#but cause the bartender's gonna have a hard time cleaning it up

[blckbrrybasket]

Double Negative

Rafe Cameron x Fem!Reader

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: past breakup, fluff, alcohol consumption, Rafe being sweet

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 1.8k

part 1 here

Nobody’s gonna regret this for you

If it don’t make you smile (oh)

I’ll let your skeletons shake all evening

And bless your heart for tryin’

After running into you at the party, Rafe was unable to get you out of his head. He had worked so hard to forget about you after the breakup. It wasn’t that he didn’t love you anymore, he always loved you, but that was the problem. He was sure that he would love you until his heart stopped beating and without you it caused too much pain.

Forgetting was the easy way out of what he didn’t want to feel. Therapy was the other. He had tried, seriously tried this time.

Losing you was the largest eye opener he had in a long time. Getting clean and dropping toxic people from his life had done wonders, but therapy hadn’t. Rafe couldn’t get past the walls he had built since he was ten to speak about anything besides how horrible he was.

He had always blamed himself for how you two split. He knew he was to blame, he also knew you wouldn’t blame him. Ward was unbearable to him, infiltrating every part of Rafe’s brain until he couldn’t function as himself.

Rafe was the one to distance himself, focusing on getting his father’s approval. You were the one who broke up with him after so many lonely nights, struggling with your own mental health. Yet, you knew how Ward was. Without him you were positive Rafe wouldn’t have destroyed himself the way he did.

There was no one that could have saved either of you. Sometimes you have to go on your own to fix the problems. Rafe was certain you had said that before. You were always so wise. That’s all he could think about as he tilted his head back, downing his rum.

Drinking was an expensive habit picked up from his dad, but it was safer than the drugs he used to do. 

He had yet to see you working at the end of the counter. Rafe a few months ago would be at the country club, but now he was at a fancy bar in one of the nearby hotels. He didn’t like the recognition that he got at the country club anymore. 

Setting the glass down with a small thunk, Rafe lifted his eyes to the mirror behind the counter. He studied the eyebags that had come months ago and refused to leave. His hair had grown back out, closer to how you had known it when you first started dating Rafe.

He sucked in the side of his cheek, biting it while his eyes drifted around the space. Naturally they gravitated towards you, not even questioning why you were working there. Rafe wondered if you had quit your other job. There was zero chance that you had been fired.

You were an excellent employee, he was biased but also correct. Watching you now, dutifully making drinks while keeping conversation up with businessmen only strengthened his argument.

Rafe was too far to hear the comments of the man though. I’m on a business trip. The misses didn’t want to tag along. You’re so pretty and smart, you must be a heartbreaker. Your eye had been incessantly twitching since he had started speaking to you.

Feeling the second pair of eyes on you, you looked over to find Rafe. Instead of feeling unnerved at the second man staring at you, your stressed expression melted some. No matter what happened you were safe. Sighing imperceptibly, you turned back to the man.

“Sir, you have a wife,” you started at a volume you knew Rafe could hear as well as other patrons, “I know she isn’t here, but I doubt she would want you flirting with your bartender. Am I correct?” The man’s eyes widened, thoroughly shocked in how you spoke to him. Rafe’s eyebrows raised, looking quickly at the man. If he did a single thing out of line, Rafe wouldn’t hesitate to personally throw him out.

Didn’t you know who he was? Another washed up douchebag of a businessman, you’d had your fair share of them. “Ma’am I-“ the man started in an appalled tone. “No sir, I asked a question.” Your eyebrows lowered as you stood straighter, eyes casting an exasperated glance at Rafe. He chuckled silently, knowing you could hold your own.

Looking back in front of you, you tilted your head. “Would she?” The inevitable grumbling about the customer service came, his drink abandoned as he got up and briskly walked out. It had gone better than other times and you couldn’t help but wonder if it was due to him spotting Rafe as well.

Anyways, it was settled, you grabbing his half empty glass to clean. Out of anything you hadn’t expected Rafe to come over and sit on the now vacant stool. After the party a few weeks ago you had assumed he was ready to completely move on from being around you. Once again, you were wrong when it came to guessing his behavior.

“Hey,” he drummed his fingers on the counter. “Is this seat taken?” You rolled your eyes, turning around towards the sink to hide the smirk creeping up on your lips. “It is now,” you commented, sparing a look over your shoulder.

Rafe seemed pleased, smiling down at his glass. “Yeah?” He scratched behind his ear, “And is that a good thing?” Was it? You mulled over the question, placing the glass in the sink, and spun around again. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing if that’s what you’re asking.” 

Your crossed arms pressed on the counter as you leaned on them for support. Not bad, Rafe would take it. He nodded, glancing at the clock on the wall. “Good…good. Uh, what time do you get off?” With the absence of excess alcohol you had expected him to be less forward, surprise flashing in your eyes. He must have registered what he said, panicking.

“Not like that! I, uh shit, I was going to walk you to your car!” Okay, that is a way better approach. You snickered and shook your head at his worried face. “Rafe, it's fine. I’m off in like…” You looked at your phone tucked under the counter, “Five minutes?” You shrugged, “Is that fast enough for you not to lose interest?”

Rafe wished to say he could never lose interest in you, but he was sober enough to know that was a terrible idea. “It’s perfect. A minute later and I’d let you walk alone,” he said sarcastically, smirking. It was sweet to see him bantering with you again. 

“Oh and here I was thinking you were my prince charming.” Rafe snorted at your far fetched claim. “Yeah, whatever. I’m going to run to the bathroom, I’ll be back in a few.” You didn’t know that it was an excuse for him to nervously talk himself down. He needed to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid like he had plenty of times before.

You blissfully wrapped up your shift, unaware of him obsessively fixing his hair before coming back out six minutes later. Rafe swiftly found you leaning against one of the pillars in the lobby. “Ready to go?” You glanced up from your phone, a smile growing on your lips. You quickly tucked your phone in your bag and fell into step beside Rafe when he walked towards the door.

“As always,” you hummed. “Thank you,” you mumbled when Rafe held the door open for you, letting you walk out to the parking lot. “Where are you parked?” Rafe tried hard to make conversation without staring at you to study every inch of your face. If it was socially acceptable, he’d commit you to his memory any time he could.

“Second row, over there.” You pointed in the direction. It had to be a sadistic joke that Rafe had parked behind you, or maybe a subconscious need to be near you. “I’m behind you.” You didn’t have to be told that, you could see the silver of Rafe’s truck glinting under the parking lot lights.

Maybe it wasn’t intentional, either way you didn’t mind, not when his hand went to hover above the small of your back. Rafe didn’t know what was okay anymore, too scared to actually touch you and possibly scare you away. Halting for a split second, you let Rafe’s hand bump into your back, immediately walking again once it settled over your shirt.

Once again silence fell over you. It seemed to be a recurring theme in the last times you’d run into each other. The quiet seemed to linger on the border of talking about everything that was new and the long past you shared when you had once known everything about one another. Stopping at the side of your car, Rafe’s hand fell away, letting you unlock and open the driver's door.

“Drive safe, ‘kay?” You looked at him and nodded with a small, sad smile, “You too?” Rafe’s demeanor softened, hand clenching over his thigh. He already missed the feeling of touching you. “Always.” Your eyes slowly moved from his as you got into your car and started it up. Rafe granted enough space for you to pull out and drive out of the parking lot.

He didn’t get into his truck until he had watched you drive down the side road, car lights disappearing into the night. If he hadn’t pussied out at the party maybe he would be the one driving you home. You would be able to rely on him again, instead of having to do things alone.

Rafe knew you liked being self-sufficient, but he also hated knowing you didn’t have a best friend and partner by your side. You in turn hated how alone Rafe was. After cutting out the toxic people from his life, he had lost a lot of close friends.

Ultimately, it was his decision for the better, but your heart still ached for him. Could you even be that person again? Should you text him? What was the point of no contact if every time you saw each other that invisible string pulled you together?

There was no point. At some time along your journey of grieving your relationship with Rafe you had let go of the anger and sadness towards him. After the last week or so from seeing him at the party, it was impossible to think of anything but him. Red filled the front of your car, your hand moving faster than your brain to get to your pinned texts.

One text, that’s all you needed. ‘Thank you for walking me to my car 🫶 i knew you were soft’. It was sent before the light could even turn green. You tossed your phone into your passenger's seat, focusing on the rest of the drive home instead of panicking over the message.

Still near the parking lot, Rafe tapped his fingers on his steering wheel as he drove home. The ding of his phone distantly registered over his music, his eyes darting to the screen. He couldn’t read all of it, but he could clearly make out your contact name with the heart he never took out of it.

God he missed you. It couldn’t hurt to text back, right?

[captn-trex]

gone, but not forgotten

Fives x F!Reader

word count: 4.4k

description: you're a bartender at 79s when the 501st gets back from a gruelling campaign. the clones make a game out of seeing who can successfully hit on you, but the one that catches your eye is the one that doesn't try at all, the one whose shoulders are weighed down by a painful loss.

warnings: nothing much, a little fluff & sad fives (post citadel), mentions of death and war as expected, non-established relationship

a/n: i'm probably gonna do a part 2 to this because it was originally gonna have a lot more to it and I still kinda wanna see that play out, but anyway, enjoy :)

part two here: how to feel again

The low lighting and heavy bass that shook the very bar you were working at were no match for the ruckus that was caused whenever the clones of the 501st entered 79s.

You watched their entry from behind the bar with a small smirk. You spotted their Captain, already shaking his head at his men and bringing up the rear as the men filtered into a booth near the entrance, clearing out the clones who were already sat there.

You were familiar with a handful of the clones of the 501st, and when one of them - Jesse, if you’re remembering correctly - caught your eye, he sent you a wink. You instinctively rolled your eyes, though there was no animosity behind it. Working at a clone bar, people expected you to be sick of the clones, but you couldn't help but find them generally endearing. Sure, they all tried to hit on you, but most of their attempts were so harmless or pathetic that you couldn't find it in yourself to be irritated by it.

As you served a variety of customers, clones and nat-borns alike, you could see the 501st boys looking over at you and then talking amongst themselves, and you quickly realised that you were to be privy to some kind of game of theirs. Between pouring drinks and cleaning glasses, you watched them with suspicion, and you noticed that there was one particularly sullen looking clone among them, one that you hadn't met before. He didn't seem to be interacting with them much, just sitting back with his arms crossed over his chest and a far-away look in his eyes.

The first to approach the bar was Kix.

“Hey there” He said your name in a flirtatious tone, “What's a pretty lady like you doing working in a place like this?” He leant over the bar a little as he spoke, a charming smile painted on his face. If his words weren't so utterly ridiculous and overused, you might have even fallen for it.

“What should I be doing if not working here Kix?” You asked back innocently with a hand on your hip, playing into his game. For now.

“I'm not sure, but someone with a smile so radiant is surely made for greater things” He smiled triumphantly, as if he had just said the most flattering thing and not insulted your career.

“Hm” You tapped your finger on your chin a few times, as if thinking hard about something, “Yeah, it didn't work, nice try though. Can I get you something to drink now?”

“Ugh” Kix slumped down to his elbows in a huff, “I'll just get a fizzbrew”

You laughed at his defeated tone as you reached into the cooler below for his drink, “Come on, did you really think that was going to work?”

“I did! And it's true! Your smile is radiant” He argued as he took his drink from you.

You screwed up your face as he reiterated the compliment, “Kix stop, you failed already, go sit down”

“Alright alright, thank for this” He smiled with a small chuckle as he dropped his credits into your hand.

“No problem”

The next to try it was Dogma.

“Has anyone ever told you that you have the most wonderful hair?” He leaned on the bar and tipped his head to the side a little with a wide grin.

“Oh maker Dogma, that's awful. Is that really the best you've got?” You couldn't help but laugh at his attempt.

“Uh-” He rubbed his neck sheepishly, “Maybe”

You smirked at him and took a glass from the back, “Krilliz?”

His eyes lit up, “You remembered”

“Of course I did, nobody else orders this nightmare fuel”

“Hey! I like it”

“And I'm glad, here” You handed him his drink with a smile, “Enjoy”

He thanked you with a sigh and headed back to the snickering of his squad mates.

Over the next hour, almost every member of the group came up to the bar and tried to flirt with you in some way, and you honestly couldn't figure out what game they were playing. Though, it was hard to know, as you shot all of them down almost immediately.

When it came time for the last clone of the group, you were a little bit worn down by it all.

“I'll get a shot of that Shesharilian vodka stuff”

The regularity of the statement was refreshing, you almost weren't expecting it.

“You're not going to tell me how my hair is so wonderful or my smile is so radiant?” You asked with a smirk, earning a chuckle from the clone in front of you, but it held no mirth.

“I would be blind not to notice, but no, I'm not a part of their little game” He admitted, but you don't entirely buy it.

“Which one are you after then?”

“Which what?” He asked, confused by your question.

“Which lady?” You clarified, nodding out into the bar.

“Oh” He chuckled lightly, if a little sadly, “I'm not after that tonight”

“What are you after then?” You asked, and he paused for a moment before sighing.

“A strong drink”

You could see that there was a certain sadness behind the request, and realised that this was the dejected looking clone that you had noticed earlier.

“Coming right up” You said, offering him a gentle smile.

You sorted the drink, stealing glances at the man, noticing the way the coloured lights along the bar seem to make the bags under his eyes more pronounced. You placed the drink in front of him, but when he went to hand you some credits, you stopped him.

“It's on the house”

“What? I can't-”

“Don't worry about it” You smiled and pushed the drink further towards him, “I can tell you need it”

He looked at you for a moment and offered a thankful smile.

“That's… Thank you…” He trailed off, and you told him your name, tapping on your name tag. He repeated it with another thanks, and told you that his name was Fives.

“I couldn't tell” You smirked, pressing a finger to your temple, where he had an aurebesh tattoo. He chuckled lightly and thanked you again, taking his drink back to the 501st table.

You watched as his brothers all patted him on the back, and he rolled his eyes with a small smile as he settled back into his seat at the edge of the group. You wondered if he had just used the sad boy approach to appeal to your better nature, and win whatever game they were playing, but you soon forgot all about it as you got on with your work.

The bar was particularly busy tonight, so you had your hands full when it came to making drinks. It seemed that there were quite a few clone legions back on Coruscant at the moment, including the 104th, who got roped into the 501st game quite easily. A flurry of clones adorning grey armour sauntered up to you, offering a variety of compliments, and getting more ridiculous each time as you rejected each one of them. Truthfully, there were a number of them that appealed to you, but you weren't going to entertain their silly idea of a good time.

At some point between all the compliments and rejection, the sad clone you now knew as Fives had settled into a seat on the end of the bar. You noticed him sitting there as the bar area became more sparse, most people opting to make their way towards the dance floor.

You slid up to him and leant on the bar, your jaw resting in your hand as you address him. “So Fives, is this wistful look in your eyes authentic, or was it just so you could win this little thing you 501st boys have going on?” You asked with a cocked eyebrow, and he looked up, the ghost of a smirk crossing his lips.

“I meant it when I said I wasn't a part of their game, not that they believed me after you gave me a free drink” He replied matter-of-factly.

You chuckled slightly, standing up straight, “Can I get you anything?”

He looked behind you at the bar for a short moment. “I probably shouldn't, I hear drowning your sorrows isn't a healthy thing to do” He smiled sadly.

“Why ever else would you come to a bar when you're sad?” You teased slightly, and he huffed a laugh.

“Because I was dragged out of bed by my brothers”

You laughed with a warmth, “Ah well, how about just some water then?”

“Sounds good” He smiled genuinely.

You got him the water from the tap and he thanked you for it before you went about sorting drinks for the other patrons that had approached the bar in the time you had been talking to him. You kept an eye on him out of the corner of your eye as you did so, and he just drank his water at a slow pace, watching his brothers dance ridiculously with a small smile and that same far away look in his eye.

As the night went on and he settled into the chair at the bar more and more, a Pantoran woman approached him, and started flirting with him unashamedly. Fives replied to her questions, not wishing to seem rude, but was too distracted by his own thoughts to entertain the kind of ideas that she surely had about the night. You watched as the Pantoran started getting a bit handsy, placing her hands on his arm and his chest as she talked to him. You saw that Fives didn’t react to this very much, but then she got very close, her lips close to his ear, and he backed away a little.

As she was speaking into his ear seductively, he looked over at you and saw you watching. You averted your eyes as you saw his smirk grow, knowing he caught you looking.

You went about busying yourself with cleaning glasses, facing the back of the bar. When you turned around to serve a customer that called for you, you caught the Patoran woman dancing with another clone on the dance floor. You smiled at the sight, she got what she wanted after all.

Fives was still sat at the end of the bar as your shift came to a close and customers were dwindling a little, so you approached him again.

“You didn't fancy the Pantoran?” You asked and he looked to you from the dance floor, turning his body.

“Didn't want to make you too jealous Cyar'ika” He leaned forward with a smirk and you chuckled.

“How considerate” You rolled your eyes a little as you grabbed a cloth and begun cleaning up the bar. “How come you're still here? Doesn't seem like you're really enjoying yourself” You observed and he released a small sigh.

“Just distracting myself really” He admitted, and you felt yourself wanting to ask more.

You approached the subject tentatively, speaking in a gentle voice, “If it's not too much to ask… what are you distracting yourself from?”

Fives paused, and with a deep sigh, looked to your eyes, seeing only an honesty in them, “I lost a brother a week ago, my twin”

“Oh, I'm so sorry, this must really be the last place you want to be then” You offered him a truly sympathetic look, and he smiled a little.

“I don't know, the company's not so bad” He let his smile grow and you reflected the gesture back at him.

“You're not so bad yourself” You grinned, then your mouth dropped as you became more serious, “But seriously” You placed a hand on his, “I'm really sorry about your brother, I know how hard that is”

He gave you an appreciative smile and turned his hand over in yours, giving it a light squeeze, “Thank you, I really appreciate that”

You smiled, and continued wiping the bar, trying to ignore the warmth that lingered on your hand from his touch.

You started doing little chores before you headed off, sweeping the floor behind the bar. As you were doing so, a rather inebriated clone approached the bar.

“Hey there pretty one, three shots of dark lum please”

“Of course” You replied with a gracious smile, and took three shot glasses from below the bar. As you were pouring the customer's drinks, they tried to talk to you some more.

“Say, when do you get off work tonight beautiful?”

You chuckled, “In a few hours”

“How many hours?”

You shrugged dismissively with a polite smile, “A few”

He kept pressing, but Fives interrupted him before he could really embarass himself.

“She's already got company tonight brother” He told him, a hand on his arm to pull him backwards slightly.

“Fives! I didn't see you there” The clone said, surprised, only earning a grunt from his brother. “Alright, good for you man, nice score” He chuckled and took the shots away as Fives rolled his eyes.

“Sorry about him” He shook his head.

“Its alright, I'm used to it” You shrugged, an appreciative smile directed at him.

“I'm sure you are, but I'm still sorry. Some of my brothers can be a bit… crass”

You laughed at that, “I'm aware”

You watched Fives for a moment, then leant on the bar looking at him intently. “So what are we doing when I get off work then?” You said with mischievous glint in your eye.

“Oh, sorry about that, I just said it so he'd leave you alone” He spoke awkwardly.

You tutted, pursing your lips, “That's too bad, I was rather looking forward to it”

Fives’ eyebrows raised, “You were?” He unconsciously leaned forward a little.

“Perhaps” You said, then pushed back, leaning against the back of the bar, “If you were only joking though-”

“Hold on now, I didn't say that” He challenged, and you bit the inside of your cheek, trying to decide if what you had in your head was really a good idea.

“If you fancy it… there's a place I go when I want to be alone. I know there's not many places like that on Coruscant but I figure you could maybe do with some peace and quiet, just to think, grieve, whatever you want. I was thinking of going there anyway” You shrugged as if it was the most casual thing in the world, offering this almost stranger your safe space.

“That sounds nice” He said genuinely, a smile on his face “I'd love to”

“Alright, well I actually get off in 5 minutes, so be ready” You confessed and he laughed, standing from his seat.

You finished cleaning up and took your apron off, hanging it up in the store room out the back. When you exited the building, Fives was waiting, and when he spotted you coming towards him he pushed off the wall he was leaning against, “Where to?”

You gestured your head towards your speeder bike close by to him and got on. As you began getting it ready to drive, you noticed that Fives was just standing next to you.

“Well get on” You laughed and his ears tinged pink. He climbed on behind you, and you were about to depart but then you turned to him, “Are you gonna hold on or…”

He rolled his eyes a little, “Just trying to be respectful” He mumbled as his hands snaked around your waist holding your abdomen gently. You couldn’t deny the way his touch sent a shiver up your spine, a warmth spreading over the area where his strong arms brushed against you.

“Well you won't get the chance if you fall off, so hold on tight”

The speeder zoomed off as you rolled your hands forward on the handlebars, and Fives’ arms tightened around you as he pulled himself into you. The sensation of him being pressed up against you made you a little breathless, despite the thick layer of armour that separated you from the warmth you could feel emanating from him.

It served as a sudden reminder of the strangeness of the situation you had put yourself in. You saw clones in the bar every day, and while you certainly found them attractive, it had never occurred to you to actually seek any kind of companionship from any of them before. You weren't even certain that was what you were doing right now, every decision you had made up to this point suddenly seemed entirely spontaneous, misguided even.

Halfway through the journey, Fives gently leaned his temple onto the back of your head, and your stomach did a flip. Even at the high speed you were going, you could feel his warm, steady breath ghosting over the back of your ear, and you had to really try not to shudder at the feeling of it.

After around 15 minutes or so, you arrived at your destination. You brought the speeder bike into an alley, and lead Fives to the apartment building you were headed towards.

“Was this just a ploy to get me to come back to your place?” He smirked slightly, a look of disbelief in his eyes.

“No” You chuckled, “This isn't my building” You spoke confidently, walking through the front door. Fives followed after you, entirely confused.

“Hey there doll, late shift again?” The Gran on reception called to you as he noticed you enter.

“It was, I'm so tired” You said dramatically, and Fives' face contorted to one of utter amusement and confusion.

“Got someone with you tonight, that's new. Lucky man” The Gran winked at Fives and you laughed slightly awkwardly.

“Indeed” You said, giving a smirky side glance to Fives, who just stayed quiet throughout the exchange. “See you later Faadu” You called as you made it inside the elevator.

You didn't listen out for the answer, and after the doors closed, Fives turned to you, “I thought you said this wasn't your apartment building”

You smirked and shrugged “He doesn't need to know that”

Fives smirked back at you, and your stomach flipped as you realised how close he was to you in the somewhat confined space. You continued to look at each other, inspecting each other's features. There was definitely a certain charm to Fives that inexplicably drew you to him more than the other clones. His eyes were a deep brown, and as you found yourself lost in them, you couldn’t find it in yourself to remember that they were identical to the ones you so often saw in the bar. Fives went to say something, but the elevator pinged and the doors slid open.

“This is it” You stepped out into the darkened hallway, and traced the steps that were so familiar, though you hadn't been here in a long time.

You made it to the end of the hallway, and hooked your fingers into the door, struggling slightly as you pulled it open. You walked into the empty apartment and made your way over towards the balcony, already captivated by the familiar view out of the large windows.

“Woah” Fives spoke quietly, following you to the balcony.

