#i lied this might be the slowest burn of all slow burns

[lieutenantfloyd]

Pizza Hut and Silent Observation (Also Known as Stalking) - Deadpool x Reader

Word Count: 3.5k

Summary: Through a series of strange but undeniably on-brand events, Wade Wilson has found his opposite—and falls in love with them along the way. But as they both reckon with their feelings, reader pulls away, though this only hurts them both.

Warnings: fluff, opposites attract, attempts at humor, violence, Wade had ADHD, mercenary! Reader, language, mutual pining and a bit of mutual stalking, gentle tapping of the fourth wall, and Wade being Wade.

Authors Note: As much as I love all the Poolverine x Reader stuff, I’m craving some solo Wade x Reader! So consider this to be me being the change I wanna see in the world lol

Read on AO3

A series of strange but undeniably on-brand events had led to Wade Wilson finding his polar opposite—The soft, quiet, and sweet to his rough, loud, and explicit.

For reasons unknown even to himself, Deadpool swears to keep his distance. Yet the more he tries to avoid you, the more you seem to cross paths. Keeping out of each other's way when you wind up trailing the same target quickly morphs into shared glances across bars and grocery store aisles. Wade is all too aware of the universe's fucked up sense of humor, and when he quite literally runs into you for a third day in a row, he swears that the sweet, melodic laughter that graces his is coming from the universe itself.

Despite the stolen kills and strange lack of conversation, Wade quickly grows fascinated by you. As you approach your sixth month of stilted interactions, the last remaining bits of optimism he has leave him wondering if this could potentially be the slowest slow burn of all time, only for those dreams to be crushed by the weight of everything that lies beneath his fancy spandex suit.

Nonetheless, his feelings about you—and how you operate in the field—grow into something far more than a simple curiosity. It becomes a wide-eyed admiration with an increasingly lewd undercurrent. You're everything he’s not. Clean and efficient with a one-track mind that never strays from the mission at hand.

Or at least that's what he tells himself.

-

It took exactly three meetings with the spandex clad mercenary to realize he might be the single most obnoxious person on the planet, and another five before you were willing to admit that he was also the single hottest.

You had always been someone who built their walls high and kept their defenses higher. It's why you found it so strange that the first crack in your emotional fortress was brought on by a mouthy mercenary taking a bullet for you without a second thought and making a joke about pegging with what should have been his dying breath.

His strange effect on you was something you used to justify your actions over the past several months. Frequenting his favorite bars and choosing to pursue the targets you knew he'd go after was simply just reconnaissance. You needed to know the why and how of what he made you feel, and getting close to him—while swearing it was for professional reasons only—felt like the best course of action. Sure, your heart raced every time you spotted him across the room, but that was only because you were satisfied by getting the timing of your meeting right. Maybe you let your eyes wander a little when he sunk his baby knife into the neck of your target, but you kept your thoughts of what else he kept hidden in that suit of his to yourself like any other well respecting person.

You weren't a stalker.

This wasn't stalking.

A grey area? Maybe. But definitely not stalking.

Or at least that's what you told yourself.

-

It was during your eighth month of silent observation that Wade realized that wherever he went, you were his sweet little shadow that kept him distracted. You had spoken to him barely a handful of times, yet you were always there to listen. You didn't care that he couldn't sit still or that he quite literally never shut up. No, you—his silent but darling angel—laughed at his jokes and brought him fidget toys. Alternatively, he never pressured you to speak up or forced you (too far) outside of your comfort zone.

The mutual respect between you grew larger and more profound until you were practically attached at the hip, becoming an unofficial duo both in the field and not. He'd always feel like he didn't deserve you, but at this rate, you were practically all he had left.

Logic—along with everyone in your lives—said that you should hate each other's guts. Yet from the first moment you met, You both just made complete sense to each other. You didn't ask to see what he hid underneath his mask and he didn't ask why you bought your groceries at the shop by His and Blind Al's apartment even though it was 45 minutes away from your own place. Things were simple. Good, even. But they still weren't enough for either of you.

-

He thinks about you constantly.

Thinks about you so much that he finds himself googling 'Can a person be a hyperfixation?' and 'signs you've found your soulmate' at 3am. Yet as much as his feelings for you have grown, whatever you had felt in return seemed to have disappeared along with your presence in his life.

Now what little focus he had was slipping. All because you had pulled away.

He'd taken more than a few knives to the skull over his last several missions, but the target he'd been tracking all year had finally made a home of an unmarked grave. He should feel excited—or at least somewhat satisfied—but he just felt numb. It'd been weeks since he'd last heard from you, but that didn't stop him from feeling phantom buzzes from his phone or searching crowds for your lovely, angelic face.

He'd even stopped by your place a few times. He forced himself to knock before picking the locks and entering your home. His genuine feelings of concern and abandonment were replaced by a gnawing pit in his stomach when he realized that your cozy apartment had become sterilized and vacant. He stayed there, frozen in place, for far longer than he would ever care to admit.

Deep down he'd always known this would happen. He was a depraved fuck up at best, and nothing good ever stuck around for him. But he thought—no, he knew—you were different. Only then did Wade admit that he was obsessed, if not teetering on the edge of stalkerish. He knew this was a glaring sign that he should back off, but Deadpool is anything, he is a man of maximum effort.

So he started waiting. Hoping that maybe you'll miss his unending self-deprecation and come back for him.

-

You promised to keep your distance. Wade was a good, albeit complicated, man who deserved something better. Someone who completed him. Who matched his energy and didn't forge a friendship based on an act of failed reconnaissance.

You'd been clean and clear of anything regarding him for over a month and were finally feeling good enough to head back to your old apartment and turn in your keys.

If you hadn't stopped in the hallway to reread the text from your landlord stating to leave the keys on the kitchen counter, you would have never noticed the shiny metallic scratches around the lock. Your line of work ensured that you knew instantly that it'd been picked, but you still moved in closer for a better look.

Whoever had broken in was either too inexperienced to know how to cover their tracks or brazen enough not to care. Given that the apartment was tucked away on the sixth floor with a freshly posted 'for rent' sign on the door, you couldn't see why this would be a random attack. You'd kept to yourself while living here, and you didn't have any valuables your more shady friends could be searching for. These were the facts you told yourself as you slipped the keys back into your pocket and ignored how only the latter, more reckless possibility had your heart racing.

Your typical evening plans were pushed aside in favor of pulling the security camera footage and settling in for an unconventional movie night.

Most of the tape was mind-numbingly boring, but your eyes were glued to the screen nonetheless. Searching for any piece of evidence to confirm your suspicions. Just as tiredness began to seep its way into your shoulders, you spot him. Even if he wasn't wearing the suit, you'd recognize him just by the way he dances into frame and gives a sarcastic wave at the camera. Seeing Wade again—even just in video format—fills you with so much affection that how you managed to leave him alone this long feels like a damn miracle.

-

The day of your return was unnotable in every way.

The sky is blue, the weather is mild, and you'd been tailing your target since before sunrise.

The job you were currently working requires fast, efficient work with no loose ends left behind. It was perfect for you, but the payout was enough to catch the eye of every mercenary in the local area and beyond. This was something you were banking on—the perfect way to say "I'm sorry" and "let's start over" to Wade without showing up cryptically on his doorstep.

The target pulls into a parking garage, and you know instantly that this is the other opportunity you've been hoping for. You follow them inside and park a few spaces away. You wait for them to walk in view of your rear view mirror before exiting the car. Their pace is relaxed and unalert as you fall in step with them—exactly how you prefer it—which giving you the green light to move in.

Your footfalls are silent as you close the small distance between you, weapon in hand. Hyperfocused and only a step behind them, you nearly run square into their back when they suddenly freeze and gasp.

"I'm on a tight schedule and you know what you did, so let's just cut to the chase, K?"

A second later, a blade lodges through their chest. As it retreats, their body falls limply to the ground, leaving your position completely exposed. Wade's eyes land on you instantly, and the way the whites of his mask widen has something in your chest growing tight.

"Hey," you stutter, thrown off guard by his sudden appearance. Though with everything you know about him, a part of you honestly should have prepared better for this.

"For what it's worth, I've been super busy since you decided to up and abandon me. So busy that I've only had time to cry twice in the last twelve hours," he says, slipping his katana back into place with precision.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry? You're gonna have to do better than that to get back into my good graces, sugar plum."

His humor remains as unwavering as always, but the edge to his usually carefree voice betrays a glimpse of his inner workings. If it hadn't been obvious before, you know now, without any doubt, that your attempt to protect his feelings had only done the opposite.

"I didn't want to hurt you, Wade."

"Well, you failed spectacularly!" He deadpans.

You breathe in sharply and take a cautious step closer to him as his hands rise to rest on his hips. "I like you, you know. Which for me is…a lot."

You can practically see the wheels turning in his head as he speaks. As if he's holding back his true feelings for once.

"It took me far too long to admit it to myself, but I like you too, Wade." He's shockingly quiet as you speak, and the silence drags on for several seconds afterward.

"Do you maybe… like like me?" He asks in a soft voice that has you gearing up for his inevitable teasing. You sigh, and he takes up a pose that says he's the picture of innocence. Yeah right.

"Against my better judgment, yes."

His hands fly to his face, and he gasps so loud you wonder if your sliced-and-diced target had suddenly come back to life.

"You're telling me—mouthy merc Wade Winston Wilson—that I created such a stirring in that-" his eyes flash downwards before rising back to yours "great chest of yours that the only way you knew how to deal with it was to ghost me like fucking Casper?!"

Your half baked plan honestly sounds stupid when you hear it out loud, but he's undoubtedly right.

You nod in a mix of amusement and defeat, which sends his fists flying into the air.

"YES!" He screams "I'm finally getting my third-act-confession-in-a-hallmark-channel-romance-movie moment! Take that you ableist studio execs!"

You roll your eyes, refusing to believe you're letting his weird quips charm you once again.

"I'm sorry Wade, truly," you say.

Guilt sets in then. While you'll probably always think he deserves better—or at least something different—than what you can give him, you've realized that breaking his heart by leaving hurt you both more than whatever may or may not happen if you let your feelings be known.

You awkwardly poke the stiffening body of your target with the toe of your boot before you take a page out of Wade's book and finally bite the bullet.

"You stole my kill, and that means you owe me dinner," You say with a surprisingly playful air.

Wade shrugs, not missing a beat as he counters you.

"I mean, 'stole' doesn't really apply when it was full on open season for this hit, and you just happened to be too slow."

"Wade, do you want to take me out or not?" You bite back.

"Hold your horses there Dr. House, yes I do!"

"Good." You nod.

"Good?" He questions with mock offense. "That's all you have to say when a handsome man such as I is about to take you out for a candle lit date at the third finest Pizza Hut in the city? I even offered to pay with the dirty money from my most recent kill!" He exclaims, eying the increasingly pale body between of you.

"I should stayed away," you mutter half jokingly under your breath as you turn to leave, knowing that he'd follow.

"What was that, pookie?" He asks, using his gloved hand to cup his ear dramatically as he crosses the distance between you with flourish.

You roll your eyes as he falls in step with you, though it doesn't go unnoticed by the usually unobservant mercenary.

"I saw that, sugarplum," he croons. You snort out an exasperated laugh and nearly repeat your previous eye roll just to stir the pot a little more.

"I know you're probably not as well versed in this whole enemies to lovers, will-they-won't-they dating thing, but I've read enough fanfiction to know that this whole dark and brooding thing you've got going on is supposed to be reserved for others, not you're darling love interest."

"I'm glad that you admit that I'm the main character," You laugh. Wade's eyes widen as he realizes the mistake he's made. Yet instead of pressing the issue, he slips his phone out of his spandex suit—where it's kept is something you don't care to think about—and calls in the kill.

You continue on walking, heading nowhere in particular. You’re just happy to have Wade by your side once again. The call comes to an end quickly, the phone disappears once more, and he loops one of his strong arms around your shoulders.

"So, pookie, about that dinner date…"

You raise your eyebrows instantly, recognizing that his tone of voice as the one he uses right before dropping bombshells.

"The money is on a thirty six hour hold—a surprisingly formal rule given our shady choice of gig—so would you mind paying? I'd tell you I'd pay you back but we both know I won't." He smiles innocently.

You scoff, only for a soft smile to bloom on your own face.

"You better sweep me off my feet," you tease, wrapping your own arm around him as you both make your way through the busy city streets. Cars race by and neon lights flicker overhead, reflecting in the puddles left by the afternoon rain.

He shoots you a sideways grin from beneath his mask, "Sweep you off your feet? That sounds like soooo much work. I'll just stick to charming you with my usual irresistible appeal instead."

