#but yeah she told me she feels better hearing that i experienced the struggle too

[virgoevenus]

just discovered my purpose in my life (helping people my age just starting their “careers” feel okay with the pace they’re taking)

[ladykailitha]

Royal Pain Part 13

Hello! I got the next part done in time to post today

Steve gets an unpleasant surprise and Eddie grovels.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12

***

Steve tried not let the disappointment settle in his gut. He had set himself up and he shouldn’t have been surprised that Eddie didn’t feel the same. They had only been hanging out for a couple weeks after all. He shouldn’t  have expecting Eddie to fall head over heels in love with Steve in that time.

He should have taken the olive branch of friendship when he had the chance. But now he’s ruined a good thing before it could even get started. What was he to expect when he kept shoving his hand in the fire but get burned.

He had been helping Chrissy get a better feel at knowing the depth of the ink when he heard a commotion in front.

“My girlfriend wants to get a tattoo on her breast,” the man said.

“Yes, sir,” Robin said. “I heard you the first three times you’ve said. But as I’ve explained the only female tattooist is Chrissy and she’s only an apprentice.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit!” the man bellowed. “I know the owner! Stevie is a woman! And you’ll bring her out here right now!” He pulled out his phone and waved it in her face. “I call her! Don’t think I won’t, bitch!”

“Sir, I have explained,” Robin pleaded, “Stevie isn’t a–”

Steve stepped out to the front and held up a hand. “It’s okay, Robs. He’s right about one thing. He does know the owner. Dad.”

The shop became deathly silent. You couldn’t even hear the ragged breaths that Steve was experiencing as he struggled to get his emotions under control. Behind him ringed Chrissy, Erica, and Argyle, all wearing expressions of shock as they had come out of their rooms to see what the fuss was about.

“Steven,” Mr Harrington sneered. “What are you doing here?”

Steve walked up to the counter behind Robin. “I could ask you the same thing, seeing as this is my shop. I’m Stevie.”

“No grown man calls himself Stevie,” Mr Harrington scoffed.

“Clint baby, who is this?” the woman asked, tugging on his arm.

“Oh god, she looks Erica’s age,” Steve breathed.

“Girl...” Erica agreed.

“Don’t worry about it, Kinsey,” Clint said patting her hand gently. “I want to speak to the owner this instant. Kinsey wants a rose on her right breast, I don’t want some creep leering at her.”

Steve burst out laughing. “You know, if you had a dozen things differently even being who you are, I might have let Chrissy take a crack at it. Roses in her style would look amazing. But you came in here, threw your weight around, shouted at my best friend and insulted me to my face. So no one is doing her tattoo. And I’ll make sure you are black listed at every parlor I know, too.” He wouldn’t have really let Chrissy tattoo her. Not while she was still an apprentice, but this idiot didn’t know that.

Clint turned nearly purple with rage. “Don’t you know who I am?”

“You’re a piece of trash,” Steve said crossing his arms over his chest. “Does Mom know you’re here with your latest side piece?”

The color change was a dramatic as it was instantaneous. He went from purple to white as he realized he couldn’t bully Steve around anymore.

“If she’s even legal,” Chrissy said with a raised eyebrow.

Kinsey blushed and Clint whipped around to face her. “You told me you were eighteen!”

She flipped her hair. “And you told me you were single. Who’s the biggest liar?”

Steve turned pale now. “Call the police. I want them removed from my property. Now.”

Robin picked up the phone and immediately Clint turned to the doorway, but it was blocked.

Eddie leaned against the one side, his long legs stretched out to block the entire door. “Where would you be going?”

“He wants us removed from the property,” Clint glowered. “So I’m leaving!”

“You’re leaving?” Eddie asked examining his nails. “Not we’re leaving?”

Kinsey turned on him and screeched. “Yeah, what the hell is up with that?”

Clint growled. “I’m not going to be seen with you, slut. You tricked me!”

“You told me you were single!” she screamed.

Steve snorted. “As if he would leave my mother. She’s the one with all the money. And...” he waved at Clint, “apparently all the sense.”

Kinsey balled her fists and stomped her foot. “You said you were a business man!”

Steve actually laughed at that one. “In the business Maureen Reynolds inherited from her father before she met this asshole.”

“You’re wife is Maureen Reynolds?” Kinsey asked, shocked. “Why the fuck would you cheat on a woman like that?”

“It truly is the mystery of the ages,” Robin agreed. “The cops should be here any minute now.”

Clint rounded on her and would have stormed up to the desk if Argyle hadn’t stepped between them.

“My dude,” he said putting his hand on Clint’s chest, “you need to learn to chill. All this rage isn’t good for your health, my man.”

Eddie moved to the side and out of view as the cops came in.

Within minutes of Steve explaining the situation, Kinsey and Clint were in handcuffs and being hauled away from the parlor with a lovely little thumb drive that held the security data in the hands of one of the officers.

Steve turned to Eddie. “Thanks. I really appreciate you stalling them until the cops got here.”

Eddie blushed, shoving his hair in front of his face before he shrieked and dashed out of the shop.

“What was that about?” Erica asked.

But before anyone could answer Eddie was back with his arms filled with apology gifts.

The first thing he handed to Steve was a bouquet of flowers. “Blue snapdragons for truth and because they’re cool, daffodils for honesty, white tulips for forgiveness and respect, and purple hyacinths for regret.”

Steve took the flowers with a blush. “Eddie...”

“No, sweetheart,” Eddie murmured. “I was a jackass, let me apologize in the biggest, grandest way I know how.”

Steve just nodded, handing the flowers to Robin so she could get vase for them.

Eddie then handed him a cup of coffee and still warm bagels. “I didn’t even realize how much an ass I was, that’s how big I fucked up, Stevie. Jeff had beat me over the head.” Then he pulled off the pick necklace he had worn for years and put it over Steve’s head.

“I forgot that we had just started being friends,” he explained. “I felt like I had known you for years and made a joke that would have gotten my friends laughing their asses off. But in hindsight it was stupid not just in context of what we were talking about, but the evening as a whole. I really like you, please tell me I didn’t drive you away.”

Chrissy gently removed the coffee and bag of bagels from Steve’s hands. Steve’s lip quivered as he hesitated a moment before he launched himself into Eddie’s arms.

“Oh thank god,” Eddie breathed as he wrapped his arms around this beautiful man.

Steve pulled away. Gratitude shown in his face. Maybe he had read too much into the situation, but it didn’t mean that they couldn’t get there eventually. He had to go Eddie’s speed. It was hard for him to let go of the reins but if Eddie was willing to still be friends, then he would do everything he could to keep him.

*

Steve was happily munching on his bagels, which actually wasn’t something that Robin had told him. It was something Eddie had remembered that he would bring to first period every Thursday in high school. While Steve ate his apology bagel Eddie recounted all the ways he had been an ass last night and soon enough the entire shop was in an uproar of laughter.

Chrissy simpered. “Well, I am hot.”

“Don’t go for blondes,” Steve said with a snort, waving her off.

She laughed. “Yeah and what you usually go for?”

Steve glanced over at Eddie and blushed. Chrissy mouthed the word ‘Oh.’ But she didn’t say anything.

He cleared his throat. “I bat for either team, but it tends to be curly brunets.” He steadfastly didn’t look at Eddie.

Robin giggled. “You should have seen his first girlfriend. Long wavy hair that when she cut it to her just below her chin made it super curly. Soulful blue eyes. Cheek bones you could cut your hand on...”

Steve snorted. “I still think you had the bigger crush on her then I did and I dated her.”

Robin blushed. “Maybe.”

Eddie started snapping his fingers. “Nancy, right? Mike’s older sister?”

Steve nodded. “Hair color is the only major hard rule as far who I date goes.” He cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. “And nice hands.”

Eddie’s eyes nearly burst out of his head. “You have a thing for hands, pretty boy?”

Steve smirked. “Especially like watching them touch me in bed.” He wagged his eyebrows.

Chrissy, Argyle, Robin, and Erica all hooted and hollered while Eddie turned a delightful shade of pink.

Oh. Well that was certainly interesting, Steve thought. Maybe he didn’t have to work as hard as he thought. He just had to tap the breaks a bit. He could work with that.

“Come on, you menace,” Steve said fondly, throwing away his detritus from his impromptu breakfast. “Let’s start work on that sword of yours, shall we?”

Eddie bounced to his feet happily. “I can’t wait, sweetheart!”

Steve led him into his room. “Do you mind if Chrissy and Argyle watch?”

Eddie shook his head. “Everybody’s got to start somewhere.”

Steve nodded and went to go call them in. He walked them through each step of the process of setting up the tattoo machine and choosing an ink. As he tattooed Eddie’s back he talked about blow outs and blooming. What they are and how to fix them when they happen.

He explained that when they first start out that it was something that was going to happen. But that’s why he was training them on the fruit so they could when it occurred and why.

They asked questions and Steve provided answers. Three hours later, he was done and went through the clean up and after care processes with them.

He had them take apart the gun, clean it out, dry it, and put it back together. Even Eddie was fascinated by the process. Then Steve walked him out, Chrissy and Argyle following like ducklings.

“You guys should totally all come see the band on Saturday,” Eddie said. “Mandy and the boys missed Stevie and Robin and I’m sure they would love to meet the two of you,” he told Argyle and Chrissy.

“What kind of band do you have?” Chrissy asked.

“Same one I had in high school, sunshine,” Eddie said with a slow lick of his upper teeth.

“Corroded Coffin made it?” she asked excitedly, jumping up and down. “That’s so cool!”

Steve saw Argyle’s confused expression and explained, “It’s a metal band. They’re really good.”

Eddie flushed with pleasure.

Argyle nodded. “Not my scene, man. But don’t think you have to lose out on my account though.”

Eddie nodded, he turned to Chrissy. “So how about it, you in?”

Chrissy blushed. “I don’t have anything to wear...”

Robin hopped up and down. “Me either! But we can go shopping together! It’d be fun!”

“Do you know what to look for?” Chrissy asked.

Robin flushed in embarrassment. “Not really.”

Eddie came to the rescue. “Here, let me give you Mandy’s number and you girls can all go shopping together.

“Who’s Mandy?” Chrissy asked, frowning.

“One of my bandmate’s girlfriend,” Eddie explained. “She helped Robin out a couple weeks back when she showed up to a metal concert in punk gear.”

Argyle tilted his head. “Is that not a good thing?”

Eddie scoffed. “Punk and metal have a long standing rivalry. Both counter-culture, but with very different views on what that means.”

Argyle nodded sagely. “I feel that.”

Chrissy nodded. “Sure, sounds like fun. Robin and I will exchange our numbers too so we can get a group chat started.”

Robin blushed and fumbled to get her phone out. They gave each other their numbers and Eddie sent a warning text to Mandy about the sudden influx of messages she was going to get.

“So it’s a plan,” Eddie said smiling at them. “I’ll see you on Thursday and then Saturday. I’m so excited!”

Steve grinned. “Me, too.”

He barely managed to restrain his little dance of glee when Eddie blushed. Things were starting to look up.

***

Part 14  Part 15  Part 16  Part 17  Part 18 Part 19  Part 20  Part 21   Part 22  Part 23  Part 24  Part 25 Part 26  Part 27  Part 28  Epilogue

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[deliciousangelfestival]

My Problematic Girl - Chapter 3

Character: College!Steve Rogers x Rich!Female Reader

Prologue:  Steve has lived being nobody in this prestigious university. He just wants to graduate and get a job to get more money to pay the bills for his mother's surgery. 

But his life turned upside when a new student attended his class. His quiet and dull life became dangerous and full of surprises.

×××

She exhaled the cigarette smoke from her lips. She still doesn’t care even though he told her he has asthma. 

She looked at Steve and said, “Bark for me.”

Steve felt humiliated, and his pride was crushed. But she held his life and secrets. He had to bury his dignity to the ground, and he murmured, 

“Woof.”

******

I would appreciate any comments and feedback you can give me. 

If you want to be tagged in this series, please tell me.

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5 , Chapter 6, Chapter 7 ,Chapter 8 , Chapter 9,-

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For a brief moment, he could understand what "happiness" means. His struggle to find a sponsor has been resolved. 

But when she mentioned that ID name, Steve felt naked.

His life is exposed to the whole world. His biggest fear has become a reality. Someone in the uni knew his secrets.

He grabbed Y/N's hand and dragged her until he found a quiet place. 

They weren't running, but Steve had to catch his breath. He felt suffocated. Like someone strangled his neck.

When he found a spot to talk, he released her hand. "Is this the reason why you ask me? What do you want?"

Y/N widened her eyes for a second; then, she chuckled again. "Turned out you can get angry too." 

Steve felt his head going to explode, "You…!!!"

She raises her arm to stop him. "If you think I want to blackmail you. You are partially correct."

Steve's trust in her crumbled, and he stepped away from her. He covered his face with both hands. "Are you going to tell the university?" 

Since she is close to Tony, there's a high chance she will tell him. 

Y/N was taken aback; she seemed offended. "Pfft, no. Why would I want to do that?"

Steve lifted his face; he became more confused. "So, what do you want from me?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Right now, nothing." 

She took out her phone and started texting. While she was looking at the screen, she said, "I will inform you when I find a perfect location for your exhibition."

She doesn't bother with the way Steve look at her. "Word of advice, don't be afraid when someone knows your secret. Ignored them."

Steve clenched his fist. "Seems like you have experienced."

Y/N smirked at him and left. She left him with many questions and doubts.

Back at his apartment, Steve threw his bag to the floor and threw himself to bed. He wished he could turn around time to the day, but Y/N came to the class and ignored her. 

But it's too late now. 

"Bzzt"

"Yoo punk."

Steve sighed heavily; at least today, he could hear a familiar voice.

"What is it, idiot? Did you get hit in the head today?"

"This kid. Don't you want your best friend to become a famous quarterback?"

Steve chuckled. He's talking with Bucky, who studies in other cities at Imperial University. It is also a prestigious university like Stark but is more competitive and has a strong alumnus of doctors, lawyers, and football players. 

Bucky got accepted because of his football scholarship. Both of them are only able to meet on holidays. 

"Hei Bucky."

"What? You sounded like you got hit by a bus."

"I prefer to get hit. Today I meet a b**h."

"Tell me!!!"

Steve sighed heavily; he couldn’t tell everything to Bucky. He only tells him there’s a new student, which gives him stress. 

“Hmm, she sounds like a person I know. Perhaps I’m wrong. Just be careful, Steve.” 

Yeah, he should be careful. He doesn’t know what Y/N has under her sleeves.

A few days later.

Y/N didn't come to the university. It's better that way because he doesn't know how to feel when he sees her, angry or awkward. 

But once again when Steve felt relieved for a moment. Something will come again to disturb his peace. 

'Vroom'

The engine's sounds were loud, taking every student's attention, including Steve, walking towards the gate to go home. 

It was a black sports car, and it stopped beside Steve. He finally knew who the owner was when the car window went down. 

It's Y/N. 

"Get in." 

Steve wants to ignore her but doesn't want to get into trouble and make her mad since she knows his secret. So he gets into the car. 

When he sat down, the smell of expensive leather made him feel rich. The dashboard design also has impressive craftsmanship. No wonder why people like to collect sports cars. It felt like collecting luxury toys. 

"Where are we going?" 

"To the location for your exhibition."

"Huh…"

(An example to show the space for Steve's art exhibition)

'She wasn't joking.'

Steve thought while he walked around the empty studio. This place is huge. It's bigger than his apartment.

"A famous photographer and other artists always rent this place." A property agent is talking with Y/N. He keeps talking about selling aspects to convince her. 

Y/N crossed her arms and nodded. "Send me the contract."

The agent was pleased. "I will send it tomorrow."

"Good. Leave."

After the property agent left, Y/N walked toward Steve while taking another cigarette. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah. Who wouldn't? Every artist would kill to get this place."

Steve still can't believe it.

Nobody from his class could afford this place. Then he remembered nothing in this world is free. "What exactly do you want from me?"

Y/N smiled at him. "In the world of the arts during the Medieval and Early Modern eras, many artists had a wealthy sponsor of their work, a system called patronage. Like Da Vinci and Mozart."

That part is true. Back then, the Catholic church and the pope hired many artists and sculptured to design the church building. They could afford food and a roof over their head. But some artist doesn’t have a good Patreon. Like Van Gogh, who only ate bread and drank wine. Everyone started to adore his art after he committed suicide. 

She inhaled and exhaled the smoke from her lips. "I felt offended you doubted my sincerity, Steve." 

He coughed and cleared his throat; the tobacco smell was too strong.  "But, why me? There's another talented student from the class."

Y/N shook her head. "I already like your 'special work.' Then when I met you and saw your other painting, I knew I had made a perfect choice."

Her compliment made him flattered, but he had to stay on guard. "It's not just an exhibition; you want to sell my painting."

Her face brightened, and she snapped her finger. "That's right Steve. And you will get 80% share."

He gasped; that was a fantastic offer. "You seem confident; do you already have a potential buyer?"

She nodded, "There's a lot of people who want to do money laundering."

‘HUH?!’

Steve raised his eyebrows. Did his ears fool him? 

Did he just hear that? The way she said it is like, 'Tomorrow is Friday.'

"What?"

Y/N confidently answered, "I’m going to use your painting for money laundering."

Steve knees became weak, that made him unable to stand anymore; he thought:

'Dear God, he always prayed for an answer to his financial trouble. But what kind of angel He sent to him? '

Thank you for reading. I hope you like it.

If you have any feedbacks or want to join the tagged list, you can tell me.

I will always be grateful for those who reblog. Thank you so much.

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[bradleymarshall]

Tired

Look mate, Imma just be real, I never wanted to play games. We all have it hard in life.

I've done my part and helped you as much as I can. Done things all on your terms. But I know damn well that my help is definitely replaceable, and you're not doing a good job at telling me otherwise. Way to make a friend feel invisible.

But it really angered me when you seemed to imply that I am a priority just because you talk to me more than your father.

Dude, all we talk about is you. Every time I end up mentioning something about my life, it gets lost in the abyss of our conversations, to the point where I numerously have to bring up things so you actually remember things in my life. It's no wonder you bring up Elaine when we talk about this situation. You know damn well what you're doing.

You see, I always wondered how someone who is so perceptive needs a constant reminder of the stuff that's going on in my life. It then occurred to me that some people just conveniently forget the things they don't care enough to remember.

Sometimes it's no wonder why I resort to playing games, or constantly send longer paragraphs, or even in worst case scenario, make you doubt yourself or insult you, the way I have in the past. Those are the only ways to provoke a reaction out of you so the conversation becomes equal. Haven't you noticed how readily and quickly you reply when the conversation is like that?

It didn't make sense to me before why whilst i was being optimistic, you still were adamant there would be entropy in our friendship. I'm over you, I'm done and ready to make boundaries, but of course, this shit called a relationship is meant to be two-sided. But one person wasn't really considerate of the other. Like no shit you were gonna say that, the one who lights the fire is going to smell the smoke. The smoke of complacency.

Yeah man, that's the real deal here. It's not just the making time. I feel like nothing around you. Your compliments mean jack all. it's just empty words. I already know I'm deep, creative or whatever you have to say. Apart from when I've had really really serious situations happen to me, not once have I felt like i could say "oh yeah Mason is a true friend. He'd be there for me."

