#from telling her that she would have been better off dead to being obsessed with her in a matter of months

[manonblaqkbeak]

the absolute simpery that Rowan exudes in his first pov chapter in queen of shadows is off the charts and i love it

"he hadn't remembered just how stunning she was until she'd taken off her hood earlier and it had struck him stupid"

"he'd sell his soul to the dark god to never have her look like that again"

"fool-- he was such a stupid fool when it came to her"

"that gods-damned nightgown. shit. he was in such deep, unending shit"

[chxrryhansen]

౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊ Cherry’s SStan Series Rec List

here are my sebastian stan series fic recs! they are mostly bucky barnes series but mainly Au’s! i will be creating separate lists for cevans one shots and sstan one shots😚

Clockwork - @sgt-seabass

When life seems to be finally back on track, a visit by a mob boss to your dainty town changes everything. (Dark!Alpha Nick Fowler)

The Soldat And The Sparrow - @navybrat817

Your fire burns for the Winter Soldier. And one day, you'll be free. Both of you.

For The Love Of The Game - @pellucid-constellations

Bucky Barnes was a menace. NYU’s top baseball player, he was used to girls falling at his feet and could smooth talk his way out of just about anything. You hated him. He couldn’t figure out why. So when the novelty of weekend parties and quick hookups finally wore off—and his feelings for you began to grow—he made it his mission to fix it. 

The Heart Is A Deep Ocean - @dreamlessinparis

Titanic was known as the ship of dreams. For you, it was the dream of getting home, or so you thought. From the moment you locked eyes with James Buchanan Barnes, all those dreams changed and your life was never the same.

Everything’s Better In WestView - @espinosaurusrexex

Bucky and Y/N sneak into Westview to have the perfect life. Away from late Steve and Tony, Vision and Natasha, they let themselves be consumed by suburban magic. To their surprise, however, some of these people aren’t so dead in the town. And there are some other weird things happening that make them question their sanity. But that’s okay, right? ‘Cause everything’s better in Westview.

The Bride Of Soldat - @vampy-doll

In the summer of 1986, a young woman goes missing whenever HYDRA kidnaps her to be their next experiment for the reward of their Soldat. Now, post blip, Bucky starts to remember defining details of his love, his match made in hell, and is determined to find her. But after years of isolation and torture after his escape, she isn’t who he remembers. Now they’re trying to piece together who she was pre-HYDRA to teach her how to live, without his undying love and obsession of her getting in the way. But when one head is cut off, two more shall grow in its place, leaving them to discover those behind her abduction.

Awake My Soul - @foreverindreamlandd

It's been five years since zombies first started walking the Earth, destroying anything and everything in their wake. Now, in this apocalyptic world, fighting for survival comes as naturally as breathing. The one thing you've learned ever since they arrived, though, is that the living can be so much more dangerous than the undead. When you stumble across two young, scared boys lost in the woods and being chased by walkers, you go against your better judgment and help them to safety. Little did you know that helping them would lead you to Bucky - an angry, grumpy, distrusting member of the camp Shield. Bucky has zero interest in having you enter his life. He's been hurt before and lost too many people to risk experiencing that kind of pain again, and he knows that there are secrets you aren't telling the group. Yet, when push comes to shove, and you're put at risk, he'll stop at nothing to keep you safe.

Guiding Light - @wkemeup

It was supposed to be a simple mission. Get the intel and go home. Until everything goes wrong and you’re taken captive by Hydra. While you struggle to stay alive and hold your sanity, Bucky begins to lose himself to a darkness and gives into the soldier because he doesn’t know how to breathe without you. Not until he brings you home. If he even can.

The Witness - @wkemeup

Owner of a bar full of criminals, maybe you shouldn’t be surprised when you’re the sole witness to a hydra hit. In comes Detective Barnes, the quick-witted, flirtatious cop who somehow became a regular at your misfit bar. When he takes it upon himself to ensure your safety off the books, you learn to rely on someone else for a change and find you don’t mind it at all. Not when it’s him.

Under Oath - @ugh-supersoldiers

The people called for justice, the state answered. The trial of State v. Barnes is set to begin, and the odds are most certainly not in favor of the not so beloved ex Winter Soldier. That’s where you come in, the quick, smart, and all too brave lawyer set on defending and saving one Bucky Barnes from legal prosecution. The only problem? He’s not so sure he’s worth saving at all.

Just One Kiss - @sarahwroteathing

Bucky Barnes has been chasing after you since he was ten years old, but you’re determined not to give in. How long can you hold out when all he’s asking for is just one kiss?

He’s Hazardous To My Health - @writing-for-marvel

Bucky Barnes is a beefy paramedic with a traumatic past, who has left a trail of broken hearts behind him. You are a resident doctor new to town, who barely has time to date between long shifts. When your paths cross in your ER during a disaster, is it the start of something magical, or are you destined to be just another of Bucky’s former flames?

Just Try - @waiting4inspiration

Perfectly happy with your life at the Avengers’ compound, an alpha walks into your life, flipping it completely over and revealing secrets you hoped you had buried a long time ago.

Дорогая - @waiting4inspiration

Bucky's Winter Soldier programming has been triggered. Turns out the Winter Soldier has a thing for you.

Red Ties - @sebstan2020

Mary, a sweet Christian girl living in the city of Brooklyn as a nurse had a simple life. She loved her work, her friends and attending church every Sunday and helping Reverend Owens. Her life was nothing out of the ordinary. However, it all changed one day when she bumps into the intriguing and intimidating James Barnes, Brooklyn’s notorious mafia boss and is introduced to a world of guns, lust and dominance.

Delicate Edges - @wkemeup

Your family’s beloved flower shop was not the only thing you inherited when your parents passed. Trapped under a mountain of debt to the Hydra club, you bear the cost of your father’s desperate bargain. It’s only in moments when the charming Bucky Barnes walks into your shop that you can forget the cruelty of the biker clubs of this town. But a war is brewing. The border is crumbling. You're trapped in the middle. And Bucky will stop at nothing to keep you safe.

Pride And Privacy - @adrinktostopyourthirst

Bucky works on himself as he gets used to a roommate. Turns out, she has a much better room than him and he crossed the line.

Feelings Are Fatal - @sunmoonandeddie

After the events of Endgame, you struggle to come to terms with what you’ve lost, though you’re learning that you still have something to gain.

Appointments - @noctumbra

bucky barnes, finally being able to live freely in 21st century, accidentally gets a fuck buddy and starts to rediscover himself. the only weird thing about this situation is that you have to make an appointment to get railed by him. 

Lazarus - @sagechanoafterdark

Things are complicated between you and James Barnes. For you, life doesn’t mean much when you never stay dead for very long. But it might just be an ex-soviet assassin that convinces you to start living again.

Its A Deal - @justreadingfics

You’re out of a relationship of 10 years and you’re just in desperate need to get laid, no strings attached, no romance, no complications. You dear friend Natasha feels like she’s going to regret this later, but she might have the perfect guy to fulfill your needs.  

The Two Of Us - @bucky-bucket-barnes

You and Bucky go to investigate the phenomenon happening in Westview, New Jersey. While attempting to understand the issue, you yourselves are sucked into Wanda's world of pretend. Now, you believe yourselves to be the happily married Mr. and Mrs. Barnes; in real life, you are most definitely not a happy pair. It is up to you and Bucky to piece together what's happening while dealing with one another inside the hex.

Snow - @delaber

Tired of your constant bickering, Sam sends you and Bucky on a mission alone. When the worst possible outcome happens and you’re forced to spend several days together in a small cabin, you finally get to see a different, more pleasurable side to the man whose flesh you’ve always had a thorn in.

All Good Things - @sagechanoafterdark

After only three days of dealing with the annoying specter haunting you, you break the rules and accidently give a ghost a body. So what do you do when you find out the man you’re now sharing your your apartment with isn’t really a ghost and that haunted touch is a little warmer than you realized?

Welcome Home… Soldat? - @winterarmyy

Y/N had make a habit of greeting Bucky a warm 'welcome home' everytime he came back from his missions, but there was one particular day when she unknowingly greeted someone else.

Heavy Metal Lover - @mypoisonedvine

every client is different, with different needs; but this client is, in every way, exceptional. (Sub!Bucky Barnes + Dominatrix!Reader)

Parent-Teacher Conference - @coffeecatsandcandles

James Barnes, a widowed single dad, had forgotten what love felt like and let it crush him, taking his daughter, Rebecca, with him. He was cold, rude, and arrogant, being one of the few teachers at Westview High School the students seemed to absolutely despise. But when you show up, a hopeful math teacher who’d previously taught Rebecca’s kindergarten class, and are adored by your students and colleagues- James’s attitude starts to change.

Duck & Cover - @whirlybirbs

you’re the howling commandos’ new medic (Sniper!Bucky Barnes)

Winter’s Mate - @maggyme13

The Winter Soldier threatens to get out of control with his instincts taking over more and more. After years of supressed ruts his body built up a resistance and Hydra need to find another solution. Deciding it would be the easiest to just give in. Hydra kidnapped the reader to turn her into a Omega in Heat using injections whenever needed.

Key’s In Your Ignition - @georgiapeach30513

Caught up in a sexual relationship with your father’s Vice President, and trying to not get caught.  Blind to everything else that’s going on in the club, and even your old crush, Bucky Barnes.  Not even noticing your brother and best friend flirting, until your father suddenly passes, and things in the club drastically change. (Ari Levinson + Bucky Barnes + Harvard Hottie- Hayden)

[auspicioustidings]

Firewatch

Summary: You are unconscious on the floor of the fire watch tower while the fire fighters decide what exactly to do with you. (Also this is a series, links are in my pinned posts to the other parts :) )

Work Count: 1.3k

CWs: It's a little (a lot) kidnap-ey

Firewatch - Firefighter AU

"Wit if we didnae dae that though?"

Price looked at the unconscious body on the floor. Soap had carried you all the way up without a word, all of them ignoring that the Scottish man had just abducted you. Scratched and bruised but miraculously not one burn on you despite the blaze that had just destroyed your little cottage and tried to tear through the forest after. 

It was a small miracle that the weather had turned, the downpour helping them to stop the flames from spreading further into the forest, their forest. His team of firefighters lived and worked here, their cabin a short hike away from the Firewatch tower. They all had their own reasons for living off grid, choosing this life. They had each other, but he couldn't deny that there had been something pleasant about watching you move into the crumbling cottage just on the edge of the forest.

You had done most of the renovation work yourself, they knew that because it had become a hobby to watch you from the tower. If it bordered on obsession sometimes, well he let that slide, had said nothing when from the tower he had watched Simon go into your cottage (didn't even have to break in, you didn't lock it, drove them wild when they realised). Neither Mactavish nor Garrick had asked where the blanket had come from when Simon returned with it that night. They already knew. He remembered it smelled of bergamot in the beginning. 

"You're suggesting we let the authorities pronounce her dead?" Price asked, although if he was being honest it barely sounded like a question, more like a statement.

"She should be dead doing the bloody electrical work herself. We supposed to just leave her to her own devices? She needs looking after."

Simon did believe that it wouldn't be a bad thing to keep you. They could look after you, give you a good life here. You'd already been testing his self-control and he knew it wasn't just him. He may have been the only one to have entered your cottage, although it should be noted that despite the raging temptation to touch you he had only taken the blanket from your sleeping body, replacing it with a thicker one. But he was not the only one who had been desperately trying to look after you despite your seeming insistence to be as reckless as possible. 

Gaz had taken a sledgehammer to the rickety ladder you were using while you were out, making sure it wasn't usable anymore so nobody had to watch you fall to your damn death. Price had to hold the man back when you had bought a new one. Safer than what you had been using, but wouldn't it be better to let them take that risk? Wouldn't it be nice to sit back and relax while Gaz patched up the roof for you?

Johnny had been near feral when you had taken to strolling through the forest, coming to within a metre of one of their traps. He had barked down the radio to the cabin in a panic from his spot on the watch tower and it had taken hours of Simon sitting with him on watch to calm him down. Johnny went out that night and picked up every trap they had laid, refusing to let anyone put anymore out until he had marked a walking trail for you to follow and then watched for weeks to be certain you had picked up on it and wouldn't stray. 

"He's not wrong. What happens when that git who delivers her mail decides he wants to cosy up? Look at her, she's practically begging to get taken advantage of. It's not safe out there for her" Gaz added. He never would have considered kidnapping you as such, but it made perfect sense to him that they don't tell the authorities that they had rescued you from the fire. This wasn't kidnapping, more divine intervention. 

They all did look at you then, unconscious on the floor in your paint splattered dungarees, breathing easily in and out. You had been choking from the smoke when Simon had hauled you over his shoulder and gotten you outside, Gaz getting an oxygen mask on you while Johnny and Price tried to contain the fire. The way you had looked up at Simon when you realised you were alive, that he had saved you. God you had been so beautiful to him, some mixture of adoration and confusion in your eyes, a hint of fear from him being in full gear and face mask.

He gently cradled your head when you tried to look over at what Gaz was doing, not letting you see him prepare the sedative. You didn't even notice the sting of the needle, probably in shock. Gaz told himself that it was so you could rest, so they didn't need to worry about you going into a panic. Of course it wasn't nefarious to sedate you, how could it be when you looked so peaceful as you slept? If he had done something wrong Simon would have stopped him, Johnny wouldn't have scooped you up and carried you all the way home, Price wouldn't have your cat rubbing against his legs after having carried the little thing here so you wouldn't worry about her when you woke up.

Price sighed, leaning down to give the cat a few scratches behind the ear. They would need to get some things from town to make you comfortable, but for the moment you'd have to stay in the tower away from prying eyes. The sheriff would be paying their cabin a visit to go over the incident report. They'd need to figure out some of the details, mess with the timelines a little to make it feasible that the fire would have left nothing behind of you.  It shouldn't be too difficult, the community trusted them and you were an outsider who had breezed into town one day. Nobody would be demanding DNA testing to confirm.

"If we are doing this, we are going to do it proper. I hear any complaints from her and you can't justify that whatever she's mad about wasn't for her own good then I put you on 24 hour fire watch for a fortnight, understood?"

They all nodded, Johnny and Gaz not able to keep from grinning. The former was bouncing on his heels, excited out of his mind that they were keeping you. Price sighed again when he looked to Simon for some sort of support and the man just laughed.

"Kyle stay with her. Make sure she stays put when she wakes up, keep her happy. Lie when you have to keep her calm. You two are with me, we need to get back home and talk to the sheriff when she comes calling."

"Whit?! How's that fair? Let me stay instead!"

"Kyle is staying because he won't bloody pounce on her the minute she's awake."

Johnny had bitched about it the whole way back to the cabin, talking to the cat in his arms when Simon and Price stopped paying him any mind. They'd need to justify why they would be buying cat supplies and the sheriff was nothing if not appreciative of them when they explained they had found the poor thing out in the trees and would adopt it now that it's owner was gone.

It all went more smoothly than they could have dared dream. The real difficulty was dealing with Johnny's endless complaining when they returned to the watch tower to find that the expectation of Gaz not pouncing on you the moment you were awake had been an unrealistic one.

[giorno-plays-piano]

Binary Star

Part I

Pairing: academic rival!Satoru Gojo x reader

Warnings: yandere, obsession, power play, hurt/comfort, no curse au, this series will get darker as the story progresses.

Words: 1.2k

Summary: It has to pay off, he thinks as he waits for the headmaster to finally announce the valedictorian, knowing she is there too, shifting from one foot to the other impatiently. What face is she going to make when his name will be called? Is she going to cry? To yell at him and publicly demand a re-evaluation? Or will she, perhaps, finally admit he's done a fantastic job and won fair and square?

____________

He is really going to get her this time. This is the finish line, quite literally: the graduation; his last attempt to win and emerge victorious from the very last battle between him and her. It has to be it.

If he couldn't win against her for the last time, Gojo would probably have a mental breakdown right in the middle of the ceremony. Geto standing right next to him rolls his eyes to the ceiling over his friend who's shaking from excitement and fear. Of course, Satoru wouldn't admit it even under torture, but Suguru knows better. The girl his friend has been competing with throughout high school isn't just smart: she's completely insane like Gojo and as big pain in the ass as him. Who knows, perhaps she'll really win this round. He prefers not to think of it.

Satoru searches for her in the crowd, standing on his toes despite already being a foot taller than anyone else in the hall. Is she here? This nightmarish woman who has been pushing him to give high school his all because she dared to take away his crown of the best student during their freshman year? When Satoru saw the scores, he thought he might have had a heart attack. There was no way he was no longer #1.

"That's what you get for messing around the chem lab," Shoko snorted while Satoru dumbly stared at the name of that annoying girl, always the teachers' pet, heading the list. His name was written right under hers.

What the actual fuck?! She got a better score than him? Him, the genius, with his undeniably superior IQ of 180 that he flaunted at any given time? Who did she think she was, Sheldon Cooper or something?

It got him so fired up he actually started studying.

"You're so dumb," Geto eventually said after his friend had gotten in the argument with the girl during their ethics class - again. "You know you could be making out with her now, right? She's the only person who could actually get along with your stubborn ass."

"Wha-a-at? What about you?" Immediately disregarding his question, Satoru was already pouting like a kid. "Wouldn't you date me?"

"Yeah, over my dead fucking body."

To be fair, it's not that Gojo never thought of her that way - she was pretty, even if he was never going to admit it out loud - but she was also so insufferable Gojo really couldn't focus on anything else but beating her in that game they were playing. The best score on the history exam? They both wanted it. Math test? Him and her were working on those questions as if their lives depended on it. Biology project? Satoru made sure to do the impossible, submitting something he would get a Noble prize for, and yet he still somehow managed to get the same grade as her. It was absolutely infuriating.

