#Weather's not right for the jacket right now but come fall I might as well sleep in it

[motheroftheantichrist]

A few days ago a woman at my work hit me with the: "You must have a lot of boys asking for your number". No ma'am, I walk around in a Saw tank top and bomber jacket radiating negative rizz and talking to no one. This manufactured charm is purely for work hours. All other hours, I am trash.

[wynnyfryd]

Trailer park Steve AU part 34

part 1 | part 33 | ao3

Steve ducks his head against the flurries falling outside The Hideout as he makes his way for the entrance and tries really, really hard to not to feel totally out of place.

He agreed to meet Robin and her friends here separately because he was coming straight from a shift, but he’s kind of regretting that now. The only black thing he had in his wardrobe that was at all weather appropriate was a tight-fitting black knit pullover with a high collar and a silver zipper down the front, and he feels like some dorky, supportive golf dad coming to cheer on his rebellious son after a long day out on the green. The light wash jeans and silver wristwatch aren’t really helping matters.

Jesus. He should have let Robin dress him.

The guy at the ticket counter seems to agree because he gives Steve a weird look when he approaches and asks, “Are you lost?”

“Uh, no.” And if it comes out slightly more bitchy than he intended, well—

“Five dollars,” the guy scowls.

Strike that. Maybe it didn’t come out nearly bitchy enough. “The flyer says it’s two.”

The guy eyes him up with a tight, sarcastic smile and pops his chewing gum. “For you it’s five.”

Oh, my god. Operation Woo Your Man might be dead before it starts, because Steve’s about to smash the ticket booth window and pummel this fucking guy.

“I already got yours!” Robin calls brightly, jogging up behind him on the sidewalk and waving a lime green wristband. “He’s good,” she tells the guy, then tells Steve, “Eddie said to give you this.”

Ticket guy frowns, and Steve gloats as Robin fixes the bracelet to his wrist. Yeah, buddy, you heard that right; I'm with the band.

Robin drags him into the bar, and he stops her just inside the door, hugging her tight enough to lift her up on tiptoe, smacking a kiss to the side of her head. He jostles her around until something in her neck pops, and when he lets her go she groans, “Oh, my god, do that again.”

She spins around, crossing her arms over her chest. Steve grabs her by the elbows; shakes her like a piggy bank until her spine goes crack-crack-crack.

“Wow,” she sighs dreamily when he sets her down. “Marry me.”

“You can’t just marry me for my massage services.”

“I know; it’s tragic. Anyway, come on.” She takes his hand. “Everyone’s already at the table.”

“Who’s everyone?”

Robin doesn’t answer — probably can’t hear him over the loud rock music pouring through the speakers — but she weaves them through the venue, skirting the edge of the main floor.

Steve’s never actually been in here, but it’s pretty much what he expected: black walls, black floor, black leather jackets on the handful of regulars. The stage is off to their left, already set up with Eddie’s band’s gear by the looks of it, though he doesn’t see them anywhere. Must be backstage getting ready.

In front of the stage is a small, empty dance floor, flanked by rickety tables with mismatched chairs, and overhead there’s a balcony with a sound booth and more seats. To their right, the main bar: a long, ancient dark wood counter that’s been graffitied to absolute shit, covered in band stickers and beer labels and ‘so and so wuz here’s, and just up ahead, lining the far wall, Steve spots a row of wraparound booths.

Dark red leather, the stuffing spilling out through time-worn splits. Only one of them is occupied. Steve can’t make out much from this distance beyond the vague shape of the people sitting there, but considering it’s the only table with any chicks at it, he figures that’s their group.

Suddenly, Robin stops. Turns around to look at him; drops his hand and bites her lip. “Okay, so. Don’t get mad…”

Steve narrows his eyes. He knows that guilty grimace. Whatever it is, he’s definitely about to get mad about it, or at very least annoyed. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Robin.”

“Okay!” She steps to the side, and he marches toward the table to try and get a better view, Robin trailing after him, rambling, “For the record, I really didn’t do it, I swear! But, like— well, Beth is friends with Fred, and Fred is on the school paper, so I guess he just—”

The details shift into focus: tiny frame, rigid posture. Big, curly dark brown hair.

Oh, son of a bitch. No. No.

Nancy Wheeler’s here.

—

part 35

tag list in separate reblogs under '#trailer park steve au taglist' if you'd like to filter that content. if you want to be added tomorrow please comment and let me know (must be over 21; please either verify in the comment or have your age visible on your blog)

[dabislittlemouse]

Hello! I just discovered your page and I love your writing style.

I had this idea in my head for while now.

You know how Dabi went and visit Hawks’ mom for information about him? Well, what if he had a lovable little sister who was clueless about who Dabi is. She thought “oh, he is friends with my big brother there is no harm talking with him.”

Dabi flirts with her a good bit and Hawks comes home like “get away from my cute little sister!” But he does it around about way.

tainted angel 🪽 (pt.1)

PART 2 // PART 3// THE COMPLETE MASTERLIST divider by @cafekitsune

ෆ Pairing: DABI X HAWKS’ LITTLE SISTER

ෆ cw: Dabi being a flirt and a pervert, corruption kink, smut and dubcon in the next chapters so this one is mostly safe.

ෆ Before you read further: this is written entirely on Dabi’s POV. There are specific descriptions for Hawks’ sister such as hair color, eye color, skin, wings etc. and she is a female, age 20-21.

ෆ A/N: I love this request so much, it had my writing flowing so naturally and my motivation reached the sky. I hope you like this!

Another boring day of relentlessly hunting down for information. Walking in the empty alleyway, the weather’s getting bitter, clouds darkening the sky as rain is starting to fall, plinking against my black leather jacket. Man, I fucking hate rain. Feels uncomfortable on my skin, not to mention it weakens my quirk. But I have to finish this job. Once I start something today, I never leave it for tomorrow, cause we never know what tomorrow could bring. Unexpected things are not my forte, I prefer to plan my steps way ahead, I look closely at every clue and untangle any information that I see beneficial. Always one step ahead of my enemies, nothing goes away without catching my eye. No matter how small it is.

No matter how fast it is.

Yes, Hawks, the fastest hero out there, too fast for his own good. I chuckle under my breath, rolling my eyes at the thought of the traitorous pro hero. He’s been pretty useful so far, proven himself loyal to the cause. But something doesn’t sit right with me, hence the reason why I’m out there searchin’ for more information. Maybe it’s his sickening hero charm, makes me wanna vomit. Maybe it’s the fake smile he puts on that stupid face, who knows.. a traitor will always be a traitor. If he went as far as to betray the heroes, I won’t be surprised if he turns his back on us villains again.

Though if that happens, he will be incinerated before he even knows it. Burnt to ashes, those red feathers set ablaze by my own scorching flames. My hand itches at the thought of showing him his place, though I gotta stick with the plan and use him for all his worth.

Bzzz.

The sound of my burner phone grabs my attention. Probably one of my men who I’ve sent to stalk and watch over Hawks. Or maybe Twice, wanting to fuck around because he is lonely. Tch, I’m not in the mood either way.

“This better be important..” I rasp under my breath. Lately my patience’s been thin. Don’t know why.

“Sir, we have found something”

It was indeed one of the men I hired. Yeah, about time they finally made themselves useful. I hum in response, letting the man continue.

“The woman we found, she might be related to Hawks. According to the clues we’ve been gathering, it’s highly possible she could be his mother. If not his mother, then for sure someone from his family. We have found her address, all we need is your order so we can break in and get her for you, sir” the man explained.

“Mm there’s no need. I’ll pay the lady a visit myself” I smirk, knowing that she will be more intimidated by my grotesque sight only and start spilling everything. After the men give me her address, I waste no time to go there. Fortunately not too far from where I am right now.

Something weird forms in my chest. Not sure why, but I feel like I’m gonna have fun~

******

The picture I got sent was of a woman who seemed to be in her 40s, pale skin and exhausted eyes, big fluffy light brown hair, almost drained out of life. This is beyond weird, the mother of a pro hero who looked like she had lost her will to live? Ain’t no way. Supposedly the families of pro heroes usually live their best life.

A thought runs through my head and I chuckle. Damn, I should know by now, the families of pro heroes are those who in fact suffer the most.

Memorising the woman’s face and the address, I am now right in front of her house. It’s a small normal house, nothing fancy or special about it whatsoever. The rain has long stopped. I stop in front of her door, before giving it a few slow knocks. Nobody opens the door. I knock once again, if this door isn’t opened soon I’m gonna have to-

“Coming!! Just a second!!” A chirpy voice was heard, footsteps getting faster towards the door. This voice sounded lively, not the voice I could’ve imagined for the woman I’m looking for.

As the door opened, the sight in front of me leaves me speechless. My eyes widen a bit, taking in at person in front of me.

It’s a girl. Not the old woman in picture, this is a young pretty thing. Could be at her twenties, not sure. As she opens the door wider, she fixes her disheveled hair, removing those golden locks off her face while her caramel eyes fixed on mine, blinking in confusion with those pretty lashes. And her pjs, almost too revealing. Freckles cover her cheeks, her skin looks soft. It doesn’t take long for me to notice a pair of angelic white wings behind her.

“Umm hello, how can I help you with?” she asks, her voice meek and shy as she looks up at me under her lashes.

Fuck, it’s like the whole world stopped the moment I laid eyes her pretty face. I need to focus.

“Sorry for the bother, dollface” I manage to bring a friendly smile on my face but my raspy voice always betrays me. “I am looking for Hawks. I’m a friend of his..”

“Oh, Hawks? I’m sorry but my brother is not here at the moment. Maybe he is at his agency, did you check there?” she smiles back.

Before I find myself wondering why she is not scared by my appearance, my mind focuses on that one simple word: brother. She called Hawks her brother, so that means..

“Wait, don’t tell me that guy kept such a pretty thing like you hidden from me? You’re his sister?” I smirk, leaning on the doorstep, still stunned by the fact that the pro hero had a little sister.

“O-Oh yeah, I’m Takami Y/N!” she blushes, and my smirk grows wider knowing that such simple interaction already got me half of the information. That Hawks has a sister, and his last name is Takami.

“He doesn’t prefer to talk much about us in public” she continues. “It’s best for our safety”

Poor naive little thing. Got no clue in the world who I am, thinking I’m a friend. Is this how the hero looks over his family?

“Well well, that guy is full of surprises. You look a lot like him to be honest, that pretty hair of yours and those wings. A real angel aren’t cha?”

Her face is a blushing mess, all she can do is squirm in front of me and smile awkwardly. I came here for other purposes but damn it.. this pretty angel got me fucking hooked already. So petite, so innocent, a ray of sunshine, if I touch her with my destructive bloody hands I could probably defile her.

This thought gives me a sick twisted feeling in my chest, my eyes flaring in excitement.

“I-If you’d like I can invite you over for some tea? I can call my brother to come in the meantime. It’s only me and my mom here” she shyly says, breaking eye contact. I may be delusional, I am not the most handsome motherfucker out there I know, but she is acting like she saw her school crush. But I have to admit, I do have a sort of charm too. Call it villain charm if you will.

“Sure thing”. Making it easier for me princess, but also harder to focus on my main goal when you’re such beautiful distraction.

As my eyes wander around the living room, she hurries to the kitchen to prepare the tea. Enough time for me to find the lady in question. Her room was not hard to find, she was sitting on her bed. Simply entering and closing the door, I reach to her fast, putting a hand on her mouth.

“Don’t make a single sound or I will burn your sweet daughter to ashes” I threaten, showing her the blue flames flickering on my fingers. She nods, sweating and eyes widened in panic.

“Now..” I let her go while she stands there frozen in fear. “I’ll ask you some questions regarding to your son… and you’ll answer honestly. And trust me, I can tell when someone’s lying, so do not test me woman” I say sternly, all she does is whimper.

****

“Hey I thought you left?”

I find the pretty angel sitting on the couch, a confused look on her face.

“Ah m’sorry doll, had to use the bathroom. Also had a little chat with your mother, been a long time since I last saw her..”

It takes a lot for me to not burst into laughter, acting as if I’ve been Keigo’s childhood friend or something.

Keigo. Keigo Takami. This was his full name according to that woman. She didn’t hesitate to give me all the essential information, afraid I’d burn this place down and harm her precious daughter. Apparently that birdbrain’s been taken from the HSPC since a kid, trained to be a professional hero. And most importantly, his dad was a criminal, murdered someone back then.

Tch, the son of a criminal becoming a hero.

And the son of a hero becoming a criminal.

What a world.

I sit down on the couch, almost too close to his sister. My eyes hungrily take on the sight of her soft plush thighs, her chest, her plump lips.

“Tell me more about yourself dollface” I say, totally ignoring the tea and playing with some of her hair. “Y’gonna be a hero like your brother?”

“Ah none of the sort. I’d rather not get myself into heroic stuff” she giggles, and that sound has my jeans tighten uncomfortably. It’s taking everything in me to not pounce on her right here right now, stripping her off everything and making her scream for me. Just imagine the sight her brother would come across to if he suddenly shows up, her little sister all naked and bruised, used for my own sick pleasure..

Such an angelic being, I have the need to fucking break her and shape her however I see fit. A man like me could never be deserving of her.

“You don’t want to be a hero? How come? Wouldn’t you like to save people, princess? To fight against big scary villains who threaten the innocent out there..”

“I don’t think that’s a job for me. I can still help people without being a hero. And I don’t think I’d be strong or brave enough to go against villains, you know?” she says, playing with the hem of her shirt.

“Awn, poor thing, y’scared from villains?” I grin, placing my scarred hand on her knee, feeling her smooth skin. She squirms, probably by the warmth of it. The way she bites her lower lip nervously has my cock throbbing in my pants. Little does she know she’s in the presence of one of the most dangerous villains in Japan.

“Y’think they gonna hurt you? Maybe they will, if they see you so cute and vulnerable out there, they won’t hesitate to hunt ya down”. My firm grip on her knee has her swallowing, nodding silently.

“So I hope your brother protects you enough” I chuckle. “Cause see, if I was a villain? Man, I’d do anything to kidnap you and make you mine”

Her eyes widen, she laughs nervously, thinking this was some joke. Far from it.

“But you’re no villain right? You’re just my brother’s friend?” she murmurs, feeling tense. Her body language is so easy to read.

“Yes baby, I’m only his friend. My appearance might creep ya out but I promise I’m safe”

She seems to calm down a little. Completely unaware of what I could be capable of.

“Your appearance is not creepy by the way” she says. “I’d say it’s more.. unique. In a good way. I’ve never seen someone who looks like you”

I raise my eyebrows. Her words have me taken aback. For the longest time all I’ve gotten were stares filled with fear or disgust, couldn’t blame them. But this was a new thing, I feel something strange in my chest at her comment. Fuck, I don’t like this. I can’t seem to find any good comeback now, not when she’s staring at me so longingly. I’d rather have her scared, calling me an ugly monster, rather than this.

“Cute little thing wants to get on my good side huh? Wanna charm me, get me hooked with those sweet words? Y’need to be careful~” I say teasingly, reaching to grab her chin and have her look at me. I stare at her caramel eyes, wondering how they’d look full of tears.

“N-No it’s just the truth, I’m not lying” she shakes her head. “If I found you scary I wouldn’t have let you come inside”

“Come inside?” I raise an eyebrow. “Y’need to be more specific..or this might get another meaning”

She looks confused, not getting it at first, but the moment she sees the perverse smile on my face, her cheeks flush in embarrassment.

“I-I didn’t mean it like that pervert! I meant come inside my house!”

I let out a laugh, probably the only genuine laugh I had after such a long time. God, she’s so cute and fun to mess with. Such gem that Hawks kept hidden from me. Well, not anymore.

After some time chatting with my angel, the door bursts open. I turn around, smirking at the familiar face.

“Look who decided to show up!” I stand up, opening my arms as if waiting to receive a hug from him. “The winged hero. I was looking for you. I had the pleasure of meeting your family, y’never told me you had a little sister? Such pretty thing you never mentioned her to anyone, I thought we were close friends Keigo..”

The expression on his face is entertaining, he looks beyond shocked. Probably didn’t expect for me to call him by his real name. Or when his sister comes after me, too close, a bright charming smile on her face.

“Welcome home! I invited Dabi inside to wait for you, couldn’t let him out in the pouring rain-”

“Y/N get back in your room. Now” The hero’s voice is stern, serious, and the poor girl’s smile fades off her face. His piercing gaze never leaving mine. I’m not intimidated at the slightest, it’s mostly amusing.

“But Kei-”

“Now” he repeats. As she prepares to turn around and leave, I reach to grab her hand, not letting her go.

“Very overprotective aren’t cha, big brother?” I smirk, bringing his sister closer to me, wrapping my hands around her waist. Hawks looks like he is ready to kill me, anger visible in his golden eyes now that I’m playing around with his little sister, probably his weakest spot that he tried to keep hidden from the world.

“Me and her already clicked. She’s very fun to have around, we chatted a lot when you weren’t here didn’t we angel?” I turn to her, all she does is blush and nod shyly. I tap my fingers around her small waist, making her squirm. It takes everything in me to not dig my fingers on that soft skin and leave bruises. Then I reach for her white wings, and apparently she is very sensitive there. The way those wings flutter and she tries to break free from my grip, whining for me to stop. And all of this in front of her brother.

“Very nice of you to treat my friend this way” Hawks says, seems like he already caught up what’s going on. He’s playing it cool, so I won’t hurt his family. “Dabi, could you come outside now? We have stuff to discuss.”

I do not protest further, there’ll be enough time to stay with my angel now that I already know where she lives and where she studies. My new little toy.

“See ya later, dollface” I pinch her cheek, before sliding my hand across her jawline. My thumb touching her lower lip slightly, and the softest gasp leaves her pretty mouth.

“Bye Dabi..” she whispers, almost hypnotised by my touch. My name rolling off her tongue is the sweetest melody my ears could ever hear.

Can’t wait to come back for you, sweetheart

Tags: @mostlyheinous @dabislittlebeaniebaby @shadowsandshapes @dabihawksluva @mossy-opal @daniidil @holydayaria @syrenkitsune @arinexeisnotworking @cherrykisssess @doumadono @spltbtch @sukunas-bitxh @awalkingshame @bubblegumsblog @highbats69

[diabolik-art-blog]

The shelter of the future [ Part 01 ]

AO3: Part 01

Admin: A short one-shot based on Ruki's DF route. It has 3 parts and I will post next part tomorrow. I present this to my girl Afra @afra-blueraz . We miss you girlie. Please get better soon. We all love you :3. This was requested by @its-irsaa-fyp 😘.

The weather was cold and dark and the rain was getting heavier and heavier every moment. All the people were wearing warm clothes and jackets made of leather and warm wools and continued on their way. Most of the couples used a common umbrella and their hands were tied in each other's hands.

