#ben fused with feedback

[the-autistic-spider]

ben 10 fic idea

kevin and ben (classic series but with feedback)

being alone in the world

reasons:

A. Gwen and max die saving ben/Kevin from vilgax

B. Ben just left with Kevin in his appearance episode

C. kidnaped/trafficked

D. ben lost Gwen and max and is trying to find them with Kevin's help (would probably be set before Kevin's first appearance)

E. ben just got the omnitrix and was terrified of what Gwen and Max would think of him becoming alien monsters and ran away in fear at some point meeting Kevin (probably at the beginning of the story)

F. ben ran away after being fused with feedbacks DNA during the malware even

if something like this exists please tell me =]

prompt for F:

so it goes around the same except as malware is pulling feedback out of the omnimatrix the timeline changes

Malware was suddenly hit by something (gwen magic or max weapon) causing the DNA he was pulling out of the omnitrix to fuse into bens normal DNA making him a (to ben) horrifying fusion between a Conductoid and human

in fear of himself ben ran off into the forest abandoning Gwen and Max

after a while he ended up at a camp where people where running away from something still trying to be a hero ben tried to ask what they where running from but only made the people's fear worse

he soon found out it was kevin they where running from who had only recently left the knull void (did they ever say how idk)

end prompt: you go from here i ran out of idea

also to my knowledge Gwen cant do tracking spells yet so this is here incase she can

Gwen tried to find ben with a tracking spell but it didn't work as his DNA was to messed up to be recognised

[ideas-of-immortality]

Almost Human!AU

[Cover Page for Prologue of Comic]

[Previews for Pages 3-4]

@aimlovesmusic guess who spent the last 4 hours drawing and coloring these dang things and came up with an AU for once. Also snagged your idea that Rook has a tail, fuck it we altering the basics, they lose their baby tail but grow an adult one like fucking antlers or something 👍

In this verse after Malware fucked up Feedback he legitimately infected the watch with a bio-tech virus. As the watch was removed shortly afterwards by Ben, the virus only made a few small markings.

When Ben put the watch back on at 15, the markings kept spreading, they would cause glitches in the watch resulting in Ben's human form developing more alien like qualities. Eyes that are just shy of being too green, sharper teeth, in a smile that's just wide enough to be unnerving, nails that are sharper than usual, ears that appear pointed. Boy got borderline Jaundice from it too. His hair will pull up when startled or angry.

When Ben gets the Ultimatrix the watch fully wigs out and screws with his personality as well (even with the updated omnitrix he's prone to significantly more extreme mood swings); the bio tech virus leading to the ultimate forms developing sentience and independence. As a result Azmuth later on forced a temporary fix that returned the watch to default settings and delayed the spread of the virus. The markings now only glowed when Ben has activating the watch or is messing around with it.

After the Ultimatrix got removed and the new updated Omnitrix gets added, Ben discovers he's actually able to transform without the watch at all. The bio-tech virus had seemingly fused the data from the watch into his very DNA. However in order to keep up appearances he continues to wear it.

After Kevin and Gwen leave him, he kinda goes feral for a bit, and Rook ends up being called in to deal with his crash out and also act as a calming presence (and cause Max absolutely knows Ben has 0 friends and damn his grandson needs to socialize). Ben still gets irrationally snippy and bite-y if Kevin or Gwen show up unannounced.

Rook remains the only person who knows that the watch is functionally useless as he found out when he walked in on Ben without the watch transforming different parts of himself into his aliens. The only reason he keeps it a secret is cause he's worried one of Ben's standard villains is gonna kidnap him for experiments. Otherwise he has multiple times mentioned Ben should at least tell Azmuth the virus allows him to partially transform.

If Ben stays in life form lock for too long it becomes a high risk that he'll forget who he is, and start behaving feral again. After the Incursean invasion where he was in a life form lock to Bullfrag, to his horror he actually was craving Grandpa Max's cooking and bugs.

Albedo is unaffected by the biotech virus as the watch had already downloaded Ben's human DNA for the default prior to the infection, but suspects that Ben is lying about something, and alongside trying to return to his Galvan form, has a side quest to get a sample of Ben's blood to do tests on. Rook has been thus far quite successful at preventing that from happening.

Ben has above average night vision, and his eyes do that refraction thing, and as a result of his tendency to midnight binge in plumber HQ, he's become something of a cryptid to newby plumbers and frequently terrorizes them in the early hours. His nails are strong enough to allow him to scale walls and such, but they're only really able to cut human skin, and aren't great for offensive attacks. His teeth however can break through quite a bit of organic material. His hearing interesting enough remains normal, much to his relief. The markings look more like faint scars most of the time, but if he's feeling any emotion particularly strongly they tend to glow or move around. He's described the sensation as the feeling of water running along your skin.

While Max, his parents, Kevin, Gwen, and Azmuth are aware of the virus, no one really knows how far it'll progress. Azmuth's best guess is Ben either becomes fully corrupted losing his humanity and conscience altogether, or the virus simply turns him into a more humanoid variant of a Galvanic Mechamorph.

Hopefully I'll get a comic showing some of the major progressions pre-Omniverse up for background :3

[goldenhawk18550]

The omnitrix itself has a safety function where if the complete body of the alien is about to be destroyed, then the omnitrix will cut off the DNA of that alien and separate both the user and the transformation, the downside of this is the permanent loss of the alien. A great example for this Feedback, when Malware attacked Ben to create a copy of the omnitrix, he at the same time, destroyed Feedback but the omnitrix saved Ben and itself by separating Feedback from the omnitrix, which also meant that the Codon stream that stored the DNA for the omnitrix to use, permanently lost Feedbacks DNA, although it was only because Malware was the one who destroyed Feedback, the electric alien's DNA was sealed inside Feedback, which was the Main reason why he regained the transformation.

The other way is when Diamondhead, specifically in UAF was shattered to reveal the crystalsapien, Sugalite, the Guardian of Petropia, which safely stored as a backup in the form of Chromastone and vice versa when Chromastone was shattered by Vilgax, as long as the omnitrix badge, shard of the alien and an alien that is genetically related to that alien exist, then the Omnitrix will fuse the alien DNA as to preserve both the aliens and regenerate the damaged alien. This explains the difference in design between OG Diamondhead, UAF Diamondhead and OV Diamondhead.

Azmuth designed the Omnitrix to not only preserve the user but all 1 000 912 transformations. So if Ben as Diamondhead lost an arm, the omnitrix would most likely lock him as Diamondhead to get the arm back and then detransform back but if the arm was in distance to Diamondhead, the arm would possibly fly straight back to Diamondhead and the transformation sequence would bind the arm with no other damages.

I hope this helps ^^

For ben 10 fans who can hopefully answer this question.

Okay if ben turns into diamond but he get his arm ripped off, turns back into ben, is the arm still gone, or is it just somehow back?

[ben-101-rewrite]

-Ben 101 Rewrite Note-

Since someone asked about the Alt Bens, and the Time War stuff, I figured I should actually write down a basic concept for each Alt Ben, including the ones I’ve rewritten or added, for people to know. There are two sides, Ben Prime’s team, and Eon’s team, and while there are others who help fight in the time war, these are the core members at the center of it.

Prime Team:

Ben Prime - (Of course our main character, Ben Prime. Not much to say here since he is the entire focus on the rewrite, lol)

Gwen 10 - (Universe where Gwen got the watch instead, while Ben became the magic user/anodite. Uses her smarts for fights, often making plans and trying to think ahead, though has a habit of being rather caught up in them and doesn’t take as many risks as she should)

Ben 23 - (A version of Ben who lost grandpa Max around the time he got the watch, while also having neglectful parents, and never built a relationship with Gwen. Turns to fame to cope with life, but after his adventure with Ben Prime, now lives with Tetrax, Azmuth and Seven Seven who mentor him)

Ben 10k  -(One version of an older Ben, who is a sort of mix of the previous two Ben 10ks that Ben Prime has met, being wise and somewhat stern, but still has a fun loving side and makes many dad jokes. Married Kai in this timeline, and had Kenny)

No Watch  - (A version of Ben that lives in a world where the omnitrix was never made. Rather lonely and doesn’t have much going on in his life, and unfortunately has his universe get targeted by Eon for his final plans. After the Time War, he decides to become a Plumber)

Omni Ben  - (A universe where Ben is the omnitrix, that became sapient and created a human body to understand life better, having been raised by Azmuth before fleeing to earth when Vilgax came looking for him, finding shelter with Max and Gwen.)

Jen 10  - (Basically female Ben, not too different from Ben Prime, just has some minor difference in tastes and interests)

Julie 10  - (A timeline where the watch came to earth a few years later, and was found by Julie. She ends up being partnered up with Ben, who became a plumber and distant loner, the two at first not getting along, but eventually build a good friendship and eventual relationship)

Sentient Omnitrix & Ben  - (A world where the omnitrix became sentient, becoming a sort of robot companion to Ben, though still allowing him to use her as a watch. She’s learning a lot of about life, and the creature in it, despite her strange views on life and death.)

Rooters Ben  - (A version of Ben who, instead of working for the main side of the Plumbers, ends up working as a Rooter, becoming a black ops agent. Rather stern, cold, and direct, and is willing to do dirty work. But despite this is still good, just willing to do what it takes to do what is needed)

Eon Team:

Eon - (A Ben who lost everything to the annihilargh, and now on a quest to get everything he lost back. Runs a time squad made up of Maltruant, Exo-Skull, and Subdora)

Bad Ben - (Comes from a universe where alignments from Prime's universe are flipped. Bad Ben being a villain version of Ben, who enjoys causing pain, chaos, and destruction)

Mad Ben - (A world where Vilgax took over earth, and became a mentor to Ben after killing his family, something Mad Ben didn't know. He was trained to be Vilgax's main soldier, and also keeps an eye on earth when he's away)

Negative Ben - (A version of Ben who lost his entire family, including his parents, Gwen and Max. Taken in by the plumbers who solely use him as a tool to fight with, leaving Negative Ben depressed, and easily swayed into doing anything, having no self-purpose)

Benzarro - (A timeline where Zs'Skayr managed to possess Ben, but the two fuse by mistake due to the omnitrix bugging out. Benzarro having Zs'skayr's sadistic and evil side, but Ben's fun and impulsive nature.)

Malware Ben - (When Malware attacked Ben as a kid, instead of losing Feedback, Malware tried taking control of the watch. The aftermath caused a shockwave that killed Max, Gwen and Azmuth, and had Malware stuck in the watch and Ben's consciousness. Blaming himself, Ben went into hiding, stuck with Malware influencing him over the years)

Forever Knight Ben - (A Ben who was raised by the Forevers Knights, eventually finding the watch and took over earth, and slowly other planets, the Forever Knights ruling over aliens as slaves, with Ben as the right hand man to the Forever King. A rather spoiled and selfish version of Ben)

Fusion Ben - (A timeline where when Ben was first fighting Vilgax, instead of shaping between aliens, he ended up fusing into a chimera of his original Tenfold, beating Vilgax, but going wild and partly losing his sense of self and running off, due to the dangerous fusion mutations)

Ultra Ben - (A universe where Ben embraced the ultimate aliens, despite the negative views aliens had towards them, and believes in gaining power to keep his galaxy safe, even with an iron fist. Willing to get any kind of power if it means protecting his galaxy, still seeing himself as a hero)

Light Magic Ben - (A world where the Omnitrix is magic based, and Ben came from Ledgerdomain. At some point in his life he tapped into light magic to win a fight, but became corrupted by it, his postive morals driving him to be unstable)

[crystal-moon-101]

