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tomboyneedshercoffee · 4 years

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Thin Ice Pt2 || Peter Parker x Reader

Summary: Y/N and Peter’s slippery interaction on the ice leads to the beginning of a friendship.

Word Count: 2.6k

Author’s note: Sorry this part took so long I’ve been studying for my midterms! Also, this is one of the last times Y/N nerds out over snowboarding so I promise, I won’t have as many confusing references or anything like that! Also also, thank you to everyone who requested more parts and wanted to be added to the tag list! I’m super glad yall are enjoying this series!

Warning: Swearing!! But ughhhh that’s it

part one || part two || part three || part four || part five || part six || to be continued

You grabbed your skates from the counter and sat down on a wooden bench next to Cindy who was already done lacing up. The snow had stopped falling and left complete fluffy powder in its place and the air wasn’t as harsh or crisp as yesterday was.

This was Cindy’s big moment to shine; she was never seen as an athlete but boy did she love to show off when it came to her ice skating skills. You, on the other hand, weren’t the best at ice skating which didn’t really make sense to your friends since it’s kinda like snowboarding in terms of balancing. Nonetheless, you weren’t going to be the only person sitting out while the rest of your classmates had fun so you did your best to participate gracefully.

After getting your skates on (with much help from Cindy and Betty), you slowly got onto the ice and hung onto the wooden fencing.

You were all out there for almost two hours and you wondered when Mr. Harrington would call it quits for today but he was nowhere to be seen which worried you. This was your first-time ice skating outside on an actual lake and you were terrified you would fall through but the girls convinced you that you were just being paranoid.

“ Uhm, where is the trusted adult chaperone? I didn’t spend my savings trying just to slip through the ice and die,” You said in a jocking tone but the girls knew you were somewhat serious.

“ I don’t blame you, you’re probably still traumatized after Peter practically ran you over yesterday,” Cindy replied as she skated backwards so she could face you and Betty.

You held on to Betty’s hand tighter as some kids who couldn’t be older than eight whizzed by you. You felt your subconscious say to stick your leg out and trip them but you pushed those dark thoughts aside and tried to keep your cool.

You kept looking at the ground just in case you saw any cracks in the ice but you still rolled your eyes at Cindy.

“ For the last time, it was an accident. Besides, I think I look badass,” You pushed out your bottom lip and revealed the small gash from yesterday that was still healing,” I just hope Peter isn’t beating himself up about it.”

While the girls conversed with one another, Peter and Ned skated several feet away as Peter listened in on the conversation with his ‘spidey hearing’. He couldn’t help himself but when he started to feel guilty, he turned to Ned.

“ Maybe I should go talk to her. I don’t want her to think I forgot about what happened cause I feel-”

“ Insanely guilty yes, you’ve said it almost a hundred times within the last hour,” Ned interrupted as he shook his head,” but of course she didn’t forget. She has a huge cut on her lip to remind her what happened.”

Once again, Peter felt another wave of guilt before MJ skated beside him. He watched as your group skated further away and he felt his legs slow down. Say what you will about MJ, but she wasn’t the type to thrive off of people’s pain and suffering especially when her close friend was whining about a girl.

“ Don’t let this get to your head Peter, but she couldn’t stop talking about you last night in the hotel room. It’s safe to say that she forgives you indefinitely,” MJ said plainly as if that wasn’t the best news Peter could’ve heard.

Peter stopped in his tracks completely,” Are you serious? What did she say about me? Please please please tell me-”

“ Parker!” Cindy shouted as she bumped into him harshly which caused you and Betty to fall over towards Cindy.

You and Betty both fell onto your hands and knees as you thanked the universe that you didn’t smash your face in once again.

You ignored the gasps from your friends as you tried to push yourself up with your hands. Your legs wobbled and you gave up, sinking to your knees to avoid further embarrassment. As MJ and Cindy helped Betty up, Peter rushed over on his skates and slid over to you with his hands out.

“ Y/N, I am the worst person in the world I’m sorry,” Peter apologized and you felt like you were having major deja vu.

You reached up towards Peter as he lifted you back onto your feet but since he pulled you up so fast, you fell forward again, leaning up against his chest. Peter stabilized his feet and held onto your waist, making sure you didn’t take both of you down.

You hung onto his shoulders as you pressed up against him more, your feet shifting nervously. While you could hide your blush against his chest, your friends could all see that the cold wasn’t the only thing making his face looked flushed.

Peter’s mind was buzzing as you squeezed him tighter; oh my fucking god this is really happening right now.

“ Y/N, um, you can open your eyes. You’re not going to fall,” Peter consoled you softly as you nodded, opening your eyes.

You looked up at Peter and you pulled away when you realized how you were mere centimeters from his face. You let go of his shoulders and instinctively grabbed his hand instead so you didn’t fall over again. Peter looked down at you hands and gave you a reassuring squeeze.

“ Thanks, Pete. I guess you redeemed yourself from yesterday,” You gushed as you looked down at your interlocked fingers. Even though you were both wearing gloves, you still felt weird holding his hand in front of everyone to see.

You pulled away and awkwardly dropped your arms to the side as Mr. Harrington called out that it was time to explore the shops in the snow village. You gave one last look at Peter and smiled softly before shuffling over to the exit with Betty and Cindy.

“ Ooooo Y/N and Peter sitting-”

You turned to Cindy and you weren’t sure if it was the soreness of your feet or how little sleep you got last night but your playful push turned into a hard one as you pushed Cindy into the snow with a soft thud. Cindy whined as you and Betty rushed to help her up to her feet.

“ What were you saying?” Betty teased as Cindy let out a mocked laugh.

“ Ha ha way to treat your friends.”

After lunch, Mr. Harrington set all the students loose to look around the shops. Each had their own little gimmick like On the Edge Snowwear or Snowbunnies R Us.

You bent down to be eye level with one of the shelves that had a colorful array of snow goggles and studied the snow goggles as if it was the Mona Lisa. As you picked one up, you watched Brad come over to you from the corner of your eye but you kept your attention to the shelf.

“ Really? Another pair of goggles? You have almost a dozen at home,” Brad said as he clicked his tongue and took the one you were holding out of your hand,” oh my god Y/N these cost more than the plane ticket!”

You grabbed the goggles back from him and shook your head,” They’re not just any goggles, they’re limited edition from the 2018 winter Olympics, see?”

You pointed at the band on the side of the goggles and showed him the rings with the flag of South Korea beside it.

Every student at Midtown had their own obsession; Flash was into expensive cars and was always at car shows during the weekends, Betty’s skin was always glowing because she’s completely obsessed with Korean facemasks and feels the need to have collections of the same one, and Peter was strangely in love with Spiderman because he would always talk about how cool he was and asking everyone around him if they felt the same way.

Your weird obsession was snowboarding and watching food ASMR videos but you decided to keep one of those things a secret.

“ It was the year for snowboarding I mean come on, Shaun White won the most snowboarding medals at one Winter Olympics and Chloe Kim brought home the gold she’s our age!”

You pulled out your phone and took a picture of the goggles before putting them back on the shelf. You could tell how disinterested Brad was but that didn’t stop you from taking a picture of the whole shelf altogether.

When you stood back up, you looked across the shop and watched Peter and Ned laughing over one of the corny t-shirts on the rack. Peter felt your gaze on him but when he looked up at you, you moved your gaze to a random shelf.

Brad looked at Peter and then back at you,” Is there something going on between you and Parker?”

“ What makes you say that?” You asked as you walked over to the window where you watched MJ slam a pile of snow into Flash’s face.

You knew exactly what he was asking but you had already put that embarrassment behind you and you didn’t want to relive it.

“ You two were pretty cuddly on the ice this morning. Just be careful, I don’t want him to hurt you again.”

There was something a little harsh in Brad’s voice and you already knew something was up with him. Brad’s temper was always like rolling a pair of dice; some days nothing annoyed him while other days would set him over the edge.

Whenever he used that voice, that meant you got the luxury of deciding how he would be handled in that place and time.

“ Careful now, you sound a bit jealous,” You said, almost studying his face as he clenched his jaw,” what’s going on inside that head of yours Davis?”

“ Why would I be jealous of him?” He asked bitterly as you put your hands up in defense,” I’m telling you to be careful or you’re going to end up in the medic station again.”

There was something definitely wrong but you were already so tired from this morning and decided not to fight this battle.

“ Hey look, I’m just playing around. Is something wrong?”

Brad ignored you, turned around, and pushed through the doors as he left you standing there in the middle of the store. You didn’t bother chasing after him because you knew how he was when he was annoyed. Besides, you were on this trip to have fun, not babysit.

You looked around the store and when you made eye contact with Peter again, you decided to put your embarrassment aside and walk over to him.

“ I couldn’t help but notice your burning gaze from across the room,” You teased as Peter laughed,” tell me, do you come here often?”

He was glad that there was nothing awkward between the two of you, especially considering what had happened this morning with how close the two of you were. He set down the snowglobe he picked up and stuffed his hands in his pocket, trying to get the image out of his head before his whole face turned red.

“ Oh sure. I love spending my free time at a store called Tis the Ski-son boutique.”

He followed you as you both walked out of the store side by side, leaving with no other purchases. Peter wrapped his scarf around him tighter, even though he was slightly embarrassed for being cold (which of course didn’t make any sense) while you breathed in the cool air.

You watched your feet as you listened to the snow crunch from underneath you, almost getting lost in an icy trance.

Time always felt slower when it snowed outside and yet, this trip was going by so fast. You only had a few more days left before the trip would be over and you knew you would miss it already.

You watched Peter who looked so uncomfortable out in the cold and tried to find a store to settle in for a bit.

“ Edgewater Cafe has really good hot chocolate if you want to check it out?” You offered as Peter nodded his head, almost too eagerly.

You and Peter had quickly shuffled over to the cafe and once you got inside, you could feel Peter melt beside you, feeling at peace in the warm coco shop. When you ordered for the both of you, Peter insisted that he paid and even slapped your hand away while you tried to give the cashier your card.

He claimed it was his treat but you both knew it was a way to apologize for both yesterday and today’s events.

Peter found a quiet area in the corner and sat on one side of the couch as you took the other. You both brought the cup to your lips at the same time but you watched him as he took a small sip with his eyes closed.

“ So, what do you think?” You asked as you took a sip, savoring the rich chocolate.

Peter nodded and took another sip before putting resting the cup back onto his thigh,” Okay, it’s not bad but I wouldn’t say it’s the best.”

“ Oh come on! Where else can you get hot chocolate this gourmet?”

“ If by gourmet you mean a cocoa mix with boiling water then yeah, I guess it is gourmet.”

You shook your head at him as you took another sip, not caring what he thought. You watched Peter as he rubbed his finger up and down against the cup as if he was deep in thought.

Out of nowhere, Peter’s heart started to race and he was glad that you couldn’t tell the difference. It finally hit him that you two were hanging out alone, which rarely ever happened unless you two were doing a school project or shared the same subway home.

You felt this too and decided to break the tension,” This isn’t weird, right? Like us hanging out? Alone?”

Yes.

“ No, why would it be weird?” Peter asked as his voice cracked slightly.

You shrugged and took another sip before putting the cup down on the table. This was definitely weird but for some reason, you didn’t mind. You had a pretty good radar on people and Peter never seemed like a creep so you felt at ease.

“ I don’t know to be honest. We’re classmates but I never really knew if we were friends or not,” You admitted as you watched Peter’s smile fall,” I mean, do you want to be friends with me?”

You shook your head and laughed, your mind processing what you had just offered,” I know that sounds childish like we’re in kindergarten or something but yeah, I guess what I’m saying is that I think we should be friends. Does that sound childish?”

Peter didn’t know what to think. He felt like he had just gotten friend-zoned but on the other hand, being friends was a step up from what you two originally were.

Of course, Peter wanted to just spill everything about his not so small crush on you but relationships take time. If he had to wait and be friends with you, he would gladly take that.

“ It does sound childish..but yeah. I want to be friends with you,” Peter said as you both shared a sweet smile,” does this mean we have to make friendship bracelets or something?”

“ I’m two steps ahead of you Pete,” You picked up your cup which was almost empty by now and lifted it up towards Peter,” how about a toast...to new friendships.”

Peter lifted his cup and pressed it against yours as his heart slammed against his ribcage,” To new friendships.”

@yeahimcrying @greatpizzascissorstaco @mysticalbanshee @weyheyavengers @infinityflamesworld @peterparkoure @fandom-fangirl22 @holland-in-disguise

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taeyongdoyoung · 3 years

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summary: the forest is your only escape from the everyday troubles with your family until you find danger lurking behind the trees. or rather, danger finds you. your fateful encounter with the vampire ravn leaves you wishing for a different life. you strike an unexpected deal with the stranger that will soon turn into something more…

pairing: vampire!ravn x reader

side characters: leedo and seoho

genre: vampire!au, angst, romance, humour

warnings: kidnapping, cleithrophobia, manipulation, lies, human trashnaming, blood mentions, stabbing, swearing (like twice)

word count: 2.5k

author’s note: @mariuscheng i deeply apologize, you’ll see why *mwah*

part one 🌙 part two 🌙 part three 🌙 part four 🌙 part five 🌙 part six 🌙 part seven 🌙 part eight 🌙 part nine 🌙 part ten 🌙 part twelve 🌙epilogue

Minutes turned into hours and hours into days. You began to lose track of time. You had no idea how long you’d spent in this terrifying place where Leedo had taken you to. You just wanted to go back home. Not where your parents were, no. That had never felt like home. You wanted to be back in Ravn’s castle, in the safety of his arms. He was the one…well, not person, but rather being who had treasured you and cared for you like nobody else.

And no matter how hard you tried to convince Leedo that you would never change your mind and love him the way he wanted you to, he just refused to let you go. Which only frustrated you further. You felt like a bird in a cage and that feeling was the worst in the world. You needed to think of a way to escape. But how? These metal bars were so hard. And Leedo never let you out of sight. True, he never physically harmed you or forced you to do anything.

But the mere fact he had kidnapped you, taken you away from the place you called home was enough of a red flag to change your friendly feelings for him into something that resembled distrust and annoyance. Since you couldn’t find a way to escape, your only hope was that Ravn wouldn’t give up on you. Maybe he would come for you.

As more days passed by, you realized you were on your own. Harbouring hopes was foolish and would do you no good. You could either die or make peace with your current situation. Or…you could try something else entirely. Something wicked and a bit cruel, but it could work, nonetheless. And since you weren’t in the mood for dying and you weren’t one to give up so easily, you decided to go for it.

“I changed my mind,” you told Leedo one day, the lie coming out easily. “I’m willing to give you a chance. I can try…to love you like you need me to.”

Leedo eyed you suspiciously. He doubted the sincerity of your words. And for a good reason.

“Do you expect me to let you go, then? Just like that?”

Actually, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea. But of course not. You weren’t that stupid.

“Someday, you will,” you responded, attempting to sound absolutely convinced by the validity of your statement. “Give it time.”

A desperate wish for it to be true appeared in Leedo’s stare. Good. Let him dream.

“Really? You’re willing to try?”

“I am if you are,” you lied once more. What’s another one? You’ve come so far…

“What about the vampire you claim you care about?” Leedo reminded you, which briefly troubled you. But you had to play your cards right if you wanted out of here. You had to deceive Leedo successfully in order to go back to the one you truly loved.

“Well, you were right about him. He’s just a cold-skinned bloodsucker. You could be so much better for me,” the words sent pangs of guilt down your spine as you pronounced them. You didn’t mean any of it, of course. But you had to try your best to convince Leedo you did. If you couldn’t escape on your own, you could manipulate him into letting you go. You only hoped that you were good enough an actress to make this work.

“I’m glad you’re finally beginning to see the error of your ways. We could be so good together, you and I.”

You resisted the urge to vomit. He was delusional. But you had to play along.

“Sure, we could. Now, tell me,” you murmured in what you were wishing sounded like a seductive voice, “What does a girl like me have to do to get some fresh air and a bit of sun around here?”

Leedo laughed. He obviously wasn’t as dumb as you’d hoped he’d turn out to be.

“Not yet. But we’ll get there, I promise. I’ve been very patient with you. What’s a couple more weeks?”

Weeks? If you had to spend another night in this godforsaken place, you would die. You had to get out of here soon or you would lose your mind.

“Right,” you attempted not to sound too crestfallen about it. “Well, until then, we could get to know each other better.”

Leedo smiled.

“What do you want to know?”

🌙🌙🌙

Ravn’s POV

As soon as I found Seoho, I told him everything that had happened and begged him to help me find her. I couldn’t live without her and I had no intention of letting her go. He listened to my pleas calmly, without saying a word. When I was finally done, he spoke:

“Of course, I will help you,” Seoho started. “Even though I don’t trust humans…”

“I’m sensing there’s a big but coming.”

“But I’m afraid we might be too late.”

“Too late?” I whispered, immediately panicking. “Is she dead? Did the werewolf do something to her?”

Seoho shook his head in a composed manner.

“That’s not what I meant. Too late as in…she might have betrayed your secret. You could be in danger, Ravn. You don’t want what almost happened to Xion to happen to you, do you?”

“Y/N’s not like that, I swear. She would never do this to me.”

“Alright, then. Do you have something of hers so that I could cast a locating spell?”

I nodded and handed him one of the books I’d gifted her a while ago. She would read from it every night before sleep. I figured it was her most prized possession.

“Shakespeare, huh?” Seoho chuckled. “Okay, just…go sit in the other room, don’t distract me and I’ll call you when I’m ready.”

I agreed, even though it was impossible for me to sit and stay calm in this current predicament. I was losing my mind. I had to find her soon. What if she was hurt? What if…I never got the chance to see her again? The chance to…tell her everything she meant to me…Tell her…

“She’s near the river in that forest of yours. In some sort of…prison cave,” Seoho informed me a while later.

I wasted no time and stormed out of the room without even bothering to thank my best friend. He’d understand, I told myself. But before I could make it outside of his house, Seoho had teleported next to me and grabbed my hand.

“Where do you think you’re going, lad?” he scolded me. “I’m coming with you.”

“I can’t ask you to…risk exposure. I know how much your secret means to you.”

Seoho obviously disagreed with me.

“You’re not asking. I’ll come on my own free will. You’re my best friend, Ravn. If you care about that foolish human, I feel it is my duty to help you out.”

“Seoho, you really don’t have to…”

“No time for arguing,” he shut me up. “And besides, me teleporting us there would be much faster than your vampire speed.”

I laughed wholeheartedly at his sensible observation.

“Lead the way, powerful wizard.”

Before I could blink, we were standing near the river. Closeby, there was indeed a cave that I had never seen before. I had heard rumours of its existence but never laid eyes upon it. So strange…I rushed ahead, eager to save Y/N from whatever torments that…dog had put her through. But before I could do so, Seoho stopped me once again.

“What now?” I complained because of his apparent eagerness to slow me down.

“Before we go in there, there’s something you should now.”

“Just say it already, the tension is killing me,” I groaned.

“Ravn. You’re already dead,” Seoho reminded me.

“Not helping, Seoho,” I sighed.

“Okay, okay, sorry. Y/N must be nearby so I…heard a fraction of her memories. She had just told that werewolf something very disturbing about you. I’m not sure I can even say it, it’s too vile.”

“Just go ahead,” I rolled my eyes. What could possibly be worse than losing her?

“She said and I quote here, so please, don’t get mad at the messenger ‘He’s just a cold-skinned bloodsucker. You could be so much better for me.’ Listen, man, it’s highly possible that her and the werewolf have been working against you. I told you that humans can’t be trusted!”

I shook my head, refusing to believe him.

“No, that can’t be true. Are you sure you heard it correctly? It must have been the wind or…”

Seoho, however, was determined that she had, in fact said that.

“I’m telling you, it’s best we get out of here. It could be a trap. We don’t know what we’re walking into, Ravn! Humans are such wicked creatures, it’s not safe.”

“No, no,” I repeated helplessly. “I can’t just leave her here. I love her, okay? And even if she doesn’t love me back, even if she did say these things about me, I still can’t let anything happen to her.”

Seoho scoffed in disbelief.

“It’s your funeral, mate.”

I shrugged.

“Like you said earlier. I’m already dead.”

I hurried towards the entrance of the cave.

“Then I’d rather die by your side than just stand outside like a coward!” Seoho yelled right behind me.

“If you’re scared for your life, you don’t have to come in. I won’t blame you, I’ll understand,” I reassured my friend.

“I’m not scared for my life. It’s you I’m worried about,” Seoho replied.

“While I’m sincerely touched,” I squeezed his arm. “I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“Not against a werewolf, you’re not. Dumbass,” he added that last part affectionately.

“Well, two dumb brains are always better than one,” I joked and the two of us went inside.

🌙🌙🌙

Reader’s POV

This shit wasn’t working. You were being so nice and pliable to Leedo and he still hadn’t let you go! Ugh, men! You wanted out so badly but you couldn’t risk being too forthright about it or it would ruin all the careful planning, all the progress you’d been making so far. Just a few more days, you kept telling myself. Just a few more and he’d believe you. You had to be strong enough to continue with the lies, with the whole acting scheme. They would be successful. Or you didn’t know what you’d do with yourself. You missed everything so badly. You missed holding Ravn’s hand. You missed reading books in his big…library. You missed making flower crowns for him. You even missed him drinking your blood. To think that the one time you’d found a home for yourself…only to have it taken away from you so cruelly. It was really unfair. You had never before been in a situation where you had to deceive someone on purpose. You had never wished ill upon anyone. So, for whatever crimes you were being punished, you couldn’t help but get frustrated by the injustice of it all. Just when you were getting entirely lost in the memories, Leedo interrupted your thoughts.

“You know…I was thinking we could have a walk. I won’t let you out of my sight, so don’t try anything stupid.”

Was this actually happening? Or were you dreaming?

“Of course not. I told you already. I changed my mind.”

“Good,” Leedo gave you an encouraging smile, which you desperately wanted to wipe off his smug face. No sooner had he unlocked the metal door leading to the outside world, to the light, to freedom, than you heard unexpected noises coming from somewhere nearby. Was it possible? Had he really come for you?

Seconds later, you were greeted by a heavenly sight. Ravn and Seoho were only a couple of metres away from you. Never before had you felt so grateful to see such familiar faces! You immediately forgot all about your plan to deceive Leedo and rushed into Ravn’s arms. He let you hold him but didn’t say a word, simply welcoming you silently. But why? You had missed the sound of his voice.

“It was a trick, wasn’t it?” Leedo finally realized. “You never loved me, you just said all these things so I’d let you go, didn’t you?”

You gulped nervously and even though you didn’t want to leave the comfort of Ravn’s arms, you felt like you had to confront Leedo yourself.

“Yes, it was all a lie. I never meant any of it,” you confessed.

Ravn gave Seoho a pointed look, which at the time, you didn’t understand.

“Well, I don’t care. If I can’t have you, then neither can he,” Leedo attacked Ravn before you could register what was happening. You wished you could do something other than beg them to stop, but you were so scared that you could barely move. They were going to kill each other right in front of you and you were too frozen to think. Luckily, Seoho’s reflexes worked faster than yours. He hurriedly got between them, trying to make them stop. However, before he could do so, Leedo accidentally pierced him in the stomach with a blade that had somehow appeared from thin air and Seoho stumbled onto the ground. You ran to his side and knelt down next to the magician.

“Oh, God, are you okay?” you asked.

Seoho nodded weakly.

“I didn’t mean to stab him,” Leedo defended himself. “I meant to kill the bloodsucker!”

“Oh, right, ‘cause that makes us all feel so much better!” you hissed sarcastically.

“Just…stop fighting and ask the girl who she wants to be with, you imbeciles!” Seoho murmured before passing out.

“Shit,” you and Ravn swore simultaneously, desperately trying to help Seoho regain consciousness.

“You didn’t answer the question,” Leedo pointed out.

“Is that really your biggest concern right now?” you snapped at him. “Seoho could literally die because of you!”

Leedo looked away as if it wasn’t any of his concern. That bastard…

“I want to stay with Ravn and help Seoho, in case it wasn’t obvious,” you spelled it out.

Leedo nodded and started walking away wordlessly. In the meantime, you were pressing your hand against Seoho’s wound so that he wouldn’t die from the blood loss.

“If I ever see you again, I will kill you,” Ravn vowed, giving Leedo an icy glare.

“Likewise,” Leedo roared and left you all in that damn cave.

Once he was out of earshot, you noticed Ravn slowly backing away from Seoho.

“There’s so much blood,” he panted weakly.

“Fuck, I almost forgot,” you were worried for a second that Ravn would lose control. Despite the fact that Seoho was his best friend, it was only natural that he was disturbed by the smell and look of it.

“I don’t want to hurt him,” Ravn closed his eyes, pained and ashamed to admit that he was so easily affected.

“You won’t. You should get out of here and bring me supplies from your castle. Herbs, medicine, anything you can find,” you sensibly suggested. “It’s my fault he got hurt in the first place. If it hadn’t been for my friendship with Leedo, none of this would have happened,” you couldn’t help but blame yourself for it all.

“It’s not your fault you see the good in people. And…I’ll do what you asked. We’ll talk more when I return, promise.”

You nodded.

“I’ll stay with Seoho and try to stop the bleeding.”

“Thank you,” Ravn said and ran outside at the speed of light.

To be continued…

#oneus #ravn #ravn x reader #twilight #oneus fanfic #kim youngjo #leedo #seoho #ravn angst #romance #vampire au #vampires #writing

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artificialqueens · 4 years

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End of the Day (Crystal x Gigi) - Ashley

A/N: The plan was simple. All Crystal had to do was pretend to be her twin for one week: sit silently in seminars, only leave her room for her basic necessities and stick closely to the set of rules she was left with. Only the rule that stated she “mustn’t bother the bitch from downstairs” became a lot harder for Crystal to follow once she had laid eyes on Gigi Goode.

Hope you guys like this!! Think of it as Breakfast at Tiffany’s meets She’s the Man only at a Russell Group where there’s a stereotype around every corner. Sending infinite thank you’s to Meggie for being a fab beta. p.s thanks so much for all the lovely feedback for Everything Has Changed (I could have cried reading some of it)…xoxo Ashley.

“No way.” Crystal dropped the pencil she toyed with, a laugh squeaking out of her throat at her sister’s audacity.

“It’s only a week,” she pleaded over the phone, the voice that had convinced Crystal to do stupid things since they were children making its reappearance.

“You seriously want me to pretend to be you just so you can jet off to Majorca to see that creep?”

“Yes!” Elle ignored Crystal’s clear disdain. “That is exactly what I want. We used to do it all the time in school.”

“You’re crazy, actually insane.”

Crystal was used to her sister’s wild antics, but this plot may have been a step too far.

“But you love me.”

“I hate you.”

“It’s not like you have any plans.” Elle held no hesitation in poking the bear - the boundaries between the two twins almost non-existent.

“I have Depop orders actually,” Crystal snapped back, a tiny part of resentment that her sister was attending one of the best universities in the country whilst she was sitting at home making jewellery rising inside of her body but not quite breaking the surface.

“£200.”

Crystal stopped in her tracks - now she was listening.

“It won’t work anyway, people will notice!”

“They won’t. I don’t speak to anyone in my college anyway and my course friends won’t say anything, just stay in bed all day once you’ve been to my seminars. I’ll even give you my Disney+ password.”

A hint of worry rose in Crystal’s mind; she wondered how her more outgoing other half had managed to go to university and not make friends in her accommodation. Where Crystal was shy and nervous throughout the entirety of her education, Elle had never been afraid to put herself out there, always surrounded by one group of pretty girls or another. “So what am I supposed to do in these seminars then? It’s not like I have an extensive knowledge of anthropology is it?”

“All you have to do is sign in and sit there pretending to type - they don’t even pick on you I swear. And it’s the last week before we break up so everyone will be really chill.”

“£300,” Crystal responded, the idea of escaping the four walls of her bedroom whilst making three months of her usual income beginning to tempt her, cursing internally at how easily convinced she was.

“I can’t give you £300.” Crystal could hear that her sister was talking through a grin despite not being able to see her face, the grin that meant she’d won.

“Well, you can’t go to Majorca then.”

“Three hundred pounds it is,” Elle agreed. “But you better get me a decent Christmas present.”

“Deal,” Crystal responded, knowing she had already purchased her sister’s gift two months prior. “Now, tell me absolutely everything I need to know about collegiate life.”

“It’s a good job. I knew you’d say yes and already planned this part out.” Elle beamed, proud at her ability to convince her timid younger-by-ten-minutes sister to do almost anything.

***

If secondary school was supposed to be a jungle of cliques, then Elle’s college may as well have been the Amazon rainforest.

Walking through the incredibly hard to find dining hall for breakfast, Crystal could make out almost every university stereotype she could think of, each confined to their own special hold.

