#cheeri prattles on

[certified-anakinfucker]

god i hate david filoni

[certified-hunterfucker]

the irony of this acc is that my legacy name is not, in fact, nealev. its usurper. but i like forcing darr to be the main character

hey i can actually do some intros now that i have a full main 8……

[munsonslilbunnie]

eddie munson with his plus-size best friend / crush would be the cutest thing. can imagine the first time talking to you involves him tripping over his words, a massive grin on his lips when he gets you to giggle the very first time, palms that grow sweaty the second you get into his personal space, your fruity scent overwhelming his senses.

he wouldn't be too sure how to react the first time you hug him, your plush body meshing against his lanky form, causing his brain to quite literally malfunction. he wouldn't even be sure why you were hugging him in the first place, but he finds that having his arms around you is the highlight of his days and he finds any little excuse to hold you, as close and as tight as possible, not that you were complaining about it, either.

the boys would have a field day with him - teasing him back and forth about the growing relationship between you two. he'd just deny it, cheeks glowing red and heart racing faster as he would glance around, hoping that you weren't listening in on the conversation.

what he wouldn't do to have you like him the way you do, but you were far too out of his league - your whole person was like a beam of sunshine, lighting your way through his life and ruining him for anyone else. your chubby cheeks that became rounder when you laughed. your soft hands that left goosebumps in their wake on his skin. your gentle smile as you listened to him prattle on about his campaigns. your curvaceous body that felt perfect against his.

he knew you didn't quite hold the same thoughts about your body as he did, but he loved it. he didn't want to be a perv about it, but he thought it was perfect. it was soft in all the right places. your tummy that you tried to hide away was his favorite place to hold onto. his hands would grip the sides of your waist, fingers digging into the flesh there. there was just more of you to hold onto and he wouldn't want it any other way. you loved to whine to him that he shouldn't do that, but he knew you liked it based on the blush on your cheeks and the slight hitch in your voice.

don't even get him started on your thighs. when you went over to his trailer the first time, you were wearing a pair of shorts that clung onto your thighs, showing off stretch marks and little indentations. he had gulped - were you trying to kill him? the day ended up with you two sitting on his couch, your legs thrown over his lap, one hand innocently placed below your knee while the other was on your thigh, fingers 'absentmindedly' rubbing circles on the flesh, eyes not so secretly trailing over as much flesh as he could. all while you were distracted by the scary movie he rented out for you to watch. he has already seen it a few times, but hey. any excuse to have you over is better than not seeing you over the weekend.

somehow, you ended up becoming his best friend, listening to his secrets and insecurities and being his shoulder to lean on when he needed it. you knew the unimportant and important things about him. you knew that he still had nightmares about his parents. you knew how close he felt to wayne. you knew how frustrated he was being labeled as the 'freak' of hawkins and how he wishes he could leave. hell, you even made a promise that the two of you could high-tail it out of hawkins the moment you graduate.

you were the most important person in his life at this point and he wouldn't want to risk ruining your friendship by telling you he was in love with you.

of course, that never happened. how could it be ruined when you felt the same way? you, with your cheery smile and personality, walked right up to him at graduation, cupped his cheeks, and pulled him down into a kiss, the whoops, and hollers from the hellfire club and their mutual friends drowning out as eddie melted, his own hands pulling you close as he poured all of the passion and love he felt for you into the kiss. when you pulled away first, breathless and chest heaving, you gave him a bright smile, kiss-swollen lips on display, you told him, "i love you, eddie munson. are you ready to get outta here - with me?"

"fuck, is this real? i love you, too. so fucking much. i'll follow you wherever you go, princess. you're my home, wherever you are, i'll come to you."

cue loud sobbing bc eddie deserves a happy ever after ending with his plus-size baby </3

[mousy-nona]

Two's Company (Three's a Crowd)

Vox cuts into Alastor's radio broadcast, and quickly figures out why that was a Very Bad Idea.

//

Or, Vox finds out about Alastor and Lucifer. Jealousy ensues.

(Set between chapters 4 and 5 of All of God's Angels)

Lucifer had a radio. He dusted it off and turned it on some nights, when they were playing the oldies, or when he wanted to catch up on current events, or…

Or when a certain strawberry pimp was on air. 

(If he was being honest, he hadn’t missed a single episode since the day they’d met.) 

The demon’s voice was like liquid honey, dripping with dark things and speckled with odd ‘20s slang. It quickly became a habit: turn on the radio, pull up a few of his latest blueprints, and get to work. Some of Alastor’s more… creative suggestions even gave him a few ideas for new horror-themed rides for Lu Lu World. 

My muse, he thought, snorting to himself when no one was around.. 

That particular night, he was humming away, listening to Alastor prattle on about why the Pride ring was categorically better than Gluttony ( more interesting victims, for one! ) when there was an audible screech. The signal wavered, replaced by the obnoxious blaring intro of a news show.

He recognized that sound at once. Everyone in Pentagram City did. It was the breaking news soundtrack for 666 News.

But what was it doing here, on Alastor’s radio? 

He leaned in, new rubber duck design completely forgotten, as he and the rest of Hell waited with baited breath. 

“Gooood evening Pentagram City!” A voice – a man’s, with a chipper American accent by the sound of it – filtered through the speaker. Lucifer cursed to himself. He really needed to pay attention to the politics of Hell. He had no idea who this was. B something? The demon continued, sounding immensely pleased with himself. “We interrupt this not-so-important broadcast with breaking news: why are you listening to this washed up has-been when you could be watching 666 News on the V Network? Get with the times, you—”

The radio whined, letting out an audible protest as the signal was hijacked again – and by the sound of it, far more violently this time. 

The momentary crackle of static, then – “Apologies about the momentary interruption, folks!” Alastor’s cheery voice cut in. But underneath that ‘20s charm, Lucifer could hear a hardness that hadn’t been there before. “A mere technical error, nothing to worry about. I promise you, those responsible will be appropriately punished.” 

The last word practically crawled of the penumbra, of shadows, of Bad Things. Lucifer shivered, finding himself half-wishing he was the one Alastor was talking about. He caught himself with a frown. What the Hell was he thinking?

“Now back to our regularly scheduled programming!” 

The next morning, Lucifer came downstairs to find the entire hotel gathered around a shiny red box. 

“What do you think it could be?” Angel Dust asked. 

Husk shrugged, looking, as always, utterly unimpressed by the whole situation. 

Niffty was flitting around it so fast she was nothing but a blur, panting excitedly the entire time. “Don’t smell bugs,” she muttered, almost as if she was disappointed by the fact. 

“Only one way to find out. Let’s open it!” Charlie bounded forward, one hand outstretched. Both he and Vaggie leapt to stop her at the same time, but Vaggie got there first. She grabbed his daughter’s hand and twirled her away from the mysterious-box-potential-bomb-thing, popping a little kiss onto her nose to distract her when she tried to lunge for it again.

Yeeuch . Good for Charlie, but he was never going to get used to that. 

“What’s up, b–” He almost said bitches , but managed to catch himself at the last minute. “ Boys ?”

Better. Much better.

The “boys” glanced at each other, clearly confused. Vaggie let go of Charlie so fast she almost spun her around like a top. 

Charlie recovered quickly and pointed at the thing they were staring at. “Dad! This got delivered to the hotel this morning. Vaggie thinks someone wants to blow us up!” She said, as if she was announcing someone had sent them a birthday cake. 

Vaggie sighed. “Might, Charlie. I said someone might want to blow us up.” 

“Right! That!” 

“No worries!” Lucifer puffed up his chest, feeling a rush of pride. He was helping his daughter! He could feel their bond growing stronger already! “ I’ll open it!”

“Careful, Dad!” Charlie gasped. Vaggie pulled her backwards, shielding her with her own body. Husk surreptitiously stepped in front of Angel Dust. Niffty stayed exactly where she was – right next to the box – but Angel Dust swooped in and lifted her out of harm’s way. Lucifer waited a beat, wondering if Alastor was going to show up and swoop him out of the way. 

No such luck. He sighed, wondering if he’d gone temporarily insane to even hope for such a thing. Alastor would probably push him into the box if he was here. 

Holding his breath, he quickly clawed at the cardboard seams. The box fell open, revealing…

Angel Dust wrinkled his nose. “Is that…an old TV?” 

“It is,” Husk grumbled, recognition flaring in his yellow eyes.

The hazy gray screen was surrounded on all sides by wood paneling. There were two dials on it, one labeled UHF and the other labeled VHF. Attached to the front was a single note, written in huge, spiky letters: Remember the good times? 

He felt Alastor before he saw him. A mass of shadows bubbled in the corner and burst, revealing the tall, graceful demon in his erstwhile pinstripe suit.

Lucifer puffed up. “Convenient of you to come when the danger’s over, huh? Looks like I saved the day this time –” 

Alastor swept past him as if he was air. All his attention was focused on that damned TV. Lucifer’s voice faltered, sputtering like a flame before it finally went out. 

“Alastor, your buddy sent you a gift,” Husk muttered. 

“So it seems,” Alastor said, cold and cruel. He grabbed the note from the screen, his nose wrinkling as he read it. Then his grin turned sharp. 

Faster than anyone could blink, Alastor skewered the TV in half with his staff. The wood protested, groaning as it fell apart, revealing the black glistening gears inside. Acrid smoke started flowing, and Alastor was soon submerged in an eye-watering cloud, his wicked chuckles reverbrating through the entire hotel. 

“Looks like someone is desparate for my personal attention.” 

Lucifer bristled. Someone? Who? Someone other than him? He opened his mouth, but when the smoke cleared, Alastor was gone. 

Husk tutted and walked back to the bar, mumbling about show offs and annoying dandy-ass motherfuckers. Lucifer followed close behind, practically shoving Angel Dust out of the way. 

“Do you know who sent that TV?”

Husk turned around, so slowly it was like he was moving through molasses. “Yeah, of course. Who doesn’t?” 

I don’t, you smug little house cat. Through a great effort of will, Lucifer managed to stop himself from showing Husk exactly what his new line of rubber ducks could do. “Mind enlightening me?” 

“It came from Big Daddy V,” Angel Dust slid into the seat next to him, fluttering his lashes. Lucifer stared at him. “You know, the head honcho?” Still no reaction. “Vox?”

“Is he the guy with the television for a head?” Lucifer asked. 

“Duh,” Angel Dust said at the same time Husk said, “Who else?” 

“I think he was the one who interrupted Alastor’s radio show last night too. What’s his deal with Alastor anyway?” Lucifer was not annoyed. He was not irritated at how easily he’d been cast aside. He was definitely not upset about how Alastor had disappeared after promising to give Vox his personal attention . 

“He’s obsessed with him.” 

And Lucifer was not tempted at all to rip this Vox’s throat out and leave him to die a very slow, very painful death. “Alastor is?” He hissed.

His chest twisted, throbbing with a pain he couldn’t quite put a finger on. He held his hand over his heart, marveling at the way it pounded as hard as if he’d just fought a grueling battle with the angels. 

“No, Vox is. They’ve had a rivalry going for decades now.” Husk looked at him strangely. “You really don’t know about any of this? Aren’t you the king of Hell or something?” 

Decades. They had decades of history together. Vox would always own a piece of Alastor that Lucifer would never get to know. An irrational anger rose deep from his gut. He knew it made no sense, but it was almost unbearable to think that there was someone out there who may have a claim over Alastor that he didn’t.

And maybe he was a demon just like the rest of them, because a selfish rage rattled in his chest: Alastor was his.

Too late, he realized the silence had stretched on a touch too long. Now both Angel Dust and Husk were staring at him. Angel Dust’s knowing smile in particular was quite unsettling. Quickly, he excused himself and ran back up to this room, where he could not think about Alastor in peace and quiet, thank you very much. But as soon as he opened the door, a piece of paper fluttered to the floor. 

Meet me at Rosie’s. 

The note was written in Alastor’s beautiful, old-school cursive.

“That tacky little good-for-nothing,” Lucifer grumbled. “He thinks he can order me around?” 

He crumpled up the note in his fist. He would go meet him – but only to teach the cocky asshole a lesson. 

Right. That was the only reason why. 

(He’d always been a bad liar.) 

“There you are! I was beginning to think you’d gotten lost on the way.” 

Alastor’s wide grin was the first thing that greeted him when he stepped out of the portal. He resisted the urge to smack him in the nose, because he knew how to be the bigger man. Figuratively, of course. 

“Why did you want me to meet you here?” 

“Why do I ever want to meet you anywhere?” 

Lucifer paused, running through some numbers in his head. “But it’s not the first of the month yet.”

Alastor grinned and pressed in close. His bowtie, usually so neat and buttoned up, was askew. His shirt gaped open the tiniest bit, revealing a hint of mouthwatering collarbone and the barest glimpse at the strong chest underneath. Lucifer felt his cheeks heat. “What’s a little extra healing between friends?” Alastor murmured into his ear.

“We aren’t…we aren’t friends,” Lucifer protested, stumbling only once. “Besides, we’re outside. Anyone can see us.”

“Rosie won’t mind,” Alastor smiled. “What’s hers is mine, and so on and so forth.” He crooked one finger into his tie and pulled, loosening it further. “And the Cannibals know to mind their own business.”

The rough brick of Rosie’s storefront was digging into Lucifer’s back. He winced, a surge of annoyance running through him when he realized that Alastor was pushing him around again . Alastor always did whatever he wanted. He would play with him at home, teasing him relentlessly, making his life Hell, but then he’d run off and play rivals with some other bastard the moment Lucifer took his eyes off of him. 

What kind of heartless, two-timing devil would do that?

Suddenly filled with a burning rage he still didn’t quite understand, Lucifer flipped around so he  was the one pressing Alastor against the wall. Strangely, the demon didn’t fight him. He watched through heavy lids as Lucifer pushed forward until their bodies were flush against each other. Lucifer could feel every one of Alastor’s hard muscles through the layers of clothing between them. The air crackled with anticipation as they stared at each other, the seconds dragging on as time slowed. 

Lucifer licked his lips. Alastor’s gaze dipped down to follow the movement of his tongue. His smile turned lazy, slow – honey dripping on a hot day. He reached up, undid the first button of his shirt, and pulled the collar away from his neck so Lucifer had a better view of the graceful curve of his shoulder and the firm sculpture of his chest. He swallowed, hard. 

“You won’t keep a loyal subject waiting, will you, your Highness?” Alastor asked, his radio static like a live wire against Lucifer’s skin.

Lucifer grabbed his lapels and leaned in close, not sure if he was going in for a kiss or to tear Alastor’s head off. 

“What the hell are you two doing?” 

The first thing Lucifer noticed was a man with a TV screen for a head glitching out in the street behind them. The second thing he noticed was Alastor’s smile – huge, toothy, and so very pleased that Lucifer realized, a second too late, that he’d walked into one of Alastor’s traps again . 

Alastor straightened up and re-tied his bow to cover up all his delicious, bare skin. Even though Lucifer knew he’d been played for a fool, he still felt a pang when he saw it disappear. 

“Are you two–” Vox couldn’t finish the sentence. His screen stuttered, turning rainbow, then flipping to a test screen, before finally settling on the Blue Screen of Death. FUCK YOU ALASTOR.EXE was scrawled all over it. 

