#but i am noticing now that he's refusing to look at rain while rain's having this little thought journey

[warlordfelwinter]

"I dream of blood pools deep enough to bathe in. Run me a bath."

[mrsnancywheeler]

the lakes (3) // finnick odair x f. reader

summary: it's supposed to be over, you and Finnick are supposed to spend the rest of your lives helping each other heal. living as peacefully as possible, but the the third quarter quell throws a wrench in your domestic bliss.

previous chapter / next chapter

midnight rain

2.3k words

warnings: angst, talk of mental illness and su!cidal ideations, allusions to trafficking, mentally unstable reader who's in denial, allusions to death and violence, hurt/comfort, arguments, something gets thrown in anger, terms of endearment, dreams of domestic bliss, savior complex Finnick and reader, no use of y/n, unedited

⠀ 𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

The familiarity of the train car made you shudder. The first time its elegance had amazed you, but now it was commonplace, a trade for everything else that had been given. The escort who you'd known for years, but always blocked out because of her unmatchable insensitivity was babbling on in her overwhelming syrupy voice as your brain buzzed with anxiety. When the smashing of a glass on the train's wall brought you back to the audio of the train cab.

“Can we wait to break things until the games? After all this time, Finnick, you still need your manners." She tutted, waving her hand in the air. “Plenty of time to get the aggression out later, right now just bask in the attention. Now I'm going to go check over the mentoring plans." Her neon purple eyebrows were so animated when she spoke and the color assaulted your eyes, the click of her heels echoing she exited.

Finnick had buried his head in his hands over a counter top as you quietly knelt down to pick up pieces of shattered glass. An Avox would end up cleaning the mess later, but you didn't feel comfortable just leaving it there.

“Why can't I help you?" His voice was much softer and more broken than you'd expected. Calloused hands holding his face as he stared out the train window.

“Help me?" Your confusion was evident. "You have helped me.”

“No I haven't, I'm an enabler." He shook his head, sniffling through the tears you hadn't noticed forming, your heart cracking.

You stood, dropping the glass pieces you'd been holding to approach him. "No you're not, Finnick, enabling what? Talk to me.”

He turned to you, "Talk to me. You're always trying to take care of me, angel, and I love that about you. But you use it as an excuse to hide the fact you're not doing better.”

"I am doing better, I don't understand what you're talking about, Finnick! I understand if you're angry, I just-”

"What? You looked at Annie and thought, ‘She’s too fragile to handle this, so why don't I take it all on for her? I can handle this.’" 

You nodded, “I can! I couldn't let her- I couldn't let her die.”

“But you can let yourself?" He had raised his voice ever so slightly, but it was enough that your chest was tightening. “You're punishing yourself for what you had to do to survive when you were 17! This isn't about altruism, this is about guilt."

“I'm not selfish.” Your voice was steely, you were angry. Why was he trying to pry at things that were of no matter to the present issues? "I'm doing my part, it wouldn't be right of me not to!" 

"Nobody thinks you're selfish except yourself. You could die because you want to prove something about what happened in the arena. That arena is gone, you need to focus on the now. On your now, not mine. You want to suffer in silence, you want to focus on everybody else to make up for living.”

"Stop it, Finnick! I don't want to talk about this. Be upset with me, but there are more important things to focus on.” You refused to make eye contact as you wrapped your arms around your body. There was a rebellion to plan for, no time for a psychoanalyzation of your brain, so you needed to deflect.

“You're my wife, angel, there's nothing more important to me than that. Especially since I've done such a shitty job letting you sit there, comfort, and listen to my problems while you only ever ask to be held. Why don't you trust me?” He stepped closer to you, voice delicate.

"I do trust you.” You kept your eyes planted on the ground. He was supposed to be angry or sad, but not whatever this was.

"Then why don't you say anything after you get a call from the Capitol? Why is it always only a few minutes after your nightmares to discuss how you feel, but every other waking moment is about me? I want to protect you, I want you to stop ruining yourself over the past and let me help you like you do for me.”

“I don't want to talk about it, Finnick." You were pushing down the onslaught of tears beginning to fall down your frozen face. “Can we please, not talk about it." You whispered as you shrunk into yourself.

“We have to start dealing with it, you are self-destructive, just because you hide things doesn't mean you're better set then Annie is. You are not going to step into this arena and sacrifice yourself for someone to make up for the fact you killed Conway six years ago."

“You're being mean."

“No I'm not, I'm being honest. You won't deny it because you know I'm right, this is a suicide mission to make up for all of them. Dying the second time around doesn't bring them back and neither will anything else. But if you put yourself in danger to make up for things we all had to do to be where we are now, you'll be killing me too.” 

You began walking straight past him, to comfort and be comforted was the dance that held you which was being broken as each second passed. This was unfair, having trauma didn't make you as hurt as him or Annie. You just had natural human feelings about what had happened and reconciling for that wasn't dangerous.

“You can't just walk away when I stop coddling you for a second, this is all going to be okay, if you can recognize and let me help you heal. If we're gonna do this I need the rational version of you." He trailed behind you as you kept walking.

“I don't need to be coddled, I'm sorry if you're sick of me trying to help you and everyone else, but that doesn't mean-" You gasped for air, “I'm just, I'm trying to help, maybe I am making up for what I did. I'm just sorry and I'm trying to help because I can't bear seeing other people having that light snuffed out of them. I want you to feel safe, and Annie, and Mags, and Ondine, that helps me.”

"See we can start there, you don't have to make up for what you did. Everyone did things to survive, we were kids. I can help you if we talk about it.”

"How are you supposed to help me, Finnick? I did worse things than you did, of course I'm guiltier, I preyed on someone's mind, on their feelings for me and then I killed them. And I'm so, so sorry for it everyday of my life and I feel it gnawing at my insides. I'm sorry that he's dead. I'm sorry that I was manipulative. I'm sorry for the person's I created. I'm sorry that I lied to you. I'm sorry that you're right. I'm sorry that I need to make it go away, Finnick, and it won't go away until I give it something equal even if it means I-” You wiped the tears from your face, “Finnick, I don't talk about it because being with you is reason enough to keep my grounded most of the time. I don't need to say anything when I see you and it's an easy reminder why I'm living."

“You shouldn't want to live just because of me. I want to be there for you, but when you feel that way I need you to be honest. You don't need to atone for any things, you deserve life. If we're going to go into that arena, you need to start believing that because I will not let you die. I love you and I need you to survive, to make it through with me to the end.”

You'd stopped walking and were leaning your back against the train wall. Nodding slowly, you were exhausted.

"I know you don't believe that right now, but I will make you believe it, my love.” His hand caressed your face and the radiating warmth made your ice cold face shudder.

You stared at him in silence before you let the sobbing take over your body. " I'm sorry, I don't know how to deal with it. I want to be better, I do, but I just can't. It won't go away.” His arms enveloped you like sunshine, guarding you from everything else.

“I know, sweet girl, I know." 

             𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

Meanwhile Haymitch had to take the initiative to begin introducing his new tributes to the pack of well known, well introduced victors. Unbeknownst to Katniss and Peeta, he would of course be pulling strings to make sure they were in close proximity or at least had the attention of certain victors for the plan being hatched.

Katniss had not seemed thrilled at the idea of Finnick, but she was rarely thrilled with anyone.

“This year we have some volunteering, which will definitely spice things up a little bit. Two couples in one game, especially when one has been adored by the Capitol for years will keep their attention." Haymitch gestured to the screen where you were sending Annie back to the line with the other female tributes.

"Didn't she also have a relationship with the male tribute last time, isn't that how she won her games?" Katniss asked.

“Yes, Capitol Princess, she is just as adored, but more tame. The less cocky side of the duo you could say."

“I bet you he's not going to protect her when it comes down to it since she did the same thing last time. He's got to know that's just how she plays the game." Katniss reasoned, doubt of everyone taking hold.

“I'd be extremely surprised if that happened, they've been with each other for years and oh-" The cameras zoomed in on the seaweed and made rings on your fingers as you held hands. “Looks like that bond has gotten ever stronger. They'll be a pair and if she does die it would be a sad day, Katniss. She's a really nice lady regardless of what she did to win at 17.”

"It's not that different from you, you just got lucky.” Peeta remarked.

“I'm just saying she wouldn't be an easy ally to trust, I mean didn't she kill all of them when it came to the end?" Katniss shrugged, leaning forward. 

“This isn't about trust, it's about survival. You need allies, even if it means they end up dead at the end, you need them to survive. You're both fresh meat, these people have built a repertoire with each other for years. You're gonna need some of them on your side for as long as you can." 

"And you want us to go with them?”

" It wouldn't be a bad idea.” Peeta shrugged, "If he's gonna protect her then we'll be protected too.”

"Yeah until we become perceived threats too.”

"Hey, I'm just laying out your options. There are 22 tributes to pick from, I know these people so I'm giving you my insight. Whether or not you decide to take it is up to the two of you.” Haymitch gestured at both of them before turning back to the screen." So District 5.”

              𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

“Finnick, what's the plan?" You asked as you two lay in the silky sheets of the bed.

"We have to get Katniss to trust us so we can get her out of the games. We'll be able to plan more once we get there.” His hand lazily lay on your shoulder,  grazing strands of your hair.

"And you'll keep me updated? No secrets?”

"No secrets, my love.” You hummed contently as you snuggled yourself deeper into his shoulder. "When we're in the arena, you need to stick by me. They'll probably try to split us up somehow, we can't let that happen.”

"I can take care of myself if it does.” You assured.

"I know that, but I need to know that you're safe. That you're not trying to throw yourself in front of someone else to save them before you.”

"Even if it's Katniss?” You said lightheartedly.

"We need to get her out of there, but I won't let that be at your personal risk. I owe you a real wedding, remember?”

"Oh, I remember. One with a dress.”

"Any dress you want, angel. So you have to listen to what I say, just this once, and stay with me in the arena and do as I say to stay alive.”

"That's two times.” You joked. " I don't know if I'm capable of doing that.” 

“Haha, very funny." He rolled his eyes. Silence took over for a second and you closed your eyes to let yourself rest with him. “I promise we'll get out of this and you'll get the life you deserve, we deserve."

“I trust you."

“Good because I mean it. We'll have our house back overlooking the ocean where little kids will run around outside, soaking up the sun and salt air. They'll have your beautiful laugh and your hair that'll whip around as they run.”

"And you're angel eyes, plus that disarming smile. We'll have to be on the lookout or we'll always give them their way.”

“You can read to me as I fish, you can sit on your favorite rock and I'll collect you all treasures. Annie and Mags will watch them so we can occasionally sneak away to swim in the sunset." 

"Oh you've got it all planned out, haven't you?”

"Of course, my love, the perfect life we can have when we're free from all of this.”

"Then I guess I'll have to listen to you to make that happen.” You laughed tiredly, body relaxing.

"Exactly, Mrs. Odair, so I can make sure our dreams come true, that everyone gets a chance to do the same.” Oh, your sweet, sweet boy. 

             𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

thank you all so much for reading and for all the feedback! someone mentioned wanting to see haymitch presenting them and I thought that would be a great addition so thank @almostjollypizza for suggesting that! not gonna lie this was kind of a difficult chapter to write but I hope you guys enjoyed it, I'm excited to get to the Capitol and the stuff there. I have so many ideas! likes, comment, tags, reblogs, and asks are all super appreciated, love you guys, thank you! 💋

taglist: @imaegonstargaryenswife0 @avoxrising @artsyaquarium @jennaaaaaaaaaaaa @secretsicanthideanymore @darlingsoulbeautfulthoughts @thatonegayloser616 @skjdksjdhdjd @meri-soni-meri-tamanna

[skrrts]

ice cream break (drabble)

✧ gn!reader & jongho ✧ genre: non idol, slice of life, fluff ✧ word count: 722

you find yourself disappointed by the lack of rain after enduring the summer heat all day, but jongho shows up, surprising you with ice cream.

