#drawing him smiling all sweet as i debate whether i should have him have to rip a tooth out to summon his magic book back

[heybiji]

[kieran-granola]

Sweet Sorries

(This is a little JayTim Chanukah gift for @silver-snow-77! Thank you for being a lot of fun 💕)

“We missed you at the Manor.”

Jason doesn't flinch but he tenses, his shoulders drawing up as he sets his helmet down on the table. Slowly, he turns around to find Tim sitting at his kitchen table all bundled up in a cozy sweater and scarf. The plate of sufganiyot that Jason cooked and abandoned earlier that day is waiting in front of him, the shape of it somehow accusing in the semi-darkness.

“Who’s we exactly?” Jason asks as he unholsters his guns. 

In the kitchen, Tim shrugs. “Alfred. Bruce. Damian. Me. Take your pick.”

Following his well-practiced routine, Jason unloads his weapons and puts them away in his safe. He'll need to clean them later — to make sure everything will be in working order tomorrow when he heads out into the streets again — but he's got more pressing concerns for now.

“You see me practically everyday, birdie.”

“We don't celebrate Hanukkah everyday, though.”

Jason shrugs off his leather jacket and sprawls on his couch to work on removing his boots. “Technically, for a week, we do.”

Tim's tongue clicks. “Jason.”

“Timothy,” Jason deadpans.

They stare at each other in silence for a minute, then Tim sighs. His shoulders droop, hurt clear on his face. When he speaks, his voice is thin.  “Why didn't you show up? I wanted to spend the night with you. I thought—I was hoping that you wanted to celebrate with me too.”

Shame and guilt bloom in Jason's stomach. Fuck. He's an asshole. He was so caught up in his insecurities, so worried about Bruce's judgment and Alfred's disapproval, that he didn't stop to consider whether Tim would be hurt by his absence. Stomach turning into a mess of knots, he kicks his boots off and stands up. 

“I'm sorry. I was planning to go. I mean—” he gestures to the plate of pastries, “—I even baked. But then I just… I don't know. I couldn't do it.”

Tim bites his lip. “You got scared.”

“I guess.”

“You could have told me. I would have spent the evening with you, we could have—”

“No!” Jason blurts out. “No. It's—You shouldn't have to skip family celebrations just because you decided to fuck the local pariah.”

Tim goes stock-still, his expression smoothing out into an impenetrable mask. “Is that what we're doing? Fucking?”

Dozens of memories flit through Jason’s mind — Tim's smile over shared fries, his strong fingers digging bruises into Jason's hips, heated debates in front of the TV, and days spent curled up together in bed — and his heart stutters. Dammit. He didn’t mean to imply that what they have isn’t serious. 

“No, it's not,” he says slowly. “You know it's not. You're as much of a detective as I am. You’ve got to know how I feel about you.”

“By that logic, you have to know how I feel about you too. But you still left me hanging at the Manor tonight.” 

Jason looks away. Maybe he does know. Maybe he remembers the way Tim took care of him when he was sick despite his own weakened immune system. Maybe he can picture the smile that blooms on his face whenever he wakes up next to Jason. Maybe he knows the shape of Tim's feelings intimately. Maybe he's let him write them across his bones with every kiss and touch.

Maybe it's not enough to compensate for his fear of Bruce anyway.

“I'm sorry,” he repeats. “I should have warned you. I was too caught up in my issues with B to think about you and that was unfair of me. I'll do better next time.”

Tim gives him a long, inscrutable look. Then he sighs. “Alright.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I’ve got my own hang-ups when it comes to Bruce, so… Apology accepted. On one condition.”

“Anything you want. Just say the word.”

“I want a sufganiyah,” Tim replies lightly. “And a kiss.”

Gratitude fills Jason’s chest with sunshine. He doesn’t know what he was expecting, but it definitely wasn’t Tim’s playful answer. To be forgiven so easily and reminded that Tim cares for him all in one fell swoop… It’s a gift he never thought he’d be given.

Eyes stinging, he moves closer and pushes the plate towards Tim. “Take as many as you want. Hell, eat them all. I can always make more.”

Tim grabs a beignet. He takes a bite, and powdered sugar sticks to his mouth, bright and enticing. 

Jason leans in reflexively at the sight. Every inch of him longs for a taste of Tim’s sweetness. As clumsy with his words as he can be, he knows exactly how to touch Tim by now. How to handle him with the care and reverence he doesn’t know how to express when he’s not borrowing a poet’s words. 

(Art commissioned from the lovely @coffeexrage)

Tim notices him staring. He lifts his chin and gives Jason an expectant look, his blue eyes impossibly bright. “Well? That’s only half of what I asked for. Where’s my kiss?”

Laughing quietly, Jason crosses the distance between them and kisses the tip of Tim’s freckled nose. “There.”

Tim scrunches up his nose. “I meant a proper kiss.”

“Finish eating, you gremlin. I’ll kiss you as many times as you want after.”

“You sure about that?” Tim grins slyly. “Because I might need a kiss every day until I die.”

Jason rolls his eyes even as his heart misses a beat. “You drive a hard bargain.”

“Oh, I can drive it harder.” Tim gives him an exaggerated wink.

Flushing, Jason takes a sufganiyah and pushes it against Tim’s lips to shut him up. “Eat or you won’t get any kisses at all.”

“Yessir.” Half-laughing, Tim takes a bite and the two of them share a smile. 

Jason doesn’t know what tomorrow will be like — whether Tim will insist on going to the Manor to light the candles again, and whether he’ll have the strength to accompany him if he does. What he does know, though, is that Tim’s gentle warmth is enough to make him want to keep making an effort. He might never be able to mend things with Bruce, he still damn well intends to nurture his relationship with Tim.

One kiss at a time.

[canbean-enby]

You Accidentally Found His Sketchbook pt. 3 Bakugou x Gn!reader

A/n: THIS IS FINALLY DONE OMFG. I am sorry I have kept you loves waiting but...the more you wait the better something will be right? Anyway, here we are. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for all of the love you all have been showing this small series :) Gn!reader x Bakugou CW: cussing and bad cat puns

Best experienced in light mode

Part one | Part two |

Previously

You looked at your phone and noticed that the times didn’t correlate at all. Why is the picture set for the future if it’s the same date?

You stopped in your tracks and looked up at him, realizing what the blonde was too shy to ask you aloud.

“Meet me at the front at three. If you’re late, I’m leaving your stupid ass”

And he just walked off. Many thoughts raced through your mind but the main one being:

Is this a date?

Before you could ask, the blonde walked away from you, getting away just as you blinked. Whether this was a date or not, you need to figure out what to wear. Your panic made you call Mina instantly, she would be able to decipher this madness…right? Wrong. When you told her the situation, she brought along the rest of the group, and the five of you could not figure out the blond’s true intentions. The first time looking at the drawing, they said that it was “obviously a date.” However, looking at it a second, third, and fourth time, the group became more confused. 

"Is that a blush on his face?"

"No, he must’ve done that by accident."

"Why would he keep it if it was by accident? It must be a date."

"Look at how he is dressed, it’s too casual. It can’t be a date."

"That’s just how he dresses, plus, it looks like he tried a little more than usual."

The contradicting thoughts made your head swirl. You were so panicked that you didn’t even notice the time. It was just thirty minutes before you had to meet up with the male, and no one could decipher the picture. So, for your sanity, you shoved everyone out and decided to go with the flow. You looked at the drawing, saw what you wore in it, and tried to match it as best as you could. Not too much, but something that shows you still put in the effort. This should be fine...right?

There was no time to debate because as you finish, you look at the clock and realize you’re a minute late. You grab your phone and wallet, then zoom out of your room at a speed that would make Allmight jealous.

As you walk up to the entrance of the dorms, you notice the blonde instantly and he is dressed in the same fashion as you are. You let out a breath that you didn’t realize you were holding and speed walk up to him.

“I’m so sorry I’m late I-“

“Just shut up and let’s go.”

The abruptness of his speech made you turn silent. You decided that talking wouldn't be best until you made it to the cafe.

Little did you know that the crimson-eyed male in front of you was sweating his ass off. Without you talking, his thoughts were going wild. He was so nervous and the fact that you were not your usual chatty, funny, and extroverted self made him doubt if you really wanted to be here. Obviously, you did or you wouldn't be here...right?

He had to try something, anything to get you to talk again. To hear that sweet voice that he subconsciously wishes he could hear forever.

"What the hell did you put on? It's making my nose bleed."

You look up at him and roll your eyes, a small smile plastered onto your face as you walk up beside him. You pinch him a little before responding. "For your information, this is actually my favorite scent so watch what you say next firework."

That nickname. That goddamn nickname. Besides the fact that it is meant to be an insult. It makes his stomach do small flips every time he hears it. The usual nicknames or insults that were thrown his way were never creative enough or personalized to make him care. They were often repetitive of what someone else said or just basic. Maybe Kirishima's was also different but that doesn't count at this moment.

"Oi are you listening" you smack him on the shoulder as you notice the blonde was staring into space.

"Of course I was."

"Then answer my question."

"What question?"

You roll your eyes for the second time that afternoon and ask him once again. "Why are you bringing me here?"

You decided to get the question out into the open so you know what to expect. Whether you were going to be disappointed, surprised, or excited by his answer you couldn't wait all night to hear what it was.

"Because I fucking felt like it. It's your birthday stupid. Plus, you like this shitty cafe, and it's not that expensive."

He shrugs and looks ahead of him again. Of course, he didn't answer your question. Why were you expecting a response outside of that one? He's Bakugou Katsuki.

The rest of the walk to the cafe was quiet. Mixes of small jokes and jabs at each other were sprinkled in every now and then. But that didn't stop the anxiety that settled in the pit of both of your stomachs.

Upon entering the cafe, you hear a mix of coos and meows. This is where you belong. You take a deep breath and smile down as you feel something brushing up against your leg. When you look down you expect to see the cat that always greets you, a cute blue-eyed Birman that you have fallen in love with. However, you are met with a gray British Shorthair in its place. While this has caused you slight shock and panic, you pick up the cat anyway and give it the attention it deserves before putting it back down.

When you're seated at your table, you keep looking around for the cat that was dear to your heart and after looking around you decided that asking an employee would probably be more efficient than looking around. So, you grabbed the attention of the closest one to you and asked where the cat named Harvey went.

"Fortunately, Harvey was adopted! It was just yesterday too." The employee left with a smile on their face while a frown took over yours. Harvey felt like your personal cat. While you knew that he was at risk of being adopted every time you left the shop, you felt that because he was there the next time you arrived, meant that you both shared some sort of connection and that you both belonged together. But that is only wishful thinking.

"This is turning out to be a shitty birthday."

You didn't notice the concerned face that Bakugou wore as you read the menu. You already knew what you wanted, of course, you just like to see the drawings that cascade the menu. Mixes of pinks, greens, and oranges fill the menu in the shapes of vines, hearts, and roses.

"What can I get for you today?"

The voice of your waiter pulled you out of the trance that you were in. Looking at the male, you smiled as you noticed that he wore the signature cat ears that some employees choose to put on. Most don't but some do and it was cool to see that some of the employees put in the extra mile that makes you smile.

The smile that you showed the waiter made Katsuki bawl his fits a little. He took a quick look at the menu and interrupted the small moment by ordering.

"Get me a BL kitty with a black paw-ffee." (Get it? BLT but its BL kitty? No? Pawffee? Okay ill stop

He felt stupid for saying such childishly unfunny puns but he said it now, he can't take it back. The way you giggled made it worth it though.

You know he hated every second of it but he still did it. You thought he wasn't going to order anything or make you order for him but his stubborn nature took over. You turned to the waiter and told him what you wanted. After taking your menus, he strolled off to the back to tell the staff what you want but not before sending you a small smile.

Your face heated up a little bit as you went to go look down at your phone. Seeing that you were added to a group chat named "Bakugou & y/n sitting in a tree", you rolled your eyes and opened it and were overwhelmed with a bunch of text messages asking how it was going. You gave them a quick "it's going okay" before looking up to see that Bakugou has become a favorite for the cats. He had at least three on him in total. One brushing against his leg, one on his lap, and another on his shoulder. He mumbled about how big the one on his shoulder was but didn't move the fur ball. You took this opportunity to snap a picture and send it to the group chat, not noticing their text messages about the sketchbook. You muted the chat because the buzzing was becoming distracting and looked back up to see another cat that had moved against the blonde's leg.

"Damn firecracker, you gettin' all the pussy today." He looked up at you and scoffed, rolling his eyes before moving the cat on his shoulder down on the floor.

"Tell anyone about this and you'll be turned to ashes."

You decided not to tell him that their friend group already knows about the love he's getting. Knowing that it would be much funnier to watch the embarrassment as they bombard him when they get back.

Over the course of three hours, you both make conversation over anything. Training, homework, extra curricular's, your friends, previous birthdays, etc. You were both enjoying yourselves, to say the least. You shared some laughs, especially when Katsuki spat out his drink from how much sweeter it was than usual. Maybe you added some sugar in there while he was in the bathroom...who's to say? When you both finished eating you decided that it would be best to leave. The question was, who was going to pay the bill?

You tried and failed to pay for the entire thing but argued with him over splitting it. He couldn't take your nagging anymore so he agreed to split it with you. When you both got up, you didn't notice the 4,000 ¥ he slipped into your pocket with a small smirk. He knew you were gonna chew him out for it later but he couldn't care less.

The walk back to the dorms was slow. You both didn't want this day to end yet but you were both too afraid to express that to the other.

"I didn't like how that scummy waiter was eyeballing you. I was gonna punch his lights out if he kept looking."

This took you by surprise. Not only did this subject come out of nowhere but the possessive tone behind it made your heart flutter a bit and your brain confused.

"So what if he was looking at me? Not like I'm off the market." He stood dead in his tracks. Looking down at the ground with his hands in his pockets, messing with the loose thread that was in them.

You stopped a few feet ahead of him, looking back when you noticed that the second set of footsteps stopped.

"Kat-"

"So I just wasted my fucking time?!"

His tone was strong and aggressive, masking the hurt and dread that he felt inside.

"What are you talking about?" You were more confused than ever. Your stomach turned and your mind raced at what you could've said wrong.

"This whole thing. Me asking you to come to this stupid place as a fucking date. Just for you to say you want to fuck with a cat boy"

"Wait, date?" Your eyebrows came together and your hands started to shake as you thought about the word that just left his mouth. He was kidding. This was a joke right?

"Yea date you simpleton. Can't you read? Or are you too stupid to read my perfect handwriting?"

"Kat...I don't remember reading anything about a date in your drawing."

His eyes widened slowly as he realized that he both exposed himself and yelled at you for not knowing that this was a date. All because you didn't read his note.

"You're a moron. I put a note on the last page. You didn't fucking read it?"

You shook your head slowly as the beats of your heart began to go faster. This was a date? There was another page after the picture?

"I'm sorry. After I saw the picture I didn't look through the rest of it...guess I should've."

"Yea you should've."

He brushes past you and continues walking towards the dorms. All you could do was sit there in silence. Both shock and fear keep you from joining the blonde. Did you just fuck up your chances?

He stops after getting a few feet away from you and turns around, scoffing at the fact that you are not able to keep up with him.

"Are you coming dipshit? I'm not repeating what I said in that letter. Come read it for yourself."

You snap out of the trance you're in and jog up to where he is and join him in walking back to the dorms.

As soon as you got there, your four friends came up to you bombarding you with questions about how the date was and what you guys talked about.

"Wait- how did you guys know it was a date? I didn't even know."

They handed you the sketchbook. It was opened to the last page that you neglected.

Dumbass,

I guess you're not as bad as the other idiots we're acquainted with. You better read this shit because I am treating this as more than just friends hanging out. I know you like me. You can't even hide it well. But I guess I like your stupid ass too.

This made your heart flutter like he wrote the most beautiful poem for you. You turned around and saw the small blush that started to build on the blonde's face.

"Seems like someone isn't able to hide it anymore." He scoffs and crosses his arms, looking over to the side of him.

"If you would've read it in the first place then we wouldn't be in this situation. But you didn't because you're an idiot."

You walked over to him and caressed his arm gently, trying to alleviate the 'anger' that he was throwing at you. "I know. I'm sorry okay? I'm an idiot I will admit it." You decided to throw away your pride for a second so you can see that grin that he wears when you admit to him being right (which is very rare). It is a special grin that makes his eyes sparkle and his face light up a little. You hate that you have to say that he is right about something for it to show but you didn't care at this moment. You were happy that your feelings are out in the open and you want him to be happy too.

He looks past you to see the audience that was still there and grabs you by the arm to take you to his dorm. He still had one more present for you and he didn't want to have an audience while you both were having your moment.

Once you both were in his room, he flicked on the lights and you immediately heard shuffling. "Is there a rat in here or something dude?"

"After I just admitted my feelings to you, you're gonna call me dude?"

He chuckled and walked over to the source of the noise, picking up what seemed to be a carrying case for an animal...he didn't.

"Kat-"

"Open it. Don't argue with me."

And so you did. You opened the box to see your favorite cat stretching his legs out from being in the same position when he was napping just a few minutes ago. You called out his name and his eyes immediately darted to you, widening slowly as he realized who you were. He jumped out of the box and walked to you slowly, sniffing your arms before he crawled into your lap and sat there. Small tears ran down your cheeks at a rapid rate as you pet him, looking up at the blonde and whispering a quiet thank you. He nodded and knelt down, burning this moment into his brain forever.

"You're lucky you have someone like me around. Those shitty T-shirts could never compare to my amazing gift."

Your eyes roll at his comment, "The T-shirts weren't shitty, asshole. I thought they were cute. But, you and Harvey here are the best gifts I have ever gotten by a landslide. Best birthday ever."

The blush on the blonde's face grew. He was one of the best birthday gifts you've gotten?

"Of course I make a great birthday gift. Who wouldn't want me? Happy birthday, dumbass."

You decide to do something that you've been thinking about doing since becoming friends with the blonde. You move a hand to his face and kiss his cheek, quickly looking back down at Harvey to hide the embarrassment on your face.

"Thank you firework."

You caused this man to malfunction. The mix of the kiss and the nickname has sent his brain into overdrive. The only thing he could get out was

"Whatever ya idiot..."

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

The Demigod From Asgard - Steve Rogers x Reader (Part 91)

Summary: Following the final battle, there’s one last mission for Steve to complete before he can officially retire

Word Count: 4.6k

Warnings: Fluff! Light Angst!

Dividers by @firefly-graphics​

Series Masterlist / Masterlist

Chapter 91: One Last Mission

4 weeks. 4 weeks was all it took for the news cycles to move on from the initial shock of the snap to people debating whether it was the right thing to do. Steve knew this was going to happen, Tony warned him about it and he’d been preparing himself for it. Steve had planned to ban himself from watching the news but it was practically impossible.

So here he was sitting on the couch, elbows resting on his knees, flipping the TV remote over in his hand as he watched the news with intensity. They were currently showing a piece where they’d gone out to ask the general public what they thought. There were the typical answers of people being happy and grateful that their loved ones had returned, some were mad to find their houses had been sold while they were gone. There was even someone who outright said it was better during the snap.

Steve at that point had had enough and was about to turn off the TV when one comment made him pause “Yeah I’m grateful and all that but you can’t deny the chaos the world is in now trying to sort it all out and the Avengers have all disappeared, I don’t see them out here trying to help, I mean where’s Cap? We need him” the woman said as she shook her head.

“you know you shouldn’t be watching that,” you scold gently, walking over to stand behind the couch, your hands resting on his shoulders.

"I know” Steve sighs leaning back, your hands sliding down to his chest as you wrapped your arms around his shoulder, he tilts his head back so he could look up at you “It’s just hard sometimes”

“I know, everyone has opinions but just remember it doesn’t make it true,” you say leaning down to kiss his forehead, you then reach out to take the remote from his hands and turn off the TV.

“you’re right” Steve sighs lifting his head as you walked around the back of the couch to sit down beside him “I mean that woman was wrong, there’s lots of us Avengers out there trying to help, they can’t be everywhere… maybe I should be out there trying to help”

“Steve it's okay to be taking some time to rest, there’s so much help and initiatives that are being launched by the Avengers that are helping people,” you tell him as you tuck yourself into his side, hand resting on his chest, over his heart “they just can’t see it because it isn’t a physical symbol”

Steve hums nodding his head “True… I guess people aren’t ready for a world without Captain America but it's out of my hands, the shield is gone” Steve sighs.

“what would you do if Thanos hadn’t destroyed it? would you still be serving?” you ask him.

“god no” Steve states shaking his head, his hand moving to cover yours “My time is done, all I want is to be here with you and JJ and just be a civilian”

A smile tugs at your lips as you lean in to kiss his cheek “Me too”

Steve smiles turning his head to look at you, cupping your cheek and guiding your lips to his for a slow but sweet kiss.

“I’d probably pass the shield on to someone else, Captain America doesn’t have to be me… just a good person” Steve sighs his hand resting over yours once more, his thumb drawing circles on the back of your hand.

“who would you pick? Bucky?” you ask.

Steve shakes his head “Bucky is a perfect soldier, even before everything… but I don’t think he’d be comfortable taking it on, at least not yet…” Steve explains before glancing over at a photo on the wall that was taken Christmas day in Wakanda “But Sam would be perfect, he’s a good man”

“Would he want that responsibility?” you wonder out loud.

“Maybe not… but I hope so” Steve sighs.

A knock on the front door disrupts your conversation, the both of you glancing over in the direction of the door “I’ll go” you whisper kissing Steve quickly before climbing off the couch.