In the middle of a merciless storm and heavy rain, a thin and pale girl was standing next to a shop. Her clothes did not look very warm. The body and all the clothes were wet because of the rain and she was hugging her arms to get a little warm. Her wet hair was falling on her face and water was dripping from the corner of her hair. In the darkness of the night, her face could not be seen well, but if someone looked at her carefully, they would realize that she was crying.

Yui: (Ruki-kun, please hurry. I'm scared. I don't want to be alone. Please come back faster. What will happen if they find us?)

Ruki had stolen the person he loved the most from the Tsukinami mansion and now he wanted to run away with her. Yui had been imprisoned by the Tsukinami brothers for months. Shin had brutally tortured her and her whole body was scarred. Yui had become very mentally unstable and was very scared.

*flashback*

Shin approaches Yui and he slaps Yui so hard that Yui falls on the ground and blood comes from the corner of her mouth. Tears in her eyes and she can't even breathe regularly.

Shin: Do what I said or I will kill you.

Yui could not speak a single word. She had endured all of Shin's tortures and knew how cruel he was and would really kill her if she disobeyed him.

Shin approached Yui with slow steps and while Yui tried to get up from the ground with her weak arms, he pushed her to the ground again. He wrapped his arms around Yui's slender neck and began to squeeze with all his might, but was careful not to break her neck.

Shin: You will do what I said right now or you will never be able to breathe again.

Yui's eyes turned black and she struggled for her life.

Yui: O... O... Okay...

As soon as the word left Yui's mouth, Shin let go of her neck and Yui was panting frantically.

Yui: *cough* *cough*...

When Yui caught her breath, Shin was looking at her expectantly with an evil grin on his face. She stood up with tears in her eyes. Her hands and feet were shaking. She slowly raised her delicate hands and started taking off her clothes. Until she felt the caress of a hand on her bare skin.

Shin: Good girl... let me help you take off the rest.

*End of flashback*

Yui had tears in her eyes as she remembered the bitter memories. She was immersed in her own thoughts and did not notice that people were looking at her. To the lonely girl who is wet and shivering in the rain.

Yui felt the caress of one hand on her shoulders again. But this caress was not familiar. She turned to see a strange man looking at her with concern.

Man: Young lady, is something wrong? Let me help you.

Yui was horrified to see the strange man. She stepped back to defend herself.

Yui: Don't come near me. Do not touch me.

Man: I want to help you.

Yui was scared and didn't know how to react. Without being able to think straight, she started running even though Ruki had told her to wait for him. She ran as fast as she could and cried until she reached a dead end.

Yui sat next to the garbage and hugged her knees. Tears flowed from her eyes and wet her innocent face. She was shaking and crying because of the cold and fear. Her pained face showed that she had suffered a lot.

Yui: Ruki-kun... please... come back...

While she was crying in the dark alley, a man approached her and held an umbrella over her head to protect her from the rain. He slowly began to caress her head and though Yui's attention was drawn to her. Yui looked up and saw Ruki.

Ruki: Yui... I told you to wait for me.

Seeing Ruki, she jumped into his arms without any hesitation and started crying again. She was hugging Ruki with all her heart. It was as if she was drowning and Ruki was her lifeguard.

Yui: Ruki-kun.... *Sob* ... Ruki-kun.... *Sniff* ... Please.... *Sob* ... Don't leave me alone...

Seeing how scared and cold Yui was, Ruki frowned. He considered himself guilty of these events. He should never have left Yui alone in that hellish mansion. He should have gone earlier to save her.

Ruki took off his jacket and threw it over Yui's shoulders and hugged her tightly. He pressed Yui's head to his chest and gently caressed her and kissed her wet hair.

Ruki: Don't worry, Yui. We are not apart. No one can separate us anymore.

Yui relaxed in Ruki's arms and took a deep breath. Ruki looked at the tickets he had prepared. They didn't have much time, they had to leave this city faster. To be with each other and stay together forever.

After Yui calmed down, Ruki gently wiped the tears from her face and kissed her cheek. He helped Yui put on his jacket. And while holding her delicate hand, he held the umbrella over her head and they started to move to escape from this hell together.

[stinkkyy]

the creator falls (out of a tree) for diluc

Now why the hell was Diluc back here.

There wasn’t a real reason other than he had taken a walk that had ended up with him at this big ass tree again.

As he stands at the base of the statue to Barbatos, he feels a tug at his heart. It had been happening a lot more lately, this pulling. The tug at his heart as if somebody was at the other end of the string, gently urging him to go somewhere or do something.

So here he was at a statue for a God he admired and a tree dedicated to a woman who now protects all of Mondstadt silently.

He crosses his arms and glares up at the tree. “Well? I’m here now, what do you want from me?”

Diluc stands there for just a moment longer, secretly expecting a response but of course nothing comes from it.

He sighs, looking away from the tree feeling rather embarrassed for having such a wish.

With nothing left to do but try and enjoy his day out, he goes to sit at the base of the tree. He slumps against it, one leg folded up and the other splayed out before him. Diluc rests his head along the tree as he watches the clouds in the sky.

He felt like a fool.

For the past month or so he had been.. Strangely content. Happier than usual. That in itself would normally be cause for celebration but with such happiness came an unease.

Jean chalked it up to allergies, his immune system never favored the summer weather.

Lisa suggested that perhaps he was in love. That was the last time he’d ever come to her for advice.

Kaeya had a certain look in his eye. It told him that his past brother likely knew the ailed him but chose not to answer truthfully, only giving a rather cryptic response.

Venti was the only one who had given something halfway decent but even then it was bullshit upon more bullshit.

“Follow whatever is pulling your heart along and go talk to it! That will solve everything and who knows, maybe love will consume you and everything will be answered!”

Diluc snorts haughtily at himself as he remembers the bards words. Sure he was a god but he didn’t have to sound so annoying about it, former crush or no.

Before he could have anymore time to think about it there was a voice calling out to him from above.

“Hey! Hey hey, you there, D-! D..... Theee stranger in red!”

“… Excuse me?”

“Yeah you! Hey uh, I’m in a bit of pickle right now so you think you can help?”

Diluc looked up to where the voice was located and felt his heart freeze. The tugging had become stronger than it ever had before, so sharp and pointed like it was going to rip apart any second now.

The owner of the voice was covered by the leaves and branches of the tree but if he focused he could make out the outline of their body but even that was hard.

Whoever they were just might be the answer he had been searching for.

More leaves and twigs fell down onto his lap and he grunts in annoyance when he flicks them away. “How can I help you, stranger.”

A pause. “How confident are you in catching a person?”

“Depends on how high up said person is and considering we’re practicing yelling at one another, I’d say you’re rather high up.”

Another pause followed by quiet, nervous laughter. Another sigh. “Yeah.. Right on the mon- On the mora. Yeah.”

Diluc resigns himself to his fate and slips off his jacket, letting it fall into the floor as he tries to coordinate himself to wherever they must be hanging out at.

“Let’s get this over with then.”

“Wh- You’ll help me? Seriously??”

He glares up at them, a bit offended. “You assumed I wouldn’t?”

“W-Well…”

“Get down already before I leave you stuck up there.”

“Okay okay! Gimme a second, okay? This is a really high fall!!”

“You’ll be fine.”

Diluc huffs as he listens to the rustling of the branches, gauging how soon this stranger would jump down from the tree. Really, he had better things to be doing other than attempting to catch somebody from a tree like-

“Huh..” The more he tries to think of what he could be doing with his time he realizes he can’t come up with anything. For some reason, all he wants to do is stick by this stranger and see this through to the end.

He places a hand at his heart, jaw clenching slightly as he thinks it over. And then there was that whole thing where the longing at his heart was pulling him closer to whoever this person was. 

Were the two connected somehow?

He doesn’t have time to think about it for much longer until he hears the strangers voice yell out something that has him on his guard.

“Wait-!”

“Aaand three!! AH-“

Diluc widens his stance and holds his arms out wide for them, grunting when they land in his arms at last, though he does falter back just a bit. That is the last time he will ever catch somebody from a tree ever again.

He growls lowly in his annoyance, a glare locked and loaded on his face as he looks to the person but whatever scolding he had ready to dish out die in the back of his throat when he lays eyes on them.

They’re smiling. It’s a big toothy grin with their eyes filled with stars, their entire being glowing the world up in a way he could never properly put into words.

“You’re Diluc,” the say with a giddy laugh. “The Diluc Ragnivinder!”

And yet he’s still just staring at them like a fish out of water

He comes to his senses and clears his throat, easing them into their feet as he fights a wicked flush off of his cheeks.

“It’s Ragnvindr, actually.” He finally says, not really caring for their incorrect pronunciation, eyes never leaving their form.

The tugging at his heart was pulled taut and it was headed straight towards them. This had to be why he had decided to come here. For them. Diluc swears he can recognize their face from somewhere but he can’t place it. 

All he knows is that he feels so unbelievably loved and cherished.

“Got a staring problem, Master Diluc? C’mon, lemme thank you for saving my tail somehow!”

Diluc snaps out of his daydream as a ghost of a smile breaks onto his lips, nodding. “You wear clothes not of his nation, dirty ones at that. I will have lunch prepared for us at my home..”

“Wh- Man.. You’re a lot more stern than I had expected…” They grumble but dutifully follow by his side.

His heart pounds wildly in his chest as the pieces begin to connect themselves and while Diluc was not the most devoted follower to the gods anymore, you would have to be a fool to not eventually realize that you are standing besides The Creator.

A god who had been absent for thousands of years and only now resurfaced.

A god that will cause a stir in the world if left unchecked.

A god that has his heart pounding, face flushed, and palms sweaty.

“The Dawn Winery?” They squeak out. “Really?? Aaah man Diluc, you’re amazing! I can’t wait!”

Yes, to keep them to himself for a little while longer wouldn't hurt. He’s doing this to protect them, nothing else.

[jjkamochoso]

The Perfect Fit

Story Overview: Levi Ackerman begrudgingly finds himself falling in love with the Survey Corps’ seamstress. Will they be able to own up to their feelings for each other? Or is their love doomed to fail before they discover the truths of each other’s hearts? This slow burn reader insert story will be filled with angst, yearning, and a bit of mystery as we slowly unravel the truths behind Y/N’s past… and explore her and Levi’s future!

Chapter 7

Chapter 6 linked here

Chapter 8 linked here

Levi Ackerman x female reader

Warnings: none

The snow had melted and left behind strikingly green grass and blooming flowers. Spring had sprung for the Scouts and with the warmer weather came a new expedition into titan territory. You and Levi had a good thing going in your office, both working and chatting keeping you busy, so you knew what the squads had been up to. You felt your heart skip a beat at the mention of everyone you had been growing fond of venturing into dangerous territory. Of course that was literally the whole point of this military branch, but you still didn’t want to see any of your friends come back hurt or not at all. The days leading up to the expedition were quiet for you but you knew your workspace would most likely be overflowing the minute the soldiers come back to the castle, tears and rips galore in every article of clothing. You took the time of the calm before the storm to work on some of your own personal projects. You were finishing up a few blankets and some children’s clothes made of fabric scraps that you were going to hand out on your trip to the interior coming up. You worked diligently, your mind wandering.

Maybe Levi could accompany me? I know Erwin usually goes but it might do Levi some good away from work for a few days. Does he even believe in charity? I’ll just have to ask him next time I see him… after the expedition of course.

You were thrown out of your thoughts by a knock at your door.

“Come in!” you said.

Sasha entered your office, handing you her jacket with a sheepish smile. “Hi, Ms. L/n. I know this is last minute but my jacket has a tear on the sleeve and Captain Levi said he’d personally feed me to the titans if I wore it on our trip so…” She trailed off, her cheeks showing a hint of red.

You lightly laughed, taking the jacket from her and inspecting the damage. “Of course he’d say that. This rip is pretty small so I don’t know why he’s nitpicking it but rest assured I’ll have it ready for you in about an hour.”

You saw her light up and she jumped up and down. “Oh, thank you, thank you! You’re the best!”

“It’s no problem, really, it’s my job. Now, head back to training. I want to make sure I keep seeing your face around here.”

Sasha saluted and ran out of the room. You pushed aside your previous projects and got right to work. The hole was ridiculously easy to repair and barely took any time. As you laid it on your table for her to pick up, an idea struck you. Getting out your tried and true pocket pattern, you executed your plan.

“Ms. L/n? I’m here for my jacket!”

Sasha showed up a little over an hour later and you had finished your work in the perfect amount of time.

“Oh good! I added a little something extra for you as well. Wanna see?”

She nodded her head eagerly as you flipped the jacket inside out. “It’s nothing major but I thought you would get good use out of an inside pocket. I know you’re always, well, hoarding food, and this way you can place it somewhere nice instead of having it fall out of your hands. I hope you like it.”

You awaited her reaction with bated breath. She was quiet for a moment and you were nervous she didn’t like it. All of a sudden a loud squeal left her mouth and she wrapped her arms around you in a bone crushing hug.

“You are the most wonderful woman I’ve ever known! We don’t deserve you!”

Was she… crying? You didn’t have time to figure it out before she left, jacket in tow, presumably to the dining hall to test it out. You shook your head, a smile resting easily on your lips. You had such a soft spot for all these kids and it broke you that they had to fight so hard while losing so much. Their resolve amazed you and inspired you to stay positive and strong as well. If they didn’t falter in the face of danger and death, you wouldn’t falter in supporting them however you could.

A few days later, Levi came by your office. You weren’t expecting him since it was the night before he was leaving but you welcomed him in as always.

“I’m surprised you’re here since you’re leaving so early in the morning,” you said, taking a sip of the drink you brought in earlier.

Levi lingered by the door. “Do you want me to leave?”

“I said I was surprised, not upset. Please, sit wherever you’d like.” You gestured with a sweeping hand, the biscuit in your grip dropping crumbs onto the floor.

As he sat down near your work table, the captain looked at you with disgust. “It’s like you live in a pig sty, dumping crumbs like that. That’s disgusting.”

You feigned sadness, putting a hand over your heart. “To think I was going to offer you some! Instead you disrespect me.”

Walking over to the bed where you were, Levi took the piece that was laid in your outstretched palm. “If I collected all the pieces off the floor I would’ve had my own full one you filthy woman.”

You couldn’t contain the laughter that bubbled out of you. Levi’s eyes softened at your relaxed demeanor. The truth was, he was here because he was stressed to the max about the expedition. They always came with a degree of uncertainty and a little bit of fear, but this trip seemed like it was going to be different—worse. He didn’t know why he felt the trepidation that he did, he just knew he couldn’t bear getting stuck in his head for the next 10 hours. He already couldn’t sleep on normal nights and overthinking by himself was certainly not what he needed at the moment. Finding refuge in your room hadn’t failed him before and it seemed to be working in present time, too.

“What have you worked on lately?” he asked, eyes taking in the projects left out.

“Not a lot. Sasha came in because you chewed her out for her jacket.”

“I did,” he hummed softly, “since she was being careless and tore it on an ODM hook. Besides, nobody’s ever up here before we leave. She prevented you from becoming a hermit so you’re welcome.”

“My savior rescues me again. When am I ever going to repay the favor?”

“That’s stupid. You do plenty enough around here, stop acting like you don’t.”

You knew that was his way of giving a compliment so you said nothing, appreciating his words silently. It was quiet in your room, the slightest touch of tension running between you. It was strange because you wanted to say something, anything, before he left for what might be the last time ever, but you couldn’t find the words. What do you say to someone who continually puts their life on the line and doesn’t (more like can’t) think twice about it? You wished you could encourage him or send him off with sage advice, but nothing came to mind. “Please don’t die, I need you here for our comfortable talks and childish banter” seemed too desperate. “Good luck on your trip” was much too informal. You decided sitting in silence was probably preferable for the both of you, so that’s what you did. You didn’t know how long you two sat on your bed together, legs dangling over the edge and hands dangerously close to each other. When Levi shifted to pull his pocket watch out, his free hand slid next to your own, his cold skin melting into yours. Though the touch was small and completely accidental, it still left you reeling. The part that really had your heart thumping was the fact that he didn’t pull away. His eyes were fixed on the ticking clock while yours flitted between his ethereal side profile and the floor. When he put the timepiece away, you knew your time was up with him.

“It’s getting late. I won’t keep you up,” Levi said, but making no move to pull away from you yet.

“I’d stay up with you all night if you wanted me to. You know that.”

“I’d never want you to do that.”

“And I know that.” You took in a breath. “I can’t pretend to know how you’re feeling right now but I’m here for you. I believe in you and your squad. I won’t mention it anymore but I have faith that tomorrow is going to be okay.”

Levi found it impossible to look at you in fear of him taking one glance in your e/c eyes and canceling the whole damn expedition. Instead, he got up and ignored the situation, opting for the tried and true distraction of talking about your work.

“What’s these blankets for? And are these… baby clothes?” His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “One of you is enough, I can’t handle baby y/n’s running around here-”

You cut him off in your shock. “No, no, it’s not like that! They’re definitely not for me. I was going to wait to ask you until after you came back because I don’t want you to have anything else to think about.”

He looked at you expectantly, so you continued. “I’m taking the blankets and baby clothes to poverty stricken people in the interior. Erwin and I usually go and hand them out every few months but I was going to see if you wanted to come instead. If you’re into that kind of thing. No pressure of course, I know you’re super busy and it’s a silly thing I like to do but-”

“That’s the furthest thing from silly. We all have a duty to protect humanity and you’re doing it in the way you know how. Tell me when and I’ll be there.”

“Oh! Thank you! I’ll figure out the details and fill you in. Now you have to come back in decent shape because we’ve got things to do. You hear me?”

“Loud and clear, Sergeant brat,” Levi answered with a tiny smirk. “Now go to bed. You get irritating when you don’t sleep enough and I won’t be here to save everyone from the pain of dealing with you.”

You stuck you tongue out at him. “Goodnight Levi.”

“Night, y/n.”

When he left your room, you stood in the doorway and watched him walk down the hall to his own room, your heart aching for him. After feeling bliss from mere fingers grazing, you selfishly wanted to feel more of him. You didn’t want him to leave to help save humanity. You wanted to hold him in your arms and never let go. You settled for giving him a small wave as he looked back at you before entering his own doorway. He returned the wave and you both went to bed, sleep evading both parties.

The next morning was a blur. Running on a lack of sleep was tough but you absolutely weren’t going to miss the Survey Corp’s send off. You got ready in a hurry and ran down to the stables where preparations were finishing up. Erwin had allowed you to take a horse to follow them to the gate and you were grateful you didn’t have to stay behind. Petting your horse, you heard the clip clop of another one coming up behind you.

“You don’t look like shit so I’m assuming you slept alright?”

“You have such a way with words, Captain. Your charm is how you capture hearts, right?”

