Tumgik
#i would SPRINT from behind the register
moodyseal · 1 year
Text
I know I'll sound like a lunatic but I miss working in customer service SO MUCH. My favourite thing was when a random customer would approach me and go "Hey uh excuse me, do you know where I could find canned beans?" I have no fucking clue sir let's go find out
9 notes · View notes
valsdelulucorner · 7 days
Text
He felt his stomach aching inside of him, it wasnt the nice type of ache like butterfly's in your stomach, it felt like something was trying to get out, clawing it's away at his insides. This couldn't happen again, he promised himself it wouldnt happen again, he vowed on his own life this situation would never even be given the chance to even happen again.
You were just laying there on the floor, there wasn't much blood thanks to your shirt absorbing most of it, but there was this massive, gaping hole in your chest, right over where your heart used to be. No.... no no no no no, NO!
This shouldn't of happened again, there was no way it could of... yet there you were, just laying on the floor while your face was drained of its colour. He practically teleported to your side, holding you close to his body while he screamed out for Lucifer, diavolo, anyone that might be able to help you. He didnt understand, you were supposed to be safe at rad, you had magic to protect you, how could this have happened....
Damp hands caressed your face as tears burned down his face, leaving fresh tear burns scaring his skin. His treasure, his human, his MC.... your blood stained his skin and designer clothing, normally he would be pissy about anything staining them but he just didnt care, you were more important to him then any designer item he owned.
He felt weak being in this position again, holding your limp body close to him while he tried to help you, but you were long gone. Desperate and painful cries filled the empty halls of rad, no one was coming to help
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Mammon!" Lucifer yelled out as he shook mammons shoulders, making him shoot up from under the covers, breathing heavily while his face was stained with tears. Still dazed and half asleep, he was trying to figure out what was going on while his brothers stood in his room, most of them annoyed from being woken up from his screaming.
"Diavolo's sake mammon, it's too early to be awake right now" a very tired asmo pointed out as he held onto his nightgown, hair still tied up perfectly... it wasn't real? But, wheres MC? Everything felt off
"Mc..." "MC's asleep right now mammon, it's a miracle that they didnt wake up from your yelling" Lucifer grumbled out while he rubbed his own eyes, not being given enough time to register that mammon was already out of the door and sprinting down the halls, trying to find you.
It took a while for all of them to realize where mammon was going, heading after him after getting their footing. Getting to your door, lucifer was about to storm in to grab mammon but he hesitated, hearing soft sniffling coming from behind the door.
What he found was a mammon kneeling besides your bed, crying into your waist while you comforted him. You didnt seemed bothered at all by this sudden intrusion, you didnt even seem to notice Lucifer, your entire focus on the demon holding into you like a life line.
Lucifer just closed the door quietly, telling everyone to go back to their rooms while he headed up to his own, he knew mammon needed this right now.
".....it happened again..." he whispered into your neck, arms wrapped around your waist as he cuddled you in bed now, your hands gently rubbing up and down his back. "I know mams, I know" You didnt ask him about the nightmare, you never do and he appreciates that, he doesnt want to cry infront of you again. He just needs to be held right now.
Shifting positions in bed, he left you go back to sleep while he was spooning you. He remained awake for another hour or two after you fell back asleep, his hand sneaking up your shirt and resting it over your heart, reassuring him your still alive while your heart beat against his fingers. He needed that reassurance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I headcannon that demon tears are made of holy water so when they cry, it burns their skin and eyes lol
It's almost midnight and I'm doing this on my phone but I needed to write something to say I've been productive today lol
What should I do next?
470 notes · View notes
cakelitter · 1 month
Text
Pawsitively Yours Leon x Puppy - Hybrid Fem! Reader
Warnings: age gap, daddy kink, fingering, breeding kink, slight mention of virginity, spanking, degradation
Summary: Leon's new puppy treats him to a relaxing bath after a stressful mission.
Words: 5.1k
a/n: this one took me so long to do omg. rewrote some paragraphs like three times. but anyway, hope you enjoy!!!!
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
December has started, and with it came the heavy rain fall and bone chilling winds. Leon makes his way to the nearby convenience store, trying to be as quick as possible before the sky starts getting upset again. Bundled up in his coat and boots, he can see the white smoke like fog that forms after each breath.
His nose froze long ago, and he’s only been out of the house for five minutes. His once functional nose now turning a rosy shade of pink along with his cheeks. And so, he opts to breathe through his mouth a bit till he reaches the warmth of the store.
Milk, eggs, bread, milk, eggs, bread, milk, eggs-
His mind keeps repeating, in order to not forget anything. Writing a list would have saved him so much back and forth, but he’d rather do that than give in and actually write one down. It’s actually impressive how stubborn a man can be.
The glowing lights from the festive decoration on the streets are single handedly illuminating his way to his destination. Christmas is right around the corner, and people are filled with excitement and glee. For Leon on the other hand, Christmas is another cold winter day with the advantage of things being half off the next day.
Maybe it’s the traumatic events that he went through, or maybe it’s the fact that he barely has anyone around to celebrate this once in a year holiday with. But Christmas is not as special as it once was.
Opening the glass door, he steps into the warm space. Breathing in comfortably for once without the feeling of pins and needles tormenting him from the icy air.
It doesn’t take him long to grab the items he initially came in here for, while picking up a bottle of whiskey along the way to keep him company. It was calling his name from the wooden shelf it once stood on, and it was fifty percent off. So, he’s technically doing something good. He places his belongings on the register, while making small talk with the old cashier. The man in front of him says something about the weather, old man talk, and as time passes by he is actually starting to like these types of small conversations more and more.
He's definitely getting old.
The yell of an employee interrupts their conversation, alerting everyone around and addressing a customer that sprints out the store with unpaid items in hand. He thought the officer inside of him died a long time ago, but apparently not. He starts chasing the individual, down the street into an abandoned alley way. When suddenly the clanking sound of cans ricochet through the eerie alleyway, as some of the cans their holding slip from their grasp and onto the concrete floor.
He tries his best to not step on any of them. Which shouldn’t be too hard if this damn alley way wasn’t so fucking dark. He can’t see shit in front of him. It’s practically almost pitch black and the person he’s chasing is wearing a black jacket with the hood up. He’s chasing shadows at this point. Hopefully he is even chasing someone in the first place and isn’t having another one of his hallucinations. Running out the store like a crazy person.
All he does know however is that whoever he’s running after is fast, real fast. He’s almost out of breath kind of fast. The I hope they slip so this can be over kind of fast.
His prayers must’ve been answered cause instead of them slipping, they found themselves reaching a dead end. They’re movement ceases and they freeze in place looking at the stone wall blocking their way out.
He stands behind the hooded figure, their back turned to him.
“Turn around.” He orders, voice stern and intimidating. The thief turns around slowly, eyes facing the ground and full of guilt.
“Take that hood off.” Shaky hands comply, revealing their identity. They look up at him, and… are those dog ears?
Your eyes make contact with his, tears brimming in your eyes, reflecting the yellow light coming from the nearby and only street light, horrified of the thought of what is going to happen to you next. Your ears are droopy and wet from he can only assume the previous rain. Eye brows furrowed and your tail from what he can tell is now hiding between your legs, covered by your oversized jacket. The jacket is two to three sizes too big for you, can’t tell if that’s a fashion choice. He’s not up to date with today’s fashion trends. You’re a hybrid. A homeless one, judging by the state of your clothes and hair.
Regardless of the disheveled appearance, you’re a real cutie. Practically begging him silently to pretend like he didn’t catch you, and let you go on your merry way. His eyes drop down to see what you’re holding in your arms and finds three cans of tuna there. You poor thing, hungry and shaking from either the cold or from the possibility of going to jail… or the pound. He’s not sure where they deal with your kind.
He steps closer, and immediately senses the he picked the wrong choice of action as you start growling. Taking the hint, he backs off and nods slowly raising his hands up, making you stop.
The sound of running footsteps enter into the alleyway the two of you are standing in.
“You caught them?” the employee from earlier asks. Your eyes move over to them then back to him. Leon is a firm believer that stealing for hunger isn’t a crime. You were stealing tuna cans for fucks sake, the cheapest kind too. Not a lavish necklace worth millions.
“Yeah…” he can hear your brain cogs working, thinking about how you will get yourself out of this situation. And he could swear that he heard a whine leave your mouth. Hybrids are looked at as a minority, either locket away in cages or poked in labs. And that’s if they weren’t causing trouble. He doesn’t know what the law would do to you in your case… but it’s most definitely not humane. After a moment, he speaks again, not taking his eyes off of you.
“How much did those cans cost?”
That incident was four months ago, and ever since that day he decided to take you in. Leon was very adamant on the idea of not adopting any pets, not having the time to take care of them. But he figured that since your half human, it wouldn’t be too bad.
The first couple of weeks were hard. You’d lock yourself in your room and hide under the covers when he’s home. You’d growl if he tried touching you, and in general was having a hard time adapting to your new space. Leon however, remained as patient as possible. Giving you your time to feel comfortable, and always made it clear that he’s not a threat to you. Although he can’t really blame you for thinking he is, after all, having a man chase you down and corner you in an alleyway isn’t the best first impression to make.
He doesn’t know much about your background. Whether you were experimented on in a lab and somehow managed to escape, or simply tossed into the streets. But it’s clear that your days before meeting him weren’t the brightest. Matter a fact, he didn’t even know what your voice sounded like for the first 3 weeks, and just assumed that your breed didn’t have the capabilities to speak.
Nevertheless, you decided to break this cycle of keeping him away, when he once came home and sat on the couch. You were laying down on the floor on the further end of it. And to his surprise, decided to walk towards him, laying down and placing your head on his boot, instead of scurrying away into your room.
Leon has fought some of the most gut-wrenching bioweapons, designed to end a man’s life in a matter of seconds and managed to end them without breaking much of a sweat. Yet, this is his biggest achievement yet. You wanted to be next to him, instead of telling him to fuck off like usual. With your eyes of course, he still hasn’t unlocked the dialogue option with you at that time.
Ever since then, you’ve made small steps of opening up to him. And now, he’s the center of your universe, the main attraction, your favorite toy. Pawing at him for belly rubs, standing at the door, ready to greet him, as soon as you hear the jingle of the keys, and needing his attention 24/7 whenever he’s home.
You are now a completely different pup compared to the one he found wet and cold in a sketchy alleyway a few months back. You’re playful and energetic. A pain in the ass to take to the doctor for checkups, but nonetheless, a perfect companion for him. Leon likes to believe that you’re a gift sent to him, an early Christmas gift to light up his gloomy days. A thing he never knew he needed.
Ever since you stepped into his life, leaving paw prints behind, he started getting better without even knowing it. Instead of spending nights self-loathing and mourning the person he could’ve been, downing beer after beer. He spends that time now playing with you and watching movies together. Colorful ones though, your attention span isn’t the best…
He anticipated that you would have dog-like characteristics, and you do. Going crazy over squeaky toys, sniffing him for a good fifteen minutes after he comes back home, being obsessed with his shoes and hiding them under your bed, and tilting your head to the side when you’re confused.
Pure innocence, pure puppy innocence is what you are. Which is the reason that made him feel like a creep for his dick standing up whenever you’d sneak into his bed at night, cause you had a bad dream. Wearing skimpy shorts that did nothing to hide your ass, and a tight floral tank top without a bra. Your pouty lips, and soft-spoken voice. Your pretty eyes, and delicate skin.
“Leon…I had a bad dream; can I sleep with you?” Is all he would hear coming from the direction of his bedroom door. You don’t even bother waiting for him to answer, and instead climb into his bed, tangling your self around him. Head nuzzled into his chest, one of your arms and legs draped over his body. It doesn’t even take you longer that a minute to be fast asleep, leaving him an achy mess without even knowing it.
In addition to how you’d sit on his lap while watching a movie. He hasn’t taught you boundaries yet, knowing you, you’d get upset and give him those kicked puppy dog eyes for shooing you off his lap. Cause it makes his dick fucking hard.
It wouldn’t be such a big deal if you stayed still for once. He swears that you can’t stay in one position unless your asleep. As long as that cute little brain of yours is conscious, you’ll keep squirming on him lap, again with those frilly white skirts and revealing shorts, like he isn’t on the verge of losing it.
Worst part of it all, how your cunt always seems to be so wet all the time. Feeling it seep through your panties and onto his pants, making him want to die on the spot. The way your underwear will always have massive wet patches on them whenever he does the laundry. Is that even normal?
‧˚₊꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹
Today he came back home after being away for three weeks. Opening the door, he doesn’t find your figure standing in front of him, with a flashy smile on your face, showing off your sharp canines. Twinkling so perfectly like you didn’t suck his bank account dry with those toys off yours. He raised his eyebrow at your absence and whistled hoping your pick it up in case you haven’t heard the sound of the front door opening. Which is pretty unlikely.
Dropping down his bag in the hallway, he walks over to the living room. The older man inspects the area, calling out for you, yet there is no sign of you. Kitchen, same thing. It’s not till he reaches the dining room till he spots out of the corner of his eyes the sight of your fluffy tail sticking out from under the table.
A grin creeps up on his face as he walks towards your hiding spot. He stops a few inches away from where you are and pretends like he’s still looking for you.
“Oh my god, I can’t find her!” He exaggerates, and watches over at how your tail starts wagging.
Cute.
“Where could she possibly be!!” it starts swishing left and right even harder, hitting the chair legs that are on either side of it.
Thump
Thump
Thump
“Is she under the dining table?”
“Or is she in my room?”
Thump
Thump
Thump
You’re adorable.
“Oh well I give up. Guess I’ll never find her.” He says throwing his arms defeatedly and turns around to exit the room.
“Boo!” Jumping out from under the table, you reveal yourself. Your arms extending and grabbing his leg. He chuckles and you look up at him with a beaming smile.
“Did I scare ya?”
“Real good, sweet thing.” He replies and crouches down to your level, rubbing behind your ear. Your favorite spot. He helps you get up and you waste no time beginning to sniff him near his shoulder. Face scrunching up at the smell and your eyes meet his again.
“Did you swim in the sewers again?” you ask rubbing your nose.
“I-… yeah”
It’s a long story okay…He needed to get to a certain point but the normal way was blocked so he had to-
Whatever.
Your head nods up and down slowly, knowing your nose is never wrong.
“I’ll go shower.”  He replies, and your eyes light up.
“Want me to help?” You ask excitedly, your tail wagging intensely. “I’ll help you take a bath, and I’ll let you use my rubber duckies too!”
“No honey I-”
You give him those eyes. The ‘you wouldn’t be mean and break my frail puppy heart would you?’ eyes. The eyes that make the strongest agent in the United States, weak. And to no one’s surprise, he gives in.
“Fine, but you only prep the bath and then leave, okay?”
“Don’t you want me to wash your hair like you wash mine?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“…I’ll only prep the bath and leave.” That took you longer to answer than he would like. “Promise? “He asks.
“…”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
He nods, making sure that you understood what he was saying. And as soon as you get his approval, you sprint to the bathroom and the sound of the tub being filled follows pursuit.
He sighs, shaking his head with a smile. Walking to his bedroom, he grabs a freshly cleaned towel before making his way to the bathroom. Your figure is kneeling on the floor, hands grabbing the edge of the tub, watching as it fills with water and bubbles.
Turning around, you smile with a tail wag and turn off the faucet once the water has reached the amount, he usually puts for you.
“It’s ready!” He nods and you start to make your way to the door. As you do, he grabs the edge of his shirt and begins lifting it revealing the bare skin beneath. You stop in your tracks and he notices, your eyes looking at his defined muscles without even blinking.
“Out!”
“Okayyy” You whine, brows furrowing as you slowly close the door. Not before taking a final look of course.
He continues undressing and walks over to the tub, it has some bubbles and a couple of rubber ducks floating on top of it. Placing one foot in, the water is a little too hot, but not bad considering it being your first time doing something like that.
The water level rises as he soaks his entire body, feeling his muscles relax. Soothing his aching muscles and bones. A moment later, he pulls himself fully under the water, and then comes back out, pulling his hair off his face, giving him a slicked back hairstyle you always make fun of him for.
The smell of soap and the feeling of finally being safe after three hellish weeks grounds him as he closes his eyes. Once he reopens them, one of your rubber duckies is looking at him.
God, this is a bit weird.
He grabs it and inspects it, it’s mostly in good condition except for a few bite marks here and there. Wonder who those belong to. He examines the duck for a few more minutes, taking in its yellow body and orange beak. You go crazy over these things, he practically needs to drag you out of the tub each time because of them.
The silence around him is broken when he hears the sound of the door slightly opening which is followed by a cold gust of wind. He looks over and sees one of your eyes looking into the room.
“What did I tell you?” He says, but you don’t respond. Thinking you can trick him into thinking that you’re not there, just like how you still think he couldn’t see you back when you were hiding. And to think your breed is supposed to be one of the smartest.  He calls out your name, making you speak and pull the bathroom door open exposing yourself, kneeling next to it.
“I wanted to see if you were having fun…”
“I am now leave.” He says, tone trying to show seriousness. You don’t listen and in lieu, start crawling towards the tub.
“Are you listening to me?” He speaks again, but it falls to deaf ears. How can he blame you for not listening when he has never disciplined you. Spoiled brat. Ever since he picked you off the streets and claimed you as his own, he has not even once, raised his voice or gotten angry at you.
You crawl over and place your head on the edge of the tub. He’s honestly shocked at how shameless you’re being.
“That one’s name is Jerold.” Your voice says, pointing at the duck he forgot he was holding. A pathetic attempt of trying to change the topic. He looks at the duc- Jerold then back at you. Smiling so sweetly with a halo above your head like you just didn’t break his word.
He sighs, realizing there is no use in wasting his breath and places Jerold back in the water. Looking over back at you, he notices that you’re no longer watching his face, but at something else intensely. Curious, he follows your eyes and realizes at what caught your attention. The bubbles in the bath decided to migrate to either side of the tub, making his crotch completely exposed to your prying eyes.
You’re are not even blinking, a thing you do when you’re thinking too hard about something. The snap of his finger cuts your thread of thoughts, making you jump as you look back at his face, the place you should only be looking at from the get go.
“Privacy?”
Your ears go back in shame, it’s like you didn’t even realize that you were staring.
“Sorry… The water just looks nice.” He raises a brow at you. You are a pervert and a horrible liar.
“The water.” He repeats, showing you how ridiculous your lie was. You remain silent for a while, but start getting a bit fidgety. Looking around and getting up and sitting down again, the same way you act when he’s about to give you a treat.
“Can I get in the bath?” You say impatiently. You’ve always loved bath times, and pools, and lakes, and every single body of water that has ever existed. So, this is not unusual for you to ask, but he can’t help but feel like your intentions aren’t pure.
“No.”
“Why?”
Good question. Why not? He does think you’re the cutest thing he’s ever laid his eyes on. He has fantasized about you before, something he doesn’t like admitting. He has checked you out a few times too… you were once again, wearing flimsy clothing, prancing around him, licking his neck and begging him to touch you and give you rubs. At the end of the day Leon is a man, who is guilty of thinking with his dick a time or two.
But he always resisted his urges. Locked them away in one of the rooms in his mind next to other gruesome core memories and throwing away the key. You were his baby, he’s supposed to protect, care, and provide for you, not fuck you.
By the time the voices in his head are fighting each other, you were quick to take off your clothes. And next thing he knows you’re in the tub with him. He goes to protest against what you’re doing, but you straddle him and place your head on his shoulder.
If that was your plan to shut him up… it worked. You feel warm and soft. The plush of your breast pressing up against his chest as he watches your chest rise and fall. Maybe this is wholesome, not like the two of you are naked and he could practically feel your cunt on his dick. No no no, that would be absurd.
He places his hand on your back, and moves it up and down soothingly. Why is he even rubbing your back? You disobeyed him, shouldn’t he be pissed? The two of you sit in silence for a while, before you remove your head off his shoulder. Arms still on either side of his neck, your eyes meet his. Dropping from his sky-blue eyes, over to his wet lips. Fuck.
You lean in. Fuck fuck fuck.
And you kiss him. Possibly the most delicate kiss he’s ever experienced. Full of pure affection. He doesn’t push you, he doesn’t pull back, he doesn’t lecture you about boundaries. But instead, he takes it. All of his attention on your mellow lips and light breath.
You pull away, locking eyes together. And he sees the blood rushing to your cheeks. Did he ever mention that you were cute? You anticipate him lecturing you, yelling at you, or even kicking you out, for what you did. But he doesn’t.
Remember that voice that was telling him that this is weird? Yeah, it can go fuck itself. He leans in and kisses you lips again. You let out a soft breath at his action, and he can hear the sound of your tail wagging once again even when it’s submerged in water.
Splash
Splash
Splash
Once more, your lips disconnect and you start shifting your hips above him. His dick has already started rising ever since your lips made contact with his.
“Can I wash your hair now?” he laughs.
“Sure, why not.”
And so, you do. Grabbing his shampoo bottle and squeezing some product on your hand before lathering in on his head. Your fingers work the product into his hair, before grabbing the nearby shower head and rinsing it off. The masculine aroma of his shampoo fills the small space as he decides he might as well give you a bath while he’s at it. He goes to grab your shampoo before your hand stops him.
“I want to use yours… wanna smell like you.” His heart could burst out of his chest at this moment. This shouldn’t have turned him on this much, but alas it did. Without complaints, he does what you want. Repeating the same process, you did on his hair earlier.
It doesn’t take long before the two of you walk out the tub. He pats you dry with his towel then himself. This went over rather smoothly, see wholesome just like he said. Everything is under contro- you’re rubbing your thighs together.
“Leon…” Your soft voice calls out to him, grabbing his attention. He hums in response and looks over at your eyes. Stepping closer, you place a soft lick over his collar bone before beginning to kiss the area. Your hand creeps up the side of his neck over to his jaw, coaxing him to accept your touch. And you almost managed to do that, till those voices in his head barged in once again.
He grabs your hand gingerly and whispers. “Baby, I don’t know if we should do this.”
You whine, mouth stopping its assault on his neck to speak. “Please, wanted you to breed me for so long.”
Once again, those voices get thrown out the window, as the words you just said make his brain short circuit. Cursing under his breath, he smashes his lips against yours harshly driving you up the bathroom wall.
You kiss him back fervently. Hands cupping his face as his chest closes the proximity between the two of you. Grabbing your jaw, his hands slither down and cup your mound, receiving yet another whine from your lips. Music to his ears.
His finger then starts making firm circles around your clit making your hips buck forward towards his touch craving more. Your hands scramble around his chest, a puppy like you has probably never experienced something like this before, huh.
His tongue enters your mouth and you accept it gladly. Two of his fingers rub between your folds back and forth. Collecting the slick that is practically dripping down your thigh, your hole is practically weeping. And he groans at the slippery feeling, before plunging two of his fingers into you with ease. Your back arches and you moan into his mouth, as his fingers start moving in and out of your wet heat.
“Who knew my sweet pup was such a slut.” He says pulling your ears closer to his mouth with the iron grip he as on your jaw.
