#forgive me for my cringe the visions were strong with this

[todayisafridaynight]

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RYO AOKI | “WHEN I RULE THE WORLD”

[thatdeadaquarius]

Was reading thru ur answered asks again (also hey lol i CAME BACK--) and like. Oh my god. It gave me The Most Idea.

So you get isekaied to Teyvat right? They hear your og language, they revere every single worf from your mouth, yadda yadda yadda. But like. How does SLANG AND THE OTHER ASPECTS OF UR OG LANGUAGE translate. I am having VERY heavy flashbacks to Pokemons "jelly filled donuts".

So like-- for example: (this is the first one that came to my head dont judge me i am tumblr trash) (lets also assume that traveler has perfect understanding of ur language and slang and all the nuances of it)

Lets say you and the traveler were hanging out with some of the Vision holders, and the traveler had some shenanigans and pranks or something planned. After they pull their shit, you say "i hate you so much (affectionate)". Which kind of throws the Vessels in for a loop because like-- their god literally just said they HATED someone. And hate is a PRETTY STRONG WORD. So they should DEFINITELY strike them down for catching their gods ire but-- AFFECTIONATE????? how does one hate someone affectionately???????? Does this mean their god hates the traveler but decided to recind their hate last second? Is it some form of Divine and Holy emotion that cannot be described by the mere words of their language????

Meanwhile youre just there vibin and having a blast with the traveler while you casually give them a philosophical crisis AHAHAHA

Another example is shortened words-- because i know teyvat doesnt have shit like "ily" or "omg" or "lmao" or "fyi" or "brb". Because honestly, without the cultural knowledge and background of the internet, these sets of letters are just fucking GIBBERISH.

And i know that like-- i know enough internet slang abbreviations that i can literally just talk in jumbles of letters, so how in the WORLD would the vessels interpret that? Because its very clear that their god is just using the letters of their language, HELL they might even use Teyvatian letters so what in the world are they saying????

So theyd just hear a convo between the traveler and reader thats like:

Reader: traveler, i gtg asap; tldr i forgot some stuff back in the cr brb

Traveler: wait fr?

Reader: yeah fr

Traveler: lol f

Reader: (sighs) ffs man-- anyways brb for real

Traveler: cya

And the vessels are just watching the exchange like "huh?? What????? What just happened here??????" And theyre just wondering if they used teyvatian to talk in the "divine language of the gods" but nah-- yall are just dickin around AHAHA

Hey, so it came to my attention some of this was AAVE, and while i am southern so things like "ya'll" got included w/o me thinking - thats not an excuse for me to use this as a white person.

so if you wouldnt mind letting me please know if i do this as we talk abt language more and more - i do not want to repeat shit like this again.

I'm genuinely sorry to any black readers out there.

I've personally seen and cringed with you when I see imagines/reader things that assume a white person as default,

All I can do in ur eyes is promise that I am actively putting a stop to my ignorance of things like AAVE, and ask for forgiveness (which you arent obligated to give, never feel that way).

So with that in mind, read the ask below with caution, although it has since been edited.

____

ITS YOU!! >:D

A treat for ur ask my liege 🤲🍪✨️

I think u were literally the first asker after my first SAGAU/Isekai language brainrot post!! Omg u came back with a banger LMAO

What in the public menace is this...

(Gif is traveler and u pranking bitches)

Traveler knowing our world + language + SLANG?? INTERNET?? is SUCH A CONCEPT

So much room for inside jokes

I absolutely love the first one u said about phrases these days/gen z ig? slang

Its like so dramatic now that i think about it

Hate / love / dead / die / just straight up threats towards ur friends as affection or if theyre annoying u 😭

So many explicitives that make it hit harder too "go fucking die, my love <3"

^^^Or yeah like contradictions lol

♤

I think it was @nexylaza (srry abt the tag!) who replied to one of my earlier asks about blunt language how that might sound like to Teyvatians like ur emotions sound more extreme than what u actually feeling (which makes sense ur literally using hate = mildly dislike LMAO)

Same situation here like what u said ^^^

♧

(Ok i did lovely Aether awhile back so we'll go w/ Lumine this time! <3 u Aether!!)

.

*idk at an event/party for your arrival or something, and ya hungry fucks r hoarding the buffet table lol 🍻

.

You: "Shut the fuck up Lumine-"

Lumine: "Why r u pouring ur drink like ur in a earthquake lmao? Shaky hands lol"

.

*The immediate area of people around you go dead silent

*Lumine laughs

💀💀!!

.

Lumine: "Your gonna miss our cups LMAO"

You: "Bitch!" (u grinnin too lol)

.

*the whole rooms now quiet 😭

.

Lumine: "Don't spill- 🤣"

You: "I fucking hate you u whore <3"

(And u give the most genuine like abt to laugh smile🥰 )

.

*...a confused and kinda scared tension fills the room lol

*So poor Noelle, is like, oh. my. god. Creator is that upset with Lumine?? I must try to see what happened, how I can help! I dont remember Lumine doing anything bad to them! Shes wonderful y u do this to her 🥲

.

Noelle: "Uh, um, e-excuse me? Is every-everything al-alright, Y-y-your Majesty?"

You: "Huh? Yeah why??"

Noelle: "...w-well..."

UR FACE LIKE "😗?" LMFAO

.

*The room is staring at Lumine, in a mix of like shock, fear, and a little admiration for taking ur hate?? mood swing??? so well,,

theyre just waiting on Noelle to get an answer from you as to why you hate someone u seemed to care so much about, esp since they were ur first vessel 💀

look what you did their poor hearts u gonna give them a heart attack soon

.

Noelle: "A-a-a-a-are y-y-you s-sure??"

SHE IS SWEATIN

You: "🤨🤨??"

.

*Lumine finally notices why theyre all quiet and kinda concerned looking, bc u sure as hell wouldnt 😭 (i mean it is normal speech for u)

.

And Lumine's like: "No Noelle we're all good! It's just how Your Grace's home world, er, speaks for slang? Its overexagerated purposely dont worry love"

...

...

*Im sure they dont all believe her (or even you if u tell them 😭) and are just like,, REALLY NERVOUS CHUCKLING WHILE LIKE SWEATING-

And it takes a good like 10 minutes for the conversations to start getting back to their volume again, and they all still are looking over their shoulder checking on you guys 😰

.

(U did pour drinks w/o spillin tho🍻)

♡

THE TEXTING SLANNGGG

Ok, but u and Lumine would fucking write letters to people, and being the little shits pranksters u are,

(Bc u kno Teyvat dont got nothing else bc we're in the medival ages, besides having cameras- 🙄 )

And u guys r constantly-

"oh yes yes, that sounds all well and good Keqing, please inform the Qixing that I'll be there ASAP"

AND THEN-

"oh haha, silly me, i forgot that only Lumine/you get that stuff, sorryyyy 😋!!!"

SOME PUBLIC MENACES LMFAO PLEASE

.

And it just spreads to ALLLL the official documents u write or literally any letters sent to anybody-

And everyone else is feeling like the friend that got sacrificed to walk in the grass instead of the sidewalk 💀💀

While also being like "??¿?¿??? 🥲🥲😀😀???"

Is this ancient code?? Why does Lumine get to know it??

Why dont the like??? really old deities understand it??!!

But then nerds like Tighnari, Albedo, Alhaitham, Zhongli, Sucrose, Ayaka, Kokomi, Xingqiu, Childe, Yanfei, Shenhe, Kazhua, Sara, Ayato, Heizou, Cyno, Kaeya

Try to "solve" the letters or slang, poor things and not a single one of them gets it (y did u do this to them lmao)

(God i finally looked at a character list so i wouldnt leave anyone out, but theres so many of these fucks by now help)

^^^But all these ppl try to solve it in different ways/for different reasons that im too lazy to type out individually, u can see it right??

Some see this as an ancient scholarly code thing, some of them think of it like a rlly hard puzzle, and some just rlly want to put the mental effort into knowing/not being left out 😭😭

.

And if anybody happens to see some letter exchanges w/ Lumine or like any written responses, you do not. stop. using. text slang. back to back.

(Like what u put in the ask💀)

And its so miserable for those characters mentioned especially, bc they look like scrambled letters 😭

.

Honestly them seeing u two talk to each other via letters just proves that the letters even mean anything at all to them, bc how did u understand each other, otherwise???!!

.

(No one would ever realize u guys were fucking around unless u told them 💀)

✨️Sorry✨️this✨️isnt✨️that✨️great✨️i✨️just✨️wanted✨️ to✨️ expand✨️ on✨️ what ✨️u ✨️already ✨️had ✨️nothing ✨️new✨️ 🧚🏽‍♀️🧚🏽‍♀️

I felt feral and out of it when i wrote this, i literally dont remember a single word i typed on that bullet list..

SO i still have asks/requests im gonna answer but i will be posting my follower event poll!! CLICK ME :) ♡

Yall get to choose what i write about for some posts :D

(You can be a new follower!)

✨️

BTW

UR SO BIG BRAIN SMART 2ND RANDOM U EVEN THOUGHT ABT TEYVATIAN LETTERS GETTING INCLUDED ADHJSLALASLL

WHAT A GENIUS

I hope my shit writing was somewhat ok of a reply to read to pay u back for that great idea lol

Cheers,

🌒🌧🌊Aquarius♒️🌌🌘

♡the beloveds

@karmawonders

[crimsonophelia]

hello basil!!! i’m the anon that sent the original request of reader being a big dumb dumb and accidentally mailing their love letters to childe in liyue—i personally just wanted to tell you that i absolutely LOVED what you wrote and that i’m so happy and grateful you did my request justice. keep up the good work!!!

if you wouldn’t mind, could i request for a hurt/comfort angst with kaeya and a gn reader? the reader is a fellow knight of favonius that regularly gets dunked on by their friends for their crush on the cavalry captain—but every time their friends insist they confess to him, they joke that “sure, i’ll tell him when i die.” and then they actually nearly die.

while on a mission with kaeya, something terrible happens that seemingly pushes the reader to the brink of death. they’re in his arms and convinced they’re about to die, so with their “dying” breath, they tell kaeya that they’re in love with him before the world goes black.

but then they wake up. 👁 (you know the drill—what happens next is completely up to you!!!)

featuring: kaeya x gn!reader

warnings: good ol' angst, some descriptions of blood, lots of typos lol

published: may 27, 2021

form: imagine

a/n: hi anon!! i'm glad you liked that imagine www and thank you for sending me ideas again! you know how much i love angst and kaeya lol~ also please forgive me for making it so long, i tried to challenge my writing abilities a bit more.

You came into this mission knowing that it would be quite a bit more difficult than the ones you typically took on. You were merely a B-rank knight, working on your certification to reach A-rank status, which definitely was not an easy feat. Yet the open commission to investigate a newly-uncovered set of ruins in Dadaupa Gorge was requiring one more member of the dual-member expedition team. When you saw who had occupied the first position for the mission, you threw caution to the wind and signed your name for position two, despite the mission being ranked A-level, at the very least. The occupied position? Filled by none other than Kaeya Alberich, captain of the Knights of Favonius cavalry, S-rank soldier and swordsman, and your former mentor. Who also happened to be the man you had hopelessly fallen for. 

The mission was assigned by the headquarters of the Knights, specifically for fully-trained Knights only, as the nature of the mission would be too dangerous for your run-of-the-mill adventurer team, and the Knights did not want to be held accountable for any potential casualties or injuries as a result of a mission gone wrong. You and Kaeya had been assigned to go investigate a newly-uncovered set of ruins in the Whispering Woods, supposedly already showing signs of being an Abyss rendezvous point. Apparently, the team of archaeologists who uncovered the ancient rocks from behind a thicket of trees had had many difficulties even making it back to the city of Mondstadt alive. You were frightened, no doubt about it, but you also knew that this was your chance. Your chance to prove yourself and your capability as a knight. Back in your training days before you took the certification exam to become a knight, you were Kaeya’s favorite pupil, a star student. Also possessing a Cryo vision, like the captain himself, certainly did not hurt your reputation in his eyes. Now, having taken on and excelled at countless dangerous B-rank missions, you felt confident in your ability to take on a mere A-rank mission, especially with the captain of the cavalry at your side. 

You had almost forgotten about the icy presence at your side, lost in your own daydreams of ambition. After following the paths leading out of Mondstadt, weapons and supplies ready at hand, you and Kaeya had finally made it to the edge of the Whispering Woods. It was starting to get dark, even though the two of you had left reasonably early in the day. The woods seemed so much more vast when their shadows grew longer, waning by the last seams of daylight. Faint howling moaned through the leaves (”Wolves? In the Whispering Woods?”, you thought to yourself), and you felt yourself tremble in the slightest. You couldn’t tell if it was due to the fear or the overwhelmingly strong Cryo aura that Kaeya emitted.

The tall man seemed unaffected by the ominous surrounding, forever carrying himself with an unwavering assuredness. He looked onwards, into the woods, eyes darting back and forth, exhibiting the remarkable surveying skills of a seasoned knight. 

“Well, [y/n]”, Kaeya turned to you, with that smug yet rather comforting voice of his. “Are you ready?”

Kaeya’s unshakeable confidence was rather spiriting, you had to admit. Nothing like traipsing into a wild forest, overrun with archons-know-what, with only your own wits and a cunning, distractingly handsome knight to guide you. 

“Ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose”, you replied, trying to hide the rookie anxiety from trembling your voice. Damn it, you weren’t even a rookie. You were one of the more experienced knights in the entire Knights of Favonius. You could handle this. Plus, Kaeya has your back. In all the years you had known him, Kaeya had never dropped that rogue-ish grin off of his delicate countenance--he had the face of a prince, but marred with the implications of his mysterious eyepatch (he had never told you how he had lost that eye) and the pierce of his sly smile. It made him all so painfully attractive. 

You hate to recall the very first day you met him, the two of you only teenagers, barely adults grown into their own skin, yet he stood at the front of the training yard like the prolific swordsman he was, tan skin gleaming beneath the summer sun, hair tied behind his neck, sinewy muscles stretching as he maneuvered the sword in his hand like it was an extension of his own being. That day, you swore that you would become like Kaeya, that you would learn all you possibly could from him. That was also the day you had fallen hopelessly for the charismatic boy, though you were not aware of it just yet. 

Trudging into the forest, you made sure to clutch the weapon at your side a little tighter, wary of any potential threats that could appear in front of you at any moment. You never know how much the Abyss mages could use their magic--they are always using the spirits of Teyvat for evil. Although you had only encountered Abyss mages a small handful of times in your past B-rank missions, you already knew how perilous an interaction with any of them could be. The last time you and a partner engaged with a Pyro mage, you left the site with severe magic burns to your side, which took at least three months to fully heal. Looking at Kaeya, he appeared to be as relaxed as ever, both hands loosely tucked into his pockets, his steps led by his elegant hips. The eerie silence of the woods didn’t seem to bother him at all, a comfortable void between the both of you.

“So, captain”, you begun, doing your best to break the proverbial ice a bit, trying not to let the emptiness of the whole forest get to your head. “How have you been? It’s been a while since we last took an assignment together, I believe. 3 months already, isn’t it?”

Kaeya chuckled. “Oh, drop the formalities, [y/n].” He looked at you with his singular, unobscured eye with a teasing glance. “You’ve always known me as just Kaeya, havent you?”

Blood rushed to your face, although not entirely unwelcome, due to the chilliness of the forest. You hoped that the twilight shadows could hide your red cheeks from the man beside you.

“To answer your question, I am doing exceptionally well, thank you”, he smirked. “Although, the last time I did see you was only about a month ago, at the Windblume Ball. Not sure if you remember it all though—you were rather... intoxicated, it seemed.”

Oh, archons. You didn’t know if your face could possivly get any redder from the embarassment. The Windblume Ball was a month prior, hosted by the Knights for all citizens of Mondstadt to attend, to end the Windblume Festival with a night of wine, music, and dancing. Your group of friends within the Knights convinced you to attend along with them, though they didnt quite succeed at convincing you to finally confess your attraction to the captain of the cavalry himself. You acquiesced only on the condition that you would not have to interact with Kaeya at all that night. The anxiety was simply too much and you did not want to deal with the potential situation of seeing Kaeya in formalwear and absolutely losing your mind, let alone Kaeya seeing you dancing and drinking.

“Oh, come on, [y/n]”, your friends had whined. “If you don’t tell him now, when will you ever? He most definitely finds you attractive, as well.” Chuckling, you took a sip of the wine lrovided by the Dawn Winery. You cringed at the sourness of cheap grapes. “I’ll tell him when I’m dead.” You took another sip of the wine, but over the rim of the glass, you saw the one person you were hell-bent on avoiding.

Kaeya Alberich stood across the room, talking to one of the other knights. He was dressed to the nines, in clothing you had never seen him don before. His hair was parted neatly, his long lovelock secured by a large sapphire band. His lean, upper body was covered by a three piece suit, fitted perfectly around his narrow waist, tailcoat resting neatly by his thick, carved thighs. His pants were pressed tightly, without a wrinkle, and he had brought along his usual white fur cape, giving him the sophisticated look of a king.

In awe, you spluttered in your drink as he caught your eye from across the room, clearly noticing you were staring at him. You turned the other way, seeing that your friends were making fun of your oblivious gawking, and they now excitedly pointed behind you, mouthing the words he’s coming! You tried your best to smooth down your hair and pat down your outfit, before turning back around to see that the captain was standing in front of you, face-to-face, with his hand outstretched.

He looked even more sparklingly glamorous up close, an image of old-world elegance that you never knew him capable of portraying. You suddenly felt more drunk than any cheap wine could possibly make you. Kaeya looked at you, a gleam in his eye, and asked

“May I have this dance, [y/n]?”

The rest of the night was a blur, what with your continued consumption of alcohol, convincing yourself you needed to periodically top up your liquid courage. Kaeya had asked you for a few more dances, as far as you remembered. But from what you could recall, he was just as elegant and charismatic as you had always remembered him to be. He never made you feel out of place.

It was awful that Kaeya only seemed to remember how disgustingly drunk you were, but you were thankful at least that he didn’t seem to recall the perpetual state of flusteredness you were in that night, by his mere presence beside you, and his hands guiding yours as you both danced to the upbeat music of the band.

“Archons, I assure you that I am not the unabashed drunkard I may have seemed to be that night”, you chuckled.

Kaeya let out a hearty laugh, his voice reminding you of the sounds of the bells ringing atop the Cathedral. “Of course not, my dear”, he drawled. “I’ve met many a drunkard in my day—you are far from one; I promise.”

You and Kaeya kept on your way in this manner, making pleasant small talk to fill the silence. You didn’t dare tell him for fear of seeming a coward, but hearing his voice and reminiscing with him diminished the fright you initially felt, entering the woods and taking on this assignment. Kaeya was a master conversationalist, and diplomat too, no doubt, always knowing what to say at what time. His warm remarks and playful banter took your mind off of the imminent danger of your situation, and you didn’t notice the path you were both on narrowing. The sun had already set, and the woods were doused in an eerie darkness, and as you and Kaeya approached the vicinity of the ruins, the thickets grew denser and the tree branches hung lower. Not a sound could be heard--

Until suddenly, Kaeya stepped in front of you, blocking your path with an arm outstretched. Shit. You smelled Abyss magic. How could you have possibly missed the putrid scent of sulfur before? 

Kaeya’s grin had fallen. His attention was now beyond only you, as if trying to detect something he sensed nearby. Out of nowhere, a hum grew, louder, until an earblasting pop rang out in front of you and Kaeya, and in its place were three Pyro Abyss mages. Three. You could handle one, if you had a partner with you, but three? 

Terror ran down your spine, knowing how difficult your Cryo vision could be against a Pyro mage. Your hand unsheathed the sword at your side with blinding speed, just like you were trained, but before you could even take a step forward, Kaeya was already charging at the mages, ice blasting forth from his swordtip, smashing up against the mages’ shields.

“Aren’t ya glad I caught that, [y/n]?” Kaeya teased, sword cutting through the air and the force fields surrounding the mages, as their strained groans pierced the night air. His movements were swift and effortless; at times his movements were so fast that it looked like he teleported from one spot to the next. This was the grace, the beauty of a true prodigy. “If I hadn’t stopped you, we would’ve been roast boar by now!” 

You jumped into action, assisting Kaeya with his assaults against the mages, doing your best to dodge the onslaught of fireballs. You felt the heat of the fire magic graze your extremities more than once, counting your blessings that it was nothing critical. The way the two of you moved in unison, one complementing the other, like an avalanche of piercing ice, was a testament to the years of experience you gained in under Kaeya’s expert tutelage. One sword piercing the left, the other the right, until you both had broken down two of the Pyro mages’ shields. You had never gotten through their force fields in such rapid succession before, you thought, in awe. Swinging your sword calculatedly, whilst utilizing your vision and shooting out ice crystals, you defeated the mage, dealing a killing blow, piercing its side with your sword. You watched the creature groan out gutturally, and eventually dissipate into ash, drifting away. 

Turning around, you noticed that Kaeya had already taken care of the other mage, already breaking down the final one’s shield. He dodged each blast of Pyro magic with grace and ease, not even showing any sign of fatigue. 

“Hey, good work rookie!”, Kaeya teased, activating his ultimate Cryo weapon, sending a halo of ice crystals about his body, knocking into the mage’s shield with every swing.

You huffed. “I’m not a rookie”, you called back, joining him in his siege upon the last enemy. Exhaustion was quickly catching up to you, although you tried to hide it. You couldn’t let Kaeya down. 

Over and over, the pair of you banged upon the force field with your swords, with more difficulty than any of the previous mages. This one was different, somewhat stronger. The grass surrounding the two of you was already lit up in flames, licking at your ankles. If you even so much as tripped, the heat would probably damage you more than a fireball could. 

“Watch out, rookie”, Kaeya yelled in your directions, trying to be heard above the cackling of the mage and the raging flames, already beginning to catch onto the trees nearby. The night was filled with a reddish glow--hellish and suffocating. “I think it’s about to activate it’s ultimate.”

The cackling grew louder, as you worked yourself into a frenzy, shooting more and more ice crystals, trying to break it’s force field. Three, dragon-like heads began to emerge around where the mage floated. Fuck. The fire-breathers were out. You had only ever fought a Pyro mage that could use fire-breathers once before--that also happened to be the instance that caused you to be an invalid for several months, healing from a deep flesh burn. But Kaeya was here this time. Things would be okay, right?

You could tell Kaeya was growing panicked as well, his swings becoming a bit more hurried and erratic. You didn’t know, but he was deathly worried about you. He had no idea how experienced you were with dodging the fire-breathers, and he knew he had to make quick work of the blasted mage before things could escalate, Archons forbid you get hurt. Kaeya activated his ultimate once more, and, finally, the mage’s shield broke. 

You heaved a sigh of relief, closing in on the Pyro mage. Kaeya’s strength and incredible reliability in battle did not fail to impress you, even beyond just the prowess he had demonstrated as a trainee and a mentor. You finally activated your own ultimate, summoning a boulder made of hard ice. Approaching the mage as you saw it struggle to get up off the ground, the ice in your boulder began to form, and you willed it to hurl towards the mage, intending to finish it off. Finally, you would show Kaeya your true strength, your capability. He could depend on you. Hell, you were his star student. Even if you were afraid to tell him about how he had stolen your heart, you could at least show him that the time and effort he had dedicated to you wasn’t for naught. 

The seconds slowed down, as the blinding white ice made its way through the air, aimed straight at the pathetic mage, groveling in the dirt. But beyond the ice, was something even brighter, not making its way to the mage; no, it was headed straight at you. A fireball. 

You felt an excruciating pain on your left side, right below your ribcage. A scream in the distance--the mage? No; it was Kaeya’s voice. The white-hot pain blinded you, as you felt your back make contact with the hard ground beneath you. Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit. Archons, what will Kaeya think? 

Vaguely willing your arm to press into your side to assess the damage, you felt warm, sticky liquid pooling on your waist. Lifting a hand, you saw it drenched in crimson blood, dark in the moonlight. You heard another scream again nearby, this time coming from the guttural squeaks you knew was the mage, the dying cries of a pitiful monster. At once, a pair of arms lifted you from the ground, supporting your head. What a damned disappointment you were. 

“[y/n]! [Y/N]! DAMMIT!” You had never heard Kaeya this worked up before. The pain of hearing the panic in his voice was also tinged with a selfish gladness that he cared, that Kaeya Alberich gave a damn if you died. Because, in that moment, you were certain you would die.

Straining out a chuckle, your chest racked up a wet cough, sticky blood now staining the edges of your lips. I’ll tell him when I’m dead, you once said. Well, isn’t this all quite ironic.

“Fucking hell, [y/n], I need you to keep your eyes open”, Kaeya commanded. He was using his captain voice, the one that only comes out when a new recruit wasn’t following orders. “Rookie, don’t you dare pass out on me.” His voice wavered.

Would it be worth it to tell him now? Did you want his last memory of you to be a pathetic, wishful fantasy spilling forth from your bloodstained lips, like the nonsense uttered by a mere child? Your vision spun faster, losing sight of Kaeya, hovering over you. You couldn’t make out his features too clearly in the darkness, but something about the wet drops of water landing on your cheeks told you that it wasnt more blood. You supposed that you should do yourself justice and at least keep the one promise you made that night in Mondstadt.

Straining to open your mouth, you uttered, “Kaeya, I—”

But before you could muster the strength to speak another word, your vision went dark.

*****

The first thing you heard when you woke up was the sound of birds chirping. The second was a silent snoring sound coming from somewhere to your right.

Cracking your weary eyes open, you sensed the faint light of the early morning coming in through an nearby window. Getting your bearings, you realized you had woken up in the Knights of Favonius headquarters hospital. Your damaged adventurer’s clothes were gone, and instead you could feel bandages dressed around the wound at your side. Oh, right. You thought you had died.

Trying to sit up, you fekt an excruciating pain burn through the side of your body that had been hit, setting your nerves on fire. You hissed, and the snoring beside you abruptly stopped.

“Archons, you’re awake.”

Kaeya sat up from the chair he had apparently been sleeping in, still dressed in his captain’s armor, just as dirt-covered and singed as when you last saw him. Was that only last night? You figured Kaeya must have hurried you back to the city before your condition could get any worse.

Fuck. As all your memories of the prior night came flooding back, your eyes pooled up with salty tears. Not only had you cone closest to death than you’ve ever had, you had completely disappointed Kaeya and made a fool of yourself in front of him.

“Kaeya, I’m so sorry—”, you started.

Your words were interrupted by the man next to you leaping into your embrace, arms wrapping your shoulders where you were not injured. “Dammit, [y/n]. When won’t you just shut up.” His voice was muffled by his face buried into your neck. “You don’t have to say a word.”