These bosses of yours, or selfish people and those who are hungry for power, money you name it. They don't give a shit about anyone except themselves. You call yourself more religious now, believing in god. Preach his words, learning to love thy neighbour and experiencing love in a community that is not something you intend to make money off, something that isn't involving just personal gain to you. Having a sense of unity. That's not something you're gonna automatically get once you've "made it".

Man, I just wanted to feel respected or seen. You make me feel the complete opposite. It's not just about having "time". I've told you how to compromise, how you should treat a friend. Things I didn't think I'd need to be teaching a 25 year old man. It sucks because there are moments where it almost feels like things are getting better, and you genuinely care. But then we're back it again at square and I feel dumbfounded because suddenly I'm being your therapist with no form of reciprocation.

i have my struggles too. I was really upset more than i thought about hearing L making it into med. I know from the bottom of my heart that he is not a good guy, and I wont curse him for making it in but I know so many people in that position. I also came out to the girl who I had a feeling liked me, which was stressful because I didn't know how to go about it, and she was a cool person. Turns out I was right, and she did have feelings for me. I hate that I'm right because I always know when a girl likes me and it makes me cringe. I bet you don't even remember, but I've mentioned this girl to you already. Among many other more important things I've pretty much been upset or really happy about but yet again, just gets lost in the abyss.

I'm really worried about money too as I only have 2000 in my savings and while I've given 20k to my brother and my parents I know both are not in positions to give that back to me and so I can't really afford to enjoy myself these days. We all have it hard in life Brad. Every single one of us.

I always lent an ear and been a helping hand and I really don't think I'm asking much of you. Man, I've even been willing to compromise for things most friends would not be we willing to do. Where's my end of the bargain?

I'm not sorry that you can't profit off me, or that I'm not some business investment, since those are the things you consider productive working towards. I'm worth a lot more than that, and I think a true friend would realise and not take advantage of me.

[erodasfishtacos]

harry adores yn with his entire being and i can tell that she loves him just as much but the poor thing is just so scared, and by what you have showed us she has a fair reason to have struggles

Through Hell and Back

warnings: cheating, mentions of domestic violence, this could just be overall triggering if you have experienced trauma or family struggles.

this is a very important blurb to understand dynamic and history of the characters.

PLEASE let me know your thoughts.

—

Harry’s out at a bachelor party for his friend, Jack, at a noisy bar downtown where there is a mechanical bull and half-naked waitresses.

His phone rings at two-thirty in the morning, he already knows who it is and why she’s calling him so late.

He steps outside the noisy bar, “Hi puppy, y’alright?”

Harry already knew she wasn’t.

Her voice is shaky, “Er, are you still out at the bachelor party?”

If he says yes, she’ll just try to say have fun and was just calling to check in - a lie because she felt like such an inconvenience at all times.

“No, just got home,” He lied smoothly, he could hear her trying to hide a sniffle - she must have had a bad dream.

Every since she started trauma therapy, they’d been getting worse, as she worked through her struggles with a therapist.

—

“I-I don’t want to g-go in,” YN whimpers as she sits in Harry’s passenger side outside the clinic, “I can’t talk about it.”

“Baby, you need to do this. You need to talk to someone who’s trained to help you, okay? You promised you’d try it f’me,” He hums, rubbing a thumb over her wet cheekbone.

She shakes her head stubbornly, “It’s all going to come back.”

“Yes, it will. Because you didn’t work through it, you repressed it. There is a difference, okay?” Harry’s heart feels like it’s being ripped in two as YN looks like a caged animal.

YN squeezes Harry’s hand so hard it hurts but he doesn’t mind, he can feel her fear being shared through the rough touch.

She wipes her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater, “Please, H. I don’t want to remember.”

He sighs softly, “I would never force you to do something you don’t want to do. If you really want to leave, we can.”

YN searches his eyes, sees his sadness and she knows she has to push through because she loves him so much, “Will you walk me in?”

“Of course, s’fucking proud of you. My strong girl,” Harry praises, kissing the top of her head, and shutting off the car.

He walks her in, watches her as she hesitantly goes back in with her new therapist, and sits in the waiting room for the hour and a half until she comes out.

He does that every week without miss.

Drives her, walks her in, sits in the waiting room, and then drives her home.

She doesn’t usually talk much after the sessions, her eyes swollen and puffy which is a telltale sign she cried during the appointment.

Harry holds her hand on the ride home, sometimes draws her a bath or tucks her in for a nap under his covers.

One day, after therapy, they crawled into his bed together. She hadn’t said one word since she walked out of the office but she looks tiredly at Harry.

“Why?”

Harry frowns, “Why what?”

She hides her face into the fluffy pillow, words mumbled, “Why do you want me? I’m so broken.”

“Hey,” Harry responds loudly, pulling her up and giving her a serious look, “You are not broken. Even if you were, I’d love every broken piece, okay? I want you because I’m so in love with you it doesn’t make sense.”

YN shakes her head, “I don’t deserve you. You-you have to drive me to therapy every week, leave work early, have to make it up the next day.”

And well, his heart breaks a little because she truly believes that.

Harry grips her jaw, gently, “If you need to go to therapy for the rest of your life, I’ll drive you until I’m ninety. I’ll drive you five days a week if you need it.”

He continues,“I don’t deserve you, sweet girl. Strongest, bravest, most resilient person I’ve ever met. You are my soulmate and I believe that wholeheartedly.”

“I want to nap now,” She whispers, crawling back into her shell where she’s safe from the world, from facing her fears.

Harry just stares at her, the girl he’s had a crush on since fourth grade, the girl he’d been in love with since ninth.

When she felt broken, well so did he.

—

“Mum, I want to do more for her,” Harry cries to his mother one night at dinner after school.

“I know you do, Harry. There is only so much you can do. She has parents tha-“

“Those aren’t parents, mum! You know that!” He shouts angrily, “I need to do more for her. Help her!”

Anne looks at him with a soft, understanding expression, “You’re doing all you can, Harry.”

—

He was still doing all he can.

“I wa-was wondering if you wanted to come over and watch a movie?” YN acts casual despite the tremor but he won’t call her on it - on the phone at least.

“I’d love to pup, I’ll be over on a tick,” already walking away from the busy bar.

Harry can hear the relief in her voice when she says, “Okay, I’ll see you soon.”

When he uses his key to open the door, she sat on her couch with all the lights in the house on, not one off.

“Oh, pet,” Harry murmurs, all the blinds were drawn shut and he knew she’d already triple checked that the windows were locked - despite the state of the art security system he had installed for her.

“Um, so are we feeling a scary movie or romcom?” She ignores his words, picking up the remote, and pulling up Netflix.

He flicks a couple of the bright lights off until it’s normal dim and he sits next to her on the couch, taking the remote and turning off the television.

“Talk t’me,” Harry coaxes, unraveling her from the heavy weighted blanket, and tugging her into his chest.

“M’fine,” YN lies on a choked whimper.

“Y’safe, you know I’d never let anythin’ happen to you . Please puppy, tell me,” He’s not to manly to beg for her to open up.

He allows her to nuzzle her face into his neck, “He cam-came back an-and he -,” her voice drops, “broke in here and I wo-woke up as he was opening my door.”

Harry holds her for a very long time that night.

-

With Harry and her therapist’s constant encouragement she’d been able to be more open and up front with Harry - which made him feel unexaplainably proud of her.

Anna almost fucked everything up, all the hard work without even realizing it.

It was nearly three in the morning this time.

Harry was stuck at Anna’s house with her and her friends for a movie night.

He’d gotten up to go to the bathroom when his phone rings.

Anna sees who it is and picks it up, “What do you want? Harry’s busy and doesn’t have time for you right now. You know it’s not all about you, right?”

Then she hangs up, all of her and her friends giggling at how she just treated YN.

Harry is unaware of the call for a few minutes when he gets back until he gets a text from YN.

I’m sorry I bothered you. I am okay. Have fun tonight x

He scrolls through his phone in confusion until he sees the call, he glares over at Anna, “Did you answer my phone?”

She has a cocky look on her face, “Yeah, I told YN that the world doesn’t revolve around her and to leave us alone.”

All the friends are giggling - but that comes to an abrupt halt when Harry stands up, knocking over the little table of drinks with his anger, “Where the fuck did you get the idea that you could touch my phone, let alone answer it?”

All of them are quiet.

He scoffs, “Now all you annoying prats are going shut up? Get the fuck out of my way,” he orders to Anna who’s pouting.

“C’mon, it was a joke. Don’t leave,” She whines, grabbing at Harry’s arm which he instantly rips out of her grip.

“Don’t touch me. I can’t fuckin’ stand you,” He tells her honestly before storming out of her house without a look back at her teary face.

-

When he arrives at YN’s house, a book is automatically been hurled at the front door when he opens it, then another.

“Hey, puppy, stop tha’. S’just me, you’re okay. S’just me,” He coos, rearming the security system to make her feel better.

She is only in one of his shirts with the company logo on it and soft cotton boy shorts, hair frizzy atop her head.

“Y’have another nightmare?” Harry asks softly, all the lights were on again, every single one.

YN clenches her jaw, “No.”

He hardens his expression too, “I was in the bathroom when she answered that call. As soon as I found out, I came over here. Don’t be sour with me.”

“I didn’t have a nightmare.”

“I know y’bloody lying because your legs are still tremblin’. Now cut the bullshit and talk t’me, we’re not going backwards,” Harry tells her seriously, with all firmness he can muster.

“I love you.”

It takes him aback. YN told him how much she adored him but it was something that didn’t come easy for her.

To hear it flat out, well….he nearly almost melted on the floor into a pile of goop.

“I love you too, puppy.”

She takes a deep breathe, “It’s been that same nightmare, but it’s not really a nightmare? It’s a flashback to…”

YN swallows before she continues, “Remember when….when I ran from my parent’s house to yours and my dad came and found me…”

Harry doesn’t want to remember but he does.

—-

“Harry, he-he just pulled up,” YN cries, peeking out his window, “I don’t want to go home.”

“Harry, he’s screaming at your mum. I have to go.”

“Harry, I have to go before he does something stupid. I’ll be okay, I promise.”

“Harry, don’t cry. I’ll be fine, he’s just really upset. I’ll just deal with it and it will be over before we know it, okay?”

——

“I remember,” He wavers like he normally doesn’t, feeling like a helpless sixteen year old again.

It was moments like this were no matter how hard he wanted to be angry or scream at her for making their relationship so difficult, that he couldn’t be.

How could he blame her for her commitment issues?

Why she struggles to trust?

Why she never feels good enough?

“I’m sorry to bring that up-“

“Do not apologize,” Harry interrupts, “I want to know everything you experience or feel no matter how traumatic or upsetting.”

YN despite her own struggles, when she heard Harry say things like that…well she knew full heartedly that he loves her with no conditions.

She knew this was so hard on him, “I am so in love with you, H.”

His eyes automatically soften and he reacts like he’s being praised. His face lights up without him even knowing it does.

“I’ve been in love with you since I was sixteen, thank you for being my person. I appreciate everything you do for me.”

It was something she had been also working on in therapy, expressing gratitude- specifically to Harry.

And it works because Harry actually starts tearing up, eyes watering with emotion, “I love you. I’d walk through hell and back for you.”

He would and he has.

[mrsmount16]

Hey I was wondering if you could write a MM imagine where him and the reader have only gone on a couple of dates then when the announcement of the first lockdown is made he asks the reader to isolate with him? Then I was thinking while they’re isolating they’re experiencing a few Firsts with each other (e.g., cooking together, sharing a bed, movie nights, cuddles and kisses etc).

I didn't know how to write this without being super long and boring so I was going to section it off but hopefully it still gives off the same energy then a normal write lmao, also thank you for the request and this is such a good idea 😩. I didn't really know what other firsts to do😕 I haven’t proof read this either, so it could make no sense at all and probably have spelling mistakes but pls just power through it 🤞🏼

Warning: None.

Lockdown was being announced and everyone was panicking, the news emphasised on the amount of food people were buying and how there was no loo roll left but also about how relationships weren't going to work out due to being locked in the houses for all this time without seeing your significant other or because you was seeing them too much.

You had only been on a couple of dates with Mason, but you both knew that you wanted to pursue something more personal and deep and not just mess around for the fun of it. Thats why when he asked you to isolate with him you didn't hesitate to say yes. Even though the news told you otherwise of how to feel you simply ignored and couldn't wait to spend as much time with him as possible, building up a true connection between you both and making your bond stronger.

Cuddling and kisses and sharing a bed.

You arrived earlier in the day and had already taken your things to the spare bedroom and now sat on his couch, him on the opposite side. You guys hadn't stopped talking throughout the whole movie that played and eventually when it ended you insisted that you bought a takeaway for the both of you.

He agreed and when the pizza arrived you both sat at the table and had a slice, talking endlessly about random things like 'why colours are named what they are' and 'how were humans created'. After about an hour, it was dark out and just turned 9pm.

"I'm gonna get comfy and ready for bed."

"Yeah, I'll meet you up there in a few." He smiled and kissed your cheek, grabbing the box and walking off outside.

It was pretty cold out so you pulled on a hoodie and joggers, and you removed your makeup and cleaned your face and teeth and sat on the bed in the free room on your phone.

He knocked on the door and peaked his head through the door frame at about 10.

"You coming?" He gestures to his room.

"Oh yeah, hold up." You smile watching him leave.

He lay on the bed on his phone, lighting up when he saw you enter.

"You don't have to stay in here if you don't want to." He stated, watching as you climbed into bed next to him.

"No, I want to." You snuggled up next to him, resting your head on the pillow.

"I want you to, too." He put an arm around your waist and finally rested down after turning the light off on the bedside table.

You were both submerged in complete darkness, a tranquil atmosphere surrounded you both, the duvet lazily spread across you and your faces faced each other. His eyes were closed, but you lightly leaned in and pecked his lips causing him to open his eyes.

"Goodnight." You said, looking up at him.

"Goodnight pretty." He smiled, kissing you again lightly and resting his head.

You fell asleep in his arms, totally engulfed with his care and serenity, it rubbed off onto you. This was the best sleep you ever had in ages, and you wanted to do it a lot more.

Cooking.

"Hey! Thats not where the flour goes." You retaliated at Mason putting the flour on your nose, a sneeze followed shortly after.

"Oh, my bad." He giggled, sticking the rest of the flour in the bowl.

"These are going to be the best cupcakes you have ever baked."You said, mixing all the ingredients with all the strength you had.

"Yeah? I reckon by myself I could cook some pretty good cupcakes. With no help of Course." He leaned against the counter, his apron said 'world best chef' and he was covered in all ingredients that you didn't even know had to be in the cupcakes.

"Well, we will see about that once you taste my cakes." You smirked, sticking your tongue out at him and wiping a little bit of frosting on his cheek. "Got u back." You giggled.

He grabbed you by your waist and pulled you closer to him so your front's were together.

"You look amazing cooking.." He cheekily smiled.

"Not too bad yourself." You kissed him, he deepened the kiss and ran his hand up your back, until you felt a hard crack on your head and then an ooze of a liquid go down your back, mason was laughing uncontrollably, holding his stomach and near enough rolling on the floor.

"Mason!" You shouted, shocked and holding your head, "Did you just egg me?" You laughed, grabbing the egg that was on you and smearing it all over him.

"Two can play that game!" You giggled, grabbing flower and eggs.

Fight and makeup.

"No, I just don't particularly like her. You told me about what she did, she's a bad influence." He argued back.

"Oh, so she's a bad influence? So you think I would do something like that?" You scoffed. Your friend invited you to go on a walk around the park, and you told Mason but when he heard your friends name he instantly scoffed and shrugged his shoulders. He had no care about it and sighed, telling you to just 'do what you wanna, your choice at the end of the day.'. You asked why he was being so moody and he replied that he doesn't like her, and you understood why but because he didn't like her didn't mean that you couldn't hang with her. You did tell him that she did cheat on her boyfriend and you completely disagreed with her actions too but now he was saying she was a 'bad influence' like you was going to be influenced by what she did and start following her actions like you was a child.

"Its only for a catch up Mase, I haven't seen her in like 3 weeks. I haven't been at work remember and ive been locked up here."

"Yes, but anyone but her. We could go. I't doesn't matter, just go. Ill see you when you get back." And then he stormed off up to his gaming room, releasing all his stress on his games.

After about 40 minutes, you realised he was right, it wasn't just the cheating but she just overall was a bad person and you shouldn't have been encouraging such gossip with her.

You entered his room and put your hands on his shoulders, he looked back at you and then carried on his game like you wasn't even there.

"I'm sorry Mase, you was right. I can surround myself with much better people, and I will."

He turned his chair around so he was facing you and grabbed your hips to sit you down on his lap.

"It's okay, and ill go on that walk with you. Let me just finish this game." He said, smiling lightly and giving you a kiss which you returned.

Go-to support.

It was about 2 months into lockdown and your work had been piling up. You was stressed and so not motivated to do anything, even getting up out of bed was hard.

This day was particularly a struggle. You had to finish a presentation and only had today to do it, so you panicked and speeded it, finishing it as quick as ou could without caring about the outcome and just sending it off.

You sat at the kitchen table with your face in your hands, thinking about all the possibilities, will you lose your job? Will you get demoted? You just couldn't stop your mind from wandering.

"Are you okay babe?" You heard Masons voice from behind you and felt a hand on your back soothing you.

You couldn't hold it in anymore and broke down, whimpering and wiping your eyes.

"Mason I need a break from work, its so stressful and I think with the work I just did I'm going to lose my job and im just not motivated to do anything and I-" you rambled on, until he cut you off.

"Hey, hey calm down," He crouched down and placed his hand on the side of your face, wiping your tears away with his thumb. "Don't beat yourself up about it. It's happening to everyone now, im sure if we ask your work to give you some time for your mental health im sure they would let you." he smiled reassuringly.

"We?" You sniffed.

"Yeah, we. We're gonna get through this together. Now, it's always we." He stood up and hugged you tight.

Love and a movie night.

It's been about a 5 months now, and you and Mason had been going strong.

Mason insisted that you watch a movie tonight, sit down with some popcorn and snuggle up together. Of course you said yes.

About halfway in the movie, a conversation popped up about 'what would you do if you was a worm?' and you couldn't stop laughing, at both of your responses.

"Yeah, but I would definitely still love you if you was a worm." He joked, laughing with you.

You stopped almost instantly, looking over at him.

"What?" He looked over, confused.

"Did you just say that you love me?" You questioned, sitting up.

"You didn't hear? I love you." He smiled, chuckling.

you gasped, putting your hands over your mouth. He reached out and grabbed your face.

"I love you." He repeated, just for you to realise what he did, so you could know that it was real, to process the words.

"I love you." You stated, grinning from ear to ear.

[dreamrecorder]

Ok so- idk if you’ve seen demon slayer;; but there’s this episode (it was during the spider fambam arc) aNywaYs- so like. Rui yeets ties* (i guess-) Nezuko like. Up in the air. With his weird spider thread jazz— and like. It’s sHarP weird spider thread jazz— so she’s like. Yknow. Being sliced and diced with string— but it kindaaa reminds me of like. Xiao. And his like.... weird... sad.... uh. Karma. Thing. Like y’know where he’s like hanging from his arms- red stuff. Yeah. So like. Now for the actual request

Xiao’s s/o (female if you don’t mind;;) gets kidnapped by like— the fatui or smth. And they tie her up like Nezuko :D to be like “lol haha Xiao be all like-” and she’s just. Like. Dying. Slowly. Dripping b l o o d and yknow. All the tea. And Xiao comes to rescue her— and he’s like 0-0 “wait...” and he realizes that’s like- exactly what happens to him- and so. He beats the fatui’s butts saves his s/o, anddddd she like.

