#but figured this might help narrow it down so I can just focus on *one* to finish XD

[idontplaytrack]

Can you write something with a regressed Janis?

Either Janis x Reader or rejanis please

(I love all your work you’re amazing)

Tiny monkey

Janis ‘Imi’ike x Regina George

Warnings: age regression, fluff

Janis gets into Regina’s gummy bears, unintentionally slipping into regression in front of her for the first time

The gang was all gathered at Janis’ after their thanksgiving dinners. It was a little plan they decided on to spend some time together after all the family chaos at home. “Hi, baby.” Regina was the first to arrive. “Hey.” Janis smiled into the kiss, smooching the blonde a second time.

“You alright?” Janis asks, shutting the door.

“My back’s been acting up a bit the last two days, but yeah. I’m alright.” Regina promised, “I already took something for it.”

“Okay,” Janis nodded, her palm caressing Regina’s lower back comfortingly before they both sat on Janis’ couch.

They started a movie while waiting for the rest of the group to get here. Over the next twenty minutes, they all came streaming in nearly one after another. They didn’t have a solid plan for the night, just wanting to sit around and hang out. Cady suggested a card game, then Karen wanted to play Mastermind, then somehow, they were playing drinking games. Well, it was kind of a stretch. They were just playing any card or board games they wanted but brought alcohol into the mix just for the heck of it. Two beers on, Janis was officially clingy, leaning against Regina as she sipped on beer number three. Regina notices the warmth of Janis being so close, looking down to see her so comfortable. “You might want to slow down on the beer, Jay.”

Janis mumbles, “No.” Reaching into a bag of gummy bears, popping one into her mouth. She wasn’t at all focused on their game of Uno anymore.

Regina lets out an exhale in amusement, but resumed playing the game, adding a +4 card to the deck, Cady was next so she grumbled but took four cards from the deck.

When Janis started giggling at Cady’s reaction, it caused Regina to look at her again. “Okay, what’s so funny about that?”

“G, is she…”

“A little kooky? Yeah.” Regina raised a brow, pulling a confused face at the smaller girl. It only made her laugh harder.

“Okay— what the heck is going on with you?” Regina asked softly, losing focus of everything and everyone else but Janis.

Janis shrugged, scrunching up her face before sulking.

“Are you high?!” Regina’s eyes went wide.

“Hi.” Janis chuckled airily, looking up at Regina.

“Oh, yeah.” Damian chimed in, “Girl — why are you always doing something like that?”

“Sorry.” Janis mumbled, putting the beer can down as she shuddered. Damian narrowed his eyes at his best friend.

“Okay.” Damian stood up, “Everybody, out. Party’s over.”

“What?” They chorused, “I mean, she’s okay? Right?”

“Yes, but honestly she’s too out of it.” Damian continued, “Y’all, out you go, good night. We’ll do this again sometime.”

The group was a bit confused, but they promptly said bye and left anyway. Once it was just the three of them, Damian asks, “Do you have any idea what’s going on?”

————

“I know she’s high.” Regina shrugged.

“Okay, yes.” Damian confirmed, “But, she’s also…regressed.”

“What?” Regina asked, eyes panning over to Janis who was currently trying to grab the bag of gummy bears. “Baby, no. Don’t eat that anymore.”

“Whyyyy.” She sulked.

“Don’t pull that face on me.” Regina sounded a little irritated, but truthfully it was confusion that she was feeling— and perhaps a little bit of worry, “It’s mine, I was taking that for my back pain.”

“You might need to talk to her a little differently right now.” Damian began, “Age regression. Do you know what that is?”

Regina blinked profusely, looking between Damian and Janis, then back at Damian again, “Oh.”

Damian kept the eye contact, “So is that a yes?”

“Yeah.” Regina nodded, “Yeah, I know what that is. I just need to figure out what works best for her during.”

“Need my help? Should I stay for a bit?” Damian offered.

“Ooh.” Janis gasped, getting up from the floor and rushing to her closet to rummage through it.

“What— hey!” Regina wasn’t used to just how much quicker Janis seemed to be when regressed.

“She’s fine.” Damian said confidently. “Probably just getting her favourite fluffy blanket.”

“How long has she been using this as a way to…cope…?”

“Uh, I’ve known for a year, give or take. Don’t really have the heart to ask more about it. I just know how to tell when she is in that headspace.” Damian answers, “Now I know she feels safe enough around you to not hold herself back.”

“So why—”

“It’s a lot. You don’t want to get into that right now. Just keep her fed, happy and safe. We’ll talk about that another time.”

Regina bit the inside of her cheek as she watched Janis happily walk back to her with a fleece blanket and a tiny little monkey plushie.

‘So, she keeps the stuff she needs in that storage box in her closet— got it’ Regina made a mental note.

“Are you cold, baby?” Regina ask, like on reflex as her hand ran up and down the brunette’s back. Janis had the blanket draped over her shoulders much like a cape while holding onto the little toy in her hand. As she answered with a nod, she absolutely just leans onto Regina.

“Very clingy, aren’t you?” Regina teased.

“She’s either clingy or running all over the place.” Damian remarked, then he gets hit in the face by the stuffed animal in Janis’ hand. Regina cackled, “Why are you ratting her out like that, Damian? That’s not very nice of you.”

“Ha ha.” Damian scoffed but nicely handed the stuffed animal back to Janis.

“That’s what you get for talking about someone right in front of them~” Regina smirked, wrapping her arms around Janis.

“You’re one to talk.” Damian gave her a look jokingly.

“How old is she?” Regina mouthed to the guy.

“Five.” He answered the same way, holding up a hand to show it.

“Damn.” Regina said back, brows raised for a moment. “Oh, she’s out.” Regina realised Janis had dozed off.

“If she’s not fussing or anything, just let her nod off until she wakes up. If you move her, she’ll most likely get woken up and be upset.” Damian informed hers

Regina nodded, Damian continues, “Everything she needs are in those two storage boxes in her closet. No one else knows that she regresses, so don’t bring it up anywhere else, to anyone else.”

“I got that, yeah.” Regina assured.

“She’s pretty good at telling you what she wants even when she’s regressed so just ask if you’re not sure. If she gets the zoomies or whatever you call it, she’s good in the garage. It’s her safe space. Otherwise? Backyard. Playgrounds or any other places like that— only when there aren’t any other people around. If you have to bring her out, let her bring this monkey or whatever other comfort item she wants. It will keep her calm.”

“Has she ever…gotten into that headspace in public?”

“Only once. I took her home immediately because she was starting to seem like she was just going to full on, be sobbing in the mall. And I mean actually screaming and throwing a fit.”

“There are usually triggers. Right? Do you know hers?”

“Yeah but I don’t really know how to explain some of hers. But one of them would be lack of sleep, higher chance when coupled with high stress or anxiety.” Damian carried on explaining.

“Okay.” Regina nodded solemnly, “So then food and drinks wise, what’s not okay for her?”

“She regresses to about 5 to 7. So all is fine, just don’t intentionally be giving her alcohol or make her high for shits and giggles. She will ask for them gummy bears or brownies and she has— I’ve only ever given in once and regretted it almost immediately because the girl was first laughing, then laughing so hard her stomach hurt so she started to throw a goddamn fit and cried.”

“Sounds about right.” Regina bit back a laugh, “She still kinda does that sometimes.”

“Well now you know more.” Damian shrugs, “I think you’ll be fine if I leave you alone with her, right?”

“I think I got it.” Regina decided, “Thanks.”

“If you have any other questions though, just talk to me.” Damian pointed out.

“I will.” Regina promised, “I have your number, dude.”

“Alright, good night.” Damian got up, gathered his belongings and headed home.

It was barely 9 at night, and Janis’ little nap came to an end about half an hour later when she woke up on her own and decided she’s rested enough. “Will you blow bubbles for me?!” Janis asked eagerly.

“Huh?” The question had failed to fully register on first listen.

“I want bubbles. Can we play?” Janis repeated herself.

“Do you have—”

Janis nodded before Regina could say anymore.

“Of course you do. Sure, baby.” Regina caught up with Janis, now just keeping an eye on her to make sure she wasn’t going to somehow injure herself. Janis had dragged out both storage boxes and then located the bubble wand. She wasn’t about to just let them both sit inside and make a mess on the floor with the soapy liquid— though she could. But since they were in the garage, the door could easily be opened and allow them to sit right by the driveway so the mess landed outside of Janis’ safe space.

“Come here, baby. Let’s sit down right here.” Regina took her by the hand and led her to sit down right outside her garage. Regina struggled a little due to her back, Janis looked at her with worried eyes. “I’m alright.” Regina assured with a smile. “Kay.” Janis replied, arm resting on Regina’s thigh. Regina untwisted the cap, dipping the wand into the container a few times before bringing it up to her lips. Effortlessly, Janis was entertained by the bunch of bubbles that started to float around. “Wanna try?” Regina held the wand out for Janis. She nodded excitedly, giggling before she blew some herself and started to laugh harder. Janis’ excitement over something so simple really tickled Regina, making her laugh a little too. “Is it fun?”

“Yeah.” Janis answered, “Do it again.”

Regina did as she said without hesitation, wanting more than anything to hear that laughter. It sounded like music to her ears and was absolutely adorable. Was she laughing because she’s regressed or because she got into my gummy bears for pain? Regina wasn’t sure, but as long as she could tell Janis was physically fine, she couldn’t really care less.

“Gina, I want a snacky.” Janis said quietly.

“You want a snack?” Regina asked in confirmation.

The other girl nods, “Uh-huh.”

“What snack do you want?” Regina crouched down a little to catch her gaze, Janis finally looks at her.

“String cheese?” Janis asked with a toothy grin.

“Okay, I’ll be right back, hm?” Regina got up again and left Janis seated on the floor alone, “Will you be good and stay put or do I have to take you with me?”

Janis pondered for a moment, “I be on the couch.”

“You’ll be on the couch? Alright.” Regina’s lips tug into a small smile as she messed with the shorter girl’s hair while she stood up still holding onto the bubble wand. Janis scrunched up her face again and laughed when she felt her hair getting messed with. “I’ll be back in a second, Jay.”

“Okayyyy~” Janis said back, flopping onto the couch as she tilted the closed bubble wand from side to side, watching the soapy liquid inside move towards either direction. She even chuckles at that and when Regina returns bearing the snack Janis asked for and a couple of Capri-suns, the brunette set the bubble wand down on the coffee table.

“Alright.” Regina began, “Do you have the soapy water on your hands?”

“Nope.” Janis answered, popping the ‘p’.

“Really?” Regina teased, sitting down by her girlfriend, “Lemme check.”

Janis scrunched up her face, unimpressed but obliged, holding out her palms to let the blonde see.

“Okay, they’re clean.” Regina smiled at the facial expression that she seems to be doing a lot of currently, “Here you go. Brought you a drink too.”

“Hehe, yay.” Janis grabbed the string cheese from Regina’s hand, “Thankies.”

“You’re welcome, baby.” Regina was smiling so much, her cheeks hurt. She didn’t mind though, she just happily sat next to Janis and watched her enjoy her snack. “Hm, you wanna watch TV?”

As Janis nibbled on her snack, she naturally started clinging onto Regina again soon enough. Janis nodded without a word. “What do you want to watch?” Regina asks, recalling that the girl had several DVDs in her designated storage boxes. Janis got out of her seat and back to those boxes by her closet to retrieve the DVD. Regina took one from her and helped her set it up quickly.

Regina would’ve never thought she’d be sitting through a full hour or so of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, but for Janis, she did— with no complaints. Well, Regina could’ve dozed off but she didn’t. It wasn’t too bad after all. Tolerable.

“Bed soon?” Regina asks absentmindedly.

“Nooooo.” Janis gasped, the string cheese packaging she was fiddling with, fell from her hand onto the couch.

“Please?”

“No.” Janis sulked.

“Whyyy.” Regina played along.

“Cause.” Janis snuggles closer.

Regina wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or scoff. To her, this squabble was hilarious, but she was also worried about Janis getting enough sleep.

“How about…we snuggle together till you sleep?” Regina suggested.

“No.” Janis says that just to spite her.

“Aw.”

Janis then started to giggle, barely able to stifle it.

“Please, baby, you need to rest enough.”

“Aw.” Janis mocked. Regina’s eyes went wide, “Did you just mock me?”

Janis blinked and looked right into Regina’s eyes, “No.”

“Sure you aren’t.” Regina resisted the urge to pinch her cheeks. God, why was she so cute?

“I like you.” Janis says, nearly chuckling, “You’re nice.”

“Oh, I am?” Regina glances at her.

“You areee.” Janis nodded, then leaned her head on Regina’s chest. Her arm was then looped around the blonde’s torso.

“Still don’t wanna sleep?” Regina asks.

“Need to brush my teeth.” She mumbled.

“Yeah.” Regina rubs her back, “Let’s go, then we can snuggle some more. Deal?”

“Deal.” Janis agreed quickly.

Janis grabs a different toothbrush from the storage box before Regina took her inside the house for the bathroom. It was quiet, neither of her parents were downstairs so she could only assume they were in their own room, and thank goodness for that since no one else knew about Janis being regressed. While she didn’t want to rush Janis, Regina also made sure to keep things moving.

“Okay, all clean?” Regina looked at Janis in the reflection of the bathroom mirror.

“Yup.” Janis nodded, smiling to show the blonde.

“Good job.” Regina smiled back, kissing her on the cheek, “Let’s go snuggle.”

“Yayyyy.”

As promised, they snuggled up in Janis’ bed once they got back into her garage. “I’m gonna need you to just close your eyes and sleep, okay? It’s getting late and I don’t want you to be tired tomorrow. Can you do that for me, baby?”

“Can we get milkshakes?” Janis asks sleepily, “Tomorrow?

“Of course, tomorrow.” Regina agrees, “I promise.”

“Okay.” Janis smiled, contentedly as she reached for another stuffed animal— a monkey too, but a more huggable size. Regina noticed the little bit of a struggle so she helps her grab it, “Here you go, baby.”

“Thankie.” Janis laughed lightly, instantly hugging the toy tightly, nuzzling her face against the material.

“Good night, you little monkey.” Regina sighs, hand returning to the up and down motion to lull her girlfriend to sleep.

“Nighty nighty.”

🏷️Tag list:

@ashecampos @auliisflower @cheesysoup-arlo @frogs00 @ludoesartandstuff @pda128

💭A/N:

I just about died from cuteness overload writing this request 😭 hopefully tumblr doesn’t glitch out again and make this one poof 💨

[comickergirl]

I caught episodes 4 and 5 of My Adventures with Superman at SDCC, and pretty much immediately realized I needed a Lois Lane sticker in my life. XD It occurred to me maybe other folks would also want/need a Lois Lane sticker, as such, I come to you, internet, to see which color/design option I should move forward with. Sound off in the replies if you feel so inclined! :D

[rukunas]

The classroom feels awfully small.

Gojo Satoru stands far away from you, leaning against the opposing wall stiffly with hands in his pockets. His blindfold is down, a rare frown twisting his lips downwards. His hair is a mess, a clear indication of the utter frustration he’s in. Despite the distance, the tension between the two of you is palpable, suffocating.

He’s absolutely livid.

Deservedly so. You should have listened to him and stayed out of his fight but you didn’t. Now you have to simply stand there like a goddamn Special Grade Sorcerer and take whatever he’s about to throw at you.

Who knew a fight with a low level, shape-shifting curse would cause all of this.

You swallow the knot in your throat, preparing for a half-hearted apology. “I’m so—”

“You—” He straightens himself, finger pointed out in accusation, “—had one job. I asked you to stay out of my way— no, I ordered you to stay out of my way. And what the hell do you do? The absolute fucking opposite. Do you ever think before you act?”

Gojo’s eyes narrow deeper, the sharpness of the glare hitting you right in the chest and making you flinch. Ouch. “What makes you think you can make the rules? Have you forgotten that I outrank you? I—”

“Do not pull rank with me.” You snap. So much for just standing there and taking it. “You know damn well I am just as strong as you are.”

“Special Grace Sorcerer doesn’t mean that you’re the strongest.”

“Oh, you mean like Suguru?” Low blow, but the ripple of emotion against Gojo’s face is satisfying. It’s the same slack look he had twenty minutes earlier, when the curse morphed into the figure of his best friend.

“Don’t say his name. You don’t get to say his name.”

You can’t help the bitter laugh that bursts out of your lips. “You weren’t the only one friends with him, Satoru. And you froze. So, yeah, I’m fucking sorry for fighting your battle for you.”

“You were reckless and out of line.” His voice stays level, refusal of letting his anger get the best of him. The throbbing vein in his forehead says otherwise. “I have to pull rank if you choose to act like one of my students.”

Rage makes the vessels of your face pop. You try opening your mouth but nothing comes out, your face is too hot, too hurt.

Satoru keeps going. “I fight alone. This was my battle, and you are too stubborn to understand that. So why don’t you focus on your own missions so I can do mine?”

“Fine.” You shake your head before turning to leave. “Fight alone, stand alone, be fucking alone. My fault for thinking that you might not like to be by yourself all the time.”

You walk out the room, the thump of your own heart loud in your ears, leaving Satoru alone with his own shadow.

[apomaro-mellow]

Every Baby Needs a Daddy 4

Part 3

"And you said yes?", Robin said, her voice impressively even.

"I did", Steve said, phone on speaker as he got ready for work. "I figure, if he's going to have a sugar baby, might as well be me, right? I think this is the universe giving me a break."

"Okay, yeah, sure, until he takes you out and gets you involved in like drugs or something, or takes his anger out on you when he doesn't win a Grammy or something. Or worse, you're a mistress and his actual spouse comes for revenge. OR you actually get really involved with him, help him get even more famous, have very talented children, but then his drug running gets you arrested and when you get out of jail he acts like he doesn't know you and estranges your children!"

Steve paused in putting on his shoes, grinning. "You've been watching Empire."

"Terrence did Taraji so dirty Steve."

"But not enough to learn their characters' names. I need you to catch up so we can watch season 2 together." It hurt being away from her. Before, whenever one of them started obsessing over a show, they could literally sit down and put aside one of their days off to binge a bunch of episodes.

"Sorry, let's get back to you dating a rockstar? Steve? Steve."

"We're not dating. He's just gonna text me whenever he wants to fuck. That's it. He might buy me something nice from time to time." Steve grabbed his keys and went out the door, nearly stepping on something left on the floor in front of it.

"Okay, yeah, sure, but isn't this the reason you cut your parents out? Did they want this exact life for you?", Robin asked.

"No, this is totally different. For one thing, Eddie doesn't want commitment. He doesn't want kids out of me. And even if I attend events with him, I'm just arm candy, but you know, in a good way."

"There's a bad way to be arm candy?"

Steve thought back to the functions he had to go to when still under his parents' thumb. There was definitely a bad way to hang off someone's arm like a decoration. He looked to the little box in his hand. No note, but it had clearly been placed in front of his apartment.

He opened it and found an expensive looking watching inside. The face was a cool navy blue color. He didn't need a card to know who it was from.

"Eddie's different from the guys my parents wanted", Steve said. "And when it's over, I'll at least have something to show for it."

"Just don't be stupid about this, dingus. If this goes sideways, I won't be close by to save your ass."

"Noted", Steve said as he closed the box and continued on his way to work.

-------------------

The next time Eddie texted him, it was to go to lunch. It was a more casual setting than before, but still a pretty high end sushi restaurant.

"I must admit, I called you here under false pretenses, Steve", Eddie said as they sat in a booth.

Steve smiled at his serious tone. "I gathered, given our whole arrangement." Being taken out somewhere was typically a prelude for something intimate later, even in a normal relationship. When Eddie asked him out, Steve full expected sex. He wasn't complaining, last time had been very nice. He wondered how long until Eddie sent a simple 'u up?' booty call.

"I have to attend some fancy lunch meeting in a couple days and they're taking us to a sushi place", Eddie started to explain. "Problem is, I hate sushi."

"...Did you...are we here to train your taste buds or something?", Steve asked.

Eddie nodded. "These are some pretty important people and I can't sit there and tell them my favorite fish is whatever they use for fish sticks."

"Pretty sure it's cod."

"What? Nevermind. I just need to get one of everything and force myself to acquire a taste for it", Eddie said, eyes narrowing in focus at the menu.