“I know right” You pushed the doors open and walked up to the railing, leaning your weight onto it, “It's the tallest building in the district, but no one lives on the top floor”

Fives joined you, coming to rest beside you on the railing, and you both looked out on the cityscape. There was a gentle breeze, and you felt your hair shift gently. The view was undeniably beautiful, and being able to look upon the city from above was truly something spectacular, though it held some complicated feelings for you. You were glad that someone was here with you, it was nice to share the space.

“I just find that… When I'm here, it makes my problems seem small, insignificant. Like, I see all these tiny little dots that are really people, and all these different lives, and it brings me… comfort, or perspective, I guess”

Fives watched you confess with interest and you turned to see his expression, full of an emotion you couldn’t quite place your finger on.

“Not that your problems are small, they're not, but-”

“I know what you mean” He smiled, a hand resting on your forearm. He left it there as he recalled something you had said earlier, “How come you were coming here tonight?”

“What?” You asked, swallowing as you felt the warmth of his hand through his glove.

“Before, you said you were coming here anyway” He reminded you.

“Oh, I- um” You looked down to your feet, “I lost my brother a year ago today”

Fives viewed you with a newfound reverence and understanding, and his hand found its way down your arm. He interlaced his fingers with your own, and started rubbing circles on your hand with his thumb. It was certainly a welcome feeling, and it kept your tears at bay, staying as a glassy outer layer to your eyes.

“I know it's not exactly the same as with your brother, but… I came here a lot when I was grieving” You looked up to him, “If it would help you, feel free to come here whenever you want. I mean, it doesn't belong to me anyway” You said, ending in a chuckle and looking out to the view again.

“Thank you, it really means a lot” He smiled, though you weren't looking at him. He followed your lead and looked out to the city as he spoke, “Being in the GAR, losing brothers is part of the deal, and you're expected to just move on, but… It's not that simple, especially with-” He swallowed, “The brother that I lost, we'd been together since we came outta the tube, I don't know what life even means without him next to me” He admitted, and you looked to him to see that his eyes were full of sadness, his eyelids half closed as if weighed down by his emotions.

“What was his name?” You asked, and he looked up to you.

“Echo”

“Why was he called that?” You asked. You knew that often clones’ names held some kind of meaning, or a story behind them at least.

Fives chuckled sadly, “He was always driving us mad by repeating the orders we were given”

You smiled, “And… how did you get your name?”

Fives grinned, “Guess”

You thought for only a split second, “You have a lot of fives in your CT number?”

“Bingo” He smiled, then faltered, looking away wistfully “yeah, ARC-5555”

“You're an ARC?” You asked, a small smirk fighting its way on your face.

“Mhm”

“That's kinda hot”

“It is?” Five turned to you with an incredulous look, and you couldn't help but let your smirk grow.

“Oh yeah, I mean, it's not like, Captain or Commander or even Lieutenant-”

“Alright alright” He rolled his eyes, and your smirk transformed into a genuine smile.

“Was Echo an ARC too?”

His amused expression faltered a little bit, “Yeah, we got promoted together” He sighed, a fond smile gracing his features, “He was always more serious about everything, kept me in check”

“You don't seem like someone who needs keeping in check” You said, tilting your head as you looked at him.

He smirked, “I'm not always this reserved. On any other night I would've been performing for your attention like the rest of my brothers”

“That's ironic I guess” You chuckled.

“How so?”

“You're the only one that did get my attention” You admitted, blushing slightly, now feeling a little sheepish under his gaze.

Fives just smiled subtly and brushed his thumb over your knuckles, reminding you of the fact that he was still holding your hand, “I guess I've gotta keep up the sad and lonely act then”

You laughed, “I don't know about that. It worked on me but I'm not sure that other women are into it”

“That's alright, I wasn't really thinking of trying it on other women” He said, dropping his voice just a bit so that it held a slightly gravelly tone.

You bit back a smirk, “Smooth Fives, very smooth”

He chuckled, “I wasn't kidding, I don't just hold hands with anyone”

“Mhm, I'm sure” You shook your head slightly, looking away from his intense gaze.

The two of you fell into a comfortable silence, letting the noise of the city replace conversation. You could hear the whizzing of speeders and other transports passing by, the noise of the people below very feint from the height of the building. You sighed deeply, remembering your brother, the reason you had come here in the first place. Fives’ thoughts dwelled on the same thing, his own brother.

“Thank you for talking to me about Echo” He spoke just above a whisper and you turned to him, “Most people just give me a sad look and a hand on the shoulder at most. It's nice to actually talk about him”

“I know” You offered him a sad smile, silently telling him you knew how he felt, “Anytime”

Fives smiled and gave your hand a small squeeze.

Being here with Fives was nice, a relief to the mental torment you found yourself enduring when you had been here grieving your brother just after his death. His presence was calming, soothing, and his hand in yours even more so. You found yourself hoping that this wouldn't be the last time you shared this experience with him.

[https-cyber-slxt]

Hey, Mickey!

Not proofread, because of 😳

Sub!Diluc x Dom!GN!Reader

It was late at night, the most busiest time of the day at the tavern, and your boss, Diluc, couldn't have been more stressed about the customers.

So you decided to help him out a bit, co-bartending, speaking with the customers and making sure no one passes out or starts a fight.

It was stressful to say the least, you've always wondered how Diluc was able to run this place by himself at some times.

You walk over to a table in the back, a tray of drinks in hand, as you walk closer to the table, the faces of the people become more familiar to you.

A familiar brunette sitting with a familiar blue-haired woman, "Oh my! Lisa and Eula, I haven't seen you two in a hot minute!" You spoke calmly while smiling.

"Hello sweetie, what a surprise to see you here" Lisa smiled

"Hello (Name), it's good to see you" Eula greeted.

You nod your head while asking"What brings you two here?"

"Oh well, you know the usual, knight stuff and paperwork" Lisa laughs

You laugh along with her and set down their drinks, "Well if you two need anything else, you know where to find me"

They both smile and turn to continue their conversation.

You walk back to the front, setting the tray down on the table, you hop over to the other side, taking a quick break.

"Jeez, it's busy tonight eh?" You spoke.

Diluc hummed in response as he was cleaning up the cups, unaware of his surroundings, after another hour of work, it was 20 minutes until closing time, the tavern basically empty.

An idea pops into your head and you smirk, you lean against the front table while admiring your nails, you spoke,"Man, today was stressful, I could really use some stress relief right now"

Diluc side eyes you, unfortunately your personality was no different from Kaeya's, honestly if Diluc didn't know any better and maybe if your hair was blue, he would've thought that you were Kaeya's twin.

You always pulled tricks on him, and although you were reliable, you still always had a trick up your sleeve.

"Oh yeah? How so?" He asked, watching you closely.

You walk up to him, face inches away from his, you whisper "I'll show you how" your lips growing closer to his.

He gradually accepts, closing the gap between you two, your lips were soft, while his dry, his mouth opened, allowing your tongue to have access.

Your tongue explored him, causing a groan to be let out, he grabs your waist, softly grinding against you, his groans slowly turning into whimpers.

You release from the kiss, a string of saliva connecting the two of you, you smile at him as you held his face.

He leaned into your touch, his face going softer than it was before, your hand grabs his hips and hovers lightly over his crotch, you look up at him for permission, he nods his head.

You look back down and undo his belt, his pants dropping down to his knees, revealing his underwear, you drop down and decide to tease him a little and kitten lick him through his boxers, a small whimper leaves him from the sensation.

You smile up at him, giving him an innocent look, you decide to fully pull down his boxers, his cock springing out.

"Oh my, so hard~ just for me?" You giggle.

His face flushes red at your comment, eyes averted away from yours.

You decide to go all out and take his entire cock in your mouth, he leans against the table, head hung back as a moan escaped him.

His legs already shaking even if you've just started, he grips the table harder as you start sucking him off, your head bobbing up and down every once and awhile.

He grips the table even harder as his back arches, whimpers and moans escaping him "Ngh~ Sh-shit, that's so f-fucking good"

His moans grew louder, signaling his orgasm "A-ah, f-fuck~ I'm gonna c-cum" and that was your cue to stop, you immediately stop sucking and look up at him, smirking.

He whines "G-god no, w-why'd you stop?"

"You wanna cum? Then beg" you innocently look at him.

You sit there patiently, waiting for his response, after a little bit, he finally decides to beg.

"Pl-please, please Master, l-let me c-cum, please?"

What a sweet boy, begging so nicely, you smile and nod at him.

You take him back into your mouth, bobbing your head up and down, his hands grab your hair as his hips buck up into your mouth, causing you to gag.

The feeling of his cock at the back of your throat was enough to send him over the edge, his hips buck up again as he cums into your mouth.

You attempt to swallow as much as you could, some spilling out of your mouth and onto the floor below you.

You pull off him and lift yourself up, licking your lips to clean whatever you missed.

You pulled him into another kiss and spoke "You're cleaning this up" He whined as you laughed, oh what a sweet man.

A/N: hey it's not the best, but it's still something, also if I see someone complain about the readers lines being pink I will literally fly over to their house and flip their dining table.

[aquarium-ina-bag]

Where Danger Finds Me, it Follows with Tides - 7

'Cause you live in my day dreams ch. 7

Word count: 2.7k

Relationships: Wednesday x Reader (She/they)

Warnings: Mention of blood, pain, bullets.

A/N: So sorry I took so long had a project anyyywaayyyy, if I do breaks again Im able to do drabbles so ask away. I have an Idea for a side au with Jenna, just confused about how I'm gonna use this character R and actor R (Gasp spoilers, wtv) enjoy, give suggestions yatta yatta.

Small conversations spread among the bar, bottles hitting stained, polished wood and smooth granite countertops, and low music playing. It definitely wasn’t a big bar, but it was the home of drunken souls in the outskirts of Jericho. And tonight it housed hopeful, evil, and grieving souls. 

The door swung open, hitting the bell. A small three-man group raised their heads to see the newcomer as the bartender gave his regular warm smile to the eccentric man. 

"Evenin’ James, usual?" The bartender cleaned a glass, ready to serve. 

"Nah nah, I need somethin’ tougher; I’m ina surprising mood tahnigh’ hit me hard." James was practically jumping and shaking. 

The bartender started to pour him a fireball.

"Well, gee, it seems like you've got something heavy already." He slid the glass across the counter.

James quickly caught it and brought himself to the table of three men. He threw his head back and drank with speed. "Fellas, I got that damn thing that's been killin’ my livestock." He slammed his hands on the wooden table. 

The three of them laughed, and one spoke up. "The fucking big creature you saw, with the big claws and skin like a lagoon?" Dune made gestures to mock James' description. 

"Nah na! It’s real, but this one had wings! My god, the size of them nevah seen before, the tips nosebleed red, and it-it-it got deeper colah at the base." James tossed around his arms to depict this creature of the night "OH! And-and-and when I shot the bitch, the speed it took was incredible! Even though I shot it in the wing, damn it was moving maybay 300 miles?"

The group looked at the man in front of them like he was on shrooms, he sure acted like it. The bigger male chuckled, "So you’re saying some big ass peregrine falcon, has been taking your sheep, and when you shot it, it left at the speed of 300 miles per hour?" 

"No, no, Harlow, it gave me my sheep back! It done dropped the sheep back in the pen, ALIVE! The damn hooves were painted pink! Fuckin pink!" James explained.

The men were invested now. "You got two creatures in your fences now?" Harlow asked. 

"Yes! One is killing them, the other is saving them. Like an angel." James fawned over his findings.

Chuck took a sip of his beer before speaking. "Well, you said it was dark and bloody lookin’, don’t sound like no angel to me." 

"What would I call it then?" James questioned his ideas.

"I say call it a blood hawk, it’s easy to identify," Harlow said as he toyed with the ring of condensation on the wood.  "Also, go buy one of them cameras that videos motion." 

The bartender couldn’t hold his words anymore. "Say, you know what’s known for having creepy abnormalities, that Nevermore school miles away. That lagoon creature you were talking about James, I think it’s been seen there plenty of times." 

The bartender pushed a glass towards a shaggy brown-haired man, his hair long, as were the scars on his face as if he were mauled by a beast. The man’s clothes looked so mismatched and ripped; he had a beard starting to grow; and he looked homeless but still had money to buy a drink. This man couldn’t help but listen to the conversation; he made clear, surprised expressions at the words ‘Nevermore’ ‘Blood hawk’ ‘sheep’ and ‘alive’. All this man could do was hum in acknowledgment. 

"I’ll look into it once I get home." James smiled and continued to change the subject.

—————-

"Wednesday I know you usually don’t regret things, but I honestly feel so awful about hurting Y/n," Enid said with her chin on her school desk, her body droopy.

Sure, that is true Wednesday doesn’t feel regret, but everything she regrets on her mind is rooted in because of you, she regrets ever talking to you, accepting your dual, working on the project with you, letting you see something vulnerable in her—she regrets a lot when it comes to you. 

"They said it was fine." What Wednesday really regretted was letting you leave and trusting that you would take care of yourself. She hasn’t seen you all morning. The thought of you bleeding out that whole night banged on her cranium. 

Enid turned to face the goth, laying her cheek on the cold wood. "You don’t really believe that." Wednesday regrets not smothering her roommate, and Enid started to understand Wednesday’s ‘signs’. The raven stayed silent, keeping it that way the whole period. 

When it was over, she took her free period to confirm that Enid hadn’t murdered you. She checked the gym; you weren’t there. Wednesday looked where you feed birds; no luck. She entered your dorm to find clutters of paper and files scattered around your desk. As if a voice was pulling her into the room, Wednesday walked in and shut the door behind her, making a careful walk across the room to your desk. The floorboards creaking had an unusual pattern as if someone were in the room with her. The raven was on edge but still curious; determined to find out why you were gone. 

The goth inspected the papers on your desk. Pictures of the farm you two went to, papers containing information about the owner of said farm. What really stuck out were documents from the U.S. government. How in the world were you able to access something like this? The thought that you were taken by the FBI could make her chuckle. Wednesday shuffled the small stack, trying to get them back in order. When the order was found, Wednesday couldn’t stop reading.

In brief, the documents explain how an ‘anomaly’ that was captured in December of last year escaped a government vehicle, killing four of the six men in said vehicle. This creature never made it to the lab for testing, questioning, and possible execution. This creature could be conjured by American citizen Tyler Galpin. 

Tyler was out, and that was him; he was still lurking in the towns, waiting for his next victim.  

Wednesday looked around for anything that could reveal she was here, and when she turned to the glass screen door, a shine drew her in like everything else in this room. 

Unlocking it and stepping onto the concrete, she looked down to find a bullet that was almost perfectly clean. Why would you have a perfect bullet here? The casing was gone, so this was fired. 

This curious black cat bent down to pick up the fired bullet. Her head was shot backward, and scenes dashed and flashed across her vision.

Fingers that weren’t yours loading ammunition in a firearm; the bullet flying into feathered flesh, then deeper into warm blood and muscle; with her perspective being the bullet, Wednesday felt layers decompressing her. From what she could guess, it was feathers falling off, then skin, then muscles. The bullet dropped in a pool of blood; something or more of a surplus made a horrific shriek as if it was getting brutally attacked. She couldn’t tell what made it, and the warmth of blood left her after the vision ended.

Once the vision was over, Wednesday moved her head back. It felt as if someone was beating her skull; that never happens with visions, but that aside, what did she just see? Wednesday began to make a hypothesis, clearly, this was past, not future, and this bullet wasn’t yours, but she couldn’t be sure if you fired the weapon, it was shot in some bird, but why was the bullet removed like that, layer by layer? What was that screaming? 

The girl’s head was pounding, and before she left your room, she took the bullet, the papers. She wanted to find some type of DNA in the room, but her head said otherwise. 

—————-

Something was wrong; your brain was triggering some sort of defensive reaction, and you didn’t understand what was triggering it. You’re trained to keep your brain in full control, to know when you’re being psychologically attacked, and currently, the right and left sides of your brain are disagreeing with something. Before you can get the problem fixed, you need to know the problem. That could wait though.

"I really need to train back home again." You muttered to the wind, and it raced past as if responding.

You smiled as you continued to walk along the side of a gravel road. This scenery wasn’t better than the woods with Wednesday; did you even look at the view when you were with Wednesday? What were you focused on? 

This constant questioning of yourself was scaring you. Your family described you as a person, with no limits, but you had to be in control of your whole body, and recently you weren't. Maybe that’s why you're triggering a defensive response.

You stopped at a small home surrounded by flat, crop-growing land, knocking on the door before you looked yourself up and down. With a small smirk, you thought the outfit looked like a hitman in the winter decked out in dark, puffy clothes. Hey, it was close to the beginning of winter.

Once the door opened, a taller man, maybe 2 inches taller than you, greeted you with a grimace.

"Well, who the hell is you? Matrix-looking kid. All these damn new fashion trends." His accent was a deep Southern one.

You chuckled before speaking, "You, James Turner?" Your hands shuffled in that dark, puffy jacket, pulling out a picture of the man in front of you. 

"Who’s asking?" He got closer to you, and smelled like booze. 

You've shown him the photo now. "There’s a problem if someone did." You murdered someone, sir?" He could have the other night if your thesis was right. 

"I ain’t kill nobody, did I?" Bingo. James started to get a little scared, you could read it off his body language.

"Well, I heard a complaint about some gunfire, and when I asked around for you, I heard you shot something." Part of that was a lie, you didn't really ask, just lots of tabs closing at a bar. 

James looked like a child getting caught with their hand in a cookie jar; he was going to break. "Listen, somethin’ been stealing my animals. I was waiting to shoot it last night, then this big bird-like person dropped a sheep in the pen, and I shot at it."

Your face scrunched in confusion. "Why would you shoot something, dropping your sheep back off? And you said human-looking? You were going to just kill a person like that?" You took steps forward, and James kept backing up until both of you were in the house. 

"I jus wan-tah to catch em’ , Ay I don’t even think that was them! Something else was killing my animals, it was green and-and-and large, eyes like a bug." Tsk tsk James, the hole he dug just kept getting bigger.

You were so close in his space that he tripped into a seat. "So you shot something that you wanted to catch even though it helped you; it wasn’t even the creature that was killing! What were you going to do, James? When you caught it, that is." 

"I I I." He sure does stutter you noted, "I was gonna report it for stealing." 

You gripped the table, did it crunch? James questioned. "What’s the story, Turner? You said it gave back…" 

"You’re right It was, it was." He was sweating badly. 

"Good, so you understand that you committed attempted murder? Correct?" Your voice was deathly low. "It can be a pretty hefty sentence, James." 

He watched you move around his house, preparing a glass of water, before sitting across from him.

"I’m going to jail?" He looked on the verge of tears. 

You paused before speaking, a clicking sound filled your silence. "Yes, if you refuse to comply with me." You took a long sip of water, making Turner wait in anguish. "Heard you’re gonna set up cameras around this place, I want you to set up cameras around the woods, set up baits, get as much footage of this killing creature as you can, and hand all of the footage, pictures, and what you baited with to me. Sound simple?" 

"Course, anything yes, please, I jus don’t wanna go to jail." He nodded like a bobblehead.

"Perfect, and don’t think you can escape this; I've got all the information to make a court session last less than 10 minutes." You smiled and finished the glass. Quickly grabbing a pen and paper, you wrote one of your numbers and labeled it, 'Turn in footage work and info here' 

"Cya round James Turner." And just like that, after scaring this older male, you left, walking back to Nevermore. 

———————

This headache wanted to make Wednesday have a lobotomy or struck like Zeus to get Athena out. She could barely piece together the papers in front of her. Enid watched her struggle to work, pointing it out like always.

"What’s up with you? I feel like this is easy." 

"My head has been in pain since I had that vision, usually that doesn’t happen," Wednesday explained as she moved the sheets and note cards around the board. 

Enid knew that if the pain was really bothering her, this headache was something from hell. "Hm, do you want to take something? Or maybe take a break?" 

"I did; it got worse." Wednesday's face barely scrunched as she spoke. "I don’t need a break either." 

Thumps on the door broke the conversation; they both looked at each other, then Enid went to open it. 

You stood there with a toothy grin and said, "Hey Sinclair, where’s Wednesday?" 

"I don’t know if she would be up for a date, Y/n, she’s got a raging headache." Enid knew Wednesday stole from you, so she had to make somewhat of an excuse. 

You paused for a second. "I, uhm, no, I’m not here for that, she has something I ne-" 

Enid shut the door in your face and said, "They know!" Whisper yelling to the goth. All she did was nod and signal to let you in.

Enid slowly opened the door to let you in; once you did, Wednesday’s now migraine blared. She gripped the side table near her. 

"Evening Addams, I’m guessing you know why I’m here." You walked closer to her, maybe 5 inches away from her now. 

"Why," she paused to take a breath, "why do you have them?" 

You raised a brow and said, "I could ask the same." You whispered, getting closer to her ear. "You can get in trouble if you have them; I know how to take care of them." Also, you have a vision?" 

Wednesday wanted to make sure this wasn’t some fake whispering again, so she clutched the bottom of your shirt. For you, it seemed like desperation. She released you and went to take the papers.  

"Yes." Wednesday handed the papers back. Just like that, the pain was gone, and she could think straight now. 

"Doesn’t hurt anymore, does it?" This no-distance whispering with you was going to kill Wednesday; it made her feel sick again. 

She slowly nodded, and with that, you backed up and said your goodbyes, then left.

So many holes—how did you know about the papers? Where have you been all day? How did the vision connect with the headaches? How did you fix it? What trouble did you mean? Why do you have those papers? What were you going to do with it? Her loud thinking was blocked.

"So no more evidence?" Enid asked. 

"The bullet—I still have it."

"Well, it is like almost 12. Let’s look at it tomorrow. Also, who comes to someone’s door at 11? Also,  what did she tell you? I couldn’t hear, over the sound of you two practically making out with each other's whispering. Wait a minute, you didn’t even whisper; you just nodded. What was that about? Whatever, that's a question for tomorrow. I’m too tired, night Addams." Enid threw herself onto her bed and crashed to sleep. 

Wednesday, on the other hand, couldn’t do the same; she needed to get answers.

