#i long to be covered in moss and flowers

[golden--flowers]

If I was a knight who swore fealty to a fantastical nature spirit, I would let manifestations of life grow over, out of, or replace parts of my body. I would just be chill with that.

[silver-la-pixels]

Me as a kid already hating manicured lawn culture bc I loved my floor time.TM and long wild grass mixed with moss and clovers was THE best to lay on outside and appreciate.

[beneathstarryskies]

Word Count: 1,285 Warnings: fem!reader, pentration (p+v), oral (f recieving), fluffy Summary: You reunite with Halsin after the events in Baldur's Gate. A/N: This is just a little thing I had some inspo for

The moon shines over the water, bright and silver as the pieces in your pack. It’s been a long journey, one most ardently taken so you could be reunited with Halsin at last. He’s still awake when you cross the bridge to Last Light Inn. He peers out the window to see you, and a small smile tugs on his lips. 

You hardly recognize the lands that used to be shadow-cursed. Lush greenery grows along the side of Last Light, covering it in vines and flowers. Moss and grass have begun growing between the stonework at your feet. It used to be trodden down by the activity of the Harpers but has since slowed down since the area is in relative peace. 

Halsin comes out the door at the same time you’re approaching it. Without hesitation, he wraps you up in a warm bear hug. You giggle as your feet lift from the ground, and he spins you around. 

“My heart, I’ve watched the horizon for you,” he declares as he carefully sets you down on your feet again. He cups your cheeks gently and smiles down at you with such warmth. 

“I came as soon as I could,” you say before leaning up on your tiptoes to kiss him sweetly. “I’m sorry it took so long.” 

“It’s no matter, my heart. I only thank the Oakfather that you’re here with me now.” 

He reaches down to take your hand in his, and he leads you inside. You’re surprised he’s taken up residence in the inn, but he explains that the Tiefling children had already come to see this place as home so he decided to take up residence here as well while they worked on building their little homestead. 

“There’s a place for you, of course,” he says as he leads you upstairs to his room. “That is if you intend on staying.” 

That is something you’ve thought about at length. Whether you would choose to stay or continue your adventures. However, the decision was made the moment Halsin took you into his arms again. You were home. 

“I would love to stay, and embark on a new adventure at your side,” you say gently. 

“I would like that too,” he confirms before ushering you inside his room. He guides you to sit on the bed, and before you have time to ask he’s kneeling before you. His deft fingers begin undoing the laces of your well-worn boots. He slips them off carefully and sets them aside. Then his warm hands are rubbing your legs through your pants. He can hardly wait to get his hands on you after so long apart, but he knows you’ve been traveling for a while. He wants to assure you’re comfortable before even considering making a proper move on you. “Do you need anything, my heart? A bath? A meal?” 

“A bath would be lovely,” you let out a blissful sigh. “I must smell horrible.” 

He chuckles softly, “If it was day we’d bathe in the lake, but I suppose you’d like me to fill the tub instead for the night?” 

You nod eagerly. As he goes to fill the tub, you stand from the bed to begin to take off your clothes. It feels so good to free yourself from the weight of your armor, and finally stand bare. Halsin uses magic to heat your bathwater, then turns to you. His eyes widen as he sees your body bared to him. He comes closer to you, and his breath is shaky as he places his hands on your hips. 

“Oh, how have I forgotten how beautiful you are? Could it be my memory is not as strong as the vision before me?” he whispers. 

You lean in to kiss him passionately, raising once more onto your tiptoes. You tug at his clothes. 

“Join me in the bath,” you say with the slightest plea in your voice. 

“You don’t have to ask twice.” 

You help him out of his clothes, then you allow him into the bath first so you can settle yourself between his legs with your back to his chest. His hands are on your body under the guise of washing you, but the soap in his hands is merely a flimsy excuse to feel you up to his heart’s content. 

“I missed you,” he whispers against your ear. 

“I missed you too,” you smile softly before laying your head back against his shoulder so you can see his face. His eyes are fixed on you with unbridled adoration. 

He presses soft kisses on your cheek and along your jawline. His hands are gentle, but reverential, on your skin. He kneads and caresses with care, but he is holding back. You can tell by the way his breath feels slightly heavier and he keeps adjusting his position slyly hoping you won’t feel how hard he is just from washing you. 

Finally, you can’t help yourself anymore. You turn around in the bath and move to straddle his lap. His eyes light up with excitement as you lean in to kiss him deeply. Your tongues rub together in a sensual dance of longing. He caresses your sides gently, and guides you to grind against him. His cock throbs against your core. 

“Should we get out?” you whisper against his mouth as you pull away from the kiss. 

“Oh, yes. I think we should.” 

He helps you out of the bath and leads you to the bed. He’s kissing you deeply as he lays you down, and hovers over your form. 

“Is this okay?” he asks. He awaits your eager consent before continuing. 

His lips travel the curves and dips of your body like a leaf sailing across the river. He moans just from feeling your body again. His heart races in his chest with pure excitement. Finally, after what seems to be a hundred kisses, he spreads your thighs. He lays between them, and you hear a low growl escape his throat as he smells the musk of your arousal. He leans in to drag his tongue along your slit before suckling on your folds. 

“Mm, delicious,” he grunts before returning to his task with increased fervor. You throw your head back against the pillows as he flicks his tongue against your clit. You roll your eyes back with pleasure, and resist the urge to grind against his face. 

The dim candlelight falls over the room, casting intimate shadows on the wall. When he looks up at you again, his eyes are lit up in shades of gold. You caress his cheeks. 

“I need you,” you whine. 

“Then you’ll have me.” 

He sits up on his knees, and gives his cock a few gentle strokes before guiding himself to your entrance. You watch his face contort with pleasure as he slides into you. After so long apart, your walls stretch around his girth as though it’s the first time you’ve taken it. When he bottoms out, you let out a gentle whine. 

“Did I hurt you?” he asks, ready to pull out if the answer is yes. He lets out a breath of relief he hadn’t realized he’d been holding when you shake your head. 

“No, it’s just been so long.” 

“I’ll be gentle,” he promises as he lowers his body against yours. He kisses you soothingly as he starts moving slowly, his hips rocking in a gentle rhythm. 

“H-halsin,” you moan.

“Mm, yes?” he presses a kiss to the corner of your lips. 

“It feels so good.” 

“I know, my heart,” he whispers. “I’m already having to hold back.” 

“Don’t worry about holding back,” you giggle before kissing him again. “We have plenty of time now.”

[cambion-companion]

Hugging the Elves (blorbos)

Elrond ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

Elrond is a healer, of both body and heart. His home of Rivendell is where those blessed enough to gain entry find refuge for their spirit. Elrond would hug like a father comforting his child, he would wrap you into a secure embrace. He smells like familiar spices and fresh warm cloth as you bury your head against his shoulder. The long sleeves of his robes wrap around your body and offer solace under their weight. He will smile down at you gently, a fond crinkling around his eyes full of wisdom and starlight.

Glorfindel

Sunshine incarnate, Glorfindel's hugs are enthusiastic and don't be surprised if he lifts you into his arms and twirls you around once or twice, especially if he has been on errantry and not seen you for a while. His long golden hair would get in both your faces and he would laugh, bell-like, as he gently brushes it away. He smells of a fresh summer breeze carrying the light scents of flowers and evergreen trees as you press your cheek to his chest. I also see him as being fond of taking your face in his hands, enjoying looking into your eyes and reading your emotions there. When you are in need of comfort be assured Glorfindel will always be ready to offer you a warm embrace as you bask in his glowing presence. His very touch is enough to chase away any creeping darkness from your mind. (yes I am madly in love with him can you not tell)

Arwen

Arwen doesn't hug very many people, so when she opens her arms to you it is a gift indeed. She smells of lilac and midsummer nights spent by the lake under the stars. Her hair is as soft as goose-down and the gossamer of her sleeves slips between your fingers. She holds the back of your head lightly as you lean against her, closing your eyes and enjoying the feel of her chin tucked against your head. Arwen will also peer into your eyes, as they are windows to your soul, and give you a soft understanding smile before engaging you in light conversation and laughter.

Thranduil

(as a brief aside, I do not at all like the characterization of Thranduil in the movies as they turned him into King Thingol of Doriath who is much different in temperament. thus, this will be based on his book self)

Thranduil is regal and guarded, yet he has a warmth about him you have grown accustomed to receiving from the Elves. Like Arwen he does not embrace others readily, but will receive your affection with a broad smile and happy chuckle. His hands placed securely on your upper back as you lean against him, breathing in his scent of juniper berries and pine. This hug will be brief but meaningful and leave you feeling elated and refreshed. He will then invite you to dine with them and perhaps accompany his folk into the forest to dance and frolic to the sound of harpists and singing.

Legolas

Legolas is full of laughter and wit and will accept your hug with joy, squeezing you tight against him as he ruffles your hair about in an affectionate manner. You bury your face into the crook of his neck and inhale the smell of leather and woodsmoke. He will hold you against him for as long as you wish, even rocking you side to side if you remain in his arms for long. When you do pull away Legolas will grasp your forearms and beam at you, making a witty comment, his countenance brightening when you laugh.

Finrod

(Yes, I have to include this golden boy)

The first among Elves to befriend humans, even the first to see them, Finrod has a special place in his heart for his mortal friends. He loves giving and receiving hugs and will wrap you in his arms readily and with reverence. His golden hair tickles your face and he laughs, looking down at you as you scrunch your nose at the sensation. Finrod smells of the ocean winds that form the waves and the carpet of moss that covers forest floors. He is Valinor mixed with Middle Earth, belonging to both and yet neither. There is a sadness to his grip as he brushes a stray hair from your face after you pull away. But as ever with his kin the sadness in his eyes swiftly turns over to mirth and he takes your hand before pulling you along with him to your next adventure.

let me know who else I should write these for!

[kakushino]

Hullo fabulous writer! If you're still taking requests, could I beg kindly for a Genya x female reader? While I would love an NSFW with him, I understand if you would prefer not to. I love the boi so much and he needs love!

Fuck me

Shinazugawa Genya x Fem! Reader

He thought you were a boy. He was wrong.

Horny thoughts took over, sincerely sorry this doesn't have more plot

orz

Tags: sex pollen trope, first time, exhibitionism (kinda? they're alone in the forest tho) Word count: 1,3k

Masterlist

You had met during training under Himejima. 

Him, a kid hurt and hurting, and you, a runaway trying to find a place to go on in.

Genya was confused why you had a separate room from him in the sanctuary but he reasoned it had something to do with your past, and given his own, he wasn't about to pry.

You bonded over the brutal training Himejima put you through.

Sitting under a waterfall for hours brought you closer, shared misery from the cold and the aching muscles forging a friendship based on silence, on gritted teeth and on wet hair. Both of you had to shave most of it off as it took too long to dry, and the risk of catching something was too high. More than once, you'd stripped off your tunics and huddled close to share your warmth.

That was before either of you hit puberty though.

You had learned Total Concentration Breathing from Himejima, where Genya was unable to do so. That sent you to the Final Selection a year earlier than him - and while you came back victorious, you also came back with a bandaged chest. You never took them off in Genya's presence. It was alright; if he could, he'd also hide the facial scarring he had.

A year went by and he joined you in your journey as a demon slayer, the pair of you traveling together, training together, eating together. You would sometimes get irritable, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. Everyone has a grumpy week here and there. 

Despite your closeness, there was still a wall between you - you never went to the onsen together, you never slept in the same futon, even if sharing one would be easier, and you each did your own laundry.

Years passed. 

The demon you faced today was elusive. That was all there was to it. It ran to the forest and hid in the mist, the air smelling like overripe fruit as you trudged through the flowers growing from moss.

Genya had his gun out and loaded, you held your katana ready, both of you covering each other's blind spot. The darkness of the forest made your hunt crawl at snail's pace.

In the end you didn't find the demon, it found you.

With a screeching laughter, it launched itself at you, you barely blocked its claws with your blade. The force of it knocked you off balance, and you fell to the soft mossy flower bed, clouds of white mist spewing up from the ground, the tumble making the demon roll off of you.

A gunshot rang through the forest. A few soft steps. 

"Are you alright, pipsqueak?"

You groaned, a strange heat spreading from your lungs outward, the strange sweet scent overpowering. “Just fine. I-” Then, it hit you like a landslide.

You cried out, oversensitive and overheated. You rolled onto your side, sheathing your katana. Your binder chafed against your nipples, sending electric shocks to your pussy, and you knew you were soaked in seconds. “Fuck-!”

“What’s going on? Hey-”

Eyes unfocused, your hand brushed against the flowers you were laying on when you tried to get up. It was the damn flowers. A fog as heavy as the flowers created settled over your mind in that moment.

"Fuck me, Genya," you rasped out in desperation. You had tears in your eyes as you clumsily tried to unbuckle your belt, kneeling now. 

He was staring at you wide-eyed, arms raised in a placating gesture. "But, we're both men." A flush took over his face, and his breathing deepened. He’d also inhaled some of the pollen.

You froze momentarily. "Genya, I swear to god-" You finally undid the belt, and ripped open your jacket, being a little gentler with your shirt. "I'm a woman."

His flushed face became even redder, this time it was him who went as still as a statue. But despite that, there was an incessant need crawling under both of your skins. The aphrodisiac made you stop undressing to paw at his clothes instead. You needed him.

"Fuck, get naked. I can't go on much longer-!" You tugged his purple tunic off, undoing the buttons of his jacket as he hesitantly reached for his belt. 

“Are you-?”

“Yes! Now, strip!” you gave up on his shirt and just undid his belt, pulling both his pants and underwear off. Tsk, as if you wouldn’t be sure. Not sure when molten rock flowed through your veins and urged you to be faster, to find something to fill the emptiness, to stop the heat, to-

Genya’s world was spinning. Not only because of you manhandling him in ways that made his dick throb, nor because of the fog you’d both inhaled, but because he just found out his best friend of years and years was in fact a woman. 

How had he been so blind? You pushed him onto his back into the damned flowerbed that rocked his world. How had he not noticed? He grabbed your hips and pulled you against his aching cock, dry humping against your covered cunt, the feeling so good but not enough.

“Genya~”

“Fuck-” 

You moaned his name so prettily, he needed to hear more, to feel more of you, he needed-

You rolled to the side to tug your pants and panties off. As fast as you disappeared off his lap, you re-appeared and now it was your wet cunt against his cock and it felt so good he never wanted it to stop. 

If you continued for much longer, he’d cum before he even got to be inside of you. “[Name], I-” he was about to tell you so, but you only raised your hips a little and lined him up to your entrance. His hands gripped your thighs in a bruising hold when you started to sink on his cock, both of you moaning in sync as you felt a small amount of relief.

