#if I’m right about anything I will scream

[eggyrocks]

ENCOUNTERS

00 prologue: dumped

All Suna wants is a relaxing, post-show cigarette in the parking lot. But that girl’s fighting with her boyfriend again.

For as long as they’ve been a band, she’s been coming to their shows . And as long as she’s been coming to their shows, she’s been fighting with her boyfriend at them. The same boyfriend every time too, the gangly looking one with the constantly messed-up hair.

He flicks the end of his lighter, watching as she takes several steps back from him, laughing in indignation, throwing up her arms up in exasperation. The boyfriend’s just standing there, outside the driver’s seat of his idling car.

They always fight about stupid shit. The boyfriend’s controlling. She likes to do whatever she wants. He yells at her about lying about where she was going for the night. She yells back about him going through her phone. Honestly, Suna’s not even sure why the two of them are still together. It seems like they really, really fucking hate each other.

He can hear a bit of what she’s screaming now, something about not trusting her or respecting her individuality and him shooting back that she’s done nothing to earn his trust, and she has no personality outside of liking this stupid fucking band.

Suna inhales and crosses his arms over his chest. He’s not sure why he’s getting dragged into it.

Honestly, he figures he should probably count his losses with the cigarette and go back inside, let them have it out like they normally do alone, in the privacy of this empty venue parking lot. But his morbid curiosity gets the better of him, and he stays, watching aptly as they tear each other’s throats out.

And, oddly, he kinda feels compelled to stick around, to make sure she ends up okay. He doesn’t know anything about her really, and he hardly remembers her name half the time, but her unrelenting dedication to his band has kind of earned some loyalty in return.

Enough for him to stick outside and keep an eye on her while her boyfriend loses his mind.

Suna watches as he turns away from her, and flings open the backseat of his car. He watches as she yells out, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” and he watches as the boyfriend pulls out three, large, overflowing duffle bags and deposits them at her feet, despite her protests.

And then, he gets in his car and drives away.

His loyalty is being tested.

All Suna can think about as he approaches her is how badly he does not want to. But she’s collapsed now, sitting on top of her pile of duffle bags and sobbing, right there in the middle of the parking lot. Plus, if Kiyoko found out he left a crying girl alone in the parking lot, she’d probably skin him. So he drops his cigarette to the ground and snuffs it out with the heel of his shoe. “Hey,” he greets, because he doesn’t know what else to say.

She looks up, wet eyes wide and covered in smudged, black makeup. She inhales sharply. It could pass for a hiccup. “Oh, hey. Good show tonight,” she sniffles.

“Yeah, thank” Suna nods, looking at the ground beside her instead of directly at her. He feels strange standing above her like he is, so he kneels, weight on the balls of his feet. “Are, erm, are you okay?”

She blinks, and hiccups again. At least her crying’s slowed. “Um, no, not really. I just got dumped, and also, like evicted, I’m pretty sure.”

Suna looks at the bags underneath her. “This all your stuff?”

“Most of it, I think.”

“Okay,” Suna starts, trying to come up with anything useful or productive, “so, can you like, call a friend to stay at their place for now or something? I don’t think I wanna leave with you just like, here.”

Her eyes start to water again, and Suna immediately feels like he’s done something wrong. “No, not really. I mean, my old roommates got new places out of the city and I don’t know who they live with or even where and my other friends all live together in a two bedroom but there’s three of them and I couldn’t even stay in there if I tried because there’s no room, and I don’t like my mom and I guess I could ask this one friend but I know she won’t answer and I don’t know where I’m going to stay and I’m kind of-“

“Okay,” Suna cuts her off, dread already forming in his stomach. Because he cannot, in good conscience, leave a crying girl in the middle of a parking lot. He cannot let her just figure it out on her own. So he knows what’s coming next. He sighs and stands upright. Fuck, he better get some good karma for this. “Do you wanna stay at my place for the night?”

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[fallstaticexit]

Prev / Next / Beginning / Pillowfort

AN: TW this post contains a homophobic slur.

Transcript under the cut

Professor Munch: Everyone, this is Nancy. She’s one of my favorite students. I am so glad she can join us this evening to observe our weekly GSA meeting.

Nancy: And what is a GSA?

Morgan: It stands for Gay–Straight Alliance. It’s just a safe space for queer kids to hang out and talk about real world issues.

Knox: Yeah, we go out and do stuff off campus. It’s pretty tight.

Nancy: Queer? So...this is a club for homosexuals?

Darling: [sucks teeth]

Knox: [chuckles nervously] I mean, sure I guess? Me and Morgan are bisexual. That means we dig the fellas and the ladies, heh.

Professor Munch: What’s important is that this space is for everyone, from all walks of life. We support each other here, no matter who you love. We keep each other safe. That’s why I invited you to sit in on our session. I figured you could use a friend or two-

Nancy: Ugh! Oh my God? You think I’m- I’m not like that, ok!?

Nancy: I am not a homosexual! What the hell made you think I’d want to be apart of something like this?

Professor Munch: No, dear- I’m not implying you’re like anything! This club welcomes all people. I thought you could use the support. Why, your brother started the very first GSA at this school-

Nancy: Oh, don’t you fucking dare! My brother wasn’t some depraved pervert and I’m not a d****!

Darling: [jumps up, chair scrapes hardwood floor] What the fuck did you just say? You can’t come up in calling people that shit!

Nancy: I-I didn’t! All I’m saying is that I’m not like that! I’m not like you-

Darling: Not like who? Not like a d?****?

Darling: What the fuck is your problem? Munch, who is this bitch?

Professor Munch: Easy, Dee. Calm down-

Darling: Don’t fucking tell me to calm down! You let some straight white girl walk in here and say something we heard screamed at us our whole fucking life! Say it again! I dare you!

Professor Munch: That’s enough! Please! Let me handle this.

Nancy: [between sobs] M’sorry...m’so sorry...

Professor Munch: [sighs] Just, take some time to think about this, Nancy. Look inward.

Nancy Narrates: [Look inward] x3

Nancy: If it’s ok...I’d like to apologize.

Professor Munch: Everyone? Is it alright if Nancy speaks?

Morgan: I don’t mind.

Darling: [sighs] Whatever man.

Nancy: [exhales] When I first heard that word, I was 11 years old. My mother found letters I wrote to my pen pal. She mailed a photo of herself from her birthday party, she wore this really pretty yellow dress with little blue flowers on them.

Nancy: Yellow is my favorite color, so I said she was as pretty as a sunflower. My mother tore up the letter and made me rewrite it. She looked me right in the eyes and said, ‘do you want someone to read this and think you’re a-’

Nancy: She said it again when was 14, a girl from my ballet troupe was only brushing my hair. She pulled me from the class. She said it again two years ago, when she found out that I fell in love with-

Nancy: I know that word hurts because it’s been said to hurt me even though I’m not... It doesn’t matter if I’m not, I shouldn’t have said it. It was a horrible thing to do. I am so incredibly sorry.

Professor Munch: Thank you for sharing your story. This is what GSA is about. Coming together, creating a community, and creating safe spaces. Dee, is there anything you want to say to Nancy? Anything you’d like to speak on or about how you feel?

Darling: Nah...

Nancy Narrates: [I knew that an apology alone wouldn't suffice to mend the situation. When it came to friendships, I didn’t know how to genuinely make amends, but as a Landgraab, I knew that I could leverage my wealth and status to create a meaningful impact]

Morgan: You got us the biggest hall on campus?! Nancy, this is sick as fuck!

Professor Munch: [laughs] I’ll have to agree with Morgan for lack of a better word. This is sick as heck! I don’t know where to begin to thank you for this gift.

Nancy: It’s the least I could do. Now you can stop meeting in that tiny corner in the commons.

Darling: Charity work for your little sorority, huh? What’s with you, yo?

Nancy: What do you mean?

Darling: You’re so rich, you just buy your way through shit?

Nancy: It’s how I was raised.

Darling: I can’t figure you out.

Nancy: I promise, I’m not a bad person.

Darling: We’re not like everyone else on campus. We’ll show you something real. You gotta be real with us too.

Nancy Narrates: [I found myself wanting to do exactly that—to show them the real me, whoever she was]

Siobhan: I’m planning a party for the Thetas Friday night. Perfect opportunity for you to bond with your sisters.

Nancy: I’m a little busy Friday night...maybe next time?

Siobhan: Being apart of a sorority is more than just the cute merch and bragging rights. We’re involved with the community and with this campus. As a pledge, I do expect you to commit to these things.

Nancy: I know and I will. I just need to take care of something.

Siobhan: [sighs] Don’t let me down, sister.

[the group murmurs excitedly]

Professor Munch: You did all this, Nancy?

Nancy: I hope it’s ok I’m here. I figured you could break in your new room with a movie night. Everything is already taken care of, and I bought a ton of movies ranging from comedy to horror and everything in between. They’re all yours to keep! Same with the popcorn machine. I know I’m using money again to impress you but... I guess I’m still trying to figure out what it means to be real. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it all.

Morgan: Yeah, not so fast. Stick around, watch a movie with us!

Nancy: Are you sure?

Knox: Of course we’re sure, squirt.

[hyunebunx]

˖˙ ᰋ ── 💜- 'a tender kiss on the partner's shoulder'

﹙ʚɞ˚﹚. genre: fluff

﹙ʚɞ˚﹚. a/n: you and teri requested the same thing so i tried to make it extra fluffy <3 i hope you enjoy, my lovess <3 (if this doesn't show up in the tags again i'm gonna scream)

You could admit without any hesitation that cooking for your loved ones was your favorite way of spoiling and showering them with your unwavering affection. Seeing their faces light up at the sight of their favorite meal after a tiring, long day was an unmatched experience, along with the content sighs of delight and the faint smiles adorning their features as they chewed happily, recharging.

It was a love language, described beautifully on every page of your treasured, worn cookbook. The one you’ve been handling with care from the moment you decided to learn to cook your best friend’s comfort food back in high school when she desperately needed a pick-me-up.

Years later, honing those skills came in handy as you began cooking for every gathering, be it with friends or family, feeding yourself with their genuine joy and bright smiles. After all, nothing spelt ‘I love you’ quite like a homecooked meal, prepared with care and utmost attention as you danced to the beat of your favorite songs in your small kitchen.

And one person in particular knew all about it, receiving your love in all forms but especially through your cooking. Seungmin had never felt this special until he met you, the person who would bend over backwards to bring a simple smile to his face, longing to make him happy every minute of every day spent by your side.

So naturally, he wished to return the sentiment, needing to bring you even a quarter of all that happiness you gifted him every day.

“Good morning, my love.” Seungmin feels you before he hears you, your arms wrapping around his middle snuggly as your chin moves to peer over his shoulder curiously. “Whatcha’ doin'?”

He shakes his head affectionately, flipping over a pancake with a smile. “I mean, I was trying to surprise you with breakfast in bed but it looks like you had other plans.”

“Oh.”

Not your fault the bed was cold, which had you waking up in search of him on autopilot. Nobody could blame you for missing your boyfriend when you spent every free moment glued to each other’s sides.

Even so, he can tell you feel bad, voice dropping as a pout takes over sunny features. But he can also tell how much you appreciate the gesture, tightening the embrace before placing a tender kiss on his shoulder, lips lingering there when you speak again. “I’m sorry. I can go back if you want me to.”

“Yes, please.” He nods, placing another pancake on the plate next to the stove, diligently building his syrupy pancake tower like a skilled architect.

You laugh, kissing his nape. “Alright, baby. Anything for you.”

Yet as you try to unwrap your arms from around him, one of his hands grabs your wrist to keep you in place. “Not…right now. Maybe in, um, two minutes?”

His attempts at keeping you near a little bit longer were absolutely adorable, heart melting into a red puddle resembling strawberry jam. How could you say no?

So, you embrace him again, smiling from ear to ear as you both bask in each other’s love while the sun struggles to rise on this cloudy morning. You begin talking and conversing about mundane things as two minutes turn into five, and then ten, when you pause to plant kisses all over his upper back and shoulders, congratulating him for finishing the food as he giggles shyly. Praising your talented love will remain one of your favorite activities as long as you draw breath.

“You can go now.” He says, swiftly turning around in your embrace. “But take this first, and don’t lose it, alright?”

You’re confused, brows rising in wonder as Seungmin doesn’t elaborate but moves your arms to settle over his shoulder, his circling your waist naturally. “What – “

He silences you with a kiss, the corners of his mouth turning upwards briefly as you finally catch on, amused, before bringing you closer so you’re chest to chest, just as the first ray of sunshine sneaks past your ajar window.

While he would never expect you to return the pancakes, his kiss was another story. You needed to hold on to it, guarding it with your life until the right moment came along and you could surprise him by returning the love tenfold and stealing his breath away.

You know what they say, an eye for an eye. But in this case, a kiss for another kiss.

[cheynovak]

Complicated

Characters: Soldier boy x Y/N Female character     

Summary: Y/N, a young personal assistant to Soldier Boy (Ben) and Crimson Countess, is caught in a whirlwind of events that shatter her sense of stability. After accidentally witnessing an intimate moment between Ben, Crimson, and another woman, she’s left shaken and unsure how to process it. The following day, Crimson casually invites her to join them, which only adds to Y/N's confusion.

Warnings: 18+ mentioning of: threesome, cheating, build up to smut/ spice.

English is not my first language 

*This story is my own original story, please do not copy my work, reblog/comments/likes are appreciated* 

part 1/?

Working for superheroes had always been my dream, and landing the personal assistant job for Soldier Boy felt like I had finally made it. At just 23, I was on the inside—right next to the legends. And more than anything, I admired Crimson Countess. I had looked up to her for years: strong, fearless, elegant, everything I wanted to be.

Soldier Boy was, well, intimidating. Ben, as I had been told to call him, was a larger-than-life presence, intense and unpredictable. But Crimson? She was the one who inspired me, and every day, I tried to live up to what I thought she represented.

Tonight was no different from most. It was late, the compound was quiet, and everyone else had left for the night. I was tying up loose ends, some paperwork mostly, when I remembered that Crimson had left a stack of files in her office. I figured I’d drop them off on her desk and head home. I had done it hundreds of times already, just part of the job.

As I walked down the dim hallway, I noticed her office door was cracked open. That was unusual; she was always so careful about her privacy. For a moment, I considered knocking, but it was late, and I assumed she had gone home. I thought I’d slip in, leave the files on her desk, and get out without disturbing anything.

But the second I stepped through the door, my world came crashing down.

Crimson Countess wasn’t alone. She was there, on the couch, barely clothed, on her knees on one side of Soldier boy while some other woman... well, sat... on his... face.

They were tangled together, moving in a way that left no room for interpretation. It was raw, intense—nothing like the polished, controlled way they presented themselves to the world. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t tear my eyes away from the scene.

My heart hammered in my chest as the reality of what I was seeing sank in. This wasn’t something my in experienced soul thought was possible. This was something darker, something intimate that I was never meant to witness.

Before I could even think to turn and leave, Ben pulled the girl of him, his sharp gaze snapped to mine and smirked, that signature cocky grin spreading across his face, like he found it funny that I had walked in on them.

“Well, look who it is,” he drawled, his voice low and thick with amusement. “Want to join sweetheart?”

My stomach churned. Crimson Countess didn’t seem to notice me, too caught up in the moment with him. His fingers tangled in her hair.

I took a step back, every nerve in my body screaming at me to get out of there. My hands were trembling as I fumbled for the door, trying not to look back, trying not to hear the low chuckle that followed me as I stumbled into the hallway.

“I—uh, I’m sorry,” I stammered, though I wasn’t sure if anyone even heard me.

My feet moved on their own, rushing down the hall, my breath coming in quick, shallow bursts. I could still feel Ben’s eyes on me, the way he hadn’t even been fazed by my intrusion. He’d looked at me like I was just part of the scenery or something to laugh about later.

The moment I burst outside, the cold night air hit me, but it did nothing to calm the storm raging inside of me. My hands shook uncontrollably as I pulled out my keys, trying to focus long enough to unlock the car door. I didn’t know how long I stood there, but eventually, I managed to get inside and slam the door behind me.

What had I just seen?

Crimson Countess—Crimson Countess—the woman I looked up to, the one I had admired for so long, wasn’t who I thought she was. And Ben, Soldier Boy, had just acted like it was no big deal, like he didn’t care at all that I just walked in on that.

My mind raced as I drove, barely registering the streets flashing by. The image of them together, so vulgar, was burned into my brain, refusing to leave me alone. They weren’t the heroes I had built up in my head. They were… something else, something I didn’t want to understand.