Why on Earth did she decide she could be better than him? He was Satoru Gojo, after all. The one and only son of Gojo family, who was not only embarrassingly rich but also fucking smart - his parents used to flaunt his talents throughout his whole childhood and continued doing it well into adulthood. He couldn't tell them he was no longer #1. What would his mother say? Dear God, it was hard to imagine what would happen to his father of he learned some random girl got a better grade for that English paper than him. It was, at the very least, unbecoming of Satoru.

But she was unrelenting, irritated with his status of the school genius, and ready to fight him on every occasion. Satoru had no idea what could piss her off so much - in the end, he was the most charming guy around, wasn't he? - but there wasn't a day she'd let him have his way. She was brave, persistent, and knowledgeable, and he hated her very much.

The fact that Shoko and Suguru were asking him to please get together with her and stop antagonizing the whole school only riled up Gojo even more. As if he was going to date that nerd!

When he learned she'd be running for the valedictorian, it was the last drop. No fucking way. She couldn't take it away from him - even if he had never actually cared about being a valedictorian.

If his friends had thought he was obessessing over her, now they realized Satoru went completely nuts. He started studying so much he barely slept: it was a given, considering the bags under his eyes were making his skinny ass look like a starving raccoon. Geto couldn't drag gim out even in between lessons because Satoru was immediately burying his head in the books.

It has to pay off, he thinks as he waits for the headmaster to finally announce the valedictorian, knowing she is there too, shifting from one foot to the other impatiently. What face is she going to make when his name will be called? Is she going to cry? To yell at him and publicly demand a re-evaluation? Or will she, perhaps, finally admit he's done a fantastic job and won fair and square?

Pfft, of course she won't. She'll probably stab him in the parking lot once he tries to get into his car.

But when the headmaster finally announces the results, and his, Satoru Gojo's, name is called, he no longer sees her in the crowd, and the sweet taste of victory suddenly turns to ashes in his mouth.

Where is she? She couldn't have known it would be him. To be frank, he didn't either. How could she leave right before the results were announced?

He gives his speech with a stupid smile plastered all over his face, but his mood has already soured. She had to be there to hear he was named this year's valedictorian! What face did she make? Did she leave right after she heard it wasn't her? Did she cry? Did she run away because she couldn't take it? Wasn't she going to say to him anything at all?

How could she just... vanish?

He doesn't know why he expected her to be the bigger person and come tell him he did great, but he truly did. Suddenly, he realizes he wants her to look him in the face and say he is good enough.

Did he need to be the bigger person, perhaps? But, wait, isn't he a bigger person by default because he's the winner, he wondered. The winner is always the bigger person if he doesn't rub loser's face in the dirt, right?

In the end, he couldn't even enjoy the victory he had been craving for so long.

"She had something urgent come up," Shoko says later in the restaurant, making a tsk-ing sound while Gojo listens to her with a frown on his face. "Something about her family."

Something about her family? What could be as important as the announcement of valedictorian?

"Are you dumb?" With a sigh, Suguru cocks his head to the side. "Plenty of things are more important than this valedictorian crap."

Maybe to somebody else, but not to her, Satoru thinks. Beating him has always been the only thing on her mind, and nothing could have changed that.

__________

He will be mulling over it for a long, long time once he realizes she did not follow him to Harvard despite her scholarship.

Part II

Tags: @minshookie29

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

follower! bishops with an s/o that was apart of their cult but now runs a tea shop in the lambs cult?

Narinder

"Huh, so this is how my consort wastes the immortal life I've given them...by running a cutesy little tea shop in the cult of my traitorous vessel.."

"Good to see you, darling. Care for some chamomile tea?"

"....yes, I suppose I could indulge in some."

Narinder never thought this is what you've been up to after all this time: sitting in a cozy tent and selling specialty teas to followers who spent their hard-earned coin on refreshing drinks.

He thought you'd use your immortality necklace as a means of travelling the world and spreading his word after he was banished.

But nope. You settled down here with goals to live a comfortable life.

Although you didn't let him forget his cruelty to the other followers and Lamb..

"You wouldn't make me pay, would you?"

"I should charge you double...considering you threatened to kill all of us and Lamb once they've done your bidding." You reminded him, causing him to tense up.

"..I would have spared you-"

"Of course you say that now."

"S/o, please..I'm...."

"You're.....?"

"...I'm sorry." He finally relents.

".....you'll get this one for free, and maybe next time too if you show these followers more kindness." You kiss him on the cheek, passing a cup of tea into his paws.

He acts all huffy about being humbled by you, but from there on he's a little bit nicer to the other followers.

Leshy

You ran a small tea shop back in Darkwood. There was no ingredient that didn't make the perfect tea: peppermint, camelia, citrus..you name it.

After Leshy went blind, he got accustomed to every kind of smell from your shop. So when he stopped by, he always knew what you were brewing and would request some.

Of course, how could you deny him? Your beloved deserved a nice and calming drink in the chaos of his realm.

Unfortunately some of his fanatics obsessed with destruction began trashing your shop while you were out on a supply run.

You tried chasing them away, but got seriously wounded and had to flee for your life. Soon afterwards, Lamb found you and took you to their cult.

Leshy believed you to be dead.

So imagine his shock when he's indoctrinated and smells those familiar teas, immediately rushing to the source and discovering you're here and alive.

"S/o!! Where have you gone?! I thought I had lost you forever!!"

"It's okay, Leshy. I had to run away, but Lamb found me and saved my life. What ever happened to those raiders, by the way?"

"...I had them hung for your murder."

"....oh. Well, they're better off as bird food anyways. Come and sit, dear. I had to start back at square one, but I have every kind of tea flavor you love."

"Yes, of course....it's so good to hear your voice again, s/o."

"Likewise, Lesh."

Heket

Back in Anura, your tea shop helped her keep followers in line..specifically dissenters.

You used to slip mushrooms into teas and offer it as a "gift" to those who opposed her ruling.

And they'd do anything you wanted. Usually you left that to Heket, but as her consort you're allowed some liberties with brainwashed followers.

While she would make them eat dung or fast for the day, you'd tell them to go out into the world and advertise your tea shop to bring more people into the Anurian cult.

Or you'd make them do stupid things just for laughs.

When you were taken to Lamb's cult, Heket fully believed you were "stolen" and demanded your return, lest she starved their entire cult.

Of course, they don't. And she's killed, revived, defeated, and indoctrinated before she finally gets to see you again, promising they won't separate you anymore.

Obviously she's starving, but she beelines for you instead of the kitchen, wanting to see your face and make sure you were alright.

"Oh, my dearest Heket! How are you?"

"....hungry.....come with..."

You pout at her inability to talk for too long, though you join her for dinner, which she has with tea.

While it doesn't soothe any part of her severed vocal cords, it does help her calm down a lot.

Her only disappointment is that Lamb banned you from selling shroom-laced tea to their followers.

They weren't any fun.

Kallamar

Back in Anchordeep, you ran a small tea shop with drinks that could cure minor ailments, such as the common cold.

However, it often felt like Kallamar owned the shop instead.

You were only allowed to use specific ingredients and he told you to refuse any followers cursed with a sickness that he inflicted as punishment (indicated by a glowing green mark on their forehead).

You felt guilty every time you turned one away, but you had to listen to him..lest he shutdown your business.

It was a pain, and you couldn't take it anymore as you were losing more and more coin.

So when Lamb stopped by, you begged them to take you away from here.

Kallamar wasn't happy about that, putting all his focus into hindering Lamb's progress as he thinks they took you away.

Only when he becomes indoctrinated does he realize how wrong he was...

You had some rather venomous words for him. Words that you've been afraid to speak out loud when he was a godlike bishop.

Now you didn't have to hold back.

"I wanted Lamb to take me away, Kall. You were so controlling...trying to run my shop for me and make me refuse followers whose only crime was catching you on a bad day. You preached about how terrifying the Red Crown was, but honestly I was more afraid of you. I should refuse to serve you any of my healing teas so you know exactly how they felt."

He's 0.01 seconds away from having a breakdown, knowing you're absolutely right. You probably didn't love him anymore-

"...but I don't like watching others suffer when I know I can help them, even if they are scum. And part of me..still loves you. So if you wanna start over, we can. But only if you help me run this shop and listen to me."

"O-Of course! I'd love to assist you!" Kallamar managed to hold back the tears on this one, willing make up for how terrible he's been to you.

He lets you run the show, his only suggestion being that you adorned the shop's entrance with crystals to make it prettier (an idea that you accepted right away, showing you forgave him).

Shamura

They (quite literally) drop by your tea shop a lot, often surprising you.

But you enjoyed their company.

While having a drink, they'd chat with you about the latest knowledge they've discovered, some facts about war and ancient methods of combat, and/or how their day with their siblings went.

They could go on for hours, and you loved hearing it all.

They ensured your shop was well-protected, giving you some scorpions who acted like guard dogs.

When their brain got damaged by Narinder, they often forgot about your shop and stopped visiting as much.

You knew it wasn't their fault. But seeing them slowly start to neglect your feelings to yearn for their traitorous brother 24/7 hurt a lot. He's all they ever talked about anymore whenever they did remember to see you.

Eventually you angrily muttered how much you hated him...which was a huge mistake, as Shamura looked at you with the coldest eyes.

And commanded the scorpions to kill you.

You had to run away and were eventually saved by the Lamb.

With nothing but a small satchel of spare ingredients and tea bags with you, you started a new life in their cult, trying to accept that Shamura was too far gone to be helped.

Yet after they were indoctrinated, they immediately asked where you were and cried as you approached the pillory imprisoning them, believing you had been killed.

You realized they finally remembered you, and you wiped away their tears, offering them their favorite tea to jog their memories.

And at last...everything was alright again.

[moonbaby26]

Title: Basement Negotiations

(Chapter 1 of Doflamingo’s Marine Series)

*Crossposted to AO3 Here*

Reader/(Y/N) type: cis female marine

Pairings: Doflamingo x Reader as primary. Smoker x Reader is in the past. And Kuzan/Aokiji x Reader is there a little too.

Chapter Warnings: nonconsensual, dubious consent, language, violence, biting, blood, unprotected vaginal sex, fingering, oral sex (female receiving)

Chapter Synopsis: Imagine being an overly ambitious young marine under Tsuru’s command. You’ve just had a very public breakup with Smoker, and without knowing also caught the Heavenly Demon’s eye for quite a while now. But you may have finally crossed the line in interfering with the warlord’s business dealings. Either way, Doflamingo will make sure you get what you deserve.

Chapters: 1, 2

———————————————

———————————————

“You aren’t listening!” Smoker barked back at you, those two cigars pinched between his now bared teeth.

Things had unraveled here so quickly. Just minutes ago you’d been calmly following him as he’d asked to have a private word in the courtyard here at Mariejois.

For three months the two of you had been apart on assignments in different seas, and almost nightly you’d imagined finally seeing him again. You’d envisioned sharing a bed once more and doing everything you knew you had both been waiting for.

But now Smoker’s expression was practically a snarl and it just snapped something deeper within you as that final straw broke.

All the weeks that it’d been hard to get him by transponder snail, you hadn’t even worried. He was busy. You were busy. And you’d finally made the rank of captain. That next crucial step towards your own dream of becoming a vice admiral someday. You’d been riding that emotional high, just anticipating getting to celebrate together with him.

But this man who you thought would share in your pride and accomplishments the most, looked you dead in the eyes and said you had an obsession. That your desire to so rapidly climb the ranks at the expense of all else was not healthy. You were going to crash and burn, and he would no longer be a party to that.

But he hadn’t wanted to do this over snail. He’d come all this way just to tell you that the two of you were over straight to your face.

And as hotheaded as the both of you could be, the resulting argument had escalated explosively to this.

His subordinate Tashigi had dashed out, tears almost in her eyes by then as she begged for the fight to stop. You considered her a friend, but even she wasn’t enough to reason with you then as you’d landed the first solid kick against his clenched jaw.

A haki infused strike that even a logia fruit user couldn’t dissipate away from. The sound of the connect had been audible through the courtyard as he reeled back.

“He thinks I’m weak!” You called out spitefully to Tashigi as you immediately followed up to invert your body with a dive and a handspring that let your legs wrap around Smoker’s neck next before he could fly away.

Every place your bodies touched, you coated with haki in order to keep a hold of him. He tried to grab your thighs, but you still completed the maneuver to set him off balance and pull him down to the ground instead.

You wouldn’t stop fighting now until you either drew first blood or pinned him as symbolic victory. Because it drove something in you absolutely livid to be thought of as physically less than any other marine.

What he framed as caring about you, you could now only see as him not believing in your strength and ability to outlast your peers.

He didn’t know what sacrifices you’d already made. How hard it had been to claw your way up even to this point. You had worked so doggedly to be here, and you would go even higher, with or without him.

You knew you could mitigate his abilities better in close quarters. But he did knock you back enough to finally turn to smoke and take to the air.

Besides your haki though, your other weapon of choice was the rope dart you now unwrapped from your shoulder. He wasn’t out of your range yet as you infused the dagger with more of your power and launched it at him in the air.

You sensed his frustration mounting as well, and you knew he was about to make a mistake. You saw it so clearly in your mind that you focused on nothing else.

And that was the exact moment in which you lost the battle, as you didn’t account for the surprise attack from behind.

You did gasp aloud as your feet seized to the ground. The sudden cold felt like knives piercing all the way up your bare legs and beneath your skirt as your upper body stilled in that brief paralysis.

Your rope dart went limp on the ground as you’d stopped controlling it. You were trying to catch your breath as that unnatural cold had risen all the way up into your chest then.

“Enough sparring for this morning…don’t you think?” A new voice questioned calmly, yet still imposing enough behind you.

“You always take his side,” You muttered through an involuntary shiver. You’d completely lost feeling in your legs by the time Aokiji walked by you with his hands back in his pockets.

“Congratulations on making captain.” The admiral said sincerely. Before adding, “Tsuru said she has a new assignment for you though. I’d head fast to her office, yeah?”

You stared after him in surprise as he kept walking, but with a mix of a little dread building in you all the same. Tsuru was the last person you wanted to be scolded by right now. But this fight had all happened so fast. Could she already know? 

You quickly started refocusing your haki to melt off the ice. It looked like little bits of steam coming off of your legs before you were able to stagger forward with the rest of the excess ice shattering off of you as it fell to the ground in chunks.

Smoker was possibly getting reprimanded by Aokiji next. You could see them talking now. But the two men were friends, so it was doubtful. You really only saw Tashigi still looking upset, like she wanted to say something to you. But you turned your back to them all after collecting your weapon to wrap it back around your shoulder.

When you did so, you realized just how much of an audience you’d acquired in the courtyard. Not just people all gawking on the ground level, but shadows moving in the balconies above as well. Too many to care about right now as your long marine coat flowed behind you as you stormed off.

————————————

No part of Mariejois was actually a marine base. But in cooperation with the World Government, these administrative offices and meeting areas were shared with the marines.

You moved purposefully through the familiar corridors then, only stopping briefly at the women’s restroom area to mirror check yourself.

There was no time to change. All you could do was button closed your marine coat enough to cover up how your skirt and the bottom of your shirt were still wet from the melted ice. 

You then took a wet towel next to clean your face of scuffs or dirt. It wasn’t so much vanity though as it was pride. You couldn’t look too disheveled, because that would mean that Smoker really had gotten the best of you.

He had been your longest physical relationship to this point. Two years of your life to that man. And now he’d just pulled the rug out from under you as his thanks for all the effort. 

And as you’d turned away from the mirror, you heard the door and two other women coming in. They were talking amongst themselves.

“And she just attacked him right out there in front of everyone!”

“What a psycho!”

By their clothing, they were just two World Government clerks, glorified coffee getters actually. Not anyone whose opinion you gave a shit about even as the color drained from their faces when they saw you.

But you didn’t have the time, just shouldering roughly past them and right back out the door.

——————————— 

As you entered Tsuru’s temporary office, still concerned for whatever discipline might await you there, you were only surprised to see a couple more of the crew helping her pack her things rapidly away.

“You’re leaving already, ma’am?” You asked, knowing the whole purpose of the trip here had been for the warlord meeting she was always a part of.

Even as a captain yourself now, your official post was still on her battleship. You had sailed under this woman from your very first marine recruitment actually. And for the dynamics of Tsuru’s crew, that meant she was more like a stern mother figure to you by this point.

“There’s been an incident near Amazon Lily.” She responded while sliding her notebooks into one of the bags they had. “Sengoku has asked that we go immediately and deescalate the situation to mitigate any casualties.”

It was no secret that Tsuru preferred a mostly female crew. So logically it’d make sense for you all to deal with Hancock and her Kuja Pirates if it came down to it.

“Yes, ma’am.” You answered, relieved to already have another fight to focus on really. “I’ll go to the ship now and help ready for sail then.” You had started to turn on your heel for the hallway too before she responded.

“You’re not coming with us.” The Vice Admiral cut you off.

The confusion in your eyes as you looked back must have been evident as she immediately continued.

“The warlord meeting is starting now. I need you to present that report on the war in Charybdis in my place. The World Government is still hemming and hawing about giving us the funding needed to move into that area.”

Yes, you were the one who had made the report for her in the first place. But always with the intention that it would have her authority as a vice admiral behind it when presented.

She knew you well though, and even that brief moment of silence made clear your hesitation. Of course she would have none of it. “You know the data better than anyone else. It’s your report, so make it work. Get us that funding.”

“I’m not a salesman, Tsuru-san.” You still protested. If the marines didn’t move in to turn the tide in that war soon, so many more lives were going to be lost. It was not minor politics to be played at by a novice.

“You don’t have to be a salesman. Be yourself, that’s authentic enough. They’ll believe you as long as you’re firm on it. And when it’s over, you can sail back to Marineford on Sengoku’s ship this evening.”

