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writing-whump · 7 months

Note

Part 2 of the Seline and Matt fic with Isiah coming home to find the two of them asleep in the same bed?

Have this little ficlet as denouement from yesterday's fic then. Thanks for the request, I'm flattered you were curious.😊💙✨️

Isaiah came home to a surprisingly quite and dark apartment.

Normally Matthew's booming voice carried from the living room and he could always track Seline by the number of rooms with the light switched on. She tended to leave more of them on, even when alone.

He wondered if it was to ward loneliness, creating a feeling of presence and warmth.

Today it was suspiciously not so.

He tiptoed around the kitchen, mildly offended no one ate the lasagna he prepared yesterday so his roommates would have stuff to eat after coming home exhausted from classes.

Peeking into his room, he found Matthew's bed just unruly and empty as in the morning.

Huh.

Too curious to even change into his home clothes, he kept exploring in the darkness, climbing up the steps. They creaked enough in the silence he was sure he would not be able to hunt down anyone, if he wanted to. Not that he wanted to.

He had to jump away a little at a admittedly very badly smelling spilled water in the hall right next to the staircase. Who spilled water and didn't clean it after? The wooden floor would swell up from it...

The door to Seline's room was slightly open, so he creeped in.

Matthew lied on Seline's side of the bed, wrapped around her like she was his human plushie, snoring slightly. There was a basin at the side of the bed, which Isaiah took as an answer for the peculiar arrangement.

Seline's bright blue eyes gleamed in the twilight light, meeting his.

"What happened?" Isaiah mouthed soudlessly, coming closer.

The back of his hand went to Matthew's forehead, but there was no fever. Matthew was the most cuddly when he had a fever.

"Concussion," Seline mouthed back, combing her hair through Matthew's hair, her expression the softest thing, making Isaiah's heart melt.

"How long have you been trapped?" Isaiah said with a slight chuckle.

"Very long," Seline said with a smile.

She didn't look too concerned or uncomfortable with her predicitiment. He noticed she watched his reaction, eyes narrowed to slits as she patted Matthew's head, but Isaiah didn't know why. Matthew was his just as he was hers.

He was very very glad, in fact, when the two got along. There was nothing more torturous for him as when the two were arguing.

Though he had yet to have a major argument with Seline, so that was still up to discussion.

Isaiah leaned over to plant a kiss on top of Seline's hair, then went to open the window. The air was way too stale.

Satisfied with being back in the picture, he proceeded to change out of his suit into something more comfortable, then gathered supplies to clean up the puke puddle in the hall. The wood was getting slightly swolled already, so he threw an old towel over to soak up the residual liquid before disinfecting it.

Washing his hands thoroughly and cleaning everything up, he dared return to the room. What was he supposed to do with the rest of it alone, right? It was only natural.

Seline watched him curiously, pressed even closer to Matthew because of the cold air from the open windows.

Isaiah closed them, brought a glass of water from the bathroom for Sel and one more blanket from Seline's closet - he was getting familiar with where she kept what and was very excited about it - before climbing in the bed himself.

Seline turned to her back, sandwiched between them. Matthew was pressed against her side, but she wiggled her legs towards Isaiah, wrapping both around one of his.

Now very satisfied, with warmth and butterflies spreading all over him, Isaiah got his airpods out, gently inserting one into Seline's ear, taking the other for himself.

"Wanna hear the war update?"

Seline nodded, squinting at his phone screen. They followed a podcaster commenting on the Ukraine war. She listened to them alone before, since Ukraine was on on Slovakia's borders.

Isaiah knew how worried her family was about the war. If Putin won, he would not stop at Ukraine, they thought, but continue to usurp the rest of the former Sowjet block countries, including Slovakia and Czech Republic as it was before the Fall of the Iron Wall.

Not that Isaiah thought it was less relevant for the rest of Europe. Why would Putin stop anywhere, once he was that far? Austria didn't have to be saved by its neutrality.

And appeasement politic never worked with Hitler either, did it.

Isaiah snaked a hand under Seline's neck. He wanted to be attuned to her movements in the dark, to feel when she would jolt or shudder. If she was going to listen to this, better with him than alone.

He clicked play on his phone as Seline turned her head towards him, face pressing against his shoulder, taking slow measured breaths. Isaiah took her hand in his.

They stayed like that, huddled in the dark as the podcaster reported about destroyed cities, drone attacks and munition, taking turns at squeezing the other's hand for comfort.