You snort sarcastically. "irresistible appeal? You mean being an insufferable pain who always leaves me behind to clean up your messes?"

You turn the corner, arriving at the restaurant Wade had promised. You'd been here together before, though usually after a job gone wrong, and it had become your go-to hideout whenever your paths crossed.

Sliding into your usual booth, you lean back against the cracking vinyl and cross your arms, almost amused by the situation.

"You stuck me with the bill, so you better order something cheap," you joke as he eyes the menu.

Wade leans forward, his elbows resting on the table beside his now discarded red and black mask.

"Best I can do is treat you to dessert if you behave," He smirks, very much not talking about baked goods or confectionery.

You narrow your eyes at him, though he sees the playful spark swimming beneath them.

"Behave? That's rich coming from you. I'll be lucky if you don't have a knife buried in your head by the time the food comes out." He grins, a flash of mischief dancing across his eyes.

"What can I say? I like to make life exciting. Besides, we can't all be dark and brooding on the sidelines, now can we?"

You roll your eyes before looking back at the menu, an action that causes his smile to grow bigger.

The familiar heavy but playful energy between you has returned as if the past weeks had never happened. Things are comfortable, if not easy. It's the kind of rhythm you and Wade always fall into, no matter how long you spent apart.

From across the booth you see Wade's head fall to the side, his eyes examining you closely.

"What?" You ask, your eyes staying on the menu but not really looking at it.

"You seem…excited. Well, as excited as you can get, really." He says in a surprisingly soft tone.

"Me? Excited? Never."

"Perhaps then you just missed this sexy face? You wouldn't be the first…" he smirks as he looks at you with annoyingly innocent eyes.

"Or perhaps I'm waiting on the other shoe to drop. It seems like every time we're together, one of us is getting shot at or double-crossed. I wouldn't call that particularly exciting." You counter, though you know he's got you pinned.

He huffs out a laugh, leaning back in his seat. "Come on, Wednesday Adams, admit it—You. Missed. Me."

You glance up at him, meeting his gaze. There was something disarming about the way he looked at you, like you weren't just two messed up mercenaries thrown into the same mess over and over again. Like there was something more to be had than all your teasing and banter. And as much as you hated to admit it, he was right. You had missed him.

"I missed this place, not you," you deflect, though your smile betrays you.

"You missed this shithole?" he replies, eyes twinkling. "I knew your standards were low—I mean you are on a date with me after all—but holy fuck."

You shake your head, unable to stop the laugh that bubbles up. "Hey! This isn't a date!"

He leaned in, his voice dropping lower as it fills with that infuriating charm he's known for. "Oh, don't you worry pookie. This is just the first step in my plan to date the hell outta you."

For a moment you sit there, the noise of the restaurant fading as your eyes lock with his wild ones. A truth hangs between you—no matter how many times you tried to downplay it, there was an undeniable electricity that always sparked between you. Something crazy and unpredictable, not unlike your daily lives.

You shake your head. "If it's a date, then you're paying," you say, finally breaking the tension with a happy smirk.

"Fine," he says with a huff, drawing out the last syllable as he leans back in his seat. "But next time, you're buying the drinks."

"Next time?" You ask, raising your eyebrows.

"Oh, you know there's always going to be a next time," His eyes gleam as you let out a soft laugh, glancing at him with a mixture of exasperation and fondness.

"You're maddening, you know that?" You say, though there's no bite behind your words.

He gasps dramatically once more. "Is this the part of the movie where you say I drive you crazy before we go back to my place and have a heated makeout session?!"

For a moment you just watch him, eyebrows furrowed but a lazy smile hanging on your lips. The noise of the restaurant and the city beyond it fades into the background. It was almost funny how you and Wade always ended up back here, side by side, cracking jokes and deflecting feelings you both refused to admit you had.

Yet as his hand drops onto the table it brushes softly against yours, and you can't imagine a world in which you pull away. He's incessant, annoying, exasperating, along with a million other words, but he's here with you despite everything. A gesture that proves that maybe a bit of humor is exactly what you are missing from your life.

[rebelrayne]

https://www.tumblr.com/rebelrayne/756457395232948224/asking-for-science-so-s6-hamish-showed-us-that

The way you predicted this🤯😳 the writers really are doing a proper redemption arc for this man. I twisted to stay safe but if he's left single i'll go back and reply so that we're both single and automatically in a couple😭

hated these episodes not enough ham man

Hahahaha I even had to go back and reread what I said. I’ve got the worst memory of all time.

I should really play the lottery the way I’ve been predicting every single thing they do with him (or maybe that’s because they’re writing him the way I did in OTM1?!). My next thought is next week, he’s probably going to pull MC for a chat and if youre on his route, he might be a little vague.

Like as in asking what she did, if she stuck and missed LI…maybe there will be a choice to say something “Oh I missed someone a lot and I hope he missed me” or maybe he says that! MC might be dealing with drama so the chat might be quick so he might smirk knowingly like he totally gets her. He’s for sure single—I think he’s going to be vulnerable and there will be a worry he might go home.

To be clear, I do not think he is though. He’s had a great arc. They didn’t do allllll that work just to dump him. This isn’t like a Rocco/Hazeem/Eddie situation. They spent a lot of time on this character. He’s not going anywhere.

I think he might be available BEFORE Finn is at this rate. Who thought??? Hamish was a slow burn but not the SLOWEST one here?! We’ll take it haha

[lunanoc]

might as well throw in some pingxie thoughts while i’m at it

i have. many things to say about pingxie. but on the subject of reducing relationships to one dimensional tropes specifically, it does them just as much of a disservice.

my favorite variation of pingxie is in the books (very shocking i know, although that’s technically the original them and not a variation), and by comparison to what’s shown in the dramas (which are fun and self-indulgent don’t get me wrong), the books are the slowest of slow burns. never forget we see everything in them from wu xie’s pov exclusively (at least the main entries), so we can only infer xiaoge’s own growth and development from what wu xie sees of it, but it very much exists.

wu xie has a complicated opinion of xiaoge in the earlier books, mostly because he doesn’t quite know what to make of this man who looks younger than he is and completely blows him off on their first meeting (blows everyone off in fact) much to his displeasure, which leads to the initially derogatory nickname ‘menyouping’, and yet is also vastly competent and knowledgeable. he’s cold and indifferent, yet wu xie feels safe around him and trusts him more than he likely should from the get go, mostly because wu xie’s good at reading people’s intentions and character on an instinctive level he doesn’t always manage to rationalize early on. he’s fascinated and would like to know him better, but also finds him deeply unfathomable, even incomprehensible.

and then you have xiaoge, who it merits saying, is repeatedly described as largely indifferent to most things (and he genuinely is), doing what he deems necessary but otherwise not bothering to involve himself with other people or social niceties. this is a man who spends his time off to the side sleeping or contemplating the sky, and yet in the space of four books he goes from not giving two shts about wu xie (or more than he would the average person) to voluntarily interacting with him, siding with him in quiet ways, helping him through unspoken little acts all the way up until a turning point wherein he first tries to keep his distance from wu xie en route to tamutuo in an effort to keep him from getting further involved than he already is in dangerous things he has no concept of, except by then he’s shown enough uncharacteristic interest in wu xie that wu xie notices he's being cold and distant. this all culminates in the infamous moment where xiaoge eventually lets himself act on thoughts he’s likely never fully analyzed himself, let alone shared with another person, leading to the “if i disappeared no one would notice” moment. 

and from there all the way until post ten years later and into things like yucun biji, the reality is that pingxie were never the serious immortal and the dorky clumsy mortal boy he adopts, nor are they the vulnerable strong one and the eventual protector, or any other trope variation really. pingxie are two people who at the start stand on opposite sides of a line neither of them were ever meant to cross, and to all intents and purposes should never have met for how very different the worlds they come from are. they’re people that circumstance threw together who chose to stay together, and keep choosing each other. they don’t need each other to exist, and could have gone their separate ways had they wanted to, but the importance of their relationship lies in that they stay together by active choice, and that in doing so, they meet in the middle.

wu xie matures and comes to understand a number of things through hardship while xiaoge is behind the gate that untether him just enough from the world that xiaoge isn’t quite so unfathomable anymore, while xiaoge comes down from his imposed pedestal just enough that he tethers himself to wu xie (and pangzi) and learns to live rather than exist

neither of them became a different person for the other, and the core of their relationship (and the beauty of it) is in the harmony and understanding they eventually achieve. reducing all of that to archetypes is honestly a little tragic

[liroyalty]

I'm learning more & more that ships with Sue take off better when she feels like she's being chosen by her partner, not settled for. Where the partner sees her for who she is, not for her title or the benefits she would bring to the table, but for herself & have them go 'I like what I see, I want this one'.

That's probably why arrange marriages result in the slowest of slow burns, because she was not selected for who she is, she was selected because she is the only non-heir royal child to the Kingdom of Camellia. She is the most available & easily securable candidate when wanting to ally with a military strong & large nation. In most cases too, she wasn't even selected by the person she was marrying, but by their parents, so any semblance of that person 'falling in love with her' is seen as not real love; but as that person 'settling for what they were given/settling for the good of their country/believing this is the best they will ever get so might as well accept'.

She doesn't want to be settled for, she wants to be someone's first choice. She wants for someone to see all the options they have on their table & have them go 'This is who I want. She's everything I want, flaws & all. Suzanne Ying li Fiorenobila is who I want'.

[mediocre-writerr]

a mediocre 2k party!!

2031 FRIENDS!! Y’ALL ARE AMAZING! If you want to participate in this little party, i have a variety of prompts based off lyrics from my favorite songs for you to choose from. you could choose one of the prompts and create a scenario out of it or just have me quote it in the blurb, up to you! also lmk if you want angst, fluff, or nsfw. when you request through my inbox please note that it is for the mediocre 2k party and what character you would like it to be written for. for those of you don’t know these are the characters i am currently writing for: criminal minds: jennifer jareau, emily prentiss, euphoria: cassie howard, lexi howard, maddy perez, mcu: kate bishop, natasha romanoff, wanda maximoff, you: love quinn, guinevere beck

prompt lists: 

“but all the we are is all that we’ll ever be, cause he’s the one waiting at home” - (smoke slow, joshua bassett)

“i’ll be fine for tonight with you by my side, but don’t you know you’re my lifeline) - (lifeline, joshua bassett)

“something keeps me holding on to nothing” - (haunted, taylor swift)

“when i told you ‘i’m fine’, you were lied to” - (mess it up, gracie abrams)

“i’ll be your summer sun forever” - (forever winter, taylor swift)

“nothing to say, when everything gets in the way” - (as it was, harry styles)

“i know heaven’s a thing, i go there when you touch me” - (false god, taylor swift)

“you’re a crisis of my faith” - (would’ve, could’ve, should’ve, taylor swift)

“but you had no problem leaving, now i’m the one to feel it” - (friend, gracie abrams)

“i still love you, i promise” - (i miss you, i’m sorry, gracie abrams)

“please don’t ever become a stranger, whose laugh i could recognize anywhere” - (new year’s day, taylor swift)

“i once believed love would be burning red, but it’s golden” - (daylight, taylor swift)

“and i need you sometimes, we’ll be alright” - (feels like, gracie abrams)

“i miss the shape of your lips” - (to be so lonely, harry styles)

“from strangers to lovers to enemies” - (in the kitchen, renne rapp)

“so i’ll leave before you go, cause there’s no tears when its my fault” - (let the grass grow, ruel)

“she could be perfect, but the problem is, she’ll never be you) - (somebody’s nobody, alexander 23)

“call me on your way home, don’t matter the time” - (on your way home, patrick droney)

“sacred new beginnings that became my religion” - (cornelia street, taylor swift)

“guess i’d die to keep your eyes on me” - (reckless driving, lizzy mcalpine)

“did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room” - (question, taylor swift)

“hash brown, egg yolk, i will always love you” - (keep driving, harry styles)

“i didn’t choose this town, i dream of getting out, there’s just one who could make me stay” - (you’re on your own kid, taylor swift)

“there’s many different way that you can kill the one you love, the slowest way is never loving them enough” - (high infidelity, taylor swift)

“london is lonely without you” - (london is lonely, holly humberstone)

“all our best years are behind, what a brutal way to die” - (where do we go now?, gracie abrams)

“i’m not worried about where you are, or who you go home to, i’m just thinking about you” (little freak, harry styles)

“and i wake with your memory over me” (maroon, taylor swift)

“i’m sure that i would like her, if i were slightly nicer” - (rockland, gracie abrams)

“and i’ll dream each night of some version of you that i might not have, but did not lose” - (stick season, noah kahan

[winterkittenreads]

Review: Magic on Main Street by K.M. Shea

Audience: Teens and up

Stars: 4.8/5

dear radish, 

I’m finally back at it again! This time with K.M. Shea’s Magic on Main Street trilogy which takes place in the Magiford Supernatural City universe. This trilogy consists of the following titles: The Lies of Vampires and Slayers, The Games of Enemies and Allies, and The Order of Blood and Ruin. The main couple is Jade O’Neil (slayer) and Considine Maledictus (elder vampire). 

