#and then i move to the (apparently) more chaotic room

[i-earned-my-stripes]

I have just gotten back to working in a daycare for the first time in years. Today was day 3. It was exhausting. That said, I have made an interesting discovery. Today, I subbed for a teacher who has the same first name as me. According to the three year olds I watched today, it is not possible for two people to have the same name, so I must be lying. I spent all being called multiple different variations of names that were almost my name, but never actually my name. So tough luck everyone. No repeat names allowed.

[hairyjocktf]

Greek Vacation

It was finally June, and Alex could barely sleep. He’d worked his ass off the last year in college to avoid having to take summer classes, which meant he could join the rest of his family on their trip to Greece. His mom had apparently won tickets or miles or something through her job, he couldn’t remember. All that mattered was he was going to Greece! It was finally time to relax and unwind from the insanely stressful last few months. He’d gone over his packing list six, seven times now; he was absolutely sure he was ready. His family was meeting him at the airport, so he was just pacing now, waiting on that text to start moving. The phone on the countertop buzzed and he lunged for it. It was time.

Alex grabbed his oversized suitcase and lugged it down the stairs of his apartment building out to the street. He hopped on the bus and found a seat. He was giddy, this trip was his dream trip as a kid, and now he was finally getting to go. He’d helped plan out their whole itinerary, from the Acropolis to the ruins at Delphi and so so many more. Before he knew it, they were dropping him at the airport. Inside the chaotic lobby he managed to spot his parents, his dad was already wearing a massive sun hat which helped. The next hour was a blur getting their bags checked, through security, and corralling everyone to the gate. Then began the longest part of the trip: the flight. Alex had brought noise canceling headphones and an extra strong dose of melatonin that he prayed would do the job. And miraculously, it did. Nearly ten hours later he woke up to the sounds of the plane landing, and next thing he knew they were in a cab headed into Athens.

The cab pulled up to their hotel, depositing them and their bags at the foot of a beautiful white building with a grand entrance. This part was his mother’s domain. She ushered everyone inside and got them to their room in no time. Alex was unpacking and setting his stuff out when he realized he couldn’t find his phone charger. He tore everything out of his suitcase and backpack, trying desperately to find it. Nothing. He must’ve left it in his haste getting out the door, after all his phone was plugged in while he was waiting. 

Shit, he thought, before solemnly announcing the news to his family.

“We’ll stop by a store or something and get you a new one, it's fine,” his mother said, buried in her own suitcase. What a start to the trip. Alex sat on the side of his bed looking out the window at the building next door, kicking his legs waiting for them to get going. Finally, after another 30 minutes, they were getting back out the door. 

Alex and his family started wandering through the massive metropolis of Athens, surrounded by white buildings and the intense noise of a city. Only a few blocks away they came upon a massive street market, with locals selling everything imaginable. Fruits, street food, bags, shirts, phones, you name it. Surely, Alex thought, they would sell a phone charger here. He squeezed up and down through tight corridors of shops, flooded with people. He was deep into the market when his path was blocked with a crowd. He turned around, only to find the way he came in also packed tight with tourists. He was stuck. As panic started to set in, Alex heard a deep, husky voice from the stall behind him.

“You there, tourist boy,” the voice said, and Alex whipped around to see a large man with dark olive skin, and the hairiest body he’d ever seen. It was on his fingers, hands, forearms, and crawled out of his open shirt solidly up to the thick bushy beard on his face that nearly hid all his features. Alex was frozen, taking in the sight of this man. He was snapped out of his daze by the man speaking again.

“You look tired, boy. Did you just arrive?” he looked Alex in the eyes.

Alex was jumbling his words, “Uh, yes, yea I did. But I slept! I shouldn’t be tired.. I don’t think…” 

The man grabbed his hand and pulled it towards him. “Here boy, this will help you,” he said in his thick accent. He took out a small beaded bracelet and slipped it onto Alex’s wrist, tying it tight. 

“Uhh, thanks?” Alex remarked, a little confused about the whole situation. The moment was interrupted by his mother’s voice piercing through the crowd.

“Alex!! Alex!! Are you over here?” Alex jerked his head towards the voice, starting to back away from the man.

“Enjoy your trip, boy,” the man said, releasing his arm and giving a slight wave. Alex turned away and pushed through the throng of people in his way, eventually reaching his mother.

“Alex! Thank god you’re okay, we lost you immediately. Here, we found someone selling chargers,” she handed him a cord, not even noticing the bracelet on his wrist. “Alright, let’s get back on track today, shall we?” she put some pep in her voice. As the family squeezed through the crowded Athenian streets, Alex failed to notice a slight itch where the bracelet clung to his wrist.

The summer sun beat down on them as they slowly made their way up the hills of Athens. Alex was sweating buckets, the back of his shirt absolutely drenched. He looked over in envy at his dad’s sun hat that he had mocked earlier. After what felt like an eternity, they made it to the base of the acropolis. Alex’s dad groaned at the sight of not only immense crowds, but another massive rock they had to climb. Alex was undeterred however, his eyes lit up with the sight of the ruins atop the hill. This was what he’d been waiting for, and he let nothing get in his way as he dragged his family into the crowd to get closer. The slight itch under the bracelet continued, unbeknownst to Alex. His skin under it was darkening to an olive shade, slowly creeping up his arm and down towards his hand. Where the darker tone had spread, hairs began popping up, thick black hairs in contrast to his light brown wispy hairs. They continued to sprout, growing in between the last, creating a dense, curly coat. The back of his hand was next, the same black hairs wriggling out. Soon enough, his forearm stuck out like a sore thumb next to the rest of his pale body, yet no one seemed to notice.

The next couple hours were heaven for Alex. He explored the acropolis with his family, pointing out everything he’d researched and explaining even more. Between the numerous ruins and museums, the rest of the day was jam packed with artifacts. Alex even found himself remembering facts about spots he didn’t remember researching. The other constant of the day was the sun. It beat down on them from above with the full force of a Mediterranean summer, sweat constantly dripping from his forehead. It seemed like significantly more than usual for Alex, but he chalked it up to the different climate, and how much they’d been walking. Under his soaked shirt, however, his body was adapting. The deep olive color had spread all the way up his arm, with the forest of hair following, coating his upper arm. The hairs crawled over his inflating shoulder, sprinkling it with black wisps. His bicep has also grown substantially, almost like he was a regular gym-goer, matching his now beefier hand and forearm.

The sun-kissed shade continued to spread, imposing itself over his chest. Not long after, his chest began growing. It pushed out two meaty pecs, skin stretching to accommodate the immense muscles growing in slowly. His chest was sore as years of workouts applied themselves at once. The crisp definition melted somewhat as his form softened, fat layering itself onto his chest and further down as a thick muscle gut grew in. His stomach pressed tight against his shirt, stretching it to its limit. As the muscle pushed out of his frame, so did the hairs. Small black hairs began rearing their heads around his growing nipples, pushing out like thick shoots of grass. The hairs radiated away from his nipples, surging across the open fields of his pectorals, burying them in a black, curly forest. They grew longer and thicker, matting together into a rug across his chest that scratched against his shirt. The fur coat grew denser in the center of his pecs and right below, making them look like real pillow cushions. His gut tingled as the hairs began erupting, swirling together and giving his belly a thick black coat to match. By the time Alex and his family were headed to dinner it looked like he’d eaten plenty, putting on dozens of pounds.

They sat down at a street-side restaurant that Alex had recommended, exhausted after a very active first day. While they browsed the menu, Alex scratched loosely at an itch above the neckline of his shirt. The wave of darker skin tone had slowly been inching up his neck, leading a wave of black hairs. His chest fur had overtaken his collarbone and continued to spread. His neck remained bare until, suddenly, a single dark hair sprouted above his shirt. It was black, thick, and curly. Seconds later, a second hair joined it, shooting out from his shirt collar.  More and more began sprouting, giving Alex a thick dark tuft of hair curling over his shirt. This was just the beginning, though. The dark hairs climbed up his neck, following the wave of olive complexion. Alex’s lean face cracked as it widened, jaw growing thick and square. His brow jutted out and his nose grew more prominent as his face took on the darker tone. His wavy brown hair pulled back some, turning black and more curly. The itching grew as a shadow developed across his jaw, darkening as thick stubble emerged from the bare skin. The scruff seemed to age Alex up a good few years, he seemed like a real adult with the stubble, hairy forearms, and chest hair pushing out of his shirt.

As they ate, Alex briefed his parents on their plan for the next day, starting with an early bus out to Delphi. He already knew the exact times, costs, and routes to take for the perfect day. His parents were impressed at how well researched he was, not noticing the dark scruff covering their son’s face. They finished up dinner and caught a cab home, knowing they had to be up at the crack of dawn the next day.

The next morning came quickly, and with some disgruntled grumbling from his parents, they were off on their bus to Delphi. It was a three hour trip, so they settled into their seats and his parents tried to get a little more rest. Alex stared eagerly out the window, watching the mountains rush past with the sea behind. As the ride went on, he found himself shifting uncomfortably in his seat, like his body was agitated and he couldn’t figure out why. He tried to focus on the beautiful scenery and the maps of their destination instead. In reality, beneath his clothes, the slow moving wave of Mediterranean skin had crossed his muscle gut and reached his groin. It swept through his crotch, seeding the growth of new hair. His existent bush was sparse, and was quickly engulfed by the torrent of dark curly hairs that erupted from the base of his cock, spreading outward. Black hairs wormed out of his skin like weeds coating the entire area, pushing up towards his navel in a triangle pattern, and out onto his thighs.

Alex tried to subtly scratch at the area as the itching grew intense, using his map to hide his meaty hands groping the area. His flaccid cock absorbed the same olive color, and a thick foreskin stretched itself back over the head. It didn’t stay soft for long, engorging and pushing six, seven, eight inches in his pants. Alex shifted again to try and keep comfortable in his seat, but the growing rod was not helping him, leaving a massive imprint on his shorts. His bush continued to thicken, hairs sprouting between others, curling together into an impenetrable forest. The hairs even started climbing the base of his cock, popping out a ways up. There was a thud on the seat when Alex’s balls suddenly inflated to the size of baseballs, his sack growing furry as the same curly black hairs engulfed them. Alex had spread his legs as much as he could, he was practically on top of the guy in the seat next to him, and he was still feeling squeezed. He was about to reach his limit when the bus came to a stop. They had made it.

Like it was instinct, Alex gathered his parents and started their exploration of the site. He took them to the Temple of Apollo, the museum, and the spring. It was another relentlessly hot day, and within minutes he had started sweating buckets. He ignored it to continue guiding his parents around, but it began to take a toll. Underneath his arms, his paltry smattering of hair was starting to soak up some color, growing thicker and darker. The more sweat dripped from his pits the more hair began to shoot out of them, catching the drops and adding to the stench that began to waft from him. Throughout the morning, more and more hairs poked out from under his arms. His beefy arms weren’t able to hide the enormous tufts of hair that were pushing out of his pits, kept nice and damp from the heat. 

They stopped briefly for lunch at a spot Alex knew and recommended, taking a break from the heat before they continued walking through the town. Alex scratched at his face, his fingers pulling through a little more hair than they had the night before. The meal was a nice reprieve, showcasing some delicious local cuisine to his parents. He took the chance to explain their next destinations, and before long they were back walking up the hills. Alex was glad he’d worn shorts today, it was brutal even for June. His exposed legs had begun taking on the same tone as the rest of him, no longer standing out as pale twigs. Curly hairs brushed against his shorts as they grew en masse, traveling from his pubes downward. The hairs pushed out of his growing thighs, a burgeoning field of dark curls spreading across them. His calves experienced the same, putting on size before getting engulfed with black hair.

They’d made it to the stadium and viewpoint at the top. Alex left the couple to take in the vista and address his current problem; his shoes were way too tight. Luckily, it seemed he’d worn sandals for the day. He bent over to loosen the straps, giving some breathing room to his now size 15 feet, not noticing the coarse hairs popping out across the tops of them. Even his toes were hairy now. He stood back up and looked out over the valley, scratching his ass that had been a little itchy. The same thick curly hairs had started bursting out of his crack, creating a furry mass between his cheeks. The hairs spread out, growing like weeds over the expanse of his ass. The sweat dripping down his widening back helped the hairs take root, and they shot upward sprouting from the small of his back. His lats grew darker as black fur erupted before climbing up to his neck and blending with the thick coating on his shoulders. The coarse curly hairs grew dense and long enough to push his damp shirt nearly an inch away from his body all around. Curly black hairs poked out of the back of his shirt collar too, mirroring the front side.

The sun had begun to hang lower in the sky, signaling it time to head back to the bus station. Alex’s legs had bulked up enough to handle the constant walking up and down, as he should be used to it by now. He guided the couple back down to the town and they got on their way back to Athens, another multi-hour journey. He felt his seat was even smaller this time, his body having swelled with muscle and mass throughout the day. As the bus bumped along the mountain roads, Alex stared at his reflection in the window. His short beard was pushing out. Hairs grew longer, curling together. More hairs sprouted to fill the gaps, climbing higher on his cheeks. The beard grew incredibly dense, adding another couple years to his face. He finally gave in and scooted over, taking up both seats. The bulky man then closed his eyes for an hour until the familiar noise of Athens began leaking through the windows. 

They stopped at the station, and he grabbed the couple’s bags from the rack. WIth that motion, his short sleeve shirt that had been taught against his massive chest all day gave out, bursting open. His thick chest and belly and the incredible rug that covered them were exposed, but that was nothing out of the ordinary for him, especially in the summer. He lugged the bags to the curb and handed them over. The woman was exhausted looking, but still had a beaming smile.

“Oh, thank you so much Alexios! You’ve been amazing these last two days.” He swallowed, a large adam’s apple bulging out of his throat, “You’re very welcome. Enjoy the rest of your visit to Greece,” he said with a baritone voice and accent.

The man handed him a large stack of bills as a thank you, and the two headed off towards their hotel. Alexios sighed, it had been an exhausting day. And after all that, he needed to prepare for the new tourists he was to guide the next day.

Hey y'all, I was going to start on the poll story but it's been so close I couldn't predict it! So enjoy this race change tf in the mean time. Speaking of which, if you havent yet, go vote in the poll for the next story! There's still 2 days left.

[simp2537]

You don’t have request for the Darkling? Let me fix that (:

Someone wants to hurt Alek by kidnaping the reader so, Alek saves her and he’s mad AF

Touch her and die

a/n: I love writing over protective partners and stuff so I loved this. Also reader is a bit chaotic cause why not. Also made reader a Tidemaker.

Warning: kidnapping, language, blood, grisha hate, kinda bratty reader? Aleks goes psycho mode, injuries, drüskelle, mentions of Aleks and readers age gap

Aleksander Morozova x fem! Reader

It was an unspoken rule for all grisha, for all ravka, for everyone to not hurt his lover. It was no great secret that the Darkling, the Black general himself was absolutely smitten by his favorite Tidemaker. With her pretty e/c eyes and a pout on her rose colored lips she could get anything she wanted from her general.

His Tidemaker had grown up in a village boardering Fjerda, so grisha testers weren’t common to go there. In secret her older brother, also a Tidemaker taught her the ways of the grisha. Unfortunately a little ways after her nineteenth birthday drüskelle invaded her village and he brother died saving her life.

She ran through the thick forests of ravka with no idea where to go as they chased her when he appeared. His shadows cut through the drüskelle and not long after that the darkling infatuation with his Tidemaker became apparent.

Now his Tidemaker strut into the meeting he conducted, she was late. She walked right up to his side with a smile and adjusted some of the toy soldiers as he spoke. Then she walked right over to Zoya, who shock her head at her friend’s brazenness.

“You’re late, L/n.” Zoya muttered as she drew over the Ravkan maps. Y/n giggled softly as he began to help Zoya. Aleksander would glance back over at the pair every so offten. His Tidemaker clad in a black kefta with teal embroidery. He loved that she so proudly wore his color.

Her and Zoya began to giggle about something, probably a comment she’d made when one of the king advisors cleared his throat.

“Miss L/n have you something to add?” He asked cutting off the girls chatter. The room went quiet as she went stiff. Ivan and Fedyor shared a quick look as their generals eyes darkened. His tone was snobbish and rather rude.

He spoke as if he was better than she was, and it made her almost want to laugh as she turned. Slowly she made it back to the main table with the toy soldiers, this was a different plan than the one she’d just arranged. It was horrible and would lead to the deaths of many grisha.

Y/n would not sacrifice her soldiers when she could do better. Quickly she fixed up the arrangement with an empty look, Aleksander watched her in awe. As she finished she turned to the advisor with the same snobbish looked he’d given her.

“It seems you needed some assistance, don’t worry sir for I will always be there to fix the mistakes.” Y/n mocked as she bowed her head slightly. Aleksander chuckled slightly and moved a stray hair behind her ear. Such an open act of affection for his Tidemaker was nothing new, but for him to do it after she’d humiliated one of the king’s advisor was a risky move.

“Although Miss L/n was late she has fixed this plan to ensure the safety of all the grisha going into this battle. For that I am most grateful.” He amused as he stared at her. She smiled cheekily as she returned to Zoya’s side, a confident sway to her hips.

This was the last time Aleksander had seen her that day.

……………………

It was no secret that the darkling had a great many enemies, but as the fist collided with her face for the hundredth time, Y/n was growing tired. The kings advisor, whatever his name was had hired drüskelle of all people to kidnap her.

Of course her hands were bound apart and she was tied to the chair. She was surprised they hadn’t just killed her but she didn’t care. She was growing bored of all the punches. Her face was bruised, the right side more then the left, her lip busted, and she was sure at least one of her ribs were broken.

“It’s not to late to get me go you know.” She mumbled as she dropped her head back. Her hands quietly attempting to undo her cuffs.

“Drüsje your pleading for your life will not work.” The tallest announced. She sighed softly, he would come for her. If she was dead by the time he found her she knew all of Fjerda would pay.

“It would just be in your best interest.”

They all laughed and she joined in. Let them laugh, it’ll probably be the last time they do. She though softly.

“We will end you, and then we will break the darkling.” Y/n nodded softly at there words as they smashed their fist into her side. She groaned as she felt a rib snap.

“Then kill me, what is it you are afraid of?” Y/n taunted. They all froze, one of them brought there axe dangerously close to her neck.

“Will you not beg for your life?”

“Take it if it pleases you. It is not me who suffers when I’m gone.” They didn’t know what to say to that. They had heard the talks of the darkling whore. How she could boil the blood, pull the water from your body, freeze your nerves. But the women in front of them didn’t look the dangerous type.

“You aren’t the confident whore of the darkling we’ve heard tales of. You are just his pet he plays with from time to time.” Her face hardened at those words. She was not dressed in his color to be watered down to a simple whore. She smiled charming as she began to un click the cuffs.

“Most women aren’t as crude as you, they are modest.” Y/n giggled softly. She saw the shadows begin to move.

“Unfortunately for everyone I will keep doing whatever the fuck I want.”

Y/n snapped her cuffs and rolled her chair causing it to hut the ground. The shadows form into the cut and swore through the air above her. The shadows surrounded her till the familiar frame of her Sasha towered over her.

“Would mind untying these ropes?” Y/n uttered softly slumping against the grounds, her confident persona gone. The ropes were off and Aleksander pulled his Tidemaker to her feet. His hand clutched her face as he brought her in for a messy and passionate kiss.

She moaned softly into the kiss as he held her face. His hands slowly began to trail down and she pulled away with a wince.

“What is it?” Aleksander whispered as she clung to him.

“I think they broke a few ribs.” She whined as she lean into his frame for support. From the outside of the cabin she heard a few grunts, a scream or two and then silence. Aleksander placed his cloak around her shoulder in hopes of warming her.

“My healers will attend to you when we get back.” He placed a kiss to her head and began to pepper her hairline with kisses. The fear was evident in his eyes at her body. His eyes scanned her bruised face and body, her busted lip, the blood dripping down the side of her arm.

He hated that she’d gotten hurt so badly before he could save her. By the looks of her cuffs she was half way there in her own. With a slight waddle she made it to the door, with protest from her lover she pushed them opens, her jaw hit the ground.

Blood and carnage surround the cabin where she was kept. She limped her way through the bodies as Aleksander trailed behind her. Ivan, Fedyor, Zoya, and the twins were there.

“What happened out here?”

No one answered as Zoya hugged Y/n, attempting and failing to be cautious of her ribs. Aleksander pulled Y/n away after allowing Zoya to hug her, he didn’t want her to far.

“I thought they’d killed you… I lost my temper.” Aleksander admitted as he picked Y/n into his arms. Y/n stared at him for a moment.

“If this is what you do when you’re out of control, I’d hate to see what you do when you are.” Fedyor laughed softly as Ivan swatted at his husband. Y/n’s words were true. There wasn’t a thing in the world there general wouldn’t do for his precious Tidemaker.

[scribblesofagoonerr]

— You can kiss my ass, cowboy!

pairings: leah williamson x reader!monkey

summary: monkey's continuing her adventures in nashville with leah and her family, and of course she's her usual chaotic self throughout.

pt. 8 of chaos fc. ↪ read the rest here: chaos fc masterlist

thank you to @alotofpockets for help with this chapter with the aesthetic photos & shizzle.

ps. brace yourself folks, this is quite a long one.

"Shut that alarm up!" You grumble, your peaceful slumber being interrupted by the annoying sound of the blondes' alarm clock blaring right through from the other side of the wall in the adjoined room - You wish that you were trusted to have your own room, far away from Malfoy and that stupid alarm of hers.