You looked up at the bright blue sky, wondering what had become of the clouds and rain your weather app had promised earlier today. It was hard to tell what was worse: to step out from an office with an amazing AC right into the heat or your disappointment about the rain you were so looking forward to thanks to the current heatwave giving you a hard time.

“I should get one of those mini fans,” you muttered, taking two stairs at a time, hoping to catch your bus and escape the summer heat. It really wasn’t your season, and you quietly cursed it, knowing everyone else seemed to love summer: the hotter the better.

A familiar figure appeared before you, bringing you back to reality. Jongho's face was calm and relaxed as always, his black hair shining in the afternoon sun. He seemed unbothered by the heat, wearing a long-sleeve jacket while everyone else wore as few fabrics as possible.

“Jongho,” you smiled and walked faster to reach him. He waited patiently for you, holding two waffles filled with ice cream. “When I finished work earlier, I saw that the rain they announced this morning wouldn’t arrive. I figured you’d be melting without some refreshments.” Ah yes, you texted him about this earlier.

He was teasing you, and you made a face but couldn’t hide the smile. “Well, as always, you’re more than right. How do you stand there looking all calm and cool while I feel like I’m about to die? What’s your secret?”

Jongho offered you one of the waffles with a small grin. “That is my secret. If anyone knew, it wouldn’t be as cool anymore, right?” Of course, he would give you an answer like that, but you enjoyed his sense of humor.

“Fine, I’ll just brag about you then. The man who never seems to sweat during the hot months,” you teased, taking a big bite of your ice cream. Jongho shook his head, watching you. “How can you eat ice cream like that?”

Maybe it wasn’t usual to swallow half of it at once, but it was too refreshing to be slow. “Secret technique! Besides, you came all this way to give this to me. I refuse to let the sun have even a small drop. This Choi Jongho afternoon snack surprise is all mine.”

You managed to coax a soft laugh from him as he shook his head. “You really are something.” Jongho ate his ice cream much slower, yet managed to dodge your attempt to playfully bump into his shoulder perfectly. It was like he knew what you were about to do before it happened.

“Mh, I am thankful you came. It was a nice surprise. Thank you. I mean, not only for the ice cream, this workday had been tense. It’s nice to see one of my favorite faces,” you mumbled the last part more softly. It was hard to tell if he noticed, but maybe he was just too kind to tease you this once.

“Well, I have been really busy lately with that new project at work, and you still took the time to send me a message every day, even knowing I’d probably not answer most of them. Just wanted to make sure you know I am still thinking about you, even if we do not text…”

You shrugged slightly, but he smiled anyway.

“I understand, and that’s okay. I will always be here whenever you have the time, so do not worry,” you promised. Jongho seemed to think for a moment before he opened his bag and pulled out a small cardboard box with one of those little fans printed on it.

“Well, I can’t bring you ice cream every day, but this should help. Once it’s autumn, I will be done, and we can meet more often again. So, make sure you do not melt until then.” His voice was so serious while the gesture was so sweet.

You looked at it, appreciating that it was even in your favorite color, before giving him a playful bow. “I shall not! Now that I have my own weapon against the heat and the promise of time with you, summer shall not defeat me.”

“Your ice cream is melting,” he answered instead, and you blushed, hurrying to finish it.

[rosescarlette]

-------------🔸------🔶------------🔸-----------

-> UNO! 🔸

It was a rainy day and you were getting bored.. so you decided to play uno with zhongli.

-> modern au

-> Fluff

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

"Ugh why is it so boring.. nothing to do.. THIS IS KILLING ME AHHHHH!"

"Calm down now dear. It's raining isn't it peaceful? Besides you would always be on.. that thing where there's a uhm.. glass?- and uh.."

"Smartphone zhongli"

"Ah yes, that. Apologies I am still not getting used to modern tech. So why don't you use it like you always do?"

At the end of the sentence you could swear he was irritated and spoke with mockery and he had a stern face at the end of it and went back to reading his newspaper on the couch.

"Is that mockery I hear?"

"Why yes darling it is. You've.. always been using that device.. but never gave you precious time management to me.."

You could see at the end of it.. he was quite saddened that you don't spend time with him.. this immediately brought your brain an idea.

"Alright how about we play UNO to make up the time I didn't spend with you?"

Now his curiosity has risen. And he looks at you, side eyeing.

"Really?"

"Yes! You'll have fun! Trust me!"

"Alright fine. I cannot absolutely refuse my beloved anyways."

He smiled and kept the newspaper aside and sat on the couch.

"Hm.. Let's play in your bedroom!"

He was a bit surprised at the sudden place change but he doesn't mind. After you both went to the bedroom.. you remembered something.. YOU FORGOT TO BRING THE UNO CARDS!! you immediately went back to your room sprinting to grab the cards. When Zhongli heard the movements at a fast pace and he immediately became alerted. He then decided to look for you. That's when he chuckled as he saw you searching for the cards in your bedroom.

When you find them, they're in a very high place.. you sighed.. you never remembered that you kept them there... then again you can't remember what you had for last night's dinner so it's not surprising. So you tried to reach them by jumping hoping you could get them at least.. When you suddenly reached them you were happy. That's when you came back to your senses after focusing on getting the cards, Zhongli was holding you like a child so you could reach the cards easily.

He smiled at you, while you were embarrassed and immediately jumped out of his arms. He was confused.

"Can you give me a warning before you hold me?!"

He could still notice you being flushed and you were always flushed when Zhongli shows you affection.. you love him too much and he loves you back.

"Alright dear. I'll try to give you a warning before I do something."

He gave you his signature smile. And you both went back to Zhongli's bedroom. Always neat, tidy and.. expensive. The shelves always contain history books or expensive perfume bottles and his signature eyeliner.

You happily sat on the bed and zhongli sat opposite you. And you opened the pack of cards. And explained the game to Zhongli.

He had a tough time trying to understand the rules but he got it correctly after 5 times so it's okay!!!!!

So you decided to have a match.

"Alright grandpa! I challenge you to win against me!"

"Hm.. alright dear.. I accept your challenge. But what will I get for my prize for winning?"

"uH"

"Dearest please don't call me a grandpa.. I am only 6000."

"Zhongli but you are a grandpa.. you're old."

"Is that so.. since I am older.. then you should respect me and give your grandpa affection he needs."

You hadn't come this far.. you thought he'd dent because it was his first time playing but anyways you'd still tease him calling grandpa and sometimes he teases you back treating you like a child. You decided to answer him with a smirk.

"Hm.. how about all the kisses and cuddles you want?"

Zhongli was surprised. He was happy and was determined to win at all costs.

"Hm.. such a fascinating deal.. alright I accept this offer."

While you both were playing zhongli were playing.. it was an intense match. you had noticed that zhongli had reached one card and while you immediately decided to-

"UNO."

you could tell he was smirking and was very proud while holding his one card. You sighed and placed your card.

"A.. plus 4?.."

He gave you a stern look and this time you were smirking and you decided to put down another card..

"Another plus 4?!"

You kept smirking and laid down another card.

"A wild card?"

And then you laid a plus two.

Zhongli said and he was saddened. He couldn't win to get your affection, he spoke in a disappointed tone.

"I humbly accept defeat."

You were happy and jumped out of the bed in happiness. When Zhongli saw you happy his sadness slowly disputed seeing you happy is all he needed. And he slowly let a smile. He wants you to be that same child-like person forever. And he will do everything for you to just stay that way.

"Alright dear. You win. How about a re-match hm?"

"HAH. Sure grandpa I'll get another win."

After another round of intense match.. zhongli won.

"And I win. Hopefully you won't back down on your contract my dear."

"Hmph. You're lucky my luck has run out."

You spoke sarcastically. You did that on purpose. To make him win so that you could see the smile on his face. You wanted to gain some affection from him too anyways. Then he suddenly wrapped your waist close to him and laid you down on his bed and immediately started cuddling you.

"My dear.. on my request please do play honestly. I do not want you to lose just because you wanted me to be happy.. You know I do not like people being dishonest."

He spoke with a sharp tone at the end.. and you apologized.

"Nothing can ever go through you can it?"

"Absolutely my dear."

"Alright. I wanted some time with you anyways."

"it's alright I knew."

"HUH?!

"ZHONGLI WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!"

He never answered your question and only kept on cuddling you. And if you keep asking he would shut you up every time with a kiss so be sure to take advantage of that.

[anime-fan-05]

Can I ask you for a mini first kiss scenario with Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, Shikamaru, Gaara, Kakashi, Obito and Itachi? You can also divide it into several parts if that is more convenient for you.

Thank you very much!

Naruto ~First kiss 1st part~

Manga/anime: Naruto

Warnings: spoilers of all the manga/anime

(Y/N): your name

I divided the scenario into two parts: 2nd part is here.

I discovered my boyfriend Naruto's weakness: tickle. Every time I touched him, he started laughing so hard.

Because of this, I started giving him tickling attacks every time he came home.

That's why I'm lying on the ground now, while he's on top of me tickling me.

"Ahahah ahahah! Naruto, stop! Please!" He's killing me!

"No! So you learn to do this to me every day, -ttebayo!" He really wants to make me pay.

After ten minutes of torture, he finally stops, so I have time to realize our position: I'm lying on the carpet in our house while he straddles me, holding my wrists with one hand and tickling me with the other. I blush immediately.

Naruto also seems to have noticed our position, but he doesn't move away as I thought, instead he brings his face closer to mine.

"N-Naruto? What are you doing?" Now our faces are just a few centimeters apart.

"I love you, -ttebayo."

Then he leans in and briefly captures my lips with his in a soft, tender kiss.

Where is he? Sasuke should have already returned home from one of his journeys! I'm so worried! What if something happened to him? It's also raining today, what do I do if he gets injured? I don't know any medical jutsu, how will I heal him?

Now I'm outside, looking out on the porch, nervously waiting for my boyfriend to arrive, but as the hours pass, I feel more and more tired and then, without even realizing it, I end up falling asleep on the porch of the house.

Huh? Am I in my bed? What am I doing here? Hadn't I fallen asleep on the porch? Is Sasuke back? Did he bring me here?

"You finally woke up." Sasuke!

Without even thinking about it, I run to hug him and tears come out of my eyes without me even understanding why.

"Sasuke, you're back! Why were you gone so long? Do you know how much you made me worry?!" In response, he lowers his head and presses his forehead against mine and he runs his thumb gently over my cheek.

"Sorry for being gone so long and for making you worry. However, being away from you made me realize one thing: I love you more than words can express."

After confessing, he places his lips on mine in a very sweet kiss.

Sai and I are drawing in the park. In reality, he is drawing, while I am looking at him, instead of painting.

"Are you ok, artwork? You're staring at me."

"A-artwork?"

"You are extremely beautiful, like and artwork. Can't I call you that?" How can he give such nice compliments so easily?

"Anyway, I finished my drawing. Do you want to see it?" I nod.

He hands me his paper and I begin to admire it. It's really beautiful: his drawing represents me and him, holding hands and walking through the streets of Konoha. The most beautiful part is Sai's smile: it's such a pure and sincere smile. I wish he always smiled like that.

"Your smile is beautiful, Sai: it's so pure and sincere."

"I'd like to smile like that. The only time I did this was while I was with Naruto." An idea comes to me.

"Sai, I'll make you smile." He frowns in confusion.

"How?"

"Trust me, Sai, and close your eyes."

"I trust you." he says, closing his eyes. My heart leaps at this confession.

So, I move closer to him and one of my hands cups his cheek. He flinches slightly at my touch, but immediately relaxes and his eyes remain closed.

"What are you doing?" His voice was soft, almost a whisper.

"Kiss you." I say just as softly, leaning forward to finally press my lips against his.

BONUS:

In the end, he smiled sincerely and asked me to do it again.

I'm in front of Nara's house. I came to try to talk to Shikamaru, my boyfriend. I'm very worried because, since Asuma died, he still hasn't left the house and has always refused to see anyone, including me.

After saying hello to Yoshino, I go to his room. Shika is lying on his bed.

"Shika?" I try to catch his attention.

"What do you want?" His voice is so cold it almost gives me shivers.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay. I'm your girlfriend, I care about you."