#whump #mentions of emeto #sickfic #comfort #war tw #mentions of war #my writing #werewolf wip #it gets a litttle heavy at the end #but hey it's a contemporary world they can have contemporary european problems #Matt #Seline

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katenewmanwrites · 3 months

Text

Racing Hearts - Chapter Nine

Warnings: Mentions of injury, Mild blood, Pain, Emotional distress, Intimacy and mention of violence.

Finally, he pulls the car into the building's parking garage, guiding the car into his spot. The soft glow of the overhead lights illuminates the space, casting eerie shadows across the concrete walls.

Finn turns off the engine and hops out of the car, coming around to open my door. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the inevitable sting from my knees as I walk on them again.

I carefully step out of the car. Finn took my arm, leading me towards the elevator. The click of his dress shoes and my heels against the concrete floor echoes through the garage.

We step into the elevator, the doors close silently behind us. The elevator begins to rise, and I take a deep breath, trying to calm the nervous fluttering in my stomach and the stabbing pain shooting up my legs.

As the doors slide open, the small fancy hallway greets us. Finn leads me to his apartment door, unlocking it with the passcode, pushing it open, the sight of Anthony and Sofia on the couch to greet us. Finn steps aside to let me enter the apartment first. I take in the warm welcome of his apartment.

"Beat ya back." Anthony says as we enter. Sofia smiles warmly at me, motioning for us to sit down on the empty couch. As I take a seat, I can feel the exhaustion from the night's events settling in.

Finn ignores Anthony and instead walks down the hallway toward the bedrooms. Disappearing out of view for a moment. I sit on the couch, looking down at my knees for the first time since the fire. It’s a bloody mess.

There's a burning pain in my right knee. I take a deep breath, trying to calm the nervous energy that is still coursing through my veins.

Soon, Finn returns, carrying a small first aid kit in his hands. He kneels down in front of me, this action sends a wave of heat right through my body. "Alright, let me take a look at that," he says as he gently lifts my left knee.

His hands are surprisingly warm. He reaches into the first aid kit and pulls out a small bottle of antiseptic. Carefully, he wipes at the wound, making me wince slightly at the stinging. "Sorry," he mumbles, before dabbing some more.

"It's not too bad, just a little deep." He says, his voice calm and soothing.

He grabs a bandage from the first aid kit and begins to blow to dry the antiseptic on my knee. The warmth of his breath sends electricity through my body. He presses the bandage against my skin, securing it in place.

He moves on to my other knee, gently lifting it. I watch him, noticing how carefully he handles me. He inspects it, wincing, as if in sympathy, "How have you been walking on this?" He asks, sounding concerned.

I can feel the piece of glass that's embedded in my knee. It throbs with every beat of my heart. Finn looks at it for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Alright, this one's gonna hurt a bit more," he warns.

He cleans the wound again, and I try not to flinch as he uses tweezers to grab the glass. With one swift motion, he removes it, making me gasp. Blood wells up from the wound, and he quickly presses a cotton ball against it.

"It won't need stitches." He teases, laughing lightly, and I feel a smile creep up on my face. His fingers brush against my knee as he dabs the wound with antiseptic, making my skin tingle. He blows on my knee before he presses a fresh bandage against the wound, securing it in place. As he does so, I can't help but feel the warmth of his hands against leg.

His hands linger for a moment, and I can feel his fingers tracing light circles around my knee. The sensation is both strange and electrifying. "There you go, all fixed up." He says, pulling back to meet my gaze. In the soft light of the room, his eyes are incredibly blue, and I'm lost in them.

"Thank you," I whisper. My voice comes out shaky, and I'm suddenly aware of how intimate this moment feels. Finn's hand moves up my leg, his fingers trailing over the skin of my thigh. The sensation sends a shiver through me, and I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks. "Finn…" I breathe his name, my voice barely above a whisper.

Anthony clears his throat, breaking the tension. "So, uh, guestroom?" He asks. Finn's hand slips away from my thigh, and he clears his throat as well.

"If you'll just give Lily a minute to grab some things, it's all yours," Finn says. He doesn't take his eyes off of me as he says it.

"I'll, umm, do that," I say, glancing at Finn. I stand up slowly. As I walk to the guest room, my legs still sting but I’m distracted by the feeling of his eyes on my back. It's almost like he's reluctant to let me out of his sight. When I reach the room, I close the door behind me and take a deep breath.

I head to the bathroom to grab my toiletries and then I rummage through my shopping bags to find that silk slip. I can't help but smile as I take it out, feeling the smooth fabric between my fingers. I wonder if it's too much, but part of me hopes that Finn will like it. After all, there's only one bed left in this apartment, and it's his.