“Actually –” Lucifer started, but Alastor cut in, slinging his arm casually over his shoulder as if they did that kind of thing every day. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Alastor grinned, his red eyes gleaming bright with glee. “Maybe we are. Maybe we’re just very good friends .” 

Vox’s face flashed back on screen, his mouth open so wide it looked almost like a glitch in the matrix. “You – I thought you didn’t…?” 

“Didn’t what, my good man? You must start finishing your sentences. How is anyone supposed to have a decent conversation with you if you don’t? But I suppose that silly moth man you keep around might not mind. He doesn’t seem very bright, does he?” 

“Leave Valentino out of this!” Vox roared. 

“Or what?” Alastor sneered over Lucifer’s shoulder. He was still hanging off of him like he owned him. As much as Lucifer hated it…it wasn’t a terrible feeling. “Or you’ll sing a silly little song about me again? Hack into my radio signal? Is that really all you can do – cause me a few technical problems?” 

Vox wasn’t listening to a word he was saying. His eyes were glued to the two of them, taking in the casual way Alastor was touching Lucifer, at the button Alastor had accidentally-on-purpose forgotten to re-button, and the hand Lucifer still had curled around Alastor’s lapel. 

“But you don’t –” he tried again. “I asked you! You said no!” 

“It looks like I found a better offer,” Alastor said. He looked positively demonic as he delivered the blow, his eyes glittering with euphoric glee as he watched Vox sink down from disbelief into a black cloud of depression. As much as Vox annoyed him, Lucifer couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for the man.

But that didn’t stop him from doing what he did next. 

Lucifer looped his hand around Alastor’s neck and pulled him down so they were face to face. Before Alastor could react, he pressed his mouth to his. 

Alastor’s lips were cold. They were as icy and hard as the man himself, but his taste…he was like spice and smoke, like cinnamon and poison and the woods in the summer. He tasted better than all of Heaven and the Earth, and for the first time Lucifer understood why humans got addicted to their silly little drugs. If it felt anything close to this…

Alastor broke the kiss first, his eyes hooded and unreadable as he pulled back. He licked gold from his teeth, and Lucifer realized with a start that he was bleeding. Alastor brought his fingers to his lips and licked the dripping gold off of them slowly, his eyes never once leaving Lucifer’s. 

It was the single most erotic thing he’d ever seen. He felt dizzy, drunk with desire in a way he’d never once felt with Lilith.

“Assholes!” Vox’s sudden exclamation brought them both back to reality. “Don’t eye-fuck each other while I’m still here!”

Snarling, Lucifer whirled around. “Do you mind? We were in the middle of something here.” 

Vox cringed backwards, his hands flying protectively over his face. For a brief second, he looked terrified . Lucifer looked at him strangely, wondering what his reaction was all about, when he saw red horns out of the corner of his eye. 

He’d transformed? 

He glanced at Alastor, who was staring at him with an expression he’d never seen before. If he had to describe it, he would say Alastor looked…proud. 

Alastor pulled Lucifer to his side, so smug it practically rolled off of him in noxious waves. “You heard the man. Or rather, shall I say the king?” Canned laughter roared through the street. Vox flinched at the not-so-subtle reminder of exactly who he was dealing with. “It’s been fun catching up, but we must be off. Lots to do, lots to see!”

Waving merrily at the glitched-out TV, Alastor pushed open the door to Rosie’s shop and ushered Lucifer inside. The second the door closed, Lucifer whirled around, glaring at a wholly unrepentant Alastor.

“You planned that.”

Alastor grinned. “Of course I did.”

“You used me.”

He raised his brow. “My dear, I am a demon . Surely you can’t be too surprised I dabble in deception?” His expression darkened. “That fool interrupted my show. That kind of behavior must be punished. Besides, I daresay you used me a little bit yourself.” 

Lucifer’s cheeks reddened and his mouth watered at the thought of that kiss. That magical, wonderful, positively wicked kiss. 

“Ah, ah!” Alastor wagged his finger at him, as if he was a naughty child and not a fallen angel powerful enough to blast him halfway back to Earth. “There will be no more of that today. You’ve got your payment.”

Lucifer sighed. For a man who hated physical contact, he sure could be a massive tease. He was even worse than Angel Dust. “What was Vox talking about? What did he ask you?” What did you say no to?

“He asked me to join his team. A waste of breath, if you ask me. As if I’d ever stoop so low.”

“Just his team? As in, business partners?”

“Why? Does it bother you, your Majesty?” Alastor teased.

Lucifer thought about the despair on Vox’s face as he took in the possessive way Alastor had grabbed his shoulders. The betrayal in his voice as he’d stuttered but you don’t–! The hurt as he slumped to the ground, the electronic nodes of his brain scrambling to understand that Alastor might be capable of wanting more – and that he just hadn’t wanted Vox . 

Would Alastor do that to him one day? Would he leave him half-broken on the ground as he pranced off with his new rival of the month? 

Lucifer turned away, unable to keep looking at him. “No. It doesn’t bother me at all.” 

Alastor hummed, sing-song. “I appreciate your help in this rather annoying matter. I must say, it’s not so bad having a partner after all.” 

Lucifer stiffened, hardly daring to breathe. “We’re partners?”

"Who knows?" Alastor shrugged. "I do so dislike labels. But this is the first time the idea hasn't made me want to vomit. And the look on Vox's face when he saw you..." His laugh was dark and more than a little insane. He wiped a few gleeful tears from his eyes. "I could get used to that."

Lucifer chuckled along, the possessive beast within him satisfied. For now. "I'm a better offer, huh?"

When Alastor looked at him, the odd expression on his face took his breath away. He took Lucifer's hand and kissed it, his sharp teeth grazing the thin skin there. "Certainly the tastiest I've had in quite some time."

Lucifer's heart thudded so loud in his ears it was all he could hear.

"You have any other rivals you want to piss off?"

[readyforthegarden]

Breakable Heaven - Part Six

Pairing: Danny Wagner x Female Reader

Synopsis: Being the maid of honor in your best friends wedding is already stressful enough without the best man being the ex-boyfriend who tore your heart to shreds. Stumbling across a dating app with dates for hire, you take a chance, inviting a perfect stranger to pretend to be your boyfriend for the weeklong celebrations. But how long can the charade last when the champagne starts pouring and feelings start growing?

Warnings: drinking, swearing, smut (oral f!receiving, fingering, penatrative sex, 18+ MINORS DO NOT INTERACT!

WC: 7696

“Mm, a little lower,” your muffled moan barely made it out from the bed. Large hands worked their way down your spine, a sigh releasing from your body. “Right there, that’s the spot.”

“Wasn’t this the best idea?” Olivia groaned from her own massage table, making you hum in response. “Mike made fun of me for having this after camping but I bet he’s jealous.”

“I know Danny is,” you sighed again when the masseuse began working on your left hip. “I could tell his back was sore after last night.” Olivia lifted her head, a sleepy smirk playing on her face.

“Oh? And why is that?” waggling her eyebrows, she rested her chin in her hand and waited for the answer.

“I almost died of hypothermia, that’s why.” rolling your eyes, you also propped your body up. “If I could’ve melded together with him, I would have.”

“I mean, there were ways to keep warm.” Olivia shrugged. “I know I worked up quite a sweat last night.”

“I’m so happy for you, Liv.” you deadpanned. “I didn’t really feel like getting nasty in a tent near my ex.” Olivia scoffed. 

“They were fighting all night, Mike and I had to hook up to drown it out.” she laid back down. “Naomi was maaaaad.”

“I have nothing to say,” you tried to hide the satisfied smirk on your face, and failed. 

“You’re allowed to be petty,” Olivia said. “Your boyfriend knocked your ex-boyfriend on his ass for tripping you in a dumb flag football game. And he looked hot as fuck when he was angry.” Olivia was correct in that, upon your reflection of the previous day. Danny’s usual cheery and kind demeanor turning dark and moody had started something in you. You couldn’t help but remember how his jaw had clenched as he glared at Gavin after setting you in the camping chair. 

He had checked on you at least twice since you’d gotten out of the shower, once through the door, offering to get extra towels so you didn’t slip on the steamy tile floors. And a second time as you slipped on some sneakers, as a small wince graced your features. You assured him you were fine, but he made sure to remind you to tell the masseuse it was tender. While his outward demeanor was sweet and tender, you could still see the lingering anger at what and who caused your mild injury. 

“He was something, alright.” you mused. 

“I hope you gave him a good thank you when you got back to the room this morning.” Olivia sighed, laying down as her masseuse began working on her shoulders. 

“He was thanked incredibly well,” you assured Olivia. She continued to prattle and dig details out of you, and you supplied little fibs, playing coy to spare the spa workers in the room any embarrassment. 

A few miles away, Danny was looking down into a jewelry case, looking at various necklaces and rings, glittering with different colors and cuts of stones. He wondered for a moment, how that pear cut sapphire pendant would compliment your complexion. Danny imagined presenting it to you, and seeing your face light up, turning quickly so he could put it on you. Lifting up your hair as he brought the delicate chain around your neck, letting the pendant rest against your decolletage as he fastened the clasp. The way you would let your hair fall as soon as it was fastened, turning around to show him how it looked before springing up and kissing him in thanks.

“You ready?” Mike tore him from his thoughts, walking over with a large bag. “I think the guys will really love these watches, thanks for coming with me.”

“No problem, it’s nice to have something to do while the girls are all together.”

“Oh yeah.” Mike agreed, looking down at where Danny’s vision was occupied. “Ah, thinking of getting a gift for someone special?” Danny chuckled under his breath, realizing that his imagination really did have him considering the necklace. “She does love sapphires, Olivia got her some earrings a few years ago for her birthday, you would’ve thought it was a check for a million dollars.”

“I don’t know…it might be too early.” Danny bit his bottom lip as he thought, while Mike just shrugged.

“Never too early to spoil the one you love.” he replied back. “Besides, six months is a big deal, especially with how she swore off actual relationships.”

“I didn’t know that,” Danny furrowed his brows slightly, glancing over to Mike, who sighed. 

“Listen, I try to stay out of the gossip between the girls, but I do end up hearing some things.” he waved over the jeweler to the counter, and continued as the older woman finished putting things away from another sale. “She was really hurt by Gavin. She told Olivia she would never get into a serious relationship again, strictly hook-ups and one night stands, and Olivia said she was deadly serious.”

“I get it,” Danny shrugged, “She didn’t want to risk her heart breaking again.” Mike nodded, greeting the sales woman and gesturing to the sapphire necklace.

“Danny, I’ve seen the way you two look at each other,” Mike said softly. “It’s the way I look at Olivia. And if she kept you a secret for six months, she must really have feelings for you, and she’s scared that something like that is going to happen again.”

“I would never.” Danny’s eyes flashed, shaking his head before turning to the jeweler who was holding out the pendant to him. The stone sparkled under the bright lights, and Danny felt more and more certain that something that beautiful was supposed to belong to you. Mike watched Danny’s face carefully. 

“I believe you,” Mike finally said. “Olivia is still sizing you up, but I believe you.” Danny glanced back at the man. “I think you should get it for her.”

“This is a gorgeous necklace, and it is on sale right now!” the woman holding it against her palm smiled. “Is this for a special occasion? I can gift wrap it!”

“It's just because,” Danny smiled. “But yeah, I’ll take it. Go ahead and gift wrap it.” Mike grinned as Danny paid for the jewelry, taking the small gift bag in his large hand and following Mike out of the store. 

“Do you mind if we just walk around a little? I’m not ready to go back to the winery.” Mike asked Danny. “I know the next two days I’m gonna be cooped up while Olivia runs around and gets ready.”

“Yeah, we can bum around a little.” Danny smiled. The more time he took to get back, the more of a chance you’d be in the room when he did. The necklace was already burning a hole in his pocket, he wanted to run back on his own two legs and find you, thrust it into your hands and watch you light up. The two men popped in and out of a few stores, looking at local trinkets, sweatshirts with the name of the city they were in and a few other handmade goods. Mike tried his hand at haggling over an ornate hand carved clock at a trading post themed store, while Danny continued to look away. 

A wall was lined with old whiskey barrels, and as Danny peered into them, he found different candies in them. As he gazed over the gummy fish, chocolate coins, and various old fashioned candies, his eyes caught something. In the second to last barrel, there were the exact suckers you had told Danny his eyes looked like. Without thinking, he shoved his hand in the barrel, grabbing a handful and bringing them up to the counter.

They decided to head back after Mike’s failed bargaining, the clock remaining in the store. Danny didn’t want to stir the pot, he shouldn’t, because he was only temporary, but he felt the question cloying in his throat, and had to ask.

“If everyone is upset with Gavin, why is he in the wedding?” Danny turned to Mike. “You don’t seem to be happy about it either.”

“It’s…complicated.” Mike grimaced as kept his eyes on the road. “My parents are really good friends with his parents, and it was going to cause far more trouble to not have him than it would to have him.” Danny nodded. He understood that choosing battles was something everyone had to do. “Honestly, Gavin had us all fooled. Everyone thought I knew about Naomi, but I didn’t. It was just as much as a shock to me. And Gavin was like my brother, I just…I haven’t been able to fully forgive him.”

“It seems like he betrayed a lot of people.” Mike nodded. 

“Yeah. I’m hoping after the wedding, I can finally make a clean break, use that as an excuse for why we’re not around as much, or going out.” Mike sighed, glancing over to Danny. “I’m happy you’re here. You’ve kept him in his place, even if you didn’t know it.”

“Yeah?” Danny couldn’t help the smile that pulled at the corner of his lips. “I probably shouldn’t have gotten so rough in flag football…”

“Honestly? Most of us were happy you did.” Mike laughed. “It’s been a long time since Gavin has been cut down to size.”

“My honey wasn’t too happy that I resorted to it.” Danny chuckled, making Mike laugh. 

“Well, your honey is a liar, because she was grinning the entire time it happened,” he responded. “And anyway, I’m happy you’re here because of her. She became like a little sister to me in college and I was worried about this week. You’ve brought her back to who she was, but better.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Mike said, grinning over to Danny. “You’ve definitely brought her spark back, Danny.” Danny didn’t say anything, pressing his lips together to try and stop himself from smiling like an idiot. 

Danny said goodbye to Mike in the lobby and raced up the stairs to your room, eager to see if you were there or not. There was no trace of you in the living room, but as he stepped into the bedroom, he saw a trail of clothes leading to the bathroom, the door shut and light coming from beneath the door. The sound of the shower running greeted him, and he realized he had some time. 

Nervous, Danny paced around the room, hiding away the candy in his bedside drawer, but leaving out the box with the necklace. The gift wrapping was beautiful, but Danny suddenly felt it was too much, and ripped it away, tossing the torn paper into the trash bin in the living room. The simple, black velvet box looked much better to him, making him feel better. 

He watched the minutes tick by, going back and forth on if he was really going to give you the necklace. Was it too late to take a car and return it? Act like it never happened? How were you going to respond to a gift like this? As he worried himself, he missed you leaving the bathroom, being startled by you calling his name. 