You’re so sensitive, thighs begin to tremble at the way his fingers curl into you, and the real fun hasn’t even started. You can barely stand at this point. Realizing that, he grabs your thighs and pulls you over his shoulder and makes his way to his room. He plops you down on the bed, and you immediately roll over to your stomach, back arched, and ass up in the air like its instinct. He could get used to the sight of this, your face pressed down on his sheets and begging him to fuck you senseless.
“You know sweetheart, I don’t even think I should breed you after you’ve disobeyed me so much today.” He says, hands rubbing over your ass. And upon hearing his words your expression shifts, it feels like he just told you the most heartbreaking news you could ever receive in your whole life.
“Noo please. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah? I don’t believe that.”
“I promise, I won’t do it again Daddy.”
Shit.
You’re into that too.
...Oh, your nastier than he thought. Without even replying, he grabs his cock, slapping it a few times on your ass, precum forming strings connecting the two surfaces. Then bullies his cock into you making your feet kick out with a squeal. His balls are plush against your clit as he completely bottoms out inside of you.
You start drooling over the mattress, hands clutching the sheets beneath you for dear life. And without giving you much time to adjust, he starts moving. You feel so tight around him, its driving him crazy. The squelching sounds of your tight dripping pussy can be heard from a mile away. The fluid dripping from the hole that is connecting the two of you and down onto Leon’s gray sheets. Leaving wet dark gray spots on the surface. Picking up his pace, his hips slam into you harshly, pornographic moans can be heard from the two of you along with the clapping sound of your skin slamming against his.
He grabs your hips and leans in, having your back against his abdomen as he speaks into your ear.
“Here I was thinking you were innocent, not knowing what you were doing. Having your entire pussy on display for me, all wet and needy, waiting for me to fuck you full like the slut you are.”
“Wanted you.” is all you can manage to retort back, voice breaking from the impact each thrust has on you. He chuckles lowly and spanking your ass making you yelp and squirm beneath him before grabbing it. The skin now, hot and red beneath his touch.
“Should’ve spoken earlier sweetheart. I wouldn’t be this rough if I wasn’t so pent up.”
Your pussy is now sucking him in even further as he rabbits his dick into you. His hand moves over and under you, making its way to your clit. Pleasure is slowly but surely fogging up your brain, no thoughts other than Leon floating around in your head.
“Be a good girl and cum for me. And maybe then I’ll breed you.” And just like that, your thighs shudder beneath you as your pleasure blurs out your vision. The idea of being full of Leon’s pups making you see stars.
The tightness that you are gripping Leon in, in addition to your walls spasming around him, makes him tighten his grip on your hips leaving bruises there. His release ensuing yours. You bite your lip at the hot liquid being spurted out inside of you. Making you feel warm on the inside. Leon groans at the intensity of his release, one he forbid himself from for such a long time.
He thrusts a few more times, distributing his cum evenly inside you, and pushing it further up your cunt. He lets out a breath at the sight, one he can’t believe is seeing.
Plopping a delicate kiss on the middle of your back. He pulls out with a squelching sound from both your fluids combined, forcing a whimper out of the two of you at the discomfort. He walks over to the tissue box he keeps on his bedside table, and helps you clean up the mess. Throwing away the dirty napkin and laying down on the bed next to you, his arms open and inviting you.
You cuddle up against his chest, and he places a soft peck on top of your head.
“Thanks for the bath sweetheart.”
Tumblr media
divider by: @/picopipi
443 notes · View notes
moon1833 · 1 month
Note
MORE INUMAKI PLSSSSSSSSS
Me and the other seven Inumaki fans jump for joy !!!! Thanks for requesting !
SEA OTTERS -INUMAKI TOGE
“Sea otters mate for life and hold hands to prevent themselves from being separated.”
⋆。°✩ ✮⋆˙ ⋆。°✩ ✮⋆˙ ⋆。°✩ ✮⋆˙ ⋆。°✩ ✮⋆˙ ⋆。°✩ ✮⋆
Tumblr media
He was too pretty for his own good. You knew it, like how you knew how to breathe. It was always there, but when you thought about it, you were forced into the realization. Inumaki Toge is beautiful.
There’s a soft glow stretching across his entire body from the tanks. They inclapse him in blue, and white light flickers around his face. The aquarium is large, and you two are the only people there.
There’s a thudding sense of a grade two curse, maybe a grade one. But besides that and the enclosures of marine life, you two are completely alone.
Even though this mission is particularly tricky, it calms you. You’re unsure if it’s the tranquility of the aquarium lights or the boy two steps in front of you.
“Toge.” You whisper, tugging on his uniform and nudging him further down the hallway. The curse is approaching.
Quickly, you grab onto him a bit more firmly, using your cursed technique to register the two of you invisible. To the curse, all that was left of either of you was the energy that lingered in your steps.
Invisible and perfectly still, you used your opportunity to get a good look at the curse. It wasn’t very big, but its limbs stretched wide, almost spider like as its torso twisted unnaturally. One leg tapped harshly on the glass, its wingspan larger than the hallway it was crawling down.
Toge grimaces beside you, his large distaste for insects shining through his half-covered face. You squeeze his bicep in comfort, using your other hand to make sure your knife was still there.
This job was more suited for you alone, but you were only a second grade, and Inumaki was a wonderful student to have with you. Still, for the plan you had formulated in your brain, you would need to get the boy to safety or use him as bait. You did not want to rely on the ladder.
As if reading your mind, he begins to sign to you. His fingers are quick and purposeful, a big improvement from when he started learning two years ago.
“I’ll be distraction.” He signs, a little broken but you understand him perfectly.
You shake your head in disagreement. “No.” You sign back, struggling to do so with one hand. “Let me get you to safety. I got this.”
Inumaki shakes his head wildly, but he has no choice when you force him down another hallway. He doesn’t walk happily, though. His arms are crossed until you find an empty room littered with security cameras.
“I can do this.” You whisper, finally dropping your hand. Your fingers burn at the loss of contact.
Inumaki looks at you and then rolls his eyes. You read him well. “I know you can but I’m not happy about it.”
“Look.” You point behind him to the security displays. “You’ll be able to see if I need backup. You know I’m visible on camera no matter what.”
He’s a bit more agreeable with the compromise, but he sticks to his habit anyway of hugging you before letting you leave.
Now that you were only focusing on yourself, your body fell invisible much easier, and your feet made no sound as you walked down the tile hallway.
The curse was almost exactly where you had first saw it, but its body was now facing the underground portion of the otter exhibit. Almost cutely, all eight of its eyes were stuck to the two as they swam by, hand in hand.
Beside the tank is a sign that you had read earlier, that sea otters mate for life and hold hands to prevent themselves from being separated. It almost looked like the creature was reading the sign.
You had to remind yourself this curse had strung up and drained the blood of three people before moving into action.
You sprinted, jumping on one of the tanks and flipping your body to get more height before landing on the spider-like curse, your dagger piercing it’s surprisingly hairy skin and dragging downward with you weight.
It screeches immediately, trying to throw you off its back and squirming at the same time. Its fangs twitch viciously, and it sprays some sort of liquid in the air that makes you involuntarily cover your mouth and nose.
With the advantage, the creature flings you off its back, and your body hits a wall harshly. You were sure if you had hit one of the glass tanks, it would have ruptured.
Weakened and coughing, your invisibility flickers, and the curse is charging at you. Barely, you doge in time, creating more distance between you.
Your knife is still lodged into its back. You need to get it back, and soon. You had other weapons, but that was your first choice, and a better assessed stab wound would’ve killed the curse, so you were a bit underprepared.
It charges at you again, and you jump, trying to land a swift kick to its torso while grabbing your weapon, but its upper body folds completely, fangs lunging at you while the blackest eyes you’ve ever seen stare at you.
Reflectively, you go invisible again, trying to lurch out of the way but the curse is quicker, spitting out web fluid and trapping you to the wall.
You curse under your breath, a bit disappointed in yourself at the outcome. Oh well, it wasn’t like you were going to die here.
You hear Inumaki’s footsteps before you see him, and you realize can’t turn your head. The web is stuck to your cheek, pinning you to the glass upside-down.
You cover your ears with cursed energy, something you had gotten very good at since befriending him all those years ago. “Go ahead, Toge!”
“Die!” You hadn’t expected that to be the command that fell from his pretty lips. Usually he relied on things like ‘explode’ or ‘freeze’, and would force an opening before exorcizing the curse. You weren’t sure you’d ever heard him use something so straightforward before.
Regardless, there was a sickening sound of something wet, and then a thud. From the corner of your eye, you can see a heavy, black limb, but that’s it.
You breathe deeply, your airways finally free from whatever had sprayed you.
“Mustard leaf?” He asks, and you feel his presence get closer to you, his cursed energy tickling your stomach.
“I’m okay.” You reply. “Just kinda stuck to a wall with all the blood rushing to my head.”
Toge laughs, and you find yourself grinning, too.
He collects your knife, beginning to cut the webbing from your face first. He’s slow, and he lays a gentle hand on your jaw as he works.
The web isn’t as strong as you thought it would be, and soon you’re finally able to look around.
Now, you realize why Inumaki had panicked so much. The curse was much, much closer to you than you had originally thought, it’s fangs fully barred and hardly a meter away from you.
You can also now see the second year’s concern, his face so close to yours it makes you dizzy.
“Hey.” You say, a bit dumbly.
His jacket zipper is lowered to his collarbone, and even upside-down you appreciate the unfair attractiveness of the bottom half of his face.
He mouths back a small “hi” and it’s enough to make you chuckle.
He finishes cutting off the rest of the webbing, and you almost expected for him to let you fall to the floor with the last slash of your knife, but he doesn’t. Instead, he catches you with such ease it startles you, and you don’t miss his cocky smile at your expression.
You thank him when he puts you down, and you carefully step over the grossly hairy legs. Your eyes find the only witnesses to the event, a pack of cute, tiny little otters.
The smallest one, who looks to have been born no more than six months ago, peers down at you quizzically. Its mother is beside it, and you smile at the obscurity of it all.
Toge joins you, poking your shoulder and pointing to the left of you at another pair of otters. They looked to be cuddling, almost dancing as they swim across.
He taps you again before pointing to himself, then you, and then back to the otters. Your head tilts, wondering if you’re reading into the display too much or if he’s doing what you’re thinking.
“Toge, I think that sign says they’re mated for life.” You nudge.
He looks back at you, bashful while almost a little exasperated. It clicks in your brain.
“You’re adorable.” You coo, grasping his hand. He smiles, the cursed symbols on his cheek shifting. Without thinking, you kiss them, your lips brushing the corner of his mouth.
You pull away, Toge’s face red and erupted in shock. Even still, his hands are on your waist and are pulling you closer until he kisses you fully, your hands becoming tangled in his hair.
Rather suddenly, he steps back, lost in thought. You frown for a moment before he begins to sign.
“Can I please be your boyfriend.”
⋆。°✩ ✮⋆˙ ⋆。°✩ ✮⋆˙ ⋆。°✩ ✮⋆˙ ⋆。°✩ ✮⋆˙ ⋆。°✩ ✮⋆
316 notes · View notes
uluvjay · 8 months
Text
Drunken confessions- J. Marino
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
John Marino x Hughes! Sister
In which you drunkenly admit your feelings for your brother’s teammate
Warnings?; fluff, talks of embarrassment, crying, drunkenness, cursing, throwing up and mentions of it, kissing, slight age gap(5 years), I apologize for any errors.
The sound of the front door bursting open along with stumbling feet and mixed curses caused John to jump up from his spot on the couch.
Making his was to the entryway of the house he found both of your brothers holding you upright as they did their best to get you into the house.
“What the hell happened?” He questioned the younger men as he moved forward to give them a hand.
“Someone was upset about failing her test so let’s just say the vodka shots were never ending tonight.” Luke grumbled as they finally made way into the living room and laid you onto the couch where John had just been sitting.
John laughed lightly at the sight of your snoring form, your hair was messy and makeup smudged, yet to him you still looked just as beautiful as earlier in the evening when you first emerged from your room for a night out with your brothers.
“Um My girls here, I’m gonna head out.” Luke coughed before he quickly rushed out of the house.
“Okay?” John laughed as he looked at Jack who looked just as guilty.
“I-would you be okay watching over her till morning? She usually doesn’t puke or anything and Vodka tends to knock her out so she shouldn’t be an issue.” Jack rushed, rocking back onto his heels while he awaited his teammates answer.
“Where are you going?” John questioned confused.
“There’s a girl in my car….waiting to go back to her place…” Jack breathed.
“Oh, uh yeah I can look over her. Go enjoy yourself man.” John shrugged, you were snoring pretty loud and it looked like you wouldn’t be waking up anytime soon.
“Thank you! I swear the next time we go to dinner I got you covered. You’re the best man!” Jack beamed.
John watched as your brother placed a kiss to the top of your head before rushing out the door and making sure to shut it quietly behind him.
John grabbed the remote off the coffee table before he sat on the opposite side of the gray sectional, he unpaused his show and picked up from where he had left off.
However he had trouble keeping his eyes on the tv for long, they seemed to continuously drift over to your sleeping form. He didn’t understand how someone could be as beautiful as you, he still remembers when Jack introduced you a few months back.
You’d alway been around and he knew he had met you before but there was something different this time. You were in college, had just transferred over from the university of Michigan so you could attend a better program.
He knew he shouldn’t have looked at you the way he did, you had barely just turned twenty-one but there was something in those blue eyes and dark hair that captivated him.
Especially once his apartment building had to be shut down due to an outbreak of termites and your brothers offered their last spare room to him three months ago.
He thought he’d be fine living under the same roof as you, you’d always be at school, him at practice or a game, however he was very wrong. He couldn’t help the way his eyes followed you throughout the house, how his heart warmed at the sound of your laugh, or how he blushed like a teenager anytime you came within a foot of him.
The sound of you coughing pulled him from his thoughts and before he knew it you were jumping up and sprinting down the hallway towards the bathroom.
Hearing your gags echo throughout the hall he quickly followed behind you and grabbed your hair just in time for you to empty the contents of your stomach into the toilet.
You don’t register who it was behind you even as there was a cold rag placed onto the back of your neck;something your brothers never did, however that didn’t stop you from thinking it was one of them.
“Thanks Jacky.” You mumbled as your head rested on the back of your hand.
“Uh, I’m not Jack but you’re welcome.” John spoke softly.
Your body went stiff at the sound of his soft voice, there was no way you just puked in front of him, dread filled your stomach and before you knew it tears of embarrassment were streaming down your cheeks.
“Hey, hey, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” The older man quickly kneeled beside you on the cold tile of the bathroom floor.
“S’ nothing” you grumbled slightly pushing him away.
John pushed away the flash of hurt in his chest and grabbed your chin to lift your head, his free hand pushing the hair that had fallen in your face back.
“Don’t say it’s nothing, what’s wrong Y/n?” He asked gently.
“That was embarrassing” you mumbled, eyes looking everywhere besides his.
“Throwing up? There’s nothing embarrassing about that sweetheart, trust me I’ve cleaned up Jack’s vomit more times than I can count.” He laughed.
You tried not to swoon at the nickname he let slip, but the alcohol in your system wouldn’t let it go as your cheeks flamed bright red.
“I didn’t just throw up John, I threw up in front of you!, my crush, the hot guy that’s older and can have any girl he wants, the guy that doesn’t want some sloppy college girl.” You cried.
John swore his heart skipped a beat at your admission, but he couldn’t lie that his brain made him think it was just your drunken words.
“See you don’t feel the same and it’s all because I threw up in front of you.” The alcohol spoke for you and John couldn’t help but giggle lightly.
“How about we talk about this tomorrow? When you’re sober.” He asked softly.
“Okay.” You agreed.
John smiled and helped you off the floor, his hands gripped your waist and walked you towards your bedroom a few doors down. He sat you on the bed and turned to your large vanity looking for makeup remover, finding what he needed he made his way back towards you and began to wipe your face.
“Are you taking my makeup off?” You whispered.
“Mhm” he nodded.
You smiled as he ran the wipe along your forehead before coming down and running it over your cheeks and eyes, doing his best to get everything off.
“Do you want some pajamas?” He asked.
“Yes please, they’re in the drawers on the right.” You smiled softly.
He nodded and made his way over to your dresser grabbing you an old T-shirt and a pair of shorts he sat them next to you.
“I’ll be right back.” He spoke as he left you to get dressed and to collect a bottle of water and Tylenol for you.
He came back to find your bedroom door open once again and your body tucked comfortably under your large comforter.
He sat everything on your bedside table and wished you a goodnight but before he could exit your room he heard your voice speak up.
“John?”
“Yeah?” He replied as he turned back to face you despite the now pitch black room.
“You promise we can talk tomorrow?” He heard you ask quietly.
“Promise.”
“Goodnight John.”
“Night Y/n, sleep tight.” He smiled and made his way to his own bedroom for a long sleepless night.
-
The following morning you woke up to the smell of bacon flowing into your room making your severely dry mouth water.
Sitting up you looked down at the shirt you wore and the shorts on your legs, confusion wracked through your body for a moments until the memories of puking in the toilet and John taking care of you came floating back.
Butterflies filled your stomach as you remembered how well he took care of you and made sure you got into bed safely. However your smile quickly faded as you remembered that you drunkenly admitted your feelings to the older man last night.
“Fuck!” You groaned as you slumped back into the comfort of your bed.
It took you a few minutes to get the guts to go out to the kitchen where you knew John was no doubt cooking breakfast.
Shuffling into the large kitchen of the house you found him standing him at the stove, shirtless with sweatpants low on his waist, his rib cage tattoo on full display.
“Morning sleepyhead” he smiled as he heard you take a seat at the island.
“Morning.” You greeted with an awkward smile.
You watched as he turned the the fire off and turned to place the last few pieces of bacon onto a plate, looking around you noticed pancakes and a bowl of fresh fruit.
“Eat up, you definitely need it.” He spoke up nudging a plate in your direction.
You wanted to but you couldn’t take the feeling that weighed down on your chest, the anxiety of what you admitted last night lingering over you.
“John, I’m sorry.” You mumbled quickly.
“For what?”
“For what I said and did last night. I shouldn’t have drank as much as I did and you shouldn’t have had to take care of me while I was a mess, I was probably a handful and I’m real-” You began but the feeling of soft lips touching yours cut you off.
It took you a moment to respond due to shock but once you shook it off you were tangling a hand into his curls and pushing your lips harder against his.
He placed a large hand on your jaw, tipping your head back as his tongue slid into your mouth and ran against yours.
You whined when he pulled his lips away from yours, embarrassingly following his mouth as he pulled back.
“Don’t apologize.” He whispered, hand still holding your jaw.
“Did you really mean what you said last night? About me being the guy you like?”
You nodded softly, “I’m sorry if it’s weird.”
“It’s not weird, especially since I feel the same way.” He smiled.
“You do?”
John laughed lightly, “Thought me kissing you was enough of a give away.”
“Hmm, I’m not sure I’m convinced. Maybe you should give me another one.” You smirked.
“Is that so?” He asked, spreading your thighs a bit more as he slipped between them.
“Mhm” you nodded, teeth sinking into your bottom lip as you looked up at him.
He smirked before dipping down and kissing you breathless this time, it was different from the first kiss. This one was full of passion, his hands tangled into your hair as kissed you deeply.
Once he pulled away he rested his forehead against yours.
“Are you sure you’re okay with me only being twenty-one?” You questioned softly.
“As long as you’re okay with dating an old man.” He laughed.
“You are not old!” You giggled.
He gave you one more kiss before backing up and beginning to make himself a plate and you followed behind him to make one of your own. And after a delicious breakfast you two cleaned up and made your way to the living room to relax on the couch, this time cuddled up next to each other instead of on opposite ends.
“How should we tell my brothers?” You questioned.
“Tell us what?” You heard from the entryway.
-
671 notes · View notes
rosewaterandivy · 1 month
Text
answer July— ah, said July—
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
summary: from Summersong Request-athon, inspired by "July, July!" as requested by marvelous Meg aka @courtingchaos 💜 || The soft pad of your index finger trails down the scar of his jaw, lingering there as you smile, a little different from before.
Softer, somehow. As if it’s just for him.
w.c.: 4700
pairing: e.m. x f!reader
themes: prosaic summer feels, the ephemeral nature of time, processing trauma, mention of previous bodily harm & its aftermath, insecurities and the like, body worship
a/n: long time, no see my fellow fiends. did i let this run away from me? maybe. do i care? not a wit! thanks for tagging along with the team, aka let eddie have a nice, normal summer for once - hope you enjoy! title from "Answer July" by Emily Dickinson.
Summer slipped by syrupy slow, lingering around the edges. All honey-coated and sweet, so much so in fact, that it struck one Eddie Munson as rather strange.
Granted, his spring had been touch and go what with being the town pariah and nearly bleeding his ever-loving guts out in the Upside Down and all. So maybe a slow uneventful summer was well-warranted after all of that.
May sprinted past with its final school bells ringing and a quick dash across the stage at graduation to snatch a diploma from Higgins before the school board could think better of it. He hastily threw together a quick campaign to welcome Will Byers back to town and only somewhat regretfully passed the mantle of Hellfire over to Henderson.
He got himself a job, nothing to write home about, but certainly something to pass the time and get him out of the house. Wayne insisted Eddie didn’t need to work and Eddie said the same for him, the never-ending cycle rearing its head once more.
The government hush money was, after all, nothing if not generous.
Still, he felt ill at ease in the new house. Liable to crawl out of his skin at times.
Besides, if it weren’t for the job, he’d have never set his sorry sights on the newbie behind the counter at the soda fountain.
Yes, of fucking course Hawkins, Indiana had an old-fashioned soda shop pharmacy combo.
Which did nothing to help his sweet tooth.
So, on the days he happened to close the record store, Eddie would peer across the street searching for a familiar head of hair, usually swept up onto a bun or ponytail by day’s end, and a smile that could melt the cockles of his cold, black heart.
The bell chimed as you rung up a sale for a customer at the register, the cash drawer grazing a bit of skin at your hip as you turned.
“Be with you in a sec!”
Eddie settled himself on a well-worn stool and drummed his fingers along the polished counter. He watched as you counted change for one of the old biddies who all but forced casserole down the throats of the Munson men after he’d been discharged from the hospital.
She thanks you and shoves a dollar in the tip jar as she makes to leave.
“Looking lovely as ever Pearl,” A low familiar voice says.
“Oh, you sweet talker,” The older woman swats at Munson still perched on his stool. She tsks and tugs at a lock of hair that’s fallen from where he’d tied it back in frustration. “One of these days I’ll come at you with my scissors, young man.”
Eddie sighs dramatically and swivels on the stool as she reaches the door, “Promises, promises. And yet…”
Pearl pushes the door open and says with a wink, “You’ll never see me coming.”
The door falls shut behind her, allowing him to return his attention to you behind the counter.
At the far end of the shop, you’re hefting open freezer doors and scooping out near perfect spheres of ice cream onto sugar and waffle cones, scoffing when someone requests a cup instead.
He’s surprised to see no one else behind the counter, there’s usually at least one person to man the counter with during the busier hours, the after dinner rush.