It scared you, seeing him vulnerable. The ever-cocky and cunning captain of the cavalry, the man who always had a plan and was never caught off-guard. Now, a man bearing his innermost emotions to you, little old you. Had he heard what you begun to tell him last night? Or were things going to return back to the way they were, you admiring his dazzling beauty from a distance, comfortable yet agonized at the degree of separation.

You hoped to the archons for the latter. You hoped that it wouldn’t take another instance where you almost lost your life for the love you felt for him to spill forth. Archons, even if you had to die, it would still all be worth it, if it were with him at your side.

Kaeya trembled as he pressed himself deeper into you, desperately clinging on. “Don’t you dare open your mouth, rookie”, he chided. “I don’t want to hear something you’ll only tell me when you’re almost gone. Please just let me do the talking.”

Pulling back, you looked at him in confusion. His hair was disheveled, eyepatch slightly askew, yet his face was full of an almost childlike wonder, akin to the gleam he possessed when you had first met him, however many years ago.

“Do you think I did it all for nothing?” Kaeya looked at you. “Do you think all those years of training together, eating together, soarring together, was all because I thought you had potential as a soldier? The private walks through Windrise, the nights spent at the tavern, the dance, that damned dance we shared—what did you think that was?” Desperate and exhausted, Kaeya’s eye began to shimmer with tears. “Fucking hell, [y/n]. I’ve always loved you. Since the very beginning, you idiot. Why else would I dedicate all my time, all my energy to you and only you?” He grasped your shoulders tighter. “If you think that I haven’t been madly in love with you since I first laid eyes upon you that day, then you’re fucking wrong.”

You cut him off, burying your hands into his hair—pain be damned—and kissed him. It was bitter and metallic, the taste of both of your blood on your tongue. Kaeya’s neck was ice cold, but his cracked lips were thick and warm, and when you pulled away from them, you suddenly felt like you could take on the world.

“Well”, you remarked. “I’m glad that we got that out of the way.”

a/n: uhuhuhu this is pretty long but i hope you like it! i wanted to improve my writing a bit and elaborate on descriptions a bit more, so i hope i did your request justice!

[reidamancy]

too soon || spencer reid

summary: When you wake up in the hospital, buried feelings arise and you must now make a difficult decision. (spencer reid x fem!reader)

category: angst

warnings: detailed descriptions of kidnapping, mentions of guns and drugs, mild cursing

word count: 5.6k

a/n: this was really a struggle to write bc i hated how it kept turning out, but now after a month since i posted Too Late, i’m finally happy with it! this is the longest fic i’ve ever written and i hope it did Too Late justice (although i think i still like Too Late better lol)

MASTERLIST

(part one, part two)

(ICYMI: read part one here)

“I’m here, Y/N, I’m here.”

His voice echoed through your mind as you slowly gained consciousness. You smiled as you felt his hand in yours and you gave it a squeeze.

You slowly opened your eyes and greeted the blurry figure beside you. “Spencer,” you whispered with a smile.

“Spencer? Who’s Spencer?”

Your vision refocused as you looked over and saw that the figure was actually your boyfriend Connor. Your eyes widened in shock and embarrassment as you tried to laugh it off. “Sorry, he was the last person I saw.”

Guilt washed over you at once. During this entire ordeal, your boyfriend hadn’t even crossed your mind. Connor must have been so worried about you... while all you could think about was Spencer. You shut your eyes and attempted to shake the thoughts of your ex away, but much to your dismay, they stayed.

Your shallow laughs were cut off with a wince as the pain in your body hit you at once. You grimaced as you placed a hand over your stomach, trying to sublimate the pain. Connor looked at you with concerned eyes, but you waived it off. “It’s okay, I’m okay.” 

Connor shook his head as his eyes filled up with tears. He grabbed your hand and kissed the back of it. “No, you’re not, Y/N.” He leaned over and placed another kiss on your forehead. “Oh God, I thought I lost you,” he whispered as he leaned his forehead on yours. 

You smiled as you leaned into your boyfriend only to feel... nothing. You tried to combat the guilt swirling in your stomach by forcing the butterflies and happiness you felt whenever Connor was around. He’s your boyfriend, why doesn’t it feel like it? 

You bit your lip at your guilty conscience as Connor sat back and ran a hand through your hair. The tension in the air was suffocating; between Connor’s intense stare of worry to your seemingly absent feelings, you had to lighten the mood.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” You quipped, laughing.

Connor’s face softened as his laughter joined yours. You heard footsteps enter the room and when you looked to see who it was, your eyes lit up. You ignored your heart’s flutters as you exclaimed, “There’s the man who saved my life!”

You tried your best to mask the overwhelming emotions that erupted once you saw Spencer. You overcompensated your guilty feelings by enthusiastically introducing your ex to your boyfriend. “Spencer, I want you to meet Connor. My boyfriend.”

You cringed at your tone as soon as the words left your mouth. Maybe you were too enthusiastic... And you were too caught up in your own delivery that you didn’t notice Spencer’s face fall. 

But your boyfriend was none the wiser as he walked towards Spencer.

“I owe you the biggest thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without her.” Connor extended his hand for a handshake, but Spencer just nodded at him. 

Spencer gave a tight smile and cleared his throat. “I should uh, I should give you two some privacy.” His eyes stayed on the ground and his voice was weak. He gave you a quick glance and said, “Glad to see you’re awake, Y/N.” before swiftly leaving the room.

Connor sat back down next to you and said, “So that’s Spencer.”

You gave a slight nod and looked away. 

---

Connor left to get lunch, leaving you alone with your thoughts. Seeing Spencer for the first time prompted a confusing set of emotions to bubble up inside of you. You were relieved to see him again; he saved your life and now you could properly thank him. 

But you couldn’t deny that what you were feeling was more than that. 

Why was your first instinct to call your ex-boyfriend, of all the people in the world? And why did your heart leap just at the sight of him? You thought you had buried these feelings long ago but right now, you felt the same as you did six months ago. It was as if your voicemail opened a Pandora box of hidden emotions. Now you just needed to find a way to close it.

Because you couldn’t afford to be thinking this way. You had a boyfriend now. Just thinking of Spencer in a different light felt like a betrayal, and you couldn’t do that to Connor. 

Besides, with all the feelings that Spencer brought back, he also brought back all the pain. No matter how much your heart longed for him, you couldn’t ignore the heartbreak that resurfaced with every thought of Spencer Reid. 

You couldn’t go down that road again. Spencer made no effort to fix what you two had after the fight, so why should you be pining after a man who doesn’t want you back? And you had to stay loyal to Connor; you can’t be thinking about your ex like this. You’ve moved on. He’s moved on.

Just then, the door swung open and a familiar mop of brown curls walked in. You pushed down your conflicting feelings and politely smiled at him. “Hi, Spencer.”

Spencer looked at you and cleared his throat. He looked disheveled, and he carried a large paper pad with him. “Hi Y/N,” he said then cleared his throat. “How are you feeling?” He asked, voice soft.

“Like I just got stabbed by a serial killer.” You deadpanned.

Spencer visibly swallowed and lowered his eyes.

You regretted your answer as soon as you saw him sulk. “Too soon?” You nervously laughed. “It was a joke, Spencer. All things considered, I’m fine.”

Spencer looked back at you and slowly nodded, staying silent. 

You glanced down at the pad he was holding. “I’m assuming you’re here on business?”

He nodded. “I’m here for your police report.”

“Oh, right,” you nodded. “I didn’t know the FBI did those.”

“I volunteered.” He glanced at you before immediately looking back down at his papers. “I uh, I thought you would want a familiar face.”

You did, and you appreciated it. “Thank you.” You smiled.

He gave a curt smile and continued. “Are you ready now or should I come back later?”

You took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m ready.”

“So tell me exactly what happened.”

You sighed as you let yourself recall the most traumatic moment of your life. “I was at the grocery store.” You set the scene again in your mind, trying to remember everything for him. “I finished putting all my bags in the trunk. I went around to the front door. I just opened it. But before I could sit down-” You took a sharp breath, the memories overwhelming you.

“It’s okay, Y/N, take your time.” His voice was sweet as he comforted you. You shut your eyes to calm yourself, trying to ground yourself with the sound of his voice.

“He uh, he put a towel over my mouth and a gun against my back. I froze, I, I should have fought but I couldn’t move and I tried not to breathe, but I couldn’t hold it any longer. I don’t know what I was breathing in but I knew-” A cry interrupted you and a tear ran down your cheek. You hadn’t even realized you started crying. 

A pained expression took over Spencer’s face. He raised his hand towards you but quickly recoiled when he realized what he was doing. He settled on just placing his hand on the side of your bed, lightly patting the hospital mattress. His hands were close, but not touching, your own. 

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize, Y/N.” His voice was a whisper. 

You shut your eyes and cleared your throat, pushing through. “I knew I was in trouble,” you choked out. “Next thing I knew, I was waking up in his car. There was duct tape over my mouth. And my hands and feet were in zip ties, Spencer.” You cried as your voice broke. 

Spencer bit his lip, unsure of where the boundaries were to comfort you. He decided to innocently place his hand on top of yours. You silently thanked him for the gesture.

“I saw everything. I know which streets he went on and what turns he took. I saw the numbers on the building when he got to the warehouse. I don’t even think he knew I was awake.” Another tear ran down your cheek. Spencer’s intense gaze never left your face. You avoided his stare, but if you didn’t, you would’ve seen the immense worry in his eyes.

You took a breath before you began again. “When we got there, he carried me into this room. I tried to fight him, I tried so hard. But he was just too strong,” you cried. Your heart was racing as you remembered the fear and adrenaline you felt in that moment. “And his voice, I- I can’t forget his voice.”

Your abductor’s voice echoed in your mind as you repeated his words to Spencer.

“My, my, look what we have here.”

“You’re a pretty little thing, aren’t ya?”

“Aw, it’s just you and me now. Unless you want someone to help you?”

Your eyes were squeezed shut as his laughter rang in your ears.

“Doesn’t matter. They’ll never get here in time.”

By now, you noticed Spencer had grasped your fingers in his hand. The action was comforting. 

“He- he hit me with his gun and said, ‘Don’t try anything.’” Your head throbbed a little harder as you recalled his strike. “Then he gave me a phone and said, ‘No police. Make sure they answer.’ So, I- I called you.”

You brought yourself to look into his eyes. Tears fell from your eyes and you noticed his were glossy.

“Why?” Spencer asked.

You were taken aback by the question. You ignored the heat rising to your cheeks as you answered, “You’re an FBI agent.”

Spencer stared at you, his eyes narrowed.

You broke away from his gaze.

“Don’t do that.” You said, eyes fixed on his hand on top of yours.

“Do what?”

You brought your eyes back up to his face. “You’re profiling me.”

Spencer opened and closed his mouth, as if he were debating on what to say. “I told myself I’d never forgive you, but the truth is I already have. I can’t leave without you knowing that.” He was reciting your voicemail. “Is that true?”

Your breath hitched in your throat. You stayed silent as your eyes remained on your hand in Spencer’s. You weren’t thinking of the repercussions when you uttered the last words of your voicemail. You just knew you needed him to hear it, even if it was the last he’d ever hear from you. 

But now that Spencer was in front of you, asking for answers, you froze. This was a conversation you never planned on having, and you weren’t sure how to navigate it.

Spencer acknowledged your silence and leaned forward, disregarding his paper pad. “Y/N,” he whispered, voice soft. You avoided his eyes, feeling more tears already starting to form. “I listened to that voicemail 167 times. I memorized every word, every breath, I... Please, Y/N. Tell me I’m over-analyzing. Tell me my emotions are biasing my profiling skills. Tell me the only reason you called was because of my job.” His voice was stern, masking his hurt. If you were looking at him, you would have seen the tears in his eyes and saw that he was practically begging you to alleviate his pain.

But in your mind, all you heard was a cry from a man who didn’t want anything to do with you.

Tears fell from your eyes as you shook your head. You wanted to tell him you only called him because he’s an FBI agent. It’d only be fair. You’d go back to Connor, he’d go back to living his life. You’d both be able to move on. But it wasn’t the truth. 

Deep down, you knew you said those words to him for a reason; there was still so much left unsaid. And as afraid as you were to expose your raw emotions to him, you opted for vulnerability because it was impossible to leave this alone. 

Your voice was strained as you whispered, “I can’t.” 

“I thought I was going to die, Spencer.” You looked at him with teary eyes and were surprised to see his expression mirrored your own. “When he gave me the phone, you were the first person I thought of. I needed to talk to you one last time; there was so much I haven’t said, so much I needed to say, to you and I wasn’t thinking when I dialed. I called you because I needed you, Spencer. Not your badge.”

You let out a sniffle as the pace of your words quickened. “I wasn’t thinking,” you repeated. “I didn’t realize I was calling you until I heard your answering machine. Then everything came back to me. Your job, our memories. You gave me hope, Spencer.” You were rambling, desperate to justify your call before he could shut you down. “So I gave you clues, thinking maybe I could get out of there. But just in case it didn’t work out, I told you what I needed you to hear the most,” you sobbed. “And I know, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have called, I-”

“I never stopped loving you, Y/N.” Spencer interrupted you and confessed for the second time. He had heard all he needed to hear, and he couldn’t stand another minute without telling you. 

You froze. “What?” You breathed.

Your mind was rampant, emotions were bouncing around inside of you as your thoughts scattered.

He, he loved you. He still loves you. This changes everything. You had prepared for your resurfaced love of Spencer to go unrequited. Although a part of you longed to feel that way again, you had accepted that you lost that feeling the day you lost Spencer. You were prepared to rebury your love, but he feels the same way. How could you dismiss your feelings for him if he feels the same way?

He loves you? He can’t. Not after what he put you through. How can he say he loved you, that he never stopped loving you, after breaking your heart six months ago? How could he have loved you while you were struggling to put yourself back together in the aftermath of your relationship? It took so long for you to heal after him, and now he’s claimed to have loved you this entire time?!

“It was never you, Y/N, I-”

You took your hand out of his grasp. “No, no, Spencer. You can’t do this to me.” 

“Y/N, I’m sorry-”

“No! Do you remember the last thing you said to me?!” You held your hand over your chest as you looked at him through teary eyes.

Spencer sighed and lowered his head in shame. “Yes.” he whispered.

“Spencer, just talk to me!”

“Leave me alone, Y/N!”

Both of your minds remembered your last fight at the same time. 

It was late, you had shown up to his apartment uninvited that day. You suggested a spontaneous movie or a quick late-night dinner. He shot you down. Up until then you had tried everything, but the man in front of you was still a stranger in the shell of Spencer Reid. So after weeks of negligence, the two of you got into a screaming match in his apartment.

“I have left you alone, Spence!” You yelled through your tears. “It’s been three weeks. I’ve given you space, time, I’ve kept my distance, but enough is enough! Please, I’m just trying to help you!”

“I never asked for your help!”

“Well, can you help me Spencer?” You were sobbing now, but Spencer’s expression didn’t soften. “I haven’t felt your touch in weeks, when you’re home you feel so far away, you don’t talk to me anymore, hell you won’t even look at me!”

“Then stop being so fucking clingy.” He sneered in your face.

“Clingy?!” You screamed. “Is it clingy to want a relationship with my boyfriend?! I don’t even know who you are anymore!”

Spencer glared at you and you tried one more time. “Please, Spencer. I just want to fix us. I don’t know what happened when you were away but if you’d just let me-”

“I don’t.”

“You don’t...?”

“I don’t want to fix us.”

Your breath had hitched and your heart dropped. “You don’t mean that.”

“Oh yeah? And how would you know? You don’t know me anymore apparently.”

“Spence, I, I love you, and I know you’re going through a hard time-”

“I don’t.”

Hot tears silently fell down your cheeks. You had to be sure what he was saying, even if it broke your heart. “You don’t... what?”

“Love you.”

You bit your lip as a sob racked through your body. “You’re upset. I’m going to leave, and we can talk in the morning.” You turned your back towards him as you began to open the door. But his voice interrupted your action and broke your heart in one sentence.

“Yeah, don’t even bother coming back.”

Tears were now streaming down Spencer’s face as he said, “I didn’t mean it, Y/N. You have to know-”

“No, Spencer. What I know is you broke my heart. You don’t get to come back and tell me you loved me all along. It isn’t fair.”

“No, what isn’t fair is you clearly still have feelings for me and you’re not letting me reciprocate them!” Spencer’s voice raised in pitch as he increasingly became exasperated.

“I, I never said that.” You scoffed, feeling the dryness in your throat. 

“You didn’t have to.” Spencer whispered. He licked his lips and leaned forward. “Y/N, your pupils are dilated. Your pulse is 30% higher than usual.”

Your brows furrowed in confusion as to how he knew that. But then you became acutely aware of the heart-rate monitor behind you and it made sense. You steadied your breathing, attempting to calm down and rid yourself of these involuntary tells. 

He lowered his eyes and bit his lip, “And when I told you I still loved you, your demeanor completely changed. You didn’t have to say anything, Y/N, I...”

“Spencer, stop.”

“You’re probably confused. A near death experience combined with the emotions of a past relationship-”

“Spencer, please.”

“Maybe I have confirmation bias, but everything points to you still having feelings-”

“Spencer, I don’t want to feel this way!” You half-shouted at him.

Your words hung in the air as both of you processed them. The two of you stared at each other, letting out heavy breaths at the intense atmosphere.

“What?” He breathed.

“I don’t want to feel this way, Spencer.” You shook your head as more tears escaped you. “Spencer, you broke me. I truly thought you were the one, but you didn’t even give us the chance. I don’t know what happened, but I would’ve gone through anything with you, Spencer. We could have worked through it together. If you had just let me...” You trailed off as sobs racked your body.

Spencer hung his head as tears fell into his lap.

“Did you know I came back the next morning?” You croaked. You heard a small gasp from Spencer and continued, “I don’t know why. I was staring at your door, trying to knock, but I couldn’t do it.”

“Y/N, why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve...” Spencer started but he trailed off. Even he knew that at that point in time, he would have only hurt you more than he already had.

“What was I supposed to think Spencer? You ignored me for weeks, and when we finally talked, you told me to leave. You obviously didn’t want me there anymore. But I wanted to knock, I wanted to knock so bad. I just, I couldn’t handle being shot down again. So I left.”

You swiped away the tears on your face. “And I figured you’d call me if you wanted to talk again. But you never did. And I had my answer.”

Spencer let out a sob. “I didn’t know it yet, but I needed you.”

“And I needed you, Spencer. Those weeks before our breakup were hell. All I wanted was my boyfriend back.” You cried.

“But I’m here now, Y/N.” Spencer breathed and you shook your head. He continued through his tears and said, “I’m here and I still love you as much as I did back then. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. All I could ever think about was you and how I lost you...” Spencer’s voice became a whisper. He grabbed your hand. You let him. 

“I wasn’t in my right mind, Y/N. I became addicted to dilaudid and I pushed everyone away because I thought I could handle it by myself. But that’s when I needed you the most. If I could take it all back, if I could take back all the pain I’ve caused, I would. I’m so so sorry for hurting you, Y/N.” Spencer sobbed.

“It took me so long to heal from you, Spencer.” you cried. “I can’t go down that road again... but for some reason my heart can’t let you go.” You stared at your hands as you gave into temptation and slowly interlocked your fingers through his. You could hear Spencer’s breath hitch at the small action. He squeezed your hand and the two of you looked at each other with teary eyes. 

“Why can’t I get over you? Why do I still love you even after you broke my heart? I don’t want to feel this way. There are so many reasons I shouldn’t be feeling this way.” You cried. “But I just can’t help it.” You looked up at him through damp lashes and saw him biting his lip.

“I never should have let you walk through that door. I miss us, Y/N. I didn’t know how much I needed you in my life until you left. Please, Y/N. I’ve tried to move on, but I just couldn’t. It’s you, Y/N, it’s always been you. And even after all this time, I still love you... It’s scary how much I still love you.”

“You didn’t tell me he was your ex.” A voice interrupted you and your head jerked towards the door to see Connor standing at the entrance. 

You snatched your hand out of Spencer’s as you stammered, “Con- Connor! How long have you...”

“Long enough.” He rolled his eyes. “Look Y/N. I am no one’s rebound, and I am definitely no one’s second choice.” Connor scoffed. “Here’s your lunch.” He dropped one of his bags down on a nearby chair and left the room. 

“Connor!” You called out to him but it was too late. You sighed as you leaned back against your hospital bed. 

You wiped the tears from your cheeks as you looked over at Spencer. He licked his lips and quietly said, “But I understand if I’m too late. Time changes people. Just say the word, and I’ll leave you alone.” He got up to leave but you reached for his arm. 

“Spencer,” you stopped him. He looked back at you, completely broken. You blinked the tears out of your eyes but no words came out. The two of you stood, frozen in time with unspoken words written over your faces. 

You weren’t sure what you wanted to say. You wanted to say something, anything.

But when no words left your mouth, he gave you a small nod then left the room. 

You were still frozen, your hand in the same position it was when it was on his arm. Your mind was scattered and your heart was torn. What just happened?

---

You stayed in the hospital for two more days. Since then you had a few visitors, but none from the two men you needed to see the most. 

It gave you time to think. You now held two hearts in your hands and you weren’t sure what to do.

With Connor, he was a safe choice. And he was still your boyfriend. Just the thought of betraying him and getting back with your ex didn’t sit right with you at all. Connor was a good guy, he was smart, cute, funny, and a total sweetheart. Not to mention, he was there to pick up the pieces that Spencer left behind. How could you betray him after all of that and go running back to your ex?

But Connor was a temporary high that could never compare to the way Spencer made you feel. Spencer was your greatest love. He showed you what love was supposed to be; Spencer Reid was everything you wanted in a man and more. Your relationship with Spencer was a whirlwind of emotions, and the two of you had a love you could only dream about... up until the last month. 

But were you willing to overlook that, in the name of true love? The spark between you and Spencer was undeniable, but the foundation of a committed relationship was lacking: trust. You didn’t know if you could trust him with your heart again. And the worst part, Spencer Reid had so much power over you because you were still undeniably head over heels for the young genius. 

But could you could forget about him and continue living your life with Connor? Maybe one day you and Connor could have what you and Spencer had. Or maybe you never will. Was it worth the risk?

You looked back on all the memories you shared with Connor, looking for a sign, any sign to stay. You were desperate to protect your heart from more heartache, even if it meant losing Spencer. You thought back to the beginning of your relationship and tried to remember the blissful feeling Connor gave you. How he brought out butterflies in your stomach and made your heart skip a beat. But that’s when you realized that euphoria you used to feel was nothing but a distant memory. Your entire relationship with Connor was based on a short-lived infatuation. An infatuation that ended the minute you dialed Spencer.

Because the entire time, Connor was a distraction from your feelings for Spencer. Connor may have masked your feelings for your ex, but they were still there. They always were. At that point, it was undeniable. You knew you had to follow your heart.

---

After you were discharged from the hospital, you knew exactly what to do. Your plan was simple: you’d make a quick stop before going to straight to Spencer’s apartment. But there was one factor you didn’t take into account. It was the first time you’ve been truly alone since the abduction. You caught yourself looking over your shoulder multiple times, and your heart raced as you rode on the subway. Everyday acts became daunting, and the task at hand didn’t help to calm your nerves.

It felt like years before you found yourself staring at Spencer’s apartment door. Your heart was still beating out of your chest as you stared at his apartment number. You took a deep breath and remembered the last time you were standing here. You weren’t going to make the same mistake again.

You knocked. 

There was the quiet patter of footsteps behind the door, and you felt your heart rate pick up as the shadows came closer. 

Finally the door swung open, and a tired-looking Spencer answered. Once you saw him, you couldn’t hold it in anymore; you immediately burst into tears. 

“Y/N?” He said your name in confusion before instinctively pulling you into a warm hug.

He backtracked when he realized his hug might have been unwelcome, but when you rested your head against his shoulder, he instantly relaxed as he pulled you into a full embrace. He pulled you into his apartment and shut the door, giving the two of you some privacy. 

He held you close as your tears flowed, his hands silently comforting you. You let out a sigh because now that you were in his arms, you finally felt safe. His shirt was balled in your fists as you whispered his name. “Spencer.” You breathed shakily.

His hands ran up and down your back. “I’m right here, Y/N.”

“Please don’t leave me.” You cried as you held on to him tighter. 

He shook his head. “Never, Y/N, never again.”

“Spencer, I’m scared.”

The proximity of your bodies allowed Spencer to feel your heartbeat as it pounded in your chest. Your hands trembled as they held on to his shirt, and he realized the true cause of your tears. 

He held onto you tighter as he said, “He’s never going to hurt you again, Y/N.” He heard you take a shaky breath, so he emphasized, “Ever.”

You took a step back to look at him. Your hands were now interlocked behind his neck as you looked into his eyes. “Thank you,” you weakly whispered. “Thank you for saving me.”

Spencer bit his lip and shamefully lowered his head. “I should’ve been there sooner.”

You shook your head. The odds were against him, and you knew that. But he made it. He was there, and not a moment too soon. Spencer saved your life, and he was just in time.

You released one of your hands from his neck and traced his jawline until you got to his chin. You used your thumb to gently bring his eyes back up to yours. “You were right on time,” you whispered. 

Spencer’s brows furrowed as he eyed your bandages, but before he could say anything you closed the gap between the two of you and pulled him into a kiss.

You both smiled into the kiss as your hands found their way into his hair. Your fingers weaved their way into his curls as he snaked his arms around your waist and pulled you up toward him. You got on your tip toes to meet his tall stature.

As your lips moved in sync, your bodies moved impossibly close as the two of you engulfed each other. Holding each other tight, his soft lips moved against yours until you both had run out of air. He pulled away and let his forehead rest on yours.

Spencer licked his lips. “Um, what about...”

“I broke up with Connor.”

A huge smile broke out on Spencer face, but he quickly regained his composure and nonchalantly said, “You did?”

You nodded. “Yeah, like literally just now.” You let out a small chuckle as you nervously asked, “It’s not too soon is it?”

Spencer laughed and said, “I’ve been waiting six months for this.”

You felt the heat rising to your cheeks as you smiled. Your hands traveled down his shoulders and onto his chest, resting right above his heart. 

“I never stopped loving you, either.” You whispered. 

His hands retreated from your waist and moved up your body until they met your shoulders. His large palms engulfed your shoulders in warmth, leaving behind a trail of goosebumps as they went down your arms and onto your hands. He pulled your palms away from his chest and into his own and you interlocked your fingers.

“Please don’t leave me,” you repeated, only this time the words had an entirely different meaning. Spencer’s heart broke at the implication, though he knew your insecurity was completely valid.

“I promise I will make up these last seven months to you.” He brought your interlocked hands up to his face and kissed the back of your hand. “And I will never lose you again.”

