manxiosa

[anaalnathrakhs]

me taking radiation damage near my family, fully aware that they're despicable to be around because of traits and behaviors we share,

[dustofthedailylife]

You were not supposed to hear that...yet

→ Masterlist || → Taglist

Pairing: Alhaitham x (gn!) Reader

Summary: Alhaitham reveals a secret about the inner workings of his heart to his friends over a cup of wine and in between some banter. However, he did not expect it would go this wrong...

Tags: Fluff, crack, comfort, teasing, consumption of alcohol (by characters), the whole 4ggravate crew is here, friendly banter between friends, a small sprinkle of angst because reader is insecure (but it's unjustified)

A/N: Dust posting a new fic?! Not an April Fool's joke, despite the date! Finally felt inspired and well enough again to finish this fic that has been rotting in my WIPs forever. I hope you like it. And feel free to hit me up with asks and reblogs - it'd motivate me greatly after my long break 🥺

The usual friend group of Cyno, Kaveh, Tighnari, and him - Alhaitham, was sitting at the Tavern. A gathering like it happened almost every weekend at this point.

The wine bottle on the table had been emptied around two or three times already when Kaveh ordered a new one yet again. At this point, Alhaitham had actually lost count of how many glasses of wine he'd already had, too. But one thing was for certain, he could feel the alcohol in his system and the warm blood that was rushing to his cheeks. All things considered though, despite feeling a little tipsy from the intoxication, he was still able to think clearly.

"Let me guess I'm the one who will have to end up covering your bill again?" He took sarcastic a jab at Kaveh. 

The man in question just squinted his eyes and glared daggers at him before opening his mouth in an attempt to protest before it was quickly shot down by Tighnari's hand covering it.

Alhaitham leisurely leaned back in his chair smirking to himself, training his focus back onto the TCG cards in his hands and considering his next turn of action in the game he was playing against Cyno.

"What, am I just supposed to take it all the time and be quiet?!" Kaveh retorted, directed at Tighnari. The fox's ears were beginning to droop lower and lower as his expression became more and more deadpan.

"You all know as well as I do that if [Y/N] was here he wouldn't be acting like this. He would be on his best behavior and pay for the drinks without so much as complaining or being so cocky."

"By the way," Tighnari attempted to divert the attention away from Kaveh's ranting. "Where are they? Didn't you say they wanted to stop by the Tavern as well today, Alhaitham?"

Alhaitham played his round, throwing his card Cyno's way before looking up at Tighnari again.

"They mentioned it but I suppose something must've come up instead. I will ask tomorrow."

"Isn't it strange?" Kaveh addressed the others. "Whenever it involves [Y/N] he graciously offers himself up to talk to them and seek them out but whenever someone else is looking for him he is nowhere to be found."

"Maybe you just can't find me because I simply don't have anything to discuss with you." Alhaitham threw another jab at Kaveh with a smirk, which was promptly followed by a light punch against his bicep by the blonde architect.

"What? I constantly have to talk to you already when we're at ho-"

"SHHH! Don't say that out loud." Kaveh hissed, quickly covering Alhaitham's mouth in panic, since he didn’t want him to spell out that they were currently living together. “It's embarrassing enough that I currently have no other choice, no need to add to my misery.”

A witty quip was burning at the tip of Alhaitham's tongue after Kaveh's remark yet again, but he decided to swallow it. He didn't want to upset him too much, especially since he knew he'd had it rough lately. Even if it would've been said in jest, there was no need to add insult to injury. Instead, he simply resorted to taking another sip of his wine with a low chuckle and a glance in the blonde architect’s direction.

“Aaaaanyway…”, Tighnari cleared his throat, addressing Alhaitham once more. “What is it between [Y/N] and you anyway? You've become quite close haven't you?”

“That's an understatement.” Kaveh groaned, dropping his head on his folded arms on the table dramatically. “He can't stop talking about them. Day in and day out it’s [Y/N]-this, [Y/N]-that.”

“We started working on a project about six months ago. Things are progressing quite smoothly if I do say so myself. Certainly makes things easier if you're working with someone who is both hardworking and intelligent in every way. I’ve been lucky to have been assigned to the project with them.” Alhaitham answered Tighnari’s question rationally while ignoring Kaveh’s dramatic display.

“Here he goes again.” Kaveh huffed, directing his comment at Cyno and Tighnari. “Whenever he talks about them you hear nothing but praises.”

“If someone is doing a great job, is it not logical to give them the credit they deserve?” Alhaitham added matter of factly.

“No… I mean yes, but no. It's just not something I'd see you doing. It’s so out of character.” Kaveh huffed. “And before you say anything, yes, maybe I just don't know that side of you because I don't give you any reason to praise me. No need to add that, thank you.”

Kaveh poked his tongue out at Alhaitham before taking a big sip from his wine.

“Why, if you want to be praised you just need to say so, Kaveh. I think you're quite brilliant - your shortcomings aside.” He just had to add that last bit. Kaveh was just way too easy to tease. And what would this friend group be without the playful banter and jabs at each other?

Kaveh choked on the drink immediately and slammed his cup down onto the table with a loud clang. A fire burned behind his crimson eyes when he spoke next.

“This is exactly what I meant, thanks for proving my point!”

Kaveh looked at Cyno and Tighnari gesturing in the direction of Alhaitham with a move that said “Do you see what I mean now?”.

Tighnari just facepalmed and shook his head.

“And what is your point exactly?” Cyno inquired, playing a card from his hand.

“Did you not listen to what he said?” Kaveh gasped.

“Not really,” Cyno admitted honestly, his eyes trained back on the cards in his hands.

“It's the fact that he can praise others too, but never without also pointing out their faults in the same sentence. Did no one ever notice that? However, he never does that when it's [Y/N].” Kaveh explained.

“And?” Tighnari and Cyno replied in unison, looking puzzled as to where Kaveh wanted to go with this.

Kaveh put his head in his hand and groaned in frustration. “Sometimes you all make me feel like I am surrounded by idiots.”

Now everyone raised their eyebrows at him.

“You're all so clueless… anyway.” He sighed dramatically and accusingly pointed a finger at Alhaitham. “This guy. This admittedly handsome but blockheaded, know-it-all, stoic, annoying-”

“Get to the point.” Alhaitham chided, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Fine, fine." Kaveh spread his arms like he was holding a presentation and Alhaitham his canvas.

“This guy's right here, as alien as it may sound – has fallen in love.” 

“You're in love?!” Cyno exclaimed his eyes widening. “With who?!”

Tighnari rolled his eyes, knowing full well Cyno hadn't listed at all the past ten minutes because he had been so absorbed in his cards, and gently slapped the back of his head.

“[Y/N], of course!” The Forest Ranger exclaimed with a huff.

Cyno, now rubbing the back of his head just ushered a “Wait really?” while Kaveh and Tighnari just curiously began eyeing Alhaitham in the hope of seeing any type of confirmation on his face. However, it stayed as unreadable as ever.

He nonchalantly took another sip of wine from his cup while leisurely looking back and forth between the cards on the table and the ones in his hand before playing another turn as if this conversation just now hadn't happened.

“So!?” Kaveh asked, almost hysterically at this point. “Do you intend to enlighten us?”

Just how had he gotten into this situation now? Alhaitham suppressed a sigh before turning to Cyno: “Your turn. Two of your cards are down.”

“Archons!” Cyno cussed, immediately attempting to go back to study his cards but a fist slammed the table harshly, drawing all attention to it.

Tighnari flinched in shock and Cyno, too seemed to be pulled back to reality. Kaveh’s hand was trembling slightly, visibly agitated.

“Stop changing the subject, Alhaitham. The more you keep avoiding answering the question the more I think I am right in my assumptions.”

Alhaitham pinched the bridge of his nose beginning to truly feel a little stressed by Kaveh’s insistance. The man was truly too nosy for his good.

“Kaveh, just let it be if he doesn’t-” Tighnari began before being cut off by Alhaitham.

“And what if you are right? What then, Kaveh?”

Everyone at the table fell silent and everyone was staring at him with a mix of disbelief and shock.

He hadn't planned to reveal any of this yet, especially since he feared they would try to become his wingman. Which, admittedly, may be a nice gesture on paper but with them it could only end in disaster. Plus he would prefer to deal with his feelings alone first and think them through thoroughly, before talking about them with anyone. Besides, it should be you, if anyone, who should hear about them first - alas he was too deep into this now to weasel his way out.

“What?!” Kaveh’s mouth hung open in shock.

“So it is true then?” Cyno inquired, putting the card in his hand down on the table, now suddenly fully hooked on the tea that was being spilled.

“Hold on. Pause.” Kaveh sat upright, before quickly gazing over Alhaitham’s shoulder. “So you-”

“For Archon’s sake.” Alhaitham was beginning to get annoyed because he didn't know how much clearer he had to become for them to get it. “Yes - I’ve been in love with them. For a while now-”

“Alhaitham-” Kaveh tried to interject.

“No, don't interrupt me now, you pestered me about it for the past twenty minutes now you'll have to listen. I have never met anyone who is so hardworking, intelligent, and stunning in any way. Of course, I would be infatuated with a person like them. It would be hard not to fall for them.”

“Uhm Alhai–” Kaveh laughed awkwardly before being interrupted by Alhaitham’s ongoing monologue once more.

“At first I wasn't sure about it but I am now. I am thinking about them first thing in the morning and last thing when I go to sleep - unless you're hammering away on some project again that keeps me awake, Kaveh.”

Kaveh waved for him to shut up already but Alhaitham didn't let that bother him. If he wanted the full story with all the details - he'd get it. He hoped that would get this discussion out of the way once and for all.

“And guess what? They even remembered how I liked my coffee just after I told them once and gifted me a book that I had been trying to find for weeks. So yes, Kaveh. I love [Y/N]. There, does that suffice now, or?”

Kaveh let out a squeal as soon as Alhaitham had stopped speaking but upon further inspection of his expression, it hadn't been one of excitement but rather pure terror and awkwardness. 

“Alhaitham…” Cyno and Tighnari said in unison and he only then noticed as well how their gaze was trained on a spot behind him.

“What?” Alhaitham inquired, curling a brow up in confusion before all three men pointed their fingers at something behind him.

When he turned his head around to look at what they were trying to show him, he felt his heart drop to his stomach for the first time in ages.

To his utter shock, you were standing right behind him. Or rather, you were frozen in place, your hand still half lifted in greeting as if you had just been about to greet the lot of them. Your mouth was slightly open in shock still and your pupils were but the size of pinpricks and transfixed on Alhaitham.

And judging by your reaction you must've heard every last word he had said.

“I-I…” You started stammering, clearly confused about what you had just heard. “I uh-, I'll head back home.”

You abruptly turned around on your heel and marched straight out the Tavern door you had just come through as if someone was chasing you.

Alhaitham hadn't moved a muscle ever since he had spotted you standing behind him and he looked like he was frozen in place. Everyone at the table had fallen so silent, one would've been able to hear a needle drop.

Alhaitham's eyes were still fixed on the door you had left through. The little bell that chimed every time the Tavern door hit it on the way in or out was still dangling lightly from the impact. But the movement was dying down slowly but surely - just like Alhaitham, who felt like someone had dropped a boulder on his chest.

You were not supposed to hear that, yet.

“You uh…, Alhaitham you should probably follow them.” Tighnari was the first to speak again. He awkwardly scratched behind his ears. Cyno hummed in agreement while Kaveh just sat there with his mouth wide open.

Alhaitham exhaled in frustration, unable to properly place his emotions. But they were somewhere between unsettled, nervous, and discomforted.

When he got up it felt like someone had tied heavy iron blocks to his ankles that were weighing him down.

“Yeah, I guess I do,”  Alhaitham muttered before marching off.

When you stormed outside the Tavern the cool evening breeze gnawed at your skin and made goosebumps erupt all over. Although you weren't quite sure if it was the temperature or your emotional turmoil at play here.

There was no way Alhaitham had just said that and actually meant it. He wouldn't be the type of man to flat-out admit that he had feelings for anyone. Or would he? He had been talking to his closest friends after all.

You were questioning your sense of reality and thought you must've fabricated it all in your mind. Or maybe you misheard what he said and he was talking about something else entirely.

But no, he said your name, and the others looked panicked when you entered the tavern and approached the table.

As you rushed through the streets of Sumeru City the chilly wind kept whipping in your face. Not even you knew where you were going at this point. You simply went where your feet were carrying you.

But eventually, you realized you had run up the Akademiya and to the blue-green mosaic pavilion that glistened in the last rays of sunlight. The spot at which you and Alhaitham often spent your lunch break together. 

You sunk down on the bench exhaustedly and stared holes in the ground.

No way.

There was just no way.

Alhaitham. The man you had fallen for so hard that he had begun to occupy every waking thought you had. That man was supposed to have feelings for you and had just flat-out admitted it?

No, this simply had to be a dream. A bad joke. Or maybe even a bet between the group that they orchestrated to prank you.

You could feel your heart thumping in your head and it felt like your head was swimming. It was as if you had downed an entire bottle of wine by yourself, but you were as sober as one could be.

Yes, that had to be it. It was a bet between the boys over one too many cups of wine and they had all acted their parts out flawlessly.

You got up again walking to the railing, overlooking Sumeru city that shone majestically in the last remaining rays of sunshine that the day had to offer. Another gush of wind blew your way, making tears well up in your eyes. Although it may have also been your emotions who were to blame for that instead.

You inhaled deeply. Once. Twice. But nothing seemed to help calming the rapidly beating heart in your chest.

In your daze, you completely missed how someone had quietly come up to the pavilion as well.

Alhaitham leaned against the railing himself, looking over the city in silence, too. He was clearly ringing for words. Although you assumed the wrong reason for his struggle.

“Look,” you began, trying your hardest to suppress the tremble in your voice. “If you came here to apologize - please, spare me your words.”

He looked at you opening his mouth before closing it again right after with a silent nod. His cheeks were dusted in a light pink shade - you assumed it was caused by the alcohol he had downed at the tavern with the others.

“I hope that we can go back to normal tomorrow and just finish our project. I’d prefer if we kept our distance after that. I think it’s for the best” The words left your mouth at normal speed, but it felt like you had to force every single one out. They felt tenacious, like old chewing gum that you tried to pull out from in between your teeth.

“I understand.” He stated calmly before retraining his gaze back into the distance. 

You both kept standing next to each other in silence for a long while before you decided to confront him about it directly. You eventually decided it was for the best if you got things off your chest now so that you could get over him quickly. Ripping it off like a band-aid would hopefully give you the relief you so desperately craved right now.

“You know,” you began. “I don’t know who came up with the idea and I also don’t care, no need to tell me. But you guys should never do this to anyone again because you never know how much it might end up hurting someone else’s feelings.”

Alhaitham stood upright and turned to face you directly. He crossed his arms over his chest and slightly cocked his head like he always did when he was thinking about something you said.

After a momentary pause, he asked: “What do you mean?”

“I mean that you shouldn’t toy with someone’s feelings as a prank. It’s never actually funny for anyone but the people who orchestrate such a prank. No matter if the other person reciprocates the feelings or whether they believe the statement, they always end up being the one who is being ridiculed.” You explained as rationally as possible, which was a stark contrast to the tempest that was raging both inside of your heart and mind.

“Especially when the person hoped to hear those exact words for the longest time, too…” You added. It wasn't more than an utterance under your breath - so quietly it was barely audible. But Alhaitham heard nonetheless.

“But I meant everything I said.” He stated matter of factly, seemingly catching on to the fact that you must’ve assumed the wrong things about the whole situation.

“What?! Alhaitham, please, there is no need to add insult to injury. You had your fun now–”

“No.” He gently took your hands in his, exhaling heavily. “Archons, you weren’t supposed to find out like this.”

He rarely swore which made the impact of his words even stronger.

“I wanted to tell you face to face and was waiting for the right moment to do so. But, just know that every word you heard and everything I said back at the tavern was the truth. No bet or scheme made me say it. Not that anyone would be able to make me say these things in the first place.” He sighed once more, giving your hands an emphasizing squeeze. “I meant it.”

“You did?”

“Every word.”

You felt the blood rush to your face and immediately lowered your gaze in an attempt to hide your flusteredness.

“Had I known this would happen, I would’ve told you everything right from the start. I don’t like how this went now but–”, he moved his hands up to cup your face. His beautiful turquoise eyes trained on no one but you. 

“I’m absolutely certain I like you. You drive me crazy. And I love and hate how much you occupy every waking thought of mine because I can’t focus on anything when you’re around. And when you’re not, you’re still always on my mind. So please – be mine.”

Do not repost, copy, translate or edit - © dustofthedailylife || reblogs, comments, and asks about Genshin or my fics are always greatly appreciated and motivate me! Maple dividers are mine - do not copy.

[lovebugism]

I love the steddie dynamic so much! What about one where the reader and one of the boys (you choose) are arguing with each other? How would Steve/Eddie react?

BIZARRE LOVE TRIANGLE | crossing a line

summary: you and steve have a tendency to argue like you're teenagers again. pairing: steve harrington / f!reader / eddie munson word count: 1.7k warnings: a hint of angst, allusions to sex, barely proofread a/n: i'm so glad you like it because i simply cannot stop writing for them. let the steddie universe commence!

You and Steve had the worst tempers, Eddie concludes. He figures it's because you two have been together for so long. Where he was typically quiet in his anger — a little passive aggressive with a hint of cruel sarcasm — he was still a simple man. All he really needed was a kiss on the cheek and an apology and he was golden.