Idk. This is where I need your angst expertise ❤️ like- she could d i e. In his arms. And poor Xiao would be so scarred omg poor thing- BUT THE ANGST- but at the same time;;;; the f l u f f of him being able to save her just in time and she was like fighting for him the whole time or whatever and ended up needing him to save her anyways- and then Xiao feeding her almond tofu until she gets better ❤️❤️❤️

IM SORRY THAT WAS SO LONG- im probably going crazy from lack of sleep from reading fics for too long sndndnsnsj

But if you do this,,, BLESS YOUR SOUL I HOPE TO EITHER BALL MY EYES OUT OR SQUEAL FROM THE WHOLESOMENESS-

Anyways.... thank you! Have a stellar day~ ✨❤️

The heart yearns and the wind heard

lmao this ask is so adorable i hope you’d enjoy this ksks

anyway, full Angst train up ahead but there are moments of Fluff too. There are mentions of blood and violence if those are not your thing- dont worry guys, this goes with a happy ending cos you and Xiao deserve one~ on a final note- non canon compliant and suuuuuuper long- like- legit this is very long

The Yaksha sighs.

He’s here again. His mind and heart has returned his being into this crimson world his demons have created within him.

He feels it. He feels the corruption binding him tighter again for every death he brings by his tainted hands.

He looks at his bindings. And ever so slowly, the red and black coiling around his person will eventually reach his heart.

One day, he thinks, all this crimson and black in this world will swallow him whole and he will see the light no more.

Xiao sighs again.

This is his karmic debt.

~

The moment you stepped foot within Wangshu Inn, you knew he was in his prison again. After giving a quick greeting to the inn keeper, you hastily went to Xiao’s room. The closer you got, the heavier the atmosphere became.

You reached his door and knocked softly. As expected, no reply as he continues to struggle to take back his control over himself. Without hesitation, you stepped in. To anyone else, they would have instantly met his spear at their throats, but with you, this doesn’t happen. Instead, you see him crouched on the wooden floor with a hand on his chest. His knuckles were white and his breathing was ragged. His amber eyes- lost. Observing his form, yes… his moments of corruption are becoming progressively worse.

With swift steps of familiarity to this routine, you went to him and grasped his shoulders.

“Xiao, it’s me…” You whispered with clarity. And oh- how your voice brought a wave of comfort to his soul.

“N-name…” His voice cracked, but him calling to you is always a good sign.

You gave him a small smile and proceeded to grasp his hands together with yours. After which, you then leaned your forehead to his to chant your prayers. As your prayers progressed, slowly but surely, the corruption begins to fade along with the black mist that covered him. However, you took note how this ritual took longer than the last.

Once everything is done, Xiao just slumped onto your shoulders, still breathing deeply. “How are you feeling?” It was a useless question you asked every time this happens, but you always, always, have to make sure.

Usually, he would mutter a small ‘fine,’ but now- words seemed to have left his mind and all he could muster was an almost-unnoticeable shrug.

Truth be told- his response disheartened you, but you did not show it. Instead, you opted to simply encase him in your arms and caress his hair. After all, these are just one of the few, rare moments Xiao would leave himself into your care. Xiao is aware, himself, that his state has been becoming worse and worse. And you both know, that a day would come when he would just attack anyone- friend or foe- without a trace of hesitation. So, just this time- he speaks his feelings.

“Name?”

You answered immediately with a questioning hum.

“What would you do… when I finally lose control over myself?”

It was very subtle, but he felt how your hand stopped caressing his hair for a second, then proceeded to the previous task at hand again. In all honestly, you can never find yourself having an answer to that question. “And why would I ever let that happen to you?” You questioned back, fully aware that you were dodging his question.

Silence surrounded the two of you, unsure on what to do with the sudden heavier atmosphere.

Not wanting to face the cruelty of the world yet, Xiao simply buried himself on the crook of your neck even more. And despite the ghostly sensation of his lips on your skin, you could feel him mouth the words ‘I love you.’

“As long as I’m here,” you whispered, “nothing can hurt you.” And that was the most beautiful lie that the Yaksha has heard, but he was willing to believe all the same.

~

When word about Fatui diplomats starting a bank reached you, there was a nagging feeling in your head that trouble would bring itself present anytime soon. It was like an itch that wouldn’t get away. And the only way to have that itch gone is to scratch it.

“You are absolutely a fool.” Xiao stated darkly with crossed arms, for once disagreeing with the plans of his master.

“We can never know what their intentions are unless we let them start their bank, no?” Zhongli said as he gazed at the marsh spread beneath him.

The Yaksha only scoffed but said no more.

Building up your courage, you deemed it was your turn to voice out your thoughts, “Um… Rex Lapis, I see your point, but wouldn’t it be best to resolve the problem before it persists into something larger? We all know- All of Teyvat knows, that the Fatui are not to be trusted.”

Your archon offered you a kind smile, “I understand your worries, Name. However, as of the moment, they have not presented themselves as such. If they truly are our enemies, then it would be beneficial for us to know their intentions.”

You frowned deeply at his statement. Seeing you do so, somehow, your archon immediately identified your main concern.

“Is this about the Tianquan assigning you to be her representative for the Fatui?”

The moment those words left his mouth, a growl tore from Xiao’s throat, but he held his tongue.

“Did Ganyu tell you?”

The Archon nodded and you sighed.

“I volunteered, actually.”

And at that point, Xiao vanished into thin hair, but you could still his sense his presence around.

“May I know why?” Zhongli questioned gently.

For a moment, you struggled for words. You didn’t know how to describe this ‘itch’ to him. “At first, it was supposed to be Ganyu, since in the Tianquan’s eyes- Ganyu is an adeptus and she does not know that I am, too. Perhaps she didn’t want to put me in harm’s way, a ‘visionless human’ at the side of a harbinger. After some convincing to Ningguang for my volunteering, I spoke to Ganyu next.

“The adepti are divine beings that walk here in Liyue. I had this feeling that putting a divine next to a power-hungry harbinger would become an issue. I told Ganyu that, since I looked ‘harmless’ and ‘ordinary,’ the harbinger’s interest about the divine would never surface.”

A stretch of silence wrapped around them as Zhongli pondered over your words. “Perhaps, are you also planning to dig out the truth of their arrival?”

You nodded, “I knew you would allow them to stay, so I just took it upon myself to unfurl their secrets.”

“Hmmm… I grant you permission on doing this. However, should trouble arise, do not hesitate to tell us.”

~

The glare pointed at you was strong. Even without him saying a single word, you could hear his phantom voice in your head speak with such coldness, What are you thinking?

You simply gave him a reassuring smile, “I’ll be fine, Xiao. I may be a human in mortal eyes, but please do remember that I am also an adeptus, no matter how weak I am.”

Xiao releases a huff, but still sits by your side at the floor of the balcony, letting the moon kiss his skin. “You’re not weak.” He mumbled as he snaked his hand to yours.

To him, you will never be weak. In fact, you were the strongest being he has ever laid his eyes on. Not physically, no. It was you mental and emotional fortitude. Back during the Archon War, he always admired how you kept your head held up high no matter the suffering you have experienced. No matter how much death surrounded you, you still fought. And that strength made you a survivor. During the war, you never failed to help the wounded. Even when someone dies under your care, you held strong for the departed and for those who are left behind. You were a pillar of hope.

He brings your hand to his lips and kisses every knuckle “… Just be careful. If ever you are in trouble do not-“

“Hesitate to call your name.” You finished, beaming at his words.

~

As someone who used to be a healer and a doctor, you were quite familiar with several mild skin diseases that mortals can suffer from.

If there is an itch, you do not scratch it- for you will only aggravate the area even more.

Now that you’re working alongside the Fatui as the Tianquan’s representative, the itch you kept feeling was only irritated more. Especially whenever you spoke with the Harbinger who goes by the name Childe. And since your work requires you to cooperate with him, you also don’t miss the chance to discover what he hides, should the opportunity presents itself.

Childe… his azure eyes certainly have their… charm to those unaware. However, you knew better. You know he’s capable of drowning you just by his eyes. While he may be a cheerful man, his eyes lack the lustre of joy. The eyes are the windows of the soul, yes? If so, all you see is an unending ocean that you do not want to swim in. The surface may be calm, but the deep is relentless. However, duty bound you are- deep within the ocean, you shall find the secrets the Fatui hides.

Again, another scratch to the itch, but it only irritates you more.

~ 

The news of Rex Lapis’s death became the catalyst of you confronting the Harbinger. From Yujeng Terrace all the way to Northland Bank, you ran (with Ningguang’s permission of course). Before you can even open the door to his office, something caught your eye.

It’s faint, but you’re an adeptus. You sensed elemental traces, just smack bang at the middle of the door. You carefully scrutinized the tracings, and fortunately you knew Snezhnayan script. And what you read only made your heart sink.

It’s ready.

With the adeptal arts, you managed to uncover the origins of these elemental tracings.

Scratch.

Without hesitation, you followed these tracings until it led you into some ruins.

Scratch.

Following the tracings further, you find yourself in a dimly lit room. Wary, you summoned your weapon imbued with your element.

Scratch.

Searching the room, you came across several antique boxes. You opened them.

Scratch.

What you saw were familiar. Too familiar. Dimming the room more with your element, you find more Sigils of Permission hanging on the walls and on the ceilings. The energy within them were faint, but with enough numbers, it’s enough to kill a-

“Well, well well, I thought you’d be there mourning for your Archon. But here you are, snooping around someone else’s research material.”

The sound of his voice made you sharply turn your head to him, your stance now more offensive. ���What are you planning?” You bit coldly.

The Harbinger hummed a small tune, “Nothing much… But! If you’re really curious, I guess I could tell you.” He hummed some more but you knew he’s not finished. Once he finished his tune, he grinned to you menacingly and the depths in his eyes became even deeper and darker, “After all, I won’t let you leave this place with you knowing my secret~”

~

There was this one time, Xiao struggled against himself so much, he scratched himself red so that he could anchor himself back to the real world. You remembered how much you cried as he slept in your arms. You never wanted to see him do that again. Seeing him hurt himself also hurt you, too. It was like a stab in the heart, then a twist, and twist some more. A slap in the reality that you might lose him one day.

As he slept, you solemnly observed the wounds he sustained himself to. They were angry red, just like blood.

Now, you, yourself scratched that itch in your head too much into a wound for blood to seep through. You scratched too much and now you have to bleed from it.

~

You were slipping in and out of consciousness. Sleep was tempting you more and more but you know you have to wake up. You were aware that this is going on for days.

Everything hurts. You remembered how his blades, imbued with the Sigils, weakened you thoroughly. Every slash he brought to your body just drained the energy away from you. But still you had to do something.

He wanted an adeptus- he wanted an adeptus in order for the Sigils to grow stronger both in number and in power.

Now here you are, bound by chains and suspended at the middle of this empty room. These chains were adorned by talismans that drained away your energy. You were bleeding from your wounds of your previous battle.

Drip. Drip. Drip goes the blood and pools on the ground underneath you. The ground, you barely noticed, was lined by Liyuean script which enacts the ritual of the Sigils draining your divine power from your blood.

To the eyes of a sadist- you were a picture perfect in a canvas. A dark room lined by the damned Sigils, glowing an eerie gold. Then there's you with your bloodied clothes and chains. The red pool underneath was casting a red glow on your way, giving you a red shade to your pale skin.

Everything hurts-

And everything was driving you mad.

You can also feel the Overlord of the Vortex feed from your energy through the Sigils. You sensed his lust for power and revenge. You felt his anger and the corruption within him. You felt his hatred and his want to bring death. For days that felt like years, you’ve been battling against that very same god in your head. This battle was not something you shall not lose to and failure is not an option. If you fail here, then Liyue will fall. 

This god- he was driving you mad slowly.

If ever you are in trouble, do not hesitate to call my-

You shut the thought from your head. You are not going to call him. You will not speak of him. You will not think of him. You will not call him. Not to this place where his corruption will grow. No. You Will Not Call Him.

If it means that me not calling you will keep you safe from the corrupted remnant of a god- so be it. 

Please

However, no matter how much you denied yourself to call his name, no matter how much your heart yearns to be with him- the wind does not ignore the pained sob that left your lips.

~

Ever since the news of Rex Lapis's death and the visit of the Traveler with a Sigil in his hand- the corruption within him just bloomed into something feral.

The Sigil- there was something wrong about it but Xiao doesn't know what is it that is wrong. Then there's you- where are you? Surely with the news of their Archon's death- it would send you to bring forth a meeting for the adepti to talk this over. But now- for days- you remain not by his side.

With you missing- the demons inside him are slowly taking control over him, taking advantage of his vulnerability for you. For each passing day, it was slow torture for him- The worry bubbling in him was consuming him. He glared at the Sigil between his fingers and not failing to notice how his dark aura covers him once more. 

“Traveler,” Xiao called sharply, “What is it you intend to do next?” 

To any mere mortal, the look his eyes held were enough to strike fear, but the Traveler stealed themselves- meeting the adeptus’s gaze with an equally serious calm. “I have my suspicions on a certain harbinger and I-”

“Where?” The Yaksha growled.

“In the Golden House.”

Without a word nor warning, Xiao placed a hand on the Traveler’s shoulder and teleported them to the place where the Exuvia is hidden.

To the Traveler, everything happened so quickly as one event led to another. One moment, they were standing among unconscious bodies of the Millelith then the next thing they knew a corrupted and demonic gust of wind flew them away to the side. Regaining back their vision, they could see Alatus’s spear now at Tartaglia’s barrier made of Sigils. 

Alatus narrowed his eyes at the floating talismans and began to calculate the flow of this incoming battle with precision and accuracy despite his losing control over himself. 

It was a tense minute of sizing each other up, but eventually, Tartaglia has broken the silence with his annoying innocent voice. 

“Who would have thought that I’d have the honor of fighting another adeptus of Liyue?” 

The question immediately fed the corruption within him, the dark aura exploding at it. He knew that he should not believe in the Harbinger’s words so easily, but the glint in the latter’s eyes held truth. You could be out there, hurting, scared, alone. You could be out there, bleeding out. You could be out there dyi-

His aura exploded once more at the thoughts spreading in his being. With a burst of unspeakable power, Alatus lifted his weapon and pierced the barrier once more, this time breaking it without failure. At the threat, Tartaglia backed away as he donned his mask.

In a similar fashion, Alatus, too donned his mask. “I will ask you once,” the Conqueror of Demons spoke with a deathly calm, “Where is she?”

~

He should have killed him then and there. But the call of the Overlord of the Vortex must not be ignored as it threatens Liyue. 

In the small opportunity of escape, Childe took it. But he was weak and injured as Alatus swiftly threw his spear to block his way and teleported right in front of him. In a show of power, the Conqueror of Demons lifted the mortal by the neck.

“I will ask you again, where is she?”

In fear, Childe told him everything and at his every word, Xiao listened carefully- never speaking once. But the anger within his heart, it boils- it rages. His amber eyes bored into Childe’s soul- thinking what he should do to this mortal. Oh how killing him would be so nice. However, when the Yaksha’s gaze landed on the regal form of the Exuvia, he merely threw the mortal in its way.

“Killing you would have been easier. However, the crimes you have presented against Liyue are not mine for me to judge.

I leave the Harbinger to you... Rex Lapis.”

Once out of the Golden House, the Overlord roared once more, shaking the lands of the nation. However, along with it, he heard the faintest of voices. I’m so sorry... I couldn’t hold him back anymore. 

Only then did the demons in his heart freely took control of him. Just like the stories of old, where the Yaksha walks, death follows. But they were no stories. In his way towards the ruins where you were held captive, every step he took brought carnage and even more death and blood to taint his hands. No Fatui will leave this place alive. The very being of destruction ended many lives. Each death, the demons were growing stronger.

All he wanted now was to kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill killkillkill killkill kill killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill

Then seeing you suspended in the ceiling and bound by chains. Blood was painted on your lifeless skin. Wounds were littered and bruises were blooming on your form. But most of all, your eyes. What were once full of life and hope- now empty and blank. His demons quieted down.

Broken. You were like a broken porcelain doll.

“N-name...” His voice cracked, not believing it all.

With haste, he quickly broke your binds and caught you in his arms. he was fast to check for your pulse and your breathing. And thank the Archons, you were breathing but barely. You were now walking the line between life and death. With all his might yet a gentle caress, he hugged you for dear life. “Name... It’s me...”

But still, your eyes still held no recognition and it shattered his heart to pieces. With further inspection, he sensed the presence within you. A corruption. A certain evil. 

“Name, stay with me please,” Xiao begged with desperation as he fought back tears. “It’s me who supposed to be the corrupted one between us, not you... I’m not allowing you to leave me, you hear me-”

With a ritual of the adeptal arts, he started purging and purifying the evil left by the god who fed from you. He is not letting you stay alone in your prison, not for a second longer. 

Xiao prays and he never prayed before. Even to his master. But just this once, He prays with desperation. You are the light in his darkness. You are the moon in his night. 

The ritual was a delicate process. For every word he spoke, he was rewarded by your screams of pain and the writhing of your fragile body. He wanted to stop, but he can’t. He had to physically restrain you from trying to escape from his embrace and from hurting yourself. And for every cry you released, Xiao merely shuts his eyes clos just for him not to see your pained eyes. Every now and then, Xiao speaks gentle apologies and words of encouragement for you. You were coming back. But still, the evil persists.

You writhed and scratched against him, until you were creating more wounds for blood to seep through. When it came to a point, you began pleading and begging for him to stop, that was when Xiao had shed a tear. So he continues the ritual, his prayers, and his apologies. They were arriving to a point where the ritual is reaching its conclusion but your screams only grew louder.

Please, just a little more...

Please, just stop...

Please...

The corruption disintegrated away from you in a forceful release of dark energy. He was breathing deeply, attempting to calm his loud heart. When he placed his gaze on you, you were breathing rapidly and your eyes were searching blindly and your hands were desperately holding onto him.

“X-Xiao...” You whispered, “Where am I? Where are you?”

With a sigh of relief, the Yaksha hugged you again closer and his forehead to yours, fearing you would go away again. The action made you lift your hands to his face, still searching blindly.

“I’m here, Name... I’m here.” At his voice, the dam in your eyes broke as you cried silently. Xiao was not adept in emotions, but for you, he will face them gladly. He lets you cry as he gives you soft whispers of assurance, safety, love, and promises. However, you were not crying because of what had happened to you. You were crying for him. After experiencing such corruption-

You sobbed some more- you were this close to him losing you and you could not bring yourself to imagine if your roles were reversed.

“P-please,” you said with a broken voice, “please don’t go to the place where I can’t follow...’

The words, at first puzzled him, but after a few moments, he realized and once more it broke his heart. Bringing you closer, Xiao let loose the tears he was holding back. With a gentleness unexpected of the Conqueror, he simply littered your face with kisses. “I promise if only you would do the same.”

With your smile that he loved dearly for so long you too spoke your promise, “I do.” They were simply two words, but the comfort they bring into the Yaksha’s heart was in volumes.

After that, you shared a few tender moments in each other’s arms. Simply relishing the feeling of their familiar warmth. A little later, Xiao spoke, “Would you like to eat some Almond Tofu once we get home?”

