#istant regret in his face

[spkyart]

Tanjiro stop

[ccaptain]

❝  hey,  just breathe.  look at me— look at me.  in and out.  breathe with me okay?  ❞ from loweblumen, I'm not done hurting you.

hmm u think u can hurt me but im 14 steps ahead of u -- @loweblumen

   from what he can recall before he fell into a forceful darkness, careful hands had dragged him into the gunnhildr's abode, an alarmed voice calling for the help of a certaint librarian to aid her.

   when kaeya recovers, the tears start flowing again.

   the inflamed, burnt skin tenses over his lower back and under the soothing balm it has been smeared in; he can't feel part of his face, even when it has been bandaged and disinfected and the coolness of a restoring potion has been applied to it. the back of his head has ceased to feel anything that isn't gracing him with an head-splitting headache, and he can't breathe properly due to indescribable pain in his trachea.

   the first noise he makes to alert the two women that he's awake is a grunt, then a sob.

   ' sweetheart, stay down, ' the familiar voice of lisa, gentle as honey, calls, stilling him. he only has eyes for the blonde knight staring at him in shock and worry. he wants to explain to her, wants to apologize, wants to tell her what happened --

      like a coward, when the phoenix of flames chased him along with the angered screaming of him, kaeya turned and bolted for it.

      of course it hit him across his back, shoving him forward, a choked scream following the scalding sensation of fire devouring flesh. diluc was atop of him in an istant, gloved fists raised and tears streaming down his face as he yelled something unteligible to the roar of adrenaline in his ears.

      he closed his eyes, and took the beating as a proper retribution.

   ' je, ' he croacks out, tears spilling from mismatched eyes. ' je, ' he sobs out to her, the beginning of realization settling in. he's choking, breath cut short, desperately reaching for the selfish ideal that a person still loves him, even if he stumbled to their house in the middle of the night loosing blood like a skinned pig --

   and she does. her voice is soothing and calming, but kaeya doesn't stop heaving and shaking like a leaf for a while. jean holds the battered form of his friend, even after lisa tries to tell her to give him some space to breath properly -- and kaeya is selfishly, eternally grateful and deeply apologetic for the blood seeping through bandages and staining her night clothes. even when dark digits hang onto her so tight to leave bruises and allmost rip pristine clothes, even then, she's still his friend.

   somebody cares about him. but somewhere, diluc is alone licking at his wounds and mourning the loss of a family, and it makes him spiral each time he thinks about it.

   deep down, he thinks that she knows what happened. she knows what she saw when she looked into mismatched eyes and saw terror, grief and regret and saw the strong cavalry captain breaking down in pieces, losing its edge.

   but nobody, nowadays, talks about it.

[terrm9]

Cieli di Toscana

Words count: 1 600

Author’s note: I love Italy and Italian language, I miss hearing it, I miss eating gelato and the sea and I like Bocelli. That’s it, that’s all you need to know to understand this fluffy useless piece. Also, I tried to translate that one line the best I can, but my Italian is mediocre at best, so if someone from Italy sees it - please, feel free to correct my translation and don’t hate me if I got it absolutely wrong.

Takes place some weeks after the OHSY Finale.

It was raining heavily as Chiara stepped into Ethan’s car, making her sigh. 

“This is absolutely terrible weather for a road trip,” she rolled her eyes dramatically, earning an honest chuckle from Ethan.

They weren’t going on a road trip. They were invited to attend a conference in New York and as much as Ethan hated those, the vision of three whole days with Chiara, out of reach of the chaos that’s been erupting in Boston ever since Edenbrook’s closing and its subsequent grand re-opening, was enough for him to make a decision to go.

The excruciating rate of their lives in those past few months has also been reason why Ethan decided to drive for four hours to New York. Four hours on their way back and another four on their way back, eight full hours of the two of them being next to each other without anyone else’s presence, with nothing better to do than to simply be together. Hell, even if Chiara decided to just sleep the whole time, those eight hours of her peaceful sleep would be worth the time spent in a car.

“Okay, if you don’t want to start with my playlist,” Chiara waved indefinitely with her phone in the hand, “you better have something else than an audio book to listen to.”

To be absolutely honest, Ethan wouldn’t mind listening to her playlist if that would serve her best, however he gestured towards the dashboard on Chiara’s side of a car.

“There should be some old CD’s in there.”

Opening a storage space of the dashboard, Chiara raised her eyebrow at him and exclaimed: “Some old what? Have you ever heard of the possibility of connecting your phone to the radio?”

Ethan resisted his urge to pinch the bridge of his nose as he was in the middle of overtaking a truck. He knew what was coming and that he didn’t dispose of any power that could stop it.

“I remember the times when the only way to listen to something of your choice in a car was to use a CD. I said they were old.”

Chiara rolled her eyes, not even trying to hide the smirk that found its way onto her face. Of course he would remember that.

“Remind me again, which dinosaur was your favorite? You know, since you were lucky enough to live among them.”

“This joke is getting old.”

He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth, knowing that they would backfire terribly.

“Yes, and so are you,” Chiara replied without missing a beat, her triumphant grin so wide Ethan was sure her cheeks hurt.

She grabbed the first CD, disapprovingly muttering under her breath.

“Vivaldi, Sinatra, Schoenberg, another Sinatra, Bocelli? I know this one,” she turned to him with Italian tenor’s album in her hand.

Ethan glanced at her quickly and nodded, encouraging her to develop her statement.

“My mom loves Bocelli, like really loves, loves. I remember when this particular album came out, I was maybe eight or nine at the time and my mom would listen to it on repeat, all day for two solid weeks,” she chuckled to herself at the memory and decided to put the CD into the radio, letting herself get lost in the memories of her childhood. “My dad was going crazy, always shutting himself in his study to listen to Queen or David Bowie. I would usually follow him and when I asked him why he didn’t tell her to turn it off, he’d just smile, shrug and say something about the music making my mom happy.”