She shoved the report folders into your arms next, the last things that had been on her now cleared desk. “File everything of the reports in the government archive here too when done please. We may still need to reference them again later for those other things we talked about.”

“Of course,” You could only agree reflexively, knowing now she had obviously made up her mind.

And you were all walking back into the hall together soon after as they’d taken everything else that they needed.

“Good luck, (Y/N)!” Your other crewmates offered cheerfully.

But it was Tsuru whose brow still furrowed as if she’d remembered one last important thing. She spoke to you quickly, but with emphasis. “The only two warlords who showed up today are Bartholomew Kuma-” Because of course he always did. “But also Donquixote Doflamingo.” Who almost never did. 

And her eyes were truly serious in that moment as she warned you. “I would say Doflamingo must have a vested interest in the war as well for him to come here now. Nothing altruistic either I’m sure. You’ll be fine with Sengoku there of course. But, do not let your guard down with that pirate. He’s conniving and dangerous. You know this.”

“Yes, ma’am.” You answered again. Tsuru had been the vice admiral chasing Doflamingo from long before he had immunity as a warlord. And before he had been king of Dressrosa either. You’d been there for some of it too, all the way back from those North Blue days as a chore girl on her ship. But you knew their shared history predated even your time on her crew.

That brief look she gave you of still lingering worry was what finally made you relax slightly though. Because it wasn’t that same patronizing concern that Smoker had had.

Tsuru knew damned well what you were capable of. She didn’t try to keep too tight of a leash on you either. She had always done her best just to guide you instead. Direct the weapon instead of dismantle it. 

“I’ll be fine.” You nodded at her. “I won’t be intimidated by someone like Doflamingo. It’d be an embarrassment to our crew.”

“I know. But go on then and be careful. They’ll already be starting.” She shooed you on after, before you both turned to head in your opposite directions.

———————————— 

And they had already started. You’d paused briefly, making sure your posture was just right and befitting of a marine before you walked in through the ornate meeting hall doors.

Vice Admiral Momonga was speaking about previous meetings’ minutes as you kept your calm even as you realized every chair seemed already occupied.

Mostly by lesser staff, World Government fodder likely here as well only for discussions about the Charybdis war. They would be your audience soon enough for this damned report.

There was at least one chair still open though as you rounded the table. And you thought you knew why. No one wanted to sit by the warlords.

But if they had to choose one, apparently they still chose Kuma. Because at this far curve of the table, it was another marine, then Kuma, then Doflamingo, the one empty chair, and then another government official.

So you didn’t have a choice as you slid silently into the empty seat beside Doflamingo and placed Tsuru’s folders on the table.

No one seemed to acknowledge your arrival. And that was fine as you were trying to discreetly reread the reports as the others kept working through their normal meeting preamble. You’d turned these reports in to Tsuru over a week ago, so the refresher was prudent.

But even as you listened while reading, there was something else that almost immediately distracted you.

The heady scent of cologne. It was odd to think that anything could smell so expensive. But it very much did as you saw movement in your peripheral vision.

You refused to look away from your paperwork though. Even as Doflamingo sank slightly down in his chair, as if he were getting more comfortable. His hands were in his pockets as he spread his knees wide open. 

The warlord’s bright capris pants were then encroaching into your space to almost touch your own knees before you shifted your legs carefully away from him.

Your knees remained closed, then pointing towards the government official on the other side of you as you kept reading. 

You didn’t know if anything in Doflamingo’s actions was intentional. But when he had moved, you’d smelled that cologne just minutely stronger. Affirming that the rich scent was indeed from the tall pirate.

Sengoku was speaking next. And you did finally glance up as you heard the fleet admiral mention you.

“Vice Admiral Tsuru has been unexpectedly occupied with a sudden matter concerning the Kuja pirates. Her subordinate, Captain (Y/N) will be presenting the Charybdis report in lieu of Tsuru this morning.”

And damn if every eye in the room wasn’t on you then. Though that oddly excited feeling was there as well as you realized it was the first time you’d been so publicly addressed as a captain. And there was absolutely no shame to also be noted as Tsuru’s subordinate in the same breath considering the immense respect you had for that woman.

“I do thank you for joining us on such short notice, (Y/N).” Sengoku continued, before uttering the words that really put the pressure on you. “If you could please go ahead and present the report. I know you likely have work elsewhere as well.”

“Yes, sir.” You answered as a visual transponder snail was passed in your direction. 

Never had you presented at this level. But you’d been in enough lower level staff meetings to know the technology as second nature when you let the snail broadcast the documents onto one of the large screens that had been brought into the room.

You’d also been taught to stand whenever giving information to those who outranked you. So you were in your element as best as you could be, pushing your chair away to stand as you just got right into it to begin speaking.

But that wasn’t the hard part either you knew. Giving the information in a digestible format was one thing. Where it really came down to it would be when the questions started. You knew all too well that Tsuru had put her trust in you to not only relay your report, but to defend it as well.

And so you talked about the contributing factors of the war, the major players in it, the casualty estimates to this point, and the destabilization that it was ever escalating in the region.

To any humanitarian, the horrors of those details alone should have warranted full marine forces to intervene and force an armistice to stem the bloodshed immediately.

But you knew the real ways the World Government worked as well. And so lastly was the thing you were most trying to “sell” if anything. Your estimates on just how much was now being lost in trade and taxes with this region because of the indefinite conflict.

You wanted the government to conclude that it’d still be cheaper to deploy the marines in what would surely be a drawn out demilitarization of the area, than it would be to just let things continue unchecked as they had been.

The only variable that you really still worried about was who exactly was feeding the weapons sales on both sides. You’d only gotten an alias out of the pirates and mercenaries you’d captured on the ground there.

There was some individual named Joker still operating out there that they were more afraid of than even your rope around their throats.

You had told Tsuru of course, but both of you had agreed to omit this name from the reports. Because you didn’t know how in bed that individual may already be with the government. The criminals you’d interrogated had been too low level to know either.

That would be a beast to chase another day.

And when you were finally done with all of this and the questions did begin, it was the onslaught you’d expected. Just one voice after another, over and over.

They wanted verification of figures, verification of sources, this, that, everything.

It was hard not to grow irritable after awhile. You’d rather have been doing punishment laps in Marineford with Akainu screaming at you by then rather than defending all these inane quibbles the government officials had.

But finally the moment came where you waited for the next stupid bureaucrat to speak and only silence rose up instead. 

Sengoku was a savior though, as after just that first initial silence he made sure to close the interrogation for good. “Thank you again, Captain.” He nodded to you. “This information will surely weigh heavily on our decision whether to mobilize forces to the region. We won’t keep you either. You are dismissed.”

You could have hugged the Fleet Admiral by then. But of course you didn’t let the relief show, only nodding respectfully before picking up all Tsuru’s folders again as you remained standing, then sliding your chair back in.

Sengoku was already speaking once more to the others as you turned to leave the table. And in your intense focus to defend your report, you hadn’t realized that at some point your warlord neighbor had further stretched out one of his long legs. But this time directly behind you.

It had to be on purpose now as you’d turned around and immediately tripped over it.

Only your reflexes saved you. Well arguably so as even though you didn’t fall, you’d had to reach out one arm to catch yourself.

The folders were clutched to you. But your other hand grabbed the nearest thing to steady your body.

As Doflamingo was still seated, it would have just been his shoulder if he were any normal man. But with his taller height, your palm then splayed out against his goddamned bare chest beneath his open shirt.

It was only a second of skin to skin contact. Your palm against the bottom edge of his stupidly firm pectoral muscle. And you prayed that no one else even saw it as you’d recoiled your hand just as fast and straightened up to keep walking. You may have even scratched him with your fingernails for how hard you’d pulled back.

Before now, Doflamingo had not made a single sound the entire time you’d been in this room either. But you heard a disapproving cluck of his tongue as you passed him.

And then something else that pulled from deeper down in him. It was so low, that you doubted anyone else could have possibly heard it.

“Tease.” Was the menacing whisper, making it the first time you’d ever heard that foul man’s voice directed to you alone.

But you didn’t look back. Physically relieved actually as soon as those doors had closed back behind you, and you’d been able to escape to the corridor with the outside guards looking on.

——————————— 

You tried to remember your promise to Tsuru of not being intimidated by Doflamingo as you moved through the halls on your way to the archive next. But your body was ignoring your brain somehow. 

You felt flustered again. Not so unlike you had with Smoker this morning. But it was clearly different. With Smoker you’d been angry, hurt even if you were finally being honest with yourself.

You felt angry now too obviously. That some arrogant warlord would try to embarrass you in front of your superiors like that. 

But that wasn’t all. You were frustrated by his insinuation. Because why did he say that to you? It wasn’t even the word really. It was the way in which he said it.

Tease.

Like a promise…or a threat. You realized just how much your conflicted feelings must show on your face as well for the very weird look the World Government pencil pusher gave you as you walked up to their desk at the entrance of the basement archives.

“Security clearance please.” The worker still said reflexively.

“Captain (Y/N).” You said your designation as you flashed your marine card from out of your pocket. “I’m bringing these documents to be filed about the Charybdis war.” As Tsuru had also requested you to do earlier.

The clerk looked at the government numbering on one of the folders briefly. “Bottom level, store room D. Please leave them in the return lockbox there and they will be cataloged in three to five business days.”

Ah, the joys of bureaucracy. “Thank you,” You said anyway as they pressed a button on their desk to unlock the stairwell door.

Once you were past the door and you heard the deadbolts slide back closed again though, you sighed.

You just needed to forget all of it. Fuck Smoker and his betrayal, fuck Doflamingo and his mind games. Nothing was supposed to be like this today. 

But to your horror, you realized your eyes were finally trying to water a little as you began the long descent.

The basement archives were an absurd thirteen levels and you were now heading for the bottom as you descended the narrow stairwell.

Of course everyone had warned you. They’d said that you would be too much for Smoker to put up with in the long run. But you’d wanted him. Or maybe you’d just wanted someone who could hold his own against you period. And Smoker had just happened to be who fit the bill and was available at that time.

You wiped idly at your face and the new dampness there. You’d waited three months too, thinking you’d have a real man in your bed again tonight. You’d behaved in every port of call and ignored the cat calls and the stares of useless boys in the ranks in order to stay abstinent.

And for what?

To be left with nothing but a goodbye fight in the middle of Mariejois.

So that’s where your mind really was as you kept on down the stairs. The overly loud ventilation fans made even hearing your own footsteps difficult. But the constant white noise was kind of soothing too.

As you finally entered storage room D on the very bottom level, you had to click the lights on. There was a large metal table in the room’s center, with rows of shelving all around. Shelves full of different file boxes, as you found the lockbox noted for those still to be filed. 

You slid your paperwork into the slot to complete your task. But hesitated after, now thinking how little your somewhat irritated thighs were going to enjoy the equally lengthy stair climb back up.

All alone at last, you opened your marine coat then to take a better look at your bare legs. The damage really wasn’t all that noticeable visually. But couldn’t Aokiji just have stopped at your calves? Did he have to ice burn you so far upward past that?

You were fiddling with your tight skirt next, trying to shift it slightly so that the side seam wasn’t pressing as much into the irritated skin there when you actually caught the smell of something.

Just the faintest hint of expensive cologne, completely out of place here as you realized with a sudden dread that you had left your back to the open doorway. 

Your observation haki was still the weaker of the two types you possessed. But not unusable to you, especially when it screamed in your mind to move now as your body instantly chose fight over flight.

You could actually feel the air movement against the tears still in your eyes as Doflamingo’s strings passed you in a near miss as you dodged.

The coil of your rope dart was already slid off your shoulder by then as well. The dagger tip and rope glowing with haki as you struck back at your attacker, launching your weapon towards the doorway in a blur.

For how tall he was, the warlord moved as fast as anyone you’d ever fought though. Faster even, with only your haki keeping him from shredding your rope dart with his strings as they entangled one another.

His long fingers were jerking this way and that as you tried to keep up. It was exceedingly more difficult to protect yourself and your weapon at the same time.

His strings were slicing through anything they contacted. The lockbox you’d just used exploded like confetti behind you.

String after string was dancing around your body too as you blocked with a pepper of armament coating. The confines of the room made strategy limited. There were only so many evasive moves you could make before you had to get in closer to him.

And your legs were your best weapon once the rope dart was out of play. You were too close to him now to get enough throw in the dart anyway, switching to kicks as your heavy ankle boots went for him hard.

Hard enough that he grunted with the rapid strikes, actually taking a few steps back. But you knew his own coating was protecting all those vital points just as quickly.

Haki meeting haki over and over as you tried to be fast enough to find a weak spot before he could cover it.

And when you couldn’t with your feet, you went for punches instead. You knew the switch up may give you a single chance to land a significant blow, and it really did.

He had still been focusing on your legs as you’d sprung off of your foot, up in the air, but then clocking him as hard as you possibly could in the left side of his face with your haki flared out from that punch.

The connect and the resulting way his face whipped to the side was the most satisfying thing you had experienced in ages. Even more so than hitting Smoker this morning in front of everyone. 

But your satisfaction was short lived as Doflamingo’s leg came up in brutal retribution.

“Athlete!” He snarled the named attack, his entire leg coated with that aura of willpower then and strings arcing behind it from his foot as you tried to block.

It was too strong to matter though. Even though you did block him, your back still crashed into the far wall after the hit. Files flew everywhere through the air as you had shattered and twisted multiple rows of shelves when you’d been sent straight through them.

You’d coated your spine and the back of your head before the hit to keep from having your back broken or worse. But it still knocked the wind out of you and hurt like a mother fucker before Doflamingo’s hand was then tight around your throat before you could hope to charge him again. 

He’d crossed the room in an instant to follow you. And you choked once initially in his grip, but didn’t plead as you glared up into those blood red glasses now looming above you.

That single moment of being stunned was all it took for him to lock you in place as well as you felt the strings now tightening around your arms and legs when he pinned you.

He was breathing audibly though with blood running from the side of his mouth as he did so. Your earlier punch had put his cheek into his teeth enough to shred some of that inner flesh you realized.

You could see the hateful sneer on his face and the angry blood vessel bulging on his forehead. But he didn’t even speak at first. When his strings were fully tight enough on your limbs, only then did his hand release your throat.

Which let you take a gasping breath of course, refilling your lungs as soon as able. Yet you felt his fingers on the side of your face next. Calloused fingertips as they moved roughly across your tear streaks to smear them even further.

“Don’t tell me you came down here just to pity yourself.” He said almost as a growl then. 

“I thought you liked to fight.” He added soon after though. But the way he was watching you made it feel like he was beginning to pivot from frustration to gloating already.

“You attacked a marine unprovoked.” You breathed again, trying to get some mental grasp back by falling into protocol. “Your immunity doesn’t give you that right.”

His head tilted slightly at your wording, that predatory body language remaining. “Unprovoked?” He was starting to smile too. But it was an equally cruel looking expression. “I strongly disagree.”

And to your shock, the strings around your legs actually started to spread them open as he only smiled larger. “You have no idea how long this has been coming. Tsuru’s little pet…” He mocked with an unnerving chuckle. “And she finally let you out of the nest alone. What did she expect would happen?”

As he said this, he only paused long enough to remove that gaudy pink feather coat, hanging it out of his way on one of the mangled shelves.

But this boded even worse for you. Showing he was planning on remaining here for more than a short time as you tried to move against the strings abruptly then. Even testing your haki to see if you could weaken them that way. But as thin as they were, they were just too many to break. 

At least not without incurring severe injury on yourself. You felt the immediate sting as blood ran down from one of your calves to drip on the floor when you’d pulled too hard against the sharp strands.

“Mmm.” He almost cooed, watching the fresh blood for a moment as he partially rolled up the white sleeves of his open dress shirt. “Willing to lose some limbs just to show me how tough you really are then?” He questioned. 

But you shuddered as his hand found your inner thigh immediately after. He steadied your leg with his grip initially, actually keeping the string from digging in further. But he didn’t stop there as his palm slid up for his long fingers to press against your underwear after.

“You can’t be serious.” You spoke in complete disbelief at the unwanted touch. He was a warlord, a fucking king of an entire country actually. In what world would he feel the need to prove anything by forcing himself on the likes of you? Maybe that wasn’t where your thought process should have been in this moment. But that’s where it goddamn went as he started to massage you shamelessly through the fabric.

It just didn’t make sense for him to risk his status for such a basic crime. It really didn’t.

“I already told you.” He chided as he never looked away from your face now. “You and me…you’ve been playing with this fire for quite awhile, little marine. Fair is fair.”

What was he talking about!? You’d never even interacted with him before now. Not directly at least, and never alone.

You were startled again though as with just another flick of his fingers, your underwear was cut apart. He pulled the loose fabric away, letting the pieces fall to the ground as his probing fingers replaced the previous massaging immediately.

“And don’t worry about us being interrupted.” His voice was so smooth too as if he wasn’t now attempting to finger fuck you just below your skirt. “That peon upstairs isn’t going to say a word. I work for the World Government remember? And my influence here is still more than most would think.”

“But the marines,” You shifted, trying and failing to sound threatening at all as one of his fingers pressed quickly past your sensitive entrance.

“Heh,” he laughed a little as you tightened around his finger, trying to resist it moving deeper. “I told your cohorts that I had to take a piss. But my string clone is being a good boy in my place by now I’m sure.”

“The fuck did I ever do to you!?” You retorted at that, hating how simple it all really was. Was no one really going to realize his trick? And would he just kill you when it was all said and done to keep you from talking about this?

“You really are trying to bait me, aren’t you?” He laughed again. “Can’t I just say I want to fuck you? What’s so wrong with that? I’ve seen you around for how many years now? In your slutty little skirts, always ready to fight. But still ignoring me like the bitch that you are.”