You and Steve were meaner. Louder. When you two were angry at each other, it’s like you wanted everyone else to know about it. It had to became everybody else’s problem too. It was all slammed doors and cold shoulders and silent treatments. You and Steve held grudges and tended to them like little pets — it was almost laughable how long you two could stay mad over something so little.

Eddie was careful, though, never to choose sides.

It was how this relationship worked after all. Everything was equal. Always. He doesn’t want to tip the scales.

So he stays mostly silent while you and Steve bicker back and forth about the latter boy missing date night. The dinner was tense enough, full of sharp jabs and one-word responses, but the drive back was somehow worse. Maybe because it lacked all the stupid little quips from the both of you. It was totally silent. Eddie even tried putting in your favorite mixtape, but it didn’t soothe the sulking girl in his backseat.

You barely even waited until the car stops to get out. You slam the door so hard it shakes. Stomping to the front door, you spend too long fishing for your keys in your purse because you're too angry to take a second to look for them. And when you find the key ring you miss the lock one, two, three times. They hear the bang of the shut door all the way in the car.

You don’t even look to see if the boys are following you.

Eddie sighs deeply, bringing his chin to his chest. He turns slowly to Steve who's sitting quietly in the passenger seat next to him. “Take a breath before you go in there, man. Alright?”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” the brunette boy shrugs with a jutted out lip. He smells like expensive woody cologne and wine. His eyes still glimmer with the faint tinge of alcohol on his tongue when he looks over at him. “I’m perfectly fine.”

“You’re upset,” Eddie corrects. “And she is too. So just… don’t make it worse.”

Steve doesn’t listen, of course. But then again, when does he ever?

They enter the house just moments after you. The two boys become silent spectators to your antics. Everything you do, you do angrily — you rip off your coat and throw it to the couch, you toe of your shoes so rough you scratch the backs of your ankles, you even fill up the dog’s water bowl with a scowl.

Ozzy doesn’t seem to mind though, as he laps happily at the fresh dish in the kitchen.

“There’s the tantrum we’ve been waiting for,” Steve comments to Eddie, purposefully loud enough for you to hear. You can hear the stupid sarcastic smile in his voice.

You’re about to storm off down the hallway, but that stops you in your tracks. You turn on your heels to look at him. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“I just said not to make it worse,” the wild-haired boy sighs in annoyance.

“You were an hour late to dinner, Steve!”

“The meeting ran late!” he yells for the hundredth time, angered that you're still blaming him for something he couldn't control. “What was I supposed to do?”

“Literally anything else! We had to wait for you like idiots! The world doesn’t revolve around you anymore, you know that, right? You’re not King Steve, me and Eddie can’t just sit on our asses and wait at your beck and call—”

“Holy shit,” the boy laughs cynically under his breath. “You sound like my mother right now.”

“Oh shit…” Eddie mumbles to himself.

You’re practically gaping at Steve, wide-eyed in bemusement. “You’re mother?” you thunder once his words finally hit you. It feels like a fucking freight train.

Steve knows he’s crossed a line with that one. Your face burns hot, more so in embarrassment than anger — maybe a healthy mixture of both — and he feels the fire of it radiating off of you. He said it to hurt you, after all, but not that much.

“Okay…” he lilts with his hands on hips. He tries to smile, make a joke of it. “You know that's not what I meant.”

“Yes, it was,” you argue. When you roll your eyes, he sees how glassy they’ve gone, all shiny with unshed tears. You’re stomping off before either of them can comfort you.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he tries to call after you.

“Fuck you!” you shout back.

Steve looks to Eddie then, with a sheepish chocolate gaze and a small “you were right” sad sort of smile. The latter boy just shakes his head. “You know just how to get under her skin, don’t ya, big boy?”

He tests the water as shuffles towards Eddie, trying measure whether or not he’s angry at him too. The dark-haired boy opens his leather-clad arms for him and allows Steve to melt into his hold. He’d figured as much, when Eddie was angry, you knew it.

Steve sighs against the boy’s shoulder, wraps his hands around his middle, and mumbles into the Metallica tee you'd gotten Eddie for Christmas the year before. “That’s what happens when you’ve been together five years, I guess.”

“So that’s what I have to look forward to then, huh?” Eddie jokes.

“Kinda. Yeah.”

He sighs. “That’s great.”

“You love us,” Steve quips at the boy’s disgruntled tone. He pulls back with a small smile and finds that Eddie's already grinning back at him.

“Yeah... I do.”

“I guess I should go and apologize,” the brunette huffs and parts from the other, looking like a kid that's being forced to do something they desperately don’t want to.

“That wouldn’t the worst idea you’ve ever had,” Eddie responds with a nod, scratching at his stubbly chin to conceal his smile.

Steve finds you in the bedroom, of course, in the middle of peeling of your dress. The lace underwear you were wearing beneath it goes next. He feels like shit for not being the one to take it off of you first. 

You know he’s behind you, but you don’t seem to care too much, or maybe you just ignoring him altogether.

You’re still bare as you rifle through the too large dresser all three of you share. It was organized once upon a time — the top three drawers for underwear, the middle for sleep shirts, the bottom for lounge pants — now it’s just a mismatch of all of your stuff. It didn’t really matter in the end, you ended up sharing everything anyway.

You pull on a pair of Eddie’s boxers and then an old, faded Hawkins Phys Ed t-shirt. You don’t realize its Steve’s until it’s already over you and he sees you scowl about it in the mirror. 

He closes the door behind him, but not enough to latch all the way, as he walks further into the bedroom

“Baby,” he starts.

You’re not having it. “Go away,” you grumble like the cutest little storm cloud.

“I’m sorry.”

“Well, I don’t accept your apology.”

“Baby, c’mon,” he says with a little laugh at your words. “I’m sorry.”

He takes you in his arms and holds you against his front so he can press his face into the side of your neck. You’re still frowning, but melting into his warmth with each passing second. He can feel you start to relax against him and you can feel his smile forming against your skin.

You convince yourself that you couldn’t move even if you wanted to. That's why you're letting him touch you. Not because he holds all of his love in his hands and radiates a gentle warmth that soothes you almost immediately. Obviously not.

“I can’t believe you’d do that to me,” you mumble into the quiet, fidgeting with your fingers beneath his arms.

Steve feels you lean your head against the side of his own anyway. His sigh brushes against your collarbone. “I promise I’ll try and call ahead next time—”

“I’m talking about you calling me your mom.”

“Oh,” he laughs against you and then stops when he feels you tense in his hold. It's not funny to you. He grows serious again. “I only said that to make you angry.”

“Well, it worked,” you murmur.

“I know it did,” he concedes and rises from the solace of the nook of your neck to rest his chin on your shoulder. It bobs with each word that leaves his mouth. “I’m really sorry. It was mean. I was totally out of line.”

“I don’t know if I could ever forgive you,” you turn your eyes to the ceiling dramatically, a playful smile pulling at the corners of your lips.

He knows your fucking with him now, but he goes along with it anyway.

“I think I could make it up to you,” he mutters against your skin, pressing wet, warm kisses down your neck and then peeling back the collar of your t-shirt to sprinkle them on your bare shoulder too. Your skin cools in the places where his lips leave you, causing chill bumps to rise in his wake.

“Well, yeah, that would only be fair,” you sigh dreamily, like you’re concocting a fantasy of your own in your head. Steve can only wonder what you’re thinking as you spin in his arms to face him, pressing yourself further against him.

His eyes grow heavier and he draws his lip between his teeth at the sheer expectation of what you might make him do. He’ll do anything you asked him to. All of it.

You still make him feel like a teenager in that way. In how he could have you all the time and still never get tired of you — how you feel, how you taste.

You know it, too. That’s why you get all breathy on purpose, wrap your arms around his shoulders and stand on the tips of your toes so your wine-coated breath fans against his jaw. 

“I want you to…” you trail off but he’s already nodding anyway. He probably doesn’t even realize it. It makes you smirk. “…drive to Family Video and pick up every Molly Ringwald movie you’ve got on the shelf and have a movie night with me and Eds.”

Steve mourns the loss of the moment with a groan as he tosses his head back. “You know I hate those movies!” he whines dramatically, neck bare and adam’s apple bobbing. You grab his jaw in your hands and pull him to you so you can press a kiss to it. The skin is rough and stubbly with a five o’clock shadow.

“And I love ‘em. That’s why it’s a punishment, Stevie,” you tease, and tilt his face down so you can kiss the tip of his nose. He barely has the chance to respond to your touch when you peck his lips because you’re already skipping out of the bedroom. “Eds! Can you make some popcorn, please?”

have anymore steddie thoughts? or just thoughts about my writing/requests in general? leave them here if you want! ꒰◍ᐡᐤᐡ◍꒱

[autumn816]

gewis in 47 +51

Not a date + Accidentally married

“Alright, what’s—”

Alex pauses when he finally catches a sight of the scene in front. George is leaning against the headboard, the blanket pooled around the lower half of his body while Lewis is laying down on his stomach, the blanket covering shoulders down.

“I know we joke about being a package deal, George, but I’m not being involved in this. I have a girlfriend whom I love very much.”

Lewis lifts his head from his pillow. “You’re giving yourself too much credit to even think we would involve you in this.”

Alex gets offended. “Fuck you! I’m great in bed.”

“Okay,” George steps in, “we don't have time for this. Did you bring some clothes for us?”

“No,” Alex says sarcastically. “I just decided to carry this huge bag with me for no reason.”

“Alex,” Lewis says, “it’s far too early in the morning for us to listen to you so stop talking.”

“It’s 1 in the afternoon. And you should be nicer to the guy who has your dignity in his hands right now.” Alex shakes the bag he is holding. “I can take these with me and then you can walk out of this room naked.”

Lewis snorts. “Is that supposed to scare me? If anything, I’ll be doing people a favour. Give them something to look at. No one would complain.”

Both George and Alex stare at Lewis.

“You know It’s true, man.”

“All I know is how big your ego is.” Alex rolls his eyes.

Lewis opens his mouth to say something but George steps in again. “Alex, just pass over the bag.”

“Say please.”

“I’m this close to smacking you.” George brings his thumb and forefinger as close as possible. “Do not test me.”

Alex grins. “Did Lewis not fuck you hard enough last night? I thought sex is supposed to help with all this tension.”

Lewis laughs while George reaches behind to pick his pillow and throw it at Alex but his best mate ducks.

“See, I know you so well I knew that—”

George pulls the pillow underneath Lewis’ head and throws it at Alex, hitting him square on the face.

“Ow!”

“Why did you have to use my pillow?”

George ignores the whining of the two. “The bag, Alexander.” He stretches out his arm.

Alex drops the bag on the floor. A big thud echoes in the room. “Is that—Is that a ring on your finger?”

“Yes.”

Alex climbs into the bed, forcing George to shift closer to Lewis.

“You have a ring on your finger,” Alex accuses.

“Yes, I know.”

“Why?”

“We accidentally got married last night,” Lewis quips, enjoying Alex’s reaction.

“You’re not funny.”

“Not even trying to be.”

Alex leans over George to wrestle Lewis’ arm from beneath his head.

“Alex,” George groans when Alex’s pointy elbows and knees whack him until he finally sees a matching ring on Lewis’ finger.

“Okay, what the fuck? How did you go from ‘it’s not a date. It’s just dinner’ to “we accidentally got married last night”?

George and Lewis had decided to go out for dinner in the chaos of Charles’ wedding week. They had reached the end of their straw being around so many people and needed a quiet night away so they got dinner together.

“Alcohol happened. Now, go away.” Lewis wraps an arm around George, hiding his face into the younger man’s waist.

George smiles, running his hand through Lewis’ curls and scraping at his scalp.

“I can’t believe I missed my own mate’s wedding. You have to get married again.” Alex gets comfortable on top of the blankets, plastering himself on the other side of George. “Also, you need to brush. Your breath reeks.”

“What part of ‘go away’ did you not understand? This wasn’t an invitation for yourself, Alex.”

“I just found out you two got married. I need to know everything. Tell me everything.”

—

I know there isn’t even much of the tropes but I started writing Alex and this whole scene decided to write itself. Whoops😅 Hope it’s still good :)

—

Mash-up trope

[anxious-lee]

|| Jayvik Tickle Headcanons ||

A/N: in the spirit of doing what I want, I decided to grant these fruity ass motherfuckers some tickle fluff. yes it is ooc but at least they're happy :,)

I use the words "you" in this list but that's just how my brain dialogue comes out fastest. the "you" is always meant to be jayce or viktor

This list is in the context that they are married, so if this isn't your ship, you might not like this list. oh and there's tickling but whatever

-----

- jayce and vik are both lee-leaning switches

- but viktor gets tickled slightly more often than jayce does; he's a grumpy cat man and needs the affection

- let's start with viktor:

- very very ticklish

- wasn't touched a lot throughout his life, so his skin is very sensitive

- a few skittering fingers can have him leaping out of his skin

- most ticklish spots are his underarms definitely. unfortunately his arms aren't super strong so while he of course does try to squeeze them shut to block the spots, it doesn't keep the ler out

- his ribs are his second worst. he's so skin and bones at this point that just massaging the bone through his skin has him laughing hard

- his laugh ranges from high-pitched chuckles to near-silent and breathy hiccups. jayce knows he's hit a jackpot when he hears the silent laugh

- idea from @tickly-trashcan that jayce will scoop viktor up and plop him on a counter so he can't escape his tickle attack

- tickly kisses are his kryponite

- viktor doesn't hate tickling but doesn't love it either. before he met jayce, he didn't like it at all. he thought it was undignified. he still does, but that's kind of the fun of it. what's the good in spending your life working if you don't let yourself play every now and then?

- will go along with it for the game of it or because he's simply too exhausted to fight back

- if he senses a tickle ambush coming, he'll start waving away his attacker (jayce) with his cane, threatening to bonk him with it

- i cannot communicate how cute of a lee he is. despite the cold exterior, he is a ticklish little puppy

- VERY squirmy. CANNOT stop squirming

- said it before but I'll say it again: ✨️ hiccup-laughter ✨️

- he doesn't like the fluffy kind of tickle teasing. if you must, go for snarky comments and sarcastic quips. that'll make him blush

- can't outrun his ler, so he's in deep shit when jayce is in a ler mood

- can't chase his lee either so escaping him is pretty easy

- which is why it's so sus when jayce still manages to get caught by him. almost makes one think jayce doesn't WANT to escape hmmmm???

- but back to viktor

- he is a shockingly good ler

- his hands have spent a lifetime delicately handling machinery so you know he's got some meticulous fingers

- very observant to what spots hit you the hardest

- teases you about possibly enjoying yourself because of how little you're trying to escape

- treats wrecking you like a scientific experiment. ("let's see what happens when I touch right... here" "hm. you seem to be very ticklish there. i will need to gather more data on this, for science, after all")

- remembers every one of your tickle spots. every single one.

- laughs with his lee. it's all just so silly and ridiculous ❤️

- NOW ONTO JAYCE:

- bro isn't as ticklish as viktor but he is fucking BAD

- also doesn't have as much self-control as viktor in order to hold his laughter in in time. (I can't tell you how many times he's accidentally been prodded and he's let out a laugh in the middle of a council meeting. in an otherwise quiet room. viktor teases him about this relentlessly)

- similarly to when gets caught sneaking into his lab, jayce is terrible at talking his way out of getting tickled. he panics and says the most random shit in an attempt to distract the ler for long enough to get away. viktor is unfortunately too smart for it and it never works

- laugh ranges from adorable little deep giggles to infectious belly laughter

- does actually enjoy being tickles him but is completely humiliated by it. trying to get him to admit it is like pulling teeth

- exaggerates to viktor how much he DOESNT love it and is JUST going with it to be a good sport

- ^ says the man who sits perfectly still while getting his shit wrecked

- teases that point out how much he's having fun fluster him BEYOND SPEECH. BITCH GOES NONVERBAL AT THAT SHIT

- hides his face when getting tickled, even if just a little bit

- poor boi is so embarrassed

- most ticklish spots are his sides, which make it super convenient for viktor to jab his the end of his cane into his side at any given time

- second worst spot are his feet

- in a tickle fight, viktor is the one to call mercy most of the time

- jayce has the advantage of not being crippled and ill 🤷‍���️

- most ticklings between these two happen either when they're bored or restless in the lab or in bed as they're preparing to sleep

- jayce is not a great ler, but he loves to be one

- he is so addicted to making vik laugh to the point where it starts to get on viktor's nerves if he's trying to work

- jayce has SERIOUS ler moods. he doesn't know that's what they're called or that there's even a word for it, but they're there

- prefers to tickle with vibrations and squeezes

- teases viktor with things like "what was that? I can't hear you, can you speak up?" knowing damn well vik's laughing his lungs out

- ^ other oblivious and sarcastic teases are jayces specialty

- a very fast tickler. you think he's in one spot and then suddenly he's moved to another

- uses tickle hugs

- jayce first found out viktor was ticklish one late night at the lab when viktor refused to call it a night. jay tried bargaining with him to get him to go to sleep, but he wouldn't budge. exasperated, jay tried lifting him to bed, but when he pulled him up by his armpits, vik started to giggle and pull away. let's just say convincing viktor to sleep became a lot easier after that

- viktor learned jayce was ticklish a few weeks later. the latter was so enthralled in his notes that he hadn't noticed viktor was talking to him. after calling to him several times, vik hobbled over and jabbed him, right in his unprotected side. jay jumped in his chair with a half-laugh, half-yelp and asked vik what he needed, very flusteredly. viktor, amused, asked "what was that?" and proceeded to poke fun at him. jayce, absolutely mortified, wouldn't face him until he changed the subject.