I’ve been a huge of the Magiford Supernatural City books ever since the first trilogy (Hall of Blood and Mercy) and I have to say, the writing continues to be absolutely ✨immaculate✨. It’s wonderfully-executed romance with actual plot. I LOVE how Jade’s social anxiety is depicted (as someone who has experienced my own fair share of social anxiety, it felt really nice having that point of connection with her), and I LOVE how Jade is constantly trying to work past it. How she genuinely cares for co-workers and neighbors and people in general. How she doesn’t at all stutter over her words if you happen to be a vampire or slayer because those are the beings she’s gotten hella exposure talking to from a young age hahaha. And her compentency as a slayer! Yes!!

I also love Considine as the ML! He’s the oldest ML so far in all of the books, but I definitely find him to be the funniest! I always find myself cracking up as I read through Magiford Supernatural City books (K.M. Shea’s just got a knack for weaving comedy into her works), and this was no exception. 

Side characters, as always, are also chef’s kiss!

Note that Chronology-wise, Magic on Main Street actually takes place before Gate of Myth and Power. Here’s a link on Shea’s website to a timeline featuring all the trilogies. It’s worth reading in order since characters from previous books often pop up in the new ones, which is just 10/10. 

Other notes:

I LOVE how the first trilogy in the Magiford Supernatural City universe was Hall of Blood and Mercy. And how the last book in the Magic on Main Street trilogy is The Order of Blood and Ruin. I LOVE the latter as a title for other reasons too (as you will find out if you decide to read the books, radish), but the symmetry of this is just so beautiful. 

The Pack of Dawn and Destiny and Gate of Myth and Power trilogies did not hit as hard for me as Hall of Blood and Mercy, Court of Midnight and Deception, and Magic on Main Street. However, there were both still solid reads, and I definitely enjoyed the time I spent on them! So excited for the upcoming trilogies. Thank you, K.M. Shea (aka Kitty), for creating such an incredible world with the best characters. Your books consistently bring me joy time and time again. 

Spoilers:

The only reason this trilogy doesn’t get a full 5/5 is because I felt Jade’s realization that she loved Considine came on slightly more quickly than expected based on what I’d learned of her character and the rate at which her feelings had been progressing. It didn’t take me out of the book though! I still LOVE the both of them together. And others might feel like the two of them had had enough time to come to that realization. Two and half books’ worth of time, in fact, hahaha. Which in retrospect does sound like it’s enough, but I guess I’m in a slowest of slow burn mood. Might be because our protagonists are actually pretty willing to be vulnerable and communicative with each other (once they get to know each other better), and it felt like their interactions had so much substance. Anyways, their relationship is definitely shown to still be continuously developing, which I highly appreciate! <3

Ambrose Dracos may be long gone, but the way his presence is felt throughout book and his last “gift” to Considine (a promise to take care of the Dracos line) is soooo good. 

Book Blurb ⟦short version⟧:

By night, they fight in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse. By day, they are friendly next-door neighbors. Neither of them know that their alter egos are archenemies.

[lizzibennet]

fics i’ve written that you all should be sad over the fact you’re never reading

percabeth royalty/magic au (started out inspired by historical fiction as a royalty au only but really, the only way to make it work was to add magic, so it became kinda high fantasy? there’s balls and pretty dresses and fake dating (yes, i did) and people controlling elements and pining over each other and it’s gr8)

reynabeth royalty au (kinda same concept as the last one, except it’s set in a world where the magic aspect is more prevalent, and it’s more focused on a political story (cause the percabeth one is totally self indulgent romance, lol). LOTS OF PINING i love this one sm it’s like the older sister of the first one. it’s also the first multi chaptered fic i ever finished so like. yeah)

percabeth new girl au BECAUSE NO ONE WOULD WRITE IT? LIKE??? THE CONCEPT IS THERE!!!!!!! IT’S SO OBVIOUS JUST PUT THEM IN A ROMCOM SITUATION IT’S NOT THAT FREAKING HARD. anyway human au, annabeth, percy, grover and juniper all live together basically when i started this i just really wanted to give juniper a personality and kinda started revolving around that and evolving into this MONSTER, it has like 50 chapters, i have a problem, i’ve been writing this for like 5 years)

jasiper/percabeth pride and prejudice au because SERIOUSLY! IT! IS! RIGHT! THERE! DO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING AROUND HERE I JUST WANTED TO READ SOME P&P PERCABETH AM I ASKING FOR TOO MUCH NO I REALLY AM NOT. also it’s jasiper/percabeth because i’ve written two versions (please stop looking at me weird) jasiper is classic and percabeth is modern times. yh babey

[ganen-cheese]

Do you think Mo will receive a confession from He Tian before he leaves? 😭 I feel like He Tian is grabbing every opportunity to flirt with mo in these few episodes.

Hello, Anony! This is a difficult but interesting question!

Maybe?? I honestly have no idea, Anon. I honestly can't tell what kind of relationship they have when He Tian came back on the Christmas special. Just that Mo’s defenses were sky high. 

I can't tell what kind of farewell they had.

He Tian expresses some kind of confession then Mo doesn't get a chance to respond because time was up. This is cruel but Mo was cold in the reunion while HT was lovey dovey so like maybe Mo was cold out of self defense because HT went away while Mo was still sorting out his feelings? Like just when Mo was reciprocating, HT had to go away albeit unwillingly. HT was waiting on Mo’s answer all this time but Mo didn’t even get a chance to respond?

I.. have a headcanon though that Mo started smoking to smell HT lol because he coughed when he smoked which seemed as if he’s not used to it. Please don’t mind me.

One of the things I'm most curious about is She Li and how he ties in to all of this before HT leaves. Why is his name not yet revealed. They're in a school where He Tian is so it's not really weird if more people from their school are rich. Not all rich people are mafia (but what if his family was lol or pays them and the reason HT is transferred is to ease tensions because father found out lol /jk). Like his obsession with Mo is not yet resolved. He Tian is putting a stopper on it temporarily by being Mo's shield. How will He Tian take care of it before he leaves? Maybe had his brother help to keep Mo safe when he's gone? Of course Mo has to sort out his fear as well, but He Tian will act individually anyway.

I'm thinking like, maybe the farewell will come after She Li's thing is wrapped up? It's kind of hard to believe He Tian will let Mo fend for himself even if Mo is trying to fend for himself so.... hmmm. 

Then maybe there’s some kind of not-confession “confession”? Maybe OX will surprise us and it turns out Mo expressed first in a time of worry or something... uh sorry, it’s turning into an action drama XD then HT just assumed they were a thing until he came back LOL JK. When will HT’s “is this a confession?” and Mo’s answer become a reality?? 

Maybe they might not have a traditional confession, but maybe HT will express something physical before he leaves and Mo senses the sincerity or neediness of it. 

Or no confession (;w;) I’m all for the slowest of the slow slow burns though (like after the time skip) but I know some of the people here have been waiting for ages (;w; )

I’m sorry for letting my imagination go wild. I really cannot tell what OX has in store for us! I’m excited! What do you think, Anon?

[queen-bunnyears]

Chapter three - Christmas Day

Pairing: Harrison Osterfield x Reader, Tom Holland x Reader (not at the same time!)

Summary: Every year with Christmas Tom, his brothers, some friends and you rented a house in Scotland to celebrate the holidays and New Years Eve with a lot of friends. Last year’s christmas you and Harrison had something special going on, and this year he brings his new girlfriend. Chaos ensues.

Am I ignoring corona christmas lockdown in this fic? You bet your ass I am.

Wordcount: 1,3k

Warnings: alcohol consuming, dangerous sleighing. 

Chapter Two - Chapter Four

25 December 2020

“Come on, I would not let you get hurt,”

“Yeah?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Not with that look on your face!” you shrieked when Tom grabbed your hand and pulled you onto the sleigh before him.  

“What could possibly go wrong?”

“A lot could go wrong Tom,” you said, but you laughed when he put his feet on the ground and pushed you over the edge. Cold wind hit your face while the sleigh started speeding down the hill. Tom wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close to his chest. Your hat must have been in his face, because he put his head on your shoulder. 

“You see, this is fun,” he whispered in your ear. You just laughed and let out a scream of excitement. The sleigh was still speeding, Tom and you held your hands in the air like it was a rollercoaster. The hill was ending slowly, but your sleigh didn’t slow down. Tom and you saw the tree before you at the same time. 

“Shit!” 

“Get off Tom!” you screamed and you lunged yourself and him off the sleigh, just in time. You both lied in the slow when the sleigh crashed into the tree with full force. Tom let out a high giggle, and you couldn’t hold your laughter in too. You were still entangled in the snow, crying from your laughter when Harrison and Lily came to a halt on their sleigh next to you. Harrison had apparently slowed down in time so he could come to a full stop by just putting his heels in the snow. 

“What happened?” Harrison saw the crashed sleigh lying in the snow. He quickly got off his own and crouched next to you. “Are you okay? Did you get hurt?” 

“No no we are,-” Tom started, but his sentence faded to an end when he saw Harrison examining you, a worried look on his face. 

“Can you sit up?” Harrison asked, putting his hand on your cheek. You shook his hand off, and got onto your feet again. 

“Yes Harrison. Tom and I just went pretty fast,” you laughed. 

“Amazingly fast, if I do sleigh so myself,” Tom said, and you both started laughing again. 

“Well sorry I was concerned,” Harrison said bitterly, “Sorry for being worried when I saw tears on your face, you lying in the snow and your sleigh smashed to pieces a few feet further. Sorry for caring about your safety.” He stormed off, Lily shared a look with you and went after him.

“What is his problem?” you said.

“I don’t know,” Tom feigned jealousy, “Why was he only worried about you? I am his best friend and a celebrity. I am worth over a million bucks!” He barely got the last few words out through his and your giggles. Within seconds you both were lying on the ground again, shaking from laughter. 

“Hey Haz,” you said tentatively, “Sorry for this morning. Tom and I shouldn’t have acted that way,”

“No, I am sorry,” he sighs, “I got way too angry, it was uncalled for,” it seemed like he wanted to say something else, but he closed his mouth and took a sip of his beer instead. 

“Wanna help me with baking the pudding for dessert?” you asked, hoping he would accept your peace offer. Making the sticky date pudding was always a big thing, and usually you and Sam did that together. 

“Ehm yeah. Sure you don’t want Sam to help you?”

“No I believe he wanted to be with his girl while the others watch that movie so if you don’t wanna watch it,-” Harrison just nodded, and you grabbed the scales.

"Yes and then you strain them," you waited until the dates were strained, "put them in the blender, and blend them." You were mixing the batter, only the dates needed to be added and then you could put the mixture in the tin. Harrison tried to scoop the dates into the bowl, but he struggled with the last bits. You gently took the spatula from his hands and scooped the last bits out. "And now you whisk."

The pudding was cooking in the oven, and you could feel Harrisons eyes staring at your face. You were washing the last bit of the dishes and he was supposed to wipe the counter clean, but he stood still, staring at you.

"Harrison?" you asked.

"Yeah, sorry I,-" he shook his head and swiftly left the kitchen. You put the bowl back into the sink, resting your hands on the counter. What was wrong with him? You tried your best to be normal with him, not really talking about last year, being nice to Lily and treating him as you always did. Why was he being so stupid? Even last night when you were super drunk he was the one acting weird. 

"What happened to Harrison? He almost ran out of the kitchen?" Tom asked, walking in and grabbing the kitchen towel to dry the dishes.

"I have no fucking clue. He is behaving so weird Tom,"

"I don't know it either. I am gonna talk to him tonight, he might wanna talk about it," he said, "is the pudding done?"

"Yes and no, he ran out before we could start on the sauce," you sighed, "you wanna help?"

"Tom! Don't stick your fingers in there! That sauce is fucking hot," you screamed, slapping his hands away. He looked at you with a pout on his face.