The question made you giggle at his innocence, so you agreed. Despite you needing physical medical attention. But Almond Tofu with him? Yes, you two definitely need some emotional healing.

A/N: fINALLY dONE lmao this was supposed to be short but angst really makes me want to write longer everytime haha~ anyway this request really made me ponder bout genshin stuff with all the corruption this and corruption that but then a question popped up like-

how did childe replicate the sigil of permission? since sigils are imbued with divine energy, i just thought how did this guy accumulate so much sigils to the point of freeing Osial- a god!!! soooo i just played with the idea for a bit then figured out maybe these pieces of paper get the divine energy from a divine source right? and the adepti are divine beings of liyue and another thing- you guys might have noticed the change of names in some scenes- i dont know but i think somehow different names represents different side of a person like- we have childe the cheerful harbinger then tartaglia the power hungry harbinger- there’s Alatus who’s calculating and cold, there’s the Conqueror of Demons who’s ruthless and unforgiving, then Xiao who is calm and humane- lastlyyyyy i might post this in ao3 ksks

[laceymorganwrites]

Naruto girls smut

Word count: 2,041

Warnings: a lot of lesbian sex

Pairing: Fem!reader x Ino x Tsunade x Hinata

A/N: I´m sorry that I don´t have a more creative title for this but legit this is all that is

Days and nights were busy lately, but what else did you expect when such a horrendous war broke out? In your opinion it could have been prevented but what did you know anyway?

Yeah, you were quite bitter about it since your home has completely been destroyed and nobody did anything about it. It wasn´t like you were selfish either, there were so many people in the same situation as you and you were sick of it.

On top of that you couldn´t even earn money since there were no missions because everyone was too busy taking care of the wreckage.

It fucking sucked. And you were getting so tired of it.

You had no interest in playing nice or being polite, neither did you want to cozy up to anyone. Fuck that.

You were mighty pissed and so was everyone else. It was your right.

In the time of resurrection as you called it you just tried not to explode from anger, you just directed it all at Tsunade and her following.

Or so you tried. It was hard being angry at someone who was just as angry at you about everything, even more since she was in the position to do something about it but just couldn´t.

Those were tough times.

So tough that you found employment as one of her little helpers, underlings, secretary, whatever you wanted to call it, alongside Shizune.

You didn´t know how to feel about that to be honest. You were glad that you had an income again but still, it felt weird working with the person responsible for all of this.

However in your work you got to know her, better than anyone else. And that was the part that was truly surprising. She wasn´t a monster that people painted her as, she was just a tired woman with too much burdens to bear.

Tsunade was kind to you and always thanked you when you stayed overtime with her which you appreciated. And over time you grew closer to each other, you didn´t have to watch out for what you said anymore and neither did she. It felt so relieving to be able to speak freely and more importantly: hear her speak freely.

It made her more human than ruler.

“You know what, when was the last time you had a good fuck? You really look like you need one, you´re so on edge, that´s not good” you told her, today was an especially stressful day for her and it showed.

“And who the hell would voluntarily fuck someone like me? I think you´re forgetting how old I am…” she sighed, she appreciated your concern but over the years her experiences with sex got worse and worse.

“Oh I would. Definitely. No questions asked” you said sternly, though your eyes told the truth.

Tsunade blushed, it has been a while since someone was this direct with her without being disrespectful.

“Do you mean that?” she quietly asked, averting her eyes a bit, you´ve never seen her so shy, it was cute.

“I´m as gay as can be, of course I mean it. If I can make a beautiful woman like you cum my day is already great” you chuckled, coming closer to her and resting your hand on her cheek, making her look at you.

“Just say the word, sweetheart and I´ll make you forget about all those troubles” you husked, not even trying to hide the lust in your voice. You doubted she ever experienced pure lust before, lust without being objectified. You´d make her feel wanted, desired, treat her like the queen she was.

Tsunade nodded, looking up at you with her big brown eyes, a faint blush spreading over her cheeks, she was way too cute. “Please….” she breathed, a pleading look in her eyes. And that. That was all you needed.

Before she knew it you were on your knees, ready to worship her. You could tell how embarrassed she was but that only made it more enticing to you. Did she ever have sex with a woman before? You didn´t know. But if she did you´d make her forget all about her, and especially about the men. You´d show her a pleasure so unknown to her, she´d have a revelation.

Slowly you took her undergarments off and gently spread her legs to have the most beautiful sight in front of you.

You looked up at her with a smirk once your lips met her soft ones, your tongue exploring every inch and by the sounds of it she seemed to enjoy it.

So it really has been that long, huh? Your grip on her supple thighs grew stronger as she squeezed them around your head just right, not even holding back her moans. Tsunade gripped the table she was sitting on tightly and threw her head back when you started teasing and sucking on her clit, her tits bouncing beautifully.

Soon you inserted a finger inside her pussy, adding to the stimulation and the overwhelming things she was feeling right now. As if eating her out was enough, it certainly was for you but promised her to give her the best cunnulingus that there ever was.

You weren´t a woman that went back on her word.

Tsunade´s moans were heavenly as she struggled to find her thoughts, just hazily looking down on you, grabbing your head and the table, not knowing what to do with herself. It was all too much.

It was oh so good but she wasn´t used to this, she never came so hard in her life. It was all thanks to you.

And that was how it all started, your little arrangements. She was such a pillow princess which was so cute to you. But the best thing was: she wasn´t the only one who was in need of your help.

Tsunade and you were playing around with each other on a regular basis now. One day Ino caught you two and joined the fun, being so stressed from her recent mission. You two took care of her together from then on, dominating her but also teaching her how to dom. It was fun switching roles sometimes, Ino and you would take care of Tsunade sometimes too, depending on her stress level.

This particular weekend would look slightly different though. Ino wanted to invite a friend who wanted to try something new.

Of course you three were more than willing to help.

Hinata was a shy woman but it´s gotten better over the years, she was so beautiful. The way she tugged her hair behind her ear as she coyly smiled at you.

The four of you were meeting at your place, you had already prepared everything. Tsunade and you had some fun before the other two women arrived, leading to Tsunade being tied up in bed and you naked with a strapon.

“Go on, Hina, don´t be shy. You can tell her what you want” Ino told her, gently caressing her hips.

Both women entered your house and Ino already made her way to the bedroom, a route she knew blindly at this point. She smirked and joined Tsunade in bed, immediately undressing and kissing her.

“I...um..I´ve never been….o-….overstimulated...” Hinata´s face was red as she finally spoke those words, this wish she always had yet never got fulfilled. She has never had an orgasm before, she just thought she did, so what she really meant was getting an orgasm.

“No? Don´t worry, princess, we´ll take good care of you, yeah?” you smiled gently, stroking her cheek. “You´re so pretty, do you even know that?” you husked, leading her to the bedroom where Ino and Tsunade were making out.

Hinata sat down on the edge of the bed and felt her chest flutter, the warmth between her legs she squeezed together, whimpering slightly at the sight in front of her.

“You´re… pretty…” she quietly said, not being able to avert her eyes. “Oh? You like watching them? Keep going, you two, give our little princess a good show~” you grinned, joining in and sitting behind Hinata. “Touch yourself for me, won´t you?” you breathed into her ear, having her nod shyly and discard of her clothing. Slowly her hands wandered down her legs, circling her clit as she whined slightly at the contact, it´s been so long since anybody touched her like this, she couldn´t get off on her own so she never masturbated.

Her breathing picked up as she kept watching Ino fingering Tsunade who moaned loudly and grinned at the blue haired woman. Hinata felt her cheeks heat up at that, it was so… playful. Yet intimate. She really appreciated you focusing on her, it made her feel at ease and she could feel herself relax into your presence. “That´s my good girl, does it feel good?” you asked, resting your head on her shoulder and spreading her legs so you could see better, your one hand rested on her hips and the other one was playing with a nipple of hers, making her moan quietly. She nodded, just those small touches had her feel dizzy already, it felt amazing.

“You can touch the others too, you know?” you chuckled and she shyly crawled over to Ino and Tsunade, looking up from all fours, looking so fucking irresistible. Ino leaned down to her to kiss her, though it really was more tongue than anything, more than enough to make her moan into the kiss.

Your hands wandered to her ass, massaging it and grabbing her soft flesh, enjoying every single one of her reactions like when she leaned into your touch.

“You ready to lose your mind, baby?” you asked and Hinata nodded, staring down at Tsunade´s tits, gaining the courage to bury her head between them, kissing them all over and sucking on her nipples.

You grinned and slowly let your fingers wander between her thighs, rubbing against her folds. Ino was busy eating Tsunade out at this point, the room being filled with moans and soft sighs, whimpers and the sound of sex.

Hinata drooled onto Tsunade´s tits as you inserted your fingers, the poor girl was so wet you could put in two at once, immediately starting to move them too, not to keep her waiting too long.

You curled your fingers inside of her, making her make such lewd sounds, reaching points she never knew she had, Hinata threw her head back moaning loudly and you took the chance to slightly pull her hair and pull her in your lap, holding your arm around her tummy.

Ino stopped eating Tsunade out after she came and then laid back, her arm reaching down to finger the woman while she herself spread her legs for Hinata.

She was so dizzy and already overwhelmed, just the smell of Ino´s pussy drove her wild. She tucked her hair behind her ears and leaned forward, grabbing onto Ino´s thighs as if they were her lifeline and digging her face right in between. First she kissed her lips gently before spreading them with her tongue, tasting her slick and moaning loudly against her folds as you pulled out your fingers of her and replaced them with your strap, going deeper than before and stretching her just right.

You held onto her hips, slamming into her, not even being gentle anymore, her moans turned you on too much, the way her ass would shake and she´d arch her back for you so you could reach even deeper.

Hinata was such an obedient princess, sucking on Ino´s clit while looking up at her with this cute expression, a blush tainting her cheeks, not as red as her ass though.

All three women were moaning loudly, Tsunade getting up slowly to sit on Hinata´s thigh, proceeding to ride it, her tits rubbing against Hinata´s. Your thrusts got more intense, more punctuated as Tsunade´s thigh rubbed right against Hinata´s clit, making her legs shake and her moan loudly as the toy inside of her hit her g-spot at the same time, making her cum for the very first time.

She held onto Tsunade, resting her head on her shoulder as she loudly moaned and rode out her orgasm.

[kybervisions]

midnight at wayne manor [clark]

summary: during a new years party at wayne manor, a drunk reader makes a move on clark. feelings long buried resurface, which leads to a clark breaking up with lois.  

author’s note: i love chaos,, this was just a small and quick idea that popped into my head while working on another clark one-shot,,feel free to send requests!! clark does try to be a good boyfriend to lois buuut......still a soft!clark fic bc im pretty sure he gets manhandled in this??? 

tags: cheating, dry humping, intoxicated!reader, reader is kind of a maneater in this ngl, kinda angsty   

They should have stayed home, that was Clark’s immediate thought upon laying eyes on you. The wind had been knocked out of him and he felt frozen in time as you approached them with a bright smile. Your dress fit your body perfectly, complimenting your shape in a sexy red faux leather mini dress, and then your eyes met. Dazzling and alluring. Clark almost forgot about Lois standing beside him, but she grabbed his arm and dragged him to greet you. 

“Happy New Year!” Lois exclaimed as she went in for a hug. “Your house looks amazing by the way,” 

“Thank you,” You chuckled and hugged Lois. “I didn’t think you’d be coming,” You kissed Lois’s cheek and withdrew from the hug. Clark knew you would go to him next. He knew it was just a friendly greeting, but he couldn’t keep himself composed if your body was wrapped tightly around his. 

So, he extended his arm and went for a handshake.

Clark saw a flash of hurt in your eyes, which you quickly covered with a happy face, and he felt like he had been punched in the gut. 

“Almost didn’t,” Lois laughed. “But our schedule cleared up,”

“Good,” You smiled. “Alfred and I spent too much time planning this for people not to enjoy it,”

“Where’s Bruce?” Clark looked around the room.

“My dear brother has locked himself in his room,” You said rather somberly. Again, the sadness in your eyes impacted him. Clark wanted you to be happy, and he needed to be the reason for putting a smile on your face. “Like a fucking child,”

Lois chuckled nervously, uncomfortable with the turn in the conversation. Clark takes a step closer to you, “Do you want me to talk to him? Try and convince him to come up?” He asked. 

“No...I kinda want you to beat his ass,” You said, and you shared a small smile. “He knows how much this party means to me and doesn’t care enough to show up,”

“I’m going to get some drinks,” Lois said, wanting to leave such a personal conversation. After all, she and you had never been close. You met Lois through Clark, but Lois had written about you long before Clark became Superman. You’ve kept a cordial relationship with her, in the name of team bonding. 

So, Lois quickly exited the scene. 

“I’ll rough him up for you,” Clark chuckled and pushed his glasses up with his index finger.

The sudden alertness in your eyes should have told him not to follow you to the Batcave. When you grabbed his arm and interlocked your fingers with his, he should have pulled away, but he let you lead him deeper into the manor, away from the party. 

Clark turned a corner, and you pushed him against a wall. The attack took him by surprise, but he didn’t fight you off. He felt your lips on his and melted. His mind went fuzzy. All he could focus on was you and the feeling of you against him.

He kissed you back. Desperately. Like you’d disappear and he’d never be able to kiss you again. Clark grabbed your hips and switched your positions — having your back against the wall as he thrust his crotch against your wet core. 

Being so close to you made Clark delirious. He should have stopped it, but instead, he deepened your kiss. He tasted the tequila and weed on your tongue, which reminded him you weren’t in the right state of mind, and that completely shattered this little paradise.

“You’re so warm,” You slurred in a whisper. 

“Y/N, you’re drunk,” He tried to hide his hurt. It wasn’t some confession of love from you. It was something fun for you to do while drunk, which broke his heart.

“Hmhmm,” You nodded. “And high,” You smiled. “Want some?” You tried to kiss him again. He turned his head to avoid your lips touching. 

“We can’t,” Clark struggled to pull himself away from you. 

“Because of Lois?” You asked.

“Oh, god, Lois,” Clark ran his fingers through his hair, panicking at the mention of his girlfriend. “I’m sorry,” He apologized. “I shouldn’t have let you do this,” He looked deeply into your confused eye. 

“You don’t have to apologize, Clark,” You smiled. “I wanted to kiss you,” You took a step toward Clark, closing the space between you. “I want to do a lot more than that,” You added, reaching for his crotch.

“O-oh,” Clark whispered as your hands teased his hardened cock through the dress pants. You kissed his neck, and Clark shut his eyes. “Please, don’t,”

You immediately pulled away.

Clark opened his eyes but didn’t see you standing in front of him. He turned around, looked down the hallway, but saw nothing. Only when he used his enhanced vision did he see you had made it to the Batcave. He looked at his watch, which read 11:38pm and sped down to the cave. 

When he reached the control computer, he could hear you crying. Bruce was holding you and looked at Clark with an angry expression. Your tears were his fault, somehow. Confused, but desperate to make you feel better, Clark approaches you.

“Lotta nerve making a girl cry on her birthday,” Bruce said callously. 

It stung.

“You’re not not guilty either, asshole,” You punched Bruce’s shoulder. 

“Ow, fine, I’ll leave,” He kissed your temple, “Love you, spider-monkey,” You rolled your eyes at the nickname. Bruce shot a death glare at Clark before exiting the Batcave to join the festivities.

Your eye makeup had smeared, with black tears running down your cheeks. You looked a mess, which Clark still found endearing.

“What’s wrong?” He asked in a soft tone. 

“I didn’t think you were coming,” You hiccupped. “Soo I drank a lot really fast,” You continued, almost embarrassed to explain your emotions. “Because I really wanted you here and I felt sad but then you showed up and I got really happy and you look so good right now and I’m really drunk and—” To save you your breath, Clark kissed you.

He moved your hair, cupped your face, and passionately kissed you. He wanted this, you, for so long, Clark didn’t care it would inevitably hurt Lois. 

You shoved him away and tears filled your eyes, “We can’t, remember?” Lois. “I’m such a horrible person,” You began to cry. “I shouldn’t have kissed you, I shouldn’t have done that to Lois,” Your eyes were red and puffy from crying. 

Clark hugged you. He wrapped his arms around your body, tiny in comparison to his stature, and he just held you.

“I look good tonight?” Clark asked after a few seconds of comfortable silence. 

You burst into laughter, and Clark was happy to see you smile again. “Yeah, like a sexy librarian,” Your eyes met.

“How long have —

“I don’t even know when it started,” You answered his unfinished question. “All I know is that I looked at you one day and I wasn’t afraid of it anymore,” 

Right. The unspeakable ‘it’. You’d been so scared of falling in love with your best friend that you patiently watched him date another woman for nearly a year.

“But by then, it was too late,” 

“It’s never too late,” Clark asserted. Despite his relationship with Lois, he didn’t feel at home. He’d never experienced a passion like you. Lois tried her best to keep him happy, but her efforts were pointless. “I love you, Y/N,” He confessed.

“I wanna fuck you so bad,” You blurted out. 

“Dear God, woman,” Clark laughed at your explicit commentary. “I’ll break things off with Lois first, alright? So we can both try and keep some semblance of a conscience,” 

“...tonight?” 

[s-creations]

Choking on Your Hubris

Raz knows he's cursed. He's experienced that hand reaching up to swipe at him enough time to know he's cursed. To bad Norma doesn't believe him and his own stubbornness lands him in a familiar situation.

_________

Fandom: Psychonauts          Rating: General Audience           Relationships/Pairings: Nothing major       Warnings: Discussion of almost drowning, Quick rescue, Almost losing someone, First work for this Fandom, a ‘what if’ situation.

Idea comes from InkayInks Prompt List.

“How stupid do you think we are?”

 Norma’s question cut through the conversation easily. Raz, who had been talking about his family to the other interns, stopped short. Turning to face the pyrokinesis specialist. Who was looking back with a raised brow. 

 “What?” The ten-year-old asked. 

 “There are no such things as curses. Psychics have better things to do than to play ‘fortune tellers’. And you know that manipulating someone’s mind is wrong, but that doesn’t make them cursed either. I don’t know why your father poisoned your mind with-”

 “He didn’t!” Raz quickly argued back, “He wouldn’t and I’m telling the truth! If I get too close to water, this weird hand thing comes out to try to grab me and pulls me into the water.”

 “Yeah...it hurts me to say this, but I’m with Norma on this,” Lizzie said slowly, “It just sounds...weird.” 

 Adam nodded in agreement as he folded his arms. “Never in my years of research have I ever heard of anything like this. Not curses, no nothing.”

 “Are you kidding me? You all were in agreement when I was telling the story.” Raz complained. 

 “Yeah, before Norma sunk some sense into us,” Gisu replied, “Sorry Raz. It was a good story though.”

 “It’s not a story! I’m telling you, I’ll drown by a weird hand if I get anywhere near water!”

 Norma stood at that. Towering over Raz as she started him down. “Prove it.”

 “W-What?”

 “You’re really adamant about this. Show us this so-called ‘curse’.” 

 “You want me to die?”

 “No, I want to see this mysterious hand. Don’t worry your baby head. I’ll make sure you’re safe and step in if it’s too much for you.”

 Raz swallowed weakly, biting his bottom lip as he surveyed the room. None of the interns seemed to be willing to come to his rescue. Some even looked curious as well. Eyes flitted back up to Norma. Who’s all knowing smirk only seemed to grow, which only made Raz’s anger out grow his fear. 