From the druggies to the athletes, to the Oxbridge rejects, to the girls who borrowed daddy’s credit card - they were all there and thriving. A small part of Crystal wanted to go and sit with who she decided were the artsy girls despite knowing her sister wouldn’t be caught dead doing so.

Trying not to draw attention to herself, she kept her head down as she made it to the front of the queue, Elle’s clear step-by-step of how she approached meals playing through her head on repeat, the weeks of planning for this moment all coming into play.

Only at that moment, she panicked, the child’s paint by numbers that were her instructions started to turn into a set of IKEA diagrams without captions in her brain. Wishing she’d stuck to eating a pot noodle in her sister’s room, Crystal’s body froze in a state of fear after dolloping a ladle of baked beans onto her toast. A tonne (or maybe ten tonnes) of bricks smacked her right between the eyes. She knew she wouldn’t be able to pull this off. The lack of self-confidence she always battled with ran thick through her veins, her thoughts turning to ways she could go home and return to the comfort of her hometown, willing to sacrifice her sister’s already flagged attendance and the three hundred pounds to be watching Bake Off with her mam in the kitchen.

It almost happened in slow motion, time losing its speed as the boy behind her walked into Crystal’s back, propelling her tray forward onto an unsuspecting blonde. An unsuspecting blonde who seemed the opposite of dumb.

“What the fuck?” She snapped her head around to Crystal, thick brows furrowed and pink lips pursed.

“I’m sorr-” Crystal started, beating herself up internally at how she had managed to do the exact opposite of laying low despite being only one night into her weeklong mission.

“This won’t come out!” The girl started turning her neck frantically to the back of her shirt, the white satin stained bright orange.

Her mouth opening but no words coming out, Crystal didn’t have a chance to apologise again before the girl had a swarm of minions dabbing her back with tissues.

“It’ll be okay, G.” One of them took her hand. Crystal wanted to burst out in tears like she usually did at the smallest sign of conflict, pinching the skin on the back of her hand and looking at the white ceiling lights to stop herself.

“So long as people look where they’re going.” The girl, G, cast a terrifying yet beautiful scowl in Crystal’s direction before sauntering away.

So much for laying low, she sighed before leaving the queue herself, her body tingling as if she’d hit her funny bone over a dozen times. The girl’s stare still imprinted in the back of her eyes.

Having narrowly avoided a panic attack, Crystal thought hard about her old coping mechanisms and tried her best to remain positive as she did after these situations, sitting down at an empty table and giving herself a pat on the back that she had at least passed as Elle without any doubts, ready to take the rest of her day by storm (also known as sitting in silence and occasionally nodding her head as a bunch of middle ages men discuss human evolution and diversity).

***

Having achieved three B grades by the end of sixth form and the award for ‘most creative’ in their final assembly, Crystal always thought of herself as somewhat intelligent and capable of living in the real world despite her decision not to go to university like her sister.

Yet there she stood, her face in a scowl and her fist in a ball, completely and utterly perplexed by the laundry system.

After sleeping in her sister’s dirty sheets the night before, she had arrived back to the college with hopes of resting her head on a pillow that wasn’t mascara stained and washing her face with a flannel sans toothpaste blobs (which was basic hygiene in Crystal’s opinion, but she hadn’t expected anything more from her twin). Only those dreams were temporarily dashed as she spent an entire thirty minutes pressing buttons and swiping the card Elle had left her manically against an aged machine.

Thirty-six internet searches and two desperate phone calls to her sister later, Crystal was beaming at the sheets swirling around, not a care in the world at how much of a psychopath she would look to anyone entering the room, the stress she had previously faced in getting the machine to work inducing her to stay and wait for the clothes to wash instead of leaving them like normal practice.

Elle had seemed happy on the phone, gushing to Crystal about how tanned she’d gotten in such a short space of time and how delicious all the food was - Crystal shutting her down quickly by reminding her that such a tan would only alert their mother to the fact she’d spent a week abroad visiting the sleazy holiday rep she’d fallen in love with that summer rather than in the brown-bricked, straight from a horror movie, sixties’ style complex that Crystal was currently residing in.

Crystal made a mental note to text her mam later and tell her how much she was enjoying her time “visiting her sister” - knowing fine well that talking to her on the phone would probably cause her to crumble and confess their scheme.

She had always been a family orientated person, always choosing a night in the house watching movies over playing out with friends, crying buckets the day her sister moved out and started a new chapter of her life without her. It was clear her mother wanted her to get out into the world, knowing she was capable of more than selling jewellery online, but unlike her sister, Crystal wasn’t quite ready to leave her home yet, needing that extra push to get her feet moving that just hadn’t come her way yet.

She figured that spending a week pretending to be her sister may actually be a good start.

Lost away with her head in the clouds like usual, Crystal was snapped back to surface level as her phone chimed to signal the end of the cycle, only to find herself even more frustrated when she realised that no dryers were free.

Today really hadn’t been her day.

She personally blamed the lack of lucky necklace around her neck (Elle telling her specifically during their planning stages that she would never wear such a monstrosity and Crystal following suit despite knowing it was only entrenched in their rules because her sister thought it was ugly). Her secret superstitious side kicking in, she thanked herself for bringing some of her jewellery making gadgets with her, figuring she’d have to make her own version of it, for now, it wasn’t as if she had any better way to spend her evening.

Seeing a dryer with two minutes left until it timed out, Crystal figured she’d simply wait until it had been emptied to use it, allowing her brain to return back to Pinterest for a short period of time.

But ten minutes passed and no one came to empty the machine.

She glanced at the other piles of clothes that lay on top of the machines, figuring it was normal to remove other people’s when none were free, the thought of her sheets staying wet and crinkled making her feel uneasy.

Opening the dryer, she was hit immediately by a waft of lavender, reassuring herself that it was okay to move the clothes and feeling almost proud of herself for making a leap the old Crystal would have ran from in fear of awkwardness.

Being her most careful, she picked the clothes one by one and started to fold them, her brain subconsciously admiring the mystery tartan-wearer’s sense of fashion and wishing she had the confidence to wear some of the outfits. That was when her hands met a satin blouse, a familiar satin blouse with an orange tinge on its white back.

Before she had time to process that the clothes she was moving belonged to the pretty girl from breakfast, Crystal’s train of thought was interrupted by the devil herself.

“Admiring your handiwork?” She strutted over and snatched the shirt back from Crystal’s hands.

Crystal couldn’t quite place her accent but she knew it was Southern. Her overactive imagination hearing the girl whisper dirty thoughts to her in that posh voice without being able to stop herself.

Oh, fuck.

“I’m sorry.” Crystal turned to her, not even attempting to act like anything other than the soft wimp she was inside. “I didn’t mean to.”

Crystal looked into the girl’s eyes, almost seeing her melt a little before her.

She felt the tension between them, dense and heavy in the air.

“It’s fine,” the blonde responded, losing the passive-aggressive tone she’d carried beforehand but still not sounding entirely sincere as she began to throw her clothes into her hamper.

Crystal couldn’t help but gawk a little as she began to strut away, her body swishing like a model’s as she made her way out of the room, pausing for a second at the door.

“Can you do me a favour, though?” the girl called back to Crystal.

‘I think I’d give both of my kidneys to you’ Crystal thought. Only it instead came out as an awkwardly stuttered, “Erm, sure.”

“Turn your music down, please.” She shot a sarcastic smile in Crystal’s direction. Crystal felt it burrow straight through her chest cavity and into her fast-beating heart. “I know that anthropology may be a bit simpler than most degrees, but some of us really struggle to work when all they can hear is your shit music directly above them.”

Her mouth dropping open to catch flies as the girl left the room for good, a pang of realisation hit Crystal.

Opening her phone and flicking through the dramatic guide to her sister’s university life that was now saved at the top of her notes, she found what she’d been looking for:

“12. DO NOT, under any circumstances, bother the bitch downstairs.”

Too late, Crystal thought to herself, wondering how many more of her sister’s rules she would have broken by the end of the week.

***

Crystal would be lying if she said she hadn’t been watching out for the blonde that week, whose name she had figured out (after an intensive Facebook stalking session) to be Gigi.

Yes, she was lying low, not leaving Elle’s room other than for seminars and to eat - but that didn’t stop her from taking stolen glances at the girl across the dining hall or walking up that second flight of stairs to the room just a fraction slower than she did the first flight.

Three days at university and she’d somehow turned back into a fourteen-year-old girl fantasising about the most popular girl in the class.

Except this time, the popular girl didn’t even know her real name.

She felt like Tracy from Hairspray - one look and she could hear the wedding bells playing in the back of her head.

But at the same time, Crystal knew what was at stake - leaving their interactions to intense eye contact and mumbled “excuse mes,” knowing that even speaking to Gigi again could blow her entire cover.

Yet, she somehow managed to do exactly that on Wednesday night. Or, technically, the early hours of Thursday morning.

At first, Crystal tried to ignore the argument below her, drowning out their voices with her headphones (partly because she felt like she was intruding and partly because listening to people screaming at each other, like a lot of things, made her cry). However, as the war below was still awaiting a cease-fire, snippets of conversation slid their way into the room.

“Why do you have to do this on every night out?”

“I just want what’s best for you.”

“You don’t know what’s best for me.”

She could hear the pain in Gigi’s voice heighten right before her door slammed, Crystal wincing in bed at the sound.

Expecting to hear male footsteps stomp away, Crystal was surprised to instead hear lighter ones, making their way up the stairs and past her landing, a muffled sob travelling through her door.

Looking out of the window, she squinted in the dark until she saw the red glow of a cigarette from their fire escape, the hum of an unfamiliar tune making its way through the thin walls.

She knew it was a risk, but it was one that Crystal couldn’t help but take when she thought of the beautiful girl from the laundry room freezing in the cold.

Grabbing her sister’s spare dressing gown, she made her way onto the landing, taking a deep breath before going out onto the fire escape.

Logic and speech pushed to the back part of her mind, Crystal simply made her way over to the other girl and sat down beside her, placing the dressing gown over her slim shoulders.

Even in the dark, she could see how perfect Gigi was.

The mole on the side of her cheek.

The soft pout on her lips.

Despite the mascara smudged down her face and her eyes stinging red, Crystal thought she looked like an angel.

“Hi,” Gigi spoke to her, dropping the cigarette she smoked on the floor and pressing it out with her trainers.

“Hi,” Crystal spoke back, unsure of what to say to the girl, blood rushing through her at a rate of knots, nervous filling her body and bursting through her head like she was some sort of human kettle.

“I guess you know what I mean about the music now.”

“Yeah.” Crystal nodded in the dark. “It’s noted.”

“I’m sorry about Karl…” Gigi trailed off, taking some time before speaking again. “He just gets like that sometimes when he’s had a drink. I know he doesn’t mean it. I guess you know that.”

Unsure of who Karl was, or why she was supposed to know that, Crystal began to feel like she was drowning. Only instead of jumping on the next lifeboat, she swam down deeper for Gigi.

A part of her was afraid, afraid she’d read the aura surrounding the other girl so wrong, afraid that Karl was her boyfriend.

“Mmhmm,” Crystal responded, maybe a bit more high pitched than she naturally would have.

“Don’t get me wrong, he’s my best friend. But sometimes a part of me thinks that he just doesn’t have any idea who I really am if you get me.”

Crystal couldn’t have understood any better at that moment.

All she wanted to do was tell her. To tell her how hard it was when everyone expected you to be the same as another person. How awful it felt when they never knew the real you, only a shell of the more outgoing sister.

Only she couldn’t, so she did the next best thing and placed her hand on the girl’s forearm, instantly getting a shock at how cold she felt.

“Do you wanna go inside? We can make hot chocolate,” she suggested, noting how Gigi’s body relaxed under her touch.

“He’s still in my room.” Gigi rolled her eyes. “I just can’t deal with him right now, it needs to be left for the morning.”

“You can stay in mine,” Crystal asked, squeezing her grip ever so slightly.

What was she doing?

This wasn’t part of the plan.

And it was certainly breaking some of the rules.

Potentially all of them combined.

This was a bad idea. A very bad idea.

But nothing filled her with greater relief then when Gigi finally responded: “If you don’t mind, thank you.”

***

At first, she felt awkward as she let Gigi into the room, especially considering the fact it wasn’t hers. But after two hot chocolates each she had felt the most comfortable and at peace as she had since masquerading as her sister.

She watched as Gigi’s eyes made their way around the room, a kid in a sweetie shop, gawking at the treasures around her.

“What’s that?” she spoke between sips, pointing towards Crystal’s craft box that had been haphazardly set up on her sister’s desk.

“Oh.” Crystal went to pick it up, a flutter of warmth rushing through her at the thought of someone, let alone Gigi, being interested in her jewellery. “Just some bits and bobs I make.”

“These are so cool.” Gigi held a pair of scarlet earrings up and examined them closer, her mouth opening slightly as she focused. “Like the ones you had in the other day.”

Crystal’s face turned a deeper red than the earrings, the thought of Gigi remembering what she wore sending shivers down her spine - her head telling her heart on an auto loop that no matter what she thought about Gigi, all of Gigi’s returned thoughts were instead about Elle.

“Yeah,” she choked out, nipping her skin to bring herself back to reality.

“You should sell these!” Gigi gasped as she rooted through more of Crystal’s collection. “I sell the clothes I make on Depop, we’d make a great team.”

Crystal didn’t get a chance to respond. She was too busy picking the pieces of her exploding heart from the carpet and trying to put it back together again.

“In fact.” Gigi grabbed her phone and began to search.

Crystal decided that her thinking face was even cuter than her regular face.

She was in deep. Too deep.

“I think I follow an account that does stuff like this, let me think, something to do with crystals…”

Way, way too deep.

“I’m feeling a bit tired.” Crystal blurted awkwardly, getting mad at her mother for never placing her in acting lessons as a child, ready for the inevitable week that she’d have to pretend to be her twin sister or else she’d be kicked out of university and murdered by their family. Seeing the almost defeated look on Gigi’s face, she tried again. “But you can show me in the morning?”

“I’d love that.” Gigi smiled.

Crystal wanted to rewind time just to hear that sentence again. She wouldn’t be too greedy, she’d only listen to it one more time. Two at a push.

Making sure to go into the en suite as Gigi got changed, Crystal returned to find her in bed, already asleep, her hair a sprawl of honey against the pink pillows.

She waited a second before turning off the light and getting into bed beside her, something about lying next Gigi sending Crystal into a sleepy haze despite the way her heart had been beating so fast just moments before.

She could hear Gigi breathing, snoring just a little, finding her own breathing starting to sync along.

Sleep was only minutes away from taking over her body when she heard it, the muffled cry coming from the other side of the bed.

“No.” She heard Gigi mumble as she tossed from one side to the other. “Don’t go.”

Crystal placed a reassuring hand on her arm without thought. “Are you alright?”

Gigi woke startled, her eyes beaming at Crystal like a young deer caught in the middle of the road.

“I’m fine.” She realised her surroundings and threw the quilt to one side, moving her body down to the bottom end of the bed. “I best be off.”

“Hey.” Crystal sat up, flicking the lamp on by her bedside. “It’s alright, we can-”

But before she could finish, Gigi was gone. Nothing more than the faint smell of lavender on the pillows and the dark ring of hot chocolate in the bottom of her sister’s mug.

***

Making her way back into the college that evening, Crystal waited by the entrance for a few moments, wondering if she could manage to get to Elle’s room without passing the drinks and shenanigans that were currently taking place in front of her, wondering if she could manage to make it without passing Gigi, more precisely.

Tesco carrier bags full to the brim of every comfort food she could gorge on (salami, cheese, salt and vinegar crisps and three different bars of dairy milk to be precise) as she watched her sister’s Disney+ alone, Crystal concluded that the coast was clear and made her way to the bottom of her stairs without passing Gigi.

The words of the note she had posted under Elle’s door the day beforehand were still dancing around Crystal’s mind like a puzzle that even Professor Layton couldn’t solve:

“Elle, please forgive me for this morning. I don’t know what happens when I get like that..we’re all having drinks at around 8 tomorrow if you wanna join? - Gigi.”

As much as she longed to join Gigi for a drink, Crystal knew that she couldn’t. She’d already put too much on the line, allowed herself to get too close, too emotionally invested. A short text from Elle asking if everything was okay scared her straight, there was too much at stake. Yes, she wanted more than anything to be the one who comforted Gigi the next time she had a nightmare, to make jewellery for her and kiss her forehead whenever she looked stressed. But family meant everything to her, and she knew if anyone were to find out what they’d done, the consequences wouldn’t be worth it.

About to make her way up the stairs, Crystal felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Let me help with those,” the boy motioned to her bags, his voice familiar.

With dark hair slicked back, and skin the colour of caramel, it took Crystal a second to realise where she knew the boy from, remembering his face next to Gigi’s in their corner of the dining hall.

“I’m fine, they’re not heavy.” Crystal tried to walk away but was stopped by his voice, yet again.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come help? It’s been a little while, Elle.” He grinned, a smirk in his eyes that Crystal couldn’t quite trace.

“I’m sorry, I’ll have to catch up with you later,” Crystal responded, trying to remain calm on the outside as her insides reached peak panic mode, her brain mentally scanning her notes for anything mentioning this boy. Her search found no results.

“Oh I get it,” he laughed. “It’s one of your games. Sure, you wanna catch up later.”

That’s when the realisation hit Crystal. Her sister was having sex with this boy. And she completely failed to mention it.

Trying to think of something to say, a heavy silence lingered between them. Broken by a familiar tone that managed to scare her half to death and turn her on at the same time.

“Karl.�� Gigi shook her head as she made her way down the staircase, carrying what looked like a sippy cup of vodka red bull in her hands. “Do you mind not trying to shag every girl in college for five seconds?”

“I’ll see you later, Elle.” He muttered before strutting away with Gigi, Crystal making out the word ‘cockblock’ in their hushed conversation as they left.

She knew that Elle didn’t tell her everything.

Just because they were twins they didn’t have to know every detail of each other’s lives, even though they spoke every day. Crystal always knew that. But a part of her heart stung at the thought of her sister not even telling her about a boy she was sleeping with. Is that how far apart they’d grown since Elle came to uni?

Fighting back tears, she made her way up the stairs and tried to call her sister. She knew she was being silly; a part of her had just thought she’d know when her sister was sleeping with someone. So many questions ran through her mind. Was Elle safe? Did she love him? Why didn’t anyone know?

She tried to call again, no answer.

Gigi must have known, Crystal figured - slotting together their interaction the night before with the one they’d just had. Is that why Elle didn’t like her? Why they weren’t friends? Why she’d told Crystal to avoid her?

She answered on the fifth call.

“Hey, babe, I really can’t talk right now.”

Crystal ignored her sister’s words, dropping her shopping outside the door and moving out onto the fire escape, the cold breeze hitting her face harshly.

“Who’s Karl?”

“Oh.” She heard her other half’s surprise, she could see the look on her face, high definition in Crystal’s mind. “I told you not to speak to people, for fuck sake, Crystal.”

“Who’s Karl?”

“I can’t speak about this now.” Her tone lowered, clearly someone else was in her company.

“Who’s Karl?” Crystal asked again, not even stopping to think about how dramatic she was being.

Only her sister had hung up before she could get an answer.

Crystal didn’t know how long she’d been out there when she heard the door open, she didn’t even know if she was still crying or not.

“Hi,” Gigi spoke, almost a whisper, as she approached her. “We gotta stop meeting like this, hey?”

Crystal watched Gigi’s face drop a little at the sight of her, looking hurt the second she got close enough to see her tears.

“Yeah, I-” Crystal started but was swiftly interrupted.

Normally in films, it happened after a moment.

The pair would talk, get deep about their issues, reach a comforting solution then sit for a moment in an all-knowing silence.

Then they’d look into each other’s eyes, letting them flicker down once or twice before meeting again, that lock not leaving until they were shut.

Next came the strand of hair, pushed away and tucked neatly behind the ear.

Finally, the kiss, slow at first then growing in passion.

Only Gigi had no patience.

It took Crystal a second to react, to realise what was happening, to press her lips back against Gigi’s, to race her hand through the other girl’s hair.

It was unexpected.

Yet it felt nothing but natural.

And right.

“I’m sorry.” Gigi pulled away, pausing to bite her tongue between her teeth, a nervous side of her appearing that Crystal had not yet seen. “I know that’s like the last thing you’re meant to do when someone’s upset but, I don’t know, you just looked so sad and-”

This time Crystal wasn’t going to let her finish.

She felt Gigi’s hands wipe the stray tears from her face before moving right down her body to her waist. Moving her body closer so she was almost straddling the other girl, Gigi pulled away for just a second to let out a breath.

Crystal moved her hands round to Gigi’s back, further and further down until she was granted a nod of permission, letting them slide over the silky fabric of her skirt.

Before Crystal knew it she was being pushed back to the ground, Gigi’s long and beautiful body towering over her, as she got to her knees and began to kiss Crystal all over.

Gently, methodically, slowly.

Crystal’s mind was carried away, far from reality and refusing to take away from the moment in front of her.

“I knew you wanted me.” She felt Gigi’s breath tickle her ear, sending hot flushes down her entire body, reaching her hands out to touch the other girl’s breasts.

“Fuck, Elle.” Gigi grinned, flicking a switch in Crystal’s body as she pushed herself backwards away from her touch.

She’d almost forgotten that part.

Looking at the other girl’s confused face, she was lost for words, pulling the strap of her vest top back in its place. She knew she couldn’t do it anymore, she couldn’t keep lying. She would have let Gigi sleep with her thinking that she was someone else. She’d become a monster. She had to tell the truth.

“What the fuck?” A voice came from the door behind them, Karl’s confused face flicking between the pair of them. “Is this a joke?”

“Shit,” Gigi muttered and stood up, but Crystal was frozen in place, her hands and feet turning numb with anxiety, the sky around them warping in time. “I can explain.”

Crystal watched as Gigi chased her friend back into the building, listening to her tell him she was sorry and she just got carried away. Listening to Karl ask if that was why she’d told him to stop sleeping with her. Listening to Gigi explain that it wasn’t it, that something had just changed recently. Listening to her life crumble around her.

And then she heard nothing at all.

Even when she knocked on Gigi’s door later that night, ready to give her the explanation she needed, Crystal heard nothing at all - eventually giving in and retreating to the cave of Elle’s room, with no plans to leave it until their train pulled in at the station.

***

Looking up at the hideous brown bricks in front of her, Elle Barge never thought she’d be so relieved to see the college in her life.

One day earlier than she was supposed to return, she hoped that Crystal would forgive her for withholding some of the stuff she’d been doing at university, thinking that they could have one fun night together before getting the train home the next day, giving at least a hint of truth to their family when they arrived back.

Besides, her holiday romance meet-up hadn’t exactly gone the way she had planned when she accidentally met up with his wife. Hence her early departure.

She figured she’d just have to chalk this one up to being a good story to tell, throwing away her sadness at the thought of having a best-selling novel about her awful love life someday.

Heck, she’d probably already have half of it written with just stories about Karl.

Walking up the stairs to her room, she rolled her eyes at the sight in front of her.

One thing she certainly had not missed was Gigi Goode braying on her door to tell her to turn her music down.

Surely, Crystal wasn’t irritating her, Elle thought to herself. The only music Crystal ever played was One Direction and she hardly blasted it.

“Ahem.” Elle coughed loudly enough for Crystal to hear from inside the room, praying she’d understand with her magic twin sense not to come out (also quickly texting her not to incase the magic twin sense failed them. Elle did not want a repeat of that time in year nine when Jackie Cox asked if they could read each other’s minds).

“Hey.” Gigi turned to face her, a strange look on her face that Elle couldn’t quite decode. Tension started to seep through the stained carpet and up the walls like lava.

“Hi?” Elle raised an eyebrow to her, more of a question than a greeting.

“I’m sorry for ignoring you before,” Gigi started, nodding her head as she got into the rhythm of her speech. “I was just scared and I didn’t know how to say it but I can now. Please just listen and wait ‘til I’m done, I have to explain.”

Minefields began exploding inside Elle’s brain.

She simply nodded.

“I’ve been fucked over in the past. And it still scares me today. You know the other night? That was it, I haven’t felt myself get close to anyone in a while. And I know it’s bad because of Karl and I’m a shitty friend to him but honestly, I think that this is something bigger than that, cause I’ve not felt it for a while. And I think you feel it too. Look, I’m really shit at this but something changed this week, I saw you in this light I’d never caught you in. I might sound mad but I think that I need you.”

Looking back at the girl in front of her with dismay, Elle spoke back the only three words that rang through her brain at that moment.

“What the fuck.”

And then her door opened, her sister’s face peeking out around the corner, clad in the same expression she used to have whenever she’d spilt juice on the carpet or smashed plate. Her hair matted and eyes puffy, Elle immediately moved to her side.

And then Gigi uttered the three words as well - only adding a “fucking” in there too for good measure.

Killing the silence that lingered for some time, Crystal spoke the fastest sentence Elle had ever heard all in one breath: “I’ve been pretending to be my sister so she could go get fucked by a Spanish guy.”

“Wow.” Elle looked back and forth between the pair, recognising a glint in her sister’s eyes that was certainly not there before.

Crystal prepared herself and walked up to Gigi, placing her hand on her arm. “I wanted to tell you so bad. I was going to but then Karl came and everything got messy. I know you probably can’t forgive me, but I saw that bigger thing too and I let myself get carried away in it.”

Gigi looked between the pair and raised a hand to her mouth, letting out a hearty laugh.

“Please don’t tell anyone,” Elle pleaded, fear rising inside her.

Silence filled the landing again, the twins standing sheepishly as they gave time for Gigi to process.

“If I’m honest I think I’m less confused now.” Gigi turned to face Crystal and grinned, showing an emotion Elle didn’t think the Barbie doll was even capable of showing. “This makes a lot more sense.”

Elle watched as her sister grinned back, seeing the genuine happiness on her face and throwing away all thoughts about whether or not she’d get in trouble.

“I think I might just be able to forgive you.” Gigi looked her up and down, pouting her lips in a joking manner. “If you let me take you out so we can talk this through over dinner?”

“Yes,” Crystal responded without hesitation.

“But first, could you tell me your name?”

“Crystal.” Elle watched as her sister reached out and shook the other girl’s hand, proud of the growth in confidence she could see - happy to see the return of the happy-go-lucky Crystal who wasn’t too scared to try anything new that she knew as a child.

“Crystal,” Gigi repeated, smiling to herself. “So Crystal, do you go to uni or just hang around at other people’s?”

“Maybe next year.” Crystal smiled back a sense of optimism in her voice. “Are we going for this dinner or what?”

Although it took her a minute to take in what she’d seen, a strange feeling inside of her as she waved her sister goodbye for a date with her bitchy downstairs neighbour, Elle couldn’t help but think that her disaster vacation had all happened for a good reason. In fact, she found herself almost shedding a tear as she heard her sister laughing at something Gigi said on their way downstairs, figuring that she might just see more of her sister than usual next term (and being nothing but happy about it).

#rpdr fanfiction #crystal methyd #gigi goode #crygi #angst #lesbian au #university au #end of the day #ashley #concrit welcome #submission #s12 #college au

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inactiive-shit · 5 years

Text

Friends In Scary Places

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Prompt: Haunted house

Warnings: Deceit, Remus, haunted house stuff, gore (for the actors’ costumes), gettin scared

Pairing: romantic Moxiety, Intrulogical, Roceit

Words: 3,427

@sanderssidescelebrations and so here we are:

Patton loved haunted houses. It wasn’t something most people expected, wasn’t something most people looked at him and assumed. People liked to look at Patton and see pretty and delicate and soft and gentle and sweet. And Patton was those things, he enjoyed being those things.

That didn’t mean it wasn’t fun to let go sometimes.

So when he asked his boyfriend if they could go to a haunted house, well, it was a pretty big shock. They’d been dating for six months and he was still realizing just how many facets Patton had.

“You want to go to a haunted house?” Virgil asked, disbelief coating his words. Patton smiled, nodded. “Seriously?” The incredulous look on his face was melting away into a genuine, excited smile.

“Of course seriously, Virge. I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t.”

“Awesome,” Virgil said, practically vibrating. “I love haunted houses but I wasn’t sure you’d want to go and I didn’t want to bring it up because I didn’t want you to feel pressured into it.”

“Well, honey, you have to ask,” Patton said. “Asking isn’t going to pressure me into saying yes if I mean no.” He kissed Virgil’s cheek. “But I do love haunted houses, and I would love to go to one with you even more.” A blush spread over Virgil’s face, and Patton could not have been happier.

That’s how eleven o’clock p.m. finds them standing at the front of the line for Patton’s favorite haunted house. It was cold, and Virgil was shivering, but Patton wrapped his arms around his boyfriend to keep him warm.