Steve smiled. It was cute how serious he was being. He thought back to previous gatherings when some alpha would try and force a drink on him or when the hors d'oeuvres being served weren't to his liking.

"Want some advice?", he offered, continuing when Eddie nodded with his big Bambi eyes, "Instead of forcing yourself to like something, you should be able to say why you don't like something."

"Sounds like complaining", Eddie said, putting the menu down.

"No, you sound cultured", Steve clarified. "Watch." He cleared his throat and held up his glass of water. "Thank you for offering, but I only drink water from a natural spring. I prefer Canadian or Icelandic, but I'll take Swedish if you have it. Nothing from Switzerland though, it has this horrid mineral after taste to it." He set the glass down, adjusting under Eddie's wide eyed gaze.

"I don't know if that was bullshit or not but it sounded legit."

"It's legit what some girl said at a party once. I've never sourced where my water came from, but it works for just about anything. If you can articulate why you don't like something, it comes off better than just saying you don't like it."

"What kind of parties did you go to?", Eddie smirked.

Steve shrunk a little. "Just, you know, parties. So what's your experience with sushi?"

"Supermarket stuff", Eddie said simply.

"....You're kidding. How long have you been a rockstar?"

"I didn't realize this was an interview."

Steve tapped the table as he considered something. He looked to the other part of the restaurant. The bar where chefs were preparing the food. He almost asked Eddie a question directly, but remembered his role as a sugar baby. It wasn't his job to ask how much something would cost or even to ask Eddie to spend the money. All he needed to do was ask for what he wanted.

So he moved over to Eddie's side of the booth and leaned in close to his space. "I think you need something a little more...fresh."

"Fresh?", Eddie echoed as Steve led him to stand.

"And flavorful."

"Uh-huh."

"And satisfying", Steve whispered the last part before sitting down at the bar.

Eddie didn't know when Steve got him here but he did and he ordered something called 'omakase' and suddenly the chef's hands got really busy. He put a little filet of something on rice and then took a blow torch to it.

"I didn't know you could cook the fish..."

It was placed in front of him, but Eddie was still skeptical, which Steve noticed.

"'Omakase' means you're trusting the chef to pick out the best for you", he said. Then Steve took his chopsticks and picked up his piece. He ate it in one bite and Eddie subconsciously swallowed as he watched it pass his beautiful lips and then slide down that gorgeous throat. He wasn't even eating sexily, that was just how far gone he was.

Then Steve picked up Eddie's piece and held it to his lips. Eddie didn't even hesitate to open up and let it in. Tender rice, delicate fish, a total opposite to the sushi he'd experienced before. And it didn't stop there. The chef served cut after cut and each time, Steve asked him what he liked or didn't like.

Eddie was no slouch when it came to language. So he was able to come up with that on his own. He had just never considered respectfully refusing food and to do so with a haughty air deserving of a celebrity.

"Mmm, great choice on the shrimp", Eddie praised the chef. "Texture is superb. Sweet on the tongue too. Nice one, Tatsuro-san."

"Better than the crab?", Steve asked.

"I'm sorry, but nothin' beats an old fashioned crab boil for me. It's the only way I can eat crab."

"You've got opinions and you know how to voice them. I never imagined that be an issue for you, but I think you're ready now."

"Oh I've got opinions out the wazoo. I was just taught to never complain about food."

"Good boy", Tatsuro commented as he prepared something else.

"Very good", Steve agreed as an oyster on a half shell was put in front of him and Eddie.

Tatsuro winked at Eddie and he tried not to think about it as they finished up the course. He was absolutely not thinking about how oysters were an aphrodisiac, or how he'd had a great time, or how this felt like a date and not an outing with a hot piece. He wasn't doing a good job of being a sugar daddy, was he?

Time to fix that up right away. He paid for the meal, leaving a generous tip and led Steve out the restaurant, arm around his waist.

"You were extremely helpful. I can honestly say I like sushi now", he beamed. "And I think excellent service deserves a reward."

"You gonna give me a tip too?", Steve teased. And there was certainly a tip Eddie wanted to give him. Really the whole thing, but he had another idea in mind. And thankfully the appropriate place wasn't too far from here.

"You're buying me a suit?", Steve realized as they walked into a tailor's.

"I've got an eye for these kind of things. And you need something to match your new watch", Eddie said. He had a feeling Steve knew what to do, so he let him free.

Steve gave him a look and Eddie made a 'go on' motion. So Steve went, picking out different pieces for himself to assemble a new suit. There was a man awaiting any need of assistance and did so once Steve came out of the dressing room and stood in front of the mirrors.

Eddie was sitting before him, watching as Steve appraised his reflection and the tailor took some of his measurements. The suit was in silver, with a black shirt underneath. He finished of the look with a dark blue handkerchief in the chest pocket. It already looked great. Eddie knew he'd be breathtaking once it was bespoke. He ached to put his hands on him but public decency kept him from doing so.

"You look good enough to show off", Eddie praised.

"You look like you have somewhere in mind", Steve said, looking at the other man through the mirror.

"There's a shindig goin' down that I wouldn't mind having a date to."

Eddie put in the order for the suit to be done the day before the event. "Let's head back to my place."

This time, as they traveled, Steve was the one who couldn't keep his hands to himself. His hand stroked Eddie's thigh, getting close to where he wanted but never actually touching.

"What're you thinking about?", he asked when he noticed how hard Eddie was holding the wheel.

"Oysters. And you." And how he really should get a personal driver on hand.

Steve laughed softly and let a finger do circles on his crotch. "I think our chef was trying to be subtle. But I know what oysters are supposed to do."

"Oh?"

"And I don't need any culinary suggestion to get me in the mood." Honestly, he kind of felt like blowing Eddie now and probably would have chanced it if it wasn't still light out. "Can you be a good boy like he said?"

Eddie nodded.

"Good. Because we still have to take the elevator."

They didn't get as far as they did the first time they took this elevator but Eddie did attach himself to Steve's back and kissed at his neck. Once again, Steve could see their reflection in the wall. Eddie's eyes roamed his torso, wanting to go further but holding back. He only got bold enough to pinch a nipple through his shirt when the doors opened to their floor.

Steve only moved because of Eddie's prompting, finding it very easy to melt in his hold. They got about two steps out of the elevator before Eddie pushed him against the wall, kissing his lips and running his hands up under his shirt.

"Saw you lookin' at yourself in the elevator. Pretty baby likes how he looks?"

Steve's only response was to moan against his lips and rub against his leg. The closest camera was all the way at the end of the hall, though they'd be screwed if anyone opened up their door. He knew he looked good and liked looking good. And he'd seen the way Eddie's eyes were glued to him at the tailor's. That was a good feeling too.

Eddie took out his key card to open up his door and pulled Steve inside. They migrated to the couch, just needing to get horizontal. Steve lied underneath, Eddie's leg in between his again and providing friction as he rutted up against it. It was so hot, Eddie wanted to watch him get off just like this. If he got his pants off he could watch that sweet pussy drag-

Steve nearly jolted off the couch when a loud guitar riff sounded from Eddie's back pocket.

"Shit", Eddie hissed when he realized who was calling. He could ignore it, but he knew they'd just keep it up until they got to his door.

"You need to take that?", Steve asked, voice a little breathless.

"Just-just gimme a moment, it'll be quick." Eddie answered and Steve could be patient. He just couldn't be good and patient. He rubbed at Eddie's arm before taking his hand in his own. He brought it to his lips and swirled his tongue around his index finger, keeping his gaze down at first and then looking up at Eddie.

The man above him was speechless, up until whoever he was talking to shouted at him from the other end and got his attention again. Well, half of it anyway. The other half was on Steve sucking down two of his fingers now. Eddie groaned both in frustration and the beautiful man under him. Steve was only half following the conversation but it sounded like their time together might be cut short.

Eddie hung up with a sigh. "Baby...baby I gotta go."

"Right now?", Steve asked.

"Yeah but...but if you could, I mean you can stay here until I get done. It'll be quick, just a couple of hours tops. And I can take you out to dinner too."

"You want me to stay?"

Eddie's hair shook as he nodded. He stood up, glad he had a bit of time to calm his boner down. Then he saw Steve lying there on the couch, lips kissed wet and certain his lips farther down were just as glistening. He leaned over to cup him between the legs, feeling the warmth through his clothes.

"Don't forget who this belongs to", he growled when Steve whimpered.

"Okay." And because this man was sent from above, he whispered, "Daddy."

Eddie couldn't hold back then, kissing him hard, tongue marking his insides while rubbing Steve through his pants. He unzipped them, thinking he could just get him off quick when the ringtone sounded again. Pulling back was the hardest thing to do.

"Keep it nice and warm for me", Eddie said before fully removing himself.

"Hurry back."

And then Steve was alone. In a rockstar's hotel room. He thought about what a sugar baby might do when their daddy went off for what must be a very important but impromptu meeting, especially when it stopped such a heated moment. It became very obvious what he needed to do and so he headed straight for the bedroom.

Part 5

I need you to know that when I first envisioned this fic it was literally just supposed to be smut with connecting scenes but it somehow turned to "don't catch feelings" and "oops we're accidentally dating" the fic so here we are.

Tag Team

@awkotaco24 @lingeringmirth @littlewildflowerkitten @estrellami-1 @tartarusknight @velocitytimes2 @mrsjellymunson @trashcanniballecter @marklee-blackmore @dragonmama76 @paintsplatteredandimperfect @a-little-unsteddie @sllooney @starman-jpg @oxidantdreamboat @xxbottlecapx @chaosgremlinmunson @newtstabber @tiny-enthusiast @desidrarry-wolfstarshipper @y4r3luv @hello-fellow-nerds @anonymousbandgirl @alyelf @potato-of-the-lord @beckkthewreck @greatwerewolfbeliever @croatoan-like-its-hot @pluto-pepsi

[blackcherryvelvet0909]

Cherry Ink (Ace x GN!Reader)

“This is your fault.” 

“Is not!” The redhead’s protests only feed the fuel of your boiling rage. “I told you you didn’t have to follow me. You got yourself into this!”

“I was trying to make sure you didn’t get your sorry ass in trouble again!” 

“What’re you, my mom?” You desperately wanted to punch that grin clean off his face. “Are you going to make sure I eat my vegetables, too?” 

You decide to ignore him. There was no sense in getting into a fistfight. Right now, your main focus is to figure out where you are. You look up at the green road sign hanging above you. It reads, “Scuttle Str.” Well, that gives you a starting point at least. You then turn to look at the bus schedule posted to the wall of the shaded canopy under the bench you stood in front of. 

“There won’t be another bus for two hours.” 

“That’s not so bad.” Ace leans against the pole holding up the street sign. “We just have to hang out here for a while. When the next bus comes, we’ll ask the driver to take us back to the…the, um…” 

You sigh, trying your best to keep yourself calm. “Sebastian Square. By that time though, everyone will have already gone back to the resort. We’ll just have to go back there,” you narrow your gaze in his direction, “and hope that we don’t have a professor or two waiting to tear our heads off for disappearing.” 

“Oh please,” Ace scoffs with a roll of his eye. “If they’re so worried, they’ll have the police find us. You worry too much.” 

“Yeah, I do.” You cross your arms over your chest, continuing to glare at him. “I worry about us getting in serious trouble for running off. Wait, no, actually, you ran off! I was the one to go after you and try to drag you back to where we were supposed to be!” 

“Hey, I didn’t know the bus would take us here! I thought it was the one that stopped by that huge mall we went to Wednesday.”

You throw your arms in the air in frustration. “Ace Trappola, everyone! Freshman at Night Raven College and he can’t even bother to read!” 

“Since when was the last time you read a bus’ time table?!” 

“When I want to make sure I’m getting on the right bus, dumbass!” 

This is getting you nowhere. Despite the shade, the heat is sweltering and you’re sweating bullets. That little fan in the bus you and Ace disembarked a few minutes ago hadn’t helped at all. On top of that, you’re starving. Professor Crewel said at the beginning of the day that you would all stop to eat at a restaurant centered in Sebastian Square a little past twelve. You pull out your shitty little phone Crowley gave you last winter and, sure enough, it’s past twelve. That small breakfast you had to scarf down because your alarm didn’t go off that morning wasn’t going to hold you forever. 

“Let’s just get out of this heat.” You tuck your phone back into the pocket of your shorts and look around the area. “There’s bound to be somewhere we can sit and hang out till the bus comes.” 

Ace points to a building up a small hill. “What about there? It looks like some lil mom-and-pop place. I’m starving!”

He took the words right out of your mouth. You nod and, without another word, begin the short trek up to the thatched roof shack. 

You thanked whatever higher being there might be that you had some madol on you. It wasn’t much - just enough to buy you a cold drink and a bag of chips. You stepped to the side to allow Ace to place his order; you sat at a small table in the corner of the eatery and waited for him to join you. Your stomach growled as you opened the bag of chips, raising the bag to your open mouth and tilting it up and pouring them in. You chewed the few salty crisps that fell in, sighing through your nose as you swallowed as your stomach began to calm its hungry tirade. Hopefully the chips would last you until you could get some real food. Though a part of you felt guilty for thinking it, you were glad Grim wasn’t here with you - all your money would’ve been spent on him. 

A few minutes later, Ace plops down in the seat across from you. His meal consists of a burger, potato wedges, and a milkshake. You try to avoid ogling the bounty of food, directing your gaze down at your small, near empty bag of chips. You pick your drink up off the table and take a sip, the liquid gloriously wetting your mouth and tongue, staving off your parchness. As you place your drink back on the wooden table, Ace speaks up after swallowing a mouthful of burger. “That’s all you’re gonna eat?”

That pang of embarrassment for your situation wells up in your heart, like it has so many times before. “I’m not that hungry,” you say, avoiding his gaze as you take a potato chip and eat it. From the corner of your eye, you see Ace raise an inquisitive brow. 

“Could have fooled me for the way your stomach was growling earlier.” So, he had heard that. You thought it’d been quiet enough for only you to hear - apparently not. You mentally cursed your gut’s cries for sustenance as you bit into another chip, this time a bit more forcefully. 

“Well, I’m eating, so it shouldn’t do that anymore.” 

Your voice was a bit more snappy than you intended. “Geez, alright!” Ace takes a sip from his milkshake, right after mumbling a quiet, “Don’t have to bite my head off.” 

Soon, your bag of chips is empty. While the cold drink eases your body temperature and quenches your thirst, it does little to satisfy your lingering hunger. You take out your phone to check the time: it’s just a few minutes past one. A little under an hour to go before the bus comes back - another hour without food. Your stomach begins to ache; it’s a subtle pain, but you know it’ll gradually grow as the minutes pass. You desperately try to ignore it, distracting yourself from the smell of scrumptious food by looking out the window and glancing around the eatery. It truly is a nice place, just out of the way of the hustle and bustle of the city, located about a ten minute walk from the coastline. 

Just as you’re fancying a quick swim to further distance yourself from your hunger, someone pokes your arm. “Hey.” You tilt your head to look over at Ace. He’s got a teasing smirk on his punchable face. “Your stomach growling again.” 

You hadn’t even noticed, too lost in your thoughts to hear it. You fold your arms over your stomach and glare out the window. “Probably just indigestion,” you suggest dismissively. 

You feel Ace stare at you for a moment, perhaps coming up with a way to tease you further. Instead, he asks, “You’re still hungry, aren’t you?” 

Despite how much of a shithead he can be, there’s no sense in lying to him. “Yeah,” you reply. “I’m just going to hold out until we get back to the resort.” 

“Um, hello?” Ace gestures about the space with his hand. “We’re at a restaurant? Or whatever you call this? They make food.”

“No shit.” 

“So, go get something else to eat.”

“I’m fine, Ace.” 

“Your stomach says otherwise.” 

“Well, it can shut the fuck up, can’t it?” 

Again, your tone came out sharper than you intended it to. This time, however, Ace didn’t make an offended comment about it. He is quiet, almost too quiet. Suddenly, he gets up from his seat and walks away. Maybe he has to go to the bathroom? That, or he doesn’t want to get kicked out by starting an argument with you. That’d be surprisingly smart of him, you think. 

You glance over at his unfinished burger and wedges. Would he notice if you snuck in a bite of the meat, stole a fry? No - no, that’s wrong and you know it. You’re not Grim - you’re better than that. Wrapping your arms tighter around your stomach you turn back towards the window, once again trying to ignore the way your stomach continues to growl, mocking you. You almost jump out of your seat when something slams down on your side of the table. You’re startled to find a plate of food waiting for you. 

“Eat.” That sounds more like a demand than a suggestion. Coming from Ace, it’s rather surprising. He sits across from you once more, no smile in sight as he stares at you, expression serious. You look down at the plate of food - a dish you often order from places like this. The growling of your gut intensifies as the glorious scent fills your nostrils. You look up at Ace and eye him suspiciously. 

“I’m not falling for it,” you say, accusingly. 

“Falling for what?” 

“This!” You point at the plate of food. “You’re going to make me do some favor or something in return - like do your homework!” 

Ace scoffs. “Who am I, Azul? I’m not gonna do something like that!” You narrow your eyes at him. “Okay, okay, I’ve done it before! But that’s not what this is about.” 

He nudges the plate closer to you with his finger. “I’m not going to stuff my face and let you go hungry. I’m not even that low.” You raise an eyebrow at him. Ace briefly raises his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, maybe I’ve been an ass like that before. This is different, though.” 

Ace leans back in his seat. “Eat, okay?” The beginning of a grin tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Or am I going to have to come over there and force you?” 

No way in hell were you going to let that happen. He actually is serious, then. Well…if he insists. You put aside your suspicions - for now - and begin to eat. Immediately, you feel relief. In no time you’re wolfing down your food; it’s only when Ace chuckles at how you stuff your face that you slow down. “It’s good,” you say, trying not to be embarrassed. 

“Mhm,” Ace hums in agreement as he chomps down on his burger. “Real good stuff,” he concurs through a mouthful of meat, bun, veggies, and condiments. 

“Ew!” You cringe in disgust as you catch a glimpse of the mushy food in his mouth. “Don’t talk with your mouthful. It’s gross!” 

Ace laughs as he swallows the bite. “You’re such a baby! You sound like Crewel.” He lightly kicks your ankle under the table. “Are you gonna call me a ‘bad dog,’ too?” 

“No,” you grin at him wickedly, “but I could tell him how you’ve been acting here.” 

You glimpsed fear in those cherry-colored eyes. “Don’t you dare! My ass is already grass when we get back!” He jabs a potato wedge in your direction. “And I bought you that food.” 

“See?” You smirked. “I told you you’d use this against me.” The boy frowns at the realization, almost appearing disappointed in himself. An odd look on him, but likely nothing too deep. You smile and say, “Tell you what: as thanks for the food, I won’t tell anyone about your bad table manners.” 

Ace’s smile is almost mischievous as he winks at you. “Deal.” He nods his head to the side, towards the napkin holder at the edge of the table near the window. “You want me to take one of those napkins and write up a makeshift contrast, too?” 

You laugh as you shake your head, right before taking another big bite of your food. Maybe sneaking away from the rest of your class - whether or not intentional - wasn’t so bad after all. 

***

Your asses were, indeed, grass when you finally made it back to Sebastian Square. You arrived just in time to catch the rest of your schoolmates and teachers about to leave the area for the resort. Professor Crewel was the one to greet you both, as Vargas and Trein had gone out to look for you. To say the man chewed you out would be an understatement - and in front of all your peers, too. Of course, when it was discovered that you were only trying to keep Ace from running off, your punishment was a lot lighter. All you would have to do is write a one page apology for not notifying a staff member instead, among other details. Ace, on the other hand, barely got out of detention while still on the trip; although, he would surely face that consequence the moment he stepped back on campus. 

You step out of your hotel room and into the hall. Once again, hunger pangs your gut, and you decide to satiate it with a midnight snack. As you walk, your hand feels the billfold within your pocket. You’re very grateful that, upon learning that you used the last of your funds to procure sustenance during your unplanned delinquency, Crewel replenished your empty pockets. He strictly stated that they were for necessities - however, he discreetly said that, should there be any wants you desire in the last several days of the trip, you may come see him. Many would call it special treatment, but at this rate you’re waiting for the man to serve you adoption papers. 