You didn’t hesitate and started a pace of rising and dropping down, quick and messy. Each time your ass met his thighs, you felt like screaming; it sent shocks of pleasure from your tummy outwards, your pussy kept fluttering and tightening as you chased the ecstasy you needed.

Genya was struggling to hold out. Your snug cunt was too divine - the first time you sank down, he was about to lose his mind. He could do nothing but take it, hips bucking up to meet you erratically, as desperate for his pleasure as you were for your own.

Who knew sex felt this good?

This was better than his own hand by far.

Before he knew it, he cried out, grabbing your waist and slamming you down onto him, spilling deep inside of you, making you groan in turn. Genya cursed like a sailor, gritting his teeth.

He may be finished but you weren’t. 

You dug your nails into his arms so he would let go of you. When he did, you continued your desperate movements. 

Genya keened like a wounded animal, overstimulated. “Wa-wait-! I can’t-!”

“You have to-!” You stared at him as you rode him through the pain and pleasure; his face was red, eyes glazed over, lips open and a little bit of drool gathering at the corner of them, tears streamed down his cheeks. You could not stop, would not stop. It felt too good to stop.

“Ngh-” He clenched his eyes shut, clawing at the moss underneath him. This wasn’t how he imagined losing his virginity.

One hand braced on his shirt-covered chest, you slipped the other to your clit, trying to get off quicker. 

You were riled up enough that one, two, three tight circles on it made you shatter. 

You threw your head back, muscles taut, pussy milking Genya’s cock for all it had left. Your ears rang, someone was whimpering, someone was whining, you didn’t know who did what, you just collapsed onto a warm chest, arms wrapped around you as you trembled in post-orgasmic bliss.

“That was… something,” Genya panted out, hands rubbing your back as you tried to catch your own breath.

“Thank gods- hah- that you killed the demon, ugh, before this hit, huh?”

Taglist: @sunandflame @flametrashira @misty-angerose @irene9900 @i-literally-cant-with-this @gingerspicelattemix

dividers made by the amazing @/benkeibear

[metamorphesque]

— a girl is a haunted house, tathève simonyan

[text ID: “I could’ve lived like this”, echoed in my head. / As I looked around, my eyes unthinkingly clung to places where I could’ve hidden my selves: the ones that didn’t come to being and the one that I was. In the cupboards of this kitchen I could’ve buried all the women I could’ve grown into. While doing so, I would’ve put on the apron of the one who inhabited the kitchen. The cups and the glasses would’ve made place for me. I could’ve easily found a home in between the kitchen table and refrigerator. As the fragrance of rosemary and thyme found their way to me, a picture found its way to the back of my eyes: a hushed scene, full of contentment, a shot of me standing in the center of this kitchen, feet thick brown trucks giving birth to dozens of snakelike radixes, covered in colorful moss, devoid of flowers but who needs flowers when all they do is wilt anyway? I would’ve thought so, had I been the me of that frame. / I could’ve been content here, not happy, but content. The cutlery and the plates would’ve made place for me. The dull roar of the washing machine would’ve hidden my cries, with the same diligence it sheltered my mother’s. The “what ifs” of this particular scenario smelled of cinnamon and vanilla. / I could’ve been content here. I thought as I placed the coffee cup on the countertop next to the gas stove: the surface always wet for it filled the space between the sink and the stove, in between water and fire.  / I could’ve been content here. I repeated as I unscrewed the lid of the coffee jar and took out a spoonful of the umber powder. / While turning on the gas and putting the cezve on its designated place, I cursed the mind that yearned for more, yearned to be more than what it was supposed to be. I cursed the eyes that only saw what was not in front of them, hands that wished to touch what wasn’t theirs to touch and the tongue that longed to taste what wasn’t hers to taste. I cursed myself because I understood that I could’ve been content here, and as the umber froth fought its way to the surface, my tears caved in to the gravitational force.]

[livelaughloveneteyamm]

“sit.” — ao’nung

ao’nung x fem!reader

warnings : oral (f), p in v, dirty talk, praise, teasing, fluff, daddy kink. i know this is not ao’nung in the picture but i feel like this is what he’d look like as Olo'eyktan. not proof read

today was the day ao’nung is to become Olo'eyktan, you hadn’t seen him all week because he was out doing things to get ready for this day so you were looking forward to finally seeing him during his celebration, you knew him all your life, the chiefs son and you were best friends with his sister tsireya because you were her age. when you were young you would admire him from a far, the way he was so fit but never had abs, the way he was so rude to everyone but you, that way he was good at everything he did. when you turned 13 and ao’nung turned 15 that’s when he started to notice you took a personal interest in him, the way he felt your eyes burning on him whenever he turned the other way, the way you would clench your thighs everytime he would tease you. when you would bite your lip whenever his hand brushed your thigh.

when he turned 16 and you turned 14 everything changed, ao’nung had lost it. he pulled you out of your tent in the middle of the night and just let everything out “i see you.” he whispered hands sliding onto your waist and he kisses your jaw and all the way up to your lips and closes the gap between you two, kissing you hard. he pulls back and looks you in the eyes “ Oel ngati kameie yawne” he says gripping his nails into your hips “Oel ngati kameie” you say out of breath.

by the time you were 16 the two of you were mated and this leads you to were you are now, you’re 18 and ao’nung 20. ao’nung never changed once personality wise but looks wise he was absolutely a different person, his body toned up so much more. the stomach that once had no abs has a 8 pack now.

you and whole clan are at ao’nungs celebration of him becoming the new chief, everyone is sitting quietly waiting for him to come out, you and tsireya and your family are sitting in the front row. that’s when you hear foots steps. then you see him. you take in everything about him, his long legs, his abs, his shoulders and then that’s when you see it. his new tattoo. that went from his shoulder to across his face. you swear you could’ve just came at the sight of him like that, everyone cheering but you drown out the sound just focusing on the way your mate looks.

ao’nung was walking around the whole time just greeting people as their new leader with you by his side until he no one left to greet. you and him were standing before everybody watching them dance and have fun. “you know, i really like it” you say catching his attention “like what?” he laughs, “this” your hand moves between you two and you trace your finger tips along his tattoo your fingertips brush along his nipple by accident making him inhale fast, you laugh at how sensitive they are, your movements fall onto the side of his face that was tattooed you cup his cheek “though i do miss seeing your pretty face without the tattoo, i still really like it” you smile at him making him smile two times wider at you, he picks you up and throws you over his shoulder making you squeal “put me down ao” you hit his back while laughing.

he takes you away from the party. he takes you to where you first mated. a small cave with the floor completely covered in moss and flowers that would glow different colors depending on the feelings in the room. he puts you down finally. you stand in front of him looking him in the eyes, the flowers all turn pink “sit.” he says, you look at him dazed “hm?” you say “sit.” he says a little louder. you instantly submit. you usually put up a fight but today you felt as if you needed to listen. you sit on your calfs in front of your mate. the Olo'eyktan. looking up into his eyes as he slowly gets on his knee in front of you “lay back” he says rubbing your thighs, you let yourself fall back on the soft moss. he spreads your legs and slides his body over yours his hands up above your head are supporting him his eye contact lingers for a little while like he’s in a trance or something.

without a word he starts kissing your neck and down your shoulders, taking off your top and throwing across the floor somewhere for him to find later “i love you,my mate” he gives a little kiss to your right breast “i will never stop loving you” his kisses the other, the kisses trail down to your stomach “i will worship the ground you walk on.” he leaves another kiss on your stomach and slides off your loincloth and throws it aside. “and i promise to give you endless amounts of pleasure mentally and… physically” his tone is deep and his are eyes locked on your glistening pussy. he dives in right after saying that you immediately feel the heat spread through out your whole body, your hands fly to his newly done hair “fuuuk ao” you moan out trying not to mess up his hair.

he hums at his nickname that everyone calls him but only one gets to moan. his hands are gripping your thighs to hold them from closing on his head as he devours you sucking at your clit while you tweaked with your nipples, the attention he was showing your clit now falls onto your entrance, he lifts his head up and spits straight onto you cunt rubbing it in with his thumb “you’re such a good girl, you know that?” he praises as you trying your hardest not scream from the pleasure. you feel like you’re head is gonna pop from him shaking his head from side to side as his thumb works on your little clit, you feel the pleasure build up in your stomach “ao wait wait” you breath out, he stops and looks at you “i wanna cum with you inside me” you pled with him and he doesn’t waist a second sitting up and basically ripping his loincloth off his cock springing out and hitting his stomach he pulls you closer to him by your thighs. he rubs his angry cockhead against your clit, you whine just wanting him in you “stop teasing me ao!” you huff and it only makes him laugh “that’s no way to talk to your Olo'eyktan” he says as he pushes in you slowly, you had never fully taken him to say the least because you two never really had time. it felt like he ripping you into two but in a good way. your grab onto arm as he sets a steady pace snapping his hips forward looking for your sweet spot and when he found it. he had a field day.

“shit!” you cry whenever he starts speeding up hitting right where you needed it “is this what you needed my love?” he asks gripping waist and pushing him self deeper making tears blur your eyes “yes! please daddy please!” you scream not noticing what you just called him, he slows his pace making your eyes shoot open “what did you call me?” he’s smiles at you “ao i-” he cuts you off “mmm daddy. i like it”.

MY FIRST AO’NUNG FIC?!!?!?. and honestly i hate it so much. i might delete this. love y’all!!

[ellieloves2draw]

at long last i have finished it!! this was so much fun :] ive wanted to do a character lineup for a while but havent really had the time/spoons, so it was really nice to have a convenient template on hand

template by @xmaruu11

closeups and ID under the cut

(ID: bust shots of each of the members of the life series, done in marker. left to right, top to bottom, they are: grian, scar, mumbo, jimmy, joel, scott, impulse, skizz, tango, etho, bdubs, cleo, martyn, ren, lizzie, bigb, gem, and pearl. each member is talking to and/or interacting with another member.

character designs:

grian has dirty blonde hair, a button nose, and pure black eyes. his hands are scaled and birdlike, and he has large deerlike ears. he is wearing small round glasses and a red sweater.

scar has brown hair in a ponytail, pointed, ears, a wide nose, and green eyes. there are a number of scars on his face, arms, and neck. there are also some grey streaks in the left side of his hair.

mumbo has black hair, black dot eyes, a button nose, and pointed ears. his mouth is obscured by a mustache. there are two strands of hair sticking up above his forehead. he is wearing a white collared shirt, suspenders, a floppy red tie, and black gloves.

jimmy has short dirty blonde hair, brown eyes, a straight nose, and a beard. I he’s wearing a white shirt, and unbuttoned blue shirt, and a bandana around the neck that is red-and-white striped.

joel has dark brown hair with a green streak in the front, pointed ears, dark brown eyes, a slightly hooked nose, stubble, and a small braid in the back. he’s wearing a loose, long-sleeved white shirt, and a dark brown vest that is loosely tied together.

scott has long blue hair with a braid next to his left ear, deerlike ears, a wide nose, and dark blue eyes. there are small yellow lights floating around his head like a halo. he is wearing a white shirt with a rainbow pattern across the middle, and an unbuttoned blue shirt on top. there are red flowers in his hair.

impulse has short brown hair with grey streaks, slitted brown eyes, a wide nose, pointed ears, and a beard. he is wearing a black, short sleeve shirt, a dark, gray vest, and a yellow bandanna tied around the neck.

skizz has salt and pepper hair styled similarly to wolverine from x-men. he has a chin beard, a large nose, and light blue eyes with white pupils. there are scars on his arms. there is a faint halo around his head. he is wearing a formal vest, red tie, and white collared shirt with the sleeves ripped off.

tango has long pointed ears, red eyes, a pointed nose, yellow blonde hair, and stubble. there are a pair of red lensed goggles on his forehead. he is wearing oversized red gloves, a red button up shirt, and black overalls.

etho has long white hair that is half tied up, a dark blue eye and a red eye, and a scar over the red eye. he also has stubble, which is barely visible underneath his mask. he’s wearing a dark green shirt, a dark blue vest with a fur collar, and black fingerless gloves.

bdubs has short white hair, very dark brown eyes, stubble, a large nose, and a missing tooth. he also has a black eye. he’s wearing a white collared shirt, a cloak made of moss, and a red bandana on his head.

cleo has pale green skin covered in stitches, long red hair, an upturned nose, and pure black eyes with light green irises. they are wearing a dark magenta leotard with purple off-the-shoulder sleeves. she has dark pink flowers in her hair.

martyn has long light blonde hair, parted in the middle and held back with a headband. he has blue eyes, a large nose, and a beard. he’s wearing a green shirt, a dark green jacket with a large collar, and black fingerless gloves.

ren is a dogman. he has long dark brown fur with slightly lighter fur on the face and hands. he has blue eyes. he’s wearing sunglasses and a red plaid short-sleeved flannel.

lizzie has blue eyes, long pink hair, and raccoon-like ears and nose. she has sharp teeth and claws. there is a dark raccoon-like marking over her eyes. she is wearing a blue vest and floppy tie and a white collared shirt.

bigb has dark brown eyes, a wide nose, a beard, and two ear cuffs. his hair is styled in a pompadour. he is wearing a blue poncho with a cookie patch sewn, and a lighter blue shirt underneath.

gem has antlers and deerlike ears, red hair tied in a braid, green eyes, a small nose, and freckles. she’s wearing a light green sweater and blue denim overalls.

pearl has long light brown hair, deerlike ears, and blue eyes with white pupils. she also has white freckles. she’s wearing a dark blue beanie and cloak, and a white shirt. the cloak has red patches sewn on.

end ID.)

[erzsebetrosztoczy]

For your wounded heart

Pt.1

Pairing: Mizu x reader

Word count: ~2k

Notes: If there will be interest for it, I'll continue the story, because so far there isn't really a Mizu x reader going on lmfaoo but we'll seeeee

Ps.: Mizu's pronounce is he/him in this part

Here's Part 2

The molten gold disc of the sun slowly crept up the horizon, pouring gray onto the world from the darkness. It rose drowsily, languidly among the tall canopies, leaves lighting up as it projected onto them as thousands of thalers appeared next to the shining disk.

The songbirds ruffled their feathers — ready for the challenges of another day, and sang happily to their companions.

A strong draft escaped from under the wooden door, making the embers of the flickering fire dance before running through your covers.

The sudden cold bit into your skin; grabbing you from the realm of dreams, dragging you back to the world of the living with its icy fingers. You opened your eyes with a terrified sigh; waking up from the warm and caressing dream you pulled yourself under the covers.