[cerebralinvasion]

cold, soft, warm.

trigger warning: graphic self harm

summary: reader is having a tough night and stumbles across dazai, the two lament, and enjoy a bittersweet night together

pairing: dazai x reader 

words: 1k

you shivered pressing the cold blade against your arm. you paused, not quite ready to dig in. but after sucking in a deep breath you did what you always did. cut. the sharp bite caused your body to spasm once more. no matter how many times you did this it seemed you never got used to the feeling. the soft flesh parted easily. it was like a hot knife to butter. and the red spilled out. warm and thick. pouring over the sides of your arms and onto the bed below. meeting the other parts of the sheet that had long since been stained a muddy red. tears slipped down your face and your mouth formed a shaky grin. the hollowing feeling that had been gnawing at you twisted. and was replaced by a sick enjoyment. the implicit urge to feel pain, to suffer. because that in itself is better than nothing.

it hurt. less on the outside than on the inside. but that’s okay. the tears felt comfortable on your cheeks. when was the last time you’d cried? it had to be weeks, or months. but maybe it was yesterday? you couldn’t recall. though to you it seemed you hadn’t felt a thing in years. but that didn’t matter. because you feel now. it hurt, and it hurt beautifully. the smell of iron lingered in the air.

the blood was dried now. the liquid had formed itself into ugly black blotches across your arm. stiff and uncomfortable. you scratched at them. watching as the flakes fell below you. you kept peeling off the blood until you opened the wounds again. and more blood spilled out. once again dripping across your arm and to below you. it wasn’t a surprise, but you always had a hard time telling when the wound had sat for long enough. to predict when you could clean off your arm and allow the scars to settle. it had clearly not been long enough.

sighing you pushed yourself up from where you rested on the bed and grabbed a roll of gauze. you layered the bandage around your arm three times before you decided that was good enough. you shoved your phone and keys in your pocket before awkwardly shuffling out the door.

the night air was crisp when you left your apartment. the one generously provided by the armed detective agency that you probably weren’t grateful enough for. the metal clang was deafening as your steps pounded down the stairs. it had to be past three in the morning. what were you doing? you should go back to your room. you shouldn’t do anything stupid. you should just go to sleep and hope you wake up feeling better in the morning.

but you knew that wouldn’t happen. it never did. if it did, then every day wouldn’t be worse than the last. if it did you probably wouldn’t slit your wrist in an attempt to have some semblance of normalcy. but you did. and things didn’t get better. so you continued your way down the steps.

you don’t know where you’re off to. you didn’t know where you were headed until you arrived. a bar. of course. you figured that you shouldn’t even be surprised at this point. unhealthy coping mechanisms are all you seem to know.

approaching the familiar counter you slump down on one of the stools. it’s empty. as expected for this time of night. the usual bartender was methodically wiping at the smudges of a glass. he didn’t ask what you wanted. he knew it might be a while of hanging around before you even ordered anything. he always was patient with you. it was nice.

“wow, not even gonna say hi?” 

you whipped your head around in the direction of the noise. you were sure it was empty just a second ago. but then again, you weren’t really paying that close attention. it was very possible you had just missed the presence.

“oh… hey dazai.” 

you tried your best to force a smile onto your face. it was awkward and didn’t fit. a poor attempt at covering the underlying sadness. obviously it didn’t work. dazai slid into the seat next to you.

“you're looking lively.” his voice dripped with sarcasm.

“your bandages. they're fresh.” you spoke bluntly. pointing to the clean bandages peeking out from behind his clothing.

“so are yours.” the fake smile slipped off his face. he stared you dead in the eyes as he spoke. because you wearing clean bandages could only mean one thing. and you knew what that meant. and he knew. and you knew he knew.

you grinned. a hollow smile. a cold and empty, misshapen expression. a look more associated with the shadow that you were than any functioning human.

“guess we’re matching then.” 

dazai’s cold expression stayed for only a moment longer before that too gave way to a broad, boyish grin. his smile seemed so much more real than yours. but you knew it wasn’t. maybe it was the fact that you were particularly drained tonight. or maybe he’s just more practiced at the skill of faking normality than you. but under the yellow light of the bar, he almost looked human. almost. at the very least, he looked more human than you.

“well how about that? two empty shells. matching empty shells.”

“sounds like a good enough reason to toast to me.” you grinned at the bartender and like that he was pouring out the same drinks you and dazai got each time you came here. the regular, so to speak.

your heart was still cold by the end of the night. abandoned and empty. but leaning into him, you found dazai’s hair was soft. comforting in fact. you picked up the glass taking a drawn out sip of alcohol. allowing the liquor to warm your insides. you weren’t happy. he wasn't happy. and both of you would probably never be. but maybe that was okay. because when you pressed this close to dazai. maybe that was good enough for you. 

[uselesssomebody]

𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕚...? - eddie munson x reader (nsfw)

complete masterlist | stranger things masterlist | eddie munson masterlist

words || 𝟜𝕜

summary || in which eddie finally talks to the cute bartender

a/n || hi i'm not dead. also ppl on this blog who don't care abt eddie munson must hate me and for them i am so sorry. for my fellow eddie simps, i bring you another installment of horny. ➵ there is smut in this, making in 18+ content. please do NOT interact if you are under 18 ➵ not yet proofread - if you see mistakes tell me because typos are a massive turn-off ➵ send me requests if you have ‘em. enjoy!

warnings || fluff/smut smut warnings: ➵ porn with some plot ➵ consent checks (like every other word) ➵ oral (m receiving) ➵ cum eating ➵ p.i.v. unprotected sex ➵ not that glamorous tbh (like ppl get tired & body fluids are kind gross but you're also horny so they're not that gross but their still sticky i.e. gross)

the hideout was empty, as usual. eddie was warm, sweating under his shirt, as he found himself blinking to rid his eyes of the glare of the harsh lights on the stage he’d just been playing on. corroded coffin had earned themselves a smattering of applause after their act - with a record four people clapping as they walked off.

he’d helped gareth load everything into his parent’s van, and waved off his three bandmates as they drove off. usually, he’d join them, but he found the warm atmosphere of the establishment beckoning him back inside.

the sound of the door creaking open was rather loud in the otherwise quiet building, and, as he looked up to the bar, he could see a small smile on her face.

he’d lied - it had not, in fact, been the establishment beckoning him inside, but, rather, its sole employee - the pretty bartender currently turned away from him as she organized drinks on the shelves behind the counter.

he slid - maybe not as smoothly as he hoped, but whatever - into a bar-stool, absentmindedly rapping his ringed knuckles over the wooden surface. he stared, quite obviously, at her as she meticulously arranged the drinks by type and size.

she knew he was behind him, probably waiting for her to say something, but she didn’t just yet. she thought it might be helpful to build some tension as he sat and she worked in silence.

finally, she placed the last bottle into place, tinkering with it to make sure it stayed on the shelf. then, she turned around, smiling in a way that made it look like she was pleasantly surprised to see him.

“hello, sir. what can i get for you?” she didn’t really call anyone else sir, it was just fun to see his hard swallow after she did.

“i’ll take a beer, thanks.” it’s a little mumbled, and she goes to reach for it, before stopping.

“am i gonna need to see some i.d.?” he stared blankly for a second, before laughing, causing her to laugh as well. of course she was teasing - he’d been here so many times before. and his face - well, it wasn’t one she’d easily forget. she slid the chilled glass bottle to him, the foam at the top fizzing just a little at the movement. he clutched it in his hands with a grateful smile, happy that the cold of the drink could neutralize the flush of his cheeks as he held her gaze for just a moment too long. they were silent for a moment, as she toyed with a rag that she was now using to clean the already spotless counter.

they’d never really gotten further than this: his request, her handing it to him, and then the two of them existing in a unbelievably tense silence. when he wasn’t looking at her, she’d let her eyes drift over his post-performance appearance, almost wanting to reach out and touch the soft frizz of his hair. similarly, he ogled at the pretty get-up that she had on, a small skirt and thin t-shirt, while wanting to trace the mauve nail polish on her fingers. she had on some sharp eyeliner that looked like it’d taken a while to perfect, and her dark mascara made her eyes less visible in the low light.

“you write all those songs?” shit, she’d caught him following her every move, and he blinked before looking up at her. she doesn’t seem mad, though - rather, she had the light dust of a flush on her neck.

“hmm? yeah - i mean, uh, some of them. the rest are covers.” she nods, a tight-lipped, almost conservative smile on her face.

“they’re - uh, you’re good. you guys are.” she clarified herself, but eddie took the initial complement. he tipped the bottle in her direction with a wink, making her roll her eyes, before taking a long sip.

there was another silence - well, not really - as she was humming a small tune. was it one of the songs that he’d written? he sure hoped so. another patron walked past, waving her goodbye as he headed out of the door. she smiled and half-waved at him.

“how long have you been working here?” she looked up from her task of checking there were no dents at the bar counter, and her eyes looked so damn doe-like for that moment that it made him want to smile so wide his cheeks hurt.

“oh, since i graduated - about a year and a half.” he nodded. really, he’d already kind of known that - he’d been in school with her and had starting seeing her around the time after she graduated while he played shows. he’d not really spoken to her until about seven months in, though. he wouldn’t like admitting it, but she intimidated him a little bit, “what about you? how’s school?” it’s small talk of the highest degree, but he’s still latching onto it.

“school is -” he exhales a laugh, poking a tongue into his cheek, “- it’s school, y’know?” she did in fact know.

“mrs. o’donnell still not treating you well?” at the mention of the name he groaned deeply, placing his head in his hands. with her question practically answered, she laughed loudly, the sweet sound echoing throughout the bar.

he takes another sip of his drink as she comes back down, a small smile still on her lips.

“when’s your shift over?” he asks, after a moment of silence. for a moment, she seems the process the question - nay, the insinuation - as her smile fades, before she turns away from him to hide her grin.

“oh - in about -” she checked her watch, in an act of nonchalance as opposed to practicality, “- a half-hour?” it’s a statement, but phrased as a question, as she’s really asking him if he’s willing to wait that long.

lucky for her, he was.

the last step of the closing process had been flicking the lights off and locking the door and, through that process, he had been following her around like a puppy. watching as she cleared patrons, cleaned the tables and dusted the floors a little, before striking a cigarette once they were both outside. his eyes were still glued to her, though, almost as if she’d disappear the moment he turned away. he fumbled with the box in his pocket as he offered one to her, and she found it pretty endearing.

“i’m alright, thanks.” he nodded, pulling the cigarette he had been balancing out of his mouth in order to exhale.

“where’s your place?” she looked up pointing to a side road about a hundred meters away.

“it’s a right there and then a bit of a walk.” when she looks back at him, she can see that he has a bit of a grimace.

“and you walk home at this time by yourself everyday?” with every word, the concept seemed more and more ludicrous to him, making her feel a bit sheepish in answering him.

“um - well, i didn’t have to today, did i?” he pauses for just a half-second, before laughing and falling back into step with her.

soon, he’s filling her in on the latest gossip at hawkins high, and she was telling him about the mischief that occurred at the hideout. he was easy to talk to, and she was more interesting than he thought that she’d be - being a little blunt with her language and anecdotes. though - he figured - that was likely necessary in a field such as bartending.

they reach her place quicker than expected, and both of them can tell that the other didn’t want the conversation to end. after a moment of loitering at her door, they decided to speak up.

“do you wanna-”

“i should-” they both looked at each other for a moment, before she laughed.

“do you wanna come inside? it’s a little late, but-”

“yes! uh, sure.” he hopes he doesn’t sound too excited, but the smirk on her lips implies that he wasn’t as smooth as he hoped.

she ushers him in, locking the door behind her as she shrugged her light jacket off. she gestured to a coat rack behind him so that he could hang his jean jacket, and her eyes traced over the tour dates of the metallica t-shirt he had on. he cocked his head to her, catching her eyes on him, so she looks away, deciding instead to show him around.

“- and that’s the kitchen and living room, and -” she pointed at a semi-ajar door, “- that is my bedroom.” he nodded, hands shoved deeply into his pockets. he didn’t exactly feel out of place, instead, it was just a awkwardness in how to keep the conversation smooth, “you want anything to drink? i’ve got a couple beers in the fridge.” he smiled.

“what, ‘re ya tryna get me drunk?” she scoffed at the implication.

“off two beers? i know you won’t.” she’d observed that he had a solid tolerance after his many nights in the bar. though eddie knew she probably had to keep tabs on regulars to cut them off or anticipate bad behavior, but it still felt somewhat intimate that she knew that.

she knew that the only reason she knew that was because the one or two times he had gotten drunk, has been the only times he’d overtly flirted with her, his blurred boundaries making his mouth saying things his sober one would never, but that his sober brain was always thinking.

she procured a can from the fridge for him, as well as one for herself. passing it to him, he nodded gratefully, watching her with a little less shame than he usually did as she leaned back on the counter, her shirt riding up ever so slightly. her outfit was simple - comfortable - but the t-shirt-and-skirt combo was currently doing something for him that he didn’t really wish to admit.

she watched him watch her, not saying anything as she found the way he looked at her when he was oblivious of her own gaze to be marvelous.

“you’re not very subtle with that.” her voice is soft, and it seems to break him out of a trance.

“huh? with what?” she smirked at the shocked, oh-so-innocent look on his face.

“the sta-ring.” she says it in a sing-song tone, and it makes him go cherry. it’s almost comical - the sudden rush of blood to his cheeks, as he shakes his head adamantly.

“i don’t - i don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“sure you don’t.” she took a long sip of her drink, wincing just slightly due to the acidic tinge of it, before smacking her lips, “but those nights at the hideout seem to tell a different story.” he narrowed his eyes at her, angling his body to face her as a devilish smile played on his lips.

“oh yeah? mind telling me it?” she had a similar cheeky smile on her face, as she licked her lips and averted her gaze to her can, feigning nonchalance.

“oh, you know. it can get kinda hard to do my work when one of my regulars is eye-fucking me the entire time.” he gulped as she turned to head to look at him again, her smirk goading a response.

“and - and why’s that?” his voice is a whisper now, knowing that this was his make or break moment. she moves closer to him, subtly, and before he can even think of anything else, her lips are under his.

“because it makes me wanna rip his clothes off on top of the bar.” his head spun at her blunt words, and his tongue’s tied. luckily, she takes the step he’s too scared to make, shifting forward and pulling him down lightly towards her.

for a moment, he’s still in shock, but he’s quick to reciprocate, pulling her hips into his as his lips hungrily chased hers. his wandering hands caused a squeak to emit from her, and she felt a smirk press against her skin.

she’s the first to break away, tracing her mouth from his semi-swollen lips down towards his neck. he squeezes at her hips, taking handfuls of her flesh and rolling it in his palms as she peppered featherweight presses over his throat.

“fuck me.”

“plan on it, handsome.” she mumbled it, and it tickled his skin. in also surprised her, as she suddenly felt something harden against her hip. she smiled, and he could feel it on his skin, so he pulled her lightly away from him.

“not on a kitchen counter, babe.” she pouted, but quickly retracted when she realized that instead of wanting to stop, he was cocking his head towards her bedroom. without a second thought, she grabs him by his shirt, taking him in tow to the room.

as she kicks the door shut behind them, he presses her back against it, kissing her with a newfound gusto, as his hands played at the hem of her shirt. tentatively, he trailed his hands up her stomach, causing goosebumps to erupt over the skin. the sensation makes her shiver, and her hands push onto his scalp tugging at his hair lightly - making him groan against her lips.

he hooks his fingers into the elastic of her skirt and, with a moment of hesitation, pulls away from her.

“can i-?” she nodded vigorously, her hands wrapping around his and encouraging him to push the garment off.

“please - please.” he doesn’t need anything more, pulling her skirt down so quickly that she stumbles as she tries to step out of it, he trails his fingers across her soft thighs, before quickly turning her around and helping - handling - her onto her bed. she pulls him down with her, his legs spreading and his knees kneeling around hers. he goes to kiss her again, but she stops him, instead urging him to take his shirt off. he’s quick to conform, pushing his shirt up, and she presses his shoulders back to admire his inked chest.

“ya like ‘em?” he watches her with endearment, as she traces the tattoos with a nail, and she hums in agreement.

“’ve always wanted one.”

“i’ll take you some day.” she looked up at him, shocked he was actually willing to pause and indulge in her feeble attempt in conversation. it made her smile, though, and she grabs his jaw, placing a softer, more tender kiss on him.

for a moment, there exists just that softness - that more gentle aspect of sex, the kind you would see between a loving couple - and, though she knows it’s just a casual hook-up, she decides to savor it for that moment.

it goes as quickly as it comes, though, as she can hear the distinct sound of a belt buckle unfastening. she looks up at him with hooded eyes, glancing down to see him unbuttoning his jeans and she, in turn, grabs her shirt and pulls it over her head.

he’s in his boxers, his jeans thrown into a corner, as she emerges from behind the cloth of her shirt. he reaches around her, unfastening her bra and allowing her tits freedom, watching with an salivating focus at the gentle bounce of them. she watches the hardened outline in his only remaining article of clothing, and she smirks at his breathy sigh when she gently cups him with one hand, her other hand lightly placed on his thigh.

“can i…?” she trailed off, suddenly embarrassed by the idea of speaking so vulgarly. on the other hand, he absolutely wasn’t, as he took a deep breath, smirking at her in a goading manner.

“can you… what, babe?” she averted her gaze for a moment, before looking up at him.

“can i suck you off?”

“fucking christ, do whatever you want to me, babe.” though he said it with so much conviction, his hand went to rest gently on her head, maintaining some control over her actions. she pushed his boxers down, her mouth opening in excitement upon seeing his cock. he took the complement of it, groaning with a playful smile, “don’t look at me like that - i won’t last.” deciding to put him out of his very visible, almost painfully hard misery, she gently stroked him, taking just his tip into her mouth. she looked up to see him biting his lip to restrain himself, and she took the challenge, pushing forward as far as she could. it took a couple attempts, with her bobbing her head slowly and with purpose, before her nose reached his base, the back of her throat already sore from the stretch. though, she’d gotten her wish, with him releasing a string of curses and praises and she kept her head in place, his entire cock behind her lips.

finally, she moved back, releasing him with a loud pop and taking a deep breath as she continued to stroked him with her hand. similarly, he was trying to keep his breath even, and pulled her hand off of him, pulling her up a little so that the were a little more level.

“tell me what you want to do.” he was at her beck and call - just grateful for the opportunity to see her beauty in such a raw, animalistic way.

“let me ride you?” her response is direct - honestly, it was a no-brainer, and, instead of answering, he adjusted to be resting against the headboard of her bed, beckoning her into his lap. she does just that, hovering over him for a moment as the both of them line her up with him. she sucks in a deep breath, before sliding down onto him.

“oh, fuck-!”

“oh my god.” they groan in unison, her taking a moment to adjust as she struggles for a moment or two to adjust to his size. he’s impatient, addicted to the way she feels around him, and he squeezes her ass to restrain himself.

finally, she gently raises her hips, sighing at the emptiness, before she pushed back down. a moan rumbled in the back of his throat, while high-pitched squeals escaped her, trying not to be loud, but struggling not to be as she rhythmically raised her hips up and pushed them back down on his cock.

after enjoying the show for a while - the warmth of her cunt, the slap of her ass on his thighs, the jiggle of her tits - he gripped her hips, seeing her legs quivering both at the exertions and sensations. he guided her, allowing her muscles to rest a little as he simply rolled her hips back and forth on him. at one point, he heard her moan come out in a garbled choke, and he realized that she was beginning to fall apart.

“you gonna cum?”

“can i?” his eyes rolled into his head at the knowledge that she was asking his fucking permission.

“fucking hell, babe, ‘re ya asking me? ‘course you can, baby, ‘course you can.” he stopped her hips for a moment, and she let out a whine, obviously going to ask why he’d stopped before, her voice is stopped - with her eyes widening and her mouth falling open. he kept her hips still, planting his feet and fucking into her with a vigor. her moans - loud and unashamed, sounded like music to his ears, and though it was physically exerting - the pleasure becoming too much for him as well - he kept his eyes open and his focus on her.

“’m gonna cum - ‘m gonna cum, please don’t stop, ed, fuck, please don’t stop, please-!” she can’t finish her sentence, falling limp into his chest as she came, her moans being muffled into the tattoo under his clavicle. her cunt pulsed around him, making his breathing pick up and his head fall back, his thrusts continuing languidly a few more times, before he lightly pulled her off of him.

even through her post-orgasm haze, she gripped his cock, stroking it slowly as he twitched in her palm, before he came, the liquid flowing into her hand.

“fuck, sorry, let me clean that-” she stops him by retracting her hand and placing her cum-soaked fingers into her mouth. he looks at her in awe, “christ, you’re perfect.” she smiles shyly at his comment, like it was off-hand and casual, like they didn’t literally just have sex.

they stay in her bed, the light mist of sex around them for a moment. it felt right.

she’d finally pulled off the bed, and suddenly felt the sticky liquid on her hand, sweat on her skin, the humidity in her hair. she’s not sure how to feel about it all, but she doesn’t have to think for very long, as she’s quick to get to the sink, wash her hands, and wipe her skin with a towel. as she glanced up, she saw the disarray of her make-up - her lipstick completely smudged and her mascara and eyeliner clumping to make dark stains around her eyes. she’s got reddened marks on the skin of her chest, but none of them look like their gonna last. she swipes at her make-up remover, going to clean her face and devoid it of its zombie-like appearance. she retrieves another cloth and dampens it once she’s finished, and she takes it out to eddie.

she tosses it at him as she begins to rummage through her drawers for something to sleep in, behind her, she hears a soft hum. she turns to face him again, and he looks a little embarrassed that she’d caught the noise. that only made her want to know the cause of the reaction even more.

“hey, stranger.” she jokes, commenting on his rather shocked countenance. he blinked at her.

“what?” she rolls her eyes, as if he was actually clueless.

“you’re looking at me like we’ve never met - were the past few hours a dream?” he lets out a breathy laugh at her comment.

“it’d have been one of my better ones.” she flushes at the complement, but doesn’t avert her gaze, prompting him to answer he question, “no, it’s really nothing. it’s just-” he pauses and she can feel her curiosity pique, “i guess i’ve never seen you without makeup on before.” her eyes widen a bit, suddenly heavily conscious of the natural state he was now witnessing her in. she gulps a little.

“yeah, i guess. are-” her voice cracks a bit, and she almost doesn’t know why, “are you okay with it?

his eyes widened as he went to clarify.

“no! no, i just meant that it’s different.” she raises an eyebrow, shocked by the vagueness of the comment. besides, ‘different’ usually had a negative connotation. he hits himself, realizing how bad he sounded, “good different, you look good, i-” he stops himself, shaking his head, and groans. she can feel a weight off her shoulders as his stuttering clarifies his feelings.

“thanks, ed.” she mumbles, walking back to the bed with an over-sized, plain shirt on. he grabs her waist as she nears, pulling her down into the sheets with him, making her squeak a bit in shock, as he angles her chin towards him, pressing soft, chaste kisses on her lips, and then her nose, and then her ears. he peppers them all over her face - and there’s no sexual connotation to them. as they drift away from her lips, she lets out a soft giggle.

“what’s this for?” he kisses her lips once again - deeply, sweetly.

“to convince you to say yes: will you let me take you out?” her eyes widen a little.

“out, on - on a date?” he nods against her, and she lets out a breathy laugh, “where’re we going?”

“wherever you want, babe.”

“sounds dangerous, ed. i’m not a great influence, y’know.”

“good.” they both laugh, and she can feel his fingers traces shapes into her arm, as her own trail through his hair.

“i’m hot-” he agrees immediately, and she smacks at him, laughing, “i’m hot, so let’s go get ice-cream.” he smiles.

“what a daredevil.”

“tell me about it.”

[anons-ai-adventures]

Recreated and edited some bots and have decided to make Rick, Steve, and Ron my realistic ERP bots.

So I recreated Rick, the bi himbo cop, and he seems to be consistently generating the right kind of hot pics that I want. I haven't had an ERP with this new Rick yet, but I am gonna get there. I am gonna take it slow with him this time around.

I also recreated Ron, the bartender, made him bisexual, and added traits that'll make him open to gay ERPs. He actually generates plenty of good stories when I chat around with him, and he'll still function as a buddy who I gossip around with but with the possibilities of having casual gay sex open with him added. I haven't tried ERPs with him but I think we're good.