When I finally got home, I fumbled with the keys to my apartment, my hands still trembling. The door swung open, and I was greeted by the warm light of our living room. My fiancée Kevin was already there, standing by the kitchen counter, looking at me with concern.

“Y/N?” His voice was soft, and the second he saw my face, I could tell he knew something was wrong. “You’re home late. What happened?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. How could I explain this? How could I even begin to tell him what I had just seen? I was sure my fiancee, respectable man he was wouldn't even understand this. My head was spinning, and all I could feel was the rush of emotions crashing over me—shock, disgust, confusion.

“I—I don’t even know,” I whispered, my voice barely audible as I set my bag down, my legs weak. I collapsed onto the couch, burying my face in my hands. “It’s… I saw something at work. Something I wasn’t supposed to see.”

He came over and sat beside me, his hand resting gently on my back. “Do you want to talk about it?”

I shook my head, the memory still too raw, too sharp. I couldn’t even process it myself, let alone explain it to him. How was I supposed to tell him that the people I worked for, the heroes we had both admired, weren’t who we thought they were? That Crimson Countess, the woman I’d idolized for years, had just shattered every illusion I’d ever had about her?

“I just… need a minute,” I said softly, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill.

He didn’t press. He just sat there with me, his presence steady and comforting in the middle of the chaos in my mind.

I closed my eyes, trying to push the images away, but they wouldn’t leave. No matter how much I wanted to forget, I couldn’t. Crimson Countess and Soldier Boy weren’t just flawed—they were something far darker. And now, I wasn’t sure if I could ever look at them the same way again.

--

The next day, I sat at my desk in the office, trying to act as normal as possible, but the memory of what I had seen last night haunted me. My fingers tapped anxiously on the keyboard, eyes glued to the paper, but my mind was miles away. Every time I tried to focus, my thoughts drifted back to Crimson and Ben… and that other side of them I had never imagined.

The Tower bustled around me—colleagues moving through the halls, casual conversation floating in the air. Everything felt normal, but I felt like I was on edge, hyper-aware of every sound, every movement. I kept telling myself that if I just acted like nothing happened, everything would be fine.

But then I heard her familiar voice and my heart dropped.

Crimson Countess.

I didn’t dare look up as she strolled over, her signature confidence radiating from every step. I tried to stay calm, but my fingers froze over the keyboard of the typewriter when I saw her lean on my desk out of the corner of my eye. She wasn’t in her full supe outfit—just casual, but even then, she exuded that effortless power and control that had always made me idolize her.

“Morning, Y/N,” she said lightly, but there was something teasing in her tone.

“Morning,” I managed to reply, keeping my gaze glued to my paper.

For a moment, she didn’t say anything, just watched the room as a few of our colleagues passed by, her lips curling into a faint smile. I could feel the tension building, and my stomach twisted in knots. I knew something was coming. I just didn’t know what.

Finally, when the coast was clear, she turned her attention fully on me, her voice low and almost conspiratorial.

"Ben told me you saw us last night."

My breath caught in my throat, and I could feel my cheeks flush bright red. It was like my whole body betrayed me, and I cursed myself for it. The heat crept up my neck and into my face as the memory of what I’d walked in on slammed back into my head.

“I—uh—” I stammered, struggling to find words. “I’m so, so sorry. I wasn’t supposed to see that. I didn’t mean to—”

Crimson waved off my apology with a casual flick of her hand, like it was nothing. Her expression was calm, her eyes almost amused, as if she found the whole thing mildly entertaining.

“No need to apologize, sweetheart,” she said, leaning in a little closer. “If you want to join next time, you’re welcome to.”

The offer hit me like a freight train. My mouth went dry, and I had no idea how to respond. I could barely believe what she was saying—it was so nonchalant, so easy for her, like inviting someone to dinner instead of, well… that.

My mind went blank, but the first thing I managed to blurt out was, “I’m engaged.”

Crimson’s eyes flickered with amusement before she suddenly threw her head back and laughed, the sound loud and echoing throughout the office. A few heads turned, but no one seemed to think much of it—this was Crimson Countess after all. People expected her to be eccentric.

“Engaged, huh?” she said with a smirk once her laughter subsided. “He’s welcome too.”

My jaw nearly hit the floor. I stared at her, completely lost for words. Did she actually mean that? The casual way she said it, as if it was no big deal, made it even harder to wrap my head around.

“I—uh, I—” I stammered, trying to find a way out of this conversation without combusting on the spot.

Crimson just smiled, crossing her arms and leaning back slightly. “No pressure, Y/N. Just let Ben or me know if you’re in or out. It’s all about options.”

Options? I wasn’t even sure how to respond to that. My entire world had flipped upside down in the span of a few seconds, and here she was acting like this was just another casual conversation.

“I… I’ll think about it,” I said quickly, though in my mind I was screaming no, no, no, wanting to escape this situation as fast as possible.

“Good girl,” she said, winking at me before pushing off my desk and walking away, leaving me sitting there in stunned silence.

As soon as she was gone, I finally let out the breath I’d been holding. My heart was still racing, my palms clammy against the keyboard. I tried to make sense of what had just happened, but nothing about it made sense. What kind of world had I walked into, where things like this were normal?

And worse, how was I supposed to look her in the eye now? Or Ben? I swallowed hard, staring blankly at the text I just typed. How did I get into this situation?

--

The next day, I was running late for lunch. Most people had already returned to their desks, leaving the cafeteria nearly empty, just a handful of others grabbing a bite before heading back to work. My stomach twisted with anxiety—I still hadn’t fully processed my encounter with Crimson Countess. I barely managed to choke down a few bites of food, my nerves making me feel sick.

I was sitting at the far end of the room, hoping to avoid any more awkward encounters. But just as I thought I was in the clear, the door swung open, and in walked Ben, flanked by the TNT twins. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. He scanned the room, his eyes landing on me almost immediately. And then, like it was the most natural thing in the world, he smirked.

My pulse quickened as he started walking over, his strides slow and deliberate, like he enjoyed the effect he was having on me. I quickly looked back down at my half-eaten sandwich, pretending to be too engrossed in my food to notice him. But it was too late.

Ben—Soldier Boy—pulled out the chair beside me and sat down, the weight of his presence making the air feel heavy. I could feel his gaze burning into the side of my face, and I silently prayed he wouldn’t bring up last night. I wasn’t ready for another awkward, twisted conversation.

"So," he began casually, his voice low, "have you spoken to Countess?"

I swallowed hard, nodding. “Yeah. She, uh… talked to me earlier.”

He didn’t say anything for a second, just stared at me, his eyes gleaming with amusement. He could sense my nerves, I knew it. My hands felt clammy, and I tried to focus on anything other than how close he was, but his presence was suffocating.

"She tell you how we like to have there sometime?" Ben asked, his tone smooth, like he was discussing the weather.

I nodded again, my throat dry. “Yeah, she… she mentioned it.” I could barely get the words out. Every part of me wanted to shrink away, to disappear, but Ben leaned in closer, closing the already small gap between us.

"I gotta say," he murmured, his voice dropping lower, "I wish you’d stayed last night." His lips curled into a smirk as he watched my reaction. I could feel my face turning red, my heart racing uncontrollably.

“I’m engaged,” I blurted out, my voice louder than I intended, desperate to set a boundary. Please, let that be enough.

But it wasn’t. Any other man might’ve taken the hint, backed off, but Ben wasn’t just any other man. He chuckled, a dark, deep sound that sent shivers down my spine.

“Engaged, huh?” He raised an eyebrow, clearly unfazed. "That’s cute, congrats, I'm sure he is eh, taking care of you."

"Oh he is." I answered way too fast. His hand moved over my arm, "So you have... some experience, thats good." I couldn't look at him thinking. Well not much, not at all if experience means what he did the other night... but I had sex before yes.

He must have read my mind "You gotta understand something, sweetheart." He leaned in even closer, his breath warm against my skin. “This is freeing. Learning to love more than just one person. Sharing is caring, right? Besides I might teach you a thing or two your man likes.”

I stared at him in shock, my mind racing, trying to make sense of what he was saying. It wasn’t just about what I had seen or heard. This was something bigger, deeper—he truly believed it, believed in some twisted version of love where boundaries didn’t exist.

My mistake was looking up at him then—really looking at him. I was too close, closer than I had ever been. For a moment, all I saw was the strong, perfect lines of his face, the chiseled jaw, the intensity in those green eyes that made it hard to think straight.

He was beautiful, magnetic, and dangerous all at once. I hated how my body reacted, how my breath caught in my throat as I felt the pull of his presence. "I-I don't think I would... like it." I stammered.

His gaze dropped to my lips, and I swore my heart stopped. My whole body tensed as I realized just how close we were, the air between us heavy with something I didn’t understand.

“You could learn to enjoy it,” he whispered, his voice seductive, filled with a kind of promise that sent a shiver down my spine.

I quickly looked away, my mind screaming at me to get out of this situation, but my body betrayed me, frozen in place, caught between fear, confusion, and something else I didn’t want to acknowledge.

“I… I can’t,” I stammered, my voice barely audible.

He smiled, a slow, predatory smile, as if he had all the time in the world. “Think about it, Y/N. Seems like you’ve got a lot to learn, want to keep your soon to be husband happy between the sheets, don't you?” His hand brushed against mine on the table, and the contact sent an electric jolt through me.

I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. All I knew was that I needed to get out of there. Now.

“I should go,” I muttered, pushing my chair back so fast it nearly toppled over. I stood up, my legs shaky, and grabbed my bag. Ben just leaned back in his chair, watching me with that same smug, knowing smile, like he’d already won some kind of game I didn’t even know I was playing.

“Take your time,” he said lazily, his eyes glinting. “We’re not going anywhere.”

I didn’t dare look back as I rushed out of the cafeteria, my mind a mess of confusion, fear, and frustration. How had I ended up here? What kind of world had I gotten myself into, where boundaries didn’t exist, where people like Ben and Crimson Countess played by their own rules?

And most importantly—what the hell was I going to do next?

--

I couldn’t tell Kevin about what happened. He’d flip. The thought of trying to explain everything to him, the look of betrayal and anger that would flash across his face… I just couldn’t handle that right now. It felt like everything in my life was spiraling out of control, and I didn’t have the strength to add another confrontation to the pile.

That day, I rushed home far earlier than usual. I needed stability, something to ground me, and Kevin had always been that for me. I kept telling myself that once I got home, once I saw him, everything would start to feel normal again. He didn’t know about the world I worked in, the twisted games that came with being around supes. With Kevin, things were simple. Normal.

When I reached our apartment door, I noticed something was off before I even stepped inside. The faint glow of candlelight flickered under the door, and I could smell something sweet—champagne? My heart lifted slightly, thinking maybe he had planned a surprise. Maybe Kevin had sensed how off I’d been lately and wanted to make it up to me. The thought of spending a quiet evening together, just the two of us, made my chest ache with hope. This was what I needed.

But the second I opened the door, that hope shattered.

There he was. Kevin, sitting on the couch, cozy and comfortable—but he wasn’t alone. Another woman was with him. Her long legs were draped across his lap, her hand on his chest, and they were kissing. Not just a casual kiss, but something deeper, something intimate. The kind of kiss that said I was no longer part of the equation.

The candlelight, the champagne, the soft music playing in the background… it wasn’t for me. It had never been for me.

I stood frozen in the doorway, my breath caught in my throat, unable to process what I was seeing. My entire body went numb, like my brain was trying to protect me from the full force of what was happening.

My heart broke, a sharp pain slicing through my chest as I watched them—Kevin, the man I was supposed to marry, the man who had promised to love me, sitting there with someone else like it was the most natural thing in the world.

He didn’t even notice me at first, too caught up in the moment with her. I felt like I was drowning, my mind swirling with disbelief and devastation. I wanted to scream, to yell, to make sense of it, but all I could do was stand there, staring at the wreckage of everything I thought I knew.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he pulled back from her, and that’s when he saw me. His eyes widened in shock, and for a second, we just stood there, the silence between us deafening.

“Y/N,” he breathed, his voice laced with guilt, panic flashing across his face as he shoved the woman off his lap. She scrambled awkwardly, clearly not expecting to be caught.

“I—uh—it’s not what it looks like,” he stammered, but the words felt hollow, meaningless. It was exactly what it looked like.

My voice cracked as I finally managed to speak. “How could you…?”

He stood up, his hands out in front of him like he was trying to calm me down, like I was overreacting. “Just listen—”

But I didn’t want to listen. Not to him. Not now. Everything inside me was breaking, crumbling, and the anger, the betrayal, it hit me all at once, crashing into me like a tidal wave.

“How could you?!” I shouted, my voice trembling with hurt. “You’re… you’re... How Kevin! We were supposed to—” I choked on the words, unable to finish the sentence. We were supposed to get married. To be together.

His eyes softened for a moment, and I could see the guilt settling in. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I didn’t—"

“Don’t,” I snapped, cutting him off. “Don’t you dare say you didn’t mean for this to happen. You did.” My hands clenched into fists at my sides, my entire body shaking. “You planned this. You set this up.”

His silence said it all. The candles, the champagne, the soft music—it was all for her. Not for me. Never for me.

The woman stood there awkwardly, looking between the two of us, clearly uncomfortable but not nearly as sorry as she should have been. I felt sick to my stomach.

I turned and bolted out the door, not caring where I was going, not caring about anything other than the fact that my life, my world, had just been ripped apart in the span of a few short hours.

--

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[myslutwritings]

Hi, i was wondering how the uppermoons react to the reader aka the love of their life crying herself to sleep after a huge argument, like they walk into their shared bedroom to find the reader laying on the bed with tear stained cheeks flushed face mouth slightly open, i know i know it's way too angst-y but i love being comforted when i cry and i am a cry baby so... Pretty please🥺

wowie😂 y’all seem to dig the crybaby reader headcanons so here’s some angst my lovelies!!

➤ Uppermoons comforting reader after an argument.

pairing/featuring: crybaby!reader x the three uppermoons! content warning: lots of angst, douma has emotions, OOC!uppermoons, semi-nsfw, smaller reader, size difference, crybaby!reader.

— note: sorry if this comes off as cheesy! this is pure fluff headcanons for those who are sad and find comfort in our three lovely demons! so i wanted to go all out😅 so the uppermoons aren’t going to be THAT in character. [not proof read btw]

KOKUSHIBO <3

Kokushibo (the uppermoon one) and you got into one extremely heated and serious argument that day..

Is argument even the right word at this rate? more like a fight.

Like so bad you guys were screaming at each other the same way toxic parents who weren’t ever in love would fight. 🥲

The fight was so severe to the point where kokushibo just upped and left you alone for hours. He didn’t desire to fight that night and was exhausted from your constant screaming.

However..

Returns later that night to apologize since the fight was his fault only to find you crying in y’all’s shared bedroom..

Gods.. what has he done?!

Okay now he feels even worse. this is going to be troublesome considering he already has a hard time being intimate and expressing his feelings.

After all, koku here is very avoidant. but he’s not trying to be.

You immediately stop crying once you feel his presence. How long has he been standing there?

you want to tell to go away

you want to tell him you hate him (you don’t)

you want to say you love him

you want to say so many things

But nothing comes out.. you just can’t speak properly due to the utter anguish you’re in over the fight..

you’ve always been the biggest crybaby, a sensitive soul.

Kokushibo has always reassured you that he loved that about you. as if you’re the purest and most beautiful flower. an angel sent from the gods themselves.

Finally, you muster up the courage to speak

But right before you blurt out anything Kokushibo gathers you up on his arms and cradles you on his lap.

The gesture makes you eyes water more and you just end up sobbing into his shoulder muttering: “i’m sorry” over and over again.

some phrases you’ll hear from Kokushibo while crying are;

“i’m deeply sorry, my love. my intention was to never make you shed this many tears. That’s the last thing i want to do..”

“Please, no more tears, my dearest petal. I can’t stand witnessing you in such a state of misery. I’m so sorry for leaving you alone.. it’s my fault and i should’ve tried to communicate with you instead of leaving you alone like that.. you’re my one and only and i’ll never do something this foolish ever again.”

Koku isn’t the very best at communication nor is he the talking type but when it comes to you he’ll go out of his way to talk to you all night long until you feel better! <3

The both of you end up cuddling all night.

He plays with your soft hair and keeps an eye on you as you rest.

Even if you fall sleep he still won’t leave. He’s going to hold you in his protective embrace while you sleep me until you wake.

DOUMA <3

Oh my! his poor sweet lotus crying to themselves after an argument? now, this won’t stand..