"But it looks so good,"

"Has your mum never taught you that sugar gets insanely hot? You would've burned your fingers so bad," you spoke sternly, but Tom’s sorry face made you giggle a bit. "You can eat once it's cooled down. Could you pour it in those containers?"

He carefully did what you asked of him, making sure to keep his fingers away from the hot caramel. He looked cute like this, his tongue sticking out, brows furrowed in concentration. When he looked back up you felt your cheeks burn as he caught you staring. He laughed.

“Zoned out?”

“Yeah, a bit,” you lied, trying to cover up your embarrassment, “I kind of feel my hangover now. I’m not as used to alcohol as I once was,”

“You haven’t drank that much this year?”

“No not really. Work you see,”

“I am glad you are here,” Tom said, smiling at you, “I was afraid you wouldn’t come because of…”

“You would have to drag me out of the cottage for me to not be here at Christmas,” you said softly, wiping a bit of sugar from his face. The air between you seemed to be electric, your cheeks felt even hotter than before as you looked at him.

“Hey Y/n how is the pudding going?” Sam startled you both as he came walking into the kitchen.

“Ehm yeah it’s going fine, She is almost ready to get out of the oven, Tom and I just finished the sauce,” you awkwardly rambled, avoiding Tom's eyes. Instead, you focused on Sam, who nodded thoughtfully.

“Wasn’t Haz helping you?”

“He was,- and he did. But Tom helped with the sauce,” you said. The oven timer went off, and Tuwaine called Tom to play Xbox. You were sure that was divine intervention. Tom excused himself and Sam got the pudding out of the oven. It was three o’clock, so Sam and you started preparing dinner. You two worked mostly in silence. It gave you some time alone with your thoughts, a blessing and a curse. What was happening? Harrison was weird, puzzling you with his behaviour. And Tom made it all worse. Your feelings were a mess.

It didn’t get much better during the evening. Harrison kept avoiding you, and Tom was sweet as ever. You two were the slowest at dinner because he kept making you laugh and you couldn’t eat. And when you woke in the middle of the night somehow you had moved across the bed and now you were snuggling Tom. His arms around you felt comfortable. 

A mess. A real big mess. 

Next Chapter

[jingabitch]

Armed to the Fangs ch. 6

SUMMARY: you grew up in the hunter’s guild, understanding that it is your sacred duty as a hunter to protect humanity from the vampires that lurk in the dark, draining the life from anyone unlucky enough to be caught. while making the rounds one night, you encounter taehyung, a fabled born vampire - not that you know that when he tries to entice you into a dark alley. next thing you know, you’re kidnapped and taken to their home, where you realise that all of them somehow crave your blood and seem to know more about your past than you do. finding out about where you came from might be the key to setting humanity free.

PAIRING: eventual ot7 x reader; some jimin x reader and namjoon x reader here

WARNINGS: some description of violence, angst, pining, maybe eventual smut but not for a looooong time, slow burn (really the slowest of burns), injeolmi being adorable asf as always, reader ironically hates the smell of blood

RATING: T? 

WORD COUNT: 3.3k

A/N: thank you to my betas @re-sugance and @jminacious for reading this beforehand and making sure it was okay! also, I hope you guys enjoy and are excited for chapter 7 because I am!!

series index

Now that you’d gotten a taste of what life outside your quarters in the manor could be like, you quickly grew restless in your room. You’d always been independent, after all, and being stuck inside with only your cat for company grew old fast. The vampires – at least the ones you’d met so far – seemed nice enough, and maybe if you played nice, they’d eventually let their guard down and agree to let you go back to the Guild.

With that goal in mind, you suddenly couldn’t wait to set your new plans into motion. You’d never really kept tabs on the boys and what they did when they were up since you were usually asleep at night, but you figured it couldn’t hurt to check it out tonight. You’d slept most of the day away, anyway, after coming back from the garden with Namjoon.

Come 11pm, you were standing in your nice walk-in closet getting dressed. You’d been caught in your pajamas by Namjoon this morning, but that was not going to happen again – if you were to be an ambassador, the manor was technically your place of work, and you could not be seen walking around in sleepwear. It was unprofessional, to say the least.

You pushed aside the little voice in your head informing you that you were being ridiculous, that there had never been an ambassador for the hunters and there was no reason to have one now, that your current title was a farce.

Strapping your hip holster on under your jacket and hiding your knives away in your boots, you gave Injeolmi one more round of scratches      behind his ears before you left your room. “All right…” you muttered to yourself, going back down the hallway to the stairs you’d found this morning. It didn’t take long for you to run into one of the vampires – Jungkook, the youngest one, had his head inside the massive fridge in the kitchen downstairs.

You hesitated to make your presence known, standing next to the wall, but he turned around to give you a friendly smile. “Hello Y/n-ssi,” he greeted you politely. “What are you doing here?”

“Good evening, Jungkook-ssi,” you responded with a bow. “I got bored hanging around my room, is all,” you said with an awkward shrug. If he noticed how weird you were being, he didn’t mention it.

“Well, it’s nice to see you,” he said, looking awkward as he slowly closed the fridge. He was still empty-handed when he withdrew, and you raised your brow at him.

“Didn’t you come to grab something from the fridge?” you asked, looking down at his hands.

“Oh, I… uh-” He fumbled awkwardly, flushing. You bit back the urge to pinch his cheeks or give him a cuddle. Get a grip, you ordered yourself. He was a vamp, not a dongsaeng from the Guild, even if he looked like it from his boyish demeanor and simple black clothing. There would be no casual affection, even if you could form a cordial working relationship with the other vampires in the compound.

As you chastised yourself, frowning slightly, Jungkook grew more uncomfortable, dithering in front of the fridge. Your appearance was definitely welcome, but he’d come down to grab a bag of blood after waking up, and now he didn’t know if you would be comfortable seeing him drink it. He still vividly remembered your reaction to the frozen blood bag Taehyung had given you, and didn’t much fancy staring down the barrel of a gun again. As he watched your face twist into a light scowl, he began panicking even more, wondering if he should just get out of here. He could smell the gunpowder on you and knew your gun was somewhere on your person.

Snapping back to attention as he began to fidget, you smiled at him. “You can grab the blood bag, you know,” you offered, figuring that was probably why he was there.

“Oh, uh, okay,” Jungkook responded meekly, opening the fridge again. From your vantage point, you could see neat stacks of blood, but the drawers at the bottom looked to be filled with fresh produce. He picked a bag from the pile and closed the fridge again, still looking unsure of yourself.

“Where do you get these?” you asked curiously, taking a closer look. They looked like they were hospital bags, now that you were paying attention.

“Uh… the blood drive center gives us the unusable or extra stuff,” Jungkook explained.

“Huh. That’s very… efficient,” you said with a raised brow, and Jungkook squeaked, wondering if you were mad. The noise was so adorable you smiled at him, though, and it made his dead heart squeeze.

“All right, go enjoy that,” you nodded at the blood bag he was holding. Jungkook wasn’t quite ready to leave your presence, but figured he might as well cut his losses and stop embarrassing himself in front of you, so he just nodded and bade you goodbye as he started to run back to his room.

“Wait, Jungkook-ssi?” you called as he started going up the stairs, and he paused, turning to see what you wanted. “Do you know who’s been cooking my food?”

“Ah, that’s Jin-hyung,” he told you before disappearing.

Jin, hmm? That was interesting, you thought. You didn’t know that vampires could cook, since it wasn’t like they were eating the food they made, and for the vampire you’d previously known to be stoic and kind of mean, if you were being honest, to be cooking all your meals every day, without any thanks…

Somehow that felt weird. Not bad weird, but it made you feel a little fuzzy inside, something that had previously only happened to you when Jennie came by with some extra treats she’d managed to smuggle off the streets during her patrols. Still thinking about it, you started going up the stairs, following the path Jungkook had taken. You hoped you wouldn’t get lost again.

Wandering down the empty halls, you could take your time absorbing your surroundings. This was a part of the manor that you’d never been to, and it was somber and quiet, without any of the windows that were part of the décor of the wing you were housed in. That made sense, you supposed, since based on your interactions with Namjoon earlier you knew that they were sensitive to the light.

As you were walking past one of the doors, it popped open unexpectedly, giving you the fright of your life. You screamed and whipped your gun out as you spun around to meet this new threat, coming face to face with Taehyung, who jumped when he heard you scream and quickly put his hands up.

“It’s just me! I’m not going to hurt you!” he cried, trying to look as un-intimidating as possible. A little hard for a vampire who towered over you, but his big eyes and guileless expression did make you feel a little better. Squinting suspiciously at him, you nonetheless lowered your gun but didn’t put it back in its holster.

“I’m sorry I frightened you,” he offered, relaxing and putting his hands down.

You scoffed. “You didn’t frighten me,” you lied.

His lips twitched, trying to hold back a laugh at how cute you were, but he didn’t respond, instead falling into step with you. You didn’t recoil from him or tell him to leave you alone, which he took as a good sign. “What brings you to these parts of the manor?” he asked, trying to make conversation.

Glancing askance at him, you asked, “Am I not allowed?”

“Uhhh…” he backpedaled furiously. “N-no! Of course I didn’t mean that, I mean… you can go wherever you want to, it’s just…”

You couldn’t hold back your giggles anymore. “Relax, man, I’m just kidding,” you managed to get out. Now that you weren’t incapacitated in some way, you felt a little better around Taehyung. He seemed innocent enough, if you put aside the unfortunate way you’d first met him. Even though he was taller and broader than you, you got the sense – at least when he wasn’t charging at you – that he would never hurt a fly, which was strange considering      he was literally an apex predator.

“I heard Seokjin-ssi has been cooking my meals,” you said with forced casualness once you calmed down.

“Uhh, yeah,” Taehyung said carefully, watching you. He might crave your approval and attention, but Seokjin was still his brother, and he was a little cautious about where this was going.

“Is he around? I’d like to pay my compliments to the chef, as it were.”

Brightening up, he nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, I’ll take you to him!” When he strode ahead of you to show you the way, there was a bounce in his step and you shook your head almost fondly before catching yourself. Nonthreatening demeanor or not, he was still a vampire. There must be something in the water here, if it was making you feel this way towards vampires. What next? Wanting to sleep with them?

You let Taehyung chatter on, only half paying attention to him as he took you to Jin’s study. You were almost surprised when he stopped in front of an imposing double door. “Here he is,” he giggled before busting the doors wide open without so much as a knock.

Seokjin, who was sitting at his desk as usual, looked up with a scowl at the disturbance. He’d heard Taehyung’s voice approaching and knew that he would be dropping in, but that didn’t make it any less irritating. As much as he loved his younger brother, the man needed to learn about boundaries. “How many times have I told you-” he started ranting, before trailing off when he spotted you standing next to Taehyung.

“Oh,” was all his mouth could manage, and Taehyung smirked knowingly at him.

“Right, here he is! I’ll leave you to your very important discussion,” he fairly sang as he wandered back down the hallway he came from.

Seokjin shook his head at his brother’s antics, then turned his attention towards you. “Did you need anything?” he asked, trying for cordial but falling slightly short.

“Yes.” Undeterred by his unwelcoming demeanor, you entered the room, going to stand behind the chairs on the other side of his desk. “I heard that you’ve been cooking my meals.”

At your tone and the way your hands were still stuffed into your pockets, Seokjin stiffened, on high alert now. “Yes,” he said warily. “Is that a problem?”

Realising how confrontational you must look and sound right now, you quickly adjusted your posture, letting your hands relax by your sides. “I, um… just wanted to say thank you,” you said slightly unsurely, looking away awkwardly. Why was this so difficult? “They were really good.”

At your words, he brightened up. “Thank you, Y/n-ssi,” he said formally. “It’s my pleasure.”

Your eyes darted towards him, saw the almost tender expression he was wearing as he smiled at you, and immediately darted away again, a flush now stealing over your cheeks. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from cooing at how cute you were. “Is there anything else?” he prompted, because it didn’t look like you were going to leave.

“Uh, yes.” You gathered yourself enough to appear professional, clearing your throat and smoothing your hands over your jacket. “I wanted to know if there are official duties for me…? As ambassador…?”

“Yes, take a seat.” Seokjin took his glasses off – you hadn’t even known vampires could be shortsighted, how about that – and leaned back in his chair. “Since your primary role will be to improve the relations between hunters and vampires, I think it would be best for you start by cultivating good personal relationships with the vampires.”

Cultivating good personal relationships…? He just wanted you to make friends? You blinked at him, surprised. Somehow you’d thought your role would involve more actual… work. Still, you shrugged it off. You’d never been the diplomat, after all. Being a hunter was more like being the muscle of the operation.

