#and how i think he's afraid to again because he doesn't even know if he can fight

[vaginalvr]

Hi, this is my first time asking a question.

Can I have Spencer and the reader be virgins, trying to experiment, then she's on top (still clothed) and one thing leads to another, and then they both finish?

So Spencer enjoys it, but doesn't know how to make it happen again.

Sorry, English isn't my first language, and I hope I made myself clear.

yes!!!

cw: Virgin!Spencer x Virgin!Reader, clothed grinding, dry humping that turns into mutual orgasms, awkward first-time tension, emotional intimacy, soft awkward boys, gentle praise, fumbling sweetness, aftercare, a bit of post-orgasm confusion on Spencer’s part

REQUESTS ARE OPEN!

You’d been curled up on Spencer’s couch for hours, your legs tangled with his, the TV playing something long-forgotten. His apartment was warm in that way that only came from too many books and mismatched throw blankets. Your socks had slipped off sometime earlier and you didn’t remember when he’d started running his fingers across your calf. But he hadn’t stopped.

You hadn’t kissed yet.

It wasn’t because you didn’t want to. It was just… new. You were both new. Neither of you had ever had sex. Neither had ever even really done anything.

And you were starting to ache from how badly you wanted him.

You looked over at him—his long lashes, flushed cheeks, nervous chewing of his lip. He noticed your gaze and smiled shyly.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” you murmured. “Just… thinking.”

“About?”

You hesitated, then scooted a little closer, resting your hand on his thigh. “About how close we are. And how I kind of want to be even closer.”

Spencer’s breath caught. “Oh.”

You gave him a look, soft but teasing. “You want that too, right?”

He nodded so fast it made you giggle. “Yes. I mean—yes. I do. I just don’t… know how.”

You exhaled slowly and leaned forward, pressing a small, tentative kiss to the corner of his mouth. “We don’t have to know. We can just… try things.”

That was how it started.

Kissing.

You climbed into his lap, straddling him carefully. Still fully clothed, your soft cotton sleep shorts brushing against his flannel pajama pants. His hands hovered at your waist like he didn’t quite trust himself, and his mouth was eager but gentle, a little shaky.

His fingers eventually found their place—splayed across your lower back, thumbs stroking your sides. He kissed you like he was afraid to stop. Every little sound you made only made him hold you closer.

When you shifted your hips—just to get more comfortable—you felt it.

The twitch of him. Hard, beneath the layers of clothes. Your thighs clenched.

Spencer gasped softly, face flushing. “Sorry, I—”

“Don’t be,” you whispered. “That’s… good. I mean… I want that. Want you.”

His hands tightened a little, and you experimentally rolled your hips again.

He moaned. You felt it, the way his whole body reacted—hips bucking just slightly, eyes fluttering shut.

You settled deeper into his lap, still kissing, your bodies slowly finding a rhythm. It wasn’t frantic or practiced—it was uncoordinated and breathy, gentle in the most vulnerable way.

Every grind of your hips sent a spark through both of you. His cock strained beneath his pants, pressed perfectly between your folds through your underwear and shorts. The friction made your breath hitch.

And then your body just… moved.

Rocking.

Slowly. Rhythmically.

Spencer groaned under you, his grip on your waist growing firmer. “Oh my God—this feels… this feels so good.”

You nodded, kissing his jaw, lips brushing his ear. “I know. It’s okay. I like it.”

The pressure was building fast now—unfamiliar, desperate. You could feel your panties soaking, clinging to you. Each roll of your hips dragged you across him just right. Your clit pulsed with each pass. Spencer’s panting beneath you wasn’t helping.

His head dropped back, mouth open, hair sweaty at his temples. “I’m not gonna last—I don’t—I can’t—”

You kissed his temple, still rocking steadily. “You don’t have to. Just let it happen.”

“God—y/n—fuck—”

His whole body tensed beneath you as you felt the warm pulse of him even through the layers, his hips jerking up against you. You gasped at the friction, the needy heat, the wet drag of your soaked panties over him—and then it hit you too.

Your body clenched hard, and you came with a quiet moan against his neck, thighs trembling as you rocked through it, your hands clutching at his shoulders. The sensation was overwhelming and sudden and blinding—heat and release and everything new, everything sweet.

You both stilled slowly, breath coming in soft, shaking bursts.

You sat there in silence for a while, your forehead resting against his.

And then Spencer said quietly:

“…Did we just have sex?”

You let out a breathless laugh and shook your head. “Not technically.”

“Oh.” A pause. Then, hesitantly, “...It kind of felt like it.”

You kissed his cheek. “It felt amazing. But we still have clothes on.”

He blinked, stunned, then looked down at the visible wet spot soaking into his pajama pants and your shorts. His face turned crimson.

“I—I didn’t mean to make a mess—”

“Spencer,” you cut in gently. “It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong. That was really good.”

He smiled shyly, curling his arms around your waist. “So… what do we do now?”

“Well…” You grinned, leaning down to kiss him again. “We shower. Then maybe next time we do take our clothes off.”

His ears flushed deep pink. “I’d really, really like that.”

Later that week

Spencer sat on the edge of his bed, phone in hand, heart racing. You’d texted: “Thinking about the other night.” Followed by: “Wanna try again soon?”

He wanted to say yes—God, yes—but he’d also been panicking all day. Because he didn’t know how to get you to do that again. He didn’t know how it had happened, not exactly. He’d never touched a girl like that before. Didn’t know what he’d done right. Didn’t know how to ask you for it.

So he texted back:

“I’d love that. But I might need help figuring out how to start again.”

You replied:

“I’ll sit on your lap. You just look at me like you did last time. It’ll happen.”

And somehow… he believed you.

[ddejavvu]

Hey sorry for not reading ur request guidelines before sending an ask last time! Ok how about spencer reid as a best friend with no boundaries? It would probably seem like they're married to bau team because of how they act and how not touchy/germaphobic spencer usually is. And also like 👀 even if it wasn't spencer, that's really touchy. I hope the other ask didn't annoy u too much! Have a good day!

fem!reader

--

"Hold this," You shove your drink into Spencer's chest, and it leaves a dark splotch against his white button-down. His tie is unscathed, but he barely manages to catch it before you're crouching down to pet the dog that's jumped at your calves. It's a little one, but you have no problem crouching down to meet them in the middle of the sidewalk as the owner apologizes for its intrusiveness.

"That's okay! I'm not allergic, or afraid." You hum, delighted to scritch the dog beneath the chin, and Penelope gladly joins in. You're both blocking the sidewalk now, but Derek's there to let you know if anyone's coming, so Spencer focuses on not letting your drink stain any more of his outfit.

Hotch watches the way that he tucks it into his palm, suddenly not minding the clammy condensation against his skin. Spencer never picks up a to-go cup without a napkin, but Hotch supposes it's just not an option at the moment.

After a few more moments of you and Penelope practically melting the dog into the pavement, you all go on your way again, and you reach for the cup in Spencer's grasp with eager hands.

"Did you try it?" You ask him, hands already around the cup, but when he shakes his head no, you shove it towards his face, "Try it! It's good, it's strawberry lemonade."

Now, everyone knows that suggesting that Spencer should drink out of someone else's cup is like suggesting that Hotch should start rollerblading around the office. They know it wouldn't happen in a hundred lifetimes, but apparently this is the hundred-and-first, because Spencer cranes his neck down to put his lips on the straw.

No one wants to discourage Spencer's miraculous bravery in the moment, so there's no eruption of sound, but everyone turns to give each other wide-eyed, meaningful glances. They all say, 'what the fuck?', but no one breathes a word.

"It's okay." Spencer nods, gnashing his teeth against something, "There's pulp in there."

You shrug and take the drink back, your hands brushing Spencer's own. Your hands, that had just been raking through the scruffy fur of a dog you'd met on the street, come into contact with Spencer's own skin, and he doesn't recoil. You begin meandering back towards the office like nothing's happened, with Spencer hot on your tail, and the rest scramble to follow.

Emily feels almost light-headed as she chases after Spencer, her steps staggered and uneven, "Hey, uh, Spence?"

"Hm?" He turns to watch her, and JJ bypasses the pair to plant herself firmly at your side.

"You don't mind that her hands were all over that dog a second ago?" Emily nods down at Spencer's hands, "I mean, I think it's great, I'm just surprised you haven't pulled out a package of wet wipes or something."

"It's kind of gross," Spencer thinks, his nose scrunching slightly, "But I can wash my hands when we get back to the bullpen."

"And the drink? That was bold, Spence. Does it not bother you anymore?"

She's not trying to push, but she's equal parts proud of Spencer's development and in awe of what she's witnessed. He thinks for a moment, then hums, "I don't mind drinking from her cup. I've known her forever. We're best friends."

Emily's mouth falls open, lipstick lining her lips pristinely, "Hey! We're best friends!"

"Well- I mean! It's just different, I don't know." Spencer shrugs, "I- I don't know why. It just bothers me sometimes and other times it doesn't."

Emily is barely placated, but she nods regardless, "Well, I'm proud of you. Even if the strawberry lemonade wasn't great."

Spencer smiles and nods, but the conversation ends as soon as your hand grabs his own.

"Look! Those are the pants I was telling you about the other day," You begin prattling, and JJ shifts seamlessly to Emily's side as the two ladies watch Spencer's hand intertwine easily with yours. His is clammy, they're sure, but he doesn't let go or try to wipe it on his pants, which is what happens every time someone ignores his warnings and gets a handshake from him. The two can hear Derek frantically giving Penelope a whispered play-by-play, but Emily doesn't want to hear the gossip: she's just glad that pulpy strawberry lemonade isn't the only thing Spencer's newfound bravery will grant him.

[mitraoki]

hi hi, how does mydei get jealous ?? 🤭🤭 i hope i’m not asking for too much 😣 take your time btw!! 🙌🏻

mydei, come on (mydeimos x reader)

note; hiiii anon!!! nooo not at all, i loveeee your request!!🤍 my brain was flowing with ideas when i saw this i'm so EXCITEDDD🥰 thank you soo much for requesting and being patient with me🥺 i really hope i did justice for you AND our beloved boy mydei :3 have a great day/night!!❤️⭐

title inspired by lana's new song, 'henry, come on'!

masterlist. (check profile if requests are open!)

mydei does, in fact, get jealous 🤭 it's just SOOO hard to catch him red handed.... because it's so subtle yet so impactful you get me

and of course he's never going to back down. of course he's going to go on about how 'kremnoans don't really get jealous' or 'romance is not our strongest suit'.

lies. he's the most hopeless romantic out there. that's the only time you'd catch him lying

though i certainly wouldn't call him possessive, i think. he likes it when you're happy, when you're doing the things you love. besides, he's always out and about handling affairs, and is just so in love to see you patiently wait for him, no matter how long.

i also think that's where the two of you began establishing a very healthy relationship.

but sometimes? sometimes he's not afraid of showing it off either. say in a scenario, you're in a party, chatting away with your friends or perhaps the chrysos heirs. he's not worried one bit - he's aware of said people and trusts them enough with your safety.

until he sees an unfamiliar face. strike 1.

okay, maybe he's just asking about something else - someone else. he'll sit this one out. but he's certain time passed by quite a while and you're clearing your throat, looking in every direction. strike 2.

he's sat in a corner, shaking his leg just a little too much. he has one hand placed under his chin while watching you intensely, the other hand against the arm rest, finger scraping against the marble. none of his friends are around either.

the man's leaning in. strike 3.

he almost knocked the chair down upon his abrupt action, but he couldn't care less. he sees you from the crowd and he's now marching over.

but i don't think he'd throw a tantrum, he's more of a smooth operator. he's not that worried - almost everyone knows you're his, and he's yours. he sees you and him as soulmates bound by birth.

he slows his pace down, reaches out towards your hand and brings it up towards his lips. as soon as he captured your attention, he already knows the man from earlier backed off way before he could react. is anyone in amphoreus not aware of the crown prince? exactly.

"any trouble here?" he queries, as if he did not just witness absolute tomfoolery just moments ago.

"n-no," you searched far and wide for the individual, but sighed deeply. though, you paused in your movements.

"how did you get here so quickly, mydei?"

"hm? i have my ways."

"no- you saw that guy, didn't you?"

"....of course i did, y/n."

again with his red ears because he knows you're about to tease him till the day ends. oh well, he doesn't like lying to you, either. what harm is there in hearing you speak, anyway?

"oh you are so jealous, mydeimos. couldn't you just admit it already? i get jealous when other women talk to you."

"i told you, we kremnoans-"

"don't get jealous! our dictionary does not have the word 'jealous'! heard it all, my love. i'm just glad you made your way here. any longer and i would've poured my drink on him."

which earned a chuckle from your lover. his free hand lightly treads through your locks, a small smile on his lips.

"i'll always find a way to be with you."

wrapping an arm around your waist, he decided to keep you close through the evening.

***

"you get jealous, too, dearest?" he questions you once more.

"too? so you are, aren't you?!"

all created content belongs to mitraoki. reposts/remakes are not allowed.

[johnwickb1tsch]

A John Wick x Shy!Reader shorty vaguely based on this FRIENDS imagine… 

A little something for my beloved @sweetwolfcupcake . P.S. there’s bonus torture at the end 🤭❤❤ No xtra warnings really. Voyeurism? 😅 If you can handle the movies, you can handle this. 

I.

At first you don't mean to spy on the man across the street in his apartment…you just happen to notice him. A lot of him, in fact, because he was roaming around his two bedroom flat without a shirt.

That is not why you find yourself looking for him the next night, and the night after that… (Ok, maybe a little.)

He's ridiculously handsome. 

So sue you, ok? What's the harm in peeking? 

But peeking turns into looking, and looking turns into watching. It’s possible you acquire a little pair of binoculars from a second hand store. Perfect for the casual birdwatcher, or���creeping on your unfairly good-looking neighbor.

You know it's wrong…but there’s just something about him, and you cannot look away.

He seems lonely, and maybe that's something you relate to all too well in this city of 8 million people.

He likes to read. 

He drinks amber colored spirits from a cut crystal glass.

Tattoos span the breadth of his wide shoulders; his towels are the slate gray of storm clouds.

Sometimes when he comes home late he moves stiffly, as though he's in pain. 

He's so beautiful that a part of you wishes you could keep him like this forever, like a butterfly behind glass.

The first time he waves at you, you are so startled you nearly drop your tea.

You’re smart enough to do your serious creeping with your lights off. But tonight you are just sitting by the window with a book after a long day, taking it all in.

You don't know where you get the courage after a long pause, to lift your hand in return.

Longing weighs upon your chest like a cold stone.

Nothing will ever come of this.

That's what you think, anyway, until two nights later when there is a knock on your door.

II.

You are innately shy, and a certain sense of premonition makes you cross to the door even slower than usual. 

When you open it to find him on the other side, tall and handsome as your darkest dreams, with a bottle of wine in his [obscenely] large hands, you shut the door right in his face.

With your heart in your throat, you open it again five seconds later to find him standing exactly as he was, only with a bit of a smirk pulling the corner of his full mouth.

“Hi.”

His voice is a deep, smooth baritone that short circuits something crucial in your brain.

Is it actually possible, for one’s eyes to truly bug out of their head?

“I know this might seem kinda strange…” he plows through the thick silence between you. “But I see you all the time, and I thought…”

As though he's having trouble articulating that thought exactly, he holds up the wine as his visual aid.

You will never know what possessed you, when you step back on shaking legs to invite a perfect stranger into your apartment at midnight in the East Village.

Lucky you, that he doesn't turn out to be a serial killer. (As far as you can tell). 

You're cautious about drinking the wine at first, so you stick to your tea while you sit on the couch together and stumble through the initial social introductions. 

His name is John. He works in security at a club called the Red Circle. He likes bookbinding, old cars, and the classic works of the Russian literary greats.

By the time he leaves hours later, you’re afraid you’re half in love.

III.

These midnight talks become a thing.

He is on a nocturnal schedule, because of his work, and you get by with less sleep than you need, because you are young, and you’ve come to suspect, somewhat addicted. 

Since that first night he insists on turning the conversation to you. How was your day? What is your favorite book? What did you think about that art house film? It is as though hearing it all brings him some indefinable solace to him.

There is an air of tragedy about this man that you sense but fear you cannot touch. The dark shine of his soulful eyes speaks volumes, and though he never complains, you think he has not had an easy life. 

Though you have noticed that the two of you sit closer and closer upon the couch as time goes on, he does not try to touch you. He knows you are skittish, perhaps, and your trust is precious to him. The first time his fingers accidentally brush yours you think your soul just might evacuate from your skin. 

You begin to think that it’s for the best that nothing seems like it is going to happen, when he asks if you would like to take a daytrip upstate with him. 

“Do you have a car?” 

His answer is the uptick of one dark sculpted eyebrow that makes you feel simultaneously foolish and cherished. He wants to spend one of his precious days off with you. 

It’s not a car though. It’s a beast. The look on your face as the two of you roar off into traffic makes John Wick laugh, a surprised huff of mirth, and you realize that somehow this is the first time you’ve heard it. This man says so much with his eyes, rather than his mouth.

On this trip while speeding down the straightaways and hugging the curves of the wilderness roads, you learn the rhythm of the Mustang’s transmission by holding and letting go of his long-fingered hand. 

He takes you to lunch at a lovely Michelin starred restaurant by a lake. You eat and talk and get tangled with his endless legs under the table. The fleeting glitter of happiness in his eyes is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen, and you will take the triumph of that accomplishment to your grave.  

He clocks a milestone too, when he drops you off at your door that evening. When he presses his soft mouth to yours with a hand on your waist, you are so enchanted you do not even flinch.

IV.

In fact, your toes curl in your shoes, and your fingers in the lapels of his smart sports jacket. It is as though you simultaneously want to pull him to you, and hold him at bay.

You are not the only one who has been holding on by a thread. You are so cute and sweet and soft and the way your eyes sparkle while you gently roast his ego on a slowly turning spit…it’s been exquisite torture, keeping his hands off you, but now that he’s got you in his grasp he can't bring himself to let go. 

Maybe you're both surprised, when he backs you into your door, the delicious solid line of his body pressed against yours. And does it shock you, when you throw your arms around his neck, finally running your fingers through that luxuriously soft cloud of raven hair?

“I could…open the door?” you suggest breathlessly as his increasingly wicked lips trail down the curve of your neck. 

“Good idea,” he grinds out. “It’s illegal to do what I intend to do to you here in the hall.”

This is the thing that gives you pause, and for the first time he is slow to pick up on your cues, love-drunk as he is on the taste of you.

“John…?”

“If…you want me to,” he quickly amends, looking down at you with his hair in his eyes like a man who is drowning just below the surface, this close to a lifesaving breath of air.

Do you want him to?

Usually you are so cautious, so reserved. You've had your heart broken before, and you never intended to give anyone that power again. But for the first time in a long time, you actually trust a man. John Wick has you in his hands, and you know he could break you like a twig, but he’s so careful with you that your skin aches.

“I…want you to,” you answer slowly, and the wonder in his eyes is as precious as it is heartbreaking.

“My sweet, sweet girl,” he sighs between kissing you, drinking you down, tasting your mouth like you are the delicate French wine you had with lunch. “You are so precious to me.”