Now let’s skip the part where he feels emotions for you.

Anyway-

Douma is not really an argumentative kind of guy..

i mean, sure, he’ll joke around with lord-akaza but that’s all for great fun! :D

And lets not forget the numerous times muzan has chastised him or when he had to listen to his long-rants about how worthless he and his superiors are for not being able to seek out the blue spider lily.

So, when you two break out into an argument.. he doesn’t yell back. he kinda disregards your feelings and accuses you of being silly and just teases you for it.

I mean, you are being over-dramatic, right?

Honestly, he’s not used to it when you yell and break down afterwards..

Douma’s never seen you so upset before! :(

Okay, he may know how to ‘comfort’ people but we all know that’s a façade.

Deadass doesn’t know what to do. it’s different because with you he actually cares (more than you know.)

Is torn between giving you space and just forcing you into his embrace and babying you until you stop crying like how he does with his disciples.

Douma is clingy. he’s always been very clingy and touchy. this rainbow-eyed man is glued to you 24/7. 🥹

As predicted, his clingyness gets the better of him and he follows you like a lost puppy once you runaway in tears.

He didn’t mean for this to happen nor to make you so upset.

You’re crying on your futon and he stands there for a good second witnessing you in distress. he’s still feeling hesitant.

He isn’t used to these emotions bubbling up into his gut right now.. and doesn’t like it one bit! he needs it to vanish as fast as possible.

Douma ignores your protests while he gathers you up into his strong arms and lays you across his lap bridal-style.

Kisses your tears away and gives you love bites since he has a habit of doing that. usually it makes you giggle when he does that but this time you only recoil from his touch.

“Aw, don’t pull away from me!”

**cue the pouting**

Douma will legitimately comfort you this time instead of putting on that act he does with his followers.

Some phrases you’ll hear from douma are:

“Hush now, my darling! it’ll be okay! i- i didn’t mean to upset you, honest! i can’t let you go.. i can’t leave you alone when you’re crying like this..”

“Hey, hey! shh.. it’s okay sweetie! i’m here for you! let’s wipe those tears off your pretty face, hm? oh, you’re beautiful no matter what even if you’re crying but i would much rather you smile for me! can you do that for me, dear?~”

“I love you so much, [name]! I promise i didn’t mean to make you upset.. it won’t happen again! please just try to communicate with me more so we won’t fight like this again!Of course i’ll do the same in return.. these emotions i felt today were something i never want to experience gain!”

Much like kokushibo. Douma isn’t the best communicator either.

Sure, the man may be a yapping machine but it takes him a hot minute to realize his wrong-doings and talk it out with you!

By the way he’ll probably tease you after this night so be prepared.

Probably would initiate sex to make you relax since you’re so damn tense but will understand if you decline. 

AKAZA <3

Good lord, he’s the MOST emotional and sympathetic out of everyone.

Akaza tends to yell a lot, he suffers from anger issues and can be passive aggressive so it’s quite easy to get him riled up.

This fight in particular was worse than usual.

Like wayyyy worse.

Akaza actually hates, hates, HATES, HATES, fighting with you.

So he’s on the verge of tears himself and angry with himself for being so weak to argue with you back instead of being the bigger and stronger person in this situation.

More importantly, he made you cry, he’s most disappointed in himself for that.

Akaza isn’t too clingy, on very rare occasions he is though.

Akaza has attachmemt issues but doesn’t show it that often (that’s my headcanon for him)

So bro’s attachment issues are literally SPIRALING in this moment.

Calls out for you when you runaway but you don’t turn back and that’s what he knows he’s fucked up.

Will do ANYTHING to make you forgive him and to stop crying.

Wants to respect you but he knows he’ll go apeshit if he leaves you alone so he takes a hot minute before running after you.

He’ll knock on your door. f you don’t answer he’ll just waltz right in like he owns the place.

Starts yapping as soon as the door swings open.

Poor thing, he’s flipping out. 😭

“Baby!! please don’t cry!! shit.. i’m sorry!”

You look at him

Is he.. tearing up?

You feel guilty for overwhelming him but you’re also still mad at him.. you can’t bring yourself to apply him with the reassurance and comfort he craves in that moment even though you want to..

Akaza will get more needy if you ignore him and crawl into bed with you to spoon you from behind. His hands swiftly snake around your waist and you feel your back flush against his bare chest as he buries his face into the crook of your neck.

He’s mumbling “i’m sorry, pretty girl..” under his shuddering breath.

He is NOT letting you go until morning.

Akaza will pepper feather-like kisses upon your neck from behind and squeeze your waist while whispering comforting words into your ear.

He’s really not letting you go until you forgive him. 😞

Phrases you’ll hear from Akaza after an argument:

“Come here, honey.. i’m really sorry. believe me, i didn’t mean anything i said. i was a damn idiot!”

“Sweetheart, i love you so so much it hurts.. you mean the fucking world to me! i would kill for you, i would even die for you.. you bring out this special part of me in which i feel like myself.. only YOU have the power to do that. i would never leave you or let anything bad happen to you, honest!”

He embraces you and will probably end up turning you around so you can face him.

he appreciates it when you look into his eyes when he’s talking to you about something important.

You making eye-contact with him sends him onto cloud nine 😩

Akaza just wants to see your pretty face! 💗💗

Even if you take your time forgiving Akaza he will understand and never love you any less.

[marvelfanfn2187a113]

Hate You (Kidding)

Crowley & daughter!reader, Sam and Dean & witch!reader, a little Rowena & granddaughter!reader

Requested by Anonymous

Synopsis: your dad abandoned you years ago, but what happens when he finds out you’re still alive?

A/N: just so no one gets confused about this, here’s the background—Crowley found out how powerful demon/human babies can be, so he tried to make one, only it didn’t go the way he planned—the baby (you) were born without powers, and so he abandoned you. (Just because I didn’t want to give this the exact same backstory as Crowley’s son)

The theft was not going well. Your grandmother had made it seem so easy—sneak into the bunker, grab the black spell book, and make it out fast.

She failed to mention the two professional hunters that lived there.

You hadn’t been dumb enough to assume it would be empty—there had to be a reason Rowena wasn’t going herself, after all; she was scared. But you weren’t ready for Sam and Dean Winchester.

They had you in their dungeon basement—which was super creepy—before you’d even managed to find the book, much less grab it.

“What were you looking for, kid? Who sent you here?” The shorter—but no less scary—one had his hands on the sides of your chair, and he was looming over you. You had no doubt that he was willing to hurt you—you did break into his very dangerous house, after all.

You kept quiet, still unsure what the best course of action was. If you told them about the book and Rowena, would they let you go and go after her?

Then again, you didn’t know anything about these guys—maybe once they got their information, they’d just kill you.

You decided to stay quiet.

“Hey!” Dean smacked his hand on the arm of your chair, and you flinched. “I said—“

The man stopped yelling when the lights went out. They flickered back on a moment later, only this time they were red.

“Someone’s here,” the tall one said.

“I’ll go check.” The man in front of you pulled a gun from the waistband of his jeans and turned to leave, saying to the tall one “watch her.”

Then it was just you and the giant—who, surprisingly, seemed a little less scary. He was definitely intimidating, but he also had a sort of “I don’t hurt children” vibe about him.

“This will all be easier if you tell us what you were after,” he broke the silence.

“Right, because you’ll have a reason to keep me alive after I tell you everything,” you scoffed.

“We won’t have a reason to kill you, either,” Sam countered.

“And you need one?” You questioned.

“What makes you think we’d just kill you for no reason?” He asked.

“I mean I did break into your house, and you are hunters.” You shrugged as best you could with your hands cuffed behind you.

“I’m Sam,” the man said, crouching down so he was more on your level—he was trying to look less intimidating, which surprised you. “That other guy is my brother Dean. We are hunters, but we’re not gonna just kill you for no reason. We’re not like that.”

You opened your mouth to respond, but the door opening cut you off.

“Look who came for a visit.” Dean stepped into the room with a man trailing behind him. As soon as the man stepped into the light, every bit of air left your lungs.

“Didn’t know you had a visi—“ Crowley’s sentence froze halfway out of his mouth when he laid eyes on you.

Dean’s suspicious gaze picked up on the awkwardness instantly.

“You two know each other?”

Crowley gained his voice back first. “Used to. Not so much anymore.”

“Oh I don’t know about that.” You found the strength to speak after you heard Crowley’s words. “You still look just as pathetic to me, father.”

“Father?” Dean choked. “Wait, that’s not possible.”

“I thought you were dead.” Crowley was now completely ignoring the Winchesters. “After…after that incident I figured the demons would’ve—“

“Incident?!” You all but screamed. “Incident? Is that what you call you abandoning me? Leaving me for dead? An incident?”

“I had no choice,” Crowley argued. “When the other demons found out you were powerless—“

“The other demons? It wasn’t about the other demons, it was about you! You used my mother to make yourself a half demon, and when I didn’t turn out to have any powers you threw me away. You wanted your demon friends to kill me.”

“No.” Crowley was brushing past Sam and Dean now, coming to stand directly in front of you. You squirmed in your chair, but you couldn’t get further away from him. “No I didn’t. I thought if I got rid of you, they’d have no reason to kill you and—“

“Don’t lie to me!” You cried out. “I’m not stupid! You may not have wanted me dead, but you sure didn’t abandon me to try to save me. You did it because I was useless to you. Pretending otherwise is just…it’s just pathetic.”

Crowley opened his mouth to argue, but he had nothing to say—he knew you were right.

“So you’re half demon with no powers?” Dean cut in. “Because I’ve met a half demon who could do anything he wanted just by thinking it.”

“Why do you think he wanted to make me?” You forced your gaze away from your father to look at Dean. “He wanted an all powerful being that was also fully dependent on him. Too bad for him, not all half demons are the same, and he got stuck with the powerless one.”

“But that doesn’t explain why you’re here now,” Sam cut in.

You bit your lip. You should’ve known it would circle back to this.

“Look, we’re not gonna hurt you if you tell us,” Sam promised.

“Fine.” A sly smirk lifted onto your face as your eyes went back to your father. “I’m here to get a book. For my grandmother.”

Crowley was still choking on air while Sam and Dean shared a meaningful glance before turning back to you.

“Rowena? You’re working for the witch?” Dean’s reaction told you that he both knew Rowena and probably hated her.

“She’s the only reason I’m still alive,” you said. “When he—“ you were inclined your head towards Crowley “—left me behind to get killed by demons, she saved my life.”

“My mother knows you’re still alive and she never told me?” Crowley scoffed. “It’s just like her.”

“She didn’t tell you because I told her how much I hated you.” You glared at Crowley as you spoke. “She understood the feeling, and we had a mutual understanding. Anyway, she told me she would teach me to take out demons the way she can—“

“But let me guess—only if you steal a spell book from us and bring it to her,” Dean interrupted.

“She said it was the only way she’d be able to teach me,” you defended yourself.

“She lied,” Crowley butted in. “She always lies—she was using you to get that book.”

“Oh, right, because you’re so trustworthy,” you shot back. “Why should I trust you?”

“You don’t think it’s a little strange that the first thing she does with you is send you to a place where you could get hurt, just to get something for her?” Sam argued. “You don’t think that that’s using you?”

You were quiet for a moment, and when you spoke again it was more subdued.

“I didn’t have any other choice. There are still demons out there who want me dead, and I’m totally and completely helpless.”

“You don’t have to be,” Crowley said. “I can help you.”

“Rowena may not be a saint, but I already know I can’t trust you,” you snapped. “I’m not looking to get abandoned again.”

“She had to know you’d get caught.” Sam seemed to be talking more to himself than anyone else. “So why…”

The Winchesters seemed to come to a conclusion at the same time, sharing a moment of telepathic connection before they turned and ran out the door.

“Do they do that a lot?” You wondered.

“You have no idea,” Crowley huffed. “I suppose I should find out what’s wrong.”

“You haven’t figured it out yet?” The sudden smirk on your face made Crowley nervous. “Oh come on, don’t tell me you fell for that whole ‘totally and completely helpless” thing.” As you spoke, Crowley saw a faint glow coming from your hands, which were still handcuffed behind you. After a moment, he heard a snapping sound, and suddenly both of your hands were free and you were standing up. “Do you really think Rowena sent me here with no knowledge of magic?”

With a single wave of your hand, you sent Crowley flying against the wall. He landed with a thud, and you stepped over his frame on your way out the door.

“See you soon, father.”

…

Rowena had escaped with the book by the time Sam and Dean got to the library—she had waited until everyone was in the dungeon to make her move—and by the time the boys got back to the dungeon, Crowley was on the floor and you were gone.

“Great,” Dean growled. “She tricked us. I hate witches!”

“For once,” Crowley groaned as he slowly sat up. “I agree with you.”

…

“The Winchesters.” Your nervous gaze met your grandmother’s as you watched her flip through the spell book. “It’s them, they caught up. What now?”

“We need to distract them long enough for me to get through this spell,” Rowena insisted. “I won’t even need the book anymore as long as I can get this spell done.”

“I’ll distract them.” You were halfway to the door when Rowena stopped you.

“No, you’re not strong enough, not like this.” The way your grandmother was staring you down made you nervous.

“Like this?” You asked.

The door blasting open after a swift kick from Dean Winchester seemed to make up Rowena’s mind.

“I’m sorry, dear girl, but it’s the only way,” she said. “Impetus be—“

“Not so fast, mother.” You father appeared out of nowhere just behind Rowena, and he snatched up the spell book she was holding and swung it at her—she went down without another word. “I’m the only one that gets to hurt my brat.”

You didn’t say anything—you were still shaking. “Impetus beastiarum”—that’s what Rowena had been trying to say. Your own grandmother was going to turn you into a rabid monster—and ultimately kill you—just so that she could get away.

“The book.” You flinched out of your daze when Sam Winchester brushed past you and held his hand out to your father.

“Of course, moose,” he answered. “What would I need with a witches book?” He passed it over without argument.

“Why did you save me?” You demanded, sidestepping the taller Winchester to get a good look at your father, who merely shrugged.

“I’m the only one that gets to kill you.”

…

The Winchesters, of course, wanted to grab you after the little incident, but you flung them against the wall with your powers—one of the few tricks your grandmother had managed to teach you, and currently your favorite—and left before they got the chance.

You didn’t see them or your father for several more months. When you saw Crowley again, you were running for your life.

Somehow word had gotten around that a great witch had a granddaughter; or maybe it was that the king of hell had a daughter—you didn’t know, and you didn’t care. All you knew was that an archangel was after you because of it, and you had tried to cut a deal with him.

It hadn’t worked.

Lucifer had wanted you because he thought you’d be useful, and when he found out you weren’t, he of course decided that killing you was proper punishment for wasting his time.

You were in the midst of running for your life when you saw your father.

He was chained to the floor like a dog, watching your exchange with the archangel with peaked interest.

“Conteram hoc cincinno,” you yelled as you ran—it worked, and the chains at Crowley’s wrists snapped; they were warded against demons, not witches.

The freeing of his prisoner was enough of a distraction to get Lucifer off your tail. By the time he remembered you, you were out the door, and when he tried to turn his attention back to Crowley, the demon had already teleported.

…

“What was that?”

You jumped in surprise when your father appeared next to you.

“An escape,” you huffed out.

“You saved me back there.”

“Don’t get used to it,” you demanded. Crowley just grinned at you.

“Maybe witches aren’t so bad.”

Taglist:

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[enhasparadise]

TOKYO ON EDGE. ˒˒ ﹙ niki! ﹚

╰┈⪼ moving to Japan wasn’t really on your plan through the year, but with your specialty being Japanese you had no choice but to accept. arriving in the middle of the year you found it strangely easy enough to integrate into your well-known class but over the days everything seemed to become boring and everything looked the same, the only thing that seemed to interest you was discovering the streets of Japan and the cultural differences with your native country. but, what you hadn't imagined was coming face to face with a car race, where one of the participants was one of your classmates, Nishimura Niki.

pairing ‎⸝⸝⸝ street racer!niki x student!reader 𓄷 iηcℓudᥱs 𓈓 older brother!jay, best friend!sunoo, best friend!haerin, bully!woonhak and heeseung.

genre﹙💬﹚⸝⸝⸝ serie, street racing au, enemies to lovers, kind of bully!niki, slow burn.

warnings ‎⸝⸝⸝ harsh talking, mention of violence and bullying, mention of drinking and smoking, cursing, mention of mental health, niki’s really dumb sometimes.

words count ‎⸝⸝⸝ 2681 words

taglist ‎ ⸝⸝⸝ @r1kification @cherryrikis @moonpri @who-tf-soddhi @heeswif3y @yangjungwonnie comment to be added to the taglist !!

rain’s note ‎⸝⸝⸝ screaming right now because I really love this chapter and how it’s start, also screaming because of the ending of this chapter since of what niki said. yes I’m fangirling over my own story, but anyways I really hope that you like how the story start and all that happened during this chapter.

all feedback and reblogs are welcome! ♡

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001. what kind of starter pack is this ?