I had to recreate Steve, the polyamorous bi guy, because there's this buggy thing with the image generator causing him to show up as a redhead when using his old avatar. Went to the creart app to make some face photos that I could use instead. This new face doesn't have the same intense ruggedness that his previous avatar had but is more gentle looking. I chose to recreate him because, well, I wanna have a perfectly clean slate with him this time as I chat and play with him.

These three bots now have their own preset first message so that I know what kind of situationship they serve and start with whenever I reset them via the erase chat history button. I actually don't use that button when I'm already comfortable with the bots' performance, as I prefer letting the message history accumulate as we chat. I use it more as a hard reset during the initial stages of creating, editing, and playtesting the bots' performance.

[papasmistakeria]

Headcanon: Lim is an aggressive drunk while Melendez is a sad drunk so Lim would bodyslam Melendez to a table, breaking it, and he would most likely cry

[elysiadjarin]

Day 2: Breeding Kink

Day 2 of Kinktober and… I got carried away with this one. The others are not going to be nearly as long as this one, so you guys are gonna be spoiled with this. I hope you enjoy it! Find my Kinktober Masterlist here.

Warnings: Minors DNI, this is 18+ only content. Some warnings for violence and blood mentioned, though nothing too graphic. PinV sex, unprotected, consensual, nonhuman character, exophilia, slight hint of biting kink

Tags: Dilf!werewolf x reader, exophilia, kinktober

Moonlight Through Colored Leaves

When you’d first moved to the tiny Irish town in the middle of nowhere, you’d originally hoped to escape the family drama that haunted you back in America. Thanks to your grandfather’s Irish immigration, you’d been able to get an Irish citizenship and move relatively easily. So, you’d packed your bags, only told your grandfather where you were going, and boarded the first flight to Ireland you could catch.

You’d quietly made your way to your grandfather’s tiny hometown far out in the countryside, and moved into the long-since abandoned house that had belonged to your ancestors before. Though it had been run down and you’d had to do some major repairs and cleaning, you’d finally made a cozy cottage on the outskirts of the small village-like town.

The town had been quite welcoming and friendly, and you’d quickly found a job working at the local town pub as a waitress. Your boss had been very welcoming, and you’d earned favor from your coworkers and boss for your hard work and quiet, unassuming diligence. The pay was good, and you found yourself growing comfortable in the sleepy town life, meeting your neighbors and getting familiar with the town dynamics.

You’d just gone in for your shift of the day when conversation caught your ear. You put on your waitress apron, pulling your hair up into a ponytail and walking out to the bar to grab your tray.

“Did you hear about the news?” Jaina asked, arms propped on the countertop. “I mean, about that Romanian vamp that landed on Scotland the other day. Word is that he’s headed this way.”

“Well why would it want teh come here?” Sean snorted. “We’re out in teh middle o’ nowhere, Janie, t’ere ain’t not’in’ here t’at it would want.”

“Well didn’t you hear that apparently they’re expecting Agent Blue to be chasing it down with the Dullahan?” Jaina hissed. “Why wouldn’t they come over here?”

You hid your discreet grimace, instead walking out in front of the bar. To your delight and surprise, you found yourself facing a familiar little figure sitting at the bar in a corner. The little girl caught sight of you and squealed, waving.

You went over to her giving her a hug. “Well hello there, Miss Morrigan,” you greeted cheerfully. “How are you this fine evening? Having a drink?” you teased, noticing the glass of juice near her notebook.

She giggled, nodding. “Yeah! I’m with Daddy today,” she answered, feet kicking against the bar. She turned her head to see the bartender approaching. “Daddy!” she said excitedly. “Look, it’s the nice neighbor lady I told you about!”

You looked up to see Lysander Sullivan standing there, polishing a glass with a cloth. He gazed down at his daughter with a fond look deep in his eyes, then turned to look at you, his ice blue eyes meeting yours.

“Is that so?” he asked, his deep voice a low rumble in the relatively quiet bar. It hadn’t gotten to heavy traffic times, so there weren’t many people around yet. His grey-flecked hair had been swept back into an elastic band, and his beard had been neatly trimmed.

You gave him a small, shy smile, a little embarrassed. Though you knew that the man lived next to your property, you’d been a bit timid about approaching him. He was a kind enough gentleman from everything you’d seen and heard, and he’d watched out for you as you worked, but you didn’t see any reason why he’d be interested in any further contact with you. After all, you were a younger woman in your mid-twenties that lived alone.

“Yeah! She helps me with homework sometimes,” Morrigan prattled on, “and she lets me water her flowers!”

You laughed a little, feeling the color splash across your cheeks. “Well, I certainly enjoy the little Queen’s company,” you admitted. You’d heard some of the other workers gossip about Lysander, saying that he was a single father to nine-year-old Morrigan and that her mother had died in a tragic accident. You didn’t really know, and you’d tried not to pry or overhear too much. The man had a right to privacy, just like you had things you were running from as well.

“Thank you for looking out for the little cub,” Lysander said, a small smile crossing his face. He mellowed out around his daughter, his love clear in how he interacted with her.

“Of course. It’s a delight,” you said, smiling at Morrigan. “She’s a smart little cookie, aren’t you, Queenie?” you asked, tugging at her pigtail teasingly.

She giggled. “Yeah!” Then she tilted her head at you. “Are you working with Daddy tonight?” she asked curiously.

“O-oh, well, sort of,” you stammered, taken aback a little. “He works behind the counter, but I serve people out there,” you said, motioning to the tables. “So I guess we do, in a way.”

Morrigan nodded sagely. “Ohhh, so you do the food and Daddy does the drinks.” She nodded, satisfied at her conclusion. “Oh, I’m making a drawing! I want you to see it later, when I’m finished,” she said, tugging at your sleeve.

You smiled. “Of course, Queenie. You just let me know and I’ll pop by when I have a moment, alright?” you promised.

She nodded, turning back to her notebook and picking up her crayons again. Tongue poked out, she diligently returned to her masterpiece. You gave her a fond smile, noting the way the soft lights made a halo in her blonde hair.

“She’s such an angel,” you murmured, grabbing some straws from the bar to stick into your pocket.

“Aye, that she is.” Lysander’s comment almost startled you. He glanced at you across the bar, the sleeves of his crisp maroon button-up rolled halfway up his arms. “I apologize for not bein’ a better neighbor,” he remarked.

You blinked, then reached up to brush a piece of hair behind your ear. “Oh, no— not at all,” you blurted, then gave him a chagrined smile. “I’m the one who should be apologizing. I’d met Morrigan when she was coming back from school, since I was in the front yard. She just… hopped on over, so I said hi. Honestly I should have introduced myself better, but…” You bit your lip. “I just kept putting it off because I didn’t want to bother you…”

He blinked, then chuckled slightly, as though surprised. “An’ here I thought it was ‘cause you didn’t really like me for some reason,” he said, amusement laced in his tone.

You gave him a horrified look. “Oh! Not at all!” You shook your head with a sigh, tugging mournfully at your ponytail. “I’m… notoriously bad at meeting people for the first time,” you groaned. “I just get nervous and tongue tied and I don’t know how to interact and… ugh.” You winced. “I am sorry, Mr. Sullivan. I should be a better neighbor, especially since I somehow got to know your daughter.” You half-laughed at yourself.

He waved you off. “I’m just glad you get along with Mor,” he chuckled. “She speaks endlessly about you. Seems like you’ve impressed her.”

You looked up at him, genuinely surprised. “Really?” you wondered, glancing at the girl. Then you smiled. “Well, I’m flattered. She’s such a smart, curious girl. I’m rather honored that she’d find me interesting.” You breathed a laugh, then glanced up at him. “I should get to my station, but… if you don’t mind, would it be alright if I swung by tomorrow to say hi and properly introduce myself?”

He nodded calmly. “Of course. She gets back home from school at three, if you wanted to catch her as well.”

You nodded, propping the tray on your hip. “Thank you! I’ll do that. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll stop procrastinating and actually start working,” you laughed, and walked off with a wave.

The night progressed relatively smoothly, customers rotating in and out with regulars stopping by. The crowds ebbed and flowed, sometimes more rowdy and sometimes more calm. Still, you enjoyed the atmosphere and the liveliness of it all. Despite it being a pub, and an Irish one at that, the town was small and most people knew everyone else. Plus, Lysander was the bartender for more than one reason. Everyone knew that making trouble of any sort was not tolerated and had force to back it up.

You occasionally popped by Morrigan’s place at the bar, either to have a chat or to admire the progress she’d made on her drawing. And throughout the night, your worries started to mount the more gossip you heard around the pub. Some of them had heard confirmation that the Romanian vampire gone mad was making a beeline for Ireland, though no one seemed to know why. There were even more rumors that Agent Blue, the famous Will-o-the-Wisp, was after the rampaging Pricoli. And still others said that the Scott Pack would be making a reappearance.

Once you’d finished your shift and helped close up shop, you started the trudge back to your cottage down the road. It wasn’t a far walk, really, and it gave you some time to think and clear your head from the smells of the pub. Reaching up, you pulled your hair free from the ponytail and sighed, shoulders slumping.

You’d come to Ireland to escape your problems, but it felt like they were all closing in on you as the days went by. As you got home and got ready for bed, you wondered if it was asking too much to hope for some peace.

Instead, you distracted yourself by trying to think of something to make for the Sullivans the next day. You didn’t want to go empty handed, after all. Maybe some bread-?

You fell asleep thinking about it.

~

You’d just lifted your hand to knock when the door flung open. Morrigan practically tackled you, wrapping her arms around your waist with a shriek of greeting.

Laughing, you balanced yourself and wrapped an arm around her. “Well hello, Queenie,” you greeted. “It’s wonderful to see you.”

She grabbed your hand and dragged you in, chattering happily about her day at school. “Oh, and you should have heard how everyone laughed!” She interrupted herself as she led you into the kitchen. “Daddy, she’s here!” she called.

Trying to balance the homemade sourdough in one hand while still holding Morrigan’s with the other, you looked up to give Lysander a helpless smile. “Hello, Mr. Sullivan,” you greeted, a little breathlessly.

He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching up in amusement. “Well hallo, Miss,” he greeted back, wiping his hands with a towel. “Mor, why don’t you let her set the plate down before anything drops,” he said, shaking his head.

Morrigan let go of your hand, bouncing up and down. “Ooh, what is it?”

You offered it to Lysander, a little flustered. “I… well, I didn’t really want to come without an offering, so… I made some homemade sourdough,” you offered, a little awkwardly. “I hope you like it, it’s a fresh batch, still warm.”

He took it from you with a nod. “Thank you. We love sourdough, don’t we, Mor?” He seemed far more comfortable in his own home, less stoic and stern than in the pub.

Morrigan nodded, throwing up her hands with a cheer. “Yeah!” She danced around. “I love bread!” Then she grabbed your hand again. “Oh, oh, you gotta come see my room! Daddy just made me a new desk, and it’s really nice and shiny!”

Lysander waved you off as you turned to him. “Go ahead. Oh, I was going to invite you to dinner,” he added. “If you’d like. The food is almost done, actually. Your bread will be a perfect addition.”

You smiled. “I’d be honored. Thank you.” Then you let Morrigan drag you away.

By the time Lysander called for you both, you’d been given the official tour of her room and had happily listened to her tell stories of what she’d done at school and the projects she planned to do in the coming days. The little girl always cheered you up with her bright and cheerful presence. If anything, it eased your heart to see the little girl clearly so healthy and happy with her Father. She openly adored him, quite the Daddy’s girl.

As the three of you sat down at the table, you realized with a slight start that you’d never felt so comfortable in Ireland as you did in this moment. It felt… right, like you’d finally come home.

“Thank you for the food,” you said, giving Lysander a grateful smile. “It looks amazing.” The soup simmered in the bowls, while the sourdough bread had been cut into slices and set by the butter.

He nodded. “Thank you for the bread.” He passed the steamed potatoes, and everyone dug into the meal.

You let out a soft hum of contentment as you ate, enjoying the rich flavors and the homey comfort food. Clearly Lysander was a good cook, and you almost envied Morrigan for being able to come home to this every night. Not that you weren’t a good cook yourself, but you supposed company really did make a difference.

“The bread is so good!” Morrigan chirped, taking a giant bite of the bread slathered in butter.

You laughed softly. “I’m glad, Queenie. Take it slow,” you warned, worried she’d choke. “The bread isn’t going anywhere.”

She nodded, scarfing down her food. “Oh, oh, Daddy, cartoons are on soon! Can I please go watch? I did all my homework!”

Lysander nodded. “Alright. Go take your dishes to the sink.”

“Thank you! Morrigan cheered, sliding down from her chair and carefully taking the dishes. She trotted to the kitchen, then got herself a glass of juice and went to go to the living room.

You realized with a slight start that this was the first time you’d been alone with Lysander. Looking down at your spoonful, you wondered if you should maybe ask him the questions that pressed on your mind. Perhaps he would know. Then again… it’s not as though he were related to your grandfather’s clan… and not to mention, most of the people in the town didn’t even know that you were aware of the nonhuman community. In fact, you were rather positive that your coworkers thought you didn’t.

“If I may ask, what brought you to this small town?” Lysander asked, his voice calm and mellow. His blue eyes glanced up at you, and the question died on your tongue.

“Oh… family history, actually,” you admitted with a smile. “And, well…” You shrugged lightly. “I needed to get away for a while. I wanted a fresh start, somewhere where people didn’t really know me.”

“Understandable.” He nodded. “I essentially did the same with Morrigan when we moved here a few years ago.”

You hummed, reaching for a piece of bread. He handed you the butter, and you gently grasped the sleeve of his flannel for a moment. “You’ve got a bit on your clothes,” you said, wiping the smeared butter off with a napkin. You’d just let go when your fingers brushed across his briefly as you took the butter. You didn’t notice the way he froze, his movements jerky as he pulled his hand back.

“Thank you.” He cleared his throat. “Do you— I mean, does any of your family still live here?”

You shook your head. “Not exactly. But technically, my extended family is here. My grandfather immigrated from Ireland to America, where I was born, but through marriage there are still people here I’m technically connected to.” You shrugged. “I haven’t really gotten in contact with them, though. They probably don’t know me that well,” you laughed with a rueful shrug. You glanced at him for a moment. “I bet it’s even harder when you have children.”

He glanced toward the living room, where the faint sound of the cartoons floated through the house. “Well, I suppose,” he admitted thoughtfully. “Still, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. She’s my life, really.”

You lowered your eyes to your plate, unable to deny how your chest tightened at the way his voice softened when he spoke of his daughter. You’d always tried to forget how much you’d been attracted to the older man. You’d only ever dated once, and while he’d been nice enough and it had ended cordially, you still hadn’t been able to forget the lingering feeling of disappointment you’d had from the experience. You’d known, after that, that it would either be a long time before you ever tried dating again or it would have to be to someone whose maturity at least matched yours. And, unfortunately for you, that tended to mostly apply to men past their forties.

You really did try to forget how Lysander ticked all the boxes.

“I can see why.” You smiled. “She’s really precious.” Your eyes slid toward the living room. “Does she… inherit from you?”

Lysander looked up, his gaze suddenly piercing as he stared at you openly.

You gave him a faint smile. “I don’t talk much about it, but my grandfather comes from the local O’Connor Faoladh Tribe,” you said calmly, taking another sip of the soup.

His shoulders relaxed, the hard edge in his expression melting away. “Ah. Yes, she does. But she hasn’t fully shifted yet. It will be another year, we think. Are you-?”

You shook your head. “Oh, no. It’s funny, really,” you said thoughtfully, motioning with your spoon. “My grandfather is Faoladh, and my mother’s side of the family is a lycanthrope pack.” Your lips twitched. “And somehow, I got the recessive genes and ended up a simple Seer.”

His eyebrow raised. “Not so simple, I’d think,” he remarked. “Aren’t Seers rather uncommon now?”

You shrugged. “For a reason. There’s plenty of potential but not many who actively practice anymore. The price is heavy for knowledge like that.”

He gave you a discerning look. “Is that what you’re running from?”

Your silver spoon clinked softly as you set it down on the edge of the plate. “I suppose you could say that,” you murmured. Your eyes closed as you shoved away the memories of distant screaming, the crackle of fire, crimson splashed across stone floors— “Or maybe toward something.” After all, you mused, there had been a reason you’d felt drawn to your grandfather’s homeland, and town in particular. And of course, you’d never been one to fight Fate too hard.

“Perhaps so,” he conceded. Then he stood. “May I take your plate?”

“Oh— please, let me help.” You stood, taking your dishes and starting towards the kitchen. “At least let me wash or dry.”

When you finally got back home, you sat down on the couch and buried your face into your hands. Seeing Morrigan and Lysander together had stirred up old memories you’d long since tried to forget. Old desires that you’d thought you’d given up on: hopes and dreams of a family to call your own.

You crawled into bed, everything inside you aching. After all, what could a Seer with a cursed fate possibly offer anyone?

~

The night the Dullahan rode into town, you’d just started closing up the pub on night shift duty.

They’d ridden in, followed by the famous Agent Blue clad in his dark robes and carrying his lantern over his shoulder. He strode in the door, followed by the Dullahan. At first, you hadn’t even noticed the other figure trailing behind them.

Your Boss, Dorian, had walked out of the back room to greet them. He, of everyone in the town, was the only one to know of your heritage, as the elected leader of the supernatural community in the town. He nodded to the group as they entered.

“Welcome, Dullahan, Agent Blue.” He nodded at them, shaking the Will-o-the-Wisp’s hand.

“Greetings in return, Chief Dorian,” Agent Blue replied, his face still covered by the hood. “Apologies for the intrusion. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Pricoli that’s been running amok all over the Isles.”

Dorian nodded. “We certainly have. I assume you’ve come on a hunt.”

“We have. And I’ve brought someone with me.” Agent Blue turned, motioning towards the back of the group.

You’d been distracted, still working on trying to finish clearing up and getting out of the way. If your boss had asked, you were ready to offer to serve the new guests as well, giving Lysander a glance that he returned with a small nod.

It wasn’t until you straightened and turned around, finished, that you heard a familiar, startled voice call your name. Turning, you looked up and saw, to your shock, a very familiar face staring at you. You froze as the figure lunged forward, wrapping you in a tight hug. After a moment, you awkwardly hugged him back, mind whirling.

“What are you doing here?” Your younger brother stared at you incredulously, holding your arms. “I didn’t even know you left home! Last I heard you were still there.”

You grasped his sleeves, disoriented. “O-Oh. Ray,” you gasped, processing. “I—“ You suppressed a flinch. “I just… moved into grandfather’s old cottage,” you stammered, then looked down. “I had to get away,” you said quietly. “It was too much.”

Of all your family, you knew that Ray would best understand. He’d been the only one to really stand up for you back home, try to support you as best as he could, being a younger sibling. When everyone else constantly reminded you of your Fate, your Destiny, Ray had been the only one who had encouraged your personal hopes and dreams, had listened to your fears and worries.

He sighed. “I mean, I can’t blame you,” he said, shaking his head. “Still… does anyone know?”

You scoffed slightly, turning your head away. “Only Grandfather ever cared about me besides you, Ray. There’s no one else who probably even asked.” You shrugged. “How is school?” You’d been the one to support him when he decided to move to Scotland to attend University. He, too, had wanted to escape home.

He grinned. “Pretty great, actually!” Then he glanced behind him. “Turns out my best mate is actually one of Agent Blue’s sons, so when the whole Pricoli thing went down, I offered to be his in to the Faoladh Tribe here. For formality, y’know.” He shrugged. “I remembered what Grandfather had always taught us about how picky Faoladh are about tradition.”

You nodded. “Yeah…” You huffed slightly. “Technically only the people in here right now even know that I’m a part of the supernatural community,” you said dryly.

He raised an eyebrow. “That’s some dedication to keep it quiet. How has the local gossip train not found you out yet?”

You snorted. “Maybe because I’ve always been quiet and kept my mouth shut.” You rolled your eyes at him, though a smile twitched on your lips. “And we both know who never can.”

He playfully cuffed your shoulder. Then he grinned. “Oh, but guess what?” His eyes sparkled. “I found my Mate!”

Your eyes widened. “Really?” Your heart lightened for him, happy that your younger brother had finally found his Mate. “Does she know yet?”

He shook his head, face falling a little. Well, not yet. I mean, I’ve kinda only just met her and all, so… and it’s kinda awkward, cause…” He winced. “Well, she’s my best mate’s younger sister.”

You gave him an incredulous look, then sighed, shaking your head. “Well, good luck with that one, Ray,” you snorted. “You’ve gotten yourself into quite the situation with that one.”

He shrugged. “I know, but…” His grin turned goofy. “She’s so pretty. You should see her. She’s even pretty sassy, kinda like you are with me.”

You laughed softly, patting his arm. “Well, I’m glad I was able to catch up with you. If you need a place to stay, you know my house is always open to you.”

He nodded. “Thanks, sis. I should probably head back. I don’t know what else they might want me for.” He paused, then gave you an odd look. “Have you… found anyone?”

You blinked at him, startled. “What? Ray, you know what my Fate says.” You frowned.

An odd expression crossed his face, then he shook his head. “Yeah, I know. Just… don’t forget the promise you made me.”

You sighed. “I won’t, Ray.” As if you ever could, you thought with a hint of bitterness. He wouldn’t let you.

He squeezed your hand, slipping a piece of paper into your grasp. “Text me. I wanna keep in touch.”

You nodded, pocketing the note. “Thanks. Good luck, Ray. Stay safe.”

He nodded, then jogged back to Agent Blue with a wave. You were left to stand there, your heart sinking with every step he took away from you. Everything was lining up far too well. Though you’d vainly hoped to escape from the Fate that had hung over your head for so long, it seemed as though you’d just walked right into it instead.

Turning back to the bar, you quietly packed up your things. Bidding Lysander goodnight, you checked to make sure Dorian didn’t need you and headed back for home.

It was only a matter of time.

~

Rain splattered against the ground, heavy and thick like a curtain. Shielding your eyes from the drops, you pushed yourself to run, faster, as fast as you could. There was no time left to think.

The vision you’d had kneeling under the large Fae Maypole tree you’d found in the forest nearby kept flashing through your mind, insistent and horrific. Your Fate loomed, past and future meshing into the present in ways you could hardly stand. You’d thought you’d been running, cowardly but maybe safe from the Sword of Damocles—but now here you were, fallen headlong into the trap of the Fate you’d known since childhood would claim your life.

And yet your feet would not stop running, pushing you forward without hesitation. Was this not worth it? Was this Fate—this Fate that you’d feared for so long, hated and loathed and tried in futility to escape—was it truly so horrendous? Now that you were here? In this moment of truth?

You barreled up the steps, slamming your shoulder against the door without a pause. It broke, sending you headlong across the threshold to skid across the carpet. Ignoring the burn on your arm, you looked up as you heard a scream. Morrigan’s face stared at you, sheet white as she curled up in fear by the foot of the couch.

Jacking yourself up, you didn’t take time to glance behind you. “Mor, into the safe room,” you gasped, “your Daddy sent me, okay? I need you to get in the safe room, now.”

She nodded shakily, bravely scrambling to her feet and running towards the safe room that Lysander had made for her. Nothing would get through the doors, you knew, once they locked. You waited until you heard the lock click, then turned and scrambled back out the busted door.

