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twistyfish · 9 months ago
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prompt~ non-mc reader feeling sad because she feels she lacks the relationship mc has with the lads. requested by anon!
Zayne
Her long, straight brown hair fell in front of her face, and she tucked it behind her ear with slender fingers. Her laughter filled your ears like sticky molasses, and you couldn’t wash it out no matter how hard you tried.
In front of her kneeled Zayne, wiping a cut on her knee with a wet tissue and bandaging it, kissing it gently. You watched as he chided her for being careless and getting hurt.
You wished he would scold you like that.
They stood up and walked away, his arm subtly resting around her waist to support her.
She rested her head against his shoulder. She was so brave. She got injured often because of her profession.
You were an accountant. Your last injury was a paper cut.
The wind blew her hair into Zayne’s face, and you watched him brush it away and arrange it neatly on her shoulders with a smile.
They walked away into the distance, and all you could do was watch.
Sylus
“Can you get my back?” Sylus asked, holding out the bottle of sunscreen to MC.
She nodded and began working the cream into his back, massaging his shoulder blades as she went.
Sylus smiled as she used her strength to massage him. “Nice arm, kitten.”
You sat next to your sandcastle, patting the wet globs of sand together into rough turrets. It was coming together, sort of.
Sylus crouched down next to you. “How’s the castle coming along?”
“It’s getting there.”
“Do you want to come surf with us?”
You hesitated. Truthfully, you weren’t very adventurous. You were a little nervous to ride the waves.
“Come on, it’ll be fun!” MC smiled at you, her surfboard held under her muscular arm.
“Um, no, I’m okay,” you responded shyly.
“Alright. Have fun building, then.” She waved at you and they both turned, running into the waves. MC squealed as the cool water hit her legs, and Sylus laughed his deep, rich laugh. He splashed her, grinning as she made various high pitched noises in response.
You sat with your sandcastle, smoothing the sides with no zeal at all. Your focus was gone. All you could think about were her hands on his back, his grin as he splashed her, their shared laughter as they ran into the water.
Your thoughts were interrupted by Sylus shouting. “Hey! Come in, it’s nice and cool.”
You shook your head.
Rafayel
“Wow, your drawings are ass,” Rafayel remarked.
“Shut up, loser.”
“Look at __’s drawing. It has such a nice composition.”
You felt pride swell in your chest at his compliment. “Thanks, Raf.”
“Of course, cutie. I’m just telling it as it is. Ms. Bodyguard could learn a thing or two from you.”
“I don’t understand how you can get everything so proportional,” MC grumbled.
“Here, let me show you.” He stood up and positioned himself behind her, taking her hand with the pencil in it and mapping out rough lines.
“Just make the general shapes first,” he murmured, hand guiding hers across the paper.
You looked away, trying to focus on your own drawing. You could hear him softly instructing her, and you sort of wished you were a beginner too in that moment.
You mindlessly sketched, and you ended up with a lazy looking cat.
“Oh, is it sad?” Rafayel asked peering over your shoulder.
“No, it’s sleepy.”
“Sleepy all the time, just like you,” he said playfully to MC, elbowing her.
“I’m not sleepy all the time! You’re thinking of Xavier,” she argued back. They continued to bicker as you watched.
Maybe it was a little sad.
Xavier
You rang the bell out of politeness despite knowing Xavier’s door code. You had made some banana muffins, and you wanted him to try them. When there was no answer, you figured you would just go inside and drop them off in the kitchen.
You entered the door code and walked inside quietly. As you passed through the living room, you had to stifle a gasp. Xavier and MC were laying together on the couch, under the blanket.
You immediately looked away, setting the muffins on the counter and moving to tiptoe out of the room. Unfortunately, the rustling woke them up.
“__? Is that you?” Came Xavier’s groggy voice.
“No- yes! Um, I just came in to drop off some muffins. I’m leaving, don’t worry!”
Xavier sat up, the blanket falling off his shoulders and pooling around his bare chest.
Your eyes widened and you turned around.
“Hey, __. Where are you going?” MC was off the couch (wearing clothes, thankfully) walking towards you.
“Yeah, sorry about that. We just got back from training and crashed. We were both exhausted,” Xavier said.
Oh. They were sleeping.
“Sorry for waking you guys.”
“Don’t worry about it. Want to nap with us?”
You paused. “I’m good, don’t worry. I’ll just be going now.” With that, you awkwardly put your shoes back on and left the house. The image of them snuggling under the blanket was cemented to your brain.
That night, you slept hugging a pillow.
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thatsmzbitchtoyou · 8 months ago
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The Boss -(long) Oneshot
Word count: 9284 This one got away from me... sorry. Hope you like it, tho!
Part 2 Part 3
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Y/N smiled as she stared up at the huge high rise building.  It was her first day working at Avengers Legal, the offices of Barnes, Rogers and Stark.  She had been really lucky to find an opening as one of the head lawyers’ personal assistants, she just didn’t know which one yet.  She had a little background in law, but didn’t go to law school, as much as that killed her parents.  A little bump in the road in the shape of her now ex boyfriend had derailed that future, and after freeing herself she was now working on her fresh start.  She followed the instructions from the head of HR that she had been in contact with, and walked out of the elevator to the smiley woman sitting at the reception desk.
“Hello, how can I help you?” she asked in a chipper tone.
“Hi, my name is Y/N Y/L/N.  It’s my first day?” Y/N said.
“Oh!  The new personal assistant!  Yes, Pepper told me,” she said happily.  She stood and held out her hand.  “My name is Kamala Khan.  Receptionist.”
“Kamala, that’s beautiful,” Y/N complimented her, and Kamala smiled even wider.  
“You’re sweet.  I like you already,” Kamala said.  “Follow me.”  She moved around the desk and walked ahead of Y/N towards the hallway to the right.  “Now I don’t know which partner you’re working with,” she said lowly, sidling up to Y/N.  “And please don’t let this scare you off, but each of them work differently.”  
“Okay,” Y/N said, speaking quietly as well.
“If you get Steve, that’s the Rogers part, he’s a sweetie.  Super friendly.  If you get Tony, the Stark part, he’ll tease and make fun of you, he’s very sarcastic, and sometimes he’ll flirt or compliment you like crazy, but it’s never gross and he means nothing by it.  He’s married to Pepper.”  Y/N nodded, intaking all the information as best as she could.  “Then there’s James, the Barnes part.  He’s the more serious of the three.  Friendly, but busy, very professional and no-nonsense.  He likes things done quickly and efficiently.  If he lets you call him his nickname, Bucky, then you know you’re in the inner circle.”
“Inner circle?” Y/N asked as Kamala stopped in front of a door that read Pepper’s name and title.
“It’s like the main team of Avengers Legal,” Kamala said, nearly whispering.  “The partners, their top legal assistants that get to have the most fun or high profile cases, and only the best personal assistants.  Those are the ones that get to travel with them, and usually get to network with top of the line people in the industry.  It opens a lot of doors,” she said, raising her hand to the door.  “So good luck with whoever you get.”
Y/N nodded as Kamala finally knocked.  “Come in!” a voice called out.  Kamala opened the door and gestured for Y/N to enter first.  “Y/N!  Welcome,” Pepper said and stood from her desk.
“Hello, it’s good to see you again,” Y/N said, walking over and shaking her hand.
“Thank you, Kamala,” Pepper called out behind her, and Kamala smiled and closed the door.  “I’m sure she gave you all the beginner’s gossip,” Pepper smirked as she sat back down and gestured for Y/N to sit at the chair in front of the desk.
“Yes, she did,” Y/N huffed a laugh.  
Pepper rolled her eyes.  “The partners are all just overworked, typical men.  Not nearly as special as they like to think they are.”  Y/N bit back a smile.  “That being said, after reviewing your profile and discussing things with them, I think you’ll be best fit with Mr. Barnes.”  Y/N felt a little trepidation at that from what Kamala had said, but nodded.  “He’s…quiet,” Pepper said, choosing her words carefully.  “But honestly one of the best attorneys in the state.  He runs a tight ship, and expects the best out of anyone working under him.  If they disappoint him, he can have quite a temper, but he’s normally very friendly.”
“Are you trying to convince me to back out?” Y/N asked with a smile.
“No!  God no, please stay,” Pepper said, waving her hands in front of her.  “I’m just trying to forewarn you.  He’s had a hard time keeping a personal assistant for the last few years.”
Y/N nodded.  “And he is aware that I’m not a paralegal?”
“Yes,” Pepper nodded back.  “We don’t blur lines when it comes to personal assistants versus legal assistants.”
“Then I’m ready,” Y/N said.
She signed the contract for her employment, then Pepper gave her a tour of the office and had her meet the teams and other partners.  Finally they walked into the office that had his name on it.  “Buck?  I’d like to introduce you to your new personal assistant,” Pepper said as she held the door open for Y/N.  Y/N walked in and took a quick look around at his office before her eyes landed on him sitting in the desk chair.  She had to stop her eyes from widening when she met his gaze.  That is the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.
“Meet Y/N Y/L/N.  Y/N, this is Bucky. Oh!” Pepper rolled her eyes.  “I’m sorry, James.”
Bucky narrowed his eyes at Pepper but gave her a teasing smirk.  “Thanks Pepper,” he said in a dismissive tone.  
Pepper scoffed then squeezed Y/N’s upper arm.  “Come see me before you leave today.”
Y/N smiled and nodded at her and Pepper walked out, closing the door behind her.  Y/N took that short moment to look him over.  Tall, broad shouldered, and from what she could see, built under his suit that was impeccably tailored to him.  His dark brown hair was long and tied back in a small man-bun, which was surprising as a lawyer, but that coupled with his full beard offset the austerity of his suit and made him seem approachable.  His bright blue eyes were looking her over, too, like he was sizing her up.  It was an intense stare, and she had to stop herself from shrinking under his gaze.
She took the initiative and walked forward to his desk.  “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Barnes,” she said, offering her hand to him.
Bucky looked at her hand then back to her face, his hand reaching forward as he smiled politely.  “It’s nice to meet you,” he said, shaking her hand firmly.  Y/N made sure to be firm in her grip with him, and his smile slightly widened.  “Take a seat, and we can go over what it is I expect from you.”
Y/N sat and took out a notebook and pen from her bag, getting comfortable in her seat then looking up at him expectantly.  Bucky seemed to be watching her carefully, and she could start to see a small tell in the type of smirk he gave as to how he was feeling.  The wider smirk he gave Pepper was a friendly one, whereas these small ones as he greeted her were when he was impressed with something or pleasantly surprised.  They had a good, long discussion about what it was he wanted, how he liked to work with others, his normal routine and the possibility of travel at times, but she wouldn’t hold her breath for that.
“That’s about everything I can think of,” Bucky said.  “Any questions?”
“Yes, what’s your favorite drink order?” Y/N asked as she finished jotting down her last notes. 
Bucky scoffed.  “My favorite drink order?”
Y/N smiled.  “Just in case.”
His impressed smirk came back.  “Lately it’s been sweetened matcha.”
“Sweetened with what?” Y/N asked.
“Surprise me,” Bucky said.
Y/N smiled widely.  “Yes sir.”
Bucky frowned.  “No sirs.  Mr. Barnes in front of clients, otherwise Bucky is fine.”
She beamed at him for accepting her so quickly.  “Alright…Bucky.”
***
This job was a baptism by fire.  Y/N was thrown into work life with Bucky, accompanying him all around the city, taking endless notes in meetings and relaying messages to his legal team.  Per Bucky’s request she became close with all the assistants on his legal team, learning the process of working on a case and seeing how they all worked together.  She also scheduled everything in his personal life, making sure he was getting to doctor's appointments, picking up the dry cleaning, making sure the house cleaner was on time, taking personal phone calls during the work day, and handling anything else she could anticipate for him. 
Kamala was right, he was very particular and wanted efficiency above all else.  He didn’t like people wasting his time, and expected everyone to be at their best while at work.  There were times Y/N would catch him having a casual moment with one of the other partners, Steve, who was his best friend from childhood.  He would laugh at something Steve said and she’d be gifted with the sight of his full, real smile that he rarely gave anyone.  That being said, as the months went by he was opening up to Y/N, teasing her, making jokes and even at times bordering on flirtatious.
Steve was still looking for a new personal assistant, since his previous one, Peggy, he just so happened to start dating seriously, and since they struggled to differentiate work versus their personal lives she had resigned.  Every once in a while Bucky would lend Y/N out to Steve to help with some things that he needed while Pepper was in the process of finding him a new assistant.  “Good morning, Steve,” Y/N greeted him one day while she was helping him for a week.  She daintily put down a large coffee cup in front of him and his eyes widened.
“Oh you angel,” he whispered, grabbing the warm cup.  He brought it to his lips, taking a slow sip and he hummed appreciatively.  “You’re heaven sent, you know that?”
“I know,” Y/N smirked.  
“Oh I see how it is,” Bucky’s voice came from behind her.  She turned to find him walking toward her into Steve’s office with a teasing smile.  “One week with this jerk and you forget all about me.”
“Punk,” Steve spat as he sipped his coffee.
Y/N rolled her eyes and held up the other cup in her hand.  “How could I forget your cafe style sweetened matcha with three pumps of lavender and oat milk?”  Bucky hung his head and huffed a laugh as he took the cup from her.  “You just came here before I had a chance to come to you.  So needy,” Y/N teased him.  She took out her work phone provided by the firm and started scrolling.  “By the way, your date from last week keeps texting and calling.  What excuse do you want me to give dearest Dottie?”  
Bucky groaned and Steve laughed loudly.  “What was wrong with this one, Buck?” Steve snorted.
Bucky glanced at Y/N like he wasn’t sure how to talk about it in front of her.  “Well, judging by these texts, she’s very thirsty,” Y/N said in a deadpanned tone, making Steve almost spit out his coffee.  “Like, all of the time,” Y/N said.  “Shall I?” she smiled wickedly, waving the phone in front of Bucky’s face.
His eyes widened and he slammed the drink down before lunging toward her to grab the phone but she sidestepped him and ran behind Steve’s desk.  “Read it!  Read it!” Steve said, standing from his chair to block Bucky from getting to Y/N.
“Don’t you dare!” Bucky growled as he tried to go through Steve.
“‘Let me know when I can see you again, baby.  We can pick up where we left off,’” Y/N read, her voice taking on an exaggerated Bronx, New York accent like what she’d heard from Dottie’s voicemails.  
“Oooh where did you leave off, Buck?” Steve asked.  
Bucky tried to push past him.  “No where,” he grunted.
“These get worse by the day,” Y/N frowned as she read through them.  She had mostly ignored them every time she saw Dottie’s name pop up, not engaging in her constant ramblings in trying to get his attention.  This was why he gave out the work cell phone number rather than his actual, personal one.  “‘I want your tongue so deep inside me I can taste it,’” she read in the accent again, her eyes wide and eyebrows raised high.  “Good Lord.”
Bucky finally got past Steve and ran after Y/N as she squeaked and ran out of Steve’s office, Steve’s laugh echoing down the hallway as she moved as fast as her heels would allow her.  She ducked into an empty conference room and ran around the table, Bucky on the other side.  “‘I feel like a vampire, I wanna suck everything out of you,’” Y/N read, cocking an eyebrow at him.  “Jesus, Bucky, where do you find these girls?”  He edged around the table toward her and she jerked to the side, making him frown deeper at her.  He suddenly jumped and slid over the table, making Y/N screech as she tried to run but he caught her with his arms around her waist, hoisting her up off her feet.  She kept the phone out of his reach as he tried to maneuver her to take it from her.  “Ooh this one is really naughty,” she giggled.  Bucky pushed her into the corner of the room, making her face him as he grabbed at her hands.  He finally caught her wrists and as he held them together she read: “‘Fuck me like an animal.  I wanna be your little cum slut,’” she finished, laughing at the end of the phrase and losing the accent.
Bucky pried the phone out of her fingers.  Y/N’s laugh died on her lips as she looked up at him and saw the look on his face.  He wasn’t frowning or smiling, but looked surprised and…aroused.  Y/N realized the position they were in.  She was pushed in the corner, his leg between her legs with his knee almost cradling her core, the rest of his torso pushing against her front to keep her there, his hand holding both of her wrists against his chest and his face hovering mere inches from her face.  His eyes flicked back and forth between her eyes, then glanced at her lips.
Y/N gasped and pushed him away, Bucky quickly backing up with the phone in his hand.  He exhaled sharply, his eyes widening.  “I…I’m sorry, Y/N,” he said quietly.
“It’s okay, it’s my fault,” Y/N said, shaking her head and looking down.  “I’m sorry…I got carried away.  I’ll um, let you handle that and you can give it back when you’re done,” she said, glancing at the phone, then gave him a quick look and walked away.  She nearly ran to the bathroom, hiding in one of the stalls and sliding down to the floor as she tried to even out her breathing.  It wasn’t that she didn’t want Bucky to touch her, in fact she’d had way too many dirty dreams starring him doing much worse things to her since she started working here.  She would gladly fuck Bucky, but she didn’t want to lose her job or have to give it up like Peggy had with Steve.  She needed this job.  She needed to take care of herself, so that if he ever came around, she wouldn’t fall for it all again.  
***
The rest of that day she had focused solely on Steve and all he needed her to do.  When the day was over she marched toward the front door by the reception desk where she found Bucky talking to Kamala.
“Oh, have a good night, Y/N!” Kamala called out to her and waved.
“You, too, K,” Y/N said quickly, giving her a quick smile.  She glanced at Bucky quickly.  “G’night Buck.”  She walked fast out of the office toward the elevator down the hall.  She heard Buck say goodbye to Kamala then follow her out.
“Y/N, hey, hold on,” he called out to her.
She sighed silently as she pushed the down button and turned to face him with a polite smile.  “Yes?”
Bucky stared at her for a moment before the elevator dinged and they both entered the elevator.  Y/N pressed the parking floor level button and leaned back against the elevator wall.  Bucky’s mouth opened and closed multiple times before he finally turned to face her with a heavy sigh.  “I’m sorry, again,” he said, his voice sounding strained.  
“It’s fine, Buck–”
“No, it’s not,” he interrupted her.  “I shouldn’t have…roughhoused you like that.”
Y/N chuckled.  “Roughhoused?”
“Yes, I’m an old man, don’t judge me,” Bucky said, rolling his eyes, a small smile on his face.
“I’m sorry I teased you with the texts so much,” Y/N said.  “I just have a bit of a…history, and it threw me for a loop for a second.”  He looked at her quizzically but she didn’t want to explain.  “She’s got quite the vocabulary,” she said with a teasing smirk, changing the subject.
Bucky snorted, hanging his head as Y/N laughed.  “Yeah, it was uh…quite the date,” he said.  “That’s why I didn’t text her back.  It was all just a bit much.”  Y/N hummed and he handed the work phone back to her.  “I politely told her to get lost and blocked her number,” he said.  She took the phone and nodded.  “I really am sorry,” he repeated.  Y/N met his gaze.  He was sincere and repentant, a knowing look in his eyes.  “I didn’t mean to hurt or scare you.”
Y/N stared at him for a moment before giving him a small smile.  “I know.”
