#its just an added blessing that you all are here with me along the ride...

[flyingspicerack]

ive gotten back to working on the fic... i had a big bout of doubt there because i was worried the way i write ichi isnt in canon enough, that it's not... good enough.. and that ive seen some opinions on him recently that i dont agree with but... thats just what they are, other people's opinions... they can have their own while i have mine, and thats fine... people can coexist with different opinions... nods ok tad talk over

[becca-alexa]

Ride the Lightning

Chapter Eleven: I Want the One I Can't Have

Read on AO3!

01 ┋ 02 ┋ 03 ┋ 04 ┋ 05 ┋ 06 ┋ 07 ┋ 08 ┋ 09 ┋ 10 ┋ 11 ┋ 12 ┋ 13

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Original Female Character

Summary: Will Eddie be able to confess his feelings to Veronica?

Word Count: 7.6K

Content Warnings: cursing, mentions of assault

Author's Note: IT'S HERE! IT'S FINALLY HERE! AND THIS IS A LONG CHAPTER!

as always, HUGS and KISSES and BLESSINGS IN ABUNDANCE to @hellflayer for being the bestie of the century and super patient with me while i try and squeeze these out of me like a go-gurt

     Hellfire nights were special, hallowed, sacred to the brave, adventurous souls who dared to face its horrors, who defied the will of the Gods and trudged forward, risking life and limb to defeat the eldritch abominations set before them. Eddie, leaning over the crowded table, all but screamed as his hands waved over the paper board, his eyes dark as he warned,

     “Shall ye risk the scourge of the Leviathan, Sir Lucas?” His lips twisted into a grin, sending chills through the spines of the youngest among their group; Lucas felt his sweat run cold down the hollows of his back, Dustin at his side staring daggers at the accursed board, hands trembling as he handed his friend the dice - they were at their wit’s end, the entire party decimated by the creature with but one man left standing.

     It was all or nothing.

     “Might I suggest a retreat, youngling?” Eddie began to pace around the table, the jingle of the chain hung from his pants an echoing screech through the massive room - Steve had agreed to host them this week, and as he sat off to the side, watching with considerably less confusion than he normally had for their game, even he was nervous for Lucas. “You’ll need to roll at least a fourteen to defeat the creature.”

     “You got this, man.” Mike said quickly, wiping away the sweat collecting on his hands along the lengths of his pants. “Don’t even think about it. Just roll the dice.”

     “You’ve rolled higher than that before. This’ll be easy.” Will added - it wasn’t lost on him that the older ones stayed quiet, not wanting to interfere, none wanting to be in his position.

     If he lost this roll, the entire campaign would be in jeopardy.

     “Yeah, you can totally do this.” Dustin hurriedly reassured him, then leaned behind the boy’s back to mouth at Will, We’re screwed!

     “Sir Lucas!” Eddie boomed, every head snapping in his direction; the man stared into their eyes, relishing in their fear, totally immersed in his role. “Have you made your choice?”

     Lucas swallowed dryly, and nodded his head. “I-I’ll roll.”

     “The man says he’ll roll!” Eddie fell back into his throne - one of Steve’s plush armchairs with a blanket draped over top - and folded his legs, leaning away from them, arms crossed atop his chest. “Best of luck to you, then.”

     Lucas shook the dice in his hand, blew into his fist, shook them again, the space bathed in a soul-crushing silence as they all watched him with bated breath - his fist slowly rose over the table, fingers parting, the molded acrylic landing atop the table in a series of deafening knocks, and they stared as the pieces slowly skidded to a halt, the golden numbers ascribed atop them glimmering in the low light of the room.

     “Sixteen.” Gareth’s voice was barely above a whisper, choked as he rapidly looked between Eddie and the rest of the party. “That makes sixteen…!”

     They sat in stillness, no one blinking, no one breathing as Gareth’s words echoed through their minds, a shared beat of shock passing between them before they all erupted in thunderous applause - and Eddie sank deep into his chair, a hand sent dragging through his errant hair as he mumbled to himself, “Holy Hell, he did it…”

     “That was great, man!” Jeff cheered.

     “God, I was sweating…!” Thomas added, running his hands over his flushed face. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous for a roll before!”

     “Settle down! Settle down, gentlemen…!” Eddie announced, waving his hands about as he gathered their attention, a pleased sort of smile on his face. “Sir Lucas has successfully defeated the Leviathan and has charted his course over the Seven Seas of Wysteria-”

     “And he revives the party?” Will asked excitedly, eyes wide and gleaming with wonder, his energy contagious as the others nodded in agreement - and Eddie let out a sigh, shaking his head as he continued on…

     “Yes, Will the Wise, he revives the party - and you all live to see another day in the company of your wonderful dungeon master-”

     “Alright, alright, we get it.” Gareth groaned, rolling his eyes as Jeff and Thomas tried to keep their laughter to themselves. “Quit blowin’ smoke up your ass, man.”

     Eddie narrowed his eyes at him. “...and Gareth starts the next campaign with a debuff.”

     “Hey!”

     But it was too late - Eddie was shuffling the younger ones about the room, helping them gather their things and collect whatever trash they’d accumulated before sending them toward the door. “Hurry along, my little sheep - I promised your mothers I’d have you all home before midnight, and I am nothing if not a man of my word.” They’d wanted to stay longer - they always did, especially when they were able to have Hellfire at Steve’s. “Hey, no griping, or next week you’ll be starting out stuck in a swamp.”

     They’d all said their goodbyes, thanked Steve for his hospitality, and were on their way out when Eddie pulled Thomas back by the shoulder, handing him his keys. “Hey, man, could you warm up the van?” he asked, nodding back toward where Steve was setting his living room furniture back to rights. “I’ll be right out.” Thomas gave a smile in return, and followed out the rest of the group; Eddie smiled as he heard them all fight over who would get to ride shotgun.

     Working together, it took them no time at all to rearrange all of the furniture; Steve couldn’t help but think it odd that Eddie had wanted to stay behind and help - not that he didn’t appreciate the gesture, but it would have taken him all of ten minutes to do it alone. He noticed Eddie tugging at his fingers, chewing at his lip - nervous ticks, he now knew. “Hey, man, what’s up…?”

     “It finally happened, Steve…” Eddie said, a hint of breathlessness in his voice, his lips stretched into the slightest of smiles as he stared at the carpeted floor, kicking his feet. Steve didn’t follow.

     “Yeah, I almost laid an egg watching Lucas’ roll!” Steve said elatedly, hoping he’d hit his mark - but from the look on Eddie’s face, he’d missed by a mile. With a sigh, he took a step closer to the older man, laid a hand upon his shoulder, gave him a gentle squeeze as to pull his attention. “...You’re not talking about the campaign, are you?”

     Eddie shook his head, his face pale, a nervous look in his eyes - nervous, yet giddy.

     “Yeah, no… uh… I’m not.”

     “Then, what-”

     “It finally made sense.” Eddie said quickly, his face bursting red, the vibrant crimson spreading to the tips of his ears, down the pale column of his neck. He watched, waited as Steve struggled to connect the dots, his shoulders slumping with relief as it dawned on him.

     “No kidding?” Steve said, his smile beaming as he gave Eddie’s arm a brotherly shove. “When’d it happen?”

     “The night of the Fling.” It seemed as though Eddie couldn’t wait to tell someone of how he felt, of how he’d fallen madly, unabashedly, unashamedly in love with Veronica. “We went out to Sattler’s Quarry and we… we danced together.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, his face still aflame, his heart still beating as though ready to burst through his chest at any moment as he recalled that fateful night. “She was so… so close to me, and it felt like everything just fell into place, and… that’s when I knew.”

     Steve gave his shoulder a squeeze, his grip solid, the warmth of his hand seeping through his jacket. “I’m happy for you, man.” he said, his smile genuine, if not a bit jealous. “So, when’re you going to tell her…?”

     Eddie froze, his eyes wide, face going pale once more, his stomach dropping to the soles of his feet. “I-I’m not. I can’t.”

     “Why the Hell can’t you?”

     “I just can’t…!” Eddie pulled at his hair as he began to pace about the living room. “She’s, like, lightyears out of my league, man…! There’s no way… She’d never go for someone like me-”

     “Why not?”

     “What, like you honestly think she’d pick the freak?”

     “Don’t call yourself that.” Steve’s tone turned harsh, chastising, and it made Eddie want to turn tail and run. “And - honest to God - I think she would pick you.” He laid his hands atop his hips, giving Eddie a look he’d seen him give to the younglings countless times before - it felt strange to be on the receiving end of it. “You’re better than most of the guys in this town for sure, and she doesn’t care what everyone thinks of you. That’s gotta mean something, right…?”

     Eddie weighed his friend’s words in his mind, let them roll around, settle, his heart flipping in his chest as they slowly turned from opinions to… facts. Truths. “Yeah…?” he asked shyly, pulling a lock of hair over his mouth, his lip caught between his teeth as the possibility seemed more and more tangible - more real - with each passing moment. “You really think she would…?”

     “She’d be crazy not to.”

     Eddie nodded, the coiling tightness in his chest finally beginning to loosen. “Alright, let’s say - hypothetically speaking, of course - that she would pick me. How would I…?”

     “Just tell her, straight up.”

     Eddie choked on his own saliva. “And that’s worked for you?”

     “Uh… yeah?”

     “Christ, I forgot you were King Steve…” Eddie pinched at the bridge of his nose, his eyes clenched shut, brows furrowed as he tried to think of some other way to hypothetically confess his feelings. “What else can I do?”

     “Write her a poem!” Steve answered with a snap of his fingers. “Chicks dig that artsy-fartsy stuff.”

     “Absolutely not.” Eddie answered quickly, adding, “And since when do you write poetry…?”

     “Nevermind, then. How ‘bout a letter?”

     Eddie shook his head. “Too cliché…”

     “A song…?”

     Eddie froze, the gears of his mind grinding, shifting into action - would that work? Could he do it? He was well-familiar with songwriting - Hell, he’d been writing his own songs ever since Wayne had given him his first guitar, all those years ago. He’d written more songs than he could remember - songs for Corroded Coffin, songs for himself, songs just for fun that went straight into the trash bin as his mind flooded with ideas for the next one.

     But, could he write one for her…?

     With a hopeful look, Eddie’s voice was quiet, still tender from the strength of his newfound infatuation as he asked Steve, “Y-You think that would work…?”

     Before Steve could answer, Jeff burst through the front door, spooking the two men; in a loud voice, he called out, “Dude! It’s five ‘til midnight! The kids are all knocked out in the van…!”

     “Shit, I-” Eddie gasped, looking between Steve and the door, brows furrowed in confusion, his mind torn on what to do, who to follow. “I have to go-”

     “‘S fine, man.” Steve replies, his smile warm as he walks Eddie to the door. “Just let me know how it goes, alright?” he says, Eddie’s smile beaming as he says his goodnights and follows Jeff back to the van, giving his friend one last wave before driving the party back through the sleepy streets of Hawkins, already working through what apology he’d be concocting for their mothers.

     From that fateful night, Eddie poured his soul into this newest endeavor, writing the perfect song for Veronica - and to say he’d become all but wholly obsessed with it was a gross understatement. Every waking moment, every iota of his attention, he spent thinking of melodies; crafting bridges and choruses and working out chord progressions that lilted and flowed with his heart’s deepest emotions, desperate to convey just how enamored he was with her, how she’d taken his still-beating heart into her neatly-manicured hands. It took him weeks of trial and error, of calluses atop calluses on his aching fingers, of hundreds of sheets of paper crumpled and discarded, to finally have something he was satisfied with. And, for days afterwards, he would lose himself in staring at his notebook, his chest fluttering, his hands itching to pick up his guitar and just play her the song.

     But, he couldn’t.

     He didn’t have the nerve.

     So, Eddie did the next best thing he could think of - he recorded the song onto a cassette tape.

     He’d had an entire scheme planned out, a game plan - he’d sneak out of class, make his way down the hall to where he knew she’d go after school, then take the cassette and stick it through the slats of her locker for her to find. Simple. Foolproof. Not a single margin for error…

     Right…?

     As Eddie snuck past yet another hall monitor, he felt a wild flush overwhelm him, the plastic cassette heavy in his pocket, branding his skin - he’d gotten away in-between classes; one more tardy wasn’t going to break him, would it? He didn’t care - he couldn’t care, not when every hair on hair on his body stood on end in eager, overwhelming anticipation. He tapped the side of his pants for the millionth time, the feeling grounding him, giving him courage. But, as he neared the final corner, he spotted movement.

     Who else was skipping class…?

     Leaning ever so slightly past the wall’s edge, Eddie felt the resolve he’s spent so long bolstering give out - collapse - from under him as he watched the sole object of his desires press herself against a row of lockers, smiling up at something Jason Carver had said to her; the man’s arm was braced over her head, his body leaned in close to hers as he spoke. From where he was standing, Eddie couldn’t hear what they were saying - and, with his crumbling heart, he didn’t think he could stomach it otherwise. He wanted to leave - to run, to hide - but he couldn’t bear to pull himself away. Veronica laughed again. Jason rolled his eyes. She shook her head. He toyed with the end of one of her silken braids between his fingers.

     Eddie felt his gut roll.

     All at once, irrepressibly, his age-old insecurities flooded into him, nearly sending him to his knees as he forced himself to look away, to save himself yet another twisting knife to the chest. 

     He was an idiot for doing this.

     He was a fool for thinking she’d ever choose him.

     He didn’t belong with her.

     He never should have bothered.

     His vision blurred, eyes aching with the familiar sting of bitter tears; he ignored the shouts of the monitor altogether as he shoved his way outside. With trembling hands dragging over his bleary face, he pulled himself into his van, peeling out of the school parking lot without a moment’s hesitation.

     Once back at the trailer, he barely managed to cut the engine before practically spilling out of his van; he cursed his trembling hands as he fumbled once, twice, three times with his keys. He didn't bother checking if Wayne is home - he wasn't, the man out running errands, but Eddie wouldn’t have noticed either way, not with the way his thoughts spiraled, crushing and twisting into the nothingness he’d nearly forgotten about. He shoved the cassette - the damned cassette - into his desk drawer, slamming the thing shut with enough force to jam it, and he collapsed onto his bed, curling onto his side, a pillow pressed over his face as he desperately tried to muffle his cries.

     He felt like a loser - like a freak.

     Had he truly convinced himself that he’d be able to win her over with some silly song? The longer he’d allowed the thought to stew in his brain, to take root and choke out his hopes and aspirations like the hellish weed that it was, the more he believed it. He’d been wrong. Veronica didn’t need someone like him; she needed… anyone, but not him.

     Never him.

     Veronica shoved her bicycle over the final crest of Forest Hills, her arm threaded through the handle of a flimsy Melvald’s shopping bag as she maneuvered her way over the muddied half-paths and cavernous tire tracks that paved the way toward the Munson’s trailer; she’d asked around the group as to why Eddie was nowhere to be found, why he’d left school early - and the best answer she’d gotten was from Dustin, who remembered Eddie complaining about his lunch. As such, the bag was filled with whatever she could find that would soothe his supposed upset stomach - antacids, ginger ale, pretzels. Simple foods, things she knew he’d enjoy - or, at the very least, consume. Lord only knew what state she’d find him in - if she’d find him at all. It wasn't like him to just… skip class, especially if he'd already spent most of the day at school. What if something had happened to him? What he hadn't left by himself at all, and he’d called Wayne to his rescue? As her thoughts continued to sour, Veronica’s pace quickened in perfect time to her crumbling assurance in Eddie's condition.

     She finally reached his front door, her face warmed to a pleasant pink; she tried to quell her labored breathing as she pressed the doorbell several times. “Munson…? Eddie!” she called out, pressing her ear to the cool steel of the door, desperate to hear something - a voice, a sound, anything. As she moved to ring the bell again, the door finally opened.

     What happened to you?, Veronica's mind blared, her stomach dropping at the sight of Eddie in his wrinkled pajamas, his face red and puffy with sleep, his eyes… Sad? Hurt? She couldn't entirely place the emotion that flashed across his features at the sight of her, but he gave her a tired smile all the same, even if it was a bit weaker than usual.

     “Christ, I nearly forgot you were comin’...” Eddie croaked, his voice strained; he stepped aside to let her through - and that's when he noticed the plastic bag. But, before he could think to ask about it, she'd pushed the bag into his chest, the familiar clunk of aluminum cans grating his ears, digging into his skin.

     “Dustin told me you weren’t feeling well, said you complained about your lunch…” Veronica looked almost… bashful as she spoke to him, unnerved by the distant look in his eyes, at the way they seemed to somehow bore into her and ignore her altogether. “I… I picked you up a few things, to help with your stomach…”

     If he hadn’t held his breath, crushed a few of the cans beneath his trembling grip, bitten the inside of his cheek until the sharp tang of iron filled his mouth, he surely would have unraveled under the overwhelming weight of Veronica’s kindness. He looked away, unable to both hold her emeraldine gaze and keep his welling tears at bay. It took him longer than he’d cared to admit to force a response through the tightness in his throat.

     “T-Thanks…” He gave her a nod - only a nod, his face as somber as ever - and walked into the kitchen, pulling out the cans of soda and putting them into the fridge. Veronica remained by the door, her hands twisting with nervousness. Why wouldn’t he tell her the truth?

     “Look, i-if… if you want to skip for today, it’s-”

     Eddie’s head shot out from around the corner. “No, it’s okay…! I’m just…” He scrubbed a hand down his face, bit his lip to hide the way it quivered. “I’m just… tired. I can handle it, sweetheart.” And, hoping to reassure someone - whether it be her or himself, he didn’t know - he added with a gentle grin, “I’ll survive, it’s fine.”

     With a clear hesitancy, Veronica sat at the kitchen counter, slowly pulling out her notebooks. “You’re sure…?”

     Eddie nodded, his voice betraying him.

     Had it been any other day - had they been under any other circumstance, in any other situation - the tutoring session would have been average. Normal. Uneventful. Eddie slipped into the role of the attentive pupil with ease, the mellow flow of Veronica’s voice lulling him into the peace he craved, only for his mind to wrench him back into nothingness. He'd finished his work, reviewed for an upcoming test; he'd even gotten a head start on a few upcoming assignments - all in all, it would have been a productive afternoon, had Eddie not looked so miserable.

     When she insisted she take her bicycle home, Eddie felt her words like smoke in his lungs - burning, choking him. He didn't even look at her as he pulled the hunk of metal into the back of his van. “Get in.” His voice was curt, sharp - not that he’d intended it to be, but with emotions having teetered over the edge for hours, he couldn’t make himself sound like anything but. Veronica, again, gave him a worried look, yet she complied nonetheless, climbing into the passenger’s seat.

     The ride was silent, Eddie not even bothering to turn on the radio. Had it always taken so long to get to her house? Had she always lived so far away? Veronica sunk into her seat, her fingers pulling at a loose string at the hem of her skirt, her chest tight with a disappointment she neither wanted nor understood.

     Eddie was too lost in his own thoughts to notice much of anything beyond what was in front of him. His hands trembled as they gripped the steering wheel, white-knuckled in his effort to appear as calm as possible. But, an aching question branded itself in his mind, his tongue itching to ask, but his heart terrified of the answer.

     What did Jason say to you?

     The universe, merciful nearly to a fault, decided to put Eddie out of his misery much sooner than he’d anticipated.

     “So… Jason talked to me today.”

     Eddie swallowed against the lump in his throat. “W-What’d he say…?”

     Veronica seemed to perk up ever so slightly, while Eddie continued to sink. “He invited me to a party this Saturday-”

     “Don't tell me you’re actually going.”

     Veronica paused, confused by the vitriol painting his words. “Would it be a problem if I did…?”

     Eddie dragged a hand through his wild hair, his voice careening toward agony as he shouted, “Jason's an asshole! You're not going to that party!”

     “Excuse me?” Veronica struggled to keep herself calm - where was this all coming from? “Eddie, I'll go if I want to.”

     “Perfect. Just great.” His head fell to the steering wheel, and he groaned, hands pressed over his face as his shoulders began to quake - just the thought that Veronica was entertaining the idea of going to Carver's stupid party was enough to crush what was left of his resolve. “I can’t believe you're dumb enough to even consider-”

     No.

     He hadn’t meant to say that.

     She wasn’t one of the guys - not that that was any excuse. And even then, he wouldn’t say something so hurtful.

     But, he was hurt, and he’d let his pain bleed into her before he’d even realized it had overflowed.

     He hadn’t finished his sentence, but he didn’t have to - just the stricken look in her eyes was enough to drown him in his own guilt. Her response to him was a nod - a single nod - before exiting the van and pulling her bicycle from the back.

     She didn’t wave goodbye once she’d reached her door, not that he’d stuck around long enough to notice, his van peeling down the road before she'd barely made it halfway up the lawn.

     “I’m so glad you decided to come.”

     Veronica’s smile was detached, perfunctory, uncomfortable as her plastic cup crinkled and cracked in her tightening grip. Was it the fourth time Jason had said that to her? Maybe the fifth? Between the blaring music and the dizzying stench of alcohol wafting from his open mouth, she couldn’t remember. This… party, if one could call it that, wasn’t what she’d been expecting; this wasn’t what Jason had convinced her of.

     She could barely hear him over the buzzing in her ears; he leaned in close to her, whatever ungodly concoction of booze he'd mixed into his cup sloshing onto her skirt. The feeling of his mouth so close to her made her shiver, the hairs along the back of her neck standing on end; something about the lilting slur in his voice sent her skin crawling. She felt his calloused hands brush over the smoothness of her pantyhose, sliding over her knee before moving upwards - she pulled them away, but they returned, even higher up her thigh than before. 

     “J-Jason, c'mon… Quit it-”

     He ignored her, body heavy as he leaned his weight nearly fully against her, crushing her into the couch. She grit her teeth against the rumbling music, somehow louder than before, and all but writhed as his hands continue their unwelcome exploration.

     “Jason, enough-”

     And, suddenly, pain-

     “What the Hell are you doing?” Veronica shouted, her hands shoving desperately at his chest, forcing a much-needed distance between them - he’d bitten her! He’d actually bitten her! Anger and revulsion coiled around her chest, swelled in her throat as she pressed a hand over her stinging wound, checking to see if he’d broken through the skin. “What’s wrong with you?”

     “Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you didn’t want it.” the man sneered, rolling his eyes as he leaned in for a second go at it, only to be roughly rejected with another shove to the chest. “Don’t get all prissy with me - I can tell you’ve been begging for it.”

     His words made her want to gag. “You’re disgusting-” She rose from her seat, but he pulled her back down, his force excessive, his senses blurred by how much he’d had to drink.

     “I bet you like it when he does it to you.”

     Veronica gave an exasperated groan in response, shaking her head, a vivid flush rising up her face. “When who does it to me? Who are you talking about?”

     “Munson.”

     “Eddie’s not doing anything to me…!”

     “He’s not?” Jason's laugh was cold, the grip he’d kept around her arm tightening. “God, he’s more of a loser than I thought.”

     “What are you even talking about-”

     “Don’t play dumb with me, Veronica - I saw you leave with him the night of the Fling.”

     She blinked at him, eyes wide as she struggled to see the connecting points in their conversation. “What the Hell does that have to do with anything? Eddie was my date! Why wouldn’t I leave with him?”

     “We all know what you did - nobody ever leaves that early.”

     And Veronica froze, her face draining to a pale sheet of white. She tried to yank her arm free, but to no avail. “...What exactly do you think we did?”