“All right, and how do you suggest I do that?”

He smiled at you and leaned forward.

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

It was five am, and you weren’t sure if this was a good idea. You stood in front of the mirror in your walk-in closet, clad in the one dress you owned. Injeolmi was seated on the padded chair – in the closet! – staring at you calmly. Clearly, he didn’t share your trepidation.

“What do you think, baby?” you asked, giving yourself a critical once-over. The dress was black and modest, and, in all honesty, before tonight you’d only worn it at funerals for fallen hunters.

He meowed at you, looking unimpressed, and you sighed. “Yeah, probably,” you conceded, but didn’t change. Instead you said bye to him – with a good dose of pets and ear scratches – and left the room for your dinner/breakfast with the vampires. Seokjin had told you that it would be a good way to get to know the others, and you’d agreed hesitantly.

You walked down the now-familiar path from your room down to the kitchen. The dining area was next to the kitchen, and as you came through the arched entryway, you paused for a moment. The six vampires you’d already met were all seated, and there was a strong smell of blood permeating the entire room. Wrinkling your nose, you steeled yourself. The metallic scent wasn’t something you were necessarily squeamish towards, but you did have certain negative associations with such a strong scent of blood. You swallowed hard, trying not to think of the last bloodbath you’d walked into that had smelled very similar, and entered the dining hall.

“Good morning,” you said, smiling politely as all of them rose out of their chairs. They echoed your greeting and you walked over to the only place that had an actual meal with table settings laid out. The rest of them had what looked like soup bowls full of blood in front of them, and you shuddered inwardly, but tried not to show your aversion on your face. Jin grinned at you proudly as you sat down, looking at the meal laid out in front of you. Today, he’d gone with a traditional Korean meal, with a soybean stew, steamed rice and a collection of side dishes laid out neatly.

“Thank you,” you said, smiling at him while trying not to take deep breaths. You could do this, you thought to yourself, clenching your hand into a fist on your lap. With the other hand, you picked up your chopsticks and levelled them against the table. “Please, dig in,” you invited as you picked up a piece of kimchi to put it in your mouth.

It seemed that, as with most things, you’d overestimated yourself. As you started eating, all of them started drinking the blood like they would soup, something you’d think was strange if you weren’t currently too busy sprinting to the garbage bin in the kitchen to empty your stomach. When they started stirring the blood, the smell had gotten even stronger and watching them slurp it down, you couldn’t stop seeing all the traumatic battles you’d been in, images of bodies torn up by vampires and your own fallen brothers and sisters playing on a loop in your mind that you couldn’t stop.

“Jesus, what-” One second you’d been digging in, and the next you were abruptly gone from the room, so quickly that all of them wondered, even though they knew it was impossible, if you were actually a vampire.

The answer to the question in all their minds became clear a moment later when the sounds of you gagging and retching reached them. The boys reacted immediately, springing out of their seats and dashing to the kitchen where you were currently bent over the bin.

“Oh, God, are you okay?” Jimin sprang to your aid, coming to stand beside you and helping you hold your hair away. Now that he was doing it, you released it and used your now free hand to brace against the bin.

“Jesus, hyung, what did you feed her?” Yoongi asked, his face screwed up in disgust.

Seokjin puffed up his chest angrily. “Yah, this isn’t my fault! It must have been because she saw your ugly face!”

Finally done, you staggered over to the sink and turned it on to start rinsing your mouth. “Sorry,” you mumbled. “That was really gross; I’ll take out the trash.”

“No, no, Jungkook is already taking care of it,” Jimin said, still stuck to your side. You turned slightly and saw that Jungkook was, indeed, already tying off the trash bag.

“Are you okay? Do you feel sick?” Taehyung asked, hovering nearby.

You shook your head, embarrassed by all the attention you were getting now. “No, it’s just the smell of blood…”

All of them blinked, clearly not following.

“Uh, when it’s too strong, it kind of reminds me of…” You trailed off awkwardly, not wanting to go into the gory details, mostly because you didn’t want to keep thinking about it.

They got it nonetheless, grimacing as they realized what had set you off. “Right…” Namjoon rubbed the back of his neck and the others similarly looked guilty. Looking around at them, you felt bad for ruining the dinner/breakfast. They looked like they’d tried real hard about it too, all dressed up nicely.

“Do you want to go back to your room to rest?” Jimin asked, holding on to your arm like he was worried you were going to topple right over if he let go.

“Uh, no, I’m fine,” you said, trying to shrug off his grip subtly. He noticed and let you go, but cast you a slightly wounded look that you ignored. “I’m gonna go brush my teeth, but I’ll be right back,” you promised.

Back in your room, Injeolmi cast you a judgmental look. “Stop it,” you muttered defensively. “It wasn’t my fault.”

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

Despite the somewhat rocky start to your first official interaction with them, things did get better. They learned to use straws to suck the blood out of the blood bags like Capri Suns around you, which didn’t result in that overly strong blood scent that had set you off the first time, and you grew used to being around them. It wasn’t difficult to see, now that you were around them most of the time, that what you’d learned about vampires was incomplete at best.

After all, there was no way a soulless vampire like the ones you’d known in the past could make such delicious meals when he couldn’t even taste them, or be so utterly whipped for your cat. Being in the manor around the boys, you learned a lot, too – about yourself, and the world. Namjoon let you have free access to his library, and you’d never seen so many books in one place before. Unsurprisingly, reading wasn’t a common hobby among hunters, and the Head had never encouraged it either. Yoongi let you sit in the room and listen to him while he played the piano, and even taught you how to play simple nursery rhymes. The maknaes were always so welcoming – although to be honest, you weren’t sure if they were more interested in you or your cat. Jin made it clear that his study was always open to you, and was surprisingly easy to talk to once you got past his rather aloof exterior.

You quickly developed cordial friendships with the six of them, and Injeolmi adored that you now let him roam basically freely around the manor. There was just one thing you were curious about – every time you entered the main hall, you saw that painting of the vampires, but there were seven of them.

Where was the last born vampire?

[unohanadaydreams]

So those kissing asks got me feeling some sort of way and honestly I'm curious what the circumstances of a first kiss with Mayuri might be now, like outside of a scientific or clinical setting. I can only imagine it comes after/during the slowest of slow burns.

Anyone interested in Mayuri better have undertale levels of determination to be with him, is all I can say haha.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi:

The likelihood that Mayuri has gotten so desperate that he would throw away his incredible pride–that pertaining to needing absolutely no one and nothing other than his huge wrinkly brain–is always going to be so low it’s basically an impossibility.

You could take over a hundred years to kiss this man and he would initiate nothing physically intimate in the mean time, because it distorts the image he’s built up–he’s a fully evolved rational thinker with no emotional or desire that interferes with his decisions and not some average soul with base wants (certainly not some romantic).

There’s no special occasion or romantic setting that compels you, but an urge brought on by something small; a certain look in his eye or shape of his smile or set of his shoulders paired with your feelings for him.

No paint covers your lips to show for it, but they were pressed to his. For at least a moment he had even seemed to reciprocate, with a tender hesitance that made your heart squirm and your breath shallow.

His quick words that follow the silence of your soft kiss–the clumsy bump of your noses that causes you to smile against his face–sounds less hostile than he clearly intends. He’s nervous and speaking to build back the space between you (it doesn’t work).

You lean forward again and he grips your shoulders after adorning a particularly lopsided sneer that you’d definitely seen used on Nemuri more times than you could count and your heart drummed a bit faster at the small confirmation that he cared peeking from between the lines of his actions.

“Well? Out with it! In what part of the explanation on the biological coding of high powered spirit computers did I ask for a kiss?”

Your hands slipped to his captain’s robe as you shrugged, “Nowhere. I just wanted to kiss you.”

His head cocked to the side, a considering pose…then calculating as his eyes narrowed and lips settled into something smug.

“Of course, of course you wanted to.” Mayuri patted your shoulders. “I forget how simple your desires are, at times.”

You nodded, trying your best not laugh (and really, you couldn’t tell if you were just so glad things were going your way or if his ego and thin excuse was that hilarious).

Not bothering to ask if that meant you were in the clear to kiss him again, you pressed your lips to his. Once. Twice. Three times more, with no complaint. 

“Was once not satisfactory,” Mayuri finally interrupted.

You bit the inside of your cheeks, shaking your head, “I can’t collect just one sample.”

“There is nothing scientific about this. What a simpleton’s explanation. Is there even a hypothesis? Don’t rationalize your base fancies.”

You pecked his cheek with a shrug. “Ah, another one collected.”

“You can’t collect a kiss. The act of pressing your li–”

“CAPTAIN! RIN WON’T LET ME JOIN HIS D&D GAME,” Nemuri yelled as she approached, interrupting his spiel.

[youarejesting]

Quarantine.19

[Masterlist]  Pairing: BTS x reader Friends2Lovers But as slow as you can go until the anticipation kills us all…  Genres: friendship, drama, romance SLOWEST OF BURNS BUT IT WILL BE BURNING AN ETERNAL FLAME!!!  Rating: PG-13 and above  Summary: Your brother works with a few BigHit dance teams and whilst having permission to accompany him at work the city shuts down banning anyone from stepping outside for a whole WEEK while they disinfect the streets. If you step outside you might get arrested, shot or poisoned by the chemicals they are emitting through the city.  Words: 1.2k  Announcement: This chapter is the beginning of self-discovery, I want Y/N to be able to thrive without the boys first. So though Y/N is depressed which who wouldn't be after hearing anyone say that about them, give it time and there will be growth and learning and just so much more. I don't want Y/N to be helpless without a man you know? I want all my readers to know how bad ass they are without a man first and instead of the girl absolutely starstruck by the boys, I want the reality that is misunderstandings and lies and disappointment before it grows into something beautiful and romantic because the good stuff doesn't come easy.

Just like the Quarantine, it isn't the easiest thing to handle and it brings on these feelings which are very human and natural to feel, stress, despair even depression. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel so stick to your path and walk it every grueling step of the way because you will eventually reach the other side and breathe the fresh air.

[Part 1]  [Part 18] [Part 20] [Tag Yourself Here] 

The boys felt sick. Never in their lives had they torn someone down as they did with you. It was all a lie, but they couldn’t tell you that. As much as it hurt them to hurt you, they would rather you hate them if it meant you were safe. None of the boys were ready for what was to follow. The supply center announced your disappearance late the next day. Having taken your bag and Walkie Talkie without a trace. However, no matter how many times they reached out, you didn’t answer. 

Had you been hurt or killed? Their only solace came from the men walking the street because if they were still searching it meant they hadn’t found you yet.  Taehyung used the walkie talkie every night before bed, he apologized profusely, wishing you would come back and telling you all about his day. 

He missed you, greatly. Jimin was no better having barely eaten, blaming himself for you being in danger. The boys had to bring him his meals and even then they had to encourage him to eat. 

A week had passed since they last heard from you and the food supplies had dropped not just for their building but for the rest of the area. Unfortunately with the men outside, they were unable to retrieve more foodstuff. Having multiple reports explaining what was happening the military confirmed they would send out a team, whenever they were next available to try to detain the gunmen. One evening the radio’s between the buildings started going off, someone had delivered supplies to three buildings at the end of the street. 

Talk about supplies being delivered gained traction as it happened at least once every evening, to alternate buildings. The health center explained they had no clue who was taking the supplies and delivering them. Each night the deliveries came closer and closer to their building. 

“Could it be Y/N?” Namjoon asked quietly tapping his fingers on the table, the name was a Taboo, it sent them all into a depressive spiral for hours.  “Our building is next so we will find out tonight, we should wait in the lobby” Jungkook whispered

The group made their plan, taking their bedding and heading to the first floor. It was getting late, they stared out the glass walls for any sign of you. Each one hoping that their building was indeed next like Jungkook had said. Not meaning to doze off, they couldn’t help it when their bodies fell asleep, exhausted despite their efforts. 

It wasn’t all for nothing there had been a delivery, in the garage elevator. They just needed the footage and then it would be clear if the Good Samaritan was you. 

The end of the week brought with it the armed forces to take control of the situation. Why hadn’t they waited, the military might have been able to return you safely. The gunmen had left the area in peace, the men from the army taking it upon themselves to make food deliveries. But even they had to get back to work, outside of the city. When the military left the gunmen returned as did the second round of disinfectant gas through the city, the fog thickened once more. 

~

You were walking supplies to the hospital, raising your fist to knock and leaving the wagon at the door. They took the delivery thanking you via you had made several deliveries to the hospital this week. They asked you if you needed anything and you declined, walking back to your new base. It wasn’t homely like your other one, you didn’t think you could make another base like it, not because of resources but because of emotion. 