I thought I'd do a bit of redrawing, and went back to this old thing. Good old "Amalgamation", which, for those who didn't see the original, was my self challenge to fuse every one of Ben's aliens he has used (From the Original Series to Omniverse). I mostly just polished it up, gave it brighter colours and adjusted some parts, even rearrange a thing or two. It's interesting looking back and remaking an old drawing, to see how I've improved. But I hope you enjoy this! I do also apologies if some aliens don't show as well as others, there was only so much I could do. I wanna note off a few things for Amalgamation. First and foremost, this form is a mess, not something Ben can control, mostly just becoming a wild and rampaging monster. All the DNA just messes with his head too much to properly understand (Me and my friend even once wrote a story where this was Ben's EVO form). I imagine he can't use every single power here, or that many of them aren't as powerful as they should be, like how Kevin's mutations kind of work. E.G He's not gonna have straight up God powers from Alien X, not that he would know how to use them, but the energy from Alien X is what powers this form, or else it would probably be mush. Another example is Cannonbolt, as I'm sure this thing can not curl into a perfect ball, though it can still curl up and roll in a...strange shape. But with so many powers, and his wild mind, Amalgamation is still highly dangerous. I'll also list off the aliens and where you can find their parts, unless you wanna try and spy them out yourself! Heatblast - (Fire on top of his head) Wildmutt - (Gills on the neck, which are also crossed with Ripjaw's gills, and orange fluff on the front legs) Diamondhead - (Spikes of diamonds from on his back) XLR8 - (Almost the entire tail) Grey Matter - (His eyes are a cross between Grey Matter and Chamalien) Four Arms - (Red top part of the arms) Stinkfly - (Stinger that is also crossed with Alien X) Ripjaws - (Lure hanging from head, and part of the tail is covered with his tail changing thing) Upgrade - (His neck hold Upgrade's pattern) Ghostfreak - (The tendrils coming out his stomach) Cannonbolt - (Pad from on his hip/back leg) Wildvine - (The crest is a mix of Wildvine and Lodestar) Spitter - (His mouth is a mix of Blitzwolfer and Spitter) Buzzshock - (Bolts on the arms) Arctiguana - (Two blue spines on the tail) Blitzwolfer - (Head and mouth mixed with other aliens) Upchuck - (The three tongues coming out of his mouth) Snare-Oh - (The cloth tendrils attached to his stomach)   Frankenstrike - (Two plugs on his chest, and the stitch pattern at the top of his front legs) Ditto - (The little black stubs on the side of his head) Way Big - (The discs on his wrists, and probably adds to the size) Eye Guy - (Top of front legs, both being his skin and eye) Swampfire - (Red leaves on top of front legs Echo Echo - (Cords attached around the neck/throat area, connected to crest) Humungosaur - (Front feet are a cross between Humungosaur and Armodrillo) Jetray - Yellow horns on head, connected to Ripjaw's lure) Big Chill - (Largest wings, that have purple patches from Pesky Dust) Chromastone - (Magenta crystals on back feet) Brainstorm - (Head shell that can split in two) Spider Monkey - (Mixed with Blitzwolfer's head, mostly shown with the style of cheek fur) Goop - (On the heels of the back feet) Alien X - (Starry texture mixed with Stinkfly's stinger) Lodestar - (Head crest mixed with Wildvine) Rath - (Claws on front feet) Nanomech - (Back feet mixed with Crashhopper) Water Hazard - (Hands mixed with Way Big's discs, along with Whampire's claw shape) AmpFibian - (Blue neck flaps, that hold Gravattack's core) Armodrillo - (Front feet mixed with Humungosaur) Terraspin - (Torso his skin, with his wind holes along the side of his body) NRG - (Radioactive holes on neck, right next to the omnitrix) Fasttrack - (Face mask like fur around the eyes) Clockwork - (Part of the back legs that connect the feet and legs together) Chamalien - (Eyes that are mixed with Grey Matter) Eatle - (Long fin like horn on stop of head) Juryrigg - (Tail tip right above Stinkfly's stinger) Shocksquatch - (Middle section of arms, the black and white spiked fur) Feedback - (Cords/plugs on the back of his neck) Bloxx - (Lego blocks on the front legs) Gravattack - (Core located on AmpFibian's flaps) Crashhopper - (Back legs mixed with Nanomech) Ball Weevil - (His buggy legs along the side of the torso) Walkatrout - (Fin on the back of the neck, between the crest) Pesky Dust - (Back wings, and the purple patches found on all wings) Mole-Stache - (Little freckles on his cheeks) The Worst - (Top of the back legs, along with the lumps) Kickin Hawk - (Claw on the elbows of the arms) Toepick - (Spiked growths on the back legs) Astrodactyl - (Front wings with Pesky Dust's purple pattern) Bullfrag - (Lumpy chin under the tongues) Atomix - (Cylinders on the front legs, connecting the feet) Gutrot - (Gas pod on the top of his neck, right under his throat) Whampire - (Mixed with Water Hazard's claws, and green flaps under armpit)

[megalony]

I’ll get him back

I’ve had a bit of writers block lately but I’ve finally managed to get another murderer! Ben Hardy imagine done and I’m very happy with this one, there will be a second part soon.

I hope you all like it, feedback is always lovely.

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Murderer! Ben masterlist

Summary: (Y/n) and Ben have just had their first baby, but social services get involved when they find out Ben is involved in a murder investigation.

Enjoy.

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

A tired but heart-warming smile formed on (Y/n)'s lips as she stared tiredly down at the newborn resting in the crook of her arm. She knew that she was never going to get used to the feeling of having her baby boy resting in her arms like this.

She liked the feeling when she trailed her fingertip gently over the side of his face that felt so smooth and fuzzy like she was delicately touching the skin of a peach. There was just something so intimate and delicate about brushing his cheek or rubbing her thumb over the back of his miniscule hand. (Y/n) was sure that when she did that, he knew who she was. Even though he was only a day old, he knew she was his mum.

(Y/n) held him that little bit closer to her chest, trying not to move him too much since he was asleep and settled in the crook of her elbow, but she wanted to feel him as close to her chest as she could.

Touching the back of his head was something (Y/n) had been afraid of from the moment she had gone into labour. She knew that his head was the most delicate part of him since the bones of his skull weren't fully fused together yet. When she grazed her fingers over the back of his head for the first time, feeling that bump and the soft squishy skin made her stomach churn because she didn't want to hurt him. (Y/n) also knew that the rest of his skin was delicate because it was still forming its layers and when she was allowed to give him a bath she would have to be very careful and not use soap so the layer of skin could still form and grow.

She hadn't been able to give him a bath yet, (Y/n) hadn't been able to do very much with her newborn at all. He was only one day old and so far this was the longest that she had held him for. The midwives had taken him the moment he was born to check him over and clean him up and weigh him, then (Y/n) had needed a blood transfusion. By the time she had started to feel better and not like she was swimming through different states of consciousness, her baby boy had already been changed and fed and settled for the night. It left (Y/n) to catch up on her own sleep and simply see her baby boy in the morning instead.

She wanted to catch up on the time she had lost with him last night, she wanted to feed him and change him and just hold him in her arms and feel close to the person she had waited almost nine months to finally meet.

"Does he look like a Billy to you?"

Ben's voice suddenly snapped (Y/n) out of the trance she had found herself locked in as she stared down at the baby in her arms. It was as if looking at her baby boy dulled down her other senses and blocked everything out that wasn't immediately to do or surrounding him, Ben included.

The new father looked at (Y/n) fondly, mesmerised by the way that she was practically entranced by their son to the point she seemed to forget that Ben was in the room with her. He perched himself down on the side of the bed next to (Y/n) and carefully encircled his arm around her frame, pulling her into his side as their eeys were both focused on the baby in her arms.

Through one way or another, it had been agreed that Ben could choose the name if they had a boy, and (Y/n) could choose the name if they had a girl. And Ben needed no time in deciding that their son looked like he would suit the name that Ben had been thinking of for quite some time now. Ben didn't believe that a baby could look like they suited a specific name or that once your baby was born you could go off their name because it didn't match. He liked the name, he had his heart set on that name and he was looking down at his baby boy now knowing that the name was fine for him.

But Ben also knew that (Y/n) would look at him and tell if he would suit being called Billy or if he should have a different name that fitted his features better. If she didn't think the name suited their boy then Ben would pick another name and then another until (Y/n) was happy.

"I think he does." (Y/n)'s response brought a smile to Ben's already beaming face and her own lips curved at the corners when she felt Ben pressing a kiss to the top of her head as if they were sealing the deal of their son's name.

(Y/n) leaned her head back on Ben's shoulder and her body back into his chest, relaxing her muscles the more she leaned into him as he took her weight for her. She let most of her muscles relax other than her arms that were supporting the new life in her arms and she slowly smoothed her fingers up and down Billy's sides to keep him in his sleep-induced state.

"I wanna see his eyes." Ben's words were quiet as not to disrupt the peace they had surrounding them but they were loud enough for (Y/n) to hear.

He wanted to see Billy's eyes and guess who's eyes he had and who he looked more like. He wanted to see his son's eyes and wonder if he knew who he was, if his son recognised him as his father or not. Ben hadn't gotten a good chance to see his son until now, he had only stolen a few glimpses here and there yesterday. Now he was looking at him, he wanted to see his eyes and stare into them, he wanted to see the wonder and curiosity and the hope that those new bright eyes would hold.

Ben was so used to seeing the light go out of people's eyes, he was used to being the reason those eyes cracked and died and being why the colours faded like his victims eyes were being flooded with water until there was no colours left.

Just once, Ben wanted to see the pure innocence in someone's eyes and know that he had created it. He wanted to know that not every part of himself was bad, if he could see the wonder in a brand new pair of eyes and not steal it away or cause them to crack and fade, then he would know that he didn't have a black heart after all.

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

"Why isn't he back yet, how long does it take to give him a bath?" (Y/n) pondered the question more to herself than to Ben but she still wanted an answer nonetheless.

A midwife had come and taken Billy over half an hour ago to give him a bath even though (Y/n) had insisted she could do it or at the very least, she could observe so she knew just how gentle she had to be. (Y/n) was going to have to bathe and change and dress Billy anyway, she was his mother and when she took him home there wouldn't be any midwives there to do everything for her. It would be better if they showed her now how to properly do everything and look after him so that she was prepared when she went home with him.

But since he was only two days old and she knew his skin was still very tender, (Y/n) hadn't put up much resistance when the midwife took him for his bath. But surely it wouldn't take this long to bathe him.

"Look, he's back now baby." Leaning his head down, Ben pressed a kiss to the top of (Y/n)'s head as his arm around her shoulder pulled her closer into his chest. He smoothed his hand up and down her arm for a few moments as his eyes locked on the door to the hospital room they were sitting in.

Ben would admit that it had seemed to take a long time for them to simply give Billy a bath but he could see a nurse making her way to the door which was now opening. Their boy was back now and (Y/n) could calm her mind and have him back in her arms if that was what she seemed so desperate for. He could see it in her eyes that she wanted to hold Billy again. Ever since she found out she was pregnant (Y/n) had been waiting for the moment she could finally have him in her arms and look after him. Now he was here she didn't want to waste a single second.

But (Y/n)'s lips curved from a smile down into a confused frown when instead of a nurse, two women, what looked to be two security men and (Y/n)'s doctor walked through the door. And none of them had Billy in their arms.

(Y/n) felt Ben's arms tightening around her when a shiver ran down her spine and she could feel herself pulling inwards out of panic. Who were the two women in the room and why were they here? And what was so important or wrong that doctor Harper thought he needed to have security with him whilst he talked to the couple? 

"Mr and Mrs Hardy, may we have a word?" Dr Harper's voice was quiet and his tone was gentle but it was the look in his eyes that set (Y/n) on edge. It was a look she had seen too many times before.

It was a sympathetic but cautious look she had gotten from her mother when she revealed she was pregnant and her mother was not happy. It was a look she had gotten from friends and even one midwife when they learned she had married Ben at eighteen and was having a baby so young. But it was also a look she had seen on Ben's face a few rare times when he apologised for doing something stupid or when he'd gone too far and hurt someone and she found out about it. (Y/n) hated that look because it meant nothing but trouble and right now it was scaring the flesh from her bones.

"Where's my baby?" (Y/n) sat up a bit straighter despite the pain it caused her when she moved. She leaned back into Ben's chest that she could feel tensing and pulling inwards as he took a sharp breath.

Ben was starting to feel like he was being backed into a corner like when he was in the boxing ring. He never let people put him in the corner because there was less chance of getting back out of there, it was a weak spot and he didn't like weaknesses. But this was different, this was about his family.

He wasn't the right kind of image for a family man that people would want. Ben was a killer, he was a sinner and he didn't care what people said about him. (Y/n) was the one thing in his life that wasn't bad, she was the one pure thing he had and he loved her and now Billy was here, his son was the only good thing Ben had done in his entire life. In the twenty eight years Ben had been on Earth, Billy was the one thing Ben could say he was proud of and was the good deed he had done to outweigh all the bad he had caused in the world. If anyone or anything threatened that one pure soul Ben created, he would go ballistic.

"Your baby is fine, he's with your midwife at the moment because we need to speak to you."

"What about?" It was Ben who spoke up this time when (Y/n)'s throat constricted and she could hardly manage to get any air into her lungs.

He didn't like the fact that there was security in the room with them, it was bad enough there were two strangers here who Ben knew were not healthcare professionals. But to have security meant that they knew or at least suspected that Ben was some kind of threat or that he would be volatile if he felt threatened. They were here with some kind of bad news and they were preparing for Ben to unleash his bad temper on them. It felt like they were one step ahead of him by knowing about his temper and Ben always had to have the upper hand or he was at risk of losing.

"Mr Hardy, the police have been in contact with us... it seems that you're involved in a murder investigation."

Dr Harper sat down in the chair next to (Y/n) and she could see the sympathy in his eyes and the pain this was causing him. He had known (Y/n) for a few years and throughout this pregnancy he had been there with the midwife to walk her and Ben through everything. He was kind and he was understanding and he had helped (Y/n) sail through the complications that happened during labour.

But he didn't know about Ben.

He didn't know that Ben's boxing club was just a front for the deals he had going on behind closed doors. Dr Harper didn't know that Ben had killed more people than he cared to admit both as a hitman and simple because they ruined plans he had created or tried to take what was his. He had no idea what kind of things Ben was capable of or how he could hurt and traumatise people in such ways that they went insane.

As far as he and any midwives and nurses knew that had seen Ben, he was simply a boxer who genuinely loved his wife. They didn't know the truth, they didn't know that despite how much he did love his wife, his heart was truly black from the murderous streak that ran through his veins.

Turning her head, (Y/n) looked up at Ben but the look in his eyes told her to stay quiet and let him do the talking.

He tightened his hand around her upper arm and momentarily pressed his lips to her hair in an attempt to calm himself down because he didn't want to fight his way out of this one unless he had to. (Y/n) knew he had been up to something, she knew he had done something bad two weeks before Billy had been born. And she could have guessed that someone had died like someone always did where Ben was involved. But she didn't think that the police actually had Ben as a suspect.

Sure, he had been in prison a lot and he was always involved with the police but it was for minor offenses and little things that didn't really matter. They never normally had him in for murder, he was too clever and slippery for them to ever stick one of his murder crimes to him.

"The police brought me in for questioning twice, I haven't been charged or on bail or classed as a suspect. I knew the victim, that's all." His voice was calm and slow in a tentative way that told (Y/n) he was lying. She was the only one who could tell when he was lying, she knew his tone of voice and the slow way he talked that indicated he was getting someone to believe him. He talked like he was putting someone under a trance or even like he was silently threatening them not to question him any longer and (Y/n) found it enticing.

