt I can feel it pounding. A gasp pulls into my throat at the feeling.

“Besides, it’s cold as hell, and I’d really like you to be warm and comfortable before we…”

He’s right. Goddamit, he’s right.

Resigned, I nod. We sit like that for a minute, just coming down, catching our breath. His lips are pinker than I think I’ve ever seen them. I think I was sucking at them even more than I thought I was; the pink colour fades gradually into his skin like smudged lipstick. I wish now that I’d had chance to suck at his neck, to mark him like I’m sure he’s marked me already.

Then, it hits me.

That I never even thought I’d get to touch his fucking beard.

Let alone suck his neck.

“God,” I whisper, mostly to myself. My voice cracks a little, and I’m not sure it’s just from the blinding desire still throbbing between my legs.

“You okay?”

“I just…yeah. Yeah, I’m…I’m really fucking good.”

He laughs. Keeping one hand over mine where it stays on his chest, he brings the other up to cup the side of my face. Our foreheads are still resting on each other and his palm is so warm against my cheek.

I’ve wanted this for so long.

I have to tell him. He knows, but I have to tell him. “I’ve wanted this for…forever,” I confess, probably only finding my confidence because we’re too close for him to look at me. With my spare hand I hold the side of his neck, the tips of my fingers brushing into his beard.

“Since the moment I saw you,” Joel’s voice is gravelly as he nuzzles his nose into my wrist, “I wanted this.”

I can’t help it.

I lean in and kiss him again. Close-mouthed and quick, but just because I can.

He takes a deep breath. Holds it a minute, then lets it out, his sweet breath brushing against me once more. I want to taste it again. Feel it going into my lungs. Feel it on my neck, on every inch of me.

“We should head back,” he says, reluctance coming from his very core. “You’re gettin’ cold.” He squeezes my cold hand.

“You’re the one who took off all my winter gear,” I retort with a happy smirk.

“Yeah, alright. You started it, though.”

“Um, you pushed my hat off as soon as we got started…”

“The hat thing was a mistake.”

I remember how it felt to have his hands spread out over every inch of my head, and shudder. “Oh, no, it was no mistake, Joel.”

He laughs. “Come on. Let’s wrap back up. I’d love to say we can pick up where we left off as soon as we get back, but I’ve got patrols today, and Ellie wanted me to take her riding…”

I hold the back of his neck. As much as I absolutely would let him take me right here on this freezing wooden floor, I don’t mind waiting. For the first time in decades, I feel like we might just have time for it. Like everything doesn’t have to be a rush. “It’s alright,” I say, meaning it.

“I promise, I’ll make it up to you.”

“Mm. I’ll hold you to that.”

“Good.”

After another—very restrained—kiss, we start wrapping up again and pack up to head back. In the back of my mind as we potter around each other, I feel the horrible tendrils of doubt try to creep in around me. Wondering: what if this is all too good to be true? What if there’s no way we can make this work? I was never even going to stay here, but does he want me to now? Is that where this is going?

But then Joel takes me in his arms before we step back outside, and holds me like it’s the first time.

And it is, really. He’s only ever done this before when I’ve been hurt or sick.

And for that moment as his hands press into my back, my mind is quiet.

{chapter 4/5}

notes: thank u for all the support and love on this fic, it means the world to me, i'm so glad you're enjoying it! there's more where this came from and i'm just so grateful to y'all for reading this <3 ps: the next chapter will have smut (YAY)! also, if you're reading this the weekend i post it (21st jan 2023) then please send me smut requests for joel miller or din djarin <3 love u xo

taglist: @rosymythologies @lover1307 @rh1nestonecowg1rl @pinkrose1422 @lavenderhhze @abbyhaslongshorts @trippoverrt @emilianamason

#joel miller fanfiction #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel miller fic #joel miller #tlou fanfiction #the last of us fanfiction #my fics #my fic: joel #my fic #some invisible string

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darklydeliciousdesires · 2 months

Text

Sky Full of Stars - Chapter Nineteen.

I'm so sorry I missed an update last week, guys. Friday was a busy one for me! Hope you enjoy it, and happy Friday to you all :)

Previous chapters - One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen

Tag list - In the comments

Words - 4,351

Warnings - 18+ content throughout. Minors DNI!

The normalcy of being home; it was something she craved above all when her life and career took her far away from it, Jade standing softly singing to herself as she stirred a pot of sauce upon the stove, her dogs milling around, Salem in his usual place upon the rug. Their other cat, Juno, wasn’t present, the big, pale grey Mane Coon exactly where she always was whenever they were home; welded to Adrien’s side.

It was very fair to say she was daddy’s girl.

They had four days left with one another before he would fly out to Rome to begin shooting his next project, the film entitled Third Person, the locations switching between the Italian capital, Paris and New York for twelve weeks, Adrien’s stint filming in Italy taking up nine of those. She would be leaving just before he came home, off to LA to work on a film she’d very much been looking forward to, a biopic about musical legend Gregg Allman, in which she would be playing a woman – who became an even bigger legend than he, if you asked her – he'd been married to for three years back in the seventies.

Yes. She was playing Cher. And god, she was so excited. She’d nearly pee’d with elation when the lady herself had called her up and congratulated her, the women enjoying a long conversation about the upcoming role. ‘Just make sure you play me right, kid’, the icon had told Jade, who had walked around her house in a daze afterwards, only able to mutter ‘I just spoke to Cher on the phone, and she’s bloody lovely!’ on repeat for the following hour, giggling too.

She giggled to herself all over again at the memory, wobbling a little, the fact that she’d only eaten half a bagel and a salad that day playing havoc with the fact she was on her second large glass of wine. Looking up, she saw the back door open, her paint flecked husband coming in, a very contented Juno riding his shoulder.

“There’s my baby love,” he cooed, “cooking things that smell entirely too good. What are we having?”

“Baked Ziti.” Ahhh, yes. Marry a girl from Italian roots and damn, the food she’ll cook for you. “And a fuckload of salad. I can’t have more than a few mouthfuls. I need to keep small to play Cher. Her body in the seventies was something else!”

“I think you can spare a little more than that, Burtie,” he spoke, wrapping his arms around her, Juno jumping down to the floor neatly. “Really, you’re like a pin with great tits as it is.”

“Pin with great tits and a six pack!” she shouted playfully, yanking up her t shirt. Any chance she got to flash her abs, she took it, Adrien bending to blow a raspberry against her stomach.

“Sexy as hell, honey.” Giving her a big kiss, he reached for the open wine bottle, pouring himself a glass before jumping to sit on the counter, a nearby Brando rising up on his hind legs to place his paws on his knees, chew toy proffered forth. “So, gimme the rundown. You’re in LA from April seventeenth to May twenty first, and then what?”

Giving the sauce another gentle stirring, she then put the hob on beneath the large pot of water to take care of the pasta. “Then we’re flying straight to the UK to headline the Friday at Download festival, then onto Germany to do another open air, then spending a week out there before moving onto the festival in France, then Spain, meaning I’ll arrive back on the July fifteenth with three days to spare before big pony gets here!”

Oh, how excited she was for the arrival of her horse, everything ready for Mia when she got there, Jade having spent an eye watering amount of money on all the associated paraphernalia horses needed, including many thousands on a horse truck to actually bring her back from the airport in. She was worried about her having to be flown over, scared of her becoming panicked, being on the plane, but calmed a little for knowing she would be given a mild sedative prior to her flight, plus the fact that Wolfgang, the groom from the riding school would be flying with her.

“And then it all calms down for a while,” he spoke, letting Brando win their tug o’ war game, the dog shaking his rope and trotting off to chew it over the other side of the kitchen. “It’s gonna be so damned strange, spending almost three months at home before I’m back working.”

They had a few commitments between late June and mid-September, a few public appearances, invited to the Malaysian Grand Prix, a few charity events in New York, LA and London, a movie premiere for the last film Jade had shot and two for Adrien, but mostly they would get to enjoy a slower pace for once. It was virtually unheard of, for a couple who worked as hard as they did, both very much looking forward to an extended period of being able to spend some quality time together.

“What’s this here?” he then asked, leaning over to reach for a handful of printed sheets of paper.

“Oh! I meant to show you that and then I had wine!”

Snorting a laugh, he looked at what he held, turning the pages as he tried to make sense of it. “It’s a teeny house of some sort?”

“It’s a hen house, complete with roost. I’m making it myself since I couldn’t find anything I liked the look of online,” she spoke, sipping her wine and slotting herself between his thighs, Adrien wrapping his legs around her. “Stop laughing.”

“I’m not.” That was negated somewhat by the shaking shoulders as he at least attempted to keep it in. “Burtie, we both know you and assembly don’t go hand in hand. You can’t even do flatpack.”

She was aghast. “I bloody can!”

Oh, the little bubble of delusion his beloved liked to live within. “The shelves in the bathroom?”

“I got them done!” There was a pause. “Eventually.”

“The bed at your place in the city? Granted, that was before my time, but Jen told me that you called her having a meltdown when you couldn’t get it assembled.”

“It was difficult holding things together while lining the screws up!”

“And you think joinery is gonna be any easier? With the nails and the sanding and the measuring?”

She tightened her lips, trying not to laugh as he raised one eyebrow significantly higher than the other. “Will you let me help you before I go away?”

“I can manage fine, Bug.”

He hummed, resting his chin atop her head. “I’m not convinced at all. I don’t want to come home to a wife whose missing bits of herself, and the idea of you using a saw unassisted is scary as hell.”

“How dare you cast such aspersions upon my DIY skills!” she gasped comically, flicking the papers in his hands with her finger a couple of times. “I’m working to plans! I measured, I even plotted out ground space, too!”

Looking at them again, he concentrated, pointing at the measurements at the top of the page. “The roof will overhang the actual structure by four feet.” He couldn’t help but laugh at the sour face he was greeted with. “Stop scowling because you’re wrong. I’m helping you.”

She finally smiled, realising that he was right and yes, she could likely do with a little assistance with her project. “Thank you." Kissing him, she went back to the pot upon the hob, picking up her phone and ordering all the timber needed from the nearest lumber yard, choosing the express option that would have the items delivered by noon the following day.

When noon arrived, what began with good intentions after the delivery had been dropped off soon became a lesson in why couples, even those who rarely fought beyond stupid bickering, should never, ever attempt a joint DIY project.

“No, that’s a side panel. It isn’t a floor piece.” He took a breath, at least attempting not to let his temper be further prickled.

“It isn’t. The floor pieces are flat, the side panels are ridged. I haven’t nailed the last one together yet.”

“Well, why the fuck not? It needs the last side panel putting on before the floor!”

“Because as I just fucking said, I haven’t nailed it together yet!”

“Then why not do that first instead of doing the floor?”

“Because then I’ve got a space to easily get in and out of it to put the floor pieces in, haven’t I? If I don’t, then I’ve got to crawl through the pissing tiny little hen door, and I’m about four feet too fucking tall for that, Adrien!”

“Or, and how about this for a revelation, since the roof isn’t on yet, just turn it upside down and nail the floor into the frame that way, so the nails then go up into the side pieces too and give it more support! Fucking hell!”

Her jaw tightened staring at her husband, pointing the claw hammer she held towards him. “Knock the sarcasm off. You’re being a prick for the sake of it.”

“And you’re being your usual, insufferable self who can’t get things done logically.”

“Oh, alright, fucks sake!” she yelled, dropping the hammer with a thud. “So I didn’t think to upend it to nail the flooring on. True to form, you just have to be an all-knowing arsehole about it, don’t you?”

He snorted, shaking his head. “And you wanted to do this by yourself. You’d have ended up with something like Homer Simpson had when he was making the doghouse.” He couldn’t help but laugh, realising how stupid their argument had become, looking up fondly. “I’m sorry.”

“Fuck off.”

“Come on, Jade. I said I’m sorry. Help me turn this over and we’ll get the floor nailed on.” While he was all for moving on with things speedily, Jade was a stewer, and stew on it she did, looking at him from under a furrowed brow. “Ow! Jesus fuck, Jade!”

“What now?” she shouted, wishing for nothing more than a packet of matches, so she could set fire to her very bad idea. Why did she have to be so fussy? Why couldn’t a pre-assembled hen house have been good enough?

“You just dropped it on my hand!”

“Shit, are you alright?”

“No.” She went to approach him, Adrien pointing. “Uh-uh. Bad to be near me right now. Very bad.”

While he stormed off in the direction of the house, grasping his hand, she stood and took a deep breath. Big things they never truly argued about, somehow they seemed to have a very efficient synergy for dealing with larger problems they faced, but little things? Oh, they blew up. Both acting like stubborn idiots mostly.

Knowing he needed time to cool down, she nailed the floor pieces on herself, then assembled the side panel, carefully turning the roost over to affix it. The roof frame was placed on, long nails hammered in to secure it to the main frame, only the roof panels left before it had to be affixed to the base frame, lifting it up high. She was about to begin nailing said panels on when a familiar scent drifted under her nose, Jade turning to see Adrien over to the side of the house, sitting on the outdoor couch on the patio.

“Wow, I drove you to weed, hmm?”

He side eyed her, picking up the bottle of beer he’d also brought out with him. “I think I might have driven myself to it, too.” That time, when he laughed softly, softness was returned, his wife moving to sit at his side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and kissing it.

“How’s your hand?”

He sniffed, holding it up. It was marked with a bright red line and a few grazes. “Had to yank out a few splinters. Nothing that being a little stoned won’t fix.”

“Or you’ll fall asleep,” she shrugged, moving to lie her head on his lap, taking the joint when he passed it to her.

“There’s a fifty percent chance of that,” he winked, making her snort softly.

“Oh, not so mad that I won’t get the brunt of the horny sex demon, then?�� she chuckled, blowing smoke down her nose.

He leaned to her, kissing her forehead. “No, but I will fuck you angrily, Moo.”

Any lingering tension melted away as she boomed a laugh, taking another drag, feeling the strong weed beginning to work. Her giggles only intensified, moving to lie with her head on his lap.

“Look at you, fucking weed lightweight,” he spoke. Neither were particular hardened to it, though, smoking it as infrequently as they did. “What’s funny?”

“The fact that we...” She sent him into a snorting mess, watching her hiss with laughter. “The fact that we can weather the hugest of storms in our life without so much as a crossed word, but building a hen house is what tips us into all the yelling and the rage!”

“And then we get stoned and laugh about how completely ridiculous we are. Works for me,” he spoke, supressing a cough, taking another drag and handing it back to her, beginning to bounce his thigh beneath her head.

“No, stop. You’ll give me motion sickness.”

Why that was so hilarious, he had no idea, but it took him a good three minutes to stop laughing. Looking down, he continued to snicker, seeing Jade prodding her tongue against the zipper of his cargo pants. “You’ll wake him up.”

“Maybe I want to.” Moving her hand, she pressed against his crotch, feeling a swell of semi-erectness there already. “Mmm, already awake, so I feel.” Moving astride him, her fingers glided through his hair giving it a little tug as she tickled his lips with her tongue, kissing him with slow, syrupy heat. “If you'll excuse me, I think I need to kiss you right here.” she purred, grasping his rapidly thickening cock with a soft moan, tongue flickering against the stubble upon his throat.

“Eventually,” he grunted, mouth moving to her neck, pulling her black vest top up. “After I’ve sucked your tits.”

Who was she to deny a man who hungered for her nipples? Pulling off her top while he flicked her bra undone, she gasped at the contact, the bud of her nipple bathed in a warm, wet hug, his big hands kneading softly as she rocked against him. Pressing herself against his cock had little shocks tingling within her, a soft mewl leaving her pretty lips when her other nipple was closed upon with a bite, his hands moving to smooth up and down her back.

“Get these off," he instructed, tugging her cut offs, Jade backing off him to do just that, sliding them and her little red thong off, yanked back into his arms, his fingers pushing into her folds as he resumed the suck around her nipple. “Fuck, you’re so wet already.”

The warm honey of her cunt saturated his fingers as he embedded them in her, a shallow push to begin with, nudging her sweet spot, gliding them in further with a sumptuous rotation that had her clenching around them, his mouth finding hers as they panted and moaned into urgent, feverish kisses.

With his free hand, he undid his pants, Jade assisting by yanking them down his thighs for him to somewhat awkwardly wriggle out of and kick off, pulling his t shirt off. Moving his hand, he then impaled her on his hardness fully, teeth sharp at her neck, her cry filling the air. “Not that I don’t love being stretched wide around it, but this isn’t getting your cock sucked, is it?”

He rumbled a chuckle, kissing her again. “Tell you what, I’ll make you come first, then blow my load right down your throat. How about that?”

“Mmm,” she purred, “can’t wait for you to make me choke on it.” Their mouths crashed together, the rocking of his hips against her sending darts of pleasure as he hit her clit every time, her grinding down on him sending further streaks of bliss that ignited the embers flickering to full burn.

"Oh god, fuck, oh!" she cried, feeling him shift forward, grasping her legs. She moved them, crossing them behind him, the move allowing her to sink down further upon him, his cock hitting her deep as their bodies rocked together ferally. Each press of him right up against her summit had neon bursts radiating within her, crying out as she clasped herself around him, sucking his tongue, staring into the sunlit, moss green of his eyes. "Fuck, I love you."

Those words never failed to make his heart thunder harder, conveying the same in how he kissed her, standing to carry her to the back door, her body pressed against the glass, pinned there by his chest as he moved his hands, gripping her thighs and holding her spread, beginning to fuck up into her with savage need.

The heavy pressure of his cock was a sharp-edged pleasure, her body banging against the glass she was pressed into, the raw, primal need of it suffusing down to her marrow. Oh, when the horny sexy demon in him came out to play, how he brought the fire with him. The warm wet of her clamped around him strongly, each thrust pounded into her harder to fight the tension gripping onto his cock, his groans all earth and salt as he buried his mouth against her neck.

The continued deep, rapid spearing of his cock into her had the pleasure pooling golden, her thighs tightening upon his waist, hips rolling against him as she cried out like a wounded animal, the lightning arcing through her, the release pulsating up her spine. With his own fluttering at the base of his cock, he pulled from her, carrying her back to the couch, hands entwining in her hair as she took him in her mouth and let him fuck the plush of her squeezing lips, until with a gritted groan he filled her throat with cum.

What began as a day of construction and petty yelling ended in a naked evening, neither bothering to dress, lying together on the couch outside drinking beers and relaxing under the warm, spring sun. A state of relax was how they spent their last two days together, Jade kissing him goodbye at the airport, dashing home again feeling a little sad for him leaving for nine weeks. It didn’t matter how used to it she was, she loved being near her husband.

Having the house to herself was nice, though, continuing her daily workouts in order to remain ripped enough to easily pass off as a nineteen seventies Cher, with how lean her body was back then, the project ever drawing nearer. The week before she was due to depart, she had a house guest come to stay in the form of Katie, a little lonely herself since Charlotte was on tour with Crimson Shrines, the death metal side project band she played in.

