#just a glimpse into my sick and twisted mind. a full look would drive most people insane haha. 😈🦎

[m0rbs]

“Earl gray; cold” —sick + twisted picarf

[padfootagain]

The Adviser

Hey! I'm writing this little fic for @musicallisto's event! I'm using her prompts 4 and 29 for Caspian :

4. “Can you stay with me?”

29.“Their hands on your skin…”

I'm also including a bit of the drunken confessions trope for this one!

I hope you all like it, tell me what you think about it, and thank you again Clara for hosting this event! This is just pure fluff, you know me, it's soft hours time!!!! We love cute clichés here!

Pairing : Caspian x reader

Word Count: 3597 (I've proofread but I've been writing for four hours and my brain is fried, I am so sorry if there are more mistakes than usual, forgiiiiiive meeeeee!!!)

You shouldn't have been drinking like this. Deep down, you knew it was a mistake. But what choice did you have? It was the only way to forget what this princess what doing at that moment.

Her hand was on Caspian's arm, and you didn't fail to notice the way her fingers slipped down the length of his velvet sleeve to brush against the skin of his wrist. You took another large gulp of liquor, but the image was already printed all over your eyelids when you closed your eyes and tried to blink the sight away.

It was more than you could stand. So much more than what you were humanly able to stomach. And the worst part of it all, really, was that none of this was Caspian's fault. He didn't even know about how you felt for him, so how could he have guessed that him letting her touch him like this, being so close to him, were hurting so.

But it did hurt. God, it hurt so bad.

The room was full of noises and conversations. You were celebrating the signing of a new commercial agreement between Narnia and their neighbours. It was exciting, and all the politicians that had been involved in the elaboration of the treaty and its negotiations were now enjoying a much-deserved celebration. The treaty had been signed earlier in the afternoon, and hopefully it was the first step towards a friendship between the two nations.

And you should have been celebrating as well, because after all, this treaty was your baby. You had written parts of it, you had worked for months to convince lords that this treaty was a good thing. You had worked and worked relentlessly for so long on this project. It was your baby, in a way.

When you had begun this adventure, you had envisioned yourself in the position you were finally in now. With a signed treaty resting on the king's desk in his study, and surrounded by lords, princesses and other important political figures, drinking wine and eating pastries and laughing as the future seemed a little brighter than it was before.

What you had never imagined though, was that during the months you had spent working closely with the King of Narnia, you would fall madly, desperately, hopelessly in love with him.

You wanted to slap some sense into your own head for falling for him the way you had, but it would be useless. There was nothing you could have done to avoid it. And every time you looked at him, you were reminded of this cruel truth. Nothing could have prevented you from falling in love with the king, not even yourself, not even him. Nothing, no one, could save you now.

Sometimes, it was driving you mad, really. The way he was so kind, and a little shy around you. You forgot that he was even a king, then. He had a way to make you feel safe by simply smiling at you. There was something in the way he walked, in the way he held himself, that would have betrayed his rank if he had tried to hide it. He was so… inspiring, in a way. More than that, he was magnetic. When he walked into a room, it was clear who he was. A mere glimpse at him, and even if one had no idea what the King of Narnia looked like, they would have recognized him. But then he would blush in the most precious way when complimented, bending his head as if to hide his reaction, and there was so much hesitation in his polite smiles, as if he wasn't sure what to do with himself. Maybe it was that contrast that had make your heart melt. The way he was the most charismatic man when you saw him, and the kindest when you talked to him.

Yes, yes, that was it. Or at least, part of it. Maybe it was the starting point of it all. Then, every single detail that made him unique had sealed the deal, and your heart was his, for good.

At the end of the day, though, no matter how much you loved him and how friendly and kind he was to you, he was still the King, and you were merely a representative. There was nothing special about your ancestry, even if your position now was quite high in the government. But you were one of the King's advisors, that was all, and every time you looked at one of these princesses throwing all their charms and manners at Caspian, you really couldn't hold it against him to fall for them and not you.

If he had known these inner thoughts of yours, he would have been adamant at contradicting you, at telling you that you were just as special as they were. But he was busy talking to one of them, and you were busy drinking. It ought to be the way things were meant to be, right?

After a couple more glasses of wine, your head was starting to spin and Caspian seemed to finally notice that something was off with you. He frowned hard as he saw you reaching for the nearest wall to keep your balance, while you lifted your glass to your lips again. You finished all the alcohol in one gulp. It wasn't like you though, to drink like this…

At first, he thought maybe you were simply letting loose more than usual in celebration for the treaty, but you didn't seem happy at all. On the contrary, your features were twisted in one of pain. Were you sick? A wave of fear rushed to his heart, crushing the little organ in his chest. He hurried to excuse himself and leave the princess he had been talking to. He was aware it was barely polite, but if you were unwell, he didn't exactly care about the etiquette. In fact, all his thoughts were set upon you and his worry now, he couldn't even realize what he was doing as he crossed the room in just a few long strides, ignoring people in the crowd trying to intercept him as he passed by.

You hadn't noticed him approaching, you had settled your attention on the marble ground, in an attempt to avoid seeing Caspian talk with the flirty princess that had been clinging to him for the past hour. Only when his brown boots appeared on the floor right before you did you notice his presence. You looked up in a jolt, your hair growing with fear and apprehension, while your quick movement made your head spin even more than before.

"Your Majesty," you mumbled, trying to stand a little straighter. "Can I… do anything for you?"

Your words were slurred, obvious sign of your intoxication. Caspian's frown only deepened.

"I was about to ask you the same question, you don't seem to be well," the king answered.

"I… I am perfectly fine," you lied.

"You seem to need a bit of fresh air," Caspian insisted. "Let me accompany you to the gardens."

You didn't have the strength to fight against him or argue in any way. Besides, Caspian was right, you did need a bit of fresh air to clear your mind. So you let him take your arm, assuring your balance, while he guided you outside.

The afternoon was slowly dying out into the early evening. The sun was still quite high in the summer sky, but the heat it released had diminished as the hours passed by. A salty breeze was blowing through the roses in full blossoms and the branches of the tall oaks that offered their shades to the visitors. It was quiet though, most of the inhabitants of the castle being either busy with their daily tasks, or at the reception. It was an easy task for Caspian to find a quiet spot for the two of you to walk by.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked, noticing your steps were a little steadier, even if he still kept a careful hold on your arm, just in case.

"I did need a bit of air, indeed. Thank you. I feel better," you nodded.

You tried to give him a smile, but it was harder to hide your feelings when you were drunk. It seemed more like a wince, instead, and Caspian fully turned to you this time, stopping you in your tracks in the middle of the narrow path in between the bushes of roses. He remained silent for a while, the noises of the wind in branches and the bees buzzing in the flowers the only sounds you could hear. And in this quiet place, staring right into the king's dark eyes was even more hypnotizing than usual. You were suddenly very aware that the two of you were alone. And very aware that his hand still rested on your arm too…

"Are you sick? What is wrong?"

Under his insisting tone, you recognized worry. If Caspian had tried to hide it, he had failed miserably.

"I… am quite fine. I think I simply celebrated a little too much…"

"You seemed sad back there," the king shook his head, cutting you off because you could finish your lie. "You did not seem to be celebrating at all. Why? What happened?"

"Nothing. I guess… I must be very tired. The negotiations were difficult and…"

"Why are you lying to me?"

You merely stared at him, not knowing what to answer.

"I know you are lying. I know you. Why will you not tell me what is bothering you?"

"It… is nothing…"

"Is it why you drank too much?"

"I am not drunk…"

"Yes, you are. You can barely stand."

"I can," you replied, even if it wasn't true. You knew that if Caspian suddenly let go of you, you would probably fall down in the roses, and the thought of the many thorns cutting your skin wasn't particularly appealing to you.

Caspian's frown slowly disappeared though. From worry, his expression changed to one of sadness and hurt, but you didn't understand why.

"I am your friend, Y/N. Why will you not tell me? I could help…"

You let out a bitter laugh. The liquor was taking the better of your judgement, for you would have never answered him this way had you been sober.

"My friend? As if we were friends…"

Caspian stared at you with the most puzzled expression you had ever seen adorning his handsome features.

"What do you mean? Of course, we are friends."

"We are not friends. You are the king, and I am… a commoner working for you."

There was so much hurt passing through Caspian's eyes, but you didn't feel guilty. It was true, after all. And the sight of this woman with him… with her eyes all over him, and the way she leaned towards him…

It was more than you could take…

"I thought we were more than just that by now," Caspian answered in a low voice.

"How could we be?"

"Why did you drink so much tonight?"

"Because I cannot take it anymore… I… these feelings I just… I can't fight them…"

"Feelings? What…?"

But then it dawned on him, only, not completely.

Of course, a question of heart would explain your sadness and your drinking tonight, such behaviours that were so out of character for you. He wasn't particularly good at hiding the way his heart broke in his chest at the thought that you loved someone else, though. He had to be thankful for your inebriated state that made you fail to notice his reaction when it was written all over his features.

He opened his mouth to ask who this was about, but you spoke first. The wine was making your mind blurry, your thoughts turning into a whirlwind, bumping into each other and making your usual filters lift. In any other circumstances, you would have never said any of the words you were about to utter, but then, liquor and broken hearts make confessions tumble easily.

"I cannot do this anymore. I want to resign."

"Resign? What…?"

"I cannot handle it. Being around you all the time…" you went on, barely realizing Caspian was trying to speak. "And today seeing her… her hands on your skin and…"

Your voice broke, and you lost your balance for good. Caspian was still here though, and he managed to catch you in his arms right before you would fall to the dusty ground.

His brain was repeating again and again your words, trying to analyse their meanings…

Did it mean that… you… was it about him, then?

"I will take you to your room. You need to rest. Come on…"

With the gentlest gestures, he guided you back inside and to your room, crossing empty corridors and avoiding people as much as he could. No one else but him needed to see you like this.

He helped you settle in bed, and only then did he notice that you were crying.

"I'm sorry," you mumbled.

He brushed your tears away. He had never touched you this way before, and it made his heart pound in his chest like it had never before. He let his fingers linger a little longer on your cheek.

"You must rest. We will talk about this in the morning."

He gave you a warm smile before turning away, but you held him back, catching his wrist before he could walk too far away. He turned to you again with a puzzled look.

"Can you stay with me?"

Your voice was barely more than a whisper, uncertain and fragile. He was used to hearing it loud and confident while you discussed amongst politicians and advisers, it was such a drastic change, it scared him. It was evident you needed someone to take care of you at that moment, and Caspian wouldn't have let anyone else do it in his stead.

He should have gone back to the reception, but how could he leave your side now?

So, he dragged a chair next to your bed, and sat down, offering you a reassuring smile. He held your hand in his, giving it a soothing squeeze.

"As you wish. But you need to sleep now."

"Are you angry?"

"No, I am not. We will talk about it tomorrow. Now, you need to sleep. Close your eyes."

You did as ordered, and fell asleep as soon as your eyelids had fallen. The warmth of Caspian's hand on yours was the last thing you remembered before surrendering to slumber.

-----------------------------

Your headache wasn't the worst thing that happened when you woke up. Nor was your nausea, or the disgusting taste that lingered on your tongue. No, the worst part of waking up was the note you found folded by the side of your bed.

Caspian would be waiting to see you in his office.

If parts of the previous day were a little blurry, you still remembered perfectly your conversations with the King.

He would ask you to resign. Or he might even fire you altogether. He could have asked you already for someone to pick up your things and carry them out of the castle… but then, Caspian was a kind man, and you weren't altogether surprised when you picked up an outfit to dress up and found all your belongings exactly where they belonged.

After your behaviour, there was no other alternative. You had been disrespectful, and you highly doubted that the king would appreciate working with someone who had romantic feelings for him.

But your pride made you decide that you would resign first. You would not let him throw you out of the castle. If you had to leave, which was painful enough already, never to see the man you loved again, then at the very least, you could be spared the humiliation of being pushed away. At least, you would be the one leaving.

You made your way to his office, at last. Taking a deep breath before knocking on the door. Your heart missing a beat when you heard Caspian's low voice answering on the other side. You walked in.

Caspian welcomed you with a smile, he was sitting at his desk, his back to the stained-glass windows that painted colours all across the room. The light coming from behind him made the image ethereal, a vision you could have summoned in one of your dreams…

"Good morning, Y/N. Please, take a sit," he invited you. "Are you feeling better?"

You struggled to swallow, cleared your voice. His voice made butterflies tickle your belly, but you ignored the feeling. You ignored how much you wanted to comply and approach him. This was not the time. Now was the time to be strong.

You remained at a safe distance from his desk, refusing to sit down.

"Your Majesty," you tried to keep your voice steady, but couldn't help the slight shake that accompanied your words. "I am well, thank you."

He opened his mouth to speak again, but you interrupted him, raising your hand to silence him.

"Please, your Majesty… let me speak."

He nodded, letting you continue. You took a deep breath, and finally gathered the strength you needed to speak again.