Chiara listened to the first track, the melody all too familiar despite not hearing it for at least fifteen years. It sounded like her parents and home and love. The unconditional love her father always held for her mother, the one that grossed her out when she was a kid and caused her to have unfulfillable expectations from boys when she was a teenager.

She always dreamt of meeting a man that would love her that way, the man that would listen to the music he hated and she loved just because it would make her happy.

Shaking her head slightly to get herself out of the dangerous waters of her mind, the waters of nostalgy, the waters of infinite sadness she felt when thinking about her dad and her brother and how they would never get to decide if Ethan deserved their precious Chia, their light, she cleared her throat and read the title written on the plastic cover of the CD.

“Cieli di Toscana. Do you know what that means?” she turned to Ethan, thankful that the traffic kept him from noticing how lost she’s been for the last few minutes.  

"Skies of Tuscany," Ethan replied, not tearing his gaze of the road.

Chiara smiled to herself, her mind taking her back to all those documentaries she's seen about that part of Italy.

"They must be bewitching. Skies of Tuscany, I mean," she leaned further into her seat, the soft melody of second song making it easier to just imagine being there, far away from struggles Boston had in store for her. "Have you ever been to Tuscany?"

Ethan nodded, his sharp gaze melting slightly as his focus has been divided between driving and reminiscing his time in Europe.

"Once. I've been attending a conference with Naveen in Florence. I hardly had any spare time for sightseeing and yet the city managed to render me speechless as I walked its narrow streets."

Despite his efforts to find a better word for the city, all he could think about, back then in Florence, was how romantic its streets were. He could still remember how his whole body both loved and hated the atmosphere and how, when he surly muttered that it was city made for couples, Naveen would laugh and say: „If you are clever enough not to repeat my mistakes, you will come back with a woman of your life one day and belong to those scandalous couples.“

Another memory flashed in his mind, too bright and fresh for his liking. The one where, laying on the thick fabric of hazmat suit that protected his chest, tears streaming down her cheeks slowly, Chiara admitted that she regretted not travelling more while she could.

„I’ll take you there, when this chaos settles down and we’re allowed to take some time off. I’ll take you to Tuscany then,“ he said softly, quietly, pretending to concentrate on the road, which must have looked absolutely ridiculous as the highway was currently deserted. He hoped Chiara didn’t notice how flushed the back of his neck suddenly became.

She didn’t.

Chiara was biting her cheek, staring back and forth at Ethan and the road. Her own cheeks were colored in a bright pink color, the sincerity of Ethan’s words making her weak.

It wasn’t only the fact that he remembered about her dream of visiting Italy. It wasn’t even about the way he told her, that he would take her. It was the fact that planning his future with her came so naturally to him at this point, he didn’t even need to think about it.

Lost in her thoughts once again, Chiara didn’t notice how Ethan’s eyes widened few seconds into fourth song when the recognition hit him.

It was the song he liked the most, the song that he would listen quite often to back in the days when this album kept him company on the roads.

It was the song that, just like the city of Florence, used to make that small, almost negligible part of him wish that he had someone to share it with.

With the rain falling heavily on the windshield, Chiara couldn’t hear Ethan’s almost unaudible singing. She could’ve easily miss it, if she didn’t notice his lips moving.

„Are you singing?“ she asked, absoltutely shocked. She caught him humming various melodies sometimes, but never in her whole life would she believe to see Ethan Ramsey sing.

‚Scusi se mi innamorai in un istante di lei per

l'aria serena che ha.‘

„Absolutely not,“ he shook his head, the wave of heat on his neck becoming almost unbearable. „I am reciting the lyrics, at best.“

How cute, Chiara thought.

However, she didn’t want to ruin the moment and so instead of teasing him mercilessly, she asked: „What does it say? The part that you absolutely weren‘t singing.“

„Excuse me if I, in an instant, fall in love with her for the air of serenity she has. Very freely translated.“

„How do you know the lyrics so well?“

„I like the song.“

„Sure, liking the song is one thing, but knowing – and singing – the lyrics is another. Especially when the lyrics is as soft as this one. Is the song special to you?“

She tried to ask it as casually as she could, as if she was simply curious, when really, there was a hint of jealousy blooming in her chest.

Was the song special to him? Did he use to recite it to his first girlfriend trying to impress her?

The car stopped at the red light, giving Ethan a chance to finally look at the woman next to him fully.

„It is now,“ he nodded, smiling softly as he caressed her cheek with his thumb.

The expecting and so vulnerable green eyes staring back at him made his heart flutter. At this point, it was useless to pretened that he wasn’t utterly and terribly sappy when it came to her. Taking a deep breath, just before the red light turned to green, he whispered.

„The name of the song is Chiara.“

[okimargarvez]

YEAH - Plans change (9)

Original title: Yeah.

Prompt: post 15x10, choose your finale for the garvez date.

Warning: crossroad, smut.

Genre: angst, funny, romantic.

Characters: Penelope Garcia, Luke Alvez, Roxy, Lou, Sergio.

Pairing: Garvez.

Note: oneshot 79 in Garvez collection.

Legend: 💏 😘😈🐶.

Song mentioned: Assurdo pensare, Tiziano Ferro.

Yeah - masterlist

GARVEZ STORIES

*I*: Plans change

The atmosphere becomes heavy, too full of expectations, in the same istant that Luke is silent. He just stares at her, letting his words hang in the air, unwilling to take back what he said, even if perhaps partly regretted for exaggerating, rather than saying the same things in stages, so as not to scare her. Penelope, however, plays it completely differently. -Anyway, only my surname is Latin or Spanish.- she goes back to their previous discussion, the focus of the whole evening. -My name is of Greek origin.- as if he didn't already know. Not like he didn't spent a few nights consulting online pages to discover the meaning of the weaver, the patient and faithful wife of Odysseus. Not like he didn't struggled to stop herself from asking Spencer some more information. But her gaze is mischievous and provocative.