Another day, another task ahead of you.

Wearly, you dressed up before trying to gather your belongings, which you would need shortly.

A scalpel, a knife, gloves and a deep basket soon graced your side as you set off into the awakening forest.

Three days ago, you were approached by one of the most influential merchants in town. His wife caught the chills-fever, which her priests had not been able to cure with any of their treatments. Realizing that needles, prayers and incense would not help here, the nobleman visited you the day before, when the noises of the market in the main square seemed to dull down, when you started packing your goods to go home.

It had been a long time since you were last offered such a sum - too long for your liking. Short of money - and because you would have faced the wrath of a powerful man if you refused - you accepted his offer to heal his spouse.

Early in the morning, when the rooster hadn't even crowed, you were already ready to go collect the ingredients for the potion.

The sharp autumn air crawled over your skin, penetrated your bones and breathed newfound strength into your heart. Listening to the soothing soft melody of the forest, you set off towards its thickets, hoping that you would find enough ingredients for your tonics today. Everything was ready to take care of the sick wife- all you had to do was get the hojicha flower, of which you had run out of stock a while ago.

Pulling your cloak tight around your shoulders, you stepped on the wet moss carpet, careful not to slip on the rutted ground. Soon the ground would start to freeze- you thought as you tried to remember which tree trunk you marked, where you should turn right or left to reach your usual harvesting location.

"If I want to have everything in the winter, I have to collect them in time..." You sighed, stepping over a taller ditch. "Maybe I should look at the market to buy seeds and-"

"To the best of my knowledge, you have to go the other way to the nearest market." A harsh, sharp voice spoke from your left.

You immediately screamed and if the cold didn't do it until now — the stranger who suddenly stumbled here had certainly frozen your blood. The pounding of your heart only made it worse as you spun backwards, trying to face the source of the sound. Your foot slipped and you fell to your knees, hitting a wet log while you turned your head trying to find the source of the sound.

After a while, three men appeared in front of you; one from the nearby bushes, while two crept out from behind the cover of the trees; like wild dogs lurking in wait for their prey.

"The lady must be lost, people can disappear quickly in the forest..." The other man nodded with a vile grin, rubbing his palms together while approaching you.

"Certainly, it is not recommended to walk alone in such remote places at the crack of dawn." The third man took over, turning his attention to the basket lying on the floor next to you. “It's better if we accompany you… so no one attacks you.”

"I didn't, I just-" You stammered, but your voice got stuck in your throat as the three strangers walked closer and closer. Their ragged and dirty clothes, their darkly glistening dreadful eyes ruled out that they were simple wanderers.

You ran into bandits on the road, alone, in the middle of the forest. Your heart was pounding in your throat and kept yelling for you to move, escape, run — otherwise you will take your last breath here forever.

Your eyes darted to your overturned basket – deep inside your knife was glinting in a cold light. If you could be fast enough to get it out of there...Fight for your life. You fight or you die.

But instincts were stronger than reason; the Gods opened a third way for you at that moment.

You pushed yourself away with your hands, your heels digging into the ground hard, almost scraping it up as you jumped up to run away like a chased deer. You could barely feel your legs, could barely breathe as you ran through the trees with all your might, jumping over bushes, rocks, and pits. With your heart in your throat, with the sound of the bandits' steps and shouts in your ears, you kept going forward, not even daring to look back.

Your ability to navigate had left you, you didn't even know if you were running towards or away from them, there was just the feeling that you still had to go, still run, still fight. If you stopped you were dead, if you fell you were dead, if they caught up you were dead.

A huge thorn bush appeared in front of you, too high and wide it would have been almost impossible to jump over it, to get around it; so for lack of a better option you tensed your muscles, pulled your neck in, closed your eyes and ran into the branches, shielding your face with your arms.

The pain that ignited in the darkness flashed through you as a hundred and a thousand spikes dug into your exposed skin; then you felt the ground open under your feet, suddenly you began to fall.

You didn't even have time to cry out when you hit the hard ground with your side.

Lying there injured and exhausted, with a bursting heart, you realized that it was all over.

You just sealed your faith.

Panting and choking from crying, you heard the rustling of the bushes behind you, then the trampling of feet.

"Here's the little slut" One of the men chuckled, but the cheering stopped almost immediately.

You did not dare to look up from the ground, did not dare to move; you were left lying on the ground trembling, awaiting death...

But nothing happened.

Another second, but there was only silence, no more footsteps, no giggles, no shouts.

Blinking away the dirt and blood, you looked from behind your lashes and then realized why you were still breathing.

The attention of the three thugs no longer plagued you. They turned almost motionless, to the left, watching ahead of them.

You followed their gaze and saw that you had fallen on a road. On a road where a fourth stranger was now standing in front of you.

A tall, lanky stranger in blue traveling clothes, the bamboo hat he wore pulled low over his face, obscuring his features.

A stranger with a sword in his hand.

Suddenly everything around you seemed to be silent; the chirping of the birds died away, the trees and twigs no longer creaked and cracked, as if the wind itself had stopped to watch the unfolding scene.

Not wanting to break the silence, you stared at the fourth stranger, holding your breath, wondering what would happen now.

Was that your savior ahead of you? Or was he just a wanderer who didn’t care what troubled others, who would only solve his own problems, regardless of if he made others ill-fated? Maybe you got out of the frying pan into the fire?

"There's nothing to see here." The nimblest bandit growled, a rusty knife in hand. "Everybody's minding their own business, right?"

"This matter belongs only to us and this woman, there is no need to cause difficulties for anyone." The largest one with a long mustache spoke slyly, the one closest to you clutched a heavy cudgel in his fist, his knuckles white from the force with which he gripped it.

The blue-clad stranger didn't answer immediately, instead tilting his head to the side, he peeked out from behind the brim of his hat, flashing his yellow-tinted glasses in the light.

"Looking at you, I suspect you are road thugs." The sword bearer spoke, his voice softer than you would have expected. "You rob those who come here." His words didn't seem like a question.

At this, the third man - the fox with a smile, who had a katana, spat down his side stepping forward in front of his companions.

"If you want good for yourself, you turn back or walk past us without another word." He snapped in his raspy voice, grabbing the hilt of his sword as the other two tensed with their weapons as well.

Barely able to handle the shaking and the hitching of your breath, you lifted your torso off the ground with challenge, turning to the blue-cloaked stranger desperately.

"Please…" Your voice trailed off as sobs broke from you. "Don't let me die, please!" Your voice cracked; hot tears washing away the mud and blood from your face. "Help me, please!"

The lanky stranger moved his arm back, revealing the hilt of his sword as he reached towards it with his right hand.

You inhaled through your teeth when you heard the deep clang of metal and clattering footsteps as the bandits charged towards him.

You dropped back down, pulling your knees to your chest as the battle began. Only daring to watch the scene from the cover of your arm.

The swordsman reached first the blue-clad savior, swinging an upward blow from the left, but his sword met another steel.

The man in the hat drew his sword from the sheath with the speed of a viper, breaking the first attack with almost no effort. Before the thug could react to it, the man was already flying to the ground, his legs entangled as the blue clothed one pushed him away to answer the next blow.

The rusty knife reached him second, and while his companion seized the stranger with his blade, he thrusted his knife towards your helper's neck. The cloaked man shoved the katana wielder away with his foot as he turned his torso to the side, the knife still flying towards him mid air.

Taking advantage of the movement, he turned to the right, placing one raised foot in front of the other, cutting across with his blade in front of him.

In a blink of an eye, red rain shot from the arm of the knife-wielding bandit - the sword almost cut his arm off. He staggered with a sharp wail, then fell to the ground, where he continued to shriek.

The one with a cudgel on the other hand did not attack yet, instead he stopped from a decent distance so the sword of the man in blue could not reach him, seemingly considering his next moves.

But this proved to be only a distraction when the first attacker reappeared, this time springing into action behind your savior's back.

The one in blue could hear this, as he turned to the side keeping an eye on both of his attackers, but then the largest started to move suddenly in order to attack at the same time with his other partner.

Seeing the impossible situation, you already had the mental image of the swordsman slashing your savior while the other beat him to death with the heavy club — you whimpered in terror, burying your face in your arms to shield yourself from the sight.

You heard a shout and the clang of steel meeting again, something heavy falling to the ground. A dull, more watery pounding - the cudgel! Bubbling, frothy snoring- a moan of agony and then silence.

You were next, you were sure of that.

Sharp cuts, bone-crushing blows and then slow, lingering death awaits you.

But there was no movement, not even a single grunt from the fight.

Panting, you raised your head to shorten your wait, but you did not find yourself facing the person you were waiting for.

You caught the gaze of the blue-cloaked stranger. You watched with a dry throat and roaring head as he stood over the three bloodied, dying bandits, his sword still clutched in his right hand.

The bamboo hat was no longer on his head, it probably fell off sometime during the fight when you weren't looking, and now was lying at his feet, waiting to be dusted off and put on again.

But instead, the stranger staggered, his knees buckling as he took two steps forward, finally slumping forward onto the ground, leaving you alone in the field of vigilance.

[beesxrated]

Emerald Again

3 years post Withers party and you meet Halsin again. 🪷->🪻

Masterlist

You make your way back to Emerald Grove, it's been almost 3 years since you've been there. It looks greener with all of the Tiefling gone. Beautiful flowers of many colors bloom around the gate, vines twisting around it keeping it shut. The only way you can see to get in is climbing the rocks next to the gate. As you do so you look up to see him waiting for you. His hair is longer and he has some new scars on his arms. Once you reach him he envelopes you in a tight hug.

"It has been too long." Halsin says, "I knew this day would come. I have missed you."

You stare up at him, you'd forgotten how tall he really was, "I have too. I needed to get away from the city, it's too loud."

"You are looking for the calmness of nature." He laughs, "I thought you might join me for a while."

You nod and he leads you into the Grove. You pass all the old barrels now covered in moss and any sign of the refugees being there is almost long gone. Druids walk freely and go about their business as if you aren't there. Halsin takes you down into the Inner Sanctum. Nettie greets you before quickly leaving, side eyeing Halsin on her way out. Once Nettie is out of sight Halsin kisses you, it's more passionate than it ever was before.

"I have missed you. I think about you always." He says keeping his face closer to yours.

You smile, "So have I. I wanted to come sooner, but I was worried you would be too busy."

"I am never too busy for you, my heart." Halsin kisses you again, "I only wish you would stay with me, here. Enjoy the wilderness as nature intended."

"I was hoping you'd say that." You laugh and kiss his cheek, "I was hoping to stay, as long as you wanted. I missed our time together, in nature."

"What about your other partner?"

You sigh, "We split about a year ago. We both wanted and needed different things."

"I am sorry it did not work out for you, but I am glad you are here with me."

Before you can answer he is kissing you again, hard and passionate. It's almost as if he's wanting this kiss to tell you how much he wanted you and missed you. Maybe even how much he loves you. He picks you up and carries you to a nearby table. He pulls away and almost rips off your blouse. Haslin's eyes never leave you or your body as they glow yellow for a few seconds before fading back to his blue ones. His lips make contact with your neck and travel lower down your body before he kisses you fully again.

Soon clothes are being thrown to the floor, mostly ripped if not completely destroyed. Hands touch every inch of skin available, desperate for something. His mouth leaves yours again venturing to your stomach, your thighs, your hips. He picks you back up again almost recreating your first night together. He pushes you hard against the chamber walls before going back down your body, just like he had the first time.

You get goose bumps as his tongue and hands find all of the right places. His warm breath sends shivers up your body. Halsin lets his hands travel up to your chest, grabbing and massaging. He pulls one of your legs over his shoulder for better access to what he wants. When he finally pulls away your body is overwhelmed with pleasure and sensation.

Halsin's lips meet yours again as he finally pleases himself, pushing into you. The noises coming from him are deep and loud, unafraid of anyone who could possibly be listening. It doesn't take long for him to finish. His voice and yours is hoarse, yours almost gone. He carries you back to one of the tables and sets you down, he kneels in front of you, placing his head in your lap.

For someone who talks so much, he has so little to say to you now. However, he seems calmer, happier. His shoulders seem looser, his breathing slower.

"I am sorry, I couldn't control myself." His voice is softer now than it was before.

You run your fingers through his hair, "That's okay. Perfect would mean there's nothing left to explore."

He laughs pulling his head up to look into your eyes, "I am glad you see it my way now."

The two of you spend the rest of the night in each other's arms. Naked, just as nature intended. Both of your hands touching every part of each other, pleasuring each other whenever feels right.

[soullesscinders]

Stolen Glances

pairing: Astarion x Named!Tav (Ezrael)

genre: porn, zero plot.

warnings: MDNI, 18+, throat fucking, piv sex, blood drinking, oral, rough piv, not proofread

word count: 2.7k+

a/n: i havent written smut in so long, feedback appreciated <3 also. I am so sorry for the pure sin you are about to read.

AO3 // Wattpad

For weeks now, Ezrael couldn't stop herself from stealing glances at Astarion. Even doing mundane tasks, like reading, she found him to be the most beautiful being she'd ever seen. He'd been flirty, sure, slightly manipulative as well. She knew he didn't- and, likely wouldn't- harbor any feelings for her. 

That fact would also, not leave her alone. 

All of his deliciously flirtatious greetings, the smug smirks painted on his lips. Ezrael was sure that he was aware of the effect he had on her, painful as it may be. As aware as she was, her heart still fluttered and her face burned at the thought of him, even now as she traipsed through the woods gathering. Various flowers and other plants for Gale, the resident alchemist. Orchids for Shadowheart, she could use some softening up. Lae'zel appreciated moss, citing it made her sword shine. Astarion... she wasn't sure. Starcluster, maybe, but he'd know instantly. No, that's too sappy for Ezrael. She showed appreciation quietly, covertly, so as not to disturb her friendship with him. 

Until, she found herself daydreaming of what she wanted his delicate rogue hands to do to her. Leaned up against a tree, his free hand covering her mouth. Gentle swirls around her...

Snap

Her eyes flew open and shot to the direction of the sudden noise. There, Astarion stood. 

"Hello, Ezrael. Fancy meeting you here," He smirks, a coy undertone to his words. "What might you be up to?"

"Gathering wood and alchemy supplies for Gale and the others. Why, care to assist?" She asked, pretending not to notice his ruby eyes hungrily searching her face for clues. He shrugged in response.

"Not particularly. I noticed you leaned against that tree, thought something might be wrong. Care to share, dear?" 

"No, I really don't, actually." She mustered, attempting to slow the pounding of her chest and the redness in her cheeks. 

He hummed, crossing over to her. 

"I think you're lying, pup. Are you sure you don't have anything to say to me?"