"I…My behaviour yesterday was… unforgiveable. And I am aware that I have crossed a line. What transpired last night is the proof that I can no longer work for you and serve Narnia at the best of my abilities as your adviser anymore. It is why I would like to resign. I would be very thankful if you would agree to allow me to stay in the castle for one last week, to allow me to look for a new home. My resignation will be effective immediately, and I can write it down, if you want me to."

Caspian remained silent for a moment, before slowly standing up, and walking towards you. His hands behind his back, he only stopped when he was but one step away from you. You stared at him, waiting for his reaction, completely motionless.

"I agree that… your confessions from last night make it impossible for us to continue like this. Things cannot remain the same now."

You fought with all your might to refrain your tears, that merely gather at the corner of your eyes, but didn't fall. You didn't flinch, nor did you back away though.

"I do think that you need to resign from your position in our government. I would not be… proper… to have my advisor be…"

"I will inform the rest of the staff immediately," you interrupted him. Which was incredibly rude, interrupting the king… but you couldn't take it. You couldn't stomach the pain that it would make you feel to hear him say the words he was about to utter.

It was enough that he didn't love you. You didn't need him to say it out loud.

You turned on your heels, but Caspian didn't let you step away. He caught your wrist before you could move away, and you turned back towards him, your eyes growing in surprise.

"I have not dismissed you, yet," he told you, quirking an eyebrow.

"I apologize, your Majesty."

Caspian gave you a smile. You wondered what was worth smiling for though.

"I thought we had agreed that there was no need to call me this way when we are alone."

"Things have changed."

"Not nearly enough, yet."

It was your time to frown.

"There is no need for you to move out of the Castle."

"But I…"

"Would you like to take a walk in the gardens with me this afternoon?"

You opened and closed your mouth a few times, completely confused.

"I… don't understand…"

"Did you mean what you said? Yesterday? Or did I not understand you right? I thought you said you had feelings for me."

You nodded, unable to answer, fleeing Caspian's gaze.

"I did… but…"

"Well, I am asking you if you would like to take a walk with me this afternoon."

"But I… why?"

His smile grew fonder, and you noticed the way his fingertips were shaking when he reached to hold your other hand.

"I… was hoping you would… like to spend some time with me," Caspian added, hesitant this time, a little shy, pinker shades appearing to colour his cheeks. "Not as my advisor but… as… a friend…"

"A friend?" you repeated, stunned.

"Or well… maybe… maybe more than a friend."

"But I… I am…"

"I feel the same way."

He had said the last sentence as fast as he could, forcing the words out like he would have pulled an arrow out of a wound. In one, quick motion, before the strength and courage would fail him.

Your mouth fell open.

"You… you do?" you stuttered, out of breath for some reason. You only just then noticed that you seemed to have forgotten how to breathe altogether.

"I do. And well… I am afraid that you need to resign, for it would be impossible for me to court one of my advisors. But as you have done so, I thought… what about a walk?"

There were a thousand thoughts swarming in your head, and most of them were going against Caspian's idea. Most of them told you this was impossible.

But you chose to simply ignore all of them, and answer what your heart was desperately begging you to say instead.

"Yes. Yes, a walk would be lovely."

[miki-snake]

My Love Letter to You

📖: Unspoken words led to pent up feelings, but you were finally ready to set yourself free

⭕️: a little heartbreak, but maybe not too much (sorry)

Word count: 2.6+

Dear Tetsu,

We first met in the hallway of our first year in highschool. I remember you running into me and then apologizing profusely. You didn’t stop bowing your head and all I could do was laugh at your disheveled look. Your hair looked like you just woke up, which I later learned would always look like that, and your tie was hanging loosely around your neck. It really irked me and my fingers itched to knot the tie correctly. You catched me staring at you and asked if I was okay, but I didn’t respond and without knowing I moved forward to redo the necktie, so it would look presentable. I could feel your eyes on me as my hands moved around your neck and I heard you laughing. When I was finished and stepped back to admire my work, you took my hand and introduced yourself as Kuroo Tetsurou.

It didn’t take long for us to become good friends and after some time, I even considered you my best friend. You, Kenma and I were inseparable, but there were times when only you and I would be together. You were teaching me all the science stuff because you were a serious nerd and even now, you still are. All our playful banters when we walked to school together. And some nights, when you would kidnap me with your bike and we would drive off to one of the highest rooftops in the city, so you could tell me all about the science in outer space.

Those were the nights when it felt like you and I would never get tired of each other and that wherever one of us goes the other one wouldn’t be too far away.

Highschool years went by as quickly as they came. Countless volleyball games where I would come to cheer you on and to see the brightest smile on your face when your team won a game. I would run down the bleachers, your eyes already searching for me and when our gazes met you would sprint to me like a madman just to pick me up and spin me around. The days were packed full of laughter and small bickerings, great memories that we made on our way and promises of things that were coming.

Nothing really changed after that.

We both went to the same college and we would still hang around each other most of the time. Sure, we found new and different friends but when the school day was over we would always meet up and still walk home together.

It was never a secret that you were popular among the ladies around the campus and sometimes even the boys. You had your fangirls lining up in front of your lockers to try and catch a glimpse of you and some of them even mustered up their courage to approach you. You would always give them a friendly smile, making some small talk or accepting their gifts before going away.

You always smiled for the people around you, but when we were alone there was a smile on your face that no one else could see. It was only reserved for me, you said, as I was a safe space where you didn’t have to put up a smile to get through life.

It made my heart race a little faster when I heard you saying it and I could feel how my cheeks started to burn. But when I looked at you when we were with other people I noticed that you were right. It was always a smile, but it was never quite right to be the smile that I saw.

College was a strange time to be honest. We met new personalities and we started to date different people but neither of us had something that would last longer than two or three months. I know how you used to come over after a horrible date and we would just lay on the couch, cuddling and talking about god knows what.

I can remember that you told me how you definitely wanted to have at least two kids, so then they wouldn’t be lonely when you and your future wife had to work or do something else. You talked about how you wanted to live in a house with your two children, your wife and maybe a cat named Kenma.

There was a time when I asked you about the woman you pictured when you thought about all those things. You didn’t describe her look, you just said that she would be cute, understanding, supportive and a great mother.

The image of you surrounded by two kids that look like you made me smile, but when I tried to see the woman next to you, there was always something tugging at my heart.

When time passed by, you and I were busier with our projects and there was less time for us to meet outside of the campus. Even then, we would still walk home together most of the time because that was when you and I could catch up.

Suddenly the moments where you had to tell me to go home alone because something came up, became more and more. At first I just brushed it off because I knew how stressful your projects could get, but before I even noticed I was always walking home alone. Occasionally Akaashi would catch up with me and accompany me, still it wasn’t the same.

On the party of Bokuto’s 20th birthday you said that you were coming later, so that’s why we didn’t go there together. Though, when you arrived at Bokuto’s apartment you weren’t alone. You brought your girlfriend with you and apparently everyone at the party already knew you were dating. Everyone except me.

Her name was Hina and she was a beautiful girl, dark auburn hair that went on to her lower back, slim body and shining green eyes. She was definitely an eye-catcher.

You had your arm wrapped around her waist and when you saw me, you and her went up to greet me. You introduced her to me and she seemed like a sweet girl, maybe a bit on the shier side. The night went on, but all I can remember was how I was sitting in the kitchen and drank one drink after another.

Not long after that night you came over to me to catch up on the long time we didn’t see each other. I asked you why you didn’t introduce her sooner to me because you never waited that long before telling me about your new crush. You told me that it wasn’t on purpose and you just wanted to really get to know her before introducing her to other people. I tried to believe you, but I knew that nearly everyone at the party already got to see you with her beforehand. Though, I didn’t want to pressure you anymore and just wanted to enjoy the alone time with you, which became rare in the past few months.

We talked about different things and we also talked about the future again, but somehow it was different. It has always been a faceless woman in your thoughts but this time you clearly talked about you and Hina. Hearing that didn’t tug at my heart, it felt like my heart stopped beating and it was hard to catch a breath. You never noticed though and kept on rambling about how unbelievably cute your children would look like and I never said anything, just listening to my own heart dropping.

Time flew by and you and her were dating for six months already. It was only then, when I realized how you looked at her. It was the same smile that you normally showed me, except I didn’t really see it anymore as we didn’t see each other alone that often anymore. Most of the time I would catch you on campus or at parties of mutual friends. It was never like we stopped talking to each other, but it felt like it. It felt like you were slipping away from me. I often asked you to meet up but you always declined, saying that you already had plans with Hina.

I was never the jealous type before and it was stupid of me but I envied her because you chose her over me. I know that it was unfair and I didn’t want to think like that but believe me when I say that those things just happen, it’s not a choice.

So when I saw the smile that was once only for my eyes now directed at her, it made me angry, like really mad. Maybe it was because I was tired of being sad all the time so in that moment, my heart wanted to be mad.

After that, I asked you if we could talk about something and I guess you already knew that it was something serious. I was acting like a jealous girlfriend even though I wasn’t your girlfriend and it made me sick. I asked you why you wouldn’t see me anymore and told you that it was unfair and I was still your best friend. You just stared at me, your face expressionless. Then you took a deep breath and suddenly the tension was skyrocketing. You said that if I was your best friend I wouldn’t ask something like that and that it seemed like I was putting an ultimatum on you. But I didn’t, I never asked you to choose between your girlfriend and me. All I wanted was for you to spare some time for me so we could hang out with each other like we used to. Be best friends again like we used to.

I remember the feeling of the tears brimming in my eyes and the burning inside my chest, my stomach twisted and turned and I felt sick. It was the first real conversation we had in a long time and it had to be a fight? Why?

You went on and told me to stop being clingy and jealous, you had to spend your time with your girlfriend because she made you smile. And when you said those words, I knew my heart was broken. Did it mean that you were unhappy when you were talking to me? How did the bond between us deteriorate like that?

I can’t recall everything about the fight but there was one topic that never left my mind. Somehow it came to the point where you told me that you didn’t introduce her to me  so early because you wanted that relationship to last. When I asked you what you meant by that you told me:

“Every girl that I introduced to you, felt threatened by our close friendship and at some point they would eventually tell me to choose. And I always chose you.

With Hina I felt like it could be something special and I didn’t want to choose between you two, I didn’t want her to turn away because she thinks you and I were dating.”

The moment those words left your mouth I’ve felt like my knees would give in and I desperately tried to hold back the tears. It sounded like you were accusing me of being the problem that your relationships never lasted.

Even though you said that you didn’t want to choose this time, I already knew who you picked.

Afterwards, our time together minimized even more and we chose to not see or talk to each other. It was a horrible time and to say that I missed you was an understatement. I did not only miss you but I also missed myself. I missed the happy girl that I was when you were around me and I couldn’t find that part of me again.

We both went our own ways but somehow we stayed in each other's sight and as time progressed, we could call ourselves friends again. It was never like it used to be, at least to me. You did call yourself my best friend and we saw each other more and more again. Though, we didn’t talk about the future anymore and I didn’t have to picture your future anymore because I always saw it in front of my eyes. You and Hina together.

After graduation you stayed in Japan while I flew to America to catch my own dreams. We called each other frequently and sometimes I could see you over Facetime. On a few occasions I did fly back to Japan to see my family, like on birthdays or important holidays. When I was in Tokyo we even managed to meet up sometimes. It was a casual friendship, it was nice and friendly, but it was not the same.  

Today is your wedding day and I’m really sorry that I wasn’t there to celebrate it with you. I wished that I was strong enough to go see you and tell you how happy I am for you. No honestly, seeing you smile was the only thing keeping me from telling you what I was really feeling. You made my days so much brighter and no matter what brought me down you somehow always managed to pick me up again.

I couldn’t go up to you and confess when I was seeing how happy you were with Hina. I would be lying if i said that I never thought about what you would do if I confessed to you. Maybe you would’ve laughed it off saying that I should stop joking around or maybe you would’ve scolded me and told me that I shouldn’t have said that, as you were in a happy relationship. And maybe, a teeny-tiny bit of me, wanted you to be happy and reciprocate my feelings for you. I knew it was stupid, I mean why would you? You were content with the place you were in and I didn’t want to push you out of it. So I never told you.

But today is the final day where I will let my feelings go for you and set myself free because right now, you are a married man.

I can finally tell you (or rather write to you) that I, y/n y/l, am utterly and unconditionally in love with you. I always was and I never stopped, because the selfish part of me wanted to hold on to the hope that you would come back to me. You never did and I am glad that you didn’t. It means that you can be happy and live your life to the fullest, even without me in it.

This is my first and last love letter to you, Kuroo Tetsurou.

I love you.

So thank you for reading this.

As of today you are a husband and I am free to find the part of me that I lost years ago.

Thank you Tetsu for always picking me up.

Your best friend,

Y/N

Stray tears were falling down on the handwritten letter. Kuroo couldn’t believe what he just read. How come, after being with you for so many years, he didn’t see what was going through your head. How could he call himself your best friend when he caused you so much grief in the last years.

Kuroo grabbed his phone and searched for your number. Holding the letter so tight in his fist, it was already crinkling, he was pacing around the room. He dialed your phone number and waited impatient for you to pick up. A loud beep was heard and he already expected you to greet him.

“The number you entered is invalid, please check and try again.”