 “Fine.” Said anger he had felt slowly disappeared as they neared the edge of the nearby lake. The murky water rippled innocently as the teens (and child) arrived. 

 “I thought,” Raz's voice cracked, “we were going to the pool?”

 “I told you, you’ll be fine. Besides, where we go shouldn’t matter. Water is water after all. Now, why don’t you go show us your ‘curse’.” Norma said coolly. 

 “But, what if-”

 “Did you lie to us Raz?” Norma’s face changed into false hurt. A hand resting on her chest for dramatic effect. “That’s rude, to lie to your fellow interns.”

 Raz felt sick with fear. He didn't want to get anywhere near the murky water. But, he also wanted to prove he wasn’t lying. He tugged at his sleeve, cautiously making his way towards the water. Heart hammering as he stood mere inches from his possibly watery death. 

 “Well, what are you waiting for?” Norma’s voice broke through the mental panic.

 “What?” Raz squeaked out. 

 “You said you have to be in the water?”

 “...Y-Yeah, or at least c-close to it.” 

 “Well, get on with it then. Unless you were lying and are afraid of being found to be a liar?” 

 “I’m not lying!”

 “You sure are taking your sweet time with this.”

 “You would too if this was a life or death situation!”

 “Please, don’t be such a drama queen. Just admit you’re lying and we’ll go back inside.”

 “Why don’t you just-”

 Raz’s reply was cut off, feeling the familiar icy chill constrict his chest. There was a second of seeing the looks of shock and fear of the other interns before his vision turned watery. Arms trapped at his sides, Raz kicked furiously trying to break away. Only for more hands to reach up to hold him further. His last breath of air escaped his lungs and bubbled up to the surface. The light soon faded as he sank lower and consciousness slipped away…

It was like the back of head had been stabbed by a knife made of ice.

 Sasha struggled to remain upright. Hand reached out frantically, knocking over some equipment, as he found a perch on the nearby table. The sudden mental shock to the system sent him reeling.

  In one second he was being bombarded with emotions of absolute fear and anger, a mental vision of water, and a small cry of ‘Help...me…’. 

 The next he was teleporting to the lakeside. Finding the group of interns standing by the water’s edge. All pale and scared. Except...one was missing.

 “Where is he.” Sasha demanded. Sam merely pointed towards the water. 

 Wasting no time, the agent dove in. The water was frigid, stinging his exposed skin. It was also difficult to see through it. Dark and filled with debris. He swam downwards as quickly as he could. Trying not to think that Raz might not have been pulled directly straight down. That the child could be anywhere down there. A few seconds in passing was all it took to lose someone. 

 It was a short moment of relief when Sasha finally spotted Raz. Only for the worry to grow once again seeing the child was passed out. No bubbles leaving him and his skin sickly pale against the dark water. What looked like hands were wrapped around Raz’s lower body, only the head and shoulders seen. 

 Sasha wasted no time in blasting those hands away. Raz’s form slowed in the descent towards the dirt bottom. The agent moved quickly, grabbing the limp form before the hands could again. With the unmoving body tucked close to his chest, Sasha launched himself upwards to the surface. He gasped for air as he broke the surface. Landing easily on the edge. Ignoring the voices of the worried interns as he laid Raz down. Who was still unmoving.

 “Sir-”

 “Get Milla and Hollis, now.”

 Norma nodded quickly and rushed off. 

 Sasha tilted Raz’s head back, mouth open, and he started CPR. He tried not to show panic as the seconds passed and Raz didn’t stir. Tried to keep his hands steady as all he could think was how cold the child was. Tried to remain calm as nothing changed and Sasha was sure he was about to lose…

 “Darling.” Milla had arrived. Kneeling on the other side of the child, looking terrified. 

 “He’s not responding.” Sasha said weakly.

 “We need to get the water out.” 

 “I know-”

 “Psychically.” Sasha couldn’t argue as his chin was tilted up. Forehead pressed against Milla’s, whose eyes were already closed in concentration. “Focus…”

 Letting his shoulders slump, Sasah gave what he could to help. It was difficult at first to find what they were looking for. Sasha was still internally panicking and had to be pulled back by Milla more than once. Only then could they find the unwanted water blocking Raz’s airway. Even so, it was difficult to move the water out. Finding the correct pathway out and not disturbing anything else. 

 It was a tense few seconds before the water was finally pushed out. Escaping from Raz’s mouth and now hovering as a ball above the violently coughing and gasping child.

 “Easy darling, easy.” Milla placed a hand on Raz’s forehead. Trying to calm the frantic child as Sasha tossed the water back into the lake. 

 “M...M-Milla?”

 “Hush Raz, just catch your breath…”

 “What is going on here!” Hollis, with Norma in tow, came storming over. Fear hidden by a look of anger. 

 Sasha replied with, “Raz was drowning. We were just now able to revive him.”

 “Take him to medbay and get him out of those wet clothes. We don’t need him getting a head cold after all of this.” 

 Milla, with Raz resting in her arms, and Sasha returned to the Motherlobe. Hollis turned to the group of interns. Who all shrunk at the hard eye they were given. “I need someone to tell me why the youngest out of all of you was just rescued from drowning.”

 Sam broke. “So Raz was telling us about his life and family and he said that they had all been cursed to drown if they were near water. We didn’t believe him, especially when Norma pointed out how strange it was. But Raz was really insistent and so Norma told him to prove it and he technically did! Just...I didn’t think it would be so scary…”

“So, what I’m hearing is that you all deliberately pushed someone, a fellow intern, into a dangerous stunt. Almost killing him?”

 “But...Norma-”

 “None of you stopped Raz or called out Norma’s behavior. You’re all training to become Psychonauts. But this behavior makes me question if you all are even ready for this level. Your job is to help people, not push them into dangerous situations! If you can’t treat those who are supposed to be your teammates with respect, what about those you’re supposed to be helping.”

 That caused all heads to drop in defeat.

 “We...should apologize…” Morris offered.

 “No, you are not, not right now. You all are going to be scrubbing the inter living quarters. Which you will be spending the next two months. Yes, away from your private quarters. Don’t give me that look, Lizzie. After that, I want a 20,000 word essay about why this was bad and why you won’t be doing this again. Then you will be baking cookies to be delivered to all in the Motherlobe. Finally, you will all have 200 extra hours of training. And then we’ll see if Raz has anything to say about this. ...If he makes it through this.”

 _________________________

 It was all a blur. Raz was aware he was out of the water (he could breathe again). But he was now freezing, trying to catch his breath, and exhausted. He knew he was being carried by Milla, Sasha nearby, and both were giving off waves of fear. 

 His vision was unfocused, a ringing in his ear and his hearing muffled, limbs were heavy. Raz let out a small groan as he suddenly shifted. Shivering weakly at losing the warmth that Milla had been given. Someone lifted his helmet off, rubbing a towel over his dripping hair. Letting out a yelp when his jacket and sweater were removed.

 “It’s alright Raz, it’s just me.” Sasha’s voice sounded in the younger’s head.

 Soon enough, Raz was dressed in dry sleepwear, wrapped in a thick blanket, laying against someone. He assumed it was Sasha. But he wasn’t quite sure. 

 He winced again when another hand touched his forehead. 

 “Just the doctor, you’re safe Razputin.” 

 An overall check resulted in low body temperature, damaged throat, and no doubt on the road to getting a cold. But, at least he wasn’t dead. Hours passed, nightfall arriving before Raz felt somewhat normal. Surprised that Sasha and Milla had remained the entire time, even after Raz was able to sit up on his own. 

 “Don’t you both have work to do? What about the mission?” Raz asked, his voice quiet. His throat was killing him. 

 “We can keep an eye on you and work at the same time,” Sasha replied, “We’re quite skillful in multi-tasking.” 

 “Unless you want us to leave?” Milla asked. To which Raz shook his head. “Then we’ll stay for as long as you want.” 

 The child smiled weakly at that. Eyes slowly closing as he felt sleep pull at him. Sinking into the overly cushioned bed and pillow, warmth flowing through him and contained by the thick blanket. A kiss was gently placed on his head while a hand gently rubbed the back of his hand. 

 “Sleep well darling.”

 “Get some rest, Razputin.”

 The predicted cold arrived hard and heavy. Raz’s throat remained sore, but had a clogged nose and pounding headache added along with it. His days were filled with medicine, soup, and sleep. Lili stopped by as many times as she could.

 “First my dad’s sick. Then you’re sick after you almost died. Can things please stop falling apart around me?” She sighed softly. Holding out another spoonful of soup for Raz.

 “I didn’t mean to make you worry.” He croaked out.

 “Just keep away from the water. And stop listening to those idiot interns.” 

 “Deal.”

 A week and a half later had passed before Raz could leave the medical ward. And only after Hollis, Sasha and Milla agreed that he looked well enough to do so. He was nervous about returning to the working world, being around the interns again. Not sure if he was mentally ready to face them all again. Even if he had Sasha saying to call him if the teens tried anything again.

 Raz stopped outside the door marking the intern living quarters. Allowing himself a few seconds to collect his thoughts before pushing his way in. He froze in the doorway as five pairs of eyes snapped up to him. Raz not realizing he would be seeing the interns so quickly, believing they’d be hiding away in their personal rooms. The tense situation broke when Sam pushed away from her marked desk. 

 “Raz! We didn’t kill you!” She rushed over, instantly pulling the younger into a tight hug. 

 “C-Can’t...breath…”

 “Oh, sorry.”

 “Good to see you up and going again.” said Adam, patting Raz’s shoulder as he was released.

 “Thanks...I wasn’t expecting to see you all in here.”

 “We’re on house arrest...sort of intern arrest?” Morris hummed softly. 

 Gisu rolled her eyes. “What Morris is trying to say is that Hollis gave us a pretty heavy punishment. Not like we don’t deserve it, mind you.”

 “No kidding,” Lizzie added, “Seriously, nothing freaked me out more than seeing you...go under. Are you okay?”

 Raz shrugged. “I mean, I’m still here. But I’m still on bed duty for a while. Where’s...um, where’s Norma?”

 “Out on the balcony. Brooding.” 

 “...Is she still upset?”

 “At you? No. She’s being hard on herself, as usual.” 

 “Sorry to break this up, but we should be getting back to work. I don’t want to be under house arrest any longer than I need to.” Morris was the first one to pull away. With the rest following to get back to their desks. 

 Raz passed by them and out onto the balcony. Where he found Norma, as Lizzie said he would. The small table nearby was covered with numerous scribbled papers, a half finished cup of tea holding down a small pile of them. The intern herself was staring off into the sunset. 

 “Uh, hi Norma.” Raz said weakly. 

 She casually looked over before returning her attention towards the horizon. “Good to see you’re alive.” 

 “Uh, yeah, sure am. Just...wanted to come out and say hi.” 

 “Well, you’ve done it. So...bravo for you.”

 Raz’s shoulders fell in defeat. “Okay, sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you.” 

 “Raz, wait.” Norma gave a heavy sigh before facing the younger again. “Look, I’m… I am sorry. I still don’t think you’re cured.”

 “But-”

 “I know, I saw what happened. But curses don’t exist, so I’m not fully sure what happened. However, that’s not the point of this. What I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry for pushing you so far.” 

 “...You just wanted to see what would happen.”

 “That’s not an excuse. You were clearly distressed and you almost died. I don’t know what’s going on. But that shouldn’t cause you to almost lose your life. I need to think about my actions and the outcome for those.” 

 With that, Norma faced the sky once more and said nothing. Raz took that as the conversation was over and that he needed to leave. So, he did. Walking back into the living quarters and greeted more warmly by the other interns. Laying down on his marked bed, he felt a comforting pulse come from Sasha and Milla. For now, it was fine. Raz just wondered how long that would last with this group. 

[sequinsmile-x]

Day-to-Day

Chapter 4: Aaron

Words: 5k

Warnings: None 

Read over on ao3, or below the cut.

Please let me know what you think <3

December 2009

He’d convinced her to go. Aaron had seen her hesitation as she stood at the front door of their temporary apartment, the twitch in her fingers when Amelia almost immediately reached out for her after Aaron took her. The way she bit her lip when Theo asked her, again, if she really had to go out.

She did have to go, despite how much she would deny it. He knew she needed some time with her friends, and Penelope and JJ had practically begged for a girls night. The 6 months Emily had been gone long and drawn out for all of them. She talked them down to dinner, not wanting to spend too long away from her family that had been so delicately stitched back together. Getting a table at any restaurant so close to Christmas had been difficult, but being the daughter of an ambassador had its advantages, and for once Emily hadn’t been hesitant to use them.

Aaron had sent her on her way with a kiss to her cheek and an assurance that they would be ok without her for a couple of hours.

He was now slightly regretting that decision, but he would never tell her. Their children were feral. Jack was in a mood. His teenage angst was out in full swing this evening, the anger he had experienced shortly after Haley’s death coming back to the forefront in the fallout of the situation with Foyet. He was hiding out in his room, playing a video game and ignoring his father.

Theo was asking where Emily was every few minutes and when she’d be back. He tried to placate his son with his favourite tv show and pizza, and it wouldn’t do. Theo was sitting in the living room, sideways on an armchair as he watched the front door intently. Aaron knew he was going to have to have a conversation with Emily soon about the attachment issues, but it was not the time yet, knowing his wife wouldn’t take it well either. That part of her loved that their son constantly sought her out.

Amelia was cranky. She still didn’t fully trust him, but things were better than they had been when she first shied away from him a few weeks ago. He knows that Emily nursed her before she puts her to bed, that it’s a treasured part of his wifes daily routine, so in the hope that a snack will help he grabs a small yoghurt from the fridge and places her in her high chair.

He feeds her, and although just under half of it ends up on her face, she does calm down a little whilst she is eating. He cleans her up, but she starts fussing again almost immediately.

As soon as Emily walks into the apartment he breathes a sigh of relief. Theo jumps out of the chair and to his mothers side, immediately hugging her.

“Mommy, I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” She kneels down to hug him properly, kissing the side of his head. She pulls back to look at him, thumb worrying over the now mostly healed cut on his forehead that he had acquired during Aaron’s final showdown with Foyet. She looks over and sees Amelia crying in Aaron’s arms. “It’s late, why don’t you go to bed and I’ll come say goodnight in a bit?”

Theo nods, hugging her again before bounding off, throwing a goodnight aimed at his father as he runs down the hallway.

“You were right.” She says, happiness pouring off of her as she removes her coat and shoes at the door. “I really did need that. Pen kept trying to convince me to drink wine even though I told her I’m still nursing.” She says with a laugh in her voice, she turns to him and the smile slides off her face as she takes in the sight of him, and he realises how stressed he must look.

Ameila tries to turn in his arms at the sound of her mother’s voice and starts to cry harder as she reaches out for Emily. Aaron transfers her with little fanfare, knowing that whatever was wrong with the little girl was something only his wife could fix.

“What's this all about, baby?” Emily says as she holds her daughter tightly, her lips pressed to her forehead as she rocks her. “Has she been like this since I left?” She asks as she looks up at her husband.

“The past hour.” Aaron says, watching as Emily gently bounces Amelia in her arms as she attempts to settle the 11 month old. “I’ve been struggling to calm her down.”

The sympathy on his wifes face makes frustration flood his veins, another reminder of something Foyet had taken from him. His relationship with his daughter was still fragile, the way she was still unsure around him a punch to the gut every time she frantically reached out for her mother. Emily looks at the high chair and frowns when she spots the yoghurt pot still sitting on the tray.

“Did she eat that?” Emily asks, her hand rubbing delicate circles on Amelia’s back.

Aaron looks over before turning back to his wife. “Yeah, she was cranky. They all were. I thought a snack would help tide her over until you got home.”

Emily hesitates. It’s fast, almost undetectable, but he catches it.

“Aaron.” Her voice is soft, gentle in a way that was usually only used on the children when she wanted them to know they weren’t in trouble. “She’s lactose intolerant.”

The memory hits him suddenly. Emily curled up next to him in the hotel room they had stayed in when they were first reunited, filling him in on anything and everything to do with the kids. He remembers her telling him that the doctors had got to the bottom of Amelia’s bad stomach, and that she was dairy free herself because she was still nursing her. She’d lamented missing chocolate and cheese, and joked it was her biggest sacrifice as a mother so far.

“I’m sorry.” He stutters, not sounding like himself as it dawned on him. “I’m sorry.” He repeats as he runs his hand through his hair.

“Aaron, baby, it’s ok.” She says, her hand on his arm. She has Amelia on her hip, one arm securing their grumpy baby to her. “It happens. I should have reminded you before I went out.”

“I should know what my daughter can and cannot eat without being reminded.” He seethes, his anger aimed at himself. He tears his arm from under her hand and takes a couple steps back. He watches as she tries to placate him further, useless reassurances on the tip of her tongue. “I’m going out.”

“Honey-”

“I need some air.” He grabs his keys from the side table and leaves the apartment before she can argue any further, the door closing a little too harshly behind him.

Emily sighs and closes her eyes. Amelia buries her head further into her mothers neck, whining as she did so.

“Oh, sweet girl. I know you feel icky.” She kisses the side of her daughter's head and rubs her back. “Let's go see what your brothers are up to.” She kisses her head again and walks through the apartment in search of her sons. ________________

She feeds and settles Amelia before reading with Theo for a bit, smiling as her son drifts off to sleep against her side. She quietly slips out of his room, well practised at the quick and silent exit, and gently closes his bedroom door. Jack gives her a small wave and a grunt when she pops her head into his room, his grumpiness obvious the second she lays eyes on him.

Emily washes her face, blowing out a breath as she takes in the sight of herself in the bathroom mirror. Any joy, any relief she felt after spending an evening with her friends had wilted as quickly as it had bloomed in her chest. The lightness that JJ’s laugh, and Penelope’s overly personal questions about Emily and Aaron’s reunion, had brought was torn away by the devastation in her husband's eyes just before he left the apartment.

Everytime they made progress, every step away from what Foyet had done to Aaron, to their family, it felt like they were thrown right back into it. Emily was exhausted. She missed the version of them that had existed before she had come home to find her husband missing and his blood staining their hardwood floor.

She wondered if they’d ever get the old them back, or if they would slowly build something better. Emily was hopeful that the move to the new house would help, that it would give them new foundations. Somehow even stronger than the ones they had before.

She’s finishing up getting ready for bed, pulling her pyjama shirt over her head, when she hears the front door open, and her husband’s familiar steps throughout the apartment. She hears their bedroom door open and close quickly. She takes a deep breath before she walks out of the ensuite and she sees him sat on the end of the bed, his head in his hands. She sits next to him, purposely keeping her hands to herself despite how much she wants to touch him, to assure him everything was ok. A slight clench in his jaw is the only indicator he has even registered that she's there. She waits him out, knowing he needs to process this himself before he’ll speak to her.

“I should have remembered.” He finally says, removing his head from his hands but not looking at her.

“Aaron-”

“Don’t.” He interrupts, finally looking at her. There are unshed tears in his eyes that make her heart ache. Thoughts about how she could find a way to bring George Foyet back to life just so she could kill him herself burning through her.

“Don’t what?”

“Tell me that it’s ok. Because it isn’t.” He shakes his head at himself. “I gave our little girl…” His voice falters and he clears his throat. “I gave her something that’s made her sick.”