You and Levi loved teasing each other and you tried to make today as normal as possible, ignoring the fact that he was heading into titan territory in an hour. You fed your horse one last snack before climbing on, gathering with the rest of the Scouts. When you started your march toward the gate, Levi was still riding next to you in the back instead of in his position next to Hange.

“Is it okay for you to be back here? I don’t want you to screw up positioning because of me,” you argued, but he blew you off.

“Hange is too loud in the morning. Back here is fine.”

As per usual a silence fell between you. If you could overlook the fact that some of the people around you were about to die horrifically, it was a beautiful morning for a horse ride. You found yourself stealing glances at Levi, doing your best to memorize details of his face. He tried his best to keep his eyes forward but couldn’t resist the chance to admire you either. He wanted to burn the image of you, sleepy demeanor and hastily thrown on cape, sitting regally on a horse, into his mind because you radiated beauty. He hoped he wouldn’t die today but if he did, he would be content if you were the last thing he ever saw. The gate entered your view and the townspeople were cheering on the Survey Corps. You knew it was time to let Levi go.

“Levi,” you said quietly, but he miraculously heard it over the crowd. “Just… whatever you do, come back to me. Please.”

He nodded in understanding. You reached over the best you could while on your horse and placed a fist over his heart that was now beating so fast it was ready to explode. “See you soon, Captain,” you said, fighting back tears that threatened to fall.

“See you soon, y/n.”

Chapter 8

[ozwriterchick]

Bucky goes missing..

Summary: Bucky goes missing. But maybe not the Bucky you expect.

Characters: James Bucky Barnes; OFC!Female Character

Word Count: 829

A/Note: Start of a new series, all will be one shots (mostly, probably, lol) under 1k words with meet cutes.

They will probably be mostly Bucky but if you feel inclined, send me an ask with a suggestion for another character or a situation you wanna see and I'll do my best.

Also, let me know if you want to be added to the tag list.

Not Beta'd so any mistakes are my own.

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

Cam took a long deep breath, so glad to be back out on a trail with her beloved pooch, Bucky.  Yes, he was named after the Avenger who used to be the Winter Soldier.

It had been way too long since she’d been out for a hike like this, for a few different reasons.  The weather hadn’t been great lately and, when it was, she was working.

Cam had been working long hours.  In fact, she felt like she’d worked more in the last few months than she had in a long time.  Most days she spent at least 10-12 hours at the office, going home only to order some food or microwave leftovers, then fall into bed.

There was an important project that her team had been assigned.  They wanted to make sure they didn’t fail on this one as it would lead to a major promotion for one of the team.  Cam wanted that promotion for herself. She’d worked at the company for over 5 years now and felt like it was past time for her to reap the rewards of all her hard work.

Rounding a corner in the trail, Bucky must have heard or smelt something because he took off before she even realised what was happening.

Sighing Cam tried to run after him but he was so fast it wasn’t funny.  She kept calling his name, trying to get him to come to her but wherever he was he was either too far away to hear or he was deliberately ignoring her, which was likely. He’s very definitely done that before.

A bit further up the trail, not far from the lake at the end, Cam heard Bucky bark. She knew she was close enough to him for him to hear her so she yelled at the top of her voice “James Buchanan, you get here,right now Mister.”

At no response she continued, “I’m serious sir, no dinner for you if you don’t get your butt right here,right now.”

A rustling in the trees caught her attention and all of a sudden someone burst through the brush and she came face to chest with a solid wall of muscle, clad in a leather jacket and a blue Henley.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she began, then she looked up into the most gorgeous steel blue eyes she’d ever seen.thats when she realised, that she’d just run straight into the real life Bucky Barnes. “I.. umm.. I didn.. oh” No further words were forthcoming from her brain, or her mouth.

“That’s ok,” he politely said, chuckling at her stammering. “I shouldn’t have come through the trees like that, but I heard someone calling me so I took the shortest path to where the sound was coming from. Maybe I got the direction wrong.”

“Oh, um. I didn’t hear anything” Cam replied, not realising it was actually her he’d heard.

“Well for sure I heard someone calling the name my mother gave me and swearing I wasn’t going to get any dinner if I didn’t come straight away. How strange is that.in the middle of a hiking trail where I don’t know anybody.”

Cam looked at him in confusion. “Well, I won’t hold you from finding whoever you’re looking for” she tried to smile but felt like it came across as more of a grimace, judging by his expression.

“Ok, well nice to run into you” he chuckled again and Cam thought it might just be her new favourite sound.

At that moment Bucky, the dog, came crashing through the bushes and skidded to a stop between them, looking up at both of them eagerly.

“Where have you been young man” Cam demanded of the dog.  “I told you, no dinner for you tonight.”

“It was you” he said in a surprised voice.

“What was me?” She asked genuinely.

“You yelled at me to get my butt here and that I wouldn’t get dinner tonight if I didn’t. I so confused now”

“Oh, right, sorry I really wasn’t thinking about what you said earlier. I guess I should explain. I’m Camellia and this is my ignorant dog, Bucky. Mainly because, as you can see, he has three limbs the same colour, and one different. Kind of like you. He’s also fiercely loyal and super protective, when he’s actually listening and not running off or ignoring me.”

“It’s lovely to meet you Camellia. That’s such a pretty name” 

“My friends call me Cam or Cammy usually.  Only my mum calls me by my full name. My Nana used to all me Millie”

“I think I like Millie best.  So Millie, would you and canine Bucky like to get a coffee with me? There’s a cart at the lake, we could continue on to that. It’s not too far away.”

“I’d love to “ Millie said, clicking the lead onto Bucky’s collar before heading off down the trail towards the lake with Bucky and Bucky in tow

Tag List: @wolfbeanpotion

[maydoesthings]

omg finally motivation to write again!! hi.

you know, so many ideas are roaming in my head free, especially ideas for fics that would be super long… I just don’t have the words to put them… anyways-

First Snow

husband!aizawa x wife!reader

summary: first winter with baby boy together…

it’s just fluff so no warnings?

masterlist

“I see how it is, breakfast without me huh?”

Aizawa looked up at you. Then he looked to your little boy, Oboro. “You slept so peacefully, didn’t want to disturb you. But good morning to you too.” he just responded.

You sat beside him at the table and started your breakfast too. How could life be so perfect… Sitting with your husband and son. A dream you never thought would come true. How sappy..

“It’s snowing today.” you remarked. He just responded with a quiet “yeah..”

“We could go out into the snow a bit, couldn’t we? It would be Oboro’s first snow.”

“It’s not too cold for him? Wouldn’t want him to get sick…” mumbled Aizawa.

“Well, we will dress him warm, obviously. Come on Sho, have a bit of fun?”

He finally agreed, so you turned to your son. “Yeah, do you wanna go into the snow baby? It’s gonna be so much fun!”

He replied with some happy babbling, but then continued to drink his juice out of his sippy cup.

After breakfast, you all changed into some weather appropriate clothes, aka hoodies, scarfs and jackets. When you were all wrapped up it was time to get the snow boots on and go outside.

You picked Oboro up when you walked out to the Backyard, so he won’t fall upon the steps. Aizawa was following right behind you. The grass was buried under a lot of snow. You let Oboro gently down so he could go and explore a bit.

When he tried to take his first steps, he instantly tripped and fell right on his face in the snow. Aizawa immediately took some steps forward to pick his son up, just to stop when he heard laughter. Oboro pushed himself up and laughed even more when he fell right back into the snow.

You laughed softly, he is such a cute baby. Aizawa kneeled down next to him, when he pushed himself up again.

“Be a bit more careful, okay?”

Oboro just laughed again.

“How about we build a snowman, hm?”

It always amazed you how soft Aizawa was with kids, while he always seems so unbothered and strict. At first, he doesn’t seem like the father type but now, it looks so heartwarming seeing these two interact. You’ll definitely need some pictures of this.

The next 30 min. were spent with collecting snow and building a snowman out of it. At some point, you had to get inside to get a carrot for the nose. After the snowman was finished, you all went inside to warm up and cuddle.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

it’s winter, yay.. It’s so cold I hate it, but this would be so cute…

and y’all can’t tell me he wouldn’t name his son Oboro, like I’m 100% sure he would.

might post more in the future, but can’t promise much.

song for today- cherry by lana del rey

[mermaidgirl30]

Look for the Light Chapter 11

- Summary: Aly finds herself trying to escape the Boston QZ. What Aly doesn’t know is Tess is pairing her up with Joel to go on a dangerous mission to find Tommy. Will Aly survive the brooding, moody Joel or will she find herself falling hard for him?

Joel’s POV

Flat lands quickly turned into mountains the more west you traveled. What was once corn fields and bare land was now snow covered mountains that went on for miles. Snow lightly came down from the sky as the temperature dropped significantly compared to when you were in Kansas.

The trees seemed to tower over the land. Green, lavish pines covered the area. Snow built up on the leaves and it looked like a winter wonderland. You hadn’t been back to Colorado since the last time you were with Tommy. You cringed at the memories of that time. You closed your eyes as blood and screaming echoed through your head. You shook your head and quickly got out of your thoughts before you spiraled into agony.

The bitter air blew across your hair and brushed against your skin. It was maybe 50 at the very highest. Most likely the high 40’s. Too cold not to have a jacket on. You pulled your heavy, tan winter jacket on as the cold air nipped at your skin. You could feel Aly shivering behind you. She had her black hoodie on, but that wasn’t enough. You looked behind you and found her hands hidden inside the hoodie and her lips trembling.

“Do you have a heavier coat in your backpack?” you asked as Shimmer continued to trot along the snow covered ground.

“Yes, I have one,” she said as she shook underneath her layers.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Put it on,” you growled with agitation hitting your voice.

“I’m fin…fine,” she stuttered as her lips continued to chatter together.

“Stop being so damn stubborn and put it on.” You unzipped her bag, reaching in to grab the thick white coat. Fur lined the hood and would help keep the wind from her face. You threw it at her and muttered under your breath. This girl would make you pull your hair out with how thick her head was. She huffed, but you heard her pull the coat on. Her trembling ceased as warmth enveloped her.

“Better?” you asked her with sarcasm clear in your voice.

“I guess,” she said obnoxiously. You rolled your eyes and kept your view in front of you as snow continued falling down lightly from the sky.

“You ever been to Colorado before?” you asked casually.

“I have. It’s been a long time. It looks a lot different than I remember. There’s way more trees now. The mountains look taller. I guess it’s still the same though. I haven’t been since I was a teenager. You?”

“Yeah, I’ve been here before. A few times too many.” Visions of bloodshed and you with a shotgun cloud your head and your heart rate picks up. You grip the reins a little tighter, getting a grip back on reality.

“You like being back?” she asked with a curious tone to her voice.

“Not exactly my favorite place,” you said as your voice trailed off. “We should try to find somewhere to take shelter for the night. You never know when a snowstorm might come through Colorado. Who knows how long it’s already been snowing. Let’s just keep following the trail and maybe we’ll come across something soon. Don’t want to be stuck out in freezing weather.”

You kept your eyes open for any possible house as you continued on. So far it was just endless trees, forest, and the view of magnificent mountains. “Come on, girl. Hopefully just a little longer,” you said softly to Shimmer as you stroked her head. She neighed in response to your touch. Her pace picked up as she trotted softly through the light snow, white powder shooting up behind her with each step she took.

You traveled a few more miles through the trees and snow until you came upon a little isolated cabin. “Whoa, slow down girl,” you said to Shimmer as you tugged on the reins. She came to a halt right in front of the cabin. Behind the cabin was a shelter like awning. It looked like whoever stayed here before had a horse too at one point.

Aly jumped off the side of Shimmer and you followed, a few paces behind her. You walked Shimmer over to the sheltered area and tied the reins to the side of the awning, leaving her room to lay down and graze on some hay. There was a small stack of hay and a water trough. It was half full of water and Shimmer immediately went to it, lapping up some water. This was almost too perfect to be true.

“How long do you think this place has been empty?” Aly asked as she investigated the side of the cabin, looking into the side window.

“It couldn’t have been too long ago. I’d say maybe a week at the longest. We need to keep our guard up in case they come back,” you said as you grabbed the backpacks from Shimmer and handed Aly her bag.

You pulled a knife out of your pocket and headed for the front door. You slowly turned the doorknob and had your knife at the ready incase someone was inside. The door creaked open and you rushed inside, ready to attack but no one was there. It was empty. You sighed and put the knife back in your pocket. “It’s clear,” you shouted to Aly. She came inside the cabin seconds later after you gave the all clear.

“Whoa, this is actually pretty cozy. Whoever had this last took good care of it,” she said as she looked around the room. She found the light switch by the front door and flicked on the switch, light bursting through the cabin. “No way! Electricity? This just keeps getting better,” she said with a huge grin on her face.

You walked to the middle of the room and looked around. Right when you walked into the cabin was a quaint little kitchen area. There were wooden cabinets, a sink with a long wraparound counter, and a tiny fridge. In the middle of the room right under the window was a small fireplace that could easily bring warmth through the room. There were still logs in the fireplace so all you had to do was light it.

Aly was rummaging through the wooden cabinets, probably looking for food to eat. “There’s a ton of canned food in here,” she said as she pulled some cans of peaches and chicken out, setting them down on the counter.

You walked up closer to the counter as she rummaged again through the cabinets. She gasped as she grabbed something in her hand. “You’ll never believe what I just found!” Her eyes lit up at whatever item it was.

“Well, spit it out then,” you said, not wanting to play a guessing game.

She pulled out a bag of something, but you couldn’t tell what it was until she turned around and held it out to you. In her hands was a medium sized bag of brown coffee beans that were just waiting to be made into coffee.

Your eyes went wide at the sight of actual coffee beans. When was the last time you had coffee? Your hands started shaking at the mere thought of a fresh cup. “Give me that,” you said as you snatched it out of her hands.

“I knew it!” she said laughing.

“Knew what?” you asked with a huff.

“I knew you were a coffee guy all along,” she said with a satisfied smile on her face.

“Oh yeah, how so?” you said with raised eyebrows.

“Because you’re always grumpy and in a sour mood in the morning,” she laughed.

You didn’t laugh at that. You just rolled your eyes at her. She was right though, you weren't yourself without a cup of coffee in the morning. It made a huge difference in your mood.

“Hey, if you’re making coffee then you can make me a cup too. I can’t remember the last time I had it. I was always more a sugary, creamer coffee type of girl but I wouldn’t mind a cup of black coffee. I always loved the smell,” she said with her sights set to another time in life. She was obviously thinking of better days. When you could actually go to a coffee shop and get whatever you wanted without worrying about not getting another cup ever again. The floorboards creaked a little as Aly walked past you.

“Sure. I just need to find a couple of cups and a pan and I could make some over the fire. Just give me a few minutes to get settled,” you said as you set the coffee beans down on the counter. You walked past the kitchen area and into the back part of the cabin where you hadn’t been yet. You found Aly just standing looking at something after she set her backpack on the ground. You were about to ask what she was doing until you looked up and saw what laid ahead of you.

There was one bed tucked away in the corner of the cabin. Just a single bed. You stopped in your tracks. It was a full size bed with white sheets and a red plaid heavy blanket on top. Two fluffy pillows sat at the head of the bed. It was made and looked like it hadn't ever been slept in. You ran your hands through your hair nervously and looked over at Aly. She was glancing at the bed and then back at you, waiting for you to say something. She looked just as nervous as you. Oh hell.

“You take the bed,” you said quickly.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to take it if you want it.”

“No, no, I’m good. I have my sleeping bag. I’ll be fine. You just give me one of the pillows and I’ll be alright,” you said with finality in your voice.

“You sure?” she asked with a questioning tone.

“Positive.”

She got the hint and nodded her head with understanding in her eyes. There was no way you were getting in that bed with her. Not a chance. That’d be too intimate for your liking. You were trying to keep your distance from her. Even with everything that happened in all the days before today, getting close to her was just too risky. It’s not something you wanted to play a game of chance with.

“Alright,” she said as she walked towards the right side of the room. In the corner stood a tiny bathroom. A shower with a tub sat at the back of the bathroom with a white shower curtain draped over the edge of the tub. A small sink with an oval mirror stood next to it. And next to that sat a toilet with a stack of towels above it. She opened up the shower curtain and turned the knobs in the shower. The water came to life as it gushed out of the faucet.

“Joel, there’s shampoo and soap in here and the water is warm!” she almost yelled giddily. She was practically jumping up and down. You silently laughed at her response as she was clearly excited to have a warm shower.

“We must’ve hit the jackpot,” you said in response to her.

“Exactly! Well, you get to making the coffee and I’m gonna hop in the shower. I can’t wait to wash this messy hair,” she said as she brushed her hands through her thick strands of hair. At that she closed the bathroom door as she got ready for her shower. You shook your head and laughed again. You couldn’t lie, you were excited for a warm shower too. It’s exactly what you needed. You were tired of smelling like sweat and exhaustion.

“Alright now where could two mugs and a pan be at?” you asked yourself as you looked around the kitchen. You looked in a few cabinets with no luck. You prayed silently before you opened up the last cabinet that was closest to the fridge. And just like magic two coffee mugs sat on the top shelf. “Thank God,” you sighed as you grabbed the blue and brown cups. You set them down on the counter and looked under the sink cabinet next. There sat a small stainless-steel pan that’d be perfect to make the coffee in. You sighed in relief at the sight. It was truly a miracle. Now you just needed to get the fire lit and you’d be golden.

You filled the pan with water and poured some coffee beans in. You made quick work to get the fire lit which took less than five minutes. You took a wad of old newspaper on the floor and lit the paper with one of the matches you had in your bag. You threw it into the fireplace and it quickly sprung to life with orange flames coming from the fireplace. The room started to fill with warmth as the minutes ticked by.

You placed the pan over the fireplace and let the coffee beans start to simmer till the water started to boil and it became black. Making the coffee was easier than you thought it’d be. You could smell the hint of hazelnut in the pan which made your entire mouth water. This would be the best cup of coffee you’d had in forever. You didn’t even get coffee that often at the Boston QZ. You would be sure to stash the rest of the coffee beans in your bag, taking care not to lose the one thing that brought a little joy to you.

When the coffee was finally done simmering in the pan, you took it out of the fireplace and placed it on the countertop. You let it cool off for a couple of minutes and then poured yourself a cup of coffee. You also poured one for Aly, waiting till she was out of the shower.

There was a small wooden table close to the fireplace that had two chairs on each side of the table. You pulled one back as it scooted against the floor, making a high pitch noise. You cringed at the sound. It sounded like nails on a chalkboard. You sat down in the brown chair and rested your back against it, taking in a moment of relaxation. You blew on your coffee, making sure it wasn’t too hot. It smelled strong but also smelled like a hint of sweetness in the air.