But apparently that isn't the case...

"Leeeah!" You shout aloud in annoyance, before attempting to block out the noise by shoving a pillow over your face.

Did it work? Nope.

"Oh and good mornin' to you too, Monkey," Leah teases, peering her head into your hotel room to find you curled up on the bed with the pillow shoved over your head.

"Just shut it off already!" You exclaim in protest.

The blonde chuckles and fiddles with her phone, finally turning off the blaring sound, "That better?" She jokes, moving to sit on the edge of your bed, "You're never a morning person are we, eh?"

You remove the pillow and scowl at her, "What'd you think?"

"Come on cranky," Leah pats at your leg which is covered up with the duvet, "The alarm  was set for a reason anyways, it's time to get up." She adds in a cheerful tone of voice.

"Too early for your cheeriness," You grumble, trying to keep hold of the duvet before the blonde has a chance to rip it away from you.

"You're so dramatic sometimes," Leah remarks as she attempts to rip the duvet covers away from you like the meanie that she is.

Whining in defiance, you scowl at the blonde again, "I'm not dramatic! You're the insane one for waking me up this early!" You exclaim, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep.

Sure when you're awake you're a menace, but you actually love your sleep a lot and its' precious.

"For somebody who had a fair amount of sleep last night, you're still exceptionally grumpy, eh?" The blonde continues to tease you.

"I can't help bein' tired, I'm a teenager. It's what we do-- Wait, how'd I get back?" It finally dawns on you that your in the hotel room, however, you don't remember much of how you get here at all.

"Took you long enough to realise that one," Leah quips in, shaking her head in amusement, "You crashed out at the festival, so I ended up carrying you back here." She explains.

Your eyes widen in disbelief, "What? No you didn't!" You refuse to believe that you fell asleep on the floor of a crowded place.

"I did, you were completely out of it after the sugar crash from eating all of the churros that I told you not to eat," Leah remarks, pursing her lips, "So I had no choice but let you sleep on me until we came back here." She adds.

"They were too good to not eat them, Le!" You insist, holding your head in your hands to hide your initial embarrassment when you remember its' not just you and Leah, but also her family too.

"Yeah, well that's what you get when you eat so many of them at once,"  The blonde still continues to tease you for her own joy, "I have photos for proof if you want to see them?" She offers.

"Oh my God, no!" You're quick to deny seeing evidence of your state of sleep the previous night, "You didn't post them on Instagram, did you?" You can't help but ask, already dreading the answer.

"What do you think?" The blonde has a shit eating grin plastered on her face, "That's going straight in my Instagram photo dump."

"You wouldn't dare!" You narrow your eyes at her, although you know pretty well, she most definitely would.

Leah continues to smirk proud of herself as she shrugs her shoulders, "You know you actually looked like well, not such a menace like usual with your face buried in my neck while you snored-- Whoa, hey!" She shrieks, dodging the pillow that you just so happen to have thrown in her direction.

"Your so annoyin' sometimes," You grumble in annoyance, slowly moving to get out of bed with very little effort that you have, "So mean, Malfoy." You add quietly, barely loud enough to hear.

Leah snorts in amusement, "Really? Speak for yourself, Monkey. Speak for yourself," She states as she takes a minute to realise what you said, "Oi. What have I told you about calling me that!" She states, firmly.

"I know, I'm a menace to society, yada, yada, yada! Kim spent the whole ride back from that open training session in Melbourne lecturing me about it," You murmur, rolling your eyes, "The bus ride was so long back to the hotel!" Walking off to grab your clothes out of your suitcase, you leave the blonde standing there in disbelief at your usual antics.

"Can we eat yet? I'm starvin' marvin!" You complain, being sat at one the tables in the diner that you're currently waiting on Leahs' family to join the pair of you.

You're not very patient most of the time, but you can't help that.

"Just be patient and wait a bit longer," Leah gives you one of her usual pointed looks that your more than familiar with.

You can't help but huff impatiently, "It's bad enough to drag me out of bed at the crack of dawn and now you're making me wait to eat-- Neglect. Complete neglect!" You shout loudly, catching the attention of a few people, who look at you in concern.

Leah's eyes widen in horror as she laughs slightly, "Shes' fine, shes' fine, honestly, shes' just being dramatic," She reassures them the best she can before she turns back you and swats the back of your head, "Oi, don't shout that out loud in here. What is wrong with you?" She scolds, trying to hide her overall embarrassment.

"I'm hungry," You whine, ducking down in your seat.

"We're waiting for my grandma and cousin. Can you be patient enough to wait ten minutes before making a scene?" The blonde questions, completely mortified how you'd just acted.

You groan dramatically, "You're killin' me here, Le! I'm completely wasting away!"

"So dramatic," Leah murmurs, rolling her eyes, "Honestly, even Buddy doesn't make this much of a fuss sometimes." She remarks, referring back to her 3 year old and your favourite little buddy.

You wish that she could have joined you on the trip, it would have been fun. However, shes' spent the week on holiday in Greece with Jordan.

You decide to make the most of your time by attempting to stack the salt and pepper shakers on top of each other to try and make a make-shift tower, finding other little bits to add to it.

Leah could've said something but she was just grateful enough you weren't shouting the house down and causing a scene in the cafe.

"Sorry, we're late," Leahs' cousin, Jordan, calls over to you both as two older women enter the cafe.

"Finally!" You exclaim being miss dramatic over here.

Leahs' face blushes red slightly, "Yeah, sorry about her. Someones' impatient to wait long enough to eat." She remarks, poking fun at you.

"I'm hank marvin' I can't help it!" You whine in protest, while in the process you end up knocking over your newly built tower, "Awh, shucks!" You mumble, scrunching your face up slightly.

"Ah, I see," Leahs' grandma, Berny, chuckles and moves to take a seat at the table, "Did you sleep well, love?" She wonders, turning her attention to you.

"You definitely were conked out on the floor last night," Jordan chips in.

This time it's you who faintly blushes, "Ehm, yeah. I er, I didn't realise I passed out the way that I did." You admit, awkwardly scratching the back of your neck.

"Shall we order?" Leah chimes in, sensing your shyness with her family.

It might come as a surprise to some people, but you were, at times, incredibly shy.

Especially when it comes to blondie's family.

You didn't know why, but you tried to always be respectful and not be a complete menace around them.

Of course you have known them all for a while, having moved in with Leah when you first joined the team at 16 and you'd found a way to slot yourself into her home and family, but it still didn't mean you weren't shy around them.

It's only this holiday that you've really started to come out of your shell around them, both of them having seen what happened the previous night.

"I want pancakes!" You perk up at the mention of food, "A whole stack of 'em with bacon and tons of syrup!"

"That's not healthy, Monkey," Leah grimaces at your choice of breakfast.

"So? I'm on my holiday, innit!" You flash the blonde an innocent smile, "What Thanos doesn't know, won't hurt him." You remark, shrugging your shoulders.

The blonde tuts at your choice of breakfast, "You're not having that much sugar, regardless of being on holiday or not," She quotes, using her fingers as air quotes to mock you, "You can have a few pancakes or none."

You can't help but feel annoyed about Leah putting her foot down on this one and of course you protest about it, "It's not even that much sugar. What's the big deal?" You question, huffing slightly.

"The big deal is that its' enough sugar for you to be bouncing off the walls and we don't need a repeat of last night, do we?" Leah remarks knowingly.

Awh, shucks...

"Mean Malfoy," You murmur in disagreement, slumping back into your seat and pouting at the blonde.

"I heard that," Leah states, still not much a fan of her newfound nickname.

"Good you were meant too," Sticking your tongue out at her because you can't help but be a complete menace sometimes.

Leah tuts and shakes her head, "Sometimes I forgot who the toddler is."

"I think Buddy's more well behaved, isn't she?" Leah's grandma chimes in.

"Probably right there," Jordan chuckles in agreement.

You continue to pout in your seat at the older women's comments, "That's rude."

"But true," Leah states, blunt as ever.

"I don't like being ganged up on like this, this isn't fair!" You huff in protest about it all 3 older women saying what did, "I think for this I deserve to get all the pancakes that I want!" You insist.

Leah snorts slightly and shakes her head, "Ha, nice try but the answers still no, so pick again."

"Damn it. I really thought I had it then!" You grumble, slumping your shoulders in protest, thinking that you will be able to get away with that one.

"I'm free as a bird!" You exclaim, walking out of the cafe with a newfound love for american style pancakes and chocolate flavoured milkshakes that you had luck with getting Leah to cave in eventually.

"What?" Jordan asks, puzzled with your carefree spirit to run wild.

This is definitely a side in you that nobody in Leah's family ever usually sees, unless sugar is involved.

Also one of the reasons why you don't have it too much.

Leah exhales a sigh and shakes her head, "This is normal, don't worry-- Monkey, careful near the road!" She shouts aloud, yanking a hold of your arm when she catches you wandering way too close to it with the cars zooming past at the speed they did.

"Awh, I just wanted to see if I can balance on the curb like I do back home!" You insist, being caught out as you try an improvised balancing act to keep your brain distracted for a bit.

It seems to have done the trick, until blondie yanked you away from it.

"You're about to get yourself run over by that distraction," Leah clicks her tongue disapprovingly, "Come on, we're heading this way." She gestured in the direction of where the road led to a strip of shops.

You're not at all keen to follow that direction until you set your eyes on your version of heaven.

"Oh my God," Your eyes widen in amazement, her mouth dropping in shock and excitement, "I'm in heaven!" You exclaim.

A lego shop, your perfect version of heaven!

"You're what now?" Leahs' cousin questions, confused and more so concerned for your sanity.

Leahs' family look bewildered while Leah is more used to this type of conversation with you.

"Oh boy, she's seen it," Leah remarks jokingly, shaking her head.

"I'm in lego heaven!"  You repeat the sentence, "OH MY GOD, LOOK AT THAT! WOW, ITS' SO COOL! A GIGANTIC FREAKIN' LEGO COWBOY!" You shout aloud to nobody in particular, too much excitement to care about any concerned looks whatsoever.

You don't waste any time yanking your arm out of the blondes' grasp and run directly towards it, wanting to see it better up closer.

"Oh great we got a runner," Jordan jokes, watching as you run off.

Berny chuckles in amusement, "Shouldn't you go and chase after her, love?" She questions.

"Nah, she'll be fine, wait actually, yeah... I'll be back," Leah speaks aloud in realisation, quickly chasing after you before you end up causing more trouble, "Monkey, come 'ere, now!"

"Oh she's definitely got her hands full with that kid alone," Jordan remarks, laughing as her cousin runs after you.

"I agree," Berny replies.

"Monkey? C'mere!" Leah catches up to you, looking slightly annoyed but you couldn't care less when you are in lego heaven, "You need to stop wandering off so much!"

"Look, Le, look! There's a lego cowboy!" You squeal in excitement, jumping up and down on the spot, "I want one, I want one! Can I pleeeease get one?" You all but plead, wanting your own lego cowboy.

Sure you're technically an adult but you don't handle money well at all, so you had your bank card held captive by Malfoy, something about your lego habits being out of control... but who can blame you when they're so cool to build?

Leah can't help but chuckle in amusement, "I don't think you really need one of them, do you?" She wonders.

You gasp at the blonde in fake horror, "Are you serious? I need one. We haveeeee to get this, it would be so sick," You insist excitedly, "Buddy would love this as well!" Knowing that your favourite little buddy would indeed love this as much as you do, you hope Leah caves at that.

Hearing the mention of the 3 year old, Leahs' more lenient to listen to your pleading, "Fine, alright. We'll get it." She agrees.

"For real?That's awesome!" You're incredibly excited now as you all but drag the blonde inside the lego store, your eyes widening in complete awe, "Can we get this one as well?" You ask, motioning to another lego set.

"I think just one is fine for now," Leah shakes her head in disagreement.

You can't help but pout then, "But you know Buddy would love it as well, not just me!"

"Really? Using my kid as a way to get things," Leah quirks her eyebrow and continues to shake her head while you continue to give her your best puppy dog eyes, "Oh you know that doesn't work on me now... Alright fine, we'll get that one as well, but that's it!"

"Yay!" You jump for joy and pick up the second lego set, the excitement was unbearable to be able to build it.

"Oh my God, this is the best day ever!" Walking along the road near to the venue of the festival, you come across a fluffy cow in the field, "Oh my God, Derek. Is that you!?"

"Off she goes again," Leahs' grandma remarks, shaking her head, "That kid sure is a whirlwind." She adds.

Leah pinches the bridge of her nose and shakes her head, "Monkey, where are you goin' now?"

"Look! I found Derek-- How'd he get here from Scotland? That's so far!" Your eyes widen in confusion, "Look, Le! It's Derek, the fluffy cow!" You point over to the field where there's a cow that is the exact replica of the one that you saw in Scotland.

"Oh... She's not serious, is she?" Jordan looks at her cousin for clarification.

"I fear she might be," Leah admits, biting her bottom lip.

Jordan can't help but laugh, "Are you sure you don't think its' wise to get her tested, for you know, obvious reasons?"

"I'm not crazy, I'm just quirky!" You shout aloud before dashing to the field to where the fluffy cow is, "Hi, Derek. Quick this is the perfect photo opportunity-- Ay Malfoy, can you take mine and Dereks' photo?"

"Malfoy," Jordan snickers in amusement.

"My names not-- Fine," Leah begrudgingly snaps the photo of you with your new favourite animal, somehow accepting her new nickname.

"It's nice to meet you bud, thanks for the photo!" You grin and pat the cows' fur gently, "Le, wouldn't it be so cool if we could get a fluffy cow as a pet?"

"NO!" Leahs' quick to disagree, "We don't have a house big enough for a fluffy cow, don't get any ideas!"

"But we could though!" You insist, trying to find a reasonable solution to have your own fluffy cow.

"No! Come on, lets' go before you get any more crazy ideas!" Leah is grabbing hold of your upper bicep and all but dragging you in the direction of where you were previously heading to the venue.

"My ideas aren't crazy, I'm just havin' a good time," You huff in protest and reluctantly follow after them to walk to the venue for the second day of the festival.

"Come on menace," Leah remarks.

You grin excitedly still in awe of seeing the cow, "I still can't believe that Derek's here! I am shook!" You exclaim.

"You know he's not... Ah, never mind," Leah shakes her head, giving up on the explanation, not sure if you'd understand it right now, "Think you can stay awake this time round?" She jokes.

"Shut up," You blush red at the mention of your antics the previous night, continuing to follow them until you saw something else that looks pretty cool in your opinion, "Wow, that looks awesome! I wanna go on it! I wanna go on it!"

The 3 older women look in the direction of what's caught your attention and all laugh in amusement.

"Think you stay on long enough without falling off it?" Jordan challenges.

You scoff in agreement, "Please, I'd be a pro!" You're more than up for the challenge, already heading in the direction of the mechanical bull.

"Don't sound too confident about that one," Leah stifles her laughter before she reaches into her pocket to take the money out and pay for the ride, "Try not to fall off, menace." She jokes.

"Yeehaw' lets' go!" You exclaim, rushing towards it and hopping on,  the bull starts up in a slow motion as it starts to fasten the pace, "Woohoo! This is great, I love this-- YO NASHVILLE!! YEEHAW MUTHA FUCKER!"

Leah's way too busy filming this to even be bothered to scold you about your use of colourful language, this is pure entertainment at its finest.

"She's' really enjoying herself on that thing isn't she," Leah's grandma comments as she beams a wide smile, happy that your able to be carefree as you want, however she is certainly surprised about the words that come out of your mouth.

Leah's cousin is cracking up in laughter, "I'm surprised she hasn't fallen off it yet. You know she's definitely going to try and get you to buy one of these things now, eh?" She jokes with the blonde.

Snorting in amusement, Leah shakes her head as she saves the video for later and pockets her phone in her pocket, "She can try all she likes, where on earth would I have room to fit one of those in the house?" She wonders.

"I'm sure she'd try and fit it in her bedroom if you let her," Jordan remarks, shrugging her shoulders as she continues to watch you have an absolute blast on the mechanical bull.

"That was... That was awesome!" You exclaim, stuttering your words as you try to get your breath back after being thrown around, "We have to get one of them!"

"Told you," Jordan states, looking at Leah knowingly.

Leah chuckles and slings her arm around your shoulder, "We are definitely not getting one of them," She states, letting you have a few minutes to catch your breath again before you continue to yap about something else.

"I don't think it would be safe or practical in a house," Leah's grandma chuckles.

"But it would be so cool, wouldn't it? You know Buddy would love that!" You insist, knowing its' the blonde weak spot to mention the little 'un.

"Oh no, you're not doing that again. There's no chance I am letting Buddy near one of these things at all any time soon," The blonde states, firmly much to your own disappointment.

"It would be so fun though, wouldn't it?" You try and give a convincing speech to get your own way, but judging from the look from the older blonde, you're having a hard time with that, "Guess I'll just have to get one when I get my own place."

Leah snickers and shakes her head, "You're definitely way off that happening any time soon at all, Monkey." She tells you.

"Really? I think it would work out pretty well," You insist, shrugging your shoulders, "It's okay to admit that you'd miss me though, I get it." You joke, knowing secretly that the blonde will definitely miss you too much when you move out, even if she doesn't openly say it.

"I wouldn't miss you," Leah remarks as you all walk into the venue of the festival, "Besides, I'm not letting you out of my sight when you think that takeout meals, sweets and energy drinks are an acceptable diet-- Oh you think I didn't know about them ones, huh?"

"I thought you were banned from energy drinks?" Jordan asks, knowing that you don't react well with them.

"She is supposed to be, but someone sneaks them when they think we don't know about it," The blonde remarks, looking at you.

"He, I'm a menace," You smirk at the both of them, "I can't survive without sugar sometimes!" You declare, you love sugary drinks and you can't get enough of them.

However, some people, i.e. responsible adults, think differently about them, so sometimes you have to get creative to get a hold of them.

Leah clicks her tongue disapprovingly, "We seriously need to talk about your caffeine addiction before it gets out of hand, Monkey."

"I think you might be past that point love," Berny chimes in, amused at the conversation.

Leah exhales a sigh and nods her head slowly in agreement, "I fear you might be right there, grandma. Our Monkey's habit of caffeine certainly is concerning." She states.

"Yo, this music is my passion!" You exclaim loudly over the volume of the noise, enjoying yourself being in your element once again, "Nashville's a total vibe!" You shout, even louder if that's even possible.

"If this is her without so much sugar then I hate to see what she's like with it," Jordan remarks, leaning in close to Leah so she could hear her over the music.

"Carnage, complete and utter carnage," Leah states, wincing at the flashback of the last time you had a ridiculous amount of sugar.

This is tame for you.

"I fuckin' love being in Nashville!" You scream at the top of your lungs, standing on a chair and swinging your cowboy hat around in the air.

"Hey! Language!" The responsible adult, ie, captain of the fun police chides you, because it's' just so typical of her, "Get down before you end up breaking your leg!" She adds.

"Geesh, calm down there, Captain America!" You roll your eyes, but begrudgingly get down off the chair to save the defender having a cardiac arrest right there and then.

The blonde clicks her tongue, "You're such a menace sometimes, Monkey!" Completely caught off guard when she watches you pull a pair of glow in the dark glasses out of your back pocket, "Wha-- Where on earth did you get a pair of them from?" She questions, bewildered.

You smirk and slide the pair of glasses on, "What, you mean you don't carry a pair of these at the ready?" You gasp in shock horror.

"You really are something else sometimes, Monkey," Leah remarks, shaking her head.

"I'm impressed," Jordan chips in.

"They suit you love," Berny pipes in.

"Thank you," You grin at the older women before you turn to look at Leah, "See? I'm totally rockin' them! Wanna pair, they come with two!" You offer the spare pair to the blonde.

"Oh no, I think only you can pull off a look with a pair of them glow in the dark glasses and cowboy hat," Leah states, amused with your usual antics and doesn't miss the opportunity to snap a picture for the memories.

"I gotta take a video of this and send it to Kyra," You state, sliding your phone out of your pocket to pull up the camera app, "You know, I wish she could be here to experience this!"

"I'm glad, I don't think I could handle the pair of you together," The blonde tells you honestly.

You can't help but smirk confidently, "Only because she calls you Lord Farquaad far too much for you to handle!"

"Lord Farquaad?" Berny questions, confused.

"That's certainly creative," Jordan chimes in as she tries and fails to stifle her laughter.

Leah groans and shakes her head, "I don't know what it is with you pair and coming up with these nicknames." She mutters in disbelief.

"Oh, we made code names for everyone!" You exclaim, remembering all of the time it took you and Kyra to come up with them all, "We called Katie leprechaun cos' she's Irish, innit?"

"I'm sure she loved that," Leah deadpans, trying to figure out what went on inside your head sometimes.

"Smile, Le," Taking the perfect opportunity of Leah pulling her usual frowning face, you snap a picture and upload it to your Instagram right there and then, "I got the perfect shot, Instagram approved."

"Don't you even dare post that, Monkey!" The blonde states, firmly.

"Eh, its' too late for that," You flash her an innocent smile and pocket your phone again and start to dance to the beat of song that you recognise.

"Hey sweetheart, you're lookin' like a fine thing," A man attempts to horribly flirt with you and gets a bit closer to you, "Wanna have a dance and maybe even a kiss?" He offers.

You scrunch your face up in disgust, "Ha, no. I tell you what you can kiss though," You state as you near his face, "You can kiss my ass, cowboy!"