“Just so you know,” Virgil added just before they walked in the door, “I have a disclaimer: I am a jumpy person. I will scream a lot. You may be deaf by the time this is over.”

“It’s okay, honey,” Patton said. “I’ll protect you.” They drew closer together and stepped through the door into a small, dark room.

They were in a group of six with four strangers. One man had curly red hair and a bright red sash on, dressed as a prince. He was holding hands with a man who was wearing one snake-eye contact and had scales drawn artfully down the side of his face. The other two weren’t dressed up: one had glasses and a tie and an afro, holding onto his companion too tightly for it just to be casual. The last man looked just like the first, but with darker hair, a mustache, and a crop top on.

“Same glasses!” Patton exclaimed to the most put-together looking one of the bunch. He scrunched up his face in confusion, but didn’t comment.

“I like your make-up,” Virgil said to the smallest one with scales.

“What make-up? Darling, I assure you, this is all real.” The man motioned to his face with a flourish. Virgil stared for a moment before turning to Patton deadpan and saying, “I didn’t know they were sending us through with clowns.” The person Scaley was holding hands with choked on a laugh.

“Please,” he said, “ignore my boyfriend. He deals with fear by lying.”

“I do not,” Scaley hissed. Sash chuckled and kept going like a steamroller with no breaks.

“Also, if I punch you, I am so sorry. My fear response is to hit things.”

“I wonder why that would be?” said Glasses with a pointed look at the final member of their group. He almost seemed to preen under the judgemental gaze.

“I take no responsibility for that,” Clone said with a smile that told Patton he really was at fault. “If he gets scared of worms, he simply should not lay in a bed of them. Rip to Roman, but I’m different.” Glasses pinched his nose with his free hand and closed his eyes, looking like he was fighting off a migraine or an aneurysm.

“Patton,” Virgil said faintly, “I think we’re going to die.” Patton squeezed the arm around Virgil’s waist, reassuring him silently. This was a rather eclectic group, but they seemed friendly enough! There were new friends around every corner, and this haunted house would be no different.

“This way, please,” an eerie old man said in easily the most disturbing voice Patton had ever heard. Their group shuffled toward the second door. “Once you go through this door, there is no turning back. Does anyone want to run while you still have the chance?” None of them said anything. “Wonderful. Willing sacrifices. Makes my job much easier. I don’t want to have to run you down.” Patton laughed softly. “Now, the rules are simple: do not touch the monsters as they will not touch you. Do not go off the path. It leads through the house and out the other side. We are not responsible for you if you leave the path and are lost for the rest of eternity. Do not go backwards on the path; there will be another group behind yours. If the scaring becomes too intense and you would like to leave, flag one of us down. You will be taken out of the house; there are no refunds. Any questions?” They all stayed quiet. “Good.” He pushed the door open to reveal a long, narrow hallway. “Have fun. Try not to stay too long. They like to keep you if they get fond.” The man laughed in a distinctly creepy way. Virgil shivered against Patton’s side.

“Front or back?” Patton whispered to Virgil.

“Getting stabbed first?” Virgil asked. “No thank you. I’ll take the back.”

“So they can sneak up behind you? Interesting priorities,” Scaley said.

“I have eyes in the back of my head,” Virgil said. “Much better than my forward facing ones.” Patton giggled at the totally serious look on his boyfriend’s face; it was so cute that he could say bullshit so convincingly.

“Do you also have-”

“Don’t,” chimed Scaley, Sash, and Glasses all in unison, speaking right over whatever Clone was saying. Clone just smiled gleefully.

“We’ll take the lead,” Sash said, pulling Scaley with him to the front. “Don’t worry, we’ll protect you guys from any murderers. A prince does nothing less for his subjects.” Clone grumbled something, but all of his friends ignored it. Patton smiled sympathetically at him, and they proceeded through the door.

“Thank you, sir,” Patton said to the employee still holding the door open as they passed. The man just smiled, too wide and slightly deranged, and Patton smiled right back.

“Smile too much and your face’ll stick like that,” Virgil mumbled into Patton’s neck as their group inched down the hall. Patton shrugged, jostling Virgil slightly toward the wall.

“I don’t think that would be so bad.”

“No,” Virgil agreed. “I like your face like that. But I like your face a lot of other ways too.”

Their group came up on the first room, and Sash groaned when he saw it. “Of course this would be first.” He buried his face in Scaley’s hair.

“At least it can’t get any worse for you,” Scaley muttered, smirking as he pulled them into the room.

“Are you sure about that?” Virgil and Clone said at the same time. They both paused, and Clone turned around to make eye contact with Virgil.

“A new friend?” Clone asked.

“Hell yeah,” Virgil said. They fist bumped. Glasses rolled his eyes.

“Good god, there’s two of them now,” he said. Patton laughed and patted the man’s shoulder.

“The more the merrier?” he suggested as they finally went into the room. Glasses grumbled and shook his head at the toys littering the walls and bed of the room.

“Oh, Roman, you must be in hell,” said Clone. “I sure hope none of these dolls talk. Or move. Or follow you home.” Glasses placed a hand over Clone’s mouth.

“Aw, c’mon,” Patton lied. “I think they’re kind of cute.” He giggled at the look of horror on his companion’s faces, at the look of adoration on Virgil’s, and examined the room. Exceptionally creepy dolls were lining shelves that spanned every wall, as well as being thrown haphazardly on the floor and bed. The bed itself was dirty - who would let a child’s bed get so nasty? - and had a checkered sheet on. It reminded Patton of the one he used at home. He shivered.

“We are going to die here,” Sash sang.

“The scariest thing about this is how unclean it is,” Glasses said, shaking. They began walking more quickly, but froze in place when a tinny laugh sounded from across the room. Virgil shivered and took a step farther away from the doll lined wall. Patton laughed nervously. Dolls were awful.

The bed near the far wall began rumbling and shaking, and a humanoid figure rose under the sheets. They all scrambled to face it, packed in close, and Patton realized too late that their backs were exposed.

He turned just in time to see the horrifyingly made-up doll-girl just a few inches away. He let out a shout and backpedaled, and Virgil followed him without a word of objection. The others all scrambled away, trying to find sanctuary.

“Don’t you want to play with me?” the girl asked. “Mommy says you have to play with me.” She giggled, dropped her head sideways so it looked like her neck had been broken. She stopped giggling. “Aren’t you going to play with me?” Suddenly, dozens of other voices began sounding around the room, demanding play and mommy said. The girl staggered closer to them, arms outstretched, and her voice dropped to sound nearly demonic. “Come and play!” she shrieked.

“Sorry, we can’t play! So busy right now! Maybe later!” Virgil grabbed Patton’s hand and took off, and Patton did not hesitate to follow. They were the last ones to clear the plastic strips separating the doll room from the next short hall.

“Why did you stay in there so long? Are you two insane?” exclaimed Sash. Patton smiled at him, shrugged.

“I thought her dress was cute,” he said, heart hammering in his chest.

“I should have asked where she got it,” Virgil added. “I might get one.” Patton giggled and squeezed Virgil’s hand. One thing Patton had been very happy to discover when he and Virgil had marathoned horror movies together was that they dealt with fear in the same way: talking about the normal aspects and never acknowledging how terrifying it was. It bothered some people, but it worked well enough.

“I liked the dolls,” Clone said. “Might have to come back through and take one home with me.”

“You are absolutely not,” said Glasses. When Clone didn’t say anything, Glasses said, “Remus Prince, if I find one of those dolls in our apartment, I will personally kill you.”

“Kinky,” said Clone. Glasses glared at him as they started down the hall. “Fine. Anything for you, Lolo! Though I do so wish you’d ask for something a little...exciting. Like a-”

“Don’t,” said the other three in unison. They reached the next door as Clone pouted.

“I think a doll would be a very thoughtful gift,” Patton whispered. Virgil elbowed his ribs.

“I side with neck tie,” Virgil muttered. “If there is a doll anywhere in my general vicinity in the next two months and it is your doing, I will end you.”

“Well,” Patton said, and was cut off by Virgil’s scream. People in inmate outfits and chains and mutilated animal masks were banging on the walls and sticking their arms through the bars, begging for help. All six of them rushed down the hallway, but Scaley and Sash pulled farther ahead. And it was Virgil who saw the next scare first.

“Oh, fuck, there’s a corner,” Virgil whispered. “People always hide around corners. Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck.” He giggled half-hysterically. “This is why we choose the back. Shit.” Sash, heedless of the corner and scarer behind it, did not slow down. The man rounded the corner, flailed backward screaming, and then forged onward, breezing past the scarer as though they were nothing more than a statue. Before Clone and Glasses, in front of Patton and Virgil, even got to the corner, Virgil screamed and dived forward, losing his grip on Patton’s hand. Patton turned to see the girl from the doll room smiling crookedly.

“Don’t you want to come back and play?”

“I love your dress and I would love to play, but you are very scary, goodbye!” Patton said. He jumped forward and Virgil snatchd his hand. They ran to catch the other pair. Even though they all knew where the person around the corner was, they still screamed and careened into Clone and Glasses and then took off running.

Patton pulled Virgil through the plastic strips leading to the second room and stopped short. There was a man with a chainsaw standing over a screaming woman with her intestines spilling out. Nurses milled around the room looking like zombies with pallid green skin and broken limbs.

“What a wonderful heart!” Chainsaw-Doctor’s-Coat-Man said, as the woman screamed and he began pulling out organs. “But this liver,” he tutted. “What a shame, what a shame.” His eyes flitted up to lock with Virgil’s. “But you…” he came closer, chainsaw in one hand and pointing at Virgil with the other. “You look like you have a lively liver.”

“No, sir,” Virgil said, slowly inching closer to the other four, “no such liver here. I drink. All the time. My liver really has gone down the shitter.” Clone laughed.

“Help me! Please!” the woman screamed raggedly. Patton tapped a pattern on Virgil’s hand. Virgil was tensed to run, but he still gave Patton’s hand a quick squeeze.

“What about you, my boy?” the doctor said, moving on. “What’s your liver worth to you? Your life?” Before Clone could respond, the doctor stepped back and revved his chainsaw. “Nurses, get him!” As one, every nurse in the room turned to face them, and then staggered forward. “Run, little pretties! Run, run!”

And run they did. They ran straight through the rest of the room, and spilled out into the hallway. There were strobe lights on the ceiling and it was much tighter than the last, barely larger than one person wide. Sash had managed to cram in next to Scaley and they held each other.

“That’s it,” he announced. “I am no longer leading this expedition. I quit.”

“Are you alright, kiddo?” Patton asked, concerned. “Do you need to leave?” It shouldn’t be too hard to track down a cast member and get him out if he needed it. Sash paused to deliberate, but shook his head.

“No. I just do not want to be in the front anymore. We’re moving to the middle.”

“We can take front if you don’t want it,” Virgil said. With everyone in agreement, Virgil and Patton crushed to the wall and squished through. Virgil took the lead. Patton had ahold of Virgil’s hoodie as they went. Sash was directly behind him, muttering in spanish.

“You doing good, kiddo?” he asked quietly. Sash jumped, but smiled shakily and nodded.

“Yeah, I’m fine. To be honest, I’m only here because everyone else likes it. Haunts are...not my typical hang out.” Sash shrugged. “I don’t mind coming, but I am not built for this. I’m meant for the lap of luxury.” He sighed theatrically. “But a Prince must do what Prince must do.”

“Well, if it gets to be too much, there’s no shame in leaving,” Patton said. “But to not even like it and come in anyway? You’re braver than all of us, kiddo.” They turned a corner in relative silence.

“Oh, cool,” Virgil groaned. “Creepy paintings on the walls. I wonder what those do.” Patton giggled and then got a despicable idea.

“Watch this,” he muttered to Sash. Slowly, he pulled Virgil’s hoodie back slightly and then grabbed his side with no warning. Virgil shrieked and took off. Sash jumped in surprise and hit Patton’s back, but Patton was laughing so hard he barely even noticed.

“You fucking asshole,” Virigl said, collapsed at the other end of the hall. “Betrayed by my very own fucking boyfriend like this? How could you?” Patton felt a little bad, but Virgil was fighting not to smile so he didn’t feel too bad.

“You are absolutely ruthless,” Roman said. “I am-” Two of the paintings dropped out of their frames and monsters screamed and reached out for them. The others started screaming but Patton just stumbled, almost fell, and then raced to Virgil. When he turned around, Glasses and Clone had evidently retreated and Scaley was rushing Sash toward the correct end of the hall.

The paintings slid back into place. Virgil started laughing, and Patton looked at him fondly.

“What’s so funny?” Sash asked, voice shaking.

“Nothing,” Virgil said, still giggling. “There’s noth-ing funny at all.”

“He does this when he gets scared sometimes,” Patton confided in Sash. He pulled Virgil up from the floor. “You good to keep going?”

“I’m fine, Pat.” Virgil was starting to calm down, so Patton took his hand and pulled them toward the final room. Creepy music box music was floating out, and Patton parted the barrier to see what the inside was: a mirror maze. That was certainly a new addition.

“Fuck,” Patton said.

“Double fuck,” agreed Virgil. “Are any of you good with directions?” Every person in their group shook their head. Virgil sighed. “This is not how I thought I was going to die tonight, but here we are. Let’s get this over with.” He went left. Patton had a feeling they should have gone straight.

Patton thought, going in, that a mirror maze would be hard but not that scary; he was wrong. There were trick mirrors and actors creeping around the maze. The source of the music was constantly changing locations, and whenever it got louder, somebody was bound to jump out. Until they didn’t, and they were all coiled tense as springs for no reason. Once the music even stopped, and Patton is unashamed to admit he almost wet himself terror when it started back up directly next to his head. Sometimes the lights flickered, others they strobed, and occasionally went out completely. There was a thick layer of fog covering the ground, and at one point they managed to lose both Clone and Virgil. They found them again through sheer luck and the pair’s terrified screams when they got snuck up on.

It took them twenty minutes to find their way out of the maze, and they only did it that quickly because the actors had to start herding them toward the exit.

“I see you lived,” said the same old man who had showed them in. “How unfortunate. Toodle-oo.” He shooed them away and pulled the door shut behind them.

The six of them, bonded by fear, just stood there.

“It feels weird to leave now that we’ve all been talking to each other, doesn’t it?” asked Virgil. “It’s almost like we should be friends or something.”

“We are friends, emo,” said Clone. “We already agreed.”

“Good point.” Virgil shrugged. “Still, though.”

“Maybe we should, I don’t know,” said Scaley sarcastically, “exchange numbers and meet up again or something.”

“There’s a nice little Halloween festival happening tomorrow night that we’re going to,” Patton offered. At Roman’s shudder, he added, “No scares or anything. There’s a little petting zoo with goats and alpacas and they have a corn maze and games and hot apple cider and hot chocolate. It goes from five pm to three am.”

“That is an acceptable outcome for me,” Glasses said. He passed his phone to Patton. “Input your contact information, and I will send it to everyone else, if that is alright?” Patton nodded and entered both his and Virgil’s stuff.

“It was nice meeting you,” Patton said. “We’ll see you tomorrow.” Patton waved and they all went their separate ways.

That night, as they lay in Virgil’s bed to sleep, Virgil mumbled quietly, “Whoever heard of making friends in a haunted house?” Patton hummed in response and stroked Virgil’s hair. “I don’t know anybody but you that could do something like that, Pat.”

“You did it just as much as I did, Virge,” Patton said. He paused as Virgil snuggled closer, then picked up playing with his hair again. “Love you, V.”

“Love you too, Patton. See you in the morning.” Virgil went out like a light and Patton, exhausted from their night of scares, was not long to follow.

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rorynne · 5 years

Text

Lost In Translation 1/6

Pairing: Bucky/reader

Summary: The five times Bucky Barnes tells you he loves you, and the one time you actually understand. AKA Emotions are hard to express when you know 20 languages.

Warnings: Fluff, minor alcohol use.

Word count: 1.8k

Masterlist

Very few things in the world actually scared Bucky anymore, after all that he had been through, he was sure he could handle just about anything. You, however, were just about one of the things left that scared the shit out of him. Or rather, you specifically didn't scare him, but the way you made him feel? Oh definitely. Even now he was watching you, awestruck by your beauty, as you mingled with party-goers on the other side of the room. He couldn't believe how someone could be so bright, you practically shone every time you entered a room.

He still remembered the first time he met you, on the archery range with Clint. Steve had been introducing Bucky to everyone on the base, you and Clint being one of the last ones left to meet. You had actually managed to sneak up on him. To his horror, he reacted by reflexively throwing a punch that you only barely dodged. And right when he was about to beg for forgiveness, you did something he never expected. You laughed.

He had just tried to punch you, and all you did was laugh and make a joke; as if it were nothing. He really had no idea how to respond apart from a smile and an awkward laugh. That was when your eyes went wide, your smile faded, and his heart dropped, expecting the worst. But the worst never came, instead, you surprised him for the third time in less than five minutes. “Wow,” You said, “You have one of the nicest smiles I have ever seen.”

He had held onto that complement for weeks, replaying it in his head over and over. You had continued to surprise him as well. You really weren't like anyone else, where everyone else looked at him with suspicion or fear, you never did. You didn't even have that hopeful, expectant look Steve often wore that never failed in making Bucky feel horribly guilty. No, you just accepted him as he was, just like you did for everyone else. You made him feel human again, feel normal.

That was when the feelings started, and the only kept growing and growing until the point he was at now, utterly unable to keep his mind, and eyes, off you. It terrified him. In a matter of months, you had become one of the most important people in his life, and he barely even had time to register it.

A smile grew on his face as you walked up to him, drink in hand, grinning brightly. “I wasn't sure you'd be here tonight,” you said, “Thought you weren't much of a partier.” You nudged his elbow with yours playfully.

“I wasn't about to miss Steve’s birthday.” He said, glancing over to his best friend. “What kind of friend would I be if I did?”

You nodded, “It’s not every day you’re best friend turns 100.”

“101,” Bucky corrected and you bit your lip holding back a giggle, “He turned 100 last year.”

“Not according to the number of candles on his cake.” You said, holding a blue birthday candle up to him.

“Really doll?” He laughed. Tony had personally, painstakingly, made sure to count out exactly 101 red and blue candles, carefully arranging them into the shape of an American flag. It was kind of ridiculous how much effort he put into it.

“Well, I added a candle last year, figured I’d take one away this year.” You said, tucking the candle into your pocket, and finishing off your champagne. “You know, the birthday boy let me in on a little secret of yours.” You smiled, setting the champagne flute down as his heart damn near stopped. “But I don't know if I believe it.”

“Oh yeah?” He said, fighting to remain stoic, “What did he say?” If Steve said what Bucky thought he did, the world was going to be down one Captain America.

“He told me, you went out partying and dancing every weekend before the war.” A wave of relief washed over him. Thank God. “I think,” you continued, “Steve’s full of shit, I don’t see you dancing a day in your life.”

Bucky scoffed, “Is that so?” He was used to your games of ‘Prove Me Wrong.’ Every so often, you'd come to him with some challenge or bet for him to try. Shoot a nickel from a kilometer away? Easy. Takedown Natasha one-handed? A little harder, but still done. Eat six crackers in under a minute? Turned out that one was physically impossible, but a fun challenge either way. So it was no doubt in his mind this was another one of your challenges, one he was happy to oblige. “Guess I gotta prove you wrong then.” He said, grabbing your hand, not noticing the mile surprise on your face as he led you to the dance floor.

Maybe he was actually managing to get a buzz from the alcohol being served, or maybe his competitive nature was just enough to make him forget to think. One thing was for sure though, he was stone sober the moment after he pulled you into a dancing stance. His years of experience dancing, luckily, kicked in, automatically pulling him through the steps through sheer muscle memory as he began to realize the situation he had gotten himself into. You looked up at him, eyes wide in disbelief, no doubt matching his own, your hand resting lightly on his shoulder. He could feel the warmth of your other hand in his, smell the scent of your fragrance as he held you close, his metal hand resting on the small of your back.

It was then, at that moment, he had realized probably the most terrifying thing in his life: he was absolutely, and undeniably, in love with you. He had been for a while, but finally having you in his arms, dancing as he did before the war, before everything that had happened to him, was finally what made it all click. At some point, since he met you, he had actually fallen completely and totally in love with you, and he didn’t even notice. Until that very moment, he hadn't realized exactly how strongly his feelings had grown.

“You're being very quiet.” You said, voice soft with concern. “What are you thinking?”

He choked on his words, finding himself unable to make his mouth cooperate, “Я думаю, что я тебя люблю.” He didn't know why he said it in Russian but try as he might, the English just wouldn't come.

You shook your head, “I don't know what that means.”

“You look very beautiful tonight.” He said. The statement itself, wasn't a lie, but to call it a translation would be. Your cheeks went pink as the song ended and the two of you pulled apart. Already he missed you. Already he wanted you in his arms again.

“I guess I was wrong.” You said, not taking your eyes off his. “You dance really well, actually.” You looked down at your hands for a moment, if only to break the intensity of the eye contact. “I guess I should go tell Steve he was right.” You pointed over your shoulder with your thumb, backing away a little more.

Before you could disappear into the crowd, Bucky grabbed your wrist, his heart pounding in his ears, drowning out the music. “If you ever wanna dance again doll, just ask.”

You swallowed and nodded, “Okay.” You said with a small voice, before slipping into the crowd.

Taglist:

@part-time-prefect @wintershawks @mycroftlovescake

#bucky barnes #bucky #bucky x you #bucky x reader #bucky x y/n #avengers x reader #avengers #marvel fic #marvel x reader #marvel fanfiction #avengers fanfiction

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derangedhyena-zoids · 4 years

Text

So now that I have a chance to write this in an orderly manner:

In my land of things, Hiltz is a Complete Monster.

I only work with two* Complete Monsters in any of my stories, and the other one is technically abandoned, so. I don't have a lot of real estate for the explorations that come with these kinds of characters just because they tend to fucking bend space around them and make the whole story darker just because they're in it. Not every story I have is down for this, nor am I. so.

(*there is another character in KB that is kind of this, but [it's complicated, and] their innate lack of emotional depth makes them not really... the same. being indifferent to abuse vs being oblivious to it is a big divider imo)

Despite the backstory comic I just made, I'm not trying make him sympathetic. That piece is just a tiny, specific, show-relevant slice of backstory that I've had in-mind for a LONG while because it was sorely missing. It exists just as much to "explain" him as it does point out that there were steep ethical issues involved with humans obliviously dredging up the past. Plus plants a flag in what relevance I think Hiltz actually had to the death of Raven's parents. I've always wanted someone to make something for that span of time and to my knowledge no one has. So.

My Hiltz backstory IN ZOIDIAN TIMES would very quickly paint him in a different light, and that's more-or-less why he essentially does a backflip and accelerates past the Moral Event Horizon fast in my canon because he was already there, just wasn't whole and hale enough to recall it. Also keep in mind that he's narrating the backstory piece (by necessity) so of course he's presented well.

He was part of a group that was already on an outright genocidal crusade against other Zoidians (and Zoids, and Organoids) who weren't "strong" enough and therefore deserved to die for the betterment of the species. That group got heavily into the power of the primal (you know, the four F's... except for them it was more like 3) because of the viciously positive feedback loop it set up. Their unyielding brutality was incompatible with the... you know, DECENT society other groups were trying to maintain. Hence big war, big apocalypse.

The events that led up to the Death Saurer/Death Scorpion took a long, excruciating time, over which the group Hiltz was part of chewed through the fabric of society like a cancer. Part of what made things really bad was the creeping conversion to the "winning" side's way of thinking. The assault on their society was both outright (active attacks on peaceful settlements) and insidious (attempts to convert, planting people in key positions/institutions, etc).

Once Hiltz got his wits about him in CC-times and realized what had happened, he felt obligated to do something to erase humanity - which was many times worse than even the most "inferior" Zoidian. The issues being, during his early time among humans he lost a fair amount of his mental stability because they did not treat him well (read: vivisected, and unintentionally they basically starved him), and he was kept in isolation. This damage was compounded by the lack of having Ambient around - Zoidians don't do well without their Organoids, and especially in that group they'd become over-reliant on them.

So... Hiltz started out pretty penalized on the sanity front. (The only reason he just didn't up and die was because he was so strong-willed)

Then he realized the futility of his entire, prior belief system, life and efforts up to that point given that Zoidians were basically a dead race (hence his wide nihilistic streak) ... then let himself be tempted by One... then was basically, inadvertently mentally stabbed to death by Ambient carrying around the shard of One... then (in his mind) was betrayed by Ryss. And, you know, the whole Death Stinger power trip thing didn't help. There was very little good about him to begin with, but by GF there just Wasn't Any. He was completely ax-crazy.

But let me back up a little bit.

Let's consider that tetchy canon timeline.

Per the math, Ryss being found in the Imperial village with Nicholai happened 3 years prior to when Hiltz retrieved Ambient & Raven's parents were killed. The Republican army attacked that village and took young Ryss, but given that Prozen had all the information about that village and its associated events restricted/classified, I'm going to make a relatively safe assumption that he had Imperial forces shitkick the Republican ones shortly thereafter and they took possession of Ryss.

Ryss wasn't treated as badly as Hiltz was, but she wasn't treated especially well either. She had Specula so fared much better overall, but... she had Specula and people kept trying to mess with/take Specula away and THAT wasn't great. However, the Imperial Army - aggressively subverting expectations - was far more conservative in their Zoidian research so never did anything too drastic. Ryss was also incredibly hostile because she was afraid. She barely knew the language, and the range of traumatizing human behaviors she’d seen didn't help much.

Hiltz lived in that small colony during this timeframe, oblivious. Several years later though, after recovering his memory, he sought out the opposing faction, because fuck the Republicans and he needed resources to do anything. He figured he could talk, teleport, and brute force his way around - and he was right, and very soon was acquainted with Prozen.

And here's where I'm going to put up some 'sensitive subject' caution tape.

Shortly after that is when he learned they had a young ancient Zoidian girl in their custody. Obviously this was INCREDIBLY relevant to Hiltz's interests - remember, at that point he wasn't aware of any other living Zoidians, and from what he learned from the Scholar had become concerned that most that would've otherwise survived, had been killed.

So Hiltz is introduced to Ryss, who's matured a little but she's still the Zoidian equivalent of a preteen.

Remember: Hiltz is from the Big On Genocide group and to anyone who knows what's up, it's written all over him. Ryss is from a smaller clan that was specifically targeted by Hiltz's group so of course she's torn between being absolutely terrified and being glad that someone who speaks her language and understands Organoids exists at all.

Hiltz explained the situation as he understood it, and worked to gain Ryss's trust by basically denouncing his association with his group. He put an end to her being held against her will, and they stayed together from then on. But let's be real. Hiltz wanted to fuck her six ways from Sunday. And she was VERY aware of this. And he knew she was very aware of this. So on and so forth. (read: at this point in time Ryss found she could easily exert control over exactly one person and did so. Much to Hiltz’s chagrin.)

However, not only were there functional issues with this (eg Specula wasn't fully sexually mature, which tl;drs into "Ryss wasn't yet either" - and obviously part of Hiltz's interest was reproduction), Hiltz also did have the sense to not... you know, rape a child. He did genuinely want Ryss to trust him, work with him, and - hey, you know, maybe even -want- to be his mate? Pickings were slim after all, but there wasn't any reason they couldn't make the best of a bad situation. (maybe he might have tried “not constantly thinking of her as a lesser” but okay)

So everyone grew up some more and hooray, Guardian Force.

Thing is, Hiltz was an angry, mentally-unstable person with a slow but vicious temper, and though Ryss rarely caught sight of that, his wanton violence was a bit scary. Ryss also began to sympathize more with humans over time, which Hiltz couldn't stand. Ryss especially sympathized with Raven, who she initially was just intrigued by, but then she kiiiind of fell for him.

[insert that short comic, Collapse.]

I have no intention, never have had any intention, of portraying Hiltz positively. In my canon he's a disgusting, broken, shambling mess with offensively high Charisma and I thematically like the idea of his atrocious scattering of a lineage having to deal with all the problems that'd come with (also, hi: the whole thing with anyone of Zoidian blood feeling compelled to Zoids and especially Organoids? Is a sort of allegory for addiction, which... yanno, runs in families)

k? k.

Oh and Ambient is an aggressively problematic pile of shit also. He's just as vicious as Hiltz. Aren't we excited to have him show up in NC? HAHAH FUCK.

Organoids are their own entities, though. He's not just some strange extension of Hiltz's personality. He's his own "person" - one who's been a delighted participant in -many, many- atrocious acts. He's arrogant and prideful, he's got a dark sense of humor and is loyal to a fault. He just doesn't have a handle on the problems One has caused him, and it's gnawed at him for years. (and unlike the older canon version, he's not completely lost his mind or anything - but depressed wallowing in a pit of failure and hate for years isn't really healthy.)