- but they've both grown to appreciate the laughter filled moments they spend together ❤️

------

WHY CANT THEY BE HAPPY FOR ONCE?! 😭

[dollypopup]

i don't talk nearly enough about how great Colin is

-excellent fencer, clearly dedicated to it. great taste in puffy shirts 10/10

-brave af!!!! idk about you, but the very idea of being out at sea for several months pretty much w/ no one who knows me scares the soul out of me. bruh is out here on a ship headed to a completely unfamiliar place w/ not one shred of fear

-he's such a good brother? the way he supported Benny was so sweet? and all his little quips with Eloise? they are the sarcastic siblings for SURE. boxing with Greg? playing hoops w/ Hyacinthe? his 'I'm clearly Daphne's favorite'? i adore him

-calling Anthony an ass in defense of Marina was ICONIC

-let's be honest, he was a real one w/ Marina all around. boi was out here defending her left right and center. and that scene where they go 'That's a. . .rather long engagement. . .' 'Or simply romantic! :D ' was adorable. then his 'Why does anyone, marry, Brother? For love.' line? so earnest! heart in his hands!!! and even after it all went kaboom he didn't say a bad word about her. told her he would still have married her if she just told him and he meant it. said that with his whole chest, too. got a reality check from her when he visited and then when asked STILL said 'we could have done more for her' KING 👏 SHIT. may we all have an ex that respects us this much

-canonically the best dancer out of the Bridgerbunch

-loves his mum with all his heart and soul. that scene where he's walking her up the stairs and they're joking around is so wholesome. that scene where Violet is looking for someone to escort her and A and B all flee the scene but Colin steps up? our boy is so sweet

-his scene w/ Jack where he's all puffed up and imposing and tall af going 'how dare you take advantage of them??? fix this shit, NOW' and then turning around and bashfully going 'i rehearsed that speech for hours' when he and Pen could talk privately again WAS ADORABLE, don't even TRY to deny it

-multitalented! our boy can do it all: he sings! he dances! he writes! he drinks his respect women juice on the daily! he fences! he's fluent in sarcasm! he rides horseback! he has anxiety! he's a flirt! he can't stop snacking! are you not entertained?

-also his scene w/ Will where he's like 'no, i fucked up, i insulted you and i messed with your business. i'm sorry and i'm making it right' was sexy as hell. he didn't have to, he could have totally just let it slide under the rug, but he took accountability and made amends

-speaking of sexy: our little rule breaker! holds Penelope's hands in front of everybodyyyy! no glove no love, who? writes her (love) letters while he travels! doesn't give a fuck about propriety! does drugs! I LOVE HIM

-so much integrity. when he messes up he takes full responsibility for it. he's nice as hell to Phillip, encourages his interests, nerds out with him. Stuck his whole neck out for Pen the Featheringtons. 'Do you think I would care that she loved someone else before? That would make me a hypocrite' apologizing to Pen before leaving for his tour. telling her she inspires him. is always there to escort his mum. everything good.

-lost and aimless, my beloved. he's just a dweeb putting on a front and it's so wonderfully relatable

-i love his hero complex. yeah, i said it!!! Dancing with Pen after Cressida spills the drink? HOT. Getting Marina away from the old dude clearly making her uncomfortable? HOT. Standing up to Jack? HOT. Getting Kate and Anthony to trudge along after that Pal Mall game? HOT. Daphne coming to him in the middle of the night demanding to know about the duel and him getting on a horse and heading out with her? HOT.

-he's sarcastic as hell. 'She likes me MUCH better than you, Benedict' 'Maybe he's still at the altar waiting for Miss Edwina' 'Of course not, you are *clearly* sober', Anthony: 'I wish to apologize' 'Are there locusts in the streets??? Blood in the Thames? Is the end of days upon us already?????' 'our host looks a bit fussy. do you think if he goes to bed we all have to leave?' and, of course 'Have you ever visited a farm?'

-he's just a lil shit w/ a heart of gold, how can you not love him?

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hey :> I'm new on tumblr so idk how to use it properly please forgive me if I do it wrong! I remember really being into twst a long time ago but then I stopped for some reason. Recently, I saw your blog and it inspired me to download it again! So I wanna say thank you so much, your writing's awesome <3 Anyway, I'm just curious - what are your favourite characters in each of the dorms? I know that you like Jade and Rook but what about the other dorms? Sorry if I'm annoying, you don't have to!

Welcome to Tumblr and back to the rabbit hole that is Twisted Wonderland!! 🥳 Hope you have fun with your return and continue to enjoy this blog and my writing~

Here are my favorite characters from each dorm and a quick rundown of why (under the cut because altogether it’s lengthy):

From Heartslabyul: Ace!

My love for Ace is somewhat conditional. He’s my favorite of Heartslabyul largely by technicality because I don’t feel fondness toward any of the others in the dorm unless they’re interacting with specific other characters. For example, I love Trey having to play the straight man in a comedy duo whenever he’s with really “out there” classmates like Rook or Lilia. However, Trey as an individual character isn’t as interesting to me.

Ace can stand strongly on his own. He gets on my nerves at times, but I can appreciate his blunt honesty and I sometimes find myself cheering him on when he’s getting all up in someone’s business. His mischievousness nets him trouble, but I never stay mad at him for too long. Ace has a delicate balance of cheer and cheekiness that wakes me right up and keeps me on my toes!

From Savanaclaw: Leona Ruggie! 😌

I admire Ruggie for his work ethic and how he stays upbeat in spite of his circumstances. He's very street-smart and quick on his feet, which makes him a joy to watch, whether getting up to trouble or throwing quips at his classmates. Moreover, I love how there's a logical explanation as to why he acts the way he does. Having come from an impoverished neighborhood, he values practicality and finding a use for things people would usually disregard or throw away. I really understand where he's coming from. I also find the reason for Ruggie's "greed" to be much more compelling than most other characters with the same vice. For Ruggie, money is a matter of survival and security; he doesn't seek out wealth out of pure gluttony or greed but because he seeks a genuine better future for himself and those he loves. It puts a lot more weight into those "funny haha" moments where Ruggie's talking about how he can't relate to the wealthy.

... *pained groaning* Alright, I’ll cut the bullshit for a second and talk about he-who-shall-not-be-named.

I have an intense l*ve-hate relationship with L*ona. He used to be a character I didn't really care for (mainly because of how poorly written he was in episode 2 of the main story). As new content has come out (especially around episode 6, but no spoilers), I gained a newfound appreciation for him and his growth. I find that I like him best when he's not squandering his potential (although character-wise, I understand why he does) and utilizes his intelligence, and/or acts like a good leader and upperclassman to others. Sometimes there's content where L*ona doesn't even physically appear and it's just others talking about how they admire him or look up to him (Epel's Union Birthday/Birthday Jacket being one such example), and those kinds of lines really get to me 😭 The grumpy old man side of L*ona, his effortlessly sarcastic edge (like when he claims he's a lost child or a delicate prince that bruises easily), and how petty he gets toward his rivals are also fantastically hilarious. When I really think about it, he can be funny but he is also such a complex character (not that the others aren't, it's just that L*ona's kind of complexity is one I find really interesting). It's just... the way he usually presents himself (arrogant, prideful, and lazy) does him no favors in my eyes. It's a matter of personal taste, I just don't like those traits in a character. Every time he opens his mouth, I don't know whether I want to close it for him again or if I should just let him talk anyway despite how aggravating the results may be. It's similar to how I feel about Ace, except with Ace it feels a lot more juvenile so it hurts slightly less (whereas L*ona, a jaded adult, may bruise my own ego lol).

ANYWAY 🤡 I'm not going to say anything more than that because I don't want to prove my friends right about going from hating to l*king someone I basically swore I would never look up to/find attractive.

From Octavinelle: Jade!!

… Do I need to explain why 😂 J-Just read this post… You’ll see… a sneak peek into my brain wrinklies…

FUNNY (?) STORY: My favorite in Octavinelle (and overall in the cast) used to be Azul!! … But then I dropped him for his right-hand man, which is a joke that persists in my circle of friends to this day.

From Scarabia: Kalim!

(Honorable mention goes to Jamil!)

Whether I lean to Kalim or to Jamil depends on my mood, but most of the time I prefer Kalim. Sometimes I feel very motherly, in which case I’ll want to nurture and cherish Kalim. He has the kind of smile I want to protect from deception and bad things. He’s also naive enough where I worry if he doesn’t have someone with the right intentions teaching him, then he’ll fall prey to something nasty 🥲

Other times my patience is wearing thin and I don’t have the energy to “deal” with Kalim and his extravagant wants/needs. In those moments, I find that I relate more closely to Jamil, who is constantly worked to the bone and exasperated (yet has to hold his frustration in for the sake of maintain a professional veneer). Jamil falls into some bodyguard/butler tropes which I usually love, but part of me feels guilty about it since… well, Jamil doesn’t enjoy his position in life. It feels like some of my feelings toward Jamil comes from a place of pity rather than genuine love for him.

From Pomefiore: Rook!

What I love the most about Rook is his positivity and how he smiles even in the face of danger. He helps me look on the (reasonably) bright side of things even if things are bleak. There’s a rare comfort to be found in that, and it has actually helped me cope with some pretty tough situations.

Rook definitely comes off as too excessive in how he expresses himself, but I find it charming (he’s a one-man show!). This, as well as his aforementioned optimism, creates funny contrasts with the other characters—but as frivolous as he comes off, Rook can still mentor and pull through for others when they need him. There’s still so much left untold about him, and I’m really curious to figure out what he’s hiding 🫣

From Ignihyde: Ortho!!

Ortho’s in a very similar boat as Kalim; he’s the (sort of) innocent son I want to protect. I like how supportive Ortho is with Idia—he’s devoted in a way that’s hard to describe with words. Even if Ortho’s “just a robot”, you can tell how sincere his feelings and motivations are, and just how much he cares for those around him. (nxbdnwbdks though I also find it really funny when Ortho acts devilishly and uses his uniquely robotic traits to cause chaos 😂)

From Diasomnia: Sebek!

(A close second place goes to Lilia!)

Sebek has that sweet, sweet duality of looking tough and imposing but actually being a kinda pathetic puppy dog that only wants to be praised also he’s a bodyguard, what’s not to love about that👌 His smile is so cute, absolutely one of the best ones in the game!! I also find Sebek’s personality to be bracing—it's initially very off-putting, but something so familiar about the way he geeks out over his favorite person ever, and how he wants validation from those he admires. Sebek just has a... unique way to communicate (that is to say, he really doesn't), and I think that's pretty endearing.

Another immensely interesting aspect of Sebek is the insecurity surrounding his lineage and his identity fascinates me. This is usually the point that gets him written off by others as being intolerant—and while that’s true, I love the nuance behind it and how that plays into his character. It’s really complex and speaks to similar real-world issues. I’ve actually written a whole analysis on this topic, so I’d encourage you to read if if you’re interested.

I also like Lilia because we exude similar vibes (looking young but acting "old")—but even more than that, he’s the kind of person I want to be. His guardian and mentor role among the students is irreplaceable, and he’s the true “heart” that ties together Diasomnia (I’m a sucker for the found family trope). He’s wise, but he can also kick back and have fun whenever he wants! That’s the ideal retiree life, haha 😂

x jabsjxbskwnw You’ve probably noticed some patterns by now 🫠 I tend to like characters that fall into a few broad categories:

Characters with big brain cells and/or characters that rely on brains before brawn🧠

Characters that are cheerful and/or smile a lot 😊

Characters with strong duality or contrast

“Son” energy characters

Butlers and/or bodyguards in general

[wishing-stones]

how do you write for the guys? do you have specific ways you write for them or rules?

Yeah actually I have several things I keep in mind while writing them

When I write dialogue for Killer, I bear in mind that he's the quickest to act-- whether this is a reaction to something said, or actually doing something, he's almost always the first one to comment. He's also pushy, casual, and tends to order rather than ask. He speaks in proper case and with modern turns of phrase and slang. He's good with backhanded compliments and if that doesn't cut it, straight-up insults. He's also very sarcastic and throws quips and witticisms around freely.

Dust always speaks in lowercase and occasionally drops 'g's on the ends of words. He's quiet, so he doesn't get as much dialogue as the other do unless he's giving exposition, which he does from time to time. He's scarily observant, and doesn't miss anything. Sometimes he comments on it, sometimes he doesn't. He might even comment on it later.

When doing Axe's dialogue, I tend to make him contract words and not enunciate as clearly. He drops letters or has different words he uses (yer instead of your) to get the kind of gruff, deep rolling voice I have in mind conveyed properly. He's smart, too, but he's good at playing to those who would underestimate him for the head injury. That does affect his speech patterns, too. He'd sound a lot like Dust, otherwise. He also speaks in lowercase.

Cross is probably the one I'll have the hardest time answering this for. He's pretty upstanding and wasn't ever lazy, so he speaks in proper case. He's kind of similar to Killer in that he throws around modern slang and turns of phrase, but not as often. He's fairly reserved in what he says unless he's comfortable with the person he's talking to. He drops letters on occasion, but it's usually if he's not in his usual composure.

Baggs is the smartest person in the room at any given time. He knows it, too. (Or at least, he thinks he is and he's not usually wrong about it.) He speaks with proper case and lots of dictionary words. He doesn't tend to dumb down what he says unless someone asks for it in simpler terms ('English, Doc?') at which point he'll reiterate in easier terms to understand. He alternates between using contractions and not; if he's speaking quickly or around people he's comfortable with, he'll use them a little more readily. If not, he tends to use the extended forms (do not vs don't, cannot vs can't, etc.) OR if he's gotten wrapped up in some lecture or another while he's explaining things. He liberally abuses pet names, too, but the sweeter they are, the more likely it is that he likes the person he's referring to.

Nightmare almost never uses contractions. If he does, they tend to still sound very proper. ('I'll not, I've a(n),' etc.) He will use them if he needs to speak quickly, or if he's under great duress-- instances where he drops the propriety and becomes no-nonsense. He also uses large words, and his speech patterns are very antiquated. He tends to wax on about things before getting to the point of what he's saying, too, so sometimes I have characters call him out on that to make him stop. He picks his words carefully, and almost always says what he means. He also very rarely curses. (Damn is the most common).

And, just for kicks, the others;

Dream, similar to his brother, speaks in a pretty antiquated way, but he isn't afraid of using contractions. He doesn't do it all the time, but he isn't allergic to sounding slightly more casual (which... he's teased Nightmare about in the past). He also swears. He knows the impact of a well-timed F-bomb, and subverts other's expectations of him often. He takes great pride in doing so, actually. He is annoyingly observant and tends to skirt issues and doesn't speak plainly unless whatever the topic is deserves bluntness. He often leaves verbal breadcrumbs, cryptic comments, and noncommittal responses if he wants someone to come to their own conclusion.

Ink is incredibly casual in his speech patterns and use of colloquial phrases and slang. He speaks quickly, and if he's not putting up a front for whoever he's talking to, is annoyingly smart and accurate. He doesn't beat around the bush like Dream does and places value in being upfront. (Unless he's actively lying, which is hard to pick out anyhow because if he is, he just doesn't talk about it). He doesn't tend to think about things before he says them, which leads to trouble sometimes... but it's usually harmless. He doesn't insult unless it's petty. He speaks in proper case.

Blue speaks in uppercase, unless he's in an enclosed area (indoors, usually) where he switches to proper case for his 'indoor voice'. While not yelling, he is naturally loud. He speaks pretty casually, but is careful about what he says. He doesn't like being mean or hurting feelings, but... it doesn't mean he's incapable of it. He is just as sharp as any of the others and, similar to Dream and Axe, plays off of other's expectations of him being nothing more than an excitable recruit in over his head.

Error... is difficult. I hear his voice when I type his dialogue, so I place em-dases wherever I hear it skipping. He tends to skip more if he's under stress, angry, excited, or otherwise feeling a big emotion. I've typed his dialogue in zalgo text in the past, but I feel like using dashes is much better for readability and conveying to readers where I hear the skips. As for how he talks, he's pretty casual, swears often, tends to use shorter words (so he doesn't garble them) and doesn't... really use a lot of slang. He knows it, but he doesn't often use it. He speaks in proper case.

[clumsiestgiantess]

Ok, I caved. Here’s chapter ten, I love it too much to hold out on it.

all chapters linked here

[What could go wrong?]

Eleven months into friendshiphood, I woke up ecstatic.  It felt like the day I started visiting the other-world, happily oblivious of what was to come.  I practically counted down every minute, straightening out the last few details of my plan.  This included preparing a backpack for myself, where I stored a few things for both me and Erica.  School was out and I had invited her on a picnic to celebrate and spend the whole day together.  Once it was finally time, I jumped into the other-world, almost forgetting to make myself invisible in my excitement.  Just like so many times before, I nearly ran all the way to the cliffside that held Erica's mansion before realizing that I was probably causing tremors.  After a fast walk to the cliffside, I slowed down a few feet away.  Though it was more likely about a mile away to anyone else.  