"Well if the offers there," The man smirks in agreement.

"Ew," You murmur, not understanding why he wasn't going away.

"Whoa, hey, no, no," Leah shakes her head in disagreement and moves to stand up, trying to square up to the man, "Back off, mate. Shes' too young for you!" She states, not having none of it.

The man holds his hands up in mock surrender, "Geez, alright, no need to be so protective," He jokes as he backs off in the other direction.

"You can't say these sorts of things, that man literally took it like that!" Leah shakes her head in disbelief, "You should know that men don't always think with their heads!"

You huff in disagreement, "I had it handled though, you didn't need to intervene. I was totally gonna wind him up about it!"

"Menace," Leah mutters to herself.

"I'm thirsty, I'm gonna go and get a drink," You declare, going to move in the direction of a bar.

"Hold on, I'm comin' with you. I don't trust you alone with what just happened," The blonde's quick to say, following after you before you can wander off once again.

"Are you sure I can't have a beer?" You try your luck with this once again, maybe hoping the blonde has changed her mind.

"That depends if you want to sit in jail for the night," Leah remarks as the two of you wait to be served by the bartender, "Hi, can I get 2 vodka cokes, 1 gin and tonic and a coke as well, please?" She asks.

"Comin' up," The bartender nods and gets to work pouring the drinks one by one.

"Oh, no ice or oranges!" You interject, holding your finger up in the bartenders direction.

Leah snickers, "Do you mean lemon or lime, instead?"

"Whatever," You murmur and shrug your shoulders.

With the drinks passed over to you both, you start walking back to Leah's family as something on the ground catches your attention all of a sudden.

"Er, what's that?" You move closer to inspect it, reaching out to try and poke it out of curiosity.

Leah's eyes widen in horror as she's quick to swat your hand away from it before you can reach it, "Ew, no. Don't touch that!" She states, firmly.

"Why?" You cock your head in confusion as you inspect it closer and the realisation suddenly hits, "Oh-- Ew, ew, that's gross! Oh my God, I almost touched that! Why... Why's it on the floor-- Why did you nearly let me touch it?" You screech in disgust, having a complete meltdown over it, earning a few odd looks.

"That's why I swatted your hand away before you did, Monkey," Leah exhales a sigh and shakes her head, "You should know better than to touch things on the floor, anyways." She adds, expecting you to have some sort of common sense.

You pout at her words, "I was curious. I didn't realise it was a condom!" You whine in disgust, trying to move away from it now, "I'm innocent, I don't know about them things!"

Leah laugh in amusement, "Well, at least you know for next time," She remarks, pulling you in the direction of where her family members are, "Here you go." She hands the drinks to them and sits back down in her seat.

"I just almost touched a freakin' condom," You murmur in horror still, feeling traumatized about the experience.

"What?" Jordan blinks in confusion.

"It was right there on the floor, like ew, why would anyone leave such a thing like that on the floor?" Your close to having a complete breakdown over this, "That is totally disgusting! Absolute filth! Wha... Why would somebody-- I just don't understand it!" You exclaim.

Berny and Jordan can't help but laugh, while Leahs' holding her head in her hands feeling somewhat embarrassed for you making a scene like you did in typical you style.

"Oh dear," Leah's grandma states, amusedly.

"Calm down, Monkey," The blonde tries to calm you down, but your not having none of it as you continue to wave your arms about in the air and still have a complete meltdown over it.

"No, no! It's not right, its' horribleeee! What if... What if I actually touched it? I could have... I could have picked up anything at all!" You screech in horror, displeased about the whole thing.

"Monkey, relax. It's fine, you didn't touch it," Leah states, trying to stifle her laughter as she has to admit watching you freak out in this way is funny, and it proves that you really are innocent with some things after all.

You huff and slump down in your chair, not liking being mocked fun off as the beat for a familiar song kicks in, "Hey this song's great-- Yo, Le, have you sung this to Lia at all?" You joke, you can't help but want to mess with the blonde.

The speculation from fans is always wild about Leah being with Lia, of course you know they're just the best of friends, but you're a little shit and you can't help but want to stir trouble even more.

"Monkey!" The blondes' glare is enough to make you crack up laughing even more, "Enough of that!" She states, annoyed.

"You know I just can't help it sometimes," You reply trying to feign your innocence, "Are you sure there's nothing more serious going on there? I'll give the fans the inside scoop-- Agh! No, get off meeee!" You can't help but screech loudly as the blonde is quick to pull you into a headlock and press her hand over your mouth to shut you up before you continue to talk.

Yep, definitely worth being a menace sometimes.

monkeymenace_ just posted.

liked by leahwilliamsonn and 18,023 others.

monkeymenace_ adventures in nashville with malfoy and co, my dreams came true in more ways than one!

from getting to pet derek the fluffy cow, finding the best lego store and riding a bull, and that's without even talking about the music. it's been a blast!

nashville, you have my heart! 🤠❤️

leahwilliamsonn: glad you have had the best time, monkey! 🐒❤️

bethmead_: ha, that denim jacket is perfect for you! ↪ leahwilliamsonn: i thought the same when i brought it her

kyracooneyx: missin' you, eagle 1 😢🦅 ↪ monkeymenace_: missin' you too, eagle 2 😭💔🦅🦅

© scribblesofagoonerr

[missterious-figure]

Okay okay!!! I’m infected with baby fever and want to spread it on!

What if y/n had a little baby, and had to bring them to work. How would the boys react? I have images of them preening the baby, picking at their clothes and getting downright aggressive if someone tries to take them away. Like y/n and baby in a nest of pillows and blankets while the three birds boys hiss and spread out their tail feathers to intimated the poor workers just trying to check up on the mother and child.

That’s all from me! Have a fantastic day or night!!!

You sat there. All surrounded by piles of pillows a shed feathers. You were holding your precious little Joy. Your baby girl. She was giggling at the three ginormous peacock harpies as they cooed to her, their tails all spread wide. Their tails effectively made a wall preventing on seers to even catch a glimpse of you and your baby. And you couldn't see anything past them. The worst part about all this? They hadn't cornered you in their rooms. No, they had brought all the pillows from their private rooms all the way to the garden of the casino. Then they had picked you up and stuffed you and Joy into their makeshift nest. As you sat there annoyed, Sun suddenly grabbed your attention.

"Oh, please, can I hold her?? I'll be super gentle!! I promise!!"

He had his hands held out, ready to snatch up Joy at a moments notice. Sun, Moon and Eclipse had been begging you to hold your baby the whole time you had been put in the nest. Moon shoved Sun back.

"No!! Let me be the first to hold them! She wants more me anyway!!"

Eclipse pushed past Moon.

"Now, now, little boys! Let me hold her, I'm the most responsible after all."

You were sick of their badgering, you were a little worried. You wanted to let them hold her, but you were afraid that they would wrestle over her. Or wouldn't give her back. Reluctantly, you held her out to Eclipse. All three of the peacock harpies went utterly silent. The way Eclipse picked her up was probably the most adorable thing you've ever seen him do. He reached out so slowly, scared even the slightest touch could shatter Joy's small body into bits. Cupping his hands under her, he gently lifted her from your trembling hands. He pressed her to his chest and began to sway back and forth.

Moon and Sun looked equally jealous, but then they turned to you. Sun snuggled up in the nest on your right, Moon flanked you on your left.

"You must be exhausted from caring for Joy all the time! Let us care for you now!"

Both brothers wrapped you in their arms and started to massage you, tending to your shoulders and back. Your face had gone beet red in only a few seconds. The two harpies on your sides where whispering sweet nothings into your ears, and the one standing in front of you was cradling your baby in his massive arms. Everything was chaotic, yet peaceful somehow. You knew Joy was safe with Eclipse. You knew a three harpies would do anything to keep you and your baby safe. You had started to close your eyes, when one of the to brothers clinging to you stopped moving.

"Excuse me, I was just coming over to check on you and your baby."

You knew the voice was addressing you. You opened an eye to see one of your fellow staff members, a man, sheepishly grinning at the three towering harpies. Sun, Moon and Eclipse were giving him death stares, their feathers puffing up in aggression. Eclipse turned to him, looking down his nose at the poor guy.

"They're fine. Best get going."

Moon had let go of you and was already getting up. Sun was pressing you closer to himself, feathers bristling angrily.

"Sorry, but I was given instructions to ask them that."

He pointed to you. That was the wrong answer, apparently, as Moon growled and bounded towards him. The man yelped, turned tail, and ran for dear life. Moon chased him about, purposely keeping pace with the guy. His feathers were all ruffled, his tail folded back. You could tell he wasn't seriously going to hurt the dude, but you felt bad.

"Moonie, come back!"

Moon perked up immediately at your voice. He came to abrupt stop. He snarled one last time at the out of breath man, and strutted back over to you. He most be so proud of chasing off the "threat". He found his comfortable place next to you, his chin up with a smug little smile on his face. You giggled quietly. You looked at each of the three harpies. Eclipse was humming to the now asleep Joy he was carrying, Sun was tenderly clutching you close, and Moon was still so happy with himself. These little goobs. Such funny boys.

[sim0nril3y]

Classic Games

Pairing: Simon 'Ghost' Riley x Civilian!Reader

Scenario: Whilst cleaning through some old boxes you find an old video game console and decide that rather than cleaning you want to play some old games. Note: Set in 2014 Warnings: No mask Simon (It's my personal headcanon in his regular life he probably wouldn't wear it), teasing, implied smut, canon-typical swearing, video game talk.

Simon was good at organising. He was diligent and meticulous. Being inside your chaotic little flat seemed to put him into an unreasonably bad mood. Constantly making little comments about your art supplies being everywhere, it was driving him mad and finally you gave him permission to help organise it into three piles: keep, throw and donate. It was very difficult and you seemed to fight Simon on almost everywhere he wanted to throw away. So, to get some needed space from you he sent you away to begin to sort through your old boxes that had been stacked in your cupboard since moving in, he wanted to change it into a storage place for your supplies instead of having them everywhere.

A sharp gasp found your lips as you opened the final box. It was your ancient PlayStation 1 sitting at the very bottom, it was covered in dust but everything was there, including two controllers and even a few games. “Oh my god~” A second later Simon came crashing into the room, eyes darting around trying to find the danger that caused your reaction. “What happened?” He pressed, stepping further in. “You cut yourself? Knew I shouldn’t have given you that knife-” “Si, I’m fine.” You laughed and then held up the PS1 like it was some holy artefact. “Look what I found~”

“You’re supposed to be-” “I need to see if this still works.” In a second you were up, collecting all the necessary wires and games and then rushing through to the living room. It seemed like Simon was making good headway on his side of the cleaning process. “Oi, you’re supposed to be sorting through that shit not playing games.” His voice was firm as he lingered in the doorway watching as you began to set up the old device. “Clearly I’m testing to see if this works so I can figure out if it needs to go in the keep or throw pile.” Then glancing over your shoulder at him. “C’mon, we can take like a five minute break, right? Look at it in here, like a different flat.” You commented gesturing around you.

A soft groan escaped Simon’s lips as he moved to flop onto the sofa and cover his face with his hand. “Yeah, but somehow all the chaos that was in here has somehow shifted to the bedroom…” Then those dark eyes found you as you continued to plug it in. “It’ll get done.” You responded with an easy shrug. Simon was more of the mindset that if a task of started it needed to be finished, but it was apparent to him that you were easily distracted and enjoyed procrastinating. You needed a firm hand, he was gonna get you in line whether you liked it or not.

Excitedly you pressed the power button and frowned heavily as it didn’t power up. “Bollocks…” You muttered, picking up the device and inspecting it. “Give it here…” Simon said, holding his hand out towards you from the couch. You walked it over to him and watched as he began to clean the power socket from any dust and debris that had collected in there. “Try it again now…” He coaxed and you moved over to plug it in and try again. A wild smile pulled across your lips as you heard the machine whirling and then the television light up. “It’s working!” You squeaked, placing a game inside and then grabbing a controller as you moved to sit beside him. “You are actually a genius, Simon Riley~” You cooed, leaning in to peck his cheek.

“Yeah. Yeah.” He sipped on his tea as he watched you playing Crash Bandicoot. It was actually amusing watching the nostalgia that littered your face, gasping and commenting about how you remembered certain sections, commenting on how hard that you found it when you were younger and how even now you were older it still wasn’t easy. At the third time the character feels down a seemingly endless pit because of a mistimed jump a smirk pulled from his throat. “Something funny?” You asked with a quirked brow. “Your inability to make a simple jump.” The statement fired back and made you gasp dramatically. “Oh, I’d like to see you do any better…”

From beside you his hand shot out, a silent request for the controller. You place it into his hands and sunk back beside him, watching as he negatived the level with a lot more patience than you had. You watched with mirth as he landed the jump that you had repeatedly missed and even went on to finish the level. “You made that look difficult.” He mentioned with that cocky smile on his face. “Beginners luck.” “Well, maybe I’m just better than you~” There was taunting to his voice and instantly your eyes darted in his direction.

“Not a chance.” Then leaning closer to him, up to his ear and whispering. “But we could always put that smart mouth to the test and see if you can prove me wrong~” You heard the hitch in his breath, saw the way his hands rubbed against his thighs before a low command responded. “Behave yourself.” It was practically a growl before leaping from the couch to insert another game, grabbing your own controller and sitting down beside him. “How about a game of Tekken to settle this?”

“You’re on.” Simon hadn’t played this game before but there was no way he was going to back down from a challenge. After selecting characters and a place to fight you began the first round. It was a closer round but you took it easily. You were beginning to remember some of the combo moves and Simon eyed you eagerly watching the television, tapping your fingers furiously against the controller. The second round was about to come to a closer, announcing you as the winner when suddenly Simon knocked the controller from your hands and yanked you up into his arms. “Cheater! I was gonna win!” You screamed as he gathered you into his arms and tucked you beneath him on the sofa. “Can’t win if you can’t reach the controller, love~” He purred in your ear. “Now, do you wanna continue your silly little fighting game or… play a different game with me instead?” He pressed his hips firmly against your own. “Different game.”

Masterlist | Ask | 06-09-2023

[tkaulitzlvr]

FORGET - T. KAULITZ

synopsis: when tom comes home from rehearsals in a bad mood, you suggest a way to make him feel better.

content: smut

a/n: i hate this but i haven’t posted in a while so hopefully it makes up for my absence. i’m having to reupload this bc for some reason it didn’t show up under any tags when i posted it the first time 😍😍 i love tumblr such a great smooth-running app 💗

the front door opens and closes quickly with a loud thud, soon destroying the peaceful silence that had remained throughout the house all day. it was evening, the sun almost set as it cast a plethora of dark purples and oranges across the cloudless sky. the day had been totally unproductive on my end: tired body sprawled out on the couch, enveloped in soft blankets, hands reaching lethargically to the bowl of popcorn resting in my lap, eyes fixed on the series that i had insisted to spend one hour watching, knowing that i had countless jobs to do - though time quickly passed by until it had totally slipped through my fingers.

tom however, had been the complete opposite of lethargic, having woken up early this morning and leaving for the studio as he had done everyday for the past week, a big show coming up at the weekend that he needed to be well prepared for. he had sealed our lips in a sweet kiss before exiting, embracing me in a quick hug before hurrying out of the door, seeming as happy as he would be any other day. yet the chaotic entrance he displays as he enters the living room tells me that he is not feeling at all content, his jaw clenched, with anger clouding over his expression, painting the beautiful features with a dark stare that admittedly frightens me the second i register his change in mood.

"tom?" i call out, leaning forward as his sultry frame nears my own, walking towards me slowly and slumping onto the couch beside me, maintaining a distance too large to not be questioned, instead of wrapping a gentle arm around my waist and attacking me with kisses as he usually would after a long day like this one.

he utters an almost inaudible 'hey baby', his words tender despite the lack of kindness that his tone and actions display, before letting out a deep sigh and massaging his temples, his head falling backwards in what i can only assume to be frustration. in any normal circumstance, he would be showering me with affection and asking me about my day amidst subtle complaints towards his own. yet he remains distant, eyes skittish, leg bouncing up and down as he refuses to shift his gaze towards mine or make any conversation, creating the questions of whether i am the reason for his current bad mood.

"what's wrong?" i ask, turning to face him and moving closer, placing my hand on his thigh in attempt to bring any comfort, no matter how small.

"nothing." he mutters, refusing to look in my direction, the harsh expression plastered on his face failing to soften. though he doesn't refuse my touch, allowing my hand to run soothingly across his thigh, my touch tentative as i test the waters.

"you don't come home looking this upset every day." i respond, not giving up despite his cold demeanour. my voice is soft, barely above a whisper, not wanting to frustrate him any more than he clearly is, instead opting for a more subtle approach, recognising the comfort that he silently craves. "talk to me."

the gentleness within my tone appears to work in my favour, tom slowly seeming to warm up to me, an exasperated sigh escaping his mouth as he turns to look me, his expression immediately softening, any remnant of tension fading away. he extends his hand outward, placing it on top of my own and giving it a small squeeze, the small act silently saying 'sorry for being a dick', though he quickly verbalises his apology as his mouth opens to speak.

"shit- i'm sorry baby." he mutters, shaking his head in apparent disapproval towards his own actions, the grip that his hand has on mine tightening slightly, his thumb running slowly up and down the skin. "practice was really stressful today, that's all. everyone expects so much of me and it's just a little too much sometimes. i didn't mean to take it out on you, i just-"

i immediately cut him off, resting my head on his shoulder and angling it slightly, allowing our eyes  to stay interlocked, a soft smile now etched upon his face, though i can tell it is forced, one that aims to console me instead of signal towards his happiness. "don't apologise, i get it. is there anything i can do to make you feel better?"

"it's okay schatz. i'll be alright." he mutters, resting his forehead against my own. the sudden close proximity allows me to register the rapid change in his eyes, the sea of brown soon taken over by lost as they darken, his gaze flickering from my eyes to my lips. he hesitates though, head nearing towards my own at an unimaginably slow pace, leaning in until our lips eventually touch, sealing in a sweet kiss. he is gentle, choosing to savour the tender moment rather than act on his impulses that are becoming increasingly obvious despite his attempt to hide it. i quickly kiss back, my hands naturally wrapping themselves loosely around his neck, tom's soothing my waist whilst the other reaches not so innocently, grabbing my ass and pulling me onto his lap.

i break apart from the kiss, moving downward slower and slower, hands trailing teasingly down the spread of his thighs, eventually stopping once my head is eye level with his crotch, noticing the way that his bulge becomes prominent through the material of his jeans. this angle allows me to notice his chest heaves up and down, ragged breaths leaving his now parted lips, legs spreading apart to allow my head more space where he wants it most.

"how about..." i mumble, voice low and seductive, lashes batting as my eyes look upward into his own, whilst my fingers reach towards the button of his jeans, making contact with them ever so slightly. "i make you forget about it all. hm? how does that sound baby?"

"mhm." he whines, hands reaching for the button of his jeans, doing so with limited success as i reach to stop him, much to his dismay. "fuck- please, just do something."

"just sit back baby. let me do the work. you're stressed out, i wanna make you feel good." i whisper, slowly moving his hands to rest at his sides, fingers hooking around the zipper of the oversized denim as i tug it downward, eyes never leaving tom's. he hoists his hips upward, allowing me to remove the jeans easier, letting the material pool at his feet, wasting no time before sliding one finger into the waistband of his boxers.

"jesus christ- please, don't tease. need to feel you." he breathes out, his voice low and ragged, clearly unable to withstand the slow pace of my movements, wanting more than just my touch, needing it to travel elsewhere, his boxers an obstacle to his desires.

somewhat pitying his desperation, i nod my head, complying with his plea, my fingers wrapping securely around the cotton, finally pulling them downward, his dick springing from the material, a loud groan sounding from his lips at the feeling. his eyes darken, no longer kind and forgiving as they had been when he was pleading just a few seconds ago. they are different, reflecting the desperation which is made more evident than ever before, no longer concealed by the thin material of his boxers.

and, before he is able to utter another breathy complaint of my hesitance, i soon put any ability to form coherent sentences to bed when my lips make contact with the tip of his dick, hand resting at the base as i slowly take it in, studying the way his mouth falls open, eyebrows threading together as he is unable to do anything but watch in awe, tired lust fuelling his motivation to keep his eyes open, refusing to tear his eyes away from the sight unfolding below him.

the temptation to stop just before taking the final few inches in becomes real once i realise that i cannot take much more, my entire body stopping momentarily to accustom to feeling so completely full, though the motivation of his short moans, quiet and almost unnoticeable, prompt me to go just that little bit deeper, until his tip hits the back of my throat, hand beginning to run up and down what i am unable to fit in.

almost instinctively, his hand threads through my hair, collecting the loose curls within his fingers, threading through it roughly as they begin to craft a makeshift ponytail, though i soon pick up on the true intention of his touch, realising that it is nothing close to resembling innocence, every ounce of intent behind it as i recognise the gentle movements the palm of his hand initiates, encouraging my mouth to move just a little faster.