You’re embarrassed to admit that your legs sort of melt out from under you after that. It doesn’t matter though. He is strong, and he holds you with such ardor that he half carries you as he clutches your soft body to his. Looking back, you'll remember that halting walk in flashes. There are pauses for kisses, and pushing jackets from shoulders to forget them on the floor. There is hushed laughter, and joyful fumbling, and his lips pressed to every inch of bared skin you offer him. 

V.

You feel like a goddess, in John Wick’s arms. 

Worshipped. Adored.

In the temple of your bedroom, you are both deity and acolyte, and for the first time in your life you are eager to get on your knees for a man, just to give him a taste of the ecstasy he drives you to. 

John Wick likes kisses.

It’s endearing, maddening, how eager he is to give and receive them. Upon your lips and your shoulders, the soft curves of your breasts and down your belly and between your thighs. It is a whirlwind of sensual delights, and you are naught but an aching vessel hungry to receive it all. 

How complete he makes you feel, with his manhood buried inside you. As though this is the only proper place to be, tangled up with him in your soft bed. What were you so afraid of? For the moment, you cannot remember. You can't think much at all, really, just feel, and it feels glorious to be in his arms.

Afterwards you doze. When later you wake and he's not there you’re sad but resigned. 

Of course he's gone. 

But when you pad out to get a glass of water in your robe you find him at the window, eyeing those little binoculars of yours with an amused smile.

“I…can explain…” you stammer, mortified, the rush of guilt like poisoned lightning in your veins. 

“It’s ok, sweetheart,” he says with a gentleness in his eyes that floors you. “I like to watch you too.” 

You wonder how long he’s known? All the times he seemingly paraded around with that mouth watering chest on display…was he showing off for you? Was he baiting you??

You don't have time to ask him, because seconds later his arm is around your waist and his mouth is on yours, and he is sweeping you into his arms– destination: Round 2.

Later while he's holding you in the quiet, savoring this rare sense of peace with your precious head tucked upon his shoulder, his arms wrapped snugly around you, does he begin to wonder…

Just how unattainable, really, would Viggo make the Impossible Task? 

He has everything he’s ever truly wanted in his arms, and he’s ready to tell the rest of the world to go to hell. 

VI. 

The next few months go by like a golden-edged dream. Dinners at fine restaurants. Long walks in Central Park. Sunday brunches and afternoons spent browsing antique stores and bookshops, looking for treasures. You go to shows and art exhibits and sometimes you just meet in the middle of the day for fifteen minutes because you need to see each other. 

Magical as it is, your innate skepticism makes you wonder if it’s too good to be true. 

As time goes on you start to form a rough sketch of John’s professional duties, but out of willful blindness or your own naivete with such things, never a perfect picture. 

You ask if you can come see him at the Red Circle sometime, and he outright forbids it. “Nothing good happens there. It’s no place for a sweet girl like you.” 

“Then why do you work there?” 

“Because I have to.” 

But one day when you are engaging in your playful routine of pantomiming at each other from across the street you see a shadow creeping up behind him. In a panic you wave and point. He regards you with a tilted head, not understanding. 

You scream as the intruder makes his move. 

Maybe you vaguely knew that John should be able to handle himself, but the scene that unfolds makes your jaw hit the floor. Frozen in shock, you watch as your sweet boyfriend John dodges blows and throws his assailant over his shoulder, twisting his suited opponent’s arm backwards, surely breaking it. 

Then you realize there are two more people in John’s apartment, and you find yourself running for the door. 

Why don’t you call 911? 

Your lungs are burning by the time you soar down your stairwell, cross the street absolutely improperly, winning shouts and honks and the close brush of a side mirror at your back, and scale the steps to the third floor. 

As you rush down the hall you realize you have no weapons. And so before you enter John’s apartment you take off your shoe, holding it threateningly at the ready. If you’d allowed yourself to think before any of this you might have been too terrified to open the door, but you are running on supercharged adrenaline and fear for the life of the man you love. 

The man you love. 

You haven’t actually said that aloud yet, but you realize with an unequivocal certainty in that moment that it’s true. 

You expect to walk into the cacophony of a battle in full tilt. 

What awaits you is the silence of a graveyard. 

John sits on his couch, catching his breath, his hand pressed over a wound on his arm. 

Three bodies lay at his feet in various angles. 

You don’t need to check pulses to know that they're dead. 

You have no words. You just stand and stare dumbly, though you must make some small sound that alerts him of your presence. He leaps to his feet, crossing the room like a panther, gathering you in his arms and ushering you into his bedroom. 

Madder yet, you let him. 

“Sweetheart…I never wanted you to see this.” 

He says it like this is something that happens regularly. 

You sink to sit at the foot of his bed, eyes wide as saucers as you look up at him. “Should we…call the police?” 

It’s the most sensible thing you can think to say. 

“No, baby. No police.”

Something must cross your expression. He sinks to his knees before you, clasping your hands in his. Yet he does not beg or threaten or make excuses. He tries twice before finding his voice, with the glitter of moisture in his eyes he grates out: “I understand, if you never want to see me again.” 

The surge of anger inside you wakes you from your stupor more than anything. “Don’t be stupid, John! They tried to hurt you! It was self defense!” 

He just looks up at you, and now somehow you know the weight of his silent dark gaze is made up of an unquantifiable amount of dark deeds just like this.  

You think back on what he told you earlier about his job with a greater understanding. Because I have to. 

Your sweet, wonderful John, is a killer. 

What does it say about you, that your feelings for him do not change with this new knowledge?

You reach up to stroke his beard, and he leans into your touch like a lifeline, that obsidian-sharp gaze closed for a moment from the world. 

“You shouldn’t be with a monster like me, sweet girl.” 

If he’s trying to break up with you…you have no intention of letting him. 

“You are not a monster, John.” You kiss him sweetly upon the forehead, and he folds for you, his head falling to rest upon your lap. You stroke his hair like that for you don’t know how long. 

He bleeds on you–you do not care. 

You stay like that until someone named Charlie comes to clean up the mess. You hear them talking through the door–you stay out of sight in the bedroom. You hear something exchange hands, like the clinking of coins. 

“I’m getting out,” he tells you later, when you are wrapped up in his arms in the blue twilight of early morning. 

“Is that even possible?” You cannot hide the tremulous note of hope in your tone.

“Nothing’s impossible.” 

You can tell by now that there’s something he’s not telling you, but you cling to this small modicum of hope as you finally drift off to sleep. 

As you lay tangled together beneath the high-thread count sheets, John Wick holds you tightly and decides then that he will be free…or he will be dead. 

It’s the least you deserve, and maybe…he does too.

[reo-bylerwagon]

something super interesting to me is how a lot of viewers still struggle seeing mike reciprocating will's feelings, when the same thing could've been said for joyce in season 3.

i'd argue she's even harder to read than mike (mainly in s4) in most moments she has with hopper in season 3.

let's start off with their first interaction in season 3! and to really get into the grime, joyce's first time seeing hopper in the season.

is she just happy she has a visitor on a super slow day at work ("you're our first customer")? could be. she did immediately drop what she was doing the moment hop walked in, though.

when she does pick up on her tasks, she does incorporate a little flirting with hop... followed by the winona doe eyes look-up

then her gaze keeps getting softer

doesn't pull her eyes away from him...

and here it is. our first ever look at joyce byers yearning. (she hasn't processed what hop is saying yet give her a break lol)

she gets lost in the moment, and actually acts on wanting to feel closer to him, and comfort him.

these lyrics from "she's got you" by patsy cline are echoing her confusion right now. the lyrics in the caption are actually wrong, it should be "i really don't know, but i know it won't let me be" (i know that bc i'm a big fan of this song but that's beside the point lol). she doesn't know what her feelings for hopper could mean, but she's starting to realize they're there, and they might even be freaking her out a bit. understandably so! she lost bob a little under 8 months ago at this point, she hasn't even had a year to process her grief and trauma that came with witnessing it all.

then, hopper makes it real and asks her out. it is all about the microexpressions. her expression might've dropped, but her eyes are still saying the same thing, they're still holding that sense of longing. but that doesn't mean she isn't afraid, and taken aback, so it makes sense why joyce retreats.

on the subject of joyce retreating, standing hopper up isn't the only example. in my opinion, this scene is a very underrated, yet summation of how joyce handles romantic confrontation.

as hopper continues to call her out, we don't see her again. because once he says this, she basically dips.

sure, hopper wasn't fully digesting the problem at hand. but, all i'm saying is, isn't it convenient for joyce to use that fact to redirect the whole "you like me, but you're scare to move on" conversation by stealing his pliers (i think?) and making this lab mission happen?

and also, something something "like mother like son".

mix that with jonathan evacuating the second steve shows up at nancy's locker

this is the part of the post where i flip the bird to anyone who says byler analysts only talk about other relationships to prove byler (which, i gotta say, is annoying in general because bro i love these characters with my whole soul, and identifying dialogue and visual parallels that I DIDN'T PUT THERE is apparently disrespectful and shallow or something? touch grass, idk what to tell you if this post is somehow offensive.) anyway! i am actually using byler to shed light on joyce's perspective on her relationship with hopper during season 3, and how similar the relationships are in stranger things collectively, so let's go!

let's rewind about 24 hours! i'm gonna lay out this interaction, because there's something familiar about it.

the second the romantic implication is said out loud, and taken as such, joyce gets deflective and uptight. this leaves hopper to emphasize their "friendship" in his defense.

this sounds a lot like mike and will's fight at rink o mania. (both in episode 2 btw)

will even clarifies that this is about friendship more than once, even if some things he said were his attempt in seeing how mike would take them. the importance of this is that joyce and mike get defensive in their own way, and it is because, regardless of how hopper/will delivered it (or intended the delivery to be), they took these conversations romantically, and reacted similarly. of course, joyce is a woman in her late 40s, and mike is a 14 year old boy, so one reaction is more extreme than the other, but that doesn't diminish the essence these reactions share. they [mike and joyce] even leave in one last stinger (again, one is more extreme than the other.)

while we're on the subject of byler and jopper uniquely paralleling each other, here's another one that spells it out better!

joyce and will feeling like they're losing their mind/going crazy because of the mindflayer vs hopper and mike feeling like they're losing their minds/going crazy because they think they're seeing things (you could go further saying its an association with el, since hop was fighting off the demodogs to keep them off of el, and mike literally thinks he's still seeing el herself).

i want to include one more scene comparison, and i've talked about it vaguely before.

the upside down couch.

before it was upside down, joyce and hop had their first moment on screen where they both openly and mutually pined for each other on this couch. and not only that, but it is all while being basked under a very similar morning sunlight.

leaving this here to prove it's the same couch just 'cause

as i said before "like mother like son"

there's another byers who carries his unconscious crush home, and tucks them into bed.

extending the web even further, in the same night, mike takes will "home" to a similar couch, where he also comforts him.

and even though we don't see it, mike (and lucas lol) also bikes with will back to the wheelers in the same rain storm joyce takes hopper home in! (and this time, it's obvious that will sleeps over.)

[shyxcherry]

bite me | k 

summary: when your best friends invite you over for dinner, you didn't think anything of it. you didn't expect him to ask you to be his clan leader's 'fake girlfriend.'' and you surely didn't expect for someone to want to kill you over it. but here you are, in a snowed in cabin with a vampire you just met.

pairing: vampire!k x human!reader 

warnings: fluff, angst, smut (oral (female), fingering, one spank, p in v, unprotected sex), k's a vampire and has a bite kink 

word count: 18k 

notes: this somehow disappeared the first time when i tried to publish it. thank god i saved it somewhere else or i would've cried. let me know what you think! likes and reblogs appreciated. 

"for someone who doesn't eat actual food, you really know how to cook." 

you look up from your food when you heard harua snort. normally the two of you meet at your place for your weekly hang outs. but for some reason, he wanted you to come over to his place. you weren't opposed to it. you just weren't used to being in this side of town. 

the area that harua lived in was nice. like something you would see in a movie. all of the houses looked like small mansions. the people were always put together. but then again, you expected nothing less from vampires. because of course you had to find a best friend who was immortal. 

the two of you met when you were in college. the two of you were in the same class when the professor partnered you two up for an assignment. the two of you hit it off right away and have been friends ever since. even if he was 100 years older than you. 

"i'm glad you like it." he smiled at you, fangs peaking out at you. "you never come over to mine, so i wanted to spoil you." 

"and who's fault is that?" you question. 

he was always the one insisting of him coming over to yours. he was too afraid of the other vampires who live by him. you didn't see much of an issue. the area that harua lived in were nice, as were some of the vampires you had met while coming here. you never felt unsafe in the area. 

"you know why." he told you, pouting when you ruffled his hair. he smacked your hand away before going to fix it. 

"i know rua. i just like messing with you." 

"don't i know it." 

you finish your food, arguing with harua about who would clean up. in the end, harua cleaned everything up while you watched with a pout. he walked over, booping your nose as he tidied up the kitchen. 

"this isn't fair." you complained. "you always clean when you come to mine." 

"well it's my place, so it wouldn't be fair of me to make you clean." 

"it's not making if i'm offering." you watch as he turns to you with another one of his smiles. you smile at him before realizing something. "that's it. what do you want?" 

if there was one thing you knew about harua, he was a horrible liar. his back stiffened before looking away from you. "nothing." 

"do you smell that?" you ask, sniffing the air around you. harua turned, confused as he smelled around. "i smell a liar." 

you yelped as he smacked you with a damp towel. "you're so funny." 

"i know." you smile at him as he walks up to you. "seriously though. what's wrong?" 

"nothing's wrong." he answers, and this time you could tell he was being honest. "i just have a question for you." 

you follow after harua as he walks back into the living room. "so that's why i'm here. you're buttering me up for something." 

"well..." he trailed off as he sat on the couch. "you're free to say no. but just hear me out first." 

you sit next to him, pulling your knees up to your chest as you watch him. "i'm all ears." 

"do you remember my friend group?" 

"the one's i've been dying to meet, but you won't let me?" 

you've heard about his friends multiple times, though you've never head him refer to them as 'friends.' normally he calls them his clan. you've seen some pictures of them, and you know they're all like him. but you've never met them despite you and harua being friends for the past 3 years. harua tells you it's because you're too good to meet them, or that he doesn't want them to take you away from him because you were his friend first. 

"well, we're having this sort of get together. it's where a bunch of the clans around the area get together and talk stupid business that none of us really care about." harua explains. you remember him vaguely talking about this in the past. mostly because after them, he comes over to your, complaining to you while you drink wine. 

"it happens once a year right?" 

"yes." he answers. "the reason i'm telling you this is because of k. you remember him?" 

"he's the leader of your clan, right?" he nodded his head at your response. 

"the past few times we've went, the clans have started talking about k's lack of partner. i still think he's young, but the others think that he needs to settle down and find his partner." you listened intently as harua explained the situation. 

"how old is he?" 

"your terms or ours?" harua answers making you sigh out. you hear him laugh before he answers. "human age is about 27. our age he is roughly 150." 

"so why are you telling me all of this?" 

harua sighs before looking over at you. "k is trying to get them off of his back. we came up with the idea for him to bring a "girlfriend" if you will, so they'll leave him alone." 

"you want me to be the fake girlfriend?" you ask unsure. 

"i know it's a huge thing to ask of you, but i wouldn't be asking if it i didn't have to." harua told you. "if he goes this time without someone, they may try to over rule him." 

"what does that mean?" you ask. 

"they'll try and fight him for his position. more than likely killing him in the process." 

your eyes widened at the answer. "you guys are fucking barbarians!" 

"tell me something i don't know." harua leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes for a moment. "i can't lose him. none of us can. it's like taking a child away from their parents." 

"when is this thing?" you ask him. 

"next friday." 

you thought about it for a moment. you've read stories of vampires who has lost their clan leader. even if someone tries to replace them, most of them go insane. you know harua's told you that one clan who lost their leader destroyed an entire town, full of innocent humans. you didn't want to see that happen to your best friend, or any of the people he cared about. 

"i'll do it." 

haura jumps up at your answer. "you will?" 

"of course. you're my best friend. i'd do anything for you." harua pulls you into a hug that involved a little to much of his vampire strength, but you didn't mind. 

"i don't know how i'll ever repay you." 

"you can start by making me that pasta for the rest of my life." 

"deal." 

"why do i need a new dress?" you complain as you follow after harua. "i have so many at home that i've never even worn." 

the get together you'll be attending as k's girlfriend was in a few days. you had already planned out what you were going to where. apparently though, it wasn't good enough for harua because he was taking you shopping for a new one. 

"bubs, i've been through your closet. you don't have anything that fits the theme." 

you look over at him with raised eyebrows. "theme? what the hell is this? prom?" 

"wrong choice of words." you turn around when you hear someone talk behind you. you come face to face with who you're sure is one of harua's friends. he wasn't much taller than you with dark hair and sharp, cat like eyes. "what he mean to say was dress code. everyone dresses way too fancy for these stupid things." 

"yn. this is nicholas." harua introduced the two of you. "he's going to help us pick out a dress. he has the best eye when it comes to stuff like this." 

you nod your head, becoming quiet as the two vampires converse. you have been wanting to meet harua's friends for years, and he's always brushed you off. it isn't until you're going to this dinner with them that you finally get to meet everyone. once their conversation is over, harua grabs your hand as you three walk into the mall. 

"how fancy is this thing?" you ask harua as the two of you follow after nicholas. your question was answered when he walked into the store with the most extravagant dresses you've ever seen. you turn to glare at your best friend- him knowing of your hatred for things like this. he avoided your eyes as he looked to the ground. 

"i love you?" 

"i take back everything i said about doing anything for you. you owe me big time." you mumble as you walk into the store, knowing he could hear you. you look at a price tag, gasping at the price before looking back at harua. "i can't afford something like this!" 

he scoffed before bumping your shoulder. "i know you can't. that's why i'm buying." 

"harua-" 

but before you could scold him, nicholas called out your guys name from deeper in the store. you glare at harua one last time before walking away to find nicholas. you found him near the dressing rooms with a handful of red dresses. 

"i'm guessing the theme is red?" you assume. you look up when you hear nicholas laugh. 

"it's our clan color." he answers you. "plus, it goes good with your complexion." 

you follow after him as he walks into the dressing rooms. he hangs up the dresses before leaving, but before he shuts the door, harua slips in. if it was anyone else, you would probably yell at them to get out so you could get changed. it's also not like you could get into these dresses by yourself anyway. 

he helped you into the first dress, but you didn't even let him tie it up before you took it off, hating how it looked on you. you did that to two more dresses until you found one you would let him tie it. just for nicholas to veto that one because he didn't like it. 

you tried on the last dress, letting harua fix it before turning around. it was a off shoulder deep satin dress with pearls on the torso. it flared out at your hips. 

"i like this one." harua says fixing the dress. "you look beautiful." 

"am i going to be the only human there?" you look up at him. it was a question that had been bothering you since you said yes to him. 

"no." you let out a sigh of relief at his answer. "fuma, who is similar in age to k, has a girlfriend who is a human. she's coming with us. some of the other vampires from other clans have human significant others as well." 

you nod your head at his words, smiling with he pulls you into him and kisses your forehead. "even if you were, we wouldn't let anything happen to you. especially me." 