Shit

She stops picking the cluster of a vague plant- admittedly, a weed- and glances up at Astarion, now looming slightly too close to her. She shakes her head no, the pounding in her chest forcing blood to rush in her ears and face to burn a brilliant crimson.

"Oh love, I'm a vampire. You think I can't hear that pretty muscle pounding away when I get close to you?" He bites his lip, one fang shining in the moonlight. Ezrael stands, straighter than she normally would, attempting to put on a brave face and-

Unsuccessful, as usual. Astarion steps closer, eyes darkened and burning a hole through the thin shirt she is wearing. She backs up until she can feel the rough bark of the tree, and Astarion is impossibly close, thigh between her legs. 

He tilts her chin up with one finger until she's looking into his eyes, and leans into her ear.

"Ez, love. I've wanted you for quite a while. I look at you twice as often as you look at me," he whispers. A slight nip to her earlobe elicits a small, nearly inaudible moan from her. Her eyes are closed, but she can feel him moving down to her neck. Goosebumps raise all over her body when he gently brushes his lips over a healing bruise, and she shivers. 

He puts his hands around her waist, circling the small of her back and presses his thigh closer into her heat, delighted by the tense in her shoulders and hitched breath lodged in her throat.

"My love, you can make noise," He says into her collarbone, desperate to hear her noises.

"No one can hear you, we're so far from camp that you could scream for me, and the others would think you were an animal." He whispered, and punctuated with a feather light kiss just under her ear. She groaned lightly, throwing caution to the wind.

"You'd have to make me." She says and Astarion smiles wickedly.

"That's my girl," He says, holding her face and neck in his hand, and pulls her into him for a kiss. A kiss so hot, Ezrael swore she felt a fire in her chest. 

His lips are soft, and he tastes like a fresh morning dew and a slight tinge of metal. His scent of bergamot, rosemary, and a sharp brandy encapsulate her senses. His fangs nick her inner lip and he groans, trailing his tongue delicately over her bottom lip. Begging her to open her mouth, her soul to him. She obliges, sliding her tongue along with his in a passionate dance with each other. 

He pulls away and Ezrael instantly feels the loss, missing his lips on hers instantly. She groans impatiently.

"Sweet, what's the matter? You don't think I'm done already, do you? Oh, no, doll. I'm just getting started. I will say, I'm getting increasingly frustrated with all of this infernal clothing you have in the way." He says, tilting his head and looking down at Ezrael, squeezing her hip as he does. Looking back up without moving his head an inch, he internally undresses her with his eyes. She reaches down to the hem of her shirt and pulls it off in one fell swoop, and Astarion instantly takes advantage of the new canvas presented before him. Kissing her breasts, taking his time with careful precision and attention to each nipple. Her other breast in his free hand, fingers toying with the sensitive bud, she moans in response to his deft fingers. 

"Astarion," she pants breathlessly, "what else can those fingers do?" He hums in response, pulling off of her nipple, leaving the saliva soaked nub to the cool, night air. He kisses her gently, almost lovingly. 

"Patience, pet. We have all night after all." He coos to Ezrael. She keens at his words, desperate for his touch.

"Do I have to beg you to take my pants off?" She sneers, clearly not being patient as Astarion wanted her to be. He growls close to her ear.

"That could be arranged, love. If  you behave." 

She reels at his words, so deliciously sinful rolling off of his tongue. Ezrael tips her head back into the tree once again, attempting to slowly slide her pants down her legs. Astarion notices her gentle wiggling, and in one movement, pins her wrists above her head, eliciting a groan from his new toy. 

"Darling, what did I just get done telling you?" He asks in mock exasperation, pushing his thigh further up into her heat. She wiggles, vying for friction and doesn't respond.

"Please, Astarion." She begs breathlessly, hoping for some kind of mercy from him. He ponders this for a moment, taking in her blushing and desperate form panting underneath him. 

"I suppose I could give you something, since you beg so nicely for me." He muses, kneeling in front of her, and slides her pants down her slender legs. The distinct scent of her arousal only spurs him on, while she whimpers and moans above him. 

Achingly slow, he pulls them off and throws them away, already licking his lips at the delicious sight before him. Ezrael gasps at his cool breathing on her moist and hot center,  hands instinctively reaching for his hair. He stops her with a tut-tut, and she positions her hands behind her obediently. 

"Good girl." He growls toward her heat, fingers snaking up her body to her mouth. 

"Wet these for me, will you, love?" He asks her gently, looking up at her with pure carnal desire in his eyes. She opens her mouth at his command, taking his middle and ring finger into her mouth and swiping her tongue over them to coat them in saliva. With a suck and loud pop, she frees him from her lips, waiting anxiously for him to touch her.

 "Thank you, doll." He purrs, and spreads her folds apart. With a slow stripe up, his tongue finally, finally, flicks over her taut bundle of nerves, and she cries out with a sultry groan and tips her head back. 

"Ast- ah, fuck, that felt nice." She says breathlessly, thoughts already beginning to muddle together. He smiles against her, and begins a barrage of rapid licks, aiming for her release. He spreads her knees for more access, and slides the fingers she so kindly dampened for him into her. Looking up, expecting her eyes to be on him and his sinful movements, finds his toy off in her own world mewling like a bitch in heat. He pulls away entirely, and Ezrael's eyes snap wide open and stare at him. 

"Eyes. On. Me." He says through gritted teeth. 

She nods, words lost to her. He returns to his ministrations, looking up at her through his eyelashes, animalistic lust dancing in his eyes. She fights the urge to look anywhere but him, his desiring gaze pulling her in. She feels a familiar coil in her abdomen being wound tight as he works, and she whispers.

"Astarion, baby, I'm so close." She says, the desire in her eyes and on her lips making him moan against her and sends vibrations right to that hot coil pooling in her gut. 

"Come undone for me, my heart." He purrs, quickening his already relentless pace. At his words, the coil snaps, sending her reeling into a fit of moans, gushing over his fingers while he kisses her clit through it. She comes down after a moment, head spinning, thoroughly fuck out. Astarion stands, pulling her face to him by her neck and kissing him hard.

"Darling, I hope you don't think we're done yet. We are just getting started." He whispers sensually, cool breath fanning her face, the slight scent of her sex on him. She whimpers, leaning in to kiss him again. 

He doesn't object, but after a moment of feeling her tongue on his, has an idea. 

"My love, I have a proposition." He whispers gently, leaning down toward her ear. She hums in response to him, still in bliss after the magic he worked. 

"I want you to get on your knees, and show me how well that bratty mouth can treat my cock." He growls, inhaling the sweet scent of her oxytocin saturated blood.

She nearly buckles. She's had several sexual partners, but none who could make her legs wobble quite like Astarion could. She nods wordlessly, fingers trailing down his bare chest as she goes, until she reaches his waistband. His hips are beautiful, jutting out against the sharp contrast of his black pains, holding a bulge that could rival the biggest she'd seen previously. She undoes the tie with her teeth, blinking up at him through half lidded eyes and he groans. He runs his fingers through her hair and down her jaw as she slowly slides his pants down his legs.

Rock solid, he springs free from the tight confines of his pants with a hiss. Ezrael takes his length in her hand, and tentatively begins swirling her tongue around the head of his cock, tasting the precum beading at the tip. He bucks his hips instinctively, and he holds her head with one hand, barely restraining himself from losing it and fucking her throat. 

"Love, how good is your gag reflex?" He asks as she works him, velvety mouth on his tip. 

"I never have gagged doing this, so I think it's pretty good." She winks up at him, and the permission between the lines is all he needs to grip both sides of her head. 

"Tap my leg if you can't do it, darling. I'd hate to hurt you." He whispers, almost genuine care behind his eyes, mixed with the dizzying desire. She nods, preparing herself. He pulls her head down his shaft, slowly, gauging her reaction until her nose touches his pelvis. When she hardly reacts, he croons.

"Good girl, you are taking me so well, love."He continues, selfishly indulging his own pleasure at the expense of her, her mouth, and her seemingly innate trust in him. She moans around his cock at his words, salivating profusely. He continues pumping himself in her throat, watching as tears prick the corners of her eyes each time he drives himself a little deeper. Enough, he thinks, and buries the tip of his cock in the back of her throat, driving himself as deep as he can go repeatedly. She moans and whimpers around him, now with tears streaking down her face, ruining her eyeliner as he goes, pounding himself to his own pleasure. He fucks her throat like it's the last thing he'd ever do, sweat beading down his forehead and dripping onto his chest as he watches Ezrael splutter around him. 

He pulls out with a pop, her throat now fucked raw, and can't bear to hold himself back anymore. He leans down, kissing her cheek. 

"You did beautifully, my love. Now, on your back." He commands, watching her naked form move to his desires without question. He kneels down to her, forcing her legs open as he drinks in her already dripping pussy, ready to be ruined by him. 

"I'll make you cum so hard you'll never find pleasure from yourself or another man again, Ezrael. Do you understand me?" He growls in her ear, feeling her thrumming heartbeat skip as he does so. She nods enthusiastically. With one hand, he languidly strokes his cock, sliding it against her clit and watching her eyes flutter shut. Quickly and without a shred of mercy left in him, he pushes every inch of his cock into her, feeling her walls twitch around him. He begins at a slow, hard pace, delighting in every moan that rolls off of her lips, watching her tits bounce each time he drives himself back into her. After a few moments of slow thrusts, something inside him snaps. He drives his hips into her at an almost inhuman speed, listening to the mewls flow from her lips and feeling her cunt continuously tighten around him. 

"Yes, Ast- ah." She moans, not a coherent, tangible thought in her head while he rails her senselessly, pounding her into the ground and watching her fall apart under him, for him. He slows for a moment, and leans down to her throat to gently rake his fangs over her pulse.

"Who could fuck you as well as I am?" He asks, nearly purring. 

"N-no one, Astarion." She gasps, pussy fluttering around him. 

"Good pet." He smirks, punctuating his praise with a sharp thrust, and Ezrael cries out. He picks up his relentless pace again, listening to the sounds of her wet sex swallowing him with every thrust he gives. She begins feeling the heat building in her core, watching him as he fucks himself into her with abandon, absolutely loving the growls and groans coming from his chest. He leans down and doesn't even ask before sinking his teeth into her pulse, lapping her lifeblood up as he pushes himself impossibly deep into her. Her eyes cross, mind going blank with pleasure, and the coil snaps, drenching his pelvis and making him groan into her throat. He bites harder to anchor himself, and he tumbles over the edge as well at the feeling of her pussy clamping down around him. He slowly rocks her through her orgasm, sweet, oxytocin flavored blood staining his fangs as he pulls away from her throat to look at Ezrael. 

He smiles sweetly, almost as if he didn't just fuck the life out of her. Her limp body, wracked from pleasure, is already almost asleep. He kisses her softly on her lips, forehead, cheeks, and the tip of her nose. 

"That was lovely, darling. We really should do this again." He whispers to her, and she nods in quiet agreement. He dresses them both quickly, and picks her up. She snuggles into his chest, still dozing. 

"Sleep with me tonight." She says sleepily, eyes closed. The look of shock on his face isn't noticed.

"That's- awfully sweet of you, love," Surprise coating his voice. "But of course, I will." 

He walks her into camp, relieved that everyone appears to be sleeping. He places her on the bedroll in her tent, setting her pack down with all of it's wildflowers still intact. He curls around her sleeping form, resting her head on his chest. 

Maybe, everything will be alright. Maybe, if he can ignore how his chest seems to flutter when he's near her, he can stop stealing glances from across the camp. 

[viesanterieures]

𝐓𝐨 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 | 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏.

William Killick (The Edge of Love) x Reader

link to Part Two

note: This story is set in May 1936, William is about 27 and it takes place years before the actual movie.

summary: William Killick takes a break from his London life and spends a few weeks at the country estate of the wealthy Hallward family. The family take an instant liking to William and try to get him to marry their beautiful daughter Norma. Also on the estate is the reader, who works as a maid. When William receives anonymous poems, he ends up falling in love with the mysterious writer instead of Norma.

word count: 2000+

warnings: … none!

moodboard

"Excuse me sir, we've reached the end of the line." Yawning, William opened his eyes as he heard a voice behind him and stretched sleepily, curious to see who was speaking to him. A woman in a uniform with a dark skirt and matching hat stood beside him. "Are we there yet... What time is it?" he asked her. "It's just after half past seven, sir," the train attendant replied with a friendly smile. As William straightened up in his seat and then saw that the landscape before him had changed from the brown roofs of London to green hills and beautiful mountain scenery with small lakes. "My God... I must have slept for hours." The train attendant smiled at him kindly and wished him a good journey.

William felt the train slow down and grabbed his suitcase from the luggage rack. Once outside, he set it down on the floor and took a deep breath. The air smelled fresh and the wind blew through his hair. Although he had never been to this place before, he had the strange feeling that he belonged here. He closed his eyes for a moment. The orange light of the setting sun shone through his eyelids. The green hills of the Scottish Highlands stretched out before him, surrounded by a light mist. Green meadows, colourful flowers and streams dominated the landscape. The sky was cloudless and the air smelled of fresh moss. William could hardly look away. It was so different from London. The grass rustled softly under his shoes as he made his way to his accommodation for the next few weeks.

Curious, he looked up at the big building. It was built entirely of stone, with small windows adorned with red, ivy-covered shutters that glowed in the evening sun. William dragged his suitcase up the stairs that led to a wide wooden door. The muffled sound filled the silence as William knocked on the door. It opened with a squeak to reveal an older, very elegantly dressed lady with shoulder-length curly hair.

"Good evening, you must be our new guest, Mr Killick, aren't you?" Her voice sounded friendly and welcoming. "That’s right. And you must be Margaret Hallward, the owner of the estate," William replied. The lady nodded. "I am. Come in, you must have travelled a long way, sir." William followed her into the warm house. Mrs Hallward disappeared for a moment behind a wooden counter and handed William a key. "Room seven is yours. The dining room is in the basement and the common room is on the second floor. Breakfast is tomorrow from seven to half past eight. YN, would you be so kind as to accompany our guest to his room? And take some of his luggage."

"Of course, Mrs Hallward," a quiet voice sounded behind them, and William turned around curiously. In front of them stood a young woman in a dark red apron and white blouse. William smiled kindly at her. "No, wait, I can carry that," he interrupted her when she tried to take the suitcase off. Shrugging her shoulders, she finally gave up and told William to follow her. They walked along a corridor decorated with old paintings and photos of the country estate and stopped in front of a room door with the number 7.

"Thank you so much, Ma'am," he said, putting the room key in the lock. The young woman smiled and wished him a good night before disappearing without another word.