You inhaled the scent before you put your lips against the blue coffee mug, tilting your head back till the bitter taste went down your throat. You closed your eyes as the first taste hit your senses. It was strong and rich. The coffee was as black as a dark hole at the bottom of the ocean. “Fuck, that’s good,” you said to yourself with satisfaction. You missed the taste so much and how it made you feel.

You continued to enjoy the sips of coffee, making sure to make the full cup last as long as possible. You took your time as you listened to the running water from the shower in the other room. It was nice to focus on instead of the white noise you always heard in your ears. It was somehow calming as you listened to the water continue to drip. You relaxed against the back of the chair as you took another swig of coffee. This had to be one of the best nights you’d had in awhile. The soft crackle of the fire whispered behind you, and the wind blew softly outside the window. Peaceful was not an exaggeration.

As the strong coffee smell filled your nose, thoughts of Sarah came to mind. You remembered how you two would go out camping at McKinney Falls State Park every fall when the leaves started to change colors. Just when the Texas weather wouldn’t be too harsh, and you could actually enjoy the outdoors without the burning sun on your face.

You’d rent a cabin with the most beautiful view of a rushing river with wild horses that surrounded the open fields. You’d make a fresh pot of coffee every morning and take a cup out on the porch. You remembered you’d sit in a rocking chair and watch those wild horses prance around in the fields, enjoying freedom and the fresh winds of fall. Sarah loved those horses. You always had to hold her back from running after them. She’d come crawl up in your lap asking if she could have a sip of your coffee and you always told her she’d have to wait till she was older. You never made it to that part of her life. She was too young. And now she was dead, never coming back to life.

You rested your elbows on the sturdy table and placed your hands in your hair, trying your best to erase those painful memories. Pain stung through you like a hoard of bees just attacked you head on. You felt dizzy and had to close your eyes to concentrate on slowing your racing thoughts. You focused on anything you could. You had to get a grip on reality.

You were so caught up in your thoughts that you didn’t realize the shower water stopped running. You focused back on reality, escaping your nightmare thoughts. You heard some rustling around in the bathroom, and the bathroom door ever so slightly creaked open. The door was so worn that you were surprised it was still standing. Fog covered the bathroom mirror as Aly wiped it away with her hand. Brilliant blue eyes stared back at her in the mirror as she took a hair brush and started brushing out her long, wet hair.

She was standing in just a towel. The ends of the towel barely grazing her thighs. Her legs were so long, they seemed to go on for days. They looked so smooth to the touch. You wondered what it’d be like to slowly run your hands up and down those long legs... Fuck. You looked down at your coffee mug for a few seconds, but you found your eyes wandering back up to where Aly stood in the bathroom. You stared intensely at her, your hands gripping the mug so tight you thought it’d shatter into tiny pieces. You couldn’t break away your gaze, your eyes intently fixed on her.

She laid the hairbrush down on the sink and turned to the right to try to look at the scratch marks on her back. She tried harder to see, but it looked like she was struggling. She turned a little more to the right and her eyes caught you staring in the mirror. Damn it, Joel. She turned slowly your way and looked at you. God, she was a vision. Absolutely stunning in the light of the bathroom. What was wrong with you? You needed to get a hold on yourself.

“Do you mind looking at my scratches? I can’t quite see them in the mirror. I could use a second pair of eyes,” she said softly. Was she nervous? She sounded a little nervous. You couldn’t seem to leave the chair, you were glued in place. You just continued staring at her, trying your best not to let your eyes trail down her body. “Joel?” she asked again, this time taking a step closer to you.

You finally found the courage to pull yourself up from the chair and slowly walked over to her. “Turn around,” you said cautiously. She did as you said and slowly turned, her back towards you now. You moved her damp hair over the right side of her shoulder and focused on the left shoulder where the scratches remained. They looked like they were healing well. You didn’t think they needed anything covering them. They were pretty much well on their way to being fully healed.

You cautiously took your hand and ran it gently against the jagged scratches. She flinched a little at the touch of your hand like it shocked her. Your touch was like a foreign object to her, so you weren’t surprised. You made sure to keep your contact minimal in the past. Every touch was like a forbidden fruit that was dying to be tasted.

You took your hand and gently ran it along the top of her shoulder. Her skin was as soft as butter, your hand melting into it. Her hair smelled like lilac and the scent was intoxicating. You could bury yourself into that lush scent. Your heart was racing a thousand miles as you stood behind her, inches away from covering yourself in her. You kept your hold on her a few seconds too long, your fingers lingering on her skin as they slid slowly down her arm, all the way to her wrist. Your fingers tracing every part of her arm, every touch feeling like electricity underneath your fingertips, shooting sparks through your body. She shuttered underneath your touch, but she didn’t pull away. You gently let go of her as your hand slid off her arm before it reached her hand. The warmth of her skin leaving you instantly.

She slowly turned to face you, her mouth inches from your face. Your eyes moved down to her rosy red lips and back up into wild blue eyes. God, you wanted to evaporate into those eyes and get lost in the sea current, but you pulled yourself out of the trance. You took a step back, putting some distance between the two of you.

“Your scratches, they look good. They’re healing nicely. I don’t think I need to put anything on them,” you said, not making eye contact with her. Afraid you’d be sucked back into those stellar eyes of hers.

“Oh, okay. That’s good.. Thanks for checking,” she said in a small voice. Disappointment was etched in her tone. You silently groaned in response. You just had to put your hands on her didn’t you? You had to get a hold of yourself. These lasting touches would only pull you in further.

“No problem,” you said as you backed out of the bathroom and shut the door, letting Aly get dressed in peace. You ran a hand through your messy hair and let out a long breath as you leaned up against the wall, contemplating every action you took just seconds ago. Your hand going down her arm slowly, capturing every single touch you could. Your hand almost grabbing her waist, your hot breath breathing down the base of her neck… You collected your thoughts and tried to compose yourself before walking back to your coffee. Trying your hardest to forget the way she looked in that short towel, her thighs screaming at you to touch them. Get a hold of yourself, man.

You sat back down in the chair at the table and finished your coffee, downing it in just a few seconds. The liquid was still warm and burned down your throat. The last drop was the strongest, just how you liked it. You sat the cup down and listened to the soft crackling of the fire. The sun was starting to set outside as the orange light started to fade behind dark clouds. The wind picked up as it howled against the cabin. You hoped Shimmer was warm enough in the hay. You’d see if you could find a blanket for her around here somewhere.

Aly came out a few minutes later from the bathroom. She was wearing a black tank top, black yoga pants, and a long purple flannel shirt. Her hair was still damp from the shower. She looked at you and then to the empty coffee cup on the table. “So how was the coffee?” she asked with a small laugh.

“Amazing. It was exactly what I needed.”

“I bet it was,” she laughed again. “Did you make one for me?”

You pointed to the brown cup on the counter. “Right there, I poured you a cup. Go on and try it.” You watched her walk to the cabinet, taking the cup in her hands. She looked down into the cup, but you couldn’t tell what the expression was that showed on her face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just I’m not the biggest fan of black coffee,” she said as she looked back down into the black liquid.

“For crying out loud just take a drink before you judge the coffee,” you rolled your eyes, annoyed with her already.

“Fine, fine. I’ll try it.” She slowly brought the cup up to her lips and took a sip. She gulped it down, and by her expression on her face she was trying to decide if she liked it.

“Well?” you asked, waiting for a reply.

“You know it’s a little strong for my taste, but it’s not bad. I could definitely learn to like this. It has a hint of hazelnut I think, which is one of my favorite flavors. So nice job making this. You weren’t so terrible after all,” she said with a nod and a small smile crept up to her lips.

“Thanks, I guess. Also, it looks like someone else joined the flannel club,” you said with a grin as you pointed to her purple flannel she had on.

“Oh this old thing? It’s warm and cozy. Thought it might be a little chilly tonight, so I wanted something warm,” she said as she pulled the flannel tighter around her.

“It suits you.” You stared into her eyes, and she stared back.

“Thanks.” She smiled shyly and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. You wondered what she’d look like in one of your plaid shirts…

You got up from the chair, it squeaked behind you as you pushed it back under the table. “I’m gonna go take a shower,” you said as you grabbed your backpack and headed into the bathroom. You could feel her eyes following as you slid into the bathroom, shutting the door and breaking any lingering eye contact that was there.

You turned the water to hot and let the water warm up before you hopped in the shower. You quickly got undressed and looked at yourself in the mirror. Specks of dirt and sweat were creased across your skin. Your facial hair was getting longer, so you’d be sure to trim that tonight with the scissors you had in your backpack. You’d deal with that mess after the shower though.

You stepped into the shower as the hot water hit your back. The water was steaming, and that’s exactly how you liked it. A bar of soap and a Dove shampoo bottle laid on the side of the tub. The shampoo was pretty full which surprised you. You’d take it though.

You pumped out some shampoo, and the white liquid landed in the palm of your hand. You lathered it through your greasy hair and massaged the cool liquid through your hair. You could feel the dirt falling out that was encased in your hair. God it felt so good to have some clean hair again. When was the last time you properly washed your hair? The thought made you sick to think about. You brushed it off as you rinsed your hair out.

The next thing you did was scrub your body head to toe with the bar of soap. You made sure to get every inch of dirt and dried blood off that you could see. You reveled in the hot water as you let your body relax. You could stay in here for hours, but you probably needed to see what Aly was up to. Before you got out of the shower, you washed out your dirty clothes and hung them up on the shower rack to dry. Finally a chance to have all clean clothes. You counted your blessings on how well this day had went.

You turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a white towel to dry off with. First you ran the towel through your wet hair, and then you dried the rest of your body. You wrapped the towel around your waist and got the scissors out of your bag. You wiped the steam covered mirror down until you could see your reflection. A clean face stared back at you. You got to work quickly with the scissors, trimming down your overgrown beard. After you were done, you washed the stray hairs down the sink and slicked back your dark hair, silver streaks running through different strands. You stared at yourself in the mirror, and you barely recognized the man standing in front of you. Being clean made a world of difference even for a man.

You found your toothbrush and toothpaste in your bag next and set them on the sink. You ran the water as you submerged the brush under water and squeezed out a dab of toothpaste on the green toothbrush. You took your time with the toothbrush, running it over and over in circles along every inch of your teeth. The minty flavor hit your tastebuds, springing them to life. You spit and rinsed with the sink water, erasing the toothpaste from your mouth. You rested your arms against the sink for a minute, looking back at your reflection. Dark eyes looked back at you. You lifted off the sink and reached inside the backpack. You got out a button up blue jean shirt, dark denim jeans and got dressed quickly. You rolled the sleeves up to your elbows and took one last look at yourself in the mirror. This was as good as it was going to get.

You opened up the creaky door and stepped into the other room. You found Aly sitting at the table, enjoying a can of open peaches as she shoved a spoonful in her mouth. She quickly swallowed as she saw you come out, eyeing you up and down.

“You clean up nice,” she said, nodding her head at you, a low whistle escaping her mouth.

“Yeah, yeah. Enough of that,” you laughed and shook your head at her.

“Feel better?” she asked as she took in another spoonful of peaches.

“Much.”

“Good.”

“And are you enjoying the peaches?” you nodded to the can that sat in her hands.

“Apparently. Want some?” she asked as she held out the can to you.

“I’m alright.”

“Suit yourself. They’re all mine now. You had your chance so don’t ask me later if there’s any more left,” she said as she took back the can, placing it next to her.

“Smartallic,” you said in response with a smirk on your face.

“Always,” she laughed back.

You shook your head and got the black sleeping bag unrolled and laid out on the floor, right next to the bed. You grabbed a pillow off the head of the bed and placed it on your sleeping bag. The pillow was soft and fluffy. You’d definitely sleep good tonight with your head on that. Out of the corner of your eye you found a stack of blankets. What was this place a miracle house? Everything you needed was turning up in here. You walked over to the small pile and picked up a thick brown blanket.

“I’m gonna take this out to Shimmer to make sure she’s warm enough for the night,” you said as you walked towards the front door.

“Good thinking,” she said as she finished off the can of peaches, throwing the can in the trash can under the sink.

You turned the doorknob and headed out into the darkness. The air was cold and snow was blowing around you. You should’ve put on your jacket, but you’d only be out here for a couple of minutes. Your boots crunched in the snow as you made your way back to Shimmer. She was laying in the hay, keeping warm and resting.

“Hey, girl.” You held your arm out to her and gently brushed through her mane with your hand. “That’s a good girl,” you said softly to her. You laid the thick blanket across her back. She neighed in response to the blanket, probably thanking you for the extra warmth. “Get some rest, girl. We still have a ways to go.” You gave her one last pat on the back and walked back towards the front door. You looked around cautiously making sure no one was watching in the distance. After surveying for a few seconds you went back in.

When you got back inside, you turned the lock on the door making sure no one would sneak in during the night. You looked towards the bed and Aly was already in it, her head on the pillow and body underneath the plaid red blanket. She looked over at you as you made your way to the sleeping bag. You sat down on the slick material and took your boots off, laying them together a few feet away from you.

“Everything good with Shimmer?” Aly asked as she shifted her weight in the bed.

“She’s fine. She’ll be warm for the night and she has a little shelter and water. I think she’s pretty content for the time being.”

“Good.”

“How’s the bed?” you asked curiously.

“I think it’s honestly the comfiest bed I’ve slept in since I was back in Seattle,” she said with a hint of a smile in her tone.

“Well, that’s a good sign then. This cabin has been way too convenient for my liking, but I’ll take what I can get,” you mentioned.

“You sure you don’t want the bed? I don’t mind. I could sleep on the floor.”

“No. I’m fine. You can have it tonight. Toss me one of those blankets and we’ll call it even.”

She got up from the bed and bent down to grab one off the floor. “Heads up,” she yelled as she tossed you a white fleece blanket. You caught it and placed it on top of you. The material was soft and warm, it felt as if it was brand new and never used.

“Thanks,” you said as you laid your head back on the pillow, soaking up the warmth of both the sleeping bag and the fleece blanket.

“No problem.” She went to turn off the lights before she came back towards the bed. She then jumped back into bed and got under the covers. The tiny fireplace was the only light now in the room. The orange and red flames danced along the logs, giving the room some extra warmth in the cold night.

You heard her settle into the sheets. Her weight shifting to the right side. You laid on your back and looked at the ceiling, trying to get comfortable in your sleeping bag. You finally found a comfortable angle and closed your eyes, listening to the wind blowing against the window. A few minutes passed and you were just about to drift off to sleep. Before you could, Aly interrupted.

“Joel?” she asked softly, shifting her weight more to the right of the bed. The side you were closest to.

“Hmm?” you hummed faintly.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead.” You opened your eyes and turned slightly to the left, waiting for her question.

“Were you and Tess…” her voice trailed off, not finishing her sentence.

“Were me and Tess what?” You tried not to sound bothered, but it came out that way anyways.

“Never mind,” she said as she twisted in bed.

“No, finish your sentence. Were me and Tess what?” you huffed out, tempted to sit up. You laid in place though.

“Were you guys like…together? I mean you lived in the same apartment.”

You didn’t say anything for a few seconds, trying to get your words together in your head. You and Tess. There had been something there. You couldn’t deny that. You weren’t serious though. It was just something casual. You two had each other’s backs. You looked out for one another. She was probably the only person you really trusted back at the Boston QZ. “We…umm…we weren’t really together. Not in that sense. She did mean something to me though. She was special. Someone I could trust. So she…she was kind of my person I guess. If that’s what you’re asking.”

Aly stayed quiet for a minute, turning once more onto her back. “Ahh I see. I figured,” she said quietly. “Are you planning on going back to the Boston QZ for her?” Her question was almost a whisper, barely audible.

You took a few seconds before answering. “No. I don’t plan on going back there. That place is dead to me.” You turned and faced the right side of the sleeping bag, eyes away from Aly. You pulled the blanket up under your chin and gripped the edge of the blanket with your right hand.

“Oh.” That’s all she said in response, silence taking over. You could feel the thickness of the air taking place around you. An invisible fog encasing the room. “Do you miss her?”

You weren’t expecting that question. Of course you missed her some days. She was a big part of your life at the Boston QZ. You two got close quick back then. You’d even shared your bed a couple times with her. Not in a sexual way, just to have someone there to hold. It did get lonely a lot of the time. You just needed something to keep you sane in that hell hole. To have a grip on reality before you drove yourself mad.

“Sometimes,” you answered in response.

She shifted in the bed, this time shifting away from you and laying on the left side of the bed. You knew that answer might upset her. It was the truth though. You didn’t want to lie to her. You huffed out a long sigh, just quiet enough for her not to hear you.

“I get it, Joel. You two were something. Maybe you shouldn’t have left her then. Maybe you should’ve brought her instead of me on this long trip.”

You gripped the blanket tighter, your hand almost going numb from how hard you were squeezing. You were fighting every single instinct to climb up into that bed and wrap her in your arms, pulling her body up against your chest. You didn’t move though. Your body frozen in place as you listened to the soft crackle of the fire as it still danced in different patterns in the corner of the room.

You wanted to tell her she was the one you really wanted. You and Tess might’ve had something before, but this was different. You felt things for this girl that you never had for anyone else and that scared the hell out of you. You’d been traveling a month together now, but every day drew you that much closer to her. You were fighting those feelings hard. Not wanting to admit you might actually care about someone else. Not wanting to fear losing that person every single day of your existence.

You heard her breathing softly up on the bed. Her breaths shallow and soft. You ever so carefully reached out your left arm and grazed the plaid blanket with your hand. You heard her lightly stir against the sheets, and you grabbed your arm away from the bed, tucking it back under your chin before she realized you were trying to reach out. You sighed and closed your eyes. Anticipation ran through you, your instincts telling you to get the hell out of that sleeping bag and get into the bed. You didn’t get up though. You just let the misery run through your body instead, regretting not getting up and being the man you knew you should be.

She obviously liked you. The way she’d playfully flirt occasionally, the way she wanted to be around you even when she acted like she despised you. There was something there. And you knew that’s why she was asking about Tess. She wanted to know if you still had feelings for her. Maybe she thought you’d go back for her if you still did. You wouldn’t ever go back there though. Not even if someone tried to drag you back. You were done being a smuggler for FEDRA. You didn’t want any part of that anymore. Tess chose to stay. That was on her. What mattered now was that you were out of that place, away from all of it.

Aly was now your new mission. At first maybe you were going to get rid of her the moment you found Tommy, but now it was different. Something shifted and you weren’t quite sure when that shift happened. What matters though is that it happened, and there was no going back to before. You clearly had feelings for this girl. As much as you didn’t want to show them, you were afraid you were slipping. Your insides about to show how you truly felt. But for now you’d continue to hide how you felt. You weren’t quite ready for whatever was going to happen next.