     “You know damn well what you did with him.” Jason’s words turned honeyed-sweet, the low timbre in his voice making her shiver in pure revulsion. “C'mon, show me... He couldn’t have been good.”

     “Let me go. I'm leaving.” Veronica wrenched herself away, rising off the couch - but she wasn’t fast enough.

     “Hey, hey, hey… Don't be like that, baby…” he whispered, rising with her, pulling her close against him. “I promise I'll show you a better time than the freak…”

     “Don't call him that.” Her voice turned icy, rigid as she gave her arm yet another sharp tug, her gaze chilling as she stared at him. “Jason, you're hurting me.”

     He ignored her, plowing forward. “Why not? Everybody knows he's a freak. What else am I supposed to call him?”

     Another tug, this one hard enough to knock him forward a half-step. “Jason, I'm warning you - stop calling Eddie that.” Veronica looked around, only to be met with dozens of averted gazes - it made her sick. “Let me go…!”

     Jason howled in laughter, his head thrown back, shoulders trembling. “What, has the freak gotten himself a little girlfriend-”

     It happened in a flash, Veronica’s fist connecting with Jason's smug face, the echoing crunch of bone striking bone enough to send a wave of silence flowing through the room. Jason reeled in anguish, stumbling back, blood pouring from both nostrils as he reached out for anything to catch himself on, to steady himself with. Blindly, his hand found purchase on the frilled front of her blouse, tearing it as his deadweight body crashed to the floor - he was unconscious, passed out, dead to the world as a few people hesitantly moved to his aid.

     Tears blurred her vision as Veronica stepped away, her fist already purpling, her knuckles swelling and bloody from where she’d scraped them on Jason’s teeth. The crowd seemed to part as she rushed toward the door, clutching the tattered remains of her blouse together - she didn't know where she was, where she was going. But, taking in as deep - as calming - a breath as she could muster, she did the only thing she could think to do.

     She walked.

     Everyone could tell he was miserable.

     “What happened to him…?” Nancy not-so-subtly whispered to Steve, the pair watching from across his living room as Eddie continued to sulk, arms crossed tight over his chest as he sunk into the plush couch - it had taken Steve hours of convincing to get Eddie to come to his movie night, only for the man to act like this - dejected, depressed, snappish and disconnected. “Do something, Steve.”

     “Yeah, do something, Steve.” Robin chimed in, carrying with her a large bowl of popcorn. “You're a dude. Talk to him. Who knows - maybe he's finally having that existential crisis…?”

     Steve couldn't help but roll his eyes, the two women watching him expectantly, awaiting his answer. “Fine. I'll talk to him-”

     “I can hear all of you!” Eddie bellowed, turning himself to glare at the trio.

     “Great!” Steve shouted back. “Get your moody ass off my sofa - I need help bringin’ in the sodas from the garage.”

     The pair walked out through the kitchen doors, Eddie bitterly quiet as he skulked behind Steve, hands shoved into his pockets, sneakers trudging through the dewy lawn; abruptly, Steve stopped, turning around and placing a hand on Eddie's shoulder - the sodas were an excuse to get him alone.

     “Eds, what's going on?” Steve asked, his gaze warm with concern for his friend, and it didn’t take much to break through Eddie’s resolve.

     “She won’t love me, Steve.” His voice was so small, so broken, it took Steve a moment to process what he'd said.

     “W-What…?” He blinked, struggling to make sense of his words. “You mean Veronica…?” Eddie nodded, lip caught between his teeth - he couldn’t bring himself to look at Steve, not wanting the man to see the way his face burned red, eyes filled nearly to the point of overflow with unshed tears.

     “You wrote her a song, right? She didn’t like it…?” Steve asked, confused as to what had happened, where things went wrong.

     And Eddie replied, “I didn’t give her the song.”

     “Why not?”

     “Because she won’t love me…!” Eddie repeated, chest heaving as he forced himself to keep breathing, the rhythm of his heartbeat thrumming through his veins a welcome distraction from the way his throat began to ache.

     Steve shook his head, a look of pure confusion painted broadly across his features. “How can you be sure she won’t-”

     “She won’t ever fucking love me because I don't fit with her…!”

     The metalhead’s shout was loud enough to scare the birds overhead into flight, his voice carrying through the empty forest, settling among the trees. Steve took a step forward, and Eddie took one back, arms wrapped tightly around himself.

     “E-Eddie…”

     “She doesn’t need a freak, she needs… Shit, she needs anybody but me.” Steve hadn’t missed the way his voice had begun to crack, wavering with his heated emotions. Heartbreakingly softly - so much so that Steve nearly missed it altogether - he added, “How’d I ever think I had a chance...?”

     Bless his heart, Steve continued to search for the silver lining through the clouds. “Look, maybe… maybe she just needs some time, y’know? Give her some space-”

     “You didn’t see what I saw, dude…” Eddie's hands trembled as he pulled them down his face, his eyes tired, his body all too weary for one so young. “Carver was all over her, a-and she was smiling at him, and-”

     “Jason Carver? Why was she with him?” Steve couldn’t believe it - in every sense,  Jason and Veronica were polar opposites. Why in Heaven's name would she go for him, of all people? “Look, man - you seriously can’t think that she’d pick Jason-”

     “Whatever. She’s at his dumb party and I’m here, aren’t I...?”

     Steve felt his stomach go cold. “Ed-”

     “No, just... just drop it.” Eddie let out a sigh, hands shoved back into his pockets. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

     Eddie pushed himself away, his strides long, shoulders hunched forward as he made his way back into the house, leaving Steve alone.

     How had everything soured so quickly…?

     With a heavy sigh, the jock walked back inside; he pulled several bottles of soda from the freezer, setting them to thaw in the fridge as he heard the phone sound off. With his hands full, he didn't think much of letting the line ring… But, then it rang again, and again, and again… Who in the world could be calling him so much?

     In the living room, Eddie'd sunk back into the couch, nearly ready to continue his pitiful wallowing when Steve's voice shouted from the kitchen, "Ed! Call's for you…!"

     With a groan, Eddie walked back into the kitchen, and took the phone from Steve, the plastic receiver cold against his ear. “Hello…?”

     “H-Hey, Eddie…?” His mouth went dry, his arms heavy, knees weak. “It’s… It’s me.”

     “Veronica?” 

     Why would she be calling him - and how had she known he'd be at Steve's? Had she tried calling the trailer? How long had she been trying to reach him…?

     “How’s… uh… How’s the party?” Eddie groaned softly, dragging a hand over his face. Couldn't he think of anything better to say…?

     “I'm not at the party.”

     She sounded… scared.

     “...You’re not at Carver’s…?”

     He barely felt himself breathe - why was she scared?

     “I-I was there, but not… not anymore-”

     His stomach lurched.

     “Veronica, where are you?”

     He was almost afraid to know.

     “The Speedway on… Mulholland and C-Cherry…?”

     “He drop you off there?”

     “No, I walked-”

     “You walked?” His voice boomed through the empty kitchen, rattling in his chest, a hot wave of panic washing over him - he'd dealt in Carver's neighborhood before, knew his way around. That particular part of Hawkins wasn't the safest, especially for a young woman walking alone, and that gas station was a good half-hour's drive from where Jason lived. “Veronica, what the Hell-”

     “Eds, could you just…! Could you come get me…?” Her voice was thin, tinny through the phone's miniscule speaker. Still, it was enough for him to hear how it trembled; tears stung at his eyes at the sound of it, but he shoved those feelings deep into the recesses of his mind. “Please…?”

     He needed to stay calm, to clear his head - if not for his own sake, then certainly for hers. “Y-Yeah, of course, sweetheart, I'm… I’m on my way, alright?”

     She hung up first, and the low hum of the dropped line made him nauseous, and it took him a moment to remember how to move.

     “Hey, what’s going on?” Robin shouted, the trio watching in confusion as Eddie barreled into the living room, grabbing his jacket, checking for his keys. “Where’re you goin’-”

     “Veronica needs a ride.”

     “Is she still at that party?” Steve couldn't help but ask.

     “Nope.” And Eddie was gone.

     He couldn't have driven any faster, his foot pressed flush to the rusted floor of his van, making record time across Hawkins to reach Jason's neighborhood. His palms dripped with nervous perspiration, his face pale, eyes wide, leg bouncing as he circled the gas station, desperate for any sign of Veronica. Was she still there? Had something happened to her? Was he too late…?

     He found her huddled against the side of a payphone, hands tucked into her blouse. Was it… ripped? He didn't even need to honk; she recognized his approach by sound alone, bounding toward his van before he'd even gotten a chance to stop, shivering from an abrupt and violent drop in adrenaline as she pulled herself into the passenger's seat. Reaching over, he hesitated, stopped for a beat before wrapping his jacket around her shoulders. She still hadn't looked at him.

     "Your place…?" Eddie asked, though he already knew her answer - she shook her head, pulled his jacket closer, tighter around herself. He swallowed, his words coming through on a sigh. "You want to come back with me to Steve's…?"

     She gave him the slightest of nods. "...Y-Yes, please." He'd never heard her sound so… small.

     The entire drive back to Loch Nora, Eddie was watching her. At every slow turn, every red light, he stole glances at her, something in him needing to make sure she was alright; she hadn't made a sound, hadn't moved so much as an inch, and he found himself afraid for her.

     What happened at the party?

     Pulling up into Steve's driveway, Eddie was quick to hop off the van, making his way over to help Veronica out.

     She was still shaking.

     He'd never have known it, but the hand he'd kept at the small of her back as they made their way inside felt like a saving grace to her, a Godsent reminder that she was safe; she all but melted against him as they walked past the living room, feeling the trio's curious looks trail them upstairs.

     He led her to the guest room; rummaging through the dresser, he pulled out a pair of Robin's pajamas - because of course, Buckley would leave her clothes at Steve's - and held them out to her.

     She'd stayed by the door, her gaze to the floor, her right hand firmly tucked away, hidden underneath the palm of her left. Taking in a steadying breath, he slowly approached her, his hand tender as he brushed a stray lock away from her pale cheek, and she gasped, her eyes flashing with fear as though she'd forgotten where she was.

     "Go get changed." He'd kept his tone low, gentle, and she nodded as she took the bundle from him, her right hand still out of sight as she scurried off to the en-suite bathroom.

     Once he'd heard the soft clicking of the lock, Eddie fell back onto the bed with a groan.

     What happened at the party?

     He could hear the shower running, the soft screeching of the plastic curtain being pulled aside; he tried to calm himself down, to think of what to say, what to ask, what to do. The droning of the shower filled the room around him, but his thoughts were dominated by her; he barely noticed the curtain scrape again, the water shutting off, the door creaking open - only when Veronica sat beside him, still flushed from her shower, did he sit back up, giving her his undivided attention.

     She'd pulled her hair into a braid; sweeping it over her shoulder, and he swallowed down the bile rising up his throat at the unmistakable sight of a blooming, angry bruise. She felt his gaze on her - on the spot where Jason had bitten her - and her hand shot up to cover the mark.

     She'd used her right hand - the wrong hand.

     Eddie stared at her swollen knuckles, at the bloody scratches littering the top of her hand, her skin painted in grotesque shades of purple and green. Slowly - ever so slowly - he reached for her, fingers trailing over the scraped peaks and valleys, his heart tight as he gently pulled it onto his lap, his gaze tracing paths over the blushed, broken softness.

     "Tell me what happened."

     Veronica fought desperately against the tears stinging her eyes, the clenching of her chest, the quivering of her lip as she tried to keep thinking - keep breathing; she barely managed to settle her raging thoughts enough to pull an answer from the storm.

     "He called you a freak." Her voice was soft, yet strikingly clear. "I broke his nose."

     Of all the things, all the answers, she could have given him… Eddie's chocolate eyes shot up to meet her own, searching for some sort of reason, an explanation as to what could have possessed her to do such a thing.

     Why had she stood up for him? Gotten hurt for him?

     He brought his face down, nearly falling forward as he pressed her limp hand to his lips, kissing each throbbing knuckle as his whispered thanks fanned over her skin, soothing away the pain. He heard her suck in a breath; pulling away, he watched as she began to crumble, her eyes welling with moisture, her face both white and wildly aflame.

     Eddie moved before he could think of what he was doing, what this could mean for them - for him.

     He pulled her into his arms, his embrace tight and solid and real; she sank into him, drowning in the warm expanse of his chest, her pace pressed to his shoulder as her breathing began to hitch, the sound weak and pitifully wet. She couldn't bear to look at him.

     "Veronica-"

     "Y-You were… Jason, he-" she hiccupped, bringing her hand back up to press against her neck, her body beginning to tremble again. Eddie held her tighter. "He didn't… H-He wasn't-"

     Eddie felt her tears soak into his shoulder, scalding as they trailed over his skin. His hands smoothed over her back, his voice barely a whisper as he said, "Hey, you're okay… It's alright-"

     "I-It's not…!" Veronica cried, her voice breaking as she began to weep. "It's not - I'm not…! You were right-"

     "No! No, we are not doing that!" Eddie pulled her away by the shoulders, urging her gaze to his. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. You're your own person - I had no right to tell you-"

     "But you were right." 

     His calloused hands moved to hold her face, his thumbs tenderly wiping away her cascade of tears; she leaned into his touch, pressing herself against the soft padding of his palm, her uninjured hand rising to interlace with his - and they remained in that position for longer than either realized, as they craved, ached for one another with an intensity neither truly understood.

     "Are we okay…?"

     Eddie gave her a gentle grin. "You tell me, sweetheart." he whispered, his hands falling away. "Think you can go two for two…?"

     Veronica let out a watery laugh, her hand scrubbing over her eyes as she replied, "I shall grant thee my forgiveness, o' lowly knight." 

     Eddie couldn't help his boyish smile, the way his chest fluttered, the color rising up his neck at her words. He hopped off the bed, bending into as regal a bow as he could muster, hands extended wide as he asked, "Shall we, princess?"

     Veronica giggled as she took his hand.

     Together, the pair walked back downstairs - and, to their surprise, the trio had been waiting for them to start the movie. Steve's eyes went wide as he saw Eddie and Veronica together; he gave his friend a curious look, which Eddie replied to with a shake of his head and a subtle shrug of his shoulders.

     "Sorry for borrowing your clothes, Robin…" Veronica said quietly, sitting at one end of the soft couch, Eddie sprawled out on the other. Robin waved her hand around, all but shouting that it wasn't an issue.

     "I pretty much live here now - I've got clothes all over the place!" She said with a grin; Nancy laughed at her comment, but Steve just shook his head and sighed, lifting the remote toward the television to start the film…

     The movie was a slasher fic, the trio instantly engrossed in the horror and gore. But, atop the couch, Veronica and Eddie inched toward one another, slowly moving… shifting, until they were nearly shoulder to shoulder. Somewhere between the main heroine getting stabbed and the main suspect being cleared of all suspicion, Eddie leaned in close to her, whispering against her ear,

     "Does it still hurt…?" He reached for her hand, still swollen and warm, his touch soft as he traced over it.

     She moved even closer to him, replying,

     "Y-Yeah, a little… Not as much as it did, though…"

     Eddie couldn't help but frown. "I'm sorry-"

     "'S not your fault, Eds-"

     "Still… You shouldn't be getting hurt over me."

     Veronica smiled at him, her verdant eyes catching the light of the massive television. "What, the princess can't be a knight, too?"

     He'd had no choice but to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling too broadly, to duck his head away to keep her from seeing how vividly he blushed at her words.

     He didn't let go of her hand. She didn't want him to.

     And, by the end of it all, once the movie had finished and the living room lights had been restored, no one dared disturb the pair as they slept, leaned up against one another, their hands still clasped together.

Tag List

@lulukings92 @i-me-mine @kaitebugg03 @enchante-em

[thetorchwoodarchive]

Happy New Year! The Torchwood Archive turns two today! Thank you so much for continuing to support fic and creators as we catalog our favorite Torchwood stories across different platforms.

Below are fics are recommend by you, or followers and our mods, about change, new beginnings, and/or the new year.

Do Not Go Gentle by Someawkwardprose (JackIanto | complete | 17796 | M)

His hands were shaking. Lisa was dead.

He fished out his lighter from his coat (the nice peacoat Yvonne had bought him for Christmas, year before last) and opened a window. Lit a fag with trembling fingers. Lisa was dead. They’d killed her, the whole bloody team, and he hated them.

Lisa was dead, and he wasn’t.

He watched the smoke twist and curl, dancing out of the open window and into the night.

***

or, Broken, if Ianto Jones hadn't stepped into the Ferret.

a rectangle of a perfectly blue sky by MonsterMince (CarlaJackPeris, JackIanto | complete | 7638 | T)

Jack learns that if he opens his bloodline connection with Carla, then she can help him recover memories of his team. They learn more about each other's lives and loved ones during their trek, and in the end, those memories of loved ones lost drive him back to the Veda to atone and to help them rebuild. For Persis.

From the Dust Returned by Paycheckgurl (JackIanto, OwenTosh | WIP | 11017 | T)

Ianto, Owen, and Toshiko are back…but things are not the same as they were. Team Torchwood tries to adjust to new coworkers, the march of time, and their new hardware while a mysterious computer virus harms more than just computers.

All I can do is hold you tight by Beleriandings (Gwen&Jack, JackGwenIantoRhys | complete | 3084 | G)

Gwen found Jack, as she had expected, on the roof.

Ghost of New Year's Past by Clare_Hope (Jack&Tosh | complete | 2346 | T)

Tosh picks up the ghost machine in the Hub and is shown what happened there on New Year's Eve, 1999.

Auld Lang Syne by BricklingGhost (TeamGwenee) (Gwen&Owen&Tosh&Ianto | complete | 1864 | Not Rated)

Gwen did not fear ghosts. Except for the exact ghosts she wanted to see above all else

Straysverse by NancyBrown (JackIanto, IantoOC, IantoAmy, AmyRory | series, complete | 93,539 | Various Ratings)

Amy recreated the universe and brought back the dead, but the dead don't fit there anymore.

The Blessing of Cruel Angels by Vera (Vera_DragonMuse) (OwenTosh | complete | 8129 | M)

In one possible world, Owen makes a phone call that will change everything.

forever, and what comes after (JackIanto, GwenRhys, Gwen&Ianto, Rhys&Jack | complete, series | 10028 | T)

“Hm, imagine if they did,” Ianto said. “Torchwood would have to come out of retirement.”

In which Gwen and Ianto relax at a spa, Jack and Rhys attempt bad science, and Anwen is just along for the ride.

Sweetness Follows by ShastaFirecracker (JackIanto | complete | 6241 | G)

After one of the most horrific weeks of her life, Rhiannon refuses to let her brother disappear into his mysterious job again without giving her some real answers - or without introducing her to the man he's in love with.

Operation Awesome by A_N_D (Gen | complete | 13958 | G)

"You're going on and on as though traveling in space was the only thing that made Donna's life worthwhile."

"Yeah," Clyde backed her up. "And on behalf of those who haven't, gee thanks for suggesting there's no point to our existence."

"It's really quite illogical to keep saving the planet and then assume that its inhabitants' lives have nothing to value," Luke added.

"So shouldn't we be focusing less on how to get the Time Lord bits out of her head and more on helping her develop here?"

Everything that Donna Noble learned to be on her travels, all that self-confidence, came from within. Just because she can't be reminded of the Doctor doesn't mean she can't be reminded of how awesome she is.

The Children of Time won't leave one of their own behind.

The View From Here by sherlockpond (JackIanto | complete | 2971 | G)

“That view... reminds me of my first day,”

“You too, eh?”

“I think he brings everyone up here,”

“God, he is such a show-off,"

The End is Where We Start From by Aliciajazmin (JackIanto, Gwen&Tosh, Ianto&Tosh, ToshOwen | complete | 2451 | T)

Thanks to the use of nanogenes, Toshiko Sato survives Gray's attack. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for Owen Harper. So what happens next?

All that we have, and all that you need by Beleriandings (JackIanto, GwenRhys, Lois&Team | complete | 7077 | T)

After the 456, Lois goes to work for Torchwood Three in Cardiff. It takes a little bit of adjustment, but she soon finds out that's only the beginning.

A Matter of Choice by thirteeninafez (JackIanto, Gwen&Ianto, Ianto&Martha | complete | 27602 | T)

A story about making difficult choices for the people you love, and the forgiveness that somehow has to come thereafter.

No time like the present by Beleriandings (gwen&Jack, JackIanto, Gwen&Ianto | complete | 1964 | G)

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Gwen Cooper… have you been secretly planning to come out of retirement?”

“Not on your life,” said Gwen. “But I have been doing a bit of… freelancing, I guess you could call it.”

In this new skin that we have grown by Beleriandings (GwenRhys, JackIanto, GwenRhysIantoJack | complete | 15787 | E)

After the House of the Dead, Gwen and Rhys bring Jack and Ianto home.

Children, Daleks, and Mopeds: How Gwen Cooper Got Her Groove Back by Paycheckgurl (GwenRhys, Gwen&Jack | complete | 9603 | T)

Following a disastrous shopping trip that put her at the center of an explosion, Gwen finds a little alien boy.

Or: The series of events in which Gwen acquired another child, had a much needed conversation with Jack, bought a moped, defeated a Dalek with a boxing glove, and learned that loving yourself and saving the world don’t need to be mutually exclusive

A coda to Revolution of the Daleks where I explain why Gwen has a son all of a sudden.

Should I Stay or Should I Go by Paycheckgurl (Gen | complete | 1080 | T)

Martha Jones sets out to freelance. But deep down she knows she’s running.

A Hundred Ways to Say Goodbye by AVAAntares (JackIanto | complete | 10401 | G)

Thirty years after the death of Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness discovers a cache of letters from him.

Torchwood Hall by BricklingGhost (TeamGwenee) (JackIanto, GwenRhys | complete | 10762 | Not Rated)

There is something curious about Torchwood Hall and its enigmatic owner. Heroine in training Miss Gwen Cooper resolves to get to the bottom of the estate's mysterious inhabitants, and finds herself immersed in a world more dangerous and glorious than she ever could have imagined.

[cupids-chronicles]

Hades X Persephone Saga: A Game of retribution #3

Author: Scarlett St. Clair

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Mythology

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5.

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

Goodreads rating: 4/5

Pages: ‎‎‎468 

Published: 31 May 2022

A Game of retribution Review

Note: This book is intended for mature audiences over the age of 18 due to explicit content (steamy chapters).

Well, dear readers, hold on to your mythical chariots because we've been taken on yet another whirlwind ride with the gods of Olympus and the Underworld in "A Game of Retribution". Our old pals Hades and Persephone have returned, along with an entourage of divine drama that could only be rivaled by a soap opera airing directly from Mount Olympus.

Remember that old chestnut of a quote, “Knowledge changes perception”? This statement encapsulates the essence of this third installment perfectly. Hades, our underworld anti-hero, who once saw no issues letting souls meander off into the afterlife, is found in the midst of many a mortal miscommunication. Bless him, he did try to respect Persephone's time with her friend, Lexa, but as they say, the road to the Underworld is paved with good intentions. You'd think after centuries of existence, the dude would’ve mastered the art of timing and empathy.

On a side note, why was Persephone so desperate to keep Lexa alive? If I were to see my friend for eternity in a place like the Underworld (which, let's be honest, is essentially an eternal spa retreat for souls), would I really be so worried about a premature send-off? No, but maybe that's just me.

Meanwhile, Hades is found juggling a narrative equivalent of chasing his own tail. Every time he tries to investigate, interrogate, or perhaps indulge in a much-deserved nap, our dear Persephone, with her seemingly never-ending escapades, interrupts him. And poor Hades is dragged from one scenario to the next, like a divine yo-yo. At times, you almost wish for the guy to just hit the 'mute' button on his celestial phone.

