#i almost certainly saw some 9 before that

[roosterforme]

Sundays Are for the Boys | Hangman x Reader

Summary: Football Sundays are a sacred tradition amongst Jake and his friends, and he's quick to make sure you know that. But when the boys discover your favorite drink in the refrigerator, Jake makes an exception to his rule.

Warnings: Fluff, language, a tiny bit of smut, 18+

Length: 2600 words

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Female Reader

Seriously, who let Jake on my masterlist!? Written for Pick Your Poison! Banner by @thedroneranger

Dating Jake came with one firm rule: Sundays were for watching football with the guys. 

"I mean it," he'd told you months ago when you first started dating him. "I host every week. They come over around ten when the games start, and they don't leave until after the last game ends. No wives. No girlfriends. Just a cooler filled with cheap beer. Sundays are for the boys."

At the time, you thought it was cute that he wanted to spend the day with his friends. "That's adorable," you told him, kissing his cheek. But by the time football season arrived, Jake was already in his Dallas Cowboys jersey, shaking you awake on Sunday morning at nine.

"It's almost game time, Baby. The guys will be here soon."

You looked up at him from his bed with a little smirk. "You're really into this, huh?" 

He kissed your forehead and started to pull you to your feet as you laughed. "It's a thing. I told you this months ago." He patted your bare butt as you looked around for your clothes from the night before. "It's week one, and the Cowboys play the Eagles in the early game. I love putting Payback in a bad mood."

You kissed him before you slipped your underwear on. "I know you do."

He was antsy, and you knew he wanted you to leave, but you also knew he didn't want to say it as he kissed you over and over again. "Baby, you gotta go," he finally whispered as you smiled against his lips. 

"I know, I know," you replied, still amused as you finished getting dressed and packed up your stuff. "Go Cowboys."

Each week, your relationship progressed, but this little routine stayed the same. Jake would inevitably wake you up by nine if you weren't already up. He would be wearing one of his many Dallas Cowboys jerseys. He would walk you out to your car and tell you how much he loved you before you left him to entertain his friends. 

But one Sunday, you woke him up with a blowjob on his birthday. And you took your time with it. Did you have a bit of an ulterior motive? Sure. But it didn't detract from the fact that you wanted him to enjoy himself, and you certainly made sure he did. He was coming hard at exactly 9:42 with his hand on the back of your head and his cock tapping your throat. 

"Oh, fuck!" he groaned. "Fuck!" 

You licked him clean and grinned up at him before kissing his hip and whispering, "I love you, birthday boy." Then you climbed out of bed, kissed his lips and started to get dressed. "It's almost ten. I'll head out."

You saw him waver a bit before he nodded. Then his doorbell rang, and you just knew it would be the guys starting to arrive. He kissed you deeply one more time before pulling on his blue and gray jersey and some gym shorts. "Take your time getting dressed. I'll go let them in."

"Sounds good," you replied. And twenty minutes later, after you'd fixed your hair and put on the tiniest bit of makeup, you waltzed out into the living room where there were now six guys spread out on Jake's sectional couch with an open cooler of beer on ice in the middle of the floor and bags of chips seemingly everywhere. 

It was kind of fascinating, getting to catch a glimpse of this carefully curated world that he worked so hard to keep private. Your plan was to quietly sneak out the front door, but you had to stifle your laughter as you heard Bradley tell your boyfriend, "Your Cowboys look like a bunch of fucking pussies this week."

"You're one to talk, dipshit," Jake replied without missing a beat. "The Steelers are 2 and 4." He went back to sipping his beer.

"Both of you are delusional," Coyote told them as he cracked open a can and shoved a fistful of chips into his mouth. 

You skirted around the outside of the room as you eyed them in their various colorful jerseys while you thought they were completely focused on the game. Then you heard Fanboy call your name. "You're leaving?" he asked, looking at you as he ate some beef jerky.

"Yeah," you said with a little laugh as Jake got up to peck you on the cheek. "You know, Sundays are for the boys and all that."

Just then, the Cowboys scored a touchdown, and Jake hoisted you up in the air as you screeched in surprise. Half of the guys groaned, and half of them cheered, but your boyfriend held you tight as he tossed aside his empty beer can and said, "You can't leave until they kick the extra point." So you just stayed there, your feet not even touching the ground as Jake held his breath, and then the Cowboys went up by one more point. Then Jake walked you to your car, nipping at your neck the entire way.

"Don't you have to get back inside?" you whispered as he filthy kissed you, pressing you against the driver's side door. 

"I will," he grunted. "Feel like you're my lucky charm right now."

He kissed away all your lip gloss and messed up your makeup, but when you finally drove away, you had a smile on your face.

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

"What are these things?" Reuben called from the kitchen. Jake turned to see what he was holding up.

"High Noons," he replied before focusing back on the game. "My girl's obsessed with them. It's like a fancy hard seltzer."

"Can I try one?"

"Yeah," Jake told him, knowing he'd just replace them later for you. 

Javy was currently sitting on the floor, practically in tears as the Saints gave up another touchdown to the Dolphins. Mickey's loud cheering had everyone else laughing. "Dude, you'll lose your voice again like last week," Bradley told him as he accidentally spilled potato chips all over the floor before picking them up and eating them anyway. 

"It'll be worth it if the Saints lose!" Mickey cheered. 

"Hey, what's that?" Bradley asked Reuben as he chugged the High Noon can and belched. "Some sort of girly shit?"

"Yeah, it's fucking good."

A minute later, everyone was drinking them, including Jake. "This is delicious," Bob muttered.

"For real," Reuben agreed. "Your girl has good taste."

Bradley snorted as he opened another can. "Not in guys." He and Reuben started cracking up at Jake's expense while he rolled his eyes. 

Then Javy was on his hands and knees crawling toward the TV and shouting, "Get him! Get him! That's a fucking sack! Fuck you, Fanboy! Fuck you, dude!"

The room was in chaos as Javy ground the potato chip crumbs into the carpet. When Jake's phone vibrated, he saw it was a text from you and realized he kind of wished you were here right now.

I miss you. Are you having fun with the boys?

He smiled as he checked the time. The Cowboys game would be starting in less than an hour, and they always seemed to play better whenever you were in the room for those fleeting few minutes before you left him to his Sunday tradition. He tapped his fingers on his thigh and contemplated texting you back. 

"Hey, Jake, are there any more of these things?" Bob asked, holding up his empty High Noon can. It was a testament to how good they tasted that Bob was even drinking one in the first place. He absolutely hated beer.

"I don't think so," Jake muttered, almost to himself as he read your text again. "Let me check." He started his response to you and then finished it after he looked in his nearly empty fridge.

I miss you too, Baby. Where did you get those High Noons? The boys drank them all, and they loved them. I'm going to need to stock up.

When he looked up from his phone, Javy was on his back, kicking his feet in the air, because the Dolphins had scored another touchdown. "No!"

"Hey, Hangman, you're out of chips," Bradley complained, shaking the empty bag into his open mouth before frowning. 

Now Mickey was dancing around Javy on the floor as the final score of the game flashed across the bottom of the screen. His Dolphins had beat Javy's Saints, and Reuben was already changing the channel for the next game that was about to start. But you had texted back again.

Why is that so adorable? I'm just about on my way home from lunch with the girls. Want me to stop and get another case or two? Maybe some snacks? I can drop them off.

Jake grinned; even the idea of you stopping by for a few seconds made him smile. He texted you back letting you know that he loved that idea, and then he stepped over the chaos on his floor and dropped down next to Reuben. Just as the intro to the Cowboys and Steelers was starting up, Jake said, "My girl's stopping by with more of those drinks and some snacks, so please behave while she's here."

"We will," they all replied in unison, though he highly doubted that would actually be the case. 

Then the game started, and they were all distracted, because it was Jake's team against Bradley's team. "Your precious Cowgirls are going down," Bradley muttered, practically licking the inside of the chip bag.

Jake realized he was hungry too as he flipped him off, and he could hear Reuben's stomach growling. The Cowboys were looking terrible in the first quarter, and now Bradley was sitting on the edge of his seat as the Steelers were poised to score a touchdown.

But then, just when you walked in carrying some fresh High Noons and a platter of hot wings, the Steelers threw an interception, and the Cowboys ran it back all the way for a touchdown. "Fuck yes!" Jake shouted, practically ripping the food and drinks out of your hands to get to you. "Come here, Baby. Come sit on my lap."

"Seriously?" you asked, clearly surprised as Jake pulled you along with him while the other guys tore into the seltzers and chicken wings like they were wild animals. Well, everyone except for Bradley who was on his knees on the floor, staring at the TV in shock.

"Thank you for the food and the High Noons," Jake drawled, grinning against your neck as he held you close. "You're the best." 

"You're welcome," you replied, really getting into the game now. "Cowboys are already up?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Bradley groaned. And it just kept getting better from there. Jake got to have you snuggled up on the couch with him while he ate wings and drank seltzers all afternoon. 

When you tried to leave at halftime, the guys whined for you to stay, and Jake pulled you closer to him. "Baby, no. The Cowboys have done nothing but get touchdown after touchdown since you got here. I need you to stay."

You laughed and opened a High Noon for yourself with an amused look on your face. "Alright, Jake. Whatever you need."

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

When you woke up on Sunday with Jake kissing your neck and whispering, "Time to get up," you groaned. You were still exhausted from working all week, but you stretched and slowly got out of bed. "Where are you going?" he asked, reaching for you as you stood and looked at him.

"Home?"

He shook his head like he couldn't be more confused. "Why? Baby, the Cowboys play at ten. The boys will be here soon."

"Yeah...." you replied, reaching for your clothes. "That's why I'm leaving. Sundays are for the boys."

Now he was honest to god pouting. "But, I don't want you to leave. I love watching the games with you, and the guys keep my place cleaner when you're here. They actually belch less too. Really, overall, they are much less insufferable. And besides..." he whispered, grabbing your hand and pulling you back into bed. "I think you're my lucky charm."

"Really?" you asked as he pinned your hands above your head on the pillow. 

"Mmhmm," he hummed as he kissed you. "You make my team do better, and you make me happy. Stay."

You were melting at his touch. "Well, how could I say no?"

The following week, Jake was opening a seltzer for you, and when you looked around, all of the guys were drinking them. Mickey tapped his can to yours. "These are delicious. I feel so sophisticated. You're a genius."

The week after that, Javy ordered pizza only after discreetly asking what your favorite topping was. "The rest of them would eat cardboard with red sauce on top of it, but I want to make sure you get the kind you like."

The week after that, Reuben and Bob both jumped up to get you a new can when yours was empty, and Bradley begrudgingly said, "I still like you even though Jake fucking ruined you by turning you into a Cowboys fan."

You started staying later and later, and you noticed that Jake filled the cooler with fewer beers and more seltzers each week. And on the last Sunday of the regular season, the guys showed up with a sad looking, half crumpled up gift bag and handed it to you as you rearranged the pretty charcuterie board you'd been working on for them. 

"What's this?" you asked, peeking into the bag at some pink fabric.

"It's for you," Javy said. "You're one of the guys now." 

Jake grinned at you from the open refrigerator where he handed out High Noon cans to everyone. "You knew about this?" you asked him as you reached into the bag and pulled out a pink Dallas Cowboys jersey with your own name on the back. 

"Of course I knew about it, Baby. I had to tell them your size."

"Thank you," you whispered as you looked at it, tears filling your eyes and blurring your vision. "I love it." When you looked up at them, they raised their seltzer cans in a toast to you, and you ran to Jake's bedroom to get changed.

You had your own jersey color now amongst the rainbow of teams everyone rooted for, and Jake kept you close as the Cowboys played. The cooler of slowly melting ice offered up High Noons to you and the boys, and by the time it was getting dark outside, you were standing next to the TV with your hands in the air. 

"Ready?" you asked them a little loudly as you giggled, but you weren't the only one who was tipsy and silly. "Here we go!" You led them in a hideous, off-key rendition of I've been waiting all day for Sunday night. After weeks of watching football, everyone had all of the ridiculous lyrics memorized, and it ended in laughter as you curled up next to Jake on the couch.

"I love Sundays," he said, his arm slung around your shoulders. "And I love you, Baby."

You kissed his cheek and whispered, "Sundays are for seltzer drinkers."

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

You slowly infiltrated, and now Sundays are yours. Thanks @thedroneranger for making pretty mood boards like this one and letting us write about them. And thanks @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls

Don't forget to read the second part! This Sunday Is for My Girl!

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[moonshynecybin]

if you have the time or inclination, can i ask what the deal with motogp/those boys is about? i don’t mean that in a mean way btw, im just curious and i love drama

i will try to be brief (1/4358)

SO! valentino rossi (born 16 February 1979, aquarius. italian.) is one of the most iconic people in motorsport, CERTAINLY in motogp. he's a 9 time world champion, your favorite driver's favorite driver, and is generally credited with revolutionizing the popularity of the sport by: a. being insanely good at motorcycle racing, and b. in general having a lot of fun about it. lethally charming and charismatic. all time active listening face. just a fun and funny dude that everyone pretty much likes and MANY younger riders idolize. VERY good at handling the media and his legions of cult-like fans. sometimes treated more like a god than a person. i was in the store yesterday and saw one of his themed monster energy drinks despite him retiring two years ago. his fun retirement activity is racing BMWs and running his own motogp team/training facility/cult for young italian racers. (this is where cele and bezz and basically every italian rider not named enea bastianini come from!)

so in 2011ish valentino had won 9 titles, and he decided to leave his current manufacturer and move to italian manufacturer ducati where he generally had a stone-cold terrible time. EXTENDED flop era for a couple years. any time ive watched content that covers this period everyone is so sad. so sad. anyways he GOES BACK to his old manufacturer in 2013 and is much more competitive. kind of just happy to be winning sometimes and be on the podium. 2013 is also where marc comes in. what could go wrong.

marc marquez! (born 17 february 1993, almost exactly 14 years after vale which i'm sure means nothing. also an aquarius. spanish.) childhood sports idols include: dani pedrosa, VALENTINO ROSSI.

marc carved his way up through the feeder championships until casey stoner unexpectedly retired at the end of the 2012 season leaving a seat empty on a VERY good bike for his rookie season. rocked up and was immediately VERY good at winning and very good at being a crazyinsane person on track that made people mad at him lol. hilarious habit of pissing people off via on-track crimes that i really enjoy. motogp riders are already crazy (they do death sport) but marc is famous for taking risks no one else will. basically if he's not winning, he's crashed out or he's maybe crashed YOU out. he wins the championship as a rookie (insane) and the next year's championship as well. heir apparent to the throne. sweet and goofy but is now known as one of the more reserved riders with the press. probably because of all this drama tbh. undisputed GOAT of acting like a slut on camera

throughout 2013-2014, marc and valentino had a good relationship! marc very clearly idolizes him and is like. bowled over completely with delight every time valentino looks his way. vale likes him! theyre buds! truly an endless well of pictures of vale explaining something with his hands and marc babygirling at him. highly recommend checking out @pgaslys every rosquez podium tag for contextual brain damage. insane times.

(IT SHOULD BE NOTED: before the 2015 season marc visits valentino at his practice track in italy, where they compete to break the track record and almost kill each other bc they are so pathologically competitive. APPARENTLY, marc showed up with some official mechanics and valentino was a little pissed off because it was supposed to be a like. fun thing. and to marc winning is the most fun! if you dont come to win why come at all! anyways marc breaks the track record and credits that to cooling their relationship a bit. good post about it here.) here they are that day:

so what could go wrong, right? WELL. valentino has a chance to win his tenth title in 2015. marc is on a flop bike and crashed a bunch so he's not in the championship conversation but vale is leading the standings from the jump, with his main opponent being jorge lorenzo. i think he really wanted that tenth, and dedicated himself to the season in a way he hadnt really ever before (he was a very effortless competitor when he was young. gym-adverse. king).

marc and him start to get into some scraps along the way, notably in argentina (where they made contact and marc crashed out), assen (where they made contact AGAIN and vale won the race), and phillip island (marc won. GREAT race available here for free). phillip island sees vale finishing P4 and jorge lorenzo finishing ahead of him in P3, reducing his championship lead by quite a bit. no real indication of any tension during these races, and they are asked about it!

this is where valentino's delulu era begins! basically, ahead of the next race (🔥🔥SEPANG 2015🔥🔥) in the pre-race press conference, he goes after marc, saying he was deliberately sabotaging valentino in phillip island because marc wanted jorge to win. in valentino's mind. marc wants jorge to win because a. they are both spanish (??) and b. it would mean marc has to win less titles to equal valentino's total. record scratch. freeze frame.

everyone (including marc!) thinks valentino is joking at first bc that is bananascrazyinsane. he was not joking. (it should be noted valentino STILL thinks this lol.) anyways marc is completely blindsided. he thought they were good! yeah they've been chippy on track but that's racing!! truly like. 22 years old and your friend (AND CHILDHOOD IDOL.) is calling you a snake in front of your face with NO prior warning to the entire motogp establishment writ large including your coworkers and REPORTERS. valentino wont even look at him the entire time. the press conference is available here on vimeo. excruciating gifsets of marc's very stiff bewildered PR smile found here.

anyways so. the race. marc is uh. pissed off. he's stuck to valentino like GLUE the entire time and they trade places a bunch of times. now marc is kind of famous for being a little asshole on track anyways, but its not like he's gonna get out of valentino's way and just let him pass after what he said in that press conference so. hand in unlovable hand <3. truly very fun to watch imo even with the sword of damocles hanging over them. marc is fucking on one the entire race and basically refuses to give valentino an inch until vale gets so fed up with his antics that um. well. it certainly looks like he kicked him. vale says he didnt, and that his leg accidently made contact with marc's bike. marcs says. he fucking kicked me. judge for yourself here!

so valentino gets hauled in front of race direction and penalized for the next race (the deciding race for the championship). he has to start from the back of the grid and it kills his chance at a tenth title stone dead. vale places the blame squarely on marc's shoulders and his legions of fans decide marc is public enemy number 1. him and jorge have to get security at the next race because of death threats, someone tries to break into marc's childhood home back in spain, marc's mom throws away all of marc's valentino merchandise from when he was a kid. vale says nothing.

but the thing about marc. is that he loves very hard and chooses his people pretty carefully. didnt really move out of his tiny hometown until he turned 30 and also made his baby brother move in with him kind of guy. so all this is not really enough for him to let go of vale entirely! 2016 is where the pain lives! bc marc is still reaching out and vale himself stays pretty cold for a couple years. they seem to faintly reconcile for a bit but its not anywhere like it was before sepang.

the real nail in the coffin is argentina 2018. another insane race where marc has to start from the back and goes on a rampage through the field and crashes out like three people. i cant remember. this race is also available on youtube for free its very entertaining. every five minutes marc does something insane. vale is one of the people marc crashes out and afterwardshe goes on a big rant about how marc is destroying the sport and is actively dangerous. marc goes to valentino's garage immediately after the race to apologize and vale doesnt even look at him. he gets turned away at the door after vale's best friend/assistant/henchman yells in his face1!!! and thats kind off all she wrote in terms of reconciliation

anyways that's where we are! they are both very much not over it. vale goes on podcasts and is like. in 30 years i will still be mad, im literally never going to get over it it was such a big and unfair thing and i think about it all the time like it was yesterday. and marc (lying) says as time goes by i dont even think about it :) and i care about valentino less and less :))) but yes he hurt me deeply lol. CANNOT stress enough how much this entire thing is now inextricably liked to both of their legacies. the two arguable GOATs of a sport had an epic fleetwood mac-style beatles breakup divorce and everyone wants to talk about it allllll day long including me :)

additional context! really recommend checking out marc's little docuseries he put out this year about his recent struggles with injury. he is so not right in the head and it goes over the valentino drama in ep3. theres also hitting the apex (2015) which goes over the 2013 season (marc's rookie season) and is a really good introduction to all the major players at the time. its like less than 2 hrs long so its not too much of a commitment

also recommend following scholars @babynflames, @its-always-silly-season, @baking-soda, and @f1vegas as well as many others im forgetting rn bc its 2am!