***
Y/N was walking by the reception desk one day on her way back in from lunch when she stopped in her tracks.  Kamala was speaking to a man that Y/N recognized.  It was Vic, her ex.  Kamala looked uncomfortable and met Y/N’s gaze with a concerned look.  Y/N’s eyes were wide and she shook her head minutely, hoping Kamala would get the message.  Kamala looked down then back up at Vic.  “I’m sorry, we don’t have anyone here by that name,” she said sweetly.  “Maybe you have the wrong address?”  She distracted him, making him face away enough that Y/N was able to slip by down the hallway.  Once she was out of earshot she ran into Bucky’s office, closing the door and locking it behind herself.  She was panting, trying to calm herself.
“Y/N?” Bucky’s voice came from behind her.  She whirled around to face him.  He looked confused.  She held her finger to her mouth and a call came into his office phone.  He frowned and answered the call.  “Yes?” he asked.  He listened for a moment before looking at Y/N.  “A Victor Creed is here to see me?”  Y/N shook her head frantically, her eyes stinging with tears flowing fast.  Bucky’s face shifted into a look of surprise at her response as he stood.  “I’ll come up front in a moment,” he said before hanging up.  He rounded his desk and reached out to her, taking her hands in his.  “Who is he?” he asked quietly.
“History,” Y/N whispered.  
Bucky’s face twisted in recognition at the conversation they’d had weeks before, then his expression became stony.  “Stay here.  Lock the door.  I’ll knock twice once it’s safe.”
Y/N sniffled and nodded as he squeezed her hands, then had her stay behind the door as he opened it and walked down the hallway.  She locked it behind him and stood stock still as she waited and listened.  She could only hear muffled voices for a few minutes, then Vic’s voice getting louder before a slammed door made her jump.  Footsteps came back down the hallway, then two quiet knocks on the door.  She sighed as she unlocked the door with a shaky hand.  Bucky slowly opened it, watching her carefully.  “He’s gone,” he said, taking a step toward her with his hands up.  “Kamala is calling security to have him trespassed from the building.”  Y/N nodded, gnawing on her lip as her arms were tensed and tightly wrapped around herself.  “It’s okay.  You’re safe.  Everything’s going to be alright,” he said quietly.  She swallowed harshly as her tears kept falling.  “Can I give you a hug?” Bucky asked.  
Y/N stared at him for a moment before a sob broke through, and she nodded as she hung her head.  Bucky stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to his chest as she cried heavily.  She gripped the lapels of his suit jacket, shivering against him.  “I told him it was over,” she cried.  “I told him to leave me alone.”
Bucky’s fingers pet the back of her head, running through her hair.  “This isn’t your fault, Y/N,” he said quietly.  “He’s obviously stalking you.”  
She nodded against his chest.  After another moment of him holding her she pulled away and sniffed quickly, wiping her face.  “God, ugh, I’m sorry,” she grunted, clearing her throat.  “I’m so sorry to bring this…drama to the workplace.  I thought I had handled it but apparently not.  I completely understand if you have to let me go–”
“Why the hell would I do that?” Bucky scoffed.  “You’re the best personal assistant I’ve ever had.”  He stepped toward her again and reached for her hands, holding her fingers lightly as his thumbs ran over her knuckles.  “Here’s what we’re going to do.  He’s being trespassed from the building.  You will be escorted by security, or at the very least one of us, to and from your car every day.”
“Buck you don’t have to–”
“Like hell I don’t,” he interrupted her with a stern look.  “You’ll turn on your location on the work phone and share it with me and the others.  And you and I are going to go to the police station to make a report, go online and fill out a protective order or stalking injunction, then drop it off at the court later.”  Y/N’s tears came back.  She hadn’t been able to rely on anyone for years, had lost all contact and close relationships with her friends and family because of him, so to have someone worry and care about her enough to try to help her was overwhelming.  Bucky let go of one of her hands and reached that hand up to wipe away her new tears.  “Okay?” he asked.
“Okay,” she nodded.
***
Bucky, the other partners, and the entire office was a godsend to Y/N.  He had accompanied her when they filled out the protective order and turned it into the courthouse, then to the police station as she made a report.  Working in a law firm was helpful in that she was able to file a cease and desist by the end of the day, and with Bucky’s connections to certain officers at the station was able to know when Vic was served with everything.  Over the next few weeks she was accompanied to and from work from her car in the parking garage by someone, usually Bucky, Steve, Tony, and at other times by some of the paralegals.  Scott was one of her favorites, always making it seem like she was the president and he was the secret service.  
She was grateful to all of them for their efforts and willingness to help her.  It made her feel like a burden, but she was quickly reminded that they really didn’t mind when she brought it up.  Her protective order was granted, and she proceeded into getting a restraining order since they lasted longer.
Five months later as Bucky’s team was working late on a big case she packed up her bag.  “Alright, I’m heading out,” she announced to the room.
They all hummed or bid her half-hearted farewells, their attention all focused on the paperwork in front of them.  Bucky’s head snapped up.  “Hold on, doll, let me walk you down.”
“Bucky, it’s fine, honestly,” Y/N waved away his concern, backing up to the front door.  “It’s been months.  I’m sure I’ll be fine.  You shouldn’t have to babysit me–”
“Freeze,” he barked at her.  Y/N’s eyes widened and she stood still, everyone else falling silent at his raised voice.  “I’m coming with you,” he said with no room for argument.  He slipped his jacket back on and grabbed his keys before walking up to her.  “Let’s go,” he said in a quiet, much more gentle tone.
The ride in the elevator and walk to her car was silent.  Once she had unlocked her car door and put her purse in she turned to Bucky.  “Thank you–”
“Y/N, I need you to understand something,” Bucky interrupted her.  He was frowning, looking down at her with an intensity she’d never seen directed at her before.  “You are not a burden.  I am not babysitting you.  I want to help you.  I want you to be safe.  I need you…” he paused, swallowing harshly.  “I care about you,” he said quietly.  
Y/N stared at him in disbelief.  She had made good friendships at the office, and she and Bucky had become close, with her managing every aspect of his job and life for over a year.  She trusted him, and if she were honest with herself, she liked him as much more than her boss, and more than a friend.  But to hear it from him in this context made her feel emotional.  She felt tears start stinging her eyes and blinked rapidly to make them go away.
“Thank you,” she replied.  “I appreciate that.  I…I care about you, too.”
Bucky watched her for a moment before taking a step toward her.  He looked down at her for a moment, the intensity in his eyes making her knees feel weak.  His gaze fell to their feet then he wound an arm around her shoulders and hugged her, kissing her forehead lightly.  “I’ll see you Monday,” he whispered into her hair.
Y/N gently hugged him back, enjoying how his cologne wrapped around her like a blanket.  She closed her eyes as he held her, then opened them when he stepped away.  “See you,” she said quickly.  She gave him a small smile then got into her car.  Bucky stepped back and watched her drive away.  Y/N didn’t know what to think of the interaction.  It wasn’t necessarily work appropriate, but also not quite wrong between friends outside of work.  When she got home she tried to shake it off as another strange moment as she took off her heels and dropped her bag in the entryway.  She walked to the kitchen, pulling some things out to make a quick dinner when she felt like something was off.  She glanced around, then saw a shadow in the corner of the dining room.  She froze when she saw Vic standing there out of the corner of her eye, watching her.  Y/N knew it was too late, and subtly called the last number she had called, which just so happened to be Bucky.
As it rang quietly she turned around and faced Vic head on, looking him in the eye.  When she could hear Bucky pick up she spoke loud enough for him to hear.  “What are you doing here, Vic?” she asked, her voice sounding angry, which she was thankful for with how afraid she was.
Vic chuckled and stepped toward the kitchen into the light.  He looked rougher than the last time she saw him, like he hadn’t been eating, and he smelled like he hadn’t showered in a long while.  His eyes were bloodshot, and with how he swayed as he walked she could tell he was either extremely drunk or high on something.  “Hey princess,” he slurred.  “Just came to see how things are going.  How’s the new boy toy treating you?”
“Boy toy?” Y/N scoffed.  “Who are you talking about?”
“That boss of yours,” Vic snarled, stumbling toward her.  He tried to reach out and grab her, but she quickly stepped out of his reach.  He grunted as he righted himself.  
“He’s not my boyfriend,” Y/N said.  “Even if he was, you have no right to be jealous of me or who I associate with.  We are not together.”
“Right, you being an ‘independent’ woman and all,” Vic mocked her, making air quotes with his fingers.  
“Y/N!  I’m coming!” she heard Bucky’s voice muffled against her chest from her phone.
Y/N tried to keep her wits about her, thinking through her options.  Help was coming.  Bucky was coming.  Just keep talking.  “I am now,” she asserted herself.  She angled her body sideways, getting into a better fighting stance and turning toward the front door.  “You hurt me, Vic.  You controlled, isolated, and abused me.  And I deserve better than that.”
Vic laughed.  “You deserve what I think you deserve.  Which right now, is to be my little cumslut, like you used to be when you were a good little princess.  So, get on your knees,” he said, rushing toward her.  
Y/N punched him, making his head whip to the side, then used his drunkenness against him as she pushed him as hard as she could away from her, making him stumble and fall to the floor.  Y/N held her phone as she ran to the front door.  As she was unlocking it Vic ran up behind her and lifted her off her feet, throwing her back toward the dining room where she fell hard on the floor.  The phone clattered a few feet away from her, and as she crawled toward it Vic grabbed her feet, trying to pull her back.  She kicked and screamed, hearing Bucky’s voice faintly yelling through the phone.  
As Vic was able to turn her to her back, she punched him again, enraging him further.  “You stupid bitch!” he screamed in her face.
Y/N screamed back in his face, then Vic was pulled back off of her.  She gasped as she saw Bucky wrench Vic away, put him in a chokehold and fall on top of him.  Vic struggled, scratching at Bucky’s arms and hands as he choked and gasped for air.  Bucky grunted and tightened his grip more.  “Go to sleep, fucker,” he growled.  After another minute Vic slowly lost control of his arms, his eyes rolling back in his head until he passed out.  Bucky let go of him, but stayed on top of him in case he woke up.  “Call the police,” Bucky glanced at her.  
***
She watched the police officers and paramedics work on Vic in the entryway, loading him on a gurney that he was promptly handcuffed to.  They checked her and Bucky over, treating the scratches on Bucky’s hands and arms and her bruises and scrapes. She was questioned by police officers as they took pictures of her and Bucky’s injuries as well as the knocked over furniture in her apartment.  Y/N answered them as best as she could, Bucky sitting with her the entire time until they finally left.  
“Y/N?” Bucky called to her, turning to face her.  She looked at him blankly.  He was watching her carefully, reaching a hand out and taking hers closest to him.  “Do you wanna stay here tonight?”  She shook her head fervently.  “You can stay with me if you want,” he offered.  “Would you like to do that?” 
Y/N nodded absentmindedly.  She couldn’t think of anything better in that moment than a shower and a different place to stay.  Bucky helped her pack a bag, then guided her out of her apartment to the parking lot.  He helped her into his car, and she melted into the front seat.  She felt numb, unable to get her thoughts together to form anything coherent.  The rational part of her mind knew that it was trying to protect itself from the trauma of the night, but she couldn’t quite come to that conclusion yet.  
She was almost falling asleep when Bucky pulled into the garage of a home.  He got out and helped her out of the car, carrying her bag as he guided her into the house.  He led her through the house until he walked into what looked like a guest bedroom, setting her bag on the bed.  He turned to look at her.  “The bathroom is there,” he pointed at a door in the corner.  He looked at her nervously.  “Do you…do you need, um, help?”
Y/N stared at him for a long moment.  She didn’t know what she wanted.  Her eyes flicked around the room.  “I…I don’t…know,” she whispered.
Bucky nodded.  “Okay, well, how about you go shower, and uh, here,” he opened her bag and pulled out some pajamas and underwear, walking to the bathroom and putting the clothes down before coming back out, “and I’ll wait here just in case.  Is that okay?”
Y/N nodded.  “Thank you,” she whispered.  She couldn’t seem to find her voice, afraid that if she were any louder it would somehow make everything real.  Bucky nodded and gave her a small, reassuring smile before he sat himself on the bed.  Y/N walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind herself.  She felt like she was jerky in her movements as she stripped herself of her clothes, heaping them in the sink.  She stared at herself in the mirror for a moment.  Her hair was a mess from fighting him off, her mascara streaked down her face from the tears she unknowingly shed earlier, and a bruise showing near her hairline from when she hit the ground.  She shivered and turned on the shower.  The water was too hot, but she barely felt it as she washed herself.  
Y/N turned off the water and walked out of the shower.  She wrapped herself in a towel as she dried off, fixing her hair and rubbing her face.  She looked at herself in the mirror again.  Back to normal, she thought.  But this wasn’t normal.  Nothing about tonight was normal.  Nothing about her life for the past few years had been normal.  The adrenaline seemed to all wear off in a second, and her sobriety made her gasp.  She doubled over as the soreness from the fight hit her out of nowhere, and she cried out as she held herself and kneeled to the floor.
“Y/N?” Bucky’s voice called out from behind the door.  “Are you alright?  What was that noise?”  She couldn’t answer.  Her throat was closed, choking on sobs.  “I’m coming in,” he warned her, then the door opened.  He looked around, finding her on the floor in the fetal position.  “Oh, doll,” he cooed, kneeling down quickly.  Bucky’s arms cradled her, moving her until he was able to help her stand.  “Come on,” he said, grabbing her clothes and leading her to the bed.  She cried as he held her, her face buried into his collarbone, her fingers gripping his shirt tightly.  He sat her on the bed and kneeled in front of her to catch her eye, reaching a hand up and wiping away her tears.  “Can I help you get dressed?” he whispered.  Y/N nodded as she hung her head in her hands.  She didn’t care about how awkward or inappropriate this was at this point.  Bucky handed her her underwear, then closed his eyes.  Y/N dropped the towel and put on her underwear quickly.  Bucky then blindly grabbed her shirt, opening his eyes while his head was facing down as he fixed the shirt, then closed his eyes again as he held it up so she could slip her head and arms through it.  He did the same for her sleep shorts, the backs of his fingertips sliding along her thighs and hips momentarily.  
Bucky then stood and opened his eyes, looking down at her as he stepped forward in between her legs.  He slowly cupped her face in his hands and made her look at him.  “I know it’s a really stupid question, but, are you okay?” he asked.
“No,” Y/N shook her head, a fresh wave of tears starting to fall.  “He…he was going to hurt me again.”
Bucky nodded.  “I know, but you did the right thing in calling for help.  I’m just sorry I couldn’t get there sooner,” he said, biting his lip when it trembled.  “And you fought back, Y/N.  You fought hard and you won.  Do you hear me?” he dipped his head down to be eye level with her.  “You won.  He’ll never hurt you again.  You protected yourself, and I’m so proud of you,” he paused, his voice wobbling with emotion.  “I’m proud of you for keeping yourself safe.  God, when I saw him on top of you I–” he gritted his teeth, frowning deeply.  “I can’t lose you.”
Y/N stared at him.  He’d confessed he cared about her earlier that night, but now he seemed like he maybe cared more than he’d let on.  “I’m just your assistant,” she said.
Bucky chuckled.  “Best assistant I’ve ever had,” he smiled.  “But you, you’re…like I said, I care about you.”
Y/N eyed him warily, but she was too exhausted to try to argue or read into it anymore for the night.  She sighed and nodded.  “I need to sleep,” she whispered, her body feeling like it could collapse at any moment.
“Okay,” Bucky agreed, moving to the top of the bed and turning down the covers, helping her get situated.  
“Please stay,” Y/N said, grabbing his wrist.
Bucky’s eyes widened but he nodded.  “Okay.”  
He sat at the end of the bed as Y/N got comfortable.  After she shifted repeatedly she looked at him.  “Could you, um��would you please…hold me?” she asked hesitantly.  
Bucky immediately nodded.  “Yeah,” he said, then climbed up the bed.  He settled under the covers and held his arms open to her.  Y/N scooted close to him, her head tucked under his chin, resting against his chest, and the moment his arms were wrapped around her protectively she cried again, this time quietly, her body trembling as it tried to relax.  “It’s okay, doll, I’ve got you,” he mumbled, kissing the top of her head.  “You’re safe.  You’re safe here.  You can stay as long as you want.  I’m right here…”  He rambled on for a while, his low voice helping soothe her nerves and lull her to sleep.  The last thing she felt was his hands rubbing her back gently, his lips kissing her forehead.  
***
Y/N woke up the next morning extremely warm and comfortable.  The bed underneath her was…moving?  She shifted herself, realizing that the bed she was on was a body.  Her head snapped up and looked to see Bucky.  He was still asleep, laying on his back with Y/N draped across his side, her head still on his chest, her arm across his waist and her leg hiked up over his groin and legs.  A flood of memories rushed in her head, making her shut her eyes tight at the headache it caused.  She laid her head back down on his chest, groaning at the soreness in her body.  His arm draped across her back that held her against him instinctively tightened and he hummed as his free hand bent up and under his head, making him look relaxed.  Y/N couldn’t help but to stare at him.  Getting to see Bucky asleep was quite the sight.  The nearly perpetual frown he had at work when focusing on cases and handling issues was gone, making him look younger and peaceful.  
Y/N reached a hand up and softly scratched at the beard hair on his chin, caressing his cheek and tracing along different parts of his face.  She felt like she was skipping a lot of steps, and that this was definitely inappropriate, but couldn’t find it in herself to care.  His eyes fluttered as she traced down his nose, and he started to wake up.  She tucked herself back into his side quickly, closing her eyes as Bucky started to squirm.  He groaned beneath her, stretching as best as he could with her nearly on top of him before she felt his lips on her forehead again.  “Y/N,” he grunted, then cleared his throat.  “Good morning.”  Y/N didn’t want to move.  She didn’t answer and his free hand shuffled from underneath his head to reach down and poke her side gently.  “Come on, doll, time to wake up,” he said quietly.
She hummed unhappily, shaking her head against his chest.  “Five more minutes,” she rasped.  
Bucky chuckled, making her shake.  “As comfortable as I am, let’s get you fed, huh?”  She shook her head again, her arms tightening around him.  He shifted himself to face her, wrapping his arms around her in a hug.  “Were you touching my face?” he asked, a teasing tone in his voice.  Y/N hid her face into his chest to hide her blush.  Bucky chuckled again.  “Why were you touching my face?”
“I don’t know,” Y/N replied, her voice muffled in his shirt.  “You just looked so…peaceful and cozy.”
He hummed, the vibration in his chest warming her face.  She finally moved and looked up at him, meeting his tired gaze.  “Hi,” he whispered.
“Good morning,” Y/N whispered back with a small smile.
“How are you feeling today?” he asked quietly, reaching a hand up and moving her hair out of her face.
“Hm…tired, and sore,” she groaned.  Her stomach growled then, and it made him smile widely.
“And hungry,” he smirked.  “Come on.”  They both slowly got up, and separated for a few minutes to get cleaned up and ready for the day.  He met her at the door to the guest bedroom and led her to the kitchen, where he had her sit at the bar stool at the island while he gathered some food together.  “You like waffles?” he asked.
“I love waffles,” Y/N smiled brightly.  
While Bucky worked on breakfast Y/N took a look around the kitchen.  Since they had come to his house late at night and she had been merely surviving emotionally at the time she hadn’t been able to get a good look at the house.  She gazed at the design and layout of the kitchen that was open to the dining room, and just beyond an arched wall she could see into an office, sitting room area.  The entire house was a moody, dark academia style, making her smile again.  Dark and brooding but with charming aspects, like the man making her waffles.
“I love your house,” she said, catching his attention.  “Did you have it designed?”