“And so did I.” She reasons, and she grabs his hand. “For the first almost 5 months of her life she was getting it through my breast milk. You did it once. Give yourself a break.”

“I should have remembered.” He says, repeating himself.

“Baby.” She says, moving her hands to grasp his cheeks. “Please stop this. She’s going to be ok. She is ok. She’s fast asleep next door.” She leans her forehead against his, her thumbs stroking his cheeks. “We’re all ok.”

He starts to cry, sobs escaping him that he hadn’t set free since their ordeal had ended. Emily had been waiting for it as he processed everything at his own pace. She pulls him towards her, his head resting on her chest as she wraps her arms tightly around him, one hand in his hair as she presses fierce kisses to the top of his head.

“I’m right here.” She kisses the top of his head again, unsurprised when she can feel her own tears on her face. “You’re ok. I’m here.”

She comforts him like she does their children. With tender words and soft touches, the whispering of nonsense against his hair as he slowly calms. The grip he has on the back of her shirt loosens ever so slightly.

Aaron sniffs as he pulls back, a shaky smile on his face as she wipes his tears away with her thumbs.

“I’m sorry.” He apologies, his voice cracked and torn open by the months of repressed emotion he had let out against her skin.

“You have nothing to apologise for.” Emily says tenderly. “I’m your wife. This is what I’m here for.”

Amelia’s cry through the baby monitor visibly undoes some of the work she had done in calming him down, some tension returning to his shoulders. Emily kisses his cheek before she stands up.

“You get ready for bed, I’ll go see what's up with her.” She says just before leaving the room, crossing the hallway into the small bedroom serving as Amelia’s temporary nursery. Most of the baby's things are boxed up ready for the move to the new house. Emily smiles as she approaches the crib, Amelia already standing with her arms reaching out for her. “What’s wrong, sweet girl?”

She picks up her daughter, settling her on her hip as she kisses the side of her head. Amelia almost immediately settles, her crying quietening down as she presses her face into her mother’s neck.

“You just wanted to cuddle, huh?” Emily says, pacing the small room. “I think your dad could do with a cuddle too.”

Emily walks back into their bedroom to find it empty, but the tap running in the ensuite calms any nerves that he had left again. She settles into bed and lays Amelia on her chest, the baby snuggling down, her fingers grasping at her mother’s shirt.

When Aaron leaves the ensuite he falters slightly at the sight in front of him. Emily catches it, the small hesitation before he climbs into bed. Amelia is already half asleep, the discomfort she had been in when Aaron last saw her gone, and Emily watches the tension leave him as he sees with his own eyes that the baby is ok.

“See, she’s fine.” Emily says, smiling at him as he lays down next to them.

He kisses the top of Amelia’s head, which makes her open her eyes. She reaches out for him and he carefully takes her to settle her against his own chest. Emily smiles as she moves to be closer to them, her head resting on Aaron’s chest next to their daughter. He presses a kiss to the top of his wifes head.

“My girls.”

“Yeah.” She replies. “Your girls.” ________________

April 2021

Aaron sighs in frustration as his phone rings, distracting him from his lesson plans. Emily often teased him for his interpretation of retirement, the profiling classes he taught at the academy taking up a fair amount of his time. He turns from his computer to pick up his cell phone, frowning when he sees a number he doesn’t recognise as he answers.

“An inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, New York is calling you, to accept the charges please press one.” An automated voice says through the phone.

The name of the prison makes him freeze, there is only one person he knew who was in prison in New York. He presses one and puts the phone back to his ear, waiting for the call to connect.

“Aaron?” He hears down the phone, the voice on the other end of the tinny line was unsure, nerves easily showing through.

“Sean?” ________________

The rest of the day goes by in a blur and the next thing he is truly aware of is the front door opening, Amelia and Theo bursting in, both of them animatedly talking about their days.

“Hi Dad.” Theo says as he passes through the kitchen where Aaron is sitting, grabbing a snack and leaving the room almost immediately. “I’ve got loads of homework, back in a bit.”

“Hi Theo.” He says, a small smile on his face as his ever studious 18 year old is already out of the room, his mind clearly on whatever work he was assigned that day.

“Dad, do we have any antacids?” Amelia asks as she joins him in the kitchen, grimacing as she walks in with her arms wrapped around her stomach.

“Are you ok, sweetheart?” He asks, frowning, pulling her into a quick hug she only protests slightly as she walks past.

“Yeah, just a bad stomach.”

Before he can ask any more questions the front door opens again, and Emily’s voice soon follows.

“Hi.”

“We’re in the kitchen, Em.”

She joins them, a wide smile on her face as she kisses his cheek.

“Everything ok?”

“Everything is fine.” Amelia answers far too quickly.

“Mills has a stomach ache.” Aaron says, and he can’t help but smirk at the way she narrows her eyes at him.

“Traitor.”

“Amelia.” Emily says, her hand gently grasping her daughter's chin to tilt her head, sighing when she sees the hives on her neck. “You had the cheese fries for lunch again didn’t you?”

The 12 year old sighs, knowing lying to her mother, to either of her parents, is pointless. “Yes.”

“Baby, you’re lactose intolerant.” Emily chastises as she tucks some of Amelia’s hair behind her ear.

“Mom, it's cheese fries. Totally worth it.”

Emily sighs, knowing that the slight grimace on her daughter's face is nothing to do with her rebuke, but the discomfort she knows she is in.

“There is some Pepto in the medicine cabinet in our bathroom. Go take some and go lie down.”

Amelia smiles gratefully and starts to make her way out of the room before she turns back. “I’m not going to find anything gross in there am I?”

“Amelia.”

“What?” She says, throwing her hands up. “I’ve caught you guys making out way too many times not to check. I’ve been burned before.”

Emily raises an eyebrow at her. “Go. Now.”

“I’m going.” Amelia says as she leaves the room, something a bit too close to a curse word muttered under her breath.

“That girl will be the death of me.” Emily says as she turns to Aaron, his silence throughout her exchange with their daughter, the lack of quips about how similar they were, now only striking her as odd as she takes in the look on his face. His gaze fixed in the distance, not focused on anything in particular. She frowns and takes a step closer to him, placing her hand over his on the counter. “Honey, are you ok?”

He looks at her, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Sean called me.”

Emily doesn’t cover her shock, her hand tightening over his. It had been years since they had heard from Sean. The supposed truce the brothers had come to in New York, when a rare family vacation had turned into a case, had fallen apart as soon as Sean was formally sentenced. Aaron had tried reaching out at the beginning, attempting to visit his brother, but it had always been radio silence on the other side.

Over time he stopped trying, his attempts at calling Sean getting further apart. His requests to go see him stopped. To anyone else it would look like Aaron had accepted it, that he simply was no longer going to be a part of his brother's life. Emily knew better than that.

“What?”

“He called from prison. He wants me to go see him.”

“Oh.” She replies, taking a second before she joins him at the kitchen island, linking their fingers together properly as she settles next to him on one of the stalls. “Are you ok?”

“I think so.” He answers, looking at her, uncertainty all over his face despite his answer. “No.”

Emily places her spare hand on his thigh. “What do you want to do?”

“I want to see him.”

She nods, squeezing his leg in comfort. “Then we’ll go.” She smiles when he turns to look at her, his brows furrowed.

“You don’t have to come with me, it’s fine. I know work is busy.”

“Aaron.” She replies firmly, leaving no room for argument as she moves her hand from his leg to cup his cheek. “I’m coming with you.”

“What about the kids?”

“We’ll be gone one night. Theo is sensible enough to look after Amelia, and Jack lives 20 minutes away if they need him.” She pulls him towards her for a kiss. “Stop arguing with me, it never gets you anywhere.”

His lips twitch, a brief smile taking over. “You think I would have learnt that by now.” _______________

It takes a couple of weeks for them to get things lined up, so that the quick trip to New York wouldn’t disrupt their day-to-day lives too drastically.

Amelia was unimpressed when they told her that Theo was in charge, rolling her eyes at the thought that she needed babysitting, but when they come to leave her attitude fades when she sees how stressed her father was, how on edge he seems as he checks they have everything before they set off on their drive.

She doesn’t remember her Uncle Sean, she had only met him once when she was 3, and she knew enough from what her brothers and parents had told her about that trip to New York to know why she had never seen him again. Another seemingly life changing moment they went through as a family that she had no memory of, relying on hearsay from her brothers and the toned down version she knew her parents told her.

“Please behave for your brother, Amelia.” Emily says as she hugs her daughter.

“I always behave.” She replies, rolling her eyes when she sees her mother raise her eyebrow. “Ok fine, I’ll be good.”

Aaron hugs her next, and Amelia doesn’t miss how he holds her a little tighter than usual. She hugs him back, smiling when he kisses her forehead as they pull apart.

She feels bad for her dad, knowing how much he values his family tells her how much it would hurt him to not be in touch with his brother. Amelia considers how it would feel to not be speaking to Jack or Theo, and despite how much they both annoy her frequently the idea makes her heart clench.

“Call if you need anything, ok?” Aaron says and Amelia nods before pulling him back into a hug.

“I love you, Daddy.” She says, using the moniker she dropped a couple years ago and it makes her chest fill with happiness when he smiles into the top of her head.

“Love you too, Amelia.” ________________

The drive is long, and quiet, and by the time they pull up to the prison Emily is grateful to see it. Aaron had insisted on driving and she’d let him, knowing it would ultimately be worse for him to not be occupied on the trip here. She was planning on taking over when they left for their drive back to the city, but she hadn’t mentioned it yet, knowing that he would already try and argue that point.

They get through security and are shown to the visiting room. They take a seat next to each other and Emily turns to him, trying to read her husband’s face.

“Are you ok?”

He chuckles. “Ask me later.”

A buzzer sounds and a door opens, prisoners walking out and greeting their family and friends. Towards the back is Sean. Emily thinks of the first time she met him. He wasn’t much older than Amelia was now, and already damaged by the things he had been exposed to in his young life. She remembers how he had been nervous around her, a crush on her that he barely concealed.

“Aaron, Emily.” He says as he makes it to the table. Aaron stands and hugs him, and then Emily does the same.

“Sean, how are you?” Aaron asks as they sit down.

“As good as I can be considering I’ve been here nearly 10 years.” He says, his eyes fixed on his brother. He looks at them both. “You guys have hardly changed. How are the kids?”

“I have a picture.” Aaron says, pulling out his wallet and removing the photo of his family that he keeps in there. It was taken on Emily and Theo’s birthday the year before, her 50th and his 18th, all five of them and Sara together and smiling. It was one of his favourites. He slides it across the table to let his brother look at it.

“Wow, they look grown up.”

“It’s been a long time.” Aaron says, the conversation stilted. The awkwardness cloying, making the air around the table feel thick.

“Jack is 28 now, and married. That’s his wife, Sara, in the picture with us” Emily says, trying to break the tension. “Theo is 18 and Amelia is 12.”

Aaron is staring at his brother, profiling him as he listens to Emily talk about the kids. He watches as she explains that Jack is a resident at Georgetown, and that Theo was going to Cornell in the fall. He watches as his brother listens to her stories about Amelia, their wild thing of a daughter who kept them both on their toes. He recognises his brother's expression, it’s one he perfected when they were young, a way to get what he wanted from their mother. It clicks in his head, and he wonders why he didn’t think of it sooner.

“What do you want Sean?” He asks, interrupting the conversation between his wife and brother.

“Aaron-” Emily begins to say, uncertainty in her voice.

“He wants something. That's why he asked me to come here.” He looks back at his brother, and Sean chuckles slightly.

“You don’t miss anything do you? I’m up for parole soon.” Sean explains. “My lawyer said it would be good to have someone upstanding talk at my hearing, and I don’t know anyone more upstanding than you.”

“You want me to talk at your parole hearing? That’s why you got in touch?”

Emily feels how tense her husband gets next to her, the disappointment he clearly feels at Sean only getting in touch because he needed something palpable. She grabs his hand under the table, providing the best support she can in the moment. He lightly squeezes her hand in a silent thank you.

“Yeah. I told my lawyer what you do for a living and he said it was perfect.” Sean says, missing the way his brother sighs, the brief closing of his eyes as he tries to cover his disappointment. “So will you?”

“Of course.” Aaron replies, clearing his throat as he does. “Get your lawyer to send me the details.” He turns to Emily. “Excuse me for a second.”

He gets up and walks towards the bathroom. Emily turns her attention back to her brother-in-law.

“Are you kidding me, Sean?” She says, exasperated.

“What?” Sean asks, his face screwed up in confusion.

“It’s been 9 years.” She explains. “9 years and you reach out because you want something.”

“It’s thanks to him that I’m in here in the first place.”

“You know that’s not true, Sean.” Emily implores, and she stares at him until he relents and nods. “He’ll do it for you because he’s your brother and he loves you. But when you get out you will work on your relationship with him. I won’t let you use him for this and then disappear from our lives again.”

“Are you...threatening me, Emily?” He asks, an eyebrow raised at her in a way that reminded her of Aaron.

“Very much so.” She says seriously, before she smiles. “I’d also like you to get to know my kids better.”

“I’d like that too.” ________________

When they get to their hotel in the city he barely looks around the suite they have for the night before he goes into the bathroom. Emily sighs as she puts her bag down and goes to the mini bar, grabbing a drink for each of them.

She feels his arms wrap around her from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder.

“Did I ever tell you that you’re my favourite wife?”

‘I’m your only wife.” She chuckles, turning to give him his drink.

“That works out well then.” He leans down and kisses her. “Thank you for today.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” She cups his neck, and strokes her thumb over his jawline. “My place has always been by your side.” Emily kisses him quickly. “Lets go sit down.”

She leads him over to the couch in the room, leaning against him as they get comfortable. They sit in silence for a while, having their drinks whilst his fingers trail up and down her arm.

“I let him down.” Aaron says eventually, making Emily turn to look at him, a curious look on her face. “Sean. I’ve been letting him down since we were kids.”

“Honey, you know that's not true.”

“It is. I left when he was young, I left him in that house with the ghost of our father and our shell of a mother.” He says bitterly, throwing back the rest of his drink.

Emily stares at him for a second before she takes his glass out of hand and places it with hers on the table next to the couch. She settles herself over his lap, straddling him in a way that makes him raise an eyebrow and place his hands on her hips. She cups his face in both her hands.

“Listen to me, Aaron. You are not to blame for any of this. You were a kid yourself, Theo’s age, and you wanted to start your own life. You are not responsible for your parents and what they did or didn’t do. Or for the decisions that Sean has made that has led him to where he is.” She looks directly into his eyes, looking for some understanding or agreement. “Ok?”

“Ok.” He nods his agreement, and she can tell he isn’t completely convinced, but it’s enough to placate her for now.

She still wants to cheer him up, so she changes tactics, moving her hands so she’s cupping the back of his head instead before she leans down to kiss him. She presses herself closer to him, signalling her intent, she smiles against his lips when he pulls her closer, his grip on her hips tightening.

“Let's go to bed.” She says, slightly breathless as she pulls away.

“I like the way you think, Mrs Hotchner.”

[emonaculate]

The need to Know

❥ Pairing: Eren x Black!reader

❥ Summary: Y/n knew that deep down it would be impossible to get over Eren, she knew that after they had broken up; it would have been best to just move on. However, the idea of him being with anyone was just too much for the woman to bear.

❥ Genre: Angst if you squint

❥ Word count: 1.9K

❥ Warnings: Cheating, Profanity, Violence, and mentions of sex

Y/n remained silent as she sat in the cafeteria, her mood going downhill after seeing them enter and sit with her former friend group; those two being Historia and Eren, the newly formed couple.

"Y/n did you even hear what I've been saying?" Hitch elbowed her friend in the side.

"Huh? Oh... Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired. You know from studying for midterms." She replied as she rubbed her now sore rib-cage.

Hitch watched Y/n for a moment, then turned to look at the oblivious couple who were holding hands looking happy in love. An expression of pity and sympathy formed on the girl's face as she turned to look back at Y/n, whose brown eyes would not look away from the two holding hands.

"Oh... Y/n."

"It's not a big deal, Hitch. He made his decision and I made mine. After all, they look better together anyways." Y/n tore her eyes away from the couple to look back at her worried friend.

"I'd kick his ass if I were you. You guys break up and then he turns around and dates the friend he told you to not worry about. Bitch ass move if you ask me. Not to mention everyone keeping it from you for months." Hitch huffed as she linked her arm with Y/n's.

Y/n bit her two-toned bottom lip as she thought about how dirty her so-called-friends treated her once Eren and Historia began to date. Everyone knew right off the bat and just all unanimously agreed to keep it from her for as long as possible. Sure they only befriended Y/n due to her dating Eren but it still hurt because she thought that they at least cared about her.

"Nah it isn't worth my time. They made their decision and I made mine. Though you don't have to seclude yourself for me, I know Jean misses you."

"Damn fool should have known better." Hitch shrugged as she barely spared a glance at her boyfriend who was desperately trying to back into her good grace.

Y/n smiled in appreciation, truly grateful to Hitch as a true friend. As soon as Y/n found out about Historia and Eren; Hitch found out as well and blew up on everyone who dared to hide it. Hitch had even gone as far as taking a break with Jean to prove to him how fucked up the whole ordeal was; Y/n talked her down from doing it so now Hitch had just been giving him the silent treatment. And ever since that day, the Y/n and Hitch had been closer than ever imaginable.

"So what I was saying earlier is we're going to Porco's party." Hitch continued.

"Porco?" Y/n questioned in confusion.

"From Marley University who wears the leather jacket all the time."

"Oh, the grease monkey-looking dude."

"Exactly. So you in?"

"Absolutely." Y/n grinned after giving Hitch a quick fist bump.

It had been a while since Y/n dressed up, especially since her mood had been bitter and angry for the past couple of weeks, but none of that matter right now as she slipped on the strapless crimson-red dress that stopped above her mid-thigh. It hugged all her curves and showed off her figure in the best way.

"You look hot." Hitch purred as she wrapped her hands around Y/n's waist.

"And you have a boyfriend." Y/n reminded her friend as she placed her warm brown hands over Hitch's small pale ones.

"Mm, he don't gotta know."

"You don't mean that, you love Jean. Everyone knows that."

"....Yeah whatever," Hitch mumbled hiding her face in Y/n neck as her face blushed deeply.

Y/n laughed to herself as she finished getting ready for the night; her makeup was light but still stood out against her glowing skin, the golden eyeshadow certainly did wonders.

The pair arrived at the beach house and it already looked jam-packed. Y/n held onto Hitch's hand tightly as they walked through the entrance only to run into a familiar Zeke Yeager; Y/n grimaced seeing her ex's brother.

"Y/n, I haven't seen you in so long." Zeke voiced as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Likewise, but you don't have to pretend to be nice. I'm sure you know Eren and I aren't together anymore."

"Pretend? I assure you if I didn't like you. You'd know. So don't be a stranger and visit me sometime." The smile on his face seemed to hold a secret, Y/n wasn't sure she wanted to find out.

"Oh okay... It was good seeing you." Her glossed lips formed a soft smile as he walked away.

"You should fuck him to get back at Eren." Hitch suggested causing Y/n to smack her shoulder harshly.

"Absolutely not. Zeke is not about to be my rebound. Plus he's like too old for me."

"Honey, you had a thing for the tattoo parlor guy, he was too old."

"Levi is very attractive and you know it, Hitch." Y/n defended herself before they both broke into laughter.

"Come on, let's go dance." Hitch said as her laughter had died down and a familiar beat began to play.