Steve relaxed back on the couch as waited for you to return, but found himself sitting up when he heard three sets of footsteps walking back towards him. He looked over his shoulder, frowning when he saw Bruce and Sam walking into the living room behind you. Bruce with a slightly nervous look on his face, Sam with an unpleased look on his face.

“what’s wrong?” Steve asks instantly.

“Nothing,” Sam says “We just need you to settle something” he adds with a sigh looking up at Bruce.

Steve arches a brow, glancing over at you to see if you had any idea what they meant but you just shrugged your shoulders.

“me and Hank have finished making the quantum tunnel to put the stones back” Bruce explains rubbing his chin “But we need to decide who is going back to do it”

“and Bruce thinks it should be you, but I told him you’re done with missions” Sam states shaking his head as he glanced up at Bruce.

“why me?” Steve asks confused.

“because it needs to be someone who was there when we got the stones, who knows where exactly we got them from” Bruce explains “which rules out the majority of us, I can’t because of this” Bruce says gesturing to his arm “Thor doesn’t want to return to Asgard again, Clint doesn’t want to go back to Vormir, Scott barely knew about the stones to begin with, and the guardians are out trying to help everyone out in the rest of the universe and only you know where you got the Tesseract from”

“right…” Steve sighs his head dropping as he rubbed his hands together.

“Steve you don’t have to do this, you deserve to rest, I can go instead” Sam argues.

“it's too risky, you might not put them back in the right place” Bruce states turning to face Sam.

As the two of them continued to argue Steve looked up, his eyes meeting yours. A silent conversation passed between the two of you, you reminding him that he didn’t need to do it, him telling you that he wants to and asking if that was okay. You give him a reassuring nod in response, a small proud smile on your face.

“Bruce is right, it can’t be you Sam,” Steve says looking over at the pair of them.

“well then someone else then! It doesn’t have to be you Steve” Sam argues shaking his head at Steve.

“It's okay Sam, it’ll be quicker and easier if I do it, less risky” Steve standing up from the couch “One last mission”

“Are you sure Steve?” Bruce asks.

“yeah” Steve nods glancing over at you “A trip down memory lane to end on doesn’t seem so bad,” he says with a small smirk.

“Good, we can do it this weekend if you want? That should give us enough time to get Thor to give the hammer back” Bruce says nodding his head, as he does so an idea pops into Steve’s head, smiling to himself as he glances over at Sam.

“easier said than done” you smirk, but when Steve looked over at you he could see the smile on his face that told that you knew exactly what he was thinking and agreed.

“we’ll leave it up to you then, use your little sister magic,” Sam says winking at you and making you laugh “We’ll see you this weekend then” he adds before the two of them make their way out.

That weekend you and Steve left JJ and Scout with Roberta before making your way to the compound. As you climbed out of the car you took a deep breath as you looked out at the wasteland that was once the Avengers headquarters. You recalled the vision you had all those years ago when Wanda invaded your mind, you’d seen the compound become a wasteland and you’d hoped it was just a fear not a reality but here it was.

“you alright?” Steve asks walking around the car, his hand taking yours.

You let out a long sigh as you nodded your head “Yeah… just still can’t believe it's all gone” You sigh.

“me neither… it held so many important memories” Steve agrees with a smile looking over to the lake and jetty where he proposed, where you’d gotten married.

As he looked around at all the damage he spotted the bronze corner of the memorial that stood for the past 5 years, poking out from the rubble. That was a sight he didn’t miss, the reminder of the years you were gone, the times he’d seen you walk these grounds knowing it was only his mind playing tricks.

“Hopefully we can visit the lake again once everything is cleaned up,” you say hopefully.

A smile tugs at Steve’s lips as he looks down at you “That would be lovely” he says lifting your knuckles to his lips “Now c’mon they’re all waiting for us” The two of you walk over to the temporary base that had been set up in a clearing that had remained mostly undamaged. There wasn’t much just a few tents and boxes that held any recovered items such as tech and belongings.

Ahead of you was the quantum tunnel, Bruce at the controls setting everything up, Sam and Bucky stood to the side. You smiled when you saw Bucky, stepping away from Steve to go over and hug him.

“oh I’m so glad to see you, how are you?” you smile hugging him tightly.

“Good, I met with my new therapist this morning, she’s nice, has an annoying thing with her notebook though” Bucky chuckles.

Steve laughs shaking his head “Yeah that irritated me too, but it works and I can’t fault her for that” He shrugs.

“yeah, and thanks again for setting me up with that lawyer, he’s really good,” Bucky says smiling over at Steve.

“It’s nothing I’m just glad Barber was able to get you a good deal” Steve smiles clapping Bucky on the shoulder.

“yeah, so what’s the plan now that you’re a free man?” you ask Bucky a warm smile on your face.

“dunno, I got myself a small apartment in Brooklyn, think I’m just gonna take it slow and get used to it” Bucky shrugs a lopsided smile on his face.

“I’m happy for you buck” Steve smiles “I better go get ready, I’ll see you in a few,” he says before walking off towards Bruce and Sam.

“you seem pretty chipper considering your husband is about to go on another mission,” Bucky says moving to stand bedside you nudging you with his elbow.

“I trust him, plus he has something special planned,” you say with a smirk.

“Oh, he’s doing it today?” Bucky asks arching a brow.

“he told you?” you look up at him in surprise.

“yeah after the court hearing, he pulled me aside and told me the plan” Bucky smiles nodding over to Sam who was standing talking to Bruce.

“and how do you feel?” you ask him, hoping he wasn’t disappointed.

“relieved” Bucky breathed out “I’m not the right person, probably wasn’t either back in the 40s, but Sam is good, he’s a perfect fit” He smiles.

Across the way, Steve was walking out of one of the small tents now changed into his suit. He glanced over at you, smiling when he saw you and Bucky talking both with warm smiles on your faces. He fastened the quantum device onto his wrist and walked over to Bruce and Sam.

“ready cap?” Bruce asks, Steve nodding his head in response “Remember you have to return the stones to the exact moment you got ‘em or you’re gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities” he warns as he opens the case containing all the stones.

“Don't worry Bruce” Steve reassures him closing the case “Clip all the branches”

“you know I tried” Bruce muttered quietly, Steve looked up at him knowing exactly what he meant before he even said it “When I had the gauntlet, the stones, I really tried to bring her back… I miss her man”

Steve gave Bruce a sad smile “Me too” he whispered with a small nod.

Steve picked up the case and turned to face Sam, giving him a small nod before they began walking over to you and Bucky.

“you know if you want, I could come with you” Sam offers making Steve chuckle, almost every day Sam had texted him reminding him he didn’t need to do it and that he could step in.

But Steve couldn’t have him joining him on this mission “You’re a good man Sam” he smiles “This one’s on me though”

“c’mon this thing is getting heavy” you call out holding up Mjolnir.

Steve laughs “That’s bullshit and you know it” he calls back as he walks over “Don’t you two do anything stupid til I get back” he warns playfully.

Bucky gives him a reminiscent smile “How can we? You’re taking all the stupid with you” he points out.

Steve laughs pulling Bucky in for a hug, he then turns to you pressing a kiss to your cheek “See you in a minute princess” he promises as you pass him the hammer.

Steve walks onto the small platform, activating the quantum suit. Looking back down at you and sending you a wink.

“how long is this gonna take?” Sam asks glancing over at Bruce.

“for him as long as he needs, for us five seconds” Bruce explains still hitting some buttons “You ready cap?” Steve glances over his shoulder nodding at Bruce “All right we’ll meet you back here okay?”

“you bet” Steve nods sending you a lopsided smirk as the helmet appears over his head.

He listened to Bruce begin the countdown, taking a deep breath as he prepared himself for the jump. Just like before, there was a flash of light and the floor appeared to disappear from below him as he entered the quantum tunnel to begin his mission.

So far the mission was going perfectly, Steve had returned the power stone, mind, time and soul stone. He had to admit he was a bit shocked and pissed to find out that red skull had never actually died on that ship, but he could live with the fact that he was now permanently imprisoned on Vormir. He was also much happier to see your past self again, giving you a quick kiss on the cheek as he passed you back the sceptre, making him even more excited to get home to you.

His current stop was Asgard and he was grateful for the month you and him spent together here while on the run, otherwise he’d be completely lost. He was just waiting behind a pillar for the guards to leave Jane’s room so he could sneak in and inject her with the reality stone.

“ah so you must be Captain Rogers” he heard a woman say behind him.

Steve quickly spun around, coming face to face with a woman he didn’t recognise. She smiled warmly at him, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

“don’t look so alarmed” she smiled shaking her head “but I have to say you’re going to struggle sneaking in there to put the stone back”

Steve blinked a couple of times in shock, glancing down at the device that held the reality stone in his hand before looking back up at the woman. He studied her for a moment before realising he did recognise her, not from the features she shared with Thor, but by your descriptions of her.

“Frigga” Steve muttered in amazement.

“yes, don’t worry I’m not here to stop you, I just wanted to meet the man who captured my daughter’s heart” Frigga smiles holding her hands up as she took a couple of steps closer to him.

“she told you about me?”  Steve shook his head in disbelief, he knew that at this point in the timeline you and him were still only friends, he was only just realising his feelings for you.

“yes, even though right now she doesn’t realise it, she’s loved you a very long time” Frigga smiles warmly “Thor also told me you two have a son together”

Steve let out a small watery huff of a laugh “Yeah” he nods “He’s called James, or JJ and he’s- he’s amazing and so much like Y/N” He smiles proudly “I um actually have a photo if you want to see it?”

Frigga smiles, her hands resting on her heart “I’d love to”

Steve pulls out the folded-up photo he had of you and JJ passing it over to her. She coos at the photo, tears welling up in her eyes as she gazed down upon it.

“I’m so proud of her, of both of you” She smiles as she passes back the photo, letting out a long sigh before saying “Fate is a cruel thing… knowing I won’t be around to meet him”

Steve’s lips parted in shock “You-you know?” he manages to say.

Frigga gives him a small but brave smile “Yes, I had my suspicions after seeing Thor, knowing you didn’t recognise me confirmed it” she admits sadly “but I’ve accepted it, even if it pains me”

“Y/N misses you so much,” Steve says quietly.

“I know” she sighs before forcing a bigger smile “So while I have you,” she says reaching out to take his hand “I want you to tell me every single detail that I missed, especially your wedding day,” she says squeezing his hand.

Steve took a deep shaky breath, blinking back his own tears as he smiled over at your mother “It would be my honour” he smiles.

Frigga smiles leading him down the corridor and into a small room full of different trinkets, sitting down on a small couch. For the next hour or so Steve recalled every single detail about his life with you, the moment he realised his feelings, when the two of you finally got together, the day he proposed and your wedding. He told her about all the times you looked after him, supported him when he needed it and how you were willing to put your life on hold to go on the run with him. She smiled warmly when he told her about the time you brought him to Asgard and then found out shortly after you were pregnant with JJ. He even talked about the years you were gone, and how desperate he’d been to get you back.

“she misses this place so much, I don’t think she ever expected that it would be gone someday, with barely anything to remember it by” Steve sighed looking around.

“yes that is understandable, and while Asgard may never truly be gone as it is its people rather than a place, I do have something that may help,” Frigga says standing up and walking over to one of the many shelves in the room.

Steve watches as she carefully plucks a gold dish from a shelf, placing it in her palm and waving her hand above it a couple of times. She then returns back to Steve, taking his hand and placing the dish in his palm, tapping the centre of the disc. Steve’s eyes widened in surprise at the image floating above the dish, letting out a warm chuckle when he realised it was footage of you as a child.

“her own little history book, one she can show to JJ and any other future children so they can learn and remember their ancestry” Frigga smiles closing his fingers around the dish.

“This is amazing thank you so much,” Steve says shaking his head in amazement.

“anything for family, now is there anything I can do to help with that?” Frigga asks pointing to the stone.

“yes, you said so yourself I probably can’t sneak in, and Jane will probably recognise me,” Steve says “So can I ask you to do it? you just have to inject it into her”

“consider it done” Frigga smiles as he passes her the reality stone.

“And what about this?” Steve says holding up the hammer.

Frigga waves her hand dismissively “Oh just leave that anywhere, Thor is constantly leaving it lying around all over the place so it won’t look out of place” she chuckles.

Steve laughs along with her, placing the hammer down on the side “It was lovely meeting you Frigga, you raised such an amazing daughter” He smiles warmly.

“it was an honour meeting you too Steve, look after my kids for me and make sure Thor eats a salad,” she tells him with a kind smile.

“I promise, goodbye Frigga,” Steve says summoning his quantum suit.

“Goodbye Steve” she smiles as Steve disappears into the quantum realm to finish his mission.

“and returning in five, four, three, two, one…” Bruce says but nothing happened.

Your heart lurched at the empty space where Steve should be. You instantly start to panic, what had something gone horribly wrong, you couldn’t face living without Steve, you weren’t strong enough.

“oops sorry pressed the wrong button” Bruce apologised sheepishly “This one is different to the others you have to send out a signal for him to return, safety line kinda thing”

“well press it and bring him back!” you exclaim, eyes wide.

Bruce nods quickly, pressing the correct button this time, the machine whirring and Steve appearing out of thin air. You let out a sigh of relief quickly running up onto the machine and launching yourself into Steve’s arms.

He stumbled slightly, shocked at the impact but his arms wrapped around you tightly. He buries his face in the crook of your neck, pressing kisses to the exposed skin there.

“hey it's okay, what’s wrong?” he asked brushing some hair out of your face before cupping your cheek.

“Bruce pressed the wrong stupid button so you were gone for more than 5 seconds and I panicked thinking something had gone wrong and you weren’t coming back” you admit tears welling up in your eyes.

“Nothing is ever gonna take me away from you, I swear” Steve promised, his voice barely above a whisper, pressing a soft and gentle kiss to your lips.

“did you get it” you whisper once you parted, a smirk grows on Steve's lips as he nods.

“was it a success?” Sam asks as you and Steve step down from the machine.

“all stones safely back where they belong, and I even managed to bring back presents” Steve smirks slinging off the large brown bag that was on his back, you watch as he unzips the bag pulling out his unbroken shield and holds it out for Sam to take.

“what-“ Sam mutters in confusion.

“like you told me many times, I deserve to relax and live a happy retirement, but the world still needs Captain America and I couldn’t think of a better person for the job” Steve explains.

Sam looks back at the both of you with shock “Go on try it on” you smile nodding gently.

Sam was still speechless as he reached out to take the shield from Steve, slipping it onto his arm “How does it feel?” Steve asks.

“like it’s somebody else's” Sam admits shaking his head.

“it isn’t” Steve reassures him “Captain America is a mantle, a symbol, it can’t belong to just one person”

Sam takes a deep and shaky breath looking down at the shield on his arm “Thank you Steve but-“ he says with a sigh.

“Sam” Steve interrupts “it’s yours now, there’s no one I trust more to carry on with the legacy of Captain America, do whatever you feel right with it, keep it, store it, put it in a museum, just promise me you’ll take some time to think it over”

“I will Steve” Sam nods “thank you, I’ll – I’ll do my best” He smiles gratefully holding out his hand.

Steve smiles shaking Sam’s hand “That’s why it's yours,” he says.

Sam lets out a small huff of a laugh “Now you two get out of here” he chuckles nodding to you and Steve.

You smile up at Steve, wrapping your arm around his waist. As you looked up at him you were amazed to see how relaxed and free he looked, like a massive weight had finally been lifted off his shoulders. He seemed calm and at peace, something that made you so unbelievably proud.

You both said your goodbyes, you making Bucky promise that he would keep in touch and visit soon, before making your way back to the car. Once you got to the car you were surprised when Steve came to a stop, turning to face you.

“I got you a little present too” he smiles down at you.

You blink a couple of times in surprise as he lifts your hand, turning it so it was palm up before reaching into his pocket and placing a small gold dish in your hand. You look up at him in confusion, unsure what it was or what it meant. Steve just smiled warmly down at you before tapping the centre of the dish.

Your breath caught when an image of you as a child playing with Thor and Loki appeared above the dish. You watched with tears in your eyes as your two fully grown brothers chased you around, Loki summoning illusions to make you think he was in front of you making you squeal with laughter. Thor then swooped in scooping you up into his arms and throwing you up high into the air, safely catching you once you began to fall. The scene then changed and you saw you and your mother sitting together, you were a bit older this time, a pre-teen appearance-wise. The both of you were giggling with each other as Odin talked in the background. More and more scenes of your time on Asgard appeared in front of you, tears flowing down your face, knowing you finally had a way to remember and see your family at all times.

“Steve I-“ you mutter shaking your head in disbelief “How?” you managed to say.

“while I was returning the reality stone and the hammer, I ran into your mother, I think she might have actually been waiting for me” Steve explained with a light chuckle.

“you met my mother?” you gasp in shock.

“yeah, I did” Steve smiles reaching up to cup your cheek, wiping away your tears with his thumb “We spoke for a bit, I got to tell her all about our lives, about JJ, I even showed her the picture I have of you and JJ in my suit and she’s so unbelievably proud of you”

You let out a loud sob hearing that, Steve wraps his arms around you pulling you into his embrace, letting you sob into his chest “I miss her so much” you whimper.

“I know princess, I know” he whispered pressing kisses to the top of your head “It's why she made you this,” Steve says his hand resting beneath yours “so you could always see and remember your family”

You shake your head “Thank you so so much Steve, this is… amazing I love you so much” you say looking up at him with pure love and gratitude.

“I love you so much too princess, always” Steve smiles cupping your cheeks and bringing your lips up to his for a languid kiss full of love.

Sharing is caring so please reblog if you enjoyed this and maybe even leave a comment to make my day!

Series Masterlist / Masterlist

I don’t have a tag list so follow @secretswiftymarvelfanlibrary​ and turn on post notifications for updates!

[arikakuku]

Skts + desi trans (MTF) Atsumu, transphobia & comfort

Kiyoomi knocked on the door, waiting for Atsumu to reply, but there was no answer in return!

Atsumu had asked him to wait outside; she was confused between two outfits she wanted to wear for her cousin's wedding, and Kiyoomi, who would tell her she looked like the most beautiful person even when she was wearing her old torn clothes, was the judge!

 

Kiyoomi had been waiting outside for more than half an hour, and with every passing minute, his tension was increasing. He knocked on the door again, calling out to her.

 

"Atsu? Baby, are you done?"

"Love? Are you okay?" He called out again, debating whether to break it. He heard the click of the door, and instead of Atsumu putting on a fashion show for him as she usually does, she ran towards her bed, hid under the blanket, and blew her nose, throwing out the tissue paper and screaming.

 

"Omiomi, I'll pick it up laterr, promise!"

 

Kiyoomi groaned, but this was not the time to get disgusted; Atsumu had a running nose, and the only reason she could have one was if she had cried! And Kiyoomi had promised himself never to see tears come in Atsumu's eyes; whoever had caused this should better be prepared; Kiyoomi would take Atsumu's revenge!

Atsumu's outfits were laid out perfectly, with jewellery still in their boxes, the makeup products untouched, and a half mehendi cone lying with stained tissue papers beside it!

 

Kiyoomi sat down besides Atsumu, gently caressing her arm and sliding the chocolate he found on the side table inside the blanket, hoping it would get her out, and it did!

 

Atsumu grins as she slowly comes out like a tortoise and gives Omi her prettiest smile. Kiyoomi's hand immediately went towards her face, wiping down the wetness from her cheek.

 

"Are you okay, darling?" He asked once Atsumu had finished eating. Atsumu looked hesitant but gave up once she saw the determination on his face. Kiyoomi was not going to give this up.

Sighing, Atsumu showed Kiyoomi her mehendi, stained hands.

 

"Well, I wanted to try some nice designs! Mehendi would look soo good with these outfits, so i decided to try, checked some YouTube videos- IN THAT THE LADY DOES IT SOO QUICKLY AND EASILY!! BUT- but when I went to try- well, it was a disaster, like, I can't even draw a straight linee!" Atsumu cried,

 

"When I was a kid, I always wanted to put mehendi on, but you know, no one would let me EXCEPT that one time Rima-

My cousin..... The BRIDE" Atsumu continued as Kiyoomi nodded, finally understanding.

 

"Now where was I-haa, except that one time Rima practised on my hand and told everyone that it was a tattoo art, I wanted to surprise her, with a similar design, but it's just too muchh" She sulked 

 

Kiyoomi chuckles as he gets up and searches for something.

 

"HEY! DON'T LAUGH AT ME ITS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER OMI!!" 

 

'Did you know, love? The 15-year-old Kiyoomi wanted to be a tattoo artist. He wanted Tattoos all over his body, small, big, large, tattoos of every size, with small intricate details that he was convinced no one else could ever do, so he practised, practised on paper, practised with pens with different kinds of pens, practised on his body till he was decent in it, so um, do you want me to channel that Kiyoomi? He will do some decent work!" he asks with a sweet smile, sitting back down.

 

Atsumu giggles as she nods her head and starts showing the design she wanted.

Kiyoomi paid attention to every little detail; all the flowers matched, and all the dots were perfectly aligned!

 

"You're giving some serious competition to the mehndi wali didi, Omi!" Atsumu giggles, poking his thigh with her toes.

 

"That mehendi wali dhidhi-"

"DI-DI"

"Yes, mehendi wali didi! She is no one in front of me!" Kiyoomi smirks

 

"But wait, why didn't you get your mehendi done from her, babe? I remember seeing you sitting over there!"