“I did,” Bucky smiled, plating a waffle for her.  “My sister is an interior designer.”
“Your sister?” Y/N asked with raised eyebrows.  “How did I not know you have a sister?”
“Just because you’re my personal assistant doesn’t mean I’m gonna tell you everything,” he smirked as he handed her the plate, along with a butter dish and the maple syrup.
“Obviously not,” Y/N smirked back at him.  She buttered the waffle and poured the syrup before cutting into it and taking a bite.  She sighed happily at the taste, giving Bucky an appreciative nod, making him smile.  “So good,” she mumbled around the mouthful.
“Good,” Bucky said, then turned to make some more.  He cooked up some eggs and poured her some coffee and juice.  He leaned on the island across from her and ate as well, both of them getting their fill until the waffles and eggs were gone.  He took the dishes and put them in the dishwasher before turning back to face her again.  He stared at her for a minute before licking his lips.  
Y/N sighed.  She couldn’t keep playing this back and forth, weird sexual tension game anymore.  Her emotions were all over the place, and annoyance was winning.  “You keep saying ‘I care about you.’  What does that mean?” 
Bucky’s eyes widened as he frowned.  “It means I care about you.  I want to help you, like I said.  I’ve seen these things happen before and I couldn’t just let it be–” 
“‘I’ve seen these things happen before.’  So you wanted to save me.”  She knew she was lashing out, but couldn’t stop herself.  “But it’s never happened to you, has it?”  Y/N slipped off the stool, rounded the island and came toe to toe with him, Bucky backing up slightly at her voice raising.  “You don’t know what it feels like to be afraid every day.  You don’t know what it’s like to be stalked, harassed, beaten, raped, broken!  So why do you care so much?!”  She asked, her eyes burning with more tears falling.  
Bucky’s own eyes looked teary as he looked down at her sadly.  “My sister was in an abusive relationship,” he said quietly.  “He almost killed her.  She got away and didn’t want help, but it haunted her.  She was a shell of herself.  I couldn’t lose her, she’s the only family I have left,” he swallowed harshly.  “So I helped her as best as I could.  It took her a while, but eventually she got better, and is still healing.  I don’t know how it feels.  I don’t know what you need.  I just want to help,” he said, his lips pressing together firmly.
Y/N digested his words, her mind still feeling slow in processing things.  She blinked rapidly as she sniffed.  “Fine,” she agreed.  Bucky seemed relieved and nodded.  “I’m going to get my stuff, then I’ll be out of your hair,” she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Don’t do that,” Bucky said gruffly back.  
“Don’t do what?” Y/N asked.
“Don’t push me away just because I offered you help.  Don’t get angry and defensive because someone wants to take care of you,” he replied.
“I never asked for your help,” she said quietly.
“Stop it,” Bucky said, stepping closer to her.  “If you didn’t want help you wouldn’t have called me.”
She stared up at him defiantly.  He was close to her like that day when she teased him in the office a while ago.  Y/N wanted to push him, see how far he was willing to go in this back and forth they’d been having for so long.  “I care about you,” kept rattling around in her head as she tried to make sense of it.  Yes, he cared.  But it felt like something else.  Something more simmering underneath the words.  
“You care so much,” she sneered, stepping even closer.  “Why?”
“Because I’m a good person?” Bucky said incredulously.  
She shook her head.  “And?”
He looked like he was fighting against himself.  “I don’t need another reason.  And I don’t need to explain myself to you.”
“Is it because you want something from me?” she ventured.  “You help me and I’ll be so eternally grateful I’ll throw myself at you?”
Bucky recoiled.  “Stop that.”
“Well that’s what you want, right?” Y/N pushed further.  “I saw it that day when Steve and I were teasing you, and it went a little too far.  You wanted more,” her eyes flickered to his lips and back to his eyes.  
Bucky shut his eyes and shook his head, taking a step back.  “Y/N, you just went through something traumatic.  You’re lashing out because you don’t know how to handle it right now–”
Y/N said, stepping toward him again.  “All I need is a straight answer.  You wanted more, yes or no?”
Bucky opened his eyes but couldn’t keep her gaze.  “It doesn’t matter what I want,” he said, his jaw ticking when he finished.
“Still didn’t answer my question,” Y/N said, sounding more annoyed.  “You wanna help me?  Think of this as my first round of therapy.  I’m working through some rough feelings right now, Boss.  I need an answer!”
“Yes!  Okay?  Goddammit,” Bucky said, throwing his hands up in frustration.  “Yes, I want more with you.  But that doesn’t matter.  Especially right now.  I’m not going to take advantage of a highly emotional moment in your life and try to slip in just to ‘get some,’ that’s not what I want.  And it’s insulting to me that you think that of me,” Bucky pointed his finger at her.  “Some people really do just care about you, you know that?  Some people really just want to help because they care about you, because they like you, they love you!”
Y/N was fully crying again, her arms holding herself even more tightly than before.  His raised voice was making her shrink into herself.  “No one loves me,” she whispered.
“I do!” Bucky yelled.
Y/N flinched and Bucky’s face crumpled.  “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Y/N said, taking a step back.  “Just please stop yelling.”
Bucky sighed heavily, his hand rubbing his face harshly before he raised his hands in front of himself like he was surrendering.  “I’m sorry, Y/N, I didn’t mean to yell,” he said quietly.  “Please, I…I’m just trying to help.”
Y/N bit her lip as she tried to control her crying, but instead it just made her choke on a sob that broke through.  She wasn’t scared of Bucky.  She knew he would never hurt her, but the raised voice and yelling was triggering.  “I know, I’m sorry.  I’m sorry for questioning you and your motives.  I’m sorry,” she tried stepping away but he walked toward her.
“Y/N,” he pleaded.  “Don’t run away.  Please, I’m sorry,” he reached toward her, leaving his hand outstretched with his palm up as an invitation.  
Y/N’s eyes flicked from his hand to his face repeatedly.  The dichotomy of wanting to run away and hide versus wanting to be comforted was making her panic.  Ultimately she slowly reached out and gave him her hand.  Bucky slowly stepped toward her, taking her hand and holding it gently but firmly as he pulled her towards him.  She stepped toward him hesitantly, and he moved slowly as he wrapped his arms around her, watching her reactions carefully.  He pulled her until their bodies were flush against each other and her arms wrapped behind his back, tucking her face into the crook of his neck.  His hand moved to hold the back of her head against him gently, running his fingers through her hair as they breathed deeply, and she matched her breathing to his to calm down.  “I do want you,” he whispered in her ear.  “I do like you.  If I’m honest, I’ve been falling in love with you since the moment I met you.”
Y/N huffed a short laugh against his skin.  “I knew it,” she whispered.
“Can you blame me?” Bucky chuckled, nuzzling her hair with his nose.
Y/N smiled.  “Thank you, Bucky.  I’m sorry I…I don’t know what’s going on with me right now.”
“It’s okay, I understand,” Bucky breathed, squeezing her tighter.  He pulled away just enough to look at her. 
They stared at each other and she gulped.  “Can I have…could we try…one k-kiss?” she asked.
Bucky’s eyes minutely widened, inhaling sharply.  “I-I don’t know if I could…stop myself at one,” he confessed.
“That’s okay,” Y/N said.  
Bucky’s eyes flickered to her lips and back to her eyes.  His hands moved from her back up to her face, cupping her cheeks and angling her head upwards.  “You want me?” he asked breathily.  Y/N nodded as he leaned forward, angling his head and brushing his lips across hers first, like he was testing the waters of his own sanity.  He finally fully pressed his lips on hers and kissed her softly.  
Y/N sucked in a breath, kissing him back just as softly.  It was just as perfect as she had dreamt it would be, from all those nights she had fallen asleep to the thought of him, while chastising herself for her feelings and denying it.  It ended too soon when he pulled away, though not too far as his nose nuzzled her nose.  Y/N whimpered at the loss, and he had to shut his eyes tight again.  “Fuck, doll, that was a pretty noise,” he groaned.  His fingers slipped back into her hair.  “More?” he begged.
Y/N nodded and he kissed her again.  This one was firmer, heavier, and his grip on her was tighter.  Her fingers fisted his shirt, her arms pulling him by the waist impossibly closer to her as she angled her head more and pushed up on her tip-toes to deepen the kiss.  Bucky grunted, and before she knew it he was picking her up and setting her on the kitchen counter.  The kisses were passionate, Bucky’s tongue sneaking out to lick at her bottom lip and Y/N opening up to him easily.  They tasted each other, nipping at each other’s lips, their hands roaming each other’s bodies.  Bucky was standing between her spread legs, his hands now kneading her thighs up to her hips as she tasted him and sucked on his tongue.  
“Holy shit, doll,” he moaned when she released him.  “I just wanna make it clear that I’m not trying to take advantage of you in a fragile state–”
“Just fuck me, Bucky,” Y/N groaned, running her fingers through his hair and pulling him back in for a seering kiss.
“Yeah…yeah okay,” Bucky huffed against her mouth, picking her up and carrying her back to the guest room.
*** 
When they got to work that next Monday Y/N was greeted with excited smiles and hugs.  Apparently word had spread quickly.  “Oh!  I’m so glad you’re okay!” Kamala said, hugging her tightly.  
Steve stepped up afterward, hugging her like she was his little sister.  “I’m so glad you’re okay,” he said quietly.  “So proud of you.”
Y/N smiled appreciatively at him.  “Thank you.  Thank you, everybody,” she waved at them all.  “I’m fine, really.”
“Now quit distracting my assistant.  Fuck off!” Bucky said loudly, and they all went back to work in a hurry, Steve just rolling his eyes and smiling as he walked off to his office.  Bucky had his hand on her lower back as he guided her towards his office.  Once they were inside he shut the door.  “Take a seat, doll,” he said.  “Let’s go over the schedule.”
“Alright,” Y/N nodded, getting herself settled and her notebook and phone ready.  “And uh, thank you, by the way, for kinda saving me back there.”
“No need to thank me,” Bucky shook his head.  “Now listen, I know we’re in a weird spot right now.  I want this,” he gestured between the two of them, “to work, but I don’t want you to lose this job on account of that, either.  And you’re honestly the best personal assistant I’ve ever had.  So, I want work to be work, and home to be home.  Does that sound fair?”
“Yes,” she nodded, smiling at how business-like he sounded.  
“Great,” he nodded back.  “So…the schedule.”
THE END?
267 notes · View notes
highprettybabyy · 1 month ago
Text
Seeing Red
Part 2 - Tense Team-up
jenna ortega x fem!reader apocalypse au
summary: they look through the mall for supplies
warnings: enemies to lovers, typical apocalypse stuff, violence, blood, zombies, gore, maybe angst...
AN: :D
word count: 2.9k
Part 1
—//—
You didn’t look at Jenna again until the last of the groans died in the air.
The mall was quiet now, and the silence buzzed in your ears louder than the gunfire had. You adjusted the strap of your pack and glanced sideways just as she lowered her rifle, stepping over a crumpled corpse with the kind of grace that made it look easy.
She always did move like that. Even now, blood on her jacket, ash clinging to the cut of her jaw, she looked like someone who belonged in this world. It irritated you.
You cleared your throat. “Nice entrance.”
She didn’t even look at you. Simply nodded curtly.
You let the silence stretch for a moment as you walked together through the broken corridor, boots scuffing against dust and shattered tile. Only a few flickering lights remained in the overheads. The electricity wouldn’t last, and neither would your fragile truce if one of you slipped up again.
There were still a few stragglers to deal with. You moved as a unit, clearing them quickly, Jenna with cold precision, and you with your usual close-range tactics. It wasn’t graceful, not like her, but it worked. After the last one fell, Jenna retrieved a spare knife from the floor, wiped it on her trousers, and gave you a look.
“You really need to carry a backup.”
“I do,” you replied dryly. “It’s the sarcasm. Cuts deep.”
She rolled her eyes and walked ahead without waiting.
-
The furniture store was tucked behind a children’s toy shop, partially barricaded but mostly untouched. The displays were dusty but still standing, and more importantly, it had only one main door. You could see a side exit at the back, likely leading into one of the mall’s old maintenance corridors. Jenna tested it, nodded once, and turned toward you.
“This’ll do.”
You glanced around at the display beds and cracked faux-wood dressers. One queen-sized mattress didn’t sag, and the pillows looked clean enough. “We should stay here tonight.”
Jenna didn’t argue, which surprised you more than anything. She just shrugged off her pack, placed it near the wall, and crouched to check the corners of the room for movement.
It was the first time in hours you felt your shoulders ease.
“We’ve got one hour before we lose light,” you said. “You take one side of the mall. I’ll take the other. We meet back here - furniture store. No later.”
Her eyes flicked to yours. “What if one of us doesn’t make it back?”
You forced a smile. “Then I guess the other one gets the bed to herself.”
She didn’t laugh. But her mouth twitched.
Jenna slung her rifle back over her shoulder. “I’ll sweep the north wing. If you die, I’m not dragging your body.”
“Deal,” you said. “Try not to miss me.”
She paused at the door, like she might say something else, then didn’t. She disappeared down the corridor.
You grabbed your machete, shouldered your pack, and walked the other way.
-
The eastern end of the mall was darker than you remembered. Your boots crunched over shattered safety glass as you stepped into what used to be a mid-range electronics shop - the kind that sold knockoff chargers and energy drinks near the counter. Shelves were overturned, wires hanging from the ceiling like dried veins. But you weren’t here for the nostalgia.
You needed supplies. Anything you could use to restore or build some form of electricity. Your solar panels were dying - fast. And once they gave out, the heater, the kitchen appliances, the radios, the battery packs… gone.
You crouched behind a fallen rack and found a water jug - dusty, cracked, but intact. You tested it. No leaks. Good. A roll of copper wire lay tangled nearby. Better.
A faded instruction booklet sat half-tucked beneath a collapsed laptop display. You pulled it out. “Solar Power for Beginners.” Pages were warped, the cover smudged with some brownish stain you didn’t want to analyse. Still legible, though. You tucked it into your bag alongside some battered rubber tubing and a child’s “Build Your Own Windmill” STEM toy.
You didn’t laugh. Not really.
But something in your chest squeezed a little.
As you packed it away, your hand brushed against a cracked mirror propped against the wall. You caught your reflection and paused. The person staring back didn’t look like you. Hollow cheeks, dark circles, jaw clenched tight with the exhaustion of someone who hadn’t had a full night’s sleep in weeks. Your shirt was torn at the shoulder. There was dried blood at your collar.
You wondered if Jenna had seen it. Seen you, like this.
You looked away before the thought could form.
-
Jenna had moved fast through the northern wing, clearing what few corners still held danger. Her boots were silent as she stepped into the broken remains of a sporting goods shop. Knives, tarps, tents, flares; all the easy stuff was long gone.
She wasn’t here for easy.
She wanted a new backpack. Her old one was too small, and the strap kept digging into her collarbone. She crouched near the back corner and found it - dusty, solid, reinforced with canvas. Good stitching. Heavy zippers. She unzipped it slowly, methodically, and began transferring her gear with sharp efficiency.
Her dad’s SIG rifle was still strapped across her back, but she laid it gently beside her for a moment. Glock to the hip. The old Magnum, tucked back into her boot. A row of knives, carefully hidden, redistributed across her belt and vest. She’d done this a hundred times. She could do it in the dark now.
She paused only when something caught her eye.
Pinned to a half-crushed corkboard near the store’s entrance was a flyer.
Spring Music Festival - March 15 - Campus Green.
The purple highlighter was smudged, but still visible. She reached out, touched the paper with her fingertips. Her chest tightened.
That festival had been the last thing they planned before everything collapsed. Her best friend Emma had booked the bands. They were going to wear ridiculous outfits. Jenna had laughed at the glitter.
Emma hadn’t made it out of the city.
Her mum and brother hadn’t made it past the first checkpoint.
She swallowed hard, folded the flyer in half, and tucked it into a side pocket of her new pack. No time for ghosts.
Jenna found a single unopened protein bar, two energy gels, and an intact first aid kit. It wasn’t much, but it was something.
She turned down the hallway, headed back.
And then she heard the scrape.
Fast. Too fast.
She turned and the thing hit her full force. She didn’t even have time to draw. They both went down hard, her shoulder slamming into tile. Teeth snapped near her face as she shoved her forearm up under its chin, but it was strong. Fresh. Still had meat on its bones.
Her legs kicked out. She tried to roll. The weight held.
Her eyes snapped to the Glock - trapped beneath her.
“Y/N!”
-
You dropped everything.
The bag, the wires, the toy windmill — gone.
You sprinted through the mall, heart in your throat, machete already in hand. The echo of her voice - not panicked, not angry, but scared - was enough to override every other instinct.
You burst into the hallway behind the sporting goods shop and saw her. On the floor. Struggling. A fresh zombie over her, teeth gnashing. Her leg pinned.
You didn’t stop.
You tackled it off her, blade slicing deep into its side. It snarled. You drove your knee into its back, stabbed again. Again. It collapsed.
“Jesus,” you panted. “You alright?”
Jenna sat up, chest heaving. “You always have to be dramatic, don’t you?”
“You always have to get in trouble?”
She glared. “You didn’t have to come running.”
You raised an eyebrow. “You screamed my name.”
She opened her mouth, probably to deny it, but didn’t get the chance.
Because she lifted her rifle, and for one tense moment, the barrel was pointed straight at you.
You blinked. “Whoa-”
BANG.
The shot fired just over your shoulder. You flinched, spun, and saw the zombie behind you crumple to the floor, twitching once before going still.
You turned back to her.
“You aimed real close.”
She didn’t lower the rifle. “Did I?”
You stared.
Then slowly, quietly, you both stood.
Without another word, you walked side by side back to the furniture store.
You didn’t say thank you. She didn’t say sorry.
But you didn’t separate again.
-
The two of you stepped back into the furniture store without speaking. The door closed behind you with a dull, final thud. It wasn’t a slam, not loud enough to attract attention - just heavy, like the day had finally exhaled and shut itself behind you.
The air inside hadn’t changed. Still stale with dust and old synthetic perfume from the showroom candles. The faint scent of leather from a ruined couch. But there was something quieter now - not peace, not safety. Just the knowledge that for one more night, you hadn’t died.
You peeled your pack from your shoulder and let it drop at the foot of the bed you’d claimed earlier. Every muscle in your back tensed at once as you stood straight again. You didn’t bother hiding the wince.
Jenna moved toward the door. "I'll take the first watch." Her rifle slipped naturally back into her arms, like a sleeping reflex. She checked the barricade, tested the bolts, the chair under the maintenance door handle, even the metal shelf you’d both dragged over the front. It was all still intact. She inspected her weapon.
She didn’t look at you. And you didn’t ask her to.
Instead, you sat down on the edge of the mattress, removing your boots with slow, careful hands. Your fingertips were raw. Dried blood crusted around your cuticles and under your nails, and your knuckles ached with every flex. You rubbed at them idly while the room fell into dim, unmoving quiet.
Minutes passed.
Jenna stayed at the door.
You glanced toward her once - just once - and saw the silhouette of her frame outlined by the faint light seeping in through a crack in the boarded window. Her shoulders were hunched, her head low, but her rifle never wavered.
You lay down. Closed your eyes.
But you didn’t sleep.
Not at first.
-
You weren’t sure what time it was when the nightmare started.
There was no clock. Only the oppressive dark and the weight pressing into your chest.