“Bro, this is so ready for chickens!” the lady herself spoke, she and Jade standing back to admire the project they’d teamed together to complete. The latter was going to complete it with her husband, but wanted to spend some time of greater quality with him in his remaining days before he’d left.

“It is, my friend. It is. Shame there won’t be any in it for a couple of months, unless Adrien decides to buy some while I’m gone,” she mused, opening the gate as they headed back towards the house. “Oh! I almost forgot to say, I have a package coming at any time, but I have to take Atlas and Bear to the vets for their jabs. Can you be around to hear the bell instead of outside?”

“Sure can, baby. I was planning on playing cook tonight anyways,” she spoke, Jade spinning to grasp her arms.

“Please tell me you’re making your chicken teriyaki burgers!” Anyone who’d ever eaten one of Katie’s famous creations would understand the urgency. They were beyond delicious.

“Can confirm, I am making my chicken teriyaki burgers. Where’s your charcoal at, gonna barbecue ‘em, they always taste better that way. And don’t make that face! I texted Adrien to ask if I could use it and he said yes, just to keep you well away from it!”

Jade pouted, remembering the incident that had almost led to their very expensive, Big Green Egg barbecue overheating, Jade lighting it but not opening the vent. Her husband had gone berserk and banned her from going anywhere near it in the wake of almost trashing it. “Fine. I’ll make salad.”

Wrapping her arm around her shoulders, Katie kissed her cheek. “That’s a good lil’ woman.” A hard slap greeted her backside for that comment, laughing and bending over. “Ooooh, gimme another! You spank way harder than Charlotte!”

“Get in the damned house, you bloody menace!”

While Katie began her dinner prep, Jade got her two biggest dogs into the harnesses, kissing her friend goodbye and picking up her keys and bag. Opening the rear of her Jeep, the hounds jumped in, Jade affixing them in safely and shutting the door, throwing her bag onto the passenger seat. She loved living somewhere where she could do that and not worry about anybody smashing her window to steal it.

Selecting an album to listen to, she placed her cell phone into the cup holder and reversed out, driving around to the front of the house and down the long drive, noticing how full all the trees lining it were beginning to look. The new ones she’d planted a year before were budding nicely, too, still supported by long bamboo canes to assist in their fledgling stages.

Slowing her car, she pressed the fob to open the electric gates, looking back in the rear view at the trees again. She wondered where she’d be in life when they’d finally reached a significant height, driving through the gateway slowly, about to pull out of her drive when she heard something hit the back of her car.

“Is that one of you fat headed buggers?” she muttered, turning to look at her dogs, see which one of them had decided to bang their face against the window. Neither had, both growling at the source of the noise as the baseball bat was swung again, chaotic barking following as the window cracked, Serena swinging it again and this time shattering the glass completely.

“Get out here or I’ll fucking kill your dogs, Jade! Get out of this car now!”

Her mouth dropped open, her limbs already feeling light and tingly, her stomach plummeting like she’d swallowed a led weight. Now was not the time to wonder how on earth her stalker had escaped a treatment facility, Jade grabbing her phone and calling nine one one, asking for the police and giving her address, trembling as she did. She was advised by the operator to stay in the car, but as Serena continued, she knew that wasn’t possible, the rear windscreen beginning to crack.

There was no way she was risking the safety of her dogs, big and ferocious as they were, even a mastiff would be lucky to survive a crack to the skull with a baseball bat. With adrenaline coursing through her, she cut the engine, jumping from the car and storming to the rear of the vehicle.

“You fucking dare threaten my bloody dogs, you fucking psychopath!” she bellowed, that famous roar she was known for gravelling her voice. “You want some? Come fucking get it.” Striding for her, Jade remembered her fight training from one of the last movies she’d done, having to accurately portray a hard as nails mercenary. She wasn’t a fighter in reality, not at all, but when presented with the animals she thought of as her babies coming under attack, the protector came out.

Serena screamed in all-out rage, swinging the bat, Jade ducking, her leg shooting out to round kick her in the thigh. The move knocked her aggressor off balance, the bat grabbed, the women wrestling one another for supremacy, Jade towing her near enough to throw her forehead straight into her nose, the bone breaking with a sickening crack, wrenching the bat from her grasp and hurling it as far away as she could throw.

A melee followed, Jade punched in the eye, reaching for Serena’s hair and slamming her head off the back of the Jeep, the dogs still barking furiously within. “Stay away from me, you sick fuck!” she roared, smashing her head against the taillight again, Serena suddenly lurching forward.

“Fuck you, fuck you!”

She felt it hit her side, something sharp and cold, again and again, the pain like cold fire burning as with both hands, she made one last valiant effort, hurling Serena’s head so hard into the Jeep, blood exploded over the paintwork, finally going limp as Jade threw her to the ground. Looking at her side, the horror of her damage was evident, her grey t shirt and blue jeans becoming soaked in blood, sirens wailing in the distance as she fell to the ground.

Her dogs barking.

A copper taste filling her mouth as she wheezed.

A tall, handsome police officer calling for immediate backup and an ambulance on his radio, his voice telling her to stay with him as he applied pressure to her wounds.

A puddle of blood pouring from her side.

Her eyes fluttered, heavy, coldness dragging at her, luring, beckoning.

Black.

Lights in her eyes, people shouting stats at one another, motion, another bright light. Sirens wailing. “Thirty-four-year-old female, multiple stab wounds...”

Black.

Light, bright light.

Pain.

Shouting.

Nothing.

Black.

#adrien brody fanfiction #adrien brody fanfic #adrein brody fic #adrien bridy smut #adrien brody #sky full of stars #adrien and jade

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lunas-nargle · 1 year

Text

↳two

chapter two of “meddle about” series brian o’conner x reader

ii. ready, set, race

Y/n and Mia got out of the middle Toretto cousin's baby blue Subaru STI. Letty a few seconds later pulled up behind her, getting out of her car with swaying hips.

The area around them was abandoned and completely full of racers and nice cars. The Toretto girls strutted off behind Letty towards the oldest Torretto cousin, who was talking to two hot blondes.

Letty walked closer to them, looking pretty pissed. "I smell." she sniffed the air. "Skanks." Y/n smiled amused, as she leaned against the hood of Letty's car with Mia. "Why don't you girls just pack it up, before I leave tread marks on your face?"

"Okay." One of the blondes said, looking annoyed. Both of the girls left as Dom said, "Letty, I was just talking--"

"Yeah, whatever." Letty spat, looking pissed off.

Dom didn't go after her, only started talking business, "Okay, Hector--"

Y/n looked around, her eyes falling upon one person in particular. She smirked as she saw Monty getting out of his white and blue Nissan S15.

"Ahhh, look who it is, Mia." Y/n teased nodding towards the tall, blue eyed brunette. Mia's face turned hot upon seeing him. He glanced at her with a smile. Mia looked down at her feet bashfully before looking everywhere but at him.

Y/n felt a small nudge to her side, interrupting her people watching.

"What?" she asked, looking over at Mia. She didn't respond, only nodded off to the side. Y/n followed her line of sight. Her eyes landed on Brian the Blond Beauty standing beside a lime green car, people watching as he leaned against his lime green Mitsubishi.

Brian's eyes stopped onto her. She was now out of her work clothes, and confidently wearing a skimpy outfit that showed off her body in all the right places. Y/n smirked as he came closer to the group Dom was talking to. She looked back towards her cousin.

"One race, 2g buy in. Winner takes all." Dom said. "Hector, you're going to hold the cash."

"Why Hector?" Another racer asked, handing his money over to Hector.

"Cause he's too slow to make away with the money." Y/n smirked amused by her comment as she leaned her elbow on Mia's shoulder. People wooed and laughed, while he glared at her. Y/n winked at him as she remembered the race he challenged her to like it was yesterday. She won, smoking him till he was burnt out.

Hector rolled his eyes at her. Dom clapped Hector and Edwin on the shoulders and said, "Good luck, guys."

"Hey, wait. Hold up." the familiar voice of Brian said, coming in between Hector and Edwin. He held up a pick slip, clearing his throat. "I don't have any money, but I do have a pink slip to my car."

"Hey, you just can't climb in the ring with Ali 'cause you think you box." Jesse said.

Brian points towards Vince with a smirk, "He knows I can box." Y/n glanced towards Vince with an amused smile while Monty laughed outwardly with no shame, earning a swift nudge to the side. "So, check it out. It's like this. I lose, winner takes my car, clean and clear. But if I win, I take the cash and I take the respect."

The people remaining around them laughed. Dom smirked with a laugh, "Respect." he repeated.

Mia let out a chuckle as Y/n smiled at him in awe. She was surprised he actually had the balls to say that. "To some people that's more important." Brian continued.

"That your car?" Dom nodded towards his lime green 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Y/n and the rest of the crew, plus a few other people, walked over to Brian's car. They popped the hood and saw a beautiful sight. People around them voiced their awe as Jesse listed off the things it had

"I see a cool air intake. It's got a NOS fogger system and a T4 turbo, Dominic." he said. "I see an AIC controller. It has direct port nitrous injection."

"Yeah. And a stand alone fuel management system." Dom said, standing behind Jesse. "Not a bad way to spend ten thousand dollars."

Edwin stepped towards the car, inspecting the car's insides. "You see that shit?" he said. "He's got enough NOS in there to blow himself up. Period."

"So what do you say?" Brian asked. "Am I worthy?"

"We don't know yet." Dom said, grinning. He pointed towards Brian "But you're in. Let's go."

Soon, the racers pulled their cars up to the starting line. Brian looked to his left to see Y/n standing by Letty and her cousin. She caught him looking, making her smirk and wave her fingers at him. He smiled and looked forward once again. He took a deep breath, trying to ready himself as much as he can. "You're gonna win." he said to himself. "I'm gonna win."

With Leon's call, Hector raised his arms. He paused for a moment as the engines roared.

Y/n attention was caught again by the sound of loud car engines. She smiled, ready for the race. Fire blew out from the tailpipes, making the crowd roar.

Hector's arms lowered as he said, "Go!" With that the cars sped off, their tires screeching making the crowd roar even louder.

Y/n was kind of disappointed that Brian didn't win the race, though it was covered up as she celebrated with her team.

"Here's what you want, right here." Hector said, his hands full of the money. "There you go." he slapped the money into Dom's hand with a grin.

"My sisters hold the money." Dom said, making Y/n smile with love. It wasn't unusual to call Y/n his sister. He has ever since they were little. "Count it." he continued, before picking Letty up by the waist. " And you're my trophy."

Dom put Letty back down on the ground just as Brian crossed the finish line. The blonde got out of his car, grinning as he made his way towards Dom.

"Was it fun?" Jesse asked sarcastically, as he started popping the hood of Dom's new car. People around them heckled and laughed as the car smoked. They cheered as Jesse opened the hood and more smoke blew out.

"What are you smiling about?" Dom asked in confusion upon seeing Brian's big bright grin.

"Dude, I almost had you." Brian said, smiling widely, making the people around him cheer.

"You almost had me?" Dom replied, a smirk painted all over his face. "You never had me. You never had your car!"

"Ohhh!" the crowd roared. Brian's smile fell.

"Granny shifting, not double-clutchin' like you should." Dom continued, starting to circle the car. The crowd gave another loud roar. "You're lucky that hundred-shot of NOS didn't blow the welds on the intake. Almost had me? Now me and the mad scientist gotta rip apart the block and replace the piston rings you fried.

"You tell him, Dominic!" somebody shouted before another yelled, "Get outta here."

Brian looked towards Y/n, who gave him a small smile, as Dom continued to shred him. He put the hood down before he said, "Ask any racer, any real racer. It don't matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning's winning." The crowd roared with agreement. Dom soaked up the praise with his arms outstretched.

Suddenly, Leon started shouting that cops were on their way. Y/n's eyes widened before she pushed Mia towards her car. They climbed in quickly before they sped off.

"What about Dom?" Mia asked, looking back.

"He'll be fine." she said. "He knows what he's doing more than we do." she then added in a mumble quietly, hoping Mia couldn't hear her. "Hopefully."

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cafecourage · 10 months

Text

Pinky isn't Suffering

Chapter 1 - Beach Day

I am finally posting Pinky's part's that follow Enno Can't Get Their Crap Together on @luimagines

If you haven't read it then I suggest you read her first! Link

I'll be linking the next part that comes after so you can read this in full!

With the commotion a few nights ago there wasn’t much conflict that followed afterward. Sky had turned up his need to get to know me ten fold, making it harder and annoying to hide from. Warriors wasn’t helping. Neither was Hyrule.

Yet what was the most surprising was the puppy that started to follow Pinky around. Since that night Twilight has been tripping over himself to be near her. It was cute.

If Pinky would just agree that he is trying to impress her, then my life would be so much better. It’s literally the most obvious thing in the world and that was coming from me. It’s annoying.

When we landed in the familiar era of the Great Sea literally right next to the Island Oasis. It was the break in this adventure and really I needed to ask some questions. Pinky and most of the group left to go outside, leaving me to slip away from Sky, who opted to stay indoors and sleep.

… yeah, I was not gonna stay inside.

Luckily it was easy to find Pinky. She was on the deck of the house looking over the other heroes who were playing and relaxing by the pool. She was far away for them to not hear us and since the closest person is also the person that is a dead man while sleeping, we should be good to have this conversation.

“Sooooo….” I plop down next to her leaning against the railing “Twilight huh?”

Barely acknowledging me, she just continues leaning back enjoying the sun. “What about him?”

Well. Honestly I didn’t think I would get this far into the conversation. “He’s been following you around like a lost pup.” That statement earned a small bit of laughter. “It’s true, how can you function with him around you?”

“We are more similar than you think.” Pinky said, glancing over smirking.

“But you’re not OBVIOUS.” I pointed out.

“Only because my face is typically red anyway.” She sat up looking back out at the boys. “Spending a lot of time outside; I’m not really athletic; there’s lots of reasons for…having…red face…”

She slowly became more red in the face, more so then because of the sun. “It’s not just because Twilight took his shirt off to go swimming. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” What? I look over to see the wolf man almost making a show in-front of Pinky to show off. Even having the audacity to make sure she was watching.

“… It’s totally because of him with his shirt off.” I said, holding back my own laughter.

“Shut up.” She lightly smacked me. I was tempted to point out that he did move in-front of Pinky to do it.

“Shirtless Twilight now lives in my head rent free. Also he is hot. I rest my case.” It was stated like a fact.

“I mean… yeah…. I agree he is hot…”

“Not your type?”

“He would have been… he really would have been.”

“If not for some people.”

“We aren’t gonna mention him. He shall not be named isn’t a part of this conversation.” I tried to revert the conversation back to Twilight, not wanting to stay on Sky. “Look. I’m just saying. This is a 6’2” beast of a man who acts like a puppy dog only around you.”

There was silence. She was still looking at Twilight as he was playing around with the other heroes in the water. “…do you think he has fangs?” She whispers.

“Yes.” I don’t actually know because why would I pay attention to that. But assuming that since Leg has bunny traits Twi might be the same way.

“Ahhh…. Ok” Pinky finally looked away, finding everything but Twi more interesting. "I don’t care who you are, fangs are hot." She said as if she was trying to convince me.

“So you're saying that you want Twilight to bite yo-“ A giant splash of water and bunch of yells cut me off. Below us, Twilight was coughing up water at the pool. Did he fall in? Wait. Wolves have really good hearing. Did he hear?

Pinky bolted up. “Is he ok?” She quickly went to check on him.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight really didn’t want to over hear their conversation again. Once by accident is fine. But unlike before they purposely weren’t talking loudly on this small island. It wasn’t his fault! He sometimes curses this super hearing sometimes.

This was one of these times.

It was just a teasing line. It wasn’t even for his ears to hear. But the mental image of him biting Pinky’s neck… leaving marks…

He lost his footing at the edge of the pool and went face first in. Resurfacing only after a second of trying to calm himself, he was greeted by a pale, dainty hand reaching out to help him out of the water. Twilight had to move his hair back since his hair was basically in his eyes now to lock eyes with a red faced Pinky who was staring back at him with wide eyes. Her words echo in his head. She was blushing because of him.

“Need help?” She asks, shyness bubbling up to the surface.

“Ah. Yeah thanks.” He reaches out to take her hand. Then in a sudden spark of boldness, he smirks, grabs her hand and yanks down, pulling her into the pool with him.

Her screamed cut short as he brought her to his chest making sure she was supported in the water. When they both resurfaced, the others were snickering at the small prank. Pinky scoffs and splashes him playfully. She was still blushing.

“You ok there Darlin’?” He said in a low voice.

“Ah-“ Her face exploded once more in red as Twilight moved them both to the edge, lifting her up with ease onto dry land.

“Get a room you tw- AH!” Warriors didn’t even have time to finish his sentence as he was shoved straight into the water.

Next Chapter: Link

#twilight (not lu) speaks #linked universe x reader #sort of lol #pumpkin bread #strawberry milk #That would be a terrible Combo

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timeofjuly · 9 months

Note

just finished reading the chapter when i’m supposed to be sleeping and am spooked 😭 is this an allusion to what mc put quinn through or an event mc went through that traumatized quinn? Because the tape on the wrists and glass shards in the hair had me a bit stumped on what could’ve happened if it were to be a near death experience for mc or something. Ahhh i have goosebumps i have the image of mc all vivid in my mind and i’m so eepy i hope i don’t see this version of mc in my sleep (NOT IN A RUDE WAY, UR WRITING WAS INCREDIBLE THAT IT LEFT ME A LIL SCARED WITH THE DESCRIPTION 😭😭)

I am so happy to have rattled you! The horrors are here and I’m dumping them on your doorstep!!! I hope this version of MC didn’t appear in your dreams though!

Re: wtf is going on, I won’t spoil anything, but I will draw your attention to these excerpts from chapter eight, Humble Pie:

“You’ve always been good at endurance sports; as a teenager, you’d been a semi-competitive long-distance swimmer, and you’re great at those carnival games where you cling onto a slowly rotating bar.”

And later:

“Ashleigh and I swim together sometimes,” Blue chimes in. “You should join us!”

Cold panic cracks across your skin, like a bag of gas station ice has been upended over your head.

“This is so embarrassing, but I can’t swim,” you say with a bashful laugh. It’s a practiced lie, one that you’ve grown accustomed to telling for nearly two years.”

So we know that MC can swim and she’s good enough to have been competitive. We know that she’s been lying that she can’t swim for almost two years (It may be worth thinking about what else MC has also been for nearly two years hinthint). We also know that MC’s not the type to lie without a reason and especially not a lie that actively makes her look worse. She’s not regularly partaking from the humble pie.

And then from chapter ten, Slumber Party:

Two ripped-open bags of ice, the kind you get from a gas station, are set just outside the door, the melted remnants of their contents pooling in the plastic. They look like they have been there for a very long time.

And MC is described as:

“water-logged”, “blackened with frost-bite”, her lips are blue and she’s “icy-cold”.