Atsumu goes quiet; she really didn't want to remember all that, but she knew Kiyoomi wouldn't let it go, so she made him give a promise.

 

First, you promise me you won't do anything!"

"Atsumu, what happened?'"

 

Fuck, he took her full name, NOT GOOD.

 

"Omi- first promise me! Otherwise, Im not going to tell you ANYTHING," she stressed.

 

"Atsumu-"

"NO! Promise me first!" She says, putting her palm forward.

 

Reluctantly, he promised, He can ask for forgiveness later!

 

"Okay so, so you know how she is, no?"

"Who?"

"Aunty, Rima- rima's mother, how she, well, quite literally outed me in front of everyone? I told you about her, no." Atsumu whispered

 

"Did she do anything?" Kiyoomi asked worriedly.

 

"Nothing special, she was doing what she normally does, telling everyone around her how I used to be such a 'nice boy, how I have spoiled the 'Khandan ki izzat' nonsense, how she doesn't want to involve my mom and Samu because of my 'influence' and other things. I usually take it, Omi, but then she started speaking badly about you, Ma, and Samu, and that was something I couldn't take, so I just got up and left. I really didn't want to create a scene; I know how important this is to Rima, and I wanted to be there for her, Omi! But I just couldn't!" Atsumu cried; she didn't want to, but the tears just started rolling down her face.

 

"You know, when I was a child, she was my favourite aunt! She would always buy me things! Would always take my side whenever I used to cause some trouble! Uhh who knew the one who loved me the 'most' would suddenly want me dead-"

 

"Atsumu, you know you don't have to tolerate this! I can book the next flight tickets and-"

 

"Omi, you promised!"

 

"But Atsu!"

 

"I want to stay, Omi! I want to stay for Ma, I want to stay for Samu, I want to stay for Rima! AND I WANT TO STAY FOR US! I don't want anyone to think of us- of me as someone different! I want everyone to know that they can't break me. I mean, it does hurt sometimes, but because of that, I have become stronger! NOW DONT CRY OMI-OMI." Atsumu squeals, wiping down the tears running down Kiyoomi's face!

 

"And ANYWAYS! This is the last function with Aunty; after Rima, only two people are left to get married: me and Samu, and I don't think we are going to call her! She put me through lots of trauma and gave Ma and Samu unnecessary tension! No one is going to call her! So now it's just a matter of bearing her for a few days!" She continues, giving him a small peck on the lips.

 

"Now Stop crying and finish the mehendi, Omi!" Otherwise, it will dry! And it will be a mess!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"And after this, you have to dress me up in the saree!"

"WHAT!? WAIT BABE-"

"OMI! My hands will be full of mehendi! You want me to spoil my beautiful saree?"

"But how will I?"

"YOUTUBE!"

"YOUTUBE?"

 

It took him an hour to wrap the saree and another hour to figure out the jewellery, and the day ended with them going on a small 'watching the sunset' date that Kiyoomi had planned for his precious Girlfriend!

 

Well, the aunty somehow ended up with her face coloured with pakka colour on the Haldi day, and no one could figure out who did it. In the distance, Kiyoomi and Osamu just drank the chaas that was being served, and Atsumu, at the side showing Rima her mehendi, all four of them totally unbothered by the chaos!

// END

[fractempyreal]

@sungracd​ echoed:  😘 adrian dares to press a lil kiss to his cheek while he's reading or smth hehe

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌  𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒  𝐈𝐓𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅  𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘  𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆  𝐔𝐏  𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎  𝐓𝐇𝐄  𝐀𝐈𝐑 ,        curling ever so delicately before it’s eventual dispersing once it strayed too far from the cup .  The deep colored liquid within finding itself gently disturbed by the silver spoon swirling in it  (  to mix in a cube of sugar ,   perhaps a drizzle of honey added prior  ) .  He's not looking as he does it ,   knowing its EXACT placement on the side table as his eyes remain fixated on the book he's holding .   It's quiet ,   the rain pattering against the window  &  fire playfully crackling in the fireplace .   The Devil themselves is a quiet contrast to the leaping flames ,   more akin to the actual rainfall ,   warming  &  plaintive .   A peculiar sight to many ,   seeing him so STILL  &  apart from the turbulent thoughts that often found themselves filling his mind .   More so at peace with his surroundings .  CONTENT . 𝐈𝐓  𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒  𝐀𝐒  𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐇  𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘  𝐅𝐎𝐑  𝐀  𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐓  𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 ,         taking casual sips from the cup he's prepared until he finds himself sorely LACKING .   Glancing down rather DISAPPROVINGLY at the cup as if simply glaring at it would rectify the situation  &  refill the cup .   Upon the failure of the so-called experiment ,   he debates whether or not he should rise to serve himself more , but STOPS when another form slips around from the corner of his eye . Swaths of flaxen hair bounce into view , a smile sitting on their lips as they hold up the elegant tea kettle to him .

                                            ❛   Were you hoping for more ?    ❜

𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 , 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 ,        Vergil finds himself wondering just HOW they seemingly already knew that he was running low ( enough so that they prepared a whole new kettle ) .   Contorted features slipping away ,   Vergil closes his eyes with a resigned sigh as he picks up the empty cup for Adrian to refill .                          ❛    If you would be so kind .    ❜         𝐚 𝐬��𝐟𝐭 𝐫𝐞���𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 ,  𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 .         It's something different than what he already had ,   but something ENJOYABLE nonetheless .   Expecting them to ghost away soon afterwards ,   he lifts the rim of the cup to his lips only to be surprised by something ELSE .   Gentle ,   feather-light in delivery as Adrian leans forward to brush their own lips against the warm skin of his cheek .   The Devil pauses ,   pulling on a soft breath  &  releasing it within a quiet exhale before drawing liquid between lips .   The taste fills his mouth ,   coats his tongue ,   not too sweet .   It's pleasant  (  comparable to the fading touch  ) ,   but he doesn't consider properly COMPLIMENTING them .                           ❛     I could have made my own .     ❜          𝐚  𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫  𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 ,        glancing aside as the angel steps away to pour themselves a cup .         ❛   I don't often care to have another prepare my drink .     ❜        Perhaps it’s too harsh ,   he realizes .  Potentially bordering on UNGRATEFULNESS ,   which in all honesty he never cares what another might think about him or the state of his manners .   Regardless ,

                                                        ❛     . . .    I suppose it’s palatable .    ❜

                        It’s a start .

[theshatteredrose]

Nugatory: The Secret War (Chapter 26) - Disgaea 5 Fanfiction

AN: Sorry for not updating last week. I was very, very sick. Felt like death warmed up, which was fun. Anyway, updating a day early this week as it’s my birthday XD Anyway, hope you enjoy reading~!

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FFNet

-

Chapter 26:

Staring out at the endless expanse of the Netherverse, Samuel kept the blanket tucked tightly around his shoulders as he leaned his elbows on the railing. A full day had passed and Samuel had been permitted to leave his hospital bed and walk about freely. With a few limitations, of course; absolutely no training.

In all honesty, Samuel did not feel like touching a weapon for a while.

He reached up and grasped his shoulder; not that he needed weapons to be violent.

“Hey, Samuel.”

Samuel dropped his hand from his shoulder and turned around. He idly tugged at the blanket, drawing it closer out of instinct as Zeroken walked toward him, in his arms a few pieces of folded cloth.

“Here,” he said as he lifted the objects toward him. “I got the weapon shop to make you a few of your vests in different materials. I know you feel better when your back is covered.”

“Really?”

He must admit he was surprised. He could not recall receiving such a gift from anyone before in his life. He had received small gifts, like little stones or small flowers from the Halflings, the children, under his care.

The kids…

Samuel forced a smile to his lips and retrieved the clothing. “Wolf Pup, thank you, that’s very considerate of you.”

He set the clothing upon the railing he had been previously leaning against and quickly slipped the blanket from his shoulders. He grabbed at the gift that Zeroken had so generously given him, only to realize that he had actually gifted him three different vests, each made to his measurements, and to his liken.

Zeroken had put quite a bit of consideration into his gift, hadn’t he…?

Taking one of the vests, Samuel flared it over his shoulders and quickly slipped his arms through the sleeves. The material was soft against the skin that was free from the bandages, but felt sturdy, granting him some protecting in battle. Once he returned to the battlefield.

He…would return. Of course, he would. There was still a war to be fought and won.

“How does it feel?” Zeroken asked him, anxious for his answer.

“It’s very comfortable,” Samuel replied with a genuine smile as he did up the buckle at the collar. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

He truly did feel better, wearing something resembling his previous vest. No, it felt better than his previous piece of clothing. His first vest was from necessity, to keep his back covered, away from prying eyes. His current vest was vastly different. He could feel the quality and craftmanship in it by simply touching it.

“Samuel?”

“Hm?”

Zeroken fidgeted on his feet. “Um, I just wanted to say; I have trust in you, too.”

Samuel turned to look at him, a little taken aback by his words. They came out of the blue, honestly. “Zeroken?”

Zeroken straightened his posture and tightened his shoulders, attempting to look more confident. “If someone like me can become Overlord to his heart, then you can, too.”

“Oh, Wolf Pup.” Samuel sighed and shook his head. Him, an Overlord? If only. “I wish I was as strong as you.”

“But you are,” Zeroken insisted, almost childishly. “You’re stronger than me.”

That was very sweet. He was wrong, but it was a sweet thing to say. Zeroken was clearly trying to cheer him up. Samuel wondered if Killia had said something to him, and the others, or if they were seeking him out on their own accord.

That was also very sweet. And much appreciated. But his heart was too heavy, in too much pain to truly accept their efforts.

“Zero, can I ask you something?”

Zeroken perked up. “What is it?”

Samuel leaned against the railing behind him. “It’s…” he hesitated, inwardly debating whether or not he should truly ask Zeroken his question. It was selfish of him to ask, but it might help him understand why…why Ronny acted the way he did.

“It’s a difficult question, so you don’t have to answer it. But…when you were looking after Goldion, and they, the Lost were…hurting him, watching from the sidelines must have made you feel so helpless. Is that what spurred you to become his apprentice?”

As he had expected, Zeroken was taken aback by his question. “Y-yeah, that’s right,” he answered automatically. He fell silent immediately after, to take a moment to himself to form a proper response. Or to, perhaps, debate whether he could truly answer.

“I wanted to become stronger,” he began. “Where I might…one day be strong enough to save my master, my idol. Or, at least, save someone else from becoming a victim of the Lost. Save them from having to witness and endure what I did.”

“I see.” Samuel hoped that his smile was both empathetic and sympathetic. “Back in Nugatory, the Wardens treated us badly as well. Punish us for the smallest things. Being the caretaker, I often took the beatings for the others. I felt it was my duty to do so.”

His smile faded from his lips entirely and his gaze fell to the ground at his feet as a nauseous feeling of guilt settled in his stomach. “And yet…was I instilling a sense of helplessness in the others?”

Was that why Ronny acted the way he did? Was his anger, his…hatred of him actually his resentment of him protecting him?

“…It’s not easy, standing on the sidelines and watching the one who admire and care for get hurt,” Zeroken affirmed. “Especially for something you did. That kind of helplessness hurts the heart and soul. Watching, not being able to help.”

So, it was true…

“I’m not saying you did anything wrong or anything,” Zeroken quickly amended. “In your position, anyone would have done the same. That’s what parents and caretakers do. What they will always do, no matter what.”

Yeah, he supposed so. Parents, caretakers…they would do anything for their children. Elders were meant to look after those under their care. Protect them, care for them, love them. Do anything for them. Anything.

That was…just how things were.

Ronny, if only he could have understood that…

“You’re right. Thank you, Zero.” Samuel pushed away from the railing and crossed the short distance between him and Zeroken, and slipped an arm around his neck to rake his knuckles through his hair. “I think I understand Ronny a little bit better, now, thanks to you.”

Zeroken grabbed onto his arm, but did not attempt to detach himself from his grip. “Are you feeling better?” he asked, innocently.

That brought a genuine smile to Samuel’s lips. “Yeah, I’m feeling better.”

… … … … …

Samuel was never normally the one for sitting still. Yet, it was all he could bring himself to do. Sit still and gaze out into the Netherverse beyond the Pocket Netherworld, and wonder which sparkling white dot far off in the distance was the elusive Nugatory. And if the words uttered to him by Ronny and Hellekin were true…

He did not want to believe them. His heart did not want to believe them. His Halfling kin, his kids, couldn’t be…gone, could they?

They could not be gone because of…him.

He did not want to believe it.

“Samuel.”

He was grateful when Usalia’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. He purposely shook himself out of his reverie and sat up straight, turning his in chair in a quiet corner in the communal area to greet Usalia as she made her way over to him.

“Here,” she said cheerfully as she handed him a bowl of curry. “I made some of my special sweet curry. I want you to have some. It’ll make you feel better, plip.”

Her consideration brought a sincere smile to Samuel’s lips and he readily retrieved the curry from her. “Oh, thank you. That’s very kind of you.”

Truthfully, he was not at all hungry, but he was not about to say no to Usalia. And the smell was starting to whet his appetite. Besides, she appeared to be eagerly waiting for him to take a bite.

“How is it?” Usalia asked after he did just that. “I worked really hard on it.”

“It’s delicious.” Which was, of course, the truth. She had been working diligently since she had asked Killia to teach her how to cook curry after the recovery of her parents’ crafted recipe. “I can tell you really put your heart into it.”

“I made it just for you, plip.”

Specially for him?

They really were trying so hard to cheer him up.

Samuel slowly placed the spoon back into the bowl and set the curry aside. “Usalia, could you help me understand something?”

Usalia tilted her head to the side. “What is it, plip?”

“It’s…Killia told you what happened with Ronny, didn’t he?” He received a nod in response. “Well, he…he said that he hated me. And yet, he said he did all those things because he wanted to protect me. I’m…I’m trying to wrap my head around his motives. Did he hate me?”

“Not at all,” Usalia responded quickly and decisively. “He loved you very much.”

“Then why-?”

“He was angry.” Usalia closed her eyes as she began to speak from the heart. “Angry at himself for being so weak, at his own weakness for putting you in danger. Angry at the Netherverse for always putting you in danger, for always hurting you. Hellekin said the right things to him. Made him believe that he would give him the power. Told him that if he was able to defeat you in battle, then you would concede your role as defender, so he would be the one taking on the danger. He wanted to be you, plip.”

“I…I see.”

Was…was that true? Did Ronny truly care for him like that, and his actions were just that of a child in a helpless situation unsure of what do and only lashed out as it was the only way he knew how?

That…that would explain a lot. Hellekin got to him. Tricked him. Manipulated him. Hellekin himself said that he had to get rid of Samuel. He got in the way. He said that he got in the way of the Seedlings, but…he got in the way of the Halflings, too.

Ronny…he was half right. He did fail him, failed them. But it was not entirely his fault. Hellekin made sure that he failed them.

He wished his knew the exact location of Nugatory. He wished he could go back.

He wished he could have saved them.

“Th-thank you, Usalia,” Samuel said. “You helped me a lot.”

Usalia leaned forward and peered up at him. “Are you ok?” she asked softly.

“Yeah, I’m ok.” He was going to be ok. “I’m sorry. This must be very hard on you, too.”

“…I miss my parents very much, plip.”

“I know you do.”

Samuel pushed away from the back of his seat and leaned forward, holding out his arms toward her. She readily leaned up on her toes and slipped her arms around his neck in a comforting, familial hug.

“Children love their parents as much as their parents love their children.”

… … … … …

The Pocket Netherworld was as bustling and rowdy as ever. It was comforting to see and experience. Yet, in another way, it was disconcerting, seeing everyone continuing with their normal, everyday lives, while Samuel continued to deal with the traumatic aftermath.

He just wanted to be normal again.

In his wanderings, Samuel found his way to the small exercise area. Where Red Magnus was getting in some training, using a punching bag as he went through a series of spear attacks. The last couple of days had been relatively quiet, in spite it all, the next magical spear yet to be discovered. The hardest part of war was always the waiting part.

Samuel himself was not allowed to participate in any kind of strenuous activity, but it would not hurt to speak with ol’ Red Magnus as he went through his drills, would it?

“Red Magnus,” Samuel called out in a form of greeting. “You’ve been doing a lot of training, I hear.”

Red Magnus paused mid attack, glanced over at him before he hefted his weapon upon his shoulder. “Hey, S-Man. Surprised you’re allowed near the training grounds.”

Samuel waved his hand dismissively and sat himself down upon the steps before the training arena. “Oh no, I’m only allowed to pass by. If I so much as look at a weapon, someone is bound to pounce on me.”

Speaking of someone pouncing, he felt as though he had eyes on him. They…didn’t feel like they belonged to Killia. His eyes would be concerned, watching to keep an eye on him, to ensure that he stay safe, protected.

Those eyes…were different.

Odd.

“How’s the injuries?” Red Magnus asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

Samuel glanced over at his right shoulder and winced. “Healing…Taking longer than I’d like. But, healing.”

Still hard to believe that he actually ripped out his own wings. He did not remember doing that, honestly. He was able to recall other key memories, but that? No, he did not recall reaching around and ripping them out.

He must have been buried deep in his own pain to have done such a thing.

“Red Magnus, you’ve dealt with feelings of helplessness before, haven’t you?” Samuel asked before he had the chance to reconsider.

Red Magnus rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Yeah, but I’m no good with advice, S-Man.”

Samuel had to smile. “Honestly, I’m terrible at receiving it. I’m also terrible at doing nothing.”

“Yeah, that’s the worse.” Red Magnus removed the spear from his shoulder and oh-so casually tossed it toward the punching bag, piercing it through the middle with little effort. “Hey, S-Man?”

“Hm?”

Red Magnus folded his arms across his chest, and almost appeared hesitant. “I know this will bring up some super bad memories, but this Hellekin guy. He must have been one huge sack of shit for you to react the way you did.”

Samuel felt his breath hitch in his throat. “…He…He was regarded as a warden of Nugatory. Basically, someone who ensured no one left. That no one escaped. And that he thought it was fun to ‘test’ some of the Seedlings out on the weaker Halflings to see what they can do. He was…abusive, to say the least.”

“What?!” Red Magnus bellowed unexpectedly, bristling wildly. “Argh, he was more than a sack of shit! He’s lucky he’s already dead, or I’d hunt him down myself and pummel the absolute tar out of him!”

His angry, violent reaction actually startled Samuel for a moment. A mere second later it dawned upon him that he was not angry at him. No, he was furious at Hellekin. A protective anger.

He…had learnt quite a bit since Scorching Flame, hadn’t he?

Realisation suddenly flickered across Red Magnus’ face. “Oh right, you already did,” he uttered. Equally unexpectedly, he grinned widely. “Did it feel good to finally get revenge on him? Come on, it super totally did, didn’t it?”

“…A-A little,” Samuel admitted.

“How’d ya do it?” Red Magnus asked, perhaps a little too eagerly. “I super want to know!”

Samuel honestly had not put too much thought into what he had done to Hellekin. “W-well…I think I…I kinda grabbed him by the face.”

“Uh huh.”

“Then threw him several feet until he hit wall of stone, where he made a crater.”

“Nice, nice. Then what?”

“I, ah, stomped his head into the ground.”

“Nice! Then what?”

“I pinned him to the ground and started pummelling him with my fists until he dissipated into the ether.”

“Bwahahaha!” The laugh that Red Magnus released was boisterous and loud, filled with genuine amusement. “That’s awesome!”

Thinking back on it, he held such hatred for Hellekin. So much anger. So much pain. For what he did to Ronny. For all the pain and suffering he had inflicted upon all the innocent Halflings over the years. For all the pleasure he found in inflicting that pain.

That man…He deserved every hit, stomp, and punch. Every brutal blow. He deserved it all. He deserved more.

Pity it did not last longer.

“All the Halflings that had suffered because of him can finally rest in peace,” Red Magnus stated, rather sagely at that.

“Yeah. You’re right.”

Yet, there were two more wardens out there. If they were also involved…

He may have no choice but to face them in battle. If so, then he should face them without mercy, too. For all the Halflings that had suffered in the past. For the Halflings that still suffered.

And for all those that were suffering in the present.

Samuel could not afford to wallow in pity anymore.

“Red Magnus, thanks.”

Red Magnus looked genuinely confused. “Eh, for what?”

“For cheering me up,” Samuel replied. “I guess what happened, rather what I did to Hellekin wasn’t so bad after all.”

Red Magnus crossed his arms and nodded. “That’s right, S-Man. He super deserved it.”

He did. And he did not regret a single hit.

“Samuel? There you are.”

A smile immediately made its way to Samuel’s lips the moment he heard Killia’s voice. He turned around and watched as Killia made his way down the stairs toward him. “Hey, Killia. Sorry, were you looking for me?”

“Hey Killia,” Red Magnus also greeted, with a cocky half grin. “Now, we weren’t training. I know better than to get on your protective side.”

Hm, protective side?

Samuel turned to Killia and tilted his head to the side questioningly. “Hey, quick question; were you watching over me from the shadows a couple of times? I just felt that someone was watching me.”

Killia furrowed his brow. “Where abouts?”

His protective side had definitely been activated. So, it was not him?

“Nowhere in particular. Just in the distance. Don’t worry, I’m just being paranoid.”

Hopefully.