You dreamed of the city. Of the early days. Blood in the halls. Screaming in the stairwells. The way they turned too fast. Too loud. The way your friend Maddie had looked at you, pleading, after she'd been bitten. The way your mother had sounded, over the radio, asking if you were safe.
The way it all went quiet after that.
You were running. Always running. But this time, you were alone. No barricades. No backup. Just you and the dead and the sound of your own breathing - fast, wet, sharp.
You tried to shout. Nothing came out.
Then - a hand on your shoulder.
You woke with a jerk, body snapping upright, lungs heaving like you’d just been pulled from underwater.
The room swam. It took a full second to remember where you were.
The furniture store. The bed. The barricade. Jenna.
“Hey,” she said, voice low but steady. “It’s alright. It was just a dream.”
You blinked fast, chest still rising and falling too quickly.
She was sitting beside you, on the edge of the mattress, not close, but not distant either. Her rifle lay across her lap, pointed down. Her hand was still resting lightly on your shoulder.
You hadn’t heard her approach.
“Sorry,” you muttered, voice rough. “Didn’t mean to-”
“You were crying,” she said quietly.
You looked down. Your cheeks were damp.
You wiped at them roughly. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing,” she said, too fast.
You looked at her. “What, you psychoanalyse people now?”
“I just-” She looked away. Her jaw tensed. “I get it.”
Something in her voice wasn’t sharp this time. Not mocking. Not cold. Just honest.
She let her hand fall back to her lap. “You want to talk about it?”
You exhaled through your nose, eyes fixed on the blankets. “Not really.”
A beat of silence.
“Okay.”
She stood.
But before she could step away, you reached out.
It wasn’t intentional. Maybe not even conscious. But your fingers brushed hers - just barely. She paused.
You didn’t pull away.
Neither did she.
The contact was small. Human. Soft. The kind of touch that meant I’m here. I’m still here.
Your eyes met. And for a breath, a single heartbeat, something shifted between you - something fragile and terrifying and so close to comfort.
Then you said it.
“Don’t get used to that.”
Her hand pulled back like you’d burned her.
“Right,” she said flatly. “Should’ve known.”
“Jenna-”
“No, it’s fine,” she said, turning quickly, voice clipped and too calm. “It was stupid.”
She picked up the bloody machete and shoved the handle against your chest.
"It's your turn anyway." She looked down to untie her boots and crawled underneath the duvets, not bothering on waiting for you to stand up.
You blinked at her. She didn't meet your eyes, instead facing away to lay on her side and - unbeknownst to you - blinking away the droplets in her eyes while she clenched her jaw tight.
You stood up and sat where Jenna took watch earlier.
The silence that returned was heavier than before. But it didn’t settle.
It hovered.
Like everything else you didn’t say.
--//--
Part 3
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xensilverquill · 2 years ago
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Amigurumi/Crochet Toy 101 + Resources
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Noticed a couple folks in my tags mentioning that they wanted to learn or wished they knew how to crochet amigurumi. So here's a quick and dirty little how-to guide with resources I threw together? Hope it helps!
Tools + Materials
Crochet is one of those hobbies that is actually relatively cheap to get into. Here is a basic list of what you'll need to get started. You can find most of these at any craft store or even Walmart.
(1) Yarn (Required)
Yarns come in a variety of weights (sizes) and fibers. I recommend a soft, worsted weight acrylic yarn (indicated by a number "4" and "medium" on the yarn label) for your first few projects.  
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(2) Crochet Hook (Required)
These come in a lot of sizes and styles, and what size you'll use will depend on your yarn weight and how tight you want your stitches to be. I'd recommend buying just one hook to start with rather than a larger set. Metal hooks with ergonomic rubber handles are easiest for beginners (and on your wrists longterm, lol). A 5.0 MM/Size H or a 4.50 MM/Size G works best for making amigurumi with worsted weight yarn.
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(3) Polyfil/Stuffing (Required)
For stuffing your project.
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(4) Yarn Needle (Required)
Most crochet projects require sewing to one degree or another. Yarn needles are distinguished from regular sewing needles by their larger size, larger eye, and blunter tip. Yarn needles may be straight, or they may be angled at the tip (i.e. a darning yarn needle).
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(5) Scissors (Required)
Any sharp, medium-sized pair of scissors will do for cutting your yarn.
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(6) Sewing Pins (Recommended)
For holding parts in place as you sew them on.
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(7) Stitch Marker (Recommended)
Many amigurumi projects are worked in rows of continuous rounds, and stitch markers can be used to mark the beginning or end of these rounds. They can also be used to mark areas of interest in your project or to secure your project to keep it from becoming accidentally unraveled. I strongly reccomend getting split ring ones. Scrap pieces of yarn also work in a pinch as stitch markers.
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(8) Counter (Recommended)
For keeping track of your rows as you work a pattern.
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(9) Safety Eyes (Recommended)
Most amigurumi will require eyes of some sort. Safety eyes (you can find these in various sizes in the doll section of any craft store) will give your project a polished look, but you can also use buttons, felt, or even embroider the eye details on your amigurumi.
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(10) Stuffing Stick (Recommended)
For getting your stuffing into hard-to-reach spots. A chopstick or wooden skewer works very well for this.
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Basic Crochet Stitches + Amigurumi Techniques
Most crochet patterns are built from a few basic stitches. Before attempting any larger project, I recommend getting comfortable with these stitches by making a few small, flat pot holders out of each basic stitch. A lot of crochet is pure muscle memory and practice, and this is a great way to start.
There are also a few techniques specific to making amirugumi that will be helpful for you to know. You can find any number of free videos/tutorials online. Below are links to a few videos that I found helpful when I was learning to crochet.
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How to Make a Slip Knot
Single Crochet (+ Starting Chain and How to Count Stitches)
Half Double Crochet
Double Crochet
Triple Crochet
How to Keep Starting Chain from Twisting
Magic Ring
Ultimate Finish
Invisible Finish
Invisible Decrease
Beginner Amigurumi Patterns
These were the first three patterns I learned in the process of teaching myself how to make amigurumi. I recommend working them in the order they are listed. The first two links have step-by-step instructional videos and will help ease you into learning to read amigurumi patterns. All of these patterns are free, and there are many more free patterns out there as well. Have fun!
Amigurumi Ball
Amigurumi Whale
Amigurumi Stegosaurus
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omgkatherine01 · 6 months ago
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Rock Skipping Lessons (Aemond Targaryen One Shot)
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Summary: You and your boyfriend were skipping rocks at a pond, except you didn’t exactly know how. Aemond stood behind you and placed his hands on top of you to teach you how to skip rocks, and then turned into something else.
Pairing: Modern!Aemond Targaryen x female you
Warning: Smut.
Masterlist (requests are currently open for now)
The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a golden glow across the serene waters of the private lake. The air was crisp and clean, filled with the scent of pine and wildflowers. Aemond's lake house stood majestically behind you, its large windows reflecting the warm light of the setting sun.
As Aemond's hands gently covered yours, you felt a shiver run down your spine. His breath was warm against your ear as he spoke softly, "It's all in the wrist, love. You need to flick it just right."
You could feel the heat radiating from his body, pressed close against your back. His strong arms enveloped you, guiding your movements with practiced ease. The smooth, flat stone felt cool in your palm as Aemond helped you position it correctly.
"Now, bend your knees slightly," he instructed, his deep voice guiding you effortlessly. You felt his presence wrapping around you like a warm blanket, igniting butterflies in your stomach. With each subtle adjustment he made, the tension in your shoulders eased, replaced by a sense of intimacy that pulsed beneath the surface.
"Like this," he said, demonstrating the motion with a stone of his own. He released it with a flick of his wrist, and it soared across the water, skipping perfectly before plunging into the depths with a satisfying plop. You watched, momentarily entranced by the way the last rays of sunlight danced on his silver hair as he turned to you, eyes bright with mischief.
"Your turn," he urged, giving your hands a gentle squeeze. You nodded, heart racing as you focused on his instructions. Aemond stepped back just enough to give you space but remained close enough for you to feel the warmth radiating from him.
You took a deep breath and crouched slightly, mimicking what he’d shown you. You selected a stone, its surface smooth and inviting, and felt Aemond's gaze on you, a mixture of encouragement and playful challenge. As you bent your knees, you could almost sense his anticipation, the way he leaned in ever so slightly, waiting to witness your attempt.
With a swift motion, you flicked your wrist just as he had shown you. The stone glided away from your hand, skimming the surface of the water with an exhilarated splash. Heart pounding, you watched it skip--once, twice--before sinking into the depths with a gentle plink. You couldn't help but laugh, a mix of triumph and giddy disbelief at having actually done it.
"Not bad for a beginner," Aemond teased, his voice light and filled with an admiration that made warmth bloom in your cheeks. He stepped closer, a playful smirk illuminating his handsome features. "But I think I can help you improve."
"Is that so?" you asked, feeling your smile widen as you tossed a teasing glance over your shoulder. "What do you suggest, oh master of rock skipping?"
Aemond's eyes glimmered with mischief as he closed the distance between you. "Well," he murmured, his voice low and husky, "it's all about finding the perfect rhythm."
He placed his hands on your hips, gently turning you to face the lake once more. The heat of his touch seeped through your clothes, igniting sparks along your skin. You leaned back instinctively, your body molding against his muscular form.
"First," he whispered, his lips brushing your ear, "you need to find your balance." His hands slid up your sides, leaving trails of fire in their wake. You shivered, despite the warmth of the evening.
Aemond's fingers traced down your arms, coming to rest on your hands. He intertwined his fingers with yours, guiding them to select another smooth, flat stone.
"Now," Aemond murmured, his lips ghosting along your neck, "let's perfect that motion."
You turned in his arms, the stone forgotten as it slipped from your fingers. Your eyes locked with his, stormy grey meeting your gaze with an intensity that took your breath away. The fading sunlight caught the planes of his face, highlighting his strong jaw and the curve of his lips.
"I think I have a better idea," you breathed, reaching up to trace the scar over his eye. Aemond's breath hitched as your fingers trailed down his cheek, coming to rest at the nape of his neck.
You pulled him closer, rising on your toes to brush your lips against his. Aemond responded immediately, one hand tangling in your hair while the other pressed against the small of your back. The kiss deepened as Aemond pulled you closer, his strong arms encircling your waist. The last rays of sunlight danced across the lake, painting everything in a warm golden glow. You ran your fingers through Aemond's silky silver hair as his lips moved to trail kisses along your jaw and down your neck.
"Perhaps we should go inside," you murmured breathlessly, glancing towards the lake house.
Aemond's eyes darkened with desire and he smirked. "How about doing it outside? We’re all alone."
Your breath caught in your throat at Aemond's bold suggestion. The idea sent a thrill of excitement through you, mingling with the warmth of desire already pooling in your core. You glanced around, taking in the secluded beauty of your surroundings.
"You're right," you whispered, a coy smile playing on your lips. "We are all alone out here."
Aemond's eyes lit up with a predatory gleam. In one swift motion, he swept you into his arms, eliciting a surprised gasp from you. He carried you effortlessly to a nearby clearing, where soft grass and wildflowers created a natural haven.
Gently, he lowered you onto the grass, the blades tickling your skin through your clothes. Aemond hovered above you, his silver hair falling like a curtain around his face as he gazed down at you with an intensity that made your heart race.
Aemond lowered himself onto you, his weight a comforting presence as his lips found yours once more. The kiss was deep and passionate, filled with unspoken promises. His hands roamed your body, leaving trails of fire in their wake. You arched into his touch, your fingers tangling in his silky hair.
The grass beneath you was soft, creating a natural cushion as Aemond's kisses trailed down your neck. He nipped gently at your collarbone, eliciting a soft gasp from your lips. The cool evening air caressed your skin as Aemond slowly undressed you, his eyes drinking in every inch of exposed flesh.
You tugged at his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against yours. Aemond obliged, quickly shedding his clothes. The last rays of sunlight painted his muscular form in hues of gold and amber.
You ran your hands along Aemond's muscular chest, marveling at the way the fading sunlight accentuated every defined line. His skin was warm beneath your fingers, a stark contrast to the cool evening air. Aemond's eyes, dark with desire, never left yours as he lowered himself onto you once more.
His lips found yours in a searing kiss that left you breathless. You arched into him, relishing the feeling of his bare skin against yours. The soft grass tickled your back, adding to the sensory overload as Aemond's hands roamed your body, leaving trails of fire in their wake.
Aemond's lips traced a path down your neck, pausing to nip gently at your collarbone. You gasped, your fingers tangling in his silky hair as he continued his journey downward.
Aemond's kisses trailed lower, his warm breath sending shivers across your skin. His hands caressed your curves, fingertips dancing along your sides. You arched into his touch, a soft moan escaping your lips. The grass beneath you was cool and soft, creating a lush natural bed.
His lips found your breast, tongue swirling around your nipple as his hand kneaded the other. Waves of pleasure radiated through you. You ran your fingers through Aemond's silky hair, tugging gently. He looked up at you, eyes dark with desire, before continuing his path downward.
Aemond's kisses traced along your stomach, pausing to nip playfully at your hip bone. Your breath hitched in anticipation as he settled between your thighs. The first swipe of his tongue against your center had you gasping. He licked the soft flesh with a languid, teasing motion that sent tremors of pleasure coursing through your body. You bucked against him involuntarily, craving more as he savored your response. Aemond's eyes gleamed with mischief and satisfaction, relishing in the power he held over you.
He took his time, exploring every inch of you with a meticulous hunger, as though he were mapping out uncharted territory. Each flick and swirl of his tongue drew moans from your lips, the sound mingling with the gentle rustle of leaves above. The world around you faded away, leaving only the intoxicating connection between your bodies.
Aemond pulled back for just a moment, his breath warm against your skin as he looked into your eyes. "You taste divine," he breathed, his voice low and rough with desire. That alone sent another wave of heat crashing over you, igniting a fire deep within.
"More," you gasped, desperate for him to take you to that edge. Aemond grinned, a devilish spark twinkling in his stormy grey eyes as he dove back into the delicious warmth of you. His mouth worked wonders, coaxing and teasing until the pleasure built to an exquisite crescendo that made your body writhe beneath him.
The world around you seemed to disappear, swallowed by the intensity of your connection. You felt every brush of his tongue, every gentle caress of his hands against your thighs, igniting a fire that spread through your entire being. Aemond’s growl of approval sent shockwaves of desire racing through you; he was insatiable, completely captivated by the way your body responded to his every touch.
You could feel your own arousal building, each flick of his tongue sending you closer and closer to the brink. "Aemond," you moaned, your voice barely above a whisper yet full of urgency, "please."
He paused just long enough to lock eyes with you, the intensity of his gaze causing your heart to stutter. "Please what?" he teased, his voice smooth as silk, a dark promise lingering in his tone. The smirk on his lips was mischievous, and you felt a thrill run through you at his playful challenge.
"Stop teasing," you breathed, the words tumbling from your lips in a desperate whisper. "I need you."
Aemond's expression shifted slightly, excitement blending with hunger as he leaned in closer once more. He resumed his ministrations, each movement more deliberate than the last, as he brought you closer and closer to that sweet precipice. Your body writhed beneath him, urging him on.
With every flick and swirl, he pushed you nearer to ecstasy, and your breaths became frantic gasps. The heat coiling within you tightened like a spring ready to snap. You could feel the pressure building, an exquisite tension that made the world around you feel distant and dreamlike.
Aemond’s mouth moved with a relentless rhythm, his tongue coaxing you ever closer to that edge. You could feel every pulse of desire coursing through you, an overwhelming tide of pleasure that threatened to sweep you away. The sounds of the night—the soft rustle of leaves, distant calls of crickets—seemed to fade into a blissful background hum, leaving only the two of you and the electric connection between your bodies.
"Please," you gasped again, your fingers tightening in his hair, drawing him closer as if it would somehow intensify the sensations he was wringing from you. "I'm--"
"Let go," Aemond murmured against your skin, his breath hot and tantalizing. "Just let go for me."
With those words, something inside you snapped. The pressure that had been building erupted like a dam breaking free, sending waves of pleasure crashing over you in a dizzying surge. You cried out as your body responded, shuddering violently beneath his touch. The world exploded in a kaleidoscope of colors and sensations, consuming you in its intoxicating embrace. Aemond’s mouth didn’t relent as he drank in your pleasure, his hands steadying you, guiding you through the bliss that enveloped your senses.
As you rode out the waves of ecstasy, he pulled back, his eyes darkened with desire as he gazed into yours, a satisfied smirk dancing on his lips. The look in his stormy grey depths sent another tremor of longing through you. You reached for him, pulling him closer with a silent invitation that was impossible to misread.
Aemond rose to hover above you, the moonlight now spilling across both your bodies, illuminating the sheen of sweat that had formed on his skin.
Aemond moved over you, his muscular form bathed in moonlight. His eyes, dark with desire, locked onto yours as he positioned himself. You could feel the heat radiating from his body, the anticipation building between you.
With agonizing slowness, he eased into you. The stretch and fullness made you gasp, your fingers digging into his shoulders. Aemond groaned, burying his face in your neck as he hilted himself inside you. For a moment, you both stayed perfectly still, savoring the exquisite sensation of being joined.
Then Aemond began to move. His thrusts started slow and deep, each one sending waves of pleasure coursing through you. You wrapped your legs around his waist, urging him deeper. The grass beneath you cushioned your bodies as you moved together in perfect synchronicity.
Aemond's lips found yours in a fervent kiss, his tongue dancing with yours, igniting every nerve ending in your body.
Aemond's thrusts grew more urgent, his hips snapping against yours with increasing intensity. You clung to him, nails raking down his back as waves of pleasure washed over you. The moonlight bathed your entwined forms, highlighting the sheen of sweat on Aemond's muscular shoulders as he moved above you.
"Gods, you feel incredible," Aemond growled, his voice rough with desire. He shifted slightly, changing the angle of his thrusts, and you cried out as he hit a spot deep inside that made you see stars.
Aemond's lips trailed fire down your neck, pausing to suck and nibble at the sensitive skin where your neck met your shoulder. The dual sensations of his mouth on your skin and his hard length moving inside you threatened to overwhelm your senses.
You arched your back, pressing your breasts against his chest, craving more of him as the pleasure began to tighten within you once again. The world around you blurred, centered only on the rhythm building between your bodies.
Aemond's thrusts grew more powerful, each one driving deeper. His muscular body moved with fluid grace above you, moonlight gleaming off his sweat-slicked skin. You clung to his broad shoulders, feeling the flexing of his muscles beneath your fingertips.
"Harder," you gasped, urging him on. Aemond growled low in his throat, a primal sound that sent shivers down your spine. He gripped your hips, angling them upward as he pounded into you with renewed vigor. The new angle allowed him to hit that perfect spot deep inside with each thrust.
Stars exploded behind your eyelids as waves of pleasure crashed over you. You cried out Aemond's name, your voice echoing across the still waters of the lake. The cool grass beneath you contrasted deliciously with the heat of your joined bodies.
Aemond's pace quickened, his thrusts becoming more urgent and powerful. You could feel the tension building within you, a coiling heat that threatened to consume you entirely. His stormy eyes locked onto yours, dark with passion and an intensity that made your breath catch in your throat.
"Come for me," Aemond growled, his voice husky and demanding. "Let me feel you."
His words sent a shiver down your spine, igniting a fire that spread through your entire being. You arched your back, pressing yourself closer to him, desperate for more contact. The friction between your bodies was exquisite, each movement sending sparks of pleasure coursing through you.