I put my things in a small shopping bag and closed the door to the guest room. As I walk back out, I catch Finn watching me from the living room. He gives me a small smile, his eyes lingering on my face for just a moment too long. I feel a flutter in my stomach and can't help but return the smile.

I join the others on the couch, sitting down next to Finn. He slides his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close and it's like someone is setting fireworks off in my stomach. I can feel the heat continuing to rise to my cheeks as I look at him, trying to decipher his expression.

Anthony clears his throat again, this time standing up. "Well, goodnight, you two," he says, giving us a small smile.

"Night darling." Sofia says to me before taking Anthony's hand and walking down the hall.

I can feel Finn's arm around my shoulders. But he loosens his hold on me and stands up, offering me his hand. "Come on, I'll show you where you'll be sleeping."

I take his hand and he leads me down the hallway, my injured knee not quite as steady as I'd like it to be. We pause outside what I can presume is Finn's bedroom.

Finn glances at me, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "This is where you'll be sleeping," he says softly, as he opens the door.

The room is dimly lit, with a plush comforter and pillows. I can see a few framed pictures on the dressing table, one of Finn as a child with a familiar boy I assume is his brother. It's darker than the rest of the apartment, but it's cosy. "This is… very nice," I say, glancing around.

Finn smiles, still standing by the door. "I'm glad you think so. Make yourself comfortable. If you need anything, just give me a shout." He pauses, before his hand finds the door handle again. "Goodnight, Lily."

"Oh…Where are you going?" I ask.

Finn raises an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I thought I'd sleep on the couch. I mean, I've done it before."

Annoyance bubbles within me, "What. No. You are not sleeping on the coach." I pause, take a deep breath and then step forward. My cheeks feel warm, but I force myself to meet his gaze. "You got shot yesterday, you are not sleeping on a coach."

"It's a very nice coach," He says, looking slightly amused.

"I don't care if it's a nice coach. I said no." I say, looking into his eyes and willing him to understand. "I'm not comfortable with that. And it's a bloody big bed, so don't be an idiot."

Finn chuckles, shaking his head slightly. "Alright, alright. I get it."

"Good." I say, nodding in satisfaction. "Then, I'll be in the bathroom," I add, gesturing behind me to the bathroom door. I don't dare meet his gaze as I turn and walk over to the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I take a deep breath, feeling slightly embarrassed by how assertive I just was. But I couldn't let him sleep on that stupid coach.

I turn on the water, and wash the makeup off my face. My hands shake a little as I splash cold water onto my skin, trying to calm the butterflies and all the nervous energy from the evening.

I dry my face, and then I take a deep breath, trying to gather my courage. I go to unzip my dress, but… It's stuck… Oh My God… The zipper is stuck. I fumble with it for a moment, my heart racing. How am I going to get this thing off?

I fumble with it some more, losing my breath in the process. Maybe I should just ask Finn for help. But no, I can't do that. Not now. Suddenly, there's a soft knock on the door. "Lily? Are you okay in there?" Finn asks. I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest. “It’s just taking a while.”

"Not really," I reply, my voice coming out a little shaky. "I-I can't… get this zipper down."

The door slowly opens, and there he is. Finn. His blue eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I feel like I can't breathe. "Here," he says, stepping closer. His hand finds my zipper, and with a firm tug he expertly slides it down, revealing my bare back and the lace bra underneath. I feel a shiver run down my spine as his fingers graze my skin.

"There you go," he says softly, taking a step back. The air between us crackles with electricity. I nod, trying to find my voice, but it seems to have deserted me. I look up at him, and he's watching me intently. His gaze is so intense it feels like a physical touch.

I swallow hard, suddenly aware of how close he is. He's only inches away, and I can feel the heat radiating off of him. "Thanks," I whisper. My voice sounds strange and breathy to my own ears.

Finn smiles, and it's the same crooked grin that I've seen before. "You're welcome," he says, reaching out to gently brush a strand of hair away from my face. His touch is so light, so feather-soft. It's not enough. It's not nearly enough. I want more.

I take a deep breath, feeling the tension building inside me. I want to close the distance between us, feel his skin against mine. "Finn…" I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

He leans in closer, his eyes searching mine. "Yes?"

"I… I just want… to say thank you." My words tumble out, barely coherent. "For everything. You know, not just the dress." I'm acutely aware of how ridiculous this sounds, but I can't seem to stop myself. It's not what I wanted to say at all. I wanted to tell him how much I wanted him, how much I'd thought about him, how much I wanted more.

Finn's eyes soften as he studies my face. "You don't have to thank me."

He lingers for a moment. "I'll leave you to it." He says, taking a step back towards the door, but I think it's as hard for him to leave as it is for me to let him go. At least I can hope.