You were tired of fighting with yourself, so you let your body relax, releasing the grip on your blanket. You closed your eyes and focused on the howling wind and the sounds of the embers in the fire. Minutes passed and you slowly lost the fight with your mind, slipping away into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter 12

Series Masterlist

[mtnikolle]

A Potion for the Ages

For @kakairu-rocks KakaIru Valentine's Week 2024, Day 2 Prompt: Love Potion and @flashfictionfridayofficial prompt "Seal It Tight!"

Fandom: Naruto

Characters: lruka & Naruto

Pairing: lruka/Kakashi (future implied)

Word Count: 1092

It's (relatively) early on a Saturday morning in February when Iruka slips through the door of the Namikaze-Uzumaki household. The weather has been unusually warm for February, and everything outside is slippery from last night's freezing rain.

lruka quietly hangs his jacket (not his parka!) on a hook in the entrance, sets his boots on the mat, steps around Kakashi's backpack, and goes to find Naruto. Minato may or may not be home from work yet, and if he is, he'll be sleeping. Which is why he's here on a Saturday morning instead of his usual Thursday after school. Iruka is both surprised and worried that he doesn't hear Naruto. Naruto is loud at least 90% of the time that he's awake, and at—Iruka pulls his phone out to check—8:30 in the morning, there's no way Naruto isn't up.

Iruka pokes his head into several rooms, none of which hold Naruto, before he finally hears the babbling sound of a Naruto stream of consciousness ramble™️ coming from the kitchen.

lruka steps into the room and, even though Minato and Kushina said he didn't need to come until 9, wishes he'd arrived earlier. The kitchen was, well, not a <i>complete</i> disaster, but not far from it either. There are so many bottles of things from the fridge and cupboards on the countertops that lruka can't help but wonder if they are completely empty. The sink is full of dirty bowls, and there are puddles of… something on the floor and countertops.

Quietly, Iruka greets Naruto, “Hey, kiddo, whatcha up to?”

“Iruka!”

Naruto's whisper is so loud that it might as well be a shout.

"Is your dad home yet?”

“Yeah, he got home an hour ago. And Kakashi, that lazy bum, isn't up yet.”

Iruka snorts. Kakashi isn't remotely lazy, though Iruka understands why Naruto thinks he is.

“Did you have breakfast?”

Naruto grimaces, but nods.

“Dad made <i>so many</i> pancakes for supper last night!” Then he pouts. “We're gonna be stuck eatin’ ‘em ‘til Mom gets home!”

Iruka knows Kushina is gone for the next week, so this is definitely an exaggeration.

“What are you up to, then?”

“A potion to help Kakashi!” he exclaims.

“A potion?”

"Yeah!”

Iruka shushes Naruto before he gets even louder and wakes Minato. Naruto looks contrite for 0.25 seconds, but does continue more quietly.

“Me and Kakashi watched a movie last night—he let me stay up so late, it was awesome!—there was dragons and battles and wizards and witches—”

Iruka lets Naruto’s flood of words continue for a while, but none of them explain the mess in the kitchen or how any of it is supposed to help Kakashi, who is due to roll out of bed and stumble out the door late for work soon.

Eventually, Iruka interrupts, "Naruto. What does any of that have to do with this…?” Iruka gestures to the mess all around them.

“The sword guy had a crush on this sword girl, but she never even <i>noticed</i>, even though he was always talking stupid and turning red and watching her when they weren't fighting zombies!”

Iruka blinks in stunned confusion. Zombies? He thought it was dragons…

“So he went to this guy who made a potion so she would notice him and fall in love with him.”

Naruto sounds completely disgusted as he says those last few words, but he's also still young enough to believe that girls have cooties…

“Kakashi…?” Iruka prompts.

“Right. Mom said he has a crush. But he never does anything about it! Tch, lazy—”

“Naruto,” Iruka interrupts.

“Right. He needs <i>so much help</i>! So I'm making a potion so Kakashi can become awesome and the guy will notice him and fall in love.”

It's moments like this that show how much Naruto now sees Kakashi as his brother, rather than an interloper, because while Naruto’s tone expresses his disgust at the whole concept and how lacking he thinks Kakashi's person is for this, he <i>does</i> genuinely wanted to help. Which is cute, if misguided, but he decides to leave that conversation to Kakashi…

“And how is it going?”

Naruto sags. “Ugh. Not so good.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. We don't have any of the weird stuff the potion guy used, so I've been trying all kinds of stuff.”

That certainly explained all the bottles. Iruka decides to abandon the homework plan that was originally created for the morning and asks, “What can I do to help?”

Naruto actually pauses to think, and Iruka hears the front door close, so Kakashi definitely heard most of that. Iruka smirks as he imagines Kakashi playing along.

“It should be Valentinesy, I guess, maybe...?”

“That's a good idea. Maybe something chocolatey or sweet?”

Naruto's face lights up, “Yeah! And mom said something about being hot, so maybe spicy…?”

Iruka snickered, then sighed.

“Ok, well, we're going to need to clean this up before we can get started.”

Naruto makes a face, but doesn't argue, so Iruka starts putting bottles back in the cupboard, and Naruto grabs a dishcloth to start cleaning the spills.

🍾

Chocolate sauce.

Vanilla.

Honey.

Chili flakes.

Mustard powder.

Cinnamon.

They mix it all together in a clean bowl, and Naruto scoops some out for Iruka to taste. Iruka, having the advantage of knowing what's in it, doesn't grimace or wince once it goes into his mouth. He simply swallows and decides he's lucky that the flavours of the spices haven't had time to develop…

(Afterwards, he also adds some of Minato and Kushina's chocolate whiskey, but Naruto doesn't need to know about that.)

“Let's see if we can find a nice looking container for it, shall we?” lruka gives the concoction his seal of approval.

Before Iruka can stop him, Naruto jumps up, fist in the air, and shouts, “Yes!”

“Shhhh!”

“Sorry, sorry.”

“It's your dad you're going to need to apologise to if you wake him up,” is Iruka's stern response.

🍾

Together, they go and look through all of the vases, old perfume bottles, medicine bottles, water bottles, and food storage containers in the house. Nothing is quite good enough for Naruto. Naruto eventually hits the jackpot anyway with a little bottle in the recycling bin. Iruka thinks it was probably a sampler alcohol bottle Kushina brought home from her last business trip. The important thing is that it's cool looking enough for Naruto, and Iruka can wash and sterilise it.

🍾

“Seal it tight! You can give it to Kakashi when he gets home.”

Slyly, “Maybe <i>you</i> should give it to Kakashi instead.”

[hockeynoses]

Sick!Steve & platonic Chrissy: A College AU

Happy (Horny) Holidays!

Summary: Steve and Chrissy have a class together and Steve shows up with a terrible cold. The sequel is here!

Warnings: Mess, Contagion. 1.6k.

Notes: I wrote this as platonic Steve & Chrissy, but feel free to take it however you want. I felt like writing something from a woman’s perspective for a change. This is just another excuse to have Steve go through all my favorite kinky phrases about being sick. 😈

This story has two lines that pull from some posts on snzblr... One is from the “mess talk” post by sneezysubbyboi, and the other is the “I think I’m getting worse” post by poor-darling. Thank you for the inspiration!

---

Chrissy sits in the back of the lecture hall, idly doodling in her notebook. The desk next to her is empty, and she’s keeping an eye on the situation. Nobody has tried to sit there yet; at this point in the semester everyone sits in the same seats out of habit. She wonders what’s taking Steve so long.

They had met for the first time in class, had happened to sit next to each other on the first day. Since then, they’ve gotten to know each other well. Sharing notes, helping out with difficult homework assignments, and even collaborating on a group project.

The professor is so strict about attendance, and Chrissy really hopes that Steve isn’t about to blow this for himself. He already has close to the allowed max of no-shows.

Just as she’s about to get her phone out to text him, she sees him scurry over out of the corner of her eye.  He plops his backpack down on the floor, letting himself fall into his chair gracelessly. He’s nearly out of breath and must’ve run to get here on time.

“You made it!” Chrissy says, relieved.

“I did,” he says, still panting. “Thagk god.”

Now that she’s able to get a better look at him, she can see that his nose is bright red. His face is flushed from his run and the winter weather, but this seems like it might be something more.

He shrugs his jacket off, the shoulders dusted with snowflakes that have now melted into tiny damp spots. He runs a hand through his hair, grateful that it’s not too wet from the snow. Shivering the chill weather out of his system and soaking up the heat inside the lecture hall, he rubs his hands together to warm them.

“Did you run here?” she asks even though she knows the answer already.

“Yeah.” He sniffs and wipes his nose on the back of his hand. “I slept in by acciden’d. I cad’t believe I albost m’bissed another class.”

He does look tired, Chrissy thinks. The puzzle pieces start to slot together when Steve pulls out a full-sized box of tissues from his backpack and sets it on his desk.

“Um…” she says, eyeing the box curiously.

“Ugh, I amb so sick,” he says miserably, confirming her suspicions.

“Oh no!” She gives a sympathetic frown. “It does seem like there’s always something going around this time of year.”

“Yeah, like all of bmy roobmates are sick right n’dow,” he says as he pulls his first tissue from the box. “Itd was on’dly a matter of time’b.”

He takes a deep breath and blows his nose. Chrissy winces at the full, crackling sound. People are still chatting around them, so the noise isn’t carrying like it will when the class is silently listening to the teacher. Still, Steve doesn’t seem to be too self-conscious about it. Maybe he’s too sick to care at this point. Chrissy tries to imagine herself attending class with an entire box of tissues on her desk and doesn’t think she’d have the guts.

“Bad timing, with finals coming up,” she says.

“Right?” He drops the soiled tissue on his desk and reaches for another one. “I really don’d have time’b to be sick ri-ihhh-ght SNF right dow- hih’EHTSSCHHH!” She can hear the congestion gushing into the tissue and raises her eyebrows at him.

“Whoa, you really don’t sound good, Steve,” she says. “You should probably be at home in bed. Did you ask the professor about it?”

Steve wipes his chapped nose with the tissue a couple times. “D’no, I didn’t even try. You k’dnow how strict he is. Idt probably wouldn’t have worked and’yway. Heh…hh’ERSSSHHHoo!” He curls forward with the strength of it.

“You could have tried, at least…”

Gathering up the soggy tissues, he shoves them in an empty compartment in his backpack. He grabs his notepad and pen and sets them on what little space is left on his desk.

She hears the scrape of cotton against cardboard as he pulls another kleenex from the box in preparation. Giving another waterlogged sniffle and scrubbing his nose with his palm, he says, “I really couldn’t mbiss anod’ther class. I – heh…eh…hih’KKSSSHHHuh! Ugh.” He groans and clears his throat. “If I have to take this class againd I’ll lose mby bmind.”

“You sound so bad,” Chrissy says, “If I’d have known, I would have brought you tea or something.”

His glassy, tired eyes meet hers with a kind look. “Thaggs, Chrissy.” He keeps the tissue pressed to his nose as he snuffles into it. “I’ll be alrighd’t, though.”

“If you say so…” she says with a compassionate look. From what she already knows of Steve, he’s a strong guy and can power through a lot of stuff. She wishes he didn’t have to, though.

“I wend to the campus clinic to get checked out and they said it was juu-huhhh… hih… HA-AETTCCCHHuh!  SNF – Jusdt a bad cold.” That one looked particularly messy, and she watches him clean himself up before reaching for a fresh tissue to bury his nose into, unleashing a gurgling blow in an attempt to clear out his sinuses. She figures it’s a futile effort at this point.

“Ugh, sorry these are so b’messy. I can’t even do an’dything aboud idt.” He gives a productive sniffle, as if to prove his point. “I’ve been’d so stuffed up for like, days. Heh...ha-ERRIISSSHHHoo! ISSSHHH’IEW!” Two harsh sneezes covered successfully by a bundle of kleenex, followed by another long-suffering blow. The poor boy looks miserable.

A chair creaks to their right and they both look over. The guy who had been sitting in the desk next to Steve has gathered his things up and is sneaking off to a safer area far, far away. Steve pouts internally as his ego takes a hit, but he can’t really blame him. He turns back to Chrissy and they share a look.

“You probably don’t wadda sit so close to be. Nod whed’n I’b thi-ihhh-ss…ha… hih’ERRSHOO! …sick,” he finishes, groaning into the tissue.

“I’ll take my chances,” she says with a warm smile. Having grown up with siblings, there isn’t a lot that grosses her out, and at this point she doesn’t know how much difference a couple feet of distance would make anyway.

“If you’re sure,” he says with a liquid sniffle. “Ha-KISSHH-ahh!” Another relentless sneeze that ends on a long, drawn-out sigh. “’Scuse be,” he says, voice breathless and deep. He gives a couple soft blows into the mass of tissues before scraping back and forth at his damp nostrils.

“I really don’d wand to get anyond else sick because this is the worst cold I’ve -heh- ehhh-ver h-had- Hih’RIIISHHuh!” His head snaps forward into the waiting bundle of spent tissues. “SNF! Ugh, sorry. They’re really loud, too,” he says, right before a wretched noseblow that he seems surprisingly unconcerned about the volume of.

Chrissy’s eyes dart around the room, taking note of a couple judgmental glances directed towards him. She offers them an apologetic smile on his behalf. Steve, however, seems undaunted, his sorry state causing him to be distracted and blasé about the whole thing.

“At least at this poindt I’ve gotten preddy good at covering thebm.” Gesturing to the soaked tissues in his hand, he crumples them up into a ball before leaning over to hide them away in his backpack.

A laugh bubbles out of her. “Well, that’s something at least. Practice makes perfect?”

Steve nods, “And I’ve had a lod of pracdice.” Sitting back up, he drags the back of his hand under his raw nose, already dripping again. “It’s a good thing too… snrk because these are so fugking bmessy…iihh…” A hazy look crosses his face as he scrubs his palm across the tip of his nose, trying to dispel the pesky itch. “Shitd – ndot hiihh- agaidn!”  He fumbles for a tissue, cupping his bare hand over his face just in time to contain a wet, spraying, “Hih’KKISSH-ah!” that bursts out of him. “God, sorry, that one cambe out of nowhere.”

She barely gets a glimpse of his palm, covered in tendrils of mess before he’s able to mop it all up with a tissue. He sets the wet kleenex on his desk and closes his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers in an effort to massage the pressure out of his sinuses.

A glazed look crosses his features. “I thigk rudding here in the snow is m’baking by cold- heh… worse! …ehh… heh’EHRUSSHHoo! ihh’TTSCHH! hiiih’AETTCHHuh!” The full-bodied sneezes rip through him, leaving him gasping for breath. Not having enough time to cover, he’d twisted away from Chrissy, openly spraying the space to his right; the seat their classmate had luckily just vacated.

That guy dodged a bullet, Chrissy thinks as she tries to control the look of shock on her face.

“Shit, sorry!” Covering his face with his cupped hand, (A little late for that, she thinks,) he pulls two tissues from the box. He gets halfway through blowing his nose before he’s interrupted by another scraping double- “Hep’TSCCHOO!  Huh…heh’YEETTCHH’tshoo!”

He sighs, groaning in defeat, face still buried in the bundle of cotton. “Baybe I should justd keeb these over mby face this whole tim’be,” he says, gesturing with the already soggy bunch of tissues pressed to his face. “Mby dose is rudding so buch I don’t even have a choice- hih’EHTIISSHH!” The sneeze bursts from him so suddenly that he surely wouldn’t have been able to cover in time if he hadn’t already been doing so.

“I think that’s the only option you have left, at this point…” Chrissy says, settling in for what was sure to be an eventful lecture.

[fqiryspit]

𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 ; 𝐞.𝐣𝐚𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐫

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠?

.

summary: y/n went to bed to fall into a new world where she met a boy, Eren. every night she would spend with this imaginary boy, but what happens when one wants to stop dreaming?

playlist

Chapter 8: 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙣𝙞𝙖

masterlist

Eren Yeager x Female Reader. College!AU

.

your body jolted awake, sweat dripping from your hair as you have just awoken from another nightmare

they just keep getting worse

you check the time...5:30 am, way earlier than you'd ever get up, but you know you aren't falling back to sleep anytime soon.

your eyes scan the darkroom, looking much eerier when all the lights are out

it's almost uncanny, everything in place, right where it should be but something isn't right

maybe it's you that's out of place

you shake your head and decided maybe it's not the best idea to stay here, at least until Sasha wakes up

your feet slowly slid off the bed, ears finally popping at some sorta sound

you're looking around like a serial killer is about to finally pop out of nowhere, but...nothing

there's absolutely nothing

It's so weird,

it's almost like you're the only one awake

*

ᵉʳᵉⁿ'ˢ ᵖᵒᵛ 

His dry eyes stared at the ceiling of his dorm, wide awake. he didn't get a wink of sleep

my insomnia is coming back

after the longest time, it's slowly creeping in again

you were his antidote, but his remedy was taken away

his red  sleep-deprived eyes traveled to the alarm clock on his nightstand, the numbers 5:30 screaming at him

"Might as well just get up now" he mumbled as he slipped out of bed, rushing over to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face

he stared at his dripping features and eyebags that seemed to darken with each day

opening the medicine cabinet, he scooped up the eye drops and squirted them into his orbs

his now clear eyes caught an orange bottle from the back of the cabinet, temazepam, the medication he was prescribed when he couldn't sleep...

he stared at the medication for a few moments before closing the cabinet and getting dressed

he won't let it get that bad again.

wearing a dark green shirt with dim gray jeans and a black jacket on top, styling his hair in a low bun and spritzing his perfume on, the vanilla musky scent filling his lungs before exiting the dorm

*

ʸ/ⁿ'ˢ ᵖᵒᵛ

you take one good look at your outfit before you go, the dark wash jeans meeting your converse and a black long sleeve with the top of your white bralette peeking out. you make sure everything's in place before quickly twirling in the mirror, you hand yanks the cap of your perfume off before spraying it on yourself, the warm jasmine scent calming you before you grab your bag and head out the dorm

walking towards the cafe you looked up to the dark cloudy sky, your nose pink from the subtle cold, taking comfort in the weather

you practically skip down the sidewalk, right at the edge of the dark forest, your eyes get drawn to the thick trees that seem to go on forever, you get gitty as you start thinking about all the urban legends you've heard on the creatures of the forest

your eyes suddenly meet the building of the cafe, you open the doors and get hit with the sweet scent of the pastries 

"welcome in!"