"Leave me alone, (Y/N)."

"No. I'll stay until I make sure you're okay. Shika, I feel so bad seeing you like this."

"GO AWAY, (Y/N)!" He screams, suddenly getting up from the bed.

Without giving him time to respond, I throw myself into a hug, tears streaming down my cheeks. This gesture shocks and agitates him, in fact he remains immobile, even if I hold him tight.

"Shika, cry, please: you need to vent. And even if you cry, I will always be there to dry your tears; even if you cry, I will never let you go." And with that, he breaks down and he holds me and cries.

He cries and screams for hours on my shoulder. After he stops crying, he breaks away from my embrace.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you, (Y/N). And sorry for before."

"Apology accepted, but you'll have to make it up to me."

"All that you want."

An idea comes to mind: "Kiss me."

His eyes widen slightly and a light blush spreads across his cheeks, but he still comes closer, bends over slightly and cups my cheeks in his hands.

Before I can say a word, he presses his lips against mine.

💮 Rules 💮 Masterlist 💮

[eugenoid]

After some hesitation, I decided to post a piece of a fic draft I've been working on (the very start of it, really). Aziracrow, post season 2, and if I manage to see it to completion, it'll be a hurt/comfort, fix-it fanfic (because of course it is).

People frequenting Whickber Street have noticed a peculiar weather phenomena: for a good couple of weeks now, dark storm clouds wouldn't leave the small area surrounding the "A. Z. Fell & Co" bookshop, and every day a heavy rain would fall, lasting precisely 66 minutes and 6 seconds at a time. What they haven't noticed, however — an amusing coincidence, really — is that it all started on the day the owner of said bookshop disappeared, and would end the day he came back.

"Why are you not inside?"

Crowley's demon heart starts racing from hearing a familiar voice, but he makes an effort to not move an inch from his spot, and not even acknowledge the angel's presence. Crowley is sitting on the cold roof of the bookshop, drenched in water; damp, gross clothes and hair sticking to the skin. He hears a poof and there's a big, blindingly white wing over his head now. He stays silent. Instead of getting an answer, Aziraphale is met with the rain getting worse, almost turning into a hailstorm. It starts hurting his wing, but the angel is determined to stay right where he is until he gets a response.

"Haven't showered in a while. Figured, why not," Crowley finally says flatly after several minutes of silence with a shrug. He refuses to look at Aziraphale, instead observing people rushing down the street.

"You are being silly," Aziraphale responds without fondness.

"Can't you see I'm rain… uh, bathing? Move- move your stupid wing out of the way," Crowley stutters in a rush, feeling nervous all of a sudden. And stupid. And small.

"I am just trying to protect you."

"From my rain," the demon says, getting irritated now.

"No, from everything. Well, including your rain, I suppose.” Aziraphale wishes he was better with words.

Crowley shuts his eyes and squeezes a damp roof tile with the force of a python choking its prey to death. It crumbles into scorching hot, dry dust on some poor bastard's head. The demon still doesn't turn to face Aziraphale.

"You are not protecting me from shit," he hisses through gritted teeth.

"Alright, this is getting ridiculous," Aziraphale sighs and with a wave of hand makes the rain stop. Clouds finally part, sun rays hitting the ground below for the first time in a while. He begins to put his wing away.

Crowley's response is to wildly flail his hands in the air which brings both the clouds and the rain back. Aziraphale groans in annoyance and raises his wing over the demon again.

"This is a bit melodramatic, even for me," the angel says under his breath and waves the rain away, again. Crowley brings it back with a snap of his fingers.

"I can do this all day," Crowley responds without even a smirk Aziraphale would expect from him at a moment like this. Angel realizes he longs to see it again. He wants to say something about it, but decides against it.

"You are attracting quite the crowd," he notices instead.

At this point most of the people on the street pulled out their phones to record the rapidly changing sky. Crowley wiggles his fingers, and suddenly everyone remembers they have urgent business to attend to, leaving no time to be standing outside videotaping the weather or (especially) the two figures on the roof.

"Crowley, please,” Aziraphale says with the hint of desperation in his voice that doesn’t go unnoticed by Crowley. “We need to talk."

Crowley lets his head fall. Puffs his cheeks and lets out a sigh. Taps fingers on his knee. Frowns. Clenches and unclenches his jaw. Frowns again. Finally, he looks at Aziraphale over the shoulder as the sky gradually clears and the last rain drop falls on his face, and begrudgingly manages:

"Fine. Let's talk."

OKAY this was my first attempt at writing in about... 8 years, and my first ever time writing in English, a kind feedback would be appreciated!

[deceptive-daydreams]

Rhiannon - E.M.

Girl Dad!Eddie x Step Mom!Reader Blurb

2K Words

Eddie being a girl dad and he names his daughter Rhiannon. She's five years old and is his entire world, she's got him wrapped around her little finger.

A/N - I will probably most definitely be posting more detailed parts of this cause this concept has a chokehold on me now. Also I picture Eddie in this to look like this. Obviously you don’t have to but that was the vibe when I was writing it, I can’t stop picturing him like that courtesy of @lesservillain so thanks 🫠

Masterlist

She's an absolute rugrat and plays in the dirt, looking for worms and making homes for them with sticks and leaves. Loves to get smothered in mud right after it rains, her clothes just barely peeking out from underneath the mess while she rolls around in it, making snow angels except with mud. Refuses to get a bath afterwards and makes Eddie chase her around the yard before he ultimately catches her, scooping her up and getting the mud all over himself now. She protests in his arms, claims she won't be done playing for hours even though the sun is starting to set and she had been outside from the moment she finished breakfast after Eddie sternly told her she had to eat first and then could play after. Eddie blows a raspberry into her dirt smudged cheek, unbothered.

"The worms will be there tomorrow, I promise." She continues squirming in his arms and he just puts on a huge pout, his dramatics coming out.

"What about daddy and Rhin movie time? You gonna stand me up for the worms?" His fingers go to tickle her sides, eliciting a scream of laughter.

"You are so mean to me, you know that? I should just use the hose to wash you off!" He jokes, tossing her in the air, she continues to howl with laughter.

"No!!" She screeches, eyes crinkled. Eddie catches her once again and holds her to his side, much like a football as he starts racing through the yard, the overgrown grass tickling his ankles.

"Rhin is a meanie! Rhin is a meanie!" He mocks, bouncing her on his hip.

"Am not!! You're the meanie!" She yells. A gasp leaves her dad's lungs as he brings a hand to his chest. He flips her upside down, giggles erupting from her as she dangles from his arms.

"Take it back." He says, swaying her back and forth, her mess of brown curls inherited from him hanging around her face. They were for sure knotted from being outside all day, no doubt having traces of dirt scattered within them.

Her screams are cheerful and echo throughout the yard, neighbors glancing over as they join together with their families for their own summer activities, though they have scowls embedded into their features. The Munsons were never popular among the people of Hawkins but Eddie didn't care, too busy giving his little girl the best life possible. And if she was too occupied with giggling and playfully arguing with her dad to notice the looks of hatred on their neighbor's faces, who was he to give a shit about them?

After several seconds of dangling her upside down, she shouts "Daddy, I took it back, I take back!" Immediately, he flips her right side up, his cheeks hurting from smiling, dirt smearing his once clean clothes and his arms.

Before he can launch into another round of banter with his daughter, a voice interrupts. "Daddy bullying you again?!" You're stood with your hands on your hips, shouting to them from the porch, the sticky summer evening lingering on your skin.

They answer simultaneously, her a "yes" and your husband a "no". They look at you wide eyed, matching molasses colored irises staring at you. The sight is captivating, your little family standing among the long grass, cotton candy skies painted behind them, the two of them covered in dirt.

Eddie pipes up, raising a brow at his daughter. "Well this one, didn't wanna get a bath. So the hose it is." He teases, throwing her over his shoulder as he marches to the coiled up hose on the ground. She's cackling with laughter again, a sound you could never get tired of.

"I think I can make you an offer, Rhin." You chime in. "I have a tray of fresh baked cookies with your name on it. They're all gooey how you like. Not hockey pucks like last time." You bargain. "All you gotta do is get your butt in the bathtub."

She huffs but you know you've got her as she hangs over her dad's shoulder. "Fine!" She whines. "Can I have six?" The random demand has you softly chuckling, Eddie repeating "six!" in disbelief. "We'll see how you feel after one." You tell her with a playful glare. She sighs while throwing her head back, curls wiggling with her movements. "I'll take that as a yes, I'm gonna get the water started." You say walking back into your small home.

"Mama runs a real tight ship around here, doesn't she?" Eddie mumbles to Rhin. She chirps out a "yep!". You can still hear their little conversation through the open windows of the kitchen as you make your way to the bathroom.

"But we love 'er. Right, stink?" The smack of a kiss, most likely against her cheek is heard before you retreat into the bathroom to start a bath. You can't fight the grin on your face.

—

A ruthless bubble bath later, Eddie's clothes splashed with water and the floor covered in puddles from their rubber ducky fight, you're pulling another tray of cookies out of the oven, the chocolatey aroma engulfing the house. As you baked, screams of joy came from the bathroom followed by the sound of sloshing water which you cursed at under your breath since you warned Eddie to keep it to a minimum. Anymore water damage to the already peeling floor and you would have an expensive renovation on your hands. You couldn't stay too mad though, it was only the result of him bonding with his daughter.

The last cookie was placed using a spatula on the plate you had set out. You used this opportunity to peek into the bathroom, finding Eddie sitting against the wall next to the bathtub, jeans soaked where his ass sat in a prominent puddle, a rubber duck held in his ring clad hand.

"I lost the great war." He mutters in disappointment as he looks up at you. Rhin is focusing on smearing bubbles on his tattooed arm that rests along the edge of the tub.

You frown at him as you lean against the doorway. "Always hate to see it, baby." You say apologetically. "But you knew what you were getting yourself into." A finger points at him with a raised brow.

"Yeah, and you keep letting me go off to war." His pout makes you want to melt like the chocolate chips in the fresh baked cookies you just baked. The most adorable sight you could ever imagine.

"Well, when will my husband return from war, then?" You banter.

"Real soon, I hope. You gotta talk to this one." His thumb gestures to Rhin. Her bath toys are scatted throughout the tub and bubbles are stuck to her chin. Her attention shifts from rubbing the bubbles on his arm and her little hands make their way to her dad's cheeks.

"Daddy, pay attention!" Her hands deliver small smacks and in return, Eddie blows a raspberry into her tiny arm.

"We don't hit, remember?" He scolds her gently, his hands gripping her little wrists delicately. She pouts at him but nods. "If we want something, we ask nicely. No hitting." She turns to putty at her dad's serious tone. "Okayyy." She softly draws out, then returning to what she was going to show him.

You beam at them, your little family. Eddie was always terrified to bring anyone around his little girl, the fear that they'd try to get close only to reject his lifestyle and cause confusion for Rhin when they would decide to leave. They'd get a glimpse of the not so glorious life of a parent and run the other way, leaving him heartbroken. But not you.

When he met you over a year ago, you were working at the local supermarket, stocking shelves when a rowdy little girl happened to crash into your legs while what appeared to be her dad chased her frantically. Telling her "Rhiannon, you better get over here. I'm not joking." He was hot, you weren't going to lie, his brunette curls were wild and he had tattoos littering his skin, wearing a band t shirt and some ripped up black jeans adorned with a chain. You wouldn't take him for a dad if you'd seen him without his little twin. You let out an "oof" before addressing the tiny girl at your feet. "Hello!" You greet her cheerfully. She offers a shy smile as she says "Hi." Her dad glances at you apologetically. "Sorry about that." He grabs her hand in his large one. You insist that its no problem, even going as far as to compliment her. "You're gorgeous! I love your shoes." You refer to her pale purple sneakers decorated with flowers. Eddie swears his heart swells in the moment then remembers you must must not be from around here at your kind treatment toward them.

