#darkness and humor and fluffy angst and hope

[cherry-leclerc]

stolen sweethearts ☆ cl16

genre: humor, angst, yearning, pining after three years so maybe slowburn??, fluff, second chances, whipped!charles

word count: 4.3k

Everything that leads to your wedding day and ends up with a knock on your door from your ex-boyfreind and an infamous letter.

req!...longer than intended, whoops! enjoy, anons :)

inspired by this !

“You’re making a mistake—”

Your eye twitches in the slightest, glossy lips curling into a snarl. “Shut up and be quiet.”

“What?” 

Looking down at your boyfriend, dressed in Armani from head to toe and a blank expression, you wince apologetically. You grasp his hand tighter, knuckles becoming white, and smile widely, tears brimming the corner of your eyes. “Not you, honey!” A wet chuckle escapes when he visibly relaxes. “Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes.”

The engagement party was a pleasant surprise, filled with congratulations and early wedding gifts. It also brought out a large group of your friends from hibernation. “Felicidades,” Carlos says with a teasing smirk. “I truly never thought I’d see the day you settle.” 

You bit the air. “Ha ha. That was the old me. New me is a completely changed woman thanks to true unconditional love. It’s crazy, try it out some time,” you shoot back. 

The Spaniard simply scowls and bows away, returning to his earlier conversation. You consider yourself lucky—as if you committed a successful heist and somehow got away with it. He was handsome, with bright eyes, dark hair, and tempting lips. There truly wasn’t a single flaw to your now fiancé. And if there were, no one ironically saw it but Lando.

“You’re making a—”

“Mistake?” you finish off his sentence, sighing and rubbing your temples. “So you say.” You were in the middle of ordering yourself another piña colada when he hounded you like a madman. The Brit blows out with a tired expression, as if he were giving up on all of humanity. 

“Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes.” Angling your head to aim a dirty glare, you silently flip him off as he uses your earlier words against you. 

“Aren’t you tired, Lan? It’s been three years, let it go.”

The blue eyed boy musters a threatening look and then rips your sweet treat away from your grip, immediately claiming ownership. Your brows fly up with an offended scoff. He chugs it all down before shaking his curls adamantly. “No, I will not let it go. Bloody hell, you’re one stubborn gal—you can’t go through with this.”

For the shortest second, a ray of hesitance strikes your face when you spot your fiancé, happily indulging in a round of shots with Carlos, Max, and Daniel. The group laughs with amusement over something he says. Your lips wobble, turning back to your friend, shooting lasers. “Why not? And please don’t say—”

“Charles.” Somehow, even with the mention of his name, your world still manages to spin off its axis, alarming your remaining sanity. Last time you saw the Monegasque was quite the day, ending with regretful words and inferior decisions. Lando grimaces when you let out a shaky breath. “You know you haven’t gotten over him. And I can guarantee you that this…” He spins his index finger around the flashing room. “Will not make the difference you're hoping it will.”

-

Have you made your Christmas list? I told you I need it at least two weeks prior. I work well under pressure, but for God’s sake, honey, this is too much. Charles chuckles, cleaning his pair of Ray Bans against the hem of your skirt. You sigh. 

Oui. Making his way over to his duffel bag, he retreats a crumpled up piece of paper. Oh, um, shit. The green eyed boy cringes with embarrassment, pouting modestly. You swallow the giggle sliding up your throat when he frowns furthermore. I swear I had it! It must've gotten crushed with all my stuff. You know what? Charles strolls over to the flight of stairs. I’ll just make a new one, give me a sec. 

As soon as he leaves, you yawn, stretching out like a cat. You can’t help the fluffy feeling; Christmas always adds to it. But something about this one felt distinctively different and you couldn’t place the reason why. 

Your orbs flicker across the dimly lit room before falling back to the thin piece of paper. Patting your palms on your thighs, you get up and delicately open it up, curiosity overflowing. It shouldn’t have mattered, he was going to re-write it anyways. 

His calligraphy had always been messy, and yet you always—somehow—understood; from the start of his sentences to the final dot. But this had to be the one and only time you wish you weren’t so comprehensive. 

I’ve been thinking about us

A lot recently, actually

I’ve had some thoughts over these past few weeks and

I think we should just end things.

You bat your eyes, already feeling the pressure forming behind, stinging harshly. Was this meant for you? For you to find? Had it been intentional the moment he pulled out the fucking note? Would he just not come back and was it all an excuse?

But he does. And his pale face answers all of your questions. 

Oh fuck, what have you done?

Rage fuels within you as you briskly brush away the acid sliding down your burgundy cheeks, heat rushing through your body. What have I done? What the fuck is this bullshit, Charles? 

The Monegasque instantly rushes over, trying to get ahold of the piece of paper. You rapidly pull it away and force a step back as you let out a wet chuckle. He winces at the cold sound. Why would you do that? Why did you do that?

So you’re not denying it? You wrote this? You knew he had, his writing was imprinted into your brain like a manuscript you had professionally studied endless hours.

His skin only loses more color with every passing second. I’m not trying to blame you! I did. I did write that—but that was so long ago, you have to believe me, and I can explain! He kneels down, silently pleading you to bless him with a spare minute. Just let me explain it all to you. 

I never took you for a poet, you bitterly spit out as you continue skimming through the full page. You have a lot on your mind—a lot. Scanning his desperate state, you can’t help but let out a soft whimper, scrunching your nose. 

I’m not, shit. He grips your thighs from where he is and lets out a set of shaky breaths. Do you remember when—

I don't want to remember, you let out. I just simply want to forget. 

He can creepily hear the way your heart is breaking and how his follows along with every word, puncturing his soul. You don’t even notice his coming arm, taking half of the note away and you irritatedly pull back, causing it to rip in half. 

That does it, bullying you down to the floor where you start to cry. Out of anger, out of betrayal, out of everything. The green eyed boy tries to soothe you, mumbling into your hair but you’re too busy zoning out that you don’t catch a single confession.

Leave.

Charles flinches; you can feel it as he presses close to you. What?

He almost doesn’t recognize you when you furiously push him off, crawling back with a sense of suffocation. Pain crosses his eyes as he watches you create distance. I don’t want you anymore. I don’t want you here anymore—leave.

Anyone who knows Charles would know that he never gave up. He either spoke down on himself and pitied for a while, but never ever gave up. So this was a first. A tough pill to swallow.

If that's what you want me to do, then…okay. He stands up firmly, but inside he’s terrified that his limbs might call out for the day. But I love you. So don’t ever ask me to stop. And he walks out of your life after evilly twisting the knife.

With a new note and ring box deep inside his pocket.

-

Despaired eyes flicker over to where Charles eases into a conversation with Carmen and George, occasionally clenching his jaw. You hadn’t invited him—that’s just absurd—but he had gotten word from blabbermouth Pierre and you didn’t have the solidity to say no. From the looks of it, he didn’t want to be here either.

“Well I’ve got news for you, my dear friend, I love Hudson, so climb on board because this is happening…” Your voice trails off the second your ex looks up, as if he felt your eyes drawn onto him. Normally they’re dazzling and filled with joy, but the unfamiliar injured expression is like a punch to the gut. Your conscience calls you out on it, slapping you back into reality. Turning to Lando, you purse your lips tightly. “Who even is Charles?”

-

“God! When I saw Charles had showed up I just wanted to dig up a hole and never come out! Who would willingly go to their exes' engagement party?” Like a spinning top, you fume at Kika whose eyes shine at the sight of you, even after barking. “You should have warned me Pierre would do that. God, I hate that jerk sometimes.”

The Portuguese hums. “Me too…” You flick a questionable brow. Kika giggles, fixing your white gown, feathering it out like a dove. “I know, I should have! Bad friend, bad friend,” she childishly says. You can’t help rolling your eyes, returning your attention back to your reflection. “But if we’re being truthful here, someone should have warned Charles.” 

“What are you talking about?”

Taking a quick sip of the complimentary champagne, she nods enthusiastically. “No one gave him a heads up. He thought it was just any other ordinary party—nowhere near a proposal.” 

Your stomach churns, mortification taking over at the sudden report. Charles’ reaction was odd, but you couldn’t help filling up with satisfaction, climbing onto your high horse when you saw it. Never in a million years did you ever consider that being a surprise to him too. Hellooo? Coughing awkwardly, you swat her hand far away. Kika yelps. 

“Yeah, well he deserves it.” You chug down the rest of her drink in a matter of seconds. Her wide eyes grow larger as she nervously giggles. “No one ever gave me a warning either.”

-

You were never one for being superstitious, but if anyone ever taught you something valuable, then it would be to never make contact with the groom before the wedding ceremony. He probably didn’t know any better—it of course wasn’t intentional—but that doesn’t stop your heartbeat from spiking up when you spot your fiancé sauntering over to where to stand.

“What are you doing here?” you hiss. Hudson furrows his thick brow. What are you talking about? I came to see you. You look fucking hot by the way. Squeezing your eyes shut, you shoo him, expensive jewelry clinking against one another. “Listen, that’s sweet and all, but you need to leave or else you’re going to ruin it!” You already did, the devil on your shoulder growls. You try relaxing, but can still feel the tenseness shifting between your shoulder blades. “Hudson, I’m dead serious, go.”

The stubborn brunette raises his arms in defense, mouthing a quick wow and walking back out. Were you being a tad bit colder than intended? Was there a better way to deal with the unwanted interaction? Yes. Probably. That’s what you tried to convince yourself because you knew the longer you pondered, the quicker you would realize that Lando was right.

You were making a mistake. 

Charles isn’t any better off. He twists and turns the entire night, debating whether he should attend the occasion he knew would most likely make him flat line, but the curiosity definitely got to him. He always wondered what type of dress you would exclusively choose, perfect in every detail. Your hair, your heels. Your smile. Because they weren’t all the same. There was the kind that would sort of slip to a subtle, shy frown when he would compliment you, so he often saw lots of those. Or the kind that would cause your eyes to crinkle—he witnessed those when he would tickle you half to death, laughing loudly as tears would start to form. What he would kill to see you beam back at him once again…

But naturally, he talked himself out of it. What good does it do for him? The following morning, as he blinks strangely at the white wall, he starts to reminisce to himself. Like your first date—which was originally for both Carlos and Isa—but you both weaseled your way in. Or the time he taught you how to skate; only to remember he doesn’t know how to skate. He kept apologizing as the doctor secured your arm with a bright pink cast, but you only laughed, begging him to be the first to sign it. You were probably high off of meds, but still. 

A peculiar feeling washes over as he spots an old shoe box. He almost dashes out of the arctic room when he realizes what it holds, but deliberately crunches down to open it. 

And he knows what to do.

-

“He wants to see you,” Lily shrieks, peeking out into the hallway, then jumping back in. The teal dress was doing wonders for her skin tone, but you couldn’t help the agitation. Tell him I don’t want to see him. We have a whole lifetime to do that, you groan, slipping onto your heels. 

Your bridesmaid clicks her tongue, widening the entrance as you hold back a much needed gasp. “I think you should tell him yourself…”

“I only need a minute,” Charles stammers, a thin layer of sweat coating his sharp nose. You’re too afraid to speak, so you robotically nod as you watch everyone scurry out, giving you two privacy. The twenty-six year old shyly gets closer, gently pinching a piece of paper in between his clammy grip. Your heart stops. “I walked beneath a ladder…on my way here,” he clarifies. You blink, long lashes fluttering like a fan. “I don’t think I’ll ever learn.”

-

If I had known you were this manly, I would’ve married you a lifetime ago. It slips out like a force of nature before you can stop yourself as your boyfriend halts from his task. The day was soon ending, late November, and you were both working together on painting the bedroom your dream shade. He had tried talking you out of it because it was simply—just white— but you had hounded him until he agreed. Now he stands here with a white coloring staining his dark gray shirt and you’ve never been happier.

Is that something you might want? Charles tries to play it cool, picking up from where he left off, lips itching into a goofy grin. To get married?

You’re almost glad he’s not facing you since you're as bright as a tomato. I won’t lie, I’ve definitely thought about it. You take a sip of water, suddenly caught with a dry throat. Could be nice. 

The Monegaque flips around to face you, placing the paint roller down and strolling over to where you sit criss-cross. You visibly gulp; electricity slipping into the small room. It would be, wouldn’t it? His pink lips ghost over yours as you lean in a bit. 

Yeah…

Could kiss you anytime I want… Kiss. Fuck you anytime I want… Another kiss. My fucking dream.

You moan against his touch, melting away like an ice cream sundae. I-I-I really think we could do it; be married. You had been together for so long now, you’re honestly surprised you hadn’t had this conversation any sooner. I would choose that exact same shade for my dress, you squeal, pointing at the wet wall. He hums. Not eggshell, not timid white—whipped cream, if you will.

Ahhhh, smart girl, he teases, nipping at your bottom lip. You practice this shit when I’m not around?

You laugh. I’ve been taught all kinds of tones from birth. My father was a painter himself, remember?

Of course I do, mon amour. He only created the best piece of art yet, he announces with a cheshire smile, watercolor eyes pointing down at you. You blush. 

You’re such a klutz, you would probably do something stupid like walk underneath a ladder on our wedding day. You only do it every time, you say, wiggling out of his grip as he tickles you. 

I swear I don't do that shit on purpose, it just happens, okay?

Pressing your nose against his, you cozily sigh. As long as we don’t see eachother until the actual ceremony, then I won’t be too upset. 

Is that a promise?

You nod. That’s a fucking vow.

-

“You called it.”

Shifting uncomfortably, you chuckle when you nearly tip over. “Yeah, you’ve always been like that, but don’t think about it too much—it’s not like it’s your wedding.”

He clenches his sharp jaw. “Sure, but bad luck is bad luck, no? And I think I’m quite familiar with it.”

His words shouldn’t impact you so much years laters, but they do. Perhaps it’s due to his sorrowful stare, or his anxious tick, but it kills you just the same way it did that December night. You let out a light shudder, blinking away tears. “What do you want, Charles?”

“I wrote you a letter.”

God—a heartfelt note is the last thing you wanted and today was not the day to receive it either. Or ever. Not when it came from him. “I’m sorry, but it’s a bit too late for that. I’m about to be a married woman in approximately an hour.” You narrow your neat brows, flawless makeup shimmering against the sunbeams. “What gives you the right to walk back into my life, get shit off your chest for your own sake, and just for you to do what? Leave?” 

You’re not being fair; not completely, but you can't help it. For the longest time, you thought you were over it, but clearly not. Charles licks his rosy lips, closing the gap between you two. “This isn’t something I just came up with.” He extends his arm out. “I wrote this three years ago.”

You inhale sharply, suspiciously eyeing the white paper. Please, just read it. Back then you could never turn him down, as much as you tried…

And it appears like today wasn’t any different.

It’s almost hilarious to think about how much you cried on your proposal date and how much you are now. You were a light rain at best when Hudson got down on one knee, but Charles stands here, tall, and you’re a complete waterfall. 

“Y-you were going to ask me to…” A headache comes rolling in as you let out a wet cry. “This isn’t true; it isn’t real. You wrote this today and came here to fuck with me.”

The Monegasque shakes his head in panic, blood painting his higher cheekbones. “No—listen; the first letter you found, I did write that.” You grimace. “But I swear I took it back immediately. It’s just that you were getting so much hate during that time, and you would always cry, and then you’d say you were never crying…You were in a really dark place. Do you remember?”

How could you not? You knew not everyone was going to love you for dating one of the top Formula One drivers, but you never expected to read such brutal messages either. They were descriptive, and cruel, and ruthless, and it crushed you more than you’d like to admit. Which was fucking stupid since there was always a rather large community that loved and adored you, and Charles loved and adored you—and yet.

You release a shaky breath, desperately rubbing your eyelids. Lily would probably throw a fit at your now snotty and smudged makeup, but you couldn’t really think too deeply about any of that right now. “What does that have to do with anything?”

The brunette cradles your face and you hate when you lean into his warm touch. “I just wanted all of that to end; for you to feel better. And I could never actually say the words, so I drafted a letter, and I’m so fucking sorry, mon amour.” The tides crash inside your chest, getting harder to breathe. “It has been my biggest regret. Hurting you.”

He did more than hurt you; he broke you completely. Like a porcelain doll, like a trophy, like a mirrorball; it ruined you. But you know he knows that when his eyes slowly turn red. “But then I thought to myself, it doesn’t have to be that way! W-we could restrict comments, I could post something and stand up for the woman I love, and I could reassure her by vowing the most sacred thing there could ever exist…And I sat down and wrote this letter.”

If you thought Charles loved you before, then you’re a fool. He was utterly infatuated, devoted, obsessed and drowning in fervor. This letter may be old, slightly cutting loose around the edges, but it’s pinned as straight as can be. Not like the last.

“My only mistake was writing the first, and to even consider giving up on us. My best decision has been writing the second, and promising to stick by you the way I knew I was put on this Earth to do.” Charles carefully draws you in closer. “But I know nothing could ever fix the shit I’ve put you through, but I’m begging for the chance to try.” He kisses your temple and you relax against his lips. “I’m fucking desperate—just one.”

He slips out his original ring box and shines the gem back at you. It’s smaller than the one Hudson had given you, thinner too.

But it has you written all over.

A dizzy spell hovers over as you blink hastily. Charles doesn’t dare to breathe, waiting for you. “This isn’t…I just…” You bite your lower lip, glossy orbs flickering towards the band and then back at him. “Thank you for taking the time to apologize and clear things up; I really needed that, but I can’t do this.” You step out of his embrace, immediately freezing as if you were spending a winter in Iceland. His heart palpitates hysterically, green eyes skimming your features. “This isn’t what I had in mind—this isn’t what’s supposed to happen,” you press sternly.

“You’re right; it’s not.” Though you had just said the same, hearing him repeat it jams the knife deeper into your heart. You can hear chaos ensuing down the hallway, your friends chirping happily at one another. Contrary to what was going on in here. “It’s not because you can’t marry him. Because you know you don’t love him the way you say you do.” He laughs. “You tolerate him at best! I saw the way you avoided him getting down on one knee that day. You kept running off until you couldn’t anymore.” You burn up. “And who was the first person you looked for as he slipped that ring onto your finger? Me.”

“You’re paying too much attention to detail,” you retort, almost snarling.

 “Sure, and that’s eggshell.”

It’s like a slap to the face. Your blurry vision focuses onto your dress for a second before snapping back up. “It’s whipped cream. The way I wanted.”

The Monegasque rolls his watercolor eyes, nostrils fuming. “Open up your eyes and see—It’s. Eggshell. Nothing about this is anything you ever dreamt of for your wedding! From your dress, to your ring, to your fucking fiancé!” He huffs. “This ring is all I could have afforded back then, but I would have sold my heart to get you a fucking star if that’s what you wanted…But you’ve always liked the simpler things. You always said you didn’t need a huge diamond to prove your devotion. Look at you now,” he says, signaling to your ring that swallows your hand whole. “All of this is fake.”

You’re sobbing now. You’re bubbling with anger. Because he was here, with you, out of all days. Because he was still the same man who broke your heart and stitched it back up. 

Because he was right.

Brushing your nose with the back of your hand, you stare up weakly, defeated. “What do you want me to do?” you whisper, brows drawn together as he folds over completely over your goddess state.

“Don’t marry him and come with me.”

Though you knew that was what he wanted from the moment he walked past the door, it still knocked the last breath you held. 

Things were never easy with him. There were constant fights—but that never seemed to matter by the end of the day. There was constant hate—but you always braved through it because you needed him. 

And he steadied you. Charles was the first one to apologize, even if the majority of arguments weren’t his fault. Charles was the one who despite crushing his own heart, he wrote that letter to keep you untouched from his fans, from the media.

The letter hurt; like a motherfucker—and it would take a while to forgive…

But there’s no one else you would rather work through with it than with him.

Smiling softly, you nod, almost as if you can’t believe you’re actually doing this. Charles lets out a heavy exhale, laughing as he hugs you tightly, leaving you like a fish out on land. But you’re giggling through it all. “I have to talk to Hudson first, oh God, I have to talk to his family…” you shriek, pale and mortified.

“You know,” he starts. “We could skip all of that and just—”

“No,” you coldly press. Charles’ brows fly up. “I have to do this.” Distancing yourself from him, you wobble to the wooden door before looking back at the handsome man who stands proudly with his neat suit. Butterflies expand freely. “You’ll still be here when I get back, right?”

With a single hand pressed against his heart, he nods, as if you held the keys to all gates. “I’ll be wherever you need me to be from now on.” With that, you grin, eyes crinkling and exit the room.

