#best idea I have is to finish this game and hopefully that replaces the need to explain myself LOL | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

jihyuncompass · 3 years

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I saw your post about being low on inspo. This is a nsfw idea so I'm giving a heads up lol.

Sub Marius calling MC mistress/master in a needy voice to atone for his past teasings (cue missy) is a concept that drives me crazy from the day I downloaded the game.

Ohoho this idea. This idea. My god.

An Eye for an Eye

Marius x MC

Word Count: 3.2k

NSFW. Only read if 18+. Details under the cut.

Warnings/Tags: NSFW, Dom/Sub dynamics, mastrubation, blowjob, AFAB reader

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He could have seen this coming, he should have seen this coming. Marius’s eyes followed her as she approached him. She had that look in her eyes, the one that never failed to send his mind into overdrive. He tried not to let his excitement show, he didn’t want to spoil the fun.

Shifting in his seat Marius leaned against the back of the plush chair. His heart rate was starting to pick up, anticipation building up in his body. Taking a deep breath he forced himself to keep it together.

“Marius.” She said in a sweet and low tone. She leaned over him, lifting his chin up with her fingers. Forcing him to meet her darkening gaze, sending a thrill down his spine. Marius leaned forward a bit, trying to get closer to her.

“Yes missy?” He responded, voice matching her’s. He kept his focus on her.

She got closer to him, heat radiating off of her body. “You know you’ve been quite the troublemaker today.”

“Have I?” Marius said.

She hummed and let the light grip on his hair tighten. Without thinking Marius moved closer to her. “You have. Your teasing has been particularly incessant today.” She explained to him. Marius let a small smirk slip by.

“Aw, but missy.” Marius started. “Sometimes I can’t help myself.” He explained.

His teasing today had been purposeful as usual. He enjoyed watching her get so flustered. Watching her face turn red and leave her huffing at him. Maybe it was silly and childish. Like a boy tugging on a girl’s pigtails because he likes her. There was just something about the attention that made him excited.

There was of course another benefit to this behavior. A benefit he had a feeling he was going to see soon enough.

“You can’t help yourself?” She brought his head closer to her. “You really have so little self control?” He smiled again and tried to reach for her hips, purposefully brushing his fingers against the hem of her top.

“Maybe I don’t.” Marius said, trying to get closer to her. He stared into her eyes, trying to read her thoughts. He knew what he wanted from this, he searched in her eyes, hopefully she wanted the same thing too.

He reached forward and kissed her, he lifted one hand to rest on her shoulder. She kissed him back. The hand in his hair moved down to cup his cheek. Being this close to her, getting to feel her lips against the warmth and closeness of her body. It was turning his mind to mush, all he could think of was her.

As she pulled away from the kiss she met his eyes again. He smiled at her, trying to pull her back in. Still she kept herself just a few inches away from his face.

She straightened her back and stood up straight. Marius stared at her silently as she looked down at him, down to where he was already starting to strain against his pants.

“What’s got you so excited Marius?” She teased. Redness bloomed across his cheeks, he averted his gaze. She gently grabbed her chin and turned it so he’d meet her eyes again. “Is there something you want?”

Yes. He wanted to say, he wanted to beg her for what he wanted. Still he held himself together, holding onto his resolve. He leaned forward to get closer to her, resting his hands on her hips, trying to bring her closer.

Her hand moved from his chin to cup his cheek. Her thumb brushed against the flush, quickly spreading across his face. “Use your words sweetheart.” She told him.

“You know what I want.” He said. Making sure his tone got across exactly what was on his mind. She brushed her thumb across his cheek again, her smile sweet against her dark gaze.

“Do you really think I’m going to reward you after all your teasing today?” She said. Marius got himself off of the chair and got down onto his knees in front of her, eyes looking up at her, wide and begging.

“Please.” He started, letting his teasing and bratty facade slip away. Letting the vulnerable neediness show through in his face. “Please mistress.” The words slipped through his lips without much of a thought. Her eyes briefly widened in shock as she took a sharp breath.

After another moment the shock disappeared from her face, being replaced with a teasing gaze that seemed almost eerily similar to his own. “I guess I could give you a little something.” She said, using one hand to push his hair away from his eyes. Lightly pulling on the strands as she did. Letting go of his hair she walked past him, taking a seat in the chair Marius had previously been sitting in. On his knees he turned to face her again.

She made herself comfortable, eyes never leaving him. Resting her chin on her hand she gave him his first instruction.

“Take your clothes off for me.” She told him. He nodded, quickly shedding his jacket and throwing it away from himself, he continued with his shirt, tossing it right next to his jacket. Leaving his chest completely bare for her. The way she was smiling at him gave him the encouragement he needed to reach down and unbuckle his belt, pushing the rest of his clothing down past his thighs and after some maneuvering off of his body.

Completely exposed, she took him all in. The redness in his face that was quickly spreading down his neck, his once neat hair now wild from her hands in it. In his eyes she saw that needy intensity he always seemed to get during times like this. Her eyes trailed down his chest and abdomen, finally stopping to admire his fully erect cock. Already red with precum glistening at the tip.

Letting a smile slip through she lifted her gaze back to his face. “Now, are you going to be good for me?” She asked him, raising her brow at him. Marius nodded, stopping when her gaze towards him turned sharper.

“Yes.” He said.

“Yes what?”

Marius’s face burned but he looked into her eyes as he spoke again. “Yes mistress.” She didn’t fight the smile on her face. He looked so beautiful like this, she wished she had his painting skills so she could capture this moment. Instead she tried to take a mental image of him like this, trying to take in every detail.

“Good boy.” She said. “Touch yourself for me, that way you like it.”

Marius didn’t need to be told twice. He swiftly wrapped his fingers around his shaft, and started to stroke himself. Using his thumb to spread the accumulated precum down his shaft to make the motion. A shaky breath escaped his throat, his eyes closed as he focused on the feeling quickly spreading through his body. Even without looking at her he could feel her eyes on him, watching his every move and every heavy breath.

With each jerk of his wrist another wave of pleasure went through his body. Steadily taking over his body and making his mind hazy. He couldn’t have even cared if he was being loud or if his knees ached from his position on the floor. All he could care about right now was how good it felt.

His breaths were heavy with moans, the occasional whine escaping in between. That sound was like the sweetest music to her ears. Trying to ignore the growing ache between her legs she never let her eyes leave him. A small voice in her head was saying she should take over for him, let her be the one to do the work.

Later. She told herself, this image was far too enjoyable for right now. Without him even speaking a word she could see how close he was getting, how ragged his breaths and moans were becoming, how fast his hand moved as he stroked himself. He was getting close, so close, it could be any second now.

“Stop.” She instructed. Her voice broke him out of his haze, his hand stopped. His chest heaved as he opened his eyes to glance up at her. Smiling down at him with a sweetly sadistic smile.

“Why-” She cut him off before he could even finish the word. Grabbing a handful of hair she pulled his hair to make him look up at her.

“I never said this was a reward.” She said. Marius opened his mouth to speak again but the tighter grip on his hair stopped him before he could even make a sound. “You don’t interrupt your mistress.” She chastised.

His face fell into a pout. He tried to give her the best begging eyes he could, but it didn’t seem to make a difference.

“I’m sorry mistress.” He said. She released her grip on his hair, gently rubbing the spot to soothe the aching strands.

“That’s right.” Her hand travelled down to cup his cheek, letting him lean into her hand. “You know Marius, you can behave so well when you choose to.” She admired how he sought out her touch, how desperately he wanted her.

She lingered for a few moments longer before pulling away her hand. Marius looked calmer, which is what she had been aiming for. As her hand pulled away his eyes went back up towards her. Awaiting her next words like a puppy waiting for a treat.

“You can touch yourself again, harder this time.” She told him. He smiled and nodded.

“Yes mistress, thank you mistress.” He said. He returned his attention to his throbbing erection, only needing a few quick strokes to get back to that state of pleasure he’d been in before. Mind filled with nothing but heat and intense sensation. Doing it just as she said he made sure his movements were faster and more intense. Each second made him lose control a little bit more than before.

“Does that feel good, baby?” She asked him, her hand tracing patterns into his shoulder. He nodded furiously. “You’re doing a very good job.” Even with his eyes squeezed closed he felt the way she was watching him still.

Each motion was getting more intense, he could feel that familiar pressure starting to build up. Just a little more like this, just a little bit more, just a little-

“Stop.” She said. He cried out as he let go of himself, looking up at her again. The pressure inside him already starting to decrease. “You were close weren’t you?” He nodded but she didn’t find that answer satisfactory. “Remember baby, use your words.”

Swallowing a lump in his throat he struggled to speak above a whisper. “Yes, I was close.”

This was all on purpose, Marius knew that. She was going to force him to edge himself until she determined when he could finish. She could do this for hours if she so wished. The very thought of that brought tears to his eyes. His cock was already throbbing painfully, his whole body shaking with need.

Running her hands over his shoulders and rubbing his back she soothed him, but with every one of his nerves lit up even the smallest of touches was making him ache. He rested his head against her leg. Burying his face against her thigh.

“You know what’s happening sweetheart.” She said. “You’ve teased me all day with your jokes and comments. So now I’m teasing you.”

He didn’t see how the two could even be equivalent, but he didn’t question her. He did want to finish at some point after all, and any smart remark would earn him another failed finish.

Pushing his sweat soaked hair away from his eyes she made sure that he met her eyes. As sweet as her face was, her eyes were filled with her own pleasure seeing him like this. So needy and begging.

“Can you keep going?” She asked him softly. Breaking out of the sweet but sadistic tone she’d been using before. “Are you okay Marius?”

Taking a breath to pull himself together he nodded. “I’m okay. I wanna keep going.”

She nodded back. Leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead, then returning to her previous posture. “Sit up straight baby, keep your eyes on me.”

Although he moved slowly he straightened his back and repositioned his knees on the floor. He was probably going to have bruises there by the end of this, she thought. She’d make sure to take care of that later.

“You know what I’m going to tell you don’t you?” She asked. He nodded, she smiled at his understanding. “Very good. You’ve been listening well.” Marius blushed at her compliment, somehow becoming even redder than he already was. “Go ahead, you have my permission to get back to it.”

Just like the two times before he held his shaft in his hand, he was getting so sensitive now. Even just the act of wrapping his fingers around himself sent a shiver throughout his whole body. Still he moved his hand up and down, just as before.

The cycle continued again. He’d stroke himself to the point of near completion before she’d tell him to stop before letting him continue again once he’d come down from the edge. With each cycle the time it would take for him to get close to finishing was getting shorter and shorter.

She kept a mentally tally in her head of how many times she’d made him do this. This wasn’t the first time she’d edged him, but this was the first time he’d managed to go so many cycles. In the past she’d managed maybe two or three rounds at most before he’d beg for her to let him be done. This time he had already broken his previous record. Despite that though, he was getting close to the end of his rope.

“Stop.” She told him after another round. Marius cried out, tears filling his eyes, she could see how his body was starting to shake with oversensitivity. Marius leaned forward to rest against her knee, eyes closed with a growing exhaustion. She wiped one of the tears from his eyes, her other hand massaging his back and shoulders to help him relax.

In this state he was so far from the Marius she’d seen this morning. How he’d teased her with a confident air around him, a smirk on his lips that made her question if she should punch him or kiss him. Now he was on his knees, holding her leg for support, completely at her mercy.

“Good boy Marius.” She said. “You’ve been so good.” He weakly lifted his head to look at her. She smiled at him, all sweetness this time. “I think you’ve atoned for your teasing earlier today.” His head perked up, was she saying what he thought she was saying?

His voice was getting weak but he spoke nonetheless. “Yes mistress.”

“I think you’ve earned your reward. Do you think you’ve earned it?”

“Yes, please mistress.” She leaned forward in her seat.

“Come up here, take my seat.” Standing up she helped him stand on his weak knees. Collapsing into the chair Marius watched her as she lowered herself to her knees in front of him. The same position he’d been in just moments earlier.

Her hand trailed up his thigh, her fingers gently taking hold of the base of his shaft. He breathed out a moan. Despite his own work her hand always felt a million times better than his could ever.

After a few strokes she opened her mouth to push his tip between her lips. The instant warmth made him moan loudly. Her tongue swirled around the tip, spending a long moment to focus on it before moving her head down to take more of him in. The warm softness of her mouth sent waves of white hot pleasure through him.

Hollowing out her cheeks she took as much of him as she could. Using her hand to hold the rest of his cock she couldn’t quite fit. Just as quickly as she took him in she started to bob her head up and down. Humming as she went down on him, the vibrations sending even more pleasure straight through him.

“Ah-” He gasped. “That’s so good.” He reached down to hold the back of her head, encouraging her to keep going. One of her hands gripped his thigh, her eyes closed in deep concentration.

His mind was growing fuzzy again. There was nothing he could focus on besides the intense pleasure he was feeling. His breaths were labored as he sat there, his moans growing louder and higher in pitch as she forced herself to take more of him.

That overwhelmingly familiar pressure was building again, this time he didn’t try and keep it away. He forced his eyes open to look at her, to focus on her, her lips were getting swollen already, spit and precum making them glisten.

“I’m-” He started, another moan cutting him off. “I’m going to finish mistress I need to I-” He gasped as he felt the pressure inside him explode, his vision went white as he cried loudly. His hold on her head tightened and held her there as he felt himself finish inside her mouth, the way she quietly groaned sending another shock through him.

Removing his hands from her head he pushed his hair out of his face. His entire body was left a weak shaking mess. His chest heaved as he looked down at her. She released his softening cock from her mouth with a wet pop.

She stood up and leaned close to him, making sure he saw some of his cumt that lingered on her lips. Despite his shaking body he leaned forward to kiss her. He didn’t even care that he could taste the bitter fluid. He just needed to kiss her, he needed that more than anything else in the world.

Marius pulled her in to sit on his lap, wanting to keep her close. She broke away from the kiss, holding his face in her hands.

“Was that too much?” She asked him. He shook his head.

“No.” He answered as a whisper. He held her close to him.

“You’re okay?”

“I’m okay.” He said. She kissed his forehead. “I’m sorry for teasing you so much earlier.”

“You’re not sorry.” She joked. Marius laughed weakly.

“No, I’m not.” He sighed, smiling at her. “You’re okay too?”

“Mmhm.” She nodded. Marius kissed her again, melting against her.

After a few more gentle kisses he pulled away just a few centimeters. “Is it my turn to make you feel good missy?”

She smiled at him and smoothed down his hair. “Let’s rest a bit first. Come on, let’s go to your bedroom, lie down for a bit.” He nodded but hesitated to let go of her. “Marius?”

“Just one more moment.” He said. “Just one more.”

Pressing another kiss to his forehead she obliged. Letting him hold her like she was the whole world, and her holding him back. Like he was the whole universe.

#tears of themis #tot #not for minors #listen i was gonna make this short and simple #but this idea was far too good so i had to go all out #marius von hagen #marius x reader #lu jinghe x reader #lu jinghe #thank you anon for this gift #I had a ton of fun writing this out <3

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krabmeat · 3 years

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I have not written anything in some time - since I took a break from my writing account, actually (now deleted) - so cut me some slack here. I’m gonna format this in the same way that I did my old fics for that jolt of serotonin. So, if you would be so kind to indulge me, this is how I (niceimafan) would have submitted this work on fandoesfictionwriting:

What War Does || (platonic) Father Figure c!Phil x Teen gn!Reader

A/N: This is my submission for the 100 follower milestone of the lovely @/krabmeat! Krabs (Damien today) is an amazing friend of mine and is quite possibly the best human being in the world. (Go follow him if you haven’t already!)

War struggles paired with the classic familial miscommunication, what could be better as a way for me to get back into writing? This takes place around the time of Doomsday, or the final battle/destruction. Also I can’t remember if Wilbur’s room was still there at the time of Doomsday because I have goldfish memory so pretend it was if it wasn’t.

Requested: No

{Word Count: 1,946}

CW: intense arguing, mentions of war, mentions of death, cursing (up to the f-word), caps, use of godforsaken (I don’t know if people get triggered by that? I’m not religious so I wouldn’t know), very brief mention of spit, less than great relationship with father

This is an xreader fic!

This has been proofread. (skimmed rip I don’t like reading my writing)

- In which Y/N and Phil argue about Y/N and their right to participate in Doomsday. -

Phil works away high in the sky, loading cannons with enough TNT to detonate a nation. He, Techno, and Dream have everything planned out; you know because they did all of the planning right in front of you. Meaning you know everything they are going to do, and you aren’t even allowed to be involved.

You avert your eyes from your father and pick mindlessly at some grass instead, feeling the cold breeze of afternoon cool your flaming temper. For a moment, it appears as though everything might be fine, like you could get over this and let the Big War Men do their thing. But then Phil’s boots appear in front of you, and it’s all ruined again.

“You look miserable,” he says. Phil finishes his sentence with an airy laugh, trying to convey that he’s trying to joke with you. And so you make sure that the gaze you shoot him ensures he understands you do not find him humorous. Phil sighs, taking a seat beside you.

“Look, I understand that you want to help. I do! But I also understand that people with a spirit as strong as yours have risen to unimaginable heights, only to crash back down onto the blade of loss. And I fear that you will be no different.” Phil places his hand on your shoulder. “I just want you to be safe.”

You shrug him off, turning your neck so fast to glare at him it leaves a sharp stinging sensation in your movement’s wake. “Safe? You want me to be safe? No one is safe here, and you know that.”

“Y/N, you know-”

“What, Phil? What do I know? Because according to you, it doesn’t seem like a lot.” You stand after that, stomping off in an attempt to clear your mind, hoping Phil won’t follow you. But, of course, he does.

“Y/N, wait.” He shouts, but he makes no move to speed up or stop you. He simply follows along at a distance, saying nothing else. Probably waiting for you to make the first move. But you refuse, you refuse to let him win this and watch you break again.

And so the two of you walk in silence, you with no destination in mind and Phil’s footsteps echoing yours calmly in the distance. All you can do is follow your feet to wherever they find fit for this argument to play out.

To your amusement, you find yourself in Wilbur’s old room. Where he blew up his dreams for the first time and where Phil took the life of his son. How fitting.

You finally come to a stop, taking a brief moment to collect yourself, before spinning around on your heel to address your father. “Ph- Phil?” It does shock you to find that Phil isn’t there. He’s not standing behind you with a small, comforting smile, or with his eyebrows pinched together in a way that lets you know you’re going to be scolded. Nothing.

“You dress like him, you know.” Phil says from behind you. You whirl around again, reaching for your sword on instinct. Phil stands with his hands clasped behind his back, staring out over the soon-to-be battlegrounds.

“What?” It feels like you’ve lost all air in your lungs. Phil doesn’t just say things like that, especially not to you. And of course you know who he’s talking about; Techno doesn’t wear tattered trench coats and Tommy hasn't adorned ripped up fingerless gloves to protect from burns, to your knowledge. But speaking of Wilbur when referring to another child of his in this room in particular hit you in a place you have not yet built walls in.

“Wilbur. You dress like him.” Phil turns around, and you finally see that his eyes are watering. But he still has that sympathetic smile plastered on his face. “Every day, you remind me of him. And in doing so, you remind me that I can not let you turn out the way that Will did.

“Wilbur was changed by war. He destroyed everything he worked for because of it. And for that to happen to you, with such grand dreams and ideas, it would be heartbreaking.” Phil can’t maintain eye contact with you anymore, “I just want you to be everything that Wilbur couldn’t have been.”

You let his words sink in, and as they do, you begin to fight with yourself.

He just wants to help you!

How, by comparing me to his dead son? Yeah, something about that doesn’t feel right.

Just hear him out.

You grit your teeth, balling up and releasing your fingers into and out of fists. “I am not Wilbur.”

Phil shakes his head, rubbing the place where his eyebrows crease together. “I know that, and that’s not what I’m trying to sa-”

“Yes, that is exactly what you just said!” You begin to raise your voice, getting tired of this stupid game you two are playing with each other. Lying about what you’re really talking about to try and avoid the inevitable. “You just compared me to your dead son that went crazy and blew up everyone’s homes! The one that sold drugs out of a damn hot dog van!”

The air around you seemed to heat up as tensions between you two started to rise, Phil clearly getting more angry as well. “You are not Wilbur, but you are my child!”

“Oh, am I? Am I, Philza? And how long have I been your child for, huh? My whole life, a year, a few months, just this past hour? You have been trying and failing to be my father figure because you just see me as some rogue that could get too far out of control unless you’re there. Isn’t that right?”

“No, of course not. I just-”

“No! How could I have not realized? You just want a replacement! Someone to fill the hole that was left in your poor old heart when you stabbed your son through the chest.”

“I love you, Y/N, you don’t understand! You are like a child to me, you always have been! From the moment that I met you, I saw greatness in you. I swear, you mean more to me than just some replacement for Wilbur.”

Tears burn your eyes, the singular one that fell leaving a streak through the gunpowder and dirt smudged on your cheeks. You shake your head and scoff, unable to believe that this is the conversation you are currently stuck in. “Phil, that’s the kind of bullshit that you have to tell yourself in order to sleep at night. But guess what? It doesn’t work on me.”

“It doesn’t have to ‘work on you’, it’s just the truth, Y/N. I don’t know how I can get you to believe me.”

“You can’t, Phil.” You say, trying to ignore the way your voice cracks. “Because I have believed people, and then those people have either died, or tried to kill me, or both. So you know what I did? I grew up, Phil. Because THAT is what war does.

“It doesn’t make you write sad song lyrics on the walls, it doesn’t make you love your father figure oh so dearly, all it does is make you realize that there is more in this world to deal with than whatever any one person can do. And once you wrap your head around that, you realize that the best you can do is make the smallest of dents, and hope some other people do the same. That is how this world works, Phil.

“And do you know what my dent is going to be?” Phil has blurred by now. Once you blink the tears away, you can see that he’s crying too. Good. Now you’re really on the same page. “Blowing up this godforsaken nation once and for all.”

You turn to walk away again, hopefully for the last time, but Phil actually makes a move to stop you before you can get anywhere. “Y/N, I refuse to allow you to go out there and risk your life for a war already fought.”

“No war is already fought until people are dead.” You snap at him, resisting the urge to spit on his boots. “Besides, I can handle myself, I don’t need you to tell me who I can and can’t fight.”

“Y/N, I am your father!” Phil’s voice practically echoes through the entire SMP as he shouts at you, finally just as mad as you wanted him to be. You’re convinced people on the other side of L’Manberg can hear you two arguing. “Listen to me, you can not risk this.”