From then on he's making unnecessary trips to the store just to see if you're working, not even having the courage to talk to you. One day Rhin is putting him through it when he genuinely just needs to pick up some milk. She's grabbing everything, hanging off of his leg as he attempts to walk toward the back of the store, knocking things over. She ends up getting too wound up and excited, bumping into a display of greeting cards, sending them flying around the aisle. You happen to be stocking a shelf at the end of the aisle when you see the mysterious guy you'd been crushing on with his adorable daughter, kneeling in front of her with a vein practically popping out of his neck as he tries to keep cool.

"Rhiannon, what did I tell you?" His voice is low and he sounds like he's doing his best to hide his frustration. Her lip wobbles, as her eyes brim with tears. He continues lecturing her as you approach carefully, his gaze moving from her to you. "I-I um—I'm sorry, we'll clean this up." He stutters as he begins collecting the cards from the ground. What he doesn't expect it for you to join him, kneeling on the ground doing the same. "That's okay, we all make mistakes." You assure them both. "No big deal, right?" You nod to her sad little face. He can't get over how kind you are, how much compassion you offer him as a stranger, he's so used to the rude comments and hateful stares. You end up introducing yourself to the little girl, you didn't get the chance the first time when she ran into you.

"And what's your name?" You ask, still gathering cards in your hands, Eddie doing the same as he watches the interaction. "Rhiannon." She says bashfully. "Rhiannon." You say gently, as if you're in awe, exaggerating your excitement for the little human in front of you. "Like the song. That's beautiful, I'm so jealous." This allows her to open up a little more. "Well, I like your name too." She says, sporting a missing tooth at the bottom of her smile. "M' wearing the shoes you like." She puts her foot in front of her, showing it off. "You are! Those are so in style, I've been meaning to get myself a pair."

Eddie is shocked at how well you go back and forth with his daughter, his eyes wide and his mouth hung open in wonder. And then you’re looking to him expectingly and he realizes you’ve asked for his name as well. Suddenly his day isn't going so bad.

—

After several run ins with you at the grocery store he gets the courage to ask you out. He knows its risky, he never wants to put his family in a compromising position but he can't help it when every time he goes to the store, you're there to talk his daughter down from sprinting down the aisles. Telling her "Y'know, your dad is pretty old, I don't think he should be running around after you or else his knees are gonna give out." Eddie would drop his jaw at this, a playful glint in his eyes. "Daddy, you're old?" She would question. He would go to protest until Rhin would say "I don’t wanna make you run anymore if you’re like Grampa Wayne." And while he hated it, he couldn't say anything since it got her to stop racing through the store. When he goes to continue his shopping he'd just mutter to you "If I'm old then that means you're old, assuming we're about the same age." He would smirk as if he gave you the best comeback. You'd roll your eyes. "Whatever, Grandpa, better finish your shopping. Don't forget denture glue." Mean. In the most endearing way. He would get you back one day.

Then he makes his move, a stuttering mess that has no game whatsoever. Saying “S-so, bowling?” You can’t help but burst out laughing, the statement in itself is just so odd in the context of the grocery store, halfway through your shift as his daughter skips around, her attention on the sprinkles of the baking aisle. He shakes his head in misery, knowing that his attempt at being the slightest bit flirty went down the drain the second his mouth opened. Of course you tease him for it but agree to go out with him because you’ve had a little crush on him ever since you first saw him.

Fast forward to your first date when he’s finally able to get Wayne to watch Rhin, his work schedule taking priority until he finally has a night off and even gives Eddie a pep talk, letting him know that it’s okay that he’s nervous and to take things slowly, let it flow. “She already knows you got Rhin, the hard parts over.” And he’s right, there’s no pressure. You already know about the biggest part of his life and that makes things feel a little less tense for him. He’s attempted to date before but it never felt right and he always got too overwhelmed to continue anything.

Later that night you both learn that you suck at bowling and barely have any points but it doesn’t matter because you are having the time of your life and Eddie can’t stop smiling. The music is loud and he finds himself doing little dances on his way back to to the seats after he finishes his turn. You giggle at him every time, he has no rhythm but his moves are still cute. Sometimes he chucks the ball into the lane and it bounces and it only makes you laugh harder, the whole time is spent laughing. Especially when you decide to do a shot or two together. There is no containing that stomach clenching, kicking your feet, face hurting laughter. People were probably looking at you like you’re maniacs but as far as you knew, you and Eddie were the only ones in the room.

There are moments where you pass each other while swapping turns, you going up to grab a bowling ball but first you’d both pause and do a little dance together. Everything just clicked like it never had before and there was no way you were going to let him go after that night. And he felt the same way.

—

That’s how you came to be tonight, your loving husband, just recently married, with one arm around Rhin and the other around you on the couch for a movie, picked out by Rhin of course. She’s long gone, fast asleep since her day of playing outside wore her out, her little head resting against Eddie’s side as he pulls a blanket over her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

He’d turn to you and give you the most dopey smile, so in love with both his girls. “I have never seen a little girl as nuts as her.” He tilts his head toward Rhin. “She’s got me doing full on work outs just to keep up with her before it even reaches 10AM.” You stare at him fondly, his eyes so full of passion for his daughter. “She is like the actual spawn of the Tasmanian devil.” You laugh at this, giving his bicep a squeeze as you’re curled up into him, movie forgotten about in the background. “You love her.” You say confidently, a kiss pressed to his arm. He sighs contently. “God, I do, I love her so much. I was so scared when she was a baby but now I can’t imagine my life going any other way.” He smoothes her hair down gently so he doesn’t stir her awake. “And when you came in, oh god. I was fucked.” Your hand that had rested on his stomach gave it a little smack as a warning for his language around her even though she was in a deep sleep, a grunt escaping Eddie. “Baby, it’s true.” He defends. “Don’t swear in front of her. You know that she’ll pick it up super quickly and we won’t be able to get her to stop.” We. Eddie loved when you used we. He finally had a we. A family. Something he longed for for so long in his younger years, something he feared he never deserved or would ever come close to, it all rested in the palm of his hand. And he would treasure it forever.

~end~

Masterlist

[bloodylullaby]

Author's Note: I decided to start listening to my favorite sad songs and thought about writing a Noah one shot to Dance Gavin Dance's song Betrayed By The Game. I even incourperated the lyrics into it, so please enjoy!

Paring: Noah x Fem reader

Trigger Warning: Car crash, mention of crawling through broken glass, mentions of broken bones and bleeding.

Word Count: 1221

As I lay in bed, vulnerable and with a wounded pride, I'm surrounded by open wounds, fear oozing out of every pore. I never thought this breakup with Noah would hit me so hard, Yet here I am, lying in bed, struggling to breathe, overwhelmed by the sense that I deserve to face this pain alone for what I've done. I roll over to his side and inhale deeply, burying my face into the pillow, catching a lingering trace of his scent. The bed still smells like I’m not all alone. 

I reach for my phone on the bedside table, my heart pounding with a flicker of hope. Yet, as I unlock it, the screen remains as hollow and empty as ever, devoid of any trace of a notification from him. It’s been a long month since Noah ended things, and the blame lies solely with me. I let fear consume me as our relationship grew more serious. Noah and I had a twisted game of trying to incite jealousy in each other. That night at the bar, while Noah was engrossed in a game of pool with Nick, I found myself the object of someone else's attention. With the stranger's touch and my complicity, things escalated beyond my intentions. Noah reached his breaking point, and the next day, he left to stay with his bandmates.

I majorly fucked up, and now I'm reaping what I sowed. I look out the window, and the feelings start roaring within me again. It’s pouring down rain, matching how I'm feeling inside. I take a deep breath and pick up my car keys, deciding to go for a drive. I slip on my shoes and head out without an umbrella or jacket, letting the warm rain wash the pain away as I slowly walk to my car. By the time I reach it, I'm drenched. I turn on the car and crank up the radio, playing my break-up playlist at total volume, letting the music drown out the running thoughts in my mind.

As I navigate the winding road, lost in the distraction of singing along to the music at the top of my lungs and changing the song, I fail to notice the slickness of the pavement. Suddenly, the car starts to hydroplane, sliding dangerously out of control. Panic sets in as I desperately try to regain traction, but it's too late. The vehicle veers off course, hurtling towards a looming tree at a terrifying speed.

I groan as the airbag deploys, the impact jarring my senses. Pain shoots through my face, feeling like I now have a fractured nose, split lip, and eyebrow. Blood trickles into my mouth, mingling with the suffocating scent of smoke. This isn't good, especially with the airbag deployed. I deflate it to free my arms, struggling to unbuckle my seat belt. I push the door open with effort, ensuring my phone is still clutched in my right hand. I let my upper body slump out of the car, leveraging gravity to ease my bottom half out of the vehicle.

I scream as I land on a carpet of shattered glass, the shards digging into my skin. Ignoring the pain, I force myself to keep moving, crawling through the debris with determination. Every inch forward is a battle against the jagged obstacles, but I refuse to be deterred until I know I am safe from my car in case it catches fire. With a huff, I gather the strength to shift into a slight sitting position, intending to assess the damage. However, what I see makes my breath catch in my throat.

My car is a mangled wreck from the front, the metal crumpled and twisted. It's a miracle I survived the impact. The sight alone triggers a panic attack, and I'm overwhelmed, choking on tears. Sobbing uncontrollably from fear, I frantically take in my surroundings. As my life flashes before my eyes, all I see is Noah and me. My sobs come out longer and harder now, and I grab my phone and unlock it, clicking on his name to call. As it rang, my panic increased out of fear that he might not answer me, but after the fourth ring, the line picked up.

“Hello?” Noah asked relevantly and confusedly, sounding like he had come out of a deep sleep. I started to sob harder. “[Y/N]? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” He asked, slightly more alarmed.

“I just crashed my car….and….and…I love you so much, Noah. I miss you so much. I know we fucked everything up this time, but I can't stop thinking about you. I can't stop loving you. I still love you so much, Noah," I sobbed into my phone. Suddenly, I heard ruffling and panicking on the other side of the phone. 

"Goddammit, [Y/N], are you okay? Did you call the police?" Noah's voice crackled with concern, a barrage of questions following. Another sob wrenches from my throat, raw and hoarse.

"No, you were my first thought when I decided who to call. I'm so scared, Noah. I need you," I pleaded.

"I know it's scary, baby, but take some deep breaths with me, okay?" he instructed gently as we went through breathing exercises. "I know you're still sharing your location with me, so I will call the police while I head over to you. Are you going to be okay?" he asked, his concern evident in his voice.

"Yes," I stammered, feeling slightly hopeful that things weren't as terrible as they seemed. I could hear Noah sigh in relief. 

"Okay, the boys and I will be there soon. Don't move too much; I don't want you to worsen any injuries just in case they could be life-threatening," he stated firmly. I murmured an okay and an "I love you" in response. After he said it, he hung up, leaving me alone again. After what seemed like an eternity, I began to hear a car nearby and prayed with great intensity that it was Noah. Not far from where I was, the distant wail of sirens pierced through the night, signaling that help was coming.

There were screeching tires and then running footsteps coming in my direction. I turned my head slightly to see it was Noah, with a mixture of worry and horror on his face when he saw how bad the wreckage was. "[Y/N], baby, I'm so glad you're okay," Noah began to exclaim rapidly as he slowly kneeled beside me, his eyes scanning over the damage down to my body. As the sirens get closer, Noah looks deep into my eyes. He suddenly and gently kisses me, then leans his forehead on mine.

 "You're never leaving my side again, got it? We'll work through our problems together and do whatever needs to be done, whether that's therapy or a different route. But I'm moving back in immediately," he states firmly. All I could do was nod my head as tears streamed down my face once again. Noah gently wipes the tears away and pulls me into a comforting embrace. As the police and ambulance arrive, he talks me through what's about to happen and assures me that he'll be by my side every step. Eventually, he accompanies me in the back of the ambulance, with the boys following closely behind in their car. 