[doodle-pops]

The Ainur | With A Short Reader

Request: Can I make a request for headcanons for how the Ainur would be with a short human reader? Around 5 foot tall? Like an elf of about 6 feet would only reach up to some of their chest or lower still, considering they’re like 7-9 foot tall. Would they be cute, teasing, protective, frustrated by the height difference? P.s. I love the way you characterise all the Ainur, it really feels like their personality, you do a fantastic job. - anon

A/N: Happy to fulfil this request and learn that you enjoy my characterisations of them anon. I tend to envision the Ainur as nothing less than nine feet since they are deities and display their power through their heights. So you’re going to appear super short next to them. Nonetheless, Enjoy!

๋࣭ ⭑⚝ Manwë

The bird was too stunned to speak. Are you a child or dwarf, certainly that could not be your final height at the end of your growth? Unfortunately, it is your complete height which makes you appear as a little bird before the great King. Now his nickname ‘little bird’ makes more sense.

He cannot fathom how you can be the same size as a bean and packed with all that sass whenever he mentions how tiny you are. You require a ladder if you ever reach his head for a ‘level-headed’ talk.

Has no issue picking you up with one hand and carrying you around like his personal comfort toy when he’s having a bad day. Anyone commenting or teasing gets a look that speaks about them receiving a bolt of lightning.

Let us not forget his avian side which is going to fawn over how adorable you are. You’re tiny and squishy, perfect for belonging in his nest where he can shower you in affection all day long.

The size difference is outstanding. Just picture a baby lying in their parents' bed, looking like a little nugget among the pillows…that’s what you appear like anytime you snuggle in his bed. On numerous occasions, he didn’t see you and almost squished you under the sheets.

With your size, it means wearing his robes and marching around his room or Ilmarin pretending to be him while he silently watches from afar. You are drowning in his robes, don’t even wear his shirt, it’s a gown on you.

๋࣭ ⭑⚝ Irmo

Your size doesn’t change the way he’s going to shower you with ultimate love and affection. Apart from the minor teasing he’ll conduct for the fun of the situation, Irmo loves you the same way if you are tall.

A gentleman who enjoys using the opportunities when granted to lift you over puddles or streams so he can fawn over how you fit in his arms. He (and the others) can lift you with his pinkie and has done it before.

You are authorised to always sleep on his chest—you look like a kitten sleeping on his chest in his eyes—mainly because you like to roll and so does he and nothing good has arisen from you both rolling together.

Gets lost in crowds and he panics. He’ll be walking around asking if anyone has seen his little lover and he will give descriptions. “They’re about 5 feet, this short and very tiny. They look like an elfling…”

Saw children’s clothing on a walk with you in a boutique, did not know they were for children and excitedly stated, “Oh look! I believe these would look lovely on you! They even have your colours.”

Do not be upset with him, he didn’t know that it was children’s clothing. Irmo only wished to share the moment of shopping with you. But worry not, he gathers the best seamstresses and tailors to fashion you the finest wear that looks nothing like children’s clothes.

๋࣭ ⭑⚝ Námo

Has a smile on his face anytime you take the lead and walk in front of him, hence his reason for always telling you to lead the way. He’s a simple Vala, he wants to watch as you waddle like a duck with your short legs as you take him to Eru knows where.

Pretends to complain when you ‘borrow’ his robes because you missed him, but gushes mentally at the sight of how you’re drowning in his forever monochromatic black robes.

His viridian eyes were soft at the sight of you walking around, dragging his robes all over. The idea of complaining about getting them dirty has disappeared, and all he is thinking about is how you look like a penguin.

Your feet running across his halls are the equivalent of tiny pitter-patter and it’s how he can easily distinguish your presence; just listen for the tiny footsteps. But it never works out well when you’re among elves and lost in a crowd.

The first time you met his brother, Irmo mistook you for a child Námo adopted and congratulated his brother on softening up to the idea of children. To make matters worse, you played along—much to Námo’s annoyance—and clung to his arm, calling him ‘atar/daddy’.

Irmo was elated, you were dying of laughter and Námo was contemplating his life. He couldn’t believe this was the humour he signed up for the moment he fell in love with someone shorter than most individuals.

๋࣭ ⭑⚝ Ulmo

Mistook you for the child wandering the shores the first time he saw you in the distance and scolded you for playing in the deep waters without parental supervision. That was until he learned you weren’t a child and your permanent height for a lifetime.

‘Pebble’ was the most suitable nickname he gifted you since pebbles were small and cute…like you. Plus, he brings you pebbles, seashells and pearls from the ocean floor as a token of affection.

Because you’re smaller, your strokes as you swim alongside him are slower, so he’ll call the seals, dolphins or whales to swim alongside you for assistance. You’re even allowed to ride them anytime you two are swimming out in the depths.

Since Ulmo’s true form is staggering, he opts to appear around the same height as you are anytime he has to walk the earth. His favourite place to have walks would be the beach obviously.

Hand holding while watching the sunset and he’s quietly staring at your short fingers holding his larger hand. He loves holding your hand to fawn over the size. He would even slip on a cute ring with a pearl one day.

Because Ulmo is known for having no resting place as he wanders the waters of the world, he enjoys visiting your home. It’s even better if you live near a lake for him to have easier access to seeing you frequently. Cue Ulmo marvels at how small your household items are as he picks them up.

๋࣭ ⭑⚝ Oromë

Congratulations, you are the perfect size to sit on all of his creatures (and him) to ride through the forest with him. He cannot get over your tiny figure because he knows that you’re about the same size as an elfling and all his creatures are larger than you.

Roughhousing is a thing that occurs between you both and he gets caught up in the experience to forget how easily he can send you on a trip to Estë for healing…because it has happened multiple times.

Picks you up like a sack of potatoes and slings you over his shoulder when he has to carry you somewhere and you’re being troublesome, or he wants to randomly surprise you. You’re as light as a feather as he runs with you through the forest.

Swinging from his muscular arms anytime he flexes his muscles for you? Yes, yes you do, and he loves it. Fuels his ego to know that he’s strong and his lover can climb him like a tree. Clinging to his muscular physique and probably biting him? Yes, you do that he calls you a tiny beast who needs to be tamed.

Not the type to underestimate the size of a creature you can ride because of your size but is also cautious at the same time. Wanted to gift you a Shetland pony because you were small enough to ride one, but back out last minute knowing that he would receive an earful. Gave you a giant-sized tiger or dog as a companion.

You wear his pelts and pretend to act like him, attempting to wield his bow—sweetheart, you couldn’t even draw the strings—as though you were hunting.

๋࣭ ⭑⚝ Tulkas

No different from Oromë and will playfight with you using the strength in his pinkie finger and you’d still have to bandage some body parts because accidents happen all the time. No worries though, he praises your injuries and makes you feel as though you fought a great battle with him.

He has no doubts, dismisses your strengths and associates them with your size having seen many great warriors display outstanding strengths and feats despite their size. Instead, he encourages you to take pride in your size and all the greatness you can accomplish.

You got a workout buddy, or rather he got a new dumbbell to lift or someone to sit on his back for push-ups. Your weight is inconsequential, but it doesn’t stop you from enjoying the fun in the moment.

Also picks you up like a sack of potatoes and carries you around the place, introducing you to all his close friends and elves. Anytime you need to speak ‘eye-level’ with him, instead of going to lengths to climb tables or a tree, he’ll kneel to your level.

๋࣭ ⭑⚝ Melkor

Getting called dwarf, child, or both the first time you meet will result in him changing the names and calling you a critter if you attempt to attack him for calling you short. Probably ‘ankle biter’ might be your new name because he denoted that small things have the most rage.

You’re a ferocious ankle-biter in his eyes whose nerves he enjoys getting on because your responses are hilarious. It’s all in jest…or maybe not.

Nothing of his will ever fit you, that also means trying to wear his crown with the Silmarils. It’s currently sitting on your neck as we speak. All you can do is make versions of his outfits tailored to your size.

You’re smaller, so his hands can cover your entire face. Know what that means? Squish your cheeks as you speak to admire how soft and dough-like they are. “Hm, ankle biter, you have remarkably soft cheeks,” he says while squishing your face.

There’s nothing you can climb on to meet his height because he makes sure that there isn’t anything around. He wants you to break your neck looking up at him (bite his ankles and he’ll reach your height).

๋࣭ ⭑⚝ Eönwë

“You’re like a hummingbird minus the speed,” he chuckled upon the first sight of your tiny figure. You were lucky he didn’t consider you a lost child who wandered before him in search of help because he was ready to call you ‘child’.

I have to say, Eӧnwё is the best person to try the same ‘daddy’ prank on when you’re walking through the streets of Valimar but clinging to him and acting like a child for the elves to fawn over how adorable the interaction is. There is always an elf who inquires for you to look them in the eye and say, “This is my atya!”

His avian side adores your tininess; and makes you all the more delicate and squishable. You are never again going to leave the nest…just joking, but his protective side goes up a notch because you are TINY.

I mean, he loses you in a crowd easily and you can’t even jump high enough to show your location. You can climb a table or chair but still have to get past the sea of heads before Eӧnwё spots you.

Gets you the smaller version of everything so you don’t have to struggle with holding the larger objects. He once watched as you climbed a chair as if it were a mountain or fought with a glass of wine because the glass was too big to hold.

At least going on flights doesn’t change whether you’re extra small or bigger. Visits in the morning and takes you to watch the sunrise over the mountain from a bird’s eye view.

๋࣭ ⭑⚝ Tilion

Doesn’t matter if you’re tiny or tall, you still look the same from his view in the sky as he guides the moon. But he does melt at the sight of you looking up at the moon.

You are forever his ‘little deer’ even though you’re probably feisty and love to bite or nibble on his arms all the time. Similar to Oromë, carries you around like a sack of potatoes over his shoulder, but more for the fun of watching your short legs dangle.

Doesn’t alter the size of any furniture so he can observe your legs dangling over the edges and sway, or the size difference between you and the table designed for a nine-foot entity.

Roughhousing is a constant must-have between you both because he adores pinning your smaller body under his and making you fight back. Tilion just wants to watch you struggle and wiggle like a worm. Bite him.

Puts you to sleep on top of him because it is the safest option unless you want to be crushed under a giant nine-foot Maia, and you look like a tiny kitten curled up on his chest. The only thing he hasn’t done is pick you up by your scruff.

He’s such a tease when it comes to you both riding through the forest. Tilion will purposefully place you behind him so you can’t see a thing and then tease you about being too small. But it’s all in jest because he’ll have you ride an elk or reindeer or even a pony that was handpicked to match your size.

๋࣭ ⭑⚝ Mairon

He also assumed you’re an ankle biter as well because he called you short and you were ready to attack. Please, do not release him from your tyranny because he will make fun of your height and pat your head or rest his arm atop your head when he’s resting. Again, bite him.

Complains about your short legs and how slow you are when you’re walking side-by-side but comes to you later to ask for assistance because some tool of his fell into a small hole and you’re tiny enough to get it.

Tells you that he’ll feed you to his wolves if you don’t stop clinging to him when in truth, he loves it. You’re small enough to not be a distraction as he moves about his forge or the fortress, but it’s just Mairon being a tsundere.

Doesn’t see you lying in his bed because his bed is huge and you’re extra small, so he almost lies atop your body. It’s turned into a staring match like how children stare you down without blinking.

Has a tendency to carry you around, for funsies, by holding onto your belt or grabbing the back of your clothes so you dangle as he powers through the corridors until he arrives at his Lord holding you like a briefcase.

Deep down, as much as he teases your size, he enjoys the differences. Watching you fight to lift an object made for his size or dress in his clothes—if you’re brave enough to try this—is entertaining.

Masterlist

Taglist: @ranhanabi777 @lilmelily @mysticmoomin @rain-on-my-umbrella @asianbutnotjapanese @batsyforyou @mcwentfandomtraveling @involuntaryspasms @stormchaser819 @aconstructofamind @addaigio @lamemaster

[yuri-is-online]

Hi!

I saw the 300 followers event, and I'd like to request prompt 9 with Leona, Ace, and Jamil

9. Jealousy pt. 2- someone from a rival school asks for your number

Hi hi! Thank you for your request, I hope you like this friend.

notes: they/them pronouns used for Yuu, Check out the rest of the event requests on my masterlist here.

Leona

"Overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer." Leona has heard you say that more than once, always in a tone that suggests you are mimicking something or someone; from your world he assumes. Not that he really minds, it's a nice quote. Snappy. And the first time he heard you say it you had been critiquing Azul, not him. Not him, even though it could easily apply.

That's why it is thundering in his skull right now, needling at that knot in his forehead that refuses to leave, twitching in his snarl as he watches some RSA brat wind his way around your shoulders.

Slow.

"I've got to say," purrs the stranger, lightly resting a hand on your shoulder as you consider what power you need to invoke to get him gone "I was surprised to find someone so nice attending NRC." You can't really think of a good reply, the awkward laughter that stutters out of you doesn't seem to count.

Insidious.

"It would be a real shame to let such a chance encounter go unsavored." He could have chosen a less suggestive tone of voice, or maybe it's just Leona's previous comments about how you should try to avoid "getting eaten" that are working double time on your nerves. "Perhaps you could give me your-"

Killer.

"Oi." Leona's voice rumbles, you swear there was an actual roar before he spoke. The RSA student certainly jumps back from you like there was. "You are making them uncomfortable." The student apologizes, to you or Leona you have no idea, as Leona settles a comforting hand onto your shoulder.

"Thank you, sorry for-"

"Don't." Leona is surprisingly calm. "'s my job to scare off bottom feeders like that anyway."

Well now. That is news to you.

Ace

There is something of a disadvantage in always being around the person you like when you aren't quite sure how much it is you like them just yet. The full realization tends to come at an inconvenient time, making ordinary situations into ones of great annoyance. For example, a casual walk through Craneport where you run into some kid from RSA who is also casually enjoying his day of with a friend.

"Cute, right?" A great big dog is happily panting as you scratch her ears, a smile just as shiny as her owners beaming up at you.

"Super cute!" You resist the urge to kiss her all over her massively cute face while Ace tries to fight off an existential crisis. That is a dog, he is feeling jealousy over a dog. What's going to make him insecure next, a tooth brush?

"Her name's Ginger." The stranger says with clear pride. "She really likes you, I'm almost sad to see you go."

"Only almost?" You laugh and give a final head pat to the very good girl while Ace swallows. Anger, jealousy, general annoyance at your obliviousness? Who knows.

"Could I get your number then?" Asks the stranger. "I'm sure she'd love to get to know you."

"I'm sure she would!" Ace's heart skinks, hand going behind his head to awkwardly soothe his wounded heart. "But I think I'll have to pass." You don't give a reason and the stranger doesn't ask, just takes his loss on the chin as you begin to walk again.

"So why'd you say no?" His voice is surprisingly even even if the question feels like it stumbles out of him.

"Oh well you know..." You shuffle along, as eager to let the topic die as he is to press it. "I've already got a favorite ginger." He snorts, threatening to break into a full blown laugh. "I do!" You protest, oddly serious and extremely embarrassed. "And he's enough of a handful already."

"I'm sure Cay-kun will be happy to hear it." Ace laughs, winking back at you as he prepares to run back towards the bus, shouts of protest somehow falling on deaf ears and stroking his ego.

Jamil

Sometimes Jamil is envious of Floyd. His reputation wouldn't take a dive if someone from the other team accidentally ran into a missed shot fifteen times. Nobody would even blink. But if the ball came from his hands... well then people would start asking questions.

"Are you jealous?"

No. A lie. Jamil is jealous of the air you breathe for its closeness to your lips, and this sniveling Nobel Bell brat can actually speak. Not that he knows exactly what he is asking for, but Jamil has an active imagination. And feet, he somehow seems to be stalking his way towards you even though none of what is happening is any of his business.

"Are you dating?"

Why would I want that? I've already got enough on my plate as is, I don't need a partner. Only true on the surface. Jamil has no idea why he wants you (Kalim assures him he doesn't need a reason but why would he want to listen to that advice) he just does. You make him feel a bunch of inconvenient and ridiculous things, he does not need a partner but he does want one.

"Um... I was wondering..." Seven the kid was pathetic from across the court but now that he was actually here he is even worse. Jamil is surprised he hasn't fainted yet. "I was wondering... um if you wouldn't mind could I get your number?" He seems genuinely hopeful and Jamil has got to look just as genuinely disgusted with how far back the kid jumps.

"I'm sorry..." you turn him down so gently it hurts (for Jamil, not the kid, he wants to see the little bitch run away crying) "You've been very nice I'm just not interested right now." You let out a relived sigh as the kid walks away normally as Jamil considers talking to and is not given a chance to think better of it before you turn around. "Oh hey Jamil." Why do you have to look so happy to see him? It hurts. "Sorry you had to see that, I was just trying to turn in the team registratio-"

"Do you find that attractive?" You both look shocked Jamil even asked that, but now that he has, he finds that he is too stubborn to back down.

"No?" And then with a bit more certainty you add. "No. No I think I would like someone with a bit more... mindful" You say with an admiral degree of confidence for someone who is no longer looking him in the eyes.

[chronicbeans]

Wally and a Puppeteer Reader (part 9)

Our sister is a bit of an upsetti spaghetti rn but she's trying her best.

TW: Mentions of Stalking, Obsessive Behavior, Idol Worshipping, Scopophobia/Eye Imagery

🎥 You knock on Angela's door, calling out "Angela... Can I talk to you? If you are too upset right now, I understand... But I am very concerned about something Henry said to me earlier..." Through the door, you hear her shout "Fine! But if you have that creepy puppet with you, leave it outside my room! Its eyes seem to stare into my soul... I can't see how you can stand working with it."

🎥 You step inside, seeing the muted brown walls of her room. Paintings of forests and corner side diners fill the walls, all of which were made by her deceased husband. She hasn't really been able to let him go, which you understand. They were very close. You sit on her bed, next to her. She's curled herself up into a ball, almost like she is trying to protect herself from danger.

🎥"I'm guessing the diary contains a lot of stuff about... him, right? You never really get this upset unless it has to do with Henry's dad. Last time I saw you like this was when the frame to one of his paintings cracked from falling off the wall." You watch as she nods. She sniffles her nose, before looking at you "Yeah. The page it was opened to was... well, the day he died. It was about the accident. I don't know why Henry would want to read about that! I have been trying to hide the specific details from him. He knows his dad passed away, but not how. I wrote about how in that entry... I just feel like he shouldn't know that much until he is a little older and can understand it a bit more, you know?"

🎥 You nod, trying to stay as comforting as possible. You don't really know how to help people out in situations like these, but you try your best. Right now, though, there is a pressing matter at hand. So, you quietly say "I understand... I know now is probably not the best time, but I feel like I have to ask this. Did you tell Henry about my job? Possibly about the letters I have been getting? You know, the ones from..." You trail off as she slowly shakes her head. "No, I haven't. I gave up on telling him the truth about that stupid puppet show after you kept stopping me. The letters shouldn't even be mentioned to him, in my opinion. A little kid shouldn't be burdened with the knowledge that a family member is being harassed and stalked! Why do you ask? Did he say something about it?"

🎥 You nod, before explaining what he said to you about Wally. About how Wally, according to Henry, spoke to him about you being a puppeteer and said things similar to the letters you have been getting. You finish it off by saying "I know it might sound a bit crazy, but look... I'm desperate for answers here. What if it's the puppet that's after me? You didn't tell Henry about any of that and I certainly didn't. I don't know, I might just be going crazy..."

🎥 Angela holds her hand up to stop you. Once you are quiet, she takes a shakey breath, then says "I HATE puppets... If you are right, this is something right outta my worst nightmare. I'm just going to roll with what you said, though, because it does seem very shady." She then looks down at her lap, before continuing "I mean, I do feel like I was a little harsh on Henry. He has never done anything like going through my room or reading my diary, before. It just doesn't seem like him to do that sorta thing. I should go say sorry. I'll talk to you in a little bit."

🎥 With that, Angela stands and leaves the room. You decide to go, too, and check on Wally. However, when you check where you left him, you find that he isn't there. A chill rushes up your spine as you walk around the house, searching for him. Eventually, however, you hear a little yelping noise, before some thumping by the kitchen. It sounds a bit like something falling...