What happened to your makeup? Lily squeals when she spots you running down the hallway, tripping over her tall heels as Alex catches her. There better be a reasonable explanation to this!

taglist: @blueflorals @starmanv @coolio2195 @lovrsm @weekendlusting@chanshintien @brune77e @myownwritings @timmychalametsstuff @milasexutoire@alesainz @c-losur3 @darleneslane @togazzo @urfavnoirette @namgification @lpab @d3kstar @val-writes

[wifeofnatasharomanoff]

Sinful Affairs

WARNINGS: Nat has a dick, reader and Nat aren't married but they have a baby, arguing, slight angst, guns/knives, violence, fingering (reader receiving), oral (Nat receiving), daddy kink, breeding kink, degradation, edging, choking, slapping/spanking kink (only a bit) jealousy, possessiveness , fluffy ish at the end

WORDS: 2,779

PAIRING: dark/toxic!mob boss!Nat x f!Reader

A/N: silly little me wanted to write this, i hope you guys have been doing well <3

There it was again, her. The woman you shared many nights with. The woman who couldn't be there for you and the child you had together. But you see her again. You felt your breath catch in your throat. Her red hair was pulled up into a braid. A little boy in her arms. “Natasha. W- what are you doing here? Why are you here?” her lips formed into a sly grin. “Why? Can't I visit my son and my girl?” You glared at her. Her girl? If you were hers, she wouldn't have left you time after time with that dumb little note every morning. ‘Sorry sweetheart, work issues. Had to leave, I'll be back.’ and every time you believed her. You had begged her to stay. To quit her job and live with you and the baby, it's not like she lacked the money for it. She knew you were upset. And that she was the cause of it. “Natasha please just leave.” she sent you a stern look and carefully put down the baby in his crib.

“And why should I listen to you?” she said as she leaned against the wall. “You don't have to. But I want you to.” she seemed unphased by your little comment. She was more humored that you didn't want her here. Or that you attempted to lie in order to get her to leave. “If you aren't going to stay, then there's no point in coming here. You're getting my hopes up, and Alex would know you well enough to remember. Remember that his other parent could care less about him and his mom.” she faked a look of pity as she backed you out of the nursery and into the bedroom.

“You don't realize that if I stay, you two would get hurt. Do you even know how many enemies I've made in my line of work? No. Exactly, so you can't be upset at me for something you don't know.” you scoffed, “oh, so you visiting makes it any less dangerous for us? Nat– you‐ God! I don't even know what I feel when I'm around you.” was that a confession, or were you still fighting? “Well, I'm being careful with my visit times. I don't show up whenever I want to.” so she chose to ignore that last part.

You couldn't tell if you were mad at her or if you wanted to risk it all for one more night with her. So you stayed silent as she brought up a finger under your chin to direct your face to hers. “Natasha– if you stayed here, you would be able to protect us. What if you don't come home for over a week and you show up to find us dead? Hm?” her grip on your face slightly tightened. How could you say something like that? “Detka.. I–” your gaze dances over her features. She accidentally let her insecurities slip, you could tell. Her brows softened, and her eyes were a bit glossed over.

“You what?” she slid her hand from your face and down to your neck. Her fingers hesitated before clasping around your neck and pushing you up against the wall. Her hold was tight but not yet unbearable. You felt your oxygen cut off at some point, making your head go all fuzzy. She was always violent but never over matters like this. When she noticed your hand around her wrist loosen, she stopped. Did she go too far? No. In her mind, she was always right. You gasped for air the second she let you go. “Y/N—” you coughed as you leaned your head against the door.

“D- don't you think you've done enough Nat?” you couldn't bring yourself to look at her. “... What if I marry someone else? Alex wouldn't mind a stepdad or step-mom. At least they'd be there for him—” that was it. She had enough of you by now. You winced as you felt her palm harshly hit your cheek, reddening the side of your face. “Don't you fucking say that you little slut. Alex is perfectly fine with the way things are.” you blinked back some unshed tears, “how do you know that? He's just a baby. He can't even talk yet! Did he tell you that he was okay with all of this? Did he?” she sighed as she shook her head.

You watched her slowly bring a hand up to her pocket and pull out a blade. “Natasha put that down.. fuck– put it down, Nat!” you shouted as you threw the pillows that sat on the bed at her. If anything, it angered her more. “Natasha stop! I- I can call 911. You've been wanted by the police for a few years, isn't that right?” she huffed as she threw you onto the bed with ease. “Please Tash stop!” you cried as you felt her cold touch underneath your shirt. “You aren't marrying anyone. If you do, it'll be me. You're mine. You hear that?” you had to give in. Or else she would've done something to you. “Mhm! I'm yours. I'm all yours! Please Nat stop.” you held your breath as you felt the tip of the knife gently hit your skin.

She's not going to kill you. Right? She has hurt you before, but you doubt that she'd kill you. Or maybe she would. A shaky gasp escaped your mouth when you sensed the head of a gun underneath your chin. It can't be loaded. Can it? You whimper as she harshly tugged on your hair and pressed the gun harder against your skin. “Natasha! Nat.. please t–that's empty, right?” her lips grew into a slight smirk as she lowered the gun and pulled the trigger, aiming for the wall. You felt your blood go cold, it was loaded. She was going to kill you, wasn't she? That's what she wanted you to think. The second you heard the shot, your body slightly jumped. The knife that she held against your stomach lightly touched your skin.

“Natasha please. Let me go. I won't marry anyone, okay? Nat, we have a son– you aren't home half of the time! I have to take care of him. Please, Natasha.” you were thankful she put the gun away, but she still had the knife pressed against your body. “Thank you. I'm sorry, I- I shouldn't have said I'd marry someone else. I'm sorry Natasha—” “turn around.” you look up at her with a confused look, “what?” without letting you process any of what she said, Natasha grabbed you by the waist and flipped you over. You heard the knife clatter on the floor as she threw it onto the ground. You lay flat on your stomach on the bed. “God, you're so fucking annoying.” she quickly slid your pants off, leaving your legs exposed. “Natasha..” you stopped yourself from complaining. She was already upset, you didn't want to upset her more.

You felt her palm roughly hit your ass, causing you to slightly wince. “Count for me, kotenok.” she whispered as she sent another smack to your skin, “o-one.” she grabbed a fistful of your hair and pulled your face off the mattress. “Recount for daddy sweetheart.” you nodded as her hand hit your ass once more, “one.. t-thank you daddy.”

She traced the hem of your panties, chuckling slightly when her finger came in contact with damp fabric. “You got all worked up over that?” you didn't answer her. She slid her fingers against your inner thighs, relentlessly teasing your sensitive areas. “N-Natasha I..” she tore off your panties and tossed them on the floor. Your words get cut short with a muffled moan as she rubbed her fingers through your slippery folds, slamming your face against the mattress. “mmnh..” her touch felt like fire on skin, burning you up. “Tell me.. do you want daddy to fuck you?” you felt her press her fingers on your slit, gathering your slick and spreading it all over your cunt. “Nata– daddy please.” you didn't know if you were begging her to stop or to keep going.

“Get up.” you bit back a whimper and sat up on the bed. You watched patiently as her hands went to discard her jeans and boxers. Your eyes go straight to look at her thick, hardened dick. “Well?” you turn your gaze away from her. “Are you that dumb?” she sighed as she gripped onto your cheeks, forcing your mouth open. She pulled your face closer to her length and shoved a few inches inside your mouth. “mmph—” she buried her hand into your hair and pushed further into your mouth. “Be a good little bitch and suck.” you rolled your eyes and flattened your tongue along the veins of her cock.

She guided your head around her dick, shoving it deeper into your mouth. You slightly gagged as her tip hit the back of your throat. “Take it all in, baby girl.” her breath labored as your tongue teases and sucks her length. “Fuck..” her grip on your hair tightened as you sucked her cock vigorously, drool dripping down from your chin.

You didn't want this. She didn't care for you, but it felt so natural like it was meant to be. Like you were meant to be hers. But she wasn't yours, was she? She was yours too. You just didn't know. She didn't want you to know.

Your head bobbed up and down rapidly as her dick popped in and out of your mouth. “oh God!” her head threw back as you sucked harder on her girthy length, sinking it deeper and deeper into your mouth. It was then that she thrust her hips forward and her tip pushed back into your throat, causing you to gasp for air as you choked on her length and tears to spill from your eyes. “mmnph!” she didn't stop fucking your throat, her hand buried into your hair as she forced her cock deep into your mouth. “Fuck– I'm gonna cum in that slutty little mouth of yours. Take it.” you hear her say, and you felt two ropes of thick cum release into your mouth.

She pulled her length out of your mouth and brought her hand down to her dick and began pumping. “Close your eyes, sweetheart.” you could tell from her voice that she was close, you closed your eyes shut as her cum sputtered all over your face. “Shit..” she moaned softly as she came on your face. She lowered her hand down to grip your face, “daddy's sorry for having to ruin such a..” she examined your fucked out face, her cum and your saliva dribbling down the corners of your lips, tears rolling down your blushed cheeks. “..pretty little face.” she chuckled as she tapped her palm against your warm cheek.

“Get on the bed.” you complied and got up with shaky legs and laid on the bed. Natasha walked over to the edge of the bed and pulled your legs around hers. “What do you want daddy to do kotenok?” you were about to respond, but then she slipped her hand in between your thighs, making you let out an embarrassingly loud whimper. “Daddy please.” she raised her brow up and slid her thumb against your glistening slit. A cocky smirk played on her lips as she watched your hole twitch, and your body squirm underneath her. You let out a sigh of relief as she inserted 2 fingers inside of your pussy. She quickly pumped her digits in and out of your tight cunt, stretching your walls out for her cock. “Daddy– oh my God, I'm so close!” she pulled her fingers out of your cunt, “whores like you don't get to cum this soon.” you whined as you felt her leave you empty.

She grabbed the knife and swiftly sliced off your blouse, along with your bra, leaving your chest and stomach uncovered. “Natasha put that down. Please, please, I'll do anything.” you chanted pleas and begged her to drop the knife as she gently stroked your bare skin with the metal of the knife. “Nat..” you whimpered in fear as she poked your stomach lightly with the tip of the blade. She sighed as she threw the knife onto the floor.

“Shut up.” she muttered as she roughly held onto your hips and pushed a few inches of her length inside of your aching cunt. “oh daddy fuck!” she rocked your hips back and forth whilst she shoved deeper into you, sliding inside inch by inch. “How are you still so– fucking tight after all of that?” she grunted as she struggled to fit her cock entirely into you. “mm! You're so big daddy..” she thrusted deeper inside of you, earning a moan from your mouth as it hit your sweet spot. “oh fuck– right there daddy! You feel so good inside of me..” you hesitantly grip onto her muscular shoulders as you cry for more. She leaned down to press her lips against yours, pulling you in for a slow kiss. “You drive me crazy detka..” she mumbles breathlessly against your lips. You moan into the kiss as she thrusts deeper inside of you. “nmh.. Natty!” you gasp softly as she snapped her hips upwards.

“Are you close?” she grunted as she fucked harder into you. “..y-yes.” you were surprised that you were able to respond as your nails dug deep into her skin, leaving crescent shaped marks. “Beg. Tell me why you deserve to cum.” you mentally scoffed at her, “daddy please. Please I need to so badly.. please- please- please!” she snickered at your desperation. “Fine. Do it now it you won't get to cum later.” she said as she continued pounding away at you. You scream in pleasurement as you came all over her cock, your thighs trembling as your nails scratching at her back and shoulders, hard enough to draw blood.

She continued her movements on your cunt as she rolled her hips against yours, “ngh– daddy stop..” you muttered, all out of breath. “oh.. sweetheart, I'm not stopping till I finish inside of you.” she seemed unbothered by your whines and complains, her strong hands gripping your hips tightly to keep you from moving away. “N-Natasha please.” despite your attempts of getting her to stop, the whorish moans never stopped leaving your mouth. You clawed at her back as her tip pushed up to your cervix, “Gonna cum inside you baby.. fill you all up.” she groaned when she felt your spongey walls clench around her cock. She slightly smiled as she leaned down to pepper light, feathery kisses all over your stomach. “mhm..” you were at the point where you couldn't speak properly, everything seemed like a blur, all your words came out incoherently.

Her breaths became more strained and heavy as she fucked vigorously into you, “tell.. tell me you want me to cum inside you.” she breathed out, clear sweat glistened on her forehead. “I wan’ you to.. ” your mind hazy as you barely finished speaking. “You too tired to speak detka?” she chuckled, “no– Nat cum inside me.. please.” her lips curled into a small smile. “Whatever you say moya lyubov.” she said as she came deep inside of your cunt, painting your velvety walls white. “Fucking hell..” she panted as she laid against your limp body. “Natasha pull out.. ’m too sensitive.” she placed her lips over yours, softly kissing your plump lips. “Okay..” she whispered against your mouth as she slowly pulled out.

“Natasha..” you mumbled out her name, “yeah?” you weakly grasped her hand. “Stay.” her gaze softened as she lightly squeezed your hand. “Detka you know I can't.” tears pricked your eyes, “stay. Natasha, please.” you could hear your voice cracking as you spoke. “Please.. darling, I need you home. We need you home.” she wasn't going to stay. She'd leave like always. Right? She wouldn't listen to you. The thoughts spun in your head, “okay. Just this once.” your hand fell from hers. She was going to stay. “I can't let them find you two.” you furrowed your brows, “who?” she smiled and kissed your forehead. “Nothing. Go to sleep baby.” she dodged your question, but you were too tired to argue with her.

“Lay with me?” she nodded and lies down next to you. Snuggling her chin in the crook of your neck, “I love you.” she said as she pecked your cheek. A smile appeared on your lips when you felt a squeeze at your waist. “I love you too.”

[wild-flowerhoney]

percy/nico fics masterlist

- AO3 pseud: cabin13 -

• COMPLETED WORKS

unreal unearth series - stand alone works whose themes/titles/ideas were inspired by hozier's unreal unearth album:

1. the first time that you kissed me (i drank dry the river lethe) - three chapters, rated gen, son of neptune au where percy develops feelings for nico in camp jupiter, angst with a happy ending.

2. heaven is not fit to house a love (like you and i) - three chapters, rated gen, post-canon, au where nico left after gaea and ends up at percy's after six years, angst, domestic fluff, happy ending.

3. carving through the dark (hold me like a knife) - three chapters, rated mature, for the 'unreal unearth' series, infidelity/cheating (not on each other), a percy and nico that can't seem to stop chasing after one another, deeply flawed characters all around.

only the sun - two chapters, rated gen, post-canon where nico reveals that he saw them question his loyalty from the jar, emotional hurt/comfort with hopeful ending.

when the sea rises to meet us (nothing left for you and i to do) - two chapters, rated gen, soulmates au where nico shouldn't be percy's soulmate but definitely is, angst, hopeful ending (possible series/more chapters in the future).

what love means series - five one-shots for the 12 days of percico/nicercy christmas. all fluff and very slight angst:

1. to put in the work - gen, aphrodite and percy discuss his blossoming relationship with nico.

2. to have a home - gen, percy and nico talking about their plans for christmas.

3. to be there for someone - gen, their relationship during the years in four phone calls.

4. to make the best of it - gen, a christmas gift mishap.

5. to give yourself to someone - teen, wedding day fluff.

i'd be home with you - one-shot, rated teen, attempt at humor, fluffy proposal fic.

on the mend - seven chapters, rated teen, follows married percico as they go through a rough spot, angst with a happy ending.

growing into us series - all my fics for percy/nico fest week 2024, all about growing and healing and building relationships.

1. the soil and the sea - four chapters, rated gen, nico and percy getting together years after hoo, mutual pining, light angst, unrequited solangelo (from will), moving in together, domestic fluff.

2. gather the pieces - two chapters, raten gen, nico and percy fell in tartarus together au, dealing with the aftermath of akhlys and tartarus as a whole, not actually unrequited crush, healing and getting together.

3. taste divinity on your lips - one-shot, rated mature, nico becomes a god after his death, mourning and grief, worship, getting together, happy ending.

• WIPS

the relinquishment of logic - two chapters, rated explicit, the haunting of hill house au, horror, mystery, major/minor character death, grief, cousin incest, eventual happy ending.

colored in love - three chapters, rated teen, buddy daddies au, assassins/hitmen percico accidentally adopt a child, found family, humor, angst/fluff, happy ending.

devotee - eight chapters, rated explicit, post-canon percy and nico as friends with benefits, pining, slight angst, past emotional cheating (light and not on each other).

inherent vice - four chapters, rated explicit, hunger games au, angst, minor character death, hunger games canon violence, grief, murder, slow burn, enemies to friends to lovers, district one nico and district twelve percy.

to the ends of the earth (would you follow me?) - three chapters, rated gen, percy and nico meet in the lotus casino, mix of show and book, slow burn, eventual romance, friends to lovers, inspired by @g0thnico's post.

what was holding up the ground (it was you all the way down) - one chapter, raten teen, percy struggling with his sexuality after years of being exposed to heteronormativity.

in the dark of sleep - four chapters, rated explicit, russian doll au, time loops, temporary character death, post-canon percy and nico keep dying and reliving percy's 21st birthday.

• COMING SOON

all that glitters is gold - the greatest fairy tale never told AKA shrek au. half-human/half sea monster percy embarks in a quest to rescue a prince from a tower with his satyr companion grover so that the lord of the land will give him his home back free of magical creatures.

when the earth is trembling on some new beginning - sequel to "when the sea rises to meet us (nothing left for you and i to do)", shouldn't be soulmates but definitely are percico dealing with the fallout of their new relationship.

[k-martins]

Hey I was just wondering if you had any itafushi fic recs!! :)

Fanfic recommendations from your ITFS fairy godmother!

Separated according to classification! R.N = Reader's note (me)

G

Indelible by Lyrebirdswrites +4k words || Oneshot || AU Tattoo artist! Megumi and Florist! Yuji || Marriage proposal || Fluffy, love and peace || R.N: For more fanfics that use the language of flowers

The Seasons Of Our Life by auspicious_goblin +1k words || Oneshot || AU - No curses || ITFS will end like this If Gege is not a loser || Fluffy and slice to life || R.N: YES!!! ITFS ELDERLY YES!!!!

You’re The Only Good Thing In My Life by renarizaki +2k words || Oneshot || Canonical divergence || Megumi helps Yuji dye his hair || fluffy, slice to life andhumor || R.N: The Manga would be funnier if Yuji actually dyed his hair pink.

T

Nobody Saves Me The Way You Do by GallifreyanFairytale +3k words || Oneshot || Canon compatible || Yuji gives Megumi a bath || Anguish mainly || R.N: I love how this writer describes Megs' scenes and feelings <3

No One Gets it Right on the First (Or Second) Try by j_jabbers +12k words || Oneshot || AU - No curses || ITFS and its failed encounters || 5 + 1, humor, fluffy and slice to life || R.N: I really like Yuji's POV where he is a failure in love.

Plant Kisses Like Seeds by Miah_Kat +4k words || Oneshot || Canon compatible || Yuji has survivor's guilt, good thing Megumi is around || Anguish and fluffy || R.N: This fanfic hits my weak points very hard. I'm passionate about body worship scenes.

And I've Been Tryin' Not To Feel It by hijinks_n_lowjinks +37k words || In Progress || Au - No curses/College || ITFS slowly (or not if you're Megumi) falling in love || Humor, slice to life, fluffy || R. N: God bless jinks for always making my day better with an update to this fanfic.

M

Can't Have It Both Ways by vivevoce +4k words || Oneshot || Canonical divergence || The ITFS meeting takes Todo through all the stages of grief || Humor, nonsense and fluffy? I think it's cute || R.N: This fanfic made me wish for fillers with the people of Tokyo and Kyoto coming together in a common goal - to destroy Todo's lack of sanity

It's a Goddamn Blaze In The Dark by prosciutto +13k words || Oneshot || AU - No curses/college || roommates, stranger>friends>lovers what more do you want? || humor, angst, fluffy || R.N: I really like how Megumi and Yuji are portrayed here. I feel like if we got a glimpse of their dynamic outside of the manga this would be it.

All The Bad Dreams That You Hide by lexouran +5k words || Oneshot (my tears)) || Au - Spiderman || Megumi receives a visit from her neighborhood friend || anguish, fluffy slight smut(?) || R.N: CAN YOU HEAR MY TEARS FROM YOUR HOUSE??? BECAUSE I CRY EVERY TIME I THINK THIS FANFIC HAS NO CONTINUATION!!

E

The Rabbit In the Moon by zillala +266k words || In Progress || Canonical divergence || Megumi finally confesses after Shibuya || Friends to lovers, angst, slice to life, humor, fluffy || R.N: The first itfs fanfic I read and I will never regret it. God bless this author and her huge chapters that were my vitamin on dark nights without the manga.