He's also held on to grudges for dear life, because otherwise the vastness of existence w/o partners for a hugely social creature was untenable.

Basically, I think there may be some hope for him to be turned around as a character. Hiltz - nope, never.

#tw hiltz #tw rape mention #headcanon

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sweetteaanddragons · 5 years

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Implausible Character Interpretation: Fingon the Cowardly Lion

The fun thing about the Silmarillion is that with so little information about most of the characters, characterization is largely up to the fanfic author. Usually, though, there’s one or two characteristics that really aren’t all that arguable. Fingon, for instance, pretty much has to be valiant.

Doesn’t he?

As a fan of the Ciaphas Cain books, I knew it was possible for someone to have an impressive reputation, an impressive title, a genuine and impressive list of accomplishments . . . and still rather be absolutely anywhere other than the front lines where everyone keeps insisting on putting them.

So I decided to write this.

(If Fingon is your favorite character, please don’t take this as a genuine attack on his courage. Given the evidence, I agree that “valiant” probably is one of his main character traits. This was just done for the fun of seeing how far I could twist canon before it breaks.)

Fingon was six years old and visiting his cousins when he first heard stories about the monsters across the sea. He spent all night huddled up in his bed and watching the door with terrified eyes.

There was an uproar of some sort at breakfast - Ada and Uncle Feanor were fighting about something, he was too tired to really catch what - so Maedhros was the first one to notice the shadows under his eyes and come sit beside him. This meant Maedhros was now between him and the door that led down to the yawning maw of the cellar, so Fingon relaxed enough for the whole thing to come spilling out as soon as his older cousin asked.

He was a bit afraid Maedhros would laugh at him, but he didn’t. He just talked about how wide the ocean was separating them from the monsters, and how the elves had only gotten across it with the Valar’s help.

“And they certainly won’t help monsters cross it, will they?” Maedhros asked reasonably.

Fingon shook his head hesitantly.

“So you’ll probably never even see a monster,” Maedhros concluded. “But even if one did somehow get here, you wouldn’t have to worry about it. I’d never let it get you.”

Fingon had seen Maedhros practice with his sword, and his older cousin was already impossibly tall and might, he’d overheard, grow even more. Maedhros, he was quite sure, could protect him from just about anything.

Much cheered, he turned to his breakfast, but he made sure to stick close to Maedhros for the next few days.

Just in case.

When the light of the Trees went dark, Fingon froze.

Later, when someone else managed to get torches going and it was noticed that he, unlike most everyone else, wasn’t covered in scrapes and bruises from running around and bumping into things in the dark, he was commended on his bravery and sense.

Fingon smiled and deflected the compliments and got to work doing what needed to be done.

Sense, he told himself firmly. It had been sensible. Everyone said so.

He didn’t remember deciding to be sensible, though. He just remembered the choking terror as the illusion of safety was ripped away, and he realized that anything, absolutely anything, could be hiding in the dark.

When they got to Alqualonde, the first thing he saw was the fire.

There was a great mass of fighting on the docks, and Fingon had no idea what was going on - Was Melkor not the only one who had been hiding a monstrous face behind a fair shape? Were their Teleri kin monsters too?

He didn’t know. It was hard to know anything in a world lit only by nightmarish flames, but he saw the bright red flags of his cousins, and he could hear Maedhros calling to rally his soldiers, and if Maedhros was in the middle of it, that’s where he should be too.

It was like the stories, he told himself. Just charge into glorious battle, and victory and heroism would follow. Maybe that would wash away the memory of terror.

He charged forward. His men followed after him and then -

And then -

His sword was dripping red. His arm was dripping red too. That was probably significant.

All he could really focus on was that he’d just thrown up in an alley mostly ignored by the larger battle, and that it was only the way his hand was braced against the stone wall that was keeping him standing.

And Maedhros was there, holding his hair back from his neck, keeping a wary eye out for anyone who might try to take advantage.

“You’re alright,” he said soothingly. “It’ll be alright.”

Fingon stared down at the mess he had made and faced the terrible truth. “I’m a coward.”

“You are not,” Maedhros said firmly. “There is no shame in - We’re fighting our kin, Fingon. There is no shame in feeling the horror of that.”

Yet Maedhros had not been the one to lurch away from the battle to do this.

He couldn’t tell Maedhros that, though. He had no interest in trying to convince Maedhros he was wrong. He couldn’t bear the thought of someone looking at him and knowing about the terrible choking terror that hadn’t left him since the lights went out and knowing him for what he was.

Easier to face a battle than to face that.

He forced himself to pick his sword up from where he’d dropped it like a fool and to push himself away from the wall. “I’m ready,” he said hoarsely. “Let’s do this.”

Maedhros clapped him on the shoulder. “Stay close,” he said. “We’ll watch each other’s backs.”

You mean you’ll watch to make sure I don’t start throwing up on the enemy instead of stabbing them, Fingon thought, but his relief at the idea was far too great to argue with him.

The Valar told them to turn back. The Doom they laid was heavy, and with every word, more of Fingon’s tentative hope that this would get better was stripped away.

There was no point in going. No hope for victory. Just death and more death, and no way out.

Uncle Feanor gave a rousing speech, and it seemed to ignite everyone else.

Everyone but Uncle Finarfin and some of his people, and Fingon badly wanted to turn to his father and say, “Look, they’re leaving, it’s not too late, we can turn back too.”

But his father came up to him and thanked him for everything he’d been doing to help on the journey with weary, grieving eyes, and all Fingon’s courage fled.

“Of course,” he said and got back to work.

Fingon stared across the sea at the distant flames. Beside him, his father said Uncle Feanor’s name like a curse. “He’s abandoned us.”

Abandoned - ?

Everyone else’s angry murmurs clicked together in his head.

He had seen the flames and assumed whatever horrors awaited had burned them, but if everyone else thought it was more likely Uncle Feanor had, Fingon couldn’t argue with them. It did seem rather in character.

Uncle Feanor had burned the ships.

Shameful relief swept through him. They couldn’t possibly cross the ocean now. No one would blame them for not following.

At that moment, he could have happily hugged Uncle Feanor.

“We’ll have to cross the Ice,” his father said grimly.

His momentary shameful exultation fled and was replaced by sinking dread.

Of course. That was the courageous thing to do. They would cross the Ice.

Fingon flung himself into logistics, into supplies, into mediating disputes, into doing anything, anything at all, that meant he wouldn’t have to think.

The Grinding Ice was a slow slog of constant frozen terror kept manageable only by its monotony.

It’ll be better when we get there, Fingon told himself, told everyone who flagged or wept or looked nearly ready to give in. It’ll be better then.

What he kept to himself was the frantic thought that, It has to be.

The sun rose when they arrived, and with it came back some of Fingon’s hope. The light had come back. Surely now things really would get better.

Then Ada marched furiously into the Feanorians’ camp, and Fingon tagged along, blood tinged memories of Alqualonde playing on constant repeat. It couldn’t happen again. Not with such close kin.

Could it?

It was Maglor that came out to meet them, which surprised Fingon a bit, but maybe it shouldn’t have. Everyone knew Maglor had a gilded tongue. He was probably a good choice.

Apparently his father disagreed. “Where is Feanor?” he demanded. “I hadn’t thought he would hide behind his sons.”

Maglor’s eyes flashed. “He did not,” he agreed. “He never once hid. But the enemy’s forces did.”

Fingon’s eyes went wide as the implication hit. His father actually stumbled back a half-step.

“He’s dead?”

“Yes.”

Fingon had no idea how long it had been, but even now, it was plain it wasn’t easy for Maglor to say.

And suddenly it seemed significant that Feanor’s eldest son was also gone. “Where’s Maedhros?” he asked, the cold pit of fear that was always in his stomach now growing larger.

“Taken,” Maglor said with equal grief. “We sent out patrol after patrol to try to take him back. None of them ever - We had to stop.”

There was more to the meeting after that, Fingon knew. There must have been because he knew it ended with shouting and his father stalking off.

He didn’t hear much of it, though.

The monsters had taken Maedhros. And if they could take him, than they could take anyone, anyone at all.

He’d wanted . . . He didn’t know what he’d wanted. Some air. To feel less like he was choking on the anger still boiling in the camp. To forget.

By the time it occurred to him that he’d gone too far, he’d gotten turned around, the sun was going down, and he could hear noises that didn’t sound at all friendly coming in behind him.

Run. He had to run. Even if the only direction free to was straight towards the greatest danger of all.

He ran and ran and ran, till his sides were heaving and his breath was coming in sobbing pants.

The sun was coming up by now. The noises were gone. He could turn around. Go back.

Assuming he could find his way free from this nightmare labyrinth of cliffs.

He sang as he walked. It was stupid, he knew, but the distraction of the music was the only thing keeping him from panicking.

He paused to take a breath, and he heard a faint voice singing back in reply.

Another elf! He hurried towards it eagerly. It sounded familiar, almost like -

Maedhros.

He broke into a run.

He nearly wept when he saw his cousin hung up on the cliff. “I’ll get you out,” he promised. He’d free his cousin and then - well, surely then things would somehow turn out alright.

He went to see Maedhros in the healers’ tent as often as he could. His recovery was swifter than anyone had dared to hope.

“Thank you,” Maedhros said abruptly one day. “I know I haven’t said it before, and I should have. I wasn’t . . . in my right mind then. Thank you.”

On the cliff, he meant. When he’d asked Fingon to kill him.

“Of course you weren’t,” Fingon said in relief. “No one could have been.” Hearing Maedhros say that on the cliff had scared him in a way nothing else had, but this made it better. Of course Maedhros hadn’t meant it. “I’m glad you’re doing better now.”

Maedhros gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, but that would come in time, Fingon was sure.

“You realize this proves me right,” Maedhros said.

“About what?”

“What I said at Alqualonde.” They both flinched a little at the memory, but Maedhros pressed on. “You’re not a coward, Fingon. You never were. You walked up to Angband. Alone. You’re a hero.”

His cousin’s eyes were glowing with pride and faith, and Fingon couldn’t admit the truth now. He couldn’t.

It was an accident. I rescued you by accident, and I’m too afraid to tell you so.

“Fingon the Valiant,” Maedhros said with a smile. It reached his eyes this time. “That was the name you used to use when we played as children, wasn’t it? It’s even more fitting now.”

“Fingon the Valiant and Maedhros the Clever,” Fingon managed to say. “No monster too great.”

Of course, those monsters hadn’t been real.

It didn’t matter, he told himself. Maedhros was back now. Maedhros was overcoming the worst Morgoth could throw at him. If that wasn’t proof they could get through this, what was?

Everything was terrifying and awful, but it was a pretty consistent level of terrifying and awful with the brief exception of the dragon, so Fingon almost got used to it.

Then nightmarish fire erupted again, and his father wanted to go riding out to the very source.

No, Fingon tried to tell him. No, you can’t do this to us. You don’t get to go riding out to certain death and leave us alone.

Or at least, If you go, I’m going with you.

But he couldn’t argue with his father. Not even now. The Sons of Feanor were not alone in that.

His father did not come back, as Fingon had known he wouldn’t, and that meant -

That meant that Fingon was king.

Maedhros came as soon as he could, and Fingon’s first thought was, Oh, thank goodness, he’s come to contest the crown.

Fingon couldn’t possibly be in charge of this mess. He couldn’t even convince himself they weren’t all doomed; how was he supposed to convince everyone else?

Instead, Maedhros swore loyalty. Fingon accepted it glumly.

“I’m so sorry,” Maedhros told him later in private. “I remember - When Ada died, it felt like the end of the world.”

That was exactly the feeling.

“I didn’t know what to do,” Maedhros admitted wryly. “It’s probably why I got caught.” He hesitated.

“If this is your cautious way of leading up to a suggestion of what I should do, I assure you, I’m more than happy to hear it,” Fingon said.

“Not yet,” Maedhros said. “Not yet. But . . . maybe soon. I’ve an idea brewing.”

“Good,” Fingon said in considerable relief. “You’re the clever one, remember. It’s your job to come up with these things.”

If anyone could get them out of this, Maedhros could.

Fighting a a concentrated battle against Morgoth was . . . not Fingon’s idea of a reassuring plan, exactly.

“If we unite everyone together, we’ve got a chance,” Maedhros said as he laid out page after page of facts and figures. “And then this could finally be over.”

Over. Fingon let himself imagine the bliss of that for one precious moment. No more terror. No more monsters. Over.

Surely he could be brave just this once if it meant a chance of achieving over.

“Alright,” he said. “Let’s do it.”

#fingon #maedhros #fingolfin #fic #alternate character interpretation #canon compliant #technically

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rwbyremnants · 5 years

Link

CHAPTER WARNINGS: Dress-up, roleplay, dirty pictures, butt-fondling, analingus, anal fingering, fellatio, anal sex, hair pulling.

Sorry this took so long to get up, I was focused on writing instead of posting all month! But this is a good steamy chapter with a sweet ending to it. Not many more chaps left before the fic's complete!

=Chapter 40

The next few days seemed to fly right by. There were the goodbyes to Ruby and Penny, then the slightly more sadder goodbyes to Blake and Sun. A few tears were shed that early afternoon, most of which from Yang as she continued to thank Blake over and over for everything she'd done. Of course, they made the promise to meet up again soon, Blake even setting a date for her and Sun to head down to Nashville for one weekend. Yang had made sure Ruby promised to catch up with her college work, with Penny reassuring her she would enforce that promise.

As for Weiss, she made sure to hug her redheaded friend extra tightly, without her fainting for once. And even left Blake with a hug as well, something to show they were on better terms.

A few days on, the two had made their meandering drive as promised, to explore. And one place Yang knew of to relax was one of the Six Flags theme parks. While they were out that way, she'd guided Weiss to one in St Louis, where they spent the day on rides, eating junk food, watching silly stage shows, and overall messing around with one another. All activities they didn't have the time for back when they were on tour. There was the odd one or two who recognised them from the news, and one occasion they had to run from the queue to get cotton candy because the entire queue was asking ridiculous questions; but overall, it was the best way they found to wind down after such a terrifying start of the week.

At the present, they had settled in a nearby hotel, in one of the nicer double rooms under Weiss's insistence. As much as she wanted to have a normal day, she missed her luxuries of room service and pampering, so Yang allowed her that pleasure. As she sat at the table in their spacious bedroom, the bodyguard was facing her phone screen once more, pivoting her cast around to show it off.

"That's where Ruby signed it, Dad, and I think she tried to draw Zwei – it’s hard to tell what that thing is. Then Penny's right there. Oh, and there's Blake and Sun's. Weiss said she's gonna do it as soon as she gets a sharpie, I think she wants to do the biggest signature possible."

"That's beautiful, my angel," Taiyang was chuckling, eyes full of warmth and affection. Things might have been a bit strained between them but clearly he had never stopped loving her. "Wow, I still can't believe you're dating a girl, I… I mean, not to sound weird and parental, but I gave up on that when you came out. And here you're coming out again, and it's a famous girl! Your old man is kind of running out of ways to figure you out anymore!"

"Well, you can't exactly tell the guys at work you don't have interesting kids," she joked, simply leaning in closer toward the camera to get a better look. "But we do wanna come visit sometime. I really wanna introduce you and her, and her to Zwei, let her see my room, all that kinda stuff. I mean… if it’s okay."

There was only the briefest of pauses at her last words as he winced, but he quickly put on a snarky smile. "Oh, hey, if you don't think The Weiss will find our little house too boring, then yeah, she's more than welcome! Try to rope your sister into coming back when you do; we'll make it into a whole family shindig!" The man's boyish good looks were overjoyed at the prospect as he adjusted his laptop, trying to see his eldest daughter better.

"Sure! We can set it up when she gets back for the summer or something. Penny's fathers may even let her come, if you wanted to meet her, too?" Then she paused again. "Huh. So both your daughters have girlfriends… How does that make you feel, Dad?"

"Well, a little left out, since I'm the only man in the henhouse, but… hey, maybe I can talk to Penny's dads about sports or something. Gay men still like sports, right?" His chuckle made it clear he was mostly joking, but also cautiously optimistic he'd be able to get along with the two men.

"Oh I think one of her dads could be. Dunno. But they're an awesome bunch, I'm sure you'd get along with them. No idea about Weiss's dad…" She trailed off, looking over to where she was, sat on the edge of the bed and still on the phone. Even just looking over was enough to make her sigh dreamily. "So I know everything’s been scary lately, but I really think things are gonna be so much better now. I can feel it."

"Me, too, Goldilocks. Always knew you'd come out on top – like Pippi Longstocking." Then there was a loud blast of the horn, which made the man jump slightly. "Oh, Christ — that's your uncle, ready to go bowling. Please call me when you get to Nashville safe and sound, okay? Love you."

"Are you sure it's safe for Qrow to drive? Better take the wheel, pops," Yang teased. But sure enough, she smiled right back, blowing a quick kiss. "Love you too, Dad. Speak to you soon, tell him I said hi!"

"Will do! Later, be good!" Then the call ended. Yang couldn’t help grinning, satisfied that she had done her daughterly duty. Maybe if she kept it up, she and her dad could get back to talking a little more frequently, and repair the rift they had let grow a little too wide. After all, he clearly was over his initial discomfort from her coming out; they were family. It was important.

About that time, Weiss was also saying to her own phone, "Love you, too, Father. Speak to you soon." Though her tone was a lot less casual than Yang's, her expression of affection was remarkably similar. As Yang turned in Weiss's direction, she could only sigh as she leant back casually, resting her arm on the back of her chair as she began to smirk.

"My dad said 'be good'. Joke's on him, I'm already in a hotel room with a pretty girl."

Placing the phone carefully back in her purse, Weiss slowly turned to gaze across at her, arms stretching wide to perch on the dresser behind her as she drew one leg upward, bent at the knee and heel catching on the lip of a drawer.

"Oh my… I've fallen into your trap, you wicked woman. What are you going to do to me?"

Yang left her phone on the table, simply making completely sure the call was hung up before she pushed the chair back to stand up, though at first she only checked her nails. "Oh I dunno. What on earth am I to do? I have you here, all to myself for a few hours… How awful for you."

On a snap decision, Weiss shot Yang a hefty wink. Then she raised her hands to her face and gasped, "Oh no! You… you can't, you beast! You brute!"

Then she took off running for the bathroom… although it was such a flouncing, silly run that it looked more like a slow-motion sequence from a 70s movie than like she was actually trying to escape. Yang laughed as she followed, quickly skidding to a halt in front of the bathroom door when it slammed in her face. Long enough amount of time had passed since their reunion for them to be thinking about doing such activities again. And Yang had been looking forward to it the last few days.

So much that she was already unzipping her shorts, and pulling her top over her shoulders. "You can't hide from me! Come out and accept your fate!"

"No, I won't! You can't make me!" But the giggling sort of refuted the claims that she couldn't be coaxed out of the bathroom. However, there was also the sound of shifting, of clothes rustling — which was when Yang remembered Weiss had left her tiny suitcase in there rather than in the main room. Anything could be about to happen; the strap-on, or even something new that they had never discussed before. She stopped for a moment halfway through dropping her shorts, only to gradually laugh to herself. If anything, she was more curious for how she should prepare herself rather than keeping up the character.

"Seriously, should I be slipping a condom on? Or will that not be needed?"

"Not yet, but… I hope you have one ready!" Then there was a few more noises, an odd clunking, and a deep sigh. "Okay. Are you ready, and… do you promise not to laugh?"

Having quickly ran to her bag, Yang placed two on the bedside table, just in case. They wouldn't want to wreck the mood by having to fetch another halfway through. Once that was done, she simply waited back from the door, only in her bra and shorts. "Oh god, what could potentially make me laugh? But okay, ready!"

Instead of answering, the door slowly creaked open, and the frame was drawing focus to the form of Weiss… the princess. There was no other word for her outfit; light-pink tights with sparkling pink heels, a flouncy red-and-white skirt and a regal-looking bodice, and fake-diamond costume jewellery in the form of necklace, bracelets and earrings that dazzled and shone in the light from the main area of the room. She also had white opera gloves that stretched all the way up to just below her shoulders, which were bare. An actual plastic tiara completed the look.

In that moment, Yang stared at her blankly, unable to give much more of a reaction other than surprise. For some reason, even though the dress-up seemed to be focused on hiding most of her form, it was still enough to take her breath away. Still…

"I thought you said we weren't going to Disneyland, Snow White?"

The blush that was already forming on Weiss’s cheeks began to deepen, and she looked down toward the ground, a nervous smile trying to put a dent in the… it wasn't fear, exactly. Perhaps anxiety. "Is… it stupid? I don't know, I saw it and I liked it, thought you might- but it's stupid, I'll get rid of it."

"Nonono!" She quickly went to grasp her hand to stop her disappearing back into the bathroom again, drawing her into their open room very gently. Even though she was still wearing the smile on her face, she had managed to quash her laughter before it appeared. After all, Weiss put effort into this. Once she was out far enough, she brought her hand up to her hips to kiss the back. "I just can't believe I get to fuck an actual Disney princess, that's all."

"O-okay," said the bashful diva, closing her eyes as she allowed the wave of trepidation to pass over her, to begin to recede. Her chest rose and fell with the effort of her breathing, and she was shaking from head to heel. A few seconds later, she opened her eyes and smiled up at Yang.

"But you are my royal subject. And I command you… to kiss my hand some more."

"Absolutely, my lady." And she did, keeping it by her mouth as she pressed her lips up against the soft fabric, offering continuous kisses over each part she could. On her knuckles, on her wrist, and slowly working up the gloved arm.

The last of Weiss's nerves began to melt away as she watched with adoring eyes, sighing as the mouth moved past her elbow. "Thank you, kind knight." Then she paused thoughtfully. "Were there lady knights?"

"Not a clue." Yang giggled against her elbow, kissing it again, but finally letting her arm go, she stepped back to look at her properly. Now the initial laughter was out of the way and she could actually focus, she could truly behold and appreciate the sight Weiss had made for her. Stunning, in every way, from the heels to the tiara. "But for this princess, there better damn well be."

And then something that befit Weiss's anxiety about the moment happened, something that was almost too odd to be believed. Weiss's cheeks bunched up, and she really giggled, both of her hands balling up beneath her chin as she grinned from ear to ear. Just how long had she been wanting to play the part of a princess? How many years had it been since she had the opportunity? None of her music videos featured her as such, even though there were similar themes. Even the one where she was dressed as a queen was so heavily "dignified" that it couldn't quite be called the same thing; Weiss wasn't allowed to have fun with it, so concentrated was she on projecting the correct image.

"Well, my glorious princess… what would you request of your lady knight this evening?" Yang asked. She didn't exactly look the part of a knight herself, not standing there in a pair of unzipped shorts and her bra. But nonetheless, that was a role she wanted to play, so she would play along. Running a hand down her arm, she said, "Any requests at all are fine by me."

“We don’t have any dragons handy for you to slay, but we can think of something, I’m sure.” The state of Yang’s undress didn’t seem to bother the princess; her gaze was completely held by her face. “Hmm… I’m tempted to ask you to join me for a tea party, but that’s even sillier than me wearing this in the first place, isn’t it?”

Yang's smile only seemed to grow as she looked at her princess happily. "Look, you can tell me to do the cancan in my underwear if it would make you happy, seriously. I was only joking earlier with the 'Snow White' thing."

Smiling gratefully at her for the further reassurance, Weiss whispered, “It’s okay.” Then she cleared her throat and said, “How about… you just show me how much you cherish my royal body with your lips?”

"Of course. If you'd like to take a seat on the bed, I can do just that." Yang stepped back to allow her that space. There was a partial motive, it meant she could view Weiss's outfit for that bit longer, and view it from behind as she walked to it. Not to mention, she could of course treat her properly if she could kiss her all over.

Grinning, she walked over toward the bed — and paused when her eyes fell on the table. “Oh! Um, did you want to take pictures of this before we mess it up? I know that’s kind of your thing…” Her smile was shy and cast over her shoulder, but also very mildly teasing. They both recalled just how much Yang had enjoyed that little perk.

Suddenly Yang began to grin even more, quickly pausing to fetch her phone back from the table. They'd managed to take one or two photos of their travels regularly, even a couple of selfies with Weiss kissing her cheek, and some of Yang kissing hers. Tons of them were for her ‘Snow Bunnies’, a lot just for the two of them. But she didn't expect to ever get to do this again, to be the one taking photos of Weiss in a more private situation. And they would be all for her eyes only.

Readying the camera on her phone, she held it up in portrait fashion to get her in the entirety of the image, giving a cheeky wink. "Smile for me then, gorgeous."

Lips pulling into a bashful little bow, Weiss did just that, one hand on her hip and the other hanging down by her side. After Yang snapped that picture, she turned around to present her back, which gave a nice view of her shoulderblades, casting a distinctly provocative glance over her shoulder. Taking yet more pictures, Yang held her hand up to inform her to keep in that position, tilting the camera to a landscape position to take another; one with more of her face in view. Sure, she had those few carefully cropped pictures of Weiss jerking her off, even with it in her mouth; but not too many of her naturally, none that were worthy of being her cellphone wallpaper, at least. This would change all that, even if she did look seductive.

"Oh that one's gorgeous." She grinned, looking back at one that she'd just taken quite close up, right away clicking a few more buttons. "Aaaaand lock screen photo, done."

“Wh-what? Oh…” Weiss’s posing faltered as she glanced down at her outfit and turned bright red. “W-well, I didn’t think you’d like it that much… but alright. I guess that’s okay, as long as you don’t go around showing literally everybody.” Then she smirked as she turned to face her properly, face still red but her entire body language flirtatious.

"Hey, this'll do for now, ‘til I get a really nice one of you in casual stuff."

“You mean this isn’t casual?” Laughing, she purred, “Now… are you ready for one that you definitely may NOT use as a lockscreen?”

As soon as that request was given, she began to smirk again. "Oh hell yes."

Again, Weiss hesitated. This was as difficult for her as the initial reveal of her outfit had been. But after a few seconds, she let her eyes close as she hitched up her skirt. Underneath was her underwear, as Yang had expected… but this was not a pair she had seen before. Nor was it anything she had expected the diva to own, even remotely. A hot pink thong with sequins and glitter, a bow at either hip, and even a fake diamond just where her pubes would be, had she not seen to removing those recently. However, there was one other detail that was even crazier…

This thong was crotchless.

If Yang wasn't breathless before, she certainly was now. Indeed it wasn't what she expected, not one bit. Maybe stockings or some thigh-high tights, but certainly not crotchless underwear. Had Weiss been wearing those all day?! That thought was enough to leave her jaw hanging open, until she realised just how ridiculous that looked.

"U-Um.. yeah… I… w-wow," she stuttered, slowly bringing her camera up into view again, tilting her head. "Aaaand a smile?"

And Weiss did smile, but it was the same awkward, shy smile from when she had first revealed her outfit. Her knees pressed inward together, and after the first picture, she bit her lip as her cheeks turned as red as they’d ever been. A few photos later, Yang grew more thoughtful about Weiss's anxious expression. She knew that look before, the same uncomfortable look when she first stripped for Yang back at the tour. It felt like decades ago.

"Hey." She tried to catch her attention, lowering the camera again. "I could lose the duds, too, if you’re feeling intimidated."

“What? Who says I’m intimidated?”

Her body twirled, and she presented her back to Yang — but even though it might have been partly to hide her face, clearly she was also showing off the nearly-bare backside, teensy pink string dividing the two soft hemispheres. Suddenly she was taken back yet again, looking at the sight with wide eyes. Was she drooling? She certainly licked her lips as she took another photo, one particularly focusing on said rear. How she craved to just move the little strip aside and see what it was hiding…

‘Whoa, whoa, Xiao Long! You’re already lucky enough to get to touch this princess at all – no need to get greedy!’ She shook her head to try and shake away such a thought, simply going back to her photography. "Mmm… Yummy."

“My butt is ‘yummy’?” Weiss snorted, finally beginning to relax just a little more from Yang’s obvious approval. Then she flexed her rear muscles for her benefit, even bending at the waist to make it protrude yet further, creating a stark definition in her thigh muscles, as well.

Even while she was taking photos, the bodyguard could feel the effects it was having on her. Already her length was pushing up against her underwear, beginning to become obvious since her shorts were unzipped. Taking a few steps forward, she took one or two more photos until she was close enough to place her uninjured hand on one of said cheeks, squeezing firmly.

"It's more than yummy, princess."

A shiver rippled down Weiss’s spine as she shot upright in surprise, then relaxed into the touch, sighing. Not that she would tell Yang, but having Neon be so obviously approving of her form had been as much help in this area as Yang was, or nearly so. One woman who was in love with her saying that her body was attractive could have been a fluke, but two of them made her start to think they weren’t just buttering her up.