[howlingmod]

Lights, Cameras , ... !

summary ; actors au because it's been stuck in my head and humanwally is very very pretty to me ... hcs that will maybe turn into something more at a later date and time

notes ; no pronouns for reader , not proof read

wc - 1.4k

-You played one of the other characters in the show, appearing frequently in episodes both as a focus and not. Sometimes you would have segments of teaching and othertimes you would simply be interacting with some of the other characters on stage when the episode’s plot called for it. Most commonly, you’d be interacting with Wally, as your characters were close friends.

-He was a sweet, charming guy- both in character and not. When the show was in its earliest days, you were admittedly a little nervous around him. No fault of his as much as it was just unfortunate ‘I am very not used to being an actor yet and you seem very calm about it, therefore you must have lots of experience, therefore I am going to look silly, therefore I am very very much so going to try and not look silly, and hope I do not look silly trying to make sure I don’t look silly,’ sort of case. In all honesty, though, being pushed to work closely with him was probably for the better. While he still had his moments of nervousness himself (more than a few times he’d come to sit with you an hour or so before shooting started to calm down, just enjoying the quiet company as you worked on getting yourself ready or checking over lines), it seemed as though his easy-going nature was one that rubbed off on you with time.

-Tense conversations about how this and that would go on set turned to more casual ones about specific scenes to practicing lines being thrown to the wayside as you both just started talking about something else. He’d still practice with you of course, typically working on segments where you took the teaching sort of role (sure, you’d been doing them for a while now, but that doesn’t make suddenly having the Big Moral Lesson shifted entirely onto your shoulders any less intimidating), it just happened that, should one of you go off topic for even a moment, you were both done practicing. There’s a line that references going outside on walks? Oh, well that reminds you of something interesting you’d seen the other day on your way home. (You can’t just turn back once you realize what you’re doing either, he will most definitely egg you on. After all, you can’t just leave him on a cliff hanger, can you?) There’s a line referencing dessert? Well, he just has to tell you about something he tried at that new cafe downtown the other day. (You’ll most certainly egg him on. It’d be rude not to return the favor and, more selfishly, you’d really just like to hear his voice a while longer.)

-You aren’t sure when things had started to change, perhaps it was just slow enough that it slipped in without either of you really noticing until it was sitting next to you both as you talked, unable to be quietly pushed back out of the room with a lame excuse. You’d say you have some specific moment in time to blame it on, but there’s just far too many.

There was that time it was raining out by the time your shifts were over, so he’d offered you his umbrella. You’d tried to refuse at first, not wanting him sacrificing his comfort for yours, but he’d insisted. He’d given some little excuse of not wanting you to get sick, only laughing when you’d pointed out he could most certainly get sick in your stead, reassuring you that he’d try his best not to.

Or there was that time you were panicking over some scene of focus, sudden stage fright taking hold of you as you seemed to lose track of all previous acting experience you had. You’d been pacing around in your room, listing off every last little thing that could go wrong from you stammering too much to you saying it all backwards and upside down (whatever that meant), only to be stopped by a hand on your shoulder holding you in place. You’d wanted to go back to listing, finding some sort of comfort in being able to identify all that could go wrong before it even happened, but you couldn’t bring yourself to when he was fixing you with some half-concerned half-placating smile. You can’t recall exactly what he’d said, something nice about how he was sure you would be just fine and that you were working yourself up over nothing, he had faith that you would deliver exactly what was asked for and more. It wasn’t anything particularly poetic or breath-taking, but it stuck with you for one reason or another. Maybe it was just how he’d been quick to offer his help in practicing some more or taking your mind off of it altogether. Perhaps it was the fact that it did in fact help, and you did in fact do well in the recording. Perhaps it was the fact he’d happily told you he knew you had it in you with some tone that was genuine enough to conjure up some warmth in your face and fidgeting in the hands.

Maybe it was that night you’d all had to stay in a little later than usual, some shooting problem or other you didn’t bother remembering, only that you would have to cut into the rest of your night with work. You moreso remember being tired -dead tired, really- by the time the problem was resolved. Most people took the opportunity to quickly say their goodbyes and quietly slip out and shamble to their cars to drive home and sleep. You, however, did not have a car, and you didn’t want to take your chances with tripping and falling into oncoming traffic in a sleepy haze. You were sizing up one of the small, semi-comfortable semi-stiff couches in the building when Wally had offered to drive you home instead. You would’ve put up more of a fight with ‘oh you dont have to’s and ‘it’s not a big deal’s but quite frankly, you were having a hard enough time opening your mouth to argue at all. It didn’t matter much, anyway, over-politeness thrown out the moment you’d gotten in his car, as you’d taken no time falling asleep in the passenger seat. He’d admitted to you later on he felt bad for waking you up when he got to your place, you seemed so comfortable for what it was. He’d helped you in your half-awake state, walking you to your door with some one-sided small talk (he had to hope you didn’t pick up on his snickering whenever you’d give a slurred, halfway-nonsensical response. you’d have to pardon his rudeness, it was just a tiny bit funny). There was some brief moment before you’d walked in to go (hopefully) lie down in a far more comfortable bed and get some proper sleep, where you’d turned to him and thanked him for his kindness. It was nothing unexpected, it was moreso just the added ‘and for all the other help, I really appreciate you’ that made something in his chest turn a bit. It wasn’t too noticable enough then, he was too focused on how the light from some faraway streetlight illuminated you just enough that he could see some twinge of something or other in your eye and perhaps he was just a little enraptured with just how close the two of you were and maybe he was a little caught up on how much he’d like to reach for one of your hands to fully realize it. He just had to hope his smile wasn’t too obviously dopey in front of you when he’d finally left your doorstep to take himself home, and that maybe you’d wanna go try that cafe downtown if he’d asked you tomorrow. He’s sure you’d appreciate the coffee anyway.

-All you really know is that you’re sure it was more obvious, on set and in recordings that there was something different. There was new little glimmer in the eye or shuffle in body language that screamed that something was different and new. It wasn’t a bad change, not at all, but it definitely gave some of your co-workers room to tease and jab when you two would make eye contact for slightly too long in that one specific way or one of you would laugh at something the other said in that near sickeningly-sweet, comedically obvious way. Whenever anyone seriously asked about it though, you’d just blamed it on those drinks that were very quickly becoming part of your morning routine.

[not-so-lost-after-all]

There Are Worse Things I Could Do

This little thing is inspired by Dicken's A Christmas Carol and visions of the past, the present and the future - all of them dark. After all, a romance with Astarion can go so horribly, horribly wrong...

Warnings: Nothing major, I believe. Canon appropriate violence and angst.

Word count: 3000

---

It's pouring cold, almost freezing rain the whole afternoon and the day is dark and gloomy, so everyone retreats to their tents. They all have their own things to ponder, after all, as they're getting closer and closer to the city. Esipre is bone tired, as it seems she has nothing to show for her troubles except for the pile of corpses. Her companions put so much faith in her but ask so few questions. Perhaps she should run, it's still time...

She's observant and that was what actually more often than not made her the leader of whatever group she was part of - that doesn't mean she decided it's essential to keep them all alive. Take Astarion for example. It would be so easy to make him do her bidding, everytime, all it takes is a gentle push.

And yet... she treated him with kindness, like a feral cat who is most certainly won over through food and warm touch. She was a fool. They both were. During their first night in the forest, she was drunk but the second time she realized he was just going through the motions he did countless times before. Squeezing her nipple, then kissing her neck, his learned moans of pleasure. He had to do all kinds of work for his old master, Esipre gathered. She tried to please him too, as she learned during her short time at one brothel, and now she has to bitterly laugh about what they both were doing. Surely he must have noticed too but neither of them spoke about it.

When she offered him her blood on the fourth day in the Shadow-cursed Lands because she couldn't stand the thought of him starving, he gave her one surprisingly soft look and quietly thanked her. Esipre did it two more times and each time it took a bigger toll on her. Her fingers were randomly going numb, her mind hazy and the bite marks took longer to heal. Her vampire had the hilarious idea of offering her sex again.

"Oh please, be serious for a moment," she said sternly. "Don't insult my intelligence. Or yours. I'm not even what you want. Go flirt with Wyll or talk to Lae'zel about Soně glorious slaughter."

That wretched land was behind them but even almost a tenday later she mostly avoids him. She looks at her still unnaturally cold fingers and sighs. Perhaps it's been a mistake after all. She doesn't need distraction anymore, she needs to focus. Maybe they are both broken but some broken things are just too sharp. Perhaps he's a broken piece too but from a different puzzle.

Esipre is still standing in the entrance of her tent, watching the dark sky as the raindrops slowly turn into unexpected snow flakes. Then she notices her vampire eying her from across the camp, silently asking for her invitation. She quickly ponders it, then nods gently. Dammit, she can't ignore him forever.

Inside her tent, she is greeted by the silver light of the moonlanter. Esipre immediately notices two ripe red apples on her bedroll. There's also something artistically arranged lying under the apples - a beautiful wine red shawl embroidered with black thread. She kneels and takes the fabric in her hands with stupid smile on her face.

"You like it?" Astarion is kneeling right next her without her even noticing. And to her amusement, he grins like a proud cat.

"Of course. Was there crime involved while obtaining this beauty?"

"Ah. Maybe a little crime but nothing you should bother your lovely head with, darling." He grows more serious and suddenly seems to avoid her eyes. "You're almost as pale as I am and I can't exactly give you any warmth. Thought this could be a gift you wouldn't refuse. I don't want to lose my favorite food, you know."

Esipre presses the shawl to her chest, accepting it. No matter how impossible or annoying or irritating he can be, he's the first one who made her feel something so strongly in decades.

"It's alright when it's with you, my bloodthirsty friend," she says warmly. "Tomorrow you'll have the chance to rip throats again and leave my blood for the battlefield again. But thank you anyway." She feels a faint blush in her cheeks. She hasn't received any gifts since she was a child.

Astarion opens his mouth to say something but changes his mind. Instead he just takes her hand and kisses her knuckles. Then he brushes his lips over the soft skin on her wrist but Esipre doesn't even flinch.

They end up lying under two blankets although they have nothing to really offer to each other right now. It's foolish, she thinks, but she always turns to him like a moth to the fire.

The parasite behind her eye is especially restless tonight, probably getting upset that she hasn't used its power enough recently. As she's half asleep with a headache, the snowflakes are starting their silent dance in the darkness outside.

---

The first vision is from her past. Esipre feels the presence of her dream guardian in her mind. He looks and sounds like her noble father and the irony isn't lost on her. Papa never protected and in her head she knows that but she's always been bothered by her treacherous heart and her heart can't accept the truth.

It's still cold outside and it's snowing. Her body is her own but she's twelve years old. A pitiful dirty thing still dressed partly in her silky dress. Her mother tried to bribe her nurse to poison Esipre three nights ago and since then the girl has tried to ask family friends for protection. Her father sent a word, surely. But they all refused to shield her, this evening she visited the last person from her past.

Her heart is sinking and all she wants to do is to cry but she already knows that a crying girl on a dark street would meet the same fate as a noisy baby bird fallen out of its nest.

Suddenly there are two men moving across the street's corner. One of them is a heavily drunk human with tanned skin who can barely speak or walk. The other one is visibly much more collected silver haired elf. "Sure, sure, darling, let's hurry," says the elf impatiently and tries to push the human. It's enough for the other man to fall. "Fuck!" The elf kicks him in frustration but Esipre also senses some desperation in his voice.

Then he notices her and inclines his head. There's no warmth in his unsettling red eyes, nor his cruel smile. "Hello, little bird." She is preparing her muscles to run.

Her adult mind already knows how it's going to go. He's going to offer her some food and she's going to take the hook. Her child mind is scared and hungry and already ready to give up because she's weak and she knows it, everyone takes a look at her and knows it. Just a clueless lost girl standing there in the winter's night.

The elf takes her to the palace where she has her last meal with the man whose name her father mentioned several times in disgust before. Lord Szaar. He simply watches her, bemused, before suddenly taking her hand and piercing her wrist. She cries in pain and tries to free herself, kicking, screaming. Cazador Szaar just laughs at her feeble attempts, taking gulp after gulp. In the end, her cries turn into whimpers and her limbs go numb - it's like freezing to death on the street…

Except none of that happened. The elf with the silver curls grunts and grabs the lying human by the hand, roughly sweeping the pavement with his back. Espre runs to hide. Weak, helpless.