Futile Devices by jellyjully +25k words || Oneshot || Post-canon || Yuji is exiled from Japan for years until Megumi finds him || Slice to life, humor, anguish, fluffy || R.N: This fanfic gave me vibes of a studio ghigle film. I think it's the ambiance.

To Have And To Hold by terriana +15k words || In progress || Post-canon and Dynamics a/b/o || Yuji tries to woo Megumi, but his lover's shikigami wouldn't approve of the idea || Humor, anguish, fluffy, slice to life || R.N: This fic gets funnier when I think about the kung fu bunny from eps 17. No wonder Yuji was so broken LMAO (Please terriana, if you see this tell me what you have planned for Nue, I'm very curious )

Hope this helps! (ɔ◔‿◔)ɔ ♥

[ro-is-struggling]

Finally, Ro's followers celebration!!!!! I'd like to request this prompt: Character A and Character B have feelings for each other but can't bring themselves to admit it. That is until they have to pretend to be a couple (for a mission, a family party, whatever) and end up kissing on more than one occasion. Their feelings for each other become evident and they end up confessing their feelings - but not before acting like a couple of nervous, awkward idiots {Brooklyn 99 2x23} with james potter! I want it to be fluffy, pls😩🥰 thank you. love u <3

Hi beautiful!! Of course my first request had to be from you💜💜💜

Thank you so much for participating! I'm so happy to start the celebration with your request💕 I had a lot of fun writing this one so I hope you like it!!

Undercover Mission || James Potter x Reader

Summary: An undercover mission for the Order of the Phoenix leads you and James to confront your repressed feelings for each other as you are forced to kiss to keep your covers from being blown.

Warnings: fluff, a little bit of angst, mutual pining, idiots in love, friends to lovers, humor, set after they graduated from Hogwarts

English is not my first language

Word count: 4900

Notes: I based this story on the episode of b99 from which I got the prompt, I hope you don't mind. I just think James and Jake are literally the same person so I couldn’t resist

"Are we sure we have the right guy?" you asked, the boredom and exhaustion clear in your voice. James, Sirius, Marlene and you had spent the last few hours trapped in an old van following a guy under suspicion that he was a Death Eater. Dumbledore believed he was transporting an important package for the Dark Lord and he wanted the Order of the Phoenix to intercept it before it reached its destination, but so far nothing interesting or remotely suspicious had happened.

"If Albus suspects him then there's gotta be a reason," James stated beside you, his eyes glued to the window as he kept an eye on his target. 

"I know, but this dude hasn't done anything since we got here," you complained, letting your head fall back against the seat cushion. "Am I the only one who doesn't understand why he would be in the Muggle world if he wanted to do Death Eater shit? It doesn't make sense."

"Cause we wouldn't expect it," Sirius said from the driver's seat. 

"Or they're planning an attack," Marleen muttered next to him and your heart stopped for a moment. You really hoped things wouldn't escalate to such a level. If they were planning something big you didn't know if the backup would arrive in time to stop them and save the lives of the innocent muggles caught in the line of fire.

"I don't think they are," James said, turning to look at you for a moment. His tone of voice was soft but determined, trying to control the situation and clear those ideas from his friends' minds —especially yours. "Albus would have heard something if that was their plan all along."

The van fell into silence for a few minutes as you waited for something to happen. The soft rock playing on the radio was the only thing that could be heard inside the vehicle, anticipation, fear, boredom and adrenaline a strange mix of feelings that affected the minds of the four young, newly graduated from Hogwarts. You were definitely too young and inexperienced to be participating in secret missions, but someone had to do it. Someone had to stand up and fight for what was right. 

You drove through town for another hour following your target. The sun had already gone down when you parked on a nice, well-lit, but quiet street. Your target entered a restaurant at the end of the street and you let out an exclamation of joy as you finally got out of that old truck for a while to stretch your legs.

"Okay, we'll go in and keep an eye on him I'm case he makes the deal inside. You two stay here and wait for my signal" James instructed his friends as both you and he exited the vehicle. You took a moment to straighten your clothes, wrinkled after so many hours sitting in the car. It wasn't the nicest muggle outfit you had, but luckily the restaurant didn't seem to be too fancy so you'd be fine.

"Do you see him anywhere?" James asked once inside the establishment, scanning the crowded front desk for his target. You gently nudged him in the ribs to shut him up, nodding your head forward. His eyes followed your movement and he then discovered that just a couple of inches away was the man you had been following all day. He spoke to the woman at the front desk and was quickly escorted to a table inside the restaurant, leaving you behind without any visual of what he was doing. 

"What's taking so long?" you complained in a mumble that only James could hear. "He could be making the deal right now."

"Should we use our wands?" suggested James. Using magic was risky, but it would get you a table at the restaurant in a matter of seconds.

"No, I have a better idea." Taking James by the hand, you walked up to the woman at the front desk to ask for a table. She informed you that the place was full and that you would have to wait for a table to clear before you could get in. But that was not an option for you, you had to get in and you had to get in now. So you held onto James' arm and smiling warmly you said, "Oh but we just got engaged and this is where we had our first date, isn't that right sweetie?"

James looked at you with wide eyes, surprised by your words. It took him a few seconds to respond, not because he didn't know what to answer but because he had been stunned to hear you call him by that affectionate nickname. He would be lying if he said he didn't want to hear you call him that for the rest of his life.

"Yes, yes! It was a beautiful night like this one. And special too. When you left the restaurant that night I knew you were the one, I just knew." James played along, wrapping an arm around your waist to pull you close against his body as he spoke, looking at you with a smile on his lips and the distinctive glint of love shining in his eyes. It felt real, too real, so you looked away before losing yourself in his beautiful blue eyes. You were on an important mission and you had to concentrate. "I would have made a reservation but I didn't know if she was gonna say yes." 

"Oh I love how nervous you were!" you exclaimed fondly, playfully tapping his nose and letting out a giggle. "You just had to see him, he was adorable," you added, standing on your tiptoes to reach up to give him a kiss on the cheek. James' heart raced, the blood in his whole body pooling in his cheeks as he struggled not to let his feelings for you show. He'd had a crush on you for a long time —since fifth year to be exact—, but you two had always been such good friends that he'd never gotten around to doing anything about it. He valued your friendship too much to risk losing it. That's why he had to control his heart or the mission wouldn't be the only thing that went wrong.

"You look so sweet together!" the receptionist exclaimed, watching you tenderly. "I'm sure I can find room for two young lovers."

"Yeah.. we are lovers… together... in bed" James muttered awkwardly, struggling to stop his imagination from running wild. He had pictured what his life with you might be like more times than he was proud to admit, but this wasn't the time or place to fantasize about your wedding or think about the name of your future child.

"Okay," you said with a smile, squeezing James' arm to shut him up as you watched the woman disappear inside the restaurant. "Keep it together, Potter. We need that table," you muttered just for him to hear. You knew it was weird for him to be in such an intimate and romantic situation with you. You had been friends for so long that you were pretty sure he saw you as a sister —a thought that made your heart clench painfully in your chest—, but he had to keep his cool for a few more minutes. Once at the table you could drop the act and laugh at how weird it was to imagine being married while keeping your target well guarded. 

However, things proved to be more difficult than that.

The woman returned a few minutes later with a smile on her face. She led you to your table herself, wishing you a lovely evening and a happy marriage before returning to her desk. You barely had time to settle into your seats before the couple seated at the table next to yours showered you with congratulations on your engagement as well. It was an elderly couple who were there celebrating fifty years of marriage, so neither of you had the heart to ignore them.

"So, when did you guys meet?" the man asked you.

"Last year" you said without thinking, your eyes searching the crowd for your target.

"Five years ago" James stated at the same time, his gaze locked on the Death Eater dining alone a couple of tables away. 

The elderly couple looked at you in confusion and you hurried to correct the mistake. "We met five years ago but we don't count that."

"Yeah, I was dating another girl at that time" James noted and technically he wasn't lying. When you met he was in love with Lily Evans and while you never officially dated, he had planned his entire life with her at that time.

"And I wasn't interested in dating," you laughed. "But a year ago we bumped into each other and we haven't been able to separate ever since."

"How sweet!" the woman exclaimed, looking at you fondly. She reminded you of your grandmother in some ways, which only made things weirder. It was hard not to get carried away with the role you were playing when fate seemed to be determined to make you imagine your perfect life at James' side. "How did you know she was the one?" the old lady asked your friend, looking at him expectantly.

James looked at you, panic written all over his face. "I'd love to answer that..." he stammered, trying to buy himself some time to think. He knew exactly how to answer that question, he had a memorized list of the things you did that made him fall in love with you, but he couldn't be honest. If he spoke from the heart he risked being exposed.  "Just whenever I look at her face," he finished, unsure if it was the right thing to say.

"And what about you?" The woman directed her question at you this time.

Your eyes met James' as you contemplated your answer. For a second, you felt as if the world had ceased to exist, the chatter of the people around you getting quieter and quieter until it disappeared altogether. It was just you and him in that restaurant, looking into each other's eyes with an intimacy that felt different. You lost yourself deep in his eyes, looking straight into his soul as your mind went over all the things you adored about him.  

"He makes me laugh" you replied honestly, putting a smile on James' face. 

"And you know, there's really no one else's opinion who I care about more than hers," he added, feeling comfortable and confident enough to open up a bit.

The elderly couple went on to tell you a bit of their life story and as much as you found it adorable, neither of you were able to pay much attention. They could barely remember that they were on a mission, their eyes occasionally traveling to their target to make sure he wasn't doing anything suspicious. You were both too distracted, lost in your own thoughts as you repeated each other's words over and over in your heads. You knew you just were playing roles, but what you had said to each other, the knowing look you had shared, it all felt too real, too sincere. Of course you both dismissed it after spinning it around in your heads for a while, convincing yourselves that you were seeing things where there was nothing because for some reason you were the only two people in the world unable to see that you were in love. 

The moment you were sharing was interrupted when you noticed your target getting up from the table. You kicked James lightly to get his attention, silently motioning for him to look at the Death Eater you were supposed to be watching. Excusing yourselves from the lovely old couple you had been chatting with for the last thirty minutes, you rose from the table and made your way to the back of the restaurant, following in your target's footsteps. 

"Do you think he's going to meet his partner?" you spoke in a whisper so that no one but James would hear you.

"I don't know," he replied.

Just as the words left his lips, the man turned and made direct eye contact with you. Time stopped for a second, panic taking over as you realized you had been discovered. You had no reason to be there and you were pretty sure that the Death Eater had already seen you parked in front of him hours ago. He wasn't stupid, he would be able to put two and two together and then your mission would be ruined at best. At worst, you would have to fight to get the briefcase he was carrying, endangering the lives of many innocent Muggles.

But before the panic could fully take hold of you, you felt James' hands close around your waist. You turned to look at him, but you couldn't do or say anything because suddenly his lips crashed against yours. You didn't even take a second to question what was happening, letting the feeling of euphoria run through your body as you felt the caress of James' lips on yours. You lost yourself in him instantly, in the taste of his mouth, in the warmth of his body against yours, in the delicate way he held you in his arms. You were flying in the sky in complete bliss as you let James guide the kiss, struggling to keep up the peace.

But the moment ended as abruptly as it had begun, leaving you dazed and confused, missing James' lips the second they parted from yours.

"I'm sorry, I just- I didn't know what else to do," he spluttered awkwardly, his thoughts clouded by the scent of your perfume.

"No, it's okay," you hurried to say, struggling to form coherent sentences so as not to let him know how much his kiss had really affected you. "It's all good. We kept our cover intact, good job. Very quick thinking, very professional." You were tense and couldn't look him in the eye when you spoke, but neither could he so neither of you mentioned anything, opting to pretend nothing had happened as you went on with your mission.

"C'mon he's on the move" James announced as he climbed into the van once again. He kept his gaze straight ahead, his body rigid against the seat of the vehicle as if he was afraid to let go and end up accidentally touching you. He needed to keep his distance from you until he recovered his cognitive functions. His brain would never be able to process what had happened if your perfume kept assaulting his nostrils.

"So how was the restaurant?" Marlene asked you to fill the awkward silence that had formed. She could feel the tension in the air, a tension that wasn't there before you guys disappeared behind the restaurant doors. It was different from the tensions she was used to feeling when you and James were together, much more intense, and she couldn't help but wonder what had happened in there.

"Great! It was fine, totally normal and appropriate" you replied suspiciously quickly raising your voice to a higher pitch than usual. If she didn't suspect something had happened before, she definitely did now.

"What happened? Why are you being so weird?" Sirius asked, looking at you curiously through the rearview mirror.

"Y/N and I kissed" James confessed with a sigh, knowing it would be best to be honest with his friends. After all, it hadn't meant anything, had it? There was nothing strange about telling them the truth because you had nothing to hide. Strange would be if you kept it a secret.

"WHAT? Tell me everything!" Marlene exclaimed in a shout of joy, turning to see her friend in the back seat with a big smile on her face. She knew about your crush on James from day one and couldn't believe there was finally a breakthrough in your story. Sometimes Marlene felt like she was more involved in your little secret romance with James than you were yourself.

"Calm down! It was just to keep our cover from being blown, we didn't have a choice" you explained, feeling the blood from all over your body travel to your cheeks.

"Yeah, it didn't mean anything," James added, ignoring the stabbing pain that shot through his heart as he said it. 

"I want details," her friend insisted and you rolled your eyes.

"Marlene, it was just a kiss, okay? It was nothing." Only it hadn't been just a kiss, not to you at least, but you weren't going to admit it in front of everyone —especially not James.

"Yeah, who cares about a kiss? Call me if you grab each other's asses" Sirius interjected from the driver's seat, a mischievous grin plastered on his lips. James reached out from behind his back and smacked him on the shoulder, a silent way of telling his friend that this was not the time for his jokes.

Marlene was going to continue pressing you for more details —you and James kissing was the most interesting thing that had happened to her that day—, but her attention was drawn back to the mission at hand when Sirius alerted you that your target had gotten out of the car and was walking towards a park. He still had the briefcase in his hand, but the streets were deserted which made you think he wasn't going to meet anyone that night, but to leave the package for someone else to pick up.

"Okay, you and Sirius follow him just in case he does meet with someone after this." you instructed Marlene, watching as your target returned to his car, without the briefcase in his hands this time.

"Right! And you and James follow your hearts" your friend replied with a smile.

"No!" you grumbled, giving Marlene a murderous look. "We're gonna stay with the package."

"And each other forever" she insisted and you swore she was doing it on purpose to spite you. You didn't even dignify her comment with a response, opting instead to exit the vehicle and slam the door a little harder than necessary. James followed you, crossing the street beside you to get to the park your target had come from. 

You walked in silence, enjoying the quiet of the night. The place was deserted, something that was both good and bad. On the one hand it was good because if things went wrong at least there were no Muggles around who could get hurt. On the other hand it was bad because you had no way to hide so you wouldn't stand out. When the Death Eaters came to pick up the package they would see you, there was no doubt about that. You realized then that you would have to be quick if you wanted to catch them.

"Why can't we just take the briefcase and go?" James asked as he leaned back against a tree, his back to the bench next to where your target had left the hidden package.

"Because Albus wants to arrest everyone involved in this and for that we need the briefcase to exchange hands, otherwise there's no case." you explained and James grunted, hating having to stand there for who knows how much longer until someone showed up.

Neither of you spoke for a while, the weight of the silence and the tension in the air increasing your nerves. James' mind was riddled with doubts, fearing he had made a mistake by kissing you in the restaurant. You had told him that you understood why he had done it, assuring him that you had no issue with it, but it didn't feel like things were good between you. You were distant and tense, and you could barely look him in the eye. Regret was eating him up inside, knowing it was his fault that you felt uncomfortable around him.

"Hey, seriously, we're cool right?" James broke the silence forcing you to look away from the starry sky to face him.

"Yeah, totally," you nodded with a smile, hoping that was enough to calm him down. "We're fine." If only he knew that the reason for your strange behavior was that you were fighting the urge to take his face in your hands and kiss him one more time....

"Why do they have to schedule their drop off so late? Death Eaters have no respect for Auror's lives and times." James joked in an attempt to lighten the mood. You let out a chuckle and he felt like a weight was lifted from his shoulders. "I'm starving, we barely got to eat at that stupid restaurant."

"I know! Mr. and Mrs. Green were adorable but they couldn't stop talking" you said, remembering the chatty couple. You couldn't have been there more than forty minutes and somehow you knew when and where they had married, how they met, how many children they had and the names of their grandchildren. "I'm craving ice cream as weird as it might be considering how late it is."

"It's not weird at all, you always crave sweets at these hours, that's why you have trouble sleeping."

"You know what I really want to get right now?"

"Cookies and cream?" said James, more as a statement than a question. "It's your favorite, isn't it? Especially for times like this. I'm assuming you already have one in the freezer waiting for you to celebrate."

"Y-yes," you nodded in surprise. You weren't surprised that he knew what your favorite ice cream flavor was —you had been friends for years, that was normal—, you were surprised at how quickly and confidently he had spoken, leaving you no time to say anything before answering for you. He remembered your silly tradition of celebrating the little good things in life with your favorite flavor of ice cream even though it was something you usually did alone. It was a small, insignificant detail, but it made you feel appreciated. He remembered.

"I brought one too if you want to spend the night at my place after this is all over. We can celebrate together." You were going to tell him how much you appreciated his sweet gesture and how he was the one person you wanted to celebrate your victories in life with, but the words died in your throat when you noticed a man approaching the briefcase they had been guarding for the last fifteen minutes.

"James, he's looking at us," you tried to warn him discreetly, but your friend was too distracted rambling on about the different flavors of ice cream and which ones were the best. "Well, this is happening," you murmured, taking James' face in your hands and leaning in to join your lips in a kiss.

You were the one in control this time, dictating the intensity of the kiss, guiding the movements of James' lips on yours. He was too surprised to do more than try to keep up with the pace of your lips. His hands settled on your hips instinctively, pulling you tight against his body as he allowed himself to lose himself in your mouth for a moment. The mission, his doubts, the tension, all was forgotten as he melted under your caresses. 

Though his bliss was cut short when you suddenly pulled away, taking your wand and pointing it at the man who had picked up the briefcase. Reality hit him like a train, his brain working twice as hard to regain its functions so he could end this mission once and for all.

The Death Eater didn't give up without putting up a fight, pulling out his wand and casting spell after spell in your direction as he tried to escape. Neither of you recognized who your attacker was, which frightened you a little because it meant that the Dark Lord had more followers than the Order of the Phoenix expected or even knew about. Still you didn't let that affect you, fighting shoulder to shoulder until you incapacitated your unknown attacker.

"An empty diary?" you said in disbelief as you stared at the mysterious object inside the briefcase you had fought so hard to obtain. "We did all that for an empty diary?"

"It has to be important," James interjected as he used an incantation to restrain the Death Eater's wrists. "They wouldn't do all this for an insignificant empty diary. Albus will know what to do."

“I’m exhausted!” you exclaimed the moment you crossed the entrance threshold of James' house, dropping dramatically onto the couch. It had been a long day, but at least things had turned out well. Both Death Eaters were in custody awaiting trial for their crimes. Thanks to you the army of he who shall not be named had two less soldiers, and as insignificant as it seemed, it was a victory for everyone.

"We can go to sleep if you're tired and leave the ice cream for tomorrow" James said, knowing full well what your response would be.

"Never!" You jumped off the couch, running to the kitchen in search of the ice cream. James let out a laugh, shaking his head as he followed closely behind you. While you took the ice cream out of the freezer he grabbed spoons and a couple of bowls so you could share the frozen dessert without fighting over the pot.

After making a short toast celebrating your victory you engaged in casual conversation while enjoying the ice cream. You didn't even bother to go to the couch, settling into the kitchen without a problem. You sat on the counter next to the sink, swinging your legs playfully as you ate your ice cream. James stood next to you, leaning back on the counter with his body leaning slightly to the side so he could look at you better as you talked. He had a big smile on his face as he listened to you list the reasons why the cookies and cream ice cream was the best of all, completely enamored with the passion with which you addressed such trivial topics as ice cream flavors. 

He loved everything about you, even the things you saw as flaws. There was nothing he wanted more at that moment than to tell you how he felt about you, to hold you in his arms and kiss you until he couldn't feel his lips. But he knew he couldn't -he shouldn't-, your friendship was the most important thing to him and he couldn't lose it for anything in the world.

"I'm sorry for kissing you today," he apologized, breaking the small silence that had formed. "I hope it doesn't make things weird between us."