🎥 You rush over, seeing that the basement door by the backdoor of the house is wide open. In the darkness of the basement, you hear a little "scuttle, scuttle" noise against the concrete floor. You flick on the lights and, at the bottom of the stairs, you see Wally lying flat on his face.

🎥 You slowly step downstairs, keeping your eyes locked on the puppet, before you find yourself at the bottom of the stairs. Angela and Henry are both still upstairs. You can tell because Henry is very loud when he is upset, so you can hear him crying from all the way down in the basement. So, someone must've brought Wally here, or if he IS alive, he must've walked down here on his own... Or fell... He does look like he fell down the stairs. His legs are all twisted, along with his arms...

🎥 You grab him, a bit harsher than you did the last few times you have grabbed him. Then, you march upstairs and place him on the couch. Then, you wrap him up in a blanket, tightly, as you say "Now, I don't know what is going on here... But you keep moving. Maybe that will help..." Then, you tie a knot tightly in the blanket, intending for it to keep him still. You don't have high hopes that it will, but at least it is something.

[petitelepus]

The Demon Gift: Choosing Hantengu, Part 5

Demon!Slave!Hantengu X Fem!Reader

Summary: You have been living with Hantengu and his clones for a while and they are all awfully affectionate towards you.

Warnings: Cute Stuff, A Little Suggestive

A/N: Demon Slave AU, Domesticated Demons, Reader Insert, Fem!Reader, Hantengu, Master/Slave, Karaku, Sekido, Urogi, Aizetsu

Tags: @hantenguclonesimp-minuszoha, @star-dust-wanderer

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12

It had been a few weeks now since you moved to the huge house just outside the city and you and the Demons were living the dream life. With your brand-new car, you would go shopping if you needed to hoard some meat, but you were seriously thinking about maybe getting some chickens because you found them cute and you could use some eggs and meat. But you were just thinking, not ready to act on it.

Also, living with Hantengu and his clones certainly was different from living with your God-awful family. While your siblings would ridicule you and make your life a living Hell, Hantengu and others treated you with kindness that you had never felt before. They found your personality and little quirks funny and didn't judge you for them.

You also learned new things while living with Hantengu's many personalities. Despite his slight anger, Sekido was maybe the most mature one right next to Aizetsu, who was more sensitive than other clones, yet not quite as sensitive as Hantengu.

Karaku and Urogi were so similar that they tended to confuse you, but with time you were able to tell apart. And Hantengu, sweet cute little Hantengu just wanted your approval, like he needed it to live. He was honestly too cute for his own good.

Yes, having 5 Demons with you was a little hectic, but you enjoyed it and so did they. However, there were some things that rubbed you in the wrong way. Nothing serious, but right now, you were in the battle of your life.

A dance battle.

"What the actual fuck!?" You cursed as you tried your hardest to keep up with the dance instructor dancing on your huge television screen. You and the clone of pleasure were playing Just Dance, suggested to you by the Demon himself. You thought you could handle a couple of dances, but you soon found out that you weren't maybe as good at it as you thought you were.

"What, getting tired already?" The Demon asked from his spot next to you. You were maybe frowning and totally losing, but you were also still having fun.

"You're totally cheating!" You exclaimed and your outburst only amused the Demon more.

"Please, I don't need to cheat to beat your ass!" Karaku was laughing at you as he dominated the game, "I'm all natural baby!"

"Yeah, you're a natural pain in the ass!" You laughed as you raised your leg and kicked his ass, trying to throw him off his game. The only thing was that he barely moved, it was almost as if you had just tried to kick a brick wall.

As he turned to look at you and you saw that wicked grin on his handsome face, you knew you had screwed up.

"Oh, playing dirty, I see!" He cackled as he put the Nintendo's controller down and made grabby hands in your direction, "Two can play that game!"

"N- no! Please!" You stuttered as you started to back up, only to hit the back of your legs against a huge couch. With nowhere to go and escape made futile, you resorted to your last chance. Begging like your life depended on it.

"Please, Mercy!" You cried out but it was too late. Karaku bounced on you and you fell back first on the couch, the Demon going down with you.

You yelped, stunned and Karaku smirked as he used his chance to straddle your hips, pinning you down with his superior weight and strength.

"Not so cocky now, are you?" He laughed and you swallowed nervously, deciding to try begging one more time, "Karaku, please, I'm sorry! Have mercy on me!"

"Well…" He nodded slowly, "When you put it that way I could…"

"Really?" You sighed in relief like a huge weight had been lifted off your shoulders, "Oh, thank God-!"

"Nope!" He suddenly snapped and yanked your shirt up, revealing your bare tummy to him. Your eyes widened in shock but before you could beg again, Karaku started to trail and flick his fingers up and down your bare sides. Tickle torture, maybe one of the worst kinds of torture there was.

"KYA, KARAKU!" You screeched, as you started to laugh and scream uncontrollably. For a Demon of pleasure, he sure was good at torturing you.

"Ha ha ha, how does it feel?" He laughed as he kept tickling you and soon you were on the verge of tears, "Please…! Stop…!"

"You tried to mess with me, now I will mess with you!"

"Ka- Karaku, I- Ah- I'm begging!" You were crying now and it shouldn't have been so appealing to the Demon, but it was.

"I'll stop on one condition!" He laughed and you nodded furiously, "Yes, anything!"

"Ha ha!" Suddenly he stopped tickling you and you finally stopped laughing and crying and instead sighed in relief. Your sides felt sore and your throat ached from laughing so much.

As you caught your breath, Karaku observed you with a smile on his face, "I want my reward now."

"O- okay…" You nodded since you had promised him whatever he wanted… But then you felt your chin being gripped and your eyes snapped open, only to see Karaku's face only inches away from yours. He was so close to you, that you could feel his breathing against your lips.

"I want a kiss from my beloved Mistress…" He whispered and your eyes widened as your brains felt like they shortcircued. You just stared at him in shock and then he moved to close the gap between you two and you closed your eyes, bracing yourself for the kiss-!

"Kidding!" Karaku laughed as he pulled back and your eyes snapped open in shock. The Demon took his sweet time getting off from top of you and you pushed yourself upright.

"W- what?" You stuttered, still shocked and now confused also.

"Oh man, you should have seen your face! You are so red!" Karaku cackled as he looked at your flushed face. You pouted and started to hurl childish nicknames at him, not insulting him but certainly making him laugh.

You were being too cute, he wanted to tease you more and maybe actually get that kiss he so much wanted… But he controlled himself as he grabbed the Nintendo's controller and grinned at you, "Wanna still try and beat me?"

~~~~

Days passed and you were in a mood to bake something. Based on what you heard, Demons were able to eat human food, but it wouldn't keep them going like meat would. You had visited the city earlier that day and saw that strawberries had been on sale and you couldn't resist a good sale so you bought some flour, sugar, eggs, and cream also for your strawberry cream cake.

You hummed as you checked inside the oven where the cake was baking and took it out enough to poke the center with a toothpick. When the little stick came out clean, you knew your cake was done.

You set the cake to the side to cool down and picked the delicious red berries from the fridge, alongside a small knife that you would use to cut the berries into nice thick slices. You had so many strawberries that you could afford to make the slices a little thicker than you usually would.

As you prepared the berries, you heard something clicking against the floor and you turned to see Urogi's head peeking from around the corner. The claws on his talons usually tended to make a clicking sound as he walked inside the house. It gave you time to figure out his location before he could make a jump on you.

"Urogi?" You wondered out loud, "What brings you here?"

"I smelled something delicious and wanted to see what it was!" The Demon of Joy grinned as he walked into the kitchen to see what you were making, "What are you up to now?"

"Strawberry cream cake. Do you like strawberries?" You asked and Urogi shook his head, "Never had any."

"Would you like to try some?" You asked and the Demon grinned excitedly, "Can I?"

"Of course!" You smiled as you cut out the stem off and held the strawberry for Urogi to take it, "Here you go!"

"Thanks!" The Demon thanked you and you smiled but that smile soon turned into a blush when instead of taking the berry into his hands, he dove forward and ate it straight from your hand.

You stared at him eyes wide as he chewed and once he swallowed, he grinned like nothing was wrong, "Ooh, those taste good! Very sweet!"

"Y- yeah," You nodded as you turned to look at the strawberries in front of you, just waiting to be cut into slices so they could decorate your cake.

"Can I help?" Urogi asked and you turned to look at him in honest wonder. You didn't expect him to offer you help. You stared at him for a second before nodding, "Uh, yes, if you want to?"

"Awesome! What can I do?"

You thought about it for a second, but all you had left was to do was to slice the berries and make whipped cream, you doubted that Urogi would know how to use the electric hand mixer, no matter how simple it might have been to use one.

"Would you like to help me with the strawberries while I whip the cream?" You finally asked and he grinned excitedly, "Sure thing!"

"Good, but please wash your hands first."

"Okay!"

So you switched places with the Demon and while he had his hands washed, you got the bowl and mixer from the drawer, and the small cartons filled with cream from the fridge. You poured the specific amount of cream into the bowl, added some sugar, and let the mixer do its magic.

Making whipped cream was easy, but it tended to make a lot of noise and be a little messy. While you were mixing, you turned to glance at how Urogi was doing and saw that instead of using the knife to cut the berries, he used his own claws. You winched, making a mental note not to ask him for a massage or something that needed his hands.

Soon enough, the cream was done and the strawberries were cut perfectly. You hummed happily as you grabbed the cake and smacked a generous amount of cream on top of his, spreading it evenly before reaching for the berries and adding them one by one with your hands. Perfection tended to take time and you wanted your cake to be perfect.

"I think we are done!" You smiled as you looked at Urogi next to you, "Thank you for helping me. You can have the first slice if you want?"

"Ooh, sounds delicious!" The Demon smiled, but then he noticed something, "Oi, you have some cream on your face!"

"Oh, where?" You asked as you wiped your cheek and forehead with the back of your hand, but the Demon of Joy shook his head, "No no, let me get it for you!"

"Oh, thank you Urogi-!" You were thanking him when he suddenly leaned forward and LICKED the corner of your mouth.

You stilled and went tense as a steel rod, your face slowly turning red as the berries decorated the cake. What the heck was that about!?

"Delicious." Urogi grinned happily, "Cream also."

"I- You- What-!?" You stuttered, but before you could ask properly, the Demon took off running away.

"I'm going to let others know there is cake here!" Urogi laughed as he rushed out of the kitchen to alert his fellow clones about the delicious treat that the two of you had prepared. Though, secretly he thought of you and how good your lips looked and if you tasted like the berries.

~~~~

A couple of days later you were on a mission. To properly wash the underground bathtub. It was a huge job, but you were determined to get the whole tub cleaned and ready for use. Well, it was more like a small pool actually than a tub, but who kept count of these things?

"What are you doing here?"

You glanced over your shoulder and saw Aizetsu standing by the doorway to the room. You smiled and showed the wet soapy sponge in your hands, "Washing the tub. I don't know about you or others, but I'm dying to try it out."

"I see… May I offer my assistance to you?"

"You wanna help?" You asked and he nodded, "Yes… Unless you rather work alone-!"

"No no, I don't mind!" You smiled as you pointed at the bucket full of soap water and a sponge packet next to it, "Grab yourself a sponge and come over!"

The Demon nodded and moved to approach the bathtub, but before he could step in, you raised your hand, "Wait!"

"What is it?"

"Do you have anything to wear that you don't mind getting wet or dirty?"

Aizetsu frowned as he looked at the most simple T-shirt he had on and then at you, "I don't mind, but if you want me to change I will."

"No no, it's okay!" You shook your head and the Demon nodded as he grabbed the sponge and joined you in the tub. The two of you started to work together and you were getting pretty much done in a short time. Perks of having more people work on one project.

"I heard… I heard you have been having fun with Karaku and Urogi…" Aizetsu suddenly said and you blinked, a little confused and stunned but then you realized what he meant and you blushed.

"Yeah, nope, they were totally trolling me." You muttered as you fought against a blush that threatened to rise to your cheeks, "Bastards probably got a good laugh out of it."

"I see…" He nodded and frowned, "I apologize for their sake. They can get… Excited…"

"It's okay. You all have different personalities and I like all of you." You replied and the Demon looked at you, "You mean it? Even me?"

"Yes, even you," You smiled, "You're sweet and so thoughtful. I really like spending time with you."

Aizetsu's blue eyes widened and a soft blush rose to his cheeks, but you were too busy soaking your sponge in the bucket to notice.

"Huh, we need more soap." You thought out loud as you moved to get up, but as soon as you got your bare feet under you, you lost your balance due to a mixture of soap and water all around you.

"Yip!" You yelped and you closed your eyes, bracing yourself for an impact when suddenly-!

"Careful!" Aizetsu cried out as he dashed forward and you fell straight into his arms, but you also felt yourself get wet. One of you had accidentally kicked the bucket and now you were both soaking wet thanks to soapy water.

"Are you alright?" You heard him ask and you opened your eyes and nodded, but your eyes widened when you saw the Demon of sorrow, his shirt completely soaking wet and clinging to his very muscular body.

"Ah- I-!" You stuttered as you blushed and Aizetsu's eyes fell down and it was his turn to blush. Confused, you looked down and you were absolutely horrified and embarrassed how your wet shirt clung to your skin and showed your bras.

You looked up and noticed that you and Aizetsu were suddenly so close. Close enough that you could almost count his eyelashes.

"I- I…" You couldn't form words stuttering as you looked into each other's eyes-!

"What the Hell is going on in here!?" Came a loud shout from the doorway and you and Aizetsu both yelped and jumped apart like water on hot oil. You turned to look and saw a very angry-looking Sekido by the door.

"We- Uh- We were just-!"

"About what!? Kiss!?" The Demon of anger asked, much to your shock.

"N- No, I just slipped! Right Aizetsu?" You looked at the clone of sorrow next to you who nodded, "Yes… It was nothing…"

"Then you better get your ass upstairs Aizetsu because Karaku and Urogi are being pains in my ass and I got enough of them!" Sekido snapped as he pointed behind him with his thumb.

"I see… I'll go." Aizetsu nodded and looked at you, "Please pardon me…"

You nodded and the Demon of sorrow to up and left the basement, leaving you alone with Sekido, who turned to glare at you as soon as Aizetsu was out of earshot.

"What were you thinking, kissing one of us!?" He asked and you frowned, not really liking being yelled at.

"For the second and last time, I wasn't going to kiss him!" You protested.

"Tch, like I should believe you!" Sekido frowned, "It's like my feelings don't even matter…!"

You were pretty sure that he meant to say that quietly to himself, but you still managed to hear him. You sighed a little as you made yourself comfortable and looked at the clone of anger, "I like you Sekido. I like you just as much as I like Hantengu, Karaku, Aizetsu, and Urogi."

"You obviously favor others over me…!" He scowled, "I know you do! Everybody does!"

You wondered who these people he talked about were, but you had a bigger problem on your hands. A temperamental Demon who thought so little of himself.

"I don't." You frowned, "What do I need to do to make you believe me?"

"Nothing!" He frowned, "It's just…! You have been spinning in everyone's mind like a plague and we are only Demons, not Gods!"

"What does that even mean?" You asked and Sekido frowned and opened his mouth, ready to reply, but then he noticed that you were shivering in your wet shirt… And how your breasts were there for the whole world to see.

So instead of shouting, he frowned and reached to pull his shirt over his head. You blinked in confusion as blush rose to your cheeks, but you didn't get a chance to ask why he was stripping.

"Here!" He snapped and threw his shirt straight at your face, "Cover yourself with it!"

You were stunned, but you still accepted the shirt and as soon as you accepted his shirt, Sekido turned around to give you some privacy to change your wet shirt to his dry one. You were baffled but smiled since he was acting like a proper gentleman.

"Thank you Sekido." You thanked him as you stripped and he grunted, "Don't mention it…!"

You quickly changed the wet shirt to a dry one and crawled out of the tub, deciding that it was clean enough to be used one of these upcoming days. You were about to get up when you noticed a hand in front of you and looked up to see Sekido offering his hand to you.

"What?" He asked and you smiled a little as you accepted his hand and he helped you out of the tub. You were going to thank him, but then your eyes fell on his naked upper body and you blushed. He, just like the rest of the clones were honestly so handsome and muscular…!

"Get your mind out of the gutter…!" The Demon muttered and you flinched, startled by getting caught staring, "I- I wasn't thinking anything like that!"

"Sure you weren't…" He rolled his red eyes but then he smirked, "All you need to do to get a taste is to ask."

"I- Ah- What!?" You stuttered and you watched eyes wide as the Demon chuckled a little. You had never seen him smile let alone heard his laughter!