We also delve deeper into Zofie's past. Remember Zofie? Persephone's bodyguard who packs more mystery than Pandora's box? Our glimpse into her history and Hades' hand in her life added depth to an already intricate tapestry of storylines. It’s akin to finding out that your mysterious friend who always wears sunglasses was actually a spy… and also once played in a rock band.

However, let’s address the papyrus in the room: the formatting and editing. Was there a minor deity in charge of this? Maybe the god of typos? The occasional errors, though not tragic, did sometimes feel like Hermes had misdelivered a sentence or two. And as for the formatting - the margins! It felt like reading a scroll that Zeus might have accidentally sat on. Perhaps it's a design choice meant to symbolize the vast emptiness of the void? If that's the case, kudos for thematic consistency. If not, let's hope the next edition will be more space-efficient.

In conclusion, A Game of Retribution scores a celestial 3 out of 5 stars from this humble mortal. For all its highs and lows, it's a must-read for fans of the series. And I, for one, am eagerly donning my toga in anticipation of the upcoming books announced by Scarlett St. Clair on her divinely curated Instagram. Bring on the melodrama, the myths, and maybe a map of Hades’ underworld investigations - because this mortal is here for it all.

Please note that this book is part of a series and can not be read as a stand alone. Lucky for you this can be your little weekend binge as almost all the books in the series has already been released !

Wait a minute boys and girls, check out these trigger warnings first:

Suicide

Death

Violence

Romance Tropes, you ask ?

Miscommunication

Marriage

Who do we meet in this book ?

Hades

Persephone (Perri)

What to read next:

Neon Gods (Dark Olympus) by Katee Robert.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black.

Drag Me Up (Gods of Hunger) by R.M. Virtues.

Or just like read the next few books of this series.

[maggielindemanns]

dyamond that i do adore! sending you a postcard from the pits of recurring reindeer retirement. the woes of seasonal tourism, eh!? 🦌✨ just now realising how close we are to the end of the month… and how grateful i am to have had a silly little friend to share the festivities with! i hope that you had the most glorious of christmases, my love. that you were spoiled with affection and adoration in equal measures. gifting you my heart this holidays… as you’ve already stolen it 🤲⭐️

i am kicking myself both metaphorically and physically, bruises be damned, for not guessing a ton! also adding it to my repertoire of riddles to use on friends whenever i wish to feel philosophical and all knowing dhdgf. 😌 on the subject of being ‘all knowing’, i will happily pass on some good fic recs!!! i love fic so much that i even centred my dissertation around it dhdgf 🥲 what are your favourite tropes and i’ll collate you a little list of my favies that fit the brief 📖🐛

i have added your songs to my favourites playlist, so i can give them a listen and needlessly write a fictionalised sitcom of your life in my head (100% fantastical, 0% scientifically accurate dhdgf). i have yet to watch skam because i’m so scared of committing to new shows dhdgf. would you recommend it?

agree that narrowing down harry’s best looks is always a hard one, also admiring your picks!!! ⭐️ i am a huge cowboy fan so any denim daydream (nyc n6 & austin n6) or tasseled treasure (la n4, mexico city n2) is a guaranteed winner! also have a soft spot for são paulo n2 as that was my friend’s show and their happiness was contagious beyond control… lot of answers there & lots more i could give 😅 we’re really blessed with his outfits!

oooo, uno reverse answer time (sweats in indecision)! 🔄🤍

1. i love this question! one of my favourite tv shows of all time is the end of the f’ing world, so i am going with that. alex lawther is the light of my life & alyssa is me in fictionalised form… for better and for worse dgdg. i have watched it oomfteen times, but nothing will ever compare to the first time around. as for films, i recently watched bones and all at the cinema and it was bloody (pun half-intended) brilliant. the shock of the ending just isn’t the same when watching a second time, so i would like to experience that heartache full-throttle one more time. 😅���

2. i will avoid cheating with an obvious answer, fine line is my favourite album of all time, and instead credit tell me it’s real by seafret. i had a bit of a tricky childhood & that album was a balm to the shittiest bits, so i’m forever grateful for every song. i’ve always wanted to the sea to be played at both my wedding & my funeral, so i think it’s earned the title of ‘best album’ for that alone. must also mention life is elsewhere (little comets) & cool dry place (katy kirby) here as they’re just two of the most unique albums i’ve ever heard & probably ever will… that’s four albums, i know! i am a terrible cheat at times! 🥲

3. if i was an animal, i think i’d want to be a syrian hamster 🐹 they’re one of my favourite animals of all time, for one, but also i have freezing hands and feet at all times and would like to increase the probability of me living in a warm, dry place somewhat. i will take the tiny lifetime in exchange for central heating and lots of fuss dhdgf. 😌 what animal would you like to be? i’d love to know!

since we’re playing uno this week, i will ask you how your christmas has been and leave you with a riddle of my own (… or google’s own, but same difference). ❔🤍

what disappears as soon as you say its name?

– until next time (or for the final, depending on our schedules 😮), your secret festive friend. 🎄🌟❄️

HEYYYYY i am . so late in answering but hello, happy new year, hey hiiiii! 🕺🏽✨ literally, these asks have been so fun and i’m so happy to have had you along for the ride this month! i hope you had a good christmas too 🥹🫶🏼 i adore you so much omg

FIC RECS YAAAAYYYY i usually loveeee a good enemies to lovers or i love when they meet on vacations or i love wrong number tropes and i also love friends to lovers, whether that be they were old friends reconnecting or anything like its just great i love it all

AFSJDHDKS A SITCOM OF MY LIFE STOOOOPPPP you gotta drop a draft of the script 🤩 i DEFINITELY recommend skam, i too have the fear of committing to new shows 🫣 i dont watch anything ever but skam i still watch just bc theres the og and all the remakes (my fave is italia, ex-skamverse mutuals if you see this just . look away, or druck for the new gen esp even tho i didnt watch the last season 🥹)

his outfits are like . next level he is truly the fashion icon of the century, sometimes i see his looks and i’m like gimme it now 🤲🏼 AGSKDHDK OMG ESP HIS FUR COAT WHEN HE DID THE BELOVED SHOW W JAMES CORDEN I STILLLLLL WANT THAT COAT

now to respond to your answers hehe! 😌

1. that show is so good!!!!! alyssa is also iconic so honestly its a compliment in my book agskdhsk. i’ve never seen bones and all, but i have heard all good reviews tbh i havent seen a bad one yet so perhaps i should fr run to my local movie theater and check it ouuuuttt

2. i’ve never heard that album before, but i will def be adding it to my playlist of song recs to listen to later! i also will be adding life is elsewhere and cool dry place! i also agree that fine line is just 🧑🏼‍🍳🤌🏼💋 (thats a chef’s kiss agsjdhsjs) to be fair it was a hard question so four albums is pretty solid hehe

3. I GOOGLED THE HAMSTER AND IT IS SO CUTEEEEEEEEEEEEE 🥹 i think that i would wanna be a tabby cat tho, which is boring but i just feel like i was destined to be a well cared for cat in a bookstore or somethin tbh agskdhsks

my christmas was goooood my sister got me a mini fridge and honestly idk how i lived without one prior to this agskdhsk i keep water and extra condiments in it now and its just . changed my life for the better agsjdhsk. for the riddle, my guess is gonna be either air or a breath? but i’m not sure agsjshak

is this the final time? omg i cant believe it but in the event youre in the future rn, happy new yearrrrrr this has been a blast 🕺🏽🎄✨

[hiddles-and-skittles]

Ride

Pairing: Bucky x fem!reader

Word Count: 1,585

Summary: Gatherings can't be that bad, right? Especially if your boyfriend convinces you to ditch early for a ride home on his motorcycle. It's just unfortunate he's gotta rile you up beforehand.. .

Warnings: 18+, kinda masturbation/edging by motorcycle???, teasing, pet names; sweetheart, doll, cocky Bucky (what? He's definitely a warning)

Notes: This idea came to me and I absolutely could NOT put it down. I don't typically write smut or anything along those lines, so any feedback is appreciated! This is way out of my comfort zone😅

____________

"Come on, Sam is waiting on us."

You roll your eyes and dramatically throw yourself back on the bed. "Yeah well, Sam can wait. I don't even want to be there."

"And you think I do?" He calls to you, pulling on his gloves and nearly stomping back towards your room.

"Bucky, I don't want to go." He stands in your doorway and you pout at him, making him sigh.

He cocks an eyebrow at you. "I know. But who says we gotta stay all night?" At this, you raise up from your mopey position. "We make an appearance, talk to Sam for a little while, then get lost in the crowd and disappear. He won't even notice."

You hum thoughtfully. "Good point." You swing your legs over the bed and slip into your Converse shoes, plastering a smile to your face and gleefully skipping due to the fact you'll get to leave early.

Sam was having a reunion party with some buddies from his Afghanistan tours. It was a huge event downtown, but neither you nor Bucky was a big fan of crowds. So the two of you only considered going in support of Sam.

Bucky stopped on the apartment complex's steps, narrowing his eyes at an empty parking spot. "He took my bike."

You snorted. "Cab it is."

________

Shortly you arrive at the event and he opens the cab door for you, his knuckles grazing down your arm to catch your hand in his. The action sends a shudder through your body and he smirks, stopping to give you a scheming look.

"What?" you ask him, furrowing your eyebrows and squeezing his hand.

"Nothing," he simpers.

You decide to be suspicious of him for the rest of the evening.

There are a plethora of people but you both advance through the crowd in search of Sam, Bucky stopping you to point out that Sam is quite preoccupied. He nudges you towards the most empty table he can find so you can sit down. On either side of you both is an empty seat, and the rest of the chairs are filled by half-drunk, burly men sporting drinks.

One of them turns to you and introduces himself and his comrades. A few of them take quick note of Bucky's name, quoting something Sam has mentioned about him before then thanking Bucky for his service. You wrap your arm around his middle and look up at him with pride, nuzzling yourself closer to your soldier.

You're both quiet as the vets around you continue their chatter about their best times, their laughter making the atmosphere light. You have to admit, you might actually be enjoying yourself. You're lost in a story about a guy teaching his kid how to hot wire a car when a hand squeezes your thigh.

Your knee immediately jerks and hits the table and you have to bite your bottom lip to stifle a yelp. A few heads turn in your direction and as you feel the warmth spreading to your face, you feign a sneeze, apologizing for the interruption. Bucky remains dead panned, although the sides of his mouth subtly quirk up. You glare at him. "Bless you, sweetheart," he patronizes. You shift uncomfortably as the men return to their conversations.

His hand makes its way back to your thigh and you inhale sharply through your nose. "Bucky," you whimper, swallowing hard.

"Gotta keep quiet for me, doll, or I'll stop," he tuts lowly. Instinctively you spread your legs a little to make enough room for his hand. Your breath hitches as he circles your clit with his middle finger, lightly tracing down your clothed mound. You curse yourself for wearing jeans, because the thickness of the denim heavily affects the way he feels against you.

But you want more.

He presses harder until Sam struts over to the table, and Bucky innocuously throws his arm around your shoulder. You huff in frustration and he chuckles.

"Surprised you two haven't left yet," Sam laughs, sipping a beer and slapping a hand over Bucky's shoulder.

"Why would we do that?" Bucky asks sarcastically.

Sam rolls his eyes playfully. "Stay awhile, enjoy the sunset and have a drink. They're all on the house." You both pause in thought. "I knew that would convince you!"

"Well," you start. "The sky is gorgeous right now. Maybe just one drink till the sun sets."

Someone then calls for Sam and he excuses himself, telling you he'll see you back at home later. You watch him disappear into the crowd, reality hitting you that you're still worked up from Bucky's teasing. And all it takes is a devious look from him to get you riled up again. You shoot up from your seat to thank the vets around you for their service, and tell them that it was nice to meet them, but you have some personal matters to attend to at home. Bucky follows suit, grabbing your hand.

You try to push your way through the crowd without an obvious, horny spring in your step, and as you pass by a table, Bucky fishes a beer with his free hand without stopping.

"I'll call the cab back here and we can-"

"No."

"What?" You stop in your tracks and Bucky lets go of you, continuing to walk to where his motorcycle is parked. He beckons you over with a crooked finger as he mounts the bike, and you fold your arms over your chest, cocking an eyebrow.

"What? It's not like he'll be able to drive tonight anyway." He foots the kick stand, placing his beer in the back compartment then bringing his hands up to twist around the handlebars. "Come on, let's go watch the sunset."

"The-the sunset?" You ask incredulously.

"What? You said it was pretty, let's go get a closer look." Your eye twitches at his feigned ignorance.

"Bucky I swear to god if you don't take me right now-"

He grins. "Then I just won't take you at all." He revs the engine once to accentuate his threat and you groan. "Come on or I'll leave you."

"Fine."

You march over to him and swing your leg over the bike, nestling yourself into his back and situating your hands on top of his shoulders. The engine roars to life, the heads of onlookers catching your eye and in one swift motion he kicks it into gear and you're off.

The winds whips your hair and licks at your face, causing you to constantly tear it away from your eyes. Once free, you take in the view before you, ever amazed at how the sun sets on the water; the sky glows with an orange and pink hue, making it look like a painting. And for a moment you forget about your throbbing lower half until you shift to get a little more comfortable on the seat and oh. Oh.

Your hands impulsively tighten around his shoulders and your jaw goes slack, gasping as the vibration from the motorcycle hits just the right spot. You let out a light moan and no sooner clap a hand over your mouth, hoping Bucky hasn't heard you. Your head slumps forward on his back.

"You good back there?" He yells over his shoulder.

"Y-yeah! Uh-all good!" you wheeze, attempting not to sound too out of sorts. The street is bare as he stops at a red light, and you try to breathe so as not to let the pleasure overtake you. It's not that you don't want to let go, it's just that you know you'll never hear the end of it from him of you do.

When the light turns green, he revs the engine so many times you lose count. Your mind is swirling in ecstacy and you start to pant faster, clinging onto Bucky for dear life as you near your release.

You screw your eyes shut, the coil finally snapping while you bite down harshly on the shoulder of his leather jacket. By this point you're unabashedly gasping and moaning, your hips bucking wildly into the seat as your clit is overstimulated to the point it hurts.

You pray for the ride to your apartment to end while he speeds up, causing you to sob into the waves of pleasure the vibrations are granting you. You claw mindlessly at his torso until he finally slows to a stop, and you catch your breath to come to your senses. You can't help the nagging, coherent thought that the ride home had taken a lot longer than usual and you realize the sky is now completely black and littered with stars.

He knew. That fucker knew.

Bucky dismounts the vehicle and stands before you with a hand on his hip and a smug demeanor. You lean forward on your hands, still heaving to try and even out your breath.

"Enjoy the ride?" Bucky taunts, flat lining his lips.

"Fuck-" pant  "-you," you nearly spit. He chuckles darkly. "You were edging me, with a goddamn motorcycle."

He scratches the back of his head. "I might have added a little extra something just for you."

You raise your head. "Why don't we go upstairs and you let me get my revenge?"

He huffs. "What's the point? You already came all over my seat."

"It wasn't your cock," you retort, untangling your wobbly legs from the bike. Bucky reaches out to steady you, pulling you to him by your waist.

"Fair point, pretty girl."

[blxetsi]

Imagine pampering Reiner. I would love to kiss him silly 🙈 is it obvious he’s my favorite character?

id like to kiss him silly too 🤩🤚 tysm for the request !!!

pampering reiner after a long day (modern au)

warnings: taking care of ur man 😁👍 uhh construction worker!reiner (of age, obv), gn!reader, face care n shit idk, cute names like baby and love, mentions of sexual harrasment/assault in a workplace.

living in the city had it ups and downs. well, so did everything in life, but you never really thought about that until you moved into the city. you and reiner both came from a small town, and then went to the same college in a bigger town, before you two decided to move to the big city together. downs happened more often than ups, but anything was an up if you were with reiner. rent was expensive, especially for the shoebox of an apartment you two live in, but youve both made it into your home, a cozy little sanctuary away from the rest of this chaotic world. another down was that the city never sleeps, someone, somewhere was always working, and you too found yourself taking nightshifts at the diner you worked at. it was minimum wage, and middle aged men and women would come in and flirt (more like harass), but your coworkers were nice, and if you made sure to dress up a bit you'd get a fat tip.

you and reiner originally thought that you'd get well paying jobs as soon as you moved into the city, which was a lie. considering the time, effort, and money you both put into getting your degrees, you thought you were more than qualified for certain jobs, but you werent, and that sucked, and now your boyfriend over works himself physically building houses while you let freaks make weirdly sexual comments about you so you can earn more money. it sucks on both ends, but you know that you'd do anything to be with reiner, so you could take a couple of gropes and sleazy jokes.

today you had gotten off work early, your boss closing the store because of a family emergency. you felt bad for the man, he was nice, and offered to switch you to dish duty when he'd seen older people be weird with you, you'd declined knowing that you wouldn't earn as much in the back. he was a family man, and generous, and cared about others, which was a nice change from other employers in the past. you were surprised reiner wasn't home yet, because today was friday, and he usually got off fridays around six, but now it was almost nine, and you were starting to get a bit worried.

just as you started gnawing on your lip, your phone vibrated beside you. grabbing it you saw it was reiner calling you, and quickly paused your episode of shameless to answer. "rei, where are you ?"

"just got off work baby." he sighed.

he sounded exhausted, and you could hear cars honking so you knew he was outside.

"do you need me to come get you ?"

"no, its okay. jack's giving me a ride home."

you let out a breath, at least he didn't have to wait for the bus, getting a ride meant he'd be home faster. "okay my love. you want me to run you a bath for when you come home ?" you knew how sore reiner got from working, and being out in the sun all day. with the weather becoming warmer it would become harder on him, and he'd always forget to wear sunscreen which meant he'd burn.

he let out a soft moan. "that sounds great baby, thank you so much."

you heard talking from his end, assuming it was jack. you tried to keep listening but reiner's voice cut in again. "only ten more minutes and im back to you."

you smiled, getting excited that he'd be here so soon. "okay lovey, i'll get that bath started. i love you."

you could hear his smile on the other end. "i love you too baby, thank you so much."

you quickly said your goodbyes before hanging up, cutting him off. you felt a bit bad but quickly brushed it off as you walked to your bathroom. you got everything together, moving from the bathroom to your bedroom and back again. you set out a clean towel, a pair of sweats and a white tank top for him, as well as a hoodie if he was cold. you filled up the tub, making sure it was hot, before adding a cup of epsom salt and stirring it around with your hand. you got up again, going to the kitchen area of your little home and filling up a cup with a jug of cold water from the fridge. you brought it back to the small bathroom, sitting it on the tank cover of the toilet. he needed to be hydrated.

you were changing the sheets of your shared bed when you heard the from door open, close, then lock. reiner dropped his backpack and toed off his shoes. he hung up his jacket before slowly walking around the apartment, cracking his neck and stretching his arms above his head. "baby ? where are you ?"

"in here rei, just changing the sheets." you called out. you could hear his heavy footsteps make his way down the hall towards you.

he thought you looked beautiful. dressed in just a tee shirt (his tee shirt) and plaid pyjama pants, the lights from the city reflecting all around the room and on your body, a small lamp which casted a soft warm glow around the room, made your eyes shine.

"you don't have to change the sheets baby." he whispered, making his way over to you. he helped you put the comforter over the bed. a simple grey colour, which matched the baby pink sheets and pillow cases.

"i wanted to. you always feel good sleeping in new sheets." you answered, making your way around the bed to him. you wrapped your arms around his torso while he wrapped his around your shoulders, pulling you close and kissing your head. he sighed, and just held you while you rubbed his back.

"your bath is ready, and i left you clothes for you there too." you whispered. he hummed in response before squeezing you tighter.

"i missed you so much." his words were soft, but held a lot of weight, and your heart hurt because you knew he was working himself to the bone.

"it's okay baby, i'm here now."

he nodded before kissing your head again. he smelt your hair, sighing before pulling back to look at your face. "did you shower ?"

"when i got home, yeah."

"okay. i won't be long then."

you shook your head, moving your arms so you could hold his face in your hands. "no rei, take all the time you need. i'll wait for you." you knew that reiner was too tired to fight you on that, so he simply nodded, giving you a soft kiss before stripping down to his underwear and leaving the room.

you put his clothes in the hamper, putting his wallet on his bedside table and plugging his phone in to charge. then you opened up the window so the cool breeze could come in, you knew reiner liked the room to be a bit cooler at night.

slowly you made your way to the bathroom, peaking in to see him in the bath, the water up to his neck as he was almost fully submerged. his eyes were closed and his breathing was slow, you could see his tan lines from working. his muscles that bulged even when relaxed and the crinkles in his eyes from smiling so much, even when he was so young. his stuble which was just a bit darker than his sandy blond hair, and his calloused hands from his labour, wrapped around his torso in a hug. those hands that held you, that protected you, that tickled you, that loved you. you never got to admire reiner often, usually because he'd notice early on and tell you to stop, he'd get all flustered and his face would turn red, getting all blushy that his lover wanted to look at how beautiful he was. and he was, reiner was gorgeous, and its a blessing to call him yours.

his voice was raspy from not speaking for so long. "baby, stop looking at me like that." you could see the apples of his cheeks turn pink while his lips quirked up into a small.

"i can't help it, you're just so pretty." you replied, walking into the small bathroom and closing the door behind you. it took less than two steps to get towards him, and you crouched down beside the tub to look at him closer.

he slowly opened his eyes, like he was in a daze, before peeling an arm away from his body and holding it out for you to take. you grabbed his hand with both of yours, rubbing his palm and fingers while you softly kissed his knuckles. you two never looked away as you did so, relishing in the soft moment together.

he closed his eyes again, and sighed while moving deeper into the tub, making the water go from his neck to his chin, and his long legs stick out of the water at the knees. "you know that face mask you have baby ? the one that peels off and makes your face smooth ?" he asked, his voice echoing throughout the room.

"yeah," you mumbled against his hand. "you wanna use it ? want me to put it on for you ?"

he nodded. you slowly put his hand back into the water before crawling to the cabinet under the sink, reaching for your peel off face mask, you turned around and went back to your love, shifting as close as you could ger before the toilet got in the way, before opening the tube and squeezing some onto your hand. the clear gel felt cool on your finger tips, and you rubbed it along both pointer and middle finger on your two hands, before leaning over the side of the tub and rubbing some on his face. you made sure to keep it away from his facial hair and his eyebrows. after rubbing it in you rinsed your hands off in the bathwater, before moving them to hold reiner's hand again. "if you cant peel some if it off after its dry just rinse with warm water, okay ?" reiner nodded before squeezing your hand. "thank you baby."

you two sat in silence for a couple of minutes, just listening to each others breathing and the slight swish of the water. "i'm gonna make some tea, would you like any ?" you asked.

reiner shook his head. "i'll just steal a sip of yours."

you chuckled before kissing the back of his hand, a smile on your face. "okay my love, i'll wait for you in the bedroom."

he leaned over quickly, grabbing your face with his free hand and giving you a soft kiss, over and over again. his lips were a bit chapped, which caused your own to tickle, but to him it felt great. this was so domestic, so simple, it made him feel safe, it made reiner forget all about his horrible day. all he could think about was you, all he could feel was you.

because of your kiss some of the product from his face mask had transferred onto yours, causing him to giggle before wiping it away with his pruny hand. "i love you so much baby. i'm so happy to be with you." he whispered, his face millimetres from your own.