“Hey, you’re back.” you smiled. Danny turned, keeping his arms behind his back. He took in your appearance, wrapped up in a plush robe. Your hair was clipped up on top of your head keeping it dry. Your cheeks were rosy and your eyes almost sleepy.

“Yeah,” he smiled back. “You look relaxed.”

“Mm, the spa was amaaazing,” you sighed. “I got the massage, got my hair retouched, my eyebrows and nails done.” you lifted your hands up in front of him, wiggling your fingers. Your nails had been shaped into soft, rounded points, a sheer, sparkling pink. 

“They look very nice.” he smiled, moving one hand and holding your wrist delicately in it to get a better view. Your smile widened at his compliment, before you realized he was keeping something from you.

“What are you up to?” one of your eyebrows raised curiously as you tried to peek around his broad shoulders to see what he had behind him. Danny shifted his body to try and hide the box, nervous again now that the moment was here. “Danny,” you said with a laugh. “What do you have?”

You tried reaching around him but he dodged your hands, turning and walking backwards. 

“Okay, promise you won’t freak out,” Danny started, laughing as you followed him.

“What’s behind your back, Danny?”

“When I was out with Mike, I found something.” Danny started, pausing, causing you to stop in your brief chase. “It’s a little….much.”

“Danny, come on!” you laughed impatiently. Danny took in a deep breath, and brought the case from behind his back. He watched your smile fall a bit, as your face studied the item confusedly. “Danny, what is that?”

“Mike convinced me to get it for you,” he said softly, opening up the velvet box. The small gasp that left your mouth was enough to make Danny grin as he watched your eyes light up, just like in his fantasy. “It’s never too early to spoil the one you love, and all that.”

“Danny, I-” you shook your head. “You absolutely didn’t have to buy me jewelry at all. I can’t accept that!”

“Well, I did,” Danny took the necklace from the box, tucking the box under his arm and unclasping the delicate silver chain. You gave him a half-hearted disapproving look before turning and allowing him to place the necklace around your neck, fastening it with his nimble fingers. You glanced down, watching the pendant glimmer in the muted sunlight that poured in from the gauzy curtains in the living room. Your hand came up to touch it, gently grazing over the facets. Once it rested against your skin, you turned again, looking up at Danny. 

Danny swallowed roughly, glancing down at where the pendant laid, just above your cleavage, almost hidden by the collar of your robe.

“Danny, this is beautiful,” you sighed, near tears from how overwhelming the gift was. “I’ll take good care of it, and we can return it after the wedding, I promise. You didn’t need to spend money like this on me.” 

“Hey, it’s yours.” Danny reached out, taking your hand away from the pendant. “Consider it a gift, since I’ve had such a good time with you.”

“Danny-”

“You’re keeping it.” Danny chuckled, letting go of your hand. Nodding, you crossed your arms over your chest, instinctually reaching up with one hand and toying with the pendant. “It looks beautiful on you.”

“Thank you,” you accepted the compliment softly. “I should go get dressed…”

“Yeah,” Danny nodded, feeling the awkward tension between you as he watched you leave to the bedroom, shutting the doors. Setting the necklace box on the coffee table, Danny ran his hands over his face, his gut twisting that he’d ruined everything. That the next two days were going to be an agony of awkwardness because he got you that stupid necklace. After pacing the room again, he sat on the couch, taking his phone from his pocket, he opened up his messages. He debated sending one to Sam, asking him for advice or how badly he fucked up, but before he could, the double doors opened, and you came out. 

“You can go and change, I was going to do my makeup out here so you didn’t have to rush.” Danny looked up, watching you walk out in a light blue, silk dress. As you walked by, he noticed the back of your dress was unzipped. 

“Do you want me to-?” Danny stood up, gesturing to your dress. Nodding silently, you turned, allowing him to zip you in, much like your first night. 

“Listen, I’m not mad,” you murmured. “I’m flattered, really, but I’m not used to gifts like this. Especially from someone that…” what you wanted to say was someone that you had feelings for, that was only pretending to have them for you. Someone you found yourself head over heels for that was just a really good actor. 

“I wanted to do it.” Danny assured you, ignoring that the end of your unfinished sentence was more than likely ‘I only see as a friend.’. “I saw it and thought you would like it, and if it makes you feel better, it was on sale.”

“It…does make me feel better.” you pursed your lips as Danny brought his finger under your chin, lifting it up slightly. 

“And after this weekend, you’ll have it as a way to remember me when I’m away on tour and can’t hang out.” That thought made you smile, and you couldn’t help it. “I’ll be right back.” Danny left you in the living room as he got ready for dinner, and you settled at the table, starting your makeup. You chose a simple look, and were done by the time Danny re-emerged from the suite, dressed in nice black pants, a  half-buttoned white button down shirt, and black blazer. 

“You look handsome,” you complimented as he slid on his shoes. Danny smiled, watching you struggle with the ankle clasp of your heels. 

“Here, let me,” before you could protest, he was kneeling in front of you, your foot propped up on his knee as his large fingers deftly fastened one, then the other. You tried to fight the butterflies in your stomach as his large hand wrapped around your calf, gently placing it to the floor before picking up your other one. His palms were warm and you hope that he didn’t feel the goosebumps forming on your flesh from the contact. “There, how do those feel?” He helped you stand up from the chair, having you step a bit to make sure they weren’t too loose.

“They’re great, thank you.” the two of you headed down to dinner quietly, taking your seats and settling in. Dinner had already been served when Olivia called your name, directing your attention to her, where she complimented your new necklace. Mike and Danny exchanged glances across the table, a thumbs up from Mike that Danny nodded gratefully to. 

“It goes great with her dress tonight, doesn’t it?” Danny reached over, gently grazing the pendent with his fingers proudly. 

“Looks cheap,” a comment came from down the table, everyone shooting looks at Naomi. She rolled her eyes as she pushed her mixed greens salad around her plate. 

“Price doesn’t matter to me,” you responded coolly, looking directly at her for the first time in months. “It’s the thought behind it, and I think it’s gorgeous.” 

I do too,” Olivia shot a challenging look, making Naomi purse her lips and focus on her plate. 

“What did you do to have to buy a gift like that?” Gavin dug further, taking a sip of his whiskey as he stared Danny down. Danny cleared his throat, putting his arm around the back of your chair. 

“Unlike you, I treat my partners with respect. I got her the necklace because I love her and wanted to do something special for her.” Danny informed the other man, glaring at him, but with a smile on his face. “She deserves the world, and I plan on giving it to her.” 

“Gonna be hard when you’re gone all the time,” Gavin shot back. “You don’t think that’ll throw a wrench in those plans?”

“She’ll come with me on tour,” Danny shrugged as your hands twisted your napkin in your lap anxiously. “We communicate and make it work. It’s something important to us.” Danny took your hand under the table, squeezing it in his. 

“She doesn’t leave her couch, I’m surprised you’d get her onto a tour bus.” Gavin snorted. “But I guess the idea of being a groupie and tossed around by your band is too tantalizing to pass up, huh?” Before Danny could reply, Gavin was sputtering as red wine dripped down his face. Your hand had left Danny’, and was now holding your empty wine glass as you stood, glaring at Gavin. Without saying another word, you stormed out of the dining room, leaving a wake of perfume and merlot behind you as voices mixed together in shouts. 

“Honey, wait,” Danny was hot on your heels, and you turned when you were far enough away from the dining room. “Honey, please,”

“I’m not going back.” you shook your head, sniffling. “I’m not apologizing and I’m not going back.” Danny placed his hands on your upper arms. 

“I wouldn’t ask you to.” Danny soothed you. “He deserved it.” Tears welled up in your eyes at his soft tone, and you moved out of his grasp to hide them. 

“I ruined dinner, I shouldn’t have let him get to me.” your sudden tears had Danny standing back, waiting for a signal he was needed. “And you, you weren’t even phased by him.” 

“I deal with assholes all the time with my job, I’ve learned how to handle them.” Danny told you. 

“Everyone probably thinks I fuck your whole band now that he put that out there.” Danny shook his head, opening his mouth to speak, but was cut off. “No! They’re always going to wonder if it’s true!”

“Honey, no one thinks that.” Danny assured you, taking your arms again. When you didn’t pull away, he pulled you into him, wrapping his arms around your body as you sniffled into his blazer. “I can promise you they think Gavin and Naomi are absolutely horrible people. Gavin is so bitter you’ve moved on and he lost the best thing that could ever happen to him, and Naomi is stuck with a man who wishes she were you. They’re pathetic.”

You couldn’t help but allow yourself to melt into the warmth of Danny’s body as he soothed you. You could feel the anger and anxiety leaving your body as his hands ran up and down your back. But your face grew hot with embarrassment and you pushed away, turning and covering your face, wiping any stray tears away from your red face. Danny moved away, giving you space while you straightened yourself out. Stationing himself, he leaned against the cool, stone wall, ready to take you in his arms again should the resolve you were building crumble.  

Turning back, you gave him a sad smile, your eyes still watery and red. You’d managed to find the few specks of mascara that had made their way to your cheeks, and Danny still thought, red and slightly splotchy, you were still breathtaking.

“I’m sorry, I’m just..I'm starving, all I’ve had today was cucumber water, and I’m so, so upset, I don’t want to go back in there.” Danny pursed his lips, leaning against the wall until his face brightened up.

“Come on, I have an idea.” he pushed himself from the wall and held out his hand to you. Slipping your palm into his, you let him lead you back inside, down a back hallway. 

“Where are we going?” you asked, your heels clicking softly as you tried to keep up with his long strides. 

“To get you real food.” your brow creased until Danny pushed open a door, leading you into the winery’s kitchen. It was completely empty now that dinner was over, pristine stainless steel shining when Danny found the lightswitch.

“We’re going to get in trouble,” you worried your bottom lip between your teeth as Danny looked around.. 

“Only if we get caught,” Danny smirked back before finding the fridge. He opened the double doors, taking his time and looking at everything it had to offer. You, on the other hand, kept glancing towards the door, waiting for an angry chef to barge in at any moment. “Aha!” you watched Danny reach into the fridge and tuck some ingredients in his arms, shutting the doors a bit louder than you would’ve liked. He came around a large table, laying out all the ingredients in front of him. He searched around a little more, finding a plate and knife, before turning the flat-top on and setting to work.

“A grilled cheese?” you asked softly, making Danny turn to you with a grin.

“The best grilled cheese you’ve ever had,” he defended. “Just you wait.” you leaned against the prep table, watching him slather two slices of sourdough bread with butter before plopping them onto the flat-top, butter-side down. The sizzle made your stomach rumble, and you licked your lips as Danny scurried around, slicing the block of cheese as quickly as possible and tossing a few slices on each piece of bread. He buttered two more slices of bread and placed them on top of the cheese.

“They already smell so good,” you sighed, watching Danny as he found a spatula and checked the bottom slices for doneness.  Your eyes never left him, watching him work over a simple sandwich. 

“The key is grilling it low and slow,” Danny informed you over his shoulder. “You want that cheese nice and gooey, but the bread is just perfectly browned.” Danny flipped the first sandwich, and you watched the savory golden brown bread shine under the lights in the kitchen. You held yourself back from tapping your foot anxiously, reminding yourself Danny was being gracious enough to cook something for you. 

Once Danny was satisfied with his cooking, he grabbed the plate, placing the sandwiches on them before joining you at the prep table again. The knife he used to spread the butter crunched through the bread making your mouth water. Danny held up a sandwich, splitting it apart and watching the cheese pull like it was a commercial.

“Danny, that looks amazing,” you smiled. “But if you don’t give me that sandwich I am going to turn into a horrible monster.” chuckling, Danny handed you half, watching as you bit into it. Your eyes were closed, a moan rumbling in your throat as you chewed. “Oh my god, it’s so good.”

“I told you so,” Danny smiled around his own bite of his half. The two of you shared your sandwiches quietly before cleaning up, making sure no one would notice anything out of place. Instead of going back to your room, you and Danny walked around the winery.

“It’s kind of sad this is our first chance to really explore this place, and everything is closed for the night.” you mumbled. “It really is beautiful.”

“It is.” Danny agreed, stopping before a set of double doors, looking at the sign and pointing at it with his phone. “Wanna check out the reception set-up?”

“I don’t think they’ll have much set up, the rehearsal isn’t until tomorrow.” you shrugged. “Besides, it’s probably locked to-” Danny tried the doors, tugging one open and grinning back at you. “Security is not tight around here.”

“More fun for us!” Danny ushered you in, letting the door close behind him. The stage was already halfway furnished for the live band Olivia had booked for the party, a baby grand sitting off to the side. The room was lit only by a few canned lights above the stage, illuminating the instruments in a soft glow. A few tables were covered with white tablecloths, sage green accents adorning them.

Danny sat down at the baby grand piano on the small stage, his long fingers setting up shop upon the keys before glancing up.

“Any requests?” he smiled softly over to you. Thinking for a moment as you climbed the steps to the stage, you shrugged.

“The place is set up for a wedding, know anything romantic?” Danny grinned, tucking his head down and letting his fingers begin to dance along the keys. He gave a small flourish to the beginning of the song, and it took you a moment to understand what he was singing.

“Hold me close and hold me fast, the magic spell you cast, this is ‘la vie en rose’,” Danny’s voice was barely above a whisper, but it made something stir in your heart. His voice was soft and sweet and low, as if he was shy to sing in front of you, but still wanted to do it. “When you kiss me, heaven sighs, and though I close my eyes, I see la vie en rose’.”

“I love this song,” you rested your hands on the lid of the piano. “My grandpa would play it for my grandma every Saturday night, and she would dance next to the piano.”

“It’s a beautiful song.” Danny smiled up at you, his fingers never breaking from the melody. “How would she dance?” he asked curiously. Blushing, you cleared your throat.

“Well, since grandpa was playing, he couldn’t very well waltz with her,” you stepped away from the piano, holding your arms up and out in front of you. It looked like you were dancing with an invisible partner, holding their shoulder in one hand, and their invisible hand in the other. You began the box step your grandmother would do next to the piano, pressing down the feeling of looking incredibly silly. If Danny could sing in front of you, you could be as vulnerable too. “She would dance like this.” 

You proceeded to spin into the little waltz, giggling as you remembered your grandmother humming along to your grandpa’s playing. After a few years, her humming would be his guide, as grandpa’s fingers weren’t as nimble as they once were. You were so deep in the memories of your childhood, that you hadn’t noticed Danny no longer playing the song. You felt a hand at your waist and suddenly yours were filled, a shoulder under your left one and his own left hand clasped in your right. He was humming the song now, the hand on your waist pulling you in close. 

“My mom taught me to never let a woman dance by herself.” he murmured before continuing his humming. The two of you moved together, Danny near-expertly waltzing with you, and shocking you a bit as he gently spun you out and pulled you back into his arms. Instead of keeping your hands that were clasped together outside your bodies, Danny brought them in between your bodies, resting them against his chest. You weren’t sure what was coming over you, but when he rested his forehead against yours you felt a strange sense of peace, letting your eyes flutter shut.

His breath was warm across your face as he let out a sigh, and you felt yourself tilting your chin up, hoping his lips were close. You were practically vibrating with nervous energy as his grip on your hand tightened, tucking you closer into his chest. You swore you could feel the softest graze of his lips against yours before a loud thunk, jolting the two of you apart.