"Oh no don't worry about it," you downplayed it. "And I'm sorry for kissing you too."

"You know I care about you, right?" James put his empty ice cream bowl on the counter, turning completely around so he could look you in the eyes. You nodded your head slightly, losing yourself in the shine in his eyes. Those damn eyes of his! 

"I value our friendship, what we have is something special and I wouldn't want to see it ruined for a stupid decision I made under pressure." There was truth in his words, but there was also pain. He didn't want to ruin your friendship, but he also didn't want to keep being just your friend. He didn't regret kissing you, at least not entirely. A part of him would always be glad he did because no matter what, now he knew what your lips felt like on his.

"Yeah, I get it... Our friendship is the most important thing to me too," you said, but you couldn't stop your eyes from lowering to James' lips. He was too close to you, you could smell his cologne every time you breathed, feel his body heat tickling your side. You couldn't think straight, only feel the devastating weight of longing to feel his lips on yours. If you concentrated hard enough you could still taste his mouth and feel the ghost of his fingers caressing your hips. 

James didn't miss the way your eyes locked on his lips, unconsciously leaning closer and closer to you. A rebellious hand slid over your leg, caressing your thigh gently. Your gaze returned to his eyes then and James saw in them a special glow he had never noticed in them before. It was desire. You wanted him. You were as desperate to feel your lips together as he was. And now that he knew it, he didn't plan to leave you wanting for another second.

Once again he took it upon himself to close the little distance that separated you, bringing your lips together in a kiss full of desperation and repressed feelings. And even though this was the third time you had been in that situation that day, this time it felt different. This kiss was not the product of an impulsive decision made in the heat of the moment. No, this was a kiss that was long overdue, the product of the conscious decision of two people who had repressed their feelings for too long. And that made it taste that much sweeter, it made everything that much more special.

And as James lost himself in the warmth of your body wrapped around his he knew that things between you would never be the same again, but that was a good thing.

[onlyseokmins]

limbo • w.j.h.

Pairing: wen junhui x afab!reader

Genres: smut (minors dni!), afterlife!au

Warnings: this is kinda plot heavy not good smut but lezzgo just in case 😭 um daggers (no knife play tho dhdjjs), lil bit of threats and maybe violence, junhui deserves a warning himself I think he's hot, tying up/tentacle play kind of but it's shadows um like idk how to describe it 🤡 supernatural things!, biting 🦷, mentions of blood, death, lil bit of angst but I'm fluffy as usual <3, lots of mentions of souls and afterlife shenanigans, thigh riding, mirror sex, pls forgive me and just hmu if I missed smth

WC: 2.5k

A/N: for the lovely @katetattoolover <3 mwah I hope you enjoy this even if my brain died halfway writing it ndksksks another unplanned thing but limbo is just too powerful... Also for my huihuis mwah ILY... Idk how to describe this but I'm in a spooky mood bc of Halloween fics so this kind of played into it ig? I just like the plot 😭😅

If you were in heaven or hell, you didn't know. And you didn't care.

The fact of the matter was that you did know where you were. 

Limbo. 

The great boundary between worlds. Soul suspended, unable to leave. Not until you made a decision based on the knowledge gathered about your death that you learned here.

Neither heaven, hell, or earth.

A bleary place full of everything and nothing. Guarded and watched over by the enigmatic figure whose dark eyes were trained on you.

Blonde tresses tinged with white highlights are smoothly swept up in a ponytail to display his ears where little diamond studs twinkle like stars. When you'd first met him at the gates, he'd been wearing what you could only presume as combat armor, despite its lack of protection across his midriff. Vainly showing off his well-defined abs.

Now, he's donning a ruffled white blouse that looks like something old paintings of the founding fathers would have been dressed in. It suits him though, the v-cut down the front granting a delicious view of his décolletage and scorched ends adding to his devastating visuals. 

You wonder how no one has succeeded in brutally attacking him with how exposed his outfits were but you suppose his eerie beauty is enough to render anyone immobile. Besides, even when his disinterested gaze shifts from you to the large glass of what you hope is simply wine, you can feel the shuddering intensity of the power he holds. Dangerous enough that it causes even your soul's shape to ripple in the stagnant air.

"You're a curious one, you know? Most are on their knees, begging for mercy."

"Is that what you prefer? Begging?"

The red liquid swirls as his fingers tap against the side of the glass. Silver hand jewelry accentuating the veins on his hands sparkles under the low, candlelit glow of the chandelier and matches the smirk that grows on his red lips. 

"Only from those who dare to threaten my authority."

A silver, pearl-encrusted dagger lays on the floor between his golden throne at the table of gluttony and where you stand defiantly down on the concrete floor. Your wrists are bound together in front of you by a writhing strand of black shadows that spew out tiny hisses, much stronger than they look.

"I told you, I don't know where that came from. It's not mine!"

"Oh but darling," he laughs — though it's without humor, "it is."

You bare your teeth like a wild, caged animal. "I don't know a single thing! I just arrived here, someone has to be framing me, that dagger is not mine!"

Heeled boots create an echoing thud through the room that seems to enlarge and shrink at the same time. He bends down to pick up the dagger, turning it in his hands and inspecting it.

"This definitely belongs to you."

You stomp your foot. "No, it does n — "

"Because it was originally mine."

Your breath catches in your throat. Not just in response to his statement but because of the sharp point of the dagger inches away from your jugular. You may be an incorporeal existence now but fear fails to leave your instincts. Especially with a powerful entity's threats that could truly hurt you.

"Do you want a new life that bad?" he questions and for some reason he almost sounds… wistful? You're able to feel the cold steel against your chin as he taps the dull side of the dagger underneath it so you meet his searing, scarlet irises with a wide-eyed gaze. "That can't be it. There should only be one reason why you're standing before me."

"... Which is?"

"To return to your rightful place." 

You attempt to take a step back but the shadows under his control swirl around your feet, anchoring you in place as he leans in.

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"To come back to me. My queen."

"What?"

"The only other rightful ruler of Limbo." He's close enough that you can smell the sweet but smokey scent emanating from him, the dagger still poised between the two of you. "Allow me to remind you, my beloved."

Shadow wisps tickle your cheeks, encouraging you to close your eyes as they wrap around you. You think you should be terrified, screaming and struggling in protest. But the caresses of darkness welcoming you have nostalgia entangled within. A strange but familiar sense of comfort has you willingly grant them access into your mind to reawaken suppressed memories of a past life.

An arranged marriage. Heavy crowns. Lovelessness. A kiss stolen under the stars. Satin silk sheets. A dagger decorated with pearls. A promise, an oath. Blood. A chained box. Death. A name.

"Junhui," you breathe out.

"My love," he affirms with a hushed whisper of your own name.

Your eyes reopen with a glow, drinking in his features with a different sense of appreciation. One that holds recognition and fondness. Utter longing. 

"How did this happen?"

He gently takes your hand, releasing your hands from the bindings and leads you up the stairs. 

"After the soldiers cut me down, I found myself here. Searching for you, for a sign. Instead I found this." The ornate chair next to the one he was sitting on holds an old, beaten-up wooden box with heavy silver chains. It lies open but empty. "The higher beings told me I would have to wait and be patient… that I would have absolutely no doubts when you finally arrived."

You take the dagger he holds out to you, the same as you did on that fateful yet tragic night. Fragmented memories piece together the events that led up to your demise. Frantically digging a hole to hide the box containing the written love notes exchanged between your lover. The dagger should've joined them but the devastating news your personal maid delivered to you was buried into your body instead of the ground. Infused to become a part of your soul.

A sob unwittingly escapes. "For how long?"

"Too long." Junhui sighs. "I lost count thousands of years ago."

"I'm so sorry — "

"Don't. You've come to me now and that's all that matters."

"Jun…"

"Welcome to my lost world," he wipes away the tears that trail down your cheeks. "I've built it all for you, my queen. No one can defy or separate us now."

It is not the paradise you envisioned in your mortal lives nor the nirvana your soul imagined it'd be sent to. But that didn't matter because you realize that what you've always wanted — who you've always needed — was standing before you. Welcoming you with an open embrace. 

"So, what happens now?"

"We must ensure that your soul is bound here… and to me so it won't move on or disappear… if that is what you want. You must make a choice."

You brush the strand of hair that escaped from his ponytail behind his ear. "What choice is there to make? I want to stay with you, to be with you. What must I do to make that happen?"

Junhui bites his lip. With a deep breath, he walks you over to where a shattered mirror sits in the corner. You try to hold back a scream and whimper instead, watching through the cracked glass as Junhui's arms wrap steadily around you — but nothing of you visible — in the reflection.

"Oh my g — "

"God can't help us now, beloved. He was never on our side to begin with." You nod pensively and Junhui continues. "Would you allow me to touch you, darling? Like before? I must bind your soul here and to do that, I will have to claim you as mine."

You turn to face him with a smile. "Aren't I already yours? Years ago, hidden under the veil of night?"

He beams back at you. "I take that as a yes, then?"

"Yes" rolls off your tongue and then Junhui's pressing his lips against yours. Running his tongue across your lips to seek permission, you chase his mouth as he walks backward until he's seated on his chair.

You fall against him, knees planting on either side of his thighs cushioned by the plushy surface. The ruffles on his blouse tickle your sudden bare skin and you pull away, looking at him in shock.

"Special privileges," he smirks devilishly, "I can manipulate the Limbo landscape quite easily so making your soul bare for me takes little effort."

"Will I be able to do the same?"

"Of course, my queen. And more." He takes your hand and places it over his chest. "But it's not like you need any powers to strip me, my dear. And I hope you'll use those kinds of powers on no one else but your king."

It's an invitation you would never refuse. The sound of tiny buttons and the clatter of the dagger hitting the floor fill the room as you rip off his shirt and slide it down his shoulders. Your hand trails down his pecs to the abs you were graced with upon your arrival, following the defined veins that disappear into his pants. He halts you when you start to slide down and you frown.

"I thought you liked people begging on their knees?"

"I do… but only in certain cases. Perhaps we can save that for another time, I'm supposed to be worshiping you, my love. Encouraging you to stay with me. Uniting our souls."

You want to tell him that you would not leave no matter what. But you know the strange workings of the afterlife and anything before, between, and after have strict rules that must be followed. 

So, you relent. Letting him take control, peppering your upper body with kisses as he runs his fingers up and down the sides of your body. Committing it all to memory once more. Though you are no different to him than you were centuries ago. 

The sting of coldness from his rings and fancy jewelry comes as a shock. Junhui feels you jolt against his hold and pauses, looking up at you from where his head is positioned between the valley of your chest. 

"Are you okay?" 

You nod, explaining the sensations, and he smiles contently; resuming his journey across the curves of your body. The soft material of his pants press against your center as you slowly begin to sink down on his thigh, submitting to the thrall of pleasure. As he tenses the thick muscle, you feel the breath of his snort when he guides your hips to move. 

Sharp teeth graze the supple skin of your breasts and you furrow your brow, fingers running across his equally razor-edged jawline as you gently push his head back. Lidded eyes gaze at you with a lust-filled yet yearning look as you inquisitively explore his mouth. 

Marveling at the same features you'd gawked at in your previous life, all motions halt as your lover dutifully lets you run your finger across his fangs. Earlier, his tongue had focused on tangling within your mouth in fear of potentially slicing you. 

But as you prick your thumb on the point of his left canine tooth, no pain and no blood comes as you are neither dead nor alive. Giggling, you press a kiss on the mole right above it and gleefully show him. 

"You can't hurt me." 

"Not yet," he winks and encourages you to move your hips again. "As long as you're nice and wet, it won't." 

"I don't think pain exists here." 

He frowns, eyes darkening. "It does. I was so very lonely. It deeply hurt and ached so much that I slowly became numb. But all of that is a distant thought, overshadowed by you in my arms and on my lap." 

You kiss his nose next. "I don't want you to feel lonely anymore. I'm here to stay with you for the rest of eternity." 

He turns you around and you gasp. What once was reflected in the empty, cracked mirror now shows a depraved image. Junhui's hands move faster, one hand moving down to spread your cunt open for you to see while the other fondles your tits. 

Leering over your shoulder, he harshly sucks on your neck before biting down lightly. You moan. Head thrown back as his fangs pierce you but once again, no pain is felt and no blood is spilled. Just pure bliss and pleasure. 

"Look at you," Junhui praises. "Look at how beautiful you are when you finally sit on this throne." 

By throne, he must mean his cock. The diamond encrusted belt is slipped off and dropped on the floor, his fingers busy as he unzips his pants. You feel his hard length slap against your back, having shifted forward to give him space to move. 

His shadows aid him, lifting you up a decent amount and playing with you a bit to stretch you out before they ease you down on his thick girth. You throw your head back against his other shoulder and he takes the opportunity to lick up the opposite side of your neck. Biting as he pleases. 

You both let out synonymous moans when he bottoms out, gasping at how fiery his gaze is that it's almost melting the glass of the mirror as he stares you head-on. 

"Your beauty shines in this abyss." 

If you could, you'd ride him into oblivion but the burning stretch of his thick cock is overwhelming enough that even your supernatural body cannot escape the plethora of pleasure surging as your hole clenches tight around it. Luckily, the shadows sweep forward at his beckon once more, tendrils wrapping around your ankles in the effort to assist your feeble movements. 

It's far from scary because they are just another part of him. Curling around your nipples, brushing tenderly at your cheek, tickling your clit… yet it feels like Junhui's hands are all over you. Even though you know he hasn't moved away from your hips as your nails dig into his forearms from the intense up and down motions, ass slapping against his thighs. 

You can feel a distinct power surge — twisting and turning as your drooling figure becomes more and more defined in the melting mirror. The Limbo is welcoming the long awaited queen into its domain, accepting the share of powers as the king ravages his beloved on the very throne he once spent decades crying upon. 

"You are mine, aren't you, my queen?"

"Yes, I am yours… my king," you huff out, surrendering to your climax with an otherworldly scream as your soul adjusts to its newfound abilities as he joins you in a blazing release deep within your cunt. 

Sweat makes your skin glisten as you lay in Junhui's arms panting. The shadows come forth once more — at your command — solidifying into an elegant black outfit. 

The king hums in approval. "No crown is needed to represent your authority, but I will give whatever gems and riches you desire." 

"I want nothing but you." 

"Isn't it funny? Alive, I could offer you nothing but now in this realm of ours — anything is possible."

You kiss his forehead, smiling extra sharply with your newly acquired fangs. "Thank you for waiting for me." 

"Thank you for coming back." Junhui whispers against your lips. "Now we have the rest of eternity to make up for what we lost."

Bound together. Forever. In Limbo.

[bellaxgiornata]

Falling For the Devil [Part forty-one: "The First Half of the Trip"]

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Fem!Reader

Summary: You and Matt begin the first half of your Christmas road trip towards Chicago.

Or

Both of you try to stay entertained in a car for six hours.

[Series of one-shots about Reader meeting, falling for, and dating Matt Murdock.]

Warnings: 18+ for this series; contains humor, fluff, romance, angst, smut (like...a lot of it later in the series), language, some violence

Word Count: 2.5k

a/n: A fun, fluffy piece that covers the first half of Matt and Reader's Christmas roadtrip! The next piece is a smupdate featuring some angry hotel sex. You can find all the installments for this series on tumblr here, and if you're enjoying it, let me know!

Two and A Half Hours Into the Drive

Looking over your shoulder and changing lanes, you laughed lightly at Matt beside you. “That is literally the weirdest road trip snack I’ve ever seen by far,” you teased him.

“What?” Matt asked, his mouth full of banana as he shrugged. “You have a problem with fruit?”

“No,” you countered, shaking your head. “But I’ve never known anyone to pack apples and bananas to eat on a road trip. It’s like the perfect time to binge on junk food–we’re stuck in a car after all.”

“Well fruit is better than the processed cheese crackers you like so much,” he teased back. 

Glancing over your shoulder at him, you saw him raise the banana to his mouth and take another massive bite of it. You couldn’t fight the grin that spread on your face when he smiled back at you. His cheeks were stuffed with banana and he looked like an adorable chipmunk as he smiled. Your attention returned to the road, your music lightly playing over the stereo.

“First off, Cheez Its are amazing," you told him. "They're the best road trip snack. But you make a fair point,” you conceded. “I know you’re not a fan of processed foods, but that’s why I made that trail mix. Unsalted nuts and plain dried fruit with no added sugar. I even threw in some fancy dark chocolate. There's nothing overly processed in it.”

Matt’s hand reached across the center console between the two of you, his warm palm landing on your upper thigh. He squeezed your leg lightly and your heart fluttered in your chest at his touch.

“And I appreciate that more than you know," he replied. "That trail mix is honestly addicting. You’re going to have to make more of that for me when we get back.”

“You enjoy it that much?” you asked him curiously.

“I will do anything you ask if you make a big batch of it for me,” he stated seriously.

“Oh?” you asked, raising a brow.

He chuckled, shaking his head as his hand removed itself from your thigh. “You’re thinking about the black suit again?” he asked. “Aren’t you?”

Flushing, you shrugged a shoulder. “I mean, I am now,” you admitted sheepishly.

“Sweetheart,” Matt began, readjusting himself in his seat, “I will fuck you in the black suit if it gets me more of that trail mix. Granted, I’d do it even without the added incentive.” He shot you a sinful smirk that had you squirming in your own seat. “The way your body gets all worked up over it is definitely something, and I quite enjoy it,” he said, his tone lowering.

Swallowing hard, you shyly admitted, “There was something I wanted to do if you ever wore it again.”

Immediately Matt shifted in his seat, facing as fully towards you as he could with the seatbelt restricting him. Your left elbow was resting on the armrest of the door beside you, your thumbnail quickly slipping between your teeth. You chewed it nervously as Matt’s sightless gaze lingered on you.

“And does that something,” he asked slowly, his eyes scanning you carefully, “have anything to do with whatever is hiding in your suitcase that had you so flustered last night?”

Eyes widening, your teeth gnawed your thumbnail even quicker. You had hoped Matt had forgotten about that, even though you knew he wouldn’t have. Thinking about how Matt might react to the lingerie you had hidden in there, along with the fact that you’d packed the gifts from the Secret Santa game, your heart raced a little in your chest. Out of your peripheral, Matt’s head snapped down towards your chest. 

“Is there a podcast you want to listen to?” you asked quickly, changing the subject. “Or a certain album? We’ve been listening to my music for a bit now.”

Matt settled back into his seat beside you, your pulse slowing down a little with his attention off of you.

“No,” he answered lightly. “I don’t mind this music, it’s relaxing. But don’t worry, sweetheart, I can spot a diversion when I hear one. But I do intend to find out what’s in your suitcase before we get back to Hell’s Kitchen.”

Once again you shifted awkwardly in your seat, cheeks flushing. The sound of your music settled over the pair of you as you fell silent.

Four Hours into the Drive

“How do you manage to burn ready-to-bake cookies?” you asked Matt in shock, laughter bubbling out of you. “They’re basically already made! They give you the instructions right there on the package!”

Matt was laughing hard beside you, shaking his head. “My dad was the worst baker. And I was five , sweetheart,” he laughed out. “He just really wanted me to leave cookies out for Santa. Though really I think he just wanted to eat them himself." Matt chuckled lightly as he added, "But we burnt those to a damn crisp.”

You wiped a hand across your eyes, drying the couple of tears that had fallen during your laughter. The windshield wipers of the rental were on, snow gently falling down as you continued to drive along the interstate. It was near two-thirty in the afternoon now and you were both quite far from New York and getting closer to where you'd be stopping in Ohio for the night.

“He never tried to make them again with me,” Matt finished. “Instead we left out–” he paused, cracking up, “–a bowl of chicken noodle soup for Santa.”

“ What ?” you asked, immediately falling into another fit of hysterics.

Matt fell back into another round of laughter beside you. He was nodding his head as he recalled the memory. “Yes, that was what I picked out from our pantry. I thought Santa might’ve wanted something to warm him up. Figured he hadn’t had dinner yet, either. Just tons of cookies and milk.”

You shot Matt a look over your shoulder. “Aww, that’s so sweet. Little Matty looking out for Santa,” you half-teased, half-cooed.

“Don’t make me bring up your suitcase again,” Matt shot back, a dangerous smile on his face.

“Okay, okay,” you said quickly, dropping the tone. “So how did you usually spend Christmas mornings when it was the two of you?”

He exhaled a long sigh, the smile dulling to something soft on his face when you glanced over at him. His expression had you smiling lightly and wondering what his father would have been like to meet. He sounded like an amazing father with the way Matt spoke about him–always with a sort of gentle reverence–whenever he did talk about his dad with you. 