It doesn't  have to be this way, you know she hears the voice of her guardian in her head.

---

The next vision is quick and brutal.

She sees Astarion and his fangs above her neck and quickly pushes him away. She doesn't think, only acts on instinct, and they're both equally shocked when she plunges a wooden stick into his chest.

Esipre is sprayed with his thick blood and she thinks she'll never forget the look of betrayal he gives her when he's falling to his knees. "I'm sorry," she mutters. She's confused and angry - at him, at herself?

But no, he indeed is a vampire just as she suspected. Vampires do have the eyes of a wolf. Even their hearts are that of a wolf. Their beauty is just a sign of their sickness - the lack of a soul.

She leaves with the others in the morning, leaving his dead body behind. If any of them bothered to connect with his tadpole, they would know. Only Esipre tries, about an hour after they continue on their way. That vampire isn't really dead, just paralyzed. Not that it matters because like all the others, even his tadpole decides to leave when he's of no further use. He feels it crawling out of his eye socket and it makes his stomach turn. Hers too.

When his parasite is finally gone, his skins starts to burn and turn to ash and all he can do is to scream in his head. At the back of his mind, there's an insane laughter that at least he's dying free. His last thought is of the home with green doors from his childhood and the gulls over the stormy sea.

-That was empowering and felt good, no?

-No, it honestly was a bit… pathetic.

Esipre senses a wave of frustration from her guardian, she' lightheaded and everything goes black.

---

"I could have killed you, you bloody fool!"

And yet, when he boldly asks her to give him her blood freely, she relents, trusting that he's not foolish enough to harm her.

His fangs are like shards of ice into her neck and she grits her teeth. That's what she gets for her compassion but oh well, a bit of her blood is far more important for him than for her. Her pulse quickens and her heart is racing as it must pump her blood into two bodies now.

"Enough," Esipre says sharply when her mind becomes hazy.

But he doesn't stop, perhaps he even can't anymore. She tries to raise her rand but it's already too heavy, so heavy that Esipre just brushes the vampire's shoulder. Astarion pins her down and bites deeper into her neck.

"Astarion!" She tries to shout to wake the others but only some low screeching escapes her mouth. "You bastard..." Her voice is barely above a whisper. In the end, her death isn't painful, it's like falling into a dark cold lake and descending slowly to the bottom.

Her spirit lingers in the material world for some time out of spite. In the morning, Astarion is long gone. The others are bickering and almost leave her body just lying there but Wyll, bless his heart, volunteers to dig a shallow grave for her. It's actually Gale who saves the day by sacrificing himself. She has nothing to do with their victory, oh no.

As for Astarion, he's tortured to death by the Gur and later resurrected by his master only to be sacrificed in some hellish ritual. Used and discarded as always. If her soul wasn't on its way to the hells because she never got the chance to redeem herself, she would have felt a slightest glimmer of pity for him.

So this is what you prefer? Remember I tried to warn you every step of the way.

---

The next vision follows and this time there's nothing familiar about it. Surely it must be the future? It's all so confusing. The dim red light and the glass windows are strange and so is the feeling.

She took the power, for him and for herself. That much she is sure of.

Her lungs aren't working and when she tries, she remembers her last breath, then the quick torturous bang of her heart and... silence. It did hurt but the thought of him blatantly lying to her and that it's just the beginning? It hurt even more.

Months turned into years and years into decades. This was a moment to celebrate the death of duke Ravengard - a name that somehow ring a bell - and Astarion ordered that everyone should be merry. Did he order the murder of the duke too? Many things he just doesn't tell.

This celebration at the palace is one of hundreds she has attended, it was still the same on repeat. An eternity of fucking strangers in increasingly "creative" ways and watching him do the same (she vaguely remembered he thought himself a whore or was that just another trick of her mind so her delusions aren't shattered?). Of ever more unhinged bloody games. Of forcing people to pretend to love you. She blames herself for that. Now she understands that Astarion holds it against her too.

She was his first and favorite pet and perhaps if she thought clearly in that moment once upon time, she would understand that some people would find this existence a blessing but not her. Why are there scars made by a silver dagger on her hands and breasts like some mark of ownership when she's supposed to be powerful?

Esipre squeezes the hand of her lord and smiles at him like so many times before. Smiles as she's picturing the last words she's ever going to tell him before killing him tonight and taking his place. But of course he doesn't sense it, he's looking right through her.

All that time she is thinking: "Can you really see me now? Don't I remind you of someone? Someone you killed?

---

In her mind, she is yelling at her guardian. 

Enough! You advise me to take power? I will give you more than you bargained for!

Esipre is viciously pushing and kicking him in her head with all the power her tadpole is giving her and surprisingly, she is able to show him what she likes instead.

So she actually did that. She is the Absolute. Sitting on some goddamned throne in a dark massive room that resembles a temple. Everything she deserves for the life stolen from her and lost decades - Astarion would be proud. And he is standing next to her with hand on her shoulder. She helped him to ascend and Esipre still remembers his smile when she took the power, accepting her as his equal. And she is a benevolent ruler who only punishes those who don't understand her vision. 

What she sees should stop here. But Esipre knows that would be a lie. In the future, she turns her head to her consort and Astarion smiles at her with that smile they both know is fake. She now knows that she compelled all of her friends. Compelled him too and when digging deep enough into his mind, she finds out that she broke whatever was left of his heart and his soul. She gave him hope, gave him power, only to replace his former master - and this time there are no illithids to save him. Telling him he can say no but she is doing so with a wicked smile. Astarion is still performing - he knows it and knows she knows and she knows he knows that too. And sometimes when she looks over her shoulder and the curtain is down, his face and eyes are unmoving and dead tired. Like a man who got his second chance and ruined that one just as surely.

The giant hall is empty except the two of them - or so she thought. A bright lightning from one of the balconies hits her right side and strikes her down. Her body feels like burning as she's lying on the stone floor. HELP ME! She orders Astarion.

She senses no resistance from him, of course, and as she turns her head in his direction when he's not coming to her rescue, she sees him chained by his hand to the leg of her throne. The handcuffs are made of silver and he's struggling against them as they're burning his flesh. Astarion can't touch them, of course, only let them burn through his hand. But by then, she'll be long dead. 

He is complicit in all this, she realizes immediately. Even in her pain, she can't help but nod to him with respect. As she loses consciousness, she can hear him laughing. The last thing she sees is him glancing at the night sky and its stars through the glass ceiling. “Make a wish,” he laughs. He laughs until he cries…

Esipre is in the dark again and her visitor is no longer with her. Before the connection is no longer here, she can catch a glimpse of yet another visions. She dies grey haired and wrinkled in the arms of her vampire and asks him to forgive her for failing him. She still prefers this vision. Then she sees herself dying in a pool of blood hand in hand with Astarion after what she suspects was an ambush. His eyes are not ruby red but emerald green. It is alright though, as this is still several centuries into the future…

She is half conscious and aware that she's sleeping in her tent, feeling cold tears in the corners of her eyes. 

---

To her surprise, Astarion stayed with her the whole night for the first time. “Morning, sweetheart. It was an uneasy night, I suppose?”

“Just some nightmares.” Her heart is not so heavy just looking at him. “And it made the things I want a little bit more clear.”

By the sunrise the thin layer of snow outside has already melted. During the day she notices Astarion giving her some sort of guilty look.

“Do you have a moment?” is the first thing he tells her after everyone else went to sleep.

There's this strange vulnerability in his expression and Esipre already knows that whatever he's about to say, she's going to listen with an open mind.

Tagged:

@spacebarbarianweird

@lirotation

[strangeswift]

The wooden steps on the front porch of Hopper’s cabin were soaked from the rain. Will sat on the third step, with his elbows resting on his knees. He felt the dampness soaking into his jeans slightly, but he didn’t care. He could smell the rain that had just passed, and pretended that the thickness of the air was just that, the humidity and the earthy smell of rain – not the toxic atmosphere of the Upside Down leaking into Hawkins.

It was cold, cold enough that his mother would have scolded him for not wearing a jacket if she were there. But she wasn’t there. And it was always cold now. Will hated the frigid air, it reminded him of the time he spent possessed. He likes it cold. Yeah, fuck that.

He wasn’t sure if anyone had noticed the aversion to cold temperatures that he picked up, since he hadn’t really said anything about it. Well, he knew Mike had noticed. Mike always made sure Will was bundled up. In fact, he’d probably scold Will even worse than Joyce would. And if it were anyone but Mike, Will would have resented them for treating him like he was delicate. The stupid, pathetic truth was, he didn’t mind when Mike fussed over him, and these days, he was delicate.

Which was why he was sitting out in the cold, alone. He had no business making exceptions for Mike, and he couldn’t afford to be delicate. So, he was outside, freezing his ass off as some sort of self inflicted punishment while he contemplated what horrible decision his twelve year old self could have possibly made to lead to all of this.

Goosebumps were beginning to form on his arms, he hugged them to his chest and shivered. He’d just started to consider going inside, when he heard the cabin’s front door swing open behind him. He whipped his head around to see El walking toward the stairs. She offered him a small smile and sat down next to him.

“The stairs are wet,” she remarked, pressing her hands flat to the damp wood.

Will nodded. “Yeah.”

El hadn’t talked to him much the past few weeks. She hadn’t talked to anyone really, except twice in the past two days when she pulled Mike aside and they disappeared for a long time. Will hadn’t let himself ask Mike about it, because he refused to feed into the ugly jealousy clawing at the inside of his chest. He had no right to be jealous. Mike wasn’t his, and despite what he had convinced himself in the past, he never was. El hadn’t taken anything from him, she hadn’t stolen Mike away. Mike wasn’t his, and he never would be, because Mike loved El. His life started the day he found her in the woods.

So sure, Mike and El had gone the past few weeks barely talking. And yes, Mike hadn’t exactly seemed happy after his long conversations with El, but none of that was Will’s business. He’d already ripped off the band-aid. He made a decision that day in the back of the van, to let Mike go. And now, well… Now he was coping.

“Aren’t you cold?” El asked.

“Not really,” Will lied.

El stared at him for a moment, until he became uncomfortable under her gaze and looked away.

“We need to talk," she said.

Will snapped his eyes back to hers, and a million thoughts raced through his mind at once. The loudest and most terrifying one being, She knows. She knows and she hates you.

“Okay,” he said slowly, watching her carefully.

She looked like she was watching him right back, anticipating his reaction maybe, when she said, “Mike and I are broken up.”

That was not one of the million possibilities Will had considered. “What?” he asked, stunned.

“Mike. I broke up with him,” El repeated, “I dumped his ass.”

“I– What? Are you okay? Is he okay? What?” Will stammered, his mouth moving faster than his brain.

“Will,” El said gently.

“Yeah?”

“Slow down,” she said, putting a hand on his forearm in an attempt to calm him. He jumped a little at the contact and she pulled away, frowning.

“Right. Sorry. I– um… Are you okay?” he asked anxiously.

“I am okay,” she said with a small smile, “Mike is okay too.”

“Are you sure? I mean, you guys are–” he cut himself off, unable to bring himself to say the words in love.

El paused. “I don’t think Mike and I are very good for each other,” she said.

“That can’t be true,” Will argued. He wasn’t sure why he was arguing. It was everything that the sick, possessive part of him had always wished for. But he hadn’t ripped off the band-aid for nothing. El and Mike were good for each other, and they loved each other. That’s why Will was suffering silently. That’s why he lied to Mike. For them, so they could be happy together. That couldn’t have all been for nothing.

“It is true,” El insisted, “We were hurting each other, Will. It is better this way. We will be friends, and we will not hurt each other any more.”

“Mike hurt you?” Will asked.

El hesitated. “He didn’t… mean to. He and I do not understand each other. Not like you and him do.”

Will froze. “El… I don’t know what you think, or– I just– If this has anything to do with me, I don’t want–”

“It doesn’t have anything to do with you,” El interjected.