"fuck schatz- just like that..." he allows a much more obvious moan to sound from the back of his throat this time, no longer concealing his recognition of pleasure that i provide, his walls soon crumbling down when i speed up, deciding that pretending to be in any place other than heaven itself would be foolish, unable to deny the way my mouth moves in just the right way, prompting him to his release faster than ever before.

the tears that soon cloud my vision act as no restraint towards my movements, cheeks hollowing as they tighten around him, the effect that this has on him impossible to deny as he curses under his breath, a guttural moan leaving his parted lips in clear confirmation of his satisfaction, this all i need to sink onto him further, determined to push him towards his release.

and he is clearly not too far away from it, his hips beginning to thrust upward, meeting my own movements as his steady hand on my head becomes not so assured, fingers shakily threading through my hair as he manages to take some control, though not enough to direct the way that my mouth moves. nothing has ever been clearer than his desperation, his hips stuttering more often than they manage to keep their movements contained, his tip repeatedly hitting the back of my throat, tears soon cascading down the tinted skin of my cheeks, the feeling of his dick beginning to twitch inside telling of just how close he is to his climax.

"fuck, don't stop baby, gonna cum..." through his moans he manages to speak, his mouth opening and eyes finally squeezing shut, this the only warning i receive before he shoots his hot cum into my throat as i quickly swallow it, a loud groan following his release. thrusting sloppily into me a few more times, his eyes open slowly, chest heaving up and down, entire body trembling as he comes down, finally allowing my mouth to leave his dick, saliva coating the length once i move away.

even when i adjust myself, collapsing beside him breathlessly, i can tell that this isn't enough for him. he craves more, beyond his fucked out expression, i see that he needs to feel me once again despite the evident fatigue etched upon my face. and he shows no shame in acting on his desires, reaching forward and pressing his lips onto mine once again, the kiss lacking the softness it had before. this time, it hints towards pure lust, desperate touches being nothing more than physical evidence of his hunger.

"just one more baby. can you do that for me?" he mumbles against my lips, our foreheads touching as he hovers above me, my head slowly nodding before i impatiently pull him back downwards, initiating the kiss this time as our lips reconnect once again, this time with more desire. he seems pleased by my sudden acceptance, enjoying the way i reciprocate his movements, craving nothing more than to see me begging for him, no longer looking for the innocence that had initiated whatever ungodly acts that are about to resume. his tongue delves into my mouth, teeth sinking into my bottom lip as he becomes rougher by the second, not interested in wasting time as i had the first time. his hands find the hem of my shirt, pulling it over my head in one swift motion, taking only a few seconds to admire my frame, instead rushing to kiss the soft skin of my neck, his impatience taking any ability to appreciate what is in front of him away, though i know that he silently always will, his actions evidence of his adoration no matter how impulsive they seem.

heavy sighs escape my lips as he continues to mark my neck, hands fumbling with his t-shirt, desperate to remove it. tom quickly catches onto my impatience, removing his lips briefly from my collarbone to discard the material. my eyes immediately lock onto the soft skin trailing from his upper shoulders, gaze ending on his lower stomach, each inch of skin being caressed by my soft touch hand, running carefully over each muscle, the pads of my fingertips making gentle contact with his front whilst we maintain eye contact, the silence only frustrating tom more.

"i need you so bad." he mutters, hands finding the waistband of my leggings, my hips shifting slightly to allow him to tug them down. the air between us is a barrier to him, separating him in every way possible despite its invisibility. i feel it, almost as much as i do his body against my own. i long to be closer to him, yet he is connected to me, our torsos pressed together with our legs intertwined. we are so close, aligned with each other both physically and mentally, but it isn't enough. my heart twists at the gut-wrenching realisation that this moment will not last forever, aching to be intimate with him for every remaining second of my life. and each kiss he plants on my lips i gladly reciprocate, sealing our love in the most pleasurable way possible.

though when his lips kiss just above my panties, i lose all sense of reasoning, all ability to think about anything beyond the feeling of his mouth working against my body. it is enough to send me into a trance, hypnotised by the possibility of being pleasured, using this reality to tune out any thought that doesn't centre around him. he is my oxygen, his touch my endless supply of, the way his hands run along my body casting every worry, every mere uncertainty, even my surroundings away, my mind solely focused on the pleasure he is giving me, every crevice of my body caressed by his wandering hands, until they reach my underwear, tugging them down at an agonisingly slow pace.

"please." it is my turn to beg this time, soon realising how completely irritating it is to be so close to the very thing you want, the feeling soon becoming nothing short of a need as i gaze desperately into his dark brown eyes, willing to plead until my throat turns raw if the reward is feeling him inside me.

"be patient, meine schatz." he briefly responds, joining our lips together whilst one hand reaches behind me to unclip my bra as it quickly falls to the floor along with the rest of our clothing.

i struggle to be as complacent as i had been, failing to hide my growing desire to have him inside me, pulling him downwards into me and clutching his upper back so tightly as if he can slip out of my grasp. this emotion is overwhelming, every inch of me fuelled with utter ecstasy, thoughts of heaven itself seeming pathetic compared to this.

becoming overly impatient, my hands scramble for his underwear, pulling it downwards whilst his lips are attached to my collarbone, leaving purple-ish marks. he quickly pulls away, staring tenderly into my eyes, his gaze carrying thousands of emotions despite the silence between us.

"are you ready?" he whispers, tucking a few strands of hair behind my ear as he positions himself. "tell me if i hurt you, okay baby?"

i nod my head eagerly, knowing that any pain that would come from this would be insignificant in comparison to the pleasure. "i need words honey." he whispers, kissing my cheek repeatedly, finally satisfied when i utter a confident 'yes'. he pushes into me, a choked moan escaping from my parted lips, a slow groan coming from his as he begins to move. the euphoria coursing through every vein, every nerve within me is set alight the second he bottoms out.

it takes a few thrusts for him to create a steady rhythm, and even less for him to recognise the angle needed to drive me close to insane, my eyes rolling to the back of my head as he hits the place where i long for him most. small groans sound from the back of his throat, his heavy breath fanning over my neck with each thrust, head buried tightly into my neck. any chance to get closer to him, i feverishly take, wrapping my legs around his torso, allowing him to hit deeper spots nobody has ever felt before.

"oh fuck..." he mutters, speeding up as his hands find mine, interlocking instantly as he moves them above my head, our eyes catching each other's. the way he looks at me with such love, eyes capturing my own with such tenderness, such desire that it almost pushes me to my climax itself. it is this small act that brings along the realisation that i am hopelessly devoted to him, willing to put myself in almost any situation if it means that i am able to cherish moments like this with him, because without him i am an empty vessel. he fills me up in a way that has me begging for more, a moaning mess beneath him.

"please, don't stop!" i whine tiredly against his lips, feeling my release coming closer as my stomach tightens. desperate to reach it, i slowly begin to move against him, his hips stuttering against me in response, giving me the signal that he is close too.

"i know baby, i know." he recognises how bad i need it, speeding up in spite of his evident lethargy, his breath getting caught in his throat as he thrusts a few more times, throwing his head back and letting out a loud sigh, his release triggering my own. i swear i can see stars, my vision fading away, body so lost in intense pleasure that it is unable to focus on anything else but the steady movements of tom's hips as he rides out our highs.

breathlessly, he collapses on top of me, lazily stroking my hair as his lips are slightly parted, sweat glistening on his forehead whilst he attempts to regain his composure. this time i know he is finished, body tired and exhausted as it rests against my own, the room silent besides from our heavy and irregular breathing.

"thank you baby. always so good for me, love you." his voice is ragged, throat raw and tired, yet he exercises his limited energy to remind me of our love, his lips planting a slow kiss on my forehead.

requests are open! keep sending them in!!

[reverie-starlight]

{the video call incident ~ MSBY manager!reader}

{sakusa x GN!reader}

aka: you and sakusa are trying to keep your relationship under wraps from the rest of the team and break the news slowly. key word trying. gone wrong.

warnings: none, really, just humor/bantering/insults, fluff. also sakusa is sweet towards you. idc if you think he’s mean, I just think he’s so soft with his partner. miya twins and reader have been friends since before the timeskip but it’s only briefly mentioned. ONE suggestive line by Hinata... mildly suggestive at the very end.

notes: I ADORE this piece, it might be one of my favourite fics of mine. I kinda wanna do an MSBY manager series with the different guys... anyone interested? Also- every time I was mean to Atsumu in this fic I felt actual pain. I love him too much.

there is... a LOT of dialogue in this fic. just so you know.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Kiyoomi, stop,” you laughed as you pushed you boyfriend back slightly. 

He had an early practice the next morning (technically as his team manager you did, too) but he was currently standing in the front hall of your apartment, arms wrapped around you and pressing kisses to your face. 

“No,” he said in between kisses, smiling slightly, “why should I?”

You didn’t have a good enough reason to give him and he knew that. He continued his actions and you sighed.

“Kiyoomi, you and I both know that I’d be more than happy to let you spend the night, but if we show up tomorrow in the same car for the second time this month, the guys are going to get suspicious.”

Sakusa sighed. “I know, I just want to appreciate you a little longer. I feel bad for keeping my distance at practice today. Meian is probably onto us and I wanted to redirect his focus.”

You smiled at him. “I’m sure he’s already figured it out. Better him than the trouble trio.”

He hummed in agreement.

The two of you had been keeping your relationship a secret for the past eight months. You’d been the MSBY manager for a couple years now, starting around the same time Sakusa was recruited, and at the end of the last season, after a big game, he had finally asked you out. (“Adrenaline and high off of a win,” he had reasoned when you questioned why he chose that moment.)

The only reason it was kept a secret was because some of the team members were rather… excitable.

Namely Atsumu, Bokuto and Hinata.

You loved the team you managed, and you loved their personalities. Really, you did.

Despite that love, you might as well be those three’s babysitter.

Add your boyfriend to the mix and things got even more chaotic. However, you did love to see how he interacted with them. Something about it is what drew you to him in the first place. (Your friends had made it clear that your type was apparently slightly mean tall guys who turn to mush behind closed doors. You hadn’t agreed until you met Sakusa.)

That aside, telling the team would result in chaos. The trio would accuse you of betrayal, they’d stare at you both during any small interactions and it would ultimately disrupt the team’s dynamic.

So you both decided to keep it a secret until the end of the current season so they could digest the news easier and have everything be mostly normal by time the next game season rolled around.

You tried one more time to push him off and he sighed. He gave you three more quick pecks and unwrapped his arms from around your waist.

“Fine, I’ll go,” he said, reaching for his coat.

You were about to help him into it when he suddenly patted his pockets in a panic. “I left my phone in the living room, can I go get it?”

You nodded and he moved back into the main part of the apartment just as your phone started ringing. You rolled your eyes when you realized who it was. You swiped the accept call button and groaned when he popped up on the screen with messy towel dried hair and a hyper look on his face. Oh brother.

“What, Atsumu?” You really didn’t want to pick up at that moment, but you knew that if you ignored it he’d either keep calling non-stop or be all pouty about it at practice tomorrow.

Neither option was favourable.

“Y/n! ‘m bored. Ya gotta keep me company.” 

You frowned. “You couldn’t call Bokuto or Hinata? Or Sakusa?”

“Neither of ‘em picked up when I called. And omi-omi doesn’t pick up unless he already knows why I’d be callin’ so I didn’t bother.”

“Well I’m really sorry, Atsumu, but you caught me at a bad time, I’m busy right now,” you tried to sound sympathetic but it came off as rushed.

He was still your friend and you didn’t like ignoring him, but he really did catch you at the worst time.

Sakusa came back into the front hall looking like he was about to say something but stopped when he saw you were on the phone.

“But Y/nnnnn!” He rolled his eyes and let out an involuntary scoff when he heard Atsumu’s voice.

He clapped a hand over his mouth and looked at you with wide eyes.

You hoped the man on the screen hadn’t heard that but even if he hadn’t, the panicked look on your face and the way your eyes flicked to something behind your phone definitely tipped him off.

A wide smirk took over his face when you looked back at your phone and you started shaking your head.

“Do ya have a boy over, Y/n? Is that what this is?”

“Shut up, no I don’t.” you started but you were cut off.

“OH SHIT YOU DO! SHOW ‘IS FACE, WHO IS HE? WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL US? WHO’VE YA BEEN-“

You ended the call.

Sakusa slowly took his hand away from his mouth and looked at you. It was silent for a good three seconds before he said “That’s on me.”

“It’s fine, he doesn’t know who it was.”

“Do you think you can keep him from telling anyone?”

Both of your phones started buzzing at the same time. 

“Too late,” you said in unison.

Suddenly a video call from the group chat came through. “Shit,”

“Okay, Kiyoomi, I think it’s best that you go now, if you join the call from your place it’ll be less suspicious.”

He nodded. “Good idea,” he rushed to get his coat and shoes on and kissed you once before heading out. “I love you and I’m sorry if this goes badly.”

You returned his affection and locked the door before joining the group call. Hinata was there, too.

“Atsumu. I swear to god, you didn’t need to turn this into a whole thing. Hi Hinata.”

The orange haired boy beamed at you and waved. “Hi Y/n! How are you?” 

“Shoyo! Our dear manager has A BOY OVER.”

“Oh, are you dating someone, Y/n?” 

“I’m n-”

“WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE FREAKIN’ OUT OVER THIS?”

You rolled your eyes once again. “Because, Miya, not everyone is as invested in my personal life as you are.”

He gasped at the use of his last name and was about to throw something back at you when Bokuto joined the call on his evening jog. Just great. If Atsumu successfully managed to rile him up, Hinata would surely follow soon after. You needed to do damage control. 

Quickly exiting the screen of the call, you texted your boyfriend.

I need you to knock Atsumu down a peg, please join the call. 

Oh, my pleasure.

As you were texting him, you heard Bokuto and Hinata rambling on about tomorrow’s practice. The setter looked mildly annoyed that no one was paying attention to him anymore. 

“Bokkun!! Listen to me for a minute!! Y/n has a-”

At long last, Sakusa joined the call from what looked like the inside of the grocery store five minutes from his house.

“Omi! What’re you doing here? You never join our video calls unless Y/n makes you- wait where the hell are ya?”

“It was a misclick, don’t get too excited, Miya. And you interrupted my grocery shopping, if you must know.”

“Well don’t leave! You’re gonna wan’ to hear this.”

Sakusa sighed. “I’m sure I won’t.”

You had to bite back a smile at the faux bored look on his face.

“OKAY, Bokkun, Omi-Omi, Y/N HAS A BOY OVER. AND THEY WON’T TELL US WHO.”

Sakusa blinked. “Miya, why do you care so much about our manager’s personal life? Is your own that boring? Are you so unsatisfied that you have to live vicariously through other people’s? Just watch reality TV if that’s the case, I’m sure Y/n would appreciate it as well.”

You let a small laugh out at the sight of your setter looking like he was just slapped across the face.

“LISTEN ‘ERE, SAKUSA-”

Your boyfriend promptly kicked him out of the call, looking rather pleased with himself.

Bokuto on the other hand...

“WOAHH, Y/N WHO IS IT? TELL US! YOU CAN TRUST US!”

Aaaand now Hinata wanted in on the action. “YEAH, YOU CAN TELL US Y/N!”

Atsumu rejoined the call not a second later. “WHY’D YA KICK ME OUT? Y’know what? Fine. I’m adding someone else to the call.”

You gasped when a familiar contact picture popped up on the screen and the connceting dots appeared. 

“Oh for the love of- Your brother, Atsumu, really?? Don’t drag him into this.”

The other (and in your opinion at this particular moment- the better) Miya twin finally picked up. “Uh. Hi? Whaddaya need, 'tusmu?”

“SAMU, Y/n has a boy over.”

“Okay, and?” You’ll give him credit for at least trying to look uninterested.

“They come into your restaurant sometimes don’t they? Have they ever brought a guy with them?”

“Atsumu, please just drop it-” but your pleas fell on deaf ears. 

Osamu shook his head and you almost, almost thought you were in the clear until...

“They only brought Sakusa in one time last month... and Suna did mention that he saw them together when you were all in Tokyo for some matches.”

Both of the Miya twins were dead to you. You silently took back everything you said about Samu being the better one. Years of friendship down the drain. 

You thought he’d have your back on this one but you forgot that, at heart, Osamu is just as much of a little shit as his twin. 

“Osamu!” You shouted, betrayed. 

He shrugged. “Sorry, Y/n.”

Atsumu glared at the screen. “As if it’d be Omi-Omi. We’d definitely know if it was him. Y/n, it wouldn’t have come to this point if ya had just told us who’s with you right now.”

You rolled your eyes. “I’m home alone right now, genius, he’s long gone. And it isn’t any of your business!”

At that moment everything you’d been working so hard to keep a secret crumbled before your eyes. 

Bokuto suddenly had a look of realization wash over his face. 

Shit.

“Wait, if that’s the case, then could it be Omi after all? I ran into him while he was walking in the opposite direction of Y/n’s apartment building when I passed by on my jog ten minutes ago.” He said it totally innocently, as if you having Sakusa over wasn’t as big as Atsumu was making it out to be.

The call went silent for a solid minute before Atsumu started speaking. 

“Bokkun, what did you sa-”

Oops, there goes Atsumu again.

“I sai-”

Oh no, Bokuto too.

You and Sakusa stared at the screen in shock, waiting to see Hinata’s reaction.

Osamu just smirked and waved goodbye before signing off himself. 

Hinata just smiled at the two of you. “Congratulations! I’m really happy for you guys... do you congratulate friends when you find out they’re sleeping together?”

Hinata, your sweet sunshine friend was successful in unfreezing the both of you. “It’s not like that, Hinata-”

“Not normally, no.”

You glared at Sakusa (who was now back in his apartment without a mask) but he just smirked at you. “Kiyoomi.” 

“Alright, I’m sorry.”

“Anyway,” you tried again. “Hinata, we’re dating. We have been for a while.”

“Oh! That definitely calls for celebration then!” 

You smiled slightly before the banished returned to the call. 

“’kay, ya really need to stop doin’ that.” Atsumu said immediately. 

“Why was I kicked out, Y/n? You’re not mad at me are you?”

“No, Bokuto, of course not.” 

“Stop ignorin’ me!”

“Miya, stop being a pest.”

“Guys!! They’re dating! I was right.” 

You froze again. “Hinata... what did you say?”

“...nothing.” 

“Don’t make me kick you out of this call.”

“Fine! I knew you guys were dating. It was kind of obvious.”

“What do you mean obvious, Hinata?” Sakusa asked. 

You shared a glance with him through the screen in confusion. You were both so sure you were hiding it well. Actually... you knew you were hiding it well, considering Atsumu and Bokuto didn’t catch on until now.

“Well, one day a few months ago I may have caught you two making out behind the gym. At that point I thought it was just that kind of relationship and figured it wasn’t my business. But then a few weeks ago, after Sakusa and Atsumu had gotten into an argument at practice, he called Komori-”

“Ah, Shoyo, let’s not-”

“You have my cousin’s number?” Sakusa hissed.

“He does!” 

“Bokkun, seriously, stop-”

“I’m not letting this go, Miya.”

“Hinata, please continue.”

“And Atsumu asked about his relationship status because he wanted blackmail or something. Then Komori said that his lips were sealed, he promised Sakusa he wouldn’t say anything to anyone. I put two and two together, Bokuto thought he was just being a good cousin and let it go, and Atsumu assumed Sakusa was just embarrassed about being single. After that I kinda noticed that you two seemed closer and assumed everyone else on the team knew too. I tried to ask Atsumu about it but he was dead set on not believing you’d date-in his words- ‘an ass like omi-omi’”

You stared at Hinata with wide eyes. “You knew for that long... and managed not to let it slip?”

He shrugged. “It wasn’t hard. I was focused on practice most of the time anyway, so it honestly just slipped my mind.”

Maybe you didn’t give Hinata enough credit. 

“Atsumu, you owe me a meat bun now since I was right!”

Or maybe you were justified with your initial feeling. 

“You bet on us being together?!”

It was going to be a long night. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BONUS:

After explaining everything to the trouble trio about why you didn’t tell them, you were left on call with Sakusa.

“Well... that was certainly something.” He said.

“Mmhmm,” You looked at him. “Kiyoomi...”

He offered you a soft grin. “I’m already putting my shoes on. I’ll be there soon. Now you have no excuses for not letting me stay the night.”

You giggled and rested your chin on your palm. “I guess not. It’s a shame, really, you’re getting to be so clingy lately. Ever heard of the term personal space?”

“Oh please,” he scoffed. “says the one who literally will not let go of me unless I physically detach you from my body most days.”

“You guys are disgustingly sweet.”

“What are you still doing here, Atsumu?! I thought you left?”

“I snuck back in.”

“Well leave.”

“Sure. But I’m telling everyone how soft you are for our manager tomorrow morning.”

Sakusa raised an eyebrow. “You really think anyone will believe you without proof?”

The last thing you heard before Sakusa blew you a kiss was Atsumu groaning as he was kicked from the call one last time upon realizing he in fact does not have proof.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BONUS 2:

You woke up the next morning completely intertwined with Sakusa. 

“My love, wake up. We’re going to be late.”

You groaned and snuggled into his side more, shivering slightly when he traced lines on the skin of your back. He laughed and pried you off of him. 

“Mm no, five more minutes.” 

“Come on, Y/n/n, if we’re late you know we’ll never hear the end of it. We don’t have the luxury of secrecy anymore. Besides,” he poked you in the stomach and leaned in closer to you. “you’re the one who insisted on staying up late last night. I tried to tell you that this would happen, but you were just so needy-”

“Okay, okay, I’m up,” you cut him off, then mumbled under your breath “but I didn’t hear you complaining much.”

You shrieked when two arms wrapped around your waist and you were pulled against his chest. “I’m sorry did you say something, my dear?”