[the--blackdahlia]

Too Young to Fall in Love Chapter 23 (Dirt!Nikki x Reader)

Title: Too Young to Fall in Love 23

Summary: Nikki Sixx was a hard partying musician on the strip. He never expected to fall in love with anyone, until a girl knocked on his dressing room door looking for a ride home and took his breath away. Just like everything else Nikki did; the drugs, the money, the music; Nikki went hard with love. (Y/n) Bass never expected the bassist of Motley Crue to be the one to shake her calm and calculated life up. She had a plan. Graduate school, become an epic producer, and watch from behind the scenes as her brother’s band rose to fame. Nikki and (Y/n) were perfect for each other, too bad her brother, Tommy, didn’t think so.

Series warnings:  Smut (18+ Please), drug use, language, referenced miscarriage, drug overdose, mentioned attempted suicide, out of character moments for everyone in the band, the timeline might be a little screwy but it’s fanfiction! I know nothing of music production and my medical knowledge is really screwy, so it won’t be accurate.

Here’s a chapter since I have to work all day tomorrow and won’t feel like posting. Enjoy guys!

AN: For this chapter, play Home Sweet Home by Motley Crue & Chester Bennington

(Y/n) was waiting for Nikki at home. She kept looking at the clock, waiting for him. Worry had already passed by the time she blew out the candles on the table. He wasn’t coming home like he had promised. So that worry in the back of her mind was pushed aside for something else. It was still worry, but more on the side of fear. Fear that he was dead somewhere. Fear that he was between the legs of another woman. Fear that the reason he didn’t come home anymore was because he didn’t love her anymore.

She looked down at the ring on her finger, twisting it some. He didn’t show her off the way he used to. Yeah, they had their own thing; she had her bands and he had his. But he also had pictures in magazines of him with girls in skirts that could double as belts and tops that were rejected bikinis. She looked down at herself. Why would he want her when he could have any other girl? He could get a girl like Tommy’s. Long, blonde hair, tan skin, legs that go for miles.

Twenty minutes had went by since she last looked at the clock. She didn’t hear the sound of Nikki’s Porsche in the driveway by her simpler Chevy. He wasn’t going to come through that door anytime soon. If he wasn’t back by now, he wasn’t coming back at all. And if he did, he would have some excuse. Band practice went over late. Traffic was awful. Tommy did something stupid and he had to help clean it up. She knew her brother was an idiot, but Nikki had used that line one too many times here recently. All the missed anniversaries, the missed birthdays, it was all too much to handle. The broken promises only made her heart break even more.  

So, she made a decision.

She went to their room and started to pack. She would give him until she had her bag packed. If he wasn’t back by then, she was leaving. And, sure enough, he wasn’t back. Why would he be if he was out doing something more fun than being at home with her? She wrote a note, hoping he would come home before she got it finished, but he didn’t. She made her way back to the living room, looking for the perfect spot to put it. That’s when she saw his favorite bass on the stand. He didn’t like using it at concerts, because he didn’t want it to get broken. (Y/n) was sure he didn’t want to use it because she had gotten it for him back when they were still happy together. She wove the letter into the strings, hearing it groan with sadness as the paper rubbed over them.

She looked down at the engagement ring. With a sigh, she slid it off, hanging it on one of the tuning knobs. Grabbing her bag, she left the house. In her car, she dialed the first number she could think of, trying to keep the tears at bay.

“Hello?” Vanessa answered on the other end.

“H-hey. I...I need someplace to crash for the night. And I need the girls to all come over.” (Y/n) whispered softly.

“(Y/n)? What happened are you ok?” Vanessa sat straighter on her couch hearing the distress in her friends voice.

“I...I just left Nikki…”

*****

Nikki woke up at his dealer's house, groggy and feeling empty. He had to get to (Y/n) and their date. He didn’t even bother to look at the time as he pushed himself up and hoped that he looked presentable, not realizing how bruised his arms looked or disheveled his hair was. As he walked outside, he squinted. It was sunny out. They could go enjoy a picnic or the beach.

Wait. It was sunny out.

He cursed himself out and ran to his car. He had fucked up. He had spent the night at a strangers house that he had no business being at, doing things that he wouldn’t even tell (Y/n) about. Driving off, he rushed home. He didn’t look to see if her Chevy was in the spot that she always parked in or anything like that. Instead, he just barrelled through the front door like a man on a mission.

“(Y/n)!” Nikki called. He looked around for her. “(Y/n) you home?”

Last night, she was home. He would know, well, actually, he wouldn’t. Because he didn’t come home last night like promised. The house was silent as Nikki made his around, looking for her. His chest began to constrict, he could feel himself hyperventilating.  He didn’t see any sign of her. The drawers in their room were empty her things were gone from their closet.  He made his way back to the living room, thinking maybe it was a sick joke or something. He looked to where his prized bass sat. It was his absolute favorite and he barely let anyone touch it. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to take it on tour where it could get stolen or broken. That’s when he noticed something off about it. There on the bass, was a note and an engagement ring. With shaky hands, he grabbed the note and began to read it.

He picked up on keywords. The most he got out of it was she would get her things while he was on tour, she loved him, and she wished it could’ve worked out differently. Once it all started to register in his mind, he could feel the anger growing in his chest. Not at her, never at her, but more at himself. He did this to her, he let his demons destroy him. Taking his bass that he had carried in with him from his late, drug infused night, he began smashing everything in sight. The TV was the first to go, followed by the pieces of glassware that the stupid interior designer just thought they had to have. Windows were shattered and would need to be replaced. The walls they had lovingly painted together now were full of holes. When the poor bass just couldn’t be a battering ram anymore, he took to throwing things. Picture frames, his awards, books, magazines, records. It all went flying. And when that didn’t satisfy him anymore, he hit the wall repeatedly, busting through the drywall. He saw one more frame and grabbed it, ready to heave it like the other, when he caught a glimpse of what it was. The picture at Disneyland at Sleeping Beauty's castle.  They had been so happy, so in love in that picture. And he had destroyed it. He had destroyed her. In this case, it wasn’t beauty that killed the beast.

Falling to his knees in the middle of all the glass, he felt the tears falling from his eyes. He didn’t care if the glass was cutting him up or that his hands were throbbing from hitting the wall. He just sat there, numb to everything. He didn’t hear a car pull up on the sound of his front door being thrown open by someone. He honestly just wanted to be left to his misery.

“Nikki!” A voice called out from the front door. “You son of a bitch! Where are you?” It was Tommy. He had been with Heather last night when a call came through and all he got was “(Y/n) needs help” before she was gone, leaving him with more questions than answers.

Tommy froze looking at the scene. Broken glass and ceramic everywhere. A bass smashed to bits, the TV destroyed, pictures broken. He carefully walked around the glass and to the sobbing Nikki. He wasn’t sure what to say, he didn't want this to happen. Hell, he was probably the catalyst for some of it but he didn't want this.  

“What happened?” Tommy asked. “Heather went off last night to Vanessa’s. She hasn’t been back yet. Did you do this while (Y/n) was here?” He knelt in front of Nikki.

“She’s gone,” was all Nikki said.

“What do you mean she’s gone?” Tommy picked up the note and read it. He looked at Nikki, feeling a tug as his heart. “Nik…”

“I bet you’re happy now,” Nikki sneered. “You got your wish Tom. She left me… It’s over.” Nikki picked himself up. His skin was torn and bloody, and he just needed something to dull the pain at this point. He needed his fix. He needed the very thing that had drove her away. Walking to his entertainment center he pulled on a loose board and pulled out the bag of blow and grabbed a bottle of Jack. “Just leave.”

“I didn’t want it to end this way Nik…” Tommy whispered. “I didn’t want this to happen.”

Nikki snorted a line and took two big swigs of Jack, “Bull fucking shit!” he growled and glared at Tommy. “When she wasn't your sister, when you didn't know… she was the girl who literally stole my heart. The smart girl who wasn't a groupie just wanting to be fucked by a rock star so shut your face and fucking leave!”

“I’ll talk to her. I...I’m sorry man.” Tommy left then, leaving Nikki there alone. Tommy stood outside the front door and ran a hand down his face. What had he done?

NIkki did line after line but nothing worked. He couldn’t numb his pain. He walked past his room and lay in one of the guest rooms. He couldn’t go in and see the empty drawers couldn’t looks at the closet and seeing her things gone. He thought he would be strong and just go to sleep, but instead, he felt the tears falling faster than he could wipe them away.

He had only ever loved one woman in his life, truly loved, and she was gone.

****

The band had been on tour for three days when (Y/n) returned to the place Vanessa was sharing with her boyfriend. He had felt really bad about what had happened with his bandmate and giving (Y/n) the wrong drugs, and (Y/n) was cool, so he didn’t mind her staying. She saw Vanessa standing at the stove and took a deep breath.

“Nessa...I have some news.” (Y/n) told her as she came into the kitchen.

“Lay it on me girl,” Vanessa said as she placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of (Y/n).

“I quit Elektra.” She told her. “I took the job at MCA, since they’ve been after me since I started at Elektra.”

“YOU WHAT!” Vanessa looked at her, “does Tommy know?” she asked careful to not mention Nikki.

“No, I haven’t had a chance to tell him.” She told her friend. “He’s in Japan and I don’t exactly have an international phone plan. None of the guys know yet.”

"(Y/n)," Vanessa said softly. "Are you sure it's a good idea?" She looked to her friend. "You guys could just…" (Y/n) shook her head. She couldn’t go back now. She couldn’t stand knowing that he was just down the hall from her with a new girl while she was miserable without him.

“An artist from MCA already requested me. I know Metallica is upset but...Tom Petty asked me to produce him.” She looked at Vanessa for her reaction.

"You're going to represent Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers!" She squeaked. "Wow! How did Metallica take it?"

“Not good...they threatened to quit Elektra and follow me to MCA.” She laughed a little. “They’ll be fine though. Just hope they don’t try to beat up…” She trailed off. She was sure that Vanessa got the point.

"I wouldn't hold my breath," Vanessa muttered. "Vince says he's… he's gotten worse…" (Y/n) closed her eyes.

“Well, he did it to himself.” She sighed. “But god I miss him so much. I feel empty without him…”

"Maybe it was just supposed to be for a little while. I mean… who knows, maybe you guys need to work through your own demons before actually being together?" She said hopefully.

‘Yeah, maybe.” (Y/n) sighed. “Heather told me she has a friend that she wants me to meet when I feel like dating again.”

"Oh? Well that could be interesting," Vanessa smiled at her. "I have a date tonight with John."

“You two are cute together.” (Y/n) said. “I’m gonna go hang out with Heather or Athena tonight, so I’m not in the way of things…”

"(Y/n), you don't have to," Vanessa have her a soft smile. "John knows you need girl time. And it's not an exciting date...I just…"

“You know, I bet once Vince works through his demons, he’ll be back to you.” (Y/n) told her.

"I'm happy with John...I think." She whispered. "It's not that I don't love him...I do it's just… God how did I go from liking pop to rock?"

“Times change things.” (Y/n) told her with a smile. “Remember the person I was just a while ago. I miss her sometimes...”

"Me too," Vanessa said and hugged her. "But this girl has kickass hair and is a tough producer who gets results. So, who do you think Heather wants to hook you up with? Hot Hollywood star?"

“She hasn’t said. She told me just to take my time, but he’s really interested in meeting me.” She shrugged. “She said that she wants to make sure I have a kick ass date for her wedding to piss him off…”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea…” Vanessa shook her head. From what she heard from Vince, Nikki was spiraling hard.

****

On tour Nikki was numb, he wasn't even sure what day of the week it was. All he knew was to get high get his bass and play. She was in his dreams when he finally did sleep, and any woman he saw out there that looked like her, he wanted to sweep up into his arms. Japan was a blur, so was the second leg of the tour.

“Hey man.” Tommy said, taking a seat by him. Nikki had talked to Tommy, but looking at him hurt, because he had the same eyes as (Y/n). “How you doing?”

“Fine,” Nikki sat back after taking a hit. “I’m fine. What’s up?”

“Well, I know this is a little awkward to ask this now, but I was wondering if you’d be my best man.” Tommy said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Huh? Yeah sure, sounds good.” he said and grabbed a joint. Nothing he grabbed could take the pain away. He still felt it. It was months now and things didn’t get better.

“We’ll be going home for a month. Gonna see if you can win her back?” Tommy asked.

“Huh? No I’m fine.” Nikki just stared out the plane window. He wasn’t even sure what Tommy was saying. His mind just kept thinking of her, the way she smiled, and her laugh, and the way her eyes lit up when she talked about things that really interested her. Looking around he grabbed the bottle of jack and chugged half of it. He just sat there letting his body go numb.

Soon, they were back in LA. They went to Elektra to go over the last leg of the tour, which was Europe. The whole time though, Nikki kept thinking about the girl up in the office he needed to talk to.feeling a bit sober, he pushed the button to the offices in the elevator and made his way up. He felt nervous. He hadn't seen her since the day of the photoshoot and he was sure she was pissed at him. Reaching the floor he stepped off and made his way to where her office was.  