“YOU ARE NO FATHER TO ME!” You scream, getting your face as close to Phil’s as possible while still being able to look into both of his eyes. Phil’s eyes widen, whether in pain, shock, or both, you don’t know, but he quickly recovers with a stare solid enough to cut through stone.

“Do NOT turn this argument to family matters when we are discussing life and death!”

“This is no longer a discussion, dad,” you make sure to add as much venom to the name as possible, “We are not talking this out like a father scolds his young kid about what they can and can not touch in the house. We are screaming, and shouting, and ruining relationships like adults.” You try one more time to walk out. This time you make it down to the ground floor, but Phil follows you yet again, stopping you before you can reach the Prime Path.

“You aren’t an adult, though.” Phil’s voice is softer now, he sounds like he’s on the verge of defeat. “You’re still a kid. You shouldn’t have to deal with all of this.”

“I was made an adult because of this damn war over some stupid place, I should be able to fight for it’s destruction like one.” You also stop shouting, but you don’t soften your voice. You keep it as firm as it can be despite your wobbly crying, letting Phil know that you are no longer playing games with him like you used to.

“I know that you could. I do. But that does not mean that you should.”

“Awwe, you really think so?” You feign a high-pitched voice, even clasping your hands together under your chin. “You honestly think that I can handle something more than a boo-boo, huh?”

“You know that I am making no attempt to infantilize you, Y/N. If you’re such an adult, you need to grow up. I do believe that you could fight for us, but I do not see it as wise.”

“Bullshit,” you say again, wiping at your eyes with your sleeve. Phil tries to speak again, but you cut him off. “No. No! No, I don’t want you to tell me over and over about what I can and can’t do. About how you think I could be a good ally to you. I already know that, because I can make my own decisions.

“Do you know what I do want, Philza? I bet that’s something that your infinitely wise mind can’t think of. All that I want, all that I have wanted for the past SIX. FUCKING. YEARS. Is for you to just take me seriously for once in your damn life!”

Philza stands there in silence, seemingly dumbfounded, and you take this as your chance to stomp off for good. But you know full well that you’ll see Phil tomorrow. On the battlefield.

But you won’t be fighting for him, or Tommy, or Wilbur, or any of them. Tomorrow, you fight for yourself, and you win for yourself.

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

DUDE WHAT?!?!?! INK THIS IS IMMACULATE HOW IN THE- WHAT THE F-CK THE WAY YOU CAPTURE THE ANGER AND FEELINGS AND HESITATION OF THE ARGUMENT IS SO WELL DONE!! AND THE FLOW OF TRANSITIONING FROM ONE SETTING TO ANOTHER ISNT CLUMPY OR FORCED AT ALL, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL INK! AND THE BUILDUP TO THE QUOTE, THE WAY YOU REALLY EMBODY ALL OF THE CHARACTERS IS SO MASTERFULLY DONE DEAR, AMAZING JOB!!!

#submission #hope you dont mind the tags ajdjslsol #xreader #x reader #platonic #platonic x reader #platonic xreader #c!phil x reader #c!phil x teen!reader #father figure c!phil #angst #dreamsmp x reader #dsmp x reader #dream smp x reader #writing event

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gb-patch · 3 years

Text

Ask Answers: May 15th Part 2

And here’s the next part of the long answer set of the day!

When will OL: N&F take place? Beginnings and Always took place during summer breaks, will now and forever take place during a fall break or will the characters be going to school at the time of the events we play through?

It takes place over all of the fall season, so school will be happening in OL2. Some events do take place in school, though many times events only start after school is already out for the day, haha.

Hey!! I have kind of a weird question?? I’m sorry if it’s been answered before and I just haven’t seen it but is OL 2 taking place during the same years as OL 1? I’m just curious, thank you for such amazing games!!!

It’s a similar time frame, but not 100% exactly same.

Do you have any idea when the demo for now and forever will be available?

Hopefully this fall! But that’s not a guarantee.

Okay the crime show in Step 2: Growing up. Long blonde hair, police station, crime series? Was it The Closer? Because I’m the same age as MC and Cove and my mom was constantly watching that when I was 13. 😂

Haha, yeah! The Closer and, to a lesser degree, Medium were the kind of shows I was referencing there. My mom also used to watch those back in the day.

Hey um this might be an odd question but if the setting of OL: N&F is fall/autumn, what country or city will it take because my mind tells me it is either Poland or Canada. Also I can't wait for the game I am hyped

It’s set in the USA again. We’d like to be able to have cameos and that’s easiest to do if the OL games take place in the same country.

Is it possible for the PC of OL to have non-seriously dated other people in the in between years even if they’ve had a consistent crush on Cove?

You can causally date Baxter in Step 3 if you get his DLC and then ultimately choose Cove in Step 4. If you mean off-screen people, it doesn’t really come up, but you can certainly headcanon that. The game never says Cove is the only partner you’ve ever had.

Is there going to be a Kickstarter for Now and Forever as well? For like voiced names and stuff again? Didn’t find B&A until after it was released and I’d really love the opportunity to hear my name in the game 🥺

Yeah, we are gonna have a Kickstarter with getting a voiced name as a reward! Though, it will be more expensive than it was for OL1. I feel bad to raise the price but we realized too late the first time around that it was being super undersold for the amount of work it took, aha.

Do you know how much the remaining DLC for OL will cost? (Step 4, Derek, Baxter)

Step 4: Free

Wedding DLC: $2.99USD

Derek DLC: $4.99USD

Baxter DLC: $4.99USD

Has an artist for the new position been picked yet?! I'm super excited for the new game!

We did fill that spot. Thank you so much for taking the time to apply!

hmmm what would it take to get each of the XOXO jerk squad to feel the need to hug you?

They’d have to first like you a fair amount, otherwise the most you’d get is maybe a pat on the shoulder. If they were attached, they might hug you if you broke down crying or if you gave them super good news.

Unless it’s Shiloh, of course. If you want a hug you only have to ask!

May i ask how the Derek DLC will work? I believe that there aren’t any memories in step 4 and doesnt derek’s dlc take place during that step? So will the dlc add memories? Thank you!

Derek’s DLC will add five Moments to Step 2 (a new page will appear on that screen if you get the DLC). Then in Step 4 you’ll have to choose between playing the default epilogue or going through the Derek romance story.

Is the pc version on itch,io different from the steam version? Like an offline one or something?

Steam has achievements, but that’s about it. Both can be played offline, if you prefer.

I've been wondering this for awhile, what determines if cove winds up with a ponytail in step 3? I've done multiple runs with different MCs with varying hairstyles. Or does it have to do with a particular moment in step 2?

I’m afraid I can’t say exact choices that determine things. But generally it’s preference based options in the Step before that decide those things.

Any Floret Bond updates?

No, the artist had to leave the project and it’s been on-hold. I’m not sure if I want to try working just with what we have or replacing it all entirely. The design is a bit too specific for us to easily find someone who could mimic it. Hopefully we’ll work things out later, though.

In step 3 is Cove's plan always to stay in sunset bird?

Yeah. He is never ready at 18-years-old to make a big life change.

I love your content! If it's alright to ask, you answered in a previous ask about how Jeremy was too particular with what he likes his types to be romanceable with just any MC and it's sort of got me wondering.. What /are/ his types and/or preferences and such? Sorry if it's a lot!

Jeremy likes stubborn jerks and will not date someone who’s sweet or even generally a decent person, haha.

uh, excuse me if you said this somewhere before, but how will step 4 be actually? Will it he like an actual step and have moments and dlc and all? Or will it be more like a long epilogue of some sort?

Will the step 4, the wedding and extra routes dlcs be paid too? Im just confused, sorry if im asking too much

Step 4 is only an epilogue, so it’s just a long series of scenes one after the other rather than a collection of Moments you can choose from.

The Step 4 epilogue is free, the wedding DLC, Derek DLC, and Baxter DLC cost money.

i’m not sure how much of the wedding dlc you have planned already, or if this would be to spoilery, but what kind of wedding traditions will be included? i keep thinking about how flustered cove would get over a garter toss & was wondering if we’d see a scene like that haha. obviously no worries if it’s not included, i’ll enjoy literally anything cove related

I don’t know for sure yet, haha. Right now we’re focused on the parts before the big day. We’ll see how many scene alterations we can include for the wedding itself later on.

Hello! Firstly, thank you for creating such an amazing game like OL, and I couldn’t be more excited for OL2! Out of curiosity, are you looking for any writers to come on for OL2 or are you all pretty much set in that department? Just thought I’d shoot my shot haha but I’m still excited regardless ^^!

We will be hiring writers for OL2 later this year! Thank you for the interest.

Will we be blessed with a spin-off Yandere Cove, like XOXO Blood Droplets?

Sadly, no. It’s a shame but there’s not enough time to keep making OL1 bonus/spin-off content.

How is Q pronounced?

I’m afraid Q’s full name hasn’t been publicly announced yet so I can’t answer here (Q and T are the first letters of the names for the new LIs in Our Life: Now & Forever).

Question; is the steam version getting a Mac update? I purchased the dlc there thinking it had Mac support without realizing it and just wondered if I’d need to refund it to purchase on itch.io 😭

I’m really sorry, you will need to get a refund from Steam. We do hope to have it there for Steam eventually, but have no idea of when it’ll happen. Apple requires special notarization to be an officially accepted app for their devices. We don’t have that. Steam requires having that, Itch will let you release it as an non-notarized third party app. That’s why Itch is the only place that has the Mac version right now.

would you mind posting outfit sheets for Cove in every step? it would make things a lot easier for us artists. it would save a lot of time spent looking for references

I think we did do the earlier steps when they were finished way back in 2019 (this game took a long time to make, aha), but we can probably repost them sometime!

In our life n&f, will we be able to get into qprs/will there be more options in regards to having deep platonic relationships with the love interests? Because as an aroace individual, it would be great if there could also be emphasis on platonic love so that it's more aspec inclusive.

It’s a little hard to say at this point. There may not be things like a wedding DLC for OL2 and so the relationship for platonic and romantic feelings might not go as far as it did in the first game. We’ll kind of have to see how much we can do based on timeframe/budget constraints that will only be set near the end of the year. But we will be keeping things like that in mind at least.

hi! i really really like your game and im absolutely in love with it! i cant wait to try your other games like xoxo droplet and future OL NF :))

during the step 3 erands moment i got curious, which fudge flavor is his favorite? it seems like he likes all of them, but which 4 do you think he would like best?

also i noticed that in some playthroughs cove would let me give him a piggy back ride, and in some he wouldn't, how come?

how does your choices affect cove's interests or looks? i replayed the game without changing any choices but i got cove to look different, is it just random?

thank you!

Cove’s favorite flavors are ones with nuts and that are fruity! But he appreciates them all. Whether or not you can give him a piggyback ride depends on if your MC is fit/large enough to hold a muscular 6-foot-tall beach boy, haha.

Cove’s appearance does depend on choices and it’s generally tied to choices that are preference based rather than emotion/action based, such as which key chain you pick in Step 1.

Is it possible for cove to reject MC's proposal at the end of step 3?

Nope. He’ll always accept.

hi! i was wondering how heavily the side characters will be featured in the our life wedding dlc? obviously it'll be cove & mc focused, but i was thinking it'd be sweet if we could take lizzie dress / suit shopping or dance with cliff at the wedding or something.

The side characters are there about as often as they are in normal events. So, it’s clearly focused on Cove but he’s not the only person you have any meaningful moments with.

When will responses be sent out to applicants?

I’m afraid we don’t send responses out to all applications, only ones we’re interested in offering the position to. Not everyone likes rejection emails and the amount of applications is too high to contact them all to say we’re not hiring them. We post updates on the job page when a position has news. Right now we’ve filled every role that was open.

Is there also going to be the option to keep your relationships with the love interests platonic in Our Life: Now and Forever? That's something I really appreciate in Our Life: Beginnings and Always

Yeah! OL will never force you to end up in a romantic relationship with someone.

I was wondering, in the Step 3 Happiness moment, what are the different fishes Cove can compare MC to? I got "you'd be a paradise fish, because being with you is paradise," but my friend got "you'd be an angelfish." Are there more variations?

He says paradise fish if you’re a couple, angelfish if he’s just crushing, and then a royal dottyback/queenfish/emperor tetra (based on your gender) if he likes the MC platonicly.

Hello! So, in one of the Step 3 DLCs, Cove's arm was gone. I think it was to show him putting his arm behind his back. But if that wasn't the case, did it get yeeted?

Thanks for letting us know. That was an error we tried to fix a little while back. When did you make the save file you were playing? If it was older that might be why it happened. Or maybe the error wasn’t fully fixed after all.

Asking for your opinion, but do you think Cove would at all be into ABBA? Because all I could imagine during the car trip in step 3 was him and the MC belting to Mamma Mia.

Haha, yeah, there’d definitely be some ABBA songs he was into.

So throughout the game, Cove can develop different interests depending on the player’s choices; does this mean that he can have different careers in Step 4? Or his is line of work in adulthood never mentioned at all?

He can have different career paths in Step 4!

Hi!! I'm so so sorry if this has been asked before but I just acquired knowledge about the so famous nsfw dlc for OL and nearly chocked on my bubblegum 💀💀💀 So, my real inquiry is if that specific moment will have any kind of impact at some point of the fourth step OR if it will just be treated as a side-story-ish “what if” scenario.Also, is there any chance there'll be something similar for Step 4? Haha jk,,, unless 😳Questions apart let me thank you profoundly for making the best visual novel I've ever played 😭 Really really looking forward the epilogue and OL2 💕 Have a nice day

It’s just a bonus side story that’s fully separate from the main game.

It would be nice to have one for Step 4 too, but I sadly don’t see us having time to actually do it. I don’t know, if people are still asking for more OL1 content several months from now it might be doable and worth doing.

I'd just like to ask, when is Baxter's birthday :0 -- I'm really curious esp with their zodiac signs so ;w;

I don’t know, haha. Maybe I’ll come up with one someday.

Please help!! I bought the Step 3 DLC but I still have no idea how to get to where you can propose to Cove - any tips?

How do I get the option to propose to Cove at the end of the game?

You can click HERE for a discussion on that.

I love that Miranda and Terry are getting together! I'm curious if you have canon sexualities for them? Also just wanted to say how much I love OL and how much joy it brings me everytime I play it <3

Terry likes ladies and Miranda likes dudes!

ngl Step 4 Terry's design reads like y'all see trans guys as their assigned gender more than you see them as men to me (a trans guy)... like maybe if he isn't heavily dysphoric, I could see it, but everything you've said about him doesn't line up with that. Even then, immediate warning bells go off in my head looking at him. I wouldn't have touched the game if I saw him ahead of time.

I’m sorry you aren’t comfortable with the way the design looks. The situation with Terry is that he’s now open about who he is, but the body he was born with is still physically the same. He only came out recently as an adult and hasn’t gone through any treatments/procedures yet (his chest is flatter because he wears a binder). However, even though his body hasn’t transitioned at the point Step 4 happens, no one treats him as anything other than the guy he is. Having a trans character who’s identity is supported/respected from the start is what we’re going for in this case. But what we’re doing with Terry isn’t the only trans content we’ve ever had/ever will have in the future.

how would baxter react to bae pyoun and vice versa? and can you please detailly explain both love interests personalities from our life 2: now and forever? i was just curious, sorry for dumb question!!

I imagine it’d be pretty opposite experiences, haha. Bae would initially think Baxter is pushy and thoughtless, but would quickly realize, oh, he’s instead a soft, considerate boy. Very cute. Baxter would first be struck with the impression that Bae is charming and gentlemanly, but then would realize that, no, he’s a sarcastic asshole. And I’m afraid we can’t reveal the personalities for the next game yet.

Sorry if you've already answered this, but I have a question about the patreon exclusive moment you're working on. I was wondering if it's mainly going to be CGs or if it's mostly character sprites + backgrounds with some CGs.

Either way, thank you for doing the Lord's work and not only making Cove, but making this bonus moment as well 😌😌😌

It’s mostly sprites/backgrounds with two CGs!

—– —– —– —–

Thank you again for the interesting questions everyone :D

We released a new FAQ! It answers common questions and we’ll keep adding more to it. Please check there before sending an ask. FAQ Also, if you prefer to just see the main posts without all the asks/reblogs, feel free to follow our side account instead: GB Patch Updates Blog

#our life #Our Life Beginnings & Always #Our Life: Now & Forever #xoxo droplets #ask #gb patch #gb patch games

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ayamturd · 3 years

Text

afraid│nihachu

summary: you wanted to explore the world above, and niki thought it best to bring the trinkets of the world to you

warnings: none, only fluff

pairing: (requested) in-game origins!niki

a/n: i’m so sorry this took so long for me to write, i’ve honestly been in the strongest angst mood lately but hopefully did justice to your request! (this was so cute as an idea)

also thank you for my first origin! request, ik the hype has faded at this point but this was still so fun to write and explore :)

wc: (3.1k) - m.list

“You’re staring again.”

“AHHH!” Whipping around, Niki gaped at Wilbur, his amused grin meeting her wide-eyed shock as she placed a hand to her heart, exhaling deep breaths to collect herself.

He was phased through the ground, his neck barely peaking out of the soil until he fully emerged, his body transparent as the sun gleamed through him.

She lifted her head, craning to see whether you noticed the both of them or not from behind the river bend, and smacked Wilbur as hard as she could once realizing they were in the clear.

“What was that for,” Wilbur whined, pouting and simultaneously rubbing his now sore arm. Despite fuming, Niki’s deep glare barely fazed him as he began cackling at how upset she looked.

“Wilbur,” Niki spat out. He paid no attention to her tone and held his stomach in laughter, floating slightly above her. “Oh lighten up, will you?”

He propped his face on his hands, smirking while looking down at her with a teasing voice. “It’s cute.”

She huffed in response, turning away from him with her arms crossed. “Shut up.”

“Awwww Niki,” he cooed. She refused to meet his eyes and stared down, swishing her tail in the water as it reflected on the afternoon sun.

“What do you want?” Wilbur groaned at her lack of play but leaned on his back, tilting his head backwards to see her as he hovered. “You really are no fun.”

As she turned to glare at him again, he giggled but continued to speak. “When are you finally going to talk to them?”

Sputtering at his question, Niki became flustered and tried to argue back, but she struggled with her words. “I do talk to them!”

He gave her a deadpan expression, a look of judgement from her defense as she furrowed her eyebrows in response. “I do!”

Sighing dramatically, Wilbur paid no attention to her pathetic excuse with a smile. His lack of retention angered Niki more. “Wilbur!”

“You are so whipped Niki, it’s adorable.”

Niki pushed herself up and strived to hit him again, though Wilbur was fast enough and raised just out of her reach. Sitting on the bank with her tail still dipped in the water, she grumbled at his antics once more. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hmmm, is that so?”

Niki paused, unsure if it was that obvious for him to point it out in such a manner. She became insecure to the thought, afraid that her small advancements were really that noticeable despite getting her nowhere. Her sudden silence made Wilbur’s smile fade, and he quickly picked up on her self-doubt.

“Don’t do that.” His tone was harshly blunt and broke Niki’s train of thought.

“Do what,” she asked meekly. Glancing up at him through her hair, she looked back down into her lap before turning her head in the direction you were last.

“Be afraid of the truth,” Wilbur stated. Floating down, he met her eye level and peered up at her. His expression, while serious, held a kind smile to encourage her of the fact while his eyes were soft. “You like them, Niki, and you shouldn’t be afraid of saying it.”

She sighed and tried to turn away, but he wasn’t having it and pulled her chin back gently. “Niki.”

“I know, I know.” Niki shook his hand off, shaking her head slightly and pushing his hand away while moving to hold her own arms, the makeshift hug a form of comfort to the idea. “I just- I’ve never had feelings like this like I do for them. It’s all so new.”

“And I understand that, but you shouldn’t be afraid to face something new. This of all things especially. You like them right?”

Although she was hesitant to admit so, she knew that it was true. It was beyond the truth for you made her smile and laugh like no one ever had, your small conversations and light banter always brightening her day and filling her heart with joy. She wasn’t scared to say she liked you, she was scared of saying it out loud and letting reality take its course.

“I do,” she murmured, a small nod following after. “I like them, yes.”

“They make you happy?” Another pause, but she responded more confidently in the smaller time frame than before.

“They do.”

“Then you should find ways to make them happy too!” Wilbur exclaimed. He rose his arms widely and grew excited from her admittance. Floating towards the grass again, he plucked a small flower from the ground and twirled it between his fingers, handing it to Niki after. “Show them how they make you feel because they matter to you and you care.”

“Well how am I supposed to do that?”

“Do what?”

For the second time that day, Niki whirled around and was surprised to see you innocently swimming above the water surface. She was panicked, eyes wide, and turned to look at Wilbur, who coincidently was gone. The bitch.

She faced you again, smile anxiously forced wide as she greeted you.

“Y/n!” You smiled kindly to her, unobservant to her nervousness.

“Hello, Niki!” You swam closer to her and rested an arm against the shore line, your other hand placed on her tail. Her breathing hitched at the small contact, and she relaxed once you began rubbing her scales lightly.

“I saw you talking to Wilbur, how is he?” Glancing back to where he previous floated, Niki scowled in annoyance at the reminder of his sudden departure.

“Fine, I’m sure. Still annoying when he wants to be.” She mumbled the last words, a frown briefly hung on her lips. You giggled helplessly to her small pout with a hand covering your mouth. While obscured by your hand, Niki practically melted from the sound.

“How are you?” you asked after finishing your small fit. Niki blushed uncontrollably from how intense your eyes looked, the light of the sun catching on the hues of your iris; the sight alone was beautiful to her.

“I- I’m alright, I’m great.” Always around you.

“That’s good, I haven’t seen you in a couple of days.” Concerned over the matter of fact, you leaned closer to Niki and absentmindedly stroked her tail again with your thumb, the movement endearing yet almost unconscious. “I was concerned something happened.”

Coughing slightly to gather herself, Niki cleared her throat from her flush while waving a hand upward.

“O-oh, no everything’s okay. I was helping Wilbur with his house yesterday, he was trying to finish the living space but Tommy and Tubbo kept messing things up. Now that I think of it, I was more of a mediator than actual help.”

Chuckling loudly to her engrossed ranting, you interrupted Niki’s explanation and had to hunch over in pain, arms wrapped around your waist while you tail flicked hastily below.

You laughter was contagious, and soon Niki joined in with her own, the sound fading into faint snickering that melded together in an alluring symphony.