“You… can have a taste of it if you want,” Weiss whispered over her shoulder, again flexing the muscles so that Yang could feel it against her fingertips and palm.

"A taste?" she asked, squeezing against the now tightened muscles of Weiss's backside. “I’m planning to have the whole thing for dinner.” She wanted to grasp the other one with her other hand, but the cast prevented her even trying, knowing it would ruin the mood. Grunting in frustration as she held it firm, she instead started to kneel.

A low chuckle sounded in the diva's throat, and she again bent very slightly to let Yang have a better, closer look. After all, she had donned all this frivolous costumery purely for her benefit, hadn't she? And clearly, Yang meant to indulge. Finally releasing her grip, she bent down until her princess could feel Yang's lips pressing against one of the cheeks. She wanted to do more, thoughts going back to what was hidden behind the thin strip again, but decided that could wait for now.

"Y-you really are…" But Weiss cut that statement off; it was redundant. After a few more seconds, she turned to one side and took a single step, so that she could bend down and lean her elbows against the bed. "Have as much yumminess as you like, brave knight."

And she did. Moving on to the other cheek, she went to pepper that with kisses straight after, occasionally allowing her teeth to graze over the skin at times, purring with delight. Mild groans came from the girl being teased and pampered. It had been so long since she enjoyed herself like this with Yang that she had almost forgotten how her every touch could set her world ablaze without fail. Every time.

"Hmm…" Backing away to look at it again, she took a risk and brought her hand up to the thin strip. Looping it around her finger, she began to pull it to one side. "What treasure is my princess hiding back here?"

"A-ahhh!" Weiss breathed in a shuddering breath as she felt the string teasing at the sensitive skin between her cheeks, clearly not having expected that. However, she didn't seem to mind it, either. "Well… I wasn't hiding anything very well, was I?" she managed to half-laugh.

Beneath where the string had lain, the extremely pink flesh clenched gently with her nerves at being exposed — both the tight ring at eye level and further down, where she was already very slightly damp. All of Weiss's secret treasures were calling out to be plundered by the knight; it was merely up to her which would be sampled first.

"Mmm… Interesting." She merely looked a moment, knowing each second she stared would ultimately tease Weiss all the more. And she delighted in that. In the end, she went for a slightly safer option, but one they had only tried on Yang so far. While the string was moved away, a finger pressed against the soft puckering of pink skin, pressing inward. Not to penetrate, but to give a firm reminder that she was there.

"H-HEY!" Weiss squeaked in complete shock. She had really not been expecting that! Even though she had told her to "taste" her back there, she figured only on what Yang had done before; a kiss or a bite on one of her cheeks, just to tease. Not for her to…

Do what Weiss had done already. The memory had mostly been buried underneath all the other methods of gratification they tried, but it was true, she had actually touched Yang there. With her tongue. It was different somehow, given that Yang only had that orifice whereas Weiss had two to choose from… but even so, it was so taboo. Would Yang be trying that on her? Literally tasting her "yummy" ass?

There was another moment's silence while she waited, weighing the options available to her. Both looked truly inviting, for both her mouth, or even to slide inside with other appendages. But tempted as she was to go for the gold immediately, she instead did as Weiss was slightly fearing: leaned in and pressed her tongue against her ass, taking a very slow and long lap.

The noise that came out of Weiss was akin to a strangled scream, but was also more like one of her high notes. Completely different from anything she had vocalized while they were making love before. Yang was really tonguing her ass! Such a dirty place, the only place dirtier than her actual sex… and she was fine with putting her mouth upon it. Eager to do so, even. And to her surprise…

It didn't feel nearly as horrible as she had expected. Even giving her lover the same treatment, she secretly believed it had something to do with her anatomy; that maybe having a cock — and the gland that lay hidden underneath — somehow made such a thing more pleasurable. Oh, how wrong she was.

Yang did it again, and again. The sounds coming from her princess were music to her ears. Literally! It seemed rather ironic that pressing her tongue against such a filthy place would provoke such a graceful reaction from her, Yet, here they were. After a few firmer licks, she backed away, pressing one more kiss on her cheek before she left it completely.

"That to my princess's liking?"

"I… I don't know…" Clearing her throat, Weiss tensed her cheeks, testing how she felt now. Fine. While the tongue was there, too much was happening to pinpoint her feelings clearly, so she settled for figuring out how she felt afterward, and she was completely fine. In fact, the skin was still tingling from where Yang had teased her. "Do you… I mean, how do you like d-doing that to me?"

Slyly smirking in response, she leant to one side just so if Weiss wanted to look around, she could see her face. And all the while her expression never changed. It was a smugness that Weiss had always known from the day they met. "I already like making you squeal. But damn, that made you sing."

"W-well, I wasn't prepared!" she snapped at the smug face behind her before collapsing down onto the bed, the gooseflesh-covered rump pointing down very slightly more now than it had been. "Ughhh… I mean, am I the only one who didn't know it feels okay? I mean, come on, it's my BUTT! It's not supposed to feel good, it has one job, and one job only!"

"There's a video on your cell that says otherwise," she reminded her, gradually getting back to her feet again. Once more, it was reminding her of the strange desire that crossed her mind again; trying that on Weiss. She never had before, not on any girlfriends, let alone any boyfriends. She'd always been on the receiving end. What about Weiss receiving? Maybe if she wasn't too opposed, she could request… and they could always stop if need be.

"Wh-where are you going? I, um… thought you were going to lick…" Apparently, her shame at asking for more of the same treatment overpowered her desire for it to be repeated, because she merely turned and buried her face in the mattress.

“Oh…” Yang had been about to get one of the condoms. Even if it was early in, no reason to not be protected, at least she thought. But when the request for more came, she stopped in her tracks. "Is that what you want? Me to give you another lick or two down there?"

There was sort of a giddy laugh, and Weiss trembled all over. "Well… again, only if you're sure you actually enjoy doing that." Then an idea came to her, and she rolled over just enough to look up at her lover where she stood, gazing down at her. "Do you… I mean, remember that time we were both, um, face-to-genitals? I could do it for you while you do it for me. That is, if y-you want. No pressure."

"Actually, I kinda just wanna…" Staring between her and Weiss's backside again, she thought more and more about what she wanted to do. Weiss wasn't opposed to a little teasing back there it seemed, and perhaps more experimenting would warm her up for it. Quite literally. Taking the seat she once had, she placed her soft hand on one of the cheeks again.

"I just wanna try some things…"

"But I thought I was the princess," Weiss teased with a pronounced pout. Then she laughed and asked in a more earnest tone, "What kind of things did you want to try?"

"Well, while it's wet…" She put her finger into her mouth, running it around as much as she could to give it a fair coating in her own saliva. There was no telling if it would be enough, but with the aid of what was left over. "Now just… relax," Yang requested once she drew her finger back out her mouth again. And then she slowly brought it against that ring of muscle, pressing into it very very slowly…

"OhhhhhhHHhhh, wow," Weiss groaned as she did relax, despite the occasional all-over twitch. Her voice was still twice as shaky as it had been before when she admitted, "Okay… okay, I'm convinced, it feels good, I was wrong!"

"Aaaand… this?" Slowly, she began to wriggle the tip back and forth, listening to her diva whimper. She was encouraging the muscles to open up, and to make themselves ready for entrance. It was incredible how tight she was back there! Even if Yang knew her ins and outs more or less by hand.

Then suddenly, she felt the ring loosen, and felt her finger slide in.

"FUCK!" Weiss burst out, and then again — singing the word. For whatever reason, as had been proven more than once now, being prodded in that region brought about the songbird in her. It was just so very different, and intense, and…

"Yang, it's- it's not the same as normally, b-but it's good! Really different but not bad, and I'm- and I like it, God help me, I do like it, I'm r-really messed up!"

"Well, God can't exactly help you. But I think I can." Alongside the snide remark, she continued to press inward, continued to watch more of her finger slowly delve into Weiss's tight little opening. One knuckle deep, and she wiggled her finger slightly, trying to make sure it would stay loose so she could push more. If she enjoyed it this much with just a finger, what would her cock be like?

"Oh Yang… ohhhhhh…" Now that she was inside, it was somehow less intense than weathering the punishment that Yang's thickness brought to her sex… and at the same time, more, in a different way. It was so hard to compare the two! But she never stopped her, never asked her to back off or wait for her body to catch up. Just kept squirming from the sheer amount of sensation befalling her poor body.

"Y'like it?" she asked as she began to get to the second knuckle, gradually wiggling back and forth again just to keep the area lose. But that was a dumb question; of course she was liking it. Loving it, even. And the sounds coming from her were only making things better. They were really keeping her hard, and preparing her for the inevitable.

While the diva writhed back and forth, flailing her legs so hard that one of her heels fell to the floor, she was also digging in with her fingertips, grasping the sheets as if her life depended on it. Yang really meant to enjoy herself there… to tease this part of her mercilessly now that she had discovered Weiss didn't mind. All this time, she had sworn she would never be one of "those girls" who enjoyed such a raunchy thing — even after discovering her unfortunate love of having Yang finish on her face. Anal still seemed too far.

Until now. Until the penetration of her in the forbidden orifice was complete, and she was actually starting to push her hips backward into the advance. Until it got to the second knuckle.

And that's where Yang stared at what was happening here. Weiss didn't just like it, she was begging for more, pushing herself into her for more in her rear. It was a crazy reality but was right there in front of her; she was fingering a pop star in the ass. Gradually drawing it back out again, she continued to watch how she'd react to that also, intending it to be a thrust eventually.

That caused a low, almost uncomfortable groan to issue from her, as compared to the high singing of being penetrated in the first place. Once the finger was halfway out, she made a sort of confused grunt.

"Wh-wha…? What are you doing, what's happening?"

"Testing." And then she pushed it back where it was, at almost double the speed.

"AH! FUCK! Yang Xiao Long, w-what are you trying to do to me?!"

But the weak trembling told Yang all she needed to know. That was it; Weiss was putty in her hands. Or around her finger, as it were. So she continued. She kept drawing her finger out further and further back each time, plunging it back in where it was at a slightly faster pace. She truly was fingering her ass for all it was worth, brushing against the inner walls as best she could. The casted hand grabbed one of her legs to keep her still as she kissed one of her cheeks once again in addition to the continuous fingering. She really was treating her princess tonight! But if things kept progressing, they were going to do so much more.

Every sound coming from Weiss was an odd mixture of ecstasy and agony now, as the finger began to drag more and more roughly through the skin, faster and faster. Finally, she squeaked a very quiet, "Ow!" and tried to writhe away from Yang's touch, even if she didn't ask for her to stop.

The instant that word left her lips, she did stop, holding still for a moment. Of course, saliva wasn't the best lubricant. Not by a long shot. They'd need more if they continued. "You okay?"

There were tears in her voice when Weiss whispered, "Y-yeah, it's just… g-getting dry, or something…" She looked over her shoulder, eyes glistening as she asked, "I d-don't suppose you have lube with you, do you? Left mine at home. And, um, our blue friend."

"You… want more?" This really was the best case scenario! From how desperate she looked, Weiss actually wanted to try getting off this way. That could be arranged for them both. But first she shook her head. "Not bottled lube… but…" She looked at the two packets on the bedside table. Her usual brand, but one she used to get even when she was dating boys. One that had extra coating of lubricant. Plenty for this. "But the condoms are loaded with it."

"Really? But then… I mean, it seems kind of like a waste of a condom to m-"

Then the princess stopped dead in mid-speech, rolling over onto her side so she could look up at her girlfriend, despite the finger still lodged within her. Both eyes were wide, and her mouth worked for a few seconds as she glanced between the contemplative face… and the clearly-erect length hanging down below.

"Yang… I, um… are you t-trying to…" She swallowed, and the skin clenched very tightly around the finger — consciously tight. "Wh-what are you thinking right now?"

"T-that… Um…" Flexing the finger back and forth inside her, she started to blush even more. Still open, still willing. And her length was still ready. She wanted to, desperately. And with a deep breath, she admitted, "That… I can return the favour?"

"Th-the favour I did for you with… our blue friend, I presume!" The laughter was almost terrified, but she was still shifting her hips back and forth, kneading her own muscles up against the one that had invaded her where she did not expect to be invaded. "C-can I do that the first time? I mean, don't I have to… work my way up to something as massive as, um… as you?"

"Oh, you flatterer," she jested again, beginning to slowly work her finger back out from the tight muscle, attempting to cause as little discomfort as she could. "You can, we'll have to work really really slow, but we can work you up to it, easy. If you're willing to be patient, that is."

Nodding, Weiss gave a slight whiplash as she was exited fully, then lay there panting in relief for a moment. She didn't dare look at Yang's hand now. Licking her lips, she managed a weak smile as she forced herself to ask, "S-so we're really doing this? You want to be inside me… there?"

Her bodyguard’s cheeks started to pinken again as she nodded and rose to her feet. And then as she went to collect one of the small packets, she couldn't help but laugh to herself. "Funny… Two months of no sex with each other and the first thing we do is… this."

For some reason, the mention of the gap between then and now made Weiss smile more gently at Yang. They had been with each other so many times, and Yang had taken the same "abuse" as she was about to endure, and was obviously no worse for wear. Tons of people did this every day! It didn't completely quash her nervousness, but it went a long way toward doing so.

"Not what I expected, either." Then she smirked knowingly over at her. "You really want to fuck your princess in the ass that much, don't you?"

"Hey, I need my reward from saving you from the dragon. Adam counts as a nasty dragon, right?" Ripping the packet open with the help of her teeth, she managed to push her undies down, finally revealing her arousal into the cool air. A good few days of not even getting off had it more then ready for everything about to happen. Which reminded her: "You wanna stay in that position, or move to another?"

"Just… hang on." Then Weiss slid forward, raising a gloved hand to brush along the solid length of her girlfriend. "Give me a minute to tell Lao how much I missed her. Please?"

For a moment, she nearly had to ask who. But as soon as she felt delicate hands against her length, she remembered. No one had called her member a pet name for ages. And when at Blake's, she simply referred to it as a 'he'. Nothing could truly explain how amazing it felt to be lavished with attention again. "Hmmm.…"

"Hey there, little Lao," Weiss breathed against the skin, pressing her lips to the tip. "You and I have some catching up to do, okay?" Then she wrapped said lips around the head entirely, eyes closing in gratitude. Strange as it was, she truly had missed that feeling, the ability to give Yang this specific type of pleasure.

No doubt she missed the soft, needy moan that fell from Yang's throat, as well. The way her eyes fell shut as she allowed herself this moment. She actually allowed it, for the first time in weeks - without first requesting pain or some other way to “balance” the pleasure. As fun as the times with Blake were, it was those moments at her lowest that dragged the whole experience down, and only now was she feeling on the rise again, allowing Weiss to do as she pleased.

After a few seconds of paying it such attentions with her tongue, Weiss pulled away, looking at it regretfully. "Wish we could play more, but apparently, you have a date with my back door." Then her blue eyes flicked up to Yang, challenging, dancing with mirth.

Eyes slowly flickering back open, she looked down at Weiss with a sultry gaze. Knowing Weiss wanted to lavish “Lao” with more attention, she brought forward her better hand, the one that held the open packet. "Wanna dress him up?"

"Certainly," she replied eagerly, snatching up the packet and withdrawing the small, slimy circle from inside. She had to turn it back and forth a couple of times before figuring which way she should start, but once she had she rolled the latex down over her love easily enough. As she did so, she made sure to press in very slightly with her gloved fingertips, hoping to elicit at least a little pleasure merely from this act.

Humming in delight again, Yang rolled her head back while 'Lao' was “getting dressed”. The snug covering was certainly helping her feel more ready, able to feel more blood rushing to her cheeks as well as her member. Satisfied that it was enough, she stepped back, grinning.

"You better get into position."

That made Weiss flush as well; teasing only Yang had almost made her forget what they were teasing her for. "Alright, um… which position? You were on your back when I did this, but you seem to like me…"

Then she flipped over onto her hands and knees again. That position really did things to Yang. The skirt had fallen to cover her cheeks, but only just; it could easily enough be nipped out of the way. Biting her lip again as she walked over, she did just that: moved the skirt up out of the way so she could get back to the entrance in question. The tiny tight one hidden by the string again. Holding it out of the way with her injured hand, she put a different finger back into her mouth, wetting it as much as she could. Once satisfied, she pressed it against the flesh again.

"Let's get you ready again…"

"W-wait," Weiss breathed nervously, and her entire bottom clenched hard. "Do… you want the thong on or off? S-seems like you like it on, but… I just wanted to ask." Clearly it was a delay tactic, but it was true that once they got going, removing the underwear would be pretty difficult.

"Huh… good point." To answer that, she nabbed the string again, gradually pulling it down her legs. As much as she delighted in the sight of it on, she agreed that having it off, or even halfway off, would make things far easier. Once that was done, she went straight back to circling the hole with the wettened finger. "Now just… relax. If you clench, this is gonna be really hard."

"You're g-gonna be really hard no matter if I clench or not!" But Weiss took the advice to heart; she took a deep breath, and slowly allowed her muscles to relax around the exploring fingertip. "C-can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah?" she asked, continuing to circle that bit more, watching the muscle gradually begin to open up. They were going to be ready soon.

"How long have you… wanted to do this? On me, I mean." She bit her lip for a moment, closing her eyes as she weathered the odd treatment of such an unlikely area on her body. "Like, have you wanted to for a while, or is it just something that… you figured out more recently, or what?"

Satisfied, she kept her finger against the opening, hoping it would remain open enough to ease in there soon. "To be honest, just now. Like, I've never seriously thought about doing that to girls before, and definitely not guys – except for kidding around with Sun. But after you did it to me… and looking at your pretty little ass under that thong…"

Weiss was finding it impossible to keep the blush off her face. "S-so I'm your first?" Then she shook her head slightly. "No, that doesn't matter; I mean, it does to me, a little, but… but the important thing is that you like it and want to, um, do what you're going to do."

Quickly leaning forward, she pressed a kiss against Weiss's back. Using it as a way to distract herself as she held her member in her hand, starting to guide it into place. As she replaced where her finger was with the head of her member, she whispered softly.

"You are my first, and my only."

"A-ahh…" Her back arched up to chase the lips that had been so kind to it a moment ago, but she also was trying to angle her rear away from the blunt head aiming to penetrate its defenses. An instinctual reaction. "Oh, d-does it hurt the first time? Can I orgasm from this? There's s-so many things I don't know!"

"Relax, Princess. Really, I'll go really slow, so it shouldn't hurt even the tiniest bit. Just let yourself enjoy it." Leaving one more reassuring little kiss between her shoulder blades, she moved her hands to her hips, holding her in place while she eased her own forward, feeling the head pushing up against the tight opening. And there she had to wait, allowing for Weiss to adjust.

Which didn't take long; the mere pressure up against the skin wasn't what worried the little princess. It was the thought of it going any further. Would it actually fit, being so much wider than a finger? There was only one way to find out.

"You're so big," she told Yang breathily, with something close to her usual sensuality when they were in bed. "God, we almost n-need an extra Yang just to carry around Lao."

"Geeze, I'm not that big," she tried to reassure her, applying more pressure as she felt Weiss loosen up that bit more. "Our blue friend was bigger, and I handled him just f- Oooh…"

Suddenly she trailed off, grip on her hips tightening for a moment as she felt the sheathed member suddenly slip past the gates into such tightness. The head was in! This was really happening!

"FFFFUCK!" Weiss cried out, trembling all over at the sensation of being invaded there. It was so huge! Even after all their talk, after toying with her with both tongue and finger, she had never truly accepted that there was going to be a cock in her ass. And now, there was.

Still tightly gripping her hips, Yang’s own head was spinning. Barely inside, and the pleasure she felt on her cock was incredible. So tight! Even tighter than Weiss’s pussy, which was already tight to begin with! She knew it would be, but never expected such a stark contrast. All this time, was this what men had felt when they penetrated her own? No wonder that was all they wanted to do all the time!

"O-ohhhh, ohhhh Yang! What are you doing to me?!" Her thighs parted very slightly as the rest of the length very slowly made its way deep inside of her, and unbelievably, she felt her protesting skin widening, stretching to engulf her love's arousal. It was so weird, so unearthly, so…

Incredible. How could she have not known that it felt this fantastic?

Letting out a shaky moan of her own, Yang moved a hand to her back to rub delicately. There was so much she wanted to say, but at the same time, she simply wanted to remain in silence as she helped Weiss weather the treatment. Pushing slowly, she looked down at the sight before her, staring at the tight muscles stretching around her member. It was the most erotic sight she had ever seen… and it had quite a lot of competition. All from Weiss.

There wasn't any avoiding it; too much was happening to her skin, to her insides. Things that a sheltered diva had no way to prepare for. A weak sob floated out of Weiss's throat as she trembled all over, gripping the sheets again to anchor herself against so much girth being forced into such a tiny little hole.

"It's s-so good," she finally whispered when it was over halfway inside of her. "It feels so wrong, but so, SO good!"

Panting for her own breath, Yang couldn't help but laugh a little, patting her back softly. "See why I like it so much?" Even if she hadn’t dreamed that Weiss would be as receptive as she was. She kept going, kept pushing gradually more and more inside. The lube on the sheath was certainly helping with that, and she was glad she had opted to choose the extra lubricated brand.

After a few more moments of Weiss's strange moaning, her hip eventually met Weiss's round cheeks. And there she waited, stroking her hips and back again. That was it. Yang was entirely inside her. The feeling was oddly… satisfying. Not in the same way as when their sexes were joined, but a different way… it disgusted her even as it completed her. Shifting her hips from side to side, she tested the feeling of being filled, and found that she wanted to hold onto it, to keep Yang inside of her for as long as she could.

"Yeah. Yeah, I d-do."

"Oh, Weiss…" It was more of a moan than anything. Shifting her hips, she could feel Weiss's inner walls gradually loosening all the more, even if she remained incredibly tight. Still keeping her in place, she bit her own lip for a moment before whispering, "You have no idea how this feels for me…"

"HhahhaaAAAAHH! Yang, FUCK!" Each of Weiss's vocalisations were halfway between her usual cries of pleasure, and sobs of dismay. It seemed this was a lot more difficult for her to handle overall.

And it was true, she would never know how that felt; she didn't have the proper equipment. Part of her wished she did, at least for a day. To know how Yang felt pleasure and how it differed from how she herself did. Anything there was to know about her lover, she wanted to know.

Still biting her lip, Yang slowly pulled her hips backward, starting to drag her cock against the inner walls. She was taking this well, it seemed. But she wanted to hear for sure. "D-Doing okay?"

Again, as she was exited she more groaned than screamed or sang out, but she did her best to sound at least marginally less emotionally heightened as she responded, "F-fine! I… I like it, I p-promise!" Wet eyes gazed over her shoulder. "Y-you?"

Nodding gradually, she looked back at the wettened eyes. And when back far enough, she stopped for another moment to breathe heavily, going back to stroking her skin rather than grasping firmly. They'd gotten this far, to push her any faster may ruin it for the both of them.

"I'm loving it," she breathed. "You're… heh… I'm gonna steal your line here… You're such a tight little princess."

One of the tears finally made its way down Weiss's cheek as she smiled up at her lover. "I… I love it when you call me 'princess'." Then she bit her lip and glanced back down to what was going on inside of her, just out of sight over her shoulder. "You… like being so tightly inside of me? Is it better than the other way?"

Adjusting her hips back and forth again, it made her moan softly once more. It was much tighter, that was for sure. But tightness wasn't necessarily all Yang wanted. She couldn’t help remembering how much Weiss seemed to dislike her own anatomy and she knew there was only one answer she could give.

"Nah. I mean, it does feel really, really good," she admitted, moving the better hand instead to her breast. Or at least, what she could grab of it through her clothing. She couldn't decide what she preferred, but in the end, as she groped her slightly, she whispered, "But maybe we should save this for special occasions, hmm? I still like the way we always making love. And I want that again. Soon."

A nervous, bashful laugh floated out of her. "This is very special. I'm… I got my Yang back." Again, the tears threatened, but she sniffled and grunted, "And my Yang is going to take me from behind, because that's what Lao wants tonight, right?"

And a blush filled grin was the main response, as well as a slow nod. "It sure is." Having waited long enough, her bodyguard started to push her hips forward again. This time, increasing the speed by a fraction. She knew they wouldn't be doing this quickly, not for a long time; but for now, they could take it slow and still get the best result.

"AhhhhHHAH!" Weiss sang out, head whipping back so far it almost reached her shoulderblades. Somehow, it seemed to be even bigger than a moment ago, which was impossible… wasn't it? Yang did get bigger the more aroused she became. Not usually by that stage, of course; once they were already engaged in sex, her cock seemed to be as thick as it could become. Still… she couldn't deny it was filling her completely, stretching out her virginal skin and stimulating the unprepared membranes inside of her.

And this time, when she contacted Weiss's backside, she was already drawing back out again. No longer leaving time for Weiss to breathe, but maintaining the very slow and gradual thrusting up at their pace. She did wonder if this was too fast, or if Weiss purely needed something else to cope.

Giving the breast she had a hold of another squeeze, she whispered, "You know… You can touch yourself if you need to."

The next laugh was nearly unhinged, and she almost sarcastically snapped, "Oh, I can, can I?!" There wasn't even time after that to follow up what she'd said before she was crying out again, back arching, pushing back against the mammoth presence that continued to drill into her untrained flesh as she also felt her chest being teased on the opposite end.

Yet more slow thrusts as she groped all the more. If it was going to help her diva weather what they were doing today, she'd do everything she could. At least, she would if she had two hands she could freely use, and the better hand was busy with her breast. However… there was something she could do with it, if Weiss wanted to.

"You okay with this so far?" she asked, then gripped a little harder. "Or shall I get a bit rougher?"

"Oh God, it gets rougher?!" But then she swallowed and looked over her shoulder, expression a bit lost in the roiling sea of sensation she was trying to navigate. "You… need to, don't you? To f-finish."

Having to take a few deeper breaths herself to try and calm down, she pushed herself fully inside again, and merely waited there. The warmth of Weiss's body was more than enough to keep her turned on, but Weiss bought up a very good point. Unless they picked things up, it would be very difficult to. And difficult for Weiss to, as well.

"Okay… We have two options." She looked her in the eye as best she could. "One, I pull out, new condom on, we do it as rough as we want in your pussy. Or two…" That was spoken as the casted hand brushed up her body, and instead started to stroke over whatever hair she could grasp, threatening to grab it. "We ramp things up."

The implications of that last idea were pretty ominous, and Weiss actually gulped, wide-eyed and fearful of what it could mean. Besides, she wanted to come so bad! And even though this was really hot, she didn’t think she would be able to without a little play amongst her petals. But this new area of exploration was too tempting; she had to know what might happen. Curiosity outweighed her misgivings.

"Fuck my ass," she whispered while looking dead into her lover's violet eyes.

That was that. She was given the order. Continuing to grope her breast, she began to pull herself back out again, this time at a slightly quicker speed. In addition, the casted hand acted. It grasped a handful of hair, pulling her princess with it rather hard to force her to face forward. And then, as she pushed back in faster, she felt her hips contact with Weiss's rear again. This time with a little SLAP!

"O-OHHH! OW!" Weiss yelped, not sure whether she was complaining about the dull ache spreading through her roots or the shaft that ground in past her cheeks. Both, probably. "Yang, y- AAAH! What are you doing to me?!"

"T-teaching… my princess how to take me," she managed to growl, lost in bliss. The rough treatment wasn't helping slow it down, either, and now that they'd settled into a neutral pace, she could feel her pleasure actually amounting to something. There was a chance now that she could finish where before she knew she couldn't. Continuing to thrust her grip back and forth on the breast, and pull her hair a little more backwards, she smirked. "This is what you want, don't you? Your knight to claim her prize for saving you?"

All the princess could do was buck in her knight's grip, head pulled back at an awkward angle and chest being handled so roughly — and all the while, feeling a huge presence inside of her ass, sliding in and out of her at a speed she wouldn't have thought safe to attempt. She was being ridden so hard! Turned into nothing more than a toy for Yang to use for her own personal enjoyment.

And she liked it. Maybe she also wanted other things, and would ask for them either later that night or on a night in the near future. And maybe this would be the only time they tried something rough like this. Either way, it was undeniably exciting, and seemed to fill that primal need inside her that usually cried out to be coated in Yang's essence, to have love bites left on her neck.

"Y-yes!" she finally sobbed when there was a particularly rough pinch at her nipple through the material of her costume. "Yes, claim me! Claim m-my ass, my knight!"