It didn’t matter if you were late or not in the end, because when you entered the gym, you were greeted with a round of applause and some whistles. And your boyfriend was weighed down by the endless teasing about his messed up hair and marks on his chest in the changing room. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[thatdammchickennugget]

Whispers In The Common Room

pairing - remus lupin x gn!reader

summary - after gryffindor's quidditch triumph, you find Remus unusually tipsy

warnings - fluff, alcohol

wordcount - 1.5k

a/n - the second hogmarch prompt <3

The Gryffindor common room is alive with the energy of the earlier Quidditch game. The crackling fire casts a warm glow across the room, illuminating the laughter and chatter of students as they celebrate Gryffindor’s spectacular win. You weave through the crowd, a smile playing on your lips as you exchange greetings with friends and classmates.

Amidst the revelry stands Remus Lupin, his usual calm demeanor slightly off-kilter as it seems he has already indulged in more drinks than usual. It's a rare sight to see him so tipsy, and you can't help but feel a twinge of concern as you approach him. More often than not, he ends up the one watching over your friends when they get drunk, dragging them up to bed late in the night.

"Hey, Remus," you say, stepping up beside him. "Are you alright?"

Remus turns to you with a lopsided grin, his cheeks slightly flushed from the alcohol. "I'm fine, having a blast actually," he replies, his words slightly slurred. His body is moving to the music lazily, looking a little funny next to Sirius’ graceful dancing.

“I can see that,” you chuckle at his words, knowing that Remus rarely lets loose like this. But despite his drunken state, there's a sense of mischief in his eyes that you can't help but find endearing. It was about time that he got the chance to enjoy himself.

But it didn’t look like either of the other Marauders were playing the designated sober person that night, with Peter already passed out on one of the couches and James jumping up on a table to show off his moves. With a sigh, you realized that the job would fall onto you tonight.

As the night wears on, Remus's intoxication becomes more apparent. His speech becomes increasingly slurred, and his movements grow more and more unsteady. Concerned for his well-being, you offer him a supportive arm and guide him to a quieter corner of the room, away from the chaotic revelry.

"Here, let's sit you down," you say, helping Remus lower himself onto a nearby seat. "I'll stay with you until you're feeling better."

Remus nods gratefully, a sheepish smile on his face. "Thanks," he says, his words tinged with sincerity, not matching the cheeky smile spreading across his lips. "I appreciate it."

You settle in beside Remus, keeping a watchful eye on him as he leans back against the cushions. The room is filled with the soft hum of conversation and the occasional burst of laughter, but you and Remus remain in your own little bubble, cocooned from the chaos surrounding you.

As you sit in companionable silence, a sudden wave of courage washes over you. The festive atmosphere and Remus's vulnerable state embolden you to speak your truth, no matter the consequences.

As you sit beside Remus in the quiet corner of the common room, you can't help but steal glances at him when he's not looking. The warm glow of the fire casts gentle shadows across his features, highlighting the curve of his cheekbones and the softness of his hair. Despite the alcohol-induced haze, there's a certain charm about him that you find irresistible.

You've always admired Remus, ever since the two of you became friends back in your first year. There's something about his quiet strength and unwavering kindness that draws you to him like a moth to a flame.

Yet, beneath that composed exterior lies a cheeky and mischievous side that never fails to catch you off guard. It's in the playful glint of his eye when he suggests a daring prank or the smirk that tugs at the corner of his lips when he's about to unleash his wit. Remus may be the voice of reason in your little group, but he's also the instigator of some of your most memorable escapades.

A thought creeps into your mind, unbidden and persistent. Maybe, just maybe, he's out of it enough not to remember anything you say tonight. The alcohol seems to have clouded his senses, his usual sharp wit dulled by the haze of inebriation. It's a fleeting notion, a whisper of temptation that dances at the edges of your consciousness.

With each passing moment, the urge to spill your feelings grows stronger, an overwhelming wave of emotion threatening to consume you. You steal a glance at Remus, his eyes half-lidded and his expression relaxed. He seems lost in his own little world, oblivious to the turmoil raging within you. And in that moment, you can't help but wonder if now is the perfect opportunity to finally confess your feelings. To get them off your chest without having to deal with the consequences.

"Remus," you begin, your words tumbling out in a jumble of half-formed thoughts and tangled emotions. "I-I've been meaning to tell you something. Something important. Something... something that I've been keeping bottled up inside for far too long."

“Yeah?” Remus turns to you, his gaze curious but expectant as he slurs out his words. "What is it, love? You know you can tell me anything.”

You pause, searching for the right words to express the depth of your feelings. But they seem to elude you, slipping through your fingers like grains of sand.

"I... I admire you, Remus," you continue, your voice growing stronger with each word. "More than just a friend, you know? "I like your kindness, your compassion, the way you're always there for everyone, even when you're dealing with your own struggles. You have this quiet strength about you that I find incredibly inspiring. And your wit, Remus, oh Merlin, your wit! The way you can make me laugh even on my worst days, it's... it's like magic."

You take a deep breath, gathering your thoughts before continuing. "And it's not just that," you say, your voice softer now, more vulnerable. "It's the little things too. The way you always offer a helping hand, the way you listen without judgment, the way you make me feel seen and heard and... and valued. I guess what I'm trying to say is... I think I might be in love with you."

Your confession hangs in the air between you, heavy with the weight of unspoken truths and unfulfilled desires. And as you look into Remus's eyes, you can't help but wonder what he'll say, how he'll react to your outpouring of emotion.

Remus blinks in surprise, his drunken haze momentarily dissipating as he processes your confession. Then, a playful smile quirks at the corners of his lips.

"Are you speaking parseltongue or am I really that drunk?" he teases, the twinkle in his eyes betraying his amusement.

You feel a blush creeping up your cheeks at his words, your heart fluttering in your chest. Despite the alcohol and the playful tone of the conversation, there's an undeniable sincerity in Remus's eyes that sends a shiver down your spine.

"Remus, I'm being serious," you say, your voice softening as you meet his gaze.

Remus's expression softens, his playful demeanor giving way to something more tender. "I know, love," he says, his voice low and gentle. As if your confession had sobered him up, he was speaking carefully now, the drunken haze disappearing from his eyes. "And I feel the same way."

With his words, a warmth spreads through you, washing away any lingering doubts or fears. You can hardly believe what you're hearing - that Remus feels the same way about you. It's like a dream come true, something you never dared to hope for but always secretly wished would happen.

"I've always admired your compassion, your unwavering courage, and your intellect," Remus continues, his gaze holding yours with unwavering sincerity. "But it's not just those qualities that draw me to you. It's your spirit, your resilience in the face of adversity, and the way you light up every room with your presence."

Tears prick at the corners of your eyes, overwhelmed by the depth of his feelings and the realization that you're not alone in this. Remus likes you for all the same reasons you admire him, and more.

For a moment, you simply sit there, taking in the weight of his words and the significance of this moment. It's a turning point, a crossroads in your relationship that could change everything. And yet, despite the uncertainty of what lies ahead, there's a sense of peace and contentment settling over you.

"Thank you, Remus," you say, your voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you for being you, for being here with me tonight, and for... for everything."

Remus reaches out, his hand finding yours in the dim light of the common room. His touch is gentle, reassuring, and you feel a spark of something electric pass between you. It's a connection, an unspoken promise of what's to come.

Together, you sit there in the quiet corner of the common room, lost in your own little world as the party continues around you. But in that moment, nothing else matters except the two of you and the beginning of something new.

Remus Taglist - @urmomsgirlfriend1 @remussbitch @nighttimewrites @starsval @whoknowsbut @gayforyelena @whoreforfictionalmen18 @darkacademicvibes @marauderswhxre @ravenclawprincess33 @helpimhopelesslyinlove @Yhiiil @themarauderswife7 @bath1lda @vcosette @rinalouu @agent-tempest @s0urw00lf @pinkestfloyd @l0v3do11 @unstablereader @wolfstar-marvelsfan @captainstanksblog @pinktreee @andrew-and-flower @slutforfictionalcharacterss @iamgayforyourmom1501 @cas-planet @poppysrin @camille-1019

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[yournowheregirl]

wip wednesday weekend

i got tagged by the lovely @seths-rogens thank you sm friend! 💖

again, very much in a writing / hyperfixation rut BUT!! i decided to post blurbs from previous wips, in the hopes that it'll light the writing spark yet again.

so please enjoy quite a long blurb from an unfinished steddie fic based on that one scene in mamma mia where sam proposes to donna at sophie's wedding.

Eddie realizes then and there that he might never get an opportunity like this again. Well, he might but not another opportunity that has this level of show-stopping drama and Eddie lives for some drama in his life. 

And so, Eddie does what he does best and steps on top of the nearest chair, drawing the attention of the most chaotic wedding party he’s ever seen.

“Hang on!”

All the eyes in the room are on him in a split second and while he usually basks in all the attention, he also feel strangely nervous. But it’s now or never, everyone is already staring at him like he grew a second head, so he might as well continue. 

“Why waste a good wedding, huh?” Eddie grins as his eyes roam around the room before finally landing on Steve again. “How about it, Harrington?” 

The wedding guests once more erupt into hushed whispers of shock but Eddie can’t even hear them anymore. His sole focus is Steve, who looks at him like he’s certifiably insane. And maybe he is, maybe it is insane to propose to your ex from seven years ago during your friends’ canceled wedding, but Eddie’s just gonna take a chance. He’s not gonna run away, not this time.

“What?” 

Okay, not the answer Eddie was hoping for but he gets it. Maybe Steve needs a little more convincing. 

“Aw, c’mon. You gonna need someone to boss around in that newly empty apartment of yours and it might as well be me.” Eddie hops off the chair, his head cocked to the side and doing his best impression of Bambi to sell Steve on the idea. “What do you say?”

“Are you crazy?” Steve splutters, hands on his hips. His brows are furrowed and his lips are pursed in that famous Harrington scowl that Eddie knows and loves. 

“For you? Yes.” 

“You have a girlfriend!” Steve exclaims - which is quickly followed by grandma Wheeler’s 'oh dear'.

This makes Eddie frown because he very much doesn’t have a girlfriend, hasn’t had one in months not since- “Who? Donna? Nah, we broke up ages ago.”

“But- but- we live in totally different states.”

“I can pack up my things and move to Boston, no problem.” Eddie counters. “What else you got, because as you know, I can go on for hours.”

Steve apparently takes that as a challenge because that panicked look on his face melts away and is replaced by a cocky smirk and raised eyebrows. “What if I’m already dating someone?”

“Last thing I heard from Dustin you were dating that god-awful guy named Brad and considering that he isn’t anywhere to be found-” Eddie dramatically gestures around the room. “I figure that you did the right thing and dumped his ass.”

“You wouldn’t want to get married without Wayne here.” Steve counters, crossing his arms in front of his chest and God, Eddie had forgotten how hot Steve looks when he's up for a challenge.

“We’ll just have a second wedding. Periwinkle isn’t really my color either, but I’ll make an exception for you, sweetheart.” Eddie winks.

tagging (with zero pressure!!) some old friends and some new ones: @cheatghost @sidekick-hero @frankenstein-ate-my-left-shoe @spectrum-spectre @stevebabey @steddieas-shegoes & @steddielations big (consensual) kisses for you all, mwah!! 💖💖

[inevitably-johnlocked]

stephy bephy baby baby girl, um

any list noone asked for yet but you have?

ASFSADF I LOVE when y'all use silly names for me!

You KNOW I do!! Here's today's that been in my drafts for a few months! Enjoy!!

Please note that because so many of these fics are from my old lists, they will be FFNet links, so if you have them on AO3, let me know, but otherwise let me know if any links don't work.

POV SHERLOCK 3rd PERSON Pt. 4: ANGST / ANGSTY FLUFF or BAMF FICS Pt. 2

See also:

POV Sherlock 1st & 2nd Person

POV Sherlock 3rd Person Pt. 1: Fluff

POV Sherlock 3rd Person Pt 2: Hurt/Comfort & Whump

POV Sherlock 3rd Person Pt 3: Angst/Angsty Fluff or BAMF Fics

Voices by fizzingweaselbee (T, 607 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, Mental Turmoil, Suicidal Ideations) – "We would never do that to John Watson."

The Hollow Man by HHarris (G, 639 w., 1 Ch. || John’s Chair, Introspection, Sherlock’s Big Feelings™, Post TRF, Angst, Emotional Turmoil, POV Sherlock, Pining / Sad Sherlock) – Still reeling from the apparent loss of his one and only friend, Sherlock returns to 221B for the first time after the events of The Reichenbach Fall.

Once Upon A Time by ProfessorSquirrell (T, 908 w., 1 Ch. || Family, Snippets of Life, Romance, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Implied Drug Use, Angst with Happy Ending) – There is a room in Sherlock's mind palace where nothing gets deleted. And it looks like this...

Bands by dragonQuill907 (T, 1,017 w., 1 Ch. || Established Relationship, POV Sherlock, Anxious Sherlock) – “Her wedding ring. Ten years old at least. The rest of her jewelry has been regularly cleaned, but not her wedding ring. State of her marriage right there. The inside of the ring is shinier than the outside – that means it’s regularly removed. The only polishing it gets is when she works it off her finger.”

The Other Shoe by thewaitwasworthitlove (NR, 1,053 w., 1 Ch. || Pining Sherlock, Angst, URT, Post-TSo3) - Sherlock realizes how deep in love he has fallen for John. Only Sherlock Holmes would manage to be more shattered than crystal dropped on concrete.

The Signs of Loss by LitLocked (NR, 1,103 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TSo3, Pining Sherlock, Self Reflection, Implied Drug Use, Angst, Hard Pining, Hurts Like Hell) – Sherlock's internal monologue after he comes back from the wedding.

Ode to a Well-Worn Chair by hogwartswitch (G, 1,274 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TSo3, John’s Chair, Angst, Love Confessions, Mind Palace) – Takes place the night Sherlock left John's wedding early. Why did he move John's chair and where did he move it?

Left In The Ashes by zoltargirl (T, 1,497 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, MCD, Angry Sherlock, Brutal Violence) – Rage is a unique quality in all human beings. In Sherlock Holmes, it's terrifying.

The Two of Us Against the World by slashscribe (T, 1,617 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TAB, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Drug Addiction, Anxious Sherlock, Angsty Fluff) – John is there to take care of Sherlock as he comes down from his overdose in The Abominable Bride. Set immediately after the tarmac, back in 221B.

Giveaway Fic #9 - Angsty Sick Fic/Sherlock is Sick by ConsultingPurplePants (T, 1,734 w., 1 Ch. || Sick Fic, Hypothermia) – The next time he awakens is even more chaotic. Two doctors are shouting at each other in the corner, and John is holding his hand so tightly Sherlock is worried he’ll break it. Part 9 of 1000 Tumblr Followers Giveaway Fics

BBCSH 'Poor Mary' by tigersilver (M, 1,839 w., 1 Ch. || HLV Fic, Canon Compliant, Sherlock Whump / Mary Shot Sherlock, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Pining Sherlock, Hospitalization, Missing Scene, Sherlock POV) – As the tin says above, this is a missing scene, set directly after Sherlock awakens in hospital after having been shot by his best mate's wife. Minor angst, some pining, nothing nasty; please don't be alarmed unduly.

Dying Changes Everything by whitchry9 (K+, 1,919 w., 1 Ch || Sherlock POV, Suicidal Ideation, Near-Death, Hospital, Sherlock Whump, Gunshot, Unhappy/Ambiguous Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship) – Sherlock is having an existential crisis and wants to have a near death experience like John did to gain some perspective. “Shoot me John!” he insisted, gesturing to himself. John just looked at him. “Are you completely mad?” 

L'Esprit D'Escalier by TheSoulOfAStrawberry (K, 2,011 w., 1 Ch. || Ace Sherlock, Romance, Hurt / Comfort, Pining) – A lack of understanding leads to a misunderstanding, which in turn leads to two confused men dealing with something they should have sorted out earlier, rather than on John's wedding day.

Stay by sussexbound (M, 2,067 w., 1 Ch. || Post TAB, Suicidal Ideation Mention, Implied / Referenced Drug Use, Kissing, Love Confessions, Frottage, Coming in Pants) –  “Why? Why did you do it? Hmm…?” He takes a deep breath, waits, lets it out again. “Look at me.” There’s no denying him when he takes this tone. “Why did you kill him? Hmm…? For her? After…” A muscle twitches in the corner of John’s eye, and he clamps his jaw down tightly, swallows and sniffs a little before continuing. “For her? After everything she’s done?” “For you.” Before he can even stop himself. Just like that. 

The Deafening Silence by occasionally-maybe-never (T, 2,238 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, Major Character Death, Post-TRF) – 'Sherlock hopes fiercely that John can hear him, as sometimes coma patients can. He knows that John will understand, that his admission of love isn't a grand, sweeping romantic statement, but simply an expression of truth.' When Mycroft retrieves Sherlock to bring him home, it's not to John having dinner, but to John on his death bed.

BBCSH 'How To Save A Life' by tigersilver (T, 2,784 w., 1 Ch. || First Kiss, Angsty Schmoop, Requited Love) – Pining, requited, and unabated spates of 'first kiss' fluff. Post Mary, AU, mildly cracky. John lays a smooch on Sherlock's nape in passing. The world does that thing it does when it wobbles and Sherlock practically falls off his own pins. Part 1 of 'How To...'

In My Life (and dreams, you take my breath away) by Nina36 (NR, 2,847 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TRF/TEH, Angst, Pining Sherlock) – The first time he had dreamt about John he had been in Peru. He had been “dead” a little over a month, squatting in a tiny rented room, the heat and the stains on the walls making him slightly claustrophobic. It had been a nice dream: John and he eating take away Chinese in their kitchen, a song coming from Mrs. Hudson’s radio downstairs, something about friends and lovers and how no one compared with him, his mind supplied in his dream.

Museums and Laboratories by RhododendronPonticum (T, 3,004 w., 1 Ch. || Romance, Angst, Obsessive Sherlock, Anxious Sherlock, Anxiety/Panic Attack, Separation Anxiety, Doctor John, Co-Dependent Sherlock) – If Sherlock's kitchen was his laboratory, then his bedroom was his museum.

It Wasn't Just the Mistletoe by Irrevocably_Sherlocked (E, 3,593 w., 1 Ch. || Christmas Fluff, Mistletoe, First Kiss / Time, Frottage, Masturbation, Come as Lube) – Sherlock and John just stood there, seemingly frozen. Sherlock was desperately trying to think of a way out of this. There was no way he could kiss John, even a small kiss, and not have him know immediately how he felt. Sherlock could lie, and fake and sham, but there was no way he could hide this.

Anticlockwise (Ask Time) by TheBookshelfDweller (G, 3,752 w., 1 Ch. || Metaphorical, Angst, Time, Unhappy Ending) – "Let me tell you the truth: Sherlock Holmes cannot beat Time." Time only flows in one direction, and we are stranded in it, carried by currents we mostly never notice are whirling around us. No one can walk backwards along the timeline, and maybe that’s for the best, because what if someone could? Where would they go? Or, better say, to when would they go? Most importantly who would they leave behind (or is it ahead)? In the end, despite the truth, Sherlock Holmes decides to fight Time, for John, for himself - for himself with John.

Bolt Holes by PostcardsfromTheoryland (T, 4,177 w., 1 Ch. || Hurt / Comfort, Angst, Drug Mentions, Pining Sherlock) – John asked, one evening, if Sherlock liked her. To which he grudgingly had to say yes, and John said he was glad. Because John was going to propose to her.

But Tonight You Belong to Me by esplanade (T, 4,296 w., 1 Ch. || Fluff & Angst, Pining, Stag Night, Sad Ending) – “You. It's always you. John Watson, you keep me right.”

In Good Hands by Haelia (K+, 4,384 w., 1 Ch. || Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, John Whump) – John and Sherlock are stranded deep in the wilderness with no phones and no foreseeable escape. With John wounded, Sherlock fears they will die here: in the cold, in the damp, in the woods. 

London's Ghost by JustlikeWater (K+, 5,642 w., 1 Ch. || Tragedy, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Post-TRF AU, Sherlock POV) – "Today, it's been weeks since Sherlock died. Other times, years. He doesn't know for sure, though. Time passes differently for the dead" 

Recovery by thesignsofserbia (T, 5,948 w., 1 Ch. || HLV-Fix It / Rewrite, Villain Mary, Pining Sherlock, Major Character Injury, Scars, Self-Hatred, POV Sherlock, Doctor John, Friends to Lovers) – Set after the confrontation with Mary, and Sherlock's cardiac arrest, John stays at 221B to aid Sherlock's recovery, forcing them to confront wounds both old and new as they try to heal their damaged relationship.

I'll Be Fine by whitchry9 (T, 6,473 w., 21 Ch. || Hurt / Comfort, John Whump, Friendship, MCD, Heavy Angst) – John says he'll be fine, and Sherlock believes him. Until he can't any more. And it's awfully hard to forgive John for lying about something big like that, even if he didn't mean to. Not using warnings because spoilers, but there are some. 

The Death of Doubt by Gingerhermit (E, 6,584 w., 1 Ch. || Alternate Canon, BAMF John, POV Sherlock, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Hurt/Comfort, Angst/Drama, Meddling Mycroft) – Mycroft asks for John’s help in rescuing Sherlock from his Serbian captors.

Not Alone by taliapaxton (K+, 7,034 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, Friendship, MCD, Euthanasia) – Alone on the Water from Sherlock's point of view. Inspired by the wonderful fiction, "Alone on the Water"

Until I See the Sun by Vintage Tea Party (T, 8,194 w., 3 Ch. || Nightmares, Mild Whump, Friendship, Mild Violence, Angst) – After a particularly dangerous case, John suffers from night terrors. Will Sherlock be able to comfort him? Will he be able to find out what is really troubling John? 