Eventually as you both stopped, however, your smile dimmed. Niki’s fell as well once noticing your sudden drop in mood, and she tapped your shoulders from the unexpected shift.

“Y/n?” Niki slid into the water, the cold temperature difference from staying above making her shiver, yet she paid no mind to it, her attention solely on you. “What’s wrong?”

Realizing you let your thoughts show, you tried to pretend nothing happened, smiling dismissively to your previous frown and placing a hand on Niki’s that she held on your shoulder. Your attempts, unfortunately, were futile since your reassurance barely covered for the lack of joy in your eyes. That, and the fact that Niki could read more than you thought.

“It’s nothing really, I’m-” a humorless laughed escaped you as you aimed to convey your feelings. “I’m honestly so jealous of you.”

Niki’s mouth feel agape in disbelief and confusion. “Me?”

Tilting your head back with genuine laughter, you nodded. “Yes, you.”

“I’ve never been able to see the things landers make or do, it’s so intriguing to hear about. I just can’t help but want to see those things beyond this tiny pond.” While you had turned to face Niki, your eyes were trained downward, with a disheartened smile.

Niki immediately tried to cheer you up, hating the idea of anything trivial upsetting you overall. “I could introduce you to my friends if you like? They’re very nice people, no matter how chaotic I make them sound.” It was her turn to be affectionate as she brushed her hand over yours while your tails nearly wrapped around each other.

You gave another sad smile at her attempt, but appreciated her efforts nonetheless. “That’s really sweet, Niki, but I wouldn’t want to meet and burden them simply because of my own ambitions.”

Clinging onto the tips of her fingers, you squeezed them in reassurance. “Thank you, though. Ever the thoughtful you are, huh?”

Despite still hung over your downplayed emotions, Niki reddened from your words. As you looked above Niki at a flock of birds that flew overhead, she was suddenly faced with an idea.

Formulating a plan and envisioning the hopeful outcome, Niki squealed unexpectedly, surprising you. She had no time to apologize, however, for her thoughts were running wild in anticipation. “I’m so sorry, but I actually need to go,” she voiced.

You tried to answer, but through Niki’s blind eagerness, she didn’t hear you. She promptly pushed the fresh flower in your hand in replacement of her own, and wished you a farewell before diving into the water.

With a scratch to your head, you lightly chuckled at how cute she was and lifted the flower up. Staring at the little tulip, you beamed and brought it towards your nose, smelling the aroma and kissing the petals softly.

Waiting impatiently, Niki fiddled with the wet rope of the drawstring pouch. The moon was at high rise, the overcasting ray highlighting the empty landscape as all were asleep or safely tucked home.

The air buzzed from the still night, yet Niki couldn’t help but feel unease despite the calm space. Before she could drive herself mad, you finally emerged from the dark water.

“Good evening to you, Niki,” you joked. Swimming swiftly over to her, you glanced around the both of you and also noted the quiet. “It’s a gorgeous time to be awake.”

Although your words could have been interpreted as sarcastic, you meant anything but with a dazed tone and delighted appearance. Meeting her smile with your own, you spun in the water, taking in the cool breeze while lost in the starry night.

“Not that I don’t love our hang outs, but why so late Niki? If you wanted to go star gazing, you could have said.”

She laughed nervously, tugging on the small pouch in habit before holding it out to you. “No, actually, I- I wanted to give you this.”

Intrigued, you lifted the bag from her hands and held it against you as you opened it, letting out a gasp from the treasures all tucked together. Niki thought it best to explain herself.

“I know you said you didn’t want to burden the idea, but I couldn’t help it and wanted for you to experience those things too, even if it’s only little things.” Gesturing to the bag you held, she pointed to the contents inside despite you lost to the beauty each item held.

“I asked my friends to help gather things I thought you would enjoy. They’re not the most extravagant, but they all have their special charms.”

“Niki…” Your voice was airy, barely above a whisper as you tried to comprehend her thoughtfulness. Too anxious for her own good, Niki continued to ramble.

“My friend Tommy, you know Tommy, he managed to trade for this dagger! The hilt has this small ruby in it if you look closely, but I like to think the whole craftsmanship of it is gorgeous. Oh and he also dumped in these things they use to eat! See this one here,” she dug in the open pouch for the metal utensils, lifting them individually to name them from what she was taught.

“This one is called a ‘spoon,’ while this one is called a ‘fork.’ It’s pointy but isn’t sharp!”

“Niki-” She paid no mind to you and replaced the bag in your hands with the metal objects, her excitement overtaking her apprehension and wanting to explain them all.

“Now Phil, he gifted this lovely pocket watch. It tells the time without needing the sun! If you listen closely, you can hear this ticking noise from the gears that make it work, see?” She pushed the glowing locket near your ear, the soft mechanics working perfectly in motion.

“He also enchanted it so the water won’t hurt it, water usually isn’t the best for their types of machines.” Niki handed you the watch carefully as she continued to talk. “He’s an Elytrian too! Very kind and wise, incredibly considerate.”

“That’s amazing, Niki, bu-”

“Ah, look at this!” Struggling to pull the wooden figurine out through the pouch opening, she yanked it out with a grunt, a smile quickly forming at its shape.

“It’s a duck! Tubbo is so cute and carved him himself, but wanted you to have him!” Holding him out, you grasped the smooth carving firmly with a grin, the animal admittedly adorable despite it’s oddly shaped body. “His name is Benson,” Niki exclaimed proudly.

You giggled fondly, patting the inanimate duck with your hands in spite how full they were. “Hello, Benson.”

“Oh and Ranboo!” Niki cried out. As she searched for his gift, you decided it best to interrupt. Or at least try to.

“Niki, before that, I-” She began to mutter under her breath, frustrated with pulling his object out and distracted to your attempts.

“Niki.”

“How did he even put this in here? It’s so bi-”

“Niki, love.”

Freezing from the endearment, she glanced at you with a sheepish smile. Although your adoring grin said otherwise, Niki was overwhelmed at the thought that she offended you some how. Before she could spew out apologies, you saw her slight panicked and acted quickly.

Cradling all the gifts with one hand, you pulled her forward and kissed her, your hand holding her gently while caressing her cheek. She hummed out a sound of surprise, the noise muffled against your lips.

While she was frozen for a few seconds, once the realization passed she relaxed completely from your touch, pulling you closer if it were humanely possible.

All you both could feel was each other, the warmth that spread throughout your bodies a releasing high that drove passion and unenforced love free. You could have stayed there forever, you felt, just taking Niki in for all that she was, but chose to pull away; you wanted to see her.

Panting from the huge surge of emotions that passed, you both gazed into each other’s eyes in a mix of shock and intimacy never before shared or expressed.

Grabbing her hand, you lifted it to your mouth and pressed your lips firmly to her knuckles. “Thank you, Niki. You’re more than I could ever ask for.”

Unlike her past encounters, Niki didn’t turn away. She embraced your tenderness and accepted the burning warmth that encapsulated her for what it was and finally presented.

She had nothing to hide anymore. She had nothing to fear anymore.

Bonus:

“Wait, what else do you have in the bag?”

You were both sprawled onto a large boulder, the rock perched slightly above the water surface in the middle of the lake. Considering the chill of the night and the cool touch of the stone, you were embraced in each other’s hold, arms strung together with hands intertwined.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Sitting up right, Niki pulled out all the objects in a pile and separated the ones you already saw in comparison to the others. She picked each one up as she explained.

“This is called a tea kettle! I mentioned him before, but Ranboo found it while… digging (she didn’t know how to kindly say playing with dirt). It’s old but called an ‘antique’ because it’s rare!” Handing you the small pot, your finger grazed against the rusted metal in fascination of the discoloring and ancient beauty.

“Now these are sulfur crystals! Jack is from the nether so he collects a lot of them when he finds pure ones.” Lifting one towards the sky, you awed at the color that shined through it, the yellow hue soft yet vibrant under the moonlight glow. Reaching for one gently, you peered through the flat crystal with a giggle.

“They sometimes can smell really bad he said, but as long as we don’t mix it with other things like potions, we should be alright.” You hummed while still gazing through the clear solid.

Enamored with the crystals, your attention was drawn back to Niki when you heard something chime.

“I’m not sure why Wilbur thought it would be a good idea to gift these to us, but he thought it best to give us these things called jingle bells.” Shaking them once more, you were delighted to find they had a joyful-like sound, the light ringing noise something magnificent that you’ve never heard before underwater.

You played with them once Niki gave them to you, your smile wide from the new discovery and breathless to the music it sang.

“Oh I didn’t realize he put one in.”

“Who?” you asked, your eyes still on the small metal balls that reflected the moon in combination to the water surface.

Niki sighed before stating with a smile, “Fragrance Man.”

You paused at the name, and turned towards her confused. “Fragrance Man?”

Nodding softly with an amused chuckle, Niki revealed the final item to you. It was a glass bottle, one typically used for potions, but held strange bundles all tied individually.

“I think from the last time he showed me that these are called ‘sage bundles.’ You’re supposed to burn them for a stronger smell, but he might have put it in here since that last time I saw his collection, I liked smelling it from the bottle.”

Holding it out towards you, Niki uncapped the cork top for you to try. You leaned over and hovered your nose over the open neck, exhaling in captivation from the floral foliage and cooling sensation it brought.

“Wow, Niki. This is all so amazing!” You had little to say to the collection of trinkets she assembled for you, still speechless to the effort she went through for you.

“You’re friends sound so nice and thoughtful,” you hummed, reaching for her hand again and interlacing your fingers together.

Niki snorted at the thought but accepted your hand nonetheless.

“They’re okay sometimes.”

#nihachu x reader #nihachu x you #mcyt x reader #mcyt x you #niki x reader #niki x you #origins!niki x reader #origins!niki x you

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lazuli-bloom · 3 years

Text

Roses and Styx

Chapter 3 – Kids' Games To Pass The Time

Beetlejuice x Reader

Word Count : 5,399

New day, new problems. Sure things aren't the worst they could be, but that new hire isn't making things all that easy at work.

Last Chapter | Archive | Next Chapter

--=--=--

An annoying, rhythmic buzz cut through silence. Light seeped its way in, chasing away the shadows of sleep. You groaned and rolled. It was too early to face the new day.

Compounding your groggy state was the fact you didn't sleep for shit last night. The chilly October night sucked the warmth from your room, and you had only a few blankets to shield yourself from it. And the chill didn't stop your mind racing most of the night. When sleep came to you, it brought restless dreams.

The first wasn't terrible, just strange. A weird bug followed you home wanting to be friends. The other dream, however... A vile pit formed in your stomach.

Your thoughts drifted to the dream. You couldn't move. Arms, legs, head, nothing. You couldn't budge an inch no matter how hard you fought. Something wanted you to stay still. And it wasn't as if your surroundings gave you any clues either. Darkness blanketed the room. No details, just a barren inky void. The only thing you found with you was a set of pinprick lights.

A voice spoke. It whispered beautiful words coated in honey. Your guts twisted. A warm touch held your face, and the voice asked you a question. Your words caught in your throat. The entity glared at you with icy eyes, and the sweet words soured to a nasty venom.

You clutched your chest as the memory of searing heat replayed. It sank blazing claws into your waist and arm, blistering and cooking the flesh.

You drew in shaky breaths and wiped away the leftover tears. It was just a dream. It was just a bad dream. You're safe.

You took in one more breath before getting up to start your day.

Normally you would go straight to the bathroom, but you wanted to check something. You stepped out into the main living space and found it empty. A DVD case sat on the coffee table, but the TV screen was dark. The couch laid devoid of any unexpected house guests. No sign anyone else was ever there. Your heart sank as you realized the encounter you remembered was just another dream cooked up by your tired brain. A frown pulled at your lips and you sighed. No time to mope. You needed to get ready for work.

You opened the bathroom door and peered inside. Rigel napped on the top of the toilet's water tank, surrounded by shredded toilet paper. At least it was less of a mess than yesterday. You clean up the ribbons and tossed them in the garbage under the sink. After you topped off his food and water, you hopped in the shower.

The water in your apartment only ever got up to lukewarm on a good day. And that was not a good day. Frigged rain pelted you, giving you goosebumps. Not wanting to linger, you got out and dressed a few minutes later.

You combed your fingers through your hair as you looted the kitchen. Damn cat, why'd it have to throw up on your hairbrush? You grumbled to yourself and pulled out the off-brand cereal to fix breakfast.

"What 'cha doing, babes?" A voice from nowhere spoke in your ear.

Your knees buckle and you collapse, taking the bag of cereal with you. You gripped at your chest to still your heart, and rolled to sit with your back to the cabinets. A man in a rotting striped suit floated in your kitchen, clutching his rounder stomach as he cackled.

"Oh sweets, that's great! I wasn't even trying!"

As the shock fades, your features scrunched up. You got to your feet and tossed the bag on the counter. With crossed arms you pivot to glare at the ghost, still laughing his ass off.

"Giving me a heart attack first thing in the morning," you said with a huff, "I came out here and you were gone. I thought I had dreamed the whole thing, you jerk."

"So you're saying you missed me?" He batted his eyes at you, setting your cheeks on fire. You would not dignify that with a response. Instead, you turned back to the counter and fixed your breakfast.

"Where did you go then?" you asked and riffled through the silverware drawer for a spoon.

"I was checking on your neighbors. Did you know the guys a few doors down have a shit-ton of electronics?"

"Yeah, and old lady Smith has a garden in her closet."

"Really? Which one is she in? I didn't find that."

"She's on the third floor, but don't bug her too much. She's nice. Plus she bakes amazing cookies for me whenever I help her."

You scarfed your breakfast, and double checked you had everything done. Rigel was in the bathroom with his things. You had your wallet and phone. After you finished the last bite, you set the bowl in the sink along with the one from last night.

You rinsed out the bowl and hummed to yourself before you glanced over your shoulder to the ghost. He grinned at you with a tilt of his head. You gave him a small smile, only to frown.

"I have to head to work."

That simple sentence wiped the grin from his face. His shoulders sank, and the color of his hair shifted. A dull purple seeped in and overtook the green. That couldn't be a good sign. "You're leaving me here?"

"Well, you could stay here, or..."

"Or?"

"If you can be out of the way and let me focus on my work when I need to, then you could tag along with me. It’d be nice having someone other than my boss to talk to during the downtime."

His grin stretched across his face again, and he spun up to you, batting his eyes. "Oh babes, you do care! Of course I'll go with you! Not my idea for a first date, but I'll take it."

You pressed your lips tight. Was this a mistake? Not like you can take back the offer, though. That would crush him. You let out a long sigh and rubbed at your temple.

"Not a date, dude."

"If you say so," he purred.

You shook your head and grabbed the keys before heading to the car. The ghost trailed you, with an ever present chill at your side. On the way to the car, he pointed out each of the apartments and spilled whatever secrets he found out. You had an inkling of some of your neighbors' crimes, but you weren't one to go tattling. It was best to let them deal with their lives and you deal with yours. So you ended up nodding along to what the ghost told you.

When you got to your car, you sat behind the wheel for a moment. Once your ghostly friend floated into the passenger seat, you took in a breath.

"Okay. A few things before we get there," You said as you fought to start the car, "If either my boss or a customer comes up and needs to talk to me, I would appreciate it if you hang back for a minute and let me handle them. Otherwise, I mostly just front-face merchandise and I can talk with you so long as I'm quiet. Also, I take my lunches in the cemetery, so I can talk a bit more freely there."

"Sounds good to me, toots."

You rolled your eyes and got the hunk of junk started. The car protested with clangs, but you drove off with a little more of a fight. On the scenic drive to work he asked you to turn on the radio, which got a dry laugh from you.

"What's so funny?"

"Radio's broke. Most things in this car are broken. Radio, heater, a/c. All of them are broken."

"Can't you get a new one? There's cars all over the place, just take one."

"Th-this isn't Grand Theft Auto,"

"It will be once you take a car!"

"Okay, technically true. I meant this isn't the game GTA, this is real life. And I would get arrested."

"Not if you had help from the ghost with the most!"

You rolled your eyes and turned onto the main road, heading for work. The rest of the drive, the "ghost with the most" filled the air with his own voice, singing a medley of songs. Some of them you recognized, others you suspected he made up on the spot.

You pulled into the employee parking and parked your car alongside the two much nicer ones there. As you collected your things, Beetlejuice pointed to the sleek mustang.

"That car looks fun! We should steal a car like that!"

"I'm pretty sure that's Brandon's car. I'm not stealing my coworker's car to take for a joyride."

"But it would be so cool!"

"Maybe later," you said, stepping out of your junker.

The bell chimed as you entered the store and caught your boss's attention. He came over to greet you and made sure you were doing better. You gave a small laugh and rubbed at the back of your neck.

"Yeah, I'm doing better." You glanced sidelong to the ghost wandering over to the front counter.

"Good. Now hopefully I can focus on training Brandon without as many interruptions. He keeps breaking away to chat with every customer that comes into the store. So I need you to handle the customers so he doesn't have an excuse."

"Got it. And if you need help with him, I can always smack some sense into him. The new order of mallets is in the back, right?"

Mr. Turner laughed and turned to go back to teaching Brandon. You smiled to yourself and meandered over to the counter. Your ghost pal sat on the countertop next to the computer.

"You never mentioned you get to hit people at your job, any openings?"

"Sorry, spot's filled. For now, anyway. But who knows, maybe we'll need a replacement soon."

"Save it for me. I would kill to get to hang around a pretty little breather like you all day and get paid for it. But doing that for free is nice too."

"You're a shameless flirt."

"How can a sexy beast like me not be with you around and able to see me?"

You shook your head and glanced at the computer. There was something you wanted to look up, you were sure of it. But what was it? You stepped closer and opened a new tab for the search. It sat blank for a moment as you retraced what the topic could have been.

"What are ya doing, babes?"

"I can't remember what I wanted to search for."

"One hundred great ways to skin a cat?"

You raised a brow and frowned at him. "I'm not hurting Rigel." A light flicked on in your head.

You typed in the cat's name and clicked on the page for the star. A picture of the Orion constellation to the side of the page showed off the stars. Most of them had fancy looking letters next to them, with a few having numbers attached. Rigel marked the lower right star, while the upper left was the only other star with a word.

"Beh-tell? Goose? Wait..." You jerked your head over to the ghost, who wore a Cheshire grin. "That's how you spell your name?"

"Yep. That's me. Behtellgoose."

You read the name once more. Betelgeuse. Such a strange spelling to sound like beetle-juice. Kind of cool though. You smiled and closed out of the tab when an unfamiliar voice called out to you.

"Good morning, Art. Great to see you doing better!"

"Heh, yeah. Feeling better." You forced a tight-lipped smile to prevent yourself from frowning. Brandon stayed still with his own fake smile plastered on his face. After a beat of him not saying anything, you asked, "Do you need something?"

"You forgot to go grab your apron. What if a customer came in? That would look very unprofessional. Here, I'll watch the counter and you can go grab your apron."

The corner of your mouth twitched, and you took in a deep breath. You stepped away and grabbed your stupid apron. As you threw it on, the bell chimed. You rushed back out, hoping to catch the customer before Brandon.

The counter stood unattended and you found Brandon down one aisle with a woman discussing products. You groaned and pinched the bridge of your nose.

"Isn't that what your boss wanted you to stop him from doing?"

"Yes, Beetle, it is."

You hissed out a sigh and shook your head. As you walked over to them, you prepared yourself to speak in your chipper customer service voice. Brandon insisted he could take care of the customer, only for Mr. Turner to order him to get back to training. Brandon grimaced and stepped away to let you take over.

Your smile was easier to keep on your face after that. You helped the customer find what she needed and rang up her items. She left with a wave and you went back to the computer.

"What the hell is that guy's deal?" Betelgeuse asked, gesturing with a thumb to Brandon.

"I don't know. I don't know if I really care." You leaned back onto your heels and let your mind wander. Whenever you were alone, stuck at the counter, you always pulled up simple web games on the computer to pass the time. But with Betelgeuse there, you couldn't ignore him to play games.

"What are ya thinking about, sweets? How hot it would be to make out right now?"

You rolled your eyes and crossed your arms. "No, you flirt. I'm thinking of what we can do to pass the time. All I'm coming up with are twenty questions and I spy."

"I'm fine with that," he said as he flashed you a sharp grin. "Okay, I'll start. I spy with my rotten eye, something... metal."

"Well, that narrows it down."

The two of you spent the rest of the morning going, taking turns playing those silly kids' games. Betelgeuse huffed and whined whenever a customer, or worse, Brandon, pulled you away to help them. Any time you called him out on his grumbling, he denied it as the color in his hair shifted.

He caught you staring at his hair once or twice, which exacerbated the shifting colors. Each time that happened, Betelgeuse quickly picked up whichever game you two had been playing. You left the topic alone for the moment, but stashed it away to ask about later.

Halfway into a difficult game of twenty questions, Mr. Turner came up to the counter. You ignored Betelgeuse's smug punchable face and greeted your boss, hoping your frustration didn't bleed into your tone.

"Cass, I'm stepping out for a bit to pick up something. I should be back for you to take your lunch break. Keep an eye on the store and Brandon for me, while I'm gone, okay?"

"Got it. Burn down the place and leave no evidence. Can do."

He shook his head with a laugh. Mr. Turner said, "you turd," before he waved goodbye and left the shop.

"Ooh baby, I love you talking about crimes like that! Tell me how you'd light up the place."

You turned back to the ghost. He floated with his stomach parallel to the ground as he held his scruffy chin in his hands and swung his legs pointed upward. You laughed at the dork and smiled.

"Well, the kerosene is over there, and the rolls of rags are an aisle over. There's a blow torch with some of the other tools."

"Artemis!" You whipped your attention to the stick in the mud, frowning at you. You didn't even get the chance to speak. "That kind of talk is highly unprofessional! Going over ways to burn down the store, shame on you."

"I was joking dude, it's not—"

"Well, I don't find that funny. And you shouldn't address your elders as 'dude', it is very disrespectful."

"Alright, I'm sorry."

"Good. Now I need your help."

You gave a tight-lipped smile and nodded. Brandon motioned for you to follow him, and once he turned back, you brought two fingers to your temple and jerked your head away.

In the middle of a tedious and painful walkthrough of creating an order of paint, the bell rang. Brandon broke away the second it chimed and went straight to helping the customer. That was irritating enough, but after the regular said they didn't need any help, Brandon insisted on assisting them.

You took in a deep breath and let the man dig his own grave. If he doesn't value your help, then he's not getting it. You marched back to the counter and found Betelgeuse picking his teeth.

He licked a striped tongue over his sharp teeth then said, "What a douchebag."