The blonde was finally able to let out her own soft and needy moans. It felt fantastic now that they had picked up the pace, and she could feel herself coming along faster than she ever had before. Even faster than if her diva took her in her mouth, which she was getting increasingly good at the last she checked. But she needed for Weiss to be enjoying this, as well.

Although pinching her nipple still, she leant in toward her ear, which thankfully wasn't too far because of her pulling. Speaking softly again, she asked, "Do you want this to keep going?" But then the hand suddenly released her hair, moving further down her body along her stomach. "Or shall I touch you myself?"

A grunt came from Weiss as she forced herself to focus, and she managed to rasp out, "Y-your arm…" But the hand that was drifting lower felt so good, she didn't want it to stop. However, she finally licked her lips and did what she had been trained to do by the few years she had spent in the music industry; push through the pain.

"Back to my hair," she ordered the blonde as she just barely managed to drag her hand away from supporting her weight and reached down to touch Yang's cast. "I… I got this."

Nodding, Yang did as she was asked – silently admiring how strong her girlfriend was. And the casted hand returned to her hair once more, grasping another handful and pulling. Occasionally in the moments she was thrusting forward, she'd be pulling her harder to bring her in toward her, and moaning out in unison. She couldn't stop herself, the moans simply slipped out each time she delved inside. At this rate, she really would be finishing sooner then Weiss, unless her diva changed that.

Which the princess attempted to do moments later, reaching up to do what she had done so often while looking at the video of her doing exactly what Yang was doing to her now. All those times she watched it, grinding her fingers back and forth against her aching clit, crying and moaning and hating herself for still loving it so much… and she somehow never thought the same act would be performed on her.

"AHAHHHHHH!" she yelped the instant her fingers began to slide across her folds. "Ohhhhh shit, I- MMHHH! It's so much m-more, it's too much, I- YAANNNG!"

Moaning out with her, the grin on her face never shifted once. All the singing, and the wailing, and every noise Weiss made was a godsend. It was bringing her closer to her limit again, as she let herself slide in and out with that bit more speed. Grasping her breast tighter again, she could feel her legs beginning to quiver, so close to where Weiss was starting to touch herself, and she could hear her own moans getting higher pitched. She was close.

All Weiss could make herself do was repeat Yang's name over and over as she ground her fingers back and forth, gathering some of her own moisture before she raised them up to focus on what would catch her up to Yang the fastest. The nub welcomed her efforts, and she was soon keening higher and higher as her own orgasm neared.

"F-Fuck me harder, Yang! Fuck m-my ass as hard as you can!!!"

But the inevitable was happening. Before Yang could obey Weiss's command, her eyes were shutting tightly as she gripped everything harder, legs shuddering all the more as she yelled out loudly, and her cock throbbed inside that tightest little opening. If not for the latex covering, she would be filling Weiss with how much she felt come out of her, all the pent-up energy being released in one go.

But Weiss still wasn't completely satisfied. Not yet. And she couldn't leave her when she was so close, that would be cruel and unfair after so long. She had to obey, even at the sacrifice of her own afterglow. And so keeping her iron grip, she continued to thrust as fast as she could with her recently spent member, biting her lip to try and prevent calling out against it.

Hardly a few more thrusts were necessary. After all their experience together, it was obvious when Weiss reached that moment of highest pleasure — even moreso now that the shrieks turned to song on occasion. Her entire body shivered and convulsed as she rode out the orgasm, feeling the oddest sensation of her life as her ass clamped down around the thing that refused to leave. That had forever ended its virginity.

Leaving herself inside while Weiss rode out the last of her own orgasm, Yang released her hair and her breast. Both hands instead held onto her back as she tried to keep herself stood up, panting loudly as she tried to collect herself again. That would be no easy task after expending all of that energy.

Speaking of which… Once sure Weiss was done, she tilted her head to try and see her, forcing out a whisper. "You okay… if I pull out?"

"Y-yeah," Weiss panted weakly, face-down on the mattress. "Just… go slow… but yeah, I… think…"

Nodding slowly, Yang did as asked. And very gradually, she pulled herself back, feeling the member start to slide out of her. There were one or two involuntary spasms from them both, one especially from Yang when she got to the very end. But eventually, she was out with no harm done. Looking down to the covered member, and then to her fingers, she remembered just where they'd been. "You okay if I wash up, too?"

All Weiss could do was nod, and roll onto her side. Pulling out had been… rougher than going in, and most of during. By that point, the lion's share of the lube had evaporated. As Yang headed into the bathroom, she worried whether or not her body would be alright in the morning.

She also worried if her mind would, too. This was something she'd never even contemplated would happen to her, and she had taken it in stride. Let Yang jump right in there, and taken it deep. This would probably happen again. Many times. And she wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

These were thoughts that Yang also briefly thought about while she was preparing herself for bed. Throwing the condom straight in the trashcan and immediately washing her hands, she continued to think to herself about what they'd just done. Did Weiss actually enjoy it as much as she was saying? Or was she just putting up with it for her benefit? She was unsure. All questions she had to ask when she returned.

And after a good helping of mouthwash to clean her tongue from where it had been, she did return, and ran a hand through her hair as she looked to her princess. Who was still flopped onto the bed.

"So…" Weiss cleared her throat, still unable to move. "I hate to bring this up and ruin the moment, but… sh-should I be worried about… um…" Her voice got more and more meek. "The b-bathroom… after stretching me out like that?"

Unable to help herself, there was a slight chuckle as she walked to her diva's side and began to undress her, slowly pulling down her skirt so it was off and out of the way, throwing it to one side with Yang's own clothes. "Not at all," she reassured, leaving a light tap on her bare cheek as she began to undo the body piece, slowly preparing her for bed. "Just like I didn't. It all goes back to how it was."

There was a quiet harrumph, then a sniffle. Clearly, Weiss had shed tears during their lovemaking, and even a few afterward. "W-well, if there does end up being a mess, I expect you to take care of it. I am a… a p-princess, right?"

Instead, Yang only lightly tapped her backside again, grasping one of her cheeks firmly. "There won't be. But yes, I will take care of you. Starting now."

And she did. Slowly working her out of the rest of the outfit, the body piece, her shirt, and the bra, she tossed all the pieces back with the pile of clothing. And then straight after, picked her up to place on the bed properly. After a session like that, Yang certainly wasn't up for round two, and doubted Weiss would be either.

Being gently laid on the bed did turn up the corners of Weiss's mouth, and she finally moved just enough to wriggle under the sheet. Otherwise, there was no drastic movement from her, nothing more said. Yang had promised to take care of her. As fragile as she was feeling after an overwhelming experience like that, she trusted her. Completely.

And there she left her while she handled the rest. That included switching out the light, and putting cell phones on chargers for the next day. It was incredible how quickly Yang could switch from screwing Weiss in her most forbidden entrance to being a loving girlfriend who did all the chores. Once satisfied everything was done, she pulled up the covers and nestled into Weiss's side rather happily, enjoying every moment of her warmth. Though speaking softly; she did want to reassure her of something.

"I… kinda did mean that 'special occasions' thing." She pulled her in closer a moment. "It's good, felt good… but I think I prefer the normal way as a regular thing. Or… or you fucking me with our blue friend. But mostly the normal way, yeah."

"Yeah?" Weiss asked in a breathy whisper as she nestled in against Yang's warmth, taking a few shaky breaths. "Because… th-that was fun. We'll have to do it again when we… get back to Nashville." Then she added, "Can I tell you something?"

"Hmm?" she asked, though the corner of her mouth also pulled. "You gonna show me that secret at last?" Weiss tutted and squeezed Yang just a little tighter, unable to really kick her or swat at her in her current state. Though she was tempted to find the energy for at least a pinch.

"I'm… scared. This is stupid, but I'm scared that I liked that. I mean… it seems like every time we sleep together, everything I understand about the world changes all over again. And I both love that, and am terrified of who I'll be a few years from now because of it."

"Well, I'm flattered to know that sex with me is mind-blowing, for a start." Keeping Weiss close against her, she left a kiss on the top of her head, slowly stroking her back again to soothe her. "We're changing all the time. You, me, everyone. It's kind of a thing that happens. So why fight it? You're a wonderful person, and I'm sure as you change and grow, you still will be a wonderful person. You ain’t getting ‘worse’ or anything. Just different, and maybe better."

The response to that was hugging Yang yet closer, kissing against her neck. Then she took a deep breath and whispered, "And so do you. Love you."

Smiling warmly, she continued to pet her that little bit more as they both started to doze away to sleep. But that wasn't before first saying; "Love you too, princess."

#White Noise #freezerburn fanfic #freezerburn smut #rwby fanfiction #rwbyremnants #nsfw-text

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wideworldofwhump · 5 years

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What are your favorite whumpy fic paragraph(s) - either from what you’ve written or what you’ve read? Feel heartily invited to send me an ask!

Here are several of mine:

Psych:

Where There is Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth by dragonnan Warnings: cannibalism, extreme violence, blood and gore

His eyes stayed on the other man while he created another inch of space between them. Every shuffle away made his throat tighten even more. He wanted to run but all he could manage was another step. And then another. The stairs were only a few feet away now. Shawn's heel rolled over something on the floor and he nearly stumbled – his manacles clinking as he lost traction for several seconds. Falling against the wall, he looked first towards his captor. The giant had stepped deeper into the shadows and was now kneeling – still seeming to be oblivious to the stealthy escape. With impending doom avoided again, Shawn glanced down at what had tripped him up. It was long and rounded with a large knob on one end. A bone. There was no need for a degree in forensics to identify it as human.

He pulled his lips down and swallowed before stepping over the bleached white length. Now, instead of watching Tiny, he kept his eyes fixed on his path. There were more bones scattered nearby. Most appeared to be leg bones, though some shorter ones suggested they'd come from arms. Then he spotted what was clearly a skeletonized foot still strung with tendons. He had to swallow several more times as he moved past the remains.

Shawn jerked at the sudden clatter behind him – pivoting his head and squinting while he simultaneously began to pick up his speed. Tiny still wasn't looking his way but he'd stood once more. Something long hung from his right hand. It looked like a... cleaver.

His heels bumped the bottom stair and he fell backward against the concrete before he managed to spin around and scramble upwards – using hands and feet to tear his way to the top – no longer trying to be silent. His manacles continued to interfere as he slipped on the smoothed edges, rapping knees and shins and only keeping himself from a brutal fall out of desperation. His gasps had a voice as he reached the door and slammed into it – the terrified sobs for breath shaking out in a thin scream as he wrenched at the knob... and found it locked.

Sherlock:

The Tiger and the Shark by dragonnan

Warnings: rape, noncon, violence

“Isn't that an irony, then? Having spent so much time on one side of the microscope to suddenly find you've become the smudge on the slide. I wonder what they'll find under magnification?”

Sherlock clenched his jaw – rounding on his brother only to find that Mycroft, too, had vanished.

The knock that followed jolted a lurch through his middle – though he gave no outward sign of startle. “Come in.” Soft spoken and presenting a far more relaxed state than he'd last exhibited with company – he held close to the wall and faced the door – eyeing the space left open alongside the DI – noting John a bit further back and offering a truly miserable act of nonchalance. The eyes that darted – the fists held tight to his sides – the pacing walk all spoke of a man on the edge of blind fury. A comfort or threat, Sherlock hadn't the time to analyze – though he was aware of the empty swell within when the door began to shut him away.

“Don't-!” His hand shook – outstretched towards the polished wood and glass. He blinked at his shaking fingers – trying to recall when he'd lifted his arm. Lestrade, in rare comprehension, left the door open several inches. No surprise when John edged to within a hand's-breadth – meeting the flitting gaze of his friend. Sherlock nodded, once. Without pause, John slipped into the room – only approaching until Sherlock went stiff. Wordless, he sat in one of the chairs instead – never once speaking.

Rather, he allowed Lestrade to launch into a droning monologue – detailing the pursuit of his captors – their vanishing from the grid expected and of non-information. Clearly they'd prepared for a departure that would avoid interference from Scotland Yard. The monotone sharing became background. If questions were asked, they were unheeded. Sherlock studied the tremor in his fingers and only, truly, returned to the room when the only remaining occupants were himself and John.

His friend sat across from him – bundled hands showing white at the knuckle.

“What do you need, Sherlock?” Sincere – soft – attentive. Well wasn't that just like John Watson – a dichotomy from the man who could likewise be furious, hard, and stubborn. And, in many ways, Sherlock needed all of those sides. He wouldn't settle for less.

His reply, just as soft, carried a thread of something he was not yet ready to face – though the reflected pain in John's eyes showed his attempts at redaction were unsuccessful.

“Take me home...”

Iron Man:

Not the Hero Type by dragonnan

If monsters chased him in the dark he could at least see where to place his feet to run away.

Maybe that was why he hadn't been paying attention. Or, maybe he'd been looking for this. He didn't know. He rarely cataloged his reasons for anything. He fired from the hip and most of the time it struck dead center. But when he missed, oh it was a spectacular miss.

And here he was. Unlikely candidate for a crime that went well beyond the trappings of mundane. Pathetic, perhaps. Laughable, certainly. Painful? Yes. Definitely. If his charm hadn't been enough to boot him from the Super Friends this little encounter would more than suffice for a dishonorable discharge. Worse, even, than that, he'd used up most of his bitching allotment to instant replay the previous evening. Maybe now wasn't the best time to compare and contrast the military's finest man of the American cloth with the washed up husk of occasional alcoholic part time ghost in the machine currently bleeding standard issue B positive on the concrete.

Half his age and twice his height, Stuart Little and Tiny Tim were pawing the trinkets they'd collected from his person after that yellow flag moment minutes ago. They'd gone all out on their little urban Robin Hood cliché too. Their mothers and/or parole officers would be so proud. In addition to the tire iron they'd also managed a suitably dark and litter infested alley. All that was missing were the ra... oh, never-mind. One of the cat sized squeakers was just crawling from the dumpster about six feet downstream.

“Where's the cash?”

Tony lolled his leaking skull left-wise; bringing himself up to speed that one of the fine young gentlemen had wandered back to his side of the alley sometime in the last few... hours? Yeah, that was a concussion.

“That's the-green stuff, right?” Slurring. Kinda took the edge off his response but hopefully the all teeth grin helped it along.

Yup, sure did. Helped it right into a fist planted somewhere to the right of his appendix.

“Umph! Mmm... stellar delivery.” He coughed, noting the flavor of freshly diced liver on his palette. “No, really,” he wheezed, pushing slightly more vertical against his wall. “Watch a lot of Lamont Peterson?” He cocked his head. “Nah, you strike me as more of a Butterbean fan...”

Strike – got it in one as the second wallop emptied lungs and sarcasm but had the satisfaction of a yelp and gouged knuckles as his assailant stumbled backward, staring. Not just a glorified pacemaker and dream chaser, it also slices and dices. Though smoothed and polished for that nonabrasive comfort and style, the casing of his arc reactor was still metal. Very hard and very undentable by human knuckles no matter how large they were. Maybe still lacking in verbal comebacks, Tony still managed a wincing wink through his scrambled gasps.

Doctor Strange:

The High Cost of Dying by dragonnan

“Shit! I told you to watch the door, asshole!”

And look at that, he'd been spotted. So much for trying not to raise a fuss. “Uh... hi.” Jaunty tip of the hand – going for that 'oops, I've just stumbled upon a crime scene; don't mind me, I'm just here for a package of Ding-Dongs' vibe.

Shotgun, who'd been rocking foot to foot, jerked a look over his shoulder before hefting his weapon a bit higher – a bit more threateningly – towards the frozen clerk. “Come one, come on, hurry the fuck up!!”

Handgun, darting attention back and forth between the cash register and the newcomer, jerked his chin and wildly panned his gun up and down.

“Nice tie jewelry. Hand it over! Along with any cash you got and that watch! Now!”

Stephen didn't move. “Yeah... sorry. See, I spent most of my cash on a hot dog and the little I have left is going towards either an orange Fanta or a Raspberry Nestea. I haven't completely decided yet but I'd sorta been counting on some time to browse.”

“I don't give a fuck! Empty your pockets or I put a hole through your fucking head!”

Stephen pursed his lips – mulling that over. The clerk had begun to move, now, jerky pecking at the register keys – stalling, possibly – terrified, definitely. Shotgun hunched his shoulders and checked the door again – gun drifting towards the cold case before re-centering as he focused back on target.

Meanwhile, Handgun took three wide steps forward – finger jabbing at the attractive shiny.

“I said give me that fucking gem, Pops!”

“Or you'll blow a hole in my head – sorry, fucking head – as I believe you'd articulated.” Still no move to follow through with those orders, however, and Handgun seemed to be realizing his threat wasn't as imposing as he'd likely hoped it would be. Shotgun, meanwhile, was snatching the meager afternoon take from the open cash drawer – weapon now aimed at a 90 degree angle towards the flickering fluorescent panels above.

Stephen flexed his fingers, palms outward. “Hey, you kids want to see a magic trick?”

Sweeping his arms in an arc, he conjured double shields; taking the moment of stunned shock to knock Handgun's weapon away with the edge of one burning ring – a follow-up swing taking Shotgun out of the fight with a blow to the back of the head – then spinning back towards Handgun-

Explosive force slammed Stephen down to his knees – golden shields fracturing into sparks. Unarmed, Handgun – mind skittering to the irony of that observation – spun and bolted – door jangling at his hard exit. On the floor, at his back, Shotgun groaned but otherwise didn't move.

A freezing drizzle of sweat made a long streak along Stephen's jaw. He couldn't, quite, seem to catch his breath. He was hunched on his hands and knees but couldn't comprehend the action of standing.

He felt a ripple travel from shoulders to waist – the cloth encasing his torso constricting – shivering mild panic through his chest and he fought not to tear the not-a-cardigan from his body – god, he couldn't breathe! Trying to push himself up, he trembled at the stiff ache throbbing through his midsection. His brain analyzed the symptoms even as he struggled to understand why... he was going into shock. His arms folded beneath him; dropping him to his side and he felt the first real bloom of heat in his back. He couldn't reach it with his hands but he could feel another sensation – wet – and understood, suddenly, what had happened... just not

“How... h-ho-how... what...?”

A shaking, terrified voice responded. “I'm sorry – God I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn-I didn-I didn't m-mean – please, oh my God, don't die – please don't die – oh my God!”

How to Train Your Dragon:

Asgårdsreia by dragonnan

Leaning forward a little, Hiccup dropped Toothless back towards the waves so that the approaching ship's sails could block out most of the brightness.

With a violent jerk, Hiccup hauled Toothless into a tight arc – breaking away from the ships – heart hammering as a flurry of arrows skimmed so close he could feel the tickle of feathered fletching against his cheek.

“Dragon hunters!” Gods, and he'd nearly flown right into them! Not only that; with the sun at their backs, they'd have seen him well before he'd have been able to recognize them. Stupid!

Toothless weaved and rolled as bolos shot towards them – roaring as one wrapped itself around a back leg. “Come on, buddy, we have to get out of here, now!”

Though the bolo wasn't heavy, the swinging weights hanging below them hampered their flight – Toothless shaking his leg to try to free himself as they grasped towards the clouds. More arrows shot towards them as well as several nets and Hiccup leaned hard to the right – forcing Toothless into a barrel rolling plunge to avoid the attacks.

Hiccup grunted as an arrow shot between his left side and inner arm – slicing a groove just above the gauntlet and nearly striking Toothless in the head. The sting of pain shifted into the background as they rocked hard to the right – then left again – swooping through the spaces between projectiles.

A yell shattered over his teeth as something solid smashed against his left leg.

Toothless immediately began to plunge as all control was lost – their flight a nauseating blur of black and red. Hiccup swallowed and sobbed air – his leg refusing to work the pedal. He unlatched the straps keeping him in the saddle – digging his right hand into pommel as his body lifted up from his seat. Left leg slipping loose from the pedal, fighting the forces pushing him back, he strained towards the dented mechanism.

Only a few meters from the waves, he caught hold of it with two fingers, and pulled!

There was a sharp, belly dropping, whoosh of regaining lost height. Hiccup's body slammed back to the saddle – his upper half in a precarious tilt half off the side where he white knuckled the damaged pedal.

“Go, bud!”

Toothless dodged a few more arrows and flattened out – wings extending as he rapidly picked up speed.

Cowboy Bebop:

Play Me Some More of that Old Blues by dragonnan

Tipping his head back, he stared up into the cobalt sky. There were no more answers above than below. If there was a God up there, he apparently found amusement in continuing this tragic comedy. His hands had stopped shaking, and he looked down at his palms. A small patch of skin on the outside edge of both trigger fingers was roughened; the result of firing handguns too many times. He wondered where his weapons were now.

A shadow covered him, and he glanced up. An old woman stood over him, holding out a single woolong note. “Go ahead, you look like you could use it.” He grimaced, then smiled abashedly, taking the bill. He started to thank her, but felt his throat tighten, cutting off speech. It made no difference; she'd already vanished into the crowd.

Sighing, he gathered his feet under himself. The trip up was a lot harder than the trip down had been. He had to lean against the building for several moments, sweating heavily and panting, while he waited for strength to return to him. Eventually, he pushed away from his support, forcing his wasted limbs to carry him onward.

Twenty minutes of struggle found him gasping under the shade of an awning. His thoughts had managed to solidify during his wavering walk, and the sequence of his former life played before him like a scratchy film. There was no sound, for he refused to hear it just now. Instead he saw only the grainy images of people he'd once known, and in a state of drunkenness, would have referred to as friends.

His eyes darkened as their faces were replaced by a flash of liquid light, reflections off a length of steel. The eyes that had always seemed cold, even when they were comrades, now glowed with the red anger of insanity. The voice burst in his head before he could stop it.

“Why don't you just DIE!”

He grasped his head, as if doing so could repress the memory. He'd known it was over then. Hell, he'd known it was over that day, that day he'd first seen her. Maybe there'd still been something of optimism in him; yeah, even that late in the game. Three strikes and you're out, right? Strike one; he meets the woman of his dreams. Strike two; the woman of his dreams happens to be the girlfriend of his best buddy. Strike three; his best buddy finds out. A bad situation for anyone, but a lot worse if the people involved happen to belong to a high profile syndicate. Even so, he'd thought, he'd hoped…

“I'm leaving… I want you to come with me…”

Blood and ashes, all that remained of that dream. His eyes tracked the movements on the street. So far, no one had even noticed him. Well, that hadn't changed from before. He'd had a habit of going unnoticed until he wanted to be seen.

A burning pain in his gut reminded him that the last meal he could remember eating had probably been a plate of sautéed bell peppers. How many lifetimes had passed since then?

He felt in his pocket for the money card, and found the woolong bill instead. Well, shouldn't let that go to waste!

Forty-five minutes later, he leaned on one arm against the side of a wall and retched violently. No solid foods, he'd forgotten that, and his intestines now felt like they were crawling into the back of his throat. But, God, those carnitas had tasted so good! His stomach jumped again and he heaved, nearly collapsing with the sudden wave of exhaustion. Pushing away from the wall, he tripped over a crumpled box and nearly lost his footing. He opened his mouth to curse, but the words were high-pitched and reedy. He clenched his teeth instead.

With his stomach voided he felt weak, and saw that his hands were trembling again. It had been over an hour since he left the… what had that place been anyhow? Shaking his head, and regretting the motion, he sat down on the box that had nearly tripped him up a few moments ago. An unfamiliar sensation was washing through him while he sat on his box. Always, always before he'd had a goal. Granted, that goal had cost him dearly, but it had been something. Since he'd left the syndicate, all he'd wanted was to recapture that moment of perfection he'd found with her. He never wanted to face down his enemies, had never wanted to meet for that final bloody showdown. Yet, it seemed… he shook his head. He never believed in destiny, fate, or any of that `profound' crap. What happened, happened. And now, it seemed, his survival had happened… again.

Supernatural:

The Big Stink by dragonnan

He wasn't sleeping. Typically, he logged a good four hours, which was better than average compared to most of the guys in his trade. But that had been before. And before. And a lot before.

Alcohol; handy shut off valve, it usually gave his bed times a soupy sorta blank. If he had nightmares, they were the old and familiar. But lately... lately it seemed his chosen sleep aid was closer to sugar water. Any spirits the bottle contained seemed to flow right out of the glass and into his brain; all sorts of herpy-derpy haunting going on. Enough times waking up in damp linens with Sam giving him that tetchy constipated Gomer look.

He smacked his lips and flinched at the rotting elk flavor. Dear God, it was actually worse!

“Holy fucking shit.” He moaned before ripping free of the bed and high stepping across Sam's mattress, and Sam, on his way to the bathroom. Forget the brush, he snatched the Crest and creamed his mouth with a third of the tube.

While he was busy moving the thick paste around his teeth, Sam shuffled through the door and made for the toilet.

“Told you to lay off the bourbon last night.”

“Ish nah the ruh-run!” Dean spit the first mouthful as Sam flushed; grimacing at the tube in disgust.

“Dude, what the hell sorta shitpaste is this anyhow?”

Sam snatched the tube away and fished out his toothbrush. “Still got that funny taste?”

“What do you think?” Opening his mouth wide, Dean leaned in close to the mirror; hanging his tongue out while he tried to see the back of his throat.

Sam watched from the corner of his eye as he brushed – raising his eyebrows as Dean pulled his lips up from his teeth. While Sam rinsed and spit, Dean left the bathroom in search of something more astringent than mint.

The aforementioned bourbon bottle was crowded for space on the little table between their beds. Barely an inch left at the bottom, Dean polished it off and then nearly gagged at the corrosive taste explosion. “Oh, hell, no you did not...”

“I didn't what?” Sam wandered from the bathroom towards the half fridge. Nothing in there but yesterday's pizza, so pizza for breakfast it was.

“What did you put in here? This tastes like week old skunk piss!”

“You probably have a cold, Dean. Messes with your tastebuds sometimes. Look, we'll pick up some Sudafed this afternoon and you'll be fine.”

A little too relaxed about the whole thing, if Dean hadn't been there to see it happen he'd swear his brother's soul hadn't made it back into his body. Touchy subject, that one. Not that Dean made a habit of dodging touchy subjects unless it was his touchy subjects. God that sounded dirty.

“Breakfast?”

He turned his head; tasting the fog of foul that turned right along with him. Sam was holding out a slice of cold Meat Lover's with extra bacon. Dean's throat bobbed in warning and he cut to the right without a word.

A second later, the delicate sound of gagging drifted from the open bathroom.

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synnematic · 6 years

Text

DAY 3: Letters to A Loved One

for @saboace-week

TWO PARTS:

Letters to No One ( written by me ) multiple chapters

a03: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13955610/chapters/32125773

A Couple Years Too Late ( written by @reiji--san ) single chapter

a03: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13955889

Summary:

A collection of letters written over time with no set destination, but always a person in mind.

Letters to No One

Dear Sabo,

This is stupid.

Makinos got this idea in her head that I’m sad. Which I’m not. Im not sad anymore at all. I’m not. Its just hard. Youre not When you died FUCK. Whatever. fuck spelling and whatnot too. not like you can read this anymore anyway. look. this is suposed to help i guess. a coping mechi mechen method. i write this letter and she stops naging at me. whatever it takes to make them all stop loking at me like im going to snap any second or try to run off again. not like i would anyway.

i know youre not coming back.

you’re dead

you left and you died and theres nothin i can do to turn back time or bring you back or get revenge becus the people that killed you are already GONE and i didnt even know until it was already to late

but im fine

im fine

im not fine

luffy is well hes been better but hes always been a crybaby so he’ll get better. im supposed to be strong now, stronger but i dont really i don’t know how to handle the emotions and whatnot. not like you did. you always seemed to just GET it always sayin the right things, calmin me us him down. i can’t do that but im trying. im getting better i think.

we’ll get thrugh it

fuck this is stupid

what’s the point in writing a letter youl never read? or writing at all damn it

you taght me how to do this bulshit but i never thought id have to use it like this

fuck im not supposed to cry. messed up the ink now. not that it matters but still i wanted to fuck i dont know what i wanted anymore

sorry

im sorry sabo. i should have been i dunno. something. its different without you. too quiet and theres this pain in my chest all the time. like i’m the one that got shot. don’t get it but i hate it and it hurts and i just i wish you were here. i really wish you were here

i miss you

ace

sabo,

hey i uhh found the other letter. never ended up giving it to makino but i think she knew i wrote it at least. luffy did but i don’t know what he did with his. i kept mine in the tree house, under one of the loose boards. its a little water damaged but i don’t think you really care huh?

this is still weird, talking to you like this. even though its not really a talk if its only one way. just like talking to an empty room but not even talking out loud

sorry

its been two years now to the day. maybe thats why i ended up finding the old letter in the first place. havent really been to the tree house much since then anyway because

well you know

went to the cliff tho. the one we used to sit at? i went there first yknow when i got youre letter. took me a while since im still not great at reading. getting better tho. it was quiet. always kinda is but really quiet this time with just a little wind. I think it would be a good day to go sailing. was it like this when you left too? dogma said it was a nice day but i dont really remember it that way.

i dont know why i do this to myself. same as last time i always get i dunno. my chest still hurts. theres a doctor in foosha i went to once a while ago. thought maybe something was wrong with me. he said it was heart break. youd think this is something id get over but i guess not

youre still dead and im still breaking

i dont know when its gonna stop

if it does at all

ace

sabo,

Is it nice where you are?

