#but then i was laying in my bed at midnight and then it suddenly clicked

[marymekpop]

⟢ highlight of the hour: our blooming youth [1/20] ⟣

I must meet His Highness. My family’s death must have something to do with His Highness. His Highness must know why my family was killed. 

[florencemtrash]

In a year's time - Azriel x Reader

Warnings: Angst, jealous Azriel, fluff

Masterlist of Masterlists

"But for all he knew you could have fallen for some dashing golden warrior, or found that you preferred your shiny, new friends over him - that you’d found a quieter city full of fae that stole your heart as well as your attention away from him."

Mor narrowed her eyes at the Shadowsinger, watching as he adjusted the collar of his newly tailored suit jacket and then combined his hair back with scarred fingers. 

Azriel had always been annoyingly beautiful - even during their middling years when their voices cracked and they hadn’t yet grown into their long, slender limbs - and so he’d never needed to take special care of his appearance. His hair dried in perfect waves, his skin was smooth and clean despite the scars, and his training had carved out a silhouette as strong and capable as it was alluring. So why did he keep smoothing down his waistcoat like he was nervous?

Mor darted out a tongue, cleaning up the drop of wine that threatened to fall from her ruby red lips, “Azriel? What in the Mother’s name are you doing?” 

His eyes barely flicked over to where she lay sprawled out on his bed. She had no intention of attending this ball sober, and if the near empty bottle of wine balanced precariously against her knee was any indication, she would exceed her goal before they even stepped outside his bedroom. 

He picked up the tie - midnight blue and hand-embroidered with silver thread - and flung it around his neck.

“Getting ready for the ball.” He answered blandly.

She rolled her eyes, “Obviously,” then continued to stare at him expectantly as he finished knotting the tie, folded his pocket square, and then slid his weapons into place as a last measure, cobalt blue siphons flashing from the backs of his hands. 

It clicked all at once as he strolled for the door, forcing Mor to abandon the glass and drink straight from the bottle. 

“Oh my gods.” She said, mouth agape. Her shoes clicked along the marble floors of the River House like the beating of drums. 

Azriel groaned internally. Even tipsy and wearing seven-inch heels, Mor kept up with his long strides easily, prodding his side accusingly with her wine bottle. It magically refilled itself with every jab.

“You’re trying to impress Y/n!” 

Suddenly it was as obvious as the sun rising in the east. He’d chosen the tie you complimented him on last Starfall, despite his hatred of its fanciful nature. He was wearing the silver moonstone cufflinks you’d bought him for his birthday. He’d even combed his hair because he knew you’d notice and muss it up for him.

“Mor-” He warned, color beginning to dust his cheeks. His shadows darted around the hallway, climbing the velvet curtains and peering around the corners to watch for any potential eavesdropping. 

“I knew it! I knew it!” She said, swatting him with a frustrated hand. Her red silk dress clung to her waist and thighs before fluttering out in a halo around her knees as she chased after him, aiming to slap him across the head. 

Azriel stopped in his tracks and grabbed at her wrists, desperately hoping no one else in the house had left their rooms yet. If he was really lucky, the two mated couples would be making enough noise of their own to drown out Mor’s excitement.

“Mor, stop it. And be quiet.”

“You loooove her.” She crowed, dragging out the sound. Suddenly she straightened up, hands on her hips and frowning, “Is that why you’ve been so irritable lately? Because you miss her?” 

Azriel said nothing, gave away nothing, even though Mor had hit the nail on the head in her drunken stupor. 

It had been a great honor when Thesan offered to take you under his wing and train you personally. More than a favor to Rhysand, he’d seen your healing talent and wanted your expertise to be well represented in the Dawn Court. So a year ago you’d packed up your things and said your goodbyes.

“It’s only temporary.” You’d promised him, “I’ll be back before you know it. In a year’s time.”

But a lot could change in a year. You’d sent plenty of letters back and forth to each other, and Azriel would be loath to admit that he slept with them clutched against his chest every night so whispers of your scent would chase the nightmares away. 

But for all he knew you could have fallen for some dashing golden warrior, or found that you preferred your shiny, new friends over him - that you’d found a quieter city full of fae that stole your heart as well as your attention away from him.

He was happy for you and had been the one to encourage you to move to Dawn. But that didn’t mean he didn’t miss you terribly. You’d been missing from his side like a torn limb, and Azriel had been walking through life at a crooked angle ever since. 

“I don’t-” He sighed, he couldn’t lie and say he didn’t love you. He just couldn’t, “It’s none of your business, Mor.” He amended. 

He released her wrists breezed past her, but she sprinted ahead of him, splaying her limbs out on the staircase to block his path.

“You need to tell her you love her. Tonight.” She commanded. Her words slurred out gently, the faerie wine finally kicking in when she’d wanted it to. “I mean it, Az.” 

He shook his head, “I can’t tell her tonight.” 

“Why not?” 

“I haven’t seen her in a year! I can’t drop that kind of truth on her.” 

“Yes you can!” She fought back. There was some muddled piece of information hanging at the edges of her mind, something important she needed to tell Az. But the wine held it back. Fuck. She cursed inwardly.

“No. I. Can’t.”

“Yes. You. Can.” She was practically seething, pearly brown eyes unfocused but unrelenting. She knows something I don’t, Azriel realized in a burst of shock. 

“What is it, Mor? What did she tell you?”

She blinked, dropping her arms from the burnt umber railings. His heart quickened. Had his worst fears come true? Had you found someone else in Dawn worth staying for?

“I-” Damn it. She shouldn’t have finished the second bottle. She cradled it protectively against her chest, feeling the glass cool her hot skin, “I don’t fucking remember.” 

“What do you mean you don’t remember?”

“I mean, I’m drunk, Az. And drunk Mor doesn’t remember shit.”

His heart quickened further, a crushing sense of guilt and loss wrapping around his chest like a corset and tightening. Mor at least was saved from further useless interrogation when Rhysand and Feyre bounded out from down the hallway, tastefully disheveled and looking sinful in Night Court black. 

Rhysand cleared his throat, straightening his dinner jacket and absent-mindedly straightening Feyre’s crown for her, “Everyone ready to leave?” His eyes glazed over, calling out to the last missing members of their party. 

Cassian and Nesta spilled out of their room next, the braids of her coronet slipping out and spilling over her heaving chest. Azriel tipped his head to the ceiling and cursed silently. Mother have mercy…

Nesta pulled up on the strap of her lace dress, only to find that it had been torn to ribbons. 

Cassian was in no better shape - the collar of his white shirt was smeared with lipstick, although he didn’t have the same sense as Nesta to look annoyed at the interruption to their… activities. A toothy grin bloomed on his face, shoulder-length hair tangled like someone had been yanking it for hours.

“Can’t make it tonight, Rhys.” He said. He glanced down at Nes, “I’m not feeling well.” 

“Me neither.” Nesta said hastily, slipping back behind the door and hauling Cassian inside with her like he weighed as light as a feather. Four months after their mating ceremony and they were as insatiable as ever. 

“You’re full of shit, Cass!” Rhys called out just before the door slammed shut. A muffled Fuck you! Came from within, followed by a, Tell Y/n we’ll see her at home! From Nesta. 

They winnowed to the outskirts of Daybreak Hill, landing in a field of cushiony moss dotted with pink and violet heather that stirred in the breeze like the dusk-painted clouds above. 

Feyre sighed deeply, breathing in the scent of lavender and rosewater. She loved Velaris and no one could hold a candle to the beauty of the Night Court… except perhaps Dawn. 

It was like someone had laid a mirror flat on the earth. Periwinkle skies kissed rolling sage green hills dotted with red-roofed villages and sank into lakes of pearl and lavender until it was impossible to tell where the sky started or ended. 

The Dawn Court Palace’s twisting spires of honey marble glowed brighter than the setting sun. So brightly in fact that Mor had to help shield Azriel’s eyes with her soft hands as he carried them up through low-hanging satin clouds. Dots of scarlet and midnight black soaring through cotton skies. 

His hands turned clammy and the tightness in his chest felt like a giant’s fist squeezing his heart, but he convinced himself it was the thin air that was responsible, and not the raging longing in his heart for you. Still, he had to appreciate the beauty of the red-roofed villages below, tinkering hands hard at work inside chestnut workshops filled with glistening bronze and copper. 

They dove through the columns into the open-air hall, any dampness from the mist magicked away by Thesan’s careful hands as he stepped down from the golden dias to greet his honored guests. His rich, copper-colored skin radiated light, melting with the darkness that rippled off Rhysand and Feyre’s shoulders as they shook hands and exchanged the usual pleasantries. 

Mor stretched her silky arms above her hands, catching the eyes of a cherub-faced female reaching to grab a flute from the champagne tower. Normally, Mor would have been flattered, but with Emerie at home and a wine-drunk haze over her mind, she was feeling more anxious than anything else. What the fuck was it that she was trying to remember?

Faelights bloomed above him, tinkered in the shapes of roses that gently pulsed, fluttering petals propelling them across the room in a sway of light. 

But Azriel was barely paying attention. His eyes skimmed the crowd, searching for a silhouette he knew as intimately as the ridges of his hands. 

There. 

You stood across the room, half-hidden in the stone archway beside Thesan’s lover, Herades. You bowed your head towards him in silent conversation, nursing a glass of champagne in your hand to try and cool your nerves. Azriel would be arriving soon, if he wasn’t already here, cradling the walls in search of dark corners like he was bound to do. You’d been imagining all the ways you’d greet him - with a joke, with a meaningful embrace, with a kiss. You shook her head, pushing the last thought out of your mind and focusing on Herades’s story again. 

Your laugh was a flare of light blooming at the end of a match. Azriel stared utterly captivated. Time moved slower than syrup when you finally met his eyes and smiled with an affection more precious than gold. 

“Az!” You squeezed Herades’s arm, politely excusing yourself, and then you were off. You sprang across the room in a billow of cream fabric, like milk poured into coffee. The tips of your pleated skirts were touched with blue like you’d waded out into the night sky. The color matched the ribbon in your hair, and the siphons of a certain lovestruck Shadowsinger. 

“Y/n,” He breathed out. You flowed into his arms and he gathered you into them like a bouquet of wildflowers, breathing in your familiar scent of rosemary and peppermint. Gods I missed you. He whispered in his mind, hoping that somehow you’d hear it at the end of that glowing thread.

But the hug was short-lived. Too short-lived. 

“Mor!” You sang in that melodic voice he loved so much, grasping for her next, then Rhys, then Feyre. 

Thesan looked on humbly, sighing faintly when Herades caught up to you and immediately slid to Thesan’s side. 

“Oh I’ve missed you all so much.” You said, rocking back and forth. 

“We missed you,” Feyre said into your hair. She was the one to pull away, smoothing out ribbon and giving you a once-over look. 

Your time had been well-spent at the Dawn Court. Extra color bronzed your cheeks and tinted your lips a pale berry shade. You stood up straighter, smiled a little wider, and walked with an extra height to your step. You’d always been beautiful and graceful, but it was like you were aware of it now - like you’d grown the last few inches into your body. 

“You look lovely, Y/n.” Feyre said and Mor agreed enthusiastically, commenting on your dress and your hair and your… well everything.

“Thank you,” You said, blushing, “Thesan’s treated me very well.” 

That was an understatement. He’d set you up in his personal household, paid you handsomely (even more than Rhysand paid you if that were possible), and had had the royal seamstress sew ten dresses for you to pick from for tonight’s ball alone. It was your party after all in commemoration of the advancements you’d made in child birthing practices. You’d handled twelve pregnancies alone in the past year across Dawn and Winter, all of the children delivered safely and as plump and rosy as summer cherries. 

“And you’ve repaid it to my court ten-fold.” Thesan said and held up his drink. Even Herades smiled, tawny feathers flaring out with pride. You were responsible for the safety of his sister-in-law and the birth of his nephew - hawk wings and all. 

It was a flurry of activity following the Night Court’s fashionably late arrival. You dragged Azriel and Mor up to the dais after Rhys and Feyre. Traditionally the table was only meant for High Lords and their partners, but Thesan was a unique and progressive leader in more ways than one. 

Herades and Thesan sat in the middle with Feyre and Rhysand, leaving you, Azriel, and Mor at one end and Thesan’s sister and her husband at the other. 

Azriel was eternally grateful when Mor lunged for the center-most seat, forcing you to sit between her and Azriel. You bumped knees with him, leaning close as you whispered about the Court gossip you’d managed to overhear from the cooks or discussing the progress you’d made in the Winter Court. 

Course after course appeared in front of him and disappeared, hardly touched. He wasn’t hungry for anything other than you, focusing on the crease within your brows as you tried to remember all the news you couldn’t write to him about or the twist of your perfect, flushed lips as you displayed your displeasure and your joy. 

If he believed himself to be worthy of your affection he would have whisked you away hours ago, disappearing into whichever room in the palace was yours and pressing you against the wall, lip-locked until the need for air forced him to stop. 

“How are Kallias and Viviane doing?” Mor asked, perking up at the mention of the Winter Court.

You smiled, your cheeks flushing with color, “I’m not supposed to say, Mor, so you must promise not to tell anyone. Anyone.” Mor locked her mouth and threw away the key. Your lips brushed against the sharp curve of her ear, “She’s pregnant.” 

Mor clapped a hand over her mouth, nearly upsetting the glass of wine balanced precariously on the edge of the table. One of Azriel’s shadows darted out, pushing it safely out of the way of her swaying arms.

“Stop.” She hissed in disbelief. Her golden hair seemed to brighten with her cheeks. 

You nodded, “With twins.” 

Tears flooded her eyes, “That wench didn’t tell me.” 

“She’s been busy, if you can imagine.” 

“Still!” Mor muttered under her breath, eating her food slowly and sipping on her wine quickly. She gave up on being sober the more males approached her from the base of the dais, bowing deeply with proud, puffed up chests and asking for a dance. Word had gone around about her… preferences, and far from dissuading suitors, it seemed to have been offered up as a challenge as to who could change her mind. Thank the gods Emerie had declined the invitation to join them. She would have castrated half these males in an instant, if Mor didn’t beat her to it. 

Thesan, gratefully, put an end to it once he caught onto the pattern. One sharp look from him sent them scampering back, coattails between their legs. 

There was one final male though who ignored the previous warnings, humbly bleeding out of the crowd as remnants of rose cake disappeared from the tables and the quartet swelled to include twelve musicians plus a singer. Full, cream-colored wings hovered above the ground, tawny-tipped and lush. Even Mor had to admit, with his olive skin, amber eyes, and warm honey curls he was stunning. Like liquid gold poured out of the setting sun. 

He bowed deeply, a subtle smile on his face. Azriel went rigid, seeing you lean forward out of the corner of his eye with a blush coating your cheeks. 

Mor closed her eyes and groaned. Fuuuuuuuck. That’s what she’d forgotten about. Or rather whom she’d forgotten about. 

Naemon - the golden boy who’d begun to court you seven months back. You’d dropped his name only a handful of times in your letters to Mor. Not enough times to convince Mor you were actually taken with him, but enough times for her to remember the bastard’s name. 

“Y/n,” His voice was silky smooth and kind, “May I have the first dance with you?” He asked politely. 

Your breath caught in your throat and you risked a glance over at Azriel. He looked… bored and unaffected. He reached for his glass, looking more interested in the faerie wine than the male who’d just asked for your hand. It was stupid of you to think he would care for you  as anything more than a friend, and even more foolish of you to think he might be jealous. 

You pushed away from the table and floated down the dais, taking the strong and sturdy hand Naemon offered you. The first song was too spirited and quick to reveal any true feelings. It was a blur of silks and lean arms as you wove through the sea of dancers and were gently tossed from partner to partner. But the second song was slower, more intimate. Naemon flashed a look of gratitude to the singer, who winked in return, before scooping one arm around your waist, hand flat on the small of your back. You rested one hand on his shoulder, feeling the rolling of muscle beneath his crisp linen tunic, and held his free hand. 

Naemon was a kind and gentle male. After the death of his parents, he’d all but raised his younger sister Namia on his own, relying on the money he earned in the Peregryn legion to make ends meet. It was his care for his sister that had first drawn him to you - any misgivings he’d had melting away as you grew close to Namia from among the other healers. You’d supported her throughout her pregnancy, become her friend, and served as a balm to his anxieties whenever his duties took him away for long stretches of time. 

You looked down bashfully, apologizing for missing one of the dance steps and crushing his toe, “I’m better at the quicksteps.” You explained. 

Naemon smiled brilliantly, and you couldn’t stop the faint flutter in your chest, “I can’t blame you. The slow ones can get boring. Leaves too much time for overthinking.” 

“Exactly.” Too much time for overthinking about a certain Shadowsinger.

 You’d never given Naemon any false pretenses about your feelings, always reminding him and Namia that your position in Dawn was temporary. But still… It felt nice to be courted by someone as open as him. With Naemon you never had to guess whether he wanted you or not - you knew he did. The flowers he often left in the healer’s temple, or the offers to take you out to dinner or to dances like this one proved it. 

A curl of guilt coiled in your stomach. Maybe now was a good time to bow out and return to your seat. Surely the slow waltz would be finishing soon. The-

“You’re overthinking again.” Naemon said, his full lips brushing against the sharp curve of your ear and heating the gold cuffs you wore. “I don’t want you to worry about anything, Y/n. If you’re enjoying yourself - if you like dancing with me - keep doing it.”

“Naemon-” You began apologetically.

He shook his head, “Don’t worry about me, Y/n.” He said honestly, “I just want to dance with you tonight. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

You stared into his eyes, finding nothing but truth in them. A portion of your nerves melted away and you found that when the cello began to hum out a simple tune, you were still holding onto him and letting him move you through the next movements. 

Azriel was barely holding on by a thread. Wine glass now empty and clenched dangerously between shadow covered hands. Rhys shot him a look, and when his attempts to breach his brother’s mental shields were met with resistance, he turned to Mor. 

What’s wrong with him? His eyes flashed the question.

He’s being an ass who can’t come to terms with his emotions. Mor grumbled back, sinking into her seat with a fling of yellow-gold waves. 

Rhys’s eyes went from confused to wide open as he shot a look to you across the dance floor. Fuck.

Feyre followed her mate’s attention with a look of concern, and then traced Azriel’s steely gaze to the dance floor where you were smiling reservedly up at Naemon. You two made a handsome couple, weaving a clear path through the other dancers as they parted for his magnificent feathered wings. 

Azriel stiffened. He’d never been particularly proud of his Illyrian heritage, but his wings… his wings were one of the few true beauties he possessed. But in comparison to the golden-boy warrior that smiled at you and brushed back a loose strand of hair with his soft hands, Azriel found himself lacking… once again. 

