#been screaming it for years but nobody listens until it’s too late

[snzluv3r]

i actually feel so incredibly uncomfortable and isolated in this space right now and i know that’s silly because of how many people there are just like me who share the same feelings but idk…the fact that people even think this is defensible behavior is making me feel sick

[sleepyangelkami]

PERVERTED I c.grimes

 ☆ WORD COUNT - 3.3K

CARL GRIMES X FEM!READER

 ☆ SUMMARY - you and carl had been best friends for as long as he can remember but lately he's feeling new emotions towards you, ones he doesn't think are too good for a girl like you. as if the world had been listening to his sins, they let him stumble upon your panties, left idly in your laundry basket.

 ☆ WARNINGS - smut, pervert!carl, innocence kink, corruption kink, masterbation, dom!carl, sub!reader, dirty talk, wet (day)dream, kinda manipulative carl, upskirting, aged up characters, use of y/n, petnames, intended lower case, nothing i write is ever proofread 🩷

series masterlist

you still remembered the day you sat in your dad's farmhouse, surrounded by your family when you heard blood curdling screams from a man out front. you were young then, maybe just after turning eleven when you escaped out the front door, seeing a man carrying what appeared to be his son in his arms, covered in blood.

that was the day you met your soon to be, best friend.

over the years, you and carl grew close. some would say you were best friends, that was what you'd say too. you grew up with all older sisters so you didn't really have anyone your age growing up. not until you met carl and you knew you could trust him with anything. he always told you so. told you that you need no one if not him.

eventually you landed yourself in alexandria. with everything that had happened back at the farmhouse, then at the prison, then the death of your dear sister beth, maggie decided it would be best if you went to live with her and glenn. so that was exactly what you did.

alexandria was unlike anywhere you'd ever been your entire life.

it was blissfull, peaceful.

carl loved alexandria too. it had everything he could possibly need. his own room, his own comics, posters... you. he'd been sitting idly on his bed, flipping through a comic book and not so much as taking notice to the absolute mess in his room. he usually got like this on weekends, letting the room go absolutely horrid with a mess. he knew by any minute now you'd come stalking through the door, brows furrowing at the untidiness of his room.

knock !

ah, there you were.

carl tried to fight back his smile as he tossed the comic book to the side. "come in!" he yelled, flipping himself onto his back as he'd been laying on his stomach.

with no surprise, you stalked through the door. your lips were pressed into a smile as wide as anything, pretty white dress sat across your figure. it made carl remember just how innocent you were to the world around you. you had no idea of what thoughts ran through men's minds when they saw you. he had an overwhelming fear to protect you from it. but if he did, he wasn't too sure if he could protect you from him, too. "hi!" you practically beamed as you came in through the bedroom door.

"hey." situating himself up on the bed. "how was work?"

you worked in the kindergarten near your house. you'd always liked kids, having a certain bond with them that no one could quite explain. you liked taking care of them, you liked playing with them. judith was one of the many you took care of. of course, you were only eighteen so you didn't take care of them full time, you worked with another one of the staff members. "good!" seating yourself on the bed. "i got off early so i helped carol with her pie."

carl couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. his little baker. "that's good, baby."

baby.

to some, that would seem absurd to call your best friend. it would seem like the time of thing that you'd call your girlfriend or your boyfriend. that was what your new friend ron had told you when he'd heard it himself. that night you asked carl if it was odd, if the names he was calling you truly were weird. nobody else called you those names but you supposed you'd never questioned it for how long he'd been doing it. he'd shrugged his shoulders, telling you not to listen to ron and that it was, in fact, normal but if ron or anyone else had called you such names that you should tell carl immediately.

you'd only nodded your head, brain sort of scrambled.

"are you still okay for tomorrow?" you questioned, eyes scanning his face.

every saturday was the same. he'd come over to yours or you'd come over to his. tomorrow was scheduled to be your house, carl was supposed to come over and you'd have your saturday sleep over, filled with movies, junk food, really anything a teenager could get their hands on in an apocalypse. "'course." he practically scoffed out.

it was a tradition, one that could never be broken. "okay." you grinned, eyes flickering across the room before your smile slowly faltered. "carl, your room's a mess!"

carl only groaned in response, picking back up the comic and landing it on his face. he began arguing, telling you to leave it but you were already beginning to clean around the room, shocked by the state it had been in.

knowing he couldn't convince you to stop, he peeled the comic book off his eyes to take a look at you. and that was when he saw it. you bent down to pick up something that had been tossed idly on the floor. he watched as your skirt rode up, giving him a view of pretty pink fabric, covering what he so desperately needed to see.

instantly, his eyes widened slightly.

he'd thought about you like this before. it was only natural for a boy who grew up with you by his side for what felt like his entire life. he had you looking up at him with those doe eyes all the time not to mention the way you paraded around in dresses and skirts as if no one could see.

he slipped the comic book down onto his crotch, covering his obvious hard on. perhaps he was the problem. perhaps the problem was the way his eyes stared at the place he should have been looking away from.

but his feelings had been so... strong lately. it was like something had snapped inside of him and he couldn't stop thinking about it. about you.

more importantly, the sounds you'd make as he slammed his dick inside of you, or how wet you'd get over the simplest of things.

after all, he was your best friend, he'd seen you in many ways. he'd noticed it before, when he was touching you a little too much and suddenly you couldn't get comfortable, the smallest of whimpers leaving your lips as you cuddled into him, thinking the feeling would go away.

he knew exactly what he'd been doing.

his day dreams were cut off by rick entering the room, without knocking. that was how he always knew when it was you at his door, the only one in the world who knew how to knock.

you'd gone home some time earlier, leaving him with his impending thoughts. he'd tried not to think about it, about you, truly. but the way he'd seen your pretty panties lining your clothed pussy earlier had practically sent him over the edge.

"hey." rick walked inside the room, glancing around. "your room looks clean." clothes folded away, nothing thrown on the floor, no cups or dishes sat on the desks. "so i take it y/n was here."

"yeah." carl sat up against the headboard of his bed. "did you need something?" because rick didn't just make his way to his room for no good reason. i mean, he was a busy man.

he scratched his beard. "yeah, was gonna ask because a couple of us are going on a supply run tomorrow and i was wondering if you wanted to come." tomorrow. saturday. you and carl's night.

he contemplated.

the way his mind had been moving lately, perhaps it wasn't the greatest idea to have a sleepover with you just yet. he needed some time to himself, to cool off. he didn't know if he'd be able to control himself if you cuddled up against him the way you usually did, your legs hooked around one of his, sighing softly when you had no idea what he was doing to you.

maybe it would be better off if he called tomorrow night off. it was only one saturday, right? "yeah, yeah sure lemme just run over to y/n's and let her know."

rick was somewhat curious when it came to you and carl. you always looked so happy next to him, big eyes lighting up while he couldn't wipe the smile off his face. he'd also seen you two going through the trenches, even when carl was covered in mud and blood, some walkers, some human, some even his own, he'd still pull you aside, grasping your arm and holding you to the side, making sure nothing got to you, not even one of the group members. he wondered sometimes, just what was going on between you two. sometimes, he thought you guys were dating in secret, behind his back which he wouldn't be all too angry about. but there was a longing look in his son's eyes, one that told him he didn't have her to himself, not yet.

"oh, well if you have plans―"

carl was quick to cut the man off, picking up the jacket you'd folded and left on his chair. "no, no it's fine." slipping his arms in the holes. "she won't mind."

he wondered if you would.

surely, you were bound to be upset. you loved the saturday sleepovers. he'd imagine that you'd give him those doe eyes, showing just how upset you were but you'd shrug it off with a little smile, telling him to be careful. you always wanted so desperately to please him. he could see this, he adored you for it.

across alexandria, carl knocked against your front door. he waited momentarily before doing the same thing again. when he received no response, he made it his business to slide the unlocked door opened. he called out for glenn and maggie across the hallway, receiving, yet again, no response.

then his feet made it towards the stairs. he found himself walking around until finally, he stood in front of your open bedroom door. "sweetheart?" he called out, this time much softer.

from the door at the end of the hallway, he heard the response. "one minute!" the yell was from you, behind the door. "'m in the shower!" you had this weird thing about you where you showered multiple times a day, scrubbing your skin raw. sometimes you thought you'd never scrub off the mud that covered you from when you lived on the roads. carl noted that when he'd see your arms slightly red after the shower, not from the hot water. but he never mentioned it.

"okay!" he yelled back, now suddenly aware of the running water. "I'll be in your room!"

he heard a muffled 'okay' from behind the door before entering your room.

the walls were baby pink, everything else being a mixture of white and pale colours. what could you say, you were a sucker for pastels.

the room was like it had always been. he'd been in there a thousand times before, whether it was for a sleepover, for a mere five minutes to pop in when he was on his break or reading a comic book to you while sat perched on your bed, or holding you while you cried.

the point was, carl knew you through everything in your entire life. this room was practically his too. the same way his own was practically yours.

one thing was for sure, there was enough of each other's clothes in the other's room for it to be considered one another's.

speaking of clothes, his eyes snapped over to the basket of clothes that sat idly on your bed, waiting to be thrown in the wash. he assumed that's what you were going to do when you were out of the shower.

his eyes caught a glimpse of one of the shirts he owned. he knew you took it. rolling his eyes, he picked it out of the basket, stepping backwards as a couple pieces of clothes left.

"fucking idiot." he mumbled before picking the pieces up, placing them back inside the dirty basket. then his eyes caught that familiar pink cotton material.

he swore he held his breath.

the panties you'd worn earlier, clad across the part he so desperately wished to see. he couldn't help the way his hand reached down before standing up. every other piece of clothing, he'd tucked back into the basket. but this particular piece of clothing, he held it for a moment.

was it so wrong? to think of your innocent best friend in such a way? had you ever... thought about him like that?

questions swarmed his mind before you entered the room.

he spun around, tucking the garment into his back pocket. he used both his hands to lift the flannel back over his jeans, making sure the garment couldn't be spotted at all, even if someone had looked from behind.

"you okay?" you questioned, now dressed in a pale yellow shorts and a large sweater. it was getting dark outside, he noticed. probably your pijamas.

he watched as your hair dripped onto the floor beneath you. "yeah, yeah, i... needed to talk to maggie about something." he didn't know why he was lying. he really did need to tell you something but his mind was in scrambles, thinking of the piece of fabric in his back pocket, he couldn't possibly respond right.

"oh." you faltered slightly. "well, she's not here but―"

you frowned at how quickly he cut you off. "that's fine, i'll just tell her tomorrow." he crossed your bedroom, passing you to walk out the door.

you followed in confusion, wondering why he'd been so eager to run away. "well, i'll tell her you came by." wondering what was up with him at all. carl never acted like this.

suddenly, the boy swung around. "no, no don't tell her." waving you off. your brows were knit together in utter confusion. "i don't think i wanna talk about it with her anymore so... night!" practically racing out the front door and slamming it in his leave.

you stood stumped at your front door, confusion evident in just your eyes. "night carl..." mumbling before turning around, wondering what all of that had been about.

the sun had set when carl finally took the garment out again.

he knew it was wrong, he had to know. at least subconsciously, anyway because he waited until everyone else in the house had fallen asleep until he took them out. at this point, he'd been dressed down to just his boxers. it was late, time for the sleep he knew he wouldn't get. not when that image of you, bent over, was burned into his mind.

the mere thought had his hand inching downward while his other held the pretty panties in his hands. he stopped himself.

this is wrong. he thought. so fucking wrong.

but he felt so tempted.

the panties sat in his hands were the same ones you'd wore today, the same ones he'd seen you bent over in. he couldn't stop thinking about it, whether his hand continued down or not.

what you didn't know, couldn't hurt you.

surely, you'd never find out about something like this. he was safe, for now. his hand inched down, tracing just beneath his boxers before pulling out his length. he felt himself groan at the mere touch. he'd been hard since you left, it hurt. and he knew if you were here, you'd do anything to make sure he wasn't in pain.

even if he meant the blasted thing he was about to do.

his hand wrapped around his dick, he breathed out before pumping it once, then again, then again. "fuck." he breathed out, his head falling back and his mouth falling open.

he'd touched himself a thousand times before, for as long as he could remember, his mind always traced back to you. it was impossible to escape your grace. but there was something about holding your panties in his hands that made him feel even better.

as wrong as it may have been, he couldn't stop himself now.

if he was going to do it, he was going to go all in.

aimlessly, he used his other hand to prop your panties against his cock. they fell so loosely around his length causing him to groan. with his right hand, he held onto the panties before pumping his cock over and over again. he groaned, loudly enough before practically shoving his face in the pillows beneath his head.