No, you still didn’t fully believe that. There was more to this. You’d done something that made you a threat. But you’d be stupid to rile him up too much again. So you tried to focus on just surviving the here and now.

“And you’re still tighter than I thought you’d be.” He commented anyway though, clearly giving his attention back to the way your walls kept closing on his finger. “I bet even a weakling like Smoker felt big in there didn’t he? I saw the show you put on with him earlier. Made me a little jealous…” 

His voice was also trying so hard to entice you. Every time he spoke, you felt like you were reacting to that just as much as his touch.

“Was that pissant really what you were crying over though? Did he break that little marine heart?” He continued, tracing another finger over your shirt, directly between your breasts at the word. “You know…the best revenge is just getting right back up and onto a new cock.”

The odd way his tone still deepened then, was he speaking from experience? You’d heard the rumors about him and Sir Crocodile. 

But Doflamingo was also really moving his other hand harshly between your legs now. You could feel how slick it had already gotten to your shame as well.

Men or women, it likely didn’t matter to him. As long as he got to be the one in control. But still, why you?

“You talk a lot.” Was what you finally said, trying not to let your hips move against his hand like your traitorous body already wanted to do. He’d added a second finger inside you now, spreading things even a little more.

But he didn’t get angry when you responded again. It was as if he’d been waiting for it actually. 

“Then kiss me and shut me up you marine bitch.” He taunted in return. Yet with it obvious that you were restrained and could make no such move before he suddenly bent down to take your lips by force instead.

And there was nothing you could do but endure as his obscene tongue quickly pushed its way past your teeth. The taste of his blood from your earlier punch was still heavily there as well.

He made a greedy sound against your lips, trying to coax your own tongue out as you held back.

And when you wouldn’t meet him there, he suddenly bit your bottom lip instead. Hard enough that you yelped into his mouth and pulled against the strings again.

But he only laughed as he grabbed you by the back of your head. Keeping you from biting him in return before the blood started pooling from your wound.

“You really thought you wouldn’t be punished for trying to break my goddamn jaw earlier, woman?” He was still smiling as he said it though, now watching your blood run down your chin.

“I think red really is your color though.” He added needfully too, and before you could turn your face away, he’d leaned in again to actually lick the blood trail from your skin.

Which transitioned into another wet kiss even as he held your hair with his fist tight against your scalp.

“Just accept what I’m offering you, woman.” He growled a little as he broke the kiss once more. “You want to live I’m sure. But I’m not unreasonable. Keep your mouth shut after this, and I’ll make sure your rank doesn’t stop at captain either. There’s no reason we can’t both have what we want.”

“You don’t even know me.” Somehow you still found those words to say. Even if you knew it was useless. You’d made the mistake of briefly glancing down when he’d shifted too. His large arousal was now obvious through his already tight pants.

But he spoke again regardless. “Don’t I? I know ruthlessness when I see it. Ambition.” Abruptly he’d slid his fingers back out of you now. His smile was nearly ear to ear. “That’s why Smoker turned on you. Don’t you get it?”

And you could only be more surprised as he squatted down in front of you without warning. Long legs bent, his ass almost touching the ground. But not quite as he grabbed your outer thighs to start pushing your skirt up and out of his way.

“They’re afraid of you, darling.” Doflamingo nearly purred, the warmth of his breath then against your exposed slit.

“So I’m the man you need now.” He said almost softly, just before his mouth closed around you.

You bucked and it only made him press harder, he was sucking you audibly. Mouthing your clit before letting his long tongue back out to sweep across it as if it needed to be licked clean. As if it was his absolute mission to send those trembles through your thighs and hear you whimper for him.

He had no hesitation, no shame at all as he kept his mouth and nose buried against you. You could feel even his glasses scraping your skin as he worked roughly and you shuddered multiple times.

“You see?” He did speak after another long lick, looking up at you again. “You want it don’t you? All of it. So take it. That’s what power is.”

He really was a manipulator, changing as fast as the tides to meet his goals. To imagine this level of confidence existing naturally in anyone would have been hard to believe if you hadn’t been right here to witness it.

“Are you recruiting me or fucking me, warlord?” You asked, but too overstimulated for it to sound like anything more than you struggling with yourself now.

He stood back to his full imposing height then, yet fondly licking the residue of you off of his mouth as he did so. 

“Both.” He answered simply.

And as he said that, another few flicks of his fingers had every button falling off of your shirt. Both his hands spread your shirt open after, before he started feeling across the newly exposed skin.  

There were bruises across your torso of course, but also still those little reddened areas from Aokiji’s ice burns of earlier. You realized just how much attention Doflamingo was paying to every inch of it too, tracing any damage before he slid your bra up and out of the way to begin squeezing your soft breasts.

“Is the rumor about you and Aokiji true as well?” The pirate asked straight out of the blue however as he looked over the light burns. “He did seem to take special care with you.”

“What?” You almost stammered as your chest continued to be groped, even as you felt another shift in the level of danger. Doflamingo was abruptly more serious again.

And when you didn’t immediately answer him, those glasses were staring straight through you.

“You’ve fucked him too haven’t you?” He clarified, as if you were too slow to understand.

And of course you had known what he meant the first time. The question was why it suddenly mattered, and why you knew to your core that things would explode now if you lied to him.

“We did.” You answered quietly. This was something you never talked about. “Before Smoker. But it didn’t last.” And even then, you felt you had to say why. “He thought I was too young then.”

“I remember that,” Doflamingo actually admitted though, squeezing your breasts a little harder then. Almost to the point of being painful after your confession.

“The rookie that already knew haki. Another pain in the ass whenever Tsuru’s ship would roll up in one of my towns before I became a warlord. I lost a lot of soldiers to prisons throughout the North Blue because of you all.”

Yet he didn’t sound angry anymore over that part of it. And he just kept on. “But now with Smoker out of the picture…I wouldn’t be surprised if Aokiji tries you for another round. You’re all grown up and an officer after all. But too bad for him, I got here first…”

And as if to reiterate that point, Doflamingo leaned down and kissed you again without warning. But even with your bloody lip, it was still different than any one he’d given you before now. He wasn’t dominating this time. He wasn’t even forcing you. It was a real kiss as you finally allowed your tongue to reciprocate in complete surprise to yourself.

Because it actually felt so very good. Good enough that you even made a wanting sound, leaning into it a little more.

You wanted to be held then too. But his hands weren’t on your chest anymore. He was doing something with them, and you weren’t watching as you were living for this kiss in this moment with your eyes closed.

It didn’t take long however to realize the trade off that had already been made. Because you felt the pressure of his newly freed cock against your entrance soon after. That was what his hands had been doing, loosening his pants enough to free himself.

It was so sudden. And he didn’t give you the option of even a verbal refusal either. You just felt yourself stretch abruptly as the head pushed inside of you.

He had straightened up again by then, breaking the kiss as he did so. And whatever pathetic sound you made at the pain of penetration, had him only stroking his fingers across your hair and scalp as he kept pressing in further with his other arm snaking around your back to hold you to him.

“Good girl, let me in…” You heard him breathe as you continued to stretch. “Open up for me.”

He was the biggest you’d ever felt. But you refused to even look down, not wanting to see how disgustingly your poor skin would be pulled to tearing just to hold his girth inside of you.

“Relax.” He commanded again. Moving his hips ever so slowly as his skin slid against your inner walls, still going deeper.

When his tip finally bumped against your cervix, you heard him chuckle quietly as you tried to bury your face against him in the pain. “See?” He spoke in almost a whisper above you, so intimate now. “There’s the bottom. That’s as bad as it’ll be.” His fingers were still stroking your hair as well, like petting a wounded beast.

And even inside you then as deep as he could go, his hips still weren’t flush with yours. He was just that sizable. But that tightness clearly was pleasurable enough for him as he moaned a little already, starting to move his hips in a slow pumping motion.

It was maddening. Both torturous, but overwhelmingly erotic to be filled like you never had been before. Pleasure and pain shifting back and forth interchangeably as his thrusting began to quicken.

His breathing had changed too. You could hear the almost desperation in what was becoming more a panting sound as he let himself give in.

You even felt the strings start to loosen as he wanted to hold you more with his own hands. He had grabbed your legs behind the knees now, bidding you to wrap yourself around him as he picked you up.

“Fuck me, (Y/N). Come on. I want to hear you.” He said in the closest tone to begging that you thought anyone would ever hear from this man. All the while his hips kept pumping into you.

And it was the very first time he’d called you by name as well. Not bitch, not marine, not girl or woman. He was talking to you as he fucked you shamelessly. And he wanted the same attention in return.

“Doflamingo…” You finally said it too, holding on to him as the strings let go even more in response.

You felt so sore already, so it wasn’t easy to start to move your hips for him as well. But he groaned as soon as you did, his fingertips then digging possessively into your ass as you pumped up and down on his shaft while he stood there holding you.

You even felt a slight shudder go through him before he started to walk. Still inside of you, he carried you back to the center of the room and the metal table there before roughly setting you down on its edge.

His movements weren’t smooth at all by now. He was far too consumed as he forced you onto your back, your cunt still hanging off the table edge with his hard cock inside.

He loomed over you as he held your legs up against his torso and started thrusting so hard in and out again.

So much so that the table legs screeched as they shifted a few inches across the floor while you cried out.

He growled in pure satisfaction at your own sounds. But he wasn’t talking anymore. He was watching you as he fucked you, as if trying to commit your every tremble and whimper to memory. 

Your exposed breasts were moving with your body as you panted for him. His fingernails dug into one of them, making you cry again as he shuddered once more.

It was only when he realized you’d turned your face away, that he grabbed you by the jaw to make you look at him again.

“You’re mine.” The words were almost animalistic when they left his throat. Only seconds before his orgasm overtook him and you got to see the proud Heavenly Demon bite his own lip, overwhelmed as his body absolutely trembled.

And to drive home that possessive declaration, he never even pulled out of you. You could feel the tell tale pulsing running up from the base of his cock instead as his seed released inside. He purposefully held his length in too, as deep as it could possibly go for your body to take in every drop of him that it could keep.

Only the overflow was sticky and warm as you felt it dripping out to run along your ass soon after. He was still watching you as it did too, a slick of sweat on his abdomen from the body heat the two of you had made.

You both stayed like that for what felt like the longest time too. Surviving in the little aftershocks and neither wanting to let go for a few minutes.

He was still panting too, before he leaned back down over you, finally letting his now softening cock slide back out with a wet sound.

And you didn’t resist as he kissed you again with your back still on the table. Even with the pressure of him finally removed from between your legs, it ached terribly as you felt the last of the strings detach from your skin as well.

He knew he didn’t need them to control you anymore.

It was actually you who was the first to speak though. Just staring into those emotionless glasses when the kisses finally stopped again. “What now?” You asked as you felt him touch your hair again.

He wasn’t smiling. But he was thinking. “It really would be a waste to kill you.” He eventually admitted. His fingers traced almost delicately across your throat next however.

“But I won’t tolerate you messing with my money again, do you understand? I’ll forget Charybdis this time. You can have it. Because it’s become more trouble than it’s worth now. But if you ever hear the name Joker again, keep your pretty head out of it.”

Your eyes widened just ever so slightly, realizing that your instincts had been correct all along then. He must have followed you down here to find out what you really knew. And to destroy the reports no doubt in case there was anything else in them that could come back to bite him.

Whatever lust he held for you was just a bonus. If it could be called that anyway.

“I don’t care about Joker,” You breathed in return, still with his hand touching you as you actually turned your face to move more into his palm. “If it wasn’t you, it just would have been the government instead. We knew that. We already let it go.”

He huffed slightly, but still ran his fingertip against your wounded lip in return. “Keep it that way then. Don’t make me ever regret sparing you. Because forgiveness won’t happen twice, even for you.”

With that he did back away, letting you sit up on the table at last.

And only then did you get to see his still wet cock as he grabbed it to begin tucking it back into his open pants. It wasn’t at its full glory any longer of course, soft now even with a visible vein running the length of it.

You did get the briefest glance of his impressive balls as well. Hung like a young bull almost before he’d pulled his pants back closed and started tying the drawstrings that held them around his waist.

“So you are a natural blond.” You mumbled tiredly, daring to smirk a little actually. You’d seen his short pubic hair around the base too. It looked like he’d shaved it recently and it was only just growing back a little. What a vain man.

“Heh.” He smiled lewdly, more back to his normal attitude then as he replied. “And I’ll expect you to kiss it next time.”

“Oh yeah?” You questioned despite yourself as you slid off the table back to standing. “Well I’m probably going to be arrested for treason and being a warlord fucker long before then.”

You couldn’t see his eyes, but his tone made it sound like they would be rolling at you now. “I told you I have more influence than you think. This room will be sealed and cleaned up as soon as we leave. They’ll say they misfiled your reports and that will be the end of it.”

You raised an eyebrow at him. He’d put his pink feather coat back on now, and was just lingering with his hands in his pockets as he watched you also try to redress.

You’d pulled your bra back down and straightened it. Your skirt too before you’d buttoned your coat shut again as there was no way to close your shirt after he’d ripped the buttons off it earlier.

As you also regathered your weapon, you could only hope the cum still dripping out onto your thighs would remain contained in your skirt and coat until you could get to the showers and find a change of clothes.

It was him that spoke again though as he still watched you. “I wasn’t bullshitting earlier either. Just keep your friends off my ass and I’ll pull my strings literally and figuratively to get you promoted again soon enough.”

You glanced at him skeptically once more. “Just so you can have a high ranking marine in your pocket right?”

“Well of course. …And in my bed too.” At that he stuck his tongue out in a very vulgar gesture before laughing abruptly.

His legs were bent a little as he started to walk though, it looked funny until you realized he was trying to adjust himself. His still wet cock must have stuck to the inside of his pants. 

You tried not to think just how bad the larger implications might be in the future though as you followed him back out into the stairwell. You were saving your own life, and likely some of Tsuru’s crew as well by keeping Joker’s identity under wraps for now.

But he’d expect this same level of cooperation ever after too, wouldn’t he? And likely even more before long. As you doubted anything would really stop here with an opportunistic man like this.

You had certainly fucked up today. But there was no redo to be had now.

Looking up the stairs, even your body thought you were an idiot in this moment. The accumulation of two fights, being frozen, and being fucked hard enough to still be hurting all the way into your cervix had worn you down as you thought just how many individual steps still lay ahead.

Doflamingo only hesitated one more time as he saw that tired expression on your face.

“I could help you, you know…” He teased as he levitated up a few floors instantly through the use of his strings.

You blinked, realizing he’d likely gotten to skip the stairs coming down as well. He could go up or down so easily.

“But then again-” He flipped to hang upside down briefly in the stairwell, clearly showing off for you. “No pain, no gain…right, my little marine?”

And before you could respond, he’d shot straight up the stairwell and out of sight with a deep, echoing laugh as his only memento while you were left staring.

“What a dick.” You grumbled to no one then as you started trudging slowly up the very first flight.

You deserved it though. Didn’t you?

———————————

    T⨂  BE 

CONTINUED

———————————

Thanks for reading!

[yetanothergreyjedi]

Ghosts of Our Pasts: 6

DP x DC crossover

Damian Wayne and Danny Fenton Siblings AU

Masterpost Next

WARNING: Light gore at the beginning of this chapter!! (I didn't get verydescriptive, but it includes blood and broken glass. If that’s not for you, skip the first 2 paragraphs.)

Trempling fingers tore at the vial, desperately trying to break the seal, but the glass was slick with crimson and he found no purchase. Each attempt was shakier than the last. Even prying the lid with his teeth made little difference when his hands couldn't grip the thing. He doesn't know if he made a decision or if he dropped it, but half the vials contents mix on the ground with broken glass and blood. The vibrant glowing green makes the blood look black in comparison, sharp little stars glitter in the morbid nebula.

Half the vial is still in his hand. It's edges are jagged teeth cutting into his hand, healing then cutting, then healing, and repeating. It should probably hurt more.

Danyal's thoughts are sluggish. It takes another minute to realize the new problem, that the wound is on his back under several protective layers. Even if he could reach it, he wouldn't be able to pour the Lazarus water accurately, he couldn't even see the wound. If he set down the vial to get a better feel for it, would he remember to pick it back up?

It only hurts the living, it is good for the dead and dying. He didn't remember who'd explained that, but it was all he could recall about the waters, and he didn’t exactly have many options.

He tipped the vial to his lips and drank. This he did feel.

---

Danny gasped awake gripping his hands over his chest where his core hid. The shard of ice felt sharper than normal, pointed and aimed at his heart. Danny felt cold.

When he'd first come to the Fenton's, he'd been convinced that Damian's blade had broken under his skin. He'd been sure that the blades tip remained lodged in the back of his chest, just under his heart. He remembered saying it felt cold. His theory had been disproven after an X-ray after falling off the roof. (he'd jumped from it to the Assult Vehicle. He'd been fine, but the other parents had seen him roll and insisted on the hospital.) Jazz had called it trauma, and well, it was. So he'd taken her advice on it.

Danny couldn’t tell whether it had always been there or if this was the usual mind over matter ghost nonsense, but now his core was being pointy, so that was great! Definitely not like the last time his core had felt weird and he'd almost frozed alive!(dead?).

He needed some air. He threw on some clothes and didn't bother with doors.

The thing was he wasn't actually sure if he died the first time. It didn't really matter, it was still trauma, but if his core had come from that, and the portal had just... what? Supercharged him? Both events had fundamentally changed him, but he'd gone so long believing he hadn’t died at Damian's hand. He'd survived everything with the League just to die to his own stupidity.

The sun had already set, but smoggy clouds and light pollution blocked the stars. He wasn’t surprised, but it would've been nice to fill a bit of obsession after the nightmare... actually...