[apocalypticgargoyle]

Oh my god i just found you're writing and I'm obssessed. First of all, I'm in love with your edgy!karl series. Seriously, it's amazing. Second of all, I had a little idea that you can take as a request if you'd like. I was thinking edgy!dream/clay but with a shy innocent girl. And a hint of some fear play kink? Like she's all cute and he's so edgy shes scared and intimidated by him when they meet and it turns him on knowing shes both scared of him AND attracted to him at the same time so he uses it against her(consensually of course)

can we call him alt!dream? ;) also,,, i rly like this request...

𝐉𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐘𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐒. ♘ 𝐚𝐥𝐭!𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 (𝟏𝟖+)

pairing: alt!Dreamwastaken x fm!reader

warnings: smut (18+), fighting, smoking, language, oral (fm. receiving), fear play, asphyxiation, sight size kink & praise, dominance

The movie theatre dimmed, the beginning credits of the film reeling as a montage of a city played in the background. You settled back in your seat, accepting the fact that you had been stood up, determined not to let it ruin the movie you had already paid for. That’s right; instead of treating yourself to a new pair of shoes or a set of notebooks, you agreed to meet up with a sleazy guy from class after weeks of him pleading.

You sighed slightly, chewing on the inside of your cheek as you realized you hadn’t even wanted to see the film and had only agreed because he suggested it. Someone moved into a seat near you, his legs stretching as he slumped down, purely due to his towering height. You stiffened, crossing your legs to inch away from him at the sight of his various tattoos peeking out from beneath his dark corduroy jacket.

He carded a hand through his dirty blond hair, revealing an eyebrow ring as he swept his bangs off his forehead momentarily. You tore your eyes from him as you noticed the cigarette balanced behind his ear. Even with the seat between the two, you could smell the smoke on his clothes mixing with the faintest hint of vanilla.

You folded your hands in your lap as you noticed him give you a once over. He reached towards you, making you flinch slightly before you realized he was holding out his bag of candy to you. “Want a jellybean? You look upset,” he motioned, voice low as he whispered.

You shook your head quickly, muttering a thank you and playing with your fingers. He shrugged, watching you for a second more before turning back to the movie. He tucked his arm behind his head, chewing on his lip as if debating whether he should keep talking to you or just let you be. You weren’t really sure which outcome you preferred.

On one hand, he fit every one of your guilty pleasure fantasies, while on the other, he terrified the hell out of you. It was more of an intimidating feeling, residing in the way each of his movements caught your attention and the way you could barely keep your eyes off his grungy appearance. Your mind drifted from the plot of the movie and towards the images of his tattooed hands wrapping around your throat and giving you a reason to be scared.

“You here alone?” He asked, popping another jellybean in his mouth. The action made you think of your grandpa waning himself off of tobacco when you were younger. Those jellybeans were blue and a flavor of comfort for you now, while the man before you seemed to only fish for the red ones.

You nodded hesitantly. “I got stood up,” you mumbled, making him shake his softly. “What about you? Are you here alone?” You wondered where you had gathered the courage to talk to him, his demeanor making you want to run, but his voice was a symphony to your ears in the darkness of the movie house, drawing you closer with each of his lulling words.

He wet his lips. “So far,” he answered. He stuck out his large hand for you to shake, his skin was coarse against yours as his finger reached to brush against your wrist. “I’m Clay,” he added, his name rolling into your mind and nestling itself into your memory just due to the tone of his voice. After you gave him your name his mouth curled into a soft smirk. “It’s nice to meet you,” he remarked. You blushed for an unknown reason, thankful for the darkness to mask your emotions.

Someone entered the theatre, marching up to Clay and leaning down to his ear. “Dream, we have to go now,” the guy whispered into his ear, just loud enough that you could hear him. Clay's face twisted into an annoyed expression while the guy turned to leave.

Clay straightened his jacket on his shoulders. “Not to seem to forward, but can I get your number?” He queried. You raised your eyebrows at him, basking in the fact that despite his friend’s agitation, Clay was taking his sweet time making his move on you.

As if you were acting on instinct, you grabbed a pen from your bag as he held his hand out to you again. You found a bare spot on his skin and wrote your number as clearly as you could manage with your shaking hands at the way his eyes watched you alluringly. Without thinking, you blew on the ink, trying to keep it from smearing. You froze, realizing what you were doing as he bit back a smirk.

He was completely eating up your awkwardness.

He reluctantly took his hand back, being pulled up by his friend. “I’ll call you,” he whispered on his way out, heat rushing to your ears.

The movie ended shortly after he left, sending you back out onto the city streets and away from your cocoon where you had forgotten about the sleazy classmate and let thoughts of Clay weasel their way into your nerves. As you stepped through the doors, your phone began to ring, kick-starting your heart at the thought of it being Clay. Instead, it was a friend of yours asking how your date had gone. You tucked the phone between your ear and shoulder as you pulled a piece of gum out of your purse.

Her ramblings went deaf on your ears as a car violently pulled up to an alleyway a block from you. You squinted as you moved closer, your apartment being in that direction anyway. A few men got from the car and that’s when Clay stepped into view from behind one of the buildings, flicking his cigarette to the ground and snubbing it out with the toe of his heavy boots as he watched them get out. You could see your number still written on his hand, mixing with his tattoos.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking tiredly at the group of men that had come from the car as his friends began to shout at them. Clay chewed on his lip, looking around and away from the conversation before his gaze met yours. His eyes widened slightly before he turned back, an attempt to keep the attention away from you.

One of the car members grabbed for Clay’s jacket, yanking him closer as if to get him to pay mind to the man talking. Clay sent him a cocky grin, towering over him. With his normal height and his boots, he had at least a foot on the guy. One of Clay’s friends separated the two, breaking the groups into a brawl while shouting was accompanied with fists and elbow jabs.

You turned, walking in another direction as briskly as you could without bringing attention to yourself and the group of boys in the alleyway. Little did you know, Clay was watching you leave and kicking himself for it.

The next day, your mind was racing with Clay’s whereabouts. He seemed like he had his opponents under control, but what if one of them had brought a knife or another weapon? It wasn’t unusual for boys in the city to butt heads like they were, but the fact that you’d let one nearly pick you up the night before was boggling.

You gripped the strap of your bag as you crossed the street, stepping onto the sidewalk and adjusting your skirt. You kept your head down as you passed various people coming and going from their apartments before your ears picked up on a familiar voice. You picked your eyes up, spotting Clay and a small group of guys walking together. He popped a jellybean in his mouth after chiming into their conversation.

You held your breath as they neared you and that’s when you noticed his bruised face and scraped knuckles. Your number was faded on his skin, but still apparent on the back of his hand. He smiled at you, breaking off from his group and walking backward to match your pace. You bit back a smile. “Glad to see you’re okay,” you mumbled, barely able to make eye contact with him. His friends called out for him and he waved them off, walking in line with you.

He chuckled lightly. “Yeah, sorry. I would have called last night but…” he made a gesture to his torso as he trailed off. “I broke a rib. I didn’t really… I don’t.” He laughed sheepishly as you raised your eyebrows. “I’m fine. It’s good,” he brushed.

You picked your gaze off the pavement finally, focusing on his discolored black eye and busted lip. He didn’t seem to be too hurt, but he wore his wounds well. “You’re not scared of me, are you?” He asked, voice changing slightly. You drew in a sharp breath, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear before it could get further knotted in the wind. A few people narrowed their eyes at the two of you and you wondered how you looked together. What kind of juxtaposition it was; his tall, dark figure looking like death in Doc Martens while you barely passed his shoulder in height with your less intimidating color scheme.

You debated how to answer him. Your eyes flickered to his dangly earring; a silver ankh. He ate another jellybean. “I was at first. I’m still kind of weary of you, I guess,” you muttered, making a smile bite into his features.

Clay ran his fingers through his hair, which you were beginning to believe was a habit when he was coming up with what to say. “Do you want me to leave you alone?”

You shook your head. A blush crept to your cheeks. “No, I kind of like it,” you mumbled, barely audible enough for him to hear. His hand slipped into yours and you could feel your chest tighten.

“You like being scared of me?” His voice was dripping with allure, making you bite your tongue in a flushed embarrassment. “You just keep getting better and better,” he teased, making your ears burn.

You weren’t sure how you ended up there, but God, were you thankful for Clay’s hands as they kneaded your ass, his lips pressing against yours. He ground his hips against yours, moaning into your mouth as your nails sank into his tattooed skin. His tongue pressed past your lips, his large hand moving to fist in the sheets beside you before dragging up your shirt to grip your breast.

You breathlessly moaned as he broke your kiss, lips trailing down your body as he sat back on his knees, dragging your underwear off as your shirt was also discarded to the floor. He looped his arms around your thighs, bringing you closer to his mouth as his concentrated stare shifted to your eyes before he buried himself between your legs, your body tensing as a groan ripped through your body. Your fingers carded through his soft blond hair, tugging slightly in appraisal as he pulled away from you.

Clay looked up at you again, slowly pressing one of his long fingers into you, you moaned his name, reaching one of your hands up to grip at the headboard above you. “Does that feel good, sweetheart?” He asked, voice deep with lust as his breath fanned against your wet core. He pushed another finger into you as you nodded. He pressed his lips to your thigh. “I can’t believe you’re scared of me,” he mocked, making you whimper as his fingers pulsed against your sweet spot.

He pressed his lips to your core again, tongue teasing at your nerves as you caught your lips between your teeth. You moved your knee further up his arm for a better angle, driving him deeper. He pulled away, his fingers speeding up. “So needy,” he chuckled, the sound enough to send you over the edge if you really thought about it.

“Clay, please. I want you,” you whined softly, your thighs threatening to close around his head. His eyes sparkled devilishly, leaning away from you before tugging your legs towards him. He pushed his fingers into your mouth, jaw tensing as you moaned around him.

He grabbed your hips, flipping your body and pushing your shoulders into the mattress. You heard him unbuckling his belt and your fingers knitted into the sheets beneath you. He pulled you back by the shoulders, hand moving to hold onto your neck. “Maybe I should give you something to be scared of,” he chided, making a shiver run up your spine as he pushed your thighs apart driving himself up into you. You were sure you would tear in half at the sheer size of him, but you bit back your whimpers at the pleasuring pain.

One of your hands moved to grip onto his arm as he thrust into you, his teeth threatening to dig into your shoulder as you moaned. His other hand moved to tease at your nerves, his determination to summon your orgasm sending your head reeling. You tilted back your head, resting against his shoulder as his hand tightened around your throat.

He let go of you, dipping you against the mattress again as his fist knotted in your hair. He steadied himself, leaning on one of his arms beside your head. Your hand wrapped around his wrist as he thrusted into you at an ungodly pace, lips hovering beside your ear as he grunted your name and how good you felt.

You pushed your hips up against him turning your head enough that he pressed his lips against yours, the vibrations from his moans sending heat throughout your body. Clay’s tongue slipped into your mouth roughly, tasting your whimpers and lust. His teeth dragged against your lip as you felt him throb inside of you.

He pushed your shoulder back, moving you on your side as your leg curled around. At the new angle, he could drive himself deeper into you; dark green eyes focused on yours as his warmed breath cascaded over your chest. His hand moved to your jaw, running his thumb against your burning lips as his sights were almost hungrily looking upon you. Your breathing became shallow as he smirked at you, moving his hand to your throat again.

He leaned down, slowing his pace to drag in and out of you as his lips were close to your ear. He applied pressure, your breath hitching in your throat. “So pretty. Good girl, taking me so well,” he praised, making you moan as he kissed you again before speeding up his thrusts. You moaned out his name again, finishing as your eyes fluttered shut. He chuckled darkly, pounding into you harder. “Fuck,” he hissed, lips pressing to the skin behind your ears, digging his face into your hair as he chased his high.

He exhaled, breath blanketing your skin before he kissed your shoulder, cheek, and finally your lips in a quiet appraisal. You pulled him into the spot beside you. He ran his fingers through his hair as you curled against his side, his other hand brushing softly against your arm. You knotted your fingers with his, brushing your thumb against where your faded number rested. “Didn’t you just break a rib?” You asked, finally noticing the slide bruising on his side.

Clay chuckled softly. “Yeah, I think I was running on adrenaline until a second ago,” he groaned.

Dream Tag List: (to join, follow this link :))

@karlkitten @pluto-dizzz @more-like-reyna @honk-izzie-was-taken @marrymetheonott @froggyy06 @ghoulandghost @savingpluto @marshmallow-babe @drunkpumpkincake

[marmixedwithabitofintellect]

The Story of You

I am SO SORRY!! i know this was long overdue but I hope you love this chapter, I think there is a lot of baggage to unload; if you wish to be added to the Tag List do let me know and come chat to me about the chapter! All the love, Mar

Disclaimer: In no way do I wish to spread hate or negative opinions about any of the characters here depicted, this is just fiction and with the purpose of entertaining you guys

Click on the visuals to enhance your reading experience!

Part 9: Explosion

August 18, 2021: Week Twenty-Four

New York City, New York. 11:45 Am

I had just left the lab after my glucose test and boy I was glad that was over; the drawing of blood wasn’t even that bad, it was the drink that had me hating this whole experience. The lab let me know that they would be sending my results to Betty directly.

I decided to stop at the grocery store on my way back to buy a few things I was missing for this week. As I was rounding the bread aisle I could feel someone was watching me, I turned to look and saw a couple of young girls, probably Harry’s fans.

I decided to ignore them and finish grocery shopping to head home, as I was waiting for the cashier to ring my items I saw the girls on the other cashier, I was looking for my tote to put the groceries in when I heard one of them speak up

“I cannot imagine what Olivia is going through, like they were happy before little miss cheater appeared again”, the blonde one told the other two, then the red head spoke up “Poor Harry, he looked so happy in all the pictures with Olivia, it was clear that he wanted to leave her”

I felt the tears come to my eyes and the cashier rang mi items and smiled at me, “Your total is $23.74”, I brought my card out and inserted it on the pin pad, as I was placing my pin the third girl said “Probably used his money to pay”

That made me stand un straighter, the cashier had a weary look on her eyes, but I decided against causing a scene, I then removed my card from the pin pad and thanked the lovely cashier, grabbed my shopping, and left.

After I arrived home, put away my shopping and made some tea. I checked my work emails and after answering the pending ones I debated whether I should log into Instagram,

Since Harry had posted the photo I had like a million follow requests, which I would just leave there or maybe one day accept or delete.

I decided to look into it for a while but I regreted it the moment I started reading comments and posts; while some of them were sweet and supportive, other were just plain mean and harsh.

There was one account in particular that had posted a timeline of my pregnancy and I was so impressed by their detective skills but the caption and comments made my heart hurt

harryseroda It doesn’t take a village to realize that she did this on purpose, she knows what she wanted and what she lost when she left Harry, she couldn’t even let him be happy could she?

hs1994_ AGREE! Harry and Olivia are so perfect together, I don’t understand why she had to do this

wilde4styles It’s so sad, but I really hope that Harry and Olivia can still be together, they are such a powerful couple

olivia.wilde.fan has she even stopped to think how much the kid will suffer?

And those were some of the nicer mean comments. I closed my Instagram and was now so deep into this hole that I logged into twitter, thankfully just a few fans had figured out my username so I could snoop peacefully, but I should have refrained from it.

Thousands of tweets were found under Harry’s name, again some of them were sweet and had well wishes while others included a thread just like the Instagram post. But there was one tweet that really struck a nerve and I was so close to replying to it but decided against it.

sydney_wright_56 I would definitely not want to be that kid, I mean yeah, my dad is Harry Styles and my stepmom is Olivia Wilde, but my mom is a nobody who left my dad and had the audacity to get pregnant three months after they broke up 1/2

sydney_wright_56 And Harry, being stuck with a kid that he may not even want, that is hard, poor Harry, I hope he is doing okay #staystrongHarry 2/2

Poor Harry? Really? I was so angry at this point that I didn’t even know what to think, why was I the only guilty one here? I came to the realization that when we broke up, I was also pinpointed as the bad guy because perfect little Harry couldn’t do anything wrong.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a ding from my phone letting me know that I had received a text message, I grabbed it to see who it was and rolled my eyes. Speak of the devil.

From H. Styles (9:45 PM): Hi love, don’t know if you’re asleep but I wanted to know how the study went and at what time is the appointment tomorrow? Can’t wait to see the baby.

I decided not to answer or open the text, I was tired and did not want to talk to him, I got up, prepared myself something to eat and picked up everything up.

As I was getting ready for bed I was tempted to open the text and leave him on read, but I decided to be the bigger person and let things be.

August 19, 2021: Week Twenty-Four

New York City, New York. 8:45 Am

I must have been really tired because as soon as I got into bed I fell asleep, I woke up feeling refreshed and got ready for my appointment, as I was entering the kitchen I heard some knocks on the door and furrowed my brow, I want expecting anyone.

When I looked through the peephole my blood froze, I knew I couldn’t pretend that I wasn’t home, so I took a deep breath before opening the door,

“What are you doing here?”

Harry. New York City, New York. 8:45 Am

I had gotten in yesterday because I wanted to surprise Y/N, I had been missing her and I knew that the glucose test must have been hard for her. Before coming to her house, I stopped at Panera and bought breakfast for us.

When I got there I knocked and hoped she would be home, after my text went unanswered I didn’t think much of it, I knew at what time her appointment was, but I just wanted to talk to her.

When she opened the door my heart started beating so fast, she looked so beautiful, but I immediately notice something was wrong, her posture went straighter and her tone was defensive. Something was not sitting right with me.

“Hey, I missed you, I flew in two days earlier so that I could come with you to the appointment, is that okay?”

My voice was so weary I was worried it would cause a negative reaction, but I saw her sigh and open the door for me.

“Brought some breakfast, is that okay?” she nodded and then walked to the kitchen where she took out some cutlery and plates for the both of us

“Coffee?”, I nodded and she passed me a cup, we then sat to have breakfast together, silence overtook our breakfast time and I didn’t know how to break it, the tension could be felt and it was making me anxious.

“So, how have you been?”, she turned to look at me before speaking, “I’ve been okay, the return from LA wasn’t as rough as I thought”, she let me know that she would go change so we could leave and I took the opportunity to pick up everything from breakfast.

New York City, New York. 9:15 Am

I closed the door of my room and started hyperventilating, he had let me know that he wouldn’t be coming to the ultrasound so I didn’t understand what he was doing here. I sat down on the bed and decided to text Glenne.

To Glenne Azoff (9:16 AM): Quick question… Why is Harry in NY? And more specifically in my apartment?

From Glenne Azoff (9:17 AM): What?

To Glenne Azoff (9:17 AM): Yup, showed up with breakfast in hand, and worst part? I am one millisecond away from going off on him (don’t ask, I’ll tell you later)

From Glenne Azoff (9:18 AM): I`m so sorry babes, lets FaceTime soon okay? Love you

I put the phone down and changed, grabbed my bag and my maternity notes and left my room, I was grabbing my mask when I noticed that Harry had picked up the dishes I left on the kitchen

“Thank you, you didn’t have to”, he smiled “It’s nothing, and I wanted to, shall we go?” we both put on our masks and left; the ride to Betty’s office was tense, neither of us spoke and unfortunately, we ran into some traffic.

We got into the office and Randy lead us to Betty’s office, she took my vitals and we settled on waiting for Betty, I took a deep breath and stretched a little, while settling down again.

Harry noticed and asked “Hey, you okay?”, “Backache, has gotten worse”, “Well if you want I can give you a massage later?”, I sighed “Thank you but that won’t be necessary”

As he was about to speak Betty came in “Well hello mom and dad, I see LA did you good, you look so much better”, I smiled a little “Hi Betty, we are definitely feeling much better”

She washed her hands and while she dried them she asked me to lie down, when I did she started feeling my belly, “Well baby is well positioned, have you started feeling them move?”

“I feel like bubbles on my belly, but I haven’t been able to feel them on the outside”, she hummed “That’s normal, hopefully you’ll be able to feel it soon, any other symptoms, headaches, dizziness?”

“Just a lot of lower backache and some itchiness, but I have been using some cocoa butter and things have gotten better, thinking of maybe starting prenatal yoga, would that be okay?”

“Oh yes honey, that would certainly help and will also help you for when you deliver, also maybe you should think on investing in a pregnancy pillow”

She went to turn off the lights and turn on the machine and Harry got near me, he had been very quiet and I also had no intention on engaging in a conversation with him, he tried to grab my hands but I placed them behind my head, so he turned to squeeze my leg.

Betty turned on the machine and straight away we were able to see our baby, they have gotten so big, Betty then proceeded to take some measurements and to listen to their heartbeat and then turned to Harry and I,

“We could maybe try to get a 3D ultrasound?”, we nodded and she clicked some buttons and a few seconds later we saw our baby’s face, I started tearing up and I heard Harry sniff before saying

“Oh wow, would you look at that”, I nodded without turning to look at him, “Those lips look so kissable”, I could hear the tears in my voice and Betty laughed, she then proceeded to print some copies of the ultrasounds for us and while I cleaned myself up and she updated my notes I saw Harry take a picture of the 3D ultrasound and set it as his lock screen.

“So”, Betty said, “Good news is that your glucose test came back clear, so no prenatal diabetes for you”, I nodded, “Also, let’s talk a little more on changes to expect, hopefully you will soon be able to feel baby kick from the outside, you can continue talking to them and engaging, that is important, I would recommend looking into some Lamaze classes, even if you are planning a homebirth they will help you”

She handed me some pamphlets, “And speaking of, I would love if on our next appointment we can discuss some details to it okay?” we said our goodbyes and left the office.