"fuck, fuck, fuck..." his hands were big, long slender fingers wrapping around him. he could imagine you trying to take it. he'd imagine he'd have to coax you, gently running them up and down your thighs before pushing them inside. you'd be so wet, gushing over his fingers.

then he imagined you taking his dick, an impossible task.

he could imagine your pretty virgin hole, so tight. he couldn't even imagine you taking your own fingers let alone his dick. your walls would be so tight around him, clenching as he pulled every last moan out of you. you'd whine and writhe against him, it all becoming too much too quick.

and he wouldn't care. "take it, take it." carl mumbled into the air of his bedroom, eyes shut and imagining you while his hand never stopped its constant attack on his own dick. his hand sped up, so quick that he could barely breathe. "hah, good girl." his voice breaking, slightly higher pitched. "my good girl, mhm, good girl." breaths falling from his lips like chanting prayers.

it was wrong, to think of you like this. he knew that but he was too damn perverted.

he'd imagined what he could have done this morning, you bent down and picking something off the floor. he could have grasped your hips, holding them in place and peeking the skirt of the dress above your hips, getting the view he really wanted.

he'd imagined peeling the fabric of your panties away, getting a view at what he needed the most. the same fabric that was sat around his cock.

he couldn't stop the noises that left his lips, trying so hard to stay quiet but the way your panties felt against him was enough to have his hips rolling even if they hadn't wanted to. it was like you were there in front of him. he could ram into you as he pleased, holding your hips close as you sat on top of him. but he'd do all the work, of course, anything to coax those little whines out of you.

the many times he'd pulled at your hair for a reaction or rubbed your thighs gently, every murmur of a whimper that would leave your lips. he imagined it a thousand times louder now.

he couldn't help himself, flipping over so he was sat propped up on his knees but his hips thrusting forward into the little material.

the head of his dick hit against the mattress with every thrust, your panties wrapped up in his fingers and his cock.

he felt a sudden familiar feeling build up in his stomach. "fuck, baby, feel s'good." practically pussy drunk by now, despite the fact he hadn't even touched your pussy yet. "shit, jus' like that, c'mon, sweetheart."

"please, carl!" he could hear your whiny voice now. "touch me, please, please."

your voice, albeit in his head, was enough to send him over the edge.

he came with his eyes closed and mouth open, a moan falling from his lips. not just any moan, your name. he felt creamy liquid gush out of his dick, landing all over the pink panties that lay in his hands.

he thrust his dick over and over until he ran dry. then, he collapsed with a pant. his lungs were burning, they were raw and his head fell against the linen pillows. he barely so much as glanced down to your stained panties that wrapped around his fingers.

one thing was for sure, he needed to get to this damn saturday sleepover. fuck the run.

main masterlist/carl's masterlist

[qu1cks1lversb1tch]

Apologies — Lucifer X Fem!Reader

Warnings: Mentions of tragic death, mentions of assault, insinuation of a mental breakdown, Angel being a caring and kinky bestie, Fat Nuggets being an absolute sweetheart, Lucifer being a mess, fluff, brief sexual innuendos.

Word Count: 1.3K

Summary: You got into an argument with Lucifer and it ended with you walking out.

It had been a stupid argument that caused you to walk out before you could say something you'd regret. It hadn't been stupid to you, but rather Lucifer described it as stupid.

He realized his mistake the moment your eyes widened, filled with tears and you walked out the door without another word. He followed you, but it was too late. You were gone from his sight and you could be anywhere, especially with your long list of contacts and insane ability to hide in the shadows.

You opened up to him about the way you died. Ten years you had been in hell and told nobody how you met your tragic end. Nobody asked. Not until Lucifer, not until today.

The details of your captors drugging, breaking, and killing you slowly to avenge their friend who you accidentally killed, to save you and your best friend from being assaulted, came out.

Kicking. Screaming. Turning your throat raw with emotion, they came out.

You weren't even sure how it had turned into an argument, when your boyfriend of a year was the one who wanted to know.

Before you knew it, you found yourself at the hotel. It was the safest place to go, you thought. Charlie was thankfully out for the day, having mentioned over breakfast that she was taking Vaggie to the only art gallery in the Pride Ring.

The doors slammed behind you as you attempted to reign in your emotions. It didn't matter what you did, hot tears streamed down your face and your hands trembled with every step.

Angel reached you just in time for your legs to give out. He caught you and held you close, having never seen you like that before. His first instinct was to question you on what happened, but he could feel your sobs becoming heavier.

He scooped you up easily and got you upstairs to his room, asking that nobody says a word about you being there. If asked, nobody had seen you since breakfast.

Angel Dust rubbed circles on your back, like you had done for him many times, as he waited for you to calm down and regulate your breathing enough to speak clearly.

For him, it felt odd being the one to give comfort, rather than receiving it from you.

"You wanna tell me what happened, Toots? Coming in like that, you got me all worried."

You turned your head to the side and sniffled, embarrassment creeping in at the fact that your best friend had just seen you have a breakdown. And you had cried into the fluff of his chest so easily, as if you had done it a dozen times.

You stayed silent for another couple moments, not yet trusting yourself to speak without a trembling voice.

He kept rubbing circles on your back, just like you always did when he needed an extra moment or two to compose himself after a particularly rough session at the studio.

"I told him how I died." You said. Your voice was so quiet and defeated that Angel almost missed it. He would've, had he not been waiting to hear your voice.

It didn't take a rocket scientist for him to know that you meant Lucifer. After all, you spent most of your free time with him and the rest of it was helping out at the hotel (mostly keeping an eye on Alastor).

"It didn't go well?" Angel asked. You shook your head and inhaled a shaky breath.

"We ended up arguing — I couldn't even tell you about what, but he said the argument was stupid. . . I guess he was right. The argument was stupid and so am I, for even thinking —"

"Hey, you're not stupid." Angel firmly cut you off. His tone of voice caught you by surprise. "You're one of the smartest sinners I know, and that's saying something because I know some real dumb fucks that would blow your fuckin' mind, Toots."

You went silent again. Angel sighed.

"Listen, you don't have to tell me how you died. I'd never pressure you to, just like you never pressured me to tell you. . . But as your best friend in all of hell, I'm obligated to tell you that you shouldn't hide from your problems."

"That's kinda my thing, though." You sighed.

"I know. But you'll have to talk to him eventually." He untangled his limbs from yours and gently lifted you so that he could lay you on his bed. "I'm gonna grab something from the kitchen for you, alright? Get some rest. You cried for like an hour."

You adjusted yourself until you were in a comfortable position. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'll be back." He scratched Fat Nuggets head before he slipped out of the room.

The plump little pig easily maneuvered the bed, grunting with each step until he landed in front of your face and licked your nose. You couldn't help but smile at the adorable creature.

"Hey, Nuggs. . ." You cooed, allowing the little pig to lay himself against your chest.

You didn't even notice that his warmth lulled you to sleep until a glass of water and a pastry of sorts being set on the bedside table roused you from your light slumber.

"Hey, you." You stretched your stiff muscles as you greeted your friend. How much time had passed? It couldn't have been more than five minutes, right?

Angel didn't hesitate to get straight to the point as he saw you were feeling far better than you had been when you arrived.

"The short king is here. He wants to see you, doesn't believe you're not here."

You groaned and sat up, reaching for the water and pastry. The water chilled your throat and the small fruit pastry calmed the hunger that had apparently been there all afternoon.

"What do I do?" You ask once you've finished.

"Suck his dick or let him eat you out, I don't know, somethin'. You do better with this therapy shit than I do."

You groan once again as you stand from the bed, finally deciding to talk to him. Angel was right. You were better at the therapy shit than he was. He was there for you and tried his best. That was all that mattered.

You purposely took your time getting to the lobby, trying to go over what you wanted to say in your head.

But once you got down there and Lucifer laid eyes on you, he sprung into action, rushing over to pull you into his arms.

"[Y/N]! Honey, baby, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for any of that to happen the way it did! I don't care — I mean, I do," he stuttered nervously. "What I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry and I love you. Please forgive me! I never want to see you look at me like that again, I'm sorry. . ."

The words came out so quickly that you barely had the brain power to understand what he was saying, but it clicked soon and you wrapped your arms around him.

"I forgive you. . . I shouldn't have walked out, so I'm sorry too. . . I love you so much. . ."

Lucifer released his hold on you enough to get a good look at your face. "Never apologize for something you have the right to feel some way about."

You smile softly and cup his cheeks with both hands, pressing a quick kiss square on his lips.

He groaned the moment you pulled away. "Then you do the same, Luci. . . Can we please discuss murder plans over dinner from that place you told me about that just reopened down the street?" You ask sweetly.

"Absolutely we can! Anything you want, honey, it's yours. Anything at all." He promised with a broad smile. He had a feeling that he knew which murders you were planning, especially since he had been planning them the entire time you were telling him your story.

You knew he was already two steps ahead. That was good enough for you.

[pedrospatch]

Lonely Too Long l (To Hell and Back Drabble)

Series Masterlist

Summary: After escaping a group of brutal slavers, you are left with permanent physical and emotional scars. Unwilling to put your trust in another human being ever again, you spend a year fighting for survival alone in the post outbreak world. But when you choose to save the life of a man named Joel Miller, the wall that you’ve built to protect yourself slowly begins to crumble.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings/Tags: 18+ only, minors DNI. Flashback of implied SA, but no descriptions. Soft Joel, Joel sings to reader. *If you happen to be reading the series, I recommend reading this one because it starts setting up Joel and reader’s relationship. This is also the last flashback she’s going to have since it’s a heavier one than the last two.

Word Count: 1.9k

A/N: Dust to Dust is one of my favorite songs by The Civil Wars. I know the song did not come out until like 2013, but we’re just going to pretend. Also, I know that the gif is video game Joel, but god I love him just as much and it fits this scene so we are gonna roll with it. I know this might not be everyone’s cup of tea but I wanted to write it so I did. 🤌🏼 I am still organizing the taglist for this series, it will be start with the next chapter. This was mostly for me but hopefully some people out there enjoy it too. 🤍

You couldn’t scream.

You’re trying to cry out, but you can’t.

Chest tight, your lungs won’t expand.

You couldn’t breathe. 

One hand around your neck, the other is fumbling with the zipper of your jeans.

“Been thinking about this all day,” he grinned, his fingers roughly scraping against the skin of your lower stomach.

In the corner, your cellmate is curled into a little ball in the floor, hands covering her ears and her eyes squeezed shut.

She’s probably praying she won’t be next.

She’s seventeen so even in the midst of your own chaos, you can’t help but pray she isn’t next too.

You thrashed around underneath him. It’s futile, but all you can think about is getting him off you.

Grin fading, he let out a heavy, irritated sigh. His hand left the waistband of your jeans. He reached behind him and pulled out his gun, bringing it up to into your view—it caused you to cease any and all movements. “Listen to me,” he said, pressing the barrel of the pistol against your temple. “It’s simple, really. Keep squirming and I’ll blow your fucking brains out. Do you understand, dollface?”

When he received no response, he dug the barrel deeper into your skin, his finger on the trigger.

“Do you understand?” He repeated, his tone low.

Nearly paralyzed, all you could do was nod. 

“Good.” He roughly flipped you over.

The sound of his belt buckle clanking rang loudly in your ears. As he yanked your jeans down to the middle of your thighs, you closed your eyes.

Both your mind and your body went numb.

A light, late night rainstorm came out of nowhere, sweeping over the town. The soft, pitter pattering sound of raindrops on the window above your bed had almost lulled you into slumber.

Almost.

You’re safe.

You’re safe.

You’re safe.

The words blended into a steady but silent chant.

You’re safe.

You’re safe.

You’re fucking safe.

Slapping the palm of your hand to your forehead, you exhaled a long, heavy sigh and stared up into the the darkness of the bedroom.

You couldn’t be certain as to what time it was, but it had to be well into the middle of the night. You’d been tossing and turning for a couple of hours but somehow it felt like a hell of a lot longer than that.

You were fucking exhausted. You nearly ached for some sleep, but every damn time that you closed your eyes, vivid images of the past came creeping in and chased it further and further away.

Your brain just couldn’t seem to wrap itself around the fact that this place wasn’t dangerous.

That you didn’t have to sleep with one eye open.

That nobody was going to hurt you.

That you were safe in a soft bed in a real house.

You weren’t lying on a dirty cot in a human cage.

Sighing again, you thought about Joel who was in his bedroom down the hallway, sleeping.

It brought you comfort knowing he was close. But for some reason you couldn’t quite explain, part of you couldn’t help but feel he wasn’t close enough.

You. The same woman who vowed never to trust another human being ever again—you wanted him fucking closer. Actually, it wasn’t a want so much as it was a need.

You needed him to be closer.

Sitting up, you tossed the sheets back and swung your legs over the edge of the mattress, your bare feet meeting the cold, hardwood floors. You stood and quietly padded out of the bedroom and down the hallway towards Joel’s.

“You know where to find me if you need anythin’,” he’d assured you before he had gone off to bed.

You stopped in front of his door and lifted a curled first, knocking lightly. About a minute or two went by, and just when you started to realize that you’d made a mistake and whirled around to make a run for it back to your own room where you could hop back into bed and pretend that the thought of this hadn’t ever even crossed your mind, he opened up his bedroom door.

“Thought I heard a knock,” Joel mumbled sleepily, rubbing at his eyes with one of his hands. He wore nothing but his sweatpants, his hair looking about ten times more disheveled than usual. “Everythin’ alright?”