Erica was already there when I got to the base of the cliff, where I’d told her we should meet.  The roof of her convertible had been taken down to enjoy the early summer weather.  Like clockwork, Erica seemed to sense I had arrived, despite my invisibility.  Invisibility!  Wait!  I was supposed to show Erica the way there!  I came to a stop next to Erica's car and knelt beside it, rapidly searching for a workaround to my dilemma.  "Forget that you have to stay invisible during the day?" Erica asked after I'd been silent for a while.  "I don't need to see you to know that you haven't thought this through."  "I have," I quipped, "I just.. I realized that I can't show you the way there invisibly.  I kind of assumed that it wouldn't matter because I could just tell you where to go."  She looked confusedly up in the direction of my bodiless voice.  "You can't just tell me now?"  "I could," I answered, "but I don't travel by car here, so I don't exactly know how to drive there."  Erica groaned, "Seriously?  You're the worst at planning things ahead of time."

We both sat in thought, trying to find a solution to my slight oversight.  How could I have overlooked this? I thought angrily.  I've been preparing all morning, all week even!  Finally, Erica let out a long, antagonized sigh.  She grudgingly got out of her car and stood in front of me, arms crossed.  "Do you have any pockets?" Erica asked, irritated.  "Umm, yes?  Why?"  "I can't believe I'm doing this," she grumbled, "but I- I do trust you, now."  She took a shaking breath, "I'll just..  I’ll ride with you."  

"Ride with..?"  It took me a moment for her suggestion to click.  I looked down at her, astonished.  "You're willing to ride in my pocket!?"  For someone who normally refused to be touched, this was a dramatically large step.  Her refusal, as she often reminded me, was not due to fear, but simply the fact that she wasn’t one for people being in her personal space, regardless of their height.  I wasn’t sure whether or not I believed her, because not only was my mistake on the first night we talked the single most terrifying thing she’d experienced, according to her, but touch is also how I initially control people as well.

Erica cleared her throat, dragging me out of my startled thoughts.  "Don't think for a second that I'll be willing to do this all the time.  I just..  You’ve been a good friend to me, and you’re more reliable than anyone in my world.  I think maybe I should try showing you a bit more trust.  You’ve earned it."  I nodded enthusiastically before realizing she couldn't see me.  “You have no idea how much that means to me,” I told her gently, bending over to see her reaction, “I don’t think I’ve ever told you how ecstatic I get after we part ways, knowing that despite how we met, you still have the heart to allow me to make things up to you.” 

“Heart?” Erica asked sarcastically, “I think you mean stupidity.  It paid off in the end, though.  Now I have a friend who can be almost anywhere and can help with almost everything.”  I sighed, rolling my eyes at Erica’s signature pinch of sarcasm.  “Almost?” I asked her.  She chuckled, “I’ll pay you a million bucks if you can step into my house, or any house for that matter.”  “Ok,” I realized, “I see your point.”  There was only one little thing about our trip to the surprise place I’d picked.  "I do have to stay invisible until we get there, though.  So, you know, don't freak out when it looks like you’re stuck in the middle of the air.  I’ll still be here physically, even though you won’t see me."  "Heh.  No promises."

With every ounce of caution I could muster, I set my hand down palm up in front of Erica.  She watched in open-mouthed silence as the grass in front of her flattened with the weight of my invisible hand.  "Whenever you're ready," I reassured her.  Erica hesitantly lifted a foot to test its surface, then scrambled up on her hands and knees, finding it too difficult to balance while standing.  "This is.. really weird," she observed as she steadied herself, "It looks like I'm sitting on open air, but I can feel this beneath me," Erica gestured to my palm as she spoke.  “This.. This is you.  I’m in the palm of your hand right now, literally,” she realized.  “It just doesn’t feel real.”  She glanced nervously up at me, her expression saying everything without her having to.  “Don’t worry,” I assured her, “I wouldn’t be letting you do this if I didn’t think it was safe.”

When Erica finally settled down, I started to lift myself up.  "Woah!" she yelped; I could feel her weight shift suddenly in my hand.  I froze, concerned.  "I- I'm ok," she said when she noticed I'd stopped moving, "I'm fine, just keep going."  I rose again, slower this time, until I was standing upright.  All the while I could feel Erica's miniature fingers digging into my palm for support.  

Once I stopped rising, she dared to look up.  Hovering a good other-world mile above the treetops, Erica could see the city outlined by the mountains behind it, faded with the clouds and the sheer distance between them and us.  Awestruck by the view, she whispered, "Wow, you can see so much from up here.”  Lifting her death grip, Erica rose to her knees and looked around, fascinated.  

Being my size, you get a pretty bird's eye view of everything.  Sometimes I forget how fascinating it all is from this high up.  I was so used to my relatively giant height that the view was natural to me.  In fact, it was the only way I viewed the other-world.  "That isn't even my full height," I told Erica as I watched her gaze wander.  "My hand’s only held out at chest level.  I guess nice scenery is just one of the many perks of being tall."  Erica sneered, glancing back at where she assumed I was.  "Tall?  I think you're waayy past 'tall', Alexis."  I laughed, easing my racing heart.  It was a surprisingly enthralling experience, and I wasn’t entirely sure if I was excited or nervous.  I mean, there was a whole person sitting in the palm of my hand.

We stood for a moment, Erica admiring the view for a little longer.  "If you want, you can sit out here instead," I offered.  She hesitated, then shook her head, "I'd be too afraid I'd fall off.  Maybe if my ride wasn't invisible, yes, but not now."  I nodded, "Alright then, pocket it is."  Pulling open the pocket of my shorts, I discovered that the interior wasn't invisible like the outside, which made things so much easier.  With my free hand, I held the pocket open, carefully lowering Erica to its edge with the other.  When I stopped moving, she crept over to the side and peered down.  The sensation was so strange, like a hamster or other small thing creeping across my hand, only she was very clearly human.  It was almost ticklish, and I had to bite my lip to keep from gigling; Erica would kill me if I did.  

She eased her way down before dropping to the fabric at the bottom.  Erica turned a slow circle in the small space, then shielded her eyes and looked uneasily up at me.  "You're fine," I reassured her, "Do you really think I'd let you get hurt?"  "Not intentionally," Erica muttered.  "Good."  Now that we were ready for departure, I let the pocket fall closed.  Before leaving, I picked up Erica's car — very lightly so as not to dent it — and placed it back in the driveway so no one would come along and steal it or take it off the side of the road.  Finally, I was ready.  I voted to take the easiest route over the most direct, knowing that the direct route involved jumping over more populated areas.  Thus making the trip longer than I'd accounted for, but it was worth not getting yelled at for being unnecessarily terrifying.

Taking the long way also meant avoiding the cliffs where I was attacked on my first day.  After a slight detour to avoid the site of my past trauma, we finally arrived at a crystal clear lake surrounded on most sides by mountains and forests — the same one I found while venturing around forever ago.  I slung my backpack down on the shore.  It became visible the second I let go of it, and I followed suit.  This was a mostly hidden, out of the way place.  I doubted anyone would see me.  

"We're here," I called as Erica shifted around in my pocket.  "Finally!  Get me out of here, being in this thing sucks!  I couldn't see where we were going the entire time."  "I did ask if you wanted to ride out here," I reminded her.  Erica grumbled something unintelligible and I slipped my hand into my pocket to fish her out.  The tight space made it impossible to let her step onto my palm like she had by the house.  I carefully slid my fingers beside her to lift her up.  Erica flinched at my touch as I carefully hoisted her out, pinched lightly between my thumb and pointer finger.

As I lifted Erica to eye level, I could feel her grip tighten.  Her lighthearted expression rapidly fell apart, eyes growing wide with fear.  Tiny hands gripped my fingers, trying to pull them away from her sides. "P- Put me down."  Her voice trembled, barely audible.  Why is she so scared all of a sudden?  Carefully, I knelt and placed her gently on the ground.  Erica scrambled away, backing off a few steps.  She had a panicked, faraway look in her eyes.  I lay down further, inadvertently trying to make myself seem smaller than I was.  "Did I do something wrong?" I asked hesitantly.  Erica had been quiet for some time, and every silent second worried me.  She'd been gazing out at the woods beyond me, to nowhere in particular.

Erica stilled at my voice; she shook herself as if arousing from thought and turned to face me.  "No, you didn't-  It's my fault.  I- I don't know why I freaked out.  It's.." she took a breath to stop herself from stammering.  "I know you wouldn't hurt me.  I don't know what I was thinking."  Erica turned away again and my heart fell.  Was this because I'd grabbed her that time on the cliff?  I had taken her out of my pocket in a similar way to how I’d picked her up that night.  Her position in my pocket made it hard for me to get her out in any other way; I didn't have much of a choice.  Though she just told me otherwise, I couldn't help thinking this was my fault.  I had likely just reminded her how easily I could put her life in jeopardy again.  

"I shouldn't have brought you here like this," I realized aloud, "I should've just waited to find the road here, what was I thinking?"  I guiltily moved to retrieve my things, deciding to just call off my plans. It no longer seemed like the best time to celebrate.  Erica’s right, I never think ahead.  No, I just never plan for anything to go wrong.  Which is awful because in this world almost anything can go wrong.  I internally cursed myself, angrily reaching for my backpack.  It had been a while since I’d messed up this badly, even with random strangers’ wellbeing — not even Erica’s.

Just as I was about to tell Erica to go and do whatever she liked without me, something light fell over my other hand; the one I was using to prop myself up with.  All of my dark thoughts vanished at once.  I froze midway to my bag and looked back.  Erica had put her hand over mine to stop me.  Her tiny digits barely covered more than an inch of space.  What is she doing?  My chest tightened.  I couldn't even breathe.  Any movement at all might scare her off, and I'd already frightened her just moments ago.  Never before had she purposefully touched me without being coaxed to.  

"It was my choice to do this, remember?" Erica asked uncertainly.  "Don't leave.  Please."  I wasn’t planning on going anywhere; I wouldn’t leave her here alone, but I guess it does look that way. Our eyes met and I tensed, unsure how to react.  My mind went completely blank.  We gazed at each other for a long moment; it went unspoken that she meant what she said, which was baffling to me.  I was so sure Erica would be snide about things, or at least tell me that she’d made a mistake putting that much trust in me.  Maybe she had.

Suddenly, Erica turned away.  With our small connection broken, it was like waking from a daydream.  "Thank you for bringing me here.  This is beautiful," Erica gestured to the lake, taking her hand off mine to do so.  Thus deeming it safe for me to move freely again.  I slowly pulled away from my bag, guilt and regret eating at me from the inside.  

Why would she want me to stay?  I’ve done so many awful things to her.  No amount of little get-togethers can really make up for it.  "I don't deserve this," I blurted out, “I don’t deserve your trust, or this trip.  Not after everything I've done."  My breath hitched on the last few words and Erica looked back at me pityingly, which only wrenched the guilt in my gut tighter.  A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.  "Well.." she began, "even if you don't deserve to be here, I think I do.  And I want you to be here with me."  "Why?" I asked, dejected.  "Only when you practically begged me did I stop controlling people.  You still haven't forgiven me for controlling you.  Don't you hate me?  I know you act all friendly towards me, but…  I don’t know, sometimes I wonder if you just do it to pacify me.  So I won't go back to what I used to do before you showed me otherwise."  

At first Erica seemed a bit taken aback by my question, then she shrugged, glancing away from me.  "Hate is.. a bit too strong of a word for it.  I’m.. I'm a bit resentful, I guess.  But it's not like my life was horrible with you controlling me.  Though I didn't like not having a say in things, you did take care of me pretty well on your own."  Erica mulled over what she said, almost as if she were shocked to hear it from herself.  "And I certainly am not pretending or ‘pacifying’ you," she continued suddenly, "I do mean everything I say to you, both the good stuff and the bad stuff.  When I’m not being sarcastic, that is."  

Soft chirps of birds and frogs filled the otherwise empty silence between us.  Erica, watching my growing downcast expression, motioned for me to come back down, and I lowered myself to her height again.  "I don’t hate you," she assured me, "I want to stay.  I want you to stay with me."  She walked right up to my face and I panicked, my heart pulsing in my neck.  Surely she could hear it being so close.  “Alexis, I forgave you a while ago. I- I guess I never actually told you that. I just need a bit more time getting used to things, that's all."  Erica smiled, "It's not every day you befriend someone who's taller than a building, you know?” 

Erica and I laughed lightly, relieving a bit of the silent tension.  I sat back a little, feeling the slightest bit more relaxed.  “Just stay here, alright?” I nodded.  "So how'd you find this place anyway?" Erica asked me, changing the subject.  "And what's in the backpack?  I didn't even know you had it."  “What, this?” I asked, mocking surprise.  “Well, let’s see here...”  Turning to my bag, I dragged it closer and started unpacking.  My confusing, self-pitying feelings would have to wait until later.  At least my worries about her not being genuine were debunked.

First, I put out a blanket by the lakeside beside me, sized to Erica, not myself.  Then came two meals, each in respective size for both of us.  "You got normal sized stuff for me?" Erica asked, baffled.  I thought about arguing how my things were regular sized and hers were just small, but decided against it.  I only nodded, shoving my empty backpack off to the side.  "This is my special 'please don't be mad at me I was only doing it for your best interests' meal," I explained.  "Ha!  Really?"  Erica came closer and sat on the picnic blanket I'd lay out, examining the food.  "Sandwiches," Erica noted.  "Your 'please don't be mad at me' meal is sandwiches and some soda?"  I shrugged, “It was repurposed.” She took a bite, "How'd you even get it this size?"  "I made a box that will turn things small when I put them in it.  Kind of like the neverending money box I installed in your wall at one point.  Wait.. is it- still there?"  Of course it is, I realized.  The thing was far too valuable to be thrown out somewhere.  Erica shuffled nervously on the blanket and turned to face the lake.  "Yeah..  it's still there.  But in my defense, I haven't done anything stupid with it since the first time I used it."  "At least I taught you something," I mused.  Erica snorted, whether it was in disgust or laughter I couldn't tell.  

There was a pause in our conversation so we could eat without choking trying to talk to each other.  The silence was much more peaceful now.  There was no one around to bother being invisible for either, and I enjoyed not having to hide.  The sky was dotted with a few fluffy clouds, which reflected off the still lake like a giant mirror.  It really was a beautiful day.  

"What's it like in your world?" Erica asked suddenly.  "Is everything ginormous?  How do things work without running out of power?  Everything must take so much energy to run at your size."  I could feel my face scrunch up in thought, quickly scarfIng down the last bit of sandwich.  "Well, everything's bigger in my world.  Not just objects or animals, the whole world is scaled to this size," I stated, holding up my half-drank soda for reference.  "So getting energy is fine, really.  It's not much more of a hassle than it is here for you.  My world is basically yours, just bigger."  "A whole world that big?" Erica whispered.  She was staring out over the water, though her mind seemed to be somewhere else.  "That's kinda terrifying.  I mean, I guess not for you, but for me?  Wow."  "It's probably similar to how I feel in your world," I mused.

Erica turned to look at me, startled, "What?  You're scared of my world?  How?  Everything must seem so small to you."  I nodded, "That's exactly my point.  Everything's so small here!  I'm always scared because I feel like I'm constantly just.. breaking everything I touch.  You saw yourself what happened with the parking garage.  I accidentally demolished the whole back side!  Albeit I was in a lot of pain afterwards, but still.  No one person should be able to cause that much damage accidentally."  "You're telling me," Erica huffed, "I witnessed your destructive tendencies firsthand and nearly shit myself, geez."  I laughed, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry.  I really was not planning on flattening that garage.  I've learned my lesson," I said, gesturing to my back.  My cuts were gone now, but I certainly didn't miss them.  “I’ve been a lot better at controlling the property damage I create by walking around.”  “That’s a relief,” Erica chuckled.  

I sat silently for a moment.  “I’m sorry.”  “For destroying stuff?”  “No, for scaring you earlier,” I replied, turning to look down at her.  “Like I said, you mean a lot to me.  When I saw how you reacted.. it felt like my heart dropped right out of my chest.  I would never have hurt you-“  “I know,” Erica interrupted, trying to reassure me.  She slid over to my side and placed her hand on mine, effectively silencing me once again.  “I know.  If that had happened a year ago, I might’ve told you to fuck off or something like that, but now…  Now I understand that you weren’t intentionally picking me up like that, you were just trying to help me out.”  I nodded slowly.  “It’s constricting and overwhelming when you do that, so obviously I freaked out a bit, but I wouldn’t have jumped to the conclusion that you randomly decided to turn on me unless I was a bit disoriented.”  “Sorry,” I repeated, “I’ll be more gentle from now on, I promise.”  Erica’s expression softened into a small smile.  I thought I heard her whispering to herself, but it might’ve just been the wind.

[liminalpebble]

Hi, lovely! 💕 I’d like to request a drabble featuring Magnus. Perhaps a smutty one? I’ll leave all the details up to you.

(You cannot convince me that boy isn’t a freak! He’s likely got some tricks that would make even Blanche Devereaux herself blush.)

Hello my love! Thank you for being a friend!

By sheer luck I did a raunchy as fuck Magnus fic not too long ago based on a brilliant prompt from @muddyorbs.

Her request was to put Magnus and OFC on a mission together and he finds a little vibe in her suitcase and things get spicy. It's a very hostile fucky situation and I imagine our girl as a Lisbeth Salander type because my queer little heart is in love with her too. Anyway, I hope this pleases your inner Blanche as you reach for the cheesecake.