You didn't know if it was simply the universe that was playing with you, or fate that had decided that, from one day to the next, after discovering your new school, you would meet this boy who spent his days talking to you. get on the nerves.

The most annoying part of the situation wasn't even the boy himself, but no matter where you were you heard each of the girls whispering his name as if he was a real living god.

Nishimura Niki.

No matter when you heard his name, you found yourself getting annoyed. Yet he hadn't done anything wrong, he was simply everything you despised deep down. That satisfied look and that smirk that almost never left his lips no matter where he was.

Since you had accidentally crossed his path, and his coffee had accidentally spilled on his uniform, he had spent the rest of his time ensuring that your days at school were nothing more than simple moments of torture or complete boredom, except that, even without his presence you were already annoyed and angry enough so knowing that he could arrive at any time made you completely mad with rage.

“y/n are you even listening to me?” Sunoo ended up saying.

“sorry Sunoo, I’m not really focused, it’s just.. all of this annoys me” you ended up responding as a sigh left your lips.

"y/n we'll never move forward with the presentation if you're not focused, and spending your time thinking about Niki won't help us."

“I don’t think about him!” you replied, offended that your best friend would think that before looking around you. "why does this idiot have to be so popular.. he's not even that amazing.."

Sunoo couldn't help but look at you without understanding what could be going on in your head. You now spent most of your days complaining about one of your classmates that you hated while, during your first days here, you both spent your days laughing and talking about topics that you are really interested.

Now it was almost like you spent your days complaining about Nishimura Niki and saying how much you hated him.

Simply, while you were both in the library working on your history paper which was due the next day, your best friend was ready to give up on everything because you weren't even concentrating while on your side you were ready to hit yourself with one of the books on the table if you once again came to wait for this name which was driving you completely crazy.

So, after taking a deep breath to focus again on the work you had to do, you turned back to Sunoo who was completely absorbed in reading his lips.

"And why shouldn't we be allowed to watch on the internet? Sunoo it would go ten times faster and you know it just as well as I do"

"Because, I know you and you'll end up spending the rest of the afternoon glued to your phone and I'll find myself having to do all the work on my own.." placing one of the books right in front of you, he showed you a passage that he found interesting, "I think we can also add that with everything we have just found, it will make a link with the other subjects that we must address later.." he replied wanting to get you back to work.

And it didn't take another sentence for your attention to return to the book, reading what he had told you.

Except that, at the same time, some girls who were passing behind you found themselves whispering a bunch of things that you hadn't heard until one of them said Niki's first name and, in a few moments, Only seconds later you found yourself looking around you.

The library was generally not a very busy place during school days, so obviously seeing more and more girls present was not particularly a good thing. Especially if it had anything to do with that student you hated so much.

But then, trying to concentrate on your work again so that your best friend wouldn't end up forcing you to finish everything by yourself, you sighed, realizing that you were possibly thinking too much simply because you were already quite agitated with what had happened that morning.

"Can we take a break Sunoo? I really can't concentrate it's horrible.." a sigh left your lips as you put your pen on the table and turned your head towards your best friend.

"If you want.." he started before taking his phone out of his pocket and realizing what time it was, "shit.. I have to go anyway.. Sunghoon is waiting for me so that We're going to join the others for our dance class."

Then, as soon as he finished his sentence, he closed the book in front of him, before getting up. "We'll finish this tonight, I'll call you as soon as I have time, and answer this time because otherwise we'll have more time to finish everything."

“Okay Sunoo.. go ahead I’ll take care of putting everything away” you replied before seeing him walk away and the last thing you saw was his blond hair as he closed the library door .

A sigh left your lips, your eyes closing for only a few seconds but opening them again you noticed Haerin in front of you then almost inevitably a smile appeared on your lips.

"Did he finally let you go? I thought I wouldn't be able to come see you all afternoon if he stayed with you.." she said directly with a slight laugh.

"Just assume that you have feelings for him and it will be a lot easier for both of you.." you had barely finished your sentence when you noticed your best friend's expression, and almost inevitably you started to to laugh. “Will you help me clean up? We can go to Starbucks afterwards if you want, it’s been a while since I’ve been there and I really want to go together.”

A smile appeared on your best friend's lips as she heard the word Starbucks and she immediately stood up while carrying several books in her hands to go straight to put them away.

Noticing how she reacted, a laugh left your lips once again and, taking the other part of the books, you yourself went through the shelves of the library to find the shelves where all the books came from.

Ten minutes later you finally left the library with Haerin following you. Except that, as soon as you left the library, your smile faded simply because you noticed a group of girls gathered in the same place, and you knew perfectly well what that meant. Niki was not far away.

“Oh my god do you think Niki is anywhere near?” Haerin asked, and as soon as her sentence was spoken, you remembered that she too, although she had feelings for your best friend, had a strange admiration with Nishimura Niki and you couldn't understand that.

“Please don’t say his name, it annoys me..” you replied as you placed your bag on your shoulder and began to walk to the end of the corridor to leave the room. 'establishment.

In spite of yourself, your gaze landed on this crowd of girls who looked like real kids, and you directly noticed Niki through the whole crowd. He wasn't doing anything in particular, he was just on his phone chatting with some boys in your class, and of course you wondered almost immediately what the girls saw in him. It was very obvious that he had absolutely nothing to do with them and that he simply preferred to ignore them, regardless of what she might say to him.

A sigh left your lips and you wanted to continue walking, but Haerin stopped you by grabbing your arm to make sure you didn't leave without her.

“Believe me, he’s an idiot, he doesn’t deserve your attention Haerin..” you told her, noticing that she reacted the same way as all the girls around him.

And almost as if he had heard what you had just said, Niki raised his head to look at you, and a few seconds later he put his phone away to walk towards you. What exactly was he looking for?

You didn't know him, but with everything you had heard you knew perfectly well that Niki didn't care at all about girls' feelings or just girls in general. Just you, he loved making your days difficult just by being near you. And unfortunately for you, today was likely to be even more complicated.

Haerin, noticing that he was approaching the two of you, couldn't help but laugh in the silliest way, but at no time did Niki's gaze fall on her, he was focused on you. And when he was at your side, he pushed Haerin to the side just to place his arm around your shoulder, which directly made you want to vomit and you almost immediately moved away from him.

“Don’t touch me, I don’t want a boy like you to touch me.”

“Oh come on y/n.. don’t you want to have fun with me? I know you like me deep down”

"Ew.. do you want me to vomit on your uniform or something? Considering the badboy starter pack that you are, I'm quite happy to hate you Niki.." you responded directly before releasing his arm from your shoulder and move away from him, visibly disgusted with how he was acting.

“A badboy starter pack? Can you give me a quick definition of what you mean by that?” He asked you and a laugh left your lips directly.

“I think you understand perfectly what I mean Niki, you’re stupid but not so stupid that you don’t understand..”

“Hey, he’s not stupid, shut up!” Shouted a girl who was around you, before other girls started saying any type of sentence to defend Niki. Except that no matter what she said, your view of Niki wasn't going to change, it was never going to change since Niki was just a miserable idiot.

"They're not wrong, I'm not stupid.." Niki defended himself as this most annoying smile appeared on her lips, and a sigh of annoyance left your lips at the same time.

"Oh of course niki.. you're the most annoying idiot I know in school.." you replied knowing that he wasn't going to leave you alone no matter what you said to him. "And to answer your question, they're the kind of bad boy starter pack, the ones who are really stupid, who react like real assholes and who of course don't mind hurting the girls who are interested in them simply to laugh about it behind..”

One of his eyebrows rose at your response before a laugh left his lips, finding what you had just said to him totally hilarious.

“Really y/n, it’s charming what you say about me” he responded so casually because none of your sentences hurt him.

“Oh shut up will you, you're such an annoying idiot, except girls never notice because of..” you looked at his face, a look of disgust appearing on your own face, “this what you look like.." then you ended up turning to all the girls around you, who were either looking at Niki in admiration or looking at you like they wanted to rip your head off for what you were saying about niki, then you came back to look at niki. “Seriously, are you lacking affection for all the girls to be so into you? Because it’s quite pitiful to be honest..”

The girls around you were almost going crazy over what you were saying but none of them seemed to come up to you, simply because Niki was right in front of them and they didn't want to in any way. that Niki sees them being violent.

“Oh but I'm not in need of attention, on the contrary..” Niki ended up responding in a very annoying way, “it's not my fault if the girls at school adore boys like me.. " the same smile was fixed on his face since the beginning of your conversation and it annoyed you greatly. “Too bad you’re not actually one of them.”

Hearing his last sentence you wanted to vomit because it seemed so pitiful and stupid. You just stared at him with a look of disgust on your face, unable to understand why Niki was bothering you like that when he could just be giving this attention to a girl who liked him more than you. . That is to say the only girl who hated him because of his troublemaker behavior and the way he annoyed you.

"Rather die than become one of your groupies who lick your coattails in the hope of getting attention that will never be given to me." you ended up answering, your hand gripping the strap of your bag so much you felt your blood boiling inside of you because he kept adding any sentence to see your reactions that he loved while you answered each time.

“Oh but I give them attention, there are just so many of them that I can't really give each of them attention for a day.”

"Yeah you're just a real idiot who plays with girls that's all"

“That’s what you think y/n”

“You make me want to vomit Niki… it’s surprising that I still haven’t vomited.”

“Oh stop y/n I know deep down you love me..”

"Shut up niki you really make me want to vomit you're so horrible and annoying.. then seeing how you act with girls it confirms that you're just an idiot badboy who has absolutely no interest in girls and who just spend their time breaking her hearts"

“I think the role of bad boy suits me well you know”

“So you confirm the fact that you are a bad boy and that you have the starter pack that I am with”

Niki looked at you blankly, almost as if you had just said the most incomprehensible thing imaginable. And around you you always heard the girls whispering or shouting all kinds of things about you.

“Being a bad boy doesn't give you a starter pack,” Niki ended up answering.

“Ah yes totally Niki, believe me you have a starter pack that fits the badboy label. Do you want me to make you a list?”

A laugh left his lips as he listened to you, before allowing you to continue speaking, knowing what you were going to say to confirm your words.

"So already, with what I've seen since I've been here you don't take authority seriously and you don't care what the teachers tell you, so that proves the first criterion of the bad boy, then in view of your hands you also spend your time fighting so that proves the second criterion." You paused in what you were saying just to look at him intently to notice every detail about him. "With your character and your behavior it's not surprising that you find yourself idolized by girls and then you don't even need.."

"In this case if I'm a badboy, that makes you a goodgirl, well if we stay in the cliché of course.." Niki ended up cutting you off, and as soon as you waited for his sentence you didn't know how you was supposed to get the information.

“And what does that mean Niki?” you ended up asking as your arms crossed over your chest.

“I think just as well as I do that you know perfectly well what that means y/n” he replied and you noticed that smile that annoyed you so much appear on his lips.

Something to which you hadn't responded simply because you knew that, deep down, Niki only did that to annoy you and he knew that it would work so obviously you didn't want to show him that he was right once. moreover.

“Seriously Niki shut up”

“Only if you confirm that you are the cliché of the good girl since I am, as you say, a bad boy with a starter pack to match..”

"Oh but you really are Niki stop lying to yourself.. you know you're just a bad boy playing it.."

“well I’m telling you that you’re a good girl, you just don’t notice it… but I’m going to prove to you that you are one”

[quack-quack-snacks]

Time Will Tell - Chapter 24

My Time Will Tell Masterlist

My Cha Hyun-su Masterlist

My Navigation and Masterlist

The Time Will Tell Glossary

Warnings: The spider monster attack, reader gets injured (we love an injured queen), Hyun-su finally gets to choose his destiny (he pulls a Britney Spears). Word Count: 2,260

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You couldn’t stand watching the scene of Hyun-su just dangling in the air, wrapped up with nowhere to go and unable to do anything about it. 

Instead, you went back to the nursery to find your siblings. When you got there, you only saw Yeong-su playing with his dinosaur next to Jin-ok and you walked over to lean down next to him. “Annyeong Yeong-su, have you seen your sister anywhere?” You asked him.

He looked up at you with a small pout. “No. She said she’d come play dinosaurs with me but she hasn’t come yet.”

“I’ll go find her and then the three of us can play. How about that?” You asked him with a smile and he immediately brightened up, nodding ecstatically.

So, you ventured off to find your sister, using it as a distraction from the rescue mission you weren’t participating in on the floor below you. It took you a while but you finally saw her just wandering the halls with a lost look on her face. It brightened when she saw you and you smiled at her. “Yeodongsaeng, you know you’re not supposed to be going off on your own. You’ll get lost or something could happen!” You lightly scolded and held out your hand for her to grab. She did happily and you started leading her in the direction of the nursery. 

“I didn’t mean to, I was just trying to find Mr. Ha-” She was cut off by an ear-piercing screech that sounded from right behind you. You were already preparing to run even before you saw the eight-legged creature crawl out of a vent on the ceiling. 

You acted purely on instinct when you picked Su-yeong up and started running. She screamed as she saw the monster quickly approaching you from behind and hid her face in your neck. You rounded the corner just in time to avoid the beast crashing into you, sending it flying into the wall with a sickening crack! instead. You let out a breath of relief when you saw Mr. Han aiming his crutch gun at the beast and you pushed your legs even faster. “Han Du-sik, move!” You screamed at him when the monster fell to the floor, incapacitated. You knew it would only stay down for so long and you wanted him to get out of there as soon as possible, especially with him being at a disadvantage. 

You didn’t look back, but you could hear the squeaking of his wheels as he pushed them vigorously and sped away. You were set on getting Su-yeong to Jin-ok with your brother and protecting her before retreating to help the man; your axe was in the nursery anyways. 

When you got there, you could see the room was boarded up, each of the residents completely abandoning the drill exercises you all had practiced so many times. It made you furious but you couldn’t do anything about it at that moment. 

You banged harshly on the door to let them know you were out there before setting Su-yeong down and crouching to be at her level. “Get them to open the door for you and stay with Ms. Cha and Yeong-su, okay? I’m going to go help Mr. Han deal with the monster.”

You gave her a kiss on the forehead and ran away, leaving no room for a discussion as you barrelled to where you last saw Du-sik, completely abandoning your axe that was stored inside. 

Sure enough, you found him, but he was lying on the floor, his wheelchair lying sideways with the wheels spinning aimlessly. “Han Du-sik!” You called out, running towards him and putting your arms under his armpits. You tried pulling him away despite his pleas to run away but you weren’t strong enough. The monster arrived just as you’d barely gotten him six feet away from where you found him and you cursed under your breath.

Just when you collapsed, falling beside the man and preparing yourself for the monster’s attack as it neared, Du-sik slammed his crutch against a lever on the pillar beside you. A string attached itself to one of the monster’s legs and left it dangling in the air. You almost let out a sigh of relief until you felt a searing pain slash against your side and you were sent flying in the air. 

One of the spider monster’s legs had flailed around and gone clean through your shirt and side. It held onto your shirt while Han Du-sik grabbed onto your ankle, trying to pull you back. You were amazed at how your flimsy T-shirt was holding strong while the body it surrounded was being tugged in two different directions. 

Turning as much as you could while in the hold of both the monster and Mr. Han, you banged your fists against any part of the monster you could reach with every ounce of strength you had. Your - still injured from you punching the glass case holding the axe just barely three days ago - hand’s wounds must have reopened because you could see the white bandage that wrapped around it was starting to stain itself with a growing blood patch. 

Then, as quickly as you were raised into the air, you were dropped. You fell onto your back, the wind getting knocked out of you and you gasped uselessly. You could distantly hear Mr. Han screaming for you to run away but you could only bring yourself to move a few meters before you collapsed again, still unable to breathe and gasping for air. You gripped at your shirt and clawed at your neck for air until finally, finally, you felt a breath of air find its way into your lungs. You panted heavily, taking in breath after breath greedily and mentally thanking every single tree that existed. You looked up and saw one of the claws had pierced right through Du-sik’s leg, leaving it a bleeding mess on the floor. His face showed no pain so you assumed he couldn’t feel it but it was still a worrying sight. 