The people between the hospital and the supply center called you dead eyes when they thought you weren’t listening but you didn’t mind. You didn’t really feel much of anything, maybe it was truly better this way. You rounded the corner looking at the car you had written off, you had written an apology to mister Lee explaining what you had done and he seemed grateful to just be alive. 

Climbing through the convenience store window you shut it quickly behind you pulling off your mask. It was quiet and had been so for days, a whole week had passed since you spoke to them. You didn’t refer to them by name and tried not to think about them often. Preferring to sit and read Korean magazines on the shelves slowly. You currently had an IOU list in the store using mister Lee’s credit card, but surprisingly you didn’t eat much apart from a packet of noodles once a day. 

Laying in the small staff room out the back you got comfortable on the carpet, checking in on the radio as you did every morning. Just making sure everyone was safe in that area of town. As you laid there your back would click and clunk back into position while you waited for the darkness to take over. The fog was starting to lift a little making walking during the day that much more dangerous. 

You heard the military was being called in for two days to perform routine patrols, planning to arrest the gunmen. The supply center had agreed to keep your identity anonymous, especially after seeing you have an epic meltdown. You had informed a young woman who worked there what had happened and she consoled you for hours after you woke from sedation. She refused them from telling any of the civilians who you were but you allowed her to explain it to the soldiers.  

You stayed inside for the two days the cadets roamed the street, determining that the area was secure and deliveries were being made; you had no reason to leave. 

These two days were hell, with nothing to distract you, your mind filled with their words. The mocking tone of Seokjin’s voice and the downright heart-piercing bitterness in Hoseok’s confession haunted you every waking moment, but what was worse was falling asleep and having them kiss you once more like everything was okay. 

Their moans and wandering hands and how you felt so safe with them. This was your own personal hell because when you woke up, you almost expected to see them there with you, only to have reality rip you apart once more. The wounds were still fresh. 

Returning to the supply center after a short break, you really didn’t sleep much having passed out once in the staff room two days prior. The soldiers urged you to return to your building saying they could protect you better if you were indoors safe. 

Peeling an orange but not eating it, you sighed listening to them talk about leaving that evening to return back to their base. There wasn’t much they could do if they couldn’t find the gunmen. Handing the now peeled citrus fruit to the young woman who you had half confided in. 

Your Korean had gotten so good you were proud, able to speak it, read and write it fairly quickly. When you are completely alone in Korea where everything you see and all the people they speak Korean well then you are bound to pick up the language quickly. 

The cadets left late that night, leaving behind a four-man squad to keep the Health center protected. You sat alone in the convenience store turning on the radios, it was silent as usual, so there was no use leaving them on.

[Part 1]  [Part 18] [Part 20] [Tag Yourself Here]

Tags: @bubbletae7​ @lovemusicandotps​ @taetaebq​ @seveniefive​ @w0lfqu33n​ @anaiss97​ @moccahobi​ @maddymal​ @lilacdreams-00​ @lethargicalyssa​ @knjkitten​ @pieislife​ @bunnyboyenthusiast​

[wedreamedlove]

Oh hi! May i request some headcanons for how would mlqc boys react to a badass mc? Like, she is strong, doesn’t need protection, smart, always knows what to do and sassy etc etc. Thanks 🌸

hello hello! thanks for sending an ask!

ZHOU QILUO

gets on like a house on fire. you’re like ducks and water. two hands in one glove. birds of a feather. milk and cookies. bread and butter. thick as thieves. LOL.

basically not much would change. luoluo has never pressured you to change in any way and accepts you as is

however he might be more open to sharing his work troubles, the dark side of being an idol, more assured that his negativity won’t bring you down too much

Helios side though…

if he didn’t love you as much as he did he would want to metaphorically strangle you

as it stands he just tries his hardest to scare you away so that you stop trying to pry into his true dark side that he doesn’t want to show you

it’s very trying on him because Helios unleashes him and he could very well harm you! but he’s also trying his best not to!

so in the end he probably spends his time just disappearing instantly the moment he sees you so he doesn’t get chased down by you and have to make the difficult decision of forcing you away by any means

sometimes, no matter how much we tell someone we can accept them for who they are, they need to internalize that themselves and come to us. this can’t be forced

BAI QI

so so so so so worried

it’s not that he thinks women are weak and need to be protected, but he’s traumatized from how his loved ones always leave him

the moment you pop up beside him whenever he’s in a dangerous spot makes him age 1259012 years and his heart is stuck in his throat 24/7, regardless of how capable you are

he’s not used to someone keeping up with him. it’s different. but different isn’t bad

once he goes through an adjustment period and fully accepts that you can take care of yourself and, heck, the reason you’re here is because you don’t want him to disappear without a word, you two become a force to be reckoned

alone, you’re both lethal. together? devastating

lots of spicy times when you two are in the throes of an adrenaline high thinking “how the heck did we survive that!?”

also don’t forget the spars that end up with you pinning him or him pinning you which lead to something more oops

XU MO

mayhaps the most difficult pairing

it’s not that he needs to be superior to someone. but he has too many secrets and honestly enjoys imparting knowledge onto his SO

when two territorial lone foxes meet each other they’re on guard and highly suspicious

the slowest of slow burns as you two poke at each other’s depths and try to find the other’s bottom line. you’re not fooled by his gentle mask. he’s wary of your discernment

but once that’s all out of the way there is so much subtlety behind everything you say to each other

no one can keep up when you two both start a conversation with one another. you both sound like you’re talking about A when you’re actually talking about B in subtext

lazy weekend mornings are both of you looking at esoteric interests and sharing them with each other

he likes to use you as a sounding board for ideas and watch the intelligent gears of your mind turn behind your eyes

LI ZEYAN

surprisingly, he gets along swimmingly with you. compatibility like woah

the only reason he’s ever been harsh is because he wants you to better yourself in the image he has. but if you’re already a highly efficient and capable person then he has nothing to say

in high society you’re both known as the golden couple. it’s actually freaky how you two can just glance at each other from across a ballroom and know what each other is thinking

both your companies take the business world by the storm and have meteoric rises (not that his needs to go up any further)

stakeholders joke that he found a diamond in the rough and he has a good eye. he just smiles without saying anything because he knows he was just lucky to invest in you first

your company has long exceeded the return he expected and you’re both partners in the truest of sense. heck your company doesn’t need his at all and you both know it

as a bonus since he’s been introduced now…

LING XIAO

OH GOD THE CITY IS ON FIRE

this is either a match made in heaven or a match made in hell

he sasses you, you sass him back, he escalates the sass, you keep up, and then next thing you know you’re both on the run from the cops after some ridiculous prank

the moment you see each other sparks of lightning appear between you two

he really really really wants to get a rise out of you. but obviously you won’t let him and give back just as good. both of you don’t know what losing means

he grudgingly likes you though, underneath his feigned annoyance and exasperation, and he pops up often to fulfill his daily dose of squabbling with you

no seriously he’ll pick a fight over anything

[thedeviltohisangel]

He’s A God, He’s A Man: 10

You can’t have me.

masterlist is my url/writing

smut warning

“I bet he said you could have me while he had her.” Tommy had been staring intently at Kimber’s house which he was parked in front of. He was trying to put a bit of distance between Lydia’s arrival and his. He couldn’t go in there guns blazing and light the entire business deal on fire.

“Something like that,” he mumbled in response.

“I was a milliner when he found me. A good one. I made this hat.” 

“It’s a very pretty hat,” he obliged. It made him think about Lydia. About all he had watched her accomplish while in France. The countless lives she had saved including his own. And now she was a barmaid in a dirty town being dragged to shady events on his arm and volunteering to be alone in rooms with slimy men because she loved Tommy. He flicked his cigarette out the car window. He was not going to be responsible for her giving up on her dreams.

“Is she a prostitute?” 

“No. She’s an angel.”

----

Lydia had to admit that Billy Kimber’s house was nice. Apparently the race business was more profitable that she could have ever dreamed of. He led her into a grand room with a gramaphone in the corner. Eagerly he helped her out of her coat and put on one of the slowest songs she had ever heard.

“This is too slow to have a fun dance to. Put on a Charleston,” she said with a forced smile as he grabbed at her waist roughly. She had grown accustomed to the smell of cigarettes that followed Tommy wherever he went. Had grown to love it and seek comfort in it. But on Kimber it made her stomach flip into nauseous knots. Made her arch her head as far away from him as it would possibly go.

“I want to be close to you. Have you ever been in a house this big? I bet you have. Look like a bloody film star I bet all the men want a piece of you.” She watched his eyes close as he leaned forward with puckered lips.

“May I get some air, Mr. Kimber?” she asked politely as she pushed her hands against his chest. He took one step back with a roll of his eyes and went to the glass of whisky he had poured for himself. After he finished it, he dropped his glass onto the floor and watched as it broke into tiny pieces.

“Pick it up.” She froze. This was a power play. He got off on belittling women. “I want to watch you bend down and pick it up you little slag.” 

“I’m off the clock. I don’t clean up after adult men when they aren’t paying me to,” she spoke through gritted teeth. Where on earth was Tommy? Surely the agreed upon time she had to spend alone with him was nearing to an end. Lydia walked over to the table to pick up her purse and gloves. She’d wait out the rest of her time in the restroom.

“Listen here. I tried to be nice, but if you don’t do what I ask when I will force you.” She felt him come up behind her but she wasn’t quick enough to turn around.

“What-No!” she screamed as she felt his hands wrap around her thighs and begin to travel under her skirt. Lydia grabbed a shard of glass from the table she was bent over and swung her arm wildly, Kimber falling backwards just as the door banged open and Tommy came running through.

“What the fuck are you doing? I still have time on our deal!” 

“I was going to let you go through with it but she has the clap. She looks good from the outside but believe me…” Tommy trailed off and let Kimber’s mind go wild with what he could possibly be talking about. “I thought I could use her but call it my conscious getting the better of me. Couldn’t let you go through with it.” Lydia dropped the piece of glass she had been prepared to use as a weapon and squared her shoulders before marching towards the door. She walked right past Tommy without even a look. God did she feel stupid. She knows she put herself in that position but how stupid of her to do so. To believe accompanying Tommy on this excursion would be any sort of positive experience for her.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Just start the car and drive,” she instructed as he slid behind the wheel and turned to talk to her. He respected her wishes and kept silent as they drove back to Birmingham. She didn’t even take his hand once they pulled back into Charlie’s yard to return the car. Even Curly kept quiet when he saw them. He could sense the tension between the two though he was happy to see that both returned in one piece. Physically at least.

“Will you talk to me now?” he asked quietly once he had shut the door to his bedroom behind them. Lydia sat down at the desk by his window and began to remove her gloves and pearl necklace. It had been her grandmother’s. And she had whored herself out in it.

“Can I have a drink first?” Tommy stood quickly and poured her one, kneeling next to the chair she sat in before handing it to her.

“At least just tell me if I made it before anything...happened.” She tipped her head back and felt better as the alcohol burned down her throat.

“Yes. I would’ve killed him before he had the chance to do anything.” He wanted to touch her but didn’t want her to reject him. He thinks that would’ve killed him. “But I can still feel his hands on my thighs,” she whispered like it was a secret. She lifted the skirt of her dress ever so slightly. Tommy knows it was his mind playing tricks but he swears he could see Kimber’s hands on the sacred skin of her legs.

“What can I do to make it go away?” He placed his hands where he thinks Kimber’s had been in the hopes she would feel his touch instead.

“I need to feel you. All over. I need you to claim me so I will never even be looked at by another man like that ever again.” He nodded as a lump appeared in his throat.

“You’re mine and I’m yours,” he said as she knocked her forehead against his. 

“Make love to me, Thomas.” She needed to feel every inch of him against her. Needed to come together with him as one in a way they hadn’t since their last night together in France. In a way that she would never experience with man other than him after tonight. Breathlessly, Tommy began to oblige her request. He parted his lips against hers and tried to convey all he could in the gesture. He was trying to show his love for her, his appreciation for her, his commitment to her. But he was also telling her how sorry he was that her love for him put her in this predicament. That he was sorry he couldn’t promise there wouldn’t be more days like today.

He moved from her lips to the curve of her jaw, sucking on the skin behind her ear that he recently learned was a sensitive spot. “I love learning about you,” he mumbled as he trailed down her neck. Tommy hoped he would always be learning about her. That Lydia would always be surprising him and growing with him and showing new corners previously unseen.

“Are you making a little map in your head?” she breathed, tilting her head back so Tommy had unfettered access to her skin.