Spencer brought a hand under your chin and lifted your face towards his. “You’re so strong you know that?” You broke out into a huge smile as tears welled in your eyes. You cupped the sides of his face with both of your hands and replied, “So are you.” 

You brought his face down to place a kiss on the tip of his nose. “Addiction is no joke. I wish I could have been there so you didn’t have to go through it alone.” Spencer shamefully lowered his eyes. “But,” you quickly added. You ran your thumb along his cheek bone and said, “I’m so proud of you for overcoming it.”

He smiled and kissed your forehead. “And I’m proud of you, Y/N. That beautiful mind of yours saved your life.” Tears silently fell down your cheeks as you smiled up at him.

Spencer smiled as he used his thumb to wipe the tears away. “I love you so much, Y/N.” He whispered in the softest voice. He pulled you into another hug as he whispered into your ear, “And I’ll never let anything happen to you again.” His breath was warm against your ear, and his voice sent shivers down your spine. “I promise.”

You held him tighter as you said, “I love you, Spence.”

Spencer instantly relaxed at the nickname, missing the way it fell from your lips. You rested your head on his shoulder as his arms held you close. The two of you finally had what you had denied yourselves for six months, and both of you were doing everything to savor the moment. With eyes closed, your bodies swayed together, holding each other tight and memorizing the way you felt in each other’s arms.

After missing him for the past half year, being here with Spencer just felt... natural. It felt like you just came home. He was your home. And for the first time in six months, you were finally where you belonged.

[kim-miri]

HALF(have a little fun) pt. iii

→ one | two

→ Sayomi Zoldyck is the eldest child and twin sister to Illumi, of the renowned Zoldyck family of assassins. At the age of ten she’s taken away to Meteor City by her mother, Kikyo Zoldyck, unbeknownst to the rest of the family, as well as newborn Killua, and left to fend for herself. This is the story of the long-lost Zoldyck and those she becomes acquainted with, all while she just wants to have a little fun.

» part three / ?

» pairing: eventually - chrollo x oc x feat. hisoka

» warnings: drugs, blood/violence

» a/n: helloo~ this is my first write ever, and it’ll probably be a pretty long series. I’m also balancing school and a part-time job so forgive me for slow updates! If you’re reading this, thank you so much for showing interest and please leave comments below with your inputs!

» word count: 2,948

☾ iii.

Name: Sayomi Zoldyck 小夜美 | "小" is small | "夜" is night | "美" is beauty |

Hair color: White

Eye Color: Purple

Nen: Manipulator (same exact abilities as Illumi)

Abilities: Same as Illumi Zoldyck - Body Alteration, Hypnotic Spell, Corpse Control, Needle People, Katana

☾ iii. part iii: meteor city

Sayomi woke up with a start. 

Her violet eyes flew open as she gasped remembering the past events and how her mother had drugged her.

Attempting to rise from her less than comfortable position on the ground, a nasty stench made her cringe as she gaped at her new surroundings. 

Trash and dumped items made up the entirety of where she sat, as well as everything else she could see from her spot. Most of it was worn down enough to be unrecognizeable, only looking like jagged pieces of material building upon each other.

Standing up in one swift movement, Sayomi stretched out her tired limbs as she tried to grasp the situation she was in. Maybe mother threw me in the junkyard?

It wouldn’t be the first time her mother had tried to dump her somewhere, but Illumi or her father would usually come running for her before she would even have time to recognize her surroundings.

Taking a step forward to start exploring, she paused as she kicked something lying by her feet. 

The item stood out amongst the rust and filth, as it was immaculate and seemed to radiate a familiar aura. A katana?

Tilting her head curiously, Sayomi reached down and grabbed the sheathed weapon. It was indeed very clean and actually seemed brand new. 

Looking it up and down, a silver gleam caught her eye- it was an engraving left on the otherwise black covering. 

‘Sayomi Zoldyck’

A rush of adrenaline ran through her blood as she recognized her own name engraved on the sheath. But why would mother reward me after dumping me in this junkyard?

Thousands of questions and possible scenarios ran through her head, but she pushed them aside with a shake of her head. I might as well play with this to pass the time.

The 10 year old unsheathed her new weapon, getting ready to take a practice swing when a rolled up piece of paper dropped from the katana.

Unravelling the note, Sayomi read it contents without a moment to lose. 

Sayomi,

Welcome to Meteor City. 

I’m sure you recognize the name from the many stories I’ve told you and your brother about my hometown. 

And from those same stories, you should know that those who make it out of the city come back stronger than they’ve ever been before. 

My only daughter, you know how much I cherish you and wish to see you succeed. 

When the time is right, you will find your way back home and claim your rightful spot as heir of the family business.

Until then,

Mother

Meteor City. As the reality of her situation started to sink in, Sayomi found it hard to breath. Whether it was the anxiety starting to take over her brain, or the barely breathable, polluted air of Meteor City, she found herself falling to her knees, nauseous.

☾iii.

Sayomi was desperate. She had been walking alone for close to four hours before traces of civilization began to appear in the distance.

Her wounds were splitting open under the cloth bandages she wore, and dehydration sent black spots dancing across her vision. 

Sayomi remembered something from one of the stories her mother had once told them. It was that the citizens of Meteor City refrained from hostility between one another unless they were threatened first.

With this in mind, Sayomi continued on to the tents and vast pillars of smoke in front of her. 

Clutching her side, which was now bleeding through the wraps Illumi had given her, Sayomi spotted vague figures moving about within the camp.

The sweat dripping into her eyes didn’t help her already blurring vision as she squinted hard to try and identify the faint figures that grew larger as she approached them.

At last within modest range of the camp, one of the members turned to face her. 

One after another the citizens turned from their positions, analyzing the outcast that had stumbled upon their camp.

Struggling to remain upright with her wounds and burning lungs, Sayomi let out a cry of pain before falling to the ground once again, the jagged surface cutting into her ankles.

Several of the figures rushed towards the fallen 10 year old. With caring hands, one of the citizens lifted the girl into her arms, her lightweight figure not being a struggle to carry.

Sayomi looked up at the woman weakly, she was most likely in her 40s, her eyes gray and facial features dull.

At the same time, the woman stared back, seemingly trying to analyze Sayomi’s strong features. She recognized that her slanted violet eyes were far foreign to Meteor City, along with her intricate kimono and katana. How did a child of such status end up here?

Taking Sayomi to her own home within the camp, she treated Sayomi’s wounds and gave her water along with a small portion of food to eat.

The woman had introduced herself once Sayomi was back on her feet. Her name was Rin, and she had been living in Meteor City since she could remember. 

She introduced her husband and daughter as well. Their names being Shota and Ayame respectively. 

Ayame turned out to be two years older than Sayomi. She had ashy brown hair and gray eyes like her mother.

The rest of the community welcomed Sayomi with open arms, not bothering to ask where she came from or why she was here. It seemed they didn’t care.

Though Sayomi was grateful of their hospitality, she was homesick already. Missing the mansion where everything was familiar and made sense.

When night fell on her first day in Meteor City, Sayomi shut her eyes tight from her spot next to Ayame on the floor. It didn’t seem real to her. Just yesterday she had been with her family and everything had been as it always was.

Did everyone want her gone? Not just mother?

Thoughts like these ran through Sayomi’s fragile mind. All this stress at such a young age poisoned the girl’s mind, making her question the validity of those who loved her.

☾iii.

Much like Illumi back at the Zoldyck mansion, Sayomi spent most of her time in Meteor city training.

The environment, as well as occasional gang fights taught Sayomi real fighting, and not the guided sparring she would do back at home. 

Mirroring the techniques she had once seen while shadowing a senior assassin, Sayomi worked towards extending her abilities to mastering the katana.

Her needles remained as well, safely tucked away on a band she kept around her left thigh, hidden from others. They were a constant reminder of Illumi, her best friend and the only one she had her hopes left in to save her.

On another note, the family she stayed with was generous to point that she began to grow suspicious of their willingness to take care of her.

Hospitality was one thing, but she knew enough to recognize an odd-favored deal when she saw one.

Sayomi had been freeloading off the family, wearing the extra clothes they provided her, eating their food, drinking from their water supply, and even sleeping in their tent. 

But as wary as she was, she knew this was the only option she had. For now.

She had already stayed far from the city’s borders, and the only way off of the island in the first place was by boat. 

Sayomi would have to wait for the right time in order to escape the city alive.

☾iii.

6 years later

“Sayomi~” 

The sun rose over Meteor City, waking its inhabitants, and marking the start to another day.

Inside one of the many worn tents at the camp, a girl with tangled, brilliant white hair laid sprawled out on the cardboard-floors.

“Sayomi!” Ayame entered the tent once again, waking the girl to join her family for breakfast.

Sayomi groaned at the sunlight that entered the tent with Ayame’s return.

Sitting up, her hair cascaded down her shoulders and back, just barely touching the floor below her waist. 

Now 16 years old, Sayomi’s face had thinned out, no longer round and chubby, but firm and angular with more defined features. 

Her striking violet eyes and silky white hair were the only things that seemed to remain the same from when she was dumped 6 years ago. 

With a noticeable number of inches added to her legs and arms, as well as new subtle curves adorning her body, Sayomi had matured a great amount, both physically and mentally. What had once been an innocent, joyful 10 year old girl, was now approaching the end of her youth days trapped in a foreign city.

Sayomi didn’t talk about her family. Or the past for that much. 

She didn’t like to remember the feeling of waiting desperately for someone to find her. 

As a 10 year girl, she didn’t know any better than to rely on her family to come rescue her. But as those days turned into months, and the months turned into years, her hope had died miserably, being replaced by a deep sense of betrayal.

The most she had told the family about her life before Meteor City was about Killua. She had beamed proudly as she told them how similar they looked to each other. Killua. I wonder how he’s turned out to be. If he’s 6 years old now, that means he’s already started training...

But this was her life now, whether she liked it or not, and she would make the most of it even if it meant living only for herself.

“Sayomi! For the last time, waaake uppp. Breakfast is ready.” 

Yet another day in Meteor City began for Sayomi. After finishing up breakfast with Ayame and her parents, Sayomi grabbed her katana to go run through more forms on her own.

6 years with the katana, and Sayomi was almost considered proficient in the sword’s fine practice. Without a master to learn from, the majority of her techniques were either gathered from faint memories of when she was younger, or those she came up with herself.

She had also taken the risk of going into some of the gang fights using only her katana, and though she had gotten in dangerous situations to begin with, her hard work didn’t betray her. 

Standing in the piles of junk with her arms raised naturally behind her head, Sayomi took a deep breath in and out, ever so bored of the dull features at Meteor City.

☾iii.

After another day filled with meticulous training, Sayomi head back to camp, making her way to Ayame’s tent.

However, upon approaching the little green tent, she sensed within the air that something was off. 

She could feel the abnormally tense auras of those sitting inside the tent, much like those of someone caught lying. Slowing her steps towards the tent, Sayomi activated her zetsu in order to listen in to the apparent conversation going on inside.

“Yes, I’m sure that’s her full name. Sayomi Zoldyck. She’s the one we’ll give you instead of Ayame.”

It was Shota’s voice. 

His normally confident tone was replaced by one filled with a thousand concerns. 

“I assure you she’ll be here with us when you arrive tomorrow. Thank you again, sir, for accepting the replacement. Good Night.”

Could it be another gang looking for trouble? She was sure she could take them, whoever they were, but it still hurt to be referred to as ‘the replacement’. 

Sayomi shook her head out of such thoughts, realizing how panicked she was becoming over another silly gang. She made her presence visible once again, taking louder than normal footsteps as she returned into the tent for the night.

☾iii.

It was a quiet night much like usual, but everyone inside the tent could feel the discomfort that seemed to radiate around the 4 in endless circles.

Sayomi shifted in her sleep, unable to ignore the itching feeling in the back of her mind. 

The gangs here are nothing, I’ll be fine. 

She fell asleep late that night, despite being exhausted from a full day of training. A battle of worries and self-reassurance eventually died down in her mind, letting her sleep in peace.

Having fallen into a deep sleep, she had missed the sound of Ayame crying softly next to her. The older girl fell asleep facing away from Sayomi, feeling too guilty to even look at her.

“I’m so sorry, Sayomi.” Ayame whispered into the darkness. 

☾iii.

Early morning the next day, a commotion stirred through the camp.

The sound of multiple vehicles treading over glass and broken fragments awoke Sayomi, who sat up too quickly for her tired self.

Her body lurched to the side, thrown off balance by the sudden movement she had made to get up.

Groaning while she firmly held her balance with a single hand digging into the blankets pooled around her, Sayomi was confused to see that the tent was empty around her.

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Sayomi slung her katana over her shoulder hastily before making her way outside, her left hand hovering over the needles strapped to her thigh.

It was still dark out when Sayomi lifted the entrance of the tent. Quite close to golden hour, but still dark enough for her to have to strain noteably in order to see.

The vehicles she had heard were parked about 50 feet from where she stood. There were 3 cars parked side by side, black sedans that looked much similar to the ones back at the estate. 

Upon her eyes’ adjustment to the dark, Sayomi could see several men dressed in black suits conversing with Shota and Rin, Ayame by their side.

She kept her guard up as she attempted to read the auras of the people standing in front of her, getting a faint feel for their emotions.

Ayame and her family were tense, worried, but Shota showed small signs of relief in his expression. The men in suits were less readable, their emotions hidden behind an experienced aura of composure.

Looks like they’re pretty experienced… But they don’t look like a gang, or like they’re even from around here.

Taking a risk, Sayomi edged closer to the group, trying to listen in on the conversation. She was partially concealed by a pile of junk, only peeking out once in a while to confirm their positions.

Her new spot was about 30 feet from the closest man, and she could now make out parts of their conversation.

An unfamiliar voice rumbled “Rest assured, she will be provided with more than she ever was here.”

Shota’s voice was next. “And will she be safe on the trip to Yorknew City?”

Yorknew City. So whoever these people were didn’t want to kill her, but take her with them to the great city of opportunities? Well, damn.

Sayomi stepped out from her position behind the pile, not caring to keep her guard up as she willingly presented herself to her soon to be captors.

Ayame gasped upon seeing Sayomi walk towards them with her hands relaxed behind her head. Her eyes shifted to her parents. They were just as surprised, having not noticed her presence earlier.

The men looked from the shocked family of 3 to the teen strolling towards their makeshift circle. She could sense them growing tense with each of her steps, deducing her identity as their target.

One of them finally broke the silence, acknowledging her presence. 

“Sayomi Zoldyck?”

Sayomi gave a flat-lipped smile in return. “Yes sir.”

The family was wading in embarrassment and horror, caught red-handed agreeing to sell Sayomi off.

The men scoffed at the brazen teen, preparing to catch her off guard with the proposal, but Sayomi spoke first.

“So, what I’m getting from this- is basically that… you had a deal with this family for whatever reason. And were going to take their daughter from them, but they pleaded with you and insisted that I could be a better replacement?”

Her deductive instincts had helped her reach the conclusion that was pretty much dead on.

The family remained still, averting their gazes from the teen in front of them, while the men nodded several times before speaking.

“Correct. Your arrogance will surely not be needed where we’re going, but I guess it’s alright as long as you’re able to back it up.”

Leaving no opening for Sayomi to respond, another one of the men spoke up. “Shall we get going then? It seems like force won’t be necessary, so we might as well move while everyone’s cooperating.”

Sayomi had only nodded, a slight skip in her step as she seized the opportunity to leave Meteor City at last. Whatever business awaited her ahead could be dealt with, and she found it in herself to smile as she faced the family that had supported her for the past 6 years.

“Shota, Rin, Ayame. I could never thank you enough for your generosity during these past years of mine. And so, with all due respect, please forget all about me and flourish in the love of your family once again.”

No matter how blunt, she had meant every word she said, and with that Sayomi turned her back to the people who had raised her up through her broken youth. 

She felt no remorse for their guilt-ridden feelings, for it was just another thing in the past.

The 3 cars took off through the rubble, Sayomi in the backseat of one of them. Her violet eyes reflected off the glass of the window beside her, reminding her of the first time she had arrived. She sat in silence as she watched the hell that had been Meteor City flash past her.

Old news.

Just like her family.

☾iii.

to be continued.

a/n: i made a taglist if anyone wants to join! :)))

[yandere-daydreams]

Scenario of Kageyama and Oikawa sharing an s/o. I can’t get this dynamic out of my head oml

I’d say they’d be competitive, but I don’t think I can sum it up as simply as that. Hopefully, a general scenario like this is enlightening enough to the complexity of their dynamic.

Title: Equivalent Exchange

TW: Unhealthy Relationships and Implied Abuse.

~

“Your boyfriend’s awfully talented.”

You stiffened as soon as you heard his voice, gritting your teeth and pressing your back against the undecorated drywall as those steady, measured footsteps began to approach. Your eyes were shut, they had been since you left the stands, but you didn’t have to see to recognize that smug tone, dripping with so much confidence, it nearly hid the insecurity brewing just below. It was instinct, by now, a necessary reflux to your survival. Moreso for you than most, considering your circumstance.

“I know,” You mumbled, half-heartedly, your voice doing little to alleviate the anxiety beginning to gather in the pit of your stomach. “Better than you could ever be, Oikawa.”

You opened your eyes, glancing towards him, if only to see the faux-hurt spread across his features, a hand rising to press against his heart as he came to a stop in front of you. It was a practiced motion, a playful tease so over-used, even a complete stranger would be able to tell Oikawa had abused the gesture far too thoroughly to ever let an ounce of truth penetrate his act. Still, that rarely stopped him from whining, and you doubted he’d make an exception now. You wondered if his persistence was meant to make you feel special, sometimes, but dismissed the thought quickly. He’d take any excuse he was given to be this dramatic. 

“You’re so mean, babe, it’s like you don’t even care about my feelings anymore.” There was a pause, a pout, and slowly, he took a step forward, eyeing the rest of the hall for any bystanders. You were alone, unfortunately. Anyone who wasn’t on the court was watching those lucky enough to play, leaving you and Oikawa as the only ones still wandering the arena. “Karasuno’s changed you. I knew I couldn’t trust those kids with your safety, not when they let you get so-” He scanned over you, his neutral smirk fading into an earnest, cruel sneer. “-cold.”

“I have every right to be cold, especially towards you.” You couldn’t help but cross your arms, narrowing your eyes towards his feet. An alarm went off from somewhere further into the arena, a referee soon yelling something about the score. You listened intently, refusing to give Oikawa the satisfaction of having your full attention. “Aoba Johsai was never the problem. You made my first-year hell, and you would’ve ruined my second year, too, if I hadn’t transferred. The people at Karasuno are nice, and Kageyama is--”

“Tobio is currently playing a match you aren’t watching. Why do you think that is, (Y/n)?” He hummed, a single finger coming up to tap against his lips in thought. As rehearsed as the rest of his speech. “Is it because our favorite little cheerleader doesn’t quite like the team they’ve sided with? Do you think he’s going to lose? Or, is it that you’re tired of him?” At that, his grin returned, toothy and self-satisfied. You grimaced, and he took that as a sign to continue. “Oh, c’mon, I treated you like an angel, it’s only fair that you’re unhappy with someone who looks at you like a piece of meat. Maybe it’s karma. It’s not like you ever appreciated what I did for you.”

“You isolated me.” It was a weak counter, one that barely fazed him. You went on for yourself, rather than him. It wasn’t like he was listening, anyway. “I wasn’t allowed to make friends because you couldn’t understand that I might need someone else. I was miserable, and you were delusional. Kageyama’s… He’s distant, but he doesn’t try to control me. That’s more than I had when I was with you.”

You turned on your heel as you finished, but Oikawa was quick to catch your wrist, keeping you in place with little more than a vice-grip and a sharp pull. “There’s no ‘was’,” He hissed, under his breath, the words barely audible. “We’re together, and we’re going to be together, whether or not you try to hide with your second-rate team. As soon as I graduate, you’re going to see how much of a brat you were. If your boyfriend wasn’t so clingy, I’d be tempted to drag you to the locker room and show you how grateful you should be, or--”

Oikawa stopped, suddenly, pursing his lips and letting you go as abruptly as he’d taken hold. You opened your mouth, not trusting his swift change of heart, but you could hear it too, in a moment. Footsteps, approaching at a feverish pace. A witness Oikawa didn’t care for.

Strong arms wrapped around your waist, stunning you momentarily and giving Oikawa time to take his leave while you were distracted. It didn’t take long for the intruder to show themselves, a mop of disheveled black hair lingering in the corner of your vision as Kageyama pressed his chest against your back, leaning against you like he couldn’t bear to hold up his own weight. He seemed exhausted, labored breaths making themselves apparent as he struggled to draw you closer, but it was only appropriate. From the glimpses of the match you’d caught, their opponent hadn’t been a benign one. It was nothing Karasuno couldn’t handle, though.

He answered before you could ask, his face soon buried in the crook of your shoulder. His favorite place to be, judging by how often he chose to make your skin his home. “We won.”

“That’s great, Tobio.” You tried to make up for your lack of enthusiasm with a smile, reaching back to run your fingers through his messy hair. “I knew you would, you’ve all been working too hard to drop out this early. But, doesn’t Daichi want to--”

“You weren’t there.” The interruption was rash, careless in a way that gave you the impression that he’d done any listening he planned to do. He spoke hurriedly, stumbling through his thoughts with all the grace of a man deprived. Whether it was due to exhaustion or haste, you couldn’t tell, and you certainly didn’t care to ask. “After the first set, I couldn’t find you in the crowd, and I wasn’t sure where you went… I asked you to stay, right? I remember asking you to stay.”

“I just got a little overwhelmed,” You explained, deflating slightly. Kageyama’s grip only tightened, as if to make up the slack. “I’ll be there next time, alright?. I saw Oikawa and I panicked, I wasn’t thinking. I’m really, really sorry.”

“You will be.” You cringed, reaching down to rub soothing, measured circles in Kageyama’s wrist, but he was shaking his head before you could speak, rejecting your attempts at comfort as adamantly as someone so desperate could. His back straightened, and without hesitation, he pulled away, taking you by the hand and beginning to drag you forward, in a direction you weren’t quite sure of. Not towards the court, though, and that was enough to fuel the steady pressure now pressing down on your chest, making it nearly impossible to breathe. You almost wished it would finish the job. “You’re always talking about Oikawa, like he’s the one your dating, like he’s the one that matters, right now. This was supposed to be special, but you had to run away because you were too busy thinking about someone else. It’s unfair. I need you to see that, before I can forgive you.”

Another pull, this one rough, unforgiving. You winced, then crashed into his side as he paused, fiddling with the handle of a plain, white door, giving you just enough time to read the sign lazily tacked onto the metal panel. The painted-on letters were chipped and fading, but its sentence as deadly as any other.

He was taking you to the locker room.

The panic was familiar, your heart beginning to race and your blood rushing past your years as you realized what he intended, and yet, you couldn’t find it in yourself to be surprised. The dread was there, but the shock wasn’t. It couldn’t be. 

Not when Kageyama suddenly looked so much like Oikawa, from behind.

[imagineseclipse]

Hardin Scott x Reader- Living life to the fullest.

Warnings: strong language probably I need to stop swearing, time to purchase a swear jar.

Pairings: Hardin Scott x Reader

Summary: Bookworm but cute ass y/n crushing on Badboy Hardin Scott but oops we’re gonna use the uno reverse card to flip it. What could possibly happen when the badboy crushes on the bookworm🤭

A/N: Instead of using y/f/n=your friends name i have decided to invent two new friends for you🥺

The scorching summer sun was beaming through the window closest to you, providing you with appropriate lighting you needed to read in peace and quiet. Your bottle of iced tea resided in the shade nearby to keep it cool.

Luckily you had managed to wake up early enough to grab one of the best spots on the campsite. Leaving your two best friends Tabby and Liv snoring away back in your shared cabin.

Your legs were folded and your back was resting comfortably on a pillow you had brought with you. Life was so good right now and no one could take that away from you.

That was until a pair of hands slammed down on the table in front of you making you jump out of you skin, a loud scream erupted from your lungs as your book went flying through the air. Around you the room fell silent, a hundred pairs of eyes were on you and you could practically feel your cheeks heating up.

“Tabitha, next time a tap on the shoulder will be just fine”you hissed at your blonde bombshell who slumped down in the seat in front of you.

“Y/n Y/l/n we did not, I repeat we did not spend three months trying to convince you to come to this summer camp for you to just sit and read for the whole six weeks”Liv shook her head with disapproval as she nudged Tabby over a little so she could make room for herself.

“Liv we’ve been here for two days”you furrowed your eyebrows at your brunette best friend.

“It’s day two and Hardin Scott already has his eyes on you”Tabby began to wiggle her eyebrows vigorously.

“Wasn’t I right Tab, he was totally oooogling over at y/n?”Liv clapped her hands excitedly.

“I’m sorry, Hardin Who now?”you spluttered out, looking in between your two girlfriends.

“You aren’t being serious”Liv’s mouth fell open in front of you.

“You don’t know who Hardin Scott is?!”Tabby almost cried.

“Am I supposed to?”You cringed slightly, judging by the expressions on their faces they weren’t going to let this go lightly.

“This is worse than I thought”Liv sunk down into her chair. You began to roll your eyes.

“Olivia-

“So you’re telling me you have never, ever seen that beautiful badboy specimen over there at school?”Tabby pointed towards the front of the canteen, your eyes followed unexpectedly meeting another’s gaze.

Hardin Scott leant over towards his friends, his body language was saying that he was part of their conversation, but his eyes were telling a different story. They were concentrating on you and you only, the girls were right he was gorgeous. A lazy smirk fell onto his face when he noticed your cheeks redden once again from across the room.

“No, I’ve never seen him before”you mumbled, peeling your eyes away from the boy who stood on the other side of the room.

“You seriously live in your books”Tabby tutted out.

“He’s obviously taken a liking to you y/n, why else would he be looking at you like that, you don’t understand Hardin Scott doesn’t date he has literally turned down most girls in our year”Liv exclaimed.

“Maybe he’s looking at me because you just scared me really badly and I practically started yodelling in front of everyone I’m sure he’s probably just laughing at me”you shrugged.

“He doesn’t even look at girls y/n that’s how uninterested he is, but the way he looked at you-

“What? Do you not think he’s attractive?”Tabby asked curiously.

“I may be wearing glasses but I’m not completely blind, the Greek gods literally crafted him”you raised an eyebrow.

“That’s our girl, so go talk to him”Liv nodded her head in his direction.

“You’re joking right? She’s joking isn’t she?”you turned to Tabby who was now stuffing her face with cereal.

“C’mon just live a little y/n”Tabby winked over at you speaking through a mouth full of lucky charms.

“Going up to him is not living, that is social suicide. Like you said he’s the ‘badboy’ I mean how is he even really still wearing his leather jacket in this heat?”You scrunched up your nose at the thought of wearing such material during these hot weather conditions.