Much love, '

Peb

Magnus Martinsson fanfic, Magnus Martinsson x OFC, smut!, one shot, enemies to lovers (well...fuckers?), hostile but very consensual fucking, Minors DNI

Word count: about 3000 (sorry...bit of a honker. Worth it. I promise).

--

Bullets

Mara rolled her black-lined eyes when the call from Wallander came in. “Mara, are you still freelancing? We really need a tech wizard on this one.”

“Cute euphemism, Kurt...points for flattery. You need a hacker who will do the dirty work so your little lapdog techie can keep his hands clean while micromanaging me.”

Wallander sighed, and quipped sarcastically, “Why, yes, Mara, I'm doing very well, thanks. How are you today? Still your charming self, I see. By the way, you're on speaker. ” He looked across the conference table to where Martinsson (said lapdog techie) was glaring at his superior for putting him in this situation yet again.

Mara's eyes scanned around her tiny apartment full of computer equipment and old band tee shirts piled in an ever-increasing mound of black cotton. In her own mind, she'd named it Mount Doom. “Oh you know, Kurt, living that rich girl high life,” she replied in a prickly tone, toking on the remains of a joint from the night before. “And whose fault is it that I'm on speaker, hm? Really. You should know better by now.” She blew smoke out in a resigned exhale, “Alright Wallander, tell that minion of yours I'm in. I'm sure he'll be delighted.”

Kurt raised his voice. “His name is Magnus, or Detective Martinsson and I'd appreciate it if you stop calling him 'lapdog' or 'minion' especially to his face as you seem rather fond of doing...”

“Alright Kurt, see you tomorrow,” she said interrupting his lecture to end the conversation.

“Charming,” Magnus groaned.

--------

“The same room?” Mara said, with an air of annoyance, hauling her bags up the hill to the rundown Motorlodge.

Martinsson sighed and said with an edge of frustration, “Yes Mara, the same room. We can't work together from different rooms.”

“Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot, minion! I know that, but I thought that at least when we're taking shifts we'd have our own space to rest. It could be days! It would have been nice if the police department had sprung at least for adjoining rooms. I'd even tolerate sharing a bathroom with you if...”

Magnus stopped in his tracks, putting a hand up so she nearly stumbled directly into him. “Can you please, please not do this? I'm just here to do my job, just like you are. Can we try not to be at each other's throats?” As he said it she couldn't help looking at his throat, that pretty pale neck and sharp jawline she'd love to suck on and bite and make him moan while...

“Mara!” he barked, snapping her out of her lurid daydream.

“Okay...fucking hell. Okay,” she said, shouldering past him to enter the little 70's time capsule of a room. He fortified himself with a deep breath, stepping into her wake.

-----

“Well,” she said, between sips from the paper cup, “At least the Bates Motel has a pretty decent coffee machine.”

They both laughed and smiled to each other, faces bathed in the blue glow of computer screens; a rare truce. They had set up efficiently, both very good at their jobs and surprisingly good at working together despite the personality clashes.

“See?”

“See what?” Mara asked, sitting forward to scan the screen.

Magnus put a finger on her chin to turn her face towards him instead. “See how nice it can be when we actually just have a pleasant cup of coffee together and work?”, he elaborated. It was adorable, she had to admit...those big innocent blue eyes and golden curls making him look like a particularly naive, hopeful and, possibly stupid, angel. But from his work and credentials, she knew he was far from idiotic; just sweet, gullible, optimistic. And as he was staring at her with that sweet dumb incredibly handsome face, it just made her inexplicably angry, like his kindness was some kind of trick.

She shrugged, and took a sip to avoid looking at him, then stated, “Their hard drives will take hours to clone. It's a waiting game for now.” She yawned and cracked her knuckles, stretching up from the uncomfortable chair to flop onto the tacky paisley comforter. A sliver of orange glow from the setting sun slid between the heavy curtains, illuminating her body, and Magnus couldn't help but notice that like that, in this wash of golden hour light, she really was very pretty. Yet, for some inexplicable reason Mara seemed almost determined not to be, with her prickly personality and tent-like clothes hiding her rather nice curves. What a shame he thought.

Magnus took the opportunity to move too, rising to his feet and stretching his long arms over his head. Mara peeked at him with one surreptitiously open eye to drink in the sharp dips and muscle of his lower belly and hips as his shirt raised, ever so slightly, to show skin. Why does he have to have the body of a fucking Greek god? Jesus Christ. Eyes wondering south, hoping to catch a glimpse of the rather generous outline in his pants, she saw where his service revolver was strapped to him in a shocking interruption of black metal and leather. It didn't suit such a soft, posh, pretty boy to be toting around a gun like some cowboy. Having come from a wealthy suburb, Martinsson could never understand the grip of fear firearms held on poor neighborhoods like hers. She didn't like guns, and she didn't like the criminals or the cops who didn't seem to mind using them liberally in her childhood neighborhood while everyone else was caught in the crossfire.

“Do you have to wear that thing?” Mara asked, gesturing to the holster. “It's only me. I'm like a foot shorter than you and you could probably kill me with your bare hands if you wanted. Are there bullets in it now?”

Magnus turned to her, eyes soft and considerate. “Well, yes. It's part of the job. We have to wear them at all times on the clock and they have to be loaded. And it's not you I'm afraid of, Mara,” he said, sitting beside her on the bed, looking at his hands. “It's you I need to be ready to protect if things go south.”

Mara turned to perch on her elbow and look up at him, genuinely swooning for a second before she recovered hastily, coating it with sarcasm. “Awww...my hero. This is why they call you The Prince Charming of Ystad? And I know damn well you're afraid of me.”

“Not afraid...annoyed. Are you allergic to having a single genuine moment of humanity between us? What have I ever done to you?” he huffed sounding wounded, and standing up again to pace.

She groaned, standing up to face him, admitting to herself that she had been especially hard on him, and she couldn't even be entirely sure why (or at least, she wouldn't admit why, not even to herself). “Look, Magnus, I'm sorry, really.”

“Really?” he said cautiously, distrustful and surprised.

“Yeah..yeah, really. I've been such a bitch to you.”

As Magnus spotted the unprecedented chink in her armor, it set off the explosion of a tirade. It finally released itself from his mouth after brewing for months and he was powerless to stop it. “Listen. I don't know why you're like this, Mara, really I don't. I haven't done a bloody thing to deserve this, neither has Kurt.”

Mara felt a little fizzle of fear at the mounting growl in his voice, and she felt a little ashamed, but also aroused. It was deeply confusing.

“I wasn't socialized enough as a puppy. Why the fuck do you think, pretty boy? You're cops. I don't like cops. I don't like what you stand for...your mindless conformity...”

Magnus' voice rose, “Did it occur to you that some of them, Kurt and I for example, chose this life to protect people? Because we care about people, even people like you who hate us. And I'm not saying you don't have a good reason to hate the police, but you don't have to hate us. We're on your bloody side. And...and you think you're so clever and rebellious with your bitch act and your black hair dye....and and...your edgy jewelry,” he continued, reaching down to her open bag where there was an unusual silver necklace, with a heavy bullet for a pendant. He lifted it saying, “Oh so you don't like guns and bullets, but you'll wear them to look oh so cool and fashionable? What a fucking hypocrite...”

Mara was thunderstruck (and frankly excited) by his anger but the end of his little speech made her want to laugh hysterically. He had no idea that what he was holding was a state-of-the-art vibrator, beautifully designed to multitask as a piece of jewelry styled after an actual bullet. She thwarted her chuckle to say simply, “Please put that back. It was expensive.”

Magnus blinked in confusion, as if slapped by her unexpected response. As he moved to put it back, one of his long fingers fumbled around it, accidentally pressing a hidden button. As he dropped it back on top of her bag of toiletries, it began to buzz. The detective narrowed his eyes, mouth agape as the gears turned in his lovely head. “Is...is your necklace...vibrating. Holy shit...is that a...”. His broad Cheshire cat smile unfurled across his face, as he began to chuckled in long breathy laughs.

Now it was her turn to be angry...not to mention mortified. She darted her hand out to switch it off, crossed her arms, and stormed to the other side of the room. “Oh this is rich,” he purred out in his deep delicious voice. “Why did you bring that? And when on earth did you expect to have the time and privacy to use it?”

She yelled, “That's none of your business! And I thought we'd have separate rooms.”

He moved closer, now standing directly in front of her. She felt that looking into his bright eyes might sear her like a laser, so she settled for looking forward at his chest. Then his long soft fingers, tucked themselves under her chin, raising her eyes to his, as he asked in a deep intimidating voice, “Mara, why did you really bring that with you?”

Fuck. She could see why he was so good at interrogations. This is the kind of man it was no use lying to. She sputtered, “Be...because I know it might be a few days and...”

“And?” he prompted, taking a step closer.

She fumbled nervously, “And...and...because I knew I'd be trapped with you strutting around with your perfect fucking body and your pretty fucking face and your sweet fucking disposition, and I'd have to take care of myself if I wanted to think straight...okay?”

His smile dropped even as the heat of excitement coursed through his body. Magnus could see she was flustered, defenses down, nearly to the point of tears. Finally it occurred to him; so this is why she was so mean, so prickly and defensive towards him... because she liked him so much. She was harboring a hopeless school girl crush and assumed all of his kindness towards her...his goodness...was some kind of joke to mock her. She ignored the reality that he paid attention to her because he liked her too. She excited and intrigued him, but that all turned to bitter frustration that she would never let him near her. He just kept encountering all that barbed wire around her and finally quit trying to breach it...until now.

“Mara,” he said her name reverently like a prayer, in a low gentle whisper, full of empathy and kindness. He moved his hand from where it still was propped under her chin, to cradle her face. Neither of them could say who moved first as they crashed together, but before they knew it they were latched onto each other's hot mouths, kissing, licking, biting, barely able to breathe and neither of them minded.

He moved to her neck, sucking it hungrily then growled into her ear, “You think that little gadget could hold a fucking candle to me?”. She moaned in response, sliding her shaking fingers to begin unbuttoning his shirt while he worked at his pants and his holster. He was peeled out in moments, looking absolutely mouthwatering in nothing but his underwear. Mara tore her shirt and bra off over her head, then pressed the swell of her breasts against his firm torso, while her lips rejoined his. Her leg swung around his waist as she licked up his throat, bit his earlobe playfully and said, “Pull my hair. Call me a bitch again...”

He was panting as he said, “I...didn't call you a bitch...I said it was a 'bitch act'...”.

She gathered his curls between her fingers and tugged while she bit at his lovely throat, drawing a nearly-pornographic moan from the young cop. “I said, call me a bitch, you pedant.”

It was adorable, how he struggled to get the word out. He was the type of well-bred man who had trouble calling a woman anything other than “Miss”, which made it even hotter when his eyes darkened and his mouth twisted as he growled out, “You delicious bitch” and wrapped his big hand around her ponytail, yanking sharply. She was grinding against he thick erection, teasing him, desperate for him, until he stopped her with a bruising grip on her hips and met her eyes. “You called me a lapdog, huh? Well, there's only one lap I'm interested in being in,” he said in a velvety purr as he tugged her pants and panties off of her, pushing her onto the bed completely naked, as he snaked between her legs, biting and sucking ravenously at the soft flesh of her inner thighs, breath ghosting against her soaked pussy. She wove her fingers into his hair with surprising gentleness as she sighed and writhed while he kissed his way up.

When he licked the first firm line up her slit she arched her back and gasped out, “Holy fuck,” while he chuckled against her skin and she could feel his smile.

“Mmmm...you're even more delicious than I imagined,” he confessed, and the idea of him jacking off, thinking about this only aroused her more.

He began to suck delicately on her clit and swirl his tongue, bringing her close to the brink in mere moments. She lifted his head gently and said, “Wait...wait.”

His big, bright eyes met hers, solicitous and concerned as he panted out, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah...yeah amazing,” she said, smiling, “I just want to come on your cock. I want to feel you inside.”

“Oh darling...” he purred as he crawled farther up the bed to kiss her, sharing her own taste with her. He stood up for a moment to slide his boxers off, revealing his cock (which was just as gorgeous as the rest of him), stroking it lightly in one big hand. “Jesus Christ,” she gasped when she saw it, big and flushed with a tantalizing drip of precum. She crawled over to him and taking it into her mouth hastily, dying to savor it. He groaned in ecstatic surprise at the feeling of her hot mouth around him, her clever tongue caressing the hard length. He combed his hand through her hair, chuckling softly, teasing, “eager, are we darling?”

“Shut up and fuck me you cocky little shit,” she barked out playfully, making them both smile. “Prove to me that that little trinket will never satisfy me again, detective.”

He pinned her on her back, caging her between his strong arms, “Cocky, yes....little...well, my dear, I think we both know that's just a bit inaccurate.” His tone changed as he settled between her legs, and his hand stroked her cheek gently. He asked, “You're okay? This is okay?”

“Yes...please...just go in slowly?”

He nodded.

Magnus eased in gently, as they both gasped at the decadent feeling of his cock inside her slick, warm walls, adjusting to each other. “Mmmm. God...yes,” she purred, stroking his sharp cheekbone with her soft little hand. Meeting his eyes she said, “Magnus?”

“Yes, darling?”

“Now, please, fuck me like a whore.”

It rough and relentless as Magnus drove into her again and again while her legs clamped tight around him, calves bouncing on the muscular curve of his ass as he moved. The wave of both of their orgasms crashed quickly and simultaneously as they rode it out, making a mess of the old duvet, and collapsing naked against each other, spent and smiling. Mara massaged Mangus' head as he rested it against her breasts. He trailed little pecks along the soft skin, sighing contentedly. She peeked over his lovely golden fleece to see where the blue-glowing monitors were still reporting their downloads in progress with lots of time to go. Idly she said, “Looks like this is going to take longer than we thought.”

“Oh no, whatever shall we do in the meantime,” Magnus chimed in from where he had begun lapping his tongue over her tits, as they both laughed in an all encompassing high of relief.

@smolvenger @goblingirlsarah I can't think who else might like this one, but feel free to share!

[muserryy]

LARRY'S LITTLE KITTEN

masterlist

☆•° Harry, Louis with his broken wrist and their Little kitten, blue. hope you enjoy :)

James invited Harry and Louis as well as some of his other friends for a fun and light-hearted lunch. Everything was going well and good but then they both ended up at the hospital.

Louis William Tomlinson is quite a sass-master and though he may be sassy and unapologetic, he's also one of the kindest folks you'll ever meet. He appreciates a good joke now and then but when people get on his nerves and tease him and make fun of his physical attributes, more specifically; his height. He always knew how to fire back with a sassy quip. 

After lunch, everyone moves to the outdoor space of the house and gets busy gossiping and stuff. The sun is up but the weather is still pleasant and comfortable. The sound of soft music playing in the background and chatting provides a delightful environment. Harry is sitting there being kind and all smiley, having simple talks with anyone while Louis is busy with his own friends and mutuals as he stirs the glass in his hand.

Harry's head turns to Louis when he hears his voice carried by a loud laugh.

"wanna bet? I am very speedy, you know?" Louis says as his fellows tease him. 

Harry frowns not knowing what they are on but he goes to Louis and stands beside him when a guy starts calling out everyone.

"What's going on?" He asks him in a whisper.

"A race." He replies.

"A race?" Harry frowns.

"They think, they can win against me just because I’m short… I need to prove them wrong."

Harry sighs and shakes his head. "You know you don't have to do it just to prove them?" 

"Harold!" Louis fake gasps. "Do you think I'm gonna lose?"

"I never said that," Harry rolls his eyes.

Louis sweetly smiles at him, his eyes almost shutting.

"You, my love, just hold my beer and enjoy the race." He says, handing him his glass and walking away as the race is about to start. 

The garden is approximately 30 metres long. They decide that the one end of the garden will be the scratch line and the rear end will be the finish line. 

"The first one to touch the wall will be the winner." A guy says, seeming more than excited ever. He then smirks at louis.

Louis keeps a straight face, not showing much of his expression as they take their positions. 

"on the count of three. "

one. two… three! 

Louis starts dashing as others do the same. Shouting started and the names of the sprinters were being yelled.

Harry places the glass down and intensely watches, especially Louis who is at the very first. His celerity is actually so high that his body doesn't slow down when he gets near to the wall. His palms make contact with the wall and his body jerks back from the impact and he falls to the ground. 

Harry immediately slaps his palm over his eyes. He already knew something was about to happen. When there is louis, there is a happening but little did he know it's even worse this time. Nothing like slipping into the pool when one day Louis and some of his mates were drunk and tried walking in a straight line on the edge of the pool or trying new skateboard tricks in front of his friends but end up falling on ground, that caused him a minor backache. 

Harry sprints to where the lads are now crowded.

"You see I won, I told you, I told you!" Louis stands up and suddenly feels a sharp pain in his wrist, causing him to yelp but that doesn't stop him from shading them.

"So now.. I thought I was shorty? I beat you. It must mean that you're shorter than me, right?" Harry hears his sarcastic tone as he gets near them. 

The guy, who challenged Louis, laughs breathlessly and pats on his shoulder.

Harry comes to the front, seeing Louis shaking his right hand. "Ow!" He again yelps in pain.

"What happened? " Harry asks, moving closer to him. 

"Broke my wrist maybe." He giggles as shakes his hand again. "fucking hell, it hurts!" 

"Don't do that!" Harry stops him. "Is it hurting too much? let me check!"