Made for You by Raxicoricofallapatorious (K, 8,440 w., 1 Ch. || Android AU || Friendship, Sci-Fi, Sherlock Called Freak) – When John was shot in the shoulder he was decommissioned and his memory and personality was wiped. Sherlock was given the blank droid and he quickly learns that this droid is more than it seems. John just so happened to come back and no one can fathom how or why. Johnlock if you squint.

The Haunting of 221B Baker Street by earlgreytea68 (M, 10,388 w., 2 Ch. || Ghost AU || Post TRF, Halloween / Ghosts, Pining Sherlock, Ghost Sherlock, Stroppy Sherlock, Sherlock POV, First Kiss/Time, Angry Sex, Ghost Sex, Love Confessions, Open / Ambiguous Ending) – In which Sherlock Holmes is a ghost.

Johnlock Ficlet Collection by Irrevocably_Sherlocked (E, 11,505+ w. [WiP] || Random Ficlets, Pining, Angst, Fluff & Smut, Parentlock, AU’s, First Kiss, Character POV’s) - Just a collection of Johnlock ficlets, originally posted on my Tumblr page.

A Building of Bridges by Unique (K, 12,325 w. , 3 Ch. || Drama, Alternate First Meeting, John’s PTSD / Flashbacks, Mute John, Dialogue-Heavy, Caring Sherlock, Friendship) – No one would ever send Sherlock in to diffuse a stand-off; but on one unlikely day, that's exactly what happened. "Congratulations, Lestrade," he called out sarcastically. "You're traumatizing a war veteran."

The Nutcracker by Odamaki (T, 13,758 w., 7 Ch. || Nutcracker AU ||  Christmas, Dark Magic, Dolls) – Sherlock is unimpressed with Uncle Rudy's present. A doll? What does he want with a doll?

The Burning of the Leaves by blueink3 (M, 15,915 w., 3 Ch. || Post S4, Angst, Reichenbach, Parentlock, Past Jolto, Idiot John, Sherlock’s a Mess, Puppies, Fluff, Possessive / Jealous Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Sherlock POV, Matchmaker Sholto, Melancholic Feelings, Emotional Sherlock, Domesticity, Love Confessions in the Rain, Kissing in the Rain, Pet Names) – After the events of series 4, Major Sholto invites John and Sherlock to lunch one day. It nearly proves to be too much for their tenuous relationship as the past haunts the present, putting the future that Sherlock so desperately wants at risk.

Let's Make a Bed Out in the Rain by theimprobable1 (M, 17,664 w., 11 Ch. || Pining Sherlock, Angst & Fluff, First Kiss, Unrequited, Jealous Sherlock, Protective Sherlock) – John is devastated after his long-term girlfriend leaves him. Sherlock helps him through it.

A Shipless Ocean by myswordfishmind (M, 22,135 w., 4 Ch. || Post-TRF, John has a Kid, Angst, Reunion, Falling in Love, Open Ending) – Ten years after the fall Sherlock goes back to London to find that John no longer lives there. Instead, he resides in a seaside town, a widower, and the father of a seven year old son. Now, Sherlock must struggle with the fact that there may no longer be a place for him in this new world.

A Quiet Life by DiscordantWords (M, 25,176 w., 6 Ch. || Post S4, Retirement, POV Sherlock, Awkwardness, Established Relationship, Family Dynamics, Minor Character Death, Questionable Parenting Choices, Non-Linear Narrative, 20 Year Old Rosie, Meddling Mycroft, Pining Sherlock, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Angst, Sherlock Whump) – There had been three days of silence and a funeral. Sherlock had the terrible feeling that whatever happened next would depend, entirely, on him.

The Wisteria Tree by SilentAuror (E, 29,773 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S3, Emotional Love Making, Amnesia/Memory Loss, Sherlock Loves John So Much, Sherlock POV, Romance, Angst with Happy Ending, First Times, Hurt/Comfort, Est. Rel., Retirement) – Sherlock wakes up from a month-long coma only to discover that he has no memory of the previous six years to his own shock as well as John's...

The Winter Garden by Callie4180 (T, 31,213 w., 13 Ch. || Post-S4, Retirement, Christmas, Slow Burn, Grown-Up Rosie, Parenthood, Rosie’s Cat, Angst with Happy Ending, Holidays, Beekeeping, Magical Realism, Sherlock POV, Sherlock’s Violin, Future Fic, Sussex, Honey, Magical Healing Honey, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Scar, First Kiss, Touching) – As Sherlock nears the end of his career, he's given the gift of a cottage in Sussex. The honey from the beehives out back is amazing. Almost...magical.

The Unfinished Letters by SilentAuror (E, 37,391 w., 1 Ch. || Post S3 / S3 / HLV Fix it, Angst with Happy Ending, Romance, Infidelity, Depression, Case Fic, POV Third Person Sherlock, Love Confessions, Pining Sherlock, Letters) – A fire at Baker Street leads John to read something he was never intended to see: a notebook of half-written, unfinished letters Sherlock wrote during his time away...

(Never) Turn Your Back to the Sea by DiscordantWords (M, 39,968 w., 7 Ch. || Post S4 Fix It || Grief / Mourning, Victor Trevor, Friendship, Sherlock is Not Okay, Nightmares/Flashbacks/Panic Attacks, Parentlock, Pining Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, John Comes Home) – Baker Street is very much the same. Only different. And Sherlock is just trying not to drown.

A Goose Quill Dipped in Venom by Polyphony (M, 52,748 w., 16 Ch. || Celebrity John AU || Alternate First Meeting, TV Host John, Supermodel Mary, Character Death, Mystery, Romance, Case Fic, First Kiss/Time, Meddling Mycroft, Drug Abuse, Doctor John, PDA, Deductions, POV Sherlock, Toplock, Sexual Tension, Angry/Rough Sex, Hopeful Ending, Asperger’s Sherlock) – Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective, is called in to a very ordinary although brutal murder. Something is badly out of tune with the whole scenario and Sherlock finds himself becoming more and more obsessed with the crime - and also with the victim.

You Have Drawn Red From My Hands by J_Baillier (T, 67,085 w., 17 Ch. || Three Garridebs, Heavy John Whump, Hurt / Comfort, Pining, Heavy Angst, Case Fic/Adventure, Slow Burn, Sick Fic, Injury, Guilt & Depression, Just Talk Already Please, Medical Realism, PTSD) –  John getting injured leads Sherlock on a path of guilt and revelations.

Just To Hold You Close by sussexbound (E, 70,841 w., 18 Ch. || Alternate First Meeting, Sherlock POV, ASD Sherlock, PTSD John, Demisexual Sherlock, Bisexual John, Cuddling/Snuggling, Platonic Cuddling, Enthusiastic Consent, Bed Sharing, Love Confessions, First Kiss/Time, Sexual Tension, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Cuddle Negotiations, For a Case Until It Isn’t, Hair Petting, Sexual Negotiation, Anxiety, Trust Issues, Slow Burn, Panic Attacks, Frottage, Hand/Blow Jobs, Referenced Self Harm / Abuse / Suicidal Ideation, First Kiss/Time, Anal) – When a woman is murdered and the last person to see her alive is recently invalided army vet turned reluctant (and prickly) professional cuddler, John Watson, Sherlock Holmes is pulled into a world of intimacy and intrigue he never could have imagined. John is a conundrum and mystery: frank yet reserved, tender yet angry, open yet afraid. Sherlock is instantly drawn into his orbit, and begins to feel and desire things he never has before.

Bakers with Benefits by Raina_at (E, 88,130 w., 14 Ch. || Great British Bake Off AU || Strangers to Lovers, Switchlock, Friends with Benefits, Mentions of Alcoholism / Past Drug Use, Banter, Flirting, Fluff, Light Angst, Semi-Public Sex, Past Sherlock/Victor, Mutual Pining, POV Sherlock, Obsessive Sherlock, John’s Bum) – Sherlock Holmes has a successful YouTube baking channel, but what he really wants is his own bakery. When an old friend sends him a call for the very first Great British Bake Off, he seizes the opportunity to finally win a sponsor for his bakery. Here's the plan: Win Bake Off, get the bakery, don't fall in love with the handsome Army doctor at the neighbouring station. Easy.

The Summer Boy by khorazir (T, 94,706 w., 6 Ch. || Post S3/Post TAB/Alternate S4, Friends to Lovers, POV Sherlock, Flashbacks, Bullying, 1980′s Kid Sherlock, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Inexperienced Sherlock, Grief/Mourning, Pining Sherlock, Case Fic, Sherlock’s Past, Awkward Conversations, Anxious Sherlock) – About half a year after the fateful events at Appledore, Sherlock and John embark on a private case in Sussex. For Sherlock, it’s a journey into his past, bringing up memories both happy and sad that he has locked away for almost thirty years. For John, it means coming to terms with the present – and a potential future with Sherlock. Part 1 of the The Summer Boy series

Definitions by siennna (T, 101,528 w., 12 of ? Ch. || Dev. Rel., Pining, Fluff and Romance, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Fluff, Cuddles, Girl’s Night, Texting, Virgin Sherlock, Drunk Sherlock, Background Mollstrade, Hair Petting, Laying on Lap) – Sherlock’s journey in defining his flat mate and stumbling through the muddled world of emotion. {{This feels complete; the chapter count is listed as ? but I feel like it is done}}

Breakable by MissDavis (E, 117,627 w., 34 Ch. || Established Relationship, Major Character Injury, Fluff/Angst, Depression, Paralysis/Disabilities, Hurt/Comfort, POV Sherlock, Mental Health Issues, Drug Use, Happy-ish Ending) – After John is seriously injured, Sherlock struggles to figure out how to help him, keep himself sane, and maybe, just maybe, get their life back to the way it's supposed to be. Part 1 of Breakable Not Broken

[theconstantsidekick]

With a hint of shame and another of annoyance, he enters the room. “Good afternoon. I’m sorry for the delay,” he says in the most polite way possible. He moves around the room, grabbing gloves, setting up his station. “As you must have seen outside, it’s a chaotic day. Apparently a tree randomly sprouted near Thorpe Hall. Everything’s been a cock up since then.”  He hears the man chuckle behind him somewhere. It’s a sweet sound. But he doesn’t want to dwell on it, it sounds awfully… familiar. He picks up the chart again, opening it, he pulls out the pen from his pocket, clicks it open and then turns to the man. “The Doctor before me forgot to ask for your name—which while basic—is something that you’ll have to try and not blame him for. He’s new and hungover and unaccustomed to chaos like this. So, could you help me out here? Your name?” “Arthur.” Merlin’s breath catches. But only for a second. This isn’t the first time it’s happened but it’s the first time the man has sounded so close to the real deal. Shaking his head to rid himself of the thoughts of him . He lets out a soft chuckle. “Quite a name.” He pens it down. “Glad you like it.” “I used to have a friend named that,” Merlin confesses without even meaning to. Gods. All these years. When will he stop being so sentimental about this shit? Merlin smiles again. “But I’m gonna need more than that. Full name please?” “Pendragon. Arthur Pendragon.” Merlin finally looks up.  He has to. He doesn’t fucking want to, but he has to. He’s compelled to. He looks up and his world stops. He thinks he might have actually paused time (again, don’t ask) but then he watches a smile break on the man’s face and he knows he couldn’t stop the world if he tried. His magic would never betray him so cruelly so as to not let Merlin look at that smile. “Arthur?”

[autumnshighlady]

I've Always Liked to Play With Fire (part 20)

NESTA ARCHERON X ERIS VANSERRA X FEMALE!READER

summary: reader meet's Eris's mother, and Azriel offers a helping hand. An unexpected visitor comes to autumn, I cannot do summaries to save my life

warnings: graphic violence/torture, Cassian slander, tw B*ron sucking but also kinda slaying, implied SA, themes of depression, angst because apparently i can't write happy things

word count: 7.4k

DO NOT REPOST ANYWHERE

a/n: two chapters in one day to spoil y'all as thanks for waiting so long for part 19 lmao. sorry if this chapter seems slow, but the next two chapters are doozies so gear up!

part 1 // part 2 / part 3 / part 4 / part 5 / part 6 / part 7 / part 8 / part 9 / part 10 / part 11 / part 12 / part 13 / part 14 / part 15 / part 16 / part 17 / part 18 / part 19

read on ao3

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You barely heard the hushed voices of the servants as they fiddled with the wedding dress. Pins poked at your skin as adjustments to the garment were made, but you didn’t care. You simply stood there silently, staring at the husk of a female who looked like you in the mirror. Nobody had asked you anything – not for your opinion on the dress, how it felt, nothing. Not that you expected them to. They were all aiming to please Beron Vanserra, not you.

For the past week, you hadn’t heard from or seen Nesta. Or Eris. Ever since Malgorm paid you an unexpected visit that night, Eris had warned you that it would be too dangerous to meet up for the next while. That Malgorm was likely to be excited about his new bride, and the risk of him showing up unexpectedly was too great. You hadn’t even dared to use the bond to communicate with Nesta, for fear the magic would somehow be detected by Beron’s many complex wards.

Once again, you were completely alone.

It was hard not to fall back into that panic you felt when you had woken up in Rhysand’s dungeons. That same feeling of helplessness washed over you again and again, and you had no idea what to do. Nesta, Eris, and Azriel had all promised you that this marriage wouldn’t happen, but refused to let you in on any of their planning.

“It’s too risky,” Azriel had pointed out to you when you protested. “You cannot know anything about what we are planning. If Beron or Malgorm finds out, we cannot risk you being implicated.”

Naturally, you had bitched and complained about how they didn’t have a right to risk themselves for your safety, but it landed on deaf ears. One hard look from your mate was enough to make you shut up about the matter.

They had promised to do something, yet the wedding grew closer every day. Beron had originally planned for Eris and Nesta to be married first, but whispers from the servants informed you that Malgorm had insisted that his wedding be moved up as fast as possible so he could breed you sooner. The thought made you want to vomit. Shockingly, Beron had agreed, his apparent reasoning being it gave them more time to plan the grand wedding of his eldest son. 

Tears pricked at your eyes as you stared at yourself in the mirror. The dress was pretty – a thick satin gown made with the purest of white fabric, with long sleeves and a high neck. Gold thread was embroidered around the neckline, going down the bust and arms like tendrils of flame. It was a suitable wedding dress – definitely not as elaborate as Nesta’s would be, but befitting of a marriage within a royal family.

You had been completely overwhelmed the past week with the amount of servants flocking you to prepare for the wedding. They fiddled with your hair and makeup, poking and prodding you like you were a doll for dress up.

You shuddered to think of how much more chaotic it would be for Nesta and her wedding with Eris, the eldest. After all, Malgorm was only Beron’s second youngest. 

When you weren’t being prepared for the wedding, you spent your time alone in your room, laying on the bed and watching the raindrops trickle down the window. You dared not wander the halls to entertain yourself, the fear of running into Malgorm too great. Realistically, he knew where your room was so if he truly wanted to find you, nothing could stop him. But you did not want to take the unnecessary risk.

Every time you slept for the past week, your dreams were plagued by nightmares of Malgorm. You’d wake up in tears most of the time, yearning for Nesta’s comforting presence or Eris’s smooth words to soothe you. You could still feel his hand around your throat, the remnants of the bruises still visible.

Conveniently enough, the neckline of the dress was just high enough to cover those marks on your neck.

A quiet knock at the door snapped you out of your trance. The servants scurried into whatever formation was required of them seconds before the wooden door opened. You tore your gaze away from the mirror to see a petite female with long auburn hair entering your room. Her skin was pale as snow, covered in heavy green robes. A sheer gold veil covered her head, as if meant to hide her from the world. Her russet eyes landed on you and she let out a small smile.

“My lady.” One of the servants said in greeting, bowing her head. The female’s face was unreadable, a mask of boredom so similar to the one you saw Eris wear.

“Leave us, please.” Her voice was weak, as if she was not accustomed to using it. “I would like to spend some time with my daughter.”

Your heart ached at the Lady of Autumn’s words, even though you knew they weren’t entirely genuine. You missed your own mother so terribly, that hearing someone else refer to you as their daughter was bittersweet. 

The servants obediently trailed out of the room, closing the door behind them. You bowed your head respectfully, and when you met her eyes again you nearly crumpled. Gone was the Lady’s mask of boredom. It was replaced by one of sadness and pity, as if she were looking at a younger version of herself in the mirror. Lucien had told you about the horror his mother had endured under her husband’s cruelty, his stories making you shudder. How ironic it was now, that you were to be subjected to the same fate it seemed.

“Greetings, (Y/N),” She said. “I am the High Lord’s wife, Lirilla Vanserra. It is a pleasure to meet my son’s bride.”

A single tear fell down your cheek. The heavy fabric of the dress was stifling, and your lungs felt like they weren’t getting enough air. But you were too tired to properly cry. You had weeped for the first few nights, and it seemed your body was drained. All you could do was stand there numbly, letting that singular tear make its way down your blotchy skin.

“It is an honour to meet you, my Lady.” Your words did not feel like your own as you spoke them. “And a blessing to be engaged to your son.”

The look that Eris’s mother gave you was one that could only be described as utterly heartbreaking as she said, “Oh my sweet, I think we both know that is not true.”

You were taken aback by her bold words. Every time you had seen the Lady of Autumn this past week it had been like catching a glimpse of a ghost. She had never spoken, keeping her head down and scurrying around like a frightened mouse. While she still seemed frail, her bluntness surprised you. Perhaps Beron wasn’t the one who taught Eris to put on a mask.

“It’s alright, we may speak freely here.” Lirilla said, as if she could read your expression. “The guards at the door are loyal to me, and the ears of this castle do not reach this corridor. May we sit down?”

You nodded, following your future mother-in-law to the edge of the bed. She sat down elegantly, smoothing her skirts with the poise of a female ready for her appearance at court. You, on the other hand, were less graceful, pins stabbing you as you tried to collect the white skirt.

“That is a lovely dress,” Lirilla said. “Is it to your liking?”

“Yes.” You said. “I’m just not used to this much skirt and heaviness. I pray I do not trip on my way down the aisle.”

The Lady’s expression darkened, melancholic sadness shadowing her face. “I am sorry,” Her voice was quiet and hushed. “That you are to be wed to the cruellest of my sons. I do not know how you ended up in this situation, but it is clear that this marriage is against your will.”

You frowned. “The High Lord did not tell you my circumstances?”

Lirilla smiled sadly. “My husband does not tell me most things. And I suspect yours won’t either. Malgorm was, is, the most difficult of my children. I did my best to raise him to be a good male, but like almost all my other sons, he fell into the clutches of my husband too easily.”

“All except Lucien?” You asked tentatively, unsure if you were overstepping. A grave expression crossed her face for a moment, the pain of her youngest son’s banishment from her court evident.

“He told me about you, you know.” Lirilla’s russet eyes were glazed with the memories of the past. “That's why I came to see you. I had to make sure it was the same female that Lucien had befriended all those years ago. How is your family doing, my dear? Is your mom still baking for the local schools?”

Your heart sank, both at the memory of your family and the fact that Lirilla was so cut off from the events of the outside world. “They’re all dead,” You said solemnly. “Hybern attacked my village, and I was the only survivor.”

Her eyes widened with shock. You bit your tongue, resisting the urge to tell her everything as you remembered Azriel’s words. Begrudgingly, you knew he was right – as much as you wanted to break down and tell the Lady of Autumn everything, it was too risky. The less people who knew the better, and while the female had survived Beron’s cruelty for this long, you couldn’t bring yourself to be selfish enough to burden her with the knowledge of everything else that got you into this situation.

“I am terribly sorry,” Lirilla put a comforting hand on your shoulder. “I wish I could say that things will get easier, but they won’t. Not with Malgorm. I do not wish to scare you, but I will not sit by and let you go into this marriage blind. Malgorm does not treat females kindly, including me. He will humiliate you, and cause you pain in more ways than one. I will do what I can to shield you from it, but I cannot stop this and for that I am sorry.”

You shook your head, fiddling with a pin in the white skirts. “No, I cannot ask that of you, my Lady. This suffering I am about to endure is mine to bear, and mine only. Please, do not put yourself in harm's way to try and protect me.”

Another devastatingly sad smile pulled at Lirilla’s lips. She gently reached up and stroked your cheek. “Oh, my love. I am in harm’s way every day in this castle. That will not change. You are to be my daughter, my first daughter. I may not be able to stand up for you, or even spend much time with you outside of stolen moments like this, but that doesn’t mean I won’t protect you however I can.”

Your voice cracked as you spoke. “I don’t want to marry him.”

“I know. But outside of this room, you must face it with a stiff lip. Any sign of reluctance will be punishable. Give Malgorm what he wants. He always gets what he wants in the end, and trying to resist does more harm than good. It is unpleasant, but that is the safest way to handle him.”

You shuddered at her words. You knew that she meant more than just fetching the male his afternoon tea, and your stomach churned. The breath you took trembled from effort to not cry. How had everything come to this?

“Oh honey…” Lirilla gently pulled you into her, wrapping her tiny arms around your trembling body as you let out a muffled sob. “Growing up, I always wanted a daughter. Yet now I have grown to fear the day I get blessed with a daughter-in-law, because I cannot bear to see this vicious cycle repeat over and over again for centuries.”