“You’re being dramatic”Olivia chuckled before sipping on her water bottle.

“Nope, if I go over there that is seriously like feeding a baby deer to a pack of lions”You shook your head defiantly.

“Okay if you’re not going over to Hardin then let’s go do something else on the live a little bucketlist”Liv pushed herself up from her seat, swiping up the book you had unintentionally thrown.

“I mean- y/n if you’re not going to talk to him maybe-”Tabby fluttered her eyelashes at you playfully, being interrupted by Liv.

“Get a move on Tab, he rejected you twice this month already”Olivia grinned.

“Where are we going?”You bit your nail nervously as you waltzed towards the exit alongside your girl pals.

“Two words. Skinny. Dipping”Tabby clapped her hands.

“Is it too late to go and propose to Hardin?”You groaned.

- -

“So, I have to get in naked?”You frowned at your two best friends who stood in front of you.

“Yes”Tabby nodded slowly.

“And you’re telling me people do this for fun?”You asked again.

“Yes”It was Liv’s turn to explain.

“Do you know what? Let’s do it, I need to let my hair down”you smiled over at your girls.

You began to immediately start stripping down next to the lake absentmindedly throwing your clothes into the many bushes, wasting no time in jumping recklessly naked. You’d never felt so free in your whole entire life.

You could hear and see your friends cheering you on as you resurfaced. They were in the middle of stripping down themselves when they stopped, their eyes widening as they spoke to eachother.

“Why aren’t you guys getting in?!”you began to scream over.

“You’re not gonna like what we have to tell you”Liv called out to you. Rolling your eyes you prepared for the worst.

“We’ve forgotten all the towels”Tabby grimaced. So you weren’t prepared for the worst apparently.

“Where are your clothes?!”Liv screamed as you swam closer to the bank, making sure that your body was fully underwater.

“I threw them in the bushes”you cried out.

“Y’know you’re supposed to be the smartest out of all three of us right?”Tabby called out to you.

“Not one of my proudest moments, I’ll agree”your head fell at an angle as you watched your friends panic in front of you.

“It’s okay, all you have to do is go get the towels and come join me in here so I don’t look like an absolute fool”you stressed.

“The towels yes, I’m on it!”Tabby darted off alongside Liv.

“Not both of you?!”you facepalmed knowing that they were long gone. Hopefully they wouldn’t be too long.

Five minutes turned into ten minutes and you were having no luck, the girls were nowhere to be seen and you could hear the alarm ringing for Camp activities which meant that the girls were probably going to be forced to go rock climbing.

You would be in the water all day, you could already feel your toes becoming wrinkly and it was making you cringe. Not all hope was lost however because from the middle of the lake you could see a figure approaching the edge of the lake through the clearing you had arrived at.

You tried to adjust your eyes properly without your glasses but your vision was still blurry.

Your heart sank back down into your stomach when you realised that the figure you were seeing was in fact Hardin Scott. What was he doing here?!

“No. No, it can’t be. This has to be some sort of nightmare”You grumbled out to yourself, in that moment you ducked under the water holding your breath for as long as you could hoping that he would just go away.

After holding your breath for the maximum amount of time you hit the surface, gasping for air.

Hardin Scott was just about to make his way back to camp when he heard a distant spluttering and gasping. He spun on his heel, narrowing his eyes so that he could make out the shape in the middle of the lake.

It didn’t take him long to realise it was you, he’d be able to pick you out of a crowd if he had to.

“Y/n?! Oh m-shit y/n!!”Hardin began to strip quickly peeling off his t-shirt, throwing it carelessly to the ground.

You bobbed up and down in the water watching Hardin with a confused expression plastered on your face.

“Why is he stripping? Not that I’m complaining but why is he jumping into the-OH HOLY MOTHER”you began to panic, waving your arms around frantically trying to stop Hardin from getting any closer to your naked body.

Hardin watched as your arms began flailing around in the air, if he didn’t get to you soon you would drown and he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself so he continued to swim harder and faster.

Finally he reached you and immediately he reached out to pull your body closer to his.

“NO”you yelled, swimming away slightly.

“I’m trying to save your life, why are you trying to die?!”Hardin yelled at your retreating body.

“I’m not drowning you idiot”you began to scream back. Hardin smirked unintentionally, this was the first time he’d met you, under unusual circumstances but he was intrigued. You intrigued him. He’d often catch you up earlier than the others, pouring yourself an orange juice then disappearing to the corner where you sat peacefully until your best friends turned up.

“Why were you waving your arms in the air like that then?”Hardin exclaimed.

“I was trying to stop you from coming over here”you sighed pinching the bridge of your nose.

“Why would you want to do that?”Hardin grumbled, almost offended that you didn’t actually want his help.

“Y’know I wanted to practice my synchronised swimming”you lied almost falling speechless once seeing the amazing tattoo’s on his skin.

“You need more than one person to practice synchronised swimming y/n”The brown hair boy grinned in front of you, watching you as your cheeks flushed the same shade of red it did earlier that day.

You almost choked on the water you were floating in after hearing him say your name. How did he even know your name?

“You know me?”You blurted out abruptly.

“How could I not know you?”he replied without hesitation.

You furrowed your eyebrows at him, silently asking for an explanation. He didn’t catch on so you decided to just drop it for now.

“So what are you actually doing out here al-”Hardin asked concerned.

“I’m naked okay?! My friends told my I should live my life to the fullest so we decided to try skinny dipping and they left the towels behind so they went to get them and then I’m guessing they got called away to do rock climbing because they haven’t come back”you exploded telling Hardin the truth.

He didn’t laugh at you like you thought he would, instead it looked like the cogs in his brain were working hard.

“Just warning you I can’t really see much, I haven’t got my glasses and my eyes are a bit blurry”you explained, laughing it off.

Unexpectedly he reached forwards, his hands framing your face as he drew closer, but he made sure that he wasn’t too close to you so you felt comfortable. His thumbs lightly ran traces underneath and around your eyes removing the water droplets from your eyelashes.

You were about to thank him however a sneeze got the better of you.

“I’ll be back real soon I promise”Hardin nodded with determination.

“Wha-Where are you going?!”you sighed, watching the handsome boy swim away.

“We can’t have anyone see you naked can we?!”He swam on his back sending you a quick wink.

“Wait Hardin-

Immediately Hardin stopped, hearing you say his name was a moment that he wanted to take in piece by piece. You’d never really noticed him at school when everyone else had so this was a major development.

-Thankyou”you smiled over to him gratefully.

You were only left for a couple of moments before Hardin was rushing back towards the bank. In his arms he held multiple towels and he’d obviously broken into your cabin to get a change of clothes for you.

You laughed to yourself quietly as you swam carefully towards him. He was much sweeter than you thought he’d be, and as expected he was also way more handsome up close. Maybe it wasn’t so bad at all, you found yourself wanting to know more about Hardin, you wouldn’t admit it to your friends but you wanted to ask Hardin out.

“C’mon you’re gonna get sick, you’re already sneezing”Hardin warned as he closed his eyes, waiting for you to step into the towel he was holding out for you.

“You can open your eyes now”you smiled as he wrapped his hoodie around you whilst you dryed off.

“Ahh don’t forget these”Hardin grinned, pulling your glasses out of his pocket.

“So, you know me huh?”you sent him a playful smile before getting dressed. Not forgetting his earlier comment.

“I definitely think I have a soft spot for you Miss. Y/N”Hardin confessed.

“You should come and join me, for uh- orange juice tomorrow morning if you want I know it sounds abit lame or if you want to hang out for the rest of the day we could and-

“Let’s do both”he agreed, smiling happily holding out his hand.

“Tabby I’m blaming you, y/n is going to kill us!”Liv shook her head as the two girls sprinted towards the lake where they’d left y/n for an hour or so.

“I thought I packed them, she’s going to kill me first”Tabby exclaimed, rolling her eyes as the two panicked girls came to the clearing with a pile of towels just in time to see y/n slip her hands into Hardin Scott’s.

“We’ve been gone for an hour and suddenly she’s living life to the fullest more than anyone”Liv clapped her hands together quietly.

[embyrinitalics]

Calamiversary: Link’s POV II

Here’s some more scenes from Link’s POV—about 2.4k worth! (I rly hope this makes up a little bit for the fact that I haven’t updated in two months omg)

But you know how I said that reading through my old stuff makes me cringe? Yeah this is like, way worse. It’s all unedited, and I wrote these in December 2018, so it’s all old. It’s all embarrassing. 😬 But with that disclaimer, I’m going to put my personal feelings aside and let you guys read it if you want 😂

Also now that I’m looking at this I feel like they’re not in chronological order, like that scene with Revali stabbing him should have come after these ones with Mipha, but   o h   w e l l

Here u go!

  Drowning

At first, all that registers is the pain, white and hot across my throat, and the numb realization that I’m going to die.

Of course, it’s not that simple for me.

The half of me that I’m always suppressing senses my weakness, slamming frantically against my defenses in the span of a heartbeat. I have to choose between saving myself and containing it. So I pour everything I am into holding him in, dragging him down with me in a white-knuckled grip. But he fights back.

The pain is agony, a thousand heated needles covering my entire body and then being driven down to the bone in nauseating synchrony. He thrashes in my hold, tendrils of his hate whipping out in places, and my vision blotches white. I feel the deathstroke across my throat heal; the earth quaking beneath my feet; the malice seeping out of me like blood oozing out of a wound.

I can hear myself screaming beyond the war, part agony and part fury. Part man and part beast. It’s slowly tearing me in two, ripping ligaments and shredding flesh as it claws deliriously towards escape. I grapple with him, desperately trying to hold on even as he starts pulling my limbs apart. But I know it’s only a matter of time.

Then I see her. Her light cuts through the pain, through the fear and the hate, brilliant and pure as the sun. I can’t speak; I can only stare, imploring her with my eyes to end me quickly.

She takes my face in her hands and I suck a sudden breath. Her glowing touch is warm and soft, comforting, and not the violent end I had been expecting—the touch of a goddess, and for a moment I can breathe.

Then her light engulfs everything—the woods, my body, and soon my mind. The relief from the pain and the peace of it is so indescribably jarring that I don’t resist, falling headlong into it.

And then I’m drowning. Drowning in the sensation of her between my hands, of the softness of her lips under mine, of the closeness of her. Drowning in sensations that are brand new and millennia old at once. I’m drowning, burning from the inside out, and even though it aches I don’t want it to end.

I remember myself, haltingly, and muster the will to let her go. I drop my forehead against hers, grappling with how much I want her—and with how far I’ve let myself fall. There’s no amount of leniency on her part that could possibly excuse this. But I’m not concerned with the consequences for myself; only with how my lack of self-control must have affected her.

“Forgive me,” I breathe. “That was—”

But she silences me, her soft, delicate fingers brushing my mouth with a feather-light touch that sends another pang of want rippling through my middle. Her eyes pierce into me, unendingly blue and so powerful I can’t help but wonder if it’s her magic. Then she exhales, drifting closer, her eyes falling heavy-lidded to my mouth just before they close completely. And the feeling of her lips meeting mine, electric, breathless, so warm, sends me diving under the surge of sensation again.

I draw her close, losing myself in her. There’s nothing even close to this—her touch, her taste, the sound she makes when I angle her head to deepen the kiss.

And I don’t know why I’ve denied myself for so long. I’ve always wanted her. And now that I’ve tasted this, tasted her—even all the armies in Hyrule couldn’t keep me from her now.

I smile against her mouth. Slaughtering them would be easy.

Through the intoxicated cloud swirling in my brain, the thought snags unpleasantly, like a potent flicker of light in a comfortable darkness. It’s enough to slow me down, enough to make me think.

Enough to make me realize this can’t possibly be real.

I stop, pulling away slowly to search her eyes. So familiar. So beautiful it makes my heart ache.

But she’s been dead for 10,000 years.

I want to ignore it, dive headlong into the illusion of her. But I can’t unsee it. I murmur, breaking the spell, “This isn’t real.”

She blinks, and suddenly she’s different. Still familiar. Still beautiful. Still alive. And then the pieces are snapping into place, and the woman in my hands isn’t the one I loved so many millennia ago. It’s the Zelda of this era, the one who only knows me as I am—as the Calamity. And we’re reliving one of her memories—one of my memories—

And it’s agony. All at once the peace is gone, the gentle, tremulous bit of happiness the memory had lent me and I had been nursing in my heart like a single spark in an endless night, and the hatred is flooding in. The anger. Everything the illusion had been strong enough to veil.

And I remember what I am. I feel the evil pouring through my veins like a poison. I feel it making my heart pound stronger. I feel it coloring my vision and filling me with desires I must never obey.

And it’s agony.

I’m quaking on the inside, partly from fury and partly from shock. And then I erupt.

“What are you doing here?”

She looks as lost as I feel, green eyes glittering with shock and fright. “I—I don’t know—”

“Is this some kind of a joke to you? You think that just because you have her memories that they’re yours to do with as you please?”

“No! I didn’t mean to do this—”

Oh, I want to break her. I want to hold her down and force her to taste some of the pain I have. I want to hear her scream. But I push her away instead, unwilling to give the monster the edge.

“Well undo it!”

She stumbles into the mantel, turning back with that pretty face covered in tears. And the satisfaction and the guilt churning together in my stomach makes me feel sick.

“I don’t know how!” she tries to reason. “It was an accident!”

I turn away and try to breathe. That glimmer of humanity, after 10,000 years without—and then to have it just wrested away—

“This how you operate when you don’t get your way, then?” I bite out before I can rein it in. “Prick the Calamity, see if he bleeds?”

“I told you it was an accident,” she says again, more quietly.

She sounds so miserable. A very small part of me wants to comfort her. But I’m so furious I can hardly see straight. Forcing me to relive this moment—with her—

What was she thinking? What in the name of the gods made her think she had the right? Hadn’t I been through enough? Hadn’t I endured enough torture over the last eon? Did she really have to reach down into my most private, most intimate moments and drag them into the daylight, too? The last, precious fragments of who I was, that I hold onto so fiercely, lest I lose myself completely—

Why?

“Magic doesn’t just materialize out of nothing,” I growl, closing the distance again, propelled by a fresh wave of anger. “What did you want to know? If it would hurt me to relive this? If I could even tell the difference between you?”

She winces like my words had been a slap. “No!”

“Then what?” I grab ahold of her, desperate for this to be over. Desperate to just—just feel nothing. “Do you want me to admit that you remind me of her? That I’m in agony every time I look at you? Is that it?”

“I don’t want anything! Let me go!”

“Would it please you to know that I am?” I murmur, my voice dangerously quiet, and she goes still. “Every time.”

And now, I realize numbly, it will be worse.

Because now she doesn’t just remind me of what I had with my Zelda.

Now I’ve tasted her, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to again.

  Frightening

“I’m sorry about what happened with the Champions,” she says quietly, catching me off guard. “I imagine it was… frightening, losing control like that.”

Yes. Yes, it was. I don’t think I’ve ever been so afraid of anything in my life as I was in that moment, so close to rupturing, so close to tearing her apart with a thought, so close to losing myself completely and destroying everything I love in the aftermath. I want so badly to tell her, to unburden myself. I know she’s hoping I will. And that just… makes the temptation worse. She’s staring through me with unseeing eyes, full of the desire to understand, to heal even a little bit of the damage. I want to pull her closer, taste her again, thread my fingers in her hair and indulge in the warmth of her. I want to lose myself in her touch, in her lips, lose myself to her instead of to the monster working to claw its way out of me. I want to—

Gods!

“You were right,” I manage, finally. “They weren’t to know.”

“How have you been since?” she asks. So eager. So earnest. So gentle. It’s infuriating. “Any lingering effects? Urges to explode?”

“I always feel the urge to explode,” I scoff, grateful for the levity. “But no. The seal is as strong as it ever was.”

  The Zora Princess

We stop to rest and I quietly remove myself. So I can breathe. So they can breathe.

The air tastes clearer once I put some distance between us, like grass and wind and the malice in my mouth instead of the honeyed flavor of their adrenaline. The pressure in the back of my mind eases somewhat without the constant temptation, but the hollow gnaw of the hunger is just as strong as it ever was. I lower myself into the prairie grass, beating back a groan.

The Gerudo and that bird creature are arguing about something. It makes Zelda laugh.

That’s good.

Then the wind shifts and the air tastes of sugar and salt, and I turn towards it slowly. It’s the Zora girl. She’s so short the grass is up to her knees, and her trident has become more of a walking stick than a weapon. She’s so quiet it’s easy to forget she’s there—but she’s one of the Champions, and royalty, if the headdress is any indication. I’m sure she’s stronger than she looks. The fact that she’s confronting me on her own is evidence enough.

I tilt my head at her as she draws close, feeling after that gentle spike in her heart rate as I fix her in my stare. It makes my spine burn.

“Princess,” I greet her quietly. “To what do I owe this honor?”

She leans on her staff, remarkably calm, and I can feel the tendrils of power wafting off her.

“You’re in a great deal of pain,” she says.

My lips move towards a frown as I draw the inevitable conclusion. Just my luck. “You’re a healer.”

“Yes.”

And her magic is a peculiar brand. Very strong, almost magnetized in the way it drifts towards injury. It’s what brought her to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if she could bring someone back from the brink of death.

I contemplate her usefulness for a moment; but I need to go much further than the brink, and that’s well beyond even her abilities.

  Dreamcraft

I carry her up to the campsite, lay her near the fire and rouse it a bit so she isn’t freezing, and then grudgingly lift the sleepweb from the Zora girl. Her eyes open and then drift upwards, like she’s watching the spell float away.

Her eyes settle on me, finally, all golden and rippling, and she says, “You seem better.”

She’s a strange one. No demanding what I’d done, or where I’d gone, or what had happened. But she’s also sharp. Sharp enough that her bold-faced concern makes me feel manipulated. But she’s not wrong. I had been caught up in feeling terrified to notice, but the hunger had faded into background noise. Throbbing, like something swollen. I frown, trying to puzzle out how that had happened.

I finally admit, because it’s too easy to admit things when I’m with her, “We shared a dream.”

“And that helps?”

I can’t be sure if it’s the emotional implosion that follows one of her illusions merely drowning the hunger out, or an actual, measurable, residual effect of her dreamcraft. Either way, it’s worth studying. Which is horrifying.

“Maybe.”

We sit by the fire in silence for a while. That’s easy, too. Almost like we had been friends once, in another life. I’m watching the flames, and she’s watching Zelda, and then so am I.

“Could you enter her dreams now? While she sleeps?”

The idea of sauntering into her mind uninvited worms unpleasantly in whatever scrap of my conscience is left, vaguely reminiscent of guilt. But she’s plowed headlong into mine more than once, so it seems only fair. For some reason that reasoning doesn’t make the worming stop. I still haven’t answered, and her eyes glide to the side of my head. I call up the fire more, loosing a taut, tired sigh at her persistence.

“Possibly.”

It’s noncommittal and non-revealing, which I assume will grind her advance to a halt. But she slips around it like water in that infuriating way she does.

“You should try it sometime,” she says.

I tilt my head at her. “You don’t find the idea of trespassing on her mind morally objectionable?”

She shrugs. “Not as objectionable as you tearing a swathe of Hyrule up by the roots.”

And that’s logic I can hardly argue with. Her eyes say she knows. And suddenly I find the image of her pretty crimson skull smashed against the stone and its contents spattered everywhere very appealing.

“You need her,” she adds, too simply, too condemningly, and I have to swallow down fury and terror.

Because she’s right.

The night drags and drags and drags, dread and disgust whipping me into a tumble of disquiet and every quiet tremble of fear or pleasure from her tempting me into her head.

[zuffer-weird-girl]

May I request where Haru mom is out of prison I guess. Like she try to take Haru back till she sees overhaul s/o with the kids along with haru. This is where she goes with her plan and try to stalk them. Surprisingly haru mom took Overhaul s/o and Haru and things got ugly. So kaito and kin run back home and tell them what happen. I'll let you decide how things end n.n

Jesus Christ you want TWO KILLING MACHINES in here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You could won a trophy at your abilities of maintaining three kids from the yakusa as perfect little angels... even if sometimes they weren't.

Especially the two older ones... Kaito and Haru.

Both being the exact same copies as your husband and Kurono it was quite difficult to control them, but miracles existed. Because these two adored you.

Today you offered to look after them while Chisaki and Kurono were dealing with some things. Both seemed to be hesitant about it, but they were really too busy to argue.

Especially Hari, since he was a single parent and didn't exactly have anyone to take care of his daughter while busy...

Kai of course had to send a body guard, his paranoia was too strong, to accompany you and the kids to the park... a park.

You honestly were already used to it but still bothered it sometimes...

"Look mommy there is a playground on there!" Kaito pointed while Kin gasped in awe.

"Can we go? Can we go?" Your little girl tugged on your shirt, begging with golden shiny eyes.

"Alright. Go have fun!" You exclaimed before you noticed that Haru hadn't moved a muscle. "Ne Haru-chan? Not going?"

"Uh.. yeah is just that... I wanted to talk with you for a moment mrs Chisaki."

You looked in concern at the girl but nodded anyways, looking at the guard and calling for him, asking if he could look at your kids for a moment.

"Its a pleasure looking at Overhaul's kids madam." The guy bowed before following two dark brow haired little deviants.

"So?" Ýou crouched up to be in eye level with her and smiled "What's on your head?"

"N-Nothing much!" She waved her hands before smiling shyly "Is just that I've been thinking on asking something. Kaito is always calling my dad his uncle... so is fair if I want to call you a aunt?"

"... sweety you can call me whatever you want and I would be grateful." You said normally making her giggle.

Seing her reaction was rare but extremely worth it, after all that she's been through, you couldn't budge it. Only fell a extreme pity and concern for Kurono...

"So there are you." A woman voice spoked and those grey eyes of Haru went wide in horror, looking at the figurine behind you.

You took a peak behind you and all of your body tensed at seing the so familiar woman that tormented Kurono's and the intere yakusa's lifes for months... you remember the rage and disgust on your husband's face at having to deal with 'Chrono's mess' as he referred.

You got up quickly and stayed in front of Haru.

"May I help you miss?" You asked coldly whiel she only scoffed.

"I'm here for my daughter bitch. Go bother someone else." Haru gasped before blurting out what she shouldn't have.

"You don't have the right to speak with boss's wife like that!" She placed her hands on her mouth immediately and looked up at you apologetically.

"Ah." The woman cooed darkly before extending her hand threateningly "So I am getting what I had fought for in the end at last... how much will that husband of yours and that arrow haired man bastard will pay to have you two back?"

She used her quirk on both you and Haru and before you could black out you yelled at the kids to run, to get their Chrono and Overhaul... even despite having Haru on your side.

You heard yells before you completly blacked out...

Not this again...

~

"So they're finally going leave us at peace." Chrono sighed in relief as he lowered his mask down amwhile Chisaki checked numbly his phone.

No messages... weird. He told you to send at least one.

"Is my daughter ok?" Chrono asked while looking at his childhood friend, hidding his concern.

Before he could even answer the yells and cries of both his kids startled both of them, Chisaki immediately looking and noticing your absence.

"DAD! IT HAPPENED! " Kaito cried while holding a hysterical crying Kin in his arms.

"What happened?" He growled before kneeling on the ground while Chrono widened his eyes in horror at seing the desperates pleas of forgiveness of the precept.

"THERE WAS A WOMAN THAT TOOK MOMMY AND HARU AWAY!" Kaito cried desperately.

Chrono swore he almost broked his gun with his deadly grip while Kai's eyes went dark as his vision went red.

"... you two go to your rooms and stay in there. Irinaka or Nemoto will be soon on there." He said, calm but still his wrath was evident on his voice. "Now. Kaito, it's a order."

The kid nodded, trying to not just wail in tears like.his three years old sister was doing it.

"M-Mastwr I am deeply sor-"

"I gave you one job. And you failed miserably..." he growled in the most powerful and threatening voice, making the guys shiver in fear.

Chisaki and Kurono walked past him while Kai mumbled angrily that he would deal with him later.

Not many minutes he received a call, demanding some money for the rescue. Chrono eyes went dark as he clenched his jaw in pure hatred at recognizing the voice.

"Count the seconds wrench." Was what Chisaki told her before ending the call, and grabbing his jacket while stepping out of the house with a fuming Hari behind him.

"Please tell me I am allowed to beat the shit out of that prostitute." Chrono growled while placing his mask back on and adjusting his gun.

"Do what you wish." He said, no caring that his gloves were already overhauled.

~

"I guess he only uses you for fucking, isn't that right missy?" She said while lifting her nose up in arrogance.

"Can you watch your vocabulary at leas?" You groaned while trying to calm down the little white haired girl "It's your own daughter in here for Christ's sake. Don't you have a heart?"

The woman laughed bitterly nefore standing uo from her chair and acting her quirk.

"This little shit, was the only thing that could grant me a better future, even if I never loved that men, he was quite good on his experiences and it was even a sweetheart but please-!" She laughed while pointing at you "We are only seeking for one thing to have those two as company right friend? Their power, their money... their glory."

You scoffed "Is this what is all about? Jesus Christ dont ever compare me with you. You're sick."

You cringed whem you noticed that you had used the exact same words as your husband but shrugged off shortly after... it was true after all.

"You think you're soo powerful and the naddest bitch of them all just because you were lucky to get the leader, right?" She grabbed one knife close to her and started to walk towards you "Tic toc for that husband and friend of his."

"... I woild actually recommend.that you didn't did that. For your own good actually." You said suddenly, making the woman laugh in sarcasm.

"Or what? I know you're quirkless so you can't exactly do mu-" she yelped before dodging one arrow coming at her upper arm.

"I warned you." You sighed before you felt the ground trembling as a wave of concrete threw you in the air while Haru on the other.

You yelped at first but immediately relaxed at falling to those comforting arms you were so used to by now.

"Angel, you're okay?" He whispered close to your ear, not even once daring to let go or ease up his hold on you.

The woman tried to grab Haru but ghis time she was shoted on the shoulder as well as a arrow sucefully cutted her left cheek, lefting her like a statue, falling miserably to the ground.

"HARU!" Chrono shouted as he went to his daughter and holded her close to his chest.

"Papa I'm so sorry!" She whimpered on his white hoddie as she cling to him "It was my fault! I told her that mrs (Y/N) was the boss's wife a-and she got the upper hand on-"

"Its not your damn fault ok? You weren't the one who asked for tjis to happen." He picked her up and walked towards you and Kai... not before stopping by a few centimeters away from the woman and whispering to his daughter to cover her ears.

"I shot you with the longest one..." he growled , staring at her dead in the eyes "Not satisfied with the prison? Congrats, because now you will just bleed until you die in this fucking basement." He walked towards you two, Chisaki letting you down bit still holding onto your waist.