Naemon was a gentle breeze where Azriel was blistering wind. He was a wide open door, every look he gave you filled with clear affection. Azriel was a dozen locked boxes, each one nestled within the other with all the keys rusted and thrown away. Naemon looked reserved and in control. Azriel felt completely out of it, and it took every inch of willpower to keep the mating bond from driving him mad enough to launch across the dancefloor and bruise Naemon’s high, perfect cheekbones.

But then the dance ended and Naemon parted from you long enough to reach behind his back and pluck a feather from his wing. A few shocked gasps scattered throughout the room. Even Thesan and Herades looked on with raised eyebrows, leaning close enough to touch. 

The feather was a beauty - the length of Naemon’s forearm and such a pure white it glimmered like moonlight. You froze, staring down at the treasure he offered you with bated breath. 

Peregryns were fiercely protective of their wings and rightfully so. To be allowed near them alone was a great honor. To touch them was an intimate act reserved for family members and lovers. To be offered a feather?! In some circles it was akin to being gifted a thousand roses. In other circles it was tantamount to a marriage proposal.

Both offers were completely overwhelming to you.

“Naemon-” You began carefully, backing away, “I-I can’t.” 

He smiled softly, eyes flashing briefly up to the dias where the Shadowsinger had gotten up to his feet, something like desperation and longing buried deep beneath the layers of his hazel eyes. 

“Don’t worry about me, Y/n.” Naemon said resignedly, “But please, take this,” He begged, spreading open your fingers before curling them again around the feather, “For everything you’ve done for my family.” 

And because I love you, even if you don’t love me back - were the words he didn’t say aloud.

“Naemon-” A shadow fell over your feet, curling around your ankles and skirts and tugging you away like a child seeking attention.

Naemon, for all his relative youth and gentle disposition, didn’t seem surprised or affected by the Shadowsinger’s presence. Azriel hovered close behind you, eyes blown open and desperate. 

Please don’t. He silently begged. Please don’t say yes to him.

He almost melted with relief when Naemon only dipped his head in acknowledgement and kissed the palm of your hands. Even that innocent touch made Azriel’s stomach turn. 

You turned when Naemon finally disappeared into the crowd. “Azriel, I-”

You had half a mind to hide the feather behind your back, but you couldn’t do such a cruel thing to Naemon. And it wasn’t like Azriel hadn’t watched the whole thing unfold in front of him. You clasped the feather in your hands, careful not to ruffle the delicate barbs.

Azriel was no longer bored and unaffected. In fact he seemed unnaturally flustered and nervous. 

He swallowed thickly, mindful of the curious stares you were attracting. Not only had you just been proposed to, but now you were being approached by a male from your past after an ambiguous response - you’d accepted the feather, but Naemon had left alone. The court gossips would have a field day, if they weren’t already.

“Y/n,” He said, his voice thin and quiet. A mere whisper among the riff raff that was steadily building up again in a crescendo, “Can we please talk?” His wings fluttered nervously, and he shot a dangerous look at a male who came too close to you, “In private? Please?”

Your heart fluttered in your chest. You’d barely recovered from Naemon’s dramatic display and you were scared about what Azriel might offer next. 

Still you mumbled, “Oh-um… yes.” 

The words were barely out of your mouth before Azriel’s hand was on your wrist, delicately leading you through the crowd towards the archway and into the hallway beyond. Fae mingled about in their finery, happy to escape the music and the sweep of dancers. 

Azriel scowled. This was hardly any more private. 

“My quarters are further down this hall,” You offered, pointing down a sky bridge that connected the public wings of the palace to the private ones. Azriel exhaled in relief, nodding and following you as you cut through unfamiliar halls draped in rich reds, golds, and turquoises. 

You stopped at a door of solid oak, hand painted to look like it had been lifted from the pages of a storybook. Resplendent gold filigree traced the footsteps of maidens running along hills dense with colorful flora. Water trickled down from the mountain tops, so realistic that Azriel was amazed to find the handwoven carpets in your room were dry. 

You peered down the hall before closing the door with a gentle whisper. Only the songbirds nesting in the high crevices bore witness to your activities. 

You hesitated and then tucked the feather into one of the empty jewelry boxes on the vanity. Out of sight, but not out of mind. 

Azriel stood motionless by the door, watching as you closed the box and slid it back against the mirror.

“Did you say yes?” He whispered, hating the way his voice caught in his throat, “Do you love him?”

You turned around quickly, the length of ribbon in your hair rippling through the air to land on your collarbone. Azriel was upon you in an instant close enough for you to feel his shallow breathing, but all he did was trace the blue ribbon with his fingers and then push it back over your shoulder.

“I don’t-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” You stuttered and your face burned with feeling. Azriel had asked you for privacy so he could ask you about Naemon? 

Azriel clenched his fists once. Twice. “The male you were dancing with. The feather-”

You blushed deeply, turning your face away to hide your embarrassment. You had hoped he didn’t know about that Peregryn custom.

He gently gripped your chin with his thumb and forefinger, pulling your gaze back to him. You blinked in surprise. For once Azriel looked… scared.

“Did you say yes to him? Please. Tell me.” 

If you had said yes he might just shrivel up into nothing on the spot. Why had he waited so long to tell you his feelings? Why had he waited so long to tell you about the bond? But if he did it now it would just be terrible timing all around. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

You shook your head and Azriel’s wings dropped in relief, eyes closing as he murmured a quiet thanks to the Mother beneath his breath.

“He-it wasn’t even a real proposal. He gave it to me as thanks for helping his sister. That’s all.” 

He gave you a pointed look like he knew you were lying. There was no questioning Naemon’s feelings for you. No questioning at all.

“You never answered my second question.” 

You crumpled under his gaze. Gods, he looked beautiful tonight. Torturously so. It wasn’t fair. Naemon had loved you openly, never given you cause to doubt his intentions nor made you feel guilty for not returning his feelings. And yet here you were, still pining after the male who’d never seen you as more than a friend. A male whose intentions were never clear. A male who always made you question how well you knew him, and whether those small touches and reserved smiles and affectionate letters were just a polite kindness or something more. 

“No.” It felt wrong of you to admit it so callously, even if it was the truth, “No I don’t love him.”

Azriel looked ready to kiss the ground and something about that set a fire within you. Leave it to Azriel to ignore any romantic advances from you, to chase after other females left and right for literal centuries, and then get upset the moment another male found you appealing. 

You huffed, pushing him away harshly and crossing your arms over your chest, “It’s none of your business anyhow. I’m allowed to have my lovers and my almost lovers. And if you truly thought Naemon was proposing to me, I don’t know why you’d want to fucking interrupt it!”

Azriel flinched at the coldness in your voice, “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then how did you mean it, Az?” You exclaimed, clearly irritated now, “Gods, you never just say what you mean.”

Azriel tried again, grasping at straws. “I would never judge you for your choices, even if you said yes to him or-I just-fuck.” 

On any other day you’d be laughing. Azriel was a male of few words, but the words he did say were always perfect and calculated. Nothing about this was calculated or thought out.

“I… you’re my best friend, Y/n. And I haven’t seen you in over a year. I just…” He cringed. Hard. Cauldron boil him. He was doing this terribly, “I was scared.” He finally admitted, and rather pathetically.

“Scared?” You dropped your arms. That wasn’t the answer you’d been expecting, “Scared of what? You’re hardly ever afraid of anything.”

He shrank away, hands clasped tightly behind his back, “That you’d leave me-us. That you’d find a reason to stay here instead of returning to Velaris. And when I saw you dancing with him tonight - the way he was looking at you and the way you were looking at him - I thought… I thought Naemon would be that reason.” 

Now you were confused and even more irate than before.

You stalked up to him, jabbing his chest with an accusatory finger, “You were the one who encouraged me to do this. You were the one constantly writing to me about the importance of making friends and “putting myself out there.” You were the one who practically shoved me out the door when I left-”

“Because I thought you wanted this!” 

“I did! I-I do!” 

“Then what was I supposed to do, Y/n?!” He cried out. His shadows, which had been held back so tightly on a leash throughout the night, exploded outward, coating the bright colors of your bedspread and the rugs and the curtains in inky black. They swirled there, as agitated and timid as their master. 

“What was I supposed to do?” He whispered again. He sounded tired. Defeated. “I couldn’t… I couldn’t hold you back from what you wanted. From the happiness and opportunities you deserve.”

“You could’ve at least said something! You could’ve at least told me that you were upset with me leaving. That you were going to miss me and that you-you-” 

That you love me and that you wanted me to stay. You shoved the thought out of your mind, slamming the door and turning the lock. Useless, lovestruck pipedreams would do you no good now. 

“Instead you just pushed me out the door and it’s been nothing but empty letters from you since.” 

“They weren’t empty.” Azriel said weakly. He’d never been a man of words or poetry, but in that moment he desperately wished he was. “And I did miss you. Y/n, I missed you so much some days it felt like I couldn’t breathe.” 

You deflated, your anger slowly ebbing away like the ocean during low tide. Sometimes you forgot that beneath all those hard-won layers of shadow and muscle, Azriel was still that little boy that had been abandoned in a cellar and taught to believe he was worthless. A waste of time and a waste of space. Nothing more than an inconvenient bastard. 

“Why didn’t you tell me? I thought you were all doing fine. That I’d come back and it would be like nothing had ever changed. I would’ve-I would’ve made time to visit. Or-or come back sooner.”

Azriel chuckled without humour. He had not been “doing fine” without you. He hadn’t been “doing fine” since the moment you’d stepped across the doorway and winnowed out of Velaris.

“You make it sound like I was going away forever.” You added softly.

“It felt like it.” Azriel admitted quietly, “I always worried there was a chance you’d decide you liked things better in Dawn. That you liked the people better. So when I saw you with Naemon I just…” His voice trailed off and he slowly backed up to your bed, sinking down into the pillowy comforter. Even the beds seemed softer and kinder here. Softer and kinder than him.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered. 

He felt the bed dip beside him, your knee pressing against his in a burst of warmth. The blue tipped pleats of your dress slowly waved with his shadows as they once again curled around your feet, inching up your dress and closer and closer to your hands. Now that he was looking down he noticed the shoes you were wearing - cobalt blue with matching velvet ribbons tied up your calf. Same as your dress. Same as the ribbon in your hair.

“I wanted to believe you wore those colors for me tonight.” He said quietly, aching for your touch. Your hands were so close to his he could almost imagine that-

You covered his hands with your own, smoothing the rough skin with gentle caresses, “I did.”

It had seemed like such a stupidly hopeful choice at the time - some not-so-subtle declaration of love for all the months you’d spent apart - but when the seamstress had laid out all the dresses, you’d taken one look at the cobalt blue accents and the shoes and snatched them up in a heartbeat. 

Azriel’s eyes were wider, more open, than the moon, shimmering with disbelief and hope, “You did?” He whispered.

“I did. They reminded me of you.” You stopped looking him in the eyes. It felt like too much. Too much emotion. Too much feeling. “I missed you too, you know.” 

Azriel stayed quiet for a long while, sorting out the myriad of feelings roiling in his chest and trying to latch onto a single coherent thought. Finally he murmured, “I guess we could both work on saying things outright.” 

You laughed softly, shaking your head and wiping at the corners of your eyes, “Yes. I guess we could.” 

“We could start now.” Azriel offered hesitantly. His heart hammered away in his chest like a blacksmith at his anvil until he was sure his sternum would crack. 

You raised your eyebrows. Curious.

“The next five minutes. We say everything honestly. No holding back.” 

“I don’t know, Az. I-”

“Please.” He begged, holding onto your hands a little tighter. His shadows had traveled all the way up to your waist now, ghosting over flesh that he didn’t dare touch. He didn’t want to lose you. He’d thought he could handle being apart from you physically - that it would be no different from the decades he’d spent quietly loving you from right by your side - but he’d been horribly wrong. And he didn’t want to risk another, better male than Naemon coming to whisk you away before he had the chance to do things properly. To do things honestly.

His hands were shaking now, gripping your hands like you were the anchor to his ship trapped in raging waters, “I’ll start.” 

“Ok.” You whispered, leaning a little closer.

Azriel swallowed and tried to stop the trembling in his hands and in his voice. In this he managed quite well, falling into a rigid, flat silence.

“I love you. I’ve loved you for years now, actually.” He dared to look at you. Your lips were parted in shock and he wished he could taste them, “Is that…is that ok?” 

“Is that ok?” You repeated dumbly. “Is that ok?” You repeated a little louder, “Are you serious, Azriel?”

“Y-Yes?” He was trembling again, face open and terrified. He was offering you up his heart on a platter and praying to the Mother you wouldn’t crush it beneath those velvet blue shoes. Even if you did, he would find some solace in knowing you were the one to destroy him. He loved you so dearly that it was only within your right to do so. 

Your lips broke in a stuttered smile, opening and closing like you didn’t quite know what to do. “I never thought I’d hear you say that. I’d hoped you might feel that way but I… I was never sure. I…” You cradled his face in your hands, tracing the curve of his jaw and his cheekbones with your fingertips, “I love you too, Azriel. I love you so much.” Your voice cracked, silver gathering in your eyes no matter how fiercely you tried to blink them away, “Gods, Az, you don’t even know.” 

He gripped you close enough enough to bruise, arms locked around your waist and hands laid flat on your back. It was a sweet pain that grew even sweeter when you kissed him, searching for breath like you’d find it in his lungs. Azriel was just as desperate, ravenous even as he tugged at your clothes and flipped you flat on the bed. He wanted your lips again. You tasted like strawberries and cream, and he was starving. 

He climbed on top, slotting himself between your legs as you yanked him close.

“Your hair,” You muttered, “It’s too neat.” The next minute was all teeth from Azriel as you mussed up his hair and he grinned wildly against your lips.

“Five-” He groaned, sinking further into you when you wrapped your legs around his waist, “Five minutes aren’t-” He propped himself up on his elbows, looking down at your flushed face as you gasped for breath and finally untangled your hands from his hair, “Five minutes aren’t up yet.” 

“You’ve been keeping track?” You dropped your head back on the bed with a disgruntled hmph. Had he been counting the whole time he’d been kissing you?

He kissed your chest, then the sensitive skin of your neck. But there wasn’t any expectation in the brush of his lips, just quiet, honest love. 

You raised your head, finding that Azriel once again looked scared. “There’s something else I need to tell you.” He said seriously. “Before… before anything else.” 

You drew yourself onto your elbows, craning your neck for one more kiss, “You can tell me, Az. You can tell me anything.” 

The bond sang in his chest like a songbird in a cage. It wanted to be released. To be acknowledged in words if it couldn’t be acknowledged through feeling at this moment. Because Azriel knew you didn’t feel it yet. You didn’t feel the burning he felt in his chest that made it hard to breathe when you weren’t around. 

What if she doesn’t want this? What if she doesn’t want me? Azriel swallowed thickly, tears springing into his eyes. He wanted so desperately to be worthy of you - to be the kind and gentle lover and mate that you deserved. He’d been born crooked even before he’d been tossed into that cellar, before his half-brothers had set his hands on fire. But… but he was yours completely. He’d offer whatever meager, broken shards of himself that he could in hopes it might be enough. 

“Az,” You whispered his name lovingly and slid a wayward curl behind his ear so gently he thought he might break apart into a million pieces, “Tell me. Please. Tell me.” 

“You’re my mate.” He confessed. 

The words hung in the air, unaccepted, unrejected, and you went preternaturally still. 

He had no feathers to pluck out and present to you. But he had his shadows. You tipped your head curiously to the side when Azriel knelt on the ground, holding your hand in his. 

“I don’t have any pure white feathers. I don’t even have a ring on me right now-”

“Az, you don’t need to-” You stilled when a shadow flickered down Azriel’s wrist onto yours. It was a small, delicate thing. Willful too. You could tell by the way it traveled confidently down your ring finger, curling there tastefully like a castle spire reaching towards the sky.

It hovered over your skin like mist hanging over wetlands. A proposal in and of itself.

“Yes.” You said before Azriel could open his mouth again. He hesitated, afraid to believe he’d heard you correctly, “Yes.” 

“You don’t even know what I was going to say,” He teased weakly. 

But this time you knew exactly what he meant, even if he didn’t say it out loud. 

The bond burst to life in your chest as the shadow sank into your skin, settling there like a tattoo. Like a promise. 

Azriel stumbled, actually stumbled, clenching at his chest at the wildness growing within him. He chased after you, hurtling down the bond and finding you wide open on the other side. You were anxious and surprised and so so so happy. So happy you felt like you might just die from it, and Azriel felt it all. 

Hello, Y/n. He called out.

Hello, Azriel. You responded. My mate. 

Azriel groaned, slamming his lips and his body against yours. You held steady as you always did, letting him press against you as if you could keep him there forever.

I am yours and you are mine. You gripped his hair again, feeling the silky strands caress your skin. With one smooth motion he pulled out the ribbon and started to undo the buttons of your dress.

Promise?

You grinned. Promise.

___________

Author's note:

Nothing like a declaration of love after a year spent apart to make my heart swoon.

But honestly I would have fallen in love with Naemon... sorry Az...

[mrsnancywheeler]

the lakes (2) // 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

2.9k words

warnings: ANGST, fluff, mentions and allusions to mental illness, an elopement but not officially, terms of endearment, Finnick being cheesy af and also having a savior complex, reader also having a savior complex, allusions to death and violence, the reaping, sickeningly sweet but also heart wrenching things, cheesy writing, UNEDITED, no use of y/n, mild language

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

Suddenly the day had arrived, technically you'd let yourself bleed into it. How could you rest when this could be the last time you lay in your soft sheets with him? When you'd never seen the sunrise and set over the glittering waters of District 4? You needed to indulge yourself with the smell of the salt air in the early morning, touch the cold kitchen counters and rest your feet on equally freezing hardwood floors. So you stared through the window to the glistening stars which shined above the ocean water letting the sparkle ingrain itself into the depths of your soul.

“Can we stop pretending to be asleep now?" His voice whispered, hot on your ear like the arm lazily laying across your side.

“Yeah." You allowed yourself to softly smile as you sat up. All of the things you wanted to enjoy you equally needed to be done with him. To walk hand and hand around the sandy beaches, for him to mindlessly tie knots as you searched through the rocks during low tide for the tiny creatures that would appear. “Should we fish for our breakfast?” You playfully rose your eyebrows.

"You hate fishing.” Finnick had a toothy grin, you were humoring him, his passions and he loved that about you, but what that really meant made him resent it.

“Yeah." You shrugged, kissing him sweetly before unwrapping yourself from the blankets every so slowly. This might be the last time you could comfortably do that. “Let's get ready." So the two of you did so in each other's comforting silence, a routine that was so natural. He always took longer to get dressed, so you began with the very last part before exiting the room. Making the bed.

Carefully laying each blanket in what Finnick had long ago deemed to be the correct order and you could feel his eyes on you. He was so particular that usually he would do it himself, but he just stood in the closet door frame staring.

“Staring is rude, where have your manners gone?” You teased as you continued diligently preparing the bed for whenever it may provide its comforts again. When he didn't shoot back a reply right away you turned to look at him.