"Tell me about it."

The customer came up to the counter a minute later, followed by Brandon. You greeted the regular and switched the computer over to its register display. Your new coworker nudged you aside and insisted on being the one to ring up the customer.

"Artemis, you should have stayed at the paint desk. I'll meet you back there in a minute, after I help this gentleman."

You wanted nothing more than to slap that man. Who the hell does he think he is? Calling you unprofessional and pulling stunts like that? You grit your teeth and forced a smile before excusing yourself to head back to the paint desk.

Betelgeuse floated after you and lounged on top of the desk. You spared him a glance, but stuck to pacing the small paint pit, waiting for that douche-canoe to get back there. The customer didn't even have a lot of things to buy, so it shouldn't take Brandon that long.

"That freaking jerk," you said under your breath, "I can't believe Mr. Turner hired a guy like that."

"Want me to kill him?"

"Tempting, but no. I'm just going to talk to my boss when he gets back." You checked your phone for the time. A quarter after one, which means only fifteen more minutes until your lunch break. "God, I hope he's here soon."

You tapped your nails against the metal top of the tint machine, the speed of which accelerated the longer you waited. What the hell was taking him so long? Did another customer show up? This was getting infuriating.

"You sure you don't want me to kill the guy?"

"No, Beetle, I don't want you to do that."

"Art, who are you talking to?"

You turned around to the voice. Brandon stood at the threshold of the paint pit with his hand on his hips and raised a brow at you. Your face burned as you laughed, attempting to cover up your embarrassment.

"Oh, just this annoying little beetle. It was crawling under the tint dispenser."

"Do you regularly talk to disgusting bugs?" he asked. You opened your mouth to speak, only for Brandon to keep talking. "It doesn't matter. You shouldn't act so childish. How old are you? Late teens?"

"No, Brandon, I'm closer to my thirties than my teens."

"And you're talking to bugs, where any customer can come up and see that behavior. You ought to grow up and act your age, Artemis."

The bell chimed again, and you shuffled to the side to get an unobstructed view of the front. Mr. Turner stepped in with a smile and a wave. You waved back and checked the clock on the computer. One twenty-seven, perfect. You pulled your apron's strings and took it off in a swift motion.

"Where do you think you're going, Artemis?"

"Lunch."

Brandon frowned, and you folded up your apron with a smile. He probably wanted to stop you from leaving, but that shit would not fly with the boss back. Betelgeuse hopped down from his spot on the counter and followed. You tossed your apron behind the front counter and greeted Mr. Turner. After a quick rundown of what had happened, you left for your break, with a quick stop to your car to grab your food.

On the walk to the cemetery, Betelgeuse mocked the stupid things Brandon said. He was dead on with his impression, too.

"Artemis, do you think I give a shit? I'm a giant douche with a stick up my ass! There's no fun allowed in the store."

You did your best to hold back your laughter, but that only caused you to snort. A laugh roared out next to you in Betelgeuse's voice. You covered your mouth with your free hand, but that couldn't stop your shoulders from bouncing. As the two of you crossed into the graveyard, you glanced sidelong at the ghost, who shot you a grin.

In the cemetery, devoid of any other visitors, you veered towards your usual spot, off in the corner and near the front gate. You sat on the stone bench, setting your lunch beside you. Betelgeuse, however, sat on a gravestone, with his feet propped up on the one next to it.

You opened up your small bag of chips and started snacking on them. Betelgeuse looked over from picking at his nails and raised a brow at you.

"That's all you're going to eat, babes?"

"I have a granola bar too."

You grabbed the other half of your lunch and showed him. He tilted his head with a frown, but said nothing. It grew quiet, save for your munching on the chips. Your mind wandered, and you zoned out, staring unfocused in a random direction. Betelgeuse moved, catching your eye, and you studied him.

He gnawed at his black nails with jagged yellow teeth. Stubble covered his round chin, matching the same green mixed in his hair. Has his stubble changed color like his hair has? And why did his hair change color to begin with?

You hummed to yourself after finishing the last of your chips.

"What's up, sweets?"

"I... was hoping to ask you something."

Betelgeuse tilted his head to the other side and raised a brow and pursed his lips. You gave a half smile and laughed. He looked like a curious puppy. How could this ghost-demon look so cute?

"What is it?"

"I've noticed that your hair isn't always green."

As soon as the sentence left your mouth, the color of his hair shifted to a deep purple. You shrank back as your stomach twisted into knots. Even without knowing what the colors meant, the frown on his face and sudden dodging of eye contact weren't good signs. On no. You messed up, didn't you? Why couldn't you have just kept your mouth shut?

"I'm sorry. You don't have to say anything. Forget I ever mentioned it."

You dug your nails into your palms and turned your gaze to your knees. Betelgeuse produced a mix of a growl and a groan, and you peered up at him through your hair. His lips pulled into an almost smile as he kept sharp eyes pointed at his hands, where he raked his nails through the hair of one.

"I might as well tell you, you'd figure it out eventually. My hair changes color with my mood."

You dared to lift your head more. Your lips parted as your brain processed the new information.

"Like a chameleon?"

"Like what?"

He tilted his head and raised a brow as his nose wrinkled. You forced out a small laugh and smile as you wrung your wrists. "A chameleon, the little lizards that change color. It's to communicate their mood. Darker colors like black are when it's stressed, neutral tones are when it's calm, and vibrant greens, or reds can be excitement or aggression."

Betelgeuse lurched forward with a growl and ran his hands through his hair, shielding the deepening purple from view. Your stomach twisted into knots. This wasn't getting better. You parted your lips only to press them shut a second later. Why did you have to screw up and bring up his hair in the first place?

Your nails dug deeper into your palms. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

"If you're going to strip a guy naked like that, babes, you could at least buy me dinner first."

Your face wrinkled as you tilted your head at him. Betelgeuse still held himself curled and closed off, but he wore a weak crooked smile. Your lips twitched, and you huffed out a dry laugh.

"Alright, we can go through the drive thru to get a few things off the dollar menu."

"Ooh! I wanna try one of those green sludgy shake things from that Old MacDonald place."

"Sorry to break this to you, but they only sell those in March."

"What? That's lame!"

"Everything is pumpkin spice right now."

He pouted and crossed his arms with a huff. Despite the childish act, the purple in his hair faded back to a muted green. You chuckled to yourself as relief washed over you. With a soft smile, you grabbed the other half of your lunch and hummed before you opened it.

"Hey Beetle."

"Hmm?"

"I won't bring it up again if you don't want me to, but I wanted to say I think your chameleon hair is pretty cool. Like, is it magic? Or is it a demon thing? Or—sorry. I'm sorry. I'll shut up about it now. Sorry."

Your eyes darted to focus on your granola bar. You fumbled with tearing open the packaging for a second, only for the wrapper to give. The force sent your food tumbling to the ground. You stared at the broken bar and heaved out a sigh. Just wonderful.

Your pocket buzzed, veering your attention to it. You pulled out your phone and checked the caller id. Unknown number. Chills cascaded down as you stared at the phone.

"Something wrong, babes?"

"Nope. Everything's fine. Just some spam call."

You shoved it back into your pocket and let it ring. If the caller wanted anything, they can leave a voicemail. Besides, you needed to get back to work.

You picked up your trash and nodded your head to the gate. Betelgeuse hopped up and floated alongside you. After a few steps out of the cemetery, your phone rang again. Every fiber in you tensed up, but you left your phone in your pocket. The third time your phone rang, Betelgeuse spoke up again.

"Who the hell keeps calling you?"

You shrugged and laughed despite your dry throat. "Who knows? I have to get back to work though."

With a hurried pace, you made it back to the store in a few minutes. The bell swung, chiming away as you beeline for your apron behind the counter. Brandon stood at the register with a phone up to his ear.

"There you are, Art! I've been calling you and you never once answered!" Brandon frowned at you and slipped his phone into his pants pocket. "You're obligated to pick up if I or Mr. Turner ever need to call you."

"O-oh, that was you calling." A small breath escapes passed your lips and you relax, only to register what he said. "Wait, how did you even get my number? I've only ever given this number to Sam and Mr. Turner."

"Why does it matter how I got your number? The issue is; if work calls you, especially if you have a shift that day, you need to answer."

"Fine, okay. I'll save your number so I don't panic again when I'm called three times in a row."

"Oh please, three phone calls make you panic? Artemis, you're an adult. You should know better than to be worried about something as simple as a phone call."

You grit your teeth and smiled. This conversation wasn't going anywhere you wanted, and you didn't plan on sticking around. You threw on your apron and marched to a far corner of the store to get away from everyone. Well, save for the ghost haunting you.

"Wow, babes, that guy is a major piece of work."

"Piece of shit is more like it."

You grabbed at products on the shelf and pulled them forward, turning the labels when needed. If you looked busy, maybe Brandon would mind his own fucking business. You clenched your jaw and growled as you brought more things forward.

"I shouldn't be worried about phone calls? What the fuck does he know? He's never had to put up with the shit I have!"

"And what shit would that be, babes?"

You glanced up to the ghost laying on his stomach across the top of the aisle shelving. Betelgeuse tilted his head. Soft and earnest curiosity graced his features. The corner of your mouth twitched before you closed your eyes and let out a hiss.

"I don't want to get into it," you said, keeping your voice quiet, "but I've had someone call me over and over before. It wasn't fun."

You pulled the rest of the items forward within arm's reach before sidestepping to get more. Betelgeuse floated after you as you inched down the aisle. He picked the games back up, and you welcomed the distraction.

There were one or two rounds of I spy, several goes at twenty questions—which you're positive Betelgeuse cheated and switched his topic multiple times. Towards the end of your shift, well after Brandon left for the day, you two asked a few "would you rather" questions. While he asked a few risque questions at the start—bite or be bitten, top or bottom—his questions took a tamer turn, similar to the ones you asked.

"Okay babe, would you rather find a rat in the kitchen or a roach in your bed?"

"I mean... I guess I'd prefer seeing another rat in the kitchen over finding more roaches?"

"M-more?"

"Donna hires her incompetent nephew to do the pest control for the apartments." You swept the line of dirt into the pan and tossed it into the trash. "Actually, speaking of, I should double check the traps and make sure something isn't rotting somewhere in the apartment."

Betelgeuse watched you finish the last of the closing routine. You clicked the pan back around the neck of the broom and stuffed it into a corner behind the counter. The only thing left was Mr. Turner to finish locking up the cash and heading out. You leaned against the counter and rolled your head back to look at the ceiling.

A quiet stillness overtook the store. It lasted a few seconds before Betelgeuse spoke up again.

"Would you rather have a nicer place but the same landlady, or the same apartment with a nicer landlady—"

"Alright Cass, you ready to leave?"

You turned your attention from the unseen ghost to your boss. He smiled and gestured to the door. You returned a half smile before exiting. Mr. Turner locked up, and you waved goodbye. A minute later you sank into the car seat and rested your hands on the wheel.

"Well babes, this certainly seems familiar."

You glanced his way and rolled your eyes before getting the car started.

"Yep, it's been an entire day since a demon followed my home, like a lost puppy."

"I'm way cuter than any puppy. Plus, you can keep me in your apartment all you want and your shitty landlady can't do anything about it!"

"Nicer landlady, by the way," you said as the car sputtered to life.

"What?"

"I'd rather have a nicer landlady than a nicer place. Donna would just let a nicer place fall to ruin."

You pulled out of the parking lot and drove home. At the first red light, you tapped your finger on the wheel and hummed.

"Hey Beetle, would you rather stay in a comfortable and familiar place with people that don't believe half of what you say, or cut all contact with them and be alone if it meant freedom?"

Betelgeuse tilted his head from one side to the other, closing his eyes as he mulled over your question. As he thought, the light changed, and you continued on your way home. A sharp grin stretched across his face a moment later.

"Easy. I'd take my freedom."

Your lips twitched up. "Yeah... me too."

#beetlejuice #beetlejuice x reader #musical beetlejuice x reader #roses and styx #my writing #fun fact. I kept miss spelling Brandon as Brandong when typing this

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sylvie-writes · 4 years

Text

Jersey #18

pairing: Steve Rogers x reader (ft. Bucky, Sam, Nat, and Wanda)

request: I know your requests are closed but I had an idea for a Steve Rogers au where he is in high school and his best friends bucky and Sam are trying to set him up with their girlfriends friend? It would be post serum Steve but like he never had the serum (like puberty was just very kind to him, not that he isn’t everything and more without the serum, just wouldn’t make sense for him to be a football star as pre serum Steve ya know?) and reader is a cheerleader but is also shy. Anywho the day of the homecoming game cheerleaders have to wear a football boys jersey and Nat wears Buckys because they’re obvi in love, Wanda wears Sams, and reader wears Steve’s and when they win the game she runs onto the field and hugs Steve and tells him she’s proud of him and they go to the dance together and they end up dancing to the song Rumor by Lee Brice? And end up admitting they have feeling for each other? ❤️❤️😭 if you could make this happen I would be ECSTATIC

a/n: Thank you for being patient with me. It took me longer to write this because I wanted it to be good. I’m trying to get my shit together at the moment lol. Hopefully you enjoy this because I loved the idea!

*I chose the number eighteen because Steve was born 1918 and I didn’t know of any other numbers that corresponded with him haha!

A weight had been lifted off your shoulders once the bell rang, freeing you and your classmates from your last bell class. All week long you had tried to rush the hours, longingly waiting for Friday to arrive as that was the day of the homecoming game. The minute the school bell rang, you threw your backpack on one shoulder, practically running out with your textbooks in hand.

As you lightly jogged down the hallway, you could spot Natasha’s cerise locks of hair vividly flying around as she animatedly spoke with Wanda, the two of them most likely awaiting your presence.

The walk from your last class to the lockers was like trekking from Timbuktu and back. Eventually, the familiar tone of Wanda sassing Natasha filled your ears and you giggled, hearing her tell the redhead as it is.

“Now now, ladies.”

You slowly twisted your dial lock, putting in the combination and then opening the creaky metal door to set down your textbooks. Nat leaned up against the locked to your right, Wanda to your left.

“For once, we weren’t actually arguing, (y/n/n)! We were talking about the homecoming game.”

Turning from your locker to face the woman, you raised an eyebrow at her, “Oh really?”

“Yeah, we were thinking about wearing the boys’ jerseys for tonight’s game.”

You smiled, happy for them both, not fully understanding their words. Continuing to listen, you faced your locker once more, going to round up the things for this weekend. In your hand, you held your planner, looking over all of the upcoming assignments and strategically picking which ones to accomplish this weekend.

A sound of feet shuffling sounded louder and louder in the hallway, getting closer to you and the girls. You heard the sounds stop, and a voice replaced the noise.

“Hey babydoll, we got the things you asked for.”

Curious, you turned to your right to see Bucky with his arms wrapped around Natasha’s waist as his lips were glued to behind her ear. Your friend tried to function somewhat normally as her boyfriend continued to shower her in affection.

“This is for you.”

Turning once more, you now saw Sam handing Wanda a jersey as she sheepishly smiled, listening to the man drop some cheesy pick up lines. You looked to your left and right, smiling at your friends' happiness. Suddenly you felt a hand caressing your shoulder, causing you to turn towards the one direction you hadn’t. Behind.

The tall and sweet blonde man you had dreamed about since middle school kindly smiled at you, a jersey in his large hands. Your eyes went wide as you realized the girls had managed to rope you into this too.

“Hi to you too, (y/n).”

Steve chuckled and you then registered that he must’ve seen your startled expression. Feeling a bit awkward, you laughed with the man, shaking off the embarrassment.

“Hi Steve, is that for me I assume?”

The tables had now turned and Steve had been staring at you for a few seconds so far, a bright smile on his face, words struggling to leave his mouth. You giggled at his sweet little mistake.

“Oh! Uh yes!”

His face shuffled through three shades of vermilion, his cheeks most likely toasty as his blushed ears said so. Steve’s lips contorted into that million dollar smile, pearly whites twinkling at you. Unfolding the jersey, Steve brought the shoulders of the jersey to your own, letting the shirt drape over your chest. “Looks great, babe!”

You bit your bottom lip at his playfulness, lightly slapping his chest.

“Oh hush, Rogers.”

The two of you were in your own little world, as your friends watched upon your interaction, unbeknownst to you both.

“I hate to break this up, but we have to get to practice, punk. Gotta be in tip top shape, ya know?”

Bucky quickly kissed Nat goodbye, Sam doing the same with Wanda, leaving you and Steve to awkwardly wave at each other. Once the boys had left, your two best friends hounded you like detectives, not allowing you to leave until you answered each and every question. It was no secret that you harbored feelings for Steve, and vice versa, yet both of you were too petrified to make the first move. Honestly, you felt somewhat insecure, as the girls who wanted to date Steve made up a queue line longer than the Great Wall of China. There were so many options, and he chose you? Apparently it made sense to everyone else except for yourself.

‘Lovey-dovey’ feelings aside, Steve was a great guy, who you considered one of your close friends. Since middle school, you had known Nat, Wanda, Bucky, Sam, and Steve. You six had always been close, and sports brought you all even closer. First, Bucky and Nat got together, then Sam and Wanda, now the four have spent the past year trying to set you and Steve up, which you do kind of enjoy, but of course you don’t let them know that.

When you had finally satiated Wanda and Nat’s dying need to know every detail of your five minute interaction with Steve, you three went to go find the rest of the team and work on some cheers. Time ticked on and soon four hours became three...two...one.

With an hour until the game began, Natasha, who was cheer captain, frantically ran around, checking up on the team members as you all added finishing touches to your makeup and hair. You sat in front of the vanity, carefully watching Nat getting chastised by Wanda. Her hands hastily flew as she talked, probably scolding Natasha for worrying about everyone else and not even being ready herself. Time was ticking away, so you and Wanda helped the woman get ready. When finished the three of you looked into the mirror to see your reflections smiling back, large jerseys half-tucked into your cheer skorts.

Needless to say, the first three quarters of the game were intense leaving not only you, but the audience on edge. A few offenses left you grimacing, but the boys picked themselves up and kept going. For a majority of the game, you and the girls stayed on the sidelines, expertly performing cheers that were prepared by Natasha. At halftime, you all came onto the field and executed more advanced tricks and such.

Now here you all were, last quarter of the game. So far, your school only needed one more winning play to win the game and keep the team’s winning streak. You gripped your pom poms tightly as you watched Steve briskly run down the field, football tucked in his arm, making your heart race increase a bit. It was then that you realized that you have really cared for Steve as you were constantly worrying about him out on the field.

Too busy daydreaming, you hadn’t even noticed that the game had ended until the crowd started cheering. Immediately, you saw the guys standing in the field waving at the sea of screaming people who excitedly waved their foam fingers and signs. Football was a huge thing in your town, especially with your high school having been the reigning champs.

You looked to your side to notice Natasha and Wanda missing and now running towards the guys. With confidence, you dropped your pom poms and ran towards them all. Steve caught sight of you and with a bright smile, held out his arms. Catching your figure, he laughed and spun you around.

Steve set you down, but not letting go and still in fact holding you close to him. He continued to smile down on you while you gazed up at him.

“Congratulations, Cap.”

You teasingly called the man by his nickname, gently running your fingers through his sweaty helmet hair as a few strands had fallen forward.

Cheeky grin, the man replied, “Well thank you. Couldn’t have done it without you and your girls.”

You gave the man a tight hug and he chuckled.

“Hey, I was thinking that maybe if you were free, would you like to go with me to homecoming dance tomorrow?”

He looked ready to apologize for what he thought was being forward when you happily smiled at him.

“I’d be honored. See you at seven, Steve Rogers.” Giving the man a quick kiss on the cheek, you ran back across the field with the girls who were leaving.

Exactly seven o’clock on the dot you heard a loud knock on the front door. Running down the stairs, sparkly stiletto heels in hand. Last night when you had told Nat and Wanda that Steve asked you to homecoming, they practically threw you into the car and drove to the mall as if all of the dresses might disappear overnight. The three of you decided on a red high low dress, one of Steve’s favorite colors which you had learned from Bucky. Next, Wanda picked out said stilettos and you were ready for homecoming dance. That night you were so excited that you could barely sleep, and now the time had finally come.

Containing your excited squeals, you threw open the door to see Steve with his jaw dropped as he shamelessly eyed you over.

“(y/n), you look absolutely stunning. Not that you don’t always but-”

Before the man could stumble over his words anymore, you placed a soft finger against his lips, shushing him. Steve hurriedly nodded and mumbled out a “yes ma'am,” then holding out an arm for you to link onto.

Time passed quicker than before as you and Steve talked a mile a minute in the car. Before you knew it, you and Steve had arrived at the venue and you could already see Nat and Bucky along with Wanda and Sam as they all looked absolutely picture perfect.

Once Steve helped you out of the car, he again offered an arm that you gladly took. Snuggling into his side a bit, you felt so comfortable with Steve and it was honestly the best feeling in the world.

The six of you spent some time tasting the fancy horderves and of course used the photo props provided. It was something that would make an amazing memory for the future.

Eventually, the lights started to go dim and some soft notes came through the speakers. Nat and Bucky had already left for the dance floor with Sam and Wanda trailing behind.

Steve jokingly wiggled his raised eyebrow, holding a hand out for you. “Madam?”

Placing your much smaller hand in his, the man pulled you close and onto the dance floor.

There's a rumor going 'round, ha, about me and you Stirring up our little town the last week or two Oh, tell me why we even trying to deny this feeling I feel it and you feel it too

Steve’s hand supported your lower back as you wrapped your arms around his neck, relishing in this first dance with the man. You laid your head on his shoulder, and with a smile and closed eyes, followed his slow swaying.

The song continued to echo in the room and it neared to an end quicker than you had imagined.

There's a rumor going 'round, and 'round, and 'round What d'you say we make it Make it true What d'you say we make it true, yeah?

Just as the song came to the final verse, you lifted your head from Steve’s chest. He placed a delicate kiss on the top of your head prompting you to look up at him. With your eyes, the two of you silently asked for permission from the other. Slowly, you leaned into Steve’s lips as he pushed back gently. Both you and Steve were in your own little blissful world, ignoring your friends’ whistling and clapping. You heard a bit of their commotion and giggled against Steve’s lips. His lips turned into a smile and the two of you kissed once more, this time smiling like lovesick idiots.

10 years later

You were sitting on the arm of the sofa, Steve’s broad arm safely wrapped around your waist. Looking across, you smiled while listening to Sam and Wanda tell their own rendition of homecoming night. As they finished, you looked down to the floor where Nat and Bucky were sitting, then disputing your other friends’ version and telling their own. Steve chuckled and waved a hand, “You guys did not set (y/n) and I up,” your husband rolled his eyes in faux annoyance.