“I thought  had an accurate one from France but it’s in need of updating.” She giggled but then frowned when he pulled away from her completely and stood. Tommy offered her his hand which she took. He pulled her against his chest in the name of simply admiring her for a few moments. “I never want to forget how you look right now. How I feel right now.” 

“Life will bruise us, Tommy, but never break us.” Lydia was sure of that. They didn’t go through what they went through in France and find their way back together just for an angry bookie or temperamental copper to ruin things. She moved her fingers down the buttons of his shirt with ease, helping him slide it off his shoulders before kissing the freckles that were now exposed to her on his pale skin.

“Please tell me this is not one of those complicated dresses I will never be able to get off you without tearing it,” he muttered as she turned around for him with a smile.

“Just a little bow on the top but the undergarments…”

“Jesus, the undergarments,” he exclaimed as the dress pooled at her feet but her brassiere and underwear remained intact. To Tommy they actually looked quite constraining. “How did you dance in these?”

“Years of breathing practice. While you were out learning to shoot, I was learning the art of short breaths and bladder control.” He appreciated that she looked quite proud to have mastered the skills of a traditional, upper class lady. But he remembered her stunt with the revolver in the kitchen. She knew how to shoot too. 

She kissed him, bringing him back to the task at hand. As Tommy’s fingers found the front laces of her corset, her fingers brushed over the front of his trousers. He sucked in a breath at the fleeting moment of contact. “Your touch is dangerous.”

“I’d prefer to touch you without this nuisance,” she replied with a snark as she pulled the waistband of his pants and let it snap against his skin. Somehow that felt even better for Tommy. He obliged her request, removing his bottoms and undershirt while she fiddled with the laces of her corset and finally freed herself. They kissed more fervently now. Both of her hands were on the back of his head and holding him to her. One of his hands pressed against her back and the other hitching her thigh around his waist. 

She was warm and willing and needed him. And it felt good to know that, after today, she wasn’t repulsed by him. That was still here. Still interested in having a future with him. No matter what that might entail. “Shall we lie down, Mr. Shelby?” she whispered against his lips. Tommy twirled a strand of  her hair around his finger.

“One day you’ll be Mrs. Shelby,” he replied, taking her hand from his cheek and kissing the inside of her wrist.

“You’ll have to earn me.” She said it with a smile but she meant it. Just because she loved Tommy does not mean that he had her forever and without question. He’d have to prove himself every day. That he could be the man she deserved. 

Lydia pulled away and lied down on the bed, using her elbows to lift her back off the mattress so she could watch Tommy approach her hungrily. He went for the insides of her thighs first. Touching. Kissing. Biting. Lydia wasn’t one for begging but he was on the verge of bringing her to that point. “Tommy, please.”

“Almost done.” He hadn’t been kidding earlier when he mentioned needing to update his map. Every mark he left in his wake was a tether point. For the future, he knew exactly the keys to play for the melody to sing throughout the room. But the natural perfume of her was too intoxicating for him to avoid any longer. He gave into his most carnal desire and brought his lips to where she was dripping with need for him.

His hands pressing against her hips weren’t strong enough to control the writhing of her hips as he worshipped between her legs. He had wanted to watch her but the feeling was all too consuming of himself as well. Her moans and pants and gasps of his name were enveloping him in a warmth he hadn’t known existed until this moment. He drank from her like it was nectar. Lapping up every slick drop that rolled down her thighs as she crashed over the edge of pleasure into his waiting mouth. “Fuck, Thomas, why didn’t we do that last time?” Lydia had a hazy smile on her face, the one you get when in the presence of someone you’re deliciously in love with.

“I distinctly remember trying and you telling me that proper ladies weren’t to be seen down there by strange men.” Tommy clambered up to hover over her. Her cheeks were flushed and the tiny hairs around the perimeter of her face were stuck to her skin. She looked like a goddess. And she was all his. And he was all hers.

“Good thing I’ve gotten over that proper lady phrase.” Tommy dropped so he could kiss her. Lydia moaned at the new taste on his lips. It was feminine and masculine and made her feel like she was dancing among the stars. Previously all her sexual encounters had felt ritualistic. Like they were a necessary step in the progression of her evening. This felt like a puzzle finding it’s last piece. She saw the whole picture once Tommy slid inside of her. They didn’t bother themselves with trying to be quiet. It felt like they had been suppressing these feelings since they last parted. Nothing was going to stop them again. 

“Fuck, Lydia, you feel like heaven.” Tommy knew there was no place for him up there. But perhaps he could experience it down here, with her, while he had the chance. He ducked his head and sucked her nipple into his mouth, her back arching to meet his touch.

“Faster.” She could everything building up inside of her and teetering on the edge of eternal bliss. There was something about experiencing this with him that made her believe it might all actually work out. That if they had this place to retreat to at the end of the day, they’d be safe. They’d be okay. “Stay inside me, Thomas,” she whispered as his moans began to grow longer and his hips tightening with each thrust into her.

“Lydia, I-”

“Give it all to me, Tommy. I can take it.” She meant it. In every sense that it could be construed. She wanted to shoulder his burdens. His pain. The nightmares that visited and the ones that wouldn’t leave. She wanted his love. Wanted his affection, no matter how sparingly he deemed it safe enough to dish out. She wanted his future. Wanted to be his future. Forge their own path of the family tree. 

He stilled with his mouth agape, fighting every urge to keep his eyes open to gaze into hers. He would never know the words to explain what was dancing inside of him but he thinks he could show her. He thinks her heart and soul could read his without a map. In his eyes was love and promises that if he said allowed, he’d be too sad when he broke. There were secrets in his hands and on his lips as he kissed her again. There were apologies in his chest as they tangled together, sweaty and blissed out and too warm to even need a quilt. There was hope in his breath as he whispered his love and she whispered it back. And that night, there were dreams. Not a nightmare on the horizon.

@flecksphoenix​ @girl-w-a-quill​ @odetostep​ @itsilvermorny​ @shadow-of-wonder​ @lemmyjelly​

[maknaes-and-hyungs]

mìngyùn(命运) 《 3 》

Pairing: Yixing x Contestant Reader

Group: Exo/ Idol Producer

Genre: angst, slow burn, and fluff {Twas mostly fluff this time}

Chapter: <<Prev 3 Next>

{I forgot links hide your post so just head to my masterlist I always update it after I make a post}

Note: OMG I am so bad at updating, but you already know that. However I felt inspired so I finally cracked this part out. I also already planned the next chapter and am going to write it asap. Anyways Happy 2019 and hope you keep keeping on with this series with me!!!~Rin

Unsurprisingly Yixing didn’t show up to your dorm room to chew you out like you had so graciously invited him to do. Neither did you see him at all over the next three days while you and the other girls practiced the title song. It seemed like he had really taken what you said to heart... or he just didn’t give a shit what you said. Either way it was a welcome reprieve and you could finally focus on what you came to the show to do, learn. Plus, it didn’t hurt to bond with the other girls and get on the good side of fans who were surely hating you by now.

“On the third beat your arm already needs to be fully extended and halfway to the final position above your head. Rather than thinking of them as three separate movements you should view them like a stream that continuously flows no matter the path it takes.” You demonstrated for the other girls once again the final movements of the choreography trying to show the difference you were just explaining.

“Oh, so it’s out, bent, snap!” The girl who had been the slowest to learn so far leapt to her feet beside you and perfectly executed the move.

“Yes, and since you get it I’m going to take a little break. Good job Yubi.” With that done you walked to the back of the room and collapsed against the wall next to your water bottle. Guzzling down the drink you picked up your notebook in which you had written detailed notes about each step of the routine. Unbeknownst to the rest of F rank there was a part that you had yet to master even though you had lied and said you had. It was the last day of practice and everyone else had already done everything they could to teach it to you but still it wasn’t working out.

The part in of itself was quite simple and why all the other girls hadn’t asked for help on it. The move was only required you to crouch to the ground with your right leg out and to sweep around in a circle while standing up again in the process while moving one arm up and the other down. Yet you still cursed to the gods whenever you thought about it. It seemed that no matter what you did or what the other girls would say you would always end up face first in the floor or at least nearly there. I am classically trained in ballet how can I not do a simple turn. These girls gave me such good advice so why can’t I-

“Stop worrying so much and come to the cafeteria with us it’s dinner time Y/N.” For a moment you considered her offer as you folded and unfolded the page before you,” That notebook is going to fall apart at this rate if you don’t stop. You have everything down pat so call it a night. We all are, and you know this was a lot rougher on the rest of us.”

“I want to just copy this stuff down a little neater and make copies for you guys. We may not be able to practice anymore after today, but at least we can think through the steps.” Mian gave a small smile as she shook her head and turned away unconvinced that you would ever show up. Once alone you straightened up and went back to it.

Again, and Again you attempted the turn and again and again you fell to the floor. Considering the fact that it might just be the abruptness of the move on its own that was faulting you. So, you started from the top and worked your way through every move to near perfection till one again the cold floor lunged up towards your face to punch you. In your anger you slapped the floor and the unexpected pain that flowered in your wrist caused you to let out a small yelp.

“If Bao Bao is the smartest out of your label mates then surely you make up the opposite end of that spectrum Y/N.” Dread flowed through you and you raised your head to make eye contact with Yixing. Next to follow was embarrassment that caused you to slide your eyes away from his and to the floor. Even though it was now four in the morning he stood above you looking amazing dressed in a simple blue flannel, white tee, and ripped light wash jeans. His round glasses and middle parted hair gave him a more sophisticated look and made you feel small. There you lay in an old sweater full of holes, that weren’t a fashion statement, an old pair of leggings covered in pills and your hair stuck all over your sweaty face.

{Source}

The decision to be civil wasn’t all that hard since you were too tired to even think of any good snaps,”Yeah, pretty much.” His hand quickly went to grasp yours and he swiftly pulled you to your feet. Next thing you knew the two of you were waltzing across the room hand in hand. “If this is supposed to mend things between us then... I have no clue what you’re thinking.”

“You can’t do that turn even though you stay later than everyone and work on it non-stop. Don’t look at me like that; its my job to watch all the trainees. That’s not what matters,”Yixing let go of one of your hands and stepped away to spin you back into his arms before continuing,”What matters is that you just spun perfectly then, because you weren’t think about it. Turning is 90% mental and you failed the first time you did the move so now you think you can’t since the rest came so easily. You just need to relax and let it come to you.

Yixing finally fully detached from you and indicated that you should try the move again. You decided to listen, let go of your apprehensions, and just dance. Rising from the crouch position you finally thought you had gotten it, but just before you reached your full height your muscles twinged. Then your legs gave out and you fell... backwards into his chest where he had moved to catch you.

Now you stood against him with one arm up backwards against his neck clutching by instinct and the other arm resting against his leg ending with your hand gripping his thigh. His face ended up resting right against your throat and you would’ve felt his breathe fan across it if you weren’t so hyper focused on his hand on your hips. You wished you could stay there to catch your breathe but the cameras were still rolling so you sprung away and turned on him.

“What the hell was that! You can’t just grab me like that.”

“Why was your weak little heart about to give out Y/N.” You huffed before grabbing your water bottle and bag and storming out leaving him there to smirk at your retreating figure. It wouldn’t have been so scathing if his words hadn’t rung of truth.

[itsmatt311]

Eastern States 100 | 2017

2017 Eastern States 100: Steep, Loose, Slippery, HARD.

 Sitting here 4 days after finishing the Eastern States 100 mile endurance run (slowly), I’m still at a loss for exactly what happened this past weekend.  I knew when I signed up for this race nearly a year ago that it would be tough, but really how hard could it be? 33% finishing rate, those people must just be weak or unprepared, I thought.  Think again.  I read the race reports, watched the YouTube videos, and heard the stories, studied the elevation profile and slowly but surely I started to believe the hype.  

I’ve never been one to train ‘specifically’ for an event.  I tend to take the generalist approach to training for ultras, integrating cross training and HIIT workouts which I historically supplement for miles of running, but this time was different.  3 months leading up to the ES100, I found myself driving to the Appalachian Trail 3 or 4 days a week after work and on weekends to train.  For the first time in my “running” career, I was training 25-30 mile weeks in the trails and then cross training on the days I would not hike/run.  Friends and family would ask from time to time, “Do you think you’re ready?”  And for just about any other ultra I’d shrug it off and say, “Yeah it can’t be that bad”, but this time I would say, “I don’t think anyone can fully be ready for this.”  And that’s the mindset I had approaching this race.  102.9 of the most brutal, rocky, slippery, wet, hot, humid, off-camber slanting, feet pounding, leg twisting ascents and descents of single track trail I’ve ever seen.  It makes the Appalachian Trail seem like a walk through Central Park.  This race scared me to think about, it frustrated me, made me anxious at times, but ultimately it humbled me, and I think that’s exactly the mindset anyone looking to tackle this beast needs to attack it with.  At the end of the day, everyone who even attempts this type of a race is a risk taker. Plain and simple.  You’re signing up for something you know very little about and hoping that when the time comes, you have what it takes to endure and persist.