The glimpse of a smile ghosts over your lips as you take the elevator down to the lobby. After departing the lift, you walk across the room and enter a smaller one a short distance away from the front desk. What meets your gaze are three large vending machines - and one familiar redhead. “Ace?” 

The man startles at the sound of his name. Obviously, he didn’t expect anyone else to come down here, let alone find him. “Shh!” he hisses. “Shut up! You want Crewel or Trein or Vargas to hear?” 

“And cook your goose further?” You giggle. “Nah - I don’t think you can get anymore burnt.” You ignore the daggers he glares into the back of your head as you view the choices available behind the glass of the vending machines. Candy, chips, granola bars, bottled drinks - you insert your money into your chosen machine and make your selection. Ace does the same shortly after you’ve acquired your snack. As you suspected, it’s a candy bar, one made of dark chocolate and cherries. 

“Bad dog!” You almost scare Ace out of his skin. “You’ll rot your teeth with that!” 

“You-!” Ace looks like he’s going to punch your shoulder, but refrains. He tucks the bar of chocolate into his pocket before walking past you. He bumps into you as he does, forcing you to sway to the side. 

“Hey, watch it!” 

“Make me!” he calls back, mockingly sticking his tongue out at you before making a run for the elevators. You run after him, but by the time you get across the lobby, muttering a quick apology to the janitor you almost bumped into, Ace is already gone. You mumble under your breath how annoying he is as you hit a button between the elevators, indicating you want to go up. After a small bit of waiting, the one to your far left opens and you get on. You press the button for your floor and watch the large metal doors close, right before you feel yourself ascending upwards. 

As you wait to reach your floor, you lean against the wall and shove your hands into your pockets. Your forehead crinkles as you frown, confused as to why there’s some sort of paper in your right pocket. You take it out, wondering if it’s some form of receipt you forgot. Instead, in your hand is a folded piece of lined paper, like you would use at school. You unfold the paper once, twice, three times before its face is opened up towards you. Your eyes widen as you read the words on the page, written in red ink. 

Date #1 was nice. Date #2?

❑ Yes    ❑No

[bamfaholic]

From Eden to Sit at Your Door | Part 4

Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3|

AO3 here! ❤

TW for assault! Viewer discretion advised!!!

A/N: It's getting hot in here! Very juicy part imo

Kurt Wagner is in for it when you get your hands on him. This little disappearing act is growing stale; he needs to refresh his routine. You scramble out of the bed, at least making it — unlike a fuzzball we know — and changing into the spare clothes he brought.

The revelation you are a mutant had you think a little differently. You found yourself really focusing on what you could hear. Any whispers that could be useful to you. There was plenty of deafening ambience, just like last night. You ball your fists. Just… Just focus. Focus on one thing.

You picture Kurt, his smile, his radiant eyes. Your cheeks burn. Yet… There it is. Ever so faintly, the familiar sound of his breathing, the tip of his tail cutting through the air.

So, you’ve managed to hear him, but that doesn’t narrow down where he is. You aren’t aware of the limitations to your abilities just yet, your radius could be 50 feet or 50 miles for all you knew.

You huff, crossing your arms over your chest. You figure you might as well use context clues to decipher his motives. After some fumbling around in the dim room, you find the box of matches. A strike later, and the match roars to life. You make your way around, lighting the few candles, until the match burns to a nub singing your fingertips.

You yelp in surprise, dropping the remains on the floor. It’s nothing, not even a true burn, the shock is what rocked you the most. Once you recollect yourself, the first thing to draw your attention is the open manilla envelope on the bench.

You snoop, flipping through the pages. Everything is written in English. You kick yourself for not paying better attention in class, as so many words are too complex and foreign. Beginner English you pick up on, and the few cognates. In defeat, you flip back to the front, seeing a photo of a woman. Blue, angled cheeks, sleek vivid red hair. Surprisingly, her eyes match Kurt’s in color, but in addition they have slit-shaped pupils. Just how common are blue mutants?

You slip the photo in your pocket. Not much of a plan, you realize, but you can at least make it so Kurt can’t deny the existence of the folder. You leave it on the bench, trading it for your white cane, and make the voyage out of the spare room.

You swear you get lost in the claustrophobic corridors at least twice, and it doesn’t help when you realize you’re in the basement. You avoid anywhere that grows too dark for your comfort. You aren’t sure how long it takes you, just that the sun is up when you finally make it to the sanctuary.

“Wow…” It’s completely different from last night, like you stepped through a portal. The sheets are gone, dust eliminated, warm candles illuminate the gorgeous stained glass and adorned ceiling.

It looks inviting, like its excitedly awaiting the next congregation. Kurt is hung by his tail, upside down, wiping down a beam with a rag. He softly hums a hymn to himself as he does so. It’s a cute sight, his nappy hair suspended midair. He’s still wearing his tank, now trying to slip off his toned body due to gravity, and his light-colored shorts.

He releases the grip with his tail, flipping himself upright, and lands flawlessly on his feet in just a few seconds. Hands on his hips, he admires his handiwork.

You tip toe across the aisle to stand behind him. “Good morning, Kurt.”

“Ah!” He jumps, launching the dirty rag across the room, his tail sticking straight up like a cat. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack, Schatz?”

You snicker, unable to help yourself. “Sorry, sorry. It was too easy.” You get on your tip toes to ruffle his hair, only now you realize how tall he is.

He gruffs, but you see the grin threatening to peak through. “Apology accepted, but I won’t be so nice next time.”

“How so?” You cock your head to the side.

“Like this!” He lunges towards you; his hands making their way under your arms and tickling you. You shriek out before crumbling into a ball of laughter. Once he’s wrecked enough havoc, he sets you free as you gasp for air. “That’ll show you.”

Your chest noticeably rises and falls. “R-Right. I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t spook you again.”

“Damn right,” he says with a laugh, helping you back up to your feet. “did you sleep well?”

“Uh, yeah. I did.” You nervously run circles into the back of your neck, too ashamed to admit it was the best sleep of your life. “So what are you up to?”

“Oh, well someone very sneezy said I should dust,” Mischief flickers in his eyes, “And I should honor God , what better way than to clean His home?”

“I suppose you have a point.”

“Aye, friend, I do!” He hops on top of a pew, crouching like before, in your flat.

“But what now?” You look around the room, unsure what he could do next. You rub your fingers together with the photo between them in your pocket. You aren’t quite sure how or when to bring up the file.

“Head to the market, probably.” His tail happily sways behind him. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

Right on cue, your stomach loudly proclaims its emptiness. Kurt only laughs, hopping back down to his feet. You now note how active he is, he can’t seem to sit still. He pats your back before spinning around, throwing on his coat and hat. “I’ll be off, don’t answer the door.”

“What? You’re going alone?” You’re stunned, but he continues on, heading to the front door.

“Ja, you’ve already been hurt Schatz. I can’t… I cannot allow it again. I will not.”

You don’t know what to say to that. His tone sharply switching grim, serious. It was strange to see him this way.

“Well, I’ll be seeing you. Ciao!” Kurt opened the door, his trademark grin back, and right as he took a step out the door lightning crackled down, striking a few blocks away. Thunder tumbles over your heads, rain pouring from above.

“Shit.” He swears under his breath. “There goes that.” He sighs, putting his coat back on the hanger. “The church will flood and I can’t let it be ruined more than it already is. I’m its only protector now…”

Kurt briskly saunters past you, and you can already see what he means. So much water slowly drips from the ceiling, but a few spots have proper holes causing the downpour no difficulty.

You fiddle with your hands, not sure what to do to help. Kurt has already dipped into some corridor. He is hard to track, hard to spot. It isn’t hard to see why he was so surprised you caught him in your apartment yesterday.

Slowly, you walk back down the aisle of the sanctuary, running a hand along each pew. Some are pristine, but most are cracked. Some have their upholstery torn up, most likely from mold and water damage. There remains a handful of bibles in the shelves, none of them in great condition. The pages are puffed up, discolored, and wavy. A few flames have died out from the rainwater, shifting the ambience cooler. A hole in the roof creates a spotlight on Christ’s face. His peaceful expression, eyes casted downward to onlookers below. Holes in his wrists and ankles, oozing marble blood.

It sends a shiver down your spine.

The bible at the altar is open, and with the thick layer of dust it’s evident it hasn’t been touched in quite some time. Why was this the one thing Kurt didn’t touch? You wonder.

It’s open to the book of Mathew, and some of the phrases are familiar. Lines you’ve heard incessantly in your life, such as: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” You never understood the seeming hypocrisy, what it really meant.

Your eyes are drawn to a specific line thickly underlined:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

There’s a thin scratch in the dust layer, like a nail digging through. You reach out to touch, to read more, maybe this will give you a glimpse into Kurt. This entire adventure had you forget why you even interacted with the man in the first place: your book.

You hear a crash and a commotion, like tons of metal falling to the ground. “Kurt!” you shout, rushing to his direction, but his blue-self pops out from a hallway.

“Ja?” He says, chipper as ever.

Kurt comes back with pots, bowls, and buckets. He strategically sets them up, before seating himself at the altar. He lights two candles before mumbling to himself, clasping his hands in prayer.

You carefully seat yourself beside him, enjoying the beauty. The candles are warm, comforting. They remind you of last night. You never cared for church, hated it in fact, but were happy it gave Kurt peace.

“Amen.” He finishes, raising his head and glancing to you.

“Why do you believe?” You spit out.

His glimmering eyes examine you, “Why don’t you? There is no proof to swing you one way or another.” He leans back, propping himself up with both of his hands.

“Well, it’s just… You’ve been through an awful lot. Not many would be thanking God for that.”

Kurt throws his head back in a laugh, his hand mere inches from yours. “I suppose not, but that is what makes me different. God destined me for these trials, these… Tribulations. I will prove myself as much as He needs me to.” His other hand moves up to feverishly clutch the rosary adorning his neck.

You click your tongue, not one to be religious. “I just don’t think it’s fair.”

“Aye, well, nothing is fair, friend.” He gently pats your head. “We would be puppets if not for the first sin, if our mother and father Adam and Eve hadn’t listened to the serpent. It was the cost of our autonomy.”

You hold your tongue, not comfortable in fighting his beliefs. At least he isn’t forcing it upon you. “Your rosary is beautiful.” You point to it. “Where did you get it?”

“That…” He peers down his chest. “The nunnery that raised me claims they found me with it, so I’d assume my mother.”

“You don’t know her? You grew up in a nunnery?”

He winces, slightly. You’ve accidentally opened an old wound. “In a sense, no. She… She abandoned me, for even I was too monstrous for her. So God led me to the sisters. I am ever grateful.”

You don’t think as you make your move, gently placing your hand on top of his. “Well, this mother of yours, she doesn’t deserve to know the kind of man you’ve become. You’re better than she will ever be.”

He chuckles, cheeks flushing. “You flatter me, Schatz.” He turns to look at you, his smile melting you into a puddle. “I’m so happy you think so.”

Thunder rolls above again, lightning cracking and snapping outside, yet you two are focused on no one else. The tension is thick, and you hear his heart fluttering.

“I’m so happy I met you, friend.” His brilliant glow is blinding.

You nervously swallow. “M-Me too.” You glance away, your face so hot it feels like it’s melting.

“And…” He gives your hand a squeeze. “I am no saint, friend. I am very much a dirty sinner.” He drops his voice to a whisper, leaning in close to you.

His mouth is slightly parted, breath hot. You can see the tips of his fangs threatening to poke out. His grip is a little tighter. You forget to breathe.

“Will you sin, with me?”

Your heart does cartwheels before lodging in your throat. Unable to speak, you just nod.

His eyes slowly close, his head slightly askew. He’s leaning closer to you, his breath warms and tickles the tips of your ears.

Blood is rushing through you, digging your nails into your palms just to stay grounded. This feels so soon, way too soon, but you can’t help it and comply.

You allow yourself to melt, leaning in, pressing your lips together. Fireworks burst between you, his lips so soft and gentle. Your skin is electrified. He’s so warm, and he smells sweet like a doughy pastry.

A hand of his slides up your back, cradling your neck. He pulls you into his lap, enveloping you in intoxicating warmth and desire. You raise a shaky hand to run through his hair. This all feels like a dream, a magnificent dream.

He bites down on your lower lip, hard. Its as if ice cold water is thrown on you. You inhale sharply in distress, the taste of blood filling your mouth. You try to yelp as you open your eyes but find yourself staring at someone else. Their features melt and realign, but the golden sclera remain. It’s the woman from before, the mutant Kurt was after.

She wipes your blood from her lips with her thumb, licking it away. You open your mouth to scream something, anything.  “Ah ah ah~,” She tuts, jamming a large metal device in your gut.

Electricity burns your skin, your muscles convulse and fight against your senses. You fall backward, to the harsh unforgiving floor. She rises to her feet, heels of her boots clicking on the stone.

She speaks in English, just barely out of your view. All you can see is her blurry blue silhouette. The footsteps circle themselves, before she comes back straight to you. She stretches up in height, her skin forming metal plates, and in a blink she’s a broad man made of metal.

She heaves you over her shoulder, and out the front doors of the church. The icy rain beats down on your back, soaking you completely while you still fight the convulsions. You’re hurled into an armed vehicle with English lettering on the side.

Inside, you’re completely surrounded. Soldiers, just like the ones from your flat. They pay you no mind, one of them slapping jagged, strange looking handcuffs on your wrists.

The truck squeals before it begins to move, and you’re jostled by every bump and turn. Rain drops down from your hair, and you watch the puddles grow at your feet. The despair in your heart is soul crushing. Again and again, you’re left like this: helpless. When will it end?

You close your eyes, the lack of visuals comforting. Something you were accustomed to, something you knew you couldn’t rely on. Maybe Kurt was someone you never knew, stringing you along. Maybe he was this horrible woman all along. You couldn’t be certain, and you didn’t know if you ever could be.

For now, it didn’t appear to be in the cards for you to know anytime soon. Instead, like a lamb being led to the slaughter, you quietly await your future in the dim back of the truck; blood from your split lip dribbling and mixing with your tears.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 (WIP)

Banners by @/cafekitsune

[mykneeshurt]

Interrogation - Keegan P Russ x F!reader x Ghost

As per usual, minimal plot, all porn. Not written well just pure horny thoughts. Thank you once again to @sashadiurnal who helped me with the plot, that I butchered as I’m unable to keep on the straight and narrow. Tee hee

Warnings - 18+, minors DNI, praise kink, degradation, p in v, p in a, DP, f oral receiving, m oral receiving, unprotected sex, rough sex, breath play (goes without saying this is fiction, in real life we wrap willies, love consent, love safe words and aftercare!)

‘Get your fuckin hands off me!’ You spat as you were thrown down into a chair. Your vision was obscured by a foul smelling bag, no doubt used on countless others. Your hands were cuffed in front you, the cold sting of the metal bit into your wrists.

The bag was ripped from your head as a blinding light filled your field of vision. Hissing you held your hands to your eyes, trying to ease yourself into the white light of the room. Lowering your hands two figures slowly came into focus. Once you recognised them a fire was set alight in your core. Sergeant Keegan P Russ and the Lieutenant known only as Ghost.

‘Long time no see boys. It’s a pleasure as always’ you sneered. You were sat on a metal chair in what looked like a small office. You didn’t know every nook and cranny of your base, so assumed it was in one of the wings you didn’t normally frequent.

They stood in front of you, Keegan with his hands on his hips, dressed head to toe in white camouflage. Ghost dressed in the same but with a black balaclava where a white skull adorned the front. He had his arms crossed, biceps bulging as he took in your form. You’d managed to avoid them for a decent amount of time, but looks like your time had finally run out.

‘Where’s the launch codes for the missiles’ Keegan asked, his hands tensed over his hips. ‘What launch codes?’ You smirked, shrugging your shoulders. ‘Don’t fuck about. That launch codes. Where are they?’ Ghost asked, his voice filled with frustration. ‘Aww big bad Ghosts couldn’t get through my security system?’ You pouted, trying to give your best doe eyed glare. ‘Ask me nicely, maybe I’ll give em to you.’

Keegan walked around the table, menacingly. Hands still firmly resting on his hips, they swayed as he made his way over to you. ‘No, you’ll give them to us, we can be very persuasive.’ You raised an eyebrow, biting your lip, ‘you know it’s not torture if I like it Russ.’ His eyes narrowed at your remark as he lowered his face dangerously close to yours, ‘give us the fuckin codes Vesper.’

‘Make me Russ’ you whispered, a smirk tugging on the corner of your lips.

Grabbing your shoulders he lifted your body and threw you into the wall in one swift motion. Your body hit the wall with a thud, a low moan escaped your chest. Keegan stood you up and pressed his forearm onto your throat. His azure eyes cut into you as you bit your cheek. He pressed harder into your throat. ‘Fuck, don’t tempt me with a good time Russ’ you managed to choke out.

‘Tryin my patience’ Ghost barked from the background. Pulling your eyes from Keegans you locked onto Ghost, clenching your thighs together at the pool of arousal that gathered in your panties. Ghost dropped his eyes, noticing the minuscule movement. His eyes widened in realisation ‘shes fucking gettin off of this.’ Smiling at his revelation you once again met Keegans stare. ‘I think someone’s feeling left out Russ. You might need to share.’

Pulling you taught against his body he moved you over to the table, slamming your torso down onto the cold surface. Your cuffed hands barely broke your fall. Keegan laced his fingers through your hair pulling your neck until you rest against him. ‘Wanna play that game? Fine. Guess I’ll fuck it out of you instead’ he growled into your ear. A devilish giggle dripped from your lips as you pushed your ass into him.

Keegan motioned to Ghost to come over, the 6’4 Adonis stalked his way over to the table. Keegan lifted you by the collar of your shirt and pushed you into Ghost. Pulling your cuffs he placed your arms over his neck, forcing you onto your toes. Ghosts heavy, dead eyes bore into yours as your breathing picked up a notch.

Keegan wrapped his hands around your waist and found your belt, pulling it out of the belt loops with a ‘thwack.’ Undoing your button he slowly worked your trousers down, resting just beneath the crease of your ass. Keegan lowered his mouth to your ear, nipping it slightly ‘eyes on Ghost, don’t look away.’ Your thighs clenched again.

Keegan caressed the supple skin underneath your panties, considering how much he hated you, it was a tender touch. The slap of leather on leather filled the room, excitement shone in your eyes. Ghost pulled you closer to him and held your hips, arching your back.

A heavy slap rang out in the small office, as Keegan swatted your ass cheeks with your belt. A breathy moan fell from your mouth as you fought to keep your eyes on Ghost. Three more slaps to your ass made you dance the dangerously thin line between pain and pleasure. A crimson line decorated your cheeks, Keegan massaged it softly ‘that’s it, fuckin take it.’

Your eyebrows furrowed together, your pussy now weeping with arousal. ‘Not gonna kiss me?’ You whispered to Ghost, ‘not very hospitable of you.’ Ghost trailed his hand up your back, as Keegan pulled your panties down. Gripping your hair Ghost pulled your head, allowing him access to your neck. He planted masked kisses along your skin, and onto your jaw.

You flinched at the sudden intrusion of Keegans fingers along your slit. He gathered your juices on his fingers before placing them in your mouth. You twirled your tongue around his fingers moaning at the taste of yourself. ‘Fuckin hell’ Ghost whispered into your neck. Keegan returned to his position behind you, this time inserting his middle and ring finger into your cunt. Pumping it slowly, before building a punishing pace. The wet sound of your pussy made their cocks stiffen.

Ghost pulled his mark up slightly finally giving in and kissing you. He tasted yourself on your lips, he groaned at the taste. Nipping your lip he pulled back, ‘she tastes so fuckin good’ he drawled. Keegan grunted in acknowledgement, too busy listening to the sound of your cunt around his fingers. You flopped your head into Ghosts chest, lost in the maze of pleasure, you moaned and writhed from the sensations.

Keegan readjusted his fingers, using his index and middle finger in your pussy. This time easing his ring finger into your tight ass hole. A slurred moan erupted from the pit of your chest. You rolled your hips back into his fingers, pleading for more. ‘Such a filthy little bitch’ Keegan scolded ‘so needy for our cocks aren’t you.’