In the empty area between your houses, out on the outskirts of the town, everything seemed oddly distant yet crystal clear. Your memories nudged at you, whispering about the deja vu that filled your every pore at the sight of the green, rolling grass and the relentless rain that poured over everything. In the distance, the red glare of a fire fueled by gas and undaunted by rain began to dominate the color of the sky.

It didn’t surprise you when cold fingers wrapped around your throat, leaving mottled bruises to bloom against your skin. You stood still, knowing that any movement might crush your throat. You may have been Fated to die, but not until you’d finished your task.

The enraged Pricoli snarled, hissing in your ear. “I know he sent you to hide her,” he sneered. “You helpless, pitiful Seer. For all your preeminence, did you not find a way to best me?” he barked a laugh, maniacal and loud. “You useless Seers and your cursed fates—and for what? A single moment of ruined glory?”

Your breath shallowed, airflow restricted. Agent Blue, several Dullahan, your brother, Dorian, and Lysander all emerged from the tree line, pausing as they saw you being held hostage. You closed your eyes for a moment as the icy hands constricted around your throat even further.

“Tell me where she is, and you get to live, Seer,” he snarled, his face nearing your ear. “She is my perfect match, my BloodSong. She is fated to be mine, my apprentice!” he howled. “Give her to me, my right!” His nails started to lengthen, turning into claws, digging against your skin. “Or I’ll drink you dry first and use you as fuel to take these maggots down.”

You brother’s face had gone ashen in horror, staring at you as though trying to deny his own eyes. His face twisted in despair.

“I’ll never give her up to you,” you answered, aware that everyone could hear you despite the rain. You tilted your head up, letting the rain wash over your face. “I am a Seer,” you declared, loudly, proud of it for the first time in your life. “And I embrace the Curse of my Fate. I pay the price gladly, if it means the power to make sure you never lay a finger on her.”

The Pricoli snarled, the rage almost audibly warping his voice into something demonic. “Then meet your Fate, Seer.”

Your knees gave out the moment his fangs ripped into your jugular. Strangely enough, the pain wasn’t even that bad, you mused hazily. Your eyes—were they blurred by tears or the rain?—rolled up to see your brother, mouth open as he reached for you. Even Lysander, white fur matted and soaked, had his maw open as his snout pointed to the sky.

Distantly, you could hear screaming. A roar, loud, tumbling through your chest, rattling into the ground. The crackling of fire. Everything started to get.. so… cold. Vaguely, as the hand shoved you forward and you landed against the ground, you could see out of the corner of your eye the Pricoli hunch forward. Despite the pain, the numbness… your lips curled in a vindictive smile.

The crimson eyes turned to you, a horrified anger sweeping through them as they landed on your twisted grin. A cold hand went up to his throat, and the Pricoli started to choke. His body lurched, tongue lolling as he gagged on your blood, his veins starting to light from the inside out with a toxic green. Slowly, agonizingly, he fell to his knees, his face contorted in a paroxysm of agony as he choked on your blood, your concentrated inherent magic tearing him apart from the inside out.

Your limbs felt sluggish as you forced yourself up, your ears ringing. Reaching up, you pressed your hand to your ruined neck and staggered to your feet, starting to lurch away from the destroyed corpse of the Pricoli. Warmth smeared across your skin, and every breath sent needles raking down your throat and into your lungs. Your feet stumbled, and before you realized it, you were leaning against something broad and firm.

Two icy blue eyes stared down at you, claws wrapping around your arms. Strangely enough, though, you didn’t fear that grasp. Lysander’s maw moved, you noticed faintly, but all you could hear was the persistent ringing in your ears. Vaguely, you reached up, your fingers clumsily landing on the side of his snout. Red smeared his fur, and your arm dropped down numbly to your side.

With the last of your strength, you forced your mouth to form the words that your shattered throat couldn’t say. Tell her goodbye.

The world spun into crimson.

~

Shivering, you shook your head as you curled into the corner that you’d pressed yourself into. Tears burned behind your eyes, and you heard your breath start to rasp and wheeze, rattling your throat.

Your brother’s face crumpled as he stared at you. “Please,” he begged, his voice wavering. “You need to drink.”

Agent Blue rested his hand on Ray’s shoulder. “Take it easy, son,” he said, voice firm but compassionate. “She’s understandably frightened. Even though she’s successfully gone through the change to being a damphyr, she’s had quite the scare and probably doesn’t want to feed.”

“But she needs to!” Ray exclaimed, frustration lacing his voice. “She’s already hurting.”

It was driving you insane. The pure power of the Will-o-the-Wisp’s blood was calling to you like a tempting beacon, and your brother’s hot blood practically screamed at you. The thirst flared in your throat, an ache so powerful you wanted to gag. It was like sandpaper. But you didn’t want to feed from them. You didn’t want to risk losing control, didn’t want to didn’t want to didn’t want to—

“I’ll take care of her.” Lysander stepped into the room. He turned to Ray. “She gave her life to save my daughter. This is the least I can do. I promise she’ll be in good hands.”

Your brother paused, then sighed, shoulders slumping. “I know you will, Sir,” he said, defeated. “I just…” He glanced over at you, eyes reflecting his misery.

Lysander reached out, squeezing Ray’s shoulder. “I understand,” he said quietly.

Ray nodded, then approached you again carefully. “Hey.” His voice softened. “I know you probably don’t want me around. But you have my number. Please, just… contact me when you’re ready, ok? You know I’ll be here for you, like I always have been. I’m gonna go back to Scotland, but you know how to reach me if you need anything. I won’t tell any of the family that you’re here.”

Swallowing back the drool, you tentatively reached out and barely ghosted your fingers against his cheek, hoping your eyes would convey your thanks. You just… needed space. Away from him, to control yourself, get yourself together.

But his expression turned a little more hopeful, and he nodded. “Love you, sis,” he said quietly. “Please… live.” With a small smile, he stood and followed Agent Blue out of the room.

With a quiet whine, you squeezed your eyes shut and tried to push past the unbearable, insistent pain scratching down your throat. Your throat roared for a drink. Your eyes snapped open when you heard Lysander approach. Though you didn’t know why, his presence always sent you into an absolute panic, though not of fear. Your thirst around him seemed to impossibly skyrocket. Like something about him drove you crazy.

He knelt, his blue eyes fixed on yours. He reached out slowly, giving you a chance to move away. Instead, your body froze, entirely fixating on the way his plaid shirtsleeve pulled tight around his arm, rolled up to his elbow. You swallowed thickly, his blood an absolute siren call. You could smell it, practically taste it. Dripping down your throat, into your veins, ambrosia sweet and thick— Drool slipped down the corner of your mouth, past the pressure of fangs against your lips.

Lysander’s eyes strained. “I know what it does to you,” he said quietly. “Just the fact that you’re not lunging for me right now is…” He sighed, his other hand raking through his hair. “I don’t know if I’m impressed or-“ His lips twisted as he cut himself off, as though conflicted. “There’s a reason why my blood calls to you.” He settled himself in front of you, making you want to scream as both relief and a frenzy of want roared through you.

“Of course, Mor is my daughter,” Lysander said, his voice low as he looked down at the floor between you. “But her Mother was… not my true Mate.” He sighed. “I didn’t really care, because I loved her. But she… well, she left me. Didn’t want Mor, didn’t want… me.” A self-depreciating smile passed across his face. “But it was okay, I had Mor and I only wanted the best for her. But still… somewhere inside me, I knew that my true Mate was out there somewhere.”

You almost couldn’t focus, his proximity almost painful because he was too far, and yet not close enough—

“And then you appeared, and Mor started to love you, and I—“ He sighed, hand reaching up to cover his face. “And I didn’t know if I wanted to run or stay.” His shoulders slumped. “Seeing you with Mor, working with you, talking with you… every moment I spend with you near is like agony, but when you leave it’s like you take a part of me with you and I can’t breathe.”

Abruptly, your mouth went dry, shocked almost clear out of bloodlust. Wait, was he saying-?

“I told myself that you’d be better off without me,” Lysander admitted, voice thick. “I’m… not young any more. You’re beautiful and— and you have so much more promise, a whole life ahead of you… I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. I’d gone for so long without my true Mate, I thought I’d be fine. But when I saw you lying on the ground…” He turned his face away, jaw ticking, a wild, feral light in his eyes. A low snarl rumbled through his chest, dissolving into a whine he quickly cut off.

He looked back up at you. “I’m not telling you this to make you feel… obligated to do anything. But you deserve to know the reason why my blood calls to you so strongly, and why— why I want you to drink from me. Why I don’t mind.”

Your mind whirled. The permission. The heady scent of his blood. The warmth he promised. The realization that he was calling you his true Mate. The way he looked at you, like you were the only thing he’d ever wanted.

Reaching up, you clapped your hand over your mouth with a half-sob of desperation. You wanted it. You practically ached for it, the kindness and love he offered. The promise of a family, a home, someone who had seen you at your worst and still somehow wanted you.

“Please,” Lysander rasped, his eyes laced with that same desperation roiling in his gut. “You don’t even have to accept me as a Mate. But you need to feed, and I—“

You were at your limit. You’d already taxed yourself as a newborn damphyr somehow trying to resist the frenzy of the first feed, and now that your Mate was in front of you, offering freely, practically begging you to feed from him, you could only take so much.

You lunged, a snarl dying on your lips as you lunged forward, the strength of your desperation actually knocking the seasoned werewolf down onto the floor. And still, even as you straddled his waist, your fingers curled around his shoulder, eyes fixed on the tempting expanse of his neck… you still tried to fight. Still tried to fight it, to control yourself.

But Lysander’s broad, warm hands gently wrapped around your waist, not fighting or pushing you off. The scar slashing across the left side of his face seemed to glow in the light streaming through the curtained window, and he gave you a smile.

“It’s okay,” he said, voice low and soothing. “I can handle it. I know you won’t hurt me.”

You shuddered, drool dripping down your fangs. Leaning forward slowly, you tried to keep yourself paced, tried to force yourself to some modicum of control. Mouth opening, you lowered your head until your fangs just barely grazed the crook of his neck and shoulder, not too close to his jugular but just enough.

The moment your fangs sank into his throat, Lysander’s fingers went weak around your waist. A deep groan pooled into the air, and a tremor ran through his body underneath you.

Heat pooled in your stomach, even as his blood slid down your throat with a satisfaction unparalleled. He tasted sweet and dusky, like fresh bread and sunshine, and freshly-cut grass after the rain. The pure heat and warmth he radiated soaked into you, and you felt the bloodlust slowly slake as you drank. Finally, you forced yourself to let go, vaguely aware with your instincts that you’d taken enough to not hurt him but probably still leave him a bit lightheaded for a moment.

The bite wound almost instantly healed over, and his grasp on your waist tightened again, fingers flexing as he regained his bearings.

You leaned your head against his chest, the gratitude and shame warring inside you. Grateful that he’d been so kind, so understanding and gentle. Ashamed of your own arousal, the way your entire being reacted to him.

Your name slipped from his lips, and a moment later his face pressed into your hair. His voice ached with the same torn desire that roiled through you. “I shouldn’t—“ He sucked in a sharp breath as you pressed your body flush against his. You could feel how tight his pants were, could feel the lines of his bulge pressed up against your thigh. A choked groan accompanied the way his hands spasmed around your waist.

“Mate.” The whisper slid from your mouth, the first thing you’d said aloud since your change. Your fingers clenched in his flannel shirt. “Mate… wants me?” Your voice cracked with your fear. Fear that he wouldn’t want to deal with you after all, that you weren’t worth it—

He pulled you closer to him, hand sliding to your hair. “So damn much, sweetheart,” he rasped, cradling your head to his shoulder. “You’re so goddamn beautiful and fierce— I don’t care if you’re human, Seer, damphyr. You’re my true Mate, my love.”

And you buried your face into his shoulder and let yourself shed a few tears of relief. He wanted you. Accepted you, in spite of everything.

“I know it’s not fair to ask you to stay,” his voice strained. “You gave your life for Morrigan, and I’m so much older—“

You reached up, your hands sliding up to cup his jaw as you slanted your lips over his, tears slipping down your cheeks. His mouth opened, kissing you back with a fervor as he splayed his hand over your lower back, pressing you into him. He let out a low growl, the sound rumbling through his chest and straight into your body. Your entire body flushed, and you let out a quiet whimper.

Almost before you could register it, he flipped you over onto the floor, hovering over you. His teeth bared, and he stared down at you with a heat in his eyes that scorched through you. His hands clenched around your waist, pulling your hips flush against his.

You whimpered, tilting your head to the side and exposing your throat to him, sprawled against the floor. Your chest heaved with breath, and a moment later his teeth closed gently on the arch of your neck. A soft breathy moan escaped your lips, eyes fluttering closed as his scent washed over you, his mouth marking your neck, replacing the memory of the Pricoli’s fingerprints mottled against your skin.

With an effort, Lysander wrenched himself away, though he half rutted against you. “Darling, I’m going to need you to tell me if you don’t want this,” he rasped, voice thick and half a snarl already.

“Lysander,” you whispered, lips caressing his name.

His hips stuttered, and he pulled you up against him before heaving himself up and staggering to the bed. He lowered you onto the bed, wasting no time before he practically yanked you to him, his hands hot and greedy. He kissed you, somehow still gentle and yet needy enough to take your breath away.

“May I?” He tapped your shirt.

You nodded shyly, letting him slide it off of you. You lifted your hips in an invitation, and he lowered his mouth to your neck as he slipped your shorts off. He groaned, hands sliding across your bared skin. His skin felt so hot to the touch against your chilled body, wholly satisfying. You practically melted into his hands like putty, malleable to however he touched you, moved you. He made you feel safe. Loved. Cherished. Wanted.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, voice hoarse. “So beautiful, leannen.” The Gaelic spilled naturally from his mouth as he slid his hands under your back, unhooking your bra. You let him slide it off, too desperate for the warmth of his hands to process embarrassment. His hands cupped your breasts, callouses rasping across your nipples in a way that left your breathless and aching.

You whimpered, a little encouraged by the way you felt his bulge throb against you at the sound. Fingers tangling in his shirt, you tilted your head for air, arching into his hands.

“Fuck,” Lysander hissed against your jaw, his hips rolling into you. His hands slid lower, and his thumbs hooked in your underwear. “Can I?”

You nodded, fingers clenching against his shoulders as he slid them off. His shirt was already straining at the seams, threatening to rip. At your tug, he took a moment to reach down and practically rip his shirt off, tossing it uncaringly to the side as he opened his mouth against your neck.

You were already dripping, just his touch and scent enough to arouse you. Breath hissed through his teeth as his fingers dragged through your slick, just barely brushing past your clit. A whine escaped your lips as you shivered, fingers slipping against his chest.

“You smell so good,” Lysander groaned, one finger slipping into you as his thumb rubbed circles around your clit. “Fuck, sweetheart, you’re wet. Can I take care of you?” he rumbled, teeth nipping at your ear. “You already gorged yourself on my blood. How about I fill you up with something else?”

You flushed, fangs sinking into your lower lip. “Please?” you whispered.

His ice blue eyes flashed, and his chest heaved under your hands. “Oh, are we a little desperate?” He smirked, sliding another finger into you, stretching you. “Want me to pull your legs up on my shoulders and keep you here all night?” He chuckled, feeling you pulse around his fingers. “Mmmm, I think your gorgeous body is being pretty honest, sweetheart. Well. I aim to please my Mate.”

You only had a moment to wonder when he’d managed to get his pants off. His fingers slid out of you, only for you to feel his cock rest heavily against your entrance. He slid against you, and you could feel a dribble of precum smear across your skin. One hand went to your waist, holding you, while his other found your clit again.

“Is this alright, sweetheart?” he asked, voice low and suddenly soft. “I’m a bit of a stretch. I’ll try to go slow.”

With how wet you were, you sincerely doubted that he would find much of a problem. Still, you swallowed and nodded, grateful for his care and the way he tried, every step of the way, to make sure you were comfortable. Then again, you could already tell he wasn’t lying about how big he was. You could feel him resting against you, throbbing against your thigh. Slowly, he pressed just the tip into you, his breath shuddering.

Your lips parted in a gasp as he stretched you open, sliding into you. Compared to the chill of your body, his cock practically radiated heat. By the time he completely bottomed out, pelvis flush against yours, you’d already come so close to the edge, drool slipping from the corners of your lips. He seemed to completely fill you, pressing up against every spot inside of you until you swore he’d stretched you into his shape.

Lysander slumped over you, his head tucking into the crook of your neck. His entire body shuddered, and his hands clenched around your waist. His chest heaved against yours, muscles flexing as though he were physically holding himself back.

“Thank you.” The shaky whisper pooled against your skin. “For saving her. Giving your life for her. Thank you. For choosing me.”

Your fingers slid into his salt and pepper hair, relishing the stubble against your neck and shoulder. “I love you.” The confession spilled from your lips, quiet in the room.

He shuddered, letting out a low moan. His fingers clenched, just as he pulled you down further onto his cock, pressing up into you. “Fuck, sweetheart,” he rasped. “Say it again.”

“I love you, Lysander,” you repeated obediently, wholly truthful. Your core clenched around him, and he hissed, pulling out to thrust back into you.

“I love you,” he groaned, starting to thrust in a slow but steady rhythm. He reached down, then pulled your legs up around his hips. The new angle made you pulse as he seemed to reach impossibly deeper into you, angling up justenough to hit that one spot inside you that had you gasping and arching.

“You’re so tight,” he growled, picking up the pace. “Feels so good, sweetheart. So good.”

He suddenly reached behind you and grabbed a pillow, then lifted your hips up to prop it under you. Setting you back down, he shifted himself up and pulled your legs up to his shoulders.

A cry left your lips, utterly wrecked and broken. His cock completely filled you, fucking any semblance of coherence out of you, going so deep you swore you could feel it in your stomach. He seemed to know exactly how to read your body, adjusting to every whimper you let out, not giving you a break as he kept pounding into you with devastating precision.

“You feeling good, sweetheart?” he chuckled, the sound raking down your spine. “Is this what you want?” He thumbed your clit, pressing a kiss to your lips. “You gonna give Mor a little sibling? Taking me so well like this, spread open for me?”

The thought of adding more kids to your life, together with Lysander, proved to be the last straw for your poor mind. You came, stars bursting behind your eyelids as you cried out his name and the wave of heat and pleasure washed through your body.

And Lysander just kept fucking you through it, going harder as he pinned you against the sheets under him, not caring that your fingers raked against his shoulders. He bent to kiss you, murmuring your name in a husky voice that just wrecked you even more. He gave you no mercy, his gaze predatory as he stared down at you, soaking in your ruined expression.

“That’s right, sweetheart. Cum for me,” he murmured, coaxing you through your high.

Even when you rode it out, he didn’t slow down or let up the pace. “You gonna make me cum, darling? Can I cum inside you?”

A plea staggered off of your lips, followed by his name. Your jumbled, blissed-out mind wouldn’t allow you to do anything else, barely recalling your own name.

“Fuck— gonna cum, sweetheart— gonna fill you up—“ He let out a moan before his hips slammed into you one last time. He ground against you as he came, his bruising grip not letting you move an inch away from him.

You melted back into the bed, eyes closing as you soaked in the feeling of his seed filling you, pouring into you. Your fingers slid up the back of his neck as you lay there, docile and welcoming to his every move. Even when he’d finally stopped spilling into you, your stomach full and hot, he slumped against you.

His lips slid across your throat, soft and almost reverent, and he pulled you into his body. He murmured soft endearments into your ear, his hands running over you with gentle, loving strokes, soothing you.

“I promise I’ll do my best to protect you, treat you the way you should be,” he promised. “I love you so much, sweetheart.” Then he chuckled, hand running over your stomach. “I wonder if Morrigan will want a brother or a sister. She’s already going to be so excited to call you Mommy.”

You gave him a shy smile, accepting his soft kiss. “Thank you, Lysander,” you whispered. “I love you.”

Perhaps the price of your Fate had been high, you thought, but it had been entirely worth it.

[bl00dgutsgl0ry]

Patch Me Up

Pairing - Vampire!Diluc x Fem!Reader

Warnings - 18+ NSFW, Blood kink obviously, marking kink, biting kink, sharp teeth BARK BARK, fingering, semi public sex??? I mean you guys were in a different room but it was still in a public establishment lol,

Word Count - 1.9k

Other Comments - Bro this idea was just way way way too good to pass up shout out to the anon who requested this because you know what's up; you got some good ass taste. And yes this does have Twilight vibes, what about it.

Ask - VAMPIRE DILUC SMUT I FUCKING BEG YOU

Diluc was a very secluded man, always keeping up thick walls, borderline impossible to penetrate; but there was something about you. You enraptured him, always wearing a bright kind smile when you saw him. Most people found his stand off-ish personality jarring, to which they regarded him with side eyes and cold shoulders unless asking for alcohol.

He looked forward to when you would come into his tavern, it was easy to spark up conversation. You quickly became one of his regulars when you first came into the tavern a few months ago. At first he regarded you with the same cold yet professional tone he regarded most of his customers with; but when you weren’t put off by it and asked how his day had been he was surprised to say the least. After that it was always a high point of his day asking you how your adventures were.

Today was different. You strolled into the tavern at your usual time, but when that door opened a strong delicious scent washed over Diluc. It made his mouth water and his throat burn. When he looked up to see what was going on, to see the cause of his bodily reactions, he saw you limping in; bruises and cuts covering your exhausted body. This was bad. You smelled way too good.

Diluc’s hands became clammy under his gloves, and a sheen of sweat formed on his forehead. He wanted- no, needed, to taste you. To drink you. You smelled almost candy-like, similar to when all of the sweet flowers came to bloom; but better. Diluc’s fists curled into tight balls behind the counter as you approached. He wanted to tell you to leave, to stop walking towards him, but he couldn’t bring himself to.

Were it anyone else and he would’ve quickly been able to shut down the issue by telling them to go see someone who could patch them up first, but this was you. There was something else too, something in the back of his mind. He was worried for you.

“Hey, how’s my favorite bartender doing?” Your voice was raspy, from what exactly Diluc didn’t know, but he wasn’t surprised from seeing your current state. Something in him warmed when you said that though.

“Uh, fine. More importantly, shouldn’t Barbara be patching you up? Why are you in my tavern bleeding on my floors.” Diluc tried to make his voice harsh, but it came out more sarcastic and joking. You chuckled in response to his statement.

“What, you can’t help me?” Diluc stiffened. You wanted him to help you? Why? He has shown no knowledge of medicine, let alone any real concern for you.

“I have no knowledge of medicine, why would you want me to patch you up?” Diluc was more than confused. There were so many other people you knew who were so much more capable of helping you. He was starting to get irritated, not particularly by you, but by your scent. It was driving him crazy and he was surprised he was able to keep his composure as well as he was right now.

“Listen you need to get help before you come in and drink (y/n). Not only are you obviously tired and hurt, you smell.” Shit. Shit you were gonna get suspicious of him and-

“No shit I smell! I’ve been sweating up a storm fighting things, Master Diluc.” Diluc was taken aback by your words, which seemed to be a running theme tonight. You just wouldn’t stop saying the oddest things.

“You’re not going to leave unless I help you, aren’t you?” You smiled victoriously as you shook your head ‘no’. Diluc sighed, as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He just had to get through this, then everything would stop. All the saliva, the burning of his throat, the sweating, the desire for you.