"Let's head upstairs. I'm hungry." Sekido grumbled as he turned to leave and you flinched out of your thoughts and quickly followed after him, "Wait up!"

~~~~

Later that night you were getting ready for bed with a small harmless Hantengu. Since he was so small, you thought he might enjoy sleeping with you instead in a big empty room alone. You had prepared him a dream bed, a huge fluffy pillow where he could rest like he was a priced diamond ring.

"What a day!" You cried out loud as you stepped out of the bathroom connected to your own bedroom, fresh out of the shower and wearing your nightgown.

"I- Is everything alright, Mistress…?" Hantengu asked from his spot on your bed, where he was waiting for you, and as you approached he made space for you to sit down.

"Yeah, just…" You sighed as you sat down and recalled stuff that had been happening these past few weeks and how affectionate the Demons had been, even Sekido included!

"I don't know, Aizetsu, Urogi, Sekido and Karaku have been a little friendlier with me than I thought was possible." You thought out loud and the small Demon whimpered since the four Demons were part of him.

"D- Do you hate it? Do you hate me…?" He asked and your heart almost broke when you heard the hurt in his voice.

"No, not at all!" You shook your head, "I love you, you're the cutest little Demon there is and so thoughtful it almost hurts!"

"But the others…?" He whimpered and you smiled, "I like them also. I'm just a little confused, that's all. No one has ever been so kind or affectionate towards me."

Yes, back at your family's home it was you against the world, but now that you were exiled and living with Hantengu and his clones, you felt like you were receiving love for the first time in your life. You didn't want to ruin it by doing or saying something stupid or what could be considered wrong.

"I really love you guys. You are way more precious to me than that wretched step-bastard of mine or his awful kids." You smiled, "I wouldn't change you guys for anything!"

"I- We-!" Hantengu stuttered as he tried to think what to say, "W- We love you also…!"

"Aww, you're such a sweetie!" You smiled as you leaned down and pecked the bump in the middle of his head and between horns, an act that took and startled the little Demon, making him yelp out loud. As you pulled back you gently lifted and placed Hantengu on his pillow.

"We better get some rest. I don't know about you, but I'm tired as heck!" You chuckled and the Demon nodded as he made himself comfortable while you turned the lights off.

"Good night Hantengu," You wished quietly and he whimpered, "S- Sleep well, Mistress…"

It took a moment, but you managed to finally fall asleep… But unknownst to you, Hantengu was watching you the whole time and once you fell asleep, the little Demon got up and jumped down from your bed to leave the room. He quickly made his way downstairs to the huge living room where his clones were already waiting for him to join them.

"Now that Mistress is asleep and the original one is here, we can talk properly," Sekido said as he helped Hantengu up and placed him on the coffee table between the couches.

"What is there to talk about?" Urogi grinned, "I like our Mistress and I want to show it!"

"Yes, her lips looked so delicious, I really wanted to kiss her!" Karaku laughed and Aizetsu nodded quietly, "Me too… I have grown extremely fond of her."

"Trust me, I know. I've seen how you all look at her!" Sekido grumbled before looking at the Demon of Fear, "What do you think, original one?"

"Terrifying…" Hantengu whimpered as he sobbed and held his head, "I- I love her, I want her… I want her so much, it's terrifying…!"

"Then it's settled!" The Demon of anger nodded, "We can't risk compromising the bonds we have built so hard with her, so we shall work out a plan for how to act and claim her as ours! Any questions or objections?"

The clones shook their heads and Sekido nodded, "Good. For now, we will act properly around her until we have a solid plan and chance to tell her, or better yet show her how we feel."

"Aww, I really wanted to kiss her already…!" Karaku pouted, and Urogi chuckled, ready to say something but then your voice came from stairs, "Hantengu? Are you there?"

"Hide!" The four Demons hid in the kitchen while Hantegu froze on his spot. You stepped into the living room and looked at the small Demon, "Hantengu? What are you doing here?"

"I- I-!" The poor Demon whimpered, "I- I got hungry… Please don't be mad!"

"I'm not mad at you for getting hungry, silly," You smiled as you rubbed your eyes sleepily, "Would you like me to chop you some meat or-?"

"N- No!" Hantengu shook his head because if you had gone to the kitchen you would have found his clones there, "I- I'm full! P- please take me back to bed, p- please…?"

"Aww, I can't say no to you," You awed as you picked up the small Demon and pressed him against your chest so you wouldn't drop him even by accident, "Let's head back to bed."

Hantengu nodded as he clung to you like his life depended on it and once you were away, the 4 clones stepped out of the kitchen.

"Man, I'm jealous!" Urogi whined and Karaku nodded, "So jealous!"

"I hope she shows such affection towards us also…" Aizetsu muttered and Sekido nodded, "Trust me, you aren't the only one…!"

[megamuscle885-blog]

Severed - Worm Fanfiction Review

CW: Suicide and canon typical gore.

I don't think I've so eagerly anticipated an imaginary and, likely unwritten at the time of this post, scene in fanfiction than @heyitschartic's Severed. I've been following this series since it was posted three years ago. I'll avoid spoilers and the scene I'm imagining in question will be under the cut, but the basic premise is that Jack Slash chooses Skitter as his nominee during the Slaughterhouse 9 arc, rather than Oni Lee, who was disappointing, and Golem, who he later contrived the entire S9k arc for.

I will say that this work is a beautiful plunge into What Ifs which look all the more horrifying if you compare them against canon. You get flashback snippets of the S9 arc retold from a few perspectives before being thrust into post-GM, maybe pre-Ward? era with modern Skitter. I can certainly say that Severed blows all other S9!Taylors out of the water, Taylor is authentic in ways I haven't seen with anyone else. 10/10, each chapter is at it's absolute peak and it has 11 chapters as of this post. Each gut-punch has me anticipating the next chapter, only for the next chapter to explain why Taylor's friends and enemies hate her so much. I gasped when Tattletale said that to her. I strongly recommend Severed to anyone and everyone who hasn't already read it yet. Here's the link:

Oh wait does this count as the first of my Worm fanfic reviews--

So, I've read chapter 11 and I've been having Taylor and her clone rotating in my head endlessly, but the scene I'm anticipating is the one hinted at in Chapter where Defiant wants Taylor to go under the knife with Bonesaw again so Riley can fix all of Taylor's everything that is physically wrong with her, because her body is practically bio-tinkertech, even after they ripped almost everything else out.

I can only imagine Taylor reiterating that she refuses to be put under for the procedure, and using every moment to vent her anger and frustration on a Riley that is likely seeing marked improvement in her therapy (maybe). But Taylor keeps hitting her with blow after blow. "They'll never let you work on anyone else ever again, so you had better not kill me." and "Nobody will ever let you willingly touch them, I'm the only one who you can use your tinker abilities on, and that can change if I don't need you anymore." "If you ever find someone you can trick into letting you touch them, hold them, or even work on them, I'll kill them. It'd be better than the fate worse than death that letting you touch someone inflicts, and I should know, I'm living through it."

Maybe Chartic has something else planned, but I would like to see this Bonesaw cry. An unshakable, unmoved Taylor just heaps on the abuse through her own tears of pain, holding Riley hostage even as she roots through her guts to put her back together. It's very Taylor to fight through pain to force people to help her. The last time they saw each-other, Riley was doing well. I don't think she'll be doing very well after they meet again.

Maybe an overseeing team of surgeons and Capes become increasingly uncomfortable as Riley is tormented. They find themselves defending Bonesaw of all people, from one of her former victims too.

I'm sorry if this is unsolicited Chartic, but I can't wait to see their reunion, whatever form it takes. Severed's way of making Taylor suffer the consequences of her own actions, while invoking sympathy simultaneously with disgust at Taylor's betrayals; the depths she's sunken to, and then to finally wrap it up with shame and admonishment of her friends, turned victims, is masterful. How dare either they or I judge her for what she had to do to survive. Each chapter reveals that it got worse and worse. At some point, I suspect that (one of) the reasons that Taylor is being given such little leeway by the rest of the cast and remains constantly under the threat of harsh re-imprisonment or execution by vengeful kill-teams is because she somehow became the worst member of the Slaughterhouse Nine or even surpassed them in notoriety.

Tattletale telling Skitter to kill herself was such an insane scene that I stood up and covered my mouth. I was in disbelief. But knowing now that Skitter had betrayed the Undersiders to a slaughter by Mannequin (after having sacrificed her own father and, essentially, her own pre-cape life and innocence with him. The Taylor that she did not want to be, embracing the Skitter she chose to become) and then at some point caused the remainder of the Livsey family to kill themselves the same way Reggie did, with gunshot wounds, really clarifies that Taylor did something unforgivable. She exploited her friendship with Lisa to injure her in a way that can never be repaired. Lisa in canon never really had much to do with her parents ever again, but she probably didn't want them dead for neglecting Reggie.

I may edit this later, or reblog it, as new thoughts on the work come to me.

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 19

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Words: 5k

Masterlist

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Monday, November 23; 9:40 AM - Class.

It's been a week since I returned to camp. Bronze managed to get my leave denied even though I had gone a week without any infractions. The worst part is, I hardly saw her during the week and weekend, even though she stayed too. The only time I'm sure to see her is in the morning during checks and in the evening to catch up on my classes. I could have finished long ago, but the teachers overwhelm us with too much work. It's annoying because I can no longer stand Bronze's silence. Not only is she still mad at me, but she makes it clear. If she wanted to punish me in her way to make me remorseful, she succeeded! I can't even blame her because I'm in the wrong.

Now, with a new week just starting, I content myself with scribbling on my paper at the beginning of class. I don't plan to make as much effort as last week if it means I won't get a pass in the end. I occupy myself as best as I can since the classes don't interest me at all. I'm lost in half the classes because of my backlog and have no desire to catch up. Unlike me, Alexia is very attentive for once. I try to entertain myself without her. I almost regret not deliberately arriving late this morning. I refrained, remembering Bronze's behavior. She would have certainly taken the opportunity to get back at me. I sigh for the umpteenth time in almost two hours to show my displeasure. Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing here.

- "Well, since I've finished my class and we still have some time... It's time to talk about your specialization for the second semester."

- "Our what?" I asked Alexia.

- "You don't know? We're supposed to choose an option for the second semester."

- "What? Is this a joke?"

- "It's always like this in the second semester. Wiegman Camp is a private school, so it's Wiegman who decides how it operates."

- "And what's the system?" I sighed.

- "I thought you knew. Well, we have general courses in the first semester and have to choose preferred specializations in the second. It's like this for three years. It operates this way so we can change specializations once if we think we chose the wrong path. It's good like this because if we join a new field, we have to catch up on everything ourselves."

- "Basically, I'd be screwed in any field since I wasn't here for the first two years..."

- "Yeah, pretty much," she chuckles.

A stack of papers arrives. I take two sheets before passing it back. I look at the form with curiosity after handing one to Alexia. It's an enrollment form with a list of options. I'm completely lost. I haven't been to classes for two years. How am I supposed to know what I want to do? I sigh, scratching my head. This is an unexpected problem. I would have preferred general courses until the end of the year.

- "You know the drill," starts our teacher. "Three choices are possible. You'll be accepted based on your first-semester report card and the number of available spots."

- "Will the classes be mixed then?" I asked Alexia. "Or will we only be separated for the options?"

- "No, the classes will be mixed," she grimaces at my dismayed expression.

Oh no... This means we risk being separated. Not to mention I'll have a new schedule and new teachers. My situation was fine as it was! Why do they always have to change everything?!

- "The enrollment form is due by the end of the week, with no extensions."

This whole thing already annoys me. End of the week? It's short notice for someone who wasn’t informed and doesn’t know what they want to do. I'm sure everyone already has an idea since they've had this before. I pack up my things as the bell signals the end of class. I'm the first to leave the room. I have five more hours of classes, including the lunch hour. Luckily for me, my morning passes quickly. To be honest, this options thing occupied all my thoughts during my last two hours before noon. I studied the sheet all morning. I reached the same conclusion: Nothing interests me. It's driving me crazy. Luckily, I can finally eat to clear my mind by seeing the others. This joy quickly fades when the main topic is about the specializations. I avoided the discussion until now, but Alba invites me to join by asking a question.

- "And you, Ona? Do you already have an idea where you're going?"

- "No, not really."

- "Join sports with me," she suggests. "It would be cool if we were together for once!"

I furrow my brow as the rest of the table bursts into uncontrollable laughter. A smile escapes my lips. I really like Alba, but she's very clumsy in her approaches. She should know that's not the kind of option that interests me, or she's really dumb. I find it almost adorable that she wants us to be together.

- "You're really dumb," Leah comments. "Ona, in sports?"

- "Everyone knows sports and Ona are like oil and water," her sister adds.

- "But you do jogs with Bronze!" Alba defends herself.

- "I haven't done them for a week. It was just to clear my head before classes. Your sister is right, I hate sports."

I smile at her adorable face. I almost feel bad for disappointing her like this. She's between the shame of proposing such a thing and the sadness of my refusal.

- "Come with Pina and me in engineering then," Patri suggests.

- "Engineering?" I repeat. "I'm good at practical stuff, but not in that field, sorry," I giggle. "I don't know what I'll do yet, I'll see."

- "You have a week to think about it, be careful, it's short," Leah tells me.

- "What are you taking?" I asked.

- "No idea," she shrugs. "Probably the same as the last two times..."

If I want reassurance, I just need to look at Leah. At least I know I'm not the only one lost. Sometimes I wonder why she's here. She doesn't care about anything and doesn't hide it. The proof is in all the infractions she commits. That's why I adore her and think it's mutual.

- "Too bad for you there's no art in the options," Alexia tells me.

- "I admit, I wouldn't have had to think if there was."

Since Bronze's gift, I haven't stopped drawing before bed if I'm not too tired. It's not a passion I would hide since even my supervisor knows about it. Alexia keeps asking to see my drawings. I find it hard to show her because I find my sketchbooks very personal. I tend to prefer sharing my paintings, which are more abstract, but I have no materials to make them. I finally gave in and showed her some because of her persistence. Alexia has a persuasion I underestimate every time. The topic didn't fall on deaf ears, given how the whole table reacted. I'm bombarded with a multitude of questions that I enjoy answering. It's always easier to talk about something you're passionate about. Now I hope my next classes will pass quickly, but it will be difficult given my racing thoughts.

Monday, November 23; 4:10 PM - Hallway.

My day is over. Or almost. Alexia suggested we work together at the library, but I had to decline, reminding her of my obligations with Bronze. So, here I am on my way to her office. Arriving, I'm surprised to find the door closed. It's the first time it has been. This stresses me out even more than I already am. Since my return, things haven't been the same with Bronze. I take a deep breath before knocking. I recognize her voice giving me permission to enter. She looks surprised to see me, given her expression. I quickly notice the empty desk opposite her. It's surprising that Engen is not at her post.

- "Ona," Bronze snaps me out of my thoughts. "What are you doing here? Did you do something I don't know about?"

- "No... Am I not supposed to come to catch up on my classes?"

- "Oh, right. I thought you were done. Well, sit down and leave the door open."

If I had known she would forget, I would have stayed with Alexia... I timidly enter the room while she clears space on her desk. I sit across from her, in my usual spot. She doesn't pay much attention to me and continues her work.

- "Engen isn't here?"

- "She has a day off."

- "Oh."

- "Do you still have a lot to catch up on?"

- "I don't think so. Do you mind if I prioritize my math? I have a test on Wednesday."

- "Not at all, manage as you see fit. It's you who'll stay here longer."

I would gladly do without this obligation, but it doesn't bother me much either. At least I'm at peace here. I'm not a diligent student, but I'm far from stupid. I just lack motivation, and my sigh expresses it well.

- "Bronze?"

- "Hmm? What do you want now?"

- "Never mind, forget it."

I was about to make a big mistake. Fortunately, her sharp response brings me back to reality. I dive into my math without adding anything. She sighs in turn.

- "Come on, talk, I can see you're troubled."

- "No, it's fine, don't worry. My request is ridiculous..."

- "No request is ridiculous if it's thought out. I have the right to judge it myself, don't I?"

I didn't expect her to insist. I know Bronze is naturally curious. The only time she doesn't insist is on taboo subjects related to my past. I nervously run my hand through my hair. I decide to show her instead of answering. I rummage in my bag and hand her a sheet. She takes it under my watchful eye. She quickly furrows her brow, looking up at me.

- "Why are you giving me this sheet? It's for choosing options, right?"

- "Uh...," I say, turning my head, embarrassed by the question I'm about to ask. "I was wondering if you could help me with my choices. I have no idea what I want to do."

- "Wouldn't you rather see this with your parents?"

I sigh, snatching the sheet from her hands. I knew it was a bad idea. I wonder why this idea crossed my mind. It was really stupid of me. I put the form away while answering her.

- "Forget it, I told you it was ridiculous."

- "Hey, don't take it like that," she smiles. "It was just a simple question. Why would you rather see this with me than with them?"

- "I'm not on good terms with my mother," I admit. "You're the only 'authority' I have," I added, miming quotation marks.

- "Why didn't you tell me? By the way, how did your return go? Tell me you still live with them at least?"

I can't help but smile at all her questions. Finally, my request is good. It feels like everything is back to normal, even though it's far from it. I take a deep breath. She has the right to know, after all. I just hope she won't ignore me anymore after our discussion. I couldn't bear it any longer.

- "I live with my mother, her boyfriend, and their son, Joan. So yes, I still live with one of my parents. Otherwise, my return went well until I saw my mother after work on Saturday. We had a violent argument about what happened, but well, it's not new," I shrug. "I cleared my mind by taking Joan to the ice rink and... And by going to a party," I admit, lowering my head.

Making the connection, I realize that Bronze scolded me for the same reasons as my mother. The difference is that Bronze has the right to be mad at me. Unlike my mother, Bronze gives me the chance to defend myself and understand me. She worries about me in a different way.

- You see, this is what I blame you for. Why didn't you come talk to me instead of forgetting your problems for the evening? I gave you my number for this reason. You could have avoided an argument between us too.

- I know, I'm sorry.

My throat is tight. I'm on the verge of crying, realizing my mistakes. Bronze forces me to lift my head, which makes things even harder to face.

- Everything is settled now, isn't it?

- Yes, I learned my lesson... I won't go to parties anymore, and I want to apologize again. I didn't mean to worry you.

She smiles at me in a strange way. I couldn't interpret her expression. All I want now is for her not to be mad at me anymore. I'm determined to listen to her for the rest of the year if necessary.

- If we go back to the first day you set foot here, you would never have said something like that. I'm proud of you Ona, you have evolved a lot since you arrived. I almost... I said almost, regret calling you immature.

I look at her with wide eyes. If she wants me to crack, she's close to succeeding. No one has said such words to me in a long time. I don't know how to feel after so much recognition.

- It's not perfect yet, but your behavior is redeemable, she says playfully.

- It's hard, you know... To get back up when you're at rock bottom.

I swallow hard, thinking back to everything I've been through since my teenage years. I haven't had an easy life. I feel like it's been rough on me, even though I'm partly responsible for some things. I try to convince myself that I'm happy, but that's far from the truth.

- I know, Ona. But you're making progress step by step, and that's very good.

- It's thanks to you, I whisper.

I think she heard my words, but I'm relieved she doesn't bring it up.

- Well, about your wishes, of course I'll help you if you want. You didn't have to be shy. You should know you can ask me anything. My answer was already yes just by hearing your question.

- Thank you...

- I'll finish my file first. It'll take me half an hour. You can continue your math, and we'll discuss it afterward, okay?

- OK, I replied, making her smile.

All my stress evaporated. Bronze has this influence on me, without me understanding how. I'm no longer used to asking for help. I feel embarrassed every time. It's the first time in a long while that I've made a request. Normally, I manage on my own, or Bronze always offers first. That was the case when she helped me during withdrawal. Everything was a proposition. This time it was different. I had to ask her. I tend to forget she's here now. Mapi is probably right. I should confide in her about my past. The only thing that blocks me is that there are so many things that are hard to say out loud. I've kept these topics deep inside, never having had the courage to talk to anyone about them. I push these thoughts away to concentrate actively on my math. I would like to get a good grade for once. It will be difficult given my level. Not only do I have a crappy teacher, but I'm also behind. These are chapters I've already studied in high school, but it's been too long to remember them. I feel like my teacher confuses me more than anything in my logic. I delve into my exercises without paying attention to the time. I started to think that half an hour should be long, so I looked up. It seems I was right. She must have been watching me for a while, given her amused look. I remove the back of my pen from my mouth with slightly red cheeks. I have the habit of nibbling it unconsciously when I'm deep in thought. I deduce that she finished her work because I no longer see a file on her desk. The show I was putting on must have been entertaining for her not to stop me in my work.