You swallowed dryly, trying your hardest not to let your eyes wander away from his face—it proved to be almost too difficult to keep from staring. Joel’s shoulders were broad, his chest was wide, and his stomach was soft; his sweatpants hung on the low side on his hips and revealed the trail of dark curls that started at his lower belly and descended until it disappeared underneath the elastic waistband.

You caught yourself before they could go lower.

“Somethin’ the matter, darlin’?” he asked, stifling a yawn. Thankfully he hasn’t seemed to notice you gawking at him. He rubbed at his eyes once again and then observed you, trying to figure out what it was that had brought you to his room at this hour. “You need somethin’? Are you cold? Did you need an extra blanket?”

You lightly shook your head in response. No.

He tried again. “Are you still hungry?” he asked as he gestured towards the stairs. “I can make you another sandwich if you want—”

He was cut off by another shake of your head that told him that wasn’t it.

“You just can’t sleep,” Joel realized after a minute. He frowned—he could see how tired you were and for as much as he didn’t want to think about it, he had a feeling that he knew what it was that was on your mind and keeping you awake. “What can I do to help, sweetness?”

You blinked, standing there almost dumbfounded.

Clearly, you hadn’t thought this through.

You would knock on Joel’s door and then what?

You would talk to him about what’s on your mind?

Letting out a tiny frustrated huff that was directed at yourself, you waved a dismissive hand in the air.

Forget it. There’s nothing you can do.

As you turned around to leave, Joel reached out to take your arm. He curled his fingers lightly around your elbow. “Well now, hold on a minute. You’re at my door for a reason,” he said. He watched as your eyes flickered to his hand around your arm, but he couldn’t be sure if his touch had bothered you. He dropped it, not wanting to risk pushing you too far or crossing a line, not when he had made progress with you, progress he didn’t want to lose. “You not bein’ able to sleep—it have anythin’ to do with you still not feelin’ safe?”

You hesitated.

“It’s alright, darlin’. You can be honest with me.”

The sheepish expression on your face said it all.

No, I can’t sleep because I don’t feel safe.

“Would it help if you slept with me?”

You raised your eyebrows at him, eyes widening at his proposal. At least, the way he’d said it.

Excuse me?

Realizing how it had sounded, Joel flushed. “What I mean is, would it help if you slept in my bed?” He winced. That hadn’t sounded all that much better. “You sleep in my bed and I’ll sleep on the floor,” he sputtered out quickly. “That’s what I meant. That way I’m right next to you and you ain’t alone.”

Gnawing nervously on your bottom lip, you took a minute to think it over.

If you wanted him closer, this was your chance.

But why? Why did you want him to be closer? Why did you need to have him at your side?

You’d been on your own for an entire fucking year.

And it had been by choice.

You didn’t want to be around other people, sure as hell didn’t need to be around other people.

And then Joel Miller makes his appearance and all of a sudden, you’re at his door in the middle of the damn night because you feel the need to have him at your side?

Finally, you nodded your head. Okay.

“Come in.” He stepped aside, allowing you in. Not wanting you to feel trapped in his room, he left the door open. “And you’re free to go on back to your own room whenever you feel like it.”

Joel picked up his discarded tee shirt from earlier, a small labored grunt escaping him as he brought himself back into an upright position, the bones in his lower back crackling with protest. Turning over his shirt right side out, he tugged it on as you took a look around his bedroom, a larger space dimly lit by the small lamp on his nightstand.

That’s when you saw it.

Perched on a stand, it was nestled in the corner.

A guitar.

Curiously, you walked over and knelt in front of it.

You reached out and softly ran your fingers across the strings, smiling to yourself at the sound it had made.

“Found that while out on patrol with Tommy a few weeks ago,” Joel stated as he came up behind you slowly. “Gibson. Little worse for wear, but in damn good condition all things considerin’. Woulda been a crime to leave it out there,” he chuckled. “I know Ellie’s been wantin’ to learn, it’s the main reason it came back home with me. I haven’t shown her yet since I still gotta clean and polish her up.” He took a brief pause. “You know how to play?”

You ran your fingers across the strings once more, and a loud, terrible noise that wasn’t even close to music caused him to wince. You then looked up at him over your shoulder with an amused grin.

Does it sound like I know how to play?

Joel couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll take that as a no, then.” He leaned over and picked up the guitar. He walked over and took a seat on the side of his bed, patting the seat beside him. “C’mere, sweetness.”

Getting up to your feet, you wrapped Joel’s flannel closer around your body as you padded over to his bed, perching yourself next to him.

Head down and focused, he began to strum a few notes. You couldn’t help but to be mesmerized by how his large hands moved on the instrument, the way his long, thick fingers—

Swallowing dryly, you cut the thought short.

Curiously, you put a hand on his shoulder.

Joel paused the tune. “What is it, darlin’?”

With your opposite hand, you touched your throat and then pointed at him. Can you sing?

He gave a half hearted shrug. “I do like to sing,” he admitted almost bashfully. “Always been fond of it ever since I was a kid.” He chuckled. “Before goin’ into construction, I wanted to be a musician. But I knew it would never pay the bills.”

You squeezed Joel’s shoulder and gestured to the guitar, then to his throat again. Will you sing me a song?

Joel felt the back of his neck burn and he cleared his throat awkwardly. “Normally, I would probably say no,” he admitted. “But, seein’ as you saved my life and all, I’d be a real asshole if I said no to you.”

Lifting your chin, you shot him a smug look. That is very true. So go on then, Johnny Cash. Play me a song.

“Alright. Any requests?”

You nudged him lightly. Very funny.

“Okay, um. Gimme a minute to think of a song.”

Withdrawing your hand from his shoulder, you sat back against his pillows and pulled your legs up to your chest, hugging your knees.

Nervously, Joel inhaled and exhaled a deep breath and began strumming the guitar. Chills shot down your spinal cord as a hauntingly beautiful melody filled his bedroom. He turned and angled his body towards to you as he began to sing.

“You’ve held your head up,

you’ve fought the fight

you bear the scars, you’ve done your time

listen to me, you’ve been lonely too long…”

Your mouth fell open slightly.

“Let me in the walls you’ve built around

we can light a match and burn them down…”

The rich baritone of his voice caused goosebumps to eruprt all over your flesh. Furiously, you rubbed at your bare legs, but it was useless.

With every note Joel sang to you, more appeared.

With every note Joel sang to you, the harder you found it to breathe steady.

With every note Joel sang to you, the more beats your heart seemed to be skipping.

“Let me hold your hand

and dance ‘round and ‘round the flames

in front of us, dust to dust…”

Joel glanced up, his dark brown eyes holding your gaze as he sang the final verse of the song.

“You’re like a mirror, reflectin’ me

takes one to know one, so take it from me

you’ve been lonely

you’ve been lonely too long.”

Even if you could speak to him, you would’ve been left speechless—all that you could do was stare at him in complete awe.

Joel set the guitar down. “I’m alright,” he said with a sheepish little laugh. “My voice ain’t nowhere as nice as yours.”

You stiffened slightly.

What are you talking about?

“Don’t look at me like that. I know it was you who I heard singin’ back at that cabin when I was comin’ back around.” He gave you a crooked grin. “Earlier I was just playin’ dumb, but I know it was you. You have a gorgeous voice, and I’d love to hear it again someday.”

Hugging your legs closer to yourself, you dropped your head down onto your knees, embarrassed.

What was the matter with you?

Here was a man who had taken you in, offered you a warm bed under his own roof—gave you clothes and fed you, even offered to give up his own damn bed and sleep on the cold hard floor beside you to make you feel safe enough to sleep.

And you still couldn’t say a fucking word to him.

“Hey. Look at me.”

Forcing your head up, your gaze met his.

“It’s alright, darlin’,” Joel assured you. “It’s just like I told you downstairs. We’re gonna take it one step at a time.” Lifting one of his hands, he reached out holding it out to you, his palm face upwards. “And I swear, once you find your voice, I’m gonna do all that I can do to make sure you never lose it again.”

Biting your lower lip, you placed your hand in his.

Joel have it a gentle squeeze. “Atta girl.”

Much sooner than you would have liked, he let go of your hand and stood up.

“We should get some sleep. You’re gonna need all the rest you can get before you meet my kid. Ellie. She’ll be here first thing and I should warn you she can be, uh, she can be a lot to process.” He let out an amused snort and reached for a pillow, tossing it onto the floor. “You can have all the blankets, I’ll just take this throw here—”

As Joel reached past you for a green flannel throw blanket, you grabbed his arm to stop him. His face was just inches from yours.

Close.

But again somehow still not close enough.

“What is it, sweetheart?” he asked, softly.

Warm and laced with mint from the toothpaste he had used to brush his teeth before bed, his breath tickled the tip of of your nose, sending a pleasant shiver up your spine.

Your eyes looked right into his as you scooter over to the other side of his bed—it was firm, cold. Like no one had ever occupied that space before. But it was foolish to think that a man like Joel Miller had never had another woman share his bed before.

You patted the spot beside you.

Sleep up here.

“You sure about this, darlin’?”

You patted the empty spot again. Yes I’m sure.

Joel squinted at you. “You ain’t gonna strangle me in my sleep, are you now?”

His half serious joke was met with a glare.

Keep it up with wise cracks and I just might.

He held his hands up in defense. “Just checkin.”

As you crawled underneath his dark green sheets, Joel slid into bed beside you, making sure to leave a good three foot gap between the both of you; he murmured a quiet goodnight and switched off the lamp on his nightstand before rolling over onto his stomach—not even two minutes later and his soft snores filled the room.

You turned onto your side, facing him. Through a beam of moonlight steaming in through a crack in the curtains, you could just make out the outlines of his facial features. He’d fallen asleep facing you.

Closing your eyes, your body sank further into the mattress, heavy with exhaustion.

Taut, tense muscles finally relaxed.

Tight jaw finally unclenched.

You’re safe.

You slowly started drifting off to sleep.

With Joel beside you, no nightmares came to visit.

[blossominghunnie]

𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐭

Pairing: Gryffindor!Jaehyun x Slytherin!fem!reader

Genre: Fluff, established relationship, secret relationship, hogwarts au, golden retriever x black cat trope

Warning: Cussing

Notes: In my MyungJae feels, as usual, lmao.

You had been dating Jaehyun, the puppy-like Gryffindor, for about half a year now.

He was the complete opposite of you, who were an introvert and reserved person. But you know what they say, opposites attract.

You were sitting with your friends at the Slytherin table, quietly listening to their chatter and joining once in a while.

You took a look around the crowded Great Hall, your eyes instinctively searching for a certain Gryffindor. It wasn’t long until you found him, looking right at you with loving eyes, and a soft smile that you shyly reciprocated.

You felt your cheeks getting warm, so you looked away while Jaehyun kept smiling, he thought you looked adorable whenever he made you blush or just in general.

A voice made you look up, it was your friend Bahiyyih, or Bayyih, as you called her.

“Y/n! Who are your smiling at?” She curiously asked.

“N-no one, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” You stuttered a little.

“I saw you, too. Who was it?” Your other friend, Anton asked teasingly.

“No one, now let me eat.” You tried to find a way to escape the conversation, since you weren’t ready to come clean and tell your friends about your secret boyfriend.

“Don’t get angry, Y/nnie.” Anton squished your cheek teasingly.

“Stop.” You hit him in the hand, making them laugh. Which made you laugh, too.

After eating dinner, you were heading towards your common room, when you felt a hand grab your arm and pull you. You closed your eyes for a second and after you opened them you had Jaehyun in front of you; you figured he was using his invisibility cloak, something he wore when he went to visit you late at night or sporadically throughout the day.

“Jae! What the hell!” You placed your hand above your heart. “You scared me.”

“I’m sorry, love.” He giggled a little bit. You blushed, still getting used to the petname.

“What’s up?” You asked.

“I just wanted to see if you wanted to go to the Astronomy Tower later, to watch the sunset.” Jaehyun responded nervously.

You found it so cute how he would still get nervous around you, even if you were dating.

“Sure!” You smiled and after thinking for a second you gave him a delicate kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you later, Jae.” You exited the cloak after making sure that nobody saw you, leaving behind the flustered Gryffindor who wore a dumb smile.

Meanwhile you rushed to your room, thankfully Bayyih and your other roommate weren’t there.

You sat on your bed and read for a while until it was time to head out. You left the room and headed down the stairs. As you walked across the common room you saw your two best friends chilling on the coach.

You mentally cursed and tried to walked past them without being seen, but you weren’t lucky.

“Y/n! Come join us!” Anton called you.

“I can’t, I’m going to the library.” You responded with the first thing that came to mind.

“Why?” Bayyih questioned.

“Gotta study for the Transfiguration test.”

“But that’s in two weeks.” Anton responded lifting an eyebrow.

“I know, but I want to start studying, you know how hard those exams are.”

“But you never study in advance, you’re too lazy.” The girl said while crossing her arms. “What are you hiding from us?”

“Nothing!”

“Hmm… are you ditching us for some else?” The boy dramatically asked while widening his eyes. “Perhaps for a secret boyfriend?”

“W-what? What secret boyfriend?” You started getting nervous that they had figured out your secret.