He sat on the ledge and focused on chaneling his excess energy to Gotham. It was something he did often for Amity, the smaller city would take that energy and stitch back together any damage from a fight. But there was a lot of ectoplasm in Amity Park. Danny didn’t know how malleable the physical aspects were for her.

The energy was pulled away as she accepted, pulling a thread of his consciousness with it. She showed him a plant on a windowsill, stubbornly blooming despite the lack of sun. She showed him a tiny crack in a support beam mended, a touch of poison in the water flowed away from the supply of drinking water, and more tiny things that would mean all the difference for a few people. But she kept showing him things, too much all at once and he had to rip his mind back because he was in human form and could not handle that much like this.

She withdrew sheepishly, and he got it. Most older spirits did not know how much a human brain could handle.

Something else drew his attention and he turned sharply.

"Oh... Hi,"

"Are you alright?" Batman asked, still a careful distance away.

"Yeah...?"

"Your eyes are glowing."

"Oh..." Danny closed his eyes for a second, opening them again when he was sure they'd look human. He wasn’t really surprised. "That uh... happens, sometimes..."

"You have good control over it,"

"Uh, I guess? I can't always tell when I'm doing it..."

"It's not pit rage then?"

"Not... usually," Danny wasn’t entirely sure what pit rage was. Not that anyone else in the League knew any better, but he didn’t know if something he had a name for might be called pit rage by someone who didn’t know.

"Hm,"

"It's a weird conglomerate of side effects." Danny half explained, looking out over the other buildings and and a parking garage. The Bat crouched on the ledge a few feet away from him and Danny couldn’t help but laugh. "This is ridiculous,"

"Oh?"

"That my first time meeting you is on a rooftop and you're in a bat costume."

"You could have come to the manor," It wasn’t a reprimand, it was an offer, it was a question.

"Yeah, I think the fact that I'm not back to being dead is pretty good evidence your not with the Assassins."

"No. I haven't been for a long time."

Danny took a deep breath. He wasn't going to dwell on other versions of this story. "Cool."

There was a few moments of silence, a bit awkward, but nothing compared to the awkward silence in the alley a few hours prior.

"How's your trip going?" Batman asked.

"Already looked me up, huh?" Danny joked.

"We needed to be sure—"

"I know, I know, my sudden appearance was super sus."

Batman sighed the sigh of someone who has heard far too many Among Us jokes in his life.

Danny grinned, "Pretty good so far, nobody attacked the museum, and we've almost worn down Lancer about the whole 'we must stay in one group' thing."

"Staying in one group is wise."

"We're Amity Parkers," Danny countered.

"You're from a town with a communication blackout."

"A 'magical' communication blackout." Danny finger quoted the word 'magical'. "I don't actually know what you can access. Only someone who's been to Amity can find it."

"Hm,"

"Unless, you go through Elmerton." Danny advised. He was taking a chance on this, he decided. Even if he was wrong about trusting this part of his family, Amity's judgement wouldn't be biased and she wouldn't let them see anything they shouldn't. And of course, in Amity, Phantom could get involved if need be.

"Elmerton."

"Yep, the town a few miles to the east. Our only tether back to this plain of existence." Danny said dramaticly, it wasn’t that bad. He could almost hear him thinking, so he didn't expect the next question.

"Do you like it there?"

"I- yeah, I do." It was his haunt, most of its weirdness was subconsciously his fault. "Ever been to a liminal space?"

"I've been to a few other dimensions,"

Danny snorted, "Mood,"

That got him a weird look, it was his own fault really.

"I'm not talking about anything related to my death." Danny warned. "Sorry."

"That's a reasonable boundary," Bio-dad in a bat suit nodded, but also sounded like he was physically restraining himself from asking. It also sounded like something a therapist was attempting to drill into him, Danny could relate, if it were true.

"Liminal spaces are kinda hard to explain if you haven't been in one. Amity has a lot of ghosts... I mean that literally. Our neighbor died of old age, but she still reads the newspaper on her porch every morning."

"That's..." Danny could actually taste the suprise. It was kinda tangy? Danny really hoped the emotions having a taste thing was just because of low ambient ectoplasm; he really did not want this as a new power.

"The most normal thing about Amity," Danny finished the sentence for him. "Don't go into it trying to makes sense of it or you might melt your brain or something."

"Please tell me that's a joke."

Danny shrugged, then decided it was his turn for questions. He pulled Damian's list out of his pocket. "So, can I get you to explain who all of these people are?"

-

Bruce returned to the cave feeling significantly better than when he'd left it. Danny had been open, for the most part, but clear on things he wasn't willing to discuss. Despite his children's earlier interaction, he'd seemed willing, even eager to interact with the rest of the family.

Damian was pacing in the same way he'd been when Bruce had left. He'd said something along the lines of 'I do not wish him to feel pressured by my presence' when Bruce had asked if he'd come with him. He immediately noticed when Bruce stepped into the room and made a beeline for him.

"We're going to show him around the rooftops tomorrow night. I asked, you're invited." Bruce told him.

-

-

-

Next up! A brief break from the heavy stuff, let’s drop in for some Amity Parker’s vacationing in Gotham! (If you have prompts, I beg you!!!)

-

Notes:

If you're wondering: why did he come has Batman? That's because it would be very weird for Bruce Wayne to talk alone with a single seemingly random kid on their senior trip.

Batman talking with a kid sitting on the edge of a multi-story drop? Good! We were feeling worried about that kid!

Also B was just dropping by to check, and lo and behold! His son is chillin on the roof like any self-respecting bird does.

Any future Bruce POV's are gonna be just as short as this one, because I tried writing the interaction from his pov and it caused me pain! Shout out to everyone who does that regularly.

Tag list: Only 50 mentions will link on one tumblr post. I will add the others in under a reply

@spectralstardustandphantomnights @avelnfear @idfk-man10 @blackroserelina @candeartist422 @mur-ururu @luer-mirin @insufferablecatenthusiast @skulld3mort-1fan @alonedustspeck @voidbornposts @meira-3919 @marshmello @aethernorwood @mimilikey @undead-essence @cloudminder @markus209 @everything163 @latheevening226 @roman4517 @moobloomrights @battybatbat @lumosfeather18581 @werv @ahyesanerd @pyramaniac @lexdamo @princessbelix @bun-fish @deeannthepan @edgyboi10000 @thatrandomsarahchick @busterkeel @aconitewolfsbane @spoopyspoony @bright-shade @spidey29phangirl @idontgetpaidenoughforthisshit @keimiwolf @u-a-wizard-jamie @gay-puff @bicerise @itshype @blackfoxsposts @icanneverdecide @lolottes @chubbypotato @jovialherringtacoghost @saltyladynightmare @jesus-camp-the-sequel @agirlandagraveyard @jaytriesstuff @escelia @rosecinnamonbun @justwannabecat @tired-yet-awaken @aro-in-danyl @lesbian-not-american27 @samgirl98 @notanartificialintelligence @chronicallyonline-fandomwh0r3 rainbowbunny0159 @nerdypaintbrush @treepainting @thegoldenguardfan @spacetempest @enderglace @death-magnetic-cyanide @plotwholls @alexzandria-747 @gin2212 @dracotheghostdragon @minnowmarsh @miraculousandmore @memesanddoritos @andaspoonfulofangst-whoops @jotaroslooseeyebrowhair @0nerd @idkmrpianoman @thegatorsgoose @icecweme @escelia @crazylittlemunchkin @dannyphantomphan69 @hetalia-lover-is-here @justwannabecat @chaoticchange @sarcastic-yami @theamazingfox @depuffstuff @rhynereads @mysticsoulgirl @chrysanthemum9484 @thefearfullone @phantomskeep @promptingwips

[callsigndragon]

Seeing Red | Ch. 5: Used to it ✍️

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x ex-wife!Reader (Call sign: Red Queen)

Word count: 2.4k

Warnings: sassy red, jake being an ass, more mav and jake being father and son, mentions of dead, some ex-wife/ex-husband unresolved tension, and... Liam's reveal.

A/N: I literally wrote this in 4 hours i was REAALLY obsessed with this idea and here it is. Comments are welcomed and THERE'S AN AUTHOR NOTE AT THE END THAT EXPLAINS A BIT SOME PARTS OF THIS BUT IT'S IN THE END TO AVOID SPOILERS.

(Whoever wants to be tagged, comment down below!)

Masterlist on pinned

When you walk out of the base towards the tarmac, you see Jake talking with someone. He seems older. Both of them turn toward you, Jake attempting to flee as soon as he recognizes your presence, but the other one stops him, both of them approaching you. Once they’re close, you remember who the other man is.

"Captain Mitchell?" you ponder, covering your eyes with your hand because the sun is shining brighter than usual. 

“Red Queen! It’s been a while. Last time we worked together, you weren’t even married.” He says, Jake groaning beside him. 

“If you told me that I would get married and divorced in the span of three years, I would have said that was bullshit.” 

“How many times are you gonna mention it?” Jake protests, taking off his glasses. 

“The same amount of times I tried to call you and text you after you left the fucking divorce papers on the kitchen counter.” You challenge him, waiting for his reaction. 

“I guess they were a lot.” Maverick adds, making Jake cover his face in disbelief. “Anyway, Cyclone told me that you were doing a dogfighting exercise, so I thought I could join." 

“Mav, did he give you the green light, or are you trying to make me break some rules on my first day?” 

“Well, maybe he didn’t agree 100%. But I want to help you!” 

You’re about to protest when you feel your phone ring in your pocket. “I’m gonna take this call and go ask Cyclone. Wait for me to come back, and I’ll let you know if you can fly or not, Mav.” 

You turn around and get inside the building, answering the call. You don’t even need to check the screen to know who it is. 

“Hey pretty boy.” 

“So… you fucked up real good, buddy.” 

“Oh yeah? I didn’t notice.” He is tempted to walk away, but then he hears Red talking. 

"Hey pretty boy" 

"Pretty boy?" Jake mumbles, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Looks like she has moved on." Mav whispers, patting Jake's back. 

"No, Liam, we can't have a cat. We have a dog, and that's a lot of work already." 

Red enters the building, and Jake stays there, completely astonished. "Who the fuck is Liam?" 

"Your replacement?" He shrugs. 

"Fuck off, Mav"

And just like he did hours ago, Mav smacks Jake's head again. "I'm not the bad guy here, son. And I don't know if you're allowed to be mad. You asked for a divorce." 

"You know why I did it." 

Mav sighs, taking off his glasses. "Yeah, I know. And I told you there may have been other ways to solve the problem." 

"I couldn't find any other one. Look, I can tolerate being around her at work. But she's gonna be friends with all the team because that's how she is, just the purest human being to ever walk on earth. I'm telling you now, if I have to see her walk in the Hard Deck hand in hand with an asshole that doesn’t deserve her, I'm asking for a relocation."

"And you think you deserve her? Jake, I know better than anyone how you feel. I let Penny slip away from me many times, and I came back many more. I just—" he looks around, as if trying to find the right words. "I just want you to remember that you vowed to be together for better and for worse. And when the worst came, you didn't tell her and made a decision by yourself." 

"You think I don't know that?" He takes out his phone, showing the lock screen to Mav. "I never changed it. I couldn’t. It's a reminder of what I had and what I lost. A fleeting glimpse of the only happiness I've ever known, and an endless torment of what I lost." 

Mav scoffs. "You sound like that guy from Pride and Privilege." 

"...you mean Pride and Prejudice?" 

"THAT ONE!" 

"Really, Mav? One of the greatest books to ever be written, and you don't even know the title?" 

"Have you even read it?" The older man mocks. 

"Yes, I did." 

"Bullshit." 

"It's true, I bought it for him," Red says, walking past them. "Get in your plane, pops. We're going for a ride." 

Jake watches Red jogging towards her plane, new letters added to the side, her name and call sign. And his last name. Seresin, in big black letters. 

“Why did she keep my name?” Jake ponders.

“What?” 

“Look." He points at Red's aircraft. "Seresin. Why is she using it?” 

“I don’t think I have a good answer for that, son. Come on, I have to fly.”

It's all good until Jake's turn comes. All of them are amazing pilots, of course, they're the best of the best. You didn't expect anything different. Rooster is the fastest to take you out. Mav explains to you how, until a few years ago, he was afraid of his own potential. You can hear how proud Mav is now, as if Rooster were his own son. In a way, you know he is. 

"Hey, Red. Can I ask you a question?" Bob mutters through the comms. 

"You just did, Bob." You laugh. "Of course you can." 

"Why Red Queen as a call sign? You don't seem like the kind of girl that chops off heads."

You laugh again, turning to be closer to Phoenix's plane. You wave at Bob and he waves back with a chuckle. "It has some resemblance to the Red Queen, but not entirely. Have you heard of the Red Queen hypothesis?"

"Not really."

"According to the Red Queen hypothesis, a species needs to evolve and adapt in order to survive because its competitors are doing the same."

"Did you evolve and adapt?"

"Yep. Being an aviator wasn't in my plans." You confess, remembering the old times. 

"And what were your plans?"

"She wanted to be a lawyer." 

"I don't think they were asking you, Seresin." You retort, moving your plane to an inverted position, and flying above Jake's plane. "If I want you to talk, I'll let you know." 

"I think you're abusing your power, Commander," he mutters, looking straight into your eyes. 

"I'm just giving you as many chances to talk as you gave me, Lieutenant."

You move your plane away, the radio has become silent. "But yeah, I wanted to be a lawyer."

"What changed?" 

"My dad died in Iraq when I was a teenager. His plane crashed. He wanted to defend his country so much that he died doing it. And I took his place."

"Adapt in order to survive." Bob mutters. 

"That's it." 

“It says a lot about you, Red. Your father will be proud.” Mav comments, moving to your right. “Anyway, are we gonna play or what?” 

“Yeah, we’re in the right place already. Okay, Phoenix, Jake, you have thirty seconds to fly away from us. After that, fight’s on.” 

“Aye aye, Red”

“Yes, Commander.” 

A tiny part of you almost feels bad that Jake has to address you by rank. 

Almost. 

You wait thirty seconds. Mav immediately goes after Phoenix, and you know he’s giving you the chance to see how Jake reacts. Instead of going after Mav to ‘free’ Phoenix, he leaves his wingman alone. What the fuck does he think he’s doing? 

“Phoenix, Mav, stop right now.” 

You see both aircrafts slowing down. “Did something happen, Red?” Phoenix asks, flying back to you. 

“Lieutenant Seresin, I want you to fly back to the base right this instant and wait on the tarmac until I finish all the exercises of the day.” 

“Can I ask why, Commander?” 

“You’re not leaving your wingman alone, not under my command. If I have to be paired with you on a mission because Cyclone ordered me to carry your ass everywhere I go, you’re not gonna fucking leave me alone so you can make some maneuvers and take the glory.” 

“Red, I work better like that.” 

“First of all, it’s Commander for you. Second, you’re gonna work as I say, cause I’m in charge here, not you. Not anymore. Is that clear?” 

“Yes, ma’am.” 

You whisper. “I should be used to it by now.” 

“Used to what?” he asks. 

“To you, leaving people behind. Everyone back to the base. We’re done for the day.” 

It takes all your power not to cry. The idea of being on a mission and having Jake leave you behind, just because he has the biggest ego ever known in human history, makes you shiver. Being abandoned is a feeling you don’t want to experience again. 

You spend the rest of the day in your office, working on the report Cyclone asked you to write. You don’t want to be that type of ex, but you have to write a bad review of Jake’s work. He only needed ten seconds to abandon his wingman. How has he been working here for so long? It’s a complete mystery to you. 

You’re printing it up when you hear a soft knock on your door. “Come in.” 

“Commander” 

You should look up from your work the next time someone knocks on the door. “Do you need something, Seresin?” 

“Actually, yes. I have questions.” He says, while closing the door. He takes a seat in one of the chairs in front of your desk. 

“And what makes you think you have the right to ask anything?” You question, collecting all the sheets of paper from the printer. 

“Why are you still using my name?” 

“It became mine too when you married me. Just never thought about changing it.” 

“That’s not it, Red. We both know it” 

“Whatever my reasons are, I don’t have to explain them to you.” You argue, getting up from your chair and collecting your things before exiting the office. Jake follows you, seems like he doesn’t want to end the conversation there. 

“I think I deserve an explanation. It’s my name, after all.” 

You stop in your tracks, turning around so fast that your body collides against Jake’s. You look up, all the hurt, pain, and fury accumulated over the last three years lighting a fire in your soul that must be visible to him, because he moves a step back. “Jake, it’s just a name; don’t be such a dick about it. It’s not because I still love you or whatever stupid idea you have running around in your head. It was a lot of paperwork that I didn't want to deal with. Happy? Now wait here, or do you want to enter Cyclone’s office? I heard it’s like your second home” 

You enter Cyclone's office. He told you before that he had to leave to attend to some important matters, but you could leave the report on his desk without problem. You take a moment to breathe deeply, your hands shaking with the many unsaid words that you have kept in your chest for far too long. But you know you can’t tell him what you want to. Not now. 

When you walk out of the room, he’s still there. “You’re really annoying, you know?” 

“I want my answer.” He insists. 

“Why do you care so much, Jake? You left me, you literally abandoned me and never looked back, and now you are demanding that I answer your questions? Fuck off.” 

You hurry out of the building, looking for your car keys in your bag, when you see a familiar blue car parked in front of you, a woman in her sixties helping a small kid get out of the backseat. 

No. No. No. 

“What are they doing here?” you whisper under your breath. 

“Red, wai- Charlotte?” Jake recognizes your mom in an instant. The woman in question turns around and waves at Jake with a gleeful smile. 