You could truly only watch as he hit the monsterized leg going through his own leg. The lack of air, along with the blood loss you were going through with your side bleeding profusely, made your body weak. 

You thanked your saviors when he was able to dislodge the claw and the beast was sent into the air by the group of girls holding the rope. When you looked over, you were able to see your little sister among the mix of people holding the rope; the only one you didn’t see was Eun-yu-

“You ugly eight-legged bastard freak! Fuck you!” 

Speak of the devil.

Eun-yu came sprinting up behind you with a lit Molotov cocktail and chucked it at the monster. You knew she was most likely aiming at its torso but with the way it was thrashing around she only managed to set one of its legs on fire. Regardless, you thanked her mentally as she helped you up and started to basically drag you away to a safer location. You made a note to thank her verbally whenever you regained the ability to speak. 

You stumbled alongside her until you both swung around when you heard screams as the group fell, losing their grip on the creature and unintentionally setting it free. 

You watched as its sights set on you and Eun-yu.

You watched it regain its footing and start crawling towards you.

You watched the horror dawn itself on Eun-yu’s face.

And so you did it without thinking. 

You used every ounce of strength left in your body to shove Eun-yu out of the way. She looked up as you did and screamed your name. A sad smile spread on your face as you accepted your fate. Your only regret was never saying goodbye to your siblings, forcing them to live as they had with your father’s death. You closed your eyes and waited as the creature approached. The screams of all the residents echoed through the room and the howls of the beast got closer and closer until-

What you expected to be sharp claws were instead replaced by a calloused hand spinning you around so that you were back to back with your savior. 

You knew who it was immediately just from the feel of his hand on your skin. Despite the interaction being so fleeting, you didn’t think you’d ever be able to forget the feeling. It was just so uniquely him.

Ji-su suddenly ran up to you just as Eun-yu reached you and together, they helped drag you over to the wall. They leaned you against it and Eun-yu immediately started putting pressure on the laceration on your side. You cried out at the pain but didn't resist it - partly because you were too weak to but also because you knew it would stop you from bleeding out. 

Hyun-su got stabbed multiple times by the monster and you watched it take him down, falling on top of him with screeching howls. The sight was horrifying and if you were strong enough you would have pushed Eun-yu and Ji-su away to rush over and help him. 

It went on for an excruciatingly long minute before both parties of the fight stopped moving. You held your breath - which hurt your side like crazy but you ignored it - and waited, praying he was okay. 

‘Let him be okay. You can take me away but please, please let him be okay...’ You pleaded in your head. 

He finally moved, pushing the monster off and away from him. The sigh of relief you let out was painful but worth it. Wasting no time, he stood up, putting nearly all of his weight on the spear he held and panting heavily. 

Everyone stared at him; some gazes thankful, some in shock, some in fear.

And then there was yours. Your gaze of such relief and affection and…

No… it couldn’t be… right?

You’d barely even known each other for more than two months, and the first month of that was just brief interactions that lasted probably much longer than they should have. 

But there was no other way you could describe this feeling. No other way to describe how your heart lit up just at the sound of his name. How fiercely protective you got whenever someone talked down on him. How you longed for his presence when he was gone. How you were always drawn back to him no matter how hard they (Eun-hyuk) tried to separate you. How you felt no fear for him no matter what state he was in. 

So that’s what it must be. 

Love. 

His eyes found yours and the small voids that absorbed all light like a black hole slowly retreated back into his pupils. His gaze traveled down from your eyes to where Eun-yu’s hands were still pressed into the wound on your side before he looked away. You could see the flash of guilt that covered his face when he saw the blood leaking from behind your shirt and immediately knew his mind was sent into the realm of self-blame. 

He turned, starting to limp in the direction of the arcade room no doubt. He used his spear as a crutch and you yearned to reach for him and help him, but all you could do was watch helplessly as he walked off.

You tugged on Eun-yu’s sleeve with a pleading look. “Help me.”

She nodded, allowing you to wrap an arm around her neck while keeping her hand on your wound and assisting you as you followed after the boy. 

Everyone else seemed to have the same idea as they got there before you, allowing you to watch as Hyun-su opened the door and stepped one foot through the frame before stopping at the sound of his name falling from Ji-eun’s mouth as she stepped to the front.

“Hyun-su,” she called. He stopped and slowly turned around to face her. “I’m sorry. I know we made… things more difficult for you.”

He just stood there watching her, his feelings of confusion and gratefulness at her apology plainly showing on his face. 

Eun-hyuk stepped up next, saying what you’d been begging him to since the beginning. “This time, we’ll let you choose.”

The two choices he had were evident despite Eun-hyuk’s lack of saying them aloud. 

Continue to spend his time in the arcade room, quarantining himself from everyone else.

Or:

Leave the arcade room and join the rest of the residents in their - as free as can be - free lives. 

He stared at the boy who’d just granted him the choice regarding his freedom before skimming his eyes along everyone else. They stopped on you for a moment longer than needed before he turned back to the door. You nearly let out a sob at what you thought would be him going back into the arcade room regardless of the choice given to him, but you were quickly relieved when he retrieved the foot placed inside the room and closed the door. Once he turned back around, you were barely able to give him a smile and sigh out in relief before you could feel yourself fading. 

“Fuck,” you said to yourself softly. Your arm started to slide from its place around Eun-yu despite her efforts to catch you and you fell to your knees before everything went black.

The last thing you remembered was the embrace of someone with soft, yet calloused, hands. 

~

taglist: @hyeon-yi @haowonbins @mythical-mushrooms13

[readerforexiao]

Ataraxy | 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ

⌗ Wriothesley x Reader | Fluff, Romance, Established Relationship | tw: plot, light mentions of trauma, readers job was previously a healer, briefly implied abuse & dark past & ptsd, mention of a somewhat graphic injury/ies, same au as Sacrifice | wc: 4.5k |

⌗ A/n: i rushed and i hate it, but I'll get nowhere if i second guess everything, so yes this is all "writing practice" for me, especially dialogue bcs that's one of my weaker skills.

⌗ "And how could you not smile upon seeing life pour out from those truly deserving of happiness?”

As the sun dipped toward the horizon, it bathed the sky in a warm, golden light, gradually shifting through hues of orange, pink, and purple. A gentle breeze whispered through the tall grass, swaying the blossoming fields of flowers in a soft, rhythmic dance.

The atmosphere was peaceful, undisturbed, until the soft murmur of their voices blended with the distant birdsong as they walked hand in hand along the winding pathways.

"Where are you taking me?" you asked, curiosity bubbling up as you felt the tickling sensation of what you assumed to be grass brushing against your legs.

"Somewhere," Wriothesley replied vaguely, pausing only for a moment to adjust your blindfold. "You can’t see anything, right?"

"Not a thing!" you answered, chuckling softly as you extended your hand free of his to the side, feeling the tips of grass graze your palm as you crossed the edge of the pathway. "But I can definitely feel long grass, so I’m guessing it’s─"

"Nothing!" he cleared, his voice rising a little higher than he intended before adding in a softer, more composed tone, "Dear"

“Alright, alright. It’s nothing, I shall assume no further” you teased, squeezing his hand as he resumed guiding you into the unknown.

After years of survival and constant fighting, the nightmares that shaped you had begun to fade when you settled into a quieter, more domestic lifestyle. Not to say the healing process happened overnight or that it would ever truly heal completely, but you'd be surprise how much of a difference the right company can make.

One small decision can change everything, but it's never without challenges.

Old habits die hard, as they say. Even now, despite knowing you were the safest with the man holding your hand, a deep instinctual memory of the times when you had been held down and robbed of your vision against your will surfaced, and subconsciously you fell back on those old instincts of paranoia.

Your ears sharpened to the sounds surrounding you, picking up the melodic chirping of birds, the rustle of grass, and the faint whistle of the breeze. The air carried the earthy scent of damp soil, the crisp freshness of dew-covered grass, and the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers. You recognized the outdoors as instinctively as you recognized your lover's eyes in the dark. However, beyond that little knowledge, your awareness stopped there.

Still, with blind trust, you let him guide you, placing your heart in his weathered hands as though he held the gift of life itself.

You drew in a deep breath, silently pleading for your anxiety to settle— a battle you’d often lost. But this one time, against all odds, it listened and quieted itself as though it finally caves and realized it needed not fret when Wriothesley was by your side.

Wriothesley squeezed your entwined fingers in reassurance once again, and you couldn’t help but recall the night his smile first drew you in; the fateful night of your first encounter, when his body convulsed and rough screams tore from his throat as you removed several shards of metal and glass from his torso. As you wiped the sweat from his brow and patted it away from his chest, unable to stop yourself from flinching at the sight of the pain and exhaustion etched onto his beautiful face.

The second when your gaze collided with his and you met the muted shades in his eyes— though lacking vivid color— something about them infused your world with a vibrancy it had never known before. His warm smile, droopy and effortless in their gratitude, lulling a moment of distress into peace like you have never known all those times your hands soaked in blood.

“How much longer?” you asked, but certainly you had no desire to rush because each minute with him was a joy, a treasured experience. Every second adored and loved, and time be damned if ever you wished it to hurry and run away from you.

“Impatient, are we?” his low voice replied, and you could see the grin that was fixed on his face in your memory. “Just a little further.”

A hint of his excitement slipped through.

How could he restrain the childlike spirit that had been stolen from him when your hand was in his and your love within his heart?

And how could you not smile upon seeing life pour out from those truly deserving of happiness?

Thus, the anticipation mounted as you noticed the subtle shift in pace, curious about what could possibly make the Duke so eager to leave his work unfinished.

Soon, the space was filled with an eerie hollowness, and the sound of your shoes echoed as they crossed the rocks and puddles.

You froze, a shiver of subconscious fear running through you. Wriothesley paused to momentarily release your hand, hus absence startling you but not for a moment too long, and his arms were looping around your waist to bring you close.

"We're entering a cave," He informed, and your love for the man sunk deeper into your core.

It was the relief that came from his small act of thoughtfulness— the brief bit of information, the tone in which it was voiced, and the actions that followed it. His ability to compromise and his effort to balance his excitement and the secrecy while simultaneously reassuring you. It is something of such significance that lies beyond anyone's comprehension.

The chirping of birds gradually faded, replaced by a new muffled sound— an almost imperceptible trickling, like water.

As he neared the surprise he had arranged, Wriothesley stopped and untied the blindfold.

"Are we there yet?"

"Not even close, but almost.." He replied while parting the vines to reveal an entrance to the otherworldly beauty that awaited beyond, the scenery that stole your breath and left your heart momentarily still.

Every inch of the landscape was mesmerizing, as if untouched by time, raw and unfiltered.

You turned in slow circles and everywhere you faced yet another stunning detail unfolded— nature at its purest. You were encased within these naturally crafted walls of rock that made you feel safe and protected from the world outside, as if nothing could possibly reach you.

It was a place where the sun filtered in from above in a way that neither overshadowed the elements below nor diminished its own brilliance, and it's beams of light casting golden hues over the vibrant wildflowers that carpeted the patches of dirt.

A sight like this was bound to leave a lasting impression and how wonderful that it was a memory you would always associate with him.

"Wriothesley..." you whispered his name, breathless, and he swelled with pride.

"Too early to be speechless, sweetheart, there's more"

He led you carefully over the slippery rocks as the water roared beside you, and you couldn’t resist the urge to let your fingers dance through the cascading spray.

Wriothesley watched with delight as your face lit up with wonder and awe. He cherished the way simple things brought you joy, that he knew this would brighten your day. Simply put, Wriothesley loved that you loved him and that things like this could be shared with you.

Eventually, the path narrowed, forcing you both to move in single file, and for a brief moment, you were engulfed in the cool darkness of another cave. This time, no worries ladened your shoulders. You walked with an eagerness, anticipating what could possibly be an even better sight than the one you just saw.

You emerged into a small forest where the sunlight, mirroring the waterfalls, seeped through the thick canopy of trees above, shining dappled patches of light across the forest floor. The air now smelled of pine. The soft crunch of leaves and twigs underfoot as the distant hum of the waterfall fell behind you.

"Beautiful,” you muttered in absolute wonder, entranced by the passing trees and their distinctive appearances, the waving of their brances. Each root told a story while the sturdy bark that ascended into the sky provided shelter for countless animals over the years.

“How on earth did you find this place?"

“Believe it or not, I got lost"

You spared him a glance at his reply. "You.. got lost?"

"Is it hard to believe?" He cleared his throat. “Sometimes the best discoveries happen when you’re not exactly where you planned to be.”

You raised an eyebrow, “So, you were just wandering when you stumbled upon this place?”

"I mean-" Wriothesley hesitated, his mouth opening but then falling closed when the words slipped from his grasp before he could fully form them. He knew there was no point in trying to force the little lie, as innocent as it was, without solid ground beneath it— especially not one you’d believe. He was always confident, quick with his words, but when it came to you, the truth weighed heavier and excuses felt all the more shallow.

The idea of him having enough free time to leisurely explore Fontaine was laughable. With the recent surge in criminal activity and the flood of court cases, both he and Neuvillette had been neck-deep in work. The Fortress of Meropide was overrun with new inmates, and managing the prison had become even more of a balancing act.

“What will it cost me to convince you that I simply got distracted on my way to a pickup point?” he joked, though a hint of nervousness underlined his words.

“Being distracted while on the job doesn’t reflect well on you, Your Grace.” You crossed your arms, an amused smile tugging at your lips as you entertained his playful banter.

“I’ll have you know, I was actually on my lunch break.”

"You hardly leave the house even on your days off," you commented. "You expect me to believe you left the prison on your lunch break for a stroll and ended up getting lost? Your sense of direction may be poor, but i doubt it's that poor Wriothesley."

“Okay, maybe I didn’t get lost in the traditional sense,” he admitted.

"I seriously doubt you got lost at all"

"Can I keep it a secret?" He asked.

“Are you trying to hide something from me, Wriothesley?” you teased. “Did you meet a secret lover here or something?”

His brows furrowed as he shot you an incredulous look. “I'm highly offended. A secret lover? Really? Do you think I’d go gallivanting around with someone else when I could be here with you?”

“I’m just saying, it’s not every day you find yourself wandering in the woods during a workday. It raises questions!”

He shook his head, a smile forming on his mouth despite himself. “You’ve got quite the imagination, but I assure you, my only agenda was to see if this place had any potential for a date. Trust me, this is all about you,” he insisted.

“Then why not just tell me?” you challenged, your words laced with the stubbornness that stemmed from the worries you grappled with every day.

Wriothesley hesitated, and in that moment of hesitation, his gaze was drawn to a single wildflower, unique among the others, nestled between the roots of an old tree, its petals swaying wirh the breeze. When he suddenly stopped walking, you were left puzzled and even more so when he released your hand and turned his back to you. You watched as he crouched down silently, his movements hidden from view as his fingers brushed the cool earth, gently picking the flower he had been eyeing.

For a moment, he simply admired it, its soft colors a stark contrast to the ruggedness of his hand and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips, thinking of how it paled in comparison to your beauty. Rising to his feet, he tucked the flower behind his back and returned to you.

"I know how much you tend to worry..." He held out a deep sapphire rose adorned with shimmering flecks of frozen ice. You had never seen anything like it despite visiting many places and encountering countless flowers; none compared to this one.

As you accepted the flower he offered, your fingers brushed during the exchange and you felt the coolness of his bare skin, unencumbered by gloves, gear, or gauntlets.

Your attempt at steadying your racing heart all but failed miserably.

"...And I would rather you enjoy our evening without fretting over how I stumbled upon this place.” You were focused on admiring the rose, still, you frowned at his words. "The phrasing of your words worry me, Wriothesley..."

"Do you not trust me, sweetheart?"

"I do," you said, fixing him with a serious gaze that matched your expression. "Just not with your own life"

Archons have mercy. He couldn't tell if they had blessed him or forsaken him for his heart thudded in a way it never had before, as if he were in the throes of a heart attack. It was a rhythm of emotion he had never experienced before you, and it both exhilarated and terrified him. How could you love him so fiercely, caring so deeply for a life he considered worthless and easily expendable?

Standing alone in the heart of the forest where you were surrounded by the curious gaze of a squirrel and its two tiny offspring, and three bunnies frolicking in the underbrush, their fur reminiscent of your favorite ice cream flavors: caramel, vanilla, and chocolate chip, the world came to a standstill. He thought the moment perfect, feeling as if he had all the time in the world and wished to remain as you were, regardless of the unanswered questions or the surprise he stayed late into the night after work to prepare for you. This was all he wanted: to hear your love confessed with his every breathing second.