When we got into the car Harry turned to look at me, “So, do you want to grab lunch?”, “Uhm sure”, from the corner of my eye I saw him waiting for me to say something else but after a couple of seconds he turned to the street and bite his nails.

A couple of minutes later we arrived at one of my favorite Italian restaurants, we got out and ordered the food, they let us know it would be ready in fifteen minutes and to please sit down at one of the tables, we took the one that was the most hidden.

I ordered a glass of water and while I was drinking it Harry received a text and he smiled, it was probably Olivia, as if he had read my mind he turned to me and said “Sent the 3D ultrasound to mum and Gem, they agree with you that their little lips look so kissable and to tell you that they miss you and should talk soon”

I gave him a half smile and turned to look out the window, the weather had been wonderful these past few days and I have missed the city, I was thinking of my to-do’s when Harry pulled my out of my thoughts

“Are you okay?”, I turned to look at him, “Yes, why do you ask?”, “Well I thought you would be happier that I was here and I feel like you don’t even want me to be here”, “It sucks doesn’t it? To not have everyone be happy and go lucky around you”

“What so you mean? Did something happen?” just as I was about to reply I heard my name be called and walked to pick up our order, I grabbed the small bag while Harry grabbed the big one and we went back out to the car, when we got in Harry started driving to my house

When we got there I pulled out all the food we had bought and some drinks while he grabbed the cutlery, we each grabbed what we ordered and ate in silence, but sadly this wasn’t one of the comfortable silences we used to share.

“Are you going to tell me know what you meant back at the restaurant?”, I stayed quiet, before I could reply Harry said “Oh now you decide to stay quiet huh?”

“I’m sorry?!”, he turned to look at me, “I don’t know what is wrong, since I got here you have made it seem like you don’t want me here, and then you made those comments back at the restaurant, I don’t understand, did I do something wrong?”

I stood up and grabbed our plates, but not before saying “Oh Harry, how could you do something wrong huh?”, sarcasm was dripping from my tone, “Y/N I am not playing this game, so let’s have this conversation as grown adults”

I dropped the silverware I was washing and turned to look at him, all the anger and sadness I had inside had finally come out, “You think this is a game?! Huh?! You really think that?!”

My voice had gotten significantly louder and I saw Harry flinch, but he recovered fast and stood up straighter “No, that’s not what I meat -”, “Well that is what you said so”, “Why are you being so hard on me?”

“BECAUSE I AM ANGRY, NO, I AM NOT ANGRY I AM FURIOUS HARRY AND I AM DONE, I AM SO DONE, THE HARRASSMENT, THE GUILT, THE THREATS, I CANNOT DO IT ANYMORE”, I placed my hands over my eyes as I started crying while I sat down with my hands on my face and let out deep sobs and shuddering breaths.

Harry sat down next to me and placed his hand on my shoulder, but I shakes it off, I heard him sigh before speaking, “Please, talk to me, what do you mean?”, I cried for a few more minutes before wiping my tears and blowing my nose.

“Oh poor Harry, he’s stuck having a baby with his ex, oh poor Harry he was so happy with Olivia, oh poor Harry first she broke his heart and then she got pregnant”, I could see from the corner of my eye that he was furrowing his brows, “Have you lost your mind?”

I stood up and started pacing the kitchen before speaking, “You know? People always say, ‘Oh poor Harry’, ‘Oh poor Olivia’ but what about me huh? What about how I feel?”, “Who told you that?”

I turned to look at him and gave a questioning look, “Do you live under a rock or are you selectively daft?”, he scoffed, “I don’t understand the need to insult me”, with that sentence, he made me loos the little patience I had left.

“You think that’s insulting? Try again big guy, and maybe while you do so check what your ‘fans’ are tweeting and posting, because since you posted the ultrasound I have been called a home wrecker, a bitch, a slut and so much more, but hey, you are a Saint, and it seems that people forgot basic biology and that it takes two to make a baby”

He was about to speak but I put up a finger to shut him up and continued, “For the last few months I have been attacked for breaking your heart and supposedly destroying your relationship with Olivia, and now that they know I’m pregnant it’s even worse”

“I didn’t choose this, the only thing I wanted was to heal from the pain I had been feeling for the last few months, and I was stupid enough to think that maybe there was still a little part of you that still loved me and that is why I agreed to have dinner with you”

I sobbed a little more, “I have felt so guilty and stupid because I once again let you have me at your beck and call, and I am so mad I let you, and I am so mad that I haven’t been able to heal, and I am done”

“So you mean to tell me that being with me was the worst thing that could happen to you?”, I turned to look at him, “Harry why the hell are you putting words in my mouth?”, he shrugged “I’m not, that is what you said”

“I didn’t say that! As always you are trying to twist my words and make me feel guilty, just like you always did when you were too afraid to admit you were wrong” I stood up and started walking to my living room and pacing.

“I won’t take it anymore Harry, I am so done and from now on I will put this baby first and me second and everyone else after, and that includes you, Olivia, and everyone else”, I took a deep breath and sat down on the couch, Harry took the other corner and he was twiddling his fingers

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”, I turned to look at him as he spoke and then turned back to look at the horizon before speaking

“Do you remember what our last two fights were about before we broke up?”, he turned to look at me and said “Not really, I blocked a lot of things”

“Every time after I poured out all of my feelings, all the hurt and the anger I was feeling, I always expected for you to say something that would mean we could work out whatever our issues were, but rather you say anything, acknowledging my feelings or even fighting back, you stayed quiet Harry”

I then turned to look him in the eye and he did the same, “You never acknowledged what I was feeling and saying, so please, explain to me, why would I talk to you about what I was feeling now, when you didn’t even acknowledge my feelings when we were together?”

He looked at me, his eyes were remorseful, he got a little closer and started to open his mouth but just before he could hug me I stood up and hugged myself, before turning to look at the window and said “I think you should leave Harry, and I hope that if you even have an ounce of respect for me as a human being you will do so without putting up a fight”

After a few moments he stood up and started walking to the exit before he left he placed a kiss on my temple, he put his shoes and coat on and left.

Just like he did eight months ago. But this time my heart wasn’t telling to stop him, this time my heart was asking me to let it heal.

August 20, 2021: Week Twenty-Four

New York City, New York. 10:00 AM

(9:00 AM) 5 missed calls from H. Styles

From H. Styles (9:00 AM): Good morning darling, hope you slept well. I have some meetings today but I wanted to see if I could come over after? I really want to talk to you, please.

From H. Styles (12:30 PM): Have you eaten? Or would you like me to bring lunch over?

(5:45 PM) 3 missed calls from H. Styles

From H. Styles (6:35 PM): Please, let me talk to you, I can’t stop thinking about our last conversation.

From H. Styles (11:30 PM): Just let me know that you’re okay

August 21, 2021: Week Twenty-Four

New York City, New York. 10:25 AM

From H. Styles (7:45 AM): Good morning love, how are you and the bean? I have some meetings with Jeff to go over some tour things and I will be done around 5, if it’s okay with you I would like to see you so we can talk, I owe you one massive apology. Please let me know at what time I can come over or not, it’s okay.

To H. Styles (11:30 AM): Dinner at 6, baby wants Five Guys

I sighed and put my phone down. After Harry left I took the time to cry and grieve some more, update my little journal and take care of me, which was very needed. It had been two days since I last spoke to him.

I decided to tidy up before he came, and then took a very hot long shower which was needed, after I was done it was already five thirty so I sat down to read and wait for Harry to get here. Just a few moments later I heard a knock at my door, looked through the peephole and saw Harry.

When I opened the door he was dressed cozily in some gym clothes, he had a bag from five guys, a bouquet of flowers and a pregnancy pillow under his arm, I smiled a little and let him in.

Harry. New York City, New York. 5:45 PM

I had finished a little earlier than expected so I decided to go ahead and hear to her house, not before stopping to pick up the pregnancy pillow I had bought and Jeff had kindly dropped off and to buy our dinner and some flowers for her.

When I got to her house and she opened the door I felt like I could breathe again, she looked a little better than the last time I saw her and she even smiled, she closed the door after letting me in and I immediately offered her the bouquet I had bought.

“Thank you, these are so beautiful”, “I am glad you like them, here let me put this down and help you”, I set the dinner and pregnancy pillow on her table and went to look for a vase from the flowers.

After we placed them in hallway table we were standing facing each other, I took a breath and whispered “Can I hug you?”, she nodded and I opened my arms, when she hugged me back I felt like a piece of me returned and I could finally breathe again.

I gave her a few kisses on the head and she nuzzled my neck, I guess old habits die hard. I wasn’t so sure how long we were like that but a few moments later we pulled apart and went to her kitchen, we ate in silence and she thanked me all throughout dinner for making her craving come true.

After dinner we settled on the living room, we both had a cup of tea and were sipping it slowly, “So, I bought you something that I know you will love”, I handed her the pregnancy pillow and she smiled

“Thank you Harry, you didn’t have to”, “Well it is my child the one causing trouble so this was the least I could do”, I shrugged and took another sip of my tea before setting it down on the coffee table and settled back on the couch.

“I also owe you an apology”, “Harry”, “Please Y/N, let me, you are right I always run and it is time for me to be a grown adult”, I turned to look at her.

“I am sorry, so sorry, I am sorry I made you feel like your feelings were not valid, that you aren’t heard or that your opinion doesn’t matter, because it does, it matters so so much”, I reached to squeeze her hand when I saw her get teary.

“I am sorry, again for the way I reacted after you were hospitalized, I know I have already apologized, but I feel the need to do so again, because I was a proper ass”, we both laughed a little.

“I am sorry if I have ever seemed closed off from you, because even if we’re not together I care for you, so deeply that I will always be there when you need me Y/N” I reached to wipe the tear falling from her eye.

“I forgive you H, everything is okay, and I promise to talk to you when I need to, and to never hold anything back again”, I then reached to hug her and kissed her temple multiple times, I wanted to make sure she knew how much I cared for her, how much I love her.

We settled to watch a movie, a hand of mine on her belly hoping that the baby would make itself known but we failed. When the clock showed it was already eleven I decided it was time to go, we started walking to the door and just before i left I turned to her and she gave me a smile.

“I just wanted to say something, and please keep it always present in your mind”, she nodded asking me to continue, “You and this baby will always be first for me, you are a package deal, and just as you said, I will do everything in my will power to make sure that you both are always safe and happy, no matter what”

August 23, 2021: Week Twenty-Four

New York City, New York. 2:30 AM

I was woken up by my phone ringing, when I turned to look at the clock and saw it was 2:30 AM my heart started beating so fast, I grabbed my phone and saw it was Harry and I answered quickly.

I could hear a sniffle and my heart plummeted, “H? What's wrong? Please talk to me”

“He's gone”, it took me a few seconds to process what he said, but when I did my heart broke: he, his hero, his best friend, his motivation, his companion. His grandfather. I started tearing up, “Oh Harry, I'm so sorry”

“I don't wanna be alone, I need you, please”, I chewed on my lips, he was vulnerable but I don't want to overstep my boundaries

“Want me to call Olivia?”, “No, I don't want her, I want you, I need you, please baby” I sighed, “Wanna come over or do you want me to go to yours?”

“Could you open your door for me?”, he was here? I untangled myself from the sheets and ran to the door, after hanging the phone and opening the door and turned just in time to catch him in my arms.

I closed the door and lead him to my room, where we settled in my bed and he sobbed, “Hey, it’s okay, let everything go”, I started running my hands through his hair hoping to calm him down and he squeezed me tighter, as if he was afraid I would disappear.

After a few moments I started to feel him calm down a little which in turn made me relax, with his asthma I didn’t want him to have an attack, his phone started ringing and he grabbed it to see who was calling, I saw Olivia’s name flash but he declined the call.

He was still hugging me when I asked him if he wanted some tea, he nodded and as I went to the kitchen to brew some, he said he would freshen up in the bathroom. I came back holding two mugs and i could see him holding something. It was a pendant given to him by his grandfather on his last birthday.

When he saw me, he dropped the pendant he was holding and grabbed the cup I was offering, and took a few sips to calm down, I sat in front of him and while drinking my tea I squeezed his knee as a way of saying I was there for him.

“Mum called me a few moments after it happened, said he passed in his sleep”, “He didn’t’ suffer H, he was so brave that he deserved to leave this Earth without pain”

“I wanted to travel for the funeral, but realistically speaking it won’t be easy, so I will be joining by Zoom, Mum wants to know if you would like to be there”, “Of course I would, he was an honorable man, I would love to be a part of it”

After he finished his tea I told him to get into bed and he looked at me hesitantly, but I assured him it would be fine, I plugged in his phone to charge and while he went to the bathroom I placed a flower delivery service for Anne, Gemma and another one for the funeral.

He came back and we settled in bed and I continued running my hands through his hair, I thought he had drifted off to sleep, but then he whispered, “I told him”, “Huh?” I then turned to look at him to find him already staring at me

“I told him I was having a baby, he asked me who the mother was and when I said your name he smiled so big, asked a lot of questions about how you were doing, how was your pregnancy going, even showed him the ultrasound and videos I had”

He smiled while reminiscing, “He was so excited to add another great grand baby along with Ella’s baby, mum said he talked nonstop about it”, I smiled and squeezed his hand, “I am so happy that you have these memories to remember him by H”

His green eyes found mines and he said “Thank you for being here for me, it truly means a lot Y/N”, “No need to thank me H, nobody deserves to grieve alone, and your family is really special to me, so I feel really sad too”

August 23, 2021: Week Twenty-Four

New York City, New York. 7:30 AM

When I opened my eyes I felt a pair of arms hugging me, as I woke up a little more I discovered that Harry was spooning me, I turned to look at the time and deiced to go ahead and start on breakfast, Harry had mentioned that the funeral would be at 10 Am our time and I still needed to get ready.

Getting out of Harry’s arms was harder than I thought it would be, but when I accomplished it I went into the kitchen and started cooking breakfast, after making a pit stop to the bathroom since this baby was using my bladder as a pillow.

My phone started ringing as I was finishing mixing the eggs and I saw it was Jeff so I answered, “Hey you, good morning”, “Hello love, how is he doing?”, I suppose Harry told him he would be here.

“How do you know he’s here?”, “Honest? It was a hunch”, we both laughed a little, “He’s still sleeping, probably will have to wake him up soon, he let me know the service would be at ten”

“Do you know if he plans to come to his apartment?”, “Actually, I was about to call you to see if you could help me”, “Fire away”

We spoke for a few more moments before he hung up and I finished preparing breakfast and just as I was about to go get Harry he came out, I gave him a small smile and offered a cup of coffee which he took and thanked me before taking a sip.

“So, Jeff called me, wanted to check in”, he nodded, “Come on let’s eat”, we sat down and started eating the breakfast I had prepared, honestly I was so thankful that my appetite had returned after the last few weeks.

“How about you shower while I do the dishes huh? Then we’ll go to your house for the service okay?”, he nodded and I turned to the sink, before I could turn the water on he reached for me and hugged me, that took me by surprise but I hugged him back and I heard him whisper thank you.

At about quarter to nine we left my house and made our way back to his apartment, Jeff texted me that he was already there and everything was ready, I knew it would be hard for Harry to be far away from his family so in wanted to make something special for him.

Harry. New York City, New York. 10:00 AM

When the elevator opened I felt my heart beat faster and my eyes water, my living room table was flooded with pictures from my gramps, there were some with me, some with mom, Gem and all our family, there were also some flowers all around.

Jeff came out of the kitchen and gave me a hug and his condolences, I told them I would go change and when I went into my room I found a box in my bed, I opened it and started tearing up, it was a framed picture of my gramp and me, a little note fell and I picked it up to read it

Maybe you can show bean this picture while telling them all the great stories about your gramps, with love, -Y/N

I looked at the picture again and smiled a little before placing it on my nightstand and changing, while I was walking out of my bedroom I heard Jeff speaking to someone which was weird, when I got to the living room I stopped in my tracks.

“Liv?”, “What are you doing here?”, they both turned and Olivia ran to hug me while Jeff stood there with an unreadable expression, “Baby I was so worried, you weren’t answering your phone and I knew I had to be here with you”

She hugged me and I hugged her back, I started looking around for Y/N, Jeff noticed it and he pointed to the bathroom, when the door opened Olivia pulled back and she stood straighter, Y/N looked surprised and I wanted to disappear.

Y/N was the first one to break the silence “Hey Olivia, how are you?”, “Y/N, nice to see you”, she nodded, the tension was high and Jeff diced to break it, “Hey Y/N, mind helping me with something quickly?”, she nodded and they walked to the living room.

Olivia turned to look at me and asked “Is that why you weren’t answering the phone?”, “What do you mean?”, she scoffed, “Don’t play dumb Harry, what is she doing here?”, I rolled my eyes, not again, “My mom invited her, she was a big part of my grandpa’s life, are you really going to cause a scene today?”

She sighed, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, how are you?”, “Sad, but I feel in peace that he isn’t suffering anymore”, she gave me another hug. We walked to the living room and I went to set up the Zoom call.

When my mum answered I could see that she had been crying, which in turn made me tear up, “Hi mum”, “Hi baby, you look handsome”, “Thanks mum, you look beautiful too”, Gemma then walked into the picture and we said hello.

“Hey H, is Y/N there? We want to thank her for the flowers”, my heart started beating faster, she sent them flowers?, I called her and then went into the kitchen, Olivia went to my room to leave her bags and Jeff was already there.

He nodded to a beautiful arrangement on the kitchen island, “She sent you those, sent the same ones to your family”, I nodded and went to smell them, how can she be so sweet after everything we have gone through? well that’s Y/N for you guys.

She then came looking for us because the service was starting, al throughout the only thing I wanted was for her to hug me, but I had Olivia here, however her hugs weren’t the ones I needed. After the service we chatted for my family for a little bit, I found it odd that they didn’t ask about the pregnancy but let it go, she left with Jeff a little after nine and for some strange reason I felt lonelier than I had before.

August 26, 2021: Week Twenty-Five

New York City, New York. 7.30 PM

Harry was leaving back for LA tomorrow so he asked if we could have dinner before he left and I said yes, I was currently waiting for him to pick me up so we could get to our reservations, Olivia had left yesterday and Jeff said he would be busy picking up last minute tour things.

When he knocked my door I grabbed my bag and mask and went to open it, he looked so good in those yellow pants, “Hello darling, you ready to go?”, “Hi, yes I am, let me just lock the door”

When we arrived at the restaurant I was so happy he had chosen Chinese food, I was craving some dumplings and this restaurant had the best ones, after seating down and ordering our drinks we started a casual conversation about anything and everything.

“So, you ready for tour?”, he smiled a little, “Very excited, can’t believe it is finally here, speaking of, I wanted to ask you something”, “Okay…”, “Would you please come to the first concert? It would mean a lot to me and the band of course to see you there, and I want you to meet Pauli, Niji and Elin”, I was shocked, I know o would have eventually attended a concert but thought it would be the New York ones.

I stayed silent for a few moments pondering my answer, I did miss Sarah and Mitch and Nyoh, and I definitely wanted to see little man before he grew up too much, but I also remembered that Olivia would be there and I don’t wanna make her uncomfortable.

As if Harry could sense my apprehension he said “Would Glenne promising to bring you some chocolate chip cookies be enough of a bribe?”, he smiled coyly and I laughed, after we calmed down, I sighed before speaking, “On one condition”, Which is?”, “I am flying commercial”, he thought for a moment

“Let it be first class and we have a deal”

Tag list @tinydestinybear @harry-is-my-sunflower @onlyamylee @adorejaelle @dirtytissuebox @msolbesg @clarawolf22 @harrysficreblog @infinitely-yellow @cherrylovesblog @wherethehellhaveyoubeenharry @harryspirate @kaitieskidmore1

[unhealthyfanobsession]

Omg I love all your drabbles they are so amazing and brilliant I can’t believe you do that for free! What a blessing you are!! I was wondering whether there would be a part four to the vacation au and if not could you do maybe more jealous Cassian but in your lawyer au I’m obsessed but honestly anything you write has me happy!

This is so sweet I am so glad you’re loving the drabbles! I did a second part to the vacation AU a couple days ago so I’m going to go with Jealous Cassian in the lawyer AU. I already *kind* of did this but I’ve been doing jealousy light lately and this time we are cranking it up to 100. This one is kinda long and pretty angsty and I think I definitely need to smoosh all these lawyer drabbles into a mini story that follows Nessian from meeting while studying for the bar exam and then through snippets of their careers so maybe that’s what I’ll do next.

Actually facing Nesta in court was an extreme rarity. All of her non pro Bono work was strictly solicitor. Drafting contracts and negotiating deals in different chic board rooms with little glass bottles of Perrier and complimentary latte carts trolling the halls.

Nesta thought that she didn’t want to litigate. She thought that people didn’t like her and because of that she was a bad advocate. She couldn’t have been more wrong.

Watching Nesta fight for something that she believed in, truly believed in, was the closest thing to a religious experience Cassian had ever known.

“And I would urge you to consider in your decision, your honour, the fact that even if it should apply in this case, the very law my learned friend is attempting to uphold is currently under review by the Supreme Court and may soon be overturned on the basis of being unconstitutional as well as unconscionable.” Nesta took a pregnant pause.