Ben smoothed his left hand over his lips and jaw, rubbing at his sharp jawline in a way that (Y/n) knew he did when he was trying to stay calm and persuade someone of something. (Y/n) usually found it attractive, the way he would slowly rub his fingers against his jaw or lightly pull at his lower lip or even the way he parted his lips but said nothing.

But right now he looked intimidating to her and she needed him to sort this mess out because whatever was going on was the reason Billy wasn't in the room with them right now.

"That's not what we've been told."

"Well what have you been told? Because whatever it is, you've been misinformed." The grating on his voice was clear. Ben was starting to lose his temper and if that happened, no one in this room would like to be on the receiving end of his wrath.

"The police seem to have you down as a suspect, whether they've discussed this with you or not and records show that you've had a few run-ins with the police-"

"Why are you bringing this up now? I've been in trouble a few times, show me someone who hasn't. What does this have to do with anything?"

Ben knew what this was, but he couldn't be the one to say it. Dr Harper could see in Ben's eyes that they were both reading from the same page but Ben wouldn't say it because he couldn't break the woman wrapped up in his arms. He couldn't say what this was all about because if he was right then (Y/n) was going to break and it would be all his fault. He swore he would never do anything to hurt her but he may just have broken her apart without ever meaning to or that being his intention. All he ever did was try and love and protect (Y/n) but now he had hurt her.

"The police have you down as a suspect and they've given me no choice but to contact social services. I'm very sorry Mr Hardy... but you're classed as a threat to your son and therefore he would be unsafe with you."

(Y/n) felt her heart sinking to her stomach like a broken ship sinking to the depth of the ocean and resting heavy on the sea bed. Her lower lip started to quiver as tears welled up in her eyes.

They thought Ben was unsafe to be around Billy, as if he would ever go and hurt his baby boy. Dr Harper knew Ben, he didn't know what he got up to but he knew him enough to know he would never do something like that. Ben had been to every appointment (Y/n) had, he called the midwife when she had gotten ill near the end of the pregnancy and he had been involved from the start. Anyone could see how much he loved (Y/n) and how much he was invested in being a father. He wouldn't hurt (Y/n) or Billy, not now and not ever in his life.

He wasn't a threat.

"You seriously think I'd hurt my son? He's a baby for fuck's sake, I wouldn't do anything to hurt him. Why the hell would I have been to all the appointments and been here when he was born if I was tempted to hurt him?!"

"I don't believe you would do that, but this isn't about what I think, my professional opinion doesn't count for very much when the police are involved and believe you may be a threat. Social services are here to talk you through this, they have no choice but to be involved."

"Then I'll leave. Until the police can sort this shit and tell you I haven't done anything I'll go and Billy can stay with (Y/n) I won't go near either of them."

If they were going to be like this and determine themselves that Ben was a threat then he would stay away from his family. He would break his own heart and stay away from his wife and his newborn son if it meant that social services would stay out of their business and Billy would be classed as safe with (Y/n).

Ben would go and stay with a friend, he wouldn't go home and he wouldn't even contact (Y/n). He would cut himself off from her completely for as long as necessary if it meant she would be okay with Billy and that she wouldn't be threatened to have her son taken away from her. Ben loved every bone in (Y/n)'s body and he hadn't been away from her in over a year but he knew that if Billy was taken from her, she would break completely.

"I've suggested that already Mr Hardy... but it isn't that simple. You see, the last time you were involved with the police, (Y/n) gave a statement for your alibi. And when the police questioned you two weeks ago, you mentioned (Y/n) as part of your alibi. They're suggesting that Billy won't be safe with either of you right now because you might be conspiring together."

Ben shifted both his arms so they were bound around (Y/n)'s chest when she doubled over like she was either going to be sick or suddenly lunge for the doctor. The whine that left her lips made Ben shiver and caused everyone in the room to look away, not wanting to stare at a new mother in distress due to the discomfort it caused them.

They were going to take her baby away from her.

He was barely two days old, (Y/n) had had less than forty-eight hours with her baby boy and now they were stealing him from her because they thought she was unsafe and unfit to be his mother. They thought she was going to put him in danger because she loved a murderer.

Ben pressed his face into (Y/n)'s hair, breathing in her scent to try and calm down his raging anger but he could feel her trembling against him as she started to cry and it made the rage triple in his chest. His heart was picking up speed and his anger was rattling through his veins to the point he was shaking. How dare they do this. How dare they say that (Y/n) was unsafe to care for and be around her own baby just because she was married to Ben. He would never ask her to give him a fake alibi, the two times she had done so were only when it was the truth because Ben would never endanger her like that.

"I- I... I haven't done anything w-wrong! I'm not involved... he's my baby, y-you can't... where is he? Where have you taken him?"

(Y/n) held her trembling hands to her chest as she looked at Dr Harper through the tears that were flooding her eyes and streaming down her face. She had done nothing wrong, (Y/n) had never been involved in the police and she had only given Ben an alibi when he had actually been at home and she didn't want them to pin anything onto him that he hadn't actually done. She knew it made her a bad person for so easily forgiving the cruelty Ben did on a daily basis. But she wasn't a bad person at heart and she wasn't going to be a bad or unsafe mother.

"If it was my choice your baby would be here with you both right now, but I can't do anything yet. (Y/n), Billy is going to be kept on a separate ward and when he can be discharged, he will have to be placed into a foster home just until this is resolved. Social services will be in contact with you both throughout this and they will make sure Billy is okay and keep you updated. I'm so very sorry."

"A separate ward? You won't even let her see him?"

Ben whispered sweet nothings against (Y/n)'s temple as she curled up against him, laying on her side with her head resting on Ben's lap to stop herself from lashing out at anyone. She felt like she was suffocating, it was as if water was slowly filling up her lungs until she couldn't breathe anymore and all she could do was wail and cry until her heart gave out and she passed out or died.

The fury that was boiling away inside Ben was bubbling over like water in a simmering pan. They were being so cruel that instead of letting Billy stay with (Y/n) and be under supervision, they were stealing him away and hiding him on a separate ward for the purpose of keeping (Y/n) away from him. They weren't giving her a chance here. They knew Ben was the threat and the reason Billy might be unsafe, they knew that (Y/n) had never been violent and was not capable of hurting her baby.

They should put her under supervision so she could be with her baby but be watched just in case they thought she really was lying for Ben. They shouldn't rip her baby away from her because it was beyond cruel. She was a new mother, she shouldn't have her baby taken away from her when she had done absolutely nothing wrong in the first place.

"Mr Hardy, I'm Linda from social services. We've just been to see your son and we can assure you he is fine and cared for-"

"I wasn't talking to you. Who the fuck do you think you are anyway? I'm the problem, I'm the one the police keep dragging back for questioning, you don't have any reason or right to take Billy from (Y/n), she's his fucking mother he needs her."

"It's not up to me, your case worker thinks its for the best and so do the police."

"If you talked to the police you'd know this is all bullshit! She hasn't lied, she was pregnant and she had been in pain having a haemorrhage so I brought her to A&E. That's the alibi she gave me and it's fucking true, she hasn't lied about anything! Where the Hell is my son?!"

Ben knew he wasn't doing himself any favours right now, he wasn't even bothering to defend himself and he wasn't trying to convince anyone that he wasn't a threat to Billy. All he cared about was that they knew (Y/n) wasn't a threat. He knew he was guilty of a lot of things and so did everyone in this room, but (Y/n) was docile and sweet and loving and charming and she did not deserve any of this. But above all that, she was a mother.

She was a new, young mother who was going to break into pieces if her baby was taken away from her like this. They had no right to involve (Y/n) in this but they were and they had no evidence for this.

When (Y/n) gave Ben an alibi she was telling the truth. She had collapsed in pain and she had started to bleed, Ben called the midwife and then took her to A&E because they thought it could have been premature labour or the placenta moving. Ben had looked after (Y/n) and had been in hospital with her for five days, it was his workers who had carried out the crime he was accused of and (Y/n) had only told the police the truth. She hadn't lied because they knew if she lied and the police found out then something like this would happen. But she had told the truth and was still paying the terrible price.

(Y/n) let out a whimper when Ben pulled away from holding her, leaving her sitting in the middle of the bed looking like she was about to melt into nothing.

He couldn't control his temper anymore and both Linda and her co-worker scurried nearer the door when Ben's feet stormed the polished floor, advancing towards them with a dark, menacing look in his eyes. He wanted to know where his son was and he wanted to know right now.

"Where is my son?" There was a deafening pause between each word that Ben spoke but he knew deep down he wasn't going to get the answer he wanted.

He barely felt one of the security men grasping his arm before he spun round and embedded his fist into the stranger's face, knocking him back to give himself a few extra seconds of tormenting the women keeping his son from him. Ben didn't hear the gasping noise that escaped Linda's lips when his hand curled around her throat and he pushed her back into the doorframe behind her with a bang. Ben didn't even care that he was going to be arrested for threatening a social worker like this, all he cared about was getting Billy back into (Y/n)'s arms.

"Tell me where my son is or I'll run round every ward in this whole hospital until I find him. You can do whatever you want to me but I won't let you take him from my wife."

Ben knew what he was doing, he knew the game he was playing and the price he would get from this. He knew if he threatened this woman and if he was the one to kick off, he would be seen as the threat and as long as (Y/n) didn't retaliate, she would have a better chance of getting Billy back. If she didn't fight then she wouldn't be seen as a threat, she would be seen as a grieving mother who needed her baby back. Ben needed Billy to be back with (Y/n), they were his family and he needed his family to be kept together where they belonged.

A growl escaped Ben's lips when hands grabbed his arms and he was pulled back from the woman he had pinned to the wall. His hands were pinned to his lower back near his hips and bound together, tight grips were held on his shoulders and his body was shaken to try and get him to stop fighting against them. But he couldn't stop, Ben couldn't stop fighting for his wife and his son.

He threw his head back until he felt the top of his head smacking into the security man's nose, earning a successful snap that implied his nose was now either fractured or broken. His hands curled into fists and his arms pushed backwards until he pummelled his fists into the other man's lower stomach to wind him. It allowed him a few seconds to pull away and push himself into the side of the bed so he could look at (Y/n).

Ben nudged his head against (Y/n)'s so she would look at him, he only had a few seconds before he was taken out of the room and the police were called to arrest him.

"Baby, baby listen to me. I promise you I'll get him back, I swear I won't let them take him I'll get him back. I love you."

Turning sharply to his right, Ben forced his elbow into the security man's stomach, giving himself two seconds to lean down and kiss (Y/n) before he allowed them to roughly wrench him away from the bed and towards the door. He would comply now, he would be arrested and let off with a caution and be under watch.

But then he would come back. He would find out where Billy was and he would get him back into (Y/n)'s arms, no matter what it cost him to do that. No one was breaking up his family, not a chance.

(Y/n) wrapped her arms tightly around her stomach, willing the urge to be sick to go away as she watched the two men struggle to drag her husband kicking and yelling out of the room. She wanted him to stay, she wanted Ben's arms to be wrapped around her holding her close to his chest trying to calm her down. She wanted Ben kissing her head and Billy cuddled into her arm, safe and sound where he should be.

She heard Ben shouting his promise again and again before his voice drowned out into nothing and she was left alone, her family separated from her.

She hadn't done anything wrong.

[feelingmadclever]

You Can Change Right Next to Me

(the haunting of bly manor-dani x jamie)

Summary: The morning after getting engaged, Jamie reflects on her life with Dani and wonders what the future holds for them.

Word Count: 1,143

Warnings: brief mentions of anxiety/panic attacks, tooth-rotting fluff, one (1) terrible dad joke (everyone say thank you owen sharma)

A/N: Oh hi! I wrote this for @din-damn-djarin's Song Prompt Challenge and it was so much fun! The title/prompt is from Grow As We Go by Ben Platt. Thank you to @pascalpanic for helping me with this. This is my first attempt at writing fanfic (ahhhhh!), so I'd love some feedback-feel free to let me know what you thought! I hope you enjoy! :)

She awakens slowly. The sun appears in streaks out of the window, shining on a mess of bent, intertwined limbs on an unmade bed. It is Jamie’s favorite way to wake up, lazily untangling herself from Dani’s side as her quiet snores fill their bedroom.

Dani. Poppins. The au pair. Sweet, brave, beautiful Dani. Hers for what, five years now? Five whole years since “one day at a time” in an American diner turned into half a decade of loving her. Days spent working at their flower shop bleeding into calm evenings talking over dinner and tending to their never-ending supply of plants before stumbling into bed to enjoy the other’s warm, comforting presence before falling asleep. It was more than Jamie thought she could ever have with someone; the rare moonflower worth tending to.

She fiddles with the Claddagh ring Dani put on her finger last night as another soft snore pulls her out of her daydreaming. She glances at her fiancée’s sleeping body, restless despite the night of sleep they both had. Dani jolts suddenly, like a cat recoiling from an unwanted touch, before calming again. Jamie sighs, laying her head in her hands as she realizes exactly who is causing her lover such distress.

Her.

Five years together also meant five years since the Lady in the Lake spared Flora’s life, but in turn fused with Dani’s soul permanently, her one brown eye a constant reminder of what they both choose to ignore most days: that eventually, the beast in the jungle would take over and the Dani she knew and loved so well would be gone. I don’t know how much time we have left, Dani had admitted the night before, bringing unspoken thoughts to the forefront. God, the thought scared Jamie to death. Years after the incident at Bly, she still can’t fathom Dani, her Dani, becoming that faceless monster. How could a person so effortlessly kind and giving become something that does nothing but take and hurt?

Jamie is brought out of that thought with a murmured “G'morning baby.” Dani rolls over, stretches her arms and moves to Jamie’s side of the bed to plant a kiss on her forehead. “How'd you sleep?”