"i know, rua." 

the two of you walked out to show nicholas, who immediately approved of the dress. you changed into your normal clothes while harua, much to your dismay, pays for that dress. now the only thing left was to attend the dinner. should be easy right? 

you fiddle with your dress as you sit in the passenger's seat of harua's car. to say you were nervous was an understatement. he has reassured you multiple times that everything would be okay. that they would love you, but you were still nervous. especially when harua told you that the two of you would be riding separate to and from the dinner. 

you were supposed to ride with k, which made you nervous because you haven't even met the guy and you were riding alone with him for 30 minutes. you know harua would be in the car behind you but still. you tended to be quiet around people you didn't know, and you didn't want to be awkward around anyone. 

once you two arrive at k's place, which was somehow even more stunning that harua's, you were stopped before you could get out of the car. "before we go in there, i need to do something for me." 

"your list of owing me is getting longer by the day rua." you joke, but nodded your head for him to continue regardless. 

"when we get to the dinner, you need to listen to anything k tells you to do without question. it needs to look like you trust him as much as we do." 

"trust one of the most powerful vampires alive because you tell me to. got it." harua snorts at your attempt to make light of the situation, but he could still tell you were nervous, even with you hiding it. 

you follow behind harua as you enter k's house. you take a moment to admire the simplistic decor before someone gains your attention. a girl in a red dress similar to yours, except her top was corset style, was walking over to the two of you. once she reached you, she immediately pulled you into a hug, shocking you. 

"you must be yn. it's so nice to finally meet you." she smiled as she pulled away. "i'm mijung, but everyone calls me mj." 

"you're fuma's girlfriend, right?" you recall one of your many interrogations with harua about his friends. 

"i am." she answers. "almost everyone is here waiting in the den. we're just waiting on ej and nicholas." 

"late as always." harua laughs, grabbing your hand before leading you to where everyone was. he squeezed your hand when he noticed how tight you were holding his. a grip that got tighter when you two stepped into the den. 

to say you were overwhelmed was an understatement. not when 6 very attractive vampires all turned towards your direction. before you could too nervous though, one of them sped over with a large smile. 

"you're even prettier than the photos." 

"taki!" harua yells, stepping in front of you some. you, along with everyone, laugh at the interaction. the laid back vibes helping you calm down. 

"it's true!" he exclaimed before holding out his hand. "i'm taki." 

you move from behind harua before shaking his hand. "i'm yn." 

everyone went around the room introducing themselves. you tried your best to remember everyone. once just about everyone was introduced, the leader of them turned towards you. of course the one who you were supposed to 'fake date' is the most attractive man you've ever seen. he looked like he had just walked out of a tv screen. he was wearing a black suit with a red tie that matched your dress. his hair was also slicked back, revealing his forehead. 

"i'm k." he smiled at you, causing your knees to shake for a moment. what the hell was wrong with you? "thank you for doing this for us. it means a lot." 

you nod your head, quickly breaking eye contact with him and looking a haura. you shake off the feeling of his eyes staring at you as you nudged harua. "of course. it's hard to say no to him anyway." 

"typical harua effect." mj joked. "i think its the baby face." 

"oh definitely the baby face." you agreed, reaching up and pinching haura's cheeks. the guys laughed when he blushed before pushing your hand away. 

"now that everyone's here, are we ready?" mj asked. it was then that harua turned towards you. 

"one more thing before we go." 

"hit me." 

the two of you turn with you heard the youngest vampire, maki, laugh. he was laughing at k who was looking between the two of you with wide eyes. you shuffle under his gaze. did you already say something wrong? 

"relax, k. it's just a saying." maki told him before turning to you. "you'll have to forgive the old man. knows nothing of todays terms." 

you chuckle at the glare k gave maki before turning your attention back to harua. "you need to stay with one of us at all times. preferably k since you're supposed to be his girl." 

you nod your head, trying not to let the words 'his girl' get to you. you didn't have a chance to freak out over it due to someone walking up beside you. you look up to see k standing next to you- his strong cologne invading your senses. even with heels on, you barely reach his shoulders. 

"relax, harua." k reassured him. "i'm not going to let her out of my sight." 

"good. because if something happens to her, i'm going to kill everyone." 

after harua's threat, everyone got loaded in their respected vehicles. the car ride wasn't too awkward thankfully, just quiet. once you were almost there, k turned his attention towards you. 

"i'm hoping harua explained to you about how the night would go, right?" 

"yeah." you answered. "we go in there, have dinner, and impressive some vampires." 

you didn't know what you were expecting as a response, but you didn't think it would be a laugh. you turned in time to see his smile before he looked at you. "you're cute." 

your eyes widened at the compliment from him as he turned his attention back to the road. that was the end of your conversation thankfully as you didn't think you could properly respond to him without sounding like a complete idiot. 

once you two arrived, k helped you out of the car, keeping a hand on the small of your back 

"who's ready to smooze some vampires?" 

"really taki?" 

you felt like a fish out of water the longer the night went on. k did as he said, not letting you out his sight which you were thankful for. you didn't think that included his hand resting on your waist the whole night- not that you were complaining or anything. 

you could tell, however, how much he dislike certain people due to his grip on you. if someone said something that offended him, his hand would tighten on your waist. you even noticed he got upset when one of the other clan leaders look at you for too long. 

after what felt like an eternity of meeting everyone and listening to things that you had no clue about, the dinner had started. you did question harua why dinner since vampires didn't normally eat. you knew they could if they wanted to. it just wasn't necessary. he then proceeded to go on some tangent that they did it to seem more 'human.' 

you sat in between k and mj at your table. you wanted to sit next to harua, but he didn't think that would be a good idea since you were comfortable around him. you reluctantly agreed, not wanting to raise any questions. there was also apparently a rule that the humans sit in between the two more vampires, which would be k and fuma. 

you did meet mj's gaze during the dinner. she motioned to her lips before mouthing to you. "you hate this as much as i do?" 

"i don't think i've ever been more bored. or uncomfortable." you mouth back. 

her perfectly sculpted eyebrows raise. "you don't seem to uncomfortable in k's embrace." your jaw drops at her words. she laughs at your expression before nudging your shoulder. "don't worry. your secret's safe with me." 

the rest of your dinner went off without a hitch. all of you being thoroughly entertained by the two youngest member, taki and maki, as they argue back and forth over something. 

you almost startle when you feel an arm wrap around your shoulder. you look over to see k smiling at you before leaning in close to you. it took everything in you to not shy away from him as his lips graze your ear. 

"i want to thank you again for doing this." his warm breath hits you, almost making you shiver. 

"don't mention it." 

"you know, when harua suggest that you would do it, i almost didn't believe him." 

you met his gaze when he pulled back. "why is that?" 

"what human agrees to be a date for a vampire she's never met?" he asked. 

"the type who cares about her friend." you answer before shrugging. "and besides, you weren't a total stranger. haura's talked about you multiple times. he thinks very highly of you." 

he leans in closer to you once again. "what amazing things has he said about me?" 

"the term arrogant may have popped up a couple of times." you find yourself smiling when k threw his head back with laughter. that moment of happiness that you allowed yourself as you watched him was short lived.  

a vampire you met earlier burst through the doors, covered in blood. you froze, jaw dropping as you looked at him as he stumbled into the room. k's arm tightened around you as two other vampires rush to catch him. 

"the wolves." he spoke. "the wolves are here." 

as if on que, a loud howl came from the direction the vampire came from. other's howled in response, and your eyes widened when you realized they were completely surrounding you. everyone, including you, looked towards k for directions. you watched him whole demeanor change as he thinks of a plan. 

"harua. jo. get yn and mj out of here. the rest of you with me." he demands, shocking you when he presses a kiss to your forehead before getting up. 

everyone except the four of you follow after k. you watch him for a moment before turning to harua. he gives you a calming smile as he helps you get up while jo goes to scout a path for you guys. he wraps his arm around your waist when he feels your legs start to shake. 

"are you okay to walk?" he asked you. "if not i can carry you." 

you shake your head. "i'll be okay." 

"i won't let anything happen to you." he promised as jo walked back over to the three of you. 

"this way is clear." 

harua gripped your hand tightly in his as you follow after jo and mj. as soon as you stepped outside, you could hear the fighting on the other side of the building. you flinched when you heard one of the wolves yelp before harua stops in front of you, nearly making you run into him. 

you grip onto the back of his jacket with your free hand as you peak around him to see two wolves that haven't shifted yet staring at the four of you. the one on the right had a sinister smile as he eyed the two vampires blocking you and mj. that was until one of them looked at you. you pushed down nausea as he nodded his head towards you. 

"this is the one that was with that bastard, wasn't it?" he questioned his friend. harua tightened his grip on you, blocking you even more. 

"it is." his friend responded. "i can smell him on her from here. boss will want her." 

"we'll let your other little human go if you give us her. we may even let you two live as well." the first one spoke again. haura let out a sound that you had never heard from him before. it almost sounded like a growl. 

"i'll be dead before i ever let you touch her." 

"that can be arranged." 

but before the wolves could do anything, harua sped away from you. you couldn't see much, but your jaw dropped when the two wolves dropped dead in front of you. harua sped back to you wiping his now bloody hand on his suit. you had never seen this side of harua, and apparently neither have jo and mj from the looks on their faces. 

"jesus, rua." mj mumbled. "remind me not to get on your bad side. or yn's." 

you stare at the bodies, having never seen someone dead before. let alone killed right in front of you. and the fact that your sweet best friend who nearly jumped in your arms last week because of a bug was the one who killed them. you felt bile rise up your throat as everything you thought you knew shift. 

"bubs, you okay?" you finally look away from the two dead men, meeting harua's eyes. he was now almost trembling as much as you were. 

"i will be once we get out of here." 

"you heard the woman. let's go." mj commented as she motioned for the two vampires to lead the way. you hold back a gag as you step around the bodies. you felt like you were going to need a therapist after tonight. 

you and mj continued to follow after harua and jo as they let you to what you recognize as the parking lot. that was when the four of you went separate ways. mj hugged you goodbye before getting into jo's car. you get into harua's car before the two of you speed off. 

"they're going to be okay, right?" you ask, referencing the rest of his friends who were fighting. you may have just met them, but you didn't want anything to happen to them. although if they were anything like harua, they would be fine. 

"yes." he answered without hesitation. "it's not our first times fighting wolves." 

you scoff, picking at your dress as you try to calm yourself. "clearly." 

"look, yn." haura sighs. "i didn't mean for you to see that-" 

"i'm going to stop you right there, rua." you interrupt him. "nothing that happened tonight is going to change anything between us." 

"it's not?" he asked. you looked over to see him gripping the steering wheel in fear of you leaving before you met his gaze. you could see the relief in his eyes when you shook your head. 

"no." you answer. "nothing you could do could ever stop us from being friends." 

"i'm sorry? what?" 

after the disasterous dinner, harua took you back to your place. he stayed the night which wasn't anything new, so he could watch over you. he sat in the chair in the corner of your room while you slept, or at least attempted to. you got a few hours of restless sleep at best. 

the sun hadn't even risen when you got up, but you were tired of laying in bed. you know that harua left that chair sometime during the night, and you could tell something was off with him when he came back. and by the time you got up, he was acting even weirder. you could tell by his actions that there was something bothering him, but he wouldn't tell you. it wasn't until he got a phone call from k that he explained everything to you. 

the pack of wolves who attacked you belonged to an alpha named aric. apparently him and k go way back, but harua wouldn't tell you the details. all he told you that they were once really close friends turned enemies. k's clan, along with another vampire's clan, were going head to head with him. but now, aric has been growing his pack to where he vastly outnumbers them. 

"aric threatened you." harua explains again. "he thinks you and k are together, and he wants revenge." 

"and that involves killing me?" you yell as you pace around your living room. it was way too early to be dealing with this, and your lack of sleep was like the cherry on top. you turn to continue pacing when you run into harua. he pulls you into a hug, not only to comfort you but himself as well. 

"i'm so sorry i dragged you into this. if i knew this was going to happen, i never would've asked." 

"harua." you sigh pulling away. "you don't have to apologize. i don't blame you for anything. i knew it would be dangerous. just tell me what we need to do to fix it." 

"the only way to fix it is to kill aric." 

"well even i could figure that one out." you roll your eyes. before he could respond to you, someone knocked on your door. you jump in fear before turning to harua. "who is that?" 

he rubbed his hands along your arms soothingly. "relax, yn. it's k and taki." 

you relax as you watch harua leave the room to open the door. you hear him greet the two before you were wrapped in a hug causing you to let out a shocked sound. you recognize the laugh that came from your hugger was taki. 

"did you miss us?" taki asked as he pulled away from you. he stepped away from you as k and harua walked into the living room. 

you let your eyes quickly glaze over k. you didn't see how someone could still look like a model in jeans and a t-shirt. his hair was fluffy instead of the gelled back like it was last night. you preferred this style better. although now you felt self conscious with your messy but and overly large t shirt that completely covered your shorts, so it looks like you weren't wearing any. 

"terribly." you answer turning back to taki. "i was starting to go through withdrawals." 

"especially because of me, right?" 

you let out a chuckle as you play along with him. "you caught me red handed." 

you are rewarded with a loud laugh from taki. "i like you. harua, i will forever question why you waited so long to let me meet her." 

the two of you look over when neither one of them answer you. you see k and harua in what looks like a heated discussion. you look over to taki in confusion. he watches them for a moment before looking back at you. 

"i'm guessing harua didn't tell you why we we're here, did he?" 

you looked between him and the other two. "no. are you going to tell me?" 

"don't you say a word, taki!" harua exclaims, stopping taki from talking. it also caused the both of you to jump at his outburst. "i am her best friend. i am telling her. you two bud out." 

harua walked over, grabbing your wrist before dragging you back into your bedroom. it was now his turn to pace as you sit on your bed. "okay, yn. i need you to hear me out before you start asking questions." 

"the last time you said that, i was nearly attacked by wolves." you chuckled when he glared at you. you held out your hands in a mock surrender as you mumble a 'sorry' under your breath. 

"aric has too many wolves going after k, which in return means they're going after you as well since they think you're together. we have decided that it would be safest if k goes into hiding while we look for aric and stop him." 

"i have a feeling k's not too happy about that." 

"he's not!" you hear taki yell from the living room. you then hear what you could assume of k smacking him and telling him to be quiet and to stop listening in. you roll your eyes as you look back to harua. 

"it's the only thing we could think of to keep the two of you safe." 

you freeze when you hear the end of harua's sentence. he realizes what he says, throwing a hand over his mouth in shock. you motion to the door where k was. "you're asking me to go with him, aren't you?" 

"it'll only be for a few days. a week at the most." 

"a week! i can't just leave." you stand up. "i have a job that i can't afford to lose." 

"we can compel your boss to not fire you." you hear taki say from the living room. you ignore the sound of rough housing at the two vampires in your living room as you look over to harua. he had a hopeful expression. 

"do you think this is necessary for me to go into hiding?" you ask. 

"i do." he answers, and you could tell he was being truthful with you. not he had ever lied to you before. "i need you safe, yn. i will lose my mind if something happens to you." 

you laugh softly, knowing that you felt the same way about him. you had never had a friend like harua. "i trust you, rua. if you think i need to go, i will." 

"thank you." he sighs in relief. "you two will leave as soon as you're packed. oh, and pack warm." 

you let out a groan, hating the cold. "is it to late to say no?" 

"yes." 

once you had gotten packed, k loaded up your bags into his car before you two set off. the two of you were quiet during your journey, having a lot on your minds. you let out a yawn as you watched the scenery fly by. eventually your exhaustion won and you fell asleep. 

you didn't know how long you were asleep. you just knew that the sun was fully in the sky at that point. you shift in your seat, furrowing your eyebrows when something falls in your lap. you look down to see that k had covered you with his jacket. 

"you looked cold." 

you look over at k, meeting his gaze for a moment before he looks back at the road. "thank you. how long was i out." 

"a few hours." he answers. "we still have about another hour to go." 

you nod your head before looking outside. you could tell just from looking outside that you were traveling north. the mountains were covered in snow. there also wasn't any sign of civilization anywhere. 

"where are we heading?" you ask. you couldn't use your phone to look to see where you were. you had it turned off, placed in your bag in case someone tracked it. you were under strict instruction on not using it unless necessary. 

"nicho has a cabin up here that he stays at from time to time." he answers you. "no one knows about it outside of us, so it'll be safe." 

"it's also in the middle of nowhere." k laughed at your comment. 

"try to get some more rest. we'll be there soon." 

you did as he said, pulling up his jacket up more as you settled back in your seat. you didn't fall back asleep, so you spent the rest of your time looking out the window. the closer the two of you got to your destination, the colder it got. eventually, it started snowing much to your dismay. 

"come on, yn." you jump at the sudden sound of k's voice causing him to chuckle. "the snow isn't that bad." 

"says the vampire." you mumble as the two of you pull up to a small two story cabin. it was surrounded by woods, completely shut off from society. you unbuckle your seatbelt before turning to k. "here's your jacket." 

"put it on. it's going to be cold in there until i get it warm." you look over at him like he had grown two heads. 

"all the reason why you should wear it." k took the jacket from you, but didn't put it on like you thought he would. instead, he leaned over the console before draping it over your shoulders. you clear your throat as he pulls away as you try to recover from that. "really?" 

k shrugged. "i can't get sick." 

you roll your eyes before doing as he wants and sliding your arms into the jacket before zipping it up. "better?" 

"much." he winks before he gets out of the car before going around to the trunk. you had a feeling he would scold you if you walked back and tried to help him with the bags. and you were correct by the glare he gave you when you took a step in his direction. "don't even think about, little human." 

"you're so dramatic." you turn your back on him, mostly to hide your blush as you walk towards the house. it was a weird nickname, but for some reason, you really liked it. not like you would ever say that out loud. 

you walk up the steps, slipping off your snow covered boots before going inside. the inside wasn't what you were expecting. the decor was modern, but with a twist you couldn't put your finger on. 

"why is the couch pink?" 

"pink is nicho's favorite color." k answered as he walked inside with your bags. he set his down before turning to you. "there are two bedrooms. one upstairs and one downstairs. i'm going to take the one downstairs." 

he motioned you to follow him upstairs where your room would be. he sat your bags on the bed before pointing at the room behind you. "that's the bathroom. and there's the closet." 

k left you alone while you explored some. the theme of this room was cream colors, along with pink accents which you thought was cute. you would've never guessed that the dark haired man's favorite color would be pink. 

after you put away your things and freshened up, you grabbed k's jacket before going back downstairs. you hung up his jacket by the door before wandering into the kitchen. you don't know why, but you expected it to be empty. instead, it was completely stocked like someone lived here. 

you look over when you hear k enter the room. "ej and nicho came here last night and stocked everything. harua told them all of your favorites to buy." 

"did he now?" you question walking over to the fridge. you open the freezer, examining everything until your eyes landed on your favorite thing to eat. ice cream. you grab it with a small smile. "i love that kid." 

k walks over to see what you were holding as you look for a spoon. once you find one, you open the lid before taking a bite. you look over when you hear k laugh at you. 

"it's snowing outside, and you're eating ice cream?" 

"you drink blood for a living, and you're questioning my food choices?" you retort before eating another bite of ice cream. 

"harua did say you hate cooking." you agree at his statement. 

"i do. i mostly eat ramen or this." 

"that's probably not very healthy." 

you look over at him. "i don't see your point." 

"my point is while you're with me, i'm going to take care of you." k tells you. 

you raise your eyebrows before looking back down at your ice cream. you didn't know if you could look at him after those words, even though he didn't mean it like that. "what does that mean? you're gonna cook for me?" 