"thank you rei, i love you too." you responded. you loved him so much, you wanted to spend the rest of your life with him. and you're sure you will.

you pecked his lips before kissing his hand one more time, then you got up and left the bathroom, reiner's eyes on you as you went.

you went about tidying up the living room, putting away reiner's dinner on the table (if he didn't scarf it down when he came in, you knew he wouldn't touch it until tomorrow) turning off the tv and folding up the blanket you were snuggled up with on the couch almost an hour ago.

you quickly boiled your water for your tea, getting out your favourite mug and putting the tea bag in. then you went into your bedroom, where you moved through the open window to sit on the fire escape. the breeze of the night brought with it a chill, and you wished you'd brought that blanket with you. the lights and the cars moving down brought comfort to you. after living here for over a year, the noise became berable to you, just second nature.

you could hear faint shuffling inside the bedroom, before reiner's head popped out of the window. "i was looking everywhere for you."

you gave him a sheepish smile. "sorry my love, would you like to join me ?" he nodded and crawled out of the window too, which was a bit hard considering his long limbs. he sat down beside you, his skin looking soft and smooth, his hair wet and all dressed in his hoodie and sweats.

the two of you huddled together, watching people walk by and cars drive around, looking into the windows of other apartments and stores, seeing if you could see the people inside doing weird things. you two passed the mug of tea between each other, before all that was left was the wet tea bag at the bottom of the cup. reiner reached up and set it on the window sill, before pulling you into his side by your shoulders.

"do your muscles hurt still ?" you asked.

reiner shook his head before replying. "not anymore, thank you again for the bath."

you giggled, turning your head to look up at him, he looked down at your own head, resting on his shoulder, and matched the smile that painted your lips. "you don't have to thank me so much silly, i love taking care of you."

he rubbed his nose against your own. "i love taking care of you too. which is why i was thinking of looking for a new job."

your eyes opened again and he watched your reaction closely. "that tech company near downtown, they're looking for a new software developer. i've already set up an interview, i just didn't know when to tell you." he whispered.

your eyes lit up as you smiled again, leaning up and smacking kisses all over his face. he let out a loud laugh before cupping your face with his hand, guiding your head away from his own so he could speak, but you started talking before that could happen. "i'm so happy for you. i hate seeing you come home so tired and in pain."

he nodded. "and i hate seeing you come home with a new story of some creep making moves on the love of my life." he replied, giving you a soft kiss.

you two sat in silence again. reiner felt happy that you weren't upset about his idea for a new job, he had a degree, and a great mind, and he somehow knew he'd get this job.

"y'know," you started. "that new art museum that opened near the science centre, they're hiring too. said on their website they're looking for tour guides."

reiner pulled you closer to him, if that was even possible. "baby you'd be great at that. you know so many art things."

"'art things?'" you laughed. "yeah, maybe i'll call and see if i could get an interview."

reiner nodded. "that sounds great baby. but tomorrow, your tea made me so sleepy and now i just wanna sleep." you shook your head with a chuckle before pecking him on the lips again.

you two made your way inside, closed the window, and got ready for bed. while you put the mug back into the kitchen sink, reiner took off his hoodie and unfolded the comforter from the bed, ready to get under. when you came back inside you shut off the lamp and got in beside him, where reiner immediately pulled you into his chest.

your head rested on his bare pec, and you could hear his heart thumping. he was calm, content, and happy with you in his arms. and you two went to bed that night with dreams about your future together.

not me going overboard with that one 😁👍 anyways love u all stay safe requests r open 😍🙏

[sneverussape]

snape fic recs - old magic/epic worldbuilding

related to this post. i decided to dig through my bookmarks and wrack my brain for some of the fics i remember reading that scratched this particular itch. this will have fics that had the characters practice old magic and are more focused on the adults/hogwarts staff rather than the kids, or if the kids would be mentioned they would not be the main povs. these will be multi-chaptered, often long (and obviously au), and some of them have pairings. please heed the tags and warnings that the individual authors would have left; what you consume is your own responsibility. the fics are also listed in no particular order:

In His Name by moira of the mountain -  After the Final Battle, a fallen Snape is hidden, bearing Tom Riddle's last Unforgivable. There are three Secret Keepers and a Muggle healer to protect him, but will it be love - or an obligation - which finally frees him?  - no pairings // kinda brotp between mcgonagall, snape, and hagrid // also unfinished so fair warning. the lore is so rich though, it feels like how magic in hp should have been.

Death’s Dominion by MMADfan - Severus Snape’s life was changed when he was hit by an errant spell, and he comes to a decision that defies Dumbledore’s wishes. Even the fate of the wizarding world is altered by this ill-cast curse and Snape’s subsequent resolve.Long after the spell has dissipated, its effects continue echoing in the lives of Severus, Albus, Minerva, and Hermione, and they bring with them a shadowy figure whom Snape does not trust and whose motivations and influence on Minerva are murky. Not all is as it seems, and conspiracies and schemes swirl around Severus as he continues on his path of deception to his final confrontation with the Dark Lord. A “Light” fic of love, loyalty, and redemption. - mm/ad, ss/hg // this fic. is LEGENDARY. this is one of those fics that require your full attention and will eventually suck you in and spit you back out with your whole life changed. it will take you on a whole rollercoaster of emotions. the mm/ad pairing is quite an obvious one but the ss/hg is a subtle one and it’s more friendship throughout the whole fic than an actual romantic relationship. the ocs (a lot of them minerva’s family) are also SO well-made you’ll forget they’re not canon. 

FALLING FURTHER IN by kaz2 - Hermione begins to learn something of the man behind the dark sarcasms of the classroom. - ss/hg, also features wolfstar, brotp between the faculty and severus // this was one of the fics i had in mind when i did that last post about missing old hp stories. this was started in the early 2000s and the author had free rein on a lot of the material. flitwick and sprout are married here and are the cutest things on earth. it’s also set during the summer leading into harry’s final year so all the teachers are staying at hogwarts and are all good friends with each other. hermione is there as well because her parents had been murdered by death eaters and so she’s spending it with them. the way the ww is written here is so...epic, jkr couldn’t even. snape lives in an invisible tower called serpens tower, the teachers often go to a brothel-which-isn’t-really-a-brothel in hogsmeade, the other teachers often baby severus subtly because he’s the youngest, wolfstar are tolerable and remus actually learns to brew his own damn wolfsbane, etc. the story is in story format until near the end iirc and then the author outlines what happens next rather than writing it out. i can’t blame them; it really is a massive undertaking.

The Crest by sheankalor -  Dumbledore only holds partial say in who the Head of House is. Severus Snape is nominated as the Head of Slytherin, but has to pass a final test. Can he? Does he work well with the other three Heads of House? And just what is The Crest? - no pairings // staff fic // one of the rare one-shots but it’s in an au which feeds into other stories // i loooove the lore in this. it provides an explanation as to how a house head is approved by the school and i’m a sucker for any fic that has the faculty getting along.

Balance by rabbit and -v-Jinx-v - Hogwarts is under siege, and it's going to take everyone to find a way out of danger. - no pairings // brotp minerva and severus, also harry and draco form a friendship // this is one of my personal faves. it’s not only old magics but the entirety of hogwarts come together to battle against dark forces (not even death eaters but...balrogs...and other things). there’s no build-up to it; you enter the story after the battle’s already begun and then you get taken along for the ride. also has a part where the heads of houses meet the founders and there’s this epic dance that’s reminiscent of the danse macabre in The Graveyard Book (if you’ve read that you’d know what i mean).

Another World by Aeryn Alexander - Detention with Snape turns into something of an adventure for Hermione and Ginny, not to mention Professor Lupin, as they all discover that Hogwarts holds a terrible secret that none of them want to learn. - ss/hg, rl/gw // this fic took me by surprise because i didn’t expect it to go the way it did based on the summary lmao. the 4 basically get trapped in a mirror version of hogwarts after a potions accident, and the mirror world has literal demons in it. they have to find a way to get back into the real world while not getting killed at the same time. i actually liked lupin in this one and he and severus form a tenuous friendship. 

In One Spirit by mavidian - Voldemort and Dumbledore prepare for war and survival. Plans go awry, intrigues abound and nothing is what it seems. Snape created the Dark Mark but that mistake may cost him everything. Can Hermione be his saving grace? - ss/hg but it’s such a slow build you barely notice it during even the first 20 or so chapters because he’s his usual asshole self and they’re too busy trying to protect hogwarts // the concept of this fic and the lore it built up...wow. the faculty are all friends and they’re trying very hard to protect hogwarts using their own magics and their own clever schemes (war brooms? battle wands? blessing tree? filch even gets powers!). voldemort is also equally devious here and snape has loving pureblood parents! (not that it matters, he’s still an ass, but then it’s nice to read about him having a nice family for once). neville also steps up as a member of one of the Traditional Families so he’s quite a BAMF here. 

yo pls feel free to add your own recs to this post, i’m pretty sure there are loads more out there!

[violetsoju]

let’s go on a ride (where to)彡★

suna rintaro · fluff? · 3.1k

a/n: here’s a cookie for you if you can guess correctly from which song i got inspired by 🍪 (hint: it’s from a female soloist!) do let me know if you enjoyed it!  ❤️

The first time you got on his bike was when you were late for your finals. Being the ironically procrastinator and overachiever you are, you dunked 3 cups of coffee the previous night in attempt to stay up drilling pages and pages of chemical processes and reactions, along with the insane number of structures and behaviours of molecules that seemed to stretch on forever into your poor cramped brain. So when you woke up to your clock staring at you with its long hand 20 minutes away from the scheduled time of your doom, you knew you were indeed, doomed. Your shouts and failing hands to the bus driver fell on deaf ears, leaving you gasping for air, hands on your knees as you reached the now empty bus stop.

You were about to make a run for it when a motorbike pulled up beside you, a male voice catching your attention. “Hey.”

You turned to see fox-like eyes staring back at you, one which had you intrigued since the first encounter. Even though his other features were hidden beneath his helmet, the boy clad in black on the bike was undoubtedly, your next-door neighbour.

“Get on my bike, let’s go.” he said, throwing a helmet in your direction.      

Despite living right next door, the both of you never had a conversation with each other. You don’t really see each other too, in your defence. Normal greetings would just be a small nod of acknowledgement, sometimes with a small ‘hi’ if you were feeling sociable enough.

But desperate times call for desperate measures, right?

“Where to?” he asked, as you climbed onto the back seat.

“Hyogo University, please.” You grabbed on the rail bar behind, praying that you won’t somehow fall off.

Maybe it was a blessing in disguise that you missed the bus, because weaving through unusual heavy traffic on two wheels was definitely more efficient than being stuck on four wheels. You yelped as you almost lost your balance from the zigzag drive, instinctively grabbing hold of his waist as you both zoomed past the congested roads.

Never in your life had you been so happy and relieved at the sight of your university. Jumping off the bike, you were about to sprint to your faculty when you stopped midway at your tracks at his call.

“Hey! My helmet!”

Turning back meant risking having the examination doors being slammed in your face. “I’ll return it to you later!” you shouted, waving the back of your hand towards him as you dashed to your examination venue.

Later that night, the boy found the sides of his lips tugging upwards slightly, huffing a breath from his nose in amusement at the sight of his helmet hanging on doorknob of his apartment. It was filled with packets of choco pie and a small yellow note in it.

「 Thank you so much for today! I got to my examination venue right on time thanks to you. Please let me know when you’re free. I’d like to treat you to a meal as a gesture of appreciation, these treats obviously aren’t enough.

-Your next-door neighbour 」

He opened a packet of choco pie and folded the small piece of paper neatly into the pocket of his jeans, making his way into his apartment.

Your eyebrows arched in surprise when you locked your front door the next morning. There was a small green note stuck on your door, along with a box of chocolate koala march biscuits secured tightly with tape.

「 It’s not a big deal. Now we’re even, so save that for something else. 」

                                     ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

 The second time you got on his bike was on the way home from your job interview. You knew your heels were to go, and you should have gotten a new pair soon. But being the last-minute shit you were, you prayed with all your heart for it to survive on you till the end of the day.

Well, to be fair, it did cooperate with you for most of the day, besides than the awful blisters on the back of your heel and toes. It only gave up on you after the interview that went wrong (allocated interview slot being postponed and postponed, the central air-conditioning blasting like the North Pole, and what was it with companies and their ridiculous prejudice towards young women and maternity leaves), when your right heel got stuck in a sewage drain cover, snapping into half when you used too much force to get it out.

Then it rained. And of course, you left your umbrella at home as there were no indications of rain when you checked the weather forecast. Maybe the rain felt like giving the sun, along with the weather bureau, a surprise that day.

And maybe it felt like it had its fair share of fun after seeing your miserable state, drenched in its merry little splatter and your own infuriation, as it bid the sun goodbye and went back home once you got off the bus to your neighbourhood.

So here you were, walking barefoot on the scorching yet damp concrete pavement back home, adding more damage to your open wounds. Well, what other choice did you have? It’s not like you would break the other heel into half to balance it out, right?

The stares and hushed whispers around you couldn’t much compare to what was going through your mind now. Heck, you couldn’t even care less of how you looked. Smudged makeup and faint colour of your innerwear peeping beneath your now see-through white blouse were the least of your worries now. All you wanted was to get home, fill the tub with warm water, turn on some music, and let all the frustration built up in you sink away through the evening.

Walking around the last block of shops, you kept your eyes on the pavement, not noticing a familiar figure leaning against the wall a few shops ahead.

“Hey.”

You were so absorbed in your own thoughts, you didn’t realise a human wall up ahead.

“Hey!”

You winced at the sudden impact from the body slam, snapping up to find a boy around your age towering over you, alluring fox eyes meeting yours. “Sorry,” you muttered, stepping aside to continue on your way.

A warm hand grabbed hold of your arm, causing you to jump slightly at the sudden touch. He had his head tilted slightly to his left, his usual blank face staring back at you. But the hint of concern that subtly flickered in his eyes as he silently inspected you from head to toe made you stop in your tracks.

Maybe it was the series of incidents that happened throughout the day that had your mind spiraling in turbulent directions, or maybe it was the delicate warmth in his eyes that seemed so inviting, it wasn’t a bad idea to linger in it for a while. Whatever the reasons were, he was granted the rare permission to take a small peek through the faint cracks of your hardened shell, into the dark fiery void that held you hostage.

You kept your eyes glued on the ground as he kept his gaze on you, curling your bruised toes together against the hard concrete, contemplating if you made the right decision.  

Once he was done with his inspection, he moved towards his bike parked by the side of the pavement, grip still on your arm, and dug out for an extra helmet underneath the seat of his bike. He placed the helmet over your head, featherlike fingers brushing against your skin as he secured the straps around your chin gently.

“Get on, let’s get home.” he said, tapping the top of the helmet as if he was patting a little girl’s head.

The journey home was silent, in a comfortable way, and you were grateful that he kept his curiosity to himself.

He dropped you off at the lobby entrance of your apartment, nodding in acknowledgement as you returned the helmet while mumbling an audible thanks. You should’ve waited for him to take the elevator back up to your floor together, but you were just so bloody done for the day. At least you pressed the ground floor button as you exited the elevator.

                                         ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

 The third time you got on his bike was after dinner one night. You were at the nearby convenience store in your pjs, a bowl of hot oden in hand, staring out at the night through the glass window. Late night convenience store runs were the best, because most people would be snuggled up in their homes, leaving the world to those like you to enjoy in peace in quiet.

You were on your third fish cake skewer when an unexpected presence made its way next to you. Gleaming hazel eyes locked with yours, and you found yourself unconsciously lost in it again.

He placed a plastic bag filled with an assortment of jelly fruit sticks on the table, savouring a purple coloured one in hand. You chuckled at this new side of him. This wasn’t quite something you pictured him to be.

He turned to you questionably. “Is there a problem?”

You shook your head. “Not at all, I’m just surprised with this new information.” You offered a fish cake skewer to him.

He gave you a green coloured jelly fruit stick in return. “There’s no age limit for these, are there?”

“Nope, you’re more than welcome to enjoy them,” You peered at the plastic bag. “Can I have the red one instead?”

“Picky.” he jokingly huffed.

The both of you enjoyed the rest of the night by the windowsill, making comfortable small talk here and there.

It was past midnight when you both made your way out of the convenience store. “Do you usually walk back alone at this time?” he asked, rummaging his pocket for his bike keys.

“Yeah, but not to worry, I can protect myself quite well. Ain’t no damsel in distress.” You jiggled your self-defense kit attached to your house keys at him.

He hummed in agreement, handing you a helmet. “My younger sister has a set of that too. That pepper spray is no joke.”

“What did you do to piss her off?” You fastened on the helmet strap nimbly, climbing onto the now familiar backseat.

“I was her guinea pig to test if it worked. And damn it worked well. 5-star rating.” The bike engine roared, muffling your laughs and off the both of you went in the night.

You furrowed your brows when he drove past by the turn to your apartment. “Hey, you missed the turn!”

“Buckle up, we’re going on an adventure.”

Apparently, his so-called adventure was to the neighbourhood hilltop which you had never dragged your lazy ass up to hike before. There wasn’t much to see in the dark surroundings, maybe it would be better in the day.

“For a moment I thought you were gonna abduct me or something.”

“By a guy that eats jelly fruit sticks at this age? Plus, you’re not even worth a bag of jelly fruit sticks.”

He fake coughed as you shoved the helmet in his chest playfully in retaliation.  

The hilltop wasn’t that high, but high enough to overlook the charming neighbourhood below. Looking at your neighbourhood from a different perspective made you appreciate it more. The quaint coffeeshops, the now quiet primary school, the lush recreational park, they all looked so small from the top. So this is what birds see from the top, you thought.

Placing your hands on the wooden fencing, you closed your eyes for a moment to enjoy the cool breeze caressing your face, taking in a long, deep breath. Even the air up here was clearer.

You turned behind to find him lying on the grass with one knee up, arms folded behind his head, eyes on the black canvas above. You took your place comfortably next to him, mimicking his actions. A soft gasp escaped your lips, taken aback by the view displayed before you.  

Maybe it was the cold reality and gradual maturity along with age that had your mind conditioned to thinking only the glowing lights of the city lit up the dark night skies. Long had you forgotten the existence of the scattered diamonds shining up above; one that lit up the skies and your eyes as a child, one you dreamt of picking from the sky to replace the plastic fluorescent ones on the celling of your nostalgic childhood room.

It was simple pleasures like this that kept boundless curiosity and imagination run wild, that made each day enjoyable and fun, that made one realise how beautiful life could be.

And to remind one how important it is to live in the present.

“Do you know how to identify constellations?”

“I only know the name of my zodiac sign, if that counts.”

“No.”

You chuckled at the small pout that formed on his lips.

“Don’t you think it’s amazing how people in the olden days could navigate their way with just a few blinking dots in the night sky? I don’t even know how to use a compass.”

“That’s why we have Google maps now.”

“Can you be a lil bit more enthusiastic?”

“You can’t deny that what I said is true, can you?”

It was his turn to chuckle at your exasperated sigh.

“Have you seen a meteor shower before?”

“Yeah, once I think.”

“Did you make a wish?”

“I guess so.”

“Has the universe granted your wish then?”

“A secret shall remain a secret.”

You hummed in response.

Truth to be told, the both of you were keeping secrets from each other: your identities. Sure, you both knew each other as next-door neighbours, but what else?

Perhaps he has the upper hand here. He knows you’re a university student from the first ride on his bike, he (somehow) knows you’re searching for a job from the second ride, and now he knows your little late night konbini run affair. All you know about him is that he rides a bike and likes jelly fruit sticks.

But you don’t mind. In fact, you like this anonymity. It’s what makes the relationship between the two of you more engaging, precious and real. You could let down your guard with him. No judgements, no defensive barriers, no facades.

Sure, you would be curious about his background at times. Is he the same age as you? Is he a fellow struggling university student like you? Or has he plunged into the battlefield called work already? But if you could be you wholeheartedly, and he could be him wholeheartedly too, that’s what matters the most at the moment.

“Are you certain that you made your wish correctly?”

“Are there procedures for making wishes upon shooting stars?”

“Duh. You gotta look up to the night sky, close your eyes, clasp your hands together, then make your wish. That’s how it works.”

“You could shake hands with my younger sister and be sappy drama sisters.”

“Maybe that’s why your wish hasn’t come true yet.”

“I’m not falling for your trap.”

                                       ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

 “Man, I can’t believe nothing came out from what I studied for the whole week. Nothing. My feelings have been cheated on.”

Atsumu and you were currently slumped over the table at the convenience store next to the university, each with a hotdog in hand, along with an array of snacks scattered across the table. The both of you had just finished your classes for the day, and instead of grabbing proper dinner, you both were stuffing yourselves with junk food like children.

As to quote Atsumu, “Where’s the joy in life in blindly following the rules? Rules were meant to be broken. And it’s not like we do it every day.”

“Giving up so quickly? What happened to the ‘new semester new me resolution’, huh.”

Atsumu slammed his face on the table, groaning in distress. “Everything’s a scam. Life is a scam.”

You huffed out a small laugh at his exaggeration, eyes riveting back to the bustling street outside the window. Groups of students making their way to the bus and train station, couples choosing their dinner place hand-in-hand after work, a line forming outside the newly opened sushi place that served sushi on a mini bullet train. A typical Thursday evening.

A familiar jet-black bike among the line of bikes lined up by the pavement in front of the convenience store caught your sight. Oh?

Your mouth must’ve worked faster than your brain as Atsumu looked up to face the same direction you were looking at. “What yer looking at?”

“Oh, Suna must be around here somewhere. Haven’t seen him in a while.”

Suna, huh. Nice name.

“That’s one sexy looking bike, isn’t it? I always wanted a ride, but dude always speeds off even before I have the chance. Treats it like his wife. Don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone one ride it besides him.”

“Poor you, it’s a really nice ride.”

“The engine sounds amazing too- Wait. Wait a hot second. You rode it before? How? You know Suna?” Atsumu’s energy switch was turned back on, eyes wide like saucers as you shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal.

“He’s my next-door neighbour, duh.” Atsumu swore he was so close to throwing hands at your nonchalant attitude on the matter.

“Speaking of the devil, there he is.”

Suna emerged from the bakery on the opposite street, a bag of freshly baked goods in hand. Crossing the busy road to your side of the street, a glint of surprise gleamed in his eyes at the sight of both of you through the window, mostly from the shock and betrayal expression of the blond. He nodded to Atsumu in greeting, which was replied with Atsumu barking questions at him from the inside.

“What the hell, Suna? We’ve been friends for so long and I’ve never had a ride before, and she gets a ride? Really, Suna? I thought we’re more than this-”

“You know he can’t hear you from outside, right?” Atsumu paused to stare at you for a moment, and continued shooting questions and making dramatic gestures to the boy grinning slyly at him outside.

Suna turned his eyes to you, tipping his head towards his bike. Wanna go home?

You gave him a smile. Yeah, sure.

You got up from your seat and shoved half of the snacks on the table into your bag. “Later, Atsumu.” You bid the blond goodbye, patting his shoulder in condolence as he gawked at the both of you like endangered animals in the zoo.

“Suna you lil shit.”

Maybe you weren’t only getting rides back home on his bike, maybe you were getting a ride into his heart too.