"Take her outside for a bit for me? It will not take much." You looked aprehensive at him before looking at your husband.

In his face sayed absolutely nothing, only in his eyes that you could so well read it, was hinted the extreme rage, hatred and the 'I want this person to suffer until they're dead', while he slowly nodded and pushed you with his hand on your lower back outside.

You immediately covered Haru's ears while Chisaki covres yours when the sounds of a gun were echoed.

Hari got out shortly after and thanked both you and Chisaki before scooping his daughter up in his arms.

"No longer she will haunt us flower. That's for sure." He whispered to her after waiting for you two to go in the front.

You felt Kai's eyes on you, checking for any possible injuries but you only assured him with a sweet 'thank you' as you leaned your head against his chest.

You knew that by the way he didn't scoffed heartily at you but instead enveloped his arms to put you close, you weren't getting out of the Shie Hassaikai's house without his AND HIS ONLY company...

[lupy22]

Primitive Instincts

Summary: Another long walk home after a long night of bartending seemed normal for the Reader. Until she has her identity mistaken for someone who has a target on their back. Once the hitman realizes he has the wrong woman he keeps her locked away in his home and she soon realizes that Ubbe is not just a hitman. He's a savage that runs on his primitive instincts. Series Warnings: Kidnapping, violence, sexual tension, smut, nsfw, drinking and drug use, dark!fic, Savage!Ubbe, 

Something seemed wrong to you. Although you were walking by yourself in the dark, it never bothered you before. But for some reason you felt more alert than usual. You always walked home after a late shift at the bar, and you never felt paranoid. So, you stopped and glanced around. Home wasn't far. You just had a few minutes left and you would be home. But as you continued forward, you noticed a car stopped on the side of the road right next to the liquor store that was obviously closed. There was a man leaning up against it. It didn't scare you, he was just another person who was proabably lost. "Excuse me, Miss. Do you know where the closest hotel is?" The man asked. You couldn't see his face that good. But you could tell he was tall. Before you could even think of a reply a strong force rammed you right into the car. You fell on the concrete and groaned as the world around you began to spin. "Get the rope." You heard a man's voice. Shit. Shit. Shit! Of course you would get kidnapped. The town you lived in was like a fucking ghost town. Everything was spaced out. Closest neighbor was probably 2 miles away. And everyone else from the bar was already too far gone to hear you, even if you could scream. You could feel a pair of hands grab you but you couldn't fight back. Your vision was slowly fading and you knew right then and there, you were fucked. 

*** Everything came back to you when you heard a car door slam shut. Darkness engulfed you and when you shuffled around you felt the rug material rub against you. That bastard locked you in the trunk. Suddenly the trunk popped open and a bright light was beaming down in your face. “Now, don’t make this harder than it has to be.” The stranger from the liquor store spoke in his gravelly voice. “Fuck you.” You spat. “Would, if I could. Trust me.” He shot back. You felt his hands run to your backside and you turned to grip his wrists. “Easy, Princess, just need to see your wallet first. You see, I work for this big secret agency that hires people like me to kill people, no questions asked, just the good old -” He clicked his tongue, “and making them disappear. But the problem is they don’t pay unless I prove to them that you were the right person.” The moment you processed his words you felt tears begin to grow in your eyes. He was going to kill you? No, this had to be a mistake. “There’s a mistake somewhere. I never do anything wrong!” You cried out. You saw him move the flashlight down to your ID. He brought the light back to your face. “Oh, fuck!” He cursed. “What’s wrong, Ubbe?” The other man asked. “It’s not her! We got the wrong woman!” The man you assumed was Ubbe growled and threw your wallet at his chest. “Well, jig is up, let’s just kill her!” The other man pulled out a gun. You crunched up and covered your head with your arm. “No! As tempting as that is, I don’t feel like killing unless there’s money involved.” Ubbe replied. “Well then, Brother, what do you want to do?” Ubbe didn’t answer. Or at least you didn’t get to hear it because he slammed the tip of his flashlight right into your forehead and your vision became nothing but a pit of darkness. *** The next time you woke up you weren’t in the trunk of a car. You woke up on a tiled floor next to a… Toilet? You tried to move but you were handcuffed to the toilet. “What the fuck?” You whispered. Then you heard a loud slam. And another coming from… Somewhere but you were obviously alone in the bathroom and the door was shut. “Oh! Oh!” The sound of another girl crying made you look around. “Oh Ubbe! Yess! Right there!” She moaned. “Yeah, baby girl, just like that.” Ubbe groaned. “Oh, you have got to be shitting me.” You started tugging on the handcuffs. “Ubbe! I-I-I” The girl let out a loud wail and you cringed at the sound. Did she even know that you were handcuffed in the bathroom, being held against your will? Would she still have been moaning and wanting him if she really knew? “Hey! Somebody! Let me out!” You screamed. The door opened behind you and peaked over your shoulder to see Ubbe pulling down a white shirt. He was in a pair of loose grey sweatpants that hung low on his hips. You quickly averted your eyes. “I said Im coming! Fucking take a chill pill.” Ubbe stepped over you and sat on the edge of the tub. “Can you let me out of these cuffs now?” You asked. Ubbe pulled out a cigarette and slid it between his lips. “Not until we have a talk about your attitude and how it needs to change.” You waved your hands so the metal chains would clank against the pipes. “Im chained up in the most uncomfortable position so forgive me for not feeling like a ray of sunshine!” Ubbe lit his cigarette and looked down at you through the cloud of smoke. His eyes were an intense blue and his hair was a dirty blonde. Almost red. And he was… Gorgeous. “So I saved your life do you know what that means?” Ubbe asked as he ashed his cigarette. “That your an idiot for kidnapping the wrong girl?” You replied. Ubbe chuckled. “I’m a lot smarter than you because if I was in your position I would be showing more respect to the man that I owed my life to.” You swallowed the lump that was starting to grow in your throat. “You were the one that fucked up. How is any of that my problem? Besides if you let me go I won’t say a damn thing. I have better things to do than try to have you arrested.” You tried to reason with him. “Im sure you do, but me keeping you here is not because I can. . Well it sort of is but more because you owe me your life.” You scowled. Ubbe took a drag of his cigarette before he flicked it in the sink and crouched down beside you. He suddenly seemed more intimidating up close in your personal space. “I won’t take any of your disrespect. Like it or not, I fucking own you now. And in my home you will behave how I want or there will be consequences.” He threatened. You forced yourself to look at the toilet instead of at those intense blue eyes. His words were making your heart race. But Ubbe wasn’t having it. He reached out and grabbed your chin to make you look back at him. You glared at the handsome criminal. “Im curious, just what kind of consequences would it be? Please say its whips and chains because that just excites me.” You sneered. Ubbe smiled and brushed the pad of his thumb against your bottom lip. “Something you should know, Y/N. I have an older brother who likes to go in some very dark places. He’s taught me quite a few things. For instance, have you ever heard of a spider gag?” You felt whatever sarcastic smirk you had fade quickly. You didn’t know what a spider gag was but from the feral look in is eyes you could tell it wouldn’t be fun for you. Ubbe kept his smile as he focused his eyes on your mouth. “Its a gag that you tie around a woman’s face and instead of having some ball or cloth it has a metal circle that forces the woman’s mouth open. Imagine what could happen to a woman like that? She’d be stuck on her knees for hours.” Your heart pounded with each word that was spoken. Any smart remark you kept at the back of your head was suddenly gone. He wouldn’t… Would he? Ubbe patted your cheek in a condescending kind of way. “Now that’s the look to give off.” "So, what? I'm supposed to just lay here like this?" You questioned. He moved to stand up and even stepped over you. You thought he was going to sit on you or. . . Or something! But what you didn't expect was to watch him lift the toilet seat up. "Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me!" You growled as you tried to move back and closed your eyes. "What? You scared of my dick or something?" He questioned. You cringed at the sound of him pissing in the toilet. "You better not fucking piss on me!" He chuckled. "Well, if that was your thing. . . " You could feel your face burn. He was one hell of an egotistical pyscho. He flushed the toilet and started washing his hands. "It's a shame, you missed my party. Don't worry there will be others. But until then. . . I'm gonna need you to keep those." He pointed at the handcuffs. "Or you can take these and shove one cuff up your ass while using the other to squish your balls, you fucking pyscho!" You snapped. It got quiet. Deadly quiet. "Okay, your sass is as cute as your ass, but I'm getting tired of it." He reached behind him and pulled out a gun. "You got 3 options here. One, You stop the attitude and keep the handcuffs on like a good girl. Two, you don't and I shoot you and end up having to hide the body (which I really don't want to do). Or Three, I can bend you over and fuck that attitude out of you!" Well then. . . You quickly turned your head and bit your tongue. He chuckled and pulled out a small key. "Now, don't try anything stupid." He warned. The moment you felt one of the handcuffs loosen, you pulled your hand out and quickly rolled over. You barely made it to your feet and you felt his hand pull your wrist back. He didn't tug you back towards him. Oh, no. That would have been too nice! Instead he twisted your arm behind your back and forced you face first into the closest wall. You turned your head to the side as he grabbed your other hand and held them both behind your back. If he wasn't right behind you, you would have kicked yourself away from the wall. But his chest was literally pressing into your back. And from the feeling on your backside, his chest wasn't the only thing pressed against you. "So, are you saying you choose option 3? You want me to bend you over and fuck that attitude out of you?" He grinded his erection into your backside. Your whole body burned and hot tingles flooded between your thighs. Normally you would shot out some witty comeback, most likely one about his size. But from what you felt. . . His cock was nothing to joke about. And he was in sweatpants you practically felt every inch of him between your thighs and. . . And. . . Ohhhh. He positioned himself even closer and you could feel the tips of his erection rub between your legs. Your heart was ready to leap out of your chest. It felt so good. And with every thrust, he made you forget where you were. Your eyes were too busy rolling to the back of your head as the tip of his cock brushed against your clit. "But, now that I think if it. . . If I fuck you, that would be giving you what you want." He pulled away and cuffed your hands behind your arms. You nearly choked on your spit as you felt the cool breeze rush between your thighs. That fucking asshole!!! "Come on, since you wanna try playing Miss Sneaky." He grabbed you by the arm and finally let you out of the bathroom. You forced your eyes around the place. It could be a life saver to know every inch of your surroundings. First thing you noticed was a big wooden door about 10 feet away. There was a railing beside you and thats when you realized that you weren't on the first floor. You walked down 12 steps and came to a landing. If you walked straight you would be in a hallway with 3 more doors. But Ubbe didn't take you straight, he turned and went down 10 more steps. "So, Ubbe. . . You do this often?" You quipped. Ubbe rolled his eyes and walked you into a den area. Red solo cups were everywhere. Everything was trashed. There were all sorts of marijuana paraphernalia all over the tables. Bongs, bowls, and joints in the ashtrays. Fuck, it was like he was a college student or something. "Clean this place up. And don't try to run." He uncuffed your hands and shoved the barrel of his gun in your face. "Do I look like some kind of maid to you? You can't do this!" You argued. Ubbe began pushing miscellaneous objects off the table. The sound of glass shattering made you freeze. He slapped his hand down on the wooden table and looked at you. You didn't move, completely confused as to what he wanted. He lifted his hand up and waved his fingers in a come-here motion. Again. You didn't move. He waved his gun a you pointed at the table. "Come on, Princess. I'm not gonna hurt you." He tapped his hand on the table. You sighed and walked over to the table. He grabbed you by the hips and placed you on the table with little effort. He yanked your legs open and pushed his fingers against your jeans and began rubbing them. You gasped and opened your mouth to spit out some hurtful words but your voice died and the only thing that came out was a moan. Ubbe smiled and dug his teeth in his bottom lip. "I see what the problem is now, you just need a little attitude adjustment." Your hips rolled at his touch. It was as if your body had a mind of its own. Why you were letting him touch you was a something beyond your comprehension. All you could understand was that it felt good. His eyes locked onto yours and he started moving his fingers in fast circles. Please. Don't. Stop. You bucked your hips up and moaned. He leaned down and you thought he was going to kiss you. But his face steered off to the side by your ear. "You look like you're enjoying this. I knew I made you wet the moment I rubbed my dick against you." You didn't pay much attention to his words as you were too busy focusing on the feeling of his fingers rub against you. Your clit was throbbing and with every stroke of his fingers, you could feel your orgasm building up. But this wasn't like you at all. The last guy that tried to touch you without your permission ended up with a broken nose from the cue ball you had used to smash in his face. The only reason you were gonna let this slide was because. . . Because. . . All the muscles in your body began to tighten as he moved his fingers in fast little circles. Your legs trembled and the bottom of your stomach filled with a warm tingling sensation. As you continued rubbing against Ubbe's fingers, the warm tingles traveled down to your trembling thighs and your body clenched tight. You could feel the wet heat flood your panties as your orgasm rippled waves of pleasure. Ubbe moved his fingers away from your sensitive core. "See? I bet you feel much better now." He commented. You scowled and sent him your meanest glare. "Now, you see this mess? Clean it up." He ordered as he stepped away from you. @rekdreams247 @synnersaint @ivars-heathen @kamcrazy123​ @sw-eat-ing @cracraforfandoms​ @rrwilson66 @danicalifornia25​ @bugalouie​ @sconniebelle​ @oddsnendsfanfics​ @romanchronicles @awesome-as-i-wanna-be​ @titty-teetee​ @sodanova​ @manuugxlvis @thelittlefoxxh @girlwhoisfearless​ @demonhunter1616 @laketaj24 @kenzieam @kirah34 @alyhavoc @unicorn-glitter-princess @come-with-me-and-imagine​ @happys-crazy-queen22​ @radi0active-thoughts​ @fuckyou-and-fuckthis @pandainfinitely​ @tomarisela @sebatrash @readsalot73​ @lol-haha-joke​ @wolfyparty​ @2loveeverything2 @missbrightlyred @redheadedtrollop​ @imagine-this-motherfucker​ @thatonepuremoment @readallday24-7 @tonguepopper @pebblesz892​ @allyn-alice @igetcarriedawaywithyou​ @hells-helvig @wish-i-was-a-mermaid​ @dangerous-like-a-loaded-pistol​ @claryfray1698 @lunarbear93​ @heksesang @tothetardissterek​ @diehardspnfan​ @67chevycamaro​ @lovelynerdytraveler @lisinfleur​ @sydneyforester @amour-quinn @turner-cris​ @keya168 @bookswillfindyouaway​ @funmadonahoghbadassvikings @ivarthefuckboy @breathlesssouls @vikingsmania​ @nyxveracity​ @ivarsrideordie​ @singingunderthestars @sugasosh @awesomerextyphoon​ @earthsmightiestasses @hoeghfabulous @shadowpriestess6​ @lynn-nolastname @taylor-douglas97 @ginger-rae1991 @bappo-no-yeet @in-spades-031 @cutiebubbleboo​ @attorneyl​ @tgrrose​ @dehydrated-and-depressed​ @squirrelacornglitterfarts @captstefanbrant @tephi101​ @observing-unicorns​ @ahhhhkeya​ @djisfantastic​ @morganeiter @neeadinghugs​ @maudjhexx​ @naaladareia @daughterofthenight117​ @mythi-quill @fairies-tell-tales​ @gold-dragon-slayer​ @therealcalicali​ @queenbbarnes​ @two-unbeatable-beaters​ @tootie-fruity​ @mamabearlovr​ @vicmackeybullshxt​ @zoetrope1997​ @plentyoffandoms​ @omarsiglia​ @lisinfleur

[bleachanimefan1]

Oblitus Part 24

I Need A Hero

43 Days Left Until Extermination...

Niffty groaned opening her eye looking around to see that she was in a dark room. She struggled to get up only to find the she was bound and tied up to a chair. "Where am I?" 

Then it all back to her. Baxter and her were enjoying there date until a tall pig demon interrupted them. The last thing she remembered was Baxter lying on the ground as the demon started beating him up throwing punches and kicks until her vision went dark as she punched as well, knocked unconscious. Suddenly, there was a shuffle in the darkness.

"Baxter!" Niffty called out frantically. "Is that you?" A light came on revealing the pig demon standing in front of her with huge sickening grin that sent shivers down her spine.  

"Afraid not, just me." The demon replied. They were in a butchery factory.  Niffty looked around nervously seeing some "meat" hanging on hooks as well as some left over corpses of demons half decayed. There an assortment varieties of cutting tools hanging on the wall. Not to far off in the room, there was a large grinder that was on as it grinded up of the meat. She didn't see Baxter anywhere. Niffty gulped nervously turned her attention to the pig demon.

"What did you do him?" She asked.

"He's probably still lying ground beaten to a bloody pulp thanks to yours truly. He's definitely some others demon's meal or if not the crows will finish him." 

 "You bastard!" Niffty screamed.

 The pig laughed and began to advance towards the cyclops demon. "My what colorful language you have. You certainly have changed, my dear." He brushed Niffty's cheek with his hand, while she moved her head away.

"What are you talking about? I don't know you!" Niffty shouted. "Let me go!" 

The pig demon had an evil glint in in his eyes which made Niffty's blood run cold. Dark cold eyes, black as coal, stared back into hers as if they were staring straight into her soul.

"Maybe, this will help?" The demon started as he began circling around Niffty like a vulture. A predator hungry for his prey. "Long ago, there was a woman who was deeply devoted to her husband. She was submissive and obedient and did everything to please him in every way. In return, her husband gave her everything that she could have ever wanted: a house, food and the clothes on her back. However, one day everything changed. How did the wife repay him? By selfishly stabbing him, repeatedly, in the back!" He barked angrily as he finished. Niffty's eyes widened. It couldn't be...

"You!" She gasped in fear.

"Yes, me! The man who gave you everything, you little bitch!" Her ex spatted angrily right into her face. She cringed as she felt some spit hit her cheeks.

"You gave me no choice!" Niffty defended. "I couldn't take it anymore. I had to protect myself!" She looked down pausing, as she trembled hands shaking in fear. "How did you even find me?"

Niffty's ex grinned. "I saw the radio demon's and some other preachy slut show advertising the princess's ridiculous hotel idea. Guess who was the center of the entertainment...you." Niffty stared quietly at him not saying a word as she stunned with shock.

"You know, I am willing to give you another chance and forgive you, if you come back to me." Her ex said. "I'll even forgive you for cheating on me with that worthless pathetic nerd. Just drop this redemption nonsense and come back to me." 

She glared up at him with a burning fire in her eye. "Go. to. hell." She hissed.

"You are nothing compared to him. You are nothing but a mere shell of the man that I once loved. The beatings, the humiliation, that's not love. I only realized that when I met Baxter. He's gentle, kind, sometimes quirky and twitchy and shy but that's what I love about him. He would never hurt me like you did. My Baxter is better than you in every way." Niffty laughed. "And at least he can get it up." She finished gesturing with her finger pointing it upwards. Her ex glared furiously at her with his teeth snarling.

"Well, you left me with no choice," Her ex turned around and began rummaging through the doors of the desk searching for something. Niffty struggled to get free from her ropes. "What are doing?!"

Niffty stiffened as she saw her ex husband turned around. Her looked down and her eyes widened seeing an angel's weapon, a crossbow, in his hand. He wouldn't...

"What ever you are planning to do, don't. We can talk it out please!" Niffty pleaded. "I'm sorry for what I did to you! You have to let it go!" 

Her ex fixed the arrow string setting it up. "Till death do us part my dear," he replied. "Once I use this on you, I'll use it myself." Niffty shook her head desperately trying to break her ropes. But, she wasn't strong enough.

"Please, don't do this!" She exclaimed. "You know what happens to demons once there killed with an angel's weapon. There's no coming back!"

"I know what happens, I've made up my mind," Her ex answered. He aimed the bow directly at her. "I won't let anyone have you, especially not by some scientist bastard. It'll be just you and me, forever. Whether it's double hell or oblivion, I'll take my chances."

"No!" Nifty screamed, shutting her eye tightly.

The arrow fired heading directly towards her. As it inch closer, it suddenly missed as Niffty was knocked down. The bolt embedded itself in the wall. The chair toppled over and landed on it's side. Niffty opened her eye and saw that it was a shadow that made it fall. Niffty gasped as she felt her body relax, relieved to see one of Alastor's shadow. Her ex eyes widened in shock.

"What the hell?!" He shouted.

The door slammed open as Alastor kicked it open. Shoes clacked on the floor as the deer demon walked in the room along with everyone else. Baxter ran over to Niffty untying the ropes.

"You came!" Niffty cried. She hugged him tightly not wanting to let go, scared that she would loose him again. 

"Have a little faith in me," Baxter wiped away the tears that were staining her cheeks with his thumb. "Of course I did. "

The pig demon backed away from the group, while nervously staring at the red grinning deer demon that was in front of him in fear.

"So I assume you are the miserable lowlife that took her?" Alastor questioned still grinning. Niffty's ex shook body trembling in fear, teeth chattering as he nervously sweated. He didn't answer him.

"Speak up, My dear lad!" Alastor declared. "I can't hear you!"

"Y-Yes..." 

"Good man!" Alastor smiled, pleased. Anna walked over to Niffty and Baxter.

"Are you alright?" She asked. Niffty nodded. Anna turned her head back over towards Niffty's ex.

"Why did you take her?" she asked. Niffty's ex glared at everyone in the room.

"That little bitch betrayed me!" Niffty's ex growled. 

"Language, sir! There are ladies present!" Alastor interrupted. He was gripping his staff tightly in his hand. He wanted to snap his neck.

"You need to let this go," Anna pressed. "Getting revenge is not going to do you any good."

"She's right, " Charlie agreed. "And we can help you!" Niffty's ex let out a strange laugh, shaking his head.

"You know what? Fuck you!" Niffty's ex glared at Anna and Charlie dangerously with a low growl. "I don't need some preachy little sluts telling me what I should of shouldn't do!" He roared angrily. Anna backed away a little scared. He was too far gone, out of it. 

The pig demon fired an arrow at Anna and Alastor pulled her out of the way. The two landed on the floor with a thud. Anna on the bottom, Alastor on top of her. He growled, slowly turning his head, creaking as it did, towards the demon. As Alastor stood up, his body began to grow along with his antlers. Growing longer, gangly, and higher, becoming more deformed. A loud static followed by a eerie screech soon followed. Anna stared at the monstrous form with wide eyes, fearfully as did everybody else.

Niffty's ex stared in horror as he ready the crossbow aiming at Alastor, firing it. The bolt shot out heading towards the deer demon but Alastor caught it. The arrow hissed in his hand, burning it. He chuckled darkly as black eyes filled with static stared back at the cowering demon in front of him. In a flash, Alastor lunged forward stabbing the arrow deeply into Niffty's ex head.

 Her ex stumbled back, falling backwards, right into the meat grinder. A sickening crunching sound was heard until the machine stopped. Everyone stared in stunned silence in horror and In shock. Alastor shrunk back down to his normal form, then bend down and picked up some of the chopped up bits of whatever that was left Niffty's ex.

Alastor laughed. "Well, that's unfortunate." As he turned to face the others, he paused seeing Charlie's angry gaze at him.

"Alastor, why did you do that?!" She screamed, furiously. Alastor stared back with wide eyes and a large smile.

"I do believe that Niffty has been saved." He replied.

"You didn't have to kill him!" Chad shouted. "He could've gotten help!"

"No, he wouldn't," Anna answered. Charlie turned to her with wide eyes. 

"He was too far gone." Anna explained as she continued. "I saw it in his eyes and I tried to reach out to him. He was driven by pride and revenge, which ultimately lead to his demise in the end."

"You don't know that. Maybe, there could've been some other way..." Anna shook her head.

"Charlie, I'm sorry. But, there wasn't." Anna said. 

Suddenly, Niffty's contract drifted out of Alastor's suit pocket, hovering in the air. The it started ripping itself to pieces.  Everyone stared at it confused.

"What's going on?" Vaggie asked.

Alastor smiled. "Well, it seems you are no longer in need of my protection. That was the deal, was it not?" He explained.

Suddenly, Niffty was met with an overwhelming pain which brought her to her knees. She gripped her head tightly, screaming. Baxter kneeled down beside her in worry.

"What's wrong?!"

"My whole body hurts. " Niffty moaned. "It feels like it's on fire."

Suddenly, there was a bright light, blinding everyone. As it dimmed, everyone's eyes widened in shock staring in disbelief at what's in front of them. A pale woman with strawberry blond hair, a pair of two hazel eyes fluttered under thick eyelashes. Her was height was medium sized but still small skinny arms and legs. She was wearing Niffty's dress, in fact, it was Niffty. She was back in her original human form. She stared at her hands shock still not believing what she was seeing as well.

"I-I can't believe it..." The princess murmured still stunned in shock and disbelief. "You've been redeemed!"

"You can leave!" Vaggie exclaimed. Niffty shook her head.

"I'm not going without Baxter!" She stated. 

"I guess she can stay at the hotel in the meantime until we can figure this out. I'm going to call my dad and give him the news. He's not going to believe this!" Charlie explained.

As everyone left the room, Anna turned to Alastor seeing him looking over some of the meat. She felt her heart beat faster at the sight of him. He was so majestic and even more alluring than she noticed. Anna hated to admit but, she was falling more in love him. Then Anna heard crunching sounds as she snapped out of her thoughts to see Alastor munching on some of the meat that was splattered. On second thought, maybe not....

Alastor stopped seeing her staring at him. 

"Oh pardon me where are my manners. Do you want some?" He offered handing some out to her. Anna cringed in disgust.

"No thanks," She replied , feeling like she was going to throw up. "Let's just go."

Alastor shrugged. "More for me then." He followed after her, leaving.

Unbeknownst to everyone, high above the city, there was a floating white planet with a ring around it like a halo. A winged figure with blond hair, steel grey eyes, dressed in a black suit, an exterminator. He stared down at the city with an emotionless expression with a hint of disgust in his eyes. Another angel landed beside him looking down at the city below. He had blond hair as well, however slightly more curly, blue eyes and rosy red cheeks, wearing a white suit and armor pads adorned his shoulders. He looked completely identical to the king of hell, in fact he was his twin.

"Gabriel, what's wrong?" The blue eyed angel asked. 

"I sense a strong disturbance below us, Michael. It's coming from that traitor's city." Gabriel replied. "It's unnatural."

 He stretched his wings out. "I'm going down there see what's up. Don't tell, father." 

"No!" Michael hissed. "You know that we're not allowed! Have you've forgotten our dad's and brother's truce. We are not to interfere with Luci's business and he the same with ours!"

"Don't call him that!" Gabriel snapped. "He lost the right to be called our brother the moment he abandoned us!"

Michael backed away in stunned silence. "Gabriel..."

"You can come or not. Either way, I'm going down there, truce or not!" Gabriel declared. He took off heading down towards the city. 