“Hey, you can’t be in here!” an employee called out from the doors, making you and Danny scramble off the stage, apologizing profusely. The two of you were laughing the whole way as you scurried out, only to laugh harder when you tripped a little in your heels, Danny near picking you up to get you out of the room. Your hand was clasped tightly in his as he led you back down the hallway and through the lobby.

“I told you we’d get in trouble!” you called out to him as you followed him up the stairs.

“We didn’t! We got out of there!” Danny laughed back, pulling the keycard from his pants pocket and swiping it at your door. The lock clicked and you rushed inside as if the employee had been chasing you both, shutting the door quickly.

Both you and Danny were panting as you walked into the room, and you took the moment to lean against the arm of the couch, undoing your shoes and tossing them to the side. 

“Danny, do you mind?” you asked, pulling your hair around front, reaching behind you for your zipper. Danny nodded, coming over and grasping the pull in his hand. As he dragged the zipper down, you felt his knuckles graze down your spine, following the path. When the zipper was all the way down, his touch didn’t stop. His knuckles trailed up and down your back softly, causing you to shiver almost imperceptibly. 

Turning around, you looked up at Danny, his eyes dark as they regarded you carefully. Taking in a deep breath, you licked your lips before speaking again.

“Danny, in the reception hall earlier,” you started, pausing as he stepped closer.

“Yeah?”

“Were you going to kiss me?”

“Yes.” 

“But…no one was around.” you whispered. 

“What if I was going to kiss you,” he brought a hand up, pushing your hair back from your face. “Just because I wanted to?”

“That-That would be fine.” you nodded as he got even closer.

“And what if I wanted to do more than just kiss you?” he asked, trailing his hand down to your mouth, letting his thumb gently tug at your bottom lip.

“What about your rule?” your voice cracked softly, your nerves and excitement getting the best of you as you pressed your body closer to his, the tension becoming so thick between you two.

Danny gazed down at you, his lips parted slightly and one arm grasped your waist, holding you flush against his own body. The other of his large hands slid up the back of your neck, cradling your head as his fingers threaded in your hair, tilting your head back. 

“Fuck it, we’re breaking the rule.” he breathed out, pressing his lips hotly against yours. You let your body melt against his, grasping at his shirt to keep yourself from toppling both of you over. Every other thought dissipated from your mind, the only one remaining was Danny’s large, warm hands and how badly you needed them on you, everywhere, all at once.

Neither of you could get close enough to the other, grinding your bodies together until Danny’s hands left your waist and head, only to grab at the backs of your thighs, tugging them towards him until you jumped, wrapping your legs around his hips as he turned and pressed your back to the wall. 

Cupping his face, you smashed your lips against his, eager to taste him again as he ground himself against you. The feeling of his erection through his pants against your clothed core was enough to send jolt through your entire body. Moving your hips with his, you began to work yourself up, panting between tastes of his lips and tongue.

“Danny,” you sighed against his lips. “I need to feel you, please,” a groan rumbled from Danny’s chest at your breathy pleading, and he readjusted his grip before moving you away from the wall, lips sealed to yours still. 

Your bottom came into contact with the soft bed, and you realized Danny’s hands had traveled during his movements, pushing the skirt of your dress up over your hips. He continued to move them further, pulling away and watching as you wordlessly moved your arms up in the air, letting him pull the garment off and toss it away. Expecting him to return to you, you took a breath, lips quivering with anticipation, anxious for his kiss, but instead Danny stepped back.

His eyes were dark as they locked with yours, and you watched his hands come to his front, beginning to work on the buttons of his shirt slowly. Your eyes were laser focused on his nimble fingers, but you allowed yourself to glance up to his eyes, catching them flicker from your face down to your chest, which was heaving with anticipation. Danny’s mouth was also taking in deep breaths, open as he worked his shirt open. 

It was slow motion, as the shirt opened fully, and he reached up, pushing it off his shoulders and letting it fall down his arms. Your eyes followed the trail of exposed skin, tracing the tattoo on his bicep quickly, itching to call to him and bring him closer so your fingers could do the same. His pants moved quicker, and soon he was gently ushering you back on the bed, his hands on the waistband of your paintes, letting your movements as you shuffled ease them down your legs.

After he tossed those aside, he watched as you spread your legs in front of him, welcoming his body in as he kneeled in front of you, naked as well. The sight of you in nothing but the necklace he gave you made his stomach tighten. The tension was growing thick between the both of you, your skin growing hot from his eyes drinking you in. Your cheeks flushed as he studied your body, and you felt a whine building up in your chest.

“Danny, touch me, please?” it broke through your lips, desperate and your body arched under his gaze, urging him into what you wanted. Danny’s lips tugged into a smile, the tip of his tongue between his teeth. He slowly leaned forward until the tip of his nose grazed just under your belly button. You gasped as his warm lips pressed against the cool skin of your stomach, beginning a trail down your pelvis. Another gasp left you as his tongue slowly glided over your clit, letting the tip flick it once before he kissed it. 

“Is this what you wanted, honey?” Danny murmured softly, adjusting his body to lay between your legs. He snaked an arm under your thigh, bringing his hand around rubbing slow circles around the swollen bud. Leaning in again, Danny gave your pussy another long stroke of his tongue, humming to himself. “You said my eyes looked like candy, but I think you’re the one made of sugar.”

“I’ll be whatever you want, just please don’t stop.” you sighed, looking down your body at him. Danny grinned wolfishly, snaking his other arm under your other thigh and tugging your thighs even further apart, delving his head between them. Your head fell back with a moan, the tingling pressure already building up in your abdomen as Danny’s mouth worked you over. His left hand gripped your thigh tightly, fingertips digging into the flesh, as if he was using the grip to try and reach his tongue further into you before it came back and looped around your clit. “F-feels so good,”

You could feel Danny smile against your core, causing you to roll your hips against his face. He relished the movements, letting you take control for a minute or two before raising his right hand from your thigh, splaying it onto your pelvis and pressing down, holding your hips in place for him. Danny began alternating between kitten licks and sucking your clit as he let his left hand untangle itself from your leg and brought his index and middle fingers to tease your slit. 

Wiggling your hips the best that you could, you heard Danny’s laugh, felt the vibrations of it on his lips as you tried to coax his fingers into you further. You were learning quickly that Danny was not one to leave you wanting, as he coated his fingers in your slick before pressing into you. The pressure that was building up in your pelvis was causing your back to arch as Danny’s fingers pumped in and out of you, moans spilling from your mouth between gasps of breath. 

“Don’t stop Danny, I’m so close!” you cried. Your words seemed to send him into overdrive, his fingers curling as the thrust in and tongue speeding up, whimpers escaping your throat, forming around his name as tingles shot through your body, the pressure finally breaking. Danny worked you through your orgasm, slowing his pace before withdrawing his fingers, and finally, after a few more strokes that made your body twitch, withdrew his mouth and tongue from you. 

You watched as he popped his fingers into his mouth, cleaning them off with his eyes closed, savoring the taste of you before taking them out with a soft pop. He opened his eyes, staring directly at you before leaning down, crawling up your recovering body. Danny’s lips captured yours in a searing kiss, his tongue sliding into your mouth, allowing you to taste yourself. Moaning into his mouth, you felt him settle his body against yours, his hard cock warm on your inner thigh. 

Pulling away, Danny supported himself on one arm, looking down at your flushed face. Before he could make another move, you reached up, taking your hand and letting the tips of your nails trail through his chest hair and down abdomen gently, causing the large man to shiver above you. Smirking, you let your nails gently scratch along the trail of dark, coarse hair until you reached the base of his cock.  Looking up into his eyes, you wrapped your hand around his length, pumping him letting your thumb brush over the head. Danny let out a shuddering breath, dipping his head into the crook of your neck as your hand ran up and down his shaft. 

Lifting himself up again, he let the hand not supporting him wrap around your wrist, halting your movements. Instead, you shifted your hips, letting Danny move again and you guided him to you, moaning softly as you ran the head of his cock up and down your soaked pussy. Your hips twitched as you ran him over your overstimulated clit, and Danny smirked, taking a hold of his cock and moving your hand away. 

Danny was slow, he worked his length inside you in small, paced thrusts, letting your walls adjust to him. The feeling of him inside you was incredible, your eyes nearly rolling back just from him finally bottoming out. Danny rested his forehead against yours, gazing into your eyes, staying still for a few moments. 

“Fuckin’ incredible,” he panted softly. Swallowing roughly, you nodded in agreement as he pulled his hips back. The pull of his cock was delicious, you eagerly raised your hips to meet his thrusts as he began moving. Sweat was building on both of your bodies, but neither of you cared. Both of you were back into the frenzy of earlier, not being close enough, even with the barriers of clothes gone. 

Your arms wrapped around him, fingernails digging into his back as his thrusts became rougher, dragging down and eliciting a sharp hiss sucked through his teeth in your ear. 

“More,” you cried, “I need more,” Danny grunted softly, moving his body as he slid his arms beneath you, grasping your shoulders and using your own body as leverage to thrust harder and faster. Your body arched again, into Danny’s as his breathing began to get ragged. 

Dragging the tip of his nose across your face, he found your lips again, kissing you sloppily. Moaning into his mouth, you could feel the tension building up again, this time quicker and more exhilarating than before. You began to whimper and writhe beneath him, and Danny dragged his lips back to your ear.

“Are you gonna come again for me, honey?” His voice was low and gruff between shallow sighs and pants. You nodded, squeezing your eyes shut as you focused on the pleasure that was shooting through your veins, still waiting for the band to snap again. “I can feel you’re getting so close. Gonna come on my cock like a good girl?” 

“Mhm, Danny,” you nearly sobbed, teetering right on the brink. Tears began to prick your eyes as the tension almost became too much, Danny’s thrusts now bordering on the edge of pain and pleasure. The sound of his skin smacking against yours filled the room, mixing with his low voice reciting filth in your ear, coaxing you to unravel around him with a loud cry. 

“Fuck, fuck, ah!” Danny was breathing through his clenched teeth. “Honey I’m about to-where do you want it?”

“Inside, it’s okay,” you panted, holding Danny’s body tightly to yours to emphasize your words. One of his hands let go of the shoulder it was grasping, and instead he laid his palm flat over the sapphire pendant that rested against your throat now, feeling it dig into his palm as he closed his hand around your neck while he rutted into you. A few moments later, Danny was thrusting erratically, the slapping of his skin beginning to sting before he let out a low, growling sigh, stilling his hips as he spilled himself inside you. Sharp exhales filled your ear, a soft, whimpery moan floating from Danny’s mouth. 

Leaning up, you pressed soft, slow kisses to Danny’s shoulders, letting him take his time to catch his breath as you evened your own out. When he was ready, he slowly pulled back, the feeling of his skin leaving yours almost depressing, though he stayed hovering over you, hands holding himself up on either side of your head. 

“You were right,” you whispered softly. Danny’s brow furrowed curiously as he looked down at you. “You are amazing,” Danny continued to look at you for a few moments before laughing, recalling his tipsy admittance earlier in the week. 

“I don’t lie,” he shook his head, bending down and capturing your lips in a kiss. The movement was soft, slow and sweet, a stark difference to how frenzied they clashed with yours earlier. This softer side suddenly brought your body back from the tiredness you’d been feeling, and you squeezed your legs on Danny’s sides, using the strength you had left to roll both of you over so you were on top of him. 

“Mm, could’ve been a fluke,” you murmured against his lips. “We’ll have to do it again and see if it’s still as good.”

“I’m up for the challenge.” you grinned at his response, feeling him grow hard again while inside you, hands gripping your hips. “Think you can go again?”

“I can go as many times as I please,” you replied smoothly, slowly rocking your body on top of him. “Try and keep up.”

“Oh, I’ll keep up, Honey.”

Taglist: (feel free to add yourself!)

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[megaloldon]

It's been about two weeks since Envy dumped Scott. It's almost as tragic as the awful haircut he ended up getting right before the party.

He'd taken it pretty hard; sleeping in late, being much quieter than usual, barely being his usual annoying self.

Wallace was a patient man. He barely complained when Scott came home that night and immediately broke the news, and he sat on the floor and listened to him blubber and snivel about how he'd never ever love again. He picked up his dirty laundry, bought him his favorite takeout, let him lounge around on their futon all day…

Today, his patience was wearing a bit thin.

It's already dark and nasty out by the time Wallace gets home. He comes inside and flicks on the light, relaxing considerably as soon as he's inside and out of the biting cold. He takes his coat off and hangs it up on the rack.

“Honeyyyy, I'm home,” he calls, usual tone of dry and sarcastic cheeriness dialed up a bit more. No response. He glances around the cramped little room.

Unsurprisingly, Scott is slumped on their dinky little mattress, curled on his side and facing the wall. Wallace takes a glance at the clock on the wall. 6:20pm.

“Hey, buddy.” He plops down on the mattress, setting down the bag of greasy fast food on the floor beside it and trying (struggling) to unlace his boots, fingers still cold and stiff.

Scott doesn't reply with anything outstanding - he just grunts and curls in a bit tighter on himself.

“Got you something for…” Lunch? Dinner? Probably dinner. He made one of those nasty microwave burritos for Scott before he left. “Uh, I got you some food.”

“Thanks.”

“D'you want it?”

“Not right now.” His tone is quiet and small.

“You sure? It's almost 6:30.”

“Jus’ leave me here,” Scott mumbles into his pillow. “Go out, go find some - hot guy and leave me here. To wallow.”

So dramatic, Wallace thinks.

“Okay, well, maybe I don't wanna go out tonight.”

“You do so.”

“...Okay, I do, but I can't. I have work tomorrow.”

“It's Friday.”

“Scott,” Wallace rubs his forehead. “It's Tuesday.”

Scott doesn't reply, instead curling in on himself more and huffing.

“C'mon, you're gonna shrivel up and die if you just lie there forever.”

“Maybe I wanna shrivel up,” comes the mopey response.

“Well, okay, I like you being, uh, unshriveled.” Wallace counters. “C'mon. Up.”

Scott doesn't reply, so Wallace tries to remove the blanket from him. Scott whines and tries to cling to it, but he doesn't have the willpower to bother playing tug of war over it, so he lets Wallace toss it to the side. Instead of sitting up, he just rolls onto his stomach and hugs his pillow, grumbling into it.

Wallace sighs. It was hard enough dealing with stubborn people all day on the phone, now he had to deal with it at home, too? He'd already prattled off his usual pep talk to Scott 3 times this week, airing his catty thoughts about how Envy was a nuclear-level bitch, about how Scott would find someone who appreciated him (Maybe right in front of him, but he didn't speak that part), how his stupid haircut was actually starting to suit him (it was not).

“Alright, come on.” Wallace stands up, sitting on his knees and trying to lift Scott out of his nest of misery by his armpits. What he didn't expect was for Scott to yelp and suddenly thrash away, rolling onto his back with a jarred expression.

“Did I hurt you?” Wallace asks, his tone instantly shifting from frustration to concern. Scott averts his gaze, slouching against the wall for a moment before plopping back down on his back.

“No,” Scott replies, much too quickly, tucking his hands defensively under his arms. “‘S nothing. Don't worry.”