"I guess it's just a little pain from the sudden crash." He tries to assures but he himself knows it's something worse as the pain starts getting unbearable.

"Louis, just let me see." Harry carefully takes his right hand and lightly presses his fingers to his forearm and then his touch wanders down around his wrist. That's when Louis again curses in pain.

"Maybe it's really broken…" James murmurs to Harry, pursing his lips and shaking his head.

Harry looks at him worriedly, "we should go to the doctor. right now!"

_______________

The doctor takes an x-ray to assess the damage. He then immobilizes his wrist in a splint for support and so that bones can grow back together properly. 

After 2 days, the doctor discharged Louis and ensured a successful recovery. and now they just got home from the hospital.

"Oh C'mon Harry," Louis whispers but giggles while sitting on the bed. "I did win."  

Harry glares at him and his voice gets deeper. "congratulations! you proved them wrong but they don't even care. guess your wrist is just collateral damage, huh?"

"Well fuck, I didn't know this would happen. Did I?"

Harry keeps looking at him, he is not the one to shout or yell when he gets angry. He does become frustrated but he tries not to raise his voice or use profanity.

Louis tries to remove his pants with his uninjured hand. He did and threw it on the floor leaving himself in his boxers. Harry closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, he is familiar with his lover's habit.

He is about to remove his sling. "Don't!" Harry interrupts.

"I need to change. It smells like shit from the hospital."

Louis removes his sling carefully and tries to pull his shirt up but it was difficult with one hand.

Harry glares at his boyfriend, knowing he won't ask for his help so he just goes to him and kneels down in front of him. Carefully grabbing the hem of his shirt and helping in the process making sure not to make his wrist jerk in any way.

Now the shirt is finally off. Harry stands up taking Louis's shirt and his pants, which he threw on the floor not too long ago. He puts it aside. 

Louis just watches him like a child, shifting the fringes on his forehead to the side. 

Harry takes out his grey tshirt, which is obviously big for Louis. Walking back, and kneeling down he puts the fresh shirt on him. It wasn't typical like before as the shirt was big and loose. He then put on his sling. 

Still kneeling down, Harry stares at Louis, who was sitting on the bed, staring back at him. 

Silence. 

"Look, I'm not sorry, " Louis starts. "Because I didn't know this would happen. But if I had known and still decided to race and broke my wrist anyway, then maybe I would've apol-" Harry stops him from rambling by cupping his face with his hands and putting his thumb on his lips.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." He says, caressing under his lower lip with his thumb. "I know that you take jokes but there's no need of proving anything to those people. They just like seeing you annoyed."

True. His sarcastic humour and hilarious comebacks would've been enough for them. 

After a moment, Harry brings his face closer to him and kisses him on his lips, their nose nudges. Louis kisses him back softly and sighs as they pull away. 

"I'll make you some tea." They both stare into each other's eyes again. 

"I'm sorry.." Louis says, pursing his lips when he sees Harry frowning. "We had to cancel our evening trip to the flower shop because of me."

oh, the little evening trip to the flower shop. Harry smiles, knowing that he's genuinely sorry. 

Louis knows how much Harry likes to visit random stores and places such as flower shops, books and stationery stores even if he doesn't make much purchases, he just likes to admire such places and stuff. It's peace for him and Louis always likes to accompany his man. 

"it's not your fault… and we can do that any other time." Harry pecks his lips again. Standing up, he walks to the kitchen and Louis follows him.

Harry sets the kettle on the stove and begins making tea while Louis sits on one of the stools near the counter. Harry serves his homemade cookies on a plate and sets it in front of Louis.

They were talking when they heard a mewl sound, making their heads turn towards the tiny kitten. She crawls near Harry's feet and starts snuggling into it.

"Aye kitty, saw you after a long day." Harry crouches down and picks the little creature in his hands. Harry did come back to check up on her when Louis was at the hospital.

"This lil' shit!" Louis rolls his eyes as the kitten comes into his view.

"Loueh!" Harry scolds him, softly.

"You know I don't like her, we brought her here just because you wanted."

"At Least don't call her such names." murmures Harry. "Just look at her," He brings the cat near louis' face.

"Keep her away from me." Louis turns his face away, making a look of disgust as Harry laughs, pulling the kitten back.

"She's gonna be a great company during your broken wrist phase."

_______________________________________

2 DAYS LATER 

Harry is done writing in his journal for today. He keeps it inside his closet and walks in the living room to find Louis sitting on the couch watching some unknown entertainment on TV. But what surprises him the most is the kitten sitting on his lap. Harry squints his eyes on the cat to see one of her tiny legs covered in a gauze.

"What am I missing?" Harry asks, surprised.

"Well, she is a great company and… is cute." Louis runs his uninjured hand over the cat's little but soft furry head.

"Told ya, didn't I?" Harry sits next to Louis. "And what happened to your leg?" He asks the cat.

The cat lifts her gauze covered leg and looks at Harry, making her usual sounds.

"We were just bored so I did it." He looks down at her and smiles "yeah, blue?" Who replies with a meow.

"Blue?"

"That's her name."

"Why blue, though?"

"Because…" Louis shrugs. "She likes the colour of my eyes."

"Okay, now how do you know?" Harry turns his body to him, getting amused by this conversation.

"Because She kept our eye contact without breaking it at any point."

"Oh really?" Harry chuckles and shakes his head "so you thought she likes the colour blue?"

"yeah, she even likes it when I flip her off." Louis adds, making Harry laugh even more.

"I'm serious! you don't believe me? well...look at this." Louis puts his middle finger right in front of her face and she takes a hold of his mid finger with her front legs and snuggles her face in his hand. 

Harry covers his face with his hands, he can't stop laughing.

He cups Louis's face from the side and kisses him on his cheekbone. He presses his cheeks against louis' and they both smile down at their kitten, blue.

The 3 of them got busy as the TV was already being ignored for a long time.

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

thank you for reading <3

[holdingforgeneralhugs]

Bitter Pill to Swallow

Chapter 22 (Masterlist)

I know it's been ages but I'm finally back with a new chapter and I hope you all enjoy it ❤

"Hey, Mr intelligent intelligence officer, please tell me you know when it's gonna stop goddamn rainin'."

"It seems you've confused the job of an intelligence officer with a weatherman there Val," Lew chuckled, a wry smile on his face.

"Then maybe you can tell me how much longer we're gonna be in this goddamn woods," she quipped, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Well why don't you head across that road there and ask the Krauts how much longer they're planning to stick around."

"Touché," Valerie laughed, bowing sarcastically in defeat. She huffed out a disbelieving laugh when she noticed Lew lifting a bottle to his lips and taking a deep slug from it. "Jesus Lew, tell me you're not drinkin' a bottle of Schnapps in the pissin' rain in the middle of active combat."

"What can I say, it just fell into my hand," he smirked, taking another long swig from the bottle, "would be a shame to let it go to waste."

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't see that," Dick sighed as he approached them through the trees, his shoulders tense. They'd been under almost constant fire for the majority of the day, and Dick had been doing his best to keep the show running. Ultimately though they'd had to pull back into the treeline, and he'd been on edge ever since. "I sent a Sherman to try and take out that Tiger Royal we spotted earlier but no dice. Damn Tiger took him down with two shots, then took a potshot at one of the others and got that too."

"It's gonna be a long night, isn't it?" Valerie sighed in dismay, meeting Dick's pitying gaze with one of her own.

"Afraid so Val," he replied, "I'm gonna need you to check in with your mortar squad, make sure they've got enough rounds to keep them going. We can't let up the pressure on the highway."

"You got it boss," she agreed, giving him a lazy two finger salute as she headed off through the trees. Dick watched her go for a moment before turning back to Nix with a disapproving frown, but he chose not to say anything to his friend.

"Glad to see you and Val have kissed and made up," Nix commented as he swigged from his bottle. Dick rolled his eyes at him before responding.

"We talked," he said pointedly, "and we're all good."

"She admit why she was angry?"

"Well...not necessarily no" Dick sighed, refusing to meet Nixon's amused gaze. She'd been incredibly cagey when he'd questioned her, but he hadn't wanted to push any further lest they end up in another argument. But that didn't mean that Nix's theory was right. Maybe it was just something really personal that she hadn't wanted to tell him about. There could be a thousand reasons as to why she'd avoided his questions.

"Right," Nix commented dryly, "well at least you're friends again. Now all you need to do is pull your head out of your ass and tell her you like her and all will be well in the world."

"Nix," Dick huffed in exasperation, "I already told you..."

"Yeah yeah, I know you did," Nix butted in, clapping him on the back before making his way towards the trees, "told me all about honour and duty and all that other crap." Dick shook his head in exasperation, refusing to even dignify Nix with a response. Nix to his credit didn't seem inclined to wait for one.

"Nix?" Dick called to his friend as he watched him amble off through the trees, "Take it easy on the Schnapps. And please try not to get caught with it." Nix gave him a half-hearted wave before continuing on his trek through the trees, Dick watching him go with concern.

~~~~

"Hey, Lieutenant Landry,"

Valerie stopped in her tracks and waited for Shames to catch up to her. He'd been with her in third platoon since they'd dropped in Holland, and Valerie found they got along well enough together. He'd been nothing but nice to her since they'd met, and she appreciated his competency in combat.

"Everything alright Shames?" She asked as they fell into step beside each other.

"All good," he replied, "just checked in with the mortar squads and made sure they were stocked up on ammo."

"Great, one less job for me to do," Valerie chuckled, clapping him on the shoulder, "I'll check in with the machine gunners and the others, you go on and have something to eat."

"Thanks Valerie, I'll check in with you again later." With that he was off through the trees again, and Valerie changed her course slightly to find her machine gunners.

"Hey Smokey, how are things lookin'?" She asked as she slid into the foxhole beside him and More.

"No real moves yet, just firing mortars back and forth across the road," he sighed, leaning his back against the edge of the foxhole.

"Gonna be a long night if that's the case," More chimed in, shaking his head, "Any chance they might just get sick of it and piss off?"

"No telling at this point I'm afraid," Valerie sighed, patting them on the back before pulling herself from the foxhole and continuing down the line.

"All good Shifty?" She asked as she passed by him, "you need anything?"

"Yes ma'am, all good here," he replied, giving her a small smile and a short nod. She moved to the next foxhole, and so on until she was satisfied all her boys were ok. Only then did she take a moment alone to catch her breath. She slid into her own foxhole with a weary sigh, leaning her head back against the side of it. Closing her eyes she settled herself into a more comfortable position, hoping she could squeeze in a few hours shut eye before she was needed on the line again.

~~~

Ironically, Alton More got his wish in the end, when in the early hours of the morning the Germans pulled back from their position across the highway.

"Pack it up third platoon," Valerie shouted wearily, "we're moving out." By the late afternoon Easy and the rest of the 506th were on the highway and marching back towards Uden once more. The rain pounded down on them relentlessly, and it served to exacerbate the already tired mood of the company. They'd only been in Holland for a week but it had been nothing but hardship ever since they'd gotten there, and the moral of the men had fallen low.

"Alright boys settle in," she called as they trudged their way into the town, "we're here for the night and maybe tomorrow so make the most of the rest while you can, you've more than earned it. I know the food situation isn't great right now, but if you're real nice and polite to the locals, they might take some pity on you and spare you some rations. I hear a whisper of one of you bein' rude to a local and there'll be hell the pay y'hear me?"

"Yes Ma'am," they chimed back wearily. Once she was sure third platoon were settled in she wandered down the main street of Uden. She spotted Dick and Harry heading into a house so she followed them, traipsing over the threshold and down the hall towards what she assumed was the kitchen.

"Don't suppose there's any good food lying around?" She asked as she sunk into one of the chairs around the table, "man what I wouldn't give for Maman's shrimp 'n' grits right about now."

"Oh don't even start on food," Harry groaned, resting his head against the tabletop, "Kitty makes the best chicken pot pie you've ever had in your life."

"Well there's good news and bad news," Dick commented as he rifled through the cupboards, "Bad news is there's no shrimp, grits, or chicken pot pie. Good news is there is some stale bread that doesn't seem to have any mold."

"What a feast," Harry snorted, but he still picked at some gratefully, "beats army rations that's for sure."

"Hell Harry, just about anything edible beats army rations," Valerie chuckled, picking at the crust of the bread. There was a comfortable silence for awhile as they each ate their share, before Harry proclaimed it was time to hit the hay and wandered off down the hall to find a bed. Valerie and Dick shared a look, silently questioning if they should also get a kip in, but neither of them made a move to go.

"Do you ever wonder what the hell we're doin' out here Dick?" She asked with a weary sigh, and he ached at how bone weary she looked in that moment.

"I wonder about that at least once a day Val," he replied, shaking his head and leaning his elbows on the table.

"You'd never realise it with you though," she mused, "you always seem so put together, so in control of yourself and everythin' else too. Meanwhile I feel like I'm startin' to crack and everyone's gonna see it sooner or later."

"Is this because of Veghal?" He asked, and when she nodded he sighed, "I promise you, we've all been struggling since that night. We're all worn out and hungry so trust me, nobody would think any different of you for feeling a bit weary from it all."

"You really think so?" She asked, a hint of vulnerability in her tone.

"I know so. And anyway, you wouldn't be saying I was put together if you'd been in Uden," he snorted, an almost shy look in his eyes as he made the admission.

"I find that hard to believe," Valerie snickered, her curiosity piqued, "care to share?"

"Well.." he started, his cheeks reddening, "the whole thing was quite stressful and I...well I...I chewed out a British Lieutenant for abandoning his tank for a cozy tea, then I...I dragged Harry out of a pub by his ear and chewed him out as well for sleeping on the job."

"Aw hell Dick" she laughed, her eyes crinkling, "I'd've paid good money to see that."

"I bet you would," he chuckled, "Harry was certainly taken by surprise that's for sure."

"See that's the thing with you," she mused, a teasing glint in her eye, "you're so quiet most of the time, so it takes 'em by surprise when you lose your temper. Not me though, I've known all along you had a mean streak."

"Oh is that so?" He snickered, raising an eyebrow at her sceptically.

"Sure is," she grinned, "but then again, I'm a special case. I seem to know just the right buttons to push."

"You certainly are a special case," he replied, a soft smile on his lips. Valerie smiled back at him, her eyes lingering on his for a beat too long before she looked away shyly and cleared her throat, her cheeks beginning to heat.

"Well I dunno about you but I think it's time I tried to get some sleep," she proclaimed, standing and dusting the crumbs off her pants. She stepped around the table but paused and glanced at Dick once more.

"Goodnight Dick," she said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder, "and thanks for the chat." She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze before continuing out of the kitchen and down the hall towards the staircase.