So we’ve got two mentions of plastic bags of ice and a lot of weirdness around water. To note as well: Quinn doesn’t make any connections between any of this and her memories; the only thing she draws a connection with is how the MC’s face looks gaunt and hollow, like it did before she was clean. The rest of it doesn’t ring any bells. The state MC is in is not recognizable to her.

Thanks so much for this ask, anon! I hope the spook wore off and you got some sleep.

#RTC asks #July talks RTC #RTC chapter 10

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silverslipstream · 11 months

Note

Candy for the October ask game please! (from @tisiphonewolfe)

ahhh thank you! I'm a huge huge writer of fluff (my brain is fucking rotten over cute romance and I write it to cope with not having it myself). anyway I should shut up now. here's the 'hand-holding scene' from Chapter 4 of my Bittersweet Candy Bowl fanfic, You Can't Take It Back Now! (also known as my favourite chapter)

The air between them seemed to get ten times thicker, and Sue clammed up. Amaya looked hastily down to the armrest between them. Sue’s arm was sitting there, shrouded in shadow; as the screen in front of them changed, little colour-changing glints alighted themselves at the tips of her fur. Amaya was mesmerised. Go on, take her hand, urged the caged voice from the back of her mind. It’s the oldest move in the book. Go on, go, go, go— Before she could talk herself out of it, Amaya reached her left arm over and settled her hand atop Sue’s. The burmese glanced worriedly at her, quirking an eyebrow. Amaya hoped fervently that this meant something like are you sure or is this okay and not ewww what the fuck are you doing you sweaty-furred weirdo? After a second, she forced herself to nod at Sue in what she hoped was a vaguely reassuring manner. To her surprise, Sue relaxed her arm under Amaya’s, and turned it on the armrest so that their palms faced each other, touching at the fingers and wrists. Amaya could only stare, hypnotised, as her best friend entwined her fingers through Amaya’s: an electrifying web of sparks seemed to explode within her at Sue’s touch. It was intimate, soft, and altogether the most comforting sensation Amaya thought she’d ever experienced.

#writeblr #writers community #fluff #october ask game #yeah suemaya is peak otp #i love best friends to lovers content #it FUELS me #YES you silly little goober in denial (sue) you WILL have bisexual panic in the theatre!!!#bittersweet candy bowl

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smoll-tangerine · 1 year

Note

just read "ten reasons why i hate you: reason #7" and i enjoyed very single part of it!

I can't help but wonder how Jaehyun was able to make a promise to the main character with a set timeframe. Like 5 months is not enough time to get over someone you really love and care about (imo and based on my experience)! Is it because he knew Chaeyoung was dying and he need to get on the main character's good side ASAP so she can save her? I would feel sick if he was just taking advantage of her :-(

Cant wait for the upcoming chapters!

ahhh, thank you so much!! tbh, i really enjoyed writing this chapter too, so i was super excited to see how you guys would react to it.

i think that was the point. it was the fact that jaehyun gave an unrealistic timeline/timeframe — because like you said, it's hard to get over someone that quickly. and that's why OC didn't want to believe him at the beginning until she saw that jaehyun was making efforts for the first 3 months and she kinda went, "oh, like, maybe he wasn't joking? maybe he's actually serious about this?"

and that's why it hurt her even more: because the second she actually started to trust him (by like the 4th/5th month), jaehyun kinda "betrayed" her and destroyed all of her expectations.

so no, he didn't know chaeyoung was sick until the 4th month, when he wasn't able to pick OC up from work. and then by the 5th month, OC finally understands why he's been so distant and flaky: because he was too busy trying to find a doctor for chaeyoung. and by the end of the 5th month, both jaehyun and chaeyoung realize that oh, OC is their only option left.

i wouldn't say that jaehyun is taking advantage of her in that way, but the main character kinda decides to save chaeyoung because before she is a woman, she is a doctor. throughout the chapters, i tried to make it obvious that OC was someone who always puts her career before everything — even before herself.

i hope this makes sense (& thank you for asking such an interesting question!!) and ahhh, thank you!! i hope you will enjoy the future chapters hehehe <3

#nini.asks #anon #w: ten reasons why i hate you #feedback

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gakupo7 · 3 months

Text

THE ADVENTURES OF GAKUPO

Chapter First

It was a crazy day and the air felt strange... As Gakupo was waking up, he... Hm... Well I don't know. He got up

He got up and without having even washed his face or having combed his hair he began walking... Why? You may ask? Well, he woke up in a foul mood. And also he was in a desert. And as he walked on he muttered:

"Pathetic desert. I don't even understand how I got here..."

And, truthfully, I'm not going to tell you how he got there, either, because, well, I don't know, either.

Regardless... For many miles, he walked and walked... Until he reached a grand castle, one surrounded by a deep, broad ditch, filled with... hm... reeking red water.

"What a stupid place!" exclaimed Gakupo in awe, since he was still feeling rather unwholesome, and ghoulish in behavior, and tsundere style. You know

Then he began to think.

"Living creatures might very well reside in there", he squinted his eyes very stupidly, and began to stroke his chin, "be they alive persons or ghouls. If they are indeed people, I am in luck; for, where one may find people, one may frequently find food and drink, also. If they are ghouls, I shall slice them in half epicly, with my awesome katana, ere they manage to step even a foot before me!"

That was what he thought, and his eyes and his stance lit up with new excitement, and he decided to go inside. But, of course, there was still the blood-ridden moat to overcome... Still, he was not discouraged. Instead he began once more to think; and it did not take long for an idea to strike; for he could be a determined and sharp man when the hour called for it. So he ran far away, with new energy, despite being quite low on electrolytes, but it's okay because he's crazy. So he ran many miles, until he found some... Trees, yes... He found trees, and he became so excited at the sight of them that within his mind, the maggot of impatience woke up. And in such a wild state he lost all rational thought, and he tried to cut the tree closest to him with his sword, and his sword broke. And he was like: "AHHH! NO!" And he screamed and cried and then he began to kick and punch the tree and his hands and feet hurt and seeing his sword broken and feeling the pain he was in all the while the tree was still fine and standing, well, that was too much. And he got so mad and angry that he passed out. Like this

Some small creatures witnessed all this. Being fairly good hearted, they took pity in him; they called their best metal workers of their kind, and had them repair his sword; and they called the best, the fastest, the strongest woodsmen they knew, from the nearest human kingdom, and asked them very kindly to cut down for our friend, precisely ten trees, and no more than that (because the forest was their home). So they placed the ten sturdy tree trunks neatly beside him, and in his hand they put his newly fixed sword, which was now shining. And one of the small creatures, the smallest of them all, left in his pocket a jewel; a gift. Then they all hurried and scurried away, and crawled inside their hidden homes, and drank berry wine and ate small cheeses, and had a merry old time, as they did, and no one ever knew about it, except them, and me, and now you, my dear reader, as well.

Gakupo was now waking. And as he woke, and as he rose, he found the sword in his hand, and not only was it entirely fixed and well; it also gleamed in the remaining daylight, sharper than ever, and the handle, on top of it all, smelled wonderful. Gakupo struggled, but he could not recall a time where he had seen his sword in better condition. And now, even though he did not mean to, joy bubbled up within his heart, and he came to quite the jolly mood. Now imagine his surprise, once he turned over, just to find not one, but TEN entire and healthy tree trunks, neatly cut from the ground and waiting for him!

"Awesome", he thought. And then he took the tree trunks, one by one, and he ran all the way back to the wretched castle, and he did that ten times, in the wretched desert heat. It may seem abnormal... But this time, he did not feel even a touch of tiredness or thirst, and he was fine and jolly.

Then he began conjuring some ideas, and then turning these ideas into plans, and then transcribing them on paper, that he got by running off again, somewhere far away, and then returning again. He also got himself a great load of tools, and even hired a good bunch of lads, fine workers, and together they began to work. And so they worked. Time passed, spring grew into summer, and yet he and the good lads welcomed the fresh, carefree days of June in sweat and hard work. And in the warm nights, when the lads had all returned to the gentle embrace of their mothers and wives and children, as they were enjoying a good-earned rest in their soft beds, Gakupo sat alone, next to the mysterious, yet unfinished wooden contraption, and he pondered while looking at the stars, and he found solace in his thoughts:

"Once this apparatus is ready", he would sigh, quietly and in distant hope, "once it is ready, I shall see myself in the castle, and all this trouble and sweat will have been worth it. Rejoice, kind people of Red Moat Castle! Or should one say: You frighten no-one, wretched ghouls! Tremble, I say; for Gakupo the Great grows near!"

In such a manner did the days pass; daytime was long and tiring; nighttime, even longer, and much more wretched and tormenting, as the maggot of impatience ate and grew bigger and bigger within his heart. Gakupo grew more and more uneasy, though he hid it fairly well.

Then one day it was ready.

It was a fine, fine day. The air came fresh from the clouds, the clouds in turn filled the sky in a manner most beautiful, that still left a many shades of light blue to be seen and thoroughly enjoyed. Though, for the time being, no one here was gazing at the sky; but rather at the fine contraption which stood before them; tall, graceful, ready for use.

Before he could manage to speak, Gakupo had to take a deep breath. The lads stood around him, waiting silent with respect.

"My friends", he finally spoke, "I thank you. It has been my honor to have worked with you all, upon something so important. You all are good and honorable and useful men. Now, as we had agreed on work for payment; here, each of you, take a gold coin; and you are free to go."

So he handed a gold coin to each of them; and even though they tried to argue that, no, dear boss, we can't, this is too much; he still insisted, and they ended up taking it after all, and everyone was pleased; and so the good lads left, one by one, in a manner that expressed great fondness, and perhaps even a bit of sorrow; and so Gakupo was left alone. And even though he was now finding himself entirely penniless (as, previously, he had only had eleven golden coins, and eleven were the lads), he did not feel penniless at all. Instead he found himself quite jolly.

"My beautiful apparatus!' he exclaimed, just as he had exclaimed the first time he had come here, except this time there was no hiding his excitement. He jumped and squealed and danced about. He did so for a good while; then, once that was over, he stopped, and he stood quite still indeed, looking up, trying to get a good look at his newly built catapult.

"Hm," he shook his head, "this is wonderful. Quite wonderful indeed. And now, let's have it do what it was built to do, shall we?"

And so he began to climb on the catapult, until he found himself sitting comfortably inside the bucket.

But, just as he was beginning to realize that he was going to need one more person, or force, for this to work, he spotted a man, in strange and filthy armor, approaching.

"Oy! You!" Gakupo yelled at him, quite rudely I dare say. "Yes! You! Come over here!"

The man looked confused, because he was already very clearly coming over there; nevertheless, he did not stop.

"What is it?" He said. "What are you doing?"

"Can you not see?" Gakupo laughed. "What does it look like I am doing?"

"Well... I don't know", said the man, and he sounded very perplexed, and maybe a little worried, too. He was a guard of Red Moat Castle, but maybe he was not exceptionally good at his job. Maybe it's because it so rarely happened that they had any visitors, ever; or maybe it's because he was never really taught to be a proper guard as a child, and now that was following him well into adulthood. Or maybe it was because he had never seen a man of such strangeness and purple hair, sitting in the bucket of a catapult before.

"Well, anyways", Gakupo rolled his eyes "I am getting inside the castle, that's what I'm doing. Now come over here and push this... This part really hard, if you will."

"What?" said the man.

"Catapult me into the castle! That's what!" said Gakupo.

The man was looking at him, but did not speak.

"My goodness!" Gakupo began to get tired, and with both hands he pulled at his hair. "Eyes and ears, I can see, you possess," he hissed after a brief moment of hair-pulling, "and yet had I not seen it for myself, I would never-"

"There's a bridge", said the man.

"What?" said Gakupo.

And so they went over to the bridge.

#1 #stories

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tokiro07 · 10 months

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Martial Master Asumi ch.22 thoughts

[Alright, You Wrestling Assholes...He's BAAACK!!!]

(Contents: timeline placement, light thematic analysis, looking forward)

WHOOOOO!!! YEAH, BABY! THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR! THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT!!!

Who gives a damn about Asumi?!?! Okiba who?!?! What the hell does Kaz-low mean?!?! We're here for one thing and one thing only, and that's our girl Okome!!!

Oh, and Kunisaki's here too, I guess. Yay.

Joking aside, I'm really glad that we're getting to see Kunisaki again, especially since the latter half of Hinomaru Zumou really felt like it abandoned everyone aside from Hinomaru and Ozeki. Sure, we got to see them a little, but their character arcs pretty much ended with nationals, and it was especially a shame because Kunisaki clearly had his own story happen completely off-screen

I'm sad that we're probably at most going to get a brief flashback covering that time here, but seeing where Kunisaki's left went after the events of Hinomaru Zumou is absolutely welcome, and gives me hope we'll get to see everyone else down the line too

I don't really know what I was expecting from Okome, I just really wanted to see her as an extension of how much I wanted to see Kunisaki again, and yeah, she's definitely his kid. Love that her first words were "KYS," she really feels like a modern brat

...Hm? That's really modern slang, now that I think of it...she's fifteen now, so...no no, this timeline doesn't add up at all! Trump was canonically president during the events of Hinomaru Zumou, so even if you fudge it so that HZ ended in 2017 after he was inaugurated, that would only put Okome at about 7 if it's supposed to take place now! So MMA has to take place in 2031 at the absolute earliest! The slang is going to change so much by then!!!

But ahhh, who cares? It's a comic, they can do what they want. The main point is that this confirms that the story takes place 14 years after the end of Hinomaru Zumou, as Okome was 10 months old (just shy of a year) at the time. If Hinomaru Zumou is otherwise supposed to line up with our world, Trump famously being rude at the sumo match was 2019 (when the manga ended), so that would place MMA in 2034, ten years from now

Back to the actual chapter, once again I'm glad to see that everyone in this series is so...y'know, normal about it. Amagaki apologizes for breaking Yakushima's ankle but has a tough time looking him in the eye or finding the words to do so, and Yakushima graciously accepts that apology both because he knew what he was getting into and because he just genuinely loves the sport. No one is sneering down their nose at the rest of the world, no one's holding long-standing grudges, they're just people. They make mistakes, they get angry, they get hurt, but also they understand, they apologize, and they grow. That's one of my favorite things about this series, the people feel so real

Even Orino, who feels like such a stereotypical greedy slob, threw in the towel on Amagaki's behalf. It's hard to say exactly what he was thinking, but if nothing else, he clearly was concerned for Amagaki's wellbeing and didn't want him to get horribly injured. He could have left him to the wolves and let him get his arm broken, but even before Amagaki admitted defeat himself, Orino went out of his way to pull him out of danger, and that shows real promise for the type of man he's going to be going forward

Speaking of going forward, I'm not really sure where the story is going to go from here; obviously we're building to the confrontation between Asumi and Kazuro, but with Kunisaki talking about the "J-Futures," clearly his take on the National Treasures he met during his time in sumo, I'm wondering if that's really the direction this series plans to go. Okome seems to refute the idea pretty much immediately, which might be Kawada's way of saying that he's not going to reuse the idea of reclaiming Japan's glory through combat sports, but it might not be and the goal may be to actually put Asumi on the global stage somewhere like the Olympics. It's hard to say at the moment, but all I really want is a deeper exploration into the bloodlust concept that Kawada presented in Hinomaru Zumou. That was always my favorite part aside from the characterization, and now that we have a second chance at it, I'd really like to see it capitalized on

#martial master asumi #fouryearsandananime #4y1a reviews

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allisondraste · 5 years

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Temperance 32/42

Pairing: Nathaniel Howe/ Female, Non-HoF Cousland

Story Summary: Nathaniel and Elissa were childhood friends, but time and distance tore them apart. In the aftermath of the Fifth Blight, and Ferelden’s Civil War, both Elissa and Nathaniel must attempt reconstruct their tattered lives. As a series of events lead them to be reunited, both are reminded of so many years ago when things were much simpler.

Chapter Summary: Liss makes an important decision.

First Chapter

Previous Chapter

[AO3 LINK]

Highever, 9:27 Dragon

Dear Nate,

Every year I tell myself that this will be the last year I write to you, but here I am writing another hopeless letter, wondering if you’ll even read it, wondering if you even care. I’ve started to question whether you ever cared. This is not how friends treat one another... unless they’re imaginary, of course.

Andraste’s arse. Nate, are you imaginary? No, no. My imaginary friends still write to me.

Kidding.

Anyway, I’m sure you’ll be utterly shocked to know that I miss you. I thought I would stop eventually, but no such luck. The pain dulls each year, but I don’t think it will ever go away completely. I pray that you are well, and far happier than I am, out on your glorious adventure. I’m envious of you, and I’m envious of those who get to be near you.

I know I shouldn’t feel that way, that I should be angry and resentful that you’re ignoring me, but that’s not me. The day I stop caring about you is the day I die. I just wish that weren’t such a lonely thing to feel.

Have a good year, Nate.

Love,

Liss

Liss dropped her quill, and lifted the parchment from her desk, biting her bottom lip as she reread the letter. More and more tears welled in her eyes with each word, grasp on the page tightening, fingers crumpling the edges. She debated wadding in up entirely and tossing it into the fireplace. Why not? It would save Nate the trouble of doing it himself. Then again, she was stubbornly devoted to not giving up on him.

Taking a deep breath, she sat the parchment down and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes and scrubbing the tears from her cheeks. Suddenly a chill rushed up her spine as a presence appeared behind her, hot breath on her neck, hands on her arms, a trail of soft kisses from her shoulder to her ear.

“It’s too early,” whispered a low voice, “Come back to bed.”

She couldn’t remember his name, some second son of some minor lord from some small town in the bannorn, but he nipped at her ear again, and she bit back the urge to slap him. She’d been a little drunk—and more than a little sad— the night before, and he happened to be visiting Highever, willing and eager to distract and entertain the daughter of one of the most powerful men in Ferelden. Liss had learned that most people were, a fact of which she had taken complete, unapologetic advantage.

“Give me a moment,” she said, painting on a smile and turning around to look at the frustratingly nameless man. Why couldn’t she have had the decency to remember it? Even without the lens of intoxication that so often made people attractive, he was beautiful. So much so, that he should have been carved in marble and used as decoration in the home of some posh Orlesian widow. He was tall and fair, with dusty brown curls and green eyes that were perfectly symmetrical, and should definitely be painted on the cover of some risqué book like those Mother kept hidden around the castle, pretending she was discreet. Liss should have been thrilled at his tender attention, and yet in the dim rays of sunlight peeking through the curtains, he wasn’t who she wanted him to be.

The marble statue man lingered behind her, very obviously attempting to read what she was writing. “A letter?”

“No,” Liss teased, “It’s a shopping list.”

“A shopping list that says ‘Dear Nate’ at the top?” He tilted his head and smiled at her good-naturedly. Thank the Maker this one actually seemed nice.

Pulling the parchment in toward her chest to protect it from the nosey man Liss asked, “Do you make a habit of reading people’s postage?”

“Just when it is keeping a beautiful woman from lying beside me.” He ran his hand along the side of her face, wiping away a stray tear she’d been unable to dry herself. “And causing her to cry so early in the morning.”