“If that happens. If this law is overturned, as you well know, it will not be retroactively helpful to my client. My client who was born here. My client who grew up in Queens. My client who can draw you a map of which bodegas has the best coffee vs the best sandwiches and their proximity to the nearest train, and if that doesn’t qualify her as an American, and a New Yorker, then I don’t know what does.” The judge smiled a little at that. It was a calculated risk, the emotional appeal. But Judge Miluski was already on Nesta’s side and she was a born and bread New Yorker and she had the rare distinction of being a member of the judiciary with a sense of humour. “If this law is overturned, which we both know is highly likely, then my client will be sent to another country, a country she has never even been to, not because she did anything wrong, but because this trial happened a few weeks too-”

Nesta trailed off, eyes caught at the quietly opening gallery door. A man stepped in. Tall and thin and… greasy. Hair slicked back with so much product Cassian didn’t think he’d feel it if he hit him on the head with a hammer. Which he desperately wanted to do. That brutish, violent, raised in foster homes in Harlem side of him that even a legal education and a closet full of Armani suits could never quite polish out of him lit on fire at the sight of this creep. This asshole who was wearing fucking asics with his $4000 suit. And no tie. Top three buttons of a pinstripe white shirt unbuttoned. What a fucking rube.

Except that this guy. THIS fucking guy, made Nesta lose her train of thought. This guy who walked into court late and had yet to drag his eyes up from Nesta’s ass, had distracted her. Caused her to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and smile a little. This shy, light, cutesy little smile that absolutely did not belong on Nesta Archeron’s face.

When Nesta smiled it was a sly, knowing, victorious thing that curled across her lips and set Cassian’s heart hammering in his chest.

This… this was insanity.

The man smirked, deep and arrogant, as he stood at the back of the courtroom, hands slid into his pockets. Not even respectful enough of the proceedings to sit down.

Nesta gathered herself quickly. The whole mess over in under 20 seconds, but Cassian noticed it. Even as Nesta went on and cited the law and the competing jurisprudence and the ethics and the constitution, he couldn’t focus. All he could think about was that little smile.

Cassian said his final piece, the judge ruled, as they both knew she would, in Nesta’s favor, and it was all over.

Nesta didn’t even gloat like she usually would have. She just stuck her hand out, the absolute picture of professionalism, and shook his.

“Good working with you, Counseler.” She said, as if he hadn’t pulled her around the side of a building and pushed her body up against a brick wall the other day, moulding her into him as they fought over this case. Discussed their future. Their passions.

She’d rejected his invitation to dinner, but she always did. It was a part of the game. A game that Cassian was determined to win.

“Who’s the tech bro?” The sneakers with the suit and the unbuttoned shirt and the general shitty attitude all pointed to that being the only reasonable profession.

“Babe,” the slimy man in question pushed past the swinging waist high half door that separated the gallery and the space where counsel’s desks sat. “Let’s go.” He wrapped and arm too tightly around Nesta’s waist and pulled on her a little.

Cassian curled his fists into his palms so hard his nails bit imprints into the skin of his palms. Babe? Telling her when to leave? The pulling? No.

“I’m Cassian.” He held out his hand. “ADA. What firm do you work for? Haven’t seen you around.”

“Tomas.” The man scoffed, “And I’m not a lawyer. Not interested in all that gibberish you’re type is always spewing. Sounds like pure nonsense to me. I’m a tech investor.”

Yeah. That sounded about right. No actual skills. Not an engineer or developer or even a business manager. Just an idiot with a trust fund throwing money at whatever looked cool.

“Well, Tomas. Do you know why they call that big exam full of all that gibberish you hate the bar exam?” The weasel just raised his eyebrows. “It’s because once you pass it, then you are an attorney. And allowed to cross past this BAR.” Cassian pushed Tomas back out the little half door again. “Which separates the civilians in the gallery from the lawyers making their cases. So maybe learn how to show a little respect.” Cassian scoffed, flicking his eyes to Nesta, “In a few different areas of your life.”

“What the fuck, bro?” Tomas rolled his eyes. “This is why I fucking hate going to your lawyer parties and shit. Jackasses like this.”

“Tomas, please.” Nesta placed a hand on his chest, Cassian tensed, and that seemed to calm Tomas down. Not Nesta’s touch, but another man’s jealousy.

“Why don’t you bring the car around. I have to work out a court date for another matter with Cassian but I’ll be right out.”

“Yeah, ok.” Tomas glared, keeping eye contact with Cassian as he kissed Nesta’s cheek, hand travelling too far down her back. “Hurry though.”

“Of course.” Nesta smiled that same tiny little smile that made her look like a doll on a shelf and Cassian wanted to scream.

“What the fuck are you doing with a piece of shit like that?” Cassian minced no words as he turned to face Nesta.

“Excuse me?”

“Pretty straight forward question, Nes.”

“You… you don’t know him. He’s not like that once you get to know him.”

“Sure he’s not,” Cassian scoffed.

“What is your problem?”

“My problem is that your boyfriend, who I’ve never heard of or seen before today despite knowing you for years, had a chance to see you in court. Had a chance to watch you all fired up and passionate and brilliant and instead he walked in late, stared at your ass instead of listening to what you were saying, and then shoved his way up here and pulled at you to leave like you were some kind of toy he didn’t mind tearing the arm off of.”

Nesta blinked. Huffed out a breath. “We’ve been on again off again for a while. That’s why you haven’t seen him before. And he just doesn’t like lawyer stuff that’s why he’s like that in here ok? Not that it’s any of your business.”

“So you’re dating someone who not only doesn’t recognize how brilliant you are but won’t even let you talk about your job?” That was wrong. That was so wrong. That was… why Nesta was so intense with him. Why she debated and fought and talked for hours. Because she couldnt do it at home.

“Why do you even care, Cassian? Let’s just set a date and-”

“Fuck you, Nesta.” Her jaw fell open. “Fuck you for even asking me that. You know why I care. You can’t play dumb with me like I assume you do with him.”

“You don’t know anything about my relationship!” Nesta defended a little too vehemently.

“I know you can’t yell at him about his take on immigration laws,” Cassian stepped closer to her. “I know you can’t get a little tipsy off your favorite Malbec and go on a rambling tirade about the corrupt judiciary and your twenty three- or twenty five depending on the night- reasons why voting for judges completely undermines the integrity of the legal system.”

The was almost no space between them as Cassian looked down, gently set his hand under Nesta’s chin and raised her gaze to meet his. Burning with anger and passion and barely concealed desire. “I know that he didn’t understand why you were crying when RBG died. Because he doesn’t care about how appointing Supreme Court judges works or what that meant for the future of the court. And because I know that you weren’t with him that night. You were with me. Just like election night in 2016. And the Kavanaugh trials. And when the travel ban came into effect. You found me. Because I get it, and I care about your thoughts on all of those things. I’m devastated by them too. You were with me, Nes. And don’t you dare pretend that doesn’t mean anything.”

“It does,” Nesta let her cheek sink into his palm. “It means everything Cassian, but…”

“But we fight,” he smiled. “We bicker and yell and cross ideologies and disagree on all the little things. But not the big things, Nes. Never on the big things. We disagree on how to change the world, not what we want to change in it. Isn’t that what matters?”

Nesta swallowed. “I can’t risk losing you.” She said quietly. “I need you. For all of those reasons, I need you to be in my life and if we… I hurt the people I love, Cassian. So if I let myself love you, I would only hurt you. And I can’t bear the thought of hurting you.”

“So you date him.” Realization was an arrow sailing into Cassian’s chest. “Because you won’t hurt him. Because you could never actually love him.”

Nesta swallowed. “See? See how awful I am?”

Cassian moved his hand to her back, pulled her into his chest. “Go,” he whispered. “Go do whatever you need to do. I’ll be here. And I’ll be waiting for you to realize that I’m not going anywhere. That I can take it. Whatever you want to throw at me, I can take it, Nes.”

[dizzydancingdreamer]

Be Here | The Mikaelson Boys

Hey lovelies! You ever just take a year to write a part two? Well, thanks to @hellotvshowtrash 's writing challenge I have finally written the second part to Come Back. I straight up just sat down and wrote this in less then two hours. The muses have blessed me and said Elijah Mikaelson reunion fic or nothing. I am not stupid-- I will not deny them. Shoutout to Lottie (@imdreamingwiththestars) for making me miss these boys <3

Description: Elijah was dead and now he's not, stand-alone sequel to Come Back

Pairing: The Mikaelson Boys x Fem!Reader, Mainly Elijah

Prompt: "What was it like to die?"

Warnings: rushed writing, mentions of depression

Word count: 2k

Tags: Soft Angst and then Fluff

It’s been two years— well, almost two years. One year, eight months, and seventeen days. But who’s counting, right? Certainly not you. Certainly you wouldn’t be stupid enough to honestly believe that he’s coming back. Even after the promises. His promises and their promises— it doesn’t matter. Both mean nothing. You don’t blame them but you would be naive to believe them.

Still, you keep count— just in case. There’s no harm in that, right? Two years— one year, eight months, and seventeen days— without Elijah Mikaelson. Your heart sinks to the pit of your stomach, your throat closing like it’s been only a few hours. Maybe there’s a little bit of harm.

You press your face harder into the sweater curled under your head. It doesn’t smell like him anymore— there’s no cinnamon left, none of his at least. None of the sugary vanilla that used to encase her like a NOLA bakery. Only traces of Kol’s nutty cinnamon blend— he must’ve snuck in here last night at some point. Both him and Klaus occasionally do. You don’t blame them for that either— you don’t have a monopoly on missing Elijah Mikaelson.

Slipping out of his sheets is harder than you would admit if either of the brothers were to ask you. It’s not like they’re warm or anything— they’re just as ice cold as the rest of the room— but they’re his and the thought of going the rest of the day without them just doesn’t appeal to you the way it should. Voices flit up the stairs but you don’t strain hard enough to make out the words. You could if you wanted to but there’s no point— you don’t care anymore. Not about trivial things— not about talking. You only do it when you have to these days.

The trek across the room to the door takes what feels like an hour. In reality you’re sure it’s only seconds but, well, this time you aren’t counting so who knows— maybe it did take you an hour. Sun is filtering past the curtains now, painting a stripe through the dim room and across the oak floor. An hour. You pause beside his dresser, debating going in to dig out a new hoodie. You haven’t taken a new one in about three months but your stash is running sparse. It’s not a hard decision, pushing past the dresser and leaving it untouched— you’ll need it more later.

In the hallway things feel different. You can’t put your finger on what it is exactly. There’s a slight shift in the atmosphere and a little more of a kick to the energy in the compound. It feels alive— like everything is humming. The hair on the back of your neck raises instinctively, the answer on your tongue but not quite forming. It’s probably nothing— you haven’t slept in two weeks. It’s probably exhaustion. You’re a vampire but you’re not impervious to sleep deprivation. Time marches on whether or not you acknowledge it— whether or not you reject it. You’ve learned that the hard way.

It’s why you keep padding towards your room, feet soft on the hardwood, trying desperately not to draw the attention of whoever’s in the kitchen. The electric charge in the air follows you to your bedroom, increasing ten-fold when you cross the threshold and halting your advance. You haven’t been in here in weeks but for some reason it feels like everything’s been disturbed. Not in a noticeable way— there’s still a thin layer of dust over everything— but something’s off. Your stomach rolls as you glance around at your things, the pressure building as your neck tingles. You could honestly just fucking scream.

Still, you push further, braving the sudden unknown of your room with a burst of stamina you haven’t felt in months. Breaching the doorway feels like being sucked into a new planet, one unrecognizable and dangerous. Thankfully you don’t need oxygen because you’re pretty sure there’s none in your room. Your chest is tight— heavy— and you make quick work of changing into a new pair of shorts and a Rolling Stones t-shirt that’s been hanging untouched in your closet for at least a year. You haven’t been afraid of it, per say, but you certainly weren’t ready to wear it. Today feels like the day though.

It isn’t until you go to sit on the bed, not bothering to even try to balance as you put your socks on, that you’re finally rewarded with a clue that you may not be as crazy as you feel. It’s warm— the bed is warm. Not the whole bed— because yes, you do reach out to check— only the part you happen to sit on. It’s warm like someone was just sitting here minutes ago and you spring up as quickly as you went down, closing your eyes and pulling in as much air from the room as possible. You’re getting to the bottom of this now. When the air reaches your nose some of the pieces begin to click together—

Cinnamon.

Only a faint trace of it but still your chest jumps— is it— no don’t be stupid it couldn’t be. You thump a hand against your chest to clear the feeling as you force your legs to carry you out the door. You realize too late that you only have one sock, your bare foot pressing against the cold wood of the staircase, but you’re too far and too determined to go back now. You’ve got to find Kol and you have a pretty good idea you know where he is.

Sugar wafts to your nose as you press towards the kitchen, mixed with a touch of citrus— Klaus must’ve picked up your favourite pastries. As you reach the door voices flit stronger to your ears. You can make out Klaus’ hushed tone but not his words, followed by a comment from Kol that you can’t decipher. Good, they’re both here.

The kitchen is by far the brightest room you’ve ventured into in months, the countertops gleaming so bright you have to squint, throwing a hand over your brows. When you blink, clearing the glare however, you notice something peculiar— no pastries. You could have sworn you just smelled them—

“Love, you’re awake.” There’s a whoosh of air followed by two hands on your face and the lingering scent of honey shampoo.

You smile weakly up at Klaus, shrugging. “Was never really asleep.”

Another pair of hands wrap around your stomach, pulling you into a nutmeg chest, lips finding your head. “That’s not healthy, darling. How long’s it been now?”

Shrugging again— this time at Kol— you let your eyes wander the kitchen, nose wrinkling at the heady sugar scent. “Two weeks, give or take.”

You can’t locate the source— but, then again, you can’t see past Klaus’s worried eyes. You watch as he tosses a look behind your head, presumably at Kol. When you roll your head back though you find that his brother’s brown eyes aren’t meeting his stare but are also tilted behind him. You chest jumps again, the air thickening, energy coursing through you— what the hell is going on?

You push away from the boys, arms crossing over your chest as you turn to the source of whatever’s got the compound disrupted this morning. Opening your mouth, you go to make a snarky remark— or to scream, you aren’t sure— but when you finally see it all that comes out is a soundless gush of air. All words are lost as your eyes drag over the back of a familiar brunette head, passing down a muscled back and over sweatpants you haven’t seen worn in years. One year, eight months, and seventeen days. It’s all you can do to poke your tongue out of your mouth, sweeping it over your dry mouth and tasting sugar.

There’s just no way.

You take a step backwards, back slamming into one of the brothers but unable to tear your eyes away from the figure long enough to see who. “What— what’s happening?”

Always the noble one, Elijah Mikaelson doesn’t keep you waiting, whirling on his feet, a box of pancake mix in his hands. “Couldn’t have waited ten more minutes, baby?”

You’re not alive but for a moment it feels like your heart stops as you drink in the man in front of you. Brown hair, brown eyes, stubble on his jaw the same as the day he died. Your vision clouds over, tears tugging at the corners of your eyes but you refuse to blink them away. You’re not risking clearing a vision this clear.

You take a tentative step forward, afraid that if you move too quickly the mirage might evaporate. “Elijah?”

“Hey baby.”

If your dead heart stopped upon seeing his silhouette then it restarts when he passes you the familiar, crooked smile that you fell in love with all those decades ago— the same one you’ve been longing for since the day he left you.

Fuck tiptoeing.

You’re across the room in record time, your hair flying behind you as you launch yourself into his arms, praying to whoever will listen that your body hits something solid. There’s a muted thud followed by his arms wrapping around you— his physical, cinnamon sugar scented arms. At his reciprocated touch you finally let yourself sob. You can’t remember the last time you actually let yourself cry but you are now and it’s finally out of relief.

Your hands attack his face, palms deranged and fingers haphazardly dragging across his neck and jaw and scalp. Your shoulders are shaking, tears hot against your face and pooling over your lips but you refuse to look away from his gaze. He looks just as wild as you feel, brown eyes ticking rapidly over your features. It’s all you can do to smash your mouth against his, crying through the kiss before laughing because he still tastes like your Elijah. Like cinnamon buns and sweetness.

“This can’t be real— you’re dead. I saw you die!” You sob against his lips.

He presses his mouth back just as hard, hands digging against your skin and clawing at his band t-shirt. You reciprocate by squeezing your thighs harder around his hips, pressing your body as close to his as you can get. It’s not enough but you feel like you can finally breathe again when you crush your arms around his shoulders.

“I know—” he finally murmurs into your mouth— “but I’m here. Right here.”

You pull away, hands still carding through his soft hair, pulling at the damp strands. “‘Lijah you were dead— I— I thought you weren’t coming—”

Your chest feels heavy again but he’s quick to move, cutting your destructive train of thought with his cinnamon and honey lips. You don’t mind— he could do anything right now and you would still cling to him like your life depends on it. Kissing him has been at the top of your list for two years now— you’re not going to refuse. One of his hands lowers, hooking around your thigh and tugging you higher up his body. You’re not the only one whose life depends on staying as connected as possible.

“It’s real— I’m real. I promised you, baby. I’m back— I promise I’m back.”

Just like that you’re back to giggling against his mouth, arms anchored behind his neck. Soon your head is falling back, the euphoria rolling through your body like nothing you’ve ever felt before. You would never wish for him— for any of them— to leave you again but this feeling makes every gruelling day worth it. He’s back. As if to prove it his lips find your neck, kissing over your skin feverishly.

After a few moments of soaking in the attention of the resurrected man you finally pull yourself together enough to attempt a true conversation like a respectable woman.

“What was it like to die?”

He chuckles against your skin, shaking his head, his lips never leaving you. “I’ll tell you later— there are a few matters we need to sort out first baby, starting with getting you out of that fucking t-shirt. It’s been too long.”

Who are you kidding— he’s right and you hum your agreement, lips searching for his, desperate once more—

“One year, eight months, and seventeen days too long.”

[forever-rogue]

In Name Only - Part 5

A/N: Hello, my sunshines! Here is the re-write of the original part 5. Hopefully it’s as good as the original, and if it’s your first time reading this, I hope you enjoy!

Pairing: Oberyn Martell x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 6k

Warnings: language, period typical sexism and misogyny

IN NAME ONLY SERIES MASTERLIST

MASTERLIST

»»————-　♡　————-««

Oberyn groaned as he sat up, rubbing away the bits of sleep that were still clinging on from his tired eyes. It was before first light and his rooms were shrouded in darkness, but he knew he needed to get up in order to prepare for his journey. He needed to leave soon in order to make it out of Sunspear before day broke in order to make the long trek that would consist of several long days. 

He hadn’t slept much the evening before, his head swimming with a mixture of different thoughts, but more anything else, he had been all consumed by you. After he had kissed you, he wasn’t sure he had made the right decision, or if he had possibly ruined everything that was building between the two of you. But when you had kissed him, unsure and hesitant at first, but then melted into his touch, he realized that maybe you had wanted this too. You had looked back at him with the absolute sweetest eyes and took it everything in his power not to grab you and pull you back into his rooms then and there.

But no. This wasn’t going to be like that. This wasn’t going to be anything like that. If you wanted this, as he was beginning to think he might as well, he needed to know for sure. He wanted everything to be crystal clear, and at no point would he want to take advantage of you.

He stood up, letting his feet hit the floor with a dull thud, finding himself reluctant to leave again. Something was calling to him, encouraging him to stay, but he knew he couldn’t. There was a job to be done and he needed to do it before addressing whatever was going on within his heart and his mind. Oberyn’s gait was heavy, a sharp contrast to how light his tread normally was, as he crossed the room to his wardrobe and lazily pulled out some clothes to wear. His morning routine was simple, but today it felt overwhelming, most likely because he was unenthusiastic to leave and would rather have stayed. Stayed and spent the time with you.

But a knock came at his door and told him that everyone was waiting on him to come down so they could all leave. Grumbling his acquiescence, he grabbed the few things he planned on taking before exiting his chambers and leaving his bag in front of his door. When he stepped into the hallway, straightening his tunic with a yawn, his tired gaze fell on your door. He slowly walked over, resting his large hand on the wooden door as he debated whether or not to come in. His curiosity got the better of him and he opened the heavy door, slowly, as to not make a sound and disturb your sleep.

Once there was enough of a gap for him, he slipped inside and walked over to your bed. You were bundled up in your blankets, only your head poking out of them, a peaceful, serene expression on your face. A smile crossed his own face as he leaned down, unable to stop himself, and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead. A small sound escaped your lips and he worried for a moment that he had woken you, but your eyes remained closed, and you shifted slightly as your hand appeared moved to rest on top of the blankets. He looked at it closely, finding it hard to fight a smile when he saw the wedding band on your finger, the one that matched his.

“I’ll see you soon, sweet girl,” he whispered, gently touching your face, before straightening back up and slowly retreating out of the room and closing your door again. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he grew even more hesitant to leave. This pull, this strange sensation that was washing over and drawing him towards you was getting even stronger. With one last longing look at your door, he started walking down the stairs and out of the palace. He really hoped that this wouldn’t take a whole week and it would be an easy there and back job.

»»————-　♡　————-««

The journey to Yronwood was an interesting one; it required travel from his home through many different parts of Dorne, all varied and different in cultures and customs. One thing that seemed to be ever present however was the warm, welcoming feeling that was ever present wherever he went. People stopped what they were doing, coming out of their homes and shops to see their prince and greet him. Oberyn was beloved by his people and he loved them in turn. 

Many stopped for even a mere glimpse of the handsome prince, waving and shouting well wishes at him. Wishes of good fortune, health, and a long and happy marriage. He had no doubt many had been eager to see a glimpse of his new bride, but that would all come in time. For now, he was happy to keep you safe and at home, while he handled whatever troubles were brewing in Yronwood. 