I’m going to skip the night before the race, it was largely just people camping restlessly near the start line and packing and re-packing their packs and drop bags.

The race began with a short stretch or asphalt (about a mile), and then bottlenecked into a single track trail that would have been tough to hike during the daylight, much less at 5:00 AM in the dark.  This trail slanted from left to right and like the rest of the course, was carved directly into the side of a mountain.  You see, there’s 3 primary things you should know about Pennsylvania hiking trails… 1. They’re rocky.  And each rock is loose and will break in in half if you’re not careful.  2. They don’t switchback much at all. They take the direct approach to getting up the mountain… straight up it.  It’s not uncommon to be on your hands and knees climbing up the broad side of a mountain or sliding on your butt directly down it… toboggan style. 3.  Every trail is off-camber, and slants drastically to one side or the other. If you’re not careful, you could very easily fall off of the mountain.  I’m not joking, someone broke their hip in this very predicament.  

It’s said that the first 17 mile is the toughest and slowest section, and that might be, I don’t really know. I can tell you this though, you won’t care how tough it was when you get to mile 75 and still have a marathon left to go.  The first 17 miles are definitely tough.  They’re frustrating as heck mentally too because these are the miles where you’re “fresh” (whatever that means in this race), and yet after your first climb and about 7 miles in you’re already feeling wrecked.  I can tell you everyone I saw out there around miles 7-10 felt this exact same way.  You’re climbing the type of terrain that Billy goats wouldn’t even mess with and all the while you’re already worrying about cutoffs.  This race hits you hard and hits you fast, and there’s no way around it. This sentiment was felt by most of the runners I was in contact with throughout the race.  The lack of switch backing on trails in the Allegheny National Forest cannot be overlooked.  The climbs were straight up the mountain, and the descents were straight down the mountain.  The 2nd aid station around mile 11 didn’t have Tailwind, which was not favorable.  Furthermore, this was not a drop bag location and thus I couldn’t revert to my Gatorade Endurance carb mix.  Alas.  I grabbed what I could, mostly chips and M&M’s and several shots of Coca-Cola and headed out across the trestle bridge across the Susquehanna River. 

After a few more ups and downs through single track mountain trails, you do eventually catch a slight break after your first marathon from about miles 25-31.  This stretch was largely gravel fire roads and ATV trails.  I climbed and descended quite a bit more until finally I hit the “Halfway House” around 2230 with a bad headlamp and a drop bag that was never brought to that aid station.  I don’t know who or how it was overlooked it, but 1 of my 6 drop bags never made it to the aid station.  And therein lies a couple pivotal lessons that any 100 mile ultramarathon finisher will attest to. 1. The importance of having a short memory.  2.  Accepting that rarely does everything go according to plan.  I’m without a jacket for the night, without dry socks, dry shoes, and without my iPod.  For a brief moment I was irritated; 6 drop bags, no crew and they managed to not bring the most important drop bag I had.. the one that would get me through the night.  But then the strangest thing happened to me.  I began laughing for some reason.  Maybe it was lack of calories or salt (make sure you bring lots of both!), but for whatever reason I just laughed, I wasn’t really in the mood for feeling sorry for myself just yet so I grabbed as much food as I could and marched off into the night woods.  I guess the easiest way to put it is this: when things don’t go your way, you’ve got to forget about it, accept it, and move forward; relentlessly forward.  

After about 0.5 mile I realized I had forgotten my trekking poles back at the aid station.  Oh well, whatever, I wasn’t about to go back for them.  I quickly found some decent enough, sturdy but not too heavy sticks in the woods and these would serve as my “trekking poles” until mile 69 where they’d become a casualty of the woods.  Most of the night I spent fast hiking rocky, off-camber sections of narrow trails and humming an annoying traditional Irish drinking song to myself over and over and over again, it was Charlie and the MTA if you’re wondering.  Man, it would have been nice to have that iPod.  Still climbing, still descending, and trying not to trip and fall off a mountain summed up miles 54-62.  

Mile 62 was a lively aid station just outside of an old motel with a large campfire burning, but I wasn’t getting anywhere near that thing.  Put me in a chair in front of a campfire at 2 in the morning unattended & I’ll be out quicker than Charlie Sheen can say ‘winning’ after 3 lines of coke.  This aid station was actually the bomb.  They brought in pizza, which marked the first real meal I had had since mile 25.  Side note: it truly does pay to be a front runner because those lucky a$$holes got their pick of the litter with regards to hot food and well stocked aid stations, lucky for me these volunteers understood our pain and ordered pizza for the tortoise crew as well.  I hiked out of that aid station feeling recharged after stuffing myself full of pizza and loading up on carbohydrate mix and other necessities only to start up a wicked steep ascent.  I don’t know if it was the fact that it was 0300 and I was droning or what but this climb sticks out as one of the tougher ones.  

The entire day and night are spent trying to keep your mind occupied and positive and your feet moving a clip fast enough to make the next aid station.  A little back story on me, I’m not a terribly slow runner.  I’ve done a handful of ultra’s but wouldn’t classify myself as a “runner” per se, however I tend to be a middle of the pack finisher.  This race was totally different.  While I was never minutes from making an aid station, I was rarely an hour ahead of one either.  This became extremely mentally exhausting, and that was no more prevalent than the stretch from miles 69-72.  These 3 miles is the toughest section of trail I’ve ever been on and probably ever will be on.  Calling it a trail at all is generous.  This coupled with the fact that by this point in the race my feet were beyond wrecked and my legs were completely drained made for a slow and painful progression through this segment of rocky, moss covered descent as dawn was approaching.  My make-shift wooden hiking poles that I had found back at mile 54 actually broke during this section and I didn’t bother searching for another pair.  This section certainly slowed many down that day, and by the time they made it to mile 75, many dropped and many did not make the cutoff time.  

The next section of trail wasn’t too bad... for a Pennsylvania mountain trail and I painfully made it to mile 80 by around 0800 on day 2, not able to run but not necessarily walking either, more of a shuffle.  This was an incredible aid station.  Really all of the aid stations were decent, and the enthusiasm from the volunteers cannot go unnoticed.  They truly wanted to get you what you needed so that you could get back up out of their chair and proceed on.  The lack of hot coffee at nigh twas a bummer mentally because there’s something soothing and calming about a hot cup of joe but at any rate, this wasn’t that type of race so I took what I could get, which as far as caffeine goes was shots of Pepsi and Coca-Cola throughout the night.  Not all of the volunteers were ultra-marathoners, which was actually refreshing because they didn’t treat you like you had been hit by a mortar and instead just casually asked how you were.  I remember a lady at this aid station offering me a Red Bull and pancakes with syrup, and I said sure why not!  My feet hadn’t really been patched up since mile 25 and even then the doc told me that I’d just have to deal with it through most of the race because he wouldn’t be out again until mile 86.  So I did.  After that I thanked the volunteers and left.  “Bib 125, out!”.  

Heading toward Skytop was no small feat and it was largely a 5 mile climb to Skytop (mile 86).  The aid station workers said that this climb would be our last climb... yeah right.  It wasn’t and they knew that, but I would have told them the same thing if the roles had been reversed.  Sometimes not knowing what lies ahead is what gets you through it.  Much has been written about the gnarly ascents in this race, but don’t get me wrong for a second, the descents are equally as bad, if not worse.  Imagine descending a mountain on single track trail, now tilt that trail another 10-15 degrees steeper, throw in middle to large loose, moss covered rocks and roots, wet mud, and narrow the trail to 6-12” wide and remove any semblance of switchback you can think of and you’ve got your typical downhill at Eastern States.

The strange thing about this race is that it seemed like I always had 2 hours to get to the next aid station, whether it was a 4 mile stretch or a 7 mile stretch.  This added to the stress of making cutoffs but it kept you in the game as well because you knew that if you hustled to cover 7 miles in 1.5 hours, then you’d be able to bank that extra time for the 4 mile segments.  At any rate, I left mile 86 for a 7 mile stretch into what would be mile 93.  This stretch had a few big climbs and a couple short downs, and one particular creek crossing that I fell into.  My shoes were damp since about mile 3, but I tried to keep them as dry as I could. This didn’t go so well and lead to major foot issues throughout the race and by this point I was in some serious pain due to the loose rock and slippery wet steep conditions.  Hot spots all over my feet, they felt bruised and beyond repair.  I had to try and think about something else but the pain was always there and I was becoming physically and emotionally spent.  I made it to mile 93 with 35 minutes to spare and to be completely honest with you, dropping crossed my mind for the first time.  I sincerely appreciate the woman with the VT 100 hat on for giving me a shot of whiskey and ginger ale and saying the simplest, most no non-sense thing to me which got my head back in the game.  She said to me, “you didn’t come this far to quit now.  Now go get your buckle.”  I was rejuvenated, and actually left that aid station teary eyed with a weird mix of joy and agony, both simultaneously.  When you think you’re at your breaking point, you’re not, even if your mind thinks you are.  And I convinced myself that I was finishing this God awful hard 102.9 mile challenge so that I would NEVER have to come do it again.  At any rate, I carried on trying my best to maintain an 18 minute mile and trotted on out of mile 93 headed for mile 99.  

I got to the final real aid station of the course at mile 99, the Team RWB aid station, proceeded on for another couple of miles and then and it was literally all downhill from there.  And when I say downhill, this sadistic race director saved the roughest, toughest, meanest 1.5 mile straight downhill son-of-a-rock scramble you could ever imagine straight to the bottom of the mountain. 0.5 mile, 1100 foot descent with no switch backing on a rocky downhill directly down the mountain.  Yes, you do pass a rattlesnake den.  They were sitting out tanning on a concrete slab, not bothering anyone.  I was so loopy by this point in the race that I couldn’t care less.  People were stopping to get pictures, although I’m thinking that was the runners’ crews.  I didn’t give a frog’s fat ass about photos at this point I was cussing that race director the entire way down that dirty steep mountain.  Then it was across a field and straight to the finish.  “Make sure you RUN to the finish!!”, the volunteers chanted.  Yeah right guys, wishful thinking.  At any rate I trotted across the grassy field to the finish line.  Unlike at the 2016 Umstead 100, I wasn’t emotional, I guess I didn’t have the energy for it or it hadn’t quite sank in yet.  Unreal.  I had finished the Eastern States 100 miler in 35 hours 19 minutes. Couldn’t be happier to finish this race, and I sincerely thank everyone for the support.  The race director ran out of belt buckles, so mine will be mailed in September... kinda bummed about that but oh well.  It will be a nice surprise in mid September when it comes in the mail.  

A few thoughts on Eastern States 100 mile finishers:

1.  We’re not logical.  People can’t and probably won’t ever be able to understand why we push ourselves through these kinds of pain thresholds and misery.  We live in a society that worships comfort and so for most people, the thought of running 100 miles seems stupid or crazy or just plain dumb.  I’m not sure if this is a defense people use for justifying why they don’t want to try this type of event or if they really just feel that way, but either way... it’s something that is ever present.

2.  We’re not all “runners”.  Yeah 100 miles is a long ways to “run”, no question about it.  But physically it’s possible even for the non-experienced trail runner.  People can’t seem to get this when I tell them that I’m not really a runner at all.  I don’t like running just for fun, I do it from time to time, but it mostly bores me.  I like the challenge that 100 miles brings me physically and mentally; with an emphasis on mentally.  I crosstrain because it’s more fun than running through town.  Nearly everyone I know who is fit can complete a 100 mile run with the right mindset, a never quit attitude, a tolerance for pain, and a well thought out planning strategy.  

3.  100 miles is the great equalizer.  You can tangibly observe an athlete in the gym who can likely lift a lot of weight.  You might even be able to spot a swimmer or a cross country runner, but spotting a 100 mile finisher, good luck.  They come in all shapes and sizes and ages.  I’ve seen 50 year old 250 lb men finish Eastern States hours before me.  I’ve seen 70 year olds who can run circles around 30 year olds.  I’ve also seen tough, geared up, studded out athletic looking 20 something year olds drop out at mile 50.  100 miles isn’t what you might expect.