As soon as they made their way to the floor, Y/n felt Hitch's hands attach to her waist and she began to grind back against her friend who seemed to be enjoying groping her thighs and hips way too much. Y/n couldn't say she minded too much after all, Hitch's love language was touched. The girls continued fucking around and enjoying their time until Y/n's feet began to hurt.

"I'm gonna go get something to drink, you want anything?" Y/n question as she panted softly.

"Mm, coke and vodka would be nice." Hitch responded as her chest heaved up and down as her eyes stayed focus on something elsewhere; Jean was dancing with some random girl and it was clearly getting to her.

"Girl, go get your man. I'll be fine." Y/n reassured as she pushed her friend towards the male and turned on her heel to find something to drink.

Y/n drank her sweet wine cooler, enjoying herself still until she stumbled into her old friend group. Her dark brown eyes met Mikasa's steel grey ones silently. The dark-skinned woman clenched her jaw and turned away from the other girl as quickly as possible.

"Y/n wait." She heard Sasha call out.

"Do not. I don't feel like losing my cool right now. I'm enjoying myself and I don't have shit to say to any of you." Y/n seethed as she turned back to face them.

"I just want you to understand, we didn't think that-" Sasha started again desperately wanting to get through to the woman.

"Honest do you see how stupid how you sound? You didn't think I'd be the slightest bit upset about my ex fucking and then dating someone I considered to be my friend? Not to mention all of you hid it from me without a second thought." She laughed in disbelief as she had begun to walk off again.

"Why did it matter when you're the one who left him?" Mikasa questioned calmly, but that was enough to set Y/n completely off.

Though she wasn't sure what came first, all Y/n knew that her drink had been thrown at Sasha and she slapped the hell out of Mikasa. Y/n was aware of what it looked like.

She knew that right now she looked like the bad guy, but deep down she couldn't give a damn. Every single fucking fiber in her body had been begging for her finally give in and snap. To give in to the rage that had been tearing her up for the past few weeks. She was angry and rightfully so, they betrayed her trust. Y/n wasn't even aware that she had been screaming until she felt her voice go hoarse

"Fuck you. Fuck all of you."

Y/n was grabbed by an unknown figure that had pulled her away from both girls who had guilt written all over their faces. She was hauled away into a separate room and she came face to face with the man of the hour, Eren Yeager.

"Y/n calm down." His voice that was usually soothing only filled her with more rage.

"No. Why the fuck are you telling them I left you?" She seethed showing his hands away from her body.

"I never said you did. They assumed."

"You should have told them the real reason. That when I said I loved you, you realized you didn't feel the same."

"Y/n..."

"No this is the part where you listen. I'm sick and tired of pretending to be okay when both know the truth. You broke up with me because you can't see yourself settling down with a black girl. That's why you were so quick to go get with a girl that was everything I could never be."

Eren's hand darted out and gently wiped away the tears, that she hadn't even noticed, that flowed down her brown cheeks.

"Y/n that's not why I left. I left because I never experienced love. I grew up in a split household. My father had an affair with my mother, then left to go back to his real family leaving me bitter and angry. I've never experienced romantic love nor have I seen it. I was scared.." He kissed her forehead and held her tightly against his body, despite her struggling.

"I gave you everything I had. Then you tossed me away because you were scared? You went and got with the same person I told you I was worried about. How do you think that makes me feel?" Y/n continued to cry in frustration as she held onto his chest.

"I know.." He stroked over her hair and rocked her slightly.

"I hate you." Her voice whispered.

"....I love you too."

Y/n hated how her heart fluttered at his words, she hated how he could calm her down with a few measly touches, she hated how he made her feel so unsure and nervous. Most importantly, she hated how much she loved him.

"I told you years ago. Your race wasn't and never will be a big deal to me. I love everything about you. I love how your nose scrunches up when you dislike something, I love how you randomly blurt out throwback songs, I love how you rage when you play video games with me." He began to ramble holding onto her tighter only to be silenced by Y/n leaning up to capture his lips into a kiss.

It didn't matter to her that what she was doing was wrong; her brain was on autopilot and she needed him desperately. Y/n wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him closer as tears clouded her vision. The need to know how he felt had finally been sufficed and she could finally be with him in the way she wanted.

Eren hoisted her up in his arms and laid her gently down on the bed behind them, she quickly slipped out of her dress and watched him follow suit, what was to come after they did the unthinkable was not her problem tonight, it was shit future Y/n would have to deal with. There was a heat inside of Y/n that she just had to have him feel tonight.

"I love you." His voice fell deaf upon her ears as he intertwined their hands.

[thedomesticatednerd]

Headaches, bad jokes, and cute siblings.

A little Tech whump for late Tech Tuesday. Also you get him and Omega being cute and telling bad jokes. Hunter is there too.

Warning: Light mentions of drug use.

                                       .:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

After three days and two missions for Cid, Hunter couldn’t take it anymore. He had been watching Tech and his brother was off, even though he’d assured Hunter he was fine. But Hunter knew something was wrong, his enhanced senses told him something was wrong. Tech was tense, his movements was stiff and short, he kept his eyes down, but the most telling was his scent.

Tech’s scent changed, he still smelled like himself only it was laced with neuropeptides, Tech was in pain. He decided that enough was enough.

They were in hyperspace when Hunter confronted Tech. His little brother looked worn thin, he had his goggles off and was rubbing his eyes when Hunter entered the cockpit.

“Tech, we need to talk,” Hunter watched Tech flinch. “You’re going to tell me the truth.”

Tech hummed an answer and fixed his goggles lazily. Hunter stepped closer to him and crouched down. “What’s wrong?” Hunter asked softly now.

“I didn’t want to be a burden,” rested his head in his hands. “I have had a headache for three days.”

Hunter sighed. “You’re my brother, Tech, you’re not a burden. Have you taken anything?”

Tech looked at Hunter, the look said do you think I’m an idiot?

“Right,” Hunter smirked but frowned. “When was the last time you slept?”

Tech shook his head slowly. “I do not wish to answer that question.”

Hunter stood up. “Let’s go.”

Tech didn’t argue with him, either because he knew it was futile or he was just that worn out by his headache. Hunter led him to the ship’s berthing and pulled back the blanket on Tech’s rack. Tech began fumbling with his armor to get it off, seeing his little brother struggling with such a simple task, Hunter immediately began to help him and took over. Once his armor was off Hunter pushed him down to his rack and pulled the blanket over Tech’s shoulders once the younger clone laid down.

Hunter pulled Tech’s goggles off and put them under his pillow. He sat next to Tech and started threading his fingers through his baby brother’s light brown hair. Tech sighed and closed his eyes, probably remembering times when Hunter use to comfort him after a particularly bad simulation or nightmare of his eye surgery.

Hunter waited until Tech was asleep before moving. He stood up and turned towards the gunnar’s nest after feeling eyes watching him ever since he sat down next to Tech. Omega was peeking around the curtain, he gave her a smile and she started climbing down.

When she got to Hunter Tech jerked, they both stilled, after a couple of seconds Tech let out what sounded like a mournful moan. Omega looked up at Hunter with wide worried eyes.

“He’s ok,” Hunter whispered as jerked his head towards the cockpit. He closed the door behind them and she took a seat in the pilot’s chair. “He’s does that when he’s exhausted.” Hunter told her as he sat down.

“So he’s alright?” She asked.

“Yeah, he has a headache and he hasn’t slept in a while, but he’s alright,”  Hunter smiled but it was half hearted. “He probably won’t sleep long. He went through a lot when he was young, it left him with a lot of anxiety.” Hunter wasn’t sure how much he should say, he didn’t want to burden his little sister.

She nodded, as if she understood clearly what Tech went through. After a few minutes she yawned.

“You should go back to bed,” Hunter told her.

Omega slid off the seat. “Ok,” she didn’t protest as usual, instead she left the cockpit, closing the door behind her.

After an hour, Hunter went to check on Tech. His youngest brother would be waking and he was going to try to get him to go back to sleep. He exited the cockpit and made his way down to the berthing. To Hunter’s surprise, Tech was not alone in his rack.

Omega lay on her back sound asleep. And Tech, his gentle nerdy little brother had his head next to her’s with his arms wrapped around her. Hunter could hear Tech’s slow rhythmic heart beat, indicating he was asleep.

It warmed something in Hunter’s chest seeing them sleeping so soundly together. Whether Tech unconsciously held Omega or he knowingly did it, it was an unexpected find since Tech struggled with emotions and rarely let anyone see him express any emotions at all. Hunter had suspected it had something to do with Tech’s personalized training.

There were many nights he sat with a young Tech that just stared off into an invisible distance, though Hunter could sense his distress. As Tech got older he became more and more emotionally distant. Though Hunter knew his baby brother loved them, he could thank his enhanced senses for that.

Hunter smiled down at them and pulled the blanket up a little higher around them. Tech sleeping for more than an hour or two at a time was a precious oddity. He wouldn’t dare disturb them, so he left them and went back to the cockpit to watch the stars stream by.

…..

Omega slipped through the door from the cockpit after Hunter suggested she go back to bed. She tiptoed pass Tech and climbed up to her makeshift room. Even though she was tired she couldn’t sleep. When she heard a frustrated sigh she concluded she wasn’t the only one.

Climbing down she made her way to Tech’s rack. He turned his head towards her and squinted his eyes, she almost wondered why he was making that face but realized he didn’t have his goggles on.

“Omega, are you alright?” He whispered.

She nodded. “I’m ok, I just can’t sleep.”

He frowned and blinked, she knew he was thinking but the he spoke slowly. “Do you wish to share my rack?”

She nodded. Tech scooted over as far as he could and lay on his side, and Omega climbed up and slipped under the cover. Tech was stiff beside her and it gave her an idea.

“Want to hear a joke?” She whispered.

“Ok,” he looked a bit intrigued.

“Why can’t you trust atoms?” Omega smiled, and Tech stayed silent. “Because they make up everything.” She grinned.

Tech snorted in amusement. “I have one.” He whispered.

She rolled over to face him.

“What do you call…” he paused, trying not to smile. “What do you call a teacher that won’t fart in class?”

Omega was smiling at him and shook her head and he finished. “A private tooter.”

They were both trying to stifle their laugher when Echo barked at them. “Quiet down you two!”

They composed themselves. “I didn’t know you knew any jokes.” Omega whispered.

“I have data files full of bad jokes,” Tech whispered back.

After a few minutes she spoke up again. “Does your head still hurt?”

He sighed. “Yes, however it is not as bad.”

“You should try to back to sleep,” Omega laid her right hand on his cheek gently, his skin was warm under her hand and it slightly worried her. He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath and exhaled it, his face was tilted down so he was breathing on her face.

“Only if you do,” he whispered.

She smiled and rolled over on her back again and closed her eyes. After a few moments he shifted his arm under the pillow and wrapped his other one around her and pulled her close against him. She let out a surprised quiet giggle as she was pulled closer.

She listened to his breathing change as he fell asleep, and she could feel his heart beating against her shoulder. With the hum of the ship and Tech holding her she found it hard to keep her eyes open.

Soon she was drifting off to sleep beside her big sweet brother.

…..

He wondered how long he’d been asleep. Probably not long. He was never asleep for long.

If it wasn’t because they were in a situation that didn’t allow for long periods of rest then it was his anxiety that kept him from sleeping long periods at a time. Most of the time he’d just get up and find something to tinker with but right now his head was trying to burst open. He was surprised he could put together a coherent sentence when Omega appeared at his rack. He felt intrigued when she asked if he wanted to hear a joke, and even though his head hurt he recited a joke from his files.

Laughing definitely didn’t help his head, but it was worth it to hear her giggle and he felt strangely more at ease. He suddenly realized how much she meant to him and how he really didn’t mind her sharing his rack with him. The emotion wasn’t new, he’d felt this emotion towards his brothers, it was love. He loved her, he loved his little sister. He was glad they went back for her, she belonged with them.

For once he wasn’t the youngest member of the team anymore, he had someone that looked up to him now. It was a heavy realization, but one he didn’t mind.

After they fell quiet he found it becoming increasingly hard to stay awake and he also had an overwhelming need to keep her safe, even if they were on the Marauder. So he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Holding his little sister was doing something to his brain, his thoughts slowed down and a tightness in his chest, that he didn’t even realize was there, uncoiled and he felt lighter.

He’d only experienced this kind of release when he experimented with recreational drugs, he’d had a lot of explaining to do when Hunter found him, his experiment ended that day. Hunter had been worried about him for a long time after that, even after Tech reassured him multiple times he wasn’t trying to use drugs as a coping mechanism, he really was just curious and recording his findings.

But this was better than any kind of drug, recreational or prescribed. This alone was chasing away his headache. Who knew cuddling with his little sister would make him feel better and sleepy all at the same time.

Maybe he’d get more than a few minutes of sleep next to her.

He had a feeling he would.

                                      .:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

(A/N: in the scene when Tech is asleep and he jerks and moans was actually a  dream I had in Tech’s POV, in my dream Hunter reassured Omega just like he did in the scene. My body did a full out jerk and I rolled over and moaned, but I was still asleep(?) Also, the experience Tech is having with Omega when he feels sleepy and protective is actually the feeling I get with my daughter when she sleeps with me. Also laying with The Nerd Operator instantly puts me to sleep when we’re cuddling on the couch.)

[flippin-fins]

Roommates

LadyNoir July 2021 Day 21: Roommates

Read on AO3

It made sense after they had revealed their identities to each other.

What better roommate than someone who had been your partner since you were 14?

Even if he had to push down his unreciprocated feelings, sharing an apartment with Marinettee (and all her fabric) had been an easy decision when he was old enough to move out of the mansion. Plus, having all of the kwamis were fun as roommates, even if the trouble all of them got into together could put Plagg to shame.

Adrien smiled as he watched Marinette beat Nino at yet another video game. Why Nino had thought he could beat Marinette at any of their video games was beyond Adrien’s comprehension.

Adrien pulled out his phone to check the time, not realizing how late it had gotten. Trying to figure out how to get Marinette’s attention, she was better at ending the night with minimal questions or lingering, Adrien missed Alya watching him.

“Nino, I think it’s time for us to head out,” Alya called to her boyfriend. “Maybe it’s time to accept that she’s just better than you.”

Nino scoffed, but set the controller on the coffee table as he stood up. Marinette joined him a moment later, extending her hand.

“Always a pleasure.”

“Yeah, yeah, but your winning streak can’t last forever.”

The room filled with laughter as Alya and Nino grabbed their things, Marinette pressing a tupperware of baked goods into her friend’s hands.

As the door closed, Adrien looked at his roommate. All he wanted was to wrap her up in his arms, leaving a kiss on the top of her head. Instead, he stepped towards their balcony.

“Ready for a race around the city, Bug?”

She turned, never one to turn down a competition. “So eager to lose?”

She transformed and was out the window before he could blink, and Adrien quickly changed into Chat Noir before chasing her with a laugh.

He let his muscle memory carry him along to rooftops, setting an easy pace. He’d let her win every race she wanted for the chance to see the smile on her face. He couldn’t make it look like he let her win (and often he struggled to keep pace with her), but tonight he was caught up in his thoughts.

When he’d first approached her to be his roommate, Adrien had been nervous. He didn’t want to overstep, didn’t want to scare her away. He knew there was someone else, and while his feelings hadn’t changed, he didn’t want Marinette to be too uncomfortable to be his friend.

But sometimes, sometimes being just roommates was hard. Hanging out with Alya and Nino, all he could think about was the potential for double dates. Cooking together in the kitchen, all he wanted was to hold her close and dance to the music filling the room. Their sleepy, late night conversations were something he treasured, more precious than late night patrols or when he used to meet Marinette on her balcony and see the stars.

Maybe he wanted more, but for now, this had to be enough. In the past, he’d made it clear where his feelings were his partner lay, and it felt wrong to push when she’d set that boundary.

Too soon, Chat landed on their favorite landmark, the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower glittering around them.

Ladybug turned to look at her partner, to gloat at her win, but one look at his face stopped her.

“Chat? Are you alright?” Ladybug asked, moving to step towards him.

Plastering a grin on his face, Chat looked up at her. “Of course, just a little caught up in the sights of the city tonight.” He wanted to add that she was his favorite sight, but that felt too far.

She sat down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Wrapping an arm around her, Chat Noir held her close, trying to ignore the distance he felt between them. Far below, he imagined the lovers strolling the city, couples that held no secrets, just kisses and held hands warming each other.

He tried to ignore how much he wanted to be one of them.

He turned towards Ladybug as he heard her hum, lost in thought. He squeezed her shoulder lightly, and felt her eyes on him.

He could question her thoughts, but knew she’d voice them when she was ready. Instead, she took his free hand in both of hers, playing with his fingers.

“Alya made a funny comment tonight.”

Chat frowned, trying to think of what could have been said, but nothing came to mind.

“When we were in school, in lycee, I wouldn’t have imagined it would end up like this. I mean, Alya and Nino being together still is no surprise, but for you, for the guy who sat in front of me to be my partner, the flirtatious Chat Noir,” he grumbled at that, but she pressed on. “For us to end up such close friends, to be roommates. I just think that 14 year old Marinette would be surprised.”

“Is it that surprising that we’re friends?” Chat tried to joke, to sweep the pieces of how her words broke his heart under a nearby rug.

“No no, it’s not that. It’s just, well,” he could feel her tense against his shoulder, and Chat resisted the urge to turn, to see the secrets hiding in her eyes.

He was sure she could hear his heart pounding, desperate to know more.

She took a deep breath before continuing, and it felt like the longest silence he’d ever experienced. “Did you know I had a crush on you back then?” Her voice was just a whisper, but if she hadn’t been leaning on him then Chat would have fallen off the beam. He must have stiffened, frozen by her words. “I mean, it’s not, don’t misunderstand. I didn’t agree to be roommates to be creepy, I mean I did want to be roommates but not like that I mean we’re friends and partners and it makes sense and if this is weird just tell me and I can move out and -”

“Marinette,” he whispered, cutting off her rambling.

She dropped his hand, sitting up, away from him.

It was amazing how fast his side grew cold, how quickly he missed her presence.

He twisted to look at her, to fully see her, even if her eyes were hidden by her eyelashes as she looked down at the city.

“Marinette,” he repeated, reaching out to brush a stray hair behind her ear. “Do you remember what I told you, well before we revealed our identities?”

Her eyebrow furrowed as she tried to figure out what he was talking about.

“I said that I loved you, whoever you were under the mask. I loved the superhero, and all I wanted was to know who she was, so that I could get the chance to love her too. But then this girl in my class started to capture my attention, so I would visit her balcony some nights, just for the chance to see her.” Ladybug tried to turn away, to hide the tears shining in her eyes, but he kept going. “Imagine my surprise when I discovered they were the same person.”

“But that was so long ago-”

“I told you I would wait until you were ready. Maybe I hoped being roommates would speed up the process.”

She whipped her head around to look at him, and Chat couldn’t tell if he was imagining the hope he saw in her eyes.

“Do you still?” She breathed, still speaking so softly, as if anyone could overhear them.

“Of course, I planned to wait my whole life if I had to.” Chat grinned, and he tried to ignore the cracks in his heart as he focused on her, on what she’d said. “Was I too late? Did you leave it behind at lycee?”

He startled as she jumped forward, wrapping her arms around him. “I have loved you since the day you handed me that umbrella in the rain, offering an apology I never deserved.”