*

ᵉʳᵉⁿ'ˢ ᵖᵒᵛ

His shoes hit the pavement as he sped walked to the cafe, eyes focused on the ground as he tries not to think about the urban legends of the forest right beside him

shivering at the thought of a skinwalker hopping out of the deep woods to attack him, or try to mimic his voice, trying to lure him deeper in the forest-

"Eren?" He jumped at the noise, head shooting up to only see Mina

"oh- heh, hey" He calmed down as he realized that he was overreacting

"sorry, didn't mean to scare you! What are you doing up this early?" she smiled as gripped her hot coffee 

"O-oh, I just wanted to go for a walk and stop by the cafe" he said as he buried his hands in his pockets

"Oh, how fun! I just got back from it! I love walking there in the morning" she grinned and Eren forced a quick smile before mumbling a 'yeah'

"Y-You know...I was wondering when our next date would be..." she said, face red as she stuttered 

"Right, Uhm, Well I'm free all week. you can just text me when" He said and she practically lit up

"Really? Perfect! I'll be sure to text you!" She grinned as her grip on the poor coffee tightened

"perfect." He said when giving Mina a smile, they bid their goodbyes before walking off, Eren sighed as he saw the cafe in the distance

"finally"

*

 ʸ/ⁿ'ˢ ᵖᵒᵛ

Sasha: DID YOU GET KIDNAPPED?

you read as you waited for your coffee, giggling as you felt relief wash over you, she was awake and you can go back home

"Order for Y/n!" You turn and scooped up the hot coffee before paying and walking out of the cafe. taking a sip of your coffee, the searing taste burned your throat but otherwise, it tasted amazing

the fresh scent of rain filled your senses as you started speed walking home 

you pulled out your phone, quickly texting Sasha

Y/n: Yes, they're holding me hostage at the cafe 🙁

*

ᵉʳᵉⁿ'ˢ ᵖᵒᵛ 

"welcome in!"

Eren smiled at the sudden scent of coffee and warm treats, walking over to the barista and telling her his order 

he leaned against the table as he was gonna make this quick

*

 ʸ/ⁿ'ˢ ᵖᵒᵛ

Sasha: you went...WITHOUT ME?1!1!

Y/n: fine, what do you want?

Sasha: Caramel Frappuccino with extra caramel drizzle and a chocolate croissant PLEASE

Y/n: ...ok <3

You turn and started walking back to the cafe

*

ᵉʳᵉⁿ'ˢ ᵖᵒᵛ 

"Order for Eren!" The barista called out, Eren thanked her and paid, about to walk out when he saw it started raining, deciding to just take a seat and wait for the rain to pass

he pulled out the chair and scrolled through his phone as the rain roared against the widow he had his head resting on

*

 ʸ/ⁿ'ˢ ᵖᵒᵛ

you walked back to the cafe until a droplet landed on your phone screen

"Shit" you mumbled as you started feeling rain trickle down your hair, deciding fuck Sasha because you weren't gonna go home cold with watery frappuccino and have to shower

you turn back and started running back to your dorm.

meeting up with a pissy Sasha, because now she has to go all the way to the cafe by herself to get a drink 

"You're a big girl, I'm sure you can handle it" You grinned as she whined. 

the storm raging outside the window as you sat in the living room was a nice touch as you both watched Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai

"If I ever go Invisible, promise me you'll buy me food like him" She said and you giggled

"I'm serious!" she mewled

"Ok Sash, I promise" you smile at her and went back to watching the show

but you couldn't shake off the feeling of something being off

maybe you shouldn't have turned away from the cafe?

but why? what was so important that your body couldn't shake off?

I guess we'll never know.

Chapter 9

˜"*°•.˜"*°• see you soon •°*"˜.•°*"˜

an: goodness gracious the switch of povs is nauseating. ANYWAY!! heyyyyy shawtyyyy this post is literally just for @z3r0art

[galateagalvanized]

Thunder, Penny and Sparrow

For Prompt #5, from @elwenyere—thank you, dear! For others, this story is part of the ‘verse I started in this fill, which isn’t necessary to read but might be informative ;) 

If it hadn’t been raining, Cody would never have bothered with his family’s carriage.

Thunder rolls like the crashing of waves on the other side of the windows, and rain beats a frantic tattoo on the warped glass. Cody draws the curtains closed and leans back in his chair, unwilling to watch the dancing orange lights in the distance grow any larger.

Perhaps, he thinks with a fatalism that he never would’ve tolerated on his ship, the weather will chase away all the family’s potential guests. Perhaps he will arrive at his cousin’s manor sopping wet and alone, and Rex will invite him in for revitalizing glass of tihaar, and they can sit by the fire and trade stories from long summers spent dunking each other in the duck pond, until Cody heads back to his parents’ estate, exactly as much of a bachelor as he is now.

The first rattle mostly blends into the thunder, and it makes Cody sigh over the state of the roads in Concord Dawn. The second rattle makes him sit up, concerned that an axle might be loose.

On the third rattle, the door opens.

Cody startles backwards, draws his pistol, cocks it, and finds himself unable to pull the trigger on whoever could be insane enough to enter a four-horse carriage hurtling down muddy, broken roads.

“Ah,” the thief from yesterday says. The barrel of his own pistol never wavers from Cody’s heart. “Hello there. Are you following me?”

Cody blinks, then laughs.

“Isn’t that my line?” he asks with surprising fondness.

Behind the thief, white-blue lightning forks across the sky, illuminating the back of his cloak in oil-slick pools of light. Rain splatters into the carriage’s enclosure, pooling along the leather.

In the ensuing thunder, Cody makes a decision, slides back along the seat, and makes room.

“Well?” he says as he tucks his pistol away. “You coming in or not?”

The man hesitates one second, then another, then slides in next to Cody. He shuts the door with a click, and the rain and thunder beat a softer tune.

At the front of the carriage, a small door slides open.

“Everything well, young master?” the postillion asks. “Thought I heard the door open.”

Cody keeps his eyes locked on his guest’s as he says, “Just wanted some fresh air.”

“…right you are, sir,” the man says, and the shutter closes once more.

“Okay, what am I missing?” the thief says. “I have to admit, I may not be the most experienced highwayman, but I do think it’s not supposed to go like this.”

But even in saying so, he lets the hood of his cloak fall to his shoulders, and he runs a hand through damp, dark brown hair. It mostly sticks where he sets it except in a few strands that drape themselves, resisting, along the line of his forehead.

“You need to rob someone,” Cody says, trying not to stare at the water droplets winding their way down the man’s neck. This is not the time nor the place. “I need to be robbed. I thought we could come to some accord.”

“You need to be—my dear, many people need to be robbed, but very few of them would ever admit to it,” the man marvels. “Pray tell me, why do you need to be robbed?”

“I can’t think of a better excuse to not go to a party than to be stripped of my clothes and my coin purse on the way over. Can you?” Cody says, reaching for the buttons on his suit jacket.

His skin heats up even in the howling cold as the man’s eyes follow Cody’s fingers with rapt attention, his pupils dark even in the next flash of a lightning strike.

“It must be some party,” he says softly. “Whose is it?”

Cody laughs. “Technically? Mine.”

When he’s finished, Cody folds his jacket over his arm and raises an eyebrow, taunting, daring—

Hoping.

And there’s a heady mixture of heat and challenge in the man’s gaze when he raises his eyes and his pistol and he says, “Then, darling: your money, or your life?”

[after-witch]

Bright Lights [Chapter 3] [Small Spaces Sequel]

Title: Bright Lights [Chapter 3] [Small Spaces Sequel]

Synopsis: Sam goes home after school to have a serious, life-changing sit-down conversation with her mom about going to the circus, only to find the Battersby's car is in the driveway... on a Thursday. Unexpectedly.

notes: This chapter is about 4000 words so oof almost 4x longer than the previous chapters. Still trying to figure out the sweet spot for chapter length with these.

CHAPTER A03 LINK

I’m going to get home just in time for dinner, Sam thought. 

The streets were lined with autumn-tinged trees, all golds, oranges and reds, mingled with the lingering green of summer. The street-lights weren’t on, and the sidewalks held scattered signs of life. Parents taking a walk with fussy children in strollers; an old man with his dog that looked just as ancient as he did. 

And a teenager, walking home from school, hands stuffed in her pockets and worries settled deep in her gut. 

It wasn’t dark out yet, but that would start to change in a few weeks. And it was usually around that time that her mom insisted on picking Sam up from school on days she stayed late; because of the weather, or so she said. 

But for now, she could walk home, and it was better this way. Especially after this morning–and especially because of what she wanted to ask when she got home. 

She usually stayed after school in the fall to help out with prep for the upcoming school play. This year, they were doing a modern retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Sam thought it was too bad that Owen was too shy to audition; he would’ve made a great Mad Hatter.

But right now, Sam was thinking less about Owen’s stage fright and more about what she was going to say to her mom. She rounded the last corner to her street, and didn’t have much more time to think about it.

What was she going to say? It was hard to come up with a plan when she’d spent the last few years being given stricter rules. While her friends were getting later curfews and more freedom, Sam’s mom was treating her like a little kid.

Don’t go out after dark in the fall. You could get lost.

You can’t go to a bonfire party in the summer. Something could happen. 

If you’re not skiing at the Battersby’s, you’re not skiing anywhere. 

No, I don’t care that your friend’s houseboat has life jackets. If there aren’t parents and there isn’t a curfew, it’s not happening.

It was totally nonsensical. It wasn’t like Sam was a bad kid. She never got detention, did her homework. She wasn’t even sneaking out and drinking like some kids her age.. Well–Owen had let her and Elisa taste some whiskey that his dad left in an unlocked cabinet once, but it tasted nasty and she had no desire to try it again)

So what on Earth could she say to her mom that might change her mind? 

The gray clouds blanketing the sky didn’t help with her increasingly gloomy thoughts; if anything, it felt like the world was reflecting her mood. Sour. Frustrated. And above all, anxious.

Because she was going to take Owen up on his advice. She was going to go home, sit down with her mom, and plead her case for the circus field trip. 

Did she know what she was going to say? No. Was she confident that it would work? Also no.

But if she could just convince her mom to let her go on the trip, maybe she could convince her mom to loosen the reins in other ways. She could stay out later, do fun things with friends that didn’t require exchanging parental contact information and a million check-ins.

And maybe she’d start to feel like a real teenager and not some picture perfect wallflower; someone who acted more like a goody-two-shoes little kid than a teen who was going to be an adult in a few years.

One step at a time, Sam, one step at a time.

Speaking of one step–Sam stopped just before the steps leading up to the Egg. Parked behind her mom’s shiny SUV and her grandpa’s beat-up car that he didn’t drive anymore was a familiar blue van. On the back of it were bumper stickers in varying shades of disrepair, including a prominent sticker that said I’D RATHER BE PLAYING CHESS.

Sam’s stomach felt like it was getting pulled in a million directions.

Aunt Coco and uncle Brian were visiting for dinner. On a weekday. Unexpectedly. 

Would that help or hurt her case? Could she even try to sit down with her mom with them here? Maybe she should just give up on the plan, accept she wasn’t going to the circus next week, and get on with her life.

What life? You never get to do anything.

The thought came almost unbidden to Sam’s mind. 

But the thought was on the right track. If she didn’t at least try to convince her mom, she’d probably be mad at herself forever. 

And maybe aunt Coco and uncle Brian would stick up for her. They weren’t as strict as her mom with their kids, and the twins were way younger than Sam. And her mom was a lot more likely to let Sam do things if Coco and Brian were involved; she seemed to trust them more than anyone else. 

Their appearance at dinner could be a good thing, after all. At least, Sam hoped it would be. 

Taking a breath, she gripped the straps of her backpack, shifted its weight on her shoulders, and walked inside the house–

Where she was immediately tackle-hugged by her two highly energetic cousins, excitedly chanting her name on repeat. They always acted like they hadn’t seen her for ages, even though she saw them at least once a week at Sunday family dinners. 

James and Charlotte Battersby were 8 years old. If you were to ask them, they would say that they loved being twins, but hated being the same. Which is probably why their parents never forced them into matching outfits and even let them have birthday parties on different days. James liked painting and had an entire wall dedicated to his growing murals. Charlotte was, despite her young age, a rather terrifying force during elementary school field hockey matches.

“Hey, hey,” said Sam, smiling as she gave the twins a squeeze. “Don’t knock me over. I’m so tired from school that I might not get back up again.” She put her hand on her forehead and pretended to feel faint. 

The twins backed up and gave Sam some space. But before she could leave the entryway to drop her backpack off in front of the stairs, the twins planted their feet firmly in front of her. They didn’t move, even when Sam tried to sidestep them.

“Excuse me,” she said with a laugh in her voice. “I’d like to get into my own house now. Preferably sometime before spring.”

But James and Charlotte only looked at one another in the special way they sometimes did. Coco once told Sam that she thought they might actually be able to talk telepathically, but Sam couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. 

“Are you in trouble?” asked Charlotte after a moment. She was studying Sam’s face too seriously for her age. 

Sam’s heartbeat skidded inside her chest.

“Um, no.” She swallowed hard. “I mean, I don’t think so. Why would you say that?”

The twins looked at one another again, and then Charlotte nodded at her brother. He cleared his throat and leaned in, whispering. 

“I heard your mom call our mom, and your mom asked if my mom and dad would come over for dinner tonight even though it’s not the weekend, because she was worried about you.” James frowned. “Or did she say she was worried about something happening to you?” He sighed, and his eyebrows furrowed together.. “And she said something about a man…” He looked at Charlotte. “I can’t remember the rest. It was super weird though, right?” 

Charlotte shrugged, but Sam thought inexplicably that maybe Charlotte did remember what her mom said on the phone and just didn’t want to say. What did James mean, “a man”? 

Was her mom talking to Coco and Brian about her dad? Was this about the divorce? Or–was there something else? Something her mom wasn’t telling her, and Coco and Brian knew about it? It wouldn’t be the first time she felt like they were keeping secrets. Most adults did. 

Then she shook her head, feeling stupid. What a strange thing to think. Her mom had probably called aunt Coco because she and Sam had really been butting heads lately. The circus field trip stunt this morning was just the last straw.  

“Sammers!” 

Despite the knot in her stomach, Sam couldn’t help but grin when she turned to face the doorway leading into the dining room and kitchen. Even though she saw them at least once a week, her uncle Brian and aunt Coco always had that effect on her. Especially Coco. Heck, Coco had that effect on most people. She was like a ray of sunshine personified. If you weren’t feeling great, you could always count on Coco to make you feel better. 

Ollie hovered behind the pair as they gave Sam warm hugs and herded her and the twins into the dining room, where dinner was being dished out by grandpa Roger. Sam was glad to see him up and about. He had a stroke a few years ago, before they moved back to Evansburg. That was why they lived with him now. He’d come a long way since then, but there were still days where he had trouble walking or remembering things. Small things, usually. But sometimes big ones, too. 

Today, though, he was all grins as heaped spaghetti into everyone’s bowls and set down plates of bread. Sam took a sniff. It was fresh bread–warm, inviting. It smelled like the Egg ought to smell, she thought. He’d been in the kitchen that afternoon, for sure. Probably insisted on baking it once he heard Coco, Brian and the twins were coming over. 

No one wasted time digging in–his food was simply that good. 

“I wanted to make a roast,” Roger said suddenly. “But I didn’t have time to defrost one with such short notice. What’s the special occasion, anyway?”

He looked at Ollie, but she didn’t answer. 

Coco quickly twirled spaghetti around her fork and took a grateful bite. 

“That’s okay, dad, your spaghetti is my favorite. It was mom’s favorite, too.” 

Roger got a soft look on his face all of the sudden, looking at Coco with an expression Sam couldn’t quite place. Then he wiped his eyes, and Sam’s heart clenched. 

Sam didn’t remember much about Coco’s mom–Sam’s grandma Zelda. She died when Sam was only 5. But she remembered how much her grandpa loved her. Loves her still–and loves Ollie, and Brian, and his grandkids. Sometimes she wondered if he still loved her dad, but it wasn’t something she really wanted to ask him. 

The conversation around dinner was pleasant, but Sam felt like there was a conversation waiting in the wings, stretched tighter and tighter as the meal went on. Everyone here knew something was up–even the twins. It was just a matter of waiting for the thin ice to break. 

“So,” Coco suddenly said in a clear voice, turning towards Sam. “Your mom tells me you want to go to a circus?”

Brian choked on his drink, and the twins looked at one another with a knowing glance. Ollie finally looked up from her spaghetti–first at Coco, and then at Sam. 

Sam tucked a loose curl that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear, and nodded.

“Um.” She twirled spaghetti around her fork, but didn’t take a bite. “Yeah. It’s a field trip next week. We even get extra credit for it.” She paused. “But I honestly don’t care about the extra credit. I just think it’d be neat to go for once, you know?.” 

She shoved her fork in her mouth, and talked through her bite. Though had the quick decency to cover her mouth with her hand, but only because Coco gave her a familiar look that meant “I’m trying to teach my feral twins tableside manners, please don’t blow it.” 

“It’s called Mr. Elim’s circus, and they’ve got like, everything. Acrobats and animals and fire breathers. It says so on the poster.” 

“Can we see the poster?” asked Brian.

Sam’s heart soared. “Of course!” She dashed away from the table–sorry, aunt Coco, table manners have to be set aside sometimes–and came back with the slightly crinkled advertisement. 

Brian took it and held it out for Coco and Ollie to see. They studied it for what felt like forever. Even the twins leaned up in their seats to get a look at it. 

“Animals,” James mouthed, while Charlotte stared at the figure of the ringmaster.

Finally, Brian set the poster down and nodded at Coco, who smiled kindly in a way that made Sam’s shoulders start to relax. 

“Can I ask you a few questions about the field trip?”

Sam nodded. This was a good start, she thought. A rational discussion. Not spur-of-the-moment rejection.

“Where’s it being held?” 

“The old fairgrounds.” 

Both Coco and Brian glanced at Ollie, who suddenly had a strange, pinched expression on her face. 

“You don’t like carnivals, Ollie-pop,” said Roger, quietly. 

Olile looked at her dad with an almost startled expression, which she quickly smoothed over into a tight smile. 

“Nah, not anymore. I’m so old the tilt-a-whirl just makes me puke, you know?”

Charlotte and James simultaneously said ewww but Sam only thought, strangely but strongly, that her mom wasn’t telling the truth. 

But she didn’t dwell on it long, because Coco looked back at Sam, and continued her line of questioning.

“Do you know how your school heard about it?”

What a weird question, Sam thought. But at least her aunt was listening to her, not dismissing her outright like her mom usually did when it came to things like this. 

“The school got a flier or something like that,” she answered. “My teacher said one of our rival high schools went to the same circus last year, but this circus hasn't been to Evansburg in a while.” 

“Do they have a website?” Ollie asked suddenly, with a quiet and almost serious urgency. It made Sam’s stomach start to feel queasy again, which was especially unfortunate, given that grandpa Roger had made one of her favorite dishes.

“No,” Sam said slowly, after a moment. She wished that they did have a website. She looked it up earlier, hoping to gain some intel that she could use in her conversation with her mom. But they didn’t even have a Facebook page, much less a real website or any other social media. 