As everyone arrived at the hotel, they stopped seeing that the door was opened. Maybe one of the guests forgot? Charlie looked down and saw a bouquet of white and red roses on the doorstep. She paused seeing them and picked it up. She opened the door more and inside the standing in the lobby was a tall man. He had pale grey skin, red eyes green and yellow pupils, dressed in a green suit with a yellow bowtie and outline and top hat with sharp edges at the top that looked like teeth and eyes as  well. The princess dropped the flowers staring at the man in shock.

"it can't be..." Charlie gasped staring in disbelief. Vaggie had her spear out pointing it at him.

"Seviathian..."

[mackinmacki]

Those in Glass Houses (White Rose Week #1)

Fandom: RWBY

Pairing: White Rose

Word Count: 5197

Rating: G

Synopsis: Weiss has a tough time dealing with her past actions, wondering if the girl she loves can ever forgive her for how she acted.

Prompt: Mirror

Links: FFN | AO3 

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'Tell me: what do you see?' She stared blankly at the wall, every inch covered in mirrors. They were all shiny and clean, as if someone had just taken an entire bottle of Windex to them. All she could see in them was herself, her piercing blue eyes empty as they looked back at her. It felt like she could see through herself, right into the depths of her very soul. Every day, she loathed the person she saw staring back.

"I see a weak-willed girl," she whispered, stepping forward. She pressed her fingertips against the mirrored wall, watching her reflection duplicate her actions. It felt like she could feel a cool touch against her fingers, like her reflection was trying to break free of its confines. "I see..." She swallowed thickly, feeling a couple errant tears start to trickle down her cheek. "I see someone who doesn't know who she is."

'Curious...' She turned around, surrounded by the sad, judgmental looks of her reflections. They were everywhere. The mirrors covered every wall, as well as the floor beneath her and the ceiling above her. There was no escaping the bitter truth that she was forced to swallow every day. 'You know who you are, Weiss. It's who you have been ever since you were born. Some would call it destiny.'

"I don't believe you." Truthfully, she didn't want to believe it. However, she couldn't help but feel some sort of truth within those words. She had grown up to become exactly like everyone expected her to be: a haughty, judgmental brat who couldn't get anywhere without the wealth and privilege that her family name brought. If she had been born the exact same person, but without the Schnee name dragging behind her like a ball and chain, she would be nothing.

'Think about all the terrible things you've said. All the things you've done.' She felt a cold breeze tickling her skin, making her instinctively hug herself to try and find some semblance of warmth. 'Do you really think Blake respects you when you hate her kind?' Without thinking about it, she lifted up a hand and touched the scar on her face, blinking back tears. 'Do you think Ruby cares for you when you've shown her nothing but disdain every step of the way?'

"She does," but her words held no conviction. In the mirrors, she watched a memory play out: the first time she and Ruby met at Beacon. She cringed when she watched her reaction to Ruby running into her and knocking over her luggage. While it had been an annoying occurrence, her response was beyond the pale. She had treated a stranger the same way everyone believed she would: like they were an annoyance that needed to be eliminated from her life. If she could just close her eyes, she could pretend that her actions in the past were all fictitious.

Unfortunately, she couldn't close her eyes, so she was forced to watch every terrible thing she had said and done be recreated by her reflection. She struggled as she heard the horrendous things she said about faunus, all right to Blake's face. For the first time, she could see Ruby's face throughout that scene. There was clear confusion and disappointment written all over it. She felt like she was being stabbed in the heart.

Each time she watched herself say something unnecessarily rude to Ruby, she felt the girl she loved slipping farther away. It hadn't hit her that she had such strong feelings for Ruby until it was too late, which was poetic justice if she had ever heard of it. Only she could be so rude to a person she'd end up loving. It was just who she was, after all. That was the kind of attitude everyone expected from a Schnee, and she did nothing to buck those trends.

'You see? How could anyone want to be near you when you act like that?' She wanted to say that it wasn't true: that she was a changed person, and she would never act that way anymore. What did that matter, though? Even if she was changed, she had still acted that way. Nothing there was false: she had been that rude, that horrible to be around. All of her friends abandoning her was proper penance for the way she had treated them. Tears fell nonstop now, blurring her vision as she watched her reflection swim around the glass.

'Your eye isn't the only place you hold scars.' Through the tears, she watched her reflection point all over her body before letting her finger hover over her heart. 'You are scarred everywhere. You are nothing but a miserable pile of scars, stitched together to become a semblance of a human being.' Each time she attempted to deny the truth that was ringing in her ears, she was forced to choke back a sob, and the words would die on her throat again and again.

She wiped away her tears, only to see something more horrific than anything she had done in the past. Her reflection started transforming right in front of her. She was growing taller, her hair shortening as her pristine white dress tightened up into an immaculate suit. With a rapidly-drying throat, she could only watch in horror as she transformed into her father.

"No..." Her voice was merely a whisper as she stared into the dark, uncaring eyes of her father. 'This is who you were always meant to become.' She shook her head fervently, not wanting to believe it. "I will never become him." If she said it enough times, maybe she could truly believe it herself. "I won't be him, I won't be him, I won't-" 'You're the heir to the Schnee Dust Company, are you not? Is it not your destiny to take his mantle someday? To run the company just as he has.'

"No! I would never!" She shouted at the voice, trying to sound more convincing than she felt. There was no way she would run the SDC like her father. She wasn't the same girl she had been when she first went to Beacon. Her feelings on faunus in particular had changed: she wouldn't abuse them like the horror stories she had heard concerning their labor underneath the SDC's corporate thumb. "I won't become my father!" She waited for a response, but the room was silent. It was just her and her reflection, staring at her angrily. "I won't! I won't I won't I won't!" Still nothing.

"Stop ignoring me!" Pulling Myrtenaster out of its holster, she spun the chamber around until it landed on ice. Then she started firing, shooting wave after wave of ice at the walls. Everywhere she aimed, the mirrors shattered, shards of glass tumbling to the ground. She spun around, her mind gone as she screamed out her frustrations. The walls became black voids as every mirror broke apart, leaving their reflections scattered across the floor.

"Please..." She dropped to her knees, crawling towards the broken mirrors. The shadow of her father followed beneath her, gliding like a ghost on the floor-length mirror. "I'm not... I'm not him..." She reached out and gathered up a handful of the shards, pulling them close to her. They laid across each other in an ugly, haphazard pile. In each one, she could see a part of her reflection, and she looked so angry: so ugly. "I promise..."

'You don't need to worry. You've already lost everything. Your friends, your inheritance, your dignity. There's nothing left for you to lose.' She wrapped her arms around her chest, sobbing openly. The tears that fell were greeted by her reflection's, who was crying along with her. Why? Why couldn't she have just been a better person? Why did her mother have to give up on her? Why did her sister have to abandon her? Why did she have to grow up to become her father? Why why why why whywhywhywhywhy-

"Don't listen, Weiss!" Her head shot up as she heard a different voice: a familiar voice. She started looking everywhere, peering deep into the void that had become her walls, but she couldn't see anyone. Slowly she stood up, her legs shaking as she started to move towards the center of her room. "It's not true!" There was the voice again, louder and clearer this time. It sounded much stronger than the previous voice had been.

"R-Ruby?" She stood in the center of the room, unsure of what to do. That had definitely sounded like Ruby's voice, but she couldn't tell where it had come from. 'She isn't real.' The other voice spoke in her head again, making her heart sink. 'Ruby would never forgive you for how terrible a person you are' She slapped her hands against her ears, trying in vain to block the negative words out. "N-No, it's not true! Shut up! Shut up!"

"Weiss!" There it was again. It sounded like it was coming from somewhere within the void. With slow, tentative steps, she walked forward, looking down at the shards of glass that now covered the floor. To her surprise, she saw a flash of red rush past a cluster of the broken mirror pieces. Then, on another little pile, she saw what looked like a red cloak whisk by. Could it be...?

On a whim, she started to try and piece together part of the mirrored wall that she had destroyed. She pulled pieces towards her, trying to place them together in order to build a full picture. Sometimes the glass would slice through her skin, droplets of blood dripping onto the floor, but she kept going. She didn't even let out so much as a whimper of pain. Her concentration was too great to be disturbed by such trivial matters.

'All you do is waste your time. You're trying to fix your past through your sad, pitiful reflection.' She saw her pale, pathetic face reflected in the makeshift mirror, and it almost cost her her nerve. However, this time she was able to push the voice aside. Remembering what Ruby had told her, she gritted her teeth and kept going. Piece by piece pressed together at odd angles, her eyes scanning desperately for more signs of red, but all she could see were the odd droplets of blood. 'She doesn't love you.'

"I don't need her to love me," she muttered, reaching out to grab more pieces. "I just need to tell her I'm sorry." She bit down on her lip as more cuts appeared on her hands, shaky touches smearing it across the glass. "She doesn't need to forgive me." As the mirror got bigger, she swore that she saw that familiar fluttering cloak on the edge of her vision. "I just want her to hear the truth from me."

"weISS!" Ruby's voice was quiet, but it became louder the more pieces Weiss shoved together. Looking down at the mirror, her eyes widened at the sight of Ruby running across her reflection. There was no doubt it was her, and she instinctively looked up to see if she was on the ceiling. All that was there was her reflection looking down at her, warped from the angle. Ruby was there, though. Somewhere...

Within the makeshift mirror, she saw Ruby running towards her. She seemed so far away in her reflection, her body split apart due to her inability to find every piece's perfect spot. Still, it was clearly Ruby: her teammate, her partner, her friend. She was there, and she was coming for her. Her heart was beating fast as she reached out towards the ground, desperately wanting to reach into the mirror and pull Ruby out.

The closer Ruby got, the faster her heart beat, until she swore that their hands touched. Her fingers, still dripping blood down her digits, touched the glass, and she saw Ruby's do the same. It felt like there was a sudden warmth on her fingertips, as if Ruby was actually there in the room. Then the mirror that she had so painstakingly attempted to put back together blew apart.

She let out a scream and her hands shot up to cover her face. The pieces shot every which way, destroying the work she'd so desperately done. When she looked down and saw that all she could see was her reflection, tears started to prick at her eyes again. She had been so close: Ruby had been right there. They had touched hands, and then... and now... she was gone again...

Then she felt something tapping her leg. She looked down in confusion, but didn't see anything. Her hand went down to absently rub her leg, and the tapping was now felt there. Shocked, she jumped to her feet and stumbled backwards, looking down again. This time, to her utter disbelief, Ruby was there again. She was in the floor mirror, standing underneath her with a familiar grin on her face. Weiss had never felt her heart swoon more seeing that smile before.

"It's going to be okay, Weiss." Ruby's reflection stood in front of hers, upside down and as lovable as ever. "Take my hand." She stuck out her hand, letting it hover inches away from the reflection of Weiss's hand. Frowning, she looked down at her hands, then at the reflections beneath her. How could she reach the girl she had to apologize to if she was stuck in the hell of her room's reflections. "Do you trust me, Weiss?"

"I do." There was no more hesitation on her part. She stuck her hand out, grasping at air. However, beneath her, her reflection was holding onto Ruby's hand, and she swore that she felt warmth pooling around her skin. It really did feel as if she was holding someone's hand, even though there was no one there. She squeezed down on the air tightly, closing her eyes and wishing that she could change everything she had ever said or done. "Please don't let go, Ruby."

"I'll never let go." The floor beneath her started to shake. With wide eyes, she looked down and saw the glass beneath her beginning to crack. The shards of the walls were bouncing and skating around the room. A long crack went down the floor, cutting right between herself and Ruby. Crying out, she jumped backwards, losing her footing and falling onto her butt. The entire room was shaking at this point, all of her furniture threatening to fall apart at a moment's notice. A shiver of fear ran down her back.

"Ruby!" She cried out, trying to find her reflection in the floor as it all began to crack and fall apart. "Help me! Please!" When she tried to stand, another ferocious tremor sent her flat down onto her back. The voice in her head was echoing again, telling her how terrible of a person she was, and how this destruction was what she deserved. Without Ruby's voice there to drag her back to sanity, she found herself slipping into that negativity again.

"Ruby..." She sniffled, trying to stand back up through her tears and her trembling frame. It was too difficult: she kept falling down, and her head was spinning with how much rumbling was going on around her. She could feel a piercing headache coming on, like someone was stabbing her right through the middle of her forehead with Myrtenaster. "Please, make it stop!" She cried out, begging as her shouts only made her headache worse. "Ruby, help me! Save me, Ruby!" In another time, she would have been horrified to hear such begging words leave her lips, but that was an old version of herself. Now she just wanted the girl who had become more important than she could have ever imagined to save her from this torment: to save her from herself.

Finally, she found her footing, wobbling along the shaking ground to try and get to her bed. 'There's nowhere for you to go.' She could see that her headboard had collapsed onto the sheets, and it looked as if the entire bed was threatening to fall out into the void. 'Just an endless plain of sorrow that you know you deserve to live in.' She kept moving, as if reaching this random destination could save her.

"I... won't give up," she gasped out, seeing a blur of red moving through the cracks in the floor. "Not... until I tell Ruby... what she means to me!" She fell to her knees, a few feet short of the bed. Tears were falling down her face, and her head was pounding relentlessly. Blood kept trickling from her fingers, but she couldn't quit. She wouldn't quit. Then she found something on the floor in front of her.

"What the..." She scooped up a few red petals, cradling them in her hands. They weren't reflections: they were the real thing. The texture on her skin was so familiar, and it made her feel a surge of energy. She knew that she could keep going. "Ruby! I know you're here!" She shouted to the ceiling, where the full-length mirror was also falling apart. "I'm sorry for how terrible of a teammate I was, Ruby! And how horrible of a friend I was! I was selfish and short-sighted, and I was wrong! Everything I said was wrong! Please forgive me, Ruby!"

Suddenly, the petals in her hand started to float out of her hands. She watched them rise into the air, then start blowing around her. Soon, a huge wind had kicked up around the room, picking up the shards of the mirrors and whipping them around in a circle. She was trapped within it, but she didn't have the strength to move anyway. All she could do was watch as the shards went faster, transforming into red petals.

She watched in silent amazement as the wind became red, circling around her until she couldn't see anything else. The entirety of her room was gone behind the blur of the breeze. She could still feel the room shaking, but the only reminder that anything was happening was the mirror she was sitting on. However, that specific spot wasn't cracked: it was as flawless as it could be. She could see the petals' reflection, along with her own self, and it was making her dizzy. It took a lot of willpower to avoid throwing up.

Then the red vortex stopped. For a moment, all of the petals held together as a wall, none of them so much as fluttering in the dying breeze. Then they all fell to the ground, smashing around her in a pool of red. Everything was back to normal. All of her furniture was where they were supposed to be, without any noticeable damage to anything. The walls that had cracked and crumbled were back up, as sturdy as ever. It was all made of normal materials as well: no more mirrors surrounding her from every angle. Standing right in front of her, looking down at her with a face full of concern, was Ruby.

"Weiss?" She stared up at her, mouth agape as she tried to take everything in. All of the destruction was gone, and the voice in her head had dissipated. Now she could just hear Ruby's voice, and the way her breathing sounded so uneven in her ears. "Weiss, are you oka- Oof!" 

"Oh Ruby, I'm so sorry!" She had jumped to her feet and tackled Ruby in a big hug. "I'm sorry for all the terrible things I ever said about you, and all the times I was a terrible teammate. To you, and to Blake and Yang. I've been so ungrateful while you've been nothing but patient, and I don't deserve having someone so amazing in my life. I don't, but you're here. I can't believe you're here." She pulled back to look in Ruby's eyes, noticing that she was slack-jawed and utterly flabbergasted.

"Weiss, what's going on? I saw you freaking out on the floor, and-"

"I love you, Ruby." That shut her up instantly. "I've loved you for longer than I ever cared to admit. Maybe I was scared, or I was just too full of myself to believe the truth, but I can't hide it any longer. You might never forgive me for how terrible I was to all of you for so long, and I completely understand. I just had to tell you the truth: about how sorry I am, and how much you've come to mean to me over all this time."

"Uh, wow, uh... That's a lot to take in." Ruby laughed awkwardly, patting her shoulders. "Uh, well, first off, it's okay, Weiss. I know that we didn't exactly get off on the right foot when we first met, but that's all water under the bridge. We've moved way past that, right? Besides, we've become great partners! I trust you with my life!" She smiled such a warm, truthful smile that Weiss just couldn't help but believe her.

"Still, I just had to apologize. I was quite the burden on all of you." She clasped her hands together, looking down at her feet. "I let the way I was raised blind me to certain truths of the world, and I couldn't figure out why what I was doing was wrong until it was too late." She wiped at her eyes, feeling another wave of tears coming on. Then her hand was pushed aside, replaced by another. "Ruby?"

"Please don't cry, Weiss." There was sadness in Ruby's eyes, her hand surprisingly gentle as it wiped away her tears. "I promise you, everything is okay. You made some mistakes in the past, but that doesn't make you a bad person. The fact that you can admit to those mistakes means you're learning, and I think that's something to be celebrated. I'm proud of you for being able to admit those things." She smiled brightly, then a hint of red started to flood into her cheeks. "And, uh, speaking about admitting things... You said that you, uh, you know..." She tugged on her skirt, trying to find something to do with her hands. "... that you love me?"

"Oh, well... yes, yes I did say that." Wiping away a couple more stray tears, she forced herself to speak past her embarrassment. She had just gone through way too much chaos to let something so trivial like that bother her. "I do love you, Ruby. I've felt that way for a very long time. You're just... someone that I never thought I would meet in life. You're distracted and chaotic, but everything you are that I'm not somehow drives me closer to you. It makes me feel like I have to protect you from hurtling off a cliff, while at the same time I feel safe whenever I'm around you."

"I should have said something awhile ago, but I was too embarrassed, and too afraid. Emotions have... never been my strong suit." She frowned at the noticeable smirk on Ruby's face, though she quickly tried to hide it behind a hand. "I learned that showing emotions would cause me... certain issues." She didn't elaborate, but from the way Ruby's smile vanished, it was clear she had at least some inkling of understanding. "So I hid them, and after all these years, I never learned to confront them properly. In the end, I only hurt myself by not doing so." She looked down at her hands, at where the cuts from the mirror shards had been. There was nothing there anymore.

"Well, you're telling me now, right?" Ruby took hold of her hands, gently massaging them. "Sometimes it just takes time to get to know your feelings. Even I'm not always in tune with them as much as you might think." She stared at Ruby skeptically, which made her laugh. "I'm being serious! Sometimes I don't understand how I feel about certain things, and the emotions that hit me are like being thrown across the forest by a Beowulf. But, there is one emotion I've never questioned." She squeezed Weiss's hands tighter, blushing and smiling. "And that's my feelings for you."

"Really?" She felt lightheaded and warm, unable to control her rapidly-beating heart. "You have feelings for me too?"

"I'm pretty sure I've had them longer than you." Ruby laughed, and she found herself becoming lost in her partner's eyes. "Yang has been teasing me about them for the longest time, telling me I should tell you, but... I wasn't sure you liked me back." She swallowed thickly, knowing that Ruby had a point. Her attitude had never engendered herself to others, so it was unlikely that Ruby would have ever realized that there was a mutual reciprocation. "I didn't want to ruin what we had, since we had become so close as friends."

"I had no idea..." She had been aware of how touchy-feely Ruby was towards her, but she had just thought that was how she was as a person. It wasn't as if she didn't show affection towards others, so she hadn't thought that she was anything special. That had been a big reason for not saying anything when she realized the truth about her own feelings, though her embarrassment and social awkwardness were what truly won the day. "I've wasted all this time... I've been the worst partner you could have ever had..."

"No, don't say that!" For some reason, Ruby's voice sounded distant. Then it sounded worried on top of that. "Weiss? Weiss, what's wrong?!" The room was spinning, and she felt as if she was floating. She blinked once, twice, then her eyes didn't open. Everything was dark, as if she was swimming around in the void that had been hidden behind her walls. She thought that she could feel something or someone shaking her body, but it just made her coast along the darkness.

When she was able to open her eyes, and the world again appeared before her, she found herself flat on her back. By the softness she could feel beneath her, she knew she was lying on her bed. Hovering above her, with worried tear-tinged eyes, was Ruby. For a moment, she forgot what had happened or why Ruby was there in the first place, but then everything clicked and she made a surprisingly impulsive decision. She would probably never truly understand what made her do what she did, but she just wanted to wipe that worried look off of Ruby's face. So she reached up, pulled Ruby down to her, and kissed her.

It must have been surprising for Ruby to be suddenly kissed by the girl she had feelings for for so long, but to her credit, she didn't hesitate for a second. She immediately kissed her back, and the two of them got lost in each other's lips. They kissed until they had to pull away for a breath, both of them gasping as they stared at each other. Then they started to laugh. Neither of them knew why, but the entire situation just felt funny for whatever reason.

"I, uh, I didn't expect that to be our first kiss." Ruby wiped at her eyes, repeatedly pressing her lips together. "Wow, you taste good." That made Weiss blush, but she had to admit that Ruby also tasted pretty good.

"You do too," she whispered, wanting more than anything to get a second taste. However, she refrained from another kiss, because her head was swimming while trying to understand everything that was going on. "Do you love me, Ruby?"

"What gave it away?" She giggled and leaned down again, this time to plant a kiss on Weiss's forehead. "Yes, I do. I love you, Weiss Schnee. I've loved you for a long time, and I'm so relieved I was able to get it off my chest. So then..." She tapped her fingers together, smiling hopefully. "Do you love me?" Chuckling, she pulled Ruby down for another kiss. It was slower, longer, and full of all the words that she had never been able to say before.

"What gave it away?" She smiled at the laugh that drew out of Ruby: it made her heart soar like nothing else ever could. Just hearing those sounds made her feel that life was worth living, and everything in the world would be alright. "I may have never said it when I should have, but I do. I love you, Ruby Rose. More than anything or anyone in the entire world. I didn't know it at first, but having you in my life makes me feel like I should become a better person. I don't believe I would have realized how wrong I was living my life if I never met you."

"Does that mean I get to call you my girlfriend?" As much as she was trying to keep herself contained, Ruby was practically vibrating with excitement. It looked like she was about to dash out of the room, leaving nothing but rose petals in her wake. 

"I suppose so." She acted like she was being burdened by Ruby's enthusiasm, but really she was just as excited. It was just harder for her to express it properly. "But, only on one condition." Ruby's eyes widened, having not expected there to be any conditions to their potential relationship.

"What condition?"

"That I get to call you my girlfriend." Ruby just stared at her for a moment, eyes wide and mouth agape. Then she started to laugh, her body quickly being overcome by it. She fell onto the floor, rocking back and forth as Weiss watched her, amused. "Is it that funny that I want you to be my girlfriend?"

"N-No, no no!" Unfortunately for Ruby, she couldn't stop laughing. "I just... didn't..." Her words struggled under her laughter, her body shaking with her movements. "Didn't expect..." It became such an issue that she ended up rolling right into the bed. "Waah! Oww..." She rubbed her side, whining when she saw Weiss barely holding back her laughter while she peered over the bed. "That's not funny."

"You're right: it's hilarious." Smirking, she reached down and offered her hand, which Ruby took to help herself back onto her knees. "So, are you willing to accept my condition?" She watched as Ruby's laughter faded away, and her expression softened into the most wonderful smile she had ever seen.

"Absolutely I am!" She got up and clambered onto the bed, then wrapped Weiss up in a tight hug. "I love you, Weiss!" Chuckling quietly, Weiss hugged Ruby back, embracing the warmth her new girlfriend gave her. Looking over towards her vanity, she could see the last remaining mirror in her room. Staring back at her was her reflection, but it was no longer the sad, pallid ghoul she had been seeing before. Instead, she was smiling, looking warm and alive with Ruby in her arms. That voice in her head had been wrong: Ruby did care for her. She wasn't beyond redemption.

"I love you too, Ruby."

[imaginesmai]

Jax Teller-Safe

Plot: in your mind, it’s not his fault. It’s never his fault, becuase he’s your dad and he loves you. But there is one person who loves you more, and is willing to prove that what Clay does is not right. 

Warnings: physical abuse, bad parental behaviour. Clay is the bad guy, so he hits and abuses verbally the reader. Read at your own risk

The thing was, Clay hadn’t meant to hit so hard. For an old man like himself, he still didn’t control his strength, and sometimes the rage and the anger took the best out of him. He was a big man, strong and tall, so it was naturally that the slap had hurt so much. The rings on his fingers were only a plus, that had left a nasty red long mark on your cheek, from the corner of your eye to your nose.

Thousands of reasons flew through your mind. He was divorcing Gemma, after being framed for the murder of Opie’s wife and his father. The guilt, the pain and the sorrow led to the alcohol, the fights at home and the negativity in his life. After all, you kind of had been looking for it, right? Who leaves all the dishes dirty? Or forget to buy more beer for his father?

The answer came quickly; everyone can do that, but no one should hit his daughter over it. You told yourself that it wasn’t that bad, as you pressed the ice patch on your eye, the ring of black and blue bruises standing out against your skin.

It wasn’t the first time. Clay usually hit you in places that aren’t easily noticeable; your sides, upper arms, back. Places where the club wouldn’t see, and wouldn’t hate him more than he already did. You were the only reason he was back, because you had begged to Jax until he had agreed. Sometimes, you wondered if it had been worthy.

“Y/N? You there?” you heard Clay from the other side of the door, and you tensed. Putting away the ice pack, you ran to the door and opened it, not wanting to risk another fight.

What greeted your father wasn’t a beautiful sight. You had red eyes and tears stained cheeks, the bruise covering half of your cheek and you hair messy from being pulled at. He looked to his right and avoided the pang of guilt that filled his chest.

“I was, uh, are you okay?”

“Yeah”

You had learned not to expect any apologies. The first time it had happened, he knocked on your door two hours after, and you opened it ready to forgive him. Because he was the only person you had left, and didn’t want to be away from him. Clay repeated the same words he said in that moment, the first time he crushed your heart.

“We… we good? Do you want me to do anything?”

Are we good, so good that you aren’t telling anyone?

Do you want me to do anything in change of Jax not knowing?

“We’re fine, dad” you mumbled, looking at your feet. You could almost feel the relive radiating off him.

“Then, I’m heading to the bar. Make sure to leave something for the hangover on my room.”

There was a time, not so long ago, where Clay Morrow had loved you. Your mother had given you to him when you were just seven months, too busy with her lovers to take care of a little baby. Clay had raised you well, until the power and paranoias had consumed him.

When Gemma still lived with you, he tried to mask it. He only hit you when she was away for days, since she thought of you as her own daughter, and got by with degrading words that made you feel like shit when she was around. Clay needed someone to take out his frustrations on, and unluckily you were the only one who was still by his side.