Chat didn’t realize he was crying until a sob choked it’s way out.

“What does this mean for us? Now that you know my motives, does that change your decision on being my roommate?”

“Adrien, nothing could make me not want to be your roommate. I want to be your roommate as long as you’ll have me.”

He thought back to a joke that he’d heard Alya say, something that always made Marinette blush.

“Even if it includes three kids and a hamster?”

He heard her gasp, knowing exactly who he’d heard that from. She leaned back to look at him.

“Three kids and a hamster was always about you, so I’m in it especially if being roommates leads to that.”

Chat pulled her back into a hug, content with knowing the rest of his life was safe as long as she was in his arms.

[datleggy]

Totally random thought I had right as I am going to bed but ya know that show "I didn't know I was pregnant"? Buck would be on that show lol the boy is oblivious when it comes to his own body, so like I can perfectly picture him collapsing on the job one day wracked with pain, and then Hen is poking around his stomach where it hurts, her, Buck and Eddie packed into the back of the ambulance as Chim and Bobby drive to the hospital, and she gets out the stethoscope to try and listen for internal bleeding or anything but instead finds an infant heartrate and she's like "Buck, you're pregnant?" And he's like "uh, no? What the hell?" And then his water breaks and he tries to convince hen and Eddie that he had an accident bc even that would be a better alternative to suddenly figuring out he's about to have a baby???? What the fuck???? But Eddie holds his hand all the way through it and by the time they get to the hospital, Buck has a healthy newborn cradled against his chest, Eddie knelt beside him and alternating between kissing buck and the baby on the head, and observing the baby in disbelief. I can also picture Buck like, sobbing his sorry's to Eddie the entire time he's pushing, like "Eddie I swear I had no idea, if I had known, I would have told you!" And Eddie is just reassuring him the entire time like "don't worry about that now, Buck, just concentrate. No one is mad, okay? But you gotta focus on the- on the baby" and buck just sobs and nods and focuses on the delivery again. But for a good while Buck is in denial that any of this is happening and it takes a lot of convincing and encouragement from both hen and Eddie for him to start actively participating in his baby's birth. Anyways, random half asleep thought is finished sorry for the long ask hdshsjjsjdbsjsj

WELL SHIT ok so i actually love that show and i could see buck doing this lmao so i wrote a thing. also ignore all medical inaccuracies, this is my distraction from monday lmao let me have this wildly inept fic pls. 

also just in case, it’s pretty brief, i think, but TW for talk of weight and weight gain

It's nearing the end of their shift now and Buck can almost hear his feet howling at him in pain. Today hadn't even really been all that busy, he thinks, annoyed at his own body's betrayal. He's not even thirty yet, but in the last couple of months he's felt as though he's aged about ten years.

He's put on a few pounds, which isn't too uncommon, sometimes Buck goes through stretches of time where he eats more carbs than he needs and works out less than he'd like and so a little tummy fat is to be expected.

It normally doesn't bother him, except that in the last maybe three months he hasn't felt like exercising much outside of work but he's eaten nearly everything in sight every night. He's up about fifteen pounds, which he wouldn't have even noticed, seeing that he does fluctuate at times anywhere between five to eight pounds over or under what he usually weighs, if it hadn't been for Chimney teasing him about putting down his third Krispy Kreme donut of the day and picking up a barbell earlier this morning.

Chim and Buck poke fun at each other all the time--it's a staple in their friendship and brother ship, in fact--and Buck had flipped him the bird, nothing new there. What had been new was the fact that he'd excused himself to the bathroom right after that and locked himself in a stall and bawled his eyes out as quietly as humanly possible.

Buck grimaces, embarrassed still, by the outburst, even if no one had been there to witness it. He still has no idea what the hell that had been about this morning.

Eddie notices the sour mood and pulls him in close. "Hey, you ok?"

Buck nods. "Yeah, just tired. Ready to go home--shit." Buck feels a shooting pain so intense his knees buckle and Eddie has to hold him upright to keep him from hitting the floor. 

“Woah!” Eddie calls Bobby over, who’s closest, for help, “Buck? Buck, you with me? What’s wrong? What hurts?” 

Buck just shakes his head and grits his teeth, the pain so debilitating he can hardly breathe much less speak. 

The Captain is on his other side in an instant and together Eddie and Bobby help Buck towards the couch, where he collapses in a heap, throwing his head back and letting out an agonized whine. “What’s going on? Did he get hurt during one of the calls?” Bobby asks Eddie, frantic to help put a stop to this. 

Eddie’s helpless, “Bobby I don’t know, one second we were talking about going home and the next he practically fell to the floor in pain.” he turns to face his husband, “Baby, I’m here, look at me, what’s the matter? What hurts?” 

Buck’s face scrunches up and he finally exhales sharply, his grip on the couch cushions loosening, and he opens his eyes, wide like saucers, and says, “What the fuck was that?” 

At this point Hen and Chim, as well as half the crew, have gathered around and Hen is quick to put on her doctors hat and try to sus out the problem. She makes Bobby step aside and Chimney hands her a stethoscope. “Buck, is it your stomach?” she asks, noticing the stiff way he’s holding himself around his midriff. 

“I don’t--kinda? I don’t know. It was just like, this crazy wave of pain, almost like a cramp, but way worse.” he struggles to describe the feeling now that it’s more or less passed for the time being.  

Hen had seen Buck wince when he’d been in the harness on the last call of the day, but he hadn’t said anything and she hadn’t thought too much about it until now. “Did you hurt yourself in the harness earlier? Maybe pulled something when we reeled you back up?” she asks, palpitating his stomach with her fingers, watching him almost retract from her touch. 

“Maybe?” Buck shrugs uncomfortably, wincing when she hits a particularly sore spot. 

Something about this feels familiar and strangely obvious, but Hen doesn’t understand why until she puts her stethoscope up to his belly to check for lack of bowel sounds, indicating maybe some internal bleeding or sorts. 

Hen gasps out loud and sits up like she’s been smacked. 

Eddie frowns. “What? What’s wrong? Is he gonna be ok?” He almost wants to snatch the damn stethoscope out of her ears and check for himself, his eyes darting between Hen and Buck nervously. 

“Buck, you’re pregnant. And in labor, by the sounds of it.” Hen blurts out in disbelief. 

“What.” Buck blinks at her, waiting for the other shoe to drop. This has to be a joke. 

“I heard a heartbeat in there...” Hen informs them, still awed. “Buck, that was a contraction you just experienced.” 

Eddie gapes at Hen and then at Buck. “You’re pregnant?” 

Buck gapes right back at him. “No!” he denies, shaking his head incredulously. “That’s insane, I can’t be pregn--ah--” Buck leans forward in pain as another contraction begins. “Fuck.” 

“Jesus, yeah, no you’re definitely pregnant,” Chim announces, “Your water just broke all over my favorite couch, bud. I’m getting the ambulance ready asap.” he says, before running to do just that, head reeling. He thinks about Maddie and when she gave birth to their daughter and how scared out of his mind he’d been and he sympathizes for Buck and Eddie, who up until now apparently hadn’t even realizes they were expecting... 

Back at the lounge Buck continues to deny any of this is even happening. He whines into Eddie’s chest, “That’s pee, it has to be, because I’m not pregnant. There’s no way.” he lets out a pitiful whimper as another contraction begins and buries his face against his husband to hide the tears springing up in his eyes. 

“Buck, son, we gotta get you to a hospital right now.” Bobby tries, running a soothing hand over the top of his head. 

But Buck shakes his head no, shuddering out a sob. “M’not going.” 

Eddie, overwhelmed, looks to Hen and Bobby for help. 

“Buck, ambulance is ready to go, we need to move unless you wanna have this kid at the firehouse.” Hen grimaces. “I know you’re in pain and I know you’re confused and hurting, but we need to get you into that ambulance and now.” 

Buck cries out when another contraction hits him and Hen gulps. “Your contractions are getting way too close together, we need to move.” she nods at her Captain and Eddie to help get Buck up and together the three of them manage to get Buck onto a gurney and into the waiting ambulance.

Bobby rides up front with Chimney, leaving Hen and Eddie to work in the back with Buck. 

“Buck, you need to start getting ready to push, this baby’s coming.” Hen warns him, but Buck refuses. 

“I can’t.” he sobs. “I didn’t--” he throws his head back, the pain lighting his nerves on fire. “I swear Eddie, I didn’t know. You gotta believe me.”

Eddie takes Bucks hand into his and brings it up to his lips. “I know baby, I know, you don’t have to worry about that. I promise. Nobody is mad at you, ok? I’m not. But right now you need to focus on pushing, you need to listen to Hen, ok? We’re ok, and you’re gonna be ok, but I need you to push, baby. I love you so much, you know that, right?” 

Buck lets Eddie wipe away his tears, leans into the comforting touch, and nods shakily, exhaling. “O-ok, I’m--I’m ready.” 

.

.

.

**************

.

.

.

The baby is so very tiny in Eddie’s arms. 

Olive Buckley-Diaz is born weighing exactly six pounds and two ounces. 

Christopher, who’s curled up against Bucks side on the hospital bed after a very exhausting day, looks up at his Buck, his little brow still knitted in confusion. “So she was a surprise baby? And that’s how come you guys didn’t tell me about her?” 

Buck tries not to laugh. “Yeah bud, it was a huge surprise to us, too.” 

Eddie nods along, smiling fondly down at the bundle he’s holding. Her blotchy red face is slack in sleep and there’s already tufts of brown hair sticking up funnily on her head under her hat. “I still can’t believe you only gained like fifteen pounds during the whole pregnancy.” Eddie chuckles, “Or that you worked through the nine months, God Buck, when I think of the stunts you pulled during calls in the last few months alone I’m--” he shudders. “Actually I’d rather not think about it.” he sighs, “I’m just happy you’re both healthy at the end of the day.” 

Really, it’s a miracle. The doctor had said as much after the delivery. 

“To be fair I never got any of the other symptoms,” Buck shrugs. “I wasn’t nauseous, my feet never swelled, I don’t remember any weird cravings? And you said it yourself, I didn’t really gain all that much weight.” 

Eddie leans down to kiss Buck’s forehead. “You should be on that show.” he grins. 

Buck tilts his head. 

“You know the one, the one Hen made us watch when work was slow that one time. ‘I didn’t know I was pregnant’.” he teases. 

Buck groans. “I regret all the jokes I made at the time. I totally get those people now. Pregnancy is weird.” 

Christopher rests his head more comfortably against Bucks chest and smiles softly. “Yeah, but now our family’s even bigger.” 

.

[midgardianweasley]

hello! welcome to fanfic writing for hp and mcu! I was wondering if I could make a request for Freddie! Maybe something fluffy where he’s becomes familiar with the muggle world bc of work and takes his pureblood gf to London for the first time and just gushes over how cute she is experiencing all the muggle stuff for the first time? Thank you!

hello my lovely! I had so much fun with this request. I hope you like it!<3

Seeing the sights

Fred Weasley x fem!reader

Summary: Fred takes a week holiday from work, he’s been doing some travel over the last few months to muggle London and decides to take Y/N, who’s never experienced the muggle world, to see some of the popular sights.

Warnings: none :)

Word count: 1864 words

Message/ask if you want to be on the taglist <33

“Hey sweetheart! I’m home!” Fred announced to the quiet home, hanging up his coat and putting his wand down on the unit beside the front door. He briefly thought that maybe his girlfriend was out somewhere, however, that thought was quickly discarded when he heard footsteps running towards him and before he knew it, a body collided with his chest. After recovering from his stumble from the collision, he looked down to see a mop of Y/H/C hair just below his chin. He went to speak, before hearing a slight mumble.

“Sorry Darling, what was that?” He chuckled, holding her arms as she gently pulled away, looking up at him, she smiles before responding

“I missed you”

“I missed you too sweetheart, but, I come with good news!”

“Ooooh, I like good news! Tell me, tell me, tell me!” She claps her hands, excited for what Fred was about to reveal.

“Georgie and I have closed the shop for the next few days, he and Angelina are gonna be heading off to Scotland on holiday, so, I was thinking that you and I could take a trip to muggle London!” He spoke, excitement in his voice clear as day. He’d been going to muggle London on business with his brother a few times over the last couple of months and he’d seen some places he wanted to share with his girlfriend, a pureblood like himself, as she’s never experienced anything muggle related before that wasn’t taught in a classroom. He wanted to show her firsthand to let her have an insight on some of the things he’d seen.

“The place you’ve been telling me about?”

“Yeah! The place that has the awesome cake I was telling you about!”

“There’s gonna be cake?”

“There will be cake”

And those were the last words spoken before she ran off in a hurry again, reaching the cupboard in the hall of their shared home, to pull a suitcase down and beginning packing. Fred smiled, happy to see that the excitement he was feeling, was mutual.  

~Timeskip~

The couple had just arrived and settled themselves into their hotel in the heart of London when Y/N bounced over to the windows in their bedroom and opened the door of their balcony, giving them a full view of the city.

“Wow, it’s beautiful!” Y/N spoke, wrapping her hands around the new pair of arms that had found themselves around her waist. Fred gently kissed below her ear, enjoying the slight breeze outside, glad they had worn their jumpers as it was starting to become fall season.

“So I was thinking” He began, still giving her quick pecks, moving between her neck and her jawline. “We could either chill out for today and see the sights tomorrow, or, we could spend the rest of today out and about and just choose what to do tomorrow depending on how you feel today goes.”

She thought it over for a few minutes, trying to decide whether she wanted to save the tourist stuff for later in the trip or start exploring today, when looking out at the busy city, it was suddenly really obvious what she wanted to do.

“I wanna go and see what that thing is!” She jumped, struggling to contain how eager she was.

“The big circle thing over there?” He spoke, following where she was pointing.

“Yeah!”

“Ahh, that’s called the London Eye” Leading her inside and helping her put her coat back on

“Wait, what? But there’s no eyes? Can that thing see?!” She exclaimed. He laughed before explaining that it wasn’t a literal eye, before leading her out of the door and smiling at how clueless she was, almost forgetting that it was exactly how he and George were when they first visited. Thankfully this time, Fred remembered the key card to their room, learning from an unfortunate mistake he and his twin brother made that resulted in the pair sitting outside in the hall for forty minutes, waiting for someone to let them back in. Y/N watched Fred put the key into their door, confused as to what he was doing as she pulled out her wand. Upon turning and seeing her eyes flutter between her wand and the rectangular thing in his hand, he started to explain again.

“This is a little card we put in this machine attached to the door handle, it locks and opens the door for us whenever we swipe it in this little slot here.” He explains while demonstrating, taking great joy in her face morphing as she tries to understand.

“We can’t just use ‘Alohamora’?”

“No Love, it’s all done the muggle way here, remember?”

Not entirely sure of herself, Y/N puts her wand back into her coat pocket and watches as Fred does the same with the muggle key card.

After a walk in Hyde park and hearing Big Ben ring out, scaring Y/N almost half to death ultimately causing Fred to practically fall over from laughing so much, the pair found themselves in Trafalgar Square, a soon to be favourite of Y/N’s.

“Can you guess why we’re here?”

“Uhm, to look at the fountain?”

“Well, yes, that, but, look up and to your left”

Y/N did as Fred had told her and gasped in excitement, for what felt like the thousandth time, when spotting the big cake logo above the doorway. Putting the pieces together, she knew that this was the place where Fred had kept bringing back Y/F/C from his trips. Fred took his hands from his back, to reveal two boxes of her favourite cake that she had been craving since it was first mentioned. Y/N wasted no time in taking the box from his hand, thanking him and opening it up, not stopping to wonder how the hell he’d managed to go and get it when she could’ve sworn she was with him the whole time. Her attention was brought back to Fred when he held a plastic, wrapped fork in front of her face, saving her from getting any crumbs or icing on her outfit. She took it from his hands gently and the two of them started to eat their cakes, occasionally taking some from the other person with large smiles painted across their face.

~Timeskip~

The sun had almost set now, the city now starting to light up with rows of street lights, headlights from the cars of people returning home from work to their loved ones, further accompanied by the lights from overlooking apartments. Y/N stood in the middle of the streets that had started to calm, but not by much, and spun slowly on the spot, taking in the beauty of the night atmosphere. What she had failed to notice, was that all throughout the day, Fred had been giving her the same look. He was completely in awe of her fascination and how she thought everything was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen. He knew that the muggle world would be a new environment for her, causing him to feel slightly anxious when first raising the idea, but seeing her be so absorbed by everything, made him feel like his heart had grown double the size. Stopping on the spot, Y/N saw her boyfriend look like he was in a trance, making her shy under his gaze when realising he was staring at her.

“You okay Freddie?” She spoke, watching him blink a few times before stepping forward and hugging him, feeling slightly colder now that it was darkening. He noticed her shiver slightly, unwrapping his scarf from his neck and gently wrapping around hers, before holding her face in his hands, a soft smile on their faces.

“Never better, my love.” They pulled away from their hug, taking each other's hand, and walked towards the main event of the day, well, night time now. Waiting in line to hop on the ride, the two of them swung their arms back forth. ‘The eye looks so much bigger from down here’, Y/N thought, craning her neck to look at the top of the wheel, Fred not having to strain too much due to his height, but is still taken aback everytime he sees how tall it is, he chuckles to himself thinking that this must be how Y/N feels when looking up at him, not daring to voice his thought, knowing it would result in a slap to the chest, a light-hearted one, but it was better safe than sorry.

The line moved quickly until it was eventually the couple’s turn to walk into the pod-like thing, managing to have it all to themselves, the line not being as busy as it was during the day. When it started to move again, Y/N stumbled, holding onto Fred as she lost her balance slightly, not prepared for it to move so suddenly, causing the both of them to laugh at her clumsiness. Everytime they feel that they can’t possibly be happier than what they are or smile anymore than what they have, they’re proven wrong.

When they got to the top, an audible gasp fell from Y/N’s lips, if she thought that the views were pretty from the ground, seeing them from the top of this wheel was a whole other level. She walked closer to the glass, looking at all of the lights and tiny figures walking the streets. Sure, she’d gone flying on her Firebolt before and playing quidditch had given her a high view of a crowd before, but when flying, you can never really appreciate the views, especially not if you have a bludger flying towards you, something Fred had always made sure wouldn’t happen, knowing how painful it can be to be hit with one of those things. But with everything so still from where she was, there was no crowd screaming, no breeze whipping her hair in 50 directions, there was just serenity.

“Do you like it?” Fred broke the silence, eyes still focused on the girl beside him, watching her eyes go back and forth. He thought she hadn’t heard him she was so entranced, before she whispered a short “It’s incredible.” Another minute went by until she was pulling her eyes away and meeting with his, having to look up slightly. “I love it Fred. I love it all, today has been absolutely insane. Thank you so much.” She spoke softly, wrapping her arms around his torso and hugging him tight, but careful not to squeeze him. He returned the hug, arms wrapping around her shoulders and chin placed upon her head. A soft “you’re welcome darling” escaping him, careful to not break the peaceful silence they had.

And while Y/N was peacefully looking at the view, still wrapped up in Fred's scarf and his arms, her head felt empty with how peaceful the moment was, Fred felt the same, however, his head didn’t feel empty as he had one thought running through his head.

‘I’m going to marry this girl’

And thankfully, he had the ring in his back pocket ready to act on it.

Taglist: @horrorxweasley @dracofknmalfoy @gaycatlord-stuff