"i am." he nods his head moving closer to you before taking the ice cream out of your hands. you watched him with wide as he puts it back in the freezer. "that also means no ice cream until after dinner." 

you thought that was the end of the conversation, but it wasn't. he grabs your spoon which still had ice cream on it, eating what was left on it before putting the it in the sink. you didn't even have a chance to react as he walked out of the kitchen. "dinner will be ready at 6." 

this man was going to be the death of you. 

you spend the rest of your afternoon exploring the house before relaxing in the living room. you watched some movie on tv, and k ended up joining you until he got up to go start dinner. you offered to help out of kindness, but he shut you down. you did sit in the kitchen though to keep him company. 

you've learn so far that k doesn't like silence very well because as soon as you sat down he began talking. you do your best listening to his story as you watch him cook. he had taken off his sweater leaving him in the same white t shirt as this morning. his back was turned to you for the most part, so you had a clear view without getting caught. 

you tuck your legs under you as k finishes up cooking. "all of your stories seem to involve taki." 

"me and him have been together the longest." k answers sitting the food in front of you. you thank him before starting to eat, and he starts to wash the dishes. "he was the first vampire i turned." 

"so that's why he clings to you like a child." 

you look up when k groans. "don't say that around him. i just got him to stop calling me dad." 

"he's such a cutie. all of the younger ones are." 

"oh?" k questions you. watch him turn to you with a smile. "what about the older ones?" 

you roll your eyes, standing up before walking over to the sink and washing your plate. "ej and nicho are attractive. not saying anything about fuma since he has a girlfriend." 

"and the oldest?" 

"what about him?" you tease. his shoulder brushes yours as he leans on the counter next to you causing you to look up at him. he hands you a towel for you to dry your hands. 

"what was your first impression of me?" you raise your eyebrows at his question. 

"you expect me to just tell you that?" 

"what if i tell you what my first impression of you was?" 

you thought about it for a moment. "you going to go first?" 

"i asked you first though." you laugh at his answer. 

"and that's where you messed up. i've known harua long enough to trust him, but to also know that he's a trickster. who's to say you're not as well?" 

you could tell by the glint in his eyes that you were right. it also helped that harua told you he learned everything from the man in front of you. "what if i give you my word?" 

"your word means nothing to me. don't forget you're still a stranger to me." 

"you wound me." he overdramatically grasps his chest. "i really thought we were best friends at this point." 

you roll your eyes at his dramatics. "boy makes me food one time and assumes were besties." 

"isn't that how it works?" 

"you're ridiculous." you chuckle at him. 

"ridiculously cute?" 

ridicoulsly attractive were the words that came to your mind, but you obviously didn't say those words outloud. instead, you pull away from him completely before stepping away. 

"you're going to have to try harder than that." 

he smiles at the challenge. "oh, little human. you have no idea what you've just done." 

it had been three days since you and k went off the grid. you felt like you were going stir crazy since you have been stuck in the cabin since you got there. and it's not like you could go for a walk, or do anything outside for that matter because it hasn't really stopped snowing. 

it was after dinner and you were yet again watching another movie, snuggled under a blanket while the fire kept you warm. thankfully k knew how to keep a fire going because you didn't. speaking of k, it was sitting on the other end of the couch driving you insane. 

it's not like was trying to or anything. he was just wearing a pair of sweats and a hoodie, but he still looked amazing. the two of you had spent the last few days in each others company. for some reason, you felt yourself open up around him, something that normally took you ages to do. you just felt comfortable around him in a way you couldn't explain. you didn't know how you were going to go not talking to him after you two went back home. 

"i feel like i'm going crazy." you mumble, blankly watching the tv screen. 

"at least i'm not the only one." k agreed. "i can't remember the last time i went even 12 hours without talking to one of the guys." 

"harua and i facetimed daily, sometimes even twice." you tell him. 

you couldn't help but wonder if he was okay. you did bring it up to k once, and he was able to help with your worries. apparently he had a satellite phone that the guys could call if they needed help. the fact that no one's called is a good sign according to him. 

"you want me to be your harua?" you furrow your eyebrows as you look over at k. 

"you can't be serious." he shrugged at your answer. "no offense, but i don't think you want me to do what i do when harua and i watch a movie." 

you hear k grumble causing you to look over. he wiped his hand over his face before giving you a smile. "try me." 

you look at him for a moment to see if he was actually serious. when you showed no sign of joking, you shifted on the couch, moving closer to k. you felt him stiffen when you lay your head on his thigh, though he relaxes fast. 

"play with my hair." 

"i'm sorry?" you laugh at k's question. 

"you said you were going to do what harua did. play with my hair." 

it took k a moment to respond, causing you to believe he wasn't going to. but he lifted up his hand before running it through your hair, lightly scratching at your scalp. since you were watching the movie, you couldn't see the smile on his face when he felt you relax into him. likewise with you, k couldn't see the blush on your face at your boldness. 

"can i ask you a question?" you ask after a few minutes of the two of you watching tv. 

"you just did, little human." 

you scoff at his answer causing him to laugh. "alright smartass. seriously though. what happened between you and aric?" 

"it's a long story." you hear k sigh. 

"all we have is time." you retort. you glance up to see him deep in thought. "but you don't have to if you don't want to. i was just curious." 

"you deserve to know since we brought you into this mess. what did harua tell you?" k asks. 

"just that you two were friends turned enemy." 

"we grew up together." you listen closely as k tell you the story. "everyone wondered how we got along so well since i'm a vampire and he's a wolf. neither one of us ever questioned it though. things didn't start to happen until he found his mate, sarah." 

you had read enough to know what a mate is. "she started to change him. he was turning into someone i didn't know. and then came creating a pack." 

"what do you mean creating a pack?" you ask him. 

he twirls you hair between his fingers as he answers. "once a wolf finds their mate, they can create packs of their own. most wolfs spend decades finding the perfect matches for their pack, similar to vampires. but sarah just made things more difficult." 

"how so?" 

"she was making him turn people who should've never been wolves. people who had done horrible things while a being a human, and even worse things as wolves. i tried to talk to him about it, but he never listened. told me to stick to my clan, and he'll stick to his pack. i should've done something sooner." 

"what happened?" 

"one of his pack members attacked an innocent kid. nearly killed him if i hadn't saved him." 

"and by saved him, you mean you turned him?" you ask. he hums a yes, watching as the gears clicked in your head. "was it taki?" 

"it was." he answered. "i wasn't at the age yet to start a clan, but aric's pack made me become one before i was ready. and the worst part is, he didn't even care." 

"he soon caught the attention of other vampires. normally we don't interfere with these kinds of things, but the wolves were doing anything, so we had to." 

"what did you guys do?" 

"do you remember meeting alex?" you nod your head at the question. he was one of the oldest vampires at the dinner last week. "he came up with a plan to confront aric and sarah. things were supposed to become violent. we just wanted to talk, but sarah told him that we were going to kill all of them, which caused them to attack. aric went for me while sarah went for violet." 

"who's violet?" you ask. 

"violet was alex's beloved." you guess you looked confused because he explained it to you. "a beloved is the vampire version of a mate. it's something you could only do once." 

you didn't know if you wanted the answer to your next question, but you couldn't help it. "do you have one?" 

"i've never had one." he answers, and you try to not let your relief show. "i made a promise to not have one until aric was dead." 

"is that why he wants to kill me? because he thinks i'm your beloved." k nods his head at your question. "but why?" 

k let out a sigh before he continued with the story. "sarah killed violet in the attack. in return, alex killed sarah. aric went crazy and tried to kill alex, but he ended up being outnumbered by us. he retreated, but not before threatening to kill my beloved as revenge for his dying. he sees it as my fault that she died because i wouldn't leave it alone." 

"have you seen him since that night?" 

"no. i didn't see him at the dinner either. that's why the guys, along with alex's clan, are trying to find out where he is. because it won't stop until he's dead." 

"are you going to be the one to kill him?" 

"little human, that right is solely alex's." k answers you. 

"makes sense." you hum. "though i still hate that you're not out there helping." 

"i'm right where i belong. keeping you safe." 

you already felt guilty that you couldn't help in any way, and k's words just made you feel worse. even though you know he didn't mean anything by it. and now one of the most powerful vampires can't do his job because he is protecting a useless human. you felt your eyes water causing you to sit up from k's lap. you stretch your legs, making sure to keep your back to him, so he couldn't see your face. 

"i'm sorry you're here protecting useless me." k froze at your words. 

"the last thing you are is useless." k tells you, but you make no effort to acknowledge them. "yn, look at me." 

you shake your head, faking a yawn before trying to get up. "i'm fine. just tired. i'm going to head to bed." 

before you stood up, k's long arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you towards him. you let out a gasp as you landed in k's lap. his other hand gently grasps your face, making you look at him. your nose brushes his as you meet his gaze. 

"you are not useless, do you understand me?" you nod your head at his question. "i didn't have to come here. the original plan was for harua to come here. i was the one who insisted on being here with you." 

"why? you don't even know me." 

"i know you well enough." he moved his hand away from your face to where it rested on your lower back. "i know you would do anything for the people you care about. someone useless wouldn't go to a vampire dinner just to help out someone they've never met before. plus, harua has told me a lot about you. he also thinks very highly of you." 

you choke out a laugh as you wipe your eyes. "thank you." 

"you're welcome, little human." 

you expected k to release his grip on you, so you get off of him. instead, he tightened his grip on you, pulling you closer and resting his chin on your shoulder. you could feel his eyes on the side of your face as you avoided eye contact with him. 

"are you okay now, yn?" 

before you could answer, you heard a phone ring. both of yours were off, so it had to be the satellite phone. you quickly stood up from k's lap, and he ran off into the kitchen. you quickly run off after him. but by the time you got into the kitchen, he was already on the phone. 

"harua, calm down. i can't understand you." you couldn't hear what harua was saying, but by the expression on k's face, you could tell it wasn't good. "how long? okay. no, don't worry. i'm not going to let anything happen to her." 

k hung up the phone before looking over at you. "we need to go. they know where we're at." 

"h-how?" you stutter, fear coursing through your body. 

"i don't know. harua just said that aric sent a group this way. some of the guys are on their way, but aric's group has a thirty minute head start. they'll be here any minute." 

you nod at k's explanation. "but k, it's been snowing nonstop over the past three days. the car's more than likely snowed it. how are we going to get out?" 

"fuck." k cursed, running a hand through his hair. his head snapped towards the front door. "stay inside." 

he sped out of the room. you assumed he going to check your theory. he didn't come back though right away, and that scared you. you walk out of the kitchen and towards the front door. you peak out of the window to see if you could see any sign of him. instead, some guy banged on the window making you jump back and scream. 

"come on, sweetheart. i don't bite." he growls with a smile. "hard." 

you jump when he's suddenly ripped away from the window. you hear multiple growls, but you couldn't tell how many wolves were outside. you also thought you heard a shout of pain come from k. you wanted to run outside to check on him, but listened to his command to stay inside. 

it went quiet outside, and you took another chance to look out the window again. you didn't see anybody, but it was hard to see since it was dark. you heard the back door open, making you freeze. you looked around you for a place to hide when your name was called. 

"yn!" 

"i'm here." you answer k's panicked tone, moving towards the kitchen where the back door was. your eyes widened at the state of him before rushing over to where he was leaning on the counter. "oh my god, k. are you okay?" 

he was covered in blood. his lip was busted, and he had a bruise forming on his left cheek. his hand was clutching his stomach, and you removed it to see 4 deep claw marks going across his stomach. your worried eyes look back up at him. 

"what do we do?" 

"i need you to go and hide. i'll take care of them as they show up." you stop him from moving when he turns to go back outside. 

"like hell i'm letting you go back out there! you'll die." 

"that's a sacrifice i'm willing to make." 

"it's not one i'm willing to make." you all but yell at him as you wrack your brain, trying to come up with a solution. "do you have any blood stored? will that help?" 

he shook his head. "animal blood won't heal me." 

"then what-" you stop yourself as you look at him. "will mine?" 

"i'm not drinking from you." he refused. 

"if you want to go back out there, you will." you demand. he still look unsure, so you kept trying to convince him. "k, you're pale, and you look one step away from death. and that's saying a lot because you're already dead!" 

"yn-" 

"k, please." you beg him, holding on to his wrist. "bite me. i'm begging you." 

you hold out your wrist to him. he looks at your wrist for a moment before grabbing it. but instead of bringing it to his mouth, he pulled you to his chest. your hands land on his chest as you look up at him in shock. he wasn't looking at you though. instead, he was looking at your neck. 

"here." you move your hair out of the way as well as moving your shirt. 

"yn, are you sure?" k's eyes met yours. 

"i wouldn't be offering if i wasn't sure. bite me." 

k's hand slid up your body, wrapping around the back of your neck as he leans down. his breath hits your skin as his lips ghost over your neck. you almost jump in shock when he places a kiss to the spot where your shoulder and neck meet. 

"i'm sorry." 

you make a small pained sound when his teeth puncture your skin. his arms hold you steady as you fall into his embrace. the pain quickly fades away, and it confuses you when it turns into being somewhat pleasurable. you grip his hoodie as you bite down on your lip, so you don't make any noise. 

once he's had enough, he pulls away from your neck. he places one last kiss to the spot before pulling away from you. his eyes are filled with worry. "are you okay?" 

"i feel like i should be asking you that." 

he no longer has the split lip or bruise on his face. his color was also looking better. and when you look down at his stomach, the claw marks are still there, but there more shallow than they were before. 

his fingers brush your cheek, bringing your gaze back to him. he opens his mouth to say something, but a howl stops him. he looks behind him before back at you. 

"hide. and don't come out until i come get you." 

you turn, quickly running up the stairs. you make it to your room, grabbing the vanity chair before going into the closet. you put the chair under the door handle before going back to the very corner. you heard the faint sound of fighting farther away from the house, so you thought you were safe for the moment. 

that moment was ruined when you heard the front door slam open. you heard a set of footsteps searching around the house before making their way upstairs. you place your hand over your mouth as they slam through the bedroom door as well. 

the door handle to the closet move, but the chair stop it. you cry out as they slam their shoulder against the door. after three tries, the chair breaks and the door flies open making you scream. you look up to a guy well over 6 foot looking down at you. 

"well. well. well." he drawls, crouching down to look at you. "what do we have here?" 

"leave me alone." you kick at him when he tries to get close to you. you manage to kick his throat, making him fall on his knees coughing. you get up and manage to run around him, but his hand wraps around your ankle before you get to far. he yanks, and you hit the ground hard, nearly knocking the breath out of you. 

"let go of me, you mangy mut!" 

"watch it, baby. insults turn me on." 

you try to pull away from him, but his grip was too tight. you scream as he pulls you towards him. your fingers graze something, causing you to see one of the chair pieces laying next to you. you grab it, lunging forward and stabbing him. he yells out, letting go of you. 

"you little bitch!" he yells as you move away from him again. "fuck bringing you to aric. i'm going to kill you myself." 

you freeze at the threat for a moment before moving into action. you get up, running out of the room and into the hall. you scream when you run into someone. their arms wrap around you, holding you steady. 

"yn, it's me!" you recognize the voice as harua. you look up, never feeling more relieved as you meet the gaze of your best friend. you throw your arms around him, burrying your face into his neck. 

"there's a wolf in there. he tried to-" 

someone sped past you causing you to stop. you look back when you heard the man yell again before hearing a thump. k walks back out of the room, now covered in twice as much blood as before. 

"i'm sorry we couldn't get here fast enough." k apologizes as he walks up to you two. his eyes scan over you to check for any injuries. relief fills him when he didn't see any. 

"is it over?" 

"no." k answers, looking down at you. "harua is going to take you out of here while we stay." 

"be careful." you tell him. he smiles at you, bending down and kissing your forehead before walking away. 

"always, little human." 

you didn't bother grabbing anything but your shoes and k's jacket on the way out, slipping them on before following after harua. he stopped walking, head snapping to one direction before turning towards you. he picked up up before speeding over to an already started car. he placed you in the car seat before speeding over to his side, but before he could open the door, you saw something move behind him. 

"harua, look out!" 

you let out a sigh, feeling like you were on autopilot, as you clock out of work for the weekend. it had been almost two weeks since the cabin. it was also the last time you saw k. it was the last time anyone had seen k for that matter. 

that night, fuma showed up just in time to keep harua from getting attacked by a wolf. it was the first time you had ever seen one shifted, and they were even larger than you thought. the one that almost attacked harua was well over 6 feet. 

after that, he got the two of you out of there safely. the two of you didn't stop until you reached harua's place, which is where you've been staying for the past two weeks, but not anymore. aric hasn't made any moves, so today was the first day you were staying back at your apartment. you told harua it was because you wanted things to go back to normal. that wasn't a full lie, but there was more to it. 

you just wanted to be alone. 

especially because you knew your best friend was lying to you. he told you that k ran off after the fight, and none of them have been able to find him. they also said they haven't been able to contact him either. you made things easier for them by making them think you believe them, but it was far from what you think. not like you've been able to think much due to your anger. 

you were mad at harua for lying to you, but for some reason, you were more mad a k. you didn't understand why you were mad at him. the two of you had only known each other for 4 days prior to him leaving. you two were barely friends, but it still hurt that he left with saying good bye. he didn't even make sure you were okay. the only thing he left you with was a hundred questions, some conflicting feelings, and a new scar on your neck from where he bit you. 

you rub at your scar as you make your way back home with some ice cream and a bottle of wine. two choices that you knew k would hate, causing you to shake your head to get rid of the thoughts. as soon as you get home, you change into some sweats before opening the bottle of wine. you paired it with some tv show you were binging. 

you were about three glasses of wine in when someone knocked on your door. you rolled your eyes, instantly recognizing the knock as harua's. you groan, putting your drink down before getting up. "harua, i told you i'm fine." 

you didn't get an answer as you opened the door. your eyes widened when the person at your door wasn't just harua. it was harua and k. a very beaten and bloody k. as soon as you fully opened the door, he lost his balance, almost falling if you didn't the two of you didn't catch him. you wrap your arms around his waist. the two of you were struggling to hold him up. 

you look over at harua. "what the fuck rua?" 

"i'll explain. just help me get him to the couch." you look at him for a moment before turning to k. 

"how come every time i see you, you're covered in blood?" he laughed, but it turned into a cough before he grasped at his side. you lift up your leg, closing your door before you two drag him into the living room. "if you get blood on my couch, you're buying me a new one." 

"yes ma'am." 

the two of you helped him sit down. he laid his head back, resting on the back of the couch before closing his eyes. you examine him, but you couldn't tell what was wrong with him due to the blood. 

"care to tell me why you two are here?" you ask harua. he looks at you before glaring at k. 

"you're guess is as good as mine. all i know is he shows up to my place injured, and he won't let us touch him. even mj offered her blood to help heal him, but he refused." 

you look over at k. "why did he refuse?" 

"he said he wanted you." harua answered. it didn't take a genius for you to figure out his words. he wanted your blood. "did he feed off of you at the cabin?" 

"once. during the attack before you guys got there." 

his eyes widen at your answer. "and you didn't tell me?" 

"i didn't think it was important. besides, it's not like you haven't been completely honest with me either!" you raise your voice slightly. 