- Do you need help, perhaps?

- No, it's fine, thanks, I declined.

Without asking my permission, she takes the sheet full of scribbles. I must have restarted this exercise three times. She smiles before getting up. I don't immediately understand her intention until she sits on the empty chair next to me.

- Everything is wrong. Give me your pen.

I hand it to her without thinking. It's just a simple quadratic equation. I've always been good at math, even if it's not my favorite subject. However, nothing is working out for me this year. I feel like my teacher explains too much for nothing. I was forced to go back to basics because of him. That's what I was doing, but I realized that even I couldn't manage anymore. Bronze studies my sheet attentively. She must be looking for the mistake.

- If your formulas are wrong, you won't get far, she indicates.

She turns the sheet over to the blank back. She rewrites the new formulas as well as the equation before sliding the sheet back to me.

- Here, try again.

- You don't have to do this, we can-

- If I remember correctly, you have until the end of the week to submit your wishes, right?

- Yeah...

- So we have until Thursday evening to study them. The most important thing right now is your math test. We'll work on them together until dinner time.

I blush at the thought of her helping me with my homework. I think it's something that hasn't happened to me since primary school. She smiles at me and places the pen on the sheet. She leans back in the chair, crossing her arms.

- Come on, get to work, she orders. I want all the exercises you do tonight to be mastered when you leave my office.

- It's going to be hard to catch up on two years...

- Is it like this in all subjects?

- Not all, but most, yes...

- I don't understand why they put you in the final year if you haven't studied since high school, she murmurs, probably more to herself than to me.

- I was good in high school, I shrugged. My mother must have had something to do with it.

- Well, let's start by working on your math tonight. It would be a shame if you got a bad grade when you're trying so hard. For the other subjects, come see me if you have any problems.

- I don't want to bother you...

- If I offer my help, it's not a bother. The last thing we need is for you to fail your final exam.

- You really don't have to do this, Bronze...

- It makes me happy, I assure you. Don't hesitate to ask for help. I'm here for that too.

I don't know what to say to her. I doubt she's here to help me with my studies. But it's reassuring to know she'll be there if I have questions. I smile at her timidly before leaning over the sheet she points to. I start the equation again for the umpteenth time, with the correct formulas this time. Bronze watches me attentively while I work. It's strange to be under such supervision. It hasn't happened since I was old enough to do my homework alone. What delights me the most is that we're finally talking normally again after a week of silence. When I finish, I show her what I've done. She looks for a moment before smiling.

- See, when you want to! Give me that, she asks, pointing to my pen.

I see her write a new equation next. I don't complain. She's doing this to help me after all. I get back to work without a word. We continue this way for a good hour. She gave me simple equations at first to get me back on track, then she gradually increased the difficulty. On top of that, she varied the equations to cover all the chapters I've studied this year. If I got stuck on something, she took her time to explain my mistakes and gave me another one to do right after. I must be on my fifth rough draft sheet since we started. I admit I'm starting to get slightly fed up. While I don't mind continuing, it annoys me when I can't get it right. That's exactly what's happening with the sign tables. I think it's the tenth time she's explained the principle, but I still don't understand and I'm starting to lose patience. I hate when I don't get something right away. It often means I'll never understand.

- Make an effort, Ona. Focus, it's not that complicated!

- I can't do it! You can see I'm always getting it wrong! I grumble in frustration.

- Why did you put "plus" here? she asks me.

I remain silent in response to her question. I'm afraid of giving the wrong answer. Bronze sighs. She must be as annoyed with the situation as I am. She gets closer to the paper, and therefore to me as well.

- Did you listen when I explained it to you?

- Of course! I retorted.

- Then explain to me. Why did you put a "plus" here? she points to the table.

- Because it follows the sign of "a"? I say in the form of a question, not being sure.

-Are you sure?

She leans back in her chair again, crossing her arms when she realizes my hesitation. She just wants to destabilize me to see if I’m sure of myself, and she succeeds perfectly. She already did this earlier by asking me a question when my answer was correct. This time, I don't dare to respond immediately. I prefer to think it over to be sure, but I get nowhere. I groan in frustration, throwing the pen on the desk. I watch Bronze pick it up with an amused smile. I was about to make a remark, but we get interrupted by someone knocking on the door. We both instinctively turn to see Alexia at the door. I furrow my brows, not understanding why she’s here.

"Hello, Bronze."

"Hello, Alexia," she smiles.

"Were you looking for me?" I ask.

"Yeah, it's seven o'clock. We’d like to have dinner with the others, so I wanted to know if we should wait for you or go ahead?"

Is it already seven o'clock? I hadn't noticed the time passing. I first look at my unfinished exercise on my sheet before glancing at Bronze. I’d like to go, but I’m not sure she’ll let me before I finish.

"Don’t look at me like that. Of course, you can go. I’m hungry too. Just finish this exercise by tomorrow and think about the question I asked you."

"Are you serious? You’re giving me homework for tomorrow?" I ask, astonished.

"Remind me who we're doing this for?"

I roll my eyes, unable to argue. She’s taking time out of her day to help me, after all. I sigh but nod. I gather all my things that have invaded Bronze’s personal space and put them in my bag.

"Alright, for tomorrow. Always after my classes?"

"Always, you haven't finished catching up on your courses yet."

"At this rate, I’ll never make it," I laugh.

"Don’t say that, we made good progress tonight. We reviewed all your equation chapters in just two hours."

It's true that it's not bad for two hours. The best part is that I almost understood everything. I understand Bronze’s explanations so much better. She hands me my pen, and I put my things in my bag. I zip it up and stand to stretch my legs. I put my chair away and smile at Bronze, who has also stood up.

"Thanks for your help..."

"No problem. Don’t hesitate next time."

She walks around the desk to get her jacket after tidying up her desk.

"Well... Have a good dinner and a good evening."

"Thanks, you too. See you tomorrow."

We smile at each other before I join Alexia, who has been waiting at the door since the beginning. We leave, and she waits until we're far enough to talk without anyone eavesdropping.

"You kept your personal study sessions with Bronze a secret from me," she teases. "So, things are better with her now?"

I must have told Alexia about my weekend and how Bronze found out I was out partying. I would have preferred to avoid it, but Bronze’s behavior towards me hadn’t gone unnoticed. She inevitably asked questions that I had to answer. This earned me some remarks from her, agreeing with Bronze. I then had to reassure her that I didn’t intend to go back to drugs. My last withdrawal was more than enough.

"It’s not what you think. She just helped me when she saw I was struggling. Otherwise, I think things are better... We talked a bit and I’d say the tension has been relieved."

"Yeah! Anyway, I’m glad she’s talking to you again. It seemed like you were about to fall into a depression because of her ignoring you."

"Nonsense!" I retort, hitting her shoulder.

"Oh yes! You didn't even realize. How did you get her to listen? Because she didn't seem like she wanted to let you explain yourself."

"I asked her to help me with my preferences..."

"Oh yeah? Why?"

"I have no idea what to do... I haven't been in school for two years because of my detox and all that. So, we talked about it, and I ended up apologizing for my mistake on Saturday night..."

"Well, at least it ended well. Did she say yes to help you with the preferences?"

"Yes, yes. We're going to discuss it before Friday."

"That's cool of her. I find her cooler since you’ve been here."

"Bronze cooler? Are you kidding me? She was mad at me for a whole week!"

"You asked for it," she giggles. "But seriously, it’s true. She rarely takes care of anyone else besides you now, and it seems like she's nicer to you than the other students."

"Oh no, she’s not nicer to me," I grimace. "She’s demanding. Should I remind you that she banned me from all parties during my free time and threatened to revoke all my outings from the camp if I come back in a state?"

"She banned you from parties?" she exclaims. "Because of your last weekend?"

"Yeah," I sigh. "I guess I asked for it according to her."

"Yeah, but still! You're right, it's exaggerated! It's normal to go out when we’re free. She shouldn’t have the right to forbid you from doing things outside the school grounds."

"Except she’s completely right."

"Yes, but still... She shouldn’t. She has no influence outside, normally. She doesn't even have a way to verify it."

"True, except I'm a terrible liar in front of her," I laugh. "I mean, she knows everything I do here down to the second, so I have this impression it's the same when I’m outside."

"I see," she giggles. "If you’re acting strange, it’s normal for her to notice something’s wrong."

"At the same time, she has that look that makes me talk, you know? She has so much influence over me now that just talking about it, I feel like I could feel bad at a party just thinking I'm disobeying her."

"Are you serious?" she bursts out laughing. "I didn’t know Bronze scared you that much! Everyone thinks you’re the one who isn’t impressed... You’re breaking my heart, shattering the legend," she says dramatically, putting her hands to her heart.

"Shut up," I laugh. "You’re really stupid, you know that!"

I gently hit her, joining her laughter. We change the subject when we reach the cafeteria. I like talking to her, but I don't really want to discuss this topic with or in front of the others. Alexia is the person I’m closest to here, and that's just fine with me. The others are already at the table waiting for us. So, Alexia and I quickly get our food to join them and finish my evening more calmly.

[batwritings]

Kinktober Day 9 - Face Sitting

I finally have one piece for every member of 141! Enjoy!~

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

You weren’t sure what Soap’s fascination was with having you sit on his face so he could please you. Granted, Soap was a switch and you by no means were looking to take charge here, so it wasn’t a dominance thing. And it seemed like such a calm thing compared to some of the other stuff you two got into in bed, so it couldn’t be from adrenaline.

So when those pretty baby blues gave you puppy eyes the next time he was back from shore leave, you knew what he wanted. “I don’t see your obsession with this,” you chuckled, slipping on an old sweater of his. That was another condition to all of this; you had to be wearing something of his. 

“Don’t need to love, don’t need to,” the Scotsman smirked, laying flat against your shared bed. “Hang onto the headboard if you need to yeah?” At this you rolled your eyes playfully as you carefully placed your thighs on either side of his head. Rough hands rubbed up and down the tops of your bare thighs lovingly.

“You think you’re about to rock my world with this little trick MacTavish?” you laughed, only to squeak loudly when your body was pulled down so your sex was resting right against the flat of his tongue. You had only been teasing him when you said you were unsure about this whole situation. But you could certainly see the pleasure behind this.

You bit your lip as a soft whimper escaped when Soap trailed his tongue from your back entrance up to your sex again. It felt like the heat from his mouth was everywhere all at once. The blend of his physical presence and his scent surrounding you was intoxicating.

“Still think you don’t need that headboard darlin’?” Johnny teased, nipping at your inner thigh. Before you could respond, that amazing tongue was back on your sex. You gasped a little, choking down a moan as your hips rocked against him. The mixture of pleasure of his tongue and burn of his scruff was immaculate.

One hand flew out to grip the headboard while the other covered your moans that were growing in volume with each lewd lick and suck. You were building a rhythm, the two of you; with every stroke of his tongue, you rutted your hips forward. Not that you needed more friction at the moment, you were pretty content.

Soap’s hands were rubbing soothing circles on your thighs, just enough to distract you. You hadn’t realized it at first, but he was slowly easing you down further and further to actually properly sit on his face. You didn’t even realize you weren’t at first, but one solid shake of your legs let you know you’d been effectively hovering.

“D-don’t wanna suffocate you,” you mumbled in your haze of arousal. And it was true; your goal here wasn’t to choke your lovable demolitions expert. Unfortunately for you, Soap had other ideas.

See, he may not have entirely looked it, but your sweet Johnny did have quite a bit of strength in his arms. He pulled you down fully to sit on his face, tongue never stopping it’s ministrations. You let out a loud moan, hips rocking with more fervor now.

The pleasure building in the pit of your stomach was slow, almost unseen as the Scotsman continued to slick and suck at your leaking sex. His baby blues were closed in absolute bliss, humming contently as his lips are coated in your essence and his own saliva. His calloused hands were firm on your thighs, holding you in position for him to pleasure as he saw fit.

“C-close,” you mumbled, hips rutting back and forth more erratically. On occasion you’d lose your rhythm and whine in frustration. You were teetering on the edge of orgasm and it was becoming to be too much, too quickly.

“C’mon mo leannan,” Johnny growled against your skin. “Come for me.” And it was like something snapped in the both of you. The sergeant returned to his ministrations with a fervor as you reached down to pull his head further flush against you. One moan that vibrated against you was all it took to have you spilling yourself across his face, crying out in pleasure.

A mixture of whines and moans filled the room as you came, Soap slowly easing himself back from your pulsing sex. His movements were at a snail’s pace as he got out from underneath you, helping you lay down curled against his chest. Such rough hands were so gentle as they stroked your cheek, little kisses being placed on your forehead.

Needless to say, you’d be sitting on Soap’s face more often.

[guzhufuren]

Some questions answered during Li Le's weibo live stream (not all questions are included, some long answers are summarized):

note: "Wang laoshi" is an affectionate nickname for Wang Yunkai

1. How do you feel during your first livestream?

Lele: A bit nervous but also a little excited.

2. How tall are you?

Lele: I'm 185 cm.

3. What was your first impression of Kaikai?

Lele: I saw Wang laoshi's description. My first reaction was that he described me as if I took the lead female role in a drama, with the way he described my face and me dragging two large suitcases upstairs, almost unable to move. Later, I thought it was indeed like that. He seemed like a very, very warm person.

4. What is your MBTI?

Lele: I am an introvert, an ISFJ, a little nurse. Wang laoshi is a protagonist (ENFJ).

5. Will there be autographed photos?

Lele: There will be opportunities for autographed photos in the future.

6. Can you speak Russian/Thai?

Lele: I can't speak Russian or Thai.

7. Have you read the original work?

Lele: I have read the original work. After reading it, I was somewhat hesitant to take on the role. However, after playing Huaien, I learned a lot from him.

8. Do you eat snail noodles?

Lele: I love eating snail noodles; I'm a big foodie.

9. How has your mindset changed before and after filming?

Lele: I used to be quite indifferent about relationships, believing that being together or not is a matter of fate. However, after playing Huaien, I realized a valuable trait in him—his view of love is very pure and he believes that if you like someone, you should give your all to pursue and fight for it. This moved me deeply.

10. What type of role would you like to experience next?

Lele: I used to want to play roles that are similar to my own personality, more lively characters. After playing Huaien, I now want to try roles that are quite different from myself so that I can learn new things.

11. What do you like to eat?

Lele: I love many foods, whether they're from Wuhan, Xi'an, as long as it's delicious.

12. Are there any kissing scenes in the drama?

Lele: I can't spoil it, but everyone can look forward to it.

13. Where do you most recommend traveling to?

Lele: Every place is different, whether domestic or overseas. Cities in China like Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, and Chongqing each have their unique charm.

14. How does it feel to shoot a kissing scene?

Lele: It feels just like how it would feel when you kiss someone.

15. What food do you recommend in Shanghai?

Lele: Shanghai's pan-fried buns are delicious.

16. Will you collaborate with Kaikai again?

Lele: I certainly hope so, if there's an opportunity.

17. What is your zodiac sign?

Lele: I am a Scorpio.

18. Can you recommend a song?

Lele: Of course, "A Passionate Dream" sung by Wang laoshi and me. Besides that, have you heard of the song "Young And Beautiful"? I really like that one.

19. Do you have any interesting experiences from filming "Blossom"?

Lele: There are quite a few memorable scenes. The most unforgettable for me is the one by the river because it was very special.

20. What did you think of your voice actor?

Lele: I think the voice actor added a lot of value to my performance.

21. Will there be offline events?

Lele: Offline meetings and concerts will depend on future arrangements.

22. Will you change your hair color?

Lele: I want to be a bit spontaneous and dye my hair blonde.

23. Do you usually work out?

Lele: I do work out, but I can be a bit lazy and need someone to keep an eye on me.

24. What type of music do you like?

Lele: Recently, I've been listening a lot to "A Passionate Dream" and "Under the Moonlight," our theme song and ending song sung by Wang laoshi and I, as well as "Endless Calamity" by Li Junliang laoshi. In general, I enjoy listening to songs by Zhou Shen and Faye Wong.

25. Will there be a duo livestream?

Lele: A duo live stream depends on future arrangements. It should happen; I'll consult with our boss.

26. Are you of mixed heritage?

Lele: Yes, I am of mixed heritage, though it's quite distant. My grandfather's previous generation was Russian.

27. Why do you eat a lot but not gain weight?

Lele: Actually, I gain weight easily, and I love eating. I used to be very overweight, weighing up to 110kg in middle school. I later lost weight, going down to around 75kg. My slimmest was during the filming of "Blossom."

28. Can you post a nine-pic grid?

Lele: Sure, I can post a nine-pic grid. I'll leave that to my publicity team.

29. Have you seen the complete version of the drama?

Lele: Yes, I've seen the complete version. It was very embarrassing, especially the first two episodes where I had to dress as a woman for the first time.

30. What hobbies do you have?

Lele: Traveling. Previously, Wang laoshi and I planned trips to Chengdu and Yanji. In Shanghai, I might play tennis, go shopping, or watch good movies.

31. What is your contact name for Wang laoshi?

Lele: His contact name is Kaikai.

32. Which outfit in the drama is your favorite?

Lele: Because most of my outfits are white, my favorite is actually the black one. It appears rarely, but I saw it in the trailer and really liked it.

33. Do you call each other by name in private?

Lele: In private, I just call him Kaikai.

34. What do you recommend playing at Disneyland?

Lele: I highly recommend "Soaring Over the Horizon". It's very fun.

35. Can you swim?

Lele: Yes, I can swim.

36. Do you have any vlogs?

Lele: Vlogs are being arranged and currently being filmed. They include work and daily life ones, and there are also vlogs from shooting before.

37. Where will your next trip be?

Lele: If there's time, Wang laoshi and I might go to Chengdu or Yanji. I also really want to visit Xinjiang or Changsha, Shandong is an option too, as it has great food.

38. What kind of milk tea do you like?

Lele: My top favorite is Cha Yan Yue Se. Second, I think Heytea is quite good. Third, I like Thai milk tea. I also love drinking from Mixue.

39. Did you take anything from the drama as a keepsake?

Lele: Yes, I took Huaien's hairband, but I didn't bring it out; it's at home.

40. Can you drink douzhi (fermented mung bean milk/soup)?

Lele: I don't like it.

41. Do you have any pets?

Lele: Yes, I have a dog, a small poodle. It's a kind fleece poodle, not a wicked one.

42. What's your dog's name?

Lele: My kind fleece poodle is named Xiao Yueyue (the fleece part is hard to translate but it's funny because by "fleece" he's referring to the poodle's fur, so he's speaking of him as a piece of fabric basically)

translated by @ xiaoqiaoo_ on twitter

[valentoru]

|| Limitless ||

[CHAPTER 9]

SYNOPSIS: Gojo Satoru, a big time artist, who’s known for leaving a trail of broken hearts in his wake wherever he goes. And you, the lead guitarist of an upcoming band, who’s absolutely certain that no one will ever love you. Through an accident in which you happened to kiss Gojo in a frantic state, you both decide, via convenience alone—and zero regard for both of your managers—to pull a fake dating stunt what could go wrong? Any press is good press…right?

PREVIOUS : MASTERLIST : NEXT

You arrived to fake dating Thursday late and in the foulest of moods. You had missed your alarm to wake up and nothing seemed to be going your way since opening your eyes. Your phone hadn’t charged over night. There was no instant coffee left—thank god you were about to be in a coffee shop—and you couldn’t find the words for your pitch to Geto Suguru.

You paused outside the doors of the shop. Taking a moment to breathe and organise your thoughts. You took one last deep breath and slapped on the best smile you could conjure. You needed to be at home working on your pitch, working with the band on the pitch organising stuff. Not waisting your time in a coffee shop on a coffee you didn’t particularly want with a person you most definitely didn’t want to talk to.

Ugh.

When you stepped inside the cafe Satoru was already there. He had a deep crease set between his brows, he was annoyed. You sighed and walked over to him.

“Um hi Satoru.” You we’re embarrassed at your lateness, it wasn’t like you to be this late. You’d also some how managed to startle him, you knew this as he’d gone ridged as he turned to you.

“Oh—oh hello.” His shoulders dropped and he turned his back on you to the counter as he pocketed his phone. “I was waiting for you to arrive before I ordered, what do you want?”

“Oh don’t worry I’ll order separately!”

“What? No I’m paying so I’ll order for you.”