“(Y/n), I’m sorry, I…” Nikki froze as he came to where her office had been. Her name plate was gone off the door and all her stuff was gone. The office was in the process of being repainted, but Nikki had a feel that she wasn’t moved just for that. His heart was pounding in his chest as he went towards his manager's office. “Where’s (Y/n)?”

“Oh...she quit not long after you guys went on tour.” He told Nikki. “She got an offer working for MCA I think. Her bands are really upset. She was making them a lot of money. They threatened to go with her. And I gotta say, Metallica can be pretty scary...”  

“She...she’s gone?” Nikki asked.    

“‘Fraid so man. I’d hate to be the person that pissed her off enough to leave. She really liked it here. We really liked having her here.”

She was gone, he had missed her. She left because of him. The walls felt like they were closing in on him and his chest felt tight. He ran to the elevator and pressed the button, he needed to get numb again he hated these feelings needed to shut them off.

And heroin was great at that.

Forever Tags:  @anathewierdo @dekahg @marvel-af-imagines @feelmyroarrrr @nanie5 @imboredsueme @gemini0410 @aiaranradnay @babypink224221 @mogarukes @xxwarhawk @sandlee44 @shatteredabby @caswinchester2000 @supernaturalwincestsblog @lauravic @mrsambroserollinsacklesmgk @teller258316 @horrorpxnk

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[infires-fanfic-blog]

The Scarlet Lust - BTS x Reader (18+) (12)

CHAPTER 12 - UNDERWATER

(Word count: 2,512)

I had fallen asleep in the cool comfort of Taehyung's embrace, only to wake up dressed in the familiar style of nightgown that had been supplied for me during my time here. Long, flowing white fabric of the softest material enveloped me in it's warm comfort, and I looked around with sleep still in my eyes to discover that I had been carried to my bedroom in my sleep. This must have been Tae's doing.

My mind began swimming with thoughts of last night's encounter, and I blushed deeply from the sudden remembrances. I had not expected him to act so thoughtfully during intimacies, yet a large part of me screamed in my mind that this was just a glimpse of what he truly had to offer.

I was sure of it. From our first encounter, I remembered the dark, possessive look in his gaze. I remembered how forceful he was. How dominant. And I was positive that I would learn his true nature in time. It was only a matter of when.

I sighed deeply, rubbing my eyes to clear my foggy vision, then proceeded to get out of bed. I had been forgetting to eat lately, as it seemed that since I has undergone the transformation to human servant, I had lost the ability to feel hunger pains.

I did not have to eat as much or often to sustain myself either, which I found strange, but I didn't think too much of it. As Namjoon said, we do not yet know the full extent of my abilities as of yet. But I was curious to find out.

I walked to my closet, carefully selecting an outfit to dress myself in. I quickly settled on a deep wine colored dress that was long sleeved and form-fitting, but flared out at the skirt part, the hem stopping mid-thigh. I had come to find undergarments increasingly uncomfortable, so I went for simple, black, comfortable boy-shorts and skipped the bra altogether, not wanting to deal wit the discomfort of underwire. It's not like I was going to leave the manor anyways.

I quickly brushed my hair, not bothering to style it, and put on very simple makeup to make my face look less puffy from sleep. I hadn't been wearing makeup as much lately, since my complexion had cleared up to a state that goddesses themselves would envy.

I neglected to wear shoes, simply preferring to pad around barefoot as I left my room and scampered my way quickly to the kitchen to find something at least somewhat appetising.

I boringly searched through the fridge, finding that there was an abundance of food. I could make anything it seemed, though most of the ingredients were for Korean cuisine. I was fine with that fact, since I had become quite the cook helping care for my numerous siblings, and had taught myself how to cook Korean food on the internet in an attempt to make a good impression on my would-be exchange family.

I carefully selected potatoes, carrots, chicken, onions, gochujang, and everything else I figured would taste good, and set up to make dakbokkumtang.

After cooking, I sat quietly at the island counter, eating slowly. I could not remember the last time I had eaten, and even so, I ended up only taking a few bites before feeling as if I were full. The taste and smell of food wasn't all too appealing anymore it seemed, but I was not feeling as if I were lacking strength or energy. Curious.

After eating all that I could possibly stomach to, I put away the leftovers and set myself on mindlessly wandering the manor with no particular motive or destination in mind. I was much too lost in my thoughts.

Food didn't seem as necessary to sustain me, so how is it that I am not wasting away entirely? Surely I needed some form of sustainable energy, but if so, what exactly was that?

My thoughts were interrupted as I ran into a wall. Except it wasn't a wall. It was Jungkook. Although they DID share similarities now that I looked at it. Sturdy, impassable, eyes filled with an angry fire.... Close enough.

"Watch where the hell you are going, bitch." Jungkook mumbled darkly, his gaze burning imaginary holes into my smaller form.

"I'm sorry, Master. I was lost in thought." I responded in a small, monotone voice. Even then, displeasing my master, I could not pay full attention. I was almost dissociated in my mind.

Jungkook seemed to take my tone as a challenge to his authority. This I am sure of, because as soon as I responded, his face twisted into an angered sneer, his eyebrows scowling darkly under his perfectly styled black locks that graced his forehead.

With no more words, he picked me up like a weightless sack of potatoes and flung me over his shoulder, effectively snapping me out of my self-induced trance.

"Master? Where... Where are we going?" I asked with shaky breaths, but he never answered. He just continued walking down the hallway.

Suddenly, a familiar warning popped into my head.

'I will come to collect the rest of my revenge at a later date, slave. So expect it.'

I felt a burning blush rise to my cheeks, and I wobbled a bit in his sturdy grasp, causing him to heftily readjust his hold on me with ease.

Is he going to do what I think he is going to do?

I in no way object to intimacy with any of my masters, but Jungkook always seemed so... angry. I could feel the unease in my gut as he lugged me down various hallways and corridors, and I regretted eating prior to this engagement due to the sick, swirling in my stomach.

After a few precise twists and turns, we had arrived in front of a door. Or what I assumed was a door, as the only thing I could see was behind him. All of which entailed me staring at the floor, and definitely not his well-chisled buttocks. Certainly not that.

He opened the door, and I was greeted by the dainty sounds of trickling water and the smell of nature, leaving me quite confused. We were still inside. I was sure of it due it the exquisite marble floor beneath me.

He continued walking, and we came to a sudden stop.

I could feel Jungkook shake under me, which dumbfounded me. That was, until I noticed the dark laughter that was causing said shaking.

I had no time at all to react as I was mercilessly tossed like a ragdoll and sent crashing into a pool of water.

The water was deep and chlorinated, the burn from it hitting my lungs as I had panicked in a breath of water on accident. I choked beneath the surface in multitude, each one causing more panic and unrest as I flailed about.

I could not swim...

Yet I knew deep down that even so, I would not die. Not that easily.

I slowly collected my bearings as I finally hit the bottom of the pool, starting up at the glistening light that kissed the surface of it. And I calmed down completely.

I took in another deep breath from curiosity, feeling the harsh intrusion of water inflate my lungs like a water balloon. It was unnerving. Terrifying even, since that is where water should never be... But I was strangely no longer afraid.

I just stared up to the surface, laying on the floor of the pool. I then closed my eyes, enjoying the sudden sensory deprivation. I stayed like that for a while, completely stagnant.

That is, until I felt lips on my own.

My eyes shot open, and I was met face to face with a devilishly smirking Jungkook.

What fresh new hell is this?

I was angered by him tossing me into the water like a dead carp, but as he drew closer once again, I could not tear my eyes away from him.

His hair floated perfectly around him as he moved through the water fluidly, swimming with unworldly grace.

He wore absolutely nothing, and I assumed he had shed his clothing prior to him driving into what I assume is a pool. His muscles rippled in tandem as he moved, his eight pack well defined by the soft light that penetrated the blue of the liquid fortress that encompassed us.

He finally met my confused form once again, and quickly stripped my dress from my body, leaving it to float lazily up to the surface, which was soon followed my my modest, black underwear.

He pulled me close to himself in one, solitary motion, causing me to crash into his sturdy, muscular chest as he pulled my waist with intention, our sexes meeting in an instant.

He was already fully erect, and feeling his length clash harshly against my womanhood caused a great heat to ignite within me. That of which was solidified further as he grabbed a hold of my mass of floating hair and crashed his lips against my own in a hungry, depraved manner.

I immediately found myself reciprocating his swift actions with no resistance. Although I was initially shocked by him tossing me into the pool, I quickly forgot about my prior aggravations with him. It were as if I were no longer in the water, but suspended in space, a cool comfort hugging my whole being, clinging on to the only other life form to exist in this vast empty cosmos of emotion.

His tongue glided smoothly against my own, and the strange sensation of water invading my mouth was all but forgotten. Even underwater, the harsh yet precise tangle of his tongue against mine left a slick presence of his saliva, which was oddly distinguishable against the ever present wetness if our surroundings.

I gasped into his mouth, which undoubtedly looked peculiar underwater, as the hard tip of his length pushed warningly against my entrance.

He quickly released his hold on my hair and pulled me even closer to himself, both hands taking strong hold of my hips as he locked gazes with me.

It was then that I saw the fire burning in his eyes. The lust. The power. And it was all for me in that single moment as he pushed into me, my wetness and the water surrounding allowing him to sink into me in one brisk motion.

I threw my head and body back at the sudden intrusion, the dull burning of the initial stretch of my walls that clamped down mercilessly against him being almost too much all at once. He was quite the stacked individual after all, but I was soon able to relax.

I was left in an interesting floating missionary position as he stood, his dark stare never leaving my body when he slowly began to push into me.

I quickly grabbed ahold of my thighs so that I would not sink any further, and thrusted myself back into him in encouragement, although seeing the dark, lust-filled anger in his eyes caused a part of me to subconsciously retaliate.

I found that I was growing increasingly angry. I was angry that he pushed me into the pool. Angry that he always registered my presence with contempt, yet here I was having sex with him on the floor of a pool.

I was just... SO angry.

I would not let him get away with disrespecting me. To hell with my meek, submissive self.

What has come over me?

I gritted my teeth at him, digging my fingernails into his thighs as I pushed into him even harder, trying to defy and irritate him with my actions.

Yet... He smiled.

With unrivaled speed and determination at my cattiness, Jungkook began to RAM into me as bruisingly as he could possibly manage, and although still filled with anger, I could not help but to moan and scream from pleasure, the sounds being horribly muffled by the surrounding pool.

He filled me up to the brim utterly and completely, and the fullness that he provided almost outweighed the fury as I quickly leaned up and clung on to him for dear life.

The aching, burning of his harsh assault on my core was a masochists sweetest dream as I was overcome with the perfect mixture of pain and pleasure. His length sliding in and out of me, bottoming me out entirely as it hit the most delicious spot within me with ease.

I met each of his thrusts, angrily grabbing ahold of his gracefully floating hair. I wanted it to hurt. I wanted to wipe that smug, pissed-off look from his stupid, beautiful face.

However, yet again... He smiled.

I soon felt the warm, inviting heat coil and wind itself tightly in my abdomen, and even that blissful warning of imminent pleasure drive me stark-raving mad with fury as it edged closer and closer.

I looked into his eyes, pressing my forehead against his with clenched teeth, both of our expressions mirroring one another's with pure lust and hatred.

That was when I finally went over the edge, goosebumps trailing over my whole body as I shook violently in his grasp from the white, hot blinding pleasure that cascaded through me in a multitude of reoccurring waves.

Jungkook kicked off of the floor to the pool, bringing us to the surface as soon as my orgasm hit, and I was still going through it was he effortlessly drug us out of the pool, still connected.

He lay on top of me and sank his fangs in to my bare neck, causing my orgasm to build up and double in an instant, thrusting harder as he chased his own release. Even as I coughed up multitudes of water from my burning lungs, causing his fangs to rip and tear the bite that he greedily and hungrily sucked from.

I was still pissed off eternally as he lost his bearings and came hard within me, moaning deeply against my neck as he continued to feed from me.

The moment he released within me with small, haphazard strokes...

I felt a strange feeling within myself. I felt as if I had all of the energy in the world. As if I could do anything.

I felt... Full.

The anger was gone.

His movement ceased.

His feeding stopped.

And that was when I realized, Jungkook was not moving from atop of me. His body became dead weight. His temperature became colder despite just feeding from me. He was not breathing, which, although not necessary, had became a habit for all of them.

FUCK!!!

I had to get help. With tears bursting from my now hysterical form, I screamed at the top of my lungs for the person who I knew would be the most likely to know what was happening.

"NAMJOON!!!"

[beepbeeprichiellc]

In-between Lovers

Summary: Richie Tozier and Eddie Kaspbrak are different sides to the same coin. They are in a rather sticky predicament, both are hopelessly in love with their best friend. One problem, their best friends are dating. Stan and Bill seem happy and in love, flaunting their relationship for everyone to see. It just isn’t fair, not one bit. So the two come to an agreement, deciding that there is no point in suffering alone. They aren’t dating, no never that, it’s only physical and it’s only to ease their broken hearts. Nevermind that they get along so well or that their lingering touches burn their skin. No. It’s just an agreement, an understanding if you will, this isn’t anything more than a means of forgetting. Right?