“Oh my god, Y/n! You have a secret boyfriend and you didn’t tell your best friends?” Bayyih gasped.

You sighed, knowing you had been caught. “Ugh, yeah. I have one.”

“What the hell, when did that happen?”

“Hmm, six months ago.”

“What?!” Both screamed, you just smiled sheepishly.

“I’m sorry for not telling you, okay! I thought you weren’t gonna like him or something.”

“Why wouldn’t we like him?” Anton asked. “Please don’t tell me he’s a Gryffindor.”

“Then I won’t tell you that.”

“Oh god.” Bayyih covered her mouth in disbelief. “Is it Sungchan? He’s kinda cute.”

“I guess. But no, it’s Jaehyun.”

“Myung Jaehyun? But he’s too extroverted for you, you’re much more calm.”

“I know, but you know that they say that opposites attract.”

“So cliqué, god.” The three of you laughed.

“I would love to keep chatting but I gotta meet Jaehyun.”

They nodded. “Have fun and tell us if he does anything you don’t like and we’ll kick his ass or bewitch him, okay?”

“Sure, thanks guys.” You hugged them. You weren’t much of an affectionate person, at least to most people but you were thankful for your friends.

You parted ways and resumed your walk towards the Astronomy Tower. You tried to be as careful as possible since you didn’t want Filtch to catch you, or any other teacher, since students weren’t allowed to be there unless it was for class.

You finally arrived and saw your lover by the balcony.

“I’m so sorry for being late, baby.” You tried to catch your breath. “Oh, funny story, by the way. Anton and Bayyih intercepted me and figured out we’re dating, so.”

There was a moment of silence.

“Jae?”

“Y-you called me baby.”

“Yeah, is that okay?” You asked worriedly.

“Of course, princess! I was just surprised because you’ve never said it before.”

You felt relieved. “I guess it slipped out.”

He pulled you into a side hug, placing his arm around your waist.

“It sounds so cute, I hope you keep calling me that.”

You just giggled and placed your head on his arm since you couldn’t reach properly his shoulder because of the height difference.

“Are you not mad that my best friends know about us?”

He shook his head. “Never, now I won’t have to hide whenever you’re with them.”

“Yeah.” You both chuckled. “Oh, look! The sun is going down!” You exclaimed, happy that you didn’t miss it. “Wow, it’s so pretty.”

“Just like you.” Jaehyun cheekily said. You blushed and hit him gently on the arm which made him laugh.

You stayed on his arms until it became night. What a great way to end your day.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

Boynextdoor masterlist || Main masterlist

[lifeontoast]

Yule Ball

Cedric Diggory x reader

A Harry Potter Advent special for you! Enjoy! Also this is really cliché and cheesy but oh well! (by the way both Cedric and reader are 7th years)

…

The Yule Ball. Quite possibly the most hotly anticipated date in the school calendar. And you had nobody to go with.

All your friends had been asked, as they told you excitedly in late-night dorm room gossip sessions. You couldn't help but sigh with jealousy, even though you smiled and said you were happy for them. You never got any attention from anybody, and you kind of liked it that way, until this whole Yule Ball business got started. The announcement at the start of the year had got everybody excited, yourself included, but as time went on you grew rather fed up of hearing about it every five minutes. After half-term it got unbearable. Everybody talked about what dresses they were wearing, what shoes they had bought, accessories… it went on and on and on.

If you had to pick somebody to go with, it would be Cedric Diggory. But he’d already be going with someone, there was no way someone like him didn't have a date already.

You’d liked him ever since first year, since that time that your hands accidentally touched in potions, over some sliced Dragon skin. You’d never forgotten it, but you assumed that he had. But… recently, you’ve been catching him looking at you as you pass him in the corridor, more than what would be normal for such an interaction. It was like he was looking for you, actively seeking you out. It was so bizarre that you just couldn't fathom it. Hogwarts’ golden boy was looking at you? (not that it wasn’t warranted, you’re absolutely gorgeous) You shared a DADA class, and it was so weird… you could’ve sworn he spent more time trying to stare at you discreetly than listening to the professor. He was distracting you by doing absolutely nothing at all, and it finally came to a head when the professor asked you a question you couldn’t answer. He just blushed and said you didn’t know, earning you a, frankly, withering look.

You tripped through the rest of the day, confused, until you felt a hand on your shoulder after the end of school, when you were just about to head to your common room. You looked around, and it was Cedric.

‘Y/N… I have something to ask you.’ he said softly, looking into your eyes. He was displaying a rare moment of vulnerability! You stared back at him, too shocked to say anything. He took it as a sign to continue.

‘Listen… I know this is probably a long shot, but would you like to… come to the ball with me?’

Your heart started beating at an alarming pace. You felt sure that he could hear it. Did he really just ask you that? To go to the ball with him? You almost fainted. Before you could do anything silly, you nodded emphatically, a huge grin plastered on your face. He reciprocated it, making your already-madly-beating heart melt.

So that was it. You did have someone to go with after all! Now all of your friend’s boasting made total sense. You wanted to go and scream it out from the Astronomy tower:

I’M GOING TO THE BALL WITH CEDRIC DIGGORY!

But you didn’t. Obviously.

TIMESKIP: THE EVENING OF THE YULE BALL

Tonight’s the night! You had bought your outfit, your shoes, and all the various detritus that comes with an evening out. The weeks following Cedric’s asking you out were nothing like you had ever experienced before. You found him asking you every day how you were, how school was, what your workload was like, etcetera. But he was asking you to actually spend time with him, something you’d never been asked to do before. It was like a dream. Being with Cedric was just so easy - you found out who he really was, outside of his golden-boy persona. He was so lovely, and charming too, and it wasn’t hard to start catching feelings for him. Not that that was any bad thing, of course.

Nobody did much work at school that day, all were too busy dreaming about the night ahead of them. You would not be ashamed to admit that you were among them. The teachers gave you all knowing looks and didn’t set any homework, knowing what you’d all be up to the instant school was finished for the day. It turned out that they were correct: straight after potions, you shot to the common room at lightning speed, opening the door of your dorm to all your giggling friends, already drunk on the party atmosphere of the party that wouldn’t start for hours.

It continued as the hours passed and you all got ready, laughing and smiling. You were genuinely really looking forward to it, more than you thought you would. Most of all, you were excited to see Cedric and spend the night with him. Hair done, outfit on, shoes on, you looked an absolute picture. Staring at yourself in the mirror, you couldn’t really believe it was you. All your friends looked similarly stunning, and marvelled at your ethereal beauty. After that, well, it was time. Descending your dorm room stairs like a host of heavenly angels, everyone in the common room turned their gaze to you. Some of the girls paired off with their dates in the same house, and some of them walked off to meet theirs elsewhere.

Cedric was nowhere to be found, and you grew anxious. Your friends reassured you and told you that he was probably waiting for you at the ball. You nodded, took a deep breath, and headed towards the Great Hall. it wasn’t an easy task in your shoes, but you managed well enough, until you saw the stairs. You decided to stand regally at the top of the staircase for a moment, like royalty surveying their kingdom, to delay your descent. You glanced around worriedly, looking for your date. The hall was decorated immaculately; stars twinkling where the ceiling would be, snow on the white floor, glittering silver tinsel and baubles everywhere the eye could see.

Like a charm, Cedric was standing at the bottom of the large staircase, just staring at you, open-mouthed. He himself looked striking in a black tuxedo and dress robes, his white bow tie tied perfectly. His stunned face gave you the encouragement you needed to start descending the stairs, almost gliding, in fact. You reached him, and he finally recovered.

‘Y/N… I can’t believe this. You look absolutely stunning.’ he said, taking your hand and placing a kiss upon it.

‘Well, Cecric, it has to be said, you do clean up pretty well.’ you quipped back. ‘But seriously, you look fantastic. Really handsome.’ you added quietly, blushing a little. It was true! He really did look amazing, like your very own Prince Charming.

He offered you his arm, smiling, and led you into the hall. He chatted to you whilst you got drinks, and you stood together at the side of the room, sipping on wonderfully fruity mocktails. After a while, he threw you a smirk and held out his hand. You knew what came next. Dancing with Cedric Diggory! You never thought you’d see the day.

Just as you made your way to the dance floor, the up-tempo tune changed to a slow waltz. You’d been dreading a situation like this; luckily, Cedric knew what to do. He held you close, arms around you, and gently pulled you along with him. Eventually, you found the beat and your feet just moved themselves. Once you didn’t have to put all your focus on not tripping over, this dancing business was actually rather enjoyable! You looked up at him for the first time, your eyes locking instantly. He was a much better view than your shoes. You held his gaze throughout the whole rest of the song, and even when it finished, you just stood there, looking at each other.

You finally broke your trance, noticing that the waltz had been replaced with a fast-paced number. The change was almost painful. Once again, Cedric knew exactly what to do; it was like he’d been practising (he probably had been, just to impress you). He held your hands and you jumped around together, attracting the most scathing looks, but for once in your life not caring in the slightest.

And so it carried on that way, hour after precious hour, changing how you danced with each new song. From crazy jigging to Viennese waltzing, you did it all.

Finally, at the end of the evening, he tucked your arm in his and walked you back to your common room, leaving you with a soft kiss on the cheek to remember the night by. You couldn’t sleep that night; your head was filled with the technicolour whirlwind of an evening. Of course, you’d see him tomorrow, and probably every day after that until the end of time, but you would remember that night for the rest of your life.

You couldn’t wait.

…

Thanks so much for reading! You rock!

[gennyanydots]

Spitfire Universe

Connected stories between the Dagger Squad members and their significant others.

*Oftentimes not written in any sort of order.

In timeline order:

Matching Wits Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

How Jake met his wife

When did you swallow glass? Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

Jake’s wife gets sick

Spitfire Jake ‘hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

“So, Mrs. Hangman where have you been hiding and why have you left me alone with these idiots?”

Kindergarten Failure Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

Jake's Spitfire is back and sassier than ever and she's got a lesson to teach or the jealousy fic nobody asked for.

Learning to be sassy Robert ‘Bob’ Floyd x f!reader

Bob is the nicest man you’ve ever met. Going on a date with him will be normal right? Not with Mrs. Spitfire Seresin and the Dagger squad hanging around.

Whose name have you been screaming in bed? Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

You're just wondering whose name you've been screaming.

Strong people aren’t born they’re built Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

How did Jake’s spitfire become the way she is?

We’re expecting a baby, but it could be a dinosaur Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

Jake’s spitfire of a wife is pregnant. They’re pretty sure with a baby but who knows?

Ready or not Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

Jake’s ready to be a dad. He’s not ready for the birth.

But Jake! Robert ‘Bob’ Floyd x f!reader

You offer to babysit Jake’s baby. Obviously, Bob has to come help. You’re pretty sure your ovaries are going to burst seeing Bob with a baby.

Your Son Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

Eli is Jake’s son when he doesn’t listen.

It was a nudge! Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

Eli is ready to walk but he needs to wait a minute

Under Two Minutes Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

She thought you couldn’t get kicked out of a bar in under two minutes. What were you supposed to do? Not get kicked out?

One Year Old Wingman Robert ‘Bob’ Floyd x f!reader

Christmas is your favorite time of year. It’s about to be even better.

Forced to go to the strip club Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

It’s Bob’s bachelor party and their babysitter cannot handle them. Reinforcements must be called in. Reinforcements are sleepy.

Oh how the turntables Robert 'Bob' Floyd x f!reader

Bob’s bachelor party had to be shut down by your best friend last night. Since your best friend is with you there’s nobody to shut your bachelorette party down so you guys can be as crazy as you want, right?

Your kids are driving me nuts! Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

Jake can’t wait to get home to you and his two terrors. Two right?

Do you want a skittle, mommy? Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x F!reader

Potty training Eli was easy until it wasn't.

Fuck Santa! Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

Fanboy wasn’t thinking when he taught Jake’s son his new favorite phrase.

Christmas Alarm Clock - Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

Jake just wanted to sleep a little bit longer Christmas morning. Was that too much to ask? With a toddler? Oh yes, it is.

Ready or not: Baby number 2 - Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

Ready or not Jake’s wife is having baby number 2. Can the Dagger Squad handle this?

Daddy’s getting cock blocked - Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

Jake and his wife thought having kids would be fun until they wanted to have alone fun…

Preschool Family Day - Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x f!reader

Bradley is happy to be Jake’s son’s ‘Special Adult’ for family day at preschool. He gets to meet a Guinea pig named after him. He also gets to meet the prettiest teacher he’s ever seen, you.

Grumpy Games - Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x f!reader

Jake’s wife has been grumpy lately and he wants to get her out of her head. He thinks he might have come up with a way to do just that.

Sorry about your small… - Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x f!reader

You’re not the nicest driver and you may have said the wrong thing to your favorite student’s uncle. Or maybe it was the right thing?

This is an official distress call, over - Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x f!reader

Unca Wooster is having such a great day, especially since his favorite nephew is having an extended sleepover at his house. His girlfriend is even calling him in the middle of the day which she hardly ever does! Such a great day…… oh no.

Wan dat, dada! - Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x f!reader

Jake sent his wife and his son out on a mommy/son weekend but didn't realize just how stubborn his wife's carbon copy is. Can anyone speak toddler? Hangman definitely can't.