He accepts the challenge immediately, not that we can speak of a real choice. -Oh, look- he winks, the exact same look. All other living beings have long since ceased to have any importance. -Mine too.- she does not hide her amazement or her distrust at all. At school she studied religion, and Luke was one of the evangelists. She scrutinizes him with half-closed eyes, ready to catch any lie, in case he decides to play not fair in order to win. Because it is clear that a private and exclusive tender is underway. -From the Greek lyke, light- he explains to her, with an academic tone, proud of himself, deliberately laying it on, to make her laugh -my name practically means “born at the first light of the morning”.- he declaims. The blonde looks really surprised, positively. Her mouth slightly ajar, a glint of genuine interest in her eyes. He decides that this reaction is also positive. -You didn't expect this, did you?- he exaggerates, driven by enthusiasm, fully enjoying her complete, total attention. Expecting a proper reply.

Instead, she for once satisfies him. -In fact, you surprised me, bel homme.- she admits, but Luke's brain disconnects at the exact moment he hears that accent again. She is pure eros and she knows it. She knows perfectly well the effect it causes, even if her glasses (theoretically) are not X-rayed, so she cannot see what is hidden under the table. But she imagines it, she senses it. And this presumption does not irritate him at all, on the contrary, it simplifies his life. Better that both of them know which cards have already come out, which ones are on the table, which ones can still be played.

That's why his voice comes out in the form of an animalistic, primitive growl. -Penelope, I repeat, you are playing with fire.- and he watches her shiver at her name, understanding for the first time his own powers, his potential, what he can do to her, what he could make her do, what that she wants to do with him. He sees her with his mind's eye arching her back to welcome him better inside her, run to him and hug him after a mission, no matter is late night. He visualizes a future he desires with such intensity that it hurts physically.

And she seems to see it with him. She fixes a cheeky lock of hair, then she starts playing with it, seductively, provoking him. She uses techniques now considered to belong to the past, but after all, the two of them are not entirely souls of this era. -I'm not afraid of getting burned tonight.- she exclaims in a whisper, the most innocent expression he has ever seen on a woman's face. But her eyes aren't playing at all, they're not provoking, they're just piercing him and reminding him, with their intensity, that she really means it, everything she's told him tonight. They have passed the flirting phase. Whatever happens, they will come out different.

He doesn't have time to answer her, in any case (as long as she had the intention) since is time to dinner. Luke sees her particularly interested in his dish, so he proposes to (he gently forces her to) taste it, practically feeding her. It goes without saying that the federal agent would never have thought of finding himself making such a cloying gesture, and above all, without feeling an iota of embarrassment. At that point she pushes him to try her dish. They chat quietly, like a couple who have been married for years, with a few hints of provocation and a few fleeting touches on the part of both. They do not even notice that another hour has passed, until the waiter takes their plates away, both empty.

-Would you like to order dessert?- he asks them, not knowing that he will cause a crisis. Penelope clearly appears uncertain, as much as she inside knows she wants it, so much. She loves a lot of French cuisine, especially desserts. But she is also aware of her own appearance, especially if it is placed next to Luke, with the athletic physique of him even though he is no longer a boy, his muscles, his sculpted chest, his flat stomach. At least for one night, she could make this sacrifice. She doesn't need sugar or chocolate, Luke will take care of sweetening her and calming her libido.

She feels the man's eyes on her, analysing her, reading her and coming to the correct conclusion. -Yes, merci beaucoup.- at first the amazement dominates, then a kind of anger mixed with impatience. How can she do the right thing if he doesn't help her? Luke continues, determined. -For me a dark chocolate and chilli mousse- oh my God, why did she always think of him as someone who liked dark chocolate? Only for the bitterness, because she had always seen him drinking black coffee, without any additions? -for the damoiselle, on the other hand, crème caramel.- she realizes with a little delay that he too has used French, and with excellent results. She believed that the problem only arose when he spoke Spanish, but he would probably be able to turn her on with Russian as well.

The waiter notes the orders, then vanishes. Penelope struggles to recover. -Luke...- she can only say his name. This cursed man has a fantastic dog named Roxy, a unique heart and soul, a sensitivity equal to hers, the appearance of a Greek deity, whatever he says turns her on, whether it's good or bad, it doesn't matter. And above all, he reads her mind. It's not just profiling, it's connection, for real. What she has always craved with Shane, Kevin, Sam, in whatever relationship she had had. With the team there is something similar, with Derek most of all, but... nothing comparable to this. -How... how..?- she can't sensibly articulate the shock she feels. The tumult that is upsetting her from within. Not butterflies, but flocks of seagulls.

And Luke just shrugs, not understanding the extent of what he has done. His naivety and unawareness of him are other points in his favor. -I don't know.- the look of a good man, who as a boy helped the elderly ladies to cross the street not because he had to get a boy scout badge, or because his parents had told him it had to be done, but because he felt inside that was right. -Instinct- he adds and everything around Penelope begins to vibrate. It is the exact moment in which she realizes that he is the right one, that tonight she will sleep with him, because she will not be able to hold back, if he continues along this path. But in order not to look completely crazy, she just grabs his hand and squeezes it tightly. Luke reciprocates, staring at her. His moment of awareness has already happened, much earlier. Finally she has reached him, he can stop running, they can walk together. They have never had with anyone else what there is between them, that mental understanding. After a few moments the dessert arrives, they thank in unison, without separating for a while, both reluctant, but forced to give in. His first spoonful ends up in her mouth. The way she opens it to let him in with the spoon… that's how they discover that you can be tender and sexy at the same time.

He watches her bare neck as she swallows. -Mmm, bitter.- she comments. Being soulmates doesn't mean you never have a moment of uncertainty. Luke seems to grasp negative nuances, aimed at his person, rather than the mousse. And he is right, but only halfway. He prepares a spoonful for himself, but remains motionless to scrutinize her.