“Usually I woke up before the sun,” Matt finally said, voice quiet. “I’d wake him up. Jump on the bed, drag him out of the sheets. Beg him to let me open presents before he’d even had a cup of his morning coffee.”

“And did he let you?” you asked.

“Yeah,” he answered softly. “Yeah, he did. Every year.” He paused for a long moment before he added, "And we always had blueberry pancakes on Christmas mornings. They were always his favorite and it eventually became mine, but I…usually never got those at St. Agnes."

A heavy weight felt like it hung in the air at Matt's words. You chanced a look at him beside you and he appeared lost in his thoughts. Chewing the inside of your cheek, your right hand shifted over on the center console, grabbing Matt’s hand that had been resting beside yours. Immediately his fingers curled back around your own. Clearing his throat, he glanced over at you.

“How’d your Christmas mornings often go?” he asked.

You smiled, remembering many different memories as your eyes remained on the road. Beside you, Matt was watching you with a curious smile. 

"I was usually the last of my siblings to wake up," you told him. "Which meant they were always dicks when they woke me." You laughed lightly, recalling a particular memory as Matt chuckled. "One year, Nate and Amber actually dumped me out of my bed. Just the two of them picking up one side of my mattress," you explained, "and then just rolling me right onto the hardwood floor." Your brows furrowed as you added, "I think that was the year I actually had a bloody nose before we opened presents. Because I fell on it." Matt laughed as a grin formed on your face. "My mom was so pissed at them. So of course they did it again next year. But they were smarter–" you said, fighting down a laugh of your own, "–they put some pillows on the floor for me to land on that time. So our mom wouldn’t find out."

Matt was laughing behind his hand, and the sight of him so happy in comparison to how he’d looked on the flight you'd both taken for Thanksgiving was easily worth the soreness in your ass a hundred times over. 

"Okay, so I have to ask since we're on the topic of Christmas," you began, Matt's laughter dying down beside you. "Eggnog–yay or nay with the fancy Devil senses?"

Instantly he made a face, his nose scrunching up as he shook his head. "Absolutely nay. It's disgusting," he told you. 

"But hot chocolate is a yay?" you asked curiously.

"The way you make it, yes," he answered, a charming smile slipping onto his face and lighting up his eyes. "Even more so if I get to taste it on your lips. Though,”  he continued, his tone turning into something sultry that rose the hair along your arms, “I quite enjoy tasting other things..."

You cleared your throat, focusing back on the road and not the handsome man beside you. "I'm trying to drive here, Matt," you murmured. "You should–should probably not try to distract the driver lest I crash the car." 

"Well the driver is quite distracting," he said, his gaze falling away from you. 

You tried to take a deep breath, focusing on the road before you. If you let yourself think too hard about his charming presence and what it did to you, you'd be needing to pull over and have him on the side of the road. And that was an unnecessary detour you both didn’t need. 

"Being trapped in a car with you when I need to focus is going to be difficult, isn't it?" you mumbled.

"Trust me," he said beside you, "I know. Your scent is everywhere. Kind of hard to ignore."

"Sorry…"

Five and A Half Hours Into the Drive 

“Fortunately there are other ways to get to Illinois from New York than by plane,” you said.

Thankfully the flurry of snow had come to an end about a half an hour ago. You were glad the weather wasn't as bad as it definitely could have been for this drive. You didn't feel like driving through a blizzard.

“Unfortunately the only other option is a more than twelve hour drive,” Matt added.

"Well…" you continued, thinking for a moment, "fortunately I have a driver's license." 

"Unfortunately your co-passenger is blind and can't help you drive," Matt countered quickly.

"Fortunately I just grabbed that coffee when I got gas," you answered. 

"Unfortunately that coffee might give you gas," he replied, amused. 

Your head snapped in his direction, jaw hanging open as your eyes widened. He was shaking with laughter as your cheeks burned. 

" Matt !" you shrieked.

"I'm only kidding, sweetheart," he managed out between laughs. "You wanted to play that game."

You waved a firm hand between the pair of you, shaking your head. "Okay, no more fortunately/unfortunately for you, Murdock," you stated. "You have officially ruined that game."

"Alright, alright," he replied, grinning. "I'm sorry. But I was only kidding. Though–” he said, fighting down a laugh, “–everybody has gas, sweetheart."

You ran your hand along your forehead, wishing you weren't driving right now so you could bury your face in your hands. Or bolt. You didn't want to talk about passing gas with Matt–especially since he had heightened senses.

"And this is the part where I change the topic before I push you too far past your comfort zone," Matt pointed out. "So…how much longer until we get to the hotel? I still don't have a functioning watch so I can’t tell."

"About forty more minutes or so," you answered. "Why, did all that talk about gas make you need a bathroom stop?" you teased.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "No, but I uh, I can hear how tired your body is getting. From all the driving. Was wondering when you'd get a break," he answered. 

"Oh," you said softly. "Honestly, I’m fine. I think the way I broke up the drive was pretty decent, considering. But I’m curious, is this more preferable to flying then?" you asked him. "Because you seem to be having a significantly better time, but I can’t tell if you’re somehow just really good at pretending since we’re not in a plane."

“Vastly more preferable,” he answered. “The car isn’t remotely as loud as the plane and neither is the traffic. I’m mainly able to just focus on the both of us, not all the people they had jammed into a plane with all their scents and perfumes and detergent clouding the air." He paused, his attention shifting downwards to his lap. "It’s mainly just your scent and mine, sort of mixed together over the faint scent of the rental car and I…kind of like it, actually." 

Your stomach practically somersaulted inside of you at that information. "So the hotel we are stopping at I already booked ahead of time," you told him, changing the subject before your mind started going down those thoughts again. "I researched it and checked out all the reviews so hopefully you won't have a hard time there. Figured we can grab food nearby first for dinner before checking in. And maybe just relax for a bit before we sleep, unless there's something you want to do?" you asked, glancing over at Matt.

He was smiling back at you, shaking his head. "That sounds great, sweetheart. It'll just be nice for both of us to stop sitting in here," he answered. "If my legs are cramping up then I'm sure yours must be, too."

"Yeah," you agreed easily, "I could do with getting out of here for longer than the few minutes it takes to get gas or take bathroom breaks."

Matt snickered beside you and you shot him a curious look. He was fighting back a laugh, shoulders shaking. 

"What?" you asked him.

"Just resisting the urge to make a joke about gas again," he answered, shoulders shaking.

“Matt,” you whined.

“I said I was resisting the urge to!” he countered, grinning.

You ran a hand over your forehead again. "I am so glad I'm almost done driving for the day just in time for you to revert back to making fart jokes," you muttered. "You really do need to get out of this car."

In the seat beside you, Matt burst into a laugh that filled the car with the warmth of the sound. You rolled your eyes, grinning.

[cfr749]

When chenford gets back together I don’t want cute romantic storylines for them I want them to navigate being in a relationship and being open and honest and communicating and re learning each other agin and taking it slow

From your lips to the Rookie writers’ ears, anon! Something I loved about season 1-3 was the way they really got the balance between serious, emotional storylines and lighter humorous and fluffy moments so right!!

Since they started to write toward Chenford getting together, for me, the balance has just been completely off in every season. Generally, seasons 4 and 5 were too much silliness and fluff with humor injected in ways that eroded the few serious moments we actually did get IMO (looking at you 4x08 😖).

I personally loved the drama and angst and actual human emotion we got in season 6 for the most part, but it was a genuinely dark season for Chenford.

I don’t know what happened to the secret sauce they once had, but I miss it desperately and hope they can find their way back more balanced, character-driven storytelling.

Thanks for the ask anon! ❤️

[wangxianficfinder]

Shape-shifter AU

~*~

DRAGON/FOX

~*~

A Ribbon Of Hope by Liebing (T, 8k, WangXian, Foxxian, dragonji, Fantasy, Sweet, soft, Happy Ending, Childhood Sweethearts, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, LXC is the best big brother, Confessions, Losing each other, Finding each other again, Misunderstanding, Jealousy, Drunk LWJ, ribbon swapping, talk of getting married, talk of baby fox dragons, betrothal, True Love, Soulmates, Pregnancy in the bonus chapter, child birth, Married Life, complications in pregnancy and childbirth but everything is fine, breast feeding)

💖 Paths of Light and Darkness Converge by ataratah (E, 30k, wangxian, fox WWX, dragon LWJ, secret identity, non-human genitelia, crack treated seriously, fluff, angst w/ happy ending)

💖 All According to Plan by cerbykerby (M, 2k, wangxian, fluff & humor, arranged marriage, fox WWX, dragon LWJ)

The early bird gets the worm, the early fox gets the bird. But the dragon wakes the earliest of them all. by sekhmetpaws (E, 52k, WangXian, XiYao, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Royalty, Prince LWJ, dragon lwj, fox wwx, dragonji, Arranged Marriage, but not really, Mistaken Identity, Omega WWX, Alpha LWJ, Foxxian, slowish burn)

💖 many fox given by defractum (nyargles) (E, 24k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, supernatural elements, smut, shapeshifting, courting rituals, PWP)

To lurk, to lie in wait by trippednfell (M, 124k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, Huli Jing, strangers to co-parents to lovers, Strangers to Lovers, Kid Fic, teenage juniors, background NieLan, Angst with a Happy Ending, Case Fic, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Not Really Character Death, Fox Spirit WWX, Dragon LWJ, Blood and Injury)

Due Process by Kytrin, Mslead (E, 279k, WangXian, XiChengSang, Poly Junior Quartet, Modern AU, Foxxian, dragonji, Genderfluid WWX, WWX identifies as male, Organized Crime, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, mentions of child abuse, Angst with a Happy Ending, Found Family, Reincarnation)

Letterless by diamondbruise (E, 16k, WangXian, DragonJi/FoxXian, marriage proposals, Getting Together, Pining, Kinda Crackish though we treat that seriously here, Anal Sex, Consensual Non-Consent, Double Penetration in One Hole)

A Baby Dragon's Guide To Seducing Your Huli Jing by sweetlolixo (M, 102k, wangxian, fantasy au, dragon LWJ, fox WWX, younger LWJ, older WWX, fluff, humor, happy ending)

cloudy autumn heaps the sky by anatheme (T, 23k, WangXian, Fantasy, Secret Identity, Dragon LWJ, Fox WWX, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Timeline What Timeline, wwx is a little older here, wwx piling gifts on lwj and encouraging hoarding tendencies, Sharing a Bed, Literal Sleeping Together, Arranged Marriage, of sorts)

my heart's been borrowed (and yours has been blue) by martyrsdaughter (E, 12k, WangXian, Canon Era, Fantasy elements, Dragon LWJ, Fox WWX, Arranged Marriage, Age Difference, Younger LWJ, Older WWX, First Time, Loss of Virginity, Dubious Consent, Consensual Non-Consent, Blow Jobs, Facials, Non-Human Genitalia, Self-Lubrication, Double Penetration, Biting)

the mystery of the nine fluffy tails by Joythea (T, 13k, WangXian, Domestic Fluff, Humor, Fantasy, Falling In Love, Mistaken Identity, Identity Reveal, Transformation, Fluffy Ending, Fox!WWX, Dragon!LWJ, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Chinese Mythology & Folklore, Sort Of, Cuddling & Snuggling, Platonic Cuddling, Shoujo Protagonist LWJ, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Happy Ending, Getting to Know Each Other, Getting Together, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Fluff and Crack, Tender loving care, Flying)

I’ll hold you through the storm by Selene210 (G, 2k, WangXian Modern AU, Teenaged wangxian, Fluff, a little bit of hurt/comfort, lots of comfort, ALL the comfort, Foxxian, dragonji, Love at First Sight, First Kiss)

Howling for You by Runningbarefoot (E, 8k, WangXian, Fluff and Smut, dragon lwj, fox wwx, Possessive LWJ, Dom/sub Undertones, Fantasy, Biting, Anal Sex, horny wangxian, not really explicit I'm just playing it safe, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, kidnapped wwx, Happy Ending, Attempt at Humor, Twitter threadfic, Porn With Plot, dramatic declarations of love, shameless wwx, Light-Hearted)

more than you’ll ever know by appledtea (M, 3k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Mpreg, WWX has shitty memory, Animal Traits, Animal Instincts, Fox WWX, Dragon LWJ)

A Fox Demon Fathered My Children by bonbonsbunnies (Not Rated, 26k, WangXian, Fox Demon WWX, Dragon LWJ, Eggpreg, Mpreg, Some angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Fertility Issues, Implied/Referenced Unsafe Pregnancy, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, Mildly Dubious Consent, Outdoor sex (almost) but Wangxian get cockblocked by the Wens, Anal Fingering, brief thigh fucking, Bottom LWJ/Top WWX, Implied/Referenced Cheating (not real), unrealistic depiction of having kids, Eventual Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Fear of Abandonment)

what you have tamed by lianhua_lianzi, Senforza (E, 94k, WangXian, Animal Traits, misunderstandings, Courting Rituals, Pining, Lan family dynamics, Drama, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Arranged Marriage, Wangxian break up but get back together, Eventual Happy Ending, Implied Mpreg, Unresolved Sexual Tension, unintentional and eventually resolved “gaslighting”, Dragon LWJ, Fox WWX)

The Prized Huli Jing by Seirilypsis (E, 12k, wangxian, fantasy au, ABO, dragon LWJ, fox WWX, (voluntary) warprize WWX, happy ending, getting together, pining, misunderstandings, madam lan lives, fluff, heat, mild dubcon)

💖 Hoards and treasures by apathyinreverie (T, 21k, WangXian, Siblings, Family, not particularly Jiang friendly, YZY Bashing, slightly darker Gusu Lans, LXC being the best brother, Some manipulation, But with the best of intentions, and not between wangxian, Dragon LWJ, Fox WWX, Smitten LWJ, Fluff, perfect happiness, adorable WWX, Romance, Some worldbuilding, courting)

Ember clouds by apathyinreverie (T, 9k, WIP, WangXian, Fluff, Fix-It, Dragon WWX, Romance, BAMF WWX)

The Light Within the Dark by Dreaming_Days (M, 123k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Shapeshifters AU, Fox WWX, Dragon LWJ, Happy ending)

flame and rust by cl410 (M, 34k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Happy ending, Dragon WWX, Fluff and Humor, Light angst)

Neither Immoral Nor Criminal by countingcr0ws (M, 20k, wangxian, Chinese mythology & folklore, fox WWX, dragon LWJ, politics, case fic, bamf wangxian, romance, mistaken identity)

Dreams of Red by fuddy_duddy (rainier_day) (T, 16k, wangxian, fantasy au, dragon LWJ, phoenix WWX)

What We Grew in this Forsaken Place by Admiranda (T, 27k, wangxian, modern w/ cultivation, shapeshifter LWJ, fox LWJ, genius WWX, WWX has fear of dogs)

Crossing Paths by Ilona22 (M, 21k, wangxian, shapeshifter au, war between sects, not JC friendly, not YZY friendly, war crimes, happy ending)

💖 Magical Marriage Ribbons series by starandrea (M, 1M, WIP, wangxian, ongoing, animal transformations, weddings)

Burn It All Down by nekojita (M, 81k, WIP, WangXian, XuanLi, Canon Divergence, CSSR Lives, BAMF CSSR, Sentient Burial Mounds, Burial Mounds Ensemble as Family, With A Twist, there's a bit of jiang family bashing here, except for JYL, this could probably be considered a slow burn, dragon CSSR & WWX, Rogue Cultivator WWX)

Coil Tightly by Thunderstruck (Blueyed_Impala) (T, 50k, WangXian, Dragon LWJ, Shifters, Modern with Magic, WWX is oblivious to magic, Slow Burn, Fluff, Attempt at Humor, References to Animal Abuse but the animal is LWJ, Hurt/Comfort, WWX Has Self-Esteem Issues, WWX has abandonment issues, Possessive LWJ, Clueless Flirting, OC Lan disciples for plot reasons)

my rivers tilt towards you by perfectlyrose (T, 26k, WangXian, Canon, Canon Divergence, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Fairy Tale Elements, dragonji, mentions of, Madam Yu's A+ Parenting, First Meetings, Romance, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort)

in the woods somewhere by bunnylan (weiyingpretty) (T, 3k, wangxian, Modern with Magic, Shapeshifters, Mutual Pining, Fox WWX, Dragon LWJ, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst with a Happy Ending, Enemies to Friends to Lovers)

A Touch To Calm This Aching Heart by Multifacetedinterests (E, 12k, wangxian, F/F, Female LWJ, Female WWX, Genderswap, Dragon LWJ, Fox WWX, Huli Jing WWX, War Prize WWX, Possessive LWJ, Bad Parent YZY, Abusive YZY, Face Slapping, Emotional Manipulation, Fear of Being Fucked to Death, Dead JFM, Touch-Starved, Secret Identity, Enemies to Lovers, Miscommunication, Compulsory Heterosexuality, WWX is Bad at Self-Care, Dom/sub Undertones, Collars, Non-Consensual Collar Usage, Bathing/Washing, Vaginal Fingering, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Exhibitionism, Leg Humping, Cunnilingus, Dubcon)

Huli Jing: What Does The Fox Say by faradheia, RhystaRose (T, 19k, WangXian, LS/WP/WZ/ZQ, The Lost Tomb Reboot/Grave Robbers' Chronicles/DBMJ Crossover, Fox WWX, Fox LS, Dragon LWJ, Qilin ZQ, Established WangXian, Minor WP/WX/ZQ, Kidnapping, Explicit Language, Minor Violence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Modern with Magic, Angst and Humor, Fox Spirit WWX, Fox Spirit LS)

(Dreaming of) Being Human by Harleydoll (M, 109k, JC & WWX, NHS & WWX, LXC & WWX, LXC & LWJ, wangxian, JYL & WWX, Soft Wangxian, Pining, POV LWJ, Protective LWJ, Oblivious WWX, YLLZ WWX, Fox WWX, Canon Divergence, Canonical Character Death, Huli Jing, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Cloud Recesses Shenanigans, Gūsū Lán Forehead Ribbon, Gūsū Lán Sect Rules, , Fluff, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Cuddling & Snuggling, Sleepy Cuddles, Literal Sleeping Together, Sharing a Bed, Nudity, WWX is a Lán, WWX is Loved, Gremlin WWX, Shapeshifting, POV WWX, Qíshān Wēn Indoctrination, Not Lánlíng Jīn Sect Friendly, Burning of the Cloud Recesses, Post-Burning of the Cloud Recesses, Explicit Sexual Content, Oral Sex, First Time, First Kiss, Burial Mounds Settlement Days, Sunshot Campaign, Fox Spirit WWX, Canon Temporary Character Death, Not Really Character Death)

~*~

BUNNY

~*~

heartkeeper by postingpebbles (G, 7k, WangXian, Animal Transformation, Canon Divergence, no war au!!, Shapeshifting, light convos abt the jiang family dynamic, wwx draws a lot and talks to a rabbit: the fic, former threadfic!!, Fantasy)

Sometimes, Recently, Always, Forever by Imminent_Disaster_Witch (G, 1k, wangxian, LXC & LWJ, fluff, romance, bunnies, bunny WWX, shapeshifter WWX, happy ending, music) LWJ meets Nature Guardian! BunXian among the Cloud Recesses rabbits.

something wicked by isabilightwood (T, 13k, wangxian, modern w magic, coffee shop au, animal transformation curse, bunji, True Love's Kiss, miscommunication, pining, jealous WWX, friends to lovers, fluff)

blue-ribbon bunny by cicer (G, 15k, wangxian, modern, supernatural elements, shapeshifting, fluff, humor, crack treated seriously, rabbit LWJ)

~*~

OTHER

~*~

Changes by Duochanfan (Not Rated, 80k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Drama, Mpreg, Shapeshifters AU, Sunshot Campaign, Baby LSZ, Angst with a Happy Ending, JGS is a warning unto himself, Past Miscarriage, Good YZY, injuries, Death of people, Not anyone we like)

The Beast of Gusu series by Netrixie (T&M, 212k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Wolf WWX, Slow Burn, Fluff and Angst, Eventual Happy Ending)

When fish soar by mondengel (G, 2k, WangXian, Mermaid AU, Mermaid WWX, Dragon LWJ)

The Tiger has Destroyed his Cage by updatebug (G, 54k, WangXian, Fix-It fic, Hurt/comfort, Tiger WWX, Found family, Angst with a happy ending)

you by sami (T, 6k, WangXian, Background Relationships, Shapeshifters, But Not Everyone, Accidental Baby Acquisition, very little plot just vibes, Modern with Magic)

as the sun will rise by vespertineflora (E, 126k, wangxian, ‘monster demanding sacrifice’ lan wangji, fantasy au, fairy tale elements, human/monster romance, angst w/ happy ending, smut, consensual non-con)

chasing you by jaws_3 (T, 10k, wangxian, canon divergence, WWX isn’t found au, shapeshifting, pining, identity porn)

Burrow || 挖洞 by 草苺公主 (BeLeiGwo) (G, 12k, WangXian, HamXian, WWX is a hamster)

Ribbons and Heartsongs by jeyhawk (E, 36k, wangxian, Fantasy AU, Science Fiction AU, Dimension Travel, Case Fic, Loss of Virginity, Marriage Proposal, Pining, Sharing a Bed, Anal Sex, wwx is a werewolf, but it's not a typical werewolf au)

No Loss by eb4life (Not rated, 46k, wangxian, Slow Burn, werewolves exist but not quite how you think, Misunderstandings, Cuddling & Snuggling, Heartbreak, Self-Sacrifice, WWX needs a hug, LWJ is stressed and doing his best, a-yuan saves the day, Medieval AU, but not totally accurate to the time bc I'm not a scholar, inspired by bisclavret (medieval story))

~*~

[rosesradio]

fanfic ask game

i saw this ask game i wasn’t tagged in so let’s do it 🤠 & i’ll tag whoever wants to do it as well

1. how many works do you have on Ao3?