The door keeps chiming as people join the line, eyeing the offerings— campfire marshmallow, french toast, vanilla, strawberry, rainbow sherbert— the list goes on and on. Some lean over and whisper to their dates, earning a tittering giggle here and there. Sticky hands of children smack against the glass pointing out their selection as you shove another scoop onto a towering waffle cone.
And it’s then that Eddie decides he’s had quite enough of this.
Tossing his bag behind the counter and hopping over it, all long limbs and pointy elbows. His knees pop slightly as he passes behind you to grab a scoop from the water trough.
“What’re you doing?”
“Uh, helping out?”
And without another word, he turns to the next customer and takes their order, only stepping on the toes of your Keds once or twice before locating the correct flavor.
“God,” He mutters under his breath, the tendons of his forearm prominent as he scoops a glob of pink cotton candy ice cream onto a sugar cone. “People actually like this crap?”
You merely shrug in response before sliding the freezer door shut and opening the next. It goes like this for nearly half and hour before Vickie stumbles in from the service entrance, her cheeks tinged pink and accompanied by a dazed look in her eye.
“Sorry, sorry!” She frantically apologizes, clocking in with her punch card.
Tying on an apron, which Eddie never bothered to do, she greets the customers at the till and rings them up while you make what could very well be the hundredth shake ordered that day, the mixer revving loudly over your retort.
“I’ll allow it,” You turn with a knowing smirk to Vickie, “But you owe me big time, Little Red.”
“Details?” She squeaks.
“Oh, that and more Vic,” You laugh as the machine whirs to a stop.
Deftly, you pour the shake into a cup and shake the canister of whipped cream vigorously. Eddie tries and fails to hide the blush coloring his cheeks as your shirt rides up with the motion. The ‘JERK’ emblazoned on your chest pulling taut against the swell of your breasts from the movement.
He nearly chokes on his own spit.
“Shit,” He rasps as his throat pulls tight.
Passing the shake over with a polite smile to a customer, you thump him forcefully on the back.
Which would be all well and good, if not for the fact that he wasn’t expecting it, and, as a result, falls bodily into your chest, legs tangling with yours, and takes the pair of you down to the mat behind the counter.
“Ow.”
Peering open an eye, he finds Vickie, arms crossed and toe tapping the tile floor, looking down at the both of you with a bemused pull of her lips.
“See, this is why it’s employees only behind the counter,” You say with a grunt as you peel yourself from the floor. “You’re not OSHA certified, Munson.”
Eddie digs the heel of his palms into his eye sockets, hoping that maybe he can just sink into the floor and forget this ever happened.
Because you’re warm, what with having worked up a sweat manning the counter single-handedly and your legs are nice; too nice maybe, with the way his heart is kicking up in his chest, to say nothing of what’s kicking up in his pants.
“Sorry,” He sighs, coming to a seated position. “Are you okay?”
Dusting your hands against the denim cutoffs you’re sporting, you turn and give him a smile. “Never better.”
Legs still tangled, you unwind your limbs from his, crisp white Keds knocking against scuffed Reeboks. He takes the hand you offer and allows himself to be pulled up, only to be greeted by six beatific smiles and less than subtle winks or nods.
“Sooooo,” Dustin drawls, fingers drumming against the glass of the freezer, “Fun trip?”
The ensuing laughter and taunts from what was formerly his favorite group of high schoolers, is enough to make Eddie miss the solitude of Reefer Rick’s cabin.
_
If May was a sprint, then June was a dive into cool water.
Rope swings lassoed around tree branches, splashing into a placid lake from great heights. Blankets spread on rocks and grass for makeshift picnics. The hum of cicadas as lips wrapped around lifted bottles of booze from the Harrington’s liquor cabinet.
Nearly a month gone and Eddie still hadn’t worked up the courage.
Which is how he found himself perched on rock formation that bordered Lover’s Lake with the boys— Harrington, Byers, and Argyle— playing barely tipsy lifeguard as you swam circles around Nancy, Robin, and Vickie. The latter two had somehow wound themselves into a Gordian Knot of limbs and had earned an eagle-eyed glare from one former captain of the swim team.
“Go to the shallows!” Steve called out, a half-empty bottle of whiskey at his feet. “No, Rob,” He huffed and stood up, “You gotta use your arms, like this!” He demonstrated with a perfect backstroke that Robin seemed woefully unequipped to replicate.
“What?!”
Robin’s befuddled call echoed against the rocks lining the shore and spurned Steve into action.
“Jesus Christ,” He muttered, passing the bottle off to Eddie. “Stay there ya dingus!”
Steve’s body elegantly cut into the water and he surfaced to a smattering of applause from those still perched on the rock.
“Good form, I’d give it a solid 8.5,” Eddie decreed before taking long pull from the bottle.
“Now way man,” Argyle piped up, “That’s at least a 9.The way he slipped into the water like that? Some top tier stuff right there.”
He elbowed Jonathan who was preoccupied with blowing rings from his joint.
“Huh? Oh, uh. 5?”
Steve merely rolled his eyes and swam toward Robin and Vickie, who where no closer to shore now than they were when this whole charade began.
“You’re shitting me dude. A 5 out of 10?”
“Oh, fuck.” Jonathan completed one rather slow blink in Eddie’s direction. “I thought it was like, out of five. My bad.”
Argyle called out the new score from the judges to Steve, who had his hands full with Robin and Vickie’s frantically kicking and thrashing limbs, so much so, that he was rather relieved when you swam up beside him to help.
Eddie placed the bottle between his feet and leaned back on his hands, face turned toward the night sky.
Stars littered the inky blue like so many twinkling lights. A few lightning bugs buzzed further along the edge of the wood, a soft yellow glow to guide through the dark. The lake grew calm again, small lapping waves skirting the shore as distant voices grew closer.
“Hey man,” Argyle nudged Eddie’s shoulder with his, knocking him from his reverie. “How’s our favorite soda jerk?”
He smiled despite himself, “She’s fine, I guess.”
“Hmm. And Operation Meatball?”
Eddie groaned and rolled his eyes, “Henderson got to you too, I see. That kid needs to get a hobby.”
Dustin, and the rest of his band of hellions, had gotten it into their heads that Eddie and you were destined to be. Had an entire notebook dedicated to plans and named the whole endeavor after a scene from Lady and the Tramp, which Eddie couldn’t even bring himself to protest.
“I dunno dude,” Argyle shrugged, “She’s schmokin and I may have seen her eye you a time or two.”
He was glad for the cover of night, because his face felt positively on fire.
“You know, if you’d—” Argyle began, only to get cut off by the sound of approaching footfalls.
“Hey guys,” You greeted, stepping onto the rock and dripping water onto Eddie’s arm. “Oh, shit, sorry Ed!” You take a step back and grab a towel from a nearby bag. Tying your hair up in the striped towel, you settle back at his side. “Ooh, got any more of that?”
He follows your eyes to the bottle at his feet, and stretches to grab it. Your damp fingers brush his along the neck of the bottle, and he, impossibly, blushes all the more.
“S’all yours.”
“Much obliged,” You say with a nod toward him.
Your lips wrap around the bottle, and Eddie can’t help but watch a rivulet of water trickle its way down your throat. His fingers itch to chase it, his tongue longs to taste it.
Jonathan deploys a well-timed cough and pointed glance in Eddie’s direction to excuse himself and Argyle.
“Catch you later chica,” Argyle promises with a grasp to your shoulder, “Lemme know when that horchata flavor comes in!”
You promise to do so with a laugh and a wave, before turning your attention back to the water. Eddie sits at your side, quiet, save for the movemnt of his fingers as he fiddles with his rings. There’s a few sounds from Steve dutifully pouring Robin and Vickie into the BMW with conferring with Nancy as she wrangles Jonathan and Argyle into the station wagon.
“You good?”
Turning at the sound of Nancy’s voice, Eddie can see your mouth pull into a smile, the white of your teeth bringing to mind a cheshire cat. Your elbow knocks into his as you duck toward him conspiratorially.
“Whaddya say, Eddie?”
“Hmm?”
Lightning bugs float around your damp hair that’s fallen from its turban, water slick waves drying slowly in the summer heat. A halo blurry gold around your head, Eddie loses all faculty of language, lost in the soft glow cast against your sun warmed skin.
“Take me home?”
He merely nods in response, swallowing around the lump in his throat.
“I’m good!” You call back to Nancy and take another pull from the bottle.
“Call me when you’re home!”
The sound of car engines turning over fills the air, tires crunching over gravel and dried pine needles littering the forest floor. The heat of the day quickly dissipates, replaced with a soft breeze that alleviates a bit of the humidity. And it’s quiet on the shore, save for the clinking of the bottle as you take sips every so often.
For all his gregarious and dramatic antics, truth be told, Eddie didn’t quite know how to simply be. At least, not since spring break with the nearly dying and all of that. He’d returned to the land of the living a little more somber, recovering in the hospital between hushed tones from doctors and nurses, louder exclamations from Henderson and his brood, the comforting weight of Wayne’s hand at his shoulder.
Sure, he’d rallied.
Put on a brave face for the kids, found familiarity in a strained smile mirrored in Steve. Noticed his own body jerking in time with Robin’s at the sound of an unanticipated loud noise. Was quick to cover his discomfort with a joke buoyed by Argyle’s raucous laugh. Found himself helping Nancy plan outings to take everyone’s mind off of things. Sought out Jonathan to share a smoke when it all got to be too much.
But you—
He never minded the quiet with you.
Eddie could maybe, for a moment, let it fall away.
A clink of a glass bottle broke his reverie as it joined the others discarded on the ground.
“This is nice,” You said with a languid stretch, arms raised above your head and falling in a graceful arc as you settled back against the rock.
He had to agree.
“Can I uh, ask you something?”
Your voice had taken on an unfamiliar tone, almost as if you made yourself smaller and unsure. It wasn’t his favorite, he had to admit. Eddie preferred the unapologetic way you carried yourself, a royal flush of confidence which you bandied about with no inhibitions.
Timid didn’t suit you, at least, not in his humble opinion.
He knocked shoulders with you, tried to inject some levity into his voice.
“Shoot.”
“Well,” You squirmed next to him, “And you don’t have to answer this if like, it makes you uncomfortable— the last thing I wanna do is offend you, swear to God.” You take a breath to steel yourself. “I just, I noticed you weren’t swimming today.”
“Ah.”
“I mean,” You clear your throat, “You really never swim, not at Steve’s pool, not here. So.”
“Are you asking if I can swim?” He jokes, “Because, I’m definitely capable. Dear old Dad threw me into a creek,” crick, “And told me to get on with it.”
A hushed laugh falls from your lips, “So, you can but you don’t. Any reason why?”
“Well that,” He says, softer now, “Is quite the story.”
You hum, content with the response not pushing for more than he’s willing to share.
“Tell me someday?”
And oh, is he in trouble. Because the odds of that are more far likely than you’d think.
You’re quick to pack up after that. Eddie trails after you, tossing an odd can or cigarette butt into a trash bag and hauling it to the van. He scratches the light stubble of his jaw, nail catching along the scar decorating his cheek. It’s not as bad as it had been, mostly white with pink tinged edges, and receding into his jawline enough to slip most notice.
It’s not that Eddie regrets the scars, he did what he had to do— the whorls of pink and white puckered skin that now embellished him from hip to shoulder were a simple reminder of that.
Just not one that he’s keen to advertise.
He lets you fiddle with the radio, static crackling through the speakers before the opening riff of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” sails through. An easy smile lights up your face as you lean back in the seat and sing along.
I’ll be with you my darling, soon, I’ll be with you when the stars start falling
His grip tightens on the wheel and he wills himself to focus on the road ahead and not the soft croon of your voice. Which is kind of difficult given how sweet you sound, how desperate he is for your touch.
He rolls up to your apartment complex by the song’s end, having had the pleasure of your signing for the duration of the drive. And Eddie’s probably biased, but he thinks you could give Jack Bruce a run for his money.
He parks the van in front of your building, letting it idle as you unbuckle your seatbelt. You’re grooving a little bit in your seat, and Eddie allows himself a moment to be selfish— gazing as you shake out your mostly dry hair and sway in time to the song, a secret smile pulling at his lips.
Opening your eyes, you meet his gaze. Leaning over the consol, your fingers caress his jaw, turning him to face you fully. The soft pad of your index finger trails down the scar of his jaw, lingering there as you smile, a little different from before.
Softer, somehow. As if it’s just for him.
I’ve been waiting so long, to be where I’m going in the sunshine of your love.
_
But July—
July passes like a dream, as delightful as the sugary syrup currently crawling its way down your arm. The bomb pop melting all too quickly in the height of the summer sun, trickles of red, white, and blue cascade down your sun hewn skin.
A screech pierces the air as Eddie leans over from his seat on the Harrington’s patio to lick the drips from your arm.
Loud enough to draw the attention of the kids and soon his soft huffs of laughter as replaced with a prolonged “Eeeewwww,” from the girls and an offended scoff of “Gross,” from Henderson.
“Can it!” Steve says, volleying a beach ball at his head, knocking his ever-preset baseball cap into the chlorinated water.
Eddie nods in thanks before continuing his assault of your arm.
“Shit, babe, no teeth!”
He ignores this and elects to dig his teeth into the temptation of your skin. You swat him away and recline back in your chair, Raybans affixed to your face, a pout on your lips.
“You’re no fun,” He grouses, kicking back in his recliner. “You use teeth.”
“Artfully,” You quip back in reply, “Poetry will be written about the exploits of my chompers, the deftness, the skill with which I decorate canvases of skin.”
And well yeah, Eddie would know. He has several bruises blossoming along his torso and thighs from said exploits.
So he really couldn’t complain.
He lets the clubmasters slide back onto his face, the blue polarized lenses giving the scene a cooler, dreamier tint. His hand falls to the side, fingers walking their way over to tangle with yours. You give him a quick squeeze before turning your attention back to your latest bookstore acquisition, The Handmaid’s Tale.
In fact, once Eddie got over himself and blurted out some amalgamation of ‘Can I take you out?’, you’d booped him on the nose in response, much to his horror, and waited a beat to say:
“Sure thing, stud,” — Eddie’s summer had only gotten better.
Was it annoying to have near daily occurrence of high schoolers singing “Summer Lovin’” at him? Yes. Were you worth it? Obviously.
Eddie had attempted to date, briefly and disastrously, in the past. In that respect, maybe he was a little gun shy.
But one night stands? Quickies? Handies after a deal at a party? Bjs in the back of the van?
Yeah, that he’d done. And was definitely the more enthusiastic partner in retrospect. And now, with you?
Well, suffice it to say that your first round in the sack wasn’t exactly picture perfect, and he’d nearly gotten a broken nose for all his effort. But, y’know, learning curve and all that, maybe some lighting was required so he could avoid getting socked in the mouth or something.
“Yuck, what is that?” Dustin says with thinly veiled annoyance, gesturing to your hand clasped in Eddie’s. “Hands Across America?”
“The fuck,” Eddie perks up, squinting as he flips his sunglasses onto his forehead. “Hands doing what now?”
“Pfft,” You blow a raspberry and lazily thumb over to a new page, “You don’t even know what day it is, or what’s going on.”
“Yeah, and I wish I knew even less.”
“Hands Across America was months ago, by the way.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“Really and truly.”
“So, hey,” Eddie ignores Dustin’s gagging and turns toward you in earnest. “D’ya like sex?”
“Uh huh.”
“And travel, you like that, right?”
“Yep.”
“Well then, sweetheart,” He drops your hand from his, drawing your interest away from the plot.
You huff, perturbed by the interruption and glance his way.
“Then you can fuck right off.”
Eddie raises a solitary finger elegantly, aristocratically even. Something practiced time and time again until it became second nature. It’d be kind of impressive if he weren’t so damned annoying about it, flipping the bird every chance he got.
A trait that, unfortunately, the young Wheeler had adopted as his own.
Despite yourself, a laugh breaks from your lips, loud enough to draw the other’s attention from the pool.
“God, I hate you.”
“Really and truly?”
“Oh, you bet sunshine.”
Unbeknownst to the pair of you, Steve and Robin had corralled the kids out of the pool and lured them away with the promise of pizza. Nancy sidles out from the sliding glass door with the cordless in hand, tossing it over to Eddie.
“We got the usual— cheese, pepperoni, and cheesy bread. But I know you’re particular, so.”
“Right on, Wheels. Good lookin’ out.”
Eddie grabs for you again fingers twining with yours as he rattles off the usual to the pizza guy as Nancy makes her way back inside.
“Hey man, can I get an order of mushroom and black olive with the banana peppers and a shit ton of red pepper flakes? Uh huh, yeah.”
He pulls the phone away from his face, tucking it against his jaw to mouth something to you.
You watch his lips, red from one too many popsicles, form the words.
“Garlic sauce? Hell yeah.”
He returns to the call.
“And the— Oh, you heard that? Cool. Thanks, man.”
He hangs up and tosses the phone onto a rumpled pile of towels, tugging at your arm.
“Ugh, what,” You grouse, finally dropping your book on the patio.
“You’re so far away,” He whines, draping the back of his hand across his forehead to heave a woeful sigh. “Oh, when will my beloved return from the war?”
You roll your eyes and clamber over to his pool chair, straddling his hips. “Okay, calm down Scarlett. Tara is thattaway.” You hike a thumb somewhere in the general vicinity of what you’re pretty sure is south. You laugh and crawl your way into his lap.
And, here’s the thing:
It’s easy.
A foreign concept in Eddie’s life up until this particular point.
Which is to say, that since the advent of your relationship with him, Eddie found himself spending more time on his knees than he ever had amongst the pews.
While there’s no catechism for for this particular piety, he’ll take this act of communion for what it is—
His lips and tongue spouting devotionals as he kneels between your thighs. And he’d never been one for God, but maybe He’d made it so two bodies can fit holy wholly together.
After all, he’d been penitent enough.
You twine a streamer of his hair around your finger, head slotting into the cul-de-sac of his throat. His arms wind about your hips, anchoring you in place.
Steve sticks his head out to say he’s forcing the kids on a field-trip to get the pizza, Nance and Robin are grabbing some drinks from the store.
You hum in idle contentment and sink further into Eddie, as if he could consume you entire.
If my body is of your body and your body is of mine, can ever the two be parted? What lies in me now does in you, a reflection in kind.
The marks that decorate his skin, both intentional and accidental, fail to define him.
If they ever really could.
You’d traced their shape, plotted their paths, and transmuted them before his very eyes. The weight, the lead sinking and skittering and pulling him down was no more.
“If I could,” you’d said softly one night, a riot of arms and legs tangled against his own, a lone finger rhapsodizing against his ribs, travelling a familiar continent. “I’d paint you golden.”
No, not gilt.
But gold.
It still daunts Eddie how freely he fell— for you and the effervescent joy that flourished in your wake. It used to unnerve him, if he thought about it too much. For the longest time, he wasn’t sure if what he felt was real, or simply a facsimile of love.
He learned not to dawdle in his darker moods.
He’d hummed at your declaration, so much more accustomed to gloomier comparisons. You’d turned up at him, cleaving your chin across the ladder of his ribs, eyes big and brighter than any star he’d ever seen.
And he hadn’t known what to say.
Weeks had passed and he still hadn’t a clue how to respond.
“Hey,” Dustin yells, striding out of the sliding glass door. “Dinner’s ready!” He waits impatiently, striking a similar pose to that of Steve when he’s at his wit’s end.
“Yeah, yeah,” Eddie says, shooing him away and slinging a leg off of the recliner.
He takes you with him, much to your protest.
“Noooo,” you whine, “Eddie, the physical therapist said—”
“That I’m fine,” He reminds you, securing his grip under your thighs as he carries you inside the house.
Your petulant pout demands satisfaction, and he acquiesces, dipping his head to yours in a quick kiss.
“Y’know,” he says, voice rumbling and low as everyone fixes up their plates in the kitchen. He sets you on the island counter, his hands spread just past your thighs, arms loosely caging you in.
He smells like summer— sugar and chlorine and salt and the tell-tale wisp of a cigarette. His hair is loose and wild, sheltering you from prying eyes as he rests his head against yours.
It hits him like a thunderclap and descends as quickly as revelation.
“I’d follow you into the sun.”
It’s not a declaration, but a simple fact.
Love.
He’d tell you someday, but not quite yet.
For now, he’ll watch your lips kick up in that adorable smile of yours, the kind that crinkles the corner of your eyes from the sheer amount of joy packed in it. Allowing himself to float on the thinnest of air just for a moment.
This summer, you’ve been his North Star, always there.
And he hopes you always will be.
170 notes · View notes
too-much-tma-stuff · 3 months
Text
We Will Care For Her (Part 8.5)
Previous | Masterpost | Next
When the call came in about screaming and gunshots in the woods the Teen Titan’s were worried to say the least, and the closest ones to the scene. With no bigger emergencies all four of them mobilized to check it out. It was unlikely that all four of them would be needed, but they worked better as a team and no one wanted to be left behind.
Tim wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it was not his brother in full Red Hood getup sprinting out of the building with a white-haired young woman cradled in his arms and someone in a skull mask on his heels. At first Tim thought that the person chasing Jason was causing the problem, until he saw the official people in white after both of them with guns, those sorts were always bad news. If there had been a registered, above board research facility of some sort out here he would have known about it. 
Then the stranger turned and let out some sort of concussive scream that was definitely more powerful than even Black Canary's. Everyone chasing them was blasted back into the building and the concrete and steel of the building itself crumpled in on itself like toothpicks. Who were they!?
“Red Hood, what’s happening?” Tim called out to Jason, who glanced at him but didn’t answer,he barely seemed to register Robin was there before his gaze turned back to the masked individual Tim didn’t recognize. Well, didn’t recognize until Hood called out to them and called them Hyena.
That was Hyena?! That was a completely different outfit then the one he was used to, and he had never seen, or even heard of, Hyena using a power like that! Sure he’d told Batman he was powerful, but it was one thing to be told that and a completely different thing to see it. But sure enough he responded to the name, and as he approached Hood, Hyena drew his humanity back around him like a veil, the skeletal appearance covered again by the costume Tim recognized. Tim tensed, ready to step in if he needed to, if Hyena lashed out at anyone. But he was calm, practically huddling up with Jason and the girl, and gently stroking her hair.
Unsure what else to do, Tim signed to Impulse and Wondergirl to check the perimeter. He doubted there was anyone still alive after those explosions, but they needed to check just in case. However that meant that when Hyena took the girl from Hood and brought her over to them it was only Robin and Superboy present, which turned out to only be for the better. Tim had never seen Danny so emotional, it was… jarring, especially compared to his usual manic energy and smile. 
“You, you're Super boy, the clone right?” Hyena asked Kon, and after glancing at Robin who gave an almost imperceptible encouraging motion, Kon nodded warily. “She is too,” Danny sighed looking down at the pale girl. “Back when I was still a hero my nemesis made her, she’s… my daughter in any way that matters, my flesh and blood but I… the way I am now I can’t look after her. I never could really, I tried but I was just a teenager at the time,” He let out a self deprecating little laugh. “I managed to stabilize her, but I can’t keep her.” 