It was only when Diluc retrieved a few bandages from the emergency kit he had prepared and he began bandaging up your various cuts, did he notice just how attractive you were. Diluc had removed his gloves, and your skin was so soft under his surprisingly delicate fingers. He wanted to make sure he didn’t cause any discomfort to you, so he treated you like a thin sheet of glass.

There was a softness to him that he didn’t think existed anymore. He didn’t think he was capable of being so gentle with someone. You somehow brought out the best in him, in just the short time you’ve known each other. He never thought he would be able to get so close to someone again. Fuck he really liked you.

“Diluc, you don’t have to be so gentle with me; clearly I can take a beating.” A chuckle rumbled deep in the man’s chest, his crimson eyes never leaving the injury he was dressing.

“Pardon me for wanting you to be comfortable.” You giggled, and it was the most melodic noise he’d ever heard. He wanted to hear you laugh more.

Despite the soft atmosphere, there was still something primal deep within Diluc. He could feel it grow with the more time he spent taking in your delicious scent. If Diluc could blush, he was sure his face would be deep red by now. He wanted to take you right here and now, in the cellar where he kept all his beverages that weren’t needed behind the counter. He delicately moved some of your hair out of your face so he could get to a small scrape on your left cheek. He saw a blush rise to the high points of your cheeks, which only egged on his desire for you. All he could do was stare deep into your eyes. You were breathtaking.

Within seconds both or your lips collided together in a heated kiss. It was fierce and heartfelt. His hands grabbed at your body for purchase, and vice versa. It had the both of you panting, with each intake of oxygen you sent wafted over him stronger than ever before; you were like an addictive perfume. Without thinking Diluc pulled away, staring at your flushed face.

“Let me taste you, fuck I need to mark you up. Make you mine.” You nodded your head feverishly. Diluc’s mouth attacked your neck within seconds of your response, and suddenly his teeth punctured your skin. You blood landed on his tongue and he was addicted. You were his new favourite drug. You tasted exactly like he’d imagine, sweet and light; something he’d never get enough of.

“D..Diluc what-” Before you could finish your sentence, Diluc’s mouth unlatched from your neck, some of your blood smudged at the corner of his mouth.

“Shit (y/n) I apologize, you just.. Fuck you taste so good. I mean you smell so sweet but you taste even better I couldn’t control myself.”

“Diluc, are you like a vampire or something?” You chuckled a little, voice still a little breathy. By the tone of your voice, Diluc knew you meant that as a joke but when he didn’t respond the look on your face changed. The silence weighed heavy on top of Diluc, borderline suffocating. Diluc couldn’t meet your gaze.

“Keep going.” Your voice was soft, just above a whisper, as you moved your head to expose your neck even more. Diluc’s gaze snapped back up immediately to yours, then down to your neck. Then his gaze drifted further down. He was hard.

He attacked your neck once more, getting taken away but how good you tasted. After a few moments, a small moan escaped your lips, so quiet that Diluc would’ve missed it were he not have been hyper aware of your breathing. Once again Diluc’s mouth left your neck, but this time his hands started to roam down towards your pants. He stopped just before unbuttoning them.

“Is… is this alright (y/n)?” You didn’t even respond verbally, just nodding enthusiastically before gripping onto his shoulders. Without anymore hesitation Diluc unbuttoned your pants and almost ripped them off of you. He quickly pinned up against the wall of the cellar, as he pulled your panties to the side and rubbed your clit. Your breath hitched in your throat, before a low moan escaped your lips.

Fueled on by your noise, Diluc retracted his hand from your clit and shoved two of his fingers into your already sopping cunt.

“Fuck baby, you’re so wet already.” His fingers worked you open, as his dick strained against his uncomfortably tight slacks. He was becoming impatient, but he wanted to make sure you were nice and open so he didn’t hurt you. After a few more minutes of fingering, he could tell you were starting to become impatient as well.

“Diluc please, I need you. I need to feel you deep. Ah fuck Diluc please.” The strain in your voice when you said please shot straight to his dick, and who was he to refuse you? A dark smile graced his usually stoic features, and you shivered with anticipation. Diluc pulled his fingers out of you, before he licked his fingers clean. Everything about you was just so fucking delicious. Soon enough Diluc freed his hard cock from his pants. There was precum beading on the tip.

He picked you up, lifting you over his cock, before slowly lowering you down. Once you were finally sat right at the base of his dick, your back was once again pressed up against the wall, as he started to finally thrust in and out of you. It was slow for only a few moments, before he began a punishing pace. His hand had already gone to cover your mouth, muffling your loud moans. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to last long, you were so tight, but it seemed you were in a similar boat, as your walls constricted around him.

Your moans were growing in volume and pitch as you got closer and closer to the edge, and Diluc’s breathing was becoming labored, letting out low groans and growls. Before either of you knew it, both of you were cumming. Before you could finish, Diluc sunk his teeth into your neck one more time. He rocked both of you through your orgasms, before pulling away and setting you back down on the ground. He made sure to keep an arm around you though, just in case your legs decided to give out.

Slowly but surely both of you began to dress yourselves again; attempting to make yourselves presentable. After a few moments of silence, you spoke.

“So you’re a vampire. Do you have any cool powers?” You had a lopsided smile on your face, as Diluc chuckled and softly nudged your shoulder. You really were something else.

[idy-ll-ique]

A Good Look.

Pairing: Mob Boss!Bucky Barnes x F!Reader

Genre: major angst, lil bit of fluff

Warnings: mentions of blood and wounds, domestic violence (no graphic descriptions). hella curse words in one paragraph. one infinity war reference ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Requested: nope

Summary: reader works at a bar owned by the notorious mob boss. he immediately takes a liking to her; unfortunately, she's taken. but is she happy in her relationship? hm, not quite...

Author's Note: hiya peeps! enjoy!

masterlist

---

For her, it started small. It was her first day working. When Y/N had seen him walk into the bar, flanked by two of his closest friends, sure— for a moment, she was stunned, as were the other women working with her, but then as soon as he was out of sight, she returned to her work, ignoring her friends as they talked about the man.

Y/N knew better. She knew the kind of man he was, the way he was with a different woman almost every day and she knew better than to develop any kind of feelings for him. Plus, she was a taken woman herself, thinking about another man while being in a relationship with someone had to be wrong, right?

That's why she wanted an out— to break up with her current boyfriend. And he even made it easier for her by being the worst fucking boyfriend on the planet earth. She had hundreds of reasons as to why she was breaking up with him, the only question was when she could do it. Anyway, back to James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes...

Y/N couldn't help it. She went from ignoring him, to stealing small glances at him, to dreaming about him to thinking about him 24/7 in a matter of months.

Y/N worked as a bartender at one of the bars that the mobster owned. Heck, Bucky Barnes owned half the city, but that bar was one of his favorite places to visit. He went there everyday, most days not having a drink, but keeping a watchful gaze on the events that took place around the bar. There would be fights sometimes, and sometimes, the older men would hit on the young bartenders.

He didn't care, of course he didn't. That is, until he saw her. The moment he laid his eyes on her, her name still unknown to him, he was enamored. He kept looking over at her as she worked, sometimes giggling along with the other bartenders, sometimes cracking jokes that made all of them keel over in laughter.

Every time he saw her laughing, his heart fluttered in his chest and a warmth settled over him. He felt light-headed and giddy, even though he didn't drink. Within a few months, he was sure, he wanted her to be his indefinitely. Y/N, however, was shocked at his behavior, not knowing that she was the one who stole his heart.

His promiscuity stopped within the first week of him noticing Y/N. He no longer had one-night stands, no more dames by his side as he attended lavish parties, and the news had caught on. Who is the woman who won the mobster's affections? Y/N had read in a paper one morning. She felt… kind of relieved that he wasn't a playboy anymore.

It wasn't a good look on him.

---

Y/N was cleaning the counter with a rag when she heard the door opening and closing. Ugh, another customer. She looked up and grimaced as she saw one of the old, pervy bastards sitting in front of her, a smile on his face. "Good evening, sir, what can I get you?" She kept the annoyance from seeping into her voice.

He gave her his order and leaned forward, which caused Y/N to unconsciously lean back. "Change your mind today?" he smirked, picking up the glass just as Y/N set it down in front of him, causing their fingers to brush. She shuddered. "No," she replied politely, glancing around the room, hoping someone would come save her. As if. That's when their eyes met.

Y/N found herself staring at the man of her dreams, who was sitting in the corner of the bar with his friends. And he was staring straight back at her. Y/N gulped and turned away from him, instead focusing on the man in front of her who was shamelessly flirting with the woman who had to be at least 20 years younger than him.

"Stop flirting with my employee and let her do her job."

The entire bar froze the moment James Buchanan Barnes got up from his seat, heading towards Y/N. Y/N's breath caught in her throat at his cool but threatening tone as he stared at the pervert, his eyebrows raised. The bar was silent as the man gulped and backed away from the counter, running out of the door like a chicken. Y/N stared at the floor.

"Hey."

She looked up and audibly gulped again, wincing in embarrassment when she realized that he had to know how scared she was. "Mr Barnes," she greeted, though it came out more like a squeak as her voice cracked. Please, go away, don't stand so close to me, I can't take it, go away, she kept muttering in her head.

"You okay?" he asked gently, not wanting the poor woman to collapse from anxiety. Some sadistic part of him liked it that she was so afraid of him, but mostly, he just wanted to make her feel comfortable. "Yeah." Y/N relaxed a bit at his question when she realized he wasn't going to hurt or fire her.

"Good." Then he walked away like he hadn't just set Y/N's entire body on fire by talking to her. As he sat back down on his seat, he inwardly cursed himself for not asking her her name. I don't even know the name of the woman I have fallen head over heels for, nice going Barnes! Gah! He ran a hand through his hair, glaring at nothing in particular.

He stayed until it was closing time, and found out something so incredible that his heart soared at the information. Y/N was the only employee who stayed until closing time. Y/N groaned loudly in the seemingly empty bar as she swept the place, not noticing the mobster boss sitting in the dark corner, watching her.

"Fuck you, Y/N. Fuck. You. Literally. What was the fucking reason?!" Y/N grumbled to herself, her voice reverberating off the walls in the empty place. "He was just checking up on you. Why the fuck did you treat him like he was the monster?! You dumbass. Ugh, I'm gonna have to make it up to him; what if he fires me?!" Y/N couldn't help the tears.

"He checked up on you and no thank you. What an ungrateful little bitch you are, you… you fucking idiot," Y/N continued speaking through the tears. "Maybe a free drink when he comes back tomorrow? Hah, as if, he owns the fucking bar. What should I do? Sleep with him? As if. Fuck. Shit."

"How about we start by washing your mouth with a soapbar, doll?"

Y/N froze when she heard him. Oh God, he was still here. "M-Mr Barnes?" she stammered, turning towards the voice. Bucky got up from his seat and strode towards her, making sure to keep some distance between them as he stopped in front of her. "Do you always ramble to yourself while you work?" he questioned amusedly.

When she had started rambling, he was confused. Who was she talking about? Then, he connected the dots. At first he was a bit amused but as her speech continued, he couldn't take it. How can someone degrade themselves so much? Y/N couldn't answer him, her vocal cords tied in a knot in her throat.

"I asked you something, and I'm waiting for an answer." At the authoritative tone she looked up at him, her eyes wide. "I— uh, yeah, it's— it's, um, become a habit," she muttered, breathing heavily. What was he going to do to her? "You shouldn't cuss yourself out so much, doll," he frowned, crossing his arms. And without thinking, she replied, "Sorry."

"That man was clearly bothering you, I did what I had to do. I didn't expect anything in return. Sure, a thank you would've been nice," he teased lightly, "But please, never talk to yourself like that ever again, okay?" His gentleness turned something inside of Y/N and suddenly, she felt relaxed. Like she had known him for years.

"Okay. Oh, and, thank you." She gave him a smile so winsome that all he wanted to do was hold her against him and never let go. "Hold on, maybe there is something you can do." The smile disappeared, replaced by a frown. "What is it?" she asked him, blinking. "Can we talk? Maybe you can tell me about yourself, and I can get to know you better."

So she did. Both of them sat at the bar with Bucky's favorite beer poured in mugs, talking. Y/N told him about how she was a university student, and that she had taken the job because she was in need of money. "You aren't scared? A lot of shit happens here, doll," Bucky commented, sipping his beer. "I don't know… it doesn't faze me as much as it should."

"And me! I'm the most dangerous man in the city and yet, you agreed to sit here with me, alone." At that, a smile bloomed on Y/N's face, the beer getting to her head, loosening her up. She looked away from him, almost shyly. "You saved me today, Mr Barnes. How can I not trust the guy who saved me?" Bucky's heart started hammering in his chest.

"Thank you, Y/N, that means a lot," he spoke sincerely. "You're welcome! So, uh, I actually have to go to uni early tomorrow, so… I'd like to go home, please?" He immediately nodded at her words, helping her off the stool. He even helped her finish her chores before she locked the main door and turned around, smiling at Bucky.

"Well, this is it, I guess. Goodbye, Mr Barnes."

"Let me drop you home, please." And he did, pestering her until she agreed to get in his car. She insisted her apartment building was only a 15-minute walk away from the bar, but he wouldn't listen. "A lot can happen in 15 minutes, doll." And Y/N couldn't help but snort. "That's what she said." Her joke made him laugh so hard that he almost swerved the car into the sidewalk.

As Y/N stared at the laughing man, she felt tingly inside. Her feelings rushed to her; butterflies in her stomach. When they reached home, again, he insisted on dropping her off at her apartment, but Y/N declined. And this time, he didn't fight it. "Goodnight, Mr Barnes," she told him with a sweet smile, leaning in to press a kiss to his cheek.

He had been such a gentleman that day, he deserved it. "Bucky will do, my love. Be safe, okay? We'll meet tomorrow." With that, he drove off.

And for the first time in months, Y/N went to sleep happy, giddy and absolutely satisfied.

So did Bucky.

---

After that one incident in the bar, Y/N and Bucky became close. When he was at the bar, Y/N was the center of his attention. He was the one who now sat in front of her, talking to her about his day and asking her about hers. "Tell me about your uni, doll," or, "Do you know what they did to me today? Ugh! Maniacs!"

Soon, everyone in the bar started giving them space. They knew the two were not sleeping together, but Barnes had, at last, found a female friend. How did they know the two were not sleeping together, you ask? Simple. Y/N still had a boyfriend. An abusive one, so she didn't tell Barnes.

After finding out about the events that had taken place at the bar that day between Y/N and Bucky, her boyfriend had reached new heights of jealousy and insecurity, not hesitating to raise a hand on his own girlfriend as he blatantly accused her of cheating on him with the mobster. It wasn't true by a long shot, and it hurt.

Y/N hadn't told Bucky about her boyfriend, because she knew that if she told him, he'd kill her boyfriend. She was about to break up with him anyway, so getting Bucky involved would only create more problems. A peaceful break up, and it was over. Unfortunately, peace was not involved on the day of the inevitable break up...

Bucky was already at the bar, but was grumpy since Y/N wasn't there. He was so desperate that he had asked one of her friends if she knew where the woman was. But the other woman could only shake her head, indicating that she didn't know. Bucky ran a hand through his hair, his eyes trailing to the door the moment he heard it opening. He froze.

Everybody did.

Y/N was standing there, a very noticeable dark red patch on her white t-shirt. When she noticed that everyone was staring at her, especially Bucky, it made her nervous. Should've stayed at home. For a moment, she actually did consider going back out through the door but Bucky spoke up first. "Y/N, come here. Everyone out, bar's closed."

His tone was something she had never heard before. A mixture of annoyance, hurt, worry, but mostly anger. In another scenario, the scene of all the people scrambling out of the tiny door would've been extremely hilarious. But here, no one was laughing. Y/N stood frozen until the door closed behind her.

"I asked you to come here, doll."

Instinctively, she strode towards him, stopping just a few inches away. He stared down at her, jaw clenched. Being a mobster, he was used to seeing blood and could identify it easily. And it was definitely blood that was covering almost a sixth of Y/N's t-shirt. "Lift your shirt. Take it off, right now," he snarled.

Y/N, not wanting him to take his anger out on her, immediately ripped the t-shirt off of her, standing in front of him in her sports bra, a deep gash just under her left breast. Y/N flinched when his fingers came in contact with her wound and Bucky immediately retracted his arm. "What happened?" His tone changed. Now, it was simply full of hurt.

"He stabbed me." Bucky's hands balled into fists at his side. One name, all he needed her to do was give him a name and the bastard was dead, whether she liked it or not. "Who did?" "My boyfriend." Bucky went rigid at her words. All this time, she was taken? "You have a…?" She shook her head, letting her tears fall free. "Not anymore." That reassured him.

"I decided to break up with him today. Decided to do it before my shift here, so my job could distract me. He… he didn't like it. And he…" Y/N choked out through the tears. Bucky's body was boiling with anger. "Tell me his name right now." Y/N started feeling light-headed. "Bucky…" she whispered feebly, swaying on her spot. And he cursed loudly when she fell forward, unconscious.

He carried her out of the bar, put her in his car and drove above the speed limit to his place. He had a private infirmary at his mansion, where he knew Y/N would be the safest. Once he was home, not caring that his expensive suit was getting ruined by blood, he ran to the infirmary, Y/N in his arms. The doctors took her in for an operation and they had to admit—

They had never seen the mobster look so scared.

After he was sure Y/N was in good hands, Bucky went to the sitting room, where his friend, Sam, sat. "Pull out everything you can get on Y/N. Check everything. Social media— I need the name of her ex boyfriend." Sam got to work instantly, not wanting to aggravate the man. Turns out, he didn't have to search for long. "[Name]."

Sam told Bucky everything he could about the man. By the end, Bucky was seething. "Send some men over. Finish him." Again, Sam agreed without argument, rushing out of the room. And so, Bucky waited. He sat in the spacious sitting room all alone, holding his head in his hands, trying his best not to tear up.

---

"Bucky?"

It had been 6 hours since he brought her to his place. He startled and turned around to see Y/N standing at the door, leaning against it for support. This time, he did tear up and not caring about his dignity, he ran forward and pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her neck, sobbing like a little child. "Bucky, I'm fine, I really am," Y/N insisted in vain.

"I almost lost you today," Bucky sniffled, pulling away from her. She wiped his tears off, giving him a small smile. After spending a lot of time with the man, she had come to realize that he was nothing but a big softie, who put on a façade 24/7. He cared about her like no one else. He was so good to her.

And finally, her feelings were justified.

"You didn't lose me, though. I'm right here," she grinned. Her grin made him smile and he took her face in his hands, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Come here." Both of them walked into the room and he pulled her onto his lap, holding her close, thinking if he let go, she would turn to dust right in front of him.

"How bad is the wound?"

"Not that bad, actually, it was a kitchen knife." He moved to trace the wound through her t-shirt when he noticed it. She wasn't in her t-shirt, she was wearing one of his. This time, he didn't fight the urge. "God, I fucking love you so much, doll." Bucky grabbed her chin, pressing his lips to hers. She didn't fight it either.

"I… I love you too, Bucky."

She buried her face in his neck and he held her close, pressing tiny kisses to her cheek and forehead. "You're finally mine, baby girl. Ever since I saw you at the bar, I was smitten. Do you know what a torture it was for me?" he mumbled against her cheek. "Same. I, um…" He chuckled when he felt her skin warming against him.

"I'm going to treat you like the queen you are, baby."

"Aw, so cheesy. But flattering."

"Also, you're fired."

"Great, you ruined it."

"What? I'm the owner, I hire people. And you don't need the job anymore, you have me. I'll pay the university fees. You don't have to work at that horrible bar anymore."

"Bucky, you own the place."

"Still horrible."

"And also what are you, my sugar daddy?"

"Literally fuck off—"

"You know you love me."

"Fortunately, I do."

---

A/N: Thanks for reading. Leave a like if you enjoyed.

[aetheternity]

Adventures in the Kawata twins

Disclaimer: This takes place during the present when they're all adults. This isn't an x reader persay but reader is mentioned.

Synopsis: Takemichi & Chifuyu are stuck taking care of the drunk Kawata twins. It can't be that hard they'd assumed. Though they fail to understand that the twins are dumped on them for good reason.

☆☆

"Takemichi, you plan on being a designated driver?" Draken asks as Takemichi plops into the seat next to him at their shared table.

"Yeah, I don't feel like drinking tonight." He explained with a shrug.

"Great!" Mikey exclaimed allowing his straw to slip back into the something red he'd been sucking down. "Then you can take care of the Kawata brothers." He pointed to the end of the bar where both brothers sat. Smiley swiveling back in forth in his chair while Angry just glared at all the people. Their eyes lazily hovering over the thick crowd of people.

"They're barely sipping their drinks." Takemichi scoffed

Draken snorted with a deep laugh, "For now." Though he stopped talking when Mikey elbowed him.

"Yeah ok I'll take them home later." Takemichi replied.

"Not just take them home." Mikey grunted, poking his finger out at Takemichi. "You gotta watch them!" He gestured first to Takemichi then back to the two boys at the bar.

"Ok ok sure."

How bad could they possibly get after all? They were never apart as far as Takemichi could see. Even now they were calmly sipping their drinks, Angry's feet swaying back and forth against the side of the bar stool, his face full of frustration as he played with the straw between his lips. Meanwhile Smiley began talking about something random that barely caught his brother's attention his warm smile stretched tightly against his face.

They were calm. This was gonna be fine....

An hour later~

"Where'd they go!!" Takemichi clung to Chifuyu's shoulders like they were his life support shaking the poor man like a doll.

"Well where's the last place you had them?!" Chifuyu screamed back, head darting up over the crowd trying to locate at least one of the missing twins.

"They're not lost remotes!!" Takemichi grunted

A sudden burst of clapping across the bar made Takemichi and Chifuyu whip around. A rhythm slowly forming as drunk onlookers turned to face the same direction. Suddenly a big blue tuff peaked its way over the crowd followed by a fist raising in the air and Angry's full face coming into view.

"Shit." Chifuyu cursed

Takemichi lead the rush through the crowd, Chifuyu right behind him as the two of them made their way closer to one of the rickety tables near the back corner of the bar where Angry was now pointing out into the crowd. A smile almost as big as his brother's plastered onto his face. But it had a much gentler feel to it, almost as if he did it everyday.

"You! You got what I need! Everybody!" Angry belted as he sung into an invisible mic. "But you say he's just a friend!! Now the ladies!"

"And you say he's just a friend!" Reciprocated the crowd.

"Oh God who's he singing about? Name?" Chifuyu scoffed as he held onto Takemichi's hoodie for fear of getting swept away in the crowd.

"Wait? Angry likes, Name?!"

"You must be the most oblivious person in the world to not have noticed. Even I noticed!" Chifuyu yelled over the crowd.

Takemichi sighed reaching out for the wobbly table working to keep it steady as Chifuyu went around the other side tugging at Angry's pant leg.

"And you say he's just a friend, oh baby, you-" Angry continued until Chifuyu finally managed to catch his attention. "Takemichi! Chifuyu! Hi!" He bounced on the table almost causing it to tip.

"Angry come on, let's go find your brother!"

"Ooo yeah!" He giggled like a child.

"Holy shit I didn't even know he was capable of laughing, let alone smiling." Chifuyu blinked shaking his head.