“...” Wallace narrows his eyes.

“Why - why are you giving me that look?” Scott manages to choke out, suddenly feeling antsy at the strange look in his roommate's eye.

“No reason.” Wallace replies, barely masking the sly smirk crossing his face. That did not reassure Scott. Not in the slightest.

“Um - okay, I'm up now, so you ca - AH!” Scott shrieks at the sudden feeling of cold fingers prodding at his midsection, jerking away and wrapping his arms around his torso.

The two look at each other for a moment. Scott gets the bright idea to scoot back, pressing himself against the wall and bringing his knees to his chest.

“So, nothing, huh?”

“Shut - up.” Scott grumbles, hiding his face behind his knees.

Right, Wallace thinks. He can work with this.

So, he shuts up, as he was asked, before leaning in and pulling Scott into a tight embrace, pulling them both down onto the mattress. Scott lets out a little shocked noise as he tumbles onto his side.

He barely has time to react before his roommate is back at it again, sneaking his stupid freezing hands under the shirt he's worn for 3 days over and scribbling his stupid nails on Scott's lower tummy.

“Wa - hahaha - Wallaaaaceee,” he whines, grabbing onto the taller man's wrists to try and stop him. It does not work, and he instead opts to just weakly squirm around like a half-squished bug as his stupid asshole roommate tickles him.

“Yes, Scott?”

“You - ehehe - you suck!” Scott manages to squeak out. Its hardly menacing, coming out as more of a high whimper in between fits of giggles.

“Are you in any state to be insulting me?” Wallace tilts his head a little. He doesn't give Scott time to reply before shoving his hands under his arms. Scott reacts instantly, going stiff and slamming his arms down. He cackles like a crazed hyena, writhing and trying his best to escape.

“You're suhuch a dick!” He shrieks, trying to push Wallace off of him.

“And you're such a loser,” comes the sarcastic reply. It's not laced with any real venom.

Still, he feels like he's kind of taking it too far and stops, letting Scott catch his breath.

“...Wallace?”

“Mhm?”

“Uhm,” Scott swallows nervously. “I know I told you to go out, but can you - maybe stay home tonight?”

Wallace almost makes a joke about it, about how he wasn't ever planning on going out tonight, but he decides against it based on how small and nervous Scott sounds. Instead, he just ruffles his too-short hair and pulls him into a side hug.

“Nothing I'd rather be doing,” He replies, and Scott curls against him. He reaches across the taller man's lap and digs in the bag of food, taking a handful of fries and shoving them in his mouth.

“Wallace…?”

“Yeah, what is it, guy?”

“My fries are cold…” He turns his wet-kitten-in-a-box gaze up to Wallace, pleading. “Can you… go get me new ones?”

Wallace lets out an exaggerated sigh. Yep, nowhere he'd rather be tonight.

[tizzypizza]

monkey neuron activation when i see mythical island SO mythical island HCS:

G’joob

G’joob is like a chill, tired office manager. It wants things done, it wants things done right, and it’s adamant that it wants to direct things and keep them moving… but it’s too drowsy to commit to being strict about it. Being that there are no trees for it to snooze under in Mythical Island, it’s a bit more on high alert and uses the extra energy to lead its fellow monsters with consistent subdivision. It does still tend to nod off sometimes when it isn’t playing.

Strombonin

Strombonin is evasive and disciplined, as well as somewhat skittish and almost shy. If a strombonin wants to communicate something, it will often whisper what it wants to say to its companion strombone, who projects its message for it. No longer a wanderer on cold island, it’s a bit more confident now that it’s settled in at Mythical Island. As a result, its strombone playing is much louder and much more confident. It’s rare to see a strombonin’s smile, but you’re most likely to catch one on the less-crowded mythical island where it really gets its time in the spotlight.

Yawstrich

Yawstrich may be an airheaded monster, but it’s generally considered cheery and friendly. Its method of locomotion— jumping and gliding while flapping its wings erratically— almost seems to suggest that it doesn’t understand that it lacks the ability to fly. Away from the uppity and noisy air island, yawstrich is able to really fine tune its yodeling as it takes center stage among its fellow monsters. When taking breaks it still enjoys singing, and can be found yodeling in front of mirrors or taming its intense vibrato to shatter glass (as a neat party trick of course.)

Cherubble

Cherubble is so often asleep that it’s sometimes better defined by the blubberflies that flit around its back. Cherubble is a lonely monster, as the only time it’s awake is when all of its friends have already gone to bed. After night falls on the oasis, it’s been known to drag itself back into the living ocean to meditate on falling back asleep again. On mythical island, it simply settles for the nearest body of water to perform the same “ritual.” On particularly lonely days, it slips into the water and meditates on the dreams of its fellow mythical monsters, and when morning comes it dreams of playing with its fellow monsters someday. Cherubble can actually pluck the strings of its harp using its tail without the help of its blubberfly friends.

Cataliszt

Cataliszt, being an expert on dreamcraft and the resident “mother” of the island, happily fills the supporting role niche on the island. It listens to the woes of its fellow monsters— often how much they miss the friends they made on their home islands— and it facilitates visits for them using its powerful dreamcraft magic. The dreamythicals came about for a similar reason: as friends or companions for its fellow mythicals. However, cataliszt is incredibly mischievous, and will sometimes manifest really wacky images or embarrassing secrets from the imaginations of its companions just to mess with them.

Bleatnik

Bleatnik is quite literally the definition of having your head in the clouds. This dreamythical actually gets along just as well with yawstrich as it does with g’joob— with yawstrich they both prattles on in song about all of the beautiful dreams they’ve had, and when nighttime comes it settles nearby g’joob and listens to it monotonously reminisce about the beauty of plant island. Being so oddly shaped it’s easily the clumsiest mythical, and it’s gotten stuck with its serrated teeth lodged in the ground more than once after a few nasty falls.

Cranchee

Cranchee’s hooded eyes and perpetually cranky expression made it the most avoided mythical before the others warmed up to it. It keeps quiet and is pretty chill if not a little blunt and standoffish at times, but that’s purely because it’s self conscious of how its beautiful voice is so distorted above water. It took a lot of one-on-one pep talks from the strombonin’s strombone and cataliszt (strombonin, of course, nodding on the sidelines) to convince it that its verse really helps pull the island’s sound together. That doesn’t stop it from getting up at night sometimes and sneaking off to the water to sing to itself (its unused 2nd track) and wallow in self-pity knowing the other mythicals will never hear its true potential— cherubble typically hidding nearby, unbeknownst to it.

Sporerow

Sporerow is just as energetic as its yawstrich creator, with a similar lack of flight. Despite being a bird-like monster it moves by pouncing like a toad, rattling the shroomites inhabiting its body. The shroomites are extremely hyper and will sometimes chitter so loudly they cover up sporerow entirely, in which case the sporerow will thrust its arms to the ground and create a percussive boom to silence them. The sporerow does really care for its shroomites in the way a mother would, even if it spends a lot of time trying to keep them in check. It’s still quite airheaded (also like yawstrich) and has been known to space out so intensely it goes into a state of stupor.

shLep

shLep is… uh… shLep scared most if not all of the mythicals inhabiting the island except for its creator cherubble who initially, when shaken awake, looked at the manifestation of its dreams and simply went back to sleep. shLep is a gentle creature, however, and will rattle the dreams in its sac like it’s shaking pompoms to cheer on its fellow monsters. However, it like its creator is constantly in a state of being half-asleep— you just can’t tell because it sleeps with its eyes open. Like g’joob (or perhaps unlike it), it’s completely out cold during verses it’s not playing, cycling through a new batch of crystallized dreams.

[obaewankenope]

"WELCOME TO HELL."

A loud, booming voice bellows across the flaming planes of despair and misery that make up, well, Hell. Maybe if I'd been born a medieval peasant or, I don't know, suitably Christian, I'd probably have been more concerned with the literal reality of Hell but, honestly, I'm a millennial. I focus on weird shit to the exclusion of all else because hey, that's more sane than watching the news and seeing the 21st century being the end-of-humanity century via war, climate change, and ecological destruction the likes of which humanity has never before known! Cheery things to focus on, not.

Anyway; loud, booming voice bellowing a greeting to the newly dead and Judged™ (I guess) me.

"Who got the job to welcome new souls to Hell and didn't think to be original with it?" I asked out loud because sometimes internal thoughts become external sentences that my brain and I do not agree on and thus happen without my informed consent.

ADHD is... Something and even dead, I've still got it apparently. Kind of feels like a problem for everyone else really. I'm used to my brand of chaos. Double RIP to the souls that aren't.

"Or did they get the job like millenia ago and got real bored trying to be original every time a soul showed up? Or is the voice automated? It's probably automated. Everything is nowadays." I rolled my eyes. "Good luck finding an actual human to talk to before the automated voice lists twelve million options and gives you way more advice and 'warnings' than you need to hear with anxiety and a hyperactive mind."

I rant, I admit that. I've already ranted. Rambled. Digressed along a seventeen year path. Waxed lyrical about Parisian sewers, so to speak. It's just what I do. ADHD brain, as we say.

Now, I don't think I did anything wrong, personally, but apparently ranting when you get dropped off to Hell and let your inner thoughts become a slew of outer words is... Grounds for direct intervention.

No, I don't know why, and no, I'm also not going to ask why. I'm banned from having contact with The Devil™ for eternity. There's an actual court document stating it. Yeah, the afterlife has a court system, I know.

Anyway, direct intervention.

"CEASE YOUR PRATTLE!"

Big, booming voice on The Devil™. A mix between very loud choral music and a heavy metal rock band concert that's figured out how to make their entire set louder than human ears can safely hear. And they're pretty close to that limit normally.

"Uh, okay," I slowly said in response to the very loud demand from a literal Fallen Angel because, well, you kind of would, wouldn't you. Except I'm not normal. Like I said, I'm a millennial and we've never been known to stay quiet when we probably should.

I blame the internet.

"But seriously, it's a valid question," I continued after a moment where The Devil™ probably thought I was cowed or terrified or something. Jokes on them, I have no self-preservation instincts to speak of and have literally not reacted to almost being ran over before.

Which... Might be how I died, actually. Hmm. Something to think about!

"Just, this is meant to be the place for damned souls and all that jazz, you'd expect the initial experience to really set up the whole thing to be more... Well, more impressive than a loud voice shouting 'Welcome to Hell'," I kept going because, again, I have the self-preservation instincts of a mantaree.

I may have done a little dramatic voice change for the 'welcome to hell' bit of my sentence but that's not really important to this story .The Devil™ wasn't impressed by it though.

"YOU ARE TRAPPED IN HELL, CAST OUT AND JUDGED BY GOD—" a lot of vitriol on that word there "—AND WILL FOREVER BE DENIED PARADISE AND YOUR FOCUS IS NOT ON YOUR SUFFERING BUT ON THE GREETING YOU RECEIVE WHEN YOU ENTER THIS PLACE?"

Okay, so, I don't think The Devil™ can sound confused the way we humans do, honestly I don't, but at the moment The Devil™ definitely sounded pretty confused to me.

"Well, yeah," I replied. I'm still confused about how The Devil™ didn't seem to understand my perspective here but, well, I can rant like the best of them and I'm very good at it when I need to explain something. "It's the principle of the matter really. You've got the whole damned-ness going on; the fire and the brimstone and the vibes are very despair-y. That's all great! Top marks there. But," I pause to make that sound where you pull air in through your teeth to sort of hiss but not hiss. You know what I mean.

"The voice isn't intimidating, it doesn't really give you anything when you show up confused or whatever. It's just loud and not even demonic or anything. Honestly, it sounds like how a greetings sign to some random town feels. Kind of just... There. It's a bit underwhelming." I paused. "A lot underwhelming."

Maybe it was the way I talked or how fast I am when I speak aloud but The Devil™ seemed more bothered by my critique than by me actually not being scared of them. Which, well, I figure us millennials can't be the only ones who focus on weird shit when there's more 'reasonable' stuff to focus on at times. Kind of figures The Devil™ would do the same. Though, in The Devil's™ defense, I guess their entire getup inspires fear and terror so they just take it as their due, so to speak.

"YOU DARE INSULT MY DOMAIN!!"

Where The Devil™ got that from, I don't know but I was not there for it. At all.

"I AM THE RULER AND ABSOLUTE OF THIS DOMAIN AND I SHALL-"

"Woah, wait a minute, I'm not insulting your domain! I'm giving a critique that you asked for tacitly by asking me so don't forget about that!"

I cut The Devil™ off mid-sentence. I literally cut The Devil™ off because, honestly, listen, I've survived a lot of shit online in my life. I have had enough of being accused of insulting something or someone when I've been giving an actual critique or criticism that was constructive. If I didn't take it off BootLickerTrumpLover99 then I sure as hell wasn't going to take it off The Devil™.

Even if The Devil™ could reduce me to metaphysical mulch.

"Like, it feels superfluous to have that voice when, I don't know, a sign would work just as well. And even if you wanted to keep the voice greeting, which, yeah works for anyone with a visual impairment, it's not creepy or demon-y or even scary sounding. It's just generic." I looked up at The Devil™ then and maybe they realised I wasn't being an ass or something. Like, honestly I wasn't. I actually really was kind of invested in this now.

Mainly because they sort of offended me by thinking I was insulting their greeting voice without at least having some constructive criticism for them.

"AND WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST?" The Devil™, the actual fucking Devil, asked me and they didn't even sound pissed.

I literally got asked my opinion by The OG Fallen Angel. This is probably why I ended up in Hell. For this reason alone. Or because I may have caused some uh… Questionable things to occur in my lifetime.

I hummed in thought, tapping my chin because I thought it'd look cool. It probably didn't. "Well, I guess you could change the pitch of the voice if you want to keep that particular greeting so it's less corporate American mall and more... The batteries have run down but the speakers are still working enough to transmit so enjoy the distortion and the accompanying nightmares it'll give you. That would work better," I said and the Devil™ actually nodded at me.

Nodded!

"You could change it to something more childish sounding complete with giggle or laughter or something equally disconcerting because of the dissonance of a child's voice announcing that you're in Hell; that'd get some people good, I think," I continued, really in the swing of it now because this, this is my jam really.

Belting out ideas whether they be for cursed fics, crack pairs or the kind of voice you could use to welcome people to Hell, it doesn't matter the context, I am very good at thinking things.

"I guess a really distorted, demonic sounding—like you hear in movies and stuff all the time because hey, being original is something Hollywood is allergic to I swear—that could work too. I don't know if it'd work for everyone or if they'd not be able to make out what was said." I blinked. "Though, that might scare some people more if it's on a loop and they have to listen to it over and over to figure out it's welcoming them to Hell. Oh, that'd be kind of evil actually." I looked at The Devil™ sort of delighted with myself for that little realisation.

"REPETITION DOES TEND TO TERRIFY MORTALS MORE THAN SINGULAR OCCURENCES, YES." The Devil™ actually agreed with me.

"Yeah, it's because our brains are wired for pattern recognition. When something is just not normal to our perception but we listen or watch it over and over, we notice the discrepancies more and more until they're all we can see and they freak us the fuck out," I explained because, well, this is also my wheelhouse.

I have a lot of jams and wheelhouses, okay.

"YOU HAVE GIVEN ME MUCH TO CONSIDER," The Devil™ said in what was probably the closest to a conversational tone they could manage. It still sounded like it'd obliterate my eardrums if I wasn't a metaphysical representation of my human form and was made of flesh and bone still.

"Oh, you're welcome then," I said because, well, what else are you meant to say to that? "If you ever want to throw some ideas or things to critique my way I'm—"

I got cut off then by a very, very loud sound that was sort of like a thousand echoes all sounding at the same time and also an orchestra and choir at full volume. It was really loud, okay, and I definitely blanked for a second or two on the metaphysical plane of existence because of it.

"RELEASE THE SOUL YOU TOOK BEFORE ITS TIME OR YOU SHALL BE CAST FURTHER FROM WHERE YOU ALREADY FELL!"

I don't know if you've ever seen The Devil™, you probably haven't, but they had that look a toddler does when they've been naughty and got caught at the last second. You know the look? Yeah, you know it. Well, that's the expression The Devil™ had on their huge form that was vaguely humanoid.

Actually, thinking about it, they probably only looked humanoid to me because I perceived them that way. Huh, that's something to think about again at 3am.

Back to that loud voice and what clearly seemed to be a kid caught being naughty.

Most people, most sane people, probably would have stayed silent there but well, we've already established I am not most people.

"Uh, what's happening right now and does it really require violence to resolve?" I asked because, well, you gotta ask that really. "Because I really don't think violence is the answer, unless it is the answer in which case can I please vacate the area before the fighting because I am definitely out-classed here?"

"COME AWAY MORTAL, YOU DO NOT BELONG IN THIS PLACE!" That very loud, clearly not The Devil™ voice said to me and, okay, I'm not stupid but I can be slow on the uptake sometimes.

Besides, no one is stupid. That's ableist as fuck and I'm not here for that.

"Wait, I thought I died? And got judged, or whatever it is that happens to assign souls where they belong or whatever," I said because I'd kind of assumed that. Though, I didn't actually remember any Judgement™ happening.

"YOU WERE STOLEN BEFORE YOU COULD BE JUDGED MORTALS FOR THE FALLEN ANGEL KNEW WELL YOU DID NOT BELONG IN THEIR REALM OF DESPAIR!"

"THEY BELONG HERE MORE THAN THEY DO IN HEAVEN!" The Devil™ argued back with the… Angel, I guess. "ALREADY THEY SPEAK OF THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS WITH GLEE!"

"Hey hey hey, we don't kinkshame okay!" I blurted out and definitely got Looks for that. Fair. "You can enjoy something just fine but if you actively use what you enjoy to hurt others without their consent, then you're an asshole. Having ideas is not the same as acting on those ideas!"

"THE MORTAL SPEAKS TRUE AND YOU KNOW IT FALLEN, LET THEM LEAVE!"

I never knew The Devil™ could look sad but, well, they kind of looked sad at that order. Rebellious but that's expected of the literal first rebel ever to rebel. Sad though…

"Hey, it's not like you can't still ask my opinion on stuff, or for some concrit, you know," I said to The Devil™ trying to literally cheer up The Devil™. Yeah, I actually did that.

"THE FALLEN WILL HAVE NO CONTACT WITH YOU MORTALS FOR THEY DO NOT BELONG IN ANY PLACE THAT HAS THE LIGHT OF THE CREATOR IN IT!"

"Isn't there a Skype or, I don't know, Spiritual MSN or something to at least send a message though?" You'd think there would be something like that in the afterlife.

Apparently not though.

"NO."

I looked at The Devil™ and, honestly, I felt pretty bad. I hadn't been judged yet so maybe I'd end up back in Hell anyway but just up and disappearing, possibly forever, when The Devil™ seemed to actually enjoy someone having some constructive criticism for them… I'll admit, I'm a sucker for that. Blame my Livejournal and Ff.net days for that.

"Well, what if I just don't go then?" I asked, "you said I'm not judged yet so why don't I just judge myself, say I belong in Hell and then we all just go on our way like nothing happened?"

"HELL IS FOR THOSE WHO DESERVE PUNISHMENT, MORTAL!" The Angel reminded me like I didn't know that already.

I might have been a shitty Catholic but I still got raised on that stuff, I know what Hell is for.

And purgatory.

"It's also for a variety of people who didn't really do anything wrong but got the short end of the religious diatribe anyway," I pointed out. The Devil™ looked strangely delighted with me. "Unless Dante was wrong about the structure of Hell in his Comedies."

"HE WAS NOT," The Devil™ helpfully added.

"ENOUGH!" The Angel bellowed. "YOU WILL COME WITH ME MORTAL, NOW!"

Okay, so, bit of advice for you. Never, I repeat, never tell someone with ADHD to do something. If you're lucky, they'll grumble and do it but, usually, you're not lucky. Because most people with ADHD also have this thing where they get really oppositional to commands. It's called Oppositional Defiance Disorder. And, well, guess what I have?

"No."

"NO!"

"NO?"

"No." I repeated. "You don't get to tell me what to do just because you're all big and Angelic and stuff."

Now, I never knew this but The Devil™ is actually capable of the exact same shit-eating-grin you read about in stories and see on TV that is absolutely the grin someone has when chaos is happening and they are here for it.

"YOU CANNOT REFUSE!"

"I just did," I retorted. "And since Free Will is a thing, you can't make me."

Now, apparently a single Angel can't, so I'm right there. And Free Will is also a thing, so another right there. But…

Well, Free Will can be superseded by The Creator if and when they feel like it. And, apparently, death can be overruled too by The Creator when you're being stubborn.

"THEN THE CREATOR SHALL TAKE YOU MORTAL, FOR YOU DO NOT BELONG HERE!"

"Consent is sexy and I am not okay with this!" I exclaimed.

"GOODBYE MORTAL," The Devil™ said to me and in the next moment, I was here.

So yeah, that's how I've ended up alive again, and yeah, I'll take a straw with my drink, thanks.

[theladyofbloodshed]

Neris Christmas - Hallmark Movie AU

Part Two of Four

Managing by the dim light of an encroaching sunrise and the brightness of her laptop up to its max, Nesta furiously replied to the flurry of emails that had arrived in the night. It wasn’t just emails that had come either, a new layer of snow had settled outside as deep as her shins, dashing any hopes of a quick getaway in her car. She was a good driver. When there was no snow. Snow rendered her useless. Still, Nesta had enough work to remained snowed under in more than the physical sense.

She finished hashing out a vague festive message to her colleagues that she barely knew with a bad clipart Santa at the bottom. It seemed to be the general thing to do; there had been enough emails gushing over the holidays from her colleagues already. Any attempts to socialise were dashed by Nesta. She had never been to a single Christmas party or after-work drinks and had never missed out by not attending.

‘Will you stop that damn rattling,’ came an irate voice muffled against the pink unicorn-patterned pillow.

Eris had slunk in at some point in the early hours when she was dead to the world. If she hadn’t been then Nesta would have forced him back onto the couch.

‘It’s my nails on the keyboard,’ she muttered, turning back to the screen to examine a report.

Eris hauled the quilt over his head. ‘It’s no wonder you’re single, bringing the damn laptop to bed.’

‘The wifi is so awful that it’s the only place I can get a decent enough signal.’

The sound of chatter downstairs lured Nesta out, leaving Eris still buried beneath Lucy’s blankets. She followed the sounds of Elain humming to a festive song while Jos prattled away about how he wanted to spend the day. She heard Lucien making silly noises and the soft laughter of his daughter.

It was nice in a way to have something important to care for, two little somethings. It had been a shock for Nesta when Elain announced that she and Graysen had split after nearly five years – and that she was dating a new man. They’d got engaged quickly, married soon after, and then her stomach was rounded with child within four months of introducing him. Her sister was still so young. As was Feyre. Sometimes Nesta felt like an old spinster, but she wasn’t yet thirty – her sisters had just got started young.

‘We can still invite them,’ came Elain’s response.

Jos let out a huff. ‘But they never come. They’re always late for birthdays and sit on their phones and he promised to come to my show last summer but missed it.’

‘You know they like to be left on Mount Crumpit,’ Lucien replied.

At that, Nesta stopped on the final stair, listening in keenly. She recognised the name of the mountain from somewhere.

‘Then we must invite them down for some holiday cheer, mustn’t we, my love?’

At the sound of a kiss, Jos made a retching sound.

‘How can anybody hate Christmas?’ The boy mused.

With a jolt, Nesta realised her nephew was talking about her – and Eris. Eris who had missed Jos’ starring role in the summer play in his grade. She’d been guilty of similar.

‘It could be that their heads aren’t screwed on just right. It could be, perhaps, that their shoes are too tight.’

‘Dad,’ Jos groaned.

Nesta stood, a frown pressing down her brows at the bottom of the stairs, listening to Lucien recite familiar poetry.

‘But I think the most likely reason of all, may be that their hearts are two sizes too small.’

There was a snickering of laughter amongst the groaning, but Nesta turned to creep quietly back up the uneven stairs.

She caught Eris in a state of nakedness. ‘Can’t you warn me?’

He was in boxers at least, but Nesta glimpsed more of his body than she ever planned to.

‘You could knock.’

With a huff, she slumped onto the bed, careful not to touch any of that pale skin on display in front of her. He had more muscles than she thought buried beneath those finely tailored suits. Eris tugged on a black turtleneck, too formal for a cheery family gathering.

‘They think we’re grinches.’

‘Who?’

‘The Griswold family downstairs.’ Nesta crossed her arms. It shouldn’t have mattered. She did hate Christmas. She’d made no secret of telling people of that fact.

‘Who?’ Eris repeated.

‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. One movie I do know.’

Realisation dawned on Eris. ‘Good. Maybe they’ll leave me alone now and I can get back to my work.’

Time was the most precious gift of all. Her mother might have been a cold-hearted wretch most of the time, but once she had gone completely, Nesta would have given anything for more time with her. Lucy and Jos were bigger every time she saw them. They were at the age where they still loved their absent aunt and looked forward to her sparse visits. Time would trickle away quickly. These moments ought to have been precious to Nesta. One day, she might look back and wish she had that squandered time with them again.

‘We’ll be visited by three spirits tonight if we don’t change our ways.’

‘I’ll ask them if they can stop you snoring. It was so loud, I debated going back downstairs.’

‘Eris,’ she hissed, swiping at him with a pillow. ‘I have one other sister and she’ll end up as the favourite auntie. How many brothers do you have? Do you want to be the least favourite uncle? Do you want us to be like Scooge McDuck?’

Eris held out a hand to stop her rant. ‘I’m concerned you believe Scrooge McDuck is the origin of the character.’

‘Will you stop being so damn pretentious?’ Nesta massaged her temples. ‘I know Scrooge is from the Muppets. They’re little kids. Of course, they like Christmas. They get pumped full of sugar and can’t feel the cold and everybody brings them presents. But I don’t want them to think we are not nice people. I mean, I am a nice person, I’m not completely sold on you.’

‘I have a feeling you’re not a morning person.’ Eris sat down on the bed opposite her, fully clothed at last, but the gap was so small that his legs wedged into it. ‘Fine. If I can have two or three solid hours tonight of work then I can be free today to do Christmas things.’

He waved his hand for those final two words as if he wasn’t quite sure what they entailed. Not that Nesta really knew either. Her family hadn’t had any Christmas traditions beyond a meal that was pre-cooked and delivered to their door.

In the kitchen, the Vanserra family were all still puffy-eyed and pyjama-wearing. Elain had a cup of coffee clutched in her hand, leaning against the kitchen side while the children made a mess of their cereal. Lucien washed up at the sink, singing along to the awful, warbling Christmas song blaring from the radio.

‘Ho, ho, ho! It’s Christmas time!’

The children stared up at Nesta, their spoons hovering inches from their mouth. Lucien stifled a laugh, elbows deep in bubbles.

Elain gave a strange sort of frown. ‘Are you alright?’

 ‘I told you that was a stupid thing to say,’ she hissed, elbowing Eris in the ribs.

‘Then why did you insist on saying it anyway?’

Face hot, Nesta slid into a chair at the table.

‘Do you want cereal, Nesta?’

‘I don’t eat breakfast.’

Lucy made a small gasping sound. Her brother explained, ‘mom says that’s bad for you.’

‘Yeah, Nesta. Mom says that’s bad for you,’ Eris smirked, reaching past Elain’s head for a bowl.

He picked muesli. The most boring cereal known to man. All cereal was boring, Nesta thought. She preferred her breakfast to be boiling hot and in a disposable cup.

‘What’s on the agenda today then?’ Nesta rubbed her hands together.

Lucien joined them at the table, pulling his little girl onto his lap to have a seat. It was an ease which Nesta longed to have with a child. With anybody really. She put a chubby little hand on the scar on his face and kissed it, followed by a “love you dada”. It was unprompted, but beautiful. Nesta couldn’t recall the last time anybody had touched her with any sort of feeling.

‘There’s an ice-skating rink in the park so we planned to head there. There’s also a fun fair in town but we might come back early to bake cookies ready for Santa coming tonight.’

At the mention of the big man, the children broke into riotous excitement.

‘Sounds great. Do you mind if we come along?’

All of their eyes widened in shock – and Nesta felt horrific that the suggestion of joining them warranted that reaction.

‘You never come,’ said Jos accusingly. ‘You promised to come to my soccer match and didn’t. And Eris said he’d come to the show and didn’t. And Lucy had a dance recital-.’

‘Alright, Jos.’ Elain pacified him with a gentle stroke of his hair.

‘It’s Christmas,’ Lucien said, gesturing round the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eris inwardly recoil at that comment.

They bundled up from the cold in anticipation for a day spent outdoors. Her boots had never seen actual snow. They’d existed in her wardrobe for a few years though. It never got cold enough in the city to need them. Snow melted as quickly as it fell. She had a scarf and a thick enough coat. That ought to do it.

Nesta couldn’t see the children through their layers. Lucy lay on the floor huffing and panting that she was too hot while they all waited for Elain and Eris.

‘He’ll be gazing at his reflection in the mirror,’ supplied Lucien.

Finally, when they were all ready to go, they had to split into two cars to make the journey.

‘Mine’s a block away. Some idiot has parked right in front of your car too.’

‘That idiot would be me,’ answered Eris, closing the front door with a flourish behind him. ‘Shotgun, Nesta?’

They watched as Lucien and Elain buckled their children into car seats. Eris, of course, had an electric vehicle that was utterly pristine inside. No coffee cups to be found. He claimed he didn’t drink coffee either.

‘Now, you two will actually meet us there, won’t you?’ Lucien asked. ‘You’re not just going to go back into the house on your laptops once we’ve gone?’

‘Please don’t,’ pleaded Elain. She pointed towards the car window where Jos sat.

Somehow disappointing her nephew was the worst crime imaginable to Nesta. Especially at Christmas. Her heart would definitely have to be two sizes too small to deliberately upset a seven-year-old over the holidays.

The town was exactly as quaint as Nesta expected. If it was possible to be made out of gingerbread then it would have been. Caterpillars of snow sat on every roof top. Lights glittered amongst the frost. It was small enough to recognise most people. On each corner, Nesta saw neighbours waving to each other or stopping to chat.

‘This is a nightmare.’

‘Not a fan of the suburbs?’ Eris chuckled. He was a good driver, Nesta would give him that. She’d have been gripping the steering wheel and taking each corner at a couple of miles an hour, but Eris drove carefully and calmly. ‘No dating apps here. They all know each other.’

‘Are you resorting to dating apps to find a girlfriend?’

‘Open yours and find out,’ he sniped back.

She turned back to the window as they passed an enormous tree bedecked with baubles and multi-coloured fairy lights. A choir of children sang beside it to a decent sized crowd.

‘Sickening.’

‘What do you have against Christmas?’ Nesta pressed.

‘People get themselves into debt, spending money they don’t have trying to create a Christmas that only exists in films. It’s not worth the effort or the stress of trying to live up to expectation.’

‘That’s very bleak,’ she replied. ‘What is it you do for a living?’

A blush crept up Eris’ neck as he gave a shrug that tried too hard to be casual. ‘I work in the law department of a collection agency.’

She stared at this handsome, wealthy man with distaste. ‘You must love this time of year then. That’s when you have more clients to collect from.’

‘I hate it,’ Eris admitted. ‘I studied law to make a difference and I’m stuck in a job where I ruin people’s lives. I have to tell a family that I’m taking away all of their lovely, new presents, plus their car, because mommy and daddy spent money they didn’t have and now they owe us. Or they owe us too much and they’ll be going to jail if it’s not borrowed from elsewhere forcing them further into debt. I’m hated for their mistakes.’ He pulled into the busy lot, searching for a space. ‘Take Lucien and Elain. They don’t have money to be wasting on ice skating. The kids would survive without it.’

Yes, they would. But just having enough to survive wasn’t really a life.

When the money dried up, Nesta was faced with no college fund, no opportunity, and no future. She’d grafted day and night, winning scholarship after scholarship. She lived off no sleep, bending her back to load herself up with extra-curriculars and things that would make her college application shine. And it hadn’t stopped there. All through college she’d worked any job she could get. She had tutored, walked dogs, cleaned, waitressed, wrote essays with a head-set on talking old people through their mobile banking apps, bar-tended, and even spent two days washing cars. She was frugal with her money even now, only spending when she had to. An absence of money in childhood never really left her.

Nesta had got to where she was through sheer hard work and determination. Yes, it annoyed her that Feyre had met a rich man and never needed to work hard a day in her life. Yes, it annoyed her that Elain had met a poor man and didn’t mind that she’d never have much money. Did she want her sisters to suffer the way she had? No. Nesta didn’t know what she wanted exactly. An acknowledgement that she’d done it all on her own, maybe.

‘They refuse any money I send them,’ she said dejectedly.

Nesta had got herself to a place where she could help her sisters financially. Feyre didn’t need it. Elain did. She’d sent a cheque one Christmas that was promptly sent back with a letter that said they’d rather have her company than her money. The next year, the next cheque wasn’t sent back, but it wasn’t cashed either. One year, she’d even left an envelope of cash on the bed, but it was given back to her on her birthday in the Spring.

‘Me too. All Lucien needs to do is apologise to my father and he’s back in the trust.’

‘Why won’t he?’

‘Because my father is a piece of crap and Lucien is finally free of him. He puts pride ahead of wealth.’ The car came to a stop in the space. They’d picked the spot behind the Vanserra car. Two children waved excitedly from the rear window once they’d spotted Nesta. The door opened for her. ‘After you, m’lady.’  

The children tore off to the ice rink. Lucien was happy to go on there with them and he managed to rope in his brother who had the co-ordination of a new born fawn on the ice. Nesta huddled close to her sister watching them perform hesitant loops of the rink.

‘Lucy starts school in January, doesn’t she?’

It was either delight or shock from Elain that Nesta had remembered a basic fact. ‘Yes. I will miss her so much in the days.’

‘But isn’t she in day care now?’

Elain shook her head, her phone brandished towards the rink as Jos came barrelling by clinging onto Lucien’s hand. ‘No. I don’t work. I stopped working a few years ago. I told you this, Nesta.’

Nesta had no recollection of the conversation. Likely it had happened but Nesta had a million other things on her mind. It was no wonder that they struggled for money with one income keeping them afloat.

‘Emmeline Pankhurst would be rolling in her grave,’ she mused. ‘But you trained to be a florist. That was your dream.’

‘Yeah. But they grow up so fast and I was missing so many moments with them. I’ll go back to it when they’re a bit bigger. I still garden and I’m baking a lot for neighbours and things.’

‘How much do you charge?’

Elain tittered. ‘Nesta, I don’t charge my neighbours. I just make them cakes because it’s a nice thing to do. We’re all friends around the neighbourhood. Life’s not about amassing as much money as possible. I could work and we’d have a bit extra but I’d spend money on sending them to a child minder before and after school. I’d see them for an hour to feed them and put them to bed. It’s not a life I want. I don’t want to miss out on all of these special moments. Lucien hates how much he has to miss out on.’

For a long while, Nesta said nothing. She didn’t know what to say. She’d worked so hard to climb the ladder of success. It would feel like throwing it away. Any pause interrupted momentum and others would sneak their way ahead of her.

Elain lay a hand on her shoulder then said she was going onto the ice. Nesta saw the sheer delight from her children as their mom joined them in the rink. It wasn’t jealously that bubbled up inside but maybe longing. Nobody was ever excited to see her. She was always the first person into the office and last to leave. Nobody waited up for her at home except the Roomba when it got trapped somewhere.

All around them in the park were happy families building snowmen or skating, giddy couples holding hands or settling with a hot chocolate beneath the wooden canopy. Maybe Lucien was right. Maybe her heart was two sizes too small.

A man came to an ungainly stop in front of her. He crashed into the boards then clung to the rail.

‘Not joining us?’

‘You’re doing such an excellent job. I’d be afraid to be shown up by your skill.’

Eris swiped a handful of snow at her. ‘I don’t know how I haven’t broken an ankle yet.’

‘There’s still time,’ Nesta teased, crossing her fingers.

‘If I die on the ice, would you mourn me?’

‘I’d push the two beds together and have a double tonight.’

Without explanation, Eris removed his gloves and slipped them onto Nesta’s red hands. The soft material inside was already warming her cold, painful fingers.

‘Thank you.’

‘You look miserable here alone. Come and join us. Fall on your ass with me.’

She pressed a hand over her heart. ‘I have never had such a romantic offer before.’

Eris clung to the railing as he dragged himself near to the entrance, waiting for Nesta to change her shoes. The clunky, plastic skates did nothing for her outfit.

The first steps onto the ice were tentative. She gripped the rail, afraid to move, until Eris prised one of her hands away, into his own and guided her to stand upright.

‘Don’t you drag me down.’

Eris stared at her incredulously. ‘You’re worse than me. Do you need one of those penguins?’

Even Lucy was managing without one. Only the smallest children were skidding a few feet whilst clinging onto a gaudy penguin that had seen better days.

‘You’ll have to be my penguin.’

The Vanserras were on the other side of the ice, posing for a family picture taken by a stranger. The distance seemed enormous, but somehow they shuffled their way across the centre to get to them. The same joy that was given to Elain was offered to Nesta when the children spotted her. It made her heart thud and delight rippled through her body. They loved her, despite being a terrible aunt.

She clung onto Eris as Jos came bundling towards her, arms outstretched. All three of them went down onto the ice.

Nesta didn’t care which strangers laughed. Didn’t care who’d stopped to look. Jos was tossing his head back with laughter, sprawled across her legs. Even Eris let out an involuntary chuckle at their situation. She felt herself smiling too.

To stand back up, Nesta nearly brought Lucien down with her – which was met with more laughter. Eventually, she was stood with her back against the safety of the rail while the experts took another circuit of the rink. Her backside was soaked. There’d be a bruise there by evening too. Nesta nudged Eris in the ribs.

‘Thanks for dragging me onto the ice.’

‘You know what they say. Can’t be alone on Christmas.’

Nesta let out a groan. ‘Not you too. Don’t turn into one of them.’

An arm settled around her shoulders as Eris bent down to murmur into her ear. His breath was warm against her cold cheek. ‘Two and a half days to survive. We’ve got this.’

[certified-anakinfucker]

bro idk abt yall but i feel like bringing some peace, freedom, justice, and security around here :/ might just be me tho

[asnowfern]

The Writing's On The Wall - Epilogue

Summary: She's a demon, he's a hunter. Their fates intertwined after a chance encounter. Can Nesta and Cassian overcome all odds to be together? Ancient Chinese wuxia AU setting/Inspired by the Legend of the White Snake. A/N: I did a slight re-write of the ending scene for Chapter 5. Do give it a read before starting the epilogue.

Read: AO3 | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

Chapter 6: 有缘千年再相会 (with fate, we meet again after a thousand years)

Modern Day

The sun hung high in the sky, beating down sweltering heat on the bustling city of Hangzhou. The glittering skyscrapers contrasted against the serenity of the West Lake and sprawling forest. 

Cassian ducked into the well air-conditioned Visitor's Centre to escape the heat, sighing in relief as the cool air blasted in his face. 

"Welcome to the West Lake!" A perky young woman, obviously a part-timer going by her cheeriness, greeted him and stretched out an arm to him, "Brochure?" 

He waved her off, "Oh, I'm just looking around." He paused as he looked at the displays which were littered all over the centre, flashing her an easy going smile, "Any recommendations? I'm new to the city." 

The lady gave him a broad smile, excited at the prospect to share, "The West Lake is well known for its architecture and natural wonders. Of course, our most iconic pagoda has to be the Leifeng pagoda, an absolutely stunning vision during dusk" she gestured at a poster of the mentioned landmark, "but if you have a little more time for a short hike, the nine streams of the misty forest is definitely a gorgeous scenery you cannot miss." 

She prattled on, moving on to the other attractions the lake had to offer, unaware that she had lost Cassian's attention. The image of the glowing tower drew him in like a moth to a flame and commandeered his focus. He took in the bronze octagonal edges of the tower, zooming in on the entrance of the pagoda. Almost immediately, a deep sense of yearning and sorrow spiralled through him and he lurched over, feeling like he had the air knocked out of him. 

Feeling the weighted gaze of concern of the Visitor’s Centre employee on him, he quickly feigned a coughing fit and laughingly dismissed her concerns, “Think my saliva went down the wrong pathway.” He rubbed his chest slightly, “Do you think you could point me in the direction of the Leifeng pagoda?”  

She beamed at him and sent him away with more brochures. 

The pagoda is most famously associated with the tragic love story of the White Snake and her mortal lover. It is said that the White Snake and the Green Snake, demons named Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing took the forms of beautiful ladies and were visiting West Lake one day. Bai Suzhen fell in love with a human scholar, Xu Xian, and they were soon married. However, an evil monk Fa Hai with deep prejudices against the supernatural beings sought to separate them. In the ensuing battle, Bai Suzhen flooded Jinshan temple, where Fa Hai lived, and was eternally imprisoned under the Leifeng Pagoda.

Hot tears pricked at Cassian’s eyes as he read the legend from the murals that decorated the exhibition in the pagoda, the ache in his chest deepening. He ran his hands up and down his face, inhaling deeply as he did so. He thought coming to the building itself would drive away the yearning within him but it only amplified it. 

Shaking his head, he quickly left the building. He scowled at the oppressive heat, eyes squinting in the bright sunlight that reflected off the light concrete pavements. Voices assaulted his mind as the light shone into his eyes, blinding him for a moment.

Bury me here, Gwyn. So that I remain by her side forever.

I’m sorry, Nesta. I swear that I will find you in another life and we will finally have that time. 

Cassian blinked furiously. What the fuck was that?

The ground beneath him shook violently, wiping any other thoughts cleanly from his mind. 

An earthquake? Seriously? 

Cassian glanced around furtively, mentally calculating how long it would take for him to leg it to the open area where he would be safe from falling structures. behind him, screams of panic and terror emitted from the pagoda exhibition as objects crashed to the ground 

His leg muscles twitched in indecision. 

"Ah fuck it!"

He was greeted by visitors crouched under the sturdy built-in counters. Cassian spun around and immediately spotted a small girl whose legs were trapped under a collapsed bookshelf, her tiny face scrunched up in pain and fear as fat tears leaked from her eyes. Her father was clutching tightly to his other young terrified toddler daughter as he struggled to free his injured child. 

Cassian rushed towards him, lifting the heavy shelf a few inches off the ground and urged the family, "Go, go, go!" 

The father pulled his daughter out and thanked him profusely, not noticing a large framed painting that was about to descend on him. Without hesitating, Cassian pushed the family out of the way. A sharp impact on his head was his last conscious thought as his arms buckled and sent him spiraling down.

***

His vision was filled with nothing but clouds. Then a woman of ethereal beauty with copper hair and bright teal eyes swam into view and he felt soft silk robes brush against him. He stared blankly at the cluster of freckles that pooled together on her button nose as she smiled warmly, “Hello, old friend, you finally did it. It’s about damn time too.”      

What? What did I do? Cassian meant to ask but the words seemingly escaped him. 

“The Heavens have decided to give both of you a fresh start. No memories to tie you down and a matching human lifespan. Make the full use of it, Cassian.” She bent over to kiss his cheek, “I’ll be here to greet the both of you on the other side.”

***

“Mister, mister. Wake up!” A young childish voice rattled in his ear as small hands shook his arm. “Wake up, please!”

Cassian snapped awake but found himself trapped by a flat weight which pinned him to the floor. He focused his brain on the immediate memories before he was knocked out and he had that strange dream. Leifeng Pagoda, earthquake, the young family. Right. At least the tremors had stopped. 

He groaned as he pushed himself vertical and felt the weight slide off his back. 

“Are you okay?” The father asked with palpable relief on his face as his daughters clung to either side, looking up at him with wide eyes.  

Cassian was confident of the blooming bruises in his back but held back a grimace, offering a weak smile in return, “I’m okay. I’m just glad the tremors stopped.” 

The Gods, Cassian thought at the moment as the earth beneath him shook once more, must have a strange sense of humour. 

The quake turned increasingly strong and cracked the ground. The fissure slowly but surely stretched towards the ends of the pagoda. The blood rushed in his ears as Cassian roared, “EVERYBODY OUT!” 

He swept the girl in his arms as he ushered the visitors out of the building. He himself narrowly escaped a certain death when the pagoda collapsed a short distance away from them and raised a mountain of dirt and dust around them. 

Cassian felt his arms work mechanically to gently return the girl to her father as his mouth went dry. Because there she was in the settling cloud of dust.

The most beautiful woman Cassian had ever met in his life. 

She was dressed in a simple white maxi dress and sneakers. Her hair was tied back into a loose braid. Her head snapped towards him as if she could also feel the thread that tied the both of them together. Blue grey eyes pierced into hazel as they both walked towards the other, unable to deny the pull in their chests. 

Cassian raised a trembling hand when they stood inches apart and tucked a stray strand away, “Hi, I’m Cassian.” 

She broke out into a smile, her eyes suspiciously bright, “Nesta.” 

Their voices melted together as they said in unison, “Nice to meet you.”

A/N: Thank you so much for reading this! Writing this story is so personal to me as I love wuxia so much. I hope you have enjoyed reading the story as much as I have writing it. I have added the paragraph summarising the actual Legend of White Snake in there but if you're interested to know more, there are a number of media adaptations of the legend. Google also made a really cool microsite on it! If you noticed, the actual characters in the legend are Bai Suzhen (White Snake), Xu Xian (mortal human) and Xiao Qing (Green Snake). While the actual fic counterparts are Nesta, Cassian and Gwyn (although she's not a snake demon), I have referenced them in my fic as Suzie, Xian and Ivy as sort of names and facts that got lost in time. Just a fun easter egg in there. Once again, thank you so much for reading! I would love to hear your thoughts of the story. Or just feel free to say hi!:)

[dadumtss]

I saw another blog writing this prompt and I was rlly curious abt how you'd work with it. (Although, my memory fails me so idk if it was you or not)

So like. Slenderman having a personal assistant or a secretary or even some sort of heir that's like an Elle Woods type of character.

Like they're always wearing pink and being so cheery and bubbly during work, they use glitter pens to sign off paperwork and give stickers or little cheerful notes to their coworkers. They are the whole opposite of Slenderman, but they do such a good job that he can't fire them.

I just think it's funny to have Slenderman be this serious and menacing business man with a little pink, wide-eyed, girly-girl following him around 😭✨

I know the post you’re talking about!  

After a bit of a googling adventure I found the post here. It’s by @intimidating-fettuccine so you should definitely check out her version too if you like the prompt! 

______________________________________

Preamble

I do have a Willow x Slenderman fan-child who is very feminine, though she’s a bit too desperate to be taken seriously to use glitter pens lol. Junior is always a little ray of sunshine and I actually have him developing an interest in law and politics as a teenager, with Slender taking him under his wing, but he’s definitely not a girly-girl. 

So we’re going with... 

_______________________________________ 

Slenderman’s Peppy Secretary

Opinions of her around the office are mixed. A lot of people appreciate her bright dress, bubbly attitude and efforts in getting to know others and find joy in seeing documents signed in glitter pens or little motivational notes around the office. Others think it’s annoying, unprofessional and shows an unserious attitude about this very serious job.

Slender doesn’t care.

He doesn’t care how she dresses and if anyone else has a problem working with his secretary because she’s in a bright pink blazer, Slender’s power and intimidating demeanor ensures they keep that to themselves. 

He doesn’t care what type of attitude she has so long as it’s not a rude one.

He doesn’t care if she chats with those around the office so long as she does her job. And she does. 

Very Well.

But as he enters his office and sits at his desk, he pushes down annoyance as he deftly removes from his documents the many, colorful sticky notes adorned with equally colorful motivational quotes and doodles. Then, as he reads through his schedule (now free of sticky notes), he frowns lightly at the fact that it is annotated in glitter pen.

However, when he leaves his office for his first meeting of the day and she falls into step with him, handing him a leather folder containing a summary of the meeting’s topics, relevant documents he may need as well as information on the attendees; he finds his annoyance waning. 

Even more so as she keeps up with his longer stride without complaint and she goes through the information with him as they walk, explaining her thought process in choosing each document and further summarizing key information. 

But then he finds a picture of a baby as he flips through the professionally typed pages. Thinking it irrelevant, he reaches to remove it only for a manicured finger to hold it in place. 

“That’s Michaela’s new baby! They went with the name Toby instead of Liam! Isn’t he a cutie? She’s back from parental leave today and we’ll pass her desk on the way to the meeting so you should say something nice! Apparently the delivery was very difficult and...”

Slender doesn’t care. 

He’s perfectly aware that Michaela returns from leave today but doesn’t care about that beyond how that affects workflow. He doesn’t care what she named the child and he certainly doesn’t care enough to form an opinion on the ‘cuteness’ of her baby or whatever his secretary was prattling on about now.  

Now that the topic has been changed from work he ignores her as she talks, focusing his attentions on the documents which he continues to flip though as soon as she removes her finger.

They’re passing through a more populated corridor, flanked by offices on each side, when she suddenly stops. Slender pays no mind to it and continues on.

Only to stop as she grabs his arm.

Someone gasps. 

Slender feels his annoyance rising to the point of anger as he turns to her. She seems unfazed, a huge contrast to the others in the corridor who watch paralyzed in silent horror. 

“Michaela’s at her desk!” She whispers excitedly, “You should say something before we take on Councilwoman Kaia and the others.”

Slender considers killing her. His muscles tense and as his mouth opens everyone around them is certain they’re about to witness him rip into her with his teeth. 

“Councilwoman Kaia?” He says instead. 

“Yes? Didn’t you see the sticky note I left? It was the one with the heart at the top and it said ‘Managed to convince Councilwoman Kaia to join the meeting. You got this.’ And then a smiley face?” She replies, confused.

She continues, “I was up all night talking to her to try and get her to come so I didn’t have enough time to add her profile to the folder but I know you’re acquainted so I didn’t think it would be a problem.”

Slender was very acquainted with Kaia, the Head Councilmember of the Merpeople, the most populous aquatic cryptid species. Kaia was belligerent and stubborn but undeniably powerful both magically and politically. She often leveraged that power to get her way, including in locating meetings to the shore or outright refusing to join those that weren’t. Like this one. 

Slender studies his secretary. 

She seems unaware of the significance of her actions and seems to be focusing her attention on subtly bringing his attention to the open doorway she is standing in front of. He looks through and sees a scared Michaela who immediately dips her gaze to her desk as she notices his attention on her. 

“Welcome back, Michaela.” He says. 

The pink-clad secretary beams, and gives an enthusiastic wave to the shocked Michaela before running off to catch up with Slender as he continues on his way.    

[fairlyabookie]

Indirect Kiss

Author's note: Day 16 of Promptober! Enjoy!

“I want to try this new sweet shop.” 

An eccentric advertisement showcasing delectable sweets entices [Reader] to click. A link takes them to a website of pastels and catalogs listing a myriad of pastries. 

“That’s…” 

A sour face befalls Ace’s expression, earning a distraught glance from his friend. 

“Don’t you dare tell me that you’re already sick and tired of sweets.” 

“Well..” 

His face contorts into a complicated expression. 

“Don’t you think we’ve been going out too much?” 

[Reader] snorts, their eyes plastered on their phone. Swipe after swipe, they pass through crêpes, sundaes, and mouthwatering delectable. [Reader] could feel their mouth water with each swipe.

“What do you mean~ We do it every week as a reward for making it through the week.” 

“That’s what I mean, we’ve been going out WAY TOO MUCH.”

Upon this, [Reader]’s lips curl to a pout, their eyes locked onto Ace. 

“Ace, we’re saving money wisely every week. Don’t worry about it!” 

“Worry about it, my ass. We’ve been going out to fancy places and splurging every week! Can we take a break?” 

“Well, this place isn’t that bad. It’s cheap!” 

Ace almost hated the cheery enthusiasm his friend had for this shop. Their affinity for sweets doubled with Cater’s recommendation of the shop became the nail in the coffin - five-star reviews from celebrities, including Vil himself, about the menu, the aesthetic, and the atmosphere were enough to convince [Reader] to going. A new craze on social media, this shop sold many a sweet from ice cream special befitting of couples to crêpes dripping in profound sweetness. Ace, on the other hand, watched their vitality in the face of sweets, somewhat impartial to this. Though he didn’t mind sweets, Ace did mind the expenses he and [Reader] spent dining together. 

From quaint cafes to lavish eateries, these ‘dates’ were merely celebrations after a week’s hard work. Sure, it was a refreshing getaway from classes, but the costs were turning him off. Most times would the other first years misinterpret these hangouts as something romantic.  Ace shook them off, his cocky demeanor, dismissing the matter as nothing but jealousy from them. Yet, he couldn’t ignore a strange sensation blooming in his chest whenever he hanged out with [Reader]. If it meant shelling out a couple dollars just to hang out with them and see their face light up from the taste of sweets.. 

You’re being weird, Ace. It’s not like I like seeing them smile anyway; a break from constant studying and from Riddle’s prattling about rules.. 

He nags at himself, his eyes scanning at the digital menu by [Reader]’s palm. 

“You’re kidding?!”

By this, a grin swells by [Reader]’s lips. 

“We should try it!” 

Poor Ace’s wallet. 

~ ~ ~ ~

The two found themselves booking the place a few minutes after classes, the perfect time to unwind and enjoy some good food - well, in [Reader]’s case, enjoy some desserts. 

Swirls of chocolate fudge top a cloud of whipping cream, rainbow sprinkles its colorful crown. A kaleidoscope of vanilla and chocolate form the foundation of an ice cream bliss. 

Not bad for a sundae and cheap price too! No wonder Cater recommends this. 

Ace muses in awe. The pictures shown on the site were nothing compared to the real deal in front of him, and the way [Reader] glowed was enough to tell him everything. 

“Ace! Ace! Quick, let’s take a pic!” 

They scramble for their phone, their fervor evident on their lips. 

“Sure, sure.” 

Ace calms them down with a hand around their shoulders. His phone’s camera reflects a picture of the two of them and the sundae, in which they saw and relaxed. 

“Cater is going to be jealous~!” 

[Reader] giggles as Ace clicks the camera for a picture. 

“Thank you, Ace. Can you send that to me?” 

“Sure.” 

“Let’s eat!” 

Without skipping a beat, [Reader] scoops a spoonful of the ice cream, tasting tart vanilla and milk chocolate by the tip of their tongue. 

“Amazing! Ace, try it!” 

They scoop another spoonful and offer it to Ace. The first year cocks an eyebrow, a part of himself hoping that they were simply exaggerating. Their hopeful eyes and eager hand brought forth the ice cream to him. There he was, testing out his sweet tooth for the sake of [Reader]. 

“It’s good!” 

Maybe it was the stray thought that he was indirectly kissing [Reader] or maybe the devilish thought that he just ate something outside of Riddle’s stringent rules, the first year couldn’t shrug off the dark satisfaction upon tasting the ice cream, the rich flavor enticing him to eat more. 

“Whoa, you’re blushing. Is it that good?” 

[Reader] perks an eyebrow. 

“I was what?” 

Ace almost spitted out the ice cream. 

“You’re blushing!” 

“It’s good. So what?” 

“Dang, I never thought you’d be more of a sweet tooth than me.” 

“Shut up!” 

Ace could feel his blush deepening from their friend’s jabs. Was he too easy to tease? Without a second thought, he spares another glance to [Reader], who absentmindedly eats the rest of the sundae, a delighted smile by their lips. Just a second ago, he ate from the same spoon they had eaten from.. 

Don’t think stupid things, Ace. 

“Here, you got something on your lips.” 

A tuff of whipped cream settles by the corner of their lips. Ace leans close to swipe it by his thumb. 

“There.” 

“Smooth criminal, aren’t you?” 

[Reader] scoffs with a shy smile. 

“Shut up and enjoy your ice cream, you sweet tooth.” 

The first year tries to ignore the incoming heat by his cheeks. What is going on with his emotions today? He asks himself as he watches his friend enjoy the rest of their dessert in sheer bliss.

[twstinginthewind]

Joker & the PMC pal of her choice at a music festival!

Let's go somewhere together!

"I still can't believe we're at Woodchella," Joker said for the seventeenth time that day. She threw her arms around Cater's waist and gave him a crushing hug, then looked up at his face, laughing. "How did you even manage to get tickets for all four of us? I heard it was impossible to get them."

"Easy, Jokerkins! I still gotta breathe," he chuckled, rumpling her hair. "And it wasn't even me that got them, it was my father." He lowered his voice, trying to sound like a pompous older man. "'Since you've been playing that guitar so much, may as well see where you'll end up slumming it someday', blah blah blah. I mean, thanks for the vote of confidence, Father dearest, but way to make it sound like the worst possible option."

She giggled cheerily. "He could have called us all your scumbag friends, and I wouldn't give a darn, since he sent the whole club here." She finally released him from her affectionate clutches, and looked around, taking in the sights. "Shame that Kalim and Lilia are coming late, though. They're gonna miss the local punk bands on the D stage, and that one DJ with the puppets, and..."

She prattled on, and Cater reflected on how close her guess was. The bimbo, the weirdo, and that valuable friend of his, the Asim boy? At least dear old Dad realized they were a team, and provided tickets for all of them, despite the limited availability. It was rare that his father remembered anything about his friends or interests, so he considered it a tentative victory. Go, team Cay-Cay, all the way to Woodchella at least. He put on his usual cheery smile and nodded along as Joker continued, lost in his own thoughts.

"... until they release the pack of wild clowns and put out the fire that the samurai giraffes set on the main stage." Joker narrowed her eyes at him. "Cay-Cay. Hellooooo. You even listening?"

"Buh?" he responded eloquently. "Wild Clowns broke up five years ag— oh. OH. Yeah, you caught your sempai not paying attention. Nabbed me in 4k." He rubbed the back of his neck, sheepishly. "Sorry, just a touch overwhelmed by all this."

"It is the Shaftlands' biggest annual festival," she said sympathetically. "And it's mind-blowing. Well, mister overwhelmed, maybe we should start at the small stages first?"

"Absolutely." He breathed a sigh of relief, tossing his hair back. "But before that? Selfies for Magicam! Come squish in next to me by the banner; we gotta flex on the dorks back on campus. Smile and say Woodchella!"

[leo-interactive-fiction]

How would P and E react if they both find that they both like the MC.

P listens to E's cheery prattling in silence as the two prepare dinner.

The small figure flits around the stationary redhead as they mix ingredients, "I was thinking about making MC's favorite. They've always had an appetite for this kind of food, you know? When I see how much they enjoy what I make, I think it makes me fall for them all over--"

"What?" P's knife falls short of its mark, clacking solidly against the cutting board. The harsh sound causes E to jump, then quickly grow bashful as they realize what they said.

"O-Oh, wait! Uh, J-Just forget what I said, okay! I just kinda say whatever's on my mind when I talk on..."

P tenses their fingers around the knife, keeping their gaze centered on the vegetable before them. "It's not my business, anyway."

"P?"

"Hm?" P glances to their side, finding E facing them directly with a serious look.

"You know, I think after doing it for so long, I understand what it look like to try to hide feelings like that. P, don't you--"

"No."

"-- Like the MC too?"

P continues cutting, this time with a heated rapidness as they attempt to drown E out. It comes to a close when P attempts to reach for another ingredient only for E to snatch them away.

"You can't be honest with me? Why can't you talk to me?"

P grinds their teeth, "There's nothing to talk about."

"Don't you want to be happy too?"

P pauses for a moment before turning to face E with a morose expression, "What makes you think I'm not happy enough by myself?"

"You don't look happy."

"You look dumb as shit."

E reels back, "I-I am not!"

"Then I guess looks aren't everything," P states with a furrowed brow, "I'm not like you. I don't need to make room for people. I can depend on myself just fine."

E looks disappointed, "I don't believe you."

"Believe what you want," P waves off, "Do what you want. Like I said, it's not my fucking business. You've known each other far longer anyway..."

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

Thank ya for the ask haha

[certified-anakinfucker]

forget oc analyses. does your oc sleep in a pj set or in some random fucking clothes