-Don't you like it?- he asks her, hoping she'll say what she really thinks anyway, even if it won't do him any good. He knows he is bitter, dark, complicated, while she is fresh, clear, nourishing milk. He waits.

Penelope denies it, but there are no traces of lies in her tone. -No, that's not it, it's just... I'm not used to it.- that's a more than enough answer for him. There are many things he will have to get used to, being with her. And not one of them scares him. Not the thought to have the bathroom invaded by hairpins, flowers, colored sheets or decorated with kittens, not even to wear more colorful clothes, or skip a few runs, or shopping, or fighting against his own jealousy, not the perennial fear of lose her and his world with her, not the discussions to come. Not the pain that would overwhelm him in the event of a breakup. He then nods and they taste their sweets in comforting silence.

Of course he insists on paying the bill, just by telling her that she can do it, if she wants, next time. As soon as he closes his wallet he sees her next to him, very close to him, more than before, more than a friend, her hand reaching out to his and she certainly doesn't need to be asked twice before he's grabbing it. They stroll along the avenue leading to the parking lot, walking slowly, enjoying every step. At one point, Penelope rests her head on his shoulder, fitting perfectly into his hollow. It's tailored, suggests an unknown voice to her, or maybe she just thinks it and she lets herself be influenced by her nauseating and romantic atmosphere. One of your ribs is hers, suggests another voice to Luke instead.

They stop near a tree with a mighty trunk, and she is convinced that it is the same plant where she thought he was going to kiss her a few hours earlier. She brushes the bark again with her fingers, almost caresses it, then he pulls her into a hug. That's too much, more than her security system can handle. She goes completely haywire. -I think…- she starts, but the life saver is activated and French takes over -je suis amoureuse de toi.- Luke can speak French, he understands it. But the fear of having misunderstood this time wins. He plays with her hair for a few seconds before gently pulling her away from him.

He looks at her bright eyes, filled with love and hope. -It's not fair, chica.- he gently scolds her, trying to get out of the charm of her lips. -Do you want me to speak to you in Spanish?- he certainly doesn't expect her answer, such a decision. He is wrong.

-Yes.- she caresses his neck, anatomical parts, areas that he now thought were asleep, atrophied, despite he had a girlfriend for two years. Finally her fingers make contact with his hair. Needless to say, it was one of his forbidden dreams. He had never dared to imagine more. -It's very sexy.- Luke tries to focus each neuron on his next move and not on the feelings of extreme well-being she causes him.

He finds no other solution than to block her hand, grabbing her wrist, slowly, but enough to pull her against him. -Uh, really?-Penelope nods, even though she's not sure she'll be able to hear what he's about to say, because her heartbeat resounds in her ears. -Entonces... Yo tambien estoy enamorado de ti.- but she understands, if not his words, the meaning of his gaze. He feels her shiver, he knows it's not because of the cold, but because of her emotion. He places both hands on her cheeks, she lifts up on her toes, resting her hands on his mighty shoulders. They squint their eyes together, meeting in the middle. Their hearts are bursting with happiness. They had feared that this time would never come, now they can confidently admit it. They had feared that theirs would remain an epic love, which everyone envies, but no one wants to experience it on their own skin. Instead, here they are, one body, two hearts beating in synchrony, hands clutching the flesh to convince themselves that it is not a dream. Or a hallucination due to red wine.

She is the first to break away, but she doesn't wait until she catches her breath before asking him her question. -You know the things not to do on a first date?- Luke understands that this is important, but at the same time it leaves room for a joke and that's how he takes it. He places his hands on her hips in a territorial way.

So he starts listing. -Talking about ex, ordering garlic or onion-based dishes…- she gives him a chuckle, but after a moment she's serious again.

-... declaring your feelings on paper.- she whispers.

They just look at each other. -I love you.- they say together, before starting to kiss again for a few minutes, and then deciding that it is advisable to move closer to the car. They never really separate; if their mouths are far away, it's not the same for their hands. Even the latter are becoming more enterprising, while their tongues ​​are fighting a battle with a not so obvious outcome. The hear of the former task force agent fortunately remains active and prevents them from being caught by other patrons, unaware of what is happening not too far from them.

Her wheezing as she tries to free herself from his grasp is so erotic that he is sure it will come back to him at inopportune moments for the next ten years, at the very least. -So, was it worth the amount you spent?- her forehead is sweaty, she has long since stopped shivering, one hand in his hair, the other on his butt, to hold him close to her.

Luke bends more, so much so that he can place his nose in the hollow of her shoulder. He is cold compared to her white skin. -Every single penny.- he whispers, managing to see the goose skin marks that he caused her and enjoying every single dot.

Here she is vibrating again, in his arms. -Oh, Luke.- it's a moan, nothing more, nothing less. He can't believe he was able to snatch it from her so simply, using only his nose and breath. By now, however, the hinges have given way, the last barrier has collapsed and she doesn't seem willing to restore it. He leaves a trail of kisses down her neck, going up in the direction of her mouth, paying attention only to that part for a while, before going down and starting again, going further down, to the hollow of her breast, going up and so forth.

He is driving her crazy, he is aware of it and he likes it. -Penny...- he feels her stiffen, but only for a moment and he imagines (rightly) that it's due to her nickname, that someone else before him must have used it, not Morgan, though; maybe one of her ex-boyfriends, but it doesn't matter, especially not right now. He sucks the skin of her neck, delicate and determined, almost mercilessly. Penelope immediately understands what his goal is.

She swallows as her head spins like a top. -Do you want... do you want everyone at work to know that... -but she doesn't even have the strength to finish the sentence. She can barely cover her mouth before she moans. When he comes off she notices that a red circular mark is already visible.

-That you are mine?- another shock. She never believed she wanted to belong to a person, nor could she be possessive, but with Luke… why is everything always so different, out of the box? -Yes- he looks at her looking for clues that he should stop, but he doesn't see any, so he picks up his work from the same point, imagining his mark on her pale skin, because it's about this. Seeing her wearing turtlenecks to hide it, but smiling from time to time at the memory. Her hands massage his skin throughout the procedure.