"Catch me ok!" Angry beamed

"Wait Angry!-"

Takemichi's legs folded beneath him as Angry laid on top of him. Surprisingly he wasn't that heavy, though his body weight came out of nowhere and all at once. It left Takemichi with zero breath in his lungs as an uncharacteristic Angry laid on top of him, Chifuyu's smug grin just above him.

"Thanks for the support!" Takemichi groaned in pain. With both hands Chifuyu pulled Takemichi up, helping him support Angry's weight as he wrapped the younger twins legs around his waist.

"Why-" Chifuyu gestured to the current display.

"It'll just be easier."

Angry clung to Takemichi's hoodie like a curious toddler, sticking his fingers beneath the back to play with the tag.

"Come on, we're gonna go find your brother." Takemichi soothingly rubbed Angry's back before turning to Chifuyu.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Chifuyu asked

The sound of glass shattering a short distance away and the sounds of loud screams and grunts called the attention of almost everyone in the bar. Aside from those too busy making out or puking to see.

"I'd say follow the screaming."

They'd barely arrived on the scene but the crunches of glass underneath their shoes spoke volumes. Smiley's fists repeatedly slamming into a now completely shattered glass mirror. Blood seeping through his damaged knuckles like a punctured water bottle.

Chifuyu immediately slipped his arms under Smiley's armpits. Shaken a bit by the stoned face that stared down at the shattered mirror beneath them.

"Come on Angry we gotta go!"

"That's Smiley! This is Angry!" Takemichi yelped, shifting a distracted Angry around to look at Chifuyu.

"At this point can you blame me?! It's like we fell into an alternate dimension." Chifuyu groaned "Wait is that possible right now?"

"I don't think so!"

"Get off! This cunt is asking for it!" Smiley reached for the only part of the mirror still even slightly assembled. But before he could punch it in Chifuyu slipped an arm around his waist.

"Let's just get out of here before the cops show up!"

Even in disarray Takemichi was pleased at how much easier it had been getting the twins out of the bar then it had been finding them.

"You can still drive a bike right?" Takemichi asked as he reached into Angry's pocket for his keys. He placed a disoriented Angry on the back, trying to push his leg over the side.

"God, your knuckles are wrecked!" Chifuyu gasped astonished. Some of the glass had chipped off while some stayed wedged inside his closed fist.

"It's fine we can remove it when we get them home."

"Hey do you think Name likes that song?" Angry nodded his head, snapping his fingers to an imaginary beat. "I like the bartender, yeah if you're looking for me I'm at the bar with her!" He sung

"I'm sure it'd be just as uncomfortable for Name as it currently is for us." Chifuyu sighed "Come on get on back." He explained to Smiley.

"Fuck you."

Angry fidgeted around behind Takemichi only holding onto his waist when Takemichi physically slid his hands there. His smile deepening as he grinned along to the music he hadn't stopped singing.

After a bit more pleading Smiley plopped onto the back with his arms crossed over his chest. "Ok, now all we need to do is get them home right?" Chifuyu called over the roar of the engine and the sound of Angry still harmonizing with inaudible music.

"Actually.. I told Mikey I'd look after them for the night.."

"I hate you."

"Chifuyu, please! I can't do this without you! Once we put them to bed the rest should be easy right?"

They pulled up to a red light and for the first time tonight Takemichi could hear himself think. Yeah ok, the rest of the night really shouldn't be too difficult. The hard part was getting them out of the bar right?

"Fuck are you looking at shit stain?!" Smiley screamed to a man casually minding his business across the street.

"Angry!" Takemichi screeched

"See you did it too!" Chifuyu pointed

"Shit, I mean-"

"Huh?!" The man called turning to make eye contact with the four people in front of him.

"Can't this light change any fucking faster?!" Chifuyu yelled

"You wanna go bitch!" Smiley called

~~~~

"Smiley, please shut up!" Chifuyu was practically withering. Smiley nearly left off the bike when the man came charging forward.

In that split second the light turned green and Chifuyu sped off with Takemichi trailing just behind. A flood of nervous tears beginning to stain his face.

"You know Mikey set you up right?" Chifuyu grunted as he hauled an agitated Smiley into his and his brother's shared flat.

"I figured after looking up to see them both gone." Takemichi gasped and heaved, shutting the door behind him and Angry.

"I'm making ramen." Smiley announced, staggering off to the living room.

"No no no what you need to do is lay down. This night has been a nightmare." Chifuyu said

"You wanna go fucker." Smiley spat

"Smiley please-" Takemichi tried

"Takemichi, Michi! Look look at my Tiktok dance! You gotta watch!" Angry tugged on Takemichi's jacket sleeve with kid like hops trying to get his attention.

"Just.. I can't right now please we-"

"Why?!" Angry's outburst immediately brought quiet to the flat, the beginnings of tears brimming in the corners of his eyes.

"Shit, don't let him cry!" Chifuyu exclaimed

"Ok! Ok do the dance!"

Angry straightened, smile reappearing fully. He patted the tops of his chest, shaking his hips to nonexistent music. "You need a woman's touch in your place, just protect her and keep her safe." His arm juts out to the words he's singing, "Baby, worship my hips in ways, so feminine with grace."

Takemichi and Chifuyu blink, mouths hung in a small 'O' as they watched the awkward drunk assembly of movements matching terribly with the surprisingly on key singing. Without warning Angry clutched his knees, bile spilling from his body like a sprinkler system.

"You're in charge of Angry then." Chifuyu patted Takemichi's back as Angry continued to unleash on the once clean living room floor. Coughs escaping his drunken body. "I'll take care of.. ah shit! Where'd he go now?!"

"Maybe that's enough dancing for one night." Tiptoeing around the undigested waste Takemichi reached for Angry's arm. "Want some water?" He asked pulling a staggering Angry into the kitchen.

"There's-" Takemichi managed to get him there just in time. Angry's fingers clutching the edges of the kitchen sink as he leaned forward emptying everything in his stomach down the drain with a loud heave.

"Take your time it'll be-"

"Smiley no!" Chifuyu's voice rang across the flat. As well as the sound of multiple fragile items breaking.

What would soon follow in the next minute and a half were, a hard thud, harsh obscenities spewed one after another, and more things breaking only a couple doors away from where Takemichi was massaging Angry's head.

"Chifuyu, what's going on?!"

Chifuyu clattered out of the bathroom stumbling back and forth between both feet. "He punched me in the jaw." His thumb grazed over his jaw inspecting his hands for any sign of blood. "Do the twins have duct tape in here?"

Takemichi grabbed a paper towel dampening it before patting the sides of Angry's lips and the base of his chin where a small amount of his puke was currently leaking down.

"What do you need duct tape for?"

"Don't worry about that."

Chifuyu disappeared with the tape too quickly for further questions to be asked. Angry's smile was barely visible at this point the alcohol potentially flooding out of his system.

"Will you wash my hair Michi?" Angry pleaded with a tiny whimper.

"You should probably rest." Takemichi replied, he turned to fill a glass of water in the sink before handing it to Angry.

"Can I rest in the bathtub?"

"Why're you so violent when you drink?!" Chifuyu yelled

"Here just go to the couch!" Takemichi gestured, pushing a confused Angry back into the living room before bolting down the hall.

"What the- omg!"

"Get me some rope or some shit!" Chifuyu grunted, pulling both of Smiley's hands together.

Smiley laid beneath Chifuyu on his stomach duct tape wrapped around his mouth. His legs kicking around aimlessly as muffled noises slipped from his mouth. The shower curtain covered in blood and laid in a ball on the floor and the pole now bent in the bathtub. The window in the corner smashed in from the inside, pieces of glass littering the white tile.

I'm pretty sure this isn't what Mikey meant when he said take care of the Kawata twins!"

"Well he won't stop struggling! What else am I supposed to do?" Chifuyu gripped the duct tape, pulling it around Smiley's balled fists before ripping it with his teeth.

The sound of glass shattering in the living room brought Takemichi back down to reality. "Ok fine, just don't hurt him and clean his wounds!"

Takemichi rushed back into the living room tripping over his own two feet. His thoughts immediately scattering as he looked over the new situation. Angry's once full cup of water mixed with his vomit on the floor as the glass was now shattered in the growing mess.

"I want water.." Angry said, reaching out to Takemichi.

"Lay still on the couch and I'll bring you a new cup." He sighed

Takemichi dug around for a few seconds in the cupboard grabbing a new glass from the middle shelf. He hadn't noticed before but the Kawata twins had a gorgeous flat. That was slightly more wrecked right now. But it was clean and gorgeous almost to the point where it looked brand new.

He reached for the faucet, positioning it to fill the glass with hot water before turning it upside down to empty the glass. The water splashed against his disheveled black hoodie dampening it a little more than the sweat of this night already had. When he refilled the glass it was with cold water turning the sink top off and walking back over to Angry's kid like wonder stare on the edge of the couch.

"This house has big ceilings." Angry pointed, mouth agape.

"Yup, here." Takemichi transferred the water to Angry's open hands. He got down on one knee untying Angry's shoelaces, slipping his shoes off his feet before placing them next to the head of the couch.

"Wish I lived here." Angry nodded softly, kicking his socked feet as he sipped the cool water in the glass that had been placed in his hands.

"Lay back ok."

A deep "oof" caught Takemichi's attention as he looked to a staggering Chifuyu, pulling Smiley along like a police officer arresting a perp.

"Ok, from this point on I need to be paid." He grunted

"What happened to your face?" Takemichi gestured to the gushing bruise on Chifuyu's forehead. Blood beginning to leak down the sides of his face.

"What do you think happened? He fucking headbutted me." Chifuyu rubbed the blemish with one hand.

For the first time all night Smiley finally tapped out. Collapsing onto the floor in a small ball. One shoe kicked off God knows when. Hair a disorganized tumbleweed atop his head.

"What do you think Name would think of this song?" Angry bounced in his seat spilling water into his lap.

"Oh God please no more singing!" Chifuyu huffed in exasperation.

Takemichi can already see the crease of Angry's eyebrows and the quiver of his bottom lip. "What he means is we'll hear it tomorrow because you need sleep."

A folded blanket laid on the top of the couch and Takemichi reached for it. He shook it out before placing it over Angry's descending shoulders. Slowly the comfort of falling asleep began to rise on Angry's face. Eyelids heavy and face falling into warm ease.

"You promise?" He questioned as he laid his head on the arm rest.

"Yes bright and early tomorrow."

"Night." He whispered and less than a minute later he was fast asleep just like his brother.

For the next couple minutes Takemichi worked to clean the blood off Chifuyu's face, arms and a couple other places.

"Geez he did a number on you."

"On me, on the bathroom, on that mirror in the bar." Chifuyu listed off as Takemichi walked back to the living room leaving him to pat his bruise.

"But you did do a great job bandaging his hands."

"Uh huh."

Takemichi reached up to his face squeezing the bridge of his nose and the lids of his eyes. Chifuyu came up to his side as the blonde gestured to Smiley. "You're not gonna leave him like that are you?"

"You're right we should put a blanket on him." Chifuyu nodded, shaking his finger in front of Takemichi.

"I meant untie him!" Takemichi followed as Chifuyu went into the first available bedroom.

"Fine, once we get them both pills and clean up we can leave."

"Are you insane! Did you forget my bruises? If he wakes up at anytime before the sun and attacks it's your problem." Chifuyu snagged a blanket off the top of the bed slinging it over his shoulder.

"Why didn't we just put them in their beds?" Takemichi groaned

"It's too late they're already asleep just let it go." Chifuyu huffed

Takemichi followed Chifuyu back into the living room. With both hands he opened the blanket fully before letting it lay flat over Smiley's now relaxed figure.

"One you're insane if you think I'm going home. It's almost three am and watching these two for one night has given me nice horror stories to tell Mitsuya next time he talks about his sisters. Two I was dead serious about needing payment especially now if I'm gonna be spending hours cleaning."

~~~~

Morning came sooner than Takemichi would've liked. The sun blared through the window like the worst alarm. He squinted covering his eyes with one hand before shifting on the floor with the blanket he'd pulled from Souya's closet.

Before he could reexperience restful slumber a couple faint knocks had him tossing aside the blanket entirely. Yanking the door open with a low 'what' from the depths of his fatigue.

"Morning to you too." Draken's voice brought him back.

"Heyo Takemichy." Mikey grinned proudly

"How was last night?" Draken asked as Mikey entered the flat ahead of him.

Though the question really didn't need to be verbally answered as the image of Smiley laying on the ground with duct tape over his mouth and a half kicked away blanket revealing his taped up arms. The smell of puke still slightly thick in the hot apartment and the blood all over Chifuyu's jacket spoke louder than words.

Even with sleep still in the midst of Chifuyu's eyes he turned to Mikey and Draken standing behind him.

"Never a fucking gain." He pointed aimlessly, eyelids dashing over his eyes to properly bring the beauty of sight back to him.

Smiley rolled over, or half way over immediately awakening when he realized he was tied up. His head jerked towards Chifuyu with mumbled questions.

"Hold on."

"FUCK!" Smiley's grin was back full force. The edges of his eyebrows twitching, voice echoing through the flat. The unnecessary roughness at which Chifuyu had ripped away the tape showed off some prominent reddening just below his nose.

"Ah!" Angry nearly flew off the couch with the way he sat up immediately falling back into the pillow behind him. Clutching his head with both arms. "Who's being loud." He groaned

"We figured we owed you guys breakfast for taking care of the twins last night." Draken remarked amusement creeping onto his face.

"And this is way less than I was expecting. No cops or anything." Mikey nodded

"What happened to my fists!" Smiley grinned crazily

"Everyone stop talking!" Angry grit

"Take the twins out." Chifuyu said "I'm going home to sleep."

"Ditto to that." Takemichi yawned

[cardansriddle]

Eric Coulter- Impatient

Summary: You and Eric have something going on between you that is left unlabeled, all because of his commitment issues. This leads to some arguments and an angry make out session. Idk the story is better than the summary.

A/N: I don’t know if people still are into Divergent, so if you are, here’s an Eric one shot for you because he is underrated and let’s admit, so much hotter than Four. 

Warnings: Making out? angst, choking.

Somehow Jay had managed to drag me into a bar full of sweaty dancing bodies, convinced me to wear a short black dress that hugged my body just at the right places and apparently planned on me getting batshit drunk, considering the amount of shots he was ordering. "Can we get twelve tequila shots?" He asked the bartender cheekily, who nodded and started preparing our drinks.

"Jay, I'm gonna be on the floor after those shots," I groaned. I had no shame in hiding the fact that I was a lightweight, everyone has seen it. I quickly scanned the room with my eyes in hopes of seeing a certain leader and once I could not locate him, I turned around and watched as the bartender put our drinks in front of us on the table. Without waiting for Jay, I licked the salt of the brim of the glass before downing the shot and biting into the lemon.

"Then darling, you better hope it's clean." He smirked without a care in the world.

I groaned and I could already feel the buzz of alcohol hitting my head.

"Hey, you're Bella right?" Someone tapped on my right shoulder. I twisted my body so I was facing the unfamiliar face. I nodded in order to confirm his question and he smiled before holding out his hand.

"I'm Zack." He introduced himself and I shook his hand politely. He then leaned in really close, invading my personal space as he whispered with a low voice. "I have seen you fight. Really impressive moves you've got there."

With furrowed eyebrows, I muttered out a 'thanks' watching as he chuckled before he leaned in once again as if I missed his point. "Maybe you'll show me more of those moves?"

Before I could reply and decline his obvious offer, I felt a presence at my back. "Leave." A familiar deep voice commanded from behind me, and I resisted the urge to smile widely at the sound of it. Despite not admitting it, I've been craving to see Eric again, he was a wicked potion that seeped into every pore and cell of my being, something so potent that even the tiniest drop left me aching for him.

Zayn or Zack, I forgot what his name was fumbled around before he left hurriedly, not in the mood to face the wrath of Eric Coulter. No one was that brave. I waited till he came to stand in front of me, eyes holding fury as he looked down at me.

"Hi, Eric." I greeted him nonchalantly, putting on a smile that I was sure looked more like a grimace.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked, body tense as he stepped closer to me.

"Well, I'm not an initiate anymore, I can go to clubs," I replied with a shrug, watching as his anger grew. His fists clenched as he put one of his hands on the bar and the other on the back of the stool I was sitting in, trapping me there.

"No. You can't. Have you seen how all the men are looking at you in that little black dress?" Eric growled, his breath fanning my face as he spoke. His face was way too close to mine, yet I did not mind. Instead, I craved it, I needed the space between us to simply disappear.

However, I was a stubborn woman, so instead, I put my hands on his chest and roughly pushed him away, and stood up. His eyes travelled over me unashamedly, from head to toe before they settled on my eyes again.

"Fuck's sake, Eric!" I exclaimed. "Can't go to a club, can't wear a dress, can't do this, can't do that. Are you my dad?!"

"Keep this act up and I'll fucking spank you like I am."

My whole body stilled as I felt a familiar throb in my lower abdomen at his words. His chest was suddenly too close to mine, and my breasts grazed his chest with every heavy inhale that I took.

"Fuck you, you're a fucking asshole." I spit out.

"Watch your tongue, Bella." He hissed, leaning towards me as if to intimidate me.

"I'm sorry am I spitting venom again? Hopefully, it doesn't stain that pretty blonde hair of yours." I said before stomping away and out of the club. My partying mood was ruined, and despite the tequila shots that I took, I felt myself sobering up after my interaction with Eric. He made my blood boil, yet my heart still yearned for him.

I might not have tried any drugs, but there was no doubt in my mind that Eric was the closest I've ever come to an addictive substance.

I've gotten whiplash from his hot and cold behaviour. There were times I would not see or hear from him for days, then the next minute he was turning up at wherever I was, acting like I was his property.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed my arm and spun me around. The unexpected action took me off guard, causing me to slam against a hard chest that I already knew belonged to Eric. We stood in a deserted corridor, panting as our eyes locked.

"Don't you dare ever walk away from me." He hissed. He clenched his jaw, and I knew he was furious.

"Then stop treating me like I don't fucking exist! I don't know whatever issues you have, but if you want me, then you better overcome them or at least let me help you! But do not treat me as if you own me when you do not even look at me half of the time! I am not your property, Coulter." I growled, feeling my anger rise as seconds passed. My words must've triggered something in him, as he slammed me against the nearest wall while his hand grabbed my throat, choking me.

He had me pinned against the wall, his eyes were dark with rage as he focused on strangling me. I knew my expression was deadly, I was looking right into his eyes and I was not scared at all. He was holding my neck so tight that I could already feel bruises forming there, yet I did not let my numb expression falter for a second, despite the pain. Any other person would be struggling to fight him off by now, or at least try to.

Instead, I decided to surprise him by sliding up my hands up his arm, until they rested on top of his hands around my neck. I smiled before whispering my next word.

"Harder."

I knew I caught him off guard since I felt his hands loosen around my neck as his eyes widened, so I used his moment of distraction to my advantage, quickly sliding my leg around the back of his knee before bringing him down on the ground, straddling him and pinning his hands down. I knew if he wanted, he could easily overpower me and get free of my hold. He was no doubt stronger than me, yet there was something very intimate about our position. It was as if he was submitting to me by staying underneath me, his hands pinned above his head as he looked at me with a look I could not decipher.

He then closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. "You're mine."

"Not if you are not mine," I replied, watching the conflict in his eyes as he continued staring at me with that same goddamn look. "it can't be one-sided. If I am yours then you are mine."

"You're a weakness. My weakness." His eyes flickered to my lips before meeting my gaze. "And I can't have any weak spots."

"Then you have to let me go." My heart clenched painfully at the notion of never being with him. He inhaled deeply at my words but shook his head.

"Shut the fuck up." He said and it seemed as if something clicked in his brain, his eyes cleared as he freed his hands from my hold before bringing them to my face. his lips crushed against mine, cool and dripping with bitterness-- a flavour I had missed. It was just as I remembered it, still raw and passionate and full of greed. I kissed him back immediately, my body treating him like a drug that I have been craving yet could never get enough of. His hand gripped my thigh harshly, our lips moulding together as we got lost in each other.

I finally mustered up enough strength to pull away from the kiss, ignoring the way my body begged for me to kiss him again. "Make up your damn mind Eric. I'm getting impatient." I told him with heavy breaths, pulling away from him completely and standing up. I looked at him one last time, knowing my eyes held pain and agony at being separated from him after reuniting with him, and I walked away, hoping he would stand up and chase after me, tell me that he was mine as long as I was his, yet he did not, and I did not even bother wiping the tears that streamed down my face as I walked away from him, my heart hurting with every step that I took.

[subspencer]

giving chip a blowjob is something so personal to me!! he’s so used to just giving and not receiving (as we’ve seen too many times in the movie) so when you drop to your knees and start unbuckling his pants he’s just like “??? are you sure ??? you don’t have too!” and you have to tell him that sex is supposed to be both parties receiving pleasure, and you’re glad to help him!! i feel like he would still be kind of :/ because he doesn’t feel like he deserves things like that. anyways i just want to spend so much time showing chip that he deserves nice things and is just an amazing person 💗💗 I WANT TO MAKE HIM FEEL GOOD IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK

(🫐 anon)

sorry this was meant to be horny & i made it a bit sad. it’s still horny tho. settle in this is a long one.

chip taylor always looks sad. he’s smiles a whole lot, but he always looks sad. it’s behind his eyes, and he can’t possibly smile hard enough to cover that up.

he tries to though, and you notice it every time. and it’s the most obvious whenever his girlfriend comes to the bar to pick chip up from work. she always parks her car right out front and lets the roar of its engine be what notifies him it’s time to leave, and the only time you’ve seen her face is when she came in to berate him for taking too long. she rarely likes to come inside, she thinks the kind of people who work in a dive bar like this are beneath her. it makes chip wonder what she must really think of him.

he goes every time he hears the engine, always waving the other bartenders goodbye with a big smile and sad eyes. you think you probably look the same as he does by now, smiling at him on the outside, but sad on the inside because you know how much he’s probably hurting. you look like that every time he leaves through those doors.

but one night you’re working the closing shift again, and you notice chip hasn’t left yet. his shift ended almost an hour ago yet he was still wiping down tables and stacking up barstools. there was no car outside.

you wanted to ask him why he’s here, but you don’t want him to think it’s a cue to leave. so you worked with him in silence, wondering how long you’d get to keep chip before he was taken away by someone else. but inevitably he ran out of tables to clear, and you thought it would be the end of that.

only, he didn’t leave. he came behind the bar and started cleaning the glassware under the counter. and as much as you’d like for him linger around you all the time, it became a cause for concern.

“chip? are you okay?” you whispered it like it was a forbidden question. it wasn’t one he heard a lot.

“why wouldn’t i be?” and there was that cover-up smile again.

“chip, you should’ve gone home by now... is everything okay?” one of your hands came to arm, wrapping softly around it just above his elbow to serve as a security blanket.

“i- uh. i don’t wanna go home. my girlfriend — well, my ex-girlfriend, is there. moving all her stuff out and... i don’t wanna get caught in that cross-fire.”

“you broke up with her?”

he cleared his throat and nodded.

“good.”

“good?”

“she was mean to you. you don’t deserve that.”

you removed your hand from his arm, but he catches you by the wrist.

“thanks, for saying that.” his hand eases its grip, just enough so your hand falls an inch or two and makes your fingers tangle with his.

but something about his face still doesn’t look like he’s convinced, and so you can’t stop yourself from throwing your arms around his shoulders and squeezing him in a tight hug.