This has to be a fucking nightmare. You stay there, completely frozen, knowing that there’s no way in hell you’re getting out of this. You see your kid walking towards you, making grabby hands and giggling. You haven't seen him in two days, having to leave him with your mother to prepare everything in this new base, this new home... You couldn’t bring him yet. 

“Liam wait!” Your mom yells, but he doesn’t stop. He has seen someone he knows very well, but has never met in real life. Someone he has seen a lot of photos of. The man that appears in the photo frame placed on his bedside table. It’s a photo of your wedding. 

“Dada?” 

“What did he say?” Jake whispers, standing at your side as frozen as you are. 

“He called you dada.” You declare, already giving in. If this is happening, you're gonna do it right.

Liam stands in front of him, tears in his eyes, as he watches Jake. “Dada is you?” 

“I—I don’t know.” He turns at you, fear in his eyes. Oh Lord, what have you done? “Am I his dada?” 

You kneel down, taking Jake’s hand and dragging him down with you, both now at the same height as the little kid, who looks at you with a confused expression and wet cheeks. “You want to know why I never got rid of your last name? Well, Jake. Let me introduce you to Liam Alexander Seresin.” 

“Oh my god, y-you were pregnant; that’s why you-” He starts to hyperventilate. “Y-you signed the papers to protect him?”

You can’t believe this is happening. This isn’t how you planned to tell him. “Jake, calm down. I didn’t know I was pregnant, I swear, but I need you to calm down.” You don’t want him to have one of his panic attacks in front of Liam, it would scare him.

"Dada, don’t cry.” Liam pouts, his chubby hands rising to touch his father’s cheeks. 

“C-can I hug you, buddy?” 

Liam throws himself in Jake’s body, the pilot starts crying when he realizes what he had done. He didn’t just leave his wife. 

He left his wife and his unborn child. She had to raise him all alone. 

“I’m sorry,” he repeats over and over again, his head buried in his son’s hair. Liam smells like her; he’s a miniature version of her with his eyes and nose. It’s everything he once hoped to have. 

And he had missed his first steps, his first words, and his first laugh. 

Just because he thought that by divorcing her, he could save her. 

How wrong he was.

A/N: THERE HE ISSSSSSS. Yes you guessed it, Liam is Jake and Red's son. And here is the explanation you need.

Jake asked for a divorce three years ago. Like actually, is going to be almost three years in a few days (fic time). Liam is a Valentine baby. Jake asked for a divorce on May, Red didn't know she was pregnant until a few days later, when she started to feel sick. She signed the paper's almost immediately after Jake left them in their house, and gave them to her lawyer. They never saw each other again. The reasons why Red didn't tell Jake about the baby, are part of the fic so, I won't tell.

But as it has been hinted, Liam knows who his father is, Red has a picture of him placed in Liam's room, and she tells him about him whenever he wants to know about his dad. Red having Jake as her lockscreen pic? So Liam could see a pic of him every time he wanted.

Liam is now two years and a half. He has Jake's eyes and nose, but is as sassy as his mom.

More details about him will be revealed in next chapters. This is only the beginning of the journey the seresin family will be going through.

And that's all. Have a good night/day!

-Jinx.

Tag list: @purplevortexx @shrimping-for-all @caitsymichelle13 @callmemana @abaker74 @starkleila @topgunmenbefinebruh @blue-aconite @tayrae515 @alexxavicry @xoxabs88xox @mercurio23 @smells-like-perfect-senses @dempy @djs8891 @indynerdgirl @countryclubswifey @lauenderhaze @avaleineandafryingpan @poppyalice2001 @emorychase @wildxwidow @agentwayne17 @shanimallina87

[lunar-wandering]

i'm so obsessed with my "reaper that's scared of ghosts" oc that it's not even funny like it's starting to become an actual problem

“Hey, kid.”

The voice made Annette look up. Before her was a man, who was bending over slightly to be at her eye level.

“My name is Rocky.” He said, glancing off to the side as he did so, “And I'm going to be your reaper for the day.”

Now, Annette had already known she was dead. This did not come to a shock to her. She had been dead for about a week after all. That was totally enough time to become accustomed to her new state of being. Totally.

The reaper was a surprise though. After seven whole days of nothing she had begun to think that this was going to be how the rest of her 'life' was going to play out.A lifetime spent living alone, all by herself, with nobody able to see her, and no one to talk to.

“You're late.” She decided to say, as the reaper tilted the pole end of his scythe towards her, indicating for her to grab it, waiting until after she'd done so before turning around and starting to walk, with her trailing behind him.

“I know, I know.” Rocky said, looking forwards, “But there was a lot of evil spirits on the way between your location and the nearest entrance to the Otherworld, and I figured it'd be better to get rid of them first before leading you there. Easier to wait a little bit instead of having to fight while protecting someone, right?”

Annette supposed she could see the logic behind that.

“I still would've liked to have known that there was going to be a reaper though.” She said, “Couldn't you have come and talked to me first?”

Rocky didn't respond. Annette kept her eyes firmly on the reaper's back as they turned a corner.

“...And why are you having me hold the scythe anyways?” She asked, “Most of the times when people talk about a reaper leading someone to the afterlife, the reaper holds the person's hand.”

Still no answer. Hm. Maybe she only got to get one question answered after death, and she'd wasted it.

Well.

No.

Actually.

Her first statement hadn't been a question, had it? So that couldn't be it. Maybe this reaper in particular was just rude. That would be just her luck, getting stuck with a rude reaper.

Either way it was clear this guy wasn't going to answer any more of her questions, so she decided to shut up, focusing on the area around her as she walked. This was a path that she herself had taken many times on her way to school when she was alive- was there really a path to the afterlife this way?

Suddenly, Rocky stopped, Annette only having seconds to stop herself from running into him. And then, he turned, down a side street- one that Annette knew for a fact looped back around to the street they were already on. Still, she remained quiet. Maybe the entrance was somewhere down this way?

Except it wasn't. Except, a few minutes later, they were back on the same street they had started on, just a little bit further down.

Annette blinked for a moment, glancing behind her, and then glancing back at Rocky.

To hell with staying quiet.

“Why'd we do that?” She asked, “It would've been faster if we just stayed on this street.”

“...Evil spirit.” Rocky muttered. Ah, so he could answer her, he just was choosing not to.

“I don't see anything.” Annette glanced back at the street behind her again. “Also, didn't you say earlier that you'd already gotten rid of all the evil spirits? What, was there just something about that street in particular that you didn't like?”

From the way Rocky's back tensed, she must've been right on the money. Once again she looked back, trying to spot anything on that part of the street in particular that could make a reaper want to avoid it. As far as she could tell, it was just the same as the part she was currently on.

Or well, it was the same... if you ignored the Halloween shop that had opened up there a few days prior to her death. A little funny of her, she supposed, to die in October, but-

“Not a fan of Halloween?” Annette smirked a little as Rocky did a whole body twitch, like he had winced. “What, is it offensive to reapers or something?”

“No... m-most of the others actually like that sort of thing.” Oh, his voice had trembled for a moment there. He suddenly started to walk faster, and Annette had to swap to a light jog in order to keep up.

“So? Why don't you like it?” No response. Well, Annette wasn't one to let a mystery just go unsolved. She wracked her brain for a moment... “What, do you not like the horror movie type stuff? Are you scared of it?”

Rocky froze midstep, and this time Annette did run into him. Rocky awkwardly jerked when she did so, like his body had tried to jump away from her and he had done everything in his power to keep it from doing so.

And, thinking about it, now that she had brought it up…

“You're scared of me too, aren't you?” She asked, “I mean, you haven't looked at me once this whole time.”

“No I'm n-not.” Ah, his voice had trembled again.

“You so are.”

“Not.”

“Turn around and look at me then.” She let go of the scythe to put her hands on her hips, tapping her foot as she waited. Slowly, Rocky turned around, and after a few seconds of simply staring at some space above her head, looked down at her for the first time.

A cat chose that exact moment to walk straight through her. It was an odd sensation, to have things walk through you, but she was starting to grow used to it.

However, it seemed to have some kind of effect on Rocky, who suddenly listed a bit to the side, stumbled, and then crumbled to the ground.

“Ah.” Annette said, rather calmly, turning to the cat that was now sitting innocently beside her. “He died.”

He'd actually just passed out, but sudden death was much more dramatic.

Rocky shifted, before slowly starting to push himself off the pavement. Annette crouched down beside him as though she were watching a rather interesting ant.

“Hey, Mr. Reaper?” She said, “Y'know what? Being scared of ghosts cannot be all that good for your health. I think you need a paid vacation.”

“I w-wish.” Rocky muttered, “I don't even get paid.”

[blindmagdalena]

First I’m literally obsessed with the way you write homie it’s literally so in character.

Second, how do you think he would react to having a thicker gf and seeing them being verbally harassed bc of it? I feel like he would lose his mind

this fic has been rewritten and given a smutty follow up! check it out here. ;)

Tonight's gala is a significant one. Not only does Homelander have about a dozen deals to grease with a firm handshake and some oily promises, it's your first time attending one of these events at his side. He couldn't be prouder. You took his breath away in your formal wear; a sight to behold that had him clapping his delight. "You're gonna knock them dead," he whispered in your ear, savoring the flustered, breathy way you laughed.

Strange now that when he looks for you, Homelander doesn't see you on the event floor. You had gone to get drinks while he spoke with this senator—who has officially lost any and all of his interest in the wake of your disappearance—but you've been gone too long. Like an itch at the back of his neck, something doesn't feel right. "Ah, apologies, senator, I seem to have misplaced my date," he says, flashing his best award winning smile. "Gimme a minute to find her. Make sure she hasn't gotten herself into any trouble," he says, throwing in a wink for good measure. His pleasant expression falls off as soon as his back is turned to the boring little man. When Homelander doesn't find you on the event floor, he steps out. He listens for you, filtering out the music, the chatter, the noise of the world. He seeks what is familiar to him, what he would know from a meter or a mile away, and what he hears puts a lump of ice into his gut. You're crying.

Homelander moves swiftly down the hall, finding the women's bathroom in a heartbeat. You've gone far from the event floor, bypassing the nearer bathroom to use one further away. You're hiding, he realizes, but he can't fathom what from. He moves faster, imagining that you're hurt, that someone has you, that— "Babe?!" Homelander calls sharply, slamming open the door. He doesn't mean to scare you, but he can see in your expression that he did. Your eyes are wide and red, tears trailing black mascara down your cheeks. You stand with your hand lingering on the bathroom sink, and as the shock fades, your expression falters.

He's never seen you look so... sad. It twists in him like a hot knife, the discomfort he feels at it turning immediately into rage. Anger comes quick and easy to him. His voice is low when he demands, "Tell me what happened." "It's nothing," you try to dismiss, picking up the tissues you dropped on the floor to toss them into the garbage. "I just got overwhelmed at the party." "You're crying in a bathroom a floor down from the event, it is categorically not nothing," he argues, taking hold of your arms once he's near enough. He pulls you into him, lifting a hand to cup the side of your face. Thanks to plenty of experience with makeup in film and television, he knows better than to smear the blackened tears on your cheeks, though the impulse to wipe them away is there. "C'mon. Tell me."

You lean into him as you always do. He is a pillar, just as you have been for him. He can't fucking stand seeing you like this. "I don't belong here. I don't... talk, or dress, or look like these people. They're all..." You lift your hands, gesturing vaguely. Your voice sounds hoarse. He can't bear the sadness in it. "Perfect." "You have to be kidding me," Homelander says, his disbelief genuine. "The gaggle of sycophants and suits back there? They're insipid. Boring as all hell. I can't even tolerate being in the same room as them without you anymore," he says, huffing a laugh in an attempt to ease your mood. Anything to bring back your smile. "Seriously, what brought this on? You've never given a shit about all that pomp before." Your gaze drops. He knows you're hiding something from him. "Hey, c'mon," he coos, using the knuckle of his index finger to tilt your chin back up. "Tell me, and I will make it better."

One way or another.

With visible reluctance, you take a breath. "I... went to get the drink, like I said," you begin, fidgeting with the zipper on his glove. "When a group of people kind of cornered me at the bar. They seemed nice at first, they were asking questions about me, about us, which I know you said to expect, but then..." Your eyes prickle, he can see fresh tears well up as you speak. Homelander slips a hand to your back, rubbing it, his brow furrowed.

Sounds like someone's going to die tonight.

"One of them commented on my dress, she said that... Vought must not be used to dressing women my size," you say, voice falling quieter with every word. New tears fall. Homelander's jaw tenses. He looks away from you, blinking back that familiar crimson burn. "They all started laughing, and I just wanted to disappear," you say, a tight little sob escaping your throat as Homelander pulls you in against his chest, rubbing your back. "I'm sorry I didn't-" "No," Homelander interrupts, his anger making the word sound harsher than he intended. "No," he says again, correcting himself to be gentler. This rage isn't for you, after all. "No apologies. Let's get you cleaned up, alright? Get back out there." Someone is definitely going to die tonight. You tense up, pushing back from his arms to look up at him. "Please, I'd really like to just go home." "We will," he assures you, smoothing his hands up and down your arms. "Soon. I want you to show me the group who spoke to you."

"I don't want to cause a scene," you plead, flattening your hands to his chest. "They're not worth it." "No, they're not. But you are," he says, leaning in to press a soft kiss to your lips. He holds you firm until he feels you begin to melt, yielding to the warmth of him. By the time he draws back, you look sufficiently pliant. "Okay," you say quietly. He bites back a predatory smirk. "Nothing too dramatic, please?" You plea, leveling him with an attempt at a firm look, despite your big teary eyes. "Me? Dramatic?" He asks, feigning outrage. "I mean it," you stress, a smile tugging at the corners of your mouth. There it is, Homelander thinks. There is not a single heinous thing he would not do to see you smile. "Relax," he purrs. "I'll handle this."

When the two of you return to the event floor, it only takes you a moment to point out the offending group. With a hand wrapped securely around your waist, Homelander brazenly guides you to them. He feels you squeeze his hand anxiously, but he isn't the least bit deterred.

"Heyyy, what's up!" Homelander greets boisterously, bulldozing into their conversation with the friendliest of tone. Only you are wise enough to recognize the venom dripping from the corners of his mouth. His canines glint sharply in the light, as if eager for a bloody meal.

The air is strange, a mixture of drunken excitement and surprised nervousness. It's not every day Homelander himself steps into your conversation. A few of them look at you before they exchange glances, but clearly enough alcohol has been imbibed that they're feeling brave. They don't see the danger they're in. Homelander runs his tongue along his teeth. You clueless fucking idiots.

"Homelander, oh my god! I was hoping to run into you," one of the women announces. He can smell the liquor on her breath when she leans in, putting a bold hand on his arm opposite to the one he holds you with. "I'm such a fan, you have no idea. I've seen every one of your movies," she says, flushed giddy.

"Always great to meet such a dedicated fan," he says, lying through his teeth. A glance through her bag gives him exactly what he needs; her Vought security badge. She works in communications. "Kathleen, right? In Communications," he says, pointing a finger at her, his eyes slightly narrowed, as if he's just now recalling this information. "Oh, I-wow, yes! I can't believe you know who I am," she says, glancing back at her companions.

"I try to know everyone I work with," he lies smoothly, subtly shrugging her hand off of his shoulder, placing his hand on his hip. Not all of them work for Vought, but each of them has their ID on them. A quick flit of his super powered vision between them is all it takes for him to know each and every one of them.

Homelander cocks his head to the side, giving her a once over. Her dress is richly patterned, a myriad of black, white and red. The belt bears a familiar double C logo.

“Wow, Kathleen, look at you. Chanel, huh? Oh, wait…,” he stops himself, leaning forward to take a better look at the details of the dress. He clicks his tongue, standing straight. “Nooope, I misspoke. Chanel doesn’t bleed. Not a bad knock-off, though,” he says with a brief downturn of his lips, shrugging. Immediately, all eyes fall on Kathleen. There are a couple of stifled giggles and some childish oohh's. The man to her left, seeming eager to play along with Homelander’s little game of Mean Girls, readily chimes in, “Busted.” “I’d be quiet if I were you, Chuck,” Homelander says, rounding on the man so sharply, his laughter falls immediately silent. The shock on his face is understandable. He doesn't work for Vought. Homelander has no right knowing his name. “I can smell the red paint on the bottom of those misshapen Johnston & Murphy’s you’re trying to pass off as Louis Vuitton. Now that’s embarrassing.” This time, no one’s laughing. There’s no mirth left in Homelander’s voice, and they've all finally realized it. His gaze is drifting from one potential prey to the next, his mouth set in an unyielding line. He lifts his brows, waiting for them to continue their jeering.

“What? No one has anything to say to that? How about you, Jason?” He asks, startling one of the other men. “Why don’t we talk about those fucking ugly veneers of yours? I mean, god damn. I’ve never seen a more square smile in my life. It’s like staring at white slatwall every time you open your mouth.” Homelander begins to laugh. The sound of it is thorned, vicious to behold. “Aww, c’mon, don’t be so fucking sensitive. You wanted to have a laugh at my girl, right? Let’s laugh, then,” he says, lifting a gloved hand to snap his fingers impatiently, demanding, “Laugh!” Like a bark from an obedient dog, a single man amidst the group forces a stilted laugh. Homelander hones in on him with the precision of a seeking missile, dropping his hand. Deadpan, he asks, “Something funny, Jim?” Jim audibly gulps. “Y-you said-” "Y'see, that's your problem. You're all just a bunch of fucking sheep, so desperate to be seen as somebody, you end up being no one at all. If you put half the effort you put into kissing ass into a personality, you might be a fraction as interesting as she is," he says, gesturing to you with the hand he doesn't have holding you close.