When he finishes she doesn't let him go. -I think it is fair that my former colleagues are also informed of the news.- she grabs the skin of his neck with more force than he, without fear of hurting him, engaging in an almost funny way, but he cannot hide the own physical reaction; she feels it precisely against her thigh and there is no need to lie, stating that she doesn't like the sensation. At the end, they resume kissing as if nothing had happened, but his phone begins to vibrate. She feels it because she has her hand right there. Luke ignores it, but she pushes him away, unable to get out of her head that it could also be serious; the time when she will not have all these kinds of thoughts, that will be the moment when something really bad happens.

He moans, nibbling her ear as she no longer has her mouth available and making the task of picking up his mobile phone certainly not easy. -Let it vibrate indefinitely...- it's a kind of plea, but Penelope doesn't let herself be conquered by him.

-You should have turned it off, as you did on your first date with Lisa.- it's a reproach, but her tone is sweet and a little sad, so he doesn't take it bad. The device stops vibrating in her hands. She passes it to him and he, who would like to reply, does not even have time to call his boss. There is a text from the same sender; Penelope looks at him reading and understands, even if she was already sure of it.

He stares at the screen until it turns black. He pulls it back into his pocket, sighing. His daydream has just turned into the nightmare that is his life. He can't believe this is really happening, that he can be so unlucky. He almost forgets all the kisses, the declarations, and the conspicuous pacifier on his neck. -Penelope...- he says, not knowing how to tell her. When the same thing happened while he was having dinner with Lisa, he had been annoyed, yes, but not so much that his work had interfered with his private life (once in a while he decided to have one... but in fact even when he had visited to Phil, it had happened), much more for the fact that it was Garcia who had brought him this news.

She nods, stroking his arm across the fabric, to its full length. -I know.- she speaks softly, in a low voice, more than it would be necessary. -We... you have a case.- she smiles, tries to look cheerful, even if in fact she doesn't even know what she feels. It would have been different if it had happened while they were at dessert, that is... before she finds out what it feels like to kiss those lips, to be touched by those hands, to feel his desire concretely on her, his voice telling her that he loved her. But now that she's got all this information… hell if she wants to give it up.

Luke is too immersed in his sadness to really grasp her words. -I'm... I'm sorry, I...- he flutters, forcing her to grab his chin, so that he looks straight into her eyes. What did he expect her to do? Screams, get angry, and then, pick on him? She would be hypocritical.

-Why?- she asks him in fact. -Was it you who committed those crimes?- no answer is needed and he understands it, thankfully. -It was also my job.- yes, it is so easy to forget this too, how many moments lived in this area, almost all linked to the BAU, especially the oldest ones. -I know how it works.- she caresses his face, gently. His recently trimmed beard scratches her skin. -This doesn't change anything, Luke.- here he is lighting up, regaining life and color. Was this really the problem? -In my heart the evening will remain beautiful, probably...- she hesitates, but she curses herself; he needs to hear it -certainly the best first date of my life.- BOOM, dead, he is again the happiest man in the entire universe. He smiles like an idiot, contemplating her, trying to convince himself that she is a real creature and not an angel, for real.

-For me too, Penny...- he starts kissing her again and she certainly can't pull back, after a few minutes, however, she forces him to stop. She hates having to play the responsible one; it doesn't suit her, but this time it's up to her.

-Luke, we have to go.- she scolds him, trying to appear stern, but his mischievous smile is sufficient proof of how she probably looked funny at best. -The world needs you.- they hold hands even if there are a few steps to reach the car. Penelope realizes that he is still too thoughtful. -We still have one hour of travel to be together.- she then points out to him. She smiles and certainly doesn't have to force herself. She puts her hand on the gear.

Luke looks at her, before starting the engine. -Penelope, you are so understanding, you are... perfect.- he listens to her sigh, he imagines the air coming out of her lungs. And her breasts firm and round. But it is better to focus on something else, like the road.

-We have waited four years, we can hold out a few more days, right?- they both know what it means. He nods, even though he's not sure he's 100 percent convinced. Of course he is able to wait, he would do it even if she needed more time. He doesn't feel right to do it due to outside interference, but he certainly doesn't want to ruin their first time with a quickie. On the contrary, he wants to enjoy every single moment, remove one layer at a time of her clothes, kiss every inch of her skin. With all these thoughts on his mind, he hardly notices that they has arrived in front of the IT's house. He turns off the engine. He lingers on her lips. -Luke, will you be careful?- is the first thing she asks him. He feels the apprehension in her tone and knows that she really means it.

He grabs her face in his hands. As he told Matt shortly after his blind date with Lisa, for years he has been doing just fine on his own, with no one at home to care for him, other than his family. And no one who at the same time distracted him from duty. And with Lisa, after the first few days, not much had changed. It was not for nothing that he had almost risked being blown up. But Penelope... -Hey, do you think I could ever miss such an opportunity?- he sees her bright eyes and knows it's because she is thinking how she would manage if she were to lose him. He feels a pang in his heart. -I'll come back to you.- she nods, wiping a tear.

Her lips, still wet with Luke's saliva, vibrate. -Do you text me when you land?- she is afraid that she claimed too much, but in reality they have belonged to each other in their hearts for much longer and she knows she has that right.

-Of course.- he replies in fact. -Indeed, I will have to restrain myself so as not to overwhelm you with texts.- he too manages to make her laugh and lighten the mood. Penelope punches him playfully on his chest.

-All you want, profiler, but stay focused on work, I don't want to be a distraction.- here she read his thoughts about her again. Almost the same words.

He moves a few strands of hair behind her ear. -You've always been my distraction, Penelope Garcia.- can you cause an orgasm by naming a person? She nearly experienced it on herself. -Don't pretend you don't know.- the woman opens her mouth to reply, but nothing comes out. -But you are also the reason to try harder, so don't worry, I promise I'll be good.- very nice, but she is satisfied.