****

William had slept very well that night. It was probably because he was quite tired from the long journey. When he finally entered the dining room for breakfast, it was already quite full. He took an empty seat at a table where an elderly man was still sitting, reading a newspaper.

"Tea, sir?" It was the young woman again who had shown him his room yesterday. "Yes, thank you“, he said. "What was your name again?"

"YN," she said quietly, and poured some tea into a small cup.

"Beautiful name."

William could clearly see her cheeks turning slightly pink at the words. "Thank you, sir." But they were interrupted by Mrs Hallward, who approached the table with a big smile. "Good morning, Mr Killick! Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, Mrs Hallward," he replied. "I don't think I've slept as well as I did this morning for months. So I'm really going to enjoy my holiday."

"I'm glad to hear that." She laughed. "Oh, I'd like to introduce you to someone, wait a moment." She turned to one of the tables and called out in a loud voice. "Norma! Will you come here, please?"

"Yes, Mother." A woman joined them at the table, she was about a year or two younger than William. She had white-blonde hair, red lips and was wearing an elegant purple dress with ornate embroidery. She was very pretty, William realised.

"Mr Killick, this is my daughter Norma. She lives in Glasgow at the moment, but is here for a few weeks. She grew up at the country estate. If you like, she can show you around the neighbourhood and the town."

"It would be an honour. How about we meet outside the estate at three this afternoon?," Norma chuckled softly as she twirled a strand of her blonde hair between her fingers. William was very happy about the Hallward's hospitality and gratefully accepted the offer.

"But now we won't bother you any longer, Mr Killick. Enjoy your breakfast," Mrs Hallward said with a smile as she took Norma's arm and led her away from the table. As they walked, he heard them whispering to each other, catching bits of sentences like 'isn't he lovely' or 'he looks like a prince from a fairytale'.

Slowly, William turned in the direction where YN had last been, but she was gone.

***

William spent the morning in the garden of the country estate, sitting on one of the benches beneath a cherry tree. The weather was warm, and the birds chirped softly in the treetops. Eventually, he closed his book and stood up to return to the house. As he passed one of the large flower beds, he paused. He saw a person sitting there, gardening.

"Nice to see you again, Ms YN," he said kindly. She didn't seem to notice his arrival and jumped when she heard his voice behind her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," William apologised immediately. "It’s alright, sir," she said, turning her attention back to the bed.

"Call me William, please."

She immediately looked at him in surprise. She had never expected that. A gust of wind came up and brushed through William's dark hair, and his bright blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight. She couldn’t take her eyes off him.

"Shall I help you?" he asked her, pointing to the bucket of weeds. She immediately declined his offer. "No, William, you're here on holiday. Not to work." William shrugged. "Anything where I don't have to be in London is a holiday for me. I really love this city, it's my home. But sometimes I really need to go somewhere else." YN nodded briefly. "I've never been to London or any other big city. I imagine it's stressful."

He laughs and shrugs. "I can't deny that it's stressful sometimes." Slowly he knelt down beside her and began to pluck the weeds from the ground in front of him. "You don't have to do that," she said quickly. "It's alright," William replied quietly, continuing to work.

YN laughed. "This has never happened to me before. A guest helping me with my work. If Mrs Hallward finds out, she'll scold me." William smiled a little. "Tell her I did it voluntarily. "You already have enough work." When they were finished, the young woman smiled briefly, then took off her gloves, stood up and reached for the bucket. "I have to go now."

"Wait, don’t you want to stay here a bit longer?" William asked hastily.

"Sorry, I've still got a lot to do. But thank you for helping me, that was very kind of you." She waved goodbye to William and finally turned round. William looked at her for a moment, a bit disappointed. Then he glanced at his pocket watch and flinched. It was ten minutes past three, Norma was probably already waiting for him.

He quickly grabbed his book that was laying in the grass and hurried to the front gate. Norma was waiting there, her arms crossed over her chest, looking at him with raised eyebrows as he finally greeted her completely out of breath. "Sorry I'm late."

She finally smiled and said in a friendly voice, "It's okay." Her hair was pinned up in an elegant braid, her lipstick was the same colour as the new pastel pink dress she was wearing, and she carried a matching handbag.

"I was in the garden talking to YN. I must have lost track of time."

One of her blonde eyebrows immediately raised again and she looked at him as if he had just said something completely stupid. "You're talking to household staffs? They're working for us, it’s far below our class."

He looked at her, confused. "But why shouldn't I talk to her? She's really nice."

Norma stayed silent, grabbed his arm and pulled him along without a word. She led him through the Scottish Highlands, down a small forest path, until the roofs of houses appeared in the distance. This had to be Tobermory. The air smelled of salty sea and a fresh breeze as they walked along Tobermory's coastal road, lined with colourful houses. High mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks shrouded in a gentle mist. "Wow, it's beautiful!" marveled William.

"I know, right?" Norma replied giggling, taking his hand and pulling him towards a small café.

"My aunt works there," she said. "She makes the best cakes." They entered the café and sat down on a corner bench by a small window. "Norma, how lovely to see you again." A lady with bright red hair came up to them and pulled her niece into her arms, laughing. When she noticed William, she looked him over from head to toe, smiled and turned back to her niece. "And who is that handsome young man next to you? Did you meet him in Glasgow?" Norma shook her head, laughing. "No. He's a guest of Mother's. She asked me to show him around."

"Oh, how lovely. You know, Norma, it's time you got married. Can I bring you both some of my Dundee cake?" William frowned slightly when she mentioned marriage. Did the Hallwards already see him as their future son in law?

They spent the rest of the afternoon in the little café, William telling Norma about his home in London, his job, his family, and she seemed to be very interested. But William hadn't forgotten her nasty comment about YN. He was torn by Norma.

After they said goodbye that evening, William went to his room tired. In the corridor he saw Mrs Hallward talking excitedly to YN. "You forgot to fluff up the pillows in Room 9! How many times do I have to tell you?" she snapped at her in a harsh tone.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Hallward, I..." But she didn't let YN finish, because when she noticed William, she put on a big smile again: "Oh, Mr Killick, how nice to see you. Did you have a nice day with Norma?"

"Yes, I did, thank you for asking," he replied. He looked at YN, but she avoided his gaze, holding a white sheet in her arms.

"You know, Norma is still unmarried and we're still looking for a suitable husband for her. Or do you already have a wife?" Mrs Hallward wanted to know. William shook his head slowly.

"She is such a beautiful young woman. But no man has ever met her standards. You're the first one she has shown interest in", the lady explained to him. "Come, YN, you need to get back to work now, the dishes need to be washed."

"Good night, William," YN said to him as he walked past, nodding to him.

"Good night," he replied.

As soon as he entered his room, he took off his jacket and shirt and yawned softly. He intended to read, but he was so tired that he just wanted to lie down in bed. Suddenly he heard something crunching under his feet and looked down in surprise. There was a small piece of white paper under his shoe. Someone must have slipped it through the gap under his door. He bent down and picked it up carefully. It was no bigger than William's hand, made of good quality and written in black ink.

Holding his breath, William began to read:

𝓣𝓸 𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓪𝓶 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮

ℐ𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑔𝒶𝓇𝒹𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝒶𝒹𝑜𝓌𝓈 𝒹𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒, 𝒶 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓃𝑔 𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓈 𝒷𝓎 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒.

𝒲𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒹𝒶𝓇𝓀 𝒽𝒶𝒾𝓇 𝒻𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒻𝒶𝒸𝑒, 𝒷𝓁𝓊𝑒 𝑒𝓎𝑒𝓈 𝓇𝑒𝒻𝓁𝑒𝒸𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑔𝓇𝒶𝒸𝑒.

ℋ𝒾𝓈 𝓀𝒾𝓃𝒹𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽, 𝒽𝑒'𝓈 𝒻𝓊𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝒻 𝑔𝑒𝓃𝓊𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝑒, 𝒶𝓁𝓌𝒶𝓎𝓈 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝒽𝒶𝓇𝑒.

Confused, he turned the letter over in his hands. Was it from Norma? But she had been with him all afternoon, hadn't she? Who else was writing him poems?

****************************************************

Thank you so much for reading! If you want a part 2, let me know! 🖤

Masterlist

[crucifiedfaerie]

Growing Pains | Pt. 1 ༉₊˚✧

Kylo Ren/Ben Solo x Fem!Reader

➴ Summary: He loved you, he left you, and now he will stop at nothing to get you back.

➴ Word Count: 1.3k

➴ Warnings: smut in future chapters so 18+ MDNI, fem!reader, stalking, kidnapping, lots and lots of angst, a little blood, slight death mention, kylo is kinda soft for a min but he's still kylo ren so mean!kylo, flashback dream, established relationship with ben, crylo ren, reader is wallowing and low key wants to die

➴ Taglist: ( @enviedear @capitanostella @teapartydreams )

A/N: lowkey (high key) cried while writing this. did not intend for this fic to be so sad right off the bat but here we are. so apologies for that. nonetheless, i hope you enjoy !! <3

Your head was spinning as you clutched your saber, the yellow glow reflecting off your teary, panicked eyes. You don't know how long you had been running, it felt like ages. The salt from your tears stung your face where twigs and branches had slashed you. Something had been hunting you. A dark, looming creature in a mask that you knew was never going to stop until it was dead or had you in its grasp.

You stopped in a clearing, frantically whipping your head around, looking in every direction. The moss felt soft underneath your bare feet that were sore from running, and it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Not even the wind or the birds made a sound and the hairs on the back of your neck stood straight up.

Before you could even process the sound of the branch snapping behind you, everything went black. The last thing you remember feeling was being caught by two strong hands before being enveloped in the dark void of sleep.

It was the same dream as every night, and despite how heartbreaking it was to wake up from, you found great comfort in it. After six years, you had accepted at some point that sleep was going to be the only place you'd ever see him again.

"Do you ever wish you were a bird?" Ben turned his head to look at you, that same smile on his face he always seemed to have when he was in your presence.

You laughed at him, "I can't say it's something I've ever thought about. Do you?"

The two of you had been laying in a flower meadow, watching the clouds and birds go by as the sky faded to an orangey-pink. He let go of your hand to roll closer to you, and he brushed your wind blown hair out of your face.

You picked pieces of grass from his dark hair as he spoke. "Of course I do. If we were birds, we could go anywhere together, we could fly far away from here and we would have no responsibilities." He smiled down at you.

Before you could respond to him, everything faded away. Ben, the pink sky behind him, and the warm meadow all slipped through your fingers like sand. Despite it's own despair, your brain threw itself into a different memory. A much darker, more painful memory.

"Get away from me!" Ben screamed at you, pointing his saber at you. The rain beat down on the both of you, soaking your clothes and chilling you down to the bone.

You looked at him, the betrayal clear in your eyes. "This isn't you, Ben... I don't understand, please help me understand. Why are you doing this?" Your voice broke as you pleaded with him, your warm tears mixing with the cold rain.

He ignored your pleas and looked down at you with an expression void of emotion. "Maybe you never knew me to begin with."

In the blink of an eye he was gone, leaving you alone and cold in the rain. Your broken sobs were drowned out by the heavy rain as you realized nothing would ever be the same again.

When you awoke, the painful throbbing in your head came crashing down on you immediately. Your body ached as you sat up from the concrete floor of the cell you had been put in, and you lifted your hand to the side of your head. When you looked at your fingers they were covered in flaky, dried blood.

When you fully came to your senses, you saw him, sitting across from you on the other side of the room. Kylo Ren, the Supreme Leader of the First Order and most feared man in the galaxy was mere feet from you, simply staring at you. You weakly scrambled backwards to put distance between you, your head hitting the wall behind you, causing you to wince.

He stood, holding a damp cloth in his gloved hand. "Don't do that. You're hurt enough as it is." Kylo said blankly through his modulator, before crouching down in front of you, attempting to be at eye level despite his dark helmet separating the two of you.

He reached his hand out towards your face. You frantically shook your head and inched away from him, causing him to sigh and use the force to freeze you in place. "Stop moving, I'm trying to help you." He sounded annoyed, but he began to gently wipe the blood from your face with the cloth.

You winced at the contact, which he noticed. "I'm sorry, I'm almost done." The modulator in his helmet stripped his voice of any emotion, but you could've sworn there was a hint of sympathy in his tone.

Once he finished, he released you and leaned back slightly as if to admire his work, before nodding at you. "You must be terrified. My intention was not to hurt you, I thought it would be easier to catch you... I suppose I was wrong." His modulated voice crackled.

You saw your reflection in his visor, your expression terrified and eyes sunken. You began to cry. "Why am I here?! I j-just want to go home, I want t-to go back to Ahch-To, please!" You begged him through broken sobs.

Kylo tilted his head slightly. "Now why would you want to go back there? It isn't like you have anyone to go back to but the terrible memories." His voice was now cold, calculated.

Your brow furrowed. "How would you know that?! You know nothing about me!" You shouted at him, tears streaming down your face.

He laughed through the modulator, as if there were some inside joke you had no part in. "On the contrary. I know plenty about you."

Your eyes narrowed as you stared at him, angry and confused. "Who are you?"

He sighed. "In due time, you will understand. In the meantime, eat." He pushed the tray of food that had been sitting next to you when you woke up closer to you, before standing up. "I'll be back later. If that food isn't gone when I return, you won't like the consequences." He turned around swiftly and made his way to the door.

"Why didn't you just kill me in that forest?" You said weakly.

Your question made him freeze. He tensed in the doorway, and didn't turn to look at you before speaking. "In due time, you will understand." He repeated, only he sounded... pained this time. He quickly left, shutting the door and locking it behind him.

You picked at your food, feeling the sorrow and rage boiling inside you. You screamed, throwing the tray at the door before curling up into a ball and sobbing against the cold, concrete floor of the cell.

You wanted nothing more in that moment than to feel the warm, comforting embrace of Ben, but you knew it would never come. There was a song he would always sing to you, to calm you down. As you laid there crying, you began to hum the tune to yourself.

Unbeknownst to you, Kylo stood outside the door to your cell, listening to your outburst. He sighed, leaning against the wall, deep in thought. He was quickly pulled from his thoughts though, by your humming.

He froze. Despite your broken sobs, he recognized it immediately. He had almost forgotten about that song, it reminded him of a version of himself that he had spent six years trying to kill. Kylo didn't realize he was crying until he felt a tear slip out of the bottom of his helmet. He quickly wiped it away with a gloved hand and inhaled sharply, before walking down the dimly lit hallway, away from your cell.