Hyena had been a hero?! When and where?! Tim had never heard of a hero like him before, certainly not one with this motif, though he knew suits probably changed, especially since ‘Hyena’ was hardly a heroic persona. He had been young then too, very young to be cloned like that. Whoever his villain was sounded like a piece of shit. 
“She goes by Phantasm, will you take her? She’s… she’s a good kid, she needs someone better than me. I think your team, or if she needs an adult Wonder Woman or Martian Manhunter, would be best.” Hyena continued, and when he looked up again Tim realized he was actually crying, which had him reeling! Dealing with people’s emotions was always the part of this job he was worst at, and Hyena was someone Tim would almost consider a friend, which did not make it easier. He had never seen Hyena cry before either, somehow he hadn��t even considered it. 
Before Tim had even fully processed what was going on Connor had agreed that they would take Phantasm. Not that Tim would have said no, a (probably) empowered young person who needed help like this? That was 100% in their purview, even if she wasn’t a clone, which Superboy was predisposed to be protective of.
“Thank you,” Hyena sighed, tired and sad. “Tell her her template loves her, and tell her where to find me. She’s always welcome with me, just… warn her what I am now. I was very different when she knew me.” 
Tim glanced at Connor and resisted the urge to bite his lip. He tried not to obviously show emotion when in costume, but he worried how it felt for him to hear those words? Words that neither of Connor’s DNA donors would ever say about him. He hoped Connor was okay.
“What happened here?” Tim asked again, since no one had answered the first time. He couldn’t just write off so much destruction and loss of life! Even if he wasn’t quite As strict about the no killing rule as B, and he did trust Hyena and Hood more then a bunch of unknown goons in white.
“Remember when I mentioned being experimented on by mad scientists?” Danny asked wryly, Tim nodded and Danny simply gestured back at the facility. These were the people who had done that to him!? He’d been serious? That actually did explain some things. “I didn’t realize they still had her or I would have burned the place to the ground a long time ago. Here,” He said, fishing a USB out of the inside pocket of his jacket and holding it to Tim. “This has info on the organization, I meant to give it to you eventually anyway.” 
Tim took it automatically. He’d have to check it for viruses first, and he wouldn’t take anything at face value, but it would be a good place to start his own research. Danny slumped back like a poppet with its strings cut, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “Come visit me soon, and tell me how she’s doing if she doesn’t want to see me, please?” He requested, looking back at Tim with a pleading expression that made Tim sort of uncomfortable. Why was he so bad with emotions! 
“Right, okay,” Tim agreed awkwardly. He would have anyway, since he met up with Hood and Hyana regularly now. Danny nodded back and then turned, walking back over to Jason with his back hunched and his feet dragging. Jason lifted his arms, letting Danny walk into them. Then they were both just gone, just completely disappeared. 
Tim stared at the place where Hood and Hyena had been just a minute ago. Damn did he have a lot of powers to add to his file on Hyena between the transformation, the invisibility, and that earth shattering wail. He shook his head and looked back at the girl Kon was still holding, she was what was important right now.
He looked up, meeting Superboy’s gaze seeing the same confusion and determination on his face. They didn’t know what was going on or why really, but they were going to do right by Phantasm as best as they could. “There are no heartbeats left in the building, and the fire isn’t spreading. We should get her home before she wakes up,” Superboy told Robin softly, who agreed. 
As if on queue Impulse skidded to a halt next to them and Wondergirl returned from an overhead scan. “Anything we can do to help?” Tim asked the two of them. Wonder girl shook her head and Impulse shrugged. 
“I couldn’t get into the building at all, it’s just a pile of rubble now. I’d be really surprised if there’s anyone still alive in there. So, who are we going to arrest about this?” Impulse asked, shifting from foot to foot absently. 
Robin shook his head at Impulse, they wouldn’t be arresting anyone today. Even if maybe they should have at least brought Hood and Hyena in for questioning… Well, it's too late now. “We answered the call and there’s nothing we can do, let’s get home. Wondergirl, do you mind carrying me back to the Tower? I don’t think Superboy is willing to let go of Phantasm,” Robin requested dryly, and Superboy gave him a sheepish smile that told him he was absolutely right about that.
“Sure,” Cassie agreed, clearly amused by Superboy’s reaction, if confused by… everything that was going on.
“Hey, what about me?” Impulse asked with a dramatic pout that had Tim rolling his eyes behind his mask.
“You’ll probably get home before we do so You can start brewing the coffee,” Tim told him dryly, already heading over to Cassie. 
Impulse sighed dramatically at Tim and then he was gone, with the air rushing in to fill the space he’d just occupied with a little wooshing sound. Robin shook his head with a soft laugh and allowed Cassie to arrange him like she was going to give him a piggyback ride before she took off, Superboy on their heels as they headed home. 
They had plenty of guest rooms since the Teen Titans had an extensive network of young heroes and empowered individuals and sometimes they needed a place to stay. Since most of the rooms were available, they picked the one that was closest to the Core Four’s rooms and settled Phantasm in there. Robin checked her over, checking her pulse, her pupils reactions, her reflexes, and her other vitals, she seemed fine, though still unconscious.
Cassie cleaned her off of all the blood and the odd green fluid, and changed her into some spare sleeping clothes while the boys waited outside the room. When Cassie called to say that they could come back in Phantasm was already tucked into bed, looking much better already. Superboy went and sat on the edge of the bed. 
“We should make sure someone is always with her till she wakes up. We have no idea how long she’s been out, or how she might react when she wakes up. Connor, do you want to take the first shift?” He suggested, glancing at his friend who just nodded absently. “Right,” Tim said a little awkwardly and shooed Bart and Cassie out.
They all headed to the kitchen and Tim poured himself a cup of coffee while Cassie and Bart started talking about how fucking weird that had been. Tim lingered just long enough that he thought it wouldn’t be suspicious before heading back towards their rooms. He acted like he was headed back to his own room before detouring and slipping into Phantasm’s new bedroom. He was worried about Superboy and wanted to check on him, this was bound to be a more emotional situation for him then any of them. 
Superboy was staring down at Phantasm, his expression blank and his posture suspiciously straight. He was upset. Tim went and sat down next to him, after a moment of hesitation he took Connor’s hand, and gave it a squeeze to bring him back to the here and now. “How are you holding up?” He asked when Connor blinked and looked back at him.
“I’m… okay?” Connor said, looking back at the girl.
“Are you really?” Tim asked dubiously, that did not sound convincing. Connor gave a one shoulder shrug.
“Not really, it’s so fucked up. How many villains clone their heroes like that?! It’s such a messed up thing to do. But… I guess I’m a little jealous of her? Because even if she was made for ‘nefarious purposes’ or whatever, she has someone who really cares about her. But I’m happy for her too, it’s just making me remember… a bunch of shit you know? A lotta feelings,” He sighed, making a vague gesture with his free hand.
“Ya, I know,” Tim said without letting go of Connor’s hand. “You’re not alone though, I’m here for you, we’re all here for you,” He added quickly in case he made Connor uncomfortable with the intimacy. Though… Connor also hadn’t let go of his hand, and squeezed it gently as he gave Tim a slightly strained smile. “You have people who really care about you too.”
“Thank you Robin, that means a lot,” Connor said softly, bumping his shoulder against Tim’s.
-------
It had been 23 hours and Phantasm was still asleep. It was a worrying amount of time, but her heartbeat and breathing had remained stable so Robin wasn’t that worried. Tim was the one waiting by her bedside now, he had already gone through all the documents on the USB Hyena had given him. It contained a frankly horrific amount of evidence, including some pictures and videos that clearly weren't fake, even though Tim sort of wished they were with how gruesome they were. He still had his laptop on his lap though, now looking into any publicly available (or hackable) information to corroborate the information Danny had already given him. 
He was also working on a powerpoint to inform the JL about this travesty of a government organization, which they’d somehow allowed to form in spite of the obvious breach of meta-protection acts. When he heard a sound from the bed he nearly jumped out of his skin and slammed his laptop shut, not wanting Phantasm to see what it was he was working on first thing after waking up. He put his laptop down and turned his attention towards her as she stirred in the bed and let out a little groan. After a moment she opened her eyes just a little and glanced around, it looked like she was trying to pretend she was still out till she got the lay of the land, but she hadn’t been trained to properly mask body language. 
“You’re safe, Danny found you and freed you, he asked me and my team to look after you,” Tim told her. 
She jolted and opened her eyes fully, looking at him with wide eyes. “He’s alive?” She breathed incredulously. 
“Yes, he goes by Hyena now. He says he escaped a different facility a bit more than a year ago. He thought you were dead too or he would have come back for you sooner, but we’ll talk more about that later. How do you feel?” Tim asked, setting his computer aside. 
She paused as if considering the question. “Okay, I think,” she said thoughtfully.
“Alright, do you think you could manage something to eat and drink? You’ve been asleep for a while and we don’t know how long you were in that tube before that,” Tim asked.
“Ya, I can try, probably better to stick to liquids for now though,” She sighed, squirming to prop herself up a little more against the pillows. 
“Alright, I’ll text Superboy to get you some soup then. He’ll be happy to see you’re awake. He’s a clone too and he’s been worried about you,” He told Phantasm absently as he pulled out his phone to text Kon.
“Right. Before he comes, you know Danny’s name but you mentioned he goes by Hyena now? He’s still got a secret identity and stuff? He still a hero?” Phantasm asked, tilting her head to the side a little.
“Ya, I know his name because he’s dating my brother. He knows my secret ID too. He’s still a Mask, but he’s not exactly a hero anymore.” Tim said as delicately as he could as he texted SB.
“Oh dear, how bad did he get?” She breathed, eyes wide and worried.
“Judging by the powers he displayed yesterday nowhere near as bad as he could have. I won’t say he’s not a villain, since my brother is a crime lord, and they both have a body count, but I don’t think he’s a bad guy,” Tim told her as gently as he could.
“Oh,” She sighed, relaxing back against the pillows, which was a bit of a surprise. “Ya, not as bad as it could have been. Do you think he’s happy?”
“He and Red Hood seem really disgustingly in love with each other, so he’s got issues obviously, but ya, I think he’s happy.” 
“Good, he deserves to be happy. He was a good hero, people didn’t deserve him anyway.”
That was not the reaction Tim was expecting. He didn’t think it was the reaction Hyena would have expected either, with how worried he had been. Before he could ask more Superboy showed up with a soft woosh with a bowl of hot soup for her, pausing the conversation while he fussed over her.
281 notes · View notes
Note
Zoro x Fem Reader Angst! Zoro is unconscious and S/O protects/drags Zoro while trying to escape the battlefield of marines and explosives. Zoro’s about to lose his life, but S/O sacrifices her arms to save him and his dream and get him to safety. When Zoro wakes up, he’s recovering and he learns what happens. He’s enraged at S/O and practically screams at her, saying unforgivable things to the point where S/O is crying. S/O avoids him until Zoro apologizes. S/O obtains new cybernetic arms.
Goodness gracious this is some angst. I LOVE IT.
Hah I wrote this when I was sad.
I have PTSD from an accident and I thought for a minute I lost my leg. I couldn't see it, and I knew that it takes time to register if you lost your leg. So. Yeah. This is kind of an outlet for that accident. Plus an outlet from my toxic relationships.
This takes place post-timeskip, with Law making an appearance as an ally.
MAJOR WARNING: THIS WILL (probably) TRAUMATIZE YOU. Reader will have PTSD, ANXIETY ATTACKS, AND BE VERBALLY ABUSED. But becomes besties with Franky so ya know... up to you.
TW's: BUCKLE UP BUTTERCUP THIS IS ANGST, angst to eventual comfort, reader pukes from pain, gore, shame, insecurity, fights, verbal abuse (from s/o), punching a wall above reader's head, anxiety attacks, depression
Tumblr media
Part 1: The Fights
Tumblr media
Your head was spinning. This battle was a hell of a lot more than anyone on the crew thought it would be. Explosions were nearly constant, deafening you until all you could hear was buzzing. Vibrations from the ground and the air shook your body, and you could barely keep up with your enemies. Their surprise attack worked, and it worked damn well.
You finally got in a good blow to the marine, knocking him unconscious with your weapon. It was the last of the marine group that had recently swarmed you. You took a brief moment to take stock of the battlefield. Zoro was fighting a swarm of marines behind you. You knew that wouldn't be an issue, so your gaze continued to roam.
Luffy was on the rooftops fighting the stronger of the marines, getting further and further away from the group. You saw a random patch of thunder clouds in the distance, knowing that's where Nami was. You couldn't see Usopp, Robin, Franky, or Sanji anywhere. Brook and Chopper were still supposed to be watching the ship. A flash of movement caught your eye nearing Zoro. You had no idea what that weapon was exactly, but the marines seemed relieved, and that was a bad sign.
"Zoro!" you cried out desperately. Even your own voice was so muffled that you felt the vibration of your voice more than heard yourself. He couldn't hear you. You started running. Something felt dangerous about that weapon. It was about as big as a bazooka, but the ammo looked strange. All you could tell in the moment was that the marines nearby were carrying it with extra care.
"Zoro!" you called again. Nothing. Your legs burned as you sprinted towards the group of marines he was steadily working his way through. He was almost done. His back was towards you, and if he felt your presence, he probably thought you were running to back him up. The weapon was almost upon the two of you.
Just as you approached him, he finished off the last of the marines, knocking them out cold. He turned an eye towards you, the gleam and thrill of violence evident in gaze. You pointed desperately towards the weapon, knowing your expression held fear. He turned in the direction of it, grinning at the challenge. Something wasn't right about the weapon, but you trusted that he could take care of it.
The marines took aim. You readied yourself to dodge, to feel the heat and shockwave of the explosion. Zoro stood slightly in front of you, ready with all three of his swords, breathing heavily but evenly. He could cut anything. You watched as the marine pulled the trigger. Everything seemed to slow down. Your breaths, heart rate, and the aches and pains of the battle dialed to zero as your focus sharpened. The ammo was almost too bright to look at. Why was it already exploding? He couldn't cut-
Your body moved before your thought was completed. Standing in front of the swordsman, you used your weapon to bat away the explosive, redirecting it to the side. It didn't work. It already exploded. You shot backwards into Zoro as the force and heat from the explosion slammed into your arms and chest. The two of you flew backwards through multiple walls. You only remember feeling the jolt of the crash through Zoro's body more than twice before you blacked out. You think you came to pretty quick, and tried to reach towards him.
White-hot agony seared through your arms, and you couldn't tell if you screamed or not. You couldn't hear, not through the pain or through the ringing in your ears. You felt the ground vibrate as marines marched towards your prone bodies. The weapon. Shit.
The jolt of adrenaline made you stand, swaying as you nearly passed out or threw up from the pain. But you could do that later. Now, you just needed to get away. Your arms were useless. One was burning with pain, and the other was... gone.
You looked in shock at the stump where your arm used to be. It was gone. Your stomach lurched and bile rose in your throat as your gaze rose to see a familiar hand sticking out from under a rock. Blood saturated the ground around it. Burnt meat filled your nostrils. Your other arm hung uselessly by your side, burnt almost to the bone. You felt the vibrations through the ground getting stronger. You would die if you didn't leave, NOW.
Zoro was knocked out cold, a nasty gash on his temple. His chest was still rising and falling, luckily. With no other choice, you knelt to the ground, and gripped his coat with your teeth. You scooted back, hauling his weight. Your jaw and teeth ached with the effort, but you thanked whatever diety was out that that the burnt flesh of your arm was falling numb. Your reprieve was short lived. Agony flashed through the stump of your now-missing arm, causing you to scream. You tasted blood as your vocal chords ripped slightly with the sound.
But you continued moving, hauling his weight backwards with your teeth as marines rounded the corner. They were walking almost casually, evil grins on their faces at the horror they caused. fuck. They saw you immediately. The young marines blanched and vomited at your state, seeing you conscious with one burnt arm barely hanging onto your frame and the stump of the other bleeding profusely down your side, soaking your body in a brown-red. Honestly, the question as to how you were even still conscious hadn't crossed your mind. Until now. You staggered onto your knees, breathing heavily as you crouched in front of Zoro. You could get by without arms. Your dream could be accomplished without them. His couldn't. He needed to live, and he needed his body.
With the thought, you staggered to your feet, swaying dangerously.
"Oi Oi, that bitch is fucking rabid!" one marine called out. Your hearing must be coming back if you could hear the muffled comments of the men in front of you. The comment made you grin, and the men flinched. You knew you couldn't hold on much longer, so you did the only thing you could think of.
"LUUUFYYYY!!!! NAAAAMIIII!!! SANNNJIIIII!!!! USOOOP!!! ROBINNNN!!!! FRAAANNKYYYY!!!!" you screamed your crewmates names desperately. The effort of it sent you tumbling onto your knees. Darkness ringed your vision. You blinked, trying to focus your eyes. You thought you heard your name, but suddenly saw marines flying left and right. You knew somebody came to save you. You fell into blissful unconsciousness as you hit the ground.
~~~~~~~~
"...sure?....pain....medicine....arms....injuries..." voices faded in and out as you slowly came to. You were so hungry. Or were you nauseous? Oh fuck. Yeah you were nauseous.
"gonna puke" you mutter. Hands helped you sit up and you immediately puked your guts up with the new position. Luckily there was a bucket held under you already. More hands held your hair back. You spat out the final wave and went to wipe a hand over your clammy forehead. Nothing happened. A straw prodded your lips slightly.
"Here. Rinse your mouth out."
You recognized Chopper's voice and did as you were told. Your eyes cracked open slightly and you winced at the light. If you hadn't just puked, you would've just then.
"brigh'" you slurred. The lights dimmed almost immediately. Someone eased you back down on the bed, and you moaned with the wave of dizziness that accompanied it.
"Zoro?"
"He's fine. He's healing and resting now, thanks to you" Chopper spoke quietly. Your throat burned, and you swallowed.
"Go back to sleep. You need the rest"
~~~~~~
The second time you woke up, you managed not to puke. You were definitely drugged, and you panicked for a second before your eyes landed on Chopper. He glanced around at the sound of your shifting and did a double take when he saw your open eyes. He breathed a sigh of relief.
"You're awake finally" he said. You grunted, unable to coherently form a sentence in your state. Memories flickered into your mind, and you went to sit up, but blinding white hot agony forced you back on the bed with a strangled scream.
"Hey don't move!" Chopper chided. He still kept his voice low. Tears flowed down the sides of your face towards your ears.
"Chopper" you whispered hoarsely. You started sobbing uncontrollably. It hurt so much. You lost your arms. You lost both your arms. I don't have arms anymore.
He came forward, shushing you and smoothing a hoof over your forehead.
"Hey, hey, it's okay. You're going to be okay."
"Zoro? Is he okay?"
"He's fine. He's already training"
You sniffled. You wanted to wipe away your tears, and the thought that you couldn't sent you into panicked sobs.
"I lost them Chopper. Please. I can't. I can't do it. It hurts so much. I'll only- Luffy will kick me off. I can't. I don't have anywhere to go" you rambled in your panic. Chopper looked at you with growing concern as you spoke, breaths heaving faster and faster. He suddenly fiddled with your IV, and he looked at you apologetically as you drifted into unconsciousness.
~~~~~~~~
You awoke the third time for good. Sunlight streamed into the infirmary through the small window, and you could hear muffled sounds of the group eating in the dining area. You groaned. Your whole chest, shoulders, and arms hurt. Down to your fingers. You tried to wiggle them, but nothing happened. You looked down at your arms. You were tucked into blankets on a cot that was angled so you weren't completely flat. You could see the outline of your shoulder, but halfway down your bicep, the blanket fell flat. Memories slammed into you. Your gaze whipped to the other arm. Only about an inch of your arm was left if you measured from your armpit.
You let your head fall back, tears tracking heated trails down your face. You tried to breathe, but everything hurt. At least Zoro is okay you thought. His dream could still happen, and he was alive. That's all you could ask for. The door to the infirmary creaked open, and you let your gaze fall to it. Sanji. He immediately backed out and called to the doctor.
"Oi Chopper! She's awake!"
Loud clamoring from trying to wrangle the suddenly very excited Luffy made a bolt of sharp pain stab through your head. You flinched, leading to more pain echoing down your chest and shoulders, and your phantom arms.
Chopper came in. Zoro followed, and you sighed a breath of relief at the sight of your healthy lover. A third, large frame squeezed into the infirmary. Franky. You were surprised to see him, but happy too. Looking at him, you suddenly remembered he basically rebuilt himself. He's been where you are now. A silent bond formed when he grinned at you, tears brimming his eyes. You smiled back slightly. You let your gaze fall back onto Zoro, taking in his form as Chopper checked you over. It distracted you.
By doing this, however, you didn't miss his dark expression as the reindeer peeled back your blankets down to your waist to check your vitals.
"Zoro..." you started. Your voice sounded hoarse. Zoro didn't move. He stared at your injuries, fury taking over his features. Franky moved forward, retrieving a nearby cup with a straw for you to sip some water. He held it up to your lips and you sipped gratefully. His frame blocked you from Zoro. Franky moved back, and all you heard was a door slam shut. Zoro was gone.
You blinked in confusion. Did he...? Why? Shock must've been written on your face, because Chopper spoke up.
"He's just... struggling to comprehend you got so badly injured while protecting him."
Franky nodded.
"It can hurt a man's pride, but it would've hurt his pride worse if he couldn't continue his dream. You saved his life, and his dream. Just let him be."
You sighed, nodding. You really wanted affection during this hard time. You just wanted him to say that he still loved you and that everything was going to be okay. But he couldn't. Was that selfish of you to want that?
"So. How bad is it?" you ask quietly. Franky sat on the bed by your ankles, putting one heavy hand on it.
"Before you know the details... You should know that you're not alone in this. I've been where you are... well... kinda. But once you're ready mentally and physically, I can build you new arms. We can work together on what you want, and even add some fun things to them. But you're not alone. Luffy would never kick you off his crew, especially when you sacrificed so much for another one of us. The only reason we held him back from coming in here is because he'd probably be too rough hugging you. And Zoro... he won't admit it but he's traumatized. He woke up while we were carrying the two of you back to the ship and thought you were dead. He saw your arm in the rubble. He threw up and wouldn't let anyone else carry you back to the ship."
You let the words wash over you. Your mind was lagging from the drugs but you understood the message. You finally nodded once your understanding clicked into place. You turned to Chopper, suddenly grateful for Franky's solid presence.
"So? How bad is it?"
Chopper roughly brushed away his tears before he clinically gave you the news.
"The bomb was a prototype, something that the Navy hopes to build on a large scale. It was designed to explode right before impact to stop pirates from knocking away the ammunition. It was the angle of your arm as you went to hit the ammo that protected the rest of your body from significant harm. The arm that was burnt off took most of the impact. You lost the other from shrapnel as you were thrown through walls. You have a cracked sternum and some broken ribs from the shockwave, and you had a slight concussion. Your vocal chords were damaged slightly as well, but those should heal soon."