Aemond's lips found yours in a searing kiss, swallowing your moans as he continued his relentless pace. His tongue danced with yours, mirroring the rhythm of his hips. You could feel the coil within you tightening, spiraling ever closer to the edge. The world melted away, leaving only Aemond's fierce gaze and his relentless rhythm as he moved above you, every motion sending shockwaves of ecstasy pulsating through your body.
"That's it," he murmured against your lips, his breath hot and ragged. "Just like that." Each word vibrated through you, urging you to let go. You gasped, your fingers digging into the grass as you felt the pressure mount.
With a final thrust, Aemond drove deep into you, hitting that spot perfectly. The sensations collided within you like a symphony reaching its crescendo. You cried out his name once more, the sound echoing into the night as pleasure erupted from deep inside, washing over you in waves of euphoria.
Aemond's movements faltered for just a moment as you clenched around him, your body spasming with bliss. He groaned, his own release building as he felt you shatter beneath him. With a deep, primal growl, he surged into you one last time, his body tensing as he found his own release. Wave after wave of pleasure coursed through him, and he buried himself deep, letting out a breathless sigh as he filled you completely.
The two of you remained locked in that perfect union for a moment, both of you trembling as the last tides of pleasure ebbed away. The cool night air enveloped you, but all you could feel was the warmth radiating from Aemond's body, still pressed against yours.
Slowly, he lowered himself onto his elbows, his breath still ragged as he gazed into your eyes. There was a softness to his expression that contrasted beautifully with the wild intensity of the moments before. You found yourself smiling, a blissful afterglow settling over you like a gentle cocoon.
"That was... incredible," you breathed, fingers tracing the sharp lines of his jaw. Aemond's lips curved into a satisfied smirk as he brushed a thumb over your cheek.
"You have no idea how long I've wanted this," he confessed, his voice low and filled with an intimate sincerity that sent a shiver down your spine. The vulnerability in his gaze made your heart swell.
You couldn't help but giggle softly, the sound bubbling up from the depths of your happiness. "Well, I guess now you can finally cross it off your list."
Aemond chuckled, the sound deep and rich, resonating within your chest as he propped himself up on one elbow, studying you with an intensity that made your cheeks flush anew. His silver hair fell in tousled waves around his face, catching the moonlight like spun glass.
"We should skip stones more often," you smirked.
Aemond's eyes sparkled with mischief at your suggestion. "Only if it ends like this," he replied, a teasing lilt in his voice, as he traced lazy circles on your thigh with his fingers, igniting sparks of warmth, causing you to laugh softly.
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littleslaywrites · 6 months ago
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pas de deux- adagio | spencer reid x bau!reader 
pt 2 of pas de deux - based on request by @kakamixoxo
summary: you substitute for your friend who is a ballet teacher, and spencer helps you work out your lesson plans. set like 3 months after part one. 
word count: 1.3k
cw: f!reader, literally just straight fluff, brief mention of past injury
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Spencer was never graceful. You’d seen him trip over enough curbs to know. Luckily for him, you thought his awareness was endearing, like a six foot tall baby deer. 
You were the opposite, poised from your years of ballet training. You were finally off of your crutches and back in the studio. When you first started your internship at Quantico, you took classes at a local studio. The teacher who was in charge of your class became one of your first friends in Virginia, and you had stayed close ever since. 
When she called you asking to fill in for her while she took a week long vacation, you jumped at the opportunity. You thought it’d be the perfect way to get back into dance after your recovery. 
One night after work, you went to the studio to work on what you planned on teaching. Spencer insisted on going with you, claiming he was worried you’d hurt yourself again. Truthfully, he just wanted to watch you dance. 
Spencer was your biggest fan. You try not to think about the money he’d spent on tickets to your shows, gifts themed for each one, and date nights afterwards. So, naturally, if he had the chance to see you alone, in your natural habitat of the ballet studio, he was going to take the opportunity. 
Arriving at the studio, you changed into a leotard and sweatpants while Spencer sat on the wood floor of the studio. He felt awkward surrounded by the walls lined with barres and mirrors, your world feeling foreign to him. 
You step into the room, joining him on the floor to stretch. 
“You know, it’d help to have a student to practice my lesson plans on,” you say, stretching to the side as you touch your nose to your knee. 
“Would it?” Spencer replies. 
“I’d get stretching if I were you,” you say. He tries to follow your lead, but his inflexibility hinders him. You giggle at him, trying to figure out how to help him follow along. 
Eventually, you give up, standing to lead him to the barre. 
“Since the class is for early elementary schoolers, everything is for beginners, which means you’ll be perfect for testing it out,” you say as you take hold of the barre, facing him.
He mirrors your action, saying “I’m glad to know I have the same skill set as a five-year-old.”
You giggle at him, and turn out your feet into first position. “Can you do that for me?” you ask, watching his feet.
He clumsily shuffles his feet along the floor, gripping onto the barre. 
“Not like that Spencer, turn out from your hips.”
He nods, but it’s clear he doesn’t understand from the way he scoots around. “Like this?” 
“Not exactly... here, let me—“ you adjust him yourself, grabbing just above his knee to try to pry him into first position. 
He gets it down after about a minute of fumbling, finally in a successful first position, despite his arms still swinging without grace. “Is this right?” he asks, proud of himself. 
“Sure,” you say, letting himself bask in his small victory. “So first we’ll do the plié combination.”
“That means ‘fold’ in French,” he replies.
“Right,” you dismiss him, trying to move onto the next set of instructions. Before you can, he bends at the waist, assuming the step based on the translation.
“Oh, Spencer, that’s not—“ you pull him up by the back of his shirt. You giggle at him, causing him to follow suit. “Your genius doesn’t exactly extend to ballet, honey.”
He pulls you in for a quick kiss. You let him, but before he can prolong it, you step back. “You know, you’re not as helpful as I expected you to be.”
He juts out his lip in an exaggerated pout. “I’m trying my best,” he sighs, looking up at you with the puppy dog eyes he knows you can’t resist. 
You sigh, matching his pretend exasperation. “It’s just a bend at the knees, like this,” you say while modeling the move. His eyes are trained on you, trying to take in every movement you make. He tries to match you, but his height makes everything he does look rather gangly. 
You try to fake that you’re impressed, but he sees right through you. “Maybe it’s because I’m still in my work clothes,” he gives you a goofy smile. 
You smile back. “That has to be it,” you reply, giving up on the idea of trying to teach him. 
“When do we get to the part where I lift you up?” he asks, moving close to you, wrapping his arms around your waist. 
“Usually you have to master the basics first,” you raise your eyebrows at him, “but we can give it a try.” He releases you to swiftly grab you just above your knees, carrying you to the center of the floor. 
“Spencer, I don’t think this is an official move,” you giggle, feet wiggling in the air. 
“Then I invented it, so they can name it after me.”
“The Reid Potato Sack lift?” you tease him as he sets you on the floor, hands sliding down your back as you roll off his shoulders and put your feet on the ground. He keeps hold of you, swaying as his arms cage you close to his chest. 
“What am I supposed to teach these kids tomorrow?” you say when he leans down and captures your lips in a light kiss. 
“Are you saying I’m a distraction?” He pinches your side. 
You squeal, responding with a simple “yes”.
He smiles, backing up while taking one of your hands. He brings it above your head to prompt you to turn. You twirl under him, looking at his smile when you make your way around to face him again. 
“Teach me a lift,” he says, eyes telling you it’s a genuine request. 
“Okay,” you start, moving so you’re both facing the mirror. “Here’s an easy one. I’m going to lift my leg in an arabesque and you'll lift me like that.” 
He nods, hanging on to every word you say. You move one of his hands under your ribs as you raise your leg. You move his other to the top of the thigh that’s raised in the arabesque. 
“You’ll just bend your knees and lift,” you say. He does as you say, lifting you until you’re above his head. You raise your arms, scrutinizing your technique in the mirror. 
Spencer is also watching you in the mirror, but not to judge your extensions or turnout. Instead, he was admiring you. He could feel the love you had for ballet in your focus. He loved to see you in your element. Of course, he saw the way you excelled as a profiler from the time you started your internship, but the passion you had for your art was what he truly admired about you. 
In that moment, he thought he could watch you forever, but you interrupted his thoughts saying, “you ought to put me down now, Spencer.” 
Reluctantly, he eased you to the ground, wrapping his arms around your shoulders as you both faced the mirror. 
“I think we might have actually found a ballet step you’re good at,” you say, smiling at the way he leans down and rests his head on your shoulder. 
“All I did was stand there,” he replies, smiling at your reflection in the mirror. 
“Exactly,” you say, blushing under his stare. 
His hands move down to your waist, and he pulls you to face him. “I’ll stand and do nothing forever,” he says as he rests his forehead against yours, “if I can watch you dance."
You smile as he kisses your forehead and pulls back to look at you. Reluctantly, you pull away, grabbing your phone out of your bag to figure out the music you were going to use in class. 
Plugging it into the speakers, you glance into the mirror to see Spencer still staring at you with a lovesick smile on his face. 
“Stop staring,” you say smiling. “It’s distracting me.”
“Only when you stop distracting me by being so cute.” 
You roll your eyes at the cheesy comment, heart secretly jumping at the obvious love he had for you.
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heartfullofleeches · 2 years ago
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angel darling whos a bit disconnected from modern terms walking up to c.c and saying "yas girl slay. so cunty girlypop" with not contexr because they saw it online and thought it was a normal compliment
Yan Incubus + Angel Darling blurb
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The human world is such a fun and interesting place.
Everywhere you look, you learn something new. Things have changed so much since the last time you interacted with the mortal realm, but with the help of the kind demon you met during your travels you've had an easier time at processing everything at a beginner's pace. Your superiors always warned you to steer clear of his kind, but he hardly seemed like a threat. Not only had he given you bed and board, but as an added gift for staying away from humans as he instructed the demon had given you a cellular device to use while he was away.
There was a lengthy list of restrictions on the device, his number was the only one you could call under these boundaries, but that hardly put a damper on your fascination with it. You haven't seen one of these since they were just buttons and dials attached to a cord on the wall. It's amazing how much human technology has advanced in such a short time. Regardless of setbacks you're learning new facts about the modern world left and right, and you owe it all to your new companion.
You felt as if you owed him for his kindness, despite him insisting your company was payment enough. If that truly was the case, what better way to thank him than with gentle adulation using words you've picked up during late night binges scouring the internet. He always teases you for your "grandma speech" when you've complimented him in the past, despite the flush of his cheeks reaching his ears everytime. You wonder what his reaction will be when you call him by terms more fitting to the times.
C.C poses in front of his mirror - balancing on his toes as he bends to get a better look at the curve of his skirt over his rear. "So what do you think, babe? Am I cute enough for your first night out on the town?"
It's about the sixth time he's changed his skirt alone, but you think he's looked lovely in all of them. Nevertheless- it's your time to shine. Clearing your throat, you straighten your back as your eyes meet his from the mirror.
"Slay, Queen - you are serving so much cunt, girlypop."
C.C blinks - expression drain from his face. "What?"
"I said - Sla-"
"No, I heard what you said. Where did you pick up that kind of language?"
"Aside from you, online, I suppose."
C.C rounds the side of the bed, extending his hand with a few dramatic gestures forward. "Gimme your phone."
"Huh?"
He huffs and leans in close. "Now, Y/n."
"Have I don't something to upset you?"
Eyes flashing red, C.C grips your shoulders - hissing through his teeth as he speaks. "You aren't supposed to say things like that. You're supposed to call me beautiful or "a grace among man" or any of that other cute dorky shit you normal call me."
"Oh.... my apologies. I didn't mean to offend."
C.C sighs, throwing his arms around you in a tight hug. "No.. it's alright, I just really like what you use now. It's cheesy, but it's you and you are the most adorable your God ever had a hand in creating." He kisses your cheek, lips curled into that mischievous grin he's known for as they draw up to your ear. "But - I'll gladly be your Queen any day so I don't mind if we keep that one.... I'm still blocking the sites you picked the rest of those words off of."
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taojjang · 5 months ago
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𐙚 ice prince ᯓ s.es.ᐟ
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⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆ advent calendar, day sixteen! pairing: bf!eunseok x reader, genre: fluff! warnings: reader is a clumsy dummy ! loser lol wc: 824
synopsis: ice skating is something you've always wanted to try with eunseok, but he's always turned you down. but of course— with enough begging— he'll be unable to refuse.
                     ⋆ ˚ ۪ ⋆ ୨୧
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no matter who you asked, everyone would always say eunseok is the most apathetic and stoic person they know. but in your eyes, eunseok was the most anxious yet nurturing person you've ever met. whether you're clumsily chopping veggies for dinner or simply lying beside him, eunseok has his eyes on you 24/7, remaining by your side to ensure you're safe and sound. you could imagine how unsettled he'd be when you take him ice skating for the first time.
"are you sure about this, darling? have you done this before?" eunseok faltered, his eyes darting from you to the pair of figure skates in your hands. "of course i'm sure! everyone's been a beginner at one point, i'm sure i'll become a pro one day." eunseok scoffed and watched you lace the boots on your feet. "i'm telling you, it's scary. you could get hurt. why don't we just go to the food court? i heard they have hot cocoa and churros." you groaned and sat up to meet his eyes. "i'm sure, eunseok. hurry up and put your shoes on!"
eunseok's hands remained on you every second of the journey to the ice rink as you wobbled around trying to find your center of balance. "we should go back to the bench. come on, princess, we n-" "no! i got it!" eunseok sighed as you began waddling off to the ice. shaking his head, he followed you realizing there was no stopping you. "what a spoiled brat."
once you entered the ice rink, you immediately lost control of your balance. as you frantically waved your arms around to gather control, eunseok grounded himself behind you and held you by the waist. once you regained your ability to stand straight, eunseok couldn't stop laughing at the panic dripping from your face. "i told you, darling. are you alright?" you gulped and nodded uncertainly, gripping his jacket as if you'd fall to your death.
"here, let me show you," eunseok cooed, easing your grip from his shoulders down to his forearms. "follow me, okay? keep your feet pointed like this." eunseok kept his eyes on your every move, scanning your face for any signs of fear or discomfort. following his instructions, you slowly inched closer to him as he cradled your arms in his. "now just carefully glide one foot forward at a time." you stumbled forward, eunseok's grip growing stronger. "come on, princess, i know you can do it. one step at a time." you swallowed back your dizziness and began sliding your right foot then the left. once you grew comfortable with the movements, eunseok couldn't suppress his smile of pure adoration. "you're doing so well," he cooed, his hands still firm on your arms.
"i think i could do it," you claimed, loosening your grip on eunseok. his concerned gaze traveled down to your face and he hesitated, "are you sure?" you nodded, standing completely still as he gently let go of your arms. a few seconds of simply standing on your own had you giggling in astonishment, looking up at him with the brightest smile, cheering, "i'm doing it! i'm doing it!" eunseok couldn't hide the pure adoration creeping through his smile. he always loved that stupid smile that would find its way to your lips whenever you were excited to show him something. but no moment could compare to now; the way your face lit up with such delight and accomplishment sparked every ounce of love he had for you. he'd never felt so proud to have you as his own.
after hours of excitedly gliding around the rink, you finally grew tired and decided to call it a night. as you sat on the bench, eunseok knelt before you and began unlacing your figure skates. "did you have fun, baby?" you smiled, wiping the sweat from your neck. "of course i did! did you?" eunseok smiled and helped you put on your warm uggs. "i always do when you're around." you broke out into giggles as eunseok lugged you onto his back, carrying you all the way to the food court.
you rested with your arms around him and your head leaning on his shoulder as he ordered hot chocolate and churros for you, trying hard not to fall asleep after the intense rounds of fun you'd just experienced.
once you settled in the car, eunseok turned on the heater and adjusted the vents to face you, defrosting you from the freezing outdoors. you turned to him and took a bite from a churro, mumbling through stuffed cheeks, "i told you it'd be fun! we should come again!" eunseok chuckled and brushed your hair away from your face. "we can come any time you'd like," he assured affectionately. all his previous anxiety melted away within an instant just from seeing your newfound love for ice skating.
that stupid smile of yours made all of his worries worth the while.
                     ⋆ ˚ ۪ ⋆ ୨୧
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⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆ tag list! (ask or comment to be added!)
@endtostartbreathin @gacktsa @hanninova @ramyeonzprincess @taroddori
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ision · 27 days ago
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KNITTING WORKSHOP MEET CUTE ( >﹏<;。)
ft jaemin
☆¸¸ .•*★.
It was three minutes past twelve and you were late. Only by a few minutes, but late nonetheless. Pushing open a door, you felt every set of eyes on you. “Come on in, honey, we’ve barely started,” the instructor said with warm smile. The woman stood at the front of the room, with greyed hair and a granny-square crochet cardigan (the irony!), beckoned you to the last open seat in the room, and you obliged with an apologetic smile and a slight nod.
Sitting down promptly, you slung your bag over the back of your chair and listened eagerly. “Thank you all for coming, this is a beginners' class so please don’t worry too much! Instruction packs are on each of your desks, and I’m here to help,” the instructor watched on expectantly with a smile.
Opening your folder, the instructions seemed easy enough: you’d hopefully make something that would somewhat resemble a bunny rabbit made of fuzzy yarn. However, you failed to consider that written instructions weren’t exactly your preferred method of learning. And, your first obstacle was trying to figure out which hand to use for what action and trying to coordinate both at the same time.
With the exception of a few high school textiles classes, this was your first proper knitting foray into knitting. The knots kept unravelling, and were so uneven a nagging voice in your head pleaded you to keep starting over. Even the first, starter knot took a few tries to be comfortable and sturdy. It didn’t help that your hands were starting to slightly tremble from the unusual level of coordination and focus required. You were dropping stitches, that you only managed to notice after you had finished a row of knitting, having to start the row all over again. All this was probably making you go cross-eyed too.
The person next to you must have gotten tired of the 10th sigh that came out of your mouth: “first-time shakes?” Turning to your left, you were met with a boy with a smile as if he was holding back a laugh. Were his eyes just naturally that twinkly, was it the lighting in this room, or was he teasing you for being so awfully uncoordinated? “It’s that obvious, huh,” you winced, “I can’t seem to get a good grip on the sticks.” He could’ve laughed at you, and you think you saw his smile perk up, if that was even possible. But thankfully, him choosing to cover your embarrassing tell of inexperience was something you’d come to realise only after the class.
“Hold the needles like this,” the boy turned his wrists, brought his fingers further along the needles and knitted seamlessly. “You won’t drop as many and have to repeat."
“Thanks,” you smiled at the boy.
“No worries, I’m Jaemin.”
“You’ve done this before?” You asked - Jaemin turned a bit bashful now, shyly bending his head a little to avoid eye contact. The momentary coyness didn’t last for that long, though. “My grandma taught me when I was young, I’m just starting to get back into knitting so I’m not very good.” Despite his admission, the belly of his baby pink rabbit was starting to take shape now and you were very envious at his neat work.
“Oh, that’s really nice!” You looked up from the rabbit and met Jaemin’s eye. He held eye contact for a few beats, brows furrowed as he thought. “Can I, if it’s okay, show you?” He held out his palm. Nodding in response, you watched as he held your hands still, Jaemin twisting your knitting needles and winding your yarn himself, accidentally brushing his fingers against yours.