“You noticed.”

“I am an observant man, my lady.”

Relaxing, Liss eased the letter down from her chest and sat it on the desk. “Don’t ever fall in love, uh—“

“Dareios.”

“How could I forget a name like that?”

“We didn’t exactly talk about it.” Dareios smirked.

“Right,” Liss said, clearing her throat as the heat rushed to her face. She shook her head. “I’m so sorry.”

“For what?”

“You’re not the first person I’ve slept with to make myself feel better,” she explained, rising from her chair and turning to face him, “But you’re the first person who’s been kind enough that I feel guilty about it. So, I apologize. If you wish to leave, and spread horrible rumors about me, I wouldn’t blame you.

“Did it work,” Dareios asked, reaching forward and taking her hands in his.

“What?” She eyed him with confusion and he only smiled, revealing the dimples in his cheeks.

“Did it make you feel better, my lady?”

Liss met his eyes and returned his smile. “Not really.”

“Then it seems I have not done a proper job.” He brought her hands up to his lips and pressed a kiss to each of them. “I still have a few hours until I leave, if you’ll have me.”

She knew she should decline, send him on his way, but loneliness echoed in her chest, one name, one person over and over again. Her heart would hear nothing else. Still, perhaps a kind stranger with a warm embrace and gentle touch could drown it all out for a few more hours, just long enough so that she might feel like herself again. She nodded and closed her eyes, allowing him to move in more closely and kiss her and lead her back to bed.

Then, there was a knock at the door, several haphazard raps followed by a, “Sis?”

Liss shot up, eyes widening and turned to Dareios. “You have to hide,” she whispered and began to look around the room.

“Why?”

“My family will not be pleased that I slept with another of our guests.” She stood up and pointed at the floor beneath the bed. “Here, you should be able to crawl under here.”

“Are you serio—“

Liss shushed him and pressed a finger to his lips. “Please?”

He laughed and crawled out of bed, and she realized he was wearing nothing but his smalls—even more incriminating were Fergus to find him. He got down on the floor and slid under the bed. It was a tight squeeze, but it would only be a moment. At least, she hoped.

“Liss, I know you’re in there,” Fergus called through the door, “Open up.”

“Coming,” she shouted as she grabbed a robe, tied it around her, and rushed to answer the door. She swung it open forcefully and glared at her brother, unable to hide her annoyance. “Can’t a girl take a bath in peace?”

Fergus grinned and cocked an eyebrow at her. “Oh, is that what we’re calling it these days?”

“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” she huffed indignantly.

“The visiting Bann is looking for his son,” he said, words pointed directly at her.

“Are you suggesting that I would know where he is?” It was a flimsy defense, and she knew it.

“ Liss. ”

“ Fergus.”

“I am only suggesting that if you happen to see him— oh, I don’t know— when he crawls out from under your bed, it might be a good idea to tell him to find his father before his father finds him,” Fergus raised his eyebrows and lowered his voice, “And before our parents find him.”

Liss nodded slowly, looking her brother directly in the eyes, and he offered her a reassuring smile as a promise her secrets were safe with him. They always had been. “If I see him, I will certainly let him know.”

“I will do my best to make sure your future baths are not interrupted.”

“Thank you, brother.”

“Don’t mention it.”

With that, Fergus turned and walked back down the corridor leaving Liss to close the door. Behind her she could hear Dareios crawling from under the bed and shuffling about, most likely in search of his clothes.

“I suppose you heard that,” Liss asked giggling as she turned to face the now half-dressed man.

“I did,” he replied with a sheepish smile, as he laced up his breeches, “My father seems to have forgotten that I am no longer a little boy.”

Liss sighed. “I know how that feels more than you know.”

Dareios pulled on his shirt and sat down on the edge of the bed to pull on his stockings and boots. “Your brother seems to be a good man.”

“He’s always had my back, even when I’m completely wrong, totally reckless, and having my back is the worst idea,” she admitted, “He’s the best. But don’t tell him I said so.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said earnestly as he finished lacing up his last boot. He stood and walked over to Liss, placing his hands first on her shoulders before bringing them up to cradle her face. “You are a beautiful person, Lady Elissa, inside and out. The only thing I regret about our night together is that there won’t be another.”

Liss’ breath hitched in her throat, and she fought back the tears that welled in her eyes. He was perfect, in every single way. She should have been begging him to stay, she should have promised him another night, many other nights. Yet, she couldn’t. She was neither worthy nor wanting of perfect. Instead, she smiled and brought one of her hands up to cover his. “Thank you for spending time with me Lord Dareios.”

“It was my pleasure,” he said, kissing her forehead before taking his hands from her face and moving to exit the room. He stopped in the doorway and turned back to face her. “I hope that ‘Nate’ of yours wakes up and realizes what a treasure he has.”

“I am no treasure, but I appreciate your words all the same,” Liss said weakly, “Thank you.”

She waved as he left, and closed the door quietly behind him, pressing her back to it and sliding down until she sat on the ground. She let her face fall to her hands, tears dripping from her eyes. It would be so much easier for her if she could just love someone else, but she did not know where to start, or how. Her first and only experience with love had happened so organically and subtly, it had woven itself into every part of her life that it was impossible to tell where it began or when it ended. She could not even be bothered to consider another person, even a person as wonderful as Dareios was.

This was Nate’s fault, she thought, looking up and catching a glimpse of the bow her family had crafted for him propped up in the corner of the room. If he could just write her back, and tell her once and for all that he didn’t love her. If he could just confirm that he found her letters annoying and unwelcome. If he could just be blunt and honest for once in his life, then maybe, just maybe she could let him go. As it was, she knew him too well to be so certain that his silence meant rejection. She’d seen his face light up too many times when she’d forced herself into his presence after he’d told her to go away to think that the same couldn't happen still. Sacrifice of her dignity though it may be, she knew she wouldn’t let go or move on truly until he released her. Thus, her current agony was his doing alone, and the realization allowed for anger where before there’d been only sadness. Damn him.

Liss stood abruptly and rushed to the desk, pulled out a fresh piece of parchment, and penned an entirely new letter to Nate.

Dear Nate,

Every year I tell myself that it will be the last year I write a hopeless letter to you as if you will read it. Every year, I tell myself that even if I don’t hear from you, it still matters. It’s something I should do as your friend, and as someone who cares about you. I am writing to you this time, to tell you that I won’t be doing that anymore. I am tired of writing letters into the void and wondering if you still care about me like I still care about you.

This is not how friends treat one another, Nate. You know that. I can’t even begin to understand how someone I grew up with, someone who I’ve known my whole life could ignore me. Unless it was all a lie. Unless you were just some figment of my imagination. Andraste’s arse. Are you imaginary?

Kidding.

If you ever decide that you care about me after all, you know how to reach me.

I wish you all the best.

Love,

Liss

With one quick read of the letter, feeling confident in her words, Liss folded it and placed it in an envelope for Papa to send out later. She threw on a shirt and breeches that hung so loosely she knew they must have been old clothes that Fergus had grown out of. Good enough, since she was in no mood to be uncomfortable in some dress. Then, she trudged over to the corner of the room, picked up his bow, and headed out into the corridor.

It took no time for her to reach Nate’s room, or at least the one that used to be his. For so long, it had been a place of refuge and comfort for her, yet it had been so long since she’d even visited it. She couldn’t bring herself to go inside and only see ghosts of him, shadows of his smell, the dusty untouched books, the chest that still had a few of his things in it. She’d feared it would overwhelm her if she opened the door, as if a wave of sadness would burst forth from behind the wood and drown her. She would not be scared anymore. She’d leave his bow there, with all the other disparate pieces of him and close it away, out of sight unless she wanted to see it again.

Gripping the bow so tightly her knuckles turned white, Liss entered the room. It looked exactly as it had the last time she’d been in it. Tidy. Empty. Cobwebs collected in corners and the sconces were all flameless. She sat the bow down on the bed and grabbed a torch from the hall to light those in the room. She walked about the space, taking everything in, remembering the times she’d spent sitting on the floor with him, talking, laughing, crying. She remembered the night they first met. She remembered all the times she’d come there to hide from the world, to just be herself.

Plopping down on the edge of the bed, she took the bow in her hands once more, running her fingers along the engravings in the wood, the letter “N.” Anger swelled in her chest and she tightened her grasp around the bow. She’d done nothing but care for him, and she knew it wasn’t his choice to leave, but he couldn’t even have the decency to write her back. He left her hanging out on a limb for him and her arms were getting so tired. She still loved him and yet she was so angry with him and it felt so much better than empty. She held the bow up and out in front of her before slamming it down against her knee. It snapped in half, and she tossed it across the floor.

Almost immediately, she regretted it, as she stared at the jagged pieces of wood, once whole, now connected only by the string attached to each piece. It could be repaired, of course. All of the parts were still there, but it was no longer what it was, and it would never be the same again. It was oddly poetic.

This was the kind of situation where Liss would have typically cried, dropping her head and letting the sobs shake her body, but she couldn’t. She felt numb, as if by breaking that bow, she had broken herself completely. She sat staring blankly at the stone of the floor for sometime, until there was a polite knock at the door before it swung open. It was Fergus, again, Oren in his arms and Bear at his side.

Bear immediately pushed past the door and sat near the bed, tilting his head and looking up at Liss. Oren shouted “Auntie,” and Fergus let him down so that he could run to her. Smiling vacantly, she picked him up and sat him on her lap.

“I think Bear saw you come in here. Wouldn’t let me have any peace ‘til I let him in. Oren wanted to tag along,” Fergus said with a laugh, and then he noticed the broken bow on the ground, eyes widening before he looked back up at her. “You okay, Liss?”

“No,” she answered flatly, wrapping one arm around Oren tightly, cuddling him up close to her until he giggled. With her free hand she reached down to pet Bear. “But I will be.”

It was not only an acknowledgement of the one-way trajectory that led from rock bottom, but also a promise to herself, to her family, that the past would be exactly what it was meant to be: the past.

#dragon age #dragon age origins #dragon age awakening #nathaniel howe #nathaniel howe x cousland #cousland #temperance #update #my writing #ONLY TEN CHAPTERS LEFT AHHH

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darklydeliciousdesires · 1 year

Text

Runaway - Chapter Thirteen.

Oh! We reached 30 notes yesterday and I’ve left you waiting on the update! I’m so sorry guys, but it’s here now :D I hope you enjoy it! As always, thanks for your engagement, I’m so thrilled that you all love it as much as you do.

Previous chapters - Prologue One Two Three Four Five ��Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve

Taglist - In the comments, please DM to be added/removed

Words - 2,230

Warnings - 18+ content throughout, minors DNI!

“Damn, I’m so glad your parking garage is underground!”

Hannah was simply glad he and their baby had arrived there in one piece, with the force of the storm that had rolled in. It had been expected, Manny even setting out earlier than planned in order to miss it, but been hit by it halfway to Hannah’s apartment, the rain absolutely torrential. If he hadn’t been turning his vehicle onto her street by the time it really began to pelt down, he would have pulled over and waited it out, it was so bad.

“I gotta say it, HB. You’re looking sharp as hell, mamas,” he complimented, noting that it was the first time he’d seen her in such attire. She wore a pair of dark grey pants that flared slightly, a white bodysuit and a pair of fancy looking, silver heels.

“Why thank you,” she began, her smile a little shy. “This is the first time I’ve had to get dressed up all business smart since giving birth. I’m just glad the bodysuit holds my mommy belly in!”

Lifting Lola from her car seat as Hannah reached for her, he gave her another quick tour with his eyes, frowning. “What mommy belly? I swear, that’s the exact same figure as you had before you got pregnant.”

“See?” she gestured with a sweep of her hand before receiving the baby into her arms. “Power of the bodysuit! Believe me, once I take it off, it’ll flop right back out!”

Manny rolled his eyes. “Mommy’s crazy, ain’t she bubs?” Lola gurgled right on cue. “See? The kid agrees.”

Hannah laughed softly through her nose, carrying her into the kitchen, Manny seating himself down at the breakfast bar. “So, you wanna wait it out with us for a while until it passes?”

Turning to look through the huge lounge windows, seeing the way the trees across the other side of the street were swaying, he thought that was likely best. Just then, the whole apartment lit up, a huge clap of thunder booming, Lola’s eyes widening. She only laughed and wriggled, though.

“Ahhh, just like daddy, aren’t you, tiny mamas,” he spoke, watching the curiosity his daughter viewed the storm with. “You love a good storm.”

“Coffee?” Hannah asked.

“Please,” he spoke, reaching for Lola across the counter so she could free her hands. “So, why the fancy threads today, then? Business meeting?”

“Something like that,” she confirmed, sticking a pod into the coffee machine. “I had a round of interviews earlier, as I’m looking for two more bookkeepers to come and work for me. My client list is now beginning to extend beyond my capabilities to do everything myself, so they’ll be working from home for now until I manage to find a small office space to rent. I might wait on that, though. I mean, if covid taught us anything then it’s that if it isn’t imperative to have an onsite location for your staff, then you get to save a lot of money. I dunno. What do you think?”

He straightened a little, his mouth upturning, pleasantly surprised to be asked his opinion. “I think you’re right. Digital technology and communications mean that you can easily run things via Zoom meetings and all that, client meetings can be done elsewhere, too, take ‘em for lunch or something, that’s a nice touch. I dunno, guess you’d only need an actual office if your business grows to the kind of size where it’d be detrimental somehow to have your staff all scattered around.”

“Yeah, yeah, that is a good idea. I like that. Thanks,” she smiled, handing him his coffee. “So, what’s new with you?”

Ahh, adult conversation. Easy back and forth. No screaming. He’d missed it.

Also, she’d asked about him. Carmen never bothered, only throwing wedding questions at him of late, it seemed. “Yeah, same old, really. Gramps wants me to head back home for a few days next week, got a new colt he’s having issues with he wants me to go get thrown around on. Apparently, my bones don’t break as easily.”

Hannah laughed, pouring herself a glass of wine. “Well, he is seventy-one. His days breaking in the crazy youngsters are likely behind him now.”

“Oh, but it’s alright for my ass to get up there and run the risk of snapped bones, huh?”

“You’re a cowboy who turned outlaw. If that isn’t one of the toughest breeds of man you can get, I don’t know what is,” she complimented, sipping her wine, her heart melting when Lola yawned, her head thudding against her daddy’s chest, grasping the soft flannel of his dark blue and green shirt. “I think someone needs her milk and bedtime a little early.”

“I’ll sort her out. She had a bath earlier because she got covered in paint. We went to see Willow and Lily for a little play date and let them do hand and footprint paintings. The fucking mess they got into, shit! They weren’t dry by the time we left, but I’ll bring yours over when I have it. The kids had a blast, it was awesome. Lily got actual canvases, so they look all fancy and stuff,” he explained, Hannah beaming. He was truly taking to fatherhood like a duck to water. “You go put your feet up.”

Doing just that, Hannah sighed softly, thinking to herself how lucky she was as she sat down on the couch, the dark green velvet moulding around her in a plush hug. Sipping her glass of claret, she felt content, until the feeling of nostalgia began to rise, taking another sip in an attempt to keep it abated.

Every time she saw Manny, and more pertinently, how brilliant he was with their baby, she felt something inside her ache a little. The way they’d sparked, how easy it had been between them back when they’d first met still very much in existence, too. Chemistry never really died, though, she was beginning to learn. The reality of it hit her every time, though, the fact he was engaged, even though at present, she didn’t know how happily. The last time they’d had a conversation about it, he hadn’t sounded like he was particularly content in his relationship.

Once Lola was dressed for bed and fed, they put her down, Hannah playing the soothing ambient music that Manny had discovered worked a charm in settling her to sleep, creeping out of her room again and going to sit back down in the lounge.

“Hungry?” she asked. “I’d call for a pizza, but I’m not having some poor delivery guy battle through that just to bring me dinner.”

“I’m okay, Lily made me a sandwich the size of my damned head, but you go ahead.”

“Alright, I’ll go put out a plate of stuff I can pick at, and then if you want anything it’s there.” She went first to change, coming back out in a pair of simple, light grey sweats and a black vest top, heading to the fridge and rummaging around. She returned after a few minutes with a huge sharing plate, full of cold meats, olives, tomatoes, fresh bread, cheeses, carrot batons, mini cucumbers and various dips. She’d just got it down on the table when her entire apartment was plunged into darkness.

“Damn, it’s been a while since we’ve had one so bad, the fucking power got knocked out,” Manny commented, rooting in his pocket for the petrol lighter he knew he had in there, flicking it to lit and moving the flame to light the wicks on one of Hannah’s gigantic coffee table candles. She looked through the basket she kept her wax melts and burner oils in, pulling out a lighter from there and going around the apartment, lighting all the other candles that lay dotted around.

Just as she sat down, his cell began to ring, Manny answering it with a slight look of discomfort. “Hey darlin’, what’s up?” there was a pause, Hannah being able to hear the demanded question of ‘where in the hell are you?’ before a pile more shouted words followed. “I’m still at Hannah’s, I didn’t think it was a good idea to drive back in this weather, even less now the power has been knocked out. Ain’t even any streetlights on here in town, it’s rough out there.”

The presence of her wine glass in front of her face obscured her wincing at the tirade he could hear him receiving, Manny rolling his eyes as Carmen gave him hell. She felt for him, having to sit there and defend a perfectly reasonable decision given the weather circumstances, to a woman who was being the very antithesis of that.

“It isn’t even that bad out there!” she overheard, Manny’s eyes widening.

“Carmen, it’s fucking biblical out there, baby!” he exclaimed, just as a huge bolt of lightning cracked the sky, the boom making Hannah jump. Immediately, he placed a reassuring hand to her ankle. He was being yelled at, yet he still noticed her little moment of unease.

On and on Carmen continued, cutting him off when he went to speak, Manny becoming exasperated with her overreaction to something that to anyone else, was perfectly reasonable.

“Why you gotta be there with her? Why don’t you want to come home to me?”

His jaw tightened. “Because there’s a horrific storm out there, Carmen, and it was bad enough driving in it once. Would you be going this crazy if I was at the clubhouse to wait it out, or with Angel and Lily? You’re being unreasonable, please see that. I’ll come home when I can. Bye.”

“Yikes.” Raising her eyebrows, she offered her wine glass forward, Manny taking it. She snorted softly with laughter when he drained it in one gulp.

“You got more of that?”

She jerked her head in the direction of the kitchen. “Another two bottles.”

“Can I stick a straw in one?”

She laughed further as he got up, leaving her glass on the table and returning with a bottle and a second glass, filling them both. “I ain’t much of a wine guy, but this stuff is pretty good, and shit, I need it. Mind if I crash on your couch? Even if this storm passes, I ain’t in the mood to go back to all of that.” He took a sip, his hunched shoulders finally sagging a little, the tension beginning to dissipate. “She’s a fucking embarrassment sometimes. Sorry you had to hear all of that. I know you did. My girl isn’t quiet in any sense of the damned word.”