Jamie can’t help but chuckle a little at Dani’s bed head while running her fingers through the blonde streaks, getting some of the knots untangled. “Not too bad. You?”

Dani pauses for a moment. “Okay, you know, considering,” she trails off. The rest of her words linger in the air, not needing to be said. Jamie already knows.

She takes Dani’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “Breakfast?,” Jamie asks, while Dani nods and walks towards the kitchen. She stretches her arms toward the ceiling, her sleep shirt riding just enough that the clouds on her shorts are visible.

As Dani makes her way to their little tin of tea bags, Jamie playfully slaps her hand away. “Back off it, Poppins!,” she says in a jokingly stern tone. “I reckon I should be the one making the tea in this marriage, eh?”

Dani rolls her eyes, remembering the merciless teasing about her lack of tea making skills from her early days at Bly Manor. She puts her hands up in mock surrender. “Fine,” she relents. “As long as I can make,” she pauses, gliding her hand across an open kitchen cabinet, searching for the mix for-

“-pancakes!”

Dani takes out the box of pancake mix and does a little victory dance with it, earning a genuine belly laugh from Jamie. Dani smiles one of her mile-wide smiles, one she hasn’t seen for some time. It fills Jamie with the need to hold her, to show her just how much she loves her. To let her know that she sees how hard she is trying to fight the demons inside of her. But the words don’t come, so Jamie does what she knows. She cups her face gently and gazes into Dani’s eyes before pressing her lips to hers.

They stay connected for a few moments before Dani turns back to make breakfast. “You know,” she starts while mixing the ingredients together, “I was thinking that maybe we could go to Paris and have a little honeymoon? I hear Owen’s restaurant is doing really well, we could visit him. Did you hear what he’s calling it? A Batter Place? God, that’s bad even for him.”

Jamie snorts at the name. “Yeah, Paris sounds nice.” she says while pulling out two tea bags from the tin.

As they fall into a comfortable silence, Jamie finds herself, for what feels like the hundredth time this morning alone, just...looking at Dani. She remembers the first time she saw her, this bright and bubbly woman covered head to toe in soft pastels. Her presence at Bly felt right, like she was always meant to be there, to exist in Jamie’s orbit. She did not know yet all she was hiding and running from-the shame and guilt she lugged around with her wherever she went.

Dani is a different woman now; more sure of herself and at peace most days. The storms of anxiety in her mind that leave her drowning and gasping for breath still come. But she has found a life vest in Jamie, making it easier to tread and brave the waters, knowing she has someone who will brave each storm with her.

And Jamie herself has changed too. Gone is the woman who kept her head down and held everyone at a safe, respectable distance. The years of love and care she put into her plants has found a home in Dani, and with her she knows that she is safe and worthy. She knows that the effort she puts into her relationship, her work, and her friendships are worth it, and that the same love and effort will be reciprocated by the right people. They have grown and changed together, and are both better off for it.

She passes a warm mug of tea to Dani, and they sip it in-sync. “What’s that look for?” Dani asks, noting the minute changes in Jamie’s expressions. “Something on your mind?”

She shrugs. “Not really. I just...I just love you is all.”

Dani bites her lip, laying her head on Jamie’s shoulder. “I just love you too.”

And with that, Jamie relaxes. She knows that this life they share won’t always be easy, that they will continue to change and face challenges together. One day, the beast in the jungle will return, but she is ready to love her even harder when that day comes. The thoughts that have been plaguing her mind all morning dissipate; all of the storms of anxiety and images of the Lady in the Lake are gone, replaced with just one truth.

She’s still my Dani. She will always be my Dani.

[serendipitous-posts]

There’s this sheet of ice right? Hundreds and hundreds of meters thick, strong and sturdy and stretching for miles. And then one day, humans appeared on the ice, building cities and roads. They conquered and explored and evolved, creating new things, new ideas, always, always searching, until one day, they nodded, satisfied, because they had finally explored every square inch of their world. 

“weren’t you scared?” The children ask them, eyes wide “of demons?” and the adults will tell them, bright and brave and bold that they scanned and double and triple checked, and that there were no demons or monsters, there never had been “they’re just stories” they soothe their young ones, before ushering them off to bed

They all share stories and laugh at how naive they had been back then, believing in things like monsters and demons and devils when the only thing they had to fear on their travels were wild animals, mother nature and their fellow man

The ice is thick, so thick you can’t see to the other side, can’t see the water underneath. Can’t see the creatures that swim beneath it. Nobody knows how deep it is. It doesn’t even occur to anybody that there may be something beneath the ice, waiting

Ben tells this story sometimes, when his siblings or a reporter ask him about the Horror. Above the ice he explains, is their world, earth and everything in it, and below the ice is it’s world.

They never really get it, but he never really expects them to

Here’s the thing you have to understand about the Horror: it’s not just tentacles that come out of Ben’s stomach, it had it’s own body and it is huge. If it were to try and force it’s way out of Ben’s stomach, he would be ripped in half

(in another universe, a funeral is held)

In this universe, Ben is brought up to believe that the Horror is bad, is evil is wrong but it wasn’t always this way

When he was a kid, the Horror was his Belly Friend- someone who would tickle him and he would stroke it and feed it scraps. It was kind of like having your own personal best friend inside of you

His father, sensing his son was having Positive Thoughts, decided to devote the rest of his life to Stopping That

Ben & the Horror are symbiotic- they’re supposed to work together and care for each other. But that’s not what happened

The two are connected to each other, always and forever. They can feel eachothers emotions and even, when they were younger, thoughts

The Horror cannot speak, at least not human, but that’s okay because Ben understood him anyways.

(little number six grows up learning languages no human should speak, words that could rupture organs and tear through flesh)

(it makes his father nervous so he puts a stop to it)

They can only communicate to eachother when they want to, and overtime, Ben starts tuning it out, shutting it out

Luther wants to impress his father, Allison wants to be famous, Diego wants to be free, Klaus wants his powers gone, Five wants to know, Vanya wants acknowledgement outside of her powers

Ben? Ben just wants to be good

He reads books on heroes and villians and takes their ideas and black and white thinking and places it in his world-the real world

He tries to do what the pure, idealistic heroes do- he makes himself available to every member of the household, he puts them first, always. He never, ever ever tries to get angry

Someone suggests that whenever he gets mad, it’s not him it’s the Horror, and he leaps at that idea, because he can’t be angry, Good People are supposed to forgive, to let go

(Klaus and Five and Vanya always look sad when he says that. Well, Five looks constipated but close enough)

Whenever he feels hurt or angry or too agitated he just locks those emotions away and shoves them at the Horror to deal with

And as he’s shut out more and more by his family, he tries to compartmentalise all his hurt feelings, by repressing them, by blaming the Horror

Remember when Klaus resurected Ben and he was able to summon the Horror? Yeah there’s a reason for that. It isn’t part of Ben’s body. It’s part of Ben’s soul. It is Ben. They’re two halves of one whole

And here’s what dear ol’ dad never quite figures out; The Horror gets more unstable the more unstable Ben is yes, but the two are supposed to be one. It’s not just Ben’s feelings towards everyone else that makes it so shaky, it’s Ben’s feelings towards it. Because, like it or not, the Horror is a part of Ben. They are two creatures sharing one body. One soul. They are supposed to be co-existing peacefully, but Ben’s self-hatred is messing things up

So, yeah, Five comes back with a warning about the apocalypse. Ben, worried for the whole fate of humanity thing, forgets to take his pills (i haven’t decided if Harolds in it, but i am planning to make ben a famous author working under a penname so maybe they could meet through that? i dunno)

Five is worried about Ben. His last memories of his family, the first three had been distant, yes, but not like this. And Klaus and Vanya were acting like it as well.

(Luther may or may not think Ben killed dad in this)

But that worry pales in comparison to Ben himself. He doesn’t. . . seem right. He’s too blank, too expressionless too calm about certain things

(his ben had been shy and anxious and snarky and sarcastic . . what happened?)

Hell, maybe Ben didn’t actually forget to take his medication? Maybe Five figured out his dad was dulling his baby brothers emotions and took the bottle away, not knowing it was stopping his powers

You bet your ass that Klaus was pissed when he found out about the pills though, and that Ben kept it from him

That’s actually a big thing here- the others find out Ben had been taking pills to supress powers for years and kept it from them. Klaus and Allison are pissed, because they would have wanted them at some point 

And even though they don’t really know it, they have been conditioned to blame Ben for their troubles for their problems. Allison probably thinks that if she had the medication she never would have rumoured Claire, and the divorce never would have happened. Klaus is obvious. The others are all hurt that he has lied to them for years now

The problem with having everyone you know dehumanising someone, is that you start to believe that that person isn’t actually a human being. It happens in families that don’t have kids with actual eldritch abominations living in their stomach, you can bet it happens here

Sometimes, they all lie awake and remember that none of them are natural, and when you know that is it such a weird thought to have that maybe one of your brothers is maybe less natural than the others

(after a while, even ben starts to believe it)

Five tries to break it up because jesus what is wrong with you people

And Ben has been off his medication for his while at this point- not too long, a handful of hours but the Horror has been caged for years now, and it wakes up and it roars

Ben has to leave the house before he does something rash and Five reads his siblings the riot act before heading out on his own once more to try and fix the mess that is the future, leaving Ben alone again

But the anger is growing now, bouncing between the two halves, like a feedback loop, growing stronger each time. Ben breaks down in tears as the Horror howls under his skin, because the man that did this to them is dead, and they can never get revenge for all the shit he put them through

Except  . . he’s not the only one who hurt him. He thinks of his siblings, shutting him out and mocking him and hating him. Revenge? The Horror thinks, the first time since they were six in age and not just name that he has been able to hear their voice

Ben should say no, should explain that they are supposed to be good and that he loves them except . . 

He is so, so tired of trying to be good. So tired of this runaround, of trying to please his siblings, of being pushed around for no reason other than their dad told them to

He can taste his own rage, finally after all these years, bottled up from years of abuse and neglect, exploding outwards in a violent explosion

Ben and Horror are two halves, but they’ve never really come together, been whole before. But now  . . 

The two become one. They are not Ben. They are not Horror. 

They are hungry and sad and hurt and scared and angry

So very, very angry

There we go! I always liked the idea of Ben and the Horror, in a desperate act, fusing and becoming one creature. I have no idea what Horror!Ben would look like btw. He wouldn’t look human at least- I like to imagine the Horror is roughly the size of a skyscraper and looks like a cross between a squid and snake and cthulhu. They’re still the same size as Ben, obviously, but they look sort of demonic. Probably have scales and stuff

[hades-999]

Fun facts 😸

Ten fun

So, not so far the 5yl chapter 9 came out, and I'm in a Ben 10 Mode, so, here are ten interesting fact about the show. Maybe you know, maybe you not, hope you enjoy it;

One of Ben's strongest enemy in Omniverse was Exo-skull. But we could see him earlyer; he appeard for a short time in the original seria, in a future timeline. Also; did you know he isn't an alien, but a human-rhino hybrid, created by non other than Dr. Animo? (Even if we never saw them together)

Remember the time when Ben confessed it would be awesome to be Vilgax? Actually, he could do it. The Omnitrix numerous times allert him, when an uncategorised DNA sample was near by. But it not even lighted up on the home planet of the species. This leads us to the conclusion: he had all along a chimera sui generis transformation

Manna and Magic are not the same. Manna is energy, what is possesed by most of the species and can be manipulated. Magic is a power, what some species can learn. However, they are related, because manna using can boost spells and magic abilityes.

The lost of Feedback was the reason why Ben took off the Omnitrix for five years. However, it wasn't really comfirmed officaly

Way Big's transformation size adapts to the given space. He fills out it and only than starts growing to his full size (due to the fact To'kustars are unable to sizechanging)

Maybe strange, but the Omnitrix can imitate accents. It posess an inter galactical translator, wich makes possible to Ben's transformation to speak in human language. Hovever keeps the species specific sound effects like cricking or gibbing and sometimes gives human accents to them (like Brainstorm's or Molestache's)

The Omnitrix is a techo-organic device, being able to adapt to the used species; becomes intangible with Ghostfreak or Big chill; liquifieing with Goop and can be multiplied by Echo Echo (also by Ditto, but he fuse togeter at detransformation)

So far, Ben temporary had the Mastercontrol in every seria (including the Reboot) except in Omniverse

The original ten aliens almost included Cannonbolt (who would replaced Diamondhead). In the end he technicly replaced Ghostfreak after he gets out of the Omnitrix.

And for last, but certainly not least; it's a less known fact, that Ben originally would have an other kind of designe, and he would turn into ten different human superhero instead of aliens. Some of them were the same name as later the original seria's aliens, like Ghostfreak

[ben-10-setting-omnicrom]

Fused! Ben exploration and AU with the hypothetical max potential

This'll be paired with my Reformed! Elena posts here for the future bit and the ramifications for Ken Tennyson. Various people have done pieces of fan art where Ben fuses with the watch of which afaik @promsien is far in the lead of content wise. You can find one such piece by a diffrent artist below this post actually (along with a Anodite! Ben which I'll likewise explore in a post pondering what a Gwen 10 au would be like content wise).

Being fused with the watch would have massive implications. Not only in the obvious bits (having a better version of Master Control/Ultimate Ben by being able to use an arbitrary number of alien powers at once without fully having to transform*, at least universal durability in all forms considering the Omnitrix has withstood universal destruction without a scratch, regeneration sufficient enough to lol at being aged to dust, being able to make tech ex nihlo like Goop's anti grav disk) but also more passive benefits.