“Hard to remember when you look so ethereal in the moonlight, angel." Finnick approached, lightly grazing your chin with fingertips. “That pillow-" He pointed at the one clad in its silk pillowcase. “Is mine.” With such a playful and bossy look in his eyes you couldn't help but throw it at him.

“Fine, I didn't want it anyways, but this one is mine.” You grabbed the softest one in the bunch from his side of the bed and dragged it over to you.

"You little minx.” He scoffed, grabbing your arms as you held the pillow. You wrapped your arms tightly around it and he pulled you onto the bed trying to pry it from you as you erupted into laughter. "You end up lying on me anyways, it's my poor head that needs to be protected.” You tried to tear yourself from his arms wrestling against the tight grips of your arms, thrashing across the bed. “Messing up the bed now too." He clicked his tongue condescendingly at you, "At least I was already going to have to remake it.”

You gasped and let go of the pillow to lightly hit his shoulder which he used to successfully retrieve it. " You dick!” He laughed and stood.

"Just go sit by the window and look pretty, my love. It's not your fault you can't get it right.” You rolled your eyes lovingly as he helped you up.

"You're right, it's your fault for being so picky about it.” He hummed in agreement and gave a peck to your lips before gesturing towards the window adjacent to the chair.

“Let me admire you more as I do the work, angel.” So you sat as he went through the steps of his bed making routine. He did it all with a care that cut into your heart. Tenderly observing the precision he had for each act, it was as if he needed the bed to be such a haven to lay in that no imperfection could taint it. “We should get married." Finnick said abruptly after laying the final pillow down.

You were stunned into a stupor, staring back at him as the glow of the moon glittered on the bronze of his skin. “What?"

“Let's go get married." He knelt down in front of you hands on your knees

A shocked laugh left your lips, “Finnick, that's not how that works."

He grinned, “I don't care." His eyes felt like they were etching themselves into your heart. “We don't need some paper to tell the world, let it just be us, and the sand, and the waves, and the mist. And when this is all over we can go do it officially with the big white wedding or whatever else you could want, but right now let's just be one. Have the ocean bind our souls, angel. I wanna be yours forever.”

Desperation, that's what it was. He wanted to be yours so he could know that if he died the sea could tell the tales of your great love, the tides would echo your sweet nothings. But you couldn't find it in you to care about the deeper motivations, it could help heal his soul, help heal yours so you nodded softly and pressed your lips to his.

“Okay." His smile was as bright as the sunlight and picked you up in his arms. You could have fallen asleep in the warmth of his arms as he diligently carried you to the waters near your home. Passionately kissing you as he laid your bare feet on the wet sand. He looked at you expectantly, for what you couldn't tell so you teased him. “What? I know you're impatient, but don't I at least get a ring?"

You stepped away closer to the waters as you scanned the rocks. Each starfish and sea anemone, you'd miss the bliss they brought whenever you were out early enough.

“Here." You nearly jumped when he reached beside you to pick up a piece of washed up seaweed. “You deserve more, when this is over I'll get you the most gorgeous ring to show everyone what you mean to me."

“This is good enough for me, Finnick. I'm happy with this." You tore some of the seaweed off to fashion one for him as well, you envied how delicately his hands worked to make yours.

“You're happy that it's just past twilight and I've carried you to the beach so we can bind our souls together without even bothering to get a marriage license on the day of the reaping? And I couldn't even bother to bring a real ring?" He teased.

"I'm happy to be with you, to love you when it comes down to it, the other stuff doesn't really matter.” You grinned, “Let's just get married."

"I promise that for all of eternity, past when the sun last rises and when it lasts sets. Far beyond where the last star may shed its light on us or the time when the last leaf falls. With no regard for what is to come that I will be one with you. To have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish so that not even death will part our bond and my love.” He delicately slipped the seaweed ring on your freezing finger, kissing your hand as he parted from your fingers.

“I promise that for every drop of water in the ocean, each grain of sand in the earth, each gust of wind, my love will increase boundlessly for you. That we will be one with each other when all thrives through its decay. No tribulation shall part my heart from beating with yours, my tears from falling with yours, nor my lips from syncing with yours. To have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish so not even the hands of death will crack the strength of us as one, as we are one from dawn to dusk.” The breeze and mist blessing you with its droplets made you feel so light as you lay your ring on his finger as well.

You didn't question Finnick as he began to weave the remainder of the seaweed around your connected arms.

“May we be connected through the lakes, the sea, the rivers, the springs, the cricks, the ponds, the mist, and the fog with each creature within to let us be one in the world, what you feel, so shall I, what we need the other will provide, and let our devotion be smiled upon."

He kissed you, his honey sweet lips tinged with the salt of the ocean air and you consumed each other in every sense.

"I love you Finnick, so much so I'll refrain from telling people how sentimental you are."

“Only for you, Mrs. Odair." He kissed you again.

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

You'd obtained so many hours through the lost sleep to spend forgetting about what the day would inevitably do that the both of you could lose yourselves in being unbearably in love with one another. Neverending promises for the future, cuddling on the couch, dancing in the sand to fill the hours until the elephant in the room had to be acknowledged.

The two of you had wound down to the cushions of your couch to hold one another. The talking had ceased so you could simply listen to his breathing, his soothing heartbeat. Oh, if you could do this forever, to never move.

“We have to leave soon." The croaky way the sentence left your throat instantly wanted to send you into a frenzy of tears.

“What if we don't?" He asks, stroking your cheek.

“They'll kill us."

“They're already doing that."

No, technically if neither of you were picked you could both go home in peace, but as the time between the announcement and now had begun, whispers of rebellion and some type of plan had strengthened. Something Finnick wouldn't give up in fighting for even if he had to volunteer and you wouldn't be left here without him. Even if you did, that meant some other friend would have to go die in your place which would be a death within itself.

You reluctantly sat up and had no trust in your voices stability to repeat the need to go, maybe a death here would be better.

“Angel, you know my plan. I know you're unhappy with it-"

“I'm not unhappy with it, I understand you want to help because you are so caring and kind-"

“You're not selfish for being unhappy with me going back, your feelings aren't selfish." His hands cradled your face, “And that's not what I was saying. I just, please, tell me what you plan to do."

You sighed, “I don't know Finnick. I have no idea."

“Then stay, Mags will volunteer if it's your name and don't volunteer for anyone else. If I win then I can come back to you and we can really be married, legally as well as with the planet." He said eagerly, searching your eyes for affirmation.

"Your plans don't end with one victor coming home, so I can't say that. I want you to come home to me, but I want to be with you through it all, to fight your fights, to stand where you stand, not be left behind. But I don't know what I'm going to do yet."

He exhaled harshly through his nose, “You're going to stay here for me." Finnick stood up and grabbed you both pairs of shoes taking no further comment, but no matter what he insisted you'd swore to nothing of the sort.

Quietly the two of you walked towards the square of District 4, your head laying on the comfort of his shoulder. Each of your arms tucked within the others and rings keeping you both grounded within each other when you eventually had to part to different sides of the stage.

“I love you."

“Don't say that in a tone like you'll never see me again."

“I might not for a while, unless you go as a mentor."

“You don't get to make either of those decisions." You felt like you were being forced to tear him from what he assumed would happen to remind him of your own will and it broke your heart when you saw fear flash in the depths of his sea-green eyes.

“Angel-"

“I love you, Finnick." Your voice was filled with conviction as you kissed him with fervor before walking the opposite direction, trying not to look back as what you were sure was his worried, loving, angry face. Why couldn't you just be the girl who waited for him to come back? Why did you need to fight with him? But your soul begged you to do it, so you listened to the call.

Soon enough your breath was hitched even if you knew Finnick would force the same outcome to happen no matter which name was called from the male tributes. As if you needed any more surprises this year your escort had decided to swap up the gendered order of pulling the names. Proclaiming how entertaining Quarter Quells should be in every aspect. Which was probably the least entertaining thing you'd ever heard.

“Finnick Odair." The sickly sweet voice rang out in the microphone and your heart dropped even if you'd been prepared for him to get himself in the games regardless. Your throat felt tight and your fingernails dug into your palms as he smiled for the cameras watching intently.

“And now, for the girls. All such entertaining victors!” She beamed for the viewers, it disgusted you how happy she was for this.

You could feel your heartbeat ricocheting through your head as the tapping of her heels walked to the bowl of four paper slips. Your eyes gazed over the women besides you. Mags in her solemn sereneness, she deserved to pass surrounded by those she loved in her home, and then poor, shaking Annie who wasn't as good at hiding what you pushed down, the girl labeled as going ‘crazy’ by the Capitol, and Ondine who seemed like she had clocked out of her own brain. She stared forward so numbly it appeared as if she'd resigned herself to her death, an image that would haunt you every hour if she did die.

“Annie Cresta."

Your head looked at her instantly, she'd let out a quick sob as she began walking forward. Each step is unsteady and slow. You shot your head towards Finnick, you shook his head, eyes screaming at you to do nothing. To try to mentor but do nothing more. But Annie’s sniffles brought you back to her, she deserved so much more, you were certain her psyche would break before she'd even reached the interviews. As she stepped to pass by you you couldn't hold the adrenaline in your body back.

“I volunteer as tribute!" You shouted shakily, stepping in front of her to stop her from going further.

“No-" You heard Finnick accidentally slip as he looked at you so despairingly, but it didn't undo what you'd said which you felt more confident in as Annie began crying. “It's okay, I'm not gonna make you do that." You whispered to her and hugged her shaking frame as you felt your own silent tears escaping, trying to guide her back to the comfort of the other women.

“You didn't have to-"

“It's okay." You assured the best you could. Ondine, who you'd rarely spoken with looked at you and nodded, as if that said everything she thought, and it did. Suddenly it was as if the regrets you may have had were gone, this wasn't just about you and Finnick, there was so much more on the line and you couldn't have stayed home to watch anyone else suffer.

The consciousness that you were on camera hit you so you let go of Annie and turned back towards where Finnick stood, damning your heart for caring, for not listening. He tried to keep us appearances for the cameras, but the looks of rage, woe, and despair were evident if one simply looked into the depths of his eyes and the way his jaw was clenched ever so slightly.

“District 4’s tributes for the third Quarter Quell!" The screeching voice announced and you wrapped your hand into the stiffness of Finnick's and dragged them above your heads. Letting your makeshift rings sit front and center would be sure to draw the attention of the Capitol citizens deeply invested in this all. Allowing the tears to bubble at your eyelids, it was already part of the brand you'd created years ago. Finnick’s nose flared as he forced his smile and without goodbyes you were led off the stage towards the train.

You could feel the intensity of his rage radiating off of his aura, not the calming warmth he usually possessed, but you knew you wouldn't take back your actions regardless of who'd been chosen. So you resigned yourself to the harshness that lay behind the train's metal doors.

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. there is so much more I have planned for this series and I'm so excited to share it with y'all. if you liked it, feedback is much appreciated, likes, comments, reblogs any of it I'm so, so grateful for. as always, my inbox is open for any and all things or ideas! thank you again so much!

taglist: @imaegonstargaryenswife0 @avoxrising @artsyaquarium @jennaaaaaaaaaaaa @secretsicanthideanymore

[alexblakeisgay]

Yes, Daddy

Ship: Emily Prentiss/Reader

Summary: When Emily proposed to you that you go off your heat suppressants and be her little free use slut, you weren't so sure it was a good idea...

Word Count: 1177

Author's Note: This fills the Free Use square on my @cmkinkbingo2024 card. It's also a sequel to "At Your Service" because apparently if enough people say 'continue' I do it.

“I guess I owe you one...” you said, breaking the silence in the car as Emily drove you home from the airstrip. You’d landed in D.C. just shy of midnight and it was safe to say you were both exhausted after the small-scale shitshow that was Alaska.

Emily took her eyes off the road to fix you with a quizzical look. “For what?” she asked, seeming genuinely puzzled.

Puzzled by her confusion, you awkwardly stumbled around the matter as you tried to avoid saying the actual words, “You know...for...helping me.”

Understanding seemed to dawn on her then. “You mean for fucking your brains out?” she said, saying the words you were reluctant to voice.

Blushing, you mumbled, “Yeah...that.”

She laughed, entirely too smug for your liking.

Rather than comment on that, though, you simply said, “Hopefully my pharmacy will have gotten a restock...” Emily hummed a note in response to that and it didn’t sound like agreement. Raising a brow, you asked, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What?”

“The noise you made,” you prompted.

She seemed to consider lying for a split second, but just as quickly the urge gave way and she blurted out, “What if you didn’t refill them?”

If anything, that left you even more confused than before. “What? Why?”

“Don’t you think it might be fun?”

“Fun?” you repeated incredulously, “To...be constantly, insanely, out of my mind horny?” When she nodded, you gave her a pointed look and said, deadly serious, “No, I don’t think it would be fun!”

“Really?” she asked and you weren’t sure if it was meant to come off mischievous or imperious, “I think I’d enjoy it...”

Your brows leapt up your forehead. “You...would?”

“Especially if I had constant twenty-four/seven unfettered access,” she purred, raking her eyes over you.

“Access?”

“To that sweet little hole,” she growled, “You have no idea badly I want to cum inside you...”

...

You thought about what Emily had said for the rest of the car ride to your apartment. Something about the idea of being Emily’s fuckdoll was insanely hot... You’d never particularly wanted to be owned like that, to have an Alpha control you like that, but Emily... Emily was different.

You got little sleep, laying awake in bed long into the night, thinking about the matter. What it might be like to be at Emily’s constant beck and call...the thought was enough to have you aching to touch yourself. Which is why you ended up calling Emily...

Groggily, Emily answered your call with a mumbled, “Wha’sgoin’on?”

“I want to do it.”

She suddenly seemed much more awake, sounding almost like the cat that swallowed the canary. “Oh, really?”

You nodded, then remembered she couldn’t see it over the phone. “Yes, Daddy.”

She practically growled as she declared, “I’m coming over.”

“What? Now? But...”

Another growl, this one more feral. “Are you or are you not my little free use slut?”

“I am, but...” you started to protest.

She clicked her tongue. “Do not get smart with me, Baby,” she snapped. “I’m coming over and when I get there, I expect to see your sweet little cunt on display and ready to be used.” She didn’t give you the chance to protest, hanging up before you’d had time to wrap your head around the command.

...

From where you lay splayed out across your bed, you heard the door unlock, knew it was Emily since she had the only spare key. If you’d had any doubt, though, it was quickly vanquished by her voice ringing out from the foyer, “You’d better fucking be naked when I get in there...”

When she entered the bedroom, her grin was absolutely mischievous...but that wasn’t the first thing you noticed. That was what she was wearing...or rather, not wearing, given the fact that she wore a trench coat open over lingerie that you were fairly certain cost more than your first car.

You were speechless for so long that her grin only grew. “Cat got your tongue?” she purred, strutting across the room until she stood at the foot of the bed, staring down at you. You opened your mouth to reply, but she was quick to reprimand, “I don’t want to hear anything out of you that isn’t Yes, Daddy, do I make myself clear?”

You nodded.

“Now,” she said, “Show me my toy.”

You didn’t need to be told twice, spreading your legs for her, exposing your cunt.

“Such a pretty hole...” she cooed, but didn’t immediately make any motion to take what you were offering her. As if reading your mind, she said, “You didn’t really think I was going to make you feel good, did you?”

“I...” you started, faltered.

She scoffed. “Oh, honey...Daddy’s only here to make sure my toy is in pristine condition, I’m not going to actually play with it today.” Your face immediately fell, causing her to laugh. “Hush now, Pet, Daddy’s got work to do.”

She knelt at the foot of the bed, pulling you forwards sharply so your cunt was at eye level and your legs were slung over her shoulders. “So beautiful,” she said once again. You were surprised when you felt her trail her fingers along the lips of your pussy, touch soft and delicate and far too light for you to get any kind of pleasure from it.

Then, she used her fingers to spread your pussy open so she could get a proper look at it – at your spasming cunt, fluttering uselessly in search of friction she apparently wasn’t going to give you, at your twitching clit, desperate to be touched. She blew a stream of cold air over your clit and you gasped sharply, feeling it throbbing in your desperation for stimulation.

“Daddy...” you whined, desperate and needy. “Daddy, please...”

“I said no.”

With barely there pressure, she brushed her thumb over your clit, just to see how it would react. It wasn’t enough for you – it would never be enough. And she knew it, judging by the way she proceeded to ignore the sensitive bud.

She did just about anything but give you the stimulation you were looking for – with the faintest strokes of her fingers, her lips, teeth, and tongue, she teased you relentlessly. She studied your reactions, the sounds you made, the way you tensed and shuddered and squirmed. She laughed as you nearly sobbed, begging for her to touch you the way you wanted, but never gave in.

Finally, when she was satisfied with her inspection, she stood, stretched. Then, staring down at you imperiously, she said, “Daddy has three rules for my toy. One: you’re to ask for permission every time you want to touch yourself and, if I don’t give it and you touch yourself anyway, I will punish you. Two: you’re at my constant beck and call, twenty-four/seven. If I say jump, you say ‘how high?’. Three: I can do whatever I want with my toy. Your safe word is Squid and it is the only thing I stop for. Understood?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

[yanderenightmare]

Incel Bakugou please :( him kidnapping darling and forcing her to be his slut because it’s the only thing she’s good for :(

I incorporated another ask I received about a Ghostface Bakugou into this, so enjoy~

BNHA ! FIC

Bakugou Katsuki x darling

TW: yandere, prank calling, breaking and entering, threats

tip-jar: Kofi

STRANGER

The time was a little after midnight. And you, despite being heavy-eyed and blinking, were still lying stomach-down, sprawled out on the couch.

Some dumb show about some dumb dysfunctional family was playing low on the TV in front of you – not much to your interest, it appeared, or at least not enough to cop your full attention – but enough to act as somewhat pleasing white noise, you didn’t mind letting lull you to sleep.

You were beginning to drool on the pillow your head lay resting on and looked to be struggling between the indecision of getting up to brush your teeth and the more tempting pleasant thought of simply sleeping right there, without the chores of getting ready for bed.

Your arm was mindlessly dangling towards the ground where the remote had slipped to some time ago, along with your phone that suddenly – just when it looked like you were about to fully nod off – started to ring.

Startled, you flinched at the sheer chimes buzzing loud beneath you. Waking by it as though it were the sound of an alarm going off, only it visibly wasn’t yet morning from the looks of the dark outside.

You groaned then, both out of ire and relief – happy it was still nighttime as you were still tired, yet reluctant to have to speak to someone for much of the same reason. 

Hesitating for a small moment, thinking it was just a friend with some silly emergency – you were tempted to ignore it before guilt got in the way – where with a pinch between your brows and a big yawn, you swiped to answer it nonetheless.

Clicking speakerphone, you had your eyes still fully closed while croaking out a groggy and slightly bothered, “Hello?”