[mysticmunson]

here’s an idea i’d love to see you bring to life if it peaks your interest: alpha eddie and omega reader where it’s soon after they presented so her heat isn’t regulated yet and they are on a school trip or weekend away or something semi public like that and she gets her heat and obviously attracts the attention of other alphas in the school/area and he has to keep her safe/save her from said unruly alphas who want to mate her and he gets super protective and all strong alpha she’s mine vibes, that’s my thought, hope you like it xx

camp trails (alpha!eddie munson x omega!reader)

authors note: hi babes! thank you for the request, i love this idea and am a total simp for protective tropes. i have a small headache atm so i whipped this up fairly quickly, but i hope you enjoy! feedback and requests and welcomed :)

warnings: violence, sexual themes (18+)

The yearly trip to the camp grounds became mandatory for seniors this semester, making all the students dread the weekend afoot. Eddie had tried to wager with the teachers to allow him to drive himself, but he may have been the last person they would’ve allowed that to. 

The bus came to a screeching halt, catapulting the unguarded students to the seat in front of them, a sequence of groans following. The doors swung open, greeted by the rural spring air that blew in as they made their way out. 

Eddie grabbed your hand, walking out with you to observe his surroundings, nose scrunching at the cabins and broad lake. The water glistened with small ripples, some stray leaves floating on top with moss on the sides.

“Alright, line up!” Mr. Richmond hollered, diverting the attention to the man on top of the wooden block. A woman and a man stood on each side, wearing shirts with the camp's logo on it in teal font. The bag slung over your shoulder itched the bare skin there, shifting your shoulders uncomfortably.

There was a silent attendance being taken, the clipboard slotted in Mr. Richmond’s hands, a pen between his fingers as his eyes scanned the sea of 18 and 19 year olds, and one 20 year old with long brown hair.

“Now, we’ll go ahead and put our things away. Girls, you’ll be with Miss Carrie in the left cabin.” He instructed, the petite blonde waving, “And boys, you’ll be with Mr Anthony in the right cabin.” 

Separating, you wandered into the spacious wooden chamber, choosing a bottom bunk near the door. Robin snagged the bed above yours, spraying some extra perfume on and running her hand through her short hair.

The other girls joked about what beds they would own for the night, giggling and teasing one another, making you smile. Since presenting, you spent a lot of time with Eddie, which you adored, but sometimes being surrounded by feminine energy was refreshing. The tug on your hand that sent you walking snapped you from your daze, Robin yanking you to her side as she laughed at your aloofness. 

Joining the other students by the waterside, you felt lingering eyes on you while yours trained on the small snails going between the blades of debris. Crouching down, you sat gingerly on the damp grass, Robin joining beside you with less grace and a huff.

“Wonder how long it’ll be before a meathead starts a fight?” She pondered, glancing at the boys who were throwing around a football, their varsity jackets hung on a tree branch.

“At least we’ll get some entertainment.” You shrugged, plucking a small yellow flower from the unkept grounds, putting it behind your friend’s ear. She rolled her eyes, a pink flush coming across her cheeks nonetheless.

More students trickled out, bringing boomboxes and blankets, trying to make the most of this unwilling vacation. The squeak of combat boots came from behind you, glancing back to see your boyfriend, sitting and pulling you against his body. 

Robin fake gagged, now used to this behavior from the two of you, but choosing to see where Vicky had run off to. Leaning against his shoulder, the heat was radiating off his black shirt, his arms not covered in jackets for once due to the warm air. 

“Can’t believe we have to stay in separate rooms.” He complained, a pout on his lips that you desperately wanted to kiss away. 

“I know, but it’s school rules and it’ll just be a night.” You assured, patting his thigh through his black jeans, noticing the way his muscles relaxed. 

Meals were provided, just some sandwiches and chips, while a snack table did remain stocked. You sat with Eddie, Robin, and Vicky, sharing your joint disdain for the trip entirely. There was peace in knowing others were suffering in a similar fashion, not wanting to be the odd one out.

Separate pockets of students began ways to occupy themselves, Eddie joining a card game with fellow nerds and you went to paint with some of the other girls on the other part of the land. Unwarranted nerves pooled in your stomach, attributing it to being away from home, focusing on the task at hand instead.

Dipping a thin paint brush into the small jar of water that was now murky with blended colors, you began a simple skyline, adding unrealistic clouds of white. The girls around you were within arms reach, sat on the same tattered blanket, but somehow they couldn’t feel farther. 

The inescapable loneliness that followed presenting wasn’t something you expected, but you were one of the first omegas in your year, something that made you different. It wasn’t easy to explain the alterations that came with presenting, both mentally and physically, causing a silent divide to your peers.

“I think I’m gonna go for a walk.” You announced, tilting your head towards the walking trail ahead, dim lights illuminating it. They affirmed nonchalantly, going back to their art and discussing which boy the thought would present next. 

Stray fireflies joined you on your journey, tightening your jacket around your frame as a stick broke under your sneakers. Spotting a garden snake slithering by in the bushes, you smiled at how it reminded you of Eddie and his infatuation with reptiles. He was the type of kid to read books about the scaly creatures, knowing which were poisonous or harmless.

While he had been your best friend for many years, the newfound deeper connection made you feel conjoined. It felt odd to be away from him for too long, wanting to hear every detail of his day, from what shaving cream he used to what song he listened to in the car.

The sharp pain targeted your lower abdomen again, wincing as your eyes screwed shut. Your breath quickened as the air seemed to grow warmer, a sweat breaking as you looked around, until you felt a dampness under your dress.

All senses were replaced with fear and need, sitting on an old tree stump with your legs pulled to your chest. Your heat had just come 2 weeks ago, convincing yourself this must be a false one, but all the symptoms were analogous to those. 

“Hey there.” You heard a low voice, seeing a boy from your English class named Jackson, sauntering closer. “Did you get lost?”

You remained silent as you remembered he had just presented as an alpha, having missed the beginning of the month for it. As if on cue, the sound of leaves crunching brought two more new alpha’s, Luke and Noah.

Gulping, you stood up, toying with the bottom of your dress as your eyes turned glossy. The slick was pooling in your underwear at this point, knowing it couldn’t be long till it trickled down your leg, squeezing your thighs in a pointless attempt to gain control. 

“Need some help, gorgeous?” Luke smirked, inhaling deeply as he managed to walk you back into the large oak tree, birds shuffling out from the bundles of leaves. Instincts kicked in as you bolted, hoping to find an easy exit with the boys hot on your tail, yelling. 

Meanwhile, Eddie had been engrossed in a game of poker when he smelt it, the hairs on his arms standing straight up as he tried to shake it off. Figuring it had to be another student, he finished the round, huffing at his loss of a smuggled can of beer.

The girls you had joined to paint with were walking to the cafeteria table, setting them to dry as he approached, questioning where you were as he didn’t even spot an extra canvas.

“She went for a walk, some boys went after her a few minutes ago because it was getting dark.” Tasha quipped, lighting a dusty candle on the table, illuminating the glossy artwork. 

His feet went quicker than his mind as he cursed to himself, heart plummeting at the fear you were alone, stopping at the payphone to tell Jeff to take his car and Gareth to drive his van over and head back in Jeff’s. The trail was bigger than he thought, leading to various points in the park, trying to depend on his inclinations. 

Avoiding the designated trail, he chose the unruly woods within it as he tried to find a shortcut. As each footprint was ingrained in the dirt, his indignation for this trip and scenario further solidified. 

His movement was stopped when he heard a sharp yelp, sprinting despite the restrictive denim on his legs and weight of his boots. Once back on the trail, he kept his eyes peeled in all directions with clenched fists. The scent was more poignant now, knowing it was you who it belonged to, making his fear grow alongside the anger.

The sound of struggle carried through the trees before he finally found you, a peer with his arms wrapped around your waist with restricted arms as the other two tried meaningless attempts to calm you. 

“Hey!” Eddie shouted, stomping over with such feverishness that the boy's all looked towards him, feeling the grip around you tighten, “Put her down.”

“Or what? I think the lady needs help, finders keepers, freak.” Noah sneered, standing in front of the boy who held you, but his powerful stance didn’t last long as a punch landed on his right cheek. 

Another set of hands grabbed the back of Eddie’s collar, but the pure protective fury burning made him quickly turn and punch the other one down too. He put his hands around the neck of the one holding you, the man beginning to yell.

While these boys could take a hit, they saw the blind rage in Eddie’s eyes, not wanting to discover what he was capable of. It was one of the only perks about being the town freak, you were infamous enough to be gossiped about, but outlandish enough to be whatever you needed to be in the moment.

“Try that shit again with her or any other girl and I will make you an early grave.” He gritted as they clutched their afflictions, “She is my fucking omega and if you even look in her direction, I will make your life a living hell.” 

The boys looked bewildered as he turned around, wondering if he’d freak out again on them, but his focus was on you, rushing you away. 

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” He asked, seeing how your focus was on your direct eyesight before you, not wavering to any other location. The tremble in your hands as he grabbed it only increased the farther you got to the exit. 

Wordlessly scooping you in his arms, you finally allowed yourself to cry, the saltiness traveling down your cheeks and to your lips. Everything became muffled as you descended into your own headspace, embracing Eddie’s aroma that felt more prevalent than ever. 

Unbeknownst to you, Robin rushed towards you both as Eddie asked for her to grab your bag. Seeing the sternness on his features and your fragile state, she complied without witt, rushing to the cabins. 

Grateful to have called the boys, the keys to his own van were set on his bunk as he raced in, glad to not see any classmates. Quickly grabbing his bag, he marched over to his prized possession, yanking open the door to put you down. Robin came running with your own things, tossing it into the back seat and mentioning how she’ll inform a teacher on where you went.

“You gotta let go, baby. I just need to walk to the other side.” He consoled, trying to ease your placement from his neck, “Good girl.”

He jogged over, your frame already condensed into a ball, laying on your side with a slant due to the seatbelt. Kicking the car on, he tried obeying as many laws as he could consider, but his main focus was getting you somewhere safe.

He gave you his nightshirt from his bag, letting you simulate a nest until returning to the trailer park. A calming hand stroked your back lovingly, hushing your sounds of discontentment. 

The arrival didn’t register in your brain until you were being tossed on Eddie’s blue sheets, eyes opening wide to take in your surroundings for a brief moment until his lips were on yours. 

The taste on his tongue would never lose its power on you, feeling like you were discovering the eighth wonder of the world every time it trailed against your skin, making you come to peace with the safety created by him in the world of just the two of you. 

“You’re my girl, my omega, I’m never going to let anyone hurt you.” He whispered, kissing your blazing skin as he undid your clothes, undoing any barrier you had internally with his words.

While each heat was overwhelming, there were always moments that brought you into a version of purgatory, not feeling neutral or spacey, or grounded. An area within our galaxy where you both were the only inhabitants, aliens to the outside world, but making perfect sense within them.

The language you conversed in belonged to your bodies, unable to process the communication outside of those times, finding your bodies knew each other long before your meeting years ago. You wondered if this feeling was common with every mating pair, but as you looked into his doe-brown eyes, you knew there was no way a world could be so cruel if they felt like this at least once in their lifetime.

taglist plus friends/people i saw enjoyed my other work :) let me know if you'd like to not be tagged: @elizabethmidnight2017 @iheartyouyou @forksloree @fantastic-fantasy-fanfics @sillypurplemurple @prettyboyeddiemunson @andvys @funsonmunson-again @ceriseheaven @indouloureux @lilacletter @edsforehead @akiratoro420 @corkadymu

[jasperthehatchet]

Part 2 of my mending series! 🌞🌿

The left pocket!!

I changed my mind and I did the same colors for the this pocket as well. There was a hole in the denim under the hem of the pocket but not in the lining, so I inserted a piece of cotton fabric in between the layers and stitched it all the way through both layers with gray embroidery thread. It looks kinda like a rain cloud :) that was a happy accident

I also used that same gray thread and mended some small worn areas close to the seams, there's a lot so I'll need to do this way more all over the pants.

I found a worn spot in the same area underneath the right pocket, so I mended that as well with more gray thread. The very same spot. But I had to go underneath the whole pocket lining on the *inside* of the pants because there was no hole I could just insert fabric through

These are my dad's pants so the fact that I can't do flower embroidery or moss embroidery or bugs or funky colorful nonsense patterns (beyond the green embroidery I did for the pockets) is KILLING ME

But I'm really proud of my progress!! I'm dreading the knee holes though but I'll burn that bridge when I get to it. I think I'll do the back pockets next <3

[Image ID: the first two images show the embroidered hem of the left pocket of a light blue pair of jeans. The colors of the embroidery are the same as i used on the right pocket in part one in the same pattern: dark green and light green, alternating between the two colors with exactly one inch sections of each color. Right under the hem of the pocket closer to the left side seam of the pants, is a large hole about two inches wide and less than an inch long. The white pocket lining shows underneath and there are still white threads intact in the hole, though they're stitched down with gray embroidery thread stitches. I stitched beyond where the hole as well, on both sides and under it, to reinforce the entire area and give it extra strength. All the stitches are in a downward direction from the hem of the pocket so the mend looks like a rain cloud.

The next two images are the mends on the left side seam of the pants, where there were small worn spots really close to where the seam is. The worn spots are covered with the same gray thread I used for the previous mend, these mends are not consistent and only cover small areas. They're hard to see.

The last image shows the mend under the right pocket, its in the same spot as the left one right underneath the pocket hem, except theres no hole, just a subtle weak spot in the fabric that I reinforced with similar gray vertical stitches. End ID]

[thepascalofus]

Growing on Me - Chapter One

AO3

Din Djarin x botanist!Reader

Word Count: 6.1K

Summary: The Plant Species Inventory Project is a one hundred day expedition in the forests of Nevarro. You’re Nevarro’s best (and only) botanist, which is something Karga doesn’t want to risk losing. Making sure you’re safe on this years expedition, Karga hired a Mandalorian to protect you—Mando.

Series Content Warnings: 18+ only, MDNI, swearing, completely made up species and/or irl species instead of canon ones, inaccurate descriptions of Nevarro (it has forests instead of lava plains), lots of biology and environmental stuff (I promise I won’t go too deep with it [i have a bio degree]), 70% strangers/30% enemies to lovers, semi-slow burn, lots of tropes (because what are tropes if we don’t use them am I right?), canon violence, eventual SMUT, eventual FLUFF, reader is described as gender neutral as possible but has female sex organs and is occasionally referred to as a girl, no Y/N, hurt/comfort, happy ending guaranteed!