For one thing no one can steal the Omnitrix from him since at this point it's basically decorative than functional. For another he by all rights should also have not only a better version of the failsafe since the watch's various protections while in alien form (loling at soul manipulation, transmutation, genetic manipulation, mind control, planetary telepathy, massively faster than light/basically instant reaction times due to out reacting a point blank Big Bang etc) should be active 24/7, but in my opinion the AI in the watch would likely be unchained as well.

What do I mean by that? I mean the AI would be far more active than canon and more lively too**. I can totally see it making a Heads Up Display for Ben that utilizes the Galvan's database of knowledge/it's connection to Plumber databanks and the Extranet to passively analyze environmental/enemy data to further help Ben in his heroics. He runs into magic/tech he's never seen? It'd automatically search said places and extrapolate from said knowledge for a plan on how to proceed.

For another benefit Ben would no longer need to eat/sleep/drink, being sustained and powered by the Omni energy of the watch. Which leads me to my final point of what Fused Ben would lead to in at least a year if not a significantly shorter time period.

Ben being able to Hero 24/7 without consequences would jump at the chance to do so. He already does multiple all nighters in a row and as Omniverse shows goes WEEKS without a break. Seeing as he's perfectly willing to kill himself to save a few more lives, he'll certainly be gung ho about saving lives when Hero Time doesn't stop. Which would lead him to being known as the Hero of Heroes faaaaaaaaar earlier.

* Powers I see Ben having on permanently include Nanomech's hyper adaptability/bioshocks/shrinking, Grey Matter's super intelligence, Terraspin's magic immunity, Ghostfreak's mana absorption immunity/possession/intangability/invisibility/soul manipulation, Bigchill's high resistance to extreme temperatures and space survivability, NRG's ability to grow more powerful the more energy it eats, Chromastone's flight, Jetray's ability to go into hyperspace, Diamondhead's durability, Feedback's energy absorption, XLR8's ground speed, the Pugnavore sample's galactic scale telepathy and trans dimensional teleportation, Clockwork's time manipulation, Gravvattack's gravity manipulation, Lodestar's magnetism/regeneration, Echo Echo's cloning and the Lenopan's shapeshifting. There might be a few I'm missing but that's mostly a complete package for most any situation.

** Which is something I wished the series delved more into honestly. Hell there's even a Alien Force promo explicitly saying how alive the watch is now

What it means for Ken and Reformed! Elena

Naturally any kid made from a living DNA database*** would be quite unusual especially when said kid has a mother who is a living von neumann hiveminded nanoswarm. Not only would Ken need help in making something he'll have no real reference for (being born without a inhibition due to his nanites granting his every desire as I've discussed before) but he'll also have quite literally a universal body of knowledge on tap with his own version of the Omnitrix's original AI (which would likewise be raised with him and act as a quasi sibling/mindscape bound playmate).

Being able to call upon a million plus samples of alien DNA would allow his nanites to gain immunities to most anything basically as soon as he's old enough/smart enough to shift willingly. He'd also basically always have on tap Elena's godmode since he can always tap into the Galvanic Mechamorph sample and would quickly have active the same suit of powers his father has.

Elena meanwhile will be able to hero and largely even keep up with her husband stats wise since both of them have limitless stamina and don't need to eat/sleep/drink. Given both of their capabilities to be in multiple places at once they can both Hero on a universal scale and have all the time in the world to raise their children/relax.

*** which is the exact reason why having Eunice be Ken's mother in a non fused Ben timeline would be fascinating especially since it'd include her Dr. Dolittle tendancy of pacifying animals/getting them to protect her

[the-autistic-spider]

ben 10 prompt

from this post -> https://www.tumblr.com/the-autistic-spider/731813144397332480/ben-10-fic-idea

ben ran away after being fused with feedbacks DNA during the malware even

prompt:

so it goes around the same except as malware is pulling feedback out of the omnimatrix the timeline changes

Malware was suddenly hit by something (gwen magic or max weapon) causing the DNA he was pulling out of the omnitrix to fuse into bens normal DNA making him a (to ben) horrifying fusion between a Conductoid and human

in fear of himself ben ran off into the forest abandoning Gwen and Max

after a while he ended up at a camp where people where running away from something still trying to be a hero ben tried to ask what they where running from but only made the people's fear worse

he soon found out it was kevin they where running from who had only recently left the knull void (did they ever say how idk)

end prompt: you go from here i ran out of idea

[findasongblog]

New album releases!

Faber - I Fucking Love My Life

Art Block - Acoustic Sessions

Somehow - Low Tide

Somehow comes back with 9 new tracks gathered on ‘Low Tide’.

Erwan Pépiot, aka Somehow, is a DIY multi- instrumentalist based in Paris. He wrote, recorded and mixed the entire project on his own in his home-studio. Only one exception to the rule: Aurélie Tremblay’s vocals, present on every track, as a natural counterweight to Erwan’s deep voice.

The vocals are the first thing that strikes you when you listen to Somehow’s romantic and melancholic universe.

Erwan’s phrase and timber are in line with Morrissey and Ian Curtis, but the melodies show a real singularity and

sincerity. Somehow’s surrealist lyrics deal with human relationships, the passing of time and the ideas of change and revolution, through a unifying theme: the tide.

The cold-wave oriented bass lines remind us of The Cure or Joy Division and yet the imaginative arrangements and the wide diversity of sounds (acoustic guitars, keyboards, melodica, violin, cello...) are more in line with Belle & Sebastian or Fanfarlo. The result is a unique and touching indie-pop. (ress release)

Russian Baths - Deepfake

Russian Baths fuses the abrasive sounds of ‘80s New York, the angular outbursts of DC hardcore, shoegaze’s torrents of noise and the suffocating anxiety of the Information Age. Their operation goes deep. One part horror movie soundtrack, serene still life and personal confession, the band’s music is at once imposing and intimate. As with their namesake, Russian Baths’ work is a place where hidden things happen, sometimes beautiful, sometimes tragic, always obscured, but calling to be explored.

Russian Baths’ debut album, Deepfake, takes their art of juxtaposition to its extreme. Feedback and dissonance swallow softly whispered harmonies. Granular synths and 808s rest besides guitar shrieks and pounding, live drums. Caustic fits are punctuated by moments of relief, tortured the next second. Surgical imagery, themes of personal regret and cultural guilt, reflections on systems in collapse and the accompanying anomie populate the soundscape, sung by voices sometimes so close, they’re in the room besides you, sometimes from an impossible distance. Unlike their dissonant peers, in only one section do the proceedings lead to a scream.

Recorded and assembled over the course of two of years and meticulously mixed by Ben Greenberg, Deepfake is dense, dark and finely crafted.

Russian Baths is Jess Rees (guitar, vocals) and Luke Koz (guitar, vocals), joined live by Kyle Garvey (bass) and Steven Levine (drums) from Brooklyn, NY.  (press release)

Geowulf - My Resignation

Simply a wonderful collection of songs that show the indie-pop duo at their very best.  This is a band that’s making bold, mature overtures in their sound, with lyrics that are  honest observations about themselves, but there’s still the playfulness of a band with their roots back on the sunny coast of Australia.

On the album, Star Kendrick explains “This feels very personal to us. It was written over a few years and signified an important season of learning to accept certain things and get back other things for myself. My Resignation also feels like a personal declaration to “let sleeping dogs lie”. We’re excited to share it and hopeful of listeners feeling connected to any of the songs.”

Loneliness is discussed at great length through-out with brutal honesty; both learning to accept it but also in learning to love that space it provides.  This is tackled alongside being a 20-something learning the measurements of expectations to put upon yourself & others. Pepper in life’s heartbreaks/break-ups and it’s a beautiful mess. (press release)

[gilbertbeilshit]

Conclusion: HaKokhav HaBa L’Tumblrvizion 2019

Shalom, Europe! It is now the time to reveal the results of our national final and the song and artist who have earned the right to represent us in the 4th edition of @tmblrvision​! Let’s get straight to the results!

We are deeply grateful for the 20 votes we received for this final, and we loved all the warm feedback in the comments! We sincerely hope you all had a good time listening to the songs and making your decisions!

Now, we will reveal the results from 8th place to 1st, showing only the final score. A breakdown of how the totals will be released as a separate post for the sake of briefness.

Our 8th place song, with 81 points, is: Elai Botner and Aviv Alush - The closest to you // עילי בוטנר ואביב אלוש - הכי קרוב אלייך

Our 7th place song, with 100 points, is: IMRI - Imrico //  אימרי זיו - אימריקו

Tied for 6th place, with 107 points, are: Nathan Goshen - I miss you //  נתן גושן - מתגעגעת and Static and Ben El - Gumigam // סטטיק ובן אל תבורי - גומיגם

We have reached the halfway point in the results, so why don’t we take a small break? Here is Quarter to Africa, a Tel Aviv-based multicultural group who specialize in fusing traditional Arabic “Makam" scales with African rhythms, jazz and funk, and their single “Tahabil Terbach!”

Toda raba, guys! Now let’s move on to the top 4 artists and our winner! Who will it be?

Our 4th place song, with 119 points, is: Sarit Hadad x Offer Nissim - SHUFUNI // שרית חדד ועופר ניסים

Our 3rd place song, with 127 points, is: Stephane Legar - Comme ci Comme ça

We are down to 2 artists now, both sister pop groups, interestingly enough. But which set of siblings will receive the honor of representing our little country this year: Carakukly or A-WA?

Our 2nd place song, narrowly missing the title with 136 points, is: Carakukly - Catching (Oy Oy Oy) // (כרקוקלי - תופסת (אוי אוי אוי

That means our winner, with 143 points, is A-WA - Mudbira!! Congratulations, ladies!

Again, we are incredibly thankful to everyone who voted and supported our contest! We hope you will continue to support us and A-WA in Algiers! Here is our winning song, Mudbira by A-WA!

[joeybelle]

Oh, how the tables have turned - Part 9

Clyde Logan X Reader

Inspired by @clyde-prompts: “Some guys are rude and use ableist slurs against Clyde. The reader is with them, and although she feels bad about what’s happening, is too scared to say anything in front of her “friends”. She comes back to the bar a couple nights later to try and show him she’s not a bad person. They get to know each other and fall in love”. Doesn’t fully follow the prompt.

Warnings:  NSFW, Smut, Language, first person POV

Word count: ~5400

Rating: Explicit

Setting: Pre-heist

A.N: Thank you all for the wonderful feedback, I hope you’ll enjoy the new chapter too! A million thanks to @llexeh for being a great beta and an even better friend, for listening to my endless complaining and sorting this mess out.

Love you all!

Tags: @lonelyravenclaw @kyloren-supreme-ben @onmyknees4steve @elsablackswift @helloimindelaware @mwcritics @makingtimemine @littlekylo

I didn’t expect Clyde to suddenly pull me into an embrace, but I welcomed it wholeheartedly. My heart was beating a million times a minute, trying to break out of my chest, and his embrace was reassuring. I pressed my cheek to his chest, sighing deeply, his hand gently running through my hair as I tried to get my breathing under control. I closed my eyes and melted into his embrace.

“Are you alright?” he spoke after a few moments of silence, nuzzling into my hair. I felt his warm lips brush against my forehead, and I sighed, content.

“Yeah,” I whispered against his t-shirt. I was a lot calmer now, but I didn’t want him to let go just yet. In fact, if he could hold me like that forever, it would be perfect.

“Lightning must have struck pretty close.” His chest vibrated pleasantly as he spoke. His warmth was delightful and I found myself wishing there were less clothes between me and him, so that I could just run my hands over his chest, kiss every beauty mark on his skin.

But the light still wasn’t coming back on. “My fuses!” I whined.

I felt him chuckle. “I don’t think it’s just your house this time.” He shifted a little to look out the window, but didn’t let go of me. “The power must be down in the whole area.”

“How can you make anything out in that rain?” I squinted but I couldn’t see a thing. “I guess I’ll have to use the candles anyway. My trip to the 21st century has been pretty short lived. Welcome back to the Dark Ages,” I mumbled.

I reluctantly pried myself from his embrace, feeling around for the candles I knew I had left somewhere in the kitchen earlier that day. He seemed even more reluctant to let go, holding onto my hand as I fumbled in the dark. In the end I managed to find the candles and light them up. A warm glow followed by the scent of essential oils filled the room, and suddenly the atmosphere wasn’t as gloomy anymore.

“It’s not bad,” I said, placing a couple of candles on the kitchen table, and another couple on the counter, trying to light the room evenly. Our shadows danced on the walls and the rain was making for a pleasant soundtrack. “It’s kinda romantic in a way. Storms and candlelight, they work well together, don’t you think?”

I looked up to see Clyde’s reflection in the window as he took a step towards me, the intensity of his gaze as he checked me out leaving me unable to move. Another step and he pinned me to the counter, his hips pressing into my ass. My heart skipped a beat. His much larger frame seemed to envelop me and I was once again surrounded by the warmth of his body as he bent down to place a soft kiss behind my ear. A shiver ran down my spine and I closed my eyes, pressing myself closer to him.

“Please stop me if I’m doing something you don’t want,” he breathed against my skin, his voice low and gruff.

I nodded in acknowledgement and shifted a little to expose more of my neck to him. Goosebumps formed all over my body as his lips placed one kiss after another, each a little bolder than the one before. My body reacted to even the lightest touch, his smell intoxicating and arousing. I gasped as his teeth grazed my skin, a bite too light to leave a mark but enough to set my nerves on fire.

I pushed him back and turned around so I could grab him by the collar and pull him into a proper kiss. It was rough and needy, and it was so much better than I had ever imagined. The difference in height forced him to bent into an awkward position, even if I tiptoed, but I hung onto his neck nonetheless.  

“I should have worn heels,” I joked and chuckled against his lips.