A/N: I said this was on my list of things to do, I don’t know exactly how I like it though…I’m on the fence, I guess I’ll have to see how you guys like it. Let me know if I should continue. If not, no harm, no foul. Something different for me. There would be smut, if that wasn’t blatantly obvious. Meh…

Word Count: 3350

Masterlist

Moodboard

The city passed by his window in a blur, the navigation system on his phone directing him to the place he really didn’t want to go. It was like he was just going through the motions, not really allowing his mind to linger on the sinking feeling in his gut. His hands gripped on to the steering wheel, turning his knuckles white. A sad song that slowly played though his speakers, its soft melody and strong vocals began to lull him, speaking all of the feelings that he seemed to wish away. Life was hard all around, Eddie knew this but it just seemed that for him, life was a fucking disaster.

This was the third blind double date that he had been on this month, his best friend more than eager to pawn him off on someone else. It wasn’t that Bill didn’t love him, because he did, it just wasn’t the same type of love that he himself felt. Eddie had loved his best friend since they had been little kids, had worshiped the ground he walked on but no matter what he did, or how hard he tried, he was never good enough. There had been a time when Eddie had believed it better to just cut ties with Bill, unable to handle the turmoil that wrecked his insides but when he had tried, Bill had fought it, claiming that someday Eddie would find Mr. Right, that they shouldn’t just throw away their friendship because of it.

So here he was, driving to some god awful bar to meet another idiotic suitor chosen for him. If that wasn’t bad enough, Bill was going to bring his boyfriend…again. His perfect, pristine boy toy, who refused to even give Eddie a second glance. Stan’s bitterness stemmed from Eddie and Bills dysfunctional relationship, and he was sure that constantly having to go on dates with someone who was in love with your boyfriend wasn’t something on curly haired prince’s to do list.

Eddie didn’t want to hate Stan, he really didn’t but with each encounter his own jealousy began to consume him. It was Stan this and Stan that, the topic of their relationship being the only thing Bill discussed these days. Which was normal, he supposed, but the fact that Bill continued to talk to him about it, without even considering his feelings really put him in a shitty place. So he began to despise his best friend’s new love.

He arrived at the bar early, parking in the back to avoid seeing his friend arrive. There was a buzz from his phone, indicating a new text. Looking down he frowned, Bill’s name filling the top of the screen. Eddie grumbled under his breath, opening the message.

Sadie’s Bar, downtown at 7. Don’t be late.

This made him snort, rolling his eyes. Late. Eddie Kasbprak was never late, he just didn’t show when the company was bad. And the company had been bad a lot more often than not. With a huff he replied.

Got it.

I’m serious Eddie, do not blow this off. Stan brought his friend just for you, you need to be there.

“Great, I’m sure he’s a catch.” Eddie hissed to his screen, knowing full well that his bitterness wasn’t perceived. Debating his response, he chose to just not reply, knowing full well that if he did he would just end up cussing his friend out. Instead he sunk lower in his seat, leaning his head against his head rest in attempts to calm his nerves. There was at least fifteen minutes until he needed to go in, twenty if he wanted to make Bill sweat.

There was some commotion across the lot, a loud obnoxious voice booming profanity. Eddie looked up in time to catch a glimpse of Stan, his pressed clothes hanging loosely off of his long elegant limbs. He was smiling at something that Eddie couldn’t see, his hands gesturing to the bar and back to the vehicle again. Eddie knew that Bill wasn’t with him, being that his friend was meeting them straight after his shift, so the person that Mr. Stickuphisass was talking with must be the blind date. With a curious stare he waited for the man to reveal himself, doing so after what felt like forever.

Eddie nearly choked. The man was handsome, in a certain way, but what made him stick out like a sore thumb was his leather jacket and black skinnies. With a cigarette hanging form his lips, a smile curved across his face, his bottle cap glasses taking up most of the room on his forehead. His hair was like a rats nest, curls hanging lower than his earlobe. This was not Eddie’s type, the exact opposite quite frankly but that wasn’t what bothered him.

What really got under Eddie’s skin was the way he was looking at Stan. It was an expression that Eddie himself knew too well, a look of admiration and desire. It was in the way his eyes fluttered, the way he looked down when Stan caught him staring, or the way he reacted to everything the other man did. This dude was in love with Bill’s boyfriend, this smug looking dick whose eyes raked over Stan like he was a piece of meat, posed a threat to their oh so perfect relationship.

“Wow, what an asshole.” Eddie muttered, immediately realizing he was describing himself. This date and he were the same, as much as he hated the idea, he and the grungy boy had one thing in common. They were so fucking screwed. His phone vibrated, again with a message from Bill.

I’m here, Stan is in the parking lot, where are you?

For a split second he debated leaving, of starting his car and driving back home where a pint of ice-cream awaited. Maybe he could still have a good night, one ending him with rubbing one out in the shower if he was lucky. His phone buzzed.

You better fucking be here Eddie.

With a heavy sigh he shoved his phone in his pocket, waiting until Stan and the douche were inside of the bar before getting out of his car. He was not looking forward to this date.

It was as bad as he had expected.

Richie, as the asshole so fondly called himself, seemed completely uninterested in him. He went to great lengths to ignore him, rolling his eyes every time Eddie spoke. God, what a waste of his time. This fucking man only stared at Stan, laughing at his stupid jokes as he leaned in as close as the table would allow. God, was he this obvious? He sure hoped not.

“So Eddie is a resident at Saint Joseph’s Hospital, isn’t that pretty cool?” Bill pressed, smiling at Eddie with pitiful effort. Even he could tell this date had already tanked.

Richie snorted, “A doctor huh? No wonder you are so stuck up.”

“Wow, and here I thought this evening would be oh so fun.” Eddie retorted sarcastically, “Man, you are such a fucking catch. How are you single?”

“Because no one can handle me.” Richie hissed, taking a swig of his whisky. “I’m a firecracker, I’d break your fragile ass.”

“Good thing I’m a doctor huh?” Eddie replied, rolling his eyes. “I’ve seen a lot of blow out anus in my time, maybe a few of your friends?” Bill choked on his drink, a rough cough beginning to rattle in his chest. Stan patted him on his back fondly, shooting Eddie a dirty look.

“You are fucking sick.” Richie bit, bearing his teeth at Eddie. “And quite frankly you are a dirty little asshole.”

“Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?”

“No but I’ve kissed yours, she’s a fucking whore and likes it when I kiss both of her lips. Just the other day I-“

“Okay!” Bill boomed, slamming his beer on the table, silencing their argument. “Okay, yeah I need a stronger drink. Do you want anything? No? Great.” He rose from his chair, swimming though the sea of people to get to the crowded bar. Stan looked over to the too, opened his mouth to spit fire but decided against it as he followed his boyfriend.

Fucking Christ Eddie wished he would have just stayed home. Family Feud reruns should be playing right about now. There was a burning sensation on his face and he knew that Richie was glaring at him with intent. “What?” He hissed, looking over to his date. “What could you possible want?”

“I want you to leave.”

Eddie laughed, actually laughed in the assholes face. “Wow, we do actually have something in common!”  

“Why are you even here if you don’t want to be, get off being Bill’s little lap dog?”

Eddie could feel his face fluster in anger, his eyes narrowing at the lanky man in disgust. “That’s funny, coming from someone who has spent the night drooling in Stan’s lap.”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh what, did you think I wouldn’t notice?” Eddie quipped, tilting his head as he took in the satisfaction of Richie’s taken aback look. “It’s as obvious as that fucking stud in your mouth. You love him. That must be why you agreed to come on this fucking date and turn around and treat me like something you found on the street. You’re trying to get into his pants.”

“How fucking dare you!” Richie snarled, his face twisting in true anger. “The only reason I came on the stupid date was because Stan is tired of you being up Bill’s ass. I’m being a good friend.”

“Oh yeah, and treating me like shit and insulting me is a good way to get on that dicks good side.”

“Don’t you dare talk about him that way.” Richie warned, pointing a finger in his face. “I’ve skinned people for saying less.”

“Yeah, you are totally not in love with him.” Eddie mocked, rolling his eyes and brushing away Richie’s dagger. “You are just like me, too fucked up to leave and too deep to not care.”

Richie’s hard exterior melted, his scowl giving way to a knowing frown. Leaning back in his chair he let out a long, exasperated breath, his fingers running themselves though his curls. He looked back at Eddie with what looked like sympathy, but what Eddie was sure was revelation. “We are both fucking screwed aren’t we?”

It was the first time Richie had spoken to him in a soft voice, the slushy comment taking him by surprise. Eddie shrugged, rubbing his face to rid himself of his riled up nerves. “Another thing we agree on.”

“I want to move on, I really do it’s just-“Richie paused, the words faltering for a second as the mummers from the people around began to grow louder as their tones grew laxer. “I’ve known him my entire life, and I don’t want to give up hope that it’ll work out some day, you know? That when push came to shove, he would pick me.”

Eddie sighed, looking back to where Bill and Stan stood, their own conversation moving between them. Stan’s hand lifted to graze Bill’s cheek, the love and admiration in the simple movement made Eddie sick to his stomach. “I get it. I really do.”

“I hate this.” Richie said, leaning his elbows on the table. “I hate suffering just because I can’t let go.” It was like he was speaking a language that only Eddie understood, a perfect reflection of himself. They were two sides to the same fucked up coin, one that was passed over for something shiner.

“Yeah well, at least we have each other.” Eddie joked, raising his neglected glass in Richie’s direction. The other man met his gesture, clinking their drinks together before taking a long, much need swig. That was when something clicked in Eddie’s head. “We have each other.” He whispered, the words lingering at the tip of his tongue, his mind drifting to very vulgar places.

“No offense dude, if it wasn’t pretty obvious by the first hour we interacted with each other, you are not my type.” Richie mocked, rolling his eyes.

“I don’t have to be.” He replied, placing his glass back on the table as he half turned to look at his date. “We can use each other.”

“You lost me.”

 “Look, I don’t like you and you don’t like me but whether we like it or not, we are in the same fucking position.” Licking his lips, he remembered how many nights he had spent alone, his thoughts lingering on a certain friend that seemed to haunt him. How he had wished he had a distraction, something he could use sexually to keep his sanity in check. If he had, then his life would have been extremely better, easier actually. “How many people do you sleep with?”

Richie sputtered, his eyes widening at the blunt question. “I’m not sure how that is any of your business.” He replied harshly, scoffing at Eddie’s earnest look. “But if you must know, my sex life is alive and well.”

“Is that so?”

“No.” He snorted, “I haven’t gotten laid in forever. I can’t get past-“

“The thought of Stan. Exactly my point.” Eddie said, gesturing to their friends, who had seemingly deserted them. “I am the same way. I tried sleeping around, but every time I was reminded that I only wanted to be with Bill.”

“So what? Sleeping with each other this supposed to fix our fucked up libido?”

“No, not fix.” Eddie explained, “Just numb. I’m not talking about fixing our problem, or even helping one another to move on. I’m talking about using sex as a numbing agent, something to keep everything at bay while those two love birds continue on with their perfect relationship.”

“So you would be picturing Bill, while I picture Stan?” Richie said, a mild tone of disgust lingering in his words. “That’s-uh-that’s fucking weird.”

Honestly, Eddie’s didn’t know what he had expected, it had been a long shot. It was a good thing he didn’t care about Richie’s opinion of him, or else he might have been embarrassed. He only shrugged, brushing off the awkward glance his date was giving him. “Suite yourself, I thought it was a good idea.”

Richie started to respond but was cut off by their friend’s return, their quiet conversation ending once they got to the table. Eddie pretended to look at his phone, and Richie was in the perfect positon to see that it was empty but said nothing as his date stood. “I’ve got to go. Hospital called, they need me to cover one of the other resident’s shifts tonight.”

“What are you serious?” Bill asked, frowning. “I thought you said you had the night off.”

“Yeah well, now I don’t.” He muttered, pulling on his coat and throwing some money on the table. “It was, well I don’t think I’d say nice, but it was interesting meeting you Richie and Stan, pleasure as always.”

“Sure.” Stan replied through gritted teeth.

“Are you sure you have to go?” Bill pleaded one last time, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, branding Eddie’s skin though his clothes. “It looked like you two were finally past biting each other’s heads off.”

“Honestly, it wasn’t going to work out.” Eddie replied, rolling his eyes. “No offense Richie but you’re not my type.”

“Like wise.” Richie replied, shaking his head.

“I really have to go but I’ll uh-text you later.” Eddie said hastily, moving away from the group. “See ya.”

“Yeah.” Bill murmured, “See you later.” With one final glance over his shoulder Eddie rushed through the door, thankful to have ended that nightmare and contemplating picking up Chinese food on his way home. Maybe he could still rub one off in the shower after all.

“Yeah, it was fucking terrible.”

“Damn.” Mike said through the receiver of Eddie’s cellphone, his voice slightly shocked. “Bill said that this guy was perfect for you.”

“Yeah perfect as in in the same situation as me.” He replied harshly, flipping through random channels on his television, hoping to still catch the tail end of Family Feud. “God, he was in love with Stan! No wonder Bill though it would be a perfect match.”

“You’re kidding me.”