"i couldn't!" harua exclaimed. he motioned to the vampire laying on your couch. "he wouldn't let me. you know i can't break his commands." 

you look away from him and back at k. this time when you look over at k, his eyes were open and looking straight at you. you notice that his skin was more pale than before, but you still couldn't bring yourself closer to him. "so you disappear without telling me a thing, force him to lie to me, and you expect me to help you?" 

"i'm sorry." he apologizes. you break eye contact when you see the guilt in his eyes. "i'll explain everything. i promise." 

you look between him and harua. you know however mad you are at him, you couldn't live with yourself if you refused to help him and something happened to him. you let out a sigh before moving over to k. he groans as he shifts on the couch when you sit next to him. 

"same spot?" you ask, moving your hair when he nods. the same as before, his hand slides around the back of your next as leans in. he presses a kiss to the scar before you could feel him hesitating. "it's okay, k." 

that was all he needed to continue. you hear harua gasp as k bites your neck. the feelings you got before were somehow even stronger causing you bite your lip to avoid making any sound. you don't know how or why you trusted him enough to not take too much blood from you, or even kill you. but right when you felt slightly lightheaded, he pulled away. 

"thank you." he whispers as he pulls away from you. "i know i don't deserve it." 

you nod your head, feeling too choked up to say anything to him as you move away from him. he lays his head back down before closing his eyes. you watch it looks like he falls asleep, but then you notice his breathing slow down. you shake his shoulder, trying to wake him up, but he doesn't move. 

you look over to harua in a panic. "what's wrong with him?" 

"nothing." he answers. "it's something vampires do when they're healing. we go into this coma like state." 

"meaning?" 

"he won't wake up until his body thinks it's healed enough." you look over at him when he said that. you know now that he didn't have a choice, but you were still upset with him. you wanted to cool down before you talked to either one of them, but now it looks like you weren't going to get that. 

"great, so i'm stuck with you two." 

"yn-" harua tries to talk to you, but you move away from him. you grab your wine glass before leaving the living room. 

"i need another drink." 

you could see harua from your kitchen as you make yourself another drink. you watch him move k into a laying position before covering him up with a blanket you had on the back of the couch. if you weren't so conflicted, you would laugh at the fact that k was so tall, his feet hung over the arm of the couch. 

after he was done with k, he met you in the kitchen. without speaking, you walk over, grabbing another wine glass and filling it before giving it to harua. he thanked you before taking a sip. you grabbed your glass before moving to sit at your counter. 

"i'm sorry i lied." you look over at harua. "i didn't want to. i wanted to tell you the truth, but he told me not to tell you anything." 

"why?" you ask. 

"i have my theories. and questions for when he wakes up." harua answers. "all we knew is him and alex were hunting aric. i didn't lie when i said we hadn't seen him, but he did reach out to us a few times." 

"did he kill him?" harua nods his head at your question causing you to let out a sigh of relief. you didn't have to continuously look over your shoulder anymore. "good." 

"why didn't you tell me k bit you?" harua asked you. you shrugged your shoulders as you played with your drink. 

"like i said. i didn't think it was that important." you answer. "those wolves would've killed him if i didn't." 

"but why your neck?" 

"because he asked?" you look over at him confused. "why does that matter?" 

harua lets out a sigh. "we don't normally bite people on the neck." 

that got your attention. "you don't? then where to you normally bite?" 

"we normally go for the wrist." harua answered. "if i needed blood from you, no matter how long we knew each other, i would bite your wrist. never your neck." 

"is it like… i don't know, illegal or something?" 

harua shook his head. "no, it's just something personal. most of the time, a vampire only bites the neck of someone their extremely attracted to. only it's more." 

"more?" you ask, very confused by everything. "so you're saying k's attracted to me?" 

"no." he answered before shaking his head. "i mean, yes. but it's more." 

"you keep talking in riddles, and i'm going to throw my drink at you." 

"we only bite the necks of someone we want to spent our lives with." your eyes widen as harua's outburst. you almost thought you misheard him. you asked him to repeat himself, and he said the same thing. 

"you're telling me the man passed out on my couch wants to spend the rest of his eternal life with me?" harua nods his head at your question. "how? i just met him." 

"fuma knew that mj was his beloved an hour after they met." harua shrugged. you stopped mid sip as his words hit you. you look over at him to see him watching k. he didn't even realize what he had just told you. you turn around to see that k was still asleep on your couch. 

you didn't know if you wanted to believe that you were k's beloved. you thought that he was attractive, and that you had some feelings for him that you couldn't explain. but you didn't think he felt the same. could human's feel that pull as well? and why didn't he tell you? instead, he just abandoned you without a single word. you didn't even realize you were crying until harua called your name. 

"bubs, are you okay?" 

"no." you answer honestly. "you just told me that i could be his beloved. i don't know how i'm supposed to react to that." 

"i was just giving an example. i don't know if that's true, or…" harua trailed off as he watched you as you watched k. "you feel the pull too, don't you?" 

you swallow, not answering him as you stood up. you grab your phone before putting it in your pocket. "i'm going for a walk. i need some air." 

"yn-" you didn't listen to him. you slipped on your shoes before running out the door, slamming it behind you. 

an hour later you found yourself alone sitting in a park. it was starting to get cold now that the sun had set, but you couldn't bring yourself to move. you just pulled up your hood and tucked yourself into your hoodie. 

your phone laying next to you started to ring, making you groan. you had already had 3 missed calls and about 100 texts from harua trying to check on you. you messaged him once saying that you were fine and that you wanted to be alone. but in typical harua fashion, he kept trying. the last message you got was him saying that k woke up, and the two left your apartment. 

to your surprise, it wasn't harua. it an unknown number. you stared at it for a moment before you decided to pick it up. you pick up the phone, answering it before putting it up to your ear. "hello." 

"yn?" a female voice came from your phone. "it's mj." 

"oh, hey." you mumble, fidgeting with your sleeve. "what's up?" 

"i just wanted to check in on you. i know the last time we talked you were mad at k for leaving, and i know they just came over unannounced." she explained. 

you scoff as you look back at it. "i don't know how i'm feeling. i just found out my best friend was lying to me." 

"if it makes you feel any better, i didn't know either. i'm still debating on killing fuma for lying to me or not." you laugh at her threat before realizing something. she's the beloved to a vampire. maybe she could answer your questions. 

"fuma's your beloved, right?" 

"he is." she answered. "is this about k?" 

"how'd you know?" 

she laughed. "honey, i knew you were his beloved as soon as he laid his eyes on you. i've never seen him act like this." 

"how so?" 

"well for starters, he went into hiding for you." she answered. "k is always in front of everyone, keeping them safe. especially when it came to aric. so the fact that he left it completely up to alex and the guys says a lot." 

"it's not technically confirmed if we're… you know." you trail off. 

"based on the argument k and harua just had, i think it's confirmed. fuma had to go over and separate them." 

"how did you feel when you and fuma met?" 

"when we first met, it was like an instant connection. i immediately felt at home around him. then there was this pull." she started to explain. her last sentence felt familiar to you. 

"pull?" 

"yeah." she answered. "it was almost like i was connected to a string. i was on one end and fuma was on the other, so it felt like we just kept gravitating towards each other. i always wanted to be near him." 

"is that how he felt as well?" 

she let out a sigh. "he's tried to explain this to me multiple times. he said it felt stronger for him than it did me which i didn't think was possible. the pull nearly drove me crazy. he said once he felt that pull, he almost instantly knew i was his beloved. but it was only solidified when he bit me." 

"so they have to bite you to know for sure?" she hummed out a yes at your question. "k bit me at the cabin." 

"so that's why he went crazy." she mused with a laugh. "fuma said he'd never seen k loose his cool like he did after you left. he said it like he flipped a switch. killed every wolf that was left before leaving without a word. that's also why k wouldn't feed from me and demanded to go to you." 

you furrow your eyebrows. "i thought that was because fuma and you were together." 

"you are partially right." she answered. "if k fed from me, that would be completely fine. but if a vampire has a human beloved, the only person they can feed from their beloved. it's like a scent thing." 

"scent thing?" 

"the way fuma described it is like they become basically obsessed with your scent. if it doesn't smell like you, they're not going to want it." so that explains why k keeps his face buried in your neck both before and after feeding from you. 

"so, the only way for k to feed now is from me?" 

"i mean, he can still feed from animals which is what most of the guys do anyway, but fuma says it just doesn't feel the same." she answered. "but the two of you aren't fully beloveds yet." 

"how so?" you ask. 

"unless you two have had sex and didn't tell us." you gasp at her words causing her to laugh. "i'm taking that as a no." 

"no sex." you tell her before rubbing your hand over your face. "i don't know what to do. i'm mad he left without telling me anything. but-" 

"but the pull makes you not want to be. it can be a bitch. trust me." she finished your sentence. "are you going to let him explain though?" 

"once i calm down." 

"good. you're good for him, yn." you heard her talk to someone before she spoke to you again. "i have to go. we'll talk later, okay?" 

"okay." 

you hang up the phone before shoving it back in your pocket. you sat on the bench for a little while long trying to clear your thoughts. it wasn't until your fingers started to tingle that you got up and started walking home. 

you felt conflicted. this pull that mj explained really made you want to instantly forgive k, but you yourself couldn't bring yourself to. you know you were going to make any decision until you heard k's side. he can't shut you out anymore. if he really wants this to work and be with you, he can't just not leave without telling you and keeping things that involve you from you. 

you open the door before sliding off your shoes. you take your keys out of your pocket and hang them up when you felt something. or more like someone. you somehow knew that k was in your apartment. you should've knew better than to believe he would he would leave you alone. you didn't even bother to look for him, knowing that he could come to you. 

you walk into the kitchen, noticing that harua had cleaned up your mess in the kitchen. you walked over to the fridge, grabbing you newly bought ice cream before grabbing a spoon before sitting on your counter. right as you open it and take a bite, you could hear footsteps come up from the living room. you didn't look up from the ice cream, not ready to meet his gaze just yet. he stood opposite of you, leaning on the counter while watching you. he stayed quiet, as did you, but you know he was waiting for you to speak first. 

"how long?" 

you hear k let out a sigh as he shifts. "i had theories before the dinner, but it was confirmed at the cabin." 

"and yet you still left without telling me anything." you scoff before eating a bite of ice cream before setting it down. "i had no idea if you were okay. you could've been dead for all i knew." 

you still refused to meet his gaze as he moved to stand in front of you. your breath hitches as his hand brushes along your cheek. and as much as you don't want to, you find yourself leaning into his hand. "i'm sorry i left without telling you. i panicked. i just found my beloved, and the fear of him taking you away from me was too much. i knew if i saw you, or even spoke to you, i wouldn't be able to do what i needed to do to keep you safe." 

"harua said you and alex killed him?" you were looking up enough to see him nod his head. "is that what happened to you?" 

"he had more wolves there than we were anticipating. i took them on while alex killed him." 

you then remember that when he came to you, he was injured and covered in blood. you look to see he had changed his clothes. "are you okay now?" 

"thanks to you." he answered, pressing a kiss to your forehead. once he pulled away, you finally looked up, meeting his dark gaze. as soon as your eyes met his, he let out a breath before softly smiling. "hello, my beloved." 

three words. 

three words from him was all it took for your walls to come crashing down. you blink back tears as you throw your arms around his neck. his arms immediately wrapped around you, holding you just as tight as you were holding him. you rest your head on his shoulder when he pulls you closer, burying his head in the crook of your neck. 

"i'm so sorry about how i handled things." he mumbles, lips grazing your neck as he spoke. "if i could go back and do things differently, i would. the last thing i wanted to do is hurt you." 

you let out a sigh. "i know. i understand now why you did what you did. just please don't do it again." 

"never." he agreed. he pulled just enough to press his forehead to yours. his hands cup your cheeks before he speaks again. "i'm never going to leave your side again. and i know you probably don't trust me, but believe me when i say i'm going to spent the rest of our lives doing everything i can until you do trust me." 

there wasn't a doubt in him that he was in fact going to do what he said he was. the determination in his eyes said enough. but your focus soon shifted to something else. his lips. they were so close to yours, and you found yourself craving to know what they felt like against yours. 

you leaned forward, pressing your lips to his. he let out a groan, like he had been waiting for this, before instantly kissing you back. to say it was the best kiss you've ever had would be an understatement. the way his lips molded to yours like the two of you were made for each other. you never wanted to pull away, especially when his tongue brushed against yours, but you did eventually when your lungs started screaming for air. 

once his lips left yours, he moved before attaching them to your neck. you tilt your head as he kissed down your neck before stopping at his mark. he didn't go any further though, stopping before anything got heated. you could tell he didn't want to, groaning as he placed one last kiss on your mark before pulling away. his eyes were dark, and his lips were swollen making him look even more attractive. 

"i want to take you on a date before…" he trailed off, but you knew what he meant. he wanted to take you out before he made you fully his. you almost missed the slight pink to his cheeks. 

"so, no fake titles this time?" he lets out a chuckle at your question. 

"no fake titles. just a man taking his beautiful beloved out to dinner." you felt yourself flush at his words, but you didn't want to give him that satifaction. 

"what a shame. the fake titles kind of turned me on." 

the vampire in front of you threw his head back with a groan. you eyed his neck, wanting to place your lips on him. but alas, you weren't going to start anything before your date. you had to make him suffer somehow for the last 2 weeks. once his gaze met yours again, his eyes were even darker than before. 

"you're not going to make this easy on me, are you?" you smile at his question. you pull him back down for another kiss. this one softer and shorter than the last one. you brushed your lips against his as you pulled away. 

"absouletly not." 

to say you made the next week for k miserable would be an understatement. you quickly learned that the man is very sensitive to touch, and of course you used that to your advantage. he took it very well, in your opinion, but there were a few times he would slip. 

the two of you developed a routine. every day after work, he would pick you up before taking you home. he would then make you dinner because 'my beloved will not eat only ice cream and take out for the rest of her life.' 

though since he was making you dinner, the two of you had to go grocery shopping which was a fun experience. because the one that is next to your house is where your ex works. the ex who still isn't over you. normally you bring harua with you because at least he scares your ex enough for him to leave you alone. 

k left you alone for not even 2 seconds before your ex came up to you. conversation started out simple until he asked you out. but before you could say no for what seemed like the hundredth time, you felt a hard chest press against your back. k's arm slid over your should as he no doubt glared at the man in front of him. 

"baby, is this man bothering you?" 

that sentence alone was enough for him to run away from you two. you laughed, finding the situation funny. that was until k turned you towards him. you didn't even have a chance to question him before his lips were on yours- his tongue immediately sliding past your lips. his hand had a soft but firm grip on the side of your throat, thumb pressed against your pulse point. it was only when a small moan left your lips that the two of you pulled away from each other, realizing that you two were literally in the middle of the food aisle. 

he would make enough food for the both of you to eat because he said he didn't want you to eat alone. that alone melted your heart. after dinner, you two would lounge around, eating talking or watching movies like you did at the cabin. although this time, he wouldn't let you more than two inches away from him. most of the time, your head was either in his lap, or you were laying back on his chest in between his legs. 

that second position often got you in trouble. because you could so easily pull him down to you, locking lips with his. one time, you moved your hand up before raking your fingers through his hair. he had you pick up and straddling him before you could even blink. the two of you soon got carried away, especially you. without thinking, you moved your hips against his. you felt him harden beneath you as he pulled back with a groan, laying his head on your shoulder. 

"i'm sorry." you apologized. 

"don't be, beloved." he kissed your cheek before helping you get off of him. he then spent the next 10 minutes in your bathroom. at least you were nice enough not to question him when he came back. 

a week had finally passed, and today was the day k was going to take you on your date. you hadn't seem him today due to the vampire that was laying on your bed- harua. the two of you having spent the day hanging out together. you knew you weren't going to be able to stay made at harua. not when he showed up to your house the day after everything came out crying. you instantly forgave him. 

"do you know where he's taking me?" you ask as you fix your hair. harua grumbled rolling over to where he was on his stomach. you met his gaze through the mirror. 

"i do. and don't even think of asking where." 

"i would never." you laugh at the accusation. "i just want to know what to where." 

you watch as harua gets up before strolling into your closet like he's done a hundred times before. you hear him mumble to himself for a minute before he walks out holding a black dress. you instantly recognize it as something harua forced you to buy not long ago. 

"rua, i can't wear that!" 

he put the dress down before turning to you. "you are even if i have to force you in it." 

it wasn't that you didn't like the dress. it was pretty. it had a long sleeved black dress with a squared neckline that showed some cleavage. the issues was the length. it only went to right above your mid thigh, and it had a slit that went even higher. 

you let out a whine. "why that one?" 

"honestly?" harua asks. you turn around to look at him, not sure if you want his answer. "not only do you look sexy in this dress, you're going to blow k away. and that's exactly what we need from him." 

you raise your eyebrows. "you're still mad about last week, aren't you?" 

"yes!" he exclaimed. "he hurt you, and he made me hurt you by forcing me to lie to you. i'm going to hold a grudge against him for the rest of my life." 

"but i forgave him." you stand up, making your way over to him. 

"doesn't mean i have to yet." he told you. "i'm still thinking of a revenge plot, and you're going to help me when i do it." 

"okay." you instantly agreed before grabbing the dress. you go to your closet before putting it on, adding some accessories that you think go well with the dress. 

"wear those black heels i like." harua called out from the bedroom. you finished putting on your ear ring with an eye roll. 

"okay, mom." 

"don't make me come in there." while you were doing the finishing touches, someone knocked on your front door. you could only assume it was k as it was almost time for him to pick you up. "i got it, bubs. finish getting ready." 

you hear him leave your room. you hear him great k, or more like threaten him just like he's been doing for the past week before letting him into your apartment. he's your 'number 1 protector' as he calls it. 

once you were ready, you grabbed a small should bag before walking out of the room. you hear k make a noise that almost sounded like a growl, and harua saying you're welcome as you walk into the living room. you look up to see k looking at you like deer in headlights. he doesn't say anything, but his eyes take you in, making you shudder. 

"i've successfully broken him, so i can go now." harua laughs before walking over to you. he presses a light kiss to your cheek, careful not to mess up your makeup. "i'll call you later. if you don't answer, i know what happened." 

"rua!" you hear his laugh as your front door closes. you turn back around, nearly jumping when k appears in front of you. his hands grip your waist as his eyes meet yours. "hi, k." 

"hello, my beloved." k smiles down at you before leaning down. you meet him halfway, happy you wore transfer proof makeup as you kissed him. he squeezed your waist as he pulled away. "you are the most beautiful women i've ever seen. i almost just want to keep you here all to myself." 

you feel your face blush at his words. "come on. you'll have me all to yourself when we get back." 

you smile when you hear him groan as you walk away. you grab your keys before placing them into your bag along with you phone. he leads you to his car with his hand on your back. once the two of you are in the car, he drove you guys to wherever k was taking you. 

while he was driving, you were able to look over at him. he looked fresh off of the runway in his suit. he kept his hair natural though, and not slicked back like how it was when you first met. you chalked that up to you telling him this was how you like his hair best. 

"like what you see?" you smirk at k's question, not ashamed at all that you were caught. not like you were being sneaky in the first place. 

you shifted in your seat, leaning on the center console some. you reached over, running your hands through his hair. "do you remember at the cabin when you asked me what my first impression of you was? do you want to know what it was?" 