Overheard some people talking about it today. Talking about death and what comes after. It sounds nice. Heaven. If thats where you went. I think it should be. Where you went, that is, but nice too I guess.

It sounds warm.

I wonder sometimes if my mom went there too. Still dont really know much about her but she sounded nice. Maybe youve met? Is my d Nah it doesn’t matter. I hope its nice there. I dont really beleive in that kinda stuff normaly, still kinda dont but i hope its true and youre happy there. Happier than you were here

I know its probably a stupid thing to ask but do you think ill ever be able to join you there?

The waves were choppy at the cliff today. Almost angry. Theres a storm comin but i think ill still go there later. Maybe

Ive been thinking about death a lot lately

ace

Hey

I didn’t jump, obviously, since i’m writing to you now. Again. Sorry for the silence. Sometimes I just— I dont know. Everything rushes to my head all at once. It helps, occasionally, but then there are the times where my head fills with one singular drive or emotion and thats it, that’s all I can focus on. It used to be anger. So much anger. That was easier than the sadness though. Or the guilt.

There’s things I haven’t really told you. A lot of things actually. I was trying to be strong I guess. Still am. But Makino was right about one thing. It does help, these letters. I like to think sometimes that you just know. That you can read them or that my words somehow magically transfer to you. Wherever you are. But I know that kinda stuff doesnt happen. Not really. So this is more me talking to myself then. That I can do.

So for starters I guess, I had a dream about you last night. I used to have dreams about you a lot. Nightmares too. It’s been a while though, at least a few months since the last one. Normally the dreams are the same, extended memories or something small but usually just the two of us, sometimes luffy. Last night you turned to me in my dream but your face wasn’t right. And I think that’s more terrifying than any of the nightmares i’ve had.

I’m starting to forget what you look like, what you sound like.

It’s been six years now. Longer than the time I knew you. All I have left is the flag Luffy and I found in the wreckage of your ship. I tried to look for more but most of it’s been buried now and i’m afraid. I don’t know what Id do if I found your bones there.

We never took any pictures, never saved enough for something as meaningless as a camera and i regret that now.

I think i’m going to get a tattoo soon. Before I leave the island. Even if I forget what you look like and the sound of your laugh I still want to take you with me somehow. So you can sail the seas instead of — well.

I just don’t want to forget you sabo

Ace

Me again,

I got that tattoo that I said I would in my last letter. It’s been a while now but it still itches every once in a while. Hah, you should have seen the guys face when I explained what I wanted done. People still keep mistaking it for a mispelling. As if I didn’t know how to spell my own name.

Anyway, got that done a little before I left Dawn and a lot has happened since then. I have my own crew! And a devil fruit too, though man was that a surprise. Still don’t really have the best of control over it and I set random things on fire sometimes but I think I’m starting to get the hang of it. I’m a CAPTAIN now! Got my own flag and everything. We’re the Spade pirates. Isn’t that cool? The Ace of Spades is supposed to be a card that symbolizes death but I don’t think we’re so bad. Hell, we’ve actually helped a lot of people so I hope you’re proud of me. Still wish you could have been my navigator but we probably would have ended up fighting all the time huh? Can’t have two people that want to be captain in the same crew obviously. You would have loved this life though.

I know you’re probably in a pretty nice place yourself right now but the open sea on a clear day is the most beautiful thing. And the STARS Sabo — when the sun sets down low you don’t even need the moon to see, the stars are so bright. Brighter than they ever were on the island.

You’re up there somewhere huh?

Is the view better than the one I’ve got right now?

Seven years is a long time my friend. I’ve grown a lot since I last saw you. Do you grow at all where you are? I bet I’d still be taller than you.

Wish you were here

Ace

Hey Sabo

I think I need some advice right about now.

It’s been 103 days since Whitebeard defeated me and took me onto his flagship. Yeah, uhh, probably should have updated you on that sooner, huh? My bad. My crew was defeated not that long after I was too. We’re all here now but we’re fine I promise. Actually, that’s kinda my problem.

I want No, I wanted to kill him at first. Whitebeard. All this time hearing about my dad and all he accomplished in life, all he did. So many people that respected or hated him and I just — I don’t know. I heard that Whitebeard was around and I figured if I could just be the one to take him down, the one to kill him even when Roger couldn’t then maybe — Maybe I could prove myself. Prove that I’m stronger than him, than Roger. That I’m better somehow. Or at least different.

Not that that really worked out.

Could have killed me but instead he took me here and made this stupid speech about family and trust and wanting me to be his son or something and I told him no. Obviously. I don’t need a family after all, or at least more family. I’ve got Luffy. And you. Plus I wasn’t I’m not about to just throw away my own ambitions yknow? I promised you, I PROMISED you that we’d go out to sea and live free lives, the life of pirates. I don’t want that to end, not when I wanted to take you with me on that journey, the life you never got to live.

So I kept fighting and fighting and fighting over and over again, new tactics, new plans. But Sabo I’m so tired now.

So tired.

And they’re really starting to grow on me. As much as I’ve tried to avoid the crew or even piss them off. There’s this one guy, Thatch, in particular that is just too god damn nice ALL THE TIME. And Marco too though he’s kinda stuck up. And they keep talking about family. About belonging and — I don’t know.

Is it bad that a part of me wants that? To have an actual home? To belong?

They don’t know though, not yet at least. They don’t know who I am and maybe — FUCK I don’t know. I don’t know how they’d react to knowing who I am, what I am. I’m scared to find out. But is it worth trying?

Would you hate me if I gave up a part of my freedom for something more?

I feel like I’m betraying you somehow. But at the same time I think you would want me to be happy too.

I don’t know yet for sure but maybe, maybe this is my one chance.

Ace

He KILLED him.

One of the few genuine friends I have and he’s dead. All because of GREED. Why does this keep happening. Every time I grow attached and start to feel safe something like this happens again just to prove how messed up the world really is. Over a stupid FRUIT and now thatch is dead and— fuck. A member of my own division too. My responsibility and I failed again. Just like I failed you.

I can’t protect ANYONE. Even after all the training and the fighting, the missions and responsibilities. But when it actually matters I’m not even there and my friend gets stabbed in the back and left to DIE.

The blood’s on my hands. I should have known. Should have picked up on the signs and done something — anything . But I was too late. Again. And now he’s gone and that TRAITOR is who knows where.

Well not this time.

This isn’t going to be like what happened with you, with an enemy I never knew and had no chance of finding.

This time I’m going to find him and I’m going to make him pay.

I don’t care if I’m cursed. Maybe I brought this on them in the first place, just by being here. But I’m not going to just sit by and let this happen again. I couldn’t take revenge for you but I can for Thatch.

I can at least do that.

Sabo,

I’m getting close.

I know you probably don’t care, but writing to you like this is the only thing that seems to be keeping me sane recently. It’s like I’m chasing a damn shadow. Every time I get close or feel like I’ve finally caught up the bastard does something to out maneuver me or fuck me up somehow. It’s been months now but this time I think I’ve finally cornered him. Teach is apparently on his way to Water 7 now and there’s a little island, Banaro, that he’s sure to stop at. If I can get there before he leaves then I can finally avenge Thatch. I can make up for my own failures and make sure that he never hurts anyone from my family again.

I dunno how it’s going to go yet but he hasn’t had much time to master his new fruit yet so I should have the upper hand regardless of whatever that rat has planned.

Short letter this time, I know, but I don’t really have a lotta time to waste right now. I’ll be reaching port soon and from there — well, who knows. Guess I’ll probably update you again afterwards though, or whenever I get back to the rest of my crew.

It’s nice to know that I’ll finally be able to avenge someone important to me. Risky, but I know you’d do the same.

Ace

Sabo,

I’m being executed today.

Guess that’s a solid way to start off my last this letter, huh? Yeah, nice going Ace, well done. I really know how to keep things upbeat in these damn things don’t I?

Damn it.

Teach, well he, FUCK— sorry.

I don’t want to do this.

He beat me. I don’t have any excuses, nothin I can say to make up for what happened or explain it in anyway. He just did. Just another reason to hate him I guess, but if the alternative was joining him then this is better. Much better, Still, uhh, it hasn’t exactly been fun. Impel Down was just about as bad as I expected, maybe worse even. There’s— you know what, it doesn’t matter what it was like. You don’t need to know that.

Maybe I’m just stalling now.

They don’t really give a lot of time for these things apparently, even when they’re last requests. Bullshit, but I think they just don’t want me to be late for my closeup. Gol D. Roger’s only son means I’m about to broadcasted all around the world. Thanks dad. Great perks. Though, I expected as much. Just proving what I always feared.

ANYWAY, at least I’ve had a lot of time to think lately. Don’t actually know how long I was locked up in there but the silence does things to people, to me. I didn’t dream much while I was there, kinda hard to sleep, but I thought about you a lot. Actually, been thinkin about you a lot for a while but this was different I suppose.

The guys down there like to talk a lot. It helps pass the time but most of them are kinda shit people so I didn’t reply much. Still listened though.

Y’know, in twenty years, I’ve done a lot, seen a lot, experienced a lot— more than most my age, but there’s a lot I didn’t get to do too, didn’t learn about.

I never really thought about love until recently. It’s not really a pirate thing, huh? High seas and all that nonsense but life moves fast and a lot happens all at once. Not a lotta time to sit around and, I dunno, dream?

Whatever. Well, the guys down there talked a surprising amount about it, like it’s something magical, better than any other treasure, and it got me thinkin. I’ve never really cared about that stuff, haven’t since I was a kid. But I guess that’s because I figured no one would be able to stand me for long, no one would actually accept me for who I am. But, that’s not really right, huh? Since you did that right from the start. I’ve known that for ages but guess it didn’t really sink in until now.

Call it childish innocence or whatever, but you accepted me even back then when I was broody and angry and maybe a little murderous. You knew who I was, my history, my dreams, and you didn’t laugh or run away or anything like that. You smiled that stupid smile of yours and just accepted me, all of me.

Here I am about to— about to leave , and it’s because there’s a whole fucking WORLD out there that can’t seem to do the same thing a five year old noble brat could — no offense.

And y’know, if that’s the closest I get to love then I’ll take it. Hell, maybe I even love you too. Actually, no. I don’t think maybe is even a factor anymore. Seems stupid now that I think about it, but I probably loved you even back then. From the very start. Little late to be figuring that out now, huh?

They’re rushing me. Marine bastards.

I know I’ve talked a lot about, well, death. So many years spent just thinkin that I deserve it, just because of who my father was, but now that there’s this whole messed up world agreeing with me, is it wrong that I’m— fuck — I’m scared Sabo. Absolutely terrified and there’s nothing I can do about it. All these years I’ve practically asked for it and now—

I know it’s late to start saying this, way too late now, but Sabo, I want to live.

I want to do so much with my life than this. I want to explore more, see more. I want— I want what I can’t have anymore. And it sucks. It really fucking sucks, but this is how it ends for me. Goin out the same way my shitty pops did. Apparently. What a sick joke this all is.

But I'm running out of time now. Guess I’ve spent what time I had. Garp knows what to do with this after... after everything. I know it won't matter in the end, but I think all of these should be together, y'know? Just in case. It's nice to know that he still considered me family, even now. He's the only one here that seems to actually care. You would think these assholes would cut me a little slack now that we’re here but I just… I don’t think it matters to them that I'm about to die. Not even a little bit. Shouldn’t hurt, but it does. I’m still human after all. Just like them. But maybe they don’t see it like that.

I’d pray for miracles but I don’t think there are any gods out there to help me. I still don’t think there are any gods at all. Doesn't really bode well for what comes after, huh?

Luffy’s going to be mad at me. I promised him that I wouldn’t die.

Maybe we can both watch over him though? You’ll probably be mad at me for saying this but a part of me is a little relieved. At the end. At least I’ll get to see you again, right? I don’t even know if we’ll both end up in the same place, but I can hope. I really, really hope. It’s selfish but I’m glad that I won’t be alone. I don’t want to be alone anymore.

Ace

A Couple Years Too Late

Dear Ace,

It’s been a while, has it not? I’m sorry, but man do I have some things to tell you.

If only I could tell you.

I got your letters. Well, more like I found your letters. Stored away in a box at our old tree house. Can you believe it’s still intact after all these years? Pretty good for a couple of kids huh?

Dear Ace,

I’m sorry. I can’t believe I stopped so soon. Not even a couple sentences in and I had to leave the room. What an idiot. Let me start again.

Hey Ace. How are you? Are you eating well? Getting enough rest? You have to make sure to take care of yourself, I’m not there to nag at you anymore now. You’re all grown up. I sound like such a parent I’m sorry. I just care and want the best for you. I got your letters. I’m sorry the delivery took so long. Way too long. It’s a shame this is how we reunite. I hoped I could have seen you at least once before

Dear Ace,

I did it again. At this rate I’ll clean out Headquarter’s paper supply. I’m sorry. It’s just, every time I write, my vision gets blurry and I can’t see anymore. How can I properly reply to you if I don’t know what I’m writing? Would be embarrassing if I had a bunch of spelling mistakes especially since I’m the one that taught you how to write.

Speaking of which, you’ve gotten a lot better! I can see from the different letters you wrote. It makes me happy to see that, shows you practiced a lot. Did you help Luffy too? I only taught him so much before I left, I’m sorry. It must’ve been hard on you.

It must have been really hard on you…

I’m sorry. I keep speaking nonsense. I just don’t know where to begin, what to say. This is the third time I’m trying to write to you and you are right—it’s pretty stupid. Maybe a part of me is just hoping that the same thing will happen with you. That you’ll get this letter in 10 years or so and then maybe we could meet again, somewhere in this wide ocean.

Or maybe somewhere in skies up above.

I can dream, right?

Hey Ace, Is this how you felt? When you wrote every one of those letters, did it hurt this badly each time? I’m sorry, I should’ve come to get them sooner. Maybe I wouldn’t even be writing this right now if I had. Maybe you wouldn’t have had to write them if I had come sooner. I’m sorry. I really made it hard for you huh? I’m happy you wrote though. It feels as if you are here, talking to me. Telling me of your struggles, your adventures. All the good and the bad—even though I already knew some of this. I’m happy for you Ace. Truly I am. I wish I could’ve been there when you sailed out to sea, we could’ve sailed out together. Met your first crew, that I wouldn’t be a part of because I would have had a better crew.

When you found a family .

I’ll have to visit them one day, and properly thank them. It’s the least I can do.

Hey, remember the declarations we made back at the cliff? I still haven’t done mine, been busy, it’ll probably take a while. Still, you did yours did you not? You let the whole world know who you were. Fire Fist Ace, that’s a pretty cool name they gave you. You were always the better big brother so I’m not surprised you beat me to it. Mine’s a little bit harder so cut me some slack okay?

Weird how the past couple days I struggled to write and now it’s all just pouring out, I’m sorry it’s such a mess of words. I still don’t know what to really say. My vision is still blurry but I’m fighting through it. I’m sorry the paper may be a little wet.

…I’m sorry.

Twelve times. Twelve times I’ve said those two words but nothing changes, nothing will change. I’ve come to that conclusion. Took me a while.

A long while.

It’s been two years or so since you left. Every night I have the same dream. And every time you’re always out of reach. Every single night I wonder “Would things have been different if I was there?” People kept telling me there’s no right answer to that.

Would you be alive right now if I had remembered just a little sooner?

Ah that’s right. I haven’t told you. I didn’t think it would matter if you knew since it wouldn't change anything, I’m sorry. Thirteen. I lost my memories. Pretty shitty thing for me to do right? I know. While you were suffering I didn’t even know you were a part of my life. While you died, I paid no mind because I didn’t know. You must be really mad at me. For forgetting so easily.

And then life rewards me my memories when I see your death mention in the papers. That’s pretty fucked up huh? Maybe I should’ve looked at the papers sooner.

Hey Ace, do you know now? Is it pretty up there where you are? Have you met your mom? She’s up there too right? I’m sure she is. If there is a Heaven I know you’re there. Regardless of what people say, what they may have called you, Heaven is where you belong. The image of an angel truly suits you, you know. Maybe you always were an angel, and god sent you down to me. Can I let you in on a little secret? Thanks to you, I was able to become who I am today. If I hadn’t met you that day you pulled me out of the Grey Terminal I probably would’ve been back in that castle, suffering. You changed my life for the better and I’m eternally grateful. And seeing as you brought it up first; I love you too. Always did. Even during my amnesiac years, I’m sure that part of me was still there. Loving you even if it didn’t remember you. Sad that we’re sharing such things now huh? It’s almost laughable. Yet not even a smile comes to my face right now… What am I saying? I’m sorry, I ramble a lot.

Fourteen.

It’s been almost two years since then Ace and the pain just gets worse. Does it ever go away? Did it ever go away for you? It’s like a nail is constantly being hammered into my chest. Some days they slam the hammer harder than others. Some days they slam it so hard I can barely breathe… I can cover it up better than before at least, can function in my daily life. Oh yeah—I’m a Revolutionary, have I told you that yet?

Do you think if this world was different, you would still be alive? I wonder.

Are these letters really supposed to help? The only thing it’s helping with is making the pain worse. Will you even read this? Maybe if I send it flying high enough, will it reach you? Or maybe you're watching me right now as I write it? If you are then well…

I miss you.

God I miss you so much.

It’s not fair. Why did you have to be the one to leave? My first friend, best friend, my partner, my brother, my… There are so many things I want to share with you. I want to see you again. See you smiling, laughing, angry—I just want to see you. Even if it’s just one more time.

Would it have been better if I had died that day? Would I be with you right now? I’ve had that thought so many times. And maybe I tried to join you…so many times.

But I’ve thought a lot. Luffy is still out there is he not? I can’t just leave our little brother like that. I’ve already fucked up enough as it is. Even if he hates me, pushes me away and never wants to see me again—I’ll protect him. I asked you to take care of him before, now it’s my turn.

By the way, I’ll be visiting you soon—no, not like that. Sadly. I’ve avoided doing it for a while because I didn’t want to believe it but I think it’s time now.

I’m sorry…that I can’t be with you, not yet. But you aren’t alone. I may not be next to you, but I’m always thinking of you. Every waking moment and every time I close my eyes. You’re there.

Fifteen.

We’ll meet again soon. There are just some things I have to take care of here first. It may sound a little selfish but please wait for me okay? Just a little longer.

Sabo

#saboace #acesabo #saboaceweek2018 #I REAAAAALLLYYYY HOPE WE HAVEN'T HYPED THIS UP TO MUCH #BUT I'VE BEEN WAITING TO RELEASE THIS PROMPT FOR /MONTHS/#I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY

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reginadrago13 · 4 years

Text

Pandemically Laid Off: Cast Member Edition

“It is with tremendous regret that we must inform you that your employment will be separated...”

It cuts like a hot knife. Words that would never have crossed my mind two years ago. A situation that would never have crossed my little mind when I was younger. I wanted to be a princess, and if not a princess, I want to work at such a fun place.

I remember visiting my first time when I was around 8 years old. One particular memory that back then, I was upset about. I remember it was my cousin and I’s turn to meet the Mad Hatter. I was so excited to get him to sign my autograph book!

“Brace yourselves”, my younger self would tell you, “it’s about to get ugly.” I would have told you that that butthead picked up the bottom of my braid and pulled my braid straight up for the photo! I was MORTIFIED! Yet as I grew up and kept looking at that picture, and remembering that moment I appreciate it. As an adult now, I can laugh and think that’s the kind of fun workplace I want to be at.

I made it a goal after high school to apply for Disney’s College Program. I was turned down, so I thought I could apply for a job there instead. I was once again turned down but that was okay! Saddened but not discouraged, I decided to get a job so I could have that work experience under my belt... Two years later, I became an Annual Passholder. Then life just, happened. I fell in love, got married and got jobs because I needed to pay bills. For six years, I was stuck in a repetitive world, but I knew I was able to escape while at the parks.

Then my husband and I had to give up our annual passes due to not being able to afford it. My husband knew it was going to break my heart, so he suggested I apply at Disneyland again. That little spark was relit again and I jumped on it, just to be disappointed again. I put that dream on hold, not wanting to get hurt again. In the end, I got a job that I was content with. Two years droned on and then my phone chimes...

“Hey, my job is currently hiring and I really think you should apply.” It was my ex’s little sister. She went on to tell me that pay may not be the greatest, but that I would love it. I agreed and she sent me the link to their job board website and some of her company information. Not thinking anything about it or studying the link, I click and as I waited for it to load I continued watching my movie. After five minutes, I looked at my phone...

My husband had to make sure he caught my jaw before it hit the floor. He asked me what was going on and I turned my phone screen towards him, as I explained what happened. I should have been happy, but I was terrified. I was afraid they would tell me no again and to be honest, if third time was not going to be the charm, I would not want to do it anymore. But both my friend and husband persuaded me. In May of 2018, my dreams had finally come true. I became a Disneyland Cast Member.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I want you to take a look at how much I worked for this. How I took that HUGE pay and hour cut to fulfill a life long dream. From there, it got better. After a month of being there, they gave us a well deserved minimum wage. After my probational period, I applied for their Aspire program and started attending university. That’s right, I was working on getting my Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management because I wanted to be a recruiter for company. I had big plans for my future, but 9 months into working at Disneyland, I became a lead. I started picking up hours and I was finally happy and living a comfortable life with my husband. We were even able to save and purchase a car!

Then March 16th 2020 came and it was announced we would be closing due to the pandemic. But I was okay with that. We were financially stable enough and had saved enough for two months. We would be okay. It was going to be over soon, we’d be back in 2 weeks maybe a month its cool! The company is still going to be paying us anyways...

My husband and I decided to take in his father and started looking for an apartment. We found a beautiful two bedroom apartment and my father in law was ecstatic! We planned to bring him to see his new home and new bedroom on the 29th.

March 29th, around 3 am, my emotional and mental health started dwindling. My father in law had passed away. So now I had to be strong and present for my husband. That same day, I was told one of my cousins got abducted by a gang and to this day, we still do not know anything about him.

Then late April we heard we were getting furloughed. No more pay, and I had to apply for unemployment. But I reassured myself we were going to be okay. Hopefully by summer they will open up again. They have to... Right?

Layoffs began happening as early as August and that set off red flags. Even if they decided to open I knew my department would be obsolete. Contactless payments? No one will be going to any ticket booths. This realization came with a huge sense of resentment and depression. But until I read those words that I mentioned in the beginning, those feelings were stalking me, always 6 feet apart... Once I began seeing the posts, those feelings were breathing right at my neck. Once I read the title, those feelings embraced me and once I read the email they submerged me.

Do not get me wrong, these feelings are not strictly towards the company. They’ve been there since this pandemic started, they just began creeping up on me as our country began to divide and that division.

I feel like everything I worked for and everything I’ve been working towards has been pulled from right under my feet. I look at my friends and acquaintances and it hurts me to see them hurt and struggling to make ends meet during this pandemic. I’ve tried my best to be present for them because being a lead has taught me to support my fellow cast members... But I’m hurting too, and I am exhausted. I do not see any reason to continue with my current classes. I do not see a reason to return to a company who could have managed this situation with their employees in mind, not for the money. I feel disposable and I resent them for that. I resent a dream, that my younger self had, and that depresses me.

Right now, I do not know what the future holds for me. I do not know if I will return with magic a plenty, or if it will fizzle out and I find happiness elsewhere. What I do know, is the following:

-I wish and hope nothing but the best to all my fellow cast members right now. I feel for you.

-I hope that this lights a fire inside of us to fight. I hope that we will rise above the ashes like a phoenix and be able to return the magic back to its rightful place.

-But if you decide to not return, I hope that the next chapter in your life boosts you to success.

To any little 8 year old out there (or any adult) who also dreams of one day becoming a princess or working at Disneyland, hold that dream close. I remain hopeful that they will put new orders and rules in place to make sure something like this does not happen again.

I hope to heal from all of this in time for recalls. Because if or when I return, I hope to meet you and make your dream of working at Disneyland come true.

#disneycastmember #disneylandcastmember #betrayal #laid off #fuckcovid19 #happiestplaceonearth #sadness #depression #mental health

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gizmo1022 · 6 years

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So this is REALLY LONG and PERSONAL and FULL of possible Triggers so read at your own discretion. I just needed to write this out because I’ve been dealing with it for years and...yeah.

My first boyfriend was 24 and I had just turned 18. I was a virgin with stereotypical ideas about a “first time” and was very nervous. He was experienced and pestered me until I gave in, which I did because I thought he wouldn’t want to wait for me and this was my first relationship. I hated it. It was awful, painful, and humiliating. I regretted saying ok the second my clothes were off but I thought I was stuck and couldn't renege because I had no idea how any of this worked. I avoided a second time as much as possible, never saying yes or initiating, but just kinda going with it if he wanted to. I still hated it every time and began to feel incredible self-loathing and disgust. Then I drank alcohol/got drunk for the first time ever at a party. I only remember flashes of that night, but I DO remember he initiated nonconsensual sex with me, HE RAPED ME!, in the back seat of his car. I was under 21 and drunk for the first time, not coherent or responsive at all, and yet that didn’t stop him. Then he bragged about it to all my friends for a week! He kept showing everyone the condom wrapper he kept in the cup holder like it was a trophy and acting like I was ok with all of it. I hated him! Even though I hated him, I felt like I was partially to blame for what happened and I directed a lot of the hate and disgust at myself. I thought I had nobody to talk to because I didn’t understand that I I wasn’t at fault. I thought because he was my boyfriend and because I got drunk, people would say I was at fault. I was also ashamed and couldn’t even tell my parents or brothers etc. I still have never told them. And the most fucked up thing is, I also felt like I couldn’t escape the guy who did this to me because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I HATED him and felt absolute DISGUST every time he touched me or spoke to me, but my fear of confrontation and having someone mad at me kept me from leaving him. Eventually, I did, but it took me outright refusing to be alone with him and acting like a barely functioning zombie before HE realized we had issues and asked me if I wanted to break up. That was MONTHS! It took me months of being miserable and depressed and terrified of being with him until I finally broke up with him and it was only because HE figured out that I wanted out and asked me. I didn't even have the guts to say yes...I just cried and shook my head yes and then waited a half an hour for him to calm down enough to drive me home since I was stranded at his house.

My second boyfriend was worse. It was years before I even thought about dating again and I was so sure that by that point there had to be something wrong with me because no guys seemed to want to talk to me. Of course I was an extreme loner and never bothered to socialize so that probably didn’t help. So when two guys in my campus cafeteria started flirting with me I thought maybe there was hope for me to be normal after all. Maybe my first relationship aside, I would be able to have a healthy bond with someone. But the fear of intimacy remained and I thought maybe what I needed was to stop taking it so seriously. So one of the guys messaged me that night and it was fine at first until he started getting very forward and sexual. Sending me links to weird sexual positions and asking creepy questions. I was uncomfortable and tried to change the subject or stick to one-word answers in the hopes that he’d realize I wasn’t invested in that type of conversation. But I didn’t stop talking to him. I should’ve, and looking back now, I realize it would’ve been so easy and saved me a lot of grief had I just spoke up or told him to fuck off. But I hadn’t had a real friend or anyone to talk to since high school two years ago and I thought maybe this was just how college guys talked. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings because this was the first person that showed even just friendly interest in me, let alone anything else, in a LONG time. So I kept responding albeit halfheartedly.