Eddie smiled, noticing Steve Harvey’s face as he landed on ongoing episode. “Nope. Totally head over heels, felt sorry for the guy.”

“Yeah because he’s basically you.”

“Hey now, you don’t need to be rude!” He corrected harshly, “Doesn’t matter anyway, I’ll probably never see his ugly mug again. Not that I’m complaining.”

“Probably a good thing, you two together sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.” Mike said, the sound of him chewing making Eddie’s skin crawl. “I mean, no offense but you are already a ticking time bomb.”

There was a knock on his apartment door, pulling his attention from the screen. Looking to the clock the noticed how late it was, wondering who in their right mind would have to balls to bother him past midnight. “Hey I’m gonna have to let you go, there’s someone at my door.”

“Alright man, have fun with that. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

“Yup, bye Mikey.” Hanging up the phone he walked towards the door, a deep annoying feeling bubbling up in his stomach. Standing on his tippy toes he looked though the peephole, his mouth dropping at the sight.

There, in front of his apartment was Richie, biting on his nails and looking down the hall. Eddie shook his head, unlocking the door to the vulgar trashmouth. A grin spread across his face as soon as they came face to face, making Eddie’s heart flutter with excitement. “Hey Eds, long time no see.”

“Okay first off,” Eddie hissed, cocking his hip to one side, “that is not my name. And second off, how in the hell did you find out where I live?”

“Fed Stan some bullshit about wanting to get your number and blah blah blah.” He made a crude gesture with his hand, one that would shame a holy woman. “Bill was there and ate it right up, gave me your address and everything.”

Eddie pursed his lips, slightly amused. “Yeah, I’m gonna have to talk to him about that.”

“I’m in.” Richie said quickly, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“What?”

“I said I’m in. On the deal that you had at the bar? I thought about it and I’m in.”

“You’re kidding me.” Eddie asked, raising an eyebrow. “You acted disgusted when I brought it up.”

“Yeah, well that was before I had to sit through another hour of googley eyes between Stan and his boyfriend. All I wanted to do was bang my head on the table, which reminded me of you.”

“I feel insulted.”

“I don’t care.”

This made Eddie smile, a chuckle rumbling form his chest. “Alright.” He nodded, leaning back from the threshold and gesturing to his small apartment. “Come on in then.”

“Oh and there is one rule I want to set into place.” Richie said, peeling his jacket from his shoulders once Eddie had shut the door. Eddie watched him pull his shirt over his head, mildly impressed with what he saw.

“And what is that?” He asked, starting towards his bedroom with Richie on his heels. Stopping a few feet in he turned and faced what had been his blind date, gasping as Richie pushed him against the wall, pressing his hips into him. His hands were hot against Eddie’s skin, exploring under his shirt with no shame. Richie’s eyes grew dark and distant, his breath washing over Eddie’s like a title wave of lust and desire.

“Don’t fall in love with me.” Richie whispered, leaning down to bite down at the base of Eddie’s neck. This made the shorter boy whimper, his fingers moving though Richie’s hair as he pulled him close. With an eye roll and an exasperated sigh he replied,

“That is not going to be a problem.”

Forever Tags: @decaffeinatedpostmoon @cryptidwinona @longlostlove @reddieset @eds-kaspbrak @pretzelstoday @losersclubreddie @tonitozierprimary @eds-trashmouth  @lolahood @richietozierrrr   @nocapesyd @lemonaayyee @deux-mille-deux @lonewolfhard @nicoperryy @toziuh @reddie-loser @nutellalala @eddieswolfhard  @kaspbrak-boi @eds2fannypacks @finnwolfwolf @grasshopper @luxluga9 @thecastlebyers @fucking-reddie @missingstanleyuris @finnhardwolf @richiestoziiers @the-sarcastic-wannabe-awakens @jem-carstairs-is-perfection  @starry-nightflyer @reddietofall @tyrror @richietozierrrr @sleepykaspbrak  @hausofnikyhausofu @notagoodplace4gods @ihavesympathyforthedevil @kyliee827-blog @bcckybeaver @whos-bitch-is-this@lilgeorgie @bitchin-eggos-353 @derrylossers  @little-miss-hellraiser @directaylor-klaus @thatonedramaperson  @lilyridehalgh2 @fu-ckinggazebos  ​ @mohifadcat4life @whyamihere-0s

[wanderingcas]

Week 13: Destiel Case Fics!

[Thank you, everyone, for your wonderful submissions to Week 13, the final week of Spn Fanfic Submission Thursday! There’s some absolutely quality fics in this list, so check them out. If you read a fic, make sure to leave a comment and make an author’s day!

Note: this is technically the last week of Fanfic Submission Thursday. If you enjoyed these weekly fics, make some noise in my inbox and let me know! I’ll keep it going if people want it to continue. ^-^]

Humanity’s Angels by @amirosebooks

To get their minds off of Kelly Kline, Lucifer, and the BMOL, Dean and Sam take a case in Northern Arizona where a rogue angel was seen flashing his wings at a film festival and ranting about blasphemy. They quickly realize that there might be more to this case than they’d initially thought. The angel fits all the characteristics of being a ghost—EMF readings, see-through body, air chilling ability, and all. A local man is found with his eyes burned out like he was the victim of a smiting keeps them in town after salting and burning the angel’s buried vessel in hopes of dispelling his ghost.

Between all of this, Dean is finding it hard to keep his feelings for Cas under wraps. Especially when everywhere he looks and everyone he talks to reminds him of how much energy he’s spent hiding his sexuality from his family over the years. Will watching the ghost angel’s grieving best friend mourn the loss of the angel he’d loved spur Dean into confessing his own feelings before it’s too late? Will an angel from Cas’s past be able to succeed where Ishim failed? Who the hell has Sam been texting? Will someone please tell Mary what the hell is going on with her sons? Will any of Team Free Will learn to use their damn words?

Explicit. 92.8k words. (Complete)

[Bisexual Dean Winchester, Asexual Castiel, Mutual Pining, Canon Typical Violence, John Winchester’s A+ Parenting, Homophobia/Biphobia, Jealous Dean]

The Orange Blossom Bride by @expatgirl

It’s a simple salt and burn, even if it is in Florida. How hard could it possibly be?

Or:

Even the dead know.

Teen and Up. 15.5k words. (Complete)

[Case fic, pining, Sam Knows, Florida, ghosts, post-S10]

You Can’t Get Rid Of The Babadook (And Years Of Unresolved Sexual Tension) by @deaneatscake 

When the queer community accepts the Babadook as their new found icon, they accidentally create a Tulpa that starts killing homophobic people. Of course, Team Free Will rises to the occasion.

Explicit. 11.9k words. (Complete)

[AU - Canon, UST, Unsafe Sex, No Deaths, No Angst, Bisexual Dean Winchester]

Same Deep Water by @braezenkitty

Team Free Will hits the road to California to investigate the Brookdale Lodge, a haunted hotel nestled in the fog and giant redwoods of the Santa Cruz mountains. It’s been plagued by numerous suspicious deaths over its long history, the most well-known being the drowning of a six year old girl in the creek that runs through the middle of the Lodge’s famous restaurant, the Brookroom. Locals say the place is cursed, and connoisseurs of the paranormal regularly prowl the premises hoping to catch a glimpse of one of its many spirit residents. When a regular at the Lodge’s bar, the Mermaid Room, turns up drowned in the Lodge’s empty pool, Sam, Dean, and Cas decide to check it out. After a long break spent recovering from their battle with the Darkness, it seems like just the kind of open and shut case they need to ease back into hunting… but the Brookdale Lodge lives up to its dark reputation when something seeks to draw them into the water and drag them all under the surface.

Explicit. 30.5k words. (Complete)

[Protective Dean Winchester, Human Castiel, Interrupting Sam, Team Free Will, Hunter Castiel, Haunted Houses, Haunting, Drowning, Mutual Pining, Light Angst, Sharing a Bed, Jealous Dean, Angry Kissing, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Happy Ending, Not Really Character Death, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence]

Until I Know This Sure Uncertainty, I’ll Entertain The Offered Fallacy by @mittensmorgul

Nothing had gone right all day. Dean had let the witch slip through his fingers, and he’d had to leave Sam and Cas behind to finish her off while he slogged off to her secret lair to get rid of the source of her powers. It was literal garbage duty, but it still had to be done. It didn’t make it any easier to know that Sam and Cas were in her line of fire while Dean was relatively safe (if appalled by the state of her housekeeping). So of course if something else could go wrong for Dean, it would.

Why was it always witches?

Teen and Up. 12.7k words. (Complete) [Humor, Fluff, Body Swap, Witch Curses, Case Fic, Comedy of Errors, Interrupting Sam, Human Castiel, Free Will, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, references to Dean and Crowley’s howling at the moon]

We're Butter Off Together by @whichstiel

Set immediately after the Season Five episode “The End” this canon-divergent story begins with Dean and Sam heading to the Wisconsin State Fair to check out a butter sculpture of an angel that sounds awfully similar to Castiel. Sure enough, when they arrive the incomplete sculpture looks a lot like Cas - enough so that the Winchesters call in the angel himself to help investigate it. Castiel, upon arrival, is mistaken as Dean’s partner - as in “life partner” - and they’re forced to share a room at a local B&B during the investigation. When Cas falls prey to the dark powers at work, Dean must confront his feelings in order to save Castiel.

Explicit. 27k words. (Complete)

Never Again I’ll Go Sailing by @mansikkaomenabanaani

A beach house on an idyllic stretch of sand, a simple salt and burn, a case that, taken at face value, is perfect. But when hearts are breaking and words are wounding, is this case the backdrop to a last chance at reconciliation, or a final distraction before an inevitable parting?

Because simple cases never turn out that simple, and uncovering one mystery just seems to create even more of them. And when leaving is the only certainty in their future, how can they help someone who is stuck in the past?

Explicit. 85k words. (Complete)

[Case Fic, Ghosts, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, Misunderstandings, Emotional Hurt, Fluff, Smut, Idiots in Love, Sam Ships It, Communication Failure, Crying Dean, Crying Castiel, Cold Castiel, Angry Dean, Emotional Dean, Nearly Human Castiel, Switching]

Dead Things and Washing Machines by @feartheophanim

Sam is sick and, despite Dean’s strict no-research-rule, finds a case. It’s like these cases sneak up on them when they least expect it. Dean says the hunt can wait; but, Sam doesn’t think that’s the wisest decision so he calls Cas to work the hunt with Dean.

Dean and Cas drive out only to find that the motels are all full; so, they end up in a one-bedroom/one-bath condo, sharing a bed and reveling in the stylish, fully-furnished, khaki-pants lifestyle.

Hunts don’t pause or slow down; they’re fast-paced and brutal. Dean and Cas’ relationship takes equal turns at both.

Mature. 26k words. (Complete)

[Canon Compliant, Recreational Drug Use, Branding, Non-sexual slavery, Homelessness, NSFB]

Deprived Of Every Planet by @cuddlemonsterdean

Dean’s breathing is audible in the scant space between them, irregular. The motel room is dark, pale blue shadows falling in through the gaps in the blinds. Throwing a pattern of uneven white stripes over the bunched up covers. Over Dean’s fingers twisted in the sheets. One half of him in shadow, softened by the dark. The heat of his skin. The tremble of him under Castiel’s touch.

He caresses a hand over Dean’s chest, slowly. Dean’s mouth falls open, his body arching into Castiel’s touch. Castiel stops over Dean’s heart. Through the fever of his desire, he rejoices about the wonder of experiencing another’s heartbeat through one’s own senses.

Dean gasps, but then he turns his face away and towards the dark. Eyes closed tight and brows furrowed like something is hurting him.

Castiel stills.

“Dean?”

Mature. 9k words. (Complete)

[Established relationship, touchstarved!Dean, background case]

Warnings: canon-level violence, minor character deaths

The Unspoken Has Been Spoken by @deservetobesaved

Team Free Will learns why an unexpected chaos breaks out during a piano recital. Dean and Cas get to the bottom of other things as well.

Teen and Up. 3k words. (Complete)

[spells and enchantments, crack, fluff, hurt/comfort, mutual pining, takes place after 12x12]

untitled by @woefulcas

dean comes to a realization while patching up a newly human cas.

Teen and Up. 500 words. (Complete) [hurt/comfort, hunter husbands, human!cas, fluff, dean has The Moment]

Deep Thoughts by @cupcakesnsarcasm

When the Winchesters find her, strung up and tortured by a demon, they realize she’s something more than an average human. Sam’s curious, Dean’s apprehensive, and Elise knows everything - because she can hear their thoughts.

Mature. 52k words. (Complete)

[Dean Winchester/OFC, Mind Reading, Demons, Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, graphic depictions of violence]

Someone’s Who Feeling for Me by @ellis-park

Dean sees her for the first time in nearly six years in some no-name town in Idaho, and it’s panic at first sight. Lisa Braeden, the one woman Dean ever actually had a shot at a real life with, back from where he buried her in his mind. And her hand is on Cas’s arm like it’s no big deal, like it belongs there. Dean feels the jealousy rising, and it’s not directed where he expected it to be.

Mature. 46k words. (Complete)

[Case fic, mutual pining, mentions of past Dean/Lisa]

[indecisivealy-blog]

Fatal Fun.

As i gasped for air, struggling… frantic and clawing at my throat, everything slowed down. My only surroundings a blurry glimpse of the radio that read 11:21pm. The lights from the gas pumps grew dim. A high pitched ringing in my ears, and my shallow slow breathing were now the sound track to my life. My heart struggled, picking up pace so rapidly only to come to an abrupt stop, skip, a massive thud causing my body to jerk, than repeat. It all became so quiet after that, so empty…but peaceful somehow for the moment? I no longer heard the air entering and leaving my lungs. No longer could i hear my heart hanging on for dear life, convincing itself it could make it, only to meet face to face with failure in the end of its struggle. The high pitched ringing faded out and… complete and total silence. Haunting silence. Unable to literally hear a single thing. Where am I? Greeted by a darkness so thick, so cold you stand frozen unable to attempt a step forward, fingers go unnoticed an inch from my face. Every single thing is cancelled out, if i gathered the courage to say hello, would it even be heard, would it make any sort of sound? Im not alone here, i can feel others.. or things all around me. Are they trapped as well, or very familiar with this place, are they able to see me stiff and absolutely terrified? It was in no way welcoming and although i wanted nothing more than my vision, i could honestly say i don’t know if i would be prepared to see what may be lurking near by….. How did this happen, and how did i get here, outside i felt my body growing stiffer, while inside i begged for release, screaming, fighting, jolting, scratching at my body looking for a way out, i’m fighting for a way out within myself… because physically i haven’t lifted a finger! Drained and powerless, it was in this moment that i had finally realized… i was dead. You would think common sense would have kicked in and i would have asked myself, what did you expect? I had been on this selfish suicide mission for 10 years now, pumping my body full of these powerful poisons… i deserved this, the cowards way out. Forever engraved on my tombstone “The sick and twisted junkie” thats all i’ll be remembered for now, and i only have myself to blame. This was nothing like the stories i heard growing up. There was no bright light to guide me, no pearly gates where my loved ones stand to welcome me with open arms, Jesus didn’t take my hand, only to tell me its not my time… along with a persuasive speech on purpose, and why i need to go back in promises of returning to my safe haven, my personal paradise for eternity once my time on earth was officially up. No, none of that… just this empty, dark abyss, the in between maybe? I stand so restless in a place where time does not exist, everything i have ever known is no longer relevant. Has it already been days, weeks? The thought process on this alone was driving me insane, i’m completely mad. My mind is going a million miles a minute and just as i try to break a single thought down into making sense, to puzzle some sort of plan together out of its foggy bits and pieces, another begins. My thoughts come to a screeching halt when i suddenly feel a vibrating warmth in the middle of my chest, it was unlike anything i have ever felt before, everything about it felt safe, and comforting…. it slowly and gently consumed every fiber of my being, i trusted this. Slowly i felt my functions flicking on like a light switch, i can hear you!… this was not english, this was no language known to man, but i have never understood something so quickly and clearly, a mesmerizing sound, that was brilliant and bright, leaving a hushed hum in your ears, making sure the words spoken stay embedded forever, this voice would never go unheard once needed or asked for, you just have to be willing to receive it. There was no mistaking who had just put my mind, body, and soul at complete ease. I’m glowing… radiating life again. When just as quickly as i ended up in the darkness, sudden shock therapy to my vessel, and blood flow to my heart, once again jolted me up right in that drivers seat. Every nerve ending on fire, my bones ached and every hair now stood straight up sending a chill down my spine as my soul grasped on tight, re attaching itself to my temple I forever took for granted. The gas station lights began to buzz and grow brighter as my blurry vision fought for focus, i settled them right back on the radio waiting for reality to set in and the consequences that may await me. The time now read 2:00 am and i had gone completely unnoticed for all that time…. This cant be, there is literally no possible way, none of this made sense to me because the impossible now became very much possible. An overwhelming wave of emotion washed over me, something i had not had to deal with for years, it twisted my stomach and the guilt lodged in my throat leaving me breathless, and i began to break down, sobbing, shocked, and trembling in total disbelief at everything that occurred and the awful realization that i’m still the same sick person. God saved my life, someone i no longer allowed in my life, someone i turned my back on while leaping in the arms of satan himself and laid suffocating in his tight embrace, yet i was extremely content with that. I no longer believed in anything i once cared so strongly about. Yet you found me, stiff, cold, and lifeless and kissed me when i needed you most and with that you returned my life to me but you would not do it again under such circumstances… Your exact words “i brought you back and i wont do it again” Knowing that my next fatal injection would leave me stuck forever in something much worse than my first encounter… a forever endless loop in heroin hell. As i began wiping away my tears attempting to gather myself my phone lit up. It was my mom who was in Nashville at the time on business, and i couldn’t believe she was awake. i scrambled and struggled to get a grip on the phone, once i did a swipe opened a text simply read “just read a story about a girl back home that O.D and her baby starved to death” The heart stopping, gut wrenching feeling left me momentarily paralyzed and everything suddenly made sense. The crying didn’t let up after this, and i took a minute before driving away from the place i will forever remember as my almost permanent death bed. The whole way back i picked my self apart starting with day one. I have to escape this sickness, i have to get out of here.

-Aly

[dontenchantme]

country roads take me home - part one

Rated E, Solomon x MC

never trust a beautiful man. all they know how to do is to lie.

inspired by this fic, will make more sense if you read it first!

fics masterlist

She stared out of the window as the roads passed by, unfamiliar in the daytime. Now that she thought about it, wasn’t it strange how she ended up here, smack in the middle of nowhere?

The cab driver adjusted the rear-view mirror, and she managed to catch a glimpse of his eyes in the glass. They were an almost unsettling shade of blue, but she couldn’t figure out why it made her so uneasy. Then he pulled down his cap, hiding his eyes from view once more.

“How far away are we from the nearest town?” she asked, drumming her fingers against her knee. With her phone battery flat, there was nothing to distract her from her boredom, and the scenery had long lost its appeal. She desperately wanted to get to civilisation.

“It’s quite a ride. I don’t know how you managed to trek all the way here, but it’s going to take an hour at least.” He sounded as tired as he looked. But not the voice of an older man, like she initially assumed. “Do you want to change your destination?”

“It’s fine.” She didn’t know anywhere else she could go. And she had to get to her meeting point by the end of the day – the last thing she wanted was for people to think something had happened to her. She’d dealt with the police once, and she’d prefer not to do it again.

He fell silent, and for a while, she weighed the pros and cons of trying to start a conversation. Generally, she favoured quiet drivers who didn’t distract her with meaningless chatter, but it was just too quiet, and the mind-numbing boredom was getting to her head.

“Do you know Asmodeus?” she asked, finally deciding to break the ice. She was pretty sure he wouldn’t – part of her was already beginning to wonder if the previous night was nothing more than a dream. But he let out a laugh at the mention of Asmodeus, a harsh bark that grated on her ears, and glanced over his shoulder at her.

She still couldn’t quite see his face, but she could see a hint of a smile curving his lips, almost a smirk. Something about him made her uncomfortable, but she couldn’t place a finger on what. “Why? Do you have a sweet, lovesick message for him? He’s not going to respond.”

“Huh?” She couldn’t hide her confusion even if she wanted to. He turned back to the road ahead, vast and open, emptiness stretching on for miles.

“I’ve seen too many people lose themselves within him. Searching for a master who refuses to beckon them home.” He heaved a sigh. “But you. You’re not quite like them, are you?”

“I…don’t think so?” She was starting to think he might just be a little bit mad. Living out here in all this wilderness probably didn’t do him any favours. She contemplated her situation; if he was crazy, then maybe it’d be a good idea to get out of the cab now.

But then, she hadn’t seen any other cars drive down this road the entire time she was in the cab, and she didn’t want to risk being stranded once again. It was unlikely that she’d find yet another old castle to take refuge in. And even if she did, she wasn’t sure that she wanted to.

He hummed, sounding pleased for some reason. “Indeed, you’re most definitely not.”

She waited for him to continue, to elaborate on what he meant by those cryptic words, but of course, he clammed up entirely after that, refusing to add on to the topic. Silence reigned in the cab, and she looked out of the window again, watching the cloudless blue sky.

Time passed. She didn’t know how long, but she must have fallen asleep at some point; the first thing she realised as her eyelids fluttered open was that the cab was no longer moving. She tried to turn her head to view her surroundings, and immediately her neck protested, the stiff muscles sending sharp bolts of pain down her back.

The driver’s seat was empty. She forced herself to ignore the dull ache in her neck, looking around to get a sense of where she was – the first thing she saw was a gas station, and she figured that was where the cab driver had disappeared to.

Her stomach rumbled, and she winced – she hadn’t realised just how hungry she was. The air outside shimmered, heatwaves rising from black tar, and she guessed that it was probably around noon by now. How was it that she still had yet to reach her destination?

Or…was there a reason for the delay? Was her cab driver a kidnapper? A sex trafficker? Her stomach let out another growl, but she felt sick – the possibilities swirled around her mind, a never-ending parade of terrible outcomes. She shouldn’t have fallen asleep so readily.

She reached for the door, deciding that maybe she should take her chances with the great outdoors. She did it once, she could probably do it again – and if not, there was always the gas station. Maybe she could borrow a phone, try to get a friend to rescue her or something.

But the door refused to open. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, willing herself to think. So, her cab driver had locked the door. There was no need to panic – he probably just wanted to prevent people from driving off with his cab. That was understandable.

She glanced out of the window and saw the gas station doors sliding open. Out came the cab driver, and she noticed that he wasn’t wearing his cap – instead, he was fanning himself with it, holding on to a bottle of water with his other hand. She squinted, trying to make out his features from afar, and she realised that her suspicions were right. He was young.

He approached the cab, and she quickly fell back against the seat, pretending that she was still asleep. He was whistling, and she listened for the sound of the door unlocking, deciding she would bolt once she was able to – but then she heard a loud click alarmingly close to her face and she opened her eyes to see a bottle of water thrust in front of her.

“Have some water. It’s stupidly hot right now.” She looked up, meeting the gaze of the driver – his yellow-blue eyes watched her, his expression unreadable. She hesitated, still suspicious of his intentions, but her gaze was drawn to the drops of condensation rolling slowly down the plastic and, seized by an overwhelming thirst, she reached for the drink.

“Thanks,” she muttered, twisting the cap and taking large, greedy gulps – the cool liquid ran down her throat, soothing the sudden fire that had sprung up from nowhere. He nodded, shutting the door and going back to the driver’s side. Neither of them said a word as he pulled out of the gas station, resuming the long drive through the centre of nothingness.

Time passed again, and even with the aircon on full blast it was starting to feel like an oven in the cab – she plucked listlessly at her shirt, attempting to cool herself to no avail. She idly considered dumping the water on her head but decided that she’d rather not have the driver shouting at her, so she leant against the seat and tried to find ways to distract herself.

“What’s your name?” she finally asked. It was weird to hear her voice after such a long period of silence. He didn’t respond at first, simply reaching up to adjust the rear-view mirror.

She was beginning to wonder if she’d ever get a response when he finally cleared his throat. “Solomon,” he said. He offered nothing more than that, and she frowned, trying to figure out what to ask next – he was her only conversation partner, and she was desperate.

If she went another minute in this empty, silent hellhole, she might go mad. “And how long have you been a cab driver?” It couldn’t have been that long, given how young he looked.

“Hm. I don’t know. I’m not a real cab driver,” he answered, sounding distracted. “It’s just something I do for extra cash. We're all about the gig economy, you know?”

Well, that didn’t sound reassuring. “Could you tell me more about where we’re headed?” The nearest town wasn't very near if they were still on the road after all this time.

“It’s just some town. I can’t remember the name.” Another offhand comment. She stared at the back of his head, wondering if he was serious. “Think we’ll be there in…an hour or so?”

“Another hour?” Unbelievable. She wondered how her car was doing, stuck on the side of the road. She liked that pile of junk, even if it broke down with alarming regularity. It was a car she had bought with her own money, but it was starting to seem like she might not see it again.

“Uh-huh.” He glanced back at her then, one eyebrow raised. “Is there a problem? I figured you’d want to know more about your current condition, so that’s the best place to go.”

Her irritation dissipated. “My current condition?” she echoed, wondering what he was talking about. She was sure she was fine. Better than fine, even – she recalled her reflection from this morning, how all the scars and marks and blemishes had disappeared from her skin.

Was that what he meant by a condition? Sure, it was weird, but it didn’t seem to be hurting her. “Yeah. Didn’t you notice anything unusual after you encountered Asmodeus?”

“Um. All the marks on my skin are gone. Bruises, blemishes, surgical scars, everything.” Which she didn’t think was a bad thing but was certainly strange. “And…” She hesitated, then took a deep breath and decided to continue. “I’m sure that when I first visited the castle, it was still in good condition. Pretty well-maintained. But in the morning…that was no longer the case.”

“Okay. And Asmodeus was gone, yes?” There was no surprise in his voice, and that made her feel slightly better. It sounded like he believed her. Like she wasn’t going crazy or anything.

“That’s right.” She fiddled with the hem of her shirt, twirling soft linen around her finger. She could still smell the warmth of cedar lingering on the fabric. “Do you know where he went?”

“Mm, not exactly. He only shows up when he wants to. I don’t keep track of his location, and I don’t intend to either.” Solomon sounded faintly annoyed. “I’m curious. Do you recall seeing any punctures on your body? Like your neck, your thighs, your shoulders? Anywhere at all?”

Abruptly she remembered the twin marks on both sides of her neck. Like two sets of double-pronged needles had stabbed her in her sleep. “Yes…” She was starting to get a bad feeling about this entire situation. “You’re not going to tell me he’s a vampire, are you?”

She laughed as she spoke, trying to pretend there wasn’t a growing pit of dread threatening to swallow her whole. Vampires couldn’t exist. There was no evidence, nothing to prove that such beings were more than myth and legend – but he was being strangely quiet, and some part of her withdrew into herself, desperately trying to avoid her newfound awareness.

“What if I said he was?” His answer was light, conversational. She swallowed, a hand reaching up to touch the markings – she could feel the indentations in her skin, tiny holes that certainly weren’t there the day before. Too big to be an insect bite. Too small to be anything else.

“If he…if he truly is a vampire,” she began, her voice shaky, “then what will happen to me?”

He met her gaze again, and she stared back at him, afraid. There was something almost like pity in his eyes. “That’s where I’m bringing you. Somewhere you’ll get your answers.”

She nodded, unable to find the words to speak, and they continued to drive in silence, her thoughts whirling around her head. A vampire. What did that make her?

She dozed off again during the trip and was roused by someone shaking her. They were not gentle. “Oi. Get out. I need to park the car.”

It was a vaguely familiar voice. Blearily, she forced her eyes open, trying to rub the drowsiness away – when she looked out of the window, she blinked, startled by the change in the landscape.

Previously, they had been driving through open roads, the surroundings alternating between grassy plains and desert sand. But now the light was soft, dappled, filtering through the thick canopy of trees to illuminate the lush grass below. It looked like they were somewhere in the woods, though how he’d managed to drive his cab through all these trees eluded her.

“Where are we?” she asked, trying to shake off the remnants of her tiredness. It was inhumane to make anyone sit in a car for this long. Solomon didn’t answer, simply taking a step back so she could clamber out of the cab. The surrounding air was cool, and it made a nice change.

“Don’t leave your trash behind,” he complained, diving into the cab and taking out her empty bottle. She took it from him with a guilty murmur of thanks, trying to look for a trashcan. Given how there was nothing but trees and greenery around her, she didn’t manage to find one.

Solomon locked his car, leaving it in the middle of the grassy clearing, and started to walk off. She scrambled after him, not wanting to be stranded alone in the middle of the woods. “You should let me know where we’re headed!” she yelled, trying to keep up with him as he picked his way through the undergrowth. He was surprisingly quick for someone so tall, and on quite a few occasions she almost walked right into some obstacle that he had managed to avoid.

Trekking through the woods was tiring, but at the same time, it was peaceful. She enjoyed the silence, though she also realised that it was too quiet – there was no birdsong, no movement in the undergrowth, not even any bugs coming to attack her.

“Where are we going?” she called, hoping to get a response this time. Solomon glanced over his shoulder at her, a shadow of a smile on his face, and beckoned to her. She narrowed her eyes, wondering what he had up his sleeve, but she approached him nevertheless.

“We’re almost there. Just a tiny bit further,” he said when she was closer, close enough to see the traces of gold that flecked his blue eyes. She frowned. Funny, she was sure that his eyes were a murky shade of yellow-blue, but before she could question any further, he ducked through a gap between two trees and she had to go after him, careful not to lose her guide.

They broke into another grassy clearing, and the first thing she noticed within it was a perfect circle of mushrooms. A fairy ring. She suddenly recalled the old stories about the fae, how they gathered in fairy circles and spirited away any mortals unfortunate enough to come across them, and a shiver ran down her spine. After what Solomon suggested about her bite marks, she wasn’t taking any chances. “What are we doing here?” she demanded.

“Hm? Visiting the town, of course. You want answers, don’t you?” He stepped forward, but she didn’t follow him, still suspicious. He chuckled. “You aren’t going to learn anything if you just stay outside the boundary. This gate leads to the town I mentioned.”

She blinked. “This…gate?” she echoed, squinting at the mushrooms. They looked like they might be poisonous, but there was nothing else special about them, and she wondered if Solomon was trying to pull a fast one.

He looked at her as though she had said something stupid. “What did you think it was?”

“A ring of mushrooms?” He drew a breath, looking like he wanted to say something, but then he paused and shook his head, seemingly disappointed. She frowned. Did he think this was common sense or something? It wasn’t like she was an expert on supernatural beings.

“Come here and close your eyes,” he instructed, and deciding to listen to the words of the strange man, she stepped over the mushrooms, joining him in the middle of the circle. He murmured something in a language she didn’t understand, but there was something very familiar about it, like the shadow of a dream fleeing from the morning sun – she felt a strong, compelling urge to shut her eyes, and she followed her instinct, her world turning dark.

The ground beneath her feet shifted and she almost stumbled, but then a hand gripped her shoulder – his touch sent a sudden tingle through her skin, like static without the pain – and she managed to find her footing. It felt like the ground was sinking, and moments later a cool, almost liquid sensation enveloped her. She was tempted to peek, but there was a mysterious force freezing her in place and she couldn’t move any part of her body.

She tried to say something, but her mouth refused to open and she couldn’t make a single sound. It was terrifying, but before she could really start to panic, he cleared his throat. “You can open your eyes now.” And open them she did – the first thing she noticed was the wavy lavender grass surrounding her, nothing like the silent woods they had stepped into.

It was beautiful. Now that she could see, it felt like her other senses were slowly returning to her, and when she inhaled she could smell something floral. She didn’t recognise what flower it was, but it was intoxicating all the same – she took another deep breath, allowing the scent to settle in her lungs. The air itself seemed to shimmer, almost like a mirage. She swore she could see traces of…something around her, some kind of mystic, unidentifiable power.

“Don’t get distracted. We still have some way to go.” She glanced at her companion when he spoke and she blinked, taking in the sight of him. Solomon frowned back at her. “What?”

“You look…different.” That was putting it mildly. He still had the same white hair, still had the same blue eyes, but within them she could see the flecks of gold she’d noticed earlier, shimmering as they caught the watery sunlight. He had always been attractive, but in an unassuming way, almost blending into the background – now, she couldn’t figure out what had changed, but he had become impossibly beautiful, all sharp eyes and pouty lips and alabaster skin.

Just like Asmodeus, there was something almost inhuman about him, and unease nestled in her gut. Her gaze landed on his ears – were they always that pointy? She didn’t recall; he had been wearing a cap for most of the trip, and it was hard to make out his features sometimes.

“Do I?” A smile tugged at his lips, knowing, almost seductive. Her heart thudded. “Maybe you were tired from the journey, so you didn’t notice. I’ve always looked this way.”

She scowled. He most certainly had not – she remembered her first glimpse of his face when he left the gas station, and while he was handsome, he still looked decidedly normal. Not the kind of person who could take her breath away with just a smile or a lingering look.

“Where are we headed?” She decided to change the subject; it didn’t seem like he would tell her the truth anytime soon, and she didn’t want to waste time pressing the issue.

“Mm, to my hometown. Follow me, and don’t wander.” He turned towards a narrow path she was quite sure hadn’t been there earlier, and she followed him, looking around to take in the scenery. It was so…different. Petals fell gently around them, caressing her skin – they were silky soft and came in all shapes and sizes. But she saw no flowers on the trees nearby.

The leaves came in a brilliant array of colours that reminded her of gemstones, sparkling and gorgeous and completely senseless – amethyst, topaz, sapphire, obsidian. They fluttered in a breeze she could not feel, leaves that shouldn’t exist in such beauty but did all the same.

She could hear murmurs in the undergrowth, mysterious sounds that didn’t seem to belong to any animal she recognised. She peered into the trees, hoping to spot something, but the woods were eerily still and she wondered if she was imagining the faint chirrups she’d heard. “We aren’t, um…” She thought about how to phrase her question. “We aren’t in the human world anymore, are we?” It sounded weird, but she didn’t know how else to say it.

“Nope.” He held aside a branch for her, and she gaped at the tree as she walked past – it was a soft, delicate shade of gold, and it shimmered hypnotically, drawing her gaze. She yearned to reach out and touch the bark, curious about how it would feel, but Solomon called for her and she jolted out of her trance, hurrying back to the path. She glanced over her shoulder as she trekked through the woods, wondering what kind of tree that was. Where were they?

Solomon was whistling, his hands shoved in his pockets as he went along. He made hiking through the woods look easy, and she swore that sometimes, his feet barely even skimmed the ground. She picked a few stray leaves out of her hair, envious of how graceful he was.

Almost as though he could read her mind, he looked around and grinned at her; his smile made her breath catch. “What would you do if I told you Asmodeus might be there?”

“Asmodeus?” A memory of the beautiful man flashed through her mind, and she shivered. “What do you mean, he might be there? He said…he said…” What did he say? Everything was kind of fuzzy. “He said he would be leaving today,” she mumbled.

“Mm. And he left, didn’t he?” Was he levitating, or were her eyes playing tricks on her? She swore his feet were floating just an inch or two above the ground, but she couldn’t be sure. “He left, and this morning you woke up alone in the castle. But where did he go?”

“I don’t know. I just assumed he was going to catch up with his colleagues or something.” She noticed his raised eyebrow. “His brothers-in-arms, that’s what he called them.”

“Oh.” Solomon’s smile widened. “Maybe you’ll bump into his colleagues someday. They’re quite the eccentric lot.” With that, he continued down the path, and she puzzled over the point of the conversation, wondering if he had been trying to hint at something.

He brushed through a gap between some bushes, disappearing into the foliage, and she had to pick her way through the greenery, careful not to catch her hair or clothes on any thorns. It took a while, but she finally emerged from the bushes and found herself standing outside a dreamlike town, the kind of place that looked like it sprung right out of some fantasy tale.

She gaped, startled by how pretty it was. There were doors leading into tall, sprawling trees, the branches spreading protectively over the town below. Other buildings were carved into giant red toadstools, their impressive stalks alone easily dwarfing her. She could see people flitting between the buildings, some tall and elegant like Solomon, others stout and swift on their feet. She rubbed her eyes. Surely her mind was playing tricks on her.

“What are you?” It was impossible not to ask at this point.

“You haven’t guessed by now?” He cocked his head, and she was reminded of a prowling cat moments before it pounced on its prey. “You can keep thinking about it, then. I don’t have to answer to someone who refuses to use their head.”

She was about to retort, not liking the implication behind his words, but he held out a hand, his palm upturned, and she stared at him, surprise making her forget what she wanted to say. He sighed. “Your bottle. I’m going to throw it away unless you want to carry it around.”

Oh. She’d forgotten she was still holding on to it. She gave it to him, and he crushed it like it was made of paper, flattening it between his palms. When he pulled his hands apart, the bottle was gone, and she blinked, wondering if she was going mad. “Where did it go?”

“Magicked away.” He said that like it was the most matter-of-fact thing in the world, and she slowly shook her head, unsure what to make of all this. Maybe this was all just a dream, and if she pinched herself hard enough she’d wake up and find that she hadn’t even left her house yet. Solomon must have noticed the disbelief on her face. “Why, is it that surprising?”

“Magic doesn’t exist. Not real magic. It’s all just tricks, illusions.” She’d seen enough exposé videos to know she shouldn’t trust everything she saw. The human brain was easily duped.

“Then explain where the bottle went?” he asked, and she looked around them – maybe he had, through some sleight of hand, tossed the remnants of the bottle into the woods. “No, don’t even think about suggesting what’s on your mind. I would never pollute our home with your man-made plastic. Haven’t you seen the news about trash and global warming?”

Could he truly read her mind? She was flabbergasted. “How did you know…?”

“People are so predictable. It’s almost sad.” He turned back to face the town, his expression unreadable. “If you had discarded that bottle anywhere while we were walking in the woods, you wouldn’t have been allowed past the gate. We have strict rules about littering here.”

“You didn’t warn me!” He was so unreasonable. It was sheer luck that she didn’t drop the bottle sometime during the trek – there were a few moments where she could have let go, and now she knew that doing so would have rendered her entire journey useless.

“Why would I say anything when it was a test?” He glanced at her, and she fell silent, her gaze transfixed by the hints of gold in his eyes – they shimmered, mesmerisingly soft, just like the tree they had walked by earlier. “You passed it, and that’s all that matters, isn’t it? Now follow me.”

He took off, gliding across the ground, and the moment he turned away she remembered how to breathe, her lungs drawing in greedy gulps of air. It felt like she had just surfaced from a deep pool of water, and she had to take a moment to recover before she could follow him.

As they approached the town, she began to hear faint strains of music, lovely and beautiful, and she saw Solomon pause, tilting his head as though he was listening to the melody. He glanced over his shoulder at her and smiled before he continued on his way, and she had to wonder what she had gotten herself into this time.