You took the news numbly. It was like it was a horrific list of injuries that happened to someone else.
"I'm afraid I have to ask now though... do you remember it?"
You nodded silently.
"All of it?"
"Every second I was conscious. I know I blacked out when we were thrown through a wall, so I didn't feel my arms until I woke up after that. Saw my arm under a rock, soaking the ground with my blood. I wanted to throw up but I didn't have the time. I smelled my arm burning, then I felt it. The marines were coming. So I tried to drag Zoro with my teeth to get away, but I was too slow. My burnt arm was going numb but my missing one suddenly... I felt it. I stood up, and I remember thinking that I can get by without arms. He can't reach his dream without his, and I protected his body. I remember a marine saying that I was a rabid bitch, so I smiled at them, then called your names before I passed out from blood loss."
Bile rose in your throat as you recalled the memories. You gagged, and you felt your shoulder move as you instinctively went to slap a hand over your mouth. Chopper shoved a bedpan under your mouth and you threw up the water you just drank. Franky held back your hair and shushed you.
"Hey hey, don't push it. You're safe now. You're on board the Sunny, in Chopper's infirmary. Our captain is Monkey D. Luffy, and he's going to be the pirate king. Our cook is Sanji, Usopp is our sniper, Robin is an archeologist, and Nami is our navigator. Luffy likes meat, Sanji loves cooking, Usopp likes playing pranks on people, Robin likes coffee, and Nami likes tangerines. You with me? Breathe for me. In- one, two, three, four. Hold- one, two three, four. Out- one, two three, four.... you with me?"
Your shuddering breaths eased with Franky's help. You looked at him with teary eyes.
"Why do I still feel them? Why do my arms still hurt but they're not there?"
Chopper piped up quietly.
"The nerves are still getting used to what's left of your arms. Your brain has to rewire itself to accommodate this change, and it takes time. But Franky and I will both work to get you some new arms, as soon as you're ready, okay?"
Franky nodded. "It's called phantom limb pain commonly. I had it while I was healing after getting destroyed by the sea train, but it was easy to adapt when I rebuilt myself. It... it's terrible. It's going to mess with your head and bring up memories of the incident. It's going to ache and hurt like a bitch some days. I found for me, distracting myself helps."
You were quiet, staring at the blankets. You felt exhausted. It was too much to take in at once.
"Okay" you muttered. You yawned, and Franky stood. Chopper soothed some stray hair back from your forehead.
"Get some rest. You need to heal" he said. You nodded.
"Can... Can someone stay? I don't wanna be alone" you mumbled. Franky smiled at you before turning his gaze to the reindeer, jerking his head towards the door.
"Go finish eating. I'm full. Everyone will want an update too, and you can answer their questions better."
Chopper hesitated, but left once you nodded once at him.
"I'll be back soon"
You faded off to sleep before the door even opened.
~~~~~~~~
(TW- OOC Zoro verbally abusing reader, slight ooc Luffy and Sanji)
"oi."
The voice wriggled its way into your dreamless sleep, drawing your attention but not quite waking you up.
"Oi"
The voice was louder. Familiar. Something shook your leg slightly, and you sighed as you rose from your slumber, blinking open your eyes with a hum. Your gaze landed on green hair and a muscled frame.
"Zoro?" you asked, voice slurred with sleep. Pain shot down your torso as you tried to rub your eyes, and the full force of the memory of the trauma resurfaced like a knife to the gut.
You didn't have arms.
You whined, but were too exhausted to cry or panic again.
"Why did you do it?" His voice was harsh, spitting the words like they were venom.
"huh?"
"Why. Did. You. Do. It." The grip on your knee tightened slightly with each word until it was sure to leave marks. Your heart sank in fright and confusion.
"Zoro... your han-"
"Answer me!" His grip thrashed your leg around, jostling you on the bed. You cried out in pain.
"W-why did I d-do what Zoro?!" you asked, stuttering from fear and pain.
"You lost your arms to save me. Why?!"
"That-that's not really what happened. One got caught in the explosion and the other got cut off when I was thrown through a wall. I swear-"
"Don't play dumb with me, bitch. I don't need saving." His grip turned lethal on your knee, and it felt like he was considering crushing the bone. You hissed and whined in pain. This had to be a nightmare- your Zoro wouldn't act like this. Right?
"Your little act of heroism is keeping me awake. I can't sleep until I know why. So TELL ME!" he yelled the last words, his sharp tone echoing dully off the wooden walls.
Your heart shattered. He was... blaming you? Because he couldn't sleep? While you had saved his life and had lost your arms?
"I-I... Zoro I don't know what you want me to say. Losing my arms was an accident, and you were knocked unconscious so stood in front of your body. I wasn't really thinking I gue-"
'YOU WEREN'T THINKING?! WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN? YOU THINK I'M TOO FUCKING WEAK TO DEFEND MYSELF HUH?" He shoved off his seat, jostling your body a final time.
He drove a fist through the wall over your head, and you screamed.
The door to the infirmary slammed open, revealing Luffy and Sanji. Zoro didn't even look. He leaned over you, pinning you with his gaze.
"You weak, pathetic piece of shit! I never should've dated you. I never would've if I knew you would turn out like this! Losing your arms to a wall? I would've rather the bomb hit me and died than ever see a sight as ugly and pitiful as you are now! You stupid-"
"ZORO!"
Luffy finally found his voice through the shock of his first mate verbally abusing you like this. Anger rolled off his body in waves, and Sanji was still rooted with angry shock.
Luffy grabbed Zoro by the back of his head with his stretchy hand and hauled him out of the room. You were shaking, shocked and hurt by the words that just flew from the lips of the man you love. Chopper suddenly trotted up to your bedside, looking incredibly worried.
"Hey it's okay. You're okay. You're not weak or pathetic at all. You're severely injured but you're alive, okay? That makes you so, so strong. I promise"
You hardly heard Chopper's attempt at soothing you, staring at the doorway Luffy had dragged your boyfriend through. You turned your head to look at the hole in the wood above your head. Drops of blood dripped down the wall slowly.
"Uh-uhm. He-he's hur-hurt. You'd be-better go check o-on him" you breathed shakily.
"He'll be fine" a smooth voice answered. A handkerchief wiped your cheeks of tears you didn't even know you'd shed. Sanji smoothed hair back from your face gently.
"You sacrificed so much for this crew, you will never be weak. Don't let that fucking idiot take that away from you." A finger tilted your chin up slightly, but you turned your head, slipping from his grip.
"Look at me, darling."
You shook your head slightly. Sanji sighed, and tried again. You could feel Chopper checking your wounds to see if any had opened with the rough treatment from earlier.
"Please. Look at me" he begged, sounding close to tears. You finally looked up, meeting his gaze. A small smile quirked up the ends of his lips.
"There she is. You're so strong, beautiful, and kind. You are in no way pathetic or weak for what was done to you. Okay?"
Tears pooled in your eyes, pain from your broken heart and your injuries constricting your chest.
"Are you in pain?" Chopper asked. You nodded.
"I love him, but I think he just broke me a little."
Chopper glanced at Sanji, who was obviously trying to tamp down his rage at the swordsman. He held out a shaking hand, giving the handkerchief to Chopper now that he was done checking your injuries. The doctor accepted, giving Sanji a nod.
"I'll stay with her. Go."
"I owe you one" Sanji replied before walking out the door. As the door opened, you heard yelling and a clashing of metal, but it was closed quickly and gently.
"Your wound's didn't open again but it was close. It must've hurt." Chopper said gently. He wiped the handkerchief gently over your cheeks and under your nose.
"Do you want more pain medicine? You'll go right back to sleep. You can rest now that Luffy and Sanji are... taking care of Zoro."
You hesitated. There was one person that had been so calming during this whole incident.
"Can... can Franky sleep here too? I'd feel better if he'd be here when I woke up"
"Of course. Let me go get him really quick!" Chopper trotted out the door, allowing the sounds of more shouting to reach your ears. The door opened hardly a minute later, Franky's large frame entering the room.
"Yeow! You called?" he said, cheerful as ever. It brought a small smile to your face.
"I just wanted to be near you. You... get it" you said simply. Franky nodded, plopping his ass right in front of the door.
"Nobody is getting past me unless you're okay with it. Got it? Now sleep. You need it." He said gently. Chopper moved to your IV, and with a nod from you, raised the dosage slightly. Sleep took you quickly.
~~~~~~~~
You roused with a bright light shining on your face, and you groaned lightly, turning your face away. A tired sigh passed through your nostrils. You heard loud snores nearby, and your brow furrowed lightly in confusion before recognizing them as Franky's. The mattress dipped slightly and you heard Chopper's small grunt of effort hauling himself up on the bed. Pain stabbed through your chest and shoulders, but it was manageable for now.
"are you awake?" he whispered. You hummed.
"Too bright." you murmured. His weight disappeared from the bed and the sound of a curtain drawing made your ears perk up. Your eyes blinked open tiredly, focusing on the ceiling.
"How are you feeling?"
"Mmm... Okay I guess."
"How's the pain level?"
"Less than yesterday."
"Good. You're healing fairly quick."
You let out a non-committal grunt at Chopper's optimistic observation. You just felt... Numb? Cold? Disheartened? Trying to name the emotions brought back the memory of Zoro's words last night.
Pathetic.
Ugly.
He'd rather die than date me like this.
Stupid.
You turned your head slightly away from Chopper, letting him examine you. Franky's snores had stopped sometime during your brief exchange with the doctor, and you heard a loud yawn as he woke.
"How ya doin kiddo?"
You simply hummed, letting Chopper answer for you.
"Her wounds are healing rather quick. I think the cybernetic arms can be attached soon, if the two of you figure out the design."
Your heart sped up at the thought of more pain and surgery, breaths quickening. Franky seemed to immediately catch on.
"There's a way to do it when it's fully healed too, so don't worry too much about the time. We'll do them whenever she- you're- ready." He directed his last sentence towards you, letting you in on the conversation. You didn't react.
"Can I have some water?" your voice was still raspy from waking up. Franky brought a straw up to your lips and you sipped some stale water.
"Are you hungry?" Chopper asked. You shook your head slightly. You just wanted to sleep, to escape this reality. The reality where you lost. Lost your arms. Lost the man you love.
"I know you may not be up for much at all, but almost everyone is going to take turns keeping you company, got it? We're here for ya." Franky gently smoothed a stray lock of hair from your face. You heard the message between the lines: "we'll keep you safe from Zoro". You blinked listlessly, wishing your body would let you go back to sleep.
"What happened to him?" you asked quietly. The energy in the room became charged, and you could tell both Franky and Chopper were hesitant to speak about Zoro's outburst with you.
"He fought Luffy and Sanji, and even tried to fight Nami and Robin but Robin pinned him down. Luffy got through to him... eventually"
"but it's still my fault" The whisper left your lips mindlessly. Franky knelt next to the bed, making sure his face was in your line of sight.
"Nothing like this is ever your fault. You love someone enough to unthinkingly put yourself in a situation where your body is destroyed, and yet you lived. You're alive. You're part of our crew, no matter what. You're our family, and this family is our home."
Tears burned your throat and budded in your eyes.
"Franky... I'm so lost."
"I know, kiddo. But I promise, we'll help you find your way again. You're safe with us, and loved by all of us."
"Not Zoro though."
"... I can't tell you if he loves you in the same way, but he will protect you because you're our family, okay?"
You blinked, letting the tears track wet trails down your face.
"Can you talk to me about your ideas for my arms?"
A broad smile split his face, and he pulled up a stool to regale you with his ideas.
~~~~~~~~
A week passed. A humiliating, helpless week of staying in bed and asking for things. You didn't see Zoro, nor did you ask to see him. You asked if he was alright, but that was it. The crew spent hours with you at a time. Nami chatted about gossip and fashion magazines, Robin read books aloud to you in her soothing voice, Sanji talked to you about interesting cooking techniques as he fed you every meal, Usopp told tall tales, Brook played soft music and told you of adventures with his old crew, and Luffy talked about beetles and animals he or napped with you. Chopper was in and out of the room through the day, checking on you while he kept you company.
You were numb and listless for days, until a stupid story from Usopp made your lips twitch into a smile. He milked the joke and story until you were giggling softly, and some stress seemed to lift from the crew's shoulders later in the day. Franky kept bringing you ideas and fabricated bits of that would become your cybernetic arms, easing you into the idea of them. The first few times he brought them in, you'd panicked, only able to feel the pain and the burn of losing them. He walked you through breathing and grounding yourself, his voice calm and soft.
You stopped asking about Zoro after the first week. He obviously only saw you as pathetic, ugly, and stupid, so why bother burdening him with your concern? It was Robin who brought him up again, having noticed your lack of curiosity.
"Zoro's been training all day, every day for over a week now. He'll only eat meals so he doesn't have to deal with Sanji's nagging and only sleeps when he's not on night watch. I'm almost concerned for him" she said casually. You hummed in response, looking away from her as you kept your expression neutral.
"Not much anyone can do about that" you replied. She dropped the subject.
Another week passed with you falling into bouts of depression and hopelessness between distractions that captured your attention completely. Your pain had fallen to a level of an aching that seeped deep into your soul to the point where you couldn't tell where your physical pain and your depression divided. Franky and Chopper were your saving grace, with Sanji offering heartfelt messages of support. One afternoon, Chopper and Franky finally approached you, cautiously excited. You blinked at their odd behavior.
"What is it?" you asked tiredly. The duo traded glances before Franky spoke.
"Remember how we're allied with the Heart Pirates?" he began. You nodded slowly, your body still protesting from the movement.
"Do you remember their captain?"
"Yeah? Trafalgar Law- the Surgeon of Death... where are you going with this?"
Chopper piped up.
"I told him about your case. He told me that due to his ability, the surgery for your arms could potentially be exponentially less painful than doing it the way Franky and I would." he said, a little sheepish that he had told another doctor about you.
You furrowed your brow. You didn't like the word "potentially".
"Potentially?" you echoed. Chopper nodded.
"Nothing in medicine is exactly a given or a 100% chance. But he said it's likely to be much less painful if he were to use his ability to do the surgery."
You sighed, overwhelmed with the news. You felt exhausted already.
"When is he coming?" you asked. Franky answered your question.
"His sub'll be here tomorrow. The surgery itself won't happen tomorrow, because he needs time to familiarize himself with your injuries and the arms I made, but he'll talk to you about doing it. If you don't want it to happen that way, you don't really need to, but it'll be a lot better for everyone if you do, including yourself."
You viciously pushed away the thought that everyone seemed to know better than you now that you'd gone and done something stupid. You knew what they said made sense, and honestly you just wanted the arms attached finally. You puffed out a sigh, sitting up and wiggling your hips to ease the numbness in your legs.
"I'll talk to him about it" you finally replied. Chopper smiled widely with a giggle and Franky shouted his iconic "SUUUPERRRRRR" as he clashed his arms together in his dumb pose. It made you smile a bit. There was a quiet knock on the door that lead to the deck, distracting you from the pair's antics.
"Come in!" you called. You fully expected it to be Usopp or Robin, as Nami had kept you company this morning. Sanji would've knocked from the kitchen and the others simply didn't care about knocking. The door didn't open right away, and Chopper made his way over to open it. When you saw who was on the other side, your breath was punched out of your lungs, and you stared with eyes widened in shock.
"Zoro!" Chopper called happily before he seemed to remember what had happened. The swordsman's gaze met yours, and he immediately looked away. His previous words pierced your heart again.
Pathetic. Ugly. Weak. He'd rather die than date someone who's like this.
Franky jumped into action, standing in front of you protectively and blocking your view of Zoro.
"What are you doing here?" He asked evenly. You heard feet shuffle and his scabbards clank together as your new visitor shifted uncomfortably.
"I wanna talk to her" Zoro replied in a gruff voice. Franky looked back and down at you. His hulking figure felt protective, like an older brother. You thought for a second. You were tired, but knew if you didn't hear what he had to say, you wouldn't be able to sleep.
"Let him in. But stay right outside, and leave the door cracked open" you ordered. You knew your lack of trust in him would hurt Zoro, but you didn't want to take any chances. Not again.
Franky traded places with the swordsman, and you heard the door's latch tap the frame before you settled yourself to look at your new visitor.
"What do you need?" you asked flatly.
He stood there, fiddling with his sword handles as he looked down at the floor.
"I... wanted to... apologize." He finally spat out. One hand was gripping his white sword handle.
"You wanted to?" you echoed, somewhat surprised. His jaw tightened, tanned skin rippling lightly by his temple.
"I... Luffy said I needed to"
Disappointment and sadness pierced your gut like a spear of ice.
"Oh. Thanks I guess." you said. You couldn't hide the harsh bitterness in your voice, making your words sound sarcastic and angry. Zoro's expression darkened in anger.
"I'm trying to apologize! Isn't that enough?!"
White hot fury ripped through you, burning your filter to ashes. The pain caused by his words, his attitude, for scaring you by punching the wall over your head, for yelling at you, and for his lack of affection and love during the scariest time in your life so far reared its head.
"I WANT YOU TO APOLOGIZE WHEN YOU MEAN IT, ZORO! NOT BECAUSE YOU WERE ORDERED TO!"
The door slammed open, and Franky entered, dragging the writhing swordsman out of the room as he yelled to be let go. The door shut quickly behind them, Chopper quickly bounding to your bedside as you sat there, shaking.
"Breathe for me, okay? I'm right here. You're safe." Chopper's voice brought a sense of calm familiarity to your spinning mind, slowing it slightly. You wanted to reach out to him, to pet his fur or feel the hardness of his cloven hooves. But your couldn't. Tears from panic blurred your vision, knowing you'd never be able to feel things the same way again. The warmth of his skin, the touch of his callouses between your fingers or tracing patterns on your arms, or the softness of his hair.
"I can't touch you" is what tumbled out of your mouth. Chopper moved forward, nuzzling your cheek with his own, wiping away the tears with his fur. He hugged your neck gently, breathing deeply so you could follow his example. You let him ease you into a better state of mind, smelling his fur and feeling how soft it was on your cheeks and neck.
You heard angry yelling outside, but you were so tired of the emotion that it just washed over you as you calmed yourself with Chopper's help. Eventually your rage faded into numbness, and you laid back on the bed with Chopper cuddling your side.
"Hey... when do you think I can walk again?" you murmured into the quiet of the room. Chopper shifted, looking up at you as he hummed.
"Whenever you feel ready. It will likely hurt because you'll want to move your arms for balance, but maybe we can put a chair outside the door so you can get some sun and fresh air?"
It was your turn to hum in thought.
"I like that idea, but I'm not ready to see Zoro again."
You flinched as a crash shook the entire ship, and more yelling accompanied the commotion. Chopper looked worriedly towards the door.
"Maybe tomorrow then?"
Tears welled in your eyes suddenly, and you felt stupid for crying. The adrenaline from the anger had dissipated by this point, and you could only feel hurt at what Zoro had said. You couldn't believe that the man you at one point fell in love with had said those things. That he was only apologizing because Luffy said he needed to.
I really am pathetic.
You sniffed, alerting the fluffy doctor to your tears. He quickly hopped off the bed and returned with a few tissues. You tried to send him a weak smile, but failed as your jaw clenched with raw emotion. You cried for about a half hour, tears falling continually as you swallowed sobs. You looked listlessly at the ceiling, recalling all the good times you had with him. The laughs, watching each other's backs in fights, the peaceful times stargazing with him, even when he made love to you. He was so kind and soft towards you, treating you like you were precious. Were you worthless now that you had lost your arms?
Your tears finally stopped, and you heard a light knock on the door leading to the kitchen. Sanji. Chopper called for him to come in. You couldn't bring yourself to even move, let alone speak.
"I brought some chocolate covered fruits for the lady" he said gently. You swallowed back a fresh wave of tears. Why do I deserve to be treated so kind? Zoro's made it plenty clear that I shouldn't be.
"Thanks Sanji!" Chopper chirped, eyeing the food. The cook smiled, pulling out another plate behind his back for the doctor. Chopper's victorious and excited laugh made your lips twitch upwards and Sanji grinned in delight at the little reindeer. You heard him munching on his snack while humming at the delicious taste. Sanji approached you, sitting on the chair that had be almost constantly occupied by your various crewmates through the week- all except one.
You turned your gaze away from the chef, studying the now very familiar swirls of the wood on the ceiling above you.
"Hungry?" he asked. You could see him holding up a piece of chocolate covered fruit out of the corner of your eye, and you sighed.
"You can feed it to Luffy" you said quietly. You could tell Sanji's smile dimmed significantly at your answer, but he tried again.
"Luffy has his own. You need to keep your strength up."
"I'm not hungry"
He put the plate on the nearby table and leaned his elbows on his knees, holding his chin in one hand and let the other relax onto the bed. You wished you could hold it. Just to feel something. You looked the opposite way from him until he was completely out of your perhephial.
"Are you really not hungry or do you believe you're not worthy of such food other than the bare minimum to keep you alive?" he questioned. You could feel Chopper staring at you, waiting for your answer. You shut your eyes. Sanji sighed.
"Chopper, do you mind letting her and I talk alone?" he asked quietly. The doctor must have nodded, because you heard his hooves on the wood before he opened and closed the door.
"We're alone. Do you want to answer now?" he asked gently. You opened your eyes.
"No. I don't want to answer" you tried. Sanji hummed under his breath.
"Look at me, at least" he commanded gently. You prepared yourself, sighing as you let your head flop over so you could look at his face.
"There you are" he smiled. You furrowed your brows in a sad frown, fighting back tears.
"Why is he acting like... this?" you asked quietly. Sanji tried to anger at the mention of the swordsman, but failed to keep the glint out of his eye.
"Men are... complicated. They're often not in touch with their emotions like yours truly, so they can't put a name to what they're feeling. Fear and terror are supposed to be expressed as anger, loyalty means to fight for someone instead of to be by their side through thick and thin, and anger itself is supposed to be expressed through violence. That's how men are supposed to be. That's how Zoro is. He's got the emotional intelligence of a rock. He was terrified of losing you, and ashamed he got knocked out because he didn't listen to your advice to run, which resulted in you losing your arms while you protected him. He feels guilty, terrified, and helpless whenever he sees you, but the only way he can express that is anger directed at you" he explained. You looked at him in wonder. All through this you hadn't wondered how Zoro might feel, but rather wondered why he was acting out at you.
Tears welled up yet again. Sanji looked at you in fearful concern.
"Hey hey, shhhhh you did nothing wrong. He should've told you, but he hasn't even been able to identify the emotions. He needs to find out for himself, or it won't be genuine when he does apologize to you."
You sniffed, stuttering out words around your sobs.
"B-but I-I should-d-d've known-n-n. I sh-should've thought! He's right! I-I'm path-thetic an-and ugly an-nd weak! How c-could he l-love s-s-some-one like me?"
Sanji soothed hair back from your face, tracing the curve of your eyebrow soothingly.