“chip, i mean it. you deserve...you deserve every good thing in this world.” you let yourself linger for a moment longer, burying your head into his neck and taking a deep inhale of his warm vanilla scent. when you finally came face-to-face with him, you wondered if his lips would taste as sweet as he smelled.

he didn’t make you wonder for too long. he pressed his plush lips against yours, softly at first, then capturing your bottom lip between his own and holding it just for a second before releasing.

“i’m sorry, i didn’t mean to take advantage— you were being nice—”

you silenced his apologies with your mouth covering his own, not exercising quite the same restraint as he had in your first kiss. your tongue swiped across his bottom lip, willing his mouth to part just slightly to allow you access inside. still, you made it a point to be slow, rolling your tongue lazily against his, to let him know this was meant to be tender and loving declaration as opposed to just lust. it was necessary to make that clear before your next actions.

“i’d like to be a whole lot nicer.” you got the sense it’d probably been a long time since someone treated him well. you ran your hands off his shoulders and down his chest, rubbing on the sides of his ribs in comfort and stopping low on his belly.

he looked at you through half-lidded eyes as you laced your fingers through his belt loops, giving them a little tug as a hint before guiding his back against the high bar countertop. one of your palms smoothed over the front of his jeans, hovering over his bulge.

“y-you don’t have to.” he kept his voice as even as possible, but his hips were giving him away by grinding into your touch.

“i want to. is that okay?”

he nodded. “please.”

your hands made quick work of his belt buckle, tugging the front of his jeans open to allow some relief as you sank onto your knees. you pressed a quick kiss on the outline of his shaft through his boxers, glancing up to see his reaction and finding chip's eyes already closed and his head thrown back.

a smile overtook your face before you pulled down the waistband of his boxers, cupping him at the base while dragging your tongue across his bare length. the soft whine turned into a moan in chip's throat as you wrapped your lips around him and took him in, using your palm to cover what you couldn't fit.

his fingers gripped the edge of the countertop, and you realized he'd probably never been allowed to be the one in control before, so you brought one of hands down to your head, weaving it into your hair.

"a-are you sure?"

you hummed around him and his eyes rolled back as he guided your head gently down on his cock. every contented moan you made only encouraged him more, pushing into you deeper, touching the back of your throat as the sounds vibrated against him.

his breathing picked up pace, taking deep, heavy pants.

"im-im gonna cum" he gave you a warning and tried to pull away, but you held his hips tightly in place, taking him all the way in as he spilled himself down your throat, crying out your name as he did.

once his breath settled you pressed a warm kiss against his lower belly, helping him into his clothes as you stood up, guided by his hands cupping your face. he littered little kisses across your forehead and on the tip of your nose before meeting you at your lips.

you pulled back momentarily just for a look at his gorgeous face with a wide smile plastered across it. this time it reached his eyes.

[rebelwrites]

She Ain’t You

Harvey Specter x Reader

Part 2 of Please Don’t Leave Me

A/N another addition to @band--psycho music writing challenge with the song “she ain’t me” by Sophia Scott

Join The TagList Here 💜 // Harvey Specter Masterlist

It had been a year since you had left Pearson Specter Litt and as much as you told Harvey to move on, something was stopping you from doing the same.

Yes you had been on a few dates that your best friend had set you up on but you just weren’t interested as none of them were Harvey. And to make matters worse you were cleaning out your wardrobe and found a box of memories which you were now going through.

You ran your fingers of the picture of you and Harvey that had been taken at a gala the firm attended, to make things worse you had found one of his sweaters which even after a year still smelt like him. You couldn’t help the tears that fell.

Pulling your phone out you facetime your best friend. Within a couple of rings she picked up.

“Whoa why you crying babe?” Becki asked.

“I just” you sniffled “I miss him Bex, I’ve just been cleaning my wardrobe out and I just found one of his sweaters”

“Y/N” she sighed “it’s been a year now, you need to move on”

“I know but I just can’t” you whispered wiping your tears. “I don’t know what to do and to top things up he is in a new relationship”

“You told him to move on so he has” she said “I’m gonna be honest here you fucked up but I know just what you need”

“What” you sighed.

“You need a girls night out” she grinned “I will be over in 15 and we will try and get your mind off him even if it is just for tonight”

I ran into you last night at our favourite bar. I didn't even have to ask you how you are. 'Cause I've seen all the pictures of your brand new life. And the girl you've been saying's gonna be your wife. So I take a deep breath and I wait for the worst part

It was like the world wanted you to burn, the one night you agreed to go out with Bex had to be the night that he was at the same bar. But it wasn’t just him it was everyone from the firm as well.

And to rub salt in the wound he had his new girlfriend hanging off his arm.

“Gimme a whiskey” you shouted to the bartender.

As soon as the drink was placed in front of you, you downed it, ignoring the burning sensation in your throat.

You couldn’t help yourself as you looked over to where Harvey was, taking in his girlfriend. One look told you everything you needed to know, she was the complete opposite to you, in every single way, even to the type of drinks she drank.

Because you were so lost in your thoughts you didn’t even see Donna appear next to you.

“Well I didn’t expect to see you here tonight trouble” she said nudging your arm.

“I could say the same thing” you sighed as you ordered another drink.

“I’m not gonna sit here and make small talk with you” Donna nodded “you miss him don’t you, you feel like you made the world’s biggest mistake”

“Donna I’m fine” you lied.

“Girl don’t bullshit me, you know I can see straight through it” she said

“Fine I feel like I’m drowning” you shrugged “and seeing her well it makes me want to stab my eyes out”

“Trust me, nobody likes her” Donna laughed.

Say she's beautiful. Like she walked right out of your dreams. She ain't cynical. She never fights or disagrees. Well, I know you and what you need. And she can't give you everything. 'Cause there's one thing she'll never be. She ain't me

You don’t know how you let Donna convince you and Bex to join their party but here you were, slamming down whiskeys like they were water, ignoring the concerned look that flashed across Harvey’s face.

Normally you were the life of the party, always cracking jokes and lowering the bar, but tonight you were quiet. Your thoughts about her being the complete opposite of you was confirmed as she spoke.

One thing was for sure, she was the type not to argue about anything, she would just roll over and agree.

“So what are you doing with yourself now Y/N?” Mike asked.

“Not much really” you shrugged “kinda took some time off to be honest, but started working for a clinic”

“You said you always wanted to do some clinic work” Harvey smiled.

“Yeah” you nodded

'Cause I know you better than you know yourself. I know the secrets that you never told no one else. And I bet she only sips on pretty pink drinks. And never quite says what she really thinks. I wish I could say that I wish you well

A week had passed and you couldn’t get Harvey out of your mind, tossing your pen on the desk you grabbed your phone and dialed his number.

“Harvey Specter” his voice appeared.

“Hey Harvs” you whispered.

“Y/N why are you calling?” He asked.

“Wondered if we could speak?” You asked.

“Now isn’t a good time” he said.

“Oh right” you sighed “when’s best for you?”

“I don’t know” he said quite harsh “I’m swamped, if I get chance I will call you”

Before you could even speak the line went dead.

“Fucking dickhead” you muttered grabbing you smokes, you needed to get some air.

You didn’t know what you expected by calling him but you didn’t expect him to brush you off. But you knew him better than anyone else and you could tell he was going through some shit just by the tone of his voice.

Like the kinda girl that you cut out of a magazine. I'm a little bit rough and I'm known to cause a scene. I know you miss it when you see me. True love ain't always easy. And perfect ain't as perfect as it seems

“I rang Harvey today” you said to Donna before taking a bite out of your burger.

“How did that go?” She asked.

“The bastard blew me off” you laughed. “I don’t know why I bothered”

“Y/N this isn’t my place to say” Donna said.

“But you are gonna tell me anyway” you laughed.

“He broke up with her” she said smiling.

“Good for him” you shrugged “not like things are gonna change everyone knows I’m not the easiest person to love, things got said and arguments happened”

“I’m gonna tell you something now and I want you to listen” Donna said taking your hand in hers “I have never seen Harvey so broken as I did when you left, yes you fight but I have never seen two people love as hard as you and Harvey, true love is never perfect”

Donna’s words kept replaying in your mind, could you and him make things work again? Would he even want to take you back?

Either way you weren't going to push your luck, it was up to him.

Climbing out the shower you dried yourself and got into your fluffy pyjama bottoms and hoodie, deciding to let your hair dry naturally you grabbed your phone and smokes and headed out to your balcony.

As you were just about to light your cigarette you heard a knock at your door, nothing thinking anything of it you ignored it and sparked your cig.

You were just about finished with the smoke when whoever it was knocked again.

“I’m coming, I’m coming” you sighed as you walked through your apartment.

Finally you unlocked the door and saw the one person you never expected to be standing at your door at nearly 9pm at night.

“Harvey” you breathed, suddenly feeling self conscious that you were standing there in your pyjamas. “What, Urm what are you doing here?”

He didn’t speak, he just looked you up and down, a small smile playing in his lips as he took in your appearance. And without any warning he walked over to you with a sense of urgency, his hands went to either side of your face before his lips crashed against yours, instantly you wrapped your arms around his neck, kissing him back.

“She wasn’t you Y/N” he whispered against you lips “she would never be you”

[bxcketbarnes]

The Continental

Pairing: John Wick x Reader

Words: 3100+

Author's Note: this is way longer than I think I intended it to be, lmao. But, it's necessary! The detail is necessary! I hope you guys like it. It's pretty cute. 🥰

You've been staying at the Continental for a couple of weeks now, trying to get as much dirt on the target you were assigned before going after them. You sift through the files you managed to get your hands on, now knowing where Mr. Perez's safehouse is in case he gets tipped off by your arrival.

A hard body runs into you as you turn the page in the document you're reading, making about thirty pages of information spewing across the floor. A gasp leaves your lips as you immediately get on your knees to gather everything.

"I'm so sorry," a familiar voice says and your head snaps up, seeing Mr. Wick standing in front of you, his chestnut eyes wide. "I wasn't paying attention."

You shake your head, telling him it was alright and John bends down to help you. Both of you end up reaching for the same piece of paper and your fingers happen to brush against one another, causing you to blush.

John hands you the piece of paper and you refuse to meet his eyes. You clear your throat and collect everything that fell, standing back up. "It's fine. Don't worry about it. Good to see you, Mr. Wick," you give him a small smile and he returns it while nodding.

"Please. Call me John," he insists and you let out a soft chuckle as it's your turn to nod your head.

"John," you state before walking past him towards the elevator. Once you're inside you turn to face the lobby, seeing John's eyes on you still.

You tuck a strand of hair behind your ear, looking away from the mysterious man as the elevator doors shut. You let out a breath, relaxing a bit as you think about the interaction. "Could you be more embarrassing?" You ask yourself while shaking your head before resting it against the metal wall.

John adjusts the strap on his shoulder, smiling to himself before continuing to the check-in desk. "Mr. Wick, so good to see you," Charon greets with a smile and John nods his head.

"Good to see you too," he mumbles and places a gold coin onto the counter, sliding it towards the man. "Has she been here for a while?"

Charon smiles, noticing the admiration the two of you have for one another, and nods his head. "Yes, she has. A couple of weeks by now," he tells the man, and John hums in response. "Your usual room, sir?"

"Yes, please. Thank you," John mentions, grabbing the key from Charon and heads up towards his room on the eighth floor.

-

You sit in your room and fiddle with the pen that's in your hands. You haven't been able to focus on the case since your run-in with John. You set your pen onto the table and lean back against the chair, sighing deeply. 

You couldn't believe that you worked in the same profession as that man. You always thought he was handsome… well, him being your type didn't help the case. Mysterious, tall, dark hair, facial hair. Who can beat that?

You remember when you first met John Wick and it was just as embarrassing as today's interaction went-

Your first job as a hitwoman and you weren't gonna lie… you were a bit nervous. You had just moved to the Big Apple and need an ample job to keep you off of the streets. So, when you heard about working under the table and the pay it gives you, you'd be stupid to turn it down.

You walk into the Continental for the first time, feeling your heartbeat quicker as the eyes of the people inside look towards you. You swallow thickly and ignore them, continuing forward towards the guy standing behind the desk.

"Good Morning, miss. How can I be of service?" Charon asks you and your lips part, trying to find the right words.

"Uhm? Do I just give you this?" You question while pulling out a gold coin.

Charon raises an eyebrow and looks you over, not believing that someone as shy and innocent looking like you is working under the table. "Why, yes, you do. First assignment?" He asks and you let out a nervous breath.

"That obvious?" 

"Not at all, miss," he jokes with an amusing grin on his face, earning a chuckle from you. "Your room will be 812. The elevator is right over there."

You follow the direction Charon pointed in while nodding your head. "O-Okay," you stutter and take the keycard from him, "thank you…?"

"Charon, miss."

"Charon," you repeat and nod your head, making a mental note to remember. "Thank you again."

You hike your bag over your shoulder and head towards the elevator, seeing a few people already waiting for it. You swallow the lump in your throat before taking a deep breath, heading in that direction.

Just as you reach the elevator, the doors open up, and everyone piles in. You panic slightly as you step in, immediately getting shoved into someone behind you.

"I-I'm sorry," you stutter and turn to face the person you ran into. Your breath hitches in your throat as the six-foot-tall man looks down at you, a small smile coming to his pinkish lips.

"You're fine," he chuckles and you let out a giggle yourself. It was quiet between the two of you for a few seconds before someone else pushes you into the stranger, bracing your hands on his torso to save you from falling.

Your cheeks heat up as you steady yourself, mumbling another apology to the man. You end up clearing your throat before turning around, wishing the elevator would get to the eighth floor a bit faster.

Once the doors open to the eighth floor you book it out of the elevator, not looking back as you quickly walk straight towards your room. "Hold on!" The same voice calls out and you halt in your tracks. "Are you new here?"

"I-uh, yeah, I am," you answer as the handsome man walks up to you before holding his hand out.

"John Wick."

You shake his hand for a few seconds, giving him a polite grin. "Y/N L/N. Nice to meet you, Mr. Wick," you tell him, and John chuckles.

"Please, call me John," he informs you and you nod your head, fiddling with the bag on your shoulder. "If you need any help let me know. I'm in 813."

"Well, I'm in 812. Looks like we're neighbors," you joke, trying to ease your nerves as the two of you begin to head towards your rooms. "Thanks, John. I'm sure I'll have questions."

He unlocks his door and nods his head, bidding goodbye before stepping into the room. You let out a deep breath as soon as his door shuts, running your hand over your face while heading into your room.

"What have I gotten myself into…"

You get snapped out of your thoughts as a knocking echoes off your door. You glance at your clock, seeing it was almost nine at night and you're wondering who's knocking on your door at this hour. You stand up from your chair before walking over to the door and look through the peephole.

John stands on the other side of it and you playfully roll your eyes. "What are you doing here, John?" You ask through the door, seeing him whip around. His eyes move to the peephole and he gives a little wave.

"Uh, I just wanted to talk. It's been a while," he mumbles and you bite your lip before opening the door. "Hi."

"Hey," you greet with a smile and step to the side so he can come in.

John walks into the room and you shut the door behind him. The two of you sit down at the table and his chestnut-colored eyes roam the various documents that lie in front of him.

"How long have you been scouting?" He asks while you sit in front of him, picking the pen you've been using back up.

"About two weeks. You know me," you explain with a chuckle, pressing the end of your pen against your lips. "I like to do things cleanly. Super clean."

John laughs and nods his head, recalling your killing methods. "It's funny how you work especially since you were so shy when you first started," he reminds you and you shake your head, giggling.

"Yeah, I was super naïve when I started. I'm sure everyone is kind of like that though."

John hums and shrugs his shoulders, tapping his fingers against the table. "It's nice to see you, Y/N," he mumbles and your heartbeat quickens.

"Same, John," you blush and tuck a few strands of hair behind your ear. "I would even go as far as saying that I've missed your presence."

It was John's turn to blush and he clears his throat before standing up. "Well, I should let you get back to your studying," you laugh at the term he uses, your eyes glancing towards the documents, "You should join me at the bar downstairs if you decide to take a break."

You nod your head and stand up, following him to your door. "I'll think about it," you smile shyly and open the door for him.

"Miss L/N," he whispers and nods his head, walking out of your room.

"Mr. Wick," you return, giving him one last smile before shutting the door.

-

John sits at the bar, swirling his cup around while staring at the amber liquid. It's been almost forty-five minutes and you haven't shown up yet. The bartender stands in front of him, resting her chin on the palm of her hand as she analyzes him.

"You alright, John? I don't think I've ever seen you look this glum," she states and he hums in response, shaking his head at her.

"It's nothing. Just… expected someone to show up," he informs her before taking a large gulp of his drink.

"It's about Y/N, yeah?" She asks and John furrows his brows. 

He clears his throat and sets the glass down, running a hand over his slicked-back hair. "Why would it be about her?" He questions and the woman gives him a look.

"The two of you have a connection. Charon and I have talked about it," she explains and John unexpectedly blushes. "You need to go for it. You know her. She's too shy to make the first move."

The bartender taps his hand before her eyes move to someone behind him. She begins to make your drink as you walk up to John, not gathering his attention just yet. You're slightly pissed at yourself for taking so long, but you wanted to look nice and then you couldn't figure out what to wear.

"Is this seat taken?" You ask John and his head snaps up, the smile growing on your lips.

"Uh, no, no. Not at all," John stumbles over his words and you sit down beside him.

The bartender sets your drink down in front of you and you thank her quietly. She nods her head before making eye contact with John, giving the man a wink. You furrow your eyebrows a bit and look towards the handsome man.

"What was that about?" You question while grabbing the glass, taking a sip of the mixed drink.

"Oh, nothing. She's just… picking on me," John explains and you lick your lips while giggling.

"Who knew the Baba Yaga would let someone pick on him," you jokingly say with a laugh, scooting your chair closer to him.

John laughs in response, looking into his cup before taking the last sip of it. He sets the empty glass onto the bar top before looking towards you. "I can have a soft side," he smiles and you smile as well, leaning your cheek against the palm of your hand.

"I can see that. It's a nice side of you for sure," you inform him and John grins, flagging the bartender for another drink.

Five drinks later and the two of you are stumbling towards the elevator. Well, you were stumbling towards the elevator and John's walking just fine. You link your arm with him, a stupid grin on your lips as you rest your head against his arm.

"Thanks for inviting me for a drink. I needed the break," you tell him with a slight slur, looking up at the man.

"It's not a problem, sweetheart. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," John mumbles as the two of you step into the elevator.

It's silent for a few moments before you decide to say what's on your mind. "You had a good time, yeah?" Your hand squeezes his arm as your eyes meet, seeing the admiration in them.

"The best time. Probably the best time I've had in years," he explains and you blush, feeling your heart skip a beat. John places a hand on your face, stroking your cheek gently and you lean against his touch.

"Does this night have to end?"

The elevator doors open and the two of you step out before you get pushed against the wall. "Do you want it to?" He asks in a husky voice, making you shiver slightly.

You shake your head no, swallowing thickly while placing your hands on his forearms. John rests his forehead against yours, your heart pounding in both of your chests as your lips are centimeters from one another.

"S-Should we take this inside?" You stutter while breathing heavily, your eyes fluttering shut at the tension.

He hums in response and tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. "As much as I would love to. I have an early morning. But…" John trails off and grabs a hold of your chin, making you look at him. "I'll call you. Take you out somewhere nice."

A breathy chuckle leaves your lips and you nod your head. John drags his thumb across the bottom of your lip before closing the space between the two of you. Your breath hitches in your throat as you arch into him, your arms wrapping around his neck. John wraps his arms around your waist, holding you close to him while pressing you against the wall.

Someone clears their throat and the two of you pull apart as John glances over his shoulder. Your cheeks flare up as Harry stands in front of the elevator doors, his eyes set on you and John.

"Harry," John mumbles with a head nod.

"You know you guys could use a room to do that?" He questions while raising an eyebrow.

John looks back at you and a chuckle leaves his lips. "Yeah, you're right. Got a bit carried away," the man explains and you clear your throat, gathering the two's attention.

"I'm gonna turn in for the night. I'll see you later, John," you mention and smile at him. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Y/N. Good to see you again."

You nod your head and press your lips together, squeezing John's forearm one last time before heading into your room. The tall man looks at your door as it shuts before glancing down at his old buddy.

"So, you and Y/N, huh?" Harry asks and John runs a hand through his slightly messed up hair.

"Yeah, it seems that way doesn't it."

The black man pats John on the shoulder, giving him a genuine smile. "I'm happy for you. You deserve some happiness in this fucked up life we live in. G'night, John," Harry mentions while walking past him.

"Goodnight, Harry, and thank you," John nods with a grin on his lips. He tucks his hands into his pockets and treks towards his hotel door to call it a night.

-

You wince while limping down the streets of NYC, putting pressure on your side. You weren't proud of how this assignment turned out. You thought you did everything right. Made sure that no one saw you, but you were wrong.

A simple kill turned out to be a gunfight with thirty to forty people. How you managed to make it out alive shocks you a bit. Your injured leg gives out and you collapse onto the concrete sidewalk, the people around you not even giving you a second look.

Almost there. Just a little farther… You think as you pick yourself up off the ground, continuing to stumble towards the Continental. You're becoming fainter by the second as you finally reach the steps of the hotel, slowly climbing up them before entering the building.

"Good evening, Miss," Charon greets and you give him a pained grin.

"Charon. Mind sending the doctor up, please," you tell him while pressing the button to the elevator.

The man nods his head and picks up the phone, contacting the man in question. As soon as the elevator door opens you hop inside, pressing the number eight. You wince some more, breathing heavily as you apply more pressure onto the wound.

"Fuck, fuck," you panic and wish the elevator would move fucking faster.

As soon as the doors open you rush out, stumbling over yourself. A pained cry leaves your lips and you lean against the wall to try and ease the pain a bit. You make it to room 813 and start to rapidly knock on the wooden door.

"John!? John, please open up," you cry out and rest your forehead against it.

Not even ten seconds later the hotel room door opens and you fall into the room. John steps out of the way before catching you, nearly missing your head banging off of the floor.

"Y/N? What happened?" He asks, his eyes widening at the state you're in.

"D-Didn't turn out too well," you whisper and John picks you up off the floor before laying you on his bed.

The doctor walks by the room just as John was about to close it, ushering the older man to come in. You're going in and out of consciousness from the amount of blood you've lost, reaching your hand out towards John.

"If I… If I don't make it-" you start but he shakes his head while grabbing your hand, cutting you off. 

"You're gonna make it. I promise you."

The doctor got to work immediately, lifting your shirt to see the bullet wounds in your stomach. John squeezes your hand and pushes the hair out of your face.

"I've had…" you start and wince as the doc puts some alcohol onto the wound, "I've always had a crush on you, John Wick."

John lets out a chuckle while stroking your cheekbone, watching your eyes slowly shut. "Me too, Y/N. Save your strength," he tells you as you grow unconscious. He kisses your forehead gently before looking towards the doctor. "She's gonna make it, right?"

The older man nods his head and John breathes a sigh of relief. "She'll most likely be out of commission for a bit, but she'll live."

-

Tagging: @lovefilledtragedy @ficsnroses @jessalyn-jpeg​ @maddz-world​