27 :-)

2. what's your total Ao3 word count?

466,409 (oh cool i’ll most likely hit 500k by the end of the year 💪)

3. what fandoms do you write for?

currently pjo & once in a blue moon hsmtmts, but i have written for like 10-12 different fandoms in my life

4. what are your top five fics by kudos?

ceaseless eve 🌙 (a leo, nico, & piper quest + valdangelo)

camp triple pine 🌲 (a lawrusso summer camp au with fwb 👀)

talk to me, deep in the night (& i’d tell you something i never thought i’d admit) 🏕️ (a surprisingly non-smutty first caswen fic in which ricky talks with ej about how he works too hard, written in s3 era)

Cobra Kai/Karate Kid one shots 🥋 (fluff, humor, angst, smut…what it says on the tin 🤠)

he’s only here for one thing, but (so am i) 🔥 (valdangelo college au smut + camboy nico 👀)

(because i can’t tell a lie, i did skip over one or two stranger things fics on this list. i have complex feelings about them & keeping them up due to the controversy, but also abandoning them or deleting them…i’m sentimental, and i procrastinate lol. i’m glad a higher volume of people enjoyed them by nature of it being a more popular fandom, but i also feel like the kudos aren’t as genuine or earned as they are for my longfics in less popular fandoms for that reason. at least To Me. i hope that makes sense 🧍)

5. do you respond to comments?

i try to reply to every comment around the first week of posting something (because by then it’s an “old work” and it’s “weird” to comment on it, but that’s another post 😐). i still haven’t replied to the last of the ceaseless eve comments & i feel terrible, the sentimentality of it all overwhelms me but know i appreciate it 😭 i wish there was like a code word though that people could comment that lets you know if they want you to respond or not, because it’s hard to know if people want an author response or if it’ll scare them off yk

6. Which of your fics has the angstiest ending?

i don’t do a lot of angst, but when i do, i do (meaning i lay it on too melodramatically thick lmao) but i thought i’d give a list of some of my angstiest/darkest fics 🤠

the moonlace & the sunflower 🌻 (in which grover dies protecting a demigod, so the empathy link causes percy to pass away as well)

games long lost 🌳 (in which luke must drink annabeth’s blood for kronos’s reformation, it covers the dark lukabeth of it all & there’s some death)

the smallest casualty ♟️ (in which it’s slowly revealed over the course of a luke & annabeth chess game that the gods lost the war, and percy & friends have been subjected to dark magic experiments to make them compliant to luke’s fantasy)

rewired 🤖 (okay. i usually try to be humble or self deprecating or whatever but this 1400 word fic is an actual fucking masterpiece to me idc. it just came out of me and makes me physically nauseous to this day. showing this to my hypothetical therapist etc etc. oh wait what’s it about lmao—the concept of daniel rewiring his brain & morals to fit into silver’s desires. ft that sick sick silverusso dynamic)

7. Which of your fics has the happiest ending?

i have a variety of fluffy fics, but i’d have to say my happiest most sugar coated ending is—

who said anybody would? (a ej/gina/ricky road trip fic that literally ends with an ot3 picnic scene 😭 it’s just too much 🫶)

8. Do you get hate on fics?

i’ve gotten unwarranted criticism (i like to ask for constructive crit comments at the end if it’s like a longfic) that’s been surprisingly rude…i won’t say which fic but someone got so mad at one of my chapters they left a lengthy mocking crit comment and then stopped reading 😭 but that’s their prerogative, i hope they found something they enjoyed afterwards. other than that, surprisingly considering some of the controversial dark fics i’ve written…no sign of flames, so thanks! 😅

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

i have four different smut fics (hopefully a fifth if i can ever finish it up)…i fear they’re repetitive but also not really, they cover different fandoms and explore different kinks. i’m not really sure what to say about them, hopefully people find them hot ! or whatever !

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

i’m not a fan of crossovers currently, but my longest fic i wrote when i was 15 (it’s 97k i’m beating it someday 😭) was a crossover between sanders sides, voltron, miraculous ladybug, and gravity falls (doesn’t that feel like a kick in the gut lmao—did i mention i was 15? 😅)

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i know of 👁️👁️

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

not that i know of 👁️👁️

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

i tried, myself and another author had a shared Google doc & everything…but we both just didn’t commit. i don’t think i’d work well with another writer…i don’t mind bouncing ideas around with a beta reader/editor (like @heavens-vault 🤠) but ultimately i’d prefer to write on my own

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

it changes—it’s currently valdangelo, but the ones I’ve written the most over the years are: prinxiety (😐), lawrusso, caswen, and valdangelo. i’m excited to explore a bunch of other ships as i continue writing as well

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

oh gosh, i mean i hope i don’t have any like longfics in question…i hope i can finish + deliver on Ivory Rain, but i’m sure I’ll manage even if it takes a while. i haven’t really mentioned this a whole lot to “the public” but i have what i call a “scrap fic” i’m working on, with a bunch of like 800 word chapters i just kinda bounce around when i have time. the concept is really exciting but the execution still needs work, so i’m kinda seeing how that’s gonna play out, it might not be posted. i hope it will though !

16. What are your writing strengths?

i think i’m pretty good at characterization, good romantic moments with good buildup, and humor :-)

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

action scenes i hate you so much 😭 why do i insist on writing pjo fics when i can hardly write a fight scene

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

i should do it more, i hate that i don’t, especially considering nico being Italian and leo’s native language being Spanish. but I’ve used & been disappointed by Google translate too many times…perhaps I’ll find another way to translate to include that for more character accuracy

19. First fandom you wrote for?

actually i think percy jackson, i’ve come full circle. the first fic i posted was sanders sides, but i remember when i was probably nine or so i wrote with pencil and paper and stapled a book together with a hand drawn cover 😭 it was about a son of Apollo, a satyr, and a daughter of Demeter on a quest…so really, richard took some creative liberties from my hand written fanfic i think 👀

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

like the ships, it changes—I love all my fics, it’s hard to explain how there’s little fractures of me at different points in my life at any given time in my works. no amount of over-explaining could make anyone understand how i express myself through my character’s emotions and desires and fears and journeys.

at the moment, my favorite fic is CE. it just got completed, myself and others are excited for the sequel. i think all my pjo works in particular are pretty good, and of course i tend to shy away from my older works because my writing…probably wasn’t as good. but that just means I’ve improved, so that’s good.

that’s all the questions, but this was fun ! :-)

[gladiatorofthevoid]

Rise April Challenge: Master Post

Ao3 Link, if you would like: Here

April O’Neil - April meets a strange turtle. Turtle Tots, Fluff,

Competiton - Leo won’t listen to his twin, not even when he is hurt. Hurt/Comfort, Disaster Twins,

Casey & Casey Jr - A mother and a son meet for the first time. Angst, Hurt/Comfort, !TW!

Dream - Raph goes savage if he is under a lot of stress, and he always worries about hurting someone. His brothers know he won’t. Angst, Fluff,

Bottle - Donnie is not having a good time. Autistic Overload, Angst, !TW!

Professor - Skipped

Nonsense - Mikey has a concussion, Leo helps him. Fluffy, Weird, Hurt/Comfort, 

Boom - Donnie finds himself in a minefield. Angst, Tension,

Style - Leo takes Casey Jr shopping for new clothes. Fluff,

Reckless - Mikey sneaks out and Raph finds out. Angst, Fighting, !TW!

 Hope - Skipped

 Family - Skipped

 Umbrella - Boys have fun in a storm. Fluff

 Spar - Mikey finds a way to make sparring fun for Donnie. Fluff,

 Buddies - Buddy the Paper Ninja learns more about his friends. Kinda Angst, Fluff,

 Mask - The boys are acting weird; April finds out why. Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, 

 Cosplay - Skipped

 Sleep - Leo tries to fall asleep. 

 Baby - Mikey becomes the older brother for a day. Fluff, De-ageing,

 Chaos - Raph is sick, and something is going on with the others. Sickfic, Fluff, Attempt at Crack,

 Jokes - 4 times Leo told Casey Jr a joke, and 1 time he returned the favor. Fluff, Humor, Puns

 Father - Splinter realizes he's a father, it brings back bad memories and sends him into a dark place. Angst,

 Spooky - A random stranger gets the scare of his life when he sneaks into the sewars. 

 Rebirth -  Leo reflects on something that happened in the prison dimension. Angst

Please check out @zee-rambles who came up with this challenge and look at @rise-april-art-challenge to see more submissions by other fans. 

@nickelodeon Bring Back Rise

[blackbutler-readerinsertsandjunk]

Ahem... Angst me mommy! I remember because last I sent a request of angst you said we were supposed to say that. Anyways can you do modern scenario Agni x reader with absolutely soul crushing? So basically I want the reader to get hit by car literally and be in the hospital when Agni arrives there BUT I want it to have fluffy ending. I got hit by a car once I always laugh about it but people say I'm morbid XDDD

looool you don't HAVE to say that haha!! it's just a joke ;)

... but thank you tho! I'm sorry you had to go through that, dang :c I'm glad dark humor could help you tho, sometimes it helps! and I really hope you're doing ok nowadays <3

You really should have seen the car coming, shouldn’t you?

Except, well, you were doing everything you were supposed to be doing. It was the driver who wasn’t following all the rules, so you think perhaps the universe (and your boyfriend) can forgive you for getting hit by a fucking car. You hope so, anyway.

You’re on a few painkillers right now, so you blame that for the fact that the incredibly stupid pun of, Surely an accident isn’t bad car-ma, is it?? floats through your mind. Ugh, you’ll have to cringe at yourself later.

The good part is that the painkillers, whatever sort of cocktail they have you on, are doing their job ― you’re not feeling much pain. Thank God. You’re just sore of vaguely aware that your body feels like a single huge bruise, and you’re tired.

As soon as AGNI comes into the room, your brain is trying to snap to attention. There he is, there’s the person you love. He looks so… concerned? You’ll have to apologize to him as soon as you can form a coherent sentence.

“Aah, jaan, what happened?” he murmurs, coming to sit next to the bed. Almost immediately his hand comes up to gently cup your cheek. “W… well, I know what happened… sort of… oh, my God, (Name).” He shakes his head. “How do you feel?”

“I’m okay. Kinda tired… my brain is all shaky… like I can’t… it’s fuzzy, you know?” You’re not sure how else to describe it. Still, you let your eyes close for a second as you feel so comforted by his hand on your face. Whatever else might be true at any one time, Agni makes you feel safe. As long as he’s here, everything’s going to be okay. “When will they let me go, love? I want you to take me home.”

You might be whining a little bit. You think you’re pretty justified, though. More justified than you are on most other days, at least.

He shakes his head. “They want to keep you overnight, just to make sure there aren’t any problems they’ve missed. You’re very lucky, do you know that? This could have been a lot worse. I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“I’m sorry I worried you.” You reach up to slip your hand over his, taking a breath. You’re pretty sure you have a broken rib or two… it kind of hurts to breathe. The painkillers can’t fix everything, you suppose. “You’re still going to take me home, aren’t you?”

A soft laugh meets your ears, and he presses a light kiss against your forehead. “What are you talking about? Of course I will. As soon as the doctors tell me I’m allowed to take you home, we’ll go home.”

You nod, giving the conversation an air of finality. (… At least, in your mind.) “Okay, good. I can’t wait to go home. Will you stay with me tonight, though?”

“Where else would I go?” You can hear the smile in his voice even while you recline back to try and rest. “I’ll text Soma that I won’t be home tonight. Although… he’ll probably come right over when I tell him what’s going on. Is that okay?”

“Mhm. That’s fine. Tell him not to flirt with all the nurses; they might take away my pain medicine if he’s too annoying.”

Agni laughs again. “They wouldn’t. But I’ll tell him to keep that to a minimum. Do your best to relax for now, alright, jaan?” Before he moves to take his phone out, he runs a hand through your hair. “Don’t worry. Once we get you home, I’ll take good care of you.”

[nuatthebeach]

2022 Wrapped

Tagged by @corneliaavenue! You're a lovely thing <3

Oof, it's already 2023, isn't it? Oh, well.

Post the top 5 works you're most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular)

it's gonna be 4 now lol.

persist and resist the temptation to ask you - this one is perhaps the most authentic, soul-pouring fic i've ever written. and the one i'm most proud of because of my growth in writing prose and pacing overall. there were many times i would huddle with a blanket in a dark room (💀) simply because of how much i was feeling in the moment. it was the most visceral experience i've had writing so far.

like passing notes in secrecy - i would say that when i finished persist, i was in this writing craze/high in that i simply wanted to write anything since i finally felt like i was on a roll, but that wouldn't do this fic - and my work - justice. because persist was so angsty, i desperately needed to write something that was light and fluffy in consequence for my own sake. i'm very happy about the banter and humor i was able to apply to this OTP; it was pure serotonin, and i hope it was the same for others.

Midnight - my first hinny smut!! aka i took my headcanon of switch!hinny and really ran with it. though i no longer have the same exact headcanon about the two of them, i'm still really proud of how steamy this turned out. and i have a feeling all the private bookmarkers do too 👀

you knew that i'm a mastermind, and now you're mine - man, the sheer power tswift holds on all fic writers everywhere. the aim was to use this song ("mastermind") in irony to show how the wizarding world perceives ginny relative to her relationship with harry. and because ginny is such a force of nature, she and the press manage to come to a certain albeit amusing level of agreement (a true mastermind har dee har). it's a bamf character moment for her, and she owned every second of it.

your top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release in the new year

you reminded me to open up my google docs for the first time in a month! phewww.

premed hinny!rivals to lovers fic - snippet here. my final fuck you (and extremely reluctant thank you) to undergrad in the form of my OTP. fic is fully outlined and ready to be written if only i could give it the time of day 😭. but now that i have a lot of time opened up for me in the next several months, i'll finally get to it! fingers crossed

anniversary hinny smut - hinny roleplays as strangers in a bar, and let's just say we'll stick the art of acting to the shitty movies. a whole ass page written so far, so i take that as a win!

a somewhat angst, somewhat crack fic... i uh... have the most written for this wip so far of all my wips and im both proud and mortified by that. let's just say it's a story of how hinny finds themselves back to each other postwar... and the path is not exactly a straight route. playlist is a wip as well.

another crack fic because apparently that's all @takearisk-ao3 and me are on... though it's more accurate to say i helped to brainstorm and Hannah, the brilliant Executioner. to quote Hannah's post... "no comment."

im adding a fifth one because why not. hinny!vampire au. though there's only been half a page written for it so far, and hence a lot of white space, im so, so ready for the tools of creativity to lead me to more crackheadery that ive yet to discover. (like i needed more to start with.)

your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year

i think my writing comes off a bit "cleaner" now? there's more of a coherent plot, resolution to my fics than most of the simple "slices of life" that i wrote more of last year.

i'd like to think the dialogue comes off more natural now too. im finally getting the hang of doing more "showing" than telling and implementing symbolism and metaphors when trying to display a broader theme/concept.

im able to sit with fics and be at ease with the fact that im not going to have the right answer immediately. that i have to wait before i can post to make it better. i started prioritizing quality over mass production - and while this is still something i struggle with a lot of the times - i feel like this is a bit of a step up from last year. and most importantly, i learned that rewrites - not just editing - may be necessary too, and that is okay. that does not make me a bad writer but (hopefully) a thoughtful one.

your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year

to not constantly compare myself to other people's writing. focus on how i can improve myself without being intimidated by all the works of the many amazing writers in the fandom. to finally put words on the page fearlessly and authentically, like i felt i did with persist.

to take more risks. keep putting my characters in uncomfortable situations and testing out how they can grow from them. to not feel limited in my writing just because in my young age i havent experienced them. to push my boundaries more. (i thank @fairsquare16 @takearisk-ao3 and @narukoibito for encouraging this and the first goal every single time i feel even the slightest bit down about it; they're also the reason im still entertaining all these crackfics so put the blame on them when they eventually come out)

and your number 1 favorite line you've written this year

my fucking answer to this changes every two seconds...not for any other reason except that it's my biggest conspiracy theory that i have early, early onset dementia and can't for the life of me remember. here's one for now:

Like the story, the moral is just as simple: love unconditionally, act irrevocably. One shouldn't fear wearing their heart on their sleeve if the alternative is to never plant, water, and bathe it with the light of day.

After all, what are mistakes if not signs to grow?

Tagging

@narukoibito @heartstopping-waves @ashotofogdensoldfirewhiskey and whoever else would like to do it (i truly mean that)!

[thisonesatellite]

we kill the flame - CH 15 + EPILOGUE

SUMMARY:  

Earth, 2123.

A city striving to escape a bleak future. A crime lord who wants to bring it to its knees.

An agent and a fugitive, thrown together by chance on a mission to free the city and save themselves.

There’s no way that could possibly go wrong.

*

| CH 1 |  | CH 2 |  | CH 3 |  | CH 4 |  | CH 5 |  | CH 6 |  | CH 7 |  | CH 8 |  | CH 9 | | CH 10 |  | CH 11 |  | CH 12 |  |  CH 13 |  | CH 14 | | AO3 |

*

A/N:  Guys.  Guys.  i was never going to leave you hanging that long.  So, without further ado, here it is.

The End.

And you’re getting both the last chapter, and the epilogue, because i have cliffhangered the eff out of this story enough times, and you all have been so patient and wonderful and supportive, i CAN’T EVEN.

For @profdanglaisstuff​, who is the reason this story exists.  She is the brilliance that makes my little voice shine, and her contribution to who i am as a writer cannot be overstated.  You are the reason i'm here at all, and my life - my life - is better for having you in it.

For @ohmightydevviepuu​ who is the Goddess of Questions, for @kmomof4​ who has been nothing but patient (hers is a lovely, shouty kind of patience), for @jennjenn615​ who has trusted me chapter after chapter to make good in the end, and finally to each and every single one of you who have read these words i have offered up. 

So, to all of you - ALL OF YOU – quiet or loud, effusive or silent, hidden or not – i love you all so very much.  

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.   

And look!  We made it!

*

If you want on or off this tag list, let me know!  (And seriously - if it’s ‘off’ please don’t worry.  Absolutely no hard feelings.)

@mariakov81 @stahlop @thejollyroger-writer @snowbellewells @captainsjedi @toomanyfandomstochoosefrom @xarandomdreamx @tiganasummertree @mayquita @ohmightydevviepuu @sals86 @karenfrommisthaven @kmomof4 @kday426 @superchocovian @jennjenn615  @facesiousbutton82 @suwya @spartanguard @capnjay21 @shardminds @carpedzem @girl-in-a-tiny-box @ilovemesomekillianjones @lfh1226-linda​ @artistic-writer​

*

*

*

CHAPTER 15

Emma’s mind is blank.  She can’t think anymore.  She can’t hear. She is no longer really in the room.

It’s as if she can see threads of energy and revelation being pulled in every direction, but none of them actually touch her.

She is no one, floating through time and space while life is happening outside of her, and it is peaceful, and numb, and nothing really matters.

  “Love?”

  His voice whispers into her ear and pierces the fog, and reality comes screaming back at her.

.

“You did what?”  David’s voice is lethal.

His wife next to him looks murderous, in a cold, calculating, absolutely merciless kind of way.  Emma never ever wants to be on that woman’s bad side.