You jumped at the jolt shocking you from the touch. “Sorry,” Jaemin looks up to smile sheepishly at you, “must’ve been my metal needles.”
“It’s ok,” you replied. “Thank you,” to be honest, you weren’t sure what he had just done, everything was just so difficult to focus on, and it didn’t help that hand-eye coordination wasn’t coming to you strongly today. But, your confusion must’ve been thinly veiled. Jaemin boy shook his head slightly with a small laugh. “It’s your first time, don’t worry, it took me weeks to figure out how to even hold the needles properly.” His eyes twinkled in reply — maybe his eyes were just like that.
“Thank you Jaemin… Are you coming next week? I think I’ll be needing some more help after this lesson, if you wouldn’t mind?” You offered sheepishly as you heard your heartbeat in your ears, waiting for the dark-haired boy’s response. Jaemin tilted his head looking at you, brushing the hair that got into his eyes away, “give me your phone.” A sound of confusion left you involuntarily at the surprise demand, at which he sighed jubilantly, “how else would I be able to reach you again? Can’t rely on fate that much.”
Rummaging through your bag, you leafed out your phone and watched as the boy tapped away, happy you even stumbled across the class’ advertising flyer.
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mmrsgojo · 8 months ago
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close your eyes. pt1.
Pairing: gojo satoru x reader
Warnings: explicit, unprotected sex, satoru being a little dick sometimes.
As you did, you began to understand what he meant. Kissing wasn’t just about technique; it was about surrendering, about letting go of your inhibitions and connecting on a deeper level.
Satoru, his eyes glittering with laughter, retreated into his seat. “You’re practically wriggling in anticipation, it's kind of adorable," he teased as he smiled innocently. Shifting on your bed, he ran the tips of his fingers along your neck.
“Come on, toru. I need to impress this guy,” you pleaded, blushing a mix of excitement and shame, “I have to get this boy to like me...” but how? You've never even been kissed before. So that's why you are here with your best friend, because good lord we all know girls loved and wanted to fuck Gojo Satoru, so he has quite the experience, of course... this wouldn’t mean anything to him or to you.
Satoru chuckled, his voice lightening with humor, “Alright, alright. But remember kissing is more than just physical contact, its about connection, emotion, and understanding.” He leaned in closer to you, his breath fanning across on your face. You just rolled your eyes. “Cut the crap, satoru, i just need to learn how to kiss, thats all.”
“Alright, you cranky shit,” Satoru chuckles, “close your eyes”
As you complied, you felt his warm lips brush against yours, a gentle, exploratory touch. His lips moved slowly, teasing, inviting. You could feel the warmth of his body, the steady rhythm of his breath.
“Relax,” satoru whispered, his voice a soft caress. “Let yourself go, now tilt your head slightly...towards the side, just a bit.” He used a gentle but firm hand to adjust your head angle, positioning it to his liking.
“Alright, good...keep your eyes closed...” he murmured, his palm resting on your cheek.
“Thats it,” satoru hummed. He shifted, moving his other hand to your waist and pulling you closer.
“Now, relax your lips. Trust me, you’ll naturally get the feel of it.” He whispered, his breath against your parted lips.
Your heart raced as you tried to follow his instructions. Satoru’s words seemed to echo in your ear, his voice smooth yet commanding.
“Youre doing well...” he murmured, his lips practically touching yours.
Then without warning, he closed the distance. His lips gently pressed against yours, their softness molding against each other. The kiss was soft and slow, Satoru guiding the pace. Your mind went black as you surrendered to the sensation. His hand on your waist pulled you even closer, the heat between your bodies growing. His thumb began tracing small circles on your cheek.
You finally pulled away, Satoru’s lips lingered for a moment longer against yours, refusing to break the contact inmediately. When he finally pulled away, he chuckled softly, his hand still on your waist, keeping you close. “Not bad...for a beginner,” he murmured, a cheeky smile on his lips. “Though, it seemed like you were in a rush to stop...”
“Did i do it good?” You asked, you needed to know.
Satoru’s smile grew wider, his eyes taking in your curious expression. “You did alright...for a first timer,” he replied, his fingers still idly tracing patterns across your skin. “But, there’s always room for improvement, yeah?”
You sighed, your hopes deflated. “I really want to impress this guy,” you admitted, your voice filled with a mix of determination and anxiety.
“This ‘guy’, huh?” He inquired, his tone a mix of curiosity and a hint of playful teasing. “He must be something special if youre this desperate to impress him.”
You blushed, your eyes darting away from his, why this was so embarrassing? This should be easy, Satoru is your best friend with Suguru from the longest time, well yes, this is the first time you are talking about a guy you like with them, but why is it so different than when he talks about the girls he's dated? “Well, yes, i do like him a lot, Toru...also, that was a tongue kiss, right?”
Satoru chuckles softly, the sound bordering on a gentle laugh. “Yes, that was a tongue kiss,” he confirmed, the smirk still on his lips. “A very basic technique, but very effective...especially when your partner cooperates.” He paused, his gaze falling to your lips once more. “And...this guy, you really like him, eh?”
“Yeah...he’s special,” you admitted, you shifted, laying on your bed, your eyes closed. Satoru shifted his position too, propping himself up on an elbow as he looked down at you. “Is my dear y/n embarrassed?” He asked, his lips curving into a slight smile. Then, he reached out, his fingertips gently tracing along your jawline.
“And...i said you did alright, not that you were a good kisser,” he teased, his smirk growing wider.
“So I’m no good?” You gasped, your eyes wide with mock offense. You know he was just a teaser all the time, but God, this was serious, i should’ve asked suguru for this.
“I didn’t say you were bad,” he clarified, “you did alright for your first time. But...I wouldn’t call it good” he paused, his fingers now gently playing with the strands of your hair. “There’s room for improvement, if you're really aiming to impress this guy of yours”
Your hands flew to your face as you imagined the horror of your crush rejecting you for being a bad kisser. “Oh my god, Toru! What if-what if he thinks I’m a bad kisser and he doesn’t want to kiss me again?” Your voice a panicked whisper, your eyes wide with fear.
Satoru’s smirk grew into a full-on smile at your panic. He gently pulled your hand away from your face. “Calm down,” he reassured, his tone soft yet firm. “First, don’t worry so much. It’s likely he would find it endearing that youre inexperienced. Second, there are ways to improve.” He ran his knuckles along her cheek, his blue eyes filled with...mischief. “Want me to help you practice?”
“Do you think i need to improve? Maybe i should ask Geto-“
Satoru’s smirk instantly dropped, replaced by a look of almost feigned disbelief. “Geto? You’d rather ask geto for advice on kissing...than me? And here i though you were a smart girl...”
You rolled your eyes, your initial embarrassment fading into a mix of amusement and frustration, he really is egocentric in absolutely everything he does, he has to be the best, the strongest... “What I’m saying is that i think you’ve already helped me enough-“
Satoru’s smirk returned with vengeance. “Oh, no, no, no...” he scolded, his tone playful and mocking. “We’re nowhere close to ‘enough’. You said you want to impress this guy, right?” He shifted in your bed again, his other hand resting all the time on your hip, his thumb slowly rubbing circled into your skin, something he has done a million times in your hand too for your anxiety. “I have plenty more to teach you, my dear...”
“You should be a teacher some day” you said mocking him with the same attitude, two could play this game. “So what’s next? Should i learn something more? I really want to impress him, Satoru, god we have our first date in a couple of hours..” you pleaded.
“Well, if you’re really determined to impress this guy...” he mused, his voice dropping an octave lower. “Then, there are a few more things you should know...” he leaned closer, his breath got against your lips “do you trust me completely?”
“O-of course, youre my best friend...satoru”
A soft, almost wicked smile curled at the corned of his mouth. “Good..” he murmured, his eyes roaming over your face, “because this next lesson... will require your full trust in me” his lips hovering just centimetres away from yours, “close your eyes”
₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊
Author’s note: HELLO EVERYONE. so i finally decided to write this story, don't know if its going to be very long, but i have high hopes for this series, its gonna be half fluff half smut ngl. but well tell me if you guys are enjoying it, it would mean the world to me. TYSM GUYS FOR READING. LOVE U ALL.
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marisbarra · 9 months ago
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Do you know what it means to be loved by death? || Charminghearts Vampire AU.
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Chloe knows what day it is, the moment she opened her eyes it was in her mind, creeping out into the open as she went along with her morning.
“Your father has been a hunter for years,” Ella says, as she takes her daughter’s shoulder and leads her through the winding hallways of their home. Chloe’s heard it about a dozen times, and believes she’ll hear it a dozen times more. “He’s been training you for this day, Chlo, you can’t tense up now.”
The words were supposed to be reassuring and Chloe knew that, but there was still the feeling that everything was about to go wrong- like there was a hair out of place within this whole moment.
“I know! There’s always beginner’s.. anxiety.” Chloe stumbled out slightly as they finally found their way outside, making a half attempt to squint under the harsh sunlight. Beginner’s anxiety sounded stupid, but what else could she say? She was about to be hunting another person- or a creature, as her brother likes to put it.
She watched as Ella rolled her eyes, pressing a kiss to her temple before her attention landed on her father, standing in front of the training court with a smile that seemed almost taunting.
“Dad.” Chloe greeted with a nod of her head, stepping forward to look at the items in his hands. A stake and a dagger. Chloe’s blood felt like it stopped flowing out of anxiety.
Her brain might have tuned out his instructions, she honestly can’t be too sure until the dagger was in her hands and the stake had an unmistakable ‘C’ carved into the handle. Chloe wanted to break the stick as soon as she noticed it.
“You’ll do this tonight,” Christopher started as Chloe walked circles around him anxiously, his eyes following her as best they could without starting to spin himself around in circles like a dog chasing its tail. “You’ll go over towards Wonderland– Yes, Chloe.” He started to roll his eyes the moment his daughter stopped in front of him, an incredulous look in her eyes as if Chloe couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Why there? Why there?!” Chloe spoke up quickly and she shook her head, stepping towards her father with a frown. Chloe heard stories about Wonderland for years, from Chad and from her own friends within Auradon. Vampires practically ran Wonderland, as interesting as that sounded they were all particularly too strong. Chloe’s face paled at the idea of going over there.
Her father sighed, starting slowly in hopes of quelling some of his daughter’s worries. “Because it’s their own hunting grounds, Chloe. It only makes sense, when they feed they’re vulnerable.” He explained as he pulled Chloe closer by sudden hands on her shoulders, rubbing there as soothingly as he could. “You’ll do fine, you only have to be out there for an hour or two, we won’t make you stay out there for the whole night.”
We? Who’s we in this situation? Chloe wanted to ask, only getting the thought interrupted as she felt another arm sling over her shoulders, rougher than her mother would have done. It made her flinch and stumble a bit, stepping back to glare at her brother as he stood there.
Chad had a stupid smile on his face, she fought the urge to smack it off of him.
“You’re both watching? Chad doesn’t even know—“
“I know enough to keep your dumbass out of trouble.” Chad interrupted, cutting Chloe off before the insult could even come to fruition. It was no secret Chad wasn’t.. a very good hunter, but he still was one. He often got distracted and barely came home with his gear at times, Audrey loved to tease about it, it made Chloe sick to her stomach to listen to them giggle about it in the Grand Hall the nights Chad came home and Audrey was there on the promise of ‘sleeping over’ with her boyfriend.
“You’re impossible..” Chloe muttered to him, glaring daggers as it sunk in that he called her a dumbass. She stepped back and stomped on his foot as hard as she could, heel digging into fancy dress shoes and she felt Chad flinch behind her. It only got her a light shove before she turned and they started swatting at each other like cats. They rarely caused each other long lasting pain, but they fought like this more than they both could keep track of.
The mere sight of it made Christopher roll his eyes, reaching to hook his fingers in the back of both teen’s collars before pulling them away to separate them. “Don’t make me get your mother out here.” He threatened, his voice the epitome of parental reprimanding.
Chloe held her hands up, gesturing at Chad as if nonverbally saying it was his fault, it resulted in a glare from Chad before she tried to lunge forward again. She stopped when her father pulled her back again, “I mean it, Chloe.” He said firmly, causing her to wilt a bit and fall still.
“You will go tonight, we’ll follow paces behind you.” Christopher started again and he let both his children’s collars go, arms tensed as if ready to grab them again. “And you’ll be fine.” He said, trying to reassure Chloe, although it sounded much more like an after thought than anything else to the girl.
“Okay, whatever.” Chloe muttered, trying to play off her anxiety by snatching the dagger and the stake from her father, shoving it roughly into her belt in its proper holsters. They felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. Was she really going to do this?
The answer was yes. There was no getting around this.
The rest of the day went by in a blur, training then lunch then more training then dinner. It was a monotonous routine that Chloe had practically perfected, counting down the minutes and seconds until bells were rung or dishes were served.
The only true worrying moment was when Chloe could see the sun start to set, her stomach twisting itself into knots practically. She couldn’t sit still, not even for her mother, who was trying to braid her hair back so it wouldn’t distract during the night.
“You’ll be fine, Mon chéri.” Ella tried to soothe, watching the girl squirm on the floor for what felt like the hundredth time in a minute. “Your father and Chad will be behind you, if you need help, yell and they’ll come running.” Her mother’s voice was soft, practically whispered into her ears like the lullabies she used to sing when trying to make Chloe sleep at night.
Oh how Chloe wished she was five years old again, the only concern was if her favorite toy was broken, not if she was going to die tonight.
“I know I’ll be fine but what if I’m not strong enough? Swords don’t particularly kill them and daggers lead into close combat which gives them opportunities to bite me and then—“ Chloe knew she was rambling, she could feel the air leaving her with every word as her vision blurred and she held onto her mother’s calf even through the dress the woman was wearing. It felt like the start of her death.
Ella’s hands immediately froze in Chloe’s hair, reaching down to tilt her daughter’s face up and she made the quietest ‘shh’ noise as she could manage. “Mon papillon, you’ll worry yourself into a panic, it will be okay. You will be okay.” She whispered, wiping away what tears streamed down Chloe’s face as gently as possible.
“But Chad said so much—“
“Chad says a lot of things, Chloe, you know better than to believe half a thing that comes out of his mouth.” Ella didn’t mean it as harshly as she might have put it, but it was true, Chad had a bad habit of exaggerating just to scare his little sister. She watched Chloe wipe her tears again before her fingers found their place in her hair again, continuing to braid.
Chloe’s silence was off putting, but she didn’t push her daughter to speak, only basking in the thin comfort of the moment.
That moment, however, was quickly shattered when Chad’s voice was echoed up the stairs. “Mom? Chlo? We’re leaving!” He yelled, making both women grimace at just how loud he was.
“He never has an off switch.” Chloe grumbled as she climbed to her feet, running her hand over her hair and suppressing a smile at just how pretty it felt.
Her mother beamed seeing the attempt, a small reminder that Chloe was always going to be her little girl, even if her profession bordered on the dark and ugly. Ella quickly ushered Chloe downstairs, watching as she took two steps at a time without ever seeming to falter. She could tell the anxiety was still lurking but was only pressed down for convenience.
“I will see you all later.” Ella started as she pressed a kiss to Chad’s temple than Chloe’s, ignoring the sudden groan from Chloe when she leaned to kiss her husband. “You groan now, but just you wait.” She teased as she pulled away, winking at Chloe playfully and watching her face twist with slight discomfort.
“As if.” Chloe muttered as they left the castle finally, starting on foot because according to her father, ‘The horses would distract, the carriages would attract attention.’. It all felt very stupid, an excuse to just walk and watch Chloe from afar.
Chloe walked for what felt like hours, she could no longer hear her father and Chad behind her, assuming they had dropped pace to talk about something private all together but it still make Chloe’s chest tighten with anxiety, as if she was about to have a heart attack and keel over.
The woods around her were dark, trees an eerie black as they passed by. Their branches were sickeningly curled, as if reaching out with hopes of snagging her hair or clothing, waiting for the perfect vampire to come and take a bite of the snack they’ve found for them.
The more Chloe looked at the trees, the more their colors seemed to shift right before her eyes, eerie black turning to a bloody red then to an almost unsettling blue, like it didn’t belong there- It glowed under the bark as if asking Chloe to reach and tear it off to see what was truly there.
As Chloe got closer to Wonderland, or its ‘rabbit’ hole, the trees changed even more, cycling through the dullest forms of the rainbow and enticing the girl further. It was a beautiful sight, if Chloe had to admit it, the colors entranced her.
She wasn’t paying attention anymore, she had come to a stand still to watch, it was a recipe for disaster.
And Chloe was the only one that apparently didn’t think so, but she wasn’t up in those trees, stalking her like a hawk hunting a rabbit. It was someone else, and they felt hungry.
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angeliolo · 3 months ago
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remember everything
y/n’s pov
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an au by me and @sofisturns
𓇼 chap. 6 - falling
the car hummed softly as we cruised along the coast, the scent of chris’ cologne and sunscreen lingering in the air. my windows down- allowing my hair to be engulfed by the wind, tousled like waves breaking against the shore.
i sneak a glance at chris in the passenger seat, only to be met with his eyes already on mine. “so where are we headed next y/n!”
i kindly smile back, “well i’ve already shown you everywhere you need to see… do you have any ideas?”
his fingers drummed lightly on the dashboard, mimicking the same rhythm as my heartbeat, as he stopped to find something for us to do. he could’ve easily asked for me to take him home, but no, he actually wanted to spend more time with me.
suddenly his fingers come to a halt and he looks back at me, his warm gaze washing over me. “have you ever been longboarding?”
“long boarding? i don’t think so” “go back to my house, we’ll grab my board and i’ll show you”
i began to drive back to his house, the road feeling familiar despite the fact i’ve never actually driven there. something about chris just felt different. warm. inviting.
as we approached his house, the first thing i noticed was how quiet it all felt. the stillness and lack of life surrounding his house was hard to ignore, he wasn’t kidding when you could really feel the change in the air after his dad left. i was snapped out of my trance of observation, as chris hopped back into the passenger seat with his board and i began driving back to my spot on the beach.
upon our arrival to the beach, the golden glow of the setting sun spilled over the sand, casting soft, rippling patterns like light dancing on the ocean’s surface. the breeze outside the car was thick with the scent of sea salt and something sweeter—the unspoken pull between us.
“okay.. so how exaclty do you do this?” i say gesturing to the longboard in his hand. the board didn’t have the most unique look to it, other than the marks of usage, it was basic. most of the people on the shore had elaborate long board, ranging from different colors and designs. but chris, chris’ was simple.
“it’s easy really, you literally just place your feet like this and push off. it’s all about balance and trust in yourself” i take in his instructions briefly, “it’s really just that? seems simple” “well that’s what it is for beginners, once you get pro like me you can do all sorts of things” he says laughing while showing off some tricks. “you trying to impress or something?” “maybe.. is it working?” he says flashing me a smile and wink.
as the night went on and the sun finally set, casting a wave of darkness over us— the only thing illuminating us being street lamps. “chris! i’m never gonna be able to do this” i yell giggling as i fall for the 17th time.