“You’re sure?” Will asked skeptically.

“I’m sure,” El said.

“Okay,” Will breathed, “I just– I want you guys to be happy. That’s all I want.”

“You deserve to be happy too,” El said firmly.

Will shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, El said, “You do.”

Tears pricked in Will’s eyes and he looked away. “Thanks El,” he said, then met her eyes again, “If you ever need to talk about this, or about anything, I’m here, you know. I’m always here.”

El nodded, “I know. You are a good brother, Will.” She leaned over and pulled him into a hug. This time he didn’t flinch away from her touch, he leaned into it. He buried his face in her shoulder and held on to her tight. He felt his tears starting to soak into the material of her shirt.

“I um– I love you,” he mumbled into her shoulder.

El squeezed him a little bit tighter. “I love you too.”

[feyhunter78]

Hey it’s me El! Can I have an aegon x apprentice fic where she’s an apprentice dragon trainer person who is the only one other than himself who sunfyre tolerates but aegon doesn’t know that so just stumbles onto her giving his dragon head scratches and praising it so much. Leads into some heavy banter and hardcore flirting. They do this for a while but when he suggests having sexy times on that very floor (all hail slut aegon) She refuses to bed him as he’s married to Helaena and she’s her friend so she could never do that to her. Reader does kiss him though so the two can have one hint of what they could’ve had if he wasn’t married. Only now aegon has had a taste he can’t stop now so he’s walking determined to helaena and alicent to request he take her as a second wife like his namesake did.

El! I took a little writing break yesterday, but I'm back now!!! Here is the latest, and *spiciest* addition to our Apprentice!reader series!!!!

Dragon Tamer

Ever since you were a child, you had been fascinated with dragons. Reading anything and everything you could get your hands on, vying to be at the front of the crowd whenever a royal would land their dragon, and teaching yourself High Valyrian. It was thanks to this dedication that you were here now, cooing over Sunfyre as you inspected the golden dragon’s front two fangs.

You had noticed Sunfyre’s reluctance to snap at his food with his normal ferocity, and now was applying a healing salve to his gums.

“Poor dear, how did no one notice this cut?” You asked, as you finished applying the salve and Sunfyre shut his jaw, letting you scratch his snout.

He blew steam at you and made a happy purr as you continued stroking and scratching his snout, whispering praises in High Valyrian to him.

“I must admit my surprise.” The voice of Prince Aegon rang out, and you stepped away from Sunfyre turning to face the silver haired man.

“Apologies, my prince, you cannot take Sunfyre out at this time. His jaw is healing, and I fear he might attempt to eat during the flight and aggravate the wound.” You said, bowing your head as Aegon came closer.

There was a look of grave concern on Aegon’s face that you had never seen before. “He is injured? How?”

“A cut on his upper gums.” You tapped Sunfyre’s maw, and he opened it, showing off the reddened cut.

Aegon began whispering to Sunfyre in High Valyrian, stroking his side. “And what is being done?”

“I have already applied a healing salve, it will take a few days, but soon he should be right as rain.” You reassured him.

Aegon visibly relaxed, and Sunfyre lumbered further into his cave and settled down to sleep. “Thank you, Lady?”

“Y/N.” You said. “I am newer to the dragonpit, but I promise you I am more than capable.”

He nodded, a curious look in his eyes. “I see that. Sunfyre is usually not fond of anyone but me.”

You had heard the rumors that Sunfyre would only listen to his rider, but after some persistence and a lot of praises whispered in Valyrian you soon gained the dragon’s respect. Now his rider on the other hand… You’d never met Prince Aegon before, only heard stories from your dear friend Helaena, she did not despise him, but she longed for a gentler soul to be her husband. You mourned with her in that aspect. You doubted you would be able to marry someone you loved, either.

“He is a beautiful creature who deserves respect, and I learned is quite fond of snout scratches.” You smiled and glanced towards the sleeping Sunfyre,

Aegon stepped closer to you. “He, like his rider, seems to have a weakness for exceptionally beautiful women.”

Ah, there was the flirting, you supposed you should have expected it, but it still caught you off guard. Aegon was very handsome, and you would be lying if you said you had not wondered what it might be like to be beside the man who rode such a magnificent dragon. What it might be like to be a princess.

You turned. “That is very kind of you to say.”

“No returning compliment for your prince?” He asked, a teasing smile on his face.

That smile, you wished to wipe it off, to instead feel those lips against your skin. To hear that voice, call out your name in the moment of pure ecsta— You cut yourself off and blinked at him, mind reeling. You must keep yourself together.

He stepped closer, twirling a lock of your hair around his finger, lavender eyes burning into you. “You are able to tame my dragon and yet the cat seems to have caught your tongue?”

“You are handsome, my prince.” You forced out, face hot as he moved even closer.

“Merely handsome? Not very, or extraordinarily?” He teased, tugging on your lock of hair.

You looked around, no one else was here. A boldness grew in you and you looped your arms around his neck, fingers threading into his hair. “What would you like me to say my prince? That you are handsome beyond measure, and that I wait beside Sunfyre every day hoping you will come to see him, and find me as well?”

“I would not be opposed to it.” He said, hands dropping to your waist.

“Or?” You batted your eyelashes up at him. “Perhaps you would like to hear of how I dream of you, storming in and grabbing me. Your hands mapping my skin, heated lips leaving marks for everyone to see.”

Aegon’s pupils were blown wide, and he pulled you closer, one hand wandering up to your bodice, groping the soft flesh. “I would very much like to hear that.”

You pressed yourself closer, practically whispering in his ear. “You would? You would like to hear how in my dreams, you press me against the wall, hand covering my mouth as you rut into me, giving me the pleasure I know only a prince is capable of giving.”

He lowered his head, nose brushing against yours, his voice low. “Not just a prince, this prince, only I can satisfy you.”

“Yes, only you.” You echoed, fingers tugging lightly at his thick silver strands.

“Only I can satisfy you, you who Sunfyre adores, the most beautiful woman in all the realms, you have tamed him.” He moaned, grinding his hips into you, his hardness pressing against your lower stomach.

“Perhaps that means I would be a good dragonrider.” You said, gasping when his fingers snuck under your bodice and began claiming the flesh.

“You would be, I have no doubt. Let me take you here, now, and we shall see if you can tame me as well.” His lips brushed against yours as he attempted to lower you both to the ground. “Gods, I wish for you to tame me, my Rhaenys, touch me.” His hand brought yours to his clothed cock, as he moaned your name, hips still moving against you.

You stopped him and pushed away. “You are married, and Princess Helaena is a friend of mine, I will not betray her in such a way.” Your core was thrumming, and your bodice was halfway pulled down, it would be so easy, but you shook yourself from your lust.

Aegon stood there, loss and confusion clear on his face. “But—she will never know; I swear to you.”

You shook your head and straightened your clothing, looking down at the stone floor. “No, my prince.” You said firmly, your heart beating frantically in your chest, and your face hot as dragonfire.

He whined, and your eyes shot up to his. “Y/N, do not deprive me of you, not just as I have found you.”

You bit your lip, then stepped forward and pressed them lips to his. He tastes of citrus, oranges you recognize, and you have to hold his hands away from you, as your lips move against his.

He whines once more when you pull away, and you brush back a strand of his hair. “Let that serve as our hint of what could have been. Take it and go back to your wife or your whore houses, you will not find relief in me.” You turn away and disappear down the hall.

Aegon pushed his way through the keep until he came to his mother’s chambers. Helaena would be there as well, he knows it. He barged in, and stood in front of them, determination clear in his gaze. “I will marry y/n, from the dragonpit, she has tamed Sunfyre, and I will not ignore a clear sign from the gods.”

“Aegon, you are already married.” His mother reminded him.

“My namesake had two wives, one for duty and one for desire, I shall have the same.” He looked to Helaena. “Sister, y/n says she is your friend, she refused my advances out of loyalty to you. Allow me to take her as well, and I swear to you, I will never darken your doorstep again.”

Helaena was quiet for a moment, then nodded. “Let she who tames into the home, and the hearth will not overflow, the flames will not ravage the rooms.”

His mother sighed, but he was already out the door, ready to reunite with his own Rhaenys.

Tag list: @nyctophilic0vitnir, @svtansdaddyx, @fan-goddess, @dc-marvel-girl96, @shintax-error, @bellameshipper, @the141bandicoot

[sunnydayroleplay]

Aight bestie.

Joseph fucking MC in Jack's costume.

The rest is up to you, go wild bestie lol

IHJFEVWHHJ RFWIN I AM BARKING BESTIE WOOF WOOF WE'RE WRITING IT This fic includes: Sending nudes, again, lots of potty mouth from the Sunny-Time Crew (OOC), Definite size difference, Make-Out Sess, Praise, Use of: Sunshine/Sunspot, Darling, Baby, Honey. You were at work, Joseph was at work. It was quite lonely for the both of you, and you had the most splendid idea. You went into the employee backroom, break-room, whatever you like to call it, and you went ahead to grab your phone from your back pant pocket. You open up your messages between you and Joseph . You thought "Fuck it, I'm bored" and you sent him a photo of your beautiful self. Without some articles of clothing. You send it. Waiting for Joseph to reply. Now in Joseph's point of view, they had just finished recording another episode, and he was still in costume. He was scrolling on his phone, his co-workers and other members of the Sunny-Time Crew we're having a blast, all of them with a lit cigarette in his hand. Joseph leaned against their table, his jaw flew open, as his face began turning a little red. Everyone seems to take notice, and asks some questions. Joseph flung his head around, turning off his phone, and shoving it in his pocket. "Hey now Joey, you alright?"

"Yeah! I'm fine. Sorry." "My, my. One of them mommas send you a pic of their machinery?"

"Wh-what! No, I don't even know how they would ge-"

"Joe, a man don't get no flustered by lookin' at theys phone to say it was nothin'."

"But I-"

"And I refuse to believe you actually have a nice guy or gal waitin' at home for ya."

"Hey now darlin', you never know what kinda fella Joseph can reel in his rod."

"Yeah, it's not like he ain't fine. We all wouldn't have any jobs if that was the case."

"Don't back-track now, Mister! I still wanna know what or who made our little baby-man so flustered n' mustered up!"

"It's nothin' you guys. Listen I'll be back, I gotta make a phone call."

"Aww shiiiiit! Finally our lil' Jojo got sent some gears and bolts of one of those fine baby mommas! Joseph does have some fine ma'am or sir waitn' for him!~ Look at him go, he's doin' his speedwalk! Now yer know he's rushin' to reply!"

"Well call me cloudy with a heavy chance of rain, I never knew our Joey could do such a thang....Now who do you think it is?"

"Mrs. Stephens! She's always grindin' her heel every chance she gets! And Joey gives her plenty of 'em."

While the crew chatted away under the presumption that Joseph found a wonderful mother to bless, Joseph hid away in a rest-room, locking the door behind him. He pulled out his phone to inspect the image you had sent him closely, and he was not disappointed. Boy, he had to get home, and he had to get home now. He rushed out, swiftly grabbing his one bag, wallet and keys. Not even bothering to get out of costume. "H-Hey! Joe, what are ya doin?"

"I'll be back tomorrow."

"But th-, ne-nevermind, just bring it back clean." "Go Joe! Get that baby-makin' pussy!" And with that, he was gone. He hopped into his car, and made his way to speed over to you. By then you were already home, finally someone wanted to do their shift, if not on time. You were sitting comfortably in your room, scrolling on your phone, where you heard a few foot-steps from outside it. "Joseph! I didn't except ya to come home so early!"