A/N: I have had this idea brewing in my mind for a while now. I’m so happy to share this with all of you. I truly love the topic I went to school for (biology), so this is mostly for me, oops. There will be lots of biology related stuff in this series, but I promise it will be “comprehensible”, not textbook jargon. Every single like, reblog, comment, smoke signal (that’d be a fun one), and ask truly means the world to me. Sharing my writing is a new thing for me and I’m enjoying it so far. Alsssoooo, I’m planning for this fic to be a long(er) series. 

Leaves crunched underneath your hiking boots with every step you took into the forest. Further and further in, green soaked into your vision and found its home. The forest was moderately dense. Trees of various shapes and sizes were scattered throughout the land. Distances between tree trunks varied, but gaps still allowed for traversion.

The understory was spectacular. Biodiversity could be defined in a dictionary, and a picture of this landscape would take up two and a half pages. Tall, leafy plants with elongated petioles and broad leaves gave the small shade plants cover. Tiny collections of different mosses littered the surfaces of landlocked rocks. Vines found their way up tree trunks and retreated back down, hanging from branches as thick, green ropes.

Light peeked in from the gaps in the forest canopy. Small lizards basked on rocks where the light shined especially bright. Happy, buzzing pollinators made their way from flower to flower in search of sweet nectar.

The light also reflected off of Mando’s silver beskar, and right into your eyes.

You squinted at the white splotches that harassed your vision. In response, you turned your head and ignored the man that stood in the corner of your eye. Your feet continued to weave between plants, careful not to break too many with your steps. With each step, the brown rucksack on your back bounced against your torso and your blaster patted against your thigh.

Karga lent you the rucksack to hold the maps and forms needed for the expedition. It was one hundred days out here. You’ve done longer land surveys and experienced plenty of joy from doing them. But you were with your university mentor then.

Now you’re with Mando.

Karga insisted that the Mandalorian come with you. You sauntered into his office this morning to retrieve the rucksack and its contents, and were met with two men instead of just the High Magistrate himself. Karga pulled you aside and told you to, “think of him as more of an assistant,” but you knew he truly hired the man donning beskar to protect you.

You rolled your eyes in response, but thanked Karga nevertheless. The Plant Species Inventory Project was in its third year, and you were on your third year of running it. Every year you hiked through the surrounding forests of Nevarro for one hundred days to document the species of the forest.

But last year you had to stop early due to receiving a venomous bite from a lizard. Karga called in an airlift and had you rushed to the hospital. The doctors said that if you had arrived five minutes later, you would’ve been dead.

This year, Karga decided that your knife and blaster weren’t good enough against lizards. Instead of getting you better self defense tools, he bought a Mandalorian to protect you. From the lizards.

Right before you passed another rock with a lizard sunbathing on its peak, Mando made his way over to you and put his body between you and the rock. You huffed in response. The lizard had brown, pointy skin with splotches of blue along its back.

“That one is harmless, Mando,” you deadpanned to the man.

“Yeah? How do you know?” He quipped in response.

Taken aback by his sudden eagerness to talk to you—he hasn’t said a word to you since you both left Karga’s office—you quickly explained, “The harmless ones, Glendia ropensis, have blue spots on their back. The venomous ones, Glendia frediama, have green spots.”

Mando turned his helmet to look at you. You stared back at him, directly in his black visor. Other people have told you bits and pieces of folklore about the Mandalorians. The galaxy’s best warriors. They trained to develop their fighting skills as soon as they were old enough.

Yet, the beskar man didn’t phase you. Karga wouldn’t send you into a remote forest with a man he didn’t trust…right? You trusted Karga and his judgment, therefore you trusted Mando to not kill you.

“I thought you were a botanist?” The shiny man stated in confusion.

“I am,” you replied, “just because I know plants doesn’t mean I can’t know animals.”

His helmet tilted in a “fair enough” motion and you two continued to trek through the forest. Mando cleared his throat, “Karga said you were Nevarro’s best botanist.”

“I am,” you repeated, then continued with tight lips, “I’m also Nevarro’s only botanist.”

The man hummed, the sound crackling through the helmet. Facing forward, your gaze drifted downwards to the array of plants on the forest floor. Different leaf shapes popped out at you. Some plants had bright flowers while others lacked them.

BEEP BEEP BEEP.

Your watch went off, signaling for the first sampling. Bringing your rucksack around your shoulder and in front of you, you plopped it down on the ground and opened the sack. A holopad and two cubes were held in your hands as you brought them from out of the brown bag. 

Flipping the switch on one of the cubes, you tossed it to Mando. He stood there, examining the device, while you pulled up the proper programs on the holopad. One program mapped your hike while the other helped you record the species you sampled. You tucked the holopad under your arm after setting up your sampling preferences.

You looked up to see Mando fiddling with the cube you gave him. Your hand whose arm wasn’t holding the holopad flicked the switch on the corresponding cube.

A hologram square projected out of the cubes, the devices corresponded to two diagonal corners of the square. You walked closer to the Mandalorian and the square shrunk. You walked further and the square grew.

Selecting a small rock protruding from the ground, you set the device on top of it. Mando picked up on your motions and found a log to prop the corresponding device onto.

“Don’t all of the sampling plots need to be the same size?” The silver man questioned.

You retrieved the holopad from under your arm and tapped the screen to initiate the calculations on the size of the plot. Looking up from the holopad you pointed to the screen, and replied to Mando with a hint of sass, “The programs standardize everything, so the sampling plots don’t need to be exact.”

His gaze bored into yours while the program calculated the dimensions of the plot and ran other diagnostics of the area. You raised an eyebrow at him, shifting your weight to one foot, “Do you not trust Nevarro’s best botanist?” You asked jokingly, yet with a tone of seriousness.

At first Mando didn’t respond in words, but his shoulders rose, as if he let out a silent laugh at you. He shook his head, helmet rotating from side to side, “It’s only been a couple hours, we’ll see,” Mando drawled. Light glinted off the beskar donning his head as he turned to observe the surrounding woods. 

Bending down, you began to assess the leaves of the first plant to identify. The veins were parallel, running side by side to each other. Leaf arrangement was alternate, no two leaves shared the same growth point on the stem. No vein on the plant touched. They all went and came from the same direction, never meeting.

The second plant had net-like veining on its leaves. Veins crossed and morphed into each other. Leaf arrangement was opposite. Pairs of leaves pinched the stem with their petioles and crossed it perpendicularly. Every feature on the small herb met and weaved together. Each vein could only be minutely distinguished among the web of veins working together to keep the plant alive. 

Stenica aparinese and Wortanum tortanumus.

The pair of you haven’t met before. You knew nothing about the beskar man, besides that he didn’t talk much. But it had only been a few hours, as Mando said before, and you still don’t feel like your paths have crossed. Even though you two have been walking side by side. 

—

You completed ten samplings before you decided to call it a day. Squatting over plants and counting petals wasn’t mentally difficult, but it was physically. Knees aching and thighs burning, you two made your way through the maze of trees. The holopad glowed in the fading sunlight and aided you in finding the nearest safehouse. 

Footsteps created a chorus of crunches that echoed off the tree trunks. Your gait was focused on avoiding the small, rare plants on the forest floor. Occasionally, you’d stop to get a closer look at some—having never seen them before. 

Mando would pause behind you. His large hands settled on his belt, palm resting near his blaster. The helmet swiveled from side to side as he dragged his gaze over the forest. He would wait patiently near you as you took notes about the species, attempting to identify it. 

“Are we good to go?” He’d grit out after a couple minutes. 

You stood up from a squat and clicked the holopad off, throwing him a quick nod. The crunching chorus resumed, feet finding pockets of common grasses and clovers. Mando’s heavy boots tried to fall within the same pockets of green that yours did, but his success was debatable. 

Sunlight shining down from the canopy became scarce, but not obsolete. The blaster hanging in a holster on your hip tapped against your thigh. The crunches caused by footsteps were accompanied by a cadence of muted pats.

Mando cleared his throat, a sound that choked out of the helmet’s modulator, “Do you know how to use that thing?” The beskar man asked.

You turned to face him, stopping in your tracks. You’ve never had to shoot it, the blaster hung from a holster just in case you needed it. But it can’t be that hard, right? Just point and shoot.

“I mean, yeah,” you shrugged, “you just point and shoot.” Thinking that was an acceptable answer for Mando, you turned to continue towards the safehouse.

“Just point and shoot?” Dry exasperation churned out like gravel from his helmet. 

Lips became a line on your face, and your torso faced him again. Before you could start speaking, he cut you off. “You haven’t used it, have you?” Mando sighed.

You crossed your arms over your chest, exhaustion took over your expression, “Why does it matter? Does a Mandalorian need back up?”

Head turning, your footsteps resumed towards the safehouse. The holopad indicated it was less than fifty meters away. A warm shower and a comfy mattress sounded better than a shooting tutorial—from a man destined to be far better at it than you—would be.

Mando sighed and continued behind you. “What’s the point of carrying a blaster if you don’t know how to use it? If you’ve never shot it?” His helmet gave his tone a sharp edge.

“So I can look like I know how to use it. I don’t want to use it.” 

It was true. You didn’t know what you would do if you actually had to use it. Your biology courses always talked about the fight or flight response, but they rarely talked about freeze.

That’s probably what you would do. You’d freeze. 

“Firing bad shots at someone who does know how to use it, makes you look like you don’t know how to use it,” Mando said matter-of-factly. 

Shoulders dropping, you sighed and trekked forwards. “Look, I know that the bolt comes out of the barrel and to point it at what I want to shoot. And pulling the trigger fires the blaster. I feel like that’s good enough for now,” you rebuked. 

Thankfully, Mando dropped the subject, since the gray exterior of the safehouse came into view. The small building formed a basic cube of cement walls. Only a few windows interrupted the slabs of stone, and they were dark, bleak. Near the tree-brown door was the only sign that the safehouse wasn’t a long-lost monument—a glowing, yellow keypad. If you were the only humans in the forest, the safehouse shouldn’t have been used since last year. 

Approaching the brown door, you dug into your memory for the code that allows entry. Karga asked you what code you wanted when he had them built throughout the forest. 

That’s right! The code is your birth date.

You pressed the corresponding keys, the yellow glow bathed your fingertips in a warm light. The brown door slid open once the last key was pressed. Before you could even find the kriffing lightswitch, a crackle came from behind your head.

“What’s the code?” Mando asked with intention.

Mando must have assumed that you knew where the lightswitch was, because he continued his path over the threshold and directly into your back. The momentum from his body ramming into yours made you stumble, falling towards the wooden floors. You brought your arms up to brace yourself for the harsh impact.

And they hit nothing.

Instead, a large, gloved hand settled on your stomach and pulled you upwards. The muscles of his arm pressed against your side and burned their warmth into your skin. Suddenly, you were back on your feet and the lights were turned on.

You turned around, eyes wide in shock at the speed of events. Mando’s gloved finger dropped from its position under the switch. “Sorry about that,” he sighed.

Acting like he didn’t just seamlessly haul you back to your feet with one arm.

A feeling that was foreign—but not too foreign—seeped from your chest down to your stomach. The ticklish warmth emanated throughout your body in all directions. The same feeling you opted to tune out at while you were at university. Shit.

One guy put a hand on you and now you have butterflies? C’monnn. 

Just like every other time, you blockade the warmth from spreading too far out. Mentally, barricades went up before the feeling could leave your torso. It’s better to stay focused on the task at hand.

Shhkt.

The Mandalorian pressed a button that triggered the door to slide closed.

“Um…”

Were you supposed to thank him? Scold him? Leave it at that? Your mouth tightened and you gave the Mandalorian a curt nod and a, “Thanks.” 

Before receiving his reaction, you turned your back to him to assess the layout of the safehouse. A small, cozy living room with a fireplace filled up most of the space to your left. Knit blankets were draped over the thick cushions that sat upon the wooden furniture frames. 

The space continued into the equally small kitchen. Basic silver appliances filled up most of the kitchen space. Simple, gray pantry doors blended with the small, semi-shiny machines. On the right of you were two doors, one you assumed contained the fresher, and the other containing beds.

Turning to your left, you removed your bag and plopped onto the thick cushions of the couch. The burning in your legs made you unconcerned about making food for dinner or discussing sleeping arrangements.

The burning—or maybe lack thereof—in Mando’s thighs didn’t dissuade him from being persistent.

Mando sauntered over to the couch you were laying on. The thunks of his heavy footsteps became louder as he grew nearer. “Are you going to tell me the code?” Mando’s helmet came into your line of sight as he towered over your slumped figure.

You groaned, “Are you going to stop walking into me?”

The horizontal line of his visor tilted in your view, signifying a, “really?” emotion. His shoulders dropped, “I just want to be able to get in and out of the houses.”

Begrudgingly you told him the code, “It’s my birthday,” you explained.

“Oh, uh, happy birthday.” He gave you a curt nod and turned to walk into the kitchen.

A small smile spread across your face, and you sighed once more, “Today isn’t my birthday, metal man, the code is my birthday.” You propped one of your elbows on the couch to look over the back of the couch at him. He stood against the small metal sink, arms crossed. His large hands grasped his biceps on each side of him. The Mandalorian made the sink look like he stole it from a child’s playset. 

Once your gaze landed on him, his shoulders slumped. The T-shaped visor looked away from you and towards a map displayed on the wall. Silence ensued over the space. You too glanced at the map—yet there was nothing particularly noteworthy about it.

Mando’s visor pivoted on his shoulders and returned your gaze. After a few seconds his helmet crackled to life, “You’re getting a shooting lesson tomorrow morning.”

Your brows furrowed together and slanted downwards. “Ugggghh. I thought I told you I was good for now,” you gritted out. You let your elbow give out from underneath you and you flopped back down onto the couch cushions. 

A rumbling noise came from over the back of the couch. Footsteps followed. The heavy boots Mando wore sent muted dunks your way—then they ceased. A black T framed by silver entered your view yet again.

“I’m not good with it. Tomorrow morning after you eat,” Mando finalized.

You maintained “eye contact” with him after you rolled your eyes. Instead of staying awake—sore—and putting up with his banthashit, you willed your body to get up and to one of the wooden doors on the right side of the safehouse. Bending down, you scooped your bag onto your shoulder. Hopefully the room was the fresher.

A few paces. The turn of a doorknob. Creaking door opened. A sink, similar to the one in the kitchen, welcomed you with—metal arms? Either way, you were glad to be able to get to clean yourself after a long day. The heavy backpack slid from your shoulder and onto the floor in front of the silver sink.

Turning to close the door, you look up and Mando’s stare is directed at you. An eyebrow of yours raised, directed at him. He began to saunter over to the door next to the freshers’. His bag hung from a large, closed fist at his side.

His frame passed the threshold, making the rectangular entrance appear much smaller. A heavy object hit something soft. Hopefully Mando was finally laying down so you could be left alone. You paused for a couple seconds to see if the heavy footsteps would resume—but nothing.