You cried into your mother-in-law’s arms, letting her warm embrace chase away the chill in your bones. You knew that once you were married, Malgorm would likely not leave you alone unsupervised, especially with his mother. This might just be your only chance to receive some sort of wisdom and comfort from the Lady of Autumn, so you held onto her tightly and let her stroke your hair.

“It’s ok, my child.” She soothed. “Be strong. If you are hurt, have one of the servants seek out the healer Doreah. She will be able to take the pain away and heal internal damage while ensuring the external wounds can still be seen by Malgorm. Should you need access to a safe place, take the first stairwell on the left all the way down into the basement. There is a library there with food, fresh clothes, and anything you need. The guards around it are loyal to me and will cover for you if your whereabouts are questioned. Nobody except for me and my most trusted staff knows about that place. I have had it glamoured by an old friend so that if anyone sees you going down the stairwell, it looks like you’re headed to the female-only bathing area. Not even my husband or Melgorm would follow you there.”

You felt Lirilla gently ease you out of her grip, sitting you upright. She pulled out a handkerchief and gently dried your face, muttering a spell and erasing all evidence of your crying. “I can hear Malgorm coming to visit you,” She whispered urgently. “Remember everything I’ve told you.”

The Lady of Autumn pulled away from you just in time as the door swung open, the uninvited visitor not even bothering to knock. Lirilla’s kind, pitying look had swiftly been replaced by her submissive, passive mask. She stood up hastily at her son’s arrival, bowing her head. “Malgorm,” She muttered, keeping her eyes on the floor. “It is bad luck to see your bride in her wedding dress before the–”

“Quiet.” Malgorm snapped at his mother, and she flinched as if she had been struck. You wondered how much of it was an act, and how much of it was genuine fear of her son. Malgorm’s amber gaze fixed on you greedily. “I don’t give a shit about such stupid tradition. I should be able to see my wife whenever I please. Now get out, father wants to see you.”

Lirilla nodded, gathering her skirts and hurrying past him like a ghost. Her feet made no sound on the floor as she left the room without a hint of a glance back. You were nervous, left alone with the cruel Vanserra brother. But you stood up and bowed your head, trying to mimic Lirilla’s submissive demeanour.

Malgorm made a disapproving sound as he eyed up your dress with disgust. “My father wants you to look pure and traditional,” He scoffed. “To have as much of your body covered up as possible. If it were up to me, you’d be walking down that aisle with your tits and cunt on display for everyone to see.”

Your face burned at his words, and you swallowed the bile in your throat and spoke as sweetly as possible, “I shall do whatever pleases you, my lord.”

Malgorm snickered, his dirty hand coming up to roughly yank a lock of hair out of your face. “That you shall. Luckily for you, this wedding is about pleasing my father. So you will be nice and covered up until the event is over.” He chuckled darkly, his hot breath fanning across your face as he leaned in too closely. “But the second it is over, you belong to me. And I will rip this pretty dress to shreds and stuff that tight cunt of yours every hour until you are bred. Understood?”

You nodded, even as the room swayed around you. “It will be a great honour to bear your child, my lord.” The words felt wrong on your lips, like oil had been poured in your mouth and choked you as it slid down your throat. You were saying what you had to say to keep him happy, you reminded yourself. Nesta and Eris would stop the wedding before it got to that point. Eris had reassured you that even Malgorm would respect the High Lord’s wishes to wait until you were wed to him to bed you, but you couldn’t help but wonder if Malgorm was unhinged enough to do it anyways.

“I expect you to give me sons.” He said coldly. “If you dare curse me with a daughter, I will tear her from the cord and feed her to my brother’s hounds before you can even see her face.”

You swallowed thickly, fear making the hair on your arms raise at the image. You wondered if Eris had built a reputation that was so cruel his brother was sure he would have no qualms about letting his hounds murder a newborn child. The thought made you shudder. You knew Eris had to play a role to survive his father’s court, but you did not know how far he would go. And while you trusted him, that did not erase the inkling of fear.

“I shall pray day and night that the Mother blesses me with sons.” You managed to get the words out without stuttering, which you were happy with. Luckily, Malgorm seemed satisfied enough with you answer.

“Excellent.” He said smoothly, reaching into a pocket and pulling out a sharp knife. Your blood ran cold. “Now, let’s play.”

 *********************

You couldn’t be bothered to try and wipe the blood off your stomach. You had no energy, no strength to even curl your naked, bloody body up into a ball against the cold chill of the room. Your wedding dress was neatly hung up in the corner, Malgorm having been smart enough to get it out of the way before he went to work.

Your body stung with every cut from his blade. Most were shallow cuts that would heal in a day or so, but by the Mother there were so many of them. Your skin felt shredded, like a ruined canvas suffering the wrath of an angry artist. Malgorm had delighted in slicing his blade across your skin, avoiding your hands and face – the only parts of your body that would be visible in the wedding. You could still feel his wet mouth and tongue sliding over the wounds like a venomous snake, the sensation making you want to rip your ruined skin from your body.

Luckily, the male had obeyed his fathers command and not tried to fuck you. He kept his hands away from your centre, seemingly content to ruin other acceptable parts of your body instead. No doubt he wanted everything down there perfect and intact for the wedding night.

A soft shadow grazed your fingertip. It curled up your arm like a ribbon, coming to your face. It seemed to whisper words you couldn’t understand, especially in your lifeless state. “Az…” You murmured, his familiar scent on the small shadow that seemed to inspect your body.

A few moments later, you felt a presence standing over you. “By the Mother…” Came Azriel’s shocked voice. “What did he do to you...”

The shadowsinger emerged from the darkness, leaning down to inspect the dozens of wounds littered across your skin. His hazel eyes were filled with horror as a scarred hand grazed a cut on your collarbone. You watched helplessly as his eyes trailed down to the significant pool of blood beside you that trickled from a deep wound in your stomach.

Right where the letter ‘M’ was carved below your belly button, a few inches above your core.

You couldn’t bring yourself to care about your nakedness in front of the shadowsinger. Malgorm had already begun to strip you of your dignity anyways. But Azriel quickly grabbed the blanket from the end of your bed, gently wrapping it around your body and hoisting you upright. You winced in pain. “We have to stop meeting like this, shadowsinger.” You croaked. “With me being tortured and all.”

Azriel snorted. “Stop getting yourself into these situations then.”

“Couldn’t help it.” Your reply was weak, but earned a slight twitch of the spymaster’s lips, a hint of a smile. “How’d you find me?”

Shadows skirted over your skin, their gentle coolness soothing the sting of the wounds and making you sigh in relief. “I was meeting with Nesta and Eris,” He answered. “She could feel something was wrong… through the bond. Eris sent me to see what happened.”

You frowned. The shadowsinger never stumbled over his words in the entire time you had known him. He already knew Nesta was your mate, so his stutter made you ask, “Why’d you say it like that?”

“What do you mean?” Azriel’s expression gave nothing away, but you could tell something was bothering him.

“What, you don’t like that two females are mates? Is that it?”

The Illyrian departed to your washroom, fetching a damp cloth as he responded. “No, no, Mother above, no. I take no issue with that and you know it.”

“Then what is it?”

Azriel sighed, a lock of dark hair falling across his forehead as he returned and knelt down beside you. He carefully pulled back the blanket, revealing the bloody ‘M’ on your stomach. He pressed the wet cloth to the wound, gently cleaning it. “Something happened,” His tone was cautious, as if he wasn’t sure how much to say. “Between Nesta and Eris. It’s changed things slightly. They’re still trying to figure out how to end the engagement between you and Melgorm but… it’s difficult.”

“How so?” You frowned, trying to sit up straighter only to get gently pushed back down by Azriel. “What do you mean?”

He sighed. “Gods, I really do not wish to be involved in this little love triangle.”

“Well too bad,” You snapped, ignoring the sting of your wounds and fixing him a glare. “Because you already are. So tell me.”

“I can’t decide if you’d be the worst interrogator in Prythian or the best.” Azriel grumbled, moving the cloth to begin wiping down the wounds on your left arm.

“Stop dodging the question.”

“It’s really something they should be the ones to tell you–”

“For fuck’s sake, if I have to march out of this room bloody and naked to find Nesta and Eris so help me I will actually do it.”

Azriel glared at you, snarling. “You’re fucking insufferable, you know that?”

You shrugged, tilting your head and waiting for him to tell you exactly what happened. The shadowsinger let out a sigh, and began cleaning your other arm as he spoke. “Remember how you said that Estelle mentioned Nesta had more than one mate, but Cassian was not one of them?”

You nodded.

“I guess that really is true, because a mating bond snapped for her the other day apparently. Between Nesta and Eris.”

Your jaw went slack. You couldn’t describe the emotions that rushed through you at Azriel’s words. It wasn’t the surge of mately jealousy you expected, nor was it anger per se. Sure, Nesta and Eris were a strong political match, but mates? The thought had never even crossed your mind. But it made sense, in some wicked way. Nesta and Eris had similar magic, and could both hold their own in a court of vipers. Perhaps they truly would make strong offspring, which you supposed was the main reason mates were created. Or so you had been told.

Azriel’s brow was furrowed at your silence. “You don’t seem surprised.”

You shrugged, trying to calm your racing mind. “Not entirely. Better it be Eris than someone potentially worse. It will work well in their favour, I suppose.”

The spymaster’s normally unreadable face was riddled with confusion. If you were not in pain, you’d have laughed at his expression. He shook his head, continuing to dab at the wounds on your chest as he spoke. “I do not understand,” Azriel continued. “When the bond snapped between Rhys and Feyre, Cassian and I could barely look at Feyre without him snarling at us. I may not have a mate, but I know mates are supposed to be utterly possessive of one another. Why are you not enraged that your mate has another bond?”

You sighed. Azriel would never truly understand – it was obvious that a mating bond was something he desired greatly. For Nesta to have not only one, but two mating bonds surely brought him discomfort. And truthfully, while you were certainly experiencing a whirlwind of emotions at the new information, none of them were associated with anger or jealousy. 

Love comes in many forms and unexpected ways, your mother had once told you. Those words had stuck by you all these years, and growing up in Spring had exposed you to all different kinds of relationships. Males had courted males, females had courted females, and you had often heard stories of an individual having multiple courtings, all of which was done with nothing but love, devoid of possessiveness or jealousy. 

“Nesta is someone who has not experienced nearly as much love as she should,” You began, meeting Azriel’s hazel gaze. “She is my mate, and nothing will ever change that. There is nothing she can do that will make me love her any less. But I don’t believe the amount of love an individual can receive should be restricted to one person. If Eris is her mate and can grow to love her, what kind of mate would I be to want it denied from her? Nesta deserves all the love that the world can offer her, and if that comes from both me and Eris then I do not see how that could be a bad thing.”

The Illyrian was quiet for a moment, his shadows swirling around his neck as if they, too, were deep in thought. “You make it sound so simple.” He said after a minute. 

“Because it is. Nesta and Eris had a connection before the bond snapped into place. They are good for each other, and you know it. You just need to get past your one sided hatred for the male and see it.”

Anger sparked in Azriel’s face. “And what about Cassian?”

“What about him?”

“He loves Nesta. You claim that the Mother… Estelle… told you that Cassian was not one of Nesta’s mates. But there is something between them, both he and Nesta know it. He loves her.”

You curled your fingers into fists, nails biting the sweaty flesh of your palm. “Cassian is no concern of mine.” You snarled at the shadowsinger. “He is for Nesta to deal with. And he is not in love with her, he loves the idea of being with her. You aren’t a fool, Azriel. Every interaction they have turns into a battle, with Cassian making it his mission to push her buttons and disrespect her boundaries. Can you truly look me in the eye and tell me that they are a better match than Nesta and I? Or Nesta and Eris?”

He opened his mouth as if to instinctively defend his brother, but nothing came out. “Thought so.” You continued. “If Feyre and Rhys were not mates, you all would not be pushing for Nesta to be with Cassian as hard as you have. You act like she has to become worthy of his love, as if he is some perfect male. He’s 500 years old, quit making excuses for him and his shitty behaviour.”

Azriel put the blood soaked cloth down, gently pulling the blanket back over your shivering form to cover your body once again. You pitied the male slightly, guilt creeping in for the position he had gotten himself into. You knew Azriel had been loyal to Rhysand for five centuries, and it was clear that this was the first time he felt truly torn. 

“If Cassian and Nesta are not mates, then why did Rhys make such a statement?” Azriel asked, turning his body so he sat beside you. A giant wing gently grazed your blanket covered shoulder, as if to provide some sort of comfort. “Does he truly believe they are mates, or was it a lie? I cannot think of why he would lie about something that big.”

“I can.” You snorted, earning an eye roll from Azriel.

“I will not deny my brother’s horrid actions,” He protested, voice edged with anger. “But he loves Cassian, and lying to him about the mating bond–”

“Would be a way to try and lure Nesta back to the Night Court.” You interrupted the shadowsinger. “A means to control her, and convince her to stay.”

Azriel shook his head, scarred hands fiddling with the hilt of his dagger. “You don’t understand. You know Nesta, but I know Cassian. He’s been acting like a male whose mate has been taken from him. His behaviour is erratic and unreasonable, more so than he has ever been. I cannot think of an explanation for that aside from a mating bond, (Y/N). Besides, he can feel her somehow. There’s something tying them together.”

“I believe the Mother more than your High Lord. If she says that Cassian is not Nesta’s mate, then I believe her.” Truthfully, Azriel’s confession about Cassian’s mood lately unsettled you, having lined up with Emerie and Gwyn’s note about the general being unhinged. You had to admit, they sounded like the actions of a distressed mated male. Azriel was right, something was tying them together. You just didn’t know what.

“Regardless, that bears little relevance to the situation currently.” The spymaster said, echoing your thoughts as he steered away from the uncomfortable topic. “You are set to be married to Malgorm by the end of next week. Nesta and Eris are to be wed soon after. Eris is coming up with a plan to stop your wedding, and I suspect killing his father as well. There is no chance that he will be able to defy Beron and end your engagement and get away with it. Beron has to be eliminated, it is the only way to ensure your safety.”

You felt ill. Killing Beron was something you hadn’t thought of as much in light of the problems of the foreseeable future. It only doubled the risk of everything, trying to execute two life-altering plans within such a short window. You didn’t even know if he and Nesta were ready to take on a High Lord. Sure, they were incredibly powerful fae, but Beron had centuries of experience on them. He was cruel, but not stupid.

Eris was risking his entire plan to become High Lord to ensure you weren’t made to marry his cruel younger brother.

Shadows wisped around your face, as if they could hear your thoughts. Beside you, Azriel remained stoic, but spoke softly. “Eris cares about you, too.”

“Sometimes I think I understand him, and other times I feel like I could not be more wrong.” You sighed, tightening your grip on the stained blanket. “He’s a male whose actions are driven by his own secret agenda. I understand how helping Nesta fits into it, but me? Helping me is a courtesy, a generous one even for him. I… I don’t understand why he’s risking so much for me, unless it’s all because Nesta is his mate too.”

“There might be more to Eris Vanserra than I could have ever imagined. Whether that is for better or for worse, I do not know. I will not lie, it makes me uneasy that your fate will be in his hands. But for some reason you have trusted him this far. Time will tell if that trust has been misplaced.”

Deep down, you knew it wasn’t. Perhaps it was because you shared a mate with him, a commonality that would keep you united no matter what. Or perhaps it was that foolish part of your brain that fancied the eldest Vanserra brother from a distance, who had teasingly called you his little fox on the rare occasion he ran into you with Lucien. 

You shivered as another chilly gust of wind seeped into the room through the cracked window. It soothed your still stinging wounds beneath the blanket, but you wrapped the fabric even tighter around you. “Whatever Eris is planning, I hope it works.” You mumbled.

“Me too.” Azriel said dryly. “For all our sake.”

 *********************

You tried to keep your breathing steady as you stood on the second step of the dias below Beron’s throne. Grand torches lined the red and gold carpet leading up to the throne, illuminating the tapestries lining each wooden wall. 

It had been mid morning when the servants flooded your room, scrambling to get you ready for an appearance in court. When you frantically asked what the fuss was about, you were surprised when you received an answer.

“His Grace has received an unexpected visitor,” The oldest of the servants said in a hushed tone. “You and your betrothed are expected with the rest of the family to greet them.”

It had taken less than five minutes for your hair to be done and your dress to be fitted properly before a set of guards had escorted you to the throne room. Upon entering, you had snuck a glance at the other figures on the dias. Lirilla stood left beside the seated High Lord, her head bowed and hands clasped in front of her. Eris and Nesta were on Beron’s right, one step below. Both adorned royal outfits in similar shades of red, each wearing an almost identical mask of boredom. Nesta’s arm was linked through Eris’s as a formality, but you noticed how tense she was. Her breathing was shallow, as if being in such close proximity to Eris was too much. Luckily, it appeared to be something only you noticed. To everyone else, they appeared the stone-cold politically arranged couple they were meant to be.

You had tried to reach out to Nesta through the bond, but were met with a wall of stone. You tried not to let it sting as she shut you out, choosing to focus on keeping your expression neutral as you held onto Malgorm’s arm the same way Nesta was with Eris’s. It felt wrong, and every part of you wanted to recoil at his touch. Your skin still felt flayed from the events of last night, but as predicted the dress that Malgorm undoubtedly chose for you this morning covered up all evidence of his actions.

So you fought through the pain, ignoring the sneering looks of Beron’s other sons whose names you did not know. You were almost grateful when harsh words from the High Lord threatening punishment to his offspring put them in line.

The tension in the room was thick. You hadn’t dared try and look back towards Nesta and Eris, not with Beron breathing down your necks. It was only a few minutes after the Vanserra family had gotten in formation when the heavy doors to the throne room opened, and the High Lord of the Night Court strode in.

Your mouth went dry. Your mind flashed with images of that forsaken dungeon, the dark tendrils of the High Lord’s power carving through your skin like butter. Was he here to snatch you away? Piercing violet eyes landed on you as Rhysand approached the foot of the dias, swarming with a mixture of fury and confusion. Nevertheless, he bowed his head to Beron. “High Lord,” Rhys said smoothly. “You are looking well.”

You weren’t fooled by the feigned respect. Luckily, Beron wasn’t either, and you heard the male scoff. “Do not bother yourself with false pleasantries, we both know you don’t actually mean them.” Beron said coldly, his aged voice echoing through the throne room like the power of an ancient god. “Give me one reason why I should not execute you for entering my territory without permission.”

Rhys straightened his shoulders, cocking his head and stuffing his hands in his pockets as he met Beron’s words with a cool tone. “Last I checked, meetings of diplomacy were still favourable between two High Lords, were they not?”

“And yet you have no excuse for the uninvited part.”

“I fear my concerns were too urgent and important to notify you in advance.” Rhys’s voice was saccharine, a veil to disguise his true intentions. On a younger, more inexperienced High Lord, it may have worked. But once again, you found yourself strangely grateful for Beron Vanserra. The older male saw right through his words, and would not be afraid to challenge him.

“And what is so important you had to barge in on my court uninvited?” Beron growled, the flames from the torches along the carpet flaring slightly.

Rhysand’s face was smug, and he looked at you directly as he spoke. “You have in your midst a valuable asset of mine. I want her back.”

A cold pit formed in your stomach as you met his stare evenly, despite your bones trembling beneath his gaze. You were right – Rhys had come to spin some lie about you that was designed to make Beron hand you over to the Night Court. You were a fly trapped in a web, and your hand clenching nervously around Malgorm’s arm was not entirely for show.

“Do explain.” Was all the High Lord of Autumn said in a bored tone.

“The female standing at the bottom of the dias belongs to me. Your eldest son infiltrated my court and kidnapped her on the full moon. He is holding her here against her will in a pathetic attempt to hold leverage over me. I ask that you punish Eris Vanserra for his insubordination and return Lady (Y/N) to me, so I can bring her home where she belongs.”

Your blood ran cold. Rhys wasn’t just trying to get you back, but Nesta as well. He wanted to take down Eris in the process, which would force Beron to not only send you back to the Night Court, but Nesta too since the engagement would be broken off and she would have nothing tying her to Autumn. Panic began to stir inside you. This couldn’t be happening. You braced yourself for Beron’s wrath, demanding Eris be brought to the dungeons for immediate questioning.

But instead, the cruel male just laughed. A bitter, hoarse sound like a broken instrument. “That was a pathetic excuse of a story, even for you, Rhysand.” Beron said, making the Night Court Lord blink in surprise. “Not even well crafted. How dare you come into my court and attempt to manipulate me?”

You heard Beron rise in his throne, and the torches began to flare angrily as the High Lord’s temper rose. “I am no fool. I know that you are only here because you’re desperate from losing your spy that had valuable intel on you. A spy who fled your clutches seeking sanctuary with me because of what you did to her.”

“I did nothing.” Rhys said, which angered Beron even more.

“You lie again! I am well aware that the girl was trained as a spy against her will to repay her debt to you. You were an immature fool to trust a prisoner to spy for you, which is one of the many reasons your court is run so poorly. I saw the wounds you inflicted on her, boy, when she found out you planned to take the title of High King.”

Rhys’s expression revealed shock for a split second, the loss of composure making you laugh internally. You hadn’t expected Beron to defend you so vehemently, especially against another male. But you still clung to every breath nervously as he continued to speak.

“Have you not considered that this information she so eagerly gave you might be a ploy to get you to wage war on my court?” Rhysand said carefully.

“So you admit then that your story was false?” Beron had impressively backed Rhys into a corner, catching him in his lie. “That she was indeed your spy turned rogue?”