“here let’s try something new” he says approaching me and placing the longboard back on the road. he reaches his hand out, allowing my to grab it and get back on my feet. his helps me onto the board, his hand still attached to mine.
i lose my balance briefly making my body fall into chris’. “careful there” he says catching me and placing me back onto the board. before i could realize, he places his hands on my hips in order to hold my balance.
his hands rested on my waist, light as sea foam but steady as the tide, serving as a promise that he wouldn’t let me fall. the warmth of his touch sent a ripple through my skin, like the rush of the cold water in the heat.
he leaned in slightly, his voice low and steady as he guided me down the road. “just trust the motion. trust me” he says looking deeply into my eyes. i look back at him through my eyelashes, subtly nodding. with a deep breath, he slowly let go— the warmth of his hands still burning into my skin despite the absence of them. “chris! i’m doing it!!!” i exclaim as i roll down the road like small waves
“there you go!” chris shouts back. for a moment i feel weightless, gliding as smoothly as a tide rolling to shore. in that moment, nothing mattered other than me, chris, and the ocean. i could feel his gaze burning into the back of my head, so i turn back around to meet his gaze with mine. the feeling of buoyancy continued, until it didn’t. before i knew it i was losing my balance as the road suddenly became downhill.
“chris omg!” i shout as i see him run towards me with urgency, the board accelerating. i look towards the road, hoping not to crash too badly, as i feel chris hands around my waist again; however, the speed of the board won against him, making us both fall to the ground.
“holy shit are you okay?” i hear him say in a panic. i roll over onto my side, only to be greeted with his panicked face. without thinking i burst out giggling, inviting chris to laugh along. “guess i need some more lessons” i say wiping the tears of laughter from my eyes as we both got up.
just as the laughter died, the only noise left was the ocean and the sound of us catching our breaths— our pulses still racing from the fall, or maybe it was from the way chris’ hand creeped back onto my waist. but this time it was different, his fingers barely pressed into my skin, as if he was testing the gravity between us.
the ocean breeze curled around us, salty and warm, but all i could feel was the heat of him, so close, so steady. “you okay?” he murmured, his voice softer now, his thumb brushing a stray grain of sand from my cheek.
i nodded, but neither of us moved away. the world around us felt distant, the crash of the waves, the hum of the pavement—everything fading into the quiet pull between us. my eyes flickered from his eyes down to his lips, and for a second, they hovered there, balanced on the edge like the crest of a wave just before it breaks.
just then, as if pulled by an unseen wind, chris leaned in. and this time i let myself fall— this time not onto the ground, but into him.
his hand snuck around my waist again— i could feel the quiet strength in his fingers, the way they lingered—not just to support, but to savor, as if memorizing the feeling of me beneath his touch, like waves etching secrets into the shore.
the kiss was soft at first— gentle, hesitant, almost teasing the between us. but then as i gave into into him, my hands went to grip his shirt as if i were anchoring myself, and he deepened it, the warmth of his lips sending a slow, electric current through my veins.
the world around us faded—the pavement beneath us, the salty wind in our hair, the lingering sting of my fall—none of it mattered. the only thing that mattered was us, the way he tasted like summer and sea air, the way he held me like i was something precious, something he never wanted to let go of. in that moment, I knew. i had been falling long before I ever hit the ground.
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𓈒ㅤׂㅤ⭒ sorry for the delay on this chapter guys! monumental stuff in this one, hope you all love it as much as we do! <33
˖° 𓂃 taglist
@chrissturniolossidebitch @chrissweetheart @m00nl1tgh0st @mothstvrnz @stvrniolotrxpl3ts @espressqe @chrepsi @samwinchesterisawhore @sonnysturns @conspiracy-ash
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yourdarkcherry · 1 year ago
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Seducing Rafe Cameron || Ch.2
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Summary: You were blessed with an easy life since you were born, but it’s all threatened when your dad’s business fails and you find yourself with no prospects and no education and so your only solution is to marry rich. Who’s a better candidate than the older brother of your ex-best friend from high school? So you do everything in your power to seduce Rafe Cameron, not knowing he’s the root to all your problems.
Warnings: toxic relationship, spoiled reader, sexist elements, dark content, blackcoded reader, pregnancy, physical and emotional abuse, manipulation, gaslighting, death threats, eventual smut.
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Divider by: @/cafekitsune
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Rafe didn’t give you any instructions on where to meet him for Wheezie’s driving lesson, or when it’s supposed to happen. So you spend most of your afternoon and evening glancing outside the window by the foyer. 
If your mom notices your glances, then she doesn’t speak. 
It’s when you’re preparing your dad’s usual evening coffee that you hear knocks on the door, your heart starts accelerating at the prospect of Rafe and Wheezie being behind that door. You almost want to run to the door, but you pretend to be all calm and collected as you’re pouring the freshly brewed coffee in your dad’s favorite mug. 
“Rafe, and Louisa, it’s nice seeing you,” you catch your father’s greeting from your spot in the kitchen, your heart feels light. 
You decide to take a moment to compose yourself before joining the gathering in the foyer. As you walk toward the doorway, you overhear Rafe responding to your father's greeting with polite pleasantries, you could also hear Wheezie laughing here and there, also answering some questions.
Before you exit, you stare at your reflection one last time in the mirror by the corridor, when you like what you see you smile and join them.
Your eyes catch Rafe’s blue irises first, “Hey there,” he greets, and you reciprocate with a smile of your own.
“Hi, Rafe, and Wheezie,” you say, tilting your head to stare at her, and directing your attention to his younger sister. Wheezie's eyes light up, and she gives you a sweet grin, “I just hope you’re ready for some driving action, because we have a whole plan ahead of us,” walking outside your home, Rafe followed her and you followed suit. 
You stare between her and Rafe with a curious stare, but still thrilled at the prospect of spending some time with them both. 
“I was born ready,” you answer, making Wheezie laugh as she heads to the driver’s seat in her tiny red mini cooper. 
Truth to be said, after your massive drama with Sarah you avoided her family naturally too. Not because you didn’t like them, but every time you saw them you’d just be reminded of the pain you went through. So it still felt strange that despite you having those pent up thoughts about them, and distancing yourself that they still thought positively of you, you couldn’t help but feel guilt-ridden. 
Before you could reach for the door handle for the backseats, Rafe was quicker and opened the door for you instead. You smiled at him, tucking your hair behind your ear as you thanked him clearly, “Thanks, Rafe.” 
“You’re welcome,” he responded, watching you get in and then he shut the door before he rounded the car to claim the passenger seat. 
“Is this your car?” you asked Wheezie who was busy checking her mirrors, she let out an affirming hum, “it is, Rafe managed to convince dad to buy me my first car before getting my license so I’m more prone to be careful while driving,” she answered, and Rafe affirmed as he took his seat, “I was right, you’re much more careful driving in your car than anyone else’s, how many times did you crash my car?” he glanced at you when you laughed.
Wheezie exhaled dramatically, “accidents like this are supposed to happen, I’m a beginner!”
“So, what’s on today’s agenda?” you asked, buckling in yourself in the middle seat of the seats in the back.
Wheezie already started driving as she answered, “Rafe thinks it’s better to practice in real streets than in the practice driving range, and I was thinking that we should stop at the Milkshake Palace and then head to the beach, and then we could stop at the mall and I could flaunt to you my amazing parking skills.”
You giggled, “I will only be impressed if you manage to parallel park,” 
“Hey, you’re asking for the impossible, let’s just hope she even manages to get out of Figure 8 safely,” Rafe commented, glancing at you several times and then stopping when Wheezie took her right hand off the steering wheel to swat him. 
“He’s exaggerating, and don’t be an ass, Rafe. Or I will be banning you to the backseats and making (Y/N) teach me how to drive.” Wheezie replied with a playful glare, you raised your hands defensively, “I really don’t think you should ask me, I’m not the best at that, I only recently learned how to parallel park.”
Rafe and Wheezie both laughed at your words. As the car smoothly navigated through the familiar streets, you couldn't help but appreciate the pleasant atmosphere that only continued to flourish between you three.
You have missed Wheezie, and Rafe too. You didn’t interact much with the latter because of his tense relationship with Sarah back then, and now too, but you were just fine with him. You couldn’t help but wonder how your current life would be if Sarah was still in it, if she’d never slept with your boyfriend in high school.
Well, for starters she would be the one teaching Wheezie how to drive, she’d be the one to accompany you in midsummers and to make you laugh, and she’d be the one you would tell about your father’s failing business and she’d allow you to cry about it as much as you wanted without complaining once.
While the prospect of a romantic relationship with Rafe would be out of question because you’ve always been so loyal to Sarah, you couldn’t help but be a little thankful that the friendship ended way before your father’s bankruptcy. 
“Right, I haven’t heard much of you (Y/N), what are you doing lately?” Wheezie asked, lowering the volume of the music. 
“Not much, if I’m honest, I have been dabbling in pilates classes and some photography classes too, and I’m learning how to cook, but other than that I’m just shopping at the mall.” You answered honestly, even though the last part you haven’t done since you’ve learned of the regress of your dad’s business.
Wheezie hummed, then you could see her widening smile from the reflection of the rear-view mirror, and you just knew in your core that Wheezie was going to ask a very personal question. But how bad could it be? Nothing could be horrible, and your only secret you had to protect would be your family’s bankruptcy. 
“So, any lucky secret man?” you laughed at her question, and as much as you wanted to look at Rafe to observe his reaction, you couldn’t not when you felt his intense stare at you. Despite him being in the front seat, he looked way too much at you, and tilted his head a lot to the back. 
You couldn’t calm your thrilled heart, he had to be at least interested in you if he kept looking at you like this, you hoped this would at least be the case. 
“Nope, why, you got one?” you wondered, now glancing at Rafe when he looked away. 
His expression was unreadable, and the smile on his lips was tense. You hoped it was jealousy, or something that meant he had to be interested in you even for a little bit. 
He didn’t have to be so interested in you to ask you to marry him, you just had to be around and he had to think that you fit the perfect stereotype of the typical housewife in Figure 8. You would say you were like the rest of them, you knew a lot of rich housewives that were like you in their youth. 
They too had useless certificates, you already got yours in hospitality and never looked back at it since you graduated. You only had one just to say you got some form of education so you were smart but not too smart to scare rich men away. 
“I don’t, the boys I like don’t like me and the boys I don’t like don’t like me either,” she said, letting out a sigh and finally pulling up to the phosphorescent sign of the Milkshake Palace. 
“All Highschool boys are stupid and immature, I’m sure you’ll find your person after graduation.” You reassured, and she hummed thoughtfully, then you scooted to the edge of your seat, resting your head on the shoulder of Rafe’s seat, “what about you? Any lucky secret girl we don’t know about?”
He seemed stunned as he looked at you, surprised at your proximity, then his gaze dropped just slightly and you didn’t have to be a psychic to know he definitely stared at your cleavage. 
“Uhm, no, no one.” he continued to look at you even when you backed to your seat. 
The atmosphere shifted slightly after your question. Rafe’s eyes lingered on you for a moment longer before he faced the front, as Wheezie steered the car into a parking spot. She failed to park correctly a few times, but that didn’t drown her excitement when you all exited the car and walked to the building.
“It’s been so long since I came here, I think the last time I came to this branch I was still in high school.” you commented, analyzing the slight changes in the building, and liking how the neon lights looked against the night sky. 
“Really? Rafe and I come here at least three times a week,” Wheezie said.
You looked at the blond, “I think you were the one that showed me this spot back in highschool,” you recalled.
“I did?” he asked, and you nodded, “yeah, I remember you drove us and Sarah to the mall but you were so angry that the mall didn’t have a Milkshake Palace branch at the mall, so you took us here instead after you picked us up.”
Wheezie laughed, as Rafe stared at you with faux confusion, “no way, I don’t remember me being that angry about something so trivial,” you nudged him with your elbow, “well, I remember and I will never let you live it down, ever.”
Rafe chuckled, a genuine smile breaking through the tension that lingered from your earlier question. As you entered the Milkshake Palace, the nostalgic atmosphere mixed with the sweet aroma of milkshakes filled the air and slapped you harshly in your cheek, all you could think of was you and Sarah entering this place, arms linked and laughing. 
You purposely kicked out these thoughts, and paid attention to the siblings ahead of you. The three of you found a cozy booth towards the back, surrounded by neon signs and the low hum of conversations. 
Wheezie slid first inside the booth, you sat next to her and Rafe opposite you. Rafe handed you the menu, despite the two knowing exactly what they’re going to order. You shrugged your shoulders and pushed it back to him, “Why don’t you choose for me? I want to know the hype you make about this place.”
Rafe raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk forming on his lips. “You’re putting your milkshake fate in my hands? Bold move.”
You nodded with a grin, “Absolutely. I trust you, Rafe. Impress me with your milkshake selection skills.” Wheezie chimed in, her eyes sparkling with amusement, “I have to see this, Rafe. Make it unforgettable.”
Rafe pretended to ponder for a moment, scanning the menu with exaggerated seriousness. Then he nodded and stood up, “Alright, brace yourselves. I’m going to introduce you to the best Milkshake Palace masterpieces.”
You couldn’t help but laugh, then you hid your laugh behind your palm as you and Wheezie stared at each other when Rafe walked away. 
“Look at him, he looks so serious, all because we entrusted him to select some silly milkshakes for us.” Wheezie comments in a slightly loud whisper, making you laugh harder and hold onto her shoulder to stabilize yourself. 
She smiles at you when your laughter dies, “I’m so happy we get to hang out again like back then,” she comments, and the guilt you felt earlier returns horribly. Especially with how genuine she looks. 
“I’m happy too, I missed hanging out with you.” You respond sincerely. 
Wheezie’s eyes softened, and she nudged you gently, “I understand you and Sarah had a big fight, she didn’t tell me lots of details but she told me she wronged you months after everything.” 
“It was just some stupid high school drama, I’m completely over it now. But how is she? Do you speak to her?” you asked.
You didn’t know much about the Camerons after your falling out with Sarah, but you knew that after high school she started seeing a man from The Cut for years secretly, apparently he used to work for her father, and around last year she started living with him when Ward found out.
“I haven’t talked to her in months, dad is still really upset. Once she tried to visit with that man and he kicked her out, and since then he forbade all of us from talking to her.” She answered, looking at her intertwined fingers.
“I’m sorry to hear that, Wheezie. I had no idea things had gotten so complicated for Sarah,” you replied, genuine sympathy in your voice. Then you reached to hold her intertwined hands, and squeezed them gently, “It must’ve been tough for you dealing with all this mess, but I want you to know that I’m here for you,” 
She smiled appreciatively, and you knew she wouldn’t take your last offer seriously and would think you were simply being polite, but you were stubborn. “Seriously, I will be there for you, if you need anything just call me and I will be there.” You said, for her sake, as you missed Wheezie and wanted to be there for her like an older sister and you knew Ward would never allow her to contact Sarah ever. 
You took her phone, and dialed your phone number and when you felt your phone vibrate in your purse you ended the call, “Here, you have my number so if you need anything at any time, you know what to do.” 
Her smile widened, and her stare at you turned slightly wet, so you didn’t hesitate to wrap an arm over her shoulder to bring her in a sideways hug, “I know I have already said it, but I’m really glad we reconnected again.” She said with a quivering voice, and quickly wiping away her tears under her glasses. 
The harsh pang of guilt comes again to attack you, and you think back to how you behaved back then.
Did you really have to distance yourself from Wheezie who you have alway thought of as your younger sister, all because of Sarah? Did you even have to stop being friends with Sarah? Surely even after everything and all this time, you still miss her a lot and you think of her a lot.
You’re not angry that she slept with your ex-boyfriend, you're just angry that she didn’t care enough about you to not do it, or to hide it all this time. 
When Wheezie completely wipes her tears away, Rafe returns, and distributes three very different looking milkshakes to each of you. 
“I just guessed what you two would like,” Rafe said, handing you a pink milkshake. You thanked him, and took it and popped the lid with the straw. 
“I just hope it doesn’t have mint chocolate,” Wheezie muttered, taking her light colored milkshake from him, and doing the same exact thing as you. She comments when she takes her first sip, “It’s actually good, I didn’t expect you to have good taste honestly.” 
“What were you two talking about?” Rafe questioned, noting Wheezie’s red eyes and nose. She stiffened next to you, and you didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out the subject of Sarah was a pretty sensitive topic for Rafe. So, you shrugged your shoulders and lied, “just girl talk.” 
She nodded, looking at you with a sheepish smile, “we were just talking about a suitable time for a girl’s day.”
Rafe raised an eyebrow, studying the both of you suspiciously, not buying your lie whatsoever, but he decided not to press further. Instead, he grabbed a seat, placing himself across from you two, and took a sip of his own milkshake.
“Girl’s day, huh? Sounds like fun,” he remarked, shooting a glance your way. You simply nodded in agreement. Wheezie, who’s eager to steer the conversation away from the sensitive territory, said, “we could go to the movies, or oh oh! We could go shopping! I need new clothes for school anyways.”
You matched her eagerness with a thrilled smile of your own, “Absolutely, and we could get our nails done!” you displayed your fingers to her and wiggled them playfully. She nodded as her smile widened, “oh okay okay, what time suits you?”
“I’m available the whole day the day after tomorrow, is it okay with you?” You suggested. 
She nodded excitedly with a big smile on her face, you mirrored it and giggled when she started pre-planning your activities.
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Your conversation smoothed easily the whole drive to the beach, and even at the beach where you played a messy game of chasing each other, and even going as far as splashing each other—to be frank you didn’t start it, but joined it in revenge as the duo ganged up on you.
When Wheezie parked her car at Tannyhill, she quickly gasped when her eyes fell on the clock at her dashboard. 
“I completely forgot Claire is sleeping over!” she yelled, then she held your hand and squeezed it, “I’m sorry but my friend is coming over in like five minutes, and I didn’t prepare anything!” you laughed, shook your head as you reassured her, “don’t worry, you go first,” 
She hugged you goodbye quickly, and then dashed with a hasty wave into her house. 
You turned to face Rafe, stunned to find him already staring at you. With a small smile he said, “let me walk you home.”
You agreed with a nod and walked alongside him towards your home. It was already dark when they picked you up, and when you arrived at Tannyhill it was three hours after. There is still an appropriate time for a debriefing session with your mother if you wish while you help her with dinner. 
“Thanks for tonight. It was unexpected but fun,” you expressed, looking up at him with sincere appreciation in your eyes. 
He shook his head, “You’re always welcome, you’re like…” he trailed off and you hoped to all the power in this universe that he wouldn’t say you’re like a sister to him. 
“The best person to have around,” he said, you had to physically restrain yourself from sighing in relief. 
“I’m just glad Wheezie has someone to look up to after…you know…” Sarah’s name flashed inside your head at his insinuation. “She needs an older sister figure, someone to guide her and to be there for her. I try to be there for her but it’s just not the same,” You nodded in agreement at his words.
“You’re right,” you said, knowing just how much men loved being told they’re right, and partially because he was actually right in his judgment. “Especially at her age, I didn’t have anyone so I made some stupid mistakes I knew I wouldn’t make if I had an older sister’s guidance.”
Rafe tilted his head to you with surprise, narrowed his gaze and commented, “You didn’t make any stupid mistakes,” then he quickly added in an exaggerated whisper, “at least ones that I knew of.” 
You laughed, “first thank you for saying that, but trust me, I have had my fair share of stupid mistakes too.”
“Like what?” he demanded, you avoided his stare as his smile widened. You hoped you at least looked cute enough for him to keep you around. 
“Now why would I tell you about my stupid mistakes?” you said with a faux scandalized stare, hand on your chest. 
“Can’t you just tell me because I want to know?” he responds.