Hannah couldn’t bite her tongue in time to prevent the assessment that slipped out. “She sounds quite insecure, to rather you risk your safety driving back through a storm than to wait it out here with me. Something tells me that if you were still at Lily’s place, she wouldn’t take in issue with it, like you mentioned. It seems to be driven by me specifically.”

“Well, she might as she’s intimidated by Lily, but you’re right, it’s a you thing.” He looked conflicted for a second, weighing up whether to reveal it all. “She hasn’t come out in as many words and said it, but she’s hella jealous of you. I think that’s understandable enough, though. You’re the kind of woman others could easily feel threatened by.”

Hannah hadn’t actually met Carmen, his fiancée being absent whenever she’d dropped Lola round to their house, but she’d seen pictures of her within the home. She looked like a model, so with that in mind, she wondered why the hell she’d see her as a threat. That confusion showed on her face, too, Manny continuing.

“I mean, come on. You live here, downtown, expensive apartment, you’ve got a good career, you’re knockout gorgeous, and you’re the mother of my child.”

At hearing him refer to her as knockout gorgeous, her heart fluttered a little. Carmen could have only seen her in the pictures he’d shown her of Lola back when he first met her, too, when Hannah had thought she’d been looking pretty rough around the edges, frayed by the duress of being a new, single mom.

“But she’s the one you’re marrying,” she reasoned, sipping her wine.

He let out a long breath, turning to her. “Not if she continues like this, I won’t be. It ain’t the stuff about you, although I would actually like for you guys to get along, but if she keeps on refusing to acknowledge Lola then I just can’t do it. I can’t marry somebody who won’t make even the tiniest room in her life for my daughter. I don’t want it to come to that, I love her, but fuck, HB. She’s gotta give me a little consideration here.”

He paused, turning to her, reaching to gently slap her knee. “Why can’t she be more like you? Reasonable, understanding, emotionally mature? It’s easy with you. It’s just getting harder with her.”

It was easy with him, too. Far too easy. Far too natural. Far too tempting, as her eyes flitted to between his legs when he slumped down a little further, his thighs falling wider apart, the bulge of the most perfect cock she’d ever seen filling out the dark denim entirely too well.

Oh lord.

#manny mayans mc #manny mayans mc fanfiction #manny mayans mc smut #manny mayans mc imagine #manny mayans mc x ofc #manny montana #manny montana imagine #manny montana smut #manny montana x ofc #mayans mc #mayans mc fanfiction #mayans mc imagine #mayans mc smut #mayans mc fanfic #mayans mc fic

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maximoffwitch · 3 years

Text

Heart on Fire: Chapter 3 (Wanda Maximoff x Reader)

chapter summary: As you and Wanda work together on the mission, you make a costly decision.

warnings: canonical violence

word count: 1.2k

a/n: ahhh it’s been so long since the last chapter! sorry that this is a pretty short one but it kinda had to be....anyways next chapter will be longer. enjoy! (as always thx to @didujustcallmedumb for giving this a read over)

SERIES MASTERLIST

Chapter 3: Up in Flames

As the ramp slowly lowered from the quinjet, you turned to Wanda, who was standing next to you, Steve next to her and the rest of the group behind you.

“Ready?” you asked softly, sensing her nervousness as you tried to quell your own.

Turning towards you, Wanda nodded with a reassuring smile. As she faced forward, her eyes started to glow red and your anxiety couldn’t help but peak. But your uneasy feelings seemed to die down as a soothing aura took over your body.

“Relax, firecracker,” Wanda murmured, her voice absent of any malicious teasing. “We’re gonna be fine. You’re ready.”

“Thanks,” you whispered, as you tried to hide your shock and the other woman’s kindness. Maybe she didn’t completely hate you after all. Taking a deep breath, you made your way down the ramp, your hands warm and ready.

The team had barely taken ten steps before shots were being fired. Immediately, you and Wanda sprung into action, using your powers to clear attacking soldiers and create shields so the team could advance. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Tony and Sam take flight, probably to scope out the situation up ahead. Once you reached the base, Steve addressed the two of you.

“Clear the perimeter, then post at the back door and keep watch. We’ll meet there for evac.”

Without waiting for confirmation, he took off inside the building, following the rest of the group.

“You ever feel like the team just takes advantage of us for our powers?” you huff jokingly under your breath.

“Tell me about it,” she playfully rolled her eyes before suggesting, “You go right, I’ll go left, and we’ll meet in the back. We’ll cover more ground faster that way.”

“Sounds good,” you agree. “Let me know if you need any backup.”

“Will do.”

As Wanda took off, you watched her turn the corner before hesitantly going around the right side of the building, where you encountered several patrolling soldiers. At first, it was only one or two, which you took out easily with hand-to-hand. It wasn’t until you were severely outnumbered that you unleashed your powers.

Rather than burning them directly, you formed a ring of fire around you and them, giving you the upper hand. As the fight went on, the HYDRA agents were clearly overheating, their movements becoming sloppy and tired, whereas you were barely breaking a sweat.

Once you cleared your side of the building, leaving behind injured and unconscious soldiers, you jogged over to the back. When you didn’t see Wanda, your stomach began to churn, your thoughts going straight to the worst. But before you went off to search for her, you saw a flash of red running towards you, and you let out a breath you didn’t know you’d been holding.

As she approached you, you saw a stray soldier step off the wall, aiming at her.

“Watch out,” you called out to Wanda, as you sent a ball of flames past her, setting the man on fire before he could shoot.

“Thanks,” she sent you a small smile, earning a slight nod from you. “Everything clear?”

“Yeah,” you answered, “for now.”

Wanda huffed in agreement before bringing her hands up to her mouth, trying to warm them up. With your powers, you nearly forgot about the frigid Russian winter, but you soon realized how cold she must be, as she tucked her hands under her armpits.

An idea popped into your head, and you stepped forward in front of Wanda, your breaths becoming one.

“What are you doing?” she stuttered, her teeth chattering violently, both from the cold and from your close proximity.

“Keeping you warm,” you put your hands on her biceps to stop her shivering as you worked to radiate heat. Though you knew you were expending precious energy, you also knew without it, Wanda would freeze to death, which is something you wouldn’t allow.

“Thank you, (Y/N),” she hummed contently.

“Don’t mention it.”

A few moments of silence passed between you, the only noise coming from the whistling wind and the echoes of stray bullets. While Wanda’s eyes were shut, embracing the new found warmth, you took the opportunity to admire her, a past time you would never get bored of. Even after fighting off dozens of men, Wanda still managed to look radiant, her cheeks rosy from the crisp air and lashes dusted with snow.

“What?” she opened her eyes, feeling your intense gaze on her.

“Nothing,” your eyes widened, as you shook your head, quickly diverting your gaze.

“Okay,” Wanda drawled out and eyed you suspiciously before closing her eyes again.

“Wanda?”

“Hm?”

“Why do you hate me?” you asked so quietly that if you weren’t standing inches apart, Wanda would’ve missed it.

“What?” Her eyes flew open, shock and guilt swirling in her green orbs.

“It’s just,” you huffed, as you removed your hands from her sides, running them through your hair, causing Wanda to shiver, already missing your touch, “every time I try and reach out, you always shut me out. And I don’t know if it’s anything that I’ve done but I thought that we could be friends because we have a lot in common, but I get it if you don’t want to, at least tell me why.”

The brunette chewed on her lip, your words sinking in. Wanda knew she had been shutting you out but after everything she’d been through, she had to protect herself. She couldn’t lose anybody else.

“I don’t hate you,” she revealed, her face wearing a regretful expression. Before either of you could say anything, the door flew open, revealing a disheveled and beat up Steve, Natasha, and Clint.

“We gotta go,” Steve commanded, looking over his shoulder at the HYDRA soldiers chasing after them. “Now.”

“You guys go,” you told your three team members. “Wanda and I will hold them off.”

You looked to Wanda, who nodded.

“Hurry,” Natasha directed before the three of them took off sprinting back towards the jet.

“Ready?” Wanda asked you.

“Ready,” you replied with a fiercely determined look on your face.

As what looked to be nearly a hundred HYDRA soldiers charged and fired in your direction, you and Wanda fought together harmoniously, dancing around each other, as you took out soldier after soldier. Still them off, the two of you gradually made your way towards the direction of the quinjet.

Right as the jet came into sight, you could feel your energy starting to drain, having used your powers relentlessly to not only fight but keep Wanda and yourself warm. While your moves became slower and messier, your senses were still alert.

So when you saw one of the HYDRA men raise a ginormous unknown weapon that did who knows what and aimed it at Wanda, your eyes became saucers.

“Wanda!” you cried, using the last of your energy to sprint to her. Grabbing her by the waist, you spun her around, your back towards the line of fire.

An anguish scream escaped your lips, as a blast charred your body, causing you to fall to the ground. As the pain became unbearable, you could feel yourself slipping out of consciousness as Wanda screamed your name.

The last thing you saw was a flash of red magic before you blacked out.

taglist: @xxxtwilightaxelxxx @when-wolves-howl @nfatale05 @iliketozoneout

#wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff imagine #marvel #marvel x reader #marvel imagine #heart on fire #my writing

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glitxhwayventeen · 2 years

Text

The Half-Blooded One

Yangyang

Characters: Yangyang x female reader

Warnings: complaining, pain/soreness/injuries, mentions of crying, mentions of war, hints of depression, implications of being a soldier, car accident scene, plane crash scene, mentions of death, mentions of blood, family/sibling issues/ten being a bad brother, some swearing/cursing. I think that’s it but lmk if i missed anything pls!

Author’s Note: Ahhh this took me forever to finish I’m sorry. I know there wasn’t much of Yangyang with the main character but believe me when i say there’s more in store for these two🤐

Please remember that all of these chapters and the content within them are a work of fiction! They’re just for fun/entertainment!

Watch It All Burn Masterlist

The Half-Blooded One: Part 1

Bold- Dialogue Italics- Thoughts Pink- Foreign Language Use

🥀 with a little ☁️ at the end

Surprisingly, Ten wasn’t really all that mad at him. He was shocked honestly. He figured he’d have to run away and hide for a few days until the Thai boy’s anger subsided. But Ten didn’t even seem to flinch at the thought of the two of you one day being together once he got past the initial shock of finding out that fate was throwing you together.

In fact, he seemed to be rather… sorry that the pup of the pack was gonna end up going through what he’d have to go through to be with you.

It had been two days since you showed up all but bleeding out on their doorstep. Those two days had been some of the best, yet worst, days of Yangyang’s life.

On one hand, he was unbelievably happy to know that he had actually found his mate, that he was now able to hear, smell, and feel you nearby. But on the other, hearing your deafening screams of agony as his packmates did their best to keep you alive and breathing when you were so close to death crushed him.

He knew virtually nothing about you and, if your body gave out, he may never find out more. With you passed out, the only person he’d have to get any knowledge of you was your brother.

But Ten was remaining tight lipped and almost unbearably silent, two ways no one in their right mind would’ve ever thought to describe him as the older boy was known to cause havoc and mischief wherever he went.

The only other person in the pack who seemed to know even a little bit about you and your situation was the alpha, but he didn’t seem too keen on sharing about your private life without your permission.

So Yangyang had no real way of getting anymore information on you until you woke up. And according to the resident doctor and nurse of the pack, though it did look as though you may arise rather soon, it didn’t look like you’d be too coherent for a while.

“I think you need to accompany us,” Sicheng commented to your brother in thinking that this time you could actually wake to some form of consciousness based on how you reacted to them changing your dressings the previous night, “It’ll be easier with you there.”

Yangyang watched as the older boy shook his head quickly with a gulp as everyone in the living room stared at him for an answer, “Believe me, I’m probably the last person she’d want to see right now. You’re better off going up there alone.”

While the question of why your brother seemed to have thought you hated him so much was on everyone’s mind, no one thought it the appropriate time to bring it up into conversation. It was easy to tell that he was a nervous wreck who spent all his time worrying about you.

Sure everyone could tell he never tried to go near you in your current state if he could help it, but that didn’t mean he still didn’t continuously ask the healing couple about your condition and if there was anything he could do to help you.

He was your family after all. And he may very well have been your only family still left as far as anyone knew.

“If you say so,” Daiyu shrugged, getting ready to pull herself off the leather loveseat she was sitting on to stand on her feet.

She was about nine months pregnant now and looked as if her water would break at any minute, but that didn’t stop her from doing what she could to help the newest addition to the pack, “But for the record, I think you’re making a big mistake. If I was gonna wake up in a foreign country with a bunch of strangers picking at my exposed nerves, I’d want whatever family I had there holding my hand. Regardless of what could’ve happened in the past.”

And with that, Yangyang watched as the couple made their way down the hall to your new resting place with Sicheng letting his mate hold onto his elongated arm for support as she walked beside him.

It wasn’t long before they all once again heard your ear curdling wails emit themselves from your bedroom door. Even though Yangyang had tried to distract himself by helping braid Yueguang’s hair, he still couldn’t help the barely audible whimper that bubbled out from the back of his throat at your pain. And it was only just beginning.

But instead of hearing your normally high pitched scream become a series of begging and pleading that no doubt had tears behind it, they heard multiple thuds, bumps, and a small yelp before the ever so loving couple made their way back out of the makeshift hospital room.

Sicheng stumbled out holding the side of his face while Daiyu stormed out in a steam of anger beside him, never letting her growling frown falter.

“W-what happened?” Yangyang stuttered out, doing his best to maintain some semblance of composure to save his own image.

Though everyone already had correctly guessed that you being in such a vulnerable state was beginning to take a heavy toll on him.

The pregnant girl plopped herself down on her original loveseat spitefully, “She fucking punched him!”

Yangyang gulped, “W-wait so- you meant she actually- she-”

“Punched him? Yes! Can you believe it?!?” The mate seethed.

Suddenly, a hearty laugh began pushing itself from Ten’s lungs as he crumbled over in amusement, “Of course she did,” he airily replied as he wiped the thick tears that had started to pool under his eyes from overdoing his chuckling.

“You KNEW she’d do that?!?” Daiyu expressed in fury, pushing herself to get in a pouncing position as her eyes widened.

“I mean….” your brother scratched the back of his head with a chuckle, “She’s done it before for a lot less. So I kinda figured some strange dude she’s never met suddenly poking and prodding at her still open wounds was bound to gain some sort of volatile reaction.”

You were probably scared out of your mind, of course you reacted badly. Your mate reasoned that any rational person would’ve freaked out in some manner. He couldn’t blame you for hitting his packmate.

But hell, there’s no way he could blame you even if you didn’t have a good reason to throw a punch anyways. You were still the love of his life, even if he didn’t know anything about who you were or what you’d been through.

“You’re insane! SHE’S insane!” The pregnant girl now completely stood from her position as if she was ready to lunge on the boy before her mate quickly pulled her back.

“Dai my love calm down,” Sicheng rubbed her stiff shoulder in an attempt to ease her, seemingly forgetting about the pain in his cheek, “It’s okay.”

Before, Yangyang would’ve fake gagged at whatever coupley things his brothers and sisters did with each other. Now he could only wish one day he’d be able to do such cute things with you.

“It is absolutely 100 flavors of NOT okay! She hit you!” She fumed, “You got hit! You’re hurt!” She turned to face the pointy eared boy with sudden watery eyes.

Yangyang watched as the monotoned boy kissed her on the forehead for the first time in front of nearly the whole pack, “She’s a wounded kid in an unknown place with excruciating injuries,” He reasoned softly, “She did what any of us would’ve done out of pure instinct, not malice. It’s not her fault,” He finished by sweetly stroking the side of her cheek, “I’m just glad you weren’t the one in the line of fire.”

The girl that all but had steam coming out of her ears moments ago seemed to relax herself after a few moments and then buried her face in her mate’s chest. It did take the pack back a bit as the couple usually wasn’t so touchy. Though Yangyang took note that, even though it was a new experience for them all, no one seemed to mind.

“But that situation is EXACTLY why I wanted you to go with us to see her.” Sicheng rolled his eyes, his arms wrapping themselves around the tiny girl in front of him to comfort her.

Ten sighed as he spoke to his younger brother, “If i went with you-” He started, noticeably biting his bottom lip, “She would’ve most likely jumped at me and hurt herself even more. And it probably would have made you have to work twice as hard to fix her. I did you a favor.”

And it was those exact words that seemed to reignite the coal inside the smaller Cantonese girl.

Daiyu quickly spun herself around and out of her mate’s loving arms to face your brother, “You call this-“ Dai gestured to the welt beginning to form on the tall wolf’s face, “a favor?!? She hit him so hard he’ll probably have a bruise. Do you know how hard someone’s gotta hit you assholes to actually LEAVE a bruise!?!?”

The room watched as Ten began to laugh to himself once more, “The bruise is NOTHING hon,” He brushed her off, “Just be grateful it’s her left hand wounded and not her right. If she had her dominant hand and had used her full strength, she would’ve KO’d his ass!” He snorted.

While the living room sprouted to life in debate over whether the second oldest had truly done anyone a favor in his sly maneuvering, Yangyang couldn’t help but smile softly.

You were left handed. At least the previous conversation had given him one thing he now knew for sure about you. That was something.

You woke from your tiring slumber with a sharp pain running down your arm. It felt as though hot knives had suddenly dug themselves into your skin and had begun peeling each layer off.

You felt your heartbeat pick up and your breathing begin to accelerate to an alarming point. It stung like a bitch.

So you soon found yourself popping your eyes open in surprise, quickly feeling tears brimming the waterlines as your body seethed in its place.

Once you managed to steady your pain by breathing deeply in and out, you blinked back your tears of agony so get a better look at your surroundings.

That’s when the florescent lights above you burned into your corneas. And, since you weren’t an idiot and knew that looking at such a powerful light would only made things worse, you decided to feel out the environment around you instead of the vibrant color directly in front of you.

As your eyes tuned in and out of focus while they readjusted, you could make out what was a poster of some sort on the wall below you by your feet. That was weird. The barracks didn’t even have walls for posters to hang. You must’ve been moved. But to where?

Shifting your gaze away from the wall, you looked looked to your right for a possible weapon or escape as it was what you were trained to do in questionable settings. You were met with what you could only assume was a gaming table with many different electronic devices and screens scattered about it. The rainbow lights it admitted from beneath it’s flat surface made your eyes strain.

No. You were in a house… But not just any house. A house that had the luxury of having overhead lighting and the internet. You Definitely were not back home.

“Oh… you’re awake.” A deeper male voice spoke from your left, making you jump in place and sending another shooting pain through your body, this time down your side and thigh.

Because of how sudden the jolt was, you couldn’t stop the small hiss that vocalized itself from the back of your throat.

“Sorry!” The guy said as he tried to stabilize your now contracting wincing torso, “I thought you knew I was here.” He reasoned in mandarin, calmly taking his hands off your middle and placing them back to their original place as he cut off a final piece of gauze to lay on your arm.

He must’ve been changing the dressing on your forearm. That made sense. But who was he?