"But instead you prop yourselves up on all this..." Homelander spins his hand loosely through the air before sighing, "Bullshit. It's boring. You're all so fucking boring and miserable with yourselves. You reek of it," he says, lip twitching in a near snarl. "Go. Get the fuck out of my tower,” he rumbles, voice set low. “All of you. Before I throw you off the balcony myself.”

There's a pregnant pause before Homelander snaps, "Now!" Like roaches, the lot of them scatter. Homelander watches them with a sneer. He would have preferred literally tearing them apart, but it's neither the time nor the place. "Holy shit," you whisper. Homelander hums quietly, turning to look down at you. Before he can say a word, you grab hold of the back of his neck and kiss him absolutely senseless. He grins against your lips, turning to pull you properly into his arms. His ego swells immediately, the kiss speaking volumes. You're pleased. Pleased with him. He greedily soaks up the feeling of your body against his, lips moving against yours, eager to chase away the salt smell of your tears with something a little more salacious. The two of you break apart before the kiss becomes any more scandalous than it already was, the buzz of the crowd around you dulled by the fervency pulsing between your bodies. "That was... the hottest thing anyone has ever done for me," you whisper, your heart beating heavily in your chest.

"That so? Might not be for long. This dress on your body has been driving me positively wild. All. Night. Long," he says, punctuating each word with a kiss. You bite your lip, inhaling a sharp, flustered little breath. "Can we get out of here yet?"

"You're damn right we can," he says, kissing you again.

That night, Homelander fucks you in and out of the dress. The truth of it is that whether you're dressed to the nines or laid completely bare, he will always be wild for you. You're beautiful, you're his through and through, and he's going to make sure every inch of you knows it.

He can deep fry those morons another night.

[shadale-s-safe-space]

Is it just me, or does Alex look a bit tired in the family picture?

Thank you for asking bcs there's a reason why.

Z was never meant to be dead, I just played off him being dead for the sake of AleX's story arc, it's just really hard to tell his part rn but I'll just say that he had help along the way. And that's why his hat was the only thing left in AleX's storyline.

Since his old jacked had been ruined, he was gifted a new one by his new "friend", while searching trough the pockets of his old jacket he finds their picture taken the day they started their relationship. He feels guilt rush trough him as he remembers the day she called him a liar.

[After being together for some months AleX was afraid that their relationship is going to fall apart just like everything she ever had before him. She lived in an abusive household where she wasn't allowed to go anywhere or see anyone, she just used to sneak out or sneak Z in, she used every opportunity she had just to see him. ]

He remembers the day when he promised that he'll never leave her,and conviced her to run away from home. That's when they started living together, they never actually got married, they just declared that day that they're now husband and wife.