Big Bay Boom - Jake 'Hangman" Seresin x f!reader

It’s the Fourth of July and your family is spending it with the rest of the daggers in San Diego.

[bitchinbarzal]

New York | J.Hughes

part two of vancouver

Don’t know what this is, I may re-write

-

“Silly text and said the jackets are getting into town a couple days before the game next week, his girlfriends playing at the garden if you wanna go?” Ty shouted through the house.

“Yeah sure man, whatever!”

Ty had been trying to do things with Jack to keep his mind off you. He was a good friend, trying so hard but nothing worked when Jack was so caught up.

When the day came to go to the concert Jack regretted agreeing to it in the first place. He didn’t have the social battery for this.

“Come on man, smile. It’ll be fun”

“Yeah, Yeah”

Cole hadn’t stopped gushing over Tate and how nervous she has been for this performance, Jack just blocked it out. He didn’t intend to be rude but he simply didn’t want to be there.

The lights dimmed and screams erupted as Tate appeared on the stage.

“Hey everyone thank you for coming out tonight! I wanted to personally come on here to introduce my support act! I don’t doubt you’ve heard her already and adore her sound as much as I do. So please let’s hear it for Y/N”

For the second time Jack felt like he couldn’t breathe.

Ty turned to him “Man I didn’t know-“

“It’s fine” he snapped, watching as you walked into his view.

He hadn’t seen you since that day in his apartment.

You hadn’t really changed but you had changed everything all at the same time.

That song that he knew all too well started. He had listened to it so many times.

Jack never went out with everyone else after the show, excusing himself to go home. Nobody questioned it anymore, just being grateful that they managed to get him out in the first place.

You hadn’t gone out either, opting to go back to your hotel room with Netflix on.

Your phone was sitting beside you on the bed taunting you to text, you tried desperately not to give in to the urge to reach out. Your heart gave in, snatching the phone up and opening iMessage.

Jack was almost asleep when his phone went off, reaching out blindly to open the phone, sitting up and blinking wildly when he saw your name.

i saw you tonight.

He read the message over and over again as if it wasn’t just four words.

silly invited us. nice song btw

He immediately regretted hitting send, overthinking if the message was too snappy and rude, it was too late to delete it.

The three dots on your side appeared and disappeared over and over causing Jack’s heart to beat faster and faster.

thanks, wrote it about this guy I love or whatever.

Jack stared at the message. love.

I think that guy misses you or whatever.

… goodnight jack.

Jack kept thinking back to your conversation the next day, running it back at every chance he had.

During practice, getting ready for the game, even in the locker room. You truly hadn’t left his mind since the moment he saw you again.

He tried to shake the thoughts off during the game, trying to throw himself into it and play as best he could.

Jack was on the bench watching the jumbotron as it panned over excited fans until it stopped on a familiar jersey. It was his jersey, his first Devil’s jersey.

You’d taken it one night he was playing away, wanting to wear some merch but not having anything in Michigan accept the jersey he’d left before he moved.

You smiled and waved to the camera, seeing yourself on the big screen. Jack couldn’t help but smile too. It all felt right.

Game ended with a win, Jack was on a high right now feeling better than he had all year.

He never saw you, deflating him slightly after the game. He’d hoped to find you outside the locker room or in the foyer. No luck.

He’s gone home alone with Ty finally getting a car he’d driven himself but offered to take Dawson home first.

So being the only one home supposedly it gave Jack quite a shock to find someone infront of the apartment.

He could see his surname plastered across the persons back and it didn’t take a genius to work out who it was.

“I never thought I’d see you here again”

You spun around to the source of the voice, a smile softly playing on your lips.

“Yeah, um- neither did I”

Jack awkwardly played with his hands “What are you doing here?”

“I just- does he miss me?”

“Huh?”

“Does that guy really miss me?” You asked again, Jack smirked when he question finally registered.

He nodded slowly “So much”

You took in a deep breath “I miss him too”

There was a single beat of silence before you lunges forward into Jack and he did too, holding onto one another and kissing like your life depended on it.

Pulling away you looked up at him and smiled “God I love you”

“My names Jack babe, not god”

The Hughes’ were ecstatic to hear you were back together again as was Ty who was just grateful his roommate wasn’t going to be so angry all the time.

You’d done long distance again with your work you had to but you made strict rules of no working in the off-season so your album was produced by then.

So a year on you were sat with him now on the Fourth of July with your friends. The speaker played the local radio while you two cuddled up on a chair.

“And now we have a new chart entry from Y/N Y/L/N, this is her first song since the number one hit vancouver and we’re sticking with the geographical theme with her new hit - New York”

The song was an open love letter to Jack, detailing everything you’d gone through. You could feel him hold you tighter throughout.

When the song was close to finished you felt him lean into your ear and whisper “I love you but you gotta stop writing songs about me”

You chuckled “But you’re my muse baby”

“I’ll be your muse forever just stay writing love songs ok?”

“Got it, happy songs only you just can’t make me sad”

He looked so serious when he replied “I’ll never ever make you sad again”

[primasveraas-writing]

Last Time- EXU Calamity

WORD COUNT: 757

Pre-canon (mostly). Mentions of major character death.

The final time Evandrin put Elias to bed, he was already sick. It was one of those rare evenings when constant coughs weren't bringing Evandrin to his knees, when he could stand without Zerxus needing to support most of his weight. Although it was Zerxus who carried Elias to his room, Evandrin tucked their son in, pushed those soft locks of red hair off his forehead, sang him to sleep in a soft, hoarse voice. Chapped lips pressed a kiss to his temple, shaking hands smoothed out the sheets, and when Elias’s door closed, Evandrin staggered to his own bedroom and practically fell onto the bed and slept and did not wake until late the next day. 

Nobody anticipated that being the last time. It was just a quiet, calm night where Evandrin had some energy, and it never occurred again. From then on, Evandrin was bedridden or asleep or too sick to see his son. Someone else put Elias to bed, and Evandrin faded from the world. 

The final time Zerxus put Elias to bed, Elias was furious with him, eyes red-rimmed and hands clenched tight into fists. Zerxus had stood there, pleading, crying, trying to convince Elias that they could enjoy one more night together before they parted. Elias screamed at him, accused him of abandonment, levied every insult a seven-year-old could muster against him until he collapsed sobbing on their sofa. The armor of the First Knight sat in a pile near the door, waiting for dawn to come and Zerxus to don it.

Zerxus didn’t have the heart to leave, even though Elias yelled at him to go away. Instead, he sank onto the floor a few feet away, not daring to move closer except for an inch at a time. Elias curled into a ball but didn’t voice any objections when Zerxus finally laid a hand on his back. 

It was late. In the time before Evandrin got sick, Elias being up so far past his bedtime would’ve been unthinkable. Now, it was unremarkable. Zerxus could count on one hand the number of times he’d slept since the funeral and Elias hadn’t been on any sort of schedule since before Evandrin died. 

But Zerxus eventually came to his senses. Even he, a terrible father, could put his son to bed. Elias squirmed against him but didn’t put up any real fight as Zerxus lifted him into his arms and lumbered down the hall. His son’s breathing was heavy, his head resting against Zerxus’s chest. With Elias held in his embrace, Zerxus pulled back the covers and lowered him down onto the matress. He pulled the blankets up to Elias’ chin and hesitated.

(Elias had long stopped tolerating Zerxus’ presence while he fell asleep. He wanted to be alone, he didn’t want Zerxus there, he didn’t need to be put to bed much less be sung to sleep. Sometimes, after the door closed between them, Zerxus would sit outside Elias’ room and listen to him cry, and ache and ache and ache.)

Elias stared at him through narrowed eyes, a frown pulling at his lips. Zerxus sat down on the bed. When Elias didn’t object, he stayed. Zerxus croaked out a few strains of Elias’ favorite lullaby, one they had both learned from Evandrin, then fell silent. There was little to say- Elias had asked him not to go, to take him back to Avalir with him, and Zerxus had refused and apologized and explained himself over and over. So instead of speaking, Zerxus watched Elias’ eyes flutter closed, and the rise and fall of his chest slow. The crease between Elias’ eyebrows faded, and Zerxus knew he was asleep. 

He stayed longer than he needed to, even past the point where Elias entered a deep sleep that wouldn’t be interrupted by the motion of his father slipping from the room. Instead, Zerxus lingered and watched. 

Hundreds and hundreds of years later, Zerxus thinks he knew that would be the last time, even then. When he returned, Elias would be older, too old to be tucked in. And even if he weren’t, he already knew something had broken between them. Even before Zerxus left, he was no longer the father who could lovingly put his child to bed. That time had passed, had died with Evandrin or perhaps sometime before when the illness was tearing them all apart. 

Before he departed the room, Zerxus leaned forward and kissed Elias’ brow. He stood slowly, and stood in the doorway for a long time, staring back.

[krikeymate]

Fictober 2023: Day 1: "It's not too late, let's go." - Ghostface strikes again. Fandom: Scream Rating: T Warnings: None.

➖

Ghostface is back.

Kirby’s voice silences what had previously been a joyful room.

Tara’s stomach drops, body tensing. Not again. Not again. She can’t go through this again.

Only a year removed since Richie’s family and… Anika, and things were finally going right. Things were good. She was happy, for the first time in her fucking life.

Of course it wouldn’t last.

There’s a part of her that never expected it too.

But did it really have to happen now? At Christmas.

Fate is a Carpenter it seems, and it’s building them yet another fucking maze to survive.

Ha. Her mother always did call her a rat. An unwanted pest, always running to- no. No. We’re not thinking about her.

Kirby’s still talking, but Tara hasn’t been able to hear a word, too caught up in her head, in the absurdity of the situation. She doesn’t bother trying to tune in, and turns to look at her sister instead.

Sam stands tense, muscles coiled and ready for a fight, listening to Kirby intently. The frown on her face makes something inside of Tara ache.

She hurts for herself, the sensation of a year's worth of progress being kicked over and smashed to the ground, but more than that, she hurts for Sam.

Sam who has been so confident since last year, so at ease with herself, settled and happy, able to face the world like never before. Heck, since the TV interview with Gale just a few months ago, her sister had finally been able to just… exist. No more accusations and insults and assaults.

People left them alone, finally believed her.

If it all happens again… Sam can’t go through it again.

Sam doesn’t have to go through it again.

Tara’s moving before she even realises it, pulling Sam away with a hand on her arm, dragging her across the apartment and away from their friends- their family.

She doesn’t want anyone to hear what she’s going to say next.

It would only hurt them, they would only feel betrayed.

(She doesn’t want anyone to stop them.)

“It’s not too late, let’s go” Tara whispers, a hand reaching up to clench at Sam’s shoulder. Her words are rushed and desperate. She needs Sam to understand.

Sam doesn’t understand.

“Tara, what—”

“No, Sam. Please,” she implores. “Let’s just go. If we’re not here, none of this happens. No one gets hurt, nobody dies.”

Tara’s hushed words linger in the air for a moment. Time feels slow. There’s a part of her that’s scared to look away from Sam’s eyes, to turn around and realise the room is looking at her, judging her. Condemning her for her selfish desires.

(She could live with that, if it meant Sam was safe. She would take the whole world’s scorn if it meant Sam didn’t have to.)

Sam just smiles down at her, a tilt of the lips settling her face into a familiar expression, one Tara has known all her life, though never from her sister. Pity.

No, Sam really doesn’t understand at all.

“Hey, baby,” Sam murmurs softly, raising a hand to brush Tara’s hair back and rest on her cheek. “It’s going to be ok, alright?”

Tara closes her eyes. She can feel her throat closing up, her words falling away. She had one chance to convince Sam to run away with her, and she squandered it. Stupid.

She chokes back a sob as Sam pulls her forward and wraps her arms around her, comforting Tara for all the wrong reasons.

“You don’t need to stay, I get it.”

Sam speaks with certainty, assured by her own words.

“I’ll call Sidney. You know she’ll let you stay with her until we get this guy. There’ll be nowhere safer.”

Tara can’t help but wonder how long this attitude will last, if it will survive another round with Ghostface, another published story of her standing over a body with a knife.

“No,” she cries into her sister’s chest. “No, I’m not going anywhere.”

She pulls back swiping her palms across her face, determination settling under her skin.

“Whatever happens, we deal with it together.”

Tara won’t let her sister be assassinated by the media again. She won’t let all of Sam’s progress be for nothing.

Sam has sacrificed so much to protect her, it’s Tara’s time to return the favour.

Ghostface will take no more from her family.

Never again.

[redbluesweets]

[Warning, this au contains gore, horror, and any other scary things and also loneliness please read for your own good. If your want to add your ocs in and draw it, please ask for permission.]