The various states of Dorne were something to behold; each boasted a different look and atmosphere and yet it was all harmonic and came together beautifully. Despite having traveled the world, this would always be his favorite place to be - his home. He hoped one that day you would consider it yours too. But that was another thought for another day, when he had time to show you more. Now he needed to focus on weeding out the problem, although he was sure he had an inkling of what was going on.

As soon as Yronwood came into view, an odd sensation settled in his stomach. It was still beautiful, in its own way, but a sharp contrast to the rest of the region. Instead of the vibrancy and openness of many Dornish holds and cities, Yronwood more closely resembled the Northern parts of Westeros. A slight shudder ran down his spine at the thought. While people, namely women, retained the same liberties here as they did throughout Dorne, the reality was vastly different. No one said anything, but it was...a known fact. And as it turned out, every once in a while Doran or Oberyn had to remind them of that little detail. 

“Uncle!” Oberyn was pulled back into attention from the sound of the young man’s voice. He turned and saw his nephew, Quentyn running towards him, flanking by a few others from the castle. He was grinning from ear to ear as he stopped in front of Oberyn’s horse and took the reins while Oberyn slid off.

“My boy,” he wasted no time in wrapping his arms around his nephew, clutching him tightly to his chest. The young boy was almost the spitting image of Oberyn at his; tan and lithe, with a mop of dark curls and soft eyes, and a smile that matched his own. He’d always had a soft spot for his nephew, the only boy that was ever-present in his life; in some ways regarded him as a son rather than a nephew. He pressed a kiss to the top of head, “I’ve missed you. Look at you, you’re practically a man grown.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” Quentyn grinned at him; he looked up this father, naturally, but there was no denying that Oberyn was his hero. They’d always shared a special bond, “I am glad to see you again. And what of your new wife? Are you hiding her away?”

“You will meet her soon enough,” Oberyn promised, “she’s remaining in Sunspear for the time being until I can show her more of Dorne. I figured that would be best for now, and that her first introduction to Dorne should not be with Yronwood. She’ll quite like you - and you’ll like her. She’s very kind.”

“I should be glad to meet her as well,” he grinned as the men started heading towards the castle, “perhaps I can come back home soon for a visit - or better yet, for good. I know Papa thinks I should remain here but I’d like to be home with everyone else…”

“I know,” Oberyn offered his shoulder a firm squeeze, “but for now you must remain here. It’s only for a few more years; I know it seems harsh, but your fostering is almost complete. Besides - you are a Martell. You must not bow to them, you must keep them in line too. What are your words, Quentyn?”

“Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.”

“Exactly,” Oberyn grinned, “never let them take that from you. Have they been treating you well?”

“Yes,” he said as they headed into the dreary keep, “the arms master and maester are kind and knowledgeable. It’s mainly the Yronwoods themselves, Uncle. They’re…”

“Oberyn Martell!” the booming voice was commanding and Oberyn turned on his heel to find its owner.

“Anders Yronwood,” he acknowledged with a slight bow of his head. Anders Yronwood was a tall, portly man with a scarred visage and a receding hairline. He’d seen many battles throughout his lifetime, which left him hardened in looks and personality. Oberyn had always felt there was something off about him, but he never had quite even evidence of anything to prove his claims. Instead he made sure his visits were not too infrequent. The man extended his hand and Oberyn shook it, refusing to be the first to break eye contact, “a pleasure as always. I hope things have been well.”

“Well enough to cause me to wonder why you’ve made your presence known,” he laughed, a loud boisterous thing that caused Oberyn’s skin to crawl, “shouldn’t you be enjoying the company of your new bride?”

“My nephew here informed me that there were some rumors going around,” Oberyn’s hands went to his hips as he made sure to display his trusty dagger, “merchants not getting paid enough and taxes being raised and levied against the poor. All rumors of course, but I just decided to come and make sure everything is in order. There won’t be a problem, will there?”

“Of course not, your highness,” the man’s face pulled into a worried expression for a moment before he laughed and clapped Oberyn on the back, “I’ll have chambers readied for you and your men at once but for now, we’ll get a drink and celebrate the famed Dornish Prince. Now, tell me more about this Northern whore of yours. I know they’re not good for much-”

“I would choose your next words wisely, my lord,” Oberyn’s expression shifted to one of calculated anger as he raised his eyebrows, “I will not hear you refer to my wife as such again.”

“It’s a joke!” Oberyn knew it was anything but a joke, “you know how warm and giving our women are here. The ones from the North just lie there and expect you to do all the work. But I guess it doesn’t matter, does it, as long as you can find release and they can produce a few heirs.”

“I would cease to speak if I were you,” Oberyn stopped dead in tracks as he was almost trembling with anger. Such foul, vile words from a man who called himself fair and just. He was anything but, “I’m not sure if you’re aware that women are people as well? Equal, if not better, no matter where they’re from. They do not exist solely for our pleasure or for the purpose of bearing heirs. Have you forgotten that?”

“I’m just saying,” he held his hands up in mock surrender as Oberyn glared daggers at him, “my second wife was Northern - wasn’t good for much, but managed to give me some sons. Other than that it was-”

“Listen here and listen well,” Oberyn grabbed the lapels of his robe and pulled him close. For once, Anders Yronwood appeared nervous, “you will learn to treat women, and everyone else with some decency and respect, regardless of their station. My nephew will be watching you closely - everything he sees and hears, so do I. Don’t forget where your loyalties lie - House Martell. One word and you will find yourself without a name, a title, or anything you deem so important. I am your Prince, as Quentyn. Remember that.”

His mouth pulled into a thin, tight line as he nodded in silence. He knew better than to tread on the Red Viper; even he wasn’t that foolish. Oberyn let him go before shoving him out of the way; he could feel the eyes of everyone in the hall on him, “of course, your highness.”

“Good,” he stated simply, motioning for Quentyn and a few of his men to follow, “I’ll see you around.”

»»————-　♡　————-««

The next few days were spent with Oberyn traveling throughout the region, along with some of his most trusted advisors and Quentyn. He'd always tried to instill in him the importance of being there for his people, and taking care of them. Much to his relief, Quentyn had no arguments following in his Uncle's footsteps. 

As it turned out, rumors that the Yronwoods were participating in salacious activities turned out to just be rumors. It didn't mean however, that the people were happy with their rule. Oberyn would make it a point to bring up the peoples' apprehensions; he knew he had to deal with what was going on within the castle walls first and foremost. He noticed more and more that things were off as the days had passed and they had left him with an uneasy feeling. 

More than anything, he'd gotten to the conclusion that he was missing you. It had started off as a slow, underlying feeling, but with more and more time passing, he understood what it was. He still had so much to learn about you, and vice versa, but gods, he already missed your smile and that kind hearted spirit you openly displayed. He couldn't wait to be back in Sunspear.

On this particular evening, the prince had retired to his temporary chambers early, leaving the grand hall before the sun had even set. He was feeling restless and growing listless the longer his stay in Yronwood grew. He'd gone for a walk earlier that day, and spoken with some townspeople, but that had only taken up so much of his time. 

A heavy sigh passed his lips as he stoked the fire in the corner to provide some light and warmth. It was almost laughable; this was the only part of his kingdom that wasn't light and airy.  This was cold and dreary and the lack of light and life made his heart heavy. But it was no matter, he reminded himself, he would be home soon enough.

He settled into the small, uncomfortable and uninviting bed and grabbed his book. If nothing else he'd have something to occupy his mind. 

And for a while, it worked. At first his thoughts had kept drifting back to you and Sunspear. He wondered what you were up to, if you'd had full, happy days. He couldn't imagine you shut away and hidden like he currently was. Maybe you liked to read too - maybe at night he could read to you or you to him. Still so many mysteries that would need answers. He hoped one day that he would get them all.

As he allowed himself to concentrate on his book, a quiet, almost timid knock came at his door. Raising a brow, he decided against answering it, thinking that perhaps it wasn't intended for him after all. But then it came again, but less timid this time, followed by a quiet, "y-your highness?"

A look of confusion crossed his features as he got up from the bed and made his way to the door. He opened it with slight hesitation as he spied a young girl on the other side. She wore a thick, dark robe and a nervous expression as she met his eyes. He stepped to the side as he let her in and cast a glance down the hall.

"What is your name?" he asked, shutting the door as she looked at him with wide doe eyes, "how can I help you?"

"I don't have a name," she answered softly, "and it doesn't matter. I am a gift...from Lord Anders for your pleasure. Whatever you like, My Prince, I will do to you or for you."

"Why would he send you?" Oberyn ran a hand over tired face as he internally groaned. He knew exactly what Yronwood was up to. He shook his head to himself, "did he force you? Threaten you if you didn't come?"

"O-of course not, my prince," her face faltered for a moment as she reached up and ran her hands over his broad chest. She looked young, so young, and despite her assertion that she wanted to be there. He had a feeling that while she might not have been averse to him, she was nervous, "it is an honor and privilege to pleasure the famous Prince of Dorne." 

He sucked in a breath as she pushed his robe off of his shoulders. He couldn't  feel the inner turmoil within him start to rear up. While he wasn’t normally one to pass up such an offer, he couldn’t in good conscience have the young woman. She clearly wasn’t up to this on her own merits and he would never take advantage of another; Oberyn would be in his grave before he did that. He took a step back and shook his head. He wasn’t going to do this anymore; he was, in some odd sense, already committed to you. You’d never even told him that you wanted more than a friendly relationship, but he couldn’t help his mind from wandering back to you. 

“Please do not feel obligated to do anything of the sort,” he insisted, swallowing the lump in his throat. She pushed the woolen robe from her shoulders and let it fall into a small heap on the cold stone. Oberyn couldn’t help but look her over, immediately surprised by the fact that she was bare underneath. He knew it didn’t matter what he did with her, technically, since you’d both agreed that either of you could do whatever you wanted with whomever. She took a step closed and put a delicate hand on his cheek. 

“Please,” she insisted with an odd glint in her eyes. Part of him was conflicted but before knew what was happening, something came over him and his hands found her hips as he pushed her towards the bed. She easily complied and laid on her back as Oberyn loomed over. His hands were on her sides as he bent down and kissed with a deep hunger. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close to her, nervously kissing him back.

Before it could go too far, to the point of no return, Oberyn caught himself and looked down at her. That’s when it hit him - she wasn't you. He stopped immediately and moved off the bed, shaking his head furiously. The young girl was so startled by his sudden actions that a flush of warmth crossed her features as she worried she had committed some wrong.

"My Prince," she stammered nervously, grabbing the blanket and covered herself up, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do anything wrong. I-I…"

"No," he held up his hand and picked up the discarded robe, gently handing it back to her, "you've done nothing wrong. I'm afraid the fault is on me."

“Is everything alright?” she made quick work of dressing herself before offering him a timid smile, “I can...send someone else, if I did not please you…”

“No,” he insisted as he gently brushed back her hair, helping her tie the robe, “I won’t take advantage of this situation...besides that, it appears my heart seems to lie with my wife at this time.”

“Your wife,” she smiled slightly at the thought, “she must be very lucky to call you her husband. You’re a good man, my Prince. Much better than the pigs around here-”

As soon as her last words left her lips, a look of surprise crossed her features. Clearly, she hadn’t meant to voice her thoughts out loud. 

“I believe I am the lucky one,” did you feel the same? He hoped you did, “tell me one thing. Did Anders Yronwood threaten you if you did not come here? What did he say?”

“He…” she looked at him, searching his eyes to make sure it was safe to confide in him. He answered with a small nod and encouraged her to go on, “he has several women he favors...women that are not his wife. He considers it a gift to share them with visitors. If we do not...if we do not do as we are told...we can be punished.”

“Punished?” his brows shot straight up.

“I’ve seen it a few times,” she whispered, “they’ll get beaten until they are left a mess. I-I can’t go back, please, don’t let me go back. Not tonight. He’ll hurt me too if he thinks I've displeased you or we haven't done anything."

"Its alright," Oberyn promised her, his blood already boiling with anger. He was glad he came - apparently his little message to Yronwood hadn't quite gotten through to him. Oberyn would make sure that he received it. He must have been extremely stupid or brash in order to think he could get away with sending his gift in such a manner, "go to your chambers, and remain there. I'll make sure you're safe - now and always. If anything ever happens again you or anyone in this castle, you are to let my nephew Quentyn know. He'll get word to me and I'll be here to help however I can. You mustn't be afraid, you've got me as a friend now."

"I don't know how I could ever thank you," her eyes were closed with tears as she couldn't help but her arms around him. He hugged her tightly and offered her a few more well wishes before opening the door to her, "you really are as they say. A good, kind, and just Prince. And handsome at that. Thank you again. I hope our paths again, and that I can meet your wife, preferably under better circumstances."

"As do I," he agreed, "until our paths cross again."

He watched her go, making sure she was safe and out of sight before closing the door and locking it behind him. He sat on the edge of the bed and let out a long, wary sigh. He couldn't help himself from wondering what it would be like to kiss you in such a manner. Would you be receptive? Would you be eager and happy? Or perhaps you wanted to keep him at bay. Whatever life decided to throw at you both, he supposed he would discover your true desires soon enough.

For now, he had more pressing matters to attend. He was going to make sure Anders Yronwood knew exactly who he was dealing with. He grabbed the book he had been reading and tossed it onto the table before sliding back into bed and pulling the covers up and bundling up.

He quickly fell into a deep, restless slumber. He tossed and turned for what seemed like hours, all of his thoughts drifting back to you. He wondered if you could feel it, all his warm and tender thoughts all the way back home in Sunspear. It was a comforting thought to know that you were both looking at the same moon and falling asleep under the same stars. It made the world seem that much smaller. It almost felt like you were there with him, at his side where he wished you were.

The thought alone of seeing you again, that sweet smile and lovely face, was enough to finally get him off to sleep. 

»»————-　♡　————-««

If Anders Yronwood was a gruesome and horrible overlord, his son Cletus was his mirror in every worse and still worse. It was a small solace that Cletus was not the heir to Yronwood, but rather that fell to his sister, Gwyneth. Oberyn had only met her on a few occasions, but he knew she was miles above the rest of her family. It was fortunate that Dorne did not follow the traditional customs of the rest of the Seven Kingdoms and only allowed male heirs. 

The Great Hall was bustling and loaded with rowdy people, causing an uneasy feeling to well up in Oberyn's stomach. It might have seemed lively, but once he looked closer, he could see that the only people having any semblance of a good time were the men of the keep. 

He rolled his eyes to himself as he grabbed a quiet seat at the end of the hall, attempting to keep hidden in the shadows. But it was no use - it continually proved to be a challenge when tried to pretend he was not the Prince when he was so easily recognizable. 

"Oberyn Martell," he was starting to hate the sound of his own name as Cletus took a seat next to him. He grimaced slightly as he turned to face the sudden interruption, "a pleasure as always."

"Cletus," he acknowledged, attempting to cut off the situation as quickly as he could. Cletus looked around and quickly flagged down one of the servants, waving her over obnoxiously as a nervous, vacant expression crossed her gestures.

"Go and get the biggest and best plates of food for myself and the Prince," he commanded as she refused to meet his eyes and nodded in understanding, "now."

"Are you always like this with people, Cletus?" 

"Only with people that deserve it," he leaned back in his chair and shrugged, clearly disinterested, "she's a kitchen wench. There's really not much to it."

"She's a person," a frown graced his features as he shook his head internally, "all people deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. What if she'd spoken to you in such a manner?"

"She wouldn't dare. I am her Lord-

"And yet still just a person," Oberyn snapped, "one who can be made to bend the knee with a single word from me."

Cletus remained silent as he stared anywhere but Oberyn's face. The silence was awkward and tense, easily cut with the dullest of knives. The Princes' fingers danced around the hilt of his dagger but he managed to stay his hand. One wrong move and it would cause an uproar. If it wouldn't have been such a risky move, he was half tempted to eradicate the problem then and there.

"Here you are my Lord, my Prince," the young woman had made a nervous return as she put two full plates of food in front of the men. They were overflowing with food that looked dry and sad and bland. There was so much flavor and spice available, yet this looked anything but. Oberyn thanked her gently while Cletus remained silent, "if there's nothing else, I'll attend to my other duties."

Before she could make her escape, Cletus grabbed her wrist and pulled her down to his level. She yelped in surprise as she tried to pull out of his clutches on instinct, "I'll see you in my chambers this evening. Don't be late like the last time or I'll have to punish you again. You don't want that, do you?"

"N-no, my Lord," she stammered nervously as he let go of her and she stumbled backwards from his tight grip. Oberyn's rage flared up when he spotted what appeared to be fading bruises along her shoulders and neck, "I will be there and on time.”

“Good,” he dismissed with a wave of his hand while Oberyn pushed his plate away. His already meager appetite had all but diminished. Cletus took a large bite, ignorantly unaware of the wrath that he had just brought upon himself, “you have to teach them...they’re not good for much else.”

“You’ve laid your hands on her,” it wasn’t so much a question as it was a direct statement. Cletus nodded lightly but kept shoving his mouth full of food, “you require her to warm your bed as well? How many others are there?”

“Maybe a dozen or so,” he shrugged, “we like to rotate through them. The one you were sent last night was one of the newest. A special treat.”

Unable to control himself any longer, Oberyn quickly pulled his dagger out and stabbed into the table between the two men, right near Cletus’ left hand. His mouth hung open at the action as he nervously looked at his Prince. 

“If I ever hear again of you touching any man, woman, or child in this castle, or anywhere, it will be the last time you do anything. You will not harm them, or require them to sleep with you,” he spat out as he grabbed his collar and pulled him close, “you will treat everybody, regardless of their position or station in life with respect. This is the Dornish way - the only way. I will have eyes on you and your family and your entire family. Do you understand me, boy?”

“You wouldn’t dare-”

“Oh,” Oberyn’s lips curled up in a devilish smile, “I would. Do you really want to find out what I will do? They call me the Red Viper for a reason - but I’m not afraid to resort to calling in the Boltons to flay you alive. My word is law around here and it’s time you and your filthy father learned to respect it.”

“You have no power,” he hissed nervously, casting a glance at the dagger that could have easily ended his life. The Great Hall had grown silent as all eyes were trained on the two men, “your brother rules.”

“Aye,” Oberyn nodded, “but it just so happens I rule too. I am the Prince of Dorne, boy, and Doran’s most trusted advisor. But again, if you want to take your chances…”

“Let me go,” he insisted in panic. 

“Remember where your loyalties lie,” Oberyn’s voice was quiet and dangerously low as he leaned in so only Cletus could hear him, “House Martell. We are your power - you will do as well say or your entire family can go off to the North...maybe even the wall. This is Dorne, and you will respect our way of life. A name and a title doesn’t keep you safe; not here. I will personally come and dole out justice if I need to. My nephew will be watching closely - one wrong move and I will hear it. You even think about touching as much as a hair on his head, you will have not just my wrath to fear, but all of Dorne’s. If I ever hear of anything like this again, you will rue the day. Do I make myself absolutely clear?"

"Yes," he whispered quietly as Oberyn grabbed his dagger and held it to the man's throat. Be pressed just enough to make an ident into his skin but not hard enough to draw blood, "crystal clear, your highness."

"Good," he insisted before pulling away and shoving Cletus away. Oberyn sighed  heavily as he got up and started to storm away. Before he left the Hall, he turned around and held up his arms. Every eye in the house was still on him, "and let this be a lesson and warning to everyone here. If I so much hear a whisper or breath of anything happening that goes against the laws set forth by House Martell, you will face our justice. Here in Dorne everyone is equal and will be treated with respect and dignity. If you have a problem with that, feel free to leave or you will personally face my blade."

There was small murmuring of acknowledgement as Oberyn left the hall, standing tall and proud. As much as he hated flaunting rule or power over anyone, sometimes he knew it needed to be done; equality for all was something he was extremely passionate about. They were lucky in some ways, to have him as their Prince. While he could be firm and violent, he was tame compared to some of the other Lords and rulers throughout the Kingdoms. He might have been the Red Viper, deadly and dangerous, but he was also fair and just as long as no one tread on him.

As soon as he reached an empty spot in the hall, he leaned against the wall and let out a long sigh, hiding his tired face in his hands. He’d seen more than enough and was ready to be gone from this foul place. All he could think about was making it back home to Sunspear, back home to you. 

“Uncle!” Quentyn ran up to him, barely able to contain the little smirk on his face, “is everything okay? I heard the last bit of your little speech.”

“This place is dreadful,” he sighed as Quentyn nodded in agreement, “of all the places your father had to choose to sequester you, it had to be here. I understand his reasoning, and yet the idea still makes me ill. We’ll have you home soon, I promise. For now, I want you to be our eyes and ears here. I know it’s a lot to ask, but do you think you can handle it?”

“Of course,” he grinned and nodded eagerly, “I’m always excited to help however I can.”

“Good boy,” he pulled him into a tight hug before kissing the top of his head, “you make us all very proud.”

“My Prince,” one of Oberyn’s men found him, a concerned look on his face, “Anders Yronwood has heard of your little outburst and he’s not happy…”

“I don’t care,” Oberyn insisted, “if he has a problem with our rules, he can leave. My word is law. Now, let us pack up and be rid of this horrid place. I want to get home and back to my wife."

"I can have everyone ready to leave within a few hours," Oberyn gave him a thankful squeeze on his shoulder, "and we'll get you back home to Sunspear as quickly as possible, your highness."

"I am forever in your debt," the idea of you waiting at home for him was enough to cast a warm feeling all over his body. He was more than ready to see you again - to kiss you again - everything. If nothing else, his time in Yronwood had been enough to give him a sense of clarity and peace. He really did want to try with you, he wanted to see you. The revelation was enough to send him in a tale spin.