"Goodnight Val," he murmured back, his eyes following her retreating back all the way down the hall until she disappeared up the stairs.

~~~~

"Lieutenant Landry, wait!"

Valerie turned around and smiled when she saw Vest jogging over to her, a letter clutched in his hand. "Aw great, we're finally getting mail."

"Its about time I know," he laughed, handing it over and giving her a salute before turning on his heel.

"Hey wait," she stopped him, "you got one for Doc Roe? I'm headin' his way so I can pass it along if you do."

"Oh that would be great thanks," he smiled, rifling through his mail bag before pulling out a matching envelope to hers and passing it to her. She bid him goodbye and made her way over to the medical tent. She was glad to see it was rather quiet in the tent, a good indicator that everyone was doing OK for the time being.

"Hey Chouchou," she called as she walked into the storeroom, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Always good t'see you Chérie," he replied softly, giving her a tight squeeze and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I've got  surprise for you," she grinned as she pulled back, holding the envelope out to him between two fingers.

"About time we got some mail around here," he laughed wryly as he plucked it from her grasp and moved to sit on the side of a cot, opening his letter without delay.

"It's nice to see her writing," Valerie sighed wistfully, "almost like I can hear her talkin' to us."

"If I close my eyes I can just about imagine we're sittin' in the kitchen waitin' for her to get home with the groceries," he sighed, a tone of melancholy in his voice.

"Do you think she'd be proud of us?...of me?" Valerie asked quietly after a moment of silence, her thumb rubbing the ink on the page until it started to smudge a little.

"Course she is," Gene replied, his brows furrowing, "Why would you even say somethin' like that?"

"Well you....you're out here lookin' after people and me...well sometimes I wonder if she'd be proud of the things I do."

"You kiddin' chérie?" He exclaimed incredulously, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into his side, "you're out here lookin' after people too. You're their Lieutenant, their leader, and when push comes to shove and shit gets heavy they look to you. They rely on you because they know that no matter what you've got their back out there. You're smart, you care, an' I know maman would be proud if she could see you now."

"Aw hell Gene," she sniffled, wiping her eye with the back of her hand, "you didn't need to go and say all that."

"I meant every word of it, and you best believe it," he insisted, "no more doubting yourself chérie, this company is lucky to have you and don't you forget it."

"Thanks for havin' my back Chouchou," she murmured, "thanks for always bein' there when I need it."

"Always chérie," he replied, kissing the top of her head gently, "from the Bayou to Berlin, and don't you forget it."

Taglist:  @tvserie-s-world @geniedocroe @generousdreamlanddestiny @sofietargaryen @cagzzz107 @stolemyspoons @alejodi0nysus @sunflowerchuck @now-im-a-belieber @50ssdelrey @50svibes @eugene-emt-roe @pennyllane @televisionboy @nandoalonsos @ask-you-what-sir @parajumpboots @mads-weasley @tetragonia

[harrietsdreams]

Chapter 2

The familiar figure swiftly entered the passenger seat, smiling from ear to ear.

“So…” Leon turned towards my makeup-smeared face. His gaze flicked back to Theo, his expression now more doubtful than a second before. “Did you finally talk to Lil?”

More worrying than the comical situation I was in was my brother knowing everything. I bit my nail, only to immediately release it.

Theo, trying to suppress a smile, asked, “Can’t you read a room? Or a car?”

I furrowed my brow. “How do you know?” I asked, holding on to the hope that there was some way to fix it.

“Harriet… Are you serious?” Leon shook his head. “Lily is the only one who doesn’t know.”

The shock was brief, cut cold by the realization that it would be inevitable to hurt Lily. This was all wrong, but I chose it…

I tried to shift the focus. “What are you doing here anyway? I thought you left earlier with Mom.”

“Dearest sister. Why are you here?” Leon retorted, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah. Why are you here, Harriet?” Theo echoed Leon’s curiosity.

As soon as possible, before Theo says anything, I need to tell her. So funny I pretended, mostly to myself, that I was the best concealer, a superspy from a blockbuster. Turns out I am just a transparent girl in love…

“Both of you know the answer. So shut your mouths,” I snapped, admitting defeat.

Leon teased, “Good to know, even you fell prey to love.”

“Ew, Leon,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Stop talking like this.”

Right. There was no way he didn't know. Lily was his half. Surprisingly, I was also half of each. Wait. So does that mean Lil-

He laughed, interrupting the spiraling train of thought. “Anyway, we have an issue to solve…” He brought to attention, sounding slightly off.

“I’m sorry to say, buddy, but that is your daily bread,” Theo remarked, trying to lighten the mood.

“You have no idea,” Leon sighed, his expression growing more serious. “Grandma called… She has some kind of news.”

“What kind of news?” I asked, immediately taken aback.

Grandma. 

Of course, she was dear to me. But losing her only daughter was the end of her life. Even when grandpa died, she refused to come out of that place. It’s all frozen for her. Our floor of the house, dustless and immovable.

Talking to her over a video call is like seeing a picture oxidize. The same hairstyle and clothes made from cloth not from her young years, but from that time. Only a few wrinkles tell the difference.

That is why Aunt took me in. I had to move on, and she would not let me. It's so delicate… Pain. How do you tell someone that is suffering so much that you are human and not a porcelain doll? You don't without causing more pain. It seems to be recurring with me, hurting others by mistake.

“She wouldn’t say over the phone. Either way, it will be a long-awaited Allard family reunion,” Leon replied, his tone weirdly calm.

Theo’s voice lowered, directing his question to me. “Is it about that? I mean, you-”

“My missing parents,” I gave him a weak smile. “Don’t talk about it in such an awkward way. Besides, it can be about selling the house.”

“She made it clear that would never be the case,” he said, frustrated. “Still, if it is about them it may not be easy for you to handle,” Leon blurted out, scolding his best friend.

“Well, I know as much as you guys. Could it be about that?” I replied half-heartedly. Afraid that this had something to do with them. These recent dreams were so familiar, so unnervingly touchable. Maybe they were suppressed memories. But why now? So late to do anything about it.

Leon shrugged. “Maybe…” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “Cadie’s been doing research; there are some possible leads.”

The pieces are all falling into place. But… “I told her there was no need,” I blurted out, a bit too harshly. “Sorry, difficult position to put you in.” I corrected myself.

“Yeah, I agree with you. She’s not too happy with me right now because of that,” Leon added. “We’ve been fighting again.”

“What's new?” Theo quipped sarcastically.

Lily had met in college her best friend and future sister-in-law: Cadie, a new addition to our coven. Both of them are analytical when it comes to numbers. So much so, Lily was the only one of us who got into a scientific degree. They were immediate soulmates, passionate and realistic, what a combo!

“This time it’s serious. She thinks I’m not supportive enough of the investigation,” Leon explained, frustration evident in his voice. “I told her it’s a touchy subject.”

“Maybe you should,” Theo suggested. “If her research can help Harriet, it’s worth considering.”

“I know, I know,” Leon sighed. “But it’s hard. There’s so much going on. Besides, Harriet…” He gave me that knowing look.

“Enough of this,” I declared. “It’s as nonsensical as solving dreams.” There is no use poking a sleeping bear. All that waits is misfortune. What if there is no solution?

“Dreams are just made-up stuff. The reality is the possibility of an investigation…” Theo said.

“Dwelling on the meaning of dreams doesn’t hurt anyone, Theo. Even more if it can help your girl… friend,” Leon teased.

“You are pushing it!” I scolded my brother, trying to conceal a little smile forming on my lips. Leon had been especially attentive to the repeating patterns in my dreams.

Though not useful in a practical sense, it helped having someone look out for my subconscious. It seemed he wasn’t looking out for the health of my conscious body, as my face flushed with the colors of a summer sunset.

“Let’s keep that for later,” declared Theo, his face occupied by a comically large smile. “She may implode in a ball of fire and fly into space.”

“Dreams!” I exclaimed. “So confusing those are. Should we not get going? We are late for…” I glanced at my phone, cursing Lily for waking up so early.

They looked at each other and burst into laughter. I joined them out of embarrassment, the shared mirth momentarily easing the tension.

[dyk3medown]

omg i need something about the reader being super into reading and really smart and catching robin’s eye somewhere, she just becomes obsessed and won’t stop talking about her until eventually they get to talking and get closer and start dating after she confesses (i almost never see any other sapphic writers so ur profile makes me so happy)

Crimson and Clover

robin buckley x reader

summary: robin gets paired with the reader, who she's had a crush on all year, for a class project

warnings: fem!reader, mostly fluff, just robin and the reader falling for each other

a/n: i don’t really love how this turned out but every time i changed it more i hated it so i hope you like this anyways nonnie!! i love seeing other sapphic writers too, it makes my day. this fic is named after the “crimson and clover” cover done by joan jett & the blackhearts. i don’t know if she meant it to be gay, considering it came out in ‘81 but i’m interpreting it as such so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

"Robin Buckley and Y/N L/N."

Your head shot up, attention drawn from the book you had been reading by the sound of your name.

You twisted around to look behind you, where Robin Buckley sat for your third-period English class. "What's happening?"

"Mrs. Wilson is assigning partners for the project." Robin explained. "We're together."

"Oh, okay, that's good," you said with a small smile. You turned back around, burying your nose in your book for the last few minutes of class.

The bell rang, and you got up, packing your stuff and making your way out into the hall.

"Robin!" You called out as you caught sight of her a few steps ahead of you.

"Oh, um, hey." Robin seemed surprised to see you standing there.

"Do you want to come over?"

"Uh, come over?" Robin looked a bit startled. "Like to your house?"

"Yes?" You titled your head to the side. "You know, for the project?"

"Oh right, the project, that's what I was thinking about, coming over for the project."

"Okay, does tomorrow at seven work for you?"

Robin seemed as if she hadn't breathed since the start of the conversation.

"Seven is good, seven is great actually, I can do seven."

Your brow furrowed as she talked, trying to make sense of her behavior. Did you make her nervous? Could that be the cause of the rambling? You didn't consider yourself particularly intimidating, unless it was a matter of intellect, so you couldn't imagine why Robin was acting so… flustered.

You didn't know the girl well, but from what you had seen, she usually acted much differently, radiating an "I don't care" sort of vibe and muttering sarcastic quips to her friends.

This Robin was kind of adorable.

You smiled at her and nodded. "Seven it is. My address is 1843 Oaktree Knoll, I'm not too far from here."

"Can't wait!" Robin froze as she seemed to realize how eager she sounded. "To start the project I mean, I'm very excited about it."

"I didn't realize you were such a big fan of Dostoevsky," you said, raising an eyebrow.

Robin laughed nervously. "That's me, um, I just love Russian lit."

You said your goodbyes and made your way to your next class, a small smile still on your lips.

Unbeknownst to you, Steve Harrington was also informed of your plans. Well informed, in fact, considering that Robin wouldn't shut up about you for their entire shift that night. She had talked about you previously, but you had quickly gone from "the pretty smart girl in english class" to "new obsession."

6:55 the next night found you sitting anxiously on your bed, worrying your bottom lip between your teeth as you waited. You tried to focus on the book you were reading, but all of your attention was trained on listening for the sound of the doorbell.

It really wasn't like you to be so nervous, especially related to a project you knew you would do well on, but something about Robin being your partner was causing you to behave differently.

You had replayed your last conversation in your head a million times since the other day. There was something so endearing about the way Robin acted, almost like an excited puppy.

After a few more excruciating minutes, you finally heard the chime and shot up, racing down the stairs to the front door. You stopped in front of a mirror in the entryway, pausing for a few seconds to make sure you looked okay, before opening the door to reveal Robin, who looked just as nervous as you felt.

You welcomed her inside and the two of you went into your room, spreading your stuff on the floor to start the project.

To your delight, Robin was smart. Like, really smart. She was able to build off your analyses of specific passages with ease, offering new ideas that even you hadn't considered. She even knew Russian, just one of the four languages she spoke.

Eventually, the conversation turned from your project to learning about each other. Robin seemed genuinely interested in what you had to say, asking follow-up questions and nodding eagerly along. She was also hilarious, you quickly found out. Every time you giggled at one of her jokes or sarcastic comments, Robin was determined to hear the sound again.

It was midnight before you even thought about looking at the clock. You were shocked by how quickly the time had gone by, too focused on Robin to notice how dark it had gotten outside your window.

Robin followed your gaze and was surprised by the time as well. Unfortunately, she had to leave, and you walked with her outside to her car.

"This was fun." You smiled at her. "Well, as much fun as an English project can be."

Robin chuckled. "I had… a surprisingly good time. Not that I was expecting to have a bad time or anything. Just, you know, school work isn't exactly the most fun thing in the world."

"I get it." You shook your head in amusement.

You and Robin made plans to meet again on Saturday, and once you returned to your bed, you realized that you were still grinning like a maniac.

By the time Saturday rolled around, you were practically vibrating with excitement, counting down the minutes until she came over again.

This time when you brought her to your room, she seemed much more confident. Though you had invited her over again under the guise of working on the project, neither of you even attempted to bring it up.

Conversation flowed easily, and you had ended up sitting on your bed, much closer than before, knees brushing in front of you. Robin started touching you casually, a hand on your arm when you said something funny, innocent contact you could easily dismiss as just being friendly. The look in her eyes and the slight flush in her cheeks every time her fingers grazed her skin told a different story.

It seemed like she was almost… flirting with you?

Oh.

You connected the dots, finally understanding her reactions, the initial nervousness and all of the excitement. She liked you. In more than just a platonic fashion.

You tried to act as normal as possible, but internally you were completely freaking out. There was always a chance you misread the situation, but you really, really hoped you hadn't.

You fell quiet as you sat with your realization.

"Y/n?" Robin noticed you had withdrawn from the conversation. "Is everything okay?"

You took a deep breath. "Robin," you forced yourself to fight through the nerves and look at her directly. "Do you like me?"

Robin's eyes widened and her mouth fell slightly agape. "Uh, well, um of course I like you! You're so smart and funny and-"

"I mean like me. In a more than friends type of way." You bit your lip, anxiety flooding your body. "Because I do."

"Oh." Robin avoided eye contact.

Your heart sank into your stomach at her reaction. Clearly, you were wrong about her feelings. How could you have been so stupid? She probably didn't even like girls, and even if she did, she would never go for you.

"I'm sorry, I just thought…" Your voice was slightly shaky. "I don't know what I thought, it was dumb. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Y/N, no," Robin's eyes snapped back to you, and a spark of hope flickered in your chest. "You just caught me off guard!"

"I do like you. Like really like you, okay?" She huffed a laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. "I just never thought you'd feel the same."

"Well, I do," you replied, a smile growing on your face.

"You're totally stunning and so, so smart. You're perfect, Y/N." Robin leaned in closer, placing her hands on your knees reassuringly. "I'd be a total idiot if I wasn't into you." 

She paused for a second before blurting out, "Can I kiss you? It's completely fine if not, I don't want to make you uncomfortable, actually I-"

And there was the rambling you had grown so fond of. 

You cut her off as you closed the gap between you, kissing her gently. Robin could feel you smiling into the kiss as your lips moved in sync with hers, wrapping your arms around her neck and pulling her closer.

Robin had always thought the whole "fireworks going off while you're kissing" thing was a massive cliche with no basis in reality, but now she understood. You couldn't help but feel the same. Sure, you had kissed people before, but no one had ever made you feel like this.

Your relationship was just barely beginning, and you really didn't know her that well, but as long as she kept holding you like you were worth more than the world, you thought you could love her.

And you would. 

"Now I don't hardly know her, but I think I could love her."

[inlovewithquestionablecharacters]

Cassian Andor X Reader: Rescue Mission

Stay on the ship.

That's what Cassian said just before he left, taking Jyn with him and leaving you to sulk in the hull. You would be lying if you said you weren't annoyed by it. Not only had he left you with K-2 he left you with literally nothing to do. K-2 hadn't been happy about it either. You could tell that from the moment Cassian hadn’t taken the blaster away from Jyn. You know, the girl that you shouldn't be trusting this quickly. The droid had started to complain but was stopped by Cassian's strong hand gesture of “zip it”. So now you had to hear K-2 rant about how absurd his owner had acted.

“He let her keep it. Give a blaster to the girl, what a grand idea. It's not like she could use it against you.”

Normally you would have laughed at his sarcastic quips, but you were not in the mood right now. You were still trying to understand why Cassian hadn't taken you. It wasn't like K-2 needed help to guard the ship, you'd even argue that due to him being a droid he was more capable than any of you at such a task.

It was possible that Cassian had thought it better to leave the ship with someone he trusted. After all, “killing” a droid would be a considerably easy task if you were really desperate, something you were sure people around here could be described as. And even though you were sure K-2 would have put up a fight, maybe even gotten a message to you and Cassian through the commlink, it might not be enough. By the time you and Cassian made it back he would already be dead, and your ship would be long gone. You looked up at the droid still muttering words of outrage.

You hadn't expected to like him so much.

When you had first seen K-2 you had been afraid. He was far larger than any other droid you had met, and he was fighting for the other side, or at least that's what he had been programmed to do. It wasn't until he saved you on a mission that you decided to trust him completely. He became a sort of family member to you and even though some would just consider him a hunk of metal the thought of losing him made your heart hurt.

You were sure Cassian felt the same about the droid, even if he wouldn’t admit it to anyone. You could see it in the way he spoke to him, the way you would treat an annoying friend who you can't help but love.

“He wants to keep us safe.”

The words had come out of your mouth before you had even processed them completely. K-2 stopped speaking and turned to face you. The lights that made up his eyes met your own and you smiled up at him.

“I’m not saying that I think what he did was right. Far from it actually. I just think there is a good reason behind it.”

The droid just kept looking at you and even though his expression did not change you could almost imagen that he was smirking down at you.

“What is it?”

“You always defend him.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means exactly what I said.”

You gave the droid an annoyed face.

“All I'm saying is that he loves you and doesn't want anyone to hurt you. That's probably why he went alone with her, because he thinks he can handle her by himself if he needs to.”

K-2 stared at you for a moment before turning back to the panel he had been messing with. You fiddled with your hands impatiently, repeating your words over in your head. Like that would make them true.

“You don't have to be jealous.”

You stopped moving your hands, your head rising from its prior position to rest on the wall behind you.

“I don't know what you're talking about.” you said, closing your eyes.

“He loves you too. Possibly more than he loves me.”

Even though you knew K-2 didn't mean it in the way you were thinking it you couldn’t help but blush.

“Don't say that.”

“Why not?”

“You'll just give me false hope K. And it's not like I need any more of that.” you muttered, opening your eyes.

The droid was about to respond when you heard a loud explosion coming from the town.