Steve then looked up to you and tenderly squeezed your side, “We did that all on our own. Right, honey?”

You nodded and placed a peck on his lips. Suddenly a high pitched squeal sounded and you looked back down to the floor seeing your daughter pointing to the picture of you and Steve kissing on the dance floor.

Tonight was the anniversary of your homecoming and you and Steve thought it would be fun to have your friends over to remember the night. Over the years, Nat and Bucky, and Wanda and Sam have stayed in touch, and quite frankly, they have become your family. Your daughter was currently flipping through the album from your homecoming night. Peering over her shoulder were two kids, Wanda and Sam’s son, and Bucky and Nat’s daughter. The three of them giggled and babbled amongst themselves. Bucky scooted closer to the kids, telling them about each picture they pointed to. You blissfully sighed, a small smile on your lips as you looked over your family. Steve noticed your loving gaze and ran his thumb along your side.

“We did it, babe.”

Taking his face in your hand, you kissed his forehead.

“We really did.”

a/n: I apologize for any mistakes, I may have been too lazy to proofread heh heh...

taglist: @memissbee @tricereads @buckybarnesthehotshot @bval-1 @tonystankschild @just-one-ordinary-fangirl @turtoix @kelbabyblue @jakiki94 @calirindo @aubreeskailynn @lady-elena-adeline

If I’ve messed up the taglist somehow, let me know!

#steve rogers x reader #steve rogers high school au #steve rogers x y/n #Bucky Barnes #sam wilson #natasha romanoff #wanda maximoff

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idreamofplaid · 3 years

Text

Rebirth

Square Filled: Anonymous Sex

Characters: Dean x Reader; Cara (OFC); Chase and Jake (OMCs) mentioned

Rating: Explicit

Summary: After a nasty divorce and some soul searching, the reader knows just how to get her life back with a little help from a young handsome stranger.

Word Count: 3576

Tags: language; oral (female receiving); unprotected sex; age difference

A/N: This is for @idabbleincrazy ‘s 1k Follower Celebration. Congrats on your 1st thousand followers! I chose the song “1985″ by Bowling for Soup for inspiration and the prompt “Oh, fuck off.”

Created for @spnkinkbingo

Fuck him and his new girlfriend. He could have at least waited until the ink dried on your divorce papers before he decided to parade his “new” woman in front of the entire town. New. Right. He’d been fucking her while he was still married to you.

You needed to get the hell out of this place. Start over somewhere, somewhere that no one knew of your humiliation or how you’d thrown your life away. Only, you couldn’t because you had two children in high school that loved their lives here. At least they were happy; that’s what mattered, right?

The so-called “friends” you had in the subdivision couldn’t wait to tell you about your barely ex-husband and how he’d been seen out with her at the fanciest, most expensive restaurant in town. It was the same place he’d taken you for your last anniversary.

By the time your SUV pulled up in front of the bridal boutique, you were still seething. You slammed the door when you got out, not giving a damn who saw you. Let them go back and tell the entire fucking book club about your lack of decorum if that’s how they got their thrills.

When you walked into the store, a sea of white flooded your vision. Well, here was exactly what you wanted to see. Wedding dresses. Beyond them, further in the back, were the prom dresses. It was like the highlight reel of your life in dress form.

You’d gone to your senior prom with the cheating son of a bitch that was now providing juicy material for all the town gossips, and just like the biggest cliche ever; you’d given him your virginity that night. If only you could take that back, but you’d been young, wide eyed, and in love. Four years later, right after college graduation, you married him. As a result, Chase was the only man you’d ever had sex with. Right now, you were really kicking yourself for that one.

In fact, you couldn’t be more pissed at yourself for the decisions you’d made. If there was a way you could erase it all and somehow keep your two kids, you’d do it. You loved them, and it was that love that brought you here to this hell of taffeta, sequins, and silk. The alterations were finished on your daughter’s prom dress, and it was ready for pick up.

You tried to settle the storm of anger and frustration that was raging inside you before you walked up to the counter. It wasn’t the sales associate’s fault your life had turned out the way it had. You blamed yourself for that, and blaming yourself just made you madder.

Somehow, you managed to plaster on a smile while you gave your name and got the dress. Once it was in your hands, you stood frozen staring at it. It was a sapphire blue, body hugging, silk and Cara would be beautiful in it. It made your mind wander back to another blue prom dress, the dress you had worn thirty years ago. “I was the goddamned prom queen,” you muttered under your breath.

“Excuse me, ma’am.” Joachin, the sales associate was staring at you with a confused expression on his face.

“Nothing,” you replied a little too sharply, abandoning all your earlier good intentions toward the innocent Joachin. You turned and swept out of the store in a huff of tarnished memories and present day frustration.

As you walked out into the sunshine of the early afternoon, you draped the dress over your arm. With your other hand, you started to dig around in your purse for your keys. Where the hell were they?

By the time only a few steps remained between you and your car, a feeling of furious panic started to bubble up inside you. You couldn’t have. When you reached the car and looked through the window, you saw that indeed you absolutely had. There were the keys, hanging in the ignition.

You placed your forehead against the cool glass of the window and closed your eyes. Of course this had happened. You would be stuck here dealing with this fuck up for hours. The auto club was never quick to respond to any call for help. At least you didn’t have to worry about the kids getting home from school. Cara had her own car, and Jake had an away baseball game this afternoon. You wouldn’t need to pick him up until later tonight.

A deep voice broke through your mental attempt to organize this mess. “It looks like you could use some help.”

You opened your eyes to see those bloody keys still hanging there, mocking you. Without nearly as much fire as you’d been feeling earlier, but still enough to get your sentiment across, you responded, “Oh, fuck off.”

“Well, I could. Or, I could help you break into your car.” Break in? Who the hell was this, and how dare he have so much cockiness in his voice?

You turned to confront the unknown son of a bitch who was so clearly finding your situation amusing. Upon seeing him, your attitude instantly changed. This man was gorgeous. He had full lips, a chiseled jawline, and eyes the green of an Irish meadow.

His face was so pretty it could easily grace a movie screen, and his body was equally heart stopping. He had the broadest shoulders you’d ever seen on a man, and you could see enough through the open front of the leather jacket he was wearing to know his chest and stomach were firm. He looked like walking sex, and it had been way too long since you’d had any.

The spark of inspiration struck, but in this case it was more like a lightning bolt. It was time to reclaim your own life. “Forget the keys. Where’s your car?”

Young and handsome smiled and gave a nod in the direction of the other side of the street. “It’s over there.”

Your eyes followed the direction of the tilt of his head. “That’s your car?” It figured. The car was a classic muscle car, strong and beautiful. It was just as much of a standout as the man it belonged to.

You dug back in your memory, seeking your long dormant flirting skills. They were rusty for sure, but still there. You smiled at this breathtaking man, just the right combination of coy and suggestive. “Could I trouble you to give me a ride home?”

He smiled back, and those green eyes got a certain gleam in them. God. He was clearly much better and more practiced at this flirting thing than you were. “Sure, sweetheart. It won’t be a problem at all.”

You followed him across the street, enjoying the view of his ass as you went. When you reached the car, he opened your door for you. THAT was something you hadn’t experienced in awhile. A welcome feeling began to flow through your veins, replacing the anger, frustration, humiliation, and regret you’d been feeling all day. This was a ripple of excitement and anticipation of entering unknown territory.

Handsome started the car, and the purr of the engine revved up that ripple of excitement inside you, turning it into a wave that washed over you and secured the idea that had been dancing through your mind. You silently committed yourself to it, and that decision filled you with something that felt remotely the way you remembered joy feeling.

He reached over and turned the knob to start the radio, then pushed a tape into the tape deck. Good lord. A cassette tape. It had been forever since you’d seen one of those. This guy had barely been born the last time they had been popular.

The songs that poured through the speakers were from your youth, before that even. They were the songs you’d heard when you were a kid. Songs from the time of your life when you didn’t think anything about mistakes, or getting things wrong. You were just filled with hope, possibility, and excitement for the future. That was the feeling you needed to recapture.

This was a good start. Many would say it was a reckless start, but this wasn’t their life. It was yours, and it was time you took it back. In some ways, you would be claiming it for the first time, and this incredibly handsome, exciting, and just a bit dangerous man beside you could help you do that.

He noticed the smile that had appeared on your face. “You like the music?” he asked.

“I do. I appreciate a man with a taste for the classics.” Those intoxicating green eyes were focused on you before he turned them back to the road and smiled.

Then a little bubble of excitement rose up in your chest, and you bit your lip. An idea had struck you. It was possible to redo your life; you were young enough. You weren’t just going to spend the rest of your days on the sidelines watching your kids live. On impulse, you turned and asked him, “Do you have anything from the eighties?” It was possible. This was a man with a collection of cassette tapes.

He didn’t take his eyes from the road, but his grin got bigger. “There’s a box under the seat. You might find some Bon Jovi in there, but I’m not making any promises.”

You reached under the seat, found the box, and started to shuffle through the bunch of tapes you found there. After sorting through the Zeppelin and the AC/DC, your eyes fell upon exacting what you’d been looking for. It was Bon Jovi’s greatest album in your opinion, Slippery When Wet, circa 1987.

You opened the plastic cassette cover and took the tape in your hands. It sent a rush through you, unlike anything you’d felt in years. This was the album you played in your own cassette deck every afternoon after school, all that time ago, with your best friend in the passenger seat beside you. Everything lay ahead of you, all the bad decisions still lay ahead. It was all nothing but good.

It felt like a magical talisman you held in your hands. You looked at your new companion hopefully. “Can I?”

“Sure,” he answered as he popped the current tape out of the deck and tossed it on the seat between you.

You put your find in the tape deck, and immediately the sounds of “Livin’ on a Prayer” filled your ears. Your eyes closed, and you allowed yourself to indulge in the fantasy of turning back the clock and living a different life. It was a life with a different boyfriend and a different outcome, the one where you weren’t a washed up stay at home mom who had put so many of her dreams on hold to support her husband and his.

Dreams of travel filled your mind, dreams of travel and starting your own business. Once you had imagined being a fashion designer, a glamorous fashion designer, before you started wearing conservative suburban wife clothes and stopped dreaming. The rekindling of that spark of who you might have been brought a smile to your lips.

“What are you thinking?” Handsome with the green eyes and the incredible voice asked you. He reached across the seat and took your hand in his. Your smile got even bigger. It was time to push the reset button on your life.

You gave the gorgeous stranger directions to your house. Okay, that was a little risky, but of all the things that had gone off the rails in your life; your intuition wasn’t one of them. You had the very distinct feeling you could trust him.

Your garage door opener was trapped back in your SUV along with your keys. He’d just have to park his car in the driveway. Let the nosy neighbors wonder about that.

Fortunately, you had a spare key to the house hidden nearby. It took a minute to find the correct rock, but when you did; there was the key where you’d hidden it underneath. You returned to the front door triumphant, key in your hand. Once inside, you put your purse on the table in the foyer while mystery man turned in a slow circle, taking in the place.

He turned back to you. “Nice house.”

You took off your jacket and hung it on the coat rack in the corner. “Thanks. There’s a nice liquor cabinet too. How about a drink? A small thank you for rescuing me from the side of the road.”

He rubbed his thumb along the corner of his mouth. “It wasn’t exactly the side of the road, but I will take that drink.”

You walked on into the house, making your way to the living room; he followed. The bar was located near the massive floor to ceiling fireplace, and the ceilings were high. Chase had insisted on it. It always struck you as a little much, but he was ever aware of appearances. Until now, it would seem. Apparently, abandoning your wife and children for a gold digging bimbo was a good look.

The crystal decanters on the bar certainly had the right look. They also had the right aged whiskey inside them. You flipped over two tumblers and poured some in each.

He took the glass you offered him and raised it to those luscious lips. After a long sip, he asked you “What’s it like living in a place like this?”

You whirled the whiskey in your glass for a moment, starting at it, then glanced up at him. “Not as wonderful as you might imagine. What about you? Where do you live?”

It was his turn to find his glass fascinating for a few seconds. “Nowhere really. I travel around a lot.” You couldn’t quite pin down the tone of his voice. Did he like that fact about his life or not? Either way, it added to the air of mystery around him.

You took a swallow from your own glass. The little boost of alcohol induced bravery certainly wouldn’t hurt with what you had in mind. “Are you in town for long?”

He licked his lips before answering. “That depends. I’m here for a job. Not sure how long it’s going to take yet.” Enough with the small talk.

You took the glass from his hand and put it down on the bar. “What about this afternoon? Do you have a little time off?”

He settled his hand at your waist. “I could take a couple of hours for some relaxation.”

You downed the remaining contents of your glass and placed it on the bar next to his. “I have a couple of hours too.” You put your arm around him and let your palm rest over the center of his back.

That sinful mouth was on top of yours in an instant, and he absolutely knew what to do with it. His kiss was gentle but firm, tongue dragging along the seam of your lips until you opened them for him. The taste of the bourbon on his tongue as his tongue moved around yours was practically weaving a spell around you.

The kiss became deeper and more insistent. Your tongue swirled and tangled around his, and your breathing hitched in your chest. He started to bend you back over the bar, and, from deep inside your pocket, your phone started to ring. “Ignore it,” he said against your lips.

“I can’t.” That’s what it meant to be a mother. You fished the phone out of your pocket and checked the screen to see who was calling. Maybe it wasn’t one of the kids. Cara.

You touched the screen to answer and put the phone next to your ear. “Hello.”

Without any preamble, your daughter launched right into the purpose of her call. “Mom, is okay if I…. Why are you breathing so hard? Are you doing one of those old aerobics routines again? Mom, that is so lame.”

He was kissing down your neck, his mouth open just enough to require you to struggle to concentrate. “No, that’s not what I’m doing.”

You heard the sigh and could picture her rolling her eyes. “Whatever, Mom. Can I go over to Tabitha’s for dinner?”

He was sucking on your pulse point, and it was getting harder to keep your mind on the conversation. “Yes. That’s fine. Be careful driving home.” You ended the call, aware the kissing that had felt so incredibly good had stopped.

He’d taken a step back from you, and those captivating green eyes held a big question. “Look, this can’t happen if you’re….”

You quickly replayed your side of the conversation in your head. “Married? No. I am very much not married. That was my daughter, and she won’t be home for several hours.”

His smile was back, and his arm went back around your waist. “Well, in that case, where were we?”

You all but tore the leather jacket from his shoulders and let it fall in a heap on your expensive rug along with your phone. The rest of his clothes and yours disappeared on the trip down the hall to your bedroom where you’d been sleeping alone for so many months.

Surprisingly, you didn’t feel at all self conscious as you walked into your bedroom naked with this man you’d just met. He was a sight to behold. You wanted to taste and touch every tempting inch of him, and you started with his chest.

You ran your hand over the firm muscles in his pecs and let your fingers trace over the fascinating tattoo there. It was as much a mystery as the rest of him, and you didn’t ask him any questions about it. This wasn’t a “bare your heart and share your past” kind of afternoon.

He watched your hands on him, and when he raised his eyes to meet yours; they were dark, filled with lust. His hand closed over yours, large and strong, and he led you to the four poster bed. God, he was gorgeous.

Solid thighs, toned stomach, and thick cock that made your mouth water just looking at it. He lay back on the bed, his golden freckle dusted skin a beautiful contrast to the white of the comforter, and pulled you down with him. You could feel his hard cock pressing against your thigh.

It made you wet for him, and for a brief second you wondered exactly what it was you were doing. That stray thought didn’t last long. It was replaced by a voice inside you that had been silenced by responsibilities and expectations of who you should be. He’s hot, and you’re single. Enjoy him.

He pulled you down into another kiss that made your head go dizzy with the sheer goodness of it. It felt wonderful, blissful, and consuming. Most of all, it made you feel sexy again. You started to move your hips, undulating them on the warmth of his firm body beneath you, losing yourself to the moment.

There were so many sensations competing for your attention. He was igniting the desire inside you that you had all but forgotten was there. His muscled arms circled around you, and he rolled you under him, caging you between his arms on either side of your head.

“Sure you want to do this?” he asked you huskily. His voice was as sexy as the rest of him.

“Absolutely. Don’t you dare stop now.” His lips crashed down on yours, and you returned every bit of the passion he put into that kiss. Then he moved his mouth down your body. The heat of his mouth closed over one of your nipples, and he began to suck on it, pulling the softest, neediest moans from you you’d ever heard escape your mouth.

This man shattered every inhibition you ever had with his talented tongue. The sounds you made when he closed his lips around your clit were absolutely wanton. He licked at you and ate you out like he enjoyed it. If his mouth was talented; his cock was even better.

It stretched you with a sweet burn that satisfied the ache and filled you. You dragged your nails down his back, wanting to leave your mark on him. He was certainly going to leave his with you. The memory of this day would be seared in your mind always.

He knew ways to make you feel good you had never even known about yourself. After your third orgasm of the afternoon, he finally came. You felt the pulsing of his cock inside you, and there was a certain satisfaction in that. You were smiling when he pulled out, rolled over, and lay down next to you.

His chest was rising and falling, his arm slung over his head. He was the picture of debauchery, and you loved how it felt to be debauched. You would need to take the comforter to the cleaners after this, because you weren’t done yet. Let those busybodies at the dry cleaners just try and figure out what happened to your bedding.

That wicked thought made you smile broadly. Oh, yes. The comforter would be ruined by the time you were done. This guy was for sure good for another round. Or two.

Everything: @gambitwinchester @princessmisery666 @peridottea91 @beenlovingromansincedayoneish @fangirlxwritesx67 @waywardbaby @atc74 @tumbler-tidbits @fandom-princess-forevermore @emoryhemsworth @emilyshurley @shaniquacynthia @crashdevlin @terrarium-jpeg @jules-1999 @cosicas-cuquis @sammyimpala-67 @queenoftheunderdark @dean-winchesters-bacon @timelordy-fangirl2 @sweetness47 @hobby27 @awesomesusiebstuff @kickingitwithkirk @becs-bunker @sandlee44 @supernaturalgrandma @volleyballer519 @kdfrqqg @lizette50 @sorenmarie87 @lovealways-j @mrswhozeewhatsis @spnbaby-67 @wayward-and-worn @asthesunwentdown @vulgar-library @thinkinghardhardlythinking @petitgateau911

Dean/Jensen: @deansyahtzee @flamencodiva @deanwinchesterswitch @feelmyroarrrr @focusonspn @akshi8278 @ladywinchester1967 @sgarrett49 @wingedcatninja @coffee-obsessed-writer @adoptdontshoppets @ellewritesfix05 @weepingwillowphoenix

#1kclassicrockchallenge #spnkinkbingo #dean smut #dean x reader #dean oneshot

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nexility-sims · 3 years

Note

Storytelling asks 12, 13 and 14 ❤️

𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐒 / accepting !

these were fantastic questions !! thank you !! ❤️❤️❤️

12. do you actually play the game or do you just use it as a storytelling medium?

lately, it’s been 100% storytelling, but i am so eager to actually play the game soon. i’ve been working on my historical legacy for ........ geez, like five years or so? i guess it began as my bastard version of the decades challenge, lmao. anyway, long story short, i haven’t finished it, and i need to so i can replay the parts i miss. additionally, my plan is to finally get the cottage one when i finish part ii of the story !!!!!!! and do some legacy gameplay (haven’t decided if it’ll be canon yet but it will, as i’ve said, be jered circa 2007).

13. from basic planning to a finished post, how long does that take you?

OOF. it varies? here are the steps u didn’t ask for

get an idea, scribble some notes in my journal or on scraps of paper i then stuff into the journal. draw diagrams as needed.

scour the internet for poses (detour to make my own sometimes)

build a set (this is what i do 65% of the time. sometimes it takes half an hour, sometimes it takes a few hours. depends on if i need to download cc, build an exterior, spend 45 minutes arranging deco items NO ONE WILL SEE ssdjflksgfs)

occasionally, a detour to recolor / convert objects (not often but often enough that i know how to do these things now djfshgkjsg)

dress up my sims !!! make sure they have different versions with accessories as needed, etc. (ex. for the bachelor party, alf & his friends each had six outfits. nightmare.)

take screenshots !!!!! i do this... based on the mental script in my head. so 60% “i know what happens,” and 40% “vibes only.” takes longer if i have to mess around with lighting (using reshade and/or by ... breaking everyone’s poses to adjust the light fixtures. usually for night scenes.)

pick max of 10 screenshots from the 1287398494 i took. i just upload them to photoshop & click around until i’ve got the best of the bunch. sometimes i post the rejects as previews or outtakes.

upload screenshots to tumblr drafts & let them marinate.....

add captions !!!! i’ve started writing them in photoshop, aka the most cursed approach. i just revise & rearrange until it reads well & hits all the marks i had in mind for the scene. i’m WORDY so seeing the text on the image helps them ... not be giving a monologue in every episode. just most. then, replace drafted shots w/ captions screenshots.

potentially, after marinating, i decided i hate the screenshots & redo them !!!!!!!!! not all the time, but maybe 3-4/10 times.

write the scene. this varies wildly bc sometimes i slap two sentences & call it a day, but other times i pull out my writing laptop & pour over it for ... anywhere from a week to twenty minutes.

ideally, the draft marinates again, then i queue it at least 10 minutes before midnight

SO ........ overall, i would say this process can take anywhere between 2-3 hours to a few days. the longest i’ll have an average draft waiting is a week ??

14. do you have any regrets about your story so far? if you could go back in time, how would you fix these?

my number one regret is ... not realizing how invested in this hobby i would be, so therefore not bothering to properly plan things !!! winging it was fun and easy, but now i’ve learned so much—from both trial and error & the amazing storytellers i’ve met. still, rather than going back in time, i’m excited to apply all of this to the upcoming parts. hopefully the story will be much tighter, richer, and visually pleasing as a result !!!! also. wish i’d known about the tool mod sooner ......... sigh. lastly, i wish i’d learned how to make my own cc any of the previous times over the years i’ve attempted it. sure would come in handy, what with all the period specific fashion i want >:^( maybe next time.

#oof sorry this is a #long post #ask #story stuff

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deejadabbles · 3 years

Text

A Thousand Songs (Atem/Yami x Reader)

Chapter One: We Are Broken

One /// Two /// Three /// Four /// [Five Coming Soon]

Summary: You knew that you and your band could make it big. Not only that, but stay together while doing it; the five of you were family, after all. The only problem was that despite all your musical talents...none of you were particularly good at lyrics. After years of struggling to put out your first full album, the solution finally made himself know in chance meeting on an empty stage.