As the man was a literal stranger to you and you couldn’t get away even if you tried, you figured your best bet was to do what you were taught to do in similar situations: stay quiet and give away nothing. So that’s exactly what you did. Nothing.

Seemingly sensing that you were remaining guarded because you didn’t know him, he decided to introduce himself, “I’m Sicheng. I dont know if you remember or can even understand me, but your fist and my face were well acquainted the other day.” He tried to ease the tension with a joke.

Your mind flashed back to a very hazy memory of another time you felt such seething throbbing.

You weren’t sure what was happening or why you were having such a hard time seeing or opening your eyes at the time, but you knew you smelt something foreign. Something that smelt just shy enough of your brother’s smell to be familiar, but just unknown enough to send your instincts on high alert.

You barely remembered flying up and punching the nearest intruder closest to you. Well, you actually thought you hadn’t really done it since the image had such a dream like appearance to it. But you quickly realized it wasn’t something your mind made up because the person on the receiving end of it was speaking to you.

“Oh… yeah r-right…” You let out hoarsely in your second language, from what you figured was only a day or two of not speaking, much to the older boys surprise, “I understand you. S-Sorry for clocking you dude. It wasn’t intended.” You continued honestly, doing your best to brush off any of the embarrassment you had felt for making such a mistake, “I don’t know where I am or who anyone around me was and Y-You were just the closest target.”

The boy, Sicheng, gave you a kind lazy smile as he tied off the final bandage on your arm, “It’s alright. Worse has happened to me, trust me,” He gave a small chuckle, “You’re in an unfamiliar environment with unfamiliar people and when you realized that you reacted out of instinct. I would’ve done the same thing if i was in your shoes,” He forgave you, way easier than you would’ve had you been the one hit.

“Though do me a favor,” He continued, giving you a look as he moved down your body to your leg to ask for your approval, something you gave without even thinking, “Next time you feel the need to go all swing happy,” He smirked as he peeled back the old wrap on your cut up leg, “Give a guy a heads up so the next one’s directed at your brother yeah?”

Your brother. You remembered now. You weren’t very conscious the last few days, but that didn’t mean your supersonic hearing and senses hadn’t picked up what was doing on around you without you knowing it.

Canton, your best friend since you were babies and one of the only friends you had had left, stepped out of the barracks tent to make a phone call after yet tip came back that there would be another raid the next day. The next thing you knew, you had a needle being shoved into your neck and you were seated on a plane. But it wasn’t the kind you were used to.

It was a commercial flight, one destined to land in Korea apparently. You would’ve smacked him for bringing you to a new country when your own was in shambles, but you were too drugged and out of it to even keep your eyes open.

When you had landed and Canton had finished carrying you out of the plane and airport, you heard a voice that you hadn’t heard since you were a little girl.

It was your brother. In all your confusion and blood loss you had forgotten that he had moved to the land of the Koreans to study. It made you want to burst out in tears knowing you were in the same place as him after so long, but again, you were too fucked up to notice.

You realized on the drive that you were being taken to his home. Well, his and his pack’s home. You had never met any of them before, you wouldn’t have even heard about them before if it weren’t for your Chinese grandparents who constantly tried to update you on your elder brother’s life, but you assumed it was to have you stay with them because your remaining family and friends didn’t want to see you die. Which you more than likely would have if you stayed back in your home country since the medical care available to people was all but non-existent now.

Korea had more to offer you in terms of life. If it had been up to you, you would’ve chosen the fate of staying and perishing rather than leaving and living. You loved your people and you were determined to fight, even at the cost of your own life, to help take back your land. But you couldn’t protest, you couldn’t even speak or stay fully awake. You were stuck and you were dying.

Though just because you were stuck and dying didn’t mean that your once cold and distant brother would suddenly turn into the loving and caring brother you had once known decades ago.

That’s why you weren’t shocked when you realized you hadn’t sensed him near you since the day you arrived. And that’s how you knew that, even in the present time, your brother would positively be no where to be seen nor had any plans of coming to you.

“Yeah well,” you cleared your throat with a hiss when Sicheng began applying some weird ointment that burned to your leg, “I’ve been here I’m guessing nearly a week now and he hasn’t visited me even once. So i doubt that’s feasible.”

Your words caused the tall wolf to cease his healing tactics in total confusion, “Wait, How do you know he hasn’t visited you?”

“I- I just do.” You stuttered, turning your head to the opposite side so the boy wouldn’t see the water building up in your eyes as he continued the torturous task of applying the firey ointment.

“How’s she look?” Yangyang impatiently bombarded his older packmate as he made his way into the common area.

He was eager to see how long it would be before he could actually try to see you in person. He wondered if you knew what was going on or what had happened. He questioned whether you even knew about wolves in the first place or what mates were. But mostly, he was worried for your health and well-being.

“You know you can just go ask her yourself right?” Sicheng questioned with a raised brow as he exhaustedly plopped himself down on the living room couch.

As much as he loved the thought of being able to go to you and just start the rest of your lives together, even HE wasn’t that naive. There were a great number of steps he had to take before he could just start showing deep concern and love for you to your face. And he knew that he would never be able to hide his obvious feelings for you if he saw you face to face. He had to be more thorough. He had to be patient and plan it through.

“She doesn’t even know who I am,” The pink haired boy reminded with a sigh, “How could i possibly do something like that without seeming super weird to her?”

“Well,” Dejun snorted, “If she didn’t want to be around someone super weird, the universe sure as shit fucked her over!”

“Oh haha. Very funny.” Yangyang rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in the direction of the usually quiet one of their family, “And what about what’s her face? You think SHE really got the best deal ever getting stuck with YOU as a mate?!”

The day after you were brought to their house, Dejun finally worked up the nerve and told the pack about a girl from one of his classes. He figured it was a good time to confess to everyone where he had been and explained that he, like the pup of the pack, had imprinted on a… less than easy person. Now, it was being thrown back in his face and he wasn’t loving the situation.

“She’s none of your business jackass!” He seethed, failing miserably as he tried his best to not let his anger get the best of him, “At least I have a shot with my mate, there’s a chance yours won’t even see next week!”

Yangyang couldn’t help the sudden urge to leap up from his spot and snarl at his brother for saying such things about you. Did he know that there was still a chance you might not HAVE a chance? Of course he did. Contrary to what everyone believed, he wasn’t that stupid or naive. But that didn’t mean he wanted to have the thought voice aloud. It wasn’t Dejun’s place to say shit.

Just as the two young wolves looked as if they were about to start a bloody fight, the eldest decided it was probably best he speak up before things got out of hand, “All right all right!” He waved, placing himself between the angsty boys, “Let’s put our claws in and settle down before we say more things we’ll all regret tomorrow yeah?”

The older of the two mumbled something in what Yangyang recognized as cantonese before he huffed and threw himself back down to where he was previously sitting with a smirk, knowing full well he visibly got under the pups skin with his last comment. It wasn’t that he had anything against you or Yangyang imprinting per say, he just didn’t like it when people said anything about his own complicated mate. So he just had to push the younger one’s buttons right back. It was just how werewolf instincts worked when it came to mating. He couldn’t help it.

It took a moment, but after a few deep breaths to cool himself, Yangyang finally backed down and sat himself on the chair opposite to where Dejun situated himself in the holes that the distance would make him want to punch the smug asshole less. Surprise surprise, it didn’t.

Once he noticed that the children of the group settled, he turned his attention towards the healer to focus on a more important topic: you, “How IS she really doing Sicheng?”

“Well, Daiyu and I changed her dressings again which was a challenge in itself since she’s still pretty in and out, but a good majority of her wounds still aren’t even trying to close up.” The pointy eared boy replied, also wanting the attention to be put back on you, “Even though a portion of them are actually relatively shallow. I think she’s got some debris still embedded in the tissue that’s not letting her heal properly and it’s gonna need to be taken out.”

Yangyang felt his heart all but fall to his stomach in guilt. While he was busy arguing with his packmate, he lost touch with what really mattered: You weren’t getting any better.

Why weren’t you getting fixed up? Were they just not trying their best to save you? Could you just be so bad off that the power couple couldn’t help you? What on earth was he gonna do if they couldn’t get you better?

“It’ll need to be soon.” Sicheng interrupted the pink haired boys thoughts, “The longer we wait, the more likely there’ll be some serious infection we won’t be able to get rid of that could...” He drifted off his sentence, even though everyone knew where it was going.

They didn’t know you, but you were still their brother’s little sister. Most of them hadn’t ever spoken to you, but you were still their packmate’s mate. No one wanted to think of the possibility of you not making it. It would be a devastating reality to their small pack that they just weren’t prepared to face.

So everyone in the room went silent. Everyone stopped what they were doing out of almost respect for your situation. Everyone was too anxious and too terrified to continue on with their current activities they were working on.

In an effort to break the pin dropping quietness that was seemingly so thick you could cut it with a knife, the alpha tilted his head towards your brother, “Ten, are you sure we can’t just take her to the hospital?” The eldest quizzed, doing what he could to stay within his bounds as someone who wasn’t related to you while also trying to keep his dominance as head of the pack, “You heard Sicheng, she’s only gonna get worse and, even though he’s the closest thing we’ve got to one, he’s still not technically a doctor.”

It took less than a second for the devilish boy to reply to his alpha, “No. She can’t go.”

A rather annoyed groan came from the heavily pregnant girl who had been helping you, “Okay seriously I get that you guys have some issues and all,” She declared, “But is this really the time for you to be taking whatever it is that’s wrong with you out on your sister? This is literally life and death Ten. She could really die.” Daiyu worried.

Sure she was upset with you for punching her mate in the face out of no where and scaring the shit out of her personally. But just because she didn’t particularly like you at the moment didn’t mean that she didn’t want you to survive the brutality you’ve had to face. She used to be in a similar boat and the pack still did all they could to save her. So how could she not do the exact same to help you?

“Yeah Ten, last time i checked on her she didn’t look so good,” Yueguang interrupted, trying her best to shake the thought of your scorching fevered skin from her mind, “Maybe it’s best if we just-”

“You guys don’t get it!” Chittaphon cut them all off loudly, “This isn’t some siblings rivalry or whatever it is you guys THINK you know about my sister and I’s relationship. She physically cannot go to see a medical professional here. No matter her state of health.”

It seemed like once again the whole room had paused to give him their whole attention. You were human and you were hurt. So why couldn’t you just go to the doctor like a normal person would when they were injured?

“Well Why not?” Daiyu questioned, beginning to get pissed off at her brother for being so difficult for seemingly no reason.

“For the same reason you haven’t gone for your unborn baby,” He rolled his eyes as if the answer was so obvious, “Or why we didn’t go the time Hendery accidentally pushed Dejun off the room and collapsed his lung. Or why none of us go when we get a pretty gruesome wound,” Ten continued, “She can’t go for the same reason the rest of us can’t: if they run any test on her, any test AT ALL, they’ll find out her secret- OUR secret!”

But that didn’t make sense. Sure you didn’t necessarily smell the most human, but the pack attributed that to the fact that you weren’t doing so hot health wise at the moment. According to Sicheng, you also didn’t grow any fangs when you were screaming in pain as they changed your bandages. Your eyes didn’t change color when you nearly knocked him on his ass when you first woke up and felt threatened. You clearly weren’t a wolf by any normal standard. So why would they be able to find out the secret everyone worked so hard to keep.

“But you said she’s not-” Yangyang tried to point out, doing his best to poke holes in your brother’s logic so he could get you the best care available.

But it seemed that no matter what anyone said or would do, the nimble wolf wouldn’t back down on his stance of you not going to the doctor, “I know what I said!” Ten blurted, aggravated at the situation entirely.

His brother’s sudden outburst scared the pink haired boy more than it probably should’ve. He understood that your brother was just doing what he could to protect everyone as that was part of his job as second in command. But Yangyang couldn’t help but fight the thought of you not being able to go to the hospital. You were his mate. How could he not at least try to give you your best shot at living?

“Look kid, I get why you’re worried, I do. She’s my sister and I… care a great deal for her too,” The tone of his voice began to morph into something rather comforting once he saw the panic and pain in the pup’s growing red eyes, “But just because she doesn’t shift, doesn’t mean she’s human. Whatever she is- whatever’s pumping through her veins- IS NOT gonna turn out normal on a blood test. Trust me.”

“Just cause she smells kind of like a werewolf, doesn’t mean that if she goes to the hospital they’ll figure it out. She could just smell like that from being around them so much. She’s probably just a normal human.” Yueguang rationed, thinking that it was worth the risk since they weren’t 100% sure you’d make it with just the power couple’s help.

“Yeah we can probably take her and she’d be fine.” Chimed Dejun in agreement, honestly just wanting the conversation about your health to be over already.

Everyone was thinking that their arguements were pretty valid and that your own brother was bound to listen to logic since he would’ve wanted to do everything possible to keep you alive. But before Dejun could even fully finish speaking, Ten broke out in anger once more, “You guys don’t fucking understand!”

Chittaphon was always known as the cool headed one, the jokester of the pack that only ever messed with the people around him lovingly. So seeing him bust into a sudden fit sent a small shiver even down your own mate’s spine, someone who your brother secretly treasured to no end.

“What is it that we don’t understand?” Kun quizzed, “You said it yourself, it’s not like she can shift. So what’s the harm in taking her to get patched up at an actual medical facility?”

“That’s not what I meant! Did you not even hear the part where I said ‘she’s not normal?’!?!” Ten aggressively snarled to his pack, though most so towards his alpha, “When i say she’s not human either, I fucking mean she’d be no better off than the rest of us if we went!”

Yue pinched the bridge of her nose in agitation, “Ten, you’re being ridiculous! Her injuries are seriously life threatening.”

At that point, everyone was beginning to think he was being pretty unreasonable. Sure Ten had a reputation of being a head strong asshole when he wanted to be, but how could he just dismiss the possibility of your getting critical life saving care without at least taking the time to consider what it meant to forgo said care?

“If Sicheng said she’s gonna just get worse, we need to just take her to the hospital for her own sake.” Kun flatlined, instinctively going over to put himself between his mate and the now fuming wolf.

“I dont know Kun ge.” Sicheng interrupted the eldest boy and his mate to put his two cents in for the first time since the conversing started, “As much as I hate to admit it, I think Ten Hyung might be right.”

Did Yangyang hear that right…? Did the wolf that said you’d all but be dead without proper medical care really say that your brother had a point? Was he being serious? Was he just still pissed at you for punching him or something and this was his cruel way of getting back at you?

“What do you mean he might be right?” Yangyang whispered just loud enough for all those in the room to hear.

Truthfully, he was scared about what the observant wolf would say about you. And He wasn’t sure which to hope for at that point, he just knew he didn’t want you to die. He couldn’t let you die.

“I mean I’m pretty sure normal humans don’t need to have their bones rebroken because they healed too quickly days after what should’ve been a fatal accident like her,” Sicheng reasoned with a shrug, “Not to mention the fact that she even survived such a horrific trauma like that when no one else survived, she’s definitely something that wouldn’t be considered human. Even if she’s not a wolf like us and can’t phase, I’d say she’s at least got more than a few of our genes, genes that would, like Ten said, show up on hospital tests. It’s the only thing that really makes sense.”

The solemn male did have a point. Yangyang wasn’t exactly sure on what had happened to you still, but he knew based on what everyone said that it should’ve killed you immediately. The fact that your heart was still beating was kind of damning evidence that there was something different about you than the average human.

“And I’m pretty sure the skin surrounding her injuries shows signs of cauterization.” Daiyu added, trying to back up her mate and your brother’s case of your origin with facts.

Considering how fast his sister was to continue Sicheng’s point, Yangyang began to wonder if the mated couple had actually spoken about the topic of your species before.

“Exactly. I think when I get close enough to her, I’m about 90% positive I smell freshly burnt silver. I think that’s why she’s becoming septic. I think she’s allergic to the silver like us and it’s still stuck inside her.” The tall wolf tailed, “Even if we don’t know for sure what’s going on with her gene pool, I’m certain if we took her to an ER, we’d all end up on some scientists metal slab getting tests ran on us once they saw that bit.” Sicheng finished with his head looking down at his feet.

Everyone could tell that even their healer knew keeping you away from the hospital could be deadly. But if he thought that it was a good idea to keep you home to prevent you from becoming a human Guinea pig, how could they fight that? And it wasn’t just for your own good. It was for everyone’s own good, not that knowing that stopped an unsettling pit from forming in the pups stomach.

“So… she stays…?” Yangyang hesitantly let out into the air, part of him wishing he didn’t have to think about what it meant to keep you back home.

Ten nodded his head at the maknae in confirmation, “She stays.”

Once your brother declared his decision aloud, there was another question at hand that needed to be discussed. One Yangyang knew would make him sick because he couldn’t stand to hear you in anymore pain. But he knew if the answer was yes, that’s what would be coming.

“Do you think you can get all the silver out?” Yueguang wondered to your current caretakers.

It wasn’t that anyone really questioned the couples ability to care for you the way you needed. It was just that you were truly that bad off and no one was sure if anyone, let alone people who weren’t actual medical professionals yet, could fix you.

“We can try.” Daiyu determined, using whatever courage she could muster to give the youngest wolf a sad smile of reassurance to ease him.

But nothing could help him. Because they weren’t even sure if anything could help you. They couldn’t even confidently tell him that you would make it through the removal process alive. Without you, he didn’t even want to live.

That’s why, despite his older sister’s best attempt to soothe his aching heart, Yangyang couldn’t help but let a small whimper radiate in his chest and the tear that had begun to bubble through his vision at the skeptical words fall down his cheek.

“I’ll do my very best.” Sicheng affirmed his mate’s hope as they started their way towards your room again.

But just after Dai went through the door and before the third oldest could do the same, he turned and fixed his eyes to meet the pink haired boy, “Just stay close in case she works the same way we do and having her mate around does help her heal and I’m sure she’ll be just fine.”

And with that, the couple once again went to your room to try and save your life for what seemed like the hundredth time that week.

“Fuck!” You hissed in pain as Sicheng pulled yet another large shard out of your leg.

He gave you an apologetic smile to compensate for his harsh actions, “Sorry. You’ll get used to it after a while and then it won’t hurt so badly.” The monotoned elder boy spoke softly.

Though you couldn’t tell if he was trying to comfort you with that fact or if he was indeed just stating a fact to you. Either way, it still stung like a bitch.

“Is that supposed to like- help me feel better- or something?” You questioned aloud, doing your very best to distract yourself from Sicheng’s ever digging tweezers searching through your skin.

“Uh-“ He withdrew his actions at your comment and thought for a moment.

Everyone knew you weren’t doing that great. And he knew that nothing he could ever say or do would ever be able to make up for the fact that you’d more than likely never have the full use of your leg again. But, what else could he really have said? “Y-Yeah. I suppose it is.”

Thankfully, you didn’t have nearly as much shrapnel left as he originally thought. Unfortunately however, the pieces you did have left were relatively bigger pieces. Which was why it hurt you so badly every time one of them touched you or tried to take them out. They were like little icebergs, when they thought they found a little chunk of one, it actually ended up being a substantial section the size of a grown man’s finger.