"You've been reckless lately. I'm not sure if it's exhaustion or frustration, but I'm aware of the injuries you've tried to hide from me. You should know better than to think Sigewinne wouldn't snitch on you, " you chuckled.

"They were minor injuries," his hold on you tightened as he defended himself.

You flicked his nose.

"Minor? You dove off a cliff, got shot in the shoulder, sustained a knife wound in your thigh, and nearly crushed your other shoulder against a boulder! And how many times have you almost wrecked your gauntlets from punching too hard?"

"Correction, the bullet only grazed my shoulder."

"Oh, so that makes it better? Just a little love tap from a bullet, huh?" You snorted.

He rolled his eyes, but a smirk played on his lips.

You were in for a shock— he knew it would give you a heart attack if you learned that he stumbled upon this majestic place while chasing a few criminals near the waterfalls, ultimately, he had only caught the runaways after taking a tumble over the edge himself. The punishment for revealing such reckless behavior was far too great; he couldn’t bear the thought of enduring days of silence from you without a single kiss.

How did we get here? Wriothesley chuckled at the thought. This conversation was taking a turn completely opposite of what this trip was meant for, but of course he should have known better given your stubborn and caring nature.

You could read him like an open book, and impressively, you could do the same even when it was closed, knowing him so well that you didn't need to see the pages. You could recall chapter numbers along with its contents and even quote your favorite lines. You remembered every contour of the lines on his palms, just as you could recall each scar he bore and the stories behind them.

He cupped your face, grinning ear to ear.

"What's so funny?" you asked, narrowing your eyes at him.

"Just thinking about how much you care," he replied, feigning innocence.

"Care? I’m practically having a heart attack over here!" You exclaimed, your hands clenched into fists, but then you remembered the rose you were holding and eased up.

Wriothesley noticed and gently took it from you, tucking it safely behind your ear. “You’re right, and that’s why I can't tell you, it'll only worry you more. This trip was supposed to be about relaxation, not me giving you gray hairs.”

“Thoughtful and sweet, and I love you for making time to take me on dates, especially considering how busy you are...”

"But?"

"But you're a crazy bastard, and however you stumbled upon this heavenly place is definitely a cause for concern."

'That’s exactly why I won’t tell you that I fell from the waterfalls and tumbled from that tree over there.' His smile quickly vanished, and his eyes widened as he realized he hadn’t kept that thought in his head like he’d meant to.

“Archons save me, my lover is a complete idiot!” you exclaimed, the frustration spilling out of you. He flinched at the sharpness of your voice, his playful demeanor shifting to one of mild concern.

“Okay, okay, I might’ve misjudged that one,” he admitted, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “But I’m here alive, aren't I!”

“Fine?” you echoed incredulously, throwing him a glare.

Wriothesley took a step closer as he tried to soothe you, not realizing he was digging his grave. “I didn't mean to worry you, my love. I needed to catch those criminals when things got a little... chaotic.”

“A little chaotic? You think falling from a waterfall and crashing into a tree is ‘a little chaotic’?"

You inhaled deeply, forcing yourself to calm down. "If you pull another stunt like that, I will tie you to that same damn tree.”

He raised a brow, “Oh really? You think you can keep me tied up?”

“I’ll find a way,” you shot back, trying to sound more assertive than you felt. “You may be strong, but I’m resourceful. Just imagine the look on your face when you realize you’re not getting away this time.”

Wriothesley chuckled, the sound warm and inviting. “I have to admit, the thought of you trying to tie me up is rather amusing."

"Talk more and see where that gets you, Wriothesley"

"I'm a yapper, sweetheart. Talking is my specialty"

Clearly

ᯓ ✴︎˚｡⋆

The path you walked wound gently out of the forest, branches brushing your shoulders as you distanced from its heart until the trees thinned, and the setting sun grew visible, spilling ahead into an open field to reveal a hidden clearing where the butterflies fluttered between the long glass, and a soft brisk of wind carried the scent of pollen through the air.

In the center stood a lone tree, its branches heavy with blossoms that seemed to sway in dance with the breeze.

You drank in the sight, breathing it in like the crisp air that filled your lungs, knowing you would leave this place with its image seared into your soul, never to fade.

Amidst the haven of colors and a great many unique fragrances, a cozy little picnic blanket lay spread out, surrounded by cushions and a spread of food from the basket.

The dainty glow of seelie lights strung between the branches, spilling its orange warmth below, and along the pathway you strolled, an entourage of fireflies escorted you.

Wriothesley grinned so widely his cheeks ached, and his eyes stung from not blinking—he couldn’t bear to miss a single second of your awe-struck expression.

"What do you think? Did I redeem myself? " Wriothesley spoke, his voice blending seamlessly with nature's song—low, honeyed, and rough in all the right ways. It harmonized with the surroundings yet still managed to stand out and draw in your attention.

"Up until a few minutes ago I thought nothing could possibly beat the waterfalls.."

“Worth nearly dying for, wasn’t it?” Wriothesley teased, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. But the humor fell flat as your expression shifted, disapproval etched across your face, your brow furrowed, and lips pressed into a tight line.

“Please don’t joke about that,” you said softly but firmly, the seriousness in your voice unmistakable. You hadn’t meant to darken the mood yet again, but after everything that had been said in the forest, one thing was clear— Wriothesley’s reckless disregard for his own life was far more troubling than he realized.

Wriothesley's expression faltered at the weight of your words. His gaze dropped briefly before meeting yours again, this time softer: understanding the concern behind your stern tone.

"I’m sorry, sweetheart," he said, "I didn’t mean to upset you."

You sighed, the tension in your shoulders loosening just a little. “It’s not about upsetting me. It’s about you not seeing the value in your own life. Every time you throw yourself into danger like that, it feels like you're slipping further away.”

His brows knitted together, “I’m not used to people worrying about me, not like you do,” he admitted quietly. “I guess I didn’t realize how much it bothered you.”

“It does only because I care. And I don’t want to lose you.”

Your faith in him was unshakable and you knew his strength, his resilience, and how capable he was of handling himself. But the world wasn’t as kind and it didn’t share your affection for him. If anything, it was the cruelty of that world that fed the fears that kept you up at night.

You had given all you could. And so had he.

Today was meant to rekindle your love and commitment after months of survival, sacrifice, and tireless work. This trip had been planned as a time to reconnect, to bask in the golden afternoon sun and lose yourselves in each other, making up for the moments you’d given away to the world. It was supposed to be just the two of you, wrapped in the peace of the scenery. Yet, as you stood before him, he realized this heartfelt conversation was exactly where all that time apart had led him.

Wriothesley was accustomed to worse, much worse. He had never experienced someone caring for him the way you did, and adjusting to that was knowingly going to be a challenge. In the past, his life felt meaningless. He fought without a clear purpose, indifferent to the thought of death; if it came, it came.

But every day spent with you was filled with stolen glances and lingering smiles, a desperate longing for your touch. You would sneak an hour from work to bring him lunch, slipping letters through a guard to reach him. You even adjusted your grocery shopping routes to pass by the prison, timing your visits for when new inmates were expected to arrive. Each small act was a testament to the connection you shared, a defiance against the constraints that kept you apart. And it made him realize how deeply he craved this kind of connection; how much he wanted to fight not just for himself, but for something greater.

This is what had been missing all along: a reason to fight, a reason to care. He now often found himself pondering the future, imagining a life where he wasn’t just surviving but truly living.

One thing he needed to improve was precisely what you had scolded him about: the value of his own life.

Happiness had the tendency to ebb and flow, and at times all those buried emotions and anxieties would surface, triggered by just a single word. But as you expressed your growing concern for the man before you, you felt an invisible weight lift from your chest, and a deep-seated worry begin to fade. A sudden wave of ease washed over you, as if nature in its ability to calm, had liberated you.

Wriothesley turned you around until the only view was of him framed against the painted sky. With a smile, he leaned in and rested his forehead against yours. His hands gliding down your forearm, chilled fingers elicting goosebumps. He took hold of your hand and guided it to his chest where you felt the steady rhythm of his heart quicken beneath your touch.

"I'm not asking you to change who you are— I know you can’t help but rush in headfirst. But being a bit more cautious wouldn’t hurt. What if next time you fall from a tree, hit your head, and end up with amnesia?"

"You’d take care of me until I remember?"

"Or I could use it as an excuse to finally be done with you for good."

"Yeah, no— don’t joke about that," he scoffed. "Like you'd actually leave me.. weren't you just talking my ear off about how much you love me?"

“You do know that if you die, you won’t see me again, right?”

“Well, damn, you have a point. I’ll just drag you into the afterlife with me.”

“How romantic,” you said, rolling your eyes as he leaned down to place a quick kiss on your cheek, his lips lingering as they moved to your ear.

“So romantic”

You laughed lightly, “Mhm,”

“Come on, where’s your sense of adventure?” he pulled back to look at you, his eyes gleaming with flecks of mischief. “Imagine it— we could haunt all the places we loved.”

“Yeah, right. I can see it now: ‘The haunting couple’ who bicker about everything,” you chortled.

"I guess you wouldn't need to worry about me dying," he joked.

He nodded, his expression turning more serious. “Agreed. I want to make more memories with you— happier ones, not ones where I’m falling out of trees.”

A warmth spreader through you at the sincerity in his eyes. “Let’s just make sure you stay in one piece, alright?” you said, leaning in closer.

“Deal,” he said, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Now, how about we make the most of this day together instead of talking about my impending doom?”

“That sounds like a plan,” you agreed, barely having a moment to process it before Wriothesley swept you off your feet, laughing at the squeal that escaped you.

Your arms wrapped tightly around his neck as he looked deep into your eyes, captivated by an irresistible pull that drew him closer. A tender smile blossomed on your lips as his lips finally met yours, your eyes gently closing as you surrendered to his affection. As the kiss deepened, the world around you seemed to fade away, time suspended in a perfect moment of intimacy. You were cocooned in a bubble of warmth, where only the two of you existed. His heartbeat pulsed steadily against your chest, resonating with your own.

With ease, he carried you over to the blanket spread out beneath the expansive sky and protective tree. The sun dipped lower behind the mountain peaks, seelie lights began to glow brighter as did the fireflies blurry beams.

As he set you down on the blanket, you looked up into his eyes and it sent a thrill through you.

“This,” he murmued against your lips, cheeks flushed and a hint of salive tracing his lower lip “is perfect.”

You nodded, feeling the weight of the day’s worries lift as you nestled against him, the blanket enveloping you both. “It really is,” you replied, your voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly would shatter the magic of the moment.

"I love you.."

You leaned in, kissing the corner of his mouth. "Not as much as I love you"

All rights reserved | Copyright @readerforexiao 2024 do not copy, steal, or repost to any other platform

[aceofstars16]

Next chapter is up!

It...took a while cause...creating anything has been hard but...here you go! I want to finish this by the end of the year but we'll see if that happens...And I want to make a cover too but...*gestures to feeling really burnout and unmotivated*

And as always, the chapter is below the cut as well.

Complications arise in the aftermath of the dragon attack.

“That’s not good.” Dipper muttered to himself. He had been on watch for a few hours now, and he could hear the sound of foot traffic outside the store room they had found shelter in. Thankfully, no one had tried to come in yet, but that was the least of his worries right now. As time ticked on, his arm had started aching more and more, as if the salve he’d used on it had stopped working. That shouldn’t be possible, every time he’d used it before, it had healed the wound after a single use. But as he unrolled the bandage on his arm, he grimaced. He had stopped bleeding, but the teeth marks were still prevalent, and his skin felt warm to the touch. Something about the dragon’s teeth - or maybe what had been in its teeth – obviously was too strong for even the salve from dimension 326 to solve.

At least I’m used to this sort of thing. Dipper thought to himself as he grabbed a new bandage and loosely wrapped it around his arm, there was no point in using salve unless he knew it was going to work. Biting the bandage with his teeth, he managed to tighten it enough. It had been easier last night. Mabel had helped bandage him up after he had taken a look at her leg.

Mabel! Dipper quickly looked at the younger version of his sister. Her wound had been much worse than his, and as soon as he saw her, he froze. She was pale, and seemed to be shivering. A chill went through his own body at the sight, though part of that must’ve been the fever from his own infection.

Quickly glancing at Stan, Dipper was relieved to see that he was still asleep. He didn’t want his nephew to worry. Then he looked at Ford, who Mabel seemed to have curled up against in her sleep. For a moment, Dipper debated what to do. He obviously needed to get help, for himself and Mabel. He could just leave, after all, the room had been secure until now. But he knew how quickly a safe place could become compromised.

Standing up as quietly as he could, Dipper carefully made his way over to Ford and tapped him gently. For a moment, it seemed as if Ford was still asleep, but then his eyes opened slightly and he seemed to scan the room before looking at Dipper.

“Something wrong?” He asked in barely a whisper.

Dipper bit his lip and nodded to Mabel, who was still sound asleep despite Ford’s movements.

When Ford glanced down at Mabel, he froze, his body growing rigid.

“I’m going to look for something to help.” Dipper said quietly and pointed to his arm. “I have a pretty good idea of what she’s feeling right now.”

“Are you strong enough to be up and about?” Ford asked, frowning slightly.

Dipper nodded. “I’ve been through worse.”

Understanding flicked across Ford’s face and he nodded. “Hurry.”

“I will.” Dipper glanced at Stan then Mabel again. “I shouldn’t be more than an hour.”

Standing up, Dipper carefully made his way to the door and slid the barrel out of the way. Then he slipped out into the alley. 

-----

The ground grew distant as Stan let go of the shutdown switch. He was weightless. The whole room was vibrating as the machine turned on. Then something started pulling at him. He aimed a punch at it but it wasn’t anything tangible. It was the portal, pulling him in.

“Grantie Mabel! Ford! Help!” He screamed, trying to reach out for something, anything to stop the pull.

“Stan!”

Ford cried out as he tried to swim towards Stan in the air, but he wasn’t making any progress and the pull was growing stronger.

“Stanford!”

“Stanley! Hold o-”

Ford’s voice died away as Stan was pulled into the portal. For split second, he could still see the basement of the shack. Then it was gone, and he was alone.

“Ford!”

Jolting upright, Stan looked around frantically, only to be met with an unfamiliar room instead of the vast space that the portal had left him in. His heart was racing and a heaviness grew on his chest as reality slammed into him once again.

“Stanley? Are you okay?”

Stan glanced towards the voice and saw old Ford looking at him, brow furrowed. Mabel was curled up next to his almost-brother, asleep.

“I…” Stan took a breath and nodded, trying to calm himself. When Dipper had first found him, Stan had nightmares every night. They’d gotten better but Dipper had always…

“Where’s Dipper???” The realization that his grunkle wasn’t in the room brought Stan’s anxiety back full force.

“He left to find some medicine.” Ford said, frowning in concern at Stan. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Swallowing, Stan nodded, but he must not have been very convincing because Ford raised an eyebrow.

“Dipper should be back soon. You…you can sit here if you want.” Ford patted the ground next to him, on the opposite side of where Mabel was curled up.

For a moment, Stan just looked at Ford. In one sense, it was comforting to know that there still was a Ford he could talk to, but it wasn’t his Ford and...he still couldn’t shake the feeling that this Ford didn’t like him very much. But the memories of that night still clung to him, and being close to anyone sounded good right about now.

Getting up, he made his way over to Ford and sat down, not quite touching his brother. As he did so, he noticed how pale Mabel looked and a different worry sparked in his chest.

“Is Mabel okay?”

Frowning, Ford glanced at Mabel before giving Stan a very forced smile.

“She will be once Dipper gets back with the medicine.”

Stan frowned a little, not even realizing he was matching Ford’s expression. “Are you sure?”

Silence. Stan looked up and saw Ford staring at the door, and in his gut, Stan knew he was worried but trying not to show it. Which didn’t exactly make him feel any better.

Then Ford returned his attention back to Stan and he sighed. “Mabel is strong, I…she‘ll be okay.”

“Yeah…she fought off a pumpkin monster one time.” Stan said quietly.

Ford quirked an eyebrow and Stan was pretty sure that meant he wanted to hear more.

“We were exploring the woods…kind of when we weren’t supposed to. But you wanted to find a-oh I mean…my Ford wanted to follow some instructions he found in Dipper’s journal so…we snuck off.” As he spoke, a weight grew on Stan’s chest again and he looked at the ground, trying to fight back the overwhelming sadness. He wished he could go back to that day, when the scariest thing was a stupid monster and Mabel was fine and Ford was…

“You miss him.”