‘Yes … fuck, yes’ you whimpered.

Removing his fingers he then lifted your aching arms from around Ghosts neck. He moved you back to the table lying you on your back. Ghost stood by your head, which was conveniently level with his throbbing cock. Keegan buried his face in your cunt, savouring your taste agains his tongue. Your eyes rolled the back of your head as Ghost tapped his cock on your lips. He was thick, your eyes momentarily widening at the girth. A dark chuckle exuded from him, he leant down and whispered against your lips ‘you’re gonna take my cock and you’re gonna fuckin choke on it.’

Opening your mouth he thrust his cock in your mouth, his girth filling you entirely. He was unforgiving. Relentless. He watched as your throat stretched for him, eyes watering and gagging around him. Pulling out he slapped your cheek, ‘that’s it, good girl, such a good little slut.’ You bucked your hips at his words, causing Keegan to release a guttural moan into your pussy.

Not being able to take anymore Keegan stood and pulled down his trousers, freeing his throbbing cock. He pumped himself as he watched Ghost abuse your throat, your body writhing, desperate for Keegan to fill you. He lined himself up before pushing his cock in, inch by inch. You moaned around Ghosts cock as Keegan filled your creamy cunt. Keegan struck your clit with the tips of his fingers, as he did Ghost pulled out allowing you to finally breath.

A borderline pornographic moan filled the room, your back arched off the table as you squeezed your eyes shut. Ghost slapped your face again, before ramming his cock once more into your tiny throat. He watched as his cock bulged in your throat, trying to accommodate his girth.

Keegans pace was brutal, he hitched your thighs around his slutty little waist as he thrust into you. ‘Feels so fuckin good, so fuckin good’ he was breathless ‘such a whore, taking this cock so well.’ The mixture of praise and degradation kept your head spinning. His fingertips assaulted your hips, surely causing bruises. The thought of him marking you only made you more wet. Keegan threw his head back, eyes rolling as your cunt clenched around him. ‘She’s so tight’ he whimpered.

Ghost pulled out, pushing you back to a standing position, this time hooking your arms over Keegans neck. Keegan lifted you from the table, your legs still wrapped around his waist. This time keegan leant into your lips, kissing you, chasing your tongue with his. Ghost came behind you, pressing body against yours, sandwiching you between them.

Keegan still thrusted into your abused cunt as Ghost lined himself up to take your ass. He leant down placing a kiss on your cheek before spitting onto your tight hole. He pushed in slowly, allowing you to adjust to his size. Keegan inhaled your moan as Ghost stretched out your ass, the two of them began moving in tandem.

You dropped your head back onto Ghosts shoulder, completely blissed out at your holes being stretched, abused, assaulted. ‘Look at her’ Ghost marvelled, ‘taking two cocks at once, fucking whore.’

‘Don’t stop, fuck don’t stop, please’ you begged. Ghost snakes a hand around your neck, squeezing it until your face went red.

You felt the pressure building, rapidly. ‘Make me cum, please, fuck I wanna cum’ you sobbed, your body was overstimulated but begging for release. Keegan pulled you back to his lips, nipping your them as he kissed you. ‘Gonna cum in this tight ass of yours’ Ghost grunted from behind you.

‘Please, please, please’ you babbled into Keegans neck.

Ghost gripped your hips like a vice as he came, a deep breathless moan danced over your shoulder. He pulled out leaving you feeling suddenly very empty. Keegan placed you back on the table, picking up his pace, slapping your clit once more. ‘Take it Keegan, please’ you whimpered, bucking your hips and arching your back. He leant forward placing his forearms either side of your head. He stared into your eyes as he came moments later, his cock shooting hot ribbons of cum into your cunt.

You came not long after, the coil finally snapping. Beads of sweat coated your forehead and you tried to catch your breath. You could feel his cum leaking out of your pussy, part of you wanted him to fuck it back in. Keegan placed a kiss to your cheek, ‘codes.’

[mxnsterbabe]

Male Vampire/Female Reader

SFW

Wordcount: 3,665

Commissions | Ko-fi | Masterlist

When your friend begs you to help her brother, you have no choice is to agree. But what is he?

When you ripped the front door open, the sight at your doorstep stopped you cold. There, bathed in the harsh glow of the porch light, was your best friend; but something was terribly wrong. Her clothes were soaked in blood, her face etched with a panic that sent a ripple of fear through you. 

“We need to come inside.”

You stammered out, “of course, come in,” your mind reeling to keep up.

Before you could even form a question, she brushed past you, half-dragging, half-carrying an unconscious figure into your house.

“What the hell is going on?” you stammered, but Ir1ina pushed past you, stumbling inside without even acknowledging you’d spoken.

The living room turned into an emergency scene, as she laid the person down with more care than you expected from her frantic entrance. It took a moment for the reality to sink in. The person on your floor was Dumitru, Irina’s older brother; but he looked… wrong. Not least because of the blood now pooling on your hardwood floor.

"You need to get him to a hospital," you told Irina, eyes narrowed. The gash on his head looked deep, and his stillness was unnerving.

Irina shook her head vehemently. "You're a paramedic, can't you do something? Please," she begged, the plea in her eyes impossible to ignore.

Despite the doubts swirling in your mind, you couldn't turn away from the silent appeal in Irina's gaze. With a deep breath, you set to work, your training kicking in despite the circumstances. You cleaned the wound as best as you could, the blood washing away to reveal the extent of the damage. The gash was deep, and you knew it needed stitches.

You fetched your medical kit, your hands steady as you threaded the needle. The act of sewing the wound closed was familiar, a procedure you'd performed countless times, yet never in your own living room, and never on someone you knew. 

With each stitch, you couldn't help but worry about the lack of response from him. Concussions were tricky, and without the proper equipment, there was only so much you could do.

You worked with care, trying to keep your stitches even, the thread pulling the edges of the wound together. The silence in the room was heavy, filled with the tension of the moment and the weight of your thoughts. 

What if Dumitru needed more help than you could give?

After tending to the gash on Dumitru's head, you shifted your focus, carefully moving him to the sofa to conduct a more thorough examination. Your hands worked methodically, guided by your paramedic training, as you checked him for any other concealed injuries that might have gone unnoticed in the initial panic.

Gently, you palpated his abdomen and limbs, looking for signs of internal bleeding or fractures, your touch deliberate but gentle. You knew the importance of being thorough; hidden injuries could be just as dangerous, if not more so, than the visible ones. 

Thankfully, aside from some bruising and minor lacerations, there didn't seem to be any other significant injuries.

Concussion was a concern, given the blow to his head. You couldn't perform a scan, but you did the next best thing, checking his pupils for signs of asymmetry or sluggish response. You kept the room dimly lit and ensured he was lying in a recovery position to maintain an open airway.

It wasn’t much, but it was as all you could do.

Once satisfied you'd done all you could with the resources at hand, you turned to Irina, the weight of responsibility heavy on your shoulders. "He needs to be seen in a hospital," you insisted, your voice firm despite the fatigue nibbling at the edges of your resolve. "I've done what I can, but he needs a full medical evaluation."

Irina's reluctance was palpable, her answers evasive. "We can't," she murmured, avoiding your gaze. "It's complicated."

The vague response did little to put you at ease. "Is there something you're not telling me?" you asked, the puzzle pieces not quite fitting together. "Why can't he go to a hospital?"

Before Irina could respond, a soft groan from the sofa cut through the tense atmosphere. Your attention snapped back to Dumitru, whose eyes were fluttering open, confusion and pain etched across his features as he tried to orient himself.

Dumitru's slow return to consciousness allowed you a closer inspection, you swallowed down your unease. His skin, though naturally tanned, carried an ashen pallor that seemed at odds with his otherwise robust appearance. His eyes, dark to the point of being almost black, looked different to normal. Despite the grime and blood that marred his features, there was an undeniable, almost ethereal handsomeness about him…

Yet, as he moved, something about him seemed fundamentally off. His teeth, when he cringed, were uniformly sharp, more reminiscent of a predator's than a human's. His posture, too, was peculiar, his back hunched in a way that suggested something wrong with his skeleton, and his limbs seemed to bend in ways that made you uneasy.

When he spoke, his voice was a low rumble, tinged with confusion. "Where am I?" he murmured, his gaze flitting around the room, landing on his hand as it retreated from his wound. The sight of his own fingernails, tapered to points like claws, seemed to shock him as much as it did you.

Your instinctive step back was halted by Irina's steadying grip. Dumitru's eyes widened in realization, a dawning understanding that his appearance was the cause of your alarm. "I'm sorry," he began, his apology cut short by your demand for clarity.

"What's going on, Irina?" you pressed, your voice a mix of fear and the need for answers. "What is he?"

The silence stretched on, the tension in the room making your pulse thrum. 

Irina, usually so open and forthright, remained tight-lipped, her gaze averted. Dumitru, for his part, seemed lost in thoughts of his own, his dark eyes clouded with an emotion you couldn't quite decipher.

Your instincts were at odds, the ingrained desire to help clashing with a creeping sense of fear that whispered caution. Dumitru kept his head low, but you could still see how wrong he looked. The more you stared, the more obvious it became; his once rich skin was now ashen grey, lips peeled back as if his teeth were too sharp for his mouth.

It was difficult to look at him, really, and you suppressed a shudder.

It was Dumitru who finally broke the silence, his voice so different from the gentle, lilting accent you remembered. Now, it was rough, almost guttural, carrying a depth that seemed to vibrate through the very air. 

"I didn't want you to find out like this," he confessed, each word seeming to cost him. "I never wanted to involve you in this... in my world."

The raw honesty in his admission made your stomach turn. "What does that mean?" you demanded, your voice steadier than you felt. "What are you?"

It was Irina who answered, her voice barely above a whisper, "He's... it's complicated, but the closest thing we have to a comparison is a vampire. There are those who would see him dead."

The revelation was a jolt. Your legs crumpled beneath you, and Irina couldn’t dash forward in time to catch you as you collapsed on the cold floor.

A vampire, in your living room, bleeding and vulnerable. Not only that, but he was your friend.

The weight of the revelation pressed heavily upon you, each breath feeling thicker, harder to draw. You needed space, a moment to process the impossible reality that had just unfolded in the safety of your home. 

"I need a moment," you managed to say, voice wobbling as you clambered to your feet.

Irina made a move to follow as you turned towards the door, her instinct to comfort and explain battling against your clear need for solitude. "Please, just give me some space," you said, a firmness in your tone that brooked no argument.

Behind you, Dumitru's voice reached out. "Please, I never meant for any of this. I don't want to hurt you.”

Whatever he was going to say next cut short as you slammed the front door shut. 

Outside, the world lay bathed in the gentle glow of the moon. You took a deep breath, the cool air filling your lungs, and rested your head on the porch railing.

You fought for composure, for the calm that seemed so elusive now. The cool night air worked its subtle magic, each deep breath grounding you, until you remembered how to breathe properly.

Your thoughts shattered when Dumitru's voice drifted through the closed window, his voice unsteady. "I've put her in danger," he muttered, the gravelly undertone of his voice more pronounced than before. "She must hate me now. I've ruined any chance of being close to her."

The confession halted your retreat, a jumble of emotions clouding your thoughts. Driven by curiosity, heart thudding, you approached the window.

Peering through the glass, the figure you saw made your stomach drop Whatever… glamour that had once cloaked his true form had fallen away, revealing his raw, unmasked essence. His skin was paler now, an ashen hue that seemed almost translucent under the dim light. The sharpness of his features was more pronounced, his cheekbones jutting, his jawline too sharp. Even his ears were elongated, tapering to points that seemed to twitch slightly, angled down in… embarrassment?

Yet, it was the vulnerability in his posture. It was the slumped and uneven shoulders and the haunted look in his eyes, that struck you the most. 

The sight of him, so changed and yet so familiar, stirred a well of emotions within you—fear, yes, but also a deep-seated pull towards him.

With a resolve that surprised even yourself, you turned away from the window, the decision to face what lay inside solidifying with each step. 

Maybe you didn’t understand what was going on, but he was still Dumitru. 

As you re-entered the room, Dumitru's eyes lifted to meet yours, a glimmer of hope flickering there. The sight of him—hunched, nervous, unnatural—didn't repulse you as you might have expected. Instead, a wave of sympathy washed over you.

You approached and took a seat beside him, and it seemed to take both him and Irina by surprise.  You leaned your head against his shoulder, taking comfort in the odd coolness of his skin.

"I'm sorry," you said softly. “For running away.”

Dumitru's response was a soft, pained noise, but he sank into your side anyway. 

Irina watched, a silent observer, saying nothing.

"If people want you dead," you continued, your voice steady, "I'll protect you."

Dumitru smiled, showing razor-sharp teeth. “Thank you.”

***

Over the next few days, the tension began to dissipate, the immediate danger receding into the background as Dumitru's wounds healed. With each passing day, he regained more of his human appearance, until all that remained was a faint scab on his forehead and his unnaturally pointed teeth.

Now, the atmosphere in the kitchen was light, almost domestic, as you and Dumitru moved around each other with an easy familiarity. The sound of sizzling and the aroma of breakfast cooking filled the air, music playing faintly in the background.

"You know, you didn't have to do this," Dumitru said, nodding towards the stove where you were flipping pancakes. His voice was soft, inhuman edge almost gone.

You shrugged, a small smile playing on your lips. "I wanted to. Besides, cooking's more fun with company. Pass the sugar?"

As you reached for the syrup, Dumitru moved to grab the sugar. The brush of his arm against yours sent a jolt through you, and his quick, murmured sorry did little to calm the flutter in your chest.

The urge to turn and kiss him was almost overwhelming, so sudden that it left you breathless. Yet, you held back, acutely aware of Irina's presence just upstairs.

A knock at the door sliced through the comfortable hum of the morning, sending a ripple of tension through you.You weren't expecting anyone, and the timing felt too coincidental for comfort.

Your stomach churned. "I'll check it out. Stay here," you instructed Dumitru, a protective instinct flaring within you as you moved towards the door. 

Irina, alerted by the knock, made her way downstairs, a question in her eyes that mirrored your own concern.

Your hand hesitated on the door handle, the quiet murmur of Dumitru's and Irina's movements behind you a small comfort. With a steadying breath, you opened the door, peering out to confront the source of the disturbance.

Two men stood on your doorstep, their presence immediately setting off alarm bells in your mind. One bore the unmistakable mark of a recent injury, a gash down his cheek in the process of healing.

The only warning you had was Irina’s sharp intake of breath. The men, having spotted Irina, shifted with a predatory quickness.

Before you could react, before you could slam the door or call out for Dumitru, the men darted for you. A forceful push sent you tumbling to the ground, the impact jarring as you hit the floor. 

Pain lit up your side as you landed, vision swimming. Scrambling to regain your footing, your mind raced for solutions, for a way to protect yourself and your friends. 

As one of the intruders lunged towards Irina, the other, knife in hand, loomed menacingly over you. The glint of the blade caught the morning light. Your heart pounded in your chest, pulse roaring in your ears.

Before he could do anything though, a guttural scream pierced the air. 

Suddenly, Dumitru launched himself at the man standing over you with a ferocity that was staggering.

The room became a blur as Dumitru threw himself at the attacker. His movements were swift, driven by a desperation that made him seem larger, more imposing. 

Dumitru and the man slammed into the opposite wall in a tangle of limbs. You caught a flash of sharp teeth and a gaunt, grey face as Dumitru turned to look at you, before rounding on your assailant again.

The other assailant, seeing his companion in distress, quickly joined the fray. Shoving Irina aside, he launched himself at Dumitru, blade catching the light. 

Dumitru tried to dodge, but two against one quickly overwhelmed him. The knife glinted, and suddenly Dumitru was on the ground, writhing, as crimson blood dripped onto your floor.

Seeing Dumitru in trouble, your fear transformed into action. You pushed yourself off the ground, darting for Irinia before either of the men could turn on her.

With Irina safely behind you, you darted into the kitchen, your eyes scanning for anything that could serve as a weapon. The knives, frustratingly, were out of reach, but your gaze landed on a heavy pan resting on the stove. Without hesitation, you seized it, the weight of it oddly comforting in your hands.

As you re-entered the fray, the scene that greeted you was one of grim determination. Dumitru was on the ground, the two men towering over him, their intent clear in their raised weapons. 

Your heart raced, fear and anger swirling within you as you took in the sight of Dumitru, fighting against the odds.

“Come and get me, assholes!”

The nearest one turned just in time to meet the pan as it swung through the air, connecting with a resounding thud. The impact sent him crumpling to the ground, unconscious.

You dropped to Dumitru’s side. “Are you all right?” you asked, taking his jaw in your palm. His old wound had reopened, and his dark eyes met yours.

Then, he surprised you. In one swift movement, he flipped you over, positioning his body as a shield between you and the remaining assailant. The world upended, and for a moment, all you could see was Dumitru's determined gaze.

As the remaining assailant lunged forward, weapon in hand, Dumitru didn't hesitate. Curved around you, a physical barrier against the threat. The blade found its mark, but not in you; Dumitru took the wound meant for you, a grimace of pain briefly contorting his features.

Yet even as he shuddered from the impact, Dumitru's resolve didn't waver. With a swift, almost graceful movement, he disarmed and incapacitated the assailant, knocking him to the ground and sending the knife clattering. 

The last man fell, crumpling next to his unconscious companion, and the immediate threat evaporated.

You finally allowed yourself to breathe, the adrenaline that had sustained you through the confrontation slowly ebbing away.

Dumitru wobbled, his strength waning with the adrenaline's fade, and Irina was there to catch him.

Together, you helped lower him to the ground, your paramedic training springing to the forefront of your mind as you assessed his injuries. The puncture wounds were serious but, thankfully, avoided any vital areas—a small mercy.

"Is that all of them?" you asked, your voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions. "Are more coming after you?"

Dumitru's eyes, clouded with pain, met yours as he shook his head. "That's all," he confirmed, his voice a whisper. "They wanted me dead because of what I am... because I was stupid enough to reveal my true . I thought they were friends.”

The revelation burned like acid. 

Sighing, Irina brushed dark hair from her face. “I’ll get your first aid kit,” she murmured, “it sure has been getting a lot of use lately.”

Irina's quick departure left the hallway feeling suddenly quiet, the aftermath of the chaos settling like dust around you. Your breath came in heavy, uneven pulls, the adrenaline that had spiked through your veins now giving way to relief.

You glanced towards the unconscious men, considering the practicality of securing them to prevent any further threat. "We should probably tie them up, just in case they wake up," you murmured, more to yourself than to Dumitru.

Before you could move to act on your thought, Dumitru's arm encircled your middle, drawing you close with an unexpected gentleness that contrasted sharply with the violence you'd just witnessed. The proximity was startling, his presence a solid reassurance that grounded you amidst the aftermath.

He drew you in, the stark sharpness of his teeth, the undeniable otherness of his face that had once seemed so jarring. Yet now, in the quiet, those inhuman features seemed less like markers of a monster and more like… just like him.

Warmth washed over you, melting away the last dregs of fear. The space between you felt charged with a new understanding.

Without a word, you leaned in and kissed him. His response was immediate, a mingling of relief and something akin to wonder, as if he too had been waiting for this.

Dumitru's lips were cool against yours. There was an underlying taste of copper, a reminder of his injuries, but it did nothing to deter you from pressing yourself closer. If anything, it grounded the kiss in the reality of what you'd both endured, what you'd survived together.

As you pulled away, Dumitru whispered, “thank you.”

Laughter bubbled to the surface. “I didn’t do much, though the pan came in handy.”

"It's not just for the fighting," he clarified, his voice rough. "Thank you for accepting me... for not being afraid of what I am."

His hands, gentle despite their strength, cradled your face, sharp nails skimming across your skin. 

In response, you pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, right above the cut, a silent reassurance. "It's all right now," you murmured.

The bubble burst with Irina's return. She stood at the doorway, a first aid kit in hand and a knowing smile playing on her lips. The amusement in her eyes was clear as she took in the scene before her, her brother and you, together.

"Am I interrupting something?" she teased, the warmth in her voice taking any sting out of the words. "Should I come back later?"

Dumitru's laughter, despite the circumstances, was beautiful. He beckoned Irina closer, and she all but collapsed at his side.