[thran-duils]

Was Ich Liebe (P.2)

Title: Was Ich Liebe (Part Two) Summary: Fem!Reader x Dark!Tony Stark.  Tony becomes enamored with a stripper at a club his hedonistic friend Thor owns. A casual sexual relationship quickly becomes possessive and the reader sees more of the underground mafia life than she would like to. The cherry on top is that Tony is married and so is she. Him to a woman who has no intention of losing her throne at any cost and the reader to a deadbeat alcoholic. Feeling trapped by both her previous life and the suffocating hold Tony is trying to put on her, the reader steals away in the night, which is not going to go over well. Words: 3,461 Warnings (for whole fic, more may be added): Dub-con, smut, infidelity, stripping, vaginal fingering, public sex, possessive behavior, angst, degradation kink, violence, physical abuse, domestic violence, language, drug use, alcoholism, death Author’s Note: As usual, this is 18+.

Part One || Part Three || Masterpost (mobile) || Fanfic masterpost

You struggled against Tony’s hold, both your hands coming to grasp at his hand that was around your throat.

“Let me go!” you gasped, kicking at him.

He looked serious, his face close.

“Are you going to behave? I don’t need you freaking the fuck out,” Tony asked.

You nodded, “Yes. Yes! I’ll behave!”

Tony’s grip loosened on your throat, and you took the opportunity to shove him away. You bolted towards the front door aiming to get outside and back down the stairs. You got the door open a few inches before large hands closed down on your arms and yanked you back away from the doorframe. Tony wheeled you around and threw himself against the front door, using his momentum to slam it closed with his body weight.

“Let me go!” you protested again, trying to desperately get out of his grasp. “Let me go, you fucking bastard!”

You yanked again and suddenly Tony let go of you and with your own thrust you fell down onto the ground, barely catching yourself from hitting your face.

“Oops,” he told you coolly.

You heard the front door lock as you began to push yourself up again. You saw boots in your sights and craned your neck to look up. Carol was standing there, her arms crossed, ready to intercept you.

Tony began as he stalked around you, “No one is going to miss Michael. No one is going to come looking for him. He had no real friends, and he didn’t work. So who really gives a shit if he’s dead? You?”

His tone was challenging, as if he was hoping you would say yes. Argue with him. Admit to him that you had affection for any man besides him just to give him an excuse. He was riled up and he wanted even more reason to unleash his wrath.

Instead, you stayed quiet, still.

“Okay, so no one cares about him. Who is grateful that he’s gone? Is my perfect angel happy about it?”

Still, you were silent, your fingers digging into the hardwood.

Tony chuckled at your defiance. “Baby, don’t make me work for it. I’ve already used a lot of energy tonight. And on far less precious things than you.”

You sat up quickly, pushing yourself back up onto your knees to face him. The three of them – him, Rhodes, and Carol – were alert, watching you, ready to tackle you back down. You huffed, brushing off your dress. You had merely thrown it on after work to get home in. Tony relaxed ever so slightly seeing you were staying still.

“Are you going to kill me too?” you sneered at him, meeting his gaze. “Is that what this is?”

Tony’s expression darkened.

He was on you in a second, wrenching you off the ground by the back of your dress, his hand wound up in the fabric. You floundered, trying to get traction with your feet, your hands grabbing at the wall to steady yourself. Tony half dragged you down the hallway and tossed you into the bathroom. You stumbled, catching yourself on the sink. In the mirror, you caught sight of Michael finally; where he really was. His body mangled and bleeding in your tub. A strangled cry left your throat as Tony slammed the bathroom door closed behind him. He grabbed the back of your neck and forced you in a 180 closer to where Michael was unnaturally lying in the tub. He would not let you look away.

“Look at that. All your troubles gone. Thanks to me. And you are not being appreciative.”

All you could muster was gasped breaths.

“I have done so much for you, and you are just so ungrateful. What do you have to say for yourself? Apart from being a defiant little slut?”

“I…I…” you were paralyzed by a combination of fear and revulsion at the sight of the blood.

Tony snorted in disgust before you were bent over the counter again, his hand at the small of your back. He kicked one of your legs out, forcing himself in between your legs. The sound of his zipper coming down was deafening and the head of his cock rested on the top of your ass.

“You’ve always got me so hard, sweetheart,” he husked.

He tore your underwear down and drove up into you. You whined at the intrusion and he just shoved deeper. Without a condom.

“Tony! I’m not on the pill!”

“I know you aren’t,” he husked. “That’s perfectly okay, baby, isn’t it? I would be such a good father, wouldn’t I?”

“Tony—"

His hand snaked around your throat, holding tight, choking off your protest as he pumped. Your hips dug into the counter painfully. He was as aggressive as ever, riding you raw.

Tony’s breath was hot on your ear. “I’m never letting you go.”

<><><>

“Mad” by PRINCESSBRI ended as you spread your legs, lying on your back on the stage.

You heard cheers as “Bitch” by Allie X started and knew Kiara was coming out to do a double feature with you. She straddled you starting off the song, dancing down your body to slide off and go to the pole. The tips were good and the two of you laughed in the back room, throwing the wads onto the vanity.

“Daddy is here,” one of the girls whispered in your ear quickly. You turned to meet her gaze and she told you, “I tried to take him, but he asked for you.”

Sighing, you pushed away from the vanity.

Tony had only given you a handful of days alone and now he was right back at it. They had cleaned up the body from your apartment and when you had sat on the couch, holding yourself close when they removed it, Tony informed you he was going to find you a place to live. You could only assume he was here now to tell you where that was going to be.

Sliding into the booth, you were stiff. Your coworker had followed you, waiting to take an order for drinks and Tony had ordered for the two of you, not asking you what you wanted.

He nipped at your ear, “Baby, I don’t like you being off standish with me.”

“How can I not be?” you asked.

“Don’t be afraid of me,” he murmured against your skin, his lips trailing softly along your shoulder. “I would never hurt you. Never you. I got rid of him for you. And now you are free. And free means going on vacation with me.”

“Vacation?”

“Yes. I already bought the tickets for us.” You pulled away and furrowed your brow. He smiled and kissed you. “Seychelles.”

“What?”

Tony smirked, his hand reaching out to grab his drink. His arm tightened around you, and he said, “Seychelles. Fregate specifically. It’s a group of islands in east Africa.”

“I know that, Tony. But you bought me tickets? You do know I have to request time off work right?”

He downed the remainder of his drink, knowing another one was on its way. He laughed at your response, condescending. “You know I have sway with Thor, right? There will be a private villa… a private infinity pool in that villa… a very… very, very big bed.” He laid another kiss. “A hammock on the property for you to relax in.”

“I’m not sure.”

“You’re not sure about what?” he asked, his voice dangerous.

“I just wanna be at home.”

“It’s not going to be home after this weekend.” You snapped your head towards him, and he smiled. “Oh, that got your attention… no, it’s not yours anymore. You know, love, I wanted you to be enjoying the beach with me as your things were moved out of that shit hole of a place. You wouldn’t even have to worry about it. You could be naked on the sand, my lips blessing you while your clothes were moved.”

“Tony—”

“I hope a thank you is following that.”

You bit your tongue. He had already told you he was not going to let you go. And he was already forcing your hand to move, he had killed your husband.

A soft “Thank you” fell from your lips.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” he whispered, resting his chin on your shoulder. He pulled a key out of his pocket and waved it in front of you as the shots came to the table. “Here, perfect. Celebratory shots. Just in time for your new apartment key. And baby, I’m gonna make sure we christen that new bed of yours.”

<><><>

The room was foreign, the bed not broken in. And yet Tony made you feel like you should be on your back on the bed, like you belonged in the room to please him. He straddled you, holding you down, your arms pinned, his cock in your face. He was stroking himself quickly, readying to empty all over your face.

“Say it. Say it, baby,” he demanded in a strained tone.

Knowing better than to disobey by now, you looked up at him, your lashes heavy with the sultry look you were giving him. “I’m yours. I belong to you.”

His hand stroked faster, his hips jolting with the movement, moving you in turn with you trapped beneath him.

“Take it like the little whore you are.” His cum was warm, coating your face. You closed your eyes and still he strung all over your cheeks. “Yeah, you love being covered in my cum…”

Tony pressed his cock back past your lips, your eyes opening again at the intrusion. He encouraged in a husk, “Suck it. Gently now. Good girl. Show me how happy you are to be here safe in this new apartment.”

You did as he asked, your lips wrapped tight. He pushed his cum from your cheeks into your mouth and you swallowed, wanting to just bite his fingers in protest as he pressed them in. But you were playing the long game.

<><><>

You thumbed the coat Tony had told you to wear. He had bought it specifically for the party. Just long enough to cover the curve of your ass. Along with the bondage type lingerie you were wearing underneath, pasties and all. He had invited you to a private sex party and he was ready to take you in a room where people could pop in and watch him having his way with you.

At the door, your coat was taken, and you were just in the lingerie which was no different to you than being at the club. But you had a mask on now as did Tony. And to your immense shock, he undressed right then and there, already hard, adding his clothes to your coat check, mind the small baggy he took out of the pocket which was not missed by you. He pulled you along with him as you walked past people engaging in foreplay and socializing with each other.

He led you upstairs and into a private room marked 4. The bed was large, and he pulled you onto it with him.

Holding up the small baggy he smiled, “You ready to roll?” Without waiting for your response, he took one out of the bag. Tony popped the pill and held out his opposite hand with one for you.

“Is this molly?”

“Mhm… MDMA.”

“That’s what I meant.”

“I know. And you’re gonna be so fucking wet,” Tony told you, sucking at your neck. His lips dominated yours, pressing his tongue past your lips, swirling around yours. The kiss was deep, powerful. He bit at your lip as he pulled away. “That’s why I have this private room.” He noticed your expression and he ran his thumb over your plump lips. “Just behave, baby, and I won’t punish you by sending you out for a time out.”

“Well, people are going to be coming in here so…”

“You’re used to that, right?”

“I’m used to dancing for entertainment. Not getting railed for the entertainment.”

“I’ll be happy to pop that cherry for you… let them see how trained you are for me. How many times you’ll come undone around me.” He inhaled deeply and traced along your side, dipping in with the curves, in and out. “I love showing you off as mine. My wife is very jealous of you.”

“That makes me feel comfortable,” you mumbled sarcastically, grabbing a pill out of his open hand, and popping it in your mouth.

Tony chortled pleased seeing you bend to his will and take the drug, nuzzling his mouth into your neck, leaving rough bites.

“She’s just jealous because she has responsibilities and your only one is to please me.” Tony’s hand slipped up between your legs, forcing between your thighs. “She’s dealing with the matriarch role… mothering our child… working out… sweettalking the cops whenever they decide to show their ass. She’s really good at that.”

“Will I have to do that? Talk to cops, I mean?” That was a legit concern.

Tony hummed against you, “Maybe.” You stiffened and he ran his hands down your sides. “Oh, shh, sweetheart. I trust you. You won’t betray me. You just keep that beautiful mouth of yours closed and brush them off, giving them your beautiful doe eyes, and it’ll be just fine. No one can be mean to you when you look at them like the little sweet, innocent thing you are. I could just devour you.”

“Well, just make sure you don’t lose me when we both start rolling.”

“That’s what Carol is for. She won’t let you wander off on me. She’s gonna be right outside.. She’ll keep us both in check. It’s gonna feel so fucking good to take you. Every brush of your soft skin against me, knowing all the people that could be watching from the doorway. Those perfect holes of yours allowing me in…” Tony had started to grind, hungry. “Every hole… mine to use.”

His thumb slipped up towards your tight ring and he smiled against your lips. “I should get that lube, shouldn’t I?”

You nodded. “Yes. Please.”

Even if you fell completely under the drug, you knew you would feel it in the morning. So, precaution and prevention was important.

He pecked your nose, “Mhm, just for you, baby. Just keeping you safe always. I don’t wanna hurt my favorite.”

The lube was cold as he pushed his thumb in and your breath hitched. He was watching your expression closely.

“Relax,” he purred. “Let me in, sweetheart. I’ve got a nice toy to gape you out.” You shifted a little at that and his free hand came to hold you in place, his eyes flashing. “I’m gonna be moving in between those holes however I see fit. Be grateful I’m prepping.” He smacked you across the ass and said, “Just behave like the good girl I know you can be, and this will be enjoyable for everyone.”

<><><>

“I’m being perfectly fucking civil,” Tony spat.

He had been anything but civil since the group of you had come into the meeting room. You had arrived there first, waiting for the other people to arrive. Tony had mumbled something about having to be in charge and be an example as he pulled you down at the table next to him.

Natasha snorted and he shot her an annoyed look. “Tony, I would call this whole attitude you’re having anything but civil.”

Tony’s attention was on you, and he said strained, “Y/N, dear. Can you be a doll and make me another drink?” You nodded, standing up and grabbing his glass. His hand traced your thigh as you walked away, squeezing as it was about to drop away. You went to the counter quickly where there was the bottle he had brought.

When you sat back down, he took the glass from you and kissed you on the nose. “I love you, baby.”

“I love you,” you said back. It was a lie. But you passed it off with as much sincerity as you could muster, and it seemed to pay off. You hated him. You hated what he had done and how he kept you under his thumb.

He gripped your chin, giving you a little shake with an amused smirk.

“Glad you’ve got some type of deterrent from completely snapping during this meeting, Tony,” Barnes muttered unamused from the side of the table.

“Y/N has seen me completely snap, Barnes. So, she’s not here to stop it. She’s here to help me find my humanity afterward. How could I not be drawn in by her to ground me again?” Tony retorted. You bit your cheeks and he chucked you underneath your chin, taking a deep drink. “You’re always going to be my favorite, sweetheart. My favorite toy.”

His appreciation was cut short as the door opened and men started filing in. But his grip only tightened around your waist, yanking you closer to him.

Carol exhaled her smoke, staring across the table at the men. They actually looked afraid of her.

“You had to bring the weapon of mass destruction?” one of the men joked darkly.

“What kind of party would it be without me, Fredrick?’ Carol asked.

The man – Fredrick – shook his head and he looked back at Tony. “So, right to business. Our shipment went through to you. So I’m not sure why this meeting is being called?”

Tony took another long swig and he pushed you away from him on the bench you were sitting on. You frowned deeply but Steve grabbed your arm, pulling you off the bench, completely away from Tony. You stared up at him in confusion.

“Oh, we both know why this meeting was called,” Tony said in a dangerously calm voice.

“Care to enlighten me?”

Fredrick was trying to keep his voice calm, but you could detect the nervousness.

Tony’s hand flew under the table, unholstering a gun. Guns were pointed at the two men Fredrick had brought with him and you froze to the spot, terrified. Carol was the most steady, looking happy to be pointing the gun.

Seeing the worry on Fredrick’s face, Tony smirked. But he did not relent on his aim. “Now, I know I got screwed on that last shipment. There were two kilos missing. And that is a lot to be missing considering I fucking paid for it! And it’s not fucking cheap!”

He unloaded some bullets into the man. You yelped, covering you mouth as blood splattered the wall behind him as he fell out of his chair. Steve held you close, making sure you did not bolt.

Tony pointed his gun at the man standing directly behind Fredrick’s corpse, and he stiffened up even more seeing the gun pointed at him. “You. What’s your name?”

“F-Fernandez.”

“F-Fernandez,” Tony replied mockingly. “You work for him for a while?” The man nodded quickly. “Perfect. You’re in charge now. Now go back and tell your operation that they better find my two fucking missing kilos or I’m gonna put a bullet between your eyes next!”

“What the fuck are you still doing sitting there?” Carol demanded.

The men all scrambled up from their chairs and made a beeline out of the room. As soon as they were gone, and Tony lowered his gun, Steve let you go.

Tony took notice of you and smiled, “Oh, sweetheart. When they find that missing money, I’m going to put a down payment on a new car just for you.”

You forced a smile, making him think you were happy about the idea. Little did he know, you were already planning your escape.

<><><>

You left not only the keys to the new Tesla but also to the apartment on the kitchen counter.

Storming away from the kitchen, Tony went to your bedroom. He went right to the top left drawer of your dresser, where he knew you kept all your jewelry. He found it empty.

Tony slammed the drawer closed, laughing darkly to himself.

Little bitch had not forgotten all the jewelry he had bought her. Of course not. She was a spoiled little brat.

Furiously, he stormed across the hallway, ignoring the looks from Carol, Steve, and Rhodes down the hallway by the kitchen. He went into the bathroom and slammed the door closed. He needed to go to the bathroom.

Just go to the bathroom and relax just a little.

Releasing himself from his slacks, he sighed in contentment as he began to go to the bathroom.

As he finished though, he opened his eyes and caught sight of something.