You expected to hear drunken cries and the muted thumps of base and beat and club chatter or something like it – all in all, at least a whiney girlish voice belonging to a friend – but none of the sorts was at the other end of the line.

“Hello.” It said, much awake compared to you in a voice dark and raspy – audibly altered by some type of scrambler, yet still clearly male.

Still, you didn’t really have the sensibility to think much of it just yet. 

“Who’s this?” You asked.

“Who’s this?” He asked back, making your brows further scrunch. 

“You’re the one calling?” You replied in askance, dragging your head from the pillow to peek down at the phone on the floor, viewing the caller ID – which gave you next to nothing aside from letting you know that your caller was unknown.

“You tell me your name, and I’ll tell you mine~” He offered then, and your suspicions of it being a prank call only solidified.

And although the corner of your mouth quirked upward by the sentiment, it was unfortunately just a bit late for you to be bothering with. “I’m a little too sleepy to humor pranks right now- I’m sorry. Try again later- bye~” You managed to muster through a yawn, hanging up and thinking that was the end of it.

Only, it didn’t take long for the phone to ring again.

“Why don’t you wanna talk to me?” The same voice asked through the phone.

The thought of simply hanging up again crossed your mind, but at the same time, you didn’t really see the harm in talking with the man. After all, you were awake now anyway – and besides, given he was using a voice-scrambler, it wasn’t so unlikely that it was someone you knew.

And with that, you figured you’d humor them, if only for a little while before brushing your teeth. “Didn’t your mama ever tell you not to talk to strangers?”

“No~” It answered – still in that very altered voice that made it impossible to place.

“Well, my mother taught me better~” You joked with a tiny laugh, thinking the entire thing was kind of exciting now that you were sobering up – your mind slowly waking up and starting to spin. Not knowing exactly who was on the other end – whether it was a coworker or friend, or someone else entirely. You couldn't quite figure out who would bother to do such a thing in the dead of night – to you, of all people.

“Oh, come on~ aren’t you tired of being a goody-two-shoes?” He flirted back, and you giggled a little louder while picking the phone up from the floor.

“Fine then, Mr. Stranger~” You whispered slowly and coyly, rolling over to lay on your back instead before continuing. “What did you wanna talk to me about?” 

A dark chuckle came back through the phone, making your stomach purr in turn before he spoke again. “What are you wearing?”

You paused at that – cheeks heating with teeth sinking deep into your lip. “Hm…” Looking down at your drab pajama, you didn’t exactly feel inclined to be truthful. “Sexy lingerie~” You tried instead, trying to keep from laughing while putting on your best mock-sultry voice.

“I don’t like liars.” The man answered. “I know you’re wearing pajamas.”

You pouted. “Okay, fine- you caught me.” 

“Still sexy, though.” He added, making you giggle again.

“And you’re a little creepy, Mr. Stranger.” You stated with a tease, biting your lip with a smile while looking at the phone for his reply.

Only his answer wasn’t very nice. “You’re the one whoring around with an unknown man on the phone, slut.”

Your eyes widened before abruptly hanging up.

His voice had changed, and immediately the whole conversation didn’t feel very fun anymore. Suddenly mean-spirited, it soured into something that made you feel all in all rather stupid for even amusing in the first place.

But again… it only took a few seconds for the phone to ring a third time. 

“Don’t hang up on me.” The same voice demanded.

And while feeling bored of the game, you sighed with a huff and asked him nonetheless, “What do you want?”

“I told you already, I want to know your name~” He said, his playful tone of voice back again – only this time, you weren’t at all charmed by it anymore.

“Why do you want to know my name?” You bit out sourly. Unsure why you were still on the phone and even more unsure why you even bothered picking up yet again at all.

“Well… ‘cause…” He began slowly with a pause, and your brows only sunk lower with his antics, finding yourself properly pissed until he uttered the next line – only now in a deeply unsettling whisper. “I want to know who I’m looking at.”

You went cold, with a chill running sharply down your spine. 

Sitting up slowly, you held the phone tightly in your grip while looking at all the windows viewing the darkness outside.

“Oh~ you look cute when you’re scared~” He continued, and you jumped to your feet and stomped to the first window, drawing the curtains one after the other one until none remained.

“Quit calling.” You finished, hanging up for what you really wished would be the last time.

Seconds later, the phone rang again despite your wish. Only this time, you let it ring – deliberating whether you ought to call the police or simply ignore it until it stopped. 

You went to check if the outer door was locked before padding back to the couch, listening to the phone finish ringing before beginning anew.

You figured he’d stop after a while, but minutes passed without a break until you finally picked up – not out of fear, but anger.

“I told you not to hang up on me!” He yelled, and you sneered.

“Listen, asshole-”

“No, you listen, you stupid bitch-” He interrupted. “If you hang up on me again, I’ll wring your little neck ‘til your eyes pop-”

You gaped at his threats but weren’t about to let yourself be bullied either. “If you don’t stop calling, the next call will be to the police!”

“Tch-” He scoffed before laughter spilled through the speaker. Louder and louder until it stopped with the next utterance. “Stupid pigs won’t make it in time.”

There was a crash of glass somewhere in the house, and you flinched while withholding a scream. 

Fear hit you like a flash, robbing you of breath before your instinct took you towards the door. 

Rushing, wide-eyed and goosefleshed, you swallowed thickly while trying to think. With your phone gripped tight in one hand, you tried pushing in the numbers to the police – while at the same time struggling with the lock to the door, shaking the knob with no fruition until finally pushing it open.

You cast a glance over your shoulder, viewing the empty house that now suddenly seemed much darker than before – ears going deaf with the rush of blood in your head, pumping thick from the panicked beating of your heart. 

Taking a rushed springy step without yet facing forward, you had your mind set on running to the neighbors, only – instead of bursting out into the open street, you were sent back into the house – stumbling until you hit the floor with a wince. 

Your phone slipped from your hand – not only crashing to the ground as hard as you did but smashing into a broken mess as well – now utterly useless.

A dark-cloaked figure stood at the threshold, taking up the entire frame.

“Silly bitch.” He said nonchalantly, stepping inside – shoulders broad and boots heavy with his face covered by a white mask. Then he laughed, raising a large knife that made you scurry back. “Didn’t your mama ever tell you not to let strangers inside the house?”

tip-jar: Kofi

Part 2 coming soon...

[vanrougemoons]

almost midnight break-in.

prompt: Person A breaking into Person B’s room through the window.

• Late Birthday Present for @seareefer ♥ • Word Count: 994

Perhaps this isn’t how you imagined your night going. Actually, it’s not something you wouldn’t expect but it absolutely is not something you imagined happening tonight.

. . .

You had been mindlessly scrolling through your magicam feed. You liked a post Cater made earlier, and oooh’d at a photoshoot preview Vil uploaded. Truly, you were living the best life instead of sleeping and being an example for other students to follow.

You snort and instantly DM a meme to the group chat you have with Ace and Deuce.

Then you hear a tap on your window. Common sense tells you to disregard it because you’re too dulled out from all the historical events you’ve lived through since finding yourself in this world. Common sense also decides that it might just be a tree or something.

You hear a tap again and look up from your phone- waiting for your eyes to adjust to the change in lighting so you can figure out what’s actually going on.

The window shakes, and sure it could just be the wind making your run-down windows shake, as they often do. But you swear that you saw a hand smack against the glass.

You grip your blanket closer to yourself as your window jiggles open and you spot the two beady eyes staring straight at your eyes. In the darkness of your room, you really can’t make out a face but… bright yellow and brown? There are only two answers as to who it could be, and you quite doubt that one of them would crawl into your room at midnight.

Actually, both would- but you don’t think one would do it unless absolutely necessary.

You reach over to the half working lamp next to your bed and turn it on with a click. In a flash, a grinning face stares back at you.

“Shrimpy!”

You sit up in disbelief, “Floyd- how did… actually,” you shake your head, “never mind. Why?”

You should probably know better than to ask this boy why he’s climbing up to your bedroom at eleven at night. But you asked anyways.

The eel-boy in question manages to push the window up enough that he can slide into your room easily. You’re suddenly grateful that Grim’s taking the couch tonight as you deadpan at him, “Floyd.”

He stands up to his full height while stretching upwards, “I was bored.” He replies as if it were the most normal thing ever, you narrow your eyes at him.

“Being bored doesn’t mean that you can scale your way up to a bedroom, y’know?” your voice muffled by your blanket. You’re used to his antics, in fact, you’re surprised at yourself for being surprised that he’s here.

Shaking your head, you resign yourself to your fate and decide that this will simply be an all-nighter as you now have to babysit a bored eel. “Never mind— Got something on your mind?” You pat the space on your bed next to you.

His grimace widens as he strides over to you and easily hangs himself off of you instead of sitting next to you like a normal person. His arms wrapping around your shoulders, his head easily resting on top of yours. “Mmmmmnoooope.”

Even with the extra weight on you, you find yourself comfy. Your phone lays nearby forgotten as you lean your own weight onto Floyd.

And it’s quiet, that’s rare. Very rare when it comes to him.

The wind blows a soft breeze through the open window, and you manage to pull the sheet over this boy on you. A yawn escapes you, and you think you can hear him snort.

He pulls back and stares down at your eyes mischievously, “mmm? Don’t tell me you’re already tired? I just got here- come onnnn. You gotta last a bit longer.”

“What are you even-“ you yawn again, “planning… Leech?”

He reaches for your discarded phone and stares at the time.

11:58p.m.

“Shhhhhh~ Trust me, just a bit more.”

You can’t believe the audacity of this eel-boy, boy-eel? You huff and make a grab for your phone; he laughs and easily pulls it out of your reach.

“Gimme my phone-“

“Nahhh, don’t feel like it.”

You groan and try to grab it again, “you stinky eel, I’ll fry you if you don’t give it here-“

Empty threats that make his laugh turn into cackles as he pulls it away from you again, except this time- He falls backwards with you in tow onto your bed.

His laughter doesn’t stop as you attempt to grab your small entertainment box to no avail. You’ve successfully amused the eel enough, congratulations!

You sigh in exasperation, “did you just come here to terrorize me? I’m gonna sick Jade on you- I swear-“

A wide grin spreads onto his face again, “nu-uh.”

Without missing a beat, you whip your head up to look at him straight in the eyes, “the fuck you mean nu-uh.”

Your phone lights up as it’s turned face-up in his hand.

12:00a.m.

He beams with joy and sits up so fast that he almost smacks his forehead against yours. You’re lucky you ducked to the side and rolled next to him, leaning back on your arms.

“FINALLY.”

You’re taken aback by his sudden, “wh-what?”

He’s practically shining, his grin spreading from ear to ear. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!”

. . .

You’re laughing. He’s there grinning at you like a dumbass, and you’re there laughing.

“Is this why you’re here?”

He nods so fast that it reminds you of a bobble-head figure. He looks so proud, and you’re here wiping tears from your eyes from how much you’re laughing.

“I told you I was going to be the first one to say it!”

You feel his weight crash onto you again, and you can’t help but think how much you don’t mind this.

. . .

Your phone stays on the floor forgotten, dinging every couple of minutes with notifications.

[ani-coolgirl]

What You're Looking For

Written for @wincestwednesdays prompt 1: lost

Read here on AO3

When DJ gets home, the house is a wreck.

Not again, he thinks with a sigh, dropping his bag by the door. He checks the wards on the doorframe (unbroken) and makes sure the door slams when he closes it.

“Dad?” he calls, keeping his hands up as he edges further inside. No surprises, no sudden movements. He learned that sneaking back in the house after midnight once when he was a teenager. Swears he can still feel the bruise sometimes. He teased his dad about it exactly once; the utter mortification that crossed his face sort of killed the fun. “You home?”

Of course he is. He doesn’t really get out these days. The doctors say it’s for the best.

Suddenly, Dad blows by him, a whirlwind of anxiety and agitation. “—find them—” DJ catches before his dad disappears into the kitchen. Oh, he hasn’t gotten into the knives yet, at least. That’s good.

DJ catches up with his father just as he yanks open the knick knack drawer. Objects are pulled out and discarded at random—thumbtacks, rubber bands, bottle openers, and scraps of tinfoil pile up on the countertop and spill onto the floor.

“Woah, woah, Dad, slow down—” DJ makes sure he’s in Dad’s line of sight when he lays a hand on the man’s shoulder. He’s only shrugged off, which DJ takes as a win. “What are you looking for?”

Dad steps around him and yanks open the cutlery drawer. Luckily, he takes out the drawer organizer and gives it a shake instead of pulling spoons out one at a time. “I can’t find them.”

“Find what?”

Strangely, his father wrenches the freezer open and peers inside. “The... My...” He snaps his fingers impatiently; the words are gone. The freezer door bangs shut as he pats himself down; then makes a fist under his chin, jerking downward before crossing the room to dig around in the cupboard. A light bulb goes off in DJ’s head.

“They’re in the safe, Dad,” DJ reminds him gently.

Dad spins around, brow furrowed, can of cream corn in one hand. He opens his mouth but then pauses, hesitating. He sets the corn down. “Junior?” he asks tentatively.

DJ nods. “Junior,” not “Dean.” Another good sign. “Yeah.”

Dad pats himself down again but stops himself mid-motion as if scolding himself. DJ waits in silence. His father takes a slow breath and looks him in the eye. “What safe?”

“C’mon.” DJ doesn’t lead him—Dad hates to be led—and also doesn’t check if he’s being followed. If Dad comes, he comes. If not, well, he’ll calm down eventually. He usually does.

Dad follows. DJ goes to the master suite, wincing at the chaos within (Dad started here, obviously), and surreptitiously kicks the piles of clothes littering the floor aside as he heads to the closet. He clicks on the overhead light and motions his dad inside. He can see how Dad missed the safe if he forgot it was there. Unlike the gun safe in the corner (open, but emptied out months ago, thank god; DJ tries not to think about any weapons hidden around the house he might’ve missed), this one is built into the wall with a false panel keeping it hidden. It’s also covered devil’s traps and protection charms, both visible and invisible, some with rather nasty side effects. DJ sets the panel aside, enters the combination (01-24-79), and pulls the door open.

There are a handful of objects in the safe: a few photos, a baseball, a deck of cards. All sorts of odds and ends, all appearing mundane but every one of them containing extraordinary stories (only a few of which DJ’s heard). But the photos and the baseball and the cards are bypassed. He knows exactly what he’s looking for.

His dad looks ready to weep when DJ drops the objects into his hands—a leather necklace with a brass, horned figure and a car key. Stumbling to the bed, his father brings both to his mouth as he drops as if kissing them, eyes sliding shut. A single tear escapes the corner of his eye. “I thought I lost them. I-I- thought I’d—”

DJ sits beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Not an easy task—his dad’s a big guy. “We put them in the safe so you wouldn’t lose them, remember?” he explains, giving a gentle shake. Dad nods but DJ’s fairly certain he’s lying. That’s okay. It’ll come back to him, probably. Softly, he adds, “Do you wanna sit in the car?”

Not the mid-sized electric sitting in the driveway. The other one. The one parked eternally in the garage and covered with a tarp. The one DJ wasn’t even allowed to breathe on until he was almost sixteen. The car.

To his surprise, Dad shakes his head. “No. No, I’ll just—” he sniffs and looks up, eyes clear. He glances around. “The... damn, the house. The house is a mess, I need to—”

He tries to rise. DJ lays a hand on his chest. “Dad, no, it’s okay. I’ll take care of it.”

“No, no, I need to clean up—”

“Dad, I’m telling you, I’ve got it. You should rest, you—”

“No!”

DJ jumps. That’s the drill sergeant voice. The voice he used when he taught DJ how to shoot and made him memorize exorcisms before moving into his dorm. It makes the man sound ten years younger. Dad always gets upset after he realizes he used that voice. Always said it made him think of DJ’s grandpa.

He automatically sits a little a little taller, but Dad’s already softening. “Sorry. I’m sorry,” Dad apologizes. “Just, it’s my mess. I can at least help pick it up. I can do that much. Please.”

As if anyone can say no to that face. DJ nods and Dad’s face cracks into a weak smile. “I think broke a vase,” Dad admits as they stand.

DJ rolls his eyes. “That fake Ming thing? Good. I always thought it was ugly.”

“That was a gift from your mother.”

“That’s probably why she gave it to you, to see if you’d say anything. I’m telling you, she’s laughing at you every time she sees it on the mantle.”

Dad’s laugh is genuine. “That sounds like your mother,” he agrees.

DJ gestures towards the closet. “Want to put them back?”

His dad wavers for a moment but shakes his head no. “Later,” he says. “Go grab the broom. I’ll be there in a minute.”

DJ steps out. But he hangs around for a moment right outside the doorway. Just in case.

For a long moment, there is nothing. But then: “I miss you.”

There’s no question who his father’s talking about. There’s never any other person on his mind when he gets like this. Actually, DJ’s pretty sure that’s who’s always on his mind, and these are the only times he can’t hide it.

Then, so softly DJ almost can’t hear it: “I love you, Dean.”

Love. Not loved. Not past tense. Never past tense. DJ’s not sure if that’s a good sign or not. His dad has always talked about Uncle Dean like that—as if he’s just around the corner, ready to crack open a cold one. That impossible expectation is why his dad and mom never got married, he thinks. When DJ was feeling sort of petty and resentful for not having normal parents (at least you can explain divorce; he never had any idea what to say to other kids on the playground when asked) he figured his dad was a liar. That Uncle Dean was really just Dean because nobody talks about their sibling like that, alive or dead (and DJ’s known people with both). No one but the most devoted widowers mourn like this; as if the world is inalterably changed and it’s everyone else who’s is strange for not seeing it.

But then DJ always remembers the look on his dad’s face the one and only time he asked why he didn’t have a little brother or sister; the haunted look in his eyes when he said, “I want you to live for you, okay?” As a kid, DJ didn’t know what his father meant. Now, knows three things: he had an uncle named Dean; his father will always be wrapped in grief; and he understands. As much as he can, anyway.

DJ gets the broom. A few minutes later, his father appears and together they laugh over the shards of the knock-off vase. As they put the house together, not for the first time this year, DJ thinks it won’t be long before his father finds what he’s really looking for.

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #1230: Date Night In: Truth or Dare Edition Pt. 1 (SSBU X Street Fighter X Darkstalker)

10:45 p.m. at the Smash Mansion's Entrance Room.......

Dedede: (Clicks his Teeth While Walking Inside the Room with Morrigan and the Rest of the Gang Following Behind) Damn. All of the clubs and bars we went to so far are either already full or closed down indefinitely. Ain't that some shit?

Samus: (Rolls her Eyes) And of course, it all had to happen during the weekend.....(Turns to Tifa) That bar of yours is still open for the night, Tif?

Tifa: (Shakes her Head) No, it's closed. I gave the boys the day off. ('Sigh') Even then, I'd rather you guys not go in and interact with most of the customers we usually have there.

Morrigan: Are they really that troublesome to deal with?

Tifa: (Turns to Morrigan with an Annoyed, Deadpinned Look on her Face) They managed to tick Barret enough to have them get thrown out of the windows on numerous occasions. Troublesome doesn't begin to describe how much of a huge headache they are.

Daisy: Well, we can't just call the night off here. It's not even midnight yet!

Samus: Anyone got any ideas to pass the time?

Chun-Li: We could watch a couple of movies in here.

Samus: Nah. We've been having movie nights too often this year.

Cloud: How about a game or two of Mario Party?

Samus: ('Scoffs') And get at each other's throat throughout the night? No thanks.

Luigi: Board games?

Samus: Eh....It's less drama fueled for sure, but too basic for my liking. Anything else, people?

Lilith: (Grabs her Chin While Thinking) Hmmmmmm......(Forms Excited Smile as She Comes Up With Something) Ooh! I have something we can do~

Morrigan: (Raises an Eyebrow at her Younger Sister) Lilith, don't you think we're all a little too old to try and form elaborate pranks on people?

Lilith: (Flailing Her Arms Up and Down While Pouting at Morrigan) I know that already, Queen of Obvious, don't butt in!! (Went Back to Smiling Again) What I'm suggesting is that we play ourselves a little game called "Truth or Dare"~

Morrigan: Truth or Dare. Really?

Lilith: Yes, really! Juicy truth bombshells, daring challenges, it's a classic for all ages to play.

Daisy: I do like me a good challenge.

Samus: And truth bombs does intrigue me to some extent. All in favor of playing Truth or Dare for the remainder of the night say "Aye".

Everyone: Aye!

Morrigan: ('Sighs in Defeat') Childish game it is then. (Points at Lilith) But I swear, if you even think about giving me most brutal and/or horrid dares, you are a dead woman!

Lilith: Will you relax, sis? I'll go easy on you when the time arises. Promise. (Has her Fingers Crossed Behind her Back)

Morrigan: (Unconvinced) Mmmhm.

Moments Later to Dedede's Room........

Dedede: (Presents the Gang to his Bedroom) Here we are, folks: my humble abode. (Walks into the Room With Everyone Else Following Behind) Take your shoes off and make yourselves comfortable, not too much though.

Lilith: (Awe Struck by the Room Itself Along With Morrigan) Wooooooah......

Morrigan: My goodness......

Chun-Li: (Looks Around the Room Itself, Amazed) This is a really lovely room you have in here, Dedede.

Daisy: I know, right? It almost like we're in royal castle room or something- (Sits Herself Down on Dedede's Large Size Bed Along With Everyone Else Before Suddenly Feeling It's Squishy Sensation) ('Gasps') No way! (Looks Over to Dedede) You got yourself a freaking water bed this entire time!?

Lilith: (Playfully Moves Up amd Down on the Bed She's Laying On) Squishy Squishy!!~

Dedede: (Happily Nodded) Yep! Its the only thing they let have from the castle. The room ain't much, but I try to make it look nice and homey as possible, for myself, the guests- (Forms a Cocly, Seductive Smirk Towards Succubus Girlfriend Next to Him) And the pretty ladies especially~

Morrigan: (Plays Along with Dedede's Wordplay While Smirking Back Him) Pretty ladies ypu say~ Like me?~

Dedede: Hell yeah, you!~ You're the most beautiful woman I ever laid eyes on.

Morrigan: (Starts to Blush) Amd you are the most handsomest, charming man I've ever have the pleasure to fall in love with~ I could come here more often- (Hugs Dedede Lovingly) So we cam have so much relaxation and fun~

Dedede: (Hugs Morrigan Back) Hey, you're more than welcome come and stay here fpr a few days or so. I wonder what your room looks like.

Morrigan: (Giggles Softly) Not nearly as organized as yours, I'll tell you that much. But be patient, my dear. The sooner I have it more clean is the day I'll finally have you there- (Snuggling onto Dedede's Embrace) Cuddling up in my arm as we sleep the rest of the night away!~

Dedede: (Chuckles Lightly) Sounds like a romantic date plan already. Can't wait~

The couple lean toeach other a little closer bas they proceed to do an eskimo kiss much to the Bounty Hunter's slight annoyance.

Samus: Hey, lovebirds, do your cutesy banner some other time, we have a game to play.

Chun-Li: Anyone wants to start us off?

Luigi: (Raises his Hand) I'll go with Dare please!

Daisy/Lilith: Oooooh~

Daisy: (Gives Luigi a Playful Smirk of her Face Along with Lilith as They're Sitting in Between Him) Getting brave on us already, sweetie?~

Luigi: (Smiles Sheepishly) As brave as I humanly can really. The night is young after all.

Samus: (Proudly Nodded to Luigi) Atta boy, Weeg. Show the game who's boss.

Chun-Li: (Forms a Mischievous Smirk) And as for your choice, I dare you-(Happily Pulls Out a Tight, Green Colored Attire From her Shopping Bag) To wear all of THIS for the rest of the night!~

Ladies: Oooooooooh!~

Dedede: (Puts on a Bit of a Deadpinned Look Along with Cloud) You already having that poor boy wear a body suit all night?

Cloud: At the very start of the game?

Chun-Li: (Pouts at Dedede amd Cloud) It is NOT just a body suit! This is a flexible, maneuvering attire used primarily for street fighting!

Samus: (Leans Closer to Examine the Clothes) Wait a second. The embroidered vest, unitard, studded wrist bands. (Looks Back Up at her Girlfriend Next to Her) Chun, is this that battle one outfit you used to wear in the past, but with a different size and color?

Chun-Li: (Happily Nodded) Yep!~ These were on sale at the men section and I had to pick it up. (Turns to Luigi) It was supposed to be your Christmas present this year, but I figured I'd give it to you now as a token for your bravery for tonight.

Luigi: (Heart Begins to Melt a Bit in Pure Happiness) Chun-Li.....That is so thoughtful of you, thanks. It makes wanna give you something for Christmas this year in return if you want.

Chun-Li: Go right ahead. Just try not to give me anything too expensive along the way, okay?

Luigi: (Simply Nodded to Chun-Li's Request) Will do. (Notices a Closed Door at the Other Side of the Room) Say, is that a bathroom over there, your majesty?

Dedede: Yep. You're more than welcome to change in there.

Luigi: (Gets Himself Up From the Bed) Thanks. Be right! (Makes his Way to the Bathroom)

Daisy: Take all the time you need, sweetie!~

Lilith: We'll miss you!!~

'Door Closed'

Daisy: (Quickly Turns her Attention ti Chun-Li Along with Lilith) Okay, level with us for a second, Chun-Li, how tight was that unitard you wore all those years ago?

Lilith: Sorta tight, super tight, or really, really, REALLY tight?

Samus: (Already Has a Deadpinned Look on her Face) Don't bother answering their questions, Chun. Their perverted tendencies are about raise up again.....

Daisy: (Pouts at Samus Along with Lilith) Well, excuse us for being curious, Sammy!

Lilith: Yeah, there's nothing wrong wanting to know some stuff, Sammy!

Samus: (Rolls her Eyes) Yeah, if it's something more normal for once.

Chun-Li: Ladies, please. There's no need to fuss and fight. (Forms a Small, Cheeky Smirk on her Face) I'm certain you two will like what you're about to see soon enough.

'Door Opens'

Chun-Li: Ooh. Speaking of which........

Both Daisy and Lilith let out loud gasps as they and the others gaze their eyes upon Luigi, who is now wearing a green variant of Chun-Li's old battle suit in the Alpha days.

Luigi: (Shyly Stands Around amd Shows Off his New Attire) S-So......What do you guys think?

Cloud: (Genuinely Surprised by how Stunning Luigi Truly Looks) Woah......

Tifa: (Smiles Brightly at her Plumber Friend) Luigi, you look amazing!~

Dedede: (Genuinely Surprisedby How Good Luigi Looks) Yeah, you are wearing the shit outta that uniform, boy.

Morrigan: Mmmhmm~

Chun-Li: (Clasps her Hands Together While Putting on a More Excited Expression on her Face) You look even more prettier in suit than i did all those years ago!!~

Samus: (Silently Smiles and Gives Luigi the Thumbs Up)

Luigi: (Smiles Bashfully at the Compliments Given to Him) Y-You're too kind, you guys, thank you. (Turns to Two of his Awe Struck Girlfriends) About you girls?

Daisy: Stunning.......

Lilith: Courageous........

Daisy: Break-Taking.......

Lilith: Charming........

Daisy/Lilith: (Clasps Their Hands Together as Their Eyes Begins to Sparkle) Beautiful!~

Luigi: (Starts Blushing Even More) Awww~ Thanks~ B-But uh...Question. (Turns Towards his Back Side) You don't think this suit is making my butt look more... bigger than it already was, do you?

Daisy/Lilith: ....................Yes.

Samus: They're gonna eat you eat alive in that thing, one of these days.

Chun-Li: I'll get you a spare unitard just in case.

Luigi: (Smiles Sheepishly at the Couple) You really don't have to do that, but-

Daisy: (Starts Bowing Down to Chun-Li Along with Lilith) Thank you, Chun-Li!!!~

Lilith: We'll never forget the kindness and generosity you've made for us tonight!~

Chun-Li: (Giggles Softly) You're welcome. All of you.

Samus: (Turns Back to Chun-Li) Don't encourage them, Chun.....

Luigi: (Finally Gets Back on his Spot of his Bed) So, Chun-Li, Truth or Dare?

Chun-Li: (Thought About It Before Answering.....) Truth.

Luigi: Is it true you feel insecure about your age these days?

Chun-Li: (Smiles Sheepishly) Well, I wouldn't exactly say I feel THAT insecure about it-

Samus: (Gives her Girlfriend a Light Stern Glare) Chun......

Chun-Li: ('Sighs in Defeat') Okay, fine. I dread the thought about it every chance I get. Very much so........

Tifa: (Gives Chun-Li a Reassuring Smile) There's no need to feel discouraged. You're still as beautiful as you've always been.

Daisy: (Smiles as Well) Yeah, and you still managed to kick a lot of ass without breaking a single sweat.

Morrigan: You're a very unique gem of the making, dear. (Forms a Teasing Smirk on her Face) For an old lady, that is~

Chun-Li: (Gives Morrigan a Deadpinned Look) How sweet of you, Morrigan. (Smiles Softly to Everyone Else) And you guys too. Thanks a bunch.

Samus: (Smiles Back at Chun-Li) No prob. Think you could finally quit worrying about your age now?

Chun-Li: Can't say I will completely. (Gives Samus a Cutesy Look on her Face) Buuuuuut I'll try my hardest to do so if you give me some kisses~

Samus: ('Sigh') Fiiiine. (Starts Kissing Chun-Li om the Cheek, Making her Ticklish in the Process Before Finally Pulling Back) There. (Points at Chun-Li) I better see you trying going forward, ma'am!

Chun-Li: (Giggles Starts Dying Down a Bit) I will, I will. Promise.

Daisy: Alright, Sammy, Truth or Dare?

Samus: Truth.

Daisy: You ever miss your glory days as a Bounty Hunter?

Samus: (Shrugs) Eh. To some capacity. I mean, I could do without getting myself nearly killed out of nowhere every few minutes, but I do miss the thrills and experience out of most of them. Despite all of that, I'm honestly content with living the rest of my mundane life with you dorks here.

Tifa: (Heart Begins to Melt Along with a Few Others in the Room) Sammy~ You really mean that?

Samus: ('Tch') Obviously. You guys are the closest thing I have to family- No. Scratch that. You guys ARE my family. (Starts Blushing a Bit) And....I love every single one of you. 'Cept for Ridley and DS, fuck those guys- (Immediately Gets Hugged by Most of Her New Found Family Members)

Tifa/Luigi/Lilith/Chun-Li: We love you too!~

Daisy: I always knew you have a heart, girlfriend!~

Samus: Oh piss off, I've always had a heart! (Turns Away While Pouting) It just wasn't nearly as mushy and obnoxIous till you all came into my life.......

Cloud: So we practically changed your life for the better then?

Samus: (Scoffs Once More While Shrugging) I dunno, maybe? I've been far less distant than I used to, so do what you want with that information I guess.

Cloud: (Smirks a Bit) I.E. never letting you live this down for as long as you still live and breathe?

Samus: (Puts on a More Deadpinned Look) Whatever.

Morrigan: (Watches the Group Hug Along with her King) You have such a colorful bunch of friends you have over there, my dear.

Dedede: (Snickers a Bit) You damn right I do. They could melt anyone's heart within a few days so long as you don't try and cross one of them.

Morrigan: I take it that's how you became a part of this family?

Dedede: More or less. I'd probably still be roaming around in the streets right now if they didn't take me in and gave me a fair chance of redemption. They're real good people.

Morrigan: (Smiles Softly) I agree. It's nice spending the night playing a simple child's game with each of them.

Dedede: (Forms a Playful Smirk at his Succubus of a Girlfriend) Ah, so you're finally admitting to liking the game, huh?

Morrigan: (Lets Out a Light Shriek Before Crossing her Arms and Pouting a Bit) I-I suppose I'm not having too much of a terrible time thus far. ('Sighs in Defeat') Just....please don't mention a word to this to my little sister, okay? (Lays the Side of her Head onto Dedede's Shoulder) She will never let me hear the very end of it.

Dedede: (Gives Morrigan a Reassuring Smile) Don't worry. I'll keep my lips seal on this one. Can't have my pretty lady get annoyed and miserable all night long.

Morrigan: (Happily Hugs Dedede's Arm) You sweetheart of a man. I love you~

Dedede: (Gives Morrigan a Kiss on the Head) Love ya right back.

To Be Continued

@bestpony666

@caleb13frede

@ma-lemons

@tampire

[mrsarcherofinfamy]

Summary: Seeing pictures of Eddie and Allie makes you freak out and get really angry. Eddie reassures you that you are the only one he wants to be with.

Eddie Kingston x Reader (18+)

_________________________________________

"Oh cmon!"

I am sitting on the couch playing a video game not paying attention to how long I have been playing. I die in the game and decide to turn it off before I get angry. I grab my phone off the couch and walk to the kitchen. I look over at the clock on the stove and see it's almost midnight.

"What the fuck? I've been playing that long?"

I look at my phone and see no messages or anything on it. I make a confused face and open my phone.

"Where the hell is my man?"

I click on his contact and call him. Goes right to voice-mail so I decide to try again. Goes to voice-mail once again. I huff and decide to text him instead.

"Edward. Where are you? Why aren't you home?"

My message doesn't go through making me start to fume. I decide to open up Instagram to see if he or anyone is with him. Than I see the two pictures that make my heart shatter into a million pieces. The one girl he told me not to worry about. Allie........

I feel my eyes start to swell up with tears. I shake my head and wipe my face. I grab a water bottle, walk upstairs to our room, lock the door and flop down on the bed. I turn on the TV and put on my favorite TV series on so I can try and fall asleep. It's no use though. I am just laying in bed staring at the ceiling, eyes starting to swell up again but not from being sad. I am beyond pissed off. I just want to go and find where they are so I can rip Allie a new one. I start to slowly cry hugging my pillow for support.

_________________________________________

What feels like a hours go by and I hear the door swing open smacking very hard against the wall. Than some banging and the door slamming shut. I roll my eyes sighing sitting up to look at the door to make sure I locked it. I pick up my phone to look at the time seeing it is 3 in the morning. I shake my head and lay back down hearing him fumble around in the kitchen.

"BABE! WHERE ARE YOU? IM HUNGRY!"

I say nothing just sitting there listening to him yell for me.

"BABE SERIOUSLY?! WHERE ARE YOU? IM STARVING!"

I hear his footsteps coming up the stairs closer and closer to our room. I grab the covers pulling them up over my head grabbing onto the pillow more pulling it into my face. I hear the door handle jiggle a little.

"Babe. Cmon. Unlock the door. Please. What is the problem?"

He jiggles the door handle again. I can hear how drunk he is just by the way he is talking. Slurring every word that he is saying. I lay there just listening to him sighing and moving the door handle around. Than I hear him walk back downstairs. I cuddle into the pillow trying to go to sleep not hearing him anymore.

_________________________________________

Suddenly, I feel a hand touching me through the blankets. I scream and swing my arm hitting him right in the balls. He grabs his junk falling to his knees breathing really fast. I sit up covering my mouth at what just happened.

"Nice to see you too babe."

He breaths out trying to sit on the bed next to me. I move away from him looking at him confused.

"How the fuck did you get in here?"

He turns around holding up a butter knife. I roll my eyes, lay back down facing away from him. He tosses the butter knife on the nightstand and puts a hand on my side.

"Don't. Touch. Me. Edward."

"Woah. Whats with the full name?"

I sit up looking at him crossing my arms with a very angry face.

"Really? Are you kidding me?"

"What? What did I do now?"

I huff getting up and walking downstairs. He follows right behind me.

"Cmon Y/N. Tell me what I did wrong. Please. Talk to me."

He grabs my arm and whips me around to face him pushing me against the kitchen wall. I roll my eyes not looking up at him. He puts his hand on my chin trying to get me to look at him. I move my head away from his hand.

"Cmon Y/N. Please. Tell me what's wrong. We can work through this. We always do. Please just talk to me."

I sigh and shake my head.

"I just wanna know why? Why did you hang out with the one girl you told me not to worry about than take pictures with her? You barely take pictures with me."

"I did what now?"

I shake my head and finally look up at him. He looks like he is finally starting to sober up a little and looks very shocked at what I just said. I pull out my phone and show him the pictures of him and Allie. He grabs my phone shaking his head.

"Oh no no no no babe. I didn't even know she took these pictures. I was a little intoxicated."

"A little?"

"Okay a lot. I had a tough day at AEW. And I just wanted some drinks with Mox but she like followed me there with her friends. I guess her and her friends took these pictures with me. I don't even look happy in the pictures."

I look at them again and notice he doesn't look happy. I guess I didn't notice that the first time I looked at them. I was more focused on them being together. I shake my head looking back up at him.

"But why did you go out without letting me know?"

"Oh my phone is broken."

He pulls his phone out of his pocket with the screen completely smashed. I shake my head looking down trying to hide my smirk.

"Yeah I dropped it when we were leaving than Mox ran over it with his car."

I let out a little laugh covering my mouth. Eddie looks down at me smiling.

"Babe I would never EVER cheat on you. Especially not with Allie. She means nothing to me. You mean the whole world to me."

I look up at him blushing really bad. I grab his collar pulling him down towards my face.

"You still need to be punished for staying out late and being with her."

I whisper in his ear hearing him gulp and let out a short breath. I grab his arm and walk him upstairs to our room.

_________________________________________

"Babe do you really have to do this?"

"Yes sir. You wanna be bad. You don't get to touch me."

"This is gonna be so hard."

"Well than you better tame yourself or I'm gonna have to tie your hands behind your back."

I grab his cock and lick the tip looking up at him. He smacks the bed with his hand groaning quietly throwing his head back. I swirl my tongue around the tip still looking up at him.

"Babe...."

"Yes babe?"

I pump his cock a couple times smirking. He inhales sharply gripping the bed a little bit. I smirk leaning down and swirl my tongue around the tip again.

"Oh babe that is so damn hot."

He sharply inhales again and goes to grab my hair. I smack his hand away looking up at him.

"Are you trying to be in more trouble?"

"No... this is just so hard. I wanna touch you."

"Well maybe if you werent so naughty, you could."

I climb up and hover over his cock looking down at him with a smirk on my face.

"Oh no please Y/N. Baby. Please. I don't know if I won't be able to touch you if you ride me."

"Fine. But you can only hold my hips. No fucking me from underneath. No moving your hands from my hips. Nothing. Got it?"

"Yes maam."

I smirk and slowly slide his cock into my pussy moaning very softly watching Eddie grab the bed. I slowly sit all the way down on his cock letting myself adjust to his size. He puts his hands on my hips and starts rubbing up my sides.

"Eddie."

He puts his hands back on my hips and smiles up at me. I roll my eyes and start moving my hips forward and back. Eddie grips my hips a little bit letting out a moan.

"It's so hot when you moan."

I rub up and down his chest looking down at him still moving my hips. I put my hands on his chest and start bouncing a little feeling his grip get a little tighter on my hips. I start going a little faster digging my nails into Eddie's chest. He groans gripping my hips hard trying his hardest not to move. I am going a nice pace holding myself up on Eddie's chest when I feel Eddie's hands run up my sides. I slam down on his cock and look at him. He quickly puts his hands back on my hips.

"Please don't stop. I'm sorry."

I go back to the pace I was going and he grips my hips hard possibly leaving bruises. He is moaning really loud making me get closer and closer to my edge. I start feeling my walls get tighter around him digging my nails into his chest hard.

"Y/N.... im.... gonna....."

He starts fucking me from underneath sending me over the edge. Eddie lets loose inside me filling me up. I collapse on his chest breathing hard feeling him breathing heavy as well. We take a few minutes to catch our breaths and I move off of him. He gets up to go get a towel out of our bathroom. He comes back, cleans himself off and hands the towel to me. I clean myself off and put my clothes back on. Eddie puts his clothes back on and lays on the bed next to me. I look over at him seeing a smirk on his face.

"Y/N baby... you feel better now?"

"Yes I do. Just never do that stupid shit ever again. Got it?"

"Yes maam."

I giggle, lean over and kiss him. He puts his hand on my face kissing me back. I pull back looking at him in his eyes.

"Babe. There is something I wanted to tell you."

I look at him a little concerned wondering what he is talking about. He grabs my hand looking at me.

"We have been together for a few years now. I promise you I don't want anyone else in the world. Especially Allie. You are my better half and I couldn't imagine life without you."

He pulls out a little black box out of the nightstand making me gasp and start tearing up.

"Will you make me the happiest man on earth by being my wife?"

He opens the box showing me the ring. I gasp and shake my head yes tears swelling in my eyes.

"Yes Eddie yes!"

He grabs my face hard and kiss me hard. He pulls back and put the ring on my finger. I smile really big looking at my ring knowing I am engaged to the man of my dreams!

"Oh my gosh the girls are gonna be so excited!"

I grab my phone taking a picture of my ring. Eddie cuddles next to me watching me with a big smile on him.

I get to marry my best friend!

Thank you @eddie-kingstons-wifey for the ideas!!! ☺️🤌

[argentinagp]

so in 2016, i was scrolling tumblr when i saw these selfies reblogged by my mutual. it was of a girl sitting on some breakers near the lake with a caption about it being the one nice day of the year so far. i was like wait. is this person also in Wisconsin? so i went to her blog and lo and behold, she was. so i scrolled through her stuff and found out that we had a lot of the same interests. so i followed her. (what i didn't know at the time was that she'd been following me for awhile).

soon after, she posted something about her mom and being upset and i was like hey. i know all about that kind of stuff so i messaged her to talk to her and we chatted a bit. we started chatting more and more and eventually ended up in a group chat with two of my friends talking about (of all things) one direction. but we kept up our private convo where we talked about literally everything.

then in june of 2016, my mom was rediagnosed with cancer and had surgery. she talked to me through all of this and was there when i was upset an then i made the decision to go home to california for all of july to help my mom out. so i was suddenly on west coast time while she was on central time. and we talked all the time. on snapchat, via text, on tumblr, everything. and slowly, i was like wow. i really like this person. like, a lot. and we talked about her exploring her sexuality and i was like if she's exploring her sexuality i cannot like, come onto her so i'm going to remain chill and be her friend while she needs one.

but through all of this - we had matching layouts on tumblr. multiple different matching layouts. as friends. and then on like, july 12 2016, a bunch of anons came into my inbox calling us grizzy and grazzy and asking about us being like "(eyes) why are you matching" and it was all very silly but it kept me smiling during a really hard time.

and again. we talked all the effing time. the whole month of july. and i had stopped saying "omg i love you" like a friend and started doing "ily" bc my feelings were HUGE i was def like, head over heels. fell very hard very fast.

so then i flew back to wisconsin and literally within days, she was flying to europe for her godfather's birthday celebration. and we tried to text through all of it, i remember sneaking my phone out at work to text her and send her selfies and we counted down the days until she was back in america because it was horrible trying to text across countries with unreliable wifi for her.

and then she landed in wisconsin again and we were talking all again and suddenly she invited me to her house, an hour and a half away, for a bonfire on august 14th. and i was like. sure sure i can do this. let's uh do this. i had no idea what was going to happen. i was unsure of it all, very much like "we're just friends" mindset. and so i drove all the way to her city with butterflied in my stomach, terrified she didn't like me or that we were just friends or we wouldn't click in person, and boy was i wrong. we clicked immediately, hugging and getting along. and we went to get food and our hands kept brushing. and we sat around the bonfire holding hands awkwardly. and then her roommate said she'd leave for the night so i could sleep in her bed instead of grace's bed because she had a twin. and the futon was uncomfy.

and then sometime after midnight, after laying there talking and giggling and generally being awkward, i kissed her. the next day we went to the pancake house as our "first date" and walked to a beach on the lake and then i got vertigo and threw up like, 18 hours into us dating and slept at her house for a whole day (called out of work) and stays at her house for like. three days? basically. i was there for awhile.

and now, 8 years later, grace and i are married and living our best life with two cats and a cozy apartment <3

🥹🥹🥹 this is SOOOOO cute and makes me so happy. I always love when u or grace talk ab each other, there is so much love and your story is the best thing, im honored i can be mutuals of you two and see ur love in my dash 🫶🏻

send me ur love story/crush/etc

[ikemenomegas]

Gave my love

Portgas D Ace x Reader || Shooting Stars

a/n: Make a Wish prompt fill for panda-anon. I am crying because my first draft spun off into the void of my own technological mishaps, so I hope the second version is satisfactory. I'm sorry it took so long (it took forever for me to do the rewrite these last few weeks have been a bit hectic) I hope that you enjoy it! I apologize if Ace seems at all ooc, it's been a long time since I last took a deep dive into his character. He reads to me as someone who would be kind of a tsundere about romantic feelings but able to be happy if he told himself it was "just friends" so he could pretend to be normal about it. The boy has so many excuses: Butterflies? he's happy to see you, feeling hot? he's made of fire, jealous of your attention? you were his friend first... (also the linked song aged remarkably well, it's fun and noisy and is where the title came from) Thank you so much to my friend who braved an omegaverse fic to edit for me. I hate editing my own stuff and she did such a good job making sure that things weren't too obtuse. cw: omegaverse, alpha!reader, Ace's canon compliant self worth issues

The trouble with narcolepsy isn't the daytime hours. He'd learned to manage those when he was a kid. The trouble comes at night, when his body is visited with the opposite impulse.

Ace rolls over for the nth time. Now, with the same insistence it had put him to sleep, his body pulls him awake.

He follows that pull with heavy, silent steps. He stretches his arms above his head and feels his back pop. He leaves his hat by his bunk, suddenly eager for the sea breeze through his hair.

He hesitates for a moment. Though he no longer gets cold, he considers wrapping something around his shoulders. His pillows and blankets still smell faintly of you. He looks at the bed.

No one is around to accuse him of something so treacherous as longing, but he still jerks his head away and pretends as if he hadn't spent much too long considering such a thing.

When he leaves the covered floors of the ship a bird - he cannot see where it come from - flutters down and nearly clips his head. It's not a seagull. He wonders for a moment, could it be?, but he quickly casts the thought away. Probably not.

A flash of light streaks across the sky, distracting him.

The worn railing is smooth, almost soft, beneath his fingertips when he leans over it. He folds his arms and lays his head in the cradle of his elbow.

He's been dealing with insomnia for the better part of a decade, either waking in the night or not sleeping at all. He'd see Luffy, sprawled out on the floor of the hideout, snot bubbles and not a care in the world. Even though his little brother didn't often notice his midnight absences, even when Ace would show up with prey in the morning, being unnoticed had not left him feeling unwanted.

Knowing someone was waiting staved off the loneliness. Becoming Whitebeard's son had been the best decision of his life. Yet tonight, he has no desire to disturb the sentries or wake a crew member for company.

A glossy black crow lands on the rail within easy reach. It cocks its head at him, warbling low in the back of its throat. Ace narrows his eyes at it, staring until the crow shrinks back, feather ruffling. This was the bird that had almost hit the back of his head, he's sure of it.

It looks almost sheepish at it places a little bag on the rail between them.

When he doesn't pick it up right away, the bird pushes it closer with one delicate claw, bobbing its head.

He picks it up slowly, keeping an eye on the bird. It tilts its head back and forth, clicking in the back of its throat. It takes him a moment to catch it in the dim light: the reflection of your Eye in the black marble of the crow's.

A grin showing teeth makes its way across his face.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi." Sound comes out of the crow's open beak like there is a microphone in its throat, like there's a snail in its belly. It doesn't move in synchrony with the words, but in an unsettling sort of pantomime.

Your voice is made ragged by the crow, but even with one word he knows it is yours. His grin goes lopsided and he weighs the pouch in his hand.

"Fancy seeing you here, pretty bird" he says.

The crow makes a hacking sort of cough he knows to be its version of your scoff coming from its mouth, but the bird rubs its beak against the gleaming wood of the ship, as though to take the sting from the sound.

"I do occasionally have good timing," it says with your voice.

He leans his head on his arms and looks directly at the bird. His gaze cuts through the animal in front of him and to you on the other side. One side of his bangs falls across his eye.

He has some idea of what you do, but not exactly. He knows it's dangerous, for a certain value of dangerous. You go to places he hasn't seen yet.

When he asks you where you are, you tell him about places you've been, never where you recently were. You don't relent even when he pries, whining low in his throat at your typical evasiveness. The crow speaks the rusted over name of some island he's never heard of.

When he asks you how training is going, the bird does some funny little movements that require it to over-correct when it nearly falls off the rail and imitates the sounds of bo staffs colliding.

The sentry peeks down from a higher level. Ace waves them off, feeling suddenly defensive. He wants to keep this moment a secret.

The bird freezes, looking up from where it's hunched over in an all too human kind of expression that reminds him of the last time you were a guest of the Whitebeard pirates and you'd raided the kitchens with him, sneaking around with unnecessary stealth, pressing back as if to hide him from every passing shadow until he was giggling into your shoulder, you scents mingling as you sweated under the hot atmosphere of a nearby volcanic island.

He snickers as the bird shakes its feathers flat again, giving an experimental little croak and finally straightening up when the noise doesn't immediately bring the sentry back running, looking out for his crewmate. The bird bumps his hand, as if to draw attention to it, and Ace draws his fingers through the soft, smooth feathers.

When you creakily ask him about his own recent adventures, you offer tidbits from the news to get him started, and it warms him in a very strange way to think you've been keeping an eye on him.

Eventually, the late night catches up and a comfortable quiet settles around the two of you.

Ace listens to the crow's low gargly kkqrk as it moves on its perch. He smirks to himself at the sight of the shining black bird shifting against the star scattered, velvet night.

"Are you going to open it?" you, finally ask. The bird pecks emphatically at the rail by the velvety bag.

All of the bird's expressive hopping and pecking for excited emphasis is so very un-human. It amuses him to imagine you puppetting the creature, instructing it to dip and flap for his benefit, even though he knows it is more akin to the bird itself interpreting your emotions.

Even so when the bird, looks at him, he can almost see the pleading look only you can pull off. Truly and delightfully uncanny.

He sighs as if it is all a chore, bobbing the pouch up and down on the string wound around his fingers. The crow follows with the movement with its beak and then its whole body.

"Should I?" he muses. "Suppose I save it-"

The bird all but stamps its little grey scaled foot in expressing your impatience and he laughs at you, at the odd humanity of the motion, as he finally does open the bag, drawstrings tangled in his fingers.

The contents of the pouch glitters, even in the starlight.

"How nice," he says, opening the mouth of the bag wide to reveal an array of crystals inside. "A good bit of shine."

All pirates of course liked things that gleamed. As did crows. The bird tilts its head between his face and the bits of rock in his hand.

He shifts them around in the bag. There are many colors.

"You should try one," it - you - says, shifting its weight. The bird stayed almost perfectly still, head tilted as it took in his incredulous expression.

"I am not dumb enough to eat rocks."

"I know."

The bird, peers up at him, blankly expectant.

Ace looks back in the bag and eventually plucks one of the crystals out. It's orange bleeding into purple like a storm ridden twilight and edged like the inside of a geode.

He glances once more at the bird, at you, but the creature just shuffles its wings to sit more primly against its body. Ace has never been very good at backing down from a dare.

Still he bites down very very carefully.

The crystal cracks apart under his teeth and spills sweetness on his tongue - plum and passion fruit, tart and bright and dark again, like the last touch of a setting sun. The outside is hard and cool like stone, but falls away to jelly by the time his bite sinks to the center.

He cannot help the way his eyes go slightly wide.

"Where are these from?" he asks.

"I made them," your voice slips from the bird's parted beak, almost shy. "The King of Kettles taught me," you add fondly.

He nibbles on more of the crystal, candy he now knows. Rock candy, he thinks as he grins to himself. He's not sure when the last time someone brought him candy of all things. Sugar is expensive no matter its source, and sometimes hard to find among the islands. Even syrups made from fruit would take a long time to make.

"Make sure to brush your teeth!" The crow interrupts his thoughts with a trumpeting, too loud, cackling sort of caw.

He stuffs a corner of the crystal into the crow's beak, interrupting the sound with a choking, fluttering, sputtering.

One thing about birds is that regardless of interpretation, they are sometimes not very good at managing their volume.

The crow hunches over, sending Ace as dirty a look as it can manage. You consider having it play dead, just to get back at him, but the shuffling attention of the sentries has you, the crow, freezing in his shadow.

You are reminded, somewhat guiltily, that your welcome on Whitebeard's territory does not give you unrestricted access, even for stolen moments like this.

But again, Ace waves off the inquisitive sentries, and they go, because he is the commander of the second division.

Ace can tell that they're curious, but this is for him, for now. In the morning if they or anyone asks, he will tell and laugh and tease. And it will be real.

This is real too. He feels protective of this moment, even if it is only a crow with your Eye as a glossy, curved reflection. It's his little secret.

It's not in his nature to keep secrets. Not for long. But for a while, he wants to keep this one. Not out of shame, not like the other, but because this one is warm like a glowing coal.

It is his, to follow the direction of a falling star and have a bird deliver him a gift and a conversation. You can't tell him where you are or where you're going, but you have frequent, funny little names that are familiar enough that you can tell him stories and he knows of whom you speak. The King of Kettles, Catfish, the Forlorn Maiden - all of them people he has never and likely will never meet.

Do you have a secret name for him, do you tell people about him? Something meant to safeguard him from the world?

Will there ever be a time when he isn't the secret? When that secret doesn't drag a darkness along behind it to cover those who know?

Another flash of light goes across the sky - blink and you'll miss it.

He sees it, you don't, going in the same direction as before. It flies away into the night.

Slowly, through the odd technicolor vision of the crow, you see a closed off, thoughtful expression take the place of the easy smile from before.

"What are you thinking of?"

The crow's hissed approximation of a whisper should be unsettling but it isn't.

Ace leans his arm on the railing and looks over at you, at the crow. The corner of his mouth lifts up, but he can't put enough of his heart into it to cover the melancholy.

He finds himself wishing for your scent. Sending a bird is one thing, but if he had not seen the Eye, he wouldn't have even been able to tell you it was you there, and not some well trained pet.

"I wish you were here," he sighs, reaching out to run a finger over the bird's smooth head feathers.

The bird ruffles its wings and says nothing. There is a long moment of nothing, long enough that Ace thinks of going back to bed. Sleep is finally reaching for him, he can feel the chill of it on his skin.

It's through the quiet of the dark that it finds him, a dull sound, almost at the edge of hearing.

He reaches out with his awareness, scanning the sea for any creature stupid enough to attack one of Whitebeard's fleet. A Sea King would be a bit of bedtime fun. Or it might be the distant sound of canons, although intuition tells him that isn't it.

The sound gets closer. It is not canons or the writhing movements of a deep water monster. It is more like someone shaking out sheets, but as regular as a sleeper's heart - the flap of wings.

He sees a shape, black on black, in the distance. It vanishes between one blink and the other, melting into the night. Another shimmer of light falls overhead while the wingbeats suddenly disappear.

Ace remembers owls and the way they hunt, swooping silently down upon their prey. He looks up to see if the watch is at all disturbed, and then to his left. The crow is gone.

The wingbeats return, now soft and so close. Right below him. He looks over the rail and a familiar face rises up to meet him.

This crow upon which you sit is longer than him if he were to lay down, feet and fingers pointed as far as they would go. It drifts upon the shallow eddy stirred up by the ship, drifting alongside.

"Hello," you say. You're smiling. Teasing snatches of scent get caught in the sea breeze.

From behind, the crow that had been your mouthpiece swoops down upon your shoulder.

"Willful thing," you say to it.

It croaks, head bobbing cheekily.

"Hi," he says. His heart feels like it's soaring, light alongside you, every whoosh of blood a wingbeat.

"I heard you," you say, nudging the crow's chest with your finger.

"You do occasionally have good timing," he says, grinning wide.

The enormous bird flaps a few times, slowly, up to the level of the rail.

He catches you when you slide over the side of the ship and step onto the deck. He never feels the flames when they come from him, but your palm sliding over his makes him feel like he's burning.

"I think I'm going to be in trouble with your Father," you say, shrugging a shoulder, "for the bird."

It croaks again, and then caws, as if to prove a point. The both of you wince.

"I'll tell him you came for me," Ace replies. He doesn't bother to keep quiet now, but that's alright. The bag of sweets you brought him dangles around his wrist like a charm.

You're a little breathless when you look at him. He can see stars reflected in your eyes.

"Whenever you want me."

[prayantis]

Job offer

Manhunt/oc au writing!

“What do you want us to do with the guy boss?” A male voice questioned as he tightening ropes onto wrists.

“Oh I’ll have my time with them soon enough, but I need you two to head over to Starkweather’s mansion for now.” A deep raspy voice replied with.

“The guy’s still awake though.”

“Just knock them out, I’m not gonna play with them now.”

A man besides the rope tighter raised his gun before bashing the end of the gun into the head of the kidnapped victim.

Red blood dropped from the head onto the eyebrow of the victim, their head whirled around as their eyes blinked in and out before finally, shutting close.

”Why me?” Veltun thought

It was a regular shift at Darkwoods Penitentiary.

Veltun checked in with a patient. They left, checked in with another one, another and another one.

Fighting never stops in this place does it? Veltun thought. They learned later into the shift that there had been a riot just before they clocked in. Another mess the earlier people left for the midnight shift.

Work went on. For the next several hours.

Veltun leaned against the wall of the halls after checking in with a patient before another coworker came along. “Working hard?” The coworker asked, seeing how exhausted the other seemed. They adjusted their stance. “Yeah.” They replied.

“Have you taken a break yet?”

“Uh no, not yet.”

“Well, you should probably head over to one of the open on-call rooms.”

“Yeah I think I’ll do that right now. Thanks”

“Of course.” The coworker said before heading down the hall.

Veltun made their way down the hallways to an on-call room. Opening the door and locking it. They lay down on their back, not realizing how tensed and sore it was from the hours working. Their back relaxed as they got comfortable in the bed. Closing their eyes and soon drifting off to sleep.

A loud BANG was heard.

Veltun got startled by the noise. Some muffled noises could be heard. "Jesus," Veltun said before looking at their wristwatch. It had been an hour since they came into the room. They pondered whether or not to get up and check the noises. He decided. "I'll get up in 30." They groaned, turned away from the door, and dragged the blanket up to their neck.

"Hey, you!" a figure yelled. "Wake up!"

Veltun's eyes slowly opened to see a masked man, sitting on their lap with the figure's eyes blankly staring at them. They shifted to the other side, trying to get away from the figure.

The figure gave a large toothy grin, revealing its tooth gap.

“Aw, it’s okay, I won’t hurt you.” The figure cooed.

The figure brought up its right arm which had been hidden in the shadows, unveiling a gun.

“I’m Mr. Nasty.”

He stroked Veltun’s face with his gun. “Oh?” His eyes met the hot blood that still poured from their head. He leaned in more to see the blood, using his gun on Veltun’s cheek to push their face to the side.

They could feel their heart steadily grew into louder beats. His breathing stiffened as Mr. Nasty itched forward to their face.

Suddenly, Veltun’s cheek felt wet. His eyes shifted to his cheek.

Mr. Nasty was taking a long lick from the chin to the forehead where the blood crept out of. Veltun whimpered. They tried pulling away only for the man’s free hand to harshly fix his face back into place. It seemingly went on forever.

Until it didn’t.

Mr. Nasty pulled away and looked out. Releasing his hold and gun on Veltun allowing for the nurse to rest their face.

“What was that about?”

Mr. Nasty’s eyes met with Veltun’s. He clicked his tongue, seemingly in thought.

“I’ve had a rough night.”

Veltun scoffed, “Join the club.”

“Funny to say that to a man with a gun.”

“Oh like I haven’t had a gun pulled on me. This is Carcer City! You act like this isn’t the norm.” 

“Didn’t know letting the city become corrupt would let it’s people lose their no fear of men with guns.”

“Yeah well it does.”

Mr. Nasty let out a deep sigh. “My pals died tonight you know. While you were sleeping actually.” He chuckled, “you just always manage to sleep through the danger huh?”

“I guess.” They shifted around in the chair. “So uh, what’s up with you on my lap?”

“Don’t know, maybe it’s cause I thought you looked cute.” He stroked the gun against their cheek. “I really like your fucked up scar.” He added on.

“Well I can’t take all the credit for it, you’d have to thank my mother.”

Mr. Nasty let out a laugh. “What’s this? A little humor before you died?”

“Hmm, I guess.” They spoke, “my last moments should be happy, or something like that. Think they’ll let me into heaven cause I made you piss yourself laughing?”

“What you think you won’t make it into heaven?”

“Uh yeah no. With all the shit I had to deal with back in Darkwood I’m definitely not going to heaven. I mean, when I was leaving the place I stomped on all my shitty bosses before ACTUALLY leaving the hellhole.”

“Oh yeah I saw that on the cameras, that was really funny. That’s when I knew I had to meet you, you know.” Mr. Nasty commented. Veltun blushed at that comment. “Nice to know I have a fan. You’re a..” he checked Mr. Nasty out.

Mr. Nasty, of course wore a latex mask with a heart shaped zipper at the counter of the mouth. A leather trench coat continued the shiny look the man had, not stopped by his seemingly skin tight latex suit the man wore underneath. Whatever shoes he wore was hidden in the darkness.

“… shiny man.” Veltun noted.

“I try.”

“So.” Veltun spoke out, “are you gonna kill me? Cause if you are this is a good time for me.”

“Well now I have to wait for a bad time.” He laughed. “But, uh, I don’t think I’ll kill you, at least for now. I’m very vulnerable.”

The nurse glanced at the gun the man still held, “very.”

“In fact, since I have… many positions open, I think I’ll make you, a doctor.”

“Great! I can start right away!” Veltun chimed. Mr. Nasty stood and untied the restraints on the doctor. “Oh don’t worry, you will.” They weren’t sure what that meant. But, they decided that’d be a problem for future Veltun to deal with. 

[tim-shii]

what would you do? baby, if you only knew.

a/n: who makes a comeback? swiftie bf sae !! if he feels ooc do not blame u u cannot blame me this was fueled by the speak now tv release i am innocent i did no wrong ☝️

35 missed calls, 109 texts. all from the same person. no, itoshi sae is not going insane. but if you ask him, he's close to losing his mind. 

you've been ignoring him for hours (it's been 30 minutes) and you even had him blocked on everything. from contacts to every social media account you have. safe to say, sae is confused, puzzled, and very much close to grieving.

he doesn't really understand. did he do something? was he the only person you blocked on everything? or did you cut off contact with everyone? but why? 

he scrolled through his private twitter account. tweeting several times just mentioning your user handle. yeah, he's blocked by you but sae decides that he can't lose hope. he thinks back to going back to spamming you but acts against it. instead he sits back and makes himself comfortable on the couch, scrolling aimlessly on his phone. 

he pauses when he sees a post retweeted by bachira. it was a taylor swift tweet about the release of a new re-recorded album. suddenly it all clicks in his head. you ignoring all calls and texts to blocking everyone in your social media. then, he sighs. he sighs like he's used to this, because he is. it's not the first time you'd done this, but it still surprises him every time. when 'red (taylor's version)' released, you asked him to break up with you. reasoning with him how you need to relate to all the songs for a better listening experience. when 'midnights' was released, he watched your mood change faster than light. from dancing around during 'glitch' to full out sobbing and bawling the second 'would've, could've, should've' play. and now, you're ignoring everyone and probably crying in your room as you put the album on repeat. 

sae decides to be a good boyfriend and checks up on you. taking his keys and locking the door, he starts the drive to your place. 

once he arrives, he doesn't bother to knock and opens the door with his own set of keys. as he expected, there you are, face planted on a pillow as the melodies of 'last kiss' plays. 

"did you seriously block my number and block my account on every social media you have?" sae asked, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed. 

"i blocked everyone. you're not special." sae merely hums at that, one hand coming up to softly caress your locks.

"is that so?" 

"yeah. don't go feeling special because you're not."

"such a shame." sae lets out a faux exasperated sigh, his hand coming to halt and now resting on your nape. "i even went out of my way to buy you your favorite ice cream."

"... you're a little special." sae smiles to himself as he hears you huff a 'shut up' to the little 'heh' he lets out. 

"can you please unblock me now?" 

"not yet. i'm not yet done listening to the album. i'll unblock you after three business days." 

"you got me worried, you know? i couldn't reach you anywhere." sae leans down and pecks the shoulder exposed by the loose shirt you're wearing. biting lightly at the skin, a soft chuckle escaping his lips upon feeling you shudder.

"... i'll unblock you tomorrow."

"it's a deal." the mattress moved as he laid down beside you, not minding the fact that you're still face down on your pillow, wallowing in sadness. he lays on his side, a phone in one hand while the other rests on the small of your back. 

the two of you lay there, 'ours (taylor's version)' by taylor swift playing in the background.

likes and reblogs are appreciated! masterlist

tags: @futuristicxie

[imaginesfordifferentfandoms]

Stay, Stay, Stay

Click here for my masterlist.

Click here for Red (Taylor’s Version) masterlist

Add yourself to my Taglist (Click link in bio)

Prompt - 'I've been loving you for quite some time’

You sat on Peter’s bed, frustration clear on your face as you listened to Peter plead his case. You and Peter had been together for a good few months now and this was your first real fight, sure you bickered and argued sometimes but you never fought, not like this.

“I said I was sorry!” Peter exclaimed, feelings just as frustrated as you, if not more so. He hated that he had let you down, he had known how important it was for him to show up at the event your parents had been hosting earlier that night and he was on his way over, really he was, but then he saw a rush of police cars and the sound of gunshots and only minutes later Spiderman was swinging into action.

“One night, that’s all I asked for.” You yelled back, standing from the bed and making your way towards the door. This wasn’t the first time Peter had left you hanging but usually you got a phone call and it wasn’t so important.

“Why can’t you just accept the fact that something came up?!” You couldn’t help but scoff at that, anger coursing through your veins as you turned to face him. Your phone had left your hand before you could even register it, flying over to Peter who skillfully caught it.

“I’m sorry, ok?” Peter said again, softer this time. He saw the tears in your eyes, from sadness or anger, or both, he didn’t know but he felt terrible for making you cry even if you refused to let them fall.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” You told him, suddenly drained.

“No, come on, please stay,” He pleaded with you, eyes turning wide as he did, “It’s too late for you to be walking home tonight.”

He was right, it was well past midnight and it was only now that you gave thought to Aunt May who you knew was home as she was the one to let you in. You grimmanced as you thought of her hearing everything between you and Peter.

“I really don’t want to be around you right now.” You said whilst shaking your head and moved to pull the door open.

Peter frowned as he moved in front of you, blocking the exit off.

“Stay in here, I’ll take the sofa.” Peter insisted and the two of you went back and forth for a while until you finally rolled your eyes and agreed to take his room.

As you lay alone in your boyfriend's bed you couldn’t help but frown as you cuddled into his pillow. You knew you were being silly, Peter wouldn’t miss tonight unless it was important but the fact he hadn’t given you a straight answer annoyed you more than him not showing up.

The next morning you felt just as bad as you had last night. You hated leaving things like that with Peter, you hated not resolving the fight and you hated that you had both gone to bed angry and alone.

You couldn’t say just how long you lay in Peter’s bed, waiting for the man himself to come into his own room. You heard voices drifting up the stairs and knew both him and Aunt May were up.

So you had to make the first move then.

You weren’t quite ready to go down to Peter so instead grabbed your phone and pulled up your texts.

‘You know,’ you started it, wanting to keep the message light, ‘i read somewhere that you should never leave a fight unresolved.’

There, that was enough to let him know you were ok with him coming up, let him know that you wanted to talk.

You heard a crash from downstairs and raised an eyebrow, the sound of somebody rummaging through a closet or something made you sit up.

It wasn’t long before Peter’s door opened and you couldn’t stop the laughter from leaving you as he walked in wearing a football helmet that had seen better days, clearly it was a good few years old.

Peter grinned as he heard you laugh, glad to have eased the situation somewhat. He really was sorry for not showing up but sometimes with Spiderman it just couldn’t be helped.

Sometimes he did wonder if it would just be easier if you knew but then he thought of all the risks that came with you knowing and backed out, pushing any thoughts of you and Spiderman together out of his mind.

“Alright,” he said, grin widening as he listened to you giggle, “let’s talk.”

You patted the bed next to you, cheeks flushed from laughter and a smile firmly in place.

Peter was good at that, making you laugh and smile no matter the situation. You were glad for it, especially now after your first fight. You didn’t want things to be weird, you just wanted to talk and get it out of the way before going back to normal.

“Take that damn helmet off,” You laughed, causing Peter to roll his eyes jokingly but he did as you requested.

“I only wanted the truth.” You said softly after a moment of silence. You were both sitting side to side and you let your head hit the wall before turning to face him. Peter did the same, his smile turning sad as he did.

The truth? The truth was that Spiderman was needed, Spiderman was always going to be needed and he loved to help, he never wanted to give up Spiderman but he also didn’t ever want to lose you.

So, what was the truth?

“You saw that police chase last night, right?” He asked, watching as your smile fell and a concerned expression took over your face.

He knew now wasn’t the time but he couldn’t help but think of how adorable you looked, eyes filled with concern, eyebrows drawn together as you gently bit your lip.

He reached up, gently pulling your lip away from your teeth before letting his hand drop.

“Yeah I saw it, two guys broke out of prison and started shooting the streets up.” You said, voice so soft it was barely above a whisper as you put the pieces together. “You were there?”

“I got caught up in it.” He said, feeling incredibly guilty for lying to you. It was lie after lie with him and now he had you looking over at him with so much concern written across your face that it made him turn away from you, disgusted with himself.

Maybe if he told you the truth he could keep you and Spiderman separate, he’d done it so far. All he had to do was never interact with you as Spiderman unless absolutely necessary.

“Pete,” you gasped, leaning over to grab his hand in yours, “I’m so sorry, why didn’t you just tell me that? Are you ok?”

Peter couldn’t handle the guilt, his stomach twisting and it was then he made his mind up. He just hoped he was making the right decision because if something happened to you he’d never forgive himself.

“Y/N, I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry, I can’t do this anymore. You’re the best thing to happen to me and I just keep lying to you,” He told you with watery eyes as he pulled his hands from yours. You were so confused but before you could speak he started talking again, “no more, no more lies, I promise.”

“Peter, what are you talking about?” You asked, utterly lost as to where this conversation was going.

“I need to tell you something and if you don’t want to be with me anymore I understand but I need you to know.” He said, turning and resting on his knees as he gave you his full attention. “I was caught up in that police chase last night but not in the way you think. I was there and I was helping the police.” Here he watched as your eyebrows furrowed further together as you took in the information but hadn’t made the connection yet.

“Y/N, I’m Spiderman.” He confessed.

The silence spread for minutes, Peter not prompting a response from you but desperately needing one. You continued to stare at him in shock, replaying all the times you’d seen Spiderman on the news, joining dangerous situations and shooting of quick remarks as he took down the latest bad guy.

Spiderman was Peter, your Peter.

“Please say something.” He finally said, so softly but in the quiet of the room it wasn’t hard to miss.

“I love you.” You said, watching as Peter’s eyes widened.

A confession like that was honestly the last thing Peter expected to hear leave your lips. He expected you to be furious with him, for being Spiderman or for keeping it a secret, or both. He expected you to hate him, to not want to risk being around him. He expected you to walk out of that door and to never speak to him again, only catching glances of you as you passed each other in the hallways or as he sat behind you in class.

“What?” He managed to get out, utterly confused.

You let out a breathy laugh of disbelief. Whilst ‘I love you’ was the last thing Peter expected to hear, him telling you he was Spiderman was the last thing you thought he would ever say.

“I love you,” You repeated, eyes filling with tears as you cupped his jaw in your hand, Peter leaning into the touch without hesitation, “I love how selfless you are, I love that you care so much about people that you're willing to risk your own life to help them. I love how much hope and joy you inspire and trust me you inspire people to believe, not just as Spiderman but as you, Peter Parker. I love that you think it’s funny when I’m mad,” You laughed, gesturing to the abandoned football helmet, “you’re just, you’re so amazing and I love you so much Peter.”

Peter couldn’t help himself as he leaned forward. He connected your lips together in a soft but passionate kiss, the kiss communicating just how much the two of you loved each other, how much you cared for each other. The two of you clung to each other, not planning on letting go ever.

“I love you too,” He whispered, resting his forehead on yours as he looked at you with a stupidly large grin on his face. You couldn’t help but mirror the expression. “I have for quite some time.” He told you, causing you to giggle softly as you brought him in for another gentle kiss.

__________

AG Peter Parker Taglist - @haroldpotterson, @imjustassaneasyou, @dindjarinsspouse, @rottenstyx, @asherhunterx, @powerpuffluuvv, @filmsbyblair, @mrs-scottmccall, @roseslovedreams, @janesofia7, @cinderellacauseshebroke, @black-rose-29, @wierdstark, @runawaywithmyghost, @chaoticevilbakugo, @ppgrayson, @onyourgoddamnleft, @divanca2006, @90sbella, @siriuslyfearless, @mystic-writings, @levisbloodcut, @mrs-brekker15, @alexxavicry, @sweetdreamsjg, @alwaysclassyeagle, @peterpgrace, @asherhunterx, @vx-vexedvixen, @ordinarylokix, @carmellasworld, @ellabellabus07, @battinsonn, @labellapeaky, @lokismidnight, @maeve-7, @caediae

[saoney]

𝐁𝐎𝐎

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ 𝗚𝗼𝗷𝗼 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘂 𝘅 𝗙!𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘅 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻! 𝗚𝗼𝗷𝗼 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘂

ɢᴇɴʀᴇ 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿, 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰, 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗔𝗨

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ

This is no way my boyfriend. No matter how sick his joke is, he will never lay his hands on my body this violent!

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ

Mention of pr*f*nity, sm*shing head, r*pe, blo*d kink, slight degr*ding, c*nnib*lism, gr*ping, vi*lenc*, bl*od & m*rder*us thoughts

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ 𝟯.𝟱𝗸

“At last!”

You close the front door with a click sound locking the door after giving the last kids their treats. The kids in your neighbourhood nonstop coming to your shared house asking for trick-or-treat which you concluded this must be because of Satoru’s sweet tooth. They somehow know that Satoru would have a mountain of sweets stash especially during Halloween, that’s why they’ve been aiming your shared house for candies in the last hours.

Shaking your head in disbelieve, you smile looking at your boyfriend sitting leisurely on the leather sofa skimming through Hulu for Halloween worthy movie to watch— to get into the spooky vibe is what he said.

You stretch your upper limp before went down curling in your boyfriend’s arms who’s still trying to find the ‘worthy movie’.

“Aha! Found it.”

“Wrong Turn? How’s scary is this movie baby?”

“Oooh, so scary that ya piss ya pants!” He chuckled, grabbing your shoulder and pulling you closer to his body. You roll your eyes playfully at him as his thumb clicks play on the remote but then pauses it as soon as the movie shows on the TV screen.

“Babe, do we have any more candies? Snacks?” Your boyfriend suddenly asked. Hopeful in his eyes if there’s still extra more of his sweets stash only to be deflated by you shaking your head, no. He sighs and suddenly get up from cuddling with you. Leaving you cold without his body heat.

“Urgh! Can’t believe those kids took all of my sweets stashes. Movie ain’t fun without snacks, baby do you wanna come with me to Target?” Your boyfriend half-yelled at you from the shared bedroom to fetch his wallet and car keys from the drawer beside the bed.

Your eyes is diverted to the wall clock. “But honey it’s midnight. Are you for real? Is Target still open at this hour?” You asked, turning your view to your boyfriend who is already at the front door. Dressed in multiple layers to provide him heat in the cold night for his candies adventure.

“Then, I’ll just go to the seven eleven. There’s a lot of chocolates there too and chips! So, are you coming?”

You put your index finger on your chin, thinking. “I’ll pass baby. I’m tired, but can you buy me strawberry shakes from that shop that I love so much? They open twenty-four hours too, pwease baby?”

Listening to your request and seeing you giving him that cute face he hates so much because you know he can’t deny you no matter what the reasons. He smiles looking at you who still giving him puppy eyes. your boyfriend let go of the doorknob, walking closer to give you forehead kisses.

“Alright. I’ll buy your strawberry shakes baby.” He gently bumps his forehead on yours as he gazes at you lovingly.

“I won’t go for long and love, there’s been bloody Halloween happening not far from our neighbourhood earlier today. I don’t wanna tell you this, but it’s important for you to know.” He said, not feeling great on telling you this. He let out a heavy sigh as his thumbs drawing small circle on your cheeks.

He continues, “If you hear someone knocking at the door at this hour, don’t open it. Even if its kids coming for trick-or-treat, don’t open it. Unless it’s me. Promise me, baby.” He uttered, his eyes still staring yours. Wanting you to understand that what he said is important and he’s not joking.

Assuringly you replied, “Okay, I promise.”

Knock

Knock

Knock

Uh, that was fast?

You walk closer to the front door as your hand nearing the doorknob, you freeze. Suddenly remembered what your boyfriend told you before he left the shared house. Fidgeting your fingers at the lace of your nighties you wait nervously, waiting for your boyfriend to call for you to open the door.

KNOCK

KNOCK

KNOCK

The knocking sounded firmer this time causing your skin jolting in your nighties. Still silence not even your boyfriend’s voice calling out for you to open the door. You hate these feelings of nervousness eating you, finally you move from your ground. Tiptoeing on your feet to look at the peephole who is this person persistently knocking at your door exactly at this hour.

Huh, Satoru? Why didn’t he call me out?

Your hands swiftly unlocking the door to let your boyfriend in. “Baby? That’s fast, is the store closed?” You asked, opening the door when mysteriously a strong gust of wind blows at you, flicking your thin nighties up causing you to yelp. Your hands hurriedly yanking the dress before it bunches up, exposing your panties to the outside world.

Your boyfriend stand still at the doorway does not even bother to answer your questions, as he peering down at your body. From your cleavage to your smooth legs. Unbeknownst to you, his eyes are dark as dark as the deepest ocean floor.

“Baby, quick get in. It’s cold outside.” Your hand grasped his and dragged him inside the house, shutting and locking the door behind you before proceeding to the living room. Your boyfriend is still silent behind you, hands interlaced, guiding him to the sofa to continue the cuddling session that he left for his sweets escapade.

“What are we watching?” Your boyfriend suddenly breaks his silence. His eyes are fixed on your face as your back is pressed up against his chest, a wicked smirk on his face. You mindlessly grab your boyfriend’s hands to hug your cold body tighter offering you more of his body heat.

“We’re watching the Wrong Turn, you choose this movie before went out to buy more snacks. Did you forget?” You asked as you pressed the play button on the remote. You’re so curious to know how terrifying can this movie be.

You continue, eyes focus on the TV screen. “Is the store closed? I really want that strawberry shakes. Can we buy it tomorrow baby?”

Your boyfriend only hum to your request. Sinking his nose on top of your head to deeply breathe your scent. His eyes went down to your nape wet kissing you there as his hands move from your belly to your breasts. Fondling them in his hold. A small moan leaves your mouth. “You smell so sweet.” He said as his groping suddenly becomes harsher causing you wince in pain.

“B-baby, don’t squeeze my tits so hard. Y-your hurting me.” You winced, your hands went on top of his to control his movements but to no avail as he gropes your breasts harder— His canines biting your nape as if he's attempting to suck your blood dry from your body, adrenaline coursing through your veins, triggering distress alarms through your systems.

“Ow! Satoru, stop! Stop!” You screamed, your nails scratching his forearms— violently trying to push your boyfriend away from you.

He eventually lets go of your body, quickly you squirm out of his arms. Standing across from him, your eyes blown wide looking at your boyfriend in terror while him sitting there, frozen in his seat. Amazement plastered on his face. He almost looks sadistic, a face you never saw in your loving boyfriend features.

Your hand clasp at the throbbing bite mark he left, small streaks of blood running down from your nape seeping to your bra nighties. Your body froze when he turns his gazes to you. You sense something is different with your boyfriend. Something you didn’t notice when you first opened the door for him.

His aura is different. He feels different. The way he touched you is different. Who is this in front of you? But his face is… his body is… his hair is… and his voice…. This is your boyfriend. This is your boyfriend, the love of your life, sitting in front of you. Staring at you. Staring hungrily at you. He licks your stained blood on his lips.

Unconsciously, your body backs away when the person in front of you abruptly stands up from the leather sofa. Gone was a pair of baby blue irises only dark, dark empty blue boring into yours sending a shiver running down your spine.

“Amazing! Your blood taste spectacular! Those old geezers’ blood I killed today can’t even match yours! Heh, and your tits. I can’t believe that I’m that touch deprived after all these years. That’s it! I’m gonna kill two birds with one stone. I’ll fuck you and drink your blood altogether!”

He burst out laughing. The farther you distance yourself from him, the more eager he becomes. Capturing you with his strong veiny arms against the wall. His stature and physique tower over you, a maniacal smile spread over his face. You mustered all of your might to stare up at the man in front of you, shivering.

“S-Sat-Satoru, cut it out. You’re scaring me.” You told him, hoping that this is all just a joke, it is Halloween after all.

“Hm, Satoru? Baby, your man is still out there buying your stupid milkshakes. I’ll let you know on something, I’ve been eyeing him for so long now. I can’t believe I have a doppelgänger in this era! What a fucking coincidence is that? He also has a pretty girl with him.” He said, licking your right cheek.

Your mind is racing as you try to piece together what he's saying. He slips both of his arms over your lower body as if embracing you, pleased to see you in a stunned state. A gasp escapes your lungs as he harshly pulls you close to his strong chest— cold sweat running down your back as he smirks down at you.

“T-This is not a joke?” Your voice sounded small beneath him.

“Nah.”

Your body freezes in his arms, desperately attempting to calm your frantic breath. The-man-who-looks-exactly-like-your-boyfriend-but-isn't is the killer your boyfriend was talking about before he left. Your eyes flickered to the clock on the wall.

When will Satoru be back…

“Your man wouldn’t mind me tasting you. Besides, we have the same face after all.” He whispered above your ear, clutches your cheeks forcefully to kiss your lips, while the other grabs your neck hard enough to put pressure on your pulse. You tried shoving him with your hands on his chest, but to no avail.

Your skin jolted, eyes wide when you feel his tongue licking and sucking to yours. Feeling disgusted, you hit and pushing him harder this time, but he still won’t budge. His kiss became more intense and wetter, a stream of saliva running down your chin. You can't believe your legs are shaking and your pussy is soaking reacting to this stranger's forced assault on you. Perhaps your mind is playing tricks on you because he looks so similar to Satoru.

You scrunch your brows, forcing those thoughts away as you bite his tongue very hard that you taste iron in your palate. His blood stained your swollen lips as he mercilessly shoved you to fall on the floor, caused you to gasp from the impact.

He holds his mouth to relieve the pain, his eyes glinting daggers at you as you sit up on the floor. He spits his saliva that has mixed with his blood, before he growl at you. "You fucking piece of shit. I thought of killing you softly, but you keep getting on my nerves!”

Before you could run from him, he quickly grabs a fistful of your hair and pulls it forcibly from your scalp, making you to scream at the top of your lungs. Enraged, he slaps you so hard in the face, bursting your lips from the impact that you fall back on the floor.

Th-This is no way my boyfriend. No matter how sick his joke, he will never lay his hands on my body this violent!

You drag your hurting body with your forearms as you turn your body on the floor. Your body is aching everywhere, your head is spinning from the slaps he gave you, and your ears are ringing. Eyes began to blur.

I-I have to get away from him.

He whistled, intrigued to see you struggle for your life, but he hasn't had his fun yet. With his heavy boots, he steps on your back, draining all of your air out of your system.

“S-S-Stop…” You told him faintly, holding your palm closer to combat the agony on your back. You strain yourself to breathe slowly, only to feel burning in your lungs. Soon after, he raised his feet off your back, causing your body to spasm to recover all of the oxygen your lungs were deprived from. He squats on top of you, pulling you around to face him. He looks down at your face, blood dripping from your nose and busted lips to your reddish cheekbones and down to your exposed cleavage, rising and falling from panic and out of breath.

A wicked smirk adorned his face, “Damn, you’re actually a looker.” Unsatisfied that your nighties keep him from seeing your body, he tears them off, revealing your tits to him and leaving you in your panties. He licks his lips, lust and hunger clouding his views as he rubs his clothed manhood on your panties.

He holds your hands above your head with his big hand, while the other goes down to your pussy, as he brings his face to taste the blood beneath your nose and on your busted lips. “Shit. I can just get high by tasting your blood alone but I’m a greedy man. I want everything your body can offer me.” He chuckled evilly at your weakened state.

Panic surged through your veins, as well as adrenaline kicked in as you heard his belt clinking. You looked down as you saw him, much to your horror, trying to push his cock inside your pussy. You squirm, swinging your legs to shove him off you, but then when you find an opportunity, you knee his nose.

“You damn bitch!” Clutching his bloodied nose, his other hand pushes your face down with his weight to keep you on the floor. You grit your teeth as your skull begins to ache from his grip, so you grab his wrist with both of your hands wanting to get his weight off your head. When you perceive an opportunity, you kick him hard again in the gut. Fully taking him off guard when his grip loosens from your face, you hastily get yourself up, escaping and lock yourself in the master bedroom.

A furious vein sprang on his brow, squeezing his stomach as his glare followed you away. Picking himself up as he grabs Satoru's baseball bat near the door, supporting his body as he walks to your bedroom.

She’s feisty but I ain’t having it no more.

Rubbing the blood under his nose with the back of his palm, He heard your voice faintly behind the shut door, attempting to reach your boyfriend with the phone house.

Heh, too bad. I cut the phone line.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

“Aw Baby, don’t be scared.” He smiled menacingly as he slammed the baseball bat against the door, aggressively twisting the doorknob. “I was thinking of eating your limbs while fucking you. But man, now I’m itching to smash your head with your man’s bat! How ironic is that?” He growled.

When you heard him successfully enter your bedroom, your face became white as paper. Your hands were tightly gripped around your mouth, not wanting him to even hear you breathing.

“When I smashed your head, I’ll fuck your cold body on this bed!” He snarls, swinging the bat smashing the vanity and the lamp beside the bed.

As you watched his figure move past your hiding spot, you cautiously let go of your breath. Goosebumps cover your skin when you hear him open the bathroom door. “Not here, huh? Smart bitch, I give you that.”

“Boo.”

His voice is steady and unamused as his hand pushed the hanging garment over you, he looked down boringly at your crouched, frightened body. When he swings the bat, aiming for your head, it feels like time slows down and your life flashes in front of you. Fortunately, your body reacts in time when the bat swings, allowing you to avoid the blow.

For a split second, you and the killer in front of you exchanged glances. You on the ground and him peering down at you with the bat beside his head. Everything about him is frighteningly identical to your boyfriend, except for his lifeless eyes. Behind his irises, there was just murderous malice. You scurry out of your bedroom, sprinting to the front door. When you divert your attention to your shared bedroom, your hands work quickly to unlock the door. As he proceeds down the stairs with the bat on his right shoulder, he smiles crookedly at you.

Once successfully unlocking the door, you dash out without turning back, only to be met with a strong chest bumps into you. The person in front of you grabs your body swiftly before you could fall bum first on the ground. You shrieked, your eyes wide with dread as you smacked him in the chest. “Let me go! Let me go!”

“It’s me, baby! It’s me! Satoru, your boyfriend, the love of your life!” Your boyfriend exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around your frenzied body, brushing all the stray hairs off your face so you could see him better. “Breath, love. Shhh, I’m here. It’s me, see?” He said as he rubs a soothing circle behind your back.

“S-Satoru?”

“Yea, I’m here, baby. What happened to you?”

You began crying, “Th-There’s a guy who look like you trying to rape and eat me. He-He’s in there! He rips my nightgown, he-he slaps me. I-I’m bleeding Satoru!” You cried even harder now.

Your boyfriend's eyes are worriedly scanning your body as he listens to your explanation. He rubs your arms up and down to calm you before putting on his coat to cover your thin nighties.

“What are you saying baby? What bleeding? And your nighties aren’t ripped. You’re saying there’s a man in our house?” Your boyfriend asked you, shielding you behind his back as your fingers gripped hard his sweater to look for the man you’re talking about in your shared house. Your eyes are feverishly looking for him, but where’s he? Everything in your house that was smashed has been back to normal. Even your favourite vase is intact.

Your boyfriend turns to face you, his trademark witty grin on his face. As the other proceeded to close and lock the door, he hugged your shaking body in his left arms. “Did you watch the movie before me?” Your boyfriend jokingly asked, but you couldn't even respond. Your shaking palm gripping his sweater harder. As he seats you on the sofa, Satoru notices that you're still trembling and doesn't press the matter any further.

“Brrr, I completely forgot to call our technician yesterday about our heater.” Your boyfriend said as he rubbed his hands together, hoping to divert your attention away from your thoughts. Your stare is fixed on your boyfriend, terror still coursing through your veins. His brow scrunch when you do not even respond to him so he sits down alongside you on the sofa. Holding your hands on your laps, he strokes a small circle behind your hand.

“Baby, really. What happened? You look so scared, were you having a nightmare while waiting for me?”

“I-I don’t know… Th-This guy, come to our house looks exactly like you. I thought he was you, so I opened the door for him. He started to hurting me, saying he want to rape an-and eat me..”

“Geez. That.. that must be scary.” Your boyfriend said. Not wanting to sound like he is not trusting to your story because it is indeed sounds like you are having a nightmare. His eye is devoted to your glossy eyes, you look so traumatised.

“Babe, why don’t we sleep in the hotel tonight? Let’s get you out of here for a bit, yeah? I’ll go get our things really quick. If anything happen just scream for me. I’ll be upstairs. Okay?”

“Okay.”

——————————————————————————

“Hey, you’re okay. I’m here with you now. I won’t let anything bad happen to you baby.” Satoru said, his eyes focus on the road as his hand grab your thigh lovingly, assuring you that you are safe.

Appreciating that your boyfriend is doing everything he can to make you feel safe, you just clasp his hand on your thigh in reaction to his kind words. You're leaning out the car window, hoping to take in the city lights. Smiling stretching on your face, maybe you really are having a nightmare. There’s no blood, your nighties are fine, your cheekbones are not swollen, heck even everything in your house are not smashed. This Halloween this year kind of getting to you. That must be it.

Until you saw him, in the rear mirror, eyes glaring daggers in your direction. A devilish smirk plastered on his face, you fixate on his moving mouth. Immediately, your blood runs cold when you understand what he said.

“I’ve marked you.”

——————————————————————————-

© 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲. 𝐃𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭.

ᴅɪꜱᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇʀ: ᴍᴀɴɢᴀ ᴘᴀɴᴇʟ ᴄᴏʟᴏᴜʀᴇᴅ ʙʏ @ʜᴇxᴀᴍᴇɴᴅʟᴇ

[koishua]

𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 ─── 𝐘𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐒𝐈𝐍

in which it's midnight and you miss your best friend who suddenly starts to feel like so much more. (0.577k words)

Perhaps it was the newly washed and dried black tufts of hair, or maybe it’s the tired droop of his eyes, but something about your childhood friend seems different tonight, miles and miles away from his hometown. You don’t blame him, nor do you wish he’d stayed. Chasing his dreams and ambitions— all you want in life for Yorch, your best friend, is success and happiness.

Though it leaves the hollow spot in your chest aching every once in a while, you’re happy for him. Or at least, you try to be.

It’s no big deal, you think, having to call him at who knows what hour when the time difference is only two mere hours. You could deal with that easily. What tears you up inside, however, is the unoccupied space on the left side of your bed that had been so accustomed to bearing his presence.

You remember the nights where you’d used to build pillow forts and watch movies of all kinds; the nights when it would storm outside and you’d feel at utmost peace lying next to him despite the raging weather; the nights where only laughter would seep out of the thin walls, making your mother call out your names and scold you to be quieter; the nights where you’d take turns to tell horror stories in hopes of making the other fear the dark.

You remember the nights where he was solely yours.

Now, in the small space where he’d used to lay, rests your laptop, screen lit up by his tired, yet still smiling face. It’s maybe the most reassuring thing you can have from him, his smile. Yorch always had the sweetest little curve on his lips. Seeing it ever so present is something you’d never thought would bring you this much comfort.

“You should go to sleep.” You remind him, mindful of the time on his side. Checking the clock and counting two hours forward, you confirm that it was way past midnight in Korea. Your words don’t deter him. Instead, he has a teasing lilt to his voice, “Why? Do you want me gone that bad? Are you tired of me already? Do you not miss me?”

“No, idiot.” You chuckle, taking in the handsome features he’d grown into. Something about Yorch Yongsin feels very different tonight, your thoughts wander again. There is a ruckus arising from behind the screen, which you guess are his friends from the familiar voices that leave your speakers.

A head pops out from his back, which you recognize as James, who’d made it a habit to appear every now and then to greet you enthusiastically. “Hello! I am so sorry to disrupt this convo, but we need this brother downstairs right now.”

It’s impossible to hold a petty grudge against the younger boy for interrupting what you’d wanted to say prior to his abrupt arrival, his energy so young and endearing, so you nod, shrugging back at your apologetic friend who waves a short goodbye at his camera before he bids farewell. “I’m sorry, we’ll talk tomorrow!”

With that, your screen reverts to its default mode and you sigh, resting your head on your arm, pulling the covers till it reaches your chin. The rain pounding down outside is harsh and cold, but tonight he isn’t there to make you feel safe anymore. It’s okay, you repeat to yourself, the only thing that matters is that he is happy out there.

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