He broke the kiss and looked around for a moment, then slipped his arm under my ass and lifted me in the air. I squealed and held onto his shoulders, giggling. “Is this better?” he laughed, placing me on the counter.

“Yeah,” I said, shifting a little closer to the edge and crossing my legs around his waist, making sure he was exactly where I wanted him.

I combed my fingers through his hair, pushing it out of his face. Damn, this man was so beautiful, I thought as he looked at me with a sort of awe in his eyes, his lips slightly parted and waiting. I smiled and gently pressed my lips onto his, not wanting to rush and allowing myself to savour his kiss for the first time.

He tasted like expensive vodka. His lips were incredibly soft and warm and maybe a little greedy as he tried deepening the kiss almost immediately. It didn’t take much to convince me to give in and allow him to explore my mouth, after all this is what I’d wanted for quite some time. I still found it a little hard to believe that it was actually happening. Maybe I’d wake up in the morning and it would have been all just a dream.

But now wasn’t the time to think, as Clyde’s hand had found its way under my top, going up my ribs and cupping my breast over the fabric of my bra. I sucked in a sharp breath and bit his lip, which only prompted him to squeeze a little harder. I should have worn a nicer bra, I realized. Luckily, it was pretty dark and I didn’t think it would have mattered anyway, not with Clyde being so impatient in his attempts to take of my top that he jabbed me in the ribs with his prosthetic hand. I winced and he froze.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered and tried to take a step back, but my legs were still locked around his waist and held him in place.

“It’s okay.” I smiled and took his plastic hand, holding it closer to me, hoping he’d understand that it didn’t bother me. It was the first time I had actually touched it, he usually made sure to stand in such a way that his hand was furthest away from me, and I respected that and tried to draw as little attention as possible to his disability, but this time I really didn’t want him to feel self-conscious. I didn’t want him to hold back. I wanted him fully and just the way he was.

I pulled him back into a kiss to which he eagerly responded at first, so I was a little surprised when he broke the kiss and looked down. He seemed tense all of a sudden.

“Umm… Would you like me to take it off?” he asked, his voice a little shaky.

My eyes darted to his prosthesis and then back to his face. He looked serious and a little sad, or that’s what I could make out in the poor light. “Whatever makes you more comfortable,” I said, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, making him look at me. “I’m okay either way.”

He nodded, a frown still present on his face. “I’d like… I’d like to take it off, then.” He sounded hesitant, like it was more of a question than a statement, like he was still looking for my approval.

I smiled encouragingly and pecked him on the lips. “Okay.”

I let go of his hips and he moved a little to the side, placing his prosthetic arm on the counter next to me. He unclasped the strap that went around his bicep and carefully took it off. The whole process seemed incredibly intimate and I felt like he was placing a lot of trust in me, opening up in ways he hadn’t done before. Soon clothes would come off and we’d have the chance to explore the most intimate parts of each other’s bodies, but this was a different type of intimacy. He was letting his guard down in front of me.

My breath caught in my throat once his arm was revealed. His hand and half of his forearm were missing. The crude-looking scar seemed old and healed, but it still looked painful as hell and my heart ached just imagining how much it must have hurt and how long it took to heal.

I had to admit it was a little strange looking at his arm and not seeing a hand at the end of it, but it wasn’t something I couldn’t get used to, and it certainly didn’t take away from his beauty. I looked up to see Clyde studying me with the same stern look on his face, like he was waiting to see my reaction—like he was afraid of my reaction.

“Does it hurt?” I asked, because I had been really curious about it for some time, but it never felt like the right time to bring up the subject.

“Sometimes.”

“Does it hurt now?” I asked a little panicked and a smile broke the severe look on his face.

“No, it doesn’t.”

“Okay, that’s good,” I babbled. I looked at him silently asking for permission and brushed my fingers along the side of his forearm. There was a lot of scar tissue, the texture a little different from normal skin, but it wasn’t unpleasant. It also felt warmer somehow. Clyde shivered under my touch. “Is it sensitive?” I asked, letting my fingers trace upwards, over the well defined muscles in his arm.

“More or less,” he answered, his voice a little strained.

I smiled and brought my hands to his shoulders, moving him back between my legs, and placing a long and slow kiss on his lips. His arms went around my back, pulling me closer to him, for the first time that evening holding me with both.

And speaking of strained, I can tell you what else was strained: the fabric of his jeans. I smiled when I noticed his erection and rolled my hips just enough to put a little pressure on his crotch and make him moan into the kiss. The kisses soon became more erratic, more impatient. We were both a little out of sync, a bit too greedy to even try and make everything perfect, each of us wanting to take as much of the other as we could. His hand went under my top once again and I entangled my fingers in his hair, pulling and tugging when he started kissing down my neck, leaving tiny bite marks on my skin.

He was trying to press himself between my legs and I shifted as much as possible to allow it without falling off the counter, but the position we were in was starting to get a little uncomfortable and I really ached to explore more of his body without clothes getting in the way.

“Shall we move to my bedroom?” I asked, breathing heavily, still holding onto his shoulders like my life depended on it. “Before one of use ends up with their ass on the stove?”

He lifted me off the counter and kissed me again before putting me down. I was starting to get used to him lifting me in the air, and to my surprise I kinda liked it.

“Let me blow out the candles before we go, so I don’t set the house on fire.”

The storm was still raging outside, but I wasn’t scared or anxious anymore. I didn’t even notice it until I was in my bedroom, lighting the other candles. It could take my roof for all I cared, as long as Clyde was here with me it didn’t matter. Hell, it could take my whole house and I’d be okay with it. Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore and I don’t really give a fuck. I smiled to myself and looked up to Clyde, who was standing very awkwardly in the middle of my bedroom. I lit the last candle and placed it on a nightstand.

“All we need are some rose petals,” I said, getting up, “and we’d have the textbook setting for a cheesy romance love scene.”

“I like the candles.” The golden light was covering everything in a soft glow, making my bedroom look a lot nicer than it actually was. I might have been joking about cheesy romances, but I actually didn’t mind the setting. It made everything feel a little more special.

“Yeah, me too.”

He was a lot less awkward once I pulled him towards my bed and started kissing him again. There was a lot of fumbling with the clothes as both of us wanted to get out of them as quickly as possible. There was no gentle disrobing, just tugging and pulling and unclasping, and sloppy kisses on more exposed skin. When I struggled with my bra clasp, Clyde brushed my hands away an opened it in one simple move, his mouth never leaving my neck. I was impressed for about half a second, until his lips closed around my nipple, and my mind went blank.

He let me unbuckle his jeans, sighing in relief as I freed his cock. He hastily shoved them off, nearly tripping in the process, and I eagerly slipped my hand into his boxers once he was back on the bed with me. He moaned as I took him in my hand, kissing roughly down my neck. I gave him a few tentative strokes and he bucked his hips against my hand, unsatisfied with the slow and teasing motion of my hand. I smiled and pushed him down on his back, straddling his hips.

He was insanely beautiful, lying beneath me with his hair splayed on my pillow, lips damp and reddened by all the kissing. The low light was accentuating every ridge and dip in his muscles making it look like he was perfectly carved out of marble. His hand caressed the side of my thigh squeezing gently when I rolled my hips against him, pressing my still clothed pussy onto his cock.

The way he looked at me, with a sort of hunger in his eyes made me feel like I was on fire. Every spot he touched felt like burning, and I wanted nothing more that to be completely and unquestionably fucked by him.

He took my hand and pulled me into a kiss. I let my fingers travel down his chest, delicately brushing against his skin. My lips followed, kissing down his jaw, sucking a mark on his collarbone, kissing a scar I found on his chest and the soft skin on his abdomen. He lifted his hips when I pulled onto the waistband of his boxers allowing me to pull them down his thighs.

He was pretty well endowed, I had to admit. I kinda expected him to at least be proportional, since everything about Clyde was big, but he seemed to have exceeded my expectations. I realized that it could end up being a problem in the very near future—after all, I haven’t been with anyone for quite some time—but there was a bottle of lube in the top drawer of my nightstand, and there’s nothing that can’t be achieved with a little perseverance and a lot of lube.

I looked up at Clyde as I took him into my hand once again. He was following my every move, so I kept my eyes fixed on him as I licked the underside of his cock, feeling him twitch in my hand. The prolonged moan that escaped his lips resonated through my body, making me more eager to actually feel him inside me. He closed his eyes when I licked the tip, tasting his precum, so I dipped my head and took him into my mouth.

I wasn’t able to take him all, I didn’t even try. I just stuck to what I was comfortable with, trying to make up for the lack of depth with my hand and the flicking of my tongue. Clyde didn’t seem to mind, his breathing becoming more shallow with every swipe of my tongue. Although he sometimes involuntarily bucked his hips, trying to get deeper, he mostly let me take control.

I couldn’t blame him for trying. I too was aching for release, my own hand between my thighs rubbing circles through the fabric of my underwear offering me much too little stimulation. I needed more.

“I have to let you know,” I said between ragged breaths, wiping away a trickle of saliva from my chin, “that it’s been a while for me.” I was a bit embarrassed to admit this, but he had to know what to expect.

“For me too,” he uttered.

“Do you have any condoms?”

“Fuck!” he lifted his head and looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Oh,” I said, and I must have sounded really dejected because he frowned. “I don’t have any either, cause wasn't really expecting this to happen… but I guess we could work around this.” It was a minor inconvenience at best, but it was an annoying one. I wanted to feel him inside me, to have him hold me as he fucked me senseless, but I guessed we could work around it and find release through other means that didn’t require a condom.

“I have some in my car,” he said all of a sudden and I blinked a few times in surprise. “Jimmy made me take them this morning… he insisted, I…” he mumbled, getting off the bed and pulling up his boxers, and even in the poor light I knew he was blushing.

Alright, so Jimmy had a hand in this. At least now I knew why he insisted Clyde come alone. “Is that why you argued this morning?” I asked, a smile creeping on my lips. “Cause he forced you to take a box of condoms with you?”

“Yep,” he said, turning around and heading for the door.

“Well he was right,” I giggled, following him out the room. “Wait, you don’t intend to actually go and get them?”

“I sure do.”

“But there’s a storm outside!” I protested.

“It’s just rain.”

He didn’t seem to stop, his steps long and determined. I ran into the bedroom to grab my phone to light the way, and by the time I was back he was already looking out the open front door. I had forgotten just how loud and violent the storm outside actually was. Tiny droplets of water carried inside by the wind were hitting my burning skin and made me shiver, so I hid behind Clyde’s larger frame, pressing myself to his back, leeching off his warmth.

“You don’t seriously want to go out there?” I asked, peeking around him and through the open door.

“It’s just rain,” he repeated, but I could see that he wasn’t thrilled to go outside either. I opened my mouth to protest, and make him understand that there are other things we could do, that would be just as pleasant, but he turned around and looked at me with that stubborn expression of his and the words died down in my throat. He cupped my cheek and kissed me lightly on the lips, then stepped out in the rain.

He was a fully grown man, built like a refrigerator, with a mane of dark hair, currently only dressed in a pair of boxers and sporting a raging erection, and he just stepped out in the middle of the season’s worst storm, barefoot, to get a pack of condoms from his car so he could properly fuck me. That was the exact moment I realized I was in love with him.

I was holding my phone close to my chest, flashlight still on, and I kept glancing at the clock. It felt like an eternity until I saw his outline emerging from the dark, but in reality it had been only a few minutes.

He was completely drenched, water dripping from the tip of his nose and the ends of his beard, droplets running down his chest and falling in a small puddle on the floor. His hair stuck to his head and his ears were a lot more prominent now that they weren’t hidden by his locks. He was breathing heavily, but he had a satisfied smile on his face as he lifted his hand to show me the box of condoms. I burst into laughter and went in for a kiss. He took me in his arms, drenching me too in the process, but I was too happy to care.

“Let’s get you a towel,” I said, placing one last kiss on his lips before heading to my bedroom.

I took out the biggest and fluffiest towel I could find and motioned for Clyde to sit down on the bed, so I could dry him off.

“I’ll just get water on the sheets,” he said, keeping a safe distance from it, as if it could absorb moisture through the air if he stood too close.

“I don’t care,” I said as sweetly as possible, flinging the towel over my shoulder and taking a few steps towards Clyde, until I was right in front of him. A thrill of excitement ran through my body as he fixed his gaze on me, the intensity of his brown eyes making my skin fire up once again. I was terribly aware of my nakedness, dressed in only my underwear so I slipped my fingers under the waistband of his boxers and pulled them off letting them fall to the ground with a wet splat.

“Bed,” I said, and he didn’t protest this time.

He obediently sat on the bed and I wrapped him in the towel, letting it fall around his shoulders like a cloak. He started kissing down my abdomen while I tried patting his hair dry. I got a bit distracted as his hand traveled up my thigh and grabbed my ass, kneading my flesh under his fingers. I hissed as he touched the wet spot on my underwear and I tangled my fingers through his hair, directing his mouth to my breasts, completely forgetting about the towel. No one cared anyway.

He held me in his arms and gently placed me on the bed, on my back. The mattress made a really distressed noise as Clyde got on top of me, his weight on his knees as his mouth went to my nipples, sucking and grazing his teeth over the sensitive skin. I was already a mess in his hands so I whimpered when he shifted my underwear a little to brush his fingers over my inner lips. I was so starved for direct contact that I immediately raised my hips to meet his touch. He smiled and tentatively placed a finger in me, and I bit the back of my hand to hold back a moan.

He quickly became impatient, his touches more hasty and erratic, as he slid his fingers in and out of me, the palm of his hand applying a much needed pressure to my clit. My panties were starting to become uncomfortable, rubbing against my skin in some places, so I decided to take them off, but before I could do anything, Clyde lifted my hips, grabbed the waistband between his teeth and slipped them off.