She sighs, seeing him lean towards her. -Well, now- she is speechless against his lips -seriously- she tries again, but with the same result -you have to go- she looks at him so that he understands that if it depended on her, she would never chase him away. She would make him come up with her, since they are already here, so he could meet Sergio. And then they could all move in to his apartment...

-I'm going.- his voice shatters thoughts that he doesn't recognize as his own. One last kiss, this time for real. -Good night, meo amor.-

 It's only been a day, a day and a half, if you really want to be picky. She is about to leave, after a long day of very productive work, when her phone vibrates. Her heart recognizes the caller before her eyes. She replies, not realizing she has a stupid smile on her face. -Hello?- only at the last one she realizes that it could also bring bad news. Reading his name, seeing their photo together, has destabilized her.

-Hey, Penny.- it's him, from the tone he seems to be fine and from the background, he is probably in the car. -We landed a few minutes ago, instead of sending you a text I thought I'd call... I hope I haven't bothered you. I think you told me you get off work at seven.- almost no wonder he remembered it.

-Yes, I just finished. How did the case go? How… how are you?- she sees him driving through the grey streets of Quantico, careful as ever. Does he want to ask her out? She starts to go into fibrillation at the very thought of seeing him again. She is a hopeless case.

-I'm fine, but... there is another thing I would like to ask you. I would love to see you tonight- he begins and the smile dies on her lips, realizing what follows -but I'm really tired, the case was pretty tough... so I thought... would you like to have a picnic with me tomorrow?- luckily she got into the car without starting, otherwise she would have risked a collision. -Penelope?- she slaps herself to get out of the trance.

-Yes, yes, I like it. So... can you text me when you get to your house? I know I'm too apprehensive, but...- he interrupts her.

-No, don't apologize, of course I'll text you. Will you do the same?- she swallows before answering.

-Obvious. Oh, Luke… I love you.- she has never been the kind of person who repeats statements on the phone, although, he also talked to Rossi years ago, she tried to make every call special, but… it's just exhausting.

-I love you too.-

 Lulled by the sound of his voice she has fallen asleep and it is always Luke who wakes her up. -I'm leaving now, honey.- she loves the naturalness with which he called her that way, but she doesn't know if she'll tell him, because after all... she has already given him too many gratifications lately. She laughs at her own stupidity, she gets ready, greets Sergio after checking that everything is in order and reassuring him that, cases permitting, they will spend the evening together, they and his canine brothers. It never happened that a bell ring made her heart jump like that. She comes out trying to measure her steps and she almost bumps into him. The car is parked there in front of her, but he waits for her with open arms. She jumps on him and all her intentions go to hell.

-It's not normal that I missed you so much...- she whispers, enjoying his scent, natural, reassuring her. The warmth of his body. His arms as her armor.

Luke lifts her chin. -It wouldn't be if I hadn't felt the same thing.- they kiss for a few minutes, but this time he is surprisingly the first to break away. -Come on, there's someone else who missed you...- he leads her to the car, but he makes her get in the backseat, surprising her.

Penelope can't hold back her screams when she understands. My loves! -She throws herself between the two dogs, who attack her with equal speed and sweetness, submerging her with kisses and fur. She turns for a moment to the man, who observes the scene from his seat, with a crooked smile on his lips. -Luke, I love you, damn!- she seems almost to be sorry for that fact and it makes him laugh out loud.

She gets out, to get into the seat next to him. -Was it so easy to get into your soft armor?- he whispers her then in a hoarse voice. She rolls her eyes, locking the doors.

-Come on, stop it.- she watches him, not understanding why he doesn't start the engine. -Shall we go?- she asks him. Her eyes continue to flicker towards the rear-view mirror, which gives her the reflection of two wonderful creatures. She has to admit she hadn't thought of them when Luke offered her the picnic, but it's his fault, well, her brain was simply too full of the thought of seeing him again.

The man shakes his head seriously. -No, one thing is missing...- her confused expression melts when their lips touch. -I love you, too...- he whispers, before deepening the kiss. They finally leave. Along the way Luke explains where they are headed, also providing some scientific data, gaining jokes about the fact that he looks more and more like Reid (and this is good, it makes him even sexier, in her opinion).

The journey passes pleasantly, between jokes and songs. When they reach the goal, Penelope can't believe. She expected green, but definitely not even that expanse of sparkling water. -Wow, Luke, it's… it's wonderful.- she looks at him with tears in her eyes, tightening her grip on Roxy's leash, needing something to keep her anchored to reality.

Luke, proud, tries to sound like a normal person and not one who is about to scream with joy. Seeing concretely the woman he loves happy for something he has chosen, so at ease with him even though it is not at all her classic environment… is priceless. -And it's only thirty minutes from Quantico.- he points out, with a stupid smile on his face. She pays no attention to it, because she only captures his absolute beauty, inside and outside of him. -Isn't it surprising how sometimes we travel the world and don't notice what we have in front of us?- and she immediately grasps the reference, not at all arcane.

-Yes.- she looks down at her boots. -I... I...- he places a finger on her lips, softly silencing her and preventing her from apologizing for something she's not really at fault for.

-No, sadness or any melancholy is forbidden today.- he puts his lips on hers and she lets herself be completely guided. Then they walk for a while along the various wooden bridges, which make the landscape even more magical and enchanted. They do not even notice the passing of time, being dragged by the dogs to the perfect place. Like a couple that has been together for years, they feed Roxy and Lou, perfectly synchronized, before taking care of their lunch, sandwiches made by her, vegetarian of course. She asked him by text what he wanted and he replied that she already knew. However, she can't go into this matter as well, otherwise she risks raising the level of the Potomac. After having all filled their stomachs and also digested, Luke convinces her to leave their puppies off the leash, so that they can let off some energy; Roxy will take care of the reckless Lou. He lays a mat on the lawn and starts kissing her again, until she is completely lying down, then he joins her. After a while, the two dogs also abandon themselves nearby, to recover from their efforts. Penelope hugs him, thinking that she has never been so happy in her life and Luke echoes her.