"don't do this to me." k pouted, clearly not liking your teasing. 

you ignored his request. "i thought that you were the most attractive man i've ever seen. i'm pretty sure my exact thoughts were that you looked like you just walked off of a movie set." 

"you're going to be the death of me." he sighed, shifting in his seat. you chuckled, deciding to give him a break from the teasing. you leaned over one last time kissing his cheek before returning back to your original position. 

once you arrived at the restaurant, k kept his hand in yours as the waitress led you to a table. it was in the back corner, which k knew you preferred so you weren't too crowded. 

you were instantly greeted by your waiter when you sat down. k ordered you two some wine while the two of you looked over the menu. once he was back with the drinks, he took your orders before leaving again, but not before checking you out, which you didn't notice because you weren't paying attention. but k did. 

he brushed it off though, forgetting it once he got pulled into a conversation with you. you were telling him some story about you and harua from college when the waiter came back with your food. you thanked him with a polite smile before going back to your story. but once again, the waiter was looking at you once again. he even did a double take once he walked away. you still didn't notice, too into your story, but you did notice k's emotion shift. 

"k?" his eyes quickly met yours. "are you okay?" 

"of course i am. why wouldn't i be when i have the most beautiful date sitting in front of me?" he reached over, grabbing your hand. you smiled at his words. "now, finish telling me your story, pretty." 

you did as he asked, continuing to tell the story while you two ate. that was when the waiter came up for the fourth time, asking if everything was okay. you both agreed, and this time, you finally noticed what was wrong with k when you caught the waiter looking at your chest, except k didn't catch it since he was so busy watching you. 

you then started to keep an eye on your waiter, and you caught him multiple times staring at you. you weren't going to bring it up to k since he was finally starting to go back to your smiley beloved, but you did ask him for his coat. he immediately took it off before draping it over your shoulders. 

after the two of you finished eating, you two were still chatting when you had to use the bathroom. as you got up to leave, k noticed once again that the waiter was staring at you. he finally had enough, and he was ready to leave before he did something stupid. 

as soon as you stepped out of the bathroom, you were pressed against the wall by your clearly jealous beloved. his head ducks down, kissing your neck- paying close attention to your mark which you have learned how sensitive it is. you let out a whimper when his fangs graze over your mark. "if i see one more person look at you, i'm going to loose my mind. please let me take you home." 

"take me home k." 

as soon as you stepped foot into your apartment, you were pressed into the door- k's lips instantly going to yours. his hands were roaming everywhere he could reach. they grazed the end of your dress before he gripped your thighs, pulling you into his arms with ease. you let out a gasp as your legs wrapped around him, and k took the opportunity to slide his tongue past your lips. 

your hands started to unbutton his shirt, but apparently it wasn't fast enough because k ripped it open with one hand, causing buttons to fly everywhere. you smile into the kiss at his actions before sliding the shirt off of him. his hands gripped your ass, squeezing as he moved you away from the door. your lips left his, kissing his neck while your hands explored his toned chest. 

he moved you two to the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed before pulling your lips to his again. your dress started to ride up, bunching at your waist and showing your black lace underwear. k let out a groan into you mouth as his hands ran over the fabric. 

k found the zipper for your dress, and you pulled away before he pulled the fabric over your head. his eyes darkened at the sigh of your body, slowly running his hands up your sides before grazing the matching black bra. he met your eyes before kissing you again. 

"my god, you are breathtaking." he mumbled against your lips before he started kissing down your neck. "and you're all mine. isn't that right, baby?" 

you let out a moan when k suck on the skin where his mark is. "yes, k. i'm yours." 

"good girl." he praises, and you feel yourself become even more wet with his words. his hands graze the edge of your bra. "can i take this off?" you nod your head, not saying anything. you jumped, gasping when k's hand landed on your ass. not hard enough to hurt- just enough to send a spark through you. "use you words baby." 

"yes, take it off." 

once the words leave your mouth, he unhooks your bra before sliding it down your arms, leaving you topless. k eyes your breast with hunger before squeezing them in his palms, making you gasp. you feel him smile against your skin before his lips replace one of his hands. a moan falls past your lips as he sucks on your nipple while twisting the other one with his fingers. 

your hands twist in his hair as continues to suck on your breast, leaving marks. his hand falls away from your other breast, slowly sliding down your stomach before trailing the edge of your underwear. 

"please k." you beg, wanting some kind of relief. he hummed against your breast, pulling away for a moment to smile at you. 

"you sound so pretty when you beg for me, beloved." his hand slipped past your underwear- fingers gliding along your soaked slit. "you're soaked for me." 

you let out a moan as k presses his thumb to your clit, rubbing gently, and giving you the relief you want. his other fingers tease your entrance before he slides one finger in. 

"fuck, k." you moan, letting your head fall on his shoulder as he starts moving his finger in and out of you in a slow pace. he then adds a second finger, stretching you out before increasing his pace. he was rewarded with another moan of his name from you. 

"i'm never going to get enough of you, beloved." he whispers, lips grazing your ear. his fingers curl inside of you, making you arch your back. your chest presses against his as you tighten around him. "are you close? is that why your squeezing around my fingers?" 

"y-yes." you moan out when he curls his fingers again. "i'm c-close. fuck." 

he smirks at your answer, increasing his speed and watching you come undone in front of him. your nails dig into his shoulders as k brings you over the edge. k wraps his arm around you, holding you tightly to him as you reach your orgasm. he slows his pace as you come down before pulling his fingers out of you. 

"that was the most beautiful thing i've ever seen." k presses his lips to yours- you responding instantly. once he pulls away from you, you watch as he puts his hand that was covered in you in his mouth, sucking them clean. he groans as he tastes you. "i need more of you. will you let me taste you properly, beloved?" 

as soon as the word yes is out of your mouth, you're on your back in the blink of an eye. he kneels in between your legs, running his hands along your thighs until he reaches your underwear. you lift your hips for him when he starts to slowly slide them down your legs. once you were completely bare in front of him, his eyes raked over every inch of your body. and even though he already gave you one orgasm, you felt yourself becoming a little self conscious. you try to move your hands to cover yourself, but k's hands hold yours down. 

"none of that, beloved." he scolded, letting go of your hands. "there is no need to be self conscious with a body like this." 

k bends down to line his face up with your heat. his lips press to your inner thigh before he looks up at you. "everything about you drives me crazy. your scent. your blood. i feel like i'm loosing my mind." 

"i've been loosing my mind about you since i saw you for the first time, so i guess we're even." k laughs at your words, pressing on last kiss to your thigh before moving closer to you. you let out a gasp when he licks along your heat. "oh my god, k!" 

he smirks, watching as you jump when he brushes against your clit. you whine his name before he finally puts his lips on you, sucking harshly on your clit. 

"f-fuck, k!" 

"you taste so sweet, beloved. i could spend the rest of my life between of your thighs." 

his tongue teased your entrance, sliding in a few times before replacing them with his fingers again. you squeeze around his fingers as you adjust to him. once you were adjusted, his lips attached to your clit while he added a third finger into you. you clutched the sheets as a loud moan escaped you. his hand held your hips down while he feasted on you like it was his last meal. 

you felt your stomach twist as your second orgasm approached you. he mumbled something that you couldn't make out. you couldn't pay attention due to your second release washing over you. k continued to pleasure you through your orgasm, but he didn't stop once you had come down. you let out a whine before trying to pull away, but his hand tightened around your thigh, holding you in place. 

"my sweet beloved." he hummed as he continued to move his fingers inside of you. "you can handle one more before i fill you with my cock, can't you?" 

another whine came from your lips when he curled his fingers. "fuck, yes k." 

"good girl." he praises before bringing you to your third orgasm. 

you didn't think you could handle another one, but when you caught the outline of his hardened length, you could help but pull him closer to you when he finally lifted himself away from your heat. his lips crashed against your when he settled in between your legs. you wrapped your legs around his waist, pulling him closer to you. 

you moved your hand from around his neck, trailing down his stomach before unbuttoning his pants. he groaned into the kiss when your hand slipped past his clothes, gripping his hard length in your hand before squeezing. his hips moved against your hand when you started stroking him. 

"my beloved." k mumbled, reluctantly pulling away from your lips. he grabbed your wrist, stopping your movements. "i'm not going make it inside of you if you keep that up." 

you removed you hand from his pants as k pulls you into to another kiss before unhooking your legs from his waist. he moved off of you before standing up. you watched him intently as he removed his bottoms, leaving him bare in front of you. your eyes widened as you eyed his length. somehow you knew his dick would be a pretty as the rest of him. 

"beloved, i'm going to ruin you if you keep staring at me like that." you look up to meet his eyes that were so dilated, you could barely see any color. you raise your eyebrows with a smirk before motioning to him. 

"you expect to have a body like that, and me not stare?" 

you blink, and he's right back on top of you, kissing you like there's no tomorrow. his hands grip your thighs, squeezing them before wrapping them around his waist like before. as he does that, his length brushes against your heat making you shudder. 

"are you ready?" he asks you, lining himself up with you when you nod. "i'll go slow, but you need to tell me if i hurt you, okay?" 

you nod. "i will." 

once he got your confirmation, he started to slowly press into you. you moan as you feel him stretch you. you could tell he was being cautious, taking his time making sure you were comfortable even though he was struggling to do so. when his hips were flush against yours, he laid his forehead on yours, giving you time to adjust to him. 

it took you longer than you thought to adjust to him since he was so large. you tried to apologize, but k cut you off mid sentence with a kiss. he then proceeded to kiss all over your face, telling you sweet thoughts as he went. 

after a few minutes, you nodded your head to him, telling him he could move. he slowly pulled almost all the way out of you before pushing back in. when you tapped his shoulder whispering out more, he looked down at you in confirmation. 

"are you sure?" 

"yes. please, k." you answer him. he presses a kiss to your forehead before speeding up his pace and being rewarded with a moan from you. 

"you feel so good, my beloved." you squeeze around him at his words. he groans while head falls into your neck. "i'm not going to last long if you keep doing that." 

your nails rake down his back at a particular harsh thrust. you could tell he close, as were you. his hand moves your legs up higher on his waist, allowing him to hit and even deeper spot. you throw your head back in pleasure before k's lips find yours. his forehead rests on yours when he pulls back. you could tell he wanted something, but wouldn't say. it didn't take you but a second to realize when he glanced at your neck what he wanted. 

you grip the back of his neck, kissing him before nodding your head. "bite me." 

"are you sure?" he asks you. you feel your stomach twist, signaling your orgasm was close. you nodded your head. 

"k, bite me." 

he moved forward, kissing your mark before his fangs teased the area. you let out a pleading moan, and that was all k needed to sink his fangs into your neck. the pleasure from his bite was all you needed to bring you over the edge. a few seconds after you and a few harsh thrusts from k, he followed after you, filling you with a groan. 

his fangs left your neck, kissing the area before pulling away. his hands gripped your face as his lips find yours. even though you're on the brink of exhaustion, you find yourself kissing him back. 

"did i tire you out, my beloved?" k asked, pulling away with a smirk. you rolled your eyes, but ultimately agreed with him. 

"i don't think i've ever came so much." you hiss when he pulls out of you. his arms wrap around your back as he sits up, pulling you up with him. "what are you doing?" 

"shower." he answered, standing up with you wrapped around him like a koala. 

"i'm too tired, k." 

he sit you on the counter before turning the shower on. "don't worry about a thing, my beloved. let me take care of you." 

and take care of you he did. he washed your hair and body- being very careful not to hurt you before he bathed himself. once you two were done, he carried you back over to the counter before drying your hair and dressing you. he even took off whatever makeup you had left on your face. 

as he was taking off your makeup, you came to a realization. no matter how little time you knew him, you never wanted to be apart from him. that thought scared you immensely. but when he looked at you with a smile, all of those fears went away. you weren't going to say anything to him yet, not sure if he felt the same, but you knew without a doubt that you were in love with him. 

once you were nice and clean, he carried you back to bed, placing you under the blankets before putting on his boxers. he turned off the lights before sliding into bed with you. you instantly went to him, throwing your leg over his waist and resting your head on his chest. his arms wrapped around you, pulling you closer to him. 

you place a kiss on his chest. "thank you." 

"you don't need to thank me for anything, beloved. if anything, i should thank you." 

"who knew you were so sweet?" you smile, jumping with he softly pinches your side. 

"you're not going to say that in a few hours when we go for round 2." you pull your head away from his chest, looking up at him with raised brows. 

"really?" he smiled at you, moving forward and kissing your temple. 

"like i said earlier beloved. i'm never going to get tired of you." 

[lolliane]

Burned-out gods

Note; I want to back to writing so this is the result or whatever. Some solarflare dynamic from a guy who doesnt really what both of their deal is.

Summary; against all logic, his reluctant teammate visits zam on her flowery grave.

Did it matter praying for someone who was more dead than alive? If words could describe Zam's current state, it will be "corpse", a very woshipped one. Th light that filters through the cracks kiss her skin, trying to heal. but the sun, before her symbol, feels annoying instead. And she hoped for the moon to rise, to shelter her in a eclipse.

The vibrant oranges and pitch did not belong to the edge of Zauns, but there he was, Flame.

"Playing dead?" the rethorical question make Zam's lips twitch. She opened her eyes like it pained her (it did) just to look dissaprovingly. "Rotting doesn't solve problems, princess."

No. They did not. But again how this situation could solve at all?

"You are not welcome" she stated as a fact, because he didn't even built this place. Didn't cage her himself.

"Woogie told me to come here. Is not my problem you have no one else."

she was gonna lash out, but she was... Tired. Yes. The is the word she searched.

"Why you started pretending i'm your problem." finally decided to say after some time. "You clearly don't care about me, or mapicc. Just about your image"

Flame didn’t answer right away.

The wind through Zaun made the petals around Zam’s grave dance as if they were trying to lift her. but she stayed unmoving.

Flame looked out of place here, as he always did, fire among flowers, a burning core sorrounded by dirt.

Zam couldn't help but think she said the wrong thing, again.

“I don’t care about image," a stone thrown into the water “I care about not fading.”

The response was dismissive “Same thing.”

“No, it’s not.” He crouched now, fingers brushing one of the flower stems poking through the cracks. It curled slightly at his touch. “I’m afraid of death,” he admitted, and unadorned tone used. Was the only honest thing he’d said all season. “Not the dying part. The being forgotten part.”

Zam shifted slightly, just enough to show she was listening even if she didn't forgive. Because everyone (stubborn thought) deserved at least someone who actually heard them.

"You think I didn’t care about Mapicc. That I don’t care about you. But you’re wrong.”

“hah? Is this the part where you cry and i'm suppose to feel empathy?”

His head shook even if he laughed for a bit (more out of habit, really)

“No, This is the part where I tell you I made a mistake that I don’t know how to fix. And you hate me so much you won’t even let me try.”

Zam blinked, slowly, wishing internally for the earth to split and swallow him. But nothing goes as princezam wishes, ever.

“I don’t want you to try," the quiet desperation was painful even for him. "I want you to leave me in peace. Let this server forget me. You’ll never understand what it’s like to carry the kind of guilt that makes the sunlight feel like a Punishment.” She pressed a hand against her chest, the flowers there immediately wilting under her palm. “I loved him, Flame, Not the way you love your power, or your image, or your little unkillable myth. I loved him. And now I rot.”

The blindfold made it hard to know if he was feeling anything at all. But the way his demon tail curled... he wasn't unnafected.

"Want the truth? I came here because I thought I wasn’t the only one who lost something they can’t get back.”

"And what did you lose, Flame?”

"Someone who believed I could be fair.”

And Zam?

Zam could relate.

Two burned-out gods, sitting in a grave. None forgiven. Unhealed. But together? Comfortably alone.

[cheeseroach]

series of blurbs based on iwtv cast/bts photos

i think this is a picture daniel took of armand in the 70s. now in order to get a picture of armand that is not perfectly planned and coordinated you 1) need to actively not think about taking a picture of him 2) ambiently think about taking a picture of him for a long enough time that he assumes you won't actually 3) be quick as hell getting your camera out. lucky for daniel he is one stubborn motherfucker and he is also determined to have something physical to hold onto. armand gives him lavish gifts and shit but daniel wants something that he can hold physically and say hey motherfucker ive got a piece of you. cant erase yourself now. armand was pissed off but he got over it soon enough bc daniel just earnestly 1) is afraid armand's going to leave him 2) genuinely thinks armand is beautiful. daniel kept it in his wallet and armand took it with him when he left. modern armand keeps it in a scrapbook with the rest of the photos of him and photos of daniel and photos of the pair of them and clippings of daniel's articles and tickets to a panel daniel spoke at and he gets a little teary-eyed looking at it because that picture was the first time in however many hundreds of years that someone had wanted to immortalize armand's likeness not just because he was there or because they wanted him sexually but because daniel genuinely thought armand was gorgeous and liked spending time with him and wanted to have a piece of him to hold onto

somebody from the théâtre des vampires (but not armand. someone else) took this one when louis had someone buy one of his photos for the first time. louis was being all bashful and shy but claudia was genuinely so proud of him because this is a hobby that is (in her eyes) uncorrupted by lestat and she really thinks he's moving on and starting to establish a life for the better. louis took the photo because the guy he fed on that night was high and louis thought if he took a picture of his lestatlucination he might look at it the next morning and find out that lestat is real and hes back and hes not going to abandon louis again and they can all be a happy family. louis cried the next morning when he looked at the picture and it was just an empty courtyard, because even though logically he "knows" lestat is dead it was really nice to pretend for a while. he put the photo up for sale under some emo ass name - probably like "donnez des mots au chagrin ; le chagrin qui ne s'exprime pas tricote le cœur anciennement forgé et l'incite à se briser." which is long winded as fuck but that feels like louis' speed. anyway that's a shakespeare quote translated to french which i do Not speak fluently enough to be sure im doing it right so here's the english: give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it break.

this is a photo one of louis' victims (it does not matter who) took of him. maybe this is in new orleans idk i just know what louis whispers in my ear from the astral plane. anyway louis was doing his usual flirty shtick and showing his date (victim) of the night some of his photos and they asked to take one of him. louis keeps the photo because it reminds him of lestat and it makes him feel sick to think he had a piece of lestat in him and he didn't even realize until he saw himself from someone else's eyes. he ends up hanging it up in their house in dubai and doesn't explain to armand why he likes the photo so much and why he's hanging up a picture of himself in their shared home. he doesn't know how to explain that he doesn't have any photos of lestat and this is as close as he can get and having photos of claudia and claudia's things hung up without anything of lestat's makes him sick to his stomach because all he ever wanted was a happy family just like his sister's and he feels like if he just did a better job of keeping lestat and claudia happy he could've had that

this is post-turning era for sure. daniel is doing promo stuff for interview & him and armand are attached at the hip + armand is a mischevious little scamp so it's a very short leap for people to realize that the "rashid" from interview and the "rashid" daniel molloy is real-life "sugar daddy-ing" are the same person. armand ends up telling people they changed real rashid's name to protect his privacy and daniel named the character after him bc he's a closeted romantic. daniel absolutely resents this implication and protests it heavily but unfortunately when you're being defensive over allegedly being sappy towards the guy paparazzi have photos of you tonguing on the subway the people are not inclined to believe you are telling the truth. anyway this is an online interview daniel was giving and armand was puttering around the apartment in the background (bc hes a motherfucker & he knew exactly what would happen) until the interviewer asks if daniel can call "rashid" over to answer a few questions. they have like. two. for him. it's mostly just content farming bc every time daniel & "rashid" are being gay on film it gets 7 billion retweets (half of which are accusing daniel of being a cradle robber but ah well all press is good press). "rashid" answers the questions and then sits in on the rest of the interview just gazing at daniel and occasionally piping up to be pedantic and correct something

this is a picture that got taken at some event armand dragged daniel to. possibly staff were taking pictures of all the guests as a momento. armand mussed hair + tits out at formal event are bc these homos were making out in the back of the cab on the way over. armand can just. make the cab driver ignore them. and daniel Loves to take advantage of this fact. anyway i think we can all agree armand likes to dress daniel up like a barbie doll However daniel holds onto his ratty ass t-shirts with every fiber of his being and armand loves to indulge him so they settle on a blazer over the t-shirt. armand is whispering to me from the astral plane that this is some kind of party(?) in which case they're sneaking off like. halfway through the night. to go make out in the first unoccupied room they can find. and then also in the cab on the way back to daniel's. and then also in daniel's apartment for a couple hours. i think armand is honestly more into kissing and making out than he is sex bc that's something that happened very rarely (if at all) at the brothel so it is something that's uniquely His and He gets to make all the rules and figure out what he likes to do and he doesn't have to deal with pre-conceived notions (and ptsd symptoms)

i think louis is pretty open about being the same louis from interview, so he gets a decent chunk of publicity for it. he goes on tour with lestat i think & he picks photography back up in a big way taking photos for his concerts HOWEVER he also takes a lot of photos of lestat just around the tour bus and in dressing rooms and wherever else he can get lestat to sit still long enough bc there's a part of him that's still afraid he's just hallucinating lestat & if he has pictures of him he can prove that lestat is real and he's still there. at some point some reporter ends up getting like a behind-the-scenes of the TVL tour & they have to cut out like an hour of footage of louis painstakingly showing them every photo he's ever taken of lestat. that is his sweet baby angel and you WILL sit down and let him pull out the photo album

daniel announces he's gonna write a book abt lestat as a sequel to interview while lestat's on tour so they end up doing some kind of promo together and they bring their velcro boyfriends. this is a reporter interrupting what is essentially a team huddle about a different vampire that is planning some kind of attack or other dastardly deed. louis was on the periphery of the bickering so he was able to hear the reporter coming up and he wasn't too caught off guard. lestat is thinking about which of their bones will make the best mantlepiece and daniel is arguing with him about it telepathically bc this picture wouldnt even have been Taken if lestat didn't drag them all over here to whisper suspiciously as hell so this is Clearly all his fault. armand is suffering. "you see what i put up with?" he asks the camera. he's waiting for a break in the daniel-lestat catfight so he can interject with a harebrained scheme

[itadoraki]

Poison and Eternity.