Relief flooded your body, giving you the idea to close the door and get ready for the night. Water washed away the remnants of soil, tiny pieces of bark, and fragments of shed leaves from your skin. Liquid that once ran dark down the fresher drain steadily turned clear. Your body was a sponge, sucking the warmth from the water into your bones.

You finished your pre-sleep routine and ventured over to the room that contained the beds. Calling it a bedroom was too homey for this space. It was more of a room bunk beds would be kept in at camping lodges. Except there were only two adult-sized beds. And Mando’s confusedly still-silver frame covered most of the bed he chose. He laid on the mattress like someone was giving a eulogy—for him.

Peeling your gaze away from the Mandalorian’s mummy-like body, you peeled back the blankets and shuffled onto the mediocre mattress. You faced away from Mando, getting a nice view of a generic forest picture framed on the wall. It was the only decoration in the room.

“Night, metal man,” you murmured. He was already asleep, why not tease him again?

The helmet crackled to life.

“Metal man earned you one lesson. Say it again and you’ll earn another,” the words gritted out from the beskar helmet.

You laid in your bed, wide-eyed. Not knowing what to say, and honestly too tired to have this conversation, you opted to say nothing. After a couple moments, you heard shuffling from over your shoulder. The helmet crackled once more.

“Night.”

Your eyes drooped once your brain knew that social interaction was no longer required for the night. The pillow beneath your head lulled your slumber closer and closer.

“Ruus,” came from behind you.

Too tired. So sleepy. You’ll ask in the morning.

—

You woke up to birds chirping. Their calls and songs came in through your cracked bedroom window. Naturally, your brain deciphered the individual calls.

Cheep. Cheep. Cheep.

Shrrrrrk. Shrrrrrk.

Ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki.

A common house sparrow, a buzzard, and a finch.

You shuffled around in your bed seeking a couple more minutes of comfort before your alarm inevitably went off. Mattress providing a soft cushion of support for your body, pillow delightfully cold against your face, and your eyelids heavy, your body absorbed your surroundings and let them influence you. Everything influenced you to stay the fuck in bed. Shifting in and out of consciousness, your blurry dreams pulled you further into a deeper slumber. 

Dawn quickly approached, signaling for the birds to scream at each other that they’re awake. Bird calls blared through the air like tiny sirens. The rays of sunlight shone through the slits in the window blinds.

The extra-loud bird sounds snapped you out of your dreamlike state. Your gaze was trained on the warm glow of sunlight seeping into the room. Everything was natural. Ethereal. In sync and calm.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Dank farrik. Whipping the duvet off your body and swinging your legs to let your feet touch the ground, you hurriedly zipped open your bag to find the holopad. Once your hands found it between clothes and your notebooks, you clicked it on. The bright screen made your eyes squint at the device. Clicking the screen once more, the alarm was silenced. Now that the blaring ceased, your mind began to catch up to your surroundings. 

Oh kriff, the alarm probably woke up Mando. Your voice was a whisper, “I’m sorry if that woke yo–.” You turned towards his bed and the silver frame of his body was no longer there. Once you noticed his absence, you quieted yourself and listened for any noise. Nothing.

But then you smelled caf. 

Your brain put two and two together. Your thoughts slowed down. After a second, you rummaged in your bag for a change of clothes and your toiletries. Once your outfit was changed, you strode over to the door and aimed to enter the fresher.

The wooden door opened to reveal Mando sitting on the couch, reading something on his holopad. Hopefully the helmet muffled any sounds you could make. You took one sock-clad step over the threshold. Then another. And another. Only a couple more until you reached the other door.

“Morning,” Mando’s speech crackled.

You turned towards him, holding up a hand, offering a quick, “Morning,” back. He didn’t say anything afterwards. Slunking into the fresher, you closed the door behind you and began your morning ritual. 

Mid-teeth-brushing, you remembered last night.

“You’re getting a shooting lesson tomorrow morning.”

Fuck.

Well, wouldn’t Mando remind you the moment he saw you in the morning. You didn’t even set one foot inside the safehouse before he demanded the code for the door. Maybe he forgot. You can only hope.

The wooden rectangle swung on the hinges, opening the fresher. You stepped out and made your way to the kitchen. Before you entered the pantry covered space, you glanced over Mando’s shoulder to see what he was reading. His gloved finger clicked the holopad off before you could get a good look. Silver beskar filled your vision as he leaned forward to place the holopad on the empty table in front of the couch. 

You continued to the kitchen, too hungry to care. Reaching into a cabinet, you retrieved a mug, then poured a generous amount of caf into it. In the adjacent cabinet were ration packs and miscellaneous hiking-friendly snacks. Trail mix. Jerky. Protein bars. Cans lined one section of a shelf—in case anyone wanted to craft their own meal, instead of tearing open a ration pack.

Being Nevarro’s best botanist had its perks, and one was that you helped Karga set up these safehouses. So your favorite ration packs were always in stock.

You reached for one and opened the pack, eager to satiate your stomach. Your fingers found the lip of a drawer and pulled, revealing small piles of cutlery in a wooden organizer. The same fingers danced over the utensils, determining which one you preferred. Opting for a spoon, you took the utensil and fed yourself generous spoonfuls. Hiking did a number on your hunger, plus you needed the energy.

After a few sips of your caf, finishing half the mug, and a ration pack, you leaned against the counter and observed the back of Mando. His large frame nearly spanned across an entire couch cushion. Silver donned his shoulders and traveled its way down his arms, towards his hands. He spread his wingspan across the couch, exaggerating his size—not that he needed to. The Mandalorian’s leather-clad fists also donned beskar on top of them. One of his fists flexed and relaxed in a slow rhythm. 

Bubbling began at the center of your stomach, threatening to boil over into the rest of you. Heat bloomed near your face at the sight of him.

Nope. Not happening.

You peeled your gaze away from his figure and went to wash the mug. Thoughts wandered and yours landed on how Mando still hasn’t mentioned the lessons. Maybe you got off this time, you got lucky. Warm water poured over your grasp. Suds coated the shiny surface of the ceramic drinkware. The faucet let out a steady stream of water, and it dribbled against the metal lining of the sink. Soundwaves from the water traveled to your ears, which blocked the sounds of Mando’s footsteps approaching the kitchen.

You shut the faucet off and turned to place the mug back into the cabinet. The Mandalorian’s towering beskar figure standing in the space between the living room and the kitchen made you gasp in a lungful of air. 

The modulator in his helmet crushed the tone of the sentence he spoke, “Let’s go, time for your lesson.”

Shit.

—

“You’re holding it wrong,” Mando stated sternly.

You sighed and rolled your eyes at him, “I’ve been holding it for, like, ten seconds. Not even.” Instead of focusing on the black T stamped on his silver helmet, you shifted your attention to the stump of a fallen tree. It was covered in moss and mushrooms, decaying. The fallen trunk with dense branches sprawled out on the forest floor behind the stump. Light could barely make it through the thick foliage.

Metal man insisted that the lesson should take place at a location far from the safehouse, “to keep it hidden, in case anything hears the blaster shots,” he reasoned. You supposed that it wasn’t a bad explanation, but the hike before your lesson was challenging. Mando guided you through the forest for so long, you thought he forgot about the lesson. But he didn’t. And this lesson sucked.

You were having more fun looking at the ground around you. A couple different leaf shapes popped out at you from below. Flowers were scattered throughout the area, and you matched them to their respective leaves, giving you quick identifications. 

Mando used one of his gloved fingers to tap you on the shoulder. The gesture returned you to the present moment from your resentful thoughts. His leather-gloved hands gripped his own blaster. It was much larger than yours, yet his grasp consumed the handle of the weapon. Another broad, gloved hand covered the one gripping the handle. 

Your hands attempted to match him on your own blaster. It was clear that you were struggling. Eyes in slits and brows furrowed, your gaze repeatedly shifted from his grip to your grip. Fingers stumbled to find their rightful places. Instead of giving up, you settled on something that sort of resembled the position his hands were in. 

His helmet tilted downwards at you and cocked to the side, another expression of, “really?” This gesture seemed common with him. Metal clicked onto metal when Mando re-holstered his blaster. Then, his hands were on your blaster, giving the weapon a slight tug to release it from your grip.

You thought he was going to demonstrate on your considerably smaller blaster. Instead, he grabbed the barrel of the blaster and pointed the handle at you. His other hand reached for your wrist. Worn, warm leather slid against your skin. A wide palm rested against the back of your hand. Thick fingers formed a loose—but stern—grip around the base of your palm. 

His hand was so warm. And strong. Every movement was done with purpose and confidence. The grip he had on your hand guided yours to the handle. Once you grasped the metal you expected him to let go, but his hold remained. Small flecks of light glinted off the barrel of the weapon when Mando turned your wrist.

Light shined off the helmet as well. He leaned down to check if your fingers were in the right places. Spotting an incorrect placement, he used his other hand to nudge a finger downwards and onto the handle. He nodded, “Good.”

The short praise sent heat flying towards your face, and you willed for it to sink back down. His thumb shifted on your wrist, giving you slight goosebumps. How could his fingers be that thick? And his hands so strong? What would they feel li—.

You backtracked in your head. Nope. You didn’t want to go there. You had one hundred days in this forest with this guy, and you had a job to do.

Mando took your other hand with his other hand, and placed it on top of the one gripping the handle. The hold he had over the new hand tightened. In exchange, your own grip tightened over the handle.

“This hand,” he tightened his grasp once more, “squeezes down on this hand,” he rasped as he shook the wrist holding onto the warming metal. Each squeeze threatened the bubbling in your stomach to evaporate into the rest of your body, but you repressed it. Managing to control your pointless butterflies, you did as he explained, and the hold you maintained felt better than it did previously. 

As you raised the blaster up towards your eye level, Mando stepped away. Shutting one eye, you looked down the barrel and at the old tree stump. Your arms were both steady and relaxed. Remembering only the second half of Mando’s lecture from earlier, you spaced your feet shoulder width apart, and squeezed your grip around the trigger.

A bolt shot out of the end of the silver barrel and into the top of the tree stump—much higher than where you aimed. Crackling came from your right, “The piece of metal at the end of the barrel needs to line up with the notches above the trigger.”

You let out a heavy exhale, that information was in the second half of his lecture, “That’s what I did,” you told him. He let out an exhale in response, but his was in amusement, “Well, you didn’t hit the center,” his head jerked towards the stump to make his point.

He stood with his hands on his belt, shoulders back, with one knee out. Chrome plated armor gleamed from the sun coming in through the forest's canopy. His dark leather and clothing contrasted the bright metal. Without seeing his face, you knew he had a smirk on it. 

You huffed as you turned towards him, “If it’s so easy, why don’t you do it?”

He gave you his signature head tilt towards the side, “You know that I would hit it,” he stated.

Honestly, you knew he could. The man is fully decked out in beskar armor and carries several weapons with him at all times. But you were fed up with the slight smugness he exuded. “Do it,” you challenged him.

Before you could even register he was doing so, he pulled his blaster from its holster. With a firm grip and confident aim, his blaster bolt hit dead center into the tree stump. Just as quickly as he pulled it out, he re-holstered his blaster and looked at you. 

His incoming responses went through your mind, “It’s because I don’t suck,” “Don’t even bother,” “Why’d you buy a blaster in the first place?”

“Just try again,” his helmet gritted and the black T shook from side to side, “I’ve just been doing this longer than you have. It takes practice.”

Without thinking, you responded, “And what is ‘this’?” The Mandalorian gave you a stare—not like it wasn’t always a stare—but his helmet didn’t move a bit, unlike the usual tilts and shakes you had been getting. 

“If by ‘this’ you mean shooting, then I’ve been shooting since I could hold a blaster. If you mean my profession, my occupation has required shooting since I’ve been an adult,” his voice stated, sounding like churning gravel.

Both of your eyebrows lifted and your eyes widened. You tried to hide it, but you probably failed. Only a few professions in the galaxy required shooting all of the time.

“So you’re a bounty hunter?” You asked with confusion, your mouth semi-dry.

Mando nodded, “Yes, now try again,” he pointed towards the stump.

‘Okay cool, we’re just going to gloss over that one?’, you thought. Instead of voicing your inner monologue, you raised the blaster once more. The metal lined up with the notch and you squeezed the trigger. Your shot landed half a meter above Mando’s. It was far from his shot, but much closer than your previous one.

“Better. But you flinched,” Mando critiqued. His gloved hands rested on his hips and his visor bored into you. 

Trying again, the notch lined up with the metal as you peered down the barrel. Instead of holding your aim and then getting ready to fire, you fired as soon as your barrel lined up with the center of the stump. Energy left the end of the blaster and shot into the decaying wood. It landed about fifteen centimeters above Mando’s.

You heard crunching on the ground as the Mandalorian walked towards you. Lowering your blaster, you pointed the barrel at the ground. Maker, if he showed you how to hold the blaster again, you were going to lose it. Once he reached you, he stood in front of you, hands clasped in front of his belt buckle.

The helmet crackled to life, “Good job. Those were better than my first shots,” he stated plainly, then turned, “Let’s get going.” Before waiting for your response, he continued on into the dense forest.

—

The section of the forest you just entered was darker than any other area the pair of you had been in previously. Light barely made its way down from the forest canopy. Shade-loving plants bathed in the lack of light. Small rodents scampered from shrub to shrub, picking the fruits off of their stems. Scuttles were heard in all directions, creating a chorus of sounds influenced by food-web interactions. 

Mando decided to lead the way. His helmet remained on a swivel as he constantly scanned the area. You had been this way before and knew there was nothing harmful, it was just dark and ‘scary’.

Then the scuttles stopped. And in response, Mando stopped. Which made you run right into the back of him. “Ufff!” You let out as your chest collided with his back. Rough, black fabric scratched against your face. It smelled like wood and musk, but in a good way. Did he usually smell like that or was it just the forest?

You pushed yourself off of him and stayed behind. Mando held a hand out to his side in a, ‘stay behind me’, signal. Everything froze, and left you freezing with it.

Then you felt it.

The ground shook softly. A steady rhythm of shakes became increasingly more intense. Trees sensed the waves too, as their leaves rattled above. You looked downwards and noticed that Mando retrieved his blaster from its holster. His stare was locked forwards. Almost as if he was looking beyond the dense foliage into the distance.

Dun. Dun. DUN.

Each shake caused your feet to vibrate in your boots. And then they stopped. In front of you, the large silhouette of a creature made its way through the foliage and towards you both. You squinted into the darkness in an attempt to identify the creature.

And Mando fired his blaster.