Rock Band AU, Atem x Reader, gender neutral reader.

A.N. Woo look at me, starting a new series before I finish my current ones. Don't hate me I have the attention span of a squirrel! I know band AUs are pretty cheesy but I don't care, this idea has been floating in my head for awhile and it's super cute okay?? I was also going to wait to post this until all the chapters were done but I couldn't control myself anymore. These chapters will be much shorter than my usual length so hopefully that means I can update faster??? I won't make any promises but I'll try. Anywho, I hope you guys like fashionable, sensitive Atem because that's who'll be featured in this fic <3 The reader's gender is never mentioned but I will admit I tended to lean more towards songs sung by women in this, I don't really think that matters though (I have Atem sing songs originally sung by women so...). I really hope you guys like this series and I'll love to hear your thoughts <3 Also: @ohyema This is the series I told you about all that time ago lol

I am outside

And I've been waiting for the sun

With my wide eyes

I've seen worlds that don't belong

My mouth is dry

With words I cannot verbalize

Tell me why

We live like this

The crowd was small, as always, but it was enough. Anyone hearing your songs was enough for now, or so you told yourself week after week. You felt Yugi’s eyes on you as you leaned away from the mic, plucking the cords of your Stratocaster for the brief solo and you looked to your left to see him smiling at you; always the positive optimist, the sun that shone on you and the rest of the band.

You flashed him the briefest smile in return before turning back to the mic. If you closed your eyes, got lost in Anzu’s keys, Jou’s steady beats, and Honda’s strings, you could almost pretend you were playing in front of a packed venue. One full of fans solely there to hear music, and not just a dozen or so patrons who enjoyed the music as a backdrop to their late-night drinks.

Keep me safe inside

Your arms like towers

Tower over me

You could have sworn you heard another voice in the crowd join yours as the chorus came. Ah, so there was an actual fan in the crowd.

Cause we are broken

What must we do to restore

Our innocence

And all the promise we adored?

Give us life again

Cause we just wanna be whole

Your eyes fluttered back open for the briefest second and through the smoky haze in the room, you saw that someone at the bar was holding up their phone, camera aimed at the stage. That managed to make you smile, at least you had someone’s attention.

Lock the doors

Cause I'd like to capture this voice

It came to me tonight

So everyone will have a choice

And under red lights

I'll show myself it wasn't forged

We're at war

We live like this

“Are you guys on SoundCloud or anything? Cos that was pretty awesome!” asked a young man who looked barely old enough to be in the bar at all.

You were just helping Yugi pack away his turntables, having finished your set and wishing the small crowd a good night. The young man was with two others, all of them looking enthused as they stood at the base of the small stage. The girl even giggled when Honda winked at her.

Yugi, as usual, was the one to speak up and pulled out a small leather folder from his back pocket. “Yeah, we are actually! We also have a youtube channel,” he pulled cards from the folder, black cardstock with your band’s name, logo, and media accounts scrawled across it in gold text. He handed one to each in the trio, smile still bright on his face, “Check us out if you get the chance, we’re trying to put out a new album this summer, so we should have plenty of new songs to listen to soon.”

With a few ‘cool man’s and ‘awesome’s, the trio wandered back to the bar, the one who had spoken already pulling out his phone with the card in hand, and the girl waving at Honda over her shoulder.

“You know you shouldn’t get their hopes up,” Anzu whispered as she set her keyboard case at the foot of the stage, “Two songs does not an Album make- we have no clue when we’ll actually have it out!”

“Well,” you chimed in, clicking one of Yugi’s several cases closed, “Maybe telling new fans to expect more from us will finally light a fire under our song-writing-asses.” When Jonouchi opened his mouth, that cheeky look on his face, you held up your hand to silence him, “And yes, I know I procrastinate too much, I’m to blame too.”

Yugi lifted two of his cases- and answered after Jou jumped in to take the heavier of the two, “I still think all of us should take a week's vacation, lock ourselves in our studio and work on the album together. Only getting together a few times a week is what’s really killing us I think- we can’t get into a creative groove!”

You and Anzu exchanged a look, knowing full well that neither of your bills would appreciate the week's loss in pay. Still, maybe it was something that you guys could find a way to work out. Then again, there was another idea that had been brewing in the back of your mind for a while now, and you weren’t sure if it was really something that the others in your band would go for...like, at all.

“I don’t know, a week probably wouldn’t even be long enough,” Honda chimed in after slinging his guitar case over his shoulder, grabbing an amp in the free hand.

Jou nodded as you all started filing out the bar’s back door, “I’m still thinking that gettin’ together every single night until the album’s done is the best way to go, even if it’s just for a few hours!”

This was the usual road the song writing debate took, or at least, how it usually went the past month or so, and soon enough the topic came to a standstill, as it usually did.

After loading up Jonouchi’s truck with your equipment, Honda gave the suggestion of stopping for some burgers at the 24 hour joint down the road, a common ritual after your monthly gig at “The Bandit’s Den”. As usual, Jou parked in the space best visible from the front windows of the dinner, and the five of you were glad to find that not another soul sat at the tables.

After settling at your usual booth and ordering, Yugi actually splayed his hands out on the table, looking rather determined. “You don’t start work until seven tomorrow. Right?” he asked you.

“Yeah?”

“I think we should take another trip to the station.”

You actually had to repress a sigh at that. Yugi was all about trying to trigger inspiration for songs, and the “station” referred to an old train station on the outskirts of town. You guys had discovered it long ago and were eager to use it in a music video, but were waiting for the perfect song to go with it. Sure, the old giant clock and brick stairs were a perfect setting, but it had only sparked a line or two of lyrics, nothing to make a full song.

Out of the five of you, most of the lyric writing fell on your’s and Yugi’s shoulders, with Anzu, Honda, and Jonouchi giving occasional input. Since you were the lead singer most seemed to think you would be the natural lyric maker, but the truth was that, despite your talent in singing and playing the lead guitar, lyrics just weren’t your forte. You’d had some luck when teaming up with Yugi, his emotional maturity helping you work through the written expressions, but that only went so far. Yugi also tried things like this, exercises and field trips in the hopes that it would spark creativity.

“How many times have we been to the station before, Yugi?” you asked, “I just don’t think it’s the oracle of inspiration we all hoped it would be. I still want to film there some time, but I don’t wanna take time out to visit it again, I’ll just get annoyed when it doesn’t lead to anything.”

Yugi’s set expression seemed to blink away, replaced with something almost like guilt, “Okay, I was just trying to think of something to get our inspiration flowing…”

Now you’re the one who felt guilty. “I know...hey maybe we could try something new? Like we could go some other place or try some different way to spark our heads?” you suggested, trying to sound positive.

Yugi’s eyebrows lifted in interest, but he was cautious when he asked, “Like what?”

“I…” you trailed off when your mind came up blank. It remained blank even as your eyes trailed over the entirety of the empty dinner as well as the dark scenery outside. A growl of frustration left your throat as you face planted on the table, “I don’t know!”

You heard Yugi giggle as he reached out and patted your head. Beside him, Jonouchi said, “What you need is some brain food! That’s sure to help some ideas come- ah! And here’s our feast now!”

Even though the food was good, kick-start your brain, it did not. If anything the meal just made you more sleepy, even as you guys chatted over the next hour before paying the tab and piling back into Jou’s truck.

Like always the next stop was the studio, the home and hideaway for you and your friends. For a small-time band whose biggest fame was on Youtube, all of you were actually quite proud of your studio. Yugi’s grandfather owned a few rental properties, and since the building wasn’t fitting for a residential space, nor in a part of town that would serve a shop well, he had agreed to give you guys the small building in exchange for help around his game shop every week.

Working together to make the space your own was some of the best memories you had with your oldest friends; going to second-hand shops to gather fitting set pieces, saving up for the sound dampeners so you could record your songs without paying a big-time studio, setting up the back room with tattered old furniture and a mini-fridge that was sure to break down any day.

The only thing that beat those days were the times you actually spent in the studio; rehearsing, recording your few music videos, spending downtime together writing new music on lumpy bean bag chairs and worn rugs (and definitely getting distracted by each other every ten minutes).

The night was late enough that no one bothered the five of you as you unloaded the truck, and soon enough all of you were taking your usual spots in the back room (Anzu sprawling out on the battered chaise, Jonouchi and Yugi filling up the loveseat, Honda falling onto a pair of beanbags, and you plopping down in the hammock chair).

“Alright you guys, I’m just going to come out and say it,” Anzu sighed after a few moments of hanging off the arm of her seat, “We need help writing our songs.”

You actually sat up as straight as you could in your chair and peered over at her- had she really just said what you had been thinking of saying for weeks?!

When she saw your look, something like panic colored her face as she waved her hands, “Not that I don’t think you’re a good writer! The songs you came up with were awesome! ...But-”

You waved off her concern, the hard motion causing your hammock to spin a little, “No- no, Anzu, I totally agree! I just didn’t know if I should bring it up...”

Even if you hadn’t thought of it too, Anzu had plenty of reason to think you needed help. In the whole four years since your group had started the band, from the first days sitting in class drawing up logo ideas, you had only written six original songs- and that included the two that were meant to go on your new album. You had gotten by with relying on covers to fill out your live sets and media accounts and making a host of excuses for the lack of originality.

“You really think bringing in another bandmate’s a good idea?” Honda chimed in, eyes narrow as he leaned back in his beanbag chair.

“Yeah, we don’t wanna end up like half the other bands out there,” Jonouchi chimed in, seeming to subconsciously pull Yugi closer to his side, “you guys know the only reason our band works is because we get each other- we’re family! We can’t just bring another person into that, it’ll ruin it and maybe even break us up!”

Yugi put a hand over Jonouchi’s, “Hey hey, slow down, don’t you think we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves? First of all, bands hire ghostwriters all the time, and they don’t always join the band. Besides... I don’t know, if the person’s really cool, would it be that bad to have another member?”

“We could always have them ghostwrite for us for a while, and if we like them, then talk about letting them join,” you offered, and were glad when everyone seemed to contemplate that with at least some positivity. “But that brings up the issue I think we’ll have, I’m not sure we can find someone who fits with our style all that easily. Like Jonouchi said, there’s a reason all of us work well together.”

It was true, all of you brought something to the table, something more than an instrument. The five of you had slightly different tastes, all of it coming together in something that wasn’t quite punk, not quite rock, not quite pop or even metal, and that’s what worked to your advantage. You wanted to prove that different sounds and styles could come together in harmony and appeal to listeners all across the spectrum. Not fit into a genre-labeled box that only fans of said genre would even bother listening to.

Eventually, Anzu gave a shrug, “We won’t know until we try. Why don’t we put the word out and see what happens?”

“We can still work on our own, and if we don’t find anyone who fits, we didn’t really lose anything besides time,” Yugi added, and that pretty much settled the matter.

Tomorrow the search for a new member of your team began.

#atem x reader #yami x reader #yugioh #yugioh x reader #Atem #yami yugi #series: a thousand songs #band AU #Yugioh Band AU #violinist atem

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sardonic-courtney · 3 years

Text

Crowley x Reader. We Met Before. Part 7/7

Summary: You end up living with Bobby after your parents die. You go to church and meet Priest Crowley and you end up getting along (if you know what i mean). A few years later when Bobby passes you move the the bunker with Sam and Dean and end up meeting Crowley again.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Warings: Mentions of death, Maybe spelling and language. Age gap.

Around 5000 words.

A little note before we start, this is a lonnnggg one. To be honest I didn’t want to separate it into 2 parts, but hopefully it doesn’t drag.....

A Confused Y/N, A Supportive Sam and A Oblivious Dean.

But no matter what crossed your mind, you would never have known what had been locked up right under your feet for the past 9 days...

**Crowley’s life after he left.

That month had been the best Crowley had in a long time, honestly, he was only supposed to be covering for that damned pastor for a week, but after some convincing, he managed to get 4. He would have stayed longer if he could, but unfortunately, duty called.

“Winchesters, bloody Winchesters. Always getting me tangled up in their messes.” Crowley muttered sitting on his throne.

It had been 2 months since he’d spoken to (Y/N). He felt guilty, really guilty, which was an emotion he thought had long passed him. He didn’t want to just leave her and not contact her. Especially after that last night. But also knew if he talked to her it would be too tempting to see her again, and he couldn’t get her messed up in the stuff that was going on right now. Not a chance could he put his princess in danger. So, he sent the occasional texts, which never got replied to, it hurt him, but nevertheless, he still messaged in hope.

Then 4 years later he deemed it safe to see you again, seeing as he wasn’t being constantly in the line of danger. But you weren’t at the church anymore, and after asking around had found out you had moved but failed to leave a forwarding address. He told his minions to keep an eye out for you, but nothing. He looked for you, but still nothing. It worried him, he hated feeling like you were either avoiding him or even dead.

Once again, the useless Winchesters stopped him on his search, to tie him to a chair. Of course, he could give up the information and resume… but where would the fun in that be?

*Back to present you.

You all reach the door, and Dean turns to you looking serious.

“I know if anyone can manipulate an answer out it's you, but please be safe and don’t rise to his games okay?”

“Dean, I’ll be fine. He’s locked up, what harm can he do.”

“Right of course. Just don’t like the idea of him…” but before he could finish you rolled your eyes.

“I know, now stop being so protective and open the door.”

He complied, turning back, and opening the door. Dean, followed by Sam walk into the clearing in the room, you still behind them. The light was already on, but your vision was blocked by the boy’s shoulders in your way. ‘honestly these two’ you thought, gently shoving their arms apart to walk forward.

That when you saw him. Sat in the middle of the room.

You froze a second, breath catching in your throat. He was looking down and hadn’t noticed you yet. But you had noticed him. Crowley.

But not your Crowley. No. This one was chained down to the chair like a criminal. Which you supposed he wasn’t far off from one. This one was the daemon you had heard so much about, who caused so many problems.

You tried to remember that when you called his name. “Crowley?” you knew your voice was as confused as you were.

His head snapped up; his frown replaced with a smile. A smile that you hadn’t seen for so long.

“Princess, what a pleasant surprise” he spoke in that same accent, it hadn’t changed a bit.

You were met with a mixture of feelings, fighting the urge to go over and hug him in case he disappeared again. But you didn’t dwell on those feelings and wouldn’t give in to your urge. No, you were with your brothers, and you were too confused.

Crowley, your sweet, charming, comforting Crowley. Was the king of hell?

Instead of thinking anymore, you did what you were best at, and pretended like nothing was different. You were here for information. That was all. All you needed was some clues to a case. No matter how strange it was for you, no matter how hard he would be to crack, that was what you were here for. So, you tried to mentally come up with a plan, seeming to forget all the ideas you had on your way down.

Behind you, Sam and Dean looked at each other, then at you. Watching you shrug and step forward into the design on the floor.

Much to Deans dislike. He noticed a slight change in your behaviour. You seemed less confident than you usually would, and he didn’t like it. Sam on the other hand just put a hand on his shoulder and muttered a “wait”.

You didn’t see or hear this exchange from behind you. You instead fought the urge to look at Crowley in the eyes. As much as you wanted to look at him, really look at him, you couldn’t not now, you knew it would just make the situation harder.

But that didn’t last long when his gravelly voice cut through the silence.

“Something you want love?”

It caught you off guard, made you look up at him, into his eyes for the first time. They brought a slight flutter of emotion through your stomach. God, you missed looking into them. Without thinking you spoke.

“Who is hunting hunters, and where can we find them”. Your voice was quiet and small, just above a whisper.

This made Dean look back at Sam. They knew this was never your tactic. Usually, you were slow, warming up to whoever it was. Then just as slowly twisting into their brain. You were never blunt. This made Dean question bringing you down here even more. He assumed you were scared. Assumed that you weren’t ready to handle being face to face with the King of hell and that stupid smirk on his face. Dean also knew that this ‘method’ wasn’t going to get them anywhere. So, he went to move, to tell you not to bother. But once again was met with Sam’s hand on his shoulder, slightly firmer this time, as he muttered a more determined “wait”.

Unlike Dean, Sam had been coming to a slow realisation. Studying both you and Crowley. He noticed the fact you called him Crowley, even though the boys had never mentioned his name to you. He also noticed the way he called you Princess, a name you had called Sam up about countless times. The way Crowley wasn’t mocking you or being rude. Sam was connecting dots, whereas Dean was assuming Crowley was just acting like this to wind them up.

Whilst this was going on behind you, you were still looking at the man in front of you, who had a small smirk resting on his lips. Not a cruel or mean one, but one that would go hand in hand with the slight chuckle he let out.

Crowley had missed you, seeing you standing here in front of him made him surer of that. He had been staring at you since he heard you call his name. He was taking you in. You had changed in some ways, your hair was different, your voice had changed slightly, you had a new style choice. Your outwards appearance definitely somewhat impacted by the Winchester no doubt. But you were still the same. The way you were slightly nervous around him was the same. The way you fidgeted under his gaze, the same gaze that made you whisper out that question, seemingly without thinking. He had seen that look before when you asked him things without thinking, which was what made him chuckle. You were still the same. So, he decided to play along.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” he teased.

Out of a reflex, you repeated your previous question. “I uh, I asked what’s hunting hunters and where can we find them.” Straight after saying this and being met with that bloody smirk you mentally cursed yourself, coming to your senses. As if he would just…

“Vampires”. He replied casually. “A group of vampires, around 10 since I last checked. But I’ve been down here for a while so I’m unsure as to how many now.”

“Vampires? But the bodies aren’t drained, well not all of them why would…” you trailed off, they didn’t kill like vampires would, very little of the evidence found supported vampires.

“Exactly. If you want to kill without being caught, you kill in different methods. Helps throw people off their scent. As for where they are, no idea sorry. They more around a lot, but I could find out with just one call below”. He was still looking at you, no matter how many times your eyes left his, his remained trained on you. It made you feel both nervous and safe. “Anything else?”

You turned to look at the brothers, who were too shocked at the fact he answered you to give a proper reply other than Dean shaking his head no.

“No, that’s it I guess”. You replied turning to look back at him.

“So, I can get rid of these chains then?” he says shaking them around, “they are highly annoying.”

Dean butted in for this one. “Not until you make the call”. Dean didn’t like this. Why would he just give in so easily? Must be a trick, or a plan, or something else. He didn’t know what, but it was something.

Sam just stood there still observing the scene. He remembered the calls you two shared, and the man he had come to know through your descriptions. And in front of him right now wasn’t Crowley king of hell. It was the mysterious man you rambled on about until early in the morning.

“Right of course squirrel, just give me blood and it’s all yours,” Crowley said no longer smiling or smirking, taking his eyes off you looking directly at Dean.

Now, this was Crowley Sam thought. He didn’t know how to feel himself, and he couldn’t imagine how you felt. This is why he suggests “(Y/N) come to the library with me whilst Dean deal with this, I need your opinion on the case, enlighten of your new information.”

You just nodded and followed Sam upstairs.

“Wow, thanks guys” you heard from Dean as the door shut behind you.

You both arrive in the library and Sam looks at you and getting straight to the point asks playfully, “So, that’s mystery man?”

“What? How did you?” you were genuinely confused about how Sam could make the connection that quick.

Sam lets out a light chuckle. “It’s obvious.”

“It is?”

“Well maybe not to Dean, but as soon as he called you princess, I started to figure it out”.

You felt your cheeks heat at this. You were slightly worried about what Sam would say.

“How you feeling?” he asks taking a seat on the table, patting the space next to him.

“Honestly?” you say sitting where his hand was, “confused.”

“Well at least we know he wasn’t avoiding you because he was married”. Sam joked.

That was one of the hypotheticals you had come up with during a chat about why he had left and not contacted you. It was random but seemed like a possibility. He had to go home, back to his life, maybe a wife and kids. You hated the thought and it made you angry beyond belief to think it, but well there was always doubt. But as Sam just said, that was now gone, confusing you more. The realisation of why you hadn’t talked for so long sinking in, most of your anger leaving.

“Yeah, there is that,” you say with the best smile you could muster.

“Talk to me”.

“I just don’t know how to feel Sam. Like he’s here.”

“How did you feel seeing him again, after 4 years?”

“Shocked, happy. I missed him, honestly, I fought the urge to hug him.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Because it’s too weird. The last time I saw him we were hanging out in a hotel room saying goodbye and now he’s chained up in our basement. He’s not the same guy I knew.”

“Isn’t he?”

“What do you mean? He lied, he’s a daemon, not only the that he’s the king of hell. Someone who put your lives through hell, literally.”

“True, but I’m not so sure. He never outright lied to you, like you he just didn’t mention this part of his life. Plus that guy back there wasn’t the douche bag I know.”

“Yeah, I guess you're right it’s just…what am I supposed to do?”

“Whatever you want to.”

“Why are you being so cool about this? You should be calling me crazy or lecturing me or, I don’t know something.” You waved your hands around a bit.

“I thought about it, and don’t get me wrong i don’t like him. But I know from the look on your face as soon as you walked in that room you still liked him. I saw the way your breath hitched and the smile you made when you caught his eye. I also noticed the way he was less aggravating when talking to you.”

“This is weird Sam even for us.” You sigh “Do you think there’s a chance he still likes me? God, I sound like such a girl” you laugh out.

You were worried. Not just for the obvious reasons, but also because the feelings you had been suppressing over the last years had suddenly returned, and it made you feel stupid for being like this. Sam understood though.

“I think there’s a very good chance. I saw the way he looked at you.” Sam nudged you causing you both to smile. “Just talk to him, if it’s the same guy it one of the things you two do best.”

“Yeah, I will, after we sort out these vampires. I can’t believe he just gave in.”

“Me neither, you must have him hooked” Sam suppressed a laugh as you rolled your eyes.

“Deans not going to like this.”

“No, no he is not.” Sam agreed, meeting your eye causing both of you to burst out laughing.

“What are you two laughing about?” Dean asked entering the room.

“Nothing” you and Sam stated at the same time, causing another stream of laughs to come out.

When the laughter died down Dean spoke up again, “Right okay…anyway I got the address. Their current place is only an hour away. In an abandoned bakery. But they have gained a few more recruits, now at around 14 of the bastards.”

“14?” you asked worriedly. That was a lot, and from past experiences, you knew that the numbers were always an underestimation. You didn’t like to deal with vampires, the thought of them brought up memories of your parent, plus their teeth were just creepy.

“Yep, what should we do?”

“Get it sorted today. It's only 1 pm now, we can pack our stuff and go there before they kill anyone else.” Sam suggested.