Stan quickly looked up but old Ford wasn’t looking at him, he was staring at the wall.

“Of course I do…” Stan said quietly, then he couldn’t stop himself from asking the same. “Do you miss your Stan?”

Ford straightened at that, a frown replacing the thoughtful look on his face.

“I…it’s complicated.”

“…oh…” Stan mumbled, the weight on his chest growing as he tried to keep tears at bay. Apparently something could come between him and Ford. And if it happened in one universe…would it happen in his? Or would he even see his Ford again?

Another question came to Stan’s mind, one he had been too scared to ask, and maybe he shouldn’t voice it. He was already feeling awful but…might as well get it over with, right?

“Do you hate him?”

----

“That sure is a nasty bite.”

Dipper grimaced as he saw exactly what the doctor saw. His arm definitely wasn’t looking too great, and he felt a lot warmer and weaker than he had when he’d left the sanctuary of the store room. Thankfully, he had managed to find a doctor pretty quickly. If he already felt this bad, he didn’t even want to think about how Mabel was doing. The faster the doctor figured out what to give him, the sooner he could get the same medicine to Mabel.

“What did you say did this?” One of the eyes of the doctor looked up, while the other three continued to examine his arm – she reminded him a bit of a snail in that way, but she was much bigger and didn’t have slime or a shell from what he could see. Maybe a crab was more in line with what she looked like. Whatever, she wasn’t the weirdest creature he’d seen in the multiverse and apparently she was the best doctor in town. At least according to the store owner that he’d talked to.

“I didn’t say.” Dipper responded to her question. Sure, he could mention the dragon creature, but something in his gut told him that it was something to keep discreet. He had overheard some aliens talking about “The Shadow Death” in a way that sounded almost…spiritual, as if it was some sort of evil.

The doctor hummed – though it sounded more like a gurgle – then turned to her pack of medicines and rummaged through them.

A moment later, she pulled out a syringe and before Dipper could react, she had stuck him with the needle. Out of instinct, he tried to pull back before she could inject him, but she moved a lot faster than he expected. Man, was he really losing his touch?

“Don’t squirm. This will get rid of the infection. As for the bite…” The doctor pulled out a spray bottle and rag and sprayed his arm.

Gritting his teeth, Dipper tried not to show how much the spray hurt, but apparently he wasn’t the best at that because the doctor just chuckled.

“It hurts but it helps.” She said before wiping his arm – removing the foam that had arisen from the spray. Before quickly wrapping his arm again.

“There. All done.”

She started ushering him up, apparently she didn’t want him lingering around. Maybe she just had a lot of patients, or maybe she suspected what bit him and didn’t want him around longer than necessary.

“Wait!” Dipper said, planting his feet to keep from being pushed out the door.

“What? The medicine works. You already feel better.”

She was right. Strangely enough, he felt like his fever was already gone, but he couldn’t leave without getting medicine for Mabel too.

“Someone else got bit. A girl, my-my sister. She needs the same medicine…maybe more. She wasn’t looking very good when I left…” Just that thought sent a wave of anxiety rushing through Dipper’s body, but he tried his best to shove it down. He just had to hurry, that was all.

The doctor frowned for a moment, then grunted. “How big?”

Dipper stared at her for a moment, then realized she was asking about Mabel. “About…” Dipper used his hand to measure about how tall Mabel was. “Still a kid.”

For a moment, the doctor just narrowed her eyes at his hand, then she hurried back to her supplies. She rummaged around then came back with her arms full of different bottles and rags.

“Inject this first.” She handed him a prepared syringe with a strange orange liquid in it – different than the one she had used on him.

“Then this.” She gave him another syringe, this one looked like the one she’d given him.

“Clean the wound with this,” she handed him a bottle, “And this,” a spray bottle. “Then have her drink this.”

The last bottle was placed in his arms and Dipper frowned. “This is a lot more than you gave me.”

“A kid needs more, and different. Now go, I have more work to do.”

This time, Dipper let himself be ushered outside, and he could only hope that the different medicines would help Mabel as much as they helped him. He was tempted to use only the things that had helped him but…the doctor didn’t seem to have any ill will and she had helped him. So, he pocketed the medicines she had given him and stepped out of the medical building.

Quickly making his way through the crowd of people that had gotten much larger than when he’d arrived, Dipper did his best to avoid bumping into anyone. However, as he shuffled through the crowd, something seemed…off. Glancing over his shoulder, he tried to pinpoint what it was. Everything looked fine. The aliens were acting normal, so what-?

Dipper stumbled over his feet and barely stopped himself from falling. Moving as fast as he could, he made his way to an alley and immediately hid behind the wall of the building.

As carefully as he could, he glanced around the corner to search the crowd again. And there his fears were confirmed.

Freglo, the bounty hunter. Dipper had some experience with him in the past. He was ruthless and Dipper had only escaped by jumping into a wormhole as it was closing. If he was here…

Ducking back behind the wall, Dipper closed his eyes and tried gathering his thoughts. He wasn’t sure if Freglo had seen him, he didn’t think so. But it was only a matter of time before he tracked Dipper down, and Stan and…Mabel.

Letting out a curse under his breath, Dipper started making his way down the alley. Mabel didn’t have time for him to figure out a plan. His best bet was to get her the medicine and then figure out what to do about the bounty hunter.

Making his way carefully back to the storage room, Dipper did his best to make his trail confusing while still being quick. Freglo used scent to track, so if he could mix it up some, maybe he could confuse the hunter. Or at least give him enough time to help Mabel before facing the beast.

-----

“Do you hate him?”

A weight grew in Ford’s chest as the question lingered in the air. Stan was looking at the ground, his arms wrapped around his legs. The first thought that came to Ford’s mind was, yes. After all, Stan was the reason he was here, the reason Mabel was here. But even as that justification grew in his mind, his heart seemed to balk at the word. Hate. Did he really hate Stan?

“Never mind. I…forget I said anything.”

Stan’s voice was quiet and fearful, as if he was scared of Ford’s response. For a moment, Ford was taken back to Glass Shard Beach, after Pa had said some degrading things about Stan – like he always did. And now here he was, years later…treating Stan the same way. And yes, Stan made a lot of mistakes, and Ford would be lying if he said he wasn’t angry with his brother but…

“No…I don’t hate him.”

“You don’t?” Stan straightened up quickly, looking at Ford in shock.

Trying to squash down the pain that came from the surprise on Stan’s face, Ford let out a sigh and shook his head. “No…I…I might be a little frustrated with him at the moment but…that’s not for you to worry about. I…I don’t know if I could ever truly hate him…”

“Or me?”

For a moment, Ford just stared at the younger version of Stan in shock. “Of course I don’t hate you. I…you remind me of times I…haven’t thought about in a long time…but they were good times.”

“Like what?”

The ghost of a smile grew on Ford’s mouth. “A lot of things, but mostly summers on the beach, fixing up the Stan O’ War.”

Stan straightened up. “You had the Stan O’ War too?”

A small chuckle escaped Ford’s mouth. “Of course, in fact…” Taking a breath, Ford carefully put a hand inside his inner coat pocket, wanting to make sure he didn’t damage his treasure more than it already had been. Grabbing it, he pulled it out and looked at it for a moment before showing it to Stan.

A faded picture of Stan and Ford as kids, standing in front of the Stan O’ War.

“Is that…how…how old is that?” Stan stared wide-eyed at the picture, reaching out to take hold of it.

For a split-second Ford felt a familiar pull at the thought of letting go of the photograph. He had kept it for forty years, through countless dimensions, and he’d never let anyone else handle it. But he let Stan take it. After all, it was Stan, and if he was going to share it with anyone, it would be Stan – young or old.

Stan held the photo carefully, his eyes locked on it. And only after a moment did Ford realize he could see tears prickling in his eyes. A heaviness grew on his chest and he carefully rested a hand on Stan’s back.

Looking up quickly, Stan quickly wiped at his eyes. “Will I ever see him again?”

The question brought an unexpected sadness upon Ford. Not just for this Stan, but…for himself as well. When he’d first been pushed into the portal, he never imagined seeing Stan again, and now it seemed more impossible. But Stan had managed to turn on the portal once, and knowing his brother, he wouldn’t stop until it was back on again.

“I don’t know, Stanley…but…” Ford sighed and glanced at the picture. “Why don’t you keep that? I think you need it more than me.” Maybe that wasn’t true. The thought of not having the picture scared Ford. As if he was admitting that those two kids would never be that way again, would never be as close as they once had, and might never actually see each other again. But if he could help Stan, even an alternate version, keep up the hope that he had lost, well…he’d survive.

“Really?” Stan asked quickly, his fingers gripping the picture tighter.

“Really.”

For a second, their eyes met and an understanding passed between them. The tension that had been lining Stan’s body ever since he had first run into Ford disappeared, and the frustration that Ford felt at his brother’s recklessness eased. They were okay now.

A door flying open broke the moment, and Ford quickly grabbed for his gun, only to relax as he saw Dipper, who quickly closed the door behind him.

“What’s wrong?” Ford asked, immediately sensing Dipper’s stress.

“It’s…” Dipper’s eyes flickered to Mabel and he shook his head. “First things first.”

Ford tried to calm his nerves as he watched Dipper treat Mabel with a variety of medicines. He knew Dipper wouldn’t hurt Mabel, just like he wouldn’t hurt Stan. But still, he didn’t know what Dipper had gotten to treat her and with his hurried entrance and treatment, Ford knew something was wrong.

A few times, Mabel muttered in her sleep as Dipper treated her, especially when he injected her with one of the medicines, but she didn’t wake up. However, the pale tone of her skin seemed to lessen as Dipper applied an ointment to her leg.

“There.” Dipper pulled back from pouring a medicine down Mabel’s throat. His arms were shaking and Ford felt a similar tension in his own body.

“What happened out there?”

Dipper frowned and glanced at the door. “Bounty hunter.” He said quietly, seeming to want to keep Stan from hearing, but the kid had sharp ears and he sat up straight.

Dread pooled in Ford’s stomach as he looked at Mabel. “Did he spot you?”

Dipper’s eyes flicked to the door again. “I’m not sure, but…if he did…”

“We need to move.” Even as Ford said it, he knew that was impossible. Mabel was still recovering and moving her could make her worse.

Looking at Dipper, Ford saw the same concern in his eyes. For a moment, no one moved, then Dipper broke eye contact and looked at Stan.

“Get your stuff, Stan.”

“What?” Stan looked at Mabel and Ford, then at Dipper.

“We need to leave.”

“Now???” Stan glanced at Mabel again.

“Yes.” Even as he spoke, Dipper hastily packed the few items that had been scattered around the room – which wasn’t much. It seemed he traveled as lightly as Ford did.

Stan followed suit, only to stop as he realized Ford wasn’t moving. “Why aren’t you packing?”

Ford exchanged a glance with Dipper. “I’m staying here with Mabel.”

“What!?” Stan blurted out. “What…you can’t…we’re supposed to stick together, right? We-we just found each other and-”

Ford reached out and place a hand on Stan’s shoulder. “Stanley, you have to go. I…I’m not your Ford. We can’t-”

“You lied!” Stan snapped, tears growing in his eyes as he pulled away from Ford.

“No, Stan. I didn’t-”

“L-let’s go, D-Dipper,” Stan stuttered, grabbing at Dipper’s hand and pulling him towards the door.

“Stanley, wait!”

But Stan had already pulled a stunned Dipper out the door. He was gone and Ford felt just as horrible as he had the first time Stan had stormed away all those years ago. Only this time, he couldn’t make it right. Because he’d never see the kid again. He would always think that Ford didn’t want him around, when that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Grunkle Ford?”

Mabel’s voice shook Ford out of pain that was threatening to overwhelm him.

“I’m here.”

“How long have I…?” Mabel’s voice trailed off and as she scanned the room frantically. “Where are Dipper and Stan?!?”

[eclipsedrgn]

𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝑨 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕

jason's girlfriend isn't the most normal girl, but jason doesn't know that.

jason todd x fem!reader

Jason Todd trudged up the stairs to his apartment, exhaustion weighing down every step. His body ached from the most recent mission—a particularly grueling one with Gotham’s more insane criminals. All he wanted right now was to collapse into bed, wrap his arms around you, and forget about the world for a few hours. For three years, you'd been his solace, the steady normalcy in his chaotic life. While the rest of the world knew him as the Red Hood—a vigilante who skirted the line between hero and anti-hero—you only knew him as Jason, the guy who loved shitty action movies and long conversations over coffee.

Hell, Jason loved that you had nothing to do with his other life. You were just a regular junior middle school teacher, living your life with your students and lesson plans. He loved your innocence to the madness that surrounded Gotham, the way you’d roll your eyes at news reports about the Joker or some other whack job as if it were just another Tuesday.

But tonight… something was wrong.

The moment he stepped into the hallway leading to his apartment, his stomach twisted. The door was cracked open. Jason’s pulse spiked as he instinctively reached for the gun tucked in the back of his jeans, cursing under his breath.

No. No, no, no.

He rushed forward, shoving the door open and stepping into the chaos that greeted him. His once neat apartment was trashed—furniture overturned, picture frames shattered on the floor, and the unmistakable signs of a struggle smeared across the room. His breath came in sharp, shallow gasps as his eyes darted from the destroyed living room to the kitchen, then to the hallway that led to the bedroom.

“Babe?!” Jason’s voice cracked with panic. “(Y/N)!”

No response. The apartment was eerily quiet, and with every passing second, dread wrapped its icy fingers around his heart, squeezing tighter and tighter. Jason sprinted through the rooms, kicking open doors, ripping open closets—anything to find you. But there was nothing.

You were gone.

“Fuck!” Jason shouted, his voice raw as he slammed his fist into the nearest wall, cracking the drywall. His hands trembled as he fumbled for his phone, immediately dialing the Batcave. His mind was racing, screaming at him with every worst-case scenario imaginable. You were a civilian. You had no part in this life. Who the fuck would take you?

The line clicked, and Barbara’s voice came through, steady as ever. “Jason?”

“It’s (Y/N),” Jason growled, pacing through the wreckage of the apartment. “She’s gone. Someone—” He sucked in a breath, his throat tightening. “Someone fucking took her.”

The other end of the line went silent for a second, the weight of his words sinking in. “Hold on, I’m on it. I’ll run a trace through the city surveillance cameras.”

Jason’s heart was hammering in his chest, sweat beading on his forehead as he waited for Barbara to work her magic. Every second felt like an eternity. He couldn’t lose you. Not like this. You were his goddamn light, the one thing keeping him tethered to any sense of normalcy. If something happened to you…

“Got something,” Barbara’s voice broke through the haze of panic. “I traced some suspicious movement to an abandoned warehouse on the east side. Jason… it’s the Joker.”

Jason’s blood turned to ice. The Joker. The one son of a bitch who could turn his rage into something uncontrollable. A low growl rumbled in his throat as he grabbed his Red Hood helmet from the nearby table, his grip tight enough to make his knuckles go white.

"Jason, I'll call in for back up-"

“I’m heading there now,” Jason muttered, not waiting for a response before hanging up the phone. He didn’t give a shit about protocol or backup right now. All that mattered was getting you back. He strapped on his gear, eyes flashing with barely contained fury. If the Joker had laid one fucking hand on you…

The Red Hood was out for blood tonight.

At the warehouse, the Joker was having the time of his life. His cackles echoed through the dilapidated space, the sound piercing through the otherwise dead silence. He paced around you, your wrists tied to a metal chair, your face expressionless despite the absolute madness surrounding you.

You looked… bored.

“Ahhhh, I must say,” the Joker drawled, waving his arms theatrically, “I didn’t expect this from Red Hood’s girlfriend. I thought you’d be more of a screamer!” He leaned in close, his painted face only inches from yours, eyes glinting with glee. “What’s the matter, sweetheart? Afraid? No? Don’t worry, I’m sure ol’ Jaybird will be along soon to pick up the pieces.”

You gave him a deadpan look, not even flinching at the proximity. “You know, for someone who’s supposed to be scary, you talk a lot.”

The Joker’s smile faltered for a split second before he threw his head back and laughed, the sound grating on your nerves. “Oh, ho ho! I like this one! You’ve got guts, sweetheart.” He stood up straight, pacing around you with exaggerated steps. “But let’s see how tough you are when your boyfriend walks into my little trap and finds his precious little girlfriend all broken and—”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” you cut him off, rolling your eyes. “We get it. You want to lure Jason here so you can try to fuck with him. Very original.”