He saved her once he'll do it again.

~~~~ a Lil part of his arc for now sorry~~~

He was overjoyed to see her. They can be the same way as they used to be again.

He wasn't actually himself anymore. While it still was him, it looked like something was bothering him. He became aggressive but not aggressive in a way of trying to hurt AleX. It was more of an obsession towards her. At first she thought that it was playful, they both haven't seen each other for a long time, even though it freaked her out sometimes , it was nothing more than an attack of hugs and kisses. [This is why he acted like a weirdo in AleX's arc aaaaa]

Until it started happening in the middle of the night too.

Almost every night she would wake up with him on top of her, No he didn't do anything serious he would just sit there petting her sometimes would call out for her and talk about things, but he never actually heard AleX's responses, it felt like he was I a delusional state, half a sleep maybe? She really couldn't tell.

If she wasn't next to him whenever he would get in that state, he would actually walk around their home trying to find her. Sometimes it felt like she was being hunted.

After every episode he actually wouldn't remember doing any of that and starts feeling guilt again, he was given another chance at life after he messed up and got them killed, he felt like he was ruining their life again. Not only did he give his best to find her, just to find out that he was waisting himself outside, but also did things he didn't want to do. Knowing that he's unwillingly now scaring her too hurts him to the core.

Scared that one day he'll actually do something bad to her, he doesn't understand why she still stands next to him.

Why haven't you left me yet?

Why would I do that?

I'm not the same person I used to be.

So?

I was supposed to save you, not be the source of your pain.

Seing Z lose himself more each day. She decides to grand him his biggest wish in life , if his old self is about to wither away, she at least wants him to be happy for once before he's completely gone. She just wanted to see his genuine smile again.

Since the day they started living together, Z always talked about wanting to have kids with her, he always wanted a family. AleX never was really into that idea. Knowing her own family, she was scared of becoming just like them. Z, although heartbroken by that, never forced her into anything, but he hoped for the day she'll change her mind about it.

Wait, really? Are you sure you want that?

Yeah, sure.. why not..

He was actually overjoyed, AleX doesn't remember the day when she last saw him this happy.

Z actually started feeling better. he was slowly being himself again. And over time healed of his traumas. He gifted his hat to one of his kids as a sign of their special bond as they are the ones who saved him.

[twistedwonderlandshenanigans]

Hey i really liked your headcanons for rooks family! I’ve been obsessed with the idea of his parents being hoarders and I was wondering if you had any more to add? If not that’s alright!🙏

Finally got to this, so sorry for the wait!!

Random HC's I Probably Overexplain - Rook Edition 1

TW: Hoarding (obviously), health issues, parentification of his older sister, dead (exotic) pet First things first, Rook is the youngest of seven. His mother has always been one who stays home, enjoying the art of taxidermy and studying the physiology of animals, where his father has always been more of a hunter. Like I mentioned in my Family HC's, Rook is very close with his mother, as she taught him to appreciate the sacrifice of death in order to sustain the circle of life. However, that 16 year gap between Rook and his siblings made her realize just how much stuff she had gotten rid of over the years that were testaments to her kids childhoods. As her kids started to move out and leave home, panic started to set in and she couldn't bring herself to get rid of any of their things that really, should have been thrown out. She tried to keep it all organized, but when her husband gently suggested they start going through it all, taking photos of what they didn't need, she broke down and refused, telling him it wasn't the same as having a physical copy of it all. Her husband backed down - after all, he was barely at home. He could deal with the mess for the few days he would stay home for the sake of the comfort of his wife, and his time out in the woods meant that his kids had another place to be as the house seemed to squeeze them out...even though that was the last thing his wife wanted.

Rook was a surprise, to say the least, but once his mother was pregnant with him, her nesting only went to 11 and it was the snapping point for one of the two kids still living at home. The elder of the two packed their bags, left a note tacked to one of her taxidermy animals, and went no contact, leaving their 16 year old sister and baby brother behind.

Rook's older sister couldn't bear the thought of Rook growing up in the environment her mother had made for him, and decided that at least until she was 18, she would stay and try to clean, as well as keep record of what the house used to look like so that maybe one day, she could restore it completely. However, when her mother caught her trying to clean the kitchen enough to try and cook, her mother broke down in tears. Her father told her that if she stressed her mother out too much, she would be solely responsible if the baby died. Because of this, she stopped cleaning, but vowed to stay to try and be a buffer for her brother, as well as get him his basic education if nothing else.

Postpartum depression ended up hitting Mrs. Hunt really hard, and once her husband confirmed his daughter was comfortable taking care of Rook for a few hours at a time, he spent his time trying to take care of his wife.

Rook and his sister ended up spending a lot of their time outside or in her room - which, she had finally been allowed to get rid of things she didn't want anymore as she was able to reason with her mother that the baby should at least have a cleaner area to crawl as he got older. This ended up being even more beneficial, as his crib was in her room and she became the primary caretaker for him. During this time, her parents were just trying to keep her mom from giving up on everything.

When Rook was about two, their mother finally tried to reach out to a company that would help her clean, however, because the family lived off the grid, they had some money, but not enough for the job that was required. Rook's sister gently volunteered to start cleaning, but at this point, her father had also gotten used to the "cozy" feeling of having his kid's belongings all around him and struggled with the idea of having anything change, especially as his wife was just starting to get better, he thought changing her environment wouldn't be beneficial for her.

So Rook's sister respected her parent's decision and continued trying to take care of Rook to the best of her ability, however, she did so outside as often as possible, so in the winter when she had to stay inside with him, they would both get incredibly ill from black mold exposure. Her parents wrote it off as a cold, so her tipping point was when he couldn't breathe, even when she wrapped him up and took him outside. She swaddled him as best she could and trekked on foot to the nearest town, knocked on the first door she could get to, and begged for assistance for him. The people in the home drove them both to the hospital, where he was treated for his symptoms, and she was treated for frostbite. Her dad ended up tracking them down, acting glad to see them, but on the way home reprimanded her for pretending to be Rook's parent and for not letting the family handle it themselves, and making sure she didn't tell anyone about the situation at home.

As Rook got older, his sister took on the responsibility of getting him into school, as well as teaching him how to hunt/fish and general survival skills, the way her father had taught her. This type of influence kinda snapped her dad out of his agoraphobia and he started trying to get more involved with Rook and raising him, still out of the house. When Rook was about nine, his sister and mom got into a huge argument, and her mother blamed her for being the reason she wasn't close with her son. Rook then de-escalated the situation by showing his mother he had been reading her old research journals. While it wasn't a lot, it was enough for his mom to get her workspace back. His sister helped her clean and organize that space to the best of her ability, his father started to hunt more often again, and his mother started to lead him through the importance of the circle of life. As balance started to seep back into their lives, his older sister started feeling more comfortable leaving Rook in the care of her parents and really get to start her own life. She still feels guilt for leaving, but she promised Rook to stay penpals and they did! She would regularly send him trinkets from her stays wherever she was, and often sent photos of her visiting with their other big siblings, telling him one day she would come back for him and bring him to see the rest of the world. That was all Rook had to hang on to as his parents started to spiral again now that another child had left the house.

When Rook was about 12, his father brought home a hyacinth macaw for him, (yes by unethical means, but you knew that), and he found it absolutely gorgeous. He loved that bird more than anything, so when it went missing one day, he was absolutely heartbroken. He ended up finding the poor bird weeks later, stuck behind some books on his mother's bookshelf. His mother saw it as an excellent opportunity to brighten up the home with a splash of colour by getting Rook to taxidermy his beloved pet. After that day, he decided pets were overrated - animals were meant for food, for study, or for trophies and that was it.

It's not that he doesn't have good memories of his parents, there were certainly really high highs, but there were also very low lows. His parents haven't gotten much better in the house they live in, and he's gone minimal contact with them. He's still trying to get over the feeling of abandonment his sister left him with, but doesn't blame her for leaving. Overall, talking about home and family is just painful for him, so he'd rather not. He likes to watch people because he fantasizes about what his life could have been like if he were in their shoes instead.

[vertumnanaturalis]

Actually, woe, an incomplete list of fanfic ideas I eventually want to write be upon ye

( Technically under the list of things that belong in the continuality of Floriography for the Recursive Funeral but 9 times out of 10 can stand on their own without it )

Tang going to work in geoponics like she told Cal she would during the pixie bean event , except now its a week later and she's at an emotional low and her hair is a knotted mess all of the smells, and sounds of geoponics are overwhelming her but she doesn't wanna just give up because she should be able to ignore her feelings like an adult already, and she doesn't want to ask for help because she's not a little girl who needs help anymore, but one of the adults who works in geoponics told her that she can't go work in the fields with her hair loose and it needs to be in a bun or in a tight braid she can tuck away, and she's been sitting at the entrance to one of the domes for like 20 minutes trying not to have a breakdown when Sol shows up. Cue Sol knowing how to help without forcing Tang to accept it or make her like a little kid (even if the genuine and gentle affection that respects her boundries makes her cry a little bit, not that she wants to tell Sol that & they won't push)

Dys and Nomi getting back from an expedition pretty early in their friendship and Nomi's parents having been waiting for them at the depot and oh they are SO excited to see their Nomi Nomi making friends, they were worried that there weren't going to be other kids their age working out in the jungle, because it's so scary and dangerous out there and all that, and wow son you look like a bundle of twigs whens the last time you had a good family meal :) ? And Dys gets pulled into a family dinner at Nomi's before the stun debuff can even wear off. [Tentatively named "Loving Home"]

Teenage Utopia having a Teenager moment on the Stratospheric a bit before her 14th birthday / around Sol's first birthday, where she's upset about [something to mirror the pixie bean stuff that Sol later goes through but like the spin the bottle part not alien bean drugs] because theres so many things (read: kissing and dating) she can't do or take part of because the next youngest Earthborne kid is already 18 and the oldest Shipborne kid is barely 10 - But, luckily, counciler Besk is here just for moments like these! And as always, she knows just what to say and when she just needs to listen, and it really does help Utopia feel better. Thanks stars for that, what would they do without counciler Besk??? [Tentatively named "Special Age"]

Early 20s Cal and Marz watching some romantic couple their age doing something romantic and Cal mentioning Tammy and Marz just turning to him and going "She's been gone a decade Cal, obsessing over your theoretical relationship with a dead 11 year old is getting a little creepy. Like. Seek help. You're 24. " which. Cal does not take gracefully. [Tentatively named "Seek Help"]

A bunch of the planetborne kids keep following Dys around and he asks Tammy about it, and she has to explain to him that he's like catnip to the average 4 year old in the way that batman or dinosaurs are (can't get scared of anything, goes outside and has adventures all day, gets to explore ancient ruins and see all sorts of cool scary aliens, doesn't have follow the rules or listen to anybody). [Tentatively named "Newfound Popularity"]

Anemone coming to dinner at Anne's place in the first time in ages after her mother keeps bothering her about it, and she arrives a little bit earlier than expected and catches the triplets at the end of some sort of argument that she can't hear before its over. Things stay calm for a little bit and Nem keeps being surprised at how much her brothers have grown while shes been focused on the garrison, often not knowing what their hobbies or interests are now, especially prominant with Nimbus as the youngest. It all culminates in the triplets earlier fight coming to the forefront again, at the heart of it being each one of them coping with the loss of Kom and the colony's situation in a very different way and their relationships with eachother deteriorating because of it, all while Anne tries to get them to keep it together so Nem comes back again, and while Nimbus doesn't seem to super react to it and instead keeps trying to get Anemone's attention while he can. [Tentatively named "Family Dinner"]

I might add on to this list later, because it is Not all of the ideas I have, and none of these are ones delving into other chains of timelines or other aus (of which I have... too many concepts...)

[yoke9494]

Ran, baby fever, and Pixie.

Bonten crack

Pregnancy scare

Ran's a spoiled brat.

Sanzu likes the word coochie.

Rindou is done....

______________________________

Kakucho fiddled with the blue and pink boxes as he waited on the other side of the bathroom door. He wasn't sure why he bought so many? He's never been in this position before but when someone who he considered as his friend asked him to get her a pregnancy test... He panicked and returned with 6 different boxes, all different brands.

"What are you doing?"

Sanzu walked up and peaked at the boxes. "Oh shit! You gonna be a daddy?"

Kakucho shook his head. "No. Its has nothing to do with with me. Its for.. uh." It wasn't really his business to tell? Then again you're always with Sanzu so maybe it's his kid?

Sanzu snickered. "Oh... It's for Ran huh? One of his many one night stands then.. What is this, like his fifth kid?"

".... I really hope it's not Ran's." 

Sanzu opened one of the boxes just to see what these things were all about. Before he could get the wrapper off the stick a yell came from the bathroom.

He knew that scream!

Without thinking Sanzu kicked open the bathroom door and drew his gun.

You both locked eyes and let out synchronized screams. His eyes traveled down to between your legs.

*Gasp!* "Why are you bleeding so much?! Did you push too hard and break your coochie?!"

You gave him a dead panned look. "I started my period, dumbass!"

(Sanzu) "Oh." *Snort* " Good for you?"

"Hell yeah it is! That means I'm not pregnant!"

It finally clicked into Sanzu's dazed brain. "Oh... OH!!! Fuck yes! No baby!"

He held up his hand for a high five. You couldn't leave your man hanging.

After that he giggled and ran out of the bathroom. Probably going off to announce to the whole mansion you weren't knocked up. The person who could have been the father would probably faint with joy... Well if he hasn't drank himself unconscious by now.

Kakucho finally walked in, his eyes shifted away from you sitting on the toilet to the unused pregnancy test on the bathroom sink.

"Sorry for making you go to the pharmacy Kaku. It was just a false alarm."

Kakucho shrugged his shoulders. "S'fine. Better to start keeping these things around for other "guests". Since I'm sure you learned to be more careful now.."

"Oh, totally. I'm going on the damn pill after today..."

"Good..."

"Mhmm.. So, you mind getting out so I can clean up and change?"

"Shit!" Covering his eyes like he wasn't just standing next to you while still on the porcelain thrown. "Sorry!"

He fumbled for the door knob before he closed it shut.

You shook your head and laughed. There was no such thing as privacy around here.

If it was Mikey, Sanzu, Ran, or Takeomi they'd just watch. Mochi wouldn't even bother to be involved. Kokonoi and Kakucho were the only ones who respected your privacy.... Sometimes. 

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

On the other side of Bonten's HQ, Sanzu ran into the sitting area to find the Haitani's already there.

"Y/n's not pregnant!"

Sanzu not being able to contain his excitement, started shaking Rindou who grabbed onto Sanzu's shoulders in return and squeezed like he wanted to hurt him..

"Are you sure?! You better not be lying you pink fuck!"

Sanzu shoved the younger Haitani off of himself and drew his gun once again. He was beyond trigger happy today...

"You've been touching my coochie Haitani?"

Rindou slapped the gun away from his temple. "She's not even yours you obsessive fuck. Are you positive she isn't knocked up?!"

Sanzu eyed him for a second. "What's stuck up your ass? And yes, she's having a blood bath on the toilet right now. I thought her pussy fell off."

Sanzu looked around the room. Rindou grabbed a glass from the coffee table and slammed down the rest of the amber liquid. A nearly empty bottle of whiskey sat at the edge.

"Didn't we just buy that shit yesterday?"

"Fuck!"

Sanzu's gaze shot up to Ran. He stood in front of the two with a sad looking face. That's when Sanzu noticed the small outfits he had in each hand.

In the left was a tiny purple dress, complete with a small headband that had a huge flower attached to it. In the right was a brown bear onesie that had a red bowtie connected to the chest.

"You mean... I'm not going to be an uncle?"

Rindou ran his hand down his face. "For the last time.. No. Go dress up your own kids and stop poking holes into my condoms, you sick fuck."

Ran clicked his tongue and slumped down onto the couch. " Your swimmers suck limp dick Rin. And for your information, your nieces and nephews are all already too big to be wearing this cute shit."

He grabbed the clothes and threw them at Sanzu. "Knock her up so I can have a baby." 

Sanzu made a face of disgust. "Like fuck I'm getting my partner in crime knocked up. Do you know how stupid we'd look torturing someone with a brat strapped to our chest? Go make another one somewhere!"

Ran sighed. "I don't want another one of my own. I only like them when they're tiny and babbling nonsense. When I get tired of it I can give it back."

Takeomi walked in and threw his box of condoms at Ran. "What the fucks your problem Ran?! I think I got one of the strippers from last week pregnant!"

"Ooop- I'm out!"

Ran used his daddy long legs and tried to run out the door. Takeomi wasn't having it.

"Get your slim Jim, Pocky stick, stick bug from bugs life lookin ass back here you lanky Slenderman bitch!"

The two passed you and Kakucho in the hallways. Ran gave you a quick glance over his shoulder and flipped you off as he ran from Takeomi.

"I'm disappointed in your ovaries woman!"

You and Kakucho looked at one another. "See, it was his doing! I say we just get him a puppy or something.. That or you let me kill him."

Kaku shook his head. "No to the killing part, Rindou would get depressed and either kill himself or you. I passed by some pet shop a few days ago. They had puppies... Let's go before Ran pulls a Jesus and gets some virgin pregnant."

"Ran's too evil to pull a Jesus. He's going to Criss Angel a bitch pregnant instead."

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

The pet shop was small but you could feel the relaxed atmosphere before you and Kakucho even opened the door.

Of course your shopping companion went straight to look at the colorful fishes leaving you waiting by the counter for someone to help you out.

"Sorry to keep you waiting! It's just me today so I apologize ma'am."

The cutest guy you've ever seen walked in from some back office with a few cat food bags stacked in his arms. Black and yellow hair with sandy colored eyes.

' Adorable.. '

He set the bags down and gave you a smile. It was like your brain quit working. 

"Can I help you find something or just looking?"

You wanted to throw some cheesy joke about already finding what you wanted if you could take him home... Damn, you hung out with Ran too much...

' Oh right! Ran's dumbass.. '

"Uh.. actually I'm here to adopt a puppy or cat. Whatever really?"

The guys face lit up. It was their goal after all to find all the animals a forever home.

You learned the guy's name was Kazutora as he introduced you to the many animals up for adoption. Big, small, fuzzy, and scaly. All cute but none of them screamed ✨Ran Haitani ✨.

When Kazutora was in the middle of introducing you to a spotted bunny named Daisy. You had to stop him..

"I'm going to be real with you. The guy I'm buying for... Well I need an animal who will basically be acting as a baby for him. A plus if the animal wouldn't mind being dressed up in cutesy clothing..."

You noticed Kazutora's shoulders kind of dropped. "Oh.. shopping for your boyfriend?"

You had to swallow down the vile that shot up to the back of your throat. "Gross! Fuck that. He's more like an annoying coworker. The guys lonely and gets on all of our nerves so I figured a fur baby would satisfy him."

His light returned! Kazutora thought for a second, he looked unsure... "There is one. She likes to dress up but."

He motioned for you to follow him to the last animal case. It was huge! It took up almost more than half of the shelf's space! Maybe you should just get Ran the bunny?

When he stopped and looked down you had to hold back the dolphin laugh you wanted to spit out when your eyes landed on the animal.

A small tea cup Chihuahua sat on a large doggie bed that was decorated with small pillows that looked like they came from a doll house. It's huge but lazy eyes were glued to a small TV... Yes a TV in the showing case!

"So.. uh. This is Pixie.. She's the only animal we have who likes to dress up."

You couldn't take your eyes off of her and her purple sweater. If this wasn't Ran in mini dog form.

"Kakucho! Get your ass over here and take a look at this!"

Kazutora jumped back at your sudden yell. You looked up at him and apologized but his eyes traveled up to the figure standing in back of you.

"What do you think Kaku? Kazutora here says she likes to dress up."

Kakucho made a weird face that made his nose wrinkle. "We're getting that bastard a rat?"

You snorted while Kazutora gasped.

"She's a tea cup Chihuahua Sir. Her name is Pixie."

Kakucho looked at Kazutora with furrowed brows. "Why Pixie?"

"Uh.. well I wanted to name her Tinker Bell after the fairy from Peter Pan because she likes attention and gives attitude when she doesn't get her way.. but my boss suggested Pixie because she seems to not like the color green."

Kakucho let out a chuckle before looking down at you. You were making faces at the thing while it just looked at you with bored eyes.

'It even looks like him...'

"We'll take her."

Again Kazutora seemed unsure. "Uhm.. Are you sure?" He brought you both over to a dog food aisle. He didn't want Pixie to hear him. "I'm going to warn you two now.. As you can tell she's pretty spoiled and mean." Kazutora lifted up his long sleeve and showed you the many tiny bite marks he had. "This is from when I tried to wake her up from her nap."

You and Kakucho shared a look. You both smiled and spoke at the same time. "She's perfect."

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

Rindou clicked his tongue from beside you. He hated this.. Ran had asked you and Rindou to baby sit on your day off. He was on assignment and couldn't take his baby girl with him.(It broke his heart) Rindou tried to get out of it but Mikey roped him back in.. Nobody wanted the responsibility of looking after Ran's pride and joy.

"You know...I really regret not knocking you up now. Pushing around a baby wouldn't be as humiliating as this."

You looked down at Pixie who was having the time of her life being pushed around by Rindou in her doggie stroller. Wearing a bright pink dress with a white flower attached to her collar, along with a small matching sun hat.

In Ran's words. "A classy lady look."

You pulled out one of her treats from her designer brand doggie bag so she could nibble on something. They were stupidly expensive, each treat bag could put food on a struggling families table for a month.

"She's not that bad. At least Ran stopped fucking with everyone's condoms. I was scared I'd have to start hiding my birth control up Sanzu's ass or something."

"Speak for yourself. Look what this rat did!"

Rindou held up his hands. All fingers and thumbs were wrapped in bandage's.

"That's because you're rude to her or Ran."

"It shits in my fucking shoes."

"Pixies craps are no bigger than a mini tootsie roll. And her pee puddles only need one sanitizing wipe. Stop being a bitch."

All the younger Haitani did was roll his eyes and continue to push. Why did you both have to come to the dog park when this rat's feet has never touched grass let alone dirt. He hated this damn dog and he hated you for getting it...

[giorno-plays-piano]

House of Chains

Part I

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x mage!reader

Warnings: noncon, yandere, obsession, canon-typical violence, chase scenes, death of minor characters.

Words: 1.4k

Summary: In return for help to come back to your home world, you have been faithfully supporting the Greens to put Aegon on the throne. But when your promise is fulfilled, neither Otto nor Aemond are keen on letting you go.

P.S. You can read this little fic first to better understand the story if you'd like, but it's not necessary.

______________

When Aegon, now with a crown on his head but dead drunk as usual, finally disappears behind the closed doors along with Helaena and the Queen, you feel like you can breathe again. It's done. The new King is crowned. Your contract is fulfilled.

Turning your head to Aemond sitting by your right, you smile awkwardly, like you can't quite believe it happened. God, Aegon is crowned. It is far from the true victory of the Greens, but it is a good start - and a good finish for you. You've only promised to help putting the oldest son of Alicent on the trone, no more, no less. You are free to leave this godforsaken world and reunite with your family.

Aemond flinches when you touch his hand softly as if you just hit him, but you're not alarmed: he is still like that when he's alone with you. If anything, he seems even more jumpy when it's only you two, sharing comforting silence together.

It feels like ages since the night you comforted him while he was wailing from phantom eye pain on a deserted balcony. You grew closer, you think, although it's hard to say, judging by Aemond's perplexed expression. He probably never had anyone he could have a friendly relationship with, so he is still figuring out how it works, thankful to you for coming to treat him from time to time.

On that note, he actually became so audacious he slips in your chambers in the middle of the night if his eye bothers him again to seek your help, and, were you not planning to leave soon, you'd grow worried about your reputation in the court. Surely, the servants must already think Aemond spends all his nights in your company. One time Alicent even had to ask you why he was coming to see you so often, and looking at her being on the verge of a nervous breakdown as usual, you had to finally tell her what sorts of pain her son has been having. She cried. Then, she sent a dozen maesters to her son's chambers.

Aemond said nothing at all, though you apologized for revealing his secret. It wouldn't be good for him to tarnish his reputation, you muttered, since he would have to marry, eventually.

Regardless, his visits to your room only increased with Alicent no longer finding it scandalous, and you spend more time together with him than even with Otto, who's been notoriously controlling since the moment you arrived. But Aemond... he is almost nice. Pretty awkward, you think a little shy - god knows he has no idea how to converse with women who aren't planning on murdering him - but still nice.

He brings you a plate with fruits or a jar of nuts with honey, knowing you have a sweet tooth and don't always eat regularly, engrossed in carrying out Otto's plans. If, by chance, you are already in bed, undressed, he immediately turns away, nearly hiding behind a curtain to allow you to put something on as if you are completely naked in front of him, and his ears are fiery red. Besides, if you have time to come watch him train, he seems to sort of go out of his way to make the fight more entertaining for the public, which never really happens under normal circumstances because Aemond despises useless showing off.

Actually, when you came to the inner courtyard to see him practice for the first time, he stared at you, wide-eyed, wet glistening on his forehead, and missed Ser Criston's attack, nearly ending up with a deep gash in his shoulder. You felt so bad about it you came to apologize to his teacher later since you knew it happened because you distracted Aemond, but the knight only courtly asked you to visit the training grounds more often. It is for Prince's benefit, he said. You guess he wanted Aemond to get used to distractions, but the prince took it a little further, proud of you taking an interest in his fencing.

Well, he should be proud. Aemond is talented beyound measure, and his internal drive is something you love about him.

You love a lot of things about him, to be frank.

Nevertheless, despite how much you will miss him, Alicent and Helaena, you don't want to stay here a minute longer. This world is a black hole. Whatever gets inside comes out twisted and corrupted, and you dirtied your hands far too many times for it not to leave a mark on you. You don't like to kill, but you have to trade your power for dragon's breath. Today, you did even more for the royal family: you threw a shield over Targaryens when Rhaenys emerged from below, thinking she was planning to burn everyone alive. You didn't have to. Formally speaking, Aegon was already crowned, and if Meleys would spare some more flames, perhaps her deadly breath would be enough for an incantation to get you home. You wouldn't have to deal with Otto and plead for Vhagar's fire. But you still stretched a shield wide enough to cover them all, watching as Alicent trembled, standing in front of her older son and awaiting death. How could you not protect her and her kin?

But Meleys didn't burn you, and you wasted a lot of your power for nothing, barking at her angrily as she fleed. Least to say, Otto was amused at your theatrics even when you confessed to casting a protection spell for their sakes.

You purse your lips when you think of it. How foolish. You should have known Rhaenys wouldn't do it; this isn't in her character. You just panicked and played a hero for the sake of your own dignity. As if any of the Targaryens needed it.

Regardless, your debt is paid, and it's your time to leave, you tell to yourself in attempt to cool down as Otto finally enters the room. You hold your breath. You still can't believe all of you pulled it off, crowning Aegon so quickly.

"Long live the King," you proclaim proudly, tired but victorious, and Otto sends you one of his trademark sly smiles. "I hope you will win the upcoming war."

Aemond sends you a strange look, but you don't see him, your eyes on the Hand of the King as he strolls closer to the table.

"My promise has been fulfilled. I assume I can gather my things and come down to the shore right away?"

Otto's smile grows unnaturally wide as he stills. You grow anxious, staring at him and wishing you won't hear what you think you will. Please, no. You're done here. You murdered Misariya and half, if not more, of her little worms in the Red Keep. You stole, you spied, you murdered more. You chained Aegon to his room so he wouldn't run before the succession ceremony and cast a shield to protect him against a living dragon. Is it not enough?

But nothing is ever enough for men like Otto Hightower. It does not come as a big surprise, but you feel hollowed out anyway.

"You have been most helpful in aiding us so far," he starts carefully as if you don't know what he will say next. "I must admit your contribution has been so considerable that you've become our most trusted ally, more capable than any of our supporters. I ask you to reconsider leaving us so early while Rhaenyra still poses a threat to my grandson's rule."

The silence is so loud you can hear it pulsing in your ears.

"No," you smile through clenched teeth. "Keep your word. Take me to Vhagar."

Otto's smile is still plastered on his face, but he doesn't move. Doesn't say anything else as if he expects you to understand his position when it is you who is the victim.

"Aemond," enraged, you turn to him, to your last resort, searching for any sort of support from a man you chose to trust. "Please! I've done everything I could. Keep your word. Let me go!"

He must help. He's the closest to you, closer than Alicent or Aegon or Helaena. For the past month, you have been treating him almost nightly, easing his pain, giving him peace. Perhaps you haven't been each other's confidantes, but you think of him as a friend. He can't... he can't do this to you. He knows how much you miss your family, your home. How foreign his world is to you.

You look him in the face, searching for compassion, for understanding or at least some kindness, but Aemond's eye is hollow, and his lips are clenched tight.

"You are needed here," he says, and your heart sinks within you. "You have to stay."

Part III

Part II

Part IV

________

Taglist: @heavenly1927 @lost-and-founds

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Gemtho Fortnight Day 3

A/N: I’m so obsessed with this idea, I could probably write like 10k of Etho recovering and them falling in love. Help.

Prompt: c!gem as a lighthouse keeper saving c!etho from a shipwreck and taking care of him

cw: partial drowning, minor injuries

Gem sits upright in bed, gasping for breath, the taste of saltwater in her mouth.

As much as she wants to think it’s just a bad dream, being born into a long line of Keepers, she knows better. There’s a reason the lighthouse she lives in was handed down to her.

She slips out of bed, pulling on her clothes, and tying back her hair as she makes her way downstairs.

The thing about her sight is that it’s more of a feeling, a general sense. As she laces up her boots and tugs on her raincoat, she has no idea what to expect. She just knows that it’s something. Something woke her from her sleep and called out for her help.

The wind outside is so strong she can barely shut the front door behind her, rain immediately beginning to soak through everything. She raises her lantern in one hand, but it barely cuts through the weather.

At the cliffs, the ocean roars, waves crashing into the rocks. She can’t see them, but she can feel their spray, the taste of them familiar on her tongue.

Despite it all, she feels calm, she has a purpose, a goal, and it tugs at her, leading her down towards the stairs that are dug into the rocky crag. She takes it one step at a time, minding her footing, because there doesn’t need to be more than one victim of the sea that night.

With the tide in, there’s more water than land at the bottom, and she wades through ankle-deep surf, lantern aloft, searching for signs of life.

She finds him folded into a shallow rockpool, face-down, not moving.

It’s not easy to roll him onto his back, but she sets her lantern down and manages with a rough shove. She doesn’t realize it’s a mask on his face until she pulls it off, thinking it’s seaweed, but his skin is pale, lips blue.

She has no hope of hearing a heartbeat above the noise of the ocean around them, even if she were to press her ear to his chest. But if they were in a silent room, she’s not sure she’d hear anything anyway, not with how he looks already.

Fearing the worst, she leans over him, pinching his nose and fitting her mouth over his own. She breathes for him, wishing for a miracle, begging the ocean to have pity, to give him back his soul. And part of being a Keeper is knowing that even despite her thundering temperament, sometimes the ocean will listen.

The man coughs, spitting up water and gasping for air as Gem starts to tug at him.

“We need to move,” she tells him, because as generous as the sea has been, she knows it won’t last. “You need to help me. I can’t do this by myself.”

She eases an arm around him, grabbing her lantern with her other hand, and thankfully the man moves, climbing to his feet. He staggers, using her to keep himself upright, and the difference in their heights has her digging her heels into the rocks the best she can.

It’s slow going as they make their way back up the cliffs, the man coughing so hard, she half expects him to drop dead again. But somehow she manages to get him inside the lighthouse, gets him onto her couch, where he sprawls with a noise as though he’s not sure how he’s alive.

Gem gets her boots and coat off, kicking into action as she moves around, lighting the stove to help warm him, grabbing towels that she’d been air-drying during the day, finding her first aid kit.

“What’s your name?” she asks, kneeling beside the couch and pressing a sympathetic hand to his arm when he jolts, like he might have been asleep.

He blinks at her and now that there’s more light, she can see his stark white hair, the mismatch coloring of his eyes. She’s not sure why the sea would ever let him go, but she’s thankful that it did.

“Etho,” he tells her, voice raw and she settles one of the towels over him, finding a handful of gauze to dab at the split just above his eyebrow that’s sluggishly bleeding.

“It’s nice to meet you, Etho,” she replies softly. “I’m Gem.”

His gaze darts around her face, as though memorizing her features, before he nods and shuts his eyes, sagging as though the exhaustion is finally catching up.

“You’re safe here,” she continues. “Try to sleep.”

He grunts in answer, and she presses a hand to the center of his chest, feeling the steady beating of his heart, letting it soothe her.

He may be a stranger, but he’s alive, and for her that’s enough.