"Aye," he grinned at his Prince, "we'll get you back to her post haste. Besides, the Lady made us swear to bring you back home safely. She's eager to have you back, no doubt."

"I am eager to be back with her as well," Oberyn's grin threatened to break his face in half, "and back with some decent company. Until later then."

"Unbowed, unbent, unbroken."

"Unbowed, unbent, unbroken." 

[kannra21]

Heya! just for fun, whats the wildest/funniest headcanon that you have for dabi or any of your fave bhna characters? 😁

Heyy ❤️ I'm not rly good at this stuff so I decided to write some theories and hcs that I actually liked so here you go-

- Monoma and Toga are related in some way. They're not that similar so I assume that they're further relatives. However, this doesn't make Monoma a traitor. I also think that Toga should be adopted by Vlad King so he could help her with her Quirk and her obsession with blood.

- Hawks has bird traits and he shows them on accident. There are certain traits he's embarrassed of but there's also stuff that makes him feel better about himself. He's never been in a relationship bc of HPSC but he's a helpless romantic.

- Dabi drives a motorcycle. Everyone assumes that he listens to trash metal when rly he only listens to sad rock bc he's a sad man. He cries when ppl are soft with him, he rarely experiences kindness. He avoids lov bc he's afraid of getting attached; they're all meant to die at some point so he doesn't want to suffer more than what he already does.

- Kaminari is not book smart but damn if he isn't smart in other ways. He knows the labour standards act, he pulls brainy jokes, he reads books, he expresses himself nicely, he draws pretty and plays an instrument. And he's a people pleaser above everything else.

- Since Dark Shadow is technically it’s own being, we can assume that Monoma would go through various scenarios when copying Tokoyami's Quirk; 1) Dark Shadow is attracted to humble souls and therefore shall obey em. If he comes across Monoma he'd refuse him. 2) Dark Shadow accepts him but Monoma would turn emo. 3) Monoma manages to copy Dark Shadow but then they fight each other. 4) Monoma gives him apples and Dark Shadow accepts him. 5) Monoma manages to copy Dark Shadow but Dark Shadow doesn't know how to respond to him because he doesn't trust him. He knows Tokoyami since he was a kid. 6) Dark Shadow doesn't like Monoma because he can't afford him all the darkness he's so found of. 7) Monoma manages to copy Dark Shadow but then Dark Shadow goes wild and drags Monoma everywhere because he doesn't know how to control him. 8) Dark Shadow obeys Monoma but shows clear signs of discomfort. 9) Monoma can't copy Dark Shadow. 10) Dark Shadow defies Monoma's commands and gradually takes over his body like with Tokoyami in ch79. 11) Monoma copies Dark Shadow and Dark Shadow obeys him. 12) Dark Shadow controls Monoma and not the other way around. 13) Monoma falls into a shock because he copied something alive. 14) Dark Shadow consumes negative emotions from Monoma and becomes larger and stronger. 15) Can Dark Shadow drain emotions? Monoma could easily end up in a hospital or a mental institution.

- Monoma and Aoyama are good friends ever since Monoma complimented him in the light novels (BNHA Light Novel vol3, ch3).

- Bakugou has hearing problems but he's not deaf. He never let anyone enter his dorm room bc he has just as much AM merch as Deku and it's embarrassing.

- Ms. Joke is not as happy irl. She's just wearing a facade to make others happy even when she's not. + There's no way Aizawa isn't aware of it bc they share some history and we never got the exact details from Horikoshi.

- Geten would be so much cooler if he was a girl and the fandom would simp for him just like they did for Lady Nagant but no one is ready for that debate.

- Dad for one is true. He wants to possess Shigaraki and for Yoichi to possess Deku so he and his bro could continue their war with healthy and strong bodies.

- Hagakure loves body paint, especially the glowing one. Since outfits stand out on her the most, she was thinking ab pursuing her career in modeling.

- Natsuo's mouse girlfriend is secretly a badass. Look, I just want to see more girl characters in this series.

- Shigaraki would be the best boyfriend bc he never loved anything, so loving someone for the first time would make you a special person. He's v insecure ab his looks and doubts himself in whether he actually deserves you. He's the type of guy to turn from cold blooded to the most loving person. But if you ever cheat on him he won't hesitate to disintegrate you.

- Villain Deku and Toga would have Joker and Harley Quinn vibes but healthy.

- Dabi eats at Cracker Barrel. He's a common guest there and he always takes Giran's money so they wouldn't throw him out. The waitress can't believe how much bacon this mysterious man can eat.

- Hawks loves when you massage him at the base of his wings. He loves you so much for it.

- Miruko is a gamer and her and Shigaraki play together without having the slightest idea that it's actually them. One day they decided to meet each other bc they became good friends and when they stood there in Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall it was rly awkward.

- Tokoyami and Aoyama get along rly well and Aoyama paints their nails in their dorm rooms.

- Dabi is jealous bc Re-Destro supports Geten all the time and it's the same mentality except Endeavor never supported Dabi. Geten likes to tease him ab it.

- Todoroki is no.1 Yaoyorozu simp. He's not aware that it became obvious.

- Aizawa realized his dream despite Midnight not being alive anymore. He got a cat tower for his hero agency that he always wished for (Vigilantes ch65). Sushi is alive but still very old. Midnight boys (Vigilantes ch6.5) are still visiting her grave despite having different lives now.

- Fuyumi hasn't dated anyone bc Endeavor would kill them. He has the audacity to play a strict parent (BNHA Light Novel vol2, ch4) when he never looked towards Fuyumi's and Natsuo's general direction for years. He actually doesn't have anything against Hawks but if he ever called him "dad" it would give him shivers.

- We all know that Shigaraki lives from Mountain Dew, Doritos and pure spite. However, he treats Toga nicely bc he wishes he had similar relationship with Hana.

- When it's rly hot outside Hawks fluffs up his wings so he could let go of some heat. Everyone wants to pet his fluffy wings and the heat returns. Poor guy.

- Dabi called Compress "dad" at some point and he's regretting it bc Compress is now unironically calling him "son".

- Shigaraki and Spinner used to play games on the same TV which afo used to contact them and whenever he wanted to talk, the screen turned black and the guys would complain.

- Compress misses the time when Kurogiri used to be around.

- Giran is a cool uncle that has a sweet niece and he loves her v much but bc he's a bad guy working with the bad guys, he's not visiting anymore but sends her nice gifts.

- Yaoyorozu family owns a weapon company bc this is the only explanation why she knows how to create a canon.

- Jirou and her dad play guitars and sing in their music studio whenever Jirou feels off. Her dad is a dork and he always makes her smile. Jirou has the best dad.

- Kaminari's mom is a hero (Heroes Rising movie).

[eyoricka]

Secret dating - Pete Davidson x singer!reader

First thing, I am sorry for my rather long absence I was moving to another country and way to stress. But now I have to spend ten days in quarantine so I will try to catch up and write all the asks I received in the meantime. So sorry for the delay and I hope the waiting will worth it!!

Also this is the first part of a small series about Pete x singer!reader because I had few asks on this theme! Hope you will enjoy

 Words: 1600+

Warning: none I guess

You had been dating Pete for few months. You decided to keep it low profile. It wasn’t really a secret; your friends and families were aware that you were together but you didn’t want the whole world to know. You had seen Pete’s debacle with his exes, and he witnessed yours. You both agreed to not to make it public this soon since you wanted to avoid paps, gossips articles, harassment online and to hear everybody’s opinion. You were surprised that no one caught the two of you or speculated on your relationship. Maybe the both of you being friends for years, evolving within the same circle of people helped you. When people saw the two of you strolling, getting ice cream together, no magazines titled about how cute this date was but rather on how good it was for you to have such good friends in your life.

These past couple of weeks, it had been hard to spend some quality time with Pete. You had to flew to LA to assist to the Grammys and you missed your boyfriend so much through out the ceremony. You wished that you could have hold his hands during the stressful waiting, kissed him when you heard your name, thanked him when you gave your acceptance speech or feel his hand drawing absurd figure in your back to relax you while you were waiting to perform. Then after going back to New York, you hadn’t had that much time. Your publicist had packed you with interviews and gigs during late night shows. It was tiring but worth it. Your career was on a clear path to success. You were finally considered as not another pop star but one of the biggest artists out there. Pete was so supportive of you. You lived for his lovely text messages to give you strength before each performance or his compliments on how beautiful you looked on TV, how smart your answers were, how funny you were during an interview game.

You had eventually managed to find an afternoon just for you and Pete. You enjoyed a home-cooked meal at his place and could help but melt every time he was laughing while recounting his week. You simply spend the rest of the afternoon watching cartoons. It was your way to decompress together. Pete would always prepare some snacks while you set everything up. Then you would lose at least ten minutes to choose which cartoons or movies to watch. You usually had long debate on whether SpongeBob was better than Scooby-doo. Pete would always take you in his arms while you were watching, peppering your neck with kisses and smelling your hair. He liked the smell of your shampoo arguing that it reminded him of happiness. That was so cliché and yet so adorable, you couldn’t make fun of this cheesiness.

You were slowly falling asleep engulfed by Pete’s warmth, this was cozy, it felt like home. Suddenly, you heard your phone buzzed and sighed. It was your agent, asking you where you were to pick you up to go an interview. You texted her your address while you looked for something to put on for the TV. You liked very much the clothes you had on but you doubted that their shades would be nice on camera. As you were researching the perfect outfit in underwear, trying on several combo, you congratulated yourself for letting some clothes at your boyfriend’s place. You were hesitating between two tops and asked Pete’s opinion. After a quick joke on how good you looked in underwear and that you probably should go like this, he made up his mind for the baby blue top.

You rushed outside to be picked by your team but not before sharing a sweet but passionate kiss with Pete and agreeing to spend the night at your place after the show. Your team smiled at you knowingly as you entered the car but they didn’t make any comment on your relationship. You discussed the show, the possible questions and what the best answers would be… The ride was pretty quiet after that and you soon arrived at the building where the show was taped. You were warmly welcomed by the host. You had already done some interviews with him, he was easy to talk to, always made you comfortable and was rather fun to be around. He lead you to the make-up artist trailer who didn’t fail to notice your tired look but promised you that it was nothing than a bit of foundation and powder could hide. Indeed, after only 15 minutes there you were glowing, looking fresh, like a fairytale princess leaving her bed.

As you were waiting to be called on stage, you received a message from Pete telling you that he was excited to see you on the show, that no matter what you were the best and that he was eager to see you tonight to finish the nap you had started together. You quickly replied before entering the stage. The interview went rather smoothly. You had begun with questions about your last album and upcoming project teasing a possible collab with Taylor Swift. The crowd went wild at this info and you knew that you would certainly end up in top tweets. After a commercial, you played a game with the host where you had to sing a random song imitating another artist. Clearly, it was not your forte, but you were funny enough to make it a good moment to watch. Then, you proceeded to answers some more interrogations from the public that could be found on social media. Those questions were a lot more personal and globally more focused on your art, compositions, writing skills, inspiration. You were passionate, your eyes were big with enthusiasm and you did a lot of gesture with your hand with made the host smile.

You were so happy that when a question about your dating life came up, you didn’t think twice before saying “Well I am the luckiest person, I have my dream career and dating Pete Davidson is just the cherry on the top, you know. He is just so perfect for me, like me understand and support each other, it just so great when you can share all those moments with someone you love and trust.” As you finished your rant, you noticed how the host was staggered. You finally realized what you had revealed and blushed furiously. “Did you just announce publicly that you are dating SNL cast member Pete Davidson?”. It was like words were dying in your throat and you envisioned Pete’s reaction at this. Surely it was not how you had planned to go public. You nodded shyly and the show stopped there. The host thanks the audience who was visibly thrilled, and you made your way backstage. You compulsively checked your phone every five seconds waiting for a text from your now very public boyfriend. But none came and it was worse. You felt so bad, you never wanted to put him in such a position, you were not sure that he was ready to go public, face the world’s reaction but here you were because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut.

Your team drove you back to your place assuring you that it was okay, he couldn’t be mad at you for this but actually he legitimately could. They insist that you should check your social media, people were very supportive of you, saying that you were so cute together, goals… however you didn’t think that it was a good idea right now, you head spinning with the prospect to face Pete.

You silently entered your house waiting for Pete to arrive, a huge lump in your stomach. You felt so guilty, obviously you had to ruin everything, didn’t you. You were in your kitchen drinking a hot cocoa to calm your nerve when you heard Pete unlocked your front door with his spare keys. You didn’t dare to approach him and let him come in the room, your hands shaking so bad that you had spilled some hot beverage on it. You didn’t really feel the burning sensation, you were too scared of what he would say. To make it even more torturing he remained silent as he glanced at you. he eventually approached you and put away your cup as he took your injured hand in his. He put it under cold water and you let him do it, not understanding what was happening. “Do you think that I hate you or that I am angry at you for making it public without talking about it first?” he stated more than questioned as he stood behind you with his hand on yours. “Yes” you sighed looking down. He made you turned to face him and since you were still not looking at him, he put gently his hand on your face and lift it up. His face was so calm and soft, not what you were expecting at all. “I don’t mind, I mean sure it would have been better to discuss it and find a way together to announce it but you didn’t did on purpose. You were just so excited and you didn’t really think of it so I can’t blame you. I certainly would have done the same. Also, how I can be mad at someone who is so cute and so adorable when talking about me. You know what you say about us, it means a lot to me, a lot more than you can imagine. I love you, okay, and I don’t care if the whole world knows as long as you know it.” He smiled down at you and brushed away some tears that you hadn’t realize where rolling down your face. He cusped your cheeks and kissed your forehead as you buried yourself in his shirt.

[beatles-slash-fiction]

Holy shit...more of the threatening letter pls. Did not know i needed the peril.

Maybe george getting suspicious as ringos behaviour gets weirder and weirder (like ringos keeping a secret so what they hell is going on) and then he finds out?

George had thought that Ringo’s behaviour had been odd when he’d wanted them all to sleep in one of the spare rooms together, but now things are getting weird.

Ringo spends nearly an hour on the phone with someone while George feeds Dhani his breakfast, and when Ringo reappears, he looks slightly panicked.

“Alright, what’s going on?” George demands. “You’re starting to scare me.”

Ringo sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He looks tired. Exhausted.

“Do you trust me?” Ringo asks softly.

George frowns. “Yes, but-“

“Then let’s go and stay with your brother for a few days.”

“Which one? Why-“

“Either one. Look, Georgie, I just...I’d just feel better if we went away for a few days. I need you to trust me.”

George has never seen his husband so agitated, so afraid. Even Dhani is picking up on the uneasy vibe in the room and starts to wail.

“I’m not going anywhere,” George says, “until you tell me why.”

He almost wishes he hadn’t asked.

Ringo tells him everything, and he shows George the two letters that had arrived in the post. Looking at them makes his stomach churn. He’s trembling as he stares at the spot where Baby sleeps here is scrawled.

Ringo reassures him that he’s reported it to Brian, and Brian is going to deal with the police. In the meantime, they should go somewhere safe for a few days.

George can’t pack fast enough. He can’t stand the thought of a stranger wandering the hallways of their home, working out where everything is and watching them sleep. Watching Dhani sleep.

A stranger was in their house.

It brings back horrible memories of when they lived in London before Dhani was born. Their flat had been burgled when they’d been out one night, and they’d come home to find the place trashed. George had felt disgusted and terrified at the thought of someone there rifling through their belongings.

They’d had some cash and souvenirs from their trip to America stolen, which George hadn’t been that bothered about. But whoever had broken in had also taken a locket that Ringo had bought George for his twenty-first birthday, and that had been absolutely devastating.

George still thinks about that locket sometimes. He’d kept a tiny photo of him and Ringo in there, and Ringo had had it inscribed with a sweet message. It probably wasn’t worth a huge amount of money, but the sentimental value was priceless.

And now George feels just like he did then, except now he’s not crying over a stupid locket- now he’s crying over whether his baby is going to be safe.

They debate going to stay with John and Paul, but agree that they should go somewhere where they won’t draw attention to themselves.

So they end up going to stay with Peter, as he lives sufficiently far away and George has always felt safe with his big brother. Besides, it also means that Dhani can spend some time with his cousins, as most of George’s family have only met him a couple of times.

George doesn’t tell his brother the real reason for the impromptu visit, but Peter can clearly tell that something is wrong. Nevertheless, Peter and his family are warm and welcoming, and George starts to feel a little more relaxed.

“Not that I don’t love seeing you,” Peter says softly when they’re sitting alone in the garden, watching Ringo play with Dhani and Peter’s children, “but are you going to tell me what this is all about? You’re not really one for spontaneous overnight visits.”

George bites his lip. He doesn’t really want to burden anyone else with all this.

“Is it Richard?” Peter probes gently, his gaze shifting over to Ringo. “Has he done something?”

George laughs. Peter always calls Ringo Richard, which George finds quite funny. His husband and his brother get on well, but Peter will always be a protective older brother.

“No,” George replies. “Nothing like that. I honestly just wanted a change of scenery. It took me so long to recover from the birth, and being home with the baby all the time is so exhausting. And the others have been talking about going on tour again, which I really don’t want to do, so I just wanted to get away from it all.”

Nothing he’s said is a lie, even if it isn’t strictly the real reason he’s here. But it seems to satisfy Peter, which is enough.

George watches Ringo chase his nephews round the garden for a little while longer, while Dhani sits on a little blanket surrounded by some of his toys. It’s been a long, emotionally draining day, and George feels so tired that he politely excuses himself to go upstairs and take a brief nap.

“We’ll wake you up for dinner,” Peter promises. “You go and get some rest.”

Ringo gives George a worried look, but George just reassures him he’s fine. It’s time for Dhani to have a nap anyway, so George scoops his son up and carries him up to the guest bedroom where they’d left their bags earlier.

“It’s been a long day, eh?” George says to Dhani as he settles him in the cot next to the bed. “You must be very sleepy, sweetheart.”

He gives Dhani a quick kiss as the baby’s eyes flutter closed, before letting out a yawn himself.

It’s only when he takes a seat on the bed that he realises there’s something on his pillow.

He frowns as he reaches for the small object, which looks golden and shiny, and he can already feel his blood freeze as he realises what it is.

It’s a locket.

It can’t be.

It fucking can’t be, it’s a coincidence, nothing else; it’s probably Pauline’s and she’s left it in here by accident-

George’s fingers are shaking as he prises it open, and he feels nauseous as a younger version of himself stares back at him, smiling next to Ringo.

He can barely breathe as he reads the inscription on the other side.

To Georgie on your 21st birthday

All my love forever

Ritchie

[not-using-this1]

~Take care of you~ N.Romanoff

Natasha Romanoff x Fem!Reader

Y/n hurt her ankle and is laid up with a cast and crutches. Natasha is sits next to her, doodling little hearts on their cast to cheer them up.

----

Y/n’ POV

I cursed at myself for letting myself get injured on the last mission, laying in bed with a cast on my ankle and a pillow propping it up a bit. I felt so damn useless, I couldn't even go on the mission that the others went on today because of the fact I broke my fucking ankle.

I'm inhuman with fire powers, I should be able to heal quite fast considering that's also one of my other abilities but nope, according to my healing it cannot fix a broken ankle quick enough whatsoever.

I just felt like shit not being able to go out there, and the help the other avengers, even if I tried to I wouldn't get very far with the crutches and the fact that my girlfriend and the others wouldn't even let me go anywhere near the quinjet, I used to be so good at sneaking but now with this I certainly am not. I sighed, sitting up and sipping on the last of the coffee in the mug that Bruce had made me, he's still here on the Chimera but I don't want to go and annoy him. I'd prefer to let him do his work right now. But I also felt lonely because Natasha was out on the mission with the others.

Debating whether I should get up and walk down to Bruce' lab with my crutches to to cure my boredom, I decided against it when I heard a familiar voice outside my room door on the Chimera. It was Natasha without a doubt.

"Hey baby" She greeted as she opened my door, she didn't look very pleased at all, she had a few minor cuts on her face. "Hey Nat, are you okay?" I asked her concerned, she shrugged her shoulders at me and sat down beside me on my bed that we mostly share regardless that she has her own room on here. "I'll be okay, just a few cuts and bruises. The question is are you okay Y/n?" She asks back at me, leaning over and pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"Well I still feel useless but now you're back in one piece I'm alright." I reply with a sigh at the end. Natasha rolled her eyes at me "You're not useless Y/n, I have an idea if I draw little hearts on your cast would that make you feel better?" She chuckles.

"Nat, we're adults but knock yourself out." I laugh, she smiles at me and grabs some sharpies from the bedside table near her. Kamala had already drew a heart with the words 'get well soon' written in it which I thought was so sweet. My girlfriend looked at me and smiled as she began to draw little hearts on the cast, she finishes and presses a kiss to my cheek.

"You're such a adorable dork at times." I roll my eyes and smirk, Natasha gets up off my bed and begins unzipping her suit "I'm gonna take a shower, then I gotta go debrief to Hill like the others." She purposely strips in front of me, all the damn time. "Babe, don't tease me like that" I find myself rolling my eyes at my gorgeous redhead once again as her suit pools down to her ankles.

"I could settle for a bath instead, if you come in with me. As long as you-

"Rest my ankle out of the bath, babe I do that." I reply. Natasha gives me a smirk and extends her hand out to me "Let's go babe."

"I wanna take care of you."