“But,” she said, seeing the way her answer made her mom’s frown pinch tighter, “My teacher said it was a really old-school circus that mainly goes to small towns. They probably don’t have to bother with websites since they’re not some big fancy company.”

The answer didn’t seem to satisfy her mom, but Coco smiled at Sam, which made the pit in her stomach recede again. 

“That would make sense, if they tend to stick to small towns. How long would you be at the circus? Is it an all-day thing?”

Sam shook her head. “Nope, just until the afternoon. We’d be getting on the bus in the morning, going to see the morning show, then coming back in time for lunch at school.” 

Coco nodded. Sam wished she knew what answers her aunt–or rather, her mom–wanted. Instead, there was a feeling like she was in limbo, wondering if she was going to end up in the red or green with each answer she gave. 

“And will there be a teacher or chaperone with you the whole time? Or are they letting you sit by yourselves?”

“We’re all staying together–” 

“That doesn’t matter,” Ollie interrupted. “You know that doesn’t matter, Coco.” 

Coco pressed her lips together and, for a moment, looked uncharacteristically serious. Like she was remembering something unpleasant. 

“True. But it’s better than wandering on their own, don’t you think? Just a little safer?”

Ollie sighed, while Coco just leaned back a little in her chair. 

“So,” she said, using a voice that Sam liked to call her teacher voice, “let’s sum up. The field trip is to a circus that sticks to small towns. You’ll be leaving in the morning and coming back by lunch. Everyone is staying with the teacher the whole time.” 

Sam shoved a nervous bite of spaghetti into her mouth. The taste was good but overpowered by her rattled nerves. She nodded, and mumbled mm-hmm as she chewed the noodles. 

“Well…” Coco turned towards Sam’s mom, and her expression went from prim teacher to soft and concerned. “What do you think, Ollie?” 

Ollie sighed and put her face in her hand for a few long moments. Even the twins had stopped their side-chatter with grandpa Roger, who started to reach out towards Ollie, but stopped when she looked up and leaned over to stare again at the poster.

“I know you want to go to the circus, Sam,” she said, and Sam knew what answer was coming before Ollie even said it. How many times had she heard her mom talk in that tone of voice?

“But you won’t let me,” Sam finished for her. 

Ollie swallowed, and reached her hand out across the table towards Sam’s own. Sam didn’t move to meet her mother’s touch. 

“It’s not that simple,” Ollie said. “I know you’re disappointed.”

Anger began to bubble inside Sam’s gut. Her shoulders tensed until they actually hurt. 

“What’s not simple? It’s a circus. What could happen at a circus?”

Ollie, Brian and Coco looked at each other at the same time, and Sam felt like she wanted to shout. There it was again, some unspoken bond between them, something they didn’t share with Sam or anyone else. 

Coco reached out and touched Ollie’s arm, and Ollie’s expression changed.

“There are… reasons I can’t let you go,” Ollie said softly.

“What reasons?” Sam and the twins all said at the same time. Sam, frustrated. The twins, curious and curiouser. 

Ollie gave Coco a look and Coco gave Brian a look and Brian gave the twins a look. They grabbed their half-finished plates of spaghetti and headed into what had once been a fancy parlor, but was now a sort of playroom-spareroom. Roger told the twins to wait for him, and they scampered back to help him up. 

“Remember,” he said, slowly but steadily making his way with the twins out of the dining room, “We don’t go to bed angry in this house, okay?”

“I know, dad,” Ollie said, her voice and face softer as she watched her dad carefully make his way out of the dining room.

“What reasons?” Sam repeated. The anger was gone now, replaced by the tired injustice she’d been feeling all day. 

Coco opened her mouth, and then shut it. She looked at Ollie, but Ollie only stared ahead at Sam. She looked so tired, Sam thought. She knew her mom was tired. Weren’t all moms tired? Even the ones who weren’t raising teens in their childhood towns and taking care of their dads and working at a job they weren’t eager to do. 

Ollie kept her hand in the middle of the table. It looked silly, Sam thought. She was probably wanting to see if Sam would take her hand. Stubbornness kept her hands pressed down in her lap.

“I…” Ollie began. But she shook her head. “I can’t tell you. Not now. Maybe when you’re older. Just know that they’re good reasons. I’m not trying to be some crazy strict mom, Sam. Really.”

Sam’s fingers dug into her thigh. “You’re not trying very hard,” she mumbled.

“Sam,” Brian said. Sam got the impression that Brian would throw himself in front of a car if one were barreling right for her mom. Or her aunt Coco. And they’d do the same for each other. 

Sam was used to her mom rebuking her, but not her uncle Brian. Her cheeks got heated and she stared down at her partially eaten dinner plate.

“I never get to do anything. I never get to go anywhere.”  She didn’t care that she sounded whiny. It was justified whining, in her opinion. More than justified. 

“You went to the movies with your friends last week,” her mom said. 

“Yeah,” Sam replied. “Because I wasn’t allowed to go to the campout that Elisa’s sister was throwing and they felt bad. And my friends got dropped off at Elisa’s house after, while I had to go home right away.”

Ollie’s back straightened up defensively. “There weren’t going to be any adults at the campout. You know my rule on that.”

Sam slapped her hands on the table. It sounded less dramatic than she hoped it would.

“It was just camping behind her house.”

“Way behind her house. In the woods,” said Ollie.

“Hey,” Brian interrupted. “Why don’t we focus on the field trip–”

“I’m just trying to explain myself.” Ollie said. 

And that’s what broke the bubble that had been building in Sam’s gut all day, whether she knew it or not. Later, she would blush at the memory of snapping at her mom in front of her aunt and uncle, sounding like a whiny little kid. But in the moment, all she felt was righteously angry.

“You’re not explaining anything! Why are you so paranoid all the time? Why can’t you let me do stupid things like go on field trips/? Guess what, mom, everyone still remembers the most embarrassing day of my life! Aka, when you freaked out about Misty Valley Farm.” 

Her mom’s face seemed to drain of something essential. So did Coco and Brian’s. They looked like they’d seen a ghost. 

That was what alarmed Sam the most. She’d never seen them look like that, except maybe when they first showed up at the hospital after grandpa’s stroke. 

A million questions wanted to fly out of Sam’s mouth. Mom, what’s wrong? Did something bad happen? Is that why you act so weird sometimes? But she couldn’t ask them. They were stuck, like a a warty toad in her throat. 

Something stubborn and awful kept her from reaching her hand out towards her mother’s and squeezing, even though she knew she could; knew she should.

“Is everything okay?” Roger called out from the spare room. The sound of the twins scampering halted for the moment. The Egg was quiet; a rare circumstance. In this case, not a pleasant one. 

It was Coco who broke the spell.

“Yeah, dad. Just taking a moment to think about things!” 

Sam’s fingers fidgeted with her shirt and wound around a stray bit of hair. She watched her mom regain her senses, watched Coco and Brian rub her mom’s back and glance at Sam. Waiting for her to say something. Or do something.

But Ollie spoke before Sam could think of what that ought to be.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “There are things I have to do as a parent to keep you safe, even when you don’t like it. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Sam’s lips quivered. Her heart lurched. 

“You don’t want me to live my life,” she muttered, taking a step away from the dinner table. “I’m going to do my homework and go to bed. Goodnight.” She didn’t look up, didn’t respond to all three adults saying her name. She didn’t even say anything when she heard the twins' thudding feet run back into the dining room or when they asked why she was going to bed early. 

But guilt is a heavy thing. When she reached the staircase, she paused. 

“Goodnight!” She didn’t turn around, unable to hide the way her jaw shook or the tears that started to come down. “Love you aunt Coco, love you uncle Brian. Love you James and Charlotte. See you guys Sunday. Love you grandpa.”

Even though she didn’t turn around, Sam felt she knew that her mom was still sitting there with her hand in the middle of the table, reaching out for the Sam who was no longer there.

She didn’t say anything more.

Instead, she grabbed her backpack and bounded up the stairs, then went straight into her room. She flipped on the overhead light and sat at her desk. She knew what she was going to do. Maybe she’d made the decision earlier in the day and just didn’t realize it.

Sam Alder pulled out the wrinkly permission slip, set it on her desk, and forged her mom’s familiar scrawling signature. 

She stared at the paper for a while. It seemed like such a silly thing to be anxious about. Lots of kids forged their parent’s signature, right? She was just one of them now. Just a normal teenager, doing normal teenage things. 

When she pulled out her phone, her face was briefly reflected in the black screen. Tears made her cheeks look all shiny. Her hair was a mess. Her eyes were puffy. 

And she was going to that damn circus.

She quickly snapped a photo of the permission slip before she shoved it deep into the safety of her backpack. Her mom didn’t dig through her things–that she knew of–and besides, all she had to do was get it to school tomorrow and there was no chance of her mom finding it. 

Sam’s breath was shaky when she stood up and threw herself on the bed, grabbing her favorite pillow with a vintage floral pillowcase that aunt Coco had given her a few years ago. She grabbed her phone and brought up the group text with Owen and Elisa.

Her fingers tapped the letters quickly, as her shaking jaw calmed, as a nervous smile began to creep onto her face.

She sent the photo of the permission slip, and then the text: You guys still up for the circus thing?

A few moments, and then, Owen: um yes

Elisa was next: YES!! 

YES!

YESSSSS

Sam’s heartbeat felt so loud that she swore it drowned out the sound of everything else. There was no going back now, was there? 

She wiped at the remnants of her tears, and sent another text: Then let’s do it!

[creatorofuniverses]

Gt July Day 9 – Rainy Day

Decided to revisit the How to Train Your Sawyer AU after a while! Good to have giant Sawyer back in action.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The rain was coming down in buckets- the entire forest was caught in the deluge, raindrops falling thick and fat onto leaves before pooling off onto the ground, where it ran in currents through newly carved streams in the dirt. All creatures big and small found somewhere to wait out the torrential downpour.

Sawyer, all seventy-some odd feet of him, definitely counted as one of the “big” creatures. To him the downpour was a little less severe, the raindrops relatively fine, but he was huddled in his cave all the same. Big or not, he would still get wet if he went out in the rain, and he didn’t really have a way to get dry aside from waiting and hoping. It was just easier to sit underneath the cool stone of his cliff face and watch the water falling from the sky.

Normally he got antsy, being stuck in his cave, but when it rained, he found it a little easier to just sit and relax. The only reason he was worried at all right now was because it was later than he usually had company.

Sure enough, within a few minutes he perked up as he heard the sound of small, hurried footsteps splashing through the field. He wanted to stick his head out and make sure, but the thought of being wet kept him waiting impatiently instead. His predictions were confirmed as Charlie scrambled into the mouth of the cave and stopped, dripping and heaving for breath, just a few feet past Sawyer’s shoes.

“Hi,” Sawyer cheerfully greeted him, taking in the small human with some amusement. “I was beginning to wonder if you’d decided to stay home because of the weather.”

“I should have,” Charlie replied, sounding exasperated. He shook the water from his arms, droplets flying off of the sleeves of his jacket. Sawyer barely felt a couple hit his ankle. Charlie slicked his wavy blond hair back, slinging more water around, and it fell wet and dark around his pale face. His cheeks were a little pink from the chill; Sawyer didn’t really feel it, but he’d learned to tell when little humans like Charlie would. “I’m soaked, that rain came out of bloody nowhere.”

Sawyer chuckled, the sound filling his relatively small cave and rumbling through Charlie where he stood shivering. “The clouds looked dark enough,” he mildly countered. He watched as Charlie set his backpack up against the wall of the cave, and remembered that sometimes Charlie had books in there. He would probably be upset if they got wet. “Is your backpack okay?”

“Fine,” Charlie huffed. “Thankfully I didn’t have anything much in there today, just a water bottle.” Certainly some luck on his part, though it was only because Charlie had gotten most of his homework done earlier. He sighed and peeled off his jacket, since it was soaked and only serving to make him colder, and set it by his backpack.

A genuine smile crossed Sawyer’s face. “That’s good,” he enthused. He reached forward, crossing the length of the cave in moments, though Charlie didn’t so much as flinch. He was so used to this by now that he didn’t even wiggle as Sawyer cupped both hands around him and lifted him off the floor of the cave.

Instead of holding him close and getting him warm immediately, Sawyer set Charlie on his curved stomach. He picked up the hem of his shirt in both hands and began gently rubbing Charlie dry. Charlie opened his mouth, probably to protest, but Sawyer moved a thumb to ruffle his hair dry and Charlie was too covered by cloth to manage that. By the time Sawyer was done, Charlie was bright pink but a great deal drier than he had been before.

“Thank you,” Charlie said, sounding more than a bit aggrieved and embarrassed, but Sawyer just grinned.

“You’re welcome,” he happily replied. Charlie’s sheepishness rolled right off of him; He might as well help his friend get dry, after all. It was the least he could do when Charlie was really his only friend, and also walked on his little human legs all the way out here all the time. Besides, he was pretty sure having other people around was the reason for humans to get embarrassed like that, and there were no other humans to worry about. “Here.” He scooped up Charlie and held him close, his lingering shivers muffled against Sawyer’s broad chest. Sawyer rubbed his thumb over Charlie’s little arm, barely feeling the miniscule goosebumps there. “You can warm up for a bit. There’s nothing else to do in the rain like this.”

Sighing once more, though more in relief than aggravation this time, Charlie snuggled up against Sawyer. The giant really did exude body heat. Charlie looked out past Sawyer’s hands at the rain coming down outside.

“Yeah,” he said quietly, already feeling warmer. “We might as well just sit.”

[colormepurplex2]

I Put A Spell On You | Trifecta

↳ Warlock Jimin x Witch f.Reader | Warlock Jungkook x Witch f.Reader ⤜ Friends/Enemies/Lovers ⤜ Rating: MA 🔞 ⤜ WC: 5,143 ⚠️ Dub-con. Spitroasting. Blood/blood play. Biting/marking. Rough/forceful sex. Power play. Degradation & praise. ⇽ Previous Chapter ◅ Back to chapter list

The moon is a ruddy crimson overhead. The shadowed center makes it look like a giant red eye looking down on the debauchery happening in the glen. Jimin's right when he says you wanted to be part of a Trifecta once. In fact, it was all you dreamed about for the longest time. All throughout high school and into university, you obsessed over it. Even through the fuzz of the Imperium potion, deep down inside, you can feel a sliver of your own desire for the power that will come with forming this bond with Jimin and Jungkook. That might scare you even more than the predatory way they both are looking at you right now.

"Do me a favor, love, and make it comfortable for us here in the glen," Jimin requests, his voice dripping sweetness in your ear.

You think of warmer weather. "Temperatus." The spell command comes easy, pulling on the strings of your inner well and manifesting a balmy atmosphere around you.

Jungkook sighs in contentment. "That's heavenly. I knew you were powerful, but damn, that's something extra special," he muses, stripping out of his leather jacket and white t-shirt. Your body warms quickly with the temperature increase, the fall chill no longer touching anything within twenty feet of you.

In a few short moments, Jimin and Jungkook are both down to their own naked glories. Their bodies are lithe, cut, and powerful under the glow of the blue torches and faint crimson blush from the moon. This isn't the first time you've seen Jimin naked, but it is the first time you've seen Jungkook like this. There is a niggling in the back of your mind, a defiant line of thinking that wants to rebel at the indecency. It's an odd sensation, being able to have coherent thoughts but not being able to act on them. You can't help but think if this is how the Imperium potion works for everyone. It's not like you've ever been dosed with it before so you don't know from personal experience and you can't say you've ever had the opportunity to talk to one of the individuals dosed by Jessel, either.

Producing a large blade, Jimin steps up beside you still restrained on the altar, cutting off your internal thoughts. "How about we make you a bit more comfortable, huh, love?"

Inside you say no but you nod the best you can with your head still hanging off the edge of the stone block anyway. The muscles in your neck are already feeling taught and achy from trying to hold your head up to keep yourself from getting dizzy. The sound of the blade slicing through your shirt sends a shiver down your spine. Your left foot is lifted up, Jungkook's strong fingers working quickly at the laces of your boot. It thumps to the ground before he grabs up the other and does the same. It barely registers to you that Jimin runs the tip of the blade along your sternum, right under the band of your bra. You really like this bra.

"Don't," you manage to fumble out, snagging for a momentary grip on your sanity. The murkiness from the Imperium potion rolls back in just as soon as the word passes your lips.

Jimin gives you a sharp look, the blade poised right between your breasts. "Don't? That potion is supposed to be impossible to beat back. Did you do something to screw it up? You better not have lied to me."

You don't want to answer, but fighting against speaking is nearly as effective as trying to chew off your own tongue. "No," you grit passed clenched teeth. It should be impossible to resist the potion. There is only one species in existence that has ever been able to. "I made it just the way Jessel taught me to."

Jungkook harrumphs, snapping the button off your jeans when it doesn't open easily under his fingers. The zipper receives a similar treatment before he's yanking the denim down your thighs and tossing them to the side. Just like Imperium, Relaxant is impervious to natural will, it can't be countered without outside means...unless you're- well, you're not so it doesn't matter. "Sounds to me like your little witch has a secret," he narrows his eyes, glaring at you as he rips your panties off. The cotton fabric leaves stinging welts along your hips with the force at which they're torn away. Tears burn at the corners of your eyes.

"Impossible," Jimin shakes his head, snicking the band of your bra with the knife, "I would know if she had even the smallest bit of Seraph in her system." The material peels back and your breasts pop free and settle with a jiggle. Jungkook doesn't look so sure of Jimin's assurance, but he just shrugs and steps over the small moat to rummage through a bag off to the side. You try to track them both with your eyes, but it becomes increasingly harder with how heavy your head feels.

"I got the chalice. Also, lavender, sage, and three jade crystals," Jungkook lists off the items in his hands, setting them beside you on the altar. "You memorized the symbols, right?"

Even with his eyes black as the night, you know Jimin is rolling them from the way his shoulders tense and then sag with annoyance. "You just worry about your part and I'll worry about mine. Goddess, Jungkook, act like you have a little trust in me. I'm about to make all your dreams come true for fucks sake." He snatches up the chalice, holding it up just high enough so you can see it. You recognize it and a cold thread of fear settles in your belly. It's Jessel's hexing chalice, a powerful vessel carved from the bones of a Salem witch. It's easily the most powerful implement within the coven, and these assholes want to use it during the Trifecta ritual. Fuck.

"Demon asshole," Jungkook mutters under his breath. "Okay, little witch, time for a taste." He licks his lips and moves to stand at your head. "Just relax for me, this will only hurt for a moment but then I promise it'll feel good."

You've never been bitten by a vampire before, but you've heard stories. They don't do it justice. Jungkook stoops down beside you, one hand braced on your sternum, the other cupping the back of your head. "Get on with it and don't be greedy, we need her to be conscious." Jimin's snarking comment registers only faintly, your attention is so focused on the beast looming before you.