As he attempted to shift into a more comfortable position, a wince of pain flickered across his features. Quick to reassure, he managed a strained smile. "I'm fine," he insisted, though the evidence was to the contrary.

Together, you and Irina set about the task of tending to his wounds, the first aid kit's contents spread out before you. The work was methodical, each bandage and antiseptic application a step towards healing, towards normalcy.

It was inevitable that your thoughts turned to the unconscious men still lying in your home. "What about them?" you asked, your gaze flicking towards the room where they lay. "What do we do with them?"

Dumitru's response was immediate, a shadow of his earlier humor returning. "I'll take care of them," he said, a statement that sent a jolt of alarm through you.

“Wait, hold on—”

"No, no," he assured, shaking his head as much as his injuries would allow. "I'm not going to kill them. I can... make them forget about me."

The concept, so outlandish yet spoken with such certainty, left you reeling. Then again, everything else was so crazy, why not?

With Dumitru's wounds carefully tended to, the atmosphere in the room shifted, the tension easing. You leaned in, and with a gentle sureness, you kissed him. His lips were cold against yours, and his teeth grazed your lip with an edge of sharpness.

“I don’t know how the hell we managed that,” you murmured, “but the three of us made a pretty good team.”

"We did," Dumitru agreed.

Then, heedless of Irina’s laugh, you dove in for another kiss.

[fcknstar]

,, the innocence is gone "

pairings : gf!ethanlandry x fem!reader ( vesper )

summary : what happens when history tends to repeat himself?

content warnings : violence, betrayal, obsession.

**lowercase intended**

" ghostface would be attractive if he didnt kill.. " you voiced out, in your own world when the whole group turned to face you in shock. 

" uhm.. i think thats a bit far fetch dont you think? " mindy cringed. 

how can the thought of someone with a mask pull your heartstrings, or even turn you on.

" i mean, in my opinion he could be pretty hot. " you shrugged. 

the group wasnt new on your interests in slashers, criminals. you figured that it was always the attractive ones who killed. they just found it weird considering you, mindy, the carpenter sisters and chad nearly got killed by one. 

" coping mechanisms. " quinn laughed the tension off, with the rest awkwardly nodding. 

★ 

ever since ethan joined the group, you have been nothing but attached. how did a good looking guy - a snack - be so lonely. you thought he had someone in his mind, the one you knew you couldnt occupy. but he did. you. but he soon swallowed the feeling down to focus on his mission. he knew he had to kill you, so why did your existence crumble him. making him question about his true intentions. 

" i had econ! " he defended himself as mindy analyzed ethan. 

you saw ethan leaving the apartment so you did trust him. 

" mindy, he did leave the apartment, remember? " you whispered, eyes closed as you listened to the rustling sounds around you. 

" see? " 

" vesper, you are next in my list- " 

" what? just because i defended him doesnt make me the killer. and you know for a fact i would never considering the fucking shit weve been through! " you couldnt believe your ears, your own best friend not trusting you. 

" mindy, i think you are over- analysing everything right now. " sam sighed. she trusted you, even if she knew she couldn't trust anyone. but youve been there for her and tara since day one. 

" fine, but ethan is still on the top of my list. " ethan bringing his hands up in defeat. giving him a lopsided smile, he returned a sad smile back.

everyone were starting to turn their backs on their own people, those that had to relive such traumatic moments. 

★ 

" hello? " 

" hey, ves! i was wondering if you could head down to the library? i need your help. " your friends voice begging for a yes to come out from you. instead a -

" no, im sorry. im with ethan right now, catching up on some shit i dont understand. ill try to come down as soon as possible though! " ethans eyes darting to your face. he loved the way you said his name. how sweet and soft youd say it, as if he was a fragile doll you had to take care off. 

" oh man, alright sure! just text me - update me yea! bye! " a sigh was heard from the other side. 

" bye love~ " you giggled. you were often flirtatious with your closest friends. ethan - not knowing the gender of the caller, narrowed his eyes. 

" so sorry about that- " 

" who was that? " ethan couldnt help but ask. he just had to know. if you couldnt be his, you shouldn't be anyones. 

" lana, she needed help with something. i dont know. " ethan nodded. 

★ 

ethan has yet to leave your side since the van. he needed to be with you as long as he could before he killed you, as him or as ghostface. so when gale brought you and the others down to the shrine, you realized ethans hand around your wrist. 

looking up at him, him smiled. 

" cant let you leave my sight knowing youd go crazy over this stuff. might lose you on the way. " you chuckled. 

looking over the items, you couldn't help but wonder how did someone collect items that was about six years ago - or even more. walking up on stage, you grazed every piece of black robe that could be filled with blood. this was a new feeling and you liked it. 

" remember how you said that ghostface was attractive, i get how someone might like him. " ethan blurted out. 

" haha very funny eth. " rolling your eyes, knowing that he's just trying to annoy you. 

" i mean look at amber freeman. she was hot. quite literally. "

you stopped at amber freemans robe, such events replaying. 

" welcome to act three. " you stumbled backwards watching as she aimed the gun at you.

" its sad that that pretty face will be gone to waste. " amber made a pouty face. you liked amber, maybe more than just a friend. of course you found her attractive, even with her reveal. but you couldnt.

it felt as if someone took your heart out, squeezed it and pushed it back in. you had to digest so many information and your dumb brain couldnt handle it. you didnt want it to happen again, knowing you couldnt take another heart break.

" ves? " ethan placed an arm on your shoulder. 

" sorry? " 

" you alright? " you nodded, afraid that your voice might crack. 

you coped up with everything by searching on slashers, even learning their tactics. it was interesting to say the least. you soon became obsessed with one you didnt even acknowledge. you should have known.

★

sam and tara pulled you behind them as ghostface removed his mask, revealing ethan. 

his gloomy face was replaced with a menacing smile. you tuned everything out, realizing that everything this happening again. fuck, you thought. ethan was a shy dorky guy, and now standing in front of you is a killer that you liked. oddly enough, you didn't feel betrayed or even hurt. he looked hot, with his hair sticking to his forehead and his breathing heavy. thoughts of blood on his face couldnt help but flood your mind. you just didnt want to die. not yet. 

you didn't even realize when ethans rounding the corner, near the glass display you and sam were standing at. 

you being the closest one, he pulled you, placing the knife against your neck. 

" fuck, eth- " your voice died down in your throat when you felt him press the knife further into your neck. 

" no- " sam and tara wanted to run towards you when quinn stopped them. 

" no, no you little fuckers, you aren't going anywhere. " before walking towards them, ethan walked with you, following quinns steps. your back against his front, you felt his heart thumping hard. probably due to adrenaline. you were going to die. tonight. in the hands of ethan. 

quinn lunged forwards before tara smacked quinn with a brick, knocking her out. 

that was when bailey aimed the gun towards the sisters. 

" you brought a brick to a gun fight.. quite sad isnt it. that you have to die this way. "

" sam- " out of instinct, you jolted forward, forgetting the knife against your neck. you had cut your neck slightly, as you pushed yourself further behind against ethan. 

" you sweet dumb thing. too stupid to not realize that you may cut yourself. " ethan pouted before pulling you away from the others. 

sam and tara saw ethan pushing you forward with the knife against your back. shit, they thought. 

before you could even ask him where he was bringing you, he stabbed you in the arm. 

" ive always wanted to stick something in you, ves! " he smiled victoriously.

" fuck you, eth! " you breathed.

" is that an offer? " shaking his head, he continued, "since i like you, ill spare you. " 

he has made up his mind.

a.n : have been vv obsessed lately, requests coming soon <3

[flowersandbigteeth]

Can you PLEEEEASE do more with the Hesian rancher he's my absolute favorite. I just want an update with him slowly more and more considering the human as a sentient being (maybe finds drawings or the human trying to teach herself how to speak galactic standard) but still loves her unconditionally and listens to her while still conditioning her to be his mate. This man makes me too hot and bothered for my own good 🥵

I had a bit of fluff written about them along those lines before I got sick, so here ya go ^_^ this is just a sfw thing

Hesian Alien (Kostas) x female reader

Word Count: 1k

🌶️ NSFW MASTERPOST 🌶️ (the first part of this story is nsfw, fyi)

W: petification, brief non-serious mention of suicide

“SOMEONE END ME. PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY.” you wrote in the dirt with a stick you’d found. 

“Are you drawing, (Y/N)?” Kostas asked, as he breezed past you holding a big fluffy sheep thing, “that’s very detailed and pretty.” 

You glared at him and snarled. 

“I hate this and I hate you!” you stomped your feet and kicked over a pile of some kind of purple hay. 

The rancher didn’t even look over his shoulder. This wasn’t the first or last tantrum you’d had since he’d dragged you along behind him on a leash while he tended to his fluff balls. You had regained your stamina after he’d fed you and had been relatively docile until it got hot outside. 

Now you were sweating, the sun was beating down and it was obvious he wasn’t even halfway through whatever it was he was doing to the docile little creatures. One of them wandered over to you and poked at you with its trunk. You tried to growl at it, but it just gave you an empty look with dopey eyes and you felt bad. 

You flopped on your back on the ground, tugging on your leash, which Kostas had tied to a fence post. 

“Aaaaaaaaaggggghhhh!” you screamed. 

A shadow passed over you and you went still in the sudden coolness, smiling a little. 

“You’re going to have to learn to express yourself more appropriately, (Y/N),” Kostas’ deep voice rumbled. 

He reached down and brushed the sweat off of your forehead.

“If you are hot, you have to tell me so I can help you,” he said, “kicking things doesn’t let me know what is wrong.” 

Your eyes got huge and there was a moment before you lost your shit. 

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO THIS ENTIRE TIME YOU BIG DUMB STRAWBERRY HIMBO!?” you screamed, jumping up and waving your hands. 

Kostas chuckled at you and walked over to a cooler to get you a weird gel cube of water before handing it to you. 

“You’re so cute,” he said, patting your head as he watched you rub the blessedly cool thing all over your cheeks and chest, “you’re supposed to eat it.” 

You bared your teeth at him and he pulled another one from the cooler and bit off the corner, before snatching you up in his big hand and squirting some in your mouth. 

“MPHH!” you gulped as you swallowed and glared at him. 

“You’re going to learn some Galactic Standard words today,” he informed you, watching you drink the rest of the cube in his hand, “I know you’re not stupid, despite what the Ozil would have us believe.”

He smiled at you. 

“I wanna see how clever you really are.” 

Your eyebrows went up at his first acknowledgement that you might actually be sentient. He narrowed his eyes on you and pulled your hand to his lips. Your cheeks flushed immediately. 

“Focus here,” he said, his intense gold and green eyes forcing yours to his mouth. 

You caught a flash of fang as he spoke and your heart fluttered. He nodded up. 

“See the sun? That’s hot. HOT.” 

Since the translator installed in your body did a lot of the comprehension work for you, you had to focus on the way his lips moved to actually figure out the word he was saying and then try to replicate it. 

“Hot,” you finally managed after a few mangled attempts. 

He grinned and pointed to the cooler. 

“The water in the cooler is COLD. Can you say that? COLD.” 

You took your time, this time feeling his lips move as he repeated the word for you. 

“Cold,” you managed. 

“So how do you feel?” he asked, testing if you really understood him. 

“Hot,” you said and he beamed. 

“What do you want?” he asked. 

“Cold,” you said. 

“That’s amazing (Y/N)!” he cheered for you, spinning around and tossing you in the air, before catching you again, making you shriek, “I knew you were clever!” 

You would have been indignant, because of course you were, if he hadn’t of proceeded to shower you with a flurry of kisses on your cheeks and the corners of your mouth. 

He looked at you for a second. 

“I bet you could read too, if I taught you,” he said thoughtfully, and glanced back at the cooler. 

“See that word on the front? I’ll show you letters later, but for now you can learn what words look like. That means cooler.” 

You nodded sagely. Your intelligence being acknowledged went a long way in improving your mood. Somehow you felt like you’d gained a victory and the rest of your afternoon was much more entertaining as you spent it pointing at various things and making Kostas give you the word for them. By dinner you were working with a small vocabulary of basic nouns. 

“Do you want to try and say my name, (Y/N)?” he asked as the sun set and he led you back to his house, your work done for the day, “it’s Kostas. Kos-tas.”

You beamed up at him with mischief. 

“HIM-BO” you pronounced carefully in English. 

He frowned at you as this was the first time you’d done something incorrect all day. 

“No, Kost-as,” he tried again, pulling your hand to his mouth, “K-K-kossstaaasss”

“Hiiiimbo,” you said giggling. 

He twisted his lip and stared at you for a moment before it dawned on him you were teasing him somehow. He gave you a smirk and narrowed his eyes at you. “I think you are a lot smarter than they said you were,” he murmured, tossing you over his shoulder and smacking your bottom, making you squeal.

[osleeplessflowero]

got a bit in my feels recently, and came up with this as a result of that. enjoy :] might get a little angsty. but dust is here to help :) Remember, if you are going through a rough period in your life..you're not alone. Someone out there really cares about you. Keep going, you're doing great.

A chill breeze blows through the morning air. Grass is covered in dew from the rain that fell the previous day. A fog is present, showing up in random areas.

..You weren't in your room when he checked. Dust had wanted to check on you, see how you were doing. But you weren't in your room to begin with, which worried him a little bit. He mentioned this to Nightmare, who suggested where you could possibly be.

A portal opens, Dust steps through. Shoving his hands into his jacket pockets and glancing around before spotting an old children's playground. An entire area for children to play, alone now and rusted. Likely having not been touched in a good while. He spots you lying down on the roof of a play structure, and decides to walk over to avoid spooking you with a shortcut like he's done before.

He climbs up, sitting beside you. You turn your head to look at him with tired, lonely eyes. A vacant expression on your face. It's..odd, to him. He's so used to seeing the bright and cheery-eyed version of you that..the idea of you being in a state like this had never once crossed his mind. So worn down..lost. Unsure.

"..he told me i'd find you here." He starts off, turning his skull to look at you. You smile a little, but this one is more..sad than he's used to.

"I figured as much." You reply, turning your focus back to the dim sky that's eagerly awaiting the sun's arrival. He rests his hand beside you, waiting in case you want to hold it at any point. You appreciate the gesture, even if you don't outright say that.

"what's on your mind?" He asks, kicking his legs back and forth as they dangle off the edge. "..It's a lot." You reply, your eyes narrowing a little almost making a pained expression.

"i've got plenty of time." He reassures you with a fond smile you've grown to love. Tears prick at the corners of your eyes as you avert them away from him..his smile lowers a little at that.

"Everything is so fucked, Dust. It sucks. Life is just..it's all too much for me to bear. It's just weighing down on me. ..I wish I could go back to being a kid. Not having to worry about anything other than what to play with next. Not having to worry about what tomorrow brings, because back then..every single day was fun. We could look forward to the future. But now that we're in it?.. All I seem to want is to go back. Not have to grow bitter with the rest of the world. ..My mind is still young, but my body isn't. And I hate that."

"..i get that. ..wantin' to go back to when everything was peaceful. bright, cheery. the world nowadays can be pretty damn cruel when you're grown. you know more. you realize more. ..how messed up a lot of it is."

You turn to him.

"but yet..growin' up doesn't mean it's the end of the world. that you can't find happiness in it anymore. ..you still live, even if you're not an innocent kid anymore. you can still find joy in the little things around you. and when things get tough..you've always got someone around who you can talk to about it. like me, or..any of the others. we'll always take the time to listen to you. a lot's goin' on in the world right now, sure. but you can't let that drag you down. ..i know that i can't escape my past. my actions, what i've done."

You sit up, leaning on his arm a bit and placing your hand over his, squeezing it.

"i can't go back. and..i've come to terms with that. i can't undo what i did. but..i won't let that suffocate me now. there were times where things were fine, i can always look back to them and smile. but i also wanna find those little good moments now, and savor them. like..hm, like when we met you." He smiles at you, and you return it.

"you mean a lot to us. more than you realize. you take care of us, so..let us take care of you too when things feel grim. at the very least..let me. i'll always be here to listen."

You reach up your hand, wiping away your tears.

"Thanks..Sans."

He leans his head on top of yours. "anytime, sweetheart."

The sun slowly begins to rise, casting its light over the playground. Dust looks down to ask if you want to go home yet, when he sees that you've fallen asleep on his shoulder. With a fond smile, he picks you up, going through a portal and returning to Nightmare's castle.

[calif0rnia-lovers]

heartbeats - prologue.

series masterlist

pairing: joaquin torres x mutant!reader

sum: When a highly sought-after mutant's safe house is compromised, Sam Wilson entrusts her protection to the unassuming Lieutenant Joaquin Torres. Tasked with transporting her to a rendezvous point, Joaquin is unaware of the full extent of her importance. Convincing her he's the man for the job proves to be a difficult task.

“You’re not getting her.”

“Do you realize the kind of shit your friend got you into?” Kane taunted. "Huh? I bet he didn't even tell you what she can do."

Kane’s dark chuckle echoed ominously through the town square, an unsettling contrast to the distant sounds of the festival you and Joaquin had escaped.

A memory flashed in Joaquin’s mind, a brief but intense exchange with Sam Wilson merely a week and half ago.

Sam studied Joaquin's face. For the first time, in the time he'd known him, Joaquin was silent. His focus, not spent on studying your file but, on your picture.

“So…she's a mutant. Like Wolverine?” Joaquin had asked, his voice edged with concern.

“It's complicated," Sam had replied, shaking his head. “She’s—there’s no one like her.”

“What’s that mean?” Joaquin pressed, seeking clarity. Trying to find answers in the pair of innocent eyes looking back at him. In your hastily taken photo you appeared normal.

Sam had sighed deeply, his gaze serious. “Can’t say.”

“Come on, man. You can trust me,” Joaquin had urged. "I'm not gonna tell anyone--"

“I know, kid. And I do. That’s why you’re the only one I’ve asked to do this. But the less you know, about her abilities, the better.”

The memory dissolved as Joaquin refocused, his gun shifting with precision to point directly at Kane’s heart. The muzzle gleamed ominously in the dim light.

“I know she's important, and you can't take her," Joaquin challenged. "Just like I know if you take one more step in her direction, a bullet's coming. I'll empty the entire clip if I have to."

Kane studied Joaquin with a dismissive tilt of his head, a sneer playing at his lips. To anyone who glanced quickly, Joaquin might have seemed inexperienced, but his eyes burned with a fierce determination that belied his appearance.

"You're willing to stake your life on the words of Sam Wilson?" Kane scoffed, motioning around tbe quickly emptying time square. "A man who isn't even here to help you protect her?"

“For her,” Joaquin said, his voice cold and unwavering, “I’ll stake my life, and lay you down, for good.”

The man’s grin widened, and he whistled sharply. The sound sliced through the tension like a sinister signal, prompting more figures to emerge from the shadows. Their faces were obscured, wearing masks similar to Kane's, but their intentions were clear.

Joaquin stepped back once, his movements precise, and you followed, your hand pressing firmly against his back. He shifted a second time, and then a third. Until cold stone met your shoulders. He had you positioned against the wall, giving him a clear vantage point to monitor every angle and anticipate any surprise.

"Stay behind me, no matter what happens," Joaquin ordered, his voice low. "Understand?"

He didn't leave room for a response. For once, in the time you've been together, there was not a protest.

Joaquin’s grip on his gun tightened, his entire stance radiating unyielding resolve. The square seemed to constrict around you, but amid the chaos, you felt a strange calm, knowing Joaquin was resolute in his defense.

“Last chance,” Kane chuckled, eyes drifting to his soldiers waiting to pounce. "You don't know who you're dealing with, kid."

Joaquin’s finger tightened on the trigger, his eyes locked on the man with piercing intensity. “Neither do you.”

Kane motioned for his men to advance, a cold smile curving his lips. Joaquin’s gaze remained locked on Kane, despite the figures rushing your way, his resolve unshakable.

Kane’s eyes narrowed as he took a deliberate step forward, Joaquin’s gun fired with a sharp, decisive crack.