The main door closing behind your father made your shoulders slump in defeat, and you vision became blurry again. You managed to get to your bed before breaking down, hiding your face in your hands and crying loudly. All you wanted was to be happy with your father, to have him back; because that monster wasn’t your father, you were sure. It had to be some cruel joke from where you had to get back at some point.

The phone ringing made you open your eyes, and you cringed when you saw the name pop up on the screen.

You didn’t want to answer it. Not answering would mean none of it had happened, that you were in a small bubble of comforting fantasy where nothing could touch you, and the spot under the blanket seemed very likely to be it. However, not answering meant too an angry blonde biker on your door in less than five minutes, who would see your face and probably burn down half of Charming until finding your dad. Your thumb pressed the green button without thinking much.

“Hey darling” Jax cheerful voice sounded through the speaker, and you smiled instantly. There was a lot of noise in the background, but you heard it go away as Jax moved further to talk to you.

“Hi” you mumbled, and then cleared your voice. “I almost thought you had forgotten about me”

You heard Jax chuckled, and suddenly everything seemed brighter. You were not anymore locked in your room, afraid of how much Clay was going to drink that night, and if the glass of water you had to left in his room could avoid you another beating. Instead, you were surrounded by the usual happiness that came with Jax, that got you a warm feeling in the bottom of your stomach.

“Sorry about that, Y/N. I’ve been busy with the club and that shit” he answered, and you almost could see the smirk. “I’m never too busy for you, though. That was actually why I was calling you”

“Oh”

The happiness quickly disappeared, and your hand moved on its own, touching the bruise on your eye lightly. You had been successful in avoiding him for a week; after all, he had been busy too, but you knew it couldn’t go on forever. If Jax knew only half of the things that your father did, you were sure he would ran him over with a bike.

So, yeah, you didn’t like where the conversation with your boyfriend was going.

“What? Tired of my hot ass already?” he joked, and you noticed it was almost quiet on the other side.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t see any hot ass around”

“I see how this is going, I see. I might go back to Opie after all”

For almost two hours, you managed to be happy again. Jax seemed to have a sixth sense about your distress, and picked up easily that you enjoyed more than usual talking to him. So, after he reassured you multiple times that he didn’t mind ditching the party on Friday’s night, he went back to his room and talked to you laying on his bed.

Time passed and you didn’t really noticed it, too busy letting the sleep almost crash you. Jax and you joked, laughed and remembered things, a week without knowing about each other long forgotten.

You had known Jax since you were children and your parents decided to date. Once you were over the phase of pulling pranks and hating each other, you started the relationship you had managed to keep for more than five years.

“I hate telling you this, but my eyes are dropping and I’m going to fall asleep any second” you said, your voice quiet. You were used to sleeping next to him, but since your father incident you had decided to go back to your home, or what used to be.

“That’s fine, you don’t have to hung up” Jax said, and you heard the bed covers shuffling on the other side. “I like hearing your breathing, it helps me go to sleep”

“That’s so romantic” you chuckled, closing your eyes. “But phone’s bills are something real, Jax.”

“I can’t wait to have you back here” he groaned, and your heart clenched. “Really, Y/N, you need to come back here. I know, he’s your father and all that. But I miss you. A lot”

“I miss you too, baby” you pouted, even though he couldn’t see you. “I just-My dad is not able to take care of himself right now… I’m the only thing he has left.”

“I know”

Over the last months where you had been living with Clay, there was an oncoming argument about it, and both of you knew it. You had tried it to keep it as bay as long as you could, but you knew Jax wasn’t going to give up. There were a few seconds of silence until he talked again.

“You’ll need to pay me back for all this lost time” Jax teased. “What about lunch tomorrow? Bobby and Tig are begging me to see you, and I’m quite afraid my mother will kidnap you.”

“How can I say no then” you laughed, before yawning. “Night baby, I love you.”

“Love you too darling” he didn’t cut the line off immediately, but waited until you were almost sleep. “A lot”

Clumsily, you dropped the phone on your nightstand and drifted to sleep. Not remembering the pill, the glass of water and the problems that that decision was going to bring you next morning.

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

“Is-Is that a black eye?”

Jax’s voice startled you as you walked inside the club, gripping a trait of homemade cookies with both of your hands. You had already greeted Gemma and Chibs, and they had put a smile on your face; despite the huge cover up in your face, they had only cheered for the cookies, not noticing anything. It had put you in a good mood, yeah, and it had made you forget the argument with Clay that morning and those awful words.

But it didn’t last long.

Looking up, you nearly flinched back when Jax ran towards you with an impressive speed, his body almost crashing yours. He took the cookies and placed them in the nearest table. His warm hand cupped your jaw and tilted your face up, so you could meet his worried blue eyes. Behind all of that concern, there was the murderous rage that was going to pop any second.

More than ten different excuses ran through your head while you opened and closed your mouth, Jax demanding an answer with a faint movement of his head.

“It’s nothing” you answered, struggling to keep your voice steady. “I was-I was m-messing with some things at the storage room, and some boxes fell on me”

Jax’s eyes narrowed, and anyone could see that the lie hadn’t ran past him. He studied your face with a soft intensity, far from the anger he was feeling. His thumb moved up and down your cheek, and you had to keep your lip from trembling.

“I was there yesterday, and everything was in its place” he casually said, his grip tightened slightly. “Anything you need to tell me?”

Instead of coming up with another lie, you shrugged, gaze going to the floor. Jax could read you like an open book, and wouldn’t have any problem in finding out that you didn’t fall off the stairs. Someone entered the club and you swore you heard Tig whistling under his breath, but before you could turn around, Jax had them out with a stern look.

His eyes became softer when he saw your sad face, and he moved one of his hands to your waist. Pulling you closer, he made you rest your head on his chest, so that the bruise was visible. It took Jax a long minute, yet by then he had managed to take off all the makeup and observe properly the dark circle.

“I just want to help you, Y/N” he muttered, caressing your hair. “Let me help you”

“I know”

“Then, what is it?” Jace waited for you to answer, but you only closed your eyes. “If the prospect has hit you again without meaning you, it’s okay. I’m not gonna kick him out, just a few-“

“No!” your head snapped up, eyes wide in panic at the thought of poor Halfsack being beaten up again because of a silly mistake. “It’s not him! I swear, I haven’t seen him in weeks.”

At least, that was not a lie. In the first year of being a prospect, the boy had had the bad luck of knocking you unconscious with a door opened with too much force, and Jax had screamed at him until he had a panic attack. You almost smiled at the memory of Halfsack chasing you with a apologies for a month.

“Then what is it, darling?” his voice was serious, as he teared away and crossed his arms, leaning against the counter. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you’ve been spending less and less time with us, and you keep cancelling our dates.”

Your insides twisted painfully, and you went cold. There was no way of getting out of that without hurting someone, and the protective barrier that had raised over the truth did its job when the words left your mouth.

“Well, you aren’t around neither” you scoffed. “It’s not my fault that we don’t see each other, you’re always busy! With parties, club’s businesses and all of that!”

The moment hurt flickered through Jax’s eyes was the one where you regretted everything that had been going on. He took a deep breath before answering. If you had been any other person, he would have kicked you out and forgot about you. If he hadn’t been by your side for so long, he would have turned on his heels and walked out on you. But you were his Y/N, and worry overpowered anger.

“Darling” he whispered as your face heated up. “I want to help you. But, you’ve gotta let me in. Please, Y/N. I just want to help you.”

And for a second, you doubted. You’ve always counted on Jax for everything. First period, he was the thirteen year’s old kid who ran to the store with nervous legs while you waited in the bathroom. First time using make up, he let you use his face to practice. And you wanted to tell him desperately, you wanted him to hug you and tell you that everything is okay.

“I-I…”

But then, you saw his face. You saw Clay’s face as he was framed, as he came back home and cried in your arms for the whole night. It wasn’t his fault that the world had been so cruel to him, and you also wanted, needed, to believe that. After all, he was your father, and you didn’t know what you would do without him.

“I….’m fine” you spitted out rushed, forcing yourself to step backwards. You watched as Jax ran a hand down his face, exhaling loudly.

Before he could say anything else, people started coming into the club, the loud laughs and noises crushing your peace. You were wrapped in Bobby’s arms and heard someone already trying to take one of your cookies.

For the next five hours, you didn’t talk to Jax.

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

The dim light of the night lamp created weird shadows in Jax’s closet. You were laying on his bed, in the room that he still had in the club. His chest moved under your clammy hands, silence surrounding you.

Everyone had left a while ago, and you had tried to keep yourself busy until then. Doing unnecessary things, cleaning already neat dishes, talking to Gemma about the new shop. Jax had picked up easily your behaviour, noticing that you were doing everything in your power to stay there for a little longer. So, after five hours of not talking, he mumbled if you wanted to spend the night with him there.

Leaving would probably meant another beating, because it was late and you hadn’t told your father you would be out for so long. Staying would lead to the conversation you had wanted to avoid for the whole day. With a little hesitation, you had gripped his hand and had let him guide you to his room.

Once in his clothes and tucked in bed, you didn’t know if you were ready for it. You had changed in front of him; so he had seen the yellow marks on your ribs, the purple circles on your wrists and the fingers printed on your arm. Jax had seen it all, but only clenched his jaw and hugged you closer, waiting for you to talk.

“I’m not fine” you whispered, almost thirty minutes after going to bed. “And I’m sorry”

“It’s okay” Jax kissed the top of your head. “It’s okay”

“He doesn’t mean to do it” you shivered , ducking down and sniffing. You cursed when tears filled your eyes. However, his hand was there to stop them before they fell onto his chest. “I know he doesn’t mean to. Please, Jax, he doesn’t mean to.”

“Who, Y/N?” his voice was dark, and you could feel his body shaking along with his hand clenching and unclenching. “Who doesn’t mean to hurt you?”

“He doesn’t mean to” you repeated, wanting to print those words in your mind. “I-I just, I make him… angry, and he loses control. But he doesn’t mean to.”

By then, Jax was sure he was going to break one tooth. He didn’t dare to look anywhere apart from the ceiling, where a small crack was beginning to show. It reminded him of the nights were you two would cuddle together as kids, whispering jokes until Gemma scolded you for being so loud. It only made him angrier.

“And what does he do?” he asked. He didn’t want to hear it, he just wanted to have a name and to start his bike, a baseball on his hand. Imagining the walls drenched with that fuckers blood made him regain the patience to talk to you.

“He… he gets a little rough sometimes”

“He hits you”

“No!”

You turned around and looked up when Jax said those words, horrified by its meaning. In your eyes, Clay didn’t hit you, just pushed you around and sometimes shoved you a little too hard. You were ready to say so when you noticed the tears in Jax’s cheeks. They were falling freely down, and just then you understood how difficult was it being for him. He didn’t look at you, too afraid to throw all the rage.

It was silent, until he finally looked down and whispered your name. You broke.

You broke, and you told him how Clay pushed you to the floor when he walked past you in the mornings. How he made you feel worthless every day, and how the names he called you hurt you. You sobbed to him about all those times when he threatened to kill you if you told Jax or any of the guys. And, besides all of that, you begged him to understand that Clay didn’t mean to hit you.

Breathing heavily when you finished, you leaned farther into Jax’s arms and hid your face on his neck, the tears not stopping. One shaky hand came up and covered your bruised cheeks, and with that he assured you it would be okay.

“How long has it been going on?” he asked finally, his voice breaking. During your explanation, he had tried to be strong, but he couldn’t help the heavy heart and tearful eyes.

“I don’t know” you whispered. Trying to remember a time where Clay didn’t hit you became more difficult, and you gasped when you realised it was nearly impossible. “I don’t-I really don’t know, Jax.”

“Darling” Jax said, agony on his words.

He squeezed his eyes and fisted the hand that wasn’t holding you, imagining that his neck was between his fingers. When the truth about Donna had been out, Jax had wanted to kill Clay. The man had been giving him reasons nonstop to be killed, but he had managed to stop himself for you. After hearing your words, he would wish Jax would have killed him.

“It’s stopping now” he said, and kissed your head. “I promise, it’s-it’s stopping now. He’s not looking at you ever again, Y/N. I’ve got you”

“I’m sorry” you said, throat dry and eyes aching.

Confusion clouded Jax’s eyes, his grip tightening for a split of second before he let go.

“Why?”

You looked away, keeping your gaze on the wall next to you. Sorry, for not telling him sooner and making him worry. Sorry, for getting him in that situation, where he was going to have to tell the club and his mother. Sorry, because you wished life could be different for you, and for him.

No words left your mouth, and Jax shifter impossibly closer. You didn’t hear what he said next, only the soft tone he used and the caring hand that ran through your hair. He touched two or three bumps that your father had gave you when he had pushed you against the wall, and he almost got out of bed. Too caught up in steady rise of exhaustion and safety, your mind drifted off and your brain muffled the noise and your limbs fell heavy.

For the first time in who knew how long, you slept without fearing what was awaiting for you in the morning. For Jax, it probably was a lot of problems with other clubs that still made deals with Clay. For your father, the worst of the fates, since the blonde didn’t sleep a beat thinking about how he was going to make him pay.

For you, just a new beginning where you were going to be finally happy. And safe.

Want to know more about me? Here is my Masterlist! Feedback is always appreciated!!

[avionvadion]

Forest Deep: a fanfic mixing Secret of the Cursed Mask and the actual Inuyasha anime itself. https://archiveofourown.org/works/24115702/chapters/58056064

Summary: Naraku had one goal- to destroy Inuyasha. Now with his new companion he has an idea how to make that happen. Brought to the Feudal Era by an unwanted Summoning, Irene's in search of her older sister and the one who brought them there. With the help of her new friends she might just find them, but it's hard getting through battles- nonetheless the day- with her lung problems. Why is this Naraku so cruel? What does he gain from hurting people? Who is his new friend- and what's underneath that mask she wears? Irene doesn't know. But she'll find out- one way or another. She just wished she had her sister beside her as she did it.

The first drawing is basically the story cover. I drew it back before Irene’s hair had a consistency and I had a better grasp of the art style XD The second image is from the end of chapter 20 and the last one is for chapter 15. 

Story: 

"I-It's…" Oh gods. "It's a saying where I'm from. Just- Just ignore it. I speak nonsense. Um. Look. You don't want to stay here, right? I don't want to stay here either. I have a sister I gotta make sure ain't dead, some friends to get back- granted… they probably don't want anything to do with me anymore, and an evil half-demon to stop, so~!" I huffed and stood, brushing some dirt off my pale blue jeans. I walked over, holding a shaky hand out to her with a grin. "You can come with or you can stay here and go crazy! Your choice."

Her eyebrows knit together. "For what reason did you desire the Magatama fruit? Most here are… filled with greed. They want its power for themselves. I, too, was selfish and… it brought me here."

"It…" I hesitated. Memories of the villagers falling came to mind. "I… I need the fruit to break a barrier. If the barrier doesn't break then… more people are gonna die. And… I don't want to see that happen."

"That's sounds awful…" Shizuno said, bringing a hand up to her mouth. "A-Are you certain that it's not another lie someone told? You could have fallen into a trap."

"I mean, probably?" I made a face, moving my head to the side and shaking it, shrugging my shoulders. "Buuut I have no reason to distrust him, you know? I-It's weird. Like, yeah he can be pretty shady when he wants to be, but he's helped me out this far and it's because of him I can talk to Shikigami spirits and heal people. So! I think he's nice. He did mention that this would be really dangerous and I was a firm believer I wouldn't survive. Was that a lie? Nope. Here we are! In a magical space surrounded by a bunch of crazy people."

"You are…" She frowned. "...strange. You speak of dire circumstances, yet you smile so brightly. Why do you behave so casually?"

"I just do." I was still so tired. "Life just sucks. That's how it works. No use mopin' about."

Unless of course several people had died. Damn it. I can still hear their screams, the children calling out for their parents as they ran for their lives. The blood splattering onto the ground… and staining Kohaku's kusarigama.

"Anyway! You never answered my question. You comin' with me?" I stretched out my fingers and wiggled them at her, staring at her expectantly. "You know you waaaant tooooo~! Far over the misty mountains cold~ to dungeons deep and caverns old!" My voice cracked and I coughed, hacking into my sleeve. My voice really could not go low. It was so distressing. The woman gave me such a strange look, but she reached out and took my hand. I felt so lightheaded. "Oh? Yay!"

She shook her head at me, folding her hands close to her chest. "We could be trapped here in eternal suffering," Shizuno told me, "yet you sing? Why?"

"Because if we're gonna be suffering eternally," I declared, holding an index finger up wisely, "we might as well have fun with it. Sadly I don't remember all the lyrics, but! It's a good song." I approached the mountain wall, staring up and squinting my eyes as I tried to gauge how far up we would have to climb before we reached the next ledge. My hands were all scraped up. "Okay… calm down. We can do this. You up for the climb?"

"Y-Yes, I suppose… what about you?" She stared at me, frowning. "Your skin is quite pale…"

"I'll be fine." I had to be. "My… My friends are waiting for me."

If they even still thought of me as one.

"And… your sister?"

I didn't answer. I wasn't even sure she was alive. "If I don't get that Magatama fruit… more people are gonna die. I… I don't want her to be one of them." I looked back at Shizuno, forcing another closed-eye grin, ignoring the lump forming in my throat. I had to be strong- for her. She was in pain as well. Her entire village was destroyed. "So we gotta keep going. Up and at 'em!"

I cracked my knuckles and reached up, grabbing onto a root sticking out from one of the rocks. This part of the wall was covered with vines, but there was no telling if they could all hold. Shizuno followed behind me uncertainly, grabbing onto a rock and climbing. "Th-This is very dangerous!"

Well, obviously. But I was convinced that we couldn't quite… die here? I've seen so many people wandering around and not one skeleton. At least there weren't any demons nearby in this spirit realm that could eat us. I don't think I'd taste very good. Ick. My mind flashed back to the mansion and I cringed, temporarily halting in my climb. Don't freak out. I had to stay calm. This is fine.

I'm fine. Always. Always fine.

I may be slowly breaking apart, but I'm fine. It's how I am.

This is just life.

It's my fault those villagers are dead, so I have to avenge them. Don't I?

Suddenly the vines I was climbing broke and I let out a small shriek, falling back towards the ledge below. The wind around me picked up pace and suddenly my descent slowed, causing me to blink. Then once I was close enough to the ground it stopped and I hit my head, crashing hard onto my back. "O-Ow! Frick!" I cringed and curled onto my side, bringing my hands up to the back of my aching skull. It was being put through so much abuse today. "Dude, that hurt!"

"A-Are you alright!?" Shizuno called down. She was at least thirty feet above me, clinging tight to some vines. "The wind just- how on earth-!?"

"Spirits." I hissed, wincing at the bump that was definitely going to be there for a while. The wind helped enough for me not to die, but wasn't completely forgiving to leave me free of injury. "Eugh…" That seriously hurt, but at least it wasn't fatal. This proved that one of my theories were right. Kazumi would have us wander forever in insanity, but she would not have us kill ourselves. "Frick."

I stumbled, wobbling over to the wall and leaning against it for a moment until my vision cleared. The world was trying to spin on me.

"Need to… keep going." I wheezed. This air spirit guardian person was such a sadist. "Have to… save them…"

My fingers gripped weakly at the roots. I wouldn't be able to climb in this state.

"Naraku… must be… stopped…"

I'm so dizzy. My forehead pressed against the rocky mountain side, eyes closing as I waited to catch my breath. That scared the crap out of me- falling like that. I hated it. After a few long minutes I grabbed at the vines again, fingers feeling numb and tingly, and I kicked at the wall with my bare feet. Being weak is one thing, but being stubborn was another. I was determined.

"I will… defeat him…" I wheezed, reaching up and grasping tiredly at a rock jutting out. It crumbled and I had to go for one higher up, stretching my arm painfully. "Barrier… it will break…"

Naraku sent Kohaku and Kanna after me, and why? Because Anastasia wanted my soul for some god awful reason that still wasn't explained. He made them attack the villagers that were helping me, and if Kagome didn't crack the mirror and force the souls to be freed so many more would already be dead. They tried to help me and Naraku forced Kohaku to kill them because of that. He was awful.

He was more of a madman than anyone else in this place.

The air around me seemed to grow gentler, my body becoming lighter and moving a bit faster. It was almost as if it was giving me a boost, but I knew that couldn't be the case. It was so aggressive earlier. After what surely must have been an hour I reached the ledge I fell from, reuniting with Shizuno who watched as I fell onto my front, eyes closed and breath heavy. "You are not the most healthy person, are you?" She asked.

"I wonder what… gave you that idea?" I wheezed, the sarcasm dripping off my tongue. "I told you… sickly human… didn't I?"

She gave a small smile, almost amused by my weird ways. "You did. Will you be able to make it to the top? There is still quite a ways to go."

"Yeah, just… need to… rest a bit first. Is that okay… with you?"

Shizuno nodded. "Yes… we have all of eternity, after all. Time does not seem to pass in this place. I have seen many arrive here, yet… they never aged. It is rather concerning, but there is nothing we can do. I fear many years have already passed since I was first brought here."

Wait, what? Oh no. My eyes widened and I sat up, looking at her in alarm and ignoring the rapid pounding of my heart. "N-No way… no, no, no! We… We have to hurry! I-I can't-!" I can't be trapped here forever. I have to get that fruit as fast as possible. If Maria was still alive then I can't be left behind. "The mountain! W-We have to… to climb…!"

I stumbled over, dazed and desperate, grabbing at the roots and struggling to climb. Shizuno dashed over and caught me when I fell, startled when she felt the heat radiating from my body. "I-Irene! You are feverish!"

"M'fine." I mumbled. "Have to get… to Sango…"

She, Miroku, Shippō, and Kirara are all up there dealing with the air spirit alone.

"Don't wanna see 'em hurt…"

I'm so sleepy. I want to take a nap.

"Gotta beat Naraku… and his dumb barrier thing…"

"Rest first. We have time." She said softly, voice so soothing. Shizuno carefully moved me away from the wall, keeping her arms around my waist, setting me down on the ground beside her. My head fell against her chest and my eyes closed, giving in to the comfort she gave. A hug felt so nice right now… yet her body was so cold. Her fingers ran gently along my hair, fiddling with the short strands. "You are fighting so strongly right now, are you not? It must be hard…"

"S'not… just… hurts."

"Why do you want to fight this Naraku so bad?"

"He hurts… people." I told her quietly, finding myself being lulled to sleep by her gentle touch. "They… helped me a-and he… killed them."

"He did?"

I nodded, making a small noise of confirmation. "He had… Sango's younger brother… attack. H-He's controlled by him, so he can't… fight back. She's always crying when she… has to face him. I don't like it. She's so much better… when she's happy…"

"I see. So Naraku is the one to blame."

Yes. He made Kohaku hurt them. It was all that evil half-demon's fault that the villagers are dead. "Naraku… killed them…"

"If that is so… then you should be able to climb the mountain now."

"...What?" My eyes slowly opened and I blinked, turning my head to look tiredly at Shizuno.

Her features seemed to change as the wind around us blew stronger, her long black hair shifting into something shorter and more white in color. I yanked myself off of her lap, watching as her colorful kimono become a pale blue, a white cloth draped over her shoulders and wrapped around her arms. As I stumbled into an upright stance, standing and backing away slowly, her dark eyes became an icy blue, lips dark and almost purple in color. I hadn't seen her entire appearance before, but I was certain now as to why Shizuno looked so familiar.

"K-Kazumi?"

…

"Where did she go!?" Sango demanded, whirling around to try and locate where the air spirit disappeared to. They were just talking when the mist became stronger, the entire area around them being covered in fog. The demon slayer couldn't see five feet in front of her. "Miroku! Shippō!"

"Here!" The fox demon informed, about ten feet back.

"I'm over here!" The monk shouted somewhere from her left side, sweeping at the area around him with his staff. "I'd use my Wind Tunnel to suck in this mess, but I might anger the spirits further if I did and cost Irene her life! Sango, what should we do!?"

"I-I don't know!" For once the demon slayer was at a loss. There was no enemy to fight, no goddess to appease. Only a spirit set on challenging their friend to a test of truth. "I… never realized she felt so guilty for what had happened…" Sango said after a moment, looking down at the hiraikotsu in her hand, closing her eyes with a pained expression. "I was only focused on myself. Miroku, I…" She rested a hand over her face, ashamed. "I'm a terrible friend."

"No, Sango, don't blame yourself." The monk shook his head. "I, too, did not notice. I was believing us to finally be able to close the gap and become proper allies, and yet…"

"She's always blaming herself!" Shippō stated, frowning deeply. He appeared greatly bothered. "Irene has such a guilt-complex for some reason! I don't get it! She's always apologizing for every little thing, no matter how small it is! Inuyasha was always yelling at her for it!"

"I-I thought she was just shy." Sango admitted. "But… I guess there's more to it. What do you think, Miroku?"

"Anything could have caused it." He informed them, something unsettling forming in his stomach. The monk always had been unable to refuse helping a young woman in need and the one in trouble now was a friend. Yet how could they protect her if they didn't even know what was wrong? If they couldn't even reach her where she was now? Why did Irene feel the need to place the blame on herself? "I'm afraid we'll just have to ask and pray she will tell us when she returns."

"I hope so…"

…

"H-How did you-!?" I pointed at her, dumbfounded, then gestured to where the brunette used to be. "Sh-She was just- hah? Gah! Shapeshifter!"

I took several more steps back. The woman's expression became blank once more, resembling more of the air spirit I had met earlier. "She was nothing more than an illusion. I created her as a guide, just as I have done time-and-again for those who come up this mountain. A rare few have ever been able to accept their truth and continue forth up the mountain. They were always too trapped in their greed, their selfishness… and would never think twice about abandoning someone else if it meant reaching their own goal."

What is she saying? I don't understand. My head hurts so much from this; I was still so dazed.

Kazumi closed her eyes, opening them only when her purple lips tilted upwards into a smile. "You have passed my test, Irene. You have accepted that Naraku was the one to blame for the villagers deaths. The children did not die because of you. I have seen into your mind… I know what you saw. I know how you felt. With this test I was able to attune your heart and I have come to the decision that you are indeed worthy… of a Magatama fruit."

"But… I literally didn't do anything?" I don't get it. I'm too dizzy for all this. "I just climbed a mountain…"

The air spirit looked amused by this and went on to explain. "Though they scared you, you tried to approach those wandering souls and save them. When you saw the apparition I created… you tried to give her the courage to go on. Though… unorthodox in the way it was done… you remained strong for her for as long as you could. But you are only human- and one who is prone to illness cannot keep on for long." She glanced up at the mountain, icy eyes following the path up. "The wind will help you on your climb up the rest of the mountain. You need not fear falling; now that your mind is clear of guilt… the roots and rocks along the cliff will not break."