"Ah my dear. You are none of those things. How could you be? You are the exact opposite of pathetic and weak if you are on this crew, and you are beautiful enough to catch the eye of the stoic swordsman, as idiotic as he is. You protected someone you love, and yes, you lost part of you because of that, but you gained so much more. Our respect and love for you as our precious crewmate has only multiplied. We were brought face to face with what life without you would be like, and it only brought us sorrow. Please, my dear. You are incredible. Stunning. Strong. Trust me when I say he thinks the same."
You looked at him, lips parted with shock from his words.
"You promise?"
"I promise you that if he doesn't think that, then I will never cook for him again" he said, smiling gently. You sniffed.
"I... I don't know if I can... well..." you mumbled. Sanji caught onto what you were trying to say.
"Nobody is asking you or expecting you to forgive him for the things he said. Nobody is even asking you to love him the same way again, just to accept him as your fellow crewmate and friend. In fact, I think what he said was completely unforgivable with you in any state, let alone going through a time when you needed his affection." Anger colored his voice in the last sentence, but you knew he was right. It was unforgivable to you, at the very least right now. You sighed. All these emotions were making you crave something sweet.
As if he could read your mind, Sanji reached over to the plate he brought in earlier, and held up a piece of fruit to your lips with a smile. You took it, knowing that eventually, somehow and at some time, you would be okay.
434 notes · View notes
wannaeatramyeon · 11 months
Text
The Crew Heads with Reader: Shopping
G/N. (Jake Kim, Eli Jang, Johan Seong, Samuel Seo).
Bro Code | Dinner | Shopping | Television | Gacha | Board Games | Suits
Tumblr media
The general public is split between taking a wide berth-
(Who can blame them? The four intimidating men in your company cast a menacing aura.)
-and ogling.
(Who can blame them? The four striking men in your company cut a very impressive figure.
Figures.
Tall and muscular, pretty and lean, charming and swoonworthy, sexy and brooding... There's someone for everyone.)
Samuel walks a few steps ahead, as if he's too good to be seen with the likes of you lot. He's not an equal, he's the leader.
In his head, anyway.
Yet when you catch up to talk to him, he slows, pace matching yours. Arches down ever so slightly to make it easier for you.
Jake and Eli flank you. Both smiling; one just a small, sweet quirk of the lips, the other a full toothy grin. Enjoying your company, your quips and running commentary.
Johan trails a little behind. Like a petulant teen out with his family. Still, being with you, even here, is better than not. So he follows, pouting and bored.
Yet can't stop the brightness in his eyes, when you turn around and give him a smile. A soft look to just say hi.
.
.
"No."
"It's just a t-shirt."
"I'm not paying for that."
"Workers pay that poorly?" Jake pulls a faux look of concern. Or it could be sincere. Who knows with Jake and Samuel. "You really should come back to Big Deal, we'll treat you right."
Samuel takes one deep breath before yanking the item from Jake's grip, and proceeds to the register with the rest of the clothing you have been interested in.
Some jeans you have ooh-ed over. A couple of jackets you have aah-ed from afar. And now also a stupid t-shirt.
Which is tacky and tasteless, Samuel thinks, mean and a touch childish.
"This one too?" You add a small dress atop the pile as the shop assistant rings through the purchases.
(Samuel pays for everything.
Took it as a personal offence the first time you said no, many moons ago. Now it's just a habit, almost expected. You're grateful, nevertheless.)
"Doesn't seem like your size," Samuel comments and you look up at him. Puppy eyes on full display and bottom lip jutted out.
A little, not too much. Don't want to overdo it.
Samuel sighs. "Fine."
He's not an idiot. He knows what you're doing, yet he's always powerless to resist.
You beam at him, giving his bicep a squeeze, "Thanks Sammy. Yenna will look adorable in it."
Samuel doesn't say anything. Couldn't give a flying fuck if Yenna will look adorable or hideous. Irritated that he even knows who Yenna is. Gives one quick glance over to Eli, who is still looking at the toddler's section, a pair of shoes in each hand.
"It's fine," he mutters as you lean up to kiss him on the cheek.
.
.
Johan perks up when it is time for lunch. The only time he has been anything other than sullen.
"So hangry all the time," you tease, and receive a scathing look in return.
"You've just proved me right," you snicker, reaching out to ruffle his hair as he slurps on his ramen. The glare remains, but there's no heat to it.
"You know," you give your coffee a stir, watching the crema dissipate, "You don't have to come out with me if you don't enjoy it."
Johan doesn't respond. You look back at him and he can't meet your eyes.
He swallows, feels the noodles and broth burning his throat. The tiniest, "I do," leaves his lips.
A ‘blink and you would have missed it’ admission.
.
.
"Y/N. Let's go." Eli whispers urgently into your ear, interrupting you gawking at a bag that costs three months of rent.
"What-"
"No time." Jake says, hoisting you up into a princess carry (effortlessly, you didn't fail to notice) and sprinting out the store.
"Put me down!" You squirm and wriggle to no avail.
"We'll explain later," Eli laughs, matching Jake step for step. Neither breaking into a sweat, neither even out of breath.
They round the corner, joining up with Samuel and Johan at full speed. All with matching gleeful expressions.
.
.
"We stole his clothes." Eli holds up a pair of trousers, Samuel a shirt, and Johan a jacket.
You're speechless. Almost. "How the fuck-"
"This genius," Jake nods at Eli, "saw Gun trying on a new suit. Admiring himself in the mirror. Probably seeing if the bucket of hair gel he usually uses is enough." A fake gag and roll of the eyes. "Johan and Sammy wanted to fight him."
"Samuel-" Sammy corrects, and is ignored. As per usual.
"I suggested the pacifist route," Jake grins. And you know he means he's not going to cause any trouble for you, even if you’ve noticed his eyes clouding over with anger.
It goes as quickly as it comes. He doesn't want you involved with Gun Park at all.
You snort, "Yeah but he can always just buy and walk away in a new outfit."
"Maybe," Eli shrugs, " Maybe not." And he fishes out the phone and wallet from each pocket.
Oh. Oh! 
You think of Gun Park standing bewildered in his undies. 
Left stranded. Clothes gone. Personal belongings gone. 
A victim of a crime committed by the bosses of the four crews and you laugh so hard you think you might never be the same again.
747 notes · View notes
marnikula · 5 months
Note
Hey! I was wondering if you would be able to write a post about a Derek x reader where Derek is in the hospital after getting shot and the reader is just so distraught and bursts into his room, but plot twist, no one knows that they are in a relationship except for Garcia, who let the reader know, and they are all so confused.
Also, I imagined it as a female reader, so if you are comfortable, could you do that?
Hey! Sure, I can do that for you😊
Not my best work, sorry about that, but I hope you enjoy none the less
CW: Injury, female reader, mentions of gun shot, hurt / comfort, talks of deatb
✨Enjoy!✨
You have never felt your heart drop so quickly and so violently into your shoes before that moment. "He just went into surgery, I don't know how long it's going to take for him to come out, I called as soon as I could."
Derek was shot. He was in surgery. He was shot. Shot. He could be dying. He could be dead.
Shooting out of your seat you grabbed a bag and flung all of your necessities in it, letting Garcia know you were on the way before hanging up the phone. He was in California, 6 hours away by plane and you hadn't even bought tickets yet, you didn't have anywhere to stay. You knew you were being rash rushing to the other side of the country without a plan, but you didn't care. The love of your life was on an operating table and you weren't there.
Hailing a taxi to the airport you finally took the time to book a flight, thanking whatever higher power there was for the fact that the soonest flight out was in less than an hour and praying that you would be able to make it.
===============================
Rushing into the hospital, your bag still in hand, you ran up to the front desk.
"I'm looking for Derek Morgan's room, he was shot, can you tell me where he is" even to your own ears your voice sounded frantic, like you were hanging on by a thread. And to be honest you were, you just needed to know that Derek was okay. "What is your relation to the patient?" "I'm his girlfriend"
After getting his room number from the nurse you practically flew up the stairs, not having the patience to wait for an elevator. Seeing his room you moved even faster, breaking into a sprint and almost knocking a tall and lanky man over in the process. Shouting your apologies behind you, you were met with a door, slowing down just in time to not run against it.
You were in such a flurry of relief seeing Derek alive and awake that you didn't even register the rest of the people in the room as you rushed in, dropping your bag at the door and enveloping him in a hug. His good arm reached around you and hugged you back as tightly as he could muster, which was still pretty tight considering he had just woke up from anesthesia.
Kissing the top of your head Derek spoke the first word between the two of you: "Hey princess, what are you doing here?" You shoved yourself out of his embrace, still sitting on the bed and letting the agitation you felt show on your features
"What am I doing here?! Seriously? You got shot and went into emergency surgery and you're asking me what am I doing here?!" "Whoah baby, calm down, I'm fine, doctors said I'll make a full recovery, no lasting damage except for some scarring" your reply followed, with a smack against his good shoulder as well "Don't you ever, and I mean *EVER* do that to me again, do you understand?! I was so scared that I would loose you" "Baby, I'm so sorry that I scared you, but I'm fine now, and I promise to try my best not to get shot again. It ain't exactly fun you know. Now do I get a kiss or what?"
A loud clearing of a voice broke the two of you out of your little world. "Are we perhaps interrupting something?"
"Rossi, man, I respect you and all, but please, get your and everyone else's asses out of my room so I can spend some time with my girl"
191 notes · View notes
lanabuckybarnes · 2 months
Text
| Pay Up |
18+ MINORS DNI
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
THIS IS A DARK FIC!!! Heed the warnings and tread carefully I cannot stress enough. If any warnings trigger you do not progress,
✧Pairing ✧ Lloyd Hansen x Reader x Ransom Drysdale
✧Warnings✧ Dub/Non-Con Themes!!! — Drinking, Cheating, Mentions of feeling sick (sorry emetophobic people) Crushing (in a romantic sense), stalking??, Lloyd Hansen, no really he is a pos in this, Unconsented touching (non sexual), Drugging, panty kink (probably), Ransom your saviour, actually not because he’s also a pos, Biting, Recording, Dirty talk, Humiliation, Degradation, Fingering (F), Pussy Slapping, Squirting, lil Cum play, alluding to Oral (F) — If I have missed anymore, especially in a story like this one please let me know and I shall add it right away.
✧Word Count✧ 1.9k
✧Author Note✧ so while I am visiting family and working on my Stevie series and a few other things I thought I would give you these two because if I don’t get this out my drafts I’ll scream.
Tumblr media
You should’ve known better than to attend these parties. Ransom’s parties never ended well for anyone but it had been so long and you wanted to let your hair down, have some fun.
Maybe you should’ve stopped after the first drink you were given had you buzzed but you always were a glutton for punishment so you went back for a second and a third. Now you were tipsy, heels discarded in the corner of the room somewhere and desperately horny. The only issue was your boyfriend was nowhere to be seen.
You checked the kitchen, living room, outside — he was nowhere. Eventually you stumbled upstairs, a cacophony of wet skin and sharp moans reaching you. Couples sneaking off to fuck was normal for these things but for some reason, a feeling deep within your gut made you feel like you had to investigate.
The door to the room was ajar, all it took was a soft shove for it to open fully. What you didn’t expect was the scene in front of you. Your jaw dropped to the floor at the sight, your boyfriend lying on his back while some drunk slut rode him to filth. All at once the wall protecting your mind from registering the scene crumbled, a slew of emotions bursting forth like water from a dam. You felt sick, the alcohol in your stomach threatening to bubble back up your throat.
“Ohh fu—baby?” Your boyfriend turned noticing you were there. At the mention of the pet name he so endearingly called you, you gagged, tears springing into your eyes. Turning on your heel before he could wiggle out of his compromised position, you sprinted out of the room, to the only place you knew would be vacant.
Ransom’s room was huge. It was a lot less colourful than what you could remember, had it really been that long since you’d been in here? Surely not, that meant you’d been avoiding Ran for longer than you thought. It was all thanks to your now ex boyfriend.
Ransom had been your best friend for as long as you could remember, he was a few years older than you and treated you like shit sometimes but thanks to a horrible upbringing and not knowing any better you found his treatment loving and developed a little crush on the brunette in your teenage years. After you made it official with your boyfriend he forced you to cut ties with any person he saw as a threat, that included Ransom.
You sank onto the bed, curling into a little ball as you sobbed, uncaring of mascara streaks running down your face. Your night was ruined anyway.
Tumblr media
Lloyd watched as you stepped up the stairs, following behind with a fair distance as to not arouse suspicion. He watched as you caught your boyfriend fucking another girl, watched as you stumbled your way out of the room and into Ransom’s. He knew then that you were ripe for picking.
Lloyd had his eye on you for a while. You were cute, and completely stupid in his eyes. You trusted everyone and anything to come from their mouths without so much as a second thought.
Tumblr media
You ignored the soft squeak of Ransom’s door, choosing instead to bury yourself into the musk of his sheets. Your earlier horniness flaring up again at the scent of another man. You felt disgusted by just how easily you soaked yourself.
“Cupcakeee” he sang, the hairs on the back of your neck stood on end. If there was one person worse than your boyfriend or Ransom Drysdale it was him. Lloyd Hansen. You’d spoken to him a few times but he was very handsy and said things that would have an incubus curling away in disgust.
You’d met him at the start of your night, his hands on your hips and dancing to the music while you tried desperately to push yourself away from him. He let you go with a laugh but kept a close eye on you until now.
He was the last person you wanted to speak to but he’s was hard to get rid of.
“Lloyd” you spoke bitterly, voice a little raspy. You sat up on the bed, avoiding his strong gaze.
“Why the tears pumpkin? Are you not enjoying yourself?” He smiled wickedly, you could tell that he knew why. When he tried to push a strand of your hair away from your face you smacked his hand away.
“Wow feisty” he laughed and you scoffed.
“Leave me alone Lloyd.”
He cleared his throat, squatting down in front of you. Those tight white pants stretching impossibly against his thick thighs. His ringed fingers splayed over your thighs, his chin resting on your knees.
“Hey now I’m just tryna help, that’s no way to treat someone tryna help you sugar” he sounded almost sad but his face shone with a smugness only he was capable of.
“That boyfriend of yours away fucking other women huh?” He questioned, turning his head to rest his cheek against your knee bone instead. His hands squished the fat of your thighs a little hard but not enough to cause any searing pain. The tips of fingers danced over the hem of your too short dress.
From this angle Lloyd could see straight up the skirt, getting an eyeful of those pretty baby pink panties. Ones he’d caught you in before, his favourite pair ever since. His tongue darts out to wet his lips, he wanted nothing more than to taste that sweet cunt but he had to play this tactically.
“You wanna talk about it princess?” He says, distracting you from his wandering hands as they inched up under your dress.
“Stop Lloyd” you warned, gripping at his forearms. You felt weak, embarrassingly so, you knew for a fact you were so much stronger than this. Your brain felt foggy, your words slurring. Then it clicked. Lloyd smiled dangerously.
“Come on Crumbcake, let me make you feel good.”
All it took was a small shove for you to flop back onto the bed, your world spinning as you stared up at the ceiling. You protested as he bunched your dress up at your hips but you couldn’t fight.
“Fuck look at these beautiful panties, all pink and pretty, just like you huh cupcake?” his lips kissed down your inner thigh. Your hands felt heavy, you wanted to push his head away but the hot feeling his mouth left was too inviting.
He stopped his kisses as he reached your panties, taking in the dark patch you’d made, he almost moaned aloud at the sight. He leaned forward, pushing his face into the material and sniffed harshly, his eyes rolling into the back of his head at your scent, a groan tumbling from his mouth. His teeth sank into the fabric, your taste sweet on the tip of his tongue. He felt like he was going to bust and he hadn’t even seen your pussy yet.
“Starting without me Lloyd?” You perked up at the new voice — new but oh so familiar.
Lloyd sighed as he let go of the fabric, turning to the man closing the door with a glare.
“No” he spat “just having a look.”
“That’s starting without me” the voice returned.
“Oh piss off Ransom.”
That’s who it was, relief pooling in your veins as you recognised him. Maybe he’d come to help you, whisk you away from the madman between your legs.
You wet your dry lips, sucking in a few breaths before trying to speak. Your jaw felt so heavy.
“R-Ran” you slurred. When you tried to raise your head you couldn’t. You let out a frustrated moan.
“Hey pretty girl” Ransom cooed, crawling onto the bed until he was in your line of sight. His hand brushed over your cheek softly, the feeling so comforting compared to the tingles all over your body. You smiled up at him, small tears falling from your eyes. Your saviour.
“H-help” you whispered. Your fingers twitched but you couldn’t reach out to him. Ran shushed you gently, murmuring comforting words that only he knew. Words from when you were both children and you hurt yourself playing with the bigger boys.
“It’s gonna be ok pretty girl, Lloyd just needs one little thing” and like that your world crumbled. Ransom wasn’t your saviour, he was here to help the beast that currently sucked dark marks over your skin.
“R-Ran no please” you sobbed, your lips wobbling as your vision blurred with fat tears. This time Ransom’s comfort did nothing but make you feel worse. He tried his best to calm you down but to no avail.
You yelled weakly at the painful reminder of just who else was there shot from your thigh. Lloyd bit the sensitive skin until he tasted copper.
“I don’t have all day,” he grunted. Ransom sighed, moving off the bed and away from you. Lloyd took his place behind you, gathering your almost limp body into his arms and pulling you into his chest, his thighs on either side of yours as he leaned back against the headboard.
At this new angle you could see Ransom at the foot of the bed, his phone in his hand. You gulped the thick slew of emotions ranging from disgust to terror down.
“Here’s the thing pumpkin” Lloyd growled in your ear, his hands ripping the top part of your dress until your breasts spilled from the fabric.
“Your little boyfriend fucked up tonight in more ways than one, he owes me and Rannie here a whole lot of money…so you sugar, you’re gonna be our little payback alright? Don’t worry though I won’t hurt you too much, especially not if you do as I say. So just relax, you never know…you might enjoy it too.”
Lloyd’s hands explored your body, one hand grasping at one of your tits while the other wandered down your body until it slipped into your panties. You shut your eyes, trying to hide the fact that his fingers circling your clit felt good. The snap of your panties waistband had you whimpering, the fabric falling until your sopping cunt was exposed to both men.
The flash of Ransom’s phone almost blinded you. He shuffled forward, pointing the camera at your pussy. Lloyd chuckled as his fingers slipped through your folds, completely soaked by the time they reached your clit.
“Fuck cupcake you’re enjoying this ain’t you? Bet you like having that pretty pussy filmed, is that why you’re so wet? Or is it because I’m the one touching it? Or maybe” his nose bumped the side of your head as he leaned down to whisper in your ear.
“Maybe it’s because of Rannie, is that it pudding? Are you soaked because your little crush is watching you?”
You tried to shake your head at it all. It was none of them, it wasn’t Lloyd, it wasn’t Ransom and it wasn’t the camera. So what was it then?
The stretching of your pussy around Lloyd’s fingers caught you off guard, a painfully pleasured moan escaping you before you could bite it back. Lloyd smirked at your unravelling. His fingers fucked you quickly, the heel of his palm grinding against your swollen clit.
“Fuck that little pussy is singing for me, listen to that Ran, thought you didn’t want this hm? If you didn’t want this then why is your pussy fucking soaked” he spat, his fingers pulling out of you to land a harsh smack against your pussy causing you to shudder. You didn’t have any time to relax from the pain before three of his ringed fingers were back inside you, spreading you out like you never felt before.
You whined in protest as your stomach coiled, ropes of pleasure bundling together almost painfully.
“Ohh look at that, you gonna cum? Such a pathetic whiny slut, putting up a big fight but she’s gonna cum over my fucking fingers. Let go cupcake, cum, soak me—do it” he demanded, the sharp tone to his words capturing you and dragging you down to the pits.
You heard a pitiful squeal, you think it was from you. Your eyes squeezed shut as your pussy gushed over Lloyd’s fingers, almost soaking Ransom and his phone. Lloyd didn’t stop until he knew you were done, that your body had spent all of its juices. His fingers slipped from you, all connected with strings of your cum.
He smeared his hand over your face before capturing your unresponsive lips in a bruising kiss, his tongue lashing with yours and his teeth biting your lips.
“Let’s see how your little boyfriend responds to that shall we?” Lloyd speaks with a cheery lilt.
“But while we wait, let’s let Rannie get a taste of that pussy ok?” He turned your face to meet his gaze. You couldn’t respond, only letting out a soft grunt.
“Good girl.”
Tumblr media
I DO NOT give permission to have my work copied, translated or reposted. If you see my work anywhere else except on this page I have not given consent for it to be used.
Comments, Reblogs, Likes & Asks are always appreciated, although if you liked this fic please consider reblogging so it can reach a wider audience. They let me know that you are enjoying what you read and give me motivation to write more.
Thanks for reading~
98 notes · View notes
shadowdaddies · 7 months
Text
Reunited - Part II
Fenrys x Reader
Part I | Part III
Summary: after years of working as a spy in Adarlan, you are finally reunited with your cousin, Aelin, as you join the war to reclaim Terrasen and bring peace to Erilea. What you don't expect is to meet your mate in the middle of a war.
A/N: this story will have at least two more parts; this one is very angsty I’m sorry
Warnings: canon-typical violence, EOS spoilers
Tumblr media
The door to the pub slammed behind Aedion with such a force that you flinched in your seat. 
“He will come around,” you murmured, reaching your hand across the table towards your father. You sighed softly at Gavriel’s dejected expression, taking his hand in your own as you mustered a weak smile. “I’ll talk to him,” you promised, knowing the sway you held with your brother.
Your father’s tawny eyes shone with something like pride as he squeezed your hand, his blonde hair swaying as he shook his head. “Aedion is right to feel the way that he does. I don’t expect him to come around easily. He is as stubborn as your mother,” Gavriel paused, a lump working in his throat as he studied you. “And you are as fiercely kind.”
You opened your mouth to say more, something to comfort him, when an alarm rang in the distance. Gavriel had drawn his dagger before you could blink, his body blocking yours protectively from the rest of the room. Another alarm sounded from the lookout tower, dreading realization crashing over you like the waves you looked to out the window. 
Jumping from your seat, you sprinted up the stairs to Rolfe’s office Aelin stood, her relaxed demeanor a stark contrast to Rolfe’s torrent of emotions. He regretfully reached a tattooed hand towards Aelin, the blonde gladly shaking it. “Thank you for your assistance, Lord Rolfe.”
The mischievous glint in your cousin’s eyes told you all that you needed to know, but Aelin wasted no time barking orders for everyone in the room to get to the ships and prepare for the Valg’s approach. 
Fenrys found you quickly, his arm wrapping protectively around your waist as you hurried towards the docks. Despite everything, the peace that filled you at his simple touch was undeniable. In the few days you had spent together, Fenrys had become an anchor in the storm of this impending war. 
“Are you okay?” he murmured, voice like a soft balm to your nerves as you took his hand from around your waist, weaving your fingers through his own. 
Your gaze flicked to his, the tenderness in his onyx eyes grounding you in the moment. “I’m alright,” you promised, squeezing his hand in reassurance. 
You reached the ship, Fenrys lifting you by the waist to help you over the ledge of the vessel, only for you to trip and stumble into his warm, toned chest. Your hearts pounded, synchronized even in the chaos as you made your way to the bow of the boat where Aelin and Rowan stood.