[complexparadox1]

Like The Flowers Need The Rain

Alright so I have FINALLY made a sort of part 2 to my story The Devil Within. This is a Bonten Mikey x Fem! Reader one shot. Now this can be read alone or after The Devil Within as I see it as either the happy ending to that story line or as an entirely alternate plot where they get to be happy in the end. Now this version does not have smut as the other version does I just wanted it to be kind of wholesome and sweet 🥹 only warnings are Mikey being a bit aggressive with the reader at one point, and Mikey having a bit of sewerslidal desires for a brief moment. With that I hope you guys like it 🩷

Your feet felt a bit unsteady as you walked, you felt cold and not just from the chilly fall air that swirled around you as you steadily progressed forwards. Placing one foot in front of the other as you walked towards the large building before you. As for the reason you were approaching the building it was because it was owned and operated by Bonten. You were bound and determined to see Manjiro again. Now granted from the whispers you'd heard it wasn't necessarily guaranteed he'd be here but you at least had to try right?

You stepped inside the lavish building, a fancy bar, technically it was a multilevel building with a bar, restaurant and many other similar businesses. After all Bonten was a huge criminal organization they had to launder their money somehow. Your gaze was quick to scan across the room before landing on the long snowy white haired man you were told to look for, Koko, he was the bookkeeper for Bonten. He handled the finances and worked directly for Manjiro. He sat in a small secluded booth in the corner of the bar area, there were a few security officers around him but still you approached each step soft and hesitant. "Excuse me?" You inquired nervously stopping three feet before the security guards standing in front of you, leaving a fair amount of distance between yourself and Koko. "Uhm...I was…looking for Manjiro…Manjiro Sano?" Your voice was meek and trembling and you could feel the nerves building with each syllable you spoke. You of course had no idea how this man would react to you approaching him or if he would even help.

Koko set down the glass in his hand and took a moment to focus on the figure that had approached. A small woman all on her own, venturing into territory that was almost guaranteed to cause her great trouble. He narrowed his eyes, taking in the person before him. She looked vaguely familiar perhaps? The woman seemed nervous, trembling slightly as she spoke. His gaze flickered to the men at his side before he waved them back, allowing the clearly nervous female to approach.

"Manjiro?" He repeated her words, brow furrowed. "So you know him, or did you just come looking for the leader of Bonten just for the fun of it?" Koko's tone was dark, his voice as dead as his expression. A razor-sharp mind, and a man who could see through a person in the blink of an eye.

"Don't tell me you're one of those idiots wanting to snitch," He said, leaning back in his seat. "You know how it always ends for them. If you're looking for him, you'd better tell me why I should send a message.”

You felt a jolt spark through you as Koko spoke and you made the decision to bow slightly attempting to show a level of respect. You knew full well what you were doing was beyond foolish, beyond dangerous, but still you had to try. "My apologies sir I do know him, although I haven't seen him in a long time now. I promise I'm not here to cause any trouble and I understand he might not even be here but if you could...if you would tell him I came here looking for him I would greatly appreciate it." You allowed yourself to stand back up. You felt so small standing in front of the shrewd bookkeeper. You could see why he managed the finances for Bonten, he was quick, he was smart, and his words were sharp. "I could give you more details if you would like but I know you're a very busy man and I wouldn't want to waste your time on details you may not have any concern for." You tried to be sure the tone with which you spoke was even and that you were blunt and to the point. This was a businessman, so you had to speak in a business sort of way while also realizing you were standing in front of one of the many heads of the criminal organization that was Bonten.

Koko's eyes narrowed, somehow not convinced of the woman's honesty. But he didn't press further, it wasn't his place to do so. "In that case, I'll see about reaching him. Though as I said, he's a busy man, can't say if he'll have the time to see you."

He waved a hand at the men standing by his side and whispered something into the ear of one of them. The man nodded and left, leaving Koko to sit there as he had been before. "You can wait here if you wish, or leave. If Manjiro wishes to meet you, I'll send someone to make arrangements."

His tone was unchanging, his expression the same cold mask it had always been. "We're not someplace one just walks in and out of freely." Koko reminded you his eyes flicking up to meet hers. "For your own safety, I'd suggest not waiting around aimlessly. Not in these parts.”

His words sent a strange feeling through your bones. It wasn't a full green light but it was close enough. "Thank you very much sir, would it be ok if I sat over there and waited?" You pointed to a small booth only two away from his own with his security, far enough away to not bother or be too close to him but close enough his security could keep his eyes on you and you would hopefully not be considered any level of trouble or problem. "If...if you get a hold of him and he doesn't want to speak to me or see me I'll leave, no worries or fussing I certainly don't want to cause you any difficulties." Your heart was absolutely hammering against your ribs, you wanted to be sure you moved correctly in this moment. Manjiro had left you to protect you from himself and from Bonten and here you were walking directly into the middle of it. You couldn't be sure how he would react but you knew he would react. You hoped he would at least.

Koko raised his eyebrow, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "As you wish." He responded, inclining his head in your direction.

With a flick of his wrist, he gestured for another of the security officers, a young man who seemed to have the good sense to follow Koko's every command. "See that she's not bothered while she waits." You bowed once again to Koko feeling truly thankful for his help although you got the feeling he was also gaining some level of interest from this. "Thank you very much sir." You expressed your thankfulness once again before being led over to the table by the guard. Who once you were settled stood before the table with his arms folded across his chest. You fidgeted nervously as you waited but you tried to hold composure, after all you had stepped into Bontens world but you still hadn't actually seen Manjiro yet and that would be the real test. You didn't know if he'd be angry, furious, scared, concerned, all of the above. You had no clue how he would react to you being here and would have to wait and find out and that thought alone was nerve wracking.

Koko turned back to the glass of whiskey that had grown warm, a small smirk playing on his lips. "You're a brave one. Most wouldn't dare step into our world, not since Toman fell." He murmured to himself, raising the glass to his lips again.

He was waiting too, for the return message, wondering if Manjiro would deem the woman worth his time. There was the clink of glasses, the murmur of conversations, but the air around the trio was thick with tension.

It wasn't long before Koko's communicator buzzed, and he picked it up, listening to the person on the other line. His expression remained the same, unreadable. "Yes, he'll see you. In the private room upstairs." He relayed the message to the guard, who then gestured for you to stand. "Follow me." He said simply and you practically scurried from the booth to follow the guard, nodding your head to Koko in another silent thanks as the guard began leading the way out of the bar area and up the stairs, your heart rate climbing higher with each step.

Once they'd arrived at the private room, the guard stood back, leaving you to enter on your own. Your hands trembled as you opened the door to the opulent private room stepping in as the door closed almost noiselessly behind you. You stood in front of the door for a moment before taking a small step forwards.

The room was larger, far more luxurious than the bar area, and at the end of the room stood Manjiro. He had a glass of liquor in his hand, and as you entered, he raised it in a vague sort of salute. "Y/n." He said your name, sounding almost as if it had been ripped from his mouth. "Why are you here?" His eyes were dark, but he did not move from where he stood.

His voice stopped you for a moment. You questioned if perhaps you’d made a mistake, you couldn't gauge him at all at this moment. "I...I didn't want things to just...end how they did." Your mind flashed back to a time quite a while ago, him leaving your apartment, telling you he couldn't bear to see you suffer due to the darkness his life was now shrouded in. "I'm sorry...I know I shouldn't have come here, I know you probably didn't want me to come here but I had to." Your voice was quiet and as much as you wanted to get closer to him you didn't take another step leaving almost the entire length of the room between the two of you.

Manjiro's gaze swept over you, his body tensing ever so slightly. His free hand clenched into a fist by his side, the tension building in the room. "You don't know what you're doing." He warned, his voice low and deep, the tone filled with warning.

He moved slowly towards you, not rushing, but determined to bridge the gap. When he was close enough, he roughly grabbed your upper arm with his free hand, the grip firm and demanding. "You could get yourself killed." He didn't let go of his rough grip on your arm, and for a brief moment, the glass teetered in his other hand, the liquor sloshing inside. "Why did you come?" He repeated the question, his voice gruff and emotionless. He needed to know why you'd willingly stepped into the lion's den, knowing full well the dangers that awaited you here.

You stared up at him and it felt like your heart entirely stopped for a moment. As though everything in the world just stopped and it was just the two of you and that was all there was. He'd never acted like this with you before, he'd always been soft, sweet, even at his most broken he'd always been tender towards you. You'd known this was a potential outcome but now that you found yourself standing here in front of him you froze up for a moment. "You're right, I know, I know I could get myself killed. I know coming here was stupid and I knew you were probably going to be upset but God damn it Manjiro-" of course your voice would crack when you said his name and you silently cursed this fact as you once more tried to regain composure. "I love you, I don't care about all of this. Please...Manjiro." You were trembling now, looking up at him with tears starting to well up in your eyes. "I understand that we don't get to have the bright shiny future we used to picture when we were kids and I'm ok with that, that's fine. What I want is you." The words were blunt, spoken clearly despite the trembling of your tone.

Manjiro glared down at you, the anger and frustration boiling beneath the surface. But so was the longing, the need that you'd awakened as soon as he'd set eyes on you. "You can't have me." He spat the words with such venom, the grip on your arm not loosening in the least.

"You can't be here. You can't know this part of me." He said it like it was a curse, something he wished to keep hidden forever. He was just as trembling, the emotions threatening to spill over, but he refused to let them. Not now. Manjiro took in a shaky breath, his hold on your arm loosening as he let out another breath. "Leave." He said it coldly, the emotions finally settling down. His voice was harsh, his tone flat. "This is not your world." He let go of your arm, taking a step back, before turning and walking away. You were shaking in every limb feeling absolutely boneless even as he let go of his grasp on your arm. It took a moment to find your words once again. "I know this part whether you want me to or not." You words were soft and warbly with emotion but you refused to back down, at least not just yet. "I came and found you, I knew who to talk to, even if I leave right now I came here. I was here, people saw me here. I spoke to the bookkeeper of the whole Bonten enterprise. You can't change that no matter how much you want to." You stared at him feeling like the floor would fall out from under your feet at any moment and swallow you whole. "If you want me to leave I'll leave but I came here for a reason. I knew what I was doing by coming here, and I know the repercussions that might have." Granted there were certainly things you didn't know. As you were not well versed with the criminal underground, or the problems that could arise due to your coming here. You didn't want to cause trouble for Bonten or for Manjiro. You just wanted him to see that you weren't afraid of the potential repercussions to yourself by coming here.

Manjiro stood by the table, his back to you. He was tense, but his shoulders slumped, the emotional exhaustion evident. It was as if it was too much to bear. The glass was set down on a small table, the liquor left untouched. "Don't come here again." His voice was hushed, a warning and a threat. "You still don't seem to understand." He said, his voice strained. "Coming here, it could have gotten you killed." He turned to face you again, a pained look on his face. "Or worse. You're innocent. This is not where you belong." His voice cracked, and he pressed his lips together before looking away. He couldn't bear to see you, not when he was already so conflicted. "I know you probably think that you're doing this for me, that I'm better off without you but that's not true, no matter how much you might want it to be." You saw him wince at your words but he was quick to recover. "I can't...I can't let you stay." He said, the words sounding pained as they left his mouth. As he turned back towards the door, he hesitated, his hand closing around the knob. "Stay safe." He muttered, the door closing softly behind him, leaving you alone in the room.

There was a soft buzz of Koko's communicator, and he stood, heading upstairs to relay the message to the guard. "Let her out, and see she gets home safely." Koko instructed. Before you could be left with just the guard who had led you upstairs to begin with, you paused for a moment in front of Koko. "I...I don't know if...if you are friends with him or...if this is simply business but if it's not could I ask you to make sure he's ok?" You knew it was probably a stupid thing to ask, Koko was obviously Manjiros subordinate. Simply a bookkeeper for the organization, but perhaps even if he wasn't close to Manjiro perhaps he knew someone that was or he could help somehow? You wanted to be sure that at least you had tried to do something to perhaps soothe any hurts you may have caused to Manjiro.

Koko frowned, a look that appeared almost as if he was considering the request. He knew better than most the state of his leader's mind, the ramifications of what he'd become. Koko was particularly good at reading others, it was half the reason he maintained the position he did within Bonten. “I'll see what I can do." He offered a small incline of his head. "You're a brave one, and I can respect that." He watched as you were escorted off by the guard quietly, knowing that the situation was not over. You had stepped into a dangerous game, and you were just as much at risk as Manjiro. But he could see the resolve in your eyes, the determination to see this through.

Koko returned to his seat, pouring himself another glass of whiskey. "He's not used to people reaching out to him." He mused, a small smile tugging at his lips. Koko lifted the glass to his lips, taking a long sip before returning to his work, thoughts lingering on the strange interaction he'd been a part of.

Once you had arrived home, closing the door to your tiny apartment you finally allowed yourself to dissolve into tears. Collapsing onto your bed and sobbing painfully hard, chest rattling and heaving as tears poured from your eyes and staining the bedding. It hurt, love hurt so badly but it was also all that you wanted.

Of course Manjiro couldn't sleep, his mind swirling with thoughts of you. What you'd said haunted him, the words replaying in his head over and over. He was sitting at his desk, a glass of whiskey in front of him as he stared at a photo you had given him years ago. He grit his teeth, the anger and frustration boiling beneath the surface. But the more he tried to push away the thoughts, the more they seemed to cling.

He took a long pull from the glass, the liquor burning as it went down his throat. His eyes met the photo once more, the regret and longing evident in his expression. For the first time in a long while, he found himself wishing for a different life. One where he could be with you, a life where the two of you could be happy, far away from the darkness that had consumed him. But the thought was fleeting, chased away by the reality of his situation.

The tension within Bonten was palpable the next day, the other members sensing the change in atmosphere. Manjiro was distant, more focused on the tasks at hand than he had ever been. Buried in work, and drowning his thoughts in alcohol.

Koko watched him closely, his gaze weighing the situation. He knew that your visit had affected his leader more than he cared to admit. The bookkeeper made a note to himself, to keep an eye on Manjiro.

For now, he would do as he'd promised, but the situation was far from over. And neither was Manjiro's turmoil.

The next day you were left feeling absolutely hollowed out, as if you had exhausted every single bit of emotion you had within yourself the prior night with Manjiro. Luckily you didn't have to work today so instead you merely curled up within your bed half wishing to not exist and also wishing that you could just fast-forward to the part of life where you were finally happy. But you knew both of these things were impossible so you merely laid in bed scrolling aimlessly through social media in a futile effort to distract your brain. The thought of Manjiro made laps around your mind regardless though. Wondering what he was doing, how he was feeling, what was going to happen next but every time you gently pushed the thoughts back. There was no use thinking on it for now, if he wanted to find you he would, if he wanted to get into contact he had all the resources to do so. All you could do for the moment was wait, left in a painful limbo until Manjiro either showed up or didn't.

Manjiro's focus was solely on work, anything to distract him from the thoughts that threatened to consume him. He was more ruthless than ever, showing no mercy to those who crossed him.

Koko watched with a mixture of concern and admiration, noting the changes in his leader. He realized that the visit had shaken Manjiro to his core, perhaps opening up an illusion he'd been clinging onto for too long. Bonten's operations ran smoothly, but the tension within the ranks was palpable. Koko made a point to relay a message to you, using an encrypted method to ensure your safety. "He's unreachable. But I can confirm he's well for now." The message was brief, but it was meant to offer some reassurance while also informing you of the current situation.

Manjiro's head was down, lost in his thoughts, as he navigated the complex web of criminal activity. He seemed almost... possessed, as if driving himself to the edge to prove something to himself, or perhaps even to you.

Koko shook his head, watching from the sidelines. The situation between the two of you was far from resolved, and the consequences, if not handled carefully, could be disastrous for the pair.

Across town you still laid in your bed. You practically jumped when the phone buzzed with the message from an unfamiliar number you could assume to be Koko by the content of the message, nearly falling out of bed as you lurched upright. You read the words, over and over again. You felt a bit of the tension in your chest unfurl just ever so slightly. "Thank you I appreciate you making sure he's ok." The response was typed and sent quickly and the message was to the point and you flopped back into bed staring up at the ceiling.

You wondered what he'd meant by unreachable. Knowing Manjiro he was simply drowning out how he was feeling by doing anything else. That was how he'd always been, avoiding the emotions of the problem even when he was dealing with the problem. While normally that had been in relation to gang activity and his friends you had to wonder if the same logic would transfer over to this scenario.

The next few days were a blurry haze. You merely functioned on autopilot, wake up, work, come home, dinner, sleep and rinse and repeat that cycle. It was like the world had faded out to grayscale and you knew that wouldn't change until you saw Manjiro again. While Kokos message had eased some of the tension, your heart still ached dully in your chest with every beat it made against your ribs.

Manjiro continued his assault on the city's underbelly, his relentless drive seemingly fueled by the need to prove something to himself. He was a force to be reckoned with, and those who dared to cross him faced the wrath of a man with nothing to lose.

Koko watched from the sidelines, admiration mingled with concern as he observed the transformation unfolding before his eyes. He knew Manjiro's heart was heavy, and he could sense that the presence of the woman he'd once loved, and perhaps still did, was weighing on him like a burden.

News of Bonten's increased dominance reached the other factions, instilling fear and respect. It seemed that Manjiro had channeled his turmoil in the only way he knew how, and it was proving to be effective.

As for you, you remained in the dark, unaware of the chaos Bonten was causing in the city. You kept a low profile, determined not to draw any unwanted attention to yourself. You knew full well that things between yourself and Manjiro were far from over, and you held onto the sliver of hope that he'd reach out soon.

Out of the blue and as if reading your mind, Koko sent another message, using the same encrypted method. "He's coming for you." The message was short but left no room for ambiguity.

Your heart raced, the phone shaking in your hand as you read the words. The tension in the air around you was palpable, as if you were about to step into a battle which you couldn't possibly predict the outcome of.

Manjiro was on his way as rapidly as he could be, the need to see you again overwhelming his better judgment. He'd been trying to push away the thoughts, to drown them in work and alcohol, but your words kept drumming in his head for days now and even still as he made his way to your home.

Once Manjiro arrived at the apartment building, the atmosphere was heavy as he approached the front door. He had a gun in his pocket, ready for anything.

He hesitated for a moment, hand gripping the handle as he steeled himself for what was to come. A deep breath later, and he let the hand fall away from the handle, turning to leave.

But something within him made him pause. Your words echoed in his thoughts: "I love you, I don't care about all of this. Please...Manjiro."

He found himself back at the door, knocking loudly. He hadn't planned on this, it was impulsive, but he couldn't bring himself to leave without seeing your face again.

He waited, glancing at the gun in his pocket, and then back at the door. What was he going to say? What was he going to do?

He didn't have an answer, only the need to see you.

Hearing the loud knock resounding through your apartment you had practically vaulted out of bed and to the front door. Quick to unlock it and pull it open. Seeing Manjiro standing there it felt like everything else, the gray faded world you had been living in for days now, faded out and now all the focus immediately went to him. "Hi." The word came out a bit out of breath, probably from practically teleporting across the apartment to answer the door. You stepped aside so he could actually come inside. He looked exhausted, far more so than usual and as he stepped past you into the apartment you could smell alcohol faintly. Clearly that was a part of how he'd been dealing with your surprise re-entry into his life. You quietly closed the door once he was inside and you felt your nerves crackling unsure what to expect next.

For a moment, there was an awkward silence. He looked at you, his eyes filled with an intensity he'd never allowed himself to show before. "You...you said you loved me." He said it as if he was testing the words, seeing how they'd fit and what they'd mean. He swallowed thickly, the emotions warring within him. "Are you mad at me?" He had expected anger, perhaps even rejection, but the raw emotion in your eyes when you had said you loved him had unsettled him. It felt like a guillotine, the words hanging like a noose around his neck.

Manjiro looked down at the gun in his pocket, a part of him wishing he could use it to erase the burden he'd become. But when he looked back at you, it was as if he saw something within you that he'd been missing.

"I wish I could have...been a better person," he admitted, the words coming out in a low growl. "I wish I could have stayed...the same."

He let out a humorless laugh, the tension within him palpable, the weight of his past seeming to drag at him. "I thought leaving you behind was what was best. I didn't want you to end up like me."

Manjiro's hands clenched, his tone bitter. "But then you came back. And you...you didn't leave." His voice broke, his defenses crumbling under the weight of the emotion. "Why would you do that? Why?"