As he finally sat the final piece of what he could see onto the tray beside him, he let out a sigh of relief, “Alright. That’s the last of it. For now at least. You should rest. You’ll need your strength. We both know this won’t be the last time this has to be done, and I’ll need you to be as strong as you can be to be sure you’ll survive it next time too.” Sicheng gave you a look of what you could only describe as torment and pity.

Then again, you knew if you saw any of the others that they’d most likely hold similar emotions in their eyes…

“Yeah…” You tearfully accepted his words through a harsh swallow.

By the time Sicheng was done, you were evidently exhausted and ready to pass out. The shooting pains radiating around your body also had you feeling lonely and like you wanted to grab a teddy bear you didn’t have and curl up into a ball as you begged for your dearly departed mother or like you wanted to cry yourself to sleep. Since you couldn’t do either of those things because one, your mother was dead and two, crying that hard for that long would only make your suffering worse later, you settled for the next best thing.

“Y-Yeah okay. But before you go- C-Can you… can you just hand me my jacket please?” You asked him with as best a smile as you could muster up in hopes of easing some of the guilt you could tell he felt for foraging through your skin for the past hour and a half.

To say your jacket was special to you was a bit of an understatement. Not only was it one of the few items you actually had with you from your homeland still, but it also contained memories of your family. The jacket itself was something that your grandfather had passed to your father, and when your father died he passed it to your eldest brother. One by one it was passed through your huge lot of siblings when the previous had fallen. And after all the others were gone, it eventually landed with you.

When you were younger, you used to hate it because it meant someone else had to go to fight a fight that wasn’t theirs to fight. But once you gained possession over it, you realized it wasn’t a symbol of war. It was a symbol of family. And now it truly was all you had left of yours. It was safe. It made you feel like you had them with you even though they’d never be with you again.

“Of course.” Sicheng smiled, quickly moving from your side to fetch the jacket that had been sat on a gaming chair when you had first arrived from a cross the room.

“Here you go!” He beamed, happy he could at least do something that wouldn’t hurt you before handing it to your still useable hand, “Do you need anything else before we let you sleep for a while?”

You shook your head weakly, “Mmm mmh. I’ll be alright. But thanks.” You lied and rolled over onto your good side, trying hard to pretend that you were going to go to sleep as you knew as soon as he was out of ear shot you’d most likely let the ever bugging tears stream down your face.

With a quick nod and a small bow of his head, he began to gather up all the used medical supplies he had brought with him and shut off the lights so that your tired self could ‘rest.’

Though just as he had finally gotten out of the door and was preparing to shut it behind him, he could’ve swore he saw you pull something out of one of your jacket pockets and slip it under your pillow. But he didn’t question it or call you out on it. If it was important or something concerning, he’d just deal with it another time when you weren’t in need of some serious understanding.

“H-How is s-she?” Yangyang asked his brother in what seemed like less than a second after he fully closed your bedroom door.

You had just gone through yet another gruesome debridement session, but if Sicheng hadn’t known better, one would’ve though the pup of the pack was the one he had been poking and prodding all day.

His once lively and bright smiley face was now streaked with dried up salty streams of despair and misery. His eyes looked as if they were sunken deeper into their sockets because of the ever darkening bags under them. Even his originally olive toned color had all but been drained from his body, leaving behind a cold grayed shell of his former self.

He looked terrible. He looked miserable. Then again if the roles were reversed and he had been the one to sit outside the door while he listened to his mate scream and cry for hours, he was certain he’d look just as bad if not worse than the poor maknae.

In the hopes of lessening the boy’s worry of you, he decided to hide the amount of metal shards he had taken from your body and focus on the positive, “I gave her something for the pain. She’s asleep now.” Sicheng got down to his brother’s level and patted him on the back in comfort.

“S-so she’s… she’s still alive..?” Yangyang asked as he stuttered and wiped away some new tears that had begun to form.

He didn’t sleep anymore. He stayed up most nights to be sure he’d be there in case your heart stopped beating. He didn’t go to school anymore. He switched to online courses so he could always be home and close by your room so you’d have a better chance of healing. He didn’t really speak anymore either, except to ask about how you were or what your condition was.

Hell, the only reason why he even ate a little bit of food now and then anymore was because he knew your chances of survival were higher if your mate was alive and healthy.

“Yes Yangyang, she’s alive. Just resting so her body can try to jump start her healing again.”

The second the words left his packmate’s mouth, Yangyang started bawling. He knew he could still hear your very faint heart beat, but when he actually heard from another person that you’d made it through yet again, he couldn’t help but start crying. And it wasn’t just the usual hot tears rolling down his face either. It was hard thick gasping sobs that shook his whole body.

He wasn’t even sure if part of it was because he was so weak from the lack of care to hisself or if part of it may have been because he didn’t have to be tortured with your cries anymore. None of it mattered because you were still breathing and were now resting comfortably in the sanctity of his bed behind the wall he was now using for support. And for that, he couldn’t thank whatever being that was out there that kept the universe afloat enough. You were still alive.

“I- T-Thank you gege.” He managed to quietly express once he calmed himself down and began to breathe properly again.

“Any time little brother.” Sicheng chuckled to the younger boy as he rubbed up and down his arm to relax his shaking, “Now come on. Let’s get you something to eat. It isn’t healthy for a growing boy like yourself to go so long with nothing in their stomach. And you both need for you to stay strong.” He hoisted the both of them to their feet and navigated their way to the kitchen.

You woke to a dulled throbbing sensation that almost felt like it had your left arm melting. The pain came to you so quickly and was so different than any pain you had felt so far, you couldn’t help but to jet your eyes open wide and growl out a loud “holy shit” at the harsh new hurt.

“Oh goodness, You’re awake!” A girl kneeled beside you squealed in in Cantonese urgently as she retreated her hands from your body in surprise, causing what you eventually made out to be a male from the corner of your eye to come darting to her aid.

Once you realized the new boy was forcefully nudging the sweet sounding girl out of the way thinking you were going to do something rash, you rolled your eyes in annoyance. She must’ve been one of the mates in your brother’s pack and the guy must’ve sensed his love in danger. He was being stupid in your eyes though. As if you could really harm anyone in your current state.

You shook your head gently, letting any and all air escape from your freshly healed lungs out with a shakey puff of hesitation as you replied to her in the same language she used to speak to you, “yeah. I wish I wasn’t.”

The only time you ever got any peace or calmness was when you were asleep. Sure you still had the nightmares, but you didn’t feel any of the shooting jolts you did as when you were awake unless you tried to move a lot. But at that point, you had all but trained your body to stay as still as it could while you were resting to save yourself the trouble.

“You speak Cantonese? I didn’t know you could do that! But I’m Sorry for disturbing you!” The high pitch voiced girl declared, seemingly showing a layer of watery gloss in her eyes.

You figured she must have genuinely felt bad that she had woken you doing… whatever it was she was doing so close to you, “H-How do you feel?” She stuttered to change the subject in Mandarin. Or maybe just to get your mind off the now seething pain you felt.

“Is that a trick question?”

You could tell the girl next to you wasn’t much of a threat. Her Bambi like eyes and rounded Mochi cheeks told you that. Some small part of you even remembered hearing her talking kindly to some of the others downstairs during some of your more conscious moments.

But you couldn’t stop your sharp tongue from slicing through. It was a running joke between you and your friends that you had been born as sarcastic as you were unlucky. So it was a bit fruitless for you to act like something you weren’t. You figured it was best you let everyone in the house catch a glimpse of your true personality now rather than later anyways, for their own sakes.

“Well… um-no…” She thought carefully, doing her best to pull who you could now only assume was her mate to her side so she could hold a proper conversation with you, “I just- well I wasn’t sure what else to say.” She answered honestly.

She was really just shocked you woke up at all. But now you were having a full on conversation with her in two different languages she wasn’t sure five minutes ago you even spoke. She was trying to absorb it all.

While the girl’s red eyed nostril flaring guard dog made the hair stand up on the back of your neck, you found yourself oddly endeared to the female.

She was dressed rather too brightly for your own taste, wearing a pleated pink skirt with a white lantern sleeved shirt and cutesy little barrettes in her medium length dark brown hair. She looked like the little china dolls your mom used to bring you after she got back from her trips back home, though you could tell based on her more solidified features that she was probably older than you. You decided to forgo your previous decision to keep your snarky wits about you and went for a slightly calmer demeanor than you normally would’ve.

“…How about an introduction…?”

“Of course!” The girl beamed with a giggle, “Sorry! I forgot that you haven’t met most of us yet. My name’s Yueguang! This here-” She gestured to the older male still glued to her side in protection, “-This is my mate Kun. Oh wait- do you even know what mates are…?” She wondered aloud with a head tilt.

You couldn’t help but let out a dry chuckle. Now was THAT supposed to be a trick question?

“Yes. Yes I know what mates are trust me.” You replied, letting an amused smile settle on you face after a moment, “It’s nice to meet you both I suppose…”

It wasn’t that you minded meeting the rest of the pack. It’s just you didn’t like that the wolf, Kun, still had his defenses up against you. It made you feel the instinctual need to do the same.

But you had already mentally agreed with yourself to try to be nice to the girl taking care of you. She didn’t have to do whatever it was she was doing for you after all. None of them did. They were just doing it because you were their packmate’s kid sister. They weren’t obligated to help you and since you weren’t able to do much for yourself at the moment, you thought it was best to play as civil as you could. Even if it was only to the select few you found sincerely innocent in character or caring for you.

“The pleasure’s all ours!” The girl, Yueguang exclaimed, giving you a smile as she asked you with her eyes if she could continue with what it was she was doing to do before you woke up.

Since you figured whatever she was doing was necessary for you to get better, you gave her a tiny polite nod and she began to dab some rancid smelling rag against the burns on your arm. Even though it still stung, you found that if you were watching what they were doing to fix you whenever they did it that it wasn’t so bad. So that’s what you did. You stared at the cloth as it pressed against your scattered tattooed skin and started taking mental guesses as to what it was she had been tasked to do to you this time.

Within a minute or two, the stalking wolf broke through the comfortable silence with an uncomfortable question, “What’s your name?”

It was bad enough he caught you off guard with actually speaking for the first time, but the question wasn’t one you really wanted to answer.

“My what?” You played dumb, trying to express confusion while internally feeling your heart beat faster for some reason.

It shouldn’t have been a hard question. And you guessed for most people it really wasn’t. But to you, someone surrounded by a bunch of people who assumed you’d give them your Chinese name because they at least knew you were half Chinese, it was.

Yueguang sent a glare of warning over at her mate. You guessed it was probably because he spoke so suddenly and because the question no doubt caused a physical reaction that showed your discomfort, “Your name sweetheart. We just wanna know what to call you. I mean, we know Ten’s mentioned your name was Minnie, but we figured that was a nickname and not your real name, like Ten’s own name.”

So your brother had really brought you to his pack’s home in the dead of night, had them care for you and patch you up with no reward or familial obligation in sight, only to have left them completely in the dark with something even as simple as to your actual name? Yeah, that seemed like something he would do.

“Y-yeah it’s a- it’s a nickname only he calls me,” You didn’t see any point of lying about it.

It was true, only he called you that. He had since you were kids. One would’ve assumed that after everything that… happened, he would’ve reverted to calling you one of your more formal names. But even in your severely fractured siblingship he still used it.

“That’s so sweet!” It was more strange of him to do if anything. Maybe even a bit morbid of him in some twisted ‘it’s all your fault now here’s a daily reminder’ sort of way. “So you probably want us calling you something different huh?” She supposed.

“Probably, yeah.”

Part of you wondered if the paired couple could tell you were purposely being as vague and as blunt as you could. But another part of you, the part of you focused on saving yourself because you were so used to it, refused to care because they said nothing further about it in the moment if they DID notice something was up.

“So what’s your given name then?” Yueguang pressed, finally letting the evil rag fall to the ground as she started the long and grueling process of reapplying the dressing for your wounds.

“Well, I doubt you could pronounce that name.” You joked, soon realizing they wouldn’t be able to articulate it as soon as you realized the two people in your room were Chinese, “And my Chinese name is- well… it’s a bit embarrassing and I don’t like going by it.”

Once again, you were just stating a fact. Your name you usually went by back home was far too complex in tone for even native speakers of your language to pronounce right.

And your Chinese name was beyond stupid in your eyes. By the time you were born, your mother had long decided that your name would rival your brother’s name, thinking it would ideally cause the two of you to become closer having names that complimented one another. Boy, was she wrong.

“Alright. So what would you LIKE us to call you?” The stuck up boy raised his brow to you.

As much as you wanted to wipe the growing soured frown off his face, you knew you had to give everyone in the pack SOMETHING to call you. So you settled on one that was familiar enough for you to recognize if called by it, yet easy enough for it to flow off a Chinese speakers tongue as it was technically a Chinese word.

“___.”

Yueguang couldn’t help but tilt her head to the side in curiosity, “___? Is that like a shortened name of your original name?”

“Not exactly…”

“Then why that?” Kun questioned with a scrunched nose, making you wish you had forgone your previous decision to not punch him in the face.

“It’s… it’s what my other brothers and friends used to call me. Because my skin’s always been so much lighter than theirs on account of me being half chinese.”

You didn’t see a point in lying behind the origin of your name, they’d see your dark humor eventually. If the reason you had the nickname upset them, so be it.

The innocent looking girl took a noticeable pause to respond to you, “Well that’s… certainly a bit… different…”

“Yeah.”

Well, you had been fully conscious and aware of your surroundings for less than two days and had already gotten some of the pack to dislike you. That’s a new record.

“Kind of a warped sense of humor no?” Kun raised his brow at you as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Warped sense of humor? Me? Sounds about right.”

You couldn’t help but chuckle a short little laugh out. They clearly didn’t know a single thing about you. Chitta had really fucked them over in having them help you when they didn’t know a thing about how you acted.

Yue cocked her head to the side almost childishly, “What do you mean?”

You calmed your giggling session so you could answer her seriously and respectfully, “Oh nothing. I’ve just- I’ve always just had a bit of a dark and twisty personality I guess.”

“Well alright then dark and twisty girl ___-” The male wolf gave you a discrete eye roll probably not wanting to alert his mate to his annoyance, and went on, “Since you seem to be in more of a coherent state today, you mind giving us a bit of background on what happened to you? Your brother’s been-”

“Half brother.”

You couldn’t help but correct him. You knew your brother would. He always did. He seemed to hate the idea of people thinking you were full siblings. You always figured it was because in his eyes full siblings were real siblings that you had to love and half siblings were fake and could be hated when it was convenient.

After a deafening silence, the boy spoke again, “Right… Your HALF brother’s been literally zero help up until this point. So it’s been a serious case of the blind leading the blinder here.” Kun explained the situation as he ran his hand through his hair.

Was that why he seemed to naturally dislike and distrust you so much? Or could it have been because your brother let you stay with them and didn’t tell him or give him a choice?

“It all’s just… been coming back in pieces.” You answered him honestly, still not completely sure of the whole situation yourself, “I don’t remember a lot… and what I do remember doesn’t- doesn’t always make sense.”

That’s another reason why you preferred to stay asleep. The longer you slept, the more your brain seemed to want to try to put together some of the scene that had cost you a good portion of your body’s function.

The girl beside you seemed to pick up on the fact that you were having trouble understanding it all yourself and opened her mouth to speak with a kind smile, “We’ll take just about anything or any information you’d be willing to share with us at this point. Even if it’s just where you’re from ___.”

You found yourself liking Yueguang the more she spoke. She seemed like she really thought about how to word things well before she said them aloud and she gave off the sense that she cared about you. Based on how uncertainly she talked about the subject, you could tell she knew the situation was something you were still struggling to come to terms with yourself.

“Okay well- um…” You sighed lightly as you tried to explain the earliest memory from the day you got hurt, “I remember sitting in my Forger above the clouds. But I don’t really remember the original reason we were sent out, probably because our scouts spotted some bandits… but who knows?”

Yue chimed in quickly after you finished your last sentence, “Forger? What’s a Forger?”

“O-Oh,” You gulped, completely forgetting that you were in a new land that probably didn’t speak the same lingo you did, “I-it’s- um it’s a type of aircraft that-” You attempted to inform her, only to have her cut you off before you could continue.

“Aircraft?!? Like the kind that goes in the air and that they use to drop bombs and stuff!?!” She quizzed with widened doe eyes, much to your confusion.

Next to her, you noticed even Kun had a surprised look on his previously serious resting face.

“Uh…” You deadpanned with a bit of amusement behind your voice as you looked between them, “Yeah. S-Something like that I guess. Anyways- why do you- why do you sound so shocked?”

You didn’t get it, did they not have to do the same thing? Weren’t they all from China? Didn’t they have to deal with the war too?

The older girl’s face was still plastered with bewilderment as she put reason behind her concern, “It’s just- I mean- you’re so- you’re so young. I just didn’t think you’d be doing stuff like that is all.”

Young? Did they consider you… young? But you weren’t young. At least, back home you wouldn’t be considered young. Maybe in Korea you wouldn’t have been…?

“I-I started out doing that stuff pretty late compared to everyone else where I’m from actually…”

You really weren’t sure of your theory, you didn’t know the customs of your refugeed land or even of your Chinese heritage for that matter. When your mom died, you were raised by your father and ten went with his. You never really got to learn things from her because you were so little and didn’t have much of a comprehension back then. Maybe that’s why they were being weird. Maybe they considered what your people do strange for their people.

“And where’s that exactly?” Kun added, or rather jumped, in.

“Where’s what?”

He exhausted a tired sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Where you are from.”

Oh yeah. You forgot your brother was a jackass and didn’t tell them a thing about you for a second as you reminisced about your culture.

“Somewhere you’ve probably never heard of because it’s been under Russian rule for forever.”

An awkward tension filled the air, whether it was because their country was allied with Russia instead of fighting them now or because they didn’t know Russia had started another war to begin with, you weren’t sure. But it got so still around you could’ve sworn someone with normal hearing unlike you could’ve heard a pin drop.

To break the uncomfortableness, Yue decided to reroute the subject to something that could end with a better outcome, “So you fly planes?”

“I fly-” You stopped yourself, remembering that that was in your old life. You wouldn’t ever have that life again, “I- I mean I used to fly jets.”

You hated that you had to correct yourself. You hated that you weren’t back home helping. You hated that you were now laying on… someone’s bed instead of sitting in your usual cockpit fending off the invaders who were doing all they could to annihilate your people and the others like your people. It left a bitter taste in your mouth you weren’t certain you’d ever be able to shake.

Noticing the water forming in your eyes, Kun tried to stay on subject hoping it would keep you from crying and making your injuries hurt worse, “If the country you’re from is so unheard of, how did you manage to get your hands on a fighter jet from the Soviet era?” He broke you from your thoughts.