Salty air whipped around your face in breathtaking levels of wind, seawater splashing as Rowan’s wind propelled the ship unnaturally fast against the waves. Lysandra’s scales shone underneath the water, what would be a dazzling sight if not for the fear that had worked its way deep inside of you at the sight of the Valg fleet approaching. 
The next hour was a blur of fighting, canon fire, sea monsters, and every impossible thing you never believed could happen in this world. Nightmares followed the next several nights. The image of Aelin, burning out of control and falling into the sea, Fenrys’s hand ripping from your own as he dove after her.
~~~
That night, you awoke in a cold sweat, hands clawing at the edges of the mattress as you’d clung to the railing of the ship when you’d watched your mate dive out of sight. You had barely registered your surroundings - the peaceful inside of your cabin - when a familiar warm hand touched your shoulder. 
“Hey, it’s alright. I’m here,” Fenrys murmured in your ear, a silent sob breaking through you at his voice. “Can I hold you?” he asked, hand lightly rubbing your shoulder. 
You nodded, sniffling as you tugged Fenrys’s hand from your shoulder, wrapping it around your waist as you moved as close as possible to his warmth. “You scared me today,” you admitted, barely above a whisper. “I thought... I thought that this wonderful thing, this bond with an incredible male had come just in time for me to lose you. And I can’t. I can’t lose you, Fenrys. I’m sorry if it’s too soon for me to say that, but I don’t know how I’ve lived without you in my life.”
Blonde curls fell across your cheek as Fenrys leaned down, his lips warm as they pressed a lingering touch to your ear. “I understand completely. You have brought a light to my life that I did not think possible, and I would do anything to keep you safe and happy. That is why I dove after Aelin. She will keep you safe - I know that. And you are my priority now. You have given me new purpose.”
In all your years - even before those spent as a spy in Adarlan - you had never experienced such profound intimacy. Never connected, cared for someone as deeply as you did for your mate. It was frightening to consider, but his warm press against your body filled any cracks of doubt and worry, allowing you to sleep soundly in his arms. 
Each night passed the same way, Fenrys and you now sharing the same bed, simply holding each other. Your physical intimacy never went further than a kiss on the cheek, arms wrapped around one another’s waist, but the emotional connection was something you did not believe possible.
~~~
When Melisande’s fleet descended upon you, Fenrys kept you close to his side, the two of you working seamlessly as a team to defend your ships and allies from the Valg. Canon fire roared in your ears as you saw Lorcan’s dark form at the stern of the ship - his eyes set on the coast where he had left Elide. 
“Fenrys!” you called, desperate for your mate’s attention as Lorcan abandoned ship, the desperation with which he fought his way towards shore something you wouldn’t have understood until you met Fenrys. Your mate caught your gaze, his onyx eyes flaring wide as he tracked Lorcan’s movements.
“Elide is in danger. I need you to trust me - I will go help them, but I want you safe here on the ship,” Fenrys pleaded, hands cupping your cheeks as he blocked out the world to focus on you. 
“I can’t leave you again,” you admitted, hand coming up to hold his own. Silver lined your eyes as Fenrys’s forehead leaned against your own. “Please,” you whispered, voice broken as you held him close, as though you could stop him from leaving.
Your father’s hand clasped on Fenrys’s shoulder, drawing the two of you from your moment. “It’s now or never,” he spoke, voice firm yet warm as Gavriel nodded towards the dingy. “We will be able to hold off these forces, but we need to leave now if you want to help Lorcan and Elide.”
Without a second thought, you ran towards the dingy, hopping inside along your mate and father as the three of you rowed to shore. Stumbling through the sand, your legs ached from the strain of running towards the crowd of people further inland. And time stood still as you recognized the pale, black-haired female lashing out dark power at Aelin. 
Maeve’s eyes shone with wicked delight as people stood around, helpless while an exhausted Aelin crumpled before the fae queen. Your father rushed forward, leaving you behind with Fenrys as he pleaded Maeve to spare Aelin.
“Please,” Gavriel whispered, kneeling before Maeve. “Leave Aelin be. Take me instead. Take my life.” 
The scream that ripped from your throat was muffled by a large hand over your mouth, Lorcan’s intense gaze looking down upon you as he slowly shook his head. “Do not alert attention to yourself. She cannot know what you are to Fenrys,” he whispered. 
Every nerve in your body was on fire, panic coursing through your veins as you turned to see the male who swore to stay by your side, slowly inching further away. 
You were vaguely aware of your father, his own tears hitting the ground beneath him as he felt the pain of his blood bond being stripped away. Waves of horror knocked the breath from your lungs as Maeve called Aelin to bow, your cousin and Queen whipped before your eyes while no one took action.
Fenrys stood still, frozen under Maeve’s command as your mate could not afford to spare you a glance, leaving you at the mercy of Lorcan’s strong arm holding you back. “Do not make a scene, unless you want to make it worse for Fenrys,” he warned.
Salty tears streaked down your cheeks, your gaze locking with the tawny eyes of your father as he weakly managed his way over to you. Blinding anger coursed through you, confusion at how you could end up in this situation, surrounded by the most feared warriors, all of you forced into a position of waiting as your Queen was placed in an iron sarcophagus.
Fists clenched so hard your nails drew blood from your palms, disgusted with yourself as you allowed Aelin to be taken away so that your mate would be spared. And then the ground fell out from under you when Maeve ordered Fenrys to follow.
Your mate did not so much as spare you a look over his shoulder, but every muscle in his body seemed to strain as he fought against the order to walk away from you, from your father, your new family. 
You bit down hard, Lorcan hissing as your teeth sunk into his fingers, blood dripping from your lips as he released you. You charged after Fenrys, running with no plan other than willing to risk everything for the person who had become more than everything to you.
But once again, broad arms wrapped around your waist as your father held you in his arms. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry” Gavriel whispered, tears streaking down his face as you felt his calm, healing power wash over you, the world fading to black as you lost consciousness.
Tumblr media
220 notes · View notes
sturniololoco · 8 months
Note
can you do a the sturniolo triplets little sister story where they have a bunch of friends over and it becomes a lot for y/n and she gets overwhelmed and runs to the bathroom or her room and one of her brothers notice and calm her? thank you <3
Too Much
Sturniolo Little Sister (SLS) x The Sturniolo Triplets
Warnings: People, crying, panic, etc.
SLS's POV
Today was Friday, the day I've been dreading all week.
it's my brother's 20th birthday, only that wasn't the problem. It was the fact that they were inviting a whole lot of people to our small house for a party.
and I don't do people.
Matt keeps telling me that I will be fine, that I just need to relax, but I can't stop the endless worrying from filling my mind.
-
It's now 8:00. There was a knock on the door and my brothers went downstairs to greet the three influencers who walked up into our kitchen. I smiled from my seat on the island, and this process continued.
Over 20 times.
The room was stuffy with too many people. Every time I moved, I could feel someone touching my arm or hitting my back. There was screaming, singing, and dancing everywhere. The music was so loud that I could barely hear myself think.
The only thing that registered in my brain was get out.
As soon as I made my way through the crowd, I sprinted up the stairs and into Nicks's bathroom.
I slammed the door closed and fell to the floor. I closed my eyes, put my hands over my ears, rested my head against the bathroom wall, and finally let the panic set in.
Matt's POV
I could not find SLS/N anywhere. I tried asking my brothers, but they were occupied with our guests.
I was trying to find her to make sure she was okay. She's never been good with loud noises and too many people, so I knew this was definitely pushing her limits.
I decided to look in Chris's room, even his bathroom, but still didn't find her there. She wasn't in my room either.
After weaving my way through the crowded space, I managed to make it up the stairs to Nick's room.
Then I heard crying from the bathroom.
SLS/N's POV
I lift my head up as the bathroom door is pushed open, still not taking my hands off my ears.
"S-Someones in h-here!" I shouted, so no one would try and talk to me.
It didn't work. I was surprised to see Matt come in and close the door behind him, sitting on the ground next to me.
All he has to do is open his arms, and I immediately jump into him, falling apart in his lap. He sushes me comfortingly, stroking my hair.
When my breathing slows down and the tears stop flowing, I say,
"I'm sorry I ruined your night." Feeling terrible that he's in here sitting with me instead of enjoying his special day.
He lifts my chin up, making me look at him before saying,
"Sweetheart, you did not ruin my night. I'm just glad that you're okay, and I'm sorry we put you through this." He says, wiping the stray tears off my face.
I just nod, not wanting to let the sobs I was holding back out by opening my mouth.
He stands up and helps me to my feet. Grabbing my hand, he leads me out of the room and to Nick's bed, motioning for me to sit down. I do so, laying back and pulling his covers over me.
matt walks over to the dresser, coming back with Nick's noise-canceling headphones.
"Why don't you watch a movie and relax, and I'll come check on you in a bit." He says to me, slipping the headphones over my ears, and then giving me a kiss on the forehead.
I smile at him giving him a little wave as he leaves the room, blowing me a kiss.
I sigh contently as I scroll onto Netflix, grateful for having a brother like mine.
@idkwhosnyla @babypat08 @eyelessdemon00 @christopherowensturniolo @sturnsxx @freshloveforthefit @matty443355 @sleepysturnss @emeraldgreenbeautiesstu @sunsetsturniolos @hoesturniolo @x4nd3rsukz @chr1sgirl4life @sstvrnioloo @sturns-posts @chrisstopherfilmed @kylasrealityx @zoeysturnioloooooo @comet235 @islaasblog @sturnioloblogs @defnotayonna @mattsleftnipple03 @thematthewlover
180 notes · View notes
thedroneranger · 9 months
Text
Need a Favor
Rhett Abbott
Tumblr media
Synopsis: Rhett does more than hurt his shoulder when he's bucked off a bull during competition. While his wellbeing is in question, your biggest hurdles are his family and his pesky ex that constantly call you into question.
Notes: My first foray outside Top Gun. I've had this kicking around for quite a while and finally got the inspiration to finish it. It felt Rhett-Outer Range coded, so here we are! Influenced by the Jelly Roll song Need a Favor.
Warnings: Bull riding, religion; religious inaccuracies; medical inaccuracies; mentions of blood.
Word count: 5.3k.
The arena was electric. The cheers of the crowd, the clattering of the chutes, the grunts of the bulls. There had to be more people in this arena than in all of Wyoming. 
Then it died.
The silence was deafening. My eyes never left his slumped form as I charged down the stands. People parted like the Red Sea, allowing me the most direct route. My legs were gracious, bracing me as I dropped the eight feet into the arena and then sprinted toward him.
The medics had yet to arrive and the wranglers stood back as I approached. I dropped to my knees at Rhett’s side. His body was contorted in an unnatural position. His hat on the ground beside him—crumpled. Blood trickled from his hairline.
It would be a miracle if he didn’t break his back. “Rhett? Baby?” My fingers trembled as I reached out to touch his shoulder. He didn’t move. My vision began to blur, and I did my best to contain the tears threatening at my waterline. Still shaking, I pressed two fingers on his neck just below his jaw. My entire body untensed as I felt a thready pulse. “He has a pulse,” I stated to myself. 
Then I saw it. 
A sizable puddle of blood. Panicked, I pushed him over to find the stain on his shirt blossoming near the bottom edge of his vest. Without a second thought, I shoved my hand between his vest and shirt until I felt a tear in the fabric and then jagged flesh the wound. 
The medics arrived and pulled me out of the way. One of the chute hands held me by the elbows as we watched Rhett be braced and loaded onto a stretcher. Then she handed me off to a paramedic who helped me into the ambulance. 
I sat quietly and watched the medic fuss over Rhett. He was stable—for now. “Do you want to hold his hand?” The man offered. All I could do was stare at him as I balled my hand—the drying blood pulling at my skin. Clad in rubber gloves, the medic tucked Rhett’s hand in mine. 
Sitting in the ambulance, clutching his hand, my vision began to blur again. Warm streaks painted my cheeks, and I felt the droplets as they leapt from my jaw. Tears dotted my jeans.
The medic was doing his best to soothe me while monitoring Rhett. His voice was white noise as I gazed at Rhett. He hadn’t moved. His mouth didn’t twitch. His eyes didn’t dart behind his lids. He didn’t squeeze my hand. 
Thankfully they had slowed the bleeding, but he was steadily soaking through gauze. 
It all felt surreal as we arrived at the hospital, exited the ambulance, and I stood in the hallway as his gurney disappeared through the emergency surgery doors. 
A breath left my body I had no idea I had been holding. Feeling was returning to my fingers and toes—reality setting in. All that was left was to wait. Wait to hear if Rhett made it out of surgery. Wait to hear if or how this would alter Rhett’s life.
Remembering I had a hand caked in blood, I looked for the nurses station. One of the nurses kindly took me to a bathroom and helped me scrub clean. She also pilfered me a scrub top. We put my stained shirt into the biohazard bin. 
Back in the waiting room, still shaky, I dug my cell phone out of my pocket. Just as I was heading to find a seat, I heard a familiar voice. “Hey! Hold on!” I turned to see the medic hurrying toward me. I kept eye contact as he approached. “I wanted to make sure you got these.” 
At his side, Rhett’s vest hung in one hand and my rosary sat in the palm of his other. Once it registered it was my rosary, my eyes widened. I looked between him and his palm. Then I then held out mine and he deposited the beads into it. “Thank you.” I had the smallest smile.
“You’re welcome.” He nodded, handed me the vest, and then continued back to his rig.
I clutched the beads as I turned to continue further into the waiting room. Finding a somewhat secluded corner, I tucked the vest beside my chair and pulled out my phone. My eyes trained on my screen, scanned the list of Abbotts in my contacts. Ultimately, I decided to call the house in hopes Cecilia would pick up. 
My heart rate increased with each ring, and then…voicemail. Quickly, I punched the end button before dropping my phone in my lap. I plopped my rosary on top of it, and used both hands to rub my temples. 
What was my next move? 
Coffee. 
Coffee was the next move. Then maybe I would have the gumption, and the gusto, to try Cecilia again—or call Royal. 
This hospital was too small and too archaic for those fancy coffee vending machines. So I headed to the nurses station where the charge nurse pointed me in the direction of the cafeteria.
Nearing 10 p.m., the cafeteria was sparsely populated. A doctor here and there trying to conceal themselves, hoping for 15 minutes alone. A few workers were in the serving area, refreshing the limited offerings. A smile pulled my lips as I spotted the coffee.
While I paid for my drink, I heard the rain. Not just a light drizzle but a steady drumming of water. I stepped into the dining area and noticed the far end was a solarium. The rain streaked down the glass, distorting the view. Soothed by the sound, I walked over.
Sipping my coffee, I stared into the distance. I bet on a sunny day, it was a beautiful garden. Patients milling around with their visitors or their therapists coaching them through their post-op movement quota.
Maybe Rhett would be out there soon. Wobbling around with a cane or a walker under the watchful eye of a nurse or PT. Cussing under his breath because he “doesn’t need any help” but too polite to say anything aloud. I chuckled to myself as I turned to head back to the waiting room. The coffee was helping, but I still didn’t want to talk to Rhett’s family.
Somehow Cecilia was the least threatening Abbott. Hilarious, considering the first time I came to meet the Abbotts and have dinner Cecilia wouldn’t let me into the house. She and Rhett had a standoff—whisper bickering on the front porch and all. It was only when her granddaughter Amy grabbed my hand that she, begrudgingly, let me in.
The Abbotts didn’t strike me as overly religious. There were the usual hints here and there—a crucifix on the wall in the dining room, a bible in the end table drawer beside the couch. 
Cecilia proved to be the most faithful Abbott. She clearly believed in good and evil. Heaven and Hell. And to her, I was the devil. Brought into the Abbotts’ lives to test Rhett—lead him astray. 
If I were to succeed, Rhett might move off the ranch. Maybe leave Wabang, entirely. Desert the family. Lord knows if he could stay healthy, he’d be one hell of a bull rider. 
No matter what Cecilia thought of me, I needed to get a hold of her. Looking around the empty hallway, I stopped and pulled out my phone to try the house again. Still no answer. That woman really needed to get with the times and carry a cell phone.
Royal and I didn’t see eye-to-eye much, but Rhett was his son. I tapped his name and put the phone to my ear. I did my best to remain calm when he answered. Not wanting to waste anyone’s time, I first made sure he hadn’t already been contacted by the event staff or hospital.
Of course, Royal made a point to remind me Maria was listed as Rhett’s emergency contact and ask where she was in all this. I never knew how Maria managed to fly under the radar with the Abbotts. After all, we wanted the same things for Rhett. We both knew he could be doing so much more than mending fences and getting into bar fights.
Hell, the thought even crossed my mind to call Maria, but I couldn’t stomach her being here at the same time as the rest of the Abbotts and them doting on her. Plus, Rhett got quite warm under the collar when his family pitted us against one another.
Still unsure who would appear at the hospital, I was just glad that some of the Abbotts were en route. Feeling a little more at ease, I sipped my coffee as I pocketed my phone and wandered back to the waiting room.
My butt hadn’t even hit the cushion when someone was calling Rhett’s name. Immediately, I stood back up and made eye contact with whom I presumed to be the surgeon. “I’m here for Rhett Abbott!” I nearly tripped as I scrambled to the doctor. 
“Next of kin?” 
“Fiancée.” The lie rolled off my tongue so naturally. I backed it by giving my full name.
My heart felt like it was in my throat as I stared at the surgeon, waiting for him to continue. “That bull really did a number.” I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and crossed my arms. 
I did my best to listen as the surgeon explained. They were following concussion protocol since Rhett bashed heads with the bull and packed dirt. And getting gored how Rhett did was a freak accident—competition bull horns were always filed blunt. 
Overall, the damage to his internal organs appeared minimal. The bruising pain would take longer to subside than for the abrasions to heal. The only hiccup was Rhett still losing blood, so a vascular surgeon scrubbed in to assess him. 
Willing myself to be more hopeful than disappointed as the trauma surgeon disappeared, I sighed and shuffled back to my seat. 
It felt like an eternity as I finished my coffee and then stared into the bottom of the cup. Still no sign of the Abbotts, I decided to occupy myself by trekking back to the cafeteria. 
The rain was still pounding as I, again, took time to fantasize out the window. As I turned to leave, I nearly bumped into an older man. We exchanged pleasantries as he profusely apologized. 
“Coffee wouldn’t be the worst thing I wore today.” I tried to lighten the mood.
He eyed my scrub top and chuckled as he knelt on the floor for a second. “Does this belong to you?” He opened his palm to reveal my rosary. I shook my head as he deposited it into my hand. 
“How many Hail Marys to forgive dropping it on the floor.” 
“Well, that’s not my rodeo. I usually phone a friend.” I laughed softly at his response and thumbed the beads. “There’s a chapel on your way out if you want a few minutes to yourself. Or, if you want company, I’m happy to join you.” He paused. “I can also phone that friend.”
“Thank you.” I gave him a genuine smile. “I think I’ll spend some time one-on-one.” He nodded as we parted ways. 
The chaplain wasn’t kidding when he said the chapel was hidden. The door was the same color as the sterile hospital wall. The only giveaway was the stained glass window, which read as a painting if you weren’t paying attention. 
It was quaint. The front of the room was the focal point with a trio of stained glass panels. Raindrops ricocheted off the panes. I slid into the middle pew of the five rows. Still fiddling with my rosary, I stared at the windows. 
Clutching my beads, I folded my hands in the back of the pew in front of me. Tears welled in my eyes as I thought about Rhett.
“Religion is more Ma’s thing, but the Sundays she does get me to church, it doesn’t seem to matter how you worship.” Oh, Rhett. The thought of his voice was comforting. 
Suddenly a tear hit my wrist and I sucked in a breath. “Please don't let me lose him.” I mumbled between sobs. My forehead rested on the backs of my thumbs as I let my tears freely fall.
Once I felt empty, I sat back on the bench and slid each bead between my index and middle finger as I said the corresponding prayer. It was amazing what you could remember when it was beaten into you. A smile curled my lips as I thought about the first time Rhett realized the scarring across my knuckles and wrists were from rulers. 
A single tear rolled down my cheek as I thought about the tenderness he showed as he kissed each of my knuckles and then my wrists. He made his way up my arms as he pulled me into his lap. Eventually my lips were on his with my arms wrapped around his neck.
“Fuck,” I said as tipped my head and rolled my eyes to keep the tears from continuing.
Just then, I heard the door. I turned to see Cecilia, of all people. It took all my might not to let loose a barking laugh.
I was more shocked when she slid into the pew beside me, leaving just a few inches of space between us. “Surprised it’s still standing? The altar isn’t on fire?” I joked.
She eyed the beads in my hands. “Isn’t that Rhett’s necklace?” 
“It’s mine.” I paused for a second. “And it’s not a necklace, it’s a rosary. And I lent them to Rhett to protect him when he rides,” I added. She turned her head to look directly at me. “Blessed at the Vatican.” Her eyebrow jutted up the faintest bit. 
I leaned slightly over toward her. “It’s the fallen ones that need a savior most, isn’t it?” I listened to the rain for a few seconds before continuing. “And we only talk to God when we need favors?” Rhett would hate that I was needling his mother but also be proud I was standing up for myself.
Cecilia broke eye contact as she thought about how to respond. Instead of words, she placed her hand over mine that was holding my rosary. I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Some of our prayers are the same.” She squeezed my hand as we bowed our heads. I followed her lead as we softly recited a prayer aloud. 
We were through our first set of Hail Marys when Royal walked in. “There’s news.” We jumped up, hand-in-hand. Royal noticed our physical attachment but he didn’t say anything as he turned to lead us out.
Perry and Amy were standing in the waiting room with the surgeon I spoke to earlier. Royal had to support Cecilia as the surgeon delivered cautiously optimistic news. Instinctively, I squeezed the beads in my hand. “When can we see him?” I blurted out.
“He hasn’t woken up, but you can visit him one at a time.” Amy bounced on the balls of her feet. “You can go accompanied by an adult,” the surgeon added, looking at her with a smile. He then turned to look at me. “Fiancée first?” All the Abbotts exchanged looks but no one challenged the title.
“Yes,”I said quickly and then herded the surgeon away.
A hand on the door knob, he looked at me. “Are you ready?” Silently, I nodded. Then he pushed the door open, allowing me through first. 
The room was soft lit and the only sound was Rhett’s heart monitor. Slowly, I walked to the bed. He looked peaceful. Tired but peaceful. 
Taken with Rhett, I didn’t even realize the surgeon let himself out. Quietly, I walked to the bedside. Rhett didn’t move, except for the rise and fall of his chest. His breaths were deep and even. 
They did their best to clean up his face. When he collided with the bull, it was face first so he ended up with a broken nose. The bruising was already apparent under his eyes. The stitches at his hairline were hardly noticeable. 
After a few minutes, I softly sat on the edge of his bed and gently tucked a curl behind his ear. His eye twitched and my hand stilled. He didn’t respond further, so I slipped my hand into his and rubbed the back with my thumb.
I sighed, continuing to watch his face. Selfishly, I wanted to stay here all night with him. However, at the very least, his mother and Amy needed to see him. 