“We need a plan though.” You added.

“Yeah, the plan is to teach them a lesson about going around killing hunters,” Dean added, sticking to his no plan a good plan methodology.

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother, “I agree with (Y/N) we need at least a basic plan”.

So, you all discussed a plan of attack for the next half hour. Debating what you needed to bring, how you were going to go about hunting them without being overthrown by all of them at once, deciding to stay in a group was a better idea just in case. Then you headed downstairs to the basement again to get the weapons. Crowley was still chained to the chair.

“So, can I go now?” Crowley asked, seeming annoyed at Dean.

“I suppose so.” Dean heads over and unlocks him, breaking the design on the floor and expecting him to vanish, which he doesn’t.

“When are we leaving?” Crowley asks looking at no one in particular as he flattens out his suit.

“We?” Dean asks, but before he could continue his thoughts Sam butted in.

“About 5 minutes, why interested in letting off some steam?”

You smile at Sam thanking him silently.

“Something like that” Crowley adds looking at you, as you pack some weapons into a brown bag.

Then without any more speaking, you find yourself in the back seat of a fully-loaded baby. To your right was Crowley. In front of you was Sam and driving of course way Dean. It is slightly awkward as the car made its way with nothing but the sound of one of Dean’s playlists playing loudly out of the speakers.

This is a great time for you to think, or more specifically worry about what was to come in the next few hours. ‘it’s only vampires nothing to worry about you try to tell yourself. ‘Sam and Dean have dealt with them plenty of times, sure there will be a lot but it’s nothing we can’t handle.

As you were in your head, Crowley was looking at you. He noticed your absent stare out the window, and your fingers fiddling with the hem of your shirt. The movement of your eyebrows as you thought and debated. He could tell you were nervous and on edge about something, about what exactly he was unsure.

Whilst you had been up in the library with the two Winchesters, Crowley had been sitting thinking. He could only guess at how big a part you had in this. Obviously, you were a hunter, but how long had you been? Had you been one when you first met? Did you hate him? Did you want to kiss him a much as he wanted to kiss you?

But sat in the car with you he only had one thing on his mind, what was up with you.

“Love you alright?” he whispered to you below the music so only you would hear.

“Fine” you whispered back not breaking your gaze out the window.

“Don’t lie”, wasn’t a demanding command, but at the same time, his tone told you do not argue.

You sighed and turned to look at him, noticing a genuine worry etched into his features. There it was again that feeling of security that made you want to open up. “It’s just remember how I said my parents died?”

“Of course, I do. That accident in a factory.”

“Right well, it was an abandoned factory, and it wasn’t an accident, it was vampires.” You paused, noticed he wasn't going to say anything and continued. “I guess I just don’t like the idea of vampires after that, they were great hunters you know, and they well. I just don’t want that to happen to anyone else… Plus, they are creepy.” You added on the end hoping to lighten the mood.

Crowley chuckled before looking at you, then slowly reaching for your hand, which you let him take. It was warm and it made butterflied cycle your stomach.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” Then as an afterthought, he added more for your sake, “or those two.”

At that you leaned back in your seat, looking forward. Crowley’s hand still entangled with yours on your lap, as he lent into his seat as well. Sam saw this from the mirror and just smiled. Dean oblivious mouthed the words to the eye of the tiger, whilst driving along the bendy roads.

The fight was surprisingly successful. Overall, you had a few cuts and close calls, but it was over. Crowley had stuck keeping an eye on you the whole time, this not being his thing but keeping you safe any chance he got. all 4 of you stopped at a motel on the way back, seeing as it was late and safer to freshen up and sleep then make a drive back in the dark when you were all tired.

So, you pulled up to a motel and got a room. It was a room with one double and a single bed. The same as the three of you usually got. You called dibs on the first shower. After your shower, getting change into something comfortable, you left the bathroom to be met with Sam and Dean waiting. Dean headed into the shower.

When the water turned on Sam turned to you. “Crowley said he was popping back down to hell.”

You nodded not knowing what to say, you were tired and ready to sleep, although part of you was annoyed, he didn’t say goodbye you couldn’t blame him. He was unexpectedly gone for 3 weeks. You yawned, laying down on the single bed. “Goodnight Sam”

“Goodnight sleep well”

And you did. A few minutes after closing your eyes you were out like a light. Which meant you were the first one awake.

Stretching and clicking your back, thanks to the cheap mattress you opened your eyes to the dimly lit room, the source of light being the sun peeing out behind the blinds. Sitting up you look to your right seeing Sam and Dean still asleep on the other bed. To your left you see your phone, checking the time. 11 am. You slept in, and it felt good. Smiling you turned on the bedside light so you could see to get clothes out of your bag. You heard a groan from your right. Dean was up.

“Turn of the light,” he said covering his eyes.

You laughed at his childish tone, “Dean it's 11 I’m getting up whether you like it or not.”

But Dean looked at you the laughed.

“What?” you asked confused.

“Nothin’ just your hair munchkin. It's everywhere”

You rolled your eyes heading to the bathroom to get ready for the short trip back. Your mind kept wandering back to yesterday. Did this mean he was back? Were you two going to hang out again? Did he want to hang out? Was it bad how he still made you feel nervous and excited at the same time? Sam was right he had looked happy to see you.

A knock on the bathroom door snapped you from your thoughts.

“Sorry one sec.” you directed to the other side.

“No worries just letting you know we are dressed and ready to go when you are,” Sam called out.

**Time Skip**

You head back to the bunker, grabbing food on the way back. After getting back you put things away and then all sat in the kitchen, talking about the hunt.

“…the way you sliced his head clean of; I was proud munchkin,” Dean said.

“I learned from the best,” you said building up Dean’s ego before adding “so I guess I should thank you for being such a great teacher, Sam”.

Dean had an offended look and Sam smiled at you before the three of you started laughing again.

“It was weird though Crowley being there right,” Dean said thinking out loud.

That made you quiet, sending a quick look to Sam.

Dean being still oblivious continued, “I think he’s up to something, but it was kind of funny seeing him in the back seat of baby, he looked very out of place. I just hope he’s not going to make a habit of joining us”.

This time it was Sam who sent you a knowing look.

“I’ll be right back just going to grab a book.” You said slipping out from under the wooden table heading to your room to grab the novel you were currently halfway through.

Sam and Dean continued talking.

“I’m not the only one who thinks it's weird right? He must be up to something. Why else would he just give us the information?”

“I don’t know Dean. Maybe he just wanted to be let out so he could go back to do whatever he does.” Sam answered. “Don’t think too hard about it, your head might explode.”

“I won’t but something doesn’t seem right” Dean added before you walked back in, book in hand. You resumed your seating position and began to read.

Sam and Dean started talking again, this time about meaningless things. They tried to include you a few times before giving up as you were too into your book. Or so they thought, in reality, your mind was thinking about yesterday again, and then about before and what was to happen now. You had concluded there was nothing you could do. Deciding to follow Sam’s advice and do whatever felt right when the time came.

4 hours passed, time spent doing a few chores and watching a few episodes of a show you been watching, before being called into the kitchen once again by Dean. It was around 6 pm

“What’s up?” you walk to see Sam and Dean debating something. “Should I be worried?”

“Yes. This is a very concerning matter.” Dean said looking at you seriously.

‘What’ you thought. ‘what could he be on about’.

“what’s the matter now?” you asked.

“Dinner,” Sam answered rolling his eyes at his overdramatic brother.

“How is that a concerning matter Dean?” you say through a breathy laugh.

“Because I’m hungry and we don’t have any food.”

You moved past him to look in the cupboards. There was food. Pasta, rice, sauces. Then in the fridge, there was meat and cheese.

“Just because you can’t make anything other than burgers, doesn’t mean there’s no food Dean. There is loads.”

“I can make other things than burgers,” Dean argued back defensively.

“Really because you never have?” you tease back.

“She has a point dude” Sam adds further annoying Dean.

“Yes, I can, and I have…” Dean goes quiet looking to the right of you.

You follow to where Dean was looking and see Crowley stood about 3 meters away from you.

Dean groans “What do you want now?”

You stay quiet, as does Sam.

“Well seeing as business is now over,” Crowley says turning his body to fully face you. He has dressed once again in a black suit, looking smart. His hair slightly messy, his jaw and chin covered by a thin trimmed beard, and well he looked good. A smirk played on his lips as you met his face, he obviously hadn’t missed the fact you had been looking him up and down.

“Hello Princess, I missed you.”

At this, you couldn’t help but walked up to him and hug him. Head resting in the crook of his neck, your arms on top of his shoulders as he used his grip on your waist to pull you closer. He kissed the top of your head as you muttered an “I missed you too.”

This was a feeling you missed. But before you could get used to it a hand grabbed your arm, lightly pulling you back out of Crowley’s grasp. Accompanied by Dean’s voice. “Woah wait for a goddamn minute. What’s going on here?”

You looked down at the floor. “You uhh…You remember when you came over on my 18th?”

“Yes?” Dean replied unsure of where this was going.

“Well, the ‘friend’ I was hanging out with was Crowley.”

“Excuse me? You mean the guy you were dating?”

You didn’t reply, unsure how to put it. Sure, you went on dates, but you weren’t technically dating, were you?

Dean looked at you then Crowley, then back at you. Taking your silence and an answer. “Crowley? You were dating Crowley? That’s gross he’s like 100 years old, plus don’t even get me started on...”

Your bit your lip, still looking down. You knew Dean would react like this. it was understandable but it still stung. The tone in Deans lecturing voice made you feel small, whereas usually you would brush him off and tell him to shut up, now you had no response.

“Dean” Sam’s voice cut him off, saving you from even more of a lecture.

“What?” Dean turned to look at his brother. “Wait you gotta agree with me here. This is crazy and the fact she didn’t even tell us and, why don’t you look shocked?”

“Dude I knew” Sam stated.

“What, how?”

“It was kind of obvious”.

“What and you're just okay with this?” Dean was nearly speechless, you wished he were fully speechless, it would be easier that way.

“What can I say, man, he’s good to her.”

“He’s…. I’m sorry, has everyone lost their mind. Is this a trick? I swear is Gabriel here or something.”

“No trick Dean, it’s hard to explain, but it’s the truth,” Sam said simply.

Your wish had come true Dean was officially speechless. Looking from Sam to you to Crowley then back again. Crowley made his way over to stand by your side.

“Thanks, Sammy,” you say smiling at him.

Sam looked to Crowley then to you, with his brotherly grin on his face he said, “Go catch up, I’ll deal with him.”

Crowley puts his hand on your shoulder causing you to face him. “Seeing as you now know we can go anywhere. Where shall we go?”

“Anywhere?”

“Yes”

“Well, I do believe you promised me a trip to {D/P}.”

THE END

Little Extra:

Crowley pulls you into a kiss and you blip out of the room.

“Did they just?” Dean asks Sam.

“Yep”

“But why would?”

Sam chuckled leading his brother to sit down. “Common I’ll tell you about it”.

“She just kissed a bloody daemon… I think I’m gonna throw up”.

A/N... Well i guess that's that then. I’ve been going over this for the past like week debating if it’s the right ending or not but I can’t really see where else to go. I’m also not sure if I’m going to add another short shot after touching on their little trip to make up for the lack of ‘romance’ in this but we shall see. Thanks for reading guys.

#supernatural #Crowley Supernatural #supernatural x reader #crowley x y/n #crowley x you #crowley x reader #crowley #PriestCrowley #xreader

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refinedbuffoonery · 3 years

Text

Flawless (3)

masterlist.

Content Warning: swearing, violence, sex, PTSD

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 PLEASE SKIP THE SEX SCENE. It’s the last part of the chapter, and all you need to know is that is happens.

*****

There were never enough showers.

Never enough showers to wash off the grit and the smell and the fear. Not from the dumpster—that came off pretty easily—but from before.

Riley had initially turned the handle all the way hot, but she didn’t turn it down when she stepped into the shower. Water scalded her back, her chest, her thighs, but she didn’t care. She welcomed the pain with open arms. Anything to keep the numbness from returning.

She left the glass door partly open. During her first shower since coming home, Riley had closed it normally and immediately panicked. The once spacious shower was suddenly too tight, closing in on her with each breath, like if she didn’t open the door right then she would’ve been trapped in it forever. Now Riley left the door open. The shower felt less like a cage when she did that.

Riley went through the motions almost mechanically. Wash face. Shampoo hair. Wash body. Condition hair. Shave legs. In that order. Always in that order.

She turned the water to freezing cold for a minute before stepping out. The shock to her system hurt worse than the hot water did. It felt like force-rebooting her body the same way she would a malfunctioning computer.

She pictured the start-up graphics on a screen as her brain woke back up. Blackness. The mouse appeared, barely more than a white smudge against the dark. Then the loading screen.

She got dressed, and it felt like typing in her password. The first outfit felt wrong, like she’d typed in the password incorrectly. Riley tried again. She got it the second time, mental fingers landing on the right keys, in the right order—clothes that felt like her, embracing her body.

Skinny jeans.

Rolling Stones t-shirt.

Silver hoop earrings.

When the mirror unfogged, Riley re-did her makeup—smokey eyeshadow and eyeliner sharp enough to stab the demons colonizing her mind. All part of her armor against the world.

She’d need it with the whole team in her apartment tonight.

Unsurprisingly, Desi and Cage let themselves in without bothering to knock. Riley’s only warning was an unmistakable squeal that could’ve only come from Cage before someone pounced on her from behind, nearly sending them both tumbling to the ground. Pale arms wrapped around her, and Riley awkwardly reached back to hug her friend.

From somewhere behind them, Desi scoffed, “You could’ve at least waited for her to turn around, you know.”

Cage shot back, “Don’t be all macho. You already got to see her.” Riley didn’t think picking her, Nikki, and Jill up from their dumpster adventure counted, but she didn’t correct the blonde.

Cage let go only long enough for Desi to give Riley a real hug. Lowering her voice so Cage couldn’t hear, the more reserved woman whispered in Riley’s ear, “If you need anything, even just to talk, you come to me, okay?”

Riley whispered back, “Okay.” Desi gave her a long, knowing look before pulling away.

They brought Italian takeout from the fancy place downtown and an ungodly amount of wine. Riley eyed the expensive labels. She’d long been banned from alcohol duty; Nikki didn’t mind beer and tequila, but Cage and Desi just sneered and said she and Nikki drank like college students. Which, to be fair, they did.

Cage poured a glass for each of them, and the trio migrated to Riley’s black leather couch. “So,” Cage began, “how does it feel to be out?”

The interrogation was beginning early, it seemed. Carefully sipping her wine, Riley answered, “Good.” Cage narrowed her eyes at the one-word response, and Riley fought not to squirm under her all-knowing gaze. The former interrogator was literally a fucking mind reader.

Cage pressed on. “What was it like in there?”

“You don’t have to answer that,” Desi quickly assured, shooting her girlfriend a warning glare. There was something in Cage’s returning look that made Riley think this wasn’t the first time they’ve talked about this.

Of course the team had talked about her while she was in prison. They had to process the events leading up to Riley’s arrest too. Riley didn’t blame them for that. But for some reason it still stung that they talked about her behind her back.

She was saved from answering Cage’s question by Nikki’s loud arrival. The blonde gasped audibly from the doorway, eyes locking on the wine glasses in their hands. “You started without me? Rude.”

Riley rolled her eyes. “Speaking of rude, did you all forget what knocking is?”

“If you wanted us to knock then you shouldn’t have given each of us a key,” Desi sneered. Riley frowned but didn’t disagree.

Jill cautiously trailed Nikki into the apartment. Riley arched a brow in surprise; she hadn’t been sure the woman would actually show. She put up an icy exterior before speaking. “So,” Riley drawled. “You came.”

Jill smiled awkwardly. “Hi.”

“It’s Jill, right?” Cage got up to introduce herself. “I’m Samantha.” Riley watched the exchange carefully, studying Jill’s body language. She seemed to fold in on herself under Cage’s intense gaze, but Riley didn’t blame her. Even after six years of friendship, Cage was just as scary as the day Riley met her.

With food in front of them, the conversation flowed easier. Riley was content to let Cage and Desi pester Jill with endless questions while she ate her pasta in peace. Hopefully they’d forget all about interrogating her.

“So how did you all meet?” Jill asked after Cage finally ran out of questions.

Riley smirked, but it was Nikki who spoke first. “Well, I met Riley the day I was fired from my first job. We ran around with the lowlifes of LA for a while until we met Cage, who was a professional gold-digger at the time.” Nikki took a sip of her wine. “And it was all fun and games until one day I found myself making breakfast for this cranky ex-military chick Cage brought home—” a pointed look at Desi— “who did the walk of shame out of our apartment every day until she moved in.” Desi stuck her tongue out at Nikki, who returned the gesture with glee.

Meanwhile, Jill’s eyes widened with each new piece of information. “There is so much to unpack there.” She pushed her glasses up her nose, focusing on Cage. “You were a professional gold-digger?”

Cage smiled and poured herself another glass of wine before snuggling into Desi’s side. “I was.” Desi wrapped a protective arm around her girlfriend.

“She had a good thing going for a while,” Nikki explained. “Get with a hot millionaire, spend a year embezzling his money, fake her death. Repeat.” Cage wiggled her eyebrows, making everyone laugh. It was moments like this Riley missed most in prison—the gossip, the easy laughter.

“And what about the other girl?” Jill asked. The laughter died immediately. “The one I’m replacing.”

Riley’s grip tightened around her glass. “My best friend from high school.” There was just enough edge to her words to keep Jill from asking anything else about Leanna or the past. Riley knew what her next question would be: If she was your best friend, then why isn’t she here now?

She’d asked herself the same question every day Nikki visited her in prison, alone.

The rest of the night passed without incident. Carefully timed trips to the kitchen enabled Riley to get Cage and Desi’s opinions on Jill without arousing suspicion. The team was in agreement—recruiting Jill was a yes.

After the movie ended and the dishes were done, Riley gathered her team in the kitchen. There were times in prison she thought she’d never see this again—Nikki standing to her right, Desi sitting on a barstool with her boots on the counter, Cage just sitting on the counter, and now Jill, who miraculously knew how to both be polite and sit in a chair correctly. But here they were. Her team. In her kitchen. Waiting for Riley to pitch their next job.

“So,” she began. “I’ve got a job for us.”

Desi snorted. “I had no idea.” Rolling her eyes, Cage smacked her girlfriend’s calves in reprimand.

Riley ignored her. “Paris Fashion Week is next month, and it’s time we attend. While we’re there, we can do some sightseeing, eat at fancy restaurants, visit the Louvre.” Desi and Cage sat up straighter at the word “Louvre.” Nikki already knew part of the plan, but until now the others had no idea what Riley had been planning.

Nearly as perceptive as Cage, Jill asked, “What’s special about the Louvre? I mean, aside from the fact that it’s famous and holds lots of cool stuff.”

“The Louvre,” Riley began, fixing her intense gaze on Jill, “contains some of best-guarded treasures on the whole planet. Which will make them all the more lucrative when they hit the black market.”

Jill looked between the other women warily, as if she suddenly found herself surrounded by people who should be in a mental institution, and Riley had to fight the urge to laugh. “No offense, but you’re insane,” the recruit said. “Do you even realize how impossible this is?”

“Not impossible,” Riley corrected. “But the challenge is what makes it fun.”

Curiosity flooded Cage’s eyes. “I’ll bite. What’s the target?”

“The French Crown Jewels.” Riley was met with a series of gasps and raised eyebrows.

Even Nikki showed concern. “Riles,” she said softly. “Don’t you think that’s a bit much, even for you?” The others nodded in agreement.

Appalled, Riley demanded, “Are you doubting me now? I’m gone for two years and then...nothing? Where’s the trust?”

“Of course we trust you,” Nikki said, stepping closer. “But maybe we should try for something easier.” After what happened last time, her eyes finished.

Fire roiled in Riley’s gut. Who were these people? What happened to the women who jumped at every batshit plan thrown their way? Riley didn’t recognize the cautious people in front of her. Nikki, of all people, didn’t get to lecture her on easier.

“This is the plan,” Riley snapped. “Either you’re in, or I replace you too.” She held Nikki’s gaze in challenge, making it clear she wouldn’t back down.

It was Desi who finally dared to break the charged silence, standing up to pour herself another glass of wine. “Well, if you insist of doing something stupid, I’m not letting you do it by yourself.”

Riley barely hid her surprise. Desi rarely took her side in an argument, if ever.

Cage’s lips formed a grim line. “Guess I’m in too.” Even Jill reluctantly nodded.

That just left Nikki. She glowered, clearly unhappy with being outvoted. “Fine,” she grumbled. “But I’m just as much the leader of this team as you are, and I reserve the right to pull the plug at any time.” Riley figured that was as close to agreement as she was going to get for now.

She grinned wickedly. “Then it’s settled. We’re going to Paris.”

*****

The next night, Riley took Nikki and Jill to a headline-making new club that just opened in Hollywood, as both an apology girls night and an opportunity to instruct Jill in Con Artist 101. Even though it was a weekday, neither protested. No local goes out on a weekend. Not in this city.

The club featured the finest of LA’s nightlife—pulsing music, beautiful women, overpriced drinks, the occasional person who may or may not be a celebrity, and people doing lines of coke on the bathroom counter. Truly a sight to behold.

The women to men ratio was surprisingly close to equal for an LA hotspot, and Riley didn’t waste the opportunity to check out all the eye candy her city had to offer. At the same time, she watched the crowd for easy victims.

She found one easily. A young blonde woman barely contained in her tight, sequined dress stepped up to the bar, and Riley could just see the edge of her ID sticking out from the top of her dress. She’d be easy to pickpocket, especially once her large, bubblegum pink drink was in her system.

The three women ordered their own drinks, and while they waited, Riley pulled Jill aside, lowering her voice. “You see her?” She tilted her head in the direction of the target. “Drunk blonde in a sequin dress.”

“What about her?” Jill asked cautiously.

“You’re going to pickpocket her.”

“I’m what?”

On her other side, Nikki chuckled, resting a hand on Jill’s shoulder. “Con Artist 101, babe. You’ve got to start with the basics.”

“Okay.”

Riley continued, “You’re going to steal her ID. It’s stuffed down the front of her dress—easy, unsecure. First step, watch her to figure out exactly where it is.” This was the first test, seeing if Jill was perceptive enough to pick up the kind of small details most people ignore. It wasn’t enough to just be aware of her surroundings; she had to know exactly where everything was at all times. People in their line of work couldn’t afford surprises.