Now I could lie and say that I never dreamt of a man ripping my underwear off with his teeth, but what would be the point? I was now completely naked in front of him, blushing furiously while he just looked at me for a few long seconds before kneeling on the floor and pulling me to the edge of the bed. He kissed down my inner thigh and I was almost shaking in anticipation, wanting him to taste me, to feel me. And when he did I stopped thinking or worrying, letting myself enjoy the feeling of his tongue on my skin, his fingers deep inside me.

I knew it wouldn’t take long to get me over the edge, not with how aroused I already was, but I decided to be selfish and ask for the whole package. I wanted Clyde to fuck me, I wanted him to fuck me like today was our last day on Earth and no matter how good his fingers felt in me or how electric every flick of his tongue felt on my clit, I just wanted him to pin me to the bed and fuck me until the bed gave out under us. After all, he’d gone out in the fucking storm to get those condoms especially for this, better make the best of it.

I grabbed a handful of his hair and tugged slightly. When he looked at me, the sight of his beautiful face between my legs almost making me cum on the spot, but he seemed to understand what I wanted because he started feeling around for the pack of condoms. He took one out of the box, and I was completely hypnotised by the casual way in which he ripped the wrapper with his teeth. He held the condom between his lips as he pulled it out and put it on with only one hand.

“I say that from now on men should only be allowed to handle condoms with one hand,” I said, placing a foot on his shoulder. He smiled shyly and kissed the hollow of my foot, making me giggle. “Oh, stop wasting time, Clyde! Come here and fuck me already!” I said, wiggling my fingers in his direction.

He laughed and pulled me closer to the edge of the bed, guiding my legs around his waist before pinning me down. His knees were still on the floor, supporting most of his weight. I figured there would be some sort of logistics problems, with his missing hand and all, but he seemed to handle it pretty well.

His lips were on mine in no time and I realized that I had missed his kisses, even for the brief period he was focused on other parts of my body. I had missed the way he looked at me between kisses and the way he always came back for more. I missed the way his shoulders felt under my fingers and the way his body seemed to envelop mine in its warmth.

“Do you know how long I’ve been wanting this?” I said, brushing a strand of hair away from his face.

He laughed and looked away for a second, placing a wet kiss on my collarbone. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this?” he whispered against my skin. A shiver ran down my spine imaginning how long he’d been pinning after me. Somehow it felt good knowing he had at some point lusted after me, even if it had been a long time ago.

“So then what are you waiting for?” I laughed, shifting my hips so I’d be applying a little more pressure on his rock hard cock.

He entered me slowly, kissing me the whole time, holding me close to his chest like I was something fragile and precious. Given the impatience he’d shown before I assumed he’d be a lot rougher, but he took his time and patiently waited for me to adjust. Maybe a bit too patiently, since I had buck my hips against him and moan in his ear to get him to pick up the pace. But once he did, there was no way I could stifle my moans.

It was a wild ride. I held onto his shoulders, my face buried in his hair while he drove into me, the force of his thrusts making the mattress squeak underneath us. Our bodies, hot and sweaty, gilded against each other, making lewd, carnal sounds that blended with my loud moans. Clyde was mostly silent, transfixed by his own pleasure. His panting and occasional grunts were enough for me to know he was enjoying this as much as I did. I pulled him into a kiss as he started pumping into me even faster than before, snaking his hand under my ass, angling my hips so that he could reach even further, the force almost knocking the air out of me.

I came with a shudder, arching my back and clawing at his skin, waves of pleasure washing over me. Clyde stopped for a moment, allowing me to ride my own orgasm, softly kissing my face, before starting to move again. I was so spent from just cumming, that the only thing I could do was cling to him and whisper sweet nothings in his ear. He came shortly after, his whole body tensing up, pulling me flush against him. With a long, deep sigh of relief he relaxed, collapsing on top of me.

“Hi,” I said, smiling once he opened his eyes to look at me, his breathing still as laboured as mine.

“Hi,” he croaked, pecking the corner of my mouth.

I lazily brushed my fingers through his damp hair and smiled. He lay on top of me for a few more minutes, nuzzled against my shoulder, and I was starting to feel like I could just fall asleep like that. Eventually, he got up to throw the condom. He wobbled a little and I couldn’t help but giggle, prompting him to look at me.

“You’re really cute,” I said, my voice sounding weary. He smiled and avoided my gaze, and if he weren’t already flushed I was pretty sure he’d blush. “Can you please blow out those candles, so we don’t se the house on fire?” I asked, lazily getting up and going around the bed to take care of the ones on the other nightstand. My whole body felt heavy and the only thing I wanted to do was to fall asleep in his arms. I kept the last candle lit until he would get into bed, but instead he just followed me, hugging me from behind, and placing a few brief kisses on my shoulder.

I giggled and blew the last candle, both crawling under the sheets and settling into an embrace, my head on his chest. The wind was still raging outside, the rain falling in angry gusts but I felt myself dozing off despite the noise.

“Did you really have a crush on me in highschool?” I asked, my words already a little slurred.

“Yeah,” he whispered, kissing the top of my head. “A huge crush.”

“I guess you were pretty disappointed to see current me,” I smiled, sadly, drawing circles on his chest with the tips of my fingers.

“What?” he asked, and I could feel him tensing under me.

“I mean I’m not… I’m not the way I used to be. I mean you fell for a happy go lucky popular girl. Now I’m a bit pathetic and not as charming and a bit weird.” I laughed nervously, regretting to have opened my mouth.

“I really like the way you are now,” he said, lifting my chin and kissing me on the lips. “I liked you since the first time you came to my bar.”

My stomach contracted painfully thinking about that encounter. I was still feeling guilty about the way I behaved that day.

“Then why didn’t you wanna go on a date with me then?”

He went silent, and I thought he wouldn’t reply. I had almost fallen asleep before he spoke again.

“I was afraid you’d realize you’d made a mistake and then just ditch me after one date. I just didn’t wanna get my hopes up, that’s all.” His voice sounded strained and sad. “It’s happened too many times already.”

I propped myself onto one elbow and looked at him, but it was too dark to make anything out. “Why would you think I’d do that?”

“Because I’m… me?”

I snorted and took his face into my hands, kissing him deeply. “Well, Clyde Logan, I’m really glad you’re you, because you’re amazing and I like you a lot,” I laughed and kissed him some more.

The kisses were slow and lazy and unrushed and eventually I nestled back into his chest, and fell asleep in Clyde’s strong arms.

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[celtfather]

Adrift with Celtic Women

Don’t you worry. We’re highlighting the women of Celtic music for St Patrick's Day once again on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #595.

Arise & Go, Sharon Shannon, Chambless, Taylor And Muse, Altan, Mary Beth Carty, Amelia Hogan, Fire In The Glen, Kellswater Bridge, Heather Dale, Shelli Le Fay, Emerald Accent, Lisa Schettner, Emma Langford, The Breath

VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2023

This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create next year's Best Celtic music of 2023 episode.  Vote Now!

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THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC

0:02 - Intro: Heather Dale at GaFilk

0:17 - Arise & Go "Sheepskin and Beeswax, Le Voyageur, Roddy McDonald's Fancy" from Arise & Go -  EP

Ellie Goud: fiddle

4:17 - WELCOME

5:42 - Sharon Shannon “The Ivory and the Quill” from Each Little Thing

8:23 - Chambless, Taylor And Muse "Jack Haggerty" from Live At Ntif

Jil Chambless: flute and vocals

11:37 - Altan "Fermanagh Highland" from The First Ten Years: 1986 - 1995 MAIRÉAD NÍ MHAONAIGH: vocals, fiddle

15:38 - Mary Beth Carty "Mo Mhàthair" from Crossing the Causeway

Mo Mhàthair Pronunciation: Moh wah - her

Mary Beth Carty: Accordionist, guitarist, vocals

19:41 - FEEDBACK

22:14 - Amelia Hogan "Red Winged Blackbird" from Taking Flight

26:28 - Fire In The Glen "Whup Jamboree" from Cutting Bracken

Amanda Wells: vocals, guitar, percussion

30:04 - Kellswater Bridge "The Wife of Usher's Well" from As The Story Goes

Mare Edstrom (lead vocals, Celtic Flute, Keyboards, and Bodhran),

Tracy Moraine (Vocals and Percussion).

33:47 - THE STORY OF OISIN BY HEATHER DALE

Heather Dale calls her music “Celtic music for Modern Dreamers.” Her original music explores world legends and folklore. She finds contemporary themes within old material, and fuses folk traditions with blues, jazz, and world music influences. Heather’s rich vocals are paired with more than a dozen folk instruments in her live performances with multi - instrumentalist Ben Deschamps.

Today, she’s gonna share the Irish story of the hero Oisin who falls in love with the fairy queen. But he’s stuck in the past. He returns with tragic results.

34:48 - Heather Dale "Adrift" from The Road to Santiago

A few weeks back, I shared Heather’s song “Mordred’s Lullaby”. Patrons of the podcast can listen to that story this week on the Patreon feed.

41:06 - THANKS

47:03 - Shelli Le Fay "False Spring" from Feral Heart

49:09 - Emerald Accent "Toss the Feathers / Oak Tree / Foxhunters" from The Oats Field

Allison Talley (Low and high whistle, flute, keyboard, vocals),

Alexis Frenette (fiddle, vocals),

Temperance Babcock (fiddle, vocals).

53:49 - Lisa Schettner "Snowing Light" from Single

59:32 - Emma Langford "6 Foot 4" from Quiet Giant

1:03:53 - CLOSING

1:06:33 - The Breath "No You Keep It (Acoustic)" from Only Stories (Let the Cards Fall Revisited)

Ríoghnach Connolly (ree - a - na): flute and vocals

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather and our Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs.

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TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos.

In 2023, we’re going on a Celtic Invasion of County Mayo in Ireland. We’re gonna explore the area and get to know Grace O’Malley, the Pirate Queen. Learn more about the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/

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Tim Walker commented on Facebook: "I volunteer at the local hospital. I make little rocks out of big rocks, but with paperwork. Really, you could teach a monkey to do my job, but then it would be animal cruelty. It ain’t much, but it’s useful. Anyway, that’s when I listen. Sláinte!"

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Check out this episode!

[megalony]

Fatal attraction- Part 6

This is the next part in my Royal! Ben Hardy series, I hope everyone will like it, thank you all for the lovely feedback.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem @butlegendsneverdie @langdonzvoid @jennyggggrrr @rogermeddow @radiob-l-a-hblah @rogertaylorsbitontheside @chlobo6 @rogertaylors-lipgloss @sj-thefan @omgitsearly @luckytrashgooprebel @scarsout @deaky-with-a-c @killer-queen-ofrhye @bluutac @vousmemanqueez @jonesyaddiction @rogahs-drowse @milanosaurus @httpfandxms @saint-hardy @7-seas-of-fat-bottomed-girls @mrsalwayswritex @rogerina-owns-me @peterquillzsblog​

Series taglist: @joseph-mozzerella @pippin248 @ellathefriendlyalpacaaa @lilharms​

Series masterlist

Summary: Ben and (Y/n) are in an arranged marriage to form an alliance and they both want to make this marriage work. But when they have to get to know each other and there is a power play in their marriage, things aren’t going to be easy.

Enjoy.

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

"Have you seen my husband?" That phrase rolled off the tongue like it was an automatic response to any query or question (Y/n) would ever answer. But she couldn't quite work out if that was a good thing or not, something about the phrase felt different, it felt like she was trying to assert power and dominance and hold her head high when that was never her intention. It felt like something her mother would say to show how regal and high up she was.

But (Y/n) couldn't say much else, if she asked if the maid had seen Ben it would put the maid at unease because she couldn't call him by his name. And (Y/n) would be damned if she was going to ask where the King was because that sounded more like she was a servant or a messenger than his wife.

"Not since breakfast, ma'am." Amy had her hands clasped together in front of her and her head tipped down so she was looking up at (Y/n) through her lashes. That was something which also unsettled (Y/n), how every servant always acted like she was someone to be feared. (Y/n) knew it was simply courtesy and because she was a royal but it wasn't nice to feel like she was higher than everyone else or like she owned them.

"Alright, if you do see him just remind him I'm going out please." (Y/n) forced a smile in Amy's direction before she carried on walking down the corridor, a book held in her hand pressed against her thigh.

With a palace this size and both Ben and (Y/n) being rather busy at times, it was hard to find one another and (Y/n) hated the cross wires when she didn't know if Ben had gone out or was somewhere in the palace. She found it easier to let him know where she was and vice versa so they weren't lost looking for each other.

"I- I'm not so sure that's a good idea ma'am." Amy quickened her pace to keep up with (Y/n)'s strides, almost cowering in her shoes when (Y/n)'s head turned to look at her in confusion and almost a look of scrutiny. The young maid struggled to keep up with (Y/n) as they continued down the corridor before making a sharp right and entering the drawing room (Y/n) was now acquainting herself with. No one used this room so (Y/n) had claimed it as somewhere she could sit and read or just be by herself.

"Why not?" Her eyes fell on Amy and her gaze softened as did her voice, she didn't want to sound rude and Amy could see that. (Y/n) set her book down on the small table next to the armchair before she sat down in the window seat.

This last month had been harder than (Y/n) thought and it was turning her usually placid temper into a short fuse about to fizzle out. It felt like (Y/n) was both trying to hide her secret from everyone yet also wanting them to know so they could understand why she was so angry and indifferent all the time. She felt like screaming when Ben's mother thought she was being rude when she was really just drifting in her head or when people kept asking if she was alright when she looked lost or went quiet all of a sudden.

But if people knew their attitudes would change and everything would be different and (Y/n) couldn't handle that right now.