With one last squeeze, I gently got off the bed and headed for the door. I looked back one more time before leaving.
After everyone had a chance to see Rhett, Royal and Perry decided to drive over and get Rhett’s truck from the arena. 
Amy and I stayed in the waiting room while Cecilia sat with her son. Amy was in good spirits, although Rhett had yet to wake up. She succumbed to curiosity and asked a million questions about Rhett. I did my best to answer every one. 
Finally, Perry and Royal returned. Trailing behind them was Maria. I stood as Amy ran over to greet her father. “I figured you would turn up here,” I said coldly to Maria as she stood directly in front of me. 
She shrugged. “Well, they called me directly, so I figured I should stop by and check in.”
“Where’d you come from? The moon? How are you just arriving if you were the first call?” I asked. “Did you even bother to call the Abbotts?”
“Of course, I called Cecilia,” she explained. “But she wasn’t home, and Royal didn’t pick up.”
“And Perry?” I pressed her. 
She lowered her voice. “I don’t call that piece of shit for anything.” She glared in his direction. “Isn’t it kind of weird Rhett hasn’t changed his emergency contact?” She looked back at me. “Maybe he wants to make sure it’s someone he can trust.” She smirked.
Before I could say anything, Perry approached us. He dropped Rhet’s truck keys in my hand. “Assuming you’re going to want to stay, being his fiancée and all.” I could feel the heat in my cheeks as he winked at me.
She tried not to appear obvious, but Maria’s eyes widened slightly and her gaze dropped to my hand. I could see her relax when she realized I wasn’t wearing a ring.
Just then, Royal, who had excused himself to say good night to Rhett and collect his wife, returned with Cecilia. “Maria!” Cecilia opened her arms to embrace her. 
However, Cecilia was focused on me during the interaction. “You’ll update us as soon as you hear?” Royal held out Cecilia’s coat, coaxing her to part with Maria. 
“Of course.” I nodded.
“We’ll plan to come back tomorrow afternoon,” Royal stated. 
“I’ll swing by, too,” Maria added.
“Ooh! We can come together!” Cecilia added. 
“Perfect.” Maria smiled.
It took all my energy to not roll my eyes. My attention was diverted when Amy threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my waist. I smiled and hugged her back, kissing the top of her head. 
I waited for them to disappear through the doors, and then made my way to Rhett’s room. Light was beginning to peek through his blinds. He was still sound asleep. I tried my best to be quiet as I pushed the little cushioned sitting chair as close as possible to his bedside. Once seated, I sipped my coffee and told him about the night with his family. 
Eventually, I moved onto reminiscing about some of our shared memories. Feeling a little stiff, I changed positions, folding my legs under me in the chair and leaning forward so my stacked arms rested on the edge of his bed. With my chin resting on top of them, I watched him. 
Just being there gave me a sense of peace. The adrenaline was wearing off. My eyelids felt so heavy, which reminded me that I was coming up on 24 hours without sleep. It wouldn’t hurt to rest my eyes…
Rhett and I were laying in one of the pastures on the Abbott ranch. A beautiful day, the sun was warm on our faces. The back of Rhett’s fingers stroked my cheek, and I leaned into his touch. He kept saying my name as we looked at each other.
My eyes darted around behind my eyelids, and then shot open to see Rhett staring at me—he really was stroking my cheek and saying my name. Basking in his touch, I leaned into his fingers. The tiniest smile pulled a corner of his mouth. 
“Rhett.” I sounded groggy. He rasped my name in response. Leaning into his fingers one more time, I pulled away to get him his water cup beside his bed. 
After a few timid sips, he was damn near chugging. “Whoa, slow down. It’s not going anywhere.” He smiled as I put his cup back on the bedside table and sat down. Rhett brushed his finger along mine. In response, I put my hand over his.
I could feel the tears building. “I’m so glad you’re ok.” I leaned down and kissed the back of his palm. 
“Me, too.” He did his best to hold my hand. After a minute he said, “What’d I miss?” Clearly, his sarcasm hadn’t been broken. I couldn’t help but smile.
We enjoyed each other’s company until a nurse came to check his vitals and realized he was awake. Then I stood beside his bed and held his hand while nurses and doctors poked and prodded and questioned him. Rhett remained calm throughout the entire process—might’ve been the morphine.
Once the doctor was satisfied, the nurses continued to work, so I stepped out to get another coffee and call Cecilia, as promised. Again hoping to reach her directly, I called the house line. She answered on the first ring. She was holding back tears as I updated her. It was the first time I heard sheer happiness in the woman’s voice.
I soaked in every minute I could alone with Rhett. I was torn between giving Rhett a heads up about Maria or letting him find out when she sashayed into his room. “Rhett?” I was cross-legged in the chair, leaning against the side of his bed and holding his hand. 
He looked at me, waiting for me to continue. “Maria is coming to see you.” 
“What?” Surprise was evident in his voice.
I took a deep breath before continuing. “She’s still listed as your emergency contact, so she got a phone call to notify her you were injured,” I explained. “She showed up last night well after visiting hours.” He scoffed. “And Cecilia invited her back today.” 
Rhett groaned and shifted a little. “I can’t believe her.” 
My thumb soothed the back of his palm. “Maria is always trying to win you back.”
“I’m talking about my mother. She has to cut this shit out.” Rhett’s voice was tense, and I could feel it in his fingers.
“Don’t worry about them, Rhett.” We locked eyes. “It’ll be fine. I only mentioned it so that you weren’t completely caught off guard.”
“Thank you,” he said quietly. A smile pulled the one corner of my mouth as I placed my free hand over our clasped ones.
We sat in silence until Amy bound through the door. “Uncle Rhett!” Both their faces lit up as she ran over. She hugged me after she came around the bed. Amy was small enough, I hoisted her onto Rhett’s bed to carefully hug him and then hold his hand. 
She was chattering a mile a minute when Cecilia and Royal came in. After greeting them, I excused myself to get a coffee.
As luck would have it, Maria was arriving. “Too scared to be in a room with me?” she asked. 
“Mhmm, I don’t like the smell of trash.”
She audibly laughed. “Your insults mean nothing” We held eye contact. “The Abbotts love me. And I know them like the back of hand. I can play ‘em like fiddles.” She scanned my face for a reaction—I remained stoic. 
“Cecilia thinks you’re the devil,” she continued. “Trying to lure her baby off the ranch.”
“And what exactly is it that she thinks you’re doing?” I retorted.
Maria smiled and shrugged. “I had my heyday. I wouldn’t possibly want to move away now. I’m ready to find a husband and settle down. I know there’s no place like Wabang.” Sarcasm colored her tone.
I laughed. “That’s for damn sure.” 
“Good luck overcoming that.” She huffed and bumped my shoulder as she passed. 
Just as she was about to cross the threshold into Rhett’s room, Cecilia popped out the door. It felt like slow motion as they collided. The lid popped off Maria’s coffee and scalding brown liquid dyed her baby pink blouse. 
“Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry!” Cecilia cried. “Let’s get you cleaned up!” Cecilia took Maria by the elbow down the hall in the direction of the restrooms. Maria held the fabric away from skin as Cecilia muled her along. 
A shake of my head, I continued to the cafeteria for my own beverage.
On my way back, I stopped in the almost hidden chapel. During my previous visit, I’d noticed the bowl of holy water and wanted to splash some on my rosary to cleanse it before giving it back to Rhett. It was the best I could do without a priest. 
When I returned to Rhett’s room, Cecilia was sitting at his bedside. They were whispering in harsh tones. They immediately stopped as I entered. “I can leave.” I pointed a thumb over my shoulder. 
“No, no!” A smidge of desperation in Rhett’s voice. “Ma was just leaving.” Cecilia stood and leaned down to place a chaste kiss on Rhett’s forehead.
She looked at me as she left. Her expression felt softer somehow. I waited until she completely exited the room before venturing over to my usual seat. Rhett immediately extended his hand. 
“I have something for you.” His interest was piqued. “Hold out your hand.” He did as he was told and I dropped the beads into it. 
“I was getting ready to ask the nurse about this.” He rubbed his thumb over the beads and closed his hand, bringing it to his heart. 
“The EMT saved them,” I added. 
“I think they saved me.” Rhett looked at me. 
“I think modern medicine saved you.”
“Don’t go all evolution over creation on me, now,” he shot back. “You gave these to me for a reason.” He was right. I rolled my eyes and moved to press my lips to his. “Mhmm, you shut me up like that more often,” he said as we parted. 
“Based on how hard you’re roasting me, it feels like you’ll be discharged any minute.” 
Sure enough, by the end of the day, Rhett was being wheeled to the passenger door of his truck.
Once he was home, Cecilia became his caretaker. She and I did come to an understanding that included me pre-cooking meals for Rhett. I was skeptical when she extended the use of their kitchen to prepare them. However, I gladly accepted, and the very next night, we all sat down to a meal I cooked for everyone as a thank you. 
“Before we dig in, how about we say grace?” Cecilia looked at Royal, who nodded in agreement. Everyone folded their hands around the table and bowed their heads. Cecilia called my name, and I looked up to meet her gaze. “Would you do the honors, since you made this meal?”
Rhett’s hand settled on my thigh. I could feel his eyes on me. “Of course,” I agreed with a small smile, which Cecilia returned. We all bowed our heads as I said grace. Amy was the first to join me, then Rhett and the rest of the Abbotts.
“Amen.” We all said in unison. 
“Thank you.” Cecilia looked at me with a genuine smile. 
“You’re welcome,” I replied. Rhett squeezed my thigh as we exchanged looks.
Dinner felt like a dream. Or a trap. Although I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, I felt oddly comfortable. Standing beside Cecilia washing dishes while she dried them seemed natural. As if we had been doing this for years.
I was wiping down the empty sink when I saw a vehicle approaching the house. There it was: the trap springing closed. Silently, I took a deep breath to brace myself. I didn’t say a word to Cecilia. Besides, she was likely expecting Maria. 
Knocking rang through the house. Cecilia poked her head out of the kitchen as Amy shouted, “I’ll get it!” and ran toward the door. Everyone seemed surprised by Maria’s presence, but Royal politely invited her to stay and enjoy the dessert she brought. 
“Let me slice it up!” I waited for Maria to catch sight of me. “Oh, you are here.” The light left her face as she sat a pie on the table.
“Doing your best to suck up to Cece and Royal?” she added as she walked toward me. I didn’t move as she got in my personal space and reached around me for a pie server. “Excuse my reach.” She withdrew, tool in hand, and walked back to the table. 
“Just making sure Rhett gets fed during recovery.” I leaned against the sink with my arms crossed. We briefly made eye contact as she made the first incision. It was silent as she put monstrous portions on each plate. 
“Oh!” Maria feigned surprise as she looked at the empty tin. “I wasn't expecting you to be here.” She loaded pie plates on her arms and disappeared into the dining room. 
Maria came back and grabbed the final plate. “If there is any left, you can have my sloppy seconds.” She winked and turned to head into the dining room. 
As she spun around, there was Cecilia. Before she knew what hit her, she was covered in pie. “My goodness, Maria!” Cecilia looked her up and down, and then motioned for me to pass a kitchen towel. In no rush, I tossed one in their direction.
Cecilia fussed over Maria and tried to clean her up but really just smeared it more into her shirt. “Well, looks like you have to settle for crumbs!” Cecilia added as she dropped some pie bits into the waste bin. 
Maria’s eyes narrowed as she looked between us. “I said I wasn’t going to stay long, and this feels like a sign that I really should get going.”
“I’m sure we’ll see you next time we’re at the bank!” Cecilia ushered her out. While she was herding Maria to the door, I found the broom and finished cleaning.
Cecilia came back as I was emptying the dust pan. When I turned around there were two plates of pie on the table. “She practically served that pie in quarters.” 
“Thank you,” I said as I came toward the table. 
“Finding the snakes in the garden can be tough,” she responded and handed me a plate. “You can call me Cece.” 
“Ok, Cece.” I tested it out as we made our way to the dining room. Rhett pulled my chair close to his as I sat down. Cecilia watched us as she folded her napkin on her lap. 
She cast an unnoticed glance at my hand as we ate—a reminder to make sure he knew where she kept his maternal grandmother’s wedding band so he could get it resized when he was ready.
Royal ran his finger along Cece’s, pulling her back to the present moment. Her mind ran from wedding rings to homesteads. Then she had a moment where she thought about having two daughters-in-law. “Please don’t let me lose her,” she whispered under her breath. 
With that favor, she returned her attention to those around the table.
Visit my masterlist for more | Sign up for my tag list!
A kind reminder: Likes work hard, but reblogs and comments work harder 😈
Tagging a few friends I've seen interact with Rhett content: @cherrycola27 @roosterforme @beyondthesefourwalls @mak-32 @attapullman @withahappyrefrain @sunlightmurdock @ereardon @bobfloydsbabe @sebsxphia
262 notes · View notes
Text
The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Part Deux
Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader
Setting: Alexandria
Warnings: Extreme violence against eight-legged hell spawn.
Summary: You were the brave one. Right?
A/N: Based on the way I actually disposed of an arachnid.
gif by @dixonscarol
Tumblr media
Daryl enjoyed the days he was given the okay to relax. You would make sure you were not needed, so the two of you would laze about in bed, usually finding some way to contend over who would get up to throw together something to eat. He always won. Well, not always, but most of the time. Today’s decider had been a ‘thumb war.’ Given your petite hands versus his long digits, it was no ‘war’ but a mere scuffle. With a yawn, the archer folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes, allowing himself to drift off.
When he heard you scream, his heart leaped into his throat and he moved with inhuman speed, throwing back the covers and sprinting from the bedroom. He snatched up his crossbow before he was ascending the stairs, weapon in hand and ready to fire when he entered the kitchen. It took a moment for him to register what was happening, but when he did, he straightened and watched with an expression of bewilderment.
You were on the kitchen counter, in one hand was a can of hairspray and in the other was a spray bottle of something he didn’t recognize. You were screeching at a large spider on the ceiling, spraying the hairspray with reckless abandon until the arachnid twitched and fell slightly, dangling from a thread of webbing. The movement only served to freak you out even more. You momentarily ducked and covered as if the thing was striking back, but you were soon back to spraying.
Finally, the unfortunate creature tumbled to the floor, twitching and unable to crawl to safety. You jumped from your perch and landed a safe distance away, discarding the can of hairspray to grab the spray bottle with both hands. Daryl’s jaw was still hanging open, eyebrows elevated as you bludgeoned the poor spider until it was nothing more than a smear across the kitchen floor.
You stood over your victim, holding the spray in front of like a broadsword while you panted and grit your teeth. “Let this be a lesson to all your little buddies!”
Waving a hand in front of his face, Daryl coughed, the chemical scent of aerosol tickling his lungs. You noticed him just as he set the crossbow against the wall.
“Oh, hey! You’re awake!” You beamed.
“I am.” He deadpanned. “And m’pretty sure I just witnessed the most brutal murder I ever seen ‘fore or after the end of the world.”
You straightened and placed a hand on your hip, still catching your breath. “Oh, come off it, Bowstrings. It wasn’t that bad.”
“Thought ya weren’t scared of ‘em.” Daryl teased and arched a brow.
“Well, that one was huge.” You pouted. When the archer smirked, you picked up the can of hairspray and aimed it at him. “You wanna be next?”
He held up his hands with a chuckle. “I surrender.”
“Smart man.”
Tumblr media
164 notes · View notes
inuyashaluver · 10 months
Note
Loving your fics could we get a laia aleixandri one
love notes - laia aleixandri
laia aleixandri x reader
Tumblr media Tumblr media
description: in which you’re out for the season due to an acl injury, your girlfriend leaving notes for you to find during your time at home while she’s out
warnings: mentions of injury - i guess it’s considered a bit angsty?, spanish in bold italics!!
a/n: helllooooo, hope you enjoy this one, thank you for your love and support!! xx
⋆ ★ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ★ ⋆
you and your girlfriend, laia, grew up together in spain, progressing from childhood friends into lovers. you both followed each other everywhere, going to the same clubs at the same time to ensure you would never have to be separated.
laia and you loved to play together, many people found it surprising how the both of you weren’t sick of each other after knowing each other for so long, but when they see you interact with one another, they realise the mutual affection and how much you both mean to each other.
you were a winger for man city while your girlfriend was a defender. frequently working together to achieve a win for your team. each time the both of you do something well, the other will always be the one first to celebrate. when one of you got injured or badly tackled, the other was the first to you, checking if the other is okay before going to defend your lover.
laia swore that you made her a better player, always wanting to impress you, you feeling exactly the same, both of you wanted the praise of your significant other. she frequently told you that she wouldn’t be able to play without you, you promising her that you would always be there. and you were…until a manchester derby has laia’s world crumbling down.
you had the ball, ready to pass it over to lauren hemp so she could strike, just as the ball left your foot, your marker moved at the same time, your body twisting to avoid them and immediately feeling your knee pop. you let out a heartbreaking scream, clutching your knee and falling to the ground.
laia, behind you the whole time saw the entire scene in front of her. her eyes tearing up hearing your blood curdling scream as you roll on the ground in tears. she sprints over to you, kneeling down and placing your head on her thigh.
“cariño (dear)“ she breathes out, both of you having tears rolling down your cheeks. you were hyperventilating at this point, not even registering that your girlfriend was the one consoling you right now, the pain in your knee unbearable. laia signals for the medics to come, looking down at you worriedly.
“bebé (baby), deep breaths okay?” she moves to sit behind you, your back resting against her front while your legs remained stationary to the floor. you do as she says, matching her breathing patterns and eventually calming down, while the medics determined your injury, all you focused on was your girlfriend whispering words of praise in your ear: “i’m so proud of you”, “you’ve done so well”, “i’ll take care of you no matter what, mi amor (my love).”
the medics look at each other with saddened expressions, “(y/n), we’re so sorry” laia’s grip on you tightened, holding you impossibly closer to her chest. you smile, absolutely defeated and shake your head at them, you already knew what it was coming. “it’s your acl, we need to get you on the stretcher and take you off.” a singular tear rolls down your cheek, laia quick to kiss it away, giving you multiple kisses on your cheek as a form of comfort, doing wonders for you honestly.
all she kept thinking about how hard you had been working, not only at man city but the spanish national team also, another tear runs down her cheek at the thought of you degrading yourself.
you were hauled on a stretcher, laia holding your hand and getting you and her subbed off. but not before giving a murderous glare and a shove to the player that was marking you, she wasn’t blaming it on her, she just needed to take out her anger. everyone clapped as you were taken off, your teammates sending you comforting but pained smiles your way.
about two days after, you had managed to get an early surgery, laia taking a week off training to be with you, acting as your own personal nurse.
she couldn’t stop touching you, scared you would disappear if she stopped. like always, she knew you like the back of her hand, knowing that physical intimacy eased your worries. for the rest of the week, laia showered you with love and affection during the beginning recovery stages. carrying you everywhere, making your favourite foods, watching your favourite movies, whatever you wanted, you got it.
laia was completely heartbroken when her week was up, meaning you were left at home by yourself. she knew you would be feeling down that she wasn’t there for the beginning parts of the day due training, you kept reassuring her you would be fine but she just couldn’t believe you, she could see right through you.
her first day back, she woke you up and carried you over to the couch. she had woken up early, creating a comfortable space for you, the couch decorated with soft pillows and blankets, pulling the coffee table close and setting it up with your breakfast, a big bottle of water, your favourite snacks and setting up your favourite show for you to binge watch.
you were in her arms as she showed you her creation, you were so touched at her display of affection and care for you. you place your arms around her neck, pulling her into a tight hug, hiding your face into her neck, hot tears making contact with her skin. she quickly rushes to the couch, sitting down on the couch with you sitting in her lap. she coos and cradles your head to her chest.
“bebé (baby) don’t cry” she slots a hand through your hair, lightly scratching your scalp with her nails to calm you down. you look up at her with a pout, putting one of your hands out to cup her cheek. “mi corazón (my heart), i love you” when she hears the nickname and words you’ve said to her thousands of times, she still reacts the same way, grinning brightly with flushed cheeks. “i love you more, mi amor (my love)”
she reluctantly gives you a loving kiss goodbye, a sweet melody of moving lips, full of love and passion even though she would be back just before lunch. you kept pushing her away with a giggle as she leaned in again after each kiss, shaking her head and saying “one more” each time. “bebé! go!” you exclaim, “promise you’ll call me if you need anything?” she pleads with a slight frown evident in her face. “pinky, bebé!” she smiles at you once more, peering at you behind the door before she closed it to make sure you were really okay.
you were enjoying your set up that your sweet girlfriend had carefully and thoughtfully constructed, indulging in it all. the only thing missing from this however, was the bathroom, and due to your girlfriend keeping you nice and hydrated, you needed to go. you hobble with your crutches, a short distance from your desired location.
once you finally arrive to the bathroom, your heart stops. your bathroom mirror was littered with pink sticky notes, all containing a small love letter to you. “i love you”, “you’re beautiful”, “i miss you”, “you’re my favourite” throwing in some cheesy pick up lines too just to make you giggle. you couldn’t believe it, laia was such a softie for you and everyone knew it, but this was just on a whole other level of love.
once you hear the familiar jangle of keys in the door, you perk up from your spot, peering over the couch to look at the front door. as soon as laia walks in, she gives you a bright smile, giving you a little wave when you smile back at her.
“laia aleixandri, come here right now please” you say with a mischievous smile, holding your arms out, she quirks her eyebrow at you but rushes over, rushing into your outstretched arms.
“hi bebé (baby)” she grins as you rest your weight on her comfortably. before she could let in another word, you pull her down into a searing kiss, gasping when you slip your tongue into her mouth. she grins into the kiss, your needy (her favourite) side showing. you run your hands up and down her arms, giving her biceps a gentle squeeze, you returning her grin when she lets out a small whine of satisfaction. ‘curse her knee’ she says to herself.
you pull away, pupils completely blown out as you look at each other with lovesick grins. you grab her hand and intertwine your own with it, giving her hand a kiss. “thank you for your notes, mi corazón (my heart)” she looks down at your hands, sheepishly, feeling silly but it all washing away when you pull her into another quick but passionate kiss.
you grab the back of her neck, pulling her ear to your mouth, “i loved them”, placing a gentle kiss on the shell of her ear, giggling as she places numerous pecks on your face and neck in response. and so, everyday, laia left you love notes on the mirror, you collected each one in a box and storing them.
you and laia are just in love. there’s nothing else to say but that. you’re in love, and you both couldn’t be happier.
⋆ ★ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ★ ⋆
just pretend it’s you - MWAHHH
Tumblr media
liked by esme.morgan and 44,232 others
laiaaleixandri: i get through the day knowing it’s one step closer to you and i playing together again, i love you, my girl @/yourname
view all comments
yourname: i get through the day because of you in general
↳ yourname: mainly because you make me breakfast every morning
↳ laiaaleixandri: wow okay 😞
↳ yourname: I LOVE YOU
↳ laiaaleixandri: i love you too, i guess
↳ yourname: wow okay 😞
254 notes · View notes