He was out of his depth, unsure of what to say or do. He was drowning in guilt and regret, and he needed to know if you truly could still love him, given who he had become.

You stared at him for a half a second feeling your heartbeat falter. In all the time you'd known him you hadn't ever seen him fraying at the seams so much. In a half thought out action you were moving closer, wrapping your arms around his chest and pulling him closer. Clinging onto him tightly as words attempted to form into sentences on your tongue. It took a moment before you could actually speak. "I do love you, and I'm not mad at you." You began the words said softly and accentuated by a soft squeeze of your arms around him. A part of you wished you could just absorb all the pain he was feeling and dispel it all. Manjiro let out a small, choked sound as you wrapped your arms around him. For a moment, he let himself bask within your embrace "I don't need you to be a better person Jiro. It would be nice if you'd stayed the same, if things had worked out the way we planned them when we were sixteen." The memories were ones you had always cherished, laying together somewhere babbling for hours about how the future would look. It seemed almost undeniable that you'd be married, get a nice house, you'd have all of his friends from Toman around you, and you would both be happy. Or at least that was how it had been planned back then. "But they didn't and that's ok too...I just wish you had stayed period." An old ache flamed back to life in your chest but you swallowed the bitter pain back. "I know you were just doing what you thought was right but now...now it's my turn to do what I think is right this time don't you think?" You looked up at him with a careful gaze. We'd given things a shot his way for long enough, he'd run from you, and you had dealt with that and the pain from it and so had he but now you were done pretending like that was ok with you or for either of you. "I love you, I don't care if you're the leader of Toman, Bonten, hell I don't care if you're homeless and live in a box on the corner. I love you, no matter what state you're in." One of your hands moved up to carefully hold the side of his face, a faint shadow of a smile crossing your lips as you traced your thumb across the planes of his face. "That's why.” He allowed your words to sink in, warming him in a way nothing else had in a long while. He closed his eyes, his grip on the gun in his pocket loosening. A part of him wanted to believe you, to trust that you meant it, and perhaps he could build something new from the ashes of their shared past.

He pulled back slightly, his eyes meeting yours, the corner of his lips tugging faintly upwards. "I...I don't deserve you." He said, his voice raw with emotion. "I've done awful things." His hand cupped your face, fingers entwining in your hair. "But maybe, maybe it's not too late to change. If you still love me...I don't want to lose you again." He leaned down, brushing his lips against yours, soft and tender. His heart raced, his breath hitching as they kissed for what felt like the first time once again. His fingers threaded through your hair, pulling you closer, as if needing to feel your body against his. Your eyes slipped closed as you kissed him back, pulling yourself as close to him as you possibly could, as if trying to fuse the very atoms of your being together. Your hands moved to hold his shoulders as your lips moved together passionately. The moment felt almost surreal but you wanted this, wanted him, more than anything. Your heart felt more at ease than it had in a long time and the feeling of his hands in your hair and his lips pressed tightly to your own was one you never wanted to go without ever again.

For Manjiro, this was a step into the unknown, a chance at redemption, and the possibility of love. He'd never felt so vulnerable, and yet so alive, as he held you in his arms. He let the kiss linger, hesitant and filled with newfound hope, before pulling back, his gaze searching your face, silently asking for you to stay. For them to have a chance. To overcome the darkness that had consumed him. He was ready to start anew, to leave the past behind, and build a future where they could be happy, together. Even if it was a future forged in darkness you would be his light. "I love you." The words were murmured against his lips, a confirmation. You loved him, you were here, and you had zero intentions of going anywhere. Your pulse felt like fire in your veins, the passion, the love, and the desire to be close to him practically making you feel faint.

Manjiro kissed you with a newfound urgency, as if he'd been hungry for your touch his entire life. His heart beat wildly, a primal sensation of need coursing through him. As their lips parted, he leaned in to nuzzle your neck, his thumb softly tracing patterns over your skin as he breathed in the scent that was specifically yours. The feeling of his thumb tracing patterns across your skin left goosebumps breaking out across your body. Your hands moved from his shoulders to instead delicately wind up in his hair, the feeling of his breath on your neck causing your breath to hitch slightly. A low growl escaped his throat, the emotions flooding him like a tidal wave.

"I never should have left you.” he whispered, his lips trailing kisses down your neck. A sense of desperation clung to his voice, as if he was trying to convince himself that you truly were there, that this was real, that you were his. “I missed you so very much, and I'm never letting you let me go again." You assured him in a saccharine tone. You would fight tooth and nail to make sure the two of you were never apart again. You knew the future would be complicated, that you couldn't drag him entirely from the darkness but you would stand beside him within it and you would do so without a second thought. He pulled away slightly, only to gently press a line of kisses up your jawline, until he was looking you in the eyes again. Manjiro's eyes held a plea, a plea for you to stay, to give him a chance to prove that he could change. That he could become the person you deserved, the person he wished he could have remained. He was determined to shake the shadows that consumed him, with you by his side. "I'll try to change, for you. I can't make any promises, but I want to try." The admission hung between the two of you, a weighty confession that neither of you could ignore. The man he was now, the actions he'd taken, were as much a part of him as the love you shared. But for the first time in a long time, there was a glimmer of hope, a flicker of the person he had once been. Manjiro's gaze flickered to your hand, tracing the bags under his eyes. "I'll eat. For you. I'll sleep. For you. I'll try to be better. For you." The words were simple, but they held a depth that went beyond mere promises. He exhaled shakily, his fingers gripping your hair almost a bit too tight, "I need you." He said it simply, honestly, without any pretense. He needed you in a way he'd never needed anyone or anything before.

The way he looked at you, the way he saw you, was unlike anything or anyone else. "I need you too, like flowers need the rain." You didn't let even a beat pass from that sentence until your lips were on his again. You wanted him, forever and no matter what state he came to you in. The two of you could traverse ten thousand lifetimes together and you would find him in every single one you knew without doubt.

Manjiro felt your fingers wrap up in his hair, the sensation making his heart race. He leaned into the kiss, bringing one hand up to cup your face, his thumb brushing across your cheek. Your lips moved together once more, a passionate dance of need and desire, the air around you two thick words that didn't even need to be spoken they could simply be felt in the charged energy between the two of you.

He broke the kiss once more, his face only inches from yours, his gaze searching your own. "I want you to come with me," he said softly, carefully, as if afraid you might be frightened by the request. He'd never invited anyone into the world he currently inhabited, but you were his anchor, the one person who could steady him and now that he had you back he couldn't bear the thought of being apart from you. His mind was already racing with the logistics, the ramifications, the dangers. Manjiro swallowed, his voice low, "I don't want to lose you not ever again. Please...just come with me." He offered, his hand moving to cup your jaw again, as if trying to reassure you with the gentle touch. He was opening up in a way he'd never done before, laying his heart and secrets on the line, hoping that you would accept him, not just as he was, but in the darkness he'd been forced to inhabit.

A part of him knew it was asking a lot, but he also knew that he needed you, your presence, your love. You nodded your head without a second's hesitation. You didn't know where exactly he wanted to go, but it wasn't as if that mattered so long as he was with you. "Is that your way of asking me to come live with you?" You inquired, moving to press another soft kiss against his lips before pulling back after a second. You watched him carefully, your gaze soft and adoring. You never wanted to lose him again, never wanted to lose the feelings you had at this moment. The connection you shared was unparalleled to anything else and you would never let it go. "You will never lose me, I promise Jiro I'm never going anywhere." The tone you spoke with was reassuring and sweet, even when he had taken off and ran from you, you had stayed patiently and loyaly waiting for him to come back. There was no version of reality where you would ever abandon him. He was everything to you, your moon and your stars and all that was in-between.

Manjiro's expression softened at your response, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yes...that's what I'm asking." He said, his voice thick with emotion. "Let me protect you, let me be there for you, and not the other way around."

His arms held you close, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. As if the years apart had never even happened. His thumb brushed over your cheekbone, his gaze filled with love and adoration.

"I promise that I'll do better. I'll make things right." He said, his voice firm, his eyes locked on yours, silently vowing to keep you safe and within his reach.

Manjiro let out a breath, his hold on you tightening almost imperceptibly. In that moment, Manjiro felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders, your presence alone granting him the strength to confront the darkness within and around him. For the first time in a long while, Manjiro felt content, at peace, as though his very existence was no longer a burden or a stain upon the world and those he loves. With you by his side, the darkness somehow no longer felt quite so impenetrable.

[anonauthorsworkshop]

helloo, i stumbled upon ur mha x scp au and AHDSIHDSGISDGJ UR WRITING??? IS SO GOOD?? (also im new here hi, can i be 🎭 anon) more mha x scp au pls /nf tho

hii 🎭 anon :) i get a lot of requests for this au haha, sure!

previous part here

AU where MC is transported into the MHA universe with a SCP-summoning quirk. essentially a MHA and SCP crossover. you can read the rest of the parts under the tag #pp mha au

(note: i have never watched or read mha in my life and all of my knowledge is from fanfics and lazily googled questions! sorry in advance for any mischaracterizations or anything that just... doesn't make any sense? lol)

-

You lean forward, nearly falling off of your chair in the process. Squinting your eyes into narrow lines, you focus on one, crucial objective:

Trying to figure out what the hell is sitting right in front of you.

He looks like a cat, sort of. He reminds you of Josie, or, well, 529, with his feline-esque features and all.

Oh, you really should summon Josie here again sometime. It's been quite a while since you last have. That cat makes a good cuddle buddy. Even if she's missing the entire other half of her body.

You hum in thought, continuing to careen forward from your chair. No! This thing across from you is nothing like Josie. His ears look more like a bear, like 1048. Or could he be a dog? No, no... You've got it! He's definitely a rat!

Leaning back, you return to a proper sitting position and internally applaud yourself for finding the solution to your own ridiculous question. A rat, you think to yourself, face smug. Reminds me of a certain mask that drips black snot.

Wait a minute. The satisfied expression you adorn falters as you inspect the rat closer. What if it's not a rat, but a mouse?!

No, you're getting sidetracked! You take another bite of the banana you have graciously been given by your... captors? Do they count as captors if you willingly went with them?

The clearing of a throat. "Excuse me. If you could please answer the question..."

Oh, right. They're not really your 'captors,' just your interrogators, (that provide you with free food, might you add).

"What was the question again?" you ask, before not-so-elegantly stuffing the rest of the banana down your throat. You couldn't help but cave into your stomach's hunger; you haven't tasted this quality of fresh food in years! No more scavenging for meals or rummaging through garbage bins!

The man in uniform raises an inquiring eyebrow. You examine the badge attached to his right breast pocket: 'Detective Tsukauchi.'

He gestures to his side. "He asked you for your name."

Your eyes follow his hand's movements, and you find yourself gazing at the rat once more. "Oh, I wasn't paying attention." You admit shamelessly, grabbing another banana from the bowl placed before you. "I'm Y/N."

"Pleasure to meet you, Y/N." The rat smiles. You absentmindedly nod in response. "I'm Nezu, the principal of U.A. High. The man beside me is Detective Tsukauchi," you glance at the final stranger, "and this is Aizawa, a teacher at this school. He is also the one who found you. We would like to ask you some questions, as you are already aware."

"Sure," you comply, shoving another banana into your mouth. "I don't mind."

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen, I think."

"Who are your parents?"

You shrug, nonchalantly reaching for another banana. "Don't have any."

Nezu's grin widens slightly, and you watch him place a paw below his jaw. "Would you be comfortable telling us about what happened in that alley?"

Cocking your head to the side, you carefully peel off the banana's skin. "Which one?"

The detective speaks up. "The one you were found in."

Chewing another bite of your food, you tap a finger to your chin in thought. "Well, I was asleep until I heard a bunch of noise." Slowly, you turn to Nezu, replicating his ear-to-ear smile as you dramatically retell your experience.

"I looked up from my home, my beloved alleyway cardboard box, and saw two groups of people fighting. I decided to hide in my box until it was all over, but then one of them crashed into my home. They crumpled my box, and my hiding spot was revealed! The two groups started arguing about 'gang territory,' or whatever, and one of them decided to use me as a hostage and pointed a gun to my head."

You sink your teeth into your banana once more, oblivious to the horrified looks from every adult in the room.

"Oh, but it was fine," you casually continue, mouth half-full, "since, you know, I took care of it and all."

"When you say that you 'took care of it,'" the detective asks cautiously, "do you mean that you used your quirk?"

"My... quirk?" You scratch the back of your neck. "I guess it's my quirk? Don't know too much about 'quirks,' to be honest. I've never been to a doctor, or whatever specialist you go to for checking those out."

"Could you describe to us what it was that you exactly did?"

You gulp down the rest of your banana before replying. "You mean, in that alley? I summoned, or, like, conjured up one of those, uh." You pause, replacing 'SCPs' with another word to prevent further confusion. "Creatures? One of those creatures."

Tsukauchi looks you in the eye. "These creatures that you summon." You glance at the detective's hands, and you notice that they're trembling. "What do they do? What do they look like?"

"Usually I summon them to help and protect me." You explain with a shrug, "Oftentimes I encounter people who want to hurt me for some reason. There's a bunch of, er, 'creatures,' that I can summon, and they don't typically look like your perception of what's 'normal.'"

You continue, "There are endless possibilities, really. One looks like a teddy bear, just covered in human ears." Tsukauchi's eyes widen, as if his suspicions have been confirmed. "There's some that are long and bony. Some of them have these gigantic claws and razor-sharp mouths. Some of them are all gooey and acidic-"

"I believe that's enough." You turn to the side, taking a brief glimpse at Aizawa, who is standing beside you. Those were the only words he's spoken this entire time.

Turning back to the other two, you're about to grab another banana when you catch sight of the detective. You stare awkwardly, your hand paused mid-air. He seems to have completely spun on his heel to face away from you, hands clutching the wall as he gags and dry heaves. You scoot back in your chair uncomfortably.

"...And you do not have a home, correct?" Nezu stands up from his seat, approaching yours.

"Well, I did, but like I said, my cardboard box was destroyed because of those two rival gangs, or whoever they were."

"I see." He raises a paw so as to pet the top of your head. You clumsily bend down in your chair, allowing the two-foot-tall principal to reach your height. "We can arrange something for you. You may stay in a personal dorm here for free, if you would like." He smiles, "So long as you attend this school, the police force has also gladly agreed to erase your criminal record!"

You gawk at him. "C-criminal record?" Well, you guess you usually do end up leaving a mess of dead bodies behind, but it's always in self-defense!

"You should know it is illegal to use your quirk unlicensed and in public, Y/N."

Surveying the room, you dart your eyes from person to person. In the corner of the room, the detective, who is on the verge of vomiting up his insides. The man beside you, Aizawa, who refuses to look at you. The one standing in front of you, Nezu, who is blackmailing you, but is also offering you free shelter and free food...

You huff, grabbing Nezu's paw and shaking it wildly. "It's a deal, then."

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Cradle To Grave: Final Part

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.2k

Summary: Your experience in prison isn't what you thought it would be. You're feeling everything and you don't know if you'll be okay when you finally come out of it. Meanwhile, the team notices a change in Spencer as he tries his best not to miss you too much.

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Season Five Masterlist

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there are any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them.

x

When the other half of the team arrives in Phoenix, Derek hands JJ a list he's been working on.

"JJ, I need you to call these fertility specialists and get them over here for interviews."

"Whoa," she whistles as she looks at the long list.

"Yeah, I know. Hotch wants to focus on the prenatal drugs the unsubs are giving the victims. He thinks we can build a new suspect pool, and he wants it done yesterday."

"There are two pages of names here. Shouldn't we narrow it down?"

"Just do it, JJ, okay?" She raises her eyebrows at him and he sighs guilty. "I'm sorry."

"Is everything okay?"

"Hotch has been on me ever since we got here, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why."

"I might know. The night before Hotch picked this case, Chief Strauss stopped by the BAU. They were behind closed doors, but it seemed like it got a little tense."

"I can understand. The Bureau's been on him for a while. He must have known this was gonna happen."

"Except now, they're making him justify every decision. For Hotch, that's hell. Don't worry, I'll start calling."

She goes down the list and manages to get one of them to come down to the station and talk to her and Rossi. She is more than willing to help if it means helping children from dangerous situations. JJ quickly explains the situation they're in so she's not confused when Rossi starts the questioning.

"Dr. Dekeyser, we don't think she's getting these prenatal drugs as a patient. I think she's writing the Scrips for herself."

"Then she wouldn't be very knowledgeable about what she's doing. Some of these drugs have serious side effects. There are dozens of meds I would prescribe before these, all of them more effective."

"Why would she use these ones?"

"My guess is these are the ones she had access to. Fertility drugs are a cocktail, and you keep remixing the cocktail until you get pregnant. The information is out there on the internet. She found the right one."

"So, the woman was prescribed these drugs for some other illness and figured out that they helped carry a baby to term?"

"Exactly."

"Then the real question is, what other diseases do these drugs treat?" JJ asks Rossi.

Derek walks past Rossi, JJ, and the doctor into the office Hotch has claimed his own. He has a piece of paper in his hands that Hotch knows about.

"What's this?"

"It's a tactical arrest plan. I'd like you to write it up for this case."

"You want me to write up how we apprehend these unsubs without risking the lives of the children?"

"Yes."

"Hotch, I've led dozens of tactical assault teams. You've never made me write up one of these before."

"That's because I always do it for you after each case."

"You know what? I'm sorry Strauss is coming down on you."

"This isn't about Strauss."

"Really? I disagree. Look, I understand that you're under the gun, but I gotta say it. I'm really not all that surprised. I've watched you walk away from a bunch of cops gunning down unsubs in D.C. You walked in unprotected to a hostage situation in Louisville. You're not even helping Y/N out of prison. One of our own. Of course, the Bureau's worried about you. Man, I'm worried about you, but just because you're the one who's under the magnifying glass, that doesn't mean I can't do my job."

"Morgan, there's a big part of your job that I do for you because I don't need you worried about paperwork and politics. I need you in the field, focused, and catching the next unsub. I can't do that anymore. I know it doesn't seem like I'm helping Y/N, but my hands are tied. You of all people would know I'd fight for her in an instant if I could. If the situation was different, you know I'd do that. I don't have to justify my orders to you, and you do have to follow them."

"I've always followed your orders when they made sense."

"Well, if you have a problem with this one, tell me now."

Derek scoffs and shakes his head knowing this is a battle he can't fight.

"You're the boss."

JJ waits until the pissing match is over, and she sticks her head inside the office.

"Garcia needs to talk to us."

They both follow her outside where everyone else is.

"Okay, so the gold star of the day goes to Agent David Rossi and his short list of one disease These prenatal drugs also treat breast cancer. Progesterone and Tamoxifen slow the spread, Metoclopramide and Domperidone are anti-nausea."

"Yeah, I took those," JJ chuckles.

"If this woman has breast cancer, would she be able to get pregnant?" Hotch asks.

"She could but she'd have to be dedicated."

"How dedicated?"

"She's have to go off chemotherapy. She'd be in a lot of pain, but she'll try anyway. Her whole life is children. That's her goal."

"When was Monica abducted?"

"Five years ago," Penelope answers Hotch.

"How many breast cancer patients in Arizona got pregnant five to six years ago?"

"Let me see. Not a lot. Seven."

"How many of those patients are married to a man with a history of sexual violence?"

"Just one. Robert and Linda Reimann. Jeeze, she lost her baby eight months into her pregnancy. She had to go through labor anyway."

"There's our stressor."

"Garcia, was the baby a boy?"

"Yeah. They even named him--Michael."

"There has to be a name on the death certificate. Doctors encourage bonding between mothers and stillborns," JJ says. Everyone looks at her in confusion about how she knows so much about this topic. "I volunteer with a new mom counseling group. They say it helps them cope with feelings of loss."

"Thos one can't cope, so she's recreating them."

Penelope gets their address but the team can't go in right away. The property is huge and they need a game plan before they go in. Derek has SWAT with him, and he's explaining the game plan by using a map of the property.

"Okay, Commander, this is the unsub's property and house. Now, five years ago when the wife lost their child, the husband started paying for home renovations with his credit card. A new shower, toilet, tile, and mesh fencing which he did not put up in his backyard."

"He was building his dungeon," Hotch says.