💭“How long has it been... Days...? Months...? Years...? Hell, I don't even care about how long I've been surviving out wild... I am cold... hungry... Weak... Can't find a damn place to stay...all because of that damn big irritating turtle! Bowser... The king of the loser koopas and absolute love suck up to Princess Peach... He literally can't leave her alone as I GOD DAMN TOLD HIM TO! He literally pisses me off with that damn anger on his face... Kamek did tell me to calm down but now Bowser started to think about something to stop... It happened since my home was in his stupid castle where his child, koopalings, his troops, and everything there...”💭

He planned a wedding to marry Peach but I'm not going to let that happen!! Bowser already planned the wedding and got the broodals to stop Mario for ruining it but I got there first and can't let this slide... Bowser already growled at me with his anger look... “Hey! Didn't I tell you to stay put?! I already got this under control so you don't have to me–” I interrupt Bowser with his idiotic yapping but... “Why don't you shut up already?! I just told you to leave the princess alone! Geez, why don't you take a hint?!” I outburst in anger as I am protecting the princess but she stood behind me as Mario jumped in just in time. He looked at me and we never met but I was on his side for this troublemaker. Bowser chuckled a little bit at Mario as he got his trick up his sleeve... “You are too late, Mario... This is THE END!!!” He threw his wedding hat at Mario but I step up and reflected on his hat with my two tails and hit him. Not too shabby as I got so cocky... “Ha! You like that, you stupid turtle?! You literally forgot that I have two tails that can reflect and fly!” As I got too cocky... Bowser started to clench his fists in anger and things got pretty ugly... “You... I told you to kidnap the princess but you refused to listen... And now you're getting in my way to ruin the wedding... Maybe this time I should punish you...FOR YOUR ACTIONS!!! KAMEK!!” As he yelled Kamek out, the clouds started to get dark... He appears from his magic and riding his broom. I was afraid this would happen but I'm not that afraid... “How may I help you, Lord Bowser?” Kamek is always serving Bowser as he pleases but unfortunately... Kamek sees me siding with Mario and Peach as I was lost but standing my guard. “Hey? Why are you on that plumber's side?! Are...you betraying us...?” Kamek felt a little hurt that he asked but... I started to tell the truth. “What? Kamek, no! I'm trying to stop this idiot tu–” Bowser started to grab me with his hand but I can't escape... All I did was struggle and break free but...nothing.... Mario was trying to help but Kamek gets in the way. “Maybe this would teach your lesson, you small weak brat...” Bowser started to squeeze and crush me like a hard ball as I screamed in absolute pain... Mario and Peach were terrified to hear me in pain. If Mario would've done something, none of this would've happened... “My Lord! You should stop squeezing him!” Kamek is trying to help but Bowser starts to look at him with the side eye. “Stop? Why should I? Wait... I have an idea... Get rid of his voice. Right. NOW!” Bowser has really done it now... Mario, Peach, and Kamek gasped in fear but Kamek shook his head. “B-But King Bowser! I shouldn't! That's the forbidden spell that nobody should ever use!” Kamek is really shaking and afraid about this but the forbidden spell like that? He never did that to anyone before until now. “Are you denying me? I SAID NOW!!!” Bowser yelled as he is still grabbing me as he is done squeezing and crushing me like a rock. Kamek is afraid this would happen as he slowly floated to me and prepared the forbidden spell... Staying silent forever... “Any last words before you're silenced? You small brat?” Bowser said to me as he smirked evilly and looked at me. A small trail of blood slowly went down to my mouth...and looked at him with one eye closed and half eye opened. “A...few... Leave...Peach...alone and...go...find a...real...love... interested in...your...miserable life...you...good for...nothing...loser...” I smirked a little bit as I chuckled.... Bowser's evil smirk slowly fated and went extremely angry. He looked at Kamek as he nodded meaning ‘do it’... Kamek whispered to me as he slowly raised his wand at my throat. “I'm sorry...” As Kamek completes the silence spell on me, I can't even talk... Bowser started to chuckle and laugh as he threw me in the air and punched me clean right at the face and sent me super far away... “Oh no!” Mario said as he was shocked and Peach was covering her mouth as she got scared and shocked at the same time. Now is this for a battle for Mario and Bowser alone.

As I literally landed at the snow grounds, I bounced off, tumbled, and my right arm landed on a sharp bush branch and impaled. I was in a coma for five months as I was not breathing... Then...I...was..floating...somewhere... In this...black void... I thought I was dead...

My eyes are half open and I have no...pupils on my eyes... “So you're the one who is going to change history or fate... You tried to be the hero and be involved? How foolish are you...” A mysterious voice is speaking to me as I can't speak because of that spell Kamek and Bowser put upon me... “Eheheheheh... I'm starting to like you, you pathetic runt... I would like to see how long you last until you suffer...” The voice fated and the void is no longer there...but...I slowly woke up in this cold forest and slowly looked at my right impaled arm and I slowly pulled the sharp bush branch out of it but blood dripped down a lot... I slowly started to get up and started to walk further down the path if I could find shelter...and don't get lost... It's been four hours to find a god damn shelter but I see a small shack... finally... something useful... I took a step inside of the shack and found a few items... A warm cloak, bandages, and...a crystal? Was someone here and left these behind? I slowly took the bandages and looked at the mirror that was almost broken... My right cheek on my face was scratched as the blood slowly went down but stopped because of the cold. I slowly wrapped the bandages around my right arm to heal and stop the bleeding and my right cheek to heal as well. Then I put on the cloak to warm me up and slowly held the crystal but I slowly looked at the mirror and saw a Bowser reflection right in front of me. I can hear his...stupid irritating laugh...it pisses me off... I started to breathe in and out of anger but I clenched my left fist and punched the mirror and broke the glass as the sound echoed from outside... I started to walk out of the shack and started to look for shelter on the path I'm going to, if I don't get lost...

(To be continued...)

(@skratchytheclown is the person who made me think of this au idea so all thanks to him!)

[mxlti-fand0m-imaginess]

hello hello! can i request a clancy grey x masc!reader oneshot based on the song ‘two birds’ by regina spektor? maybe where y/n and clancy were at east river together but clancy abandoned y/n when the camp got raided and y/n was taken to thurmond, and then they reunite when the camp gets shut down?

Two Birds // Clancy Gray

request: featured above

prompts: none

summary: you were just beginning to fall in love with clancy when he betrayed you and hundreds of other kids. a year later you see him again, and he asks you to join him. will you forgive him for everything that he’s done?

warnings: language, mentions of weapons, mind control, clancy being an asshole, not proofread

word count: 1.4k

a/n: hi!!! this is my first fic in a long time, so i hope it’s not too bad! and im so sorry i didn’t respond to your request sooner, i didn’t see it in my inbox until today!! i really hope you like it though!! :)) also i kinda mixed parts of the book and the movie in this, cause i couldn’t decide which one to base the fic off of! and i wrote this as gn!reader instead of masc!reader, so i hope that’s ok!

Two birds on a wire

One tries to fly away

And the other watches him close from that wire

He says he wants to as well

But he is a liar

It was another magical night at East River. Sure, it might not have been perfect, but anything would seem magical after the two years you spent in Caledonia. You were sitting next to Clancy on a log in front of the campfire, listening to a young Yellow tell the story of when she first discovered her abilities. You tried to pay attention, but it was late and after a long day of working you could feel your eyes slowly drift closed. You felt an arm around you, and immediately jolted awake, before relaxing when you realized it was just Clancy pulling you over to rest your head on his shoulder. 

You relaxed once more, and felt yourself beginning to drift off, the voice of the yellow and Clancy’s warmth lulling you to sleep. Just as you were about to drift off, you heard it. The steady thrum of helicopters nearing East River. You woke up immediately, looking to the sky to see three helicopters flying directly overhead. Before you could even stand up, trucks began driving in through the entrances. You were surrounded. 

I'll believe it all

There's nothing I won't understand

I'll believe it all

I won't let go of your hand

“Clancy, what’s happening?” you asked, panic rising in your voice. 

But he didn’t say anything. Instead he stood up, beginning to walk over towards where the helicopters were lowering their ladders. 

“Clancy?” you asked once more. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, turning to look at you, before continuing to his destination. 

You felt your entire body run cold. He knew about this. He planned this. East River was just a set up. Your so-called “paradise” had turned out to be a trap all along. You couldn’t think, you couldn’t even move, it felt like your entire world had just fallen apart. How could he do this to everyone? How could he do this to you?  

Two birds on a wire

One says "C'mon" and the other says "I'm tired"

The sky is overcast and I'm sorry

One more or one less

Nobody's worried

You barely even registered the figures climbing down the ladders until you saw the flames begin to spread. So this had been his plan all along. Give up the location of East River to get the PSFs to come, and to bring Reds along with them. You sat there and watched in horror as the place you had come to call home went up in flames. Cabins burned and children screamed all around you. But you still couldn’t move. 

You were betrayed. You were heartbroken. All you could think about was how stupid you had been. Why would Clancy ever love you? Sure you were both Oranges, but you had no idea how to use your abilities. He had tried to teach you how to use them, but it had been fruitless. About two months in you told him that it was pointless. He had assured you that it didn’t matter if you couldn’t use them, but you knew better. He saw himself as better than you, as better than everyone at East River. Maybe things would’ve been different if you could figure out your abilities. Or maybe he’s just too narcissistic to care about anyone else but himself. 

Before you could even react, a pair of arms grabbed you harshly and zip tied your hands together, dragging you away from where you had been sitting. Slowly you registered the movement and realized what was happening. You were getting taken back to a camp. And judging by the fact of having already escaped a camp once, you were going to end up somewhere way worse than Caledonia. 

I'll believe it all

There's nothing I won't understand

I'll believe it all

I won't let go of your hand

It had almost been a year since you were taken to Thurmond. Almost a year since the guy you thought you love betrayed you and hundreds of other kids, all sent to camps or worse. 

In that year, you had changed. You couldn’t remember the last time you had smiled. Hell, you haven’t even spoken a single word since you got here. You were a shell of who you used to be. Filled with nothing but anger and pain. 

You were standing at a table lacing up boots, when you heard commotion growing outside. There was screaming and gunshots. You braced yourself for the Calm Control, but it never came. Before anyone could turn it on, the power shorted out. The door to the warehouse you were in burst open, and an army of kids stood on the other side. With none other than Clancy Gray standing front and center.

Two birds of a feather

Say that they're always gonna stay together

But one's never going to let go of that wire

He says that he will

But he's just a liar

You felt yourself freeze, you hadn’t seen Clancy since that night. He looked like he hadn’t changed at all, but there was a certain age to him. His eyes were heavier, and he looked worn down. But still as angry as ever. 

“Drop your weapons!” he shouted out. 

Every single PSF in the room dropped their guns, their eyes growing milky at his words. 

“Leave!” Clancy spoke once more.

The guards began walking, filling out the door and walking straight out of the gates of the camp. You looked around, seeing the shocked faces on all of the Greens standing around you. You had to pretend to be one of them to avoid getting killed.

“Today’s your lucky day! I’m recruiting you. No more rotting away in a prison. Join my army and fight back against all of the people that ever hurt you. We’re not staying silent anymore. Who’s with me?” 

Everyone around you practically erupted into cheers. Relief and excitement filling their faces. But you knew better. You couldn’t trust Clancy. Not again. Not after what happened last time. But things were different this time, it turns out that a year alone in your head was all you needed to master your abilities. 

And so you yelled your first word in almost a year.

“No!”

Everyone around you fell silent. 

Two birds on a wire

One tries to fly away and the other

Watches him close from that wire

He says he wants to as well, but he is a liar

“Y/n L/n,” Clancy said as he walked towards you. “God it’s been what, a year now? I’ve been looking for you. You’d make a great addition to my army. Even though you can’t use your abilities, you can still hold a gun. Right?”

You ignored his jabs at you. “You’re controlling them, aren’t you? Why else would they be following you?”

“Ouch, so harsh. But if you must know, yes I am. How else are they supposed to keep fighting no matter what?”

“That’s fucked up Clancy. Can’t you see that?”

“So maybe it is. What are you going to do about it?”

“This,” you smirked. Looking at the kids standing behind Clancy you shouted, “Wake up!”

Instantly his control over them disappeared, hundreds of the kids collapsed from exhaustion, and a bunch of others started to run away. Clancy’s face fell as the realization finally hit him. You were an actual threat now. 

“Impressive. Too bad you couldn’t figure that out a year ago. Why don’t you join me? We’ll lead side by side, getting rid of everyone in our way.”

“There is no way in hell that I am ever working with you,” you said, glaring at him. 

“Fine, have it your way.”

Clancy stared at you, his eyes turning Orange. You felt him beginning to prod at your mind. But you stayed strong, fighting him off and keeping him out. Clancy’s smug face faltered as he kept trying to enter your mind. 

“What the-?”

“Guess I learned a lot more than you thought, huh?” you gloated.

You were about to walk away to help the sick and injured kids behind Clancy when you had an idea. You reached out and touched his hand. 

“You don’t remember anything. And you don’t know how to use your abilities.”

Clancy’s eyes turned milky as he repeated the words you told him.

“I don’t remember anything. I don’t know how to use my abilities.”

“Leave.”

You pulled your hand back, but Clancy’s eyes didn’t turn back to normal. He turned around and began walking, out of Thurmond and into the forest.  

Two birds on a wire

One tries to fly away and the other

[hotpocketpena]

The Cybers Part 4

Javier Peña x F! Reader

Summary - Was this mission going to be the same as the last? Would you end up in a body bag this time or would Salvador?