You heard large thumps come by your room and open the door, shutting it behind. He makes his way in a primary color fashion, prancing on top of you. The bed sinks, and you suddenly feel very small with this very big man on top of you. He leans down to kiss your soft lips. You slowly try to sit up, you wrap your arms around his shoulders, Your hands in that blue, surprisingly soft hair of his. You wonder why he came home in that, but hey, questions, not complaints. The two of you passionately kiss, Joseph's hands slowly trickle down your body as you kiss this clown-looking man, Smudging make up as you passionately make out. My, it was something. "C'mon honey, I'll make sure you have a sunny-time~" He glares into your reflective eyes, as his hands interlock with yours, and he slowly begins to unbuckle his smiling belt. He throws it on the floor, along with those dark colored pants of his. He goes back on top of you once more, you grind onto his clothed cock, your face reddening as you bite your tongue. "Settle down, sunshine, we'll get there in a moment~" "But I want to get there now~" You whine. You begin to wrap your legs around his sides, your feet resting on his back. He picks you up by gripping your outer thighs, and pulls you in much closer. You can feel how hard his cock is, because it's so close to where yours is.

"Sunspot~ Like I said, we'll get there in a moment~ I gotta treat that nice and beautiful body of yours right after-all~!" He giggles, slowly taking off your shirt, as he flings it across the room, leaning down to kiss your stomach, all the way to your jawline. You pull on his hair, yank it off and throw it away along with all the other costume pieces. Oh, the make-up department is gonna kick his ass when he comes back in later. But it'll all be worth it. "You tease me too much~" You quietly moan out. His soft normal colored hair blooms back out, as you mess it up the slightest.

"Darling, I may tease you, but you enjoy it~" After successfully taking off all your clothes, then and only then does he take off his boxers. His fully erect cock springing back into action.

"You ready, baby?~"

You gently cusp his face with both of your hands, kissing his forehead. "Will you stop askin' questions and just put your dick inside me already?" "Alright, I ain't gon' be gentle." After you had your fun, even though you both maybe failed the goal of "fuckin' till daylight". Ya still had fun. It was the next day, Joseph came in, looking like he was attacked. He wasn't joking when he said that it wasn't going to be gentle. My his hair was in a wreck, his neck, collarbones and shoulders covered in hickeys and scratches. Smudged make-up smearing off from his lips. Yeah his co-workers would ask him non-stop who fucked him, and the department is going to beat the living hell out of him, my my was it all worth it.

[phoenixlionme]

Caitlyn Is Constantly Underestimated

Something that I (and probably other Caitlyn fans) have noticed is how often and constantly Caitlyn is underestimated by everyone she meets.

Her parents, especially her mother, genuinely love her and want to protect her from danger. But they never fully supported her job as an Enforcer, her mother being more open about her disapproval. And her flashback as a child implies that her parents had a habit of paying off her competitors so she could win. They may love her, but their actions also show they don't fully respect her.

Her and Jayce have a playful and loving big bro and lil' sis bond since she was a young teen but even, he's not immune. He may be more supportive of her Enforcer job, but it's also implied from his wording that he didn't try to stop Caitlyn's mom from kicking off her force. I understand he was worried, and I am NOT demonizing him for it but it was still against Caitlyn's wishes. And despite her pleas for help, Jayce refuses her request to help Zaun, so he won't upset his political alliances with the other Council members. However, when Vi calls him out on his inaction, he doesn't defend it and looks away in shame.

Marcus and the other Enforcers see her as nothing more than an entitled, rich brat only taking up being an Enforcer out of boredom. Marcus doesn't even try to hide his contempt of her and when she tries to engage in conversation with other Enforcers, they smugly deny her the chance.

While not elaborated on, a teen Caitlyn calls herself a "misfit", implying she was friendless and ostracized since she was a young child.

Jinx only thinks of her as some "stupid Enforcer" who "stole" Vi.

When they first meet, Vi is nothing but rude and belligerent to Caitlyn for her background and doesn't think much of her. And while her opinion of the Piltie changes, their breakup in the rain further shows Vi still has a mindset of (to an extent), underestimating Caitlyn - Vi thinks they won't work out and tells Caitlyn to forget her.

I think this trend will continue in Season 2. Most of everyone she interacts with, will only see her a naive child with no idea how the world works. I think something will happen to Caitlyn to shed the last bit of naivety she had in season 1. And I think it will ultimately lead her to saving both cities. Now, I have a theory that Caitlyn will play a key role in stopping the conflict between Piltover and Zaun for a number of reasons:

In the official LOL lore, her bio refers to her as "Piltover's best peacekeeper"

Arcane co-creator Alex Yee says believes she is the bridge of the two sides of the two cities. Sorry, I don't have the official link.

Her magnetic personality - Despite just being excluded by the Enforcers just a second prior, the moment she warned of a fire, they follow her lead immediately. How she managed to easily charm one of the Zaun prostitutes. Despite his hatred of Piltie Enforcers and general distrust, Caitlyn's kind words managed to convince Ekko to trust her, probably the first time he ever trusted one. And do I need to mention how Vi fell for Caitlyn's personality despite them only knowing each other for 1 to 2 days.

She is deliberately meant to draw parallels between herself and Vander, another well-beloved leader with a similar personality to Caitlyn's.

[rafent]

Poe had noticed him the moment he entered—come rain or shine, his presence was never one that was easy to miss. She is unsurprised to see him here, frankly; unsurprised to see one as combative as him at the Battle of Eagle and Lion, and unsurprised to see one as cocky as him end up in the medical tents.

Her subsequent approach is efficient, not hurried.

"I'm quite curious," She begins to ask, lighthearted tone mixing with a sharpened tongue to produce something that could almost be mistaken for playfulness. "Are such nasty injuries on behalf of an another again, or was it on account of something you said this time?"

The girl, of course, hardly looks much better herself. The Garreg Mach uniform is modest enough, but what skin does show offers glimpses of bruising and bandages wrapped tight. Smooth as her movements attempt to be, keener eyes would pinpoint them as more labored than usual. This time luckily by something that will heal with rest.

"A shame I was not there for it."

With nary an offer nor request for permission, she reaches out a hand with a healing spell prepared. The act is wholly neutral; judge, jury, and executioner herself arrives prior to those who might act out of misplaced senses of pity and metes out only as much as is deserved.

(Ironically enough, today, he is as of yet the only one who has received it)

Upon reaching the medical tents, Rafal resolved to speak to no-one, which was all just as well. It had eaten enough pride for him to accept where he was bested, enough endurance to stagger all the way to this facility while adamantly refusing all assistance; encountering the much too freely spoken Poe, however, was a blow dealt to both these things, and to that preference. With dwindling reserves of patience pushed to their very limits, only a terrible, truly incensed dragon could be the result.

"Shut up. That is exactly none of your business. Furthermore, an insipid girl like yourself ought to know when to clamp her mouth shut." Now find someone else to bother, he nearly lambasted further, harsh and irate, but succumbed instead to restraint. The dagger he readied never fell; or rather, its edge was quick to revoke at the very last second.

The cause? Relief spread in the warm dispersal of healing magic, an uncomfortable and unrelated prickle consigned him thereafter to passivity, little reflected by the mind. Kindness? Friendship? A sinister ploy to bring Rafal into her debt? The girl's aim was inconclusive at the end of his deliberation and he emitted a nonverbal noise conveying thanks. After that - a long hush, awkward and ungainly.

With little else to do, and nothing to busy his hands by comparison, he took in the stock of her condition. Their occupancy in the illusion had not unveiled a capable combatant in Poe but a fangless healer, such knowledge left her ability to defend herself suspect. With that thought on hand, her damages stirred him disconcertingly with the nibbling teeth of unrest. ". . .You are worse for wear. I am surprised to find you in such a condition," he offered uncertainly after a beat, on the precipice of voicing either misshapen apology or more forward concern.

Ultimately, neither went spoken. For all the heartfelt sentiments humanity produced aloud, the Fell Dragons would entomb just as many to their vast crypts of silence, such was their way - if not at least that of Rafal himself. With a clearing throat, he returned to what was comfortable; the establishment of bickering patterns and to invisible boundaries not meant to be broken.

"Ahem. That is to say: had you employed your usual nagging, I am certain you would have found an ear or two willing to surrender without a fight. Next time perhaps you should try that." A medic arrived to his cotside. He took the bundled ice and pressed it to his purpling cheek, looking quite regular and self-confident in spite of. . .himself. Oblivious, even, to the slight release of a sullen mood that had not existed before.

[melanieryssel]

Can't let you know he's a puppet | P2

*Scaramouche x reader*

Summary: Scaramouche/Wanderer is injured seriously after a mission but refuses to let you help him because the last thing he wants is to let you find out he's heartless puppet.

Note: This happened after Sumeru archon quest, so no one remember "Scaramouche" as a villain who tried to rule over Sumeru anymore. But I still use the name Scaramouche because it feels more familiar for me. And I'm not a English native speaker so I'm really sorry (in advance) for any grammar or spelling mistakes.

Part 1 | Part 2 (end)

You are overreacting

Clenching your fist, the sudden spurt of unnamed emotion rises in you while you stand still in front of the shutting door. You weren't even given a chance to respond or explain yourself. The words that he threw at you, the troubled expression on his face that you saw right before the door was shut replay in your mind like a record.

You are overreacting

What if I really am overreacting? Gods know how desperately you want to excuse your behaviors by saying it's because you were worried about him. But deeply, you know that you have crossed the line. 

You claim to be his friend and as you can remember, Scaramouche has never once corrected you when you referred to yourself as "his friend" or "his companion". He is never the nicest or sweetest person, in fact, people are more likely to consider him rude and mean because of his cruel words. However, it's never something that bothers you. Scaramouche might say mean things and be stubborn but you know that is just his way to word it because, despite all the impolite things he had said to you, he protects you, listens to you, and goes along with whatever you want.

Maybe this is why you started to think that if you keep on pleading with him a bit longer he will definitely give in and let you take care of him. The moment Scaramouche looked at you in annoyance, you knew you fucked up this time.

When you are lost in your thoughts, Scaramouche, on the other side of the door, wonders why you haven't left yet. It would be a lie if he said he didn't feel happy seeing you concerned about him. It would be a worse lie if he said he felt just fine after shutting the door right in your face. It must be so much better if you just leave already. 

That's a lie obviously. He wants you to stay even when he told you to leave. 

He hears the sound of footsteps, smaller and smaller then fade away. Scaramouche assumes you run out of patience for him. 

Well, nothing new, he really screwed up here. He wishes he could just admit to you that he is a puppet.

After a while when he finished treating his wound, he hesitantly opens the door just to see no one. He sighs defeatedly. 

"Fuck you Scara!" 

Your loud yet pleasant voice successfully catches him off guard. You use all your muscle strength to push him back into his hostel then pin him down to the floor. You intertwine your fingers with his, and stare directly into him, leaving Scaramouche speechless.

He intends to say something but looking at your face, he stops himself.

Your eyes are now leaking acid rain.

"Sorry" You say quietly.

"After you knocked me out onto the floor?" He didn't mean anything rude this time, he said it in a rather impressive tone. You look hot, Scaramouche thinks. 

"Yes, this is the only way I can think of. I'm sorry for forcing you to do what you don't want to. I don't want to excuse my unthoughtful and careless behaviors but I swear I mean no harm!!! And by the way, I bought some food and medicine in case you need them." The more you speak the louder you cry. Scaramouche can tell you're trying your best to muffle your hiccups. He doesn't dare to look away from your watery eyes while feeling your hot tears fall on his cold, lifeless puppet skin.

Do you notice how abnormally cold he is? He questions as he tightens your hands. Because of surreal moments like this, he gets more uncertain about how to tell you the truth about his identity. 

Right now, Scaramouche feels a sense of panic, he doesn't know what to do or say. He has never comforted anyone, he wasn't as well taught to say sweet and kind things to people. 

"Okay okay, it's okay. I get it so stop, your tears will make my clothes dirty." It doesn't work, you still cry uncontrollably. 

Scaramouche hesitates for a moment.

"It's not your fault." he says, avoiding your gaze.

 "I should not have said those things." He trails off in embarrassment and guilt, a catch in his throat. 

"Sorry" he mouths. 

His eyes meet yours. Scaramouche quickly turns his head away.

"Scara" You softly whisper.

"W-what?" He responds

"You're blushing" 

"What?! A-are you blind? What a pity that now your stupid head becomes delusional" 

"You're still blushing Scara"

"Fuck you y/n" He says out of frustration.