Jungkook's eyes have taken on a crimson tinge, a bloody ring surrounding the natural brown. "Maybe once all this is over you'll be able to forgive us and I can ask you on a proper date," he murmurs into your ear as he draws closer. "The bite of a vampire can be addicting," he continues, his nose brushing against your frantic pulse, "So, I won't hold it against you if you become obsessed with me. I'll indulge all those naughty vampire fantasies I know you read about. Jimin told me all about your secret bookshelf." His chuckle is dark and full of promise, sending a thrilling chill down your spine. No, it's not thrilling. You lament internally, berating your body for its reaction; not sure if it can be entirely blamed on the potion or not.

His cold lips press into your clammy skin first. Wetness slides along your neck and you realize he's licking you. It's like a melting ice cube skimming over you. Your mind is trying to remember whether or not the neck is truly an erogenous zone or if the sudden heat swelling in the pit of your stomach is because you're about to be sick. You can feel his mouth opening, his lips pulling back and the thin, sharp line of his teeth settling against the side of your throat.

You gasp and shudder. Pain flares brightly for a moment before it's replaced by what you could only describe as ecstasy. Your entire body feels soft and gooey, but taut and on edge at the same time. There are warring emotions and flitting feelings creating a blurring cyclone within. The well inside you surges up, seeking. Jungkook moans, the sound vibrating along your neck. You can feel the way he sucks your blood into his mouth. The slight suctioning strums directly down to your clit. He might as well be face down between your thighs, but instead, it feels like a phantom lover is worshiping you on the altar.

Jungkook finally pulls away. Warmth gushes along your neck, weeping into your hair from the angle, when his lips leave you. Jimin immediately steps forward and grabs the chalice, holding it out to Jungkook who leans over and promptly empties his mouth into the cup. He's back at your neck nearly as quickly, laving his tongue over the small punctures there, sealing them and stopping the trickle of blood running into your hair.

"Now, me," Jimin instructs with impatience clearly in his tone.

When Jungkook straightens up and swings back around to face Jimin your eyes widen in surprise. You're at the perfect height to see the raging erection he's now sporting. It sways and bobs as he moves, like a hypnotic pendulum. The head is blushed a pretty purple, thanks to the soft blue light emanating from the torches. Jungkook snatches Jimin's free hand, yanking his wrist to his lips. He's not gentle the way he was with you. His teeth viciously sink into Jimin's wrist, easily rending the flesh like wet paper. Jimin hisses, his brow scrunching and lips twisting. The expression on his face shifts, now hovering between pain and pleasure.

"Blegh, it's like licking a dirty fireplace," Jungkook grimaces after spitting a mouthful of Jimin's blood into the chalice to join yours. "You taste much better when you're not geeked out with horns." The idea that Jungkook knows what Jimin tastes like already is like a plumping gloss being spread over your lips, just not the ones on your face. Based on what your body experienced when Jungkook bit you, you can only imagine what would have transpired between these two following that.

Jimin snorts a laugh, his now evident erection jerking with the action. "Whatever. Hurry up, it'll take a while for me to do the symbols."

Jungkook takes his left wrist between his teeth and then adds his own blood to the chalice. You realize he doesn't close the punctures on Jimin's wrist or his own, but the blood has already stopped flowing from their wounds. It's not fair they can heal like that, it definitely puts a damper on the revenge plot bubbling in the back of your mind. How do you kill supernaturals that heal almost instantly?

You jolt when you feel smooth skin pressing against your own. Jimin nudges your knees open, pressing in so tightly you can feel his erection nestle against the apex of your thighs. It's still warm from your temperature enchantment but a cold sweat breaks out along your brow. The words 'harmless fuck' echo in your mind with a brief moment of clarity. You're naked, they're naked...you know what is required for a true Trifecta bonding and it's just now really setting in. Your internal will beats against the purple haze from the potion. It's a fruitless effort, like trying to hold water in a mesh bucket. There are minor moments of cognizant freedom but it doesn't last long as it slips through the cloudy mush and trickles away over and over again.

Warm wetness trickles onto your stomach as Jimin tilts the chalice above you. He begins an incantation, the words are harsh and guttural, a language you've only heard in passing. The last time you heard someone speak Infernal, it was during a shady back alley summoning that Jimin dragged you to. Not your brightest moment, that's for sure. It scared the hell out of you but had Jimin smiling ear to ear. The Trifecta ritual incantation can be spoken in any language, but depending on the language chosen it can impact the effectiveness of the bond itself. Most records of Trifecta bonds report they're done in either English or Latin. You're not sure what kind of impact Infernal is going to have.

You open your mouth to speak, to try to cut off his words, but you end up gnashing your teeth together instead. His slender fingers swirl in the combined blood mixture he dripped onto your stomach. All the heat you felt previously from Jungkook's bite has been replaced with sterilizing and potent fear. You can hear Jungkook inhale a deep breath from beside you. His erection bobs in your peripheral. Your wide eyes are locked onto Jimin as he continues to trace bloody symbols onto your body. The lines and curls of the ritual markings extend from your throat to the tops of your thighs.

"You're so beautiful, little witch," Jungkook murmurs into the quiet after Jimin's voice trails off and his bloody work on your body is done. Jungkook's words shouldn't make you feel anything, but the number of times he's uttered about how beautiful you are tonight has a warm sensation filtering into your limbs. You blame the potion. It has to be the potion.

Jimin repeats the incantation and symbol on his own body. You watch, transfixed, as he dips his finger into the skull chalice and swirls his finger over the ridges of his abdomen and chest. His eyes flutter shut occasionally and the rise and fall of his chest has increased. "JK," he rasps once he's finished.

Jungkook crowds in closer to the altar. One of his hands absently fondles your breasts, avoiding the bloody glyphs, as Jimin begins to repeat the process over his form. As the words trail off once again, they're both panting softly with their eyes locked on one another. "Now the fun begins," Jungkook smirks. His tongue darts out and swipes over his lips before he shuffles around the altar and comes to stand back at your head. "I hope you're not a gagger, little witch."

Jimin sets the chalice beside you on the altar and arranges the lavender, sage, and jade crystals in a way you can't see. "It's time, love," Jimin informs you, his voice soft and sweet in comparison to how it was just moments ago. You can hear the wet sounds of something coming from his direction but it's so hard to hold your head up that you're able to only catch the faintest glimmer of red before you sag back down. His hips roll against yours gently, bringing warm wetness with them, but the way his thick cock presses between your folds might as well be a violent slap to your senses. "You're going to repeat after me, okay?" Wet fingers probe at your body, worming around Jimin's cock and slowly slipping into you then pulling back out. It takes immense effort to not shudder with pleasure and want from the small intrusion.

Jungkook tilts up your head. One of his thumbs flicks over your bottom lip and your tongue peeks out to tease his digit of its own accord. "Okay," you whisper even though you want to scream a stun spell at him instead.

He begins slowly, enunciating each syllable. The Infernal language is not meant for mere witch tongues, but somehow it flows easily from between your lips. Jimin's eyes narrow just a fraction but he doesn't stop the incantation. You're faintly aware of Jungkook whispering the words from above you as well. This part of the Trifecta bond is where wedding vows originated. You may not know the Infernal language, but you know these words all the same. They're promises of devotion and power. There are only two things more powerful than a Trifecta bond, being soulmates among like-paranormals and a mated pair between shifters. You once thought you might discover that Jimin was your soulmate, that you just needed to be patient and let Fate and the Goddess guide you. Where are The Goddess and Fate now, when you need them the most? Is this really what they want for you? Your mind is drifting with these thoughts but your lips keep moving, pushing the words of the final rites into existence.

Silence rings out when you finish. Not even the sounds of insects break the moment. What comes next could be considered a mockery of the archaic practice known as marital consummation. Really, it's the baring of your soul. There aren't many things more physically and emotionally intimate than sharing your body with another being. With one last push to break through the fog and stop this, you latch onto a small slip of coherency.

Victory shines in your eyes, warmth fills your belly in triumph. The clarity holds, somehow you've forced yourself beyond the effects of the Imperium potion. Now, all you need to do is utter one word. Your lips part, the spell you need to stop all of this forms in the back of your throat. The word turns to ash in your mouth, the only thing that escapes is an airy gasp as Jimin snaps his hips forward and fills you completely. The intrusion and violation are accompanied by alien sensations of wicked pleasure.

"Fuck," Jimin curses, hands palming the backs of your thighs with your knees up. "I knew this would be good. You've been holding out on me, keeping this sweet pussy all to yourself like a selfish little bitch. Not anymore, you're our whore now. Isn't that right, love?" He retreats and surges into you again, quickly setting an impressive pace that has your arms straining in the iron bands and your ass digging into the rough stone lip of the altar.

Your voice finally starts to work. "Termi-," your yell gets cut off by Jungkook's hand slapping over your mouth. Jerking as hard as you can, you try to dislodge Jimin from between your thighs. Jimin snarls and shifts his hands to clamp onto your hips instead. He continues to pump into you, forcing your body against the altar.

"What the fuck, Jimin? A curse?!" Jungkook growls, baring his teeth at the other man over you. "She almost just-".

"I know what she almost just did!" Jimin cuts him off. You can hear his harsh breaths sawing in and out of his lungs with the exertion he's putting into fucking you and trying to talk, too. "It shouldn't be possible," he hisses. "But, if she is able to break through the effects of the potion then that's just another bonus for us. Part witch, part Seraph...think of the power we'll get once the Trifecta is complete. Get your dick in her mouth and finish this," his words fumble out, mixed with huffed moans and grunts.

"You better not be lying to me," Jungkook grunts to himself. He moves his other hand to the hinge of your jaw and presses harshly with his thumb. "Curses aren't my kind of foreplay. I'm going to stick my dick in your mouth, little witch, if you try to utter another curse or bite me, I'll snap your neck. If we have to, we'll bond with your corpse then leave you here. It'll be weeks before the coven comes back. What with the terrible things that happened to sweet, innocent Rebecca and all," he chuckles darkly with her name, "It'll be too late for you then, your body will have already begun to decay. You'd get to add zombie to your identification card. So, play nice for me." You wonder if the illusion is still holding strong or if this is really Jungkook showing his true colors.

Your body rocks with the force of Jimin fucking you. The iron bands around your arms, securing you to the altar, bite into your flesh from the strain the movements cause. No matter how much you fight it, even with your head clear of the purple cloud, your body still betrays you. The thought of taking Jungkook into your mouth has saliva pooling around your tongue. You could blame the lingering effects of his bite, but even that has dissipated. The bite of pain from the shackles, the way Jimin's cock rubs along your walls, and the fervent way Jungkook is staring at you like you're The Goddess incarnate has a different kind of feeling building inside. Your well of magic wants to reach out and claim these beings, dragging in streamers of their magic and adding it to your own. Plus, fighting fire with fire might teach these assholes not to fuck with you in the future.

A muffled moan sounds against Jungkook's palm, unbidden from your throat. "Be a good little whore and just accept it," Jimin gives with his own moan. "Don't forget I know all about your fantasies, love, I know you like this, you want this. Give up control and submit before your Goddess!"

Your eyes meet Jungkook's above you. They're still tinged in crimson, if anything the bloody ring has grown. "It's okay to want to be bad, little witch. It doesn't mean you're broken," he ends in a whisper, his eyes softening into something resembling adoration. His thumb that's pressed into your jaw gives a soft, coaxing rub. Definitely the illusion you think. "Open up for me."

The hand over your mouth slowly pulls away, sliding to cup the other side of your face. For a moment, you think his guard is down enough you could get the entire Terminus curse out in time, but you find yourself opening your mouth in silent invitation instead. A throbbing sensation engulfs your lower stomach as Jimin rewards you with a thumb pressed to your clit, swirling small circles over the bundle of nerves. You give him a quick glance through the valley between your bouncing breasts. He's magnificent. Sweat glistens with a blue hue on his skin. The blood-coated muscles along his shoulders and chest are bulging with his exertion. Pitch-black eyes lock onto yours, lips parted enough that you can see the gleam of his teeth as he pants and moans softly.

You glance at the sky above you. The moon is nearing its zenith, lunar energy radiating so powerfully that you can feel it tingling along your skin. It heightens the pleasure. The sensations flowing along your nerve endings spark and undulate with each breath you take. As you settle back, letting your head fully rest into Jungkook's hands and your tongue slide over your bottom teeth, you can't help but acknowledge that they may not have actually needed the Imperium potion after all; the power and pull were always there, you were just scared of the depravity. Though, you can guarantee that their actions will have consequences, they just don't know it yet.

Jungkook nudges the head of his cock against your waiting tongue. The chill of his body is a welcome balm to the heat blaring through you. The angle is odd, tilting your head back as far as it'll go, in order to let Jungkook slide into your mouth like this. You close your eyes against the dizzy wave that consumes you from your head hanging upside down. It might be unusual for you, but Jungkook groans in approval when he easily slips into the back of your throat. The glide is smooth and linear, allowing him to go further than you'd normally be comfortable with. A chill sets in your tongue, reminiscent of sucking on a melting popsicle.

You can feel Jungkook shift, his body pressing over top of yours. A moan vibrates in the back of your throat as his wet tongue swipes over one of your nipples. He nibbles and sucks, earning an approving grunt from Jimin before moving his attention to your other breast. You squirm as much as you can while pinned between them. If your hands were free, they'd be buried in Jungkook's hair or scraping your nails over Jimin's chest. Instead, you clamp your fingers around the lip of the stone to further lock your hands in place, giving your body added stability so you can rock up to meet Jimin's hips.

"Fuck," Jimin gasps when you flex up to meet him. "That's right, fuck yourself on my cock like the dirty magical whore you are." His hips stutter as you do it again. His thumb begins to rub harsher circles over your clit and your walls contract around him in response. Another moan peals from his lips. "I'm close," he manages out with another sound of pleasure. "I can feel the power surge coming, the moon is calling to us."

Jungkook sucks your nipple into his mouth and you can feel the sharp line of his teeth glide over your skin. He continues his assault on your mouth, making an ache settle in your jaw with how wide you're having to keep your mouth to accommodate him. His taste is sweet on your tongue, like warm spice cookies. The flavor contrasts with the ice of his skin and it drives your senses into overdrive. You work your tongue around the crown each time his hips retreat, then hollow your cheeks and suck when he thrusts back in.

Your chest heaves with the surmounting, combined forces in and around your body. The precipice is so close, you can feel the edge coming closer as the moon just begins its crest. With the next flex of your hips, you use the momentum from Jimin's body to push your chest up against Jungkook's mouth still sucking your nipple. He gives a startled jerk as you force his teeth to indent into your flesh and they make the smallest pricks that bubble blood instantly. Your body shudders in response.

The moon hangs directly above, a temptress dressed in crimson. Like a lost sailor at sea, you give in to its siren call. Power floods your system, immediately sending you over the edge. You cry out around Jungkook's cock which is now pumping thick strands of cum into the hollows of your cheeks. It floods your mouth with sticky sweetness that you swallow down around a pleasured scream. Jimin's body locks tightly against yours, fingers bruising on your hips as he pumps his own release deep inside you. Your walls flutter, contracting and milking him with force.

Numbness settles along your bones. Time feels suspended. Slowly, a burning begins at the tips of your toes and fingers. Within moments your entire body feels inflamed. The well of power inside you bubbles and boils; pops of magic sizzle through your muscles. Jungkook pulls back, strands of bloody saliva drip from his bottom lip and down his chin. "Goddess," he whispers with a curse, "the power..." His hips retreat and his half-hard cock slowly slides from your mouth. You gasp in a lungful of air that instantly bats aside the desire to punch him for not moving quickly enough.

Jimin pries his fingers from their grip on your hips before he staggers back. His flagging erection pulls free with a gush of cum and mixed arousal. You can feel it begin to slide down your ass. "It's divine." He throws his head back and laughs, his whole body shaking, arms thrown wide. "Fucking Hell, that's exactly what I needed."

You clear your throat, catching both of their attention. "Right," Jungkook has the gall to actually look apologetic. His strong fingers make quick work of the iron bands holding your arms. "Sorry," he mutters, "you know we didn't mean any harm, we just couldn't help it- it's the blood moon, er- the power and stuff, you know? I mean, you wanted it too, right? So, no harm." You don't acknowledge his explanation, much less his apology. It's not like he sees the truth yet anyway; but, oh he will.

Working your limbs slowly, you shift until you're seated on the altar. Your hair is a mess, your body aches, and the well of power inside you aches with a vigor that's never been there before. You can feel the added power, the strength you took from both Jimin and Jungkook during the Trifecta bonding, but there's also something else; something more potent.

You slide off the altar onto steady legs and take a few steps away, stepping over the shallow stream. It's hard to settle on any single thought right now, there is so much to think about and consider. But, there is one thing you know for certain; your revenge plan begins now. They're both shuffling around behind you, pulling on their clothes. You can hear the distinct slide of fabric over their skin. It feels like it's gliding along your own. The Trifecta bond is a soul-deep connection that gives you all the insight you need. They're both nervous. You can tell by their stilted breathing and the slight tremors in their hands as they do up their zippers. They should be nervous- afraid. Just as you can now feel their power, they can feel yours. They can feel everything.

With a slow turn, you face them again. "Listen, I kno-," Jimin begins but you throw up a hand and his words are cut off.

"Pareo." You put as much power and command into the spell as is safe. Even still, you can tell it burns along their conscious minds, leaving a mark that will take a while to wear away. They both still, bodies quivering with the need to obey you. Sure, you're not supposed to use this particular spell, as it has some interesting side effects such as mindless devotion that may or may not linger longer than a spell typically should...but, no one can stop you, least of all these two assholes. You close the distance between you, coming to stand right in front of them both. They're still shirtless. The evidence of their diabolical plan is plain for you to see. The blood coating their upper bodies has mostly dried into a dark stain that's cracked and flaking where their muscles move. "Now, boys, I hope you can learn a lesson from this. This is no way to treat a friend and just because it's Halloween, doesn't mean you get to be monsters. I think you both could use a lesson in manners, what do you think?"

Both of their eyes are wide, mouths slack. "Yes," they both mumble.

"You," you point to Jungkook, "I'll deal with later. You're part of this, but you're not the one that dragged your best friend out in the middle of the woods and then used an Imperium potion on them. You're nearly just as much a victim of Jimin's bullshit as I am."

Jungkook looks mildly confused but just says, "I understand," then slowly lowers to his knees and waits.

Your eyes slide to Jimin. "But, you, my demonic warlock friend, you're in deep, deep trouble, love." Your eyes flash blue, a feature of your newfound powers you suppose, as you give him a wicked smile and reach for his throat.

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