“No no. You really don’t have to. Besides I don’t want to owe you.” You could feel beads of sweat forming at your hairline. You really would love to accept the offer but being in debt to anyone was unnecessary, especially when that “anyone” is actually Satoru Gojo.

“You won’t owe me anything, I don’t want anything in return. Seriously, Y/N, get whatever and I’ll pay.” He insisted and it seemed like he wouldn’t back down so you caved.

“Fine.” You let out an exasperated and defeated sigh.

“Get whatever I don’t mind, I’ll pay.”

You were definitely and clearly reluctant to do so at first till it clicked, you may as well use this to your advantage. After all, you’re extremely underpayed and hardly ever eat a real meal, or anything for that matter. You grinned, you knew this would give him a little bit of trouble and for some unexplainable reason, you wanted to annoy him. “I’ll have a pumpkin spice ice coffee, three pumps of cream and and one pump of cinnamon syrup please.”

He deadpanned, completely unfazed by your request. Then turned his head from you to the woman behind the counter and rhymed off your order. “Can I get a Pumpkin spice ice coffee with three pumps of cream and one pump of cinnamon syrup,” you swore you saw him roll his eyes. “And I’ll have a black coffee.”

Your jaw practically broke. He wanted a what? For some reason you were more surprised that you were so surprised by his order. He had painted you as the type of guy to not like anything with flavour in his life, it was almost like the shoe fit too well. You were even more so shocked your assumption was right.

“Typical.” You mumbled under your breath. But you almost immediately regretted it. You begged the god he hadn’t heard, and you would have made it unscathed if your face wasn’t flushed red.

“What?”

“Oh—I um said it’s typical that you would order a black coffee.” Well there was certainly no turning back now.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I don’t know. I guess the shoe just fits.”

“I get the feeling that’s not exactly a compliment.”

A part of you wished the floor would just open up and swallow you whole, or you could get out of this conversation immediately and preferably run to a corner and never be seen again. But you couldn’t do either so you opted for the only option you could conjure; not answering him.

You could sense that he was waiting for some kind of response however you had none to give, so to make it more clear that you were avoiding the conversation you pulled your phone out to check the group chat. It had been a while since you last checked out what was going on, you’d been surprisingly busy over the last few days.

You rolled your eyes and turned your phone off. Some distraction they were.

The barista called out your order and you practically leapt for the drink. You were running on about 2 hours sleep and no coffee, you were deprived. You sighed and picked up your drink taking a long sip and making a satisfied sigh. You’d needed this.

Satoru, on the other hand, was watching you with a disgusted expression. You could feel his gaze on you so you looked at him, only to be met like his nose scrunched up and his eyebrows knotted together.

“What?”

He practically gagged. “I don’t know how you drink that sugary crap.”

“You mean fall in a cup? I don’t know how you don’t drink this sugary crap.”

“Still crap.”

“Shut up, you always have to be a Debbie downer don’t you?”

He rolled his eyes. “Whatever, just keep that pumpkin spice fall barf away from me.” You could have sworn you saw the corner of his mouth jerk.

“Fine fine.”

You made your way over to a table. He followed you quickly and took the seat across from you. You pulled your phone out of your pocket and set it on the table.

You sat in an extremely awkward silence, clearly both of you were wracking your brain for any topic whatsoever to talk about. But no matter how much you searched you only ended up at a dead end. That was when it dawned on you; you and Satoru didn’t have a single thing in common. This would definitely affect fake dating Thursday from now on.

You sighed and sat back in your seat uncomfortably telling yourself that it wasn’t that bad, but you knew for a fact that it was. This was really really bad. How were you only going to spend the next few months with him every Thursday, even just for 10 minutes without a single thing to talk about. You could gossip to him but he really didn’t seem like the type of person.

Something possessed you to check the time, so you did, and almost passed out. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry I have to go like right now. Thank you for buying me the drink and I’ll see you next Thursday.” You dove for the door as his goodbye chased after you, but before it could reach you, you were already out and on your way to the conference room to meet with your producers.

TAGLIST(29/50): @bbmsxlene @lunavelha @satoryaa @tranzumaki @k-kkiana @luvkvni @lysaray @kalulakunundrum @arysbruv @r4veeen @stillnotherapy @catobsessedlady @colortheoryrocks @minzxec @dazqa @packsvlog @luvvmae @simplysm1le @mintfyi @fushigurosgirl @littlecritteryay @fackeraccount @astro-stars @lavender-hvze @miizuzu @rayrayline @kanaojacksonofc @letsmyy @serenadesvt

AN:

I know canonically Satoru likes sweet stuff but just smile and nod for me PLEASE

© valentoru all rights reserved- do not publish my work on other platforms, plagiarise or translate.

[lemonnsss]

Moral of the Story Chapter 4

Gif by: @celebritiesandmovies

A/N- I’m so sorry for the late update! I’ve had some issues with my health recently that have led to some related issues in school; but, I’ve been feeling a lot better and tried to edit this up quickly.

It’s not my best work, but I had no idea what to do with this chapter, please forgive the nonsense.

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Taglist: @vicmc624 , @mostlymarvelgirl , @yvonneeeee, @beetlejuicesupremacy , @moonlightreader649 , @whattheduckisupkyle , @chrisevans-realwife, @nekoannie-chan , @mrsbarnes32557038 , @imyourbratzdoll , @weallhaveadestiny

Word Count: 1.2k

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The thought that Scott would leave never so much as crossed my mind. How could it? Jean and Scott had been dating since the seventh grade.

I must have reread his email half a million times, each time hung on the words “I’m leaving the mansion too.”

I was pulled from my shock as I heard the door shut behind me. I put my phone away, internally prepared myself for the interview questions, and turned around, standing from the chair. I began to talk before I saw the figure, “Hello, again Ms. Potts. That was quite the situation-” I stopped. I had expected to see Ms. Potts. Instead, there stood Tony, who seemed equally shocked to see me there.

“Why hasn’t Pep sent you out yet?” He moved from the door to the desk, “The last person to make it this long had a mental breakdown a week later.” He passed my side, slipping onto her desk. He kicked his legs slightly before he appeared to remember I was still present.

“Regardless, where is Pepper? She usually never leaves interviewees unattended,” He leans back, bracing himself on one of his arms as he reaches to the top of the shortest stack with the other quickly lifting the top sheet and, while scanning it, says, “and most certainly never leaves them around confidential company information.”

“Technically, the interview hasn’t begun.” An uncomfortable pause fell in the room as he waited for me to elaborate, “Her regular assistant is on maternity leave. Her fill-in accidentally double-booked her- she’s in a meeting right now.”

He let his head fall back dramatically as he scoffed, “Shame, I had wanted to tell her something in private. Do you know who’s all in there with her?” A cocky smirk plastered on his face.

“No? Why, Tony?”

He slipped off the desk, similarly to when he hopped up, “Oh, nothing. Just have a bit of information to share with the class.” he was almost halfway across the room when he turned back to me. His smirk was now a shit-eating grin.

“Wait,” I ran to the man, grabbing his wrist, his expression turning amused, “if the information is so important, would it not be better to share it with her privately as you originally intended.”

I suppose I had a stern expression as I said that as Tony burst out laughing, “What am I? A schoolboy scolded by his teacher?”

“Not far off on the teacher part.” He stopped for a moment before a small smile came across his face.

“Really now? When was that?” He leaned against the table again, his interest shifting to the current topic more and more.

“It was my last job. I taught at a private academy outside Salem for almost three years.”

“Interesting. And what provoked the sudden career change?”

“I don’t believe I owe you that information, Mr. Stark, unless it pertains to a crime.”

A silence passed as he tilted his head one way and then the other. “Fair point. It doesn’t apply to California's laws, but sure, plead the fifth. I won’t judge you.”

“Oh no,” I said sarcastically, “how could I ever go on with the great Tony Stark judging me!”

“Ha-ha, very funny.” He moved his hands in an almost childish manner. Playing to exaggerate his point, “You don’t seem like the type to leave such a luxurious position for any old reason. And given that you didn’t have a job lined up, you left quickly. Why is that?”

“... My long-term partner and fellow teacher at the institution cheated on me with our co-worker.”

I looked up, his face seeming to wander between holding back a chuckle and ‘Oh shit’.

After quickly stiffening his laugh, a voice rang out behind, “Well, that’s quite the loss on their end.” Ms. Potts said from her place, leaning on the doorframe. Noticing her, I stood up, “You were a great help today, and from the small glimpse I’ve seen with you and Tony, well, I think he’ll be in good hands.” 

By the time she finished her sentence, she was standing in front of myself and Tony. He still placed his weight on the desk but now he stood with his back straightened. I couldn’t help but let out a light chuckle, watching how much his demeanor changed when trying to maintain a good image around her.

“Please, Ms.Potts-“

“-Call me, Pepper. Please.”

“Alright… Pepper. Thank you, but you’re too kind. I just did what I could to help. That’s nothing to be hired over.”

I watched as she placed a hand on her hip, looked at Tony, then looked back at me.

“Hun, I mean this in the nicest way I can,” she says as she placed her hand on my shoulder lightly pushing me to sit, “do you want this fucking job?”

"Yes?"

“Great! You’re hired. Tony is scheduled to attend an event in Milan later this week so, I’d recommend you get ready for it. You’ll be at the convention for four days, not including travel days, please keep that in mind while packing. Now, if you don’t mind,” she moved her arm in front of her covered desk, “I have a few rather large stacks of paperwork to get to. Tony will show you to your office, once you’re done you’re free to leave,” she moved around the desk to type something on the computer, “I’ll have the receptionist send the order out for your ID badge, we’ll most likely have it tomorrow, otherwise it will be the day after that.” She moved up to Tony and me pushing him off her desk and casually shooing us to the door, “Congrats on the new secretary, Tony, don’t fuck it up. And to you, good luck.”

And just like that, I was standing outside of Ms. Potts' office with Mr. Stark. He led me over to his office, the room was rather cluttered but, inside and to the left there was a door. He looked over his shoulder, I guess to check to see if I was still there. He then opened the door, which, led to the secretary’s office.

“There’s another door leading in from the hall, so, please, don’t feel required to come through this room every morning. If you have any other questions, you have my number. Otherwise, I have better things to do.”

“I’m good Mr. Stark.”

“Mr. Stark was my father, call me Tony.”

“Okay then, Tony.”

“Well, I’ll be seeing you then.” He gave a slight wave and walked out into his office. The sound of his door closing let me know he was either leaving or heading back to Pepper’s. 

I took another look around the room, it was well-furnished and fairly clean. There was nothing I could see that needed repair either. I wouldn't need to bring anything in.

We boarded the plane about sixteen hours ago and finally reached our destination. We were about five minutes from landing. I got up to wake up Tony, who had been asleep for the past four hours.

I walked over to his chair, slightly nudging his shoulder, “Mr. Stark, wake up. We’re about to land.”

“Fuck you”

“Apologies, sir.” I sat across from him and buckled my seatbelt.

After I had finished the pilot sent the message over the intercom. Tony begrudgingly followed the instructions. The landing was a bit bumpy, but far from the worst I’d felt.

Once we were given the all-clear to start unboarding we started walking down the airplane's staircase. I started walking towards the car that was waiting when I heard a loud bang. The unmistakable sound of a gunshot rang out. I turned around and saw Tony writhing on the ground.

[persephoneflowerpetals]

'Til Death

Chapter 9: The Exes

Chapter 8: First Date

Chapter 10: Three Little Words

The months that followed went by almost too fast for Hades and Persephone, especially now that they were dating. They really tried to spend as much time as they could together before it was time for Persephone to go back to Earth for springtime.

Meanwhile, somewhere not too far from the Underworld, an evil force was at work. Hecate and her winged canine henchmen, Canis and Lupis, were watching Hades and Persephone from a black cauldron.

“So, the little pink powder puff managed to fall for Hades did she? Hmm, I will say this throws a bit of a stone wrench in my plan, but I can work with this. Now that they’re together it’ll be that much easier to break them up.”

“You’re so right! As always!” Canis praised, trying to kiss up to Hecate.

“Absolutely! So, what’s the plan now? Should we spread some nasty rumors about the lovebirds and create a little ‘he said, she said’ situation?” asked Lupis.

“No, no. I have other plans to manipulate their little romance. Keep an eye on them, boys. I have a couple of acquaintances that I think will be a great help in taking down Hades once and for all.” Hecate said with a sinister chuckle as she walked away from her minions, into the darkness.

~X~X~X~X~

Persephone walked hand in hand with Hades down the hallowed halls of the Underworld. Spring was only one day away, so they had decided to have one last picnic together, this time in Asphodel Meadows (mainly because Hades wanted to admire all the work she’d done around there), before Persephone’s departure.

“I can’t believe I have to leave tomorrow. I feel like I just got here.” Persephone said with a solemn chuckle.

“Yeah, I know. Time flies doesn’t it?” Hades asked with a smirk, trying to hide his underlying sadness. Persephone nodded in response as she gave him a halfhearted smile.

He may not have shown it, but Hades truly was upset that Persephone had to leave so soon after developing their relationship. However, he wanted to keep his spirits up for the sake of his pride and for Persephone. He knew if she saw how sad he was about her leaving that she’d feel even worse about the whole situation and he certainly didn’t want to do that to her. As much as this displeased him, Hades knew she had a job to do and he also knew that Demeter would probably smite him if he kept Persephone in the Underworld for the entirety of spring.

Not only did the thought of Persephone leaving disappoint him, but it worried him as well. In a few months from now, Hades was going to lose his powers and the Underworld, and it was starting to become increasingly obvious. After their date, Hades began to realize that his flaming blue hair was starting to get shorter. Thankfully, it hasn’t gotten bad enough to where it’s noticeable, so Persephone hasn’t said anything about it. In fact, it seems Persephone’s forgotten all about Hades’ predicament and the whole reason why she was down there in the first place. She’s never once brought it up since she returned to the Underworld and Hades was pretty thankful for that. The last thing he wanted to do was make her think he was just using her to get his powers back. True, that was his plan from the start, but that was before he truly got to know the goddess behind the perfect facade. Persephone was merely a crush and a pretty face who also happened to be conveniently single when they first met, but now he realized that she was much more than that. Persephone was a clever, kind-hearted, and feisty goddess that Hades simply couldn't get enough of.

So, how was Hades going to develop his relationship even further with Persephone if they were going to be apart? Could he even get her to say “yes” to marrying him this soon after starting their relationship? Would she even want to marry him? Dating is one thing, but marriage…and what will he do if she says “no”? It’s not like he could just wait another year and try again. He was on a time limit here, but…none of that mattered right now. What mattered now was him being with Persephone, cherishing this time with her while he still could.

The two deities were making their way towards Hades’ throne room when they passed by Cerberus who noticed Persephone with Hades. Cerberus, being the protective and loyal guard dog he was, growled at Persephone as one of his heads snapped at her when she got close enough to him.

The goddess jumped in surprise and protectively grasped onto Hades’ arm as the large, snarling three-headed hound stared her down. “Hey! Cerberus! No! Bad dog!” Hades scolded.

Cerberus backed away from the gods slightly, his heads still growling and baring their teeth at Persephone as he crouched his body down in a hesitant and aggressive stance. Persephone watched the dog curiously as she let go of Hades’ arm. She didn’t blame him for snapping at her. After all, Hades probably trained him to do that sort of thing with strangers to scare them off. Though, she didn’t think he’d go as far as to snap at her just for being so close to his owner.

Persephone gently raised her hand towards the dog, slowly stepping towards him. Hades noticed this and internally panicked. She may be an immortal goddess, but that didn’t mean Cerberus couldn’t hurt her.

“Woah, hey! I wouldn’t do that if I were you! He isn’t good with…” 

Hades then looked over to Cerberus and noticed that his middle head stopped growling to sniff Persephone’s hand. His right head immediately got curious and started to sniff Persephone’s hand as well and soon enough, the left head joined in.

Persephone cautiously stepped towards Cerberus a little more to gently touch the muzzle of his middle head. Cerberus growled for a split second before Persephone started to pet him tenderly. Cerberus instantly calmed down and melted into her touch, the other two heads trying to nudge Persephone’s arms as if they were asking to be pet as well.

“…strangers.” 

Hades stared at Persephone and Cerberus in awe. Cerberus has never warmed up that quickly to another person before. In fact, Cerberus probably hasn’t warmed up to anyone at all before. He’s always been a very well trained guard dog, so much so that he’s known to snap at Hades himself when he enters the Underworld by boat.

Persephone giggled and used both hands to pet and scratch Cerberus under his chins as he started to lay down and happily wag his tail. “You’re such a good boy!  Aren’t you!? Yeah you are! You’re just a big ol’ slobbery puppy dog!” she cooed at the monstrous dog. One of Cerberus’ heads started to lick Persephone in response as she giggled again.

Hades smiled as he watched Persephone interact with his now sweet and puppy-like guard dog with amusement. “Well, it’s official,” he thought to himself. “I am definitely gonna marry her.”

~X~X~X~X~

The day had finally arrived. The enchantment from Hades’ special pomegranate seeds he had given to Persephone had finally worn off and now she was free to go wherever she wanted without Hades by her side. However, it seemed that now that was the only place she wanted to be, but that wasn’t possible. It was springtime and she was needed on Earth. 

There was a melancholic feeling in the air throughout the Underworld (and not the usual kind either). Hades made his way towards Persephone’s room that morning as she got herself ready to leave. Persephone sat at the vanity of her room as she adjusted her flower crown. 

“Maybe I could talk Hades into giving me more pomegranate seeds?” she thought. “No, no, I can’t do that. My mother would create an entire famine if I did that. Besides, that would be selfish of me. I can’t stop doing my job just because I’m in love. There are mortals out there that are counting on me to bring another beautiful spring this year. I can’t just leave them out in the cold…literally.”

A gentle knock at the door pulled Persephone away from her thoughts as she fixed her hair in the mirror one last time, knowing good and well who was behind the door. 

“Come in.”

Hades opened the door and found Persephone at her vanity. The deities looked at each other through the mirror, both sharing a very solemn and disappointed look on their faces.

“You ready?” Hades asked gloomily.

Persephone took a deep breath to not only calm her emotions, but to stall for just a few seconds more. “Yeah.” she replied with a nod before getting up from the vanity and leaving the room with Hades by her side.

The spring goddess held her love’s arm as they both quietly walked towards the River Styx where Charon’s boat was waiting for her. Neither of the gods knew what to say to make this situation better, so they just stayed silent as they sadly walked together.

Once the gods reached the river’s edge, Persephone let go of Hades’ arm and slowly walked towards the boat, hesitating. She then turned to Hades who gave her a sad, halfhearted smile.

“Well…I’ll see ya around, Rosebud.” 

Persephone tried to give him a smile as she fought back tears, but her smile turned into a frown as her bottom lip quivered. Tears immediately began to fall onto her rosy pink cheeks before the spring goddess dashed over to hug Hades tightly, sobbing into his chest.

Hades hated seeing Persephone so upset. A sweet and beautiful goddess like her should never have a reason to cry. He immediately hugged her back as he began to pet her long, soft, hot pink hair. He wasn’t gonna let her leave all torn up like this. 

“Hey, c’mon. What’s with all the tears, huh?” Hades lightheartedly asked as he gave her a soft, yet playful smirk.

Persephone sniffled as she wiped some tears out of her eyes. “Sorry. I just….after spending all this time getting to know you and…love you. I don’t wanna leave.”

Hades gave her a warm smile as he brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear so he could see her face better. “Don’t get yourself all worked up, babe ‘cause I can assure you this won’t be the last time you see me. Alright? I mean, c’mon, I’m pretty sure you and I both know I’m gonna take every opportunity I can get to pop up there and bug you.” 

Persephone chuckled through her tears as she continued to wipe them off of her cheeks, still sniffling and trying to get herself to stop crying. “Trust me, babe. I’m gonna miss you just as much as you’re gonna miss me. This old Underworld’s gonna feel pretty empty without you around.” Hades admitted as he gently cupped her cheek, giving her a genuine loving smile. Persephone placed her hand atop his and smiled as she gazed into his piercing yellow eyes that she always seems to get lost in. 

“Before I go,” the goddess then said as she glanced down at the ground. “I wanted to give you something. Sort of a…’parting gift’.”

Hades took his hand off of Persephone’s cheek as she manifested a vase with small light blue flowers in it. She looked at Hades with a bit of nervousness, unsure of what he’d think of these “softer” and “cutesier” flowers.  

“They aren’t really poisonous or carnivorous and I know this kind of stuff isn’t really your style…and I’m sure by now you’re probably tired of me giving you all these plants and trying to make your Underworld into an underground garden, but I wanted to make something a little nicer for you to remember me by. I call them forget-me-nots. Y’know, so you don’t forget me while I’m gone.” Persephone nervously chuckled as she handed Hades the vase of flowers.