He spotted the positive pregnancy test on top of the trash.

~~~

Song list to set the mood for me while writing:

Mad -- PRINCESSBRI Bitch -- Allie X

Marvel tags: @coconutqueen21 @undecidedsworld @holl2712 @agustdowney  @biiskuitx @buttercupfangirl

[wagner-fell]

Spiders Are Ugly And Other Lies Capitalism Has Told Us (part one)

“Dad,” Astrid called out, shutting the coral coloured front door behind her. “Are you home?”

She dumped her cream tote bag spray painted with the words ‘Washing Machine Heart’ in big, rainbow letters onto one of the stools facing the granite countertop. The rest of the Merry Hoes followed suit. It was weird seeing a person as chaotic as Astrid in such a calm environment.

They were all spending the summer in LA with Astrid and her Dad. It had taken a while for Kevin to convince his family it was a good idea. Especially because he and Blessica had finally put years of pinning behind them. Making out on Kit’s bed at Mina’s third birthday party certainly wasn’t the way they had envisioned it but as the longing was over with, they were happy.

The Chu’s didn’t love the idea of their son living in a different country for three months with his girlfriend but we’re on board once Kevin assured them there was no possible way Blessica could get pregnant.

Kit wasn’t officially sleeping at the Yang’s but at the Institute with his boyfriend. Julian wasn’t so thrilled about the situation but Emma was. She was positively ecstatic about having a training partner as skilled as Kit was, courtesy of Jem and Tessa. Though staying a thirty minute drive away (on the wrong side of the road, Mari noted) wouldn’t keep Kit away for long. Even now he was with them instead of having his own reunion make out session.

Speaking of making out…

Mari rested their chin on the top of Astrid’s head and wrapped their arms around her middle. “Why don’t you show us your room while we wait for your dad to get home.”

It was kinda perfect, Mari often remarked, that she realized her feelings for their best friend weren’t so platonic as she previously led herself to believe at the same time they and Kit realized they were better off as just platonic.

Astrid hit her hand playfully. “That’s not fair!” she whined! ”How dare you take advantage of my constant hornyness when my God-fearing Presbyterian father could be in the next room? Shame! Shame on you, shame on your family, shame on your cow.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s ‘dishonor’”, said Kit, who didn’t even look up from his phone when he addressed her, “but go off I guess.”

Astrid looked like she was questioning all her life choices up to this point. “A white boy knows Mulan better than me.” She shook her head in disgust. Mari could feel the loose hairs of her girlfriend’s ponytail ticking her exposed collar bone. “Mulan.”

Mari laughed before softly brushing their lips against Astrid mop of bleached strands of pastel yellow, pink and blue mixed magnificently with her natural inky black.

“Is hornyness even a word?” Kevin wondered aloud as he observed the knickknacks placed at even intervals utop the kitchen cabinets. Blessica was with him. She was gazing at one of a crab steering a ship when she spotted a slim piece of paper taped below it.

“Ast,” she called. The both looked in her direction, despite Blessica needing the attention of one. “Your dad says he won’t be home till seven. Emergency at work.”

“Which leaves us more than enough time to pack and head over to meet Ty, Dru and Thaìs at the arcade,” said Kit. He finally turned his phone off and shoved it into the back pocket of his ripped jeans. “Marstrid can do the ol’ devil’s tango then catch up to us.”

‘Marstrid’ wrinkled their noses. “I thought we agreed on Astari, Christopher.”

“Astari sounds gayer,” confirmed Kevin, his eyes never leaving the miniature decorations.

“Not to be rude but why does Astari sound gayer?” asked a visibly confused Blessica.

“Because,” answered Mari, unraveling herself from Astrid to slide onto one of the bar stools and reaching into the Jolly Rancher jar, blindly searching for a green, “Astari has ‘star’ in it. Star equals astrology. An obsession with astrology is the price you pay for the gay agenda. Besides, Marstrid sounds like an old southern lady.” Then she furrowed her eyebrows and swiveled to face Astrid. “Southern is Texas, right?” Astrid nooded, a smile so big the Cheshire Cat would be jealous.

Without looking, she stuck her hand in the jar and pulled out a green apple flavoured hard candy on her first try. She held it out to Mari, who snatched it out of her hand with an angry huff.

“Hey, Ast, where do you guys keep the crisps?” asked Kevin when he finished inspecting all the knickknacks.

“Uh, under the barbecue sauce, I think.”

Kit’s eyes lit up. “So I’m sitting there”- Astrid understood what was happening in just enough time to quote- “barbecue sauce on my titties” in unison.

Mari put her head into their open palms, still sucking on the pity candy. “Why is this my type?”

“Are you sure this is the right place?” asked Blessica as Kit attempted to parallel park outside the location Ty had texted him to meet at. Key word, attempt. When Tessa had taught him to drive, he’d been such a disaster at parallel parking she had instructed him to ‘take the underground when tight spaces might be a possibility.’ Which he prided himself in doing. But this was America and the underground was called the subway, so, technically, no rules were being broken.

“Yes, Blessie, I’m certain.”

“Okay. Just checking cause a few turns back the GPS said-”

“Blessie!” He nearly crashed into the car in front of him.

“Right. Shutting up.”

When Kit managed to park with minimal damage and the three were about to exit, the voice of Nicki Minaj boomed from his pocket. Ty was calling him. He accepted the call, putting it on speaker.

“Hello Tiberius.” There was giggling from the other end of the line. A groan soon followed it.

“It’s been a year,” came the annoyed voice of Dru. “Get over your British kink already.” Kevin’s laughter echoed from the backseat.

“Hey Ty!

“Hi Kevin.”

”Hey Dru!”

“Fuck off.”

“Ouch. Why do you feel the need to hurt me so?” Blessica laughed.

“Hey…Thaìs?”

“Here,” replied Thaìs cheerfully.

“Are you here yet,” asked Ty.

“Uh, yeah! We were just getting out of the rental car when you called. You didn’t tell me it was going to be crowded. I had to parallel park!”

“What are you talking about?” interrupted Dru. ”There are only four cars in the parking lot.”

“But,” Ty countered, “there are lots of Billy’s Fun Zones’ around here. You guys must have got mixed up and taken a wrong turn. I could have sworn I sent you the correct location on GPS.” Maybe Ty said more on the subject but Kit could hear anything or see anything except the superior smirk Blessica was giving him.

He covered the speaker. “Not. A. Word.” And no word came out of her mouth the entire ride to the correct Billy’s Fun Zone but the ‘I told you so’ look on her face spoke loud enough.

Kit slid back into the booth next to Ty, handing him his pretzel. Ty kissed him on the check in gratitude.

Dru and Ty were right. About this one being empty. He told him he had heard about it from Alyssa. Her pack frequented it often. They were left alone because, well, there was no one else there to bother them.

“Where are Astrid and Mari?” he asked.

“Fucking. I think. Or maybe just making out. I’ll know which one when they finish.” When Ty gave him a puzzled look he continued, “Astrid describes it all to me in full detail. I honestly don’t know whether she doesn’t have a filter or she just needs someone to scream to about how amazing Mari is.”

“Why can’t it be both?”

“True, true.”

They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Ty picked up the conversation again. “When Thaìs first met Astrid, she had a huge crush on her. They got along great. I always thought they would end up together. Or hook up at the very least.”

“Huh, that’s funny,” observed Kit.

“What is?”

“When me and Mari split, I was planning on trying to set them up with Thaìs. But then I caught her ans Astrid making out in a storage closet at school. Which, in hindsight, was pretty stupid cause they were in there so I wouldn’t be sad Mari moved on when I opened the door in the first place avoiding her to call you.”

“Hmmmm.”

The gears in Ty’s head were visibly turning. Kit loved watching this process. An idea was forming in his boyfriend’s genius mind, he could sense it.

“What is their stance on monogamy?” he asked finally.

“Um, fuck, hold on. Mari sent me this whole speech about it.” Kit scrolled through his phone at a rapid rate before he saw what he was looking for. He cleared his throat and began reading aloud.

Mari_da_bisexual_whore, sent 1:52 AM: monogamy is just another lie capitalism has fed us

Mari_da_bisexual_whore, sent 1:55 AM: like, for example, the notion that house spiders are ugly and to be feared

Mari_da_bisexual_whore, sent 1:56 AM: it’s just to sell bug spray

Mari_da_bisexual_whore, sent 1:56 AM: same with monogamy

Mari_da_bisexual_whore, sent 1:56 AM: pointless!!!

Mari_da_bisexual_whore, sent 1:58 AM: in conclusion, if I want to join a polyam cult, who tf is the government to stop me?

Kev-Kev, sent 2:01 AM: mari please go to sleep

Bless-ing_to_the_world, sent 2:04 AM: ^^^^^^^^^^^

Mitski_my_love, sent 2:05 AM: preach!

Mitski_my_love, sent 2:05 AM: go off queen

By the time Kit was finished with his dramatic reading, Ty’s plan was fully formed.

“That settles it! We are going to play matchmakers!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alyssa, Ty’s friend mentioned is @thechangeling OC, not mine.

@the-blackdale @the-wckd-powers @adoravel-fenomeno @thomas-gaypanic-lightwood @illusions-give-reasons-to-live @ithurielkeepsgettingkidnapped @im-not-ruined-im-ruination @sofiatheskeleton @cncnbr @its-taff @noah-herondale-lightwood @maxboythedog @arangiajoan @shelvesofgold @book-dragon-not-worm sorry if I missed anyone LMK if you want to be added or removed from The tag List!!

[razrbladekiss]

Tyrants | Chapter Four - Peril

WORD COUNT: 5.1k

WARNINGS: Mentions of death, drug use, Tig being Tig. The usual SOA shit. Sorry Donna..

She always saw the beauty in darkness. The lugubrious belle that came alongside the moon and stars and whatever else lurked amidst the murk of nighttime.

Isla was cliche in that sense.

She was cliche in the sense that she adored watching the sun set, swallowed by the mountains and high-rise buildings as the evening fell and Charming was painted black.

And maybe it was mostly melancholic because of the horrors that swathed that small town, but it was still beautiful nonetheless.

She still liked to bask in the scenery, to discern the marvel of her home, from the highest point she could access. And, sometimes, she liked to take somebody along with her so she wasn't completely alone.

"Why'd you still come up here?" Ope asked, pulling himself onto the roof as she sat with her back to the wall--puffing on a cigarette.

"Because it's quiet." She was content, comfortable with her response. "And whenever I'm looking for Jax, or Gem, or my dad--or they're looking for me--this is where we're almost always found. Just people watching, or reminiscing, or having a few minutes to ourselves away from the chaos downstairs."

It wasn't an unknown safe space--Gemma had told her that JT and Clay would climb up there during the earliest days of the club--but it was special.

Jax, Opie, and Isla spent time up there as kids, too. Because they were bastards and were always running from their fathers--and den mother--and the roof of the clubhouse was their go-to.

She never really got out of that habit. She'd spend hours up there if she could, just watching as Charming bustled beneath her. And she liked that it was separate to the garage, but everyone knew where to find her if they needed her.

"It clears your head, being up here." She added. "I have got so much shit going on right now--between work, and my personal life--but coming up here is like a refreshment, I guess."

Opie understood what she meant because he was also seeking comfort in the night. Riding through dusk, spending time alone on his bike as he cruised the streets of his quaint town, relishing in the darkness because it was strangely comforting to him.

He liked to be alone. His thoughts were brutal and they seared his brain left and fucking right, but he liked his own company.

"Wish I thought about comin' up here when I was released from holding." The man chuckled, balancing a cigarette between his lips. "Stahl grilled the fuck outta me."

"She did?"

"Yeah. She really fuckin' did." He added, grunting as smoke blew from his nostrils. "Did she get you? I know she got Gemma."

"Nope, she didn't. I don't know why, though. She interrogated everyone else. Starting to feel a little left out."

Opie chuckled, smiling a bit. "Be glad. It's obvious that she's used to getting what she wants."

"And did you give it to her?"

"Fuck no." Isla smiled. Proud. "She can cross-examine me all she fuckin' wants—I'll never sell the club out."

"They know that, Ope."

"I know." Half confidently, he nodded. "Just—Stahl made me second guess it all, y'know?"

Nobody in Charming--aside from the PD--knew where that despicable bitch came from, and nobody cared to ask.

What they did know, though, was that she had her heart set on making that town a living fucking hell as she strived to eradicate the Sons of Anarchy by getting to its members.

She'd grilled everyone she could've. She cornered Gemma when she was out running errands, leaving the grocery store with a sour taste in her mouth when Teller told her where to fucking shove it.

Same went for Jax, and Clay, and Chibs, and Tig, and...Well, all of them told her to get fucked, actually.

None of them caved. None of them wanted to sell the club out because there was no reason to.

Well, there was a reason to, but no desire to.

There'd been murders. Three, to be specific. And one of them just happened to be a police officer--which was quite unlucky, but it wasn't awful.

They hated cops.

What they hated more, however, was the idea of getting caught by them. And Clay was. Somehow, anyway.

Piney's old "friend"--Nate Meineke--needed quality, albeit illegal, guns with no traceability to attack the convoy that was transporting one of his friends from point A to point B. And it went as swimmingly as possible...

Until June Stahl was put on the case and found that idiot's phone at the scene after dropping it mid-ambush.

Clay just happened to be the last person he had called. Which then caused the investigation to point toward Charming.

They all knew the Sons were guilty of supplying those weapons. Who else would it have been? They were known for running illegal firearms without batch numbers from a quaint Californian town whose name didn't quite fit its image.

It was blatant, though nobody gave it up.

But Stahl tried her damndest to get answers. And when she didn't, she targeted the member that she saw to be the most vulnerable--after a hit went wrong and he failed to cover his tracks--and Opie just happened to be that guy.

She questioned him for hours. She practically held the man captive in that little cell until he caved. But he didn't--and he wasn't going to, either.

He was loyal. That's one of the reasons why Jax wanted to patch him back in.

"Yeah, I know." Isla got to her feet when she heard Tig yelling for her downstairs. "But you're the strongest guy I know, Ope. I don't think Stahl, of all people, is gonna get to you."

He shrugged her off, flicking the butt of his cigarette to the gravelly ground of the roof.

Opie had changed. Not much, and it wasn't very apparent, but he'd changed. Chino had changed him, she thought.

He was still dedicated to his club, still in love with the reaper and the responsibility that came with the patch--but Opie Winston lacked that flicker of enthusiasm now.

"How does your dad feel about you being back at the table?"

"Said he's proud of me."

He was a man of very, very few words. But the tone that he took--the sheer relief twined into contentment--spoke a greater volume.

Piney would always support his son, feel a sense of gratification from his involvement in the club. And, of course, Ope felt grateful to be back--but it was different now.

He'd served time for his club. Donna consistently argued that they sold him out and that he was fucking stupid for running back into the arms of SAMCRO.

But it was his brotherhood. The Sons of Anarchy were his family--his lifeline. He was nothing if not blessed to be patched back in.

"And I guess that wife of yours isn't too happy about it?"

"How'd you reach that conclusion?"

"Well," she ignored that Tig was waiting for her, standing directly in front of him. "If she was genuinely thrilled about you being back here, she'd have been coming to Gemma's dinners, and spending more time at the clubhouse with us. But she isn't, and I'm starting to realize that she probably hates me now."

His head shook. "She doesn't hate you. It's just...It's just raw. Weird being back, I think."

"She didn't even have to leave. She knows that."

Donna did know that. But there was always something about Gemma. About the way she let things slide so often, how she felt that she had Clay so pussy whipped that he'd be at her every beck and call--but, really, that was redundant. Because Gemma let him get away with fucking murder.

Literally.

"Is she gonna be there tonight?

"Of course. She wouldn't miss Jax's son coming home." He got up, reaching for her hands. "Sorry that she's been so distant with you, Isla. But she's just been stressed out--money worries and the kids and stuff, y'know?"

"Yeah, I know."

Donna wasn't traditionally a worrier. But five years worth of finances, being a single mom, and fretting over her husband potentially not making it out of prison alive, just did that to a woman.

"Anything I can do to help?"

"I don't think so." Grateful for her offering, though recognizing how damn stubborn his wife was, he conceded. "Thanks, though."

"Anytime. And if you change your mind, or need me, you know where I am--"

"Isla!"

"He is getting on my last fucking nerve today." She groaned, flipping Tig off as she looked over the ledge. "I'm coming! Give me a minute!"

"I've given you plenty of minutes! Just get your ass down here!"

"Just go," Ope chuckled, leaning down to peck her cheek. "We can have this talk another time."

Isla turned back to him, frowning. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Go 'n talk to him--I'll see you tonight."

He was such a nice guy. So considerate, kind.

She loved him a lot.

The flouncy sundress rose to the middle of her thighs as she sauntered through the clubhouse, hearing Trager talking--rather conspicuously, though slightly muffled--to somebody on his cell.

"C'mon, Tiggy. Why'd you yell at me?"

He waved his hand to shut her up, gesturing for the blonde to follow him out of the clubhouse and toward his bike.

"Yeah, cool. K, brother--see 'ya later. Bye." He hung up and slid the phone into the pocket of his cut, swiveling to face Isla with a smile. "You ready?"

"For what?"

"The party?" Tig told her, watching confusion sweep over her face. "I'm taking you over 'cuz you want a drink and don't wanna drive home after? And that you're probably gonna end up heading home with Juice, or something--"

"Juice?"

"It always happens," he shrugged, pointing at the helmet he set out for her at the back of his bike. "We all head out, you get too drunk, you take a liking to Juicy, and you try to ride his dick."

"What?" Isla got herself situated behind him as he got on first, her arms wound around his waist. "That was one time. I've only slept with him once, and I told you it'd never happen again."

"And why is that?"

Her cheeks flushed red, the engine revving sending vibrations through her entire frame.

"Because he was too gentle." Tig's foot collided with the kickstand.

"And the little Catholic girl likes it rough."

She felt the solid gold crucifix burning a hole into her chest.

"Yes. I like it rough." He groaned, leaning into her. She swatted at his chest over his shoulder, laughing heartily. "Just take me to see the baby, dickhead."

The bike sped out of the lot and Isla was loving the thrill of being on two wheels. She'd always liked being stuck to the back of somebody's Harley--but she'd never own one herself.

Isla was like Gemma. She felt stable enough riding with somebody, but riding alone--being in control of the motorcycle--was fucking terrifying.

Jax and Opie had encouraged her to take a ride at one point, but it didn't end very well, and Chibs spent the best part of two hours trying to stitch his daughter back up whilst Gemma castigated the two imbeciles who thought it was even reminiscent of a good idea.

Weaving through traffic gracefully, freely, was appealing to her, however. But she wouldn't be caught dead--alone--on a fucking bike.

Plus, she quite enjoyed being taken places. Escorted by a member of the club. It was safe.

The wind whirred and whipped around them, and she wished she didn't make the effort with her hair tonight. It was ruined, tousled to within an inch of its life, and she dreaded the thought of having to brush the knots out in Jax's bathroom.

Still, commuting via Harley was a hell of a lot quicker and had a few more benefits than commuting via car.

But the looks that they got were piercing. Horrible. Mainly from Hale stationed beside his squad car, watching as Isla and Tig raced down the freeway.

"He likes you." He spoke over the roaring engine when he hit the first stop light all night. "He hates that you've never given him a chance--"

"He's a cop, and I'm the outlaw's daughter. I've been raised to hate his kind."

Tig nodded his approval, setting off once again when the light switched to green and all opposing traffic stood still.

At one strange point in time, David Hale had his sights set on Isla Telford. He was in love with her. Completely besotted.

And she never gave him a second glance because, for one, she wasn't interested. He hated that she was so close to Jax and Opie, but not him, and he wished that she'd push herself away from the bad guys to grow closer to the heroic law-enforcer.

But he was a control freak above everything else, and Isla was just a free-spirit. She was loyal to her friends and family but she didn't want to get tied down, and she didn't want to become friendly with a fucking cop.

The only cop she liked was crooked. And Unser was in a similar spot to her--a little too affiliated with SAMCRO, but not completely doted on. Though, they were both strangely essential fixtures, and Clay would've been lost without them.

"Juice is here." Tig taunted as he helped her off the bike, holding her hand when she stumbled over herself a little. "Try to keep those panties on."

"Can't make any promises, Tiger." Her growl was seductive, though he knew that she was fucking with him.

She'd given up rebuking his claims, instead feeding into them because, with Trager, she couldn't seem to win. He was sleazy, and she loved that back and forth.

What she loved more, though, was that he was comfortable. He was a strange man, and nobody really understood just where he came from, but Isla liked that she could make jokes of any kind around him. He was easy to get along with. Easy to love.

And, man, did she love Alex Trager.

"If you do fuck him, though, would you make a video?"

Isla stepped into Jax's front room, turning on her heels. "Who said that we haven't already got one?"

She chuckled and wandered into the party, leaving Tig with a few convoluted thoughts and even more raunchy questions.

"Fuck. Gemma taught her well." He grumbled under his breath, reaching for the beer in Half-Sack's hand.

He slumped on the couch, motioning for his usual lay to sit in his lap as he watched Juice fawn over his little blonde friend making conversation with some other random woman already.

"Yeah, totally..." she agreed with whatever the girl was saying, but her eyes were glued on Tara. Just floating around the party.

She felt bad that the doctor was alone. Despite all that she thought of her, being out of ones depth in such an intimidating setting wasn't very nice. And Isla was an empath.

"D'ya think anyone 'round here has any nail glue?"

"Gemma might." She smiled, pointing toward the kitchen.

Grateful that she managed to shake that one off, Isla weaved through the small conclave and sat beside Tara, offering a friendly face during a time of such discomfiture.

Her heart was aching, the sheer nervousness was palpable, and she knew that Tara felt the same way too.

But Isla just sucked it up. Because she wanted to talk to her, and had to be the one to initiate it.

"Thanks for coming." Her smile was wide, genuine.

She offered a beer to the brunette, hoping that she'd take it.

"Thanks for asking me here." Tara accepted it, glad that Isla remembered she wasn't particularly a wine girl like herself.

Christ. This is awkward.

"Trust me, you were the first person I asked to come tonight."

"How so?"

"Well," a little bit more comfortably, she faced her completely, "you've literally nursed Abel back to health. You've been there every step of the way. You've been the best surgeon. And, as much as I hate to say it, you helped Wendy so much, Tara. I'm really thankful for all that you've done for this family."

"It's my job." She tried to brush the comments off, but her heart definitely fluttered at the praise.

Isla never changed. She was still the sweetest soul, she thought.

"I know, but you've had it rough with this lot--with Gemma, I mean."

"She isn't anything I can't handle." Confidently, she asserted.

"I know, and I'm glad that you're able to stand your ground." Reluctant, a hand landed against Tara's palm.

She jolted a little bit, but softened into the embrace.

It was comfy, warm. Prosperous, perhaps, because it meant something. Tara not jerking away and leaving once Isla offered a friendly embrace, was promising.

They spoke about the baby for a little while, and shared a few laughs at Tig's expense. It was strange, really. To be talking to her ex-best friend was strange, but she'd missed it.

Donna joined the mix, too, and it was starting to feel like old times. Isla recognized that they'd never slip back into that routine, the dedication to one another that they'd known when they were kids--but it was nice.

The conversation stuttered and it wasn't able to flow as freely as what she might've liked, but it was a start.

To know that she had something resembling an acquaintanceship with two women she admired, was nice.

And Jax introducing his baby to his brand new home, to his extended family that were already so fucking dedicated to him, was just the most wonderful thing ever.

"What about a beer?" Clay joked, holding the bottle close to Abel. Jax laughed, though he shook his hand away. "What? Grandpa can't give him his first beer?"

"No, he can't."

"I'll take it, though. If you're offerin'." Chibs grabbed the Budweiser and twisted the cap with the leather grip of his glove.

He gestured to Isla, tipping it toward her. "Want some?"

"No, you're alright." She went back to her wine, smiling at that little bundle of happiness in Jax's arms, wondering how the hell he'd gotten to be in this position now.

But it was because of Tara. Her commitment, her talent, and sheer want to help that angel through the roughest patch that a baby could have possibly been thrust into.

How Gemma could still loathe that girl--after everything she did--was beyond her completely.

Tara was the unlikeliest hero in Abel's story.

"Why is it that every time I see you, your highlights get more chunky?" Gemma smiled at the comment, turning to see her favorite girl, flaunting the most beautiful smile.

She handed Isla the bottle of whatever wine Chibs could get this evening, unable to quit beaming at the thought of her grandson finally being at home. Where he belonged.

"I told you I'd do them for you, Gem."

"I know," she nodded, playing with a few strands of hair, "I was gonna ask you, but you've been a little distant this week--didn't wanna add to your workload, baby."

"That's super considerate of you. Are you alright?" Isla teased, holding a hand to Gemma's forehead.

She slapped it away with a laugh. "Fuck you. I'm always considerate."

"Sure you are. That's why Wendy is here, right?"

"No," her head shook, "she's here 'cuz this is her house. If I had it my way, she'd be out on her ass faster than what you could even say 'crank whore.'"

Isla wiped at her lips with the back of her hand, tipping her head toward the blonde in the living room.

"I thought you made sure she was gonna be here tonight?" Confused, she quizzed.

She was under the impression that Wendy was starting to grow on her. After she'd tried to kill her, of course.

"I did," Gem confirmed. "But only because I knew it'd be awkward between her and Tara."

Amazed, or maybe fucking horrified, Isla simply glared at her.

It should've been obvious to her--plain as day--that Gemma Teller doing a good thing was simply a bullshit facade, built in order to take away from the fact she wanted to do an inherently bad thing.

But Isla liked to see the good in people, so it wasn't. And that really was one of her mot fatal flaws.

"She thanked me for letting her stay, too."

"And what'd you say to her?" Almost as if she didn't want to know the answer, she asked.

Black nails danced along the rim of her wine glass as she leaned against the counter, watching everybody enjoy themselves as they bitched and moaned.

"That she's lucky to be alive."

"Jesus, Gem," her head shook disparagingly, disappointed perhaps.

But being surprised that the woman made a threatening comment toward Wendy, was just as stupid as being surprised at Tig for fucking another hooker during his free time.

"You've gotta keep her close, ma. She's the mother of your grandson, the woman your son did love at one point."

Ma. The word rolled off her tongue unintentionally most of the time, but she didn't hate it.

Gemma was the mother figure in her life--hell, she was the mother figure in a few of the Sons' lives--and it didn't feel weird using that around her. It was affectionate. She adored it.

"Jax never loved her," matter of fact, she retorted. "They got drunk together. They smoked dope together. They didn't love one another--"

"They got married." Isla reminded her. "They have a kid together. They have a lot of history."

"Just because they have history, doesn't mean they love one another. You've got history with him."

Her chuckle was throaty, almost a full-on splutter. "We have not got that same history--we're friends, Gem, you know that's different."

She supposed the blonde was right.

There was hell of a contrast between friends for life and friends with benefits--and Gemma knew that. She just didn't like that Jax gravitated toward Wendy when he'd always had Isla right there in front of him.

Though, she was more than aware that the pair didn't look at each other that way--she still lauded the thought of the two together.

"I still hate her."

"I know," Isla laughed at Gemma's irritability, sipping on her wine, enjoying the sight of everybody having a damn good time.

"She's checking into rehab, too."

"Really? Where?"

"Some place in Oakland, I think." Gemma added, smiling at Clay when he wandered over to the pair. "But you didn't hear that from me."

"You think she's gonna stick to it?"

"Couldn't tell 'ya." He answered for his wife, leaning in to press a chaste kiss to Isla's cheek. "She's determined though, I'll give her that."

"Yeah?" His nod was optimistic--strange for Clay Morrow. "Well, I'm glad she's working on herself, anyway. She's got potential."

"You hate her."

"I know." She didn't refute the assertion. "But I'm still happy for her."

At least somebody is.

She wasn't lying. Wendy was a good girl, a woman tortured for no good reason. And she felt for her, she really did.

It'd been a shock, finding out that she was pregnant. But it wasn't like they weren't expecting it--what with the rate she and Jax were going at it.

From the start, Isla and Gemma were worried. She was notorious for her crank habit and the girls thought she was going to kill herself before she had the chance to see her son into the world.

And that almost happened, didn't it?

The doctors at St. Thomas were fucking miracle workers--Isla was on pins and needles waiting for a call to say that Wendy and Abel were okay.

But she tried not to dwell on that, now. They were both as healthy and Abel was as happy as he could've been, so Isla was content. She wasn't pleased, but she was comfortable with the way that things were going.

Tara, however.

"No!" She yelled, backing out of the nursery. "No, fuck you, Jax."

Juice stumbled backward when she nudged him out of the way, pulling her purse from the kitchen counter.

Isla and Gemma couldn't not stare.

"Tara, c'mon!" Jax called after her, but it was too late.

The front door had been slammed shut and the party came to a complete standstill. A thickening tension was shrouding the group, and things were only just starting to simmer.

"What was that all about?" The blonde asked Juice, leaning against the island.

She didn't want to prove Tig to be right but, after a few glasses of wine, Juan Carlos Ortiz was starting to pique her interests.

He swallowed thickly, watching Clay leave the room. "He said something about Wendy--wanting to keep whatever it is that he and Tara have going on the down low so it doesn't set her off, or something."

Makes sense.

"He has a point. She's doing really well lately." He continued. "Jax would hate to stunt her progress by shoving his relationship with Tara in her face."

Isla was rattled.

Jax hadn't talked to her in days, and she wasn't aware that so much had changed. She wasn't aware that he had established a relationship with Tara Knowles.

Again.

You know what they're like--like two fucking magnets or something. They always find a way back to one another.

She was too irritated to reside in that same room as Gemma, now. Knowing the conversation she'd initiate the second that Juice left was too fucking much. So she left first, instead.

The living room was almost empty. Just Clay, Bobby, Tig, and Chibs sat around the couches as Donna, the kids, and Ope were preparing to set off.

Everything was annoying her, now. She hadn't made the effort with Donna all night, but she was pissed that she hadn't started to say goodbye to her yet.

Isla was so fucking irritated that she didn't even want to talk to Tig, or her father. So she didn't.

"Where're you going, petal?" Chibs asked, hindering her plan to keep her mouth shut for the rest of the night. He knew that she'd crack a smile at the nickname.

"I was just wandering. Not really sure what to do with myself."

"Come sit down," he gestured to the space between himself and Tig, and wound an arm around her when she met the leather. "I've missed 'ya."

"Tonight? Or just in general."

"In general. It's been a few days, love."

"I know, I'm sorry." Her head rested against his Sgt. At Arms patch, and she sighed. "Work has been so fucking busy and I feel like I haven't gotten a moment to myself this week."

Isla only worked a part-time gig at some shitty salon just on the outskirts of Charming--edging into Stockton--but she hated her job.

She hated driving into the city every morning and evening, wasting a fuck ton of her paycheck on gas when, really, there was no point.

She hated her cunt boss.

Hated her cunt clients.

She hated that nobody really spoke to her because of who her father was. And when they did speak to her, it was almost like they were scared. Of Isla.

Gemma had always promised her that there was a space at the auto shop for her had she needed it, but she couldn't think of anything worse than having to answer to Gemma and Clay every single day.

Well, more than what she already was, anyway.

"Who'd 'a thought that being a hairdresser was so demanding?"

"Me, apparently." She joked, watching Tig get up and leave the room.

It'd turned somber. A little too bleak for her liking, but she guessed that everyone felt a bit awkward after Tara stamped out and Jax sat on his porch. Alone. With a bottle of whiskey.

She hated the hold that woman had over him sometimes. The way he was so fucking devoted to Tara Knowles that she could literally slap him, scream in his face, and ruin his son's homecoming party--and he would still pine for her.

She'd never understand that.

And she didn't understand how such a lively bunch of individuals had mellowed out over the course of two hours, either.

The party had disappeared. Dissipated into nothing and the atmosphere she once lauded was completely dead in the water.

It was fucking grim, and she couldn't wait to head home.

"Can I come with you tonight?"

"Why'd you even ask? Y'know you're welcome to come home with your old man whenever you want." Chibs told her a little bit stern, though it was essentially full of love.

She just smiled up at him, a bit buzzed. But she was having a good-ish time and who was he to chastise her for drinking a little too much tonight?

"Wanna head off now?"

"Yeah--lemme just say 'bye' to Gemma."

"Alright, I'll be out front. Don't forget your purse." He reminded, knowing she was too ditsy for her own good.

Chibs helped her to her feet, letting go of her hand only to part ways for a few moments.

Her mood was perking up, now. The prospect of being able to spend a few hours with her dad after a long fucking day, was just the best.

And she'd really missed him. Missed the time they once had an abundance of. Missed the evenings that they'd spend talking, drinking, watching movies, doing the generic father daughter activities.

They hadn't had that for a while, and it was truly a blessing that it was within reach tonight.

Well. It was within reach for all of five minutes.

"Oh my God--" Gemma's cell slipped from between black nails and bounced across the table. Saturated hues were locked on Isla, and her head shook.

"What?"

"There's--there's been an accident." She managed to muster out. "Or, maybe a drive-by, I don't know, but Donna--"

"Donna?" Piney's attention was snatched at the mention of his daughter-in-law. He stood up. "What about her?"

Isla knew the answer. She knew what Gemma was going to say because it was just the usual now, wasn't it?

Being affiliated with SAMCRO just did that to somebody. Man, woman, child. They didn't fucking care.

"She's--Piney, she's dead."

[queenoftheworldisdead]

Blood of the King

Chapter 1

⚠️Warning: Talks of abortion, violence⚠️

Note: This is my second attempt at a Royal AU series. Inspired by Roo’s work. Don’t want to tag her to my garbage LOL... Not the best here at world building, but like i think i’m getting better each time. Any critiques are WELCOME.

Summery: Loki has a plan to be King.

Dark Loki x Black Reader, Royal AU

Chapter 1, Chapter 2

Today the palace was a buzz with festivities. His royal highness Stark decided on a whim to throw a celebration yet again. The occasion you couldn't recall as he had thrown so many just this month.

*Boom

The commotion outside was loud and eventful. King Stark's lavish party had no doubt gone out of control again. You remembered one evening the royal court drunkenly shot cannons into the royal shire using the sheep and cattle as targets. Scaring half the Kingdom into thinking it had come under siege.

Though something seemed very different then the sounds that you were accustom to.

*Boom

There was a faint whistle in the distance and crashing sounds. Suddenly the chamber shook and the walls rattled. Crumbs of ceiling splintered and bits trickled down leaving dust to coat the hall.

You were on your way back to the chamber with fresh sheets and   a canter of fresh water when you heard  struggling. The muffled cries of your mother bellowed out through the cracked door.

Peering in you see two men, one holding her in a choke hold while the other stood in front blocking your view and watched. Their armor unfamiliar to you, you watch them frozen in horror.

----

Your mother let out a loud shriek followed by a gurgling that decreased in volume the longer it went on. The man blocking your view stepped back that's when you saw it. Your mother's body hit the floor with a thud, her throat sliced open blood pooling on the floor around them all.

"Where is the younger one? There should've been two"

"We need her alive" the other said as he sheathed his blade.

Dropping everything a loud clanging drew their attention, turning away you ran down the corridor.

Immediately you were met with another body. Crashing into it, his arms secured you in place as you shrieked and screamed. In your frenzy you looked at him and to your relief when you saw Barron Obadiah, an alley to the crown.

"M-men your lordship...S-strange men have killed m-my m-mother" you sob out.

---

"Shit that bastard! Come with me." Obadiah ordered, wrenching your arm he dragged you through the hall. His touch pained your forearm, but it was a pain you would great-fully bare to escape those men.

There was a frenzy of servants running up and down the halls. Screams and the strong stench of smoke enveloped in every direction. You looked to him for answers when he stopped to survey a corner hall, but he said nothing then tread onward.

You were scared. The castle rocked and shivered. He marched you down the hall. Mail clinked and clacked from all around along with the familiar smell of copper. Known to you to be most definitely blood.

Was the kingdom was truly under siege?

*Boom

An explosion raddled the walls with such force that Obadiah almost fell to the floor taking you with him. Luckily he caught himself on a wall and hurried through the crumbling castle.

You could feel the birth of a bruise under the stead fast grip of Barron Obadiah. The pain mixed with the clouded air irritated your eyes and filled you will nausea and dizziness.

"You brainless cow hurry!" he barked at you.

He sprinted and turned down so many hallways you found yourself lost despite your tenure. Obadiah suddenly stopped short of a door, opening it thrusting you inside. Latching it closed behind himself. The room was spars, nothing but a table and map tapestries. The far wall held a Stark banner. He made his way to it moving the banner aside revealing a door. He passed through first and you followed after. The dimly lit passage whined down in a spiral pattern. 

There was a dim light that grew the closer down you went. You huffed and panted with every step and he cursed your sluggishness. The ruckus could only faintly be heard the further down you went. You were a sweaty mess by the time you reached the last rung of the stone steps.

The stairwell turned into a narrow hall. Awaiting at the end of it a meek fellow with a horse drawn two wheeled cart.

You looked at Obadiah confused as to what was to transpire here. He sprinted down the corridor so fast that you would have found it humorous if you weren't so scared and confused. He reached the  man and by the flailing of his arms you knew it could not be good.

Why was he yelling at this man? What was going on? Was he to ride in this meek two wheeled cart? Would he make you walk behind the it?

You could barely keep pace with him doubtful you could keep step with a mare. This whole thing was preposterous.

After the barrage of insults the man walked to the back of the cart and lifted the tarp. The cart was filled with barrels.

Obadiah called your name as he marched over to you.

"The castle is under siege we must hurry" he said flatly. There was no time for questions and even if you asked you doubt he would’ve answered.

"Keep your head down and follow close behind him. Do you understand." He barked as he loaded himself onto the cart.

Looking at him worried, you trembled as you shook 'Yes'. "As soon as you see the docks I want you to knock on this barrel." You watched as he pointed. The owner of the cart tossed the tarp over Obadiah once he seated himself. His broad frame mirroring one of the many barrels in the cart.

---

You were not royalty, but your clothes where of the royal brand. Even to the untrained eye you would surely be seen as a royal slave. Walking with this man would've been out of place. With the madness going on about the kingdom you only hoped that the invaders cared not for slaves.

The stranger said nothing, only leading his mare by its reigns. You lowered your head and followed behind him.

Quietly he marched past the markets and crumbled houses. The reign of Stark was coming to an end. There was fire and destruction everywhere. Blood painted the streets. Unfamiliar banners flew through the air.

The city was burning.

You kept your head down as the man lead his horse through town toward the gate. How the horse did not become skittish or fazed by the carnage was an amazement.

"AAAAAHHHHH" a man's screamed out. Your head sought to find its owner. Feet from you an unfamiliar soldier of Stark's lay as you cross the gates out of the Royal court. His throat slashed, convulsing on his own blood as he choked it up.

You trembled at the sight of it all. More horses with strange banners flew past. Wringing your hands in your chest you said a silent prayer for safe passage.

The kingdom did not reside too far from the docks. Eventually the smell of the salty sea mixed with the smokey air. When the docks finally where in your line of sight you knocked the barrels.

As you approached you could see a soldier posted up at the entry way to the docking ships.

"Oye cargo for the Laufeyson" the meek man announced.

The soldier was covered in armor, but it was not embroider with the logos you had seen about your kingdom. He grunted then side-stepped letting him pass.

The owner of the cart walked straight to a bridge leading up to a massive ship. Lifting the lid Obadiah exited. He handed the man a satchel and sent him on his way.

When you looked back at the horizon it looked as if the sun had set upon the town. The fire was so bright you were sure nothing could survive it.

"Do not dawdle" he grumbled. You kept your head low and followed him up the gangway.

---

As you two boarded the ship a crewman appeared on the deck. He called to Obadiah and beckoned him to follow. Leading you both through the ship, he stopped short of a massive open door.

Obadiah walked through with you following close behind. The crewman did not enter the room only retreating from which he came.

To the north of the room a wall made of windows, but with the  moon already high, it offered barely any light. A thick melting candle added to the illumination. It flickered slightly from the air that seeped through the walls.

The candle planted on a table in the middle of the room and sat at it a man unknown to you. His garb was unlike any you've seen before. His pulchritudinous had you almost breathless.

---

"Prince Loki! I see the sea hath treated you well."  Obadiah's voice boomed. At the mention of his title your eyes widen and you bow sharply, praying that he would not find insult in your insolence.

"Ah yes the Lord doth bless us with a safe passage. And howbeit your journey through this perilous night?" He spoke. The foreign intonation sent an unfamiliar heat within you.

"It was a trip taken sooner then expected" his annoyance shown through every word as he marched to the table.

"We agreed to wait did we not? So why pray tell do I find myself blind sided by your recklessness? I barely escaped with clothes on my back" he spat out.

Obadiah snarkiness didn’t go unnoticed. Through your lashes you caught the slightest tick of the Prince's eye.

If Barron Obadiah had been a servant surely he would have been laid out on the floor. Beaten within an inch of his life for such insolence. But he was so unaware of himself due to Stark’s own lax policies.

"I do apologize my brother is quite unalienable when it comes to war. His spontaneity is one of which I can not control. Your life should suffice for now surely." He quipped, but there was something to his tone that sent your nerves awry.

You could feel Obadiah control his ire a sight you were accustom to when he talked to King Stark.

"Let us partake in some wine and toast to officially solidify our alliance" The prince suggested. Barron Obadiah took his place at the wooden table across him.

The Barron had a hand in treason. Would you be fated to treason too?

"Maid do you forget your duties?" The prince called out to you.

You had forgot yourself, but how could you not. This was not your Prince, from what you knew this was not your king's ship. But you were being made to serve a traitor and the invaders royalty.

Looking about the room, wooden cabinets were built into the east walls. In your unfamiliar surroundings you prayed as you rushed to them, hoping to find something.

Opening the higher doors first you find chalices set atop a shelf and a decanter. Grabbing two and the wine you bring them over to the table you place them in front of the men. Shakily you pour in both cups to their fill and set back against the wall.

"To small victories" they rose their goblets and drank.

----

When he gulped down the wine Obadiah winced and shot up to his feet. Dropping his goblet to the floor, clawing at his neck as if to rip out the contents.

You looked at him in horror. Then your eyes sought Prince Loki for guidance, but his reaction was not what you expected. A smile was adorned on his face so pleased and joyous of the sight.

Baron Obadiah dropped to the ground foaming, spasming, puking and turning colors. Loki continued drinking his wine unfazed.

"You bastard!" Obadiah choked out as bile spilled from him.

You stepped back when Barron Obadiah's arm reached out to your skirt. His fingers barely missing the hem of your dress. The sight horrified you as he convulsed. When his gasping stopped you knew he was for the worms now.

Would whatever had bewitched him would possessed you too?

"Right" The Prince leered at you as you pressed yourself into the wall. You were normally slow, but this was quick to put together. It was his doing.

This must’ve been some test of loyalty to the crown you thought to yourself. Now because you escaped with Obadiah you would be seen as a traitor too. Even if you tried to explain your innocence, you doubted highly that the Prince would believe a slave.

Looking at the now dead Obadiah then to Prince Loki, you knew what was next. Death. Clasping your hands you fell to your knees, squeezing your eyes closed tight. You spoke your last rights to which ever god that would hear it. You were no fool. Begging would be pointless you rather speak to the gods to grant you safe passage to the next world.

"I do say dear that prayers like that would have you condemn as a heretic" he admonished as tears streamed down your face.

---

You could not hear him. You continued to pray.

Let it be swift. Let it not hurt. Forgiveness please I beg of thee.

Hoping against hope that this would wash away all your sins as tears burst through your tightened lids.

"It is said that Stark despite his rumored infidelity never had a whisper of a bastard." He recalled as he took a sip from his cup. The mention of a bastard broke through your prayers. A sudden sense of nausea bubbled up within you.

"Then... At my brothers wedding to your princess, our then queen, your king's lips became loose as the wine flowed through the night." As he spoke you looked up at him through your clasped hands. Your prayers lowered to a meager whisper so that you could hear him.

You swallowed deeply. You knew exactly what he was getting at. Your hands drop to your side and you quieted yourself. His steely eyes staring into your soul. He knew what you were and what you did.

Were you being brought to the high church? Why would a Prince be labored with such a task? Was the church the cause for the anarchy tonight?

To be brought before the high church meant death, that one should never wish upon any enemy. You had seen the burnings before, the screams of the unholy, the sounds of which would visited you at night. The way the writhed in agony as the flames lapped their flesh.

Looking over to the Barron's lifeless body the thought of his death seemed more humane. So you turn on your knees and jump to the spilled chalice. Before you knew it the Prince was on you.

Pinning you to the floor, your head bounced off the floor sending you into a daze, his hands engulfed your wrist. Looming over you his silken hair tickled your face, the tendrils brushing at your tears. Despite his overpowering your body strained and clawed for the spilled cup.

"Find yourself honored girl. I do not make a habit to lowering myself."

"Please your highness... I'm merely a simple chambermaid" you try and reason, still fighting his hold.

-----

He got up still with your wrist in hand and dragged you to Obadiah's empty chair. The more you pulled back the harder the grip he held on you. Pushing you down on it, he enclosed you, his hands resting on its arms forming your prison.

"Your highness I implore you I know not what you mean?" Your voice quaked. Your vision doubled as the salty tears pooled on your eyes.

His stare was paralyzing as he lifted to straighten himself, you could not bring yourself to move. Racking his fingers through his dark main, watching as he walked around the table, taking his seat again across from you.

"How did you come about this trade" his tone was flat an ominous, he cradled his chin with one hand, stroking it with his slender fingers.

Your shoulders sagged forward and stomach knotted. This Prince was here to interrogate you on behalf of the church you knew it.

Then he would take you to them to be burned. An example to be made in front of The High Church.

"I asked you a question girl." His tone lacking patients.

----

"My mother..." As he held your sullen gaze you knew he wanted you to continue. "The women of town would come to her pregnant and leave...." You swallowed thickly "virginal."

It was not a flawless procedure often women have bleed out. But they would be good as dead if they were to arrived home pregnant unmarried in the eyes of The Church.

"And how did you find yourself as a dutiful servant to Stark?"

"Lord Rhodery knew of my mother by means of his sister. She was carrying the king's bastard." You said looking down to tug at the loose string of your dress.

"A month later my mother and I were sent by cover of night to the Royal castle.  From there on Stark had us stay under the guise as chambermaids."

"Who knew of this?"

"Very few just King Stark, Barron Obadiah and Lord Rhodery. They would bring the maidens to an east tower. People rarely ventured there. Our face was covered all throughout."

"So you know how to hold your tongue. A feature I admire.”

----

 "When we dock you will be taken to the servants quarters in your new Kings castle" Prince Loki spoke so softly, his calmness somehow setting you on edge.

You wrung your hands together in your lap, tapping your heel as he pulled something from his clothes. It was a bit of folded parchment with a wax seal. You could not read, but you always were fond of the squiggles that decorated paper.

"A portly woman will be there to greet you when you arrive. Give this to her." He out stretched his hand that held a parchment to you. Reaching for it, but Prince Loki pulled it away suddenly.

"Hide it away.” He ordered, you hesitated as you thought of where to stash it. You jumped when he rose again and stood in front of you once more.

“If anyone asks where you are from. Tell them you are from a province just out side my domain.” As Prince Loki spoke you stiffened and gasped.

The Prince's hand glided down your collar bone tracing down to the crack of your bosom. The folded paper clipping your chin as he moved. When he shoved it forcefully down bypassing your breast with the parchment you yelped. 

The paper edges poking at your softness made you fidget uncomfortably. Your eyes were larger than saucers as he caressed your breast when he pulled away.

"You will be a wall. A piece of furniture. An unassuming figure amongst the abysmal castle life. Listen for everything. Ears open at all times. The minorist of details commit them to memory as you never know when the slightest detail would come into play.”

You did not respond, still stunned and confused. If he wasn’t bringing you to the church you weren’t sure what he had planned for you.

Prince Loki called out to someone beyond you. The squeaks on the floor boards announced their entrance. Turning you find the man that guided you to this room. Bowing his head towards the prince.

"Take her and make sure she arrives to my brother’s safely."

XXX

Chapter 2>>

[let-them-read-fics]

Home For The Holidays

Pairing: Lisa x Fem!Reader

Word Count: ~ 3,335

Warnings / Misc. -- Potentially Lethal Fluff, Crying, Holiday Themed

Disclaimer: This writing is a work of fiction, and no disrespect is meant for those mentioned herein.

A/N: Hey everybody! This idea came to me out of nowhere, but it’s definitely gotten me into the holiday spirit. I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think.

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

“Babe, have you seen my beanie?” Your question rings throughout the air, carrying across the apartment in search of Lisa. Just as you get your earrings put in, her reply comes through: “Mhm, it’s in here.” Before setting off to grab it, you take a long look at yourself in the mirror: the nervousness that you’re harboring is decently masked for the moment, but you pray that your composure doesn’t slip in the next few hours -- after all, that would surely spoil the fun that you have in store for Lisa.

“Aha!” You declare, sliding the material onto your head. She stifles a chuckle, which prompts you to look at her. When you do, all of the air in your lungs swiftly leaves your body; she looks absolutely stunning. She chose a simple outfit, consisting of a regular pair of jeans and a cozy sweater, but she makes it look designer. 

“I’m convinced that you can make any and everything look good.” You tell her earnestly, once some of your thought processing skills have returned to you. With a roll of her eyes, she engulfs you in a hug; her perfume washes over you, and you fall into her embrace. 

“I love you.”

Even after hearing those words from her as many times as you have, they still managed to send your heart wild. You hide your face in her neck, loving the cute squeal she lets out as you pick her up and twirl her around.

“I love you, jagi. So much.” Her eyes find yours, and the moment is perfect.