Go to the ending: O

Tags: @princesstreaclefanfic​​​​​​​ @londonrosebooklovingwitch​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​ @inlovewithgarvaz​​​​​​​ @dittokld Tell me if you want to be removed or re-added to the tags ^^

[uchihashisui-kun]

For @the-power-of-youth, who asked for "☠+Sakura"

-

Shisui wasn't a religious man. Of course, Uchiha children were raised with the knowledge of Izanagi, Izanami and their three children: Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo, the three most important Deity for an Uchiha, but Shisui had grown up alone and no one ever really forced him to believe in them, so, no, Shisui wasn't a religious man.

That being said, Shisui had indeed found himself praying a couple of times, and this? This was definitely one of those times.

Since the day the Uchiha coup had been stopped Shisui had decided to quit ANBU, taking time for himself even if Fugaku-san had been against his decision, and ultimately asking for the possibility to be a Jōnin Sensei.

Team 7 had been second team, the first one long promoted to higher ranks, and Shisui had been thrilled to know that his little cousin Sasuke would have been given to him, since he could help him in case he awakened the Sharingan, along with the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki and a civilian-born girl with a lot of potential.

Sakura was, honestly, the best. She was kind, strong and very smart. A book kind of smart, something that not most people were, and Shisui loved her like a little sister, and maybe that was why Shisui wanted to protect her with all he could give.

It should have been an easy mission, but, honestly speaking, when was it that a mission remained as easy as it looked? Almost never, and Shisui should have known it, he had been ANBU for years and he knew very well that missions often goes to shit rather quickly and without a prior notice.

He also knew that both Sasuke and Naruto were safe, because he had took them away with a well-placed Shunshin, but Sakura? She was right in the thick of things, and even if she was strong she had no hope against two S-Rank enemies all alone, so, of course, Shisui had jumped in to protect her. What else could he do? He was certainly not about to let his student die when he could have done something to prevent it.

The fight had been long and tiring and between protecting Sakura, protecting himself and attacking, Shisui had been stretched as thin as possible, his chakra reserves dangerously low and with more injuries than he could count.

In the end he had won, but he had fallen as well. Not that he regretted it, his precious team was safe and that had been his ultimate goal, and he couldn't be sad even as his body hit the ground with a dull thud.

Sakura had been on him in an istant, big, green eyes so sad and full of tears, trembling hands hovering on his body like they couldn't decided what injury was more important to heal first. Shisui had cracked a smile, all bloody lips and teeth, a hand weakly patting her knee, his limbs too heavy to do more than that.

"Now now, Sakura-chan, don't cry." Shisui had said, his voice barely above a whisper. It was just so hard to breath, and he was pretty sure he had a broken rib or two poking at his lungs. "That sad grimace doesn't suit your pretty face."

A faint green light had appeared around Sakura's hands, and suddenly Shisui could breath a bit better. He knew that he would not come out of this alive, he was very well aware of his body's limits, but he was happy to be able to talk for a little longer.

"Don't be sad for me, I'm happy that you're safe and sound." Shisui wanted to lift a hand to take away the tears running down Sakura's face, but it was so hard to move, his brain was sluggish and his body was unable to follow the inputs it was sending. "I know you'll be able to come out of this stronger, you always find a way to learn from every situation and improve yourself. You're the strongest kunoichi I know, after all."

Shisui's breath hitched, faltered, slowed down a bit, and everything was so blurry, the edges of his vision were starting to go dark and Sakura was the only clear thing he could see.

"Take care of 'em, alright? You're a strong team an' you need to stick together." Shisui smiled again, a mop of pink hair bent over him, healing chakra pushed so desperately in his body. "Sasu-chan can be grumpy, but he cares for you. And Naru-chan needs someone to remind him to be good." Shisui thought about them, asking himself how they would react knowing that he died.

He hoped they would not be too mad at him for leaving them alone.

"You're like family, yeah? Everyone needs a friend like you. You're smart and cheerful and you are the one that can keep the team together. You're like an older sister." Shisui closed his eyes, his eyelids too heavy to be kept up. "'M proud of you. Of all of you. You're my precious students."

Shisui thought about Itachi and about all of his friends. What will Kakashi do? Tenzou? Genma? Anko? Kurenai? He's a bit sad to leave them all behind, to be honest.

He hoped someone will take care of his precious Team 7 now that he was leaving them alone. "Love y'all." Shisui whispered, just a passing breath between his smiling lips, before darkness claimed him for good.

[wondermarvell]

I Wanna Know (t.h.)

A/N: hey everyone! So here’s my very first one shot, it’s a bit sad but for some reason it’s more easy for me to write. I really hope you’re going to like it, I know that it’s not amazing, but I tried and I hope to become better in the future. You can tell me what you think. And, I also wanted to tell you that English is NOT my first language, so there’s probably going to be errors. Enjoy it!

Song: I Wanna Know - NOTD, Bea Miller

Is she the one?

The one you've been waiting for?

Is she the one?

The one you've been dreaming of?

Is she the one?

You weren't surprised when you discovered it, you kinda of knew since that day.

"I don't feel the same anymore, Y/N, I have other things on my mind" Tom said.

It was a normal day, you were at home watching some crap tv show that you didn't like when the door bell rang.

A bit surprised, not knowing who would rang at your door at ten in the morning, you got up and went to see who it was and a giant smile appeared on your face when you saw your boyfriend but he wasn't responding to the smile like he usually does.

His expression was so serious that your heart had lost a beat.

You raised your hand and put it on his cheek, looking at him worried "What's wrong?" you asked.

He brought his hand on yours and you felt cold, then he closed his fingers around yours, moving your hand back next to your waist.