Hades took them and observed the flowers, expressionless which made Persephone start to  anxiously rub her arm. His expression was hard to read and she worried that she might’ve somehow offended him by giving him flowers like that. She knew she was pushing it already with the nightshade and the cobra lilies, as those were pretty and deadly, but at least those were types of plants that interested Hades and they had some beneficial value to him. The forget-me-nots, however, weren’t gonna do anything for him except maybe bring a little color to the drab and dreary atmosphere of the Underworld. Knowing Hades, it wouldn’t surprise her at all if he told her he wasn’t fond of them. He’s always been known to be brutally honest with people (unless he was trying to schmooze them to get what he wants, then he’d lie through his razor sharp teeth).

“Y-You don’t have to keep them, though, if you don’t like them! I won’t –“

“Oh, no. I’m keeping them.” Hades assured her with a smile.

Persephone was slightly taken aback by that. “You are?”

“Yeah. Sure, they may not match my whole ‘dark and menacing schtick’ I got goin’ on down here, but hey, I always thought this place could use a goddess’ touch, y’know? Plus, I think they’re pretty nice to look at...like you.” Hades told her, giving her a wink and a playful smirk.

Persephone smiled bashfully as she blushed. Hades then carefully placed the vase of flowers on the ground and took her dainty pink hand in his as he gazed into her beautiful purple eyes, bending down a bit to look at her face to face. 

“But, trust me, babe. I won’t have any problem keeping you on my mind. You’re positively unforgettable.” Hades then brought her hand to his lips to softly kiss the back of her hand. Persephone became even more flustered as she quietly giggled. He really knew how to charm a lady.

Hades glanced back at the boat behind Persephone as his loving smile faded a bit. It was time to let her go. “As much as I hate to say it, you better get going or else your mom is gonna come down here and berate me again for holding you hostage or something, then I’ll never hear the end of it.” he joked, letting go of Persephone's hand as he nodded towards the river where Charon and the boat were still waiting.

Persephone gave a light, sad chuckle as her smile faded a bit as well. He was right. As much as she wanted to procrastinate, it was time for her to leave. She approached the boat as Hades followed and then stepped on board as Hades took her hand once again to help her keep her balance. Once she was safely on board the floating vessel, Charon began to slowly sail towards the exit to the Underworld.

Hades crossed his arms and stepped away from the edge of the river to lean on the small section of wall that served as a base for his skull-shaped abode. Persephone turned around slightly to look back at Hades one more time before the giant bone-like walls closed behind the boat. She gave him a small wave as she smiled, trying to hide her sadness for just a short moment, so he wouldn’t worry about her too much. Hades gave her a small wave in return, sharing the same “I’m okay, but not really” expression before the walls finally closed. The god’s fake smile immediately became a disappointed frown as his shoulders slumped. He then looked down and saw the forget-me-nots Persephone had given him before bending down to pick them up, walking away with them as he made his way up the dark spiral stairs.

~X~X~X~X~

3 weeks have passed since Persephone left the Underworld once again. Hades certainly kept his word about visiting her whenever he could, popping up every once in a while just to chat and spend time with her. Sometimes, he’d even bring food for her to convince her to take a little lunch break for an hour or two just so they could hang out.

Persephone had to admit, though, that it was tough being alone again. She was so used to the solitude she had in the springtime before she met Hades. Usually, she spent her days quietly melting the ice and snow away for the grass, and flowers, and trees she’d be growing, singing and chatting to the animals that happen to stop by to greet her as she worked. Nowadays, all Persephone does is think about Hades and how much she misses him.

However, down in the Underworld, Hades hasn’t been faring too well. It’s only been a few weeks and he couldn’t stand to be without Persephone. He knew she had a job to do and didn’t need anyone distracting her, but he simply couldn't resist the urge to pop up to Earth and see her. Of course, he tries not to take up all of her time when doing so (even though he really wants to) since the longer it takes for her to finish spring, the longer it’ll take for her to come back.

It honestly kinda baffled Hades how much he missed her. He’s never felt this way about anyone before and he figured he never would. He didn’t think he was cut out for “this love junk” (as he calls it), but it turns out he was quite mistaken. That goddess really did have him wrapped around her little finger. Hades was absolutely smitten for the goddess of spring and it drove him absolutely mad that he couldn’t be with her for an entire season.

He did his best to distract himself by burying himself in his Underworld work, but it didn’t really help. No matter how much paperwork he filled out or how many souls he courted, he still couldn’t keep himself from missing Persephone and that took quite a toll on his mood. In fact, Hades has been pretty irritable since Persephone left and has been losing his temper much more than usual (if that was even possible). Whenever Pain and Panic screwed something up or asked him to perform some Underworld-ly task he didn’t feel like doing, he’d flare up in a fiery rage, yelling and throwing out insults. When he finally does calm down from his “tantrums”, he flops onto his throne and sulks while muttering under his breath:

“Oy, this is gonna be a long spring.”

~X~X~X~X~

Persephone made her way through the frozen forests of Athens with Thallo, melting the leftover winter snow from the grass and trees and leaving beautiful blossoms and lush, green grass in its place. 

“Who is Thallo?” You may ask. Well, Thallo is a unicorn mare and a beloved animal companion of Persephone. She had beautiful white hair and a long, silky pastel blue and violet mane and tail that Persephone loved to brush, and braid, and decorate when she had the spare time.

Persephone rescued Thallo one spring in the Athenian glades when she was only a baby. Her mother had been hunted by mortals for her horn (which, unfortunately, was starting to become a big problem nowadays, pushing unicorns closer and closer to endangerment). Poor little Thallo was cold, hungry, and terrified, so Persephone took her straight to Artemis, who cared for her until she was ready to go back to the wild. Persephone made sure to visit Thallo and Artemis whenever she could just to check up on her and make sure that she was doing alright.

Once Thallo grew up, Artemis released her back into the Athenian glades with the other unicorns. Eventually, the beautiful mare found Persephone again during the spring and became quite attached to her rescuer. Now, every spring, Thallo keeps Persephone company around Athens as she performs her godly duties.

Persephone had been melting slush and snow and planting flowers all afternoon, and she was starting to get a little tired. “I think I could use a little break, Thallo. How about you?” she asked the unicorn as she stretched her arms. Thallo nickered in agreement as she nodded her head. She then followed Persephone over to a nearby log covered in soft, fuzzy moss. Persephone sat on the log and let out a long sigh as Thallo laid down next to her. 

The goddess then leaned against a tree that was so close to the log, that they almost connected and plucked a white daisy she had planted not too long ago, plucking the petals as she began to hum a sweet tune. She smiled to herself as she listened to the tranquil sounds of the waterfall that came from a nearby grotto. She was thinking about Hades again. She hasn’t seen him for a few weeks now and was really looking forward to his next surprise visit.

“I know that look.” a sultry female voice said from somewhere within the forest. Persephone and Thallo both perked up in surprise, looking around to see who was speaking.

“Oh yeah, she’s got it bad.” another voice spoke out, sounding more light and higher pitched than the last.

Suddenly, a nymph who had taken the form of a mint plant appeared not too far from the mossy log Persephone was sitting on. Then another nymph who had previously taken the form of a white poplar tree appeared next to her.

The first nymph had light mint green skin and long green hair that was put up in a messy, yet elegant ponytail with little dark green mint leaves scattered throughout her hair. She was thin, but curvy and wore a dress made of large leaves that were about the same shade of green as the mint leaves in her hair. 

The other nymph had light blue skin and was quite petite compared to the other nymph. She had long, flowing blue hair and a wrapped dress made of a very soft and comfy looking fabric. It was sort of a light turquoise color that turned into a watery blue color towards the bottom of the garment.

“Oh, I’m sorry! Was my humming bothering you?! I forgot that grotto was popular with nymphs. I can leave if you want me to.” Persephone asked nervously as she tossed the flower she had been messing with to the ground. 

“Not at all! We were just hanging around when you caught our attention. I’m Minthe.” the green nymph greeted as she and the blue nymph walked over to Persephone and Thallo.

“And I’m Leuke.” the blue nymph chimed in as she sat on the grass in front of Persephone. “Of course, we know who you are, Persephone. There’s nobody in the cosmos that can make the forest as pretty as this for springtime!”

“Mmm-hmm. Leuke and I were just saying what a wonderful job you’ve been doing around here.” Minthe commended as she sat down next to Persephone on the mossy log.

“Yeah! You are so talented!” Leuke praised.

Persephone blushed a bit from the compliments. “Oh, heh! Well, thank you! I really appreciate that!”

“Then we saw that look on your face and the way you smiled.” Minthe continued.

“— and heard your pretty singing!” Leuke added.

“And we knew that could only mean one thing,” said Minthe.

“Oh….um…what?” Persephone awkwardly asked, wondering what they were even talking about.

Minthe and Leuke looked at each other with a knowing smile and then at Persephone. “You’re in love!” they gushed in unison.

Persephone started to blush again as she nervously brushed her bangs behind her ear. “I, uh…I didn’t know it was that obvious.”

“C’mon! Spill the chamomile!” Leuke exclaimed as she laid on her stomach, resting her head in the palms of her hands and kicking her legs up in the air.

“Yeah, who’s the lucky god? Or goddess if that’s what you’re into.” Minthe asked.

“Oh, wait! Is it a mortal?! Ooh, I love a forbidden romance!” Leuke squealed as she kicked her legs with glee.

“Actually, it is a god.” Persephone told the intrigued nymphs.

“Who?! Who?!” Leuke asked excitedly.

Persephone giggled bashfully. “Um…well…it’s um…Hades. The God of the Underworld.”

The nymphs’ excited smiles immediately turned into frowns as they looked at each other once again and then back at Persephone. “Oh, no.” they said in unison as they shook their heads at the goddess.

Persephone became concerned with their reactions, giving an anxious expression as Minthe began to talk. “Honey, I hate to break it to you, but that is the worst god you could ever fall in love with.”

“How do you know that?” Persephone asked anxiously.

“We’re his exes.” Leuke confessed as she rested her arms on the ground.

“Exes?” Persephone repeated, secretly taken aback by this new information.

“I should warn you now, Hades really isn’t a committal type of god. Like, at all. ‘Love ‘em and leave ‘em’ is his game.” Minthe explained.

“Yeah, I don't think Hades is into serious relationships. He’s pretty fond of his ‘single bachelor’ status.” Leuke said.

“But, Hades di-“ Persephone tried to defend Hades before she was interrupted by the nymphs.

“Trust us, Persephone. Hades is bad news and if I were you, I’d stay far away from him. You’re better off. I mean, he’s not that great of a boyfriend anyways. He certainly wasn’t to us. He was rude, mean, selfish, a total workaholic, and he smelled like sulfur all the time! That doesn’t really sound like ‘boyfriend material’ for a goddess. Just saying.” Minthe explained as she counted on her fingers all the reasons why Hades wasn’t a good boyfriend.

“I dunno. The sulfur smell wasn’t that bad and Hades wasn’t really that mean to me either. Honestly, I think Hades was the best boyfriend I’ve ever had!” Leuke happily speculated.

“Shut up, Leuke!” Minthe quietly hissed as she glared at the other nymph.

“Sorry.” Leuke whispered.

“Anyways, if I could be completely honest with you, I really don’t think, — and I mean this is the nicest way possible — that you’re his type.” Minthe admitted. 

“His type?” Persephone asked in confusion. Since when did Hades have a “type”?

“Yeah, y’know, girls that are all plump, and cute, and innocent and stuff. Like you! Hades’ never been into girls like that…but I’m sure there’s some other deity out there for you who is! Just not Hades.” Leuke explained with a shrug.

“Oh…I see.” Persephone replied in a dejected tone as she looked towards the ground, now starting to feel self conscious.

“I know it’s hard to hear, but it’s the truth. Hades is a ‘playgod’. When a woman piques his interest, he goes from a total jerk to a total ‘dreambarge’ by doing what he does best: schmoozing. He showers you with compliments, and gifts, and takes you to nice places to make you feel all special. Next thing you know, you’re being lured in by that charming smile and those amber eyes of his and then when you finally tell him that you’ve got feelings for him…he gets bored and dumps you like a stale pita. To put it lightly, hon: you’re a ‘spring fling’ and nothing more.” Minthe explained in a rather blunt manner.

Persephone simply refused to believe the nymphs. Hades wasn’t like that at all. Maybe he was like that before she met him, but he’s changed. He cared for her. Why else would he share such personal things about himself to her? He wouldn’t just leave her because he got bored with her…but it has been a few weeks since she’s seen him.

“No! No, Hades wouldn’t do that. He…He loves me. He —” Persephone said as she stood up from the log and walked a few steps away, trying not to cry.

“How do you know?” Leuke asked as she stood up as well. 

“Well, I —“ Persephone tried to explain, turning around to face the nymphs.

“Has he even told you he loves you?” Minthe asked, raising her brow at Persephone suspiciously as she too stood up from the log and crossed her arms.

Persephone opened her mouth to answer, but paused. Now that she thought about it, he never has told her he loves her back. She’s always been the one to tell him she loves him and in return he just smiles or gives her a kiss back. In fact, their first date wasn’t even an actual “date”. Hades said he just wanted to have a picnic and talk, he never said the word “date”. It seemed that only Persephone was under the impression that she and Hades were together. She was the one who made the first move by kissing him. She was the one to say “I love you” first. He never even once called her his “girlfriend”. Maybe the nymphs were right…maybe she really was just a fling and none of this meant anything to Hades. The goddess then closed her mouth and looked down at the ground once again with a hurt expression.

“No…”

The nymphs smirked at each other as Persephone turned back around, not wanting the nymphs to see her get all emotional. Minthe and Leuke then sauntered up to Persephone, each placing a hand on her shoulder.

“That’s exactly what we thought.” Minthe said, sounding almost sarcastic rather than sympathetic.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it, Persephone. We’ve all been there. There’s a reason why he’s the God of the Underworld. He’s low down and rotten….and smelly.” Leuke sympathized, attempting to comfort Persephone.

“Yeah, we’re only telling you all this as your friends. We wouldn’t want to see a sweet thing like you get hurt by a loser like Hades. He just isn’t worth the tears. My advice: end it now before he breaks your heart. Just think about it. ‘Kay?” Minthe advised with a slight smirk.

“Anyways, we should go. Nice meeting you, Persephone! Good luck with the ‘Hades doesn’t actually love you’ thing!” Leuke said sweetly with a wave as she and Minthe walked away from the brokenhearted goddess.

The pair of nymphs then made their way to the nearby grotto, leaving Persephone alone with Thallo in the middle of the forest. Once they reached the waters of the grotto, Minthe led Leuke behind a waterfall into a decent sized cave where other nymphs liked to relax and cool off during the hot summer days.

“That was so great! Ha! Did you see that look on her face?!” Minthe snickered mischievously.

“Yeah…I kinda feel bad for her. I think she really loves Hades.” Leuke admitted, the guilt of their actions starting to sink into her subconscious. 

“Oh, who cares? She’ll get over it.” Minthe callously replied.

“But, don’t you feel just a little guilty? I mean, it’s not like Persephone’s ever done anything to us. I didn’t want to make her cry.” Leuke asked.

“Guilty? Please! As if I’d ever feel sorry for her. Besides, Hecate said we’d be ‘handsomely rewarded’ if we convinced Persephone to break up with Hades and if she’s as dumb as she looks, she’s gonna do just that. Don’t you want that reward, Leuke?! Like, come on! It’s not everyday you get rewarded by a goddess! Who knows? Maybe that ‘handsome reward’ will be Hades himself.” Minthe suggested as she bit her bottom lip at the thought of receiving Hades as a reward.

“I thought you said you were over Hades.” Leuke recalled.

“I am over him! Just…shut up, Leuke!” Minthe snapped as she stormed out of the hidden cave. 

“Okay…jeez. Tou-chy.” Leuke replied under her breath, rolling her eyes before following Minthe.

~X~X~X~X~

As soon as the nymphs left, Persephone dropped to her knees and began to sob into her hands. She felt so foolish to believe that she and Hades could ever have a romantic relationship or that Hades could actually love her. It was crystal clear to her now that they were never meant to be. They were total opposites. It never would’ve worked out between them. It was only a matter of time before he’d break her heart and that was the one thing about love that terrified Persephone. Actually, that was the main reason why she’s never dated another god before. The thought of opening herself up to another person and putting her full trust in them only for them to reject her and throw her away like garbage was frightening. Minthe was right…she had to end things with Hades. No matter how much it hurt her to do so.

Thallo slowly approached Persephone and laid down next to her as she nuzzled her head into her hands, trying to comfort the crying goddess. Persephone sobbed and sniffled as she pet Thallo’s mane. The spring goddess and the unicorn sat there in the middle of the forest for the rest of the day. By sunset, Persephone had cried herself to sleep, Thallo’s head still in her lap as she rested by the goddess’ side.

[14buddy22]

I'll Spend the Rest of My Life Making It Up To You Series

A/N: Part 9! Well - it's over, I hope you like the ending :)

Warnings: Have been the same throughout the story :)

Prev Part // Series Masterlist // Masterlist

After a long talk with Aaron when you got home from your in-laws house, you felt better. He kept telling you it wasn’t your fault and as long as you were okay with it, they could work something out where Bob and Carol would still be allowed to see Mason, just as long as Jake wasn’t around.

You didn’t realize how fast your court date would come. A lot of prep, a lot of crying, a lot of hugs from Aaron. A lot of comfort from Mason and Jack. 

Sleepless nights. Lots of them. 

You were up at 2am, sitting on the couch, watching a movie, not able to sleep. Court was the next morning at 9am. Luckily not a 7 or 8am start, so you could have time to be with the boys before you had to go relieve the traumatic events of your life. 

While sitting on the couch, you didn’t expect Aaron to come out of his room, wide awake. 

“Did I wake you up?”

“No. God, no. I just couldn’t sleep.”

You looked at him and chuckled. You moved the blanket off of you and said, “I couldn’t sleep either. Come sit, we can watch a movie together.”

You were falling in love with Aaron. You never really fell out of love with him to begin with. You had to on the outside, but deep within, you knew your heart always belonged with Aaron. Maybe he felt the same, maybe he didn’t. If he hadn’t left you, there wouldn’t be Haley, and there certainly wouldn’t be Jack. He loves him with everything he has. 

You were taken out of your thoughts as his body slid right next to yours, the blanket finding it’s way over both of you. He was your comfort person. You think he always was. Aaron and of course, Mason. They were your comfort people. And now, you’d be adding Jack into that mix of comfort people. 

At one point in your life, you did find comfort in Jake. But that was only a short amount of time 10 years ago. You found comfort in Jake when you were upset about your broken engagement with Aaron. Jake should have just been a rebound, a hookup at most, how’d you let it get this bad?

“Y/n, you know none of this is your fault. Right? Whatever happens in court, they’re gonna blame you, they’re gonna make you seem like you could’ve gotten out.”

“Could’ve gotten out? Jesus Christ, Aaron! He would have killed me! I think he still would if we weren’t gonna be in court surrounded by cops and the FBI. He almost beat me to death with my son in the house.”

You started crying. You were furious, upset. As you went to pull away from Aaron, he pulled you closer next to him, giving you a tight squeeze. 

“Hey, shh, shh. It’s okay. I’m not saying you could’ve left because I know what he did to you. I read the letters, y/n, trust me. I know. I believe you, hell, I saw what he did to you. I’m just telling you, I worked in court, I handled cases like this, I’ve been in the FBI for too long to know that victims of domestic abuse sometimes don’t always win in court and they end up dying 2 weeks later because their abuser kills them. I’m sure as hell not letting that happen. Whatever happens, we will adjust. If he gets off free, then we’ll play it by year.” 

“Try and get some sleep. Mason will be up in a bit for a bottle, you’ll need to get some sleep for court. Come on. Just close your eyes.”

You didn’t realize that sleeping with Aaron, even on his couch, would be a comfy place for you, some where you’d get your best sleep since the last time you slept with him. 

You awoke the next morning to the smell of breakfast and kids laughing. When you walked into the kitchen, you saw Aaron sitting with the kids at the table, he was feeding Mason and Jack was eating breakfast. 

“Good morning!”

Jack got up from his spot to hug you and you smiled at Aaron. 

“Eat, then get dressed. Jessica’s coming to pick up Jack in 15 minutes. I already showered this morning when I got up with Mason.”

“Did you take the baby monitor from me last night?”

“I did. I wanted you to sleep. Mason got up at 7, I was already up by then.”

Mason wasn’t his son and Aaron was being an amazing father to Mason than Jake ever was. You were lucky you met Aaron all those years ago. You didn’t think you’d be in this situation, you were sure you were going to marry Aaron, but life works in mysterious ways. 

After a morning with the boys, saying goodbye to Jack, getting Mason ready then getting yourself dressed, then making sure Aaron had some time to get dressed as well. It was weird to see him dressed for court, especially when it was your case that he was going to court for. 

He grabbed the diaper bag and he said, “Let’s go.” As you all got in Aaron’s car, you couldn’t help but have a silent car ride there. Just the sound of Mason’s soft snores, Aaron’s hand finding yours in your lap. 

Everything went by in slow motion. Walking into the court house, meeting with your attorney, seeing Aaron’s team there. Some of them going to testify. Walking into the courtroom, seeing Jake.