After a few minutes, Jill nodded with confidence. “Found it. Right side, in between her boob and her armpit.”

“Good,” Riley praised. “Now you have to go get it. Bump into her so she’s more focused on that than your hand in her dress. Maybe even spill your drink on her.”

Jill’s newfound surety was short lived. “Can you show me first?” Unease returned to her voice.

Riley smirked. “Gladly.” She found a new target for herself—a man, tipsy but not drunk, and not so big that he’d overpower her if he got a little handsy. She spied the outline of his wallet in the left leg of his jeans. “When you’re stealing heavier items, say a wallet,” Riley explained while her eyes searched the bar, “you need to put something in its place. Otherwise your mark will know pretty quickly that something is missing.” The club was swanky enough to use real coasters at the bar instead of napkins, and Riley leaned over the bar to grab one. It wasn’t quite heavy enough, but it would do. “Watch carefully,” she instructed.

She sauntered right up to the man, eyes focused on a random point in the distance, and collided with his left side. In the brief moment their bodies touched, Riley slipped her hand into his front pocket, snagging his wallet and leaving the coaster in its place. “Sorry,” she apologized with a demure bat of her eyelashes. Slipping the wallet into her purse, Riley kept walking before the man could do or say anything else.

The theft was as easy as breathing, the thrill short lived.

“Your turn,” Riley said, returning to Jill’s side. Jill shifted her weight from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable. “If you second-guess it, it won’t work. Have some faith in yourself.” Emphasizing her point, Riley shoved Jill forward.

Nikki slid into the newly open space beside Riley. “Are you sure we should just throw her in the deep end like this?”

Her eyes never leaving Jill, Riley replied, “The only way she’s going to learn is if she practices. You know that just as well as I do.”

“I guess.” Nikki sighed. “I just don’t want anything to happen to her.”

Maybe it was the lingering annoyance from yesterday’s fight that Riley had yet to let go of, but something about Nikki’s words rubbed her the wrong way. Riley snapped, “You mean unlike what happened to me?”

Bristling, Nikki didn’t rise to the bait.

On the dance floor, Jill bumped into the woman well enough, but she was a little slow on the grab. Thankfully the woman was too drunk to notice.

Subtly flashing the ID, Jill asked, “What do I do with it?”

“Keep it,” Nikki said. “She looks enough like you. Use it the next time you get carded.” Jill didn’t look too happy about that, but she slid the ID into her purse all the same.

Riley murmured just loud enough for Nikki to hear. “See? I told you she’d be fine.” Nikki gave her a look she wasn’t sure how to interpret.

The bartender dropped off their drinks, and Riley knocked back both her tequila shots, one right after the other. Nikki raised an eyebrow. “There something you need to tell me?”

The burn from the alcohol lingered in the back of Riley’s throat. “Nope. I’m good.”

“Riles—” Nikki protested, but Riley cut her off.

“You, however, look desperately in need of a good fuck.” She said it more to get Nikki off her back than anything else. Riley scanned the crowd, eyes settling on a tall, muscular man with dark skin and close-cropped hair. He stood right at the edge of the dancing, talking to a group of guys, providing Riley with an excellent side-view of his chiseled silhouette. “He’ll work.” She didn’t wait for a response before striding through the mass of writhing bodies.

Riley sidled up next to him, and the whole group of guys turned to her in unison. “Hi,” he said. Riley immediately liked the sound of his voice, deep and smooth and sensual.

She smiled. “I’m Riley, and if you’ll come with me, there’s someone I think you should meet.” The boldness came easily. The tequila added to her already high self-esteem was just a bonus.

The man turned to face her fully. “Riley,” he crooned. Her name rolled off his lips like melted chocolate. “And what if I’d rather just get to know you?” Riley smirked. That plan was fine by her. Nikki could find her own man. It had been a long time since Riley had a fuckable man’s hands on her body, and she wasn’t about to waste the opportunity. She lightly tugged on his shirt.

“Dance with me.”

They melted into the crowd, and his broad hands found Riley’s waist as she eye-fucked him, gently drawing her into his hard, warm body. He took his time, giving her the chance to change her mind if she wished. His courteousness made him even hotter. Riley pressed her body closer.

The rhythmic bass rattled her bones, but Riley welcomed the sensation. She let it carry her away, guiding the swinging of her arms and the rolling of her hips.

The man’s lips brushed her ear as he spoke. “I’m Kalei, by the way.”

Kalei. Riley repeated his name, committing it to memory. Kuh-lay. She liked the way it rolled off her tongue.

“Turn around,” Kalei commanded. Biting her lower lip, Riley obeyed, and Kalei tugged her hips firmly against his own.

Riley leaned back, resting her head on Kalei’s shoulder, running her hands up and down his thick, muscular arms. Kalei’s fingers curled into her hips, his breath was hot on Riley’s neck, and Riley already found herself wanting more. He moved perfectly with her, their bodies in sync.

Her arms rose up, fingers finding purchase on the nape of his neck. Kalei’s hands steadily grew braver—first skimming up her waist, then down over her thighs—leaving a delicious burning sensation in their wake. He pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, and his palms traveled higher, just brushing the undersides of her breasts. Riley gasped.

She growled over her shoulder, “Do that again.”

He did. Again and again and again.

When Riley finally turned around, the hungry glow simmering in his eyes matched her own. She wanted him. She wanted him now.

He smelled like cedar and something else she couldn’t quite place with the stench of sweat and alcohol accosting her nose. Riley pulled his mouth down to hers, but Kalei stopped just before their lips brushed. “Shouldn’t I at least buy you a drink first?”

She chuckled, deep and full of wicked promise. “I already cut myself off for the night. Besides, we both know you’d rather skip that step.” Riley pressed her hips against his for emphasis, feeling him hard against her.

Kalei tensed. “Are you sure?”

Riley knew she’d picked a good one. “Yes, I’m sure.”

Apparently that was all the reassurance he needed. Kalei grabbed a fistful of Riley’s hair and kissed her, hard and desperate. She moaned into his mouth, imagining all the depraved things his tongue could do. Riley planned on becoming intimately acquainted with every single one of those things by morning.

She started to drag him toward the bathroom, but Kalei stopped her. “I am not fucking you on a bathroom counter. Let’s get out of here.”

Fair enough. “Your place or mine?” she asked.

“Do you have a roommate?”

“Nope.”

His fingers trailed down Riley’s arm and linked through hers. “Then yours.”

The cab ride was short, but tense. The driver dutifully kept his eyes glued to the road as Kalei’s hand stroked the inside of her thigh. Riley shivered in her seat.

Kalei’s eyes bulged when the driver pulled up to Riley’s swanky apartment building. “Wait, are you in the industry? Should I know you?”

Riley laughed, picturing herself as some whiny, simpering actress. Pathetic. “No. I’m just a businesswoman.”

The easiest lies were mostly true, after all.

The lobby was empty, and the elevator doors slid open mercifully quickly. As soon as Riley pressed the button for the top floor and the doors slid shut, Kalei resumed kissing her, hands tangling in her curls as he pinned her against the wall.

The doors opened, and Riley didn’t waste any time leading Kalei down the hall to her apartment, unlocking the door, and shoving Kalei inside first.

Her apartment was mostly dark; the only light came from the city lights shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room. Riley didn’t bother to turn on a light. Kalei backed her against the door, and Riley let out a gasp as her legs wrapped around him and his mouth lowered to her throat. Her dress bunched around her waist, becoming little more than a shirt.

“We can stop at any time,” he rasped. “Just say the word.” Kalei held out his little finger in a pinky promise, and the gesture had Riley already contemplating where she’d take him out to breakfast in the morning.

Riley had no intention of stopping. She told him so, and Kalei’s mouth slanted over hers, kissing her thoroughly. Her greedy fingers made quick work of his jacket, then his shirt, and Riley smiled into the kiss as she traced his chiseled abs and chest. Kalei was hot, polite, and ripped.

In short, he was perfect. Not that she’d ever inflate a man’s ego by telling him that.

She pulled away just far enough to ask, “Are we doing this against the door or on my bed?”

Kalei’s dark chuckle set every nerve in her body on fire. Riley wanted to carve the magnificent sound into her memory forever. “Bed,” he murmured. “I want to take my time unraveling you and learning exactly what it takes to make you scream my name.”

Fuck. Every coherent thought vanished from Riley’s mind. The best she could do was nod furiously as he set her down.

Riley yanked off her heels before dragging Kalei down the dark hallway to her spacious bedroom. Their clothes came off all at once, without ceremony, and then her back was against the mattress, and Kalei’s delicious weight hovered over her.

He kissed his way down her body, all the way to her knees before moving back up to where she really wanted him. She was right, earlier, about what his tongue could do. Broad licks, circles, delicate, methodical strokes—magical, toe-curling, spine-arching, embarrassing noise-inducing stuff.

Riley whimpered his name as a wave of pleasure crashed over her.

And then his hands were shackles around her wrists, pinning them above her head. Riley froze. The confinement made her want to crawl out of her own skin, and not in a good way.

Noticing Riley’s shift in body language, Kalei released her wrists and sat up, seeming to know she needed space. “Are you okay?” he asked gently.

A deep breath. “Yeah,” Riley lied.

No I’m not okay.

I felt trapped.

That’s never happened before.

“Okay,” he said. “Let me know when you’re ready to keep going.”

“I’m ready now.” She didn’t hesitate, flipping them so she was on top.

Despite her reassurance, it was slower now, less desperate. Riley focused on the sounds escaping his lips, letting them wash away the shackled feeling. The more she touched him, the more she felt powerful, in control. Her smirk finally returned as Kalei sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes screwing shut and head tilting back, exposing the strong column of his throat.

It was control Riley really craved, after not having any for so long.

And Kalei seemed to be more than happy to surrender to her. Chuckling at her haste, Kalei stroked her calves as Riley ripped open the new box of condoms in her nightstand drawer. His broad hands on her hips guided her, meeting her halfway, but Riley dictated the rhythm and pace, giving her desperate, touch-starved body everything it desired.

She nearly got off on the high of watching this beautiful man come undone beneath her alone.

Riley was in awe of how quickly he had figured out her body—how to tease her, draw her pleasure out, send her over the edge. Kalei earned every utterance of his name on her lips.

And god were there a lot of them.

When Kalei woke her up in the middle of the night for round two, they tousled for dominance. Riley knew there’d be marks on her body in the morning, but she didn’t care. There would be just as many on him.

Kalei didn’t touch her wrists again. He only pinned her shoulders and hips, leaving her limbs free to do as she pleased. “Is this okay?” he’d asked the first time he held her down. She assured him it was.

If Riley had time for love, she thought she might be able to have it with him.

With her common sense still lost in the delicious, post-release haze, Riley said, “I never say this, but do you want to get breakfast in the morning?”

Kalei pulled her against him, her back to his front, his arm possessively circling her body. “I never say this either, but yes.”

Riley smiled as she drifted off to sleep.

#beth writes #flawless au #macgyver #riley davis #nikki carpenter #desiree nguyen #samantha cage #jill morgan #macgyver fanfiction

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ellesliterarycorner · 3 years

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Writing Epilogues

I prefer epilogues so much over prologues. Epilogues take place after the story finishes and acts as a finishing touch to the story. Just like it’s fraternal twin the prologue, people often debate wether or not an epilogue is necessary because if you write a strong enough ending, the theory is that you shouldn’t have anything left to say. I mostly disagree. Are epilogues necessary? No, they aren’t necessary, but I think that a lot of series benefit from them. Epilogues are a satisfying close to the story. They often let you look back and have a moment of nostalgia for everything that’s happened over the course of the book or the series. As the character reminiscence on their lives, so can you. Should they replace the ending of the novel? No, if you do that then you haven’t written it properly. It’s like a little encore, a swan song for your series to end on. I love epilogues, and we’ll get into my two favorite epilogues ever later on. But first, let’s get back to our trusty pros and cons lists of writing an epilogue!

Pros

They can give us a sense of closure that we otherwise wouldn’t have gotten by wrapping up all the threads that couldn’t be wrapped up without a time jump.

They can help emphasize how different everything is in the new world your characters live in. For example, if at the end of the story, your protagonist became the leader of a new country after overthrowing the evil ruler in a rebellion, the epilogue could show a snippet of them adjusting to their new rule.

They can set up the sequel or spinoff to your series. Lots of authors use the epilogues of their books as a set up for the next book. f you have a spinoff idea, then the epilogue would be a great spot to the sow the seeds for that and get your readers interested.

It can show an outside perspective that wouldn’t normally be shown, and show the final aftermath of whatever happened in your book. One of my favorite epilogues is the epilogue of the Handmaid’s Tale. Without any spoilers, it takes place some 200 years after the book, and I really recommend reading it for all the elements of a good epilogue that leaves the reader wanting more.

Cons:

Sometimes, they make the ending feel too perfect and therefore unrealistic. Lots of authors feel obligated to make epilogues the perfect happy-ending bubble which might hurt the overall message of the series thus far.

They can divide readers over the ending of your series. Lots of readers, myself included, like the freedom that not having an epilogue or a definitive ending gives readers. Readers like to imagine what happened to their favorite characters, and it keeps them engaged in the story way after it’s ended.

They can also weaken your ending. Some epilogues come off as thrown together and really weak writing that contradicts the original resolution of the story.

They can also sometimes feel like extra filler that doesn’t add anything to the story. Like everything else in your story, epilogues need to add something to the story, and if they don’t, then readers may see it as a waste of their time and unimportant.

So, here are some tips on how to write an epilogue!

Read Other Epilogues

Reading epilogues of popular books and comparing them is a great way to familiarize yourself with somethings readers expect in epilogues. Like I said earlier, one of my favorite epilogues is the epilogue of the Handmaid’s Tale. It’s a really good representation of everything an epilogue should be in my opinion. I would also recommend reading the epilogue of Animal Farm by George Orwell. It emphasizes the theme of the book and gives a sinister glimpse of the future of all the animals at the animal farm after the events of the book. Other epilogues you might want to read are the epilogue of Mockingjay in the Hunger Games or the Deathly Hallows. I actually hate the Deathly Hallows epilogue for 1,000s of reasons I won’t go into, but I really enjoyed the epilogue of Mockingjay. It finished up Katniss’s story well for me and gave me all the closure I needed!

Don’t Overdo It!

If your epilogue is getting longer than the average length of your chapters, then you might need to cut it off or consider putting some of information in earlier actual chapters. Most epilogues are 5-10 pages, but the prologue of Mockingjay, which I consider one of the best epilogues I’ve read is just two pages long. The point is, just like with prologues, keeping it short and sweet is the best advice. Although epilogues are a really great addition to the end of a story, most books don’t need them. Readers are less likely to skip an epilogue than they are to skip a prologue, but keeping it short will help keep them engaged longer.

Don’t Introduce New Information

Even if you’re setting up the sequel or a spin-off, the seeds of that subplot should have been planted a while ago. POSSIBLE VAMPIRE DIARIES SPOILERS!! It’s like in the Vampire Diaries when Klaus goes to New Orleans, but they’ve been talking about New Orleans for like five episodes now, and we already met Hailey and saw her and Klaus do the do, so we’re not just like flabbergasted when he goes to New Orleans in the backdoor pilot for the Originals. If your spin-off focuses on the protagonist’s sister, we should have already met her, and hopefully we already like her as a character. We probably should also hear a few things about her secret mission or whatever her story will be about. The epilogue is when you hint at those things having a greater importance to the story, but the overall information should not be new to your readers.

I really hoped this helped someone! Epilogues can be a great finishing touch to your story! If you’re having trouble writing an epilogue, I would suggest starting with your main character. They’re the center of your story, and the reason for most of the events. Even if we know wether or not your main character survived the great battle, defeated the evil king, or took their rightful place as Queen of the land, we, as readers, still want to know a little more of what becomes of them after that. Epilogues don’t have to be 10 or 20 years in the future, they can literally take place three days after the battle or even three hours. Whatever works for your story!

#writers on tumblr #writers #writer #writingcommunity #writerscommunity #writersofig #writers of instagram #writing advice #writing tips #writing tip

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thecagedsong · 3 years

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Forgotten Light: Chapter 6: Enchantress

A/N: Hey everyone. Going to start uploading at night so I can focus better during the day. Enjoy this short bit. Kendra isn’t going to get a lot of action at this point, so it’s training for her.

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Chapter 6: Enchantress

The following morning, Kendra had Ronodin’s bag of gifts organized on the craft table in the library. Ronodin had added little labels, listing the general source and possible magic properties of each item. The ingredients were kind of icky. Fabric that was various blends of cotton, wool, hair of zombie, hair of Litche, milkweed, nettles, and deathknell spider silk, was in the first section. Wood blocks were in the second section, varieties of elder, damnation redwood, wood from the heart of hamadryad trees, blinding pine, and some from the Dedona forest of insanity. Paint mixtures in the third section, they came with various combinations of fairy blood, unicorn blood, phantom tears, poison, and reverent spit.

She decided that the wood blocks were the least gross and least possible to screw up. Reading more into their descriptions, she settled on balsa wood from the heart of a hamadryad tree. Hamadryads were nature spirits, connected to specific trees. It seemed a vulnerable wood that would help her craft an amulet for protection.

Without her memories, she felt vulnerable. Ronodin had given her an idea of who she was, but that wasn’t the same as being the person he knew. It wasn’t even the same as wanting to be that person, even though old Kendra sounded pretty cool.

Ronodin had assured her that while her family had disapproved, being an enchantress was her passion. The art of crafting magical items was almost entirely lost, but Kendra was one of the few that could bring it back. Her family had been worried about an influx of magical items falling into the wrong hands though, destroying their monopoly on the magical market. Luckily Ronodin had managed to secure most the replacements for the stuff she had forgotten to take with her.

She and Ronodin had read the how-to chapters together, and he specified which parts she was able to skip due to her status as fairy kind. She didn’t need pentagrams or runes, for example, but she did need to imbue the item with intent.

An amulet seemed like a good start. They were one of easiest since they were meant to be worn, and didn’t have a functionalty/magic property duality to worry about. She wanted a protective amulet, and browsing through her guidebook’s symbol glossary, Kendra settled on one that would make her enemies feel weak and distracted the closer they got to her.

Kendra carefully selected the knives she would need, and sketched out her design. A chain broken in six different places, at the points of a star, would go around the edges, and it would encircle a blob human. Circle for a head, hunched forward, the back at a diagonal, knees bent, hands on knees.

The second half of how to make the amulet was to ‘work the feelings into the material that makes the effect desirous’. Ronodin had explained that part too. She would take a hold of a little part of her magic, not all of it, but a little bit of the flame inside her, and feed it with emotion, bringing out that specific aspect of her magic, metaphysically drawing it into her hand and her tool. Then she would focus on separating that magic from herself, pushing it into an object with every touch, before cutting it off. Negative emotions worked best, because those lasted much longer than positive emotions, were easier to work, and attached themselves more readily to physical objects.

She took fear: fear of seeing people blasted into ash, fear of being stolen away in the night, fear of jump scares, fear of the dark she sometimes felt, pressing in around her. She took annoyance: annoyance with Ronodin’s stupid games, of being stuck underground, or losing her memories. And she took dismissiveness: it wouldn’t hurt them, just make them weak enough that she could escape or disarm them. They were in her way and needed to remove themselves, like Ronodin’s uncomfortable flirting, like the block on her memory, and like that loud dragon that kept yelling at everyone.

With each emotion, she physically made a pinching motion near her heart, and pulled out a thread of her magic and added it to the wood she carved through her knife. Technically she didn’t have to do the physical motion, the magic followed her will not her body, but it helped her focus. How good she was at this part was debatable, because while she should have been focusing on the emotions and pressing the magic into the wood, she kept having to refer back to her woodcarving guide for advice on what to do next.

Kendra cut herself twice, small knicks that stopped bleeding by the time she got the bandages out. She tried to wipe her blood off, but probably didn’t get everything. Hopefully her blood wouldn’t spoil the enchantment. Sanding until smooth felt very satisfying, letting her muscles get used in ways they hadn’t since trapping herself here. The finished product was pretty round (she could fit it into the top of her water glass), a little smaller than her palm, but good for her first try after forgetting everything.

She was a little surprised she wasn’t tired yet. One of the perks of living on your own while hiding out from your family was no one was around to tell you when to go to bed. Still, she didn’t want to throw her sleep schedule off too much, and so one paint job before bed. Instead of trying to paint in the details, she would make it all one color. When she got better at painting, maybe she could add in the details of the chain and the figure, and adding the effects of the paint would hopefully make up for what she couldn’t do in carving.

Looking over her selection of paints, which Ronodin promised were fairly sourced, she tried to feel out her options. When imagining the effect she wanted to have, it involved people turning pale, like the moment you stand up too fast, and you feel weak and can’t move.

Looking over the whites, she had three options: a silvery one of primer mixed with unicorn blood, a creamier one with magic goat milk and naiad tears, and a standard white that used Hemlock and Lethe water. She didn’t want the creamy color, and Lethe water was all about forgetting important things, which she had enough of to last a lifetime, so Kendra selected the paint with unicorn blood.

It was so fascinating what contained magical properties. Tears, blood, milk, poison, hair, it was said something about sacrifice and DNA and where magic comes from that was absolutely fascinating. She was starting to understand why she had been obsessed with it before.

Painting didn’t take nearly as much concentration as carving, and from the first dip of the paintbrush she focused on weakening those who wished her ill. Whatever she had done, the person occupying this body couldn’t be responsible for the past. Imagining her magic travelling from insider herself, down her arm, into the paintbrush, it smeared and soaked into the amulet. Harm her body or harm her spirit, and the enemy would start falling apart before they could touch her. Celebrant, the dwarf that took her memories, they would fall to the ground before they got close to her, too weak to do anything but watch her escape.

When she felt good about the paint coating, she went to the library and hung it over her fire to dry. Tired after that little bit of crafting, she picked up the book she had been reading before to take it with her to bed.

Kendra settled into bed and tried to find the page she was on before Ronodin made her drop it. She had been ending a page, and…the next page had been torn out. She hadn’t noticed it on her first read through. She had liked this book! And the gray areas those pages talked about were exactly what Ronodin had said she was interested in that her family wasn’t. It would have been nice to learn about it from another source.

The next page picked up on what was known about the Fair Folk, the Forgotten Crown, because while they were equal to the others in power technically their neutrality limited them so much as to keep anyone from caring about them. In modern times, people only ever referred to the Five Crowns, or the Five Thrones, but they shouldn’t discount the Fair Folk…

#Forgotten Light #Fablehaven/dragonwatch #Kendra Sorenson

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