Rhys had the nerve to shrug. “All that matters is that she is a member of my court, and I demand you release her to me.” He kept his tone neutral, but you could feel the desperation coming off of him in waves.

“My daughter is no longer a member of your court.”

Rhysand’s face blanched visibly at Beron’s words. He went utterly still, even the pulsing aura of power that always seemed to be around him quieting. His violet eyes found you again, but you kept your chin high. He glanced down at your arm entwined with Malgorm’s, who was no doubt smirking proudly at Rhys. It was strange, hearing Beron refer to you as his daughter. 

“What?” The High Lord of the Night Court said quietly.

“As a reward for her bravery in fleeing your grasp, and for the useful information she so willingly provided us with, I have given her the honour of marrying my son Malgorm. She is my daughter now, and you will not take her from me.”

You felt an invisible hot flame on your arm, undoubtedly the power of the High Lord. It beckoned you, pulling you towards the throne where he had seated himself once again. Malgorm had seemingly felt it too, for he guided you up the steps to where Beron sat. You looked into the eyes of the High Lord for the first time. His hair was slicked back identical to Malgorm’s, but faded to an ashy grey in contrast to his son’s fiery red. His sharp face took you in, amber eyes glowing like a snake in the dark. He extended a hand towards you, fingers clad in rings more expensive than everything your village in Spring had owned put together. You smiled as you took it, ensuring you looked grateful. To further paint the image of Beron’s new daughter, you lowered your head and gently kissed his aged hand as a sign of respect for your father-in-law. 

Beron looked at you proudly, pulling you closer so you were standing right next to him. His hand was clammy and his grip was ironclad, but you showed no signs of resistance. Malgorm took up his post slightly behind you, an arm on the small of your back in a display of ownership.

Rhysand’s mask had slipped entirely as you stared defiantly down at him, disgust and shock written all over his features. He had not even given Nesta and Eris a second glance, his fury towards you overriding his diplomatic practices. But you did not feel frightened, not with Nesta, Eris, and especially Beron in the same room.

Nothing would happen to you. Beron would protect you for his own selfish reasons, but it was reassuring nonetheless.

“My eldest son did not kidnap the girl.” Beron said coldly, his grip on your hand never faltering. “The day you claim it happened, Eris was assigned to meetings with my courtiers from sunup to sundown, all of whom can act as witness.”

You pushed down your confusion – Eris was most definitely not in meetings that day, and how he had managed to pull this alibi off was something you would have to ask him about later.

Beron continued, authority strong in his voice. “She came to me willingly, and I have welcomed her with open arms. I know who she is – a girl from the Spring Court whom you rescued then used as a pawn in one of your little games, only for her to outsmart you in the end. Never again will my daughter fall into suffering under your hands, Rhysand. If you try to do anything to harm her or remove her from my territory, I will burn your entire court to the ground. Just as I will do if you ever think of claiming the title of High King of Prythian.”

Beron spat the title out, his power filling the room. “You are an immature boy playing games you don’t understand,” He continued dangerously. “And any attempt at seizing lordship over this land will be met with the slaughter of everything you hold dear. I will erase your name from the history books, and there will be nobody left to remember Amarantha’s Whore. And if you think any of the other High Lords would bow down to you, your arrogance is even more stupid than I thought. Now get out of my court, half-breed. And do not return.”

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[princeoftheeternalbog]

Marco brainrot :( he's so kind and handsome and strong I WANT TO BITE HIM

Im sorry if hes ooc im still getting used to writing.

SFW!

Marco the phoenix x reader

You presume your downfall can be attributed to a Mr. Portagus D Ace.

You don't know what he said but considering how drunk he was last night when you caught him whispering to Marco and the way he's now avoiding you, it must've been something. And the way Marco is staring at you right now is a pretty big indicator of the topic(your big fat crush).

Seriously though, it's really distracting.

You think that if you don't acknowledge it, maybe he won't either and then everything can be normal and fine and the same.

This is what you tell yourself as you retie the same knot you've been trying to tie for the last 3 minutes, Marco's gaze burning on the back of your neck. The sweltering heat of this islands climate doesn't really help the anxiety tummy ache you have but it's not like you can go visit the ship's doctor because he's- oh right behind you apparently.

"I'm sure I taught you better than this"

And then he's right in your space, strong arms curling around you, caging you in and he hooks his head over your shoulder. He starts pulling the knot apart.

"Distracted-yoi?"

His voice is lilted, you think he's teasing you but you can barely hear what he's saying with how the blood is rushing to your head. You do a half hearted little nod as you watch his hands move, muscles and tendons flexing, you wonder how strong they are and how they would feel holding you and you really hope also that you aren't drooling.

When he's finished, he doesn't step away like you expect. Instead his hands come to rest on your waist, gentle but firm, and you feel like you're going insane.

He hums lightly behind u, tightens his grip ever so slightly and then presses a barely-there-kiss to your shoulder before moving away. By the time your brain comes back online and you turn around he's nowhere to be found on deck.

"What the fuck"

Your whispering feels very loud now that you're alone.

-

With how distracted you are, you end up getting sent to your room by one of the assistant doctors to 'cool down'. You proceed to spend the next 2 hours before dinner alternating between frantic pacing and staring at the wall.

How are you actually supposed to proceed from here? Does this mean he reciprocates your feelings? Did he just think it would be funny- no he's not like that and pops wouldn't allow someone to do that. But how the hell are you supposed to bring that up??

The chaotic stream of thoughts are interrupted by a light tap tap tap on your door.

"Heyy... can i come in"

Its Ace. He sounds scared like he's worried you might hurt him for his little slip up.

He's right. Murder is on the to-do list.

"Sure but you waive your right to safety" Your tone is bitey but not cold because even though he snitched, you did get a kiss out of it.

His sigh of relief is loud as the door swings open,

"I really thought you weren't gonna let me in after-"

"Don't remind me."

"Yep right sorry" He looks pale and you decide to give him some grace.

"...He kissed me"

"WHAT"

"DON'T BE SO LOUD"

"HOW CAN I NOT BE WHEN YOU DROP SOMETHING LIKE THAT"

"JUST STOP YELLING"

"YOU STOP YELLING"

"OKAY THEN"

"OKAY"

You look at each other. He's grinning at you and you finally let yourself feel just the giddy butterflies.

"He kissed me"

"I knew it was gonna work out"

"No you didn't"

"No I didn't"

"I don't know what to do now though"

His brow furrows, "What do you mean, he kissed you so that's like a confession right? you're like dating now"

"Well it was like- he kissed my shoulder"

"If anything that sounds more intimate, I'm not seeing the issue"

"Well he didn't say anything about it"

"So you say something"

"NO"

"DON'T SHOUT"

"I'M NOT"

"OKAY"

"But seriously what would I even say, 'oh hi, you know when you basically cradled me against you on the deck and kissed me did that like mean anything or were you just trying something different?' No way, I'll sound stupid"

His face softens and his tone is a lot more reassuring when he says, "I'm sure it did mean something"

"How can you know" Your voice wobbles and this is so embarrassing.

"Just- why don't you sit next to him now at dinner?"

"But that's your usual spot?"

"I'll move up a bit"

"No I don't want to cause you problems too- AND people will definitely point it out"

"No they won't"

"Yes they will"

"No come on just- hey slow down" You're speedwalking out of the room like you can't hear him.

-

Nobody does point it out but you still wish you weren't pressed side to side with your division commander right now.

Ace had somehow managed to distract you enough that you didn't even notice Marco was the one moving to sit by you. It had ended up with Ace in Marco's usual place, you in Ace's and Marco in yours. What's worse is that Ace is now stuffing his face, paying no mind to conversation, so you have no distraction from the heavy, warm hand that's settled on your knee.

It's so hard to eat when you feel likr you heart is about to burst out of your chest. Still you manage to choke down a fair amount, 1. because it's your favourite and 2. because if your mouth is full then you don't have to talk to Marco.

You tilt your head to look at him and lock eyes, his mouth lifts a bit at the corners and he squeezes your knee gently before turning back to whatever conversation he was having. His calm demeanor is not at all helping.

By the time you've eaten your fill, you feel like you're vibrating. You're quick to stand up from the table and rush to put your plate in the pile before practically sprinting out of the hall. You know he's watching you go but you honestly think your blood pressure is hitting a new all time high.

-

The next few days or so go pretty much the same. Marco doing something that is heart attack worthy and you running away but trying to make it seem like you're not.

In this timeframe he has; caught you bridal style after the ship rocked too harshly, given you his shirt after a wardrobe mishap on an island(not mentioning the way he covered you up with his wings to protect your privacy), licked some spare icing off the corner of your mouth- which nearly made you faint- and that's only the half of it.

Coincidentally, you are now also dealing with another problem. A new recruit seems to have taken quite a liking to you and is apparently making it their mission to bother you every spare second of the day.

-

"Goodmorning!"

"...morning"

"Ah your sweet voice is such a good mood booster...though I would like to hear it even earlier"

Their tone is- well it's attempting to be sultry and the smirk on their face tells you that was definitely an innuedo but before you can reply with something in the realm of 'thats inappropriate', a strong, stern voice cuts through the air.

"Then how about you take the second late shift tonight."

You nearly laugh.

"W-well I don't uhm- I didn't- yes sir"

Their voice is defeated as they return to their duties but you won't lie, you don't even feel a twinge of empathy because thank god you don't have to deal with that anymore.

You turn slowly, because despite the rookies comment it's still barely daylight, and you are tired.

"Thank you. I could've dealt with it though" You can't help the way you smile when you look at him god you must look so silly.

"I know"

He's grinning lazily at you, posture relaxed and open.

"But you're important to me, I can't risk losing you to someone else-yoi"

You feel a rush of butterflies in your stomach and you cant help the giggle that escapes your mouth. You cringe, slapping a hand over your mouth because you don't giggle, you're not a giggler, how are you always embarrassing yourself. His grin widens more and he steps close to you,

"Cute...but let me see your pretty face hm?"

His hand is gentle in the way it grabs your wrist and tugs but you still didn't expect the strength there so you stumble forwards slightly. He seems to use this as an opportunity and his other arm curls tight around your waist and pulls you flush.

He clicks his tongue at you,

"Careful"

He somehow pulls you even closer together, your chests are touching and his thigh is brushing the inside of your own. He's so close to your face and he's leaning in and your lips brush and-

"Commander!"

You can see the way Marco's mouth twists in displeasure and to be honest you feel just as disappointed.

You feel dazed as he steps away from you to talk to whoever had decided to interrupt. You just keep replaying the moment in your head, the way he held you like you were everything. You don't even notice his conversation is finished until a warm hand brushes your cheek.

"huh"

"Lost in thought again-yoi?"

He looks slightly less irritated now but the lines of frustration are still noticeable in his face.

"I have to go back to the med bay now"

"Okay"

You still feel hazy to be honest, the fact that he was so close is just melting your brain. But you're cognizant enough to recognise the way his face drops ever so slightly and then you make up your mind.

Before you can chicken out or throw up, your hand comes up and grips the front of Marco's shirt and you yank him towards you. He doesn't have time to react before you're sliding your mouth over his, sweet and smooth.

You pull back,

"I'll see you later then yeah?"

He looks like he's been struck dumb.

"...Yeah"

But by the time he's responded you're already bouncing off inside to continue with your chores.

-

Welp okay that's the end because im not sure where else to go with it but i hope its good. I just get so sad there's not that much Marco fics😔. If you want a part two i can see what i can think of, but if you have ideas feel free to share also! I will write nsfw but I don't know if it'll be good so fair warning :)

[gerbymoo]

💔💔💔Bucci Gang Dealing With a Breakup 💔💔💔

Because I love making characters who experience pain experience even more pain (◣ _ ◢)

Giorno The calm and collected blonde who had just begun to grow comfortable in letting his emotions out on display for you begins to regress back to keeping it all to himself. He doesn’t cry, he’s learned crying does nothing to fix the situation just as it didn’t fix the neglect of his mother. However, his inner turmoil prompts him to have other out of control reactions. He’s shaking more than usual, his concentration is completely off, his isolation is even more apparent even on days where it seems things are going to be okay. The others make attempts to dissuade Giorno out of these harmful habits but to no merit, it is best to let him decide when he is ready to talk about this. The thing with Giorno however is that he will also conclude there is no need to talk about it. He hurt you and you decided to move on. It was only logical, despite how detrimental of a loss it was to him. On rare occasions, he would sit in his room, spacing out and thinking about you in every little detail, all of the observations he had made of you. It would be weeks until he would finally shed a small tear, realizing how complacent he had been in just letting you go. He was ruthless and forthcoming in other matters but he felt great shame for not showing the same degree of importance to you and the relationship.

Bucciarati

Similarly, he tries not to personalize this too much as he understands the nature of the game. He is a capo after all, of course he wouldn’t be able to freely make time for you as much as he would like. However unlike Giorno, he is more quickly to fold over and realize the emotional mess he has become. His drinking is usually always under control, but now the others have pointed out how much he drinks, downing a whole bottle of wine in a sitting. He is always able to focus on things on a rational level not letting his emotions influence him too much, but he finds his hand shaking as he holds his phone, fighting himself to not call or message you out of desperation and a need to know that you are doing fine. He also feels great shame for letting it all go too easily and for just accepting it without much of a fight.

He is able to keep appearances with the others for the most part but there are subtle changes that everyone sees but no one wants to bring up. This is Bruno after all, he will always just put their needs over his own despite their protests. He misses you, he blames himself for absolutely everything. It will take him a very long time to be able to move on. He might check in on you just to ensure your safety but is always dying on the inside if he were to ever find out you moved on with someone who could provide you with something he never could. 

Fugo

Things end in a very chaotic way and immediately triggers his black and white perceptions of things. This was your fault, you weren’t being reasonable enough to understand the type of person he is. If it was his out of control anger that pushed you away from him then so be it, he obviously is in no position to make improvements on himself. Nothing much changes from his usual self other than he becomes even more snappy and becomes a bit too physically aggressive with potential enemies. He’s brought in by the older gang members about his need to cool off and even take some time to himself but he always refuses. If he were to take time off for himself it would only lead to worse things because the only thing that would cloud his thoughts would be you. You deserved better, you didn’t deserve the ticking time bomb that he was. He finally accepts how he had a large part to play because he was still that immature, defensive child even with someone as caring and as understanding as you. He decides it's best to just let you go for someone much more suited for you. He finds himself returning to playing the piano after years of letting it collect dust, preferring there to be some noise than the echoing silence of not having you there. 

Narancia

It’s hard for him to fully process and understand what it all means, or more importantly, hard for him to fully accept that your presence just wouldn’t be there anymore. The first couple of days he acts as if nothing had happened. The denial runs deep and he continues to be his old cheery self, joking with the others and looking at life through a bright lens because you’d come back after all, right? The weeks go on and it becomes more of a reality that this is how things will be from now on. He becomes more quiet, a bit more withdrawn and his zest is seemingly shot down for a lot of things.

Panic sets in and he finds himself hyperventilating more frequently, the others pointing this out of concern for him. The abandonment comes in in full fruition, having flashbacks of when he lost his mother and how his father couldn’t care less. Yes he still had the others but without you it felt entirely incomplete, there was always that caring and comforting presence of yours and it’s actually gone because of his own incompetence.  It’s only when he cries it out with Fugo when he realizes that you are gone for good this time, unable to rationalize or control his intense emotions about everything. 

Mista

Surprisingly, he is used to the nature of relationships, both long term and short term. This isn’t to say it doesn’t hurt him nor does he have to take some time to come to terms with what’s happened, but that’s just how life works after all. No need to dwell on it and no need to stop living just because you’re not in the picture anymore. And for a while, things seem to be going well for him! That is until he sees old pictures of you on his phone that he hasn’t bothered to delete. Or when he orders a dessert and realizes you aren’t there to share it with him. Or simply realizing how much he actually missed a lot of these small details of you, such as your scent, how your eyes looked in the sun, how your voice sounded when you called his first name. 

He smiles through the pain, and the others can see that it is a forced smile for the most part. He catches himself looking through old text convos in the middle of the night, berating himself for becoming so attached and in trying to figure out where he messed up. He repeatedly tries to find some sort of logical explanation through his own world, any pattern of fours or perhaps he hasn’t been praying as often as he needs to and this is divine punishment. He’s only open about it with some members of the gang, but soon lets the feeling come and go despite how hard it is to realize that this was one of those relationships he wanted for the long term.

Abbacchio

Everyone can see the growing storm cloud over his head as his demeanor becomes even more guarded, more gloomy and more rigid. He doesn’t talk to anyone, disappearing for a while and giving the reason that there are personal things he needs to take care of. Drinking is the easy part of it and he knows it’s not the solution, but the self destructive thoughts is what kills him on the inside. It’s not even a, we had a miscommunication type of situation, he begins to genuinely believe there is just something seriously wrong with him and that he will be incapable of forming healthy relationships from here on out. Or simply refusing to have something intimate with anyone that isn’t you. 

Bucciarati is the only one that catches him on his downward spiral and strenuously snaps him back into reality. He sobers up for the most part but refuses to want to know anything about what happened with you or where you are now. He rationalizes better with himself and returns to his usual routine, no questions asked. Unsurprisingly during the harder days, or when there is a reminder of you, he will use his stand to replay every single moment of enjoyment he had with you until he is to the point of exhaustion. 

Trish

Almost goes through the entire stages of denial in the span of a week once it’s set in stone that things are over. There is poison in her voice and how all of this is your fault and how she never wishes to ever see you again. She regresses back into that scared teenager, afraid of what will happen to her and with no indication of who to actually trust. She trusted you, and you did too and it takes a day for her to fully come to terms that it was also her doing to have pushed you away. She finds herself lost in thought of you, spacing out in risky situations and often enough to have the others bring her attention back to earth frequently.

In the final stages she cries her heart out, her eyes permanently puffy and swollen and her voice unrecognizable as he quarantines herself in her room. She’s still holding anger towards you but now mostly towards herself. She impulsively destroys every picture she took of you only to find herself taping them all back together after the matter. She becomes more in control of herself once the adrenaline runs out, and although it still hurts, she convinces herself of worse circumstances she has been able to overcome. 

[asteriastarr]

Could you do a deuce x human reader where her family is kinda chaotic. It can go anyway you want ily

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THANK-YOU FOR THE REQUEST ANON!!!! So like idk how good this one is but it's like kinda long and uh I may do a part 2 because omg this request gave me sm ideas. Also the only reason I gave reader 8 siblings is because big families are usually the most chaotic. Anyways I hope you enjoy! Ly! (Also i did a dif thing here where I made the tense 2nd person to try it out cus thats what a lot of people on here use, tell me what you guys think!)

POV: Deuce meeting his Human!girlfriends family.

“Before you meet my family, you should probably know that they’re a bit… chaotic…”

That is what you had warned him of before he came to have dinner with your family, while he wasn’t completely sure what you had meant by that he was sure he could handle whatever it was (Like- what could possibly be more chaotic than the fact he was a gorgon that literally went to a boarding school for monsters). Besides- he was determined to make a good impression on your parents, while you knew and were… mostly, okay with the… scaled situation, your family didn’t. He had to make this good impression now because he knew he couldn’t exactly hide it forever and he’d rather your family liked him when they do find out.

You didn’t talk much about your family, the only thing he really knew was the fact you had eight siblings, most of them twins and that you were the middle child and the only one who wasn’t a twin (hence why you were the only one with your own room). Deuce knocked on the door and after hearing what sounded like arguing was greeted by your smiling face.

“Hey, Deuce!” You greet, gently reaching up to adjust his beanie to ensure the snakes were covered “Come in!” You grab his hand and guide him inside. “You’re a bit early but we can just like- hang out in my room for a bit until dinn-” You began before being cut off by your younger brother running in front of you.

“Who’s this?” He asked “Is he your boyfriend”

“No, he’s my long-lost twin brother.” You said sarcastically trying to move past him.

“No, he’s not! You don’t have a twin! And besides his hair is green, you don’t have green hair!” Your brother exclaimed, “Wait, why is his hair green?”

“Because he’s secretly the Joker.” You stated, finally managing to move past your younger brother “Now, leave us alone you little brat.”

“I’m telling mom you said that!” He exclaimed.

“Go ahead! I’ll just tell her that you got suspended for a week for punching a kid and didn’t even tell her.” You retort pulling Deuce up the stairs before being stopped again by two of your younger sisters Valentina and Valeria.

“Y/n have you seen Jinx?” Valentina asked.

“No, and if Mom finds out you let that snake out of its terrarium again, you’re going to be in huge trouble.” You warned.

“What about Cookie? Have you seen Cookie?” Valeria asked teary-eyed.

“No, I haven’t but if I see it in my room again, I swear- I’m going to squish it.” You threatened.

“But Y/nnn-” Valeria whined before apparently finally noticing Deuce “Does Mom know you have your boyfriend over?”

“Yes, she does actually, now leave us alone please.” You hissed, trying to manoeuvre past them.

“His hair is weird,” Valentina commented.

“So is yours and you don’t see him commenting on it.” You snapped, pushing past them and finally entering your room.

You sigh as both you and Deuce sit on your bed.

“Your siblings seem nice,” Deuce commented as you scoffed.

“You don’t have to lie Deuce, they’re annoying.” You spoke.

“No, they uh- seem, sweet.” He said as you moved your head to lay it in his lap.

“Awe, aren’t you naïve.” You said, lifting your head to press a kiss on his lips.