—————————————————————————

Lilia Vanrouge x R.femele ( Healer )

—————————————————————————

In the heart of the ancient forest, hidden among immortal trees, there was a residence made of dark stone, moss and rare flowers. There lived Lilia Vanrouge, the former general of the fairy race, and his wife - a woman with a silent walk, half-closed eyes and fingers stained by natural pigments, resins and substances that few dared to touch.

She was discreet, with a low voice, with a serene expression... but her gaze always seemed to analyze everything around her. Amber glass bottles, wooden cases with scalpels, roots drying in the sun - their home was also a living laboratory, where the smell of sandalwood and poison mixed.

That night, Lilia was returning from a diplomatic mission. When he got home, he saw that the room was dark, except for a lamp on the floor. The orange light flickered on the stone walls. He knew what it meant: she was in the basement - her underground workshop, where she created her medicines... and her poisons.

He went down the stairs with light steps. In the background, the glass tinkling and the sound of a mortar grinding something with precision.

There she was - hair caught with carelessness, eyes focused, stirring a turquoise substance. An acid and floral perfume floated in the air. She didn't even look when he came in.

- "Did you inhale blue fog smoke today?" - she asked, without taking her eyes off the crucible.

- "Good night to you too, my dear," Lilia replied with a crooked smile. "No, I didn't inhale. But a border guard was using poisonous hibiscus incense. Do you feel from here?"

- "Of course. It's in your hair. There is a metallic note after the sweet base." She finally raised her eyes. "Do you feel dizzy?"

- "The only dizziness I feel is for looking at you like that. So focused."

She sighed, but a subtle curve appeared on her lips.

- "Sit Do It. I'm going to make an amber stone tea with golden grass root. It will clean up any remnants in your system."

He obeyed, sitting on one of the low benches. He watched her silently as she lit another flame, stirred the herbs and added drops with a glass syringe.

She was absolutely fascinating.

The logical coldness. The almost cruel precision. And yet... her gestures when taking care of him were full of disguised tenderness. It was as if each clinical touch hid an affection, and Lilia - with all her experience - knew how to decipher each one.

- "Do you treat me as if I were a patient... or a guinea pig?" - he teased.

She put the cup in front of him and replied, dry:

- "You've been both."

He laughed out loud. That woman, so calm and sharp, was all that intrigued him. I never knew if she healed him to save him... or to be able to hurt him again more precisely later.

But the truth was different.

That night, after tea, she took him to the room. As he lay down, she sat next to him, began to pass a balm on his temples - a mixture of pine oil, camphor and dry dragon blood. His touch was firm and technical, but he noticed the hidden softness.

- "Why do you care so much about me?" - he whispered, with his eyes closed.

She was slow to answer. So I said, low:

- "Because you're the only immortal idiot who's not afraid of me. Who doesn't think I'm a poisonous witch. Who looks at me as if... I were something else."

Lilia opened her eyes. He pulled her lightly by the hand.

- "You are the antidote to my eternity, y/n."

She redd. Not out of vanity, but because... I didn't know how to deal with emotion. With delivery. With someone who read all his layers without fear.

- "I could kill you with a drop of what I kept today," she whispered.

- "And I would leave it. As long as it was in your arms."

She laughed - short, dry, but real. She leaned over, and kissed him on the lips, with precision and control. As if it dosed one's own passion as a rare elixir.

⸻

The next morning, she left a tray in the room. Black petal tea, a digestive infusion, and a ticket:

"If you want to live another 300 years, stop touching plants you don't know. - Your personal doctor who also loves you."

He kept the note in his cloak pocket.

And he thought, smiling:

"If love is a poison, then I want to die of it every day."

———————Comic moment ———————

It was a peaceful morning in the forest where they lived. The birds sang with harmony, the sun heated the garden and the scent of wildflowers spread smoothly...

...Until a "LILIAAAAA!" Echoed from the underground workshop.

The elf sighed, closing the book he was reading on the balcony. He knew something was about to happen. With his serene expression, he got up and went down the stairs.

There she was - six months pregnant, slightly rounded belly under the apron, a glass bottle in her hand and a look too innocent to be true.

- "Can I know what you're doing, my adorable immune system destroyer?" - he asked, crossing his arms.

- "Testing an infusion of beladonna with dry mandrake. Natural soothing, it can be useful in childbirth."

- "YOU'RE PREGNANT," he exclaimed with a nervous laugh, approaching quickly. "And the last time you tested beladonna, you had hallucinations and confused me with a French gargoyle!"

- "I knew it wasn't a French gargoyle... gargoyles don't have such beautiful teeth," she replied, holding the bottle tighter. "But I'm fine! I have gloves, a mask, and the baby is isolated from direct contact."

- "THE BABY IS NOT POISON-PROOF! AND YOU ARE CARRYING MY SON - OR DAUGHTER - NOT A MINI-ALCHEMIST WITH TOXIC RESISTANCE!" - he took the bottle from her hands as if it were a bomb, carefully taking it to a high shelf, out of the reach of any pregnant woman with dangerous ideas.

She crossed her arms.

- "This is academic oppression against pregnant scientists."

- "This is emotional self-preservation of a father who doesn't want to see his child's mother fainted because he decided to smell estramonium in the second trimester!"

She snorted and turned around, grumbling. But he noticed: she dragged her feet more slowly than usual.

- "Are you feeling something?" - he asked with sudden concern.

- "Just tiredness," she admitted, already sitting down. "And hunger. Very hungry. And I want to lick a salt stone."

Lilia sighed deeply. He took a blanket and covered her shoulders, kneeling in front of her.

- "Stay here. I'll make the right tea, prepare food and hide ALL the toxins you may want to use as a seasoning."

She smiled from the corner, kind of defeated.

- "You're spoiling me as if I were glass."

- "You are more precious than any bottle in this workshop. And if you keep trying to poison the baby, I'll lock you in the greenhouse of aromatic herbs and force you to grow only chamomile."

She widened her eyes in horror.

- "You wouldn't dare."

- "Do you want to try?" He replied, with a provocative smile.

⸻

Later, she was lying on the sofa in the living room, with a hot compress on her lower back and a parchment on herbal formulas for newborns.

Lilia came up with a tray: rice porridge with black sesame, mint tea and... a pink Himalayan salt stone.

She arched an eyebrow.

- "Are you trying to seduce me with mineral salts?"

- "I'm trying to distract you from the idea of injecting mugwort into the vein," he said, kissing his forehead.

She settled better.

- "The baby will be born with a brain bent from so much knowledge."

- "Or with a stressed father and a mother who refuses to respect the limits of obstetric science," he replied affectionately.

She let out a short laugh and nested in him.

- "But you love me."

- "As if I had been poisoned by you at first glance."

He kissed your belly. He closed his eyes, as if blessing life in there.

- "Little alchemist... please inherit your mother's intelligence... but not stubbornness."

And there they were: the former immortal general, the rebellious pregnant healer, and the most promising - and potentially dangerous - baby in the forest.

——————

It was a mild morning in the fairy forest. The golden light filtered through the high leaves, and the breeze danced like music through the branches.

In the side courtyard of the mossy stone house, two children played on a linen towel stretched out on the floor. The boy - with dark hair and sparkling violet eyes - seriously observed a row of plants. Next to him, his twin sister - freckles on her nose, analytical expression, and a ribbon bow tied crooked in her hair - wrote something down in a handmade notebook.

And sitting in front of the two, with the calm elegance of those who manipulate poisons while preparing tea, there was her - the mother. Healer, scientist, and now... domestic educator of the most dangerous duo of small botanical prodigies that Twisted Wonderland would never see.

She held a yellowish sheet between her fingers with thin gloves.

- "This is withered mandrake. Can anyone tell me what she does when she's at this stage?"

The girl raised her hand immediately.

- "Induces deep sleep and can cause mild paralysis if placed under the tongue."

- "Very well, my little flower. And you, Dorian?" - she looked at her son, who frowned.

He answered slowly:

- "If boiled together with black ice petals... it becomes an elixir for bone pain. But you need to neutralize with target lily root before ingesting, or... the person bleeds through his nose until he sleeps."

She smiled with contained pride. The perfect mother for a couple of dangerous geniuses.

And then, Lilia showed up.

- "Good morning, my lovely antidote factory - and my little vegetable terrorists!" - he waved, placing a tray with fruit juice and small cookies. "Snack time!"

- "Dad!" - the two twins ran to him. Dorian hugged his waist, while Liliane jumped on her father's back with trained skill.

- "We were learning to differentiate plants with a deadly smell!" - she exclaimed excitedly.

- "...I'm so torn between pride and panic," Lilia murmured, taking the two in her lap at the same time with her fairy force.

- "They need to learn. One day they will walk alone in the forest," said the mother, without looking up from the herbarium she was leafing through. "In addition, Dorian has already differentiated weed-mute from ghost-herb just by the smell. This is advanced even for adult apprentices."

- "He also almost stuck his face in a jar of magic opium last week," Lilia replied, pretending indignation. "And Liliane tried to put dancing grass in Professor Trein's porridge..."

- "He complained that he was out of energy. Dancing herre stimulates circulation," replied the girl, shrugging her shoulders.

- "She pulled her mother," Lilia murmured, while taking a sip of her own tea. "How lucky I am..."

⸻

Later that day, the scene continued: the twins with small colored plastic bottles, the mother sitting on the balcony supervising the "practical class" of identification, and Lilia... lying in the hammock, with a cold towel on her forehead, pretending to suffer an emotional collapse.

- "Did you let them play putting together an antidote kit?" He asked out loud, looking at the sky.

- "Yes," she replied without hesitation. "Control, Lilia. You're a former general."

- "I'm a general, yes, but that didn't prepare me to see my six-year-old son say 'Dad, if you drink this without the counteragent you'll vomit for seven hours.'"

- "And yet... you drank it," she said with a little smile on her lips.

Silence.

- "It was apple juice," he murmured, embarrassed.

The twins laughed loudly.

⸻

At night, the four were lying together in the garden, under the starry sky. The twins slept, one on each side of the mother, hugging stuffed animals... with mini bottles tied to the waists "in case of emergency".

Lilia covered everyone with a large blanket and watched her wife for a few seconds.

She caressed Dorian's hair gently, her eyes still attentive to the stars and the breeze.

- "You're creating a pair of dangerous geniuses," he whispered, affectionately.

- "I'm teaching our children how to survive."

- "And dominating the world?"

- "If they want," she replied with a mysterious look.

Lilia kissed her forehead and whispered:

- "You are my chaos... and my healing."

She smiled, and finally relaxed.

—————————————————————————

[cirrusin]

Reading a Ghost Story: Kim Soleum vs. Baek Saheon

there seems to be a consensus that there’s somebody "right" in this freak-off and it's KSE (the "right or wrong" argument starting all the way from what the "correct" solution to abyss transpo was, to just. [gestures] their current beef). i personally think "right or wrong" is a bad framework here. they're fundamentally just different kinds of ghost story readers-- not even in a "one misunderstands, one understands" way, they just aim to get different things out of the text. we see this again and again but it's particularly encapsulated in where the feud started: abyss transpo

KSE taunting BSH in the subway

strangely... there are a lot of different interpretations on what happened? so i'm going to say the interpretation i think is the most compliant with the text

KSE knows from DER that multiple lost items can be acknowledged (commenting that the lost item stations are like a "treasure hunt" that always has "a few candidates in the luggage compartment"). he intends on making BSH regret assaulting someone out of the concern that only one lost item was eligible. this is the rationale behind KSE showing BSH the disembodied female eye [this act doesn't actually tell BSH that multiple items are eligible, but KSE doesn't seem to care]

off the bat, BSH misinterprets this. instead of feeling regret for assaulting someone, he regrets sacrificing his own eye when there was a perfectly disembodied one that KSE knew about. way to miss the point BSH but admittedly KSE did not communicate his point all too well. actually KSE seemed to just want to make BSH feel regret in general so KSE's goal is accomplished here ✅

now: was BSH's original concern justified?

the announcement says, "There is a lost item. If you've found the lost item, please disembark at the next station and hand it over to the station staff." KSE makes his later remarks based on the nature of a "lost item"- and BSH uses that approach too! after a person loses their hat and gets it returned to them, do they want a second identical hat? a "lost item" is no longer lost when it is returned for the first time. BSH's original concern is justified

a lot of horror puzzles require a kind of leap of faith (ex. "the 75% chance must be true, and the 25% chance false). KSE knows that the metaphorical 75% is canonically true im DER- he is only certain that multiple lost items can be acknowledged because he is a cheater with meta knowledge. BSH is unable to be certain and unwilling to take a leap of faith about his own survival, so he (rationally and ruthlessly) takes care of it

Their feud

famously, this difference in abyss transpo kickstarts their legendary freak-off

Viper from DER canon thrives in daydream. he's suited for ghost stories- reading them, and surviving them. and in abyss transpo, KSE finds out that BSH is fundamentally Viper

this is why KSE is so unnerved by him!!

some people seem to think BSH is "stopped from being Viper by KSE's mind games"? but that's not true. BSH never loses his instinct to always go for the coldly rational solution (as GSGW goes on, every time KSE appears to bare his neck, BSH goes for it. despite--and even because of-- how KSE is seen as a threat)

interestingly, BSH (who isn't afraid of ghost stories) is more single-minded about survival than KSE (who is a HUGE COWARD, yet finds the time to worry about others)

KSE's feud with BSH stems from that. if someone were doing everything BSH did out of panic, KSE wouldn't be nearly as on-guard. but BSH doesn't need cowardice to do what he does

As ghost story readers

KSE's position within GSGW is "a good reader- one who understands ghost stories." so with their feud, does this mean that BSH is a bad reader?

again, BSH thrives in daydream, and he's good at nailing what it takes to survive. BSH is an equally valid reader- he simply lacks the evolutionary pressure (KSE's fear) to become the kind of reader that KSE is

BSH's nature means he (can afford to) embrace the ghost story at face value

KSE's cowardice does not allow him to do this- he doesn't share BSH's resilience (and ruthlessness). naturally, KSE takes a lesser-walked perspective on the ghost story. one where he makes textual analysis leaps of logic

it's important to note how KSE's knowledge of previous escape records/DER plays a crucial role in his reasoning. as stated previously for abyss transpo, concluding that "multiple items are allowed" can only be done through knowing about other escape records. and sure, BSH could've chosen to skip this blatant escape opportunity like the rest of them-- tried to use the deeper nature of what a "destination" is, like KSE did

... but BSH would never throw away a blatant escape opportunity for himself

again, KSE and BSH have different priorities when reading ghost stories: mainly, "empathy" vs. "self-preservation." despite being a coward, KSE loses the "self-preservation" olympics. he places as much emphasis on others as he does on himself in terms of escaping alive and well. maybe even more, when considering what he does at the bureau (Looky Mart). and this empathy extends to the actual ghost story! KSE's evolving relationship with Braun can take up an entire post by itself

meanwhile, BSH is willing to pay the price of taking ghost stories at face value- any blatant escape opportunity will do, he lacks the standards that KSE's empathy gives him. whatever gets him out and alive

BSH was born to survive ghost stories, KSE was born to manipulate them

*end note: this is tangential, but it's funny how a lot of people interpret all of this as KSE being a good person. i mean he does good things certainly. and he's a "better person" than BSH is. but... wow KSE's sense of morality can be its own post

[ruby-red-inky-blue]

Carrie watches Rogue One (again) Pt. 1

okay everyone, let's get back to basics. I am rewatching Rogue One. (Pt 1 because this ran so long it was getting crazy)

Stuff I love:

god, the music, the music! Michael Giachino, you are a king among men. The title music alone??? is so great??? how you think it's regular Star Wars but then it's not, but the music still sounds so quintessentially Star Wars, it's so good

Baby Jyn's casting remains incredible. She is so cute, and she looks so much like Felicity Jones!

Jyn clearly remembering the "everything I do, I do to protect you" and yet not giving that any credence for the first third of the movie is such a good and realistic choice, and it shows her jadedness so well. I wouldn't believe him either, if everyone just kept fucking me over!

Little Jyn's hideout is so cleverly hidden, and really speaks to their preparation in ways that the fact they wait so long to leave the homestead do not. It makes little sense to me how long they are taking to get out of dodge, and that they don't even seem to attempt to have everyone flee together. But that also speaks to how ruthless and prepared her parents were at this point - and how shitty little Jyn's life must have been in the grand scheme of things, even while she had parents who loved her at that point. Her parents are hardened people already - Galen clearly prepared to stall Krennic to let them escape, Lyra choosing to try and take Krennic down with her instead of going quietly, even to stay alive for her child...