“I saved her miserable little life,” Regina hisses, and Cora sputters a laugh.

“Coward,” she spits at her daughter.  “Do not make it sound as if you did anything out of the goodness of your heart.”

Gold smirks, and Cora grins, and Regina rounds on both, and then Mary Margaret’s voice sounds out, clear and cold and commanding.

“Commander Mills.  If you value your life, you had better explain yourself.  Because from where I stand, you kidnapped my daughter and then went to work for my law enforcement, closing Levels and fighting an imaginary war with abandon , in order to cover your tracks and expand your own power.”

She leans forward, and her voice drops to nearly a whisper.  “You are responsible for countless casualties and perhaps cold-blooded murder, so let me make this perfectly clear: Your future depends on your explanation.”

  The room goes completely quiet, and Emma notices that every single person is holding their breath.  Including her.

  And then Regina stands up, slowly, at attention; her shoulders pulled back, her chin up high, and her eyes focused somewhere above the Rulers.  She does not spare them a glance.  

“Gold and Cora were still working as a unit in those days,” she says, as if she were giving a mission briefing.  “He was ambitious and she was cunning, and together they were ruthless in their pursuit of power. And they really hated you .”  She points her chin at Mary Margaret.  “Something about your father sending them Down instead of allowing them a seat at the table.  I never found out particulars.”

. 

Emma watches the Ruler in question.

Her expression does not change.

. 

“It doesn’t matter anyway.”  It might be Emma’s imagination, but Regina suddenly sounds tired.  “It was so long ago. And I couldn’t wait to get out of there.”

There is definite fatigue in her voice now, and Emma thinks about what life must have been like for Regina, growing up between the rock and the hard place that are Gold and Cora.  Against her will she feels a stab of compassion.

Regina was obviously an intelligent child, smart enough to see what was going on around her, and suffer both her parents’ ambition and neglect.  Was she ever allowed to be a child?  

Did she have friends and love and a childhood and wonder, or was any shred of empathy and kindness and emotion stomped into oblivion right from the start? Did she ever have the shred of a chance?

Killian’s arm tightens around her, and she doesn’t have to look up to know he’s thinking the exact same thing.

  She sighs.

She doesn’t want the burden of feeling sympathy for Commander Mills.

. 

“And I did get out of there,” Regina goes on, her voice once again professional and neutral.  “I got a job as a waitress on L10, and the owner of the diner was---”  

Her voice drifts off.  For a brief moment her face looks wistful and Emma can’t help thinking that the word which Regina is refusing to say is ‘nice’.  That the owner of the diner was nice .  To her.

Then the commander clears her throat.  “The owner, a woman everyone called Granny, was eventually asked to look after the Rulers’ newborn.  Apparently she was an old friend of the family.” Mary Margarent blinks at those words, but does not comment.  “And she took me with her. All the way to L12.”

  Regina straightens up even further, her spine now bent backwards, her chin in the air.  Her eyes fixed to the far wall.

  “But then one day my mother---” the word ‘mother’ holds lethal amounts of disdain--- “tracked me down, all the way Up Top.  And presented me with a plan.” At that, the commander’s voice loses all inflection. “Kidnap the Rulers’ daughter, blackmail them into giving Gold access to the mainframe and the Deep Archive and the override codes for all the Levels - and then kill the girl and leave her on the Rulers’ doorstep, to be found by her mother.  Crush the Rulers’ spirit once and for all.”

. 

Mary Margaret and David have stopped moving. Have stopped breathing.

Robin, Will, Liam, Elsa, and even Agent Booth and Dr Whale all wear the same expression of shocked disgust, every last one of them.  Liam takes Elsa’s hand, and she squeezes it until her knuckles turn white, without taking her eyes off Regina. Her other hand very slowly spreads across her middle.

. 

Thoughts start to collide in Emma’s mind, but next to her Killian takes a sharp breath and his arm tightens around her shoulders, hard.  She looks up at his face and can see his jaw muscles jump, but it’s not just anger at Regina’s revelation that Cora and Gold planned the cold-blooded murder of a six-month-old.

He turns-- and in his eyes is recognition.  They grow wide as he looks at her, and he shakes his head, very slightly.  And then pulls her even closer. It’s almost painful, the way his hand grips her bicep, digs into the muscle.

. 

Regina’s eyes narrow, but her posture does not relax one iota, and her eyes stay fixed on the wall.

  “They were never going to get away with it.”  She gives a snort of derision.  “Their plan hinged on me not getting caught.  Not getting caught taking away a screaming baby and then bringing back a dead one .”

She rounds on Gold and Cora, suddenly, and Emma’s breath catches.

The hatred in Commander Mills’ eyes burns so bright, she looks deranged.  Even Cora recoils.

“I was seventeen and you were going to make me an accomplice to murder.  And then you were going to let me fry in the chair for it, because there was no way, no way I was not going to get caught and executed.  Executed. ”

She turns back to Mary Margaret and David, and looks straight at them.  “So I took her. I took your precious daughter and started running down stairwells with nowhere to go.  And I realized that I had nowhere to go right around L6. Which is when the damn baby started crying so hard I thought her lungs would collapse.”

  “And so you left her.”  Mary Margaret’s voice is quiet, but it comes as a shock.  No one but the commander has spoken in so long.  

Regina nods.  “And so I left her.  I was already screwed.  I knew I couldn’t go back.  And I knew I couldn’t go down to my parents .”

The venom in her voice is no longer tempered by rationale.  Anger and hatred and wrath have broken her surface and are spilling out, unbridled, unchecked.

. 

Emma looks at Commander Mills, ravaged, damaged, consumed by emotion she can no longer harness, and then looks up at the man beside her.

. 

See, Killian?  This is why your weakness is not a weakness at all.  This woman’s entire life has been fury and vengeance and pain, hidden behind control and forced discipline, and it has poisoned her, twisted her, corroded her because it had no place to go except inwards.

How many others are there, stuck inside emotion they can neither express nor process nor move past?  Do they all end up broken like Robin, who could not see a genuine connection until you punched him in the face, or numb like Will, who thinks life is a meaningless game for which the prize is survival and the penalty is death?

Or do they end up blindly following lethal orders until they become casualties of impossible missions?

This is why you are better than all of them.

Despite all of your training, you remember how to be human.

. 

Commander Mills clears her throat again, and it rips Emma from her thoughts.  

“I left her in the stairwell and saved my own skin, because nobody else was going to.”

  “And then you found yourself a whole new identity and forged a new life where your past would never touch you.”  Mary Margaret leans back, her eyes harder than flint. Regina meets her gaze and Emma watches both women locked in a battle of wills.

  “Not quite, dearie.”  The voice is melodious and unsettlingly pleasant, and it cracks through the room like a whip.  All eyes snap to Gold, who slowly gets up from his chair. He takes a mocking bow in the direction of David and Mary Margaret, and the insolence of it makes shivers run down Emma’s spine.  “It would be so touching if this were the end of the story.” He looks hard at Regina. “But it is not. My daughter likes power at least as much as I do myself, and she will go to great lengths to get it.  Including working with me.”

  Emma feels like her head might explode.  As if one more revelation would tear her open from top to bottom.

It’s too much. It’s too much.

  Gold’s singsong voice goes on, relentlessly.  “Now, dearie,” another mocking bow towards Mary Margaret, “how much is this information worth to you?”

  Too much.

Too much.

TooMuchTooMuchTooMuchTooMuchTooMuchTooMuch.

  “Nothing.”  Liam’s voice is calm and assured, and he waits as every pair of eyes settles on him.  Emma can see him squeeze Elsa’s hand and smile at her, warm and so full of love. She can’t see Elsa’s face, but she can see her nod, and Liam nods back, serious and solemn.

He leans forward to kiss her, unbothered by ten people staring in unison, and then he pulls back to face the Rulers.

  “Allow me to introduce myself properly,” he says quietly, and gets up to stand.  “My name is Liam Jones, and I have been a Dragon of the Golden Circle for more than a decade.  Whatever information Gold is selling, I will give you for free.”

“He knows nothing ,” Gold snarls, and Emma, along with every single person in the room, knows that it’s a lie.

“He knows everything .”  Elsa gets up to stand next to Liam.  “And what’s more, he will tell you the truth, and not twist it.”

. 

Mary Margaret nods at David and mumbles.  “See? I told you. Say nothing and hand them enough rope to hang themselves.”

David smiles at his wife like this is an old joke, well-worn and well-loved.  “You just love being the smartest person in every room.”

For a moment she smiles at her husband, and then she turns to Robin.

“Lieutenant Locksley.  Put her ,” she points her chin at Regina, “into custody.  Take Gold and Cora back to Holding. And then please give these two,” she nods at Liam and Elsa, “some real clothes.  And some shoes.”

. 

Emma can’t help it. She laughs out loud.

It skirts hysteria by such a narrow margin that Killian’s arm once again tightens around her shoulders---- and then his arm starts to tremble.  

Starts to shake .

When she looks up at him, she sees beads of sweat on his forehead.  He has gone very pale.

  “Killian?”  Her voice is a whisper, and he turns his head slowly, eyes glassy, lips pressed into a thin line.  He reaches his trembling hand into his pocket, his movements sluggish and uncoordinated.

“Emma, can you help---” he holds out his palm, three stickies in it, and Emma tries to unpeel them with shaking fingers until a pair of calm, cool hands stills hers and Dr Whale simply takes the stickies from her, and calmly affixes them to Killian’s wrist.

Killian’s eyes close in relief and his hand stops trembling, and Whale awkwardly pats Emma’s shoulder and says, “It’s OK.”

  But Emma sees that Killian is still white as a sheet, that sweat is still beading on his forehead, that tremors are still running through muscle and skin, and she looks up at the Rulers.

“Please,” she says, “he needs a bed.”

Whale next to her nods.  “He does. And several IVs.  He should never have come here.  Why is he here?”

“I summoned him.”  Robin looks crushed.  Or as crushed as a seasoned agent can look.  Emma can see it now. “I needed him to bring Will.  He was the only one who could spring Will out of Holding.  And get him his handheld.”

“That’s all right, mate.”  Killian’s voice is thin and reedy, but also amused.  “I can hold it over your head forever.”

. 

“Enough.”  David nods at Robin and Booth and Whale.  “You all have your orders. Go.” And then he turns to Emma, and she can see he’s almost as pale as Killian.

“Ms--” his voice is unsteady, and he grips his wife’s hand.  “Miss Swan, please--- please stay. We---” his voice cuts out, and he clears his throat.  “We have to talk to you.”

“No.”  Emma takes Killian’s hand.  “I am going with him.”

“Miss Swan---”  David says.

“Emma----” Mary Margaret says.

“Love,” Killian says, “I think you should stay.”

“No,” Emma repeats, and then leans her forehead against his.  “I’ve heard enough, and I am going with you.”

  She feels it down to the marrow of her bones, that they have to stick together, come whatever may.

She might not know everything, but she does know this.

  She can feel Killian nod against her, feel his head shift and his lips brush hers.

“I love you,” he says.

And in a clear voice she replies, “I love you, too.” 

. .

-/-

. .

“They chose exile, all of them.”

  Killian nods and motions for Robin and Will to sit.  Emma is curled up with her head in his lap, half-asleep, but at those words she sits up and leans against him, sleepy and warm.  He can’t not kiss her.

Hell, he can hardly keep his hands off her when they’re in the same room.

Hand.

No, hands.

Things have changed, but not that much.

  “I see you got your prosthetic already,” Robin says, pointing at Killian’s left arm.  At the end of which sits a bionic hand, nearly indistinguishable from the real thing, save for the silvery shine.  “And it’s only been days. Nanobots?”

Killian nods.

“Look at you with the fancy treatment reserved for the Rulers and the top brass only,” he says, and Emma chokes.

“Reserved for the what now?”  she asks between coughs, while Killian laughs and pats her back, and then Will’s voice sounds out like a foghorn.

“Sod your smalltalk, cretins.”  He looks around as if offended by the very air in the room.  “Stop fucking teasing us and spill. Killian, when did you know?”

Killian can feel his grin widen, but he doesn’t give.  “When did I know what?”

“You git ,” Will huffs in pure indignation.  “When did you figure your NO/GO was the damn Rulers’ daughter?”

. 

Emma stiffens, and Killian takes a moment to massage her neck until the worst of the tension passes.

“All right now, love?”  he asks, and is rewarded with one of the lovely smiles Emma keeps just for him.  What he wouldn’t give to pick her up and haul her into his bedroom right now.

Except of course that his bedroom is occupied by his brother and his sister-in-law.

He has a brother again.

He has a family.

. 

“You know when,” he finally answers, and Will’s face relaxes a fraction.  “Once Regina started telling her kidnapping story, everything just fell into place.  I knew Emma’s history, and all the dates lined up perfectly.” He can no longer call Regina Mills commander, because she no longer is the commander.

Of anything.  “Plus, there was that damn favor you asked me to do.”

Will’s grin is threatening to split his face.  “Well, I am the resident genius.”

  “What favor?”  Emma’s voice is a whisper, and when Killian looks at her, she is pale, and breathing fast.  He starts to rub her back, but she leans forward, eyes focused on Will, and repeats, “what favor?”

Will looks flustered for a moment, derailed by Emma’s laser focus, and Robin answers instead.

“Will had a hunch, back when he first decrypted the Command--- Regina’s chip.  After he was arrested he asked Killian to check your blood.”

“Morse code?”  Emma’s voice is unsteady.  Killian very slowly puts his hand on her wrist.

Robin nods.  “Of course. But Killian doesn’t have the clearance to do anything like that, so he came to me.  And I did.”

“Check my blood….?”

“We ran a DNA test.  I gave it to the Rulers right before we summoned all of you.”

  Emma’s breathing hitches and Killian pulls her closer.  He can feel her shaking, feel her trying to relax her breathing, can feel all her muscles tense.

“Emma,” he says, and it takes her a long moment to look up.  He leans his forehead against hers, waits for her to exhale.   “It’s all right, love. You can be unsettled. It would be a lot to take for anyone.  Least of all someone who’s just been through your kind of trauma.”

“It’s true.”  Robin smiles at Emma.  “I’m amazed you’re not in a padded cell, screaming.”

Emma laughs.  It’s Killian’s favorite sound in the whole world.

“I feel like I should be, sometimes,” she says, and her voice is almost steady.  “But I guess we all have our baggage to carry.” She leans into Killian’s side, solid and warm.  “Mine’s not so much heavier than yours. Just weirder.” 

. 

“So what are you going to do now?”  

Killian glares at Will, but Will merely raises an eyebrow and keeps talking.

“Are they going to want you to join them Up Top?  Rule the City?”

“They might.”  Emma sighs. “But I don’t want to.  I just--- to me they’re just people, people I just met, you know?”

Will nods, and Emma leans up, kisses the underside of Killian’s jaw, and whispers, “You know what I want.”

He does.  Oh, how he loves that woman.

. 

“So they all chose exile then, did they?”

Robin nods.  “Yup. Going out per transport first thing in the morning.  They’ll get dropped off in the middle of nature with only the basics several hundred miles from here.”  He shrugs. “I give them a month. Tops.”

Emma reaches for his hand, and shudders.  “I know they deserve it,” she says quietly.  “But it seems cruel, somehow.”

“It’s what they chose.”  Will’s voice is hard. “They could have picked the chair.  Or a life sentence here, even. Don’t waste your tears on them.”

“I know.”  Her voice is a whisper now, and Killian wraps his arms around her and glares at Will again.

  Who finally gets the message.

  “So the rescue went well,” he says, much more cheerfully.  “Got all the girls out of the Rabbit Hole, including a really tall bit of gorgeous.”

Emma laughs again, and again Killian is so glad to hear it.

“Ruby would eat you for breakfast, Scarlet.”

“And I’d happily let her,” he sighs.  “But alas, when we took them to the hospital to get checked out, she encountered a nurse named Dorothy, and all my breakfast plans were foiled.”

Will is actually pouting.

Even Robin has to laugh.

. 

“So Will,” Killian finally says, “answer me one last thing.  The encryption on Regina’s chip. How did you break it? It was supposed to be impossible to penetrate.”

Will’s grin turns wistful, and for the first time since Killian has known him, his face grows soft, and suddenly he looks so very young.

“I knew the encryption,” he says.  “My father wrote it.”

“ What? ”  It’s Robin who snaps first, turns Will’s shoulder to face him.

Emma sits up straight, and for a moment Killian’s side feels very, very cold.

“It’s true.”  Will’s smile is sad.  “It was a well-paid, prestigious job, and I begged him not to take it.”  He sighs. “But he did. Said it was going to get us up to L10. Said it was going to set us for life.  And then he disappeared.”

.   

Killian hears Liam’s voice again, in their kitchen on L7, saying it’s a well-paying job on L3, so much money for just a few weeks’ worth of work.

Asking Killian to please not fuck up while he’s gone.

Saying he’s sorry.

. 

They weigh so heavy, all those things people do for the shred of a chance, for the slim prospect of a better life.  For the gamble on all or nothing.

. 

“I’m so sorry.”  Emma leans forward and pats Will’s knee, and he jumps before he settles and looks at her gratefully.  His hand goes to cover hers, and she takes it.  

“You must have a theory,” she goes on, and he can see Will cringe, but he can also see that Emma is right.  Will does have a theory on how his father disappeared, and maybe it’s time he said it out loud.

Maybe it’s time to say lots of things out loud.

Maybe it’s time for agents to learn to feel things and say things and want things, maybe it’s time for all of  them to be human again.

. 

“I do.”  It’s a sigh.  “I checked the comm--- Regina’s records for the day he vanished.  She checked out a Needle and never brought it back. The report said it crashed, unrecoverable.”

Robin and Killian both whistle, and Emma looks up, confused.

“An unrecoverable crash is one that happened on a level that’s completely inaccessible.”  Killian squeezes Emma’s shoulder, and then lets his hand slide down her back. “In those days that meant----”

“The Ground.”  Will’s voice is harder than steel.  “She fucking took him to the Ground in a fucking Needle and then she left him there .”  He looks up at Emma, tears in his eyes.  “So I know what you mean when you say exile is cruel, but I cannot help thinking that it’s exactly what they deserve, the lot of them.”

  Emma just nods.

  “I wonder what’s going to happen now.”  Will sighs and wipes his eyes, squeezes Emma’s hand one more time and then lets go.  

“How do you mean?”  Emma curls herself back against Killian’s side, and he shouldn’t be so happy to feel her warmth again, but he is.

“With everything.  WIth you, and the Rulers, and the opening of the Levels everyone’s already talking about, and the dismantling of the Golden Circle, and the dust runners and gangs and all the other people who were profiting off of the Levels being closed.  Because I think it’s going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.”

  Emma nods again, and then turns to kiss Killian, just a soft, quiet brushing of lips.

“I know it will,” she says, and then looks at him with that look, that look , that says, ThisIsOurLifeToLive , that says, WeAreTheOnlyPeopleThatMatter , that says, ILoveYouSoMuch .

“I know it will,” she repeats.  “But you’ll have to figure it out without us.”

. . .

. 

-/- 

. 

. 

. 

EPILOGUE 

. 

. 

.

The sun shines into the large window above the large, ugly, supremely comfortable couch, where Emma sits, tucked into the corner, holding a book.

A real book.

Killian is stretched out with his head in her lap, snoring softly while her fingers play in his hair.

He makes a small noise and turns his head, squishes his nose into her belly, and then his breathing evens out again.

. 

The door opens and a brunette enters, softening her steps the moment her eyes fall on Killian sleeping, and she smiles.  It’s the same smile Emma saw in dozens of pictures back in an abandoned apartment on L3, waiting for Killian, an unconscious Cora handcuffed to a radiator.

It was Belle’s apartment in which she had been standing, homesick and afraid, and it is Belle who now walks smiling towards her, a paper bag in her hand.

Turns out Belle runs a large part of the Farms.

Runs it more efficiently than ever, now that Will has taken it upon himself to help upgrade the entire operation, something which has absolutely nothing to do with the brunette standing before her.

At all.

. 

“Here you go.”  Belle’s voice is a whisper as she hands Emma the bag.  “Chamomile and peppermint and a few other things. This should help with the morning sickness.”

“I hope so.”  Emma does not enjoy being nauseated, but she really does not enjoy being grumpy.  And it turns out nausea makes her grumpy, and she really hates that, especially since Killian is being so damn nice about everything, she can hardly stand it.

  The moment the door closes behind Belle, Emma swats Killian’s shoulder.

“Don’t even try to pretend you’re asleep.”

He starts to laugh even as he opens his eyes.  

And then he doesn’t say anything else, just looks at her.