"No permits were filed for additional building on the property, so the entrance must be inside the house."

"How many doors are there to cover?" the Commander asks.

"Two. One in the front and one in the back."

"Do we have arrest warrants?"

"They were faxed over twenty minutes ago."

"Morgan, what's your plan?" Hotch asks.

"I think we should do a soft entry and see if we can get the kids out before the parents even know what's happening."

"Would you be in the door first?"

"Do you have another idea?"

"Send Prentiss and JJ in first. Children are more likely to trust a woman, and we need that presence."

"We don't know how many kids are in the house. I mean, the parents could take a hostage," the commander says.

"If we go in hot, that would definitely happen. Hotch is right. This is the way."

JJ and Emily get ready and sneak into the house from the front door. There isn't any movement inside once they enter, but the more they make their way through, they can hear the TV on inside the living room. There is a small child who is watching cartoons, and he looks at JJ and Emily in shock when he hears them.

"Hi, it's okay. We're the police. We're the good guys. Can you come outside with me?"

The child gets off the couch and grabs JJ's hand. She looks at Emily as they pass by her.

"Hotch, we got one accounted for," Emily says into her hidden microphone, "but there could still be more in the basement."

Derek, Hotch, and SWAT march inside quietly with their guns raised. They swiftly move through the house but pause when a toilet flushes down the hall. A man walks out of the bathroom not expecting ten guns in his face. Derek immediately grabs him and pins him to the wall.

"Where is your wife?"

"In the nursery."

Derek passes the man to Hotch who puts him in handcuffs while Rossi and Derek move to the nursery at the back end of the house. There is a sickly woman sitting in a rocking chair with her back turned to the window. There is a baby boy in her arms, and she is looking down at him with love. She hears the two agents come in but doesn't look at them.

"I knew this would end. I always knew you'd come to our door and take this away."

"Ma'am, why don't you give me the baby? We can talk about it."

"Why would I want to do that?" she asks and looks at him.

"What you've been doing is wrong. You must know that."

"This is all I have left. Do you understand? My husband hates me. There's nobody here that can help me with him, with this, with any of it. He's all I have."

Derek puts his gun away so she knows he's not a threat even though Rossi still has his out.

"Linda, please. I need you to think about the baby right now. You're suffering from stage four breast cancer. You've given your medication to the women who have been locked up downstairs. You don't have a lot of time left. I know you want somebody who will always remember you, don't you?" She doesn't answer him. "The baby's name is Michael, right?"

"Yeah," she whispers.

"Michael will remember you. He's gonna know that you helped bring him into the world. That's a part of him now, and he will always ask about you, long after you're gone."

"Do you really believe that?" she asks with tears in her eyes.

"I do."

"I would have been a wonderful mother."

"Then prove it. Let him go."

Linda softly cries and hands over the child to Derek. Both parents are taken away into custody while the two girls in the basement are saved. The one who gave birth is crying over the loss of her son but quickly turns that loss into tears of joy. She is reunited with her child just like the older boy whom JJ took away is reunited with his grandparents, Monica's mom and dad. She had another child, and they kept the boy.

Now that Hotch is back in Virginia, he makes a quick stop at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women in Goochland. Spencer wanted to come but he buried him in paperwork so that he could talk to you privately. When you heard Hotch was waiting for you in the visiting area, you were excited to see someone you know and love. The visiting area is protected by a thick sheet of glass separating two chairs so that the only form of communication is through the phones on both sides of the glass.

Hotch is already sitting there when you walk into the visiting room, and you pick up the phone when you sit across from him. He can tell you've been crying with how puffy and red your eyes are.

"Hey."

"How are you doing?" he asks gently.

"Is Spencer here with you?"

"No."

You're about to tell him how you really feel. This place is killing you from the inside out. Everyone's pain and suffering is drowning you. You go to bed in tears and have nightmares so you're up constantly throughout the night. You're so tired. You just want to go home. If you tell Hotch this, he'll feel more guilty about not doing more to help you, and you can't feel that right now. Instead, you force a smile on your face.

"I'm fine. This place isn't so bad."

"Look, I know the others will want to come here and talk to you, so I figure it's best if you hear this from me. Chief Strauss asked me to step down as Unit Chief." Okay, you weren't expecting that. "Derek is taking the place of me right now as a sort of trial run to see how he does. I wanted it to be you."

"Me?"

"I've noticed your leadership skills improving. I sent letters to the board explaining how if I were to ever leave, I'd want you to replace me."

It breaks your heart to know you can't be there to help the team.

"Derek will do a great job. He is a good choice. I'm sorry you have to step down."

"Don't be. I understand their concerns about me. Listen, I'm doing everything I can to try and help you. Local police doesn't want our help, and Straus threatened anyone's job if they tried to work on your case. I don't know what else to do."

Hotch looks so defeated because he's stressing about you. You place your hand on the glass and tap on it once.

"Hotch, don't worry about me. Please. I will be fine here. I even made a friend with my cellmate. Your resources are better spent somewhere else. I believe I will get out. My trial is in a few months. My lawyer is working on a defense. My dad knows him. I'm in good hands. Please don't worry about me."

"It's hard not to."

"I know. Listen, can you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Keep Spencer away from here. I don't want him to see me like this. I don't want him to picture this when he thinks of me."

"I'll do my best," Hotch nods.

x

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[leviackermanscleaningbuddy]

!!! List #75 prompts #7 and #9 with hyunjin, han AND the reader !! 🤭

SKZ PROMPT GAME

Prompts: "It's quiet. Too quie-" "HELLO IS ANYONE IN HERE?!"

"Great, guys. Real discreet."

Members: Hwang Hyunjin, Han Jisung

Relationship: Figure Skater!FemReader x Hockey Players!HyunSung

Genre: Fluff

"Remember, I'm only doing this because we have a mutual enemy."

Hyunjin rolls his eyes, and not for the first time, you think he might be the sassiest bitch you've ever met.

"Yeah, yeah. We get it, Ice Queen. Now will you focus please?"

You huff a breath and adjust your position, stretching as tall as you can to try and reach the window above your head.

Beneath you, Jisung huffs out a choked sounding breath, and you feel him shift, trying to keep you both steady.

"Fuck, I don't know how much longer I can hold you up like this. Hurry up up there!"

You scoff. "Aren't hockey players supposed to be buff or some shit?"

Jisung doesn't answer, grunting in effort as you wobble slightly in your position on his shoulders.

You can't help the smirk that crosses your lips as you fingers finally find the latch, and you push open the window with a triumphant little squeal.

"Got it."

You can practically feel Jisung sigh beneath you in relief.

Hyunjin does a slow, sarcastic clap. "Awesome. Now hurry up and get your ass inside."

"You know-" You retort, shifting upward on Jisung's shoulders once again, enough that you can pull yourself up and halfway over the open window ledge, looking back at the two boys on the ground. "-for someone who is relying on me for this whole plan to work, you'd think you'd be a little nicer."

Hyunjin flips you off, and you bite back a smug grin as they disappear from view, dropping down into the quiet, dark room on the other side of the window.

Crouching for a moment, making sure you can't hear anything besides your quiet breathing, you stand up and, brushing your clothes off, head in the direction of the front entrance, making quick work of the lock when you get there.

Moments later, Jisung and Hyunjin burst through the now open door, duffle bags slung over their shoulders.

They brush past you without so much as a word.

"You're welcome." You mutter sourly under your breath, as you follow them down the long, deserted hallway and toward the ice rink.

Pushing open the door that leads to the ice, Hyunjin pauses, glancing around the empty seats of the rink with narrowed eyes.

"It's quiet. Too quie-"

He's cut off by Jisung stepping boldly onto the ice, cupping his hands around his mouth as he turns in a full, slow circle, calling out loudly, "HELLO?? IS ANYONE IN HERE?!"

You roll your eyes as Hyunjin sighs and rubs at his face with the palm of his hand, Jisung turning back to give you both a triumphant grin as he shrugs.

"See? Totally empty. We're good."

"Oh my god." You huff out, stepping onto the ice to join him, as he slings his duffle bag down and unzips it, noisily rifling through the contents. "Let's just get this over with."

Jisung glances up from where he's crouched, eyes gleaming wickedly. "Don't tell me the Ice Queen has never done anything illegal before?"

You open your mouth to retort, but Hyunjin beats you to the punch, setting his own bag of supplies down next to his buddy as he gives you a narrow eyed glare.

"Of course she hasn't. What about "Little Miss valedictorian stick up her ass daddy's little girl figure skater" screams 'break the law' to you, Sung?"

You glare at him, hoping you can set him on fire with your eyes, and he gives you one last glower in return before crouching down to help Jisung finish pulling out the supplies.

"For your information-" You start, hands on your hips, eyes burning holes into their skulls. "-I've done plenty of illegal things."

"Oh yeah?" Jisung's eyes light up with interest. "Like what?"

Hyunjin tosses you a can of spray paint, and you narrowly avoid dropping it onto the ice at your feet.

"Well, like-" You retort sharply, words drying up as Hyunjin stands and levels you with a knowing look. You humph and turn away from them, muttering under your breath, "-lots of things that aren't your business."

Jisung stands, straightening and stretching, and steps to the center of the ice, wielding a can of spray paint in each hand, a wicked look in his eyes as he grins over at the two of you.

"All right then. Show us what you got."

He marks a bold, black line of paint down the center of the ice rink.

You watch as Hyunjin does a cross line with his bright red paint, and then you step up beside them, hesitantly making a long, sweeping mark of blue paint parallel to Jisung's.

You have to admit, it's kind of freeing in a way.

"That's it, babe. Just like that. Fun, huh?"

Jisung elbows you in some sort of comradery, and you almost smile, before you bite back the knee jerk reaction and glare at him.

Hyunjin finishes his first can of paint and tosses it back into one of the empty bags, fishing out another and tossing a second one to Jisung, who catches it easily.

You all work in silence for a little while, the only sound your shoes squeaking on the ice, the paint leaving the cans, and Jisung humming a stupid little ditty beneath his breath, and eventually, when the cans are all empty, you step back and admire your work.

You have to hand it to you, it's pretty well done.

You've managed to paint your school's mascot onto the rival college's ice rink, complete with some messy line work around it, and it's not half bad. It'll definitely get the message across.

Jisung comes to stand beside you, slinging an arm around your shoulders, and you don't immediately shrug him off, but you don't know why.

"Nice." He remarks, whistling under his breath.

Hyunjin approaches you both, throwing the last empty cans into the bags before zipping them, and glances up at Jisung.

"Did you put in the secret message?"

Jisung grins with an arch of his brow. "Of course I fucking did."

"Secret message-?" You start to ask, not really sure if you want to know, and then you see it, right in the middle of the crudely drawn mascot.

A penis and a 'fuck you' scrawled in Jisung's sloping handwriting.

You roll your eyes even as the man beside you snickers.

"Great, guys. Real discreet." You mutter, shaking Jisung's lingering arm off you before you stalk toward the edge of the ice, ready to put this whole night behind you.

Honestly, why you even agreed to help two dumbass hockey players in the first place, you'll never know.

Some shitty saying about an 'enemy's enemy' or some other bullshit.

You head for the front door you'd left unlocked, not even bothering to see if the two guys are following behind you, not really caring if they get locked in here honestly, and push out into the cold, middle of the night air.

It feels good, invigorating, in your lungs, and you're reminded of the first time you ever skated, back home on your parent's small, iced over pond.

You'd skated for the joy of it all back then, and you still do, but now, things are heavier, more time consuming, and there's always more pressure.

Part of growing up you guess.

Jisung catches up to you at the bottom of the sidewalk, jogging to reach your side, duffel bag slung back over his shoulder, the empty cans bouncing noisily as he runs.

"Hey, Ice Queen. Wait up!"

You don't look at him as you pull out your phone and check the time.

Fucking 2 AM. God, you're going to regret this tomorrow.

Jisung pulls you to a stop, turning you to face him, and you glare him down.

"What?" You snap, wrenching your arm from his grip, ignoring the warmth of his fingers through your long sleeved shirt. "Why are you still following me? Don't you have stupid hockey things to do?"

You glance over his shoulder, but you don't see Hyunjin.

Jisung ignores your jab, cocking his head as he stares at you, something unreadable coming across his dark eyes that only serves to annoy you more.

"Seriously, dude, can we fucking not-" You start to say, and Jisung interrupts you before you can get the rest of the sentence out.

"Do you want to skate?"

You stare at him, not quite comprehending where he's going with this.

"What?"

"Skate. You know. The thing you seem to love so much?" Jisung mimes a triple toe right there on the sidewalk, and you almost laugh.

"I skate every day." You offer back, glancing over your shoulder, not really sure what he's getting at. "Every day after class at practice and then I-"

Jisung is shaking his head, and Hyunjin appears behind him now, his own duffle bag held in his hands.

"No, not for anyone else. Not for practice. I mean-" He glances over at Hyunjin who arches his brow and then back to you. "-do you want to skate? Right now? For you?"

You narrow your eyes in suspicion, but you have to admit, you're a little bit intrigued.

"What do you mean?"

Hyunjin holds up a set of keys between his fingers and gives you the first smile you've seen all night.

"C'mon, Ice Queen. Live a little. Let's go to the rink."

********************************************************************************

Jisung lets out a loud whoop from the ice, skating around in circles almost lazily, his head tilted back to the ceiling.

"I cannot believe we fucking did that!" He crows, making a figure eight as he skates backward along one of the walls.

You glance up from the bench where you're tightening your skates and roll your eyes at his antics, and you'll never admit it because it would kill you, but it's hot to watch him easily fly around the rink, as if he was born for it.

Hyunjin heaves himself up from the bench beside you with a grunt and picks up a stick before he calls out to Jisung, "Sung, heads up!"

Tossing the stick, Jisung catches it easily, pushing around a puck on the ice as Hyunjin skates over to join him, setting up a mock little scrimmage between the two of them at the far end of the rink.

You take the guards off your skates slowly, one by one, and then stand, stretching out your muscles for a moment before you step onto the shiny, smooth surface of the rink, the ice crisp beneath your blades.

It's like breathing, or riding a bike. Muscle memory immediately kicks in as you push off and begin doing slow, languid laps around the outside of the rink, easily dodging the hockey players and their errant puck.

You close your eyes as you loop back to the center of the rink and drop into a low spin, your arms tucked, your skates carving into the ice as you go round and round and round.

You come out of it perfectly, and immediately move in to a triple axel, and it feels good, to just skate in the quiet for once and let all your thoughts go silent.

You haven't done it in awhile, and you forgot how much you missed it.

You come out of the second loop and skate a figure eight, navigating backward around the rink for a moment before you slide to a stop, catching your breath.

You realize the boys' whoops and ribbing from before has died down, and the rink is quiet.

Glancing over, you see the two of them watching you from beside the net, Jisung leaning against the frame, clearly checking you out, boldly looking you up and down, and Hyunjin trying to be a little more discreet about it, playing with the puck at his feet as he flicks his gaze up and down to you.

"What?" You ask, and you feel lighter than earlier on in the night. You shrug and do a little spin, laughing. "Never seen a figure skater before, hockey boys?"

You're still spinning, when arms grab you around the waist and pull you into a broad chest, forcing you to a stop and making you give a little shriek of surprise.

It's Jisung, looking down at you with wide dark eyes and a stupid grin on his face, and your heart does a weird little skip in your chest.

"Not one as pretty as you, Ice Queen. That's for sure."

You can feel the heat pooling in your cheeks at his words, and you break from his grasp, skating backward away from him, even as he advances toward you, something wicked flashing in his eyes at your teasing.

"I'll make you a bet." You say, just because you can, and Jisung arches a brow in interest, still slowly skating toward you.

"I'll take it."

Your back hits the plastic of the side wall, and you huff out a breath, as Jisung cages you in, arms going on either side of you, staring down at you with something unreadable on his features.

"You don't even know what it is." You protest, voice coming out more breathless than you would have liked.

"I don't have to." He smirks, reaching out to twirl a lock of your hair between his fingers. "Not when it comes to you."

You clear your throat and will your heart to stop pounding in your chest.

"You both learn a spin, and I'll let you teach me something hockey related."

Jisung grins, all wide and heart shaped. "Deal."

You skate back to the center of the rink, Jisung on your heels, and Hyunjin approaches, skating smaller and smaller circles until he comes to a stop in front of the two of you.

He arches a brow. "Well? Are you gonna show us or what?"

You roll your eyes, and drop into the easiest spin you know.

"See?" You straighten back up and put your hands on your hips. "Easy. Try it."

Hyunjin shoots Jisung a look, and the other merely shrugs, before trying to copy your movements.

He falls right on his ass.

You can't help it, you laugh, and he grins up at you from his spot on the ice.

"Coulda swore I had it."

You help him back up, and they both try again, until they've mostly got it right.

You do a little round of applause for them when they both manage it without falling down, and bite back a grin as you regard them.

"I'm impressed, I'll admit it. Didn't think you hockey players had it in you."

"Okay, that's it." Jisung growls playfully, grabbing you and dragging you toward the goal and abandoned sticks as you giggle. "Jinnie, grab a stick. It's our turn now, Ice Queen."

They place you in front of the goal, and Hyunjin offers you his hockey stick, Jisung coming in close behind you and wrapping his arms around you as he shows you where to properly place your hands on the worn, taped surface.

"Like this." His breath is warm on your skin and his voice low in your ear as he guides your fingers a little more to the right. "And then this." He adjusts a knuckle and nods against your shoulder in approval. "You're a natural, babe. A prodigy even."

You snort under your breath, and Hyunjin moves up to shove Jisung aside, taking his place.

"She hasn't even hit anything yet." He mutters under his breath, resting the sharp jut of his chin on your shoulder as he leans forward, and you resist the urge to shiver as his warm breath washes across the shell of your ear. "Okay, ready?"

You nod, trying hard to focus, and let Hyunjin guide the stick along the ice, tapping the puck in the direction of the waiting goal.

It barely touches the net, not enough force behind your hesitant first swing, but Jisung makes adoring crowd noises anyway and claps for you regardless, making you bite back another smile.

"And the crowd goes wild! Ice Queen! Ice Queen! Ice Queen!"

"You're not so bad, you know that, Ice Queen?" Hyunjin murmurs beneath the sound of Jisung's cheering for only you to hear, and you get the weird suspicion that he's not talking about hockey anymore.

It does something strange to the rhythm of your heart in your chest.

You all play around like that for a little longer, the boys helping you hit a few more pucks into the net, you teasing them about their spin formations, but eventually, you gather up your shit, take off your skates, and head for home.

Jisung is locking up the door of the ice rink behind you when Hyunjin steps to your side, glancing at you sidelong as he adjusts the strap of the duffle bag hanging from his shoulder.

"Wanna know something?"

You huff a little snort beneath your breath. "Not really."

Hyunjin gives you an amused look, and you have to force your breathing to remain even as his plush lips-have they always been that pink?-pull upward into the hint of smirk.

He gestures over his shoulder with his chin toward Jisung, who is swearing as he searches for the keys he dropped on the ground by his feet.

"He's been in love with you for like fucking forever."

You stare at him, jaw slack, and then swallow, clearing your throat.

Hyunjin shrugs, hands in his pockets, not looking at you, as he stares off into the dark night sky.

"Yeah. I told him it was a fucking pipe dream to get you to notice him, but the kid's a fucking romantic."

"So tonight-" You start to say, but are interrupted by Jisung appearing at your side, dropping the keys into Hyunjin's bag as he slings an arm around each of your shoulders.

"What're you two lovebirds talking about?" He glances between you and Hyunjin's unreadable expression, amusement glinting in his eyes.

Hyunjin shakes his head, shrugging off his friends arm as he heads toward the parking lot.

"Nothing, man. Absolutely nothing."

You're rooted to the spot for a minute, still mulling over Hyunjin's words, and Jisung whistles long and low beneath his breath, watching his friend disappear on the way to the car.

He turns to you, eyes glinting, and arches a brow.

"He'll never tell you this himself, babe, because manly hockey shit or whatever, but he's down so fucking bad for you."

You gape at him.

Jisung shrugs and starts off down the hill after Hyunjin, calling over his shoulder, "You coming, Ice Queen, or what?"

You shake yourself out of your daze and run after them before they disappear from sight.