Little Jyn with the lamp!!! I will never EVER be over the parallels of Jyn with her little broken lamp and the warm light on her face, and then Jyn with the light on her face in the elevator. It's so neat!

JEDHA. Goddd. It feel so tangible and massive, those eerie statues/mountain ranges in the desert, even Saw's rebels - everything feels so grounded and vivid here, while on Andor, their hideouts often looked like a set to me, especially in S2.

Bodhi trying so hard to look brave will never not get me.

I have yelled about Kafrene so much in the past weeks I have nothing to add except to reiterate this: Cassian didn't need to comfort Tivik. He was, in fact, wasting valuable time in doing so. That's what got me the first time watching, how this act is at the same time so kind and so incredibly callous. Like, how cruel to lie to someone you know you're going to kill - and how kind to take a moment, even in that situation, to make sure that person is not afraid.

I love how defiant and steely Jyn is. I wish they had played that up even more, especially in the beginning of her interview. But I LOVE the steel that comes into her posture and expression the moment they ask about Saw.

"I found it!" and "I find that answer vague and unconvincing" are still so funny

They are so good at establishing Cassian as a very good manipulator and handler with really small things in this script. Like him immediately ceding to Jyn's challenge of "trust goes both ways" - he instantly recognises that she expects him to take it from her and that she plans to be difficult, and recognises that he will lose her trust and possibly her cooperation forever if he does take it from her (even if he'd, you know, survive that). So he just cedes it to her, without another word. It's such a good, calculated risk - because yeah, she might shoot him now, but he needs her to trust him, and stick with him, and he only has until they land to make that happen, and they're all toast if he fails. So it's worth the risk! And he sees that immediately! Even though Kay doesn't! It's so great.

Love that we're letting the camera linger on Draven just long enough to see his sad little head drop before he turns away.

Bodhi meeting Saw my beloved. Where are the gifs of this scene?? Where is this moment in the fandom because it is SO GOOD. He's so scared and so relieved and so annoyed at all the time they're wasting, and you can tell how underneath all that he's genuinely so proud and almost shocked that he actually did it, that he actually defected and made it all the way to the Saw Gerrera. That he did deliver Galen's message, like he promised! I love this man so much he means the world to me. I want to punch whatever Disney clown had him edited out of the thumbnail. Fuck you. Bodhi is such a good character.

"I defected, I came here myself, they didn't capture me!" "I gave it to them, they did not find it!" and that dirty look he manages to give the men who are holding him on his knees, handcuffed! He deserves the world!!! Do you not see that!!!

Gareth Edwards, king of SCALE. The shot of "look, a tie fighter! and holy shit, that Star Destroyer looks massive behind i - holy shit look at the thing behind that!!" This is how you Death Star!!!

Ben Mendelsohn. Krennic is so compelling to watch, in all his small-minded, cringey, petulant, grandstanding glory.

Jyn's flashbacks are so poignant, it never feels like we're wasting time with them.

Jedha City is such a cool design, and again the SCALE with the Star Destroyer towering over the whole city!!

Cassian's friendly little pat of Kay as he walks past him. They're friends!!! Was that so hard!!!

Jedha feels so real, the narrow streets, the bustle, and kids! There are kids, not plot-significant ones, just running around! And the street food vendours and the janky-ass holo projector giving out Bodhi's picture, every metal on screen has patina and rust on it and the stone doesn't look freshly scrubbed, it feels so lived in.

The street ambush on Jedha is filmed so well, it feels really threatening and chaotic.

Jyn, Kay and the grenade he catches remain the funniest thing in the world to me btw.

The Slap is very funny, yeah, but can we talk about Kay's posture when he barely saves the "These are... prisoners." Alan Tudyk really killed even in the smallest moments.

Chirrut going off on those stormtroopers is just a masterclass. I love how he uses his cloak to blind some of them, or kicks dirt in their face, just some really good use of the environment, such a fun fight sequence!

Also, Jiang Wen's delivery on "only dreamers, like this fool" just sends me every time, it's so good <3

we've all yelled about it for many years, but Cassian's pissy little smile in Saw's cave at the guards is still. Very good. Also though I will say this is the first of those rare moments where Cassian really is a bit of a petty bitch - not that it's not earned, he was just manhandled and locked up, but. My guy. You're a spy. I'm sure you expected this might happen. (I still think they played this trait up way too much throughout the show, but. It is in here! Just in little, blink-and-you-miss-it exchanges. I guess one could argue it's something he got better at over time?)

goddd the cross-cutting between Jyn and the Death Star and Galen's hologram is so so good, like this is essentially an exposition dump but you don't even notice because the visuals lare so stunning and Felicity is giving a masterclass performance

also man I will never get over how insanely gorgeous the destruction of Jedha looks, the symmetry, the eclipse, the colours!!! I love how they show all that incredible visual off and then have Krennic go "Oh, it's beautiful", when you realise he's looking at this like you are, like a guy watching a movie in a cinema, it's so good! He sounds so pleasantly surprised, oh look, it's efficient and pretty! It's so awful in how incredibly casual it is, and Ben Mendelsohn's delivery on that line is *chef's kiss*

Bodhi seeing the city blown up :(

Much as I have beef with Whitaker's acting choices in this movie, his very last moments are choice, and "Save the Rebellion! Save the dream!" does haunt me still, it's such a banger of a line.

Chirrut's quiet little "Baze, tell me. All of it? The whole city?" guts me every time. He's been so full of showmanship this whole time, he wasn't entirely serious for a single line of dialogue, and here he's so subdued. It's so fucking sad!!! This movie is so so good about emotional impact on their characters, in a franchise that has a, um... spotty history with that (side-eyeing Leia having to comfort Luke after watching her planet get blown up...).

Honestly we talk so much about the scenes in the shuttle scene from Eadu to Yavin, we don’t talk enough about the one TO Eadu. Bodhi’s little monologue and his moment of recognition for Jyn is so good! We did not deserve Riz Ahmed, he killed this role and nobody ever talks about it. Baze’s cynicism in this scene is so good, this movie just keeps giving you people at different stages of the rage-resignation-devotion cycle of resistance and meet each other at really different points of it is so interesting.

Diego giving a fucking masterclass in the background at his communicator station too with next to no words. Yeah, if you got nothing from this character in this movie, it’s because you weren’t looking at the screen, sorry.

The mirroring of this exchange with the hangar scene later is so juicy, I’ll never be over it. And again, there’s a way to read an allusion to an SA victim’s type struggle in there that I’m not even sure was intentional but it means so much to me. But the way Cassian, very gently but with so much cynicism, immediately says she has no chance because she doesn’t have any concrete evidence and her word won’t be enough, and how it doesn’t matter if he believes her because he’s “not the one you’ve got to convince”… and then, when Chirrut says he does believe her, he dismisses that with a snide “that’s good to know”… yeah.

But crucially, whether intentional or not, the scene isn’t just that. It also works on its face, as political commentary on how the Rebellion is entrenched in allegiances and factions and paranoia and has become too big to act on hunches and that is almost their downfall. Because they will discount a terrible warning and almost throw away what eventually paves the path to victory because that warning comes from a person who isn’t one of them – even before the council does, Cassian, far and away the highest-ranking Alliance member on this shuttle, rejects it out of hand. It might be true but if there isn’t any proof it doesn’t matter. Jyn and Cassian have neatly traded places: First it was him wanting to act and projecting urgency and her being too cautious and not passionate enough about the issue to act, now it’s the other way around.

This whole harping on about proof, and how they’d believe her with proof, and how Cassian lets Jyn believe that they’re going to get her father for that proof is also so crucial for her reaction later to Cassian attempting to shoot Galen. I get how this went over some people’s head, frankly, it’s a little brief to really stick and there’s a whole big action set piece in the middle, but it’s so neat really. It’s not just that he tried to kill her father, it’s that they came all this way for his information and yet Cassian seems so hell-bent on following his orders he almost sabotaged his own mission completely (at least from the POV of someone who fully believes Galen at this point). His orders aren’t just morally wrong at this point, they’re also tactically wrong from Jyn’s point of view – because she believes her father, so she correctly realises destroying the Death Star now is a higher priority than neutralising a potentially interchangeable scientist who may build another threat later.

People bitch about this script so much, and honestly maybe I’ve just seen the movie too often at this point to judge how it flows because I’m so familiar with all the parts of it. But I think the writing is incredibly tight overall – the main arcs are all beautifully rendered and intertwined and reach satisfying conclusions, with no large logical gaps or thematic breaks. Maybe I think so highly of this movie because I care a lot about narrative structure and maybe less about ideal pacing for a blockbuster, because the distribution of time to the individual plots probably is a little weird at times, but that never bothered me. 

Stuff I never noticed before:

just how hardened the Ersos are, even in baby Jyn's earliest flashback on Coruscant!! The expressions on their faces, the way they act around Krennic even here... just this brief scene got me so intrigued I am finally picking Catalyst back up again.

Cassian all but admits he (or at least the Alliance) are responsible for Tivik! He tells Jyn "He has just gone missing, his sister will be looking for him". Not "His sister is looking for him and has told us he's gone missing." He fully admits he doesn't know this from her, he is warning Jyn that stuff may get hairy between him and Tivik's sister. I never caught that before lol

Questions:

Does Krennic believe Galen about Lyra being dead? I could read it either way, I wonder what Mendo believed when he played it.

I always thought it was odd that Jyn went with "Saw will be pissed if you kill me because I'm Galen's daughter" instead of "because he raised me". I guess it's her being cagey about her own connection to Saw? But it's such a gamble, she can't even be sure if Tubes knows who Galen is!

Quibbles & Complaints section:

I will say, Jyn getting liberated from Wobani is edited pretty choppily. There are a lot of cuts and they don't quite line up, it is a bit annoying to watch. But always worth it for the queen of my heart bashing Melshi in the face with a shovel. He really doesn't deserve it, but it's still glorious.

The Yavin hangar looks somehow less real than almost all the other sets, and I cannot place my finger on why. Maybe the weirdly uniform way the vines grow on the pillars. It's much better in the later shots, so maybe it's the lighting, too.

This is so nitpicky, but Diego's line read on "When was the last time you were in contact with your father?" always bothered me - he's shaking his head in the middle of the sentence, and it feels so inorganic to what he's saying? It's not a sarcastic question, or a leading one, and even if it was the headshake would go at the end - and it messes with the vocal delivery, too. Again, this is so so nitpicky, but in my perfect world they would have done another take on that lol

Some of Felicity's earlier reads on that scene also feel like they were dubbed over in post, or were mixed differently than the shots of everyone else - they are kind of off in cadence or volume for how far away she is from Cassian and the face she's making. I think some of these WERE re-shot, and you can tell. Again, super nitpicky, but I think the movie lost some people right here and they decided "oh this isn't good" - it's not super bad, but there's a weird uncanny feel about it.

It's kind of annoying how the conversation keeps switching and switching, Mothma and Cassian and Draven all finishing each other's sentences, and the way they're positioned around the table makes it really difficult to tell who Felicity is emoting at sometimes. Much as I love Cassian in this scene, I feel like maybe Draven and Mothma should have done the talking here, and switched off at a more organic point. I love that Mothma gets to talk a good deal, and I do love to joke about her and Draven being an item or otherwise weirdly in sync, but it is odd that they are literally talking like they are reading off the same script here. Or Cassian could have done the talking, and Draven watched from the shadows, looking progressively unhappy with the orders Mothma is giving to Cassian and Jyn, and then go after them on the airfield and give his conflicting orders. I feel like that would have felt far more natural than the weird "I get a line, you get a line" thing they're doing - and also we could have cut less, because. Boy.

The whole scene feels very choppy, it's so needlessly cut together for a stationary conversation. Again, I know why - they changed a lot of the dialogue in the reshoots, but. Idk. Just redo the whole scene. These really short shots are a little odd, like for example earlier when Mothma is talking the camera keeps jumping to different distances away from her, but it's a stationary camera every time, it feels strange on a subconscious level.

Forest Whitaker overdid it. There, I said it. I thought he was stellar in Andor (all script-based issues aside), but in Rogue One, he's... a bit much. Like, give us 20 percent less and it'd be perfect.

Bor Gullet my detested. This scene is so goofy and tonally off, and it would have been such an easy fix to remove it! Just have Whitaker re-record one line and have him say "lock him up" instead. Riz Ahmed doesn't even need to FILM anything new, he can do voiceover over the fucking phone if he needs to because they already had the bag over Bodhi's head. Bodhi still has reason to panic - he defected, he did what he was told, why are they locking him up? Does this mean they don't believe him? Where are they taking him? Then you cut the Bor Gullet nonsense and boom. All done. Maybe you can imply he did get, you know, conventionally tortured, but even if you don't - Bodhi in the catatonic state he is in when Cassian, Chirrut and Baze find him is perfectly sensible without that. He thought they don't believe him, he thought it was all too late, he thought he would never get out of this place again, he's a civilian, that would fuck him up! And he saw his city blown up with heretofore unknown weapon power, he has plenty of reason to be off kilter for the rest of the movie!

They really had something with only showing Tarkin from behind with his reflection in the glass!! Why didn't they stick to that!!! Like, does he look shockingly decent for what it is? Yes, but the dead shark eyes are horrifying, and I think his mouth isn't moving right, either.

For the first thirty minutes, Felicity's performance doesn't really click for me - at least not when she's speaking, there's something so prim and soft-spoken in the way she talks even in the first few scenes in Jedha City that seems kind of at odds with the character. I feel like Jyn doesn't quite lock in until Saw's rebels throw the first grenade (which seems fitting lol).

It's a little goofy how Saw's rebels swarm the transport going "Kyber! Kyber!" and nothing else. Like if they were speaking a foreign language and all we understood was kyber, that'd be fine, but make it complete sentences! I have a feeling maybe this was also added later, because people missed the (admittedly extremely brief) glimpse of a kyber crystal in one of the tubes they're taking out.

Cassian's "cracking" the door lock on Saw's cell is so dumb and funny, like the man just wiggles a wrench in there, that simply cannot be how that works lol

[disappearinginq]

Important state of the WIPs questions!

What is the premise of each of the six unnamed Slow Horses fics?

How many Tracker fics are there? General plots?

How about Deception? Just Consequences and Mirrorverse? Or a few more?

Is there any news on the Rue front?

I have miscounted on the unnamed Slow Horses fics, so...buckle up:

Louisa is awoken in the middle of the night by Catherine. River, who's been missing for an indeterminate amount of time, has shown up at her flat, looking pretty okay if not just tired and exhausted, but he either can't talk, or won't, and it's them trying to piece together what happened. (they don't, and all I have figured out is that River CAN talk, he just doesn't because of whatever happened to him)

In which I channel my inner Stephen King and make a play on Misery by having River get held hostage by an older woman who has decided that he gets himself into too much trouble (after seeing him after incidents like the season 3 finale, season 4 finale, etc) and decides that she needs to keep him safe from himself.

My excuse to have River and Catherine bond even more. There's a lot of back and forth miscommunication between the two of them. River has learned through bitter experience that parental love/affection is something to be afraid of, and after the events of season 4 he's sort of unraveling and Catherine is trying not to overstep Coworker Level of Care but really trying to take care of him at the same time, and River is freaking out because he thinks he's overstepping, and angst ensues.

This one is like a Conspiracy Theory knockoff, except I think I'm changing up the timeline. It was going to be bad guys of non specific origin that had kidnapped River, but I think now maybe it's MI5 itself who're interrogating River about his "involvement" with Frank's machinations post season 4 finale. Whelan is a Bad Guy in this.

A conversation in between season 2 and season 3 when the agents find out that Spider didn't choose not to go to Slough House, Lamb wouldn't take him, so his only option was to quit and go private sector. This leads to fun speculation between Catherine and the gang because Catherine knows damn well why Lamb told Spider to get fucked and the Horses realize there actually are standards for Slough House.

River has to deal with chronic pain after season 3, but he just decides to muscle through it because he doesn't have any better way of dealing with/addressing it. Shirley recommends massage therapy after watching him hobble about/wincing at certain movements but River is Not a Fan of being touched, especially by strangers, so Shirley offers to do it for him. Basically an excuse for me to incorporate real life experiences into fic

Shirley decides to take a more proactive interest in her co-workers lives after Marcus dies, and it becomes a tradition for her to walk the last one out of the office to their car/mode of transport, and it becomes a highlight of the day for the others because Shirley picks the most unhinged conversation topics like "if you HAD to fight a bear, which one would you choose if you thought you had a chance of winning?" One night, when walking River out to the car, they linger longer than usual because River, despite being awkward as fuck, is probably the most emotionally intuitive of the group, and she feels like she can actually talk to him about Marcus and missing him, but - in true Slow Horses Luck fashion - they get mugged, and they go after River thinking he's the threat when we all know Shirley is the one who's killed the most people canonically (AND SHE'LL DO IT AGAIN).

Slow Horses, except set in WWII. They’re not relegated to admin work, but instead are shoved into the field and take missions that will likely result in death as they’re considered expendable. More like X-Company meets The Dirty Dozen

From the Bad Things Happen Bingo Card "Ear Injury". River’s hearing doesn’t recover as well as he would like from the archives, and he, naturally, hides how bad it gets because he thinks it’s just taking its sweet time recovering and doesn’t want to get fired for being mostly deaf. Turns out, no, River, it’s not just tinnitus. That’s just a symptom.

the Horses get stuck on a road trip/ in the field overnight, stuck in a town where there's nothing except a small inn with a whopping total of two rooms. Instead of an argument about who is going to be sleeping on the floor, it is an argument who gets to share the beds because nobody wants to share with Lamb. River is too tired to care and just passes out on one of the beds and wakes up at the bottom of a dog pile and other than a crick in his neck 0 complaints

BTHB "This is for your own good". Not sure the circumstances but River has been having horrific insomnia for weeks, but he refuses to do anything about it because River has 0 self care habits, but he has in fact been prescribed sleep medication and just won't take it. One of the Horses takes matters into their own hands and slip it into his tea or something equally benign, except after it starts taking effect, something happens to make them half to go on the run/hide, and they're struggling with a barely conscious River in addition to Bad Guys. Details TBD

Frank, River, and Lamb are in a standoff (details unknown): Lamb: you've only got one bullet left, and it'll take more than that to stop me Frank: best put it where it'll do the most damage then, hmm? And shoots River

Tracker: Alas, only one, which was started before anybody met Russell on the show. Colter goes missing, and Reenie calls his brother to help find him. Turns out, Colter got a little too close to something Big and Bad and was kidnapped by Big Pharma doc who has been experimenting on patients that family members have committed under false pretenses to assume control over their property/money/affairs

Deception is in fact just Mirrors and Consequences because I refuse to start anymore until these two are done.

As far as Rue - I've established she makes her money in the foodie smuggling business because different planets have different spices and like vanilla and saffron are worth more than their weight in money, and she uses this to supplement her piracy tendencies.

[hsslilly-blog]

sebastian failing a class because he's terrified of hunt is a good bit and this time it's not even that man's fault

[lovecatsys]

dear lord. i wish navigating the medical world as a trans person was not so awful.

[teenagefeeling]

am i seriously starting to see jokes about asexuals on my dash again??? i chose the wrong time to accept myself.....

[rivilu]

The more I think about the story through Daeran's pov the more insane i go. btw.