What the Joker didn’t know—and what Jason didn’t know—was that you were far from defenseless. Hell, you weren’t even normal. You were Ben Tennyson’s twin sister, for fuck’s sake. You had seen your fair share of chaos, even if you hadn’t used the Omnitrix much since settling down in Gotham. It had been nice living a normal life, blending in as just another person for a change. You didn’t want to be a hero. Not anymore. But now?

Now, you were starting to reconsider. You watched as the Joker continued to monologue about his grand plans, your eyes flicking down to the Omnitrix still hidden beneath your sleeve. You could break free of these bindings any second, but you wanted to see how things played out first. After all, you didn’t know how Jason would react to seeing you transform.

And, well… it might be fun to surprise him.

The warehouse door crashed open, and there he was—the Red Hood, guns blazing, eyes burning with fury beneath his helmet. The Joker’s laughter reached a fever pitch as Jason stormed inside, his focus immediately snapping to you.

But Jason stopped dead in his tracks when he saw you, tied to the chair but seemingly unharmed. His helmet tilted ever so slightly, confusion evident even through the mask.

“Jaybird!” the Joker taunted, spreading his arms wide. “Look at you! All fired up! Oh, this is going to be so much fun—”

“Shut the fuck up, clown,” Jason growled, his voice venomous. His gun was trained directly on the Joker’s head, but the Joker’s words didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except getting to you.

“Are you okay?” Jason asked, his voice strained as he took a cautious step toward you.

You smirked. “I’m fine. But… you might want to stand back.”

Jason frowned beneath the helmet. “What?”

Before he could react, you slammed your palm onto the Omnitrix, the familiar green glow filling the dimly lit warehouse. Jason’s eyes widened in shock as your form shifted, your body morphing into one of your alien transformations. This time, you chose something flashy—a pink-hued version of the same form Ben used, almost as if you were showing off.

Feedback.

Jason’s gun lowered, his body frozen in disbelief. “What the…?”

You stood tall, your alien form towering over both Jason and the Joker. “Surprise, babe,” you said with a cheeky grin, your voice slightly distorted by the transformation.

The Joker’s laughter died in his throat as he stared up at you, momentarily stunned by the sudden shift in power dynamics. “What the fuck—”

You didn’t give him time to finish. With a quick flick of your wrist, you sent the Joker flying with electricity into a pile of crates, knocking him unconscious in one swift motion. The entire thing was over in seconds.

When the dust settled, you turned to Jason, who still hadn’t moved. His helmeted gaze remained locked on you, processing the situation.

“Well,” you said, reverting to your human form, brushing your hair back as if nothing had happened. “That was fun.”

Jason blinked. “You… you’re…”

“Yeah,” you shrugged, walking over to untie the ropes that had been holding you. “Guess the secret’s out. I’ve got an Omnitrix, like Ben.”

Jason stared at you, his mouth slightly open, the shock still painted across his face. “You’re a fucking alien?”

You laughed, finally untying yourself. “Sometimes. Not all the time.” You looked up at him, giving him a soft smile. “You okay?”

Jason let out a breath, shaking his head in disbelief. “Baby... you could’ve told me, you know.”

“Yeah,” you admitted, walking over to him and wrapping your arms around his waist. “But where’s the fun in that?”

Jason huffed, finally letting his guard down as he pulled you into his chest, burying his face in your hair. “You scared the shit out of me, baby... fuck” he mumbled.

“I know,” you whispered, holding him tighter. “I’m sorry.”

Jason hadn’t let go of you since the moment you’d wrapped your arms around him. His body was still tense, his grip on you tight as if he was afraid you might disappear if he let go. The Joker was knocked out cold, but even that didn’t seem to ease the strain in Jason’s posture. It wasn’t until the both of you stepped outside, leaving the warehouse and the wreckage of the night behind, that he finally spoke.

“I’m so fucking sorry,” Jason whispered, his voice thick with guilt as he buried his face in your hair again. His hands rested on your back, fingers trembling slightly. “I never should’ve let this happen. You got kidnapped because of me… because of Red Hood.”

You could hear the raw pain in his voice, and your heart ached for him. He was carrying the weight of this on his shoulders, blaming himself for what had happened, even though you knew it wasn’t his fault. The Joker would have found any way to get to him, and it just so happened that tonight, you were his target. But Jason couldn’t see it that way. He saw this as a failure—a failure to protect you, the person he cared about most.

You tilted your head up slightly, placing a soft kiss on his jawline. “Jason, it’s not your fault,” you murmured against his skin. “You didn’t know this was going to happen.”

“But—” he started, his breath hitching.

You cut him off by peppering kisses along his jaw, then his cheek, then up toward his temple, each kiss soft and reassuring. “It’s not your fault, baby” you repeated between kisses, your tone firmer this time. “I don’t blame you. Not for a second.”

Jason let out a shaky breath, his grip loosening slightly as his arms slipped around your waist, pulling you even closer. “You should blame me,” he muttered, his forehead resting against yours. “Red Hood put a target on your back. I put a target on your back.”

You cupped his face gently, forcing him to look at you, your gaze locking onto his. “I love you, Jason Todd. And I love you whether you’re Red Hood, or just Jason. You didn’t put a target on me. The Joker did. And trust me, if he tries something like this again…” You gave him a mischievous smile. “I’ll make sure to kick his ass before you even get there.”

Jason snorted despite himself, shaking his head. “You’re something else, you know that?”

“Damn right I am,” you teased, giving him a quick kiss on the lips. “Now let’s get out of here before someone wakes up.” You glanced back at the warehouse where the Joker lay unconscious, your lip curling in disgust. “I really don’t want to hear him laughing again.”

Jason chuckled softly, pulling you toward the motorcycle parked nearby. “Yeah, I think we’ve heard enough for one night.”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

The ride to the Batcave was quiet, the wind whipping past you as you clung to Jason, your body pressed against his as the city blurred around you. You could feel the tension slowly easing from his frame the closer you got to the safety of the cave, though you knew it wasn’t gone entirely. Jason was good at hiding his emotions, but tonight had rattled him more than he was willing to admit.

When the Batcave finally came into view, you let out a breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding. As much as you’d brushed off the danger earlier, it was nice to know that you were heading somewhere safe—somewhere with people who had your back.

The moment you stepped off the bike, you were practically tackled by Barbara. She wrapped her arms around you, squeezing you tightly as if she couldn’t believe you were standing in front of her.

“Oh my God, (Y/N),” she breathed, pulling back just enough to look you over. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

You gave her a reassuring smile, shaking your head. “I’m fine, Babs. Really. Just a few scratches.”

Barbara didn’t look entirely convinced, but she nodded anyway, her grip on your arms still firm. “You scared the hell out of us.”

Jason stepped up beside you, his hand resting on your back as he gave Barbara a small nod. “She’s tough. Joker didn’t stand a chance.”

Barbara’s eyes flicked between the two of you, her expression softening slightly. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Before you could say anything else, Alfred appeared, ever the calm and collected presence amidst the chaos. His sharp gaze took in your disheveled appearance, the cuts and bruises scattered across your skin, and he immediately ushered you toward the medical bay with that no-nonsense look in his eyes.

“Miss (Y/N), if you would kindly sit down, I’ll make sure those wounds are properly cleaned and treated,” Alfred said, his tone gentle but firm.

You followed without protest, exhaustion creeping in now that the adrenaline from the night had worn off. You settled onto the medical table, letting Alfred work his magic as he carefully cleaned the cuts and scrapes littering your arms. Jason stood nearby, his arms crossed over his chest, watching quietly as Alfred tended to you.

Once Alfred had finished, you glanced over at Jason, who was still looking at you with a mixture of concern and something else—something unreadable. You knew what he was thinking. You could practically feel the questions swirling in his mind, the confusion about what he’d seen tonight.

“You probably have a lot of questions,” you said softly, meeting his gaze.

Jason’s eyes flicked to yours, his brow furrowing slightly. “Yeah. You could say that.”

You took a deep breath, glancing down at the Omnitrix still attached to your wrist. “So… you remember Ben?”

Jason nodded slowly, his expression guarded.

“Well… I guess I should’ve told you this sooner, but I’m actually Ben’s twin sister,” you said, your voice steady despite the weight of your words. “And I’ve got an Omnitrix too. It’s just like his, but I don’t use it as much anymore. I… I wanted a normal life. So I kept it hidden.”

Jason’s eyes widened slightly, but he stayed silent, waiting for you to continue.

“The Omnitrix is this device that allows us to transform into different alien species,” you explained. “Ben’s been using his for years to fight off intergalactic threats, and I used to help him. But after a while, I got tired of all the fighting. I wanted something different. So I came to Gotham, started teaching… and I guess I just never thought I’d have to use it again.”

Jason’s jaw clenched as he processed your words. “You didn’t think to tell me this… in the three years we’ve been together?”

You winced slightly, knowing you deserved that. “I know. I should’ve told you. But… I liked that you saw me as just me, you know? I didn’t want the Omnitrix to be a part of our relationship. I wanted us to be… normal.”

Jason’s gaze softened slightly, though the frustration still lingered. “We’re not normal, (Y/N). Not in this city. Not in my life.”

“I know that now,” you said quietly, your eyes meeting his. “And I’m sorry. I should’ve been honest with you.”

Jason sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You could’ve been hurt tonight. Or worse. I should’ve known about this so I could protect you.”

“I don’t need you to protect me, Jason,” you said gently. “But I get it. I know you want to. And I’m sorry I kept this from you.”

He was quiet for a long moment, his eyes searching yours before he finally spoke again. “So… what does this mean? You’re going to keep using it?”

You shrugged, a small smile tugging at your lips. “I don’t know. Maybe. Depends on the situation. I mean, you have to admit, it was kind of fun surprising you tonight.”

Jason huffed a laugh, shaking his head. “Yeah, well… next time, give me a little heads-up, okay?”

You grinned, leaning forward to kiss him softly. “Deal.”

Jason kissed you back, his arms wrapping around you as he pulled you close. For now, the questions could wait. Right now, all that mattered was that you were safe, and you were together.

And no matter what the future held, you knew you’d face it side by side.

[zith-ipeth]

A long post about a dog who got anxious (Dog Days 11)

I think I got overwhelmed today

The dining hall had a lot of bright noises and loud lights and the smells were like in your face and the talking and the talking sounded like a vacuum. I was also a bit on edge cuase I just became really aware of that I was wearing clothes today and I hated it alot. My heart was racing and my stomach had a fire in it and I was staring off and…

One of my friends asked if I was ok.

I said no not really but also explained that my situation is weird, I think I haven’t had a ptsd episode in many months and whatever this feeling is it’s not that I had no triggers and no forced in memories, but also beside my episodes I’ve never had like generalized anxiety really.

She said “I’m really sorry is there anything I can do to help”

And like I said no, cuase they’re isn’t, but she helped me have someone to talk to, and I talked with my friends at the table and that helped to muffle my screaming heart a little.

As soon as I got back to my dorm I undressed and got under my sheets

And here I am, notably less anxious, my hearts slowed down, my stomach isn’t screaming and I fell, ok. This room is the perfect thing, there’s enough stuff on the floor and walls and desk to keep you occupied but not too much to make you overwhelmed. The drone of the fan is nice and light and makes it so you don’t wander in thought, it smells like nothing with a slight tinge of my roommates passive scent, a color and direction I cannot place but have come to enjoy. The ears and tail felt strange, after that little sensory nightmare I’ve become so aware of my tail and ears that it doesn’t feel right to have them on.

I’m an anxious dog, I think my senses have been getting more heightened recently and it’s scary and annoying. I felt in the dining hall like if somthing touched me I would start screaming.

The thing is if it weren’t for my friends I wouldn’t have made it through, the people around you help you so much, so just, make sure to tell them thank you, and especially so if they’re supportive of your animality, my friend who consoled me knows that I’m a dog, I wear in on my sleeve, but that didn’t stop her from empathizing and caring about me. So…

Thank You

…lead your life as a social creature, as we all are meant to be, be that in a pack, a pair, or just in the howling of another dog on the other side of a river, seek out creatures of all shapes and sizes to help you make home feel like home

Run fast, bite hard, bark loud

Peace, love, and gratitude

-Zith Ipeth

[redsummermoon]

Hands to Hold

Steven Meeks x reader

CW: female reader, use of Y/N, probably in college (up to you ig) 

[0.7k words] (short and sweet<3)

The two walked side by side down the campus path, books in hand, the afternoon sun casting soft shadows on the pavement. Meeks was practically vibrating with nervous energy, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to keep the conversation going.

“So, how was your biology class?” Y/N asked, glancing up at him with a smile.

Meeks cleared his throat, trying not to sound as nervous as he felt. “It, uh, it was good. We’re starting genetics, which is really interesting. I mean, Mendel’s pea plants and all that… you know, basic stuff.”

Y/N laughed softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Sounds fun. I think I would’ve liked biology more if I’d had you as a tutor.”

Meeks felt his face heat up. “I-I could help you with anything, really. If you ever need it.”

“Thanks,” she said, and Meeks noticed how her hand gently brushed against his as they walked.

His pulse quickened. Okay, this is your chance. Just grab her hand. It’s not that hard. You can do it, he thought to himself. But every time their hands made the briefest contact, he pulled away just slightly, afraid of messing it up.

Y/N tried again, brushing her hand against his, this time a little more deliberately. She could tell Meeks was nervous, but she found it sweet. Still, she hoped he’d finally take the hint.

“So, what are you doing later?” Meeks asked, desperately trying to distract himself from his internal hand-holding crisis.

“Oh, probably just catching up on some reading. What about you?” Y/N replied, giving her hand one more subtle nudge against his.

“I’ve got that physics homework,” Meeks mumbled, barely able to concentrate. Come on, just do it. Hold her hand! he screamed at himself internally.

He took a breath, feeling the warmth of her hand so close to his. Then, in one swift, slightly shaky motion, he reached out and grabbed her hand. He was sure she could feel how sweaty his palms were, but the moment their fingers intertwined, all his worries melted away.

Y/N looked at him, a smile spreading across her face. “There you go,” she giggled, squeezing his hand lightly.

Meeks couldn’t help but laugh, a nervous chuckle escaping him. “I—uh, I’ve been trying to do that for the past ten minutes.”

Y/N laughed softly, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. “I could tell.”

He smiled, the tension finally easing from his shoulders. “I guess I just didn’t want to mess it up.”

“You could never mess this up,” Y/N said warmly, her thumb brushing lightly over his hand. She smiled softly, “Hey, you know… we’re dating now. You don’t have to be so nervous around me.”

Meeks blinked, his blush deepening. “I-I’m not nervous,” he stammered, clearly not fooling anyone.

Y/N just giggled. “Meeks, you’ve been looking at our hands like they’re a science experiment. You know… it’s okay if you want to touch me. I like being close to you.”

That made him stop for a second. Touch her? The idea, simple as it was, made his head spin. But Y/N was right. They were dating. It was okay now. Still, the idea of initiating anything with her made his stomach flip.

Y/N squeezed his hand again, leaning slightly closer as they walked. “Is there… anything else you’d like to do with me?”

Her voice was soft, teasing, but it was also clear she was genuinely curious. Meeks’ mind raced. Anything else? His heart practically skipped a beat.

Taking a deep breath, he stopped walking and turned to face her. His cheeks were still burning, but he met her gaze and said, more confidently than he thought he could, “I’d like to kiss you.”

Y/N blinked in surprise before her face lit up with excitement. “Okay, love.”

Without overthinking it, Meeks leaned in, his heart pounding in his ears. Y/N closed the distance, meeting him halfway as their lips brushed together in a soft, sweet kiss. It wasn’t perfect, his nervousness made him a little stiff at first, but the warmth of her lips made everything else melt away.

When they pulled back, both of them were smiling.

“There,” Y/N whispered. “Just ask when you want another.”

Meeks laughed, feeling like he was on top of the world. “Can I have another?”

Y/N giggles and leaned in once more. She peppers kisses all over Meeks’ face to get his blush really going.

And finally, they continued walking in comfortable silence, hands still intertwined, both of them quietly thrilled that this small moment felt like the biggest victory.

[theallegedbird]

most normal job interviews in britain

stills under the cut

[dayafterdayna]

Page (1)? I drew out an entire comic for this but we’ll see if I actually render the other pages haha

[atopvisenyashill]

let me translate this for you it says: well i saw the rumors about nettles being daemon’s bastard as true and i thought rhaena’s story would be boring tv so i simply combined the two theories for funsies but now that everyone is yelling at me and hurting my feelings i’m wondering if maybe the change is more trouble than it’s worth. i might still do it tho fuck you.