Warnings - Mentions of death, sweating, guns

———

The mission was clear. A get in, kill these fuckers and get out situation. It couldn’t get any simpler.

That’s what you’d think right?

But no, it wasn’t that simple. It couldn’t possibly be that simple because the brains behind this operation was a hot headed, ego maniac that has the planning capabilities of a two year old.

“I will go in, scope the place out and the rest of you will wait until I give the signal, are we clear?” Javier pointed at different places on the map spread across the table, his cigarette hanging on for dear life ar the corner of his mouth.

Nobody would question Peña. They wouldn’t dream of it. Lately he’s been on a man hunt for Escobar and Salvador. He’s been staying ar the office for countless nights, trying to catch two completely different men at the same time.

He’d drown himself in whiskey and cigars and paperwork, hoping, just praying that something good would come along. Just wishing that the fish would bite so he could go home and sleep.

He was a determined man, never one to back away from a fight or give up a job. That’s how he’d been for the last five years and he wasn’t stopping anytime soon.

Everyone in the room was too scared to speak up about his plan. Half of them knowing that it was the worst plan possibly made.

Almost everyone.

You had been standing in the corner of the room, keeping to yourself while you listened to the arrogant man ramble on about his useless plan. You’d been hunting Salvador for all of your career, even before you came to Comlombja, so you knew that this plan wouldn’t work.

“You need to have roadblocks.” You muttered to yourself, keeping your head down.

The room was silent enough to hear a pennie drop. Slowly, you lift your head up and see over a dozen pairs of eyes staring at you.

Shit, you said that a little too loudly.

Before you and Steve left the house, he made you promise to take it easy and too keep ‘That smart mouth of yours quiet’ for at least a week. He knew that was a lot to ask, but you said you’d do your best.

Clearly, ten minutes was all you could do.

“Did you say something Agent?” Javier spat, his hands resting on the table, eyes burning holes into yours.

You shuffle on your feet and fiddle with the ring on your index finger. “I said y-you need to have roadblocks down every street.” You didn’t want for what you said to come out shyly.

Hell, you wanted to walk over to Peña and punch him in the face for being so stupid. You were so confident in knowing what Salvador’s plans were for escape, you couldn’t not say anything.

“And why is that agent?” Javier leaned back from the table, crossing his arms over his chest and slowly walking around to you. He called you agent with the most harshest of tones. He didn’t want to say your name; that would only bring him down even more than he already is.

“Do you have any other ideas you’d like to share with the class? Or are you done trying to sabotage my mission?” He spits, coming very close to your face.

He has a look of disgust in his eyes. The creases in his brows getting heavier by the second.

Sabotage?

God did he know how to push your buttons.

He wanted you to burst out with rage again. Scream at him until your throat went dry. Punch him, smack him, anything. He wanted absolutely anything that would get a reaction out of you. At least then, he’d be with you.

It pained you to be a good agent. You wanted to throw up at the mere thought of backing down, but, you couldn’t do this with Javier anymore. The emotional pain you’ve pushed through over the last two weeks has been torture enough. You just wanted to catch Salvador and go back home to America.

So, if that meant backing down to Peña and his bitchy ways, you would.

“No sir, I’m just suggesting things that could help. As I know Salvador’s moves.”

The only time you’ve ever called Javi Sir, has been in the bedroom. Never had you called it him in a professional way and it brought a horrible taste to your mouth.

Javiers face read shock. You’d never been professional with him, even in times where you were meeting with your superiors. You were always laughing and joking with each other. Being silly in the most serious of times. All of that was over. It was strictly buisness from now.

“Okay,” Javi said, walking back to the map and drawing ‘x’ marks where the roadblocks will be set up. He pondered for a few more moments, his eyes looking up to you and back to the map a few times.

Javier explained the new plan, after taking some more of your advise. He was thankful you were here, hoping that you two would finally be able to talk about what happened. He’d be able to explain his side rather than you running off and thinking of him as the bad guy.

Which he was. He never claimed to be a good person. He was hard on others, but even harder on the ones he loved.

Especially you.

Peña assigned you to him, you would shadow him as this was your first field mission back. Normally, you would tell him to kindly fuck off and you’d be running your own division on the mission, but you politely nodded which sent a pain into Javiers heart.

He’s trying everything to get a reaction from you. Every possible button he’s been pushing but you won’t budge. He’s already pushed them all and broke them. There’s nothing left for him to push.

The team move out, locked and loaded and into the cars. You’d hoped in the passenger seat while Javier drove to the location, keeping his hands tightly gripped on the steering wheel.

He opened his mouth and closed it about ten times, wanting to say things but not having the right words to say. How would he even begin to know what to say? You’d just shut him down anyway, so there was no real point.

Wrong.

You wanted him to at least try and mend what cannot be fixed. At least then, you’d know that he still, deep down cared for you a little. That would make the heartbreak less painful. Instead, you both sat quietly driving down the streets of Bogata.

The cavalry was in place. The road blockers were set in the places Javier thought best. He wanted to consult you, but he couldn’t bring himself out of his stubbornness to do it.

It’s your first time holding your gun since the last mission and you were nervous. You wanted to be head strong, not let the pass burden you but it was hard. The feeling of picking up your gun this morning felt good. It felt familiar. This feeling though was not one that was welcomed.

It was painful and darn right terrifying. Your mind flashed back to that night. The words of Salvador playing over and over again in your head as he sliced into your skin.

“What am I going to do with you eh?”

“Lucky for me, I can’t kill a DEA agent, but a CIA? Now that’s on the cards hermosa.”

“It’s a shame to let such pretty skin go to waste. Or maybe it doesn’t have to. I can have a little fun before I slit your throat and burn you.”

A pair of hands held your shoulders and you jumped out of the flashback. You were so in your head, you didn’t realise you’d gotten out of the car.

“Hey, are you okay? Hermosa talk to me.” Javiers voice soothed you back to reality, but his words of choice made you recoil.

You didn’t realise you were uncontrollably shaking. Luckily your gun had been on the safety, if not, Javier would have a bullet sized hole in his chest.

He slowly took the gun from your hand and held it by his side. “Hermosa, listen. If this to too much for you, nobody would judge you for going home and taking some more time to recover.” He said sweetly.

It pained him to see you this way. So defeated and shaken up. He wanted to do everything he could to help you, even if you did hate him.

“Please don’t call me that Peña, and give me back my gun.” You said, holding your palm out.

Javier hesitated, your hand still slightly shaking, but he made sure the safety was still on and handed you your gun. “And please don’t call me Hermosa. I can’t stand it.” You muttered, walking to your position.

You knelt down behind a half brick wall - this all feeling to familiar. Javier joined you, his eyes looking over at you every few seconds.

“What’s the plan again?” You asked him trying to shake off your thoughts.

“We sneak in through the back, we know what room he’s in so it’ll be a quick job. The Ambassador doesn’t care if we bring him in warm or cold. He just wants this asshole dead.” Javier checked his six’s for the rest of his team. Everyone was in position.

You nodded in response, taking your gun off safety. You breathing was heavy, your mind clouded with everything that could go wrong again.

Was this another set up?

Was Peña trying to climb even further up the employment ladder?

No, this can’t be a set up. If it was, he’d be far away from here, searching online for big, evil office chairs. He wouldn’t put himself on the front line of a mission doomed for failure.

“Let’s move out.” Peña said into his radio, alerting the road block and the other men that it was time to move.

You followed close behind him, keeping your eyes focused ahead. You were both quiet as you could be, ducking down at ever cover position until you were at the back door of the club.

Salvador had properties all over Colombia, his main ones being smack bang in the centre of Bogotá. He owned nightclubs, grocery stores, whore houses. You name it Salvador has bought it. He made that much money, he had to do something with it.

It was a peak time in Bogotá. 3pm was the time the whores and strippers came out to search for new men and to rehearse for their nightly shows. The streets flooded with all different types of women, and you and Peña didn’t exactly blend in.

You’d made it half way to the back of the club. You scanned the area a few times and looked around for any indication that Salvador’s men knew you were there.

Your eyes landed on a familiar woman. Brown, tatted hair. Skimpy outfits and 6 inch heeled thigh high boots. You knew it was her from the tattoo on the back of her neck. It was a large image of a dragon.

You rose from your cover position and aimed your gun at the woman, rage taking over every fiber of your being.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Peña shouted in a whispered tone, breaking his cover and standing in front of the gun you were aiming.

“Move.” You grunted, debating shooting him to get to her.

“Who the fuck are you shooting at? Put the fucking thing down before you blow the whole mission for us agent!” He spat, taking cover.

There he goes again calling you agent. Just five minutes ago he was calling you Hermosa. You didn’t give a fuck. The fact that she was here, in the same location Salvador was, you just knew that something wasn’t right.

Peña had to act quickly. He needed you to think straight and get you back into cover before you blew the whole thing. He jumped up quickly, his hands pressing down on your shoulders and forcing you down.

You saw him coming and took your finger away from the trigger so you didn’t shoot yourself or him. He smacked your gun from your hand and pinned you down on the gravel floor. He straddled your hips, his hands lightly pressing into your shoulders.

You had the urge to fight, scream and kick him off. You wanted to use all the force you had to kick him in the nuts and shoot that bitch. But all you could manage was a tear.

Javier studied your face, searching for an answer for what had happened. He saw the tear and used the pad of this thumb to wipe it away. “What is going on?” He said softly.

There was chatter over the radio, the team based on the roof we’re keeping watch of you both. They chattered over the radio in Spanish asking where you two had gone. Javier replied that you were both ok, and focused his attention back to you.

“Just do it Javier. Just kill me already. I’d rather you do it now than send me into another trap.” You sighed in defeat.

“What?” He said with confusion clear in his voice. Why the hell would you say that?

“I saw her. Camila. She’s here. I know that you took that information from her to set me up, just so you could get a better job.” You breathed out and Javier knew instantly why you went into death con three more.

“Hermosa. Please don’t say that. Yeah, She’s working for Salvador, I know that now.” Javi was still straddled over you, tucking your hair behind your ear.

It was lucky that Bogotá was flooding with traffic and music, otherwise anyone could walk past and see two agents looking like they’re dry humping each other in the street.

“What do you mean now? You knew this whole fucking time that she was working for him!” You shouted, shoving him off you and standing up, but keeping your cover behind a wall.

“Hermosa I didn’t. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you since the day you got in the hospital.” He said.

“The day I told Camila that I didn’t want to fuck her for information anymore, she turned on me and went to Salvador. I didn’t know this, but she ran to him and spilled every single one of my plans to catch Escobar to him.

“I was stupid enough to give her the information in the first place, but she went and told Salvador. I didn’t know it was her, because I’d told a few of my informants the same information so I couldn’t exactly pin point who it was.

“But when I told her that I was seeing someone, she hated it. She wanted me all to herself. She found out that it was you that I was seeing and wanted you dead so that I’d go running back to her for a fuck.

“Salvador knows of you, so she thought what a better way that to hatch a plan to kill you and get me back. She called me in a panic weeks before the mission saying that she had information but she wanted a visa into the states before she told me anything.

“So, I gave her the visa and she gave me the location of Salvador. Hermosa I promise you I had no idea that the raid was a trap. I had no fucking clue that she was working for that asshole. And I’m so fucking sorry that I was the one that caused you that pain.

“I found out she was working for him the second you got home. After I dropped you off at the hospital, i stayed up all night thinking how it could have gone wrong. Then, Camila called me. She said she wanted to meet up for a few drinks and see how I was feeling after the raid. I knew then that it was her. How could she have known what happened so quickly? She was in Medellín and what happened to you was in Bogotá.”

You looked at Javi with wide eyes and confusion. Normally you can tell when he’s lying, or when he’s trying to play someone. But this time, you can’t see any of his usual tells.

Have you been thinking this whole time that he’s been after a power grab, where really he was as clueless as you? Had he actually been set up by Camila?

“Javi.” You whisper, remembering where you are. “We need to complete the mission. Then we can talk about what you just said.”