You stayed silent, watching his movements that looked so strange; he looked strange. The usual happiness that surrounded you when you two were together wasn't there, the usual sparks weren't there either.

"Tom?" you tried again, searching for his eyes that were still avoiding yours.

"I don't know where to start".

"Since when you have problems with telling me something? You know that you don't have to be afraid of telling me anything" You said, trying to ignore the grief that was growing in the chest and trying again to reach his hand, needlessly.

He looked at you for an istant, then looked away again.

"It's complicated" .

You were afraid of already knowing the problem, but you were hoping with everything in your body that it wasn't. A part of you, anyway, was more than sure.

"Is it?" you just said, leaning against the door frame and crossing your arms as if you were trying to close yourself and stopping any kind of pain from reaching you.

"Listen, Y/N, you're really an amazing person and.."

"Are you really going to use this shit for break up with me? Seriously?" you stopped him and a sarcastic laugh came out of your mouth.

"Alright, I'm just done" he said, finally looking into your eyes "I don't feel the same anymore, Y/N, I have other things on my mind".

It was the faster break up that you ever had in your life: after this, you thought that there wasn't anything to say anymore, he had already say enough and you surely weren't in the mood to continue the conversation. He just turned around and went to his car, leaving you behind.

You already had shitty break up moments, with the usual stupid line 'is not you, it's me', but this really hurt you.

You thought that what there was between you and Tom was serious, you never felt anything like this with other guys. The pain that you were feeling for the way it ended was way more painful than the break up.

And now, in front of your very own eyes, there was the message from your bestfriend, who happned to be dating your ex's bestfriend, Harrison. She went to a small party at some friends house, but you decided not to go, because you knew that he was going to be there and you didn't want to face him. Not yet.

She insisted for you to go, saying that it wasn't sure that he was going to be there and in that case you were going to stay with her, far way from Tom.

"He's here with a girl, they keep holding each others habds and stuff" it said. "Haz said that they've known each other for a while".

And at this point the only things that were going through your mind were questions.

Did that mean that he was seeing her before breaking up with you? Did he met her after?

At this point you were starting to regret letting him go away without answer, because right now it was the only thing that mattered to you. An answer.

You wanted to know so bad what had happened, what changed is mind so quickly that you didn't even noticed since the truth came right in front of you, destroying you.

I wanna know.

I'm tired of staying up all night with you on my mind

Still I'm laying here

Yeah, I'm laying in the shirt you used to like

No, I shouldn't mind

You were trying to make it look like you moved on, after two months, but you defenitly weren't.

Photos of you and Tom were still in your gallery and all the messages were also still there. He was everywhere.

You could still feel his laugh through the walls, his voice while calling you 'darling', 'babe'.

He was in your dreams, even if you tried your best to not think about him. You tried to 'drink to forget' but it didn't work, it only made you even more sad. Everytime your bestfriend found you crying in the bathroom, curled up on yourself.

You thought you were going insane when the sleep decided to left you, forcing you to stay up all night, with tears rolling down your cheeks.

You spent your nights looking at the ceiling, sometimes without even thinking, only looking up, hoping for the sleep to come and get you.

You sighed, throwing your phone against the couch and running the fingers through your hair, holding it very thight, trying to discharge all the anger inside of you.

Then your eye went down on the shirt you were wearing: it was his favourite.

You didn't really know why he liked it so much, it wasn't nothing special but he kept saying that it looked amazing on you and for this reason you started to wear it as much as you could, even now.

Your fingers left your hair and went on the t-shirt, running up and down, delicately touching the fabric, like he used to do when you two were cuddling.

It was hurting you so much, you couldn't even think about something else, because he was always the first thing that came to your mind, in every single occasion.

"I'm going mad".

Is she the one?

That I couldn’t be for you?

I hate that you’re the one

That I never get over

That I wanna get closer to

It was burning you inside how he easly found someone else, how he had already forget you.

Were you such an horrible girlfriend? What did she does to make him prefer her to you? Does she has better hair? Can she makes him laugh better than you? Did his friends prefer her over you?

Frustration was all over you.

What could you possibly do? You could’t, wouldn’t, get over Tom. How could you? 

The only thing you wanted at the moment, were his arms wrapped around you, keeping you safe from everything and everyone. His lips all over your face, leaving kisses everywhere, making you laugh. 

You wanted to get back to the days where you spent hours with Tom watching movies, tv shows, listening to music or just beign there to keep each ther company.

The days where you two used to try to cook something new, with successes and disasters. The ones were you played with Tessa, while Tom wasn’t home, and he’d come back with you throwing balls for the dog, that happily ran to catch it.

Closing your eyes, you were sure you could still feel his fingers going through your hair, making you feel as if you were in paradise. 

Then you pictured his smile, for the last time and one apperead on your face as well. 

For a moment you forgot about the break up and these two horrible two months, as if they never happened. For a moment you decided to pretend that everything was still the same, that Tom was going to call you very soon or he was going to rang the bell and surprise you with something, like he used to do. You then were going to spend the night together at home or going out with some friends, laughing and having the best of time.

After that, you were going to come home, maybe yours or his, it didn’t mattered as long as you two were together, and then you would’ve cuddled up on the bed ‘til sleep. That was your perfect picture

Then you came back to reality.

[okimargarvez]

Ok, now that I have rewatch this moment, I can say it. What the camera does when it passes from pic 9 to pic 10, is called emphasis. There is a change of the shot, a medium close-up to focus on Luke’ face. Look at his face. And compare it to the expressions of the others. They are happy and relaxed, because finally the family is already complete. But not Luke. He is not happy. He looks at Penelope for the first to the last moment he is in the screen in this scene, and he looks with regret. And the camera stops for few istants more on his reaction that those of the others. And I saw ever a slow down at the beginning, until Penelope hugs Spencer. For a moment we could believe that he is the one that is about to hug her, but then, he goes on.  I study this things, I graduated about this things and nobody can make me think otherwise.

Analysis of garvez scenes