"People on the streets are beginning to revolt, ma'am, some have even tried to attack the palace guards. I don't think it would be wise to go out right now- with respect." (Y/n)'s lips slanted to one side like she was trying to smile or show that it was alright. People took charge and they made revolts against the ones in power or when things weren't in their favour or when the rules changed and excluded them. It was natural and (Y/n) wasn't going to get in the way, she was just going to go outside.

For this past month (Y/n) hadn't left the palace, she'd barely left her and Ben's room since her mother left and that had made Ben begin to worry. But (Y/n) wanted to occupy her mind, she was finally in the mood to go out and do something and get back to working again instead of laying and feeling sorry for herself. A revolt wasn't going to stop her.

"I don't think that will apply to me, Amy, I'll be fine." (Y/n) wasn't in charge, she had very little say in how things were run in this country or how the government worked or what Ben signed and declared. If people tried to bring her into this it was because they were desperate or misinformed and (Y/n) wasn't hiding away just because people were getting rowdy.

"Very well, ma'am. Should I arrange you some transport-" Amy managed a small smile but it slipped from her features and her words were cut off when the door to the drawing room opened to reveal Ben. His eyes flitted between Amy and (Y/n) like they were concocting some sort of plan that he wanted to know about.

"Transport?" Ben questioned with a small smile on his lips as he walked further into the room and moved so he was leaning against the wall next to (Y/n)'s seat. It was normal for Ben to come in here especially when he was trying to find (Y/n), but sometimes he just wanted to sit with her for a while, even if no words passed between them.

"I'm going out for the day, I haven't left this place for a while." (Y/n) leaned her head back against the chair so she could look up at Ben whilst she dragged her nails through her hair, brushing it out of her eyes. The smile on her lips made Ben's heart warm but he couldn't exactly smile back.

"I don't know if that's a good idea, love." Ben tried to smile as he rested his hand on (Y/n)'s shoulder but her eyes narrowed and her smile slipped from her features. Ben knew (Y/n) had been locking herself up inside the palace for a few weeks now and she had told him it was because she didn't feel well and that was true, she felt drained mentally and physically. But now she wanted to go out, he could at least smile and see that this was a good thing for her.

"Why not? I've not given the people a reason to revolt against me, this has nothing to do with me Ben. Amy, can you make the arrangements please-"

"No, Amy don't make any arrangements no one's going anywhere right now." Ben turned his head to look at the maid whose eyes were blown wide, her body stiff as stone because she didn't know what to do. She was technically (Y/n)'s maid, she did as (Y/n) instructed her to but at the same time, she didn't know whether she was supposed to go against an order given to her by the King.

"Is that an order?"

(Y/n) rose her brows as she stood up, planting her hands on her hips as she knew she was pushing Ben but when his lips pursed into a straight line and his head ticked to the side she knew she had touched a nerve.

"Amy leave the room." Ben's tone was authoritative and the young maid didn't need to be told twice to remove herself from a situation she didn't want to be a part of anymore. "I'm not trying to order you about (Y/n) but people are getting angry about the government and we've had a few trying their luck getting in here. I don't think going out is going to do any good with how the people are right now."

Ben wasn't trying to be dominant or rude or controlling but he had to think about everyone's safety. The people weren't happy with the way the government was working and neither was Ben but he couldn't change anything right now until the next election happened. People were getting mad and they were attacking anyone with power to get their voices heard. That applied to (Y/n) and anyone in the palace or the government.

"They're after your head, not mine. I don't have a say in government, why would someone try and attack me? It wouldn't achieve anything but get them imprisoned." Trying to hurt (Y/n) wouldn't get anyone anywhere but in a cell, it had no reasoning behind it. She wasn't at government or hold any say in how they worked or carried themselves, (Y/n) wasn't the Queen, she was the King's husband.

"They'd attack you to get to me if they wanted and I'm not having that happen. We both know if you want to go out I can't stop you but you have to take protection-"

"You said this when we got married-"

"And you didn't listen to me, you went out without telling anyone and if that happens again and you get hurt, that's on me. You go out with protection or don't go out at all." Ben knew trying to control or tame (Y/n) was both useless and wrong but he had to draw the line somewhere. He wasn't having her go out and get hurt because it would fall back to him if she went out without protection and he just let that happen.

"Now you're giving me an order." (Y/n) sighed through the words that made her heart clench. She wouldn't bow down to Ben just because he was her husband and the King, he couldn't hold any power over her, she wouldn't allow it. "Is that an order from my husband, or one from the King?"

Ben's upper lip curled and his breathing became harsher because this wasn't what he wanted or what he meant to do.

"It's a deal from your husband, I am not your King and you are not my subject, you're my wife. If you go out you have protection because I love you and whether they're after you or not I will not see you get hurt."

Ben couldn't have his role as King mixing with his role as a husband, they were two lives that he was keeping separate no matter what happened because he couldn't be a King to his wife. He couldn't assert that dominance and title over her, (Y/n) didn't marry the King, she married Ben and likewise, he hadn't married his subject. He married someone from a different country for an alliance, (Y/n) wasn't and never would be his subject. But he had to make sure she was safe and if that meant trying to add some control over her he would have to do that.

(Y/n) felt her chest tightening to the point the ability to breathe was becoming scarce like a distant memory fading away from her mind.

He loved her.

He actually said it, Ben went and said that he loved her when he had no obligation to do that. They were married but he didn't have to say he loved her but he did. He kissed her and teased her and was so affectionate and always so close to her because he loved her.

"Y- you love me?" The fire had extinguished from (Y/n)'s voice and her tone was left timid and anxious. Her eyes fell closed for a moment when she realised how frail and stupid she sounded, questioning him when she already knew the answer which she had repeated as the question.

"I thought that would have been obvious." Ben's chest heaved and he didn't mean to sound annoyed but he was definitely straight forward with his words. "I may not have married you for love, but I sure as hell do love you now." He said his vows to (Y/n) without knowing who she was or what she was like and he declared his love for her the first time they met in front of hundreds of people which had been a mistake. It was wrong to fake loving her just for the people to see, but if they saw him now they would know how much he loved her.

Ben didn't know what kind of response he was expecting, considering how he seemed to have shocked (Y/n) with his confession and how she just stood looking at him blankly. The way her eyes seemed to grow and fill with emotions and how her expression was one of both shock and affection, made Ben's breathing turn shallow instead of deep and it made his head swim.

But Ben really wasn't expecting (Y/n) to reach forward and kiss him outright. Her hands held his neck so tightly he could feel her nails splintering into his skin- not that he cared, and he could feel the muscles in her hands tensing to the point it must have hurt her. He felt how desperately she was kissing him like she was trying to send him some sort of encoded message before it was too late.

When (Y/n) pulled back, she tipped her forehead against his own so she could continue looking into his eyes that were drowned in surprise. He hadn't been expecting that reaction, but it was certainly a welcomed one.

"I love you too." There was no hesitation or worry or stutter in her words like there would be when she was nervous or trying to find something to say. Her words were truthful and without hesitation.

A small gasp got caught in (Y/n)'s throat when Ben's hands moved from cradling her waist to holding the back of her thighs before he pushed her backwards until she was sitting back down in the chair she had been sat in minutes ago. (Y/n) couldn't help but slouch down in the chair but it didn't seem to matter as Ben let go of her so his hands could hold onto the arms of the chair like he wanted to pierce through the fabric with how tight his grip was. Ben was hovering over her with an almost dangerous look in his eyes and he reminded (Y/n) of a predator who had cornered its prey.

"You have no idea how long I've waited to hear that." The words were said barely above a whisper against her ear but they sounded so loud in (Y/n)'s ears like the whole palace could hear what he just said which made her feel like she was in heaven.

Those words were all that (Y/n) could see, hear and think of as Ben moved from hovering over her to kneeling between her legs because those words were the kind of magic she never thought she would find in the world. She thought marrying Ben would mean no chance of love or the kind of happiness she desired, but marrying him was the ticket to finding them.

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

"What do you want?" Those four little words sent shock waves rattling through the room of men whose eyes were darting left and right to see what kind of reaction they should be displaying in response to that question. The annoyed tone of voice that those words were spoken with and the darkening look on Ben's face clearly unsettled the room, but his appearance was what was most unsettling to everyone.

If his words weren't enough to show they had disturbed him, his appearance was certainly clear enough. He was wearing his usual jet black trousers that had few creases in them but were the kind that everyone knew were hard to walk in with how straight and starched they were. That was no different or surprise than when they normally saw the King. But what was a surprise was that other than his trousers, he wasn't dressed formally at all.

Ben had a plain white button up dress shirt on but it was unbuttoned halfway down his chest, revealing the silver pendant hanging from the chain around his neck and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up past his elbows. His normally brushed blond hair was strewn about his head with curls waving off in every direction possible and his skin was flushed. Ben always turned up to meetings with his buttons done up and normally some kind of blazer or jacket on and his shirt tucked in. He always had to look presentable when in a meeting.

But apart from his attire, it was his expression that was unsettling everyone. He looked angry, he was glaring at every one of them like they had interrupted something or like all of them being here was pointless and he didn't want to be involved.

"Will someone tell me why I'm here?" Ben's voice snapped everyone out of their thoughts and when he planted his hands tightly on his hips and pressed his lips into a thin line, everyone shuddered.

"We need you to go over some documents and sign them, your highness." One of the men dared to speak up, digging his nails into his hand that was hidden behind his back that was as straight as a board. He was clearly trying his best to overlook the King's state and act professional as he motioned to the papers neatly stacked up on the desk in the middle of the room.

"Drop the formalities Johnson, I don't have time for that." Ben tilted his head down to look at the papers on the table but the way he glanced his eyes up to look at the man on his left showed his mood was not a good one. Ben didn't have time for them to keep up the game of 'your highness' or 'sir' or 'your majesty' which was a personal pet peeve of Ben's. He hated formalities in times when it wasn't needed, it wasted time and oxygen. No one had to act stiff as a board or try and hold their head high and be prim and proper right now.

Reaching across the table, Ben picked up one of the documents and quickly scanned his eyes over the many, many lines it held. He had grown very good at skimming pages and reading things in minimal time. He would just overlook the unimportant words in each line and grasp the concept of the page and it worked a treat to save time.

"Johnson what... what are you doing, what's the problem? They've already been signed, why the Hell am I here?" Ben threw the page down on the table, not bothering to watch the air sweep it up and carry it further to the other end of the table before he grabbed another page, and then another. They had all been signed, why did they call Ben to an emergency meeting today when he had no need to be here or to do anything?

"Yes, but you haven't signed them... they require your signature to get approved." Johnson's eyes drifted to the other men gathered in the room who either nodded or hummed in agreement. None of the pages had Ben's signature, they had (Y/n)'s.

The paper in Ben's hand suddenly started to contort into a crumpled state with how fierce Ben's grip was becoming as his head snapped to look at the man talking to him. His left hand stayed tightly digging into his hip but his chest was beginning to heave in a way that showed he was angry and nobody wanted that. Ben's eyes closed for a moment as he tried to process this but he couldn't believe what they were doing or what he was hearing.

"Who signed them?" Ben's tone was condescending, showing everyone he was searching for an answer that he already knew.

"Y-your wife, sir." Another man spoke up but his voice was wavering because he could see the fire in Ben's eyes. None of them thought (Y/n)'s signature was enough and that made a burning passion ignite in Ben's chest because he had gone through this with (Y/n) but he shouldn't have to go through this with everyone else. Ben had clearly allowed (Y/n) to sign them so everyone should know that Ben was allowing this, they shouldn't question it.

"Yes, that's my wife's signature. Do you honestly think I don't know she's signing these for me? I told her to sign them." Ben held the page in his hand out to them all before he pointed at the bottom line where (Y/n) had signed her name.

"Yes, but... they require you to sign them, not your wife." They were talking down to Ben as if he didn't understand and that was something he couldn't abide by. Too many people had talked to him like that, treating him like a child who had the crown placed on their head without knowing what to do. They tried to baby him and do what was best for him and act like he was stupid when he wasn't.

When Ben's jaw locked and started jutting side to side, everyone held their breaths and tried to stay clear of him in case he suddenly snapped.

"I'm the King, that means I'm the highest point of authority in the country. Now who do you think is the next highest person other than me? Anyone? It's (Y/n), she's the next point of authority you will all look to if something happens to me. If you care to read those documents, they don't say they have to be signed my me, they need a sovereign or a regent or the highest authority here so that includes (Y/n)."

The documents had to have a signature from someone high up to say they could be processed and Ben classed (Y/n) as his equal even if no one else did. She held the same power as him in his head and in the line of power she was next to him. No one came above her station except for Ben so in an emergency that Ben couldn't deal with, (Y/n) would be the person everyone went to.

"Do any of you know how many things I have to sign each day or how many of these shit meetings you make me go to? I don't have the time to sign all of these so I asked my wife to sign them and I think you'll find my say so is the only permission she needs to go ahead and sign these. If I find anyone here questioning her authority again your presence here will no longer be required. Are we clear?"

When Ben planted his hand down on the table to his right and leaned his weight against it, crossing one leg over the other, everyone nodded or muttered a quick but small yes in response. No one was going to go against him on this, they didn't have the nerve or the power to go up against Ben and no one in this room would be questioning (Y/n) or her power again.

"Good. Now I'm going because you've kept me from my wife for long enough, don't pull anymore stunts like this again, any of you. I won't have it."

The sea of men parted like waves on the sand when Ben turned around, all of them making a clear path to the door for him as not to aggravate him any further which he was thankful for. He dragged his nails through his hair as he stormed out of the meeting room he was thankful not to have to go back to for a few days yet.

Now he could get back to where he left off with (Y/n).