[the-case-book-of-fanfiction]

my rewatch of broadchurch has reminded me of how much i love the idea of hopper taking on steve as an intern and showing him the ropes of policework. so, uh, here's a little thing i might make into an actual fic one of these days:

it's not steve's first choice of job. but it was offered to both him and robin, it pays well, it gets his dad off his back. or maybe worse. ("finally getting your life together, are you? finally got yourself an actual career.")

at first, it's simple, easy. reports, paperwork, sometimes some leg work. hopper oversees steve and robin's training personally. he says it's because they show potential; while that may be true, steve also suspects that hop's been told to keep an eye on the two of them by the shady government agents who have been lingering around hawkins—most of them pretending to be regular people, but the townspeople know better. everyone knows everyone in a small town like hawkins, and after the hellscape the town became, people have their own theories about what happened. most of them are pretty close, almost all of them including a government conspiracy.

for the few months, that's all they do. chase after the people who get too close to the truth, hush them up before the papers can snap up the story. they can't stop them all, but for the most part, people outside of hawkins write it off as lunacy. steve and hopper are thankful for that.

two years. two years of pure silence from any related to the upside down; no demodogs, no labs, no doctors, no psychic children. just eleven—jane, now—with the hopper-byers, and she hasn't used her powers for anything other than making max's life easier. the party's gone back to playing d&d together regularly, even though their parents tease them they're too old to be playing it in mike's basement.

and then, a couple months after the anniversary of will's disappearance, the world starts to crack again.

not really, not literally, not like it did when vecna split hawkins into four chunks of hell. but it's close, because steve can feel the world shift and begin to fall, just like it did then. it's worse this time, though, because he didn't really notice last time. he was too wrapped up in himself, in high school, in tommy and carol, in nancy. but this time? this time steve is fully aware of just how disastrous the world is.

it's a body. it's a young boy. all of hawkins stills because it's a little too similar.

when he's found, nobody knows who it is. the body's in the quarry, found by a group of young kids playing a little too close to the edge. (the town starts to get uneasy.)

the police retrieve the body. the family's contacted privately. the mother screams and wails that she was right, that she knew, that if they had just listened to her—

they realize, too late, that a missing persons report was filed about the boy two days ago. hopper hates how much the woman reminds him of joyce.

the autopsy is performed, and it confirms that the boy is really this woman's son. hopper insists on being present for the autopsy, just a little too worried it would be another fake.

for a while, steve is convinced it has to be related to what happened in the early 80s. hopper is, too, until that autopsy. after that, he tells steve it's a perfectly normal murder case.

it takes a while before steve believes him. only after that does he start to think that a regular murder case is even worse.

"i hate these small town murders," hopper says to him one day. "too many secrets about too many people get uncovered. things we never should know."

"but we're the police, shouldn't we know these things? if people are threatening and blackmailing and committing petty crimes, shouldn't we know?" steve asks, confused as to why hopper seems to be okay with these things—small compared to a murder, but big to a small town—happening all the time under their noses.

because that's what has been happening. backs are turning quickly. the town is becoming violent, accusing anyone and everyone who is slightly suspicious as the boy's killer.

"in a regular small town, it wouldn't be as big of a deal," hopper says. "even then, some things are just better left unsaid. but here? there's too many secrets we need to keep. secrets unrelated to this case. secrets that could get the soviets interested again."

and the idea of that makes steve shudder, his body remembering pain he had never really gotten rid of, always feeling it when it's too cold or raining.

robin shares similar ideas to hopper. "all these accusations," she says one night, when it's just them in the office because hop sent everybody else home and he's in the next room making coffee, "doesn't it scare you? like imagine if somebody turns on...i don't know, jonathan or...or nancy? i mean nancy owns guns and people know about it—"

"the boy wasn't shot, robs."

"—and jonathan, i mean, everybody who went to school with us heard about you breaking the camera and why you did it. they might..."

steve shakes his head. "i wish i hadn't, robs. especially now."

"i know that, that's not what i'm saying. my point is, we've all got dirt, every single one of us. eddie's been accused of murder before, who's to say they won't do it again? even if it doesn't make sense, neither do the people they target now. anyone who's done any wrong is in the risk of it being made public. and if that happened to us? if people find out about el, about vecna, about will? what happens then?"

she's worked herself up into a panic, steve can tell. but this time, he doesn't really know what to say. he doesn't know what will happen. the government agents who watched them for months before they disappeared all at once never made verbal threats, but the threat of their presence was enough to silence everyone.

the only thing he can think to say is "eddie's on tour with the guys right now, he's safe from all of this."

"until they get back, then everyone will become the next jason carver," robin says, and steve begs her not to bring him back up.

secrets get dug up as the case drags on, only getting further and further away from closure. affairs, bullying, threats, drugs, alcohol, robbery. whatever small, dirty secret the town could possibly have, it does have, and it gets dug up and aired out like dirty laundry.

steve watches the town pretend to be shocked at every new revelation. it doesn't hurt very much until he watches the entire town pretend that they—and he—didn't know his dad was cheating on his mom and has been for years; that still doesn't hurt as much as the pitying looks they give him when he shows up to ask questions or to take their statements; and that still doesn't compare to the looks everyone gives his mom.

he watches his mom lose her love of life. it was fine, or they could pretend it was fine, before everybody knew (officially) about his dad's infidelity. they could pretend it wasn't happening. they pretended it was some big business meeting or a dinner with a client or whatever it was, except what it actually was.

that's what hurts steve most about policework. watching people go under for things that have nothing to do with him. watching people lose family and livelihoods over mistakes made years ago. watching the life drain from a community, replaced by suspicion and anger and hatred.

because if he stops and thinks about it, steve doesn't really mind it otherwise. he likes the thrill, the facts fitting together, the possibility that they might actually be right.

and when they are right, even after countless wrong leads, steve feels the relief deep in his bones. he feels it in the town, too, feels people start to breathe again and start to go back to normal and live their lives again.

he knows it's not normal again, not really. how can it be? but he watches the case go to trial, he watches it go right, he watches the killer go to jail. he watches the family finally breathe again, hears the mother thank him and robin and hopper, sees them try to go back to their lives and do they best they can.

it's not normal, but it's better. it's better than it was, because the accusations are gone now, what's been dug up has either been forgotten or left alone or maybe it has changed lives, but people are moving on. sweeping it under the rug like it never even happened.

there are some divorces in the following weeks—the couples whose infidelity was discovered. the police chase a few domestic abuse reports. steve handles a few of them, because he's learned to handle the punches now. there'a crackdown on illicit substances. steve and robin are glad eddie's quit all of that now, that he had given it up years ago.

the world stops ending. steve knows it'll end again someday, more often if he ever ends up in a big city. but for now, it's over and he can go back to his boring old police routine.

steve likes "boring" these days. boring is a safety net, something to fall back into when things get exciting.

the other thing steve likes about policework—it is exciting. sometimes. sometimes, it makes him feel alive again.

[thevulcanbobdylan]

Roslin x Adama +"My love," for the comforting gestures prompts. Please & thank you.

I'm new-ish to the BSG Fandom and just started watching again (got to Colonial Day last time I watched, which was years ago). So, almost finished with the miniseries (or I will be tonight.).

Ughhh I love this. I hope you enjoy it! I really did try to come up with an answer for this that I could insert nearer the beginning of the series, but this one was so loud in my brain that I couldn't ignore it. So this is set near the very end. I hope it's not too spoilery and is still enjoyable for someone just starting out - otherwise forget it until you get to season 4!

*

Jack Cottle excelled at two things in this life. The first was emergency medicine. The other was shutting off his damned ears. He’d served in one medical bay or another for longer than some of these kids had been alive, and in the curtained, false privacy of those spaces, he’d overheard things that could drive a man senseless. Usually, it wasn’t the poignancy or the mortality, but the sheer inanity of it that got to him. Nobody was meant to be a fly on the wall the way a battlestar doctor was.

At this late stage of his career, Jack’s sense of hearing was so finely tuned that he could be selective about it. So it was that he always knew when the Admiral was on deck. The old man made a habit of coming down, first thing after the end of his regular duty shift, around 1900. Besides that, it wasn’t unusual for him to step in at irregular hours, and if Cottle’s well-honed senses caught a whiff of booze or a sense of self-medicated unsteadiness about the man, well, he could switch those off as well. It was none of his damned business how the Admiral spent his rare leisure time, so long as he wasn’t causing any disturbance to the patient.

Indeed, Cottle prided himself on the perfect selectiveness of his hearing. Seated at his desk, pausing a moment between charts, he took the time to light a cigarette and let the wordless voices prickle in the back of his awareness. He’d allow them their grief, their distress - they were adults, after all. It was when she started sounding particularly fatigued that he might make himself busy with something more obtrusive, cleaning instruments and the like. That was usually enough to run the old man off, at least for a while, and let the President get some sleep.

This time, in the space of his brief half-listening, he heard something that didn’t sit right. So soft and quick, he wasn’t certain what he’d heard - a sob, perhaps, or a choked sound of pain. He suppressed the urge to grumble. It was unusual enough that he felt the need to check. If they were trying to frak in his sickbay – 

But when he passed the gap in the curtain, it was clear she was sleeping peacefully. The old man was holding one of her thin hands to his lips, and his rugged face was red and streaked with tears. Jack should’ve turned away that instant - all his instincts screamed at him to flee - but he wasn’t fast enough, and he heard what that choked voice was saying.

“My love.”

He’d been wrong, before, about the inanity being the worst of it. The President lay, grim and pained on his medical bed, lit by the awful fluorescents and looking for all the world like a godsdamned angel - her lover, hunched and helpless at her side. And Jack Cottle, backing away, found his finely trained hearing deafened by a roar that started in his chest, as his heart broke right along with Bill’s.

[bardicbeetle]

Character Rambles - Jesse Addison (part 1? Probably?)

I've been doing some little book-bible exercises so here is some background on Jesse. From long before the events of SitD. Mild content warnings for homophobia and the f-slur and the use of Queer as a slur. And also for the vague implication of emotional abuse.

The thing about Jesse Addison is that he lives for other people for the longest time.

He’s a well off kid from a wealthy family, he is intelligent and determined and he’s going to go to medical school (he’s known this since he was ten) and he’s going to make his parents proud of him and he’s going to be the best goddamn big brother you’ve ever seen. Sure his parents are strict but that’s just because they have high expectations, his father is busy running for governor again, his mother is the lead editor for the biggest paper in town (which to be fair isn’t huge but it’s nothing to sneeze at).

Sure, Jesse works too hard to have friends, that’s fine, his English teacher is close enough.

Sure, he’s slowly crumbling under the realization that all of the choices he’s ever made aren’t really his own.

Yes, he spends a little too much time sitting between the eaves on the roof outside his bedroom window.

But he hasn’t fallen off it in years, and what’s a few broken ribs in the long run anyways.

His mother calls him Bird and reads every story he puts under her nose with a mix of well placed praise and plenty of criticism. His father doesn’t have much time for either of his children but does give the occasional appreciative nod at his grades and choice of extracurriculars (“We won’t tell him about the writing workshop Bird—I’ll take care of it.”) Always makes time during those godawful boring dinners with all the city council members and their children to talk about how bright Jesse is, about how far he’s going to go—

—It’s nice.

Sarah treats him like a superhero.

He swears he spends more time watching her than the nanny does.

He doesn’t mind.

Jesse likes giving people something to be proud of. Maybe that’s why it takes so long to realize how fucking miserable he is. How lonely.

He writes more. Writes more than anything else. His grades slip—not enough to be bad, but enough that they are no longer celebrated. For a time, he thinks this is better. If he can slip under the radar, if he can coast through until school is done, if he can plan out a convincing enough argument for avoiding medical school, for—

—it won’t happen.

Charlie is the first friend he makes in high school, in junior year.

Charlie is also the only friend he makes in high school.

Charlie is the one who whispers that they should steal one of his father’s bottles of bourbon and watch the sun rise from the roof.

Charlie is the one who tells everyone and anyone who will listen that Jesse tried to kiss him.

He didn’t.

Wanted to.

But didn’t.

Never would have.

Nobody really seems to think that matters coming from him. Including his parents when the whispers and the bruises and the screamed words finally make it back to them after months of silent endurance. Neither of them had questioned his sudden disposition towards clumsiness, he blamed it on staying up late hours studying, said he was too tired, tripped over things, depth perception had him walking into doorframes and countertops. He figured he could hide it well enough. He’s not a fighter, he’s a deflector, he’s a let-the-blow-ring-out and walk away. Fighting would make it worse. Fighting would give the idea he’s got something worth hiding.

But there’s only so much shit he can take. And it’s when he starts fighting back that the stories make it home. When he starts taking the hurlings of faggot and queer with a smile and putting the inheritance of his mother’s sharp tongue to work. When words stop being words and turn into fists—

It’s Charlie again.

The thing that breaks it.

An eye for a nose is a fair trade, Jesse thinks.

He doesn’t go through the front door that day when he gets home. Climbs over the fence and crawls through Sarah’s bedroom window. Hears the argument his parents are having before it’s ever meant to reach him. Maybe… maybe another time would have been easier, better, less. But it’s campaign season. There will be no fighting back. There will be no goodbyes. There will be plenty of shouting. There will be the packing of a bag and the barely successful attempt not to cry until he’s out of their sight, earshot, and house.

Jesse Addison finishes his junior year of high school sleeping on his middle school english teacher’s couch, promptly drops out to get his GED, and doesn’t look back. Mr. Silas is more than happy to write him any reference he needs, offers to try and talk to his family which Jesse refuses point blank every time he brings it up.

By the time summer is waning, Jesse is working on enrollment at Berkeley.

If he’s going to leave, then he’s doing it right.

@cjjameswriting / @falling-rivers / @maabonwrites / @blve0 / @inexorableblob / @blueberrypoptart / @betwixtofficial / @drowsy-quill / @ezwriting / @ofinscriptions / @vaguelyhumanekid / @meatandboneasmr / @h-faith-marr-writeblr / @necros-writings / @poetinprose / @flyingbananasaur / @oldestenemy / @multi-lefaiye / @dotr-rose-love / @abalonetea / @albatris / @incandescent-creativity / @kaiusvnoir /