That’s when he told me all the sex talk, which he was 100% guilty of, was giving him blue balls and I would be a slut and a bitch if I didn’t take responsibility and have sex with him the next day. I was terrified. I was sick to my stomach and so anxious I thought I might just throw up. But I believed him because I didn’t know that wasn’t a real thing. He made it sound like he was gonna get sick if I didn’t take care of his problem. He made me feel dirty and awful and like I owed him just for being his sounding board for a few hours while he went off on a tangent. I thought about just not going to school. Telling my dad I was sick and skipping classes that day. I thought about NEVER going back to the cafeteria and blocking him so I never saw him again. I thought about a lot of things that I should’ve done but didn’t. I was on the verge of tears when my dad dropped me off at school and was so close to saying something to him. In my head, I was begging him to take me back home and hug me and never let me meet with stupid boys again.But in the end, I went.Because I thought of how much I wanted people to like me and be my friends. I was lonely and still fucked up after my first boyfriend. Is spent the whole morning trying to convince myself it was ok, just part of the college experience, lots of people hook up and maybe that’s what I needed to be more normal and accepting of intimacy. People who treated sex more like a casual/fun activity seemed to be happier, right? SO I met him with my mind in panic mode, feeling conflicted and disgusted by myself. He then had a friend, a guy I had never met, drive the two of us to that guy’s apartment. I was so scared and really wanted to back out but by that point, it was impossible because I was stranded in a strange man’s apartment and I had no idea where I even was. And calling my dada at that point was out of the question because I was too ashamed to even admit what was happening. And so started the most awkward, awful sex ever. I once again HATED it. I thought maybe I hated it with my first boyfriend because I wasn’t ready yet or it wasn't what I had imagined, or he wasn’t any good at it. Now I wasn’t sure if I just hated sex in general or if the first time ruined it for me forever. All I knew was I wanted it to end so I can go home and cry myself into oblivion. ANd the whole time, the friend was right outside listening in like a creep. Afterwards, without even discussing it with me, the blueballs douchebag insists we’re dating now, and I just went with it. I CANT BELIEVE I SAID SURE WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME I NEVER WANTED TO SEE HIM AGAIN AND I HATED HIM WHY WOULD I AGREE TP DATE HIM AM I STUPID DO I JUST LIKE PUNISHING MYSELF I HATE MYSELF SO MUCH!!! I agreed because I’m a fuckup that can’t even disappoint people I don’t like, and I was desperate for someone to talk to/friends at school and because I was so disgusted with the idea of having a one-night stand I thought dating him would at least make that better. WORST DECISION OF MY LIFE! OR CLOSE TO IT BECAUSE I FUCKUP A LOT AND WITH EXTREME RESULTS!

My second boyfriend NEVER stopped ever. I was always afraid of being alone with him. I only went to his house if I knew his parents would be there and even then he’d sneak around every chance he got to touch me or make me touch him. I NEVER initiated it. I NEVER asked for it, I NEVER SAID YES!, I NEVER EVER EVER like it or wanted it. I thought there was something wrong with me, that I was weird and just would never enjoy or look forward to or want sex at all and that when he started on me, I had to take it because that’s what girlfriends do and I was fucked up in the head and he was the normal one. I THOUGHT ALL OF THAT!! But it wasn’t just once in a while. He was obsessed. He’d drag me into the woods, he’d make us sit in the back of the theater when all I wanted was to watch a damn movie, he sneaks into the bathroom with me, he’d put his hands on me even when I was home in my living room with my brothers (including two small children) running around. He NEVER STOPPED AND I HATED IT! But I didn’t know how to say no or get away from him. ALL I knew was to bear with it and try to keep distance between us as much as possible. The worst was on a school field trip to six flags. I took a blanket because I like to sleep on long rides and it was gonna be chilly at night. He took it as an opportunity to put his fingers in my panties the whole ride and I was TERRIFIED AND MORTIFIED. SO scared someone would notice, that we’d get in HUGE trouble, that my parents would know, that people KNEW what he was doing. I was so scared but I couldn’t do anything to stop him without bringing attention to myself. I wanted to cry. I wanted TO DIE! I would've rather take a BULLET TO THE FACE than have his hands on me especially when others could see. I HATED HIM SO MUCH! Eventually, I tried to kill myself, badly...I had no idea ibuprofen wasn’t exactly deadly...took SO many and it did nothing but make me nauseous...And mister asshole boyfriend broke his promise 5 minutes after making it by telling everyone including his parents some crazy abridged story about how I was clinging to life and he found me, he didn't, and heroically rescued me. I overheard it all becaus eth estuff they gave me made me unable to move enought to even open my eyes or speak but I was fully aware of my surroundings. That was finally enough for me to break up with him...albeit I had help from some new friends who hated him and my family...who HATED him.

My last boyfriend was a “niceguy” who helped me leave boyfriend2 because he liked me and then pestered me to date him for a year. I finally did thinking he helped me so much I guess I owe him and maybe the first two were just awful and this wholesome guy will be exactly what I need. BIG MISTAKE NICE GUYS ARE ONLY NICE BECAUSE THEY WANT THINGs. THAT IS GENERALIZING IM AWARE AND I KNOW It's NOT TRUE ASSHOLES I HAVE % BROTHERS I KNOW ALL MEN ARENT BAD SO SHUT UP I JUST APPARENTLY ONLY ATTRACT BAD GUYS EVEN WHEN THEY'RE POSING AS GOOD GUYS! I thought I could trust him and be open and honest with him. I thought he was different! He knew what bf2 did and that I didn’t want sex. He KNEW and went into our relationship knowing that but still bothered me about it. He said he was willing to wait but he was a desperate virgin and his patience would only go so far. I gave him a really far away option...when/if we move in together, thinking it would either long ways away or never happen. I was upfront about it all and he SAID IT WAS OK. but still bothered me about it, trying to get me to make it happen sooner. And I AM AN IDIOT I SAID FINE MAYBE IF WERE JUST NOT AT EITHER OF OUR HOUSES OR A FRIENDS BUT A NEUTRAL PLACE. IM SO DUMB OF COURSE HE’D CONVINCE ME TO GIVE HIM A LOOPHOLE BECAUSE I HATE PEOPLE BEING UPSET WITH ME AND I GIVE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT EVEN IF IT DESTROYS ME! So after months of buttering me up with expensive gifts, that I didn’t need nor want... I HATE JEWELRY JUST CUZ MOST GIRLS LIKE IT AND ITS EXPENSIVE DOESNT MAKE IT A UNIVERSAL PERFECT GIFT AND IF HE HAD NO IDEA I’D SAY THANKS BUT I KNEW HE’D WANT TO GET ME JEWELRY AND I HATE IT/THINK IT’S A WASTE OF MONEY SO I TOLD HIM NEVER TO BUY ME ANY BUT HE DID BECAUSE HE LIKES TO LOOK GOOD AND GENEROUS TO FRIENDS AND HAVING HIS GF WEARING JEWELRY MAKE HIM HAPPY BUT HE GODDAMN KNEW I DIDNT WANT ANY UCKING ASSHOLE JUST TRYING TO MAKE HIMSELF LOOK GOOD AND ME UNGRATEFUL IN CASE WE EVER GOT IN A FIGHT OR BROKE UP FUCKING GUILT TRIPPING M WHO GUIT TRIPS HERSELF WORSE THAN ANYONE I HATE HIM!...He plans an expensive trip to Boston, basically trying to guilt/bribe me for sex using the hotel as his loophole. I KNEW that’s what he was doing but he already spent the money and I felt bad. And a little part of me thought...naw “niceguy” wouldn’t do that so it’s gotta be a misunderstanding and he’s just trying to give me an early bday present before the semester started.

NOPE! We had fun, he spent money, then we went into a convenience store and started showing me condoms and asking me about them. I shut down. I couldn't even function enough to smile anymore. I stared at him in disbelief and walked away without saying a word. I KNOW he knows I was avoiding/running away from the question. Like who just walks away with a bitchface and doesn’t answer a question if they don’t want to talk about it. I should’ve said no right there and then. He may have even listened to me. He would’ve been grumpy and bitchy...might have even tried laying on the guilt, but an outright NO probably would’ve been enough. But what if it wasn’t? I was stuck there far from home with no money and he was spending so much that I felt guilty LIKE HE WANTED ME TO FEEL GULIT-TRIPPINGSEX FROM AN UNWILLING PERSON!!! I didn’t want to, I felt like there must be something wrong with me for not wanting to, that maybe it was unfair to him because I wasn't sure I'd EVER want to and does that mean I was leading him ON? But he knew why?! He knew I had been traumatized!?? I didn’t want to but I thought I was being unfair for not wanting to and I was afraid to vocalize my feelings, afraid to upset him or let him down. I didn’t know how to say no with my words so I tried with my body language and GOD ALL I WANTED WAS FOR HIM TO NOTICE! Why the hell did he not notice if he was so in love with me?! How could he not tell by my complete mood shift, inability to make eye contact, absolute refusal to respond to the subject, my stiff frightened body language and the simple fact that he KNEW I was afraid of sex and he never stated that this trip was all an expensive/elaborate ploy for me to give in and get him laid.

So night came, the room had a jacuzzi, I wore a GODDAMN BATHING SUIT IN IT HOPING HE’D GET THE HINT I DIDN’T WANT THIS, and when he went to shower I put PJS on and turned the lights out and PRAYED I would fall asleep and he’d give up. He didn’t. He woke me up. He didn’t ask...just started stripping us. I was so broken. I just cried. I cried...SOBBED...the whole time and kept trying to pull away from him. He tried to get me on top and I just kept rolling away and crying until he gave that up. He took what he wanted and I didn’t participate at all. Then I had to sleep next to him all night...ride home with him and act like everything was fine. He knew he fucked up too. I don’t think he understood how bad....if I accused him of rape HE ABSOLUTELY DID RAPE ME!! he’d probably be confused and deny it because he’s a “niceguy” and an idiot and he deserved it for waiting a few months and buying me things. I completely turned off. I was so depressed and so angry and so ashamed and conflicted that I barely responded to him at all and I could tell he knew I was pissed. He tried to buy me off again HE BOUGHT ME A GODDAMN LAPTOP, and of course our families and friends only saw that...him being generous and me being cold so it was all my fault and when we broke up I lost ALMOST ALL the friends I had made BECAUSE THEY DIDN”T KNOW I NEVER TOLD ANYONE! AND HELL NOBODY WOULD BELIEVE ME ANYWAY CUZ HE’s SO NICE AND BUYS ME THINGS!!! After a few months f being angry/afraid/short-tempered of him and cold-shouldering him he realized it was pretty much over and broke up with me THANK GOD I AM SO BAD AT DOING THE BREAKING UP I WAS HOPING HE’D DO IT. Although he had the nerve to act like I was the one that hurt him with my depression and disdain...like poor him...I was bad for his mental state and made him stressed.

I wish that was it but there’s more. This guy who I was friends with and wasn’t mutually connected to bf3 started showing interest in me when I was finally single...but in a bad way. I used to love hanging out with him and our friend Angie. But I was single and Angie wasn’t and he started being creepy. Insisting on being my ride everywhere even though my dad was fine with driving me or Angie would’ve been more convenient. Then when I was alone with him he would talk nonstop about my body in sexual ways... asks me if he could give me a massage and asking me for favors. I declined but he was persistent and handsy and even whipped out his dick in the car and tried to push my head onto it before I pulled away and said no. I don’t know where the strength to say no was coming from in this case....maybe his laidback attitude made it easier. But it’s not like that ever stopped him completely. He never got his feelings hurt about it and never stopped asking. So I went to great lengths to avoid rides with him. Not going to fun things if I had no ride, making up lies and excuses, hiding in the bushes after Angie’s baby shower so he thought I’d been picked up since my ride was gonna be late. I even lied about my phone being lost as the reason I couldn’t return his calls. One time I got stuck accepting a ride from him from the mall to my house only for him to immediately pull into a corner of the mall garage and say he was too tired to drive but giving me a massage would relax him.I was panicking and very uncomfortable with the things he’d been saying and doing so I faked a phone call from my dad and that convinced him to drive me home. The WHOLE ride...20+ minutes...he spent talking about my boobs. The final straw was him trying to get me to pose in skimpy outfits in a hotel for him...I just knew that was a dumb disaster waiting to happen. SO I stopped hanging out with him AND Angie because I needed to cut ties with him completely and she kinda went her own way with the baby and her asshole fiance.

ONE MORE THING! When I was dating bf2 we got in a fight WHY DIDN’T I BREAK UP WITH HIM THEN AND THERE!? and I ran off campus into the city and got lost. I only had my dad’s and his # and wasn’t willing to call either of them for help (my dad cuz I would’ve had some explaining to do). SO I’m lost, kinda scared, wandering the streets with a backpack on and in Ninja Turtle PJ bottoms. An older guy stops and asks me if I need a ride and I said no...cuz you know hitchhiking is dangerous, stupid, and illegal. I said no 3 times but the guy didn’t speak very good English ALTHOUGH NO IS PRETTY FUCKING UNIVERSAL!, so I gave in awkwardly and explained I just was lost and needed a ride to campus. He said ok and started driving...and asked me how old I was...If I like alcohol and wanted a drink...offered me a lollipop from his glove compartment I AM NOT SHITTING YOU OR EXAGGERATING THIS 100% HAPPENED IT WAS SO CREEPY! And then I’m getting really nervous cuz we’re getting to like suburbs which is NOT where school is and he pulls into a cul-de-sac and I’m so scared at this point. Then he asks me how much for a BJ. THE FUCK I’M EARLY TWENTIES IN MY PJS WITH MY BACKPACK AND I TOLD HIM I JUST WANTED TO GET BACK TO SCHOOL AND WHAT HE THINKS I’M A PROSTITUTE OR SOMETHING? Not that there’s anything wrong with being a prostitute but that’s definitely NOT ME. SO I’m telling him No and fumbling for the door and he’s mad now but more worried I’m gonna report him and says he doesn’t want trouble so he drives back to the main road and tells me to get out. I’m even more hopelessly lost than before and so much for random old man’s act of kindness, he wasn’t gonna help me unless I gave him a BJ wth?! SO I ended up having to call my bf that I was mad at and get directions back to campus and when I showed everyone the lollipop OF COURSE I TOOK IT I’M NOT RUDE BUT I WASN’T GONNA EAT IT They were all blown away and making fun of me etc. SO don’t hitchhike ever is the moral of this story. Also, even kind looking old men can be creeps. Also, don’t get lost in anger in cities.

The final thing to say is. I don't know if I’m asexual and that’s why I never liked sex or if I don’t like it because I had bad experiences or both. I don't know if I’ll ever be able to be intimate and like it. But I WANT TO because I WANT kids more than anything! I want kids so bad and I’m getting close to thirty now and every time I have somebody that might be interested in me...I sabotage it because I start panicking and it’s like...once I get what I want I don’t want it anymore. I need a man to have kids (I could never adopt with my history of self-harm etc.) but I think I’m so screwed up it’s never gonna happen and time is running out and I don’t wanna even live if I can’t have kids. Like I get it...some women are happy without them. That’s awesome. That’s NOT me. I want my own children so much I feel like my life is meaningless without them. And I’m starting to give up on the idea because not only can I not do relationships anymore because of all this trauma, but what guys would WANT to be with someone like me anyway. And if I’m so fucked up maybe it’s better I DON’T have kids because I’ll probably just fuck them up too! SO why am I even trying? Why am I still living? Kids are the only thing in this world that I want and without them, I feel like I have nothing...no future and so no reason to live. I just wanna die. And I’m SO ANGRY that these men contributed to all this. If I can never be fixed...if this is really all that there is...if they ruined me forever then what’s even the point?!

But I can’t die because I have ittle brothers...they’re just kids....and me dying would be so selfish and painful for them. I’m trapped. Trapped in a life I don’t want that’s never gonna be worthwhile, feeling depressed and like shit and dwelling on trauma from the past....stuck with all this pain because I have to live for other people’s happiness. I’ll never find happiness. and Living means misery. But My misery is not as important as their happiness...I’m living...barely...just for my brothers and I don’t know if I can keep it up forever. I feel like I’m gonna break permanantly one day and I’m gonna hurt them. Is it only amatter of time. I’ve been hospitalized 4 times in the last decade for hurting myself....maybe there’s a limit to this. I’m just SO conflicted. Why does everything have to be so goddamn diffiult? My financial situation, lack of career, fear of driving, awful intimacy/trauma issues and just overall depression anxiety and self loathing make life so hard. But I LOVE my brothers. I just wish they did’t love me back. If they didn’t I could die without guilt. There’s just no easy way out is there.

#Personal #tw: sucide mention #tw: rape #etc. this is like word vomit so idek how much is in there just don't read or read carefully #god im so messed up i need help #somebody help me i don't know how to deal

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jflashandclash · 7 years

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Attrition of Peace

Fifteen: Annabeth

How to Predict Unicorn Collisions. You Don’t.

Annabeth hated when things didn’t go according to plan, and being side-rammed by a unicorn hadn’t been part of the plan. As she pushed off the black pavement of the Brooklyn street, she thought about how she should recalculate this.

She’d been furious that her call with Frank had been interrupted. No matter how many drachmas she and Percy tried to throw at Iris, they kept getting the message, Your rainbow has been disconnected. Please hang up, and try your rainbow again.

The two most important parts of the message had been left out: Leo is alive and these demigods were probably terrified.

And now Frank and Hazel were here. Something must have gone wrong for them to ride all the way to the East coast on Arion.

Finding the right flight over had been child’s play. She knew which airlines the Romans had frequent flyer miles with because of some deals they’d worked out with the Amazon. She knew their preferred airports and the approximated time the flight would have left. They only ever did direct route flights, since layovers were bad news for ADHD, monster hunted demigods.

She had hoped Piper could talk to them first, using that line she never got to use on the Romans when they first got to Camp Jupiter, “Lower your weapons. We just want to talk.” Or Will, since he and the shy daughter of Apollo, Kally, seemed to get along well. Or Nico, her friend. Or Jason, who connected really well with Axel over Capture the Flag.

Something about this felt like a set up: the way the video of Euna Song turning people into trees had zoomed carefully onto hers, Kally’s, and Pax’s faces without any context as to why they were fighting against those people, the way the dialogue had been muted from the video of Axel attacking Leo, the way her phone, and the phone with the videos, malfunctioned so she couldn’t watch it again for a closer analysis, and the way the two ex-Kronos soldiers had ended up in a town whose policy was to execute ex-Kronos soldiers.

This group of half-bloods was suspicious, and very dangerous, but she also suspected something else was happening here, possibly something out of their control. From what she’d seen of Calex Rupin McKenzie and Merry Blythe at Camp Half-Blood and from Piper’s solid impression of them, neither seemed the type to associate with murders without reason.

But she also knew that desperation could crack a person. She wanted to know what was going on. They needed more data. Like where Axel had found Leo Valdez.

Percy gently touched her arm. “Are you alright?” he shouted over the sound of the getaway taxi-van zooming away and horns blaring from oncoming traffic.

Scraps and bruises. Minimal damage. They needed to focus on their target. She nodded, checking him over first. He looked the same—just dazed from being thrown off Blackjack.

Had he been hurt, she’d have to murder a unicorn.

They staggered to their feet in enough time to see the unicorn blur in retreat, Arion, riderless, was in quick pursuit. Annabeth wondered if that unicorn knew mythology was not on its side in a race against that horse.

“Is Blackjack okay?” she asked, assessing the situation. Percy’s pegasus stumbled to his hooves. Hazel was on foot, Frank had disappeared, and an SUV pulled up beside them. She didn’t get to see what had attacked Hazel and Frank to knock them off Arion.

Percy nodded, quoting in his best equestrian mimic, “Good as new, boss. I think I’m going to take it easy for a bit. I get a carrot for that, right?” He reached to pet Blackjack’s face. “Thanks for the ride, bud. Get to safety. You’ll get a whole bushel when we get back to camp.”

Blackjack huffed and flew off into the air. Percy turned to Annabeth. “I hope Arion teaches that unicorn to play nice with other ponies.”

Someone threw open the door to the SUV beside them, and Annabeth was glad to see Jason Grace motioning them inside. Piper gave them a happy wave from the back and a, “Hey guys! Tell me about NRU after we’re done doing some demigod hunting.”

Hazel hopped in from the other side, glancing towards the front in concern.

“Sorry I’m running late,” Jason apologized. “I couldn’t summon Tempest. I was scared my powers might throw off weather patterns around the airport.”

Something felt uncomfortable inside the SUV, and it took Annabeth a moment to realize it wasn’t because the driver was a French zombie. There was an argument happening.

“What’s the one thing I told you not to do?” Will demanded, his hands on his hips, despite being seated in the middle. If he hadn’t been such a firm believer in seatbelts, she was pretty sure he’d be leaning over Nico’s passenger seat.

Nico sighed and leaned his head against the headrest to stare at the ceiling. “Raise the dead.”

“And what did you do?”

“Raise the dead—but look Will, it’s been a month since my last incident, and it’s just summoning the dead—not rocket science or shadow travel—”[1]

Annabeth winced as they rearranged the seating. Everyone had promised to enforce Will’s no excess power usage for six months on Nico, but none of them predicted Apollo showing up to shake Nico like a ragdoll. It put Nico’s recovery back by a lot and terrified Will and pretty much everyone at camp.

Jason jumped into the back. Percy pulled Annabeth into his lap so they could conserve on seating. From the uncomfortable glance that Jason and Piper shared, Will and Nico had been arguing since the airport. Maybe a chat about rogue half-bloods or college entrance exams would be relaxing.

“Nico, I’m not saying this because I don’t have faith in you. I’m mad because we made an agreement and because I care about you and it would crush me if anything happened to you.”

Nico went bright red in the face and sank into his seat. “Will,” he grumbled, “Not in front of everyone.”

Hazel cleared her throat. She looked concerned for her brother, but her expression also had serious problem written all over it. Something had gone wrong in Rome. Annabeth’s mind raced with ideas.

“It’s great to see you guys, but Frank scouted ahead. We should—”

A hummingbird darted through the door before Annabeth could shut it. When Frank turned back into a human, the SUV became uncomfortably cramped, and Annabeth started to really miss the expansiveness of the Argo II. Annabeth’s brain filed through excuses to push them past any cops that might pull them over for having too many people in a vehicle.

Normally, Frank would have been embarrassed to squish in the tiny bit of space between Will and she and Percy. Instead, he leaned forward to talk to the driver, jumped to find it an undead person, and turned in confusion to Nico. “Uh—hey Nico—they’re five blocks ahead, can you uh tell—”

“Monsieur Jules-Albert.”

“Yes, Monsieur Jules-Albert to follow—”

The zombie driver stepped on it. Their SUV lurched forward, knocking Frank back. Though they quickly jerked back to a stop in Brooklyn’s absurd traffic. Annabeth’s mind whirled to calculate if it would be faster to walk.

“Seatbelt,” Will said to Frank, folding his arms and frowning at the passenger seat in the best charades of, we’ll finish this later, that Annabeth had ever seen.

“Augh, dude, what happened to your ear?” Percy asked.

Annabeth was about to ask the same question. Frank had a hasty patch job of gauze on his ear with medical tape wrapped around his head to keep it in place. From the old blood dried on the gauze, she had a feeling there wasn’t much of an ear left under there.

“I can probably reattach it if you have the ear,” Will offered, sensing the same.

“I don’t,” Frank said grimly, like he’d forgotten a number two pencil on test day. “Axel bit it off after he set Reyna’s house on fire.

“He what?!” Nico demanded, sitting up in his seat and forgetting his prior embarrassment. “Is Reyna okay?”

“Physically, yea,” Frank said. He gave them a brief update on what happened as Jules drove.

“Wait—why were they in Reyna’s house? I thought she pretty much lived, ate, slept, and plotted punishments for bad legionnaires in the principia,” Percy asked.

Annabeth swatted him. She’d seen Reyna and Axel interact once, when Axel first parked outside Camp Half-Blood’s boundaries and refused to come inside. From what she’d seen then, and from a few comments Piper had made about the type of guy Reyna might like, Annabeth had a guess why Axel was in her house.

“They were on a breakfast date, sort of,” Hazel confirmed from the back of the SUV. “It was… hard to convince her not to come on this quest, but she’s making sure Camp Half-Blood is safe, since she knows you guys are out.”

Annabeth hoped that wouldn’t make everyone lose focus. She kept reminding herself that they needed all the facts first, that something wasn’t adding up here, but Nico voiced the opinion of the group perfectly.

“I’m going to drag Axel to Tartarus and craft him a personal punishment for the rest of eternity. How dare he hurt Reyna,” Nico growled. As the SUV rolled to a stop, he glanced back. “Or Frank. Sorry about your ear, Frank.”

“It’s okay; it’s just gone for good.”

“Nico, we talked about this,” Will scolded.

Nico rolled his eyes and threw his door open. “Fine. In a few months, I’ll drag him to Tartarus and craft him a personal punishment.”

“There’s my responsible son of Hades.”

They got out of the SUV and took off down a wide alley between two brick buildings designed with the classic flare of late nineteenth century architecture. This was an old part of Brooklyn, one the gentrification hadn’t yet touched, but the neon blue and purple lights around two ionic columns were new. They stood on either side of a club entrance that Annabeth could see Euna, Calex, and Merry darted through.

They needed a plan.

The bouncer was a huge guy in a biker jacket—what you’d expect to find at a club in New York. Unlike what you’d expect, he stood off to the side of the door, leaning against the wall and grinning stupidly at their approach. He held a hand out to prevent the small line of guests from entering. The guests in line whispered, looking far less agitated than Annabeth would expect with a bouncer not letting anyone in.

From what Annabeth had read and seen, clubs weren’t usually active this early at night. She hoped this wouldn’t be a rerun of Club Lotus.

“Stop,” Annabeth said before they reached the entrance.

Everyone skittered to a stop, like she’d pulled a gear out of a watch. Jason, Percy, Piper, Hazel, Frank, and Nico all paused to glance at her expectantly. She forgot how well their team worked together. The only person who stumbled was Will.

“We need a plan.” Jason read off her face.

Annabeth’s mind spun. That was her territory. But she was missing some integral data to make a full plan. Her instinct told her not to go in with swords drawn. “We should try to parley. When they ran from the airport, and when they were in the cab, they didn’t attack any of us. The Pax brothers may have only done that in New Rome because they were cornered.”

They’d have to worry about Frank’s quest from Ares later. Right now, she wanted to know what was going on.

“Seeing Roman colors is going to probably scare them, so Hazel, use the Mist to hide what you and Frank look like. Stay to the entrance to make sure they don’t double back to escape. Everyone else, keep with your partner—” She didn’t need to say who was partnering with whom. “—keep alert. They are dangerous, but try to talk them down first. If you see them—”

“Find or walkie-talkie Jason and I,” Piper finished. “And I can make sure things don’t get out of hand.”

Annabeth was pleased to see Will open up his jacket to show off a charging station for walkie talkies beside his medical kit and a package of latex gloves. He handed one off to Percy and one to Hazel.

Because Iris Messaging had been so inconsistent, and the presence of a half-blood tended to make technology go haywire, she’d been experimenting with ways to keep in contact. Older walkie talkies proved somewhat reliable.

The other problem was getting into the club. If Axel Misted a group of underaged kids in, Hazel could probably do the same. Annabeth just hoped everyone either had a driver’s permit or a library card for Hazel to Mist.

The bouncer put a huge arm out across the door. “The guitarist says you’re with him. And he said you’re allowed to keep your weapons. And we aren’t supposed to kill you.”

Annabeth wanted to swear. She should have assumed the others had connections here, else they wouldn’t have ran straight to this club. Her brain pierced through the Mist to reregister the bouncer’s single eye, and how tall he was. Despite all the time she’d spent with Tyson, the seven year old in her always cowered at the sight of Cyclopes. But she was almost a legal adult now, a hero of Olympus and a daughter of Athena. Annabeth maintained steady eye contact. This guy wasn’t mimicking any of them, and didn’t even look interested in chowing down on one of their heads.

The people in line hazed into various monsters and ghosts.

“This is a club for monsters,” Frank said. The way he said it made her wonder when Frank would bring the entire legion here for a warm up drill.

Everyone else must have seen it too. They touched their weapons.

This Cyclops kept grinning, not seeming to realize which demigods he was stalling. “The guitarist says you can come in, but,” he said, “the tiny Pax said you can only come in if that one gives me a hug.” The Cyclops pointed at Jason Grace.

Jason Grace pointed at himself in confusion. “Me?”

The Cyclops nodded. “He said you love hugging Cyclopes. And the tiny Pax knows I love hugs.” The Cyclops folded his arms and stood up tall, like he had declared how much he liked breaking people’s necks.

Percy stifled a laugh. “Hey, Cyclopes give the best bear hugs, probably only second to Frank.”

“You’re not going to hurt him,” Piper asked her question as a statement, one enlaced with charm speak.

The Cyclops didn’t change his posture or expression at all. Maybe he really did like hugs. “Nope!” he affirmed.

Jason frowned as Hazel giggled and Nico and Will choked on laughs.

Percy patted Jason’s back. “He seems like a good Cyclops. Go get ‘em, tiger.”

Thanks for reading guys! I had a great time writing this one :D XD

Foonote:

[1] I need to thank both Gravity Falls and BruneGonda for this. I’ve been trying to find a way to slip her hilarious fanart in for three books.

#Traitors of Olympus #Heroes of Olympus #Percy Jackson and the Olympians #Annabeth #PIper #percy jackson #solangelo #Nico #Will #Jason #Frank #Hazel #Blackjack #Clops the Cyclops #fanfiction

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