Fighter jet? Soviet era? You didn’t say either of those things exactly to the couple, though they were both true. You were just curious as to how he knew they were true…

“H-How’d you know that-”

Yueguang interrupted you before you could ask what you wanted to ask, “Kun’s got a thing for planes. Knows everything there is to know about them really. He even just got his pilots license!” She beamed a proud smile as she looked up at her mate with love, who in turn softened his face and gave a small grin back.

“Uh huh. Well- uh-” You cleared your throat due to the shock of someone actually knowing what you were speaking on in the country and because you weren’t really used to seeing such public displays of… whatever the hell it was that those two had going on. “T-The soviets left us their old scraps when they got their newer toys, probably thinking we were too primal in nature to even know what they were.” But you were wondering why your heart ached with a small hitch when you saw their eyes meeting with such emotion towards each other, almost as if they missed or wanted the same feeling with someone you loved. Almost. “But my father revamped their original outdated designs to a more modernized efficient form. He practically had us strip them down to their skeletons and, in doing so, gave us a militia capable of defending and taking back our lands.”

The incredulity was evident on Yueguang’s face as she spoke through your words, “Your dad managed that? He must be pretty smart!”

Your dad made inventions so out there and creative, he would’ve had any inventor of previous “technology” roll around in their graves. Yet he never let all the masterminding and working get in between his time with his kids.

Hell, sometimes he’d even bring you with him to his shop and explain how everything worked saying that you’d ‘need to know it all one day’ to continue his legacy anyways. He always called you his little protégée princess and had you helping him make his latest designs to showcase to the others in your village or unit. Though many knew him as a man that prided himself on his brain, family was what he truly treasured.

After your mom died, he always made sure to spend extra time with you so you’d know you still had a parental figure who was there for you. Hed take time out of his busy schedule to help you with your homework or listen to you spout off about some crazy idea that had accumulated in your head. He never raised his voice, even when times were tough and he got frustrated. He was the world’s biggest goofball who loved playing pranks between projects and was always looking for new ways to put a smile on your face.

You loved your dad with all your heart. He was just the best dad a girl could ask for.

Was the best dad a girl could ask for…

“Yeah. Yeah h-he was. But even the biggest brain in the world couldn’t stop a Uragan.”

You let your voice fall as you remembered him and what happened. It was unfair. He was brilliant and they took him away from not just you, but from your people who depended on his craft to survive. They robbed your country of the light at the end of the tunnel they so desperately needed. You hated them.

Tears began to spill out of the outer corners of your eyes and slid to the curves of your ears just as Kun tried to ask “What’s a Ura-”

If you explained anything any further, you’d cry. You’d never stop crying. The only thing that ever helped was when you were fighting to get back at the monsters that killed him. But you couldn’t do that anymore, you weren’t even in the same country anymore. Even if you managed to find your way back, you’d never be the same. You blinked away the heated water and tried to regain your composure.

You had to be strong. He’d want you to be be strong. You had to hold it together. For him.

“Annnywaaays, back to what happened” You broke his sentence apart before he could piece it together and shatter your already unevenly beating heart, “I was in my jet and then there was someone on my tail. I knew I had to lose him, but i realized my guns weren’t functioning and could see that everything below me was lighting up.”

You did your best to tell the story you saw every night in your dreams to them in a way they would understand. You remembered flying and seeing gunfire glisten against your crafts glass windows. You remembered gripping your steering with all your might and trying to fire to not avail. You remembered your pulse going through the roof and that your time was running out. You remembered being scared for the first time since your mother died. You remembered feeling trapped.

“So what’d you do?” Yueguang wondered out loud as she listened in horror.

“I did all I could do: I went higher.” You could still see the nose of the Forger going up as you did all you could to keep steady when the cockpit began to shake, “I went higher than I should’ve, I think I capped at 30,000 ft but i dont know for sure. Everything started to get… blurry pretty quickly after that.”

The girl next to you, who looked as if she was listening to some sort of action movie about to hit its climax, suddenly changed her expression to one of curiosity as she listened to you tell your tale, “But Why did everything go blurry?” She probed, obviously trying her best to tread as lightly as possible into the subject out of respect.

You couldn’t blame her for questioning everything. You realized neither of the two Chinese people next to you probably had to deal with war the way you did.

But you didn’t have a choice but to join the resistance. Once the grown adults of your nation began to fall too fast to even bury, the government had no other option but to send out the next set of individuals capable of shooting a gun with little recoil. And that group just so happened to include you and your friends.

“G-Loc, right?” Kun affirmed with you with an unreadable expression. You assumed he was attempting not to show you he was just as immersed in the whole thing as his mate was.

“Alpha boy’s probably got it.” You confirmed with the smallest of nods, “Gravity’s a real bitch.”

You still felt the shift of pressure in your head. That, topped with your heart still thinking it needed to speed up to compensate with the trauma you were going through (at least that’s what you chalked it up to), made you start to feel more nauseous than you should’ve, “I tried to descend as fast as i could. But I must’ve been losing consciousness because I started falling. And i must’ve fallen hard based on the silver shards stuck in my crushed side too.”

“How does silver have anything to do w-” You couldn’t help but cut Yueguang off because she asked what you considered to be a dumb question.

You didn’t want to be mean, but you also didn’t want to tell the story forever. As you started saying it all out loud you soon realized that it was only gonna make you feel like shit. You just hoped you could tell it the one time and that they’d tell the others (or that the others could hear for themselves if they were home) and you’d be done having to tell it. You just wanted it over with already.

“It’s what the outer shell was made of. The inner cockpit was specifically designed with copper to be sure it wouldn’t kill half my squad on impact if we crash landed. It was no secret over half of them were shifters so we had to watch the materials we used to forge our gear,” You illuminated what you meant to the mated pair, “Based on the simple fact that silver has a higher density and would’ve only crushed in on a heavy impact once molded and alloyed with a heavy duty metal like platinum or titanium, and that taking into account that my skin literally burns like I’m being scorched with a branding iron just sitting down-” You hissed through your teeth as you tried to reposition yourself slightly, only to have Kun and Yueguang help maneuver you more to your liking so you wouldn’t hurt yourself more or reopen your injuries, “-It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the fragments still lodged in my body probably happened because my seat didn’t punch out like I was meant to. Which would’ve only happened if i hit the ground too hard in too much of a hurry.” You finished, waiting for anymore questions to appear out of either of their mouths so you could answer them swiftly.

When you received none, you took that as the go ahead to add the last remaining parts to what happened, “Next thing I knew, I was looking up at the night’s sky through some of the rock and sheet metal, trapped, doing what I could to concentrate on the stars above to stay awake until help arrived. But it eventually all went black too.”

After a beat of silence, and after giving each other concerning looks, Yueguang spoke just above a whisper, “…That’s just-”

“Awful.” Kun alleviated her words with sorrow dripping through his voice.

If you weren’t so strangely made genetically, you honestly wouldn’t have even heard him. He spoke in what you could call a hardly audible whimper. Once you looked up to see his face, the only thing you could see was hurt. His heart hurt for you.

When you looked over at Yueguang, you saw just how shiny her previously joy filled eyes had become. They both felt bad for you.

Yue instinctually sat her hand to rest on your lowered forearm in comfort as she sat next to you sniffling back a sob.

You didn’t want either to feel so bad over something that wasn’t their fault, so you gave a weak smile, “It’s not all bad-” You lightheartedly chuckled to show them you were alright, “I do remember taking at least one of them in my fall zone down with me.”

You could tell that, while you comment seemed to snap the alpha back into his defensive reality of you, Yueguang was unconvinced.

“So it sounds like you’ve killed before then?” The older boy sneered with snap. But you couldn’t tell if he was being serious or if he was wanting to play his feelings off with a dark joke you were well affiliated with.

Instead of smacking him like he half expected you to, you laughed at him. It was a genuine laugh that you hadn’t expressed in the time you had been with them too.

Kun wasn’t even sure what to think of someone that would respond to an insinuation the way you had. Most people would be offended, but you just laughed. You laughed like you had heard the funniest joke of your entire life despite your wounds that no doubt must’ve been aching at you to stop. But he wasn’t getting the joke, “What’s so funny?”

“A killer judging a killer. That’s a little hypocritical dont you think?” You breathed with a sigh, wiping away tears of hilarity that had trickled their way down your eyes with your less dominate, uninjured hand.

Kun narrowed his golden eyes at you in suspicion as he looked you over. And, one again, you couldn’t tell if he was just trying to find a way out of the situation or if he was genuinely ready to pounce on you.

But through gritted teeth, he growled out “Touché” before his eyes began to spot back to the crimson color they had when you first woke up and scared his mate.

Nothing the change in her mate’s attitude, Yueguang seemed to make it her mission to get him leave the room to cool down and used the excuse of you being broken to accomplish her quest, “OKAY! How about you got make her a little something to eat so she can attempt to get her strength back up baby?”

“…Alright,” Kun eventually agreed with a huff, “Call me if you need me then my love.”

With that, he pushed himself up to stand and walked out your bedroom door, closing it a bit harder than he probably should’ve given your state.

“Sorry about him.” Yueguang apologized for her mate’s attitude, “He doesn’t mean to pry or seem so…” She trailed, searching for a word in mandarin to explain what she meant and failing miserably.

So you decided to give her one you thought worked best instead, “Fucked?” You snorted as you rolled your eyes.

“Language!” She squawked in a scolding tone, only making you feel more pride in your choice of words, “But… yeah i guess. He’s just concerned is all. We all are. This whole situation was completely unexpected. I mean we didn’t even-”

“Know I existed?”

The fact that you already knew where she was going with her sentence seemed to puzzle her, but she still answered you nonetheless, “Um… y-yeah. We only-”

“Knew about Tern?”

Now you could see the wheels turning in her head, trying to figure out why it was you seemed to just know you brother wouldn’t even tell his own pack about you, “Y-Yeah.”

“Yeah. That’s about right too. My brother never tells people he has another sister. He hates me.”

“B-But why?” The girl stuttered, her eyes starting to get noticeably glossy again.

You figured she must’ve been a very sensitive person. Or maybe you had just numbed yourself to the whole situation with your brother either way, you saw no harm in being honest with her. She just seemed worried for you.

“Because he blames me for our mom’s death.”

This time, she gave you a reaction that bordered disbelief, “W-Why would he do that? That’s out there even for him.” She declared with a scoff.

“Because… it is my fault that she died.”

Yangyang had been sitting outside your door all day. His ass was practically glued to the same wood floor slot he always sat on at that point. He stayed by in case it could help you feel better. But staying close by you didn’t necessarily make him feel better.

At least, not while he listened to you and his sister having the conversation you were having anyways.

“What did you mean by it was your fault your mom died last time we talked?” Yangyang heard Yue quiz you from behind the wood door of his (your) bedroom.

Yangyang was there for that conversation too, you just didn’t know, he didn’t think you knew anyways. He heard you explain what happened to his alpha and his mate. He listened as you explained the situation in your home country. He cried silently as your pained voice explained how you nearly died. He knew about it all.

He just couldn’t tell you he knew or help cuddle your sad self because you didn’t even know he existed as far as he knew. The whole situation both confused and aggravated him to know end. But he couldn’t do much about it so long as you were still unable to leave the room he had given you. So he just sat and tried to absorb as much knowledge about you as he could in the hopes that it would help him get to know you as a person.

“I meant exactly what was said.” You informed her easily.

That was one thing he had learned about you from staying so close: you were very honest. Probably too honest. You didn’t seem to care what others thought nor did you care if the truth hurt someone’s feelings. In a way, Yangyang admired you for that. He’d never have the courage to do even half of what you’d said or done that he knew of.

He already knew that Yue was standing at you stunned as he listened to your skin sizzling quietly under whatever antiseptic they had been trying to cleanse your wounds with recently, “But how can that be? I don’t understand.” She stated as she pouted more of the liquid.

Yeah, he didn’t either. Then again, with how you spoke about your brother in the select few days you had been awake, he wasn’t too shocked to hear it anymore. You acted as if he wished you dead. Like he hated the very idea you even drew the same breath at him.

But as Yangyang could practically feel your heart beating next to his own, he knew how much it pained you to say such things aloud. He knew you loved Ten and cared for him more than you did yourself. Even if he didn’t love you back the way you wished he would.

“W-well… I-It was my fifth birthday. My party had just finished and I- I didn’t feel very good. I was having trouble breathing,” You spoke just above a whine, “It was late and everyone was tired, including my mom. But she was worried for me because I was getting worse.”

Before you came around, the pack had all thought that Ten’s stepmom was his mom. It wasn’t until you told everyone just how it was you two came to be related that they knew you shared the same mom. He never spoke of her and flatly refused to. But Yangyang realized the only family member you were usually comfortable speaking about was your mother.

He wasn’t sure why that was. Speaking of your dad and other brothers or family was never your favorite thing to do. The nerves would always skyrocket inside Yangyang’s chest whenever they got brought up, signaling that that reaction was probably being mirrored from you. Based on how you spoke of your mother though, she passed when you were little. So he figured maybe a decent amount of time had passed for you to have mourned properly and we’re capable of remembering her fondly.

When you brought her up into conversation, you typically had a stable heart rate and your mate couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face. But when you started speaking of her now, it felt like someone was jabbing a knife straight through his rib cage. It hurt you.

“I didn’t want to go.” Yangyang heard you stifle a sniffle as your voice cracked in an almost pleading tone, making him want to burst through the door and throw his arms around you. But he couldn’t. He had to both hear and feel your heart break and was unable to do anything about it.

You let out a sad dry laugh, “Even when I was little I-I knew that I would probably stop breathing if I didn’t go within a short window. It was getting so hard to breathe. But I didn’t care about it.” You emphasized nonchalantly, “I had a bad feeling.”

“A bad feeling?” Yue questioned through your story.

“Yeah.” You answered her, “I REALLY didn’t want to go. But she insisted. She always worried herself sick over us, that time was no exception.”

Yangyang knew that too. You made it seem like both of your parents would’ve rather have died than let anything happen to you or your brothers, he gathered you had more than just a couple. He knew if he were ever lucky enough to be a parent, he’d probably feel the same way. So could understand why your mom wouldn’t listen to your begging to stay home.

“So she put me in the car and drove towards the hospital. But-” You choked, clearly catching your throat on the cries you were holding back as you remembered what had happened, “But just as the light turned green signaling her to drive forward, a-another car came a-and T-Boned her side of the car.”

“Oh no.” Yueguang exclaimed in horror at the same time as Yangyang let out a defeated, “Oh fuck.”

You were in the car with her when it happened, presumably alone. You were just a scared little sick kid. The more Yangyang learned of you, the more he wanted to hold you and never let go of you to protect you from having to deal with anything bad ever again.

“We flipped. A lot. In the end we were upside down. Somehow I managed to get my car seat undone and made my way towards my mom b-because I was scared.”

You were a toddler who wanted her mother in a terrifying situation so bad you actually pulled yourself out of your car seat and did everything you could to reach her. He couldn’t even imagine what that must’ve been like for you.

“But when i found her, s-she was losing blood. Too much blood.”

If you were gonna say what he was praying you weren’t gonna say, he would lose it. No child should ever have to go through that. No adult should ever have to go through that.

“I tried to stop it. B-but I just couldn’t.” Yangyang listened as you worked your best to hide your stuttering, but he could hear how close you were to just giving in to your sorrow and bursting into tears, “I was too little and she was too hurt.”

You weren’t even trying to hold back your tears now. Yangyang thought it was because you hadn’t actually told the story in full like that in a long time, maybe ever.

“By the time the ambulance came, she was gone.”

Then he heard Yueguang let out a whimper from deep within her chest, much like he figured she would as the most emotional one in the pack, “Oh honey.”

As much as it pained Yangyang to not be there to hold your hand through your pain, he was glad you at least had one of his sisters with you to comfort you the way he knew she was doing in that moment.

“I didn’t even get to go to the funeral. Turns out I had walking pneumonia. If i hadn’t gone to the hospital when I had, the doctors say i would’ve probably died. But instead, my mom did,” He didn’t like what you were insinuating with that comment, “I traded my mom’s life for my own.”

Your mate’s heart ached for you. You were just a baby. You couldn’t help what had happened. And for your brother to blame you for something like that, for you to blame yourself for something like that, was just 100 flavors of fucked up.

“But that’s not true ___.” Yangyang listened as Yue began lecturing you on why you couldn’t have stopped what had happened.

Then you said something that made even the sweet girl in the room with you’s blood boil, “It is to my brother.”

And just like that, Yangyang went from being heartbroken to being pissed. What kind of brother would ever let their baby sister who had just watched their mother die feel like it’s her fault? The world’s biggest jackass, that’s who. The angry growl that pushed passed his lips wasn’t one that he could have controlled even if he wanted to.

“Well he’s wrong!” Yueguang declared with the stomp of her shoe that vibrated the floor boards to the wolf sitting on them with superhearing.

“None of it matters anymore. What’s done is done. The past is the past,” You brushed off the older girl’s annoyance and your willingness to comply with your usual sad giggle that Yangyang determined you must’ve always done when you found a situation hopeless, “I’d rather just talk about something else.”

“O-Okay. Like what?” The hesitation in his sister’s voice about changing the subject was obvious but she went with it because it’s what you wanted. Not that the pup could blame her, he would’ve done the exact same thing. In fact, he was 99.99999% positive he’d do just about anything you wanted him to if it made you happy.

“Has that pink haired boy been sitting outside my door the whole time I’ve been here?”

Yangyang all but shit himself when you acknowledged his existence so easily. Here he had been jumping through hoops to keep you from finding out he was your mate before you were ready. But you already figured out he was staying outside your door the whole time you had been staying with the pack.

The started Yueguang probably wanted to lie to protect him, but in the end, the only thing she could muster out was, “Um… just about yes…”

“And why has he been doing that exactly?”

“Well… uh- Because he’s just… a very empathetic boy and he’s very concerned for you.” As Yangyang listened to his sister spout off a sorry excuse for a coverup, he couldn’t help but mentally face palm himself.

“Uh huh,” You continued, increasingly unimpressed with the taller girl’s answers, “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a bad liar? Do you guys seriously think I dont know what’s been going on?”

You knew about wolves. Of course you’d put two and two together, you were super smart after all. Yangyang just wished he hadn’t spent all that time away from you when he could’ve been by your side holding you hand instead.

“Okay maybe I’m not the best liar…,” Yueguang defended herself, “But it was at least half true! He really is very concerned for you!”

Yangyang should’ve probably felt more embarrassed at the whole situation, but in the end, all he could do was laugh. He definitely had his work cut out for him having you as his mate.

“Yeah yeah whatever. Can you just tell him to get in here so i can meet him already? At this point, it’s gonna end up just being plain weird if i don’t talk to him soon!”

So, as per your request, he lifted himself off the spot he had become so well acquainted with over the time you had come to live with them, dusted off his pants, turned the knob and opened his bedroom door.

“Hi…” Yangyang said with a shy smile as he met your icy gaze for the first time.

You let out something that resembled a school girl giggle as you felt the familiar feeling of your heart pounding in your chest, “Um… Hi there!”

(Last Updated 7/26/22)

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