“So much from blending in.”

“Come on.” you said racing from your chair towards the weapons cabinet.

You grabbed a blaster for yourself and ran out of the ship.

“Where are you going?” K-2 questioned.

“I’m going to save our idiot. Are you coming?”

The droid stood at the door of the ship for a moment, before stepping out and closing the hatch behind him.

“Took you long enough.” you yelled at him before racing towards the town once more.

Even from far away you could hear the sound of blasters firing. You picked up the pace, heart hammering in your chest.

Please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay.

You had barely made it to your destination when you saw him, blaster in one hand taking down troopers left and right. Even though the situation was less than ideal, just seeing him made you relax a little. It wasn't until you heard a shot pass near your ear that you realized you had just been standing there, in the middle of a fire zone. You sprang into action, shooting the enemies near you and clearing a path towards Cassian. He hadn’t seen you yet and maybe that was for the best. You didn't want to risk him losing focus.

Your eyes scanned the area looking from Jyn.

She had four troopers surrounding her but seemed to be handling it just fine. She was kicking their asses and you couldn’t help but grin. That's when you saw the fifth one coming from behind her. She wouldn't see him in time. You raised your blaster, took aim and fired, hitting the enemy in the head. Jyn’s head turned backwards at the sound of the body hitting the ground. Then her head shot your way, her eyes meeting yours and she nodded a silent “thanks” which you answered with your own small nod of “welcome”. The two of you raced towards Cassian, who upon seeing you gave a scowl.

“I thought I to-”

“Shut up Cassian!” you yelled, turning your back to him and shooting another trooper in the head.

When you turned back Jyn was smiling and Cassian had a shocked expression on his face. You looked around, searching for your next target. Just as you turned to the side you heard a blaster fire.

Your eyes went wide once you saw the KX-series droid fall to the ground, letting out a little squeak of pain as you looked down at the droid.

“Did you know that wasn't me?”

The familiar voice made you raise your head, small tears falling from your eyes as you realized that it hadn't been your droid Jyn had shot. You rushed towards him, arms wrapping around his waist, considering that was where you could reach. K-2 gave your head a small pet before you let go of him.

“What are you two doing here?” Cassian questioned, the annoyance clear in his tone.

K-2 stepped forward grabbing a grenade from one of the troopers and chucking it at the upcoming soldiers.

“There were a lot of explosions for two people blending in.”

You laughed at his comment, glad to not have lost either of your boys. Jyn was about to say something when you heard a voice coming from behind you.

“Where are you taking these prisoners?” A stormtrooper questioned.

You looked at Cassian, a confused expression on your face.

“These are prisoners.” K-2 responded

“Yes. Where are you taking them?”

“I am... taking them... to imprison them... in prison.”

You had to pinch yourself in the arm to hold back the grin that threatened to creep onto your face.

“He's taking us to…”

Cassian had tried to speak, in order to maintain this charade up and avoid exposure but it was met with a harsh slap to the face. Delivered by none other than K-2 himself.

“Quiet! And there's a fresh one if you mouth off again.”

If you hadn't been so shocked by what had just happened, you were sure you would have doubled over from the sheer force of your laughter. K-2 seemed to be enjoying his part in this whole act a bit too much. Then again you couldn't blame him. If you had been given the chance to slap Cassian in his pretty face without him being able to retaliate you would have taken it too.

For a moment it seemed to have worked but then the moment was gone and there were guards dragging you away from K-2. You had wanted to reach for him, fearing what would happen to him once they realized he had been reprogrammed.

You had just turned to look at Cassian when a voice spoke, loud enough to be heard over the troopers.

“Let them pass in peace” the stranger spoke, getting up from his position on the stairs and moving towards the troopers.

It took you only a second to realize he was blind.

You thought about yelling to him that it was okay and that you were handling it, but the thought dispersed when he began to move. The moment the troopers holding you fell to the ground Cassian grabbed your hand and pulled you to cover, Jyn and K-2 running alongside you two. You all watched in awe as the stranger took down one stormtrooper after another, seeming to rely purely on instinct. There were more troopers on the way, but they were quickly taken care of by another man. He relied on his weapon instead of instinct and it became apparent a moment later that the two strangers knew each other. The four of you stepped out of your hiding place. Cassian still held your hand and despite all that you had just gone through, the feeling of his hand on yours made your mind go blank. You tuned out everything for a moment just feeling the weight of Cassian's hand which, unlike the feeling of your restraints, was rather pleasant.

You missed the part where K-2 had unbound the three of you and made his way to the ship, upon Cassian order. It wasn't until you felt two pairs of hands pushing you down that you fully snapped out of your daze. You were surrounded again, not by troopers this time, but by what you believed to be soldiers of some kind. Jyn had tried to stop them, revealing the importance of who she was but it only seemed to make matters worse because now you had a sack over your head and where being dragged to Maker knows where.

“We really can't catch a break today.” You said to yourself.

They had put you all into a cell, except for Jyn who they had dragged to someplace else. You guessed it was to see Saw Gererra. The two strangers, who you had learned were called Chirrut and Baze, sat a bit farther away from the door. As for Cassian he stood so close to the door that you were sure that if, for some reason, it opened he would fall through the gap.

“Don’t worry she’ll be fine.” you assured

“What makes you think I'm worried about her?”

“Oh, I don't know. Just the way you’re practically trying to pry the door open with your teeth.”

“If you didn't notice we are stuck in a cell.” he gritted out.

You hated when he did that.

The way he would speak to you like you were an idiot. It made your blood boil.

“I’m not stupid Cassian.” you snapped back, clenching your fists at your side.

“I never said that.”

“Don't have to say it to believe it.” you murmured

“What's that even supposed to mean?” he questioned, turning to face you.

“You know what it means, Cassian.”

You were being a bit of a bitch and you knew it, but you couldn't help it. You were annoyed at the constant fighting you had done all day, your muscles hurt from carrying your blaster and if you were being honest, you were still angry at Cassian for not taking you with him. And now the patronizing comments had gotten your last nerve.

You knew he didn't mean them in that way, you knew he was just as tired and annoyed as you, but in your state of mind you didn't really care. Your mind kept going back to your memories of him, all of them glowing with the bright light that surrounded Cassian every time you saw him. The glow you couldn't get rid of no matter how hard you tried. That glow that made you want to be always with him, the one that made you worry every time that he left on a mission without you and that made your heart clench every time you saw him come back safely. That stupid light that made you want to kiss him and tell him you loved him. And of all the things that infernal glow brought with it, the one you hated the most was the fear that he didn't see you the same way. It surrounded you constantly and sometimes made you act like a complete fool.

“Don't worry lover boy, I'll leave you to it. Good luck rescuing your precious princess.” you sneered, turning to join the others on the further side of the cell.

You had barely turned around when a large hand warped around your wrist, pulling you back toward where you came from.

Before you could even blink your back was pressed up against the wall, Cassian’s arms caging you there. You knew he was strong, but it still surprised you just how strong he could be when he wanted to. Your eyes met his and the look on his face startled you. It was different from the ones you’ve received before. It was full of anger, but there was something else mixed in there. Something you could quite place.

“Cass what-”

“Just be quiet. Will you for once just…be quiet.” he pleaded, eyes staring straight through you.

Your hands were placed on his chest. It had been an automatic move the moment he caged you. They had been put there to ground yourself.

It wasn't really working because you could feel his breathing beneath your fingertips and that was very distracting.

“That stunt you pulled, leaving the ship and coming into town. I was so kriffing worried when I saw you and then... you told me to shut up? That… it… you never talk like that. You never give orders, never bite back like that. You just looked so serious. And I got it because that's exactly what I would have said if it had been the other way around. I would have told you to shut your mouth if I came to rescue you and you started complaining.”

He was talking fast. Like he was afraid that something would happen, and he wouldn't be able to finish what he wanted to say. You knew the feeling, so you stayed quiet and just let him talk to you.

“Because that's what you do right? You save my ass. That is your job. And you're damn good at it. I don't know what…. I don't…”

He took a deep breath, as if saying this next part physically pained him. You held your breath, fear bubbling in your stomach and threatening to spill over.

“I don't know what I would do if I lost you. I don't even want to think about it. But when I saw you there, in the middle of those troopers, it was all I could think about. You’re well...kriff...you're everything to me, okay? This life it's not great. Maker. I don't know if I can even call it good. But seeing you every day, hearing that stupid laugh you make when K says some sarcastic crap or seeing that smile you always have plastered on you face the moment I land on base. That right there, it makes me want to keep fighting. It gives me the strength to keep going because if there's a chance, no matter how slim, that we pull this off and get to actually live. No running, no constant fighting. Then I'm going to do everything I can to get that for you.”

Cassian's breathing is heavy against your own, his eyes full of fear.

You know that look. The look of someone who's been holding all their feelings in for far too long. There are tears in your eyes and your fingers are curling around the fabric of his jacket, trying to keep you from falling to the ground as you process everything that just happened. The bubble of fear and hesitation that has always been there, deep inside of you, seems to just pop. Leaving you to bask in the beautiful glow that is Cassian.

Your fingers move from his chest to his hair, pulling him down in desperation to kiss your lips. He lets out a sigh once your mouths make contact with each other. His hands move from the wall to your waist, holding you flush to his body as if he fears that if he doesn't hold on tight enough, you’ll disappear from his arms.

But that will never happen.

You part your lips, resting your forehead on his chest as he kisses your hair. Your hands make soothing motions on his back. He shifts slightly, cupping your face with his hands and forcing you to look into his eyes.

“I love you.” he whispers

“I love you too.” you mutter back

“How about we get out of here?” he questions, and you smile up at him.

“Sounds like a good start.”

[the-bau-quinjet]

Shut Up!

Summary: request! Bucky and Y/N hate each other... or so they say.

Warnings: as Steve would say: Language!, but really it's just a bunch of fluff.

Word Count: 1798

a/n: Italics are thoughts in their heads!!

This request brought me so much joy to think about. Happy Birthday anon! Thank you so much for all the love!!! ❤️ 💕 💗 💖 💘

"BARNES!" You screamed, giving him the customary warning before throwing your least favorite knife at him.

He flung himself backward, catching the knife in midair.

Damn, that's hot. You shook the thought away, glaring at Bucky as he turned to look at you.

"Did you just throw a knife at me?" He asked, incredulous.

You rolled your eyes. "You deserved it. Plus, I warned you." You bit back.

"Y/N, you can't just throw knives at people." Steve sighed, tired of the two of you arguing all the time.

"I don't throw knives at people. Just Bucky." You said his name with disgusted expression. "And he deserved it!"

"What the hell did he do to deserve being impaled by a knife?" Sam chuckled, but only to keep the mood light.

"He wasn't impaled. I knew he would dodge it." You defended yourself, sneering at Bucky's smug grin.

"Not the point. What did he do?" Steve asked again, trying to clear the air despite it never working before.

You pulled the beanie you were wearing off your head, showing off your freshly bleached hair. It was nearly white, a stark platinum blonde contrasting your typical dark style.

"You know what they say, 'blondes have more fun'. I was just looking out for your social life." Bucky smirked, enjoying the rage.

She's so cute when she's angry. He thought as he stared at you.

Sam snorted, trying to hold in the laugh under your glare.

"How thoughtful." You quipped sarcastically, leaning in to threaten him. "I'm going to get you back for this." Your words were laced with venom, the anger palpable even in the vast gym.

"Looking forward to it! Thanks for the knife!" Bucky called as you stormed away, ignoring the thoughts lingering in his head. Not cute. Hot. So very hot when she's angry.

-

The next few days, Bucky heard nothing from you. He didn't think much of it, considering you were likely plotting. It wasn't until you started being uncharacteristically sweet to him that he grew nervous.

"Hey, Buck, Steve." You smiled as you walked up to him and Steve.

"Hi, Y/N." Steve greeted you warmly, glad to see you at least acting cordial after the stunt Bucky pulled.

"Hi..." Bucky hesitated, unsure of what you were playing at.

He's so adorable when he's nervous. You shook your head, getting back on track.

"I brought you some drinks!" You excitedly exclaimed, handing the drink carrier to Steve since Bucky seemed frozen in place. "Protein smoothie for Steve, chocolate milkshake for Bucky."

You walked away without another word, throwing a thumbs up to accept Steve's thanks.

Steve happily drank his smoothie, enjoying the energy boost. Bucky just stared at the milkshake before throwing the entire thing away.

"Buck! Don't be a jerk. She bought that for you." Steve huffed, annoyed with his friend's childish behavior.

"I can't trust anything she gives me unless I saw it being made." He shrugged as if it was obvious.

"Jerk, she's not going to poison you." Steve rolled his eyes.

"You don't know that." Bucky shook his head, walking into the kitchen. The idea of a milkshake made him hungry.

The next day, you were back with more treats. This time a cinnamon roll for Steve, something he said was his guilty pleasure, and a chocolate eclair for Bucky. You were grinning ear to ear as Steve thanked you profusely.

She's so adorable when she's this happy.

Once again, Bucky threw it away, ignoring the glare Steve shot his way.

The next days followed the same pattern. You would seek out Bucky and Steve, giving each of them some snack, dessert, or drink. Bucky threw it away every single time, not trusting your motives.

You didn't break pattern for a solid week, watching as Steve grew increasingly annoyed with Bucky throwing away all of your treats.

"I made cookies!" You walked into the living room where everyone was enjoying movie night. You handed out cookies to every member of the team, saving Bucky for last.

As you walked back into the kitchen to return the platter, you heard Steve whisper yell at Bucky.

"Just eat the cookie." Steve glared, thinking you would be upset if you saw him through it away.

"I can't! What if she did something to it?" Bucky whispered right back.

"Buck! She gave one to everyone! You really think she would purposefully keep track of one specific cookie just to get you back?" Steve rolled his eyes, completely fed up with the situation.

"Yes! I really do!" Bucky defended.

"Eat the damn cookie." Steve spoke between his teeth, elbowing him in the side.

"Fine." Bucky hesitated in bringing the cookie up to his mouth, but ultimately gave in.

As soon as he swallowed the cookie, he knew something was off. His whole body felt tingly, but there was a pleasant warmth to it.

A sudden bright flash of light had you walking back into the room, watching as Bucky turned into a cat.

"What the hell..." Sam turned, glancing between the small white kitten and Steve's shocked expression.

He's cuter as a person. You couldn't stop the thought from popping into your head, causing you to chuckle.

Steve suddenly whipped his head to you.

"Y/N. What did you do?" He sighed, exasperated but a little impressed.

A small meow followed the question, earning various "awws" from the entire room.

"I turned him into a cat." You shrugged nonchalantly, pretending this was a normal occurrence.

"Did everything you brought him this week have the power to do... that?" He gestured to Bucky, who hissed at Steve as if to say I told you so.

"Nope." You shook your head, laughing as Bucky wobbled across the couch, not used to how it felt to move as a feline. "I knew he would think I did something to them, so I didn't. Just plain old snacks."

Damn, she is so fucking smart. Bucky's thoughts came out as a purr, startling the room.

"How long is tinman stuck as a cat?" Tony laughed, enjoying the sight.

"Just a few hours. Long enough to think about why he deserves this." You gestured to your hair.

"Can we take pictures of him in cute cat outfits?" Nat questioned, always up for blackmail material.

You pulled a shopping bag out from behind you, pulling a series of Avenger themes costumes.

"I'm one step ahead of you." You grinned devilishly, swiftly scooping Bucky up from off the couch.

-

"You're evil." Bucky glared at you as soon as he turned back into a human.

"You deserved it. Plus, you were so cute as a little kitten." You pouted.

That pout is doing things to me. Bucky shook his head, trying to maintain the angry facade. He ran his hands through his hair, causing your own thoughts to spiral.

What I would give to run my hands through his hair when he wasn't a cat.

"You turned me into a cat!" He yelled, chasing you down the hall back to the living room.

"You died my hair platinum fucking blonde!" You screamed right back, turning on him once you made it to the end of the hallway.

"I can't stand you." Bucky spat, while simultaneously thinking if only she wanted to touch me not as a cat.

"Yeah, well newsflash! I can't stand you either." You glared right back.

The team watched on with amused expressions.

"Who wants to see pictures of kitty Barnes in cat costumes?" You turned to the room, a wide grin adorning your lips. Without waiting for an answer, you displayed your phone on the TV screen.

He is so damn cute. Cat or no cat. You laughed as you swiped through the pictures.

Bucky tried to grab the phone from you, not wanting to give you the satisfaction of enjoying this too much.

Her laugh is like music.

"Oh my god! Shut up!" Wanda suddenly stood up, pointing at the both of you. "You two pretend to hate each other so much, but your thoughts tell different stories."

Your mouth dropped open, shocked at both Wanda's volume and words.

Bucky wore a similar expression, eyes wide and heart beating fast.

"Wanda, you read my mind?" You tried to deflect the attention.

"No. You were just thinking so damn loud it involuntarily popped into my head." She grinned, trying to impersonate your voice as she quoted your thoughts

"Damn, that's hot. He's so adorable when he's nervous. He's cuter as a person. What I wouldn't give to run my hands through his hair when he wasn't a cat. He is so damn cute. Cat or no cat."

"And those are just from the past week and a half!" She yelled at you.

Bucky grinned smugly, forgetting Wanda also heard his thoughts. "Oh, doll. Why didn't you just say you cared?" He asked in fake sympathy.

You glared at him, ready to fight again when Wanda switched focus.

"Don't start with me Barnes. You think just as loudly!" Her voice took on an exaggerated depth as she impersonated Bucky, sighing dramatically between sentences.

"She's so cute when she's angry. Not cute. Hot. So very hot when she's angry. She's so adorable when she's this happy. Damn, she is so fucking smart. That pout is doing things to me. If only she wanted to touch me not as a cat. Her laugh is like music."

"I can't take it anymore! The two of you are driving me insane." She huffed, barging out of the room in an effort to hear nothing but peace and quiet.

Everyone else quickly followed, figuring the two of you could use a minute to talk.

"You think I'm hot." Bucky stated the fact. "That's embarrassing." He grinned, slowly walking closer to you.

"Not as embarrassing you thinking I'm smart." You countered, a matching grin on your face.

"You want to run your hands through my hair." He smirked, placing his hands on your waist.

"My laugh is like music to your ears." You leaned closer.

"Just kiss already!" Sam shouted from the hallway, but the two of you were in your own world.

"Do you want to get dinner with me? Tomorrow?" Bucky asked, his forehead pressed to yours.

"I'd like that." You smiled back.

The two of you moved in tandem, pressing your lips together, fighting for dominance of the kiss.

You pulled back, breathless and needing air. "I hope you know I'm not deleting the pictures of you as a cat."

"I wouldn't think so." Bucky chuckled, pressing another quick kiss to your lips.

"You know what this means?" He asked, an eyebrow raised.

You grinned conspiratorially while nodding. "We can team up on Wilson!"

"My thoughts exactly." He smiled, pulling you into another breathtaking kiss.

Permanent taglist:

@averyhotchner @jesuswasnotawhiteman