~~~~~~~

“Keep them closed! We’re almost there.” 

“You’ve been saying that for the past 5 minutes.”

“Just trust me!” You laugh at her impatience, keeping your grip on her thighs steady as you make your way towards the restaurant. She lets her head lay beside yours, resting it on one of her arms that’re wrapped around your shoulders. In any other circumstance, she would’ve been whining more by now; this time, however, she didn’t mind waiting a little longer, considering she was comfortable and content, currently receiving a piggy back ride from you. In competition with the frigid air rushing around, your bodies work to keep each other warm. 

After a little more walking, you finally reach your destination. 

“Reservation, please?” The hostess requests upon your entrance.

“L/N.” 

You gently set Lisa down, back on her feet again, and tell her to open her eyes. The expression that takes over her features is priceless, and you pat yourself on the back for having the foresight to book a table here so far in advance. The holidays always made it difficult to get in anywhere in the city without a reservation, and this restaurant is no exception -- in fact, it’s one of the hardest to get into. After hearing about the reviews, the two of you had been dying to try it out.

“Right this way, ladies.” The hostess says, and you fall in line behind her. Lisa links her arm with yours, and she begins ranting about all the different foods she wants to try.

~~~~~~~

The view from your table is unbelievable; seated next to a row of large windows, you can see the entire city before you, throngs of people walking about, enjoying their night out. You take a minute to think of all the possible things they could be doing, what routes they’re going down, each of them having a unique and beautiful story playing out in front of you. 

Against your palm, the surface of the window chills your skin. Once you remove your hand, you see the imprint of it on the glass; a reminder that you had been there. 

Lisa notices this, and leans towards the window; at first, you were confused, but soon your heart melts at her actions.

She releases a breath against it, the warm air prepping the surface for her artwork; her finger -- the very one that you’re wrapped around -- draws a heart, complete with your initials and hers inside of it.

“You’re the cutest,” she gushes, looking over your features. You can feel how dopey you look, completely in love and in awe by her. You can’t blame yourself, though. 

Her hand finds its way to yours on the table, just as it always does, and you bring it to your lips. She grins at the feeling of your lips pressed against her knuckle, and her heart skips a beat. Both of you are completely whipped for each other, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

~~~~~~~

Stuffed and satisfied with the special anniversary meal you just consumed, you and Lisa make your way out of the restaurant. Next up on the agenda for tonight: ice skating.

~~~~~~~

Waves of fresh snowflakes flurry around the two of you, seemingly in a tango with the breeze that’s drifting by; two lovers rediscovering one another. Her hand is warm within your own, the mittens on your skin keeping the harsh temperatures at bay. 

The gentle scraping of your skates can be heard against the ice, little patterns trailing behind in your wake. Yellow and white lights are strewn across the sides of the rink, offering a dazzlingly cozy aura, and you take them in. They remind you of the stars in the night sky, shining brightly, a certain unique twinkle held within each and every one of them. 

Lisa gives your hand a squeeze, her silent way of requesting your attention. 

“Yes, my love?”

A light blush rises to her cheeks as she begins speaking; you’re amazed that she still reacts to your pet names like that, just as she had when you first started dating. It’s adorable, and you can’t get enough of it.

“Let’s grab some hot cocoa, I’m getting a little cold.”

“Alright, last one there has to clean the litter box tonight!” The last part of the sentence leaves your lips in a rush, an attempt to stall her and give yourself a bit of a head start.

“Uh! Hey!” Her shocked exclamation quickly fades as you dash away from her, set on getting to the stand first. 

~~~~~~~

Now armed with your warm beverages, the two of you skate over to the bench positioned directly outside of the rink. Conveniently, the seat is equipped with a heater, and Lisa pulls you in tight.

“Mmm, it’s good.” You tell her, taking another sip. She had spent the trip over here pouting at her defeat.

The two of you carried on with light conversation, reveling in the feeling of having each other so close. The city’s atmosphere was always different around this time of year, the holidays adding an extra charm to everything, no matter what it was. You would be content with doing absolutely nothing, so long as you had Lisa by your side -- and she felt the same way about you. Perhaps that’s why your relationship was so strong; genuine love and understanding ran true in every aspect, and you could never seem to get enough of each other. You still felt the same as you did at the beginning: the happiness upon waking up next to her, that excited blush when she told you she loved you, that familiar rush of desire from your passionate nights spent together -- all of it. She’s everything you’ve ever wanted and more, and you feel beyond blessed to have the privilege of calling her yours. 