You smirked playfully, enjoying the banter. “Well, let’s just say my teenage years were full of questionable fashion choices and a series of not-so-impressive crushes. Nothing too fun, unfortunately for you.”
Rafe chuckled, “Fashion choices, huh? Now I'm curious.”
“Maybe one day, I'll show you some embarrassing photos,” you teased, making a mental note to keep those hidden forever.
You could see your house getting closer and closer, and just like the years after your falling out with Sarah you cursed that your house was relatively close to hers. Only this time you cursed that fact, because if it was further than you’d get to speak to Rafe more.
At that wish you could almost hear your mother tutting and telling you that a woman needed to keep her mystery for a man to keep having an interest in her. You wanted Rafe to be interested in you, and so after cursing that fact you thanked it in your head. 
He had to have interest, even if it was mild then it was good because most rich married men in your social circle didn’t have that much of an interest in their wives. 
As you approached your house, the atmosphere lightened, and Rafe’s eyes held a warmth that didn’t go unnoticed and set a swarm of butterflies in your core. You had to kick out that feeling. You shouldn’t harbor a crush for Rafe, or god forbid fall in love with him.
All for the possibility that he might lose interest completely, and ice you out if you weren’t his cup of tea and thought some other girl was more of a wife material than you. It happened before, you’ve seen it before and you knew you might be a victim of such a scenario as well. 
If he did that, then you wanted it to be easy for you to move on and seduce some other unsuspecting rich man. Perhaps his friend Kelce, you heard he will inherit his father’s country club. Or perhaps Topper, maybe he’s over Sarah and you were just speaking way too soon. He is such a Mama’s boy though, and while that was not good in general you could still wow his mother to pair him with you.
Cynthia was hard to please, but you were determined. 
As you looked over your family’s property. Your determination to keep all of it intact grew stronger. You would do the impossible to keep all of it, and ensure that your parents never have to step foot at The Cut.
“So, am I going to see you tomorrow morning?” he asked, you couldn’t miss the hopeful glint he had in his ocean blue eyes. Were they always that blue? You wondered.
Grinning, you answered, “I don’t know, I guess you have to ask my alarm.” He laughed at your response, before he could speak you added, “I might, I have pilates at ten, and I have to run a few errands after so I have to be in a productive mentality to get everything done.”
“Then you’re going to be finished at twelve?” he asks. 
You’re confused at his question, but you nod your head nonetheless. 
He nodded with a thoughtful expression, “Great. How about we grab lunch after your errands?”
Your heart fluttered as if spring blossomed at the pits of your heart, tickling your insides and pulling at heartstrings you thought had died after everything. “Sure, that sounds good.”
As you reached your doorstep, you turned to face him. “Thanks again for tonight, Rafe. It was really fun.”
He smiled, his eyes holding a warmth that lingered. “Anytime. I'll see you tomorrow morning, and hopefully for lunch too.” 
You twisted the door knob, pushed it and looked back at him to find him waiting for you to get inside. 
You thought gentlemen like this died, but it seemed as the perfect example spawned before your eyes with blond hair and gorgeous baby blues. Clearing your throat as you waved shyly, “good night.”
He waved back, a stretching smile on his lips. When you shut the door, you quickly went to the window and looked secretly behind the curtain at him. He eyed your house for a bit, a smirk on his face then he looked down at his fingers and finally retreated towards Tannyhill. 
There was a subtle shift in your system, an unspoken feeling you didn’t want to name afraid it shall gain power and become resilient. 
For heaven’s sake, you wanted to seduce Rafe and have him like you and not the other way around. You didn’t want to get your heart broken, you weren’t doing this for fun, you were doing it out of a pure need of survival.
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siconetribal · 11 months ago
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Beyond the Bookshelves (5)
Pairing: Loki x Reader
Warnings: Anger, Tension, Somebody's in big trouble
Summary: You’re a Resource Management Specialist at S.H.I.E.L.D. normally referred to as “The Librarian”. You’ve been assigned the nightmarish task of digitizing all the physical resources currently owned by the agency, with a few new computers and one extra helper.
A/N: Sorry this took too long. I had a lot of work to catch up on post Covid-19. I hope you enjoy!
Please comment/like/reblog. If you’d like to be tagged moving forward, please let me know! (If I missed ant tags, please let me know, I'll add you right away!)
The lovely banners used in this fic are from @cafekitsune.
If you’re new to the story, please check out the master post for the rest of the chapters.
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The golden sun gave way to evening shadows as time ticked onwards. Loki sat crouched in the bushes, breath heavy, sweat dripping down the sides of his face, and blue eyes scanning the dark dense foliage surrounding him, looking for any signs of his opponent. His heart was pounding against his chest in a rhythm that seemed far too loud in the silence. Seconds felt like hours as he waited. The distant rustle of branches had him holding his breath. They were close.
“You search East, I’ll go West, and you go North.” The voice was just loud enough to make out the instructions. “They have to be in here somewhere.”
“He’s a lot harder to find than I thought.” The other grumbled. The heavy weight of reluctance was music to Loki’s ears.
“I told you he was not someone to take lightly. He was trained in warfare and is a master strategist, quick on his feet.”
“Yeah, yeah, I heard you, Goldilocks! You sing his praises to the high heavens every time you get.”
“Tony,” the leader, Captain America, hissed loudly. “Lower your voice, or you’ll end up giving us away.” The silence that followed was enough to let Loki know that the method of communication had changed.
I must get in touch with the Snowflake and hawk. He quietly slipped through the trees until he was able to see at least one of them. The tin man. Loki eyed the bright red and gold suit as it moved forward. He could easily take him down now, proving he was able to handle it on his own. But that would lead to failure in this practice. A frown tugged at his lips as he continued to the meeting point.
“Were you able to find them?” Clint’s voice came from above. The younger prince looked up to see him perched on a tree branch.
“Yes, they’ve spread out to find us to the North of us. The overly patriotic leader is heading West, my brother to the East, and the Tin Man further North.” 
“The element of surprise is ours if we work together. Who is the closest?” Bucky stood up from the rock he was sitting on.
“The Tin Man relies heavily on his suit to scan the surrounding area, we can use that as a means to lure him into a trap. The next best target would be the Star Soldier, leaving Thor for last if we wish to go with the quickest route. It would be unwise to prolong any fights to preserve our strength.”
“They’ve got strength and firepower, but they don’t take terrain into account. We can use that to our advantage.” Clint hopped down to join them. “Tony first?” The other two nodded their heads.
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The blaring sound of an alarm echoed through the room as the forest that once surrounded time vanished, revealing the large empty hanger where the training session took place. The computer voice announced the winning team of the exercise, much to the chagrin of Tony Stark.
“Beginner’s luck,” he grumbled as Captain America and Thor openly congratulated Loki, Clint, and Bucky for a job well done. 
“If that’s the case, I’m on his ‘beginner’ team from now on. I’ll never have to worry about losing.” Clint snickered. “That can’t have been just an hour, though. How long did that run?” He frowned, looking up at the holographic screen that displayed the details.
“Four hours?” Thor raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“That took a lot longer than we anticipated, but it was a good session.” Steve let out a slow whistle. “I’ll need to read through the notes for the meetings I’ve missed.”
“Anyone who had a meeting will be stuck reading.” Bucky heaved out a heavy sigh at the boring task. As Clint and Tony contributed to the conversation, Loki silently stared at the times listed. Something about it bothered him, like a constant nudge at the back of his mind begging to be identified. 
What’s wrong with any of it? The start time is correct, and the duration adds up to the end time. I don't have as many meetings for the next couple of days due to the changes in mission plans. What could I possibly be missing? The small dips at the corners of his lips grew into a proper frown, his eyebrows knitting together. There was something he was missing.
“Well done everyone, that was an excellent session. I’ll send out the details for reviewing the footage with the rest of the Avengers on a later date.” The lead trainer’s voice came over the speakers.
“Sounds good, looking forward to it.” Steve waved to the control window before leading them all out.
“Loki, aren’t you coming?” He nearly snapped at Thor for breaking his thoughts. He was moments away from realizing what was nagging at him, but it was lost to now.
“Coming,” he followed the rest of them out. What could I have possibly forgotten?
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Y/N glanced at the clock for the umpteenth time. According to the schedule she had, Loki was supposed to be here over two hours ago. It was nearing three, and she was growing more and more irritated with the lack of respect.
If there was some kind of emergency, they would’ve announced it right away. Sure, training can run over by a couple of minutes or even an hour, but three? Is this his way of telling me to eff off? That he hates me for whatever reason? Which I don’t even know why he would! He's the one that's been ignoring me! I thought being raised as a prince comes with etiquette training, was common decency removed from that curriculum or was he trained to be a prickly porcupine? There has to be something, Thor didn't ignore me, he even admitted that Loki was better at devising a plan! But I highly doubt that claim right now.
She hit the refresh button on her email for the hundredth time, another desperate attempt to give him a chance to explain, only to find no response waiting to be read. She would give him a piece of her mind the next time she saw him. That handsome face grew more devilish with each passing minute of no response.
“I get that the task isn't a top priority, but a sliver of decency and respect for your coworker would be nice! I rank above him for crying out loud!” She forced her hand to let go of the computer mouse or else it would have been the victim of her frustration, smashed into the desk or thrown at the closest wall. “Deep breaths, Y/LN, deep breaths. There is clearly a logical explanation, and he will tell you all about it the next time he is available. Things happen, not everyone checks their emails all the time. After he explains himself, I'll ask for his and Thor’s numbers for future contact.” 
The ring of the door was music to her ears. A much-needed distraction was here, and she could now avoid self-imploding and over thinking.
“I'll be right there!” She put on her best smile and shoved everything else into the chest at the back of her mind. There was nothing she could do except wait. Putting her best foot forward, she stepped out of her office to greet the patron. 
“Librarian.” Her smile nearly dropped through the floor at the smooth, accented voice. There was only one person she knew with that voice, and he was at the top of her hit list right now. 
“Loki, how nice of you to finally arrive.” She tried to sound as pleasant as possible. She would finally know what happened. Yes, any minute now I’ll know it all. Any second, he's going to just open up. Floodgates bursting open, telling me exactly why he came so late, which’ll explain the lack of notifying me sooner.  She silently stared at him, expecting him to respond. Nothing came. When he turned away, she quickly spoke up. “Well?”
“Well what?”
“Don’t you have something to say to me?”
“No, why would I have something to say to you?” The raising of one eyebrow and the slight scoff she heard in his tone was the last straw.
“The library is closed, leave.” She pulled the last bit of her calmness to avoid trouble.
“No it isn’t, it’s open until,” she cut him off at his haughty tone.
“Until I say it is. This library runs on my command. I say it’s closed, now get out.” She forcibly turned him around and pushed him towards the doors.
“That is arbitrary and,”
“Oh, now you have plenty to say? Maybe you can take this time to think about what you should be saying to me. Breathe some air and touch some grass, or smack your head against a wall, I don’t care what you do! Whatever it is, it can’t be here. End of discussion.” She gave one last shove to force him to step over the threshold. “Oh, and don't bother coming back until you’ve finally remembered. You’re hereby banned until further notice. Good day, sir.” She slammed the door shut in his face and sharply turned on her heel, stomping back to her desk. “Jarvis, you heard me. Loki is banned from the library until I say so. I don’t care if he’s poofing in or climbing through a duct, you alert me right away and tell him to leave or else he will be forcibly removed.” The nerve of him to just blatantly disregard my time and forget his promise! I may have asked for his assistance, but he agreed on his own accord!
“Understood,” the computer voice responded. “Loki, the second prince of Asgard and Avenger, are forbidden from entering the library until cleared by Director Y/LN, the Librarian.”
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Tags: @vbecker10 @huntress-artemiss @softestqueeen @thegodofnotknowing @princess-ofthe-pages @firedrakegirl @rcailleachcola @cabingrlandrandomcrap @lotrefcp @lwtannie @jainaeatsstars @msdjsg7 @tom-hlover @kneelingformyloki @gruftiela @gigglingtiggerv2 @kats72 @mischief2sarawr
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sunny374940 · 6 months ago
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Adventures in baking
Rook has a crush on Emmrich. Rook wants to bake him cookies. He has never baked cookies in his life, but what could go wrong? Lucanis is a good friend. 1k words.
..............
“You can do it, Rook, how hard can it be? You killed a dragon, for fucks sake.”
Rook was muttering to himself. There was a crease between his eyebrows, flour on his shirt and he was fighting a losing battle.
He was standing at the counter of the Lighthouse kitchen, poking at a lump of something that wasn't trying very hard to be dough.
He rubbed his forehead, managing to get the offending substance stuck into his hair.
“Shit!” he cursed loudly in frustration.
“Rook, what are you doing?” Lucanis was standing in the pantry doorway, watching him with an arched eyebrow.
“Uhh… making cookies?” Rook offered without much conviction.
Lucanis crossed the room to inspect Rook's creation. It jiggled miserably at his touch.
“Whatever this is, it is not cookie dough. Why didn't you ask me for help?”
He took in the state of the kitchen, which indicated that this wasn't Rook's first attempt.
“I wanted to make them myself.” Rook looked down, frowning. “They were supposed to be for Emmrich.”
“Why?”
“I like him.” The words were out before he could stop himself. He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Just don’t tell anyone, I don't know how he really feels about me. But we visited the Necropolis together and we had tea in the gardens and it almost felt like a date? So I wanted to do something nice for him, but it’s harder than I thought.”
“You are trying to woo the necromancer. With cookies,” Lucanis observed dryly.
Rook blushed and nodded.
“Lucanis, I really, really need your help,” he pleaded. “I've been at it for hours and I don't-”
Lucanis held up a hand to signal him to stop talking.
“Mierda,” he sighed. “Where's your recipe? Let's see where you went wrong.”
“I don't have one,” Rook said.
Lucanis stared at him. “What do you mean you don’t have one? Do you understand how baking works?”
“Well, my mom never used one? She just threw things together and it worked. And no, not a clue,” Rook grinned sheepishly.
“Your mother is either a miracle worker or you didn't pay enough attention. Baking is all about ingredient ratios, you don't just mix stuff randomly.”
Lucanis gave the horrible mass on the counter one last poke. “Now go throw this thing over the edge. If Assan finds it, Davrin is going to kill us. I will find us a cookbook.”
Rook carried the dough out the door and dropped it unceremoniously over the edge, although a good bit managed to keep itself stuck to his fingers.
When he returned after cleaning up, Lucanis was sitting in the kitchen and leafing through a cookbook.
“I think I found a suitable recipe. It is for beginners in the art of baking,” he said, stressing the word beginners with an amused quirk of his lips. “I have never seen anyone fuck up cookies so badly.”
”Yeah, yeah, no need to rub it in,” Rook laughed. “Next time I'm going to pick him some flowers and be done with it,” he grumbled.
“With your luck, you will be jumped by an ogre before you pick a single flower,” chuckled Lucanis. “I will help you romance your necromancer, but Spite says he wants some cookies as payment. With chocolate.”
“I agree to your terms,” Rook bowed to Lucanis with a cheeky smile. “And thank you, I really appreciate your help.”
“Don't mention it. So first we need to get the ingredients and then I will teach you how to measure them.”
They fell into an easy rhythm, Lucanis reading out the instructions and checking Rook's progress. Rook was smiling as he worked, he was finally getting somewhere.
Just as they were pulling the cookies out of the oven, the door opened, startling Rook into almost dropping the tray.
“Hello, Rook, Lucanis,” greeted Emmrich warmly as he entered the kitchen. “Don't mind me, I'm just getting some apples.” He sniffed. “It smells wonderful in here. Have you been baking for Neve again, Lucanis?”
Rook made an attempt to hide the cookies behind his back, but he was thwarted by Spite, who picked exactly the worst moment to appear.
“He. Made you. Cookies. I want. Cookies.”
“Spite, he wanted it to be a surprise,” hissed Lucanis.
But Spite wouldn't be dissuaded. “He. Likes. You.” He added triumphantly.
Rook flushed to the tips of his ears and hid his face in his hands. He didn't notice Emmrich crossing the room, until he was standing right in front of him, forcing him to look up at him between his fingers. Emmrich smiled at Rook and took hold of his hands to bring them down from his face. But even after he'd done that, he showed no intention of letting go. Rook was blushing fiercely, staring up at Emmrich with wide eyes.
“Is Spite telling the truth?” Emmrich asked softly, eyes searching Rook's face.
Rook could only nod.
“Would you care to enjoy the cookies with me, Rook?” Emmrich asked. “Perhaps along with a cup of tea in my quarters?”
“I-” Rook found he had to clear his throat, which had suddenly gone very dry. “I would like that,” he managed to croak out.
“Splendid!”
Emmrich let go of his hands to gather some of the cookies onto a plate, leaving Rook feeling strangely alone. He didn't have much time to wallow in his loneliness however, because Emmrich's hand quickly found its way back into his.
“Shall we?” Emmrich gazed into his eyes, looking for all the world like he had just been offered a candlelit dinner and not a plateful of cookies.
“Lead the way,” Rook smiled, leaning closer to him.
“If you start kissing, I am letting out Spite,” Lucanis threatened, but there was humor in his words. “I know you forgot I'm standing here.”
They started laughing and retreated from the kitchen, taking the plate of cookies with them.
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tears-of-amber · 8 months ago
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Psychometry Using The Tarot: An Exercise I Created
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This is an exercise to do if you want to try your hand at Psychometry! ✨ I’m clairsentient and this exercise I created to help hone that psychic ability. It won’t work for everyone. It doesn’t even work for me all the time because sometimes I’m too stressed to focus in on the feelings and psychic downloads I get from each card. But when you’re ready and centered, it works and is REALLY powerful.
WHAT YOU NEED;
You’ll need a quiet place
A deck of tarot cards you feel connected with (if you’re a beginner at psychometry) or one you’ve just purchased and never used before (if you want a challenge).
INSTRUCTIONS:
Shuffle thoroughly, and several times at that. Then pull a card keeping it face down so you can’t see the side of the card with the image that would reveal which card it is.
Close your eyes, and flip the card over (still no peaking). What do you FEEL from this card. Any images, words, emotions or concepts pop into your mind after waiting a bit in meditative silence? You must be fully centered for this to work, so don’t rush an answer. But eventually something will probably come up for you. Be it a shape, a color, a symbol or emotional response.
Now, once you’ve solidified what intuitive hits you have received. Open your eyes and examine the card. Does it fit the images and concepts and emotions you felt? Is it an element that you predicted? Is it major or minor arcana? Reversed? Upright? Is there a person on it? Do you consider it a positive card?
RECORD WHETHER YOUR INTUITION WAS ALIGNED IN A WAY WHERE YOU WERE ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE CARDS ENERGY WITHOUT KNOWING WHICH ONE IT WAS! Even if you’re wrong, record what came up. This is important because if you only record your successes you’ll never understand the nature or context of your failures.
I’ll give an example of how I’ve experienced this practice. I did the instructions (shuffled thoroughly, pulled a card). Immediately I knew it was reversed. There was a man on it. My mind said yellow earth. Grounded.
I opened my eyes. It was the king of pentacles reversed.
I tried this practice again and again. Each time I was right, until finally my sibling started being noisy which caused me anxiety and I became irritated and uncentered. Then I got several wrong by a long shot. lol. So word of advice: do this some place without distractions!
And last but not least! You don’t have to be good at this to be a witch or good at magic. It’s just one of many avenues for practicing psychic ability you may or may not have.
-Velvet Rose 🌹
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