It felt good knowing today was the day you were going to be getting out of this relationship for good. At least you were hoping you would. You saw Jake sitting with his lawyer. He saw you walke in with Mason and Aaron and your lawyer. Part of you felt bad that Jake couldn’t hold his son, but he had a chance to turn his life around with you. He could have gotten better, you think part of him could. Wait, what were you thinking?. You keep going back to him, you shouldn’t. He hurt you. 

Aaron took Mason out of the carrier and you said, “He’s got extra diapers in there, he really likes his strawberry and banana puffs.”

“Y/n/n, I know. You’ve been living with me for a month. I got this. Just worry about the trial. We’re right behind you.” 

You gave him a soft smile and whispered a thank you. You kissed Mason and then you took a seat at the table. 

Court doesn’t appear like it does in TV shows or movies. There are much more boring moments, you see everything. The judge introducing himself, him talking to the members of the jury about what their roles are, the attorneys introducing themselves, who they are defending, the whole nine yards. 

You watched people go up one by one testifying for you. Then you went up to the stand, and that’s where the madness begins. Putting the victim on the stand, no, not victim, survivor. 

Brian said, “On the stand is Ms. Y/n Y/l/n,”

“Please. Call me Y/n.”

“Y/n, is it true you wrote a series of letters to your past lover, Aaron Hotchner, when you were engaged and married to Jake?”

“Yes, but those were letters I never sent. It was my escape from reality.”

“I’d like to take look at this letter.”

They started reading the letters from when you first met Jake, to when you got engaged to your wedding night. You watched how the jury was reacting. There was one woman who was silently crying. You saw her wipe her cheek. She wasn’t crying enough for everyone to notice, but it was enough to know that what you went through did hurt outsiders looking in. 

Brian handed you a letter and said, “Y/n, why don’t you read this one.”

You held the letter and began reading, 

“Aaron, Well, I don’t know how to say it so I’m just going to say it. I’m pregnant. Yep. I just found out while in my bathroom. I hadn’t felt good these past couple of days, so I decided to take a pregnancy test. You know I’ve always wanted children, but I never wanted children with Jake. I wanted to have children with you. I don’t even know if Jake wants children. Abortion is an option, but I don’t want to get one. I’ve always wanted children and to be a mom and this might be my only chance. The thing is, when this baby was conceived, it wasn’t even conceived out of love. Jake was mad at me. He basically fucked his fustrations out on me. I just have to lay there like I’m some type of sex doll, and I hate it. If I were to tell him no, he’d hit me. So I have to live with this. I’m sorry I hadn’t seen you in a while, it was for the best. Well, for you. Maybe not for me. I’m hoping that when I tell Jake, he’ll be so happy. Maybe he’ll turn around, no longer hit me or abuse me. I hope you and Jack are doing well.”

Aaron was sat with Mason on the benches behind the table where you were supposed to be seated. Derek and Dave both on his sides. His friend had stood up while you were on the stand and said, “Your honor, right now, we’d like to show the court and members of the jury direct evidence of the final piece of physical abuse that Ms. Y/L/N sustained from Jake.”

You looked at Aaron, eyes looking back at yours. He didn’t know what was going on. He thought you gave him every piece of evidence you had against Jake. He looked at you, what hurt you the most was that you never showed this to Aaron. You weren’t about to cry because of the trauma you endured with Jake, but you were getting ready to cry because you saw that Aaron’s heart was gonna break.

Your attorney said, “People of the court, members of the court, people of the jury, I do want to give you a warning that what you see in this video is a heinous act. There will be blood, yelling, etc.”

Dave whispered to Aaron, “Why don’t you go outside and take Mason for a walk.”

“No. No. I’m not leaving her alone. It’s fine. I can control myself. I’m a profiler, Dave. I’m a Unit Chief. I can control my emotions.”

Aaron was cut off by the sound of your voice coming from the video. 

The video had shown you downstairs coming to greet Jake. You had secretly propped your phone up on the counter, hoping to catch him in the act of one of the most disgusting things a man could do to a woman. You wanted to catch him, that way it wouldn’t be hear-say. You know since you’ve seen shows about it, but you also know because your father-in-law was a successful attorney. 

Watching the video up at the stand, you couldn’t help but flinch when the first hit happened. It all comes flooding back to you at once. You had gone to see Aaron. Came back home and Jake flipped. 

When you looked over at Aaron, you saw the tears rolling down his face. How he held Mason tighter, shielding Mason into his chest so Mason couldn’t see. You’ve never seen Aaron this heartbroken before. You hated that you couldn’t hold him in your arms and tell him you’re okay. 

You’d lie to Aaron and tell him that it didn’t hurt, even when it was one of the most painful things you went through. This was one video of abuse, but you had been abused for 10 years prior to this one video clip.

Aaron whispered to Dave, “I could kill him right now. Dave, this is the night I picked her up. She called me after this. Had I known he would’ve done this.”

“Relax, Aaron. Relax.”

Dave put his hand on Aaron’s back, telling him to calm down, don’t make a scene with a baby in his hands.

Looking at Aaron’s face, you saw the anger, the hurt, the guilt, sadness. You saw every emotion he was going through. You didn’t miss the way he wiped his tears away and you certainly didn’t miss the way that your son had saw him upset and leaned into him, and patted his stomach. 

Mason was amazing, he always knew how to calm people down, even if he was just a baby. He was a great profiler, maybe deep down, the universe needed Mason to be like Aaron and you. Maybe Mason was the the baby you and Aaron were meant to have all those years ago. 

You decided to shake the thought. You couldn’t think about them right now. You had a case to win. You wanted justice to be served. You wanted to show everyone who is in an abusive relationship that it’s okay to get out. 

Aaron watched as the video ended, you quickly grabbing the phone, catching a glimpse of your face and the blood running down. He made eye contact with you, whispering an “I’m sorry.”

Brian said, “That’s all, your honor.”

Jake’s lawyer stood up and said, “We have no questions, your honor.”

The judge told you that you could step down and you walked back to sit down at your seat. The judge dismissed the jury and you walked over to hug Aaron. 

Rossi said, “We got sandwiches in a break room. Come on, let’s go have lunch.”

“I’m going to go change Mason and freshen up in the bathroom, okay?”

You took Mason from Aaron and walked into the bathroom, you changed his diaper and fixed your make up. Walking out, you saw Jake. 

“Y/n, please. Let them drop the charges. I’m gonna change. I’ve started going to therapy. I want to raise our son. Look how big he’s gotten.”

“No Jake, you had 10 years to change, and you didn’t. It only got worse.”

Aaron said, “Rossi, the last time he hit her.”

“Um. Aaron, I think we got bigger problems right now.”

Rossi nodded his head towards where you were and Aaron started walking towards you, Jake, and Mason. Rossi following right behind him. 

“You’re not supposed to talk to her.”

“Aaron Hotchner. What a man. This is the guy who left you?”

“Jake, just drop it. Go with your lawyer, I’m going with mine.”

Jake stepped closer and said, “Is she as good in bed as when you first had her? I worked her open for you, turned her into a whore.”

“Don’t speak about her like that.”

“You know, you won. You got her back, you get my son, you won.”

“Good, because you never deserved her. You never deserved her love, affection, for her to be the mother of your child. You never deserved for her to even look at you. She trusted you and you hurt her. You’re a monster and I’m glad your son isn’t going to be around you.”

Jake took a step back and you walked over to Aaron. You started to pull Aaron towards Rossi and Aaron stopped. 

“You know, I didn’t deserve to win either, I broke her heart and me breaking her heart led her to you. And you put her through so much hell, Jake. But this wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for me. But I’m damn sure gonna spend the rest of my life making it up to her and fixing what you broke. So you know what, I’m glad I won. I’m gonna protect her and Mason from monsters like you.”

Aaron put his hand on your back and you guys walked into the break room. Aaron’s team was playing with Mason and you just sat with him on the couch. Taking everything in. How did Aaron say he didn’t deserve you? Why the hell would Jake even approach Aaron. 

There was a knock on the door, Brian came in and said, “The jury has made a decision.”

“That’s good, right Aar?”

“That’s quick for a jury. Hopefully it is good.”

As everyone got seated back in the courthouse, they went through the usual spiel that you watch on TV shows. The first juror stands and responds back to the judge. Here it is, the verdict. 

“We find the defendant, guilty, on all counts your honor.”

You began to cry. You had won. This battle was over. You’ve won custody of Mason, Jake was going to jail, he would never touch another girl like what he put you through again.

You hugged Brian and then hugged Aaron and Mason. Aaron kissed your cheek and you took Mason. You told Brian you wanted to see Jake before they took him away. 

You walked over to Jake’s table with Mason and Jake said, “I’m sorry for what I did to you Y/n, you didn’t deserve any of it. I know you’re going to be a great mom to Mason. You already are. And Aaron, I can see why you were still in love with him when we first met in that bar 11 years ago. He loves you, don’t let him go. You deserve him after what I did to you. I’m sorry. Can I-can I kiss my son goodbye?”

You looked over at Aaron and he was watching you. You told Jake to sit down and you walked next to him and placed Mason in his arms. Aaron got closer to where you were standing and Rossi pulled him back. Rossi said, “She’s got this Aaron. Let her do this. Let her get some closure.”

“Goodbye Mason, Be good. You’re very lucky to have an amazing mom. Very lucky to have a good dad from here on out.”

Jake kissed Mason on his head and you took Mason back. “Goodbye Jake.”

You walked away. Closing that chapter of your life, opening the next with Aaron. As you went home that evening, Aaron inviting the team over for dinner, letting the kids all hang out, you were cuddled into Aaron. 

Penelope said, “So, now that this is all over, does this mean you two are getting back together again?”

Aaron said, “We’re not in a rush, whatever happens, happens.”

After everyone had gone home, Jack gone to sleepover with Henry at JJ’s house, Mason put to bed, you sat in front of Aaron’s fire place with him. The soft glow of the fire going with the lights you had hung up.

“I’m proud of you, for ending the cycle of abuse. I’m sorry I broke your heart all those years ago, I was scared. I was scared of marrying my best friend, having children with her, and growing old with her. I knew all your deepest darkest secrets. I knew your biggest insecurities and I treated you like shit. You didn’t deserve that, y/n. I am so, so sorry.”

“Did you really mean what you said to Jake? That you didn’t deserve to win?”

“Yeah, because I didn’t. Jake nor I didn’t deserve you.”

“No, you deserve me because I deserve you. I don’t know any other man in this world that would drop everything he had going on in his life to help an ex-fiance. You let me move into an apartment with my 6 month old son at the time.”

“I told you I was going to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I meant it.”

You leaned into Aaron for a kiss. His hand cupping your face. It was a soft, beautiful kiss. It wasn’t long before you and him found yourself stripping your clothes and mkaing love right in front of the fire place. The last time you had made love instead of had sex had been two weeks before your engagement had ended. It was your anniversary with Aaron. There was something meaningful with Aaron, and you had it even after all these years. 

*3 months later*

Things were great. You had a successful teaching job, Mason was thriving, Jack was a great son, and Aaron was amazing. Your little family was great. Aaron wasn’t officially your husband but you were all living together. You and Aaron bought a beautiful house, Derek helped renovate it to make it your dream home. 

You were celebrating Mason’s birthday. He was a year old. It was scary to think that just a year ago, you were in an abusive relationship, giving birth to a baby, alone. Now, you were surrounded by Aaron and Jack and amazing friends and family. What you never thought about was how Mason’s birthday was the day that you wanted to marry Aaron all those years ago. 

You never thought about it until Aaron brought it up to you last month. Mason took very well to Aaron, started calling him dada. It brought tears to Aaron’s eyes, he never knew that Mason and you could fill the void in his heart when Haley passed and when he left you. Jack was amazing and he loved Jack so much, but there was something about adding another child, one that wasn’t biologically his, into the mix. 

Aaron said, “If you’ll clean up, I’ll go get him cleaned up and into his PJs?”

“Sounds good, Aar.”

You watched him walk away and upstairs with Mason. Jack helped you clean up. He was such a great helper with Mason. He was an amazing big brother. You were hoping you could make him a big brother to more siblings, but that would come later down the road, only if Aaron wanted more.

Rossi said, “There’s my baby boy! Look how cute he looks.”

Rossi read his shirt and Mason said, “Mama!”

You turned around and Aaron was walking behind Mason. You knelt to the floor to hug Mason and Mason pointed to his shirt. 

“Will you marry, Daddy?”

You looked up at Aaron and watched as he knelt down to the ground. You held Mason by you and then Jack came to yourside. You were with Aaron and he held out an engagement ring. 

“We’ve been through a lot Y/n, in 20 years, more than anyone else has been through. I’m asking you to marry me, but I’m in no rush to have the big white wedding. I want you to be Mrs. Hotchner. I wanted you to be that 20 years ago, but I was a coward because you were a powerful woman, knowing what you want. I should have stuck with you. You went through hell and back and hell and back just to get where we are today. Let me make it up to you for the rest of my life. I love you, Jack loves you, so, will you marry me?”

“Absolutely I will.”

Aaron slipped the ring on your finger and you put your hands on his face. Pulling him into a kiss. Jack hugged you and Mason hugged him. Your little family was complete. You were so proud of getting out of your relationship with Jake. You and Mason deserved a happy life with Jack and Aaron. You were so proud that this was the outcome you had. 

If there’s ever a doubt in your mind that you deserve better, you do, and you go find it. 

“When it comes to abuse, you believe there’s no way out. There is always help. There is always a way out.” – Donna Mulvey

Tags: @8crazy-freak8 @angelmather1 @rousethemouse @lex13cm @mrs-ssa-hotch @comfortzonequeen

[waterfire1848]

#8 Jin x Ty Lee

#22 Azula x Katara

Hello, anon!! Thanks for the ask!!

22 - two miserable people meeting at a wedding au

Katara stared into her empty wine glass. The drop of wine still left inside went side to side as Katara moved the glass. Somehow, even watching a drop of wine move was more entertaining than this wedding. There was no way Katara was going to say that out loud though. Not when it was her brother getting married. She was sitting at the family table, her parents dancing, and her brother and his new wife talking to the guests. It wasn't that Katara was angry about the wedding, not at all. She loved Suki and she knew she and Sokka were an amazing couple. It just sucked being the only single person at the family table now.

By this point, Katara had removed her heels and was just waiting for the clock to hit 9:30 so she could lie and say she had an important call in the morning so she had to go to bed early. It was 8:45 now, still a ways to go but not too far away. The 26 year old was content with just scrolling through her phone until she heard a voice behind her.

"That bored?" Katara didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.

Azula Agni.

Sokka must have invited her. He and her were pretty good friends in college and still stayed in contact even though she lived in the city. It wasn't that she and Azula didn't get along, it was just that they were always competing with each other. Whether it was in the classroom, a sports event, or even just seeing who could get somewhere faster, she and Azula were always competing.

When Katara turned around, her jaw almost dropped. Azula really cleaned up nice for her friend's wedding. She was wearing a floor length red dress, strapless, with her long black hair flowing down to her hips. Not to mention Sokka or Suki must have asked her to forgo straightening it because it possessed it's natural slight waves.

"Azula."

"Katara." Azula pulled out one of the chairs and took a seat, "I see you're just as bored as I am."

"What would give you that idea?" Katara asked.

"I saw you scrolling through Twitter." Azula explained.

"Fine. I'm bored. Happy?"

"Not particularly. Though it is nice to know someone is as miserable at this wedding as I am."

"You're miserable?" Katara asked.

"I am." She confirmed, "Despite our arguments, Sokka decided to invite my mother to this wedding as well." That seemed right. Whenever Sokka went to Zuko's house, he spoke to Ursa. They weren't friends in the same way he was friends with Zuko or Azula, but they were definitely close enough that Sokka might want to invite Ursa. Not to mention that Suki knew Ursa from her gym and they had met when Ursa stepped in to defend Suki against some creepy guy. Suki certainly had no problems with her coming.

"And it's been that bad?" Katara asked.

"That's a way to describe it." Azula grumbled, "Zuko told her I left the wedding so now she's searching the building and parking lot for me. I'd give myself half and hour or so before she eventually gives up. An hour if she tries to go back to the hotel room and see if I went there."

"She won't just try to call you?" Katara asked.

"Already thought of that. I gave her my phone before I 'disappeared' so she can't track or call me." Azula grinned, snagging a piece of fruit off Katara's plate.

"Impressive."

"I do what I can." Azula smirked, "So, why are you so miserable?"

"Just not that fun being single at your brother's wedding." Katara explained.

Azula nodded, "I can see that. So you're planning to sneak out?"

"Pretty much." Katara took a look at the clock again. 9 pm, "I'm sneaking out in half an hour. Do you want to come with me? Your mom would never look for you in my hotel room."

"That's true." Azula seemed to be considering Katara's words before landing on her choice, "Sure. So, I'm curious, why didn't you bring that one girl you're dating?"

"What girl?" Katara asked.

"That girl with the pirate earrings and horrible hair."

Katara's eyes widened with realization, "You mean Jiang? The earrings are a family heirloom and chose to shave her hair." Azula only rolled her eyes.

"I don't know what it is with you and dating bald people. Maybe try dating someone with hair next time."

"Ha-Ha. If you must know we broke up a month ago. She wanted to travel the world and I wanted to stay here to keep working." Katara explained, "We decided breaking up was better than long distance."

"You're not wrong." Azula admitted.

"You've tried long distance? No, let me say that another way. You've dated someone?"

"I'll have you know I've dated a lot of people." Azula said, trying to defend herself even though she knew she was stuck in a lie.

"Who?" Katara asked.

"Chan, Ty Lee, Zirin-"

"You kissed Chan once then made him run away because you sucked at flirting." Katara objected.

"How did you...."

"Zuko talks."

"I'm going to kill him."

"All I'm hearing is that we're level in terms how how many people we dated. Two and two." Katara pointed to herself then to Azula.

"Fair, but I did still try long distance with Zirin and that did not end well." Azula's tone has shifted by the end of her sentence so Katara gave her a confused face, "She cheated on me."

"Oh! I'm sorry." Katara whispered. She could practically hear Sokka in her head telling her that this is why she had to learn to not get involved in everything.

"Not your fault. You didn't make her cheat. Bottom line, long distance sucks." Azula said.

"Did you come alone tonight?" Katara asked.

Azula nodded, "Zirin and I broke up a few months ago and I wasn't ready to date for a while and, by the time I was, it was too late to invite anyone to a wedding." She explained.

“At least we got each other. Better than being alone.”

“By a small percent but I guess.” That earned Azula a small wack from the woman, “Okay. Talking to you is better than being alone.”

“Thank you.”

Silence filled the air between them for a few minutes, neither knowing exactly what to say or do in the moment, until a slow dance song came on.

“Katara!” Kanna called, “Come to the dance floor.”

“Oh, no, Gran Gran, I really don’t think-“

“Come on. You need to have some fun. Get up and dance a little.” Kanna gave Katara one of those looks that just screamed that if she didn’t get up she was getting dragged to the dance floor by her ear.

“Okay, okay.” Kanna seemed pleased enough by the response and left, “Let’s go.”

“What is this let’s go? I have no grandparents forcing me to the dance floor.” Azula said.

“No. You have me. Come with me or I call Ursa and tell her where you are.” Azula’s face turned to a scowl, as if her expression alone would make Katara change her mind, when it didn’t she let out a sigh, “Fine.”

The two woman ended up somewhere off the right side of the dance floor. Thankfully, both had experience dancing before thanks to different events so the dancing wasn’t all that difficult. What was difficult was hearing romantic music playing while having to stare into each other’s eyes.

“Your eyes are really golden.” Katara whispered.

“Thanks.” Azula felt a blush cover her face, "Your eyes are very blue. Careful, someone might get lost in them the same way they could get lost at sea and drown in an endless ocean never to be seen again... because your eyes are so blue."

Katara just stared at her, looking shocked. Who said that? What did you say in response to that? It left Katara confused, but, if she was being honest, also flattered and feeling warm inside. Despite it's odd delivery, Azula had just called her eyes beautiful. Wait. Azula did that mean Azula called her beautiful?

"Wait...Was that you trying to flirt?" Katara braced herself for Azula to laugh. To push her away and say no, asking where she had gotten that idea from. To roll her eyes and say she was just being nice.

She didn't expect Azula to blush even harder, "And if I was?" She asked, "Didn't know that was illegal."

"It's not. I just never suspected you'd want to flirt with me."

"And, now that I have, what will you do?" Azula asked, an eyebrow raised almost like she was already judging Katara's choice before she had even made one.

"I'll have to flirt back." Katara smirked.

"Now that I'd like to see." Azula rested her forehead against Katara's, "But can we do this in your hotel room because my mom just walked in."

Sokka and Suki, who had taken a moment to sit down and rest, had been talking with one another when Katara and Azula ran past them out of the room, holding hands. Suki groaned, handing Sokka twenty dollars.

"Never bet against me."

"They weren't supposed to get together until after the ceremony."

"I told you. I know my sister. She can never stay quiet about her feelings and Azula can't stop herself from being the world's worst awkward person when she sees a cute girl."

"And sending your grandmother over to make Katara dance?" Suki asked, "That somehow wasn't cheating?"

Sokka's eyes widened. He did not know Suki saw him do that, "Split the money."

Suki gently pushed Sokka's face towards her, "Deal." She whispered before kissing her new husband.