#but yeah if i am on some bullshit with thoughts of getting railed into the next dimension by hero!svt or alien!svt shhhhhh...

[bootyful-seventeen]

i started watching invincible yesterday and finished it too quickly and i left knowing two new things

not only would i smash omni man but i would also smash adam cuz he's got fat ass. and those big blue idiot genius clones ( i forgot their names cuz i kept... pondering with my ponderings)

i 10000% think that wonwoo would look so fucking good in the invincible suit like dear god

[theosbaby]

brokenhearted

theodore nott x fem!reader

masterlist

summary; theo breaks up with his girlfriend and you comfort him, but things get a little bit heated in the process.

warnings; a bit of angst, heavy make out (this shit is long af), NSFW, some light dirty talk, praising, dry humping, p in v, marking, hair pulling, unprotected sex... that's all, i think. this is kinda a fluffy smut.

author's note; i'm back!! i'm sorry for disappearing for such a long time, i hope this makes up for it ♡ (i don't really like how it turned out, but i hope you do). ps: thank you all so much for still supporting my acc while i was gone! i appreciate it so much.

you had been looking for theodore for some time now; the night had fallen already, and you hadn't heard from him since the day before; he didn't go to class, neither contact you in any way. preoccupied, you headed over the astronomy tower again; you had already looked for him there —like four times during the day— but you decided to try again, after all, it was his favourite place in the entire castle. that time, you actually found him there, sitting with his back against the railings and a cigarette between his lips... classic theo.

when he noticed your presence, he looked up at you and bluntly said, "luna broke up with me." his expression was almost emotionless, but you knew him well enough to know he was hurting deep down.

"what?" you gasped, your brow furrowed, as you walked slowly to take a seat by his side on the floor.

you didn't know what to say or how to act; his admission had taken you by surprise. one part of you —the part of you that was crazy in love him— wanted to scream and cry happy tears at the news, but the other part empathised with him, making you feel his pain.

you hated seeing him suffer.

"yeah, she said it wasn't working out," theo replied.

he took one last drag from his cigarette before blowing out the smoke and tossing it aside as he looked up at the stars, his eyes distant and lost in thought. you kept quiet, not wanting to interrupt him so he could let it all out.

"i guess she's right, though. we never really had anything in common." he chuckled bitterly, shaking his head before talking again, "i don't know why i'm surprised, though. i'm not the most lovable person, am i?"

his eyes met yours, and you could see the pain in them. he was your best friend; you knew damn well the baggage he carried on his shoulders, the trauma his mother's death and his father's neglect had caused on him. theo was not one to get attached to people because of that and every time he lost someone, grief hit him like a truck, even if he didn't let it show. you reached to grab his large hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"hey, that's not true," you told him, your voice softening to try and reassure him, "don't say that."

theo gave you a small smile, his eyes searching yours to try and find comfort in them. he took a deep breath and let it out slowly as his hand squeezed yours back. you could feel the tension emanating from his body, the pain he was trying to hide. then he looked away again, blue eyes dropping to the floor.

"i just... i don't know how to do relationships, you know? i never had any good examples growing up." his voice was quiet as he talked, almost a whisper, like he was telling you his darkest secret and feared someone else could hear him. "my dad... he never loved my mom. he never loved me. and now i feel like i don't know how to be loved, or how to love someone else," he explained, letting out a sigh, his brow furrowed. "i'm sorry. i didn't mean to bring this up..."

"theo..." you muttered, your voice cracking as you cupped his face to force him to look at you, "that's bullshit, alright? listen to me." you stared at him intently as you spoke, gently caressing his cheek, "you're nothing like your father."

theo's eyes remained locked on yours, his gaze searching for any sign of truth in your words. you swore that you saw his eyes fill with tears as he heard you talk, but he quickly blinked them away, not wanting to cry in front of you; crying made him feel vulnerable.

"i needed to hear that," he muttered, leaning into your touch, "thanks."

"want a hug?" you asked, smiling warmly at him.

you both stayed quiet for a few seconds, just staring at each other with an intensity that spoke volumes, and you were so close together that you could see the little freckles that covered his cheeks and nose, painting his skin like constellations painted the starry night sky.

"please," he responded.

you felt him wrapping his strong arms around your slim body and you melted into his embrace, your body heat mingling with his as you felt the tension leaving his muscles. one of your hands rested on his back, rubbing reassuring patterns on in, while the other caressed his soft waves and he sighed contently.

"you always know how to make me feel better," he murmured while pulling away slowly, his eyes filled with gratitude and a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

your eyes dropped to his lips unconsciously, your pulse racing; he noticed your stare and smirked.

"of course," you whispered back, "that's what friends are for."

you wished you could be more than friends, though.

theo watched you as you averted your gaze shyly and he couldn't help but notice how beautiful you looked with the moonlight kissing your pretty face.

"you know," he said quietly, "i've always had this strange feeling about us."

"what feeling?" you asked curiously, chuckling; your cheeks flushed as you looked back at him.

theo took a deep breath before answering, "like we're meant to be together... like i was supposed to meet you and spend my whole life with you." his voice was slightly shaky, as if he was nervous about something.

he looked at you intently, waiting for your reaction.

"well, you ain't getting rid of me anytime soon, so yeah, i guess we're stuck together." you laughed, not understanding what he really meant; you thought he was talking about your friendship.

theo chuckled at your response nervously, shaking his head lightly when he realised you hadn't noticed he was actually trying to confess his feelings; he had always liked you, even though he was dating other girl, he always knew it was you who owned his heart. maybe that was why he couldn't just give luna all the love she deserved.

"i mean... as more than friends," he admitted.

he looked at you intently, searching for a reaction from your part that let him know you felt the same way. his heart was pounding in his chest; that was a big step for him to take.

you couldn't help but smile, anxiously biting your lower lip as you dropped your gaze to the ground.

"your mom used to say that we were going to end up together someday," you whispered with longing.

your smile turned into a sad one as you mentioned her; you knew theo missed her a lot, and to be honest, you missed her too. you turned towards him just to see that he was smiling back at you, but his smile didn't really reach his eyes.

"she always knew what was best for me. i miss her so much." he sighed deeply and tilted his head, resting it against yours. "i only wish she was here."

"she would be so proud of you," you told him, trying to make him feel better.

theo nodded, his voice barely above a whisper as he said, "i really hope so."

he looked at you again and smiled warmly. the air felt intimate and special between the two of you; it was like nothing else mattered but this moment together. and you both knew, you were in love.

"i missed this," you murmured, your eyes dropping to his lips briefly once again.

that time, theo's gaze fell to your lips as well, and you felt your heart pounding in your chest. when theo started dating luna, that intimate conversations with him started getting less frequent, making you drift apart slightly and it had made you realise how much you actually needed him in your life.

"i missed it too," he whispered back, "i missed you."

after a moment of silence, he leaned forward, his lips brushing against yours in a soft, tentative kiss. It caught you off guard, but you returned the kiss, feeling like your soul was about to leave your body as his soft lips caressed yours in such an intimate touch.

but then reality crashed you; you couldn't do it, not when he had just broken up with his girlfriend and he was feeling down, so you put your hand on his chest, reluctantly pulling him away to stop him from kissing you.

"we shouldn't do this..." you shook your head; your faces were so close together that your warm breath hit his face. "you and luna..."

"please," he interrupted you, his voice almost pleading, "make me forget."

"theo, i–" you stuttered.

you were fighting an inner war with yourself; you had been dreaming about that moment for so long, but it didn't felt right to take advantage of the situation like that. you couldn't bear it if he regretted this decision the day after.

he shook his head, as if he could read your mind just looking into your eyes, and cupped your face gently, pulling you closer to him.

"you're everything that's right in my life, sunshine. you're all i need..." he murmured, his voice low and desperate. "you've always been."

your heart melted when you heard him calling you "sunshine". that was the nickname he had given you when you first started being friends; when you asked him why he called you that, he told you that he had picked it because you were the light to his darkness, the only thing that made him truly happy.

you knew theo would never hurt you, that he would prefer to die rather than making you suffer in any way, so any doubt lingering in your mind slowly faded away.

"i'm sorry i didn't have the courage to tell you sooner," he added, his gaze piercing through yours with an intensity that spoke volumes.

"it's better late than never, right?" you whispered, gulping nervously.

you could feel your heart beating in your throat as you stared at him, waiting for him to make a move.

he smirked. "i guess we'll have to make up for the lost time."

and with that, he leaned forward, pressing his lips to yours once more. it was a tender, gentle kiss that started slowly but gradually intensified as his hand slid down towards the small of your back, pressing you closer to his body. time seemed to stand still as you lost yourself in the warmth and comfort of his embrace. you were on cloud nine; lips avidly kissing his and skin prickling wherever he touched you, igniting sparks in your belly. you parted your lips, allowing him to slip his tongue inside your mouth, and you exhaled a sharp breath, whimpering against his lips.

he deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring your mouth with a hunger that mirrored your own. his other hand found its way to your neck, holding you firmly as he continued to devour you with every ounce of passion he possessed. after a few seconds, though, you had to pull away reluctantly to be able to breathe, your chest heaving up and down as you reached up to tangle your fingers in his soft hair, gently caressing it.

he smirked and rested his forehead against yours, his breath hot against your skin. "you're a very good kisser," he murmured, his fingers still running up and down back, leaving a trail of heat in their wake.

he was looking at you with an intensity that made your head spin, your cheeks blushing at the compliment as you smiled back at him.

"you too," you whispered against his lips, unable to resist the urge of leaning in to kiss him once again.

his mouth tasted like mints and cigarettes; it was new, but at the same time, it felt familiar.

you heard him chuckling softly before he returned the kiss, this time slowing things down, as if he wanted to savour every moment he had with you. his hands wandered over your body, memorizing every curve and dip, his touch setting your body on fire. eventually, his fingers found the hem of your shirt, slowly creeping underneath and causing goosebumps to break out on your skin.

your plump lips parted, a shaky breath slipping past them as you felt him caressing your soft flesh ever so delicately, as if he was afraid of breaking you. he took this as an invitation to slide his tongue inside your mouth once again, avidly searching for yours and starting a playful war between the both of you.

you felt his lips forming a smirk against yours, his tongue having apparently won the little play fight it had with yours as he took full control of the kiss. his hand moved down your back, caressing your skin before he gently cupped your ass, squeezing it lightly, which earned him a soft gasp from you. you didn't oppose when he gently pulled at you to bring you closer to his body, making you straddle his lap as he leaned back against the railings.

he finally broke the kiss, letting out a low groan as you settled on top of him. his eyes were dark, and he looked up at you like he wanted to eat you alive. his hands moved to grip your creamy thighs, fingers digging into your skin possessively. you were panting at that point, cheeks flushed and lips swollen from all the kissing, but his breathing was just as ragged as yours, and his heart was beating so fast that he was sure you could hear it if you paid just enough attention to it.

"you're absolutely breathtaking, you know that?" he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to your lips.

you blushed in response, the smile that appeared in your face impossible to hold in. your small hands cupped his face tenderly, and your thumbs caressed his sharp cheekbones.

"don't say things like that," you muttered, getting all flustered and shy suddenly.

his lips twitched in a amused smile at your reaction, but before he could even say or do anything, your lips were on his again and the feeling was so intense it robbed him of his breath for a moment there.

"i want you so bad," he whispered against your lips, hips bucking up to grind against you unconsciously.

and that's when you felt it. he was hard. the mere discovery had you moaning softly into the kiss, hips grinding down onto his crotch in a desperate attempt to feel him once more as you placed your hands on his chest. good lord, the friction was making his head swim. he groaned in response as he slid his hands up your thighs to grasp at your hips, the need to fuck you coursing through him like a wildfire.

"you're killing me here, sunshine," he muttered, breaking the kiss for a moment before swooping back in for another.

you giggled playfully against his mouth, hips still rocking onto the straining erection in his pants. you weren't thinking straight anymore, your need for him clouding all your rational thoughts; theo was the only thing in your mind in that moment. the feeling was mutual. theo's mind was consumed with wanting you, his hands moving to your ass to encourage your movements, eliciting a whimper from somewhere deep in your throat that sent his head spiralling.

okay, so keeping a semblance of his cool was completely out of the window now.

pulling your lips apart with a loud snap, he growled something that sounded like, "you're a fucking dream."

you responded with a harsh tug at his brown curls, tilting his head back to expose the pale expanse of his neck. you attached your mouth to it greedily, kissing and sucking on his skin as you ground against him, which caused him to literally whimper as he shuddered beneath you.

for god's sake, he did sound pretty whimpering.

meanwhile, you felt one adventurous hand slipping underneath your top and sliding up your belly. theo's hand was on a mission, his fingers tracing along your silky skin before he cupped one of your breasts, gasping at the feel of its weight on his palm. he kneaded it, his other hand reaching up to grip the hem of your shirt while he pushed you away from his neck. he looked up at you, silently asking for permission to undress you.

"it's okay," you whimpered in response, nodding with a little smile on your puffy, red lips.

you knew you were in the middle of the astronomy tower, a public place, but you just couldn't bring yourself to care about it. theo didn't need more encouragement than that, he was already tugging your top over your head, tossing it aside before his eyes feasted on the sight of your naked breasts; his gaze was hungry, devouring every inch of your exposed skin.

"you're so fucking beautiful," he whispered, leaning forward to take one of your nipples into his mouth while his hand pinched and rubbed the other.

"theo," you whined as his tongue flicked your sensitive nub.

your hips resumed their previous movements as you fisted his hair once again; your heart pounded in your chest when you felt his hard cock pressing against your aching pussy, both of your clothes getting in the way as your need grew stronger.

fuck, you were so wet.

his breath was hitching from the friction between your hips, and he tore his lips away from your boob with a desperate moan, his lids falling close, a sheen of sweat already glistening on his brow.

"god damn, fuck me already, would you?"

you couldn't help but chuckle at his desperate plea, leaning forward to kiss his lips once more; it was like you couldn't get enough from him.

you broke the contact after a few seconds, your teeth sinking into his bottom lip to tug at it playfully, then, you asked him, "here?"

his eyes flickered around the tower, barely sparing it a glance before his hungry gaze settled back on you. theo's mind was clouded, his cock aching and his fingers already tugging idly at his zipper.

"the hell if i care..." he mumbled, voice raspy from all the kissing.

you helped him get rid of his clothes, lowering his pants and boxers just enough to free his dick, which sprang against his stomach, long and thick; your mouth watered and now you were eager to have him inside you.

how could a cock be that perfect? not fair.

"fuck, come here."

before you could even process what was happening, you felt his hands gripping the hem of your shorts to tug them down your thighs alongside your panties. you slipped just one leg out of them before he pulled you towards him desperately.

you were completely naked, while he was almost fully dressed, and it was unfair, so you forced him to lift his arms up so you could yank his t-shirt off, exposing his ripped abs. thank you, quidditch.

he pulled you flush against him, skin to skin for the first time today and you both moaned; his hands gripped your hips tightly, fingertips tracing over your bare flesh as he guided you on top of his cock.

"gonna fuck you now, sunshine, you want that?" he asked for your consent, lips peppering kisses all over your collarbone and chest.

"yeah," you mumbled in response, nodding eagerly.

you reached down to wrap your small hand around the base of his shaft, placing the tip against your soaked entrance and lowering yourself onto it. since you both were a little too impatient to do any foreplay, his thick cock sliding inside your tight pussy knocked the air out of your lungs.

theo watched your face, lips parted and panting as you slowly took him inside yourself: he gave a low moan when his cock bottomed out inside you, hands gripping you tightly.

"fuck– baby, so fucking good," he complimented you, whimpering needily.

you stood still for a few moments to get used to his size before you started bouncing up and down on his dick, the delicious drag of his thick cock head against your inner walls making you shiver from pleasure. you gripped his shoulders to try and steady yourself, nails digging into his flesh and leaving bright red marks.

theo grunted, tossing his head back as he felt your walls clutching him. his eyes closed in ecstasy, hands travelling down to grip your ass cheeks and helping you bounce up and down on him a little bit faster.

"shit, baby... so fucking tight," he growled out.

"your cock feels so good," you cried out while dragging your nails down his chest and abs, scratching his skin.

theo hissed as he felt your nails clawing at him. his hands squeezed your ass tighter before he smacked it, groaning. "bad girl... don't scratch."

the slap made you yelp slightly, cheeks flushing red at his words. "wanna mark you up," you confessed, breathlessly, "so everyone knows you're mine."

you stopped bouncing as you felt your legs getting tired, rocking your hips back and forward instead; the new motion made your clit rub against his pelvis, sending pleasure waves down your spine.

theo chuckled, his eyes smouldering. "i am yours, sunshine. always have been."

his hands kept roaming your body, taking in the softness of your skin as he lifted you up just enough to be able to thrust up into you, hard and fast. you grasped at the railings behind him for support, crying out in complete and utter ecstasy as he railed you, hips snapping against yours and creating a wet slapping sound that mingled with your loud moans. your pussy clenched around him, and you felt your belly muscles tightening, signaling your upcoming orgasm. theo's thrusting became more erratic, his breath hitching as he pounded into you, chasing his own release. he grabbed your hair and yanked it back, exposing your neck to him. he leaned in and bit down on the sensitive skin where your shoulder met your neck.

"gonna cum for me like a good girl?" he purred, panting.

"yes, please," you answered between little moans and cries, your voice whiny and agitated.

your eyes rolled back when his hand slid between your legs and his thumb grazed your clit; you trembled in response. it didn't take long for you to reach your peak and when you did, it was with a loud cry.

"that's it, that's my good girl," he cooed at you, fucking you through your climax.

your cunt spasmed around his cock as you came, your juices soaking his shaft. your arms wrapped around his body while you squirmed uncontrollably on top of him, moaning repeatedly in his ear. theo wasn't far behind you, the feeling of your walls clenching around him sending him over the edge. he buried himself deep inside you, whimpering helplessly as he came in your cunt.

you moaned when you felt his hot cum filling you up, pussy still tingling so nicely that you weren't even thinking. "fuck– i love you... i love you so fucking much." it just slipped in the heat of the moment without you realising.

but of course he noticed.

theo's breath caught, his orgasm still rocking through him. he looked at you with a surprised expression, but it quickly melted into a tender smile, a warm sensation flooding his chest.

"i love you too, sunshine."

[yuurivoice]

since you love to write, does your job ever feel like actual work? Kinda like that saying “if you love your job, you’ll never work a day of your life.” Kinda question.

also, how much free time do you normally have?

It felt like actual work from pretty early on. The moment I crossed over from doing it for funsies to sometimes taking commissions I didn't really feel strongly about for money, it was work.

I've had to drag my ass into the booth and record on days when I couldn't even take care of my basic needs because of ADHD struggles, and that sure felt like work.

I've had to write like absolute dogshit and just accept it because I had deadlines and people waiting on me. That felt like work.

I've had to spend hours breaking down different shots needed for visual projects, like a caveman painting on a wall for a renaissance artist to reference. That definitely felt like work.

I've had to deal with community moderation, personal betrayals of trust, harassment, goddamn pr crises, tax nightmares, and shipping hundreds of orders by hand. That was work.

That old cliche of if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life is a crock of shit. But all of that being said, even though it is work, and even though it can be really difficult sometimes?

Wouldn't trade it for the world. There is no other calling for me, my heart is not satisfied if I am not telling stories, and for some reason the universe decided that this was the path forward. I didn't plan on it. I never loved voice acting, but I learned to. I wish there was less bullshit over the years that robbed me of my joy. I wish I wasn't fighting my brain for so much of the time I've been doing this.

But the good will always outweigh the bad.

It's a dream fulfilled. I never needed or wanted to be some sort of massive sensation, or have broad renown or appeal. I didn't need to become a best selling author, or create a hit video game, or do anything like that. I am happy that I've found even a small group of people who love to get lost in my worlds, or spend time with my characters, or hear them get railed in pumpkin patches.

I get to experience the magic of creating something I didn't know was within me. Again and again. Projects like BitterSweet, Shattered, and Echoes of Evalas are precious to me because of the wondrous feeling creating those stories gives me. They could all flop, and I'd do it anyway.

I was creating art when no one was ever there to listen or watch. In that regard, it's never been work. It is a function of my existence. I was made, raised, and shaped to tell stories. It's the one thing I can do. At a table of friends, an audience of hundreds, or on long drives by myself. It's like breathing. It just happens.

Being able to call it work is a privilege. I'm thrilled that I've got the chance to work. I'm happy that I even have the opportunity to have days where I have to push myself. Because it has given me more than I've ever thought it could. I was on food stamps living with family under constant threat of getting kicked out. I was lonely, isolated, and scared of the world. I was considered lazy.

Finding my lane, getting traction, and thriving was something I considered out of reach. I was ready to tap out and accept that I just wasn't quite right for life. Like maybe I just didn't have all the right parts. I was okay with it, even. I was tired.

So yeah. It's work. But I spent a long time desperate to find work I was suited for, and with a lot of recent life changes I've removed many of those points of friction that would make it tough to work. So I'm thrilled.

And that, my friends, is what happens when you ask a professional yapper if they love yapping. 😂

As for free time, it's hard to say. So much of what I do being my own boss and shit, plus creative stuff just constantly churning in my brain, I struggle to clearly define what is and is not "free time". I basically have to be on call. At any given moment something might need my attention, or creativity comes knocking. It's hard to completely disconnect.

I've done a good job of getting into the office about four times a week. That has helped me find some sort of balance, but even recent writing I've done was on my laptop at my little breakfast nook having coffee.

I think the big thing is, I can create my free time whenever I need or want to.

Anywho, this is why you don't open Tumblr when you wake up to pee in the middle of the night because then you spent 30 minutes staring at your phone writing a whole ass essay. I'm gonna go get out of bed and make something awesome now. 💖

[jungle-angel]

A Pair Of Cheeseburgers in Paradise (Bob Floyd x Reader)

Summary: There's always that one place that you and Bob have felt at home and where your best memories have always been made

Notes: I am both ready and definitely not ready for fall, I'm a summer baby and I'm not sorry for it at all (lol).

Islamorada, Florida

Labor Day Weekend

It was only the second, or third, day of your little vacation with Bob, but you had never been happier than on that little slice of beach, the smells of the seabreeze and the afternoon sun lingering high above those clear waters. The pelicans were busy hanging out on the dock posts, the palms rustling away while the screech of the seagulls was heard from not too far off.

You and Bob were enjoying yourselves immensely, not needing to worry about work or personal bullshit that tended to get in the way of everything. Your wedding had been just a few days before, the boys sending you both off in style and bidding you farewell at the airport before you had taken off for Florida.

The smell of the charcoal grill on the porch made you hungrier than you had realized but you were laughing a little as Bob tossed on a few thick, homemade burger patties while the little bluetooth on the porch played "Cheeseburger in Paradise". Jimmy, your new feathered friend, was perched on the porch rail, bobbing his head and flapping his blue and yellow wings as though he too were dancing along to the music.

"Hey sweet-pea," Bob said cheerfully as he drew you in and kissed your forehead. "You hungry?"

"Are you really making the burgers?" you chuckled.

"I snuck out to Publix before you were awake to go get the stuff," Bob answered. "The condiments section was a little bare but I grabbed the last bottle of Heinz fifty-seven before anybody else could."

"You making fries with this?"

"Yep," Bob answered. "Those super thin, stringy ones that you like with the seasoning recipe that Javy's dad gave us."

Your mouth was absolutely watering at the thought. You and Bob had traveled to New Orleans once to visit Coyote's family and to try some of the foods that his family had brought up with them from Brazil. You could almost taste the salt and the spices that Felipe had used, the black pepper, garlic, hot cayenne peppers and all the others.

You helped Bob with the rest of the food prep and once the fries were done, you sprinkled them with a healthy dosage of the spice mixture that Coyote had sent you in the mail. As soon as the buns were toasted, everything was plated including the kosher dill pickle wedges and the burgers were put together.

You both sat out at the table on the front porch of the little pink and turquoise beach cottage, laughing and chattering away even as Bob cracked open a cold one and poured it into one of the glasses from the cabinet.

"Look at that, barely any head," he said with a smile.

"Penny should've taken you on as head bartender in that case," you chuckled.

"Yeah but you know me (y/n)," Bob said, setting aside the can. "I'd give Jake nothing but head."

You snorted a little, trying not to choke on the bite of burger you had been chewing, knowing Bob was bound to slip in a dirty joke somewhere along the line. "Bastard!" you said once you had swallowed. "I'm eating here!"

Bob laughed before he took a sip of the summery beer in the glass and dug into his lunch. You couldn't deny that they were the best burgers you had ever had, just a little slice of paradise right in front of you, but you always knew that Bob would be your real paradise and that you would be his, for the rest of your days.

[halothenthehorns]

Chapter 10: MY MATH TEACHER GIVES ME A LIFT

Oh my gods does Jason get some long-overdue character development in this opening. I've only been dropping pebbles for him this whole time, and then I just drop a boulder down here. Still connected to Nico and Thalia, but hey, progress! I honestly considered making this its own chapter it got so out of hand with all I'd planned, but frankly it's not to terribly long it can't be here either. Hope you all enjoy, and many thanks as ever for the constant love and support you give this fic!

PJOPJOPJOPJO

Will counted to sixty slowly in his head to give Nico time to get wherever he was going and take a breath before getting up to go after him.

He stopped and watched Percy for a moment, hand still in Annabeth's as he gestured awkwardly to the rooms and muttered something about showing her how the fridge worked. Will considered going over and telling Percy to get his butt in on this, but he was to worried that would make things worse. Whatever Nico was so worried about, there was a nine out of ten chance it involved him.

When a tap came on his shoulder, he wasn't that surprised, but he was a bit jealous and worried as Jason stopped him. "Can I come?"

Will sighed. What was he asking permission for? He didn't decide who Nico could be friends with...he realized he'd kind of been helping as he glanced over at Alex who was watching them intently and clearly in hearing range.

"What do you think he's blaming himself for this time?" Jason asked instead when Will didn't answer.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Will sighed. He'd felt intrigued by Nico the second he saw him in here. The child of the Big Three who clearly felt out of place among his peers. It had been fun getting to know him, and yeah, he'd developed a pretty heavy-duty crush along the way.

He was pretty sure he got now where Jason's interest in Nico was, but it still didn't tamper down his mild jealousy. They could have so much in common Will would never understand about the responsibilities of their father's names.

This could be good for Nico though, he tried to muse his green thoughts away. Will always wanted to make sure Nico was okay, and he truly hoped he'd made Nico believe that by now, but it would be all the better if he felt he had more of a support system than just him and Alex who was all over the place making best buds with Percy and Thalia, and being so weirdly intense around Magnus.

"Actually Jason, maybe it would do him good if you asked?" Will nodded.

He looked surprised, a little shy for a moment maybe, but then nodded and took off. Will sat down and leaned over his couch to tell Alex, "am I being overbearing?" Trusting he'd call him out on any bullshit.

"Nah," Alex shook his head, also watching the door. "Nico would slap you if you were. Don't underestimate the fireball. He's got problems, but having a backbone ain't one."

...

"I have a deal for you," Jason grinned as he leaned by Nico on the rooftop railing. Nico didn't seem as young as Jason had once mentally deemed him. He'd relaxed some, since that first time they'd been up here. He seemed more like he was walking around glancing over his shoulder all the time instead of being up here actively waiting for someone to push him off.

His mouth twitched, but he continued looking out over the dark landscape. "What's that?"

"You tell me what you think Percy's going to kill you for this time and I'll stop him."

Nico's little snort of mirth should have been more offensive. "You have no idea what you'd even be defending."

"My problem while I hold my up my end of the deal," Jason shrugged.

Nico still didn't answer. He was fiddling with his ring absently and glancing at the door.

"Okay, let's start with something simpler," Jason sighed. "Did you actually do something wrong, or are you just worried people think you did something wrong, again."

Nico finally did look around at him with an annoyed frown. "It's not my fault the only person in there with a normal reaction is usually Magnus."

"Normal?" Jason cocked a brow. "What the heck is normal in our life? There are now four children of the big three in this place that weren't supposed to exist at all. I'm supposed to be dead. You and Percy just had a really poor lunch with a mortal who watches her son die every day. What is normal, Nico?" He sure was an evasive one, Will wasn't the only guy to notice how well Nico perfected even staying on one train of thought, let alone place. "Are you going to take my deal or not?"

"I thought you'd be talking to Thalia right now," Nico rolled his eyes as he looked back away, as if that were an actual answer. Now he wasn't even trying to be subtle. Will must have the patience of a saint.

Jason had the stubbornness of one. "I intend to, but if she comes up here I'll just ask her if she knows what's fixing to happen and hear her side, then Percy's. Don't you want yours out too?"

Will had said something similar to him too, and Nico still felt like the odd one out more than ever everybody else kept throwing advice at him like it was obvious when he seemed the only one to think it wouldn't matter. What was so different about him he couldn't even think like them?

His old jealousy at his sister flared up hard at how naturally she'd fit in with the hunters. She'd basically woken up with the worst lot in life having to take care of him and then instantly found her place only months later.

Then he glanced again at Jason, who like Will, had gone out of his way to want to learn how to play Mythomagic with him. He shook his head at himself, that he was really mad at himself he just hadn't fit in with the guy he wanted to. He'd probably be doing fine otherwise, with the assumption Percy didn't decapitate him coming up.

"I may have led Percy to the Underworld under not entirely honest pretenses," he finally sighed.

Jason studied him with interest. "To find out about your mom, right? Why would you think he wouldn't help?"

"My source wasn't reliable enough I thought Percy would trust it. He would have been right. It went, bad."

"Did you fulfill your end of the deal before it went bad?" Jason asked after only a few moments of consideration.

"No, though that part was true, I really was trying to, help," Nico sighed.

"Then it seems like they're the one who caused the problem, not you," Jason shrugged as if it was as simple as that.

Nico chuckled darkly because it was a nice delusion. "Not so much how Percy saw it."

"Ah," Jason said in a little more understanding. This wasn't a baseless fear this time. By the tense set of his shoulders, Nico obviously remembered exactly what was coming where Percy didn't. "So, is this a done deal?" Jason hoped Nico didn't think he'd missed the obvious in that Nico's source and the cause of this wasn't revealed.

Nico slowly turned back to look at him. He looked drained. "We never even agreed on our last deal."

"I'm not sitting around being worried about you being cryptic and wanting to come to camp with me?" Jason shrugged. Nico, who should have felt like an enemy more than anybody, had still been so honest with him he probably trusted him most. Nico probably just wanted a summer camp away from his summer camp or something, after all that had gone on there with his sister. "So yeah, deal," he reached out his hand to shake.

No matter how much Nico studied him for it, he couldn't find the hint of a lie in him. He shook. "Deal. You're now in two very open-ended deals with a child of Hades." He couldn't help but say it out loud to make sure he hadn't been just getting really high and hallucinating on sea-bottom algae.

"Yeah, more than Zeus probably ever bothered with your dad, I feel so special and awesome," Jason chuckled.

Then Jason realized the missing link as Nico winced.

Oh. Well. That wasn't going to be fun.

....

Thalia was at the bottom of the stairs, saving Jason the trouble of awkwardly asking her aside and wondering if she'd continue to avoid him.

She had her head bowed though, one ankle cocked against the wall, twining the links of her bracelet so hard it must be twisting her skin and hurting. The silver circlet on her head glowed in the faint light like a warning.

Nico gave Jason a questioning look and was relieved when the blonde nodded him away. Nico had more than enough of his own sibling drama he was still processing, but he would have stood there and been whatever Jason needed him to be in this, whether witness or on his side. He probably knew how Jason felt better than anyone.

"Were you going to tell me?" Jason asked stiffly.

"Yes!" Thalia instantly assured, looking up at him and clearly hurt he'd think otherwise. "I, I just wanted to figure out how, what happened. Come to you with more answers than questions."

"And our mother!" Jason snapped then, challenging her to tell anything. He felt blindsided as he kept replaying that image of her ghostly form over in his head.