I'm still so confused, but alright. "Um, thank you…?"

"Do not thank me just yet." She warned. "If you so much as waver in your thoughts you will fall once more down to the bottom, and your soul will wander here for all eternity like the rest." Kazumi waved her arm and then she was gone, replaced by nothing but more fog.

My eyebrows raised and I shook my head incredulously, unable to believe the audacity some spirits could have. Like, seriously? Jeez. Crazy lady. She was so much nicer as Shizuno. At least she was giving me some advice… kind of. Was this all because I blamed myself for what happened with Kohaku?

That's what I'm getting from that conversation anyway. Ugh, I have such a migraine. I want to go home.

I need another hug.

I walked over and grabbed at the roots, hands shaking. They didn't feel as weak and numb as before, but they were bleeding. I had scraped them up quite badly during my climb. That strange feeling appeared again as I tried to move up the mountain, like the wind was giving me a boost. I supposed it actually was doing that, as it was helping me move a lot faster than before. I reached the next ledge in record time.

I tried not to think too much, focusing on the task at hand, determined not to fall below.

My heart wanted to waver, to believe that the children's deaths were my fault, that everyone who died should have blamed me, but… Shizuno's words stuck. They may have been protecting me, but it was by Naraku ordering Kohaku that they were killed. I had no control over the boy's actions. It was not my fault.

It was his.

The fog slowly cleared away the closer I got to the top and the people wandering around had vanished. I huffed and trembled, feet and hands scratched up and blistered, legs and arms sore. If not for the wind pushing me up- as if trying to say hurry up, stupid human like an irritable spirit- I would have collapsed long ago. I dragged myself up to the top ledge where I had been thrown off when I first met the guardian spirit Kazumi, struggling to push myself forward, and wound up clawing at the ground.

My poor fingertips were all bloody.

"I-Irene!?" I recognized that voice. I fell on the ground and rolled onto my back, wheezing and letting out a few coughs. I was so exhausted. "Oh, thank god! Miroku, Shippō, look!"

"Irene is back!"

"She passed the test!"

I could see the group dash over to me, Sango quickly kneeling by my side and helping me sit up. I began to tear up at the sight of her. Wasn't she mad at me? "Irene, you're burning up again! How badly did you stress yourself out!?" She asked, voice almost going into a sisterly scolding tone before relief crossed her face. "I'm so glad you're back…"

She surprised me by leaning down, wrapping her arms around me tightly."I should have paid more attention to your feelings. I'm so sorry."

"I-It's okay." I choked out, awkwardly hugging her with my arms so not to get blood on her armor. I'm such an idiot. They didn't hate me after all. "I-I'm fine. You're the one who was upset, so…"

"But so were you!" She pulled away, gripping my shoulders tightly with her hands. "All this time you've been festering hate and guilt inside of you- and for yourself no less! Ever since I've met you you've been apologizing left-and-right for things you had no control over! Irene, it's okay to be selfish! Not everything is your fault!"

I couldn't speak, too stunned by what was happening. This day was so dizzying. "I-I just… want to help." I finally got out, stuttering on my words. Her eyes were so intense; it felt like they were boring into my soul. "I-I can't do anything useful, so…"

"What do you mean by that?" Miroku demanded, stepping up. Kazumi was still nowhere in sight. "You've helped us countless times; we've told you before. Just who told you that you were useless? That made you believe you could guilt yourself for everything?"

[novannna]

Write Our Story in the Stars

Chapter 3

so for school we did nanowrimo and i actually like the story I wrote so i’m posting it to tumblr :)  

This story is about a girl and a princess who grow up together, closer than sisters.  The girl wants only to be the princess’s guard so they can stay together forever.  When she gets a chance to prove herself worthy to be the princess’s sole protector, she jumps on the oppurtunity.  She and the princess leave on a journey to find a stolen treasure.  While on the journey, the girl finds out a dark secret about her past….(cliche, ik)

Link to previous chapter here  

Wc 2820

The girl made her way back to the princess, thoughts clouding her mind. Countless feelings raged inside her, but one was more vibrant than the rest.

Anger.

Pure, undiluted rage. It filled her up, heating her body and turning her vision red.

But part of her was still trying to make her see the whole story. The king had a country to run, he could not afford to lose a powerful weapon. But he also did not punish the man who had killed her mother. He had denied them asylum. He had sent her to live with a family who hated her, and never spared her another thought until she turned up on their doorstep, dragged in from the cold by their own daughter.

No, the king deserved every inch of her anger. But did the princess?

This was what the girl grappled as she trekked back to the camp, and later as she stared up at the night sky. Did the princess deserve her betrayal. She had no part in any of it. She had only ever helped the girl.

But she also cast her shadow over the girl. It was hard to never see the light. And the princess took it all in. Not intentionally, but she still did. And it hurt like hell.

Maybe the princess should fall. Maybe not.

Or maybe, the girl should burn the whole kingdom down.

Chapter 3

Talia blinked sleepily, and stretched her arms over her head.

“Morning sleepyhead,” Mallory laughed. She wore a wide smile.

“Morning,” she yawned back. “Why are you so cheerful?”

“Today is the day! The day I deliver you to the jewel of Asno, and earn my place at your side.”

“Hm.” Talia rubbed her eyes. “Is that really today?”

“It sure is,” the captain butted in. “The king only learned of its location recently, when a group of merchants reported strange happenings around a mountain. We knew it was hidden somewhere around here, but not where.”

Mallory snarled to herself. But she kept her smile firmly fixed on her face. “So how did the jewel end up all the way over here?”

“About twenty years ago, a couple broke into the royal vault. They stole the jewel and were going to sell it to our kingdoms rivals.”

“And what happened to them?” Mallory pressed.

The captain shifted uncomfortably. “They were sent to prison, and died a few years later.”

Mallory’s vision turned bright red. She felt every part of her body light up. He lied. He had the nerve to sit in front of her, and lie about her parent’s fate. He had no reason to lie, it changed nothing. But he still did.

“Ah,” she said, keeping the quiver of rage out of her voice. “We should get going. The sooner we get there, the better.”

Talia slowly rose. “Sounds good,” she said while rubbing her eyes. “Brr. It’s cold.”

“Is it?” Mallory barely felt anything over the insane temperature inside her.

“So,” Talia turned to the captain. “What does the Jewel do?”

“We don’t know,” he replied.

“How’s that possible?” Mallory asked.

He shrugged. “We’ve never been desperate enough to use it. It’s power is enormous. No one would use it without considering the great destruction it would cause.”

“So what’s the point of getting it if we’ll never use it?”

“It’s better safe in our vaults, then out in the world where anyone could get a hold of it.

Mallory almost scoffed. Safe in their vault. Only a fool would believe that it was safe in the possession of the king. “Why can only a member of the royal family hold it?” she asked instead.

“They are the only people whose blood is strong enough to survive it. Their ancestor carved the jewel from stone themself, and in doing so exposed themselves to the stone's power. It drove them mad, but it was enough to build a resistance to the jewel’s influence.”

Before Mallory could respond, they heard the clattering sound of a horse's hooves.

Mallory reached out, and yanked Talia behind her. She drew her sword and sank into a defensive crouch. The captain did the same. The hoofbeats stopped, and it sounded as if someone jumped to the ground. They waited, barely daring to breath.

A body stepped into their campsite. Mallory charged forwards and swept her leg out, connecting solidly to their knee. They fell down to the ground with an oomph. She tapped her sword against the person’s heart.

“One move and I’ll…” the words died out in her throat. “Aram?” She asked, astonished. The youngest member of the guard sat in front of her, cringing up at her. “WHat the hell are you doing here?”

“I was sent by the king,” he said in a quivering voice. “Asnon is under attack. Monopya is attacking us, and we need your help.”

“We’ll never make it in time,” the captain muttered. “Not all of us.”

“captain, you go back and command our troops. Me and Mal will go on to get the jewel. We’ll bring it back to save our home.” Talia lay her hand on The captain’s arm. “It’s our only chance.”

“But- I can’t leave you…” he started.

Mallory forced a smile onto her face. “I’ll protect her. Don’t worry.”

The captain paused for a moment before nodding. “Fine. Hurry. We don’t have much time.” He looked at his things, then shook his head. “It’ll be better to travel light. If we go with only the bare bones, then we’ll be able to make the journey in three days.” He headed to his horse, and began to untie her.

“Wait!” Talia said. She threw herself into his arms. “Be safe. And save my home.”

The captain straightened and saluted. “I’ll do my best princess.” He jumped onto his horse and led her to the road. “Aram, we don’t have any time to waste!”

“Right!” Aram hurried after him. “Good luck Princess!” He called out.

“You too,” Talia called back to him.

The horses galloped away, leaving a cloud of dust behind.

“Tal, we need to get to the jewel,” Mallory prompted.

“Right.” Mallory could see a glimmer of tears in her eyes, but Talia walked over to her horse. “We’ll leave right away. My father needs us.”

Mallory held an arm out to the princess. She accepted it, and Mallory lifted her up into her horse’s saddle.

Mallory hopped into her own horse's saddle. “If we leave now, we should get there by noon.”

“Then we have no time to waste.” The Princess jerked the reins and her horse started forwards. Mallory glanced one last time at the camp. She could make the faint outline of the old well through the trees. She bowed her head one last time to the memory, and then continued after the princess.

---

They arrived at the mountain after a few hours of riding. The giant black rock stretched up above them, and a huge gaping hole stretched out.

Mallory took in a deep breath and hopped off her horse. She tied it to a nearby tree, and did the same for Talia’s.

“This is it,” Talia breathed. She stared up at the towering cliff, an emotion Mallory couldn’t identify in her eyes.

“Are you scared?” Mallory asked.

“A little,” Talia admitted.

Mallory grabbed her hands. “Hey. We’ll get through this. Together.”

“Promise?” Talia’s wide brown eyes glanced fearfully up at Mallory’s.

And it broke her heart to answer, “I promise.” She pulled Talia tight against her, hugging her for what may be the last time. Their breathing slowed and matched together. “Whatever happens I’ll be with you. I’ll be by your side forever.”

Talia nodded gratefully. “I don’t know where I’d be without you.” Her soft lips curled into a smile, and she squeezed Mallory’s hands tight. They stood there for a second, leaning into eachother’s warmth. Oh how Mallory would miss this. How she would miss this girl. She could not imagine life without her. But she also wanted a life out of the shadow. And she would not ever forgive her father, and anyone who he loved or loved him.

But Mallory shoved those thoughts out of her mind. She focused only on the pleasantness of this moment. She focused on this girl she loved so much.

Her sister in every way but blood.

And all the dark thoughts were banished to the far corners of her mind where they lay waiting for Mallory to leave Talia’s tight embrace.

And even though she wanted to freeze this moment in time forever, she could not. And it was pointless to drag the pain out.

So she pulled away from her friend.

“No point in wasting time. Let’s go save our home,” she said with a tight smile.

Talia nodded. She took in a deep shuddering breath. “Let’s go.”

She squared her shoulders and faced the cave. She held out her hand to Mallory, and they entered the cave together.

---

The darkness seemed to swallow them up. Mallory knelt and lit a dry stick in fire. The weak light showed a split in the rock, each heading down.

“Your journey Mal. Which way?” Talia asked.

Mallory shrugged. “To the left I guess?”

“Left it is.” Talia marched forwards, into the left tunnel.

Mallory shook her head, and followed after her.

“Do you think Asnon is okay?” Talia asked fearfully after ten minutes of walking.

Mallory tried not to groan. Let the country burn to the ground. They all deserved it. “I’m sure they are fine. And we can’t do anything anyways. It’s better to not worry about it.”

“I know, I know. It’s just...what if they are all dead?”

“Talia, you can’t change anything. It’s pointless to worry.” Mallory squeezed her hand reassuredly.

Talia nodded, unconvinced. “So… this is it.”

Mallory groaned. “Talia what is it?”

“Nothing, nothing. Just trying to fill the silence.”

“No. I know you. What’s bothering you?” Mallory asked. “Your dad? Asnon? Monopya?”

Talia shook her head. “None of those. I’m fine.” She continued forward, head high.

Mallory spotted the trap a moment before it was too late.

“Talia!” She screamed, as she lunged forward. She barreled into the princess, knocking her to the floor just as a row of spikes shot out inches above their heads.

Mallory lay breathless on top of Talia, her heart still racing. They both lay there for a second, gasping for air.

“Dont, ever do that again,” Mallory finally breathed out, her short hair brushing against Talia’s lips. She sat up, and sagged backwards. Her heartbeat started to return to its normal rhythm.

Talia nodded shakily. “No problem.”

Mallory examined the spikes. “We’ll need to be careful. Whoever hid the jewel didn’t want anyone to find it. This is just the beginning. It’ll only get worse.”

And it did. It got so much worse. They had a near-death experience every few feet. But Mallory navigated them through it all. She led them through spikes and pits and sudden falls.

And, eventually, they reached the end.

The end of the path ended with a simple narrow doorway.

After everything, it felt a little anticlimactic.

Mallory trailed her hand along the rough rock. She could almost feel the phantom presence of her family watching over her, snarling at the princess.

She was leading the princess to the thing her parents had died to keep hidden. But it did not matter now. It was too late for second guesses.

So she turned to the princess again, waiting for her orders.

“We’re here,” Mallory said, gesturing to the small doorway.

“How can you tell?”

“Can’t you feel it? In the air, in the walls, in my bones. It feels right.”

Talia considered it for a moment. “I guess?”

“You ready?” Mallory asked, already stepping towards the doorway.

“Not really.” Talia still stepped forward. Each step was timid and slow. She was scared. Paralyzed with fear.

But, nevertheless, she stepped through the doorway, and into the room.

And fell to her knees with a small gasp and expression of rapture.

And when Mallory followed, she could tell why.

The jewel pulsed in the center of the room, held up by nothing but air.

It’s aura of power reached out and stuck Mallory in the gut. It didn’t hurt. Just felt powerful.

It was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. The swirling colors never settled. It was a milky white, with an iridescent sheen, and it seems like faint patches of every color swirled around.

Talia pushed herself to her feet, and held out a hand to Mallory.

Mallory ignored it, and rose to her feet on her own.

Talia sighed and faced Mallory.

“I lied to you,” she said softly. “I am so scared right now.”

“It’s okay. Asnon will get through. No matter what happens.”

“No, no. It’s not that that I'm scared of.” Shame flooded her face. “I should be but, I’m scared for myself.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just… what the captain said about the jewel, it seemed like holding it might kill me. Or drive me mad. Or have something really bad happen to me. But I have to get it back home.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “What if I die? What if it kills me?”

Mallory’s face softened. “You have no idea what will happen. Don’t jump to conclusions. Besides, you have royal blood. You’ll be fine.”

“But what if I’m not worthy enough? What if I’m nothing, and it kills me? What if I lose you forever?” Tears and snot dripped down her face now.

“You're not worthy,” Mallory said simply. “No one is. But, if you asked me, you're the best person I know. And if anyone could survive it, it’d be you.”

Talia nodded and wiped her face off with her hands, smearing grime everywhere. “Thank you Mal.”

“So, princess. Are you ready to save your home?”

“No, but I don’t think I’ll ever be.” She straightened, and pulled her shoulders back. “If for some reason something happens, it wasn’t your fault. You did the best you could, and I don’t want that weight on your shoulders.”

“Talia…” Mallory tried to smile, but she could not make her face cooperate.

Talia tried to smile as well, but it came out as more of a grimace. “I love you so much Mallory. And I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together. You will always be the best friend I can ask for.”

She struggled to inch closer to the jewel. Mallory followed, and winced as wave after wave of pure power crashed into her. She didn’t understand how her parents had carried it all the way here. It rang in her head, making her dizzy, but she still struggled after the princess.

“Almost there,” Talia grunted. She was indeed only a few feet from the jewel. Mallory called out, “wait tal. Don’t go on your own.” She panted, and then jogged forwards, head bowed against the rising pressure. “I… have to.. Take care of... you.” She gasped.

Talia didn’t say anything, but she did stop. She held her hand out for Mallory, and Mallory clutched it quickly. She hauled herself forward.

They both stood there gasping for breath.

“We’ll be able to get there together easier,” Mallory said.

“Together then?” Talia held out her hand.

Mallory hesitated, then slipped her own hand into it. “Together.”

The two of them stepped together, legs moving in sync. They slowly made progress, until they stood in front of the pulsating jewel.

“This is it.” Talia stood tall, nothing but power in her stance. But her eyes betrayed how she was feeling.

“This is it,” Mallory echoed.

The pure energy from the jewel was even worse now. It felt like it was burying Mallory into the ground. But she refused to relent. She was the only one in charge of her body, and she would not let some stone defeat it.

“I don’t think I can handle it. I can barely stand next to it, let alone hold it.”

“You have to.”

“I know.” Talia glanced fearfully at Mallory, then cupped her hands together. “So this is the end.”

“Me and you.”

“You and me.”

“Together till the end.” Mallory smiled tightly.

Talia placed her small cupped hands underneath the stone.

It was all it took.

A wave of pure energy exploded from the stone. It washed over them, bathing them in the power. They struggled to stay upright. It went as quickly as it came.

And the stone dropped.

Right into Talia’s waiting hands.

No.

Not Talia’s.

Mallory did not even realize she was moving as she watched the jewel drop.

Her body moved on its own accord.

She snatched the jewel out of the air.

Right before it hit Talia’s fingers.

And Mallory smiled as she felt the warm stone in her hand.

And then… she fell apart.

[whump-tr0pes]

Honor bound - 43 (Accidentally Hurt By Friend) - @badthingshappenbingo​​​ (requested by @fantasybites​​​)

This is a series. Start here. Continued from here.

Red X is for posted, white X is for requested. 

AO3

Cw: threats of death, choking (all in a nightmare)

How many times am I going to wake up here before I realize the rescue was a dream? Isaac rolled to his side, the now-familiar smell of the dark room washing over him. He pulled uselessly against the rope tying his hands behind his back. I’m never getting out of here. I’m going to die here. No one is coming for me. He squeezed his eyes shut, tears running down his face. The first moments were always the worst. The crushing realization, the shiver of cold through his body as the cement floor sapped away his warmth, the burn of rope around his wrists because he was always bound, always… He trembled, trying to hold on to the last few moments of peace. The last few moments free of pain. The pain always came eventually.

“Hey, Isaac.”

Isaac groaned and kept his eyes squeezed shut. “No…”

“Oh come on. Rise and shine. I gave you a whole week to recover from last time.” Isaac cringed away from the footsteps as they approached him. “You know…” Gavin’s hand tightened in his hair, wrenching his head back. “…it’s taking you longer and longer to recover from things. Your body is getting used up, Isaac. It only took…what…four months? And you’re already practically useless.” He pulled away from Gavin’s grasp. Gavin yanked his head back, hard. “Open your eyes.” Isaac whimpered. “Hey.” He slapped him across the face. “Open your fucking eyes.” Isaac swallowed hard and obeyed. Gavin’s face was inches from his. Always unbroken, always whole. That’s because I dreamed that I beat him. It was only a dream.

Gavin sighed. “I think it’s time I start killing you, Isaac.” His eyes went wide. “You’ve all but exhausted your usefulness to me.”

The tears came in earnest now. “No…Gavin, please…I can…”

“You can what? Be better? Stronger? Withstand more? No you can’t. You’re done, Isaac. Broken. Boring. This was fun while it lasted, truly. But I’m done with you. So I’m going to kill you.” He straddled Isaac’s hips and wrapped his hands around his throat.

“No…pl-” The word was cut off as Gavin’s hands tightened, cutting off his air. He writhed weakly against Gavin’s grasp. He was right. He was used up.

“I think I could probably make it last for days, if I’m lucky and if you can hold on long enough. I’d be content with that. Then when I’m done, I’m making good on my threat and going after Sam.” Isaac bucked against Gavin’s hand. “I know I won’t get nearly as much time out of them. And, if your team isn’t made up of complete morons, they’re as far away from me as they can get. It’ll make the search fun, I think. A good project to occupy my time.” Isaac’s eyes rolled back. Gavin smiled. “Maybe I’ll take all of them. Or just Sam. I haven’t decided yet. But one thing’s for sure.” He leaned in close, watching Isaac’s face as he choked. “I’m absolutely going to show them your body before I start hurting them. They probably think you died months ago. I bet they can’t even imagine that I’ve had you for all this time. That you’ve been suffering for all this time.”

“Isaac.”

“It’s been a real thrill, I can tell you.” Isaac’s vision was getting fuzzy at the edges.

“Isaac.”

“All I want you to do right now is relax, Isaac. Don’t worry, you’re not going to die today. That’s all you need to know.”

“Isaac!”

He gasped, shoving away the hands that held him. He sobbed brokenly as he was finally able to breathe again. He’s going to kill me. I’m going to die. Gavin was still grasping at him, pulling at his clothes. He screamed. He couldn’t see. He threw an elbow and felt it connect. He twisted away from the hands as they let him go. He pressed himself against the wall, face wet with tears, fist pulled back and ready to kill. His right hand ached. It made him gasp as the room came into focus.

Sam was kneeling in front of him, lit dimly by the sun beginning to stream through the window. The others were sitting up, looking around, trying to see what was going on. Gray began to get to their feet, looking over at them both. Sam held a hand to their face, tears streaming down their cheeks. They pulled their hand back to look at it. Blood ran from their lip.

Icewater rushed through Isaac’s veins.

“No…Sam…I’m so…”

Sam pulled their fist back and punched Isaac right in the face.

Isaac fell back against the wall, shocked to his core. He vaguely heard the others gasp. He put his own hand to his face and pulled it away. Blood dripped from his nose. He stared at Sam, dumbfounded. His mouth fell open of its own accord.

Sam was still kneeling on the floor, hands pulled into fists, chest heaving, face wet with furious tears. “There,” they sobbed. “Now we’re even.”

Isaac closed his mouth. “What -”

“I don’t need one more thing for you to blame yourself for.” Sam trembled. “I don’t need one more stupid thing for you to hate yourself for, to not talk to me about. So we’re even.” Tears dripped down their face and onto their shirt.

“I…don’t…”

“Ever since we all escaped you won’t talk to me. You won’t let me in.” Their voice was rising. Everyone in the room was still frozen in place. “You won’t tell me what happened. Because you have to be strong.” The word was packed with anguish. “But he tortured me, too. I was there, too. Not as long as you, not as…it wasn’t as bad as you…” They shook their head. “But I know. I know what it’s like. And you…won’t…talk to me.” They sobbed the words out.

“Sam…”

“We watched you get tortured, Isaac. And we risked everything to come get you. And I would do it again, in a heartbeat. I’d go back to Gavin right now if it meant I got you back. But you…you keep pushing me away, you keep avoiding me, you won’t talk to anyone, except Tori…”

As if summoned by the mention of her name she appeared in the doorway, looking disheveled. She froze at the sight of Isaac cowering into the wall, shock and bewilderment on his face, as Sam sobbed in front of him.

Isaac swallowed hard. “What do you mean…Tori…”

“I heard you. I heard what you told her that first night. I was awake. I heard the whole thing.”

Isaac blanched.

Sam gasped helplessly. “And I don’t care. I don’t care if you broke, Isaac. God knows I did. He tortured you using things I told him.” A shudder rolled over Sam’s body. “And, be honest with me, did you ever once blame me for that?”

Isaac’s lips trembled. “No…” he whispered.

“Then why…” Sam’s voice rose to a wail. “…do you keep blaming yourself? Why do you keep pushing me away? Why won’t you just…just talk to me?” Sam’s hands went to their hair and they pulled, whining in anguish. “The worst thing Gavin ever did to me wasn’t torturing me, Isaac.” They pinned him down with their gaze. “The worst thing he ever did was torture you.”

Sam collapsed into sobs, pressing their face into their hands. Tears started down Isaac’s cheeks. He swallowed hard as his throat burned, eyes fixed on Sam as they wailed miserably. He reached out his left hand, hesitantly, afraid of being pushed away. His heart clenched at the thought. He steeled himself and brushed his fingers down Sam’s shoulder.

They trembled and pressed their face harder into their hands. Isaac licked his lips, tears still streaming, as his hand became firmer on their shoulder. His hand shook.

Sam pulled their face up, their face swollen and red from crying. They looked down at Isaac’s hand, then slowly up to his face. They read the anguish there. They gulped and hurled themselves into his arms.

He wrapped his arms around them and squeezed as tight as he could. He swallowed hard and erupted into sobs as he pulled Sam against his chest, leaning back against the wall, cradling them. They wound their arms around his neck and wept bitterly into his shirt.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Isaac whispered. “I’m sorry I let him hurt you.”

“I’m sorry I told him how to hurt you.” Sam whimpered. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry I pushed you away. It’s not because I don’t -”

“I know.” Sam hiccoughed. “I just want you back, Isaac. Please just…just tell me what I have to say to get you back.”

Tell me that you… Isaac convulsed around Sam, a sob drawing out almost into a choked scream. He whimpered against Sam’s hair. “Tell me you forgive me,” he whispered.

“Of course.” Sam nuzzled into Isaac’s neck. “Of course I forgive you. I forgive you everything.”

Isaac swallowed hard. “For letting him take you…and taking so long to find you…”

“Yes. Everything.”

“…and hurting you so I could go to him…begging for you to come for me…letting him hurt you again…”

“Yes, Isaac. I swear. Everything.”

Isaac whimpered. “…for shutting you out for all this time…and for…” His thumb moved across Sam’s lip, wiping the blood away.

“Yes. Everything.”

Isaac’s arms tightened around them and he buried his face in their hair. Sam sniffled. “Do you forgive me?”

Isaac shook his head. “There’s nothing to forgive.”

“No.” Sam pulled away so they could see his eyes. “Do you forgive me for telling him how to torture you? For…” They swallowed hard and another cascade of tears ran down their cheeks. “…for not being strong enough?”

Isaac closed his eyes. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Sam’s. “Yes.”

“Say it. Please.”

“I…f-forgive you.”

Sam pulled Isaac into their arms again. They held each other as Isaac gently rocked them. Blood dripped from Isaac’s nose and he lifted a hand to scrub it away. Sam didn’t notice their lip bleeding, the drops running down their chin and into their shirt.

Isaac’s eyes drifted up slowly and for the first time, he noticed everyone else in the room. Tori was kneeling on the mattress with Gray, hands clasped in theirs, tears running down both their faces. Finn and Ellis sat together. Ellis’s eyes were downcast but they were smiling. Finn was grinning from ear to ear, cheeks wet with tears. Vera’s eyes were shining with a smile. She hardly seemed to notice the tears running down her cheeks.

Isaac swallowed shyly. He tucked Sam’s head under his chin and leaned back against the wall. The tears wouldn’t stop. He didn’t mind.

Continued here

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