Looks at her with that open, happy expression that tells her more than any words ever could just how much he loves her.

. 

She can see the blue sky outside her window, she can see Elsa and Liam by the barn teaching their son how to walk, and she can hear voices from the fields and the other farm houses.

She can smell the bread baking in Dorothy and Ruby’s outdoor ovens all the way over here, and she knows that when Killian is finally ready to get up from his nap, they will go to their small town square, as they call it, and he will get to sample Granny’s latest coffee bean roasting experiment.  The coffee is not quite there yet, but they have time.

They have all the time in the world.

They have fields to plant and livestock to tend to and Emma once again has children to teach.

. 

Killian sits up, rubs her belly with his good hand.

And then he gives her a whole different look.  “What time did Robin say he was coming?”

Emma checks her watch.  “Not for another hour.” She looks up at Killian.  “Do you think one of these days we’ll get him to stay?”

Killian laughs.  “He’s the Commander of all Law Enforcement.  I don’t think the Farms are his place.”

Then he turns somber.  “Do you think one day you’ll be tempted to take up your parents’ offer?  Go back?”

Emma smiles and leans forward to kiss him.  One of these days Killian will trust that she is not going anywhere, ever, unless they go together.

One of these days he’ll stop being afraid of losing her.

But this is not that day, and so she kisses him, long and hard and possessive .

“Never,” she says, and he breathes a sigh of relief.

  And then there is that look again.

  “An hour, you say?”  His voice turns low, his vowels stretch like molasses, and that look, oh damn.  He is sex on a stick.

She has trouble breathing.

“I did say that.”  Her voice is gravel and dust, and he picks her up in one smooth motion, and carries her down the hallway and into the bedroom, and then puts her down on the mattress, panting in anticipation, his eyes nearly black.

“Come here, Mrs Jones,” he says.  “I have an idea how we can spend that hour.”

“Well I was going to knit---”  Her breathless voice is cut off as his lips come down on hers with force and desire, and he pushes her back, blankets her body, and by all the wretched, abdicated gods of the past----

this 

this

this is where she belongs.

. . *

THANK YOU ALL. 

[doctorprofessorsong]

Destiel fic recs

A little something for everyone this time around as I ping ponged through a lot of great fics recently. I contain multitudes, okay?

A Novel Affair by EllenofOz and MalMuses @ellen-of-oz @malmuses (Explicit, 77k)

Ok, look. If you read my brain waves and used them to whip up a fic perfectly tailored to me, this is probably what the ficometer 2000 would spit out. A 2plt Regency fic with book porn, talk of little cakes and horses. It wasn’t enough to read it. Etch it onto my skull.

The story is a delightful, mostly fluffy rom com style fic with low angst and lots of fun. Cas inherits a tea shop and reading room (a dream come true for every bookstore gay). He can't help but be distracted by Dean, a local wealthy landowner who is obviously not interested in him (and who is on the marriage mart seeking a title). Unless . . . .

The story is sweet and light. These versions of Dean and Cas are so earnest and I can't say enough about the amazing cast of characters featured in the town. It has all the yearning of a Regency fic and vintage gay feels. But it's also so hopeful and joyous.

Revelation 13 by fullvoid @fullvoidao3 (Explicit, 43k)

And now for something completely different: murder husbands. This fic is a Silent Hill 4 AU. If you've played the game, it brings the creepiness and the gore (and you definitely don't have to have played to enjoy this fic). Dean and Sam wake up to discover they're trapped in their apartment. The only way out is a terrifying hole that appeared in the bathroom wall overnight. What they find on the other side is a dangerous hellscape ruled by terrifying and sadistic monsters.

Please mind the tags. This is unapologetically a horror fic with blood and guts and monsters, but it is a fantastic one with some pretty delightful grossouts if that's your thing (it's definitely mine). Also Dean and Cas are 100% murder boyfriends and morally pretty dark. But that’s what makes their dynamic fun. They would burn down the world for each other without a second thought. In addition to some top notch horror writing, this fic brings the humor. I was laughing my ass off. And it has the nerve to have some deeply poetic and haunting lines. It's seriously a fantastic romp in this genre.

The Parts of Our Sum by Annie D (scaramouche) @no-gorms (Explicit, 55k)

I am foaming at the mouth over this one, y'all. It's older and fairly well known, so you may have heard of it, but I am still going to scream into the void and stomp my feet and tell you to read it.

A sci fi AU where Cas is essentially a cyborg. A guy raised to fight for a nameless conglomerate Corporation. He was enhanced for battle and now that war is over, he has settled into a quiet routine of working on a training base and trying to save up enough money to buy his freedom. Dean is a civilian with deep animosity for the Corporation reluctantly working on the base so that he can be near his friends and family who are training to go into space. Both of them can't deny the pull they feel towards the other that seems to be challenging their plans.

This one is a Cas perspective that gives me deep canon angel Cas feels. Particularly the way Cas sees himself as company property defined solely by his utility. Despite being an AU, this one is deeply rooted in canon and it becomes at times a masterful character study, made more impressive by the fact that it was written in 2013. In fact, there were parts that felt so much like Despair and some of the late seasons that I kept double checking the post date. In summary, it grabs all the gooey Cas defines himself by his utility character beats and squashes them into your brain like play dough. The story is deeply satisfying and had me on edge despite the promise of a happy ending through all of the angst.

our lights in ashes by teen_dean @urne-buriall (Mature, 68k)

This fic is a masterpiece and a bit brain melting and crunchy and it's also a bit of a challenge to explain. It's really two fics in one. Dean and Jack on a delightfully Supernatural road trip solving cases (with some OCs who will live in my brain forever). The cases are fun. Inventive and clever, unusual monsters. Great stuff. Tying them all together is Cas and the other half of the story.

See, post 15x19 Jack tried and failed to get Cas back. But he's been appearing. To Dean and to save people being attacked by monsters. I don't want to spoil anything, but its deliciously high concept with some really fascinating elements.

Intertwined in this are some staggeringly beautiful themes about family and rebuilding after trauma. About love. About doing the work. It’s gorgeous.

Friends this one is a ride and a fantastic one.

Non Solum by thisisapaige @thisisapaige (Explicit, 16k)

Witchy!Cas meets Hunter!Dean in a fun fantasy story with phenomenal worldbuilding and lots of delightful details. When Dean is seriously injured during a hunt, he's sure that it's all over. That is until he stumbles upon a cabin in the woods. Cas is a witch trying to leave his complicated and dark past behind. When a man who would probably just as soon kill him as look at him collapses on his doorstep, he has to decide whether his own protection is more important than saving a life.

Dean and Cas are both so lonely. They have early season vibes. That plus the amazing worldbuilding makes this a really fun read.

Wavelength-gasm by Mumble_Bee (Explicit, 11k)

If you are in the mood for some absurd comedy and smut, you are in luck. The premise is simple: Cas gets hit with a fuck or die spell only it's his trueform that needs to have sex. Dean finds himself presented with the unique challenge of giving a celestial beam of light a hand job. It's horny, kinky and hilarious. Plus the true form descriptions are top notch. It's a delightful romp.

The State of You by TrenchcoatBaby (Explicit, 101k)

Writer Dean Winchester has a problem. After three successful books, he finds himself with severe writer’s block. Writer’s block stemming from a rather surprising discovery about himself. But his editor, Anna, isn't going to let him fail, even if I means sending her collegue to troubleshoot in person. She knows Castiel can help, if he and Dean don't strangle each other first.

This one has some delightful rom com elements including an awkward meet ugly and some rather stark misunderstandings, but it manages to pack an emotional punch at times as well. It was one of those fics that I could barely put down. Entertaining and sweet, sometimes heartbreaking but with a soft landing.

Carnival Oasis (Series) by violue @violue (Explicit, 47k with 10 installments)

I love a story that really leans into Cas as a strange, somewhat alien ancient creature. This story definitely fits the bill. Dean is a hunter who encounters a strange creature that feeds on sin/regret. He's fairly sure Castiel isn't malevolent, so why can't he stop going back?

Dean is a bit softer than in canon, taking a nuanced approach to hunting. Cas is less human as well. It makes for a really fun combination. I don't want to spoil anything, but the backstory for Cas is a amazing in this fic. Overall, it's a really fun take with low angst and lots of softness and humor.

---tag list---

@varlysca @naturallyathief @greatbigbugger @fandoms-and-things @cascodedtech @you-cant-spell-subtext-without @deanwasalwaysbi @fellshish @valleydean

[bellaxgiornata]

Falling For the Devil [Part twenty-nine: "The Questions Over Coffee"]

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Fem!Reader

Summary: You and Matt discuss a few things over coffee.

Or

You feel like you're about to throw up trying to ask Matt something important. What he asks you in return leaves you breathless.

[Series of one-shots about Reader meeting, falling for, and dating Matt Murdock.]

Warnings: 18+ for this series; contains humor, fluff, romance, angst, smut (like...a lot of it later in the series), language, some violence

Word Count: 2.4k

a/n: This is fluffy fluff, friends! But important note here: in this series I have created a family for Reader (as discussed previously with my AO3 readers) so that we can have holiday fluff and a road trip and flight with Matt. No matter what I do, I cannot fit this story to absolutely every individual reading it, but I try VERY hard to do my best. That being said, I've made it so you can either pretend Reader really is biologically related to this family in the story, or you can pretend she was adopted at birth. I will always do my best to make it so y'all can view it either way. Anyway, you can find all of the installments on tumblr here and I hope you enjoy!

Fingers tapping along the white ceramic coffee mug, you nervously chewed your lip. Matt was sitting across from you in the coffee shop booth; today he was wearing a sweater that somehow clung perfectly to the muscles in his arms and his chest. For the hundredth time this morning you wondered how this perfect man could possibly exist, and for the hundredth time this morning that had your nerves increasing. 

Matt, though, had his left arm slung over the backrest of the bench looking completely relaxed. Not for the first time you envied how he always looked so calm and composed. Foot tapping a little restlessly under the table, your eyes followed Matt’s hand as it raised his mug to his lips. You watched as he drank down more coffee, his tongue slipping out to lick his lips as he gradually lowered the cup back to the table.

“Is there a reason you're so nervous?” he asked curiously. “Or did they accidentally put a few extra shots of espresso into your latte this morning?”

You shot him a strained smile, forcing your foot to stop tapping along the floor. “Sorry,” you muttered.

He tilted his head, one brow raising curiously back at you above his dark lenses from his place across the table. Your mouth opened again, about to bring up what you’d been wanting to ask him, but staring at his handsome face as he silently studied you only left you more nervous. You quickly chickened out and your mouth clamped shut again. Gaze dropping down to your mug, you nervously tucked a strand of hair behind your ear.

Matt chuckled from across the booth, shifting in his seat to lean forward towards you, his forearms resting on the table. “You’ve almost said something at least six times since we sat down fifteen minutes ago, sweetheart,” he teased. “Just say it.”

Of course he noticed with his fancy Devil senses. He always noticed everything. With a long, drawn out sigh, you tried to calm your nerves and just ask him.

“What are you–" you stopped short, shaking your head. "Or uh, do you want to–” you began again, pausing and wincing. Why was it so hard to ask him this? “I mean," you began a third time, trying to shove down your urge to vomit, "do you…have plans for Thanksgiving?” 

One of his fingers lightly tapped along the table, his head tilting a little more to the side. His glasses were blocking whatever expression was present in his eyes, making him harder to read. Your palms began to sweat against your coffee mug. 

“I mean, I know you usually go to Foggy’s big family thing at the butcher shop every year,” you continued in a rush, “and I’m guessing that’s what you’re planning to do this year, but I just thought I’d see if you maybe wanted to come with me for Thanksgiving this year?”

A slow smile spread across his lips, so warm it made you melt into the booth. Your heart fluttered in your chest and you quickly raised your mug to your lips, taking a drink as a way to distract yourself from the way he was beginning to make you feel even more flustered.

“You want me to go with you to Chicago?” he asked.

“I mean it’s not exactly Chicago,” you mumbled. “More of a suburb outside of Chicago.”

“To meet your family?” he clarified, the smile still present.

“Yes?” you answered nervously.

He slowly leaned back, resting along the back of the booth as his hand drew his mug to his mouth. Your stomach was twisting in nervous knots as you watched him take what felt like the world’s longest sip of coffee. Lowering the cup back to the table, he raised a brow at you behind the dark lenses.

“And how would we be getting there?” he asked.

“Uh, well, I usually just grab a flight,” you told him. Though you were already aware of the implication that Matt would probably hate an airport with his heightened senses. And a plane, for that matter. “Or I could rent a car and drive us,” you suggested. You frowned as you added, “Though it’s a little over a twelve hour drive.” And you figured Matt would also probably hate a road trip. With a sigh, your shoulders sagged and you shook your head. “You know what, forget I mentioned it,” you said.

“Well hang on here,” he quickly cut in. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t go with you.”

“You’ve…never been on a plane though, Matt,” you pointed out. “Or been in an airport. And you hate leaving Hell’s Kitchen." You shook your head quickly, focusing back on bringing your mug to your mouth. "It’s a terrible idea, I’m sorry I brought it up. Don’t worry about it.”

“Sweetheart,” Matt said with a grin, “I’d love to spend Thanksgiving with you and your family. How long is the flight?”

You swallowed the sip of coffee, focusing back on him. “Just under three hours,” you answered.

The corner of his lip twitched downward so infinitesimally that you almost missed it. You shot him a pointed expression even though you knew he couldn’t see it.

“Matt, it’s fine,” you assured him. “That would probably be torture for you to sit on a plane for that long.”

“No,” he replied firmly, shaking his head. “I can handle a few hours on a plane for you, sweetie.”

“It’s also the additional time in the airport,” you reminded him. “Going through security, checking bags, waiting at the terminal. If a grocery store is already terrible for you, I can imagine an airport, filled with vastly more people and restaurants and lots of loud airplanes, would be sheer torture.”

“I can–can probably find a way to make it work,” he said.

Chewing your lip, you glanced down at your cup of coffee. You had done a little research ahead of time on something to help with the noise, at least. “There are noise reducing ear plugs besides noise canceling headphones,” you told him slowly. “I don’t know how much use they’d be, but I figured something that didn’t completely cut off your sense of hearing would be preferred. It might help with the noise in an airport and a plane, at least.” Clearing your throat you awkwardly admitted, “I already ordered you a pair. Figured maybe at the very least they might help with things like grocery shopping.”

When your attention returned to Matt before you, you saw him removing his glasses. Swallowing hard, he carefully folded them and set them on the table as he gazed back at you with such warmth and affection. 

“You looked into that?” he questioned you softly.

“I was trying to think of ways that might make it easier on you if you did come with,” you muttered. “You know, assuming you wanted to. When I saw the ear plugs I figured they might be worth a try in general when noise gets to be a bit much.” You shrugged lightly, gaze returning to your mug. “But I don’t really know how to help with the barrage of smells. Or how the change in air pressure might make you feel with, you know, your fancy Devil senses,” you admitted. 

Both of his hands reached across the table, searching for yours. Removing them from the still slightly warm cup of coffee, you placed them in his, your eyes focusing back on his face before you. He was smiling, that little dimple visible in his right cheek as his eyes creased at the corners. 

“I love you,” he stated firmly. 

“I love you, too,” you replied immediately.

Hands still holding yours, he drew them just a bit along the table as he sat back more comfortably. His thumbs began gently rubbing along the backs of your hands.

“So who all would I be meeting at Thanksgiving?” Matt asked you.

Your heart beat a little faster at the implication of him accompanying you. “Uh, well, my sister Amber and her son Hudson, obviously,” you listed. “My brother Nathan should be flying back from Washington, though I’ll be honest, I can’t remember if he’s on or off with his girlfriend…Savannah?” you said, eyes narrowing as you tried to remember Nate’s girlfriend’s name. “Or Sarah? Honestly, I can’t keep up with him sometimes. Then obviously my parents and my grandmother will be there. And usually my dad’s brother and his wife fly out if their son doesn’t come home from college for Thanksgiving.” You winced as you added, “My aunt can be a bit… much , though.”

“Sounds like a big group of people, though not nearly as many as what Foggy has at his family Thanksgivings,” Matt mused, his thumbs still rubbing along the backs of your hands. “Seriously, it’s like the place is packed with Nelsons every year.”

“Oh, well, Christmas tends to be a bit bigger of an event,” you said with a laugh, your gaze focusing on both of your hands. “Usually lasts a few days. Almost everyone comes out for it–aunts, uncles, cousins, significant others, kids. My one uncle usually dresses as Santa for the kids. Makes a whole thing of it on Christmas Eve.”

“That sounds nice, actually,” Matt said quietly.

Your gaze returned to him, softening at the expression on his face. His own gaze was focused along your neck, his eyes full of emotion. 

“I uh, didn’t really have anything like that growing up,” he admitted. “Once my dad passed, I mean. We didn’t have turkey feasts on Thanksgiving at St. Agnes. And Christmas was only to celebrate the birth of Christ, not Santa bringing you presents.” A sad smile made its way onto his face as he continued. “It was always nice that Foggy’s family welcomed me for every holiday with open arms. That was the closest I’d gotten to celebrating holidays with a family in a long time.” He cleared his throat as your hands squeezed his. “So I uh, I appreciate you inviting me, sweetheart. And I’d gladly try flying to celebrate Thanksgiving with you and your family.”

“Maybe,” you began hesitantly, “you can join us for Christmas, too? If flying is too much, I’d be happy to drive us. It’d take a few days, but maybe we could make a little road trip out of it?”

A smile once again stretched over his mouth as he nodded. “I’d like that, if you’d all have me,” he answered.

“Are you kidding? My mom is probably going to hound you about marriage and children the moment you step in the door for Thanksgiving,” you told Matt with a slight cringe as he chuckled. “Which, I’m sorry in advance about. I wish I was exaggerating. But I know they’d want you at Christmas, too.” You gave his hands another reassuring squeeze. “They’ll love you, Matt.”

He raised one of your hands still enjoined with his to his mouth, his lips placing a kiss to the back of your hand. Your pulse quickened at the gesture, somehow still able to get nervous around him over something so small even after months of being together.

“You know,” Matt said slowly, lowering your hands back to the table, “if we’re discussing meeting family, there is one person you probably should meet.”

Licking your lips nervously, you gazed at him from across the table. Your heart was nervously hammering in your ears now having picked up its pace. “Yeah?” you asked.

“I know I have a sort of…unusual relationship with my mother,” Matt told you, “but I’d really like you two to meet. If you’re…open to that?”

“You–you want me to meet your mom?” you asked him incredulously.

He nodded slowly. “Yes,” he replied.

Matt asking you to meet his mom was a huge deal. You knew Karen and Foggy had barely ever interacted with her, and Matt didn’t talk about her much himself. He was generally quite private about personal things in his life, so the fact that he was willingly wanting to introduce you to her felt like a massive leap in your relationship. 

Even though, the thought of actually meeting his mother–the Catholic nun who, from Karen’s retelling, was quite intimidating–sounded terrifying as all hell. And on top of that, you weren’t even religious. Would she disapprove of you solely based on that? And if she did disapprove of you, would that affect what Matt felt for you?

“Hey,” Matt said gently, his hands gripping yours, “come back to me. I can practically taste your anxiety in the air. If you’re not comfortable with it you don’t have to.”

“No,” you said quickly, shaking your head. “No, I’d–I’d like to meet your mom, Matt. It means a lot that you’d want us to meet. I’m just…nervous?” 

“You’ll be just fine, sweetheart,” he reassured you.

“But…what if she doesn’t like me?” you asked slowly. “I mean I’m not even Catholic and she’s a nun, that might already be points against me.”

Matt barked out a laugh, shaking his head at you. “Points against you? She’s not going to have some sort of score card, sweetie. Relax, it’ll be alright. Besides,” he said, “I’ve already told her about you.”

You immediately froze up in the booth, eyes going wide as you stared back at Matt. He’d already told his mom about you? His mom that he didn’t have a great relationship with because she abandoned him as a baby and then lied to him about actually being his mom for years after his father passed–he’d told her about you? 

“You’ve talked to your mom about me?” you asked in disbelief.

“Of course I have,” he answered immediately. “You’re my girlfriend and I love you. You’re a pretty big part of my life.”

It was probably there, in that exact moment, that it really hit you just how much you meant to the man sitting across from you. You felt breathless at that realization.

“So,” Matt began, a charming grin slipping across his handsome face, “would you like to meet my mom? Maybe next weekend, before all the holiday excitement and traveling?”

Still in a slight daze from your recent little realization, you nodded. “Yeah, Matt,” you breathily agreed. “I’d love to meet your mom.”