The night had been perfect so far; memories being made that would surely last a lifetime. The thoughts raced in your mind, swirling around just like the snow had before. They were only stopped by the feeling of her soft lips pressing against your cheek in a sweet kiss.

“Thank you for tonight. I’m so happy.” She leans her forehead against yours, and you brush her nose with your own.

“Of course. There’s no one I’d rather do this with.” 

Her eyes are shining with affection, and you nearly get lost in them. Before you can, you stop yourself; your plans for this special night are long from over.

“How about we walk around a bit? I saw more trees and light designs on the way here and I wanna check them out.” She happily agrees, and the two of you change back into your boots before returning the skates. You slip an arm around her shoulders as you begin your journey, and she settles against your side.

You had remembered correctly -- after a short walk, you find the hub of activity from before; a whole block of the city is filled with different vendors and booths, a wide array of services offered. The area is a holiday bazaar, groups of merry people roaming about, lighting up at the different things to do. 

Trees line the square, decorated beautifully with various lights and ornaments, their toppers reaching high up into the sky. The moment is too perfect to let slip by, so you retrieve the camera from your bag to capture it all. Lisa cuddles in close to you, smiling widely as you turn the device around to take a selfie of the two of you. 

One mini-photoshoot later, you begin your exploration of the square. Quickly, you discover what the places have to offer: some hold arts and crafts, others have face painting, snacks, and even eggnog chugging contests. You grimace at that last one, seeing a group of what appears to be frat boys stumbling around nearby.

Upon spotting a special booth in the distance, you’re quick to remember your reason for suggesting coming here in the first place: Lisa’s next surprise. You do well in acting cool and calmly bringing her attention to the area, being careful not to blow your cover. It doesn’t take much convincing to have her trailing along after you, her hand snuggly tucked into yours.

The booth in question sticks out among the others, a bit out of place in what it offers: for $5, you get the opportunity to knock the city mascot into a dunk tank. The money goes to charity, and everyone has fun in the process. Win-win, right?

The second that you approach the counter, your heart begins racing feverishly -- the plan is coming together. “Just the $5 option, thank you.” You request, and the clerk hands you the balls: $5 gets you 5 opportunities to dunk the mascot into the chilly water below. As you walk over to the tank, you’re afraid that Lisa can see your nervousness; she’s always been able to read you well. 

Luckily for you, though, you know just what to do to throw her off your tracks: you pull her in, guiding her lips to your own in a tender kiss. She places her hand overtop of yours, against her cheek, and her fingers lace with yours. She sighs against you, and you smile. Mission accomplished. Before things can get too heated, you pull away, setting the weapons of choice into her hands. “Good luck,” you whisper into her ear, a chill running down her spine at the lowness of your voice.

~~~~~~~

After 3 misses in a row, she’s beginning to get discouraged. 

“Ahh, this is rigged!” 

As you open your mouth to reply, your phone begins to ring. Right on time. You suppress the smile playing on your lips -- a task much easier said than done -- and tell her that you’ll be right back. 

You pretend to answer your phone as you return to the counter, making eye contact with the clerk. 

“Are they ready yet?” 

“Almost. They’ll be right out.” He smiles back at you, happy to see something like this about to go down. The holidays truly are a magical time of the year.

The moment is interrupted by Lisa’s father walking out of the back room and into your line of sight. “How do I look?” He asks no one in particular, and receives a whistle from his wife, who is also making her way out of the room.

You beam at them, so excited to be with them again. “Those suits look great on you guys.” You tell them, fanning yourself to add to the comical effect. They don the same outfits as the mascot sitting in the tank. 

“Alright, so does everyone remember what to do?” You ask, eyes darting between them.

“Once she dunks him, we run out and celebrate.” Lisa’s mom looks to you, waiting for your reassurance of the plan.

“Exactly. Any questions?”

“No, but hurry her up. This outfit is itchy.” You can’t help but chuckle at her father’s words; now, a little weight lifted off of your chest, you make your way back to Lisa.

“There you are! Who was that?” As much as you hate lying to her, you think it’s safe to bet that you’ll easily be forgiven. 

“Just someone from work, lame business stuff.” 

She accepts your answer right away, and turns the topic back to her mission. With you by her side once again, she resumes her efforts.

After an eternity of careful deliberation and tense preparation, Lisa chucks the next ball through the air; a loud whoosh sound follows behind it, and you hold your breath. 

Time seems to move in slow motion; the ball collides with the target, sending confetti into the air and retracting the seat beneath the mascot. Soon he’s submerged in water, everyone in close proximity to the booth now cheering loudly. Lisa turns to you, her arms above her head in triumph, a winning smile on her lips. You lift her up in celebration, and smile against her as you nuzzle your face in the crook of her neck. 

With a quick peek over her shoulder, you spot the two “mascots” approaching; you swiftly set her down and attempt to contain your excitement. 

Her mother taps her on the shoulder, grabbing her attention. She offers her daughter a balloon -- the customary prize for winning -- and claps when she takes it. Her father gives her a thumbs up and a pat on the head. 

As she turns her attention to you, shooting you a look of confusion, her mother stands behind her and removes the mascot head. The subsequent smirk that you don lets Lisa know that something is up, and she spins around once again.

Upon seeing her mother’s face, she drops to the ground, quickly becoming a mess of tears and emotions. The situation is only heightened when her father removes his mask as well, bending down to wrap his wife and daughter up in a long-overdue embrace. 

The sight before you has you in tears within an instant; opportunities like this are rare for Lisa, and you feel honored to be the reason for this little reunion. You release a silent thank you to your past self for having the foresight -- yet again -- to squirrel away some money. Something back then had told you you’d need it, and you were beyond thrilled that you had trusted your gut.

Perhaps it was your imagination, but you could’ve sworn that everything shined a little brighter now. The snow sparkled in some majestic way, and the city lights worked together to create a beautiful picture, contrasting with the dark mountains that resided in the distance. Nothing could compete with the view in front of you, though; especially when Lisa raised a hand in your direction, calling you over to their little huddle. 

The four of you held each other tightly, simultaneously sobbing and wiping away each other’s tears. No one spoke for a while; everyone was too emotional and content with the happy silence to do so. 

Besides, what could she say to you? Lisa knew automatically that you had been the one to arrange all of this and raise the money to get them a flight out. What could she possibly say to repay that? You’re her world, and she’s so happy to have you in her life. People like you are rare, and she cherishes you more with each day you spend together.

None of you really kept track of how much time had passed, but you had made your way into one of the enclosed tents, seeking shelter from the cold and dying to fill each other in on all that's happened since your last visit. 

You watch them in awe, loving the way that they light up when they talk to each other. It warms your heart, the way they're all holding hands and looking at each other with so much love. It’s easy to see that this is just what they needed; you can practically see their worries being lifted and cast away.

With one last swig of your drink, you begin to mentally prepare yourself for your final surprise.

In one motion, you accidentally drop your phone into the floor, and crouch down to retrieve it. Lisa gives you a quick look but soon does a double take when she sees you still on the floor, now down on one knee, a small box in your hand. 

You’re sure her eyes are about to pop out of her head.

As you clear your throat and swallow your nerves, you glance up at her parents; they’re already looking to you, proud expressions written plainly on their faces. That silent gesture alone is encouragement enough, and it prompts you to begin.

“Lisa…” Wow. One word in and your voice is already failing you. Your eyes shyly scan up to hers, only to find her recently dried cheeks now covered in tears once again. Her hand is clasped over her mouth in an attempt to stifle her cries.

“I knew from the moment we met that I wanted to marry you someday, and I can’t think of a better way to ask than this. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone, and I’m so glad we get to share this day with your parents. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to properly thank them for making you, but I’ll spend my life trying, as long as you’ll have me. So, whaddya say?” 

Lisa has always made it clear how much she loves you; despite knowing that, you can’t help but feel nervous as you wait for her answer. Her head is swimming with just about every different emotion imaginable right now, and she’s doing all she can to hold in her tears long enough to respond to you.

“I love you so much. Let’s get married, Y/N.” 

A loud whoop leaves your mouth upon her reply, the sound echoing around the space.

You surge forward, eagerly pressing your lips against hers, and she cheerfully takes you into her arms. Once the ring is on her finger, you walk around to the other side of the table and embrace her parents. Having their approval and support means the absolute world to you, and you take a minute to think about how perfect everything turned out.

Now, once again cuddled into Lisa’s side, one of your hands playing with the ends of her hair, you look up into her eyes.

“How did I get so lucky?” She asks, looking down at you, utterly overjoyed with what went down tonight. 

“It was written in the stars, baby.”

Lisa’s heart swells at your words, and she pulls you in impossibly closer. Wanting to give the two of you some private time to celebrate, her parents leave the table and go to order some food from across the tent.

Now alone, her lips find yours again, and they take their sweet time in showing you all of the things she didn’t know how to verbalize to you. She peppers kisses across your face; starting with your cheeks, then your nose, and finally, your forehead. You let out a squeal as she grips your waist, her fingers gently toying with the fabric of your sweater. 

Sitting there, in the arms of the love of your life, you’ve never felt more content. What a night, you think to yourself, smiling at her parents once more.

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

Thanks for reading!

[trekscribbles]

Chapter 3—Triple Threat: A Stone Triplet Fic

Fandoms: Leverage/Leverage Redemption, Librarians, and Almost Paradise

Cross-Posted: AO3 and FF

Summary: Eliot and Jake are both in the Philippines for separate jobs that turn out to be related. Kai takes the existence of Alex's brothers as a personal attack on her mental health. Ernesto happily goes along for the ride.

Chapter 1, Chapter 2

Jacob Stone needed a vacation. He wasn't sure what it was that was eating at him, but he could feel it building up, weighing on his patience and fraying at his nerves. He'd been snapping at the others more than usual—at Ezekiel, mostly—and while he knew it wasn't fair, he couldn't seem to control himself. And he'd spent decades perfecting his control over his emotions, of keeping his feelings hidden until he was ready to let them go.

So when the Clippings Book spat out a page about a new artifact to hunt down, Jake took one look at the location and stuffed the paper into his pocket. "I'll take this one," he told Jenkins, the only other person who'd witnessed the assignment. "Tell the others I'll be gone for a few days."

"Are you sure it will take that long?" Jenkins asked shrewdly.

Jake shrugged out of the long sleeve flannel he'd been wearing over his t-shirt—he wouldn't need it where he was going. "A couple of days at least," he said. "Can you tell them?"

"Certainly." Jenkins gave him a smile and reached out to take his shirt. "Shall I prepare the door?"

"Thanks, Jenkins."

Once everything was ready, Jake stepped through the door of the library and into a world drenched in sunshine. He sucked in a breath, unable to keep from staring. He'd seen more than his fair share of beauty over the years, but this... this was different. The colors here seemed brighter, more vivid, as if the greatest painters in history had all collaborated on this single canvas. Green leaves waved at him from gently swaying palm trees, and overhead a sapphire sky stretched across a peaceful horizon. He heard the door to the Library shut behind him, but he didn't bother looking back. His heart was already lost to the sound of waves in the distance.

"What are you doing?"

Jake started, blinking at the woman who'd just spoken. She stood across the path, half-turned as if she'd been going the other direction. Had he cut her off? He'd been so focused on the scenery that he hadn't looked where he was walking, so it was definitely possible. He glanced back at the door he'd come out of and frowned at the Employees Only sign in its center, then made a quick study of his surroundings. His back was to a building that appeared to be a hotel, judging by the pool and uniformed staff to his right. "I'm sorry," he started. "I was—"

"You're supposed to be back at the gift shop," she said, stepping toward him. She held a drink carrier with four coffees in one hand, and the scowl she gave him seemed too severe for a stranger. Her eyes sharpened as she got closer. "What happened to your hair?"

"Uh... what?"

A look of disbelief swept over the irritation on her face. "Oh no. No, this can't be happening."

"What? What's happening?"

"You're not—you're not another one?"

"Another what?" Jake's irritation flared, and he fought to get it back under control. The woman was clearly confused. He shouldn't hold it against her.

"What have I done to deserve this?" she muttered to herself. "I'm a good person. I help people. One I can understand—I've made mistakes. Two, maybe, after everything I put my mother through. But three? No one deserves that."

"Ma'am," Jake said. "I think you've got me confused with someone else. I don't—"

"Your name is Stone, isn't it?" she asked.

His hope for a peaceful vacation shattered. Jake did his best to keep his voice even, but he could still hear a tremor of frustration as he spoke. "How do you know that?"

"You'd better come with me," she sighed.

Jake folded his arms. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You are if you want answers," she said. When he still didn't move, she added, "My name is Kai."

As if that was his biggest question. He wanted to argue, to demand that she tell him how she knew his name and where she wanted to take him, but he kept his mouth shut. If he'd learned anything from his time as a Librarian, it was that he should follow people who said they could lead him to answers—especially since he hadn't done any research beforehand. Usually he read the Clippings Book pages through several times before leaving on a mission, but this time he'd only skimmed to pick out the relevant details: the artifact he was supposed to retrieve was something called the Ring of Harmony, and it was in the Philippines. He'd thought that was all he needed to know to start with. Apparently he was wrong.

So he took a breath, telling himself that he was Flexible Vacation Jake, and followed her along a path that led from the resort to a long expanse of beach.

"Do you live here?" Jake asked, matching her stride.

She glanced at him and frowned. "At the hotel?"

"No, here." He gestured vaguely. "On the island."

"Yes."

Okay... he'd been hoping for more, but it was a start. "Have you noticed anything weird lately?"

"Weird," she echoed. "Yeah. That's one word for it."

She wouldn't say any more, and after a few minutes of getting nothing but monosyllabic answers, Jake gave up the conversation. The warmth of the sun was starting to feel oppressive, and the gentle breeze now felt like the portend of a coming storm. How could something he had just found so beautiful now seem so restrictive? With a single conversation, he'd managed to lose the sense of joy and wonder that had nearly blinded him when he'd walked through the door. He used to be able to ride that wave of passion throughout the whole mission, even when Ezekiel was at his most annoying. Now? Now he just wanted to finish up and retreat back into his office.

When had he started looking at this life as a job instead of a blessing?

"There," Kai said, pointing up the beach to a small building with a brightly painted sign hanging over the door.

"Paradise Gift Shop?" Jake read, more confused than ever. "What, you want me to buy a t-shirt before you tell me what's going on?"

"He can use all the sales he can get," Kai shrugged.

"Who?"

She pointed again, and Jake looked back to the shop. Three men had just walked through the door and were making their way down the steps to the sand. The first was a wiry man with a gun on his belt, but the other two—

Jake stopped. He watched as they filed onto the beach, talking easily with each other, laughing. It wasn't possible. Alex had been in Spain the last time Jake managed to track him down, and Eliot... Eliot just dropped off the face of the earth. Jake had given up hope that he was even still alive. How could they be here, together?

Without him?

One of them looked up and waved to Kai, who stepped aside so she was no longer blocking their view of Jake. "Is that...?" the other one said, shielding his eyes and squinting. Jake didn't move. His thoughts raced, but they didn't seem to bring him any helpful information. Just a steady stream of What's going on? and How is this happening?

"Go on," Kai said, nudging him forward. He took a jerky step and stayed there, forcing a slow, even breath through his lungs. He saw Kai peer at him from his peripheral vision, waiting, but he couldn't move. He couldn't think. He just watched his brothers walk up to him, frowning, as if they weren't sure what to do next.

"Jake?" one of them said—the one with the shorter hair. Jake couldn't tell them apart. His own brothers, and he couldn't tell which was which. It had been so long... if they didn't share his face, he doubted he'd have recognized them at all.

"Another one?" asked the wiry man, moving to stand beside Kai. "How many more of you are there?"

"It's just us three," answered Jake's other brother.

"Jake," said the first. "Say something."

Say something? What did they want him to say? He'd spent years trying to get them to talk, begging them to get together, to be a family. They were the ones who walked away. He'd stayed home, taken over the business he never wanted, given up his dreams, waited. And decades went by, and they never came. They let him do their share of the work, take on their share of the responsibility, and they never came back.

And now they wanted to talk?

"Eliot," Jake said, his voice hoarse. "Alex."

His fingers curled into fists, and he swung at them both.

[wokestraightpuffy]

Hallo, i hope you are alright and that my ask aren’t annoying but I wanted to ask do you have any c!puffy headcannons? —🤡

YOURE NOT ANNOYING AT ALL !!! NEVER THINK THAT ILU VERY MUCH. MUAH /p

as for c!puffy headcanons, i am not the best person to ever organize their thoughts properly but ill try my best >:’D

ahaha. this got. super complex and way too long and more of like an introspective study to puffy now instead of harmless fun headcanons so, uh. under read more <3 (also reminder this is all /rp and /dsmp)

* i like to think that she has a hero complex, but its a bit different since she never really sees herself as an ‘important’ part of the story, not the main character but a support one, hence ‘im fine with being the side character’ or how she’s said she doesnt care what happens to her and would gladly sacrifice(?) herself if there werent other people she had to protect. girl u need therapy urself <3

* though very open with how she feels and never afraid to say when someone/something is upsetting her, ‘opening up’ is still a whole mountain climb for her, apparently. like, she’d rant about the egg, get mad at the eggpire, let off some steam by committing arson or exploding stuff, she’ll rarely ever talk about how much the stuff that upset her actually HURT her. does that make sense? LIKE, she’ll lash out, she’ll get mad, she’ll take NO SHIT thrown at her face, but to show the kinda vulnerability of dealing with that? to cry about it talk about those feelings with someone? I think she’d rather eat her own foot lol

* adding onto the thing above, she doesnt necessarily actually realize this about herself. less of actively doing it and rather growing... used to the ‘cycle of violence’ in the smp as they call it. and the fact that rarely have people really asked, that no one’s actually available for that, w her losing her closest friends, bad and ant, sam being busy w the warden stuff... and niki. yeah. there’s foolish, but i doubt she’d ever see venting to someone she considers her son appealing

* also. puffy is just sometimes... really bad at conveying sadness. i think she’s a rare crier. id go as far to say that shes even more emotionally constipated than dream, lol (but maybe not while the guy’s in his prison arc) and that she’d be the type of person to tell you its okay to cry but beat herself up over something if she let a tear slip in a heated moment

* speaking of sadness. she’ll only ever actually Be Sad if she’s alone or with someone she doesnt necessarily care the opinions of. yknow how she mourned for tommy and blamed herself? those dialogue bits? yeah, those are only times shed actually be vulnerable

* puffy’s go to response to the egg and how its fucked up her relationship w her friends is pure fury. but, going off of her line about ‘failing bad and ant’ i like to think that she probably hates herself the most about it. THAT IS A STRONG WORD LOL BUT YEAH. she yells and curses and gets mad, but sometimes i wonder if the words she had spat before were more directed to herself

* THIS GIRL HAS SELF-IDENTITY PROBLEMS. CAN WE GET A HELL YEAH FOR THAT CHAT? outside of having no goddamn clue about where she came from, how she got here and who she even is, scrounging up a role for herself in a server with a war on the background and traumatized kids got her resignedly coerced into thinking that she is only a Parent. Only good enough when she’s actually doing something Useful for people. SO. when she finds that ship? of having a crew and having a curse? OF FINDING OUT SHE MIGHT HAVE/ HAVE HAD A MOM THATS WAITING FOR HER?  the sense of control she has on herself is absolutely crushed. shattered, and she’s left to pick up the pieces w no one to talk abt it with <3

* adding onto the above, it’s why the line ‘I’m supposed to be mama puffy. me.’ hurts me so much! so yes! please cry with me :D

* also to add more on the fact that she thinks she’s only worth something when she’s being useful, puffy literally contemplated leaving the server, thinking that it wouldnt matter leaving since no one really needs her anyway, since she’s failed so many people. bad and ant, tommy, dream. shes said how foolish can take care of himself on how tubbo and ranboo have each other, how she and niki have drifted so far away from each that it might as well be a break up.

HOOOOOOOOOO OBOY . anon youve really given me the perfect chance to ramble huh? sorry for the rather incomprehensible brainrot, here’s more lighthearted headcanons about puffy asdhfkd

* she cannot stand still sometimes. she always has to be doing something extra, walking when the prime path is right there? shed rather go through tedious little holes or hop and balance onto fences to get where shes going. she’ll mindlessly fix up the path when there are holes or mismatched wood, and one time went on a long, long LONG journey cleaning up the paths tommy purposely DESTROYED near lmanburg and even added cobblestone sidings which werent there before

* puffys a bit of a sentimental person. writing in her log to clear her thoughts sometimes and cared enough to try and preserve lmanburg with the glass sheet and trying to find possible surviving artifacts of history to respect it, even though she’s never been a part of it. its also why, when doomsday happened and lmanburg got permanently poofed, she began to appreciate the buildings that are still standing and began taking more pics 

* she’s not used to being... what do you call it, um, cared for? she’d deflect compliments sometimes, when shes having a particular bad day, like, she’d laugh nervously and change the subject, sometimes she’d outright deny it, most days she’d jokingly say ‘staphhh it’ and add a very genuine thanks. my point being is, do something for puffy that is mildly nice and she’d keep that moment in her heart forever. 

* also funny story regarding the above. u know how karl is notorious for stealing her materials? and how puffy was contemplating doing something in retaliation for them? karl says hi for once when she joins the server and she goes ‘alright fine youre safe for saying hi’ LOL THIS WAS PROBABLY A BIT META WISE but something about this implying that the bare minimum or LESS is enough to make puffy forgive someone is very sad and funny at the same time for me. girl really said ‘oh you said hi to me? thats nice all the crimes youve ever done towards me is now forgiven. <3’ (this is a bit of an exaggeration on my part, ofc, i just think its funny LMAO) 

* ironically, despite being the ‘captain’, whenever riding a boat with someone, she prefers being on the backseat and letting them drive. ig shes just there for the ride i suppose, her and her uber drivers :3

 * she either has a rather unhealthy obsession with baked potatoes or she just doesnt wanna waste eret’s massive potato farm

* idc what cc!puffy says is c!puffy will always and forever be 5′2″ in my HEART. u are the shortest member, u cannot change this <3

* shes really fond of animals/ neutral mobs. she often baby talks to them and they help boost her mood a lot when shes having a bad day :D

* up to this day, the little secret rooms she’s created around the server have all been yet to be discovered, unless the one under bad’s house has been found. she rarely ever really keeps tabs on them, and more often than not they are just collecting dust. she still visits sometimes and cleans them up ofc

* she still genuinely thinks dream can change. cc!puffy’s line about that, ‘i’m his last hope.’ really makes me think about this a lot. 

* ive seen people talk abt it a bit but the headcanon that puffy acts as the server mom to fill the ‘void’ of her missing her mom makes me cry at night /hj

* she really likes her rainbow onesie! i headcanon that eret gave her that along w the sunglasses, but she started wearing that less when she found her old captains uniform. shes never really said why, though, and nobody ever really bothered to ask

* god bless this woman but sometimes the server members get on her nerves sometimes so she goes out of her way to traverse along far away from the main community to maybe commit a few crimes. let off some steam. these take a few days but she always returns

i probably have a lot more hcs but i cant remember them >_> THIS IS A LOT ANYWAY. HOPE U ENJOYED MY BRAIN VOMIT. IF U READ THIS FAR ILU THANK U

if there are mistakes it is bc i am crying and cannot see my keyboard and also i am sleep deprived /hj