My heart feels like it's about to burst from my chest as I watch him go. I want to tell him so much more, to find the words to express how I feel. But they're tangled up in my throat, trapped behind my lips. I feel a stab of frustration, knowing that despite all the progress I've made over the years, I'm still not able to be completely confident with myself. Finn closes the door behind him, and the familiar sound of the click seems to echo through the room. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. It's not just his physical presence that has me so wound up; it's the way he looks at me, like he sees right through my carefully constructed facade.

I turn back to the task at hand and let my dress drop to the ground. I step out of it and take a deep breath, changing into my slip. I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks as I remember Finn's words and the way he looked at me. I'm not sure what it is about him that makes me feel this way, but I can't deny I still have feelings for him.

I take a deep breath, smoothing down my slip and walking back out into the room. Finn is still there, sitting on the bed, and he looks up at me as I enter. There's an awkward silence as we both seem to be struggling for words. I want to say something, anything, to break the tension, but the only sound is the soft rustling of the sheets as he shifts in his seat.

"So…um…" I start, clearing my throat. "Do you have a preferred side?" I gesture to the bed, not quite able to meet his gaze.

"The side by the door," he says, his voice low and steady. He stands, pulling back the blankets and hopping under them without taking his eyes off me. The sight of his bare chest sends another wave of heat through me, and I wonder if he can see the blush that's surely spreading across my cheeks.

I nod, feeling a little foolish, and climb into the bed, taking the side opposite him. We lay there for a moment, the space between us feeling like an unbridgeable chasm. The silence is thick with unspoken words and unresolved feelings. I stare at the ceiling, listening to the faint sound of his breathing.

"Lily," he says, his voice cutting through the quiet. I turn to look at him, and our eyes lock. "You don't have to be so… guarded around me. I know you're strong, but it's okay to lean on someone."

The sincerity in his voice hits me like a sledgehammer. No one has ever talked to me the way he does "I want to," I say, my voice shaking slightly. "But…I don't know how I can."

Finn's expression softens, and he reaches out to take my hand. His touch sends a warm current through my body, and I can't help but feel comforted. "I'll be here," he says gently. "As long as it takes." We lay there for a few moments, our fingers intertwined, and I realised that maybe, just maybe, I can let down my walls a little. "I'm scared," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "Scared of what he'll do to me."

Finn's grip tightens, and he sits up, turning to face me. "You don't have to be scared anymore. I'll protect you." His eyes are filled with determination, and for the first time since I stepped into this mess, I feel a real glimmer of hope.

I swallow hard, trying to hold back the tears that threaten to spill over. "And who is going to protect you?" I ask.

His grip on my hand loosens and he reaches over, pulling me close so that my head rests against his chest. The warmth and safety of his embrace is surprisingly comforting, and I can feel the steady beat of his heart beneath my ear. "I can handle myself," he says, his voice soothing. "But I have Anthony and Sofia, and now you."

We lay there for what feels like an eternity, our hearts beating in sync. His arms are comforting, he's holding me tight but not too tight, like he knows I need the space to breathe. I can't remember the last time I felt so safe.

"How did you get involved with the Rossi's?" I ask, breaking the silence. It's a question I've wanted to ask for a long time, but I was always too scared to know the answer.

Finn's expression turns serious, and he sighs deeply. "It's a long story," he says. "But the short of it is, I saved Anthony from drowning. We became friends."

"That's it?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "I imagined something much worse than that."

"Yeah, it's a bit anticlimactic compared to the movies, huh?" He strokes my hair gently. "But after that, when they needed someone they could trust, they called on me."

I lean into his touch, feeling the tension in my body start to melt away. "It's a good thing you know how to swim," I murmur, a small smile playing on my lips. He chuckles, and the sound rumbles through his chest.

"It's been a good thing a few times," he says. The conversation drifts into a comfortable silence, and for a moment, it's almost easy to forget the chaos that's been my life since my boyfriend's betrayal. "Goodnight, Lily," he whispers.

"Goodnight, Finn," I reply, feeling his arms tighten around me before his breathing evens out into the steady rhythm of sleep. I lay there for a while, listening to the comforting sound and contemplating the strange twist of fate that has brought us back together. Despite the darkness that surrounds us, there's a warmth here that I haven't felt in a very long time.

As my eyes drift closed, my thoughts swirl with memories of our shared past. High school seems like a lifetime ago, a time of innocence and carefree days. We'd been friends then, the kind of friendship that felt like it could last forever. But life had other plans, and we drifted apart. Now, in the most unlikely of places, we've found each other again, bound by a web of danger and deceit.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

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