She flinched, and he felt instantly like the worst person. That drunken woman who had made Thalia feel so small.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, backing down at once, taking a step back right into the wall. He was taller than her, he hated the sudden dominance he'd felt demanding answers of her, the worst of a male hero.

Thalia studied him with eyes to old for her face, same as him. She hadn't been the least bit intimidated by him. He'd just hurt her. "I wasn't lying to Percy, she did get drunk and crashed a car, I found it in an old newspaper Annabeth helped me find. I'd run away long before that happened." She bit her lip for a moment before telling him what little more she could. "You were two, we were going out for a picnic. I went back to the car for something, I was only gone a second, but when I came back she was babbling about you being taken to justify, something. I, didn't realize, until, all this," she gestured at the mess of their life in that room.

That he'd probably been taken away to the other camp, somehow. Sacrificed for Zeus having two children when he shouldn't have even had one? Justified in Jupiter abducting his child without warning to raise him however he'd wanted?

"I searched everywhere, but I, I honestly believed you were dead until we wound up in here." Thalia finished, pleading to be understood. Jason never would have suspected she could sound so vulnerable with anyone.

You're like a ghost to me, she'd once told him. He studied her with such a sharp sense, one she recognized, and it wasn't because of the coloring. Jason had spent time sizing up others, sussing out the truth. "You were waiting until Percy's life was back on course," he finally surmised, "to tell me."

She winced with guilt, again, her heart plunging. "It's not like that Jason, he's..." she fumbled off with no good justification other than what he'd given himself.

Percy was familiar, someone she had no problems being comfortable around. Percy was her friend for years, he was reliable with whatever insanity came next. Percy was a real person to her, and he was the one who needed to be taken care of. 

He'd never get all that with her too if he held onto this grudge. "Well," he sighed, but offered her a tentative smile. "At least it wasn't because I'm, Roman." The word sounded strange on his tongue, it was the first time he'd acknowledged it out loud. It felt good. "Right?"

"No, it was not because of that, not in the slightest," she nodded, matching his cautious confidence. "I didn't even know that, I was only seven and barely figuring out what was going on myself." She paused with a frown, trying to dredge up memories she'd long since tried to bury. "He was different the second time he came around, Zeus- Jupiter, whatever. More straight-laced, more formal, hard to believe, I know," she smiled at his confusion of all they'd heard of him in Percy's time. "He paid me no mind like I wasn't even there."

"So we're not even half-siblings through our dad, kind of," Jason actually chuckled. "Just our mom?"

"Sure, let's go with that, if it makes you feel better." She shrugged. He'd always be her little brother no matter what side of the family he wanted to call it.

He studied her for several tense minutes before he smiled like normal again, causing his scar to flutter. "I guess it doesn't really matter, in the long run. Jupiter, Zeus, either way, he was an absent, crappy dad." His face settled into that familiar mask of confusion as he started rubbing his tattoo in irritation.

She gently touched his face, smiling as her finger thumbed the scar on his lip before she dropped her hand away with a fond shake of her head. "I can tell you one thing, if you'd like. How you got that scar."

His eyes lit with interest instantly, so she said without further ado, "you bit a stapler."

"I what?" The involuntary laugh that burst out of him sounded a tad insulted.

"I swear," Thalia crossed her fingers over her heart. "I was there!"

"All this time, all these badass scenarios I had in my head," his grin was still confused, like he was half convinced she was teasing him. "I escaped with my life by a brush of death to the face, I jumped in the way to save a friend, I got into an epic battle with a killer monster. You're telling me it's because I was to blonde to function as a toddler?"

"Sorry Jase," she crossed her arms superiorly. "I got all the smart genes."

"Ha, as if," he mimicked her pose, annoyingly taller than her by a few inches. What a traitorous little brother. "You're a tesla coil with an attitude, you steal all your strategies from Percy."

She gasped and hand pressed to her heart. "How could you betray me like that? Stabbed in the back by my own baby brother?"

Then they both started laughing, and they didn't stop for a long time.

...

"So, Nico seems different," Annabeth said as she twined a bit of spaghetti expertly against a spoon. She'd watched every exchange between them with the kind of interest she had taking in a National Geographic episode.

"Feel bad for him," Percy nodded, looking anxiously at the door, still wanting to help but more than happy to admit he'd probably make things worse. "Clearly something bad happens in the Underworld; but yeah, he's been laughing a lot with Will," Percy shrugged as he shoveled his own pasta in, not caring how it hung from his lips and chewing fast to keep talking, mostly without food in his mouth. "Don't know why they didn't hang out at camp more, they get along fine."

"Right," Annabeth said with a look at him as if fearing he were about to be clubbed over the head. She was just a little sad, and a little relieved Percy really was that oblivious to say anything more to him. Especially because Nico seemed happy talking to Will all day, so it clearly wasn't a major concern.

He glanced over his shoulder and saw no one. Then he glanced at her again, then Nico's empty seat, and froze with a meatball lodged in his throat and started coughing violently.

Crap. He hadn't once thought about Nico's crush on him since she'd been here. Should he have been like, more considerate of how he acted around her because of that?!

It didn't seem to be bothering Nico any, as he'd kept smiling along with Will this whole time, mostly, until this recent appearance.

Annabeth was smacking between his shoulders and he finally swallowed and turned back to her. He decided saying nothing was the best policy here, like Thalia had said, let Nico blab that to whoever he wanted. Percy certainly wasn't going to tell Annabeth.

The idea felt like the right sign from the universe as Nico came in chit-chatting with Magnus. He couldn't tell what about, but they were both holding food for their usual seatmates who Percy had heard snippets of some strange back and forth over color theory or something. Percy really hadn't been following. Orange was cool, why did it need a meaning?

Jason came in with his hands in his pockets but a more comfortable smile they'd seen on him all day.

Thalia at least looked less likely to pitch someone off a roof too, which was always a great relief to Percy's personal safety.

She gestured like she was asking if he was going to move his seat. He hesitated, but then shook his head and gestured to Nico.

Doing a pretty good fake smile, Thalia nodded but did a melancholy plop into her beanbag. Percy offered her his garlic bread, such a gift even she couldn't deny as she began nibbling on the knot.

Alex was more than content to wait until everyone had their fill and the general mood in the room was calm, ish.

He picked up the book with one last worried look at Nico, who had only eaten under duress of Will's striping bits of ham and cheese and feeding them to him in smaller than bite-sized pieces as he devoured his own sandwich. Alex truly hoped whatever had Nico so newly glum, it was at least the last time. He'd been through enough.

The chorus of groans around the room for the new chapter title probably amused Annabeth more than it should have. It was just, funny. That they all knew without another word this was a fury, Mrs. Dodds leaping unpleasantly back into Percy's life and probably snatching him off the Underworld ground and threatening to drop him on sharp rocks before he decapitated her again.

Instead of anybody at Camp, who would have gasped in horror and fear at the idea of a Kindly One being anywhere near their thoughts. These guys really were great friends with Percy.

We emerged in Central Park just north of the Pond.

"There would be a freaking entrance in my backyard," Percy already looked plenty grumpy. "Grover's shoes couldn't have dragged him in there first, noooo, we had to deal with every stinking roadblock and pothole life could throw at us! Does my life look like it needs the worst sewer entrance possible there too!"

Annabeth was rubbing his shoulder in commiseration and considering suggesting a better way to vent right now might be stress eating, while Nico was watching with disappointed disdain. He wished Percy had kept that to himself like he had back then, did he have to be so blatant how much he hated where Nico called the closest thing he had to home?

Mrs. O'Leary looked pretty tired as she limped over to a cluster of boulders. She started sniffing around, and I was afraid she might mark her territory, but Nico said, "It's okay. She just smells the way home."

"I mean, it wouldn't surprise me if she could be doing both," Alex offered. "Maybe when she doesn't feel like traveling she's marked plenty of entrances."

"I really hope the dryads at Camp don't revolt against her," Thalia winced in agreement.

I frowned. "Through the rocks?"

"The Underworld has two major entrances," Nico said. "You know the one in L.A."

"Charon's ferry."

Nico nodded. "Most souls go that way, but there's a smaller path, harder to find. The Door of Orpheus."

"The door of, many holes?" Magnus asked in concern.

"Or-fee-us," Will clearly enunciated. "Not orifice."

"And that means?" Magnus demanded, wanting some kind of forewarning. Regular people had many holes too, so, maybe it was just a nice, normal door?

"The darkness of the night," Nico said with a sorry smile.

"Kay," Magnus sighed. "The tunnel will be dark and creepy, what else would I expect?"

"I am not," Will pouted, causing Nico and Alex to laugh while Magnus smirked at least he'd gotten a laugh before they had to descend and he'd just pretend being an idiot was going to be the worst of this.

"The dude with the harp."

"Dude with the lyre," Nico corrected.

"Thank you Nico!" Annabeth groaned.

"It's one of my dad's signature items," Will agreed in exasperation. "Percy, you are not that bad at this, I believe in you to learn the difference."

"Thanks, but no thanks," Percy chuckled.

"But yeah, him. He used his music to charm the earth and open a new path into the Underworld. He sang his way right into Hades's palace and almost got away with his wife's soul."

"That was, sweet," Magnus said in surprise. Nice to know some of these Greek stories used these fangled powers for more than blowing up cities anyways.

"Wait for the end of it," Thalia muttered.

I remembered the story. Orpheus wasn't supposed to look behind him when he was leading his wife back to the world, but of course he did. It was one of those typical "and-so-they-died/the-end" stories that always made us feel warm and fuzzy.

"Oh, well then," Magnus sighed.

"Still one of the nicer ones I've heard," Jason offered, better than being betrayed or tripping along the way or just being trapped in an endless tunnel forever wondering for all time if it was going to work. This time it was just, human fear of the unknown.

"So this is the Door of Orpheus." I tried to be impressed, but it still looked like a pile of rocks to me.

"How does it open?"

"We need music," Nico said. "How's your singing?"

Annabeth didn't even pretend to hide her horrific face. "Please, no, tell me you didn't!"

"Gods I hope I'm never that desperate, even one of my insane plans would never work if it came to that." Percy nodded fiercely.

"I'm suddenly so, so grateful this isn't an audiobook though," Thalia nodded as she rubbed at her ears at the mere idea. While it would be nice occasionally to crank up the volume over these blabbermouths, nothing was worth that.

Will coughed and didn't say anything, which was probably the nicest thing he'd ever done in his life while the others tried their best not to laugh at the idea of everybody making a run for it if Percy ever tried to belt along at the Camp sing-alongs.

"Um, no. Can't you just, like, tell it to open? You're the son of Hades and all."

"And you're the son of an earthshaker," Alex looked at him, "just stamp your foot and use your stern, Sally voice."

"With my luck it would just create an earthquake in the city and the rocks would ignore me," Percy shook his head quickly.

"It's not so easy. We need music."

I was pretty sure if I tried to sing, all I would cause was an avalanche.

"An avalanche is what you need to happen though," Magnus said in confusion.

"An avalanche in the Rocky's too though, it just seems like to much collateral damage," Percy huffed. "Apollo's busy, I don't need him taking the time to come over and glue my mouth shut now of all times."

"I'd say you're overestimating your power, but man, after the volcano, I believe you," Alex cackled.

"I have a better idea." I turned and called, "GROVER!"

"Why didn't we ever think of that," Thalia smacked the side of her head. Even hearing the explanation in more detail wasn't going to make it feel that much better. "Just shout at him to get his butt over here. Alex was onto something with you using your Sally voice."

"Ha, ha, ha," Percy said with a smile.

We waited for a long time. Mrs. O'Leary curled up and took a nap. I could hear the crickets in the woods and an owl hooting. Traffic hummed along Central Park West. Horse hooves clopped down a nearby path, maybe a mounted police patrol. I was sure they'd love to find two kids hanging out in the park at one in the morning.

"That would just go, so not well, I can't begin to imagine all the bad of it," Magnus said in disgust. Trying to take Percy and Nico into custody, even the Mist might not get them out of what they'd do to resist. Having to call Sally down to the station, dear gods she'd just said goodbye to Percy and this was the phone call she'd get? Percy and Nico having to run, possibly shadow travel to LA, when Nico's already pretty worn out? There weren't enough warning labels for it all!

"I've been going through enough deja vu," Percy groaned, "please don't make me the star of another manhunt!"

Nico kept his mouth shut about what did happen, but he was personally pretty confident they'd have gotten out of it. He'd been avoiding people the better half of two years now.

"It's no good," Nico said at last.

But I had a feeling.

"Oh, so now we know it's going to work," Jason said in excitement. He really hoped Grover was okay.

"If it does, than we finally have our proof that Oracle has been secretly feeding Percy her mist at night," Alex snorted.

"The best demigods have a sense of these things," Annabeth shrugged. "I think it's why Percy made friends with Grover, Tyson, and Rachel immediately. Even if he had no logical reason to do so, just a part of his gut feeling on what would help him survive. I theorize it's something we inherit from our parents."

Percy grinned at her and then patted his gut in thanks. Annabeth smacked his hand and called him a seaweed brain.

My empathy link was really tingling for the first time in months, which either meant a whole lot of people had suddenly switched on the Nature Channel, or Grover was close.

"Does that Nature Channel thing happen a lot?" Thalia asked with interest.

"Often enough I finally figured it out the second time Paul tuned in," Percy agreed as he rubbed at the base of his skull. He was half convinced his whole apartment complex was secretly in on it, and he needed to drink some serious coffee to cool his brain down when it did.

I shut my eyes and concentrated. Grover.

I knew he was somewhere in the park. Why couldn't I sense his emotions?

"You never have in the past," Jason frowned. "Grover's only been able to find yours."

"It's been coming in and out a bit since I've been really trying," Percy insisted. "Not much, but it's why I'm so positive he's alive, and not just because I should be dead. It's like, if I really try and think of him, I think I know what he's dreaming about. It's usually food, but sometimes I get little glimpses of his nightmares. It's easiest when I'm falling asleep, and man was it late enough my brain thought I should be."

All I got was a faint hum in the base of my skull.

Grover, I thought more insistently.

Hmm-hmmmm, something said.

Jason looked ready to rip Percy's head off and examine it under a microscope in excitement at this development. Percy tried to subtly shift his beanbag behind Annabeth.

An image came into my head. I saw a giant elm tree deep in the woods, well off the main paths. Gnarled roots laced the ground, making a kind of bed. Lying in it with his arms crossed and his eyes closed was a satyr. At first I couldn't be sure it was Grover. He was covered in twigs and leaves, like he'd been sleeping there a long time. The roots seemed to be shaping themselves around him, slowly pulling him into the earth.

"What was Grover attacked by, and why is it the most ironic thing ever?" Jason frowned.

"Was Grover actually cheating on Juniper?" Alex gasped at him being found in another tree's roots.

"Oh am I getting to the bottom of this," Percy reminded with a frown for whatever the answer.

Grover, I said. Wake up.

Unnnh—zzzzz.

Dude, you're covered in dirt. Wake up!

"What did you think that would do?" Annabeth asked him in surprise. "I've seen Grover roll in dirt when he gets itchy and just shake it off."

"It was a pretty important detail to me, he was taking the right kind of dirt nap at least," Percy shrugged.

Sleepy, his mind murmured.

FOOD, I suggested. PANCAKES!

His eyes shot open. A blur of thoughts filled my head like he was suddenly on fast-forward. The image shattered, and I almost fell over.

Percy frowned at the amount of times that must have happened to Grover. Being dragged to the Big House by him, waking up in Polyphemus's lair, countless others he did and didn't know about. The amount of times Grover woke up still fearing for his life probably rivaled Percy's.

"What happened?" Nico asked.

The number of times Nico had watched Percy stagger like that, clutching his head in pain and confusion had become an all to common sight. It was far more times than Nico had ever seen him grit his teeth through bleeding pain in his shoulder and scowl like a warrior at his old Vice Principal. He really wished first impressions weren't so strongly fixed in him, or at the very least, he didn't still want to gently guide him to the ground and offer him his ice-cold hands.

"I got through. He's . . . yeah. He's on his way."

A minute later, the tree next to us shivered. Grover fell out of the branches, right on his head.

"Thank Athena for those horns," Annabeth smiled in sympathy. She wasn't nearly so lucky to have such shielding when it happened to her.

"Athena made the satyrs?" Percy asked blankly. He'd swear he heard once they'd been fathered by Hermes. But then wait, what was their connection to Dionysus again?

"We literally have Greek classes at camp, how are you like this?" Annabeth sighed.

"They've never tried to kill me, it's not been that important," Percy shrugged.

Annabeth opened her mouth with a very 'you-seaweed-brain' expression that probably meant she was going to launch into the exact history and detail of how the satyrs came into being with every cliff note known to man before Alex cut her off very loudly. Jason looked at him in betrayal while Percy mouthed, 'thank you!'

"Grover!" I yelled.

"Woof!" Mrs. O'Leary looked up, probably wondering if we were going to play fetch with the satyr.

"You, you mean-" Magnus tried to correct in concern.

"She always brings them back," Percy shrugged. Magnus kept his mouth shut so he could ignorantly believe he was just having his leg pulled on that one.

"Blah-haa-haa!" Grover bleated.

"You okay, man?"

"Oh, I'm fine." He rubbed his head. His horns had grown so much they poked an inch above his curly hair. "I was at the other end of the park. The dryads had this great idea of passing me through the trees to get me here. They don't understand height very well."

Jason's eyes glazed over with such interest, Nico was pretty sure he could have waved a donut around and he wouldn't have blinked. Nico smiled to himself at his endless well of curiosity, it really was great to see in someone who wouldn't go around with an 'I told you so attitude.'

He grinned and got to his feet—well, his hooves, actually. Since last summer, Grover had stopped trying to disguise himself as human. He never wore a cap or fake feet anymore. He didn't even wear jeans, since he had furry goat legs from the waist down. His T-shirt had a picture from that book Where the Wild Things Are. It was covered with dirt and tree sap. His goatee looked fuller, almost manly (or goatly?), and he was as tall as me now.

"Poor guy's finally showing his age," Thalia smiled fondly at how far removed that was from the shrimpy little thing that had promised to take them to safety. She still remembered exchanging unimpressed looks with Luke...but then Annabeth had run forward and shown him her knife and squealed with excitement that there was a whole camp of kids that both Thalia and Luke could come to.

The temptation to risk it on their own like they had been vanished. She probably did have Grover to thank for Annabeth surviving all these years and their pride not getting them all killed trying to do it alone.

"Good to see you, G-man," I said. "You remember Nico."

Grover nodded at Nico, then he gave me a big hug. He smelled like fresh-mown lawns.

Nico had never been more grateful to feel so dismissed. All Grover had probably seen was the child of Hades was back, but hey, at least he didn't get mauled by those hugs either.

"That's the thanks you get for finally finding Grover?" Alex looked so wounded on his part. "I hope Juniper at least gives you a fruit basket!"

"I'll take a gift card," Nico shrugged.

"It was a group effort," Percy frowned.

"Where is your apartment Percy?" Alex challenged. "How many times have you passed this place before Nico got you plopped there."

Percy didn't answer, and Alex nodded his point was made.

"Perrrrcy!" he bleated. "I missed you! I miss camp. They don't serve very good enchiladas in the wilderness."

"Make sure to bring that one up next time he goes on about us nature destroyers," Will chuckled.

"I did, it shut him down for like, three days, before he went on a farming rant," Percy looked so proud.

"I was worried," I said. "Where've you been the last two months?"

"The last two—" Grover's smile faded. "The last two months? What are you talking about?"

Percy sighed in understanding of that horrible feeling. He'd been experiencing it in small patches over his many quests, and now too, he realized as he glanced around. "Annabeth, how long have we been down here?"

She frowned to herself. "It was the 20th when Artemis came for me, you'd been missing over a week."

"That happened on the fourteenth, and I was dumped in here about two days later," Thalia easily kept track. "We don't seem to be skipping time down here at least."

Those missing two days made Percy and Jason exchange concerned looks though. They'd already lost their memories in that span, what else could have been done to them without having a clue before Posideon seemed to have stepped in?

They let Alex keep reading without another word, because, what else were they supposed to do?

"We haven't heard from you," I said. "Juniper's worried.

"Worried," Annabeth echoed. That small, simple little word that really did nothing to encapsulate the kind of feeling you lived with when you didn't know where someone you loved was.

We sent Iris-messages, but—"

"Hold on." He looked up at the stars like he was trying to calculate his position. "What month is this?"

"August."

The color drained from his face. "That's impossible. It's June. I just laid down to take a nap and . . ."

Jason shivered as he wondered what he'd been doing right before he vanished from the planet. He wished with all his might he could remember something, even just a hint of a voice, a feeling, but it was still as blank as ever. As awful as he felt for Grover, he almost envied the idea of having that much time sucked away from you if you still got to keep all your memories.

He grabbed my arms. "I remember now! He knocked me out. Percy, we have to stop him!"

"Whoa," I said. "Slow down. Tell me what happened."

He took a deep breath. "I was . . . I was walking in the woods up by Harlem Meer. And I felt this tremble in the ground, like something powerful was near."

"You can sense stuff like that?" Nico asked.

Grover nodded. "Since Pan's death, I can feel when something is wrong in nature. It's like my ears and eyes are sharper when I'm in the Wild. Anyway,

"You need to share your brain cell with Grover right now," Alex groaned. "You shouldn't just anyways past such an awesome detail!"

"I know Pan said to spread his message, but did Grover become like, his successor? That sounds even more," Magnus stopped with a contemplative look, "more." He concluded it just summed that up to well. "I thought Grover summoning panic was, like a one-time thing, now that Pan was released and his, his essence was supposed to be in them all or something."

"I thought I saw a little more of that mist energy go into him than us," Percy reminded with pride in every word. "Makes sense to me if Grover's like, an actual lord of the wild who can do that awesome kind of stuff but isn't a lazy rump like those old goats on their thrones."

I started following the scent. This man in a long black coat was walking through the park, and I noticed he didn't cast a shadow. Middle of a sunny day, and he cast no shadow.

"Do monsters, cast shadows?" Magnus had never thought to question that.

"Oh trust me, they do," Annabeth sighed. She couldn't believe the kind of life her cousin must have led to only ask such a thing instead of growing up fearing every movement of the darkness.

He kind of shimmered as he moved."

"Like a mirage?" Nico asked.

"Yes," Grover said. "And whenever he passed humans—"

"The humans would pass out," Nico said. "Curl up and go to sleep."

"Nico, why do you know that?" Percy looked around now when he'd been riveted on Grover before.

"I'd been keeping tabs on the gods that had defected," Nico shrugged. "I was just confirming a theory."

"That's right! Then after he was gone, they'd get up and go about their business like nothing happened."

I stared at Nico. "You know this guy in black?"

"Afraid so," Nico said.

"Know him personally, no," Nico chuckled awkwardly at so many people staring at him. "I know of him."

Annabeth smacked Percy's shoulder. "This kid doesn't have Greek classes and he still keeps up better than you."

"Yeah, yeah," Percy rubbed his shoulder as he grinned at her. "He's a genius. You'd get bored if you didn't have to explain everything to me all day."

"Not the point," she rolled her eyes.

"Grover, what happened?"

"I followed the guy. He kept looking up at the buildings around the park like he was making estimates or something. This lady jogger ran by, and she curled up on the sidewalk and started snoring. The guy in black put his hand on her forehead like he was checking her temperature. Then he kept walking. By this time, I knew he was a monster or something even worse. I followed him into this grove, to the base of a big elm tree. I was about to summon some dryads to help me capture him when he turned and . . ."

Grover swallowed.

"Grover's lucky he didn't get captured," Thalia said darkly.

"He can take care of himself," Percy said confidently. A little to much so, considering he'd found him passed out under a tree after two months.

"Percy, his face. I couldn't make out his face because it kept shifting. Just looking at him made me sleepy. I said, 'What are you doing?' He said, 'Just having a look around. You should always scout a battlefield before the battle.' I said something really smart like, 'This forest is under my protection. You won't start any battles here!'

Alex chuckled as he read that. Not because he underestimated Grover could back up that statement, but because he hoped this monster did.

And he laughed. He said, 'You're lucky I'm saving my energy for the main event, little satyr. I'll just grant you a short nap. Pleasant dreams.' And that's the last thing I remember."

Annabeth ground her teeth up in frustration that she'd have had no way to counter this even if Grover had been able to pass along this information back then. They would have been just as blindsided by what was coming because how on earth could she imagine such a scale as what they'd lived through?

Knowledge was supposed to equal strength, but this answer wouldn't do her any good, and that rocked her so much she took Percy's hand for the stability he always was.

Nico exhaled. "Grover, you met Morpheus, the God of Dreams. You're lucky you ever woke up."

"I tried to find him," Nico said sporadically, "Morpheus," he clarified. "I didn't even know Grover was missing until I got to camp." Nobody was sure why he needed to tell them that. "I wanted to study his ways, and, you know, find out how he did that and if I could replicate it." He sounded just a touch of crazy by the end as he smiled awkwardly.

Annabeth thought she got it though. Studying the tactics of the enemy could draw you in and blur the lines of what you were and weren't capable of.

"Two months," Grover moaned. "He put me to sleep for two months!"

Annabeth shivered and held Percy's hand tighter than any support beam she'd ever build. The thought still sickened her where she couldn't push it away, how long he would have been missing if whatever all this was hadn't been interrupted?

I tried to wrap my mind around what this meant. Now it made sense why we hadn't been able to contact Grover all this time.

"Why didn't the nymphs try to wake you?" I asked.

Grover shrugged. "Most nymphs aren't good with time. Two months for a tree—that's nothing. They probably didn't think anything was wrong."

"We've got to figure out what Morpheus was doing in the park," I said. "I don't like this 'main event' thing he mentioned."

"He's working for Kronos," Nico said. "We know that already. A lot of the minor gods are. This just proves there's going to be an invasion. Percy, we have to get on with our plan."

"Wait," Grover said. "What plan?"

We told him, and Grover started tugging at his leg fur.

Alex started muttering about mutiny, always having the answer dangled above his head and the constant glossing over and now even Percy was doing it.

Percy swallowed nervously who Alex planned on mutinying against, and wouldn't be surprised to find himself bound in a chair and being forcibly read to in the future too. As long as Alex put their chairs facing each other, he'd try to get through it.

"You're not serious," he said. "Not the Underworld again."

"I'm not asking you to come, man," I promised.

"I would," Annabeth and Thalia groaned.

"You should have three people, it's like a mini-quest," Jason nodded.

"Grover needs to get home and tell camp about this, we've got it," Percy shrugged without a trace of concern.

Nico smiled and tried to calm his painfully thudding heart like a monster was lurking about. Percy really didn't seem agitated at all at what was about to happen. He really hoped this time he was just being over dramatic and nothing bad was about to happen in this room.

"I know you just woke up. But we need some music to open the door. Can you do it?"

Grover took out his reed pipes. "I guess I could try. I know a few Nirvana tunes that can split rocks.

Magnus couldn't help but laugh in delight at the sudden idea of Grover going around and trying every song he ever heard on his pipes to see what would happen to nature when he did. It sounded like the best gift any kid could be given...even if they didn't all sound to great.

"I haven't heard that one," Thalia said in delight. "Remind me to ask him to play that when I see him. I'm surprised you recognize it Perce."

"I always liked their band name and know like, three songs," Percy nodded. "I have it on good authority that getting high and listening to Nirvana is roughly what I should imagine actual Nirvana to be like."

"And who's authority is that?" Annabeth asked with interest.

"I hung out with some kids on the basketball court," Percy shrugged. He'd been tempted to try a little himself, but...well, he was to afraid to let his guard down and be to lax if a monster came calling.

But, Percy, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Please, man," I said. "It would mean a lot. For old times' sake?"

He whimpered. "As I recall, in the old times we almost died a lot. But okay, here goes nothing."

Percy had meant the old times at Nancy. When he'd nearly been suspended that first day Grover came in hobbling so badly like he had two broken legs and the first thing some kid nearest him had done was trip him. Percy had shoved him out of his seat, and then raised the tray in his hand to crack it over this animal that even Rachel wouldn't start a protest for.

Grover had grabbed his wrist. He was standing on one leg and using Percy for support as he tried to quickly get his shoe on what looked like a misshapen foot, like every bone in his foot had been put in wrong. He didn't seem to care, only a terrified light in his eye as he looked all around the cafeteria and whispered at him it was okay, just step back.

He had. It hadn't felt good, but not moments later the principal came in and he and Grover had shuffled along like nothing had happened, and he hadn't even gotten in trouble that time for some reason. Percy had started to believe they'd be inseparable for life not long later.

His first best friend wasn't just some scared little kid anymore who would take that kind of abuse for the next several months, always telling Percy to stand down and it didn't matter as they swapped sandwich ingredients the other wouldn't eat and movie critics.

Hestia swam back to mind, which felt silly. As accepted as he'd always been around Grover, the goddess hadn't sent him to that tree when he needed to go home.

He put his pipes to his lips and played a shrill, lively tune. The boulders trembled. A few more stanzas, and they cracked open, revealing a triangular crevice.

"I think I need to look into this Nirvana stuff," Jason chuckled.

"Don't get me started with your taste in music," Thalia frowned at him. If her little brother listened to something like opera, she might have to brainwash him all over again.

I peered inside. Steps led down into the darkness. The air smelled of mildew and death. It brought back bad memories of my trip through the Labyrinth last year, but this tunnel felt even more dangerous. It led straight to the land of Hades, and that was almost always a one-way trip.

"Says the guy who's done it twice," Will rolled his eyes. He'd have thought Percy of all people would be slightly more comfortable going in there by now, especially with such a tour guide.

"Jumping off twenty-plus stories is also supposed to be a once in a lifetime experience, yet here I sit," Percy shook his head.

I turned to Grover. "Thanks . . . I think."

"Perrrrcy, is Kronos really going to invade?"

"I wish I could tell you better, but yeah. He will."

I thought Grover might chew up his reed pipes in anxiety, but he straightened up and brushed off his T-shirt. I couldn't help thinking how different he looked from fat old Leneus.

"They're not even the same species," Alex scoffed. "Leneus is closer to the rodentia rotund order."

Percy thought for a moment he was just being smart about his weight, but then Magnus couldn't help saying, "and Percy thought his rodent problem was bad."

Causing the laughter to double as they put together the rest.

"I've got to rally the nature spirits, then. Maybe we can help. I'll see if we can find this Morpheus.'"

"Better tell Juniper you're okay, too."

His eyes widened. "Juniper! Oh, she's going to kill me!"

"I understand the sentiment," Annabeth nodded while Percy studied her carefully. He should probably be more hopeful she stayed in the relieved part of him being alive longer.

He started to run off, then scrambled back and gave me another hug. "Be careful down there! Come back alive!"

Percy smiled and wished he could still hug him back, pull him under his arm and proclaim them inseparable.

But, they'd grown up. Grown apart. Grover had always had his own mission in life, and Percy was happy for him getting to live it. He'd love to have Grover come with him, but he didn't need it.

Once he was gone, Nico and I roused Mrs. O'Leary from her nap.

For a dog with hearing better than Grover's she'd sure tried to pretend she couldn't hear her name. There had been a lot of rump shaking and promises of treats for her to yawn with the force of a jet engine starting and her eyes to finally open and land on them without much enthusiasm for once. Guess she'd really needed that nap.

"We need to take her on more shadow travel walks Nico," Percy sighed. "Get her used to exerting that energy."

"Uh, sounds like a plan," Nico said, trying his hardest not to glance around like an idiot and ask every one of them individually if he'd really heard what Percy just said.

When she smelled the tunnel, she got excited and led the way down the steps. It was a pretty tight fit. I hoped she wouldn't get stuck. I couldn't imagine how much Drano we'd need to un-stick a hellhound wedged halfway down a tunnel to the Underworld.

"Yeah, it's, probably not a good idea to call maintenance for that," Will nodded, imagining Chiron showing up to their cabin with tools and a sigh to see her tail wagging hard enough in their door to cause structural damage.

"Ready?" Nico asked me. "It'll be fine. Don't worry."

He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

Will sighed as he glanced at Nico and Jason. Nobody had warned him what exactly Nico was so worried about, so he really hoped Jason had convinced Nico it wasn't going to be to bad.

I glanced up at the stars, wondering if I would ever see them again.

"Maybe not all of those specific stars," Thalia said oh so helpfully. "The constellations change all the time Perce."

"Child of a ball of gas, you would be the authority here," Percy smirked, leaving Annabeth once again wondering how these two hadn't killed each other locked up down here.

Then we plunged into darkness.

The stairs went on forever—narrow, steep, and slippery. It was completely dark except for the light of my sword.

Will couldn't stop a shiver he wished Nico didn't feel, but he wasn't moving away. The dungeon they were in already wasn't his favorite vacation spot, he was starting to feel more drained every day from being so far from the sun and never getting to feel the warmth of anything other than Nico. This place, so dark you couldn't see your own hand, with death on every breath. Gods he was glad Percy and Nico were doing this together to keep each other sane.

I tried to go slow, but Mrs. O'Leary had other ideas. She bounded ahead, barking happily. The sound echoed through the tunnel like cannon shots, and I figured we would not be catching anybody by surprise once we reached the bottom.

"Why would you want to?" Alex asked oh so innocently. "You're not down there to cause anybody trouble, for once. You're there to do some mysterious thing nobody seems to approve of to help you defeat Kronos, I can't see how Hades won't roll out the red carpet."

"What do you mean, for once?" Percy frowned at the completely wrong part of that sarcasm. "The last two times I was only down there for other people's trouble, not my own."

"Percy, stop talking," Annabeth said, pinching the bridge of her nose while Alex couldn't have held in his laughter in a life or death matter.

Nico lagged behind, which I thought was strange.

"The excitement must wear off after so many times down there?" Magnus couldn't help but phrase it as a question, hoping Nico would just casually agree he was bored, not...anything else.

"You okay?" I asked him.

"Fine." What was that expression on his face . . . doubt? "Just keep moving," he said.

'You will be betrayed by one who calls you a friend,' Percy frowned at the nagging voice of his first prophecy. Must just be all the bad memories and deja vu, with Luke and May Castellan's eyes, and now back here.

I didn't have much choice.

He did have a choice though, Annabeth pursed up her lips. It wasn't a good choice, but one Percy was making by taking the next step. Percy could have jumped into the ocean to help his dad win this war or any number of things to get out of the responsibility he was walking towards. He was following through on the promise he'd made to Nico, all those years ago in the forest. That this was going to end on his terms.

She glanced at Nico in surprise that he would know that now. She wondered if Nico had felt like all that greatness had been ripped away, or if he was relieved and grateful to her boyfriend for this burden.

Judging by the way he was still watching Percy's every move anxiously, she'd guess he himself hadn't decided.

I followed Mrs. O'Leary into the depths. After another hour, I started to hear the roar of a river.

We emerged at the base of a cliff, on a plain of black volcanic sand. To our right, the River Styx gushed from the rocks and roared off in a cascade of rapids. To our left, far away in the gloom, fires burned on the ramparts of Erebos, the great black walls of Hades's kingdom.

I shuddered. I'd first been here when I was twelve, and only Annabeth and Grover's company had given me the courage to keep going.

Percy's hand in Annabeth had yet been more needed as he shivered and squeezed. He'd already owed Artemis the best offerings ever for what she'd done for them on top of Mt. Othrys, now he wasn't sure what he'd have to do to repay her for this gift, but gods he'd find a way. How many lion coats would it take before that crossed over into animal cruelty?

Nico wasn't going to be quite as helpful with the "courage" thing. He looked pale and worried himself.

"Nico," Percy tried to ask in concern, but Alex ignored him and read as if an interruption was suddenly the highest of concerns in this room.

Percy sighed but let it go, even if he was tired of still, forever, always feeling like he was missing something. Hadn't his life had enough of that?

Annabeth was studying Nico just as intensely too, and Percy decided it probably was for the best. His greatest fear had already been worrying he'd kill these guys any moment, now he had Annabeth down here to protect from that too. Best not to pressure himself over a detail that had already happened.

Only Mrs. O'Leary acted happy. She ran along the beach, picked up a random human leg bone, and romped back toward me. She dropped the bone at my feet and waited for me to throw it.

"Um, maybe later, girl."

"You owe her and Cerberus so much playtime Percy," Alex groaned.

Percy half listened as Alex proclaimed he was going to confiscate the guardian of the underworld and Mrs. O'Leary and set them up on a playdate in the best dog park ever while trying to catch Nico's eyes. Nico was not obliging, and it was causing a pit the size of the underworld to form in his gut the longer he kept telling himself not to think about it.

I stared at the dark waters, trying to get up my nerve. "So, Nico . . . how do we do this?"

"We have to go inside the gates first," he said.

"But the river's right here."

"I have to get something," he said. "It's the only way."

He marched off without waiting.

"Are you hiding a secret recipe in your room?" Jason tried to ask like this was as casual as anything else they could get up to.

"Nico, I swear if you're stopping to pick up your deck of cards, I'm going to strangle you," Thalia didn't seem quite so indulgent as she looked at him in confusion. As far as she knew the myth didn't need the tear of Hades or anything else for Percy to go into the Styx, and he was already acting shifty. Something odd was going on.

Nico's throat convulsed with fright. He grabbed Will's hand and averted his eyes quickly away, trying not to look like the guilty party he was and use Will's available arm as a shield to cover up her target. Jason's deal had not applied to Thalia, and he wouldn't want it to anyways. They had enough going on between them, he'd never risk whatever friendship he might be having like that.

I frowned. Nico hadn't mentioned anything about going inside the gates.

Nico hadn't really mentioned anything at all about what was going on to Percy, Annabeth couldn't help but grumble to herself. Percy was so trusting, he barely knew the basics and was just following him blindly when he should have stopped him and demanded every step of this plan.

But now that we were here, I didn't know what else to do. Reluctantly, I followed him down the beach toward the big black gates.

Lines of the dead stood outside waiting to get in. It must've been a heavy day for funerals, because even the EZ-DEATH line was backed up.

"Woof!" Mrs. O'Leary said. Before I could stop her she bounded toward the security checkpoint.

Cerberus, the guard dog of Hades, appeared out of the gloom—a three-headed rottweiler so big he made Mrs. O'Leary look like a toy poodle. Cerberus was half transparent, so he's really hard to see until he's close enough to kill you, but he acted like he didn't care about us. He was too busy saying hello to Mrs. O'Leary.

Okay, so maybe meeting Mrs. O'Leary was the lesser of another option Magnus had never considered, as he sunk as far down in his seat as he could with dread at the excitement in Alex's voice.

Right, he was sure that would help so much when he met her. Just remind himself she could be even bigger!

"Mrs. O'Leary, no!" I shouted at her. "Don't sniff . . . Oh, man."

"For all you know that's been her life goal, to say hello to him as all dogs do," Alex grinned in delight.

"Yeah, who am I to stop an acomplishable dream." Percy sighed.

Nico smiled. Then he looked at me and his expression turned all serious again, like he'd remembered something unpleasant.

"Did I have Underworld in my hair?" Percy asked, mock ruffling it out.

Nico was now looking so intensely at the door Percy looked over and checked there wasn't a monster hanging around waiting to pounce. He was starting to wish there was. The kind of tension Nico was causing wasn't even summoning stirring shadows or icy coldness in the room like the last time he'd been really upset. This quiet acceptance of just, something bad coming, was giving Percy a nervous tick.

"Come on. They won't give us any trouble in the line. You're with me."

"Percy gets VIP with fish, Nico gets that with ghosts," Jason looked a little pouty. "What do we get Thalia?"

"Jack all," Thalia snorted.

"VIP treatment with demigods?" Annabeth answered pleasantly, batting her eyes in over-the-top adoration of her. "Even Percy can't get enough of having you around."

"Hardy har, you're hilarious," she snorted.

"VIP treatment with monsters, they come for you first," Magnus answered much more clearly, which wasn't as funny but at least made Jason smirk for a moment he'd get first crack perhaps.

I didn't like it, but we slipped through the security ghouls and into the Fields of Asphodel. I had to whistle for Mrs. O'Leary three times before she left Cerberus alone and ran after us.

"Percy's the only one with a dog too besides Cerberus," Alex was clearly over there more invested in his monster dog park idea than whatever he was supposed to be reading. "Hey, who's been looking after that dragon? I didn't hear about Reid, maybe they'd like to go! And Peleus!"

"Um," Will rubbed awkwardly at the back of his head as he realized he was expected to answer. "The, dragon, Reid, is um, currently ill-disposed and down for maintenance?" He really didn't want to say any more than that. Beckendorf had been doing the majority of the work on it in whatever spare time he had that wasn't helping Percy, or the camp. Which wasn't a lot. Nobody had been fool enough to keep trying in recent times with him gone.

Annabeth was distracted from adding what little more she could, in that she'd been scouring Deadelus's laptop for answers on rogue automatons also in-between said madness and the project had pretty much come to a halt with her Olympian designs taking precedence; as she watched Magnus. Just smiling at Alex like a complete dope, like seeing him be in his own little world over there was the best thing he'd ever do with his time.

Ah. Her poor cousin. She wondered how long they'd known each other.

We hiked over black fields of grass dotted with black poplar trees. If I really died in a few days like the prophecy said, I might end up here forever, but I tried not to think about that.

"Oh, yeah, thanks man, just leave us to think about it," Jason frowned.

"It's not my fault you guys won't get out of my head," Percy shrugged.

Nico trudged ahead, bringing us closer and closer to the palace of Hades.

"Hey," I said, "we're inside the gates already. Where are we—"

Mrs. O'Leary growled.

For the first time in this room, Alex gave something resembling a nervous laugh. "Well Percy, what else was inside the gates aside from the palace? I know you're not as dense as this pressure," he waved his hand around the room in a really poor showing because it was perfectly normal.

Magnus was now looking restlessly between Nico and Percy. Yeah, Alex knew full well something was about to happen and hadn't asked the more obvious question on purpose. What would Percy's dog growl at down there? She'd either think it a friend of the Underworld like her or...or? An enemy Nico had walked them right into?

Like his old math teacher.

A shadow appeared overhead—something dark, cold, and stinking of death. It swooped down and landed in the top of a poplar tree.

Unfortunately, I recognized her. She had a shriveled face, a horrible blue knit hat, and a crumpled velvet dress. Leathery bat wings sprang from her back. Her feet had sharp talons, and in her brass-clawed hands she held a flaming whip and a paisley handbag.

"Can you believe Sisyphus thought I looked like that?" Percy jabbed his own chest. "Come on, I don't plan on having wrinkles like that until I'm my mom's age, and don't get me started on how bad I'd be with a whip as a weapon."

Annabeth was once again looking at him with the unsettling feeling of a gag gone over her head, and nobody else could even crack a smile. They were to busy looking from Nico to Percy in true confusion what this was.

"Mrs. Dodds," I said.

"Who is she married to exactly?" Alex asked as he looked up from the book and Percy's title for her. "One of the other fury's? Secret affair with Ares too?"

"Gods we've got to find a way to sedate him one of these days or I'm going to have a panic attack," Jason groaned as he rubbed his forehead in pain.

Alex looked at him in delight for the mock threat. "Come on Jason, you know you want to get in on this! I'm sure there's some god out there only you're privy to who would love to be the Mr. Dodds Fury."

"Make it stop," Jason grinned back, pitching his voice to a whiny toddler poorly.

"I will when somebody gives me a good answer on who this knitting, whip lashing, math teacher is married to," he insisted, now hugging the book close to his chest.

"Secret drunken night with Chiron nobody's ever tried to fix," Nico happily jumped into the fun kind of trama as the Campers looked at him in horror. "The grounds originally started as a monster retiring home and that's where they met."

Alex laughed in delight, the evil kind where lightning should have been flashing behind his head. Nico had rarely felt so proud of himself as getting Alex to laugh like that.

She bared her fangs. "Welcome back, honey."

Her two sisters—the other Furies—swooped down and settled next to her in the branches of the poplar.

"You know Alecto?" Nico asked me.

"If you mean the hag in the middle, yeah," I said. "She was my math teacher."

Nico nodded, like this didn't surprise him.

That his father had kept an eye on Percy. Not in the slightest. That his dad had sent his most trusted minion. Obviously. That Alecto had disguised herself as a math teacher, the worst of those infernal school subjects. Please.

He looked up at the Furies and took a deep breath. "I've done what my father asked. Take us to the palace."

"You're father-" Percy yelped.

"Oh gods, Nico, what did you do?" Thalia groaned, covering her eyes and really not wishing to see the rest.

Annabeth jumped out of her beanbag, her shriek nearly to loud for their ears to hear. "Nico!"

Jason opened, then closed his mouth as Nico gave off the embodiment of a hotdog on Mrs. O'Leary's radar. "I never said I'd protect you from her," he protested.

"Hey, chill princess," Alex leaned forward threateningly in his seat.

Annabeth had already taken a stalking step forward and was gesturing at Percy like a lost lamb. He was reaching for her hand she'd dropped with a very mingled look of anger and terror as he looked everywhere but at the son Hades-

A sharp, piercing noise ripped through the ocean, burning their eardrums and quite possibly stopping everybody on this half of the continent in their tracks.

Will was still sprawled out in place, looking grumpier than Annabeth had ever seen him as he lowered his fingers from his mouth to say, "jeez Annabeth-"

But her face had gone stark pale, and Percy had his arms wrapped around her as his worst fear was confirmed by the sudden storm of bubbles in the room that seemed to make the walls themselves throw out tendrils of power and shadows in his presence.

Seven yelps of fear accompanied Oceanus's sudden dominance of the room as he glowered down at Annabeth, like a spotlight of darkness overshadowing everything.

"Don't. You. Dare." Percy growled, his arms a vice like shield as he glowered up at him. If the Titan had thought he'd been a problem child before, he'd be in for a world of trouble if he dared to snap her out of here. Alex's hand twitched in place to grab his garrote and hold the Titan down if necessary.

Thalia was right beside him, her hands crackling with electricity like a killer night-light in the dark room, she was one finger away from bringing out Agies.

Jason watched Oceanus rub his temples, studying every crinkly line they made into his dense, turquoise skin, like the world's oldest sea turtle. He looked near tears with exhaustion. He was in disturbing lionfish toga pajamas that had an uncomfortably un-done belt hanging on by a thread.

"What, in Gaea's name, is it going to take to shut you kids up?" He sounded truly drained. Magnus almost would have felt bad for him if they weren't being held prisoner.

Nico expected Percy and Annabeth to throw him under the bus any word. His eyes were out of focus, his lips pursed tight as he looked dead ahead, a bead of sweat coming down his brow as he could only imagine where he'd end up. It would almost be a relief to get away, even to worlds unknown.

Annabeth slowly lowered Percy's arms as if staring down, well, the ocean itself, as she knelt into a bow. Her voice was firm, but clearly apologetic as Percy remained standing over her, sword in hand to make sure Oceanus thought twice about moving his hands. "My apologies, I know we can get out of hand. I assure you I've gotten designs started in my head, and there will not," she threw a scowl at the darkness where Nico last was, "be another interruption."

He sized her up, then looked around at all of them, his filmy eyes sunken so far into his head they vaguely wondered if they were going to vanish altogether soon. It didn't stop him now from seeing each of their mouths was very firmly shut with fear.

He made a harumph noise, like every grumpy old person Percy had ever met when they were told they couldn't stack coupons at an early bird breakfast. He scowled, "one more chance, half-mortals, or my deal with Posideon is off! You can all rot in whatever Hera has planned for you, and be damned what that puny god wants to say to me about it."

Swirling out of there with several loud mutters about, "lucky for Tethy's soft side-" there was painful silence for five seconds.

Then Nico released a massive breath and started coughing as Will popped back into existence through the bend of night, the dim lighting returning the room back to normal. He instantly started rubbing Nico's back with a look of concern, murmuring to him for deep breaths.

"That was so cool," Magnus couldn't stop blinking, it looked painful.

"Thanks," Nico rasped, his chest hurting with every breath. Gods he wished he could figure out how to breathe while doing that!

"What, did you just, when did you, how did you-" Jason was looking from Will, shaking himself but looking unharmed, to Nico who hadn't released his vice-like grip on him.

"I'll get some water," Alex promised, getting up, going slightly cross-eyed because they were surrounded by water.

"No, it's horrible for people who are choking to drink-" Will started.

"Don't change the subject!" Annabeth snarled through gritted teeth, her low voice the deep silence of a predator about to pounce. "You could have gotten him killed! What deal did you make with Hades!"

Nico's eyes were still a little off with pain as he tried to focus on her through his burning lungs. Her words stung worse, but it wasn't unexpected of everyone at camp always assuming every deal came with death when it came to him and his dad. He looked instead at Percy. "Never," gasp, "hurt you," gasp, "on purpose."

He looked spent, but still half considering leaping over the back of that couch and fleeing for his life while his eyelids drooped with exhaustion.

It instantly broke Percy out of his anger. He didn't want to be feared. He'd never wanted anyone to see him as a bully, throwing his weight around against someone smaller than him. Even if Nico hadn't brought up his own crush, Percy instantly couldn't hold on to his own temper no matter the sting of betrayal from someone he'd really hope could one day be his friend.

"Annabeth," Percy firmly took her hand again. "I know, okay, I'm sorry I keep getting kidnapped by gods and vanishing." His temple pulsed with a new pain he didn't understand why, he had a bad feeling about whatever Hades was going to do to him made this situation down here feel a little to familiar. He stood up and took her other hand, begging for her full attention while she kept glowering at the other dark-haired punk. "Hey," she finally looked at him, anger now wavering with desperation as her storms chased his. "I promise, I'll never leave you again."

She made a strangled noise, suppressing a mingled yell of to much as she threw her arms around him. She was shaking as badly as Nico as Percy supported most of her weight to his beanbag where she sagged down mostly into hers but still half on him very awkwardly with her weight sort of hanging in the worst possible non-space between the two cushions.

"You're my lifeline," he whispered into her ear as her hands tightened on his back, only one spot felt painful for some reason as her nails dug in like hooks, his whole body was tingling with her arms around him. "I'm always going to get out of whatever madness this is for you, I swear." He'd swear it on the styx if he didn't fear the rumbling thunder to vow his words in place. He would the second they got out of this.

She nodded and tried to catch her breath while Nico finally managed the same, rubbing his sternum with his knuckles and eyes still on the floor.

"Quick thinking Nico," Percy applauded over her shoulder, rubbing her back.

"Thanks," he nodded, his eyes still trying to fall closed without his permission, but snapping back to meet Percy's. "Please don't ask me to do that again in the next wee-" he yawned so hard it might draw Oceanus back. "Don't even think about it Will," he managed, rubbing stubbornly at his eyes so much he was seeing spots as Will opened his mouth. "I want to get this over with, we're barely into this one and we're not stopping for the day on my account."

"You should at least eat something," he insisted.

Nico wasn't going to argue that point and slumped against the armrest as Will squeezed his hand and went off.

By the time he came back with a tray of fruit parfaits for everyone, and the largest heaping helping for Nico, Annabeth had calmed down and was stirring her's moodily and tentavily eating it with everyone else.

"How's your shoulder?" She asked Will, her tone as apologetic to him as it had been the Titan's.

"Forgot all about it," Will chuckled, rotating it obviously. "Godly food is great like that."

Nico was looking in confusion between the two but decided he didn't want to know as he savored every bite. He somehow managed to finish his first to his surprise, and he wasn't fighting against every blink anymore.

Alex gently picked the book back up like an unfinished mold as she glanced moodily around at the walls as if daring Oceanus to interrupt her again. She fully believed the eight of them were incapable of finishing this book without another outburst, they were human!

Annabeth was clearly thinking the same thing as she set her empty cup down. She watched it whizz into the trashcan with a still dark face, but spoke to the room at large in a modulated voice she'd perfected years ago, being the head of her cabin at twelve. "I know that last one was rough, but guys, the next time someone in here needs a yell, start with screaming into a pillow. We can't afford to anger him like that again until Percy and Jason get their life back."

"Sorry," Will said, probably not as much guilt as he should have felt at all of them nearly getting snapped away by a Titan for distracting Annabeth's death glare. "That was my bad guys."

"There was no way he wasn't going to show up with that one, not how pissed off somebody was," Percy said with a look at Annabeth.

There were nods of agreement and some mutters, but nobody really felt like that was going to fix this. It was certainly not Annabeth's most well-constructed plan, showing just how tired she must be.

Alex didn't keep reading though. Magnus was signing something to her. Who was using she/her pronouns. Magnus had just asked her something while signing at his chin, which he'd explained very early on was the female denotation...it caught her so off guard she didn't even register what he was actually trying to say.

"Alex?"

She heard her name and finally snapped away from looking at his sweet, concerned face with no clue what was going on. "It's she/ her pronouns," she said like someone had punched her in the ribs before she started reading, only vaguely hoping Annabeth had been done talking.

I tensed. "Wait a second, Nico. What do you—"

"I'm afraid this is my new lead, Percy. My father promised me information about my family, but he wants to see you before we try the river. I'm sorry."

Annabeth's hands were still tense like she wanted to wring Nico's neck right along with him. Percy jiggled his fingers against hers until she slowly relaxed and let his hand back in. While he understood every thought racing through her head, he almost couldn't blame him now that he'd taken a moment. Wouldn't he do the same to learn anything about his past?

Not make a deal with Hades!

His dad had apparently made a deal with a Titan on his behalf to get him in here though, out of whatever scheme another god had planned for him. Nothing really felt like a good answer right now in all the meddling they lived through.

"You tricked me?" I was so mad I couldn't think. I lunged at him, but the Furies were fast. Two of them swooped down and plucked me up by the arms. My sword fell out of my hand, and before I knew it, I was dangling sixty feet in the air.

Will winced at Percy actually making a move like that. Percy had never hurt another person though, Will really didn't want to believe he'd do more than shove Nico to the ground like he had Leneaus.

There was an edge to his thoughts though, one that stemmed from to many of his siblings dying and being able to do nothing to stop it.  If he had to step between Nico and Percy, or the entirety of Mount Olympus to make sure Nico felt safe, he would. Nico deserved to have someone in his corner who would never hurt him, which now he couldn't even claim in Percy. He didn't know how, hiding him under his bed probably wouldn't work, but he would. If Nico could make a wall of shadows to hide someone, maybe he could do the same with sunlight?

For now, he tapped Nico's arm so that he could mouth, 'gods' at him. He felt over his head at just the idea of what Nico must have been going through. The only friend he'd had at the time being dangled by his father to know about his own past.

Nico gave him a grateful smile. He had no clue how he'd gotten so lucky, but he was probably indebted to Posideon apparently for all this.

"Oh, don't struggle, honey," my old math teacher cackled in my ear. "I'd hate to drop you."

"Would she though?" Thalia bravely offered the first comment as if nothing had happened. She looked pretty peeved at Nico too, but at least she had a fearless attitude in the face of death about it. That titan couldn't make them shut up, just quiet down.

"You know Thalia, I don't think she would," Alex was right there with her nodding.

Percy shook his head affectionately as he looked between them. "Glad you two are having fun."

"I'm on vacation," Thalia agreed, a really miserable one she couldn't book the first flight out of, but an enforced period of leisure all the same. She'd dealt with worse monsters than Oceanus.

"I'm always having fun," Alex chuckled.

Mrs. O'Leary barked angrily and jumped, trying to reach me, but we were too high.

"I was half convinced she was going to rip one of their wings off," Magnus admitted, the mental image making him piss a bit. It certainly scared him more than a pissy Titan Percy and Annabeth could stare down.

"I'll tie a cape on her later and play the theme for super-dog, just for you," Percy grinned.

"Tell Mrs. O'Leary to behave," Nico warned. He was hovering near me in the clutches of the third Fury. "I don't want her to get hurt, Percy. My father is waiting. He just wants to talk."

"If my dog gets hurt because of this shit you pulled-" Percy stopped himself by sheer stubbornness against himself, to close his mouth and turn his scowl away. He really couldn't guess what Nico cared about anymore besides himself. He was positive Mrs. O'Leary was one of them though with the way he smiled upon seeing her no matter how many times they'd approached her that day.

I wanted to tell Mrs. O'Leary to attack Nico, but it wouldn't have done any good, and Nico was right about one thing: my dog could get hurt if she tried to pick a fight with the Furies.

Jason was still looking sadly between Nico and Percy. He couldn't believe how fast Percy had turned on him, in what was clearly a complicated situation.

He was also extremely relieved Percy hadn't the chance to react to badly in here. He hadn't wanted to actually hold him back from attacking him, even if he would have.

He would have used Thalia as a human shield to deal with Annabeth in a pinch.

I gritted my teeth. "Mrs. O'Leary, down! It's okay, girl."

She whimpered and turned in circles, looking up at me. "All right, traitor," I growled at Nico. "You've got your prize. Take me to the stupid palace."

What would she have done to get Percy back? The dark thought kept circling Annabeth's mind at the blind vow she'd made to Artemis. What if the goddess asked for Chiron's head? What if she'd asked her to drag Thalia into the den of a monster but made her swear not to tell, for whatever reasons a god's will was.

She kept forcing herself not to shoot murderous looks at Nico. She probably owed him an apology too she didn't feel right now. It was only partially his fault he'd triggered every abandonment issue she had in this stupid, ill-timed stunt.

But it hadn't lasted, she kept reminding herself as she held her lifeline's hand tight, their fingers entwined in a pattern only they felt. He'd come back.

Alecto dropped me like a sack of turnips in the middle of the palace garden.

"Because if she'd dropped you gently, we'd know something unfortunate was fixing to happen," Alex rolled her eyes.

"Pretty sure something unfortunate did happen anyways," Magnus muttered. No way did Percy get in and out of this without more problems with the way it was already starting.

It was beautiful in a creepy way. Skeletal white trees grew from marble basins. Flower beds overflowed with golden plants and gemstones. A pair of thrones, one bone and one silver, sat on the balcony with a view of the Fields of Asphodel. It would've been a nice place to spend a Saturday morning except for the sulfurous smell and the cries of tortured souls in the distance.

"It's called decorative feng shui Percy," Alex helpfully informed him.

"It's called creepy," Percy told him flatly.

Skeletal warriors guarded the only exit. They wore tattered U.S. Army desert combat fatigues and carried M16s.

The third Fury deposited Nico next to me. Then all three of them settled on the top of the skeletal throne. I resisted the urge to strangle Nico. They'd only stop me. I'd have to wait for my revenge.

Nico rubbed the side of his neck and winced. He kind of regretted not waiting, like, at least an hour before he'd come to rescue Percy.

For all he knew though, maybe those thoughts would have escalated to something more creative, so, it might have all worked out for the best.

Assuming Percy's inner demon didn't make a comeback in here.

He wasn't real convinced of that yet.

I stared at the empty thrones, waiting for something to happen. Then the air shimmered. Three figures appeared—Hades and Persephone on their thrones, and an older woman standing between them. They seemed to be in the middle of an argument.

"—told you he was a bum!" the older woman said.

"Mother!" Persephone replied.

"We have visitors!" Hades barked. "Please!"

"Because this is really the scene I'd hoped to walk in on," Nico groaned like he was just as unhappy about all this as Percy was, which seemed unlikely judging by the fact he was supposedly about to get his answers, the little squit!

Hades, one of my least favorite gods,

"Why?" Magnus asked blankly like he hadn't been here for Percy's entire ordeal of a life up until now. "You've had far worse problems with, like, the rest of them!" Between Zeus, Aphrodite, and Ares actively causing problems and Heaphastus sending him off to his unwitting doom, not to mention Hermes now waving a red flag over Luke's life; Hades seemed like a minor inconvenience considering all he'd done to Percy was give back his mom.

Well, that taking her would rank higher than the rest, Magnus decided he'd answered his own question, which was a good thing, because Percy clearly wasn't going to oblige as he just looked at him with a raised brow.

smoothed his black robes, which were covered with the terrified faces of the damned.

Alex cleared her throat as she looked around at Annabeth with a casual smile. Annabeth wasn't fooled, those heterochromatic eyes flashed to easily between mayhem and mischief to believe she'd settle on merry after what just happened. "One of Percy's first thoughts upon meeting him was to wonder what horrible thing someone would have to do to get woven into Hades's underwear?"

Percy didn't even bother to call Alex a traitor this time, mostly because he wasn't sure he wanted to sit around and hear theories on an answer as Annabeth gave Percy an affectionate, exasperated look. She'd long since accepted his train of thought had no tracks.

He had pale skin and the intense eyes of a madman.

"Which I am so glad Nico didn't inherit," Jason shrugged. "Apparently his kids get a bad enough rep."

Will kept to himself he hoped that wasn't Jason's subtle way of thinking Nico was much more of a looker assumedly taking after his mother, because he was now.

"Percy Jackson," he said with satisfaction. "At last."

Queen Persephone studied me curiously. I'd seen her once before in the winter, but now in the summer she looked like a totally different goddess. She had lustrous black hair and warm brown eyes. Her dress shimmered with colors. Flower patterns in the fabric changed and bloomed—roses, tulips, honeysuckle.

The woman standing between them was obviously Persephone's mother. She had the same hair and eyes, but looked older and sterner. Her dress was golden, the color of a wheat field. Her hair was woven with dried grasses so it reminded me of a wicker basket. I figured if somebody lit a match next to her, she'd be in serious trouble.

"Because that's the first thing you should think when seeing a god," Thalia still somehow managed to sound surprised and exasperated at him all this time later.

"The gods perception of me hasn't changed, why should mine to them," Percy grumbled.

"Hmmph," the older woman said. "Demigods. Just what we need."

Next to me, Nico knelt. I wished I had my sword so I could cut his stupid head off. Unfortunately, Riptide was still out in the fields somewhere.

Will was like, ninty percent sure Percy didn't mean it, not the same guy who hesitated to kill Ethan, repeatedly, and still couldn't unsee Luke in Kronos's new face; but he gave him a look of distaste anyways for the uncalled for violence. So far Nico hadn't gotten anybody hurt in the slightest and had given Percy a valid enough reason he should at least be pissed instead of murderous.

"Father," Nico said. "I have done as you asked."

"Took you long enough," Hades grumbled. "Your sister would've done a better job."

Alex choked like she'd just read that while someone punched her in the throat.

"You know what, I take it back," Will said venomously. "Someone in there does deserve a beheading, but at least it's the god who can grow his useless mouth hole back."

Nico still flinched under Will's arm. He wished he'd forgotten this was coming in the mess of everything else, but honestly that still hurt as bad as the second time, and fifth time, and every time he'd said it to him. His father obviously approved of Bianca abandoning him and growing stronger with the Huntresses. Maybe he had some grand idea about taking her away from Artemis and breaking her vow so that she could grow to be the greatest child of Olympus and fulfill the prophecy instead of Nico's useless butt.

Jason was rubbing his own heart like he felt that one personally, and Thalia winced as she guessed he would. Zeus, or Jupiter, whatever, had shown some pretty obvious favoritism from his perspective, or lack thereof.

Nico lowered his head. If I hadn't been so mad at the little creep, I might've felt sorry for him.

Magnus could barely give Percy a, well at least you tried, grimace. This really was just a sucky situation, period.

I glared up at the god of the dead. "What do you want, Hades?"

"To talk, of course." The god twisted his mouth in a cruel smile. "Didn't Nico tell you?"

"So this whole quest was a lie. Nico brought me down here to get me killed."

"Oh, no," Hades said. "I'm afraid Nico was quite sincere about wanting to help you. The boy is as honest as he is dense.

"So, you're not very honest?" Alex looked around in mock confusion. "What a weird way to phrase that, I wouldn't even think Hades would consider that an insult."

"Ha, ha," Nico said with a smile tugging at his lips he couldn't help but feel.

I simply convinced him to take a small detour and bring you here first."

"Father," Nico said, "you promised that Percy would not be harmed. You said if I brought him, you would tell me about my past—about my mother."

Queen Persephone sighed dramatically. "Can we please not talk about that woman in my presence?"

"Then why did she come?" Thalia asked with blatant disgust. She still hadn't forgiven her for turning her bow into honeysuckle.

"So Hades couldn't escape hearing more of that riveting argument," Percy reminded distractedly, not that she'd needed the reminder. She obviously just wanted to complain about everything going on in the Underworld right now, a common theme.

"I'm sorry, my dove," Hades said. "I had to promise the boy something."

'Something,' Alex didn't like the sound of that. Like Hades might even lie about Nico's mother because he'd had to tell him something.

The older lady harrumphed. "I warned you, daughter. This scoundrel Hades is no good. You could've married the god of doctors or the god of lawyers, but noooo. You had to eat the pomegranate."

"So, like, this entire immortal family is kind of garbage, huh?" Magnus frowned.

"Good of you to finally catch on," Thalia rolled her eyes. There were some major exceptions, but nobody was really crying out in distress anymore at now everybody just casually mouthing off to gods.

"Mother—"

"And get stuck in the Underworld!"

"Mother, please—"

"And here it is August, and do you come home like you're supposed to? Do you ever think about your poor lonely mother?"

Annabeth was still in a pretty bad temper and wanted to hurl some corn at her. Did she ever think of any children except her special extra favorite? While Katie Gardner busted her back every day looking after all of Demeter's other children!

"DEMETER!" Hades shouted. "That is enough. You are a guest in my house."

"Oh, a house is it?" she said. "You call this dump a house? Make my daughter live in this dark, damp—"

Nico couldn't help but watch Will, just to see if he agreed with any part of that. Even he knew some of the most common dating around camp came from kids of Apollo and Demter's offspring, they usually had so much in common.

Will still looked more like he was trying to add up how much a never-ending marching band would cost him to run through Hades's domain to get a good read. Grumbling all kinds of unpleasantries about disturbances and noise complaints. Well, Will obviously could be an expert on that if he put his mind to it.

"I told you," Hades said, grinding his teeth, "there's a war in the world above. You and Persephone are better off here with me."

"Aww?" Magnus couldn't help the surprised, sweet noise. How did Hades go from a useless ass dirt sperm donor one moment to someone who clearly cared about his family the next? It was kind of sickening and hopeful all at once, to think he'd be capable of apologizing to Nico, to clearly not caring.

"Hades is getting more visitors to his life this day than he's ever had in, like, millennia. No wonder, he's a shit hoast apparently," Will said as if the world's biggest problem right now really was there weren't enough hors d'oeuvres around.

"Excuse me," I broke in. "But if you're going to kill me, could you just get on with it?"

Annabeth smacked him upside the head.

"I'm not sorry," Percy shrugged.

"Of course you're not," she sighed.

"You know I have a problem waiting around," he insisted.

"I know," she groaned.

All three gods looked at me.

"Well, this one has an attitude," Demeter observed.

"Indeed," Hades agreed. "I'd love to kill him."

"Father!" Nico said. "You promised!"

"Husband, we talked about this," Persephone chided. "You can't go around incinerating every hero. Besides, he's brave. I like that."

"I guess she's not mad about me threatening to throw her in the Lethe anymore?" Percy raised a brow in disbelief.

"Honestly Percy, I'm more surprised if she remembers you after you finished running her errand," Thalia scoffed.

Hades rolled his eyes. "You liked that Orpheus fellow too. Look how well that turned out. Let me kill him, just a little bit."

"As long as he promises to bring you back," Annabeth said dead pan.

Nico choked in surprise while Percy snorted with laughter. She managed a half-hearted smile while the boys full-blown grinned. It was nice she could turn around and laugh about this, even a little in mocking.

"Father, you promised!" Nico said. "You said you only wanted to talk to him. You said if I brought him, you'd explain."

Hades glowered, smoothing the folds of his robes. "And so I shall. Your mother—what can I tell you? She was a wonderful woman." He glanced uncomfortably at Persephone. "Forgive me, my dear. I mean for a mortal, of course.

Percy said a few foul mothed things about how his mother could kick Persephone's ass with a cookie sheet, but Nico was to distracted to hear it. At least now he could recall with vivid clarity a memory taken away. How Hades had adored Maria and offered her a palace in the Underworld. It had seemed like more than just a fling he'd gotten over all these years later. What better outcome was there? His stepmother never would have let them live anymore than Zeus if it wasn't for time passing on and all of them losing interest in the matter, some to more degrees than others.

Her name was Maria di Angelo. She was from Venice, but her father was a diplomat in Washington, D.C.

Alex spluttered in a painful sounding laugh. "Why is that the most perfect thing I've ever heard for Hades? Attracted to a woman with a stereotypical temper in the middle of snake central, it's so perfect I swear I'm going to die."

"Don't," Nico advised. "My dad won't let you off for his good taste in women."

That's where I met her. When you and your sister were young, it was a bad time to be children of Hades.

"Was it ever a good time?" Jason mock whispered.

"I seem to be fairing in the scraping by camp, as opposed to my other abundance of siblings," Nico said, dower sarcasm as far as the ear could hear.

World War II was brewing. A few of my, ah, other children were leading the losing side.

There was something really messed up in that Alex packed a wallop into reading. Hades knew he was losing a war his own children were in. Was he even referring to his half-blood children right there? It was kinder to assume not, but with the gods, it was hard to tell.

I thought it best to put you two out of harm's way."

"That's why you hid us in the Lotus Casino?"

Hades shrugged. "You didn't age. You didn't realize time was passing.

"He became master level at all video games I'm sure," Magnus offered.

"Eh," Nico waved his hand. "There was a Mythomagic tournament there while I was, I spent most of my time learning how to play that."

"Was that your dad's influence?" Annabeth asked in surprise.

"What?" Nico frowned, why would he care about that?

"So that when you'd come out, you'd be knowledgeable of our world, even if you didn't fully know it." She was even starting to smile again at this puzzle.

"Um, I don't think he has that kind of power, do they?" Percy shook his head.

"It's not clear," Annabeth seemed to be speaking to herself the longer she talked, like her eyes were glazing over before their eyes. "Odysseus rescued his own men from the original lotus-eaters without any interference. I can't imagine it would overpower a god, ergo they may even be able to influence what the current Hotel could make its occupants do to some degree."

"That's dangerous isn't it?" Magnus looked unsurprised, but still a little hurt. "Sally didn't tell Percy any of that stuff, because ignorance kept him safe. When Hades pulled them out, well, no wonder Grover found them so fast when they'd only been out for a few months along with how many monsters?"

"More preparation from my dad if so," Nico nodded as if this made perfect sense now.

Annabeth shook herself to here and now as Alex kept going, and Percy was back to smiling as if nothing had happened as he watched her go in and out of a nerd daze. Nico was almost smiling again too. He really might get out of this better than worse. It seemed to good an idea to let himself linger on for more than a second, to afraid he'd jinx it.

I waited for the right time to bring you out."

"But what happened to our mother? Why don't I remember her?"

"Not important," Hades snapped.

"To who?" Will's scowl was something else, he looked ready to hurl the sun.

"Himself, that's obviously the important part of this conversation," Jason said dully.

"What? Of course it's important. And you had other children—why were we the only ones who were sent away?

Nico still didn't really have an answer to that, and to his surprise, he found himself looking around hopefully as if they would. The idea lingered that it was because Hades had loved his mother, had done her wish, not that he'd done it for them.

"It's possible he started with the youngest set," Thalia offered half-heartedly. "If the rest of his kids were already over the age of sixteen by that point, you two would be his priority."

Nobody else hazarded a guess to Hades's plans. Most of them thought he was a psychotic maniac who couldn't rip a decent bone out of a dead body anyways.

And who was the lawyer who got us out?"

Hades grit his teeth. "You would do well to listen more and talk less, boy. As for the lawyer . . ."

Hades snapped his fingers. On top of his throne, the Fury Alecto began to change until she was a middle-aged man in a pinstriped suit with a briefcase. She—he—looked strange crouching at Hades's shoulder.

"Okay, that one actually sounds kind of obvious now that he said it out loud," Percy shrugged.

"What is the difference between a lawyer and a vampire?" Alex asked with a devilish smirk. "Law School."

Thalia grinned and said her favorite, "There is a new Barbie doll out for Christmas, she's called Divorce Barbie. She comes with all of Ken's stuff."

"How long have you been saving that for the Aprhotide cabin?" Percy laughed in delight.

"We are not going to sit around and tell lawyer jokes!" Jason spluttered. "Thalia, that's practically blasphemy!"

Thalia gave him a pitiful look he thought she cared. Honestly, it's like he hadn't gotten to know her at all.

"I'm on Jason's side," Annabeth said in exhaustion. "Guys, we might be able to get through another chapter, two at most before we all pass out. Let Alex finish."

"Alex was enjoying the show," Alex huffed, but obliged for the yawn Nico was still trying to muffle.

"You!" Nico said.

The Fury cackled. "I do lawyers and teachers very well!"

"This surprises literally no one," Magnus rolled his eyes. Not even him!

Nico was trembling. "But why did you free us from the casino?"

"You know why," Hades said. "This idiot son of Poseidon cannot be allowed to be the child of the prophecy."

"Even if I hadn't made up my mind before, now I definitely would be," Percy scowled while Annabeth patted his shoulder with a defeated look in place for knowing the same.

I plucked a ruby off the nearest plant and threw it at Hades. It sank harmlessly into his robe.

At least he didn't throw it at Nico, Will thought in relief. It would have been, well, a really crappy moment for Percy to force Hades to show his hand how much he cared about his kid. It would show how great of an insult that was to Hades by what he did next.

"You should be helping Olympus!" I said. "All the other gods are fighting Typhon, and you're just sitting here—"

"Waiting things out," Hades finished.

"Not something I'd brag about," Nico muttered. Not voicing that at the time though was probably the actual reason he still had his head.

"Yes, that's correct. When's the last time Olympus ever helped me, half-blood?

It didn't feel great that Jason could kind of see his point though. Hades was outcasted unless he was needed. If Hades had shown up to that fight, darkness slinging, he might have just gotten a nod of thanks and then ignored again until the next solstice. What reason did he have to join in?

 When's the last time a child of mine was ever welcomed as a hero? Bah! Why should I rush out and help them? I'll stay here with my forces intact."

It was sadly not the worst argument Annabeth had ever heard, that honor still belonged to Percy defending his claim of rock skipping champion, but it was pretty high up there.

"And when Kronos comes after you?"

"Let him try. He'll be weakened. And my son here, Nico—" Hades looked at him with distaste.

Nico had kept his head bowed and carefully on the highly polished floor so he could only see the reflection and pretend it was just warped. Thanks Percy.

"Well, he's not much now, I'll grant you. It would've been better if Bianca had lived.

"If he talks shit to you one more time, I'm going to go malevolent on his ass," Alex said deep in the back of her throat.

Everybody decided they really didn't want to know what that meant, except for Nico it seemed as he opened his mouth curiously.

"Anyways!" Percy squeaked, but enough Alex heard him and gave a sigh.

But give him four more years of training. We can hold out that long, surely. Nico will turn sixteen, as the prophecy says, and then he will make the decision that will save the world. And I will be king of the gods."

"He'll be the only god left," Percy frowned.

"So technically, he's not wrong," Thalia shrugged.

"Demter's down there you single-minded-" Annabeth stopped and put her face in her hands in further exhaustion and groaned. Apparently she got crabby when she got no sleep for going on nine days.

"And a lot of the minor gods are running around too," Jason nodded. "Honestly Annabeth, I think Grover just ran off with their time-share brain cell."

Percy and Thalia exchanged a look. Those two were getting a little to comfortable.

"You're crazy," I said. "Kronos will crush you, right after he finishes pulverizing Olympus."

Hades spread his hands. "Well, you'll get a chance to find out, half-blood. Because you'll be waiting out this war in my dungeons."

Annabeth couldn't stop herself from flashing Nico another murderous look. Not just the 'if looks could kill kind' but genuinely her gray eyes seemed as if they could turn him to marble in a Medusa-worthy stare.

Then she sighed and turned back away and Nico kept breathing. The worst part? He was pretty sure that was her 'I'm less mad at you, but don't you ever do that again' face.

"No!" Nico said. "Father, that wasn't our agreement. And you haven't told me everything!"

"Thanks for trying man," Percy still couldn't say that like he meant it, but at least he nodded at him while managing not to roll his eyes.

"I don't take lightly to people not honoring their deals," Nico said it simply enough, but Percy got a gut sense. He remembered what The King of Ghosts had done to Minos. Percy had gotten out of there, and a sporadic rescue mission on Grover's part might not be the only hope for his future. Then he winced at a new stab of pain and quickly looked away.

"I've told you all you need to know," Hades said. "As for our agreement, I spoke with Jackson. I did not harm him. You got your information. If you had wanted a better deal, you should've made me swear on the Styx.

Why did that feel like the obvious answer to most of these problems and yet nobody used it, Magnus rolled his eyes. He really didn't want to say that to Nico though.

Now, go to your room!" He waved his hand, and Nico vanished.

"Where, where's your room?" Magnus asked with dread, thinking Hades was the kind of disciplinarian to throw Nico into a volcano to see if he survived that as well as the idiot son of Posideon could.

"With a great view of Elyusium," Nico said sullenly. He would have preferred the volcano idea.

The worst part was, he must have created that room on the spot too, because he'd explored the place numerous times. He'd found this view, but it had just been one of a stretch of windows that showed each corner of his father's domain so he could stand and view them all from one tower without turning his head to much he'd guess.

Now the circular room was decked out with a bed of deepest black silk with a gold frame and more jewels adjourning the other decorations than existed in a billionaire's brain. Nico had landed on the bed, looked out the window and known. His dad wanted him to see what Bianca had missed out on. What he should want. He'd passed the other options without glancing as he went to the door that was locked. Shadow travling hadn't worked.

Good thing his dad remembered to send up servants to feed him within a decent time frame, and he'd been practicing his invisibility in the shadows, even from creatures of the Underworld.

"That boy needs to eat more," Demeter grumbled. "He's too skinny. He needs more cereal."

Ah, that explained that, Nico scowled at his own thoughts. It hadn't even been his father. Possibly Demeter sending him up that bowl of cereal. Whatever. It had all worked out. He didn't care.

Gods, yes he did! If anyone in the pantheon shouldn't treat him this way, it should be the one god who knew how he'd feel! He'd definitely have to ask someone in here to confirm he wasn't nuts later when Hades came to help, because Nico had no clue what he'd done to manage that.

Persephone rolled her eyes. "Mother, enough with the cereal. My lord Hades, are you sure we can't let this little hero go? He's awfully brave."

"No, my dear. I've spared his life. That's enough."

"Under other conditions, I almost might agree," Thalia said with a torn expression this seemed generous to the point of absurd.

"Thanks Thals," Percy rolled his eyes.

"You can't say it's not true Percy," Will nodded too. "This does sound like Hades in a good mood."

"Yes, fine, we're all besties now!" Percy crossed his arms and leaned back so hard in his seat he tipped it over. Annabeth watched his feat kick around to get himself back upright with a long overdue smile.

I was sure she was going to stand up for me. The brave, beautiful Persephone was going to get me out of this.

She shrugged indifferently. "Fine. What's for breakfast? I'm starving."

"Does she not feed herself?" Alex frowned.

"I'm with Alex, she clearly has more than enough free time on her hands," Percy grumbled as he straightened out his beanbag.

Annabeth looked between the pair and decided against pointing out the actual problem of what had just been said there. It would fall on deaf ears.

"Cereal," Demeter said.

"Mother!" The two women disappeared in a swirl of flowers and wheat.

"Well at least she has a chance to avoid getting scurvy with that diet," Magnus frowned.

"Not you too Magnus," Annabeth looked at her cousin in betrayal.

Magnus shrugged without a drop of defense for himself. "Sorry cuz, I've learned it's just best to ride the crazy Alex train. Much more enjoyable."

"Choochoo," Percy said hopefully next to Annabeth's ear.

"You are all seriously lacking in something alright," but she couldn't stop herself from saying it with a chuckle.

"Don't feel too bad, Percy Jackson," Hades said. "My ghosts keep me well informed of Kronos's plans. I can assure you that you had no chance to stop him in time. By tonight, it will be too late for your precious Mount Olympus. The trap will be sprung."

Annabeth's breath still caught with more riveting attention than any building plans ever had captured her as Percy's attention switched from her goofy boyfriend to the child of the prophecy. How he went back to glowering at the book, to Hades, and what she knew would come out of his mouth. A demand he help his brethren, an accusation of how worthless Hades was. The kind of things only Percy would say to a god after he found out this kind of information wasn't being shared with those he cared about.

She didn't know how Alex kept reading as if nothing had changed except a slight rise of anger in her own voice.

"What trap?" I demanded. "If you know about it, do something! At least let me tell the other gods!"

Hades smiled. "You are spirited. I'll give you credit for that. Have fun in my dungeon. We'll check on you again in—oh, fifty or sixty years."

"I will not be middle-aged before I've gotten my license!" Was Percy's big protest to that.

"I will be," Thalia sighed.

"You don't count Thalia," Percy was instantly sidetracked, "you chose that problem."

The two fell off bickering like absolutely nothing new had happened in the span of an hour until Annaebth threatened to dump iced coffee on them to break it up.

It was such an engineer's dream really, Magnus chuckled as he watched Percy shrug and walk off to get the book while Thalia rolled her eyes and Annabeth gave her the 'stop instigating him look so I can go to bed.' The three really were their own cogs in each other's wheels that the other could always keep spinning.

[mooifyourecows]

Hey moo :)

Can I ask a question? You moved into your house not that long ago right? Have you done any house projects since you moved in? Or discovered any house secrets?

Most of the weird house stuff was stuff that literally drew me to want to buy it in the first place tbh

Like the photos were pleasantly honest! (Which is great considering I bought this bitch ONLINE without ever seeing it in person hahaha 🫠)

Like I can tell that whoever made this house wanted to make something original and quirky and I'm in love with it. There are so many weird angles and design choices with zero rhyme or reason. like why do those walls connect at a 30° angle like that?? Why are there beams everywhere? What shape is that room even supposed to be???

It's just.. FUN. Literally when I saw the pictures on zillow for this place, I was like "weird!" But then saved it. And then returned to it over and over again while looking at other places and eventually I just knew it was the one. Like I couldn't get it out of my mind

But like, how could I pass it up? It was less than 200k$ and 2300 square feet on 5 acres of land down a wooded lane!! J-j-j-jackpot!

There are some totally weird and funky design choices and there's a lot I WANT to do.

Some examples (ignore lazy or nonexistent decorating, i havent gotten around to doing anything yet):

There's this nasty ass wall paneling throughout like 1/3rd of the house that looks like the walls of a motor home and I HATE IT. It's ugly and stupid and I tore off one panel to see what was underneath and guess what! It's normal wall! (Ignore hot lady calendar)

Except the glue from the paneling kinda ripped off parts of it but like THEY JUST GLUED THIS SHIT ON OVER WALLPAPER?? WHY? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? JUST REMOVE THE WALLPAPER AND PAINT, ITS SO MUCH EASIER THAN THROWING UP THIS UGLY BULLSHIT. ugh

So like yeah I wanna remove all of that, but it's gonna be a big project because there's a LOT and some of it is underneath the cabinets in the kitchen. Yikes.

Pretty much every ceiling is tall and slanted in some weird way, which makes me dread painting because how am I supposed to paint super high up like that when I only got a 7 foot ladder???

The house is 1.5 stories too, which means that there's a partial upstairs that is essentially just a little loft thing that looks out over the living room and then this small, strange room we affectionately refer to as "Travis's room" for reasons I think will soon be obvious....

We will honestly probably have to hire a contractor to come look at this upstairs area because part of the ceiling is like... collapsing? And all gross and dirty? (Kinda visible in that second photo) It's not attached to the roof so like, the outside is fine and isn't leaking or in danger of caving in but idk it's just kinda weird and I have no idea what the thought process was for this whole upstairs area. Like what is this narrow little sliver of room here? (Ignore hot wheels tracks)

And the ceiling fan next to the staircase is SO CLOSE lmao if it's on and you lean even a little bit over the railing, you're getting brained. Like in this pic I'm not reaching out, just lifting my arm to touch it (ignore dust, I don't clean and you can't make me)

The living room is really big but it's also weirdly shaped so organizing my furniture is a nightmare. Especially since there's a pellet stove (currently not working) on one wall. (ignore dirty socks, mismatched cheap lamps, messy cat tree corner behind couch, big ugly coffee table I got for free that used to be black until I sanded it down but then got bored and left it as is)

As of right now, I haven't done much to the place because wow apparently home improvement takes effort and costs money??? Go figure. And we've been pretty broke lately so I've just been collecting ideas for the time being.

I am absolutely gonna start painting this year though. My bedroom rn is just boring white so I wanna fix that. Maybe do something dark and warm like a dark brown or green or hmm something like that. The room I've been calling the "gym" (because that's where I put the treadmill) will probably get done next since it's such a blank slate and should be easy to fix up.

And I absolutely want to mess around with my office because the way it's arranged and decorated rn is lame. They painted a bunch of rooms an ugly ass flat brown color, including several closets, my office, and the spare bathroom so THATS got to go.

I want to start decorating for real, finally buy some frames for the art I've been collecting so I can hang them up on some of these tall ass walls.

I also have plans to make a catio out back and even have a bunch of wood and some of the frames constructed but I got bored and abandoned it haha 😄

Oh and I want to reeeeally start doing stuff with the outside. I want to plant trees and maybe do a garden this year, tear up the plants I don't want and replace them with ones I do, clean up the big ass plot of land that's just overgrown brush and weeds and maybe make it into an orchard? Get some fruit trees and make some cute little rows? Maybe I'll even build a fence and a pond and put flowers everywhere. You know, for the bugs 💌🐝🐛🦋🕷

Now i just need to win a million dollars so I can afford to do it all 🥲

[inquisitorhierarch]

so i think it’s been long enough since the post i’m going to vague about was last in circulation anywhere near me that i can finally talk about it without getting a flood of harassment in my inbox like i Always do every time i talk about people Lying on here about lotr. (a HUGE number of posts about lotr on here are either misleading or simply Made Up lmfao. it’s really infuriating)

anyway there’s a post going around about. the weakness of man and tolkien incorporating what he knew firsthand about the horrors of war into the story - and that part’s all totally fine. but Somebody chose to add on a widely-reblogged addition that stated something so incredibly and offensively wrong that i honestly think maybe i died at some point and read that awful reblog here in hell.

they talk at length about how the “moral” of humanity’s failing is somehow represented by. rohan “failing in its border obligations to gondor” and theoden having to die to redeem himself. and i just have one single thing to say about that

what in the good love of fuck fascist divine right of kings bullshit are you on mate

you couldn’t possibly be missing the point More you fucking weirdo

one criticism of lotr that i am very vocal about (which i for some weird reason Never see popular criticisms touch on) is that Of Course tolkien’s biases as a heavily christian british man gave him certain worldviews that obviously affected the worldbuilding of middle-earth, and he Loved him some divine right of kings rubbish. but even HE would NEVER have said or thought something so oppressively fascist about rohan’s response to gondor’s failure, because let’s be clear - the ONLY human kingdom that failed in the course of the war of the ring was fucking gondor. theoden had his problems, but the vast majority of the kingdom of rohan remained either uninterested in his descent into madness or tried to save him from it.

gondor had already been off the rails for ages at this point.

gondor, and its predecessor Numenor, represent the Higher Race of Man, God’s Chosen People (in a christian sense) - the Norman Kings who came from across the sea to civilise the British Isles and drive out the Wild Men and their offensive scottishness/welshness/cornishness/etc. the men of rohan, and other indigenous inhabitants of middle-earth ranging from dunlendings and the druedain (most likely pictish and cornish analogues) to the haradrim, easterlings and lossoth (spain/the moors, the ottoman empire, and vikings, respectively), are literally termed Lesser Men, because they’re not iluvatar’s chosen, and they are literally Expected to submit themselves to gondor’s rule, or become bad guys if they won’t. rohan literally came into being as a vassal-state of gondor, and their Happy Ending is eomer swearing himself back into that form of service and following aragorn on all his wars in the south.

now, because of tolkien’s biases, this turns out Well for them of course, but from the perspective of readers it’s easy to notice that this is actually fucking dystopian and horrific. in fact, the Most horrific example is the dead men of the Stone of Erech who fight for aragorn at Minas Tirith in order to be released from their oaths.

from their perspective, all those years ago, they were living their own lives on their own land in southern middle-earth doing their own thing, and then some tall dickheads pitched up on a boat after their island home sunk and just Declared that they were the chosen kings and all men have to submit to them. literally anyone in these circumstances would probably be justified in saying “yeah sure okay bro” and hoping the guys would go away - because they don’t have the omnipresence to know that tolkien’s version of christian god said elendil really WAS the true king and they’d be punished for not randomly right off the bat obeying some arrogant jackass walking onto Their land and insisting it all belonged to Him instead and also that their “sure thing buddy” was legally and magically binding. they literally suffered constantly for centuries because of a mistake literally anybody without magical fourth-wall-breaking genre knowledge would make.

sauron might be The bad guy of lotr, but anybody with a capability for analysis can look at the actual worldbuilding and see that gondor is also. Absolutely Horrific

and then we come to Denethor. motherfucking Denethor

DENETHOR is the one who failed in his “border obligations”. to rohan. the idea that rohan failed to guard its borders is fucking gibberish. because even if it HAD been their obligation (which it fucking WASN’T), the reason they failed was an overwhelming flood of orcs massacring their soldiers - you know. a thing that it’s pointless to blame someone for on account of all the Deaths being punishment enough you weird Freak. rohan was constantly begging gondor for help as they were being overrun... as the isen was taken and the first AND second marshals of the mark were killed. and denethor didn’t give a shit. he didn’t even want to light the beacons to call rohan for help - he was only angry that theoden supposedly didn’t answer in time because he was so twisted by the palantir that he saw defeat and betrayal in everything.

to claim that the failure in the disaster that befell the kingdoms of man in the war of the ring was rohan’s is to so totally misunderstand everything tolkien was trying to convey that i have to wonder if you even Read the fucking books or if you just Really like to wax lyrical about how great kings are. the point of theoden’s hesitation to go to gondor’s aid is that he has been through absolute hell and gondor sent NO AID WHATSOEVER so he intended to do the same thing back. and instead chooses to be the bigger man and give help even though gondor has no right to ask for it after offering nothing of its own. to do good for no reason other than it IS good. 

THAT is the motherfucking point of theoden’s change of heart - not some fucking bullshit about being a good little slave to gondor’s king and laws, but the idea that in his heart of hearts, theoden couldn’t even let the people who allowed his son to die due to their inaction to suffer if he could do something about it. rohan’s entrance to the battle of the fields of pelennor is literally about how showing up for no other reason than because it’s right will win the day, even if you’re “lesser” than the big hero guys.

“rohan failed to uphold their border obligations” literally go fuck yourself you fucking prick lmfao

[joshuaalbert]

harry kim… ive missed your voyager posting but i want to hear your thoughts on dear harry boy…

favorite thing about them

he's my most favoritest guy. i love him. if like .03% of the things that had happened to him happened to me i'd be out there murdering bitches or something and he's still just out here being a nice friendly guy who tries his best for the ship and for other people. like sometimes they do a rly good job of making it clear that there's this very deep well of resolve to him and he is an incredibly hard person to break despite experiencing the horrors so so so often. BUT i also love it when he's unhinged like he absolutely deserves to get to go off the rails sometimes. and i like it when he's making little petty comments he deserves that too.

least favorite thing about them

i mean we all know this but he's SO fucked over by the writers/showrunners. there's literally no reason for the no promotion/left out of major storylines/frequently sidelined in favor of other characters deal except some like. racist bullshit. writers will be like "well we just don't think he's an interesting character" bitch then make him interesting lol that's your job.

brOTP

harry and b'elanna literally the single most important dynamic in the show to me. every episode that they don't have a scene together i think about committing unfathomable acts of violence. i really enjoy that they genuinely feel like friends who care tremendously about each other (although i wish we saw them hanging out more off duty or in the mess hall or whatever).

also like idk if it's a brotp because they're not like Bros but the harry and janeway dynamic makes me feel uhh vaguely insane. now that you're here someone can understand what i mean when i say it's kind of the inverse of picard and wesley in a lot of ways lmao.

OTP

honestly i cannot deny the weird gay thing he and tom have going on. with tom and b'elanna i can be like yeah she deserves better but a) he's usually better to harry than b'elanna because the writers don't seem to know how to write romantic storylines without some bullshit and b) it lowkey doesn't matter if harry deserves better because regardless of my opinions they just Do Have a weird and compelling fucked up gay thing. the chute literally exists.

also my beloved friend @aberfaeth who was my source of voy knowledge before i started watching voy is a ptk enthusiast and i like. very much see that in some arrangement i like whatever they've all got going on

nOTP

uhhh. hm. i dont know that i have one in terms of things that people actually ship? i am very not fond of the show's trend of giving him like tall blonde traditionally (western) beautiful women as like short term love interests that we're clearly supposed to assume he has absolutely no chance with because he's a lame nerd. in a vacuum him always going for like women that fit a specific mold of Hot Girl that he basically never actually has chemistry with would give comphet but i do think in this case it's far more representative of, again, the racist bullshit and it being very clear that they don't see him as being a viable romantic option.

random headcanon

i have not been rotating him in my mind long enough to have a ton of these but i do very much stand by my harry and b'elanna undefeatable battle bots build team headcanon

unpopular opinion

im not immersed enough in the voy ecosystem enough to know what opinions are popular tbh but i do think any headcanon that has harry like pining after tom is simply not a correct interpretation of events imo

favorite picture of them

like I said. I like it when he’s unhinged and when he’s petty.

[jeskoholic]

A Little Piece of You: Chapter 3 Love Potion

This is chapter 3 of an ongoing series. If you missed out on the previous entries, you can check my masterlist here.

---

“Your face is really red, you know.”

Those were the first batches of words I heard from Ningning as I perched alongside her. I thought I wanted to retort back with a snarky and clever sentence but my head was too bungled up with everything to even think of something funny. If it was not for the glass-protected railings of the Penthouse, I might have pushed my glass to fall on the street below just for humour. Yeah, I was THAT drunk, yet ironically I was aware of the urge. Anyway, I didn’t even immediately process what Ningning had said to me and I merely smiled in return in the hopes of covering how drunk I really was.

“It’s always been like this for me, so I’m pretty much used to it. I tried drinking a couple of times before and it always turned out like this. I’m surprised that you’re not back at the table exchanging stories with the rest of them, by the way. It seems like Soyeon’s ranting here and there. She could use your advice, you know… I don’t think there’s any good advice she could get from us guys.”

“I’m not really good in that aspect so I don’t think that there’s that much I could do. I’m just trying to let the alcohol pass, that’s why I’m here. I think I drank way too much it’s getting on my senses.”

“That seems to be the case, yeah. You were guzzling those glasses as if they were your last, you know.”

“You’re one to talk. I saw you do the exact same thing and treating the liquor as if it’s just another kind of drink… a juice, perhaps or even refreshment. I’m surprised that you could still walk to the rest room without knocking anything over.”

“Well, they call it beginner’s luck,” I said as I smiled back. “I’m just here curious how this entire idea feels like. My sister’s not entirely cool with it, but I guess once won’t hurt now, won’t it? Plus, the cocktail… the so-called ‘Love Potion’… it really tastes good once you really get used to it. It’s more of a satisfying beverage at some point. If only I would not get really dizzy after drinking more, I would have beckoned myself for another glass.”

Ningning smiled after a short silence broke, and then she continued.

“There’s no way this is just going to be a one-time thing; not when Hongseok’s in the friend group and even Kyungsoo, even Shinwon for that matter. It’s almost impossible to decline a huge invite especially when you’re not really paying for anything.”

“At least I have good role models, I guess. How about you? Drinking too much like that could only mean something, especially from the point of view of a person who really does not drink a lot. Do you have a problem, by any chance? I might not look much but I think I can help… maybe….”

God what on earth am I saying to her?

“I just figured I could use a break,” she replied with a shake of her head. “University work is literally beating the shit out of me. A little distraction would be nice, which is why I’m here. It won’t solve anything directly, but at least I get to relax and take a breather.���

“Ah, I know a good distraction; I discovered a small coffee shop not far from the Uni’s main gate. You should check it out. They serve really good coffee.”

For the first time since standing beside her, Ningning turned her gaze and actually faced me; her eyes gleaming in the pale moonlight.

“I mean, it’s a good unwinding spot if you have nothing to do,” I continued. I honestly don’t know what I’m even saying at this point. Random bullshit, go, I guess.

Let’s just hope that it works. It’s the alcohol that’s making me talk.

“I’ve actually been there,” she replied while still keeping her gaze on me. “They do serve good drinks. It just annoys me sometimes that there are a lot of people who stay there when I need a seat, and that is saying that it happened to me a lot of times now.”

“It’s a testament to how good their coffee is. I think I’ve tried almost every single one of it so I can testify; it really is good.”

Before I could even continue, I was startled by the sound of Ningning actually bringing her barely filled glass between us with a nod, as if she’s trying to imply a toast for us both.

Of course it was a universally recognizable gesture and so I beckoned ahead and clanged my glass with hers. We then both proceeded to drink the remainder of our glasses as we gazed off into the evening.

“So you’re trying to loosen the alcohol up as well, huh?” she asked amidst the ensuing silence.

“I am. I certainly don’t want to go home like this, despite how late it is in the evening already.”

“You can do that while staying on the table, though. You said it yourself that Soyeon’s ranting about something; if anything she could use your advice more than mine. No matter how stupid it sounds, I think it’s better if it’s coming from you rather than me,” added Ningning. “You seem to be the type who’s into those kinds of things. You had that aura about you.”

“Yeah I really didn’t catch the whole story since the beginning so all I’m hearing now are her frustrations. I might end up saying some things that are not what she wants to hear, especially with this confidence that the Love Potion has given me.”

Ningning smiled.

“Well, if you’re trying to loosen up before heading home, I suggest you stay here longer. Your face is really red I could easily mistake you for a tomato. Surely you won’t like for your sister to see you like that now, would you? I certainly won’t let you head home with that face either; definitely not.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t really intend to—“

“YAH…!” interrupted the shrill voice of Soyeon going louder than the blaring music. It was enough to sway both Ningning and me and turn towards her for the sudden commotion, just in case it was something that was going wrong. However, it could also be that she’s just answering back to either of the guys she was talking to, and the shrill voice mas merely and emphasis on her point. It turns out; she actually yelled out of spite and pointed towards both our directions.

“YOU TWO JUST MET AND YET YOU’RE ALREADY DATING IN FRONT OF ME. YOU DARE YOU DO THAT TO A PERSON THAT JUST CAME FROM A HEART BREAK, ESPECIALLY YOU, YOON JAE-IN!”

“Oh my god, she’s drank so much it’s already getting to her head,” Ning whispered to my left. “You got to forgive her; not all people let the alcohol pass like we do.”

“We’re not dating, Soyeon-ssi; we’re just letting the drink pass down!” I called back towards her.

“’NOT DATING’ MY ASS; YOU WERE SECONDS AWAY FROM KISSING NING! I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED IF IT WERE ME, JAE-IN!”

My god, it’s turning weirder and weirder by the second. The fact that my other drunken friends are joining on the train by laughing their asses off certainly did not help the situation. Fuck.

“Can you please do a new friend a favour and head back there for me? They won’t listen to me at this point because they’ll just tease me,” Ningning asked before she turned her back again towards the dark horizon, swatting my face with her lengthy hair in the process.

I nodded in response although I’m still not sure what she’s implying I do. I was actually about to head back to the table when I was greeted by the sight of Soyeon leaving the table first. Kino was already napping while Kyungsoo transferred his attention to the still-talking Shinwon and Yeri; perhaps wanting to put them on the hot seat. Soyeon was clearly out of her balance, tripping almost on every stool that was placed in front of her and sending some of them crashing around. I immediately went out and caught her just as she was close to both Ningning and I’s positions, her breathe clearly emanating a strong tinge of the Love Potion’s remnants.

“I knew that you were such a gentleman, Jae-in,” she said with a dreamy haze, supplying me with a wide smile as she rested her weight on my body. “You looked really good under the moon and stars for tonight, you know.”

Wow, she’s so different when she’s drunk. Oh my god.

“Ning,” Soyeon said towards the figure of the other girl resting on the terrace. “Do you mind if I borrow Jae-in from you for a couple of minutes? I might not bring him back though; I got something serious to tell him…”

‘Something serious’…? What is going on between us that she has ‘something serious’ to tell me?

I was expecting, and half-heartedly wishing, that Ningning would just say ‘no’ due to Soyeon being really drunk in her current state, but instead I got a mere flick of the wrist from Ningning as if to say that she’d care less if Soyeon takes me for her own. Of course, there was a part of panic within me, but then again I doubt there’s anything Soyeon could do on her current state. Ningning then proceeded to down her throat with the remaining liquid on her glass.

Jeon Soyeon pulled me with such surprisingly vigorous force despite her drunken state away from Ningning, and eventually, away from the rest of the table. I was sobered up a bit after talking to Ning by the ledge, and now I was able to notice how empty the boathouse as well as the entire rooftop had been. I lost track of time for sure, but I guess in these types of places, staying up pretty late is quite a normal practice. There were literally no other people present in these premises, and I think the next batches of tables were filled with sleeping people who unfortunately got gut by the alcohol.

Soyeon and I went through the boathouse and beyond, settling both of us far from the main table of our group and into the darker, farther part of the place where we were clearly out of earshot. Her choice of seat perfectly concealed us from the view of the table, and the perfectly placed post further shrouded any evidence that we were even there. Both of us collapsed on the leather seats with Soyeon blocking my view of the table for good.

This must be really serious then if she’s letting me sit here with her away from everyone else.

I just can’t think of anything on the top of my head as to why she’d resort to doing this. What’s the huge deal?

Also… why me? Soyeon and I barely even talked during our lunch out, and we really haven’t had a long enough conversation between us so why would she even begin to trust me with something that only I am supposed to know? I don’t get it.

I don’t get any of it.

“This seems really serious. I just don’t get why you would talk to me instead of the others, Soyeon-ssi.”

“I just… I just wanted to talk to you… in private, Jae-in,” she replied, barely even keeping her voice on point. “I need it to specifically be you, otherwise this won’t work.”

“Are you okay? Aren’t you sleepy already? If you can’t drink, don’t force yourself anymore. Sooner or later we’re already going home anyway. We certainly can’t let you go home if you’re drunk like your current state.”

“Then, if they won’t let me go home alone, why don’t you take me with you instead?”

What?

Surprisingly, Soyeon then wrapped her right hand around my neck as if to embrace me. I knew she was drunk, but that gesture felt really concise and something told me that she was fully aware of what she was doing.

“Soyeonah,” I said, holding her hand with my own in the hopes of moving it out of my neck soon. “You’re really drunk. I think you should sober up a bit because you’re starting to go all over the place. Let’s head back to the table and clean-up with everyone else.”

I was about to stand when I felt her hand prevent me from even standing up. Once again, I looked back to her in utmost effort despite the faint light of the boathouse.

“Please don’t leave me here alone, Jae-in. I just want to talk to you and I haven’t gotten to my point just yet. Please, can you just spare me a couple of minutes?”

“Are you sure you’re okay? Can you promise me that you’re not feeling dizzy or anything?”

“I can promise you that. I may be a bit tipsy but I sure know what I’m doing.”

Well, I guess I’ll just have to put up with this. I don’t think that I have a way out of it anyway.

“So how are the first impressions doing for you currently?” she asked.

“Everything’s going really well so far… at least I got to say that having alcohol in me gave me courage to talk to you and Ningning otherwise I would not have given in. I’m normally just a shy and timid guy who waits for people to come talk to me.”

“There’s a first time for everything, Jae-in… I really look forward to drinking often with you because you seem to be a really fun guy to drink with.”

“I… I honestly cannot agree with you on that. I don’t know what else I bring to the table other than my presence.”

“Really now…? I don’t think that’s what I saw when I first saw you on the lunch out… I’ve had my eye on you since then, you know… you’re really effortlessly… attractive.”

She’s really drunken her ass off oh my god.

“I… I don’t know what to say to that, Soyeonnie.”

“You don’t have to say anything to that… it’s just the sheer truth. You’re very outspoken and shy like you said, and probably won’t even agree to whatever I’m going to tell you right now… but you don’t have to. I know you won’t anyway, but please let me voice out what I see in you… can you let me do that for tonight, Jae-in-oppa?”

“O-Of course, I can’t see any reason why I won’t let you do that…”

What the heck is going on?

A brief silence emerged between both of us with the loud party music blaring on the background. Even though I was seated right next to her, I could barely even see the outline of her face thanks to the limited lighting. I fell silent, quite unsure of what to tell her, and so I merely stared at the broadcast on the television above.

And then, I felt Soyeon’s head rest on my left shoulder.

---

Soyeon’s gesture alone sent thousands of signals throughout Jae-In’s body like an electric jolt. However, it quickly subsided as soon as he realized what the cause might have been. He then immediately turned towards her figure and spoke.

“Soyeonnie, are you okay? Are you already sleepy?”

“No, I’m not, Jae-in-oppa… I just… I just wanted to rest on your shoulder because I can’t take it anymore…”

What Jae-in thought was just a product of his imagination turned out to be true as Soyeon’s eyes began to get flooded with tears, streaming down her prevalent cheeks and down towards his very shoulder. There was a split-second of panic with Jae-in as he really had no idea how to deal with a crying person, ever more so a girl that he barely just met recently. The fact that it was also Soyeon, a person he viewed to be really open and easy-going, be the person who’s breaking down in front of him felt something that appeared out of nowhere. Regardless, any illusions of leaving Soyeon there and joining the rest of the group were thrown off of the window.

There was no way he’d leave her, not when she just shed every barrier in front of him like that.

“Soyeonnie… are… are you alright…?”

It felt a really cliché thing to ask, pointless even, because it was already obvious that she was crying and that she’s not, but it was the only thing that Jae-in could muster for having to react on such a sudden event.

“We… we have our personal reasons on drinking out t-tonight right…?” Soyeon continued on amidst her eventual crying. “I know that you wanted to try things out… but d-do you know why I c-came here to drink?”

“I… I have no idea; Soyeonnie… is it the same reason as everyone else…? Did you want to meet some new people like we all wanted when we first got added to the messaging group?”

“Maybe that’s what people like you want… I’m just happy to meet some new friends as well, but I also figured it would be nice to lull myself in alcohol this evening… especially because I got to meet an amazing person such as you, Jae-in…”

“You’re putting me too much on a pedestal. I don’t think you’ve know me enough to say how much of an impact I actually do to people, Soyeonnie. I told you… I’ve always been the background character and I’m perfectly fine with that… I’m sorry but I don’t think I deserve the praise that you’re giving me.”

Silence erupted which lasted for about a couple of minutes. Jae-in was not sure whether that was because Soyeon finally caught up to what he was trying to make her understand, or if she’s just too tired to even argue back because the conversation would yield no fruit in that aspect whatsoever. It was an awkward position for sure, but since Soyeon did not show any signs of stopping her crying any time soon, Jae-in thought of ways to comfort her as her friend.

Slowly, he lifted his free arm and brought it behind Soyeon and gave her a soft caress of comfort. He tried to make it as casual as possible; certainly the last thing he’d like to happen was for Soyeon to think that he’s taking advantage of her current state.

“D-do you want to know why I went off drinking tonight?” Soyeon asked.

“Why…?”

“My boyfriend… well ex now… we broke up yesterday… he broke up with me.”

Oh shit

“Oh… I’m… I’m sorry to hear that… I didn’t know… you didn’t seem to have a problem when I first saw you a while back.”

Was that even what I was supposed to say to her?

“It’s okay… I know that I don’t really show too much… I got really good at that ever since we had a fall out two months ago…”

In Jae-in’s head, there’s no real reason for Soyeon to tell him of her life story precisely because they had just met, but also he had to consider that perhaps it was her way of breaking the ice between them. Maybe in Soyeon’s perspective, it’s easier to open up like that and anchor their friendship for something else. The other half of him, however, still felt puzzled nonetheless.

“We’ve been dating for a couple of months now,” she continued. “But it’s about two months ago that we just had a huge disagreement that lead to him treating me differently…  things never became the same ever since. I tried to console him and save what was left of our relationship… I even went to Gangnam to see him; booked us a trip to Jeju for everything, but he refused to meet up with me… he told me to get lost and yesterday, he called it off already…”

“I’m… that’s too harsh, Soyeon… I’m sorry that you had to experience that.”

Soyeon began to sob really hard after recalling the story, flooding Jae-in’s shoulders with more tears as she gently rubbed her eyes against his sleeve.

“It is okay; Soyeonnie… let it all out. It’s better than keeping it in. I’ll listen to you.”

“Is there something wrong with me, Jae-in? Am I not enough that every guy I seem to date end up breaking up with me? Am I not enough?”

“Shh… don’t say that to yourself… you’re enough, Soyeon. You’re more than enough.”

“Then why do I always end up miserable?”

“Maybe you’re just picking the wrong guys; I guess… maybe you’re always choosing the ones who don’t value you, or who don’t see the value in you…”

“What made you say so?”

Oh shit, I haven’t thought of this through…

“You’re really talented, Soyeonnie…. Not everyone can write songs the same rate that you do. Kyungsoo told me what you’re capable of. Not just that as well… even though we really haven’t gotten that time to interact too much, I could tell how much of a caring and loving person you are. Let’s just say that… in a theoretical situation where you’re my girlfriend, I would consider myself really lucky. It’s an honour to be dating the one Jeon Soyeon… I guess it’s just the guys who were really after your fame rather than your heart that you often meet…”

“You can see those traits in me, Jae-in-oppa?”

“Yeah… actually I’m envious of your boyfriend… or ex, sorry. I mean, not in a romantic way or… yeah. The point is, he managed to get a girl like you and yet I can’t even move past the friendship border with the people I get to like. I really don’t know what else to do after ‘hello’, which is perhaps the reason why I can’t find a girlfriend after my last one, did not totally work out. The standards of the people I end up liking were too high that I can’t even fathom.”

“Is that true…? Aren’t you being a bit too hard on yourself?”

“It’s just the truth…”

“What if there’s someone here who’s starting to like you, do you think that they’d like to hear those words escaping your lips?”

“I honestly cannot imagine that someone would do that. I’m not exactly a person who appeals to the majority of the girls, especially on NLU’s standards. It would take a huge bunch of luck if I’d—“

Before he could even finish his sentence, Jae-in was immediately silenced by a soft slap coming from Soyeon’s side. The small gesture was more than enough for him to transfer his gaze to her, only received by Soyeon’s own piercing gaze as she tightened her hold on Jae-in’s neck.

“What if I told you that I’m starting to like you, Yoon Jae-in?”

[dazedkook]

i. LUST FOR LIFE, KTH

taehyung might adore his sugar baby a little bit too much.

pairing: sugardaddy!taehyung x sugarbaby!reader

genre: fluff,,, light smut

wordcount: 4928 words

warnings: age gap, tae is 35 and oc is 20, rich taehyung, DILF TAEHYUNG, whipped taehyung 🥱, bratty babie oc, praise kink, holding hands, kissing, oral (m receiving), softdom!taehyung, sub!reader, yeontan and nayeon made an appearance, unrealistic depiction of sugar daddy world, i overused the word pretty and baby, haven't edited it enough and shitty grammar 😑

Taehyung still remember how you were like a year ago, it was livid in his memories. You were the sweetest girl ever, so timid and innocent as a baby lamb. He would never forget how your eyes widened then you started blabbering after he proposed the idea of you being his sugar baby.

"Do you want to be my sugar baby?" Taehyung casually asked as he scooped the strawberry cheesecake before feeding a spoonful of it to you. His heart clenched at the sight of you looking very confused but still try to finish the cake.

"S-sugar baby? I don't think I am the right person you're looking for?" You hesitantly gave him an answer as your mouth opened again so he can feed you more.

"I don't think so. You are lovely, beautiful and so damn adorable. I like it" Taehyung truthfully said and chuckled seeing how you flustered in your seat, he was enjoying the sight of your reddening cheeks.

"B-but, what if I'm not good?" You questioned and stared at the strawberry slices on the cake as you waited for his reply.

Honestly, you were scared that you would disappoint him. As you can remember from the sugar baby stories that you read on Cosmopolitan before, a sugar daddy is a rich older man who lavishes gifts on younger woman in return for her company or sexual favour.

You let out a low gasp, there was possibility that Taehyung might ask for sexual favour in return? There was no way he wanted to give you money without anything in return!

Taehyung on the other side was staring at you without any hint of shame. Anyone that had not known the context of the situation would assume he was a creep that forced you to talk with him. He realised that you had the cutest mannerism ever. Like, he wondered if it was possible for a human to be this endearing? You were still flustered by his words so you chose to ignore his stare, eyes fixated on the cake instead. Yeah, too adorable. He soon noticed how you seemed to be in a deep thought so he interrupted you,

"Sweetheart, I would never force you to do anything that you are not comfortable with. I do not expect sexual favour from you, I just want to spoil you and you will give me your company in return? You can accompany me to walk my pet or have meals together" He explained thoroughly since you seemed to get the wrong idea.

Though, it would be a complete bullshit if Taehyung never had lewd thoughts about you. How can he resist it when you looked so fuckable in your adorable pink tennis skirt? Your shirt that he thought was way too small for your frame? That frilly socks? He wanted to strip you naked, bend you over the table and rail you for hours. Maybe he would cuddle after that. He put the thought aside, you probably considered him as a friendly big brother. Someone that was 15 years older and somehow very generous to you.

"Can I have some time to think about it?" You requested while stirring the iced matcha, hoping he would consider it. It was a great offer, you could pay your student loan and buy pretty clothes. You just have to accompany him and get to play with puppy too! Nevertheless, you still have to ask for your roommate's opinion. Nayeon always give you the best advice.

"You can take your time, I'll be waiting for you" Taehyung agreed and stood up from his seat. He did not want to make you feel uncomfortable so he thought the best option would be sending you back to your dorm.

"I should send you back now. We don't want your roommate to get worried right?" He added as he intertwined your smaller hand with him. 

"So tiny" He thought as he noticed the size differences between your hand and his.

It did not take Taehyung a long time before you became his sugar baby.

Within a span of a year, you made a full 180° changes and turned into the biggest brat Taehyung ever seen. You were still the same lovely girl though, just a little bit naughtier and not so innocent anymore.

4 months into your relationship with Taehyung, he bought you an apartment that was close to your university. He heard you subtly complained about your noisy neighbor and decided to purchase a fucking apartment at the next day. After asking for his permission, you brought Nayeon along to live together since you were not used to living alone. He even hired a chauffeur because there was no way he would let you struggle every morning just to get the bus.

It was weekend and you decided to do a cleaning spree. Your room had been messy for the past weeks since you were too occupied with assignment. Your roommate, Nayeon entered your room with a bag of chips. She made some loud noises as she watched you organised your closet,

"You know what, I still think that it's kind of weird that he spends so much on you" She commented as you put the newly purchased dress on the laundry basket.

"It's not weird though? I'm his sugar baby" You responded while separating the white and coloured clothes.

"How long you've been his sugar baby? 4 months?" She continued questioning Taehyung's intention to you.

"He's a nice guy! You've met him before" You whine in frustration, clearly holding yourself from throwing the clothes to her face.

"Baby, don't get mad. You know, you can get really oblivious sometimes" She mumbled as she put the chips aside to help you with the laundry. Nayeon had the thought that maybe Taehyung considered you more than a sugar baby?

Taehyung was an attractive man, he took good care of himself. Fit body, good personality and once again, very attractive. Nayeon wondered why he didn't find a girlfriend but had a sugar baby instead? He was capable of finding someone around his age that was probably hotter, mature and definitely interested in him.

"I know that he is a nice guy, he is really hot too" She playfully said and you landed a slap to her ass, totally not liking the way she talked about your daddy.

"It's not funny, I didn't laugh okay?" You pinched her plump cheeks before carrying the basket to the laundry room.

"Come on, we can share" She joked and ran to her own room before you whoop her ass again.

As usual, her devilish ass would bribe you with food and you made up.

6 months into your relationship with Taehyung, he started inviting you to his house. He even gave you permission to visit him at his office. Taehyung got notified by his secretary that you wanted to visit him. Soon, he heard a knock and the door was wide open, revealing you in a khaki skirt and purple top.

"I bought coffee for you" You showed him the nicely packed Starbucks on your hand. Wait, you have to show him something!

"It arrived in the mail last week" You excitedly said as you twirled around, showing him how pretty the skirt was. You were wearing the clothes that he picked for you, he definitely had an incredible sense of fashion.

"You have nice taste" You added before putting the coffee on his desk. You spinned one more time, loving how the skirt flowed.

"So pretty, come here" He motioned you to sit on his lap. You made yourself comfortable on his lap and watched him doing his work, it was a comfortable silence.

"Daddy, can I play with your phone?" You asked while your hands were busy fixing his tie. The fabrics felt expensive on your hands.

"Sure, but don't move too much okay?" He warned since he could not afford to get hard in the middle of his work. You gave his cheek a kiss before taking his phone out of his elegant suit, you typed in your birth date before the phone unlocked. Your hand automatically tapped the online shopping application. You had spent thousands of dollar every month just for online shopping, it had became your new addiction. Taehyung took a peek on you before he bursted into a laugh,

"I think my baby has forgotten that she has used all of her monthly allowance" He booped your cute nose and gave you a forehead kiss.

"I'm just looking at the dresses!" You defended yourself, totally not feeling guilty about it. You added another camisole into cart.

"Daddy, can I have this one?" You showed him the Strawberry Midi Dress Black, the one that you have been eyeing for quite a while.

"Baby, you still have another packages waiting for you" He reminded you and continued doing his work. It wasn't his intention to offend you but you took it in the wrong way. Feeling dejected with his words, you closed the application and put the phone inside his suit’s pocket again. 

Taehyung noticed how your shoulders were slumped and lips slightly pouted,

"My pretty baby is mad?" His big hands cupped your smaller face and gave a soft rub on your cheeks. Your heart cheered at the little affection he gave, yet continuing to make a sullen expression as you gave him a nod.

"Daddy, I want that dress. You love seeing me in dress, right?" You tried to persuade him to get the dress. So far, you had no problems at convincing him.

"Sweetheart, you would look absolutely gorgeous in that dress but didn't you purchased it last week?" He retorted as his hands lovingly patted the top of your head. 

 "But it was in a different colour! I got the pink version last week. This one is the black version" Your tiny fists hit his chest. Taehyung sighed and held you wrists using one hand as you struggle to get away from him,

"Baby, you're being so brat-" His words were cut in by your pitiful whine.

"Daddy, I'm not your favourite girl anymore?" There you go, with your stupidly adorable puppy eyes. He pulled a heavy sigh before showering your adorable face with kisses,

"You know that you are my favourite girl, little one" He mumbled as he nuzzed his face on your neck, he loved your scent so much. He missed how your lips turned into a shy smile.

"And you're my favourite daddy!" You playfully said as you pushed him away to cup his stunning face.

"Check out the cart, please?" You whispered and smiled in victory as Taehyung filled in his card details. He gave you a kiss before he continued his work.

"Daddy?" You called him and tapped his shoulder to get his attention. He hummed as a signal that he was paying attention to you.

"I am so sorry for hitting you and I swear I won't behave badly again" You embarrassedly said and rubbed the area that you hit, you know it didn't hurt him but it felt better to apologize. Taehyung rolled his eyes before pinching your round cheeks,

"Consider yourself lucky because you're very adorable, I can't get mad at you" He mumbled and patted your mellow cheeks.

"You're the best" You admitted while you held his hands tightly, loving how cold it was.

"Tell me something I don't know" He playfully said and let you to intertwine your hands with him.

"I'm your favourite person on earth?" You jokingly asked since his answer would always flatter you.

"Tell me something I don't know" He repeated his words. He thought that it was pretty obvious that you were his favourite person, it was ridiculous at how whipped he was for you. Not to mention that it hadn't been a year since you appeared in his life.

"I hate you" You mumbled as you softly tugged the Chanel necklace that hung perfectly on his neck. Sigh, you wanted more of his attention.

"No, you don't" He cockily said, you just snuggled closer to him. He knew you so well.

It was just another day of you staying at his place, Taehyung was making coffee while you were busy entertaining his pet, a small brown puppy named Yeontan.

"Yeontan, come here!" You excitedly called the short puppy and wiggled the chew toys in front of him.

He had to admit that your relationship with him was definitely different from his past's relationship. It wasn't purely based off sexual benefits, he genuinely enjoyed your presence.

He chuckled seeing how excited Yeontan was to play with you. He often come home tired so there was no time to play with him. He brought the coffee and sat down on the expensive white leather couch. He grabbed the chew toys and moved it around as an attempt to get Yeontan's attention but he got ignored instead.

"It's unfair! Why Yeontan likes you better? I am his owner" His lips turned pouty as he desperately wiggle the balls. Being the clingy creature Yeontan was, he decided to run in a circle around your legs.

"Yeontan-ah! Your daddy is going to sulk if you continue being like this" You tried to scold the puppy but he continued mopping you around. You were quick to catch him before you ran to Taehyung. You hopped on his lap and straddled his waist,

"Hug me" You requested with eyes wide open, anticipating his touch. A bright smile appeared on your face when he hugged you tightly.

"He is so attached with you" He murmured as he left kisses all over your neck. You were giggling as you tried to push him away.

"I told you to spend more time with him" You remarked while your hands patted the puppy's head.

"I will make an effort, okay?" He said while his hands slowly travelled down to your thighs. Fuck, he wanted you so bad.

Taehyung had no idea how he was capable of holding himself back. You were literally his dream girl, sitting prettily on his lap with cute yellow dress and hugging a cute puppy.

He rubbed your thighs and almost moaned at how soft it felt like. On the other side, you were completely unaware as you were too busy giving Yeontan kisses and praises.

You were wearing a tight summer dress that flaunted your honey thighs so well. Taehyung noticed that you have obsessions with skirt and dresses, he made sure to buy a lot of it for you. You were so oblivious and it was driving him insane. He felt his pants was getting tighter, he exhaled a shaky breath.

"Darling, I have to do my work now. Enjoy yourself hmm?" He said as he carefully pushed you off from his lap. You gave him a kiss on his cheek before he headed to his room. Taehyung locked the door and inhaled a deep breath, he looked down and noticed the growing tent.

"Fuck, why am I like this?" He whispered as he walked to the couch, he was acting like Victorian male that just saw a woman's ankle for the first time. He shook his head and reached over the small fridge before taking a cold Malt Whiskey, pouring a small amount for himself.

What was wrong with him? It shouldn't turn him on that much. He literally slept with plenty of women and seen them naked before. He inhaled a deep breath and tried to calm his breathing. Yes, he was going to think about cute animals and beautiful scenery.

A herd of sheep enjoying meal together in the middle of a big farm, he cackled at the thought.

A fluffle of bunnies playing around a small garden and sleeping together, very cute.

A pack of puppies sleeping after having their bellies rubbed, so wholesome.

Wait. Puppies? Yeontan? Fuck, he was thinking about you again. It was getting painfully hard down there before he made an abrupt decision.

"Fuck it, just for today" He mumbled as he unzipped his pants, palming himself at the thought of you. The images of you in a dangerously short skirt drove him mad. It didn't take him a long time before he made a mess all over the table.

He cleaned the stains and decided to do his work to distract himself from getting hornier. It was embarrassing and disgusting that he had to jerk off at the thought of you but he would rather do that than forcing you into it.

Meanwhile, it had been hours since he left you. You had finished two movies, sat in the hot tub for an hour and even cleaned his house because you were that bored. You took a look on the sleepy puppy,

"Yeontan-ah, should we go check on your daddy?" You asked the brown puppy. His tail wagged in excitement as if he was agreeing with your suggestion.

"Alright baby, we are going to check on your daddy now" You woke up from the couch and carried the tiny creature to Taehyung's office. You knocked the door twice before entering his workroom, you were greeted by a sight of him in distress.

"You haven't come out of your office for almost a day" You mumbled as you strolled closer to him.

"I'm so sorry, darling. I didn't realise it has been hours" He replied and opened his arms wide asking for a huge from you.

"Yeontan is missing you" You handed him the puppy instead of giving him a hug. He shook his head,

"Tsk, come here. You miss me too right?" He teasingly said, you cheekily smiled before crawling to his lap.

"I miss you so much, it was boring without you" You expressed as you carefully put Yeontan on the floor, you wanted to have a moment with him.

He carefully held your jaw before he leaned in for a kiss, soft moans could be heard as he caressed your soft hair. Being the brat you were, you tugged on his shirt as you tried to assert dominance and pulled him closer to your body. Taehyung gave a firm slap on your ass before you whined in the kiss,

"It hurts!" You complained. As usual, it didn't hurt. You only wanted attention.

Taehyung bit his lips and pinched your cheeks,

"My baby is a sucker for attention" He stated a matter of fact but you shook your head in denial. He continued doing his work while you laid your head on his chest. A frown appeared on your face as soon as you realised something hard poking your entrance, you could feel his dick under the fabrics of your clothes.

Being the brat you were, you took this as a chance to play around. You slowly moved your hips and made sure to rub on his hardened shaft.

"F-fuck, baby. Don't do that" He whimpered and held your body to make you stop. He had no idea that you were doing it intentionally.

"Why? My daddy is enjoying it though?" You asked him in that voice. The voice you used when you asked for head pats and kisses. The one you used whenever you wanted something from him.

"N-no, you can't do this. I won't be able hold myself" His words came out shakily and you giggled at it. You were having too much fun.

"Can I suck you off, please?" You asked him nicely as you continued grinding on his clothed dick. You could feel how hard it was through the thin fabrics of your panties.

"Are you sure?" He cupped your face, making you look directly into his eyes. He didn't want you to do it just because you felt bad of him.

"Yes. You can teach me, right?" Fuck, you were making him go crazy. He knew you haven't done this before and that made him even fucking hard.

"Get on your knees" He whispered before you positioned yourself in between his legs, kneeling on the cold floor.

You soon noticed that Yeontan was staring at both of you, guilt washed all over your body. He must felt left out.

"Daddy, are you going to let Yeontan watch us?" You suddenly asked him, he laughed at your question and tucked your hair behind your ear.

"Let him be" He said as he patted your head, he really can't wait to ruin your pretty face.

"But, he is still a baby though" You deadpanned, totally not giving a single fuck about his dick that was about to explode.

"Fuck, okay. Let's put him outside for a while?" He suggested and smiled watching you carry him outside.

"I'm so sorry baby, we'll be back" You muttered and leave the small puppy outside his office room. You got into your previous position and rested your hands on his thighs.

"Let me undress you" Your hands were trembling as you unzipped his pants. Why were you getting nervous out of sudden?

"Come on baby" He encouraged you and patted your head while whispering sweet words to you. You were greeted with his black brief. You could see the outline of his cock and it was fucking big. You moved closer and tugged his brief down, letting his cock sprung free.

Fuck, his cock was so big and pretty. Taehyung pinched your cheeks and laughed when he felt your cheeks were warmer than usual,

"Don't be shy, go give it a touch" He commanded and moaned seeing you touch his dick. You were curious and played with his balls too. So cute, he thought.

His dick was fucking thick, you couldn't even wrap your hand around it. Taehyung chuckled seeing how you struggle with it.

"Lick it" He suggested and winced in pleasure when you gave his tip a kittenish lick. You laughed and licked it again, he must've liked it.

"Am I doing it right?" You asked for reassurance as your hands pumped his cock. God, you had no idea how much Taehyung was holding himself back from shoving his length down and deep into your throat.

"So fucking good. Take it into your mouth, slowly" He instructed and moaned loudly as his cock finally entered your warm mouth. He could fucking die at the moment.

"You're doing so well, angel. Keep going" He hissed seeing how you started to move faster and took him like a champion. It was getting hard for you to breath but you wanted to satisfy him. You reached out for his hands and held it tightly as you continued sucking the life out of him.

"Oh my God, so fucking good" Taehyung whimpered as you started to gag around his cock. He moaned louder at the sight of you gagging around his cock,

"So beautiful, my pretty girl takes dick so well" He reached over your head and gave soft pat as you sucked the hell out of him. He felt himself getting closer so he pushed you away,

"O-open your mouth" He gasped for a breath and his lips twitched into a smile at the sight of you kneeling right in front his dick, so fucking obedient. Taehyung never imagined that someone could look so angelic while giving head but you were a living proof of it. Your hands were on your lap as you waited patiently for his cum. You noticed he seemed to be closer as he pumped his dick faster,

"Daddy, hurry up~" Your whiny voice sent him to edge. It didn't take him long before his thick liquid splattered all over your pretty face. He continued pumping his cock and heaved a sigh as he finally emptied his balls. His sensitive dick twitched at the sight of your cum stained face, so damn beautiful. He wanted to take a picture of it and frame it.

"Fuck, I'm so sorry. Let me clean your face hmm?" He reached out for the wet tissues, holding your jaw tightly as he wiped the cum off your face.

"Am I good?" You asked as you zipped his pants, he laughed while wiping the stain under your chin.

"You are way too good, I never come that fast in my life" He admitted and pulled you to stand up. He noticed the your knees had turned red from kneeling on the cold floor.

"Ah, we should've done it in my room" He mumbled and let you to jump on his body, he carried you to his room.

"Okay, let's do it again" You suggested and laughed out loud when he smacked your ass, you were becoming naughty by days.

Taehyung loved every moment he spent with you. Whether it be watching you play with Yeontan, seeing you cook breakfast or becoming the guest for your little fashion show that you always hold whenever your package arrived.

You had made it clear to Taehyung that you didn't want any sexual favour from him, he didn't have to take care of your needs. Ever since the day you gave Taehyung his best orgasm, you became even closer with him.

"Daddy, can we take a shower together?" You hesitantly asked him. Lord, Taehyung could never say no to you.

"Of course, we can" He agreed before he followed you into the bathroom. He had absolute no shame around you so he removed his clothes first.

"Daddy, I don't want to get naked yet. Can I?" You asked him another question while he already stripped himself off.

"Darling, why would you ask for my permission hmm? I am fine with it, you know I would never force you" He reassured as his hands rubbed your cheeks, you smiled at his words then gave him a kiss. He positioned himself comfortably at the corner of the tub before you joined him and sat in between his legs.

"Let me wash you today" You offered him since he must've been tired after spending a long day at the office.

"Thank you baby" He mumbled as he watched you spread the warm water all over his body. You poured the lavender scented shower gel all over your hands and rubbed it on his body.

Strangely, he didn't find the situation turning him on at all. He felt something ignited way deep down his stomach as he realised something, he adored you way too much. He wanted to protect you, give you everything you wanted and make you the happiest girl alive.

"I'm so happy that I could meet you" He confessed as he watched you made a foam on your hands.

"So sudden?" You let out a laugh before continuing rubbing the soap on his body, making sure he was clean.

"I don't know baby, you make me so fucking happy. I never been this happy in my whole life" The pet name naturally slipped out of his lips as he pushed your hair back, he wanted to see your face clearly.

"You know that you make me happy too" You honestly said and give his nose a peck. You lathered his head with the coconut scented shampoo,

"Close your eyes, we don't want your eyes to sting" He chuckled before closing his eyes and let you do everything.

He never thought that the idea of someone washing him off would stir feelings that he never knew he was capable to feel. He enjoyed your gentle massage and took a peek at you, he smiled seeing how delicate you treated him. For sure, he felt like he was in love.

Lord, what had you done to him?

After taking a warm bath together, you dressed up in your comfiest pajama. It was made out of silk, he bought it for you during his business trip to Japan. It became a must for Taehyung to always bring you gifts whenever he visited a new place. You watched him dress up while waiting for him to get on the bed,

"It is rude to stare, young lady" He said as he wiped his wet hair using the towel.

"You have a nice body" You praised him and kept on staring at him until he finished dressing up. He joined you under the comforter and threw his leg over your body. You played with the metal rings on his pretty hands before kissing the tip of his slender fingers,

"I really love being with you" You muttered in a sleepy voice as your wrapped your hands around his body. Your head was rested on his chest for warmth, listening to his slow paced breath.

"Me or Yeontan?" Taehyung playfully asked and cracked into laughter when you started to whine.

"You cannot ask me that!" You complained before taking the big pillow and hit his toned chest.

"No, I want an answer" He demanded while his hands pulled you closer to him again, he rested his chin on top of your head while rubbing your back in a circle.

"Both" You snuggled closer to him and trailed wet kisses on his neck, he smelt so fucking good.

"Don't be greedy, choose one" His left eyebrow raised as he looked at you for an answer.

"Yeontan" Your eyes crinkled into crescent shape when he squished your face.

"I love you" He whispered lovingly as he traced the beauty mark on your face, you were so beautiful.

"You better keep on loving me" Your lips turned into a pout, you knew he didn't mean it. He only said it because you would be so giddy after that.

"I promise" He assured and patted your head so you can sleep. A smile crept in to his face as your soft snores filled the dark room.

Little did you know, Taehyung doesn't think he can stop loving you.

author’s note: hi,,, it's finally finished. i hope y'all like it 🥺 thank you for reading it and thank you again for showing support to my first fic ever !! i am not sure if i will turn this into a series but i might write drabbles for them in the future 👍 

☆ any feedback is appreciated ☆

i apologize if it is not great as you expected, i promise my writing and grammar will improve by time ^^ i also apologize for the unnecessary amount of italic in this fic...

♡ taglist ♡

@jiminisnotavirgin @taesluttt @aretha170 @thedarkwinterrose @happyhrsme

[ellsbclls]

" wow... you look... you look amazing. " for peter please? i love love love ur writing btw!

NOTE: This... ended up so embarrassingly long... i don't even know what the word count is, but i can bet it's a good 20%-30% longer than the average blurb.

WARNINGS: cursing, quirky🤪 mentions of drug use, implied making out (but can be perceived as sex, dear god please don’t perceive it as sex though), and some good ol’ fashion stark!ready x peter parker banter

They say, "never meet your heroes." Well, Peter wished he had adhered to that warning before he ended up here — a lanky, overdressed thumb towering high above the roof of the Avenger's Compound.

A semi-annual assembly of New York City's finest heroes that had little to do with their civic duties, and much to do with their inhibitions, and just how much alcohol it would take to release them — but there was one glaring problem.

Peter didn't drink.

He never saw the allure, especially when it came at such a high risk. He'd convinced himself that he refrained for the sake of Aunt May, the only remaining part of his family who put her life on the line to ensure his safety and overall well-being — the Spider-Man reveal already took some getting used to, he didn't need to add drunken night expenditures to her overnight fretting. Yet, when Flash's 'End of the Year' party had been raided by the police, a small part of him found joy in knowing he needn't fear the police or their breathalyzer test, even if he was deemed Pussy Parker for the remainder of that summer.

Even if he wanted to instill some liquid courage into himself, he hadn't the basic courage to let himself be vulnerable like that, in front of all the adults that made up the Avengers. Mr.Stark had already commented on his only suit, and how small he looked as it swamped his form, and the entire altercation made him wish the roof would just open up and swallow him whole.

Bullies, you'd call them.

There they were, New York's finest Defender's, huddled around the Mastrangelo like it couldn't put their entire life savings to shame, hosting a rousing game of beer pong upon its marble exterior. Your father was lucky your mother was still in Milan, tying up loose ends on a new line of bullshit you didn't concern yourself with. You just counted the days until she returned home, and you could soak up every ounce of her nurturing presence.

God, did you miss her.

It’s not like your father wasn’t just as nurturing, competitively so, to a point were you almost felt smothered — but you were too alike. In spaces where you both held too stubborn, your mother was there to mediate, and with ceaseless barrages of dry humor came her firm, unwavering severity, proving her love with candid remarks instead of jesting quips.

“Oh, free intern!” He dragged you from your nostalgic supercut with your endearing nickname, coaxing a fierce glare from your hues. “Run down to that place on 7th street and get some beer? And not that Miller Coor’s Bud bullshit, the upper echelon on Sigma Delta Nu delicacies.”

Jesus Christ.

You had caught glimpses of his argument with Steve, complaining about how stupid it would be to pour anything top shelf into a red solo cup — blasphemous really — but you didn’t expect him to do anything more than concede.

"Father of the year, everybody." You clapped just above your head, prompting the remaining company to join you. "I think you're forgetting that I'm not twenty-one."

"First and foremost, I know I am," Tony counters your triumphant grin with a sarcastic one. "Which is how I know that your fake ID says 21."

"Stark, it's fine. I can grab the beer," You thanked God and her impeccable timing once Steve interrupted, settling himself between the two of you with outstretched palms. "I could use the fresh air anyway."

You mimicked Steve's stance, cocking your brows toward your father. "See? Problem solved. Now leave me alone."

Losing interest in the company exponentially, you started to retreat, but groaned once your father's voice pierced the air again. "Nuh-uh-uh, Rogers. Why? So you can go to the nearest GNC and snort a container of protein powder? I don't think so."

You retreat to the furthest recesses of your mind as Tony and Steve bicker back and forth about honesty and friendly competition. Steve wouldn't know how to bump a rail if the U.S Army assembled a thorough, interactive training course on it, and his age quadrupled the life expectancy of most snow-packed socialites. Yet, on the other hand, you were shocked that your father even knew what a GNC was — ultimately, you were riled from your thoughts by an irksome realization.

"Are you fucking- Why can't old man Jenkins do it?" you gestured wildly toward the enhanced super soldier in question, blind to the obvious offense scrawled across his features. You seldom took your opulent lineage for granted, but when situations such as these presented themself, a selfish corner of your mind wondered what it would be like to have a run-of-the mill, cheesy-pun equipped, golf short wearing father. "You'd rather risk your daughter's own safety, and the sanctity of her criminal record, for a stupid game of beer pong?"

Natasha's incredulous laughter chimed between your incessant back and forth, spurred by the uncanny resemblance you and your father shared between every aspect imaginable — your dry wit just so happened to be in the spotlight.

"Yes," He didn't bother to meet your glare, already familiar with its scorching beam against the side of his face "Yes I would."

Hues practically rolled into the back of your skull, exaggerating your every move to a thespian level to make it clear, to even the boniest of heads, that you didn't take pleasure in this task. You were so excited to finally unwind at this event — slam down the sugary mocktail your Uncle Thor always "forgot" to order virgin, dangle your feet over the shallow end of the pool, maybe even shoot a few low jests at Bucky if there wasn't a carnal gleam in his eyes.

Your thrilling plans were now put on hold just to support your father's mid-life crisis.

"I know, I know." He tried to repeat the name of the wine stop n’ shop, only for you to wave him off. He wasn’t wrong — you had been abusing your fake ID in that very stop n’ shop for years, though you’ve recently come to the conclusion that the cashier was far more interested in your chest than your credentials. "If I get arrested, I'm bring you down with me. I'll tell Business Insider that FRIDAY's just one, big elaborate ruse for the underground Fake ID business you have on the side. They'll eat it up like-"

"Love you, honey! I'll venmo you!" He butt in, sending you off with a wave of his fingers.

You flipped him off, shouting an earnest 'I love you' in return. There was no denying that you loved each other, some would even argue that he loved you more than he loved himself — you just chose to show it in your own, eccentric way.

Mere seconds into your newfound task, you stopped dead in your tracks. You could make out that bed of chestnut locks anywhere.

"Parker?" Swiftly surveying his frumpy attire, you struggled to stifle the upward tilt of your lips. Even as he stood uncomfortably before you, visibly seconds away from crawling out of his own skin, he still managed to be the sweet, endearing Peter you knew and loved. "God, I didn't even realize that was you."

You didn't have the heart to tell him that you caught one fleeting glimpse of him at the very beginning of the festivities and thought he was a part of the catering company, nor did you feel a need to disclose the snide remark you whispered into your father's ear about the miserable staff. There was no sense in kicking a dead horse while it was already down.

His gaze weighed heavy against your frame, though, bolstered by an overwhelming intensity that forced you to wonder if he could read your mind. Though, if you could tap into his thoughts, you'd be shocked to find a reflection of your own — bewilderment, adoration, the tell-tale signs of a burgeoning crush, and the myriad of excuses that disputed them.

He could only manage to stumble over his words, complimenting you with sentiments that could never amount to the emotions welling in his chest. "Wow... you look... you look amazing."

And you couldn't argue, not with the way you were pampered hours prior. Mercier had smothered your hair in this honey-infused serum that made your curls bounce to life with each step, and the custom Jacquemus silhouette you were sporting hugged every ample curve enticingly so. You felt like a million bucks, and you probably cost that much give or take, so why deny it?

Peter, on the other hand — Well, he was very lucky that he was so cute, and his jawline could probably cut Vision's infinity stone straight out of his skull. It almost made up for the tragic shape of his suit, and just how tragically out of place it was at this event.

"You look, um-" Softness tugged at the corner of your eyes as they crinkled dotingly. "You look very cute."

"That was a very convincing half-truth." He chuckled, a subtle pink hue blooming over the valleys of his cheeks."

"Oh, so a part of you knows you're cute." You teased, enjoying the way the pink hue grew deeper.

"Oh! Oh, no... No, I mean, kind of? On the scale of confident perspectives, I think-uh-cute... Cute is on the lower end? And you know what? My Aunt May-"

"Peter, you wanna get out of here?" You interrupted him, hoping to save him from all the words he had yet to stumble over. "And then immediately come back?"

"Yeah," He vigorously nodded his head, despite being equally as confused. "Yeah, I'd like that a lot."

"Come," You offered your hand, a small gesture the two of you have woven into your complicated relationship. 

You'd tend to straddle a very thin line between friendship and something more, reaping all the warm, tentative affections of newfound lovers without explicitly considering yourselves so. The both of you, for as brilliant as your merits show, continued to convince yourselves that the hand holding, the comfortable silences, the mornings plastered against each other's sides, were simply happenstance. Despite the increasing willingness of each encounter, you'd only ever chalk it up to chance. So when you offered your hand out to him, he took it in stride — because the two of you would indulge in every ounce of attention you could get your hands on, at least until one of you inevitably came to your senses and found someone worth your time.

Your fingers were firmly intertwined as you led him to the roof’s exit, tugging him down the staircase and through the vacant halls of the top floor just in time to catch the elevator. You found no reason to keep his hand hostage once you were inside, so you begrudgingly retracted yours. You swore you could hear a pitiful huff come from his side of the elevator, but you chalked it up to wishful thinking. 

Now it was just you and Peter, left to your own devices, and roughly ninety-two floors away from your destination. Just enough time to do what you were aching to do.

“Peter,” You murmured, and his gaze flickered to your own without a moment of hesitation, drenched in a hopeful haze you failed to decipher.

“Y/N?” He echoed, tilting his body toward your own.

“You look...” You paused, unsure of which word accurately portrayed your thoughts. ”insane.”

“I know.” He whined. You tried to stifle the giggle that bubbled at his hopeless demeanor, brows furrowed together as he squeezed his eyes shut, shoulders slumped impossible low.

“It’s a good thing you have such a charitable friend.” And you made light work of his suit jacket, the air suddenly rapt with a thick air of electricity as you worked the offending article off his shoulders, haphazardly tossing it on the ground. Protests formed on the tip of his tongue, but he opted to swallow them in return for your help, going slack when you ran your fingers through his meticulously gelled hair.

Though he embodied the vision of a suave, debonair socialite alarmingly well, with his carefully quaffed locks, nothing suited him as well as the pillowy, fawn tendrils that made up his soft curls. You needed them back, needed a reminder of your sweet, darling boy, and patience was never your strong suit. 

You wondered if he was in need of the same reminder, seeing as he’d let you manhandle him without so much as a hum of discontent.

All done. Only a few revisions, and he was a completely different boy. Clad in a crisp, white shirt, sans its horrifying grey counterpart, you rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and unbuttoned the top three discs. The fabric was taut against his impressive set of muscles, leaving little to the imagination with each sweeping roll of his arms. You’d pat yourself on the back, but you were too busy drooling all over your work.

“Is- Is this good?” He broke the silence with a tentative query, peering back at you through his lashes.

"Yeah,” You voice came out strangled at best, distracted by the flurry of butterflies ravaging your stomach. There was something about this moment — maybe it was the glint of tenderness ridding his gaze, or your tight proximity, or maybe it was fate, finally persuading you to topple over that dangerous line — but regardless, you decided it was now or never. “but there's still something missing," 

“My jacket?” He breathlessly queried. His eyes frantically searched your face, like he couldn’t settle on just one feature to admire.

“No, no...” You breathed back, cautiously inching closer, until there was only a sliver of space separating your chests. "You need to loosen up, Parker."

“And what- What do you suggest I do?” His gaze flickered down to your lips shamelessly, and returned just as quickly. 

“Do you trust me?” 

“I’ve trusted you this far.”

“Good,” You sighed, your breath fanning over his lips before you greedily chased its warmth, kissing him with such feather-light pressure, it almost felt like a dream — a thrilling, delicate dream. You had to tear yourself from his lips before you delved even deeper, hoping to find a mirror image of your relief, your satisfaction, in his own features. However, before your eyes even fluttered open, his palms swept under the curve of your jaw, and coaxed your mouth back to his, instantly qualming any of your fears as you both melted into the exchange. He tasted of spearmint, and cherries, and something so intoxicatingly him that you could barely restrain yourself.

You wanted him, God, did you want him, and for the first time, someone wanted you just as much, without an ounce of greed to it — He wanted you for you.

The remaining seconds of the elevator ride were filled with fervent kisses, and wandering hands, your fingers playing with the curls at the nape of his neck while his bunched the silky fabric of your dress. It was all smitten, indulgent brushes of your lips until the elevator dinged, and the doors opened up to reveal the fashionably late, dynamic duo —Sam Wilson and James Buchanan Barnes.

Their expressions were nothing short of priceless, one complexion green while the other ran pale at the sight of your interwoven limbs. You tried to open your mouth before they could comment, but you were far too late, buried in a booming wall of—

"This is a public space! You are defiling a public space!"

"I can't do this— I'm gonna take the stairs."

Their voices weaved into a messy, irritated harmony of disbelief, managing to still complement each other despite their varying levels of urgency.

An idea, a selfish, evil idea, popped into your head, and you enacted it before you could even unravel yourself from Peter’s hold.

"You just reminded me, I was about to text you! My dad needs a couple cases of Yuengling.” You gestured for Peter to press on the “Open Door” button, and by the time he started clicking the prompt, you’d already fetched your wallet, fishing your card out for Sam. “They probably have some at the corner store, but he’ll throw up if he finds out he was drinking alcohol from the corner store, so you’re gonna have to walk down to that market on Seventh.” You could feel Peter’s perplexed gaze gnaw at your shoulder, but you persisted in your impish pursuits, shoving the AmEx into his hand. 

“Chop chop, lover boys!” You hastily snapped your fingers in his direction, and yelled just loud enough to make sure Bucky accompanied him, parsing their punishment out evenly. 

Served them right, encroaching on such a perfect moment. 

Bucky’s groan echoed through the stairwell, followed by a childish stomp of combat boots, and you were pleased enough to shoo Peter’s hand away, pressing the “Close Door” button.

Sometimes it was nice being Tony Stark’s daughter — less backtalk from the sovereign throne of comebackdom.

“I thought you said we were getting out of here.” His brows were pinched together, the most adorable little frown forming between them.

“Oh, we most certainly are,” You replied, pressing the button for your floor. You could tell that the pieces weren’t clicking all the way, and you proceeded to spell it out for him, dropping a chaste kiss to the spot just below his ear. “We’re gonna go to my room. And then we’re gonna go right back to the party when we’re done.”

“When we’re done?” He mused, voice wavering beneath the soft caress of your lips, scattering even more tentative kisses down the column of his neck.

“When we’re done.” You parroted back, meeting his downward gaze through your lashes.”I think you still have some loosening up to do.”

[starshipsofstarlord]

God is With You, Even as You’re Sinning

Pairing | Sam Winchester x reader

Summary | it was your first time not killing a monster, and in its place, taking the life of one of your own. Guilt entraps you, and it is up to Sam to break you out of your pitiful hypnosis.

Warnings | mentions of death, blood, angst, guilt, some smut, oral sex (fem receiving), penetrative unprotected sex, fingering, swearing, mentions of murder

Requested ✖️

Quick link to my masterlist, if you’re interested in reading more of my crap 😬

Fuck God. This was all his fault, everything was to be fair. He had left the world to continue on its own accord, the apocalypse threatening to spill over the planet and destroy it and all beauty that was lingering through the existence of humans.

They killed each other, and the creator of all could care less. It was his smallest problem, he didn’t mind that the murderer was succumbed to guilt, or how many restless nights that he or she endured. God was cruel, even if he held up a facade of being your ally, and trying his hardest as he supposed, to be your friend.

Your hands shook as you remembered the entailment of your mistake. It was a slip up, a vast and surreal experience that people usually learned from. But what were you supposed to do, not kill a human again? Yeah you had gotten that, after all, the initial deed had not at all been intentional.

There was the victim’s blood dried upon the outer layer of your skin, casting you in the perfect image of murderous intent. However, you had no thirst to kill, instead, your hunting of monsters, alike to many others partaking in a similar lifestyle, executed the mythical beasts to protect the human population.

It pained you truly, to know that you had killed a person. You hadn’t even spared the familiar body a second glance, and out of panic, you fled the scene, leaving the body of the city cleaner in the gutter, laying in the remnants of his friends’ and family’s waste, burying him in their crude excrement.

The thought alone, and the sight that was engrained in the peripheral of your mind had you feeling sick. Slowly, you plodded down the steps of the bunker’s entrance, surely leaving footprints trademarked in all kinds of grotesque evidence.

Without much care for what lay heavily inside, you dropped your duffel from your shoulder, allowing it to fall on the ground with a disgruntled clatter. Nothing meant anything anymore, not if you were indeed a real killer. Whilst some monsters had weaselled their way into society, ending their pathetic attempts at normality was different than taking away the life of an innocent and mortal bystander.

Often, with the darker and crueler species, there were reasons as to why they pretended to be of human birth. Mostly, it was so that they could feed from the naive flock, or kill for their own amusement. Either way, none of their reasons were good.

But now, you thought of yourself as no different than them. A creature that needed to be put down for their crimes. Filing, you breathed in, only inhaling the various moulds of putridity that was weaved into your hair, and stuck to your skin like a face mask.

“Should I call you Cassie now?” At the joke, a laugh from the speaker was triggered. He was quite amused with the sight of you, and thus, you sneered at the tall man, hating him a little bit more than usual.

“Your pop culture references aren’t appreciated Winchester, it’s more Dean’s street.” Shoving past him, his high shoulder floundered back at the harsh and ignorant impact, an expression of offence covering his stupid face. Like a fawn, he tumbled after you, watching as you walked sullenly into the kitchen, yanking the door to the fridge open, and extracting one of his brother’s store bought beers.

“I’m going to guess the hunt went bad.” Sam speculated, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets, and staring expectedly down at where you popped the cap off the bottle recklessly with your teeth. He almost winced at the sight, but he wished to keep this arrogant demeanour up with you, it was a natural desire to piss you off, and he’d be pissed at himself if he let it slip out of simple pity.

“Guess correct. Well done, you’ve won a trip to Hawaii.” You waved your free hand mockingly in the air, as the other raised the liquor to your mouth, allowing you to wilfully gulp the bitter liquid down. At his presence that remained nursing over you, you cocked a brow, leaning forwards as you expectedly looked back at the moose. “Just leave me alone Sam, I’m not in the mood for putting up with your bullshit.”

He, however, seemed not to be phased by you wanting to be left alone, and instead, quickly snatched the poison out of your hand, leaving you throughly prepared to keep him right in the balls. “What the fuck?” You all but screamed at the not so jolly giant. In turn, he crossed his arms across his chest, placing the bottle down on the island.

“I could ask you the same y/n.” His tone was dominantly serious, causing you to cower back into your shroud of guilty conscience. “Tell me what happened on that hunt, of which i told you that you shouldn’t have went on alone, since you wouldn’t have been able to handle it solo.”

You felt demeaned by his words, they sparked an anger out from the firm pit of your stomach. But you knew deep down, he was getting through to you, which was something that you had not managed to even do by yourself. Air heavily passed through and out of your nostrils, as acidic tears pooled in your eyes; a crack was falling down your walls, and out of all people, it was Sam Winchester whom had caused it.

“You’re right, I shouldn’t have gone alone, but you know what, I thought of what a Winchester would do. And then I remembered, I am sure as hell not a Winchester and I don’t have a brother anymore! Not now, he didn’t even know who I was earlier, didn’t even recognise a single genetically identical hair on my head as he watched me parade through the town, the very one that I ran away from when he was a baby and I was seven, wanting to hunt a monster. Yet, i didn’t kill a damn monster Sam, I murdered my brother because you’ve been right all along, I’m not fit for this job. I am a mess, so congratulations, you finally have got me to admit the one thing that you keep reminding me of.”

“Y/n...” Sam wasn’t sure how to respond, he felt the waves of shock ripple through his body. Never so freely had you been vulnerable around him, and here you were now, with very visible tears cascading down your utterly torn face. He understood it was an accident, and the times that he and Dean had tried to kill each other under supernatural circumstances had him wondering what if.

Shaking your grime tethered head at the sound of his cracked voice, you stormed past him, and immediately raced towards the shower room, finding to your luck, which had been non existent during the rest of the day, the halls were barren of life. Walking through the door, you tore your ruined clothes off, chucking them upon the floor without much acknowledgement, before you went under the warm spray of the shower head, trying to calm yourself.

To rid your skin of its evidential accessories, you had to scrub your skin until it was immediately raw. Everything within you ached, as you flicked back to the memory of the clueless expression that had been worn by your blood brother. It was probably a good thing that he didn’t know who you were, or else, he’d have known that his own sister murdered him due to her incompetence to listen to others.

Now, you were not even sure what were your tears, and what droplets of water belonged to the shower itself. For over an hour, you basked int eh warmth that seemed unable to cure your cold blooded system, turning the spritz off, and covering your body in a fluffy towel, that you were sure belonged to someone else, but right now, you could care less about who owned what.

As you reached the door to your bedroom, you found it to be preached slightly open, and as you pushed it the rest of the way, you saw Sam sat on the corner of your bed. You held your arms around yourself, insecure on the fact that beneath the stolen towel, you were nothing more than you. A wolf in sheep’s skin.

“Can I help you?” You bitterly asked, your eyes still burning from your own faulted loss. Sam breathed in, his eyes trailing up to your face, that was naked from any gruesome cosmetics or make up. The bareness to your completion illustrated an aura of innocence, and evidence that you were the same as him - human.

“That’s my towel.” The male hunter laughed, in hopes of changing the previous and well wounded subjected to ensure that you felt better. But what was he kidding, nothing could fill the void that you had dug in your own heart, nothing was closer than the bond between siblings, even if you were considered as strangers.

“Take it back then.” Too exhausted from your gruelling day, you dropped the material, your confident action making his eyes go wide, as he tried to look away from your exposed skin to respect your boundaries. It was impossible though not to allow his hazel hues to slip up the trunks of your thighs, up to- no, that was wrong, very wrong.

You had just lost your brother, not to mention, by your own hand, and he was prone to checking out your freelancing body, taking in every curve and twisted scar that was prominent to his speculating eyes. His eyes dropped to the discarded towel, which he had purposely left on the heating rail for later use, and then, they switched back towards you.

He stood, walking behind you as you looked through comfort clothes within your dresser. A light touch of his hand brushed your hair away from your neck, as he breathed a sweet hoax of hot air upon your scare. Sam was relieved that you didn’t reject the contact, and instead, pressed his lips upon the flesh, finding succession whence you hummed deliriously to yourself.

This interaction had been inevitable for a long time, but now no longer were the suspected intentions for such an exchange to be to release well endorsed frustrations. No, he was going to clear your mind for some sensual moments, and make your pretty little head forget for a moment that you had pained yourself in the worst of ways.

Turning, you laced your hands through his chocolate locks, massaging his scalp as you pulled him closer so that your lips could endure a rougher clasp against his. There was no passion, behind each contribution there was a spur of hunger, he grasped your ass cheeks, pulling you up to be sat upon the top of your heavy dresser.

Obliging his command, you spread your legs so that he could stand between their partition, his hands now running up the windows of your thighs. For a while, the pair of you did nothing more than make out, and cup a feel here and there, but soon after, Sam dropped to his lanky knees, leaving kisses in the wake of his descent.

His thumb and forefinger spread your fluttering folds, watching as your slit squirmed for attention. Sam licked his lips at the sight, running his middle finger up the expanse, until he came to your yearning entrance. Slowly, after making sure you were wet enough, Sam slipped his digit inside, you wiggling your hips to adjust to the thrust of his one finger.

To add to the sensations that were overriding your body, he moved his mouth to closer proximity, smelling the divine aroma that pulsed out of you. It was far too addictive to not get a taste, and thus,he pulled his finger out, sucking off your juices contently.

But that small sample just wasn’t enough, which encouraged him to dive face first into your pussy - literally. His long tongue teased your folds, slurping at the lips, and then switching to your clit to heighten the stimulation. He kept up a rhythm, using it as a pattern to push you closer to that edge, and he was surely certain that you were enjoying his oral work as you ground your face against him, moaning at his succulent administrations.

“Sam.” Oh god, was it pleasant to hear his own name fall out your mouth in such an erotic manner. It was far different from the way that you usually used it to snide at him, though, the thought of your regular treatment of him aided only to spur his lustful actions on. He wanted you to cum, for your juices to run down his face in waterfalls, looking as though someone had tried to drown him.

His work would not be complete until you found it difficult to even pronounce his short name. Digging his tongue in the hood of your clit, tracing around the protective area, his fingers returned to their earlier placement, and he quickened their pace until he could hear a satisfying squelch in the air.

Rapid sounds of parted moans raked from your mouth, your chest sticking out as you breasts heaved with your heavy breathing. It was noticeable that you were close, not just from that, but you were squeezing the circulation out of his fingers. “Fuck.” Left you in the form of a squeal, as you pussy wept its juices.

Sam was quick to lap everything that left you up, once more, tasting those that clung to his fingers. He went back in for another taste, but you tightly grouped his hair, pulling him away from your sopping cunt. “Need you to fuck me Sam, now.”

In an instant, the hunter stood, working precariously on undoing the buckle of his belt, and pushing all material that covered his lower half to the bottom of his thighs. He read already hard, and oozing precum. You swept your finger across the tip of his dick, bringing it to your lips to taste his foreshadowing seed.

Sam huffed at the sight,picking his prick up in one hand, and jerking himself a couple of times. And then, he aligned himself with you, rubbing his cock around your wet crevice a couple of times, slapping his tip teasingly against your puffy clit.

“Want my cock baby?” He asked, smirking as he watched you nod your head repeatedly. With that being all the confirmation that he needed, he pushed into you,feeling even more turned on as he heard you mewl, and watched the ecstatic expression cross your face as his dick fit inside of you all the way.

He grasped your hips, pulling out once before pushing in again. He repeated the action, his own eyes rolling to the back of his head at how tight you were. This would make you forget the cruel method of god, his story was not as epic as he though, for his characters were screwing against his will, basking in a distraction rather than the regretful pain that seethed in your trodden heart.

Another thrust had your nails clasping onto Sam’s covered back, biting onto his shoulder through the plaid, as you held back the tears that were trying to creep out of your blissful eyes. A few grunts left Sam, as his pace increased, and with every thrust, which only served to fuel him further, the dresser smashed into the wall behind it, most likely leaving a decent dent within the historical architecture.

“Gonna cum.” You told him, dragging him in for another tongue filled kiss as your cunt pooled around him, coating his cock in the honey from your delicious pot. He soon followed after, and for a moment, he remained against you, allowing you to bask in the comfort of his strange presence.

And then he pulled out, watching as his distraction dripped from your entrance, trailing down your thigh in a white streak. An orgasm smile was pulled onto your face, but it was certain to not last long for when you returned to the reality that laid waiting for you to return.

Sam stepped closer again, moving his fingers towards your cunt, and pushed his seed back inside of you, watching as your puffy pussy lips swallows any part of him that it could get. He would distract you for as long as he could, and then, deal with the inevitable.

[rogue-durin-16]

STICK TOGETHER

Summary: When Fred finds out Y/n is planning on leaving the Wizarding World, he canalizes his feelings in the worst way possible, which leads to a terrible outcome that seems unfixable.

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Slytherin!Reader

Genre: angst

Tags:

Fred Weasley: @whiskeyn-rain @lumos-solemn

Permanent taglist: @elia-the-bibliophile @randomparanoid @karlthecat15722 @thebutchersdaughtersblog @amourtentiaa @just-here-to-escape-from-reality

Warnings: swearing

A/N: @meph1stophelian is here putting pressure on me to post this already so I'm apologizing for the poorly written ending lmaoo enjoy <3

Rogue-durin-16 masterlist

"Fred, calm down." George begged me; he walked by my side, trying to talk some sense into me, but it was not the moment. "You gotta understand her— throwing a fit isn't going to help anyone—" I didn't even look in my twin's direction while he spoke. "Bloody hell, Fred—"

"Y/n!" I quickened my pace, leaving George behind after spotting her in one of the corridors, having a chat with a couple of Ravenclaws. "Can I have a word?"

"Sure— Oi!" I hadn't waited for her to reply before grabbing her hand and snatching her away to pull her into the nearest broom closet. "What was that about?"

"Tell me I heard Katie wrong and you're not actually leaving."

"I can't tell you that." She plainly responded, her voice steady.

A single, gobsmacked snide left my throat. "You're joking, right?" My heart ached as if it was being constricted when she shook her head no. "So you're fleeing?"

"What?"

"Things are getting ugly so you're running away."

Her eyes dug into mines as she stayed in a very uncomfortable silence before replying with. "So what if I am?" When I averted my eyes from hers, she called my name. Her eyes were somewhat softer now, with a gleam of plea in them. "For the last two years we had nothing but tragedy. Diggory died, You-Know-Who is back and recruiting, the ministry is full on going against a teenager, this pink colored nasty toad is physically abusing us, and on top of that, I have to put up with my housemates' bullshit for having muggle blood— I'm tired!" Her voice had raised a bit, enough for me to know she was struggling to keep it at bay, but still managed to. "If I can have a life out of this then—"

"You're a coward."

"Fred." there was a warning on her tone, but I couldn't listen.

"You're leaving... people behind," she attempted to reason; I didn't let her. "Dunno why I'm surprised, really. At the end of the day you're a Slytherin for a reason."

Her eyes started to well up, and I couldn't tell if it was with anguish or fury. I knew I was getting under her skin, but that was exactly what I intended to do; if I was going to leave that room scarred, so would she.

"Self-preservation, you call it." I scoffed, feeling my own rage building up faster each passing second. "Pure cowardy."

"Is that what you think?" Her tone wasn't steady anymore; she was holding back the poison of her words, for my sake.

"Yeah." I wasn't capable of doing the same thing for hers. "And I don't want your cheap excuses and emotional manipulation to convince me otherwise." My face was probably red due to the anger, my jaw and fists hurt from clenching them; I was off the rails, and the person who would usually stop me was standing in front of me. "Better leave now so you don't have the chance to sell us out when shit goes down."

Silence fell upon us, our gazes locked, equally watery and with the same amount of fury and sadness within them.

And finally she snapped. "Maybe I'm a coward, but you're a self-absorbed prat who's not able to see beyond your own ego!" The way she said it hurt me more than the sentence itself. "This is not gonna be a DADA class, Fred! I don't want to fucking die because I was too slow casting Protego."

"Good luck, Y/l/n." I curtly wished her before stalking out of the broom closet I have initially dragged her into.

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

We avoided each other for a week. The following Monday, when I entered the Great Hall, I found George and Katie quite depressed.

"What's gotten into you?"

They shared a look before my brother turned to me, deciding to break the news himself.

"Y/n left last night." He gave me an apologetic look. "Thought she'd wait until the graduation—"

"But she's had enough." Katie finished, toying with her breakfast. "Honestly, I wish I had a life in the muggle world too."

My lungs were refusing to take the air inside; I felt as if I would choke if I stayed there, so I stormed out, jogging to reach the countryard.

I needed to breathe.

Even after the wind hit my face, that vital task felt like the most difficult thing in the world to accomplish.

I hate her I hate her I hate her I hate her.

A sob escaped my chest, realising the harsh words I had spat at her were probably the last ones she would ever hear from me.

I love her.

A Year And A Half Later

READER'S P. O. V.

I managed to apparate somewhere in the cornfield —the only place around the Burrow I remembered clearly.

I should have landed with a broom, but apparently, Mad-Eye didn't inform Lupin that I would serve as an extra escort for Harry if they were ambushed, so my broom was now smashed somewhere down the muggle road we had flown over.

Mentally cursing the damn moment in which I spoke to Shacklebolt in hopes of being useful in this war, I looked for the entrance of the Weasley home, which took me quite a while.

Funnily enough, it was Lupin who stepped out, wielding his wand and casting yet another hex at me that I somehow managed to block.

With a swift wave of my hand, he was propelled back into the house. "YOU!" A long-haired redhead I recognized as the eldest Weasley helped my old Professor up as I stalked to them with my wand up. "YOU HEXED MY BLOODY BROOM! I'M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE!"

"Y/n, calm down—" Shacklebolt was now besides me with his hands up. "He didn't know you were coming— he was trying to protect George from further harm."

My brain was slow to process his words, but as soon as it did, I started to down my arm. "What happened?"

"Snape hit him with the sectumsempra." My eyes widened at Lupin's heavy words.

"Did everyone else make it?" The three of them remained silent, the ginger shaking his head no.

My breath caught up in my throat, but before I could ask if Fred was alright, another tall ginger flashed the corner of my eye, and my head snapped to the living room's door.

FRED'S P. O. V.

Everyone was scattered around the house. Ginny took Hermione and Fleur to her room; Ron and Harry made its way up too; Tonks went out —she needed a moment alone to mourn Mad-Eye—, and, while my parents and I stayed with George, Lupin, Shacklebolt and Bill went to guard the entrance.

I was still kneeling by George's side, holding his hand while our mother healed his wound the best she could, when we heard a yell followed by a strong blow in the kitchen.

I looked at my mum and dad, my eyes flickering to my twin while I reached for my wand.

As I got up, more yells were heard, this time clearer; the voice was familiar— I knew that voice all too well.

There she stood, at the entrance of my home.

Her eyes met mines as soon as she caught a glimpse of me, and my head started to spin. I knew I had no right to do what I was about to do, but after that night's events, in which the war became very much real, I couldn't help but rush to her and engulf her in a tight hug.

Surprisingly enough, I couldn't take more than two steps forward, since she did what I intended to do first.

"You're alright." She mumbled against my shoulder. My eyes shut, trying to block the tears that threatened to fall. "How's he?" She inquired whilst pulling away with a concerned frown.

Not trusting my voice, I nodded in the living room's direction. A quiet sough escaped my lips as she passed by, her hands lingering on my arms for a brief instant before she entered the room and took careful steps towards the settee.

I barely caught a couple of words from George and Y/n's exchange, my mind still buzzing due to the shock.

"What do you say, Freddie?" I frowned at my twin, regretting not listening to the conversation. "She can take my bed, right? I'm not gonna get far anyway."

"Right." I agreed, struggling for my voice to come out steady. It was Y/n we were talking about; I had known her since our fourth year, I had been friends and more with her, seeing her shouldn't be that nerve-wracking.

A couple of minutes later, we were all heading to our respective rooms, and as I closed my room's door behind me and Y/n, it dawned on me that I had underestimated the anxiety that could cause me being left alone with her.

Get it together, Fred.

"If you want, you can grab a shirt from the drawer." I finally managed to speak, motioning at the chest besides the window. She nodded and turned to it to look for one she could sleep in.

Now that I had the opportunity, I carefully observed her, and soon realized how much she had changed in the time we were apart. Not only when it came to her physical appearance; she stood a bit straighter, talked a little calmer; the joy with which she used to sparkle was dim now, eclipsed by a severe, worried attitude— a sign of us no longer being the kids who messed around at Hogwarts.

"I missed you" I knew right away that wasn't the best start for the conversation.

"It sure didn't seem like it." The bitterness in her tone stung my heart harsher than I expected.

"You're still mad?" The way I was conducting the conversation was making me want to bang my head against the wall.

She sighed, turning around now that she had the shirt on to meet my gaze. "A year and a half, Fred. You didn't contact me for a year and a half. I thought we were friends."

"You left me behind!" I talked back, partly because I panicked, but also because I, to my surprise, was still mad too. "What did you even expect?"

"A letter?" She questioned, throwing herself down on the bed. "I mean— I didn't really expect anything, but a letter would have been a good way to let me know you didn't fucking hate me." My eyes, now fixed on my lap, went wide when Y/n's voice broke at her last three words.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled, quite ashamed of having to apologise while also being scared of saying anything that could harm her further. "I'm sorry about not writing and- uh... I'm sorry about what I said to you. I know it's not an excuse but I was really mad and..." I cleared my throat and felt the blush creeping up my neck even before I finished the sentence. "... and hurt 'cause you- I thought that maybe I wasn't important enough to you and- yeah, I'm sorry about what I said." I tried meeting her eyes but they were fixed on the wall before her.

"It's fine." She shrugged, "I guess you were right anyway."

"I wasn't right-"

"You were." She hugged her knees to her chest and hid her face there. "Wanna know why I'm back?" She didn't need my response. "They're hunting down my family." My heart stopped beating for a second due to the shockingly deadpanning tone. "A friend gave me a tip-off— they were tracking them down. I got to them just in time." I refrained myself from asking about them —the less I knew, the better. "So yeah, you're right, I was a coward and left people behind."

My body shot up and my legs carried me to George's bed; without me being fully aware of what I was doing or which consequences it could have, I sat down and pulled Y/n into my arms.

Though she was shocked at first, her body soon relaxed into the familiarity of my arms, and she let out a relieved sigh. "You're not alone on this." I whispered, pecking her crown. "I'm here, okay?"

"So you don't hate me?" She murmured against my chest.

Maybe it was the fragility of her voice, or the warmth of her embrace I missed so much; maybe it was this past year and a half of regret, or the night's events, but I couldn't hold back my words.

"I love you."

And even though she went stiff, even if I had just blurted them out almost in accident, I didn't regret saying them, because I, in fact, loved her.

She pulled away to look into my eyes. "You mean it?"

"Yeah." I replied, calmer than I had been in a while. "And I'm really sorry about everything, if I could turn back time—" words and air were cut off by her lips crashing against mines.

We had kissed before, but it was on a bet's behalf or to prank someone; this was different, this was her pouring her 'I love you' into actions, and I embrace it gladly.

"No more running away." I commanded when she pulled back. "From now on, we stick together." She nodded, her forehead resting against mine and her palms on my chest.

[livvynka]

Can i get your vote? Kamilah x Amy x Priya AU

Warning: SMUT, death threatening, harsh sexual activities, Angst, Putting Kamilah in her place, bit of a fluff?

I’m not native english speaker, feel free to correct me (i would be actually glad).

NOTE: Story is before Kamilah and Amy fall in love, when Amy tries get Priya's vote, so Lily can join Adrian's clan. Uff, this takes a lot from me. :D

Pairing: Kamilah x Amy x Priya

About 2430+- words.

Tag list: @fal-carrington @samanthadalton @vonda-b-real @drmmyrs @straightlikewetspaghetti @blaine-hayes @lizielasyd @mrskamilahsayeed @millasayeed @ntoraplayschoices @ilove-kamilah-sayeed @kamilah-is-queen @rhonda-sayeed @queenkamilah @domakir @kwaj115 @fundamentalromantic @somethindarker @crimsonvrose @glowriter @leenasayeed

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Amy has goosebumps just from the thought, she needs to visit and get to the good side of Priya's. She knows Priya is evil, and every good thing in her died a long time ago. But there is no way Kamilah or Adrian could break her so she does something nice for them. They are sitting in Adrian's office. Brainstorming plan how to get 4 votes, so Lily can live. Amy: "Alright, I pay her visit." Kamilah shoot stare to Adrian. Kamilah: "She's your pet. I don't care. But she gets all of you into this mess, so she needs to fix it." Adrian: "Kamilah be reasonable, she will not come back alive. You know Priya and her ´activities´..." Amy: "Kamilah is right. And there is no other way. She will send you to the hell in the moment you set your foot to her club."

Adrian: "No! We will find another way, I will not let anything to happen to you." Amy: "Maybe we will, but it will take a long time. And now, time is what we don't have. I already decide Adrian. And you cant change my mind. I'm going with or without your help." Kamilah: "Amy, she is going to break you. Don't underestimated her. Not every vampire is in control like us and our clans." Amy: "Now you care? You threaten to kill me, Kamilah! You can go back to your office, because you are not helping." Amy stands up and starts walking towards door. She stops with her hand on the handle. She takes a few deep breaths. Then she looks over her shoulder. Adrian put his head into his hands. He shakes his head and nod. Adrian: "We send someone, who will watch you from distance. If anything goes wrong, they help you." Kamilah straighten her back, clears her throat and began walk towards Amy.

Kamilah: "I'll escort you to her club. We need to talk privately." Adrian look between Amy and Kamilah with questions in his eyes. He feels there's great tension between them. He just don't know what kind of tension. It seems he wants to say something, but he just look to the opposit direction. Amy: "Great.. Yeah.... Thank you..." They got into her car. Kamilah drives Amy to the Paulus viewpoint. Kamilah exit the vehicle first, she opens doors for Amy and offers her hand. Amy decline and burst out of the car. Amy: "Why did you take me here? I need to meet with Priya! If you want to kill me, do it! Enough of your threats and shit talking about me all the time."

Kamilah: "You may be right, mortal. I don't care about you. But Adrian likes you. So listen to me, I will not repeat myself. I will help you out of this situation, who if I remember, you cause. But if this doesn't work out, and Adrian loses his life, because you put your con act and manipulate him to turn Lily. I'll kill you both without any hesitation." Amy is stressed out. Angry. Scared for her, Lily's and Adrian's life. This was the last button to push. She doesn't care if more than 2000 years old, strongest vampire on the earth, who can snap her neck in the velocity of light, stands before her. She slaps her hard and pushes her. Again, and again and again. She pinned Kamilah to the railing. Amy: "Ohh, really, Kamilah? Than do it, kill me! You are full of the bullshit! Drop this nonsense! You are hiding behind coldness, strength and rudeness. But we both know where is the truth! Deep inside, you are scared little girl, who is afraid of people leaving you, after they get to know real you! You are lonely and scream for the attention, affection and love! Deep inside, you want someone who will care about you, who will see the real you! Who will get you and stand by your side. So NO! I'm not afraid you. You care about people. Adrian may be the last being who likes you, and you know it. So you are losing your control, because he is the only hope for your humanity. Only thing which puts you in the line. The last thing to stops you from being monster. Be honest for second and show me some damn respect!" She catches Amy's hand when she wanted to push her again. Her jaw drops. She is right and they both now it. She stands there in shock.

Kamilah: "I-I..."

Amy: "That's what I though."

Amy free her hands from Kamilah's strong grasp and start walking towards the city. It's a few miles. This is going to be a long walk, but Amy doesn't care. She needs to clear her head. She feels connection towards Kamilah, but she is tired of her act and manipulation. Kamilah feel how tear slides down her cheek. Reality falls apart and she remembers how she sits alone in her pentahouse or office, trying to drink her mind off. She prohibited herself any kind of connection after what she done in past. After so much pain she causes.

After centuries someone sees through her like she was a plate of glass. She closes her eyes and tried gain her control back. After a while she enters her expensive car and follows Amy. It does not take long, she finds her walking angrily in abandonen path.

Kamilah: "I'm sorry Amy. Please get into the car, I'll drive you to the Priya's club. It's not safe in the night here."

Amy: "I'm fine. Just go away." Kamilah: "Don't be stuborn, you were right about everything. Let me take you to the Priya's club, now for real. I know I upset you, but it takes hours from here, by walking.

Amy sight and listen, she gets into the car and turn to the window with her hand fold above her stomach. She is looking at the night New York. Amy: "What can Priya do to me?"

Kamilah: "She is a real monster. She will promise you a lot of things. She makes you feel special for short quantity of time. In the second she gets enough of you or gets bored, she will probably kill you. Her games, no human can survive. People disapear or they found them dead." Amy: "At least she is attractive. I will have a nice view when she dries me suck and I will die for someone I care about." Kamilah narrow her eyes at the girl, sitting besides her. Kamilah: "We won't let that happened. You need to get out of there if she tries something. We still can get Baron's vote." Amy: "He is even worse. Priya wants to play games, but her ego destroys her once. What she doesn't know, I'm good at playing games."

Amy: "Kamilah, I'm sorry about what I said earlier."

Kamilah's brows quirk. She thinking about hers next words.

Kamilah: "Don't be. Perhaps it was bold to say those things, but you were right. Noone was brave enough to tell me before..." Kamilah drive Amy to the Priya's club and wish her luck. Amy didn't wait a long line and walk towards the bouncer. Amy: "Priya will accept me immediately." Bouncer: "Oh, are you her snack? Tell me your name, I check the list." Amy tells her name to the bouncer. He calls for his colleague and they escort Amy right to the Priyas V.I.P. room. Priya is wearing a black minidress, with gold stripes and a red high heel boots. A lace from the dress covering only a little bit of her skin, it's really tight dress. She talks with another vampires. Some of them Amy knows from the Council meeting. It takes only few second before Priya sensed Amy. She shoot glare directly to Amy. Priya: "Well, well, well. Look at who's decided do choose better company."

She kissed Amy at both cheeks and hugs her tightly. Priya may be a monster, but she is also very attractive. When Amy feels how close is Priya's body presses to hers, she gasps. Her heart skips a few heartbeats. Priya smirk and look at the girl before her with amusement.

Amy: "Hi Priya, I need to talk with you. Privately." Priya: "Ohh!" She clapped her hands together enthusiastically and murderous smile appear at her face. Amy rolled her eyes. Priya: "I love where is this coming. Follow me." They enter a private elevator what is connected directly to the Priya's apartment. When the door close Priya immediately catch Amy by her sides, other hand searching to find a way under Amy's shirt. She runs a nail along Amy's stomach harshly, and cut a line on her belly, blood appears immediately. Amy let out a moan. Priya kiss her with hunger. Amy pauses the kiss and walk a few steps away. Her heart is beating fast. Priya attract her, but she is also very dangerous. Amy is trying to cool down and put hand in the air between them, to make some space. Amy: "I'm here only to talk." Priya: "Don't lie, I hear your heart, it's like it explode any moment."

Amy: "Priya... I need your help with something, hear me out." They exit the elevator, and Priya pour them a glass of expensive red wine. They sit on the leather couch. Priya grab Amy by her thigh and pull her close. She is drawing a circles at her thigh. Priya: "Well?" Amy: "Someone of your kind attacks my friend..." Priya: "Of my kind?!" Amy: "Vampire... My friend, Lily... She was dying... So I ask Adrian to turn her. I got you envelope, he is calling a Council meeting. We need your vote." Priya: "HA! Adrian breaks rules for some human?"

Priya: "You get my vote under one condition. You stay with me and become my little kitten." Amy: "No way, I want to live at least for next 50 years, Priya. One night, no killing, no turning. No ripping parts of my body." Priya: "Oh, I will have so much fun! Alright then. After I do to you, you will have no thoughts of leaving." Amy: "I am going to regret this. Am I? I accept." Priya: "Very well." She kisses Amy and guides her to stand up from the sofa. Her hands sliding at Amy's arms. Making way to tangle their fingers while Priya dominate Amy's tongue. Priya: "Now, I want to hear your heart race, your moans fills the room. And I have a very good idea." Before Amy opens her mouth to say something, she is back in flash with sex harness. Its black leather metal restrains for neck and wrists. Amy let out a long sigh and look directly at Priya's eyes. Amy: "Seriously Priya?" Priya: "I'll enjoy this my little kitten." She doesn't waste any time and free Amy of her cloths. She is completely nude. Before she can protest Priya restrain her into the harness and with the swift move settle Amy into near chair. She spread her kneese and push her toward the edge of the luxury seat. She kissed her again, but not for long. She continues to Amy's neck and bite, she inserts two fingers inside Amy. Amy sees how colors spread before her eyes. The pain and pleasure made Amy arch her back a bit. Her breath quickens when suddenly she feel another finger thrust in. A moan escapes her lips. She tried to hold onto something, but the harness blocking her movement. She almost can't take it. Amy: "FUCK, PRIYA!" Priya continues in her murderous pace and drinking Amy's blood. Amy vision goes blur. She doesn't know if its from the pleasure or the blood lost. Amy: "You dry me suck Priya! STOP!" But Priya continues. She starts to fuck Amy again and moves to her shoulder. She bites her again and sucks her blood like it's the best food she ever has. She bites her side, drink a little bit, then stomach, and finally she sucks her vulva. Amy let out very loud moan and rock against Priya. When Amy's orgasm come to close Priya moves again, to her thigh. She drinks Amy's blood again. Amy yell by the pleasure Priya giving her and from the pain.

Amy: "Priya! I am close!" Priya: "Let go my beautiful kitten." Priya pump into Amy with vampire strenght and speed. She can't even breath properly. She arch her back, the harness slightly choke herself, her wrist miss oxygen, but she doesn't care. After few moments she crashed so hard. Amy: "PRIYA! FUCK! OHMYHOD!" Amy lost her consciousness, from blood lost and pleasure Priya gives her. Priya stands up and clean her face from Amy's juice.

Priya: "Ha! They will be pissed, especially Adrian and grandma. Th-."

In that moment doors flew open and Kamilah make her way to the Priya. Kamilah is standing her, her twin daggers holding close.

Kamilah: "What about we just kill you?"

Priya: "Wait! Just take her!"

Kamilah: "Smart choice, Lacroix."

Kamilah hide her daggers and undress her maroon blazer. She free Amy of the leather - metal harness and wrap Amy into blazer. She pick her up, holding her close, but carefully.

Kamilah: "You are not allowed to touch her again."

Priya: "Whatever, after this night, she comes back voluntarily."

Kamilah: "I expect ´aye´ from you, tomorrow. And even if she comes back by her choice, you will hand her over to us, immediately."

Without hearing answer, Kamilah exit the building.

Kamilah: "You got yourself into serious mess Amy."

Amy wakes up and nuzzles to Kamilah's neck.

Amy: "Kam?"

Kamilah: "Shh. You are safe and alive."

Amy: "I was imagining you whole time. While she was doing, what she was doing."

Amy falls alseep again. Kamilah stops for the moment and look at that small, fragile human. She don't know what she should think about this. But she decide to ignors it. She carefully put Amy at back seats and drive her to her pentahouse, where she clean Amy's wounds. She lay her onto her bed and with intention watch her till she wakes up, lay besides her. Amy lookes so calm. Soon she falls asleep to.

Amy wakes up in the morning. She is laying on top of Kamilahs chest. Kamilah is holding her close, only in underwear, Amy is only in Kamilah's blater. She tried to stand up, but Kamilah is holding her too strongly.

She nuzzle to her cheek with her nose, while stroking her silk hair between her fingers.

Amy: "Kamilah? Wake up"

Kamilah: "Hmm, no, you are not going anywhere."

Amy smile at the old vampire and lay at her chest again.

Amy: "Okay then"

They both continue sleep. And for once, both can sleep peacefully.

.

.

.

END.

[physicalturian]

[18+] Words of pleasure - Law x F!Reader - Part 8

[No spoilers] [Modern AU - College AU] [She/her pronouns used for the reader, no physical description; Everyone +18] Words : 6967 Archive of our own

Warning : Power play / Dom/sub Dynamics / Control / Stranger / Flirting / Fluff / Awkwardness / Making out / Anxiety / Oral sex / Exhibtionism… If you feel like I should add more warnings, send me a dm or and ask

– Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7

Halfway through my action, I had to stop. Still on Law’s lap, I looked at him to make sure this was happening. Nodding, he helped me off his lap, tucking his undershirt and shirt back in his pants and putting his belt back on. Part of me was disappointed to only have been able to slide my hands under his shirt and nothing more, but I was a grown woman, and I was not going to be childish about it and pout.

As a grown woman, I was also ready to admit I got a little caught up in the moment, I shouldn’t have rushed it, I was not sure I regretted it fully, but I had this feeling in the pit of my stomach, of slight shame. Turning around, I threw a quick glance to the man who had stepped inside the room in a hurry before looking around. I had seen the huge smile on his face when he looked at Law, then at me, but I was not going to say anything about it. The lesser was said, the lesser I had to be embarrassed about it.

 “There’s a meeting, apparently they need the approval of the staff for something, and we have to be there, they said it can’t wait.” Have to, being the key word here. Dusting myself off, I tried to get the wrinkles off my clothes, I hadn’t realized his hands had slid under my shirt at some point but saw how it was slightly risen. “I’ll be there in five minutes.” Law sighed in exasperation, closing his laptop and standing up from his chair, a look of annoyance on his face.

 Before the blond man could leave, Law called him, “Cora- get that stupid smile off your face.” He said it in a somewhat threatening way, but I could see the small smile on his lips. Rosinante’s smile only broadened. “Oh no, I’m going to be talking about this for a long time,” He paused in his steps and pointed at the both of us, “This? Amazing, go get some,” he almost tripped on his way out, catching himself before anything regrettable could happen.

 When we heard the mute sound of the glass door closing, I moved to grab my bag from the floor but was stopped by a hand holding my forearm. “This wasn’t supposed to happen-“ Law started,

“I know, I know, I just- you looked very attractive like that and I couldn’t help, I’m sorry-“ I was interrupted by the short laugh that escaped his lips while he let go of my arm.

“I mean, the interruption.” He stated, making me open my mouth in understanding as a stupid smile made its way to my lips.

 “Oh, right, right… That, yeah, I still got a bit out of hand though…“ I said hesitantly, tightening my grip on the strap of my bag. Law grinned, charmingly if I may say so, and leaned on his desk, arms crossed. “And I did not mind. I was going to stop you at some point, this is my workplace after all,” He seemed to be pondering for a moment, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know when I’ll be done, so you have two options. First one is, you stay here, you behave, and you wait until I’m done,” I widened my eyes at how he worded it, feeling a certain thrill from it. “I could still order some food, if you choose option one, since we don’t have time to go out,”

 I was still hung up on the way the word ‘behave’ rolled of his tongue, I hated myself for liking it this much and tried to get myself back on track as he talked about the second choice. “Second one might still involve some waiting, since it’d be you call Nami and see if she can come pick you up,” I was about to tell him I could just walk back to campus and take the next bus, but he told me there’s no way he’d let me walk out of here without being able to make sure I’m safe.

 Then he scoffed, “That’s a lie, you’re a grown woman, you could do just that: walk out and get back home. But, maybe I am trying to have you pick option one. I don’t like to leave a work unfinished,” his eyes traveled up and down my body, Law did not even try to hide his leering. Looking down at his desk where his beeper was, he checked it before hanging it at his waist. He pushed himself off the desk and made his way up to me, gently grabbing my chin to make me look up at him.

 “What do you say?” As usual, I pushed his hand away from my chin, before doing as he did and grabbing his and have him look at me. “As much as I’d love to stay here, I feel like it’s not legal because there is all your paperwork and shit, and you don’t know what I could do with all that info,” Letting go of him, I shrugged, leaning against the wall, I didn’t say anything more. Perhaps waiting for him to say I was right, I should go, but I think I was more tempted in him telling me that it didn’t matter.

 “You’re right,” He hummed before turning around and moving to his desk, I watch him as he cleaned everything up quickly. Putting them in the adequate files before closing his desk drawer and locking it up, making sure his storage cabinets were also locked. “Now, you’re good. As long as you’re behaved, there won’t be any problem. I’m taking a chance here, by letting you stay. Show me I wasn’t wrong leaving you here, if you change your mind and go, send me a text.” He gestured to the seats by the window, with the low table in front of them.

 I shuffled to the spot, “Oh no, I had planned on being nosy and rummaging through your stuff, what a shame you locked everything,” I said sarcastically while pulling my laptop out of my bag, along my headset. I heard Law laugh lowly before telling me to have fun, I called out his name quickly once he was by the door, “I’m holding onto that promise of takeout, don’t let me starve doc!” I grinned and gave him a thumbs up, he shook his head in response, a small smile adorning his features.

 Once he was out, and I was sure he wasn’t anywhere nearby, I let out a relived sigh and took my phone out to call Nami and tell her everything. While I was acting kind of composed until he had left, I was still feeling warm from being caught making out with him, by his colleague, nonetheless. If it had been Luffy or Nami, I wouldn’t have cared as much, but his colleague? And what was up with me being that desperate? Was I really that into his white coat? Or was it the contrast of his job with how he looked?

 Maybe that waiting had me more riled up than I thought. I felt a pull to the man, that I couldn’t explain, perhaps it was his charisma? All he did was flirt with you, bring you food, and be hot, I thought, but then again, what more could I ask for, for a simple one-night stand…. That, sure, was taking too long to happen. While I did say he was whipped, I think I was trying to convince myself. But then again, he did not say he wasn’t, and he cared a lot- before I could overthink any more than I already did, Nami picked up.

 “Did he fuck up? Do you need me to pick you up? I’m done, I can come-“ I had to interrupt her, I was expecting her to be ready to throw hands but I couldn’t help but laugh at how ready she was for it. Reassuring her, I told her that nothing bad had happened, it calmed her only slightly. She huffed, then I heard the jingle of keys being dropped on a wooden surface. “You were genuinely about to drive all the way here?” I asked with a huge smile on my face as I plugged in my headset.

 “Well yes, I know where he lives, he should be afraid of the power I have with that information by the way,” Laughing, I informed her I wasn’t actually at his place right now but, she asked me if I was still downtown, and I felt a bit shy for a second when I told her I was at the hospital. I did not realize how it sounded when she asked me what had happened. Confused for a moment, I asked her what she meant by that question, then the penny dropped. “Oh god no, no, nothing bad happened! I had finished my classes earlier, so I came by his work to wait. Turns out, I’ll have to wait a bit longer,” I told her.

 When she mumbled in understanding, I continued and slowly brought the topic of what had happened earlier. Her reaction was mixt, she seemed thrilled that it was going well, but still was not fond of the man, her excitement won when she asked me if he was a good kisser. “Nams, I think the important info to remember is that we got interrupted-“ she clicked her tongue against her teeth, saying it wasn’t important, “You’re still there, right? You’ll get railed, don’t worry, the interruption only adds some action to all of this!” She said enthusiastically.

 Rolling my eyes, I scoffed jokingly, “Well, I don’t want action, I want to fuck and maybe see if I like him, I don’t need drama. Just, casual sex,” Nami told me to shut up that I was just spurring bullshit, “Casual, casual, what you’re doing is everything but casual babe. You’d have to be blind to not see there’s something between the two of you. And it’s weird, right? Because you’ve known each other for…” She started counting under her breath before saying, “Not long,” Chuckling at that, I hummed thoughtfully.

 “You’re right, it’s rushed, should I just come back and tell him we should take things slow?” I asked, a bit lost, I don’t know why it was happening so fast. I appreciated him, I knew things about him, yet I felt like there was an invisible wall separating us. I did not mind, after all we started all this just to have sex, maybe that wall was a blessing, and it’ll help me not get caught up in… whatever this was.

 “Oh no girl, you’re getting laid, and only once you’ve gotten laid will I be accepting you back in the apartment!” In the back I heard Robin say that it didn’t work like that, that if I came knocking during the night while Nami was asleep, she’d let me in. Nami tried to argue back, it was all in good fun and in the end, I know that my ginger friend did not mind letting me back in if things didn’t go as planned.

 We kept talking a bit longer, she hyped me to keep doing what I was doing. One of her arguments being that he had money and he was always going to pay the food, which was only an added bonus to how attractive he was. I deviated the conversation to her and Vivi, which made her softer and cooled her curiosity about my situation.

 After a while, we hang up and I focused on my work. I had to use the hospital’s guest wi-fi, which was a bit too slow and limited my use for my research, but I managed to do things anyway. Feeling out of place in this room, I tried my best to not spread my stuff around. I had my bag closed right next to me, with a book opened on the low table and my laptop on my lap. I felt too aware of each of my action, thinking that anyone could come in the room and kick me out, or just give me a weird look when they’d see that Law wasn’t here.

 I kept my back as straight as possible; it was hard because every now and then, I’d want to sit in a more comfortable position; There were no pillows to support my back, and the seat was pretty uncomfortable, it took all the restraint in the world for me to not sit tailor-style and finally be comfortable. Time went by without me being aware of it, it’s only when I was startled by a light being turned on above my head that I noticed it was pitch dark outside.

 Sliding the headset off my head, having it now resting around my neck, I turned my head towards the door and let out a short breath in surprise. With a small smile, I thanked Law as he stepped inside his office, “You shouldn’t work in the dark, you’ll fuck your eyes up like that.” He said with a smile as he shrugged off his coat and hung it on the hook by the door before rolling his sleeves up. I had to force myself to look away, fixing my gaze back on my screen.

 “I hadn’t realized it was this late,” Putting a hand on my stomach, I made a pondering face, “Although it explains why my stomach’s empty, I did eat a few snacks while working but it’s clearly not enough,” I said out loud as I saved my file and turned off my computer, putting it back in my bag, carefully placing it so that nothing would hit it too roughly. Scoffing, I saw Law grab something from his desk before going to the bathroom and coming out of it with his earrings dangling from his lobes.

 Pursing my lips, I tried not to laugh but he saw it and asked me what was wrong with me. “Nothing it’s just,” understanding he was getting ready to go, I stood up and threw my bag over my shoulder, “It’s cute how, even though we’re going back to your place, you’re putting on your earrings. It’s just- the trip there isn’t that long, no one is going to see it,” Quirking a brow, he didn’t answer right away and first put on his black coat. He shoved his hands in his pockets to check for the keys and wallet, his eyes never leaving mine.

 “It’s not for the people that I’m wearing them, I just like the earrings. They were a gift, it feels off when I’m not wearing them, is that a good answer?” He said with a strained smile, I felt my cheeks warm up. I felt stupid for assuming anything and felt slightly bad for having had him tell me the story behind it, sure it wasn’t much, but I could have kept my mouth shut and he wouldn’t have given me that… awkward smile. “I didn’t mean to pry, but it suits you, that’s for sure.” I said with a nudge, lifting up the mood. I wasn’t sure it had even gone sour, but I made sure we were on the same page.

 Opening the door of his office, Law grabbed the cap from the coat-hanger, he was only going to put it on once he was outside. “Well, you are biased, but I’ll take the compliment,” He grinned, gesturing me with his head to go to the elevator. Following him, I scoffed, “How am I biased? Visually, it looks good, you know? With some perspective and all that,” Pulling me towards him when I was about to bump into someone, he kept me close by when we were in the elevator.

 We were stacked inside such a tight space it felt stuffed. I shoved my free hand in my pocket and put on a fake smile when my eyes could meet those of the other people in the elevator. I tensed when I felt Law’s breath behind my ear, he was standing right behind me and was keeping me close, a hand on my hip. “Biased because you find me attractive,” I shook my head, and looked at him over my shoulder, whispering back, “I do, you are handsome, that doesn’t mean the earrings don’t suit you. It only makes you look even more cute,” I felt bolder from not facing him straight on, but I could still see the slight blush on his cheeks.

 He leaned back, his back hitting the wall of the elevator, his hand on my hip only tightened I didn’t say anything, but found it entertaining to know he reacted as such when given genuine compliments. “Doctor Law! I didn’t know you had a girlfriend- oh and what a cute couple you two are, you know, I was talking about it with my husband earlier that we never saw you with anyone by your side, he’ll be glad to know you’re not as hopeless as he thought you were! He was dead set on setting you up with his friend’s grand-daughter-“ The old man that had started a one-sided conversation with Law got interrupted by the nurse next to him who gave us a short smile.

 She told him that he shouldn’t bother Law since clearly he had finished his shift and was on his way to leave; Law laughed politely, “You can tell Eliott that I’m fine, he shouldn’t worry about me. I can only hope to be as lucky as you are to be with him,” He said, that same polite smile adorning his features.

 The old man gave me a look, almost asking me to speak, so I threaded carefully. When I saw the door open, I slid my hand inside Law’s and grinned at the old man in the wheelchair, “Well, we have to get going, any time I spend with this guy is gold- yup, and I’m, a gold digger?” I kept the weird face I wanted to make, to myself and instead followed Law’s footsteps out of the elevator, bidding goodbye to the confused old man.

 When we were out, we made our way in silence to the car, Law let go of me and looked at me confused, “What did that even mean?” His voice wasn’t angry, nor was it happy, I didn’t know what he was thinking. He had the faintest frown on his face, which gave me the impression that he was mad but did not let it get to me.

 “I don’t know, I panicked! I’m bad at improvising, I wanted to be all poetic you know? Like, you have little free time, so it’s rare, like gold and- it came out so, so bad, I am truly sorry about that.” I confessed while struggling to put on my seatbelt. My hands were shaking from the feeling of being put on the spot when the old man had talked to us. It felt like stage fright, but there was no show, and I was no actress. Perhaps I could try my best to be one, and act like I did not care of what the man had said but there was pride swelling inside me as I recalled he had said we made a great couple.

 The black-haired man stared at me for a moment before bursting out laughing, he helped me with my seatbelt, leaning in close, “Well, you’ve embarrassed yourself by saying you’re a gold digger. At least I know what Mr. Coldwater will be talking about with his husband for the next few days.” When my seatbelt was fastened, Law did not lean back on his seat. Instead, he looked at me a little longer, his eyes darting to my lips before smirking.

 I thought he was going to pull away like he did when he had coffee together and was surprised when he placed a hand on my cheek and brought my lips to his. I don’t think either of us cared that this was getting hot so fast, it was slow and deep kisses, his hand that previously was holding the wheel tightly, moved to cradle my face closer. At this moment I realized how touch starved we both were, craving that intimacy we hadn’t had in too long. I pulled him closer by his tie only to be tutted in a reprimanding way as he broke the kiss.

 “You really want to take my clothes off, I’m getting worried you only want me for the sex,” he said jokingly, removing my hand from his tie and straightening it back in place as he fastened his seatbelt, giving me a side glance. “No, you’re right, I am also using you for the free food, I should have made that clearer,” I matched his attitude, giving him my best smirk, which only made him roll his eyes as he started the car.

 “You are truly living that gold digger life, or is it more the sugar baby life? I can hardly tell the difference,” A strained laugh escaped my lips when I heard his words, looking at him, astonished, there was still the beginning of a smile on my face.

 “Hey, come on, you’re the one offering and I never refuse great offers. I’m quite the opportunist, doc,” Humming, I felt my body flush with warmth and opened the window to get some fresh air. I looked outside, watching the flash colors of the city passing by as we drove on the highway. I was about to get lost in my thoughts when Law spoke loudly, so that I could hear above the sound of the wind.

 I faced him when he started talking, “Then I shall find an offer you can’t refuse, how about,” he trailed off, making me think he was pondering what to say next but from the smug smile on his face, he knew already what he wanted to say. “I get to enjoy some too, you’ve been enjoying free food for a while now, it’s only fair I get a taste,” His eyes left the road for half a second, looking at me up and down. My brows furrowed as I tried to understand what he meant; I was coming to a conclusion but the silence from my side must have been too long when he explained himself.

 “You’re the food, and I want to eat you out.”

An audible “Ah,” left my mouth, I stared at him for a moment, the radio playing at a very low volume was all we could hear along the loud wind in the background. Sliding the window shut, I nodded to myself, Law couldn’t see it for he was focused on the road. “Well, as I said… I can’t refuse a great offer, it sounds great to me, yep…” I smacked my lips, not expecting that at all and yet I was unable to ignore the excitement that started to build inside me.

 “Perfect, until then, how about we order Chinese?” He then proceeded to tell me about the restaurant that wasn’t far from his place, and we then spent time trying to find what we wanted on the app. I had to read out loud most of the plates there was on the menu since Law couldn’t look at them himself. When we had chosen what we wanted, I called the place and told them our order. They said it would take about an hour since it was rush hour and they had a lot of customers right now.

 The rest of the drive we chatted as if he had not just plainly told me he wanted to eat me out. I appreciated it, a deal was a deal, no need to mention it again until the right moment. While we did not mention it again, it was still very present in the back of my mind and I couldn’t wait until we were at his place to get things going. I felt like this was the longest I had to wait to get laid, but from what he keeps telling me, he’s good, and it’ll be worth it.

 I brought up the topic of his clumsy blond friend, and it made him smile a little albeit the rolling of his eyes. “He’s… a family friend, helped raise me, he’s great but don’t tell him I said that. He needs to get the love toned down,” He said softly, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel. We were driving straight ahead, so it was pretty quiet. Even more so at this time of the day.

 “Not to be that person, but are we there yet?” I asked him a bit shyly, I did feel like a child who had been promised a nice treat. But I was no child, and the treat was entirely different than what a child would expect. “We are, can you hold on five more minutes? Or do you really want to jump me that bad?” I laughed loudly in response, resting my elbow against the car door and leaning my head on my fist. “Oh babe, I can wait, I was curious because, thanks to you, I haven’t eaten and I’m getting car sick alright?” I huffed, focusing on the horizon with a frown.

 His humorous attitude turned into concern when he asked me if I was okay, I told him that as long as I get to have a bite of something, anything really, when we got to his place, I’d survive. “I should have gotten us something to snack on before leaving, it was stupid of me,” he sighed. I turned around and looked at him in confusion, putting a hand on his shoulder, “I was kidding when I said it was because of you. I should have prepared something don’t worry, you’re good, I’m good and alive too, I just hope you have bread at your place,” I finished with a smile, sitting back properly on my seat, hoping he’d stop blaming himself.

 Something in the back of my head sensed a certain familiarity in the way he was acting; Kind of like the man who made sure I’d eat and drink after… Shaking my head, I looked back at the road, making sure to ignore my thought. We weren’t on the highway anymore; we were driving through a fairly rich neighbor. Not the richest, but the housing did look very good. A lot of white houses and grey/white buildings too, “I do have food, yes, I also have to eat you know? I am human after all,” He said with a smug smile. I rolled my eyes, “Damn I thought you sparkled under the sun, here lies my hopes and dreams.” I sighed in faux-despair, I then met his eyes, “The more you know, right?” I added.

 His smug smile disappeared to let an exhausted playful one adorn his face, he did not say anything else. After a while, we arrived, and he parked his car in the underground parking lot of the building before leading us to the elevator. His place was on the eleventh floor, which made the ride there only more painful. “I think we spent too much time on elevators today,” I stated. Law huffed, giving me a weird look, “And I think we’re lucky to be alone in this one, or would you prefer to be pressed against me in a crowded one?” I bit the inside of my cheek and threw him a glance, considering his suggestion.

 The unsaid suggestion being: ‘shall we make out in the empty elevator?’, I think. “If you want me so bad, maybe you should come closer, see what happens? I promise I don’t bite.” I told him with a smirk, he was at the opposite of me, his arms crossed on his chest with his cap still covering his head. Grinning, he shook his head. “It’s cute, you’re trying to take control. Trying, being the key word. But you see, if I give you a taste right now, you won’t be able to behave until I fucked you properly.” He said dryly, only giving me a side glance before continuing, “We don’t want that, do we?” He smiled, approaching slowly, his arms falling to his side.

 He gently placed a hand on my cheek, I had a hard time keeping my reactions to myself. There was an unspoken battle of who would break first, and I had shown the first cracks by getting on his lap and initiating a making out session. Fortunately, I was brought back to reality when we got interrupted but with how he looked at me right now, I don’t think I could hold back a lot longer. “We wouldn’t want that, no,” I mirrored his smile, my hand sliding to his pants and pulling him closer by the belt. A surprised huff escaped his lips, turning his smirk into a strained expression.

 We stared at one another, daring the other to make another move. It was like playing Jenga but without the wooden blocks, without the support of the table, without the joyful laugh and angry screams of stress, but the tension was somewhat the same. Taking from the other to add more and more, trying to make each other tip. Trying our hardest to win by having the other succumb first, their composure crumbling like the wooden tower. If you showed one ounce of weakness, trembling hands, shivers, short breath, you’d be done for. And I knew full well I had lost long ago, yet we still entertained the idea.

 Our staring contest was cut short by the ‘ding’ the elevator made when we arrived on the eleventh floor. “Looks like it’s our stop,” I grinned, pushing him away gently as I pushed myself off the wall and gripped my bag tight. “I was going to lead the way, but I don’t know which one is yours so,” I stepped to the side and let him walk in front of me, “Guide me,”

 He chuckled and pulled the keys from his pockets, his pace fast in front of me. He stopped in front of a door and unlocked it, I followed and did as he did, removed my shoes at the entrance. When I was about to follow him further inside the place, I was stopped, “Wait here, I need to check something first,” with that he was gone, and I was left standing in the middle of the hall. I put my bag on the cabinet by the door and did not move. I still tried to look around, the place was open. To my left was the kitchen, it looked big enough for… creative activities.

 On the right there was the living room, with the dining room close by. No walls separated anything, which made the room very vast. Law had entered a room right ahead from the entrance, he closed it behind and stayed there a few minutes before coming out with a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved black shirt he had rolled the sleeves of. He seemed a lot more comfortable than he had been in his slack pants, tight belt, tie and dress shirt. Looking at me, he grinned and approached me close.

 “By ‘wait here’ I meant, not follow me. But you stayed right…” He dragged the word, his eyes trailing on my form, “…there, you did not move an inch. You are obedient after all,” I looked at him with wide eyes, my cheeks warming up by the second. I don’t know what he meant by that, but I took his words as a permission for me to move. I walked past him and made my way to the kitchen, “I’m hungry above anything else,” I heard him say that I should make myself at home, so I did. I started making myself a sandwich while still talking, “And you said I should wait, so I waited, it’s not my place so I wasn’t going to take a look around, no matter how tempting it is.”

 I explained before taking a bite and groaning at how great it felt to finally eat after a long day. I did not miss Law when he joined me in the kitchen and handed me a glass a water, saying that if I was going to eat so fast, I might as well not choke. I thanked him, then kept eating in silence until he spoke up, “You said no matter how tempting it is, do tell me what you’re curious about. I’ll give you a tour, not that we weren’t going to do that anyway,” I quirked a brow, asking him if he really meant to give me a tour in the first place.

 “Well, not in those circumstances. I’d have had you on all the furniture, moaning, but by the end we’d have done it in all the rooms.” He did not falter once while delivering that line, his back resting against the countertop, his head only half-turned towards me as his eyes were looking at nothing. He was imagining it, a smile on his face. My mouth too dry when I swallowed, I started choking and quickly took a sip of water. Law looked at me with a look that said, ‘I told you so’, so I scoffed. “It’s your fault if I’m choking, don’t give me that look doc.”

 He shook his head, “That’s not how I choke, but you can blame me for having you so flustered you lost the use of your mouth,” I sighed loudly at his words, but the smile on my face betrayed the fake-annoyance I put up. If he kept that up, my tower of restrain would collapse, he was too good with words. I tried to taunt him, tease him perhaps, in the elevator but utterly failed. And here he was, simply standing next to me, but having me hot and bothered by the snap of his fingers.

 “If you don’t answer, I’ll think you’ve really choked, maybe I should help you out,” He drawled, his hand grabbing my wrist gently as he pulled me towards him. He placed himself behind me, my back against his chest. I let him move me as he pleased, curious of what he’d do, and did not say anything. You know what they said, if you don’t have anything sexy to say, don’t say anything, or something like that.

 I felt his other hand slowly travel the length of my body, from the side of my thigh to my hip, to my sides to finally rest on my shoulder. His hand delicately moved to rest under my chin, lifting it from under, barely holding my neck. “Tell me to stop and I’ll stop,” he whispered into my ear before letting go of my hand to rest a hand on my stomach, just under my chest. I breathed out, ‘Keep going,’ but could barely hear it myself. I felt him huff a laugh as his finger gently graze against my throat.

 “Something’s keeping you from talking, so I should help, right?” He continued, his hand leaving my neck to join his other one on my stomach. His lips moved to where his hand was on my neck and ghosted my skin as he spoke. “The trick is to put the thumb right here,” He clicked his tongue against his teeth and chuckled, “We can’t really see much like that, can we? Here,” he raised my shirt, and to not have to hold it he told me to keep the hem between my teeth. I tried to lean my head back on his shoulder, but he said I should watch and learn.

 “You put your fist right there, the other hand above it and you pull it up,” Instead of pulling up, he moved both of his hands right under my breasts, tracing oh so slowly. His mouth soon joined as he pressed kisses on the back of my neck, I laughed lightly at the tickling sensation of his hair on my skin. “Don’t move or I’ll stop,” he said in a low tone. His hands had started traveling down my body, but I stopped him and pulled away from him, “Stop what? You’ve barely done anything, we could stop everything right now and it wouldn’t change a thing-“ With an annoyed sigh, he pulled me closer once more, this time he did not lose time and took my shirt off.

 I raised my arm to help him, if he initiated it like that, I could still claim to not have lost. He had caved in first, and I had barely done anything for it to happen. “You talk too much, and moan so little. I’d like to change that,” he was about to help me on the countertop when I smirked and pushed him away once more. “Not here to fight you, but if you plan of fucking me properly, I’d like for it to happen in a proper bed too.” With another annoyed huff, he led me to his room but did not bother closing the door. Instead, he made me wrap my hands around his shoulders, his were resting on my hips as he guided me to the bed.

 I fell my back first on it as he let go of me and looked down at me with a wide grin. “Hopefully you didn’t forget my offer,” he asked rhetorically before leaning over the bed and helping me out of my clothes slowly, the excitement coursing through my body made my hands tremble a little as I tried to help me out, but he told me, “Keep your hands to yourself or I might have to tie you up,” while I knew he said it jokingly, I couldn’t help but found some thrill into it. I did not tell him I’d be into it, just like I did not tell him I dreamt of him in the most sinful ways.

 Instead, I scoffed, I don’t know where I found the attitude. I felt completely exposed while he was still fully dressed, I could however see the growing bulge in his pants and grinned before meeting his gaze. “My hands could be helping you too, you know,” His lips pulled into a smirk, he grabbed my ankles and put my legs over his shoulders as he knelt on the bed, between my legs. “I think they’ll fit better here,” he let go of my legs and placed both my hands in his hair.

 Without any warning, he dipped his head between my legs and starting working, my breath hitched in my throat as I let my head fall back. He started slow, painfully so, his tongue feeling strange at first but slowly growing into a pleasing sensation. It was enjoyable but not yet a bliss, I had yet to be gripping his hair in pleasure and must have noticed and stopped for a moment. His hands slithered from knees to the higher spot on my thighs, “Do you want to make this a bit more fun?” He asked, after having wiped his chin on my thigh.

 I nodded, he told me to try again, I furrowed my brows a moment then cleared my dry throat, “Yes, what do you have in mind?” I asked, he then instructed for me to grab the headboard tightly and not let go. If I did, he’d stop. If I wanted to stop, I’d have to hit his back with my heel. I liked that, it was kind of like… discipline… When I agreed, he went back to work, except this time, he used his hands too. While one finger was playing with my clit, his mouth was licking, sucking, his tongue lapping at my lower lips, another one was thrusting inside and out of me.

 At some point, he looked up at me and grinned widely, his eyes darted to where my hands were gripping the headboard with all my strength. I was panting, high pitched moans escaping my lips without any shame. He grazed his teeth against my skin and met my gaze as if to ask if he could go one, I told him he could go ahead and then felt a stinging pain of his teeth sinking in my skin enough to feel some pain but not to spill some blood. I tried to keep my mouth shut to muffle the louder moan that was going to escape but was only reprimanded in return. “Where’s the fun in covering up those pretty sounds?” He stopped everything and leaned over me, a hand on my chin to open my mouth.

 “See, if it can open like that, why not use it to let me enjoy those moans of yours, hm?”  A lazy smile on my lips, I wanted to do what he did to me: grab his chin back and maybe slap his hand away but I felt like I had to keep holding the headboard. “I’ll make a note of that, so keep going if you want to hear more of it, hm?” I mimicked his tone, only to be met with a taunting smile.

 “It’s cute, you’re still following the game of not letting go of the bed, but you’re talking back. Guess we’ll have to make you scream louder, hopefully you won’t mind,” I could feel my whole body warming up, upon hearing his words. He then gripped the hem of his shirt with both his hands before removing it, I suddenly felt a shiver ran down my body and looked up at him.

 “Oh god you’re-“

[Part 9]

[13uswntimagines]

I Should Sleep With You More Often (Sam x Reader)

Sequel to Works Like a Charm  where Sam and Reader finally get together. It’s a very fluffy piece, with a little bit of late night breakfast making and a surprise kiss. 

special thanks to @literaryhedgehog​ cause this wouldn’t have happened without her. 

Hello?”

“Hey, I can’t sleep.” Sam’s voice comes over the phone, getting straight to the point with frustration.

“And you’re calling me about it? At 3 am. I could have been asleep you know.” You huff into the phone, pinning it between your chin and your shoulder. 

“Were you?” She asks, and you can almost see her eyebrow quirking up. 

You look down at the frying pan where you were about to pour your egg-cheese scramble. “No. But still.”

“Don’t worry, I appreciate the irony of the situation,” she says, with an attempt at humor. “can I come over?”

“Sure. You can split my omelet.” You hum, your tongue poking out as you make sure the entire omelet landed on the plate instead of the floor. 

“Omelette?” Sam asked, sounding amused. “I thought you weren’t supposed to --” 

“Eat anything after 9 pm I know, I know. But I woke up and was hungry, and couldn’t just ignore it to fall back asleep for two hours. I had to eat something or I was going to get nauseous.” You interrupted her, waving your hand dismissively. 

“What?” Sam asked entirely confused. 

“You know that feeling, where you’re like, so hungry that you get kind of nauseous?” You tried to explain again. 

“No…” She trailed off. 

“Oh, well it’s the worst. I like to try to eat something before it gets too bad because otherwise, the food won’t do anything. Anyway, I made enough you can have half of it, just let me know when you get here so I can send down the elevator for you.” You said, whipping your hands off and walking towards the door. 

“I’m actually just parking,” Sam’s voice came sheepishly over the phone. In the background, you heard the unmistakable sound of her car being locked. She always insisted on clicking the lock button twice so it would beep, like she didn’t trust it to lock the first time. 

You shook your head and left your apartment to buzz her into the building. “You’re telling me that at 3 am, before even checking to see if I was awake, you just decided to come to my apartment because you couldn’t sleep?”

“Yes?” 

“You’re insane,” you said, hanging up the phone as the elevator door opened to reveal her tall frame. 

She ruffled the hair at the back of her neck, grinning. “I knew you would be awake?”

“Bullshit.” You led the way back to your apartment and grabbed two plates from the cabinet. “You want soy milk?”

“What?” 

“Soy milk. I’ve got vanilla or dark chocolate.” For some reason, soy milk helped reduce the insomnia nausea more than anything else most days. Still, the omelet smelled amazing. 

“Um sure, vanilla please.” She shrugged, and you rolled your eyes. Vanilla was for the weak. 

You pulled out both cartons and two glasses, before cutting the omelet in half and handing her a fork. 

“Don’t I get my own plate?” Sam whined, cutting off a piece of the Omelet and popping it into her mouth. 

“People who come barging into my apartment at 3 AM have to share with the host. Unless you wanna do dishes?” You raised your eyebrow at her, pointing your fork in her direction, smirking when she emphatically shook her head no. 

She quickly changed the subject, avoiding your eyes as she ate. “So how are you liking your apartment, it’s new right?”

“Yeah, I moved in four months ago, you know when I suddenly got traded to North Carolina,” you said, a very bitter edge in your voice. How Mark could let you leave the thorns you would never know, but at least Hinkle was retiring. 

You took another bite “So why couldn’t you sleep? At camp, you’re usually snoring like a freight train by now.” 

Sam paused mid-bite, fork in the air. She looked like she was debating how to answer then, stuffed her last piece of omelet in her mouth. “I donb snowe.”

“You totally do. Rose even sent me the video evidence if you wanna see it,” you smirked, standing to go get your phone. 

“No!” Sam jumped up and you sprinted across the kitchen to get out of her reach, grinning. “You really don’t have to do that, it’s not a big deal.”

“Oh, but I really don’t mind,” you taunted, starting for your phone before Sam tackled you. Well, it wasn’t a tackle so much as a grab, but she had a good foot and a half on you, so same difference really. 

“Put me down. This is highly unnecessary,” you sputtered, laughing from Sam’s shoulder. “I’m not supposed to exercise within an hour of bed. My therapist would be unhappy with so much activity.”

“Yeah cause eating an Omelette at 3 am is totally something she would approve,” Sam rolled her eyes, as she tossed you onto your couch.

“Lies and slander. I won’t get the alleged snoring video, but seriously. Why are you here?”

Sam sighs, and slouches onto the couch next to you, dropping her head into your lap. You smile down at her, liking this new angle. While you certainly didn’t mind being the baby of the team, it was kind of nice to do the petting for once.

“I don’t know,” Sam said, furrowing her eyebrows.

“You were never a good liar. It’s why everyone catches you when you try to pull pranks. I hear it helps if you talk about it,” You murmured, using your thumb to smooth out the crease that formed between her eyes. 

“Fine, I couldn’t sleep because I kept having nightmares. It felt like, I was tossing and turning for hours, and then every time I dozed off, my brain came up with these fucked up images. Like, silence of the lambs shit. I could sell some horror film director the plotlines and make bank, I’m telling you. And since Rose and Wilma moved out, my place has felt so empty. It felt like, the panic attacks I used to have before games. When I had to always bring a bag with me to hyperventilate into before I could get my mind on the game.”

You frowned. “I don’t remember that.”

“Once you became my bus buddy I didn’t have that problem. You got me out of my own head with fun word games and stupid jokes. Remember that time you gave me the sentence ‘The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog?’ You kept grinning telling me to stop stressing out, it would be alright, to just guess a letter.” 

“Because whatever you guessed would be right.” You hum smiling down at her. 

 “You couldn’t take that shit-eating grin off your face, you jerk, but like, it helped me stop second-guessing myself. Sitting on the bus with you, I’ve never felt more calm going into a season. And so I just thought. It’s dumb but I hoped coming here would help.” She shrugged. 

“It’s not dumb Sammy. You help me sleep too. Why do you think all the vets insist I sit with you?” You said softly, leaning down to kiss her forehead. 

“Because you used to fall asleep literally everywhere and they hoped I could get across the aisle and catch you before you hit your head?” She giggled and you snapped her shoulder lightly. 

“Wow. Thanks.” You said in a monotone, “Or maybe it’s ‘cause you’re my favorite teddy bear.”

“If anyone is the teddy it’s you. You’re like half my size,” She giggled. 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” you muttered, playfully pushing her head off your lap. “Come on you giant.”

“Where are you going?” She asked, allowing you to pull her to her feet. 

“To go grab you a toothbrush and a fresh pillowcase for the bed.” You said, your tugging getting a little more insistent. You really wanted to get to sleep tonight. You had been so good lately (ignoring the random omelet you cooked tonight).

“Oh, um. I was hoping we could just watch television on your couch and I would fall asleep,” Sam rambled, eyes wide. “I mean, not that I mind, but I didn’t want to like, invade on your--”

“Just come up to my room. It’s no big deal, it’s large enough for both of us, and I honestly don’t think that couch is even big enough to fit you. Besides, maybe it will help you sleep to be on a mattress actually purchased in this century.”

“Hey, I like my mattress!” She grumbled indignantly, crossing her arms. 

“You flip it twice a month because it keeps forming an indention where you’ve slept!” You said exasperated. That sleepover had been a terrible idea and you stood by that. At least your bed didn’t spit out feathers when you turned over too fast. 

“Well, I. um. No comment.” you hear her say as you go to take your turn in the bathroom. 

When Sam gets back from brushing her teeth you’ve done everything except turn out the lights. You look up from your side of the bed as she pauses in the doorway. 

“Is this… Welcome to Night Vale?”

“It helps me ignore my thoughts. Can you get the lights please?” 

You had to replay the podcast the next day after Sam left. You couldn’t remember anything after “Wednesday has been canceled due to a scheduling error” because within moments you were asleep.

*****

You thought that sleeping with Sam was only supposed to be a one-night thing, but it wasn’t. One night turned into two, which turned into the two of you usually crashing at each other's places. 

If you were being honest, it was the best sleep you had ever gotten. It was nice to have someone there to hold onto, to protect you from the bad dreams. The problem was that your feelings were edging past the line of friendship, and you had no idea what to do about it. 

It started with a team party you both went to, where Sam offered to be the designated driver. After she dropped everyone else off, you told her she might as well stay the night at your place since it was already so late and she did. And you both slept great. And then you had your usual Saturday spa night the next night, and you were several shots in and it wouldn’t have been responsible to drive home. And you both slept a solid seven hours. 

Not that Sam was a magical cure to your insomnia. You still had nights where your brain was like a train running off the rails, unstoppable no matter how hard you tried. Yet, having her there helped. She made sure blue lights went off when they were supposed to, and your late-night breakfast-making was kept to a minimum. AND after the first few nights, you realized that she was amusingly clingy in her sleep. Which meant that occasionally if you woke up and tried to get out of bed, she would sleepily grab you and hold you in place murmuring about whatever was happening in her dream. Since you couldn’t get up you had to just lay there, which normally might have been boring, but with her was amusing as you listened to her rambling state of consciousness. 

You sighed, staring up at the ceiling. You really needed to get your shit together and just ask her out. But what if she said no, and you lost your cuddle buddy? That would suck royally, and if you lost your bus seat it might completely curse the USWNT. 

“Alright, I can practically feel the steam coming out of your ears, spill,” Sam groaned, rolling over and throwing an arm around your waist. 

“Isn’t it weird?”

“What?”

“Time. Like someone decided that seconds were a thing and a certain number of seconds equaled a minute and there were a certain number of minutes in a day. Like someone just decided it was a thing, and everyone went along with it and now we all have to plan our lives around this arbitrary system. I wonder if that asshole realized that people would use it to put kids in detention and force them to cram so they could regurgitate facts in a specified amount of his made-up system. And like the Romans made a Calendar and the Mayans did one too…” Your rambling was cut off by Sams’s soft lips touching your own in a quick peck before she collapsed back into the pillow. “Just blame capitalism babe.”

You stared at her for a minute, shocked, before she bolted upright. “SHIT. Sorry, I just. I forgot to ask for consent. I just forgot--”

“I consent, yes, more of this please,” you said, leaning over to kiss her again. Your hands cupped her cheeks and her fingers tangled into the baby hairs at the back of your neck. 

After a few minutes, Sam broke off the kiss, both of you breathing heavily. “Um, wow. You know, I’m not sure this is helping you get to sleep, love.”

You smirk, biting your lip and straddling her hips before you lean in to kiss